Chapter 60: Your Best Nightmare

"Why are we heading back to Snowdin?" Chara asked.

The two of them had managed to walk most of the ways back.

'Isn't it obvious?'

"Talking to that skeleton isn't gonna delay the inevitable."

That was true but still after everything that happened, Frisk felt she still had things to resolve with the skeleton.

'Maybe a part of you is lonely and just misses him.'

"Are your thoughts taunting you again?" Chara asked with a grin. "I know you were once best pals and everything but do you really think it's healthy missing someone who's threatened your life?"

'Don't know.'

"Then let me ask you something, you know what humans call someone who forms an attachment with someone who's threatened their life?"

'Enlighten me.'

"We call that stockholm syndrome."

'That would imply I even had an attachment. Last I heard, that attachment comes with empty flattery but I'm not giving him empty flattery so I haven't completely lost my mind.'

Frisk knocked on the door of Sans' and his brother's house.

Sans opened the door much to her surprise.

"huh? this is a surprise. i didn't expect to see you here."

Despite being surprised, his expression didn't change at all. He still stared at her through his large eye sockets, his teeth poised in a stagnant grin. He didn't appear happy nor did he appear sad.

"Well most people would have the common sense to ignore their enemies," Chara cut in.

"so why are you here?"

"Just need to talk to you."

Sans opened the door and let her in before reclaiming his seat at the couch.

Frisk remained standing. Despite the barbs and insults passed between them, she didn't want to be rude and sit on the couch without his permission.

"are you just gonna stand there?"

"I didn't want to be rude."

Sans patted a spot next to him.

"sit down."

She joined him on the couch.

He glanced at her. Neither his eye sockets or the corners of his mouth conveyed any fury he may have harbored towards her. His eye lights intently met hers making her feel a strange sense of comfort.

"so what did you wanna talk about kiddo?"

Frisk's lips moved before she could stop herself.

"It's about meeting the king. I did tell you about my powers but I didn't tell you how they were triggered and why I reappeared."

"that doesn't matter, kiddo."

"It does to me. Even if we're not friends, I could tell what I did really hurt you. Even if my actions aren't justified I would still feel better providing you with my reasons for doing them."

"i'm listening."

"In that previous timeline, I died after confronting the king. I met him and he took me to the barrier before he blocked the way. I remember every minute of my life being bombarded with unbearable pain before everything went black and I woke up in that hall again. It's the first time I've felt so scared for him and for myself," Frisk said. "I know what you must think of me after everything. I've done and I'm not turning to you so you can show me pity."

Sans looked surprised.

"But this is the first time I've wanted to change something for myself. I don't want to kill if I don't have to."

"don't be so hard on yourself, kid."

"It's not something I'm used to. I've never been treated with kindness or mercy but I'm willing to adjust to it if it means having a happier life."

"well it's ok. no one would blame you if you killed him, he is trying to kill ya after all. you can't win 'em all. some games are just not meant to be beaten. even i know when to accept defeat. fighting for what is right is kind of exhausting. it's a life built for the weak."

"Is that what you did? Is that why you gave up?"

'...on fixing this.' Her mind supplied.

Sans chuckled.

"huh yeah, but the odds weren't exactly in my favor."

"Before you mentioned my LV and EXP levels. How exactly do you measure that?"

"what are you talkin' about?"

"Exactly what I said. How do you measure LV and EXP? Is it some monster exclusive ability?"

Sans shrugged.

"beats me."

"Then why were you appointed a judge? A judge usually determines what's right from wrong. That's how it works right? Is that the reason why you were chosen for the job?"

"don't know. i have been the judge for as long as i remember though i don't make it a habit of judging humans."

"You mean you haven't the slightest idea why you even possess the ability to measure the amount of LV and EXP? Then how do you know it wasn't made to judge humans?"

"anyone could possess LV and EXP. it's just unlikely anyone other than humans do."

"Sans, about before that power-"

"look kid, you don't need to explain. it wasn't my place."

"The power to reset, is that why you gave up?"

Sans was silent but his silence had been enough.

He looked away.

"you could say that."

The silence that remained afterwards was unbearable.

"Well thanks for talking to me. I enjoyed our chat. See ya."

Just what was this power and why did she have it?

She traveled back to the capital where the king was waiting determined to help the monsters escape a bleak future stuck in the underground.

