You spend the night lying on your mattress, staring at the dark ceiling, too wound up to sleep. Not because of remorse, or fear, or worry. Of course, you're still worried. Worried about whether your plan will work out in the end. Worried if you can indeed use this last chance to set you all free. And, most of all, worried what trick might Flowey pull in the crucial moment to get the upper hand. But worry has become your constant companion by now, a dreary, monotonous background noise of your life, and you've learned to live with it, no matter how many sleepless nights it might have cost you. Now, however, something new is stirring inside you, something that used to be so strange and alien that at first, you failed to even identify it. Your hand rests lightly on your chest; underneath, you can still feel the warmth lingering in your soul that Toriel's words, her smile, her hug kindled in you. The warmth when you think of Undyne, Alphys, Papyrus, and everything they gave you.
You can feel the hope.
And deep down, you feel something else. Just a faint spark of emotion you can't quite put your phalange on. You're not sure you even want to know what it is, or if it has any significance now that your freedom is finally within your reach. But it's buzzing around in your skull like an insistent gnat that refuses to take a hint and leave.
You close your eyesockets wearily, and Frisk's face appears to you, sad and desperate, ready to reset again and again, ready to die again and again, just to keep you here, just to grant you one more chance. They did it against your all-encompassing wish to die and finally be at peace. They did it because they were a stubborn little brat who didn't know any better. They did it –
"Because you're my friend!"
You let out an exhausted sigh through your nosehole, and decide to leave the whole thing in peace. Eye-lights on the prize and all that. Now of all times, you mustn't let yourself get carried off track because of your emotions, whatever they might be. You had your fun already. You let yourself feel, perhaps even a little too much. You must keep a clear head if you want to finish the job.
The human must die – for the sake of everyone. And for that exact purpose, you must keep them alive until the time comes.
Morning arrives at last, and this time, you make sure to eat two helpings of Papyrus' spaghetti at breakfast, making his eyesockets light up with sheer joy over your enthusiasm. You accompany him to his sentry booth, making him almost - almost! - crack up with one your substandard puns, promising to return later to help him with his newest human-catching master trap. You go forward alone on the snowy trail, only to see Frisk approaching from the direction of the Ruins. For once, there's no uncertainty to their steps whatsoever. You're glad to see them whole and unscathed.
Wait, what?
Before you can catch up to your stray thoughts, the kid steps closer and gives you a timid smile.
"Hey."
"hey," you grin back at them half-heartedly. "you okay?"
"Yes. Toriel let us go without fighting this time. She said it would have been wrong of her to force us to hurt anyone just because she couldn't face her fears."
You nod, the warmth in your soul growing a little stronger for a moment.
"Thank you for having a talk with her."
"no prob," you shrug, still trying to figure out what the hell has gotten into you. "no objections from chara so far?"
Frisk falls silent, listening intently to something only they can hear, a slight frown of concentration on their face; ultimately though, they shake their head.
"Nothing. They've been very quiet for some time now. They are still here, I can feel it, of course, but it's like they don't want to communicate with me anymore. They haven't said anything to me since I – since your talk back at the cavern."
They bite their lip, one hand fiddling with the sleeve of their sweater for a second. You have a strong suspicion that they're keeping something from you, but you decide to let it slide, at least for now.
Especially since you, in turn, have quite a lot you're keeping from them.
"And… I'm not even sure what they are feeling anymore," Frisk goes on, hesitantly. "It's like they are hiding from me."
You frown, trying and failing to make sense of this development. The Chara you know had no qualms about taking the wheel and forcing Frisk to do whatever they wanted them to do. They have no reason to keep anything from either of you. They are in control.
…Aren't they?
You look up and see Frisk's gaze resting upon you, an unspoken expectation written on their face. You both know perfectly well that this is your last chance. You both know they cannot die until they reach the very end – no matter what that end will be.
They need your help, but they are too afraid to ask.
"welp. looks like we're on our own, then," you say finally. "you ready?"
You can practically see determination welling up in them at your words. For once, you feel the same way as they do.
"I am."
"good. lead the way."
Frisk nods, setting out at a brisk pace on the path, and with no further ado, you start your journey through the Underground for the last time.
And you gotta admit – it's not half bad. You've forgotten how much you were a part of the community, even if it didn't mean that much to you back then. Snowdrake nearly falls over in surprise when you snicker at his jokes (half out of politeness, half out of your absolute lack of standards when it comes to puns). You play fetch with Lesser and Greater Dog with a few small bones you conjure up, making them utterly confused over which one they should chase after. Papyrus is overjoyed to participate in a battle with his lazybones brother at his side for a change – so much so that he doesn't even scold you when his bones "accidentally" get knocked astray by your attacks; he just solemnly promises to give you supplementary lessons so you can be the third best warrior in the Underground, after him and his captain, of course. Undyne gapes at you – quite aptly – like a fish out of water when you block her spears just before Frisk could get hurt, replacing her shield with a whoopie cushion in the meantime. Mettaton, wagging a gloved finger, accuses you of cheating when you promptly answer all his questions correctly, and leaves with a robotic huff, leaving Alphys to hem and haw at the two you before hastily withdrawing into the "bathroom."
