Thanks go to Wingah, Zack Frost, 10burgers, Doctah Sawbones, Acoolnamme, WhoWritesThisCrap, underboythereal, Nabzif, and Genowar!

Alright, I'm back! Sorry about being a week late, unfortunately a few days after I uploaded last chapter my cat Molly passed away. That turned a lot of my typing time into grieving time. I'm sure you can all understand.

But I'm back now with a new chapter! And I'm still trying to keep up this every two weeks schedule, so the next chapter should be posted Sunday, January 10th! If not, then as usual, it will be uploaded the next Sunday after that date.

And to answer your question Nabzif, I've considered doing another Q&A chapter, but I've been uncertain of the hows and whens of executing it. I figure if I do one, it will be at the end of season 5 or 6, and I'll probably upload the actual Q&A chapter in my other story DoubleExtras, where all little side DoubleTale things go. I would do this to keep from messing with the flow of this story from chapter to chapter. But, I'm still uncertain on if I wanna do a Q&A again. I don't know; feel free to tell me what you all think of the idea and how you would like for it to be executed in the reviews!

I hope you all had and are having very happy holidays, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale.

What a day, Eden had been thinking. Mad Mew Mew had quite a high level of energy, and Eden could never match it. But, she never felt like she had to. That was why her and Mew Mew got along actually, they matched each other. Eden was a little too quiet and Mew Mew was a little too loud, and somehow that created something balanced.

Flowey was the odd man out, grunting and groaning impatiently the entire day. A child tried to pet him and he hissed at her. Unfortunately, that just made the little girl giggle. As Xander and most of his guard was often in the public eye, they were all beloved by the people as great defenders of their society from the multiverse's harsh outlaws. That meant even a fiend like Horror!Flowey had his fans.

So, all and all, today had been fun. If not a little exhausting. After spending hours bouncing between book stores, clothing stores, food courts, a Hot Topic or two... They'd made their way back to Gatherer's compound. First, they dropped off their bags at Eden's room, and she had thought that was where the two of them would part ways.

She had to go up to Xander's home at the top floor, after all. The Gatherer had left her a good morning text, apologizing for his busy day and asking her to come to his home at about eight o'clock when the both of them would be free so that he could wish her a happy birthday personally. But, when she told Mew Mew that, the ghost doll waved a hand dismissively and smiled, saying she'd like to escort Eden there.

Eden had of course told Mew Mew she didn't need any guard, but Mew Mew was quick to warn of birthday assassins and/or ninjas, and Eden figured she was going to remain persistent. So, the three of them - Flowey still perched in Eden's backpack - made their way up to the top floor via elevator.

Now, Eden stood before the shined brown door of Gatherer's home suite, squinting anxiously at the knob. She wondered what Xander would say to her, what condition he would be in. He would certainly act positive, of that she was sure. But... He was so busy these days. Amassing armies and information, carefully plotting and planning every moment every day... Surely he didn't really have time for anything prolonged. But, then again, Xander did always find the time for her. Even though that, sometimes made Eden feel like another chore of his. Either way, she would have to wear a smile. She would have to pretend this was the best birthday she'd had in years.

... The best birthday she'd had without Cliff.

For only a split second, she found herself watching her brother's casket lower into the earth. She remembered the bitter silence that encompassed the entire world. The stifled sobs, the little sniffles the only sounds that remained in the world. She remembered having dry eyes, she remembered not feeling much at all. In all the days prior to the funeral, she had cried every tear she'd had. Through eulogies and ceremonies, all the way until she watched Clifford The BRAVE disappear into the ground, Eden did not shed a tear.

She remembered Xander The Gatherer, standing at the forefront of the crowd, his head lowered and his fists trembling. He too had not cried. He had held himself together in the public eye, as always. Kept his head up, his eyes dry, his upper lip stiff through all the words he'd said, all the honors he'd given, all the metals he'd placed around the now pale neck of her elder brother. And when Cliff was buried, he stood in front of the world, and he watched without a word. Without an expression. No one would know how he felt, no one could see how heartbroken he was, how dead he felt. Eden believed part of Xander had been buried with Clifford that day. Eden believed Gatherer was the only part of Xander that remained whole.

The bitter emptiness that had consumed Eden that day had dulled; she found herself in happy moments here and there. Life went on, even without Clifford. Even if it hurt that he was gone. Though the circumstances of his demise did haunt her, though the faceless figure of The Cherub tormented her within her dreams, every waking moment was not bitter for Eden. She sometimes forgot how much she missed him, she sometimes enjoyed her life regardless of whether or not Cliff was there. Earlier today with Mew Mew, for example. She had laughed and smiled and had fun, and she thought that would make Cliff happy if he could see it.

... Xander was not the same. He did not smile, not like he used to when Cliff was by his side. There was a bitter chill to his eyes, something that Eden did not recognize lurked beneath the surface. And she did not have the strength or the knowledge to address the creature that Xander kept hidden behind the mask of The Gatherer, she did not have the experience. She was still young, she felt immature in so many ways. And Xander was a thousand years old, or at least he seemed that way. His eyes were old, his words were wise, his mind was sharp. Surely whatever worries she had, whatever concerns she confronted him with, he would always be able to dispel or dodge. He was smarter than her, after all. He was smarter than everyone. She could not understand him, could not comprehend the world in the way that he did. And because of that, at the top of the world, Xander The Gatherer was all alone.

... So, Eden took gentle hold of the orange bandanna that rested around her neck, she shut her eyes, and she took a deep breath. Then, she released that bandanna from her grasp, and instead took hold of the door knob. She let her lips curl only slightly, into a believable smile. And she turned the knob slowly, before pushing open the door, prepared for whatever may lurk on the other side.

"SURPRISE!"

"H-huh?!"

... Nevermind.

Chapter 55: All That Glitters

Or: A Bad Guy Birthday Party!

"U-uh... What's, going on here..?" A wide eyed Eden scanned a room of unnaturally happy faces, social anxiety causing a few beads of sweat to break out on her forehead.

"A birthday party, duh!" Mad Mew Mew suddenly chimed in, throwing one arm around Eden's shoulders and hugging her head to her chest. "Can'tcha read the signs?!"

"I-I... Well, I guess I, got that, but uhm..." Eden's anxious purple orbs scanned the room of her acquaintances. She appreciated the thought behind this act, but the first thing it made her think was how few friends she really had. She hardly knew most of the people in this room, they were just coworkers at best. The only people she really considered friends were Mew Mew and Flowey. And Xander of course, but he was nowhere to be-

"Eden! Darling!" Xander's voice cut through the building doubt, and he wore his perfect smile as he walked into the living room from under the kitchen overhang. He held his arms out to his sides, a charismatic glint in those violet eyes. The eyes that matched hers, even though his soul did not. "Well? Did you expect this?"

