Kit - Getting close to the end now, it seems. Just a bit more left.


Chapter Twenty-Four

::

"Hey, Toriel, lemme take her for a bit. I've probably got more muscle."

"If you're sure..." Toriel, a little reluctantly, handed Frisk over to Undyne. A small break would be nice, especially with the heat of Hotland starting to set in. Undyne shifted a bit until Frisk was settled on her back, and gave a nod. With the girl so quiet, and barely moving, almost no one had noticed that she'd woken up.

It went on like this for most of the way, the group talking quietly so as to not 'wake' the sleeping child. It was about halfway through that Sans was speaking. "Hey, Undyne, you want me to take her? I can't imagine you're enjoying all this heat, anyways."

"Nah, the heat's fine. Little brat's makin' me get a cramp in my arm, though." As she passed Frisk off to Sans, she stretched her arm out for emphasis before falling back to talk with Alphys. Sans only gave a bit of a smile before he was slowing down a bit himself to where he was on the fringes of the group, speaking softly.

"Hey, kiddo. Been awake long?" Frisk gave a small nod, her hand grasping at his jacket as she hid her face. It just wasn't fair. Sans easily shifted so he could hold her more closely, hand lightly rubbing at her back as he spoke softly. "When you beat Flowey- No...when you Saved Asriel, the Barrier was broken. No one else seems to remember how it happened, though."

"I," she started quietly, looking near tears, again. "I saw him. I wanted him to stay." Sans only quietly held her and soothed her, almost absently humming under his breath. What could he say, even, to that?

"Sans? Did you say something?" Sans only glanced over to Alphys, giving a small smile and a shake of his head.

"No, not really. Just a bit lost in my thoughts, I suppose." He waited until Alphys was drawn back into a conversation with Undyne before he was speaking to Frisk softly again. "Frisk? I'm...sorry." She gave a tiny sniff, clinging to him and hugging him close. "Sorry for...everything. You falling down here, being scared of what is here, having to face... Not being able to save Asriel...and I'm sorry for how I acted, back then." If Frisk hadn't stopped him when facing Flowey... Well, things would have gone a lot differently.

"'S not your fault." It wasn't anyone's fault. No one should have been treated like they were. Not Flowey, not Asriel, not Sans, not Chara. No one.

"Still feels like it, sometimes, though," Sans commented, voice still soft. "You wanna get some more sleep? We won't be back in the Ruins for a while. Tori wanted to pick a few things up." She gave a small shake of her head. Because if she went to sleep... Who knew what she'd see. "Alright. That's fine."

With that, Sans was resuming the quiet humming he had been doing, a bit louder as he rubbed at Frisk's back some more, gaze a bit absent. How different things had been this time...and yet it seemed like a few things had gone the same as they had once, maybe? He wondered how long it would be until the next Reset, though...

Probably not a long time.

::

What was a much shorter journey than it had been the first time around and Frisk was being set on a bed in the room she had first been given in Toriel's home, familiar hands pulling a blanket over her before a hand tousled her hair.

Frisk waited for the door to close and the footsteps to retreat down the hallway before she was slipping out of bed and sneaking out of the room. Looking around the hallway, she made a run for the front door. And maybe he'd still be there... She ran as much as she could, up until where she'd first woken up in the Underground, and her breath caught. "Asriel?"

Asriel was gently tending and watering to the golden flowers that made up the area, looking back at her in surprise before smiling softly. "Howdy, Frisk. I didn't think you'd come back here..." She tackled him in a hug, burying herself closer to him. Asriel didn't waste a moment to return the hug, sitting down with her in his lap as he chuckled softly. "Nice to see you, too... I won't be here long, you know. It's only a short while before I turn back into a flower."

"Don't care." She sat in his lap, happily curled up to him. Asriel only laughed again, ruffling her hair.

"You don't have to worry about me. Someone has to take care of these flowers, after all. And...I don't want to break their hearts all over again. It's better if they never see me again..."

The girl looked up at him with confusion, tilting her head. "But wouldn't it be good for them? To know you're here?"

"I'd rather them think I wasn't... As a flower, I can't feel love or compassion, and I have no feelings for them. It's better this way if they can mourn me in peace, not... It's better this way, Frisk."

"M- Toriel? I think she kinda already knows." Asriel only silently held her, not answering for a moment before he was speaking softly.

"Hey, Frisk, let me ask you a question... Why did you come here?" Seeing her ready to answer, he shook his head. "Not to me, I mean...here. Everyone knows the legend, right? 'Travellers who climb Mt. Ebott are said to disappear.' Why would you come here, knowing that? Why would you ever climb a mountain like that?"

