[Warning for violence and some darker themes in this chapter.]

"well you sure have quite the nerve, showing up here like this, buddy." The figure said shortly, stepping into the light. Frisk and Chara paused, hand tightening around the knife at their side. Sans was wearing his blue hoodie, hood flipped up, and all Frisk could make out was two black orbs staring out at them. He reached up, pulling the hood down, and Frisk was suddenly able to make out the familiar red scarf draped around his neck with a sickening clarity. "tell me, buddy, do you believe that even the worst person can change? …that everyone can be a good person, if they just try?"

"He's not a threat, Frisk. Let's take him out before he tries anything." Chara demanded, and Frisk stepped forwards, towards Sans, who slowly raised his head to stare down at Frisk.

"hehehe. can't wait to get at me, huh? well, in all fairness, i'll give you a choice: stop moving right here. not another step forwards. just RESET, and i'll let this one slide. but… take one more step forwards and… let's just say you're going to have a bad time. This is your only warning kid, 'cause you're REALLY not going to like what happens next."

W-wait, Chara! Frisk thought, freezing. Please let me try and talk to him first!

"What's the point, Frisk?" Chara asked shortly. "He's in our way."

We only need one more level… Asgore is enough, right? We're going to RESET after this so Sans might just let us through! Frisk pleaded.

"…fine. But it's not going to work, Frisk…"

Frisk slowly raised their head, and took a deep breath. "…Sans… look, I'm sorry about what I did but… j-just let me past here, and I'll RESET in a few minutes, okay? I just need to finish this run and that's all. If I gain-"

"sorry about what you did?" Sans interrupted, and slowly his eye started to glow blue. Frisk felt a chill go down their spine, and Sans shook his head, chuckling darkly. "kid. maybe you should have thought of all this before you, i dunno, killed my brother? killed everyone you met? what the hell is an 'i'm sorry' supposed to do for anyone at this point? RESET right now, frisk, if you still remember what it's like to be friends. no matter what you say or do… this is where this run ends."

Frisk shivered, and then pulled their shoulders back, meeting Sans's furious gaze with their own as they shook with frustration. "You're always doing this, Sans! You never listen to me all the way through! If I could just tell you what's going on here-"
"i know what's going on, buddy, and i'm not interested in the minute details that don't really, y'know, change anything for me. my only brother is dead, and all i know is the quickest way to get him back is for you to RESET… whether you want to or not."

"Sans!"

"I told you, he won't listen, Frisk." Chara butted in. "Come on, we're so close to the end, we can't stop now!"

Frisk stiffened, feeling Chara start trying to force their body to take a step forwards and ignite the battle with Sans. They stiffened, fighting against it, and frustration and sadness filled Frisk until finally, they burst.

They were tired of this.

They were tired of being ignored.

They were tired of being blamed.

They were tired of being used.

"This is partly your fault its come to this, Sans! You… you stubborn idiot, why do you think I had to go to such drastic measures? I killed Papyrus only because you wouldn't listen to me!"

Sans stiffened, his grin growing wider as Frisk sucked in a breath after their outburst and heavy silence filled the room. "…buddy. i think you're confused here. there's only one person responsible for killing papyrus in this room, and that's you. i've never done anything to hurt my brother. i didn't stab him with a knife when he was sparing you."

And suddenly, Frisk was no longer the one in control of the body. "Hahaha, you really believe that, don't you?" Chara sneered, stepping forwards. "You think you're innocent, huh? Free of blame? Do you really think a child that loves everyone would just suddenly kill everyone? The ability to RESET warps people, sure, but do you know what else creates ticking time bombs? Rejection. Loneliness. Fear. All of which you freely gave us, Sans." Sans's eyes darted to their feet, and he sighed before his eye flickered and the SOUL on Frisk/Chara's chest turned blue with a dinging sound.

"us?" Sans asked, then shrugged. "welp. Sorry, old lady. this is why i never make promises." He closed his eyes, stance relaxed. "it's a beautiful day outside. birds are singing. flowers are blooming… on days like these, kids like you…" His eyes opened, and Frisk couldn't help but shiver as black voids stared them down, the grin not moving from its fixed position on Sans's face. "should be burning in hell." And suddenly, everything blew up.

