Please don't miss the author's note at the bottom. :)

Thanks go to Monkey D. Chimera, BadDRUMMERboy15, Gray Kanzakai, Wingah, Infinity Soul, 10burgers, Jack54311, NBoss01, and Alrarora.

Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or Error Sans.

Error's skeletal fists trembled, clenched tightly at his sides as he watched us continue our approach. Slowly, methodically. We were in Cter's body, but we weren't Cter. Eyes that were once emerald were now ruby. Ruby and cold. Calculating. Unfeeling.

We could tell he was fumbling to find words. That his brain was racing to understand. But he couldn't understand. He couldn't make sense of what he was looking at. Errors clouded his eyes, and he furiously shook his head in attempt to make them disappear.

But they wouldn't disappear, because Error couldn't understand. This didn't make sense. We didn't make sense. He'd never seen anything like us, that much was obvious from the way he was trembling.

We were other worldly.

An anomaly.

A-

"Glitch!" Error shouted angrily, sweat beading down his skull and fists shaking at his sides while he took a bold step forward. "You shouldn't exist! You-!"

A gust of wind.

Error's words caught in his throat, eyes staring down at us as we now crouched down in front on him, left fist cocked back to our side.

Error's body folded around our fist, which came at him in the blink of an eye. His pupils disappeared and blood spewed from between his teeth, an explosion of wind firing out from his back from the force, just before he was sent launching like a bolt of lightning across the void and out of our sight.

"..." Slowly, we stood back to our full height. Our expression was entirely deadpan, and we lifted our thumb to the splotch of blood that had landed on our face when Error vomited crimson.

We blinked our crimson eyes emotionlessly while we wiped the blood away with our thumb, smearing red on our cheek.

"... Yup."

Chapter 18: Down Below

"You do realize this means war?"

Error flipped and skidded across the void floor, bones rapidly sticking out from the ground around him before his wires fired out, wrapping around them in an attempt to slow himself down.

Bones snapped, wires came loose, and Error continued to fire backwards. But his strings continued to wrap around bone after bone until he slowed to a stop, standing on shaking legs, sockets wide and twitching.

Suddenly, Error's face contorted with agony, and he wrapped both arms around his abdomen, dropping to his knees and planting his forehead on the ground, more blood splattering to the ground from between his teeth.

"T-this... Can't be right..!" Error managed to speak through the pain that choked him, one eye wide and the other twitching as red dripped from his teeth onto the pool that had formed under him. "T-that thing, it's..! It's stronger than both those kids' strengths put together..!"

"We know you're pathetic, Error, but come on. This is just sad."

Snarling, Error managed to lift his head to watch us walk across the void towards him, still clutching his screaming abdomen.

"Hacker! This is between you and me!" Error shouted furiously as he pushed himself to one knee, body trembling with pain. "Leave your stabby friend out of it!"

"You already got the option to keep this one on one." The corner of our mouth curled up only slightly. "And you turned that offer down. Do you know what that means?"

Error narrowed his sockets, jaw clenching as he climbed to his feet, one hand still over his rib cage.

We stopped walking, extending one open hand out to Error.

"It means hand over your arms."

"Like hell I will!" Error snarled, throwing up his free hand and sending wires flinging out towards us.

We stood there, remaining completely still and letting the wire entangle the soul that burned bright on our chest, wrapping tight and squeezing mercilessly.

"Ha! Gotcha!" Error grinned with a good measure of relief clear in his eyes, a single drop of sweat making it's way down his skull. "You brats talk big but-!"

Error paused suddenly as he watched us reach up just as easily as we would have before our soul was ensnared, wrapping around hand around the five strings that connected our soul to Error.

"W-what?!" The relief disappeared instantly from Error's face, his eye twitching with frustration. "You shouldn't be able to move..!"

We maintained eye contact with Error, a stern frown on our face as our soul flared brightly, and those strings that wrapped around it withered and burned, melting and splatting to the ground as a white gunk.

Error snarled, tugging desperately on the strings that we now restrained him with. We didn't budge however, keeping our grip tight on the strings clenched in our fist.

"Let me go!" Error demanded furiously, continuing to pull his hand back as hard as he could. "Let me go you filthy glitches!"

We didn't speak, instead deciding to just yank our clenched fist back and rip Error off his feet, his eyes going wide with shock as he was pulled right towards us.

Then, with the same fist we held his strings in, we swung forward, ramming our knuckles into the side of his skull and making his eyes go wide, pupils disappearing as a tooth flung from his mouth, along with a stream of blood.

Error was sent firing back away from us, but we just tugged him right back towards us with that string, this time yanking back our knee and ramming that into his rib cage, placing our hand on the back of his head and letting go of those wires to hold him there.

Error grunted and whimpered as we slowly ground our knee against his cracking bones, digits digging desperately into our leg as blood dripped down his chin.

