Running. Running. Faster and faster. The sounds of heavy stomping could be heard echoing through the barren Castle Town as two figures rushed forward to its center. Towards the large castle that towers high above.
"C'mon Noelle! We're almost there!"
"W-what is this place, Susie?" Asked the young reindeer girl. "Where is everyone?!"
The pair slowed to a stop as Susie looked around the town's square. The town, once vibrant and bustling with activity from the Darkners had turned desolate and cold. The shops, once brightening the dark realm, looked abandoned. If one were to peer into the windows, they would only see darkness.
The only sounds that could be heard were the heavy breaths of the two Lightners who had traveled here.
"I don't know… but now's not the time to worry about that!" Susie exclaimed. "Kris is up ahead in that castle. We'll see what's going on there!" At this, Susie started to run once more before feeling something tug on her sleeve.
"Can… can we walk for a moment?" Noelle had stopped her. "I'm… I'm not as athletic as you. We ran across town and now we're… here. I need to catch my breath."
Susie was about to retort but upon seeing the tired look in Noelle's eyes had caused her to falter. Sighing in resignation, Susie decided to keep a walking pace for her companion's sake.
"Sure. Wouldn't want to be tired the moment we catch up to Kris, right?"
"Right… Ah, so, what is wrong with Kris?" Noelle asked. "You said they just ran off for no reason?"
"Yeah!" Susie said. "We were walking towards their house cuz Toriel was making pie and then they just stopped and… I don't really know how to describe it." Shaking her head, Susie muttered, "Like they were struggling to move."
"Struggling to move?" Noelle asked. "That doesn't sound like the Kris I know. Whenever it comes to Ms. Tori's pies Kris was always the first in line. No matter how fast I ran they'd always beat me!"
Susie didn't respond, or at least wouldn't have had she not heard Noelle whisper, "But… could it be?"
"Huh?" Susie turned to Noelle with a questioning gaze. "You say something, Noelle?"
"Oh, ah, fahaha!" Noelle laughed nervously. "I was just thinking… um, that maybe Kris developed a fear of pie perhaps?"
"…"
"…"
"I don't think that's it." Susie replied. "They actually seemed really scared. Something other than pie had to have been on their mind."
Noelle chose not to respond to that. Instead, the pair continued to walk silently to the castle's entrance, still with no soul in sight. The entrance into the castle was opened wide, as if beckoning the girls to enter. And they entered.
Inside the castle were multiple doors, all closed. Susie moved towards the left-most door, as if on instinct. Tugging on the door handle was fruitless as the door refused to budge. Moving from door to door, Susie tugged on each handle only to be given the same result. Every door was locked.
Except one.
"Hey… Susie?" Noelle called out. Susie looked towards the source of the voice. "This door is open, maybe Kris went through here?"
Susie rushed towards Noelle, who was at the right-most side of the room. The 'door' that Noelle had referred to were the large double doors adorned with the castle's seal at the top. These doors were always locked. Every adventure that she had went on with Kris, every time they came to rest here… these doors were locked.
"Guess this is our only choice." Susie said as she stepped through the doors, motioning Noelle to follow. "C'mon, I have a bad feeling about this."
The two stepped into through the doors and made their way downwards. The path was a long series of steps declining down underground, deep below the castle. The only source of light were torches that were hung alongside the walls. No sounds could be heard, other than the echoes of the girls' steps.
Eventually, the steps had ended and all that remained was a long corridor. At the corridor's end, one could make out a faint green light. The Fountain of Darkness that held Castle Town's existence was ahead. And a silhouette of a figure could be seen.
""Kris!"" Both girls yelled, bolting towards the silhouette painted in green. The long path suddenly became short as the girls traversed the length at a swift speed, worry for their friend carrying them along the way.
They soon reached the figure and were finally able to determine who it was that was before them.
"Ah… Kris!" Susie said. "What the HELL Kris!? Why'd you run all the way here and… where is everyone?"
Taking a moment to stare at Kris's back, something sparked inside Susie's head, causing a sudden realization.
"Hang on a sec… where the hell is Ralsei anyway?" Looking between Kris and the Fountain, Susie continued, "This is his castle after all. I wouldn't think that fluff ball would miss the chance to greet us. Kris, you see him anywhere?"
Kris didn't respond.
"Kris…?" Susie asked, confused by her friend's inactivity. The green light emitted by the Fountain reminded Susie exactly where they all were. "Kris, why did you come here anyway? You're not… you're not doing what I think you're doing, are you?"
At that, Kris turned to face Susie. Their face was obscured in darkness as the Fountain's light was unable to reach it. They took a single step forward, before stopping.
"Kris?" Susie started to walk towards Kris, confused by what was happening before her.
She could barely make out Kris's blade as it was swung towards her. Susie's reaction was immediate, jumping backwards to dodge the strike.
"Susie!" Noelle yelled in concern. She had started to run towards her friend before Susie motioned for her to stop.
