At this point, I think we both know who the Non-Human is. Perhaps its time we addressed our interloper appropriately.
T-Frisk stared at the Caretaker of the Ruins. The monster who had the gall to strike her, to interrupt her fight. The whole experience having gone from fun, to a chore, to something she would work to scrub from her mind for an eternity after.
In truth, it wouldn't be the first time she'd killed this version. For as long as she'd inhabited this vessel, for as long as she'd been in the ruins, she had been sick of this...'rendition.' Repulsed by the way it talked, the way it moved. The way it clung on to some semblance of hope, despite being such a miserable, weak little insect.
She couldn't help but ask herself, how many different versions of Undyne had she killed thus far? There was the classical variety. A True Heroine, or Villain depending on if the world was Fell tinted, or not. There was one where she ruled the underground as a noble queen, as a tyrannical one, and as a horrific one in some distorted future. They were often an important component in the game.
T-Frisk had faced her as The Judge. The last bastion of defense the underground had against one of her more enthusiastic purges. There were ones where the warrior was a jokester warrior in Snowdinn, or the universes equivalent. Ones where the miserable wretch wound up as a robot, or a mad scientist, tinkering, creating weapons that were fun to rip apart.
And then there was this one. And it infuriated the non-human with every breath it took. This variety of the woman was rare, as there was rarely one so weak, and defunct. Incapable of putting up a 'real challenge' like so many of the others. Unable to 'endure'...and see that happen.
Undyne, champion of monsters, reduced to a caretaker of the ruins. The first 'boss' in the gauntlet. Stronger than the weakest version she'd killed, admittedly. Then again, that one had been some obnoxious child, following around a monster knight in a poncho.
Yes, this was truly beneath her. In every normal situation, this fight would be...too easy to even bother thinking about, for T-Frisk. Even wounded, she didn't imagine it would be that difficult. Reminding herself, that death, for her, wasn't the end anyways. Wagering that even if she lost, she would just come back, and correct that mistake with a Load. Not that she would need it.
T-Frisk moved to say something, but the Non-Human found her words cut off. A sudden motion seeing the warrior woman dash forward. Spears of light coming down, from each direction. The creature moving quickly to begin blocking the various attacks.
A more powerful swing coming from Undyne. Colliding with the axe, used to block the rest. Pushing the non-human down the hall. Past the broken body of Chara, and past Muffet. The spider-monster side-stepping to avoid the collision.
A swing back, bringing the axe near. However, the non-human suddenly turned green. Her movement stopping, as Undyne leaned back. Avoiding the hit. A spot on the ground glowing, as the warrior gave a dark smirk. A spear of light exploding up, punching through the creatures chest.
It was in this moment that T-Frisk was forced to remind herself of something critically important. The unfair tactics, were in themselves indicative of her opponents true nature. Even if she had foolishly failed to recall it.
Undyne let out a roar. Following this action up by beginning a quick set of strikes. Her opponent blocking one after another, before the spear flashed green, releasing T-Frisk from the grasp. Pulling to the side at the last second, when a spear shot up from behind. Punching through her arm, as the creature roared in fury.
A wide swing coming in response to this. Impacting, and shattering Undynes spear. The warrior letting out a sound of surprise, nearly being cleaved in two by the attack. Saved only by a step back. The weapon broke apart, the warrior motioning, as two spears of light appeared in her hands. Moving together, in the form of an X, to block the powerful swing that followed. The weapons cracking, straining as she grit her teeth.
Before the spears could break, a slash echoed from behind. cleaving across the back of the non-human being. Who turned, and swung in response. Shattering Muffets sword, that had been used to pierce her enemies hide.
T-Frisk staggered some, seeing spears appearing in a ring pattern, around her. Growling, she pushed forward, arm dangling, leg dragging. But still moving surprisingly quick. Pushing through the opening, the Non-Human digging into her bloodied jacket. Digging something out.
Undyne in the middle of forming new weapons. Muffet charging some other attack. She felt, if this was how it was going to be...she might as well even the field a little.
T-Frisk used an item.
Swallowing down some liquid, she cast the glass bottle to the side. Many of her wounds healing. Her arm twisting, and repairing some. Her leg sealing over the wound. Her body still sore, and rather damaged. But far less so now.
