Ginger coffee and snacks Chapter 83
A dip into darkness and the cool blue light of the home in Snowdin replaced the castle tower. It was a little chilly inside. The air ached with a silence uncommon to the place.
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Sans ambled towards the kitchen and Chara stared after him with a skeptical gaze.
"Well?" she said.
"Few things to pick up," he said, "then I figured we could check in on Alphys."
Chara raised her brows. "Isn't she with…? Huh. Okay. Why?"
"Curiosity, I guess." He opened the fridge and poked around within. "Got about a million and one questions."
"And you… needed me for…?" she said, crossing her arms.
"Not much. Figured you could fill in some gaps."
She tilted her head to the side. "That could have been any of… Oh. There's… something else you want to discuss, then."
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Sturdy glass clinked together and the skeleton drew back with two bottles of ketchup grasped between his boney fingers. He looked pleased and pocketed them before turning a sympathetic grin on the serious-looking girl before him.
"Yeah. Y'alright, pigeon?"
"Relatively, I guess," she said with a shrug. "Why are you asking me this? You're the one who almost collapsed today."
His brows raised, his grin unwavering. Chara's mouth stretched into a thin line and she puffed out a little sigh.
"I feel like this has been one of the longest days of my life," she said. "I'm sure the others feel the same. I almost wish Undyne had organized everything for tomorrow instead, but I guess everyone's excited." She shrugged. "A little levity will probably be nice, though. Even if I'd like to sleep for a week."
"I hear that," Sans said. "Guessin' the Papyrara had to make another appearance?"
She nodded.
"Hm. Y'been soulbondin' kinda a lot recently," he said. "Don't feel guilty takin' a bit of a breather. Gonna need your energy for when we get back to it, huh?"
"Hm?" Chara's brows raised.
"Ya know with this, uh, Gaster outta the way," Sans said, "things can start up again."
"Right." She let out a little sigh. "…I know."
"But, uh…" The skeleton smiled sideways. "Still no guarantee on that timin', right? Don't sweat it too much."
She nodded. "Thanks. I know it's selfish, but I could stand to keep everyone around a while longer."
"I get it," he said. "I'm hopin' for, uh, a good balance, y'know? Bit more time for ya, but not enough that the kiddo stresses so much she ain't sleepin' again."
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Chara smiled tepidly. "Same, honestly. I'm… also hoping that pesanta's offer doesn't come through tomorrow, at least. Just to have a day of nothing. That'd be great." Her brow furrowed thoughtfully. "Can you… see if it works?"
"Hm?"
"My crystals. With Pasithea. Or her… grandmother, I guess." Chara frowned. "You know what I've been planning, right?"
Sans shrugged and gave a small nod. "Infusin' it with red, duplication— you're tryin' to keep links. I think I know where this is headed."
"And? What do you think?"
"Not sure. But if I can help, let me know, yeah?"
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Chara's brow smoothed and she smiled. "Thank you. You've… Hah. You've been a way better brother to me than I deserved, you know that?"
Sans snorted. He reached out, plunking a hand on her head and ruffling her hair. "False, buddy."
Her cheeks flushed. She tapped on the side of her head and Sans nodded. He put one hand to her temple and the other against her soul, shutting his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened them again, blue faded quickly from his iris.
"Sorry," he said. "Double-whammy of time kids still time kid'n."
"Figures," she said. "Ah well."
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Sans gave her a solid pat on the shoulder, though her gaze dropped to the floor and she grimaced.
"What?" he asked.
Chara crossed her arms against her chest. "It… could not work at all. I have no way to know. The energy in my soul might just be…" Her voice dropped to a hiss and her fingertips pressed hard into her skin. "Ugh, if I screwed this up for them, I—"
Sans slid his hands under hers, prying her fingers up and cupping them between his palms. "It's too early, pidge. You're alright." He cocked his head to the side. "What's up?"
"Nothing. Never mind."
"Chara."
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The girl bristled, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. She took a deep breath. "Do I have to…?"
"No. But, if it'd make ya feel better to have a co-conspirator…"
"…I just… need those two to be alright," she said. "After what I've done. I just… need to get this right." She lifted her eyes to meet his. "Does that make sense?"
"Course, but… Kiddo, what's got ya in a funk, all of a sudden?"
Chara flinched, but her lip quirked upwards at the corner in a lopsided smile. "I almost wish you could just read me properly so I wouldn't have to spell it out. Because I'm… not a hundred percent sure myself."
Sans looked thoughtful. He opened his arms. Chara raised her brows.
"Bring it in, bucko," he said, winking his bad eye. "I can read you at least this much."
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Chara snorted, but she gave him a hug nonetheless. As he wrapped her up in his sleeves, she found herself gripping hard into the back of his jacket and pressing her forehead against his chest.
"Today was a lot," he said quietly. He gave her a gentle squish. He waited until her grip loosened before drawing back and playfully mussing up her hair. "You wanna grab anythin'? I just got a little more to do, then we can go."
She nodded. He vanished.
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On her own, Chara stiffly sat down on the couch and dragged her fingers through her hair. The feeling of the familiar cushions let her sink and her shoulders slump. She closed her eyes for an instant and all she could see was the massive, glimmering beast that Asriel had become with Frisk's soul in his chest. She cracked a small, tired smile as the faint heat of pride warmed her. If it could overwrite what she'd done to him, even for a moment in his mind, she would be eternally grateful.
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She leaned her head back and stared at the ceiling, wondering whether she should actually bother with anything else or just take the moment to rest. Her body ached.
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Logic, Chara, she told herself. Another change of clothes, something to do, some comforts— maybe it was a party tonight, but how much longer would Undyne insist they stay? And with her mother still under the weather…
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Chara let out a little huff, rubbing her palms across her face. She heaved herself forward, suddenly feeling like she carried the weight of a boulder on her tired legs.
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First thing, she went up to Papyrus's room. A chaotic mess of blankets and pillows lay strewn about the place like a hurricane had hit it. It felt like she hadn't been here in a year. The mess made her cringe but she ignored the urge to put it back in order, instead spending a moment to grab a few more books from Papyrus's shelf.
