Hey! Day early chapter! Hooray! I got this one done early, and I'm probably going to be busy on Mother's Day tomorrow, and I thought some of you might be as well. So, Saturday update! The next update will probably still be two Sundays from tomorrow, as has been the usual the past few months, but who knows? Maybe Saturday will be the new day for updates now? I guess we'll see in two weeks time! Until then, enjoy the chapter!

Thanks go to Andyfire123, Wingah, Zack Frost, WhoWritesThisCrap, Acoolnamme, Chara Moonstone, Fixer140.85, Linki, Tbone8454, CrystalGamer82, Genowar, Jack54311, Pokemon122000, Doctab Sawbones, Stillnyte.

(10burgers forgot to review but he's been so dedicated to being in every beginning authors note that I couldn't bring myself to not mention him. Merry Christmas happy birthday.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale. (Or any of the other non-DoubleTale AU characters running around.)

"... So, he's, not here?"

"I'm afraid not. He left earlier today." Asgore laughed a little nervously, reaching up and scratching the fur that covered the back of his head. For some reason he felt the need to shut his eyes and advert them from the crimson of the man before him. While just a split second ago this young man had seemed polite and cheery, there was now a tension radiating from him that Asgore found hard to understand.

"..." Anarchy's jaw clenched tightly as fury built in his chest. He told himself he knew this was a possibility, that he wouldn't let a set back this minor ruin his mood. To snap himself back into control over his boiling blood, he wrapped his left hand around his right index finger, both his hands hidden behind his back. With a quick pop he snapped his finger into a ninety degree angle in the wrong direction, and the building pressure of his wrath was swiftly relieved. With another pop he snapped the finger back into place, and his facial muscles relaxed, that light smile once more seeming flawlessly civil.

"Oh, well, that's really too bad." Anarchy sighed, letting his eyes drift to the side while he did his best to make his smile look a little disappointed, but not too much. Then, his ruby spheres jumped back to Asgore, a curious glint inside them. "You wouldn't happen to know where he went, would'ja?"

"Hmm..." Asgore furrowed his brows, reaching up with one paw to stroke his beard. His eyes rolled back and forth in contemplation so slow it made Anarchy have to push down the desire to tap his foot. Or, tap his crowbar up the side of Asgore's stupid head. "Not sure... He said he was just running some errands."

"I'm sorry, young man." Asgore frowned apologetically, watching disappointment appear in the eyes of the Anarchist. "I would offer that you stay here until he gets back, but he said he would be late... If you would like, I can take a message?"

"... Yeah." Anarchy's eyes narrowed with a sinister glint, and he lowered his head some, staring up at Asgore from under his eyebrows. As shadows slipped along his face, the corners of his mouth shoved deeper into his cheeks, twisting that polite smile into something disgusting. Something vile. "Leave a message..."

Slowly, Anarchy's left arm straightened out to his side, and Asgore thought he saw some sort of tool sliding down the sleeve of his shirt. This made his brows furrow, confusion setting in on him as he watched this strange human's behavior shift and twist. It was unsettling, the gleam of his eyes, the curve of his grin. There was suddenly an aura about this young man that made Asgore's Monster soul shiver and shake.

"I think that's a great ide-"

"Asgore, who's at the door?"

Suddenly, Anarchy's predatory glare disappeared, replaced by eyes wide with surprise. His grin uncoiled, instead forming lips slightly parted with bewilderment. From behind Asgore, a more familiar goat monster had appeared, peaking over his shoulder with a curious and polite smile.

"Oh, hello, my child." Hands folded over her lap, Toriel stepped up past Asgore to get a better look at The Anarchist. She tilted her head with some curiosity at the stunned way that he stared up at her, before laughing a little. She knew humans especially would react with some surprise when they saw her and Asgore standing side by side, so she dismissed his slacked jaw. "I don't believe the two of us have met! I am Toriel."

Anthony's eyes narrowed just a tad, pain reflecting in them for only a moment as she smiled down at him. He remembered now, as he often remembered when he looked upon her kind. His dream. The mother he could have had. The life he could have lived.

"You had me worried, sweetheart."

"I knew you could do it."

"..." Slowly, Anthony's lips returned to that perfectly polite smile, and the arm he was holding out to his side curled back behind his back. Asgore's own expression lightened some, the corner of his mouth was even pulled up a little. He scolded himself internally for being so paranoid, questioning what reason this boy could possibly have for wanting to harm him, anyway? He was probably just a friend of Cter's.

"... It's very nice to meet you, Toriel." Anarchy's eyes narrowed a little painfully, and his smile was just a bit sad. But, the goat monsters didn't notice, and after a second or two, any semblance of anything but feigned polite joy disappeared. "My name is Anthony."

Chapter 43: Left at the Altar

"I've done worse for the sake of the joke."

Asgore and Toriel went through some polite motions in introducing themselves, and Asgore explained to Toriel that Anthony was searching for Cter. Toriel repeated what Asgore had told Anarchy about Angel supposedly being out running errands, but he appreciated hearing it in her voice.

They offered him a cup of tea and a piece of pie, but Anarchy didn't have time for those kinds of things. He was a man on a mission, after all. He had come this far, he certainly wasn't going to let that cowardly Angel slip through his alabaster fingers now. And while Asgore and Toriel had no idea who he was or what he really wanted, Badster had told Anarchy that this timeline held someone who did.

"Could you give me directions to the house of Wing Ding Gaster?"

The two goat monsters had been more than happy to oblige, and only asked his reasons for visiting the doctor out of curiosity. Anarchy's answer had hardly answered anything. "I just have some business to discuss with him, is all."

From there, the two assumed he was some colleague in the science world, and that was why he'd wanted to speak with Angel and Gaster. Anarchy scoffed internally at that. He remembered that when Angel wasn't being a backstabbing liar, he had a bit of a techy side. But, externally, he went along with it. If Angel really was on the run, he couldn't cause a scene and alert him to his presence just yet. That would just make finding him even more of a pain in the ass.

Currently, The Anarchist was humming to himself in order to keep his mood light and dandy. He walked right up the driveway of the skeleton house, but didn't bother with the front door. Instead, he went around the side of the house, making his way through the well trimmed grass to the cellar door.

