Chapter Fourteen
When running back, the child bumped into someone as she reached near the elevator in New Home.
"Oof, sorry about th-" The child said, and her eyes widened to see Curtain standing before her.
"…" Curtain stared at the child as she looked tired as well from running, while having a staredown with the human.
Curtain reached her hand over her eye, realizing there was no scar, and then said,
"Kid… how… did… you… you came back."
"Curtain… Curtain!" The child said as with tearful eyes she ran and hugged her friend.
"You really came back!" Curtain said as she hugged her friend back.
"So… you really used those saves huh? That's… you came back… why?" Curtain asked.
"I couldn't leave things the way they were! And knowing you couldn't fly anymore? And everyone is still here and suffering but no one really wants to fight and all… I just couldn't do it!" The child replied.
"You're my friend… all of you," The child said as she pulled back from the hug.
Curtain smiled and said, "Hehehe. Thanks, kid. I knew you were cool."
They got themselves together and then Curtain asked, "So, what is your plan to do now? Knowing what will happen at this point?"
"I'm surprised you remember, but then again you can see the light… and I guess being half human helps you too," The child said.
"I guess so. I can't really explain it any better myself," Curtain remarked.
"Well… for my next plan… I want to talk to Alphys and try… to be her friend," the child said.
"I see… well I won't stop you from trying if you feel you should. As a matter of fact, I was able to learn a few things about Alphys so I'll help you out," Curtain said as she patted the human.
The two used the elevator and headed out from New Home to the Core, where Curtain flew the child straight to Alphys' lab. The child knocked a few times, and although she could hear Alphys inside, she wasn't opening the door.
"Alphys, please. I want to talk to you… I don't want to leave things as I did," the child said, and although she heard a shifting towards the door, it slowly backed away.
"Okay let me handle this," Curtain said, as she pickled up the child and placed her to the side.
She then kicked open the door with one kick as it burst open, and then walked inside with the child following in shock.
"AH!" Alphys yelped as they walked in.
"Listen here, Alphys! She wants to talk to you, so the least you can do after all you put her through is listen!" Curtain said.
"I-I… b-but… why… why would you even want to talk to me?" Alphys asked the child.
"… Alphys, I've given the monsters I've met down here a lot of chances, even Undyne who tried to kill me multiple times… and even though you tried to trick me and lied to me… I still want to talk and… I'd like to give you a chance too. You seem like you feel really bad about everything, so you're not as bad as someone who purposely hurts people," The child replied, thinking about a certain flower.
"…" Alphys began to contemplate what the human said.
"I've at least made peace with Papyrus and Undyne, and even Mettaton I was able to talk to before going along so… I'd like to do the same for you because that's just who I am," The child added.
"… heh… you're really a nice person aren't you? I… I wish I could be like that… I wish I could be as honest as you too. You're… Y-You're really inspiring… I just… I don't know if I can change though. I've not only lied to you but… I've lied to those close to me too. I told so many lies to make them like me… I just wanted them to think I was cool… I just wanted to be better then what I am…" Alphys replied.
"… Then why don't you try?" the child asked.
"I… I-I want to but… it's not easy. Not after all the terrible things I've done…" Alphys said as she sadly turned away from the child.
"Alphys… I believe you can be better, if you just try. I'm sure if you go up to everyone and tell them the truth, they will understand. I mean, you've told me the truth and I came back to you, right?" the child asked.
"… T-The truth? But… can I really? I lied so much, even to Undyne, I told her about anime being real when it's not. I said how I was busy but I wasn't, and how seaweed is important but it's not. I… wouldn't they just hate me? Isn't it better if I just… leave things this way? I mean, can't I change without having to do that?" Alphys asked as she turned towards her with a half-hearted smile.
The child held a blank expression of disapproval, as Curtain was more expressive in her head tilt.
"… Y-Your right… I should tell them the truth… it won't be easy…" Alphys said, and then they heard the door of the other side of the lab burst open.
"Alphys!" Undyne yelled out as she came in along with Papyrus following after her.
"U-Undyne! P-Papyrus! What are you doing here?!" Alphys said.
"We came as soon as we realized the human didn't go on after that last fight!" Undyne said.
"SEE, UNDYNE! MY INSTINCTS WERE CORRECT!" Papyrus said.
"We heard everything too, Alphys," Undyne said.
"Y-Y-You did…?" Alphys asked in panic as they nodded.
"I see… W-Well, everything I said w-was true to them… so… I'm very sorry I lied," Alphys said as Undyne approached her and patted her head.
"It's alright, Alphys. I don't care about that nerdy crap anyway! I didn't become your friend because of those things… I became your friend because… " Undyne grabbed Alphys and threw her into the air as Papyrus caught her with a garbage can he manifested out of nowhere.
"You're PASSIONATE! You're ANALYTICAL! It doesn't matter what it is, YOU CARE ABOUT IT! ! 100-PERCENT! AT MAXIMUM POWER! That's something I can respect at 100-PERCENT! So you don't have to lie to me, and I don't want you to lie to anyone anymore. I want to help you become happy with who you are!" Undyne said.
