Chapter Thirty 3
After a few minutes of light:
Slowly Paradox opened her eyes and they widened as she saw the world in a more empty state seeming to be made entirely of water for the ground, and a heavenly night sky as vast as space with stars and clusters of light floating through it. She looked around for a moment, and then turned when she felt someone was there as her eyes widened and then brightened.
Clair Voyant stood before her in similar attire to when Frisk first met her, except on the bottom of her dress with a black fiery border that lifted halfway up, and on her left side from the side of her temple was a fiery mark that was buried under her hair. She smiled softly as tears filled her eyes and rained down her cheeks, urging Paradox to approach her.
"Ms. Clair, you're here. I'm so glad-" Paradox was cut short when Clair hugged her.
"No amount of apology could correct everything I have done… but I am sorry. So so sorry. So sorry for everything… and so grateful to have met someone like you. Someone who could finally reach me. Someone who could finally wake me up. I don't deserve your help at all. I really don't… but I thank you so much… for not giving up on me when I gave up… even after all of this," Clair cried as she held her and happened to heal her wounds unintentionally.
Paradox felt her lips form into a smile as her own tears began to fall, and then she hugged Clair back and said,
"It easily could have been the other way around. Who knows. I just wish I could have helped you sooner… but it is what it is. And I'm glad to see you again, my friend. Even if our first meeting was the first time, I'm still happy that you're back… there's a lot to do and a lot of things to sort and… it will be a bit hard… but know that as I did not give up to find out everything and decide to help you, that you should do the same for yourself, and anyone like you too. That is how you can make it up to me, as I know you really wish to… okay?"
Paradox felt a shaken nod from Clair since she was still crying, and comforted her friend a little longer with back pats until her tears calmed down enough eventually. After making a little small talk about their new appearances to alleviate the tears a little more, they both stood up since they sat down for a moment to relax.
"Well, now that we are here, let us fix these timelines," Clair suggested.
"Huh?! Fix? In what way?" Paradox asked in excitement, but calmed down first to hear the explanation.
"Well, you've inspired me. To restore the worlds back to normal would mean to rewind, but that isn't trustworthy or truly efficient since time has a way of repeating itself and having a corruption come back isn't good… so I considered instead of going back, we can just keep going forward, and merge the timelines into one main timeline that bypasses the others as being the true one," Clair explained as Paradox couldn't help but express surprise.
"To merge the timelines… so then the people of each timeline, would they merge too?" Paradox asked, as Clair nodded.
"The main timeline will be the ones in charge, and the others shall assimilate into their beings. After all, they are technically the same person, so it will all blend right in. Probably faint bits of recollection, but considering the world was so war torn, and yours is in peace… they'd be at peace too," Clair said.
"That sounds like a good idea. But would the others be okay with that?" Paradox wondered.
"They consider your timeline the main one anyway, and I'm sure they'd appreciate having homes and being with their loved ones again," Clair reasoned.
"Hmm… then that's okay with me. As long as they are fine, then let's do it!" Paradox said, as Clair nodded.
"Well don't include me though," Blaze said as she appeared next to them.
"Ah! Blaze?! How did you get here?!" Paradox asked, as Clair smiled at their guest.
"I just can, and I'd prefer not to merge, though everyone else in that other war timeline agrees to it, just so you know," Blaze said.
"… How strong are y- Wait! You asked them?" Paradox asked.
"I was just with them telling them about what was going on, then I came here myself. They indeed do agree to it," Blaze said.
"Oh alright, that's good… but why don't you want to be a part of it? Aren't you tired?" Paradox asked.
"Nah. I had time to think and beat down Corruption and Chara along with all of you. I was glad to fight alongside Marisol too. Helped me relive some good times in my memories so… I don't want any of you to lose that, or to gain my painful ones. So I figured I'd stick around on my own. Maybe I'd find other timelines or if this one acts up, I can set it right, you know? Keep watch. Better then fighting all day against the two jerks," Blaze said with a small smile, as Paradox's eyes brightened to see her geniunely content.
"And I'll be watching over you too," Blaze said to Clair.
"I appreciate it. Thank you. I'll do my best to help everyone from now on," Clair said, and Blaze nodded in approval.
"So, now that that's all settled, get on with it, you two. Let's not keep the readers waiting. They've waited long enough," Blaze said, turning towards the writer, who's fingers are on fire from trying to type as fast as possible when inspiration decides to be so heavily influencing them at the moment.
"Yes. Let's get right to it. Are you ready, Paradox?" Clair asked her.
"I am! Let's do this!" Paradox replied energetically, and Clair smiled.