Wicked smile creasing his lips, Anthony The Anarchist lifted his pale knuckles to the metal of the door.

Knock knock knock...

"Come in!"

Don't mind if I do.

Anxiously my eyes narrowed down at the geyser of flame that exploded up from Gatherer's home. Lexi had dropped those massive spikes of ice down upon the structure, bringing her cold along with the wood, brick, and concrete that formed Gatherer's spire crashing down upon him. But, unfortunately, the explosion of heat that raced up a moment later had blasted the debris aside, protecting whoever had created it from the sky that was crashing down on them.

Now, the fire was clearing away, stone raining down around Xander's devastated palace, which was now essentially a man made plateau looming over the rest of his compound. I spotted him there, as the smoke cleared. The Gatherer lowered his hands, the palms of which still sparked a few embers. Slowly he exhaled, a few streams of smoke steaming out past his grinding teeth. Eyes that gleamed a murderous purple darted up to the three of us, and those smoldering hands clenched into tight fists. Behind him his body guard loomed, Cliff standing tall and wearing an equally furious expression.

Predator stamped her foot, and from the hanger of the ship a massive frozen slide spawned. It coiled and curved, racing downwards and blasting in through the wall of The Gatherer's science and research center with a notable crash. She turned her carnivorous eyes on Clover, and she gave a simple order. "You're on, cowboy."

Clover smirked a little at that, before fearlessly jumping over the hanger's edge. He landed on both feet upon Lexi's slide, rapidly descending towards the smoking hole his ride had punched in the wall. As he surfed down the chilled glass, he took aim on that wall with his dual revolvers, and rapid pops rang through the air as he opened fire on his destination. "YEEEEEHAWWWWWW!"

"You 'member the plan, Hacker?" Predator's icy eyes darted to me then, and I nodded convincingly. My expression was carved in stone, emotionless and focused. This resolve made Predator grin, and she turned her own DETERMINED eyes on the two that stood upon Gatherer's shattered pillar.

"Then lets kick some dictator ass!"

"Sir Gatherer, are you alright?" Clifford asked with the utmost dedication, standing tall just a few steps behind Xander, who's violet eyes never left the enemy ahead.

"I should be asking you that question, Clifford." Narrowing his furious eyes ahead, Xander lifted one hand. Between his fingers a single cigarette appeared, and he flipped it skillfully between his knuckles a few times before placing it between his lips. "I didn't burn you, did I?"

"Not at all, sir." Cliff smirked some, his own eyes drifting skyward. He opened both of his palms, and a tough glove appeared over each of his hands. "Your protective eruption was as effective as it was genius."

"You're such a charmer, Clifford." The corner of his mouth curling, Gatherer lifted his middle finger, and an ember sparked to life on its nail. He lifted this flame to his lips, simultaneously lighting his cigarette and flipping off The Predator. "Even in these dire straights."

"Do you have a plan?" Cliff inquired, stepping up to The Gatherer's side and lifting his fists. He got into a boxer's stance, his hands raised and shielding most of his face while his knees bent only slightly, as though he was ready to spring in any direction and throw a punch any which way, while also being able to block any strike from any angle.

"Do I have a plan." Gatherer scoffed Cliff's words back at him with a playful role of his eyes. "Has a head injury made you forget who you're speaking to?"

"We're running out of time, Xander." Cliff pointed out as he watched The Angel spread his wings from above, flapping them downward and causing a harsh updraft that launched him into the air.

"Mm." Gatherer frowned at that, taking his cigarette between his fingers and pulling it from between his lips. He watched Angel The Hacker curl in air and launch downwards towards the two, and in a matter of seconds his brain meticulously picked apart The Predator's plan. "... They're going to separate us."

"Hm?" Cliff's eyes darted towards The Gatherer, his fists clenching tightly with the anxiety those words caused.

"Listen to me and listen closely. The Predator wants to face me alone, and I am happy to oblige." Gatherer spoke quickly and clearly as The Angel descended upon them with all of his heavenly wrath. "You are The Gatherer's Unbreakable Shield. You will protect us from The Angel's blasphemous light. Is that clear?"

"..." Clifford's expression hardened, orange eyes never leaving the foe that was plummeting down towards him. He nodded once, before knocking his knuckles together. This strike caused orange sparks to crackle out from his fists, and a smirk curled his expression. "Crystal, sir."

"Good. Then you should understand these next instructions quite well." The Gatherer bent at his knees, letting grey smog seep up from between his teeth as he opened both of his palms to the floor beneath him. Sparks crackled to life upon his finger tips, and he gave one last order.

"Win."

I narrowed my eyes as the wind pulled at my hair, jaw clenching tightly. I was in a nose dive down towards The Gatherer and his body guard, and ink coiled up from my shoulders, jutting outward like onyx spikes to gore my target: Clifford The Brave.

As I descended, though, light blasted out out from The Gatherer's palms, and the rapid combustion launched him right up into the air. This made my eyes snap open wide and my body flinch as he fired right into my path, my stunned green eyes locking with his unflinching purple ones. Swiftly, my right wing beat downward, sending me spiraling around him. He fired right by me, and from the corners of our eyes, we shot each other a look. He was smirking. That unnerved me.

*He's going to tattle.

That had been an anxiety of mine when Lexi pitched this idea. I was the only one resilient enough to handle a one v one with Cliff other than Predator, and she had her eyes set on Gatherer. I knew changing Lexi's mind was impossible, and I knew it would seem suspicious if I tried to do so. I also knew that Gatherer was aware of what I had done; I could see it in his eyes. And if there was one thing Xander liked doing, it was talking.

*Focus.

Right. I turned my head forward, let Gatherer launch himself up on jets of flame to meet Predator while I set my sights back on Cliff. he planted his feet as I raced down towards him, lowering his stance. His body crackled with power, his BRAVE aura shielding him like some electric armor.

The horns jutting from my shoulders were caught in his massive hands, my eyes widening with surprise as I watched him grit his teeth with exertion. Rapidly we slid back across the dust and shattered glass covered floor, Cliff grunting madly as his might struggled against all the momentum I had built up on my descent.

