This story is not meant to make light of anyone who may be suffering from suicidal thoughts. Suicide and Suicide attempts are a serious matter that some lowly fanfiction writer is not equipped to advise you on through some story they are writing. If you or someone you know are suffering in this way, get help from someone who cares about the affected individual and call National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 800-273-TALK (8255).

Long Ago, two races, Humans and Monsters, ruled over Earth. One day, war broke out between them. After a long battle, the Humans were victorious and sealed the Monsters underground with a magic spell…

Mt. Ebott: 2112, Early Morning…

A lone teen slowly made his way along the path that wound up the mountain. The sky above was covered by thick, dark clouds. According to legend, those who climbed this mountain never returned, but it wasn't confirmed. That likely explained why the place was never cordoned off.

Still, it was speculated that seven prior children, with the first dating as far back as 100 hundred years ago, had vanished by heading up this mountain. The superstition behind that was enough for people to steer clear. The teen was the exception this day because he wanted to vanish.

He had finally run out of patience. The hope that one day he'd be rescued had been extinguished. He'd been robbed of anything and everything that brought him joy. He only now retained one such object by stealing it back before leaving.

The only person he'd ever counted on never returned like she promised. While he tried to hold out, life bore down to the point he couldn't take it. One way or another, he'd finally be free. Whether it was the way those kids vanished or not didn't matter.

This teen had short brown hair and gray, lifeless eyes. He wore a pair of blue jeans, brown boots, and a purple shirt underneath a blue long-sleeved jacket. At his side there was the only possession he had to his name, a red wood bokken he'd used in kendo.

Kendo was the one thing he was made to do that he didn't mind. After all, it helped him feel close to his true passion even if the art form wasn't much like it. He'd always enjoyed video games and anime. Even though they'd been stripped away, he managed to do them in secret.

Such passions were mere escapism from what life was, and they simply held no sway anymore. As he finally made it to the peak, the teen briefly noticed he could see the city as the various lights within were currently on due to the weather.

This was quickly shoved from his mind as he was drawn to a nearby cave. He approached it, stepping over a vine, before coming to stand at the gaping maw of a dark hole that seemed to go on forever. In this moment, the teen had a sense of weightlessness.

"It's a long way down…"

He turned to face the world and stared for a brief time before letting himself fall back. There was no second guessing his choice. The teen closed his eyes awaiting the moment it would all end.

"I doubt even my older sister will mourn me." He thought. "Frisk can just fade from this world as no one will miss me."

Underground

"Hey Moron!"

Frisk heard some other guy prompting his eyes to flutter open. The first thing he saw was the hole well above. While not in excruciating pain, he did register soreness which seemed to imply he wasn't dead.

"Moron!"

There was the voice again, but before Frisk could look for it, someone came into view. It was another guy who looked roughly his age; however, he was floating and transparent. This guy had short brown hair and vividly red eyes.

His attire was a pair of brown pants and a green sweater with a yellow stripe halfway up it. The transparent male suddenly froze as he stared down at Frisk. The fallen teen could tell this guy wasn't used to being genuinely noticed.

Unlike him, all Frisk cared about was that he was seemingly still alive. Upon turning his gaze, he spotted golden flowers which seemed to indicate he'd landed on a bed of them. The fallen teen then turned his gaze back to the hole above.

"Did you come from the afterlife to tell me I failed?" Frisk asked.

Upon hearing those words, the guy couldn't help but stare into his eyes. What he saw shook him. Frisk's lifeless eyes put his words into context, and the transparent teen didn't like what the fallen teen had attempted. It was exactly what he'd attempted one hundred years prior.

"I'm not from the afterlife." The guy finally managed.

"That means it's possible to be stuck here, or what you are is what happens when we die." Frisk muttered.

All the fallen teen knew for a fact was that he was still alive. This meant he was either hallucinating or really talking to the dead. Regardless of the truth, he didn't care.

Frisk closed her eyes. "Regardless of which way it falls, it's preferable."

The guy had a good idea what the fallen teen's response would be but had to ask anyways. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting to expire." Frisk responded. "The fall I took didn't end me, but a lack of water should get the job done."

"Get up and move through the only door you can." The guy suddenly commanded.

"Why should I?" Frisk sighed as he opened her eyes. "I don't want to continue. I'm done."

