How did you come here? Where is here?
I fell into my creation, child. I wanted to free everyone. Gaster signed, his hands moving quite expertly. He glanced around, almost quizzically. Ironically… it appears that I am even more trapped than they ever were.
Frisk reached out hesitantly and took Gaster's hand, squeezing the bones tightly in a comforting manner. Gaster squeezed back, heaving a sigh. His body, a tall, thin spire of black, seemed to expand as he shook his head. His hand was cold and clammy, but Frisk glanced at the Reset button. It was the only source of light in the dark. Frisk looked around, aware that Chara had stepped off the train. They were now somewhere… cold.
Frisk felt sick.
I wish I could see what they're doing. Frisk wrung their hands before glowering at the Reset button. And I wish this thing would just… disappear.
I cannot remove the button, child, but… we could escape using your determination. Gaster held up his hands to Frisk's face and signed very slowly so they caught the words. It will be dangerous… You will be using your memories, your hopes and dreams to disappear outside of this world. Using your determination… I think we could… escape.
Frisk looked up at Gaster, wary. They barely knew him, yet they felt as if they had always had him nearby. He'd always been watching from the shadows. There was no word for old friends who had just met, but that was what Frisk would imagine this meeting would be called.
Using my determination? They signed.
Yes. I will escape with you, if you wish, but that will drain your energy significantly. We will be mere spectres, but able to harm and able to feel harm.
Frisk glowered at the reset button. They had to stop Chara. There were no 'if's' or 'buts'. They looked at Gaster and called up what was left of their determination. Their soul, which was being used by Chara, was no longer there, but a soft red glow appeared. A small sphere of red appeared in front of the two of them and Frisk looked up into Gaster's eyes.
I know your sons. Frisk said, looking down at what was left of their determination. They're kind. They're my family. They mean the world to me.
Gaster let out a small sniffle that could've been a sob and he drew back ever so slightly. Child… Knowing they are happy is enough for me. Leave. Do not come back.
I'm not leaving you behind.
Gaster looked thunderstruck, then his face hardened. Child, you will die in that form. Better that you use all of that determination and leave this wretched place, before Chara destroys everything.
Frisk smiled sadly, coughing. I have done many bad things, Gaster. I killed everyone in one timeline, including your sons who I would give the world for. I still wake up screaming. Their eyes closed and they heaved a deep breath. Though… I know this is not the wrong thing to do. Chara might have my soul, but I know what I want. I want Sans to never have to worry about a reset again. I want Papyrus to make more of his spaghetti. I just want them to be happy. And… Frisk took the determination in their two hands and tore it in half. It hurt, like yanking a thorn out of a wound, but they held the halves in their hand. And I think… no. I know this is the right thing to do. I know they will be happy with you. Happier than I could ever make them.
Child… don't-
Frisk pushed the half of their determination to Gaster, who gasped as it hit his form.
Frisk closed their eyes and felt Gaster hold their hand. There was a tugging sensation in the bottom of their stomach and suddenly, they were blinking in the sunlight. They rubbed their eyes and glanced around, happy to be out of the darkness. The Reset button, however, was still next to them. Gaster was beside them and Frisk blinked. Gaster was no longer a formless blob in darkness, he was a tall skeleton with a dark black coat and a grey turtleneck under it. His face was no longer warped and horrendous, but clean and with no cracks, save for two that ran from his eye sockets.
Floating above Gaster were two bluish hands with holes in their palms, which signed for him. He looked down at Frisk, then glanced around, evidently noting their location. Child… why? You're so weak-
You look so tall. Frisk smiled and Gaster paused before giving a smile of his own. He was happy.
We should look for Chara. He said, striding forward and holding out his hand. The holes in his palms were still there, but he looked happier. Frisk grabbed his hand, trotting after him. They felt like a ghost, with no shape or form and they even passed through a fence. Gaster was looking around, two pinpricks of purplish light in the middle of his sockets making him look more like a skeleton than a formless mass.
