~Clover~

The kids walked down a hallway, approaching an elevator. Clover kept thinking about the journey. It seemed it was reaching a close. The kids had made friends. They'd fought battles. They'd stuck together. Soon, they would be facing their greatest challenge of all. But Clover knew they would be able to overcome it.

The good guys always won, did they not?

Alphys appeared behind the kids, stuttering anxiously as usual. "S... sorry about that! L-let's k-keep going!"

"Sorry about all the lies you told?" Clover asked, glaring at her.

"Clover, not now..." Melody said, grabbing Clover's arm.

"I... I..." Alphys paused, bowing her head. "I'm... sorry about that too. I... I just wanted to feel... recognized for once. Something... other than a piece of garbage." She laughed. "Heh heh... I guess I was wrong. I'm still just trash."

"I don't think you're trash!" Cody retorted. "You did some weird stuff... but hey, who doesn't?"

Alphys looked away. "I bet you all hate me."

"Well, you're kind of a douche," Brayden said, shrugging. "But I don't hate you."

"I have to agree with Brayden on that one." Melody nodded.

"I think you're actually really nice..." Faye said quietly.

"You like anime, and even if I wanted to I can't hate you for that." Percy added.

"... everyone makes mistakes," Clover said. She took a step towards Alphys, a small smirk on her face. "How about this, pardner. We'll give ya another chance, like we did for all the other monsters."

Alphys bowed her head in shame. "D... don't bother... I've been lying to you guys about something else..."

Clover frowned. "Go on."

"Um..." Alphys paused. "Are you guys planning to shatter the barrier with your souls...?"

"HECK YES!" Brayden yelled.

"Not something we've thought about a whole lot, but it sounds like a good idea," Melody said. "Though we've definitely thought about going home. Human souls are strong enough to pass the barrier, right?"

"That's what it says in my notes." Percy said, holding up his notebook. "I've speculated that when all of us face the barrier together we will shatter it. A desired ending for us and our monster friends."

The kids cheered.

Alphys, sweat-beading, looked down. "Well... the truth is... to shatter the barrier you guys have to..." She looked up. Her eyes widened. "W... what happened to the elevator?!"

The group noticed the elevator had a leg sticking through it...

"Oh no..." Faye said quietly.

"OH MY GOD, THE ELEVATOR IS BROKEN BUT IT'S HOT NOW!" Brayden cried.

"We're screwed," Percy said monotonously. "Oh no. Ahh. Yikes. Crikey. Scream scream scream."

"Guys, stop," Clover waved her hands. She stared at Alphys. "Tell me you know how to fix this."

"I... I do, actually..." Alphys said. "But... it'll take a while." She frowned. "I.. I'm sorry. This is coming out all wrong. Everything's messed up again."

"Well, if you can fix this, then we'll give you a pass," Clover told the monster. She pouted. "Another one."

"Oh!" Alphys blushed. "W-well, I'll try m-my best!"

She walked over to the elevator and observed it. She pulled out some tools, mumbling to herself.

The kids stared at each other.

"So, what now?" Brayden asked.

"We entertain ourselves for a while." Melody sighed.

"We should tell stories..." Faye suggested quietly.

"Stories..." Percy looked thoughtful. "I've got a story. Melody will know about this one."

"What's this story?" Melody asked, staring at him.

"The one where I smiled." Percy answered.

"Oh God, please no..." Melody groaned.

"Wait, you SMILED?!" Brayden asked Percy. "I HAVE TO HEAR THIS!"

"Well," Percy cleared his throat. "It was a time... somewhat long ago."

"Why." Melody face-palmed repeatedly. "Why. Why. Why. Why?!"

"This isn't even the bad part," Percy said, staring at her. "So, Melody was trying to teach me how to be more... expressive."

"Mommy." Melody mumbled.

"She wanted me to smile," Percy continued. He looked down. "Smiling isn't something I do a whole lot. Mainly because I don't know when it's appropriate to smile. Anyway. Melody was teaching me how to smile." He paused. "Um... the result was..."

"Horrible." Melody said.

"Atrocious." Percy said.

"Terrible." Melody added.

"Disgraceful." Percy looked away.

