I'm…uh…not entirely happy with this chapter. But I wasn't sure how to change it, so…
Chapter eleven: Psychological warfare
Chara's victorious expression melted away instantly when she realized that this didn't go according to her true plan. She'd expected Frisk to choose Asriel above herself before the prince could interfere. Something went wrong somewhere, and now it was too late to fix it.
Frisk was horrified. She felt that she couldn't just let her friend do this. Asriel didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to be locked up forever in…here. She knew she had to do something.
She struggled against Gaster's grip. "Asriel!" she called. "Chara! This is my choice!"
Chara looked from her to Asriel and back, and realized that Frisk once again made her look weak. But for the first time in a while, that felt like nothing more than a trivial concern. Asriel looked weak as always, with his eyes closed and his head bowed in regret.
Chara's one half wanted her to do as Asriel said. The other said that Frisk's choice was the only one that would truly help her.
And then there was that small part she'd always ignore. The small part she'd been bothered by many times before – the part she'd always push to the back of her head. She had slowly managed to keep it there permanently, letting it scream in vain about how she had to cease her malevolent actions. She had heard it when she tried to kill those Humans, right before her and Asriel's deaths.
Now, upon seeing the weak person that was Asriel, that small part acted up again. It futilely yelled at her from the prison it was trapped in, bellowing that there was a third option. An option that she knew about but refused to even consider.
"Asriel!" Frisk yelled again.
Asriel turned to her, a sad smile appearing on his face. "It's okay, Frisk."
"No! It's not okay! I can—"
"No. Don't. Frisk—"
"I'll be fine! Just… Please, don't do this! We can go back to the physical world and continue living our lives. I-I can take those breakdowns!"
"I cannot allow that to happen," Gaster cut in. "Listen, Frisk—"
"Shut up!" Frisk interrupted. "Just shut up! And let me go!"
"I cannot—" the Royal Scientist began, but fell silent when the Human freed herself from his grasp. "Frisk!"
Frisk didn't allow him to restrain her again. She quickly turned to Chara and ran towards her, readying herself for a fight. Asriel's eyes widened and he quickly took a defensive stance in front of the Entity, who was still in conflict with herself.
When Frisk came close, Asriel proceeded to stop her in her tracks. He took a step forward and managed to grab the Human, who immediately began to violently struggle in the prince's arms. She tried to reach Chara, but through the use of sheer physical strength, Asriel held her in place.
He eventually managed to push her away from Chara before forcing himself to look into her eyes. "Frisk, don't do this…"
Frisk glared at him. "Stop telling me to sit at the sidelines and do nothing!"
"You shouldn't risk yourself for me! I should've died a long time ago."
"That's not true!"
"Enough," Gaster intervened. "There are no alternatives. The Entity has spoken."
Frisk turned to him. "I can't believe you're just letting this happen! If you're really still connected to Sans and Papyrus, you'd fight her!" She pointed at Chara.
The Royal Scientist regretfully looked at her. "As much as I wish to, my influence on this situation's outcome is limited. If I were to confront her, I would inevitably be defeated – forfeiting what is left of my domain in the process, and granting Chara absolute control over your memories."
"I don't care!"
"You should."
"Chara," Asriel spoke.
"What is it?" Chara asked, her patience running low.
For a second, the prince remained silent. Then, he let out a chuckle. "I…"
The others looked at him. No one, not even Chara, dared say a word. Frisk was worried. But she was also determined. She was going to get Asriel out of here alive, even if it meant her own death or imprisonment. She'd get him out regardless of how terribly Chara was going to torment her for it.
Finally, after a long silence, Asriel looked up at the Entity, his eyes red once more.
"Do you remember when you fell into the Underground?"
Walking around Home probably would've been nice if it weren't for the enormous groups of people everywhere and the loud noise that came with them. Most Monsters who had the idea of taking a stroll in the capital would go to somewhat quieter places, away from the commotion that plagued most of the streets. The downside to this was that the quiet places were oftentimes a bit too quiet, creating a feeling of loneliness and – in some cases – nervousness.
Being the prince was even worse when it came to taking a walk. People would sometimes point and gape whenever he walked by, inadvertently reminding him of how lonely he was. Sure, he had his parents and he loved them, but sometimes he wished he had a brother or sister to play with.
Going to one of the calmer areas of Home had the same effect: a reminder of solitude. Sure, there were some Monster here and there, but they were usually just talking among themselves. If only Asriel had a friend to do that with. Most people around regarded him as the prince of the Underground, causing them to shy away on sight – something Asriel never understood.