Where are we? Frisk asked, looking around. Tall trees towered over them and they were walking through a snow-ridden forest. At first, Frisk thought that they were underground again, walking toward Snowdin, but there were clouds above them, not a cavern ceiling. They felt sick, as if they were coming down with a flu.
Near Mount Ebott. A few miles north, perhaps. Gaster signed, his floating hands signing frantically. Chara felt a powerful emotion here last, but now they are gone. We shall have to look for them.
How are we doing this? Frisk asked, confused.
How do birds fly? Gaster signed, smirking. I cannot explain such things. I can only do them. Using your determination, I can project our ethereal bodies outside of the void. That is all I know. Your determination is strong, child.
Frisk, despite not actually being there, felt freezing. They shivered and sneezed. Gaster glanced at them before stopping. Here. Take my coat. It's not much, but… I can't stand to see a child without a jacket.
Frisk shivered violently as Gaster removed his enormous black lab coat and placed it around Frisk's shoulders. It dragged in the snow and Gaster looked quite thin without it, but Frisk was still completely cold. They had a feeling they were getting sick. Gaster guided them through the trees, the dark woods seeming even more foreboding as they forced their way through the snow. The trees were dead and Frisk felt round about the same; cold, stiff and on the brink of falling over.
Stay determined, child. Gaster said, guiding Frisk through the woods. We're almost there.
Gaster, it's very cold. Frisk said, their teeth chattering. Oddly, their legs felt tired. Gaster, without much hesitation, stooped down and hauled Frisk up, carrying them like a baby.
I shall get us there quickly, but be warned- you might feel sick.
Just hurry.
There was a sound like thunder and Frisk nearly threw up as Gaster teleported a few feet. Then a few more. He teleported through the woods, narrowly avoiding trees and rushing through the snow. Gaster was right; Frisk felt sick. After what seemed like a million teleports, Frisk's head was spinning and they felt as if they were going to fall apart before Gaster finally stopped, standing stock-still.
We are here, child.
Frisk shivered and Gaster hugged them tightly as they glanced around. They were in what seemed to be an empty clearing, but upon closer inspection, it was a town square. There were old buildings that looked as if they hadn't been inhabited in a long time. The sun was beginning to peek through the clouds and from the landscape, they were on a hillside village. The hill sloped dangerously and Gaster looked around, clutching Frisk tightly to his chest.
The sun was cold and Frisk shivered, their eyes barely open at this point. Something glinted in the sun.
Where could they-
"G-GASTER!" Frisk screamed.
Gaster moved out of the way just as a large knife swiped downward, impaling itself in a tree as Chara tried to drive it into Gaster's back. Gaster teleported a few feet back to safety as Chara turned, very slowly to regard the two of them.
Frisk gasped. It was their body, but Chara was now inside it. There was a cruel smile twisting the corners of the mouth and their eyes, which were normally warm and shy, were now completely red and wide open.
"Hello, Gaster." Chara said, their voice light and carefree. "I see you brought the trash with you." Chara giggled. "Oh, I thought you'd use their soul to come this far. Too bad it's mine now." Chara played with the knife, smiling. "I was counting on you coming here; I need a bit of practice."
Gaster glowered dangerous at Chara, his eyes flashing purple just like Sans' would when he fought. Give the child their body back. You cannot stay in there forever.
"I don't know…" Chara said, swinging the knife in a childlike manner. Frisk felt their heart stop as they saw it was the very knife that they had used to kill Sans. They didn't know how Chara had gotten it, but there it was, flashing as the sun began to creep up in the distance. "I quite like it. And if I do leave…" Their red eyes flashed. "Then they die."
Frisk sniffed, then sneezed. Chara's nose twitched and they gave a very cold smile. "Look; they're already so sick. And their low HP would just quicken the process. Their thoughts, their memories, all of that is now there, outside of their body. Any longer outside and they'll eventually just-" Chara trailed off, smiling. "Let's just say it would be kinder for them to Reset."
