Thanks go to TiredWhiteMayge, Wingah, Eternal, 10burgers, Zack Frost, GMLxAwesome, Zillowzest, Doctah Sawbones, MrChizzle, THE VILLAIN, Sonic245, XelaZagity, Zant-of-the-Twilight, Prominent, and Utfam202!

Zant-of-the-Twilight, I appreciate you trying to spare my feelings, but it's okay to not agree with Anarchy! This story is written in a way where it's hard to pick out who's right and who's wrong. Anarchy might say he's the hero in chapter 47, but that doesn't mean that's true or false. It's up to the reader to decide who they feel are the heroes and villains of this story. So if you think Anarchy is being a total dick, that's perfectly okay!

Eternal, the other Killers are still text boxes for the other Angels, they just don't talk much. And Lexi's mask is a copy of her mentor Jade's mask, that's why Killer commented on it last chapter. :)

Alright, I know this chapter took a lot longer than expected! It's been a very busy month for ya boy, but I'm here! No matter how long it takes, these chapters are gonna keep coming! Now, next chapter is a type of chapter that I think will take me awhile to type, so while I'm going to shoot for Tuesday, September 6th there's a good chance that it ends up taking me until Tuesday, September 13th to finish it. But, anyway! Here's the chapter! I hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale.

Finally, we all loaded onto Predator's ship. Leaving Future's timeline behind wasn't hard, but I wouldn't have called it easy, either. Alphys and Grillby stood at the door and watched us go, Future hugged them before he left. They tried their best to smile, but I knew they hated seeing Future go. He was a part of what little family they had, after all. And this timeline needed Future, that was why I was sure he hated leaving it behind. But he knew the stakes,

"Death! Is going! To stick! Eventually!"

... And so did I.

Now, our group of misfits was gathered in the common area, sat on couches and trying to keep our nerves calm. Some of us had an easier time than others; Clover was sat at a table taking stock of his ammo and Anny was leaned back into the couch with his eyes shut and his hands folded over his abdomen. He had his feet up on the coffee table, he'd switched out his work boots for a pair of black air force sneakers and I'd switched out my tennis shoes for these Ancient Egypt lookin' sandals I had Badster make me. I felt like they matched the rest of my clothes; they were the only footwear I could imagine on an angel.

Lexi had left the room for a few minutes, and we were all left in a semi-tense silence until she came back with a stack of papers and envelopes in hand. I arched a brow at her but chose to keep my questions to myself, instead watching her march to the center of the room. She stood at attention there, and though a few pairs of eyes had already lifted to spot her there, she still spoke up loud enough to get everyone's attention. "Alright, everyone! This has the potential to be the most suicidal suicide mission we ever do, which means it's everyone's favorite time again."

"Hm?" I sat up some, watching Lexi start making her way around the room. She stopped first at Clover, setting a single paper and a single envelope on the table in front of him. He looked up at her from the revolver he was fiddling with and nodded once, before returning his focus to his weapon. I shot a glance over at Anny - who had peeked open one eye and was watching Lexi like I was - to see if he knew anything about this, but he looked just as confused as I did.

"Most'a you know the rules, but I'll go over 'em again for the new guys." Lexi spoke as she handed off papers and envelopes to Ralsei and Susie both, giving Susie two papers and two envelopes instead of one. She continued on as she marched to the table where Fell!Grillby and GB!Sans were playing cards, "On these papers you are going to write out a final statement. Seal the paper in the envelope afterwards and then put it in the wooden box in the dinning room."

"If you die, the note will be handed off to your closest friends and or next of kin. If you live, it will be incinerated and no one will ever read it." Lexi's voice was strong and free of most emotion. I imagined handing off last will and testaments to your closest friends was hard, especially after some of them hadn't made their way home in the past. Still, she carried those unfathomably heavy papers and bestowed one on each person in the room. "So if ya don't want your note read, you better not die."

"Thanks." Melanie said quietly, flashing Lexi a grateful smile as she took the paper and envelope offered to her. Melanie's outfit had been updated too; a jumbo butterfly bow tie added to her waitress look, but the spiderweb pattern on it reminded me of Muffet more than anything. Melanie had changed her hairstyle in the same way - her brown hair was pulled up in a bun on either side of her head, and spider hair clips kept her bangs back. Her smile brought a moment of relief to Lexi's stern expression, and she returned a similarly sweet smile to Melanie before moving on to Future.

Future sat on the opposite end of the couch to Melanie, slouched forward with his elbows resting on his knees. Most of his body was hidden in a cape that reminded me much of Asgore's; A purple cloak with a Deltarune design on its back. Though it was missing the bulky golden pauldrons on the shoulders that Asgore's armor was adorned with, its collar was the same flower gold. When he parted the front of the cloak and reached out to take the papers, it was apparent that the only armor he had adopted from Asgore were a pair of gold bracers on the both of his forearms. Other than that his arms were bare - he was wearing the black, skin tight and sleeveless turtleneck that he often wore whenever he had to help Chara and I train. Around his neck, the Heart Locket was on clear display. He took the paper and envelope from Lexi's hands, and he nodded his understanding with his crown even atop his head.

After that, Lexi was on to me. I cocked a brow up at her when she offered those papers to me, and though I reached out to take them... I hesitated. Smiling a little nervously, I looked between her and the papers before carelessly joking. "Y'know, it kinda feels like a bad omen to write an "Upon my death" letter right before this mission."