"I'm not asking; I'm telling." The male gritted his teeth. "Get up and move through the door; otherwise, I won't let you have a moment's peace."

Frisk stared at the transparent male only to notice a fierce determination in his gaze. This guy would not back down and was determined to make good on his words. Ultimately, the fallen teen sighed and stood. He just didn't have the will to fight back.

"Moving will help things along anyways." Frisk muttered.

It wasn't much of a victory, but it seemed like something the guy could hopefully build off. From here, he would save the fallen teen just as someone once saved him long ago. The two teens moved through an ancient entrance with pillars and an arch around it.

Upon entering the room, Frisk noticed a golden flower with a face in a grass patch. The transparent male reacted with a mixture of guilt and sadness. Of course, only the fallen teen could have seen this, but he was currently focused on the flower.

"Howdy!" The flower greeted. "I'm Flowey. Flowey the flower. Hm, you're new to the Underground, aren't you? Golly, you must be so confused. Someone ought to tell you how things work around here. I guess little old me will have to do. Ready? Here we go."

Suddenly, Frisk noted a glow coming from where his heart should be. When he looked down, the fallen teen could see it; however, it didn't look like any heart he was aware of. The heart of a Human was one of seven colors.

While he never knew his own color, the fact that he had red eyes, last time he checked at least, meant his heart had to be red. That was the rarest core trait which was associated with determination. Currently, his heart was gray which, as he understood, had no core trait to it.

"See that heart?" Flowey spoke up drawing the teen's attention. "That is your soul. The very culmination of your being. Your soul starts off weak but can grow strong if you gain a lot of LV. What does LV stand for? Why, it stands for LOVE of course.

You want some LOVE, don't you? Don't worry because I'll share some with you!" He winked causing white pellets to appear around him. "Down here, LOVE is shared through…little white 'friendliness pellets'."

With the way Flowey was looking, there seemed to be more to this than he was letting on.

"They aren't what he says they are." At this point, the transparent male spoke up. "Whatever happens, don't let him touch you with those. All he's trying to do is kill you."

Frisk cast him a side eye but said nothing in response.

"Move around and collect as many as you can." Flowey continued.

He then sent his pellets at the fallen teen who made no move to avoid them. As a result, he was utterly battered by the pellets and brought to his knees.

"Moron, why would you let this happen!?" The guy asked frantically.

"It'll help me die faster…" He could hear the fallen teen's voice in his mind.

That isn't what made him go wide eyed. It was the fact that he suddenly realized his prior attempt to imbue even a little life into the fallen teen had failed. Unlike the Monster who once was able to help him, he hadn't done the same here.

"You idiot." Flowey revealed his true colors as his face became menacing. "In this world, it's kill or be killed. Why would anyone pass up an opportunity like this?" Suddenly, the teen was surrounded by white pellets. "Die!"

Frisk closed his eyes ready to accept his fate.

"NO!" The transparent male didn't want to accept it, but as he attempted to move the teen, he simply passed right on through like with every prior Human. "Don't just roll over like this! Someone help!"

Fortunately, even if no one else could hear him, he was answered. A ring of fire appeared protectively around Frisk before pushing out and destroying every pellet. The fallen teen opened his eyes while Flowey was stunned. Then, a fire ball smashed into him sending the flower away.

In his place, a large, bipedal goat Monster appeared. She had a concerned and kindhearted expression. Her attire consisted of white and purple robe with a symbol of her people on the front. Upon staring at this Human, the Monster's eyes softened.

"Mom…" The transparent male declared happily relieved.

Just as he had recognized the pain Frisk held, the female Monster recognized it all too well. After all, she'd once taken in someone with that same pain.

"What a terrible creature torturing such an innocent youth who's already been through so much." The Monster got on one knee and applied a gentle hand to Frisk's forehead. "Do not be afraid, my child." She used healing magic to restore him fully. "I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins.

I pass through this place every day to see if anyone has fallen. You are the first Human to fall in a long time. Now, join me in the second room when you are ready, young one. I shall guide you through the catacombs."

Toriel walked through another entrance across the room leaving the young teen there in disbelief. That only lasted a moment as the transparent male immediately moved to just before him and fell to his knees.

"Don't do that ever again." The guy declared attempting to sound stern but only coming across vulnerable. "I failed where I thought I had succeeded which almost resulted in you losing your life." He looked at Frisk devastated. "I want you to live."