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Next, she went to her own bedroom, in between the others at either end of the hallway. Hers was the smallest of her siblings, but it was by design— she enjoyed the quiet, windowless space. Papyrus had jokingly called it her den before, and she was quite content with that assessment. The main source of light was a set of crystals that glimmered and shifted like flame with a strike of pink and violet mixed in. One for clear light was embedded in the ceiling, but it was dim now. Her bed, still immaculately kept; her shelves, neat and orderly. The messiest thing in the room was her desk, art supplies scattered about its entire surface in a very deliberate manner.
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A quick check inside her closet— in their rush to leave when Mistral had pulled them out, Chara hadn't even peeked in here. She was confronted with the reflection of her pale face in the mirror on the inside of door. Her honey-coloured eyes took an unnatural red sheen in the glass. It looked like she'd caught a chill and she was a scruffy mess. She rolled her eyes and grabbed a brush, running it across her auburn hair until it no longer looked like she'd been tumbling down hills for fun.
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She took a bag to stash the brush and a few extra articles of clothing in, changed into a clean outfit, and then grabbed up some of her art supplies as well. Might be nice to paint, she thought, if she could find the time.
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Sans was waiting just outside the door when she left. He handed her a block of chocolate fudge wrapped in crinkly wax paper. She recognized it— a familiar treat made by a big bear, sold at the open town market once a week. The fudge bars were just snack-sized for a monster like that. Her eyes gleamed and she bit off a hearty chunk. It was rich and smooth, and had the perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness for her tastes, with just the faintest sprinkle of salt on the top.
"Thanks," she said after a hard swallow. She instantly felt a little lighter on her feet. "You got more, right?"
He laughed. "Course." He tilted his head. "Ready to go? Or, uh, wanna bum around town for a couple minutes?"
Chara cracked a tired smile. "You think I can't see through you, don't you?"
"Hm?" He grinned innocently. "Whatchu mean?"
"You're trying to give me more time," she said. "I'm fine. Thank you. Honestly." Her eyes darted to the light that pooled in through the window downstairs. "It's getting a little late, anyways. They'll be closing up soon."
"Then we could just bum around here for a little, if ya want," he said.
She shook her head. "No. Let's get going."
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She grabbed onto Sans's sleeve and the two of them were whisked away to the end of a hallway under a high, vaulted roof. A large, pale statue of a dog holding a crescent moon greeted them. Chara looked up, then along the wood-panelled wall and down at the stone tiles.
"Alphys's?" she asked.
"Y'got it." Sans strode around behind the statue and, as she joined him, he traced a pattern of magic into the back of its pedestal.
Within the statue came a deep clicking sound. The base rose up a few feet as the stone back faded away, revealing a well-lit passageway beneath it. A wide set of stairs twisted downwards and around, out of sight.
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Chara took one more bite of fudge before stashing it away and heading down. Sans met her at the bottom, waiting at a portal gate. A yellow spiral of magic hung suspended in its centre. The skeleton reached up to trace it with a claw. The blue glow of his magic trailed behind his finger, staining the symbol green in its wake. As he pulled back, it flashed three times before it erupted into a swirling portal.
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A step through the magical passageway shot a tingle of strange, heavy magic through their bodies. A deep melody lurked just barely at the range of hearing, calming and yet uncanny. They emerged in a wide room fashioned from cut stone, shimmering as if the ripples of blue water shifted beneath the surface. Aside from that, the light was dim and cozy, and the temperature was pleasantly warm. Furnishings were sparse: a metal chest, a bench; a first-aid box attached to the wall. Across from the portal, there was a large, heavy door with a window made of a clear barrier glistening at the top. Somehow, it was a little imposing.
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Sans beckoned and they headed towards the door. As soon as he touched it, his cheekbones flushed a little and his bad eye's light blinked out. Chara paused him with a hand on his arm.
"You alright?"
"What, somethin' on my face?" He winked that bad eye, and Chara rolled hers dramatically. He snickered, gave her a gentle nudge with his elbow, then dragged the weighty door open.
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Alphys was standing in the short hall before them, gaze fixed on notes written in magic that hovered in the air before her. She jolted and turned, eyes widening, then rushed to them and pulled Chara into a hug.
"O-Oh, stars, y-you…!" She clamped Chara's cheeks in between her hands and broke into a wide smile. "You b-brave little—! Oh!" With a swift snap of her fingers, a clear barrier glistened into existence, like glass extending the wall across the whole next room. She grabbed Chara close again. "A-Are you a-a-alright?! I'm so sorry, I d-didn't have time—!"
"I'm fine," Chara said.
"A-And your friends? P-Papyrus?"
The girl smiled and carefully reached up to hold the lizard around the shoulders. "They're fine."
"Alph," Sans said, giving her a reassuring grin. "Everyone is."
Alphys's eyes widened. "E… E-Everyone?"
He dipped his head. She broke into a wide grin and squeezed Chara tighter before she reached out with one arm and dragged Sans to her, too. A loud, relieved sigh oozed out of her and she let out a raspy laugh.
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As Alphys pulled back, she lifted her glasses and wiped her eyes with her fingertips. She turned to the sharp-toothed skeleton. "I g-guess you figured we w-were running a little behind, huh?"
He shrugged. "Was hopin', at least. How's the bonehead?"
"Hm? Oh! He's, uh…" The lizard rubbed her hands together anxiously. "W-Well. Come on. D-Don't worry, he c-can't see through the, um, barrier here."
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The short hall of stone opened onto what could generously be called the dungeon. In reality, there was only one cell built into the wall to their left. Though it was blocked in with bars wrapped in magic runes, had no visible door, and wasn't terribly spacious, it was outfitted like a sparse apartment, with a rug on the floor, a blocky water dispenser and mugs, and a desk set up. Just the edge of a bed poked out behind a solid section of wall, giving a little bit of privacy to the occupant.
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Gaster sat at the desk in a chair rocked back on its rear legs. His head was lolling and his eyes were closed, arms dangling at his side.