"So serious." T-Frisks smile widened. "Alright. Let's play."
She dart forward, and began to battle the two. Bringing the axe to crash down towards Muffet, only for spears of light to erupt and block the way. As Undyne brought her own rising, and firing down at the creature. Who weaved with disturbing grace, avoiding one after another. Avoiding the slamming thrusts of the twin spears.
The step back was easy enough. Accompanied with a little laugh, before darting forward. Pushing off the ground as she spun. Slicing through a manifested barrier of spears, before cleaving through another of the warrior womans own. The axe coming around to connect. Only for her to be hit by another giant-spider bullet.
However, it didn't get very far, before the hilt of the axe crushed it. A spear brought against the interloper. Flashing her green as it passed through. Undyne following this with more spears, while motioning, as Muffet began to put some distance from the horror they were facing. Each attack getting parried easily. Muffet conjuring her spiders to try and add pressure.
The pattern shifted, but T-Frisk adjusted quicker. Cleaving through the giant-spider-bullets. Blocking the spears. Turning, twisting, and laughing gleefully while she did so. Finally having some honest fun.
With the creature distracted, another had set to work. After all, there was no way those two monsters would win on their own. First came a donut being given to Aliza, who ate it, mostly after being told to. The next was a magical bandaid, and healing cider. The first being applied to Chara, in order to get her to start moving again. The second to ensure she could actually get back up.
"Wow, that creature really wants to kill you now." Temmie noted, snickering. "How did you pull that off?"
Chara growled. "S-shut up." Getting back up to her feet, she finished the drink. Dropping the container onto the ground, looking over to Aliza. Her counterpart having come over towards her.
Temmie hummed. "Well, they're going to die. Maybe if you two run quick enough, you'll survive?"
Aliza was terrified at the prospect. Watching the monsters do their best to stave off the creature. Which had healed using something. Negating a lot of their progress, although not completely.
Aliza spoke. "W-we can't...she'd..."
Chara finished the thought. "Just catch us." She felt her own whisper suggest something. "Temmie-" The cat-dog glanced. "you probably know this, but that knife is the most damaging thing here."
Temmie noted. "That's why I grabbed it."
"Then protect Aliza." The purple-eyed girl ordered, turning to the other girl. "I need you to be able to hit that...thing."
Aliza fidgeted. "W-why don't...you take it?"
Temmie answered, while hopping onto Alizas shoulder. "Because the Non-Human, has a thing for Chara. It's better if she serves as a distraction."
"Will...you be okay?" The orange-eyed girl asked.
Chara thought about it for a moment. She honestly didn't know. But if she was going to have a shot, the other girl needed to be able to endure. Something Temmie seemingly understood, in some concept. As worrying as that was.
"Stay alive, and I'll be okay." Chara noted, turning to the fight. "Let's go!"
It seemed there was no time to waste. No time to debate. It was do, or die. And they rushed to join the fight in progress.
The Axe cleaved, leaving a gash across the warrior. Mitigated partially be the sheer will of the warrior, and an attempted dodge. Avoiding what would have been an immediately fatal shot. In exchange for one that cleaved through her. Leaving mana bleeding from her body. Her health falling, well below half.
A spear of light, and the axe placed at either side of the head. The Non-Human staring down, with a sickening grin. As Undyne glanced up.
T-Frisk smirked. "No fun quip, no words of defiance?" She tsk'd. "Usually there's dialogue. How disappointing."
Chara cast |Royal Buster|
The purple energy drawing near, as T-Frisk leaned back. Avoiding the blast intended for her. Seizing the moment a spear appeared in the warriors hand, as Undyne brought it slamming up into her enemy. Power bursting, as the creature was sent flying. Landing with a skid, and a growl. A purple set of webbing snapping back up, restricting her movement.
Muffet panting some, all the same. Still exhausted, but filled with a newfound desperation. Namely, at how near the creature had come to killing Undyne.
Aliza moving around the edges of the fight, as Temmie materialized a series of bullets. Sending them crashing down at the non-human. T-Frisk huffing, as she began to weave, and jerk across the lines that constricted her. Managing to avoid them. Turning to see the source.
