Vines flew out of nowhere, wrapping themselves around the six monsters. Peter leapt away from the initial blast, but couldn't avoid the followup.

Flowey popped out of the ground.

"Well, fancy meeting our favorite megalomanic flower here." Peter spat. "Gotta say, I'm not loving your thanks for not killing you."

Flowey laughed. "You IDIOTS. While you guys were having your little pow-wow... I took the human SOULS!"

"So what!" Peter yelled. "It's not like you can try your trick again! I stopped you once, and I'll do it again!"

"Pfft, please, now I've got even more power!" Flowey gestured at the captured monsters. "Two boss monsters, the strongest warrior, the smartest scientist, the most perseverant skeleton... and Sans."

"i'm hurt." Sans' words dripped with sarcasm.

"You wanna know the best part?" Flowey laughed. "It's all your fault. What did I say, again? Alphys was the key!"

"I took the time to find Alphys... which gave Toriel enough time to reach the palace... then you told Papyrus to meet us here." Peter smacked his forehead.

"Brilliant, aint it?" Flowey grinned. "You made them love you. All the time you spent listening to them, encouraging them, caring for them... helping them grow... Without it, they wouldn't have come here. And now, with their souls and the humans' together... I will achieve my REAL FORM."

"I don't get it, what's the point!" Peter yelled. "What do you gain?"

Flowey frowned. "Don't you get it? This is all just a story. Words on a screen. Finish the story, and you get that lovely little dopamine boost. Finish the book, you don't wanna spend time with me anymore." Flowey scoffed. "Not that you'd know. You're just as trapped as they are. Pity, I suppose. Still, you're a new addition. And with you stuck here, the story will never end! I'll keep the end right in front of you... and then drag it out for a few sequels. Over... and over... and over..."

Flowey laughed maniacally. "Listen. If you DO defeat me, you can get the happy ending. The one where I don't murder you over and over. Your friends can come back, I'll destroy the barrier, and you can go home!" His face twisted in mockery. "But that WON'T happen. Cause I have you right where I want you!"

Peter felt a box of vines close in on his SOUL. Flowey surrounded it with bullets.

"You'll stay here... if I have to kill you 10,000,000 times!"

The bullets pierced him, ripping into his skin over and over. Flowey laughed as Peter felt his health drain more, and more, until-

Something stopped the last volley.

"What." Flowey asked.

"Do not be afraid, my child..." Toriel gasped out. "No matter what happens... We will be there to protect you!"

She flicked a wrist, and several fireballs obliterated the bullets. Undyne twitched, and a spear blocked some more.

"THAT'S RIGHT, HUMAN! YOU CAN WIN!" Papyrus shouted, swinging a bone barrier with all his might. "JUST DO WHAT I WOULD DO! BELIEVE IN YOU!"

"Hey human, you got past me!" Undyne yelled. "I think that means you can do anything! So don't worry, we're with you all the way!"

Sans tilted his head. "if the world is a story, the narrative is in your favor! we believe in you. i'm rooting for ya, kid. you can beat this overgrown weed!"

Toriel and Alphys cast magic in unison. "Technically, it's impossible for you to beat him..." Alphys noted. "B-but! Somehow, I know you can do it!"

Peter felt his determination rise. Breaking out of the vines, he dropped into a crouch. More barriers sprung up, cast by his friends, as he advanced on Flowey. Chara pumped her fists and gave him a wink.

"I've got your back. Let's deal with this pest!" She grinned.

"Human, for the future of humans and monsters...!" Asgore shouted, "You have to stay determined!"

From all over the underground, monsters came. The guards, Muffet, Froggit, all the dogs, MK, Vulkin, Shyren and her agent, Tsundreplane, Grillbby, the mercenaries! Mettaton lead a crowd of others, people Peter had fought and befriended, met and hadn't. They all added to his health, all protected him, all stood with him, hopes and dreams as one.

"Urrrgh... No!" Flowey shouted. "Unbelievable, this can't be happening!"

Peter stood over Flowey and raised out his arms. "Believe it. You can have all the power in the world, but if enough people stand against you, if even ONE MAN STANDS AGAINST YOU, YOU WILL NEVER HAVE ABSOLUTE POWER."

He bent down. "Captain America taught me that. You wanna surrender now?"

Flowey blinked. "You... YOU...!"

He grinned.

"I can't believe you are ALL. SO. STUPID. ALL OF YOUR SOULS ARE MINE!"

He absorbed them all, the SOULs of every monster. And in a flash of light, he was transformed from a small flower, into a-

Small goat child?

Peter tilted his head.

"Finally... I was so tired of being a flower." The child turned around, growing with every step, changing with every step. "Howdy there... Chara, are you there?"

Chara shook her head. "No.. it can't be... It can't possibly be..."

"It's me!" His voice deepened. "Your best friend...

ASRIEL DREEMURR."