Either way, the prince was bored out of his mind as he absentmindedly wandered towards where the famous flower bed was placed, hoping that he'd find something that'd keep him busy. Anything would be better than what he was going through now.
He remembered what his parents told him about the flower bed: that it was meant to give any Human that fell into the Underground a safe landing. Asgore and Toriel were firm in their belief that the Humans, despite being responsible for the imprisonment of Monsterkind, should be shown mercy. Perhaps, eventually, there would even be a chance of peace between the two races…
A brief scream rung out, followed by a dulled thud.
Asriel flinched and looked towards where the sounds seemed to have come from. He suddenly felt really nervous. It didn't help that there was no other Monster in sight. He was completely alone as far as he could tell.
A weak cry sounded through the place, originating from the same location as the sounds from before. The prince quickly realized that whoever was making that noise may be in need of help. This thought made him move again, though slowly and hesitantly, towards the flower bed.
"It sounds like it came from over here…" he subconsciously mumbled before reaching the room he was heading for.
Then, he saw it.
A Human. Lying on the flowers.
"Shut up," Chara finally interrupted, though her voice wasn't as powerful as it had been before.
Asriel looked at her. "I miss the people we were back then."
"Shut up!"
The Entity ran towards him and grabbed him by the collar. She threateningly raised her fist as she menacingly made eye contact with him.
"No…!" Frisk blurted out. She ran towards the duo, but some sort of telekinetic attack threw her back and to the ground. She looked at Gaster, who gave a sorrowful look.
"Frisk," he sadly spoke, "there is nothing you can do."
Asriel had remained unfazed. He didn't flinch when Chara grabbed him, making the Entity lower her fist in confusion.
She blinked. How can he not be afraid? She wondered. He's scared of everything, but not of…this?
The prince's eyes didn't show fear. They didn't show anger. Just sadness.
"Chara…" he softly said, but was interrupted by the Human in question raising her fist again.
"Shut up!" she growled.
Asriel sighed. "I don't know exactly what happened to you… But I know that everything you've done so far is really because…of us. Because you want us to be a family again."
Chara didn't reply. She stood frozen, her wide eyes filled with rage, doubt and fear.
"It must've been terrible for you here," Asriel continued. "Watching the Underground get overturned after our deaths. All those years, watching the people you know by name commit…unspeakable things. It must've done something to you."
Frisk and Gaster were astonished by what was happening before their eyes. Despite Gaster's best efforts, he'd always lost whenever he was challenged by the Entity. Frisk, whose determination could end wars, save the Soulless and injure the incorporeal, had been unable to get Asriel out of his prison. And now, Asriel himself – the one who was supposed to be the weakest one of the four – seemed to be defeating Chara in his own way.
Gaster felt the Entity getting weaker. His own strength began to return.
"You've probably seen Flowey do even worse things," the prince went on. "His Resets… You were able to see them, weren't you? Everything that's happened just…changed you. But…Chara. Changed or not—"
"Shut—" Chara began.
"—you're still my sister," the prince said.
Chara silently gasped. For a moment, she hesitated.
Then, she launched her fist forward.
Asriel felt it collide with his face, knocking him to the ground. He didn't scream or groan in pain. Not even the slightest yelp escaped his throat.
Frisk's reaction, however, wasn't so calm. She made another attempt to reach Chara, but Gaster interfered again and threw the Human backwards with great telekinetic force. This didn't prove to be enough, as said Human immediately stood up and ran towards the Entity – who was staring at Asriel with an angry yet bewildered look – before being knocked backwards again.
Suddenly, Asriel – who was still on the ground – began to speak, making Frisk freeze.
Chara subconsciously groaned.
Her brains felt numb, yet at the same time shaken. It was as if one half had spent time in a centrifuge, while the other half had been stored in a freezer. It wasn't a very pleasant experience, but she hardly cared. It wasn't like her time in her village had been much better.
This doesn't feel like any afterlife. She soon realized. Then again, who am I to know what an afterlife feels like? Heh…
"Oh!" a voice suddenly exclaimed. "You've fallen down, haven't you…"
The Human slowly managed to get on all fours before opening her eyes, revealing a bed of golden flowers underneath her. They were unusually soft and seemed to have broken her fall, although it hadn't been enough to leave her completely uninjured.
Suddenly, a pair of hands carefully grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Are you okay?" the voice from before asked. "Here, get up…"
Chara felt the hands pulling her up, slowly helping her to her feet. She didn't make any effort to look up at the person, who now slowly started walking with her in his arms. The Human walked with him, letting her head hang, being too weak to resist.