Creatures with gaping smiles and glowing eyes shot beams of light at Frisk and Chara and they had to scramble to the side and dive for it as the beams barely missed where they had been standing. Bones exploded out of the ground, attempting to encircle Frisk and drive them into a corner, but Chara was faster on their feet and was prepared.

"To the right! No, not the left, the right!" Chara demanded, yanking their body the other way. Sans watched Frisk scramble for cover with the same expressionless grin that he had held the entire time. Frisk and Chara slid to a stop, whirling around and diving at Sans with a blade flashing, but Sans merely stepped to the side, eyes fixed on his attacker.

"come on, buddy, you don't think i'll just stand here and take it, right?" He asked softly, hands still in his pockets.

Chara hissed in Frisk's mind, then barked out an order for Frisk to move it because Sans wasn't joking around when he had decided to attack him; there was little time to pause and regroup, and Frisk was shocked at how strong the skeleton had ended up being. Frisk had always known Sans would probably be a strong opponent but this was terrifying. If Chara wasn't here, Frisk doubted they would have lasted even a minute into the fight without being killed.

Still, despite the human's best attempts to pin the knife in the skeleton, Sans managed to dodge each and every blow. Chara grew angrier and angrier, and it was all Frisk could do to follow Sans's attacks without dying and keep up with Chara's angry rant in their head.

"huh. still alive, huh? your DETERMINATION seems way too strong." Sans commented idly, and Frisk could see sweat trickling down his face. "hey… you never answered my question earlier. frisk, i've known you for a long time, if you count all of those, uh, RESETS. i know there's a glimmer of a good person inside of you. even last run, i know you wanted to do the right thing. we were friends once, y'know?" Sans closed one eye and shrugged. "c'mon, buddy, you remember, right? please, if you're listening, let's forget all this, ok? lay down your weapon, and well, my job will be a lot easier."

And for once during this conversation, Chara and Frisk were on the same page. "…Hahahaha. 'I know there's a good person inside of you?' What kind of bullshit is that, Sans? Didn't we beg you to believe we wanted to do the right thing? Didn't we plead that we would try our best? And yet, when we were following your rules, when we played nice and did actually do the right thing, what did you do, Sans? You said you didn't believe us then. You left us all alone. You don't really think we'll fall for the same trick we used to kill your own brother with, do you?"

Sans stiffened, and at that moment, Chara and Frisk lunged, slashing at Sans, who swiftly stepped to the side, eye glowing blue for a moment.

"…heh. maybe you have a point there… i wasn't going to spare you even if you tried mercy the second you stepped forwards." Sans sighed as two more gaster blasters shot towards Frisk and Chara, who dove to dodge the beams. "but what I'm curious about here, is why the plural? is that some attempt to creep me out here?"

"And why should we tell you?" Chara hissed through Frisk's voice. "Just do us a favor and fall already!"

"i, uh, can't do that. i've been through a lot of RESETS and generally am fine with doing nothing… hell, maybe that's just saying i'm lazy, but this time is different. you're going to destroy all the timelines, kid, and i can't let that happen. and if i get even for what you did to paps… well. that's just a bonus, huh?"

Destroy the timelines? Frisk thought, confusion filling them. Chara, what is he talking about?

"Nothing- is what I'd say, but I suppose it doesn't matter too much now, does it?" Chara replied calmly, their voice dark and cold. "We're almost at the end, anyways. Once I get to Level 20, Frisk, we'll have the power to destroy this entire world. Everyone that hurt us. Everyone that turned their backs on us. Everyone will be erased. All thanks to your DETERMINATION. You'll be out of this time loop, Frisk, and me? I'll get your body as my prize. That was the deal, wasn't it?" Chara laughed, and Frisk only barely managed to dodge one of Sans's attacks with how their mind was reeling in shock and horror at this revelation. "Well. The deal was kind of stacked in my favor, wasn't it? But don't worry. You'll still be with me, Frisk. We'll be partners forever! After all, I promised to take care of you, hehehe."

No! Chara, get out of my head! Get out of my body! You can't do this! Frisk shouted, but Chara shoved them aside so hard that Frisk felt pain shoot through their consciousness. And suddenly, there was no Frisk in control of the body anymore. It was Chara's body now.