"Is he asleep?" Chara scowled. "Seriously?"
"He said anythin'?" Sans asked.
"N-Not much," Alphys said. "He, um… Well. He said, um thank you. For the chair, I-I think." She drew in the air with her claw and an image in light appeared— a short list of notes in orderly categories. "He, um, g-gave the fake name at booking, l-like, um, Frisk pointed out. Rineva. A-And he wouldn't answer age. B-But he… a-also said he was guilty of everything we h-had on the list and didn't put up any argument at all." She rubbed her head. "In f-fact, um… He was very p-polite."
Chara crossed her arms and glowered, letting out a little grunt.
"What?" Sans asked with an amused grin.
"He's… so irritating," she grumbled.
The skeleton snorted a quiet laugh. "Better than some alternatives, I guess."
Chara scoffed. "I guess."
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Alphys gave a soft, slightly confused smile and clasped her hands together. "So. Um. I guess I'll… s-see what he'll say for now? Any, um, p-pertinent questions?"
"Yeah, how about: what the hell is wrong with you?" Chara said.
"Might wanna talk to 'im myself later," Sans said, putting a hand on Chara's shoulder. "But for now, see if ya can get what he wanted with the Soul outta 'im."
Alphys nodded. She took one of Chara's hands and gave it a little squeeze before she turned, puffed herself up, and then slipped out through the barrier.
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Gaster didn't blink, or move in any way to indicate he'd noticed the monster approaching. Chara stalked along the barrier, eyes fixed and glowering. She half-expected Gaster to rise up with some arsenal of phantom hands, but, even as Alphys took hold of a stool near the wall and pulled it over to sit across from him, the skeleton didn't budge.
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Alphys coughed quietly to clear her throat. "Um. H-Hello, again," she said. "I'm, um, Archwizard Alphys, as I m-mentioned before. I'm h-here to… I have a few more questions b-before we all turn in for the n-night. Now—"
"Are they alright?" Gaster opened one gleaming eye.
"…Pardon?" Alphys said.
"The soldiers. Are they alright?" he asked again. "You seem to be in higher spirits."
"Um." Alphys paused; her shoulders relaxed as she let out a shallow breath and settled herself. "Y-Yes. They are."
The tiniest flicker of a smile lifted the edge of the skeleton's mouth. "Good. Sorry for interrupting." He raised his hand as if to bid her to continue.
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Though Chara silently fumed, Alphys cracked a small smile. She brushed her hand through the air and another set of glimmering notes hovered at her side.
"First thing, the name y-you gave," she said, "we know it isn't your r-real one."
"I thought so," he said, though there was a little lightness in his eye. "I hadn't expected so many skeletons here. But, I'm glad."
"So why the lie?" Alphys wondered. "Does it m-matter that we know y-your name is Gaster?"
The man finally sat up a little. He tented his fingers and was silent for a few moments. "It's… not impossible another skeleton here could have the same name as I do," he said. "I didn't want there to be any confusion when it came to my crimes, if that were the case."
"O-Oh." The lizard blinked. "You… m-mean another… you, right?"
The skeleton's brows raised slightly. "How do you…? Ah. Never mind, it isn't my place to ask. That's correct."
"W-Well, you'll be happy to know th-that that won't be an issue," she said. "Next. Wh-What is it, exactly, that you w-were trying to do here? With the human."
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Gaster winced. He folded his arms and leaned back in his seat again, his brow furrowed in thought.
"He's never going to tell her," Chara said under her breath.
Sans patted her on the back. "Relax." He raised his brows. "Just let it play out."
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After a few long, cool seconds of silence, the skeleton let out a little sigh. "There is no point," he said.
Chara rolled her eyes pointedly and Sans stifled a laugh.
"Suffice it to say," Gaster continued, "I will accept whatever punishment is coming. Wether it be dusting, or—"
"Oh! No, w-we don't… do that here," Alphys said swiftly.
"…Then I will stay locked here," the skeleton said.
"Um. I m-mean, until we…" The lizard took a deep breath. "Until we m-make a decision of what the, um, a-appropriate measures are." She ran her finger in the air through her notes, and the lingering words shifted and elaborated. "W-We can talk more about that later. It, um… I mean. Y-You did… a lot."
"I know," he said.
"And you caused a lot of m-mayhem."
"I know."
Alphys scrunched up her snout. The skeleton's expression remained the same— calm, exhausted; melancholic.
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"A-Anyway," Alphys said. "N-Next question. What were your intentions with the Soul?"
One of Gaster's brows raised quizzically. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand. I wasn't after a soul."
"The mountain y-you were trying to break into. I-It's called the Soul of the W-World."
"Oh! That. I see." He frowned softly. "I… was desperate. It was all I could do to recharge some of my equipment."
"To f-fight the human with?" Alphys asked.
The skeleton folded his arms, though he did not reply.
"Why d-don't you want to talk about it?" she said. "It s-seemed like it was, um, pretty much your only g-goal, right?"
"As I said," Gaster answered, his tone lightly apologetic. "There… is no point, now." He gave a quick shake of the head and he suddenly looked very dark around the eyes. "Just… be cautious."
"…Of what?" Alphys asked.
"It… is not what it seems," he said quietly. "Ask… Sans. It is Sans, isn't it? That skeleton with one blue eye? He knows more than he's letting on."
Alphys straightened up in her seat. "…I'll ask him."
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Chara gritted her teeth. She looked up at Sans, but he seemed unbothered.
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As Alphys delved down a less pointed line of questioning (Where are you from? Did someone send you? Any accomplices? What were you using to track the kids? — all answered either noncommittally or in the negative), Chara paced, gleaming eyes fixed upon him like that of a predatory beast. Every word out of the skeleton's mouth made her bristle. His voice, his mannerisms— everything.
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After a few minutes, prowling back and forth, Sans pulled her aside. Hands on her shoulders, he bent down a bit to match her eye level. A question was all over his face. Chara flinched.
"We don't have t'stay," he said.
"I want to," she said. "I want to know if—"
"A-Alright," Alphys said suddenly, catching their attention. "It's, um, getting just a bit late, s-so I think we can st-stop for today."