"Tell it to the letter, not me." Lexi stated without hesitation and without care for my superstition. I groaned quietly while I took the paper and envelope, rolling my eyes and sinking back into the couch cushion. I glanced skeptically at the blank page, grimacing all the while. it was hard enough to speak my personal feelings, let alone put them on paper...

Last but not least, Lexi made her way to the other end of the couch and one Anthony The Anarchist. Anny didn't appear to know she was standing there, though. He'd shut his eyes and sunk back into the cushion, apparently disinterested in the task at hand. It wasn't until Lexi gave a loud "Ahem!" That he peaked an eye open and looked at her. She was tapping one foot impatiently, and while one hand was on her hip and holding the paper and envelope she was keeping for herself, the other held out the last remaining paper and envelope to Anny. He must not have got it though, because he just cocked a brow at her. "... You can't be serious."

"Everybody on the ship writes a note, Anthony. Even you." Lexi stated in this scolding mom tone that I wasn't sure I had ever heard from her. She shook the papers impatiently, but Anthony still did not move to grab them. Instead, he shut his eye again, and a frown dug into Lexi's face.

"I can't die." Anny stated, plain and simple. He fearlessly endured The Predator's glare, and I watched with silent amusement as Lexi rolled up the paper in her hand like a news paper. She yanked it up over her head, and a thin layer of ice rapidly formed along the paper before she brought it down. With a crack she swatted Anny atop the head with it, shattering that thin ice layer and sending frozen shards falling down onto him. She smiled cruelly as he jolted up from the sudden chill that came with ice cubes falling down his shirt, and Anny exclaimed irritably. "Agh-! Hey!"

Lexi didn't say anything, even though Anny was now standing and shaking ice chunks out of his shirt and jacket. After he pulled the last piece of ice out of his collar and threw it at me - ignoring me shouting "Ay! What'd I do?!" - he turned his head back towards Lexi and threw his hands in the air as if she was being absurd. "Lexi, I've had my head chopped off and been blasted until I was just a meatball! Nothing is gonna kill me!"

"Just write the note and stop bein' a pain in the ass!" Lexi wagged that rolled paper threateningly, keeping one hand on her hip and leaning forward some all the while. She withstood Anarchy's glare with ease, striking back with her own icy stare. "Honestly, why are you being so difficult?"

"I don't like wasting time thinkin' about shit that isn't gonna happen!" Anny leaned right into her glare - I coulda swore I saw some kinda eye beam struggle between the two. He furrowed his brows incredulously while he went on, "Who would'ja even give the stupid note to?"

"Okay, then maybe don't look at it like you're dying!" Lexi suggested, pulling back some and lightening up her glare. Anny relaxed a little too, irritation fading in the way of confusion. Lexi crossed one arm under her chest and rested her elbow on the wrist of that hand while she spitballed ideas. "Like... What if you were going away for a long time? What if you weren't ever gonna see us again? Wouldn't you want to have left something for me or Angel or Badster?"

"Never gonna see you again..?" Anny repeated back, curiously. He lightened up, in fact he looked a little uncomfortable. That more realistic suggestion must've been sobering to him; I thought it might have dawned on him in that instant that it was more likely that all of us die and he live than he die and all of us live. I couldn't imagine what a reality like that felt like, and as Anny begrudgingly snatched the paper from Lexi's hand I felt a newfound appreciation for my own mortality. He muttered just loud enough for us by the couch to hear, "Alright, fine. I'll... See what I can come up with."

"Thank you." Lexi smiled, taking a moment to rub Anny's back when he turned partially away from the both of us. That made his shoulders relax some, and he gave her a "You're welcome" in the form of a comforted smile.

As people began dispersing in different directions to write their potential last will and testament, my emerald eyes drifted down to the blank paper in my hands once more. I narrowed my eyes at it, considered its meaning and its weight... And understood that I had no effing idea what to write on it.

Chapter 89: Precautionary Goodbye

Or: Last Will And Testament

The people were in uproar. An ocean of waving arms, pointing index fingers and raised middle fingers. Their words were indecipherable white noise, but Eden could feel the tidal wave of their emotion washing up onto her stage and over her body. Still, she stood firm at the podium. She stared with eyes that PERSEVERED the wrath of her people, and when someone in the crowd threw a shoe at her she lifted her hand and caught it without so much as a glance. She pitched that shoe right over her shoulder, and she finally leaned forward into her microphone. Her confident voice boomed through the speakers, and everyone had to listen.

"Everything that you have seen and everything that you've heard... Is true."

For several long seconds, the world was quiet. Every individual crowded at the gate of The Gatherer's palace stood in silent contemplation, they all felt the weight of Eden's words rest on their shoulders. Then... The shouting resumed. Colorful words sprayed from the ocean of consciousness at Eden's feet, the kind of words that start with A, B, or C. Eden paid their wrath no mind, she didn't have time to. More importantly, they didn't have time. So, she leaned into the mic again and made things clear. "We were in fact colluding with The Anarchist to destroy The Angel, and Xander The Gatherer did in fact betray The Anarchist."

The people wanted to scream, but they knew they had to listen. Eden was the only source they had for answers now, all the cameras were on her. Her whole world was waiting for her to give it good news, but she had none to deliver. "I do not know the extent of our sins, and there are lies that even I do not know the truth to."