But then, he stopped his backwards sliding. He planted his feet back on his previously raised heels, and he snarled viciously as he yanked me by those ink horns to the right. Then, he spun, letting out a battle cry that surely struck fear into any and all foes as he shit whipped me across the plateau on which we stood. "Is that the best you can do?!"

I was quick to flip and spin in air, landing on the balls of my feet and my left hand and rapidly skidding back. Soon I came to a stop, and as those ink spikes receded back into my sweatshirt, I straightened my back, standing to my full height.

"You never should have come here, Angel The Hacker." Cliff told me with the utmost certainty, those orange eyes focused on me and me alone. He was certain, unshakable. Meanwhile I was uncertain, I was already shaken.

Still, I planted my feet. And as my wings spread wide behind me, I threw one hand out to the side. Ink rapidly slipped up that forearm, coiling around it and covering my clenched fist with a solid spike of black. My cold left eye sparked a red flame, and my expression remained stony.

"That's Cter to you."

"Come on, Angel..." Demon muttered forlornly, resting one hand on the glowing green glass that separated them and The Hacker. Pain was the only luster in their ruby eyes. "It's been almost a week... How long are you going to make me wait?"

"We're supposed to be a team..." They pointed out quietly, their fingers slowly curling back into a fist against the cool, clear surface. "These cultist nutjobs freak me out. I have no idea how to handle them."

As usual, Hacker didn't respond. His eyes never opened, none of his muscles so much as twitched. There he floated, only kept alive by the oxygen mask attached to his face and the IV in his arm. He had been stripped of most of his clothing before being put in the tank. Most of those clothes had been in tatters, anyway. Now the only thing that covered him were his boxers and the wires attached to each side of his head, as well as each side of his chest.

"... You'd know how to handle them, though." Demon's eyes drifted to the floor, narrowing bitterly. "You're a much better people person than I am. I'm sure you'd know exactly what game Gatherer's playing. You'd probably even know how to win."

CRASH.

"What in the fuck-?!" Demon jumped nearly out of their skin, head snapping right around to face the back wall of the laboratory. The ground was rumbling, noise crashing through all the walls that surrounded them in a way that was entirely metaphorical. Until, of course, a slide made of ice bashed through the concrete of the wall in a very literal sense.

The Demon stood close to The Hacker's healing pod, holding one arm out in front of it protectively. Their ruby orbs watched the hole in the wall carefully while their trademark knife - or, the replacement knife Gatherer had provided them after that stupid other timeline Chara stole theirs - appeared in their grasp, that empty gun appearing in their other hand. Just after they summoned these weapons, gunfire rang out, and bolts of gold energy began firing endlessly through the front wall of the lab.

Demon ground their teeth at this, eyes darting between each ricocheting bolt to make sure not a single one neared the tank that held their Hacker. When none did, and the blasts died down, they lowered their weapons to their side. With a scowl engraved deep in The Demon's face, they began walking towards the slide. Their scarlet orbs were relentless, never blinking as they waited for their trigger happy foe to make themself known.

Their patience was rewarded when Clover raced down the slick ice on his boots, knees bent and poncho whipping around from the velocity at which he descended into the building. The cowboy jumped from the freeze he'd been riding, landing on the tile floor and skidding to a stop. His elbows were bent, the barrels of his pistols pointed straight up.

That didn't last though, as his gold eye quickly spotted The Demon there, and his crosshairs followed not a second later. The Demon had the sights of their own revolver aimed on the JUSTICE soul, and for a moment or two, things were silent in their Mexican standoff.

"... I reckon that gun don't belong to you." Clover finally spoke, gold light shining vengefully under his hat. His words made the corner of Demon's mouth curl upwards, however.

"Oh, this old thing?" They tilted their head to the side, malicious grin growing over their features. "Some monsters were hording it with the rest of their trash."

Clover growled his warning with Demon's words, fingers slipping over the triggers of his weapons.

"No idea how they got it." Demon gave a little shrug, everything about their tone mocking. "Some loser, second rate human must'a dropped it after dying like a total bitch."

"'Least he din't off himself fer a dumbass plan that din't even work." Clover bit back, his own sun dried lips curling up into a smug smirk.

"..." Demon's grin drooped down into a heavy frown, and their eye twitched with withheld rage. Their finger tightened on their trigger, and through grinding teeth they spoke.

"... I'm going to start shooting you now."

"If ya shoot anythin' like ya talk, I ain't got nothin' to be worried 'bout."

"... So you're telling me..." Sockets without pupils, Sans kept his head low. He sat in Gaster's lab upon a white cushioned stool, digits folded over his lap. "You sent Cter to fight a war because you thought it would make him stronger?"

Gaster growled to himself, placing one hole punched hand over his face. His teeth ground with frustration, his brow bones pressing together. "I understand the situation is not preferable, but-"

"No, you don't." Sans interjected, lifting his head to slam the full weight of the Judge's glare upon the doctor. "If there's one thing that's obvious, it's the complete and utter lack of understanding both you and CORE Frisk have displayed."

"Well what would you have me do, Sans?!" Gaster demanded to know, frustration boiling his marrow as he turned to face the shorter skeleton.

"TELL. CTER. THE. TRUTH." Sans retorted loudly and slowly, hoping that even an idiot like Gaster would understand.

"What?! Are you insane?!" Gaster recoiled, and Sans sockets went wide with complete bewilderment.

"Am I insane?!" Sans repeated back like he honestly could not believe words could ever be ordered in that manner. He threw his hand out to the side, gesturing to the outside world. "Gaster, the man has had one of if not thee scariest guys in the multiverse looming over his shoulder for six months now, and no one has thought to tell him!"

"Well if you're so certain that's a great idea, why haven't you told him?" Gaster challenged, tilting his head and leaning his long spine to loom over Sans some.

"Because I trusted in you and CORE." Sans narrowed his sockets, hopping off of his stool and stepping right up to Gaster. He got right in the doctor's face, glaring up into his cracked eyes. "Clearly that was a mistake."