"Alright Kris." Standing up straight, Susie summoned her axe. "That was a cheap shot. I knew you were clever but you're gonna have to be faster than that." Slamming the axe into the ground before lifting it once more, Susie continued, "You wanna to brawl? I'm down."
Susie rushed towards Kris and slammed her axe down to where they were standing. A loud crash could be heard, and rubble from the ground were scattered from the crater that the weapon made. However, something was missing.
Kris was no longer there.
They had sidestepped the attack and were rushing towards the now stationary Susie. Ripping the axe out of the ground, Susie used the axe's long handle to take the blow from Kris's strike. Kris retaliated by kicking their opponent, sending them backwards. Susie was able to regain her footing and rushed towards Kris once more.
This time, Susie swung her axe to the left, forcing Kris to jump back. Susie pushed further, swinging to the right. Kris jumped back again and was met with Susie who had jumped forward into the air and had slashed downwards. Kris tried to jump backwards again, but the Susie's slash was able to hit, leaving a wound on Kris's right arm.
"Heh, gotcha." Susie remarked. "Had enough yet, Kris? How 'bout we drop our weapons and just talk this through?"
"…"
"… Figures."
The two rushed towards each other once more- one striking, slashing, slamming, stabbing the other. Noelle was forced to watch as her two friends attacked each other, and she was unable to stop this. Fists balled, Noelle could only watch with a mixture of horror and frustration at the scene that was playing out in front of her.
Before she knew it, Kris had slashed Susie in the back and caused her to fall forwards. Kris took the opportunity to point their swords downwards, preparing to stab their weapon through Susie and into the ground.
Noelle reacted, summoning her magic and sent a large shard of ice towards Kris, sending them flying back. Within seconds, Noelle used more of her magic to send a healing spell towards the downed Susie, healing her wounds.
Feeling rejuvenated, Susie was able to stand once more. "Thanks, Noelle!" Picking up her dropped weapon, she turned towards her weakened opponent. "Face it, Kris. This battle's over! Just give up now and we can get out of here. We can talk when we're at your house, just drop the sword!"
Kris stood once more, weapon in hand. From what could be seen from the Fountain's light, Kris was heavily injured. They took a step towards the pair. Then another. Then another. Slowly, Kris made their way forward, uncaring of the injuries that littered their body.
Susie raised her axe, prepared to finish this battle. Before she could, however, a small whisper flowed through her ears.
"… eed."
Susie looked around her, surprised covering her face. "Wha…? Who said that?"
"… seed." Again, that whisper flowed gently through Susie's ears.
There was only one person that Susie could determine who the source was. And she looked straight ahead at them.
Kris merely stared back at her.
"Proceed," they said.
Susie's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Proceed to where, Kris?"
"Proceed."
Susie's teeth were now clenched, grinding in frustration. "To where, Kris?!"
"Proceed."
Before Susie could snap out a response, a scream could be heard behind her.
"No! I can't do this!" Noelle, who had been behind her for support, had suddenly dropped to her knees. Her hooves could be seen covering her eyes… was she crying?
"Noelle…?" Susie stepped towards her. "What's… are you okay?!"
"Proceed."
Susie's eyes widened and turned back towards Kris, raising her weapon towards the incoming threat. "S-stay back!" It was at this moment that Susie realized that Kris wasn't looking at her, they were looking past her. Towards Noelle.
"P-please… I d-don't want to…"
Susie couldn't move. One friend in front of her was moving in for the kill, and the other friend down and suffering from something. Paralyzed by indecision, Susie could only hold her defensive stance and hope Kris would stop.
Which they did, surprisingly. They stopped, and merely stared at the downed reindeer girl who was shivering on the ground, tears so obviously coming out of her eyes. Her gasps of air as she tried to breathe through her choked sobs could be heard.
"Proceed."
Suddenly, without warning, Susie felt a sharp pain in her back. The pain was cold… as if a shard of ice had suddenly hit her. Susie stumbled forward but had kept her footing. Looking back, Susie saw Noelle, who had pointed her hooves towards her. Susie's eyes widened in a mixture of shock and fear.
"I… no, I said no!" Burying her head under her hooves, Noelle had tried to hide herself in the ground. "Don't make me do this! I can't, I don't want to!"
Susie gritted her teeth in pain, trying to refocus herself. When did Noelle get so strong? She hardly seems to be the type to just…
"Proceed." Kris's command pierced Susie's thoughts, and before she knew it another stab of cold pain had pierced her body.
"Ah!" This time Susie fell to the ground, dropping her weapon. The pain was somehow worse this time, as if Noelle was trying to hold back before.
"Stop it!" Noelle cried out. "I'm not doing this! I-I won't!"
Susie's world was starting to spin, the pain was becoming too much for her. She looked up towards Kris, and in her daze, she thought she could see remnants of a smile on their face as they looked down at her.