"But!" Eden had to add hastily when the ire of the masses returned. She rose her hand to silence them. Certainly they believed she was dodging their questions and trying to scapegoat their fallen savior. She would have to stomp out that worry with her next statement. "What I do know is what The Gatherer's true ambitions were. He wanted power, not prosperity. He used all of us. And... I'm sorry that I let it go on."

"The fact of the matter is, the blame does not lie solely on The Gatherer's shoulders." Eden's violet eyes lifted. They scanned the now silent crowd for a moment, she felt their curiosity and their apprehension. Certainly, their patience had been worn thin. Even still, her people were willing to hear her out. She hoped they trusted her, she hoped that her actions over the years and the sides she had taken during the broadcasted battle inspired hope and not despair. "I've been by Xander's side for three years, and there were signs. He was going through a metamorphosis. He was growing horns, and I turned a blind eye to it. So if our home is in danger, it's my fault too."

Somewhere in the crowd, Eden's powerful purple eyes caught a gaze. Hidden in the tide of humanity, buried between the shifting bodies and expressing faces, she met a pink stare. Two glowing eyes, from somewhere in the shadows of her people. Wide and unblinking those eyes stared at Eden, but after she blinked and furrowed her brows... She lost sight of them. Gone was that pink glow.

"... When I was fifteen years old, my brother Clifford The BRAVE was cut down protecting me from The Angel. I wasn't strong enough to save him. I wasn't strong enough to avenge him, I wasn't strong enough to do anything." Eden refocused her stare as she spoke. Her eyes narrowed behind her glasses, her fingers gripped the edges of her podium tightly... But she relaxed. She exhaled slowly, before continuing. "Like Xander, I was so focused on getting revenge and my own selfish goals that I forgot what my brother had died for. I forgot how desperately he wanted safety and prosperity for all of you, and now I have let our home be put in jeopardy."

"I'm not going to lie or sugar coat the situation. The Anarchist is coming. The Angel is coming. The Predator is coming." With each name dropped the crowd murmured louder. Anxious glances shot between Eden, fellow crowd members, Demon, and the twin sentries on either side of the stage. But not one face on the stage doubted Eden's words, and that brought all eyes back to her. "But their anger is with us, not with any of you. So, while those of us who have lived safe behind this gate will remain here to face the intruders, all of you will be evacuated."

Demon had expected noise to follow that announcement, but there was hardly any. Murmurs were quiet, so few dared to speak in the wake of this news. No more shoes were flung, no more curses were put into words, no more furious gestures were made. Now, the sea of consciousness watched fearfully. They waited for Eden's guidance, and she did not hesitate to give it.

"Temporarily, we will be moving you back to our original timeline. Back Underground. Transportation is finishing being established as we speak, and evacuation will begin immediately after this speech. The military is helping with the evacuation process, and if any of them wish to leave afterwards they are welcome to. This isn't their fight, either." With those words, the sound returned. A mumbling panic answered Eden, more fearful eyes glanced to and fro in search of a better option, but of course there were none. Eden rose her hand before the sound grew too loud, and her voice rallied the people.

"I understand being afraid, I am too. My brother is not here to protect me, I can no longer look to The Gatherer for guidance. There is much in my immediate future that is uncertain." It was then that Eden straightened her back. She rested her taped hands on the podium, and without sleeves the masses could all see the scars The Anarchist had left on her arms. Her expression flared with intensity, orange light reflected in her glasses and with new power her voice boomed through the speakers. "But what all of you can be certain of is your safety! I will be your Unbreakable Shield! I will not stop protecting you until I run out of blood to spill! Not until my soul is ripped from my chest! Not until it is crushed before my eyes!"

"Come hell! Come high water! Come Predator, Angel or Anarchist!" Eden lifted her clenched fist, and the wind caught briefly in the bandanna wrapped around her bicep. Her fist crashed down onto the wood of the podium, and orange light flashed briefly through the splinters that split the surface. Slowly, people began nodding their heads. A smile or two flashed in the front row, hope was inspired in the hearts of the people as Eden lamented. "If anyone wants to harm any of you, they will have to get through me! And if the enemy wants our home, they can have it when they pry it from my cold dead hands!"

"When tomorrow comes - and it will come, believe you me! - the sun will rise on a new empire! An honest empire, the kind that my brother died dreaming of and you all came in search of!" Eden assured with power and absolute certainty. Her soul ignited on her chest, her passion burned in her eyes, and far behind her on the other side of the fence a beam of light cracked through the overcast sky. Light shun briefly on Cliff's statue, and Eden threw one arm back towards the closed gate behind her. "But tonight? Tonight, me and all the other bastards that deceived you are going to FIGHT!"

Cheers erupted. Hands beat against each other, heads nodded. And Eden had to try her best not to crack a smile, she shouldn't have had much to smile about. Some time soon she'd be staring down the barrel of annihilation, but with her people behind her and her small inner circle beside her she felt that she could survive Armageddon.

*Maybe if you stare at the paper long enough the words will appear on their own.

"Suck my dick, Texty." I announced into what I thought was an empty room, not bothering to look up from the blank page that my eyes were endlessly scanning.

"My name ain't Texty n' even if it was I ain't that kinda cowboy." Clover's voice made me jump from where I still sat on the couch. My paper shuffling as I rapidly yanked it away from my face, I looked across the room to spot him still at the table where he'd been sitting when Lexi first passed out the notes. Everyone else had cleared out to find somewhere more private, but apparently I had been so absorbed in my own thoughts that I didn't realize Clover was still here.