And Chara was better at fighting than Frisk had been. Chara expertly wove back and forth, eyes glinting in delight over the full control of the body so very like their original one, and they started to laugh.

"uh, well, i didn't want to do this, buddy. i thought this anomaly would eventually cure itself. you'd get bored of the RESETS, and all you needed was to get what you wanted. some good food. some bad laughs. some nice friends. but… strange, it almost feel as if frisk isn't here anymore… i wonder why?" Sans asked as suddenly time started to shift. Frisk watched in fascination as Frisk's- no, Chara's body suddenly went back to where it had been five seconds ago before getting hit by a bone that made Chara cry out in anger. "you need to learn how to QUIT someday… and that day is today." Sans said quietly.

But of course Chara didn't listen, screaming in anger, too mad to talk to Sans after being hit. Chara let me have my body back! Frisk begged as Sans dodged another swipe from the knife.

"No! It's… mine… now!" Chara hissed aloud, their voice no longer just in Frisk's head as Sans turned his gaze back towards Chara as his smile seemed to diminish for a moment.

"huh. well, i didn't want to do this but, uh, i guess i'll have to use my special attack after this move if you don't QUIT now."

But Chara didn't listen.

In the next few seconds, Sans attacked viciously, gaster blasters diving at Chara and Chara's body becoming heavier and heavier as their blue SOUL pulsed against their chest. But Chara could taste victory, could tell that they were going to win… they had gotten this far, after all. Frisk struggled, trying to take back some kind of control of their body while Chara was occupied. And to their surprised delight, it worked to some extent. Chara was so busy concentrating, Frisk managed to slip past Chara's defenses without being detected, although Frisk knew they probably only could seize control of the body for a few seconds before Chara overpowered them again.

Finally, abruptly, Sans stopped and stepped back, eye glowing blue. "welp. here it is, then. my special attack."

"What special attack? You're not doing anything to us-" Abruptly, Frisk could feel Chara's limbs lock up, their SOUL pulsating at Sans forced Chara down to their knees, incapacitated. "W-what…"

"that's right. this is my special attack. it's literally nothing. and it's not gonna be something, either. heh heh heh, get it? i know i can't beat you, one of your turns you're going to swing that knife and skewer me just as you did to papyrus. so, uh. i just decided. it's not gonna be your turn, ever. i'm just gonna have MY turn until you give up. even if it means we have to stand here until the end of time, capiche?"

Chara struggled, unable to move, and glared up at Sans with Frisk's eyes. "Y-you… you're more pathetic than your good for nothing brother! You call this a fight?!"

"uh, no. but you'll get bored eventually. name calling and trying to make me angry won't work, buddy. so uh, eventually you'll get tired of this and just QUIT."

Sans watched them struggle, and squinted at them while continuing to grin. "this is the end, okay? there's nothing left for you to do here, buddy, so in my opinion, the most "determined" thing you can do is to uh, completely give up. And…" Sans yawned, the sweat trickling down his face. "do literally anything else. maybe you could start by giving frisk their body back?"

"Y-you! How dare you…!" Frisk was silent, watching as Chara struggled for hours, screaming insults at Sans until their voice grew hoarse. When Sans started to close his eyes, however, Chara immediately fell silent, and Frisk felt their body tense as Chara prepared to rush at Sans. And as Sans fell asleep, exhausted from their fight, Chara yanked themselves to their feet despite the pressure on their SOUL, and dove at Sans, slashing wildly at him.

Sans, however, opened his eyes and neatly dodged. "heh, you didn't really think i'd-"

Sans! Frisk cried out, but no one could hear them as Chara twisted back around and slashed Sans across his chest. It was instantly over.

"uhhhh…" Sans looked down, red starting to drip from the wound. Was it blood? Frisk wasn't sure. "welp. i'm… i'm going to grillby's…" he started to walk past Chara, who stepped out of his way and merely watched him go, a cold smile appearing on their face. Frisk was forced to watch from Chara's triumphant gaze as Sans stumbled, slumped to the floor, and called his brother's name for the last time before he too, turned to dust.