In this moment, looking at this guy, the fallen teen realized the truth. Frisk didn't know this other guy's past, but he now understood that it set him on the same path he just traveled. Like him, this guy had aimed to die.

While he was dead now, Frisk knew it couldn't have been from succeeding. Whatever the reason for this guy being dead, all that mattered now was that he truly understood where no one else would. That was comforting to the point the fallen teen let out a deep breath.

Frisk stood up. "Guess this isn't where my story ends like I thought."

Upon seeing a little of the will to live enter what had been lifeless eyes, the transparent guy was relieved. He should have said what he did prior to forcing him onward. He now stood and knew there was at least something they could do to move further down the path of life.

"What you did was pretty moronic, so I'll likely refer to you as such; however, what's you actual name?" The transparent male asked.

"Frisk." Frisk responded simply, purposefully excluding his last name. "What's yours?"

"Chara Dreemurr." Chara saw no reason not to reveal his last name, but a measure of guilt did pass over his face upon saying it. "Now, you're not going to be to do anything in the prior room, so you should probably follow mom."

With his mind taken off what he was attempting to do, Frisk didn't particularly think fondly of the word 'mom' or the fact that Toriel had called him 'my child'. He wasn't really going to blow up over it, he didn't really feel anything, but the thought of those words certainly lingered.

Despite what his brain was mulling over, there was a different aspect to this. "She's your mom?"

Frisk didn't imagine he was mentally fine, despite the fact he wasn't going to try and kill himself again, but he was at least cognizant of what was going on more than before. That did bring on questions. He at least knew history, the Human's side of it, concerning the war of the past.

Clearly there were already holes in it if a Human could consider a Monster their mother. By all accounts, it is something that shouldn't have happened according to what history had to say. Considering Frisk didn't have anything better to do, he figured questions were something.

"This isn't exactly a safe place to go into detail, but I can tell you I've been in your shoes before." Chara stated. "That's likely obvious now, but I wanted to off myself just as you tried to. Toriel was one of three Monsters that saved me just as I want to save you now.

Despite what Flowey tried, you can absolutely trust Toriel. Considering you can't go back the way you came, even if you could climb up the hole the barrier would prevent it, you should go with her. If you want to leave, you'd be better served moving on to."

At this point, Frisk didn't know what he wanted. All he knew was that he had just recently wanted it to end. Come to think of it, that probably wasn't healthy. At the very least, it should mean there was something fundamentally wrong with him, right?

If there wasn't, was this his core trait? He seemed to remember something from a lesson at school. It was about how powerful a soul of determination could be, but his didn't seem to be one. Ultimately, Frisk knew he wouldn't really achieve anything standing around.

If he couldn't trust the one person who hadn't wanted him to die, then who could he trust? So, the fallen teen moved on with Chara following. Unbeknownst to anyone who'd been there, someone was watching.

It was a tall, skeleton Monster with holes in the palms of hands, which weren't really connected to his body. He had two straight line cracks; one ran down to his left eye while the second ran up to his right eye. His body was rather goopy, he was transparent, and he was restricted to the wall.

"That new Human shares a similar pain Prince Chara once caried." The skeleton couldn't help but remember a different timeline. "I am sorry my sons, but I believe these two could use another looking out for them, even if they do not know I am here just as neither of you do."

This skeleton knew this was one of many time lines, but even with his existence as it was, he only had memories of one other timeline prior to this one. It was a most peculiar factor and one he would be mulling over as he tagged along with this pair.

Surface: California, Morning…

Within Ebott City, as it now poured, a male figure stood atop a skyscraper. Despite the rain, he was motionless as his eyes never once wavered from Mt. Ebott. He had an athletic build and wore military style apparel that was light blue and purple.

He also had steel-tipped boots and metal plates on the back of his gloves. His weapons were a pair of katanas sheathed along his back. He also wore a featureless, metal mask that had one way lens and mouth hole capable of hiding his features.

"I wonder if you will succeed where I failed." The figure pondered. "Out of the countless that came after, this is the only time I haven't been trapped within the genocidal loop. Perhaps it is a sign you are peaceful.

If you succeed, what will have made you different from me? I suppose it wouldn't matter." The figure laughed darkly. "I'll simply wait and see if you succeed. If you do, as a gift, I'll give you time to enjoy it. Then, I'll come rip away both your precious lives."