Frankly, it's not half bad.
Even franklier, it's not bad at all.
And here and there, you can just barely make out the faint flashes of green and yellow, a slender little vine knocking a missile a tiny bit to the side so it doesn't hit Frisk's soul; a petal shooting out to block an attack that might have been fatal. You find the sight equally reassuring and nerve-wracking as you're getting closer and closer to your final destination. You have no idea what you're going to do once you're standing in front of Asgore, the Aboveworld just within reach, and yet so far away. You know Flowey killed his father before, many times. You know how shrewd and cruel he can be.
You know how kind and selfless he had once been.
And he's not the only one. No matter how Chara might feel about the whole business, you can clearly see that Frisk enjoys doing good. They eat their veggies like every good kid does when offered a healthy meal. They pet Lesser Dog's head until his neck is long enough to hit the cave ceiling twice over. They speak to Shyren in a gentle voice until she pulls herself together enough to do a duet with them (making you seriously tempted to hand out a few toilet paper tickets for a bit of extra cash). They coax the two guardsmen to finally confess their feelings to each other and leave, hand in hand, to have some Nice Cream. They are patient and kind, and they genuinely want to help monsters. They talk and hug and comfort their way through the Underground until they don't have to be cautious anymore. They don't have to be afraid anymore. The monsters trust the human, and are more than happy to aid them on their journey.
As for that something in the back of your mind that kept you up at night, you're still nowhere near sorting it out when, after a long and exhausting trip, the two of you finally reach the end of the Core, and you mentally prepare for the inevitable mess that's about to come.
"My, my! Are my optics deceiving me, or have you brought another fan with you, darling? And he's none other than Sans the Skeleton, who we already had the pleasure to get acquainted with! He must have an unquenchable thirst for the delight of being in my presence if he decided to make a second appearance, no matter how unwelcome he might be!"
You're standing at the edge of the platform, the door having slammed shut behind you just a moment ago. You can faintly make out Alphys running around like a headless chicken on the other side, but you're too preoccupied with Mettaton, who, as far as you can tell, looks you up and down intently before rolling a little closer, his metallic voice taking on an unpleasant edge.
"Yes, my devoted fans and viewers – he's indeed the one who had the audacity to ruin my perfectly crafted death traps, thus robbing you all of the magnificent spectacle of the human being chainsawed to pieces, burned to ashes, blown to smithereens!"
Out of the blue, he wags a finger to shoot a beam of electricity at you, and you can barely dart out of the way. Frisk cries out in shock as you nearly fall off he podium, stopping just short of the ledge, one slipper flying off your foot from the momentum and falling down into the abyss. You stare after it in utter incredulity.
Seriously?
"Oh my!" Mettaton gasps with fake concern. "Please be good and stay there for a little while, alright, dear? You wouldn't have the heart to steal the show now that we are at the grand finale, now would you? And even if you could, against all odds, find it in you to meddle in this perfectly-crafted piece of highbrow entertainment, you might accidentally get caught in the crossfire, and we wouldn't want that in this family-friendly show!"
"good to know you're so concerned with my wellbeing," you grumble, your mood ruined by the distinct lack of one slipper.
"Anything for my biggest fan!" he says, throwing you a kiss. "Now, shall we –"
"thing is," you interrupt, desperate to keep his attention on you, "your biggest fan isn't me. he's, uh, not here right now. but he's been waiting to meet you for a long time. i can put him through, if you wanna."
The robot hesitates for a second, obviously torn between getting on with the promised spectacle and the opportunity to hear one more person sing his praises. Taking your sweet time, you fish your phone out of your pocket and call the one person who you know always picks up after two rings.
"SANS! COME HOME IMMEDIATELY! YOU MUST SEE THIS!"
"uh, maybe later, bro," you say, your pupils steadily on Mettaton, who's watching your every move. "kinda wanted to tell you something first."
"NO TIME FOR THAT! I MEAN, MAYBE THERE IS SINCE THERE'S ALWAYS TIME FOR TELLING ME I'M COOL, BUT YOU BETTER HURRY! METTATON IS ON TV WITH THE HUMAN!"
"speaking of mettaton, i have a surprise for y-"
Click!
You let out a small sigh of relief when Frisk finally manages to sneak up behind the robot and flip his switch while he's busy listening to your little chat. Mettaton twirls around in surprise, but, seeing that it's already too late, decides to just roll with it (heh heh). His body shakes all over like he's been zapped by his own beams, and, after a transformation sequence that'd make Mew Mew blush, he sashays out from the dry ice fog. He does look pretty badass, you have to give him that, though you kinda miss the heels jutting out from his shoulder pads. He tosses his hair like there's no tomorrow, and flashes Frisk a dashing smile.
