Disclaimer: Toby Fox owns Undertale as a whole. I only own this humble story. Please support the official release. (Though you probably already have if you're reading this.)

-Chapter 12: Ebb and flow-

The caverns of Waterfall certainly had a beauty to them. A comforting feel, with the soft echo of the water flowing and reflections from it dancing across the walls. I'd have reflected on it more, if not for the fact that I had a flower to grill.

Another royal guard outpost sat in an alcove to the side of the path. Pretty deserted at the moment. I glanced to see if Flowey was watching. Not yet. Seeing that, I motioned for Frisk to duck behind it.

One minute... two minutes... "You know Flowey. There's a phrase from the surface. 'shit or get off the pot'." The little yellow bastard popped up, grinning innocently as can be. "Well now, I can't say i've ever heard THAT one before. You got a pretty sharp tongue, Chara."

I frowned at him. "And you're just an ass, you ferocious rhododendron." Shifting myself, I kept my hand near my knife. "I didn't call you out to have a sass-off though. I need answers. Answers I get the feeling you have."

Flowey gave an unsettling chuckle. "Alright. I'll play that game. Ask me questions three, and I'll answer them as truthfully as I know. Trust my word, or don't. That's on you." He bounced a bit. "Gods it's been a looooong time since something changed down here. I almost feel excited! Almost."

With nothing better to do, I decided to play along. " Right then... question one. What are those demons really?" That terrible grin spread across Flowey's 'face', looking terribly terrifying as usual. "Hohoho. Asking the real questions are we? They are big bundles of negative emotions with a sick and tormented will guiding them, and boy howdy do they want to see you spill your guts."

He twisted unpleasantly. "So they're not that dissimilar from me in a way I suppose. One of the big differences is that they aren't from around these parts, unlike me. I'm 100% home grown. Normally they just stew in silence in the void until someone is vicious enough to awaken them."

Flowey stopped with his terrible contortions, returning to his normal position. "They really like the merciless ones. The ones with lots of EXP and dust on their hands. Give those ones more power... for a price of course. Not normal for them to be this... direct though. Then again, nothing about this is normal. The world's broken broken broken~!"

Flowey gave a faux sad expression. " But they want to 'fix' it! I don't know why they'd want to do that. I know I don't want it fixed and you certainly don't. Not before i've at least had my fun. It's been much too interesting to 'fix'. That's why I want to help you. Because all they need to do to 'fix' this new and interesting different world is to KILL you."

"Kill me, huh? Well they're gonna have to try a hell of a lot harder then that if they want to kill me." I wasn't about to take his word for it, but this was probably the best I could do for information from him, so I continued. " What about those glittering golden star-like things. What are those?" Flowey cackled. "You mean SAVE points? Hahahaha! You've used them so much and have no idea what they are or what it means? Frisk didn't even tell you? This is rich!"

A ferocious grin from Flowey had me reach for my knife again. "I'll tell you EXACTLY what it means. The power to reshape the world... Purely by your own determination. The ability to play God! The ability to 'SAVE.'" Flowey bent forward, a maddened chuckle ripping out from in him. "With that power you can never truly die. The person with the most determination inherits it. They inherit the world."

Flowy let loose another round of laughter most demented. " Once upon a time... I thought I was the only one with that power. But... then Frisk fell. I lost the ability to SAVE. It seems you're even more determined than they are though, so it's become yours. A shame about that. Now that THEY are here, that power won't protect you. No more take backs. No more rewinding time to defy death. If you die, you're gone... and it'll be like nothing's ever changed."

Another faux sad face. "We might all even forget about this 'fun' little adventure we've had together up till now. Well, except for you. You'll be dead and gone. But Frisk, and I, and everyone else will forget all about you. That'd be a terrible fate to meet."

I scowled deeply. Why should I believe a word of his? Yet... in the back of my mind, I couldn't shake the feeling he wasn't exactly lying. " Right... Last question then, huh? What the hell are you, if not a monster or demon?" Flowey gave a wicked snarl of a grin, eyes like black pits with small white pin points in them. "You don't know? Why, your best friend of course, Ehehehehe~!" And with that he was gone.