World Defense Association(WDA)

A young woman with short purple hair, matching eyes, and a more muscular build worked diligently at her desk, within her office, on the final touches to her case. She wore a black suit with white accents and a gold wedding band on her ring finger.

"Our parent's influence ran deeper than I ever could have imagined, Frisk." The woman sighed as she diligently worked to complete this. "They've controlled every aspect of Ebott City from behind the scenes with the main branch of the WDA being the only exception.

To make up for that loss, they've extended their reach and dipped their fingers into various other places across the world. Come tomorrow, everything they built crashes in around them. Their allies will fall, I'm bringing them in, and you will be coming with me this time."

She finished her report and immediately sent it to every applicable account, getting the process started. All she could hope for now was that Frisk managed to hold on. Even with how determined her brother was, five years alone with their parents was a lot to bear.

"I already know you can't be the little brother I remember after spending all this time under them, but I will do everything I can, to whoever you've become, to give you the best life I can." She cupped her hands and closed her eyes. "Just hold on one more day."

A tall, bespectacled young man with a slender build entered the office. He had long blue hair in a pony tail with matching eyes and fair skin. He was currently wearing a black, double-breasted trench coat with matching pants and white accents. He had a matching wedding band on.

"I saw…" The man immediately dropped whatever he was going to say, since it was clear she was in worse shape than he originally thought over this, and immediately moved to her side. "Faye, I know how hard this has been, but I promise it all ends tomorrow."

"I really want to believe, Cole." Faye opened her eyes. "I want my parents to be taken in, and I want to see my brother tomorrow; however, something in my gut is telling me it won't be that simple."

"If it's not, I'll keep working with you to ensure every last bit of your case is resolved." Cole gently grabbed her hands. "After everything your parents have done, to you, your brother, and the countless innocents, they will face the consequences they've avoided all this time.

As for your brother, beyond suffering through what no kid should have, he's my family now as well. Given how far I'm willing to go for any average citizen, you should know full well I'll follow you to the ends of the earth for Frisk."

Cole naturally has never met Frisk, but it didn't mean he was no less serious than Faye in resolving this case. Even before they got married or were even a couple, Cole was one of the most diligent people in helping Faye with this.

That's not to say a case this big hasn't involved everyone within the WDA, at this point Faye's parents were the number one criminal in the world, but Cole stood out. As far as Faye was concerned, his integrity was unmatched by anyone else whose soul was blue.

"Thank you, Cole." Faye stated genuinely.

"Thank me once we have your brother." Cole now had her stand up. "Now, the case will be enacted on tomorrow, so it's important you take care of yourself now."

"Cole…" Faye began.

"I know, but you're at risk of being forced out of participating if your needs aren't met." Cole began gently pulling her along. "You need to eat, shower, and get some rest. Unless you're operating at your best, Commander Carmine won't approve of your participation."

"You're right, as usual." Faye admitted as she now willingly followed him. "Still, I can't help but feel in my gut that something has happened to Frisk. Please, be alright little bro."

Faye just wished she could have at least seen her brother before now; however, it was much too risky. For all the power the WDA had, the power her parents possessed, secretly, rivaled them. With her parents' technological prowess, the WDA had to play this carefully from the beginning.

?

DARK DARKER YET DARKER

THE DARKNESS KEEPS GROWING

THE SHADOWS CUTTING DEEPER

Timelines are fickle with one change or multiple spiraling a story into vastly different routes. Sometimes, even the core of the universe itself can seem to have a hand in creating all these timelines. At least, that's what Gaster had to think at this point.

Sanity, insanity, sanity, and insanity. He's gone between the two so often as he observed the various timelines. At this point, he had no concept of which currently defined him. All he knew from his place within The Void was that he no longer merely saw one version of the timeline.

Oh no, that would be simple. He saw other variations of this timeline where all manner of things were different and infinitely darker. Without seeing any light, he was beginning to wonder just what the point to it all was.

Then, briefly before the point where he was now, he caught a fleeting glimpse of light. A version of this universe where things were normal, and Frisk was a pacifist. He never got to see the end, but what he saw was enough to make Gaster covet that universe.

It was to the point that he would do anything to lay claim to it; however, he didn't believe he was strong enough given the various timelines where Monsters stronger than he resided. For all he knew, this light he coveted had just as much or stronger beings within it.

