Sorry to keep you waiting. I wasn't kidding when I said that I would update the story less faster because of school. But I'm determined to keep updating till the last chapter.

Chapter six: We can't lose HOPE

28 July 20XX

Another day like the others, another day alone. It has been one month after this tragedy with Asgore. This is still confusing to me, Frisk and Asriel explained to everyone who was responsible for all those trouble and what was their goal: Chara. At first, I didn't believe them when they told us their plan. I refused to believe that Chara, who was as kind as Frisk, didn't hesitated to kill their own father… Fortunately, a miracle: Asgore came back to life but, for an unknown reason, he turned back as a child like the day I saw him for the first time, without his memories. When he woke up, he fainted in a flash. We decided to give him to Alphys so she can examine him and find a ay to wake him up, and with a little of luck, make him regain his memories. Right now, he is in her new lab, in her house's basement, inside a coffin of glass with oxygen so he can breathe. The fact that Asgore hasn't woken up made Gerson conclude he slipped into a coma.

Each day, since the school is still closed because of me, I go to Alphys and Undyne's house to give a visit to Asgore with a bouquet of his favourite flowers: Golden Flowers... The others have changed as well: Asriel and Frisk went to a journey in the Underground to find hints which could help Asgore. Yesterday, they called me to tell me that Asgore's throne room… OUR throne room became dark because some monsters have set curtains on the windows in mourning, preventing any light to penetrate inside the room. At the middle of the garden, Asgore's trident was placed on a pedestal, made of Hotland's rock. It is said that some Knight Knight decided to watch the trident until Asgore comes to take it. Alphys is always in her house's basement, never coming out instead to eat or sleep, I think she managed to get over her shyness, at least when she's with Undyne, I wonder how… Undyne is beggining to tolerate my presence but I can see in her eyes that she still hates me for Asgore's past suffering. Who wouldn't? Frisk's arrival was the beginning of a new life, and yet when Asgore was near me, I threatened him, reminding him his past actions.

I think that Undyne wants me to feel the same pain I caused to Asgore… Since the school is suspended temporarily, Papyrus replaced Asgore in order to prevent the flowers he took care of dying. At first, it was…clumsy, but with patience and sans's encouragement, Papyrus is getting better. sans… he is offering his help to Alphys sometimes. I wonder when he got so good in science… Gerson is reading his research if he is able to explain Asgore's « resurrection », but for now nothing interesting came to him… Everyone is helping Asgore, everyone…except me… I admit that I feel useless, that I'm still the same selfish person who is doing nothing for others, like the time when I was in the RUINS, while my husband was making sacrifices for the monsters…

When you wake up, I swear that I won't leave you alone anymore…

In Alphys's basement:

Undyne: How is he, Alphys?

Alphys: Nothing new… He is deeply asleep… Sometimes, he is talking in his sleep.

Undyne: Really? Do you remember what he was saying?

Alphys: *shakes her head* I only understood « forgive me » and « this is my duty »… Gerson thinks that he is living his past.

Undyne: Does that mean he is gaining his memories?

Alphys: Probably… But I'm not sure…

Undyne: …

Alphys: …

Undyne: …

Alphys: Do you still hate her?

Undyne: Who are you talking about?

Alphys: *stares at Undyne* Toriel…

Undyne: Oh… Why are you asking me that?

Alphys: Well, Asgore is alive and… It has been one month after he slipped into a coma, and that you speak harshly to her.

Undyne: *looks at Asgore's laying body, his intimate parts covered by an underwear* She treated him with more cruelty than me, for almost one year… As long Asgore stays in the coma, I won't forgive her…

Alphys: *holds Undyne's hand* Forgive her for what? For treating Asgore badly, or for causing the fight which killed him?

Undyne: …Maybe both…

Alphys: With time, you'll be able to forgive her… and maybe they will start a new life together…

Undyne: *grins* You say that because you ship them both!

Alphys: *blushes* T-that's not t-true!

Undyne: No no no Alphys! If you lie, I'll just ask Mettaton!

Alphys: Y-you wouldn't dare…

Undyne: I'll take that as a challenge! Here I come Mettaton! *runs out of the basement*

Alphys: *follows Undyne* U-Undyne, wait!

Inside sans and Papyrus's home, Papyrus in the kitchen and sans in the living room:

PAPYRUS: HEY SANS! WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR DINNER?

sans: well, since grillby's closed today, i think i'm good with your spaghettis.

PAPYRUS: ALRIGHT BROTHER! ARE YOU STILL IN YOUR PAPERS?

sans: yep, i'm helping alphys by identifying asgore's dna.

PAPYRUS: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

sans: sorry. what i'm doing is comparing asgore's blood when he was « asgore » and… asgore's blood when he came back as a kid.