"I uh... I can't say I did, no." Eden managed an awkward smile, ignoring Flowey's snickering behind her head. She took a few steps forward to greet Xander, letting her eyes dart over his shoulder to spot Hacker leaning in the doorway behind Xander. She resisted the urge to frown when she spotted him, her eyes darting to the right and spotting Demon there as well. "You, sure did gather a lot of people for this..."

"Well it's right in my name, isn't it?" Xander joked while he welcomed Eden in for a hug. She walked into his arms, leaning her head carelessly against his chest. She pondered if Xander truly understood himself or how alone he was. She wondered if it was sad that he considered the people who work for him to be his only friends. She wondered if he actually considered anyone his friend. And at the thought of his isolation, Eden hugged Xander just a little tighter.

"... Listen, I know social gatherings aren't exactly your forte." Suddenly, The Gatherer spoke quietly, just to her. It made Eden tense up some, knowing that she'd been caught. That she may have let it slip just how uncomfortable this situation made her. But, when she glanced up at him, he flashed that perfect smile again, and she couldn't help but feel reassured. "But, I promise, tonight will be fun. Try to get to know people better, you might even make a few new friends."

"... Well..." Eden hardly knew how to feel about this strange request from The Gatherer. New friends? Was he really concerned about her being lonely? She wasn't... That alone, was she? She had, a few friends...

... No, Xander understood her better than she understood herself. He was always right. The fact of the matter was, she'd always been introverted. And after Cliff was taken from her, she closed herself off to any new connections. She hadn't made a new friend since. Perhaps... No, certainly. This was a gift from The Gatherer. He didn't want her to be like him, and she hardly wanted to be like him either. Adults are supposed to be well adjusted and sociable, at the very least. And she was an adult now, she had to learn to be more personable.

"... Thank you, Xander." Eden forced her lips up into a grateful smile, and she felt a spark of relief when she saw the pride that flickered in Gatherer's amethyst orbs. Though she was uncertain, she knew she could find a way to enjoy this night. She just had to try and... Loosen up. Relax. Talk to people, it should be easy enough. "I'll, try my best."

"Wonderful!" The Gatherer exclaimed suddenly, wrapping one arm around Eden's shoulders and turning back towards the kitchen. He pointed forward, walking her happily in that direction. "Now come on, there's catering to be eaten!"

"... Well, boss?" It had been quiet for a solid minute or two within CORE!Alphys's Hollow Spire, before finally Clover found the courage to speak up. He let his gold eye leave the no longer shifting darkness and land on the back of Predator, who knelt at the edge of CORE!Alphys's viewing platform. "What now? We gettin' outta here?"

"... 'Gettin' outta here'?" Lexi quoted. Those were the first words she'd spoken aloud since proclaiming her challenge to Anarchy's Wyrm, and her crew didn't know whether to be relieved or concerned as she lifted her head. But, the moment she turned over her shoulder and flashed her madwoman grin Clover's way, they knew they were right to be afraid. "You gotta be joking, cowboy!"

"Oh boy." GB!Sans commented under his breath, arching a browbone at his boss as she jumped giddily to her feet. It was as though her previous sadness and frustration had faded completely as she spun on one foot, holding her arms out to her sides to gesture to the spire that surrounded them.

"C'mon, this is the place for us to be!" Lexi hopped forward, landing closer to her friends and clenching her fists in front of her. "I mean, yeah, we can't see where Anthony is and that blows, but here we can see where literally everyone else is!"

"That's true." CORE!Alphys chimed in again, picking herself up off the floor from where Predator had dropped her. She adjusted her glasses, and a small smirk shaped her snout. "Anywhere in the whole multiverse can be viewed from right here. There's no timeline too protected, no firewall that can turn my eyes away."

"Anywhere..?" Melanie echoed skeptically, bringing the knuckle of her index finger to her lips thoughtfully.

"Now, hold on." Ralsei interjected, lifting one floofy hand. He took a step forward, narrowing his eyes under the dark shadow of his wizard hat. "You and CORE!Frisk are made up of the same stuff, right? And the right firewalls can keep them out just fine. So what makes you different?"

"Made up of the same things? No no, Frisk and I are nothing alike." Alphys shook her head, causing the room further confusion.

"Whaddaya mean you're nothing alike?" Susie demanded to know, stomping one foot forward and barring her fangs. "You've both got 'CORE' in your names, for fuck's sake!"

"... CORE!Frisk is a presence. They can be kept out because they must exist within a timeline to peer into it." Alphys spoke with some exasperation, that earlier smirk drooping into an annoyed frown. "Firewalls don't actually 'keep them out', they simply disconnect whatever portion of them exists within a timeline from the rest of their consciousness. Meaning they can no longer perceive whatever part of them in that specific timeline perceives. Think of it like... Putting a kink in a hose. Information - like water - can no longer flow from that point."

"... Granted, the hose, in this case, would be some weird, tangled, infinite mess of separate hoses with water from separate water sources, but..." CORE!Alphys muttered to herself, reaching up and tugging at her bottom lip thoughtfully with her clawed thumb. Then, she pulled her hand away from her maw, waving it dismissively. "You get the idea. Frisk's sight can be negated because they must be present to see."

"And I reckon you do things a might different?" Clover tilted his head curiously, skeptical eye hidden under his cowboy hat's shadow.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Again her lips curled just slightly, flashing a smirk that was so knowing it became ominous. It was unnatural, Clover thought. A being that sees everything just wasn't something he thought should exist. "... Tell me, do any of you know how CORE Frisk came to be?"

"Not a clue." Fell!Grillby crossed his arms over his chest, disinterest hidden behind the purple glare of his glasses. "Never cared to ask."

"Well, I'll spare you the gritty details. It was a simple story really, the classic tale of a Frisk playing around just a little too much with that RESET button of theirs." Not particularly interested herself, Alphys examined her poorly trimmed claws. A shut in like her didn't have much time for self care between all the shows she had to watch. "This led to one of their accidental victims striking back, and throwing them into the CORE."

"At the exact moment of their scattering, they attempted to save themself with the very RESET button that had damned them. The mixture of the CORE's radiation, their DETERMINATION, and the infinity of the multiverse changed them into the omnipresent being they are today." As Alphys spoke, she slowly reached up, taking hold of her glasses. She slowly slid them down her snout, leaning forward and looking through the pirates before her with blackhole eyes. "And I know this because I saw it."

