A/N
A few people mentioned last chapter that they thought that since Frisk's (now Uriel's) Soul turned pink that it meant they were a Soul of Fear. I knew this would come up, so I'm going to address that.
First off, Point Of Order: Pink is NOT the Soul of Fear. I've done my research into Glitchtale's lore, and pink in that AU is the result of the Bete Noir spell, which turns the Soul pink as a result. Fear is the inverted Bravery trait, which is dark orange, not pink.
With that out of the way, there IS an explanation within the lore of my universe as to why their Soul is now pink, but the explanation won't come until chapter 13.
Flowey was sulking in the Ruins where that human had first fallen down. The non-sentient golden flowers around him swished in the barely existing breeze. He had hoped he might have some fun messing with that human, but instead it became stronger, now in the body of a Monster that had a striking resemblance to Asriel.
In a lot of ways, Flowey was conflicted. The tiny part of him that was Asriel wanted to be happy for the human that looked like Chara. But the rest of him, the part that had tormented the Underground through countless Resets and tore them apart over and over was frustrated at being denied that pleasure again. The human's Determination was still greater than his so Flowey could no longer Save and Reset.
Flowey wanted to kill the human for taking that power away. He wanted to torment them, take them apart then put them back together in every way he could mentally and physically. He wanted to make them powerless as he took control away from them, and yet they continued to defy that.
Flowey had clung to his philosophy of 'kill or be killed' for a long time and the human defied that when they showed him mercy. They could have killed him, he even tried to goad them into doing it, but they adamantly refused to deal the finishing blow. They had managed to get the six human Souls to rebel after Flowey had used them to torment the human, and still they refused to bend to their way.
Flowey couldn't understand the human's motivations at all. Before, they seemed determined to escape, then changed their mind at the last moment when freedom was within their grasp. Then Flowey had tried to kill them repeatedly, and despite that, they still refused to give in to his world view, even looking like they were about to hug him had he not ran away. Then, they finally got to the surface, only to return a week later and apparently had decided to stay down here. Forever if need be.
What was the human's game? What did it want? It didn't even seem to be mildly bothered by its new appearance. Flowey had been horrified when he woke up in the body of this flower. Yet the human was fine with its new appearance? It was even making good progress on getting Asgore and Toriel back together. And, if Flowey had heard right, Asgore had even adopted them as his heir, making them the prince.
Was the human trying to replace him? Or rather, replace Asriel? It seemed that way. Everything that human did just made Flowey madder. But still, the little part of Asriel that was left in him argued that he should be happy that the human was doing all this. That they were undoing the damage that had been caused by his and Chara's deaths. But without a Soul, Flowey couldn't actually feel that. Just emptiness and jealousy.
Flowey wanted to make the human pay, but how? Who's to say that this time he'd succeed in tormenting them. Every time he tried, he failed and he didn't understand how. Worse, the human would probably be guarded now by Undyne and the Royal Guards, or even confined to the castle like Asgore did with Asriel. How could Flowey even get to them?
"Flowey!"
Flowey snapped his head upright when he heard his name. But that wasn't possible. Nobody knew him. So, who'd be calling him?
"Flowey, where are you?"
Now Flowey knew who it was. The human. Why were they looking for him? To rub their survival in his face? To torment him with their achievements? Flowey didn't want to see them at all. He burrowed into the ground to hide himself. Maybe if he ignored them they'd go away.
Frisk – now named Uriel – walked into the cavern they had originally fallen into. At the end of it, illuminated by a beam of light, was the flowerbed they had landed on. They had been searching the Ruins for Flowey, having previously combed the rest of the Underground for the single sentient flower in the entire Underground. If Flowey was anywhere, he'd be here as it was the last place Uriel had checked.
"Flowey, come out, please!" they begged. They had brought Asriel's Soul with them, keeping it in their inventory for safekeeping. They had also brought a pot and a trowel, both of which they borrowed from Asgore.
"Flowey, please. I only want to talk," they said. They had a feeling he was here. They couldn't explain it, but something in their Soul told them that the flower they were hunting for was here. But where?
Uriel walked up to the flowerbed. Now their Soul was telling them that Flowey was right next to them. But where? Uriel looked at the flowers and noticed a small gap between a few of them. Did Flowey burrow under the ground? Was he hiding?
"Flowey, come out, please," they asked. No response. Uriel wondered if maybe Flowey had left, but their Soul was telling them that he was still here. He was definitely hiding. Uriel wondered if they shouldn't just dig him up, but no. They wanted him to come up on his own so it wouldn't feel like they were forcing anything on him. But how?
