"This might sound a bit strange, but I'd like to pay my kidnappers a second visit."
Chara stopped eating their chocolate banana pancake in mid bite and stared at Frisk. They were having lunch together at the Tasty Boat again.
"What the he-"
"Just hear me out," Frisk said. "I've formulated a plan."
Chara couldn't look any more confused. "Ummm, shoot."
"They were saying that Killer had told them the date that the world would 'end'," Frisk began. "I'm not sure if they mean what I think they mean. But they did say that, on the day that the world ends, it will be consumed by a giant shadow, and everyone will perish. Could this be the day that Killer is planning to attack again?"
While Frisk was talking, the River Person had walked by to stand beside their table.
"My apologies," they said when they had arrived. "But I heard you talking about the cult that had tried to kill you."
"I was," Frisk replied to them. "And...I'm thinking that we might be able to get some important information out of them."
"I overheard," the River Person said. "It is possible that Killer does have such a date in mind. Strange that they would tell the goons that they've hired about it, though."
"Maybe they think that they can definitely win," Frisk suggested.
"Frisk. It's too risky," Chara said after they had swallowed their food. "Why would you want to go meet the people that tried to torture you? They might just attack you again!"
"I don't want to see them again," Frisk replied. Their expression turned grim. "But they could have important information to tell us. If we know the date that Killer is going to attack, then we can warn Alphys and the others ahead of time. We can come up with a backup plan to try and stop them."
"It's still too dangerous!" Chara protested. "Plus, isn't it enough that we can reset together? If Killer attacks, we'll just reset out of it, and then use what we've learned to deal with them the second time."
"We could," Frisk said. "But, does it mean we should?"
"Huh?"
"Killer is aware of our resets. Not only that, but I don't think that they would attack again unless they're sure that they're going to win. If we wait for them to act first, it might already be too late. I don't know what they're going to do next – and I don't know how they'll be able to counter against our resets – but, when they do, we should be as prepared as we can be."
Chara leaned back in their seat, sighing.
"I guess...I suppose you're right," Chara said at last. "But I can't believe you're brave enough to want to confront your kidnappers again after they tried to torture you!"
Frisk lowered their eyes. "Chara. I don't want to meet them again. Ever. I'm just doing what I think is best for us, and...everyone else. The survival of our world, no matter what, takes top priority."
"You're too selfless."
"I'm just trying to be helpful."
The River Person suddenly nodded their head.
"Frisk. You are too selfless," they began saying. "I believe I am obligated to help you, however, were you to put yourself in a situation of danger."
"Oh! I was just going to ask you if you wanted to come along," Frisk said, smiling shyly. "But, I guess if you want to come, then that's settled already...?"
"Of course I shall come," the River Person replied. "It is my task and duty to protect the two of you. I would not let either of you wander into danger."
"So...what can you do, exactly?" Chara asked.
"I am...well." There was a sound from the River Person like a quiet laugh. "I can use a certain type of magic that humans do not fare well against. Frisk has already seen the results of this magic, and I can assure you, it would also be helpful in the case of information extortion..."
"Can you show me?"
The River Person stopped 'laughing'.
"No, I cannot," they replied. "It is...not appropriate."
"Why not?"
"Chara," Frisk said. "It's shadow magic. You've seen something like it when Killer unveiled their giant shadow soul. Basically, it's dangerous."
"Oh. I see."
"Well then," the River Person said, "shall we get going? Their base of operations is that building at the end of the alley beside the train station. If it is too much for you, Frisk, I will go and get the information from those cultists myself..."
"No, it's fine," Frisk said. "I can handle them."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
They got up, walked out of the cafe, and began heading together to the alley. From where they were now, it was a twenty minute walk. Frisk felt their heart began to beat fast. They decided to try and strike up a conversation.
"Ummm...River Person?" they began. "I've always wondered...what's behind your hood?"
Chara laughed a little. "I was thinking that, too!"
"What is behind my hood?" the River Person turned their head to face them directly. "Well, it is exactly what you see when you stare into it."
Frisk and Chara both looked. They saw complete and utter darkness.
"Nothing," Chara replied. "I don't see anything."
"That is partially correct," the River Person said. "It may be strange to hear this, but I do not actually have a body. I am but a soul."
Frisk gave them a questioning look. "What?!"
"If you don't mind, I can tell you how I became this way..."
Both Frisk and Chara nodded.
"I was once a different person," the River Person began. "I was a monster living in the underground – the kingdom's Royal Scientist, to be exact."
"Like Alphys?" Frisk asked.
They nodded. "Yes. Alphys replaced me, actually. What happened was that I built the engine that powered the entirety of the underground – a powerful reservoir of magic that you know as the Core. Except, one day, while I was standing on a dangerous ledge performing work to maintain the Core, I fell into it."