"In those days, an eternity ago, I was a pathetic creature." She pushed those glasses back up to cover those ghastly eyes, before turning on her heel. Hands folded behind her back, she wandered towards the couch from which she watched every world turn. "A mediocre Alphys, who happened to have a little more know how than my average counterpart. Living in a dead, abandoned timeline, I had learned how to watch other worlds. Happier lives."

"I couldn't watch many, even the most basic firewall kept me from seeing. Only the most simple, seemingly innocuous timelines were visible to me then." Her claws clicking on the floor, Alphys stepped carelessly by The Predator. Lexi didn't stop her, silently observing and making sure not to interrupt her tangent. "... Frisk's simple timeline was one of these worlds. Just a kid reliving their greatest adventure over and over, unaware of the friend it was hurting."

"... Until finally, that friend betrayed them, and tossed them into the CORE as punishment for their sins." Alphys paused there, at the edge of her plateau, lifting her shielded eyes up to the infinite glowing screens that shun over her Hollow Spire. "And when the explosion of radiation and DETERMINATION opened that timeline to the infinite void of reality for just a moment, and Frisk was scattered across time and space eternally... I saw it all."

"It was burned into my eyes, the view of all things at once. Staring into the never ending void opened my eyes to all of reality, and allowed me to see everything at the same time." Behind the grey glare of those glasses, CORE!Alphys narrowed her void eyes with some bitter nostalgia. "For what might have been days and what might have been centuries, I felt I was going mad. Seeing everything endlessly, blurring together and spreading apart."

"... But, after enough time, I learned how to see again. I began to understand how to perceive uncountable realities at the same time. I began to forget almost all of what I used to be." Carefully she lifted one claw, and she took hold of her glasses. She quietly pulled them away from her face, staring up into the spire she'd built millennia ago and she would live in eternally with her two all seeing eyes. "I learned how to decipher all of the code, see through anything and everything. And the rest... Lead us here. To this exact moment."

"... Well, that's great and interesting and all," Finally, after a few moments of extended silence, Predator took a step closer to the turned back of the all seeing scientist. She furrowed her brows, tilting her head some. "But what do you mean 'lead us here'?"

"Don't you get it, Predator?" Alphys turned her head, and she flashed a grin over her shoulder to Lexi. The unnatural curve of her maw, combined with her vantablack eyes, made her appear positively monstrous.

"I wanted you to find me."

... Okay, maybe this was going to be harder than he thought.

Admittedly, throwing a surprise party full of strangers for an anti-social girl was... Ill-advised. Xander scowled to himself, watching Eden sit awkwardly at the kitchen table. She was in proximity to Mad Mew Mew, who was conversing with ease with Swap!Alphys and Fell!Undyne. She was close enough to be in the conversation, but clearly could not find any way to bridge her way into things. So, instead she sat there, casually dodging eye contact by looking at what remained of her dinner.

Gatherer sighed, because he knew he could not comprehend her struggle. His parents had taught him from a very young age how to be perfectly sociable, polite and interesting. He never had trouble talking to people, for as long as he could remember he was a social butterfly.

... Granted, that was all fake. He had learned skills on how to make others more at ease with his presence, how to gain their trust indefinitely and earn their obedience. All through fake smiles and perfectly woven words.

But, when it came to really connecting with people, Xander was at a loss. He had tried many times in his life, but it was never enough. His love was not enough to keep his mother's disease at bay. It was not enough to preserve his father's will to live. It was not enough to keep Cliff alive. His friendship was not enough to stop Angel The Hacker from betraying him, and it was not enough to keep Predator and Anarchy from scorning all he had given them.

Honestly..! After everything he'd done for them! Those two were filthy sewer rats, unclean animals lurking in alleyways before he came along! He gave them everything! Home, food, drink, power over an entire fucking city! And Lexi thinks he's the evil one?! After spitting in his face! Setting back months of progress on his new life, destroying his first new home, bringing someone to murder the man he loved! That bitch! As far as Gatherer was concerned, while he paid Anarchy to rip Cter limb from limb, he'd be burning the ice witch at the stake!

And that melodramatic albino asshole better not be difficult! Gatherer didn't care how powerful the bastard was, he had an army! He had the whole world in his pocket! And if Anarchy were to scorn him now Gatherer would make certain that he suffered the worst fate an immortal could!

... Your fists are shaking, Xander. The Gatherer caught himself, swiftly shutting his eyes to hide the red shade that flickered within them. He inhaled deeply, and exhaled slowly. The last thing he wanted to do was ignite his own home on such a special occasion. He felt his racing heart began to slow in his chest while he reeled himself back in. He didn't need to get angry. If what Hacker had told him was true, then his plans would soon reach fruition, and he would have his revenge. After that he would be unopposed, and could create the perfect world Clifford had dreamed of. He would keep all the promises he made.

He just... Had to keep working. Had to keep trying in every aspect. And, in the moment, that meant giving Eden the best birthday ever and making her more friends.

"So, you were in quite a rush when you got here." Demon arched a brow over at Hacker, who sat on the cushion next to them upon Gatherer's black leather couch. "Care to explain what that was about?"

"Eh, real confidential business stuff, if ya catch my drift." Hacker shrugged harmlessly, waving a hand to dismiss Demon's worries. When Demon squinted impatiently at him, and it was obvious it wouldn't be that easy to throw them off the trail, Hacker chuckled. He wrapped one arm around their shoulders and pulled them a little closer to himself, laughing for a moment longer before lowering his voice. He whispered to them, "I'll tell ya later. Some'a these stooges would flip a tiddy if they found this shit out."

"... Mn." Demon grumbled, squinting a little harder up at him to display their skepticism. But, finally, they relaxed, and looked forward to the black screen of the TV while they leaned their head against his chest. "... Alright, fine. But I'm not happy about it."

"Yeah yeah. I'm well aware, grouchy." Hacker teased with a small smirk, rubbing Demon's back some to quell their anger and contradict his mockery. "Trust me, I'm not real jazzed about this situation either. I'd much rather be takin' care of business than wasting time at some birthday party I don't care about."

"Oh? I thought you'd be excited for a chance to make some new friends." Demon smirked a bit themself, their former displeasure fading away as the conversation continued. "Maybe find some new people to tell all your jokes to."

"Makin' new 'friends' is one thing." Hacker leaned his head back against the couch, letting his eyes drift up to the ceiling. "Bein' at the birthday party of some girl who's older brother got merked by a dude who wears my face feels... Radically inappropriate."