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"Might I ask a quick question?" Gaster said.
"Oh! Um. I… suppose s-so," Alphys said.
"Those children. P… Papyrus. Chara. Asriel," he said. "…Are they alright?"
"Wh…? Uh. Yes," the lizard said. "Yes, they're a-all fine."
Gaster smiled with the faintest hint of brightness. "Thank you."
Alphys looked a little puzzled, but she nodded. She got to her feet. "S-So, um, dinner will be down soon. D-Do you, um, have a d-drink preference, or…?"
The skeleton looked a little taken aback. "Pardon?"
"S-Soda? Tea? Coffee? A-Anything in it?"
"That's… very hospitable of you." He rubbed his chin. "Well… Coffee. Unless it's too much trouble. Maybe with a little ginger in it, if you can spare it."
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Every inch of Chara's body ran cold. "Did he just say ginger in his coffee?" she hissed.
"Kinda unusual," Sans said.
She stared at Gaster, completely incredulous. Her fists clenched and she turned on her heel, storming from dungeon.
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Sans caught up with her as she grumbled and seethed back out near the dog statue, past the portal. Before the skeleton could say a word, the girl whirled on him, bright eyes blazing.
"Why is he my uncle?!" she growled.
"Uh. Wanna run that by me again?" Sans asked.
"Gaster here, this world's, the one that we…! He wasn't…! He looked…! He was different!" Chara said. "But that skeleton down there is identical. I know he can't be Frisk's father, but besides that, why is he the same as…?!" She raked her fingers through her hair and took a deep breath to calm herself. "Damn it. Damn it."
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Sans's brows raised. He grabbed Chara by the shoulders to stop her from pacing frantically again. "Okay, kiddo, little slower."
"His voice. His face. They way he fights." She pointedly counted off each thing on her fingers. "What he called me in his language. Trying to protect Asriel. Ginger in his stupid coffee! He would always do that, I'll never forget the smell."
"You're talkin' bout the guy ya knew back home," Sans said with a thoughtful frown.
"He was my father's best friend. They were almost brothers," Chara explained. "To Asriel and I, he was Uncle Gaster. He was just like…" She gestured almost angrily back at the statue. "This! I can't understand how it lines up so well." Her eyes hardened. "Do you think he can read minds, too?"
"Kinda doubt it," Sans said. He smiled apologetically. "Sounded like genuine concern to me."
Chara flinched and the soul in her chest drummed uncomfortably.
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She'd been just a few months into her new life below ground when she'd met Gaster for the first time. She hadn't interacted with anyone beyond the Dreemurrs at first, but when Asgore suggested it was time for her to be introduced to more monsters (and, eventually, the kingdom at large), the skeleton's name was first on the list. Asriel had been so excited for her. Uncle G was just the best, he'd assured her. He was a smart nerd like she was! She'd love him!
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She remembered being brought to a tall house in the city, not far from home— one of her first outings, and the first time she'd been without Asriel since she'd arrived. Outside, the building was fairly plain, but the inside was filled with scattered books and gadgets made of metal and wood. She recalled looking at all the strange instruments, the crystals gleaming with magic in stacks in the rooms; that warm scent of gingery coffee.
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She'd clung tight to Asgore's leg upon seeing Gaster for the first time. Even though her new guardian was massive, the new monster still seemed so tall and imposing. She'd been frightened, despite doing her best to conceal it— after all, it was not the first time she'd seen a skeleton. However, he'd knelt to her, and held her hand, and assured her that he understood. He explained his form, the bones in his hands; even let her stick a finger inside his eye socket. The speed at which she'd become comfortable with someone that humans would perceive as a death omen surprised everyone.
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In all the time she knew him, Gaster was attentive, calm; never angry. A spilled solution, equipment accidentally snapped in childish hands, or a messed up workspace only ever resulted in a chuckle and a puzzle game to help set it right. The only instances he'd treated her as anything different from the rest of the family was to accommodate any problems that might arise from having a human body. Asriel had been right: she did end up loving him.
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Chara clenched her fists. This must be like how Frisk felt, she thought. That familiarity was impossible to escape. Anger formed a lump in her throat. "After everything he's done, how dare he even—!"
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Chara stopped herself short as Alphys poked her head around the statue. The freckled kid took a long, deep breath and tried to settle herself.
"Oh, s-sorry, did I interrupt?" Alphys asked. Her eyes lightened. "That, um, s-seemed to go alright, all things c-considering?"
"Went pretty easy on 'im, huh?" Sans teased.
Alphys laughed. "I g-guess I was just in a good m-mood after the news. I'm, um, m-maybe not the best person for interrogations but I thought…" Her scales flushed. "I-I thought I was who was left, so…" Her eyes darted to Chara. "Sweetie, are you okay?"
"Well, I've been better," the girl said, though she gave a quick shake of the head. "Never mind. Long day."
Alphys didn't seem convinced, but she nodded. "Just take it easy." She looked at Sans. "Do you h-have time to do an, um, info exchange while I p-put in the dinner order?"
"Sure." He turned to Chara. "Up for it?"
The girl nodded, though she could feel a dark anxiety rising in her chest and the cold, uncomfortable confusion in the back of her mind. She would have much rather just headed back to the castle, but instead, she said, "Yeah. Better to all be on the same page."
xXxXx
Though the time for the party closed in on them, Asriel and Frisk were more than happy to lounge around in the borrowed room a while longer. Papyrus bounced in and out, but it was clear even he was starting to get a little tired, too— Frisk could have sworn she caught him hiding a yawn from the corner of her eye.
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As Asriel nodded off again, Frisk spent a little time with her phone. She detailed what had happened in her ongoing messages to Papyrus back home and, as always, couched it in fifteen different ways of saying she and Asriel were fine.
.
As she was describing the strange adventure she'd had as a shadow, she realized her memories of the time were beginning to fog just a little, the way dreams sometimes would. She hurried to a drawing app and did her best to sketch a picture of her new purple friend with her finger on the screen. Once she had some sort of sharp-toothed, yellow-eyed approximation, she wrote: SUZY! DON'T FORGET! in big letters beside it. Once she had it saved, she felt a lot better.