With that brutal sting, Sans shoved right by Gaster. He made his way towards the staircase that led to the cellar door, opting to leave Gaster with the venom of his words now poisoning him.

Gaster lowered his head, shadows slipping along his skeletal features in the florescent lighting of the basement. He was silent as Sans' footsteps got further and further away, but just before the shorter monster reached the staircase, he managed to speak. "... You don't get it, Sans."

"..." Sans narrowed his sockets irritably at that, turning his circular head to look at Gaster over his shoulder. "What don't I get?"

"Frisk. Chara. Even Hacker." Gaster turned his head as well, looking to Sans from the corner of his eye. "Cter spared them all. It worked two out of three times, and that one failure almost cost him his life."

"What's your point?" Burying his hands in his sweatshirt pockets, Sans turned to face Gaster. He tilted his head back some, those white pin point pupils gleaming in a way that was far from friendly.

"Cter can't pull the trigger." Gaster spoke in a low, quiet voice, like not even he liked saying these words. "He doesn't have the resolve to kill Anarchy."

"That's why he needs to be in the fight he's in." Gaster explained, turning around to face Sans fully. "He doesn't just need to get stronger, he needs to see the line between savable and too far gone."

"... You're wrong again, Gaster." Sans spoke after a few seconds of silence. He'd considered what the doctor had said, mulled it over for a moment. But, ultimately, he knew it to be false from the moment he heard it. "You're treating Cter's KINDNESS like it's weakness. But it isn't."

"..." Gaster frowned at that, a purple glow flickering over his white pupils as his sockets narrowed. "You think so?"

"Cter's KINDNESS kept him from becoming Hacker. Cter's KINDNESS is what pushed him to bet everything on saving us from Error." A lethal blue glow flickering in Sans' own eye, and he lowered his head some, shadows slipping along his features. "Cter's KINDNESS is what stopped Chara's rampage, and it's what brought on their change of heart and ascension."

"..." Gaster didn't know what to say about that. He had to pause. He had to think, for a long time. Perhaps his and CORE's paranoia had misconstrued things. Perhaps he really had been looking at things from the wrong perspective. Finally, after several long moments, he opened his jaws. "... I-"

Knock knock knock...

"..." Gaster shut his mouth when he heard a knock at the door. Him and Sans exchanged a glance, made a silent agreement to bookmark this conversation for later. Then, Gaster forced up his forlorn features into something more welcoming, and he spoke. "Come in!"

Creeeeaaaakkkk...

Sans turned to look over his shoulder with his usual grin, daylight pouring in around the one stepping past the cellar door. He squinted into this bright light, his underground raised eyes needing a little more time to adjust. He tried his best to make out this visitors features, but he could hardly even get an outline. He guessed, "Papyrus?"

"Close."

The cellar door slammed shut, and Sans' eyes snapped open wide. The room seemed to pressurize in an instant, gravity nearly doubled. The florescent lights above flickered and threatened to go out under the weight of the dark. Footsteps echoed like thunder down the slithering, inky blackness that cascaded over the staircase. And as Sans and Gaster both felt cold sweat break out on their respective foreheads and a deathly chill settle over their souls, glowing crimson eyes ripped and tore right through the dark, stabbing fear right through the both of them.

Slowly but surely, one methodical step after another, he emerged from the darkness. The veil of shadow pulled back away from his form, and to the horror of both the skeletons, The Anarchist revealed himself.

He was smiling. Smiling while Gaster's nonexistent heart dropped into his shoes. Smiling while Sans' Judge eyes saw every last drop of blood on his hands. It could fill an ocean, he thought. Taint the sea red.

"Y-you..." Gaster managed to stammer, his body trembling under the terrible weight Anarchy's presence slammed down upon him. he leaned back, resting one hand on the paper covered table behind him. "You shouldn't... Y-you're not supposed to-"

"I know you know who I am. And I know you know why I'm here." Smile never leaving his features, Anarchy tilted his head to the side. His voice was light, carefree, adoring. "Remind me, doc. Why am I here?"

"A-Anarchy, hold on." Gaster stammered, taking a fearful step back. Sans was stepping back as well, pupils missing from his eye sockets while sweat dribbled down his brow bone. "W-we can talk-!"

"There's only ONE PERSON I wanna talk to, doc." Crazy flickered in those malevolent eyes, and The Anarchist's lips curled back some, revealing his sharpened fangs. Arms hanging forward some, Anarchy hunched a little as he walked forward, those carnivorous eyes never leaving Gaster. "Remind me doc! Who do I wanna talk to, doc?!"

"A-Angel!" Gaster answered quickly, throwing his hands up defensively. Anarchy's voice, while friendly and comforting a moment ago, had completely changed. It was low now, deep and powerful like some ancient, primordial beast that should have never been awakened. "You're here for Angel, I know! Just please, stop walking forward-!"

"You ain't callin' the shots here! I'm the one givin' orders!" Anarchy snapped at Gaster, continuing to saunter forward. He was stalking, a scorpion looking to feast on the marrow of a rat. "And I'm in a bit of a hurry, so lets make it quick - where's Angel?"

"He said step back!" Sans suddenly snapped, a light blue glow flicking over his fingers as he shoved one hand out towards Anarchy, like he was attempting to push him away. This motion made a dark blue soul appear on Anarchy's chest, and gravity suddenly yanked The Bastard Son back towards the staircase.

"Sans, wait-!" Gaster attempted to stop him, but it was too late. Sans' attempt at trapping Anarchy with his soul grip proved fruitless however when the albino planted his feet, only actually sliding about a yard back before coming to a complete stop.

"Get talkin', four eyes..!" Anarchy spoke through grinding teeth, slowly lifting one foot as red began to crack through the blue of his soul. He stomped one foot forward, and then another, and another after that. With each footfall, the disgustingly malicious aura of The Anarchist got even stronger. Both Sans' and Gaster's monster souls were sickened, weighed down and weakened by the force of Anarchy's own soul.

Gaster was leaning most of his weight back on the table behind him, and Sans was slouching and swaying back and forth. The two felt horribly ill, sweat pouring out from their bones as they struggled to so much as move under the unbearable pressure of The Anarchist's LOVE. This fatigue made it easy for Anarchy to grab Sans right by the face, his powerful white fingers wrapping over his waning smile.