"And just plain bad!" Melody and Percy said together.

They looked at each other. Melody laughed. Percy frowned, but then he started laughing as well. He ended up making that creepy smile while laughing. Everyone backed away.

"Right then..." Clover said, adjusting her hat.

"Yeah, I'mma stay over here." Brayden said, taking a few more steps back.

"Nightmare fuel..." Faye shivered.

"How about I tell a story this time?" Clover suggested. She grabbed Percy and Melody's shoulders, making them sit down. "This story's... actually pretty personal. But... after everything we've been through together... y'all deserve to hear it."

"Personal?" Melody asked. Clover nodded.

"Ooh," Faye said, widening her eyes.

Cody made a face.

"Is this about...?" He stared at his sister, his lip quivering.

She nodded. This was going to be hard to tell.

But she trusted her friends. They deserved to know.

Clover sat down, crossing her legs. She took off her hat and held it to her chest. Faye sat down next to her, followed by Cody. Melody and Percy joined them. Brayden raced over and sat down as well.

"Well, here we go, y'all," Clover said, bowing her head. "This story takes place after my mom died."

"WAIT, YOUR MOM DIED?!" Brayden yelled. "DUDE!"

"Brayden, that's not how to approach this situation!" Melody grumbled. She stared at Clover, her voice melancholic. "Clover... Cody... I'm so sorry..."

"What for?" Clover spat, scowling. She hated it when people said that stupid phrase. It made her beyond furious. As if people could understand. "There's nothing to be sorry for. You can't do anything. Just shut up and let me tell my story. Okay?"

"Oh... a-alright." Melody looked away.

"Clover..." Cody grabbed his sister's arm. "Are you sure...?"

"Yes." Clover replied firmly. She cleared her throat. No one else seemed interested in interrupting. "So, this story takes place after my Mom died. Basically, Cody and I were going to school as normal..."

"You're wearing that now?" Clover asked her brother, who was wearing a cream-coloured apron with a heart on it. Clover remembered... their mother got him that gift...

"Yeah," Cody replied, grinning. "It looks good... right?"

"Sure does," Clover said, nodding. "Though... I dunno, bro, you might get teased for it."

"I don't mind," Cody said, shrugging. "I'm wearing it for Mom's sake."

"Good on ya," Clover replied. She paused. She used a more serious tone. "But seriously bro... if you do get teased or something... tell me, okay?"

She couldn't afford to lose anyone else...

"Okay." Cody grinned.

"Promise," Clover grabbed his arm, now full of melancholy. "Promise you'll tell me if anyone picks on you."

"... I promise," Cody pulled his sister into a brief hug. He began walking off, going to his class. "See ya, Clover!"

Clover waved, a dark look in her eye. She was going to kill anyone that messed with her brother. That she did promise.

"Wow..." Faye said. "That's pretty crazy Clover..."

"We haven't even got to the crazy part yet," Clover retorted, smirking. "You've seen nothin', pardner."

"It's not crazy," Cody mumbled. "It's horrible. I... I made a mistake."

"You wouldn't have made that mistake if you kept your damn promise!" Clover yelled, glaring at him.

"Well, I didn't want you to hurt anyone!" Cody retorted, his voice cracking. "I don't want you to protect me if all you do is hurt others!"

"You really think you should suffer for other peoples' sake?!" Clover growled. "You're just being a doormat!"

"You're just being a jerk!" Cody retorted, glaring at his sister. "I can protect myself!"

"Guys, come on!" Melody said, waving her hands. "I know you're upset, but... there's no reason to fight." She sighed, as if she was some disappointed mom. "Do continue, Clover. I think your story's pretty interesting."

Clover sighed and continued...

Clover walked through the courtyard. She wasn't the most social person, so she didn't naturally make friends. There were a few people here and there that she hung out with, time from time.

So she spent the next few days hanging out with various people. She worried about her brother, but he seemed to be fine. Since their dad was still... in a situation, the siblings had become almost like the parents themselves. Cody was making dinner and Clover was keeping an eye on other things. She was too young to get a job so she had to convince her dad to get one, which was easier said than done.

