Signals Lost.
Attempting to Reestablish Connection.
Reestablishing...
Process Failed...
Transferring...
Transferring Failed...
Checking archive...
Archived Signal Detected...
Transferring...
Transfer Successful.
Your perspective shifted, and you found yourself somewhere different, and familiar in sensation, though you lacked the ability to see it at the moment.
That said, you could hear. You could hear the sound of clicking, and humming filled the air as something was turned, and screwed into place. Systems began to initialize: information processed, downloaded, updated.
Finally, the light flickered on. The lens activated, greeted by a pair of crimson eyes, messy brown hair, and a rainbow scarf. These items attached to a child, presently setting a screwdriver to the side, alongside a cannister that seemed to contain code, flowing from the edges prior to being sealed by them.
It was only then, that the human noticed the light. Eyes widening. A momentary hesitation breaking.
"Oh my gosh," exclaimed the excited human child—who leaned in to tap the lens. "Are you working? H-hello?"
The small mechanical sphere emitted a chirp. Its systems lacked designation and a multitude of functions. Whispers reached its auditory sensors: Bob. Para.
"Bob? Para?" it repeated, mostly confused to their meaning.
The child's delighted squeal filled the room, followed by uncontrollable laughter. The drone was swept up into a joyous hug, spun around until both the child and sphere toppled to the ground. The child beamed down at it, starry-eyed.
From this position, it looked around. Noticing something laying on the floor near them. A stuffed animal, a cat with a button-eye. In accordance with some stray thought, the drone followed a compulsion and scanned it. When the results returned, it heard your whispers. Requests for it. Votes cast. It was something you wanted. Whispers of its name, it's role: Seam. Shopkeeper.
"YOU WORK!" they declared triumphantly. "I DID IT!" They gasped dramatically. "I have to show Azzy and the Doctor!"
With that, they grabbed a stuffed cat from nearby, hugging it alongside the drone. "Come on, Seam, we gotta go!"
The drone scanned its surroundings. The room was small, with a cozy bed in the corner and a dresser covered in photos. Some depicted two tall goat monsters alongside a smaller one in a hoodie, smiling warmly beside the child. Others showed the child and the younger goat with a tall skeleton in a lab coat. Toys were scattered here and there, though few in number, and a closet revealed identical green shirts with yellow stripes, similar to what they were wearing.
The child dashed out with the drone and stuffed cat in tow, entering a corridor with pale walls and an upstairs landing. A couch
sat in front of a television with gaming devices and tapes stacked underneath. Beside the fridge, a pyramid of cans towered precariously, sticky notes plastered to its base.
As they rushed forward, they nearly collided with a shadowy figure cloaked in a long dark blue fabric.
"O-oh, sorry, River!" Chara stammered.
The figure chuckled softly. "Tra-la-la. Dear Chara, do not fret; I've no reason to be angry yet." She patted their head, then spotted the drone, shifting uncomfortably. "What an odd toy you possess... why does its presence cause me stress?"
"I haven't painted it yet," Chara replied matter-of-factly.
River appeared to scan it again. "Perhaps, perhaps that it why." She felt off. "Apologies my dear, it's time-I must fly."
Chara gasped, eyes starry again. "You can fly!?"
This excited reaction earned a chucke.
"In a sense," River replied cryptically, then added with a smirk, "But not as you imagine. It's far less fun."
"Okay." Chara seemed less excited, before adding. "But...if you 'could' fly, you'd tell me first right?"
"Absolutely." River replied messing with their cheek.
The child then thought to ask. "Is Azzy in his room. Or is he helping the Doctor?"
"Your brother lays in his bed to rest, refusing I think to give his best."
"That's cuz he's super duper lazy."
"As for the Doctor. He's in his laboratory right now. Working on a project." She explained.
The child raised a brow. "You didn't rhyme."
"They can be hard to come up with sometimes." River said earnestly, before remarking. "Now. I have to go. Be good, and perhaps don't parade that thing around. It's... unsettling."
"Hmm. Okay. Have a good day!" Chara adjusted the stuffed cat on their arm and waved as River disappeared out the door, and into the shadows.
When she'd gone, the child turned and hurried over to the nearby desk. Placing down the stuffed cat upon it. Adjusting a few things nearby, to make a sort of 'box-fort' for it.
"Seam." The drone spoke.
"Yup." Chara replied, adding. "He's gonna stay here for a bit." They pivoted to the cat. "Okay, Seam," Chara instructed, "you stay here and keep a lookout. I'm gonna go tackle Azzy, and get him up.