"Asriel," they said quietly. "Please, come up. I want to talk to you."
Flowey's head poked up from the ground, a look of surprise on his face. "What… what did you call me?"
"Asriel," Uriel said with a smile. "It's good to see you again."
Flowey shot up the rest of the way. "That's not my name," he said angrily.
"It's the name your parents gave you," Uriel insisted.
"Asriel is dead," Flowey insisted. "He died a long time ago. He's gone."
"No, he's not," Uriel shook their head. "He's still with us. I know who you are."
"You don't know anything!" Flowey screeched.
"I know your real name is Asriel Dreemurr. You're the son of Asgore and Toriel Dreemurr, the Prince of Monsters."
"How could you possibly know that?" he demanded.
"It's a long story, and I'd be happy to share it with you, Asriel," Uriel said.
"Stop calling me that!" Flowey shouted. "I'm not Asriel. I'm Flowey! Flowey the Flower!"
"That's not true and you're never gonna convince me otherwise," Uriel insisted. "I came here to help you. Please, just let me explain…"
"I've heard enough out of you," Flowey hissed. Several friendliness pellets appeared and shot at Uriel. On reflex, they conjured their shield to block them. Weirdly, though, their shield was now pink instead of the normal red. "Just leave me alone. You can't help me, no one can!"
Uriel blocked more pellets. "That's not true! Please, Asriel, listen to me!"
More pellets were flung at them. "I'm done listening. You think you can help little old me? THINK AGAIN! I don't have a Soul so whatever you think you can do to help, forget it! I don't want your help!"
Uriel rose their shield to block more of Flowey's attacks. "But I can! Just… let me explain!"
"I don't want to hear anything you have to say." Flowey kept up his barrage, starting to fling them from all directions, forcing Uriel to dodge them. "If you won't leave me alone then I guess I have no choice but to kill you. Over and over and over, until you give up."
More friendliness pellets headed Uriel's direction. They managed to conjure a second shield, blocking the pellets from both sides. "I won't give up on you, Asriel. I promised."
"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" The pellets were now going crazy, coming from every direction and in every pattern. Uriel blocked as many as they could, dodging the rest. A few cut them, but they dealt so little damage it wasn't any concern.
Uriel managed to conjure a shield all around them to defend from the pellets, giving them a moment to breathe. But it would only have to be a moment as the shield was cracking from the repeated strikes.
Uriel needed to reach out to Asriel, somehow. But how could they do that? Flowey and Asriel were different in so many ways, they were almost two different people. But enough battles against the God of Hyperdeath had taught them that little Asriel was in there, somewhere. They just had to bring him out. Every time they had fought Asriel, though he had absorbed the Souls of every Monster in the Underground and all their Souls had given him back his own compassion. But that only happened because he had absorbed the six human Souls and got every Monster in the same place.
This Flowey didn't have that many Souls in him. He was still soulless, without love, hope, or compassion, and unable to feel any of that. There had to be some way around that. There just had to be!
Then Uriel remembered. While Asriel, in those fights had all those Souls within him, it had been Uriel, reaching out to their friends within him that had awoken it. But it was more than that. In that battle, Uriel's will had changed, their Determination unlocking some unique power within them. They had reached out with their own Soul and spoke to the empty one within that godly being, bringing back the small kid within.
The stakes now were lower, the circumstances different, but Uriel's Soul felt stronger than ever. If they were going to save Asriel, then they had to SAVE.
Something within their Soul the pink heart that was the culmination of their being began resonating. As the pink barrier around them shattered they dove to the side to avoid the bullets. Uriel could feel their Soul reaching out to the hollow white one within Flowey which was all that he had for a Soul. They reached out with their hands, reached deep within their Soul, and felt some sort of connection to the upside-down heart within Flowey.
SAVE
"Asriel. Please. Remember."
The pellets stopped. Flowey froze. He felt… something. "Huh? What are you doing?" he questioned.
Against his will a memory began to surface. Something he had thought long forgotten but was now coming to the forefront of his mind. It was the day he had met Chara, when he had met the fallen human, injured by their fall and taken them home.
Flowey was shaking as the memory, along with its associated feelings, came to light after so long. Uriel could feel the emotions.
They reached out again, reaching out to what was left of Asriel's Soul within that flower.
SAVE
"Asriel, it's okay, I'm here," they said gently.