As Frisk cried out for Sans, Chara merely laughed and tossed the knife on the ground as they shook their head. "After all that talk," they laughed. "That was it?"

Chara… I'm not letting you get away with this! Frisk said, realizing what they had to do. Before Chara noticed, Frisk suddenly seized control of the body, yanking back the reins and gasping in relief as their sensations came rushing back and they could breathe again. Chara was sent tumbling out of their body, a dark shadow that seemed to simmer with anger. Frisk could barely see the outline of Chara as the angry SOUL picked itself off the ground, turning to glare at Frisk with the only notable feature being bright red eyes on their face.

"Frisk, what are you doing?!" Chara hissed, uncertainty filling their voice for the first time. "Stop this nonsense and let me back in, Frisk. We have to get up and go to the next room. Then the time loop is over. We'll be out of this awful world forever. We'll be gods, Frisk- come on, you're almost there!"

"…" Frisk shuddered, eyes traveling down to look at the dust caking their hands, their clothes, their feet… Chara had done this, and Frisk was acutely aware that they had come incredibly close to losing not only their own beliefs and morals, but their entire body as well. "No more…" They whispered, walking over and leaning down to pick up and clutch the blue hoodie and red scarf that had fallen to the ground close. "This isn't what you promised me, Chara! I never said you could have my body! I never said you could just… just destroy everything!"

"Promised? I said that if you got to Level 20 then we'd get out of this time loop and we'd have the power to do whatever we wanted. How is that not what I promised? I'm upholding my side of the agreement, Frisk- are you?" Chara retorted bitingly. "Now let me back in, Frisk. You've offed everyone else- what's one mopey king and a pitiful flower going to matter to you now? No one cares about you anymore. There's only you and me, Frisk, but don't worry. I'll never leave you like they did. That rotten comedian in particular… he thought he was the martyr, the one that was worst off and suffering. He didn't want to listen to reason, Frisk- he just blamed you over and over and never believed you. How many times, was it, Frisk? How many times did you try and talk to him only to be shut down? You did yourself a favor, killing him."

"No… no…" Frisk whispered, feeling tears start to well up in their eyes. "Stop… I don't want to hear this! You're the one that killed him!"

"But it's all true, Frisk," Chara whispered. "Face it. You felt good finally killing everyone, finally seeing something new in this awful time loop. Those monsters no longer cared about you. You changed Frisk, in a way they didn't want to get to know… so you made things the way you liked then. I didn't kill them after all, Frisk. You did. Sure, I had control in the last few seconds of the battle, but you could have stopped me before I actually did it. Look at how you managed to push me out of your body after the fight- why didn't you do that earlier?"

"No…." Frisk hiccupped, burying their face into their hands. "I didn't mean to… I thought doing this once would give you enough power to help me, Chara, you never said this would be permanent. I'm not… I'm not a murderer! This isn't who I am!"

"Oh please, you never truly believed that, did you?" Chara laughed, a snickering noise in Frisk's head that caused Frisk to shrink in onto themselves. "You knew this would change things. Sans will never forget this, Frisk. You can't go back now even if you wanted to."

Frisk shrank back in on themselves, mind reeling as they realized that they might be unable to ever see anyone's face ever again, because Chara had won. Chara was going to destroy everything, and it was all Frisk's fault.

And then Frisk's eyes landed on the knife, still lying where they had thrown it when they had killed Sans. Frisk hesitated only for a moment before they picked it up, tears starting to drip down their face. "…if he hates me for this…I deserve that at least." Frisk murmured, and Chara's voice went up an octave in alarm.

"Y-you… Frisk! Don't you dare… Wait, stop!"

But it was too late. Frisk swung the knife down, as hard as they could, and then all Frisk felt was immense pain and then darkness.

Then they opened their eyes, and saw the golden flowers again. And they sat up and they cried.

.

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DETERMINATION has once again returned to allow you to continue reading as hope for a better tomorrow once again appears…

((Wow, that was a long chapter, but there was nowhere to effectively cut it in half so here you guys go! Someone predicted that there would only be two chapters left, I believe, but whatever made you say this, I'm not sure- we've only covered part of the story~! Thanks for reading and as always, please review!))