"Frisk? What's happening?"

They cock their head and wrinkle their nose at the question, "Frisk? No," they look down, "I mean, yes," and run their hand over their body, "but Frisk's not here at the moment."

Aofil remains not convinced, and on the bare edge of grabbing the nearest loose object.

A deep sigh echoes throughout the stalls, "Do I really have to convince you, Aofil?"

How do you even begin to answer such a question? How do you convince someone that their long dead sibling is back? And possessing someone else?

"Frisk, knock this shit off, alright?" Aofil regains some form of composure. It's not much, but at least they're not slipping off the toilet seat, "If you want to talk, that's fine. Just don't do this, it's fucked up. I'm really goddamn serious right now."

What the ever loving hell is going on?

The smaller human blows through their lips, "Okay, let's see," and furrows their brow in deep thought, "Our parents were horrible towards us. Couldn't even muster up a 'I love you' to save their life. We finally had enough, and decided to climb Mt Ebott to learn magic from the monsters down in the Underground."

There's a pause. A long and silent pause, as the striped shirt wearing human's face goes through a wide array of emotions. Back and forth, back and forth. Conflicting with each other, melding with another. They rub their eyes tiredly, and drag their hand down to their mouth, "We..." they hesitate, "I…fell down. You had second thoughts, Aofil. Remember?"

"All of this I've told you, Frisk," Aofil retorts, "All of this you could've figured out."

"Okay? So what can I tell you to convince you? Ask me something you haven't told Frisk. Something before we decided to try and find the Underground."

Aofil shrugs, "I don't know? I don't remember anything from that time of my life."

A grunt and a hand thrown up above the smaller human's head while their eyes roll so hard they almost burrow into the skull summons an angry leer from Aofil. Aofil's not the one impersonating a dead twin, at the moment, so who is Frisk to talk? Are they just stalling for time so that Aofil won't make it to the bus? Are they hoping that Aofil might just suddenly bang their head against the wall and forgive everything?

Something's real fishy here, and Aofil's not in the mood for jokes. They stand up and push Frisk away, "Good luck with the rest of your life, Frisk."

"No!" Frisk grabs Aofil's arm, "Wait! Just… just one more! I promise that you'll see me as Chara!"

Aofil jerks back their arm, "Do you have any idea how strange that sounds?"

"Imagine how strange it is for me to say it! One more thing, I promise," Frisk clutches their head, "It's the only way, Frisk. I told you it would be difficult!"

"Great performance," Aofil reaches for the door handle, "sell tickets next time. You'll make a killing."

The human again scrambles for Aofil's arm, and tugs at it, "I'll tell you what our curse is, Aofil!"

"Ha!" Aofil spins around with their eyes wide and glued towards the brat, "I already know what my curse is. It's being your twin," Aofil raises their fingers as quotation marks, "Chara."

The startled human takes a step back, "W-what?"

Aofil isn't buying it, "Tickets, Frisk! Backstage pass can be being put on a pedestal by the monsters. At least then those who gets it will have asked for it."

"IT IS I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, ON THE PHONE! HELLO FRISK, WHAT IS YOUR CONUNDRUM THAT I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, MIGHT HELP YOU WITH!"

From behind the striped back a phone is brought forth. The display has an icon of Papyrus posing heroically above the red 'Disconnect Call' button. Speakers are enabled, but Aofil could've already guessed that.

After staring at the phone for a couple of silent seconds Frisk brings it up to their mouth, "You know what? Fuck you, Papyrus!"

Aofil's face turns into stone. The human in front of them shows that the microphone wasn't muted, knocking any doubts away with a deafening silence. The sound of the call disconnecting doesn't mask the sound of Aofil's jaw hitting the floor. With great effort they manage to regain some control of their eyes and tongue, "You're not Frisk."

Chara nods, "I'm Chara, your twin. Pretty sure I've stirred up quite the scene for Frisk to handle afterwards, but I promised them I'd talk to you, so," and shrugs with their arms crossed, "If anything this is on you, Aofil."