Outside Asgore's throne room stood a familiar red box.

Something Alphys had said earlier crossed her mind.

'y'know the boxes scattered along the underground. the contents of them are always there no matter what time you put them there."

She placed her phone in the box before heading inside not wanting to lose it in case she had to reset again.

Much like before the king set fire to the vines near the exit.

The second time confronting the king she burned to death. The third time she appeared outside the room with the barrier only to die once more by Asgore's trident.

Many cycles of this moment of time continued.

There were times she was tempted to give up.

Frisk clutched her chest where she still felt the deep wounds inflicted by Asgore's trident.

"Are you alright?" Chara asked.

'I'm fine.'

She wasn't fine.

The pain had felt worse with each death.

Eventually she had managed to avoid his opening attacks slowly chipping away at his health.

It was the sixth time she had reset, chipping away at his health.

She had sustained deep gashes across her arms and had been stabbed in her right leg.

"Don't you have some monster food on you?" Chara asked.

'I managed to take out the butterscotch cinnamon pie and some sea tea if you're wondering.'

"Then use it. This is just pathetic."

She took a bite of the butterscotch cinnamon pie.

Asgore gasped, a pensive expression crossed his face before he frowned.

Still Frisk was feeling better than she had in the previous encounters.

She continued to chip at him with the frying pan until finally Frisk had managed to slash him across the chest bringing him to his knees.

Meanwhile right after Frisk had left, Sans got a call on his cellphone.

"hey alphys."

"so how's barby been doing?" she asked.

"fine, it's to be expected since grillby disappeared."

"tootie told me that the human was the one responsible for rescuing her."

"how did he-wait."

Alphys noticed he was silent.

"sans, are you still there?"

Sans recalled spotting a maid with a cat mask. On first glance he had thought it had been a female humanoid monster working there.

At the time he had found her quite pleasant to the eyes so he had flirted with her.

Is that why that human had been in Hotland.

Could that have been him and why did that thought make his heart beat so fast.

"sans?"

"i'm here."

"oh i was a little worried."

"it was nothing. just a stray thought."

Asgore clutched his chest.

"Ah so that's how it is. I remember the day after my son died. The entire underground was devoid of hope. The future had once again been taken from us by the humans. In a fit of anger, I declared war. I said I'd destroy any human who came here. I would use their souls to become godlike and free us from this terrible prison. Then I would destroy humanity and let monsters rule the surface in peace. Soon the people's hopes returned. My wife however became disgusted with my actions."

"So that's why she was living in the ruins," Chara said.

"She left this place never to be seen again. Truthfully I don't want power. I don't want to hurt anyone I just wanted everyone to have hope but I can't take this any longer. I just want to see my wife. I just want to see my child. Please young one, this war has gone on long enough. You have the power. Take my soul and leave this cursed place."

Frisk dropped the frying pan.

"I'm sorry. I can't do that."

"After everything I've done to hurt you. You would rather stay down here and suffer than live happily on the surface?" Asgore asked.

"If that's what it takes then yeah."

Asgore smiled, sadly.

"Human, I promise you as long as you remain here, my wife and I will take care of you as best we can. We can sit in the living room telling stories, eating butterscotch pie."

"You mean butterscotch cinnamon pie?" Frisk asked.

"Yeah, guess that's why I've always messed up the recipe," he said before letting out a chuckle. "We can be like a family."

Suddenly a group of pellet surrounded Asgore on all sides attacking him all at once.

"What the-" Chara stammered.

Instantly his body vanished to dust.

"NO!" Frisk cried out.

The only thing that remained was his soul.

She lunged in an attempt to grab it but another group of pellets attacked it, shattering it to pieces.

Flowey appeared from the ground.

"You idiot, you haven't learned a thing. In this world, it's KILL OR BE KILLED."

Suddenly all six human soul were sucked out of the vials straight into Flowey's body.

"Frisk!" A soft voice called to her.

Frisk groaned.

"Frisk! Wake up."

The next time she woke up was in a black void.

'Where am I?'

"'Bout time you woke up."

'Chara is that you?'

"Yeah."

'I heard a voice earlier.'

"The player is here too."

''What even is this place?'

"The void by the looks of it."

'But why are we here?'

Frisk got up and headed north but the darkness didn't cease.

"Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: HUMANS and MONSTERS. One day, they all disappeared without a trace."