"Yeah..." Demon muttered in response, their eyes narrowing thoughtfully at the dark television. They couldn't say they didn't feel for Eden's plight to some extent; they knew what it was like to lose a brother. They knew what it was like to lose a lot of things. Of course they hardly cared for those days now, they rarely thought about the goats who raised them or the monsters that befriended them. They hardly cared to make new friends these days. Cultists weren't good buddy material, and they were a serial killer. Once The Angel and The Ascended Heir were dead and buried, they and Hacker would be getting outta this timeline and getting back to their lives as adrenaline chasing murder hobos.

... But, maybe this governed life had softened them up a bit. They hadn't killed someone just for the fun of it in years now; they spent most of their time training Gatherer's human soldiers in the ways of combat. And, they wouldn't lie, they did take some pride in teaching and seeing their students improve, even if their students wouldn't ever know that. Because Demon was cold and unforgiving, just as their first father had been when teaching them the art of murder. Not that they ever really made that connection; they barely remembered the cowardly Chieftain. Whether that was through mental blocking or moving on, they didn't care to know.

"Perhaps if you and your boyfriend were less enamored with one another, and opened up some to those around you, you would find you're surrounded by potential friends."

Demon remembered the words Gatherer had said to them earlier today, and they pondered the most prevalent stresses in their current life. Most of what bugged them these days were how unbearably restrained Hacker and themself were. It felt as though they were imprisoned most days, surrounded by not-so-friendly faces and forced to work apart for most hours of the day. It was true, the two had no friends other than one another. Their rough exteriors kept anyone from getting close, and that was how it was supposed to be.

But... Being loners was getting admittedly repetitive. And their options for tonight were to either sit on this couch with him and catch side eyes all night, or...

Demon lifted their head some, and looked over their shoulder back into the kitchen. They nearly groaned when they spotted one awkward Eden sitting alone at the kitchen table, rolling their eyes. Of course they understood this social debility that she suffered from, they hardly knew how to talk to people normally themself. Oh for fuck's sake...

"... Hey, Hacker. You should grab Mario Kart or something from our apartment." Demon suddenly spoke up, turning their head back towards their partner. Hacker recoiled some of course, furrowing his eyebrows with confusion.

"You want me to go grab a party game?" Hacker squinted with disbelief, tilting his head a bit. This seemed wildly out of character to him, Demon hardly ever even played video games with him. "Don'tcha think Gatherer will get pissy if we take up his TV?"

"Not if we invite other people to play, too." And Demon thought Hacker looked surprised before. He about fell off the couch when they said that to him, and they rolled their eyes, not particularly giddy for their own plan, either. But, it might be better than the alternative. And if their was one thing Demon hated, it was sticking to what was predictable.

"... Who are you and what have you done with my Char-bear?" Hacker spoke eventually, earning a swift punch in his thigh. This made him jump some, grabbing his leg and rubbing the charlie horse Demon had inflicted upon. "Ow! Hey!"

"Stop calling me that in public..!" Demon growled under their breath, a bit of red dusting their cheeks for a few seconds. But then, they took a deep breath, and they unclenched their fist. While their blush faded, they explained more calmly. "... Listen, either we try to be social somehow or we sit here avoiding everyone all night. And I'm beyond tired of doing that. So you can either go grab your dumb video games or you can go invite Eden to play with us while I grab them."

"Yikes, pass." Hacker grimaced, shaking his head. Then, he shut his eyes, and he sighed begrudgingly before he opened them again. "... Alright, fine. If you really want to try and 'be social', I'll make it happen."

"Thank you." Demon smiled appreciatively, rubbing gently where they'd punched him a moment ago as thanks and apology. Hacker fought his own smile at the sign of their kindness, rolling his eyes and keeping himself disgruntled on purpose.

"Yeah yeah." He climbed up from the couch, unwrapping his arm from their shoulder and standing up. As he turned around to face them, and a portal opened out of thin air behind him, he shoved his hands into his pockets and stood in his usual slouch. "I just hope for both our sakes this doesn't turn out worse than doing nothing."

"Even if it ends up worse, it'll still be something new." Demon rose their eyebrows at him knowingly, frowning some at his doubt. Their response made him smirk a little; they had an answer for everything, didn't they? He guessed he should have expected that answer; Demon's "New justifies awful" mindset is what lead them down their homicidal path in the first place. It was such a unique rhetoric, he admittedly adored it.

Demon watched their boyfriend drop back through the portal without a care in the world, and it shut behind him. They were glad he hadn't left it open; the last thing they wanted was people peering into their shared home. Now, with Hacker gone gathering up his Switch and - if Demon had to guess - a handful of multiplayer games, they climbed to their feet, took a deep breath, and turned on their heel to face the kitchen.

Alright, being friendly... Shouldn't be, all that hard, right?

Well this sucked. Eden had thought she'd be able to pull this off, but really she'd just been standing safely next to Mew Mew, and pretending she was included in the conversations Mew Mew was included in, when in fact she was not. She tried to speak, but no sentence seemed correct. Every word was analyzed until she reached the same conclusion: keep your mouth shut.

Honestly, Eden had just wanted to spend time with Xander. He was her friend, someone she actually liked being around. Not like some of these randos that she had no idea how to speak with. She hardly ever got to spend time with him one on one, especially lately. He kept himself so busy, worked himself into the ground with late nights and early mornings.

But, Gatherer's objective was clear. He wanted her to make friends, and as 'the boss', it was likely he feared his own presence around her would scare off potential pals. And Eden's devotion to Gatherer and worry for Xander unfortunately kept her from disregarding his request. And yet, even when keeping away from him and trying to be 'social', she was failing miserably.

She knew she could do it, if someone would just... Break the ice! Give her a chance, a topic she could work with, then certainly she would be able to-!

"Hey, Eden."

Eden nearly jumped, lifting her head from her plate of half eaten and now cold food. When she spotted Demon looking to her from the other end of the table she was reasonably surprised. Demon had hardly ever said two words to her after all, any interaction they'd ever had was strictly business. That's how those two were, the only ones they were really friendly with were one another. So, Eden assumed at first that this was something business related.

But, when she saw how Demon shifted their stance uncomfortably and cleared their throat to make sure their voice was clear while they mulled over whatever words they might speak next, Eden pondered if this might have been about something else.