At that, Frisk hugged him tighter, almost trying to hide in his sweater. "Cause. My family, they disappeared, so I thought...maybe they disappeared here." Asriel looked confused by the wording but let it pass, instead just hugging the girl back.

"I see, so you were trying to find your family... That's a much happier reason than Chara's..." A quiet sigh, Asriel sounding so very worn. "I'll be honest with you, Frisk. Chara hated humanity. Why they did, they never talked about it. But they felt very strong about that. Frisk...you really are different from Chara. In fact, though you have similiar, uh...fashion choices, I don't know why I ever acted like you were the same person."

Frisk wrinkled her nose, looking up at him as though he were silly. "You have literally the same sweater."

"It's not the same!" Asriel defended, huffing. "It's totally different!" He gave a poke to her sides, pouting. "...Kinda."

She giggled, squirming in his hold. "Totally the same."

"Friiisk," Asriel whined, flopping down and laying on top of her.

"Aaas," she mocked. It got a giggle out of the older anyways, Asriel sitting back up and dragging her back into a hug, nuzzling against her.

"You know, I think you're the type of friend I wish I always had, so...maybe I was kind of projecting a little bit."

"But...we are friends." A moment of silence, and a quiet little sniff, Asriel hiding his face in Frisk's own sweater.

"Friiisk. What did I say about making me cry!" Honestly...this human was something else.

She looked innocent as she laughed, poking at his own side. "To do it?" A startled giggle, Asriel poking back and smiling softly. He had been about to tell Frisk the entire past and the true story, but...maybe she didn't need to hear it... Some things were better left in the past, after all.

"Jeez, you really are like Mom."

"You're worserier." She knocked him to the ground, laying on top of him before rolling to lay at his side, still giggling and looking as childish as she should have. Asriel only joined in her giggle, feeling so much better to have a friend to play with again. Even if it was for a short time.

And for that short time, they made the most of it. Running around, laughing, playing, tickling and 'fighting' each other, and just being the children they were. It was a while before they settled down on the ground, Asriel looking at her curiously. "So after this you're going to go find your family?"

"Uh huh. You're gonna like Josh. He's my big brother- And he's human. He's a teenager." Asriel chuckled, smiling widely.

"He sounds nice. I wish I could meet him...but I don't think bringing anyone back down here is a good idea... The Underground might end up being better left forgotten."

"Yeah, maybe... But I'll still visit you." Asriel only chuckled, smiling softly.

"I'm sure you will...but for now, you should go be with your friends. I'm sure they miss you." Plus he could tell...he didn't have long left as he was now. "Oh, and, please...in the future if you, uh, see me... Try to remember it's still me, okay? I'm always going to be your friend, I just...might need to be reminded, here and there."

"Promise." She held her pinkie out to him, letting him nudge her up.

"Promise." Asriel wrapped his pinkie around hers, smiling as he nudged her up and towards the Ruins. "Go on. Go enjoy your friends and family." There was a pause as she stood, the girl staring in the direction of the Ruins before she bent down to kiss his cheek and give him a dazzlingly bright smile.

"Love you."

Asriel kept that soft smile up until she left, looking around his empty clearing, and... Yes. This was how it should be. Although Frisk, he had a feeling, would always be welcome. By the time another stepped into the clearing, he was already back in his form of a flower. "Hey, kid." Flowey gave a huff, turning away from the newcomer. Sans gave a small smile, going over and sitting down next to him, glancing around them before looking to the flower. "I wanted to come apologize. You...didn't deserve what I put you through."

"Did Frisk make you come apologize?" Because he wouldn't put it past her, trying to make up with everyone. And Sans really didn't seem like the apologizing type.

"No. She doesn't even know I'm here," Sans shrugged, looking down to the ground as he put his hands in his pockets, still staring at the ground. "...You were right, about some things you said. Back in that fight. I still stand by that I was just trying to do what was best, but at one time...so were you. We really aren't so different, I think, so...I'm sorry. I of all people know how hard it is to go through things others can't understand...will never understand. That's all I wanted to say."

"You said it. You can leave." Because no one would ever understand how awful being a flower was.

"Aw, come on. I really don't want to leaf you alone." And Flowey tried to hold back the laugh. He really did. Come on, he was an evil being of darkness! "I guess I'm just trying to vine for your attention a bit. Even if you are a bit of a thorn in my side."

"Oh, I'll show you thorn." Even as he said it, they both knew it was an empty threat. "Why don't you backpetal outta here?" Okay, so evil beings of darkness were allowed to joke, sometimes, too.

