Dad opens the door without looking back at me. He moves inside, "Hey Pap, I'm home. I brought Hope with me..."

Not moving, Dad looks back at the doorway, worried, "Hope, what's going on? Come on, get in here, kiddo." A teal light pulls me inside the living room.

The armored figure that attacked me before is sitting on the couch. She watched me with a glare, gripping a spear.

The other, a skeleton like Dad but taller, gets in-between us. He had on this white outfit with orange lines on it and orange boots and a scarf. He smiles to me, "Sorry about her. She's just not happy about the situation. Welcome to the house, Hope. Alphys said Sans adopted a kid but… I didn't believe it."

I smile nervously at the taller skeleton, "It's nice to meet you…" Part of me is still shy since I was attacked by Undyne before. That kind of made me have a trust problem with new monsters. I remember Mom talking about a monster killing other children… I'm worried, but I'll talk to Dad about it later.

Dad chuckles, stepping in for me, "Pap… This is the reason I wasn't home all the time. Sorry I didn't tell you earlier. Hope this is Papyrus, my younger brother. You know Undyne already."

A sudden white and fluffy ball of fur dive bombs me out of nowhere. I lay on the carpet face-first trying to register what just happened. Rolling over, I hear Dad laughing at Greater Dog who barks excitedly from on top of my chest. I just sit up and hug him, "Greater Dog! I'm glad you're okay."

He barks excitedly, allowing me to hold him when I get up. I smile to Dad, "He's the one who took me to the lab for help."

Dad nods and pets him, "Thanks, G-dog. I'll buy you a hotdog later. I could let you stay here if Hope and Pap are okay with it."

Papyrus speaks up first, "Of course. As long as he doesn't eat my special attacks again."

Greater Dog flattens his ears and shifts his gaze aside guiltily. I just smile, "Promise. He'll be with me. We're friends, right?"

Greater Dog barks. I turn around and shiver as I do so. Moving to stand in front of Undyne, I offer a shaky hand, "I am scared… You did attack me, but I wanna try again. I'm Hope. It's nice to meet you, Undyne."

She looks at me stunned and just cracks a small grin to laugh, "Hah! Still scared and you tell me you want to be friends… Well Sans wouldn't let me kill you if I wanted to. So I guess this will have to do. Besides, your Papyrus' family. Can't go after my best friend's family."

Papyrus moves past me to stand beside Undyne, "Let's make a great dinner together! The recipe you were going to show me, remember?"

"You're on!" she races into the kitchen with Papyrus on her trail.

Smiling to Dad, I catch him with this off look. It's like he isn't here, but rather somewhere else. I tap his arm with a small smile, "Dad…"

He jumps a bit, seeming to calm down, "Sorry Hope. I just… saw snow for a second. It was like an old memory." Kneeling down beside me, he puts a hand on my shoulder, "No more dumb stunts like that okay? I can't let anyone know what happened and you can't tell anyone. He's dangerous. Promise me, Hope?"

"Alright, Dad. Promise," I hug him tight with a smile, "I'm just glad you're back to being you again. You scared me."

Softly sighing in the hug, he just hugs me tighter, "Promise, kiddo. Now…" He puts me at arm's length, "You should stay here with your buddy. Watch tv or play music. It's fine." I follow his pointing to the couch where my guitar and bag sit. Nodding, he goes into the kitchen with this flat expression. There it is again. That off look. No, he's not somewhere else, but what's the word I'm thinking of?

I believe the word you're looking for is emotionless or cold or callous.

Jumping a bit, I look around till Greater Dog catches my gaze. He moves to my side with bark. Turning my gaze around the room is futile since it only gets me an empty living room with some arguing from the kitchen. I quietly open the door and quiet down Greater Dog. He pads after me into the snow as I shut the door quietly, too. I move to the tree line to the left of the house and move behind the trees with Greater Dog trailing me. Looking around to find no one, I sigh with relief. Speaking out loud to myself, "Who are you? How did you do that?"

I guess my voice is different. More… level than you last heard me. I know you have every reason to distrust me, but-

"Every reason? How about all the reasons? You make Dad different than he usually is…. Wait! How did you get out?" I ask pointedly until I hit an epiphany.

A sigh precedes my Grandfather's words, I tricked you. I did take that determination from another timeline, but the white soul was mine. I needed a ride back into the timeline. Hope, tell me something… Have you ever seen Sans get a look like that before?

Thinking back, I nod a bit remembering when I was a kid. He was shocked to see me as a kid, but it wasn't the shock that made me want to invite him in back then. My voice quiets down a bit, "Dad… Back when I first met him, he gave me this expression. Something like today, a small flat look. It was like he lost interest or something. I didn't get that till I was older though."