After a moment or two, we let go of Error, and as he dropped towards the ground, we swiftly unbent the knee he'd been pressed against, slamming a kick into his chin and sending him launching into the air on a high arc. He only got about ten feet away from us before he plummeted down to the earth, landing flat on his back and bouncing once.

"Arrogant. Cocky. Hubris-riddled." Our footsteps echoed through the dark as we calmly made our way towards Error, who was grunting as he sat up, holding his chin and panting heavily.

"You were given the chance to leave. To be the bigger person and walk away." We planted one foot on Error's chest, planting him back on the ground and restraining him there with ease. "And what did you do?"

"What you always do, of course." We crossed our arms, staring coldly down at Error, who's sockets widened gradually while we began to apply more and more pressure to his aching core. "Mess with lives. Play a game you don't understand."

Crack! Snap!

Error roared with agony, reaching up and wrapping his digits feebly around our ankle as his ribs gave way under our foot.

"And look where it landed you. Flat on your back, under our shoe." We narrowed our crimson eyes down at Error, who grit his teeth, glaring up at us as blood ran in streams down his chin from his mouth. "Like the filthy little cockroach you are."

"S-shut up!" Error snarled defiantly, digits digging into our ankle. "You have no idea what you're talking about..!"

Snap!

Error roared again, throwing his head back as we applied more pressure to what ribs he had left.

"You will not speak until we give you permission." We spoke through grinding teeth, a flare of anger in our usually deadpan expression.

"You cheated..!" Error continued to protest, desperately trying to push our foot away while he writhed under it. "You cheated!"

Just then, we yanked our foot up and off of him, and his eyes momentarily widened at the sudden relief, just before we planted a kick in his side and sent him rapidly rolling away to our right.

"Agh... Agh..." Error panted pathetically, gradually pushing himself up onto one hand and both knees. He lifted his head, looking to us with a dying fire in his eyes.

"This... This is all your fault..." Error managed to speak as we sauntered closer, one hand over his throbbing rib cage. "You did this to me... You made me like this..."

"There's a chance that it was The Hacker who disfigured you." We agreed, not slowing our approach but not speeding up, either. "But you're the one who decided to make every wrong decision that lead you to now, not him."

"I hate you..." Error lifted one hand out to us, digits trembling as a handful of red, pointed bones appeared around him, flinging out towards us. "I hate you..!"

We easily weaved between the bones, dodging all effortlessly before the final bone flew at us head on, and we clenched our jaw, cocking back one fist and smashing it directly into the oncoming calcium chunk, sending it exploding to crimson splinters.

"Sounds like a you problem." We placed our hands in our pockets, continuing towards Error.

Error growled, before reaching out to his other side. Strings fired from his finger tips, catching on a distant Error Blaster that had apparently just formed before rapidly dragging Error away from us and towards his blaster.

We didn't say a word, remaining emotionless as we bent at the knees, before firing off the ground, launching after Error, who's sockets narrowed with frustration as we rapidly approached him.

The puppeteer shifted his fingers, and his blaster was quick to aim down at us, firing a wave of energy down towards us.

Our frown deepened, and we cocked back one fist, continuing to race ahead as the blast approached. Red flames began to ignite over our arm, and as the light of hellfire washed over us, we threw that flaming fist forward.

Our fist slammed into the wave of magical energy, and the wave of force that the impact brought blasted through the beam, reversing its course and sending it firing right back at the Error Blaster from once it came.

Error's eyes darted in utter shock up to his blaster as it was obliterated, his strings coming loose and sending him skidding to a stop.

No... Error's eyes were wide as he watched the chunks of his own blaster sprinkle down to the ground, a realization washing over him.

"I am setting up something... Enormous in it's entirety." Gaster turned his back to Error, looking into his screen. "I must place all the pieces just right."

"You callin' me a pawn, bud?" A certain threatening tone reflected in Error's glitchy voice, and strings danced on his fingers as he lifted one hand.

Error began crawling back away on his skeletal hands, sweat beading down his skull as errors once more filled his eyes. No no no..!

"No no, Error, you are a test run!" Gaster grinned excitedly as he suddenly spun back around to face Error, who squinted up at him. "You are a vital leap that my subject must make!"

"... You're all sorts'a loonie." Error's grin widened a little with amusement.

Error trembled violently, watching our form appear over the horizon, crimson eyes locked on to him.

"If you destroy the Hacker, then he was not worthy of facing chaos incarnate!" Gaster bent his long body, hands behind his back, looming over Error to get a closer look into his twisted being. "But if the Hacker defeats you, then he is on his way to being exactly what I need!"

I played right into his hands... Error gulped, crawling back pathetically as our hands clenched into fists at our sides, red lightning jumping around our body. I'm involuntarily sacrificing myself to make this dirty glitch stronger..!

"You know, Wingdingus, I've never lost."

Error's eyes were wide in horror, trembling violently as we were mere feet from him now, cold dead eyes looking right at him.