"Well. That wasn't freaky as hell... and i'm not sure I quite understand what he was getting at, even if he was telling the truth..." Damn... just more questions, and not many answers. The answers I was getting I didn't like very much either. Walking over, I knocked on the counter of the guard post. Frisk popped up from behind it, seeming a bit shaken. "You alright, Frisk?"

After a soft gulp and a moment's breather they nodded. I hesitated a moment before speaking. Very careful with my tone. "Is what he said about SAVEs and such true?" Frisk couldn't quite meet my eyes. What was Frisk to tell me?

"...Alright. We can talk about it when you're ready to. Let's get moving." Pressing on deeper, I kept my knife close. Waterfall didn't take long to earn it's name with the sound of rushing water. The first of what was bound to be many falls coming into view.

Carefully walking across the bridge leading over the flow, I couldn't help but let my eyes be drawn to where the falls dropped off into the black abyss. There were even deeper caverns that the monsters dared not delve into it seemed. A morbid curiosity came over me. How deep was the fall?

Had I arrived at this place some years ago, when I first fell, I might have actually contemplated jumping. I likely wouldn't have, like now, but the temptation would have been there. I looked away and kept walking instead. That was the past, I had responsibilities I couldn't run away from now. A reason to keep going.

"Say Frisk... do you believe in fate?" They looked to me questioningly, not quite sure of how to respond to my question for a moment. "Fate...?" I hummed softly to myself a bit. "Yeah. That everything's all planned out and we have no agency over the outcome for better or worse." Frisk stared down at the ground a bit. "Oh... I... guess so? Do you?"

I shook my head before looking up at the far above ceiling of the caverns. "To quote a brilliant playwrite, ' It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves'. Consider that something of a personal motto for myself. I feel that people who believe in fate are just doing it to shirk responsibility and accountability... and no one is above consequences."

Frisk flinched a bit at those words. Had I said something that hit a bit too close to home there? I suppose it was a little harsh since they had said they kinda believed it themselves, but then I wasn't much for mincing words. It seemed that extended to even Frisk... which I felt pretty crappy about, really.

Feeling bad would have to wait however, the sounds of heavy metal sabatons clanking through the caverns drawing my attention. Either Undyne or another royal guard if I had to guess. Not ready for any sort of confrontation with them yet, I pulled myself and Frisk into a large patch of tall dark blue-green grasses. Just barely enough to conceal us if we stayed still.

Clank clank clank. The sound approached from somewhere just above us before pausing uncomfortably close. The sound of a second set of foot steps approached. I held Frisk close by, my breath more frozen in my chest than Snowdin air.

"...H...Hi, Undyne. I'm here for my daily report." Papyrus... There was a moment before an unfamiliar voice spoke, commanding, imposing, and slightly muffled. "...Speak." Who the hell was this woman, Undyne? " O-oh... Well.. about those humans I reported to you about..."

"Did you fight them...?" Undyne replied, her tone careful and measured, hiding the faintest level of annoyance. "W-what? Y-yes! Of course I did! I fought them valiantly!" I could practically hear Papyrus's bones rattleing. "Valiantly... then did you capture them?"

If Papyrus could breath, I imagine he would have stopped being able to right there. "C-captured them? Well... no. I tried very hard Undyne, but in the end... I failed." Papyrus... "You disappoint me, Papyrus... but I suppose I shouldn't expect much from you. You need not try any further, I am going to claim their souls myself."

"W-wait... claim their souls...?! But Undyne..! You don't have to destroy them! You see... You see..." I swore, if she did anything to that dumb loveable bone head, i'd... "Just what DO I see, Papyrus? Please... tell me." A long silence punctuated by Frisk's soft breathing filled the air.

"... As I thought. Our kingdom is besieged by these... 'things' people have started to call demons. Not even days after those humans arrived. What if they summoned them here? Did you think of that? Papyrus... we only need one more soul and everyone can go free." Frustration edged her tone dangerously.

"Whether you meant to or not, you've spoken out against king Asgore's decree. This is a serious matter and I cannot afford any more bafoonery. Return to your home and do not contact me unless you can think of anything which will be of help. Once this is over we will reconsider your future in the royal guard."

