Prologue

(Mt. Ebbot)

"SURELY HUMAN! FLUFFY BUNS WILL LISTEN TO WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE BARRIER!" Papyrus chats excitedly, idly swinging his arms to and fro along with his elongated strides.

"Yeah nerd! After all, he let me win despite all that training!" Undyne smirks, flexing her blue arms. The muscles, though lean, bulge under the strain, their size larger than most humans I have seen. "Not that I couldn't take him down any other day!" Undyne sends a sultry wink to Doctor Alphys who turns three different shades of red.

"U..Undyne! K…knock it…o…off!" The little yellow lizard weakly pushes against the fish woman who only chuckles in response.

"To think we will be free after this…" I glance at Sans to my right, his eyes somewhere far away. He glances in my direction, the sign of his weariness etched on his face. 'Of course he would be tired after all the resets…' I sigh, wiping the weariness off my own face. 'We all are.'

The sight of King Asgore's castle comes into view, the building much larger in person than expected.

"Well…this is it," I whisper, silencing the conversations around us.

"We have your backbone," Sans chuckles, earning a moan from the rest of the group.

"WHAT MY HORRIBLE BROTHER MEANS HUMAN THAT I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AS WELL AS OUR OTHER AWESOME BUT NOT AS AWESOME AS ME FRIENDS WILL FOLLOW YOU!" I turn around to look at the tall skeleton, feeling the warmth radiate from our small misfit group of friends. Undyne shoots a fist out, a thumb popping out as a broad grin stretches her face.

"Yeah punk! We will not let anything happen to you!"

"W…we are a…all here f…for you Frisk!" Alphys smiles encouragingly, glancing up to her girlfriend with an unreadable look.

"My child," I glance up at a new figure joining the group. My eyes tear instantly as the familiar goat woman walks forward, a relieved smile on her face. She squats down, opening her arms.

"Mom…" I choke back a sob, running into her embrace. "Mom!" I blurt, crying into her chest all the pain and suffering for not only myself, but the monsters around me. She chuckles under my head, her giant paws rustling the tuffs of hair on my head.

"My have you grown my child. I am sorry I could not be here on your journey..." She chuckles, her paws pushing me slightly away from her embrace. Her amethyst eyes twinkle in delight as she assess each friend I have made along the way.

"Knock knock.." Sans begins, looking at Toriel with an amused smile.

"Whose there?"

"Door."

"Door who?"

"I hear you adoor knock knock jokes." I groan along with the rest of the group while mom bursts out in laughter, hiding her smile behind a paw.

"BROTHER CAN YOU PLEASE NOT?!" Papyrus all but shouts, his bony teeth resisting the smile attempting to form.

"Aww Paps you know you liked it."

"I DO AND I HATE YOU FOR IT!" The group bursts into a chorus of chuckles, the tension easing out of our bodies. We settle down after some time, mom taking my hand delicately into her own.

"Let us go, my child." I nod, clasping Papyrus' hand in my other. He looks down, his eye sockets full of mirth and wonder. The door creeks under our touch, the familiar golden room greeting us once more. Golden columns line the sides of the pathway, their shadows creating stripes against the checkered floor. I take a hesitant step forward, feeling the weight of the Judgement room bare down on my soul.

"You are fine my child. You have been nothing but nice to us monsters since your arrival." Mom murmurs sweetly, giving a soft squeeze.

"You have not harmed a monster in your travels, even as they beat you to oblivion." Sans commented, his lazy demeanor almost completely gone. He stands more erect, his feet stepping with purpose as though this is his stomping ground, his domain.

"Your levels remain at zero, allowing you perfect passage through this hall." He concludes. I nod to them both, taking a deep breath.

'Here goes nothing...' We reach the end of the hall to a similar set of doors. They are intimidating, silently threatening those who wish to enter. I take one last look at everyone's face. Each familiar friendly face fills my soul with determination. I release my friend's hands, walking up to the door. The door is smooth under my touch and, with a little push, they swing open.