"... So uh, Hacker's going to grab some games from our apartment." Demon was trying so hard to look casual, it was immediately apparent how difficult this interaction was for them. But, Eden was easily able to relate to this, considering they'd been struggling with the same thing not two seconds ago. "You looked pretty lonely over here; I thought you might wanna join us in the living room."

Eden's first thought was to be skeptical of this. Hacker and Demon did not believe in Gatherer's cause after all, they were delinquents squatting here to avoid death at the hands of The Angel and The Ascended Heir. But, Xander had invited them here to be made friends with. And there was something so... Genuinely awkward about Demon's tone. Hacker was an expert liar, but his partner was not. If they were being dishonest, Eden was sure she would have been able to tell.

"Uhm... Sure!" Eden hesitated for only a second before she hastily agreed. This was the opportunity she'd been begging for internally, and she would not scorn it even if it was given by her two least favorite people here. After all, she'd never really talked to either of them. Maybe, she'd had misconceptions. Maybe she really could get along with the two of them.

She knew full well Hacker at least avoided her, likely because a counterpart of his was responsible for her greatest misery. But, Eden honestly forgot Hacker and Angel were the same breed. They were so radically different, one an almighty monstrosity on a pedestal and the other a lowly smartass with a murder streak. Appearance wise, she hardly drew too many similarities these days. When she'd seen The Angel, he was grand and horrible. Glowing red eyes, burning wings of black. But Hacker's eyes were green, and he could not sprout wings. As far as Eden was concerned, Hacker was the better of the two. He was at least honest about how awful he really was. And that kind of straightforwardness was something she could sort of respect.

"This oughta be good." Horror!Flowey muttered from Eden's back, and she glared up at him. Demon seemed decently amused by the flower's lack of faith however, their mouth curling some until it formed a small smirk.

"... Wanted me to find you?" Lexi repeated with the skeptical narrowing of her iced over eyes. Her knuckles whitened around her scythe at the thought that this was some kind of trap, but a moment later her hands relaxed. That didn't make sense; if there were a trap in place it certainly would have sprung by now. "What are you talking about?"

"I've been invested in this story since the first Gaster got the idea to pull in the first DoubleKid." Alphys breathed on her glasses, rubbing her shirt on the lenses to clean them before she pivoted to face the Pirates that had invaded her home. As she looked back up to The Predator, she continued. "Every fight, every special moment, every important conversation... I've seen it all."

"And after watching for three years, it was obvious to me." Alphys lowered her head some, slipping her glasses back up her snout. With the flickering static light of her screens now reflecting in those specs, she lifted her head. And she rose one yellow claw, pointing it right at the heart of Predator. "Obvious that you, Lexi The Predator, are my favorite character."

"..." Predator leaned back some, eyeing CORE!Alphys suspiciously. She hardly liked the idea of her life being treated like some reality television show, nor did she enjoy the concept of being treated like a 'character'. She was a real person, not some cartoon on a screen or words on a page. But, she didn't care much for what others thought of her, so she doubted she would lose any sleep over the thought that this lizard saw her and her friends in such a way. After all, it was likely that a creature like CORE!Alphys saw the entire world outside of this spire as some anime to observe.

"... Well, I mean, duh. If this were a 'story' like you said, I should be anyone's favorite character." Lexi straightened her posture, lowering her scythe to her side while she placed her free hand on her hip. She let the corner of her mouth curl some, forming a smirk that was was as cocky as she was powerful. "I'm friggin' awesome."

"But this isn't a story." Suddenly, that smirk disappeared, dropping into a frown while her eyes narrowed with an icy chill. "My life isn't some show for you to binge watch."

"So, why don't we get to the point?" Lexi lifted her arms out to her sides, leaning forward some and tilting her head so that her ear was more pointed towards Alphys, showing she was impatiently listening for answers. "Why do you want me here, CORE!Alphys?"

"Always so straight and to the point..." Alphys muttered, even though she was smiling. That must have been a trait she admired, but Predator didn't really care. Fan or not, if Alphys didn't start talkin' sense she'd be choking down her own front teeth. But, like any fan of Predator would, Alphys already understood that. So, she started talkin' sense. "I allowed you to find me because I want to help you."

"Find that hard ta' believe." Clover chimed in, stepping up beside Predator and crossing his arms over his chest. "Considerin' those robots outside tried to keelhaul us."

"I thought you might have been suspicious or even disappointed if there had been no fight or urgency in the situation." Folding her hands behind her back, Alphys shrugged innocently. Clover frowned a might deeper at that, because he knew that it checked out.

"She's got a point, ahuhuhuhu~" Swap!Muffet put a hand over her mouth with her giggle, and Clover's shoulders sank while he groaned.

"... So how are you gonna help us, exactly?" Fell!Grillby narrowed his eyes behind the flickering purple reflection of his glasses, skepticism clear in his low voice. "You made it pretty clear you can't show us where Anarchy is."

"I might not be able to show you where The Anarchist lurks, but I can show you literally everything else." Alphys spoke like it was obvious, the smirk on her face only extending its reach further up her snout. "Cter, CORE!Frisk, Ink, Nightmare, Gatherer..."

"... So what you're saying is, all the information they have..." Melanie's eyebrows rose some, and she spoke slowly and carefully, like she was afraid she was going to jinx things.

"Is now yours, too." Alphys confirmed, and Melanie couldn't keep herself from jumping excitedly. Like she was receiving a birthday present, she grabbed Predator by the shoulder, shaking her giddily while maintaining eye contact with CORE!Alphys.

"Congratulations, Lexi The Predator." Alphys smiled a gracious, crooked smile while she watched The Predator try to fight her own growing, excited grin. "You're officially a step ahead of each of your adversaries."

Everything was going... Shockingly well. In fact Eden was actually having fun. While they waited for Hacker to get back, her and Demon made some small talk. They hardly knew one another, so it was good to sit down and learn a thing or two. They talked about their jobs, what exactly they did for Gatherer's cause. Eden hadn't known Demon was actually training Gatherer's soldiers, she'd thought they were just more muscle to the inner circle. Likewise, Demon hadn't known Eden was actually one of Gatherer's highest ranking advisors. They commented that Eden must have been pretty smart for her age then, and Eden had shrugged and smiled awkwardly, unsure of how to take a compliment. That had made Demon laugh.

Once Hacker got back, he flipped on the charm like a switch. Jokes and witty remarks, soon enough Eden was finding herself laughing. While the four of them - Flowey also holding a controller in his vines - picked characters to play as in Mario Kart, Hacker suddenly turned his head and called across the living room to Gatherer. "Hey, Xander, you main Baby Peach right?"

