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.

—- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —-

11 - Choices (ALTERNATIVE ROUTE)

They didn't know why, but Kris knew what had to happen. They had to FIGHT MC and win. They'd have to grind and surpass him. Kris didn't know why they felt this way, they just did.

Despite not wanting to.

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 FIGHT

Kris pulled their sword out and swung. MC tripped backwards but was able to quickly get up, his health lowered a bit but he kept standing. Naturally, it was only the beginning.

MC only stared at Kris and he shook his head. Suddenly, pen shaped projectiles filled the room and circled around Kris, speeding towards them. They targeted them in a circle formation and were easily dodgeable, it was a typical pattern.

"You really want to fight, don't you?" MC groaned out, before a smile could be sensed from his blurry face. "Predictable."

Kris FIGHT

Kris was honestly thankful that they didn't have to say much now, it was just FIGHTing. They tried to shake the sinking feeling inside of them that this was wrong. It was alright, it was natural, their choices never mattered. They had fought people before, it was fine.

"Playing fair, I see." MC's tone was smug but almost fearful, almost.

In retaliation, a poem-esque projectile was sent flying at Kris, then another, then another. Let's be fair, it was easy as hell. They were able to dodge them all with little to no struggle.

"You're just another cliche Role Playing Game protagonist, are you not? They all just fight the villains."

Protagonist. The word stung inside of Kris's brain. They knew what role they had been forced into here but they were confused by MC's wording.

"Damn it, just get out of my game!" MC raised his voice in a way that could have alerted other people of his existence, which is something that Kris personally didn't want. This was between these two.

Kris FIGHT

MC didn't say anything as Kris attacked them again. He simply stood there and took the damage. Kris took a step back and signalled for MC to do something.

"I just want to help my world, them being here and you being here don't help!"

And with that, Kris felt something. MC's Health Points lowering.

All of a sudden, more projectiles were sent Kris's way. This time it was gibberish looking words in illegible handwriting, Kris couldn't attempt reading them anyway as they were busy dodging….and they got hit a few times.

MC started to seemingly monologue, which fit for him. "Because of you being here, I'm going to lose my best friend twice. Someone I grew up with…"

That was not true, Kris knew that they'd end up protecting Sayori.

Kris FIGHT

Yes, a few of the poem words hit Kris. So what? They needed to continue, they needed to proceed.

"Never… Never… Never… Never…" MC loudly muttered as he weakly titled his head to the floor. He had to grab onto his bed frame just to stay put. After what seemed like a minute and a half, he looked back up at Kris, only seeming to remember they were there just then.

MC sent out a few decently fast and larger than usual book projectiles. Thankfully MC seemed to have been weakened so his aim wasn't the best, which allowed Kris to get past with minimal damage.

Kris FIGHT

Ignoring all hesitance, Kris readied themself and attacked again, swinging their sword as hard as possible.

"Sayo… Sayori…" MC croaked out as he started to visibly shake. Feeling a sense of control for a moment, Kris walked up to MC, leaned in and they whispered in his ear.

"She'll be safe with me." As much as they actually wanted to, they weren't trying to comfort him. MC turned his head towards Kris and started shaking it before shoving them off of him.

"What are you doing? I'm supposed to be the one to protect this world. I am the protagonist!" MC stood back and sent more pen projectiles, but there were even more than the first time and they were faster which led Kris to get hit by a few.

Kris ITEMs Soft Drink

Kris dug through their pocket and found a can of some sort of soft drink. Despite not knowing why it was there, they drank it anyway and felt their Health Points be restored.

MC sent out more poem projectiles, ones that Kris actively avoided.

When it became Kris's turn again, they realised how many Tension Points they had, it was more than enough.

Kris ACT Antagonist

Kris prepared their sword and dragged it back. Everything around them blurred, everything but MC, the game's old protagonist. They were prepared to do everything in their power.

Kris didn't know why they were doing this, or what they were even doing but… they had to. They were telling them to.

And they did it, they threw their sword at MC and shut their eyes. After what sounded like a scream of pain, Kris opened their eyes. MC on the floor, of course he wasn't bleeding, it seemed darkners didn't do that.

Kris examined him and the damage they had done. MC's skin was a pale white that almost seemed to represent a blank sheet of paper and his hair felt as if one small touch would rip it off piece by piece. Kris touched MC's arm, which was almost being covered by his ripped sleeves.

Cold.

Just earlier, MC didn't look like this, he looked like a normal teenager, apart from the whole "face being a literal blur" thing. Kris had done this.

However, Kris felt MC get… warmer. His body started twitching and… He stood up to his knees and then his feet. The battle ended.

"I can't stay much longer." MC's voice was practically a whisper at that point as he walked over to the little desk in the room, his frail body barely able to stand up. "You better protect them, now go to your friends."

Despite the fact that the battle felt as if it had gone on forever, it had only been a few minutes in actuality. Despite that, loud, frantic and heavy knocking made itself known.

"Kris if you don't open this damn door right now I am breaking through. I could sense a battle in there!" The voice overpowered the knocking, it was deep, it was aggressive and it belonged to Susie.

Without saying anything to MC, who had sat down at the desk and started shakily writing something down, Kris cleared their throat and opened the door.

To no one's surprise, Susie was right next to the door with Berdly and Noelle extremely close, all sharing a similar look of worry which barely changed once they saw Kris. 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? Why was a battle sensed?!"

"T-The… club meeting." Despite not having talked in possibly over an hour, Kris was seriously struggling to form any sort of coherent sentence. "..Yea." They didn't want to acknowledge what happened with MC in any way, shape or form.

"Yet an actual battle started?! Who's ass do I need to beat?" Susie was less asking and more just roaring out words, staring right through Kris with her large eyes that could make anyone fear her, which was handy at that point.

"No one." They kept their hands to the side in response. Please don't hurt MC, they had hurt him enough.

Sensing some more tension and negative moods, Noelle decided to speak up and explain what she knew happened today. "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 that it was a part of it, considering the timing." Berdly pondered. "Was that the reason for the battle?"

"No." Kris stated bluntly.

"But what was it?" He asked for clarification.

"Rather not say."

"Anyway, Yuri and Natsuki." Noelle continued, trying to drag the conversation from something that seemed like it shouldn't be discussed at this point. "I think I ended the fight early, it was right when Natsuki commented on Yuri's…. Assets."

"Well, this game clearly never follows its script, it's understandable why our additional presences would be affecting it as much as it is." Berdly started pacing around slightly while trying to think of anything else. "This could work in our favour for derailing the story's canon events" Nobody bothered asking what 'canon' meant since they could use context and it wasn't important.

"I'll be right back." Kris pointed at the bedroom door and walked inside. To their surprise, MC was no longer there but a note sat on the desk.

The game is barely handling me existing anymore.

Don't tell your friends about our fight.

But could you write a poem hinting at me? That'd help both of us.

Go save my friends, Kris.

I'll come back if things go wrong.

MC.

Kris looked down at the note and crumpled it right then and there. Hopefully they could actually protect everyone and go down the right path.

They also hoped that they could apologise to MC. Looking back, Kris wasn't exactly wrong to attack, MC could have talked to them.

Shaking their head, Kris walked outside to where the other three were and started to slightly smile internally. This world was going to be fine, they weren't alone.

"Nevermind."