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"Ooh, what are you up to?" Papyrus asked, leaning down curiously. "Are you drawing? My sister loves drawing, you should show her when she comes back!"
"Oh!" Frisk looked at the picture and felt a sudden burst of bashfulness— she didn't really think it was very good. "That's cool. I'm, um, just trying to make sure I remember someone from when I got shot," Frisk said. "And I'm, like… letting Paps know about stuff. Just in case" She smiled sheepishly. "I guess I kinda wanna keep a record, too."
The skeleton nodded, his cheekbones warming with a tint of orange. "I sometimes wonder if we'll ever meet each other. That would be pretty strange, I guess, but I'd like to!"
"It's the weirdest feeling," Asriel said groggily. "But. Y'know, if anyone could deal with it, I think it'd be you two."
Papyrus grinned a little brighter before his expression fell to a thoughtful frown and he cupped his chin. "But… it seemed like, in dreams, we wouldn't be in the same place, we would just replace each other."
"Unless you dream something that was never real, on purpose," Frisk said. "That's a thing."
"Is it?! Then maybe there's a chance."
"If you ever sleep," Asriel teased.
"Shh! I will! Eventually!" Papyrus winked.
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A knock came on the door, but it opened before anyone said a word. Chara dragged herself in with a bag over her shoulder. She dumped it beside a bed and stood before them with her hands on her hips. She'd changed into a clean outfit— a green, long-sleeved tunic with white hems that were inlaid with golden thread in elaborate spirals, belted at the waist, and brown leggings.
"It's ready," she said. "They've already started."
"Hi to you, too," Asriel joked. "Why're you dressed like an elf?"
Chara gave him a stern look and he clammed up immediately. "You can't be expecting to go down like that, are you?" She gestured to him and Frisk, then looked over at her skeleton brother. "Papyrus, you're fine."
"Thank you!"
Frisk blinked in puzzlement. She looked up at Asriel. He shrugged. Chara rolled her eyes, but a light smile crept over her. She reached down to take Frisk's hands and pull her upright, then took the edges of her blue and pink hoodie to help her out of it. A simple shake of the garment scattered grass and flecks of dirt everywhere.
"O-Oh." Frisk laughed and rubbed her head. "Okay, fair."
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"I didn't realize this was some fancy thing," Asriel said.
"It's not," Chara said.
"Then why you so fancy?"
"I'm not." She raised her brows. "Asriel Dreemurr, don't tell me clean clothes is fancy to you."
He scrunched up his snout and waved her off bashfully. "I-I don't have much of a change, anyway. Unless you want me to dress like a shady alleyway guy again."
"Hm." She folded her arms. "Well. At least shake your stuff out. Preferably out a window. Do Frisk's, too." She turned to Frisk. "You have something clean, right?"
"Yeah, I think so," she said, peeking into her phone. "I got some stuff from like a thousand years ago."
Chara waved a hand dismissively. "I'm sure something of mine will mostly fit you." She picked up her bag again. "Come on. We'll be right back."
.
She took Frisk by the hand, grabbed the magic cube that had long since been set aside, and lead her out into the hallway. With a glance around, she elected to go forward to a different, empty room. It was very similar to the one they'd just come from, minus the square fruits on the table.
.
Chara glanced around, then grabbed a footstool and sat Frisk down on it. She held her head to inspect it, clawing her fingers and running them through the kid's dark brown hair curiously.
"Is it really bad?" Frisk asked.
"No, just a little…" She swept a small leaf out of Frisk's hair with her fingers. "Messy. Hang on." She reached into her bag to get her brush, then stepped behind the kid. She gently held her steady and began to comb her hair. "Did you ever get used to doing this yourself?"
"A bit. I still forget sometimes. Usually Papyrus does it," she said. "Or Undyne."
Chara smiled. "That's good. The skeletons can be oddly preoccupied with it, hm?"
"Mhm. Vera— one of the knights from back in time? She braided bits of it for a while. She seemed to really like that." She smiled fondly and looked at her hand. "I guess it's like how I kinda like their hands, right?"
.
Frisk's back stiffened a little and she turned to look at Chara curiously. She held up her hand to show the ring with the amethyst wrapping the band. "Oh, right, should I give the ring back to Mistral?"
"No, she'd probably be offended," the girl teased.
"O-Oh." Frisk smiled a little, then faced straight again. She pulled the ring off and rolled it between her fingers. "You, um, think it'll be okay to go down there with my normal face, then, right? I mean, not like I got a choice, but…"
"You'll be fine," Chara said. "Like you said. Everyone saw you— specifically, everyone saw you free the Queen. If that's not enough to get them off your back, they're hopeless."
.
Frisk nodded slightly. She put the ring back on and then sat quietly as Chara continued. The repetitive motion of the brush through her hair was almost too relaxing. To keep herself awake, she studied the new mark on the back of her hand. She could still see the scars from the Soul burning into her through Sans's claws, but they were a lot fainter now. She rubbed a thumb over the changed skin. It didn't feel any different to the touch, at least.
.
"Oh. Hey," she said. "When you guys left, did you check on Alphys?"
"Good guess," Chara said. "Yes. Seems everything's working out. Sans is still there with her."
"He was still fine, right?"
The girl smiled sideways. "Don't worry about him."
"It's tough sometimes!" Frisk said.
Chara chuckled. "Okay." She patted her on the shoulders and drew back to pack the brush away again. "You're good. Now, let me…" She moved around in front of the kid and squatted down a bit. Her face scrunched up a little. She licked her thumb and used it to scrub away a little dry blood on Frisk's forehead. "You need a bath."
"Probably," the kid said.
"Tomorrow," Chara said. "For now, um…" She grabbed her bag and rifled through it until she pulled out a red hoodie with white on the hems. Holding it up, she looked between it and the kid, then gave a little shrug and handed it over. "Well, at least it almost matches your eyes."
"Does it?" Frisk wondered. She looked back at Chara. "Are they still red?"