"Ah ha! But you see, Error, at the end of the day?"

Error roared with indignation as he pushed himself to his feet and cocked back one fist, throwing it right at our face.

In the blink of an eye our hand was up, wrapped around Error's wrist. Our eyes never left his, and he snarled and trembled with exertion as he tried in vain to pull his arm from our grasp.

A gust of wind.

Error's eye twitched, sweat pouring down his skull now as we stood behind him, now holding back both of his arms and planting a foot on his back.

"Neither has Cter."

"Alright, Error." Our hair fell over our eyes, obscuring them in shadow as a grin slowly made its way up our face.

"On a scale of one to ten..."

A chuckle echoed through the darkness.

"Perfect! Perfect!" Badster exclaimed excitedly, long body craned over a tear in reality, which clearly displayed Character pulling back on Error's arms agonizingly slowly. "I'm just so proud!"

"While he certainly doesn't possess the raw power of my Anarchist, he makes up for it with such cunning and intellect!" The doctor's face was defined by that crescent smile, elated eyes watching Error's massacre unblinking. "And a fusion like Character! Now that form might hold a candle to Anarchy!"

"... At least," Badster's head swiveled back to look at that green rip in space. The one that had 1s and 0s radiating from it. The one that displayed four children making their way up the steps to the plateau atop the castle. "It will, until Anarchy passes his test."

"Everything is falling into the perfect places." Shadow fell over Badster's eyes, mad grin clear on his face. "The subjects are both reaching their final test."

"Oh, the excitement!" Badster exclaimed, giddily throwing his head back and straightening his spine. "Will they both pass? Will they both fail?"

"Ahh..." Badster closed his sockets, seeming to calm himself with a deep breath. "But now is no time to lose focus."

Badster then turned his body to the shifting timeline of green, looming over it and lifting his hands to it.

His hole punched palms floated over the rift, and a similar emerald glow overtook them.

"Not when I still have a bit of editing to do."

CORE Frisk gnawed on their thumb nail nervously, pacing back and forth in the blackness of the void. With their omnipresence, they had no need of a portal to see what Character was doing to Error.

This was bad... No, this was terrible!

Cter fused with Chara, the two giving off such a killer aura... Had Cter made his choice? Had he really chosen... This?

It's not like C Frisk couldn't see what would be so enticing about this form, at least to people like Cter and Chara. C Frisk was certain the two had no idea that their combined souls would give them this much power.

And they had a hunch the two could become... Fond of such a power.

Come on, Cter..! C Frisk looked down, one hand behind their back and the other raised so that they could chew on their thumb nail. Please, tell me I'm wrong!

"There was certainly a time when I never would have thought this behavior from The Hacker." Gatherer leaned forward in his desk, resting his elbows on the wood and clasping his hands together under his chin.

"But, I was believing a lie back in those days." Gatherer closed his eyes, and a small smile pulled at his lips. "Feels like ages ago now..."

"Things really have changed, haven't they Hacker?" Gatherer opened his eyes, smirking into the rift that displayed Character brutalizing Error. "It's certainly jarring seeing you be so... Open with your real personality."

"Ahh, poor Error." Gatherer leaned back in his chair, laying his head back far enough for him to see out of the large window that loomed behind him. He reached into his pocket and fished from it a carton of cigarettes and a lighter. "I would say that I didn't expect this to happen, but..."

Hair shadowing his eyes, Gatherer cupped a hand protectively over the cigarette in his mouth as he used that lighter to ignite it.

"If anyone knows just how ruthless The Hacker can be, it would be the man who titled him so."

"Ohoho shit!" Predator leaned forward in her backwards chair, ice blue eyes going wide as one long strand of black hair fell over her face from the sudden motion. "Angel's a nutjob!"

Predator winced with the sound of a glitching, skipping and pitch shifting scream that came from the rift in reality she stared through. Her face just screamed the words 'That had to hurt!', and as if to confirm this theory, she reached up, rubbing her own shoulders and arms appreciatively, suddenly plagued with thoughts of how awful it would be to lose them.

"Yyyyyyikes!" Predator turned her head away from the screen, but kept one eye glued to it, clearly unable to look away. "This place really changed Angel for keeps!"

"What happened to the funny dork I know and love?" Predator leaned her chin on her fist thoughtfully, looking past the portal then as she was consumed by thoughts and memories.

"Well, I guess somebody like that would never make it in this crazy, twisted up world we're livin' in now..." Predator muttered thoughtfully, eyes drifting to the ceiling.

But to beat someone like Error... Even Predator didn't think she'd win that one v one back when she encountered the freaky little skele, not after what he displayed on those goons in The Rib Cage. That was why she'd sent him Hacker's way in the first place, to give herself more time to get stronger for when Error would inevitably come for her.