"I... I see... So that's it then... I'll... I'll help you in any way I can..." Papyrus trudged away, sounding completely defeated. It stung hearing that, I couldn't imagine how he felt now. I hadn't heard Undyne leave yet though so I still held Frisk close... And a sudden rustle in the grass turned my blood to ice.

Not even a second later I heard Undyne rapidly nearing, the air abuzz with magic and a faint blue glow cutting through the grass along with a single intense yellow point of light. Was our journey about to end right here? Minutes passed... then slowly the glow faded and the sound of retreating sabatons met my ears until finally the caverns were silent once more.

I released my death grip on Frisk and pushed out of the tall grass, taking several deep slow breaths. It was at this point I realized we were not alone. "Yo... did you see the way she was staring at you...?" That monster kid from Snowdin? Wait...

"That... was totally AWSOME! I'm SOOOO Jealous! What'd you do to get her attention...? Haha, c'mon! Let's go watch her beat up some bad guys!" He hopped up and down, very much hyped up and ready to run off ahead. I'd narrowly grazed death by Undyne because of him...?

I stood there completely stupefied for a moment before finally finding my voice. "Kid... what the heck are you doing here...?" He tossed a cheery grin at us, as if nothing was wrong. "why, I followed you of course! Couldn't miss a chance to see Undyne!" The fact that Frisk was so... neutral about this whole ordeal was getting to me as well. They didn't seem even slightly bothered by any of this.

"But... it's really dangerous..." I replied, admittedly pretty limply. "Ain't a problem. Mr. Sans said if I ran into any danger you'd protect me!" God damn it, Sans... What were you trying to pull this time? Well, guess my hands were tied then. "Alright... if Sans says it's ok I guess I can't say no. Even if he is a lazy trashbag of a man."

Seeing one of those glowing yellow star-like points for the first time since leaving the ruins, I reached out and touched it. It felt good to have something safe and familiar from my old routine. Even though a sense of dread hung in the air, I stayed determined.

The other two hurried on ahead, with me following behind at a casual pace. We eventually arrived to a large area criss cross with water ways. A small pile of what looked to be unusually large slightly shriviled lotus blossoms was set to one side. "Yo, eaither of you ever used bridge seeds before?"

I considered them curiously. "No. Can't say I have." He hummed softly to himself. "It's real simple. You just take 'em like this." He bit down on one, produceing a slight squeak noise, and carried it over to the water side. "Ann puthh 'em don lik ditth." And he dropped it in the water, nudging it across with his head. "Just gotta line four of them across and they'll all bloom and let us walk right over 'em. Cool, huh?"

That... actually was kinda neat. "Huh. Well I guess let's give it a go then." Frisk and I worked together gathering some more and drifting them across, until the four lined up. Once the last one was in place, they did in fact bloom before our eyes. I was a little uncertain they'd be able to sustain our weight but the kid rushed across along with Frisk just fine. A few tentative steps and I made it across as well.

"Haha! You guys got the hang of this! Wonder if you will even need my help?" The rest of the area passed with relative ease as we set bridge seeds up together. Stopping just short of a doorway out of the area,a noise caught my attention. Ring... ring... Someone was calling me?

"You there, kid?" Sans. He sounded a bit rattled though. "Hey, Sans. Didn't expect to hear from you." He perked up a bit at that. "Yeah. Figured i'd check in on you guys a bit. How's the kids?" I smiled a bit to myself as I watched Frisk and the monster kid playing.

"Doing pretty good. They're having a pretty fun time all considered." The kid tripped and Frisk helped him back up. "Yeah. That's good. Wouldn't want them... bored to the bone!" I couldn't help but groan a bit at that. "God, Sans. Do you ever get tired of puns?" He chuckled a bit. "Nope! Making people laugh never gets old. It's one thing I know I'm good at."

I couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Well, I guess I can get behind that." A thoughtful hum from Sans before he got a bit more serious. " Chara... be careful out there. Undyne knows about you now and... there's been a change in the behavior of the demons. " I felt a frown touch my face unbidden. "A change in their behavior?"