"I'll make your last living moments… ABSOLUTELY beautiful!"
And here it comes: the epic showdown the entire Underground (or at least a considerable chunk of it) has been waiting for. The lights, the camera, and the action – a whole lot of it, as a matter of fact. You watch intently as Frisk tries their best to keep up with the pace, skipping and twirling around in their apron, striking an impressive assortment of dramatic poses, hair swishing, hands sparkling with glitter from the Glamburger they swiftly shove into their mouth between two attacks. You follow their movements with your gaze closely, listening to the chatter on the other end of the phone with half an earhole.
"Hey, punk! You gonna drag your butt over here or what?!"
"UNDYNE, PAY ATTENTION! THE HUMAN HAS JUST STARTED A DANCE-OFF WITH THIS COOL-LOOKING DISCO ROBOT! I CAN'T SEE METTATON ANYWHERE THOUGH…"
"'fraid i can't go now, guys. i'm, uh, sorta busy at the moment," you say.
"DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE TAKING A NAP NOW OF ALL TIME!"
"guess you found me out, bro. turns out i'm pretty good at sleep-talking."
"WELL, YOU BETTER SLEEP-SHORTCUT HERE AND –"
His words fade into the background as you see Frisk get poked in the side hard by a sharp heel. They falter, their movements slowing down just as Mettaton prepares to throw a bomb at them. In their turn, they start to munch on a steak but nearly choke on it, the rest falling out of their limp hand. You know they don't have any food items left, and they aren't in any state to eat anyway. You feel sweat gathering on your temples. You must help them, but it's pretty clear that you can't knock all the missiles out of the way, no matter how fast you are.
Which means you must keep them out of harm's way by doing something entirely different. Something you didn't even consider attempting until now. Something you never wanted to think about ever again.
The only thing that can save them, whether you like it or not.
You focus your magic, trying to locate Frisk's soul, not an easy feat without participating in the battle yourself. You've done this countless times; only that on those occasions, your goal was to defeat them by any means necessary. You tossed and hurled their soul in all directions with what had remained of your strength in a last outburst of blind fury, knowing that it was the end of the line you and your world. This time, you take great care to touch the soul as gently as you can, giving it a slight nudge it in the right direction at Mettaton's next turn.
Frisk immediately freezes. Their body tenses up, and you can see the shock and dread in their eyes as they realize you got hold of their soul. You feel their will straining instinctively, desperately against yours to break free, nearly getting zapped by an attack.
Dammit, kid. Now's not the time to panic.
You stop, restraining your magic and hoping that it dawns on Frisk what you're getting at. You're keenly aware of the soul's every little beat, even though you can't sense their emotions. Frisk stands still, their breath quick and shallow, their hands trembling slightly.
And then, after the longest few seconds of your life, they let go of their fear.
You can feel it clearly when slowly, gradually, they stop resisting and relax into your magic. You give their soul another gentle push, and they finally let you take the lead. In the next turn, your magic meets no obstacle anymore, flowing easily, the child's body moving in harmony with your movements. It's almost like a dance, the two of you sharing the same will, the same hope, Frisk giving up their freedom for your sake. They trust your guidance.
They trust you.
Frisk's newfound energy isn't lost on Mettaton, who's missing his arms by this point, though his sass seems to remain intact.
"Well, well, well! Aren't you a speedy little pain in the neck, darling! Can it be the invigorating effect of that nutritious and fabulous MTT-brand product that you, dear audience, can purchase at my Burger Emporium for the low, low price of 500 G?"
With that, he pirouettes away as his bombs detonate one after another, and you barely manage to yank Frisk out of the way at the last moment.
"SANS? WHAT'S THIS INEXPLICABLY FAMILIAR NOISE IN THE BACKGROUND? WHERE ARE Y–"
"Oh my GOD, Papyrus! Look at the screen! NOW!"
And that's the point when you can practically hear your brother's mandible hitting the floor.
"W-WAIT! YOU'RE… ON TV? IN METTATON'S SHOW?"
"looks like it," you mumble through gritted teeth, praying inside for Frisk's turn to finally come.
"DO YOU… DO YOU THINK YOU CAN ASK HIM TO DO AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ME NEXT TIME?"
"uh. i'll do my best, paps, though i can't make any promises," you force out as an idea starts to form in your head. "in the meantime, do you think you can go to grillby's and tell him to turn the tv on?"
"UGH! YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I HATE THAT PLACE! THEY DON'T EVEN SERVE SPAGHETTI THERE!"
"Oh, come on, Papyrus!" Undyne exclaims, clearly eager to get him off the phone. "I'll buy you a protein shake!"
"THE ONE THAT HELPS ME BUILD MUSCLE MASS?"
