Thanks go to brentonbaldwin1, puzzlemasterpapyrus, Gray Kanzakai, Okami Endless, Wingah, Fixer140.85, 10burgers, Skele, Solomon07, Guest, BadDRUMMERboy15, Jack54311, and NBoss01.
Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale.
"So how'd you make it down there the first time?" Chara asked, gazing down the shattered bridge to the abyss below.
"Uhhh..." My eyes darted to the side, and I grinned nervously.
"You ain't shit drop into the abyss!" I pointed forward, that glowing red soul appearing on my chest before I bent at the knees, bursting off the ground and getting a running start. "You're a bum, I can handle you!"
"..." Chara squinted at me, lips curving up some. "You jumped, didn't you?"
"Is it any worse that Undyne basically tossing your ass down there?" I cocked a brow at them, and they shrugged.
"I assume it hurt more." Chara estimated, and I shrugged, turning to face them and stepping backwards towards the edge.
"Yeah, well." I stepped back, foot leaning over the edge. "I'll never know."
And, with that, I let myself drop backwards, free falling down below. The last thing I saw was the surprised expression that overtook Chara's face.
"..." They leaned over the side of the bridge, watching me plummet into the blackness below, before stepping back away from the bridge and shrugging off their confusion, opening a portal and stepping through into what looked like the trash dump I was falling towards right about then.
They were snickering.
Chapter 15: The Choices We Make
"How could you abandon your former world without so much as a second thought?"
"This has been so much fun, Angel! I wish we could do this every day..."
"Why can't we?"
"Really?! Y-you mean it?!"
"Of course I mean it!"
"But... What if those kids see us..? If, they see you with me, they might..."
"... Don't worry about them, Anny. Nobody else ever comes to this playground. It's all ours. No one's gonna bother us."
"But... Every day? You would... You would really wanna spend that much time with... With someone like me..?"
"Well, why wouldn't I?"
"You're my best friend, after all!"
My emerald eyes snapped open suddenly, body jolting with life. My face had to have went pale when I looked up, my eyes locking with the ruby ones that stared calmly down at me.
"An-?!" I only let the first syllable slip from my mouth before enough logic returned to my brain to cut myself off, jaw clenching and eyes focusing in on the one who leaned over me. "... Oh, it's... It's just you."
"Just me?" Chara smirked lightly, cocking a brow down at me. "I'm a little offended."
I didn't say anything, just staring up at them with some curiosity in my eyes. I was laying flat on my back, and they sat on their knees above me, head tilted to look down at me. "... I had a dream like this once."
"And how'd it end?" Chara tilted their head to the side inquisitively.
"You killed me." I answered honestly and plainly. For some reason, they smiled at that.
"We'll see, Cter Hacker." They stood then, reaching down and offering a hand to help me up, which I didn't hesitate to take.
"We'll see."
We walked for awhile longer. We talked, we joked occasionally. We came to the conclusion that we both think Mad Dummy is a jackass. Chara acted like they absolutely loathed, Temmie, but I dunno. I've seen them hating something and... The look they were giving those goofy fluff balls wasn't it.
"Well... Here we are." Chara crossed their arms, looking to the bridge that loomed in the distance, Frisk and Monster Kid visible walking towards it.
"Certainly looks like it." I nodded in response, hands halfway in my pockets as I looked out to the bridge ahead.
"Seems like just yesterday Frisk and I were trying to kill you right there." Chara smiled nostalgically. This made me scoff with a laugh.
"Yeah, wing nut, it sure does." I agreed with an amused smile. Though, to be completely honest, that felt like it was ages ago. Though the time between that and entering the time loop felt like nothing - considering I spent those days mostly unconscious while I received my magic - the fight between Chara and I felt like an eternity and a half.
Oh, I'm sorry. I've said that before, haven't I?
I guess it had just felt strange, this past hour or two I spent with Chara. Not trying to kill each other, every sentence not being punctuated with a slash or a stab or a blast or a slam.
... Yet it almost felt the same.
And, that was a good thing. I couldn't place why just yet, but it was a good thing.
So, maybe that's why after a moment of hesitation, I turned my head to look at Chara, and I spoke.
"Hey, uh... Thanks for tagging along." I said, and their eyebrows rose in surprise. "It's been fun."
"... Fun?" They repeated, disbelief on their tongue. "I know you said not to question everything you say, but if you really want me to do that then you have to stop throwing me curve balls."
"What?" I shrugged, smirking lightly as I began to walk forward, turning and facing them, walking backwards towards the bridge ahead. "You gonna tell me you didn't enjoy our walk?"
"..." They furrowed their brows, looking to the ground in thought.
"Well, you think on that, Char-bear." I waved with two fingers. "I'll see ya around."
With that, I spun on my heel, continuing on.
"Cter."
I paused, looking over my shoulder at them. "Hm?"
"I'm changing the deal." They spoke, and I turned back to face them, confusion written on my face.
"Not sure that's how deals work." I commented, and they only narrowed their eyes.
"The two endings. I want to change one." Chara said, and my eyebrows rose with surprise.
"If you chose to die instead of teaming up with me, you are not to just let me kill you, got it?" They frowned. "you and I will fight, and if you lose then I will take your life."
"..." I tilted my head back skeptically. "And if I win?"
"Then congratulations, Cter Hacker." Chara's lips curved back upwards in another smirk. "The future will once more be in your hands."
"..." Slowly, I began to grin knowingly. "You know, Chara, perhaps it's the setting in which we got to know one another,"
I winked my right eye shut, ink slithering up from my sleeves and dancing in my palms as I shrugged.
"But I had no idea you could be so sweet!"
They squinted at me, and it looked like they were trying to frown, but they couldn't help but let their lips curve up just a little.
"I assure you I am not giving you this opportunity out of any kindness in my heart." They crossed their arms, tilting their head to the side.