"Now, my body could not handle all the magic that was in the Core, and it shattered, splitting my consciousness across space and time. However, an interesting thing also happened afterward. You see, I was a monster – one of the very few – who could use shadow magic. There are many types of magic in this world: fire magic, bone magic, weapon magic, machine magic, and countless others. Each of these types of magic is amplified by a particular trait. Fire magic, for example, is at its most powerful when its user is filled with devotion."
"But Shadow magic is the only type of magic whose powers is amplified by determination. Furthermore, when it manifests, it has the ability to corrupt. It can take control of other types of magic and turn them into shadow magic as well. So, when I fell into the Core, my essence leaked into the massive reservoir of magic that existed there, corrupting it. As a result, for just a tiny moment, though my consciousness had been shattered, I was able to use shadow magic – which had taken over the entire Core – to maintain myself, and give myself a new body."
The River Person made a strange sound. "Well, it was not a perfect body. In fact, I was not even successful in creating one. Instead, I ended up creating two. Then, with my determination – amplified by all the shadow magic around me – I was able to piece together what remained of my shattered soul, and I lifted myself out of the core. That soul...is exactly what you see when you look at me."
Frisk was astounded by everything that the River Person had told them. They were speechless for a moment.
"As for the other two bodies...well, I won't reveal to you their identities. But I believe you have met them before."
"Is this...is this why Killer was able to become so powerful?" Frisk asked. "Because they fell into the Core, which had been corrupted by shadow magic?"
"Yes," the River Person responded in a sad voice. "Had my essence not leaked in the Core, the magic there would have remained pure. Killer would not have been able to use the massive amounts of determination within themselves to wield all that shadow magic to craft a new form for their soul."
Chara turned away. "I see. So everything started from you falling into the Core."
"Chara!" Frisk said, admonishing them. "It isn't their fault! The one who's responsible for everything is still Killer!"
The River Person shook their head.
"Many things would not have happened if I had not fallen into the Core," they said. "That moment also caused a great number of split in timelines. I cannot imagine what the Underground, or what the world would have looked like had it not occurred."
Chara looked up at them. "I guess so."
"And yes, I do feel guilty about it," the River Person continued. "That is why I have bound myself to the task of protecting the two of you. It is a form of penance."
"You don't have to treat it as penance," Frisk said. "And, ummm...thank you."
"It is fine for me. I am just a wandering soul with no body. There is not much else for me to do."
"Well, you did start a great cafe," Chara said, smiling.
"Ah-ha. I suppose I did that, too."
When they arrived in front of the alley, Frisk began to walk cautiously towards the door, their hand on the worn dagger that they kept hidden inside their pocket. Chara had already taken out their knife.
"How are we going to do this?" Chara asked.
"I guess we just go in and threaten them?"
Chara giggled. "Frisk. I didn't know you could be so hostile."
"We have the River Person here," Frisk replied. "They're sure to give the cultists some bad memories."
Chara arrived at the door. In a swift motion, they kicked the door open.
Frisk and Chara rushed in.
The first thing that struck Frisk was the completely awful smell that pervaded the entire room. It was worse than anything that they had ever smelled before in their entire life. When they saw what was in the room, they instantly understood why.
It was now less of a cult hideout...and more of a complete loser's home.
There was a mountain of empty beer bottles by the entrance of the room. Packages of mouldy takeout food and boxes of rotting, half finished pizza littered the floor. A man was sitting at the back of the room, still dressed in the cult's signature black robes. However, he looked like he was dazed out of his mind. He was surrounded by pieces of broken glass and puddles of drool and vomit and other things that Frisk would rather not have seen.
All in all, this room was utterly disgusting.
"What the hell?!" Chara shouted as they stomped towards the man.
"Oh...heh heh heh heh heh," the man started laughing. "It's you, again. The deceiver. The enemy of the great shadow! How foolish of you to come stumbling back in here...to the place of your demise..."
Frisk walked up beside Chara. They couldn't help but feel revulsion towards this man. "Look at you. What did you to yourself?"
"Heh heh heh heh heh. The other...they were all unbelievers. Traitors to the great shadow. After...after they were attacked by the shadow magic, they all gave up and left. But not me! No, I am loyal to the great shadow to the very end! Hah hah hah hah hah...when the great shadow comes, I will be their only follower. Every one else shall die. I am the only one who will be saved!"
Chara shook their head. They pointed the knife at the man's head.
"Tell us," Chara said in an interrogative voice, "when exactly is this 'great shadow' going to arrive?"
"Pah! Why should I tell you? The two of you are the deceivers...the enemy of my almighty saviour!"