"Wh- what did you do?" Flowey questioned. "What's this feeling? What's happening to me?" He shook his head as another memory forced its way forward. It was when he and Chara posed for their family picture, with his mom and dad behind them. Asriel was smiling, while Chara had hidden their face behind the flowers in embarrassment.
"No! NO! I don't need ANYONE!" Flowey shouted, unleashing a barrage of friendliness pellets at Uriel. They rose their shield to block it.
After it ended, Uriel reached out with their hands and Soul once more towards Flowey, connecting to that empty Soul.
SAVE
"Remember who you are, Asriel. Remember your past."
Flowey tried to fight it as another memory surged forth. That time he had taken mom's video camera and got Chara to do their 'creepy face'. It had startled him so much. He had forgotten to take the lens cap off and Chara refused to do it again.
"STOP IT! Get away from me! Do you hear me!? I'll tear you apart!" Flowey launched more friendliness pellets but there was only a few this time. Flowey kept wavering and Uriel could feel the will to fight leaving him.
Uriel reached out again. They'd do this as many times as needed.
SAVE
"Asriel, it's okay. I'm here."
Flowey tried to fight off the memory again but he was losing the will as feelings were surging forth with them. Asriel had gotten mom's camera, but this time had left the lens cap on on purpose, tricking Chara into smiling for no reason.
"Chara, do you understand what will happen if I go with you?" Flowey questioned. More bullets came up, but this time, they avoided Uriel, who just stood still, arms stretched out, Soul bared. "I don't have a Soul so nothing will stop me from toying with all of you."
SAVE
"I'll just make you all miserable. And I'll enjoy it, too."
SAVE
"I don't want to hurt you, Chara. I don't want to hurt mom. I don't want to hurt dad."
SAVE
Flowey couldn't stop the onslaught of memories that Uriel was bringing up, each one precious and cherish-able. Each one reminded Flowey of who he was, of who he used to be, and it made him realize what he had become.
"SO PLEASE, STOP FIGHTING, AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" Flowey summoned hundreds upon hundreds of friendliness pellets and sent them at Uriel. The former human summoned their pink shield to block the bullets. They struck, causing it to crack and start to break, but Uriel refused to give up. They were so close, their Determination stronger than ever. Their will renewed, they reached out to Flowey…
SAVE
…and the cracks vanished.
"STOP IT!" More bullets struck the shield, causing it to crack again.
SAVE
The cracks healed.
"STOP IT NOW!" Thousands of bullets struck the pink shield but Uriel refused to let it fall. Just when it seemed like it might give in, the attack stopped.
SAVE
Flowey was trembling all over now. The will to fight was gone.
"…I'm so alone, Chara…"
Uriel let the shield fall and walked towards the flower.
"…I'm so afraid, Chara…"
Uriel knelt down before him.
"Chara, I… I…"
Uriel hugged him, wrapping their arms around the flower.
"…I'm so sorry." Flowey's voice had changed. Uriel pulled back and rather than the flat face of Flowey, they saw Asriel's face and he was crying.
They gently cupped the crying flower in their hands, wiping a few tears away with their thumbs.
"I always was a crybaby, wasn't I, Chara," Asriel admitted. Uriel gave him a look. "I know. You're not actually Chara, are you? Chara's been gone for a long time. Um… what is your name?"
"Uriel. Uriel Dreemurr."
Asriel smiled. "That's… a nice name." He looked down sadly. "Uriel… I… I don't understand. I don't have a Soul. How… how are you doing this?"
"I don't know," Uriel admitted. "I just don't want you to feel nothing anymore." They wiped a few more tears from Asriel's face with their thumb.
"Uriel, I… I haven't felt these feelings in a long time. Without a Soul, I can't feel them, and yet, somehow you're making me… care about you." Asriel looked down. "Why… why are you doing this? I've hurt you so much. I've hurt so many people. Why are you trying to help me? Why do you care about me?"
Uriel spoke honestly. "Because you deserve it, Asriel. You deserve to be helped. You deserve to be saved."
"Uriel, I… I appreciate it, but you can't. You can't save me. Without a Soul, I can't feel anything. Without a Soul, I can't be 'myself'. And whatever it is you're doing… it can't possibly be done forever. Eventually, I'll stop feeling love again. So just… leave me, okay? Just go be with the people who love you. Who can love you."
Uriel had heard that hundreds of times from Asriel. But this time, things were going to be different. "But if you do have a Soul you will be able to feel again."