"Oh yeah?" I asked cockily, crossing my own arms and tilting my head the opposite direction.
"I merely want one final challenge, a test of my own abilities. If I can't defeat you, then what hope do I have alone outside this wretched timeline?" Chara questioned rhetorically. "I certainly have no desire to let you escape me, one way or the other. I am certain you will either join me or die resisting me."
"We'll see, Chara Dreemurr." I narrowed my eyes with my smirk. "We'll see."
Chara narrowed their eyes, and a portal opened behind them.
"Oh, and Chara?"
They stepped back through the portal, but it did not close just yet.
"You'd totally miss me, wouldn't'cha?" I grinned, winking my right eye shut and tilting my head to the side.
Chara didn't speak. They just smirked and looked me in the eye while that portal closed. We maintained eye contact, unblinking, until the portal was shut, and they were gone.
"... Well that was intense." I commented, finally blinking.
"THERE YOU ARE!"
My eyes snapped right back open, however, at the boom of Undyne's voice.
I was quick to duck, a spear sailing over my head and stabbing into the earth a ways behind me. I looked ahead, spotting one furious armored fish in a dead sprint towards me.
"Ah shit." I blinked my wide eyes, spinning on my heel and beginning to sprint in the other direction.
"Yo, I'm... I'm gonna go home now." Monster Kid spoke hesitantly, avoiding Frisk's gaze as he turned around to walk away.
It had been hard for him, pushing away someone who seemed so kind and friendly. But, Monsters and Humans were supposed to hate one another, so they had to be enemies, right?
Monster Kid paused at the center of the bridge, his eyes going wide as he watched me bolt towards the duo, Undyne close behind.
"You aren't getting away!" Undyne shouted, pulling back one arm and making a spear of blue manifest in her hand before she chucked it at the back of my head.
I ducked without much thought, but my blood froze as I watched the spear crash right through the board Monster Kid was standing on and destroy it.
I paused there, body frozen as I watched a horrified Monster Kid drop right through the bridge, plummeting down below.
"Monster Kid!" I shouted out, before feeling a hand wrap around my wrist when I tried to dart forward, holding me in place.
"YOU!" Undyne snarled, cocking back her free hand. "What did you do?!"
"LET ME GO!" I snarled primally, spinning on my heel and cocking back one fist, both Frisk and Undyne's eyes going wide.
My knuckles smashed into Undyne's chest plate, denting it inwards and sending Undyne launching back off of me, through the air.
She landed flat on her ass, wincing and looking up to mewith one wide, infuriated eye. She wiped the stream of blood that ran down her chin away.
I didn't pay any attention to her, however, racing forward and diving through the hole in the bridge without a second thought.
"Monster Kid!" I cried out, spotting him plummeting below me. He was staring right up at me, fear on his face and tears flinging upwards from his eyes.
I'm not gonna reach him in time..! I thought, yanking back one hand. I have to!
I threw my hand down, and ink launched from my sleeve, racing down and wrapping around Monster Kid, who somehow looked more shocked then he had before.
I tugged my arm back, yanking Kid right back up to me, where I quickly grabbed him, wrapping my arms around him and hugging him close to my chest while I spun so that my back was facing the rapidly approaching ground.
Without a second thought, I let ink explode out from my back and tear through my shirt and sweatshirt. The ink formed a massive black balloon just before we hit the ground, and we slammed into it, pushing deep into it before it popped, dark liquid splattering all over the walls of the pit we'd dropped into.
"... Eugh..." I groaned after we hit the ground, my arms unwrapping from Monster Kid. He rolled off of me, groaning as well.
"Are you okay..?" I managed to ask, not even opening my eyes as I laid there.
"Y-yeah... I think so..." Monster Kid nodded, slowly sitting up and blinking his eyes, coming down from the rush of adrenaline that had just blasted through his veins.
Slowly, he glanced around at the ink stained walls, confusion beginning to overtake his expression. "... What the..?"
I reached up, groaning and running a hand down my face. "Okay, that's... That's good..."
"You... You used magic..?"
Ah fuck.
"But, you're a human, aren't you?" Monster Kid looked over to me, but I just continued to stare at the ceiling.
"Yeah, somethin' like that." I answered, blinking with exhaustion.
I grunted as I sat up, before I climbed to my feet and glanced around at the ink splattered along the room. Upon looking down at Monster Kid and myself, it was clear that we'd been drenched in it as well.
And Monster Kid watched in awe as I lifted my left arm into the air, and the ink on us and along the walls spiraled into the air, twisting like a tornado down into my open palm and swirling down my sleeve.
Monster Kid looked from the ink to my back then, his jaw dropping at the Deltarune engraved in my flesh, which was clear to see after I'd destroyed my shirt saving us from the fall.
All of the ink slipped orderly down my arm, swirling in a perfect pattern into the rune that marked me as The Angel for several moments, until all of the ink had disappeared, and I looked over my shoulder at Monster Kid. I smiled a little at the awe in his eyes and his dropped jaw.
"... What?"
"Yo, you're... You're him..." Monster Kid spoke, his lips slowly curving upwards. "You're the... T-t-the..."
I put one finger over my lips, kneeling down to be at eye level with Kid.
"That's uh, what some people call me, yeah." I grinned sheepishly. "But it's kind of a secret, alright?"
"O-oh! Right!" Monster Kid nodded quickly. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me!"
"Thanks, Monster Kid." I smiled, standing and extending a hand for him to take so that I could help him up.
"... Uhh..." Monster Kid looked to my hand, before laughing and looking up at me, wiggling his armless upper body. "Cter?"
"O-oh!" My face went red with embarrassment, but Monster Kid's laughter proved infectious when I began laughing as well. "Whoops!"