"Well, it has certainly helped me!"
Papyrus nyehs and nyoohs for a while, torn between saving face and the promise of looking even cooler, then gives in.
"WELL! SINCE I'M HAPPY YOU HAVE FINALLY FOUND YOURSELF A RESPECTABLE JOB FOR A CHANGE, BROTHER, I WILL MAKE AN EXCEPTION AND SACRIFICE MY STANDARDS THIS ONE TIME!"
"thanks, pap. i owe you one."
"ONE MORE? I'LL ADD IT TO THE PILE, THEN! NYEH HEH HEH!"
He hangs up, leaving you to your business, which hasn't gotten any easier in the meantime. In a short while though, to your immense relief, the show's ratings seem to start shooting up at an astronomical pace, boosted by the entire population of Snowdin and a few folks from Waterfall, probably. Soon enough, a phone rings on-stage, and Mettaton picks up in his turn, only to be surprised by the timid voice of Napstablook. A whole lotta other callers follow in tow, and the battle finally, finally ends. Exhausted from the effort, you let go of Frisk's soul, and they bow at the cameras, doing a small curtsy by lifting their tutu. They are sweaty and short of breath from the exertion, but they look satisfied with their performance.
And… to an extent, you're satisfied, too. Even though the battle took a lot out of you, you were entertained, at least. After all, entertainment is every game's ultimate purpose, isn't it? And it's always been just a game, no matter how serious, no matter how deadly. To Chara, to Flowey – and, if only for a short while, to you.
But it has never been a game to Frisk.
The thought, sudden as it is, makes you uncomfortable. It has never been a game to them. They fell to the Underground alone and afraid, and they did their best to survive, only to get killed countless times and, in the end, be forced into the position of killing someone else to save their own life. And you of all people know very well how it feels to kill when you believe there is no other way.
Your grin wavers, that wayward emotion that's been nagging you threatening to come out into the light at any moment, to overwhelm you and ruin your plans, to destroy everything you've been fighting for, and you can't have that, you can't have that at all. Now of all time, you can't afford to falter.
I won't fail them.
You clench your fists in your pockets, suppressing whatever the hell it is, focusing on the show in front of you. Mettaton, smoke seeping out from under their battered shell, flashes Frisk a weak smile.
"Knock 'em dead, darling. And everyone… thank you." He sways, his metallic voice becoming distorted. "You've been a great audience!"
With that, his eyes fall closed and what has remained of his body falls over, his head hitting the floor with a harsh clang. Alphys, who has finally managed to unlock the door, cries out in dismay and rushes to the robot's motionless body. She's still fretting over the batteries when all of a sudden, Frisk goes white in the face and collapses on the ground. All other thoughts having fled from your mind, you hurry and kneel at their side, looking for any injury you might have missed, but they seem to be at full HP. Their eyes are closed, their limbs completely limp, and when you pat their face, they don't react at all.
No.
No no no fuck no –
"alphys! some help here?"
Upon realizing the severity of the situation, the doctor immediately joins you, her motions uncharacteristically confident. She checks the child's pulse, then rolls them on their side, gently tilting their head back.
"Help me b-bend their leg. Like that, yes."
She stoops over Frisk, holding their wrist, a frown of concentration on her face, then, after a minute or so, turns to you.
"It's not l-looking good. Their blood pressure is v-very low. We must bring them to the lab im-m-mediately."
You nod, your soul beating in your chest like a sledgehammer. With some difficulty, you help Alphys lift Frisk's unconscious body and teleport the three of you back to the lab. While you carefully lay them down on the floor, the lizard monster pulls out an unused syringe from a desk drawer and fills it with a clear liquid. She kneels down next to Frisk and injects the medicine in their arm. You hold your breath.
Come on, kid.
Come on, Frisk.
And then, after what feels like hours, they finally, finally come to. Your knees nearly give out on you from relief when you see them open their eyes. The child is panting and wheezing, tears gathering in the corners of their eyes, but they are awake. Their hand finds and squeezes yours with such force as if they couldn't hold on without having someone, anyone, to keep them going. They look up at you, and all of a sudden, you can see the deep, deep weariness in their expression.
"...kid?"
"Hey," they whisper, a small smile on their face. "Thank you for… for looking out for me."
"Are y-you alright? How do you f-f-feel?"
"I'm alright, thank you. I – I just need a moment before I meet Asgore. And, um… some food items as well, I suppose."
They try to get up, only to be stopped by Alphys' hand on their chest.
"Absolutely not! You're in no shape to f-fight anyone! Especially someone as strong as h-him!"
"It's okay, really," Frisk says, trying and failing to sound convincing. "I'm sure I can –"
At that moment, their phone rings, and Alphys reluctantly lets them sit up. You can faintly hear Undyne on the other end, though you can't make out what she's saying as her voice is uncharacteristically reserved. Alphys must hear her too as she squeaks and nearly drops the syringe, then notices herself and hastily withdraws to dispose of it. Frisk nods and uh-huhs for a while, and when they hang up, you see a mischievous smile on their face. You raise a bony eyebrow, but decide not to inquire.