"Chara?"

"Yes, my sibling? On second thought, can I just call you Aofil instead, it sounds weird saying 'sibling'."

"How?" Aofil needs to lean on a nearby sink, "How are you here? You're dead."

"If you could refrain from rubbing it in, please."

Their brow sink down, like a stone in water, "You killed me."

Chara breathes in through gritted teeth, "I'm sorry?"

"I need," Aofil looks around, like they've forgot where they are, "I need to sit down."

Chara motions for a toilet. Aofil nods and heads over to it and sits down with their elbows resting on their legs, and their chin resting on their bundled fists. They sit still and silent for well over a minute before finally blinking and tilting their head towards Chara, "How?"

Chara shrugs, "How what?"

Aofil motions up and down Frisk's body with their hand. Chara looks down, and nods.

"So, I died," they begin, hesitantly, "You already know how so I'd rather not tell it again, if that's fine to you. Then Frisk came along," Chara points towards Frisk's head, "and I found myself, how to say it, conscious? I don't remember how I felt while being dead, I just know that I wasn't aware of it. I suddenly became aware, like throwing an entire ocean worth of ice water over my head. I could think, but it was very quiet, even for me. Another voice was ringing in my, well Frisk's, head though. Frisk's voice, their thoughts. I was at the helm, but I wasn't driving. I was just kinda, there, you know?"

Aofil doesn't.

"I could hear what they heard, I felt myself saying what they said, and I felt every step and breath they took, but I couldn't influence them. Like a statue in the corner or something, I don't know," Chara throws Frisk's arms in the air, "All I know for certain is that we were connected. Our souls, we're merged together."

Aofil glances down at their own chest.

"Exactly how, I haven't the foggiest. They have looked at our soul together, spent entire nights trying to twist it around, to find where Frisk ends, and where I begin, but no luck. There's been nights when Frisk have stayed up until morning just, poking. They tried to find a spot where it didn't hurt for them, but again, no luck. I wish I could help, but I'm not even backseat driving. I'm like, part of the fuel or something. In the trunk just happy to be there. Kinda..."

Chara sighs through Frisk's lips, "Anyway, during Frisk's time in the Underground, I could feel them using me, using my soul. First it was just to not die, but then, we felt the rush of determination."

They clench Frisk's fist, "Monster dust running through our fingers, seeing them beg for mercy that never came. My soul reacted, which prompted Frisk's soul to react, which prompted mine to react, and it just kept going until… We don't remember who's soul reacted first, but it doesn't really matter, since our actions were the same. It continued, we couldn't stop it. We didn't want to stop it..."

Frisk's hand opens up, "Until I'd completely forgotten that I used to be the hope of the Underground. Everything I remembered about the Underground I used to help Frisk find more monsters to kill. Find more monster that would gives us that rush! They could hide, but only briefly. With every kill it became easier to justify the next, but so much harder to resist the urge. Why should we stop when it felt this good? With every kill I felt more alive too. More determination meant that I could feel more, think more, act more. Frisk and I, we became one. We couldn't differentiate each other. It was us against the world, and the world was in our way. Asriel wasn't necessary anymore, Frisk didn't know who he was, and I just saw him as in our way. I remember him always popping up and pestering us at New Home. He said that he couldn't feel anything being Flowey, but he sure became mighty scared when he realized he was not necessary any longer."

Frisk's eyes turn distant, "Is it..." Chara shakes themselves back, "Is it alright if I skip what happened next? It's kinda," and smacks Frisk's lips while stretching their borrowed cheeks into an uncomfortable smile, "really really horrible to remember. Though, to be fair, it's not as horrible as what came after."

Chara turns to the door, as if expecting someone to show up, "A whole mountain of pain. A wall we ran into, and bounced off constantly. We never made it past it. Again, I don't remember who took the initiative, but sometime after reset number uncountable plus five, we stopped. Dropped the knife, and fell down on our knees. We were tired, drained. No more reserves left. So, we cried. Not that Sans believed us, but still, we cried. Oddly enough, it was at that point I felt the most," Chara clutches Frisk's fist over their chest, "alive. Not in a good way though. I realized that this path was finished, that our choices led us to a dead end. Literal dead end, both for Frisk and I, and for the monsters I once was planned to rule."