As if in protest, the stuffed cat tips over. With a huff, Chara set it upright again before turning to the nearby door, adorned with star stickers. Only a couple feet from their own. Adjusting the drone, they pushed it open and stepped inside.
The room was rather messy, all things considered. Its walls seemed to be half-painted, there was a steady wind-current piloting a small toy boat near the ceiling. As well as some weights in the corner that looked pristine.
Their focus however, was on the source of all of this. The room's occupant-a teenage goat monster—lay sprawled on the bed, snoozing lazily. He was wearing a pair of baggy pants, with a t-shirt that displayed a a sort of goat-skull on it. A cozy looking hoodie overtop of it, sprawled out, snoring. Chara sighed at the sight.
"So lazy," They mutter, setting the drone down on dresser. "He's gotten better, but sometimes...he's still lazy.
With a determined huff, they climb onto the bed and prepare for their ambush.
"He's a lazy ball of fluff." They remarked, adding. "Unaware... and vulnerable to..." They leap. "A surprise attack!"
As they dive, one of the goat monster's eyes cracks open, a sleepy grin forming. Very suddenly the humans soul appeared, flashing blue. All momentum stopped, as they were suspended in mid-air.
"Oh no," he teased, yawning. "I'm so... ambushable. Whatever will I do against...such a determined foe."
"Meanie!" Chara huffed as he gently set them back on the floor.
"Meanie?" he chuckled, rubbing his eyes. "You were the one trying to cannonball me."
"You were sleeping in again!" Chara remarked, as he reluctantly sat up. "You're so lazy. What would you do if I wasn't here?"
"Sleep in?" He guessed with a playful snicker. "River said sleep's important,"
"S-she did not! Liar!" Chara gasps, launching themselves at him.
Without much effort, Asriel simply vanished, teleporting a short distance away. Now standing, he shook himself loose. Dodging again, as they attempted to flick his ear.
"Give me a minute to wake up," he teases. "It's too early to be fighting gremlins."
"You're not supposed to dodge in a fight!" They manifested a red energy and tossed it at him.
"Is this a fight, I hadn't noticed." He dodged it with ease, yawning as he did so.
"It's not in the rule book!" Chara declared while jumping at him.
"Oh no. Not the rule book." He stepped to the side, and caught them in a hug, spinning them around. "What ever will we do?"
"Y-you're supposed to read it, fluffy face...goober." Chara pouted before flailing their arms. "Release me. The Charismatic Chara will not be contained!"
"I dunno, you seem pretty contained." Asriel chuckled, while messing with their hair.
"H-hey. Stop, cease, desisssst." They demanded, as he continued. "A-azzzzzy!"
He finally stopped, and set them down. "Well. Sounds like we're done fighting. Guess I'll just have to spare you, then." Asriel manifests a golden "Spare" prompt in the air with a flick of his hand.
Chara rolls their eyes, and fixed their hair. "Fine...oh wait...right. I remember why I came here!"
"Oh yeah?" Asriel yawned again, taking a seat on his bed. "Why's that?"
He saw them hurry over to his dresser. Briefly noticing something metallic on it, before they obscured his vision. Squinting at him, and motioning dismissively.
"Close your eyes," Chara instructed, as he closed one. "I said both!"
"I mean. You didn't. You said eyes." He joked back.
"Azzy, please." They requested with a frown.
He sighed, and obliged. "Alright. Sorry...what now?"
He could her them walking nearer. Stopping in front of him. He began trying to deduce what this 'surprise' was.
"Put out your hands." Chara instructed.
"Did you find another one of those weird flower versions of me?" Asriel inquired.
"No."
"See. You said no the last two times time. And that guy was a jerk."
"He uhm...didn't seem mean at first. B-but no, I'm serious it's not."
"Promise?" He asked, reluctantly obliging. "No mean-flower me variants. No goopy sloshy creepy ones either?"
"But that one was so cool!"
"It had an eye in it, was all melty, and wouldn't stop whispering. Not cool."
"Agree to disagree," Chara muttered, placing the drone in his hands. "Okay, open your eyes!"
Asriel smirked. "Hmmmm...nah, kinda relaxing like this." Chara huffed and pushed him backward. "And now I'm lying down again. Goodnight."
"I'm not gonna talk to you for a whole week." They stated.
With a groan, Asriel opened his eyes. "Sorry. Sorry. Just trying to uh..." He took stock of what he held, looking down at the drone. "what uh...is this?" He inquired. "Did you... take this from Gaster's desk?"
"No. I made it," Chara said, gesturing proudly. "Tada! It's an Observer!"