But, perhaps that wasn't the only reason. Perhaps she didn't believe she was just tossing Angel under the bus. Perhaps she really did think The Hacker would win a fight that currently, she would not. After all, while yes she knew Angel was a goof and a cynic, that goof and cynic had, when it mattered, displayed testicular fortitude the likes of which she'd never seen before and figured she wouldn't see again for quite some time.

Yeah, I guess it's true, though I always hate admitting it...

"... Angel... Am I a bad person..?"

"What..? Where's this comin' from, Lex..?"

Predator's eyes narrowed painfully up at the ceiling then, and a chill settled over the room.

... You always were stronger than me, Angel.

Error dropped to the ground, writhing in a pathetic pool of sweat, blood, and tears. He didn't have the strength to scream anymore, so instead he lay there, panting and whimpering like some poor animal fresh off of a beating.

"... That's it, then." We dropped those skeletal arms at our sides, and they withered to dust in mid air, floating away in the hollow gusts of the void.

"... K-kill... You..." Was all Error could manage to say, turning his head from the dirt to glare up at us with one eye, from which a stream of blood ran down his cheek.

"Nothing." Our eyes narrowed with disappointment down at Error, watching dust begin to sprinkle from his skull. "All of that, and you learned nothing."

Error just continued to growl hatefully, that single eye boring a hole in us with its hatred.

"We beat you with our bare hands. No magic, no weapon." We shook our head, staring emotionlessly into that furious eye. "There's no outcome here where you survive and kill Hacker. Not one."

"You're... Wrong..." Error trembled violently, his fury the only thing keeping him from dusting completely as more and more silver began to flake from him.

"Goodbye, Error Sans." We turned our back on him quite coldly, and didn't care to look back as we left him there to die. "We hope you use your last moments to rethink your wretched existence."

Our footsteps got further and further away, all while Error's livid eye laid upon our back.

How... Dare you..? Dust flaking from it's socket, Error's eye twitched angrily. How dare you..?!

It wasn't..! Supposed to be like this! Error kicked his one responding leg in a desperate attempt to get to his numb feet. I was supposed to kill you for what you did..!

You cheated..! Error managed to slide his face through the pool of his own blood that had formed under him, using what energy he had to grind his teeth and make more blood seep from between them. You cheated!

Everything! Error's vision grew blurry, and he blinked his eye, releasing a stream of desperate tears down his flaky cheek. It's all your fault! You ruined everything! You took everything from me!

I-...! I was supposed to... Error's expression softened with a different kind of pain, and more tears of indignation began to stream from his socket. ... I was supposed to win, not you...

I-... I was the good guy this time... I should have won... Error let his head fall limp into the blood below him, sockets clenching shut tight as tears now poured pathetically down his face.

I_d_o_n_'_t_w_a_n_t_t_o_d_i_e_._._.

"Alas, poor Yorick!"

Error's eyes suddenly found the will to reopen themselves as the armless puppeteer felt a hand be placed under his chin, lifting his head and arching his body - or, what was left of it - up with it.

"I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy." Gatherer posed in an almost Shakespearean manner as he lifted Error's skull in his hand, placing his other hand over his chest and looking into the distance.

After a moments pause, The Gatherer's eyes landed back on Error's, which now glared at him wrathfully, even with the tear stains and blood upon his face.

"Hamlet, act five, scene one." An absolutely devilish smile crept over Gatherer's face. "Apologies, I just couldn't resist the opportunity."

The right half of Error's face began to droop some as Gatherer held him up in one hand, the puppeteer at yet another filthy glitch's mercy.

"I watched your ba-..." Gatherer paused, eyes glossing to the side thoughtfully. "Well, less a battle and more an absolute stomp that second half."

Error managed one pathetic growl, earning a laugh from Gatherer.

"It's saddening to see someone once so strong and confident crumble to dust." Gatherer nodded towards Error's drooping and flaking right eye.

Error couldn't form any words, barely managing to keep his heavy sockets open to glare hatefully into the interested eyes of the Gatherer.

"I've been right where you are, you know." Gatherer's eyes narrowed then, one small, chilling smile forming on his face as shadows slipped along his features. "Weak, desperate, cowering..."

"With that one single thought on my mind." Gatherer tilted his head slightly to the side, his voice lowering darkly. He nearly whispered:

"I don't want to die."

Error's sockets narrowed, his jaw clenching.

"That's what you're thinking, right?" Gatherer's expression lightened, and he smirked that convincing smirk of his. "Well don't worry Error, you aren't going to die."

"You see, I am called The Gatherer for a reason." Gatherer shrugged casually. "I see value where others do not."

"Those who are cast aside, thrown away like worthless garbage..." Gatherer's eyes glimmered maliciously. "I can often find good use in that special kind of trash."

"And you..." Gatherer's lips curled up into a grin that was less than befitting of his charismatic persona. "My, what a lucky find!"

"So don't fear, Error." Gatherer tilted his head to the side, reaching up with his free hand and gently rubbing his knuckles against Error's fragile cheek, like one would do to a beloved animal. "You're not going to die."