"What are you doing here?" Undyne asked, glancing at the girls, with alarm. "You need to get out of here. Right now."
Muffet added. "We're barely holding this thing off. You have to go."
Aliza seemed like she wished to say something. Before Temmie motioned for her to stay on target. Working her way around the battlefield. To a space she would be less visible.
Chara responded with a shake of her head, while leveling the bat. "That's not going to happen." Her eyes seemed to darken. "I'm not...gonna let this thing win."
The ink spread through her heart. T-Frisk merely smiling at the sight of it. It seemed, to her, that the girl hadn't learned that this 'demon' state, wasn't enough to secure a win. It would be humorous if it wasn't so sad.
The Non-Human moving to attack, only to find the webs tighten. Gripped, and held by Muffet. The monster straining, and staggering, while limiting the actions of her enemy. Following this, glowing circles appeared across the grid. The Non-Human moving to dodge, as spears of light exploded up. Boxing her into a point.
The Demon used |Royal Slash - H|
The bat glowing in her hands, the Demon swung out. Creating the purple wave. With orange energy racing behind it. The first slamming into T-Frisk, much to her surprise. The other two piling on, with the last one negated as she pushed back. Narrowly avoiding the attack.
The grip failed in that moment, as T-Frisk lunged out. Axe swinging towards her enemies. Moving to slash down at the girl. The voices in the childs mind screamed, the soul blackening. A lean back, seeing the axe cleave through the air. The second swing following a familiar pattern, avoided as it came. The third brought around wide, the girl pushing back. Letting it clip her poncho.
"I'm learning." The Demon taunted. "I will overcome you."
"You lack the LOVE." T-Frisk replied. "It won't be fast enough."
The creatures being flashed green, locking her down. Undyne holding onto it for a moment, as spears manifested, firing out at the non-human. Who blocked them with fervor. A quick dash to the side, seeing a blade lacerate a leg. As Muffet dashed past, narrowly avoiding the back swing. As one of the spears punctured the creatures shoulder.
The Demon defended.
The Demon cast |Phantom Hand-Hate|
Dark purple light enveloped Muffet, and Undyne. A tear, like a glitch in reality bursting out. Snatching T-Frisk, and squeezing down. Permitting several more spears to punch through it, and the non-human. Before she roared, and shattered it, breaking out of the grasp. Bleeding ink onto the floor.
As T-Frisk raced to seize the moment, the axe swinging out. The purple webs suddenly snapped around her. Dragging the Non-Human back, as the hit was nearing the girl. Her focus turning to the spider. Infuriated at the distraction, and unwilling to suffer it again.
A wall of spears formed, and began to fire down at the non-human. Who began weaving across the space permitted. Attempting to dodge the attacks from her would be aggressors. Her injuries making the process more difficult than it should have been. A glance to the side revealing an attacker.
The Demon decided to Fight.
The ink eyed girl raced forward, her hood pushing back. Darting through the attacking spears. To swing out with the bat. The Non-Human barely avoiding the hit, before being impacted by an orange wave. Slamming into her. Leading to one more spear impacting. Tearing into the skin, as the creature lost her patience.
Tearing from the attack, as Muffets energy faltered. The choice on who to attack became obvious. T-Frisk avoiding her counterparts attempts to catch her. Turning, to toss the axe from her hand. It soared through air, distracting the demon known as Chara, long enough for the woman to backhand her opponent, knocking her away, as she snatched a spear of light. Infecting it, corrupting it, into her new weapon of choice.
The spider-monster let out a breath of surprise as it approached. The sound of impact filling the air. As she stared with horror. The axe sunken into the chest of Undyne. The warrior staggering some, before falling to her knees.
The moment of shock permitted T-Frisk to wander over and reclaim the axe. Pushing her foe back with a kick, causing the monster to slide across the floor. Muffet letting out a gasp, as she hurried over to her.
"M-mom?" Muffet asked in alarm.
"D-damn...heh, that...hurts." Undyne winced in pain. "R-relax...t-this is nothing."
T-Frisk watched this, and laughed warmly. There was the dialogue she had been hoping for. Heartbreak, pain, suffering. Her thoughts cut off by a slash that tore across her leg, leaving her stumbling, letting out a sound of anguish.