"There you are child...I was wondering when you would show up." A goat man, much like mom, sits on a purple throne, golden flowers surrounding it to the point of it being excessive. His horns are larger than moms, curling inward toward his skull. Blonde locks grace his face creating a beard and hair over his white fur. Much like mom, his eyes reflect a dark purple, something deeply disturbing dancing in his eyes.

"Toriel..." He sighs wistfully, his eyes brightening up a touch. She glares at the other goat man, grasping my hand in hers. I glance up at her questionably. My eyes widen as I feel her form slightly shake in what appears to be anger.

"Hello King Asgore." She all but sneers, the friendly woman at the ruins long gone. In her stead an angry...no furious woman.

"You are here to stop me I presume?" He motions a hand at me, her hand tightens a little more. Undyne steps up, her form encasing my own with her shadow.

"King Asgore. I know you wish to kill this human in order for us to leave..." Undyne trails a bit, a trickle of sweat falls down the side of her face.

"B...but this h...human has b...been nothing but kind!" Alphys practically shouts, her face blooming into a deep red.

"THAT IS RIGHT KING FLUFFY BUNS! EVEN I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, IS FRIENDS WITH THIS HUMAN!"

"So kingy, we can do this one of two ways," Sans glances at the king, his eye sockets void of his pupils. His left eye flares to life, blue and yellows mixing together as one. "We can do this the easy way...Or We CaN dO tHiS tHe HaRd WaY." Everything happens in a blur of motions. Vines whip out of the wood work, snatching all the bodies around me, encasing them within tight binds.

"Really this is all so...heart wrenching." A familiar voice spits, the sound resounding off the walls.

'That voice...'

"Good work Flowey! You managed to do something right this time around!" A shiver races down my spine, a cold sweat breaking out on my neck.

'Chara...'

"Well...well...well. What do we have here Frisk? Is this your band of do-gooders ready to open the gateway?" A child on more than ten steps out of the shadows, his eyes glowing an eerie ruby color. A sickening smile plasters itself on the child's face, looking inhuman. I shift into a battle stance, eying the dagger in his hand. He flicks his finger over the sharp blade, giggling with glee as a bead of blood drips off his fingertip.

"Because that is exactly what I was about to do! There is only one thing I am missing..." My friends shout from behind, spewing their own pain filled cries and warnings. Dashing at a quick paced speed, Chara appears to vanish.

"Y.O.U!" I spin on my heels, watching his body appear seeming out of thin air. I move slightly to the left, the blade nicking me in the shoulder. Chara giggles, disappearing once more.

"Would you prefer?" I spin again, eyes widening at my group of friends. Chara stands next to Undyne first, holding the dagger up against her throat. Her yellow eye glares at the child, refusing to move an inch. "I take your friend's lives first?" I watch helplessly as he presses the knife against the woman's throat, making a shallow cut. Blood oozes from her wound, her words gargling in her throat. Most likely a curse. Flowey tightens her hold, squeezing the air out of her lungs.

"Chara...don't do this...Please...there is no need for this violence!" His wicked cackles silence every sound, filling my soul with dread. "No need?" he cocks his head to the side, the smile growing further up his face.

"There is every need for this violence!" He takes one last look at Undyne, stabbing her through her heart. She chuckles to herself, watching her form begin to fade to dust.

"Kick his ass for me...punk..." She closes her yellow eye, her body a pile of dust under the vine's grip.

"Now..." Chara giggles gleefully. "Who is next?" Something inside of me burns with a fire I have not felt before. Undyne's voice whispering in my soul, granting it what little strength she has left.

"You will pay for that!" I shout, whipping out my own dagger from its holster.

"So now you wish to fight?!" Chara teleports behind Toriel, mimicking the same action as he did with Undyne. "Come get me!" He teleports away, leaving mom to slowly disintegrate where she hovers. Angry tears threaten to weld in my eyes as her eyes look lovingly at me.