"Yeah. They haven't changed," she said.
"Hm…" Frisk rubbed her face beside her eye. She was sure they'd never stayed red this long before. "Weird."
"I wouldn't worry about it too much," she said. She tossed Frisk some dark pants as well. "It looks fine, by the way. Do you still have shoes somewhere?"
Frisk blinked. She looked down at her feet. She'd totally forgotten she hadn't been wearing them. "Yeah."
"Okay." Chara headed for the door. "Get changed and then we'll go."
.
Chara stepped out into the hallway and closed the door, leaving Frisk alone for a moment. Asriel and Papyrus met her there. The goat boy didn't look much different, but his ears were a little smoother and his blurple and white hoodie was straightened out, at the very least.
.
Frisk popped out of the room before Chara even had time to make a teasing remark. The borrowed hoodie was a little big on her, but with the way she carried the strange cube in its harness like a crossbody bag, it wasn't so noticeable.
"I think this is okay, right?" she said.
"You're fine," Chara assured her.
"Ready to go, then?" Papyrus asked.
"Hopefully nobody arrests me," Frisk said.
"Don't worry, I'll bite 'em," Asriel said.
"Why you keep bitin' people now?" the kid asked with a laugh.
"Hey, if it works, it works," he said with a shrug.
"Don't you worry, my small friend," Papyrus said, patting Frisk on the head as they began to walk, "we'll all be right there. And it's going to be a lot of fun, I promise. Have you been to many big parties?"
"A couple, I guess," she said. "Not with so many strangers, though!"
"I know a lot of names!" he assured her. "I can introduce you!"
.
Asriel dragged his feet a little, and when Frisk and Papyrus were a bit ahead, he paused, grabbing Chara's hand. She looked back at him with a quizzical frown.
"Something wrong?" she asked.
He shook his head and reached deep into his pocket. "The, um… The gold on your shirt reminded me of something. So." He slipped something into her palm and shot her a smile. "Take this, okay?"
Chara blinked she opened her hand to the sight of a gleaming, golden pendant on a fine chain— heart-shaped, and emblazoned with the Delta Rune. Her jaw dropped.
"…Wh…? What?" she croaked.
"It's mine," he said with a bashful shrug. "But, um, yours in in a music box under a tree back home." He cupped his hands under hers. "So I figured we could trade."
Chara stared at it blankly for a few moments— at the way it gleamed in her palm; the size of his large paw around her delicate fingers. "H-How…? How dare you?"
Asriel jolted, but Chara spluttered out a laugh and quickly wiped her eyes.
"How d-dare you do this to me right after I cleaned up?"
"Oh!" He snickered. "Sorry."
She sniffled and smiled. "…Thank you, Azzy. I-I'll take it. Gladly. But why did you—?"
"I… kinda kept it on me since I came back," he said with a sheepish smile. "…Even when I was… scared. Of… y'know, what you became. It reminded me of how many good times we had. I liked that. A lot."
"Pff… I w-was a brat back then, too," she said.
Asriel shrugged. "Not really. You were a kid who jumped into a mountain and had to start a new life after so much crap." His ears drooped a little and his pale eyes turned sympathetic. "I had a lot of time to think, y'know? As Fl… As a flower. And even since then. And I've seen what Frisk goes though— the stuff that she does because of what happened to her on the outside. Neither of you ever wanna talk about it, but I kinda get it, now. So, I don't think you were a brat at all."
.
Chara stared at him for a few, silent seconds. Her eyes glistened and she wiped them again before quickly leaning forward to hug him tight with strong arms. Asriel flushed and he held her close, resting the tip of snout in her hair.
.
Chara pulled away first with a bashful smile, cheeks a little ruddy. She brushed her hair back and put the shining, golden locket around her neck with her dove medallion. It rested with a comfortable weight.
"Thank you," she said again. "Of course we can trade. But only until we see each other again." She winked. "Next time, you better get me the right one."
He grinned, and his short tail wagged so fast it became a blur. "Definitely will."
.
Together, they hurried to catch up with Papyrus and Frisk, who were waiting at the portal pedestal. Frisk had managed to open a spiral of red magic with her ring, and she waved at them.
"Does it matter where downstairs?" she called.
"Aim for near the throne room," Chara said.
Frisk nodded and stuck her hand back into the portal. It flickered and Papyrus stuck his thumb up.
.
The group popped out downstairs to an immediate ruckus. The whole hall leading up the stairs to the throne room was filled with monsters chatting, drinking, and laughing. Magic danced between them like fireflies illustrating spiralling gusts of wind, changing colours as they went. Distant music drifted up from the next hall, as did the waftings of something delicious.
.
Any awe was short-lived— they immediately had to move aside for another group of rambunctious soldiers rushing in. Arnbjörn made up the rear of the rowdy group, and his bright eyes caught on the kids instantly. He beamed at them and pulled them close.
"Lookitcha!" he said. "I watched every replay I could get m'flippers on! You kids did good work out there." He shot a wink Frisk's way. "Didn't expect y'were built like a tank, eh?"
"Thanks?" Frisk said bashfully.
"Hadn't expect two big soulbondy beasties, neither," he said. "That was somethin' else! And—!"
"Sir!" Came a small voice from behind the huge birdish monster. "Y-You're blocking the portal!"
"Ah!" Arnbjörn moved aside, taking the kids with him.
A torrent of dogs and lizards tumbled forth from the portal and into the hall to be greeted with much jubilation from the others. Arnbjörn cracked up and began to help them to their feet, so the small group slipped off and up the stairs.
.
The next hall, the one that lead to the throne room, was also jam packed. Monsters of all kinds, some still in armour, others in court finery or the robes of the Sun Priests, gathered in a place alight with magic. Some of the spider guards were there, including the large and very drowsy-looking Ungol. A group of monsters played lively music on bowed instruments, guitars, and drums, and those who weren't playing were dancing.
.