"Because I've got big plans for you."

"It's time, Cter."

"... I know."

The two of us stood there, in the very same mindscape I'd once defeated Chara in. We were seemingly right back in that moment, and I was once again presented with that choice.

"Look at how strong we are together, Cter." Chara grinned, clenching a hand into a fist in front of themself. "We crushed Error like he was nothing! Who could stop us when we are together? Who?"

"Nobody comes to mind." I shrugged in casual agreement.

"Exactly!" Chara exclaimed, taking an excited step forward. "With that kind of power, everything we've ever wanted would be ours!"

"..." My eyes glossed to the side hesitantly. "... Almost everything."

Chara was almost taken aback by that comment, their eyes narrowing and that hopeful expression disappearing.

"What, you mean them?" Chara asked incredulously, a sudden aggravation in their tone. "The fair-weather 'friends' who will toss you aside the moment they don't have a use for you?"

"And what will you do?" I squinted at them, a sternness entering my tone. "The same thing you did to Frisk?"

"You could not possibly be comparing yourself to Frisk right now!" Chara snapped irritably. "Frisk was a pawn! A weak vessel that I had to use under desperate circumstances!"

"But you, Cter... You're so much different!" Chara took a step closer. I didn't step back.

"You aren't a pawn. No, you're too strong to ever let yourself become such a thing. That's why I would never try to make you one." Chara glared, clearly infuriated by my lack of understanding. "No, you aren't like Frisk. You aren't like anyone else, Cter."

"You understand that there are only two things in this world." A grin slowly peeled up Chara's face as they stepped closer. "Strength, and weakness."

"That's what you were talking about back then, wasn't it Cter?" Chara tilted their head to the side, grin on their face all too knowing. "That is the truth you were rambling about before you began taking our battle seriously."

"Do you know the truth, Chara? Could you ever possibly understand?"

"Well I do understand, Cter." My eyes narrowed at their words, but I remained silent as they stepped even closer, staring right up at me as they were now invading my personal space. "And I'm the only other person who does."

*They make a good point.

"Strength is all that matters, isn't it?!" Chara snapped, reaching up and grabbing me be the shirt, clenching a fist around the fabric. "Well together we're stronger than anyone else!"

"We can defeat anyone and everyone, Cter!" Chara threw their free hand out to the side. "Are you really going to throw all this power away for some replaceable monsters copy pasted a billion times over the multiverse?!"

"..." I looked away from them, eyes squinting painfully down at our shoes. For some reason, these words almost felt hard to say. Maybe it was indecision, how a part of me really did enjoy the thought of waging war on the multiverse as this incredibly powerful... Thing we were together.

Or, maybe...

THUNK.

My eyes went wide, darting to the ink that had fired from my sleeve against my will, and then to the chest it'd stabbed clean through.

Chara went limp, only held up by the spike of ink that fired through their chest, which their trembling red eyes slowly settled on. Blood poured down their chin, and ran in streams down the ink.

I don't want this.

And then, just as Chara looked up, their agonized eyes locking with mine, my fist clenched on it's own, and the ink spike exploded out into more spikes, turning Chara into a pin cushion from the inside out.

"AAAAGH!"

Maybe it was the alternative that I was afraid of.

I nearly shivered with disgust at the haunting memory of that nightmare.

"What are you so afraid of, Cter?" Chara lowered their voice, regaining my attention and bringing my gaze back to theirs. "Why are you fighting me so hard on this?"

"..." I took a deep breath and closed my eyes before I exhaled. Then I reopened my eyes, and looked back into theirs. "I'm sorry Chara."

Chara's expression twitched with some withheld emotion at my words, before they growled, letting go of my shirt and stepping back.

"So that's it, then." They frowned deeply, taking a few more steps back. "You'd rather fight me to the death one last time than take this golden opportunity."

*You're an idiot for passing this up.

"I don't wanna fight you, either." I confessed calmly, and they were once more taken aback.

"Well..! Too bad!" Chara suddenly reached out with the same hand I'd shaken back in Waterfall. "We had a deal. I held up my end and you will hold up yours, or else those friends of yours are going to pay dearly."

"... Yeah, I know." I stuffed my hands into my pockets and turned my head to look out at the sea of memories that floated around us.

"... Lets head back. I know where to finish this."

"But, wait a moment..." Toriel furrowed her brows, looking around the barrier room - which was now just a room room - with confusion. "Something is amiss..."

"Yo, where's Cter?" Monster Kid looked around, confusion overtaking his expression.

Frisk grimaced as they watched their friends search desperately for the MIA Cter, having put together a theory the moment they found themself utterly Cterless in the battle with Asriel. Error had come at the worst possible time, and Cter was the only one Gaster had been able to grab. It was the only thing that made sense.

Sans, Frisk, and Grillby all exchanged similar "Uh oh" glances, and Frisk guessed they'd all came to the same conclusion.