The River Person showed up beside them.
"Oh, it's you, too!" The man laughed. "Go on. Use your shadow magic! Torture me! When the great shadow comes...you will all die! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Looks like this won't be as easy as I thought," Frisk whispered to Chara.
A strangely sadistic smile came over Chara's face.
"I'll get the information out of him. Just watch me," Chara replied.
"What are you going to do?"
"Trust me," Chara said. "I learned this from a manga."
"Uh..."
Chara knelt down in front of the man. "You want to have power, don't you? You want to be able to kill us..."
"...You...what?"
To Frisk's shock, Chara picked up a piece of broken glass and placed it into the palm of the man's hand.
"Here you go," Chara said. "Take this glass shard, if you can."
The man stared suspiciously at it.
"That wasn't a suggestion," Chara said, their tone turning deadly. "I told you to take the shard. You're going to take it."
Chara put their other hand around the man's. Then, they closed the man's hand forcefully around the shard while he was still holding it in his palm, digging it into his flesh.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Blood oozed out.
"Chara!" Frisk yelled.
"He tortured you, Frisk," Chara said, turning around. "I won't show him any mercy."
They closed the man's hand, tighter.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"How do you like it?" Chara asked, grinning. "This feeling of pain. Was this what you were planning to inflict on a child?"
"Chara, stop!"
Chara closed the man's hand, again, pressing the shard deeply into his flesh.
"I'LL TELL YOU, I'LL TELL YOU!" the man screamed. "IT'S ON THE THIRTEENTH!"
"And where are they going to arrive?"
"HAHAHAHA...THEY'RE GOING TO ATTACK THE LABORATORY IN THE DOWNTOWN!"
Frisk froze.
"NOT LIKE ANY OF THIS MATTERS!" the man continued yelling. "YOU CAN'T STOP THEM. WHEN THEY ARRIVE, YOU'RE ALL GOING TO BE DEAD! HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Chara let go of the man's hand.
"All right," they said, turning back to face Frisk. "We have what we need. Let's get out of this disgusting hole."
"That was extreme," Frisk whispered back.
"I am going to call the police," the River Person said. "They will take care of this man, and hopefully clean this place up."
Suddenly, the man lurched forward and vomited. The vomit fell upon Chara's shirt.
The expression on Chara's face became outright murderous.
"YOU..." Chara stood up and kicked the man in the face, smashing his head against the wall. Blood poured out of his nose. They raised their knife.
"Stop!" Frisk said. They took a step forward...
...and slipped on another pile of vomit, falling on top of it.
"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Frisk screamed, making the greatest cringe that they had ever made in their entire life.
Chara and Frisk stared at each other. Their clothes were both covered in vomit.
As soon as they were back home, Chara made a dash for the washroom. Frisk sprinted after them and managed to squeeze themselves into the washroom just before Chara closed the door.
"Let me shower first!" Chara yelled at Frisk. "This is so, so, SO disgusting."
"Your showers take forever!" Frisk shouted back. "I'm not going to spend another minute covered in vomit!"
"Me neither!"
"Just let me. Please?" Frisk asked.
Chara looked like they were going to explode from discomfort, but they finally relented. "Okay."
When Frisk finished, they went out and barely managed to avoid being bowled down by Chara. They grabbed some of Chara's clean clothing and put it ready for Chara to wear when they finished showering.
"Thanks, Frisk," Chara said from behind the curtain.
"You're welcome!"
Before Chara came out, Frisk saw that Asriel's face had reappeared upon the flower.
"I'll assume that I don't need to hear all about what happened?" Asriel asked.
Frisk shrugged. "Not really."
"Did you get revenge on those people that kidnapped you?."
"I guess, but I hope they get the help they needed."
Frisk sat down on a chair and grabbed their phone. There was still something important that they had to do.
"Who're you calling?" Asriel asked.
"I got some information out of the people that tried to kidnap me," Frisk answered. "It's related to Killer."
"Oh?"
"I need to call Alphys. In three days, Killer is going to attack her laboratory, and we have to be prepared."
Asriel looked worried. "Just three days?"
"Yeah. We don't have much time to prepare."
Frisk dialed Alphys' number and waited for her to pick up.
There was a strangely heavy feeling in their heart. They weren't sure why, but they were beginning to feel quite anxious.
Three days.
Just three days, and they might all have to fight Killer again.
They still had the upper hand in this world. They could reset with Chara. Killer wouldn't attack unless they some plan or trick up their sleeve. And, whatever that plan was, they had to be ready to counter it.
In the worst scenario, Killer's plan would render them unable to reset.
If that was the case, then – in three days – they would truly be fighting their final battle.