Tables laden with a banquet of snacks stretched from nearly end to end of the long hall. Chocolate, strawberry, cinnamon sugar, and caramel cupcakes frosted in every colour. Donuts glazed with chocolate shiny as a mirror, with sprinkles like stardust. An array of fruit and cream, each morsel glistening like gemstones. Buttery pastries so crisp and flakey they looked like they might crackle just from someone passing by them. And that was just what they could see from the front of the room.
.
Frisk's eyes just about bugged out of her head. She grabbed to Chara's arm and shook it a bit. "C-Can we eat that?"
"Of course, that's what it's there for," she said.
"The full meals are up in the actual throne room, too, if you want," Papyrus said, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. "I helped."
"Frisk, you okay?" Asriel asked, trying to hide a laugh
"Okay. Okay okay." She pointed straight across the hall. "I need the donuts and I need some crabapples or I'm gonna lose it."
"Go!" Chara said with a chuckle, giving her a nudge.
Frisk went, but she dragged Chara with her.
.
Papyrus cackled. He gave Asriel a hearty thump on the shoulder, then whisked his bowed lyra out from nowhere and jerked his thumb at the band. "I'm going to join them for a little."
Asriel nodded and, as the skeleton bounded away, he hurried through the crowd to join his sisters.
.
By the time he got there, Frisk had already demolished one of the donuts and was starting on a second, while Chara stood on her toes to reach for the apples the other kid was too short to access.
"Yeesh, don't choke," Asriel teased.
"Whoever made these is a super genius," Frisk said.
"She's not wrong." Chara got a few of the apples and passed one to her. She smiled with a hint of pride as Frisk dug into another one of the darkly chocolatey confections. "Right for the chocolate. Our sister has good taste."
"To be fair, Frisk'll eat just about anything," Asriel said, only to receive a playful nudge in the side from Chara.
"It's so good, though," Frisk said. She offered one to Asriel. "Try try try."
He snapped it up as she dug into the bright and juicy crabapple, and he immediately went for a second one.
"Man, I love fruit," Frisk said quietly. "Do you know how hard it is to get good fruit in the city without stealing it from someone?"
"I've never seen a human city for real, so, no," Chara said. "I'm assuming from your tone it's a pain."
"It's so bad!" The kid turned to Asriel with big eyes. "Yoooooo, bro, maybe you can do a big garden with Asgore? We could have our own fruit! I-I'll help if I can!"
"I… Huh." He began to smile. "Yeah, bet we could."
Frisk grinned bright. She stood on her toes and took a glance around, then pointed. "Crossents."
"Croissants," Chara corrected. "Yeah. Oh, and there's mooncakes over there, too."
"Mooncakes?! Do they have the red bean in them?"
"I think it's lotus seed. It's… similar. You'll like it."
Frisk gladly let Chara lead her away. Asriel snuck one more donut before following them.
.
A burst of magic erupted from the band, spiralling out into multi-coloured patterns through the air, and the monsters in the hall erupted in cheers and applause. Some of the musicians took a bow and began to trade out, and Papyrus waved to his friends.
"Frisk, come play!" he called.
Frisk froze with a mooncake half in her mouth and pointed at herself. He nodded and beckoned to her, tapping his foot and starting to run his bow across the lyra's strings again. A big alligator thumped on the drums beside him and a tiny bat rushed in with a tambourine. Frisk gulped hard, passed what was left of her snacks to Asriel, and then hurried up to join the monsters.
.
She looked around quickly, her heart thumping a little harder. Some monster eyes had settled on her, but most were occupied with the delicious snacks and dancing. She pulled up her ocarina from where it hung around her neck and traced the fingering quickly, playing the notes in her head before she nodded to herself and began to blow into it. She tapped her foot to keep time, too, and followed Papyrus, just as she'd done before.
.
Asriel watched, ears perked; wide-eyed, and was soon absolutely beaming. He yanked his phone out and began to film, and was especially glad that he had when a pile of hounds burst in to join them in a big, excited, baying pack.
"Chara, why don't you sing with them?" he asked.
"Sing what?!"
"I dunno, make it up." He turned the camera on her. "C'mon, you're really good."
"No way." The girl rolled her eyes and, barely concealing a smile, gently pushed the lens back towards the band. "Look at something actually interesting, knucklehead."
He snickered loudly. She turned to grab another mooncake.
.
As the music built, embers of magic drifted, warming half the hall like flame. Sparks of Frisk's red and Papyrus's gold twirled together, and the other monsters' glowing souls joined in as well. Soon, a radiant spectrum of magic motes flocked together, moving almost as if to conduct the music.
.
A voice called to Chara through the loudness of the band and the crowd, and both kids turned to see Mistral making her way towards them. She had donned a light, flowing gown in pale pistachio and white, and wore silver bangles up her arms and around her neck.
"Hey, kids. I'm glad you joined us," she said. Her eyes darted to Chara. "Soulbonder, what's that expression for?"
Asriel turned and caught Chara wide-eyed and gawking. The girl quickly shook her head.
"I… don't think I've ever seen you out of armour before," she admitted.
"Oh?" Mistral tapped her chin thoughtfully. "That's strange, I—"
"Might be a huge workaholic," Asriel joked.
The skeleton cracked a smile. "Not inaccurate." She turned her gaze on the band, reaching a hand up to brush through the motes with her claws. "They're not half bad, hm?"
"So what's going on?" Asriel asked. "We get summoned or something?"
"Hm? Oh! No. Nothing like that. I was just hoping—"
.
The song ended in a burst of red so bright it almost overwhelmed the senses for an instant. All attention turned to the band and Frisk put a hand up, about to apologize. Instead, the monsters whooped and cheered, and the dogs howled. The kid's face flushed, eyes shimmering and, when Papyrus nudged her, she took a bow like the rest of them did.
.
When she saw Mistral, Frisk waved, excused herself, and headed to join up with them as Papyrus stayed back to play another song.
.
"Hi!" Frisk said as she got to them. She smiled up at Mistral. "Glad you're okay."
The skeleton chuckled. "I was hoping to thank you."
Frisk pshawed and waved a hand. "I-It's okay! I'm just happy it worked out."
"Yo." Asriel leaned down, finally turning his phone off. "I recorded the whole thing."
