Chapter 15: Assertion
When Chara entered Asgore's throne room she took a minute to sit in the throne and look at the golden flowers that filled the room; then she reached down and picked one. "Chara, if you don't mind me asking, what is it you like about these flowers so much?" Asked Frisk.
"When I fell into the underground Asriel gave me one to calm me down since I had freaked out when I saw him. Ever since then, they reminded me of the day I found my true family." Explained Chara. "But then I poisoned myself with them so I could give Asriel my soul. Do you know how painful it is to die of buttercup poisoning?" Asked Chara as her face turned demonic and she crushed the flower she had been holding in her hand.
Hyper-death Asriel sat at the base of a large tree, in an enormous green field, when the River-person approached him. "The demon draws closer to the soul fragment you left to guard her grave." Said the River-person. "Are you prepared to face her?"
"I am." Replied Asriel.
"Let me rephrase that. Are you prepared to fight her?" Asked the River-person.
"I'll only fight her if I have no other choice." Replied Asriel.
"Her soul isn't supposed to remain here, you must take it from her. I know you don't want to harm your friend, but her soul must be reclaimed." Said the River-person. Asriel was about to respond when the River-person spoke again. "And once you have Chara's soul, you'll get to decide what to do with it. Then you could keep it if you wanted, and always have your friend with you."
Asriel sighed thoughtfully when he heard this. I don't want to hurt Chara… but having her soul… We would never have to be apart again. Realized Asriel. "I'll keep thinking on it." Responded Asriel.
"Tra la la. Tri li li. Tre le le." Sang the River-person as he walked off.
Chara looked around the destroyed throne room and smiled at all the dead flowers. As Chara made her way into the judgement hall, Frisk floated quietly behind her. "IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY OUTSIDE." Said Papyrus.
"Birds are singing, flowers are blooming." Said Mettaton-neo.
"On days like these, kids like you…" Started Undyne.
"Should be burning in hell." Finished Sans as his left eye burned blue with magic.
Chara chuckled, then created a save point on a nearby column and placed her hand on it. "Determination." Said Chara. Chara then pulled a red knife from her sleeve and charged at the four warriors in front of her. Sans used his telekinesis to throw Chara to the ground, and when she tried to roll to the side to avoid his follow-up attack, she found her path blocked by Papyrus's blue bones. Chara only chuckled when Sans's bones shot up from the ground and impaled her.
Save loaded.
The star like light of the save point on the column flashed as Chara prepared to face the four warriors in front of her. "Well Chara, I believe that's one point for us." Said Mettaton.
"What? You remember?" Cried Chara.
"Not just him." Said Undyne.
"WE ALL REMEMBER CHARA." Said Papyrus.
"And this time-" Sans was cut off when Chara used her 'undetectable reset' in hopes of making them forget again. "As I was saying, this time, twelve resets won't make us forget." Finished Sans. Chara was noticeably taken aback by this. "Yeah, I figured it out. Back at the Mettaton show, whenever Frisk made a mistake, you would reset twelve times at once to stop me from noticing. That's why Frisk was losing control of you, that 'undetectable reset' of yours was really taxing on her soul." Explained Sans.
Hearing this caused Chara to lash out with her knife, this time attacking Undyne first. Undyne threw a spear at Chara, who jumped over it only to be shot down by a laser blast from Mettaton-neo.
Save loaded.
The star like light of the save point on the column flashed as Chara prepared to face the four warriors in front of her. So, they're using team attacks and they can learn from previous mistakes. This will be fun. Though Chara as she let out a chuckle.
Credit: Song "Stronger than you, Chara version" By Xandu / XandulsBored.
"Well, here we are again, right comedian? You're going to come at me with your blasters and your flashing eye." Laughed Chara as she pointed to her left eye. "Well, be prepared, because soon…" Chara pulled a knife out of each of her sleeves. "Your last hour strikes." Finished Chara as she made her creepy face for a moment.