"I got it, don't worry." Monster Kid continued to laugh lightly while he pushed himself to his feet with his tail.
"Yo, uhh..." Monster kid looked up to the bridge high above. "How do we get outta here?"
"Hmm..." I stroked my imaginary beard, considering what I could do to safely get us up there with my powers.
"I mean, if we wait a few years I'll grow wings to fly us up there." MK joked, but was startled when my wonder filled eyes darted over to him.
"... You grow wings..?" I asked quietly, not moving an inch and continuing to stare at him.
"Well uh... Yeah." Monster Kid cocked a brow at me like it was obvious. "I'm a dragon, so..?"
"You're a dragon?!" My eye lit right up as I grabbed MK by the shoulder, making him laugh.
"Duh!" Kid nodded, smiling. "What'd you think I was?"
"I dunno!" I spoke honestly. "Some, adorable little... Dino kid! I certainly didn't think you were a freakin' dragon!"
"I mean, it's gonna be a few more decades before I'm fully grown, but yeah!" Monster Kid grinned happily. "I should have wings in another two or three years."
"Maaan!" I let go of Monster Kid, shaking my head. "That's so cool... I always wanted wings..."
"Seriously?" Monster Kid tilted his head to the side. "You really wanna fly that bad?"
"Huh? Why flight?"
"So I can fly anywhere in the whole world, duh. If I could fly, I could get outta this crummy city."
"Anywhere in the whole world, huh..?"
I blinked, face scrunching and air catching in my lungs, momentarily choked by that sudden memory, before I shook my head and blinked my eyes to remove the image of that smog clouded sky from them.
"Oh, I've just always thought it was really cool, ever since I was a little kid." I shrugged, lying quickly as I continued to push those memories into the bottle they'd leaked out of.
"Well, that... Doesn't really answer my question?" Confusion formed on Monster Kid's expression. "I mean, it kinda does, but, yo, you said it weird..?"
"Oh!" I jolted, gulping some as I scratched the back of my head, grinning nervously. "I-I'm sorry, what was your question again?"
*You've been thinking about him a lot lately.
Yes, thank you, text box. Wasn't aware of the fact that one of my biggest regrets keeps creeping up on me. Appreciate the insight.
Eventually, I summoned a giant pencil on the ground, which stuck eraser up. MK and I stepped onto it, and it lifted us up to the bridge like an elevator.
"Whoa..." Monster Kid grinned at me while we hopped off the eraser and back onto the ground. "How many different things can you make?"
"Tell ya what." I put a hand on MK's back, smiling. "Sometime soon I'll show you all of 'em, okay?"
"Man..." Monster Kid frowned impatiently. "Why not right now?"
This made me chuckle as I began stepping back away from him and back towards the bridge I had to cross. "Unfortunately, I gotta catch up with Frisk and Make sure Undyne doesn't clobber them into next week."
"Oh, yeah!" MK perked up, before frowning. "... Ah, man, she's probably really worried about me..."
"Yeah, she probably-... Wait." My eyes suddenly went wide, and I looked over to Monster Kid.
"Kid! I just got an idea that's gonna fix everyone's problem!"
"Undyne, please..!" Frisk choked, grabbing Undyne's wrist as she held them up by the collar of their shirt. "I'm sure Kid is-!"
"Shut up!" Undyne snapped, pulling back the spear she held in her free hand. "If it wasn't for you and your stupid friend, I could have saved him! If it wasn't for you two, he never would have been in danger in the first place!"
"Undyne! Hold up!"
Undyne snarled, glaring over her shoulder in the direction of the voice, before her single eye went wide, and the fury disappeared from her expression.
"He's right here!" I held Monster Kid by the waist up over my head, presenting him like Simba to Undyne. It was clear I'd hit a save point somewhere along the way, because my clothes were fixed. "I saved him, he's okay!"
"Yo, dude, you are way stronger than you look." Monster Kid muttered over his shoulder at me.
"Yeah well you're a lot lighter than you look." I whispered right back to him.
"... W-what..?" Undyne said quietly, the spear fading away from her grasp before she dropped Frisk on their butt, Frisk letting out an "Oof!" as they landed.
"He's my friend and... He's important to me." I spoke honestly, Frisk looking up with raised eyebrows at the emotion in my voice as I slowly set Monster Kid down. "I didn't want him to get hurt, and... I don't want you to get hurt either."
"I... I want everyone to be okay." I glanced down at the ground as Undyne slowly walked closer. "I, know I'm a human, but does that really mean I have to be an enemy..?"
"..." Undyne stared wordlessly down at Monster Kid, who looked away shamefully.
"Yo, Undyne, I'm... I'm really sorry." He shrunk into his shirt some. "I, should have went home when you told me to. I-if I had, none of this would have-"
Kid's eyes went wide as Undyne knelt down suddenly, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly.
"... I'm just happy you're safe..." Undyne spoke softly, closing her eye tight, a single tear slipping down her cheek.
Monster Kid's mouth slowly curved upwards, and stars had appeared in his eyes as his hero was, in fact, hugging him.
A few moments went by, before Undyne stood, took a deep breath to compose herself, and looked to me.
"... Thank you." She spoke solemnly, and I smiled with some relief. "I think it's... Pretty clear that I misjudged you and your friend, and... I'm sorry."
It was clear that Undyne had a lot of trouble saying that, and I knew how hard it was to be honest and apologize when you're wrong. So, I reached up with one hand, offering a hand shake.
"It's alright, we get it a lot." I joked, and Undyne smiled a little as she took my hand. "I'm Cter, by the way. And my friend over there is Frisk."
"I'm Undyne." She introduced, smirking lightly. "And as Captain of The Royal Guard, I'm calling off the Guard's hunt for you two."
"Really?!" Monster Kid said, eyes lighting up as he looked over at Undyne, who grinned one toothy grin down at him. "You mean it?"