"Oh, no, not you." I hastily backtracked, lifting my right hand to give a dismissive wave. I got about halfway through my next sentence before I realized how peculiar it sounded, "I was talking to, the, uhh... The, guy. In my head."

"..." I watched Clover's golden eye dart over to me. He didn't lift his head from his paper, but he cocked a brow at me and then shook his head. "Here I had it in my head you were the normal one. 'Er all you DoubleKids crazy?"

"The ones that I've met are, for sure." I cracked a smile at that line, tired as it was. Sinking back into the couch, my eyes glossed back to the paper in my hand. If memory served, Chara used to think I was crazy too. I figured that added up; what sane person would run head first into trouble like me and the other Fortune City Four? I had it in my head that Xander was the normal one, but he'd really fucked up that hypothesis with his latest antics. I tried to ignore the ache thinking of Chara and the rage thinking of Xander caused, instead opting to ask Clover a question. "Hey, you've got more experience with this last note stuff than I do. Whadda you usually write in these things?"

That was probably a more personal question than I realized, or at least it might have been to anyone who wasn't as straight forward as Clover. Instead of getting protective over his answer or denying me any look into his personality, he merely leaned back in his chair and lifted up his paper to his shadowed eye. He read monotonously, "Pistols go to Lexi, shotguns go to Susie, high grade explosives go to Mel, anything automatic goes to Ralsei..."

I had to blink my eyes a few times, tilting my head all the while. And here I thought Clover was the normal one in this group. Why would he give his explosives to Melanie? How may high grade explosives did he have to warrant bringing them up in his will?! Blind to my baffled expression, he glanced over at me while he rested one arm over the back of his chair. "Don't got anybody for the rifles, though. Ay, you think the ol' man got any use fer a sniper?"

"Only thing we Angels know how to shoot is a pistol." I shook my head slowly, still trying to shake off my confusion. Clover grunted his understanding, before suddenly sitting up straighter, as though an idea had just hit him.

"Oh! N' the bazooka gets buried with me." He explained as he pointed his pen at me, before hastily setting his paper back on the table and jotting that sentence down. He explained absentmindedly, "Can't leave that anywhere near Lexi. She's liable to blow 'erself to smithereens playin' with it."

*"I leave my pen to the dinosaur. And my Nintendo Switch to Asriel. P.S. sorry Chara's still fucking dead. Whoops."

I shot my text box an irritable glare, before shutting my eyes. I sighed and sunk into my seat; Clover's list was definitely straight forward, but I didn't think I was the type of guy to be okay with leaving something so... Robotic, behind. So, I shoved myself up off the couch. And with that paper clutched in hand I wandered off towards one of the halls. Maybe someone else would have a better idea of what to put on the page...

Badster's head pivoted slowly from one side to the other, watching with intrigue as Anthony paced back and forth. The bad doctor was seated at the foot of a bench press with no intention to lift the weights racked behind him. Skeletons didn't exactly have muscle mass to gain. Anthony, on the other hand, was pacing the length of the gym while he curled the two heaviest dumbbells he could find. It hardly seemed he knew those weights were gripped in his hands, however. He was far too busy muttering under his breath.

"If I was going away..? Why would I go away?" He pondered out loud, furrowed brows watching the mats that he was marching across. The paper, pen, and envelope folded in his back pocket were far heavier than the weights he was curling. He stopped at one end of the gym and spun right back around, only pausing so that he could throw a few punches into thin air. He admitted while he shadow boxed with hundreds of pounds in his hands, "What would I say? I got nothin' to say! Everybody I'd mention in the letter should already know everything to know about me - I ain't exactly a secretive guy, Gaster!"

That was true. Though some could have theorized that Anthony did not speak much because he was reserved, Badster often found that The Anarchist just had little to say when his adrenaline wasn't pumping. If the crowbar was swinging he could be a real loudmouth, but when he was wandering the forests of his home he didn't make a sound for weeks at a time. He might not have said a word for his entire time there, if not for miss Mako and her brother. Two spare hands appeared over Badster's head to give a shrug while he gave his master a suggestion. "Perhaps there are things you have simply forgotten to mention, sir Anthony?"

"Like what?" Anarchy took his eyes off the invisible opponent he was pummeling to arch a brow over at Badster.

"I cannot say because I do not know." Badster's words instantly soured Anthony's expression, and his red eyes darted back to the invisible man he was upper cutting. Badster added a few more words however, giving Anthony a little more to work with. "But, I believe there may be things you have kept to yourself entirely because no one has thought to ask. Can you think of anything like that?"

"... Hmm..." Anthony paused there with his fist extended. His brows furrowed and he sifted through his head to find anything he may have been keeping to himself, and within a few seconds he was frowning at what he'd dug up. The first person that came to mind was Mako, and she was pleasant to think about. Could he write that in the letter? Would there be any point in that? Had he not already made it clear he was happier with her around?

The frown kicked in when he thought of Frisk. If he never saw them again, it would likely be too soon. While around Mako Anthony's soul felt light and easy to bare, but when Frisk was near him it felt like he was sinking in some kind of... Soul mud. And it wasn't horrible, it just felt wrong. The mud was warm and soothing, it made him want to relax and go under. But all of his survival instincts would scream at him while he sunk, because if he went under he would drown. Drown... Anthony couldn't drown. It was more likely that he would just stay under that mud for an eternity. That he would disappear and no one would ever see him again.