Clair and Paradox turned towards two lights, one being brigher then the other, and they recognized them as the two timelines. Together they merged the dimmed one with the bright one, as the bright one overshadowed the dim one in it's magnificent glow, completely absorbing it. The two then noticed a timeline light that wasn't glowing, as Blaze immediately broke it with a kick, and then nodded at them. The two accepted her way of dealing with her 'world,' and they were ready to return to theirs. Clair entered first and curtsied to Blaze, as she nodded in approval. Afterward, Paradox and Blaze looked towards one another, as Paradox ran and hugged Blaze, who was shocked.
"Just know… if you ever need to come home or rest, you know where we are. Come anytime you need to, okay? You still have a home with us," Paradox said.
"Heh. Thanks. I'll remember that. Now go on home. I'm sure it can't start until all the pieces are there," Blaze said, and Paradox nodded as she let her go.
"Thanks Blaze, for everything!" Paradox said and waved, as Blaze waved back with a true smile that she hadn't shown in a long time.
Paradox then ran into the light back home.
?:
She softly took a deep breath in and out, fully awakening all of her senses and expanding her range of focus. At first she thought the rays of light that surrounded her would sting her eyes upon opening, but they didn't as she looked at the landscape around her. It was mostly composed of lush green grass and white flowers with starshaped golden centers.
Her eyes then turned to focus on rainclouds that were spread in one area of the clear sky nearby, knowing fully well who those came from. The grass in that area was dark grey while the flowers were wilted or black petaled with red centers. She saw a darker figure approaching her as the corrupted land followed them for a while like a shadow. When they were a good few yards apart, then Clair Voyant spoke to Corruption,
"So it's come to this, huh? You're here and in the same boat as I am… well, since I'm no longer asleep, you have no business to be wandering around here."
"Ha! Don't act like you have the advantage. I've been a part of you long enough to know how to get you down. I'm not going to be the one falling," Corruption said as she summoned a red battle axe.
"You seem to forget that you are part of me, but that doesn't make me you. And I've decided that you are to remain that way for good," Clair Voyant said as long shining white claws grew forth from her fingers.
"Oooh, so you think just because you're the true one and woke up and freaking pushed me out that that makes you the boss, huh? Well don't think I'll make it easy! Even without chains I'll still slap the hell out of you, you ingrate!" Corruption boasted.
"Ingrate? You know for a fact I never wanted to actually kill anyone. We may share the same memories and body, but clearly our hearts aren't the same at all. You acted on our pain in your own way as I have, but you went too far beyond just pain… and that I cannot allow to happen ever again. Now come forth," Clair Voyant said as she beckoned her forth with two flicks of her pointer finger.
"Oh don't worry, I'm going to fight you to death. I had so much fun as painful as it was to die a few times and all. I only have a question. You are the reason I came to be in a physical form in the first place and to fight me is to fight youself anyway, but I wonder if you really regret me? You even have another hybrid and all those others as your friends now so that should make up for my actions, shouldn't it? Since you didn't take any before while I did," Corruption said.
"Sigh. You're such a chatterbox, Corru. Your existence is my regret. But my actions now are my way of fixing it, and repaying them for helping me in waking up. They shouldn't have had to wake me up or meet me in the first place, nor should my old friends had to live without me, but lingering on pain and regret of the past is something you do, right? Isn't that why I was asleep?" Clair said, as Corruption gritted her teeth,
"Don't worry though. I have something special planned in store for the likes of you..." Clair said with a smirk, as Corruption felt her sins crawling on her back.
Corruption roared as she rushed forth to attack while Clair Voyant was ready.
Home Time:
As Paradox entered the light, she fell softly along as a leaf gently being guided by a kind wind down to the world that was home. When she saw the grassy lands she recognized, Paradox began to glow as she smiled,
'Well, looks like everything is in order. I guess my work here is done… for now.'
Paradox closed her eyes and separated into two forms, as they laid to rest on the grassy land below. A moment later, the two woke and sat up, as they looked at each other with smiles forming. The girls looked at themselves to see that they were indeed separated, and stood up just to make sure. They smiled and hugged each other, knowing that everything was alright, and that even they were alright too.
"Curtain! Frisk!"
They turned to see Marisol running towards them, her eyes filling with cheerful tears as they mirrored her tears and ran over to hug her. The girls sniffled and hugged and looked between each other, happy to be reunited again.
For just a moment they saw each other in different forms: one as a ghost, one wearing armor, and the other an older child.
Though a little surprised by the sudden vision, they were happy to know that they were just as happy or even more then they were.
"So it's all settled, huh?" Marisol asked.
"Yeah. All settled here," Curtain replied.
"I think I'll miss Blaze though. She was really cool," Marisol said.
"Me too," Frisk said.
"Me three," Curtain added with a smirk, and the two girls chuckled at the pun.