"R-Really?" Alphys asked from the trash can and Undyne nodded.
"And I know just the training you need! Right, Papyrus?!" Undyne shouted as Papyrus seemed to already have his clothes ready for the occasion.
"My word, he's prepared…" Curtain commented.
"GET THOSE BONES SHAKIN'! IT'S TIME TO JOG 100 LAPS, HOOTING ABOUT HOW GREAT WE ARE!" Papyrus said with much enthusiasm.
"Alright. I'm going to start the timer," Undyne said.
"Undyne… Papyrus… I'll do my best!" Alphys said as she and Papyrus ran out of the lab.
Upon doing so, Undyne then pleaded with Curtain and the child asking them if anime was real and hoping it was so. The two looked towards one another as Curtain nodded to the child, and the child looked at Undyne and shook her head. It was as if they could almost hear her heart tearing to pieces. However, Undyne decided to stay strong for her friend.
"Thank you for telling me the truth, human. I'll try my best to live in this world… See you later!" Undyne said and then ran out of the lab.
"… Well, that seemed to go well," Curtain said.
"Yeah… Alphys looked happy about it too," the child said as they started heading out of the lab and through Hotland.
"… So what happened that you disappeared before?" Curtain asked, and the child took a moment to explain it to her.
"… I see. So that flower… what do you plan to do now though?" Curtain asked.
"… Stay determined, I guess," the child said.
Shortly, they received a call from Papyrus saying that Alphys had finished training and seemed to want them to come over to the lab. So they both headed back and entered the lab, finding only a letter on the floor that read,
"Hey. Thanks for your help back there. You guys… Your support really means a lot to me. But… As difficult as it is for me to say this… You guys alone can't magically make my own problems go away. I want to be a better person. I don't want to be afraid anymore. And for that to happen, I have to be able to face my own mistakes. I'm going to start doing that now. I want to be clear. This isn't anyone else's problem but mine. But if you don't ever hear from me again… If you want to know "the truth" enter the door to the north of this note. You all at least deserve to know what I did."
The two look towards one another, and then entered the elevator. Upon descending, the elevator began to lose power, as the child held onto Curtain and she grabbed on the ceiling. Upon the elevator crashing down, the two were able to get out unharmed as the doors opened. They stepped out in a dark hall and checkered ground. Then they walked ahead in the dark place to see exactly what Alphys was talking about, knowing a certain dread awaited them.
The entries they read were from Alphys as she explained about following what the King asked and finding a way to break the barrier by using Soul power since that is what the barrier is made from, but to gain that power is from something once living and can't be created artifically, so she would have to turn to the Souls of Monsters. But to extract a Monster Soul is not practical because you'd need great power to do so, and she wondered if there was a way to make a Monster Soul last. Then she found a way to extract determination from Human souls, the will to live and the resolve to change fate. Then when Asgore had monsters who had fallen and in comatose to be brought over, Alphys injected them with determination to see if they were able to survive and that they may be able to use this power to break the barrier.
Along the way, the child and Curtain encountered odd creatures that resembled monsters and survived the lot as the child found
In the next entries, Alphys saw that the monsters didn't turn to dust, but nothing was happening either. She kept injecting them to make this work, and then they all slowly got up and acted as if nothing had ever happened. She also realized that they need a vessel to put the monster souls into in order to be used against the barrier, since Monsters can't absorb monsters and Humans can't absorb humans, so she started her work on a vessel.
+ … she is… keeping them alive and not telling their families… so that she could force them into a vessel? She is using her people… her own people like that?
- … That's kind of messed up.
+ Just because they were dying already? That's like experimenting on a person who's about to die and because they lived they get to be experimented further into a weapon but will die anyway…
- … Now that you say it like that…
+ What is this?!
- No wonder she is the way she is…
+WHAT IS THIS?! Killing monsters is more of a kindness then this!
- Such desperation…
She decided to use a non human and non monster vessel, but it was failing so she decided it was useless.
+ … No… No she didn't…
Curtain and the child passed by an area of golden flowers as they did so to hit another switch that they found, since they seemed to need to do so.
In the next entry, Alphys sent the Souls back to Asgore, sent the vessel back to the garden, and told the families their loved ones are alive. She also writes about building Mettaton's body and that he doesn't talk to her much since he became a star, and was reluctant to finish so soon when she wouldn't be needed anymore.
+… She… made… She made…
- Oh my gosh she made Flowey…
+ She made that Flower?!
The child had no words to express at her surprise to this knowledge, though sure that maybe Alphys never meant for Flowey to be the evil creature he became, but was still unsure of her feelings.
The entry became only no's, as the two continued by and found VHS tapes that they started listening to. The child felt her head hurt, the nostalgia filling her mind as she also realized this was the same voice from before in the tapes as she heard her name being said. Curtain stared at the child while listening to the tapes. The child had her hands pressed on her head while listening, as she trembled a little.
