The Ones He Couldn't Save
It had taken a few weeks, but Frisk is finally healed. He stretches, smiling. Sans tilts his head, "I assume you're feeling better?"
Frisk nods, "Much better, thanks."
Sans sighs, leaning against the wall, "That's great. What are you smiling for that for?"
"I may not be able to break the barrier, but I can do something to atone for what I did." Frisk replies.
"And that's saving the flower?" Sans asks.
"Saving Asriel, yes." Frisk states, standing.
"How do you plan to do that?" Sans asks.
"Same way I did before. And like before, I'll need help." he says, "Well, I've got a very angry Undyne to run away from, so I better get going."
"Hey, kid." Sans calls as Frisk leaves the room.
Frisk turns back to him, "Yeah?"
Sans smirks, "Stay determined, okay? I don't want to have to come save you again."
Frisk nods, "Got it." and heads out of Snowdin. As he reaches Waterfall, he sits down and closes his eyes, "Chara..?"
"Well, this is new." the dark voice echoes behind him, "Why are you calling on me?"
He turns around and Chara's ghostly apparition stands behind him, arms crossed. She doesn't look amused. He smiles lightly at her, "I need your help."
This takes her by surprise and she growls, "Why the hell would I help you with anything? I already got your soul, and your damn determination keeps me here.."
She frowns, "Why are you asking for my help? You hate me."
She smiles slowly, "Unless you've decided to give up this pointless journey and regain your love?"
"I'm not ever doing that again." he replies, frowning.
She smirks, "You still don't get it? Tell me, Frisk, why did you decide to slaughter everyone you love? What made you want to gain our kind of love?"
She leans over him, grinning, "Or did you just get bored of being such a pacifist?"
He looks down, "That's not.."
"Don't try to lie to me, partner. I've been with you since the moment you first fell. I want the truth, Frisk. Why did you decide to murder them all? You can't keep blaming me, the only monsters I killed for you were Sans and King Asgore. And do you know why?" Chara laughs, "Because you taught me to! Oh, it was lovely, hearing you tell Sans 'It wasn't me, it was Chara, I swear! I wanted to stop!' Ha!"
She circles him slowly, laughing, "Watching you cry when you realized how far down you dug your grave, wow.. You opened your determination to me and that allowed me to take over when you fell soft. I just did what you taught me to do. Sure, I'm full of hate, but that doesn't mean I'm to blame for your genocide."
She stops behind him and grips his shoulders, whispering into his ear, "When do you plan to tell your dear Sans about that, huh? Do you think he'll really forgive you when he finds out you did it uninfluenced?"
He shakes, lowering his head and she releases him, walking around until she's standing in front of him. She crouches down, grinning in his face, "You want my help? Tell him."
He frowns, "You're blackmailing me?"
She rolls her eyes, "Duh."
He looks her in the eyes, "I want to save Asriel."
For a moment, something flashes through her eyes. She instantly narrows her eyes, glaring, "He can't be saved. He's not Asriel anymore."
"He is still Asriel," Frisk insists, "And I need your help to save him."
"If you're referring to before the last Reset, that won't save him. He'll still return to being Flowey." She stands and turns away from him, "I know. I was there when it happened."
"There must be a way. He doesn't deserve to stay like that." Frisk replies.
Chara looks back at him, her eyes glow a deadly red, "Even if I could help you, why should I?"
"Because he's your best friend." Frisk states.
She closes her eyes, "That was a long time ago."
"He's still your friend," Frisk stands and steps forth so he's standing beside her, "Isn't that why you keep showing me those memories about him trying to protect you and what happened before the last Reset?"
Her eyes snap open and she snarls, throwing him to the ground, "Stay out of my memories! I only showed you what happened before I made that plan to get through the barrier!"
He coughs, groaning as pain shoots through his stomach, "Ch-Chara.."
She stares at him, eyes narrow. Her apparition shivers and seems to disappear for a moment before returning to its original form. Frisk sits up slowly, covering his injured stomach, "You didn't.. Show me those..?"
She growls, "Stay out of my head."
"Why?" He slowly stands, "You invade my mind all the time, taunting me. What makes this so different?"
"That's.." she frowns, "Shut up!"
Her form shivers again and Frisk steps closer to her, "You still care about him. Don't you?"
She glares at him, infuriated. He smiles slowly, "I knew it."
"You don't know anything!" she tries to hit him and she falls right through him. His eyes widen and he turns around, looking down at the shivering apparition. Chara stares at the ground, looking confused. Frisk leans down and offers his hand, "Chara..?"
Chara turns around and scoots back before standing up. She glares at him again and he stares at her as her legs start to disappear, "You're starting to disappear..?"
She looks down, then looks away, shaking, "S-so?! I'll just return to my body like before! I've been around for hundreds of years before you fell, you're just the first to rouse my spirit this much. It's not like it matters!"
"I think.. You're afraid to be captive to that place again.." he replies.
She frowns, "I'm not afraid of anything!"
"Maybe.. I can save you both.." Frisk states.
Chara rolls her eyes, "You can't save what doesn't exist, idiot."