"It had long been accepted that the crown, while not a stranger to the divine right once afforded to them in antiquity, had no real connection to God or the spiritual realm. Even Queen Alexandria I, leader of the kingdom during the Restoration, tried to distance herself from the role she played in the Church of England. However, her daughter, Queen Alexandria II, found herself in the company of the British mythology when she was revealed to command magic powers early in her reign. Her display of magic after the Ascension proved to be integral in building support for the Kingdom of Monsters and the future magicians of the European Union. Furthermore, her compassion towards the gifted ensured that magic would always have a place among the British, even as the rest of world proved slow to adapt to change.
- The Most Noble Duke Clem Thompson, Ph.D. Professor of History at the University of Manchester
Published in his 2187 book: "Resurrection: The Return of the Monarchy"
Five Years Later:
Buckingham Palace Gardens, London, England.
Thursday, April 25th, 2120. 9:45 AM
"Heir Presumptive Frisk Dreemurr, successor to The Kingdom of Monsters, the Duke of Ebott, and the so-called world's strongest human! Today will be the day you meet your match! I, Willow Elizabeth Alexandria II, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britian and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Sovereign Head of the Dominion, and Defender of the Faith will smite you right here! Prepare yourself to fight!"
"She's really getting into it today, isn't she?" Chara said, their spirit looking behind Frisk as they made a run for the thicker foilage of shrubs and trees in the back of the garden. Queen Willow, shedding her outer royal garments and revealing a set of workout clothes, materialized two shining orbs of yellow light and began to run after them, laughing manically as she took off at full speed towards Frisk. "A lot faster too."
"Doesn't really help me if I can't get to cover!" Frisk panted, jamming their back against the rough trunk of a large Silver Maple. The first of several bullets hit a tree in front of them, tearing off the bark that covered the unfortunate target and causing the tree to rustle violently. "I'll let her get a little closer, and…"
"You're not going to be able to draw your sword on me time, Frisk! I came prepared!" Queen Willow yelled, catching up to the thicket that Frisk had taken refuge in. Her bright yellow SOUL and bullet orbs that followed her shined like a flashlight in the shade of the trees. She couldn't find exactly where they were hidden, but she knew it had to be close. Only a couple of trees were big enough to hide a person - let alone a teenager. She sat quiet for a second, listening intensely for the sound of breathing, panting, anything that might give her an upper hand. But the hustle and bustle of her own city was to her own detriment.
"Tch. I guess I raised this city too well." Sneering, she sent her orbs out to the first tree ahead of her, one on each side of its trunk, and canvassed the back with bullets. Not seeing any movement, she continued tree by tree, slowly closing in on the old maple where Frisk was hiding. "You can't run forever! This garden is finite and I will find you!
"She's coming Frisk! Maybe in three more rounds or so. Willow is just letting her bullet orbs do the searching."
Frisk, let go a glimmer of a smile before responding to Chara. "Which means, if I can get past them, we can maybe catch her off guard! She won't be expecting us to attack if we can feint her's!"
Chara's spirit continued to peer around the tree. "She'll be here next. You ready to get Frisky?"
Frisk's smile evolved into a smirk. God, how they hated that. "Ready as I'll ever be, Stabby"
"Frisk! You know how I-Two…One!"
With a quick motion, Frisk placed their left hand on their katana, drawing it quickly and swinging in a wide arc to cut Willow's bullet orbs into yellow sparkles. They used their momentum to pivot counterclockwise around the tree and with their hiding spot exposed, began a mad dash towards a shocked-looking Willow. Her expression quickly flashed to one of concern before she returned to her confident self.
"Careful Frisk, she's drawing something!"
As quickly as Frisk had drawn their sword, Queen Willow reached behind her and produced an antique Colt Python. It took all Frisk had to slow their momentum and hold their sword up directly to their face to stop her first shot, the Katana vibrating as the soul bullet hit it and splintered into sparkles.
