A/N – Crap! I meant to upload this chapter DAYS ago! So sorry for the delay!
After a restless night, Frisk had finally fallen asleep just as the sun was rising. Sans had fallen asleep much earlier, but he stayed on the couch so they didn't feel alone. While half-asleep, Frisk could hear the two brothers get up, discuss their work for the day, and quietly leave at their usual time. The child let themself sleep for another hour or so, and then decided they should probably get up…and maybe try knocking on that door again.
Frisk ripped themself away from the warm cozy bed, putting on a warm jacket and some boots, and made their way back West toward the door. The paint on the door had been worn down from the weather over the years, but the Delta Rune itself stayed perfectly painted like it always had a fresh coat. I wonder if that's magic-related?
The knocked again, and every once in a while for nearly the entire afternoon. It disheartened Frisk, but at least Flowey didn't show up. They got up to leave, knocked again just in case and then turned around.
"Who's there?" a sweet, warm voice came from the other side of the door. Frisk's heart stopped.
"Canoe." It took every fiber of Frisk's courage to say it.
"Canoe…who?"
"Can… can you come out and talk, mom?" There was a dead silence; Frisk couldn't even shiver from the cold they were so nervous. "Please?" Their voice cracked.
The door opened, and the large goat-woman emerged, her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, my child… I am so sorry."
Toriel followed Frisk back to the house of the two skeleton brothers, explaining the events that had transpired. They explained the friends they had made, the danger they had been in… the choices they hadn't made yet.
"Oh dear…you've done so much. I have been so worried…I'm glad your friends have kept you safe." They walked past the Sans and Papyrus's house; Sans was just getting off duty in Waterfall. They walked to the edge of town, until Frisk saw the familiar sentry outpost. They smiled and ran up ahead to get Sans.
"Hey kid…who's your fr-"
"Oh! I think we may…know each other! Your voice!" The former queen rushed over excitedly.
"You must be Sans, the friend Frisk told me about. I am so thankful that you have upheld your promise to me."
Sans blushed, is that really…the queen?! "Of course. Frisk is a good kid, you majesty, there is nothing my brother and I wouldn't do for them."
"I am no longer queen, you may call my Toriel." She smiled, drawing him in for a hug.
"I…uhhh…" Sans tried to regain his train of thought, after shaking his skull he remembered. "Yeah… so Papyrus and Undyne are in Hotland today training with some of the other Royal Guards." He paused, and looked down at Frisk. "Today's as good a day as any, huh?"
"What?" Frisk asked nervously.
"Well, now that you have found the missing qu- former queen, maybe today is a good day to go see Asgore." He said casually, despite the weight of what that meant to Frisk. But they nodded, looking up at their two dearest friends.
"Yeah. I think I can do that."
They traveled through Waterfall, Toriel insisted that they stop to listen to as many of the echo-flowers as they could. She adored they mystery and the hope they inspired for other monsters. Soon enough, they were standing outside Alphys's lab. They gave a knock, and the yellow lizard emerged. "Uhh.. hi! OH! Ummmm uhhh hi…you're a new face?" Alphys said, looking at Toriel. After some introductions, they waited for Undyne and Papyrus to join them, and then they took the elevator up to the castle. Alphys explained to everyone about how only one human and one monster soul could go through the barrier. They just needed to convince Asgore to use on of the souls they already had to go ahead.
"It has been many…many years since I have set foot here." Toriel looked out over the lack-luster grey walls of the Capitol. They journeyed through the cottage that was planned out to be identical as the one Toriel had maintained in the Ruins, and before long, they were all standing in the hallway before the barrier. Toriel placed a hand on Frisk's shoulder, who had remained silent since Waterfall. "Be brave, young one, and do not fear. We will not let anything happen."
Through the door, Asgore was standing, facing the large, glowing barrier that trapped monsters for so many years.
"ASGORE!" Toriel said commandingly. He didn't move. "As..gore?"
When he turned around, they noticed that under his cloak were thick, green vines that were wrapped tightly around him. Frisk took a step back, burying their face in Sans's jacket.
A small, yellow flower appeared up from the floor just in front of Asgore. "Howdy!" Alphys had a similar reaction as Frisk, she was stunned at what she saw before them.
Papyrus looked down, surprised! "Hello there, friend! I haven't seen you in a while!"
Sans looked at Papyrus angrily, "THIS is the flower?" Sans stepped in front of all of them, his left eye emitting a strong cyan color. "What kind of monster are you… huh?"
Flowey smirked, "I used to be a monster… but now I'm so much more. You see…" Flowey forced the vines around Asgore to squeeze him a little harder, Toriel winced. "I knew you were all coming…knew you were deviating from the kid's path. So I had to improvise… Asgore saw you coming, and so he had the six human souls brought up. I was here at just the right time…and well… let' just say I'm ready for that last soul."
Vines popped up from the ground and shot towards Frisk. Their friends tried to attack the vines, whether by fire magic or spears. Flowey laughed mirthlessly. "That just won't work…you see… OOF!" A large bone hit Flowey, shaking the petals violently.
"There is no way you are touching that kid." Sans held an arm out, holding the vine that was approaching Frisk in its place.
"You can't hold that forever, you silly skeleton. Besides, that's not my only trick." More vines emerged from the group, and the other monsters were wrapped in coils of green before they could protest or fight back. Sans used all the strength he had to try and escape, but he could feel Flowey suppressing his powers. "None of that now… so where were we, Frisk?"
The child had drawn a small dagger, fighting off vines as they closed in on them. Their friends shouted encouragements. "SILENCE!" They were squeezed harder, unable to breathe.
Frisk looked up, panic and tears filling their eyes. Another vine popped out and plunged through Frisk's chest. They could see the faces of their friends trying to scream before the pain took over.
Everything went dark. Frisk could recall seeing Asgore or Toriel's face…but they were younger. It was a child. Frisk could remember speaking to the child, but little after that. They heard Sans yell their name, and woke up suddenly.
Sans was holding them up in his lap, all of their faces were covered in tears. Their faces, now looking quite shocked and concerned, closed in and surrounded where Sans was holding them. They were all speaking simultaneously, making Frisk squint their eyes. It went quiet, and then Sans spoke up. "We thought we lost you, kid… what happened?"
"None of us remember, young one… do you?" Asgore asked.
Frisk was about to speak, when they felt a pain tear through their chest, where their soul was pulsing, struggling. They crossed their hands onto their chest, unable to breathe let alone speak. They went unconscious once more, and their hands lifted off of their chest. Held tenderly in their hands was a small, weak light. It was impossible for them to explain it, but they could sense that Frisk's soul, the small light, was on the edge of collapse. Every time it would start to fade, Frisk's hands would hold it a little tighter and the light would return briefly. This repeated until it took what seemed like an excruciatingly long time for the light to return, just dim to see.
"Oh… aaaa….Asgoooree? What d-do we do?" Alphys asked nervously.
Suddenly, Sans felt his soul's manifestation emit from his eye. Almost instinctively, he placed a hand on Frisk's, closing his eyes and concentrating. Toriel did the same, whispering, "We will save you, my child." The others followed, each one at a time, aiding to mend the child's soul.
The ground shook, and a ripple of energy passed inwards toward their collection of hands, and then in a large flash they were all tossed outwards away from Frisk. They slowly all sat up, rubbing their heads. After a minute, they turned their attention towards the child, who was sprawled out on the floor in the middle of them all.
Frisk hoisted themself up onto their wrists, and looked up. "The… the barrier… its… its gone."