"One step left now, it's almost time" Sang Chara. "Show you what my determination still has left for you. You should prepare to just die!" Chara pointed her knife towards Sans and sang "Like all your friends you'll have a really good time. But guys like you are always just fools, come at me, try to kill me with your fancy tools."
Sans raised his left arm and two Gaster blasters appeared. "Let's go, now the room gets chiller. Let's go, just another killer." Chara made her creepy face again as she sang the last line. "Go ahead kill me again I see your able." Sang Chara as Sans blasted her, making her load.
"But inside you know the end can't be evaded." Sang Chara as she slashed at the group with her knives, making them scatter. "I can tell you're really tired out of fighting," Sang Chara before Papyrus decapitated her with a blue bone, making her load. "But I'll even come back after dying." Sang Chara as the group began launching more attacks at her, and she made the group scatter again. "Why not let me win? You can't dodge forever." Sang Chara before Undyne threw a spear threw her shoulder. "Even if the pain is more fun together." Sang Chara, completely unphased, before being blasted by Mettaton-neo and loading again. "You know I will just reset and come back newer. And with ever try I'm getting faster than you are." Sang Chara as she dodged several bones, spears, and laser blasts, before cutting Papyrus with both her knives: turning him to dust. "I know I'm made o-o-of LO-O-OVE." Sang Chara before Undyne put a spear threw her head and made her load. "O-o-of LO-O-OVE." Sang Chara as she stabbed Undyne to death, before being blasted by Mettaton-neo and having to load. "I am made of LOVE." Sang Chara as she cut Mettaton-neo in half but was shot in the back by several of Sans's bones, making her load. Chara then cut Sans across the chest, only to be decapitated by Papyrus again.
"This is where it stops, this is where it ends." Sang Chara as she turned to face the others once again. "You keep telling me those words and hope that I would understand." Chara closed her eyes and used Frisk's sweater to wipe away some of the blood coming out of her left eye, only for it to return right after. "But even if I hear you, I won't give up my attack." Sang Chara as she opened her determination filled eyes. "Can you just not see the truth? Or can you not see what this all meant?" The group prepared all their attacks to launch at Chara. "Go ahead kill me again I see you're able." Sang Chara as she was struck by all the attacks and had to load. "But inside you know the end can't be evaded. You think I might decide to stop if you stay patient, but I am getting you with my determination." Sang Chara as she charged at Papyrus and dodged a swing from his blue bone. "You know I made your friends all disappear." Sang Chara as she killed Papyrus with a double slash, and dodged a spear being thrown at her by Undyne. "Erasing all that's left, that's why I'm here." Sang Chara as she exchanged blows with Undyne until the fish monster finally collapsed. "I will keep fighting," Sang Chara as she leapt into the air and began exchanging blows with Mettaton-neo. "You should by dying." Sang Chara as she threw Mettaton-neo into the ground. "That is your destination." Sang Chara as she landed and drove her knives into Mettaton-neo; making him explode.
"I'm entirely made o-o-of LO-O-OVE" Sang Chara as she charged at Sans. "LO-O-OVE." Sang Chara as she dodged between several Gaster blasters. "And I'm sure I'm stronger than you." Sang Chara as Sans sidestepped a slash from her knife. "O-o-of, LO-O-OVE, LO-O-OVE." Sang Chara before Sans blasted her in the chest with several bones, making her load. "I am stronger than... YOU!" Sang Chara as she ran straight into the group and began exchanging blows with all of them; killing each of them several times but being killed enough herself that they always came back. "LO-O-OVE, LO-O-OVE, LOOOVVEEE." Sang Chara before Sans managed to hit her with a pink bone, making her load again.
Save loaded.
Despite all physical traces of their exhaustion being wiped away by the reset, both Chara and the Royal guard were panting heavily from mental exhaustion. "What's the matter Chara? Too tired to keep singing your little song?" Asked Undyne sarcastically between pants.