PAPYRUS: OH! IT MAKES SENSE! I THINK THAT KING ASGORE LOOKS LIKE A PLUSHIE NOW HE'S A CHILD! CAN I KEEP HIM WHEN HE WAKES UP?

sans: heh… i think you should ask toriel before you kidnap him…

PAYRUS: AWW, WHY? SHE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT HIM!

sans: papyrus! how can you say such things? don't tell me undyne told you what she thinks of toriel!

PAPYRUS: NO, SHE DIDN'T! … WELL, A LITTLE?

sans: *sighs* listen bro… it's true that toriel wasn't really kind with asgore, but we're no better: we, instead of watching, we did nothing for him when he needed help, we let it happen. what happened in hotland is everyone's fault, including us. so neither of us have the right to blame another, do you understand papyrus?

PAPYRUS: SORRY BROTHER… I DIDN'T MEAN—

sans: *chuckles* don't worry pap, it's alright. just be wary when undyne is telling you something about asgore or toriel…

PAPYRUS: I WILL!…. HEY, SINCE WHEN ARE YOU SO SERIOUS WITHOUT YOUR HORRIBLE PUNS?!

sans: *winks* heh, let's just say that asgore goat me… down to the bone that night.

PAPYRUS: AAGHH! SANS!

sans: *shrugs* your fault…

In the Underground, inside New Home, Asriel and Frisk were laying on the beds inside Chara and Asriel's former room.

Frisk: That's strange…

Asriel: Is something wrong Frisk?

Frisk: Every place in the Underground is full of colors, but here, It's all grey… There is no emotion to describe it, like this place is dead… Even in dad's house in the surface it's like that.

Asriel: In a matter of fact, it's kind of true…

Frisk: *looks at Asriel*…

Asriel: It happened after my death and after mom's departure, dad kept losing HOPE and it kind of affected the place he was living into: colors, one of the symbols of life were absorbed by despair and loneliness over the years. This place is telling us something. Maybe what happens when we are out of HOPE.

Frisk: Is HOPE really that important?

Asriel: *nods* I guess only monsters are concerned about it. HOPE is a monster's source of power, LOVE's worst enemy. You already know that a human is more powerful than a monster, right? Well, that can be discussed when a monster is filled with HOPE. It's not always for fighting, it can be for defense. The latter is the most likely one. LOVE is a power you gain by killing, when your LOVE is increased, there is no way to erase it. The most known difference between LOVE and HOPE is that HOPE's power can be lost, but not forever.

Frisk: But in dad's case, there was no HOPE. Is that LOVE's power he is using?

Asriel:*shakes his head* No, a boss-monster doesn't need HOPE or LOVE for fights. They earn their power by training, like humans, I think that's the reason why we are called « boss-monster », other than immortality of course. But that doesn't mean we can live without it, we need at least a little of HOPE so we can live.

Frisk: Immortality…

Asriel: What is it Frisk? Did I said something to bother you?

Frisk: *shakes her head, smiling* No, it's nothing… Anyway, does that mean dad lost all HOPE?

Asriel: Yes, he fought without HOPE… And that's no way to live. It's just a way to die slowly… *tries to hide the tears of his eyes*

Frisk: Asriel… *sits beside Asriel*

Asriel: I can't help but keep playing in my dreams, the scenes when I killed him without regret…

Frisk: Before my last reset, he got killed anytime, by me, by you, or by Chara… Every time, in those timelines, he was…

Asriel: Like a puppet waiting for his destruction…

A silence fell in the room until Frisk remembered something.

Frisk: Asriel?

Asriel: Yeah?

Frisk: The timeline when Chara was in control, you said that you tried to gather the SOULS dad collected.

Asriel: And I said he didn't let me take these…

Frisk: Even as a flower, you were able to kill him without my help, so what prevented you?

Asriel: *widens his eyes* Ohh, right! I killed him many times but he didn't stop coming back! A bit like Undyne when Chara fought her, but without…melting…

Frisk: *smiles* I think we are approaching towards the truth! All we have to do is ask Undyne what she does usually dad does as well, and we'll find out about his resurrection!

Asriel: You're right but one mystery remains: how can we explain that dad resurrected in a child's body? When I killed him, he came back as usual without taking another form…

Frisk: … The only thing we can do is go back to the surface, but for now… *goes back to her bed and puts a blanket over her* I think I'm gonna sleep… Good night Asriel… And please, don't feel guilty about the past, I don't like you for that…

Asriel: … *stares at Frisk, surprised, and blushes* I… I'll try. Good night Frisk… *whisper* I like you too…

Back in Alphys's new lab, still empty except the coffin of glass with Asgore inside, a strange voice echoed.

?: It seems that fate is with you Asgore, even though you despise it...

I guess I don't need to tell you who is in the lab with Asgore, right? I've always been curious why Asgore was so desperate to give HOPE to his people, here is my theory... Until next time!