"S-Sans..!" Gaster managed to cry out, wincing as he reached out feebly with one trembling hand to the monster that Anarchy held several feet off the ground.

"E-erg-!" Sans grunted, nausea and disorientation rocking his body as The Anarchist made direct contact. His body was already weak for a monster's, and under the pressure of a soul as powerful as Anarchy's, he knew he wouldn't be able to hold out for long.

"Ay doc, wanna hear a cool skeleton fact?!" Anarchy's head snapped back towards Gaster, his smile twisting and curling into a vicious grin.

"Anarchy, please-!" Gaster pleaded, holding his hands up in a desperate gesture for him to relax.

"Your bodies are HOLLOW!" Anarchy's lips folded back with his grin, making it a snarl as well. He disregarded Gaster's pleas, instead giving him more to be afraid for. "It's dark in there! That means my worm can form right inside you!"

"If you would just wait for one more day-!" Gaster started to try and reason, but Anarchy cut him right off.

"All Angel's ever done is make me wait! He's not gettin' another second outta me!" Anarchy's grin instantly flipped down into a berserk frown. "Either tell me where he is or the short stack dies!"

"But-!" Gaster's pupils trembled in his sockets, shrunken and mortified. His brain raced, rapidly assessing any and all options he had here, of which there were very few. He could only see any glimmer of light in one option, but he was hardly sure if-!

"YA EVER SEEN SOMEBODY GET PEELED FROM THE INSIDE OUT, DOC?!" Anarchy shouted violently, his wide red eyes vibrating with fury. He shook Sans lightly in his grasp, "IT WORKS ON SKELETONS TOO, DON'T YOU WORRY!"

"MOUNT EBBOT!" Gaster suddenly shouted, his hands clenching into tight fists. He lowered his head, his eyes clamping together to hide the frustrated soul that could be seen in them.

"..." Anarchy went silent. The shadows stopped their deafening hissing, returning to quietly slithering over the brick walls. The expression lightened on The Anarchist's pale face, madness dimming in his now narrowed eyes. His lips uncurled from that grin, and he spoke quietly. "... What?"

"Mount Ebbot!" Gaster repeated, betraying the new quiet air in the basement. There was panic in the eyes that he looked at Anarchy with, along with desperation. "You'll find Angel on Mount Ebbot! But you have to go there now, before you miss him!"

". . ." For three seconds that felt like three years, all was completely silent. Then, Anarchy released Sans, and the short skeleton landed flat on his ass, crumpling to the floor in a diseased mess. "See? Was that so hard?"

"Get going." Gaster told him through grinding teeth, his fingers digging into the table that he was still forced to lean against. "You don't want to miss him."

"I sure hope you're not lying to me about this, doc." As Anarchy turned his body to face the staircase, a small smile curled his lips into something entirely evil. He watched Gaster out of the corner of his eye all the way to the top step, before finally looking upwards to the door that lead to the outside world.

"... For your sake."

Slow footsteps were the only noise then, followed by the creak of the cellar door. Light once more spilled down the staircase, before Anarchy's shadow disappeared, and the door shut behind him.

Silently, Gaster slid down. Gradually he made his way to the floor, where he sat, staring off into space with wide, horrified eyes. Sans lifted his head from the cool of the tile floor, narrowing his weak eyes over at Gaster with what urgency he could muster. "Gaster..?"

"Y-... Yes..?" Gaster slowly turned his eyes to Sans, one hand resting over his chest. His monster soul was still vibrating painfully from the impression of Anarchy's power.

Sans grunted between his gasping breaths as he pushed himself up on to his knees, placing one hand on the side of his head in attempt to steady his mind. His white dot pupils darted over to Gaster, and he managed to utter two powerful words in his weak state.

"Call. Chara."

"... Here they come." Grillby reached up, using a single finger to push his glasses up closer to his eyes. He stood to Melanie's right, and Muffet to her left. The three members of the kitchen crew were standing in the frame of the large gate that lead into The Gatherer's compound, and fearlessly they stared out at the growing mobs that were pouring from the streets ahead.

It was impressive, the kitchen crew would give them that. It'd only been a few minutes since they'd appeared, and a few more minutes since they would have tripped some kind of alarm with their breaking through Xander's firewalls. Yet already police officers were gathering, and they were certain the full force of Gatherer's military was preparing to deploy.

"Are you ready, Melanie?" Muffet asked, turning her head to look upon the KIND human by her side. Expression focused and green eyes staring ahead, the girl nodded a single time. Her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides, and her right eye flared green. Emerald soul appearing with a brilliant gleam on her chest, she pulled both her hands over her head.

Green light illuminated her hands as she rose them, and her fingers stiffened and trembled with the power that vibrated within them. Then, suddenly, she dropped down to one knee, sending her palms crashing down onto the concrete on which she stood. Quickly thereafter, green lights began igniting in the sky. KIND shield after KIND shield was forming in the sky over the compound, rapid rectangles blotting out the sky and building together like a sheet of LEGO bricks.

Quickly Melanie's shields were building a dome over Gatherer's central compound, locking Predator's pirates in and Gatherer's armies out. After a few more seconds, the emerald walls slammed down in front of the gateway they stood in, and they were officially locked in.

After that, Melanie shifted. She sat down, crossing her legs and folding her hands in her lap. Her eyes closed so she could maintain her focus, and soon after, green light ignited around her as well. A smaller dome of energy formed over her, protecting her from the outside world and whatever may try to disrupt her focus.

"... Well, we're on the clock now." Grillby pointed out, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he turned and looked back out at the warzone him and his friends were now trapped in. He squinted, spotting the elite guards Swap!Alphys and Fell!Undyne sprinting towards the two of them in their clanking armor.

"We both know Predator, ahuhuhu~!" Muffet laughed to herself, turning her body to face the incoming attackers. Her and Grillby's mission was simple: Protect Melanie while she holds up the barrier. Still, with a good distance between them and the approaching enemy, Swap!Muffet took the time to turn her head skyward, looking up at the ship looming above. "She'll make things quick."