The door remains unopened, and Chara turns back to Aofil, "And suddenly, I was in the way. I was the one holding back progress. I didn't want to throw away everything we did. I was still high off the determination, Frisk's determination. It wasn't until they reset, all the way back to the beginning, that I realized what I'd done. I tried to run away, get away from Frisk, but I was stuck. They went through the Underground, without killing, without ever triggering the circle. I mean, they sure did beat up some of the monsters, but never killed any."

"It wasn't until after Asriel, after him renouncing me, and after the Barrier broke, and we stood at the cliff's edge overlooking the same view Asriel and I did when we were fused," Chara chokes on their words, "It was only then Frisk put their hand over their chest, and forgave me."

They scoff away the tears, "And from that day forward, I've kinda been in the background. Doing all I can to help. It's barely anything, but I like to believe that some of the things Frisk have done has been because of me. It's a very greedy view of it all, but I so much want to believe it's true. It isn't, but I want it to be."

Chara drags Frisk's hands over their face, "I see that you're confused, Aofil. Don't worry, So am I. The best guess I have of this whole debacle is this, Frisk and me fused together, but that's only true for our souls. It's just magic, not science, if that's a bit easier for you to understand, Aofil. Basically it means that it's either Frisk, or me, present. Thing is though, I'm not supposed to be present. Like earlier today, when Frisk almost unwillingly spoke to you."

"Is that what happened with their headache?"

Chara puts up a pair of citation signs with Frisk's fingers, "Headache. Yeah, that was me. It's not that I want to hurt Frisk," Chara scoffs, "Why would I hurt the only thing keeping me maybe not really alive? No, pretty sure it's your soul and mine reacting. It is the same one, after all. We're twins, we share the same soul. I've been hazarding a guess that normally it's not a problem with twins."

Aofil shakes their head tiredly, "Normally..."

Chara tilts Frisk's hand towards Aofil, "Exactly, there hasn't been anything normal with us, ever."

"It was a bit normal after..."

Chara doesn't need to hear more, "Pour salt in it, why don't you, Aofil?"

They lower their head, "Sorry."

"No it's," Chara blows Frisk's lips, "it's fine, Aofil. I've had some time to accept it," they pat Frisk's chest, "Had some help with it too. Frisk has helped me feel alive. Despite, well, me not being."

Chara rocks back and forth on Frisk's heels, "And seeing Asriel alive, but not me. It's," Frisk's neck twitches, "it's a bit strange, to say the least. We were fused together, we died together, but he gets to live again, and not me. I'm just a parasite, not wanting to let go. I can't let go. I'm possessing Frisk, I'm not alive myself. I'm on life support, literally. I'm being supported by Frisk, and I am supporting them myself. They have it a bit better though, not gonna lie. I'm stuck as a voice inside their head, most of the time less than that. It's only when my alive twin is near that I panic and hurt the one that's keeping me alive. Not by anyone of ours choosing, but it is what it is, right? Why should I complain when I already had everything taken away from me? I have a second chance now, right? It's not really a full chance, but it's something, right?"

Chara exhales and drags Frisk's hands over their face, "I'm sorry, it's just..." they catch a glimpse of their reflection.

It shatters a moment after.

Chara grunts and clutches Frisk's twitching hand, "Sorry, Frisk, didn't mean to do it," they scoff, "Guess I'm not used to being the one that all the emotion floods into."

Chara grits Frisk's teeth through the pain, "Asriel...he's a bit different now than before, isn't he? Don't know why I'm asking you about it, Aofil. Maybe if you had followed me it might've been different."

Chara stares at Aofil, their twin. It doesn't feel like it though, not in the slightest.