"A gun? Really?" Frisk yelled in shock as they started in a broad arc around the sharpshooting princess. "How was I supposed to prepare for that?
"You weren't love, that's the point! I told you that you weren't going to be able to draw your sword on me! Now, have at me! I won't give you any quarter! After all, don't you carry a handgun? You should be fine!"
"Yeah, with LIVE bullets! I would never draw it on you!"
"Your loss, Frisk!" Willow cackled as she began to fire off more bullets in succession.
Chara interjected, keeping up with Frisk's body while keeping their eyes on the now cackling queen. "Frisk, I'll help you out! These soul bullets don't move as fast as regular ones, I should be able to give you guidance. Get down for this one!"
A bullet whizzed passed Frisk head, the wind trailing behind it and rustling their hair. "Alright Chara, I'm counting on you! Don't let me get too beat up"
What came next was a series of jumping, ducking (and rolling) motions as Chara called out orders to Frisk and Queen Willow tried unsuccessfully to strike any part of Frisk's body. Despite her relative accuracy when Frisk was standing still, it was clear she hadn't had much practice with a gun.
"Eventually, we've got to stop running in circles, Chara. I'm thinking of just rushing her and taking whatever shot she gives me. What's our HP?"
"We're undamaged. 20 out of 20."
"Good." Frisk smiled. After Queen Willow's last shot moved past Frisk's left ear, Frisk once again pivoted for the Queen and made straight for her, closing the distance in just a few great steps. Willow's face, scrunched up from a mixture of focus and frustration turned to shock as Frisk took not one but two bullets to the arm and one to their side. As each shot connected Frisk grimaced, but as the pain settled they were able to hold themselves steady to keep moving.
Frisk moved to swing their sword. "It's over Willow! Surrender!"
"Heh. Not bad for a pacifist ambassador. But your inclination to take risks will be your undoing! Don't be so cheeky!" Willow said, gripping her python with both of her hands and using it to block the downward arc of Frisk's sword. The ringing sound of metal striking metal rang throughout the Garden, and Frisk noticed that even some of the attendants inside Buckingham Palace had moved to the window to see what the commotion about. Willow held firm as Frisk brought their sword down, bringing both into a deadlock.
"So, do you admit defeat now? Striking you from this distance would be easy. I'd rather not damage your soul any before the summit, especially since I know you're just now getting used to fighting with it."
"Well, I guess I can't help that I've already damaged your's, can I?" Willow chuckled, throwing a quick sideways glance to Frisk's Red SOUL before returning her focus to Frisk's magic-infused red eyes. "Where did you even learn to dodge like that? And I know soul bullets aren't as powerful as the real thing but dang, how are you even walking right now?"
Frisk held a focused expression but let a slight smile show as they responded to Willow. "Well, I've had a lot of practice at dodging magic, you could say. Five years of it, to be exact. You're not the hardest opponent I've faced."
Willow retorted. "The way I had you running around, I couldn't have been the easiest either!"
"Your bullets hurt! It's not like I still don't have feelings!"
The queen laughed, clearly enjoying herself maybe a little more than she should have. Frisk thought that maybe her sadistic tendencies come with the territory of being royalty. As Frisk was also royalty and not without…a few urges every now and then, they were hardly able to speak themselves. The last thing they needed was another thing for Chara to tease them over. "Give it up, Willow. Do you have anything else to say?"
"Maybe one more thing for the pacifist ambassador. For someone as seasoned as you, you're very easily distracted."
Oh Shit. Internally, Frisk called to Chara. "Fuck me, Chara, what is she talking about?"
"Well Frisk, it looks she got the slip on you. Sorry buddy, she snuck up on me too."
"Some sort of lookout you were. Good to know I can count on my partner in crime."
"Good to know my partner in crime depends on me so much! I'm flattered."