"Yeah. Up until about an hour ago, they'd just sorta been hanging around being all creepy and muttering about killing you. Only really attacking anyone that got too close. Well, all of a sudden they all just started laughing and not in the 'your joke's funny' sort of way. A few of 'em even went out of their way to attack some of the royal guards assigned to watch them." A sense of dread rested in the pit of my stomache like a stone.

"Is... anyone...?" Sans was quick to reassure me of my worries. "Nah. No one's dead yet. Quick thinking and acting on our part. We got a lot of injured though. Worry more about yourself... because all those demons are on the move now, and if the reports are right, they're headed for Waterfall." I nodded slightly, watching the two playing.

"So. What are you gonna do now?" Sans was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "I'm gonna meet up with you guys at the piano room. It's not that far. Keep everyone safe until then, will you? And that includes you. I don't like to make promises, but can you promise me you'll do that?"

I gave a weak smile. "Don't much like making promises myself, but someone who likes bad jokes as sincerely as you? Hard to say no to. Alright. I promise." It seemed the two kids were eager to go now. "Heh... thank's, Chara. You be safe out there, buddy. Talk to you soon." A small clever smile on my end. "Yeah. Same to you Sans. Don't you go being a bone head and get yourself dusted either." Click. The last I heard before he hung up was hearty laughter from him.

Continuing on, we came to a cooler part of the waterfall area, a marsh of sorts filling the caverns, long cat tails sprouting up from the pooled water. Intricate wood platforms bridged across it, ancient in appearance, but feeling as sturdy as they day they were carved. I was given pause when something along the wall caught my eye.

Ancient words carved into the wall, with a soft light blue glow to them. I felt drawn to them for some reason. Compelled to look them over. " The war of humans and monsters. A terrible conflict that laid our empire low. Why did the humans attack? Indeed, it seemed they had nothing to fear..."

I walked along slowly, my mind lost to what Frisk and the kid were up to as I read. " Humans are a frightful and powerful force. To them, monsters are like a candle in the wind. Indeed, it would take the soul of nearly every monster... just to equal the power of a single human soul."

"However the strength of humans is also a weakness. Should a human be defeated, that power they possess allows their soul to persist even after death. If a monster were to defeat a human, it is believed that they could claim that soul, and the power which therein lies... A monster with a human soul. It would truly be a frightful beast, like unto a god."

These words filled my blood with ice water, but I couldn't stop reading. "There is a prophecy that speaks of an angel which will make the underground go empty. Some versions say that the sacrifice of 7 human souls will awaken the angel."

Coming to the end of the writings, I paused at a strange carving. Some manner of monster. It looked almost like a boss monster but... there was an intense sense of 'wrongness' about it that I couldn't shake... and yet I couldn't bring myself to look away. In spite of it's 'wrongness' there was a sort of beauty to it... familiarity. Where had I seen i- "Yo, Chara! You coming?"

The monster kid's call yanked me back to reality. The both of them were standing on a raft, looking expectantly at me. I managed a weak smile to them. "Sure. I'll be right over." I joined them shortly after that and we shoved off across the marsh. I spared the carving one last glance before we left.

After a moment the raft softly bumped against another length of bridge-like path. The lighting felt a bit odd here, long shadows being cast in strange ways. The air was thick with magic too. Rows of thick stone pillars flanked it on shores, as well.

The hairs stood up on the back of my neck. "Hey! I'm gonna run ahead and stuff!" God damn it, kid. "Wait!" I called after him, but he was already off and into the darkness ahead. Not about to let him go off alone, I rushed after him, pulling Frisk along.

That was immediately put to a halt when a spear made of glowing aqua-colored magic burst out from the shadows and impaled the wood in front of me. "I have found you, humans..." Oh. Oh bollocks.

Standing tall in some seriously badass armor, the helmet seemingly graced with jagged maw, and a glowing yellow eye peering from it, she was a hell of a sight. Yeah, no. No way my knife was gonna do anything against that, even if I did want to fight her. "Frisk... RUN!"