"Hey, uh, me Grillby and the kid'll go look for him." Sans was quick to say, pointing over his shoulder towards the exit leading back to the Underground with his thumb. "You guys should just stay here in case he comes back."

"But, Sans-"

Before Papyrus had the time to interject, Sans was anxiously herding Frisk and Grillby together.

"No worries bro." Sans grinned a little too wide, cold sweat making its way down his skull. "I know a shor-"

"Not necessary, Sans."

Everyone's eyes darted to me as I put one foot through a portal, stepping into the room. I had myself under an unconscious Gaster's shoulder, arm wrapped around his waist to hold him steady.

My expression was tired, clothes dirty and torn in a few spots. Most noticeably my sweatshirt, which had been made into a T-sweatshirt via one of Error's blasters when I blocked the beam not too long before forming Character.

But, despite how exhausted I looked, I gave a pretty convincing smile.

"Gaster!" Sans rushed to my side, taking Gaster from my arm and gently setting him on the floor. He looked up to me, "Is he..?"

"He should be alright." I raised a hand to dismiss all worries, Frisk racing up to meet me as well. "Just a little fatigue."

"Cter..." Frisk leaned in some, almost whispering but not quite. "Did you two actually..?"

"That would be 'you three', actually."

Frisk's eyes went wide at the sound of that voice, and the pupils disappeared from Sans sockets. The two slowly turned their heads to the portal, Frisk trembling and Sans clenching his hands into fists.

"Can you hurry up whatever this is, Cter?" Chara stepped one foot through the portal, reaching out and resting their hand on the side of it as if they were leaning out through a window. "You know I'm not very patient."

"You..." Sans looked up from Gaster, who he was knelt next to, pupilless eyes glaring at Chara.

"... Chara..." Frisk stared unblinking, taking a single step back as Chara finished stepping through the portal, which closed behind them.

"It's nice to see you all again." Chara grinned devilishly, giving a two fingered wave. "I've missed you so very much."

"Yo, am I missing something..?" Monster Kid leaned over towards Mettaton, eyes not leaving Chara. "I've uh... I've never seen this person in my life."

"Me neither." Mettaton narrowed his eyes thoughtfully and with concern. "Humans don't just... Suddenly appear in the Underground."

"Especially not ones that claims to know us." Undyne growled, eye glaring right at Chara as she took a step forward, putting one arm up defensively between the three humans and two skeletons and her friends.

"Hello!" Papyrus stepped forward, smiling brightly. "It's nice to see you again too, person that I've never met!"

Chara chuckled some at that, crossing their arms over their chest. As Papyrus attempted to walk closer, however, Sans disappeared with Gaster and reappeared at his brother's side, putting a hand out in front of him.

"Don't go near them!" Sans ordered with a startling amount of volume and authority, making every one of the monsters look to him in shock.

"Sans, what are you doing?" Papyrus furrowed his brow bones, looking down to Sans with confusion and concern. "You're being very rude!"

"Kid, what the hell is going on?" Sans' sockets landed on me, narrowing with a mixed bag of shitty emotions.

"Just holdin' up my end'a the deal, Sans." Once again I raised a calming hand, all eyes landing on me. "They helped me beat Error, now I'm gonna go fight them to the death."

"W-what..?" Monster Kid took a step forward, dread falling over his expression. "What do you mean fight to the death..? Who is that?"

"What are you talking about, fight to the death?!" Undyne stomped closer. She attempted to look stern, but I could see a nervous sweat breaking out on her forehead. "And who the heck is Error?!"

"Was Error." Chara corrected again, closing their eyes for a moment and chuckling some. "Perhaps I can shed some light."

"You see, someone very strong was coming to kill you all." Further confusion and fear spread with those words. "And Cter wanted my help to stop him, to stop Error."

"I was reluctant at first." Chara shrugged and glanced off to the side, before smirking once more, eyes darting back to the Monsters. "But Cter made me an offer I couldn't refuse."

"His life," Chara pointed lazily to me, before drifting their hand over to the Monsters. "In exchange for yours."

"What..?" Papyrus spoke under his breath, confusion overtaking his features.

"B-but who are you?!" Alphys dared ask, gathering all of her nerve to do so.

"... C-Chara..."

Everyone's eyes darted back to the stunned goat monsters that stood in the back of the crowd, making their way forward on weak legs.

"Bingo." Chara grinned at that, pointing to the two with a finger gun.

"But... I don't understand..." Asgore's head lowered, and he slowly shook it back and forth. "You... You were..."

"Dead? Deceased? Worm food? Pushing up golden flowers?" Chara raised their eyebrows, leaning their head forward some. "Yes, I was. But with a little DETERMINATION, anything is possible."

"Y-you... You've returned to us..." Tears filled Toriel's eyes as she took another step closer.

"No I haven't."

Chara lowered their head, teeth grinding as they suddenly pointed that knife out towards the stunned goat royalty.