That thought drew his attention back to the paper in his pocket. If Mako or Angel or Lexi were never going to see him again... What would be a sufficient goodbye? When Anthony left, Max said he didn't want him to come back. Perhaps, Anthony pondered as he marched towards the weight rack to set his dumbbells down, that would be for the best.

"Can't believe you turned that around." Demon stated bluntly, marching beside Eden down the stone pathway. They glanced over at her, but her eyes stared straight forward. Demon smirked a little; she really was on the war path.

"I always believed Eden had everything under control!" The twin puppets to Eden and Demon's left and right announced in unison. The Red Sisters, now the highest ranked commanders in The Gatherer's army with Swaphys and Felldyne dead. They were two puppets cloaked in red, and beneath those cloaks were a black and white dress for one sister and a black and grey dress for the other sister. On the front of either dress was The Gatherer's insignia: An orange shield crest with the scarlet outline of a dragon head within. Or, at least Eden always thought it was a dragon. But, looking at it lately, it appeared to be more like the head of a snake to her.

"Can you two stop doing that?" Asked an exasperated Demon. They looked from one Red to the other, furrowing their brows and flashing a frown. "It's creepy when you talk at the same time."

"We don't do it on purpose!" The two Reds answered irritably, their words once again overlapping as they both leaned forward and stamped their foot irritably. Demon just groaned and rolled their eyes.

Eden was hardly listening to the three of them, instead flipping through one of her notebooks while she walked hastily down the path. Eventually she found the page she was looking for and took hold of it, carefully tearing it from the notebook. Then, she turned to face the Red to her right and extended it to her. "Here. I need you two to draw this symbol on every tree you can find between the gate and the city."

"Every tree?" One Red asked with white eyes wide behind her mask. She carefully took the page out of Eden's hand and looked over the symbol; it looked like a big eyeball with vines coming out of it to Red. Even though she found it a little creepy, she still carefully analyzed it to make sure she knew how to draw it before looking back to Eden. When she did, she found the heiress handing a box of chalk to her sister.

"After that, it's up to you two whether or not you wish to stay for the fight or evacuate with the rest." Eden stated clearly and concisely. Her gaze settled straight forward again, her face remained an inexpressive mask. "Be sure to pass that message on to your soldiers."

"Ma'am." The two answered in unison, giving a nod of understanding before they jumped into the air. The Red Sisters disappeared back down the path and towards the forest that surrounded The Gatherer's palace and the military zone, leaving Eden and Demon to their own missions.

Wandering the halls of Lexi's pirate ship eventually led me to a small room near the ship's front. There were a few lounge chairs and a bookshelf on either side of the room's center piece: a big open window looking out at the shifting lights of the Multiverse that we were sailing through. My eyebrows rose some when I spotted this window; it was quite a sight. Sometimes, I think I might have forgotten the grand scale of things. I really was sailing through space in a different reality to the one I was born in, Deltarune on my back and powerful soul on my chest. It was impossible to imagine what it had felt like to just be some Fortune City punk. Back before I was The Hacker, before I met Killer.

"... I wonder what Granny would think'a this." I pondered out loud after stepping up to the glass. I reached out slowly, maybe I was afraid my powerful hand would shatter the window. But it didn't, and I rested my palm over the cool surface. The billions of colors racing by blurred and blended, they reflected in my emerald eyes...

"... I used to wonder things like that, too." The sudden voice didn't make me jump, but it did catch me off guard. My eyebrows rose, and I turned my head left and right, only to find the same empty room. Realizing I was looking to high, I tilted my head down and found CORE Frisk standing beside me. They reached out with their ethereal hand, and though they could not feel it they rested their palm against the glass with me. "If Toriel or Papyrus could see what I was now, if Alphys or Asgore were here to learn about the vast world outside of them... That was forever ago. I don't wonder about it anymore."

"... Hey, Frisk. Didn't see ya there." I answered after a pause, deciding not to dig any deeper into what they were saying. Of course it was more likely that they had just popped into existence beside me, but I thought it would be more polite to pretend they weren't some extradimensional creature. My eyes glossed back out into the shimmering lights beyond the ship, and I stated monotonously. "Good to see ya."

"You don't have to lie, Angel. I know you don't like me." CORE Frisk didn't look up at me. They just remained by my side, hand on the glass and void eyes reflecting none of the light flashing upon us. Light didn't touch them, never caught on their face or in their hair. It was always so obvious that their body was fake when a light was on them. Still, they furrowed their brows. A frown pulled at the corners of their mouth... "... I know that's my fault. I know I haven't been KIND to you."

"Well, no, you haven't." I said with a thoughtful bob of my head. There was no indignation in my tone, I was stating a fact just like they were. C had been all business at best and outright cruel at worst. We'd probably only had three or four conversations since I found out they sent me to Gatherer's timeline the first time, and that statistic hadn't bothered me once. Still... "But, that doesn't mean that I hate you."

"Hm." They huffed quietly. A little smile pulled at their lips, bitter as it was. Their fingers tapped on the glass and made no sound, their void eyes narrowed wistfully. "I appreciate you sparing my feelings. I wish I had tried to do the same for you over the years."

"Do you?" I asked, glancing over to them from my eye's corner. Again, my voice was without hostility. I didn't hold any anger towards them, but I did find it hard to believe that they gave a rat's ass about how I felt.