"I'll main the back of my hand upside your head if I catch you spreading slander like that again." Xander had responded quickly, looking over from the conversation he'd been having with Mad Mew Mew. He'd been thanking her for the part she'd played in the plan, but now he was keen on clearing his name. His quick and silly threat had earned a few laughs from those who were listening, and Xander leaned his hands back on a snack table behind him, smirking lightly. "If you must know, I main Link because he's pretty."

Hacker waved a hand dismissively at Xander, turning his head back to the four seated nearest to him and playing the game with him. To them he spoke, "That can't be right. I know Link ain't Xander's type; he likes big beefy dudes."

"And how do you know that?" Demon furrowed their brows, turning their head to glance over at Hacker with a bit of curiosity in their eyes.

"He used to make passes at Anarchy!" Hacker exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air like he couldn't even believe his own words. Eden, who'd been sipping from a glass of water, sprayed a mouthful of mist out over the coffee table centered between the two couches and the TV. Of course she'd known that the four of them - The Gatherer, The Hacker, The Predator, and The Anarchist - had worked together in a previous life, but this information was as shocking as it was hilarious.

"What-?!" Eden managed to exclaim through her choking, her eyes popping out of her skull and her lips curving into a grin despite her dropped jaw.

"I did not!" Xander, having walked over to the four of them, objected. He crossed his arms over his chest, his cheeks turning a light pink.

"Yeah right dude! You were standing by him after he finished a workout and he's all shirtless and sweaty, just touchin' his bicep n' shit!" Hacker went on, his voice reaching a higher tone. He was grinning with amusement at these fond memories, his eyes still wide with disbelief. "Talkin' 'bout 'You bench how much? Oh wowww, I bet you could just pick me right up off my feet no problem, huh~?'"

At this point Eden was laughing so hard she had to hold her stomach, and Demon laughed with similar amusement. It was an incredibly silly picture after all, their ruthless boss and fearless leader shamelessly hitting on the hulking death albino that knew how to kill someone with a look.

"... Listen." Xander began, his eyes darting to the side while his face became a deeper shade of red. His lack of denial immediately made the three cackle louder, and he hated that he was smiling just slightly as these silly memories him and Hacker shared. "Anarchy was still, human then, alright? This was before he was an unkillable commander of giant monstrosities."

"He was still beatin' people to death with a crowbar in his spare time though!" Hacker was holding his own stomach now, leaning back against Demon while he laughed. He apparently didn't have the foresight to think that he was dating a scythe wielding maniac in those days, and was currently dating a serial killer.

Instead of striking back with this fact however, Xander took a deep breath and gathered his composure. His blush dulled and faded to a light pink, and with a heavy measure of sass he lifted and examined his own nails, like he was disinterested. "Well he was hot then and he's hot now and that's all there is to it."

Immediately Eden wheezed, and Hacker was laughing so hard tears were forming in his eyes. He was essentially laying on Demon, who was holding him to keep him from rolling off the couch, laughing as well. The soulless flower that Eden had set on the coffee table just rolled his eye, but Xander smiled some. It was fun to reminisce on simpler days, and he was glad to see Eden so happy, even if her laughter was at his own expense.

All this laughter seemed to put everyone at ease with one another in some way or another, and soon enough everyone gathered around those couches to watch whatever games went on. Controllers switched hands, different people spoke and laughed together. Eventually Hacker was disappearing back to his apartment and reappearing with his other gaming consoles in his arms.

After awhile, everyone seemed to have forgotten all anxieties that had once plagued them. Any inhibitions about themselves or doubts about the character of their fellow party goer seemed to fade away, and for the rest of the night it seemed everyone present was capable of getting along with one another.

Eden was having too much fun to even realize she was making friends. For someone usually so concerned with the tragedies of her past and the work of her future, it felt nice to exist in the moment for once. And by the time Eden's birthday cake was carried out, two candles shaped like a 1 and an 8 burning brightly atop the frosting, she was smiling gently at the head seat of the kitchen table.

She watched everyone gather around the table, and she listened to the poor synchronization of most of their less than impressive singing voices as they recited 'Happy Birthday'. But, she smiled nonetheless, her violet eyes scanning over the faces that surrounded her. At the edge of the table, Horror!Flowey looked as though he was singing in a shrill and unbearable voice on purpose. Behind him, Demon crossed their arms and mumbled their words, but Hacker wrapped an arm around them, singing with an amount of energy that was surely only there to irritate his partner. Swap!Alphys and Fell!Undyne wrapped an arm around each other's shoulders, singing loudly and horribly. Mew Mew and Xander were the only one's who voices were tolerable, but Eden had to try her best not to giggle at this horrific display of tone-deafness and the total massacre-ing of the song regardless.

Xander leaned forward some, setting Eden's birthday cake gently in front of her as the song concluded. She smiled up at him, and he returned the smile as he straightened his back. She could see in his eyes, he was really happy on how this night had turned out, and he was proud of her for earning herself some new friends. As he took a step back to give her space to blow out her candles, he spoke softly. "Make a wish, dear."

Eden smiled at him for a moment longer, before her eyes drifted to the bright orange burn of her candles. A wish? What would she want? What would be worthy of a birthday wish? She knew there were things she wanted, hopes and dreams that she had, but after such a wonderful day... It was hard to think of something she wanted more than this moment. Desiring more than this might have even felt greedy. Once more, her eyes drifted up to the smiling faces that surrounded her, scanning all of them while she tried her hardest to think of what she really might want. And, as the orange light of the candles reflected in her eyes, a sudden thought struck her like a brick to the back of the head.

Cliff would have loved this.

In an instant, the smile drained from her face, and her color drained with it. She saw Xander recoil some with the sudden appearance of despair in her eyes, so she quickly tilted her head down and hid her face from the crowd. Her head was suddenly filled with painful thoughts and memories. It used to be Cliff who brought out her birthday cakes, in fact for several years of her early life it had just been Eden and her eldest brother alone. But Cliff still always tried his best to make every year worthwhile. He tried his best to make every day worthwhile.

... But now he was gone. He was supposed to be there for her entire life, they were supposed to stick together until they were old and wrinkly and grumpy. He had missed over two years of her life already, and she couldn't stand that he would miss every year remaining as well. She would have to live the rest of her life without him, she would never see him again. Eventually his face would grow blurry in her mind, more and more of those memories that only the two of them shared would grow hazy and uncertain in her mind.

And then she would die, too. And she didn't think she would see him again then, either. Because she had met the gods of this world, and they didn't seem the type to gift the dead with any salvation.