Tell me something else-

I speak over him, "Wait… My turn. Why did he really lock you up? What happened back then?"

He… wasn't okay. I noticed after both my sons started to show less and less emotion. It was like I was seeing two new children in front of me. I learned later through testing that they were responsible for the first five human souls they collected. I tried to approach them about it by having them come to the core to "drop off lunch" for me. Sans somehow knew my plan to put them in containment so I could analyze their souls. He had Papyrus trap me while he took advantage. He dumped me in the void along with the bodies of those children. They hid their crimes and did something to all the monsters down here. A memory wipe of my existence from them all and raising Undyne to be the great hero that got those five souls. Thus clearing them. I can't say their plans, Hope, but it isn't good.

Stomping a foot in the snow, I pick up Greater Dog quickly. Speaking only to Greater Dog, I know I'm shaking, "I need to do something buddy. Can you defend me if this goes wrong?"

He barks with a wag of his tail and gets comfortable in my arms. Speaking now to my Grandfather, I ask him, "If what you say is true, why are you normal now?"

You… Sans has your soul but you have determination. Your soul is far stronger now. Even so far as to restore me… Tell me why you're asking that dog to defend you.

"Simple. If the story is true, I'll ask. Besides, I need to know why he was shaking in the void if this is true. This isn't just for you, but for me too," I say with fear tinging my voice, "I'm figuring this out. You involved me so I'm helping."

Hope, I-

"Nope! Let's go, Greater Dog," I say out loud, moving to the house. I feel ready to take on anything. I don't know what determination is, but I'm glad for it. Opening the door, I see Dad, Papyrus and Undyne texting.

Dad turns around and sighs relief, "Hope, you can't run off like that. I was worried about you."

"Yes, Hope. Sans is right. You can't just leave without saying something. It's not safe until everyone understands why you're here," Papyrus follows up.

Hope, please don't ask this. Not here. You're not safe. I can tell you how to get somewhere safe. Just lie and leave.

Shaking my head, I hold onto Greater Dog. I look up to Dad, praying the story is a lie, "Did you lie? Did you really lock him up to protect everyone? Or was it something else? Did he find something out about you?"

Dad steps forward, making me step back an inch. He stops and sighs with a sad look on his face, "Hope, what are you talking about? I told you everything. He's not safe."

"Sans, who's she talking about? Who'd you lock up?" Undyne asks concerned, but she also seems alert.

Papyrus looks each of us and shakes his head, "My brother…. Lock someone up? He's too lazy for that."

Standing my ground now, I look at Undyne, "Do you remember getting the five souls? Do you remember giving them to Asgore personally? Think, Undyne. If you do, then yeah Dad's right."

Undyne looks at me a second and then the ground, "Yeah… I found them at the… the… Wait. I can't remember. How do you know about the souls?"

Hope say nothing more. If he knows, we'll be sent to the void. I can't guarantee my demeanor will be the same. I don't know if you'll survive staying in the void either. Leave. Find the exit and we can leave. You have the means.

Dad steps in, "Hope, where is this coming from? Of course, Undyne killed the first five souls. Asgore made her Captain of the Royal Guard for that."

Papyrus looks to Sans, "Sans… I think she's unwell. We should get her to Alphys."

Dad takes a step towards me, making me back up to the door. A wall of blue comes from the ground, making Dad and Papyrus stop. Greater Dog growls at Dad seriously on edge as his furs raises against my arms.

"Answer me, Dad. Did you lie? Did he really do something bad or did you do something to him?" I ask carefully, Undyne watching me and then Dad.

"Sans, tell me she's lying. Did you lock up a monster?" Undyne moves beside me with a half step in front of me as if guarding me.

Dad's worried expression dies down into something more… Something darker as his voice comes out almost cold, "Yes. He's gone. Gaster was bad news for the underground. It was him or us. Whether it was my Dad or not, it didn't matter. Now let down these guards, fleabag."

"He tried to ask you why you both were being so different. He was going to test you. How did he end up in the void? How did you know about it before it happened?" I ask accusingly, just trying to figure out if my Dad or my Grandfather is the true liar.

The laugh that comes from his throat is bitter and scary yet still caring, "Hah! Hahahahaha… It's you isn't it, old man? Guess I didn't get rid of you. You leeched onto Hope instead. You'll go back to the void yet once I rip her from you. You won't keep her."

Run, Hope. Now! Go through Waterfall. I will guide you.

I take off with a sudden fear that I'm not safe in that room. I slide to a stop and look back to see Undyne quickly move out of the house. She lets a barrage of her blue spears strike the large home. Calling out to her, "Undyne! Let's go."