A chill ran down her spine.

"There's a save point up ahead," said the soft voice from earlier.

Frisk turned and saw the player's shadowy figure behind her. She continued to walk.

"Stop!"

A file with data revealing Flowey's save state was revealed before the player's eyes.

Something made a crack in the center with a big pound. It continued the onslaught until the file was destroyed.

"Great, just great," the player said.

"What's the matter?" Frisk asked.

"Flowey just destroyed my save state," they said.

"What now?" Frisk asked.

"Now much I could do unless you could manage to get it back."

"What do you mean, 'get it back'?"

Before the player could respond, they were cut off by laughter.

"Hahaha."

Frisk looked up to see what looked like a wide white screen with a picture of a flower on it

"Howdy! It's me, FLOWEY."

He winked his right eye sticking his tongue out.

"FLOWEY the FLOWER! I owe you a huge thanks," he said looking to the right. "you really did a number of that old fool. Without you, I never could have gotten past him."

His face transformed to Asgore's pensive face.

"But now with YOUR help..."

Asgore's face morphed, his mouth wide and his pensive eyes hollow making him appear to be a skull.

"He's DEAD and I'VE got the human SOULS!"

A huge toothy smirk appeared on Flowey's face.

"Boy, I've been empty for so long," He said looking off to the right. "It feels great to have a soul inside me again."

He winked with his left eye, sticking his tongue out.

"Mmmm, I could feel them wriggling."

Frisk grimaced.

The inner corners of Flowey's brows were angled upward making him appear sad but the smile conveyed that it was nothing like sadness at all.

"Aww, you're feeling left out aren't you?" He said before winking his left eye once more. "Well that's just perfect. After all I only have six souls."

His face contorted once more revealing an fanged expression combined with hollow eyes lit by tiny eyelights much like Sans.

"I still need one more before I become a god and then with my newfound powers," He said with a toothy smirk before his face transformed to that of Toriel's. "Monsters."

His face transformed again, completely mirroring her own green eyes and stoic expression.

"Humans."

Flowey's face transformed into three circles arranged into that of a triangle circling around the middle of his face.

"Everyone."

His face turned black revealing red eyes and a smile.

"I'll show them the true meaning of this world," he said.

Flowey's face began to fade in and out of grain again before he reappeared with a large smile on his face.

"Oh and if you think resetting this timeline is going to help you. You can forget about it but don't worry. Your old friend, Flowey has worked out a replacement for you."

Frisk turned only to find the player had disappeared. She turned towards Flowey glaring at him with gritted teeth.

'Chara, are you still there?'

"Yeah but you're not really scared of this guy are ya?"

'Shuddap.'

Flowey's face transformed back into those hollow eyes that were only lit by two eyelights. His mouth revealed all his sharp pearly whites with a tongue peeking out.

He stared hungrily at her.

"I'll erase you out of existence so you can watch me tear you to bloody pieces."

His eye lights grew bigger.

"Over and over and over."

"That's disturbing."

'You shouldn't even be contemplating it. You're supposed to be helping me. I want to remain in one piece if you get my drift.'

Chara chuckled.

"Sorry, I got a little carried away at your expense."

Frisk ignored him stepping forward, her arms tense at her side.

She glared at Flowey.

"What? Do you really think you can stop ME?"

Flowey closed his eyes with a smug smile on his face before he stared at her with an expression that was a mockery of sadness.

"Heehee. You really ARE an idiot."

The screen faded out revealing images of the souls that Flowey had absorbed.

A large monster with thick thorny vines and two cactus claws floated close to her. The creature had a pink head with two had a mouth that looked like a pair of scissors with flat teeth. The mouth was connected by silver tubes which besides connecting to a screen in that was attached to the creature's head, also was attached to the ceiling.

It laughed eerily with a sort of screeching sound.

Nunchucks hurled from it's mouth quickly giving Frisk little time to dodge.

Several hit her.

There was a black and white picture of a child laughing on the screen.

Frisk saw several lasers aimed at her and side stepped them as vines shot out.

Frisk managed to get past them striking with the frying pan.

Eyes bulged out from the child on screen.

Suddenly she was in front of the vines again.

"Look out!" The player's voice cried out.

The vines hit her straight in the chest.

It must have been his power to reset.

Flamethrowers shot out fire from his mouth.