"A...what? Like a...camera drone?" Asriel raised a brow, his gaze scanning the lens of the small drone. His expression shifted, unease flickering across his face. "Why does it...make me feel so..." His breath hitched, a chilly breath spilling from his lips. "much hurt."
"It's 'cause I haven't painted it yet," Chara replied, their peppy tone cutting through the tension, while swiping it back. "But I will. And it's the Observer. I call it Moxie!" They cradled the drone fondly. "Say hi Moxie!"
The Observer made a little chirp, and copied their voice. "Hi. Moxie."
Asriel gave it a look. "It...speaks."
"I guess so." Chara said, adding. "You remember all the nice people the doctor works with?" They asked. "When we were there, I heard a few say they wanted to make one—to get people 'out' of here." Explaining. "So I read their notes and made one!"
"What are y—" Asriel stopped mid-sentence, his demeanor suddenly more serious. He leaned closer, his focus locking onto the device. "Wait...you didn't. How..." His voice trailed off as he reached for it. "Chara, let me see this it."
"Huh, well I was gonna. What...what's wrong?" Chara asked, concern creeping into their voice.
"Nothing is wrong. I just, uh, need to make sure nothing's broken," he deflected, though his tone betrayed him.
"You're a bad liar," Chara said, their brow furrowing.
"Chara. Please, give me the drone." He said in a more serious voice.
"Fine," they sighed, reluctantly handing it over. "I...I just wanted to help. They said it was really important."
"That wasn't...you're weren't even supposed to be there. You were supposed to stay in the lobby." Asriel muttered, standing and pacing slowly.
"But...but that was boring. A-and I wanted to help. I'm really good at that." Chara reasoned, following along, watching him. "And I did. See?"
His eyes remained fixed on the Observer, his grip tightening slightly. "I am aware you made...something but...thousands of people failed to make one. Even the ones who wanted to were...hesitant."
"Why?" They asked, being ignored. "Azzy. Why?"
"So...there would be a tell..." He squinted, angling the drone as if searching for something hidden. "If the link was established...they could see you and influence...I...then I should be able to see them too?"
"Who?" Chara asked, stepping closer. "Do you mean Gasters friends?" Adding. "Why would they influence me? What do you mean? Asriel, talk to me."
"Er...no, not them. It's...complicated. You j—" His words faltered, his focus shifting abruptly as his gaze locked onto something beyond the drone. "Just..."
It took him a moment to find the angle he needed. The focus required to spot it, through the cracks, through the code. Down, down, down, somewhere dark, darker, yet darker. But he found it. He could see you.
Immediately his eye began to twitch, his expression twisting in pain. It barely took a moment, before blood began to trickle from one of his eyes. His hands trembling as the red droplets fell to the floor.
"How did you...make this?" he whispered, his voice taut. "Chara. How did you make this?"
"Oh, um," Chara stammered, startled by his reaction. "I just treated it like a puzzle," they explained nervously. "I started piecing it together. There were missing parts, so I looked at it like a painting instead. I realized the missing pieces didn't exist...so you had to paint them in. I uhm..." They were quiet for a moment. "so I used the leftover code from when the Doctor made our rooms."
"And that was...all you did?" He asked quietly, finding silence. "Chara...what else did you do?"
"It uhm...wasn't...enough." Chara hesitantly replied. "So I...used some of mine?"
There was no immediate response. Only the steadily growing audibility of Asriels heart. Pounding bit by bit harder, and faster. you could see the fear in his eyes. A sort of dread realization, like a coiling, twisting grief and anger.
"Azzy." They nudged him. "Are... are you mad?"
Asriel's voice dropped, barely audible. His next words weren't meant for Chara. They were meant for you. "Don't you dare...I won't let you..." His tone low, and threatening. "You wretched creatures."
Blood continued to drip as his eye twitched violently. The Observer slipped from his grasp, the blood having loosened his grip. The sudden loss of control catching him off guard. The pain he was experiencing rushing back to him suddenly.
"O—ow...damn it," he cursed softly.
The small drone hit the ground with a metallic clatter, letting out a panicked whirr. The lens cracked on impact, its signal growing weaker. Distorted static hissed as its audio faltered.
"Azzy!" Chara's voice broke through the chaos as they rushed to his side, their hands frantically checking over him.
Asriel turned away, hastily wiping the blood from his face with his sleeve. "I'm fine," he muttered, but his trembling hands betrayed his words. "You have to st-" everything was becoming static. "that thing. Don't g-" it was almost all consuming. "promise me."
Signal Lost...
Transferring...
Transferring... Failed.
Attempting to Reestablish Connection...
Reestablishing...
Signal Reestablished.