"Sorry, kid. Get going. I'm your way out. I'm the hero. I'll stop this. Now go before you see me kick your Dad's butt," she says grinning, "I'll find you. Promise."

My feet never had more adrenaline in them until now. I don't even take time to think about when this adrenaline ends. I burst into the waterfall area like he said.

I'm going to give you a guide. Don't be alarmed.

A hand appears, skeletal and glowing red. It moves ahead, keeping my pace. The only thing I can do is follow it through the Waterfall Area past confused monsters. Greater Dog is whimpering from my arms. I only wish I could understand him.

Waterfalls becomes Hotlands with no real time to appreciate details. Hotlands into a palace that makes me pause to see a throne room with a chair and yellow flowers around it. Greater Dog barks, jumping from my arms to stand on edge in front of the chair.

I turn to see my Dad covered in blood with a cold look to him. He isn't in his usual blue sweatshirt and shorts now. He's wearing a long white trench coat with a black inside. The black pants and sneakers paired with it make me pause. Dad's skull has a crack on the left side with glowing teal eyes. He looks like a piece of the void. He held the same gun from before that I saw in the void, "You know… Dad you ruined a good thing. I was finally happy with Hope and Toriel. I could finally be me and once she met everyone out here… We could have all stopped. Her power to stop people extended to the whole underground. She's why humans stopped falling, and she's why I could feel again…"

"Dad, where…. Where is Undyne? What happened to her?" I ask him, afraid for Undyne. The exhaustion of running here is starting to take its toll.

Dad sighs, "She's… Kiddo, you would have been great friends with her if she didn't let you get this far. Same to you, fleabag. I think it's time to stop helping her." His teal eyes glow as does the gun. He aims it at Greater Dog.

Greater Dog summons two spears that change from white to blue and back repeatedly. The spears launch at Dad with speed, Greater Dog dodging a few bullets shot at him. The spears never hit home since Dad teleports aside. He teleports behind Greater Dog and aims, "Sorry, Dog."

One shot is all it took. Greater Dog fell. Ignoring the hand pulling me along, I got mad and upset all at once.

Hope, go. This isn't a good place to stay.

Shaking my head, "I'm not leaving now. He's not dust yet." I feel my anger building into something more concrete. Something heavier in my hand. I give it a glance to see a large glowing red sword, taller than me. Ignoring the thoughts that spark up, I swing at a surprised Dad.

Dad teleports a second too late, suddenly appearing ten feet back with a blade cut across his chest with a crack in his soul now. Not taking a second to think over what I just did, I pick up Greater Dog, "You told me that something was wrong. I listened. The world went from somewhat chaotic turmoil to this. I won't see the only friend I have left die. Now back off." I throw it at him and take off after the hand willingly now.

A small explosion sounds behind me that I have to ignore for now. I just speak up scared, "Why did his clothes change? He looks like the void. What happened to my Dad?"

His true nature. He donned those the day he sent me to that dark abyss. The truth is that he's using massive amounts of magic thanks to the same red soul you have. That being said, I know the stock should have been gone by now unless he did something. I told you my son was more than what you thought. What you just did was reckless. You're using abilities that you don't understand yet.

"I saved my friend. Greater Dog saved my life. I won't lose him too," I keep running, with worried glances at Greater Dog who lays in my arms with the shot in his side. He's bleeding but I can't help him.

The hand pulls me up to these souls like mine except brightly colored; cyan, yellow, orange, blue and purple. I think something through and speak up, "Like Dad, if he absorbs them, can that heal him? Quick."

Yes, but the result is unknowable. You don't know what he'll become or what happens to him if you do this. Hope, stop and think. We need to run. The surface can help him.

"No! I need to help him. He's bleeding now," I ignore his words and set him down and opened the tops of the containers. Stepping back, the colored hearts moved on their own to surround him. His wound is healing until a light blinds me.

Opening my eyes after the slight energy threw me back, I see the room spinning slightly. A wet nose touches my arm as a bear sized dog sits beside me. He still had the same soft white fur and kind eyes yet I saw he was leaner with five tails all hued a different color. Hugging him frantically, I smile, "You're alright."

He picks me up by my jacket collar and rushes down the hallway speedily. Shots glance past us, none too close. Sliding to a stop at the edge of a cliff, the rising sun nearly blinds me a second time. I just let him put me down and turn around. No Dad.

Hope, his soul might be distorted by the red liquid. Much too far to come out possibly. Only a monster and human soul can. Or souls… That said, we should keep moving. I could be wrong.

The hand moves to pull me around.