I shoved Frisk ahead of me as Undyne leaped unto the wooden walkway. I had to admit I felt more than a little scared... but I was determined to protect Frisk. I'd just need to buy time for them to get a good stretch of distance away from her before I bailed myself.

I slowly backed away as Undyne advanced, another spear of magic in hand. "You are brave to face me human to defend your companion, but now your soul will be mine." Careful steps back, one hand at the ready.

"Afraid i'm not ready to bite it quiet yet, captain." Just barely missing a spear thrown my way. I held up a hand for her to stop. "Wait." She paused briefly. "I know I probably can't beat you in a direct fight... but if you come any closer i'll be forced to use the Joestar family's 'secret technique'!"

That got her attention. She tilted her head ever so slightly. "Joestar family secret technique?" I managed a small smirk. "Take a step closer and find out... if you're hard enough." I was bluffing SO hard right now... and she called it, her sabaton clanking down.

"I will see this 'secret technique' of yours, human!" Gulping slightly, I tried to work out a plan. "He... hehe..." I ended up with an idea. It was kinda stupid, but it was something. "Here it goes...!"

Throwing my other hand forward I released a handful of magic which burst in a bright flash... and booked it in the opposite direction from her while she was distracted, her enraged cry filling the caverns.

That bought me a little time, but now I could hear her armor clanking behind me as spears hurtled past me. Determined to lead them away from Frisk, I leapt from the walkway to the shore of pillars she had been on before.

Weaving between them, her steps thundered behind me. A shower of sharp stone shards sprayed me as one of her spears missed dangerously close. Dragging up whatever little determination I had, I put it into running faster.

The passages and tunnels weaved and winded until I came out onto a large array of even older looking wood walkways stretching over a yawning abyss. It was at this point that I realized two things. One, Undyne wasn't following me anymore, and two, that I was now hopelessly lost.

With a growing sense of dread, I continued onwards. Old stone and crystal outcroppings littered the place, and I couldn't help but feel that I was being watched. Undyne was one thing, but this was a deeper and much darker feeling of being watched. A feeling harkening back to the ruins and the forest around Mt. Ebott.

Knife in hand I continued onward... only to find that the walkway completely stopped with only empty air ahead, and a yawning abyss below. My heart felt like the icy hand of death had grasped it when from the all encompassing darkness I heard a child-like giggle, followed by another and another.

Soon there was a cacophony of giggles as I turned around and tried to work my way back... only to find a shadow-like black figure in my way. Small and very much like a child in shape, a thin white line for a smile was the only feature gracing it's 'face'. It's general form seemed disturbingly familiar though.

The wall of sound that the laughter had become died out as they took a step my way, then another. The faint outlines of myriad other figures in the darkness stood behind them. "It's time to play Chara! Let's play hide and seek!"

Slowly they raised their small arm above their head, palm open, then swung it down. With that motion something incredibly fast and dark crashed down from above along the walkway between us.

Nothing obvious happened at first as I clutched my knife, trying to keep my breath even... But then the segment of walkway I stood on started to shake, and fell away before I had time to react. I caught their 'smile' opening like a gleeful white void as I fell. At least Sans would be able to watch over those two... right? I'd bought enough time for them to reach him, right?

Oh god, not this again... As I felt myself falling away from the severed platform I found myself wondering what I had done in a previous life to piss gravity off so royaly. Falling down was starting to become 'a thing' for me and I was already sick of it. Eventually my luck was gonna run out and I wouldn't survive one of these. This could be that moment. I thought to Sans and Frisk and... mom... Best to let my last thoughts be about loved ones. "This is why I hate making promises..." And with that, everything went dark.

Silence... cold... pain... A voice. "It sounds like it came from over here... Oh! You've fallen down, haven't you... Are you ok? Here, get up..." The voice wants to help? "Chara, Huh? That's a nice name. My name is..." What is your name...?

MsYakumo: This chapter wasn't all that bad to write, and finally shit has gotten real. Unfortunately the release of this chapter was a bit pushed back by some health issues. Pro tip, kids: Never get a kidney stone. Thankfully that's been taken care of, and I'm still quite full of determination. I have the next chapter, an interlude, done as well but still need it spell checked. Expect it shortly though.