Both I and Chara were sleeping cozily in the bed we had, holding hands so they can keep a physical form. Beyond that, there was almost no change in our relationship, except it was easier to talk to them now. They were a hard nut to crack alright, but there must be a reason for that. I kind of li- erm appreciate them enough to keep them safe, and I promised their late brother too so ...

*thud*

A loud, muffled sound came from downstairs, it shook the house a little and made us startle a bit, but we were quickly back to a sleeping position when another ...

*thud*

... scared us, made the whole house creak distinctely and made Chara realize something. I looked at them, their face was paler that usual.

"Oh no, Mother is -"

Did something happened to Toriel while we were sleeping?

"Where is your mother Chara, is she alri- ?"

Chara nodded, but motioned to me to keep quiet as we heard another *thud*. It seemed to have confirmed Chara's worries, as she spoke in a hurry.

"She must be, but she heard us ... she is destroying the door in the basement ! Hurry Frisk, we will be unable to escape if she seals that entrance !"

We both ran down the stairs and into the basement, passing through halls similar to those at the Ruins, which led to a door with the same pattern as the Fallen's Mother robe. Toriel faced us with a angered expression, after she chanted another explosion spell at the sturdy entrance.

"Mother, please do not seal the door ! Frisk really want to go home and I - "

Chara tried their best to get their mother's attention, but they were quickly shut down. Instead, Toriel was trying to talk it out with me, trying to persuade le to stay.

"This is your home now child, I will really take care of you and Chara, we will be a wonderful fami-"

Chara got suddenly angry at their mother, interrupting them while stepping forward as they stood between me and Toriel.

"Mother, the child cannot stay here, and I am going with them so they will be safe, plea-"

Now it was Toriel's turn to be angry, eventually shutting Chara down before she explain properly.

"Silence, Chara ! You just came back and you want to leave already? You do know your father have taken six human souls? Do you want him to kill that child too? I cannot let that happen, please go back to your room and be good children."

Am I going to be killed too?

Truth be told, I do not really care. I actually got killed and was revived for some reason, don't know why though. I mean, I am not expecting much from going back home either. The Underground seem far more hospitable too, but I cannot stay here forever either.

Both Mother and child kept bickering in front of me, making me remember how useless I felt in that kind of situation. I could not speak to them either, and mind talking did not seem to work when both parties argued.

I could not find anything to stop them, thus my head started pounding.

Hard.

The memories of my parents' bickering over me resurfaced, freezing me in place. Tears streamed down my face, then I just screamed ...

I screamed my frustration.

It was a desperate screech, much like what I felt at the moment. I really just wanted them to stop, they shouldn't be fighting over me. I am not worth arguing with a mother or a child, and certainly not ready to break those two apart just after they reunited !

At the very least, they stopped arguing and looked back at me. Chara seemed startled at how pitiful I looked, and Toriel seemed genuinely worried. The Queen averted her eyes and readied her magic however, she was clearly not talking this one out.

"Frisk."

Chara spoke in that monotonous voice of theirs. the same voice that saved me over and over.

"Mother is a very proficient fire magus ... You should fight if necessary, and you might have trouble dodging all of her attacks, but please do your best !"

No way I'm doing this, and I made it clear to Chara, pulling up a face as serious as possible.

"I will not fight your Mother though, I'd rather show MER-"

Battle mode was ON, as Toriel shouted to us with a blazing glare.

"Prove to me you are able to stand against ASGORE !"

She summoned two paws, much like hers which threw arcing fireballs at us. Those traveled at different speeds, making it harder to evade them without taking damage. While I dodged most of them, Chara had two coming up their way. I managed to hold their hand and have them dodge with me, but I didn t see the last two so I

Took damage in their stead.

"Go back to your room you two, you cannot pass if you do not fight me seriously."

Toriel shouted that half-heartedly just after hitting me, it seems she wasn t full into it either. Chara didn t speak a word, blankly staring at the charred spot left by the projectiles I took earlier. We didn t have much time spare as helixes, torrents and paw attacks kept coming our way. While I dodged much of those, I still took enough damage to cough up blood and feel stings all over my body.