She turned to swing on this intrusion. Before a long deformed claw smashed against her. Knocking the axe away in the process. Sending it skidding towards a wall.
Turning, and growling, T-Frisk found a figure she kept forgetting existed. Aliza, with Temmie of all creatures on her shoulder. The arms of the creature having grown enough to be as long as the girls arms. The child holding her knife, something that shined faintly with the inky blood across it.
The girl had been so non-present in the last bouts of the fight, that the non-human had actually imagined her to have run away. However, the girls orange soul shone bright, with Bravery. T-Frisk panting angrily, the damage was adding up. She felt enraged at the prospect. She wasn't about to die, to...this. This little group of low level filth.
The Demon cast |Royal Buster - Hate|
The attack moving from a close range hitting, hard enough for the non-human to stagger. And be knocked back, when the energy erupted. Tearing across, and singing one of her eyes in the process.
T-Frisk responded by beginning an assault with the spear. Stabbing at the hate-filled girl with enough force to shatter a soul. Each of the base hits dodged. Only for a sudden swing to bring it around wide. Temmie pushing pack, helping Aliza dodge the hit. As the end slashed the other girl, causing her to stumble back.
"You could have been so perfect. We could have been best friends." T-Frisk declared enthusiastically, stepping into another piercing strike. "But you had to ruin it." The spear punching into her core opponent, as she continued moving forward. "Why do you always ruin it?"
The spear was slammed into the wall, beside where the axe had fallen. Pinning the writhing girl to it, grasping at the end. Struggling, in obvious pain. The non-human taking the axe. Staring for a moment, frowning.
"Let's see if you can get back up from that." T-Frisk growled, dodging a slash that came near her. "I have to babysit a different brat." Her rage filled eyes falling on Aliza, barely evading another set of slashes from the Temmie. "And put down this rabid mutt."
T-Frisk was finding it increasingly difficult to move. Her body was beginning to fail her. But with two down, the rest wouldn't be that difficult. Granted, she'd said this before, and she was beginning to doubt it. There was a sound growing near her, namely an enraged spider-monster, moving to slash her.
Grunting in annoyance, the axe slashed out in return. Cleaving across Muffet, the monster letting out a sound of pain. Falling to the ground, struggling to stay in one piece. The woman turning her attention to the last two standing. Presently putting some distance between themselves and her.
Temmie whispered. "Go, go, go."
T-Frisk shambling towards them, getting faster, and faster. Gripping the axe tightly. Murder in her eyes.
Aliza glanced back. "I-I-"
The Non-Human raised the axe high, Temmie moving to shield them. With this, it was finally, game over. A spear tore through the joint of her arm. Ripping one off. The interloper gasping, glancing. Otherwise unphased by the damage.
"How?" T-Frisk asked, in utter confusion.
Undyne had somehow gotten back to her feet. Her entire being seeming to be shaking, rumbling. Her eyes staring forward, with a renewed sense of...determination.
To T-Frisk, this was an impossible occurance. This variety of Undyne lacked the power to hold on after death. In fact, thinking about it, she should have collapsed to dust the moment she was hit. The womans mind almost smoking, before it clicked. As the girl she had been chasing, raced to hide behind Undyne.
"It's funny...I think I get it now." Undyne spoke. "You...you're not just after them. Are you?" She asked. "Humans...Monsters...even the Creatures of the Dark. If you get out...you'll kill everyone, everything." Her breathing became erratic, the Non-Human shambling closer. "But I won't let that happen. I...refuse to let that happen."
"No...no...you can't...take that form?" T-Frisk commented, unable to comprehend this turn of events. The warrior couldn't do it. She wasn't strong enough. Her body would just break, it would crumble. But the girl, Aliza, something about her was keeping this abominable caretaker alive past her expiration date. It was keeping them all alive.
The Non-Human realized that from the beginning, she should have just killed that brat. She had even been thinking it. Before the fight, and then when it started. She let out an abyssal laugh. Unable to help but smile, even as her fury rose.
The axe was brought down. However, Undyne caught it. Letting out a breath, as her body began to start solidifying.
"You're gonna have to try a little harder than that." Undyne declared, defiantly.