Behind Frisk were Willow's re-materialized yellow bullet orbs, both trained directly on Frisk. Their mind began racing with possible options. Could they break the deadlock and strike Willow before she fired? Could she respond in that short of a time? Frisk briefly considered turning around to strike both of her orbs directly with their soul energy, but quickly disregarded that plan as it left their back exposed to Willow and her revolver. On the other side of the deadlock, Willow stayed quiet and smiled. She knew she had won.
Mockingly, she said "Give it up, Frisk. Do you have anything else to say?"
Frisk stayed silent for a while. After of a couple of seconds they exhaled and brought their sword down with a great force and then relaxed, forcing Willow to push Frisk's sword back up and breaking her guard in the process. They knocked Willow's pistol out of the way with a clang and threw the princess out of balance. Quickly, Frisk turned to face the soul orb to their left and started to charge their SOUL's energy through their sword, making it glow bright red. "Yeah! I'll take my chances!"
But before they could fire, both were stopped. Frisk and Willow were brought to their knees, their SOULs turning blue as they came under the influence of intense gravity. Frisk dropped their sword as they thrust their hands down to regain their balance. Willow, who was still off-balance from Frisk's previous attack, fell onto her bottom and let out an "ouch!" at the sudden fall.
Both Chara and Frisk could tell from the weight exactly who had intervened. "Well, if it isn't the comedian and the spaghetti factory themselves."
Frisk, out loud, muttered under their breath "I really wish you would call them something different."
"Heh. Now we're even for earlier."
"well now kids, don't you think this battle has gone on long enough?" Sans announced winking at both royals as he and his brother walked from the palace. "after all, both of you have big days today. you're gonna need all your energy to SAVE the world."
"ABSOLUTELY HUMANS! HOW CAN WE HAVE WORLD PEACE IF YOU TWO ARE BOTH HERE FIGHTING! YOU HAVE TO ACT LIKE TRUE MASCOTS AND LEAD BY EXAMPLE!" Papyrus interjected, grinning proudly and striking a glorious pose as if to show off their radiating eminence as the perfect mascot. Both did indeed look nicer today, wearing the black and purple royal uniforms supplied for the day's ceremony as opposed to their usual causal clothes and battle armor. But Papyrus and Sans were still very much their selves. The two had appeared inexplicably within the gardens, and it hadn't taken long for Buckingham Palace's elite guards to respond, rifle sights lined up with the two skeletons who couldn't look less concerned.
"Sans! Pap! Guys!" Frisk shot a strained look at the palace guards who were drawing closer as they spoke, "we were just training! No need to be alarmed here!" Frisk picked themselves up from the ground and looked towards Willow to help them out, their SOULs still blue. "We weren't going to hurt each other, promise."
"WELL THEN, WHY IS YOUR SOUL DAMAGED? WERE YOU HIT?"
Willow, with a wave of her hand, called off her guards, who exchanged chatter through their headsets before saluting the queen and returning to their posts. Face beet red, she sat up and pouted at Frisk as she reluctantly responded to Papyrus. "Well, only a little."
Buckingham Palace, London, England.
Thursday, April 25th, 2120. 10:15 AM
"Chara, is this really it? Can monsters finally live in peace now?" Frisk stared into the large mirror made available to them in one of Buckingham palace's many state guest rooms. They fiddled with the broach that attached the white cape emblazoned with the Deltarune onto their jacket as Chara watched from behind the mirror. Chara rested on the edge of the bureau and from their spirit world guided Frisk as they continued to adjust their clothes for the conference.
Frisk continued. "This is certainly the closest we've gotten, isn't it? I know it seems weird. The Sovereignty Crisis was only three years ago, and before that we spent so much time destroying…" they paused, not wanting to bring up the days of their previous genocide runs and memories that have become too heavy to bear. "…Even then, we have come a long way, haven't we? We've grown so much Chara. As people, as friends, as a world. Maybe everyone else is finally ready to admit they have too."
Chara sighed. "It's hard to believe that five years ago I would have insisted that none of these humans were worth saving. But somehow, I guess we've managed to build a future together. Color me shocked. I wonder how long we can keep this together."