"I did not come back for you, or Asgore, or any of you other misfits!" Chara looked up, right eye glowing a piercing red from under the shadow of their hair.

"I have returned for one person and one person alone." Chara moved their arm then, pointing that knife out towards me. "Cter The Hacker."

Suddenly, Frisk stepped between that blade and me, snarling viciously and steeling their nerves before Chara.

"Well you can't have him." Frisk spoke through grinding teeth, Worn Dagger appearing in their hand.

"Really? You?" Chara laughed with genuine amusement, shaking their head. "Step aside Frisk, you don't have a chance of stopping me."

"I'll kill you a billion times if I have to, Chara!" Frisk snapped, DETERMINATION glimmering in their wide eyes as they smacked the arm pointing that knife at them aside.

"Cter saved me from you! He gave me a chance when no one else would!" Frisk placed both hands on the pummel of their blade, holding it up threateningly to Chara. "I'm not gonna let you or anyone else hurt him!"

"Frisk."

Frisk looked to their shoulder with trembling eyes as I placed my hand on it, before shaking their head violently.

"Don't try to stop me, Cter!" Frisk ground their teeth, even as water began to form in their eyes at what they knew was inevitable. "I'm not gonna let them hurt anyone anymore! Especially not you!"

I closed my eyes thoughtfully, taking a deep breath. "... Frisk, please."

"Just let me do this for you!" Frisk snapped, spinning around to face me as tears spilled over from their eyes.

After a moment of staring desperately in my emerald eyes, they lowered their head, dagger trembling in their hands.

"Frisk..."

"... P-please..."

More tears hit the ground as Frisk kept their head down, now trembling violently. "... Please don't go..."

I didn't say anything. I just stepped forward and opened my arms, hugging Frisk to my chest comfortingly.

They clung to me, sobbing into my shirt for seconds that felt like hours.

"Frisk..." I closed my eyes, slowly pulling one fist back, tight to my side.

"Thank you."

Frisk's eyes widened with sudden pain, their face going pale before their knees buckled and they slumped against me. Slowly, their eyes closed.

I gradually dropped to my knees with them, holding them tightly in my arms. Then, after a deep breath, I reopened my eyes, and gently set them on the floor on their back.

I smiled sadly down at their surprisingly peaceful unconscious form, gently brushing a strand of hair out of their face. "... Goodbye."

"Yo, w-why'd you do that, Cter?!" Monster Kid shouted, concern in his eyes as I turned to him. "Why are you doing any of this?!"

"Monster Kid... You, might not remember, but..." I glanced to the side, blinking my tired eyes. "... You're my best friend, and..."

"Yeah of course I remember! You're my best friend too!" Monster Kid stomped forward, speaking like it was obvious.

My eyes darted to Monster Kid, going wide in utter shock. I suddenly found a lump very apparent in my throat, a realization coming over me.

"Promise me that we'll be best friends again!"

I... I kept my promise.

That felt... Really nice. In a way that I can't quite describe.

"... And that's why I have to do this for you." I looked back to Monster Kid, hands clenching into fists at my sides. "Because you're my best friend, and I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."

"..." Pain appeared in Monster Kid's eyes with the realization that he wouldn't be stopping me. "Cter..."

"Speed it up, Cter." Chara rolled their eyes, tapping their foot impatiently.

"... Right." I looked over to them, waving towards the opening in the room that lead to the surface. "Lets get going."

Chara and I began walking through the cave towards the light at the end. It wasn't until we had just made our way to that end that Undyne raced forward, spear manifesting in her hand.

"If you really think we're just gonna sit back and let you-!"

THUD.

Undyne's face bounced off seemingly nothing but shimmering air, and she recoiled, her one eye snapping open wide as she pressed her hands against a wall all too familiar.

"Hey, what the-?!" Undyne mashed the side of her face against the invisible force keeping her from joining Chara and I on the surface. "What is this?!"

"Cter, what did you just do?!" Toriel stepped forward, panic quick to rise in her voice.

"It's a temporary barrier." I spoke, only for Undyne to slam her fist against it, making ripples spread through the air. But the barrier held.

"Barrier?!" Undyne snapped, furious eye landing on me.

"Temporary barrier." I corrected emotionlessly. "It'd take about seven a' me to make a permanent one. This one will last maybe a day, and DETERMINED humans can pass right through it."

"But why would you-?!"

"So none of you get yourselves hurt for me!" I suddenly snapped, lowering my head and gritting my teeth.

Everyone was taken aback by my words, recoiling visibly.

"... I'm not worth it..." I nearly whispered, jaw unclenching and eyes narrowing painfully at the ground.

"Cter... It is true that I do not fully understand what is going, and that I haven't known you for very long and do not know everything about you." Papyrus stepped forward, and I looked up with that same pain reflecting in my eyes to see the concern in his expression. "But I do know that you are my friend, and that I have full faith in you to do what is right."

