ALRIGHT, LET ME EXPLAIN HOW THIS WORKS GANG.

Sometimes they'll be two chapters with the same number, one with ("NORMAL ROUTE") and one with ("ALTERNATIVE ROUTE"), they are basically the regular and weird/darker routes of this fic.

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11 - Choices (NORMAL ROUTE)

Despite discomfort, Kris decided that if they just tried talking to MC then they could make it out alive. They'd have to understand what he was on about, of course.

As the battle initiated, Kris knew what to do. It all felt natural, it was natural. Sight, Hearing, Taste, Touch, Smell. It all focused and channelled itself to the fight and to MC.

Kris ACT Appear Unthreatening

Kris put their sword and shield –which wasn't exactly on them, it just randomly appeared when in battle– down on the ground and made sure that MC could see them doing that. They pointed at the weapons and tried to let out a small smile. Something normal, something natural.

MC only stared at them, and shook his head. Suddenly, pen shaped projectiles filled the room and aimed right at Kris. The pens went in a circle and were easily dodgeable.

An almost cackle came from MC before a few more projectiles were sent at a much higher speed, fortunately also dodged.

"I may be generic, but I'm not predictable." He rolled his shoulders back. "Let's continue."

There was hesitance from Kris, but they had to continue. To not hurt anyone, to fix this game, to not die.

Kris ACT Get An Explanation

Just like they had realised multiple other times today, Kris needed to actually speak and communicate things to get anywhere.

"I'm controlled by something but I'm not fictional." Honestly it had hurt to speak at this moment, especially words like these. Kris just kept a low and monotone voice. "I'm not exactly impor-"

Kris was cut off by MC all of a sudden, ouch. "That is something almost every protagonist from role playing games says. I know what you are."

I know what you are. This was getting ridiculous. Kris would have almost laughed at this if they weren't actively trying to convince MC not to kill them. That sucks.

Suddenly, a poem-esque projectile came flying Kris's way, and another, and another. To be honest, it was one of the easier attacks that they had experienced. However, they came close to almost getting hit multiple times.

On purpose. They needed Tension Points.

"Damn it. Just get out of my game!" MC's voice was raised more than earlier, his fists shut and pure anger filled the small bedroom.

Kris ACT Apologise

"I'm sorry that I ended up here. I just want to help." Kris affirmed as best as they could. Surprisingly, MC just…stood there for a moment before speaking.

"I also want to help, but them being here doesn't."

Despite this, Kris could feel something. MC's MERCY metre rising.

All of a sudden, more projectiles. This time they were some random words that Kris absolutely could not make out not just because of the messy writing but because they just didn't have enough time to. Sadly, a few hit them.

"Because of you being here, I'm going to lose my best friend twice. Someone I grew up with…" MC monologued, seeming to ignore Kris.

Kris ITEMs Soft Drink

Kris searched through their seemingly infinite pockets and there were some random soft drink cans. Odd. They drank it and felt their Health Points be restored.

"Never, never, never, never." MC's muttering was loud. He was just standing there, head down. He looked that way for what seemed to be about a minute and a half until he looked back up again and remembered Kris was there.

MC sent out projectiles that looked like books, there were only a few but they were decently fast. Thankfully, MC wasn't the best at aiming so Kris could successfully dodge them all, gaining quite a bit of Tension Points from the books' large size.

Kris ACT Help Him Out

Ignoring all hesitance, Kris walked over to MC and gently grabbed his wrist. They tried to hide how awkward they felt here, yes they had comforted people before but never strangers.

"Is this about Sayori..?" They asked, trying to be as gentle as possible

"E-Everyone but…mostly…he-her.." MC croaked out in response. Kris could feel him shaking down and sniffles could be heard, he was starting to stumble over both his words and his feet.

"She'll be safe with me." Kris attempted to reassure him, MC nodded and a small smile could be seen for a brief moment in the blur of his face. MC's MERCY metre went up even higher to just under three quarters of the way.