"... No. Not really." Frisk conceded. That bitter smile became a frown, and they turned their blacked out eyes away from the window for just a moment. Then, they looked forward again. After a few seconds, they found something else to say. "... You know, it really used to bother me when I would get called CORE or C or anything other than Frisk. It made me feel disconnected from what little identity I had left."

"Over the past year or so, I've... Stopped correcting people. I don't think I care anymore." When CORE said that, I glanced back over to them. I frowned a little and furrowed my brows, but they didn't bother turning their head to see it. They didn't have to, they could already see me from every possible angle. Instead, they kept their focus on the flashing mass of the multiverse while they went on. "Whoever Frisk might have been, I don't think I am anymore."

"... I know the feeling." I stated after a heavy pause. My cracked left hand flickered red against the glass, the Deltarune would always weigh heavy on my back. Whoever that Fortune City kid was, I didn't think I was anymore.

"I know you do." C Frisk stated with a smile devoid of mirth. Maybe that was why they felt they could bring this up to me, even though we weren't friends. I knew a thing or two about the metamorphosis that power could bring. Their fingers glossed over the glass, tried to feel anything there... "I heard what Character said, when you were fighting in DoubleScramble. About your Granny. I'm sorry."

"It sounds to me like you've been fighting to do something right your entire life. Maybe if I had realized that sooner..." While CORE continued, I furrowed my brows over towards them. An apology? Condolences? They really weren't like the Frisk I knew. They shut their eyes, and they looked to exhale even though they didn't have to breathe. "... Well. It's too late now."

Again, it was quiet. CORE was right, it was too late. I appreciated their honesty, but it didn't make me want to be their friend. And I didn't think it meant they wanted to be my friend, either. My body was still scarred by years of battle and their body still wasn't real. Things would be this way until one of us was dead, and going by who out of the two of us was mortal and who was not... My eyes glossed back to the paper in my right hand. I pondered silently, before finally turning my head to look at CORE Frisk. "Hey, Frisk. If I died, and you read this note... What would you want it to say to you?"

"..." CORE Frisk was quiet for a few long seconds. They narrowed their black hole eyes out at the light flashing through their fake body, and they pondered my question. Before finally they turned their head, looking right up at me with those wide, empty eyes. They stated clearly and honestly, ""I forgive you.""

My eyes widened a little when I heard that. I stood there, stared down at them as they stared up at me... Before nodding once. Without another word, I turned away from them. I turned away from the window. With that letter in my scarf wrapped right hand, I made my way back down the hall. C Frisk did not bother following. Instead, they turned their empty eyes back out the infinite multiverse. Infinite to all but them.

Anthony grumbled in thought as he wandered through the cafeteria. Or, dinning room? Kinda looked like a weird fusion of the two to him. Whatever, didn't matter. What did matter was the letter in his pocket and the letter box sat at the table in the center of the room. His paper was still blank, so he couldn't leave it in the box yet. Until he had something written down on the page, the wooden box mocked him.

"Oh, oh! Anthony! Anthony!"

The frantic calling of his name drew Anarchy from his irritable grumbling. He lifted his head and arched a brow over towards the woman hastily scurrying out of the kitchen towards him. Melanie, the one with the green eyes and green soul to match. Anarchy had yet to say a word to her, but he was glad Lexi had a friend like Melanie. So, with his hands in his pockets, he turned towards the KIND soul scurrying towards him and quietly tilted his head to the side.

"C'mere, c'mere!" Fearlessly Melanie wrapped the both of her arms around one of Anarchy's, confusing him further before starting to drag him back towards the kitchen she had skittered out of. In the doorway of that kitchen Anthony spotted Future. The corner of the old Angel's mouth lifted a little at Melanie's actions, but Anthony still looked bewildered. Melanie explained as she dragged him, "I need another taste tester!"

"Uhh..." Anthony arched a brow down at Melanie while she pulled him through the kitchen doorway. He hesitantly followed behind while he tried to piece together her fearless attitude... Wasn't she the one who said his Wyrms were kind of cute? Where did Lexi find these screwballs? He voiced his concern to deaf ears. "I'm not exactly cut out to be a taste tester. I'll eat anything."

"Then if these cookies suck I can just hand all of them off to you!" Melanie stated with the utmost positivity. She finally released Anthony's arm so that she could race over to the oven, the top of which had a baking sheet resting on it. Hastily Melanie grabbed the metal pan, before immediately yelping and pulling her hands away from the hot metal. Anarchy was scratching his head while she yanked on oven mitts, confusion still written across his newly shaved face. Now with hands protected, she picked up that baking tray and spun around to face Anthony and Future. "Take your pick boys! And don't try to spare my feelings, I want an honest evaluation!"

Anthony watched Future fearlessly reach forward and carefully pick up one of the chocolate chip cookies from the plate, and after another moment's thought he did the same. It definitely looked and smelled like a cookie... He didn't really understand what Melanie's concern was. Chocolate chip cookies weren't exactly the rocket science of baking. Whatever, he decided. It didn't really matter. While Future bit off a chunk of his cookie, Anthony opened his maw wide and placed his completely in his mouth.

"... Well?" Melanie asked after a pause. Having already set the pan back on the stove, she clasped her hands together and leaned forward some, watching intently while the both of them chewed.