While her eyes burned with tears, Eden reached up with one trembling hand, gripping the orange bandanna folded around her neck. She placed her spare hand on the table, and when she pushed her chair out and swiftly stood up, Xander stepped forward. Placing one hand on his chest and reaching out skeptically with the other, concern burned in his eyes. "Eden-?"

"I-I'm sorry, I... I just..." Eden kept her head low; she didn't want anyone to see her cry. She didn't want to make a scene, but she couldn't choke down her anguish. She felt like a child, scared and helpless, crying out for her big brother to come save her. Shaking her head and choking on a sob, her voice cracked and broke as she suddenly and quickly burst forward, pushing right past The Gatherer on her way to the door. "I just wish he was here..!"

The only sound that followed these words was the quick turning of the front door's knob and the sound of it being thrown open. Eden didn't care to slam the door behind her, just sprinting off down the hall and leaving the door hanging open behind her.

"..." In the deafening silence, Xander exchanged glances with a mildly surprised Flowey, a visibly uncomfortable Demon, and a worried Mew Mew. Hacker did not look at him, he did not look at anyone. Instead, he just stared wistfully at the wide open door, his eyes narrowed with some bitter feeling.

Without wasting another moment, Xander hastily walked out the door, turning down the same hall Eden had and disappearing from everyone's line of sight. Once he was gone, Demon breathed a quiet sigh, feeling some of the room's tension dissolve. They mumbled quietly for only Hacker to hear, "Yikes..."

... But, when they got no response, they turned their head, furrowing their brows with confusion. Though he had just been standing right next to them, Hacker had disappeared. This made Demon turn their head slowly back and forth, more and more confusion twisting their expression.

"Angel..?"

Eden gasped some when she finally reached the courtyard, lungs burning from all the flights of stairs she'd just booked it down to get here. And she wandered on shaky legs over the stone path, mouth hanging open and tears streaming down her face. Her head tilted down, she stared from under her eyebrows up at the massive effigy that loomed in the moonlight.

Drawing the cool midnight air into her lungs, Eden forced herself to walk closer and closer to the statue of her older brother. New tears still trickling down her reddened face, Eden exhaled shakily. The stone ground turned to wet grass as she stood just beneath the monument to her elder brother's greatness. He looked so big, so perfect and unbreakable when he was made out of stone.

... But, he wasn't unbreakable. Because right here, almost three years ago, Eden had watched Cliff die. And now, beneath this cold and meaningless monument, she felt alone. Weak and small and alone. So, she slowly lowered herself into the chilled grass, sitting down underneath the protection of her brother's memorial. She pulled her knees up to her chest, and she wrapped her arms around them, before slowly lowering her head onto her knees and hiding her face from the world.

And she cried. She didn't know for how long. Just sat there and sobbed like she had a million times before. It was never enough. But, after awhile, her crying grew less and less hysterical, until she was just sitting there. Whimpering and sniffling like some pathetic child.

"... Hey, kid."

"..?" Eden begrudgingly turned her head, and she squinted with teary eyes up at the source of this unexpected voice. There, a comfortable few feet away, The Hacker stood. He didn't look at Eden. He instead just stood there, hands in his pockets and head tilted upwards so that he could more closely examine the stonework that he'd come to know as Clifford The BRAVE. Eden sniffled, her frown digging deeper into her face while she spoke with a congested voice. "... W-what do you want..?"

"... I came by to... Say I'm sorry." Hacker spoke quietly, in a tone that Eden had never heard from him. She doubted too many other people had ever heard this tone, either. But she didn't understand, what stake did he have in this? Why would he feel a need to give her some condolences two and a half years late? "And uh... That, I get it. What you're goin' through, I mean."

"How could you understand..?" A bit of anger crept into Eden's weak voice at Hacker's bold statement, the one eye she looked upon him with narrowing irritably. "You're a killer for fun... You don't stand for anything, and you don't care about anything. How could you possibly 'get' what I'm going through?"

"..." Hacker was quiet for a few long moments after Eden's harsh statement, but it didn't make her regret what she said. His expression didn't change, and his eyes didn't leave the looming statue above. Finally, he spoke. "I was raised by an ornery old lady."

"She was, grumpy and funny and stern." While Hacker spoke, Eden noticed the past tense in his words. She noted how his eyes narrowed with well concealed pain, the way he paused between words as if he was preparing to endure their sting. "We got along, and... She raised me like I was her own, even though she didn't have to. She tried her best to keep me on the right path."

"..." Silently, Eden lifted her head some, reaching up to wipe away a few of the tears trickling down her cheeks. The flow had stopped, for now.

"... When I was sixteen years old, I watched somebody kill her, Eden." Hacker's voice got just a little quieter, his jaw tightening with some restrained tension. He shut his eyes momentarily, and he took a deep breath. "I watched somebody kill her, and I wasn't strong enough to stop him."

"I, think it really messed me up." Hacker continued, not bothering to look as a bit of empathy appeared in Eden's surprised eyes. But, as much as she may have resonated with what this murderer was saying (if it were even true), she still didn't understand why he'd felt the need to say it. "Played a decent hand in making me what I am now."

"... So what..?" Bitterly Eden narrowed her teary eyes, looking back to the knees she'd just been sobbing into. "You came out here to tell me we aren't all that different? That's it?"

"... No." Finally, Hacker's empty green eyes opened. And they glossed over, the corner of his left eye making contact with the corner of her right. "I came out here to tell you we're nothing alike."

"What..?" Eden's brows furrowed, and again she turned her head to look at The Hacker. Was he being sarcastic? What on Earth would he have told that story for if not to connect a line between the two of them?

"If my Granny saw the man I am now, she'd be disgusted." Hacker turned his head towards Eden, stared into her sad, impressionable eyes with his own bitter, soulless ones. "... But, I think if Cliff saw you, he'd be proud."

Eden recoiled visibly at that, before her eyes narrowed some. She felt her expression quiver, and she knew more tears were starting to over flow from what Hacker had just told her. Hacker didn't mind her tears however, he simply turned on his heel, his back now facing the statue.

"... Anyway, I'll get outta your hair." Hacker said casually, staring back towards the few lights of the housing district's tower without much feeling. "Have a good night, Eden. Happy birthday."

With that, Hacker walked away. He wandered back towards the building, hands buried in his pockets. He'd honestly surprised himself with this; he didn't think he really cared about Eden's loss until he saw it first hand. When he pondered if there really was some strand of KINDNESS left in him, he almost smiled. Almost laughed at how dumb of a thought that was.