Before he could ponder long on that, it happened. He was shown what seemed to be a timeline he had not seen anywhere prior. It reeked of the darkness that plagued all but the timeline he now coveted, but something was quite special about this one.

He realized he could briefly leave the void, come away from the wall and become corporal, but it would not last. This was a rather simple problem to solve as all he needed was a stronger soul. Given the central person to almost every timeline he saw, they might just be here too.

Dust

Gaster found who he was looking for in Judgement Hall. By the looks of it, an insane version of his son was facing off with a Frisk already possessed by Chara. Upon closer inspection, this Sans wore his hood up, was covered in Monster dust, and had the red of determination in his eyes.

Even if Gaster wasn't already beyond caring about the fate of his son in these darker timelines, he doubted he'd be all that surprised. After all, he's seen many horrible fates befall both his boys by this point. All he cared about now was ending them both to get everything he needed.

"Well, here we are again." Sans closed his eyes. "Good to be back, isn't it? Yes." He opened his eyes and looked off to the side. "This time's different. Now, I'm just as determined as you are."

Gaster kept to his transparent state as he moved his body into place along the floor. As he closed in, the Monster of the void could sense that somehow this Sans was one of the stronger ones while this version of Frisk was weaker than prior ones had been. This truly served him well.

"That means once you give up, I'll become the most determined in this universe." Sans continued. "I'll take your soul for a change. I'll reset. You'll never come back to this world again."

Gaster was in place right between the two of them. He was lining it up to get just what he wanted in one fell swoop. Given what he's seen Frisk do in the past, no matter what his son said now, he had to be fast. He had to take their souls and absorb them before losing this chance.

"We're going to have a…" Sans almost finished.

In that moment, Gaster struck. He came up from the ground, becoming fully corporal, before his sludge snatched their souls. With their focus on one another, and the surprise of his appearance, he managed it and immediately brought them in.

Just as Frisk's soul began to glow signifying a load, it was too late. Their soul, along with this version of his son's soul, which was the white outline of a Monster soul around the red of determination, joined with his rather mutilated soul.

Given the nature of his current existence, the events that transpired within this timeline, or some other thing he couldn't foresee, Gaster wasn't becoming what he should be. The product wouldn't be a Monster absorbing the soul of a Human.

What happened was Gaster's soul becoming truly whole, restored to a full Monster Soul. The determination then became a triangle within that soul. Then, Gaster's form was reforged not into what it had been prior to his fall, but close enough.

He was once again a full skeleton; however, his eyes were now permanently red. Before they had been white when he was casual. When he got serious, the right would become blue while the left became yellow. His attire was the same pants, smart sweater, and lab coat he once wore.

Now, the whole set was varying shades of complementary red. Beyond mere aesthetics, he felt more powerful than he ever has before. As for the Frisk and Sans of this timeline, they were laid out. The Human was already dead, but Sans was hanging on. Though he was quickly dusting.

"Dad…" Sans stated.

He didn't know what to say beyond that. His mind couldn't process this as it was, but he doubted if even he at his best mentally could have either. Was this retribution for all that he did in this reset? He thought…He'd heard from Papyrus that he was right in doing this.

"My Sensational Sans." Gaster crouched before his eldest son. "You had a hand in preparing this timeline for me." He put a hand on his son's head before pushing down with enough force to end him now. "Thanks to you, I can begin to plan for what I want."

Gaster stood and waved a hand bringing about the screen with the options 'Reset' & 'Load'. As he understood it, this typically led to Frisk regaining control; however, his very soul was telling him Frisk, Chara, and Sans were no longer part of the equation for this specific timeline.

Even without any of them, there were Monsters he could test the strength of a True Boss Monster on. Once they helped him become accustomed to his new power, he'd plan the best course to claim the light. With no hesitation, Gaster pressed Reset.

Now, this story is obviously going to need OCs, and that is something I am very adept at doing myself. I thought something nice would be to see if any of you wanted to submit some OCs for this story, whether they be Monster or Human. As this chapter should show, I have the intention of going beyond the events of the Underground. If you need any more information on this version of Undertale, you are welcome to pm me. If you wish to submit OCs for consideration, I will prefer pm over review, but reviewing is acceptable. Just please, if you do review one in, don't just make the review strictly about the OC you'd like to add.