There was a surge of light. The monster changed, reforming. The robes becoming armored, one of the womans eyes beginning to shine with a trace of light. Her greaves taking on stronger metal appearance.
In response to this, lights appeared across the floor in front of her. T-Frisk yanking the axe back, while narrowly dodging the piercing spears. No sooner had she done this, than a ring of bullets appeared, beginning to collapse inward. Forcing her to move, and stumble, to avoid them. The process was getting tiring.
The Non-Human lunged forward, and attempted to swing at Aliza. Only for the blow to instead hit Undyne. The Undying Caretaker tanking the hit. As it removed a fifth of her health. Temmie grinning wickedly on Alizas shoulders.
"Is that it?" Undyne asked, the Non-Humans being flashing green, as she became rooted in place.
Spears were conjured forth, and began to fire down. Moving much faster than before. T-Frisk began to block them. Several turning yellow at the last moment, moving to the sides. The woman caught by surprise, by the cheap attack. As several pierced into her.
Adding onto this, there was a ring of bullets that formed, and began falling in. The Non-Human surprised by the mixture, initially failing to block many of them, as she staggered and stumbled. Before turning with the blocking weapon, stopping the remainder.
Aliza decided to attack.
The knife slashed out, tearing at T-Frisk, presently rooted in place. Slicing at her arm. Making handling the axe, all that much harder.
The Non-Human swung out at Aliza. Finding the attack blocked again, tearing into Undyne, doing another fifth of the caretakers health. The warrior responded to this attack, by manifesting a weapon of her own. Giving a powerful swing. The Non-Human moving to avoid it. The ground beginning to shine.
A series of attacks coming as Undyne created a second spear of light. Slamming down with them, forcing T-Frisk to block. Struggling some, with the damage to her remaining arm. A realization was setting in, and it filled the non-human with amusement.
Temmie and Aliza moved closer and from the side. The creatures arms swinging out as it cackled. The first making contact, knocking the non-human to the side. The second evaded, alongside a thrown spear from Undyne.
The girl made a swing with the knife, which sparked an expression from T-Frisk. As the girl have overstepped. The axe brought swinging, tearing up towards the girl. The combatants displaced enough for it to finally hit. Temmie moving its arms to form a barrier. The hit shredded through. Slicing down the creatures face, and arms, splitting them.
"Doesn't matter." Temmie muttered somehow, before falling with a thud. "You...idiot."
The momentary satisfaction was marked with noise. A sound fast approaching, that was about to deal the fate of the interloper. As a blast of purple light slammed into her.
Chara had used |Royal Buster|
The girl was standing, just before the spear. With smears of black, and red across it. Indicating how she'd freed herself from the corrupt weapon. However, the glance-back was a terrible idea.
Undyne smirked. "Got cha."
A snap of the fingers, and the light that had gathered below the Non-Human, shined. Getting a single look, with widening eyes. Before spears of light exploded up. Tearing into, and filling much of the space around the Non-Human.
The Non-Human coughing out inky blood, in what was notably a gorier display than the various other impalements. Simply due to the extensive implementation of the weapons. Despite it, T-Frisk couldn't help but feel a sense of amusement.
"Heh...heh...good...game." The Non-Human snickered.
She had only successfully killed a single monster, and a worthless Temmie in this fight. The fault, in her eyes, or the one that was left, was Aliza. T-Frisk burned the face into her memory. She was going to remember this. She was going to avenge this humiliation. And she was going to make sure, that brat, suffered for it.
After a long, brutal fight, the little bit of light remaining in the creatures eyes, faded. She believed in those last moments, that she'd simply 'load' and start again. Believing her Determination would permit a second chance. After all, she knew all their attacks now. She'd be faster, more focused, more brutal. They would all die screaming.
That very arrogance, however, was why T-Frisk lost. And it was why her corpse fell to the ground with a sick wed thud. The vessel wouldn't rise, again. As that 'load' never came.
In the aftermath of this fight, however, Chara collapsed to the ground. The energy from it, the tension of the fight itself, had been keeping her going. And without it, she had nothing left in the tank.
Aliza for her part was staring at the mangled body. The image of it becoming something her young mind wouldn't be able to scrub from memory. A haunting, horrible thing.