"A'course I mean it!" Undyne exclaimed. "Anyone hardcore enough to chuck themselves off a bridge to save somebody is fine by me!"
"We'll just wait for another human to drop down here, one that isn't as cool as you two." Undyne grinned as she let go of my hand. "Then we'll take their soul instead!"
"Thanks, Undyne. We appreciate it." I smiled, Frisk nodding as they stepped into the conversation.
"Like you wouldn't believe." Frisk laughed nervously, reaching up and scratching the back of their head.
"Sorry about almost poppin' you like a zit, punk." Undyne laughed, placing one hand atop Frisk's head and ruffling their hair, making them smile.
"It's alright, I'm a tough cookie!" Frisk proceeded to flex, making Undyne chuckle.
"You got that right." She agreed, before looking down to Monster Kid. "Alright, Kid. What do you say I walk you home?"
"T-that would be so cool!" Monster Kid's eyes lit up again, before Undyne laughed and picked him up, setting him on her shoulders.
"Then lets go!" Undyne smiled up at him, beginning to jog in place.
"Wait, Monster Kid!" I interjected, and MK looked down at me with confusion.
"Here." I reached up, sticking a piece of paper into his shirt pocket. "It's my number. For if you're ever falling into a pit again.
"Oh, thanks!" Monster Kid grinned at my joke, before confusion overtook his expression. "But... Wait, when did you have the time to-"
I cut him off with the click of my tongue, winking an eye shut and pointing a finger gun up at him. Pitch black ink dripped gently from my finger, making MK's eyes go wide.
"... Whoa, that's so cool..." He whispered, stars in his eyes.
"Alright, you ready to get a move on, punk?" Undyne grinned up at MK, who nodded.
"Heck yeah! See you guys later!"
And with that, Undyne was off, running at shocking speeds into the distance.
"... Huh." I smiled a little as I watched the two disappear from sight.
That felt... Nice. Genuine.
"... You did a really good job there." Frisk caught my attention, smiling over at me.
"Huh?" I looked over to them, eyes widening some. "I, did?"
"Mhm!" Frisk nodded quickly. "You managed to make Monster Kid and Undyne happy, along with save the both of us. It was really incredible!"
"... Huh." I looked down and nodded a few times, thoughtfully. Then, I looked up, glancing in the direction that MK and Undyne had went.
Weird.
We walked on into Hotland and met with Alphys in her lab. Luckily, she confessed that when Frisk and I had split up in Waterfall, she'd watched Frisk in favor of me, meaning she had not seen Chara. I was glad I could keep that particular secret away from Frisk. It was likely they wouldn't be too pleased with the thought of me being buddy buddy with the person who had imprisoned them in their own body.
But, moral grey areas aside, we went on with Alphys' introduction and Mettaton's game show. Really, Hotland wasn't anything spectacular or anything out of the ordinary. Just the same stuff that happens in the game, but with me watching Frisk take care of it.
That was, until we got to Sans' hotdog stand.
There was uh, certainly an air of awkwardness. Frisk stacking thirty hot dogs on their head was a nice distraction, but I gotta say, I was still pretty pissed off at Sans. And judging from the way he was avoiding looking at me, I had to guess that he knew that.
But, when Frisk was busy posing for a picture with one of the volcans that was passing by, those hotdogs still on their head, and I was just standing next to Sans' booth, watching them and trying to ignore the short skeleton, he finally spoke up.
"... Hey, uh... Sorry."
My eyes darted over to look at him from the corner of my eye, but I didn't say a word.
"I uh, I flew off the handle and said some things that weren't true." Sans reached up, scratching the back of his skull.
"Like the part where you basically admitted to using me as a lab rat just to save your ass?" I squinted coldly at him.
"... No, uh..." Sans' dot pupils darted to the side. "That part was true."
"Mhm." I frowned, looking ahead. "Thought so."
"... Look, I'm not trying to defend my actions." Sans closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, though he did not have lungs. "I misjudged you."
"What tipped ya off?" I turned my head to Sans, coking a brow, frown not fading from my expression.
"... Gaster told me what you did." Sans opened his eyes, looking over to me. "The deal with Chara, I mean."
"The one where I'm giving up everything for you guys and not to further any of my own goals, like what you accused me of?" I tilted my head to the side, and Sans once again looked away, a certain measure of 'yikes' reading in his expression.
"... Y'aren't makin' this easy, kiddo." He confessed, sweating nervously.
"No, Sans, you wanna talk not easy?" I turned around, looking back at the short skeleton. "Imagine being a bad person. Imagine not being happy and not liking yourself because you are a bad person."
"Then, imagine trying to change." I held my hands out in front of myself, widening my eyes some. "Imagine that you try to do everything right, try to help everyone no matter what you have to go through, just so that maybe you can start to like yourself and feel better."
"And then, while you've got the option to go back to being a bad person and it's lookin' real enticing, and being a good person isn't making you feel any better, someone you helped a whole lot and who you respect has the nuts to look you in the eye, hack up a loogie, spit it in your face, and call you the asshole." I squinted, leaning over and resting one elbow on the table as I glared into Sans' eyes.
"You're lucky I made that deal, Sans." I spoke honestly, expression remaining cold. "I didn't just go off half cocked and make a deal with the devil because you made me feel like shit."
"It ensures that, no matter what person I decide to be, you guys will be safe." I leaned back away from Sans, getting out of his face. "So I can always say I did at least one thing right."
I crossed my arms, looking to the side. "... Whether or not you guys deserved it or not, is another story."
"... Cter, you've gotta call off that deal." Sans confessed, and I narrowed my eyes down at him.
"Can't do that, Sans." I told him, shoving my hands in my pockets. "I'm a man'a my word."
*That's debatable.