"Yeah, I still have to nag him to do that stuff," Clover grumbled. "Sometimes we have to get relatives over to help. Dad's just a mess." She frowned. She wasn't a parent. "I hate him."

"Clover...!" Cody yelped.

"Don't you get sick of him?" Clover asked Cody, glaring at him. "Look what you have to do because of him! You've become the house-keeper!"

Cody looked away.

"Hey, I hate my dad too..." Brayden said... quietly. "I get what you mean."

"I hate both my parents, actually," Clover growled. "My mom didn't have to go on that trip." It was true. The trip was optional, but the woman went on it anyway and...

Clover wanted to punch something. She would find that murderer one day. And they would pay for what they did.

Clover's friends noticed she had... changed. She wasn't so easy-going anymore. She now carried around some pistol her dad got her (not at school though). She was aggressive and... intimidating. Her brother had gone in the opposite direction: he was much kinder and had a heart of gold. The students wondered what had happened to the twins, but neither of them would talk about anything.

Then... something happened.

"End of this one school day, I was waiting outside the school for my brother to show up," Clover said. She frowned. "But... nobody came."

The eighth human tensed up.

"Cody?" Clover called out, heading back into the school. She raced through the halls, calling out her brother's name.

She asked anyone that passed by if they'd seen him. They all said no.

"Cody!" Clover yelled, going to the courtyard.

She was feeling more panic now. Where could he be? He wasn't in any of his regular places...

"Clover?" a voice asked.

It wasn't Cody. It was one of Clover's friends.

"What're you looking for?" he asked.

"What do you think?" Clover growled, giving him a harsh glare.

"Whoa, chill," the student said, waving his hands. "I saw your brother by the back fence a little while ago. I think he's still there."

Clover nodded and raced over to said location. There were a lot of plants surrounding the fence. Clover shoved past them, keeping an eye out for her brother.

Her only family.

"Oh no..." Faye looked down. "I think something sad is going to happen..."

"Does Cody die?!" Brayden asked.

Everyone stared at him.

Brayden grimaced. "... oh."

Clover made a face. "Oh, it was just as bad..."

Clover heard voices coming from somewhere nearby. She made her way over to that area, adjusting her cowboy hat.

"You know you deserve this."

"But... it was ages ago... I'm sorry, I... I've changed!"

"You're just wearing some dumb apron."

Apron...

Clover bared her teeth. She picked up speed.

"No, really, I..."

"Stay over there."

"Hey!" Clover yelled.

A bunch of children were surrounding her brother, backed up against the fence. Most of them looked very angry. One kid was holding Cody back by his arms.

"Let him go." Clover demanded, glaring at the kids.

"Clover..." Cody stared at her.

"Oh, look, it's your sister," the kid holding Cody laughed. "About time she showed up. But what's she gonna do?"

"I said let him go." Clover repeated.

"No way," the kid replied, glaring at her. "He deserves this."

"Why?" Clover asked, tilting her head.

"He used to tease us for wearing weird stuff," the kid snapped. "Now it's his turn!"

"No," Clover growled, narrowing her eyes. "Do you really wanna stoop down to his level? Even further, maybe?"

"You don't know anything," the kid growled, walking over to Clover. "You and your stupid family."

"I'll tell ya one last time," Clover warned, anger boiling inside her. "Get away from my brother."

"What are you gonna do if I don't?" the kid asked, curling his lip.

Clover walked over to the kid, staring into his eyes. She punched him in the cheek. Hard. He stumbled back, holding said cheek, which was now red. He stood up and lunged for Clover. She defended herself, but hurt her arm. The kid then caught her off guard and punched her in the nose. Blood ran out of it. A large audience had gathered around the fight. They screamed and cheered.

Clover held her fist back, prepared to punch the kid again. However, he caught her fist in his palm. So she kicked him in the...

"CLOVER LUCKGREEN AND HENRY BAKESMITH!" a teacher yelled.

She intervened and pulled the children apart. They landed on the ground.

"You two are to come to my office at once!" the teacher growled.

"And so..." Clover frowned. "We both got expelled."

"WHOA!" Brayden clapped. "THAT WAS AWESOME!"

"No it wasn't..." Cody shook his head.

"Then what happened next?" Melody asked.