The trip took a while – mostly because of the duo's slow pace – and both remained silent. The boy who supported Chara was heavily drawing breath, but his grip remained steadfast. Chara half expected him to drop her at any moment, either because he was tired or simply because he could.
But that didn't happen, which Chara found kind of…odd.
Another odd thing was the boy's feet, which were covered in white fur and had toes with small claws. Chara eventually concluded that he was simply wearing masterfully decorated shoes, but something at the back of her mind told her that that wasn't the case. Regardless, her weakened mind dismissed it as something trivial.
Eventually, she found herself being brought into a small, unlit room and placed onto a bed. She looked at the boy, but it was too dark to see his face. The light that came from the open doorway wasn't enough to reveal his appearance.
"I'll…be back," the boy said, still out of breath. "Stay here…okay? I'm…going to…get my mom. She can…help."
Chara gave a nod and closed her eyes, to which the unidentified person walked out of the room.
"You really don't know when to shut up, do you?" Chara growled as she threateningly towered over the prince, who was still on the ground. "You never did."
Despite the situation, Asriel chuckled. "Nope. You're right."
"Then maybe I should teach you to shut up." The Entity kneeled down next to her brother and grabbed him by the collar once again. This time, however, she didn't raise her fist.
"Stop!" Frisk screamed. "Asriel's not your target! I am."
"No," Asriel weakly said.
"Stop…" Chara suddenly whispered. Her voice sounded pained, a contrast to the menacing tone she had mere seconds ago. Her angry expression had made place for a pleading one. "Asriel, just…stop. This is hard enough as it is."
"Then make it easier," Asriel whispered back.
She sighed. There was nothing left of that victorious feeling from before. Asriel saw the conflict play out behind her eyes, and realized that he was really getting through to her.
Chara woke up.
She looked around the dark room, trying to remember what had happened. She managed to recall flashes of falling down, landing on something soft, being brought to this place by an unidentified boy whose feet were covered in fur…
That was it. That was all she could remember before inadvertently falling asleep. How long had she been out? Had the boy been successful in getting help? She didn't feel any kind of pain or nausea, so that was good, right?
Suddenly, the door opened, revealing the silhouette of a figure that vaguely looked Human…ish.
"Howdy!" the figure said as it entered the room. It was definitely the boy from before. "You're awake! How're you feeling?"
Chara hesitated. "Uh…good, I guess…"
"That's good!"
The figure walked towards the other side of the room and turned on a light, causing Chara to reflexively close her eyes. She heard the boy's soft footsteps head her way. When he reached her, he kneeled down next to her bed. Chara backed up a bit.
"What's your name?" the boy asked.
Chara opened her eyes slightly, allowing a sliver of bright light to reach her eyes. After forcing herself to open her eyes further, she flinched when she saw the boy's face.
His face generally looked Human, yet…not. It was completely covered in white fur, and the shape reminded Chara of a goat. His inhuman ears were long and droopy and limply hung on the sides of his head. His teeth were sharp, and his small, toothy smile revealed his long fangs.
She was looking at a…goat boy?
A Monster, she realized. A Monster, just like how the legends described.
Her eyes grew wide and she opened her mouth with the intention to scream. All that escaped was a strangled whisper. The boy backed up, his friendly smile turning into a worried expression as the Human scrambled backwards and sat up. She felt her back getting pressed against the wall behind her.
"Um…" the boy said after a few seconds, "you are okay, right?"
Chara didn't reply.
"Um… Person?" The goat hesitated. "Uh… What do you want me to call you?"
Chara still didn't budge at first, leaving the boy to look at her inquisitively. However, with the little control she had over her mind, she realized that refusing to answer might anger this creature, whose goatlike features were enough to scare her.
She slowly opened her mouth to reply. After a brief moment of hesitation, she managed to blurt out a raspy "Chara."
"What's that?" the boy asked.
"M-my name…" Chara incoherently stuttered, "Chara…"
For some reason, that made the goat boy smile again. "Chara, huh?" He gave a nod. "That's a nice name."
A silence fell.
Did he really just say that? Chara asked herself. The boy's smile appeared sincere, and so did the compliment he just gave her. It almost made her blush, and despite the situation she had to resist the temptation to timidly look away.
"My name is Asriel," the boy said. "It's nice to meet you, Chara."
Knowing that telling her brother to shut up wouldn't work, Chara had taken a seat on the floor with her back against the wall, patiently waiting for Asriel to stop reminiscing. She felt herself getting weaker every time the prince spoke. By simply reminding her of the person she used to be and the person he was, he had literally caused her determination to diminish. She 'saw' Gaster grab the power she let go of, but she didn't care as much as she had moments prior.