"What, really?!" Frisk yelped. "Was it any good?! I thought it sounded kinda good."
"It was kinda good," Chara said.
"It's fun," Frisk said, holding up the little vessel flute. "I really like it."
"Would you like to head to the throne room?" Mistral asked. "I'm sure Undyne would be happy to see you. She was actually very excited about all this. She's with the Archon right now, but if I know her, she'd make time for you in a soul's beat."
.
The three kids looked at each other. Asriel ducked down and pulled them into a huddle.
"Demon Gang meeting," he said.
"Oh good," Chara said dryly.
"We risk having to talk to big important grownups to get dinner?" he asked.
"…Your concern is dinner?" Chara asked.
"Papyrus said he worked really hard on it!" he protested.
Chara shrugged. "I'm alright with it. Frisk?"
Frisk looked thoughtful for just a moment, but then she nodded. "Yeah. Risky dinner, lessgo."
.
Asriel straightened up quickly, much to Mistral's amusement. He nodded.
"Yeah, we'll go," he said.
"Good." She gestured towards the end of the hall. "I think you'll like what we've done with the place."
.
Snatching a few more mooncakes for later and some pizza for Sans, whenever he decided to show up, Chara, Asriel, and Frisk waved to Papyrus, then headed for the throne room.
.
Inside, from the odd spot of the entrance behind the throne, it was dim, at first, and much quieter than the hall they'd come from. Soft motes of gold drifted up to greet them, and as they got around the base of the throne, the whole room opened up into glimmering, bioluminescent jungle. Asriel's plants hadn't been removed, but embraced. Magic traced the edges of leaves and starry glitters of green and cyan tumbled down them from above. Below, streams of glowing water snaked around them, culminating in a big, ornate fountain that looked as if it had been dragged in from outside.
.
Asriel gawked and Frisk let out a little, amazed squeal and gestured to everything. The goat boy pointed to himself in shock and Chara snorted laughing. She nudged him and pointed across the room, towards the fountain.
.
There was a decent crowd of all kinds, grabbing dinner and celebrating, but Chara's finger rested on Undyne and Archon Marama. In fact, all the other members of the Crescent Court were scattered around with the soldiers, looking like they were having a good time. Toriel, though, was nowhere to be seen.
.
Undyne's bright yellow eye darted towards them took note of them and she bounded over with a big grin on her face. "Nice, right?!"
"Obviously," Chara said.
Undyne's smile only grew. She put her hands on her hips and let out a satisfied sigh. "Man. What a day, huh?"
"Tell me about it," Asriel said. "We're sleeping for days after this, right, Frisk?"
"Yup yup," she said with a sturdy nod.
"That sounds good, to be honest," Undyne said, rubbing her head. "Buuuut, I'm the Queen, so, uh, no such luck."
"Call a holiday," Chara joked.
"Hah! Wait…" Undyne's eye got big. "Can I do that?"
"I don't see why not."
.
"If you need a break, I would approve of such a thing, your Majesty," Archon Marama said as she came to join them with a soft smile on her face. At her presence, a few of the others of the Court snuck a little closer, but she deliberately side-stepped to keep herself fully in front of the children.
"Hmm." Undyne tapped her chin. Her ears lifted and she snapped her fingers. "Oh!" She looked down at Frisk. "You, uh, got a cool title or somethin'?"
"A what?" Frisk asked.
"You know. Somethin' we can give a name to," she said.
"…What?"
"Oh, come here." Chara took Undyne by the arm, and the big monster allowed herself to be pulled down so the girl could whisper into her ear.
.
Though Frisk was still a bit perplexed, before she could ask more, the Archon turned her eyes upon her and carefully cleared her throat.
"Little human," she said. "It is nice to see your true face."
"A-Ah. Um. Is it?" Frisk scratched her cheek bashfully. "Thanks?"
"We here, like many others, watched the battle from afar," Marama continued. She dipped her head. "Our concerns were misplaced. Consider this an official apology from the Crescent Court."
"Wh…?!" Frisk blinked. "What, really?"
"Really?!" squealed a little voice behind her.
The huge ceratopsian pointedly ignore it, smiling warmly instead. She cupped her hand over her chest and her soul surged out, bright and golden. The members of the Court who had snuck up behind her gasped as they peered around her massive frame.
.
Frisk blinked with shock. Her heart thumped and she looked at Asriel from the corner of her eye. A glint of cyan stalled her and she caught sight of the sharp-horned unicorn, Sabre, doing exactly the same as the Archon.
"You saved Undyne, and me, and everyone from that grey junk," she said. "Thanks."
The bat snuck up with a wave, illuminating a pink soul from his chest. The skeleton, Desyrel, smiled awkwardly as her purple soul glimmered.
"I mean… You proved yourself. Both… of you."
.
Each member, in turn, stepped forward and lit their souls beneath their hands, a soft melody forming between them.
.
Frisk gulped, hard. She looked to Asriel again. He put a hand to his chest and gave a little nod. She rolled her fingers and did the same, pressing them to her chest. She focused. The light of her soul surged out, but as it did, the red glimmered with starlight, as her soul together with Asriel's had. She froze with shock and settled her hand into the shimmering white. The entwined magic of the monsters that had repaired her hummed warmly beneath her fingers. Her eyes welled up and she couldn't help a smile.
.
The melody swelled and she looked up to see Asriel, his soul blazing in the same way. Her throat tightened and he shot her a reassuring grin.
.
A small, fuzzy paw clamped to her shoulder and Frisk whipped around to see old Grumf. The short, scruffy dog gave her a smile and a nod before turning to look at the Crescent Council.
"Settles it, right?" she said.
"Of course." Marama said. "Now, I—"
Undyne grabbed her quickly and whispered against her head. The huge monster nodded. She spread her arms out.
"Frisk from Somewhere Else. Demon of Starhome. You are one of us, now, for as long as you are here," she said. "Asriel from Somewhere Else. Captain Chaos."
Asriel flinched and shot Chara a glare, while the girl smirked and shrugged.
"Welcome," Marama said. "And thank you."