It all seemed alright in that moment, until MC shoved Kris off of them.

"What am I doing? I'm supposed to be the one to protect this world. I am the protagonist!" MC stood back and sent a variation of his pen projectile attack, except there were more pens and they were slightly faster. Kris was able to dodge most of them.

Kris DEFEND

Kris was able to put their shield up from the ground and block themself with it, raising their Tension Points and making it so that whatever attack MC were to use wouldn't hurt as much.

MC sent out more poem projectiles, this time Kris didn't try to graze the bullets on purpose and they avoided every single one of them.

Now it was Kris's turn and they realised that they had more than enough Tension Points to do what was needed.

Kris ACT Promise (Seventy-Five TP)

Kris put down their shield once again and walked over to MC, who took a step back and waited to see what they'd do.

"Hey, listen.." Kris reached their hand out over to MC. "I promise you that your friends will be safe. I know this game's plot, my friends and I will protect them."

Yes, it was still weird to talk so much like this but it was working.

"...Do you promise?"

"Yes."

MC's name became YELLOW.

And MC didn't attack that round.

Kris ACT SPARE

The battle ended. Although it felt like forever, the two were only really in battle for a few minutes. Despite that, the panicked and heavy knocking on the door was made known.

"Kris if you don't open this damn door right now I am breaking it." The voice was loud, it was deep, it had a punch and most importantly, it belonged to Susie. Kris suddenly remembered how before this, they were literally having a breakdown and had locked the door.

"MC, you can stay with us. Just uh, don't do anything..bad." Kris whispered over to the schoolboy, who sat down on the bed. They then cleared their throat and unlocked the door.

To no one's surprise, Susie was right next to the door with Berdly and Noelle extremely close, all sharing the same look of concern that flashed into a look of relief at seeing them. Much like the last time the human had gone missing here, they were bombarded with questions from the three, all consisting of some variant of "Where were you? Why'd you lock yourself in there? Are you alright?"

"Apologies uh…. the club meeting… yea." It was taking a bit for them to form coherent sentences. "And… I had a …battle."

"Who's ass do I need to beat?" Susie roared out while her eyes widened to reveal a face that would make people fear her, even if she didn't want to.

"...No one!" Kris put their hands up in the air next to them. Please, do NOT kill MC!

Noelle decided to take it upon herself to explain what was happening since Kris clearly didn't want to. "Well, Yuri and Natsuki had gotten into a debate when sharing poems and…it went in directions that I'd rather not explain."

"Had a feeling it was that, considering the timing." Berdly pondered. "Was there any difference between this and the base game?"

"Yes." Kris stated bluntly.

"Which were?" He asked for clarification.

"Noelle was…" Kris trailed off and they looked over at Noelle, who caught on and continued despite the awkwardness.

"I was brought up but I think it was mostly the normal stuff, I think." She added an awkward giggle and scratched right behind one of her antlers. "I then ended up interrupting it once Natsuki said something about Yuri's….. Assets."

"Fascinating. It seems our additional presences in the game are affecting much more than a scripted game would." Berdly started pacing around the hallway, trying to come up with some sort of answer. "Well, I can see why, naturally it would. Especially considering some of the canon events, which we can use to our advantage to derail."

"What does canon mean?" Kris raised an eyebrow, allowing themself to actually have emotions now that they were with friends.

"Events and details in a story that are true to a piece of media's source material." He clarified and Kris nodded.

"Uh, one other thing…" Kris pointed at the door. "I'll be right back." And they walked back to the bedroom, where MC wasn't there anymore. But there was a note.

The game is barely handling me existing.

Don't tell your friends about me.

But, if you want to, you could write a poem hinting at me?

Maybe so that someone can see it and feel familiar?

Thanks, Kris.

Go save my (or our, depends on what happens) friends.

I'll come back if things go wrong.

MC.

"Nevermind." Kris called out as they hid the note, walked back into the hallway and closed the door.

Hopefully MC would be alright. And hopefully Kris could keep their promise.