Though they all heard another chuckle as they walked a bit and found Sans, Papyrus, and Asriel laying in a taller portion of grass. Sans was awake, as Papyrus and Asriel were slowly waking up. Frisk and Marisol smiled at them, as did Curtain while she walked over and hovered her head above Sans. They gazed into each other's eyes softly.
"should have guessed my lady was the one who made such a great pun there," Sans said.
"Heh. I learned from the best," Curtain said.
Although Curtain was happy, her tears began to pour down as she wept while Sans quickly got up.
"what's up, Curtain? are you in pain or anything?" Sans asked.
"I just… I'm just so glad we all made it and… and that everyone and you are all okay and… and… I'm just so relieved," Curtain replied as she sniffled more, while Sans wrapped his arms around her.
"there there, my lady. i'm here for ya. i'll always be here for ya. always," Sans said as he held her close, while Curtain accepted his kind embrace, momentarilly feeling an invisible scarf around his neck.
"… Huh? GASP! Everyone! We're all here! We're all okay!" Papyrus announced as he shot up.
He looked towards Marisol and picked her up as he twirled with her in his arms bridal style.
"We made it, Mari!"
"Heehee! Papyrus! You're so awake after all of that?"
"I am, Marisol! I can't help it! This is a wonderous occasion! A miraculous event! How can I not be awake? And with all the people I love makes it all even better!" Papyrus said.
He nuzzles his face close to Marisol's cheek as she giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Asriel sat up and smiled at them along with Frisk, and the two of them looked towards one another.
"I'm… I'm still here," Asriel said as he looked himself over.
"Yeah. Welcome back, Asriel," Frisk said as she hugged him, and he hugged her back with a lone tear falling down his cheek.
"Frisk? Frisk! Guys! Girls! You're all here!"
They all looked to see Chance waving from up the slope of the sort of small hillside area they were on.
"Chance!" Frisk called as she quickly ran up to him.
She ran and hugged him as he hugged her back.
"I can't believe your guys are here! I was so worried and everyone was too when you guys suddenly vanished! We knew something was wrong from the few scorch marks from where you guys all were, but we didn't know where you could be! I'm so glad you're all safe," Chance said, during the hug.
"I'm glad you're okay too Chance, since you were near Sans and Papyrus. I'm so happy to see… you… again… " Frisk's words slowed when she opened her eyes and looked passed Chance during the hug to see the chapel.
"Yeah… hey, are you alright?" Chance asked when they separated from the hug as he noticed her staring at the chapel.
"… Chance. What are you doing here anyway? Did you know we'd be here?" Frisk asked, looking at him briefly and yet still awed by the chapel and how not destroyed it was.
"Oh, um, I come here occasionally actually or if I feel worried. I guess I feel closer to my family that way. They owned this chapel a long time ago when it was in use, and it kind of belongs to me too," Chance said, and Frisk's eyes widened towards him.
"So then… when I sensed you… YOU!" Frisk shouted as she shook Chance by his shoulders.
"W-Wh-What d-do yo-you m-mean?" Chance asked as she shook him, and then stopped.
"You gave me the link! You're connected to the past of this place! To her! You helped us!" Frisk replied as Chance tilted his head slightly.
"I did? Wait… so that really was you at the chapel! I wasn't one hundred percent sure, but I could feel like you were there. I mean you weren't but you were too… it was weird," Chance said.
"Chance, you don't even know how much you helped us back there. I wouldn't have been able to connect as well as I did to Clair to defeat Corruption if not for you… heh… you gave us the chance we needed," Frisk said with a smile, as Chance blushed to being used as a pun while the others nearby giggled.
"What say all of you! Should we hurry back to let everyone know we are safe and sound?" Papyrus asked.
"Oh yeah! Everyone was all worried. Caroline should be close by since she came with me. Though I asked her to let me enter the chapel alone," Chance said.
"Just a minute, guys. There's someone we should all at least meet," Frisk said as she was looking towards the chapel.
Everyone else looked at the chapel and saw a light shining from within by the glow of the windows. They saw the door open as they started walking towards it when Frisk did, and stopped when they saw Clair Voyant step out from inside. She rubbed her head a little and then looked up to see them as she smiled softly, while Frisk ran over to her along with Curtain following suit.
Frisk stood before her with a smile, as Clair opened her arms to her and they hugged. Clair then looked up since she crouched down to hug Frisk to see Curtain standing before her. Frisk looked between them, awaiting their reactions to one another, as Clair lowered her head to her. Curtain smiled at her as she pat her shoulder with a nod of assurance of no hostility, as Clair was surprised by this genuine gesture and nodded back as her eyes watered.
"Hey come on. I was already crying with Sans before, don't start or I'll cry again," Curtain said as she used her scarf to dry the bits of tears that remained on her cheeks.