"Them or us?"
"It's not like any of us are that well put together in the first place, and that's a little more literal for some of us." Chara shrugged and gave a nonchalant expression. It was true, as a disembodied spirit without a soul or a body, it wasn't as if they had a lot to worry about.
"Yeah well, being an ambassador kind of sucks, but at least I've gotten us this far. No one important has died, right?"
"Well, no one important to us. But still far less monsters than I thought. I guess we can't save everyone."
Frisk frowned. It was a hard lesson to come to terms with the fact that you couldn't protect everyone. Even thinking about one monster's death when their population was still in the tens of thousands was upsetting enough to often make them emotional. Letting one monster die after everything they had done felt like a condemnation of their own soul. But Toriel had told them to focus on what they could do, and on the people closest to them, a lesson Frisk tried often to repeat to themselves. Even though they were positive everyone was alive, it was comforting to count them up anyway, to recall their identities among the living as proof that Chara and them had changed. It was a reminder that five years of struggle had not all be for nothing. "Right. If we can all keep living together…"
Frisk let themselves trail off as they affixed the pin and began to look themselves over, thinking silently to themselves about the script for the quickly-approaching general conference. The Treaty of London. A treaty to, at once, end the state of war between The Kingdom of Monsters and all the delegations of the United Nations. A declaration of the rights of both man and monster. First the General-Secretary will speak, and then…
Their thinking was interrupted by Chara. "When you look at humanity, what do you see in them that inspires you? What compels you to fight for them like you do? It would be one thing to be doing this for the monsters, but Willow. Everyone. You act like you have a duty to this world. You don't have to do this, you know?"
Frisk stood up and straightened out their clothes before turning to face Chara's spirit in the real world, looking them dead in their eye. Chara's bored expression immediately perked up and their face reddened as Frisk gave them a focused, but soft stare. Chara was not used to Frisk staring them in the eye, or seeing them much at all, outside of the rare moments Frisk was in front of a mirror.
"W-what? You dummy! What are you staring at me for…? H-hey!"
Even knowing it was impossible, Frisk reached out to place their hand where Chara's would have sat. They closed their eyes for a second as they tried to imagine what holding their hand would feel like, their own taking a shape as if it meant to fit seamlessly around the grove of their best friend's. Words couldn't describe how much Frisk longed to feel Chara's warmth, how Frisk wished to embrace them as so much wished for over the countless resets and tears. They gave Chara a warm smile.
"You, silly!" Frisk teased, a little self-servingly. It was so nice to see Chara express themselves after spending so much time emotionless, even if that expression was pure embarrassment. "I have to keep doing my best. Until I've created a world where both of us can live in peace. Where we won't have to fight anymore. When we won't have to be alone anymore. I believe in that future, in a future where I can fulfill my promise and SAVE you. So, I can't give up yet. Not until I've done that." Frisk beamed at thoroughly flushed Chara before moving to retrieve their sword and communication link.
"Dummy! Y-You're disgusting, you know that? And, these goals of yours's, you're confident you can do it? With your power…?"
Frisk affixed their katana to their waist and walked to stand in front of Chara's spirit. "Yes. With our power, we definitely can. I meant what I said back then, when we decided to give this a chance. With our combined power, we can accomplish anything. Chara, this is it. We're finally about to reach our happy ending." Having finished having their fun with the flustered spirit, Frisk turned to move towards the door. Moving to head out into the hallway, they called back, "Anything else you want to add before we go?"
Chara hesitated. "I-if you insist, I do have one thing. You should really should wear a skirt more. It suits you."
If Chara was trying to get Frisk to blush, it worked.
AN: This chapter featured the debut of Willow! She's an important character for this arc and is meant to be Frisk's ally in Europe, so I hope that people grow to like her. I put sooooooooo much work into researching the British monarchy and titles (I've never even been to London) so I hope I got everything close to right. Also, expect *much* more Charisk fluff to come, lol.