With a monstrous scream GB!Sans smashed his massive skull against the writhing mass of vines just under Horror!Flowey's jaws, shoving the beast backwards across the stone path beneath the two. Flowey's vines slithered and smashed through the rock, dragging through the earth and forcing GB!Sans' momentum to a stop.

As the monster plant cackled, Sans' snarled viciously, not hesitating to open his jaws and send jagged teeth crashing down through Flowey's main body of vines. He shredded through the writhing plant snakes like tissue paper, sending green ooze splattering up the side of his draconic skull. Next, the skeletal beast turned on his clawed heel, digging his talons through the ground and yanking Flowey's entire weight with the quick snap of his head. With the power of his jaws GB!Sans whipped Flowey back through the air, sending his bleeding vines splashing into the fountain the was the center piece of the courtyard.

As Sans stomped back towards Flowey, the gross vegetation creature began absorbing the water of the fountain through its rooty body. This made the blood stop flowing from its vines, the green of which was quickly resealing. Meanwhile, the creature's vertical jaws shut, and its disgusting eye was revealed. This eye then began to glow. Flowey's vines vibrated, and the water that surrounded the swamp monster trembled and splashed as burning white energy began growing around its massive eye.

GB!Sans was far from afraid of this revelation however, seeming more pissed off than anything. He planted his feet with two ground shaking stomps, and as blue fire overflowed from his two slit pupils, he opened his jaws wide. A light from his own blast grew rapidly in the back rows of his jagged teeth, quickly getting brighter and brighter. As the familiar sound of a Gaster Blaster charging filled the air, searing ivory blared from Sans' maw. Then, with a powerful crash, he and Flowey fired their lasers at once.

Boiling plasma met boiling plasma as the two massive beams struck one another at the halfway point between the monsters. The collision sent dust blasting out around the two, the world around them tinted white and flashing violently. Electricity crackled, jumped across the ground at the monsters feet. Then, suddenly, a pulse of energy vibrated from the collision point of their blasts. Some chemical reaction caused the collision point to expand, rapidly forming an orb of unstable light, before igniting in a violent explosion that sent dust blasting out around the two, obscuring them both from sight.

This wave of force sent wind exploding up through the courtyard, and Susie instinctively turned her head to spot the flash. The gusts it produced pushed back her hair, revealing a scar on her brow for a moment or two before the winds passed, and her hair drooped back over her eyes. Turning her head forward, she was forced to forget her worry for Sans as she spotted several orbs of glowing white magic being blasted at her from Mad Mew Mew's scepter.

At the last second, Kris slide in between Susie and the blasts, lifting their shield and letting Mad Mew Mew's attacks burst futily against it's metal. Then, they threw their shield baring arm out to the side and raced forward, rapidly closing the distance between themself and the grinning doll before them.

Snarling viciously, a savage red glare ignited in Kris's right eye just as they lunged out towards the foe. With a swift slash of their blade, they were suddenly landing behind Mad Mew Mew on one knee. With their slash, Mew Mew's head was separated from her shoulders, spiraling up on an arch and dropping right back towards the earth.

But, before the head could get too close to the dirt, a hand reached out, snagging it by the poofy pig tails. Mew Mew's severed head cackled madly, suspended in air by her own hand's grip. She flipped her head around to face Kris.

"Idiot. Idiot! IDIOT!" She insulted between her malevolent laughter, expression twisted with rage. "You can't kill a doll! Now who's the DUMMY?!"

Then, Mew Mew threw her head into the air, her body spinning around a downward ax swing from Susie. Susie's blade crashed through the stone at her feet as Mad Mew Mew danced around her, reaching up and catching her own head as it descended. Jumping back from another savage slash of Susie's ax, she planted her head right back down on her shoulders.

Meanwhile, ten or so yards away, Eden planted her feet. Mumbling arcane gibberish, she held her notebook open in one hand. It's pages flipped rapidly as an updraft lifted her hair, before an arch of purple fireballs formed over her head. The violet wisps launched across the way to Ralsei, who was quick to clap his hands together. As he did, golden light shinned from the cracks between his fingers. Next, he pulled his hands apart, and that golden lighten expanded between his palms and took shape.

The shine of Ralsei's magic formed a star, big enough to block the oncoming ghostly flames. Eden's attacks broke down to embers against this golden shield the fluffy boy had crafted, before he shoved his hands out towards her. With a wave of force kicking up dust at his feet, Ralsei sent that same star bursting forward towards Eden.

Eden's frown deepened as the light of Ralsei's star power fired at her, but her lips never stopped moving. Swiftly, purple tendrils launched out from her notebook, whipping around all five of that star's points and immediately yanking upwards, changing its course and throwing the attack skyward.

Eden lifted her eyes some to watch the attack ascend, and her eyebrows rose with surprise. In the heat of battle, she hadn't even noticed. A massive dome of emerald energy had formed over her head, blocking out the night sky and illuminating everything in a greenish hue. That star raced upwards, before shattering to glimmering magic shards against the power of Melanie's barrier.

"Well, would you look at that?" Small smirk gracing his features, Ralsei straightened his pointed hat. Eden shot him a brutal glare, but he wasn't afraid to keep speaking.

"Phase 2 is in effect."

Watching Gatherer ascend towards the hanger she stood in, Predator grinned like a madwoman. She flipped her scythe's point to face upwards, and then she swung for the upper arch of the hanger's door. Her blade's point jammed into the metal, and she swung herself right up, flipping up onto the roof of her ship.

Once there, she jumped back on the smooth, flat metal surface just as Gatherer blasted his way up to the ship's top after her. He landed there, slightly crouched before straightening his back and standing to his full height. With a small sigh, Xander reached up, running his hands over his semi-messy hair and flattening it back down with his still glowing hands. After that, he opened the corner of his mouth, letting smoke from the cigarette in his mouth's opposite corner stream out of his lungs. "... You're really messing up my evening plans, you know."

"You fucked up my whole weekend plans. Not to mention my house." Lexi narrowed her eyes, tapping the butt of her scythe on the metal on which she stood. "In other words, eat my dick."