"I really need to go now," the child says, looking at Alphys with pleading eyes. "I won't fight anyone, I promise."
"Yes!" she blurts out, suddenly in a hurry to send the child on their merry way. "I mean, s-sure thing, if you, um, really won't get into any t-t-trouble. Heh."
Still holding your hand, Frisk gets up and pats the better part of the dirt off their pants.
"care for a ketchup packet? i can grab a few from my booth. hot dogs, too, if you need 'em."
"It's fine, thank you. I still have some gold left. I just need some time."
"if you say so."
"Will you – um, will you help me with… with Asgore? I don't want to fight him this time. He never let me have mercy on him, and I'm not sure if – if I can…"
"'course."
"Thank you, Sans."
They look at you with such sincere gratitude that you can't help but feel a little awkward.
"that's it, then. see ya in a bit."
Alphys says nothing, just waves at Frisk to go on, her face gone completely red by now.
"you okay, doc?" you ask after they've left.
"H-heh… yeah, s-sure."
Not wanting to probe any further, you shortcut to the end of the Core and help Alphys carry what had remained the body off Mettaton back to safety. After she's taken care to plug him in to recharge, she offers you a soda and, still worn out after the battle, you eagerly accept it. She opens a can for herself, and for a while, you sip on them in companionable – or at least bearable – silence. Having finished hers, the doctor clears her throat and pushes her glasses up her nose.
"Thank y-y-you for helping the human," she says hesitantly. "I honestly wasn't expecting M-mettaton to – well… you know…"
"no worries," you shrug. "nice bit of engineering there, anyway."
Her eyes light up at the praise, a small blush appearing on her face.
"O-oh! Thank you, I'm pretty p-p-proud of it myself. It's actually not that complicated either! You see, the outer cover c-consists of an alloy that –"
She stops mid-sentence, her eyes widening to the size of saucers as they stare at something behind you. You turn around and see that someone has slid an envelope under the door. You wait for the lizard monster to go and get it, but she seems to be completely paralyzed. After a few minutes of absolutely nothing happening, you down the rest of your soda and decide to pick the letter up yourself.
"um. i think it's for you."
Still in mute mode, her gaze fixed somewhere in the middle distance, she takes the envelope from your hand with a robotic motion. Breath shallow, claws trembling, she opens it, and, if at all possible, her face goes an even deeper shade of red before even reading a single line. She gulps, finally pulling herself together enough to look at the sheet, and, to your surprise, you see sorrow and pain appear on her face as she goes through it.
"thanks for the drink," you offer awkwardly, not knowing what to do with the whole ordeal. "i'll just be at my post if you need me."
"It's her."
You stop, looking at her in mild confusion.
"It's U-undyne," Alphys repeats, her eyes downcast. "I heard her earlier on the ph-phone tell the human to d-deliver a letter to me. She's – she's, um, asking me out on a… on a d-d-date."
"and, uh… that's a bad thing?"
"You d-don't understand," she whispers. "I… I have done things that – that I could n-never be forgiven for. If she knew… she would h-hate me." Her voice trails off as she turns away from you. "I don't deserve to b-be with her. I don't deserve her love."
Your face falls at her words. You can see the self-hatred in her expression, in her pose that speaks of utter defeat. She's crinkling the letter in her claw, not even looking at it anymore. She has given up on the hope that she could ever come clean. That she could be loved for who she is.
But she can't give up now.
You won't let her give up.
I will save them all.
You step a little closer, putting a hand on Alphys' shoulder. To your relief, she doesn't pull away.
"dunno what you mean by that," you say softly. "but you should know you're not the only one who made mistakes. i'm sure you can talk it out with her."
Alphys lets out a quiet huff of laughter.
"This… this isn't something one can t-talk out. It's too much for that. It would be too much f-for anyone. And Undyne… I would rather – I d-don't know what I would do if she… if she –"
"well, you'll never know unless you tell her."
"Ha…"
She falls silent, lifting the letter to her face, gazing at it longingly. Then, she looks at you at last, a small, sad smile on her face.
"You're right, Sans. I m-must tell her. Even if she will hate me… it's t-time for the truth to come out."
She puts the letter on the desk and goes to open the door, only to reveal Frisk standing there, the very picture of patience. The doctor invites them in, then immediately excuses herself and rushes upstairs. Frisk prepares themselves a cup of ramen while you hear her rummage around above, and when she reappears, she's wearing an unusually clean polka dot dress you've never seen on her. She turns to the two of you, hands clasped in front of her.
"I… I want to be a better person. I don't want to b-be afraid anymore. And for that to happen, I have to be able to face my own m-m-mistakes."