"Kid this is bigger than your word." Sans leaned forward in his booth. "This is your life we're talking about."
"You didn't give a damn about my life before." I responded with a deadpan stare. "Why's it matter now? Because I won't get to come back?"
"..." Sans went quiet, closing his tired sockets before reopening them and looking back up at me.
"Look, I... I know I haven't been the nicest to you." He spoke honestly. "I shouldn't be the one telling you not to disappear. Because I'm not the one who's gonna miss you. 'Least, not as much as some other people."
"..." My eyes glossed to the side, and I silently considered Sans words.
"I understand why you might wanna leave this all behind. I haven't done a good job of helping you see a future here. And it's... Real easy to want to disappear when you don't see a future for yourself." Sans' eyes were locked onto me, as if to confirm the emotion in his words.
"But there is a home for you here, Cter." He spoke genuinely. "And there would be people you'd be leaving behind that would really miss you."
"..." My expression softened with thought, eyes drifting to the floor.
"Just... Give it some thought." Sans looked up at me. "That's all I'm askin'."
I began to open my mouth to speak, when the sound of Frisk shouting "Oh no!" hit my ears, followed by the sound of many hot dogs hitting the ground and bouncing in many different directions.
I turned around, snerking as I saw Frisk now sitting on the ground after presumably tripping, laughing wholeheartedly with their volcan friend at the silliness of their situation.
"... Heh." I smiled, walking over to Frisk and offering a hand to help them up to their feet. "You ready to get a move on?"
"Mhm." Frisk grinned up at me, taking my hand.
I pulled them to their feet, and we made our way forward. I sent a passing glance unconsciously back at Sans' post.
He was gone.
I would explain what happened throughout Hotland and into the CORE, but truthfully I wasn't paying much attention. I just went through the motions, my thoughts preoccupied by my quite likely impending doom.
The only thing that had really stuck out to me was the ACT box full of *Flirt options when Muffet trapped us in her web, but I had to put that on the back burner because there was already enough chaos in my life without the possibility of attraction to a semi-sadistic spider girl.
"Is the scythe really necessary?"
"How else am I gonna slice these hoez?"
"Do you think I'm pretty?"
"Drop dead gorgeous."
"If you decide to visit, I'll just have to wrap you up in my web and play with you again, ahuhuhuhu~!"
"I mean... That wouldn't be the worst thing-"
... I might have a type.
Ahem.
Of course, the two options I had were pressing. At first it was easier, the two paths were clear cut. Either die or kill. It was really a lot like the battle in that timeloop that had come to define my life.
But, with Chara's last minute change, there was a future unknown. And I guess that was scary. The unknown future had always been scary to me.
And I did some things that I'm admittedly... Not too proud of in the past to make the future more assured.
... All to get sucked into a video game and make all that dirty work null and void.
Funny how that works. In a boo hoo funny kinda way.
Not that I would ever want to return to my old life. The ceiling is so much higher here, no matter what person I would decide to be.
The uh... The only question was, what kind of person I wanted to be.
And when you've switched lives three times, from Angel to Hacker to Cter, it starts to get difficult to decide what kind of person you should be.
I mean, I've picked wrong twice now, so... Can I really afford to screw it up a third time?
"Are you ready?"
That was a very good question. Was I ready?
"... Cter?"
But how could anyone ever truly be ready? In reality, what is preparation in a chaotic world such as this? One could say that my life was the perfect example that literally anything can happen, so to say-
"Cter!"
"Ah!" I jumped, looking over to Frisk, who was giggling. An embarrassed red dusted my cheeks, and I glared over at them. "W-what?!"
"Are you ready to fight Mettaton?" Frisk asked, and my eyes widened, before I slowly glanced around our surroundings.
"... Oh my god are we already at Mettaton?" I blinked with confusion, and Frisk gave me a look like I was an idiot.
"... Yes!" They threw their arms into the air. "We've been walking and befriending monsters for like three hours!"
"Jesus." I shook my head. "Guess I zoned out, there."
"... For three hours?"
"Lets get a' goin'!" I waved one finger over my head while ignoring Frisk's question, walking right into Mettaton's stage area.
"H-hey! Wait up!" Frisk raced after me.
The door slammed behind us, and Mettaton explained Alphys' web of lies like Frisk and I didn't already know.
"Real drama! Real action! Real bloodshed!" Mettaton laughed maniacally, screen flashing between yellow and red while he held his arms out to his sides.
Frisk and I stumbled, the floor launching up high into the air, wind rushing by my ears and making my eyes narrow at the robot before us.
"On our new show! Attack Of The Killer Robot!"
My soul appeared on my chest, and so did Frisk's as we raced higher and higher up through the CORE.
"Listen darlings, I've seen you fight. You're both weak." Mettaton confessed, speaking into the microphone in his hand and making his voice boom from the speakers that surrounded us.
"If you continue forward, Asgore will take your souls, which he will use to destroy humanity." Mettaton threw one arm out to the side, mechanical boxes firing from the walls at Frisk and I.
"But if I get your souls," Frisk and I stood back to back, blasting away the boxes with our now yellow souls, which floated at the end of our palms. "I can stop Asgore's plan and save humanity!"
Mettaton continued talking about his dreams of performing before millions of humans while we dodged around bombs, boxes, and punches, until Frisk's phone began to ring, and they pulled it from their pocket, answering the call from Alphys.
Alphys confessed the secret of Mettaton's back switch, and I narrowed my eyes up at the rapidly approaching lights above as our stage before I looked to Frisk with DETERMINATION in my eyes.
"Ill distract Mettaton, you flip the switch!" I ordered, and Frisk nodded quickly.
"Are we colluding over there?" Mettaton's voice rang, and Frisk and I both jumped back as an explosion blasted from the bomb that landed between us, throwing dust up and shielding the both of us from view.
