How is it even possible? There's no way a stubby short skeleton could be considered stealthy. But there had been no sign of his approach... it was like he had just appeared in the doorway. I open my mouth to refute his realization, but stop when I notice the blue flames burning in his eye sockets. His gaze pierces my soul and he'll know if I try to concoct some lie.
"it's hard to describe, but sometimes there was just this hateful aura around you, like it was just a matter of time before you tried something bad. and other times, i thought i was really getting through to you, like i could feel your heart warming up," he shrugs. "sometimes the two were so close together, i wondered if i was just imagining things. it's good to know that a little of my guidance was reaching one of you in there."
There's still a fair distance between myself and the time machine. If I could just somehow reach it and get rid of him – but I can feel you tensing at my train of thought. You won't let me get there so easily. Even a small delay would give Sans too much time to figure out my plan.
"scientifically speaking, it explains a lot less, though. actually, it falls into the realm of 'impossible.'" He casually takes a few steps closer, hands still in his pockets. "we knew that the transplanted human soul might affect frisk; that it could essentially absorb the previous owner's entity. how much, or whether it took on the personality of the fallen child or the doll, was really impossible to gauge. but there's only one soul in that body, so there can't be two different people."
"Well, there's two of us. And here I am. The impossible made possible," I match his plastic smile. There's multiple solutions to this little dilemma, but all of them end with his death. My eyes drift to Asriel, but he's too busy cowering in the corner. He's probably not going to be much help.
"but how sure are you that there's two?"
"What kind of stupid question is that?" My grin flickers off, my response impulsive. Not like he'd have any way of knowing. The fights, the conversations we've had... what, are you turning into my imaginary friend now?
"i mean, i don't doubt that you hear voices in your head... and you certainly seem to be a lot more talkative than the other one, but- actually, never mind," he interrupts himself. "it doesn't matter. but what does matter... is that alphys is gone."
I remember as soon as he says the name. The lizard doctor... the one we erased before the last reset. How had I forgotten that? The name was so fuzzy until he mentioned it.
"yeah... i tried asking my bro about it, but he didn't even remember an employee by that name. said it's always just been us. so i went ahead and looked up the employee list... and sure enough, there's no record of her name anywhere. so if no one recognizes her but me... why can i remember her?"
Damn. That one timeline where he absorbed determination... it's still causing me problems.
"Hehe..." The fire extinguishes from his eyes, the sockets pure black. "You've been busy messing things up, haven't you. Who were you planning to erase next? My brother, or me?"
"You'd already be gone, if things had turned out right," I laugh. There's no way I can be scared of him, even if he's trying to frighten me. I know what it's like to run a knife through his bones. "So what are you gonna do about it? Kill your own project?"
"i'll stop you." Sans pulls his hands out of his pockets. The blue flames flash back into his eyes and cover his boney hands. "after all, you're my responsibility. can't just stand by and let you destroy the world."
The world snaps blue, like it's been covered in tinted glass. My breath chokes and I gasp beneath the pressure, my eyes bulging like a fish. What is this? I try to take a step forward but it's like treading underwater; my body feels so heavy.
You ram your consciousness into mine and my mind goes numb. Stop it, get out, get OUT, I don't have time for this right now!
Bones spike from the ground like claws. They're wildly apart, practically aimed against the lab instead of me. One grazes my arm, spilling a single drop of blood. That was entirely too close for comfort; I stagger away as if the distance will somehow make me safer. The cut burns like sulfur, the pain snapping my mind into clarity and pushing your presence out.
"You- how are you doing this?!" I can't believe it. When I look at the skeleton, his eye burns blue with magic. It has to be. But then why... if he had this kind of power, then why... "I've killed you before!"
"really? and yet you're still surprised. maybe you're not as in control as you think."
Nothing I say even rattles him. How could I fool everyone except the fool? If I just had my knife...!
He flings his arms haphazardly, like he's flailing against an invisible enemy. I'm not even close. A legion of bones summon at crazy angles. I break into a dash, but I'm forced to roll and avoid some of the attacks. Even without a knife, if I can just get close...!
"actually, i have no idea where this magic came from. one day, it was just there? so i figured i might as well learn how to use it, but uh, it's still a work in progress. you'd probably know better than me about its origins anyway," he laughs, eyes darkening. "Isn't that right?"
I dodge another blow only for gravity to abruptly reverse. My breath catches as I slam into the wall, my flickering vision seeing the skeleton with a raised hand. You crawl into my mind like a bad itch that won't give up.