"Impressive as your lyrics were, you lack the soul of a musician." Said Mettaton.
"I'm so tired." Cried Papyrus. "OOPS, DID I SAY THAT OUT LOUD?"
"Alright kid, time out." Said Sans. Chara crossed her arms and waited for Sans to talk. "Clearly, we can't kill you, and obviously we're not going to let you pass. So, I guess I just want to ask, how long are you going to keep this up? I mean, everyone here is in a lot of pain, and that includes you, so why not just reset? If you have a heart, we can go clog it with some Grillby's." Suggested Sans jokingly.
"Hehehe, not a chance comedian. I didn't sing that song for nothing, I'm stronger than you. No matter what, I will eventually kill you all at once and get out of here. It's only a matter of time." Said Chara.
"BUT WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THAT?" Asked Papyrus. "YOU HAVE ALL THIS POWER, AND YOU WANT TO USE IT JUST TO HURT PEOPLE? THAT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT. YOU WANT SOMETHING, BUT WHAT IS IT?"
"S-shut up, you big dork!" Yelled Chara. "You don't know what I've been through. If I want to hurt people, then I will."
"I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE MORE TO IT THEN THAT." Said Papyrus. "I KNEW YOU WERE UPSET OVER THE LOSS OF SOMEONE, COULD THIS HAVE BEEN ASRIEL? FROM WHAT THE OTHERS SAID, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WERE IN LOVE WITH HIM, AND SINCE THE HUMANS KILLED HIM, IT WOULD BE UNDERSTANDABLE FOR YOU TO BE MAD AT THEM; BUT YOU HATED HUMANS BEFORE YOU CAME TO THE UNDERGROUND, RIGHT?" Asked Papyrus as he started walking towards Chara.
"Papyrus, stop walking towards her. You're sternum to freak me out." Called Sans.
"You really can't stop with the puns, can you?" Asked Undyne.
"HOW DID A YOUNG GIRL WINED UP ON TOP OF MT. EBOTT BY HERSELF IN THE FIRST PLACE?" Asked Papyrus.
"Knock it off! That's none of your business!" Yelled Chara as she prepared to cut Papyrus with her knives.
"I SEE, YOU WERE ABUSED, WEREN'T YOU?" Asked Papyrus. This last comment seemed to break something deep inside of Chara; she fell to her knees and dropped her knives to the ground, then she buried her face into her hands and began sobbing.
"She cries blood?" Observed Mettaton.
"I SEE NOW, ASRIEL BECAME YOUR WHOLE WORLD THAT DAY. WHEN HE FOUND YOU, AND SAVED YOUR LIFE, YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU COULD LIVE WITHOUT HIM. THAT'S WHY YOU GAVE HIM YOUR SOUL, TO REPAY THE MONSTERS SURE, BUT ALSO, SO YOU WOULD NEVER HAVE TO BE AWAY FROM HIM." Explained Papyrus as he walked up to Chara and bent down on one knee to put his hand on her shoulder. "CHARA, I KNOW IT MUST BE PAINFUL, BUT LET ASRIEL REST IN PEACE NOW, AND I'M SURE YOU'LL SEE HIM AGAIN SOMEDAY. THERE'S NO REASON FOR FRISK TO SUFFER, BUT I'M SURE SHE WOULD LET YOU SHARE HER BODY FOR A WHILE. IN THE MEANTIME, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL BE YOUR FRIEND AND HELP YOU THROUGH THESE TRYING TIMES. COME HERE, AND LET'S PUT ALL THIS BEHIND US." Offered Papyrus as he stretched out his arms.
As Chara crawled towards Papyrus, Sans couldn't help but remember what had happened the last time Papyrus and Chara had hugged. I didn't know Chara could cry. She was supposed to be a sociopath, but maybe Frisk is influencing her? Wondered Sans, before he noticed something red taking form in Chara's hand. And maybe there is no Frisk!