"Hey, you not so hunky hunk'a metal!" I shouted as I burst from the left of the smoke plume of smoke, Mettaton immediately turning to look at me. "I would never smooch a ghost!"
Mettaton snarled with rage at that, cocking back one fist and throwing it forward, his arm rapidly stretching out and racing to me, only for me to duck under it and jump to the side.
As Mettaton turned to continue his assault on me, he didn't notice Frisk racing from the other side of the smoke, sprinting towards his turned back.
"Oh I'm gonna get you, you little-!"
Click!
". . ." Mettaton went silent, body stiffening. "... Did you. Just flip. My switch?"
Mettaton's screen flashed rapidly then, and Frisk rushed away from him, the two of us regrouping at center stage.
Our stage made it's way to the top of the CORE, where it came to a stop in an even larger stage. Stage lights all fell on the fog that covered Mettaton, and I looked out over the crowd of Monsters that surrounded us on Mettaton's big stage, who were all silent with anticipation.
Suddenly, a single, slow guitar riff played through the speakers, and Frisk and I looked ahead with narrowed eyes.
"Ohhh yes..."
"No freakin' way." Undyne leaned forward on her couch, lips curving up in an amused smile.
On her TV was the feed of Cter and Frisk standing on Mettaton's stage, smoke covering the other half of the stage.
"Kick his ass, punks!"
"Sans Sans Sans!" Papyrus called out, wonder filled eyes focused on the TV, which displayed Cter rapidly writing an essay for Mettaton. "Get in here!"
"Wassup, bro?" Sans casually walked into their living room from the kitchen, bottle of ketchup in hand.
"The humans!" Papyrus grinned over to Sans while he pointed at the TV. "They're on TV!"
"Huh." Sans grinned, walking into the room and looking to the television. "Well howzabout that."
"Yo, no way!" Monster Kid exclaimed, rushing into the living room before tripping, stumbling and falling face first onto the carpet.
"Uh... You okay?" His sister, who had no spikes and instead wore a bow on her head, asked.
"Suzy!" Monster Kid was completely unphased by his fall, lifting his head to look to their television, which he pointed to with his tail.
The TV displayed Frisk and Cter rapidly dodging around searing strobe lights.
"I know those guys!"
Chara crossed their arms, smirking lightly as they looked in through a tear in the very air before them, watching Cter and Frisk dodge around explosions, before posing with a perfect amount of drama at the center of the smoke, the crowd roaring with approval.
"... Hm." Chara's lips curved upwards a little further with amusement.
"AHHH!" Frisk shouted as they sprinted across the stage, bombs exploding one after the other just behind them as they raced towards me.
"Throw me your stick and jump! I've got an idea!" I shouted over the blaring song Death By Glamour.
Frisk quickly reached back, summoning their stick from their inventory and whipping it across the stage to me before they dove into the air, plummeting down towards me.
I opened my jaws, catching the stick between my teeth before spinning, reaching up with both arms and catching Frisk in a position that could only be described as 'Draw me like one of your French girls' over my head, winking right into the camera.
The crowd exploded with cheers, and one stunned Mettaton EX looked over his shoulder, watching the ratings board skyrocket.
"Impressive!" He looked back to us, clenching one hand into a fist. "But I can do better!"
Just then, his chest opened, and his soul floated up into the air. It crackled with electricity, before bolts of lightning began firing down from it, and I tossed up Frisk before cartwheeling out of the way of a blast, Frisk landing on their feet after the lightning had passed.
Just after I stopped my cartwheel, Mettaton launched forward at me, cocking back one leg and swinging it at my head, only for me to duck under it and pop back up behind Mettaton, who instantly turned around and cocking back one leg, sending multiple jabs at me with his leg, each one I managed to duck, dodge, or side step, continuously stepping back slowly across the stage while the ratings continued to rise.
I kept Mettaton consistently distracted while Frisk dodged bolts of lightning and blasted his soul, until he cocked back a fist instead of a kick to hit me with, only for him to jolt with sudden pain, that arm falling from its metallic socket and clunking to the ground.
"Guh..!" Mettaton jumped back away, grinding his teeth while his soul floated back into his chest. "Who needs arms... With legs like these?"
"Anyone who wants to write something?" I shrugged, a little +25 comedy appearing on the ratings board, just before Mettaton angrily lunged forward and slammed one knee into my jaw, launching me back across the stage while a +200 violence appeared on the board.
I landed on my back, groaning as I slid to a stop, before opening my eyes as my head slid off the stage. I was looking right into a random monster's eyes, and they looked absolutely star struck.
"Dem legs, amirite?" I shrugged, grinning as the monster giggled. The next instant, however, I felt a mechanical hand wrap around my ankle, and with a shout of surprise I was yanked back up into the air, being dragged back towards Mettaton on his extendo arm.
He turned, whipping his arm and sending me launching down at Frisk, who was quick to dive into the air, jumping over me and grabbing me by the wrists. we spun in air, before they two let me go, sending me launching down towards Mettaton while a +1000 skill and +1000 acrobatics appeared on the screen.
I let out a war cry as I fired down at Mettaton, leading with one leg and slamming foot first into his glass chest piece and sending cracks exploding through it.
I darted by, landing on my feet and skidding, spinning to face Mettaton as his chest case shattered to pieces and throwing one arm forward, taking aim on him with my yellow soul and rapid firing into his soul, making him grunt and yelp with pain as he stumbled back, his other arm dropping to the ground.
Frisk ran up next to me, and we both blasted Mettaton's soul, stepping forward as he stepped back until his back hit a wall and his legs detached, his body dropping to the ground as Frisk and I stopped firing, standing over him victoriously.
"Oh my!" Mettaton said, not seeming at all phased by his dilapidated body, eyes darting to the ratings board. "Look at those ratings! This is the most viewers I've ever had!"