On his way back down the path, Hacker passed by Gatherer. Gatherer squinted at him suspiciously, but Hacker didn't give any explanation. He just shook his head, not bothering to mask his bitter expression while he passed Xander. Xander didn't bother with stopping him, instead shifting his focus back to the mourning Eden.

Silently, Xander The Gatherer approached Eden. And he didn't say a word, instead just slowly taking a seat beside her, beneath the shade of Clifford's greatness. When Eden glanced over at him from the corner of her eye, he flashed a sad smile, and she could see the understanding in his eyes.

"... I'm sorry." Eden eventually apologized, letting her face sink back into hiding. She couldn't bare to look at Xander, fearing his disappointment. "I-I didn't mean to screw things up, I just..."

"No no, Eden..." Xander's brows furrowed with concern, and he reached out, gently rubbing her back to comfort her. "It's okay, you didn't screw anything up. Please, don't talk like that..."

"... I'm sorry." Gatherer added after a moment, his eyes narrowing regretfully at the grass they sat upon. His sad smile turned to a frown, and he drew in a deep breath before he continued. "I know I haven't been the same since we lost him, and I know I've worried you..."

"I, didn't mean to make this day about myself. Really, I... Should have just asked you what you wanted instead of throwing you into the social hot seat and forcing you to try and make friends." Xander slowly brought his own knees up to his chest, his eyes darting to the side to avoid Eden's gaze. "... It, was a better idea in my head than it was in practice..."

"I just, worry for you. I know how I feel after losing Cliff, and I know you must feel the same way." Xander wrapped his free arm around the knees he'd brought up, hugging them to his chest unconsciously. "... I don't want you to feel as lonely as I do. I want you to be happy, I want to help you get through this."

"... Well, Xander, I want you to be happy too..." Eden mumbled like it was obvious, lifting her head some to look at him. With one hand she reached up again, wiping away a few of her tears. "I don't want you to feel like you're alone; you're my best friend..."

"I-I am..?" Xander turned his head towards Eden, a little bit of surprise on his face. Admittedly, it was probably a silly thing to be surprised about, but Xander often forgot that there was really anyone who considered him a 'friend'.

"Yeah, you are. Honestly, I would have been happy if we'd just spent the entire day together." Eden's eyes drifted to the side, and she hugged her knees just a little tighter. "I really enjoy all the time we spend together, but... You're always so busy..."

"I just, feel like we share so much, we have so much in common, but... You feel so far away. And I don't know how to reach you." Eden narrowed her tired, tear dried eyes at the grass, her frown growing deeper with her confession. "... Our eyes are the same color, but our souls aren't. And I don't know what to do with that..."

"..." Xander was quiet for a few long moments, slowly pulling his hand back away from Eden's back to wrap both his arms around his knees. He tilted his head back, and his eyes narrowed thoughtfully at the statue looming over them. "... I'm sorry."

"I try to be perfect, I try to make sure everyone thinks I'm unbreakable." As Xander spoke, he slowly unwrapped his arms from around his knees. He let his legs stretch out in front of him, and he reached into his pocket, retrieving a box of cigarettes. He shook his head, "But I'm not. Truth is, every day Cliff is dead and Angel and Lexi are alive is another day that I get angrier."

"..." Eden didn't say anything, but she understood. Of course, there was a good portion of her that felt the same way. She wanted the same horrible fate for those two that Xander did, but she understood something that she worried he did not. Killing The Angel and The Predator would not bring Cliff back.

"... But, once those two are out of the way, things will be better." Xander gently placed a cigarette in his mouth, before snapping his fingers at its tip. The spark created by this snap ignited the tobacco, and he inhaled a lungful of nicotine slowly. Then, he exhaled, releasing grey fog into the air. "Clifford will be avenged, and all opposition will be out of way. We will finally be able to create the perfect, safe world that we've dreamed of."

Again, Eden had nothing to say. She didn't know how to feel, wasn't sure how to organize her thoughts into proper words. But, she knew she was worried. And, for a moment, she felt doubt in her undoubtable leader. She felt concern, for only a moment, that he had lost sight of his real goals in his search for revenge.

"It won't be long now." Xander spoke, and Eden didn't know if he was talking to her or the statue that he stared up at. His cold purple eyes narrowed with a gleam that Eden could only describe as predatory, and he pulled that cigarette away from his lips, exhaling another stream of smog.

"Because earlier today, we were contacted by someone who knows where Anarchy is."

"... Someone who knows where Anarchy is, eh, Xander?"

Grinning wide, Predator stared right up at the screen that CORE!Alphys displayed over them. How fortunate, that she'd decided The Gatherer was the first man she wanted to spy on. Sure, she'd had to sit through some drama that she knew little about, but the reward came clear as she watched The Gatherer and Eden sit beneath Cliff's statue. And she heard him explain that Nightmare Sans had reached out to Gatherer, presumably to speed up this Anarchist hunt the multiverse was on.

"Alphys!" Predator quickly called out, turning her eyes towards the Seer that stood across the platform. CORE!Alphys wore a similarly knowing smirk as she turned her void eyes to The Predator, who barked orders urgently. "What timeline is Nightmare in?"

"Hmm..." Alphys shut her eyes for a moment, rolled her shoulders casually. She hummed with thought, before her eyes reopened, and she looked back to Lexi with her smirk still in tact. "DT00001."

"That timeline..?" Lexi furrowed her eyebrows, letting her eyes drift to the side. She pondered quietly, reaching up and stroking her imaginary beard while she weighed options.

"You're familiar with this timeline?" Ralsei asked with the curious tilt of his head, taking a step closer to his boss.

"... It's Anthony's original timeline." Predator's eyes darted to Ralsei, narrowing with a lethal seriousness. "Or, what's left of it anyway. Anarchy erased the timeline after killing everyone inside. These days it's just a black pit in the multiverse, wriggling and squirming with his worms."

"Sounds dangerous..." Melanie added to the conversation skeptically. Again her eyes glossed over the darkness of the spire, watching for any massive serpents. Luckily, none came.

"Sounds right up our alley, you mean." Susie grinned, putting those jagged fangs on clear display.

"Alphys, this spire moves, right?" Predator took the reigns once more, turning her attention back to CORE!Alphys.

"That it does." Alphys nodded, still wearing her knowing smirk.

Grinning giddily once more, Lexi The Predator turned back to her crewmates. Any skepticisms they might have had were washed away by her madwoman smile, reassured by her confidence. And they watched as she held her scythe up over her head, and red fire ignited over her left eye.

"Then what are we waitin' for?!"

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