"You're a bit different now than before too, Aofil, aren't you? You don't remember how we felt before I fell. You don't know me, you've only been told about me. Everything I thought was you is gone, you're not my twin, not really. We both died when I fell."

Chara uses Frisk's sweater to dry Frisk's eyes, but Chara's tears, "Everyone gets a second chance, a real second chance, another shot at life. Frisk can reset. Asriel came back with the help of you and Frisk, and you, Aofil, you got to live your life without me. Second chances, except me…"

The sweater isn't enough to soak up the watery eyes, "Because it's all my fault, isn't it? I planned for us two to find the Underground. I planned for Asriel and me to fuse," and the tears crash against the broken glass as Chara again throws Frisk's fist against the mirror, "I did it all for the ones I loved! Why don't I deserve a second go? Why isn't that enough? I gave hope to the Underground!"

Heavy breathing bounces across the tiled walls and floor, "Things is though," Chara rinses off Frisk's hand under the faucet. The white sink turns crimson underneath the shard ridden hand, "I've changed too. I know that it was my fault, I know what I did. I would've done it again if I had the choice," a tired scoff is interrupted by a pained inhale as Chara picks out the shards they can from Frisk's hand, "I'd make it so you would follow me though, Aofil, of course. We'd sit on each of dad's shoulders, with Asriel around his neck. We'd have fun poking at Asriel's muzzle, watching him try and not to tear up. We'd learn about our curse, about magic, together. Would've been fun."

Chara fetches some paper from a nearby dispenser and slowly pats the knuckles on Frisk's injured hand, "I also know that I have a second chance. I get to see my family everyday. Granted, through the eyes and mind of the other sex than I was born into, but hey, could be worse. I could be dead...for an example. It's not that big of a deal any longer, the whole gender thing, since I've technically been the other gender now for the majority of my life, existence, whatever. Frisk sometimes try and ask me how I would react," Chara chuckles, "I'd answer, if I could. Don't think I've yet to have a different opinion, because again, I've been like Frisk enough to have their mindset."

Chara flashes a smile, "Like I said, I've changed too," they take quick gasp of air to realign themselves "Anyway, you should've seen how mom and dad."

Chara realizes as they catch a glimpse of Frisk in the cracked glass, "Sorry, Toriel and Asgore. You should've seen how they were back then. They stopped attending the nose nuzzle championship because otherwise it wouldn't be a competition. At least, that's what they told Asriel and me."

"How..." Chara shuffles uncomfortably with Frisk's hand before putting them underneath Frisk's armpits, "How were they, by the way, after I left?"

Who do they mean? "Our parents?" Aofil asks.

Chara nods hastily, "Yeah."

"You don't remember when we talked to them?"

"No?" Chara scratches Frisk's lobe "When would've I done that?"

"When I fell?" Chara has to remember, right? A strange feeling bubbles inside Aofil, "You told me what happened. After Frisk's reset? I fell down the hole and almost died. You were there along with mom and dad. We talked. Talked about us, about being twins, and about how you lived with the Dreemurrs."

Chara tilts Frisk's head up, "Oh yeah…um...no. That wasn't me."

"Okay?" Aofil can't really say anything else, "Then who was it?"

"Your interpretation of me perhaps? I don't know."

"But you told me that you lived with Toriel and Asgore! How could I have known that?"

"Maybe from before the-," Frisk's body freezes up, "Shit, sorry," Chara whispers, almost inaudible to Aofil.

Aofil doesn't like what Chara's implying, not one bit, "What do you mean by before, Chara?" they stand up very carefully, "Don't tell me it is what I think it is."

Chara tries to play it off, "Depends on what you mean?" but they quickly realize that it isn't working. They fucked up.

"Chara," Aofil's head starts spinning. They feel lightheaded, nauseous, "Chara! What do you mean by before?"

Chara sighs and leans back on a sink with Frisk's arms crossed over their chest, "You know the phrase third time's the charm?"

No…

"Turns out it's literal when it comes to the Surface."