"But… I can't take another's Soul, Uriel. That wouldn't be right."
"Then… what about your own?" Before Asriel could speak, Uriel revealed the container with Asriel's Soul. The flower's eyes went almost comically large at the sight.
"Is… is that…?"
"Your Soul. Whole once more," Uriel answered.
"How?"
"I'll explain it later. But with this you can be 'yourself' again. It won't change you back but you'll at least be able to feel again."
Asriel looked at the white upside-down heart contained within. Could it really be that easy? Could he… feel again? It was almost too good to be true. He'd be able to see his parents and feel their love and feel love for them again.
But… did he deserve it? He had done so much as Flowey, hurt everyone in every way he could, purely for his own enjoyment. He felt like he didn't deserve a second chance. He felt like he should be punished for all the bad things he did.
But… Uriel had done all this for him. Someone they didn't even know. They felt he deserved it. That he should try and make up for all of it. The only way he could do that though, was with a Soul as it would be the only way he'd be able to genuinely make up for the bad things he did. The only way he could truly forgive himself.
"Okay, you win," Asriel said. "I'll take it."
Uriel laid the container down on the ground. A vine came up and Asriel used it to smash the container and grab the Soul. Then he absorbed it. A flash of white lit up his body as the Soul entered and filled the empty one within him. Uriel could feel the sudden return of emotions within Asriel and it made them cry a few tears. It felt really good.
When the light faded, Asriel was still a flower but now he had a pair of leafy arms coming from his stem, red claws on the end. Asriel looked at the new appendages and flexed them, enjoying the sensation of having arms again.
"How do you feel?" Uriel asked.
Asriel took a moment to think that over. He could feel his own Soul pulsing within, filling him with emotions he had been without for so long. "I… I… Yes."
"Yes?" Uriel asked with a smirk.
"Yes. I feel." Asriel hugged himself with his new arms. "I feel. I feel. I feel!" More tears came from his eyes as he was flooded with sensation in every sense. Emotions he had been without for so long now returned. He had arms and hands again. He had a Soul again. He felt wonderful.
Uriel gave him a few moments to enjoy the new sensations. Then they pulled out the pot and trowel they brought with them. Asriel saw them and grew confused.
"What are those for?" he asked.
"For you," they answered. "I want to take you with me."
"To where?"
"Home."
It took Asriel a moment to realize what they meant. "I… I don't think that's a good idea, Uriel. I mean… what will my parents say when they see me?"
"If they know it's you, I'm sure they'll be overjoyed you're alive."
"But I'm not really, am I? I'm still a flower and it's going to take a lot more to turn me back into what I was."
"And I'll never stop looking for a solution to that," Uriel said. "But… don't you want to be able to be with your parents again?"
"Why? They have you."
Uriel smiled. "No one could ever replace you, Asriel."
Asriel thought it over. Part of him argued that while Uriel had the right intentions, if they failed and his parents knew what happened to him it would just break their hearts again. But… he could still remember what had happened after he had been brought back. His parents, though separated, still loved him and tried to do their best to help him. It didn't matter to them that he was stuck as a flower. They still loved him.
Maybe… maybe he should let them know. Uriel was going to take him with them, regardless. And he wanted, very badly, to see his parents. "Okay. You win again. Let's go see them."
Uriel set the brown pot down and began to dig Asriel up, making sure not to hurt his roots. He set the flower into the pot and packed the dirt. "Comfortable?" they asked.
"Sort of," he admitted. "I've… never been in a pot before."
Uriel picked him up and carried him.
"This feels slightly demeaning."
"Well, if you've got a better idea, I'm all ears." Asriel didn't, so he stayed quiet. Uriel pulled out their cellphone and dialed Asgore's number. Eventually, their adoptive father answered. "Hey, dad," they said.
"Howdy, Uriel. How's your walk?" Asgore asked.
"Good," they said. "Hey, can you come to the Ruins? There's something I need to show you and mom."
"Alright. I will head over there now. I will meet you at your mom's," Asgore agreed.
"See you soon, dad." Uriel ended the call.
"You call them 'mom' and 'dad'," Asriel said. "Why? They're not your real parents."
"But they're the only real parents I've ever had," Uriel stated. "Now, let's go see them."
Uriel took their time walking through the Ruins, giving Asgore as much time as possible to get to Toriel's home. As they walked, they caught Asriel up on what they've been doing and how they've been getting the couple back together.
"Thanks for helping my parents, Uriel," Asriel said. "I tried a few times but nothing I did worked. I thought it was impossible for her to forgive dad."