Gaster glanced at Frisk, then resolutely at Chara. Give them back their body, demon.
"Make me, you pile of shit." Chara laughed, their head thrown back and laughs wracking their body. "You can't even form yourself properly, you bag of bones. You're even worse than your sons! They made lovely little dust bunnies once I was finished with them."
Gaster's eyes flashed and he wavered. His form shivered with anger and his face turned grotesque.
Chara, please. Frisk signed weakly. Don't do this.
Chara threw back their head and laughed. "Oh, this is rich! You think that you can just waltz off into the sunset because you're above the consequences? Who killed all those monsters? Not me, partner. I merely helped you along when you chose that path." Chara snickered as if something were immensely funny. "And Gaster… do you want to know how your son is doing? Poor, little Sans?"
Gaster stiffened and Frisk looked up at him in fear. His eyes were on fire now, burning with purple flames. What did you do to my son?
"Nothing… yet." Chara laughed, swinging the knife casually back and forth. "But they're coming for that." Chara gestured to Frisk with a twisted grimace on their face. "They want to save it. And I'll be here with open arms, ready to receive our guests. I'm so done with this world; if they don't reset, I'll move onto the town. Then back to the Underground to kill the remaining monster. Then I'll kill until my LV is so high, I'll be a God. I'll start with those two skeletons you call your sons; it'll be so touching and poetic for their father to see their last moments."
Don't touch my sons. Gaster signed, lowering Frisk onto the snow and propping them up against a pillar. I might not be able to kill you… but I can hurt you. Badly. I'm not opposed to hurting children.
Chara smiled, then glanced at Frisk. "Just like old times, right partner?" Chara looked at Gaster, smiling. "Too bad you had to bring them, Gaster. We could've had so much fun; just the two of us."
Frisk tried to stand, but fell back down almost immediately. They were simply too weak. Gaster stepped in front of them, his hands outstretched and glowing purple. Don't you know it's rude to talk about someone who's listening?
"They won't be listening for much longer." Chara said, smiling and winking a red eye.
Gaster ducked out of the way just as Chara sliced downward with their knife, charging toward him. He retaliated by dodging and teleporting a few feet away, his face becoming warped and grotesque.
"Do you want me to kill him too, Frisk?!" Chara yelled, laughing. "Just Reset! I'll kill them all before you finally crack!"
You talk too much.
Gaster summoned femurs that burst from the ground and he ran on top of them, making his way closer to Chara but getting the higher ground. Chara laughed and dodged the rising femurs, which glowed a dangerous purple as if they were about to explode. "Really, old man? I've got tricks up my sleeves, too!"
Chara swiped the knife across in an arc and the femurs all snapped. Gaster didn't fall, but teleported closer to Chara. Frisk watched in fear, struggling to get up. Gaster raised his hand, a smile on his face. A gaster blaster appeared, but this one was larger than Sans' and had sharp, impossibly large teeth. It glowed purple and opened its maw wide, firing a purple blast at Chara.
"Isn't this familiar?" Chara mused, stepping to one side as the blast wrought its destruction on the snow. "You're just as pathetic as your son!"
Gaster redirected the blast toward Chara as Frisk threw off his coat and struggled to their feet. They would not allow Chara to harm another person. They stumbled forward, but something grasped them firmly and yanked them backward. Gaster was now behind them, having teleported.
No, child, leave this to m-
Chara was quick. They were on Gaster in seconds and Gaster turned his back to them so that the blow landed on his back instead of Frisk. He let out a gasp as the knife sliced right through his clothes and hit his bones.
"Gaster!" Frisk screamed.
Gaster teleported a few feet away, coughing up purplish gunk that looked suspiciously like blood. Frisk felt sicker than ever and they grabbed onto Gaster's grey turtleneck, which was now soaked with purple blood. They glanced up at Gaster's HP and, to their surprise, they found a series of recurring 6's.