When Asriel was done talking, a silence ensued, which was eventually interrupted by Chara's sigh.
"I…" she muttered, but quickly found out that that was the only word she was able to find. She felt conflicted. The suppressed voice in her head had gained more power.
Asriel had stood up during the story. Now, he staggered towards his fallen sibling and kneeled down in front of her. "Chara…"
Chara remained silent. She felt her eyes sting.
Another silence.
Then, slowly, Chara rose to her feet. Asriel did the same.
The Entity stood there for a second, motionless, her eyes devoid of emotion. Then she looked up at her brother, who looked back with a small, compassionate, merciful smile.
"Well…that got sappy…" Chara softly chuckled. She then sighed, turning serious again. "None of it was your fault, Asriel. Remember that." She closed her eyes. "Goodbye."
Asriel's own eyes widened. "Chara?"
But his sister vanished into thin air, leaving the prince with a sting in his gut. He turned around and let his gaze examine the room in search of Chara, only to find that Frisk and Gaster were the only ones present. He looked at the latter in alarm.
"Where'd she go?!"
Gaster seemed shocked as well. "I…I am unsure."
"Wait!" Frisk exclaimed. "This happened before. What if she just went back to her own part of the world?"
"The manifestation of New Home," Asriel realized. He turned to the door and was about to walk through it, only to be interrupted when Gaster spoke up again.
"She is not in New Home," the Royal Scientist said. "I am unable to locate her."
The goat man turned back to him. "What's that supposed to mean?!"
"She is still in this world, but she is concealing herself. If I am unable to see her, you are unable find her. I am sorry."
"We have to find her!" Asriel said. "Chara – she's…she's…" A lump appeared in his throat.
Frisk stepped forward. "Asriel…"
"We-we gotta… We…"
"I am…certain she merely wishes some time for herself," Gaster tried. Asriel glared at him.
"Y-you… You're the one who's been messing with Sans and Papyrus!" he accused. "How could I trust you?!"
"Chara trusted me, it seems. When you were getting through to her, she released a large portion of her power over this world – allowing me to acquire power."
Frisk looked down. "Asriel…I believe him."
The prince stood frozen for a second, hesitating. Then, he let out a shaky sigh and let his tears fall.
"They're waking up!" Alphys called, causing everyone else in the room to stand up and make their ways to the two stretchers, where Frisk and Asriel's eyes were slowly opening.
"Ugh…" Asriel mumbled as his hand went to his eyes, rubbing the sleepiness out of them. Frisk tried to sit up, but her muscles felt like they had been replaced with jelly. While that didn't stop her from trying, it made things many times more difficult.
"A-are you all right?" Toriel asked. "Oh my goodness, I was so worried about you two! I felt so worthless and afraid, just sitting here and waiting for you to wake up, I truly wished I could have helped you with your mission, and…and…"
Asriel put a hand on her arm, causing Toriel to fall silent. "Don't say that, Mom," the prince said. "You're not worthless."
"OH, THANK GOODNESS!" Papyrus exclaimed. "THE SILENT TENSION HERE WAS UNBEARABLE! WHEN DR. ALPHYS TOLD US YOU WERE WAKING UP MERE MOMENTS AGO, I WAS SO RELIEVED!"
"we all were," Sans spoke as he helped Frisk sit up. He looked at her. "how'd it go?" he softly asked.
"I think we did it," Frisk replied, though no sign of joy was visible on her face.
Sans hesitated. "uh… did this whole mess really involve…gaster?"
Frisk nodded. "Yeah, it did."
"He doesn't seem like the worst guy, though," Asriel said as he himself sat up with a bit of help from Asgore.
"Why?" Undyne asked. "How'd he fit into all of this?"
"He was on our side, actually," Frisk said. She looked at Sans and Papyrus. "For what it's worth, I think he feels kind of bad for scaring you guys."
"at least that's something," Sans said. Papyrus nodded approvingly.
"B-but…" Alphys spoke, "if he helped you… Who was responsible for…?" She glanced at Frisk.
A brief silence fell.
"It's…uh…not important," the Human said. "Don't ask."
The Royal Scientist swallowed and nodded. The others didn't seem to be entirely happy with Frisk's reply, but no one objected.
"It has been a long day," Asgore said. "Perhaps we should all simply go home and rest."
"Good idea," Asriel agreed. "Let's do that."
I kind of tried to make Asriel's 'battle' with Chara a bit similar to Frisk's battle with Asriel at the end of Undertale. I mean, this version of 'Asriel vs. Chara' is less intense, but the former does use means that are similar to Frisk's SAVEing ability – except that there are no Lost Souls or goat deities of death involved.