"I don't think she's fully forgiven him yet," Uriel said. "But she's getting there. Seeing you alive might help."
"You're trying really hard to help them," Asriel noted. "Can I ask why?"
"It's what you asked me to do," Uriel answered. "In a previous Reset, you asked me to take care of your mom and dad. And… I want us to be a family. And a good family too, because I've never had one."
"How come?" Asriel asked.
Uriel shook their head. "I'm not ready to tell you why."
They arrived at the entrance to Toriel's home, walking past the tree which had grown more leaves since Uriel had arrived. As they approached the door, Uriel could feel Asriel shaking in the pot.
"Something wrong?" Uriel asked. "You should be happy. You're meeting your parents again."
"I know. But…" Asriel tried to phrase his feelings into words. "I'm still scared about how they'll react when they see me. And… how I'll react seeing them again."
"It'll be fine, I promise," Uriel reassured. They were now at the door and they could hear both Toriel's and Asgore's voices from inside. "Hey, mom. Hey, dad," they announced as they walked in.
"My child," Toriel spoke. "Asgore said you had something to show us?"
"Yes, I do," Uriel said as they walked into the living room, hiding Asriel behind their back. "I found something while walking through the Ruins. More specifically, someone."
"Oh, who?" Asgore asked.
"Someone I think both of you know," Uriel answered. "I've actually been trying to help them for quite some time and I'll tell you the story of how we met some other time. For right now, I think it's best if you see them with your own eyes."
"Well, who is this person that both of us might know, then?" Toriel asked.
"Someone I know you both miss and who also misses you two as well." Uriel then revealed Asriel, holding him in their hands.
"A flower?" Asgore questioned, the sight nagging something in the recesses of his mind. Toriel's as well, though she didn't say anything.
"Hi, mom. Hi, dad," Asriel said nervously. Those four little words were all the Boss Monsters needed to recognize him.
"Asriel?" Toriel said in shock.
Uriel placed Asriel down on the table so Asgore and Toriel could get a better look at him. The couple went right up to their son, tears in their eyes and looks of shock on their faces.
"How is this…?" Asgore questioned.
"Is it really you?" Toriel asked.
"Yeah, it's me," Asriel admitted. His new Soul was pounding and he was scared.
The couple reached out and gently placed their hands on him.
"You're… a flower," Asgore said.
"Yeah," Asriel admitted.
Uriel was watching, silently observing the scene playing out before them. Never had something like this happened in all their Resets. Flowey had always refused to go with them. They had no idea how this would play out.
Asriel was getting more and more scared the longer his parents didn't say anything. He was afraid of what they'd do now. He could still remember how he had tormented them when he didn't have a Soul, and though he Reset so they never remembered that, he was still frightened of what they'd do. He closed his eyes, worried that they'd scream or shout or that Asgore would suddenly remember what he had tried to do a couple weeks ago.
When he heard sniffling, he opened his eyes to see his parents crying. The tears were falling harder than they day he died.
"You have no idea… how much we've missed you, Asriel," Asgore cried.
Like that, a weight was lifted off of Asriel, and he allowed the emotions to flood him. Happiness, relief, joy, everything he had denied up to this point came in all at once and tears fell from his eyes, too.
"Uriel," Toriel turned to them. "How did you do this?"
Uriel shuffled on their feet. "I didn't do it alone. And like I said, it's a long story."
"It's not important right now," Asgore decided. "What is important is that our son is back."
"Yes, it is," Toriel agreed.
"Well, not all back," Asriel pointed out. "I'm… kinda stuck like this."
"That doesn't matter to us," Asgore said. "You're back. That's what matters."
"And it won't be forever," Uriel said. "I promise to find a way to restore your son to how he was before. Someday."
"Thank you," Toriel said.
"Well, care to tell us the long story? We've got time," Asgore said.
"But Uriel will need to go to bed soon," Toriel reminded.
"Perhaps tomorrow," Uriel said. "Though I am kinda hungry."
"I will make a pie, to celebrate," Toriel said.
"Sounds great! I've missed your cooking, mom," Asriel said eagerly.
Toriel baked a rather large butterscotch-cinnamon pie, as she wanted enough to feed all four of them. Uriel wasn't sure how Asriel was going to eat, but they weren't going to stop him from enjoying himself.
As they ate, the parents held a conversation with their son, wanting to know what happened and how he was still alive while also respecting his privacy. Asriel ate one bite of the pie but wasn't able to really eat any more.