Do not worry about me, child. Gaster said, dodging another attack from Chara. They cannot kill me; I have survived in the void for years!
Chara was laughing behind them and Gaster was teleporting further into the town. The remains of buildings were covered in snow and the sun was now shining fully. Gaster rushed forward, stumbling in his next teleport and sending Frisk flying. Frisk landed on a pile of snow, coughing weakly as Gaster landed next to them.
Child-
"And now… I'll kill the both of you. Then those two failures of yours."
Gaster's face warped and he spun around, summoning another gaster blaster and aiming the blast at Chara, who nimbly dodged the massive explosion and laughed. "Not even close, partner." Chara's eyes flashed as they swung the sword.
Oh? Gaster asked, grabbing Frisk by the shoulders and getting to his feet. Have fun, child.
Chara's smile faded and they spun around just in time for one of the ruined buildings to collapse on top of them. Frisk screamed in pain and clutched their stomach, feeling as if a whole ton of bricks had just crushed them. Gaster darted away and fell backward, panting heavily with purple blood dribbling from his mouth.
Gaster, it hurts- Frisk signed, their breathing becoming rapid. Gaster's face was suddenly wrought with shock.
Child, stay strong.
But Gaster it hurts so much- don't hurt them.
Gaster nodded and lifted Frisk up, cradling them tightly as Chara struggled out of the rubble, clutching their side. They glanced up, a cut running across their eye. "Oh, would you look at that… you broke my rib." Chara smiled. "Or should I rather say… you broke their rib." Chara lifted their hand and slammed it into their side. Frisk was nearly blinded from the pain and Gaster looked down at them in horror.
Stop it! Stop harming the child!
"Who broke their rib? Certainly not me. You were the one who fired the blast. You were the one who nearly killed them." Chara smiled. "Let's play a game, little man; how many times can you get hit without snapping and killing me?" Chara laughed. "Not many, I think. YOUR SONS ONLY LASTED SO LONG AFTER ALL!"
Gaster blocked Frisk from the next blow, sending him to his knees. He teleported away, stumbling over his own feet and weakly summoning a gaster blaster and blocking the next blow from Chara with it. The massive skull cracked under the pressure and Gaster coughed up more blood.
"You can only dodge for so long; when Frisk dies, it'll all reset anyways!"
They aren't going to die! Gaster jumped back, sheltering Frisk from a shower of bone shards as Chara destroyed the blaster. Gaster winced as if it were a blow to him and he coughed more blood.
"Give up!"
The next blow sent Gaster crashing to the ground, shaking in pain. Chara laughed hysterically. Frisk weakly looked up at Gaster, who was shaking.
Gaster… move out of the way. They signed, their hands shaking.
I did not emerge from the void just to let you die. I WILL see my sons again! Gaster gave a pained smile and Chara sliced the knife down, sending it right into his ribcage.
"Oh… that must hurt." Chara said idly, smiling. "I'm so terribly sorry. Let me make it more comfortable for you."
They withdrew the knife and Gaster shielded Frisk again as the knife came sailing down, this time landing right in his shoulder blade. The arm went limp and Gaster fell next to Frisk, face twisted in pain.
"Oh dear… that looked quite painful. You should get that looked at." Chara laughed so hard that Frisk's vision was blurred with the pain. Chara reached down and grabbed Frisk by the collar of Gaster's cloak. They lifted Frisk's face to theirs, smiling widely. "What you say, partner? Should I give Doctor Gaster another hole in his face? Or will you reset and stop all this unnecessary pain you're making him go through?"
Don't listen to him, child! Gaster reached for them, but Chara raised a foot and slammed it upon Gaster's hand. It cracked under the force and Gaster hissed in pain.