"Knew it. I can always tell when someone's a lover of puns," Sans teased, smiling a bit softer as he looked to Flowey. "I wasn't trying to be condescending or anything, you know... I may not know your exact situation, but I know something similar..." A pause, Sans looking at the ground solemnly. "You have power others don't... A power they will never understand. It feels like you're left all alone. You know there's family close by, you see them everyday, but it still feels like...there's something between you. A wall you can't breach, or ever talk about. The nightmares, the thought of being responsible for someone you loved so much dy-" A choked noise, Sans shaking a bit before pulling his hood over his head. "I know what it's like. Maybe that's why I hated you so much...because I already hate myself, and it was easy to see that in you."

"...You do know I'm still technically like ten, right?"

"I had faith that you were mature enough for your age," Sans laughed, the sound a bit off. "Sorry, got a bit carried away...but I know what you're going through. And I'm sorry that you have to go through it so young."

"You have no idea. So why don't you go back to your family?" Sans only stayed where he was, making no effort in leaving.

"...No, I guess I really don't know what you go through...but I know it's worse than what even I suffer... And, nah. I'm kinda stubborn, and I have a lot of flower puns stored up that I've been meaning to try out."

"Why don't you use them on your girlfriend, then, you bag of bones?"

"Because the best audience is an unwilling one!" Sans beamed, looking a bit sadistic. "I got hours of material, kid."

"That's nice for you. Won't they notice you're gone?"

"I guess, but I have a feeling they won't be too stemed. After all, I'm pretty likable."

"Ugh. No wonder I always stamen away from you."

The next half hour or so passed by in a constant snark war, the two trying to push each other as much as possible without killing the other. Eventually, Sans was standing up and brushing himself off, looking down at Flowey with a bit of a smirk. "I guess I should be getting back, but don't think you're rid of me just yet. I'm rather stubborn, after all."

"Yeah, you and the kid both. Buzz off." Sans only waved him off, heading for the exit before glancing back, and...maybe there was some hope. For both of them...

"See ya later, Asriel." And the screams of frustration were truly music to his non-existent ears.

::

"NGYAAA! I'M SO PUMPED FOR THIS!" Undyne was looking ready to pump weights in the form of whatever was closest. Which happened to be Alphys.

"Undyne, please stop trying to bench press me."

"THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BEST PART OF OUR LIVES!" Alphys was lifted over Undyne's head in triumph, the latter hardly looking phased by the weight.

Toriel paused, narrowing her eyes a small amount. "...How...are the humans going to react?" She glanced to Sans for an answer because...none of them really thought that out. Sans only stared at her before shrugging, scratching at his cheek.

"Dunno. But it's probably gonna be a scream." A pause. "...We should probably avoid huge towns until we kinda make it known we're friendly, probably."

"Oh, that's okay! Mine is kinda small, and it's that one right over there!" Frisk pointed to a town, which did indeed look small, compared to the large city they saw in the distance.

"First stop, tiny child's town," Sans grinned, scooping Frisk onto his shoulders and looking a bit excited. "So, we should probably all stay-" The others were already running off ahead, Sans sighing. "Together."

"You guys," Frisk shouted after them with a small huff.

"No, no, I can fix this," Sans assured, grinning as a spark of blue worked it's way into his eyes. There were suddenly shouts from down the hill of the others all falling and tumbling over one another. "Fixed it."

Laughing, Frisk looked down at him. "What'd ya do?"

"Nothing! It's not my fault if they tripped over some stuff, now is it?" Sans asked, looking rather proud of himself as he started after them, making sure Toriel was following. "They should be more careful."

"C'mon, c'mon, come on!" Frisk was pushing the back of his head to try to get him to move faster. "I can show you my house and my room and maybe Mom and Dad and Josh are back so you can meet them come on!"

"Alright, alright, we're going!" Sans laughed, seeming quite amused by the child's excited behavior. "You can show us all around your town and everything. Right, Tori?"

"Of course. I'd love nothing more. Do you know any places that would have snail pie?" Toriel walked beside them, tilting her head.

At that, Frisk wrinkled her nose, shaking her head. "Ew, yuck, no. That's gross." An offended gasp from Papyrus in the distance. "But there's a few coffee places."

"No idea what coffee is, but it sounds like something I'd probably like," Sans mused, slowing his pace as he caught up to the others, enjoying them all running around and acting like kids. It was...nice.

"Yo, Frisk, you live with all this sun and air every day?!"

"It's gross. And cold. I think Thanksgiving was last week, or something." While the others all chatted and laughed and talked, Sans' smile faded a bit. He wondered how long this would all last until...

No. Just this once. Just this once he would enjoy whatever time he was given with these people. Just for now.

He was DETERMINED to do so.


Kit - Frisk really doesn't like snails.