Toriel had smiled a few times in between attacks, mostly when I protected her child. It felt like I was doing the right thing, until something eerie surged up behind me and spoke.

"That did actually hurt them, Mother, now ..."

Chara had that horrible expression they wore when they "snapped".

"Please, can you tell me ..."

Why would that come up now?

"Where."

I thought I was doing the right thing.

"Are."

I thought I could prevent them from transforming by showing MERCY.

"The".

And yet, here they are going through that atrocious process.

"KNIVES?"

Chara shouted that right as they pulled a knife and lunged at their mother, who defended with a barrier and unleashed a few more attacks in panic. I avoided those by a hair's breadth, thus it still ripped my clothes and burned my skin. I then looked at the horrible thing that took over Chara and yell in their head.

"Chara, wake up ! Stay determined, I cannot let you harm your own mother !"

Chara turned around to look at me, grinned with that oozing expression of theirs and tried to attack Toriel again.

"Child, you cannot stop me from consuming this one with little budding feelings, you will have to try harder than tha-"

It wasn't them talking.

"You're twisted Chara? Stay away from my friend ! They can't hurt their mother too, they will be so sad they would not be able to forgive themselves."

Friend, huh? Yeah I probably saw them that way.

A cackle was all I heard when that thing overpowered Toriel somehow and was about to strike her down.

" And that is what I exactly need child, don't you dare interrupt me ag-"

She was going to be killed.

I don't what that.

Chara would hate that.

There's only one way left then.

"NO !"

Thus once more, All I could see was blackness.

I was suddenly awakened by a horrible feeling, after being eaten up by my self-fueled hatred. Last thing I remembered was a bloody Frisk, taking hits and not retaliating at all. I am not sure why, but I did not like that at all. It was too ...

... much like how Asriel died.

Then I saw mother, a bit flabbergasted at what happened. I realized something was on my hand, eyes widen when I saw it was my knife. A bloody piece of metal who just went through human fles-.

No.

Not again.

Why did that child do it again?

Taking hits was "fine", but dying again by my hands was too much for me. Frisk wasn't looking any resilient to begin with. It did not matter though, they jumped and took a murdering slice so I ...

... yeah, to keep Mother safe.

I felt something hugging me tight, and it made le realize I needed an embrace ... like really badly. I squeezed as much as could and cried my heart out, screaming in some incomprehensible gibberish. Mother kept me in her arms long enough for me to calm down, then whispered to me.

"I still feel their presence in the ruins, Chara. I will have to admit, you two can defeat ASGORE, but you will have to do better next time. You cannot have someone you hold dear take hits for you that long before they go away for go-"

The hell I'm letting them do it again !

I half-yelled at Mother, stopping her frol talking as she listened to me.

"Mo-mother, I wa- was about to strike you down, how could -"

More tears streaming down my face, like I was pouring out all of those I kept for an eternity. Mother resumed talking, with a hint of sadness.

"Stay determined, my child, I will have them healed and grant you passage to go to Snowdin. I will just not be able to bid them farewell sadly. I will leave them in your care for today, and check on the Ruins' puzzles - and that wretched Flower too. I am sorry I cannot see you leave, but I hope you can understa-"

Mother was about to get killed by my own hands, and now she comforting me. As much as I liked that, it made me blurt apologies because that was all I could muster right now.

"Thank you ... Mother, how can I ever repay you for all you did for me ... and whatever pain I brought you and ... Father ... and Asri ..."

Mother smiled as she signaled me to be quiet.

"You are my child no matter what monster dwells within you, Chara. You hold that human dear, it is a rare chance for you to let go of the hatred you beared for so long."

We stayed in yet another embrace for as long as I could, since I started being a ghost again. Mother look worried as I slowly disappeared, and cried her heart out once I was gone. As much as I wanted to see her off, she wanted me to go to the child.

A faint pulse led me to that castle painted in a wall. It grew stronger as I approached the child, who looked pale and was still unconscious. Their Toy Knife was around too, which I picked up along them. I do not why I did that, but it worked out just fine. That kid is the only being I do not normally phase through, and that was special enough to me.

No, it's not that ...

They soothe my SOUL, that's why they are worth putting my life on the line for them.