"Oh, I do apologize. I just can't help it, you know? I haven't been awake and alive for so long and… I just didn't think you'd ever stop hating me. I was willing to live with it," Clair said as she started wiping her tears that started coming down.
"I can't hate forever or I'd end up like Corruption, won't I? And Corruption finally being defeated is enough solace for us to know it won't happen anymore," Curtain said, and then took Clair's hand to shake as she took her's as well.
"Ah! So you must be Clair Voyant! You look as radiant as some of Marisol's rarer flowers!" Papyrus commented, as she smiled at him.
"Thank you, Papyrus… I just want to expression my sincerest apologizes to you all, especially for getting you all involved," Clair said.
"eh, water under the bridge. it's not like weirder things haven't happened already. besides, it's not like you were in total control like a mastermind and enjoyed it like corruption… or like that kid… it's nice to meet you finally. i'm Sans, Sans the skeleton. i'm sure you already know all of us, but this is kind of the first time we all really met," Sans said as she extended a hand towards her.
"It is. I'm Clair Voyant. It's a pleasure to meet you all," Clair said as she took his hand, and then pulled away when she felt a poke on her palm.
"heh. just wanted to make sure you are you, Clair," Sans said, as he had a small golden fragment of a blade from when Paradox and Corruption fought that fell from Paradox's blade.
Clair looked at her hand and noticed that although she did indeed felt the poke, it did not slice her hand at all. She smiled in relief as a tear came down, and looked up at Sans and said,
"Thank you. I really appreciate that, Sans."
"no prob," Sans said with a smile and wink.
"It's nice to see the best side of you. That corrupted part was really bad," Marisol said.
"Yes, it was. Though at least we won't have to worry about her anymore," Clair Voyant said with a smile.
"Indeed! That form Curtain and Frisk fused into was spectacular! How did you two even accomplish it? And you were even able to separate again too!" Papyrus asked.
"Well, we figured out how Corruption did it, so we did the same. I was the vessel and Frisk was the soul. That's really all it was," Curtain replied.
"Vessel and soul, huh? Well at least you two are back in two pieces, as odd as that sounds," A voice spoke as they turned to see Caroline walking around the temple to meet them in a leather jacket and a ripped skirt with black pants under that was fitted in her brown boots on the bottom.
"Caroline!" Marisol and Curtain called as they ran over and hugged her.
"Nice to see you girls again. I'm glad you two are safe from that other place," Caroline said as she hugged them.
"Huh? You knew where we were?" Marisol asked.
"Well, the other me gave me some memories, along with Paradox," Caroline said with a wink, as the two were surprised.
Caroline then walked ahead to Frisk and knelt down to her level.
"Frisk. Thank you. You were so brave back there and took a big gamble, you and Curtain. I'm proud of both of ya, and glad to be in the same world as you two. You really showed some determination there. Thank you for never giving up," Caroline said as she gently patted Frisk on the head.
"Thank you, Caroline. I'm glad we didn't give up either," Frisk said with a smile.
"Heh. And don't forget, no matter what or where or who or when, whether in darkness or in light, we'll always be your family," Caroline said with a smile, making Frisk's eyes widen.
Frisk felt a resonating in her soul, as her vision showed Caroline's soul but a different person in her place telling who she was related to before the same thing, while also wearing familiar robes. She also saw five others behind her, and recognized who all the souls belonged to. The vision quickly ended, as Frisk felt her tears rolling down her cheeks as she dove into Caroline's arms.
"You said the same thing before… not you, but… it's still you isn't it? My friend?" Frisk whispered to her.
"Heh. You too, right? Seems like Paradox knew to let me in on what was going on," Caroline said as she hugged her back.
The other's around them smiled at them and towards one another too. Meanwhile, Clair slowly began to step away, feeling called to the forest as she had once felt a very long time ago but didn't remember the reason why.
"Clair?" She turned to see Curtain had walked closer to her.
"You need to head out or something?" Curtain asked.
"Alas, I feel a need to venture into the forest one more time. Though I will come back a little later in the day. I'm sure you'd like to meet up with all of your friends to ensure your safety to them… and maybe it's better if I came later on after the explanation. I'm still getting used to being here, and my presence may invoke hostility," Clair said.
"Come on, Clair. You know how our friends are. They won't fight with you like that, especially since your don't necessarily have the evil look in your eyes… or hair," Curtain said, as they chuckled about it.
"Yes, indeed. Though I would appreciate the time alone," Clair insisted kindly, and Curtain nodded.
"Meet us at town, okay?" Curtain said with a wave, and Clair nodded and waved back.
Curtain turned back and informed the others about Clair as they all started their trek back to town, while Clair went along to the forest.
Woo. Next chapter, guys. Next chapter :)