"Good." Was Anthony's honest answer. His mouth still half full of food, his deadpan expression shifted with closed mouth chewing while he gave a thumbs up.

"These are really good!" Future agreed with a KIND smile and a nod of his head. The king took another bite before he continued, "I'm not sure I've ever had a cookie this good."

"Really? Great!" Melanie's face lit up, her hands clapping together twice in a gleeful display. Then she stood up straight and at attention, planting her hands on her hips and beaming with pride. "Once they cool off, I'll set them by the letter box so everyone gets one!"

Letter box? Oh, right. Anthony had forgotten for a moment after Melanie highjacked his walk, but now his thoughts were once more with the barren paper in his back pocket. A frown nearly soured his expression while he swallowed his cookie, but he hastily found a way to procrastinate thinking about that stupid paper. He arched a brow at Melanie, "Interesting time to be bakin' cookies."

"Oh, it's just something Muffet used to do." Melanie answered with an unwavering smile. Future's brows furrowed at that information, he tried not to wince. Melanie didn't notice, instead glancing over her shoulder at the cookies she had made. Her smile grew a little bitter sweet, there was some longing ache hidden in her eyes while she explained. "Every time we had a big mission afoot, she would make some kind of sweets for everyone to enjoy."

"Grillby can't bake his way out of a wet paper bag, so I figured I had to do it." Melanie laughed playfully as she spun back around to face the two of them. She shut her eyes to smile wider, so she didn't see the pained understanding that Future was trying to hide or the thoughtful stare Anthony was giving.

"... That was very thoughtful. Thank you." Anthony was the next to speak, and Melanie opened her eyes to give him a curious look. She graciously accepted his thanks, but he was too busy thinking to hear her. What an interesting thing to leave behind... If he were gone, would the people that remembered him do the things that he once did in his honor? Spinning around to leave without another word, Anarchy found himself frowning. He hadn't done much with his life other than destroy, so unless his friends were going to start chopping trees and building farmhouses, he doubted he had any happy traditions to leave behind. In that instant he remembered Nephilim and the wish that they had made...

"We... We hope they forget you... We hope, someday t-this multiverse can... Can move on, that some day p-people like you... Like us..."

Eden marched through the courtyard with her eyes set straight ahead. She had one last stop before taking up her post on the wall, and that was Hacker's laboratory in the Science and Research Center. Demon had broken off to go help organize whatever military would be staying, and Hacker was hopefully putting the finishing touches on the remote for the NEO Launcher.

Going through the courtyard meant going by Cliff's statue, but Eden didn't have time to stop and consult the stone. Cliff had done his job, now it was her turn. But, as she marched right by his effigy and kept her eyes from glossing towards it, she caught something in the corner of her vision. Begrudgingly, Eden turned her head to spot Frisk standing in Clifford's shadow. They stared straight up at her brother's stone cold expression, back to Eden.

"Frisk." Eden's voice caught the Traitor's attention. They perked up, looking over their shoulder with squinted eyes and flashing the heiress a plastic smile. This hardly washed away Eden's stern expression, and as she marched closer she asked. "What are you doing?"

"Demon told Anthony and I how Angel iced this guy." Frisk explained without any hesitation or an ounce of tact. Still smiling, they gestured casually up to Clifford The BRAVE and shrugged their shoulders. They gave a cheery response, "I'm trying to think up ways to throw this homicide back in his face. Really twist the knife, y'know?"

"... Yeah, sure." Eden narrowed her eyes at Frisk. Of all the people Xander had been terrified would betray him, Frisk was the only one who she was certain couldn't be trusted as far as they could be thrown. They had a common enemy for now, but if her empire came out on the winning side of things she would see to it that Frisk got whatever happy timeline they wanted to screw with and that the firewalls were immediately strengthened the moment the door shut behind the Traitor.

"You got any orders for me, bossy pants?" Frisk asked in their playful, sing song voice while they turned their head to look back up at Cliff. Eden kept her eyes on the traitor's turned back. Something in her said she shouldn't take her eyes off Frisk.

"All I need you to do is FIGHT, Frisk." Eden stated clearly and without hesitation. "Whomever you decide to fight when the battle starts is up to you, but my empire needs every ounce of your strength if we're to make it through this."

"Your empire, huh?" Frisk repeated back to Eden, folding their hands behind their back. They opened their scarlet eyes and smiled at Cliff's statue, but Eden couldn't see it from where she was standing. "I'm starting to think you don't think I believe in your little cause here, Eden."

"Do you?" Eden asked with an incredulous arch of her brow. Arms flat at her sides and left hand clutching a clipboard with a mostly checked off list, it was obvious that she didn't feel like wasting time mincing words.

Frisk smiled a little wider at that response. Then, suddenly, they were gone. Time had skipped and they had vanished right before Eden's eyes. Unnatural as their exit was, Eden didn't flinch. She merely turned on her heel. Back towards Hacker's lab. There was more work to do.

I'd walked the entire ship twice by the time I returned to the box on the dinning room table. My note was still empty, but I didn't have anywhere else to go. And by the time I got there, I found somebody in a similar boat. There, sitting at the table with his head resting on his folded arms and his eyes glaring a hole in that wooden box, was Anny.

"You can't come up with anything either, huh?" I asked while the corner of my mouth curled into a smile. He lifted his head and dragged that glare off the wood square in front of him, watching me pull out the chair across from him.