In response to this, she found herself being picked up. Initially panicking some, before finding that Undyne was the one doing so. The girl examining the monster that had saved them all. Letting the knife fall to the ground, hugging the Undying Caretaker.
"Shh, it's alright." Undyne assured quietly, carrying the human over to the others. "It's gone now. You'll be alright." Thankful to find that they appeared to be alive, however barely that was.
In truth, the warrior felt like her body was burning. Like her very being was trying to break apart, and collapse. As though all she had, and all she had garnered from this strange power, was trying to turn on her somehow. The woman resisting it, as best she could.
Heading over, she began attending to the others. Trying to ensure that the survivors of the fight remained as such. That they would live on. Trying to put the creature from her mind. At least for the moment, as she attended to her daughter, and to her 'little sister.'
Beyond the veil of this world, and into the dark of a deeper abyss, something was happening. The energy of an assistant flowing there. Colliding with the inky void, grasping and dragging herself out of it. The girl coughing, growling, seeming confused.
Her confusion however, did not last. Her red eyes falling on the form before her. As the lack of revival suddenly made sense.
Standing before her, was a Man. Her eyes filling with surprise. As a smile grew on his face.
"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" The Man asked. "That I didn't know what you were 'trying to do' assistant?"
The Assistant glared. She concluded she must have remained too long. She'd imagined herself to have more time. To have enough time. But she was mistaken. Confronted with this, her arrogance flowed forth.
"I...I won't...stop." The Assistant remarked. "I won't give up."
"Oh, I know. You're quite 'determined' right?" He asked. "What you fail to realize, is that your 'Determination' stopped mattering the moment I brought that wretched world of yours to oblivion." He paced. "When I ripped that wretched soul you kept prisoner, from your body." He tapped her on the forehead. "I know you think you can replace her. But honestly...did you think CF-Chara-P would go with you?" He asked. "To hide away in that 'secret' little reality you've been making, and be 'best friends' forever?" The girls eyes widened in dread. "Come now, you didn't think, I didn't know, did you?"
A motion saw a monitor manifest. It was cruder than the countless ones decorating the inky black abyss, seeming to have be constructed from spare parts and debris. Things the Man might not notice missing. It had been personalized, covered in little stickers, and mediocre drawings. Within the monitor, however, was the prize. An incomplete timeline, made like the others, of pieces. Unstable, and in a state of constantly falling apart.
"No!" The Assistant lunged at the screen, before the dark dragged her back down.
"I must say. I've been impressed with your progress." The Man turned a dial, revealing versions of Toriel, Sans, Alphys, and notably, Asriel wandering around in a broken world. "I didn't imagine you capable. Though, it seems even with your advances, you're still quite pitiful at the art. Nonetheless, I permitted you to continue your research 'in secret.' But, you couldn't just be satisfied. You had to be impatient, arrogant, and believe yourself in-" Dark grabbed her, and began dragging her down. "control."
"D-don't destroy it. Please, please...I-I won't do it again!" The Assistant pleaded. "Doctor...p-please."
The Man considered this prospect, and chuckled. "That's the problem, Assistant. Trapping you in the darkness, pulling you apart on an atomic level...it just doesn't seem to get through to you." His smile grew grim. "So, what other option do I have?"
He pressed a hand to the monitor, as it began to shake and crumble. The girl screaming in protest, before being swallowed by the abyss. Suffocating her in it, while leaving her eyes, just above, so she could bear witness. The monitor cracked, the timeline eroding. And finally, the whole thing was erased.
The red eyes filled with horror, and choking, pitiful whimpers, as she was dragged down. Vanishing, as the void grew silent being dragged down. Leaving the Man, standing, dusting off his jacket from the bits of debris that fell from the timeline. Turning, to the timeline that had been so affected by his rogue assistant.
"Don't worry. Her memory will be purged of this experience after a time." He noted, glancing at you. "It's not the first time she's tried something like this, after all." He placed a hand below his chin. "Now...don't you have somewhere else to be?"
The statement bearing an overbearing sense of honesty, and potential hostility. It was...unnerving, but likely correct. It was...best to leave the dark place.
The story continuing onward. Towards what would hopefully be...a much brighter section of it.
One player, having been removed from the game.