She takes a deep breath.
"I'm going to meet with U-undyne and tell her everything I did," she says in a firm voice. "And… I w-want you to know it as well. I want everyone to know."
She goes and pushes the button next to the so-called bathroom door, and when it slides open, Frisk gasps in surprise.
"I want to be c-c-clear," Alphys continues, staring into the elevator cab. "This isn't anyone else's problem but m-mine. And I have been d-deceiving you for long enough as it is. So… you guys g-go on while I'm away."
You look at each other with Frisk. Obviously, they have no clue what she's talking about. You, in contrast, are keenly aware of what this means. It's time for the human to finally enter the place they've never been before. It's time for you to finally destroy the last remaining save points.
"Are you sure?" Frisk asks, clearly hesitant to leave Alphys to her own devices.
"It's alright," she says with an encouraging smile. "I'll be f-fine. Go on."
She shoots you one last glance and leaves, the door closing behind her with a faint hiss. Frisk steps to the elevator, peeking into the darkness.
"What was she talking about?"
"looks like we have to find out for ourselves."
With no further ado, you get into the elevator and start your long descend. Frisk is leaning against the wall, immersed in their thoughts, and you don't bother them. You're feeling a little uneasy, the thought of going back to the true lab with the human gnawing at your mind. You know you must get rid of the save points in there. How you're going to do that with them in your presence, you haven't the faintest. You're still mentally browsing ideas when the sirens start their familiar blaring, the elevator shaking violently. Frisk cries out, losing their balance, but you grab them before they could stumble.
"careful there, buddo."
You hold them firmly by the elbows until you reach the bottom, the landing a little softer this time. Frisk, still a little shaken by what just happened, looks around in the open doorway, and their mouth opens for a fraction in bewilderment.
"What is this place?"
"your guess is as good as mine," you shrug. "the doc didn't e-lab-orate."
They let out a small chuckle as they step out into the corridor. You notice that the screens are on this time, the glowing green script revealing various entries by Alphys. The kid takes their time to read each one, though you're pretty sure that they are familiar with at least part of the story by now. Meanwhile, you keep an eye out for any Amalgamates that might cross your path, but you reach the lobby of the control room without any problem. Frisk takes note of the vending machine and the save point, clearly aware that there must be enemies in the area. You give them an encouraging nod.
"right behind you, pal."
They nod back, trying to put on a brave face, but you can still see the hesitance in their movements as they step to the save point in the corner. For a split second, you feel the overwhelming urge to stop them, to reassure them that they don't have to do this, that they don't have to cause themselves any more harm, any more pain that they have already.
That they don't have to die for anyone's sake.
You say nothing. You just watch the child closely, holding your breath as they reach out to the save point slowly, cautiously, as if they didn't want to disturb its peace –
– and as soon as they touch it, the light flickers like a dying flame and crumbles to dust.
Frisk winces, their face contorting in pain, and you hear them stifle a small cry. Before you can react though, the moment is over, and they stand up straight, their expression neutral once again. Their gaze lingers on the spot where the save point was just a second ago, a faint shimmer still visible there, and when they speak, their voice is as calm as ever.
"Let's go."
They set out on the corridor to the right, and you follow at a short distance, still keeping an eyesocket out for any residents that might attack you. You try to focus on your task ahead, but your mind is buzzing with questions and doubts. All this time, you were sure that the save points were being destroyed by some force outside your control. You analyzed and ruminated and calculated, wrecking your brain for an answer and coming up short.
The only possibility you haven't even considered was that Chara was right in their assumption.
That it was you all along.
You stare at Frisk's back, not knowing what to believe anymore. You follow them through the lab, helping them collect keys and flip switches, making sure that you look innocuous enough while doing so, but your mind is elsewhere. Was it your doing after all? Did you cause this somehow? Did your meddling gave the final nudge for the human to gradually lose their strength – their determination?
Will you finally be able get rid of them, once and for all?
I want to –
You mustn't think about it.
"i don't hate you."
You remember their incredulity at your confession – and perhaps your own as well. No matter how bitter you were, you were telling the truth back then. You didn't hate them for what they'd done. Sure, you were angry and disappointed like never before, but you still couldn't find it in yourself to hate the child who wanted to set things right. Who was hoping beyond all hope that they could save everyone.
You reach the save point in the dormitory, and this time, Frisk doesn't even flinch when it falls apart at their touch. Their calmness is almost eerie, and you find yourself wishing that they at least acknowledge what is obviously happening to them. You wish Chara would come out and admit that it was all an act they put on just to scare you. You wish they'd reassure you that it's alright, that they will be okay no matter what you might have done.
But you know this is not what you must do.
You know this is not the way to save everyone.
And you won't fail them.