"Farewell my child. I wish we had more time to spend together...as a family..." A tear trickles down her face; she too becomes nothing more than a pile of ash in blood. Her lingering soul comforts my own for a brief moment, a tender touch taking some of the pain.

"Aww did you just lose your mommy?!" Chara sneers from behind. Before I could react, he jabs the knife through my side, eliciting a hiss from my lips. I spin to stab at him, but he is gone in an instant. Vines wrap around my ankles, lifting me upside down. The thorns bite into my skin, drawing blood onto their pointy barbs. I struggle, wigging to no avail in a poor attempt at freedom. A green shirt appears in my view, a pink stripe running across the mid section. Chara squats into my view, his free hand pinching my cheek.

"Well it looks as though you are out of commissions Frisk. Tell me...how does it feel?" I feel the sting of something impacting my cheek. A faint feeling of liquid drips down my forehead, staining the flowers murderous red.

"To have to watch all that you loved, all that you worked for, fall apart at the seams." Chara gasps, releasing my cheek as though it were on fire. He jumps out of the way in time for a bone to land within a few inches of my face. A few more glide within my line of sight, Flowey hissing out in pain as a few impact his vine.

"Heya kid. I know you like to hang around but right now may not be the right time." Sans waves his hand, releasing my feet from Flowey's grasp. I gasp as the air around my ankles flare in pain, but nothing compared to the pain of my soul.

"It appears that we have an insect we must extinguish in this garden." I watch as he summons a few more bones, tossing them at the vines holding our friends. A green semi-translucent barrier reflects them back, small white petal bombs shatter the bones.

"Really Sansy? Is this the best that the Judgement bringer has to give? Maybe you need some...motivation." I charge at the barrier holding Papyrus, stabbing mercilessly at it in a futile attempt to break it. Chara laughs mockingly, poking the skeleton with the bloody dagger.

"How about...THIS!" He swings the blade down, severing Papyrus' left arm. He lets out a scream, a scream I do not wish to hear ever again. Sans twitches beside me, his smile stretching further than I have ever seen it go.

"Hey pal...you touched my brother there...Do It AgAiN aNd YoU wIlL hAvE a BaD tImE." Chara bounces to Papyrus' other side, giggling madly.

"HUMAN! BROTHER! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SHALL OVERCOME THIS TRI...!" Chara slices off another arm, smiling at the shorter skeleton brother. I bang helplessly on the shield, begging for something, anything to happen to save this soul. Sans disappears, reappearing in the bubble.

"TiMe To WeEd OuT tHe InSeCt!" A floating skeletal dog head appears next to him, the eyes white as his own. It opens its massive, pointed jaws, charging a white light. Chara ducks out of the way, removing the shield as he goes. His giggles echo in the space, his form no where to be found. The beam shoots out, the light blinding everything in sight for a moment. When it simmers down, a black streak marks the floor and wall, leaving nothing but smoldering ash in its wake.

"Ah ah ah smiley trash bag! That is a penalty shot! Do you know what happens with penalties?" We spin around, watching Alphys struggle against her vine. The knife tip poised directly over her jugular.

"D...don't worry about m...me! D...do what you m...must do!" Tears fall down her face as the knife plunges deep, not allowing even a speck of blood to fall before her body is consumed into dust. I feel her soul giggle happily as she reunites with Undyne, the two souls caressing the other.

"So...that leaves you smiley trash bag, Frisk, your annoying loud brother, and...the king." Sans rushes forward, flinging bones at the child, his flame higher than I have ever seen. I rush toward the vines, slicing at them with my dagger. It barely makes a dent much to my surprise.

"You little shit!" Flowey growls, picking up my body. The thorns tear into my flesh, digging deep for a good hold. With a quick toss, I sail through the air, my body impacting something solid. I crumble to the ground, spitting out the blood welding in my mouth. He picks me up again, throwing me towards the body of friends. I hit with a heavy 'thud!' collapsing to the floor. Dust flutters upon impact, coating my body with my dead friends. I shiver, hearing everyone encouraging me from the grave.