"Noelle," another gentle whisper.
The only response received was choked sobs, as if Noelle was fighting for control over what she wanted to do. Susie couldn't really see the reindeer anymore… the world was starting to fade in and out at this point.
"Proceed."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"N-no! I'm not your puppet!" Slamming her hooves into the ground, Noelle got up, fury in her eyes. "Kris would want me to be strong, but not like t-this!"
"N-Noelle?" Susie stammered out, obviously confused by the reindeer's sudden anger which had awakened her from her pain-induced stupor. Healing magic suddenly encased her, and some of the damage that Noelle had caused was healed. Enough for Susie to regain full consciousness.
"Susie… that's not Kris." Noelle said. "I've known Kris for… forever. I know that they might not be the kindest person but… they're my friend. My best friend. And I know this," Noelle pointed at 'Kris', "is not them!"
"Wait, what?!" Susie exclaimed. She stood up once more, her weapon in hand. "If that's not Kris…" Susie turned towards 'Kris'. "Who are you?!" Susie's weapon was raised, and her sharp teeth were flared out.
'Kris' regarded the two, tilting their head.
"I'm me."
In response, Noelle shot a shard of ice at 'Kris', sending them to the ground.
As the two push forward towards the fallen human, a sword was thrown across the room. 'Kris' had discarded their weapon, and slowly stood up. The movement was sluggish, unlike how they were moving before.
"Finally had enough?" Susie asked.
'Kris' raised their hand, and suddenly stabbed their own chest with it. Screeches echoed throughout the room as 'Kris' fought their own body before their friends, who couldn't comprehend what they were seeing.
"Wha… what the hell?"
"K… Kris?!"
Soon enough, 'Kris' pulled their hand out of their chest, revealing a red heart beating quietly in their palm. 'Kris' threw the heart away from Susie and Noelle, before pulling out a kitchen knife from their pocket.
Before the pair could react, 'Kris' had lunged towards the heart and slashed it, cutting it in two. The heart scattered in pieces, before vanishing in thin air. 'Kris' tried to stand but crumbled back to the ground.
Shock flared in both Susie and Noelle, who had rushed towards their fallen friend. They sat on both sides of 'Kris', who was shaking terribly. Both Noelle and Susie had cast their healing spells on Kris. While their injuries healed… Kris still kept shaking.
"Kris?" Susie gently asked. "Kris… what… what was that thing?"
Noelle had her hooves in Kris's hand, scared with how cold they've become. "Susie, we need to get Kris to the hospital now. I don't know how long they'll… they'll last like this.
Susie nodded her head in response and went to pick Kris up when she heard a faint whisper.
"… m so..rry." There was only one person who could be saying such a thing now.
"Kris, are you awake?"
Kris turned to Noelle, their own eyes bloodshot from tears.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." They repeated in a mantra.
Noell could only feel sorrow, not fully comprehending what her friend was trying to tell her. She turned to Susie, "We need to go now."
"Right." Susie lifted Kris onto her shoulders, noting how light they were. Standing in full, the trio made their way back up the stairs, from where they came. They moved at a swift pace, through the long stairway. Through the castle's entrance, and into the town's square. The trek back was uneventful, as no Darkner was ever found.
At least, it was until Kris forced themselves off of Susie's back.
"Hey! Kris, we need to go! Come here."
"N-no…" Kris replied weakly. They struggled to right themselves while on the ground, instead choosing to look at Noelle again.
"What're you saying, Kris?" Noelle asked. "We're almost out of here, and we're not far from the hospital. The doctors will have you walking in no time!" Noelle tried to sound cheerful, but she couldn't hide the slight fear in her voice.
"Yeah Kris!" Susie joined in. "You're a tough piece of pie, you know that? After today you'll be walking like this never happened."
Kris only shuddered at that. They stared into Noelle's eyes.
"I… I'm sorry." Kris's eyes pleaded with Noelle. Begging her to understand something. Before they could say more, Kris's head slumped backwards, into the ground.
"H-hey!" Susie dashed down to Kris, shaking them. "… Kris?! Wake up!" Noelle's eyes widened.
"Kris… mas?"
"Kris, if you do not wake up, we will be late for school!" A distant voice could be heard, as light suddenly filled the world. "I will wait outside for you, alright?" The clicking of a door being shut could be heard.
Kris's eyes fluttered open, before they stepped out of their bed. Their eyes scanned the room for a brief moment, and then they headed towards the door that led into a hallway. Passing a kitchen, passing a dusty television, Kris made their way to the front door.
Exiting the house, Kris saw Toriel standing by a red vehicle.
"Kris! There you are!" Toriel noticed that her child had finally made it outside. "We might still be able to make it!" The two entered the vehicle and started their drive to the school.
"Kris... It is a beautiful day today, is it not?" Toriel asked. "I hope it stays this way when Asriel visits next week."
Kris silently listened to their mother, as they begin another brand-new day at school.