Keeping quiet, you keep following Frisk as they make their way through the lab, their every sense on edge. After you fish the red key out from the sink, you ready yourself for the battle with the abominations that attacked you first when you came here before. After a moment of silence, the tap starts gurgling, and you step closer to Frisk, ready to defend them if necessary, even though you feel your limbs grow cold from the memories.
"You killed doctor Alphys –"
You grit your teeth, focusing on the incoming fight. The child gasps as a tangled white mass of magic and physical matter slips out from the pipe, splitting into three unrecognizable figures. They hover above the ground for a second, then, upon spotting you, they swim closer, whispering and murmuring something unintelligible, milky white tentacles reaching out to attack you. Frisk steels themselves and takes a check in the first turn. Not a bad move, since neither of you know anything about your opponents. You ready your magic in your left hand, expecting them to lash out at any moment, expecting them to try and take revenge on you for your sins. You know they remember. You know they know what you did.
The attack never comes.
You wait for their turn to end, unsure what to make of the situation at hand. You stay close at Frisk's side, your body tense, but the figures float in place, unmoving, as if they were trying to gauge your reaction, or they were uncertain themselves. Then they speak again, and this time, you can make out their words.
"You spared them."
"We don't care anymore."
"Be seeing you."
And with that, they retreat into the tap, ending the battle.
Frisk stares after them incredulously, then, after a second of silence, shoots you a curious glance. They must have figured out that you've been here before. In the end though, they decide not to bring up the subject, and just thank you for your aid. You can't help but feel a pang of remorse, even shame, at their tact. Even though you're keeping so much from them, even though you deceived them, lied to them, hurt them in every way you could, they still choose to trust you.
No matter what you did, they still consider you their friend.
Just like the other Amalgamates you run into here and there. At first, Frisk prepares for the battle, but there's no need anymore. They remember your mercy, and they show no intention to attack either you or the human at your side. Snowdrake's Mother lets out a weak chuckle and repeats a pun you told her in the previous run, making the kid crack up (and giving you proper credit afterward, which you appreciate). Lemon Bread greets you with an ear-splitting screech of joy, and, after the initial shock, Frisk joins in the chorus. Endogeny lets out an enthusiastic bark and leaps at you, covering your jacket in slobber. You pat their heads and sneak Frisk a small bone so they can play with the dogs.
You are their friend.
Eventually, you reach the TV room, and you wonder what will happen now that the children are here. Before you can enter though, Frisk stops in the doorway abruptly, frowning, standing still, focusing inward to something you can't sense. They look at the TV set, their expression thoughtful, then turn to you.
"Could you give us a moment? Chara said they'd like to watch those tapes. I mean, um, alone."
"...sure," you nod, the fact that the fallen child has finally decided to speak to Frisk not lost on you. "i'll go ahead and restart the elevator."
"Thank you. I'll meet you in – in the… corridor before Asgore."
They kneel on the floor and, after some browsing, pull out a tape, putting it in the VHS player. Taking it as your cue to leave, you retreat and are just about to go past the DT extractor, when –
"Okay, Chara, are you ready?"
You stop.
The voice coming from the TV set is strangely familiar, though you don't know when or where you could've heard it before. It's a child's voice, timid and kind. A voice that has never known cruelty, or violence, or bloodshed – only mercy.
"Now you're smiling for nooo reason! Hee hee hee!"
You close your eyesockets, listening to the tape intently, like you're trying to memorize everything Asriel said and did all that time ago, back when monsters still had hope that they could live in peace with humans. He sounds almost like his parents, only his voice is carefree and innocent.
At least for a short while.
"I… I don't like this idea, Chara."
"That's none of your business, partner. It is my family, not yours. Well, it was my family, anyway."
You're startled out of your reverie by the human's voice. Curiosity getting the better of you, you decide to sneak back to the doorway, careful not to let your reflection be seen on the screen. Frisk is sitting on the floor with their legs crossed, their gaze fixed on the television – only you know perfectly well that it wasn't Frisk who just spoke.
"I'll go get the flowers."
"So what? Nothing can change what happened, so you might as well drop it," Chara says, seemingly talking to themselves. They must have gotten a reply from Frisk though as they let out a derisive snort of laughter.
"Really, now?" Their voice is full of contempt, and you don't know anymore if it's directed at you, Frisk, or Asriel. "Do you think I haven't noticed? He couldn't be any more obvious if he put up a neon sign reading 'I'm a good guy now.'"
You roll your pupils at their tone. Leave it to the fallen child to ruin the pathos by treating everything with the same indifferent cynicism.
"Chara… Can you hear me? We want you to wake up…"
"But how? How can he still hope that they will forgive him?" they ask, frustration creeping into their voice. "How can he hope that things can just magically go back the way they used to be?"
"Chara! You have to stay determined!"
"Then you're deluding yourself, just like him. You know he will never forgive you. He cannot forgive you."
"...no… I said… I said I'd never doubt you."
"No!" Chara shouts, their hands curling into fists, their knuckles white from the effort. "You're lying! It's not true! It can't be true!"