"Dammit, Asriel, do something!" I shriek. This is too much. I don't stand a chance at this rate, not when it's two versus one.
"M-me? B-but I, I can't, I can't fight, I..." The flower continues to cower uselessly in the corner.
"Use your brain. There's one way to get rid of him permanently," I hiss. I'm not exactly quiet, but hopefully I'm far enough that Sans won't hear everything, or at least not catch on.
Asriel's eyes widen. He gets it. While I'm busy fighting, he still can...
"No, I couldn't," he immediately refuses. "If I do that, he... he wouldn't..."
"Is it any wonder why I don't think of you as a friend anymore, Asriel? You're still picking random strangers over me! If you want any chance of becoming friends again, you need to do this!"
There's no other way. Gaster claimed that we were created to wield the machine. Asriel should be able to do this. He has to. He's the only one who can get me out of this corner.
The gravity lightens. Immediately I spring to my feet, launching myself against the skeleton again. All I need to do is buy Asriel some time. Because he will, right? He won't abandon me again. He wouldn't dare.
Sans throws more attacks, but I'm getting better at dodging. Closing the distance. If I punch him hard enough, I'm pretty sure I can shatter all his bones. Just because he can throw some attacks doesn't mean he can take them.
I hate him. He's the one who turned you against me.
My fingertips brush air, as the skeleton manages to take a few steps back. So close. If I was just a little bit faster...
The time machine behind me whirs to life. And for the first time in this encounter, recognition blossoms on the skeleton's face. He understands the imminent danger. His blue magic throws me against the wall like a rag doll. Stars dance in my vision, but for once you're too dumbstruck watching to even try and fight me.
Asriel's vines have reached to encompass the apparatus. "I'm sorry," he cries. "I can't let my friend die again."
Sans runs to the machine.
The world is assaulted by a maelstrom of kaleidoscopic light.
The world is bleeding.
That's the only way to describe this.
The room distorts into rainbow-colored hues, the room flickering as if it's a dying TV. Everything is grainy and I think that if I reach out, I can actually pull apart the visible threads. I do reach out, but my hands meet nothing. The colors fade. I'm back in the room.
What the hell was that about?
You're oddly silent. That little exchange blew my mind, and you didn't even try to take over.
…Nothing.
That foolish skeleton is gone now. He actually had me worried for a moment. But all that time traveling nonsense is a thing of the past now. Who cares if he knows about resets when he doesn't even exist anymore?
"Chara."
I jump at the voice. It's Asriel. In the corner of the room, I see the small flower. When did he get here?
"I did it. He's gone." There's a frown on that flowery face.
"Good riddance. The world's a better place without that pile of bones. At least I could depend on you for once."
Silence. That's... pretty unusual, actually. Words seem to be his remedy for all problems.
"Asriel?"
"You're not Chara." He says it like it's a logical conclusion.
"What?"
"You're not Chara!" The flower shrieks, voice spiking unevenly. "You talk like Chara, but you're not!"
"What kind of nonsense are you-"
"The Chara I know is strong and kind and wants to help people and wouldn't want to hurt anyone and... and...!" His own tears choke him off.
"I must have been brought back to life for a reason," I sneer at the sobbing flower. He already made his choice. Now he wants to regret it? "Maybe I'm not the same person you remember. But you were brought back in the same way. Whatever I am, you are, too. And if you're not, then you will be, soon."
He shakes his head, covering his face with his petals. "No," he insists, without offering any logic. "That can't be right. You... I'll stop you from hurting anyone else!"
"Asriel!"
He burrows under ground and disappears.
"You idiot," I call out after him. "You just erased someone and now you suddenly care?"
"I don't care."
I hear his voice on the other side of the door. Quickly I dash to it, but it's still closed. My hands push against it. Asriel had been the one freeing me in the earlier resets. But he never unlocked the door this time...
"I don't care, and it scares me..." He sniffles on the other side. "But I remember being someone who once wanted to do the right thing. That's why I need to stop you, Chara. No... whoever... or whatever you are... I will stop you. That's why... I'll erase you."
"Asriel!?"
No answer.
I slam my fists against the metal door. It doesn't so much as budge.
"You wouldn't dare! You can't be serious!"
Bam. Bam.
"Let me out!"
Asriel doesn't even understand who or what you are.
If my soul disappears... would you even exist anymore?