"What do I want?" Asked Chara as she reached up to hug Papyrus and the red knife in her hand fully formed. "I want Asriel back." Said Chara as she swung at Papyrus's neck. However, at the last second Sans pulled Papyrus away from her with his telekinesis.
"Nice try with the crocodile tears. You almost had me there. But now we know where you've been getting all the knives. You can create them with the power from your soul." Explained Sans.
"THANK YOU FOR THE HELP SANS, BUT THOSE TEARS LOOK GENUINE." Said Papyrus.
"You think it matters where I get my knives?" Asked Chara as she tried to wipe away her tears. "All this means is that I don't have to hold back anymore. And just like usual, you won't be able to save anyone, least of all your idiotic brother." Finished Chara as she threw several knifes at Papyrus. The group blocked as many as they could but were soon out matched. As soon as the first knife came too close to Papyrus to be stopped, Sans couldn't bring himself to watch his brother be killed again and pulled Papyrus through a short cut to their house in Snowdin town.
Upon leaving the memory protecting judgement hall, both of the skeleton brothers felt intense pains in their heads, before losing consciousness.
"Did those two just ditch us!?" Cried Undyne.
"Don't worry, if we make Chara load again, they should be back." Explained Mettaton, before they both turned to see that Chara once again had her hand on the save point by the column.
"Determination." Said Chara.
"Never mind." Said Mettaton sheepishly. "Should we retreat?"
"We stay and fight." Said Undyne.
"That's a joke, right?" Asked Mettaton pleadingly.
"Are memories are only protected here in the judgement hall. If we run, then no one will be able to stop Chara. Are you with me or not?" Asked Undyne.
Mettaton looked and saw Chara forming more knives and said "Yeah… I'm with you."
"Let's start…" Began Chara as she grabbed two of her knives and made her creepy face. "The execution!" Finished Chara as she charged at her two opponents.
Mettaton-neo flew into the air and began firing energy blasts at Chara while Undyne threw spears at her. Chara dodged between the blasts and the spears, before jumping into the air and slicing Mettaton-neo's wings, making him fall to the ground.
Chara used her knives to deflect several of Undyne's spears while she charged at the knight. "I won't let you win." Yelled Undyne as she grabbed two of her spears and entered close combat with Chara. While the two exchanged blows, Mettaton-neo fired an energy blast at Chara, who barely managed to deflect it in time. The energy blast crashed into a column which then fell over.
I can work with that. Thought Chara smugly as she began backing towards a nearby column while still exchanging blows with Undyne.
She's backing up, maybe she's finally getting tired like Toriel said she would. Thought Undyne. When Chara's back hit a column, Undyne thought she had won and threw a full power punch at the soul eater's head, but Chara simply ducked the punch, causing Undyne to strike the column behind her. As the column began to fall forwards, Undyne tried to step out of the way, but Chara pushed her back under, then laughed maniacally as the column crushed her.
"NO!" Cried Mettaton as he charged at Chara and began swinging at her with his sword arm attachment. However, Chara was much more skilled with bladed weapons and managed to cut his sword in half. Mettaton quickly jumped back and began firing several energy blasts at Chara, but she quickly deflected all of them. I only have one shot at this. Thought Mettaton as he unleashed a very large energy blast at Chara, but she cut it in half with one swing of her knife and the two smaller energy blasts crashed into the wall behind her. As Chara charged at him, Mettaton-neo quickly threw up an energy shield, but Chara drove her knives into the center of it and with brute strength broke it apart. Mettaton then heard a slashing sound and froze. What happened? Mettaton looked and saw that his right arm had been severed from his body. "AAAHHH! MY ARM! MY RIGHT ARM!" Screamed Mettaton.
Chara prepared to cut his head off, like she had planned to do to the assassin, Simon, a week before, but then she felt something holding her arm back. "Let go Frisk." Said Chara to the ghostly girl holding back her arm.