I nod and notice a glint in the tunnel. I push the hand aside as a bullet passes through my chest. Coughing up blood, I sink into Greater Dog's side. Greater Dog catches me, lifting me onto his back with a growl.

Dad walks out of the tunnel with a smoking gun in his hand. He has a tear down his cheek with a small cold look to him still, "Hope, I'm begging. Don't make me force you to come back. We were so happy that morning. You got your guitar and that look of joy… I don't want to do this but you're making this hard."

Hope, the damage isn't bad… But the bleeding may be. We need to get you help. Tell the dog to run.

Speaking up through small hitched breaths, I just pat Greater Dog, "Buddy… I can't." I lean to get off his back and fall instead. The fall hurts worse than anything else. Getting up, I stumble forward, "Dad… I wanna believe you. But I'm scared of you. You became something else. If you're right, then tell me Undyne isn't dead? Tell me the monsters that opposed you aren't going to be changed." I stumble forward again, this time coughing up a small puddle of blood.

Greater Dog whines from near me.

Dad holds his hand out, "Hope, stop! You'll kill yourself at this rate. Just stay right there and I'll get you help. I controlled them to keep what I wanted, true. But I won't lose you. You're the only thing I've been happy about in a long time whether Pap gets that or not." His eyes lose their glow, "Don't move. You'll make it worse."

"Sorry, Granfather. I can't run from family anymore. Couldn't run if I wanted to," I try to chuckle only to cough painfully in response, continuing after, "Dad… I miss those days too…" The world spins again, this time I hit the ground in my own puddle of blood.

Hope! Why didn't you listen? Hope, get up. No...

Dad rushes over and holds me in lap, "Hey, it's okay. I'm right here. Watch. I can make it stop until we can get you help." His eyes glow teal and the pain stops. Dad just holds me to him, tears staining my jacket, "I can't… There just isn't enough magic left."

I try to speak, only to end up coughing. Instead, I just feel my Dad hug me tighter and slowly the cracks in my soul expand. I feel the red soul giving out until the last crack destroys the soul. Going limp, the feeling in my body goes cold.

Time slows around us until my blurred vision clears out to understand why. I see Greater Dog glowing, giving Dad more magic. The wound actually starts to seal and something else. I feel like a part of myself is taken. A figure stands beside Greater Dog now, a blue trench coat, white, black pants and a blue hood over his skull. My soul starts reforming and I feel complete again. Once the soul is whole again, I hug Dad, "Dad!"

He hugs me back with a small sigh of relief. Greater Dog lays down around us with his head nudging my back, whimpering. Dad releases me and pets him, "Thanks, fle- G-dog. You helped me save her."

I pet his head too. Turning back to Dad, I see Dad glare at the hooded figure. Dad sets me with Greater Dog, I notice he holds that same gun again.

The figure speaks up, "She's safe. Thank goodness… Sans, no need for that."

Dad shakes his head, "Yes there is. Determination is a poison to humans. You knew that. That's why you took it. She's going to get sick just like Chara and go mad or die."

"Not if you-" Grandfather starts until a shot goes off. His skull explodes and shards fall into dust along with his body.

Shaking slightly, I see Dad turn back to me with the levitated gun behind where Grandfather was return to his hand, "Hope, we gotta get you into the lab. With that soul, you'll die. Maybe with more determination I can rewind the damage further…" He nods and pulls out a red vial from his pocket, "G-dog, you're in charge. Keep her safe and in the Underground. Don't let her out of your sight. I may not come back as me, but you can help me with that."

Dad kneels in front of me and hugs me tight, "Hope, I need to get more souls' powers to help you. I can't get them from here. I won't mess up our world. But I can access other worlds through the void. I'll get the power I need. Just remember if I don't come back the same, I'm still me. Love you, kiddo."

Greater Dog stops me from going after him. I can only watch as Dad steps back and drinks the liquid. His teal eyes tinge red and that cold look returns. He vanishes in a cloud of black that surrounds him. Staring, I can only watch him go. Yelling out, I just talk to the wind, "Dad!... Greater Dog, don't stop me… He'll be different again. I just… I just want my Dad…" I fall into his side and hug him. The only words I have left are, "I don't want you to leave…"

Some point within my crying, Greater Dog lifts me onto his back with his tails. He walks us back into the underground to find Undyne at the doorway. Greater Dog barks something and Undyne nods solemnly. She takes me to her house for now and gives me her room to sleep in. Greater Dog barely fits but he sleeps in the room with me. I use his tails as a blanket and him as a pillow. I can only sleep after the rush of the day finally rolls off my conscience. Drifting slowly to sleep, I just hold onto Greater Dog's fur lightly. Dad said he'll back, I thought, I know it… But will he be the same?