Frisk and I watched as Mettaton began accepting calls. He nearly teared up at the affection of his fans, and as the crowd grew silent, Mettaton gave his emotion filled thanks, but I still didn't pay much attention. I couldn't, I could only think about what was ahead.
Asgore... Flowey and Asriel... Error and Chara...
Each passing second brought me closer to the moment of my decision.
And, Chara was right. I still didn't have an answer. I still couldn't make a decision.
"Knock 'em dead, darlings." Mettaton smiled confidently, before his hair shadowed his eyes. "And, everyone... Thank you."
"You've been a great audience!"
With that, the smaller stage that we'd entered on dropped back down through the floor, bringing us three back down into the CORE.
Frisk smiled happily over at me and, oddly enough... I managed to smile back.
"W-w-wait!"
Frisk and I paused as we stood before that elevator to the end, glancing back at Alphys with feigned confusion in our eyes.
"... I lied..." Alphys almost whispered, shame written all over her face. "To cross the barrier, you need more than just a human soul..."
Frisk's expression softened sadly, watching their friend struggle to get out the hard truth.
"... You need at least one human soul, and one monster soul..." Alphys looked down, shaking her head slowly.
"Only one of you can make it out of here, and in order to do it, you'll have to kill Asgore." Alphys steadied herself to say those words, her hands gripping desperately onto her sides as she attempted to hold herself together.
"... I'm sorry."
We watched Alphys walk solemnly away, before looking to one another and giving a DETERMINED nod.
We entered the elevator, and we made our way to New Home.
We didn't talk much. There were few words to explain these feelings, even knowing how everything would end. We didn't speak in the elevator, and we didn't speak as we made our way through the empty castle towards the King's home.
"... Cter." Frisk spoke as we entered Asgore's home, and I glanced over at them. "I'm, not sure if I ever properly thanked you."
"Oh, Frisk," I began to shake my head. "You don't have to-"
"No, I... I do." They said, the two of us walking towards the kitchen to grab the first key to open the way towards the stairs. "If it wasn't for you, I would... Everyone would..."
"... I know, Frisk." I said quietly, reaching out and grabbing the key from the counter in the kitchen. "It's really not a big deal."
"I know you aren't happy, Cter." Frisk stood behind me while I grabbed the key, and I winced at their words, gripping the counter. "I... I know you haven't been happy."
"..." I turned around, walking past them and continuing silently to grab the next key.
"I know that you have mixed feelings about everything that happened with Chara." Frisk only hesitated for a moment when they said their name, as if a part of them was still afraid Chara would hear. Rightfully so, they probably were listening. "And I know you had trouble adjusting to... Normal life, after all that."
"And, I know I can never pay you back for everything you've done." Frisk held their hands together in front of their chest while I walked to the end table in the hallway that held the other key.
"But... I just, hope that I'm your friend, even after everything I did." Frisk smiled gently at my back while I took the key. "And I hope you know that, even though you aren't from here, you have a place more than anyone in our happy ending, and that we would all love to have you there, with us."
I took the key from the table, my unresponsiveness making Frisk frown with worry while I pushed open the door to that old bedroom, two boxes laying on the floor between the two beds.
"I-I mean, just picture it!" Frisk smiled nervously while I knelt down, opening one of the boxes slowly. "All of us, u-up on the surface..! We could all... L-live together, with Toriel and Asgore!"
"..." I silently reached into the box, taking that heart shaped locket into my hand and looking at it with pained eyes.
"Just... G-getting to live a happy life, as... One big, happy family..." Frisk's hands began to shake with concern, their smile fading. "Isn't... Isn't that what we want..? After all of this..? For the fight to be over..?"
"..." I took a deep breath, hand clenching around the locket in my hand.
"... Chara is alive."
Frisk's eyes slowly widened, their breath catching in their lungs and their heart stopping in their chest. They could feel their blood freezing in their veins and their train of thought slamming to a halt in their brain.
"..." I stood, locket clenched in my fist as I slowly walked by Frisk, hair shadowing my eyes. "... I hope we can still be friends."
I was halfway down the staircase when I heard Frisk's footsteps race to the top of the steps, and I looked over my shoulder to see them staring down at me, gripping the railing tightly as they panted, heart clearly racing.
"What do you mean Chara is alive?!" Frisk demanded to know, and I shrugged apathetically.
"After our battle and the RESET, they found the DETERMINATION to resurrect their old body. They still want something from this world, Frisk." My eyes narrowed painfully, and I avoided their gaze. "... Me. They want me."
"What..?" Frisk asked, concern in their eyes as they walked down a few steps to get closer.
"They want my life." I explained, blinking cold emerald eyes. "Whether that means I join them or they kill me, they don't care."
"W-well that's not gonna happen!" Frisk exclaimed, making their way further down the steps and closer to me.
"... Yeah." I glanced to the side, dodging contact with their eyes. "About that."
"..." Frisk's eyes widened as they reached the step on which I stood, their mouth hanging open as their brain attempted to find the words.
"Cter... You, you didn't..."
"Had to." I turned my back on Frisk, walking down the steps and making it to the floor. "Was the only way to save everybody."
"What are you talking about?!" Frisk raced down to catch up with me.
"Error." Another vile name. "I needed Chara's help. It's the only way I knew we'd have any chance'a beatin' that guy without more casualties than we'd like."
"What did you promise them?!" Frisk caught up with me, looking over to me. "Your soul?!"
"My future." I answered calmly, keeping my eyes forward. I walked slouched, with my hands in my pockets.
"What do you mean your future?" Frisk continued to interrogate as we walked.
"... When Error shows up, Chara and I are gonna kill him." I explained blankly. "After that, I have a choice to make."