"I ain't got shit!" Anny snapped immediately, whipping his hands up over his head. I couldn't help but laugh a little as he clasped both hands over his face, pulling his palms down and pulling down his brows, nose, and cheeks. His hands slipped off his face then, and he slapped the both of them down on the table. "This sucks!"

"Yeah, I'm startin to feel the same way." I said even after Anthony's frustration made me chuckle. Resting one arm over the back of my chair, I tossed my blank note and empty letter onto the table. Anny had his own paper and pen set in front of him, and it looked just as barren as mine did. I shrugged my shoulders, "I mean, dude, if we die what are the odds anyone survives to read these things?"

"Exactly!" Anny frantically gestured towards me, before groaning and leaning back in his seat. He ran his hands through his long hair and sighed with frustration. He was quiet after that, let his arms drop limp at his sides and stared up at the ceiling for several long seconds. Finally, after a substantial pause, he looked back over towards me. "I don't get it, Angel. How am I supposed to say everything I would ever wanna say on one piece'a paper?"

"... Hmm..." I furrowed my brows at that. Everything we would ever want to say? Yeah, Anny was right, that was completely impossible. If I had enough time and enough paper I could fill a book with stories I would like to tell and feelings I would like to share, but the fact of the matter was I could be dead by this time tomorrow. So if I couldn't fill a book... "... Well, what if we don't try to write everything?"

"Huh?" Anny cocked a brow and tilted his head, letting his mouth hang open to display his confusion.

"What if we just write one sentence?" I pitched, raising my eyebrows and shrugging. "One last statement, whatever feels like the absolutely most important thing to say."

"... Hm. Well, it sounds less shitty than this." Anny shrugged. His response made me smile a little; what a roundabout way of saying I had a good idea. Who would ever wanna read a book about us, anyway? One sentence would be easier on everyone involved, if - god forbid - one or both of us didn't make it back. Anny picked up his pen and spun it between his fingers, "Worth a shot."

That was all I needed to hear. My eyes drifted back to that paper, and suddenly it looked a lot less blank. It was no longer the entire page glaring back at me, just the first line. Now what exactly would my last statement be? If I didn't have a day, if I only had ten seconds. What would I write then? I felt the ink flower tucked behind my ear. The scar on my chest, the Deltarune on my back, the cracks in my arm... I lifted my hand over the paper, and when ink dripped off my fingers it hit the page and rapidly shaped into letters. Everything that I was in one sentence. I hoped it would be enough. I hoped I would be enough.

Thank you for believing in me.

- Angel

When I looked up from the page, Anny was already folding his paper into its envelope. I smirked some at the sight of him shaking his head, there was relief written all over his face. Of all the things to grind Anny's gears, of course it would be something like writing a paper that about sent him over the edge. I was glad I could help, and when he looked back over to me he smiled just a little. "... Not the worst idea you've ever had, Angel."

"So what'd'ja come up with?" I asked while I folded my own paper into its envelope, signing my name on the letter afterwards. Anny was already dropping his letter in the box when he answered.

"Hope nobody ever finds out." Anny answered while he disposed of his defeated foe. I arched a brow at his answer; had Anthony ever ducked a question before? I guessed he made a good point. So long as he survived, nobody but him would ever need to know what was on that paper.

"See, was that so hard?" Lexi's voice interjected after I dropped my own letter into the box. Anny and I both watched her drop her own letter in after us before our eyes followed up her arm and to the teasing smirk on her face. She snatched a cookie from the plate beside the box, it was nearly empty. I figured that meant we were the last three to submit our letters.

"It was a nightmare." Anarchy stated without any hesitation, making Lexi roll her eyes without wiping the smile from her face. She pulled out the chair at the the table's head, right beside the two of us.

"Such a cry baby." Lexi continued to tease, reaching over the table and attempting to pinch one of Anthony's cheeks. His head reeled back and his mouth opened in some hollow threat that he might bite her. It reminded me of something a dog would do, and it got Lex and I laughing.

For a moment, I had to sit there and look at the two of them. Just a little while ago a moment like this felt totally unreachable, sitting at the table and laughing with Anthony and Lexi. A reality where we got along seemed impossible for years after what I'd done, and yet... I cracked a smile, and I too snagged one of the few remaining cookies from that plate.

"Hey, uh... Look." I said after taking a bite of my snack. I allowed myself a moment to chew and swallow, resting my free arm over the table and looking between the two of them. KIND light shining in my eyes, that gentle smile remained on my face even when the both of them looked at me. "If we really are sailing into impending doom and if today really does end with us FIGHTing a god... I just wanna say that I'm really glad we're doing it together."

They both looked at me, I think their understanding and quietly appreciative expressions probably looked a lot like my own. There was a few moments of quiet, wherein we smiled at each other. I was sure then that they had both thought a moment like this was impossible, too. And I think they were also happy the three of us were together again. And then, after we all took a moment to contemplate what our reunion meant to each of us...

"... Bah, you're just sayin' that because you know we're the only ones who can bail you outta this mess!" Lexi stated suddenly, leaning back in her chair and waving a dismissive hand at me. Her sudden rude statement must've caught Anny off guard, because he punctuated it with laughter. I smirked and shook my head at her joke. Even though I was rolling my eyes, I was silently thankful that we could laugh at each other again.

*What a lovely reunion! But I can't help but feel like we're missing someone...

Please Favorite, Follow, and Review

XWolf26, out