"… How do… they know you're name?"
"I… I don't know… I don't know how… but… that would mean I'm…"
"…"
Curtain then hugged the child, as the child trembled.
"Calm down, kid. Don't think about it. It's okay. We'll… we'll figure this out. Don't worry."
+ GASP! It's meeee!
- What the heck?
+ I am a human beyond death! Humans can survive even when they die like the Souls! This kid I am… is the other one!
- How even?!
+ I don't know everything yet! I need to keep going!
"… okay," the child said, calming down as Curtain let her go.
They continued along and turned on the power of the elevator as more forms came after them. Alphys then ran in and took control by giving the amalgamates food as they went off. She apologized and said she was going to turn back the power, but they got there already.
She then explained how the Monsters she gave determination to didn't have the physical properties needed to take in the concentrations of determination and melted together. She couldn't bring herself to tell anyone the truth about this and kept it secret, but now she knew that she had to, even though it would be hard because she was sure she had friends to help her now. Alphys then took the amalgamates and left to send them home to their families and admit the truth to all the monsters.
Afterward, Curtain and the child went on ahead.
"… That was surprising huh?" Curtain asked.
"Yeah, but considering how Alphys was acting before, we should have expected it was something bad that happened," the child replied.
"Those poor guys… all melted and all… isn't there any way they could be helped though?" Curtain thought.
"I don't know, but they might die so it's a pretty delicate matter…"
"Yeah true. It'd have to be a very strong power to fix that…"
"Yeah, but at least she is trying to tell the truth now. That's a good thing…"
A few entries appeared, telling of a flower left to the king, but that it disappeared.
"…"
"You okay, kid?"
"I wouldn't say so," A voice called from where they came from as they quickly turned to see Corruption.
"You! I should have suspected you'd be here in a dark place like this like the fiend you are… not saying the amalgamates here are. They had no choice," Curtain said as she stood in front of the child and they slowly backed up to the elevator.
"Hehehehe. You'd think I'd stay away for long? When that brat… went back?" Corruption asked, as the two were surprised.
"What? You don't think I couldn't ALSO see the flickering SAVE point?" Corruption said with a smirk.
"… What are you going to do then? N-No matter what, I can go back and you can't do a thing!" The child said, to see if she will back off.
Corruption smiled and said, "Oh, I'm aware of how you can cheat… but don't let me stop you now…"
She peered towards the report that had a smile on it.
"For now, I won't bother much… except, maybe… Curtain," Corruption said.
"… What?" Curtain said, as she stared at her a moment while the child stepped in the elevator.
"Yes Curtain. I killed the Aecan who lived here. But… he isn't the ONLY Aecan I have killed… nor the first life I've taken with these hands," Corruption said as she lifted her clawed hands up, but clearly she had some damage on them.
"…" Curtain stared at her a moment, a memory flashing in her mind.
"I was on the surface years ago… " Corruption said, as Curtain listened well.
"And I had sensed a presence… of Monsters still on the surface when I woke up again… then I realized out of those few, one had come in contact with a human…" Corruption continued speaking, as Curtain grew tense.
"And then I thought… "Could it be? A Monster and a Human have fallen for one another?" So I went to investigate… by attacking the home village of the human… man," Corruption's smile darkened, as Curtain's grip on her blade tightened.
"And when they both came I could already tell… they came to fight… and to protect someone, someone dear to them… someone that, when I made a comment of their existence, the two fought so aggressively and made such sacrifice to kill me that I was actually defeated… but they joined me in death as well… fortunately, violence, pain, fighting, dying… as long as it's a part of LOVE… I'll always come back… unlike them, though I will always remember them as they put up a great fight," Corruption said, her smile not faltering.
"…" Curtain radiated energy as she was beyond furious.
"Curtain… " The child said with sympathy, and then shouted at Corruption, "You evil witch! How could you do this?!"
"… Blame yourself for not being strong enough to kill and make ME have to do everything!" Corruption shouted back at her.
"!" The child then felt a memory hit her in the head as she fell back, remembering the VHS tapes as well.
"You dirty family killer!" Curtain shouted as she released an attack with a full charged dagger that cut Corruption in half.
In that moment, the elevator doors closed as the child was locked inside and received a phone call from a voice she didn't know. Her heart was racing as she quickly needed to get out to see what happened with Curtain, but then stepped out to realize she was back in New Home. Although worried for Curtain, but seeing how Corruption looked hurt and was cut in half by her, the child pressed onward. Also realizing she had no choice since the way back was blocked by vines and knew she had to deal with a certain flower first any way.
Curtain, on the other hand, was stuck in the lab and the elevator seemed to be functioning slow, as she took the time waiting for it to sink to her knees and grasp at her scarf.
'… I'm sorry kid… please be okay this time. I believe in ya, just like last time,' She thought.