"I'll cut him across the neck, just like Pappy." Chara drew the knife delicately across Gaster's neck and the skeleton stiffened. "Then across the chest… just like Sansy." The knife trailed down to his ribcage, which was showing through the remains of his grey turtleneck. "But you could just reset, partner. Before I kill him, too."
Don't listen to them, child. Gaster gasped, arching his spine as Chara dug the tip of the blade into one of his ribs. They can't- they can't kill me-
"That much is true, old friend." Chara mused, letting Frisk go and standing up straight. They raised the blade, which glinted in the sun. "But I can send you back to the void, where you belong!"
They brought knife down.
Chara suddenly screamed as a golden bullet sailed out of nowhere and caught the knife, sending it flying. Chara spun around, snarling in anger. "What the-"
Sans, Undyne, Toriel, Flowey and Papyrus were all standing together near a decimated house, magic spiralling around them. Grillby even had his sleeves rolled up whilst a human woman with stringy brown hair stood in front of them, her hand outstretched and an angry expression on her face.
"Step away from the skeleton and the child." She said coldly, yellow magic sparking from her fingertips.
Chara looked flabbergasted and Gaster took that opportunity to grab Frisk and teleport away, landing at the feet of the monsters. Sans looked shocked as Gaster glanced weakly up at him, smiling.
H-hello, son. Gaster said weakly.
"D-dad?" Sans choked. His eyes landed on Frisk's flickering form, then he focused his eyes on Chara, who was smiling coldly. Chara held out their hand and their knife reappeared, causing them to smile even wider.
"Hello, comedian." Chara said, giggling like a naughty child. "Oh, this is familiar… save that your brother is now alive to see this. I wonder how he'll react to seeing you die? Oh, and hello, everybody." Chara waved enthusiastically and Undyne stepped forward.
"Oh, you're so dead, you little punk!" Undyen growled, summoning a spear.
"YEAH!" Papyrus said, holding up his hands and summoning blue femurs. "WHAT SHE SAID!"
Toriel and Flowey, however, were struck with what looked like shock. Toriel reached forward, her eyes shining with tears. "Ch-Chara?"
Chara smiled. "Hello, mommy. And hello, Asriel. You're looking a little pale; you eating enough fertiliser?"
Flowey's face twisted. "Chara, get out of Frisk's body. You don't have to do this."
Frisk looked up weakly and they snarled in anger. Chara was not going to hurt their family. Never.
They were filled with DETERMINATION.
Chara stumbled back as if something had struck them across the face. They stared at Frisk in shock and Frisk gave a pained smile. They felt more determined they ever had and Chara shook in their body. "What are you doing, you idiot?" Chara snarled, the knife shaking. "Stop that!"
Frisk smiled. Chara was not going to harm their family.
Chara stumbled back. "Stop it!"
Chara was going to leave and never come back. Chara screamed and clutched their side, squeezing the broken ribs to try and deter Frisk, but Frisk was not going to give up. There was a loud crack and their soul burst from their body, Chara struggling to catch it. "No! Give it back!"
You're done, Chara. Frisk said as their soul sailed toward them. Frisk reached out and their soul reconnected. It was as if all the pain disappeared and Frisk felt more connected to the world than they had been. They were suddenly standing in front of everyone whilst Chara stumbled back in their fake body.
"Kid?!" Sans exclaimed.
Frisk glanced back, smiling shyly. S-sorry, Sans.
"You're dead!" Chara screamed. "You're all dead! Especially you, Asriel! How could you do this to me?!"
Flowey snarled. "It's over, Chara. Frisk has their soul back and you're hurt. It's done."
Chara laughed. "Oh, really?!" They spread their arms widely, their face shifting back to the cruel smile they had always worn. "Asriel, you forget something…"
Chara's body shook and Frisk was grabbed by Sans, who jumped back as a large knife suddenly appeared out of the ground, spearing the air and nearly impaling Frisk.
"I ALWAYS WIN!"