"So whatever you are going through now, I just want you to know!" Papyrus grinned then, reaching out and gently placing a hand on the barrier between us, reaching up with his free hand and giving a thumbs up.

"I believe in you!"

"I... Believe... In you..!"

My eyes went wide, and I stared at Papyrus, the memory of him dying in my arms flashing before my retinas.

I blinked away the memory and took a step forward, reaching out and placing my hand on the barrier as well, looking up to Papyrus.

"Papyrus, I know you don't remember, but... I really let you down once." I didn't look away from Papyrus, even as confusion overtook his expression. "I screwed up big and you got hurt because of it."

"... A lot of people have ended up that way because of me..." My eyes fell to the floor, hand clenching slowly into a fist against the barrier of my own creation. "But, you... You still smiled at me."

"You, smiled at me, and, as you were dying..." I lifted my head, looking back into Papyrus's eyes. "You told me you believed in me."

"Papyrus, if it wasn't for that, if it wasn't for you, I..." I shook my head slowly. "I wouldn't be the person I am now. I wouldn't be able to make the right choice now."

"So, I guess what I'm trying to say is..." I lifted my head, smiling lightly up at the tall skeleton across the barrier. "Thank you, Papyrus. You're my hero."

Papyrus was taken aback, but his face lit up at me calling him my hero. It felt nice, making him happy. Felt right.

"Cter." Chara crossed their arms impatiently behind me, and I narrowed my eyes over my shoulder at them before looking back to the monsters across the barrier.

"Just one more thing." I took a step back from the barrier, which all my friends now stood on the other side of, apart from the unconscious Frisk and Gaster. "I've... Lied to all of you."

"What..?" Monster Kid tilted his head to the side, confusion on his face.

"Cter... Isn't my real name." I explained, looking to the side to evade all the surprised gazes. "I made it up when I decided to try to be better, because, well..."

"I... Didn't like who I was before all this. I couldn't stand to be that person anymore." I reached up, awkwardly placing a hand on the back of my head and keeping my eyes to the side. "And I uh... I guess I thought a name change would help."

"My real name..." I lowered my head, shadows falling over my eyes as I pulled my tattered sweatshirt from myself, throwing it aside while a burning red soul appeared on my chest.

The monsters were stunned, however, when I white outline formed around the edges of my soul, shinning white like the outline of an eclipse.

"Is Angel."

I looked up at the sea of shocked expressions, and grinned in a way only I could as I gave a two fingered wave, two streams of ink firing out from my back and over Chara's head, sticking into the earth of the plateau outside the exit of the Underground.

"See you guys around."

There was a stunned gasp at my show of magic, but I yanked myself away from the barrier on those ink spikes before I could receive the barrage of questions that was sure to come.

"... So. Angel." Chara smirked lightly as they walked out from the overhang into the light of the plateau as well. "A little on the nose, don't you think?"

"Take it up with my parents." I shrugged, returning their smirk.

"Well, 'Angel', are you ready to make this fight official?" Chara grinned, summoning their SAVE FILE at their side.

"Aww, and here I thought you'd jump at the opportunity to fight me for all of time again." I grinned mockingly, summoning my own SAVE FILE at my side. It, like Chara's, was a 2 dimensional square with multiple different lines of information on it, such as when and where I'd last saved.

"Not this time, Cter." Chara shook their head gently. "I'm afraid I have more to do after you're gone."

With that, the two of us lifted one arm and, in sync, threw it out towards the file, shattering our fists through our respective saves.

"The game is for keeps now." Chara grinned wickedly, blackness creeping into the whites of their eyes.

"..." Not seeming to be listening, I shoved my hands in my pockets and let my eyes drift to the overcast sky. Lightning crackled across the dark clouds, before thunder boomed.

Then, I looked over my shoulder to the sun that set in the distance, sending beautiful pinks and oranges out over the clouds. A surprisingly beautiful look for what was sure to be a nasty storm.

"... I had a nightmare like this once." I looked back to Chara, turning my body to face them.

Chara's eyes narrowed suspiciously at my words, but just like last time they tilted their head to the side inquisitively. "And how'd it end?"

Shadow fell over my eyes, and I frowned suddenly, throwing my hand out to the side as lightning struck over the horizon behind me. Droplets of rain began to fall, just a few at a time but quickly picking up in numbers. Ink swirled out from under my T-shirt's sleeve and into my grasp, forming that same thin, double-sided spear I'd made at the beginning of my last showdown with Chara.

"I killed you."

Alright, so I know an update on a Thursday is certainly out of the ordinary, but since the next three chapters are the end of Cter's side of this arc, and I'm very excited to write them, I think I'm going to try to update every four days! After chapter 21 I'll likely go back to the regular schedule, but for this chapter and these next chapters I'm very very very excited to see what you guys think, so I would very much appreciate your review! It will certainly help me stay motivated to write more and update faster. Thank you, and have a nice day!

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