"Either join Chara and leave with them forever, or fight them one last time. For keeps."
"..." Frisk couldn't seem to find the words, just looking to the ground and slowly shaking their head.
"I'm sorry, Frisk." I paused as we made our way to the walkway that over looked the city below, turning to stare at the hundreds of Monsters below, innocent and unaware.
"... But I can't join you in that happy ending."
"Y-you're talking like you have to do this!" Frisk said desperately. "You don't have to-"
"If I don't give Chara what they want, then all of you are in danger." I stepped closer to the edge, frowning some. "I'm not gonna let that happen."
"B-... But..."
At the sound of a sniffle, I looked over my shoulder, and my eyebrows raised with surprise.
Frisk reached up, wiping a stream of tears from their cheek, only for it to immediately be replaced.
"Y-you're my friend..." The sobbed, looking down. "I-I don't want you to die!"
"... Heh..." My lips curved up some, and I turned around to face them. "... Thank you, Frisk."
My eyes widened as I managed to catch them after they lunged forward, wrapping their arms around me in a tight hug and sobbing into my shoulder.
". . ." I just stared off while I held them, eyes narrowing thoughtfully at the ground.
"... Angel... Am I a bad person..?"
"What..? Where's this comin' from, Lex..?"
*A strange light fills the room. Twilight is shining through the barrier. It seems your journey is finally over. You're filled with DETERMINATION.
"Humans... It was nice to meet the both of you." Asgore smiled sorrowfully, the six human souls rising from the floor around us.
He threw his arm out to the side, opening his cape and revealing his trident, which he gripped tightly as he lowered his head, shadowing his eyes.
"Goodbye."
Shatter.
Everyone's eyes darted to the cylinders holding the human souls at once, watching vines drag them to the little yellow flower that sat at the entrance of the room, grinning wickedly.
"Lets cut to the chase, shall we idiots?!" Flowey began to grow, vines shifting and forming under him, lifting him over us.
My jaw clenched clenched as pointed vines aimed down at us, before shooting down and over our heads.
"G-guh!" Asgore's eyes went wide, blood dripping down his chin as three vines jutted through his chest.
"Asgore!" I looked over my shoulder at him, and Frisk rushed over, catching him as he fell, propping his head up in their hand.
"H-humans... It is up to you..." Dust flaked from Asgore's body as he looked to Frisk, and he began to lift one hand, a glow forming in his hand.
"Please... You must take my soul..." Asgore's soul formed in his hand, glowing faintly. The glow reflected in Frisk's wide eyes.
"And... Stop this... Beast..."
Frisk watched as Asgore disappeared to dust in their arms, before they looked to the soul that floated there, a DETERMINED gleam in their eye.
Teeth gritting, Frisk reached out, and closed their hand around Asgore's soul.
Flash.
"... Eugh..."
I gradually pushed myself off the ground, which was in black and white. As I slowly climbed to my feet and looked around the area, it seemed I was standing in some weird... Time frozen version of the barrier room.
I looked down to Frisk as they too pushed themself up off of their face, and found it a little odd that despite them also having taken in a monster soul, there was no Deltarune scorched into their back.
"Hey, you alright?" I asked as I knelt down, offering my hand to help them up, which they graciously took, smirking lightly and nodding.
"Alright, good." I pulled them to their feet, before looking up to the smug smiling flower on a giant screen that floated over us. "Because we've kinda got this... Thing to deal with."
"I really owe you two such a big thanks!" Flowey smiled happily. "Thanks to your incapacity to learn a lesson, I was able to put my plan into perfect motion!"
"Look flower, you've been helpful to me in the past, so I'm gonna give you one shot here." I shoved my hands into my pockets, stepping forward. "Give up and back down now."
*Cter is sparing you.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" As Flowey loosed an evil cackle, his entire grotesque body climbed into view from the shadows. He leaned over me, glaring directly down at me with a psychotic grin. My expression remained calm, bored even. "OR WHAT?!"
"..." Slowly, my lips dragged down in a deep frown, a certain hatred dropping into my eyes.
"It's gonna be one HELL of a crummy juncture."
"Your stupid catch phrases aren't gonna save you!" Flowey threw one arm up into the air over his screen head.
"NOW D-!... Ie?"
Flowey's arm caught on the down swing, and his eyes darted over to it with confusion, before they widened in horror.
Tendrils of ink had come down from the ceiling, wrapping tightly around Flowey's arm and restraining him there.
At the sound of my chuckle, his wide eyes darted back down to me, seeing that I'd lifted one hand, fingers prepared to snap.
"Did you really think I'd let you have the first move?" I tilted my head to the side, dead eyes piercing through Flowey before I snapped my fingers, Flowey looking up to the darkness around us with shocked eyes as it suddenly lit up with the shine of Beat Blaster after Beat Blaster.
"Get real."
"Undertale?" Predator cocked a brow at Error, before giving him a nod. "Oh yeah, he played the crap outta that game. Never really got why, but then again I was always more of a physical activity kinda gal than a 'gamer gurl', as the neck beards call them."
"Did he ever edit or... Hack the games?" Error squinted his sockets, digits digging into the sides of his chair with anticipation.
"Oh yeah." Predator nodded with ease, crossing her arms. "He did every last thing with this game. 'Cept the uhh... What's it called? The one where ya kill everybody?"
"Whatever." Predator shrugged before Error could answer. "Became the only thing the guy talked about. Never told me why."
". . ." Error closed his sockets, and he smiled. He smiled one happy little smile, and then he calmly stood up. "Thanks for your time."
"What're ya gonna do, twitchy?" Predator tilted her head to the side, watching Error curiously.
"... It's been awhile." Back to Predator, Error's skeletal fists slowly clenched, and a portal opened up in front of him. "But I think, one last time..."
"I'm gonna bring Judgement."
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