"You're not my type." Gatherer answered simply, reaching up with one hand and taking the cigarette butt from his lips. He dropped it, let the wind catch its still smoldering form and carry it over the edge of the platform on which the two levitated over the city. In the same motion, he reached his other hand into his pocket, retrieving his lighter and pulling it free. He casually flicked it out to his side, and fire blasted out from its ignition point, straightening into a short sword of searing flame.

"This is a bold move, Lexi. Even for you." With an elegant shift in his stance, Gatherer put himself into a fencing stance, one arm pointing his blade out to Lexi while the other was folded behind his back. "No amount of property damage could outweigh the gain of finally ridding myself of a nuisance of your caliber."

"Well ya pussed out earlier when I showed my face." Crooked grin on her face, Lexi lowered her stance. Ice formed along the steel of her scythe's blade, as well as her hands, both of which were wrapped around the weapon's long handle. "You sure you're ready to face me head on?"

"You had the home field advantage last time." Gatherer's violet eyes narrowed with lethal precision, those snakes he wore on his flesh slithering quietly over his arms with growing anticipation. "Now you are on my field."

"... Un huh." Lexi lifted her eyes to the sky, nodding up towards it to indicate that he should look skyward as well. "Dunno about that one, chief."

"Hm?" Gatherer arched a brow, lifting his eyes to the sky over his head. He frowned some when he spotted the green dome that was forming over his personal compound, locking him and his adversaries inside. "... Mm. Well, that is upsetting."

"Feel free to start cryin' anytime between now and when I'm through whippin' your ass." The Predator smirked with the utmost confidence, carnivorous blue eyes laying on Xander with all their icy chill.

"... It's no matter." Xander decided, shutting his eyes momentarily and taking a calming, deep breath. "You see, Lexi dear, there has been a misunderstanding."

"It is not me who is trapped in here with you." Slowly Xander opened his eyes, revealing DETERMINED red flames that smoldered in his left iris. His jaws clenched tight together, and he bared his fangs with never before seen ferocity. From the corners of his mouth, embers sparked, flames licking out and up his cheeks. "On the contrary."

"You're trapped in here with me."

"Ha!"

With a swift woosh, Chara's DETERMINED blade slashed a wave of red that fired over the grass. It was low to the ground, slicing through the two-foot tall weeds and carrying them over the mountain side with the wave of force.

"'Just buy a lawnmower.'" Chara repeated Asriel's words with a mocking tone, before laughing triumphantly to themself. "Yeah, sure thing Azzy, right after I buy an ax for those trees."

In the months they had lived there, Chara had dedicated most of their time to cleaning up the Ruins and making the less safe areas of the Underground a little more safe. Disabling traps, removing spikes, reinforcing bridges. Whatever they could do to keep themself productive. But, the area leading in to the mountain was still plenty treacherous. Sure, they had some warnings up around the massive hole that dropped right down into the Ruins, but there was still plenty tall grass or vines or misplaced stones to trip over.

Emphasis on was. In the week since getting their new level of power, Chara had been taking plenty advantage of the more practical uses these abilities brought. Now, the entryway to the Ruins was nice and clear. Grass was well trimmed, stones had been pilled over by a rock wall leading to a higher peak. The massive trees that loomed over the hole and shielded it from being seen until one was mere feet from it were nothing more than stumps now, chopped down with the same ease as the grass. Their wood had been perfectly split and neatly stacked.

Chara figured Winter was on its way topside; it was already almost October. Maybe they could sell all the wood they'd cleared and make something for their efforts. Money was the least of their concerns, considering they lived in a mountain cavern for free. But, still, it wouldn't hurt to have some change in their pocket.

Landscaping had honestly become a bit of a hobby of theirs. It was something easy to do, and it kept their mind off of things. They had a tendency to overthink if they were doing nothing for too long, and they liked the peace and quiet that came with outdoor work. They still weren't sure what they were gonna do with the stupid crater at the other entrance into the Underground, higher up on the mountain. Cter had created the thing with the Beat Dome he put them in six months ago, and nature had hardly repaired itself. Some grass had started to sprout in the hole, mostly that stuff that survives anywhere. Dandelions and other weeds. But outside of that, it was a pit of scorched earth.

Maybe they'd use the money from selling that lumber to get some kinda lining and fill the stupid thing with water. Just turn it into some big in-ground pool. That'd be a pretty good use for a hole that was almost their grave. Then again, that meant they would have to both purchase and wear a bathing suit, and that idea didn't exactly appeal to them. What would they even wear? Probably just trunks and a shirt. Certainly not a white shirt. But even then, water makes clothing, stick to things, and-

Yikes. So maybe a pool wasn't the best idea. Too many opportunities for uncomfortable situations and embarrassment. Not to mention that Cter would probably want to be in the thing all the time, and he's the last person they would want to see them in a situation like that.

Chara shook their head quickly, dismissing all their brain's attempts at imagining that scenario and cutting their embarrassment off at its source. They had started working outside to take their mind off Angel, not try to imagine how he would react to... Ahem, nevermind that.

This is how it had been all day. Somehow, every thought found it's way back to that emerald eyed friend of theirs. Chara wondered if they were really that worried about him out there, that their concern made it impossible to forget him for more than a few minutes at a time. He had been so vulnerable last night. So scared, so upset. But he trusted them, and that made them feel special. He said he'd never told anyone all that he had told them, and they couldn't stop wondering why he had picked them of all people.

"I THINK YOU'RE AMAZING!"

Did he really think that highly of them? Is that why he trusted them with everything he had been hiding? Is that why he..?

Their eyes drifted down to their open hand. They remembered how his hand had felt in theirs. Despite its bony structure, his skin was surprisingly warm. Soft, even.

"I need you here." He had told Chara. Said that they were stronger than he was, and that he wanted them to look over things while he was away. They thought that was ironic, that he was trusting the timeline with the very same person he once gave his life to save it from. It meant a lot to them that he had said that. For him to trust them with something this important, it really showed that he didn't think they were the same person they had been back then.