"Welp, my bro and I had to go to a new school," Clover said. "Which... ended up being the school we go to now." She paused. "It's a shame that kid at our old school is cousins with that douchebag at our new school. He pretty much hates me." She shrugged. "But I hate him too. We're even."

"No way you're ever gonna beat me in a fight, Luckgreen!" the kid jeered at Clover, hanging with his gang. "You may've got my cousin but you'll never beat me!"

"Yeah, sure," Clover replied, deciding she definitely needed to take self-defence classes. "Just don't go near my bro."

"He's a loser, why would I want to?" the kid asked. Clover turned around and gave him the stink-eye.

"Don't call him that," she grumbled. "Coward."

"Soon, Cody and I met y'all," Clover said, smiling at her friends. "And it's been like that ever since."

Faye was giving Clover an interesting look. That reminded Clover of something...

The kids didn't meet Faye until Brayden bumped into her in the locker area. He introduced her to everyone else... and she joined the friendship group. But Clover remembered Faye telling her something interesting...

"Clover..." Faye sat down next to the brunette. They were in a secluded area. "Can I tell you something?"

"Sure, Faye." Clover said, smiling at the blonde.

"You know... about Mt. Ebott, right...?" Faye asked. "And... how a child climbed up and disappeared there a long time ago...?"

"I've... heard of that..." Clover replied, tapping her chin. "But it's just a story, right?"

"I don't know," Faye shrugged. "But... once... I wanted to climb up that mountain. I... I was sad... and upset... and my parents were... and still are... in hospital." She sniffled, looking away. "But... then Brayden came to the school, and... I decided to stay so I could see him again." She paused. "Though I was too scared for a while so I waited around... and only now I'm actually talking to him..."

"Aww Faye," Clover put her arm around Faye's shoulders. At least your parents are still alive. "Don't worry. You've got all of us now."

"That's why I wanted to talk to you, Clover," Faye said, smiling at her. Her blue eyes were wet. "Melody and Brayden say you're kinda mean... but I don't think so. I think... I think deep down... you're really nice."

Clover blushed, adjusting her hat. "Thanks ,Faye."

"There's something else, too..." Faye said timidly. Her smile had an edge to it. "I think... I think we all may climb up that mountain one day."

"Really...?" Clover asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Faye responded. "And I have a feeling..."

Clover couldn't remember Faye's last words. But now she was curious about the soul of Patience. What else did she know?

"... I remember when Brayden and I... reunited," Faye said, grinning at her best friend.

"OH YEAH!" Brayden cheered. He pulled the blonde in for a headlock. "That was the BEST DAY EVER! I think that's the longest amount of time I've ever hugged someone!"

"Hee hee." Faye giggled, her head forced against Brayden's chest.

The eighth human was sitting calmly, their legs folded. They gave Clover a glance. Clover was about to say something when Alphys appeared.

"The elevator's fixed...!" she said cheerfully.

"FINALLY!" Brayden yelled, standing up. The others stood up as well. They walked over to the elevator. Clover smirked.

Finally. Their journey was about to meet its peak.

It was just an elevator ride to Asgore's...

"Wait, what about that lie you were keepin' from us?" Clover asked, giving the yellow monster a look.

"Eh... heh..." Alphys chuckled, sweat-beading. "Heh... heh..."

"JUST TELL US ALREADY!" Brayden yelled.

"Oh, guys..." Alphys sighed, looking down in disappointment. "You can't pass the barrier unless you all absorb a monster soul each... and there is only one boss monster, ASGORE... a-and... you can't shatter the barrier... unless your souls are outside of your bodies." She frowned. "I'm sorry."

"We... we're not gonna go home...?" Melody asked, choking up with tears.

"Oh no," Percy replied, furrowing his brow. "We're just stuck here for eternity unless another boss monster stumbles along..."

"NO WAY!" Brayden grumbled, baring his teeth. "THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING WE CAN DO!"

"Only one of us can leave..." Clover mumbled. She gazed at the eighth human. "And to do that, we have to kill someone..." She pouted. "This ain't fair. No one gets a happy ending."

The eighth human had an interesting look on their face, like they realised something. Clover, for a second, swore she heard them say a single word:

RESET