The fire singed the bottom of her hair.

Frisk managed to get close to him striking him with the frying pan.

Just then a cyan heart resonated on the screen flashing red with a yellow writing that read 'WARNING'.

Large knives began to rain down from above.

Frisk barely avoided them.

Still maybe if she pleaded for help, the presence of the fallen souls might be in there somewhere.

"Dorothy! It's me. If you're there please help."

Suddenly the knives turned to bandages.

Dorothy appeared in front of her

"Quickly, before he reawakens. Collect as many as you can."

Frisk tried to touch them certain they'd heal her.

Just as soon as she did they were gone.

Flowey's vines reached around and formed a hand shooting fingers with yellow flowers on them.

They were coming from everywhere around her.

Frisk jumped to avoid them.

Flies began to swarm from the left and a circular laser surrounded her which she narrowly escaped.

Once again she was set in the center of the flies with little time to react as she absorbed them causing damage to her soul.

She attacked again swinging the frying pan at Flowey.

The orange soul resonated and she was pulled in the center of a circle of gloved hands that expanded in and out from all around her.

"Terri!"

The girl appeared in front of her, worry present in her features.

"Frisk is that you?"

"Help."

Suddenly the gloves turned green.

Frisk grabbed them once more, feeling her soul heal.

Then once more, she was pulled into the battle with Flowey.

Pellets surrounded her and she swiftly moved to prevent them from hitting her.

Missiles rained from above showering her with explosions. On the missiles were pictures of Flowey.

Vines came from above floating around like a flying snake.

A large eye looked hungrily at her but she swiftly sidestepped the creature.

The blue soul resonated and suddenly above her was stars and ballet shoes raining from above her.

"Stephanie."

The shoes continued to rain from above her.

"Please help."

Stephanie appeared in front of her.

"Alright already. Sheesh, I heard you the first time."

The shoes lifted and the stars become green music notes. Frisk touched them before the battle continued.

Vines continued to come at her from all directions before Frisk managed to get another hit on Flowey.

The purple soul resonated on the screen before she found herself lodged between books as words began to come from the books.

Frisk attempted to dodge them before being hit by the word, 'hostility' and 'vengence'.

"Tony! Are you there?"

Tony appeared.

"Sorry about that. You ought to be more careful. You die here and your soul will be lost forever."

"I'll keep that in mind."

The words turned green being replaced with inscriptions like, 'kindness' and 'hope'.

Frisk reappeared in front of Flowey as flies came flying at her and more missiles began raining down on her.

The yellow soul resonated on the screen before she was transported in front of a gun which began shooting bullets in her direction.

She barely managed to dodge this barrage of attacks.

"Zack! A little help please."

Zack appeared.

"I see that meany flower is using us to attack you. I wish I wasn't so helpless."

"I appreciate any help you supply."

"Thanks. I never did get your name?"

"It's Frisk."

The gun began shooting green clovers at her. Frisk eagerly absorbed them before she was brought back to her battle with Flowey.

The green spiky tentacle vines began to twirled around brushing against Frisk maiming her with bloody wounds before she squeezed another attack on Flowey.

"You've almost got him," Chara said with a cheer.

Finally the green soul began to resonate on the screen before she was transported back to the void. She faintly heard the sound of fizzling like someone was cooking eggs. It appeared to be coming from above her.

She looked up to see the frying pan. Fire began to be tossed from the pan above her. Quickly Frisk sidestepped it howling in pain as she clutched her wounds.

"Sam!"

"Frisk!"

Sam appeared in front of her, sweat beading down his face.

"Frisk, are you alright?"

"No, I don't think I'll make it."

"Don't say that. You can't give up. Please."

Eggs began to rain down from the frying pan. Frisk attempted to absorb some before she was taken back to battle.

Still the onslaught of attacks didn't desist and it was inevitable when one of his vines stabbed her through the chest.

The last thing she saw was a red bloodied heart in front of her.

'This is all just a bad dream. This isn't real. When I open my eyes I'll be on the surface and none of this will have ever happened.'

She kept telling herself this to blind her from the pain.

"That's right," Flowey cut in. "This is all just a bad dream and you're NEVER waking up!"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Everything faded to black before she heard his voice again.

"Hee hee hee. Did you really think I was gonna be satisfied...killing you only ONE time?"