... But, they also couldn't help but wonder if he had ulterior motives. The way Cter talked about Anarchy, he described him like he was invincible. He painted him like he was a mountain of a man, immovable and unstoppable and certain in all that he did. To Angel, Anarchy must have been the most dangerous man alive. So, Chara couldn't help but wonder...

Did he ask them to stay back, because he was worried? Was he... Afraid they would get hurt-?

"EUGH!" Chara suddenly shouted, reaching up and slapping a hand on each side of their face, like they were scolding themself for still thinking about this. Honestly, how many trains of thought were they gonna have to derail before their brain got the message? They didn't want to think about this! It was embarrassing, and confusing in ways they didn't understand at all! They hated it!

... Well, kind of hated it. It was annoying, but exciting, but scary, but fun, but insecure, but reassuring, but-! Eugh! One big stupid contradiction!

Groaning with exasperation, Chara wandered to the mountain's edge. They looked down, watching over the city below. The sun was getting low, not quite setting yet, but probably only an hour or so from starting to sink in the horizon.

Quietly Chara exhaled, letting their expression soften into something less frustrated. What could he be doing out there? They had no idea where he was, or what was happening. And while they appreciated everything he was trusting them with, really, they just... Wished they were there with him. Their eyes lowered, a sad little frown on their face while they muttered under their breath, "... I hope he's okay..."

Vrrrt... Vrrrt... Vrrrt...

Nui Harime Theme from Kill La Kill began playing.

"Hm?" Chara turned their head, shaken from their invasive thoughts by the sound of their cell phone's vibrations. They spotted it right where they had left it, upon the clean cut stomp where they had taken their lunch break. Disgusting little black maggots wriggled on the surface of the screen, three or four of them. This made Chara furrow their brows with some displeasure added to their confusion, before they leaned down and scooped up their phone, getting a look at the caller I.D.

"Gaster..? He never calls me." Chara pondered this mystery aloud as they brushed those gross larvae carelessly from the ringing screen, before their ruby eyes snapped open wide. "Thirty seven missed calls?!"

They answered the phone so urgently that they hardly noticed the way the shadows were shifting. Black maggots seeped slowly from the stump by their side, creeping up mindlessly from any cracks in the wood. "Gaster?"

"Chara! Finally!"

"Yeah, it's me." Chara answered with concern and confusion clear on their face. They rested one hand on their hip as they shifted with unease, eyes narrowing down at the filthy little bugs creeping and crawling out from the stump. They were certain that infestation hadn't been there when they were seated there earlier. "What's going on? Why did you blow up my phone-?"

"Chara, listen to me! There's no time!"

"Cut to the chase, Gaster. You're kind of freaking me out." Anxiety entering their eyes, Chara began turning their head. They scanned their surroundings, staring longer and harder into any shadows than they had been a moment ago. Suddenly, it felt like they were being watched. They thought for sure something was moving in those dark corners, something they couldn't quite make out.

"Listen closely! You have to prepare! Someone very dangerous is-"

Crunch... Crunch... Crunch...

It was at this point that Chara tuned out from Gaster's rambling, turning slowly to face the path directly behind them, across the clearing they had made. The path was shrouded by the shadow of the trees at this time of day. Large, leafy wooden structures lined the gravel walkway perfectly on either side. The dark was thicker than they had ever seen it before, and their eyes were having trouble cutting through it.

For some reason, Chara could hear their pulse in their ears. Adrenaline was starting to release into their bloodstream, but they didn't understand. Somewhere in their most basic instincts, their body was screaming at them to either get ready for a fight or run as fast as possible in the other direction. These things were not foreign, they had felt them plenty of times in the many battles they had been apart of. But never this soon. Never before even seeing their opponent.

Then, suddenly, beady red eyes appeared in the blackness. They were wide, and they never blinked. Their appearance was so sudden that it made Chara flinched some, their head drawing back and their teeth clenching together. Instinctively, they opened the palm of their clammy hand, and one of their knives reappeared in their grasp.

Finally, the darkness shifted, blackness slithering away from a head of snow white hair. It fell in a messy heap now around a pale face. His head was the first thing to emerge from the shadows, but the rest of his body soon followed. For a moment, Chara was paralyzed. Baffled by who they were seeing and the presence they were feeling.

As those unblinking, predatory eyes laid upon them. As they saw his pearly white grin with a mouthful of jagged teeth, perfect for shredding flesh. As the light reflected from his alabaster skin, as though his body would accept only darkness. It became clear to Chara just who or what they were staring at, and they noted that Cter's description had not been the least bit exaggerated.

"Chara? Are you listening to me?! Chara!"

"... I'm, gonna have to call you back." Chara finally spoke as Gaster managed to get their attention again, but only for a moment. Their eyes never left Anarchy, their head never turned in any other direction. He was like some bug, stinger pulled back and ready. They felt the moment their guard dropped, the moment they looked away, he would strike.

"What?! No! Chara-!"

*Click...

Chara lowered their phone slowly, before letting it disappear into their inventory. They stared at Anarchy as he stared at them, the two never breaking eye contact. Chara held on to their nerve however, planting their feet and keeping their knife held out to their side on clear display. It was a threat, a warning for Anarchy to walk closer at his own risk.

The mountain was growing louder. Birds were chirping alarms, their shadows racing across the ground as flock after flock fled the trees. Trees that groaned and swayed in a sudden, whipping wind. A wind that screamed as well, as though nature itself was in a state of unease. The volume rose higher and higher, the cries of the animals and the creaks and groans of the trees reaching deafening highs.

And then, Anarchy lifted his foot. He rose it, and brought it down, taking a single step closer. That made the panicked nature gather its wits, animals plants and air currents alike all falling deathly silent in an instant.

Chara took a slow, deep breath in this new and sudden quiet. Then, finally, they opened their mouth, and they spoke clearly and loudly enough that Anarchy would hear them without a doubt. "Greetings."

Anarchy smiled at that, tilting his head to the side in a friendly way. Unfortunately, the gleam in his eyes and the points of his fangs were the furthest thing from welcoming. "Hello,"

He let his jaw hang open then, his long tongue hanging out over his bottom row of teeth as he breathed out the second word of his sentence slowly, like some kind of toxic gas.

"Friend."

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