"And we'll do it together, right?"
The tape ends, the VHS player stopping with a small click. Chara's still sitting on the floor, their arms trembling, their head hanging low, blanketed in silence and loneliness.
"He… he cannot forgive me," they whisper at last, their voice breaking. "And he won't. I know he won't. But it doesn't matter anymore. None of it matters."
Their gaze lingers on the darkened TV screen, their hand involuntarily curling up, grabbing their sleeve, just like – just like Frisk is wont to do, you realize. They are afraid. They don't know what's going to happen. For once, they are not the one in control.
And yet, they still choose to keep going.
Determination.
You decide you've heard enough. Leaving the children to their own company, you tiptoe back and set out to the control room; but just before you turn around the corner, you could swear you hear someone crying.
The lone tree standing in the courtyard of New Home reminds you of the one in front of Toriel's home in the Ruins. This one, however, is full of buds and leaves, full of life, because your king watches over it. Your king, who, you're sure of it now, makes a much better gardener than monarch. Your king, who, so many, many years ago, in a desperate moment, declared war on humans once again, and sealed your fate with his words. Your king, who has regretted his decision so bitterly ever since, who has killed so many times over the decades; your soft-hearted, pushover king, who dresses up as Santa at Gyftmastime and mingles with his people freely, listening to their joys and woes, and who would rather make a nice warm cup of tea and talk it out than hurt a living being ever again.
You can vaguely recall telling him about the resets way before Frisk fell down and Chara awakened, way before the real nightmare begun. He, of course, was understanding and empathic, as always, listening to you intently, trying his best to keep up with your theorizing about the resets. Sharing it with him must have been a tough choice on your part, no doubt about it. Knowing yourself, you'd probably been ruminating over the issue for quite a while. But on that day, you decided to finally confide in someone because, despite all your misgivings, you still had some hope that it would help.
And on that day, you took that someone's last shred of hope away.
"So what you're saying is that we are stuck living the same days over and over again forever - and we can't do anything about it."
"...yes."
You keenly remember Asgore's face then, as your words were really, truly sinking in with him. His expression gradually turning dark, as dark as you'd never seen it, his eyes radiating exhaustion; his giant paw trembling slightly as it involuntarily squeezed the handle of his mug. He'd been trying so hard to keep it all together for his people's sake; but for a fleeting moment, he had given in to despair.
"Maybe we can talk with them, perhaps?"
"maybe."
"Maybe they just want to be understood, Sans. Or they just want some company. A good laugh. A cup of warm tea and a nice conversation."
"sure."
And with that, you left - in a worse mood than you'd arrived, which must have been quite a feat. You accomplished nothing with your desperate attempt at asking for help. Of course, you just grinned and shrugged and brushed off Asgore's attempts to comfort you – but inside, you were angry with him. You were angry, and bitter, and most of all, disappointed because you'd been stupid enough to hope that, being your leader, maybe he could just snap his fingers and make your problems magically go away, and in the end, it proved to be all an illusion, he was just as helpless as you, even though he shouldn't have been helpless, he should have been able to help you somehow, but he couldn't, he couldn't, and you were seething with resentment because he's just a dumb, giant, useless idiot who can't fucking understand how this feels.
You withdrew into your shell even more after that, having given up hope that Asgore could offer anything of use. Alphys, who'd been your last hope, couldn't handle the truth, and after seeing her suicide note, you decided to keep your secret to yourself.
New Home is empty and silent now, the only sound being the soft tapping of your slippers on the dusty floorboards. You know that Asgore is in the garden at this time of day, enjoying the sunshine – real sunshine, such a rare treasure in the Underground. You could practically see him, a hint of a smile on his face, his gaze tender as he's watering the flower patches, humming to himself softly.
You were unfair with him, of course, and deep down, you knew it even then. All you were stubbornly thinking of was how he couldn't understand you. Now, after everything, you finally consider the possibility that you couldn't understand how he felt.
You stroll through the house, familiar and alien at the same time. You've been here before. Many times, actually, listening to the monsters whispering and murmuring about the new human, the last soul standing between them and freedom. A memory of hopes and dreams of monsterkind, turned to nothing so long ago. But now – now hope has finally returned to the Underground. And you won't let them down again.
"King Asgore will let us go."
You will let them go to finally find their freedom.
"King Asgore will give us hope."
You will give them the hope they deserve.
"King Asgore will save us all."
You will save them all, no matter what it takes.
"You should be smiling, too."
You are smiling. You are smiling because soon enough, it will finally be over.
"Aren't you excited? Aren't you happy?"
You look back at the stairway of New Home, full of memories, full of ghosts of days long past. You look back one more time, and then turn your gaze forward, and step through the doorway to the Last Corridor, the words of your kin echoing in your mind with more certainty than ever, lending you strength for your last battle.
"You're going to be free."