After their meal, Uriel sat in Toriel's chair while the goat couple continued to converse with their son. As they talked, Uriel could see Toriel lightening up around Asgore. They were right in their assumption that the return of their son, regardless of circumstances, helped. Uriel could also see a light in their eyes return as they heard their son's voice again and they could feel it in their Souls as well. Asriel was much the same. He was still a flower but able to feel again and love again. Something in him had been lost for so long and thanks to Uriel, it was back and he was overjoyed. Asriel occasionally looked over at Uriel and every time he did, Uriel could see the look of gratitude in his eyes as he told his parents what he had been doing. Though, he danced around the Resets and what he did in them mainly sticking to what happened in his 'last' timeline.
By the time Asriel reached the point where Uriel had fallen down it was nighttime. A lethargy he hadn't felt in so long was coming over him. He tried to suppress a yawn but failed.
"Guess it is that late," Asgore noted. "Well, Uriel, I guess it's time to…" When he turned to look at Uriel, he saw that the kid was asleep on the chair. "Huh. Guess it's been a tiring day for us all."
"I am quite tired myself," Toriel added. "It has been quite an exciting day with you back, Asriel."
"Yeah. I guess it has," he agreed.
"Well, I shall put this one to bed," Asgore said as he picked Uriel up and cradled them in one arm. "What will you do, Asriel?"
Asriel thought it over. He was still in the pot and Uriel wanted him to be in their life. He guessed he might as well stay with them. "I'd like to go with them."
"Oh. You would prefer to stay with them," Toriel said sadly. "I… I guess that is okay."
Asgore could see his ex-wife's sadness and realized that taking Asriel away now might not be the best idea. "You know, it's a rather long walk back to New Home," he mused. "Mind if we stay here for tonight?"
Toriel appeared hesitant to agree to that but when she realized what he was doing, nodded. "Yes. You may. I suppose you could stay on the couch, Asgore. Uriel can stay in their room."
"And I'll stay with them," Asriel said.
Asgore picked him up and walked to Uriel's room. With a bit of effort, he managed to enter the room. He placed Asriel down on the bedstand then laid Uriel down in their bed, tucking them in as he did.
He stood up, but before he left he rubbed Asriel's head once. "It is good to see you again, son," he said.
"Yeah," Asriel agreed.
"Is something wrong?" Asgore asked.
Asriel wasn't sure he wanted to say, but part of him had to know if he really wanted to move forward with his family. "Do… do you see Uriel as… as a replacement?"
"Goodness, no," Asgore said, shocked. "What made you think that?"
"I… I've seen you having dinner together, twice," Asriel admitted. "I thought that, maybe, you were having Uriel to replace me since I was dead."
"Asriel, Uriel could never replace you. The two of you are quite different though similar in a lot of ways."
"But you and mom are talking again and even sharing custody of them," Asriel pointed out.
"We're doing that for Uriel's sake," Asgore said. "They're… traumatized. I'm not sure how much they've told you of their past, but your mother and I have realized that they need stability because of what happened to them in the past."
"What happened to them?" Asriel asked. Did Uriel tell them?
"We're not sure. But… Uriel was very scarred. We think they were abused by their family. So, your mother has agreed to trust me and give me a real chance for Uriel's sake, hoping that we can heal whatever has been done to them."
Asriel thought that over. Abusive parents? He had never thought that Uriel would run away because of that. Thought it did make sense, as twisted as it was.
"I believe you," Asriel said.
"Good. Never forget we love you, Asriel," Asgore assured.
"And Uriel isn't a replacement. They're just your child," Asriel added.
"And your sibling," Asgore revealed. "I adopted them not two days ago."
Asriel's eyes widened. "Oh." So, Uriel was his sibling now? Asriel wasn't sure what to think of that.
Asgore turned to leave the room, flicking the light switch as he did. "Goodnight, Asriel. Goodnight, Uriel."
"Goodnight, dad," Asriel said. When his dad closed the door the room was bathed in darkness. Asriel looked over at the sleeping former human, who was apparently his adopted sibling now. He was with his parents again thanks to this child and he had a Soul again. There was so much he wanted to know but it was going to have to wait till morning, as Uriel didn't even stir during that whole conversation. Asriel closed his eyes and for the first time in a long time, wasn't afraid of what would happen, welcoming the dreams this time.
"Thank you, Uriel," he whispered into the darkness as sleep began to overtake him.
"You're welcome."
End of Chapter 9