'We have you!'

'Y...you got this!'

'We will always be by your side.'

"HUMAN!" Papyrus shouts, his voice wavering. I glance up in time to see his body beginning to disintegrate. Tears bead at the edges of my eyes, a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Paps no!" I cry, reaching a hand out to no avail.

"FEAR NOT HUMAN! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE FAITH IN YOU AND MY BROTHER!" He smiles, giving a soft 'nyah!' as his dust flutters to the floor. 'I BELIEVE IN YOU BOTH!' His soul feels like a warm hug, the sound of his voice filling my head.

"Only three more to gooOh!" I glance over at the location in which I hear Chara's voice, watching as he gracefully dodges the bones coming his way.

'Sans...he looks like he is running out of steam...' I carefully pull myself up, using the wall for support. Breathing is difficult, the air having a hard time entering my lungs. I look at the row, my eyes widening as one figure remains alive.

'King Asgore!' I carefully walk toward him, his face unreadable among the chaos. The voices of my friends whisper encouraging words, their souls giving off a little bit of energy I need. Their untimely deaths, the way they supported my choices through the end, it fills my soul with determination.

"Flowey! Watch the punk ass kid!" Chara shouts from somewhere behind, the sound of something crashing against another solid surface. I hear the vines coming from every direction, my left arm swinging mechanically at each vine. A bright green light encases the blade, making the cuts as though the vines were nothing more than butter. Flowey hisses, retreating his vines for a new type of attack. White petals rain down from the sky, little bits of fire rushing out of them. My blade turns yellow, shooting the stupid things away with little blips of yellow. I glance down at my blade, a smile forming on my lips as the blade's glow fluxes with each color.

"Chara! He will not stop!" Flowey shouts out, throwing more vines forward once again. Red coats the blade, burning the vines that come in direct contact.

'Undyne...Alphys...Papyrus...Toriel...your deaths will not be in vain.' I continue to inch forward, my dagger changing colors to suit my needs. 'Sans...please hold on a little longer...'

"ENOUGH OF THIS! TAKE THIS!" Flowey shouts, flinging both attacks together in an array of colors. An orange shield bubbles around me, giving a vengeful 'zap!' to the attacker. I turn toward the King, his eyes distant and dark.

"King Asgore...I have a favor to ask of you..." He looks up, a quiet curiosity in his gaze. I take that as a good sign. "I need your soul." His eyes widen a fraction before glaring.

"Why should I surrender my soul as well as the other souls to you?" I growl, placing my arms on his shoulders.

"If you do not, well, we will be dead before we can see what those two can do. Not only to the Underground but to the humans as well." A blue aura surrounds the King, his soul coming out against his will. I whip my head around, watching wide eyed as Sans stands perfectly still. His brow creases in concentration, bones split in various locations around his body. The flame within his eye is smaller now, nearly a little ember compared to the inferno it was earlier. He does not see Chara coming up behind him, or he does not care.

"SANS!" I shout in a feeble attempt. The skeleton closes his eyes, a smile playing out on his face.

"You know what to do Frisk. Do not let them win." A single blue tear falls from his eye socket as the dagger plunges deep into his chest cavity. Sans' face contorts into one of pain, his body collapsing onto the floor into nothing more than a heap of bones. 'You got this kiddo.' His soul reaches out, a faint blue aura holding the king's soul hostage. I turn around, grasping the King's soul. He howls in pain, falling silent moments later. His soul merges into the afterlife with the rest of my friends, their whispers and power lending me the strength I need. Enough strength to end this suffering timeline.

"You killed my friends Chara... now it is time for you to go." The reset button floats in front of me, a sad smile rests on my lips.

"I am sorry I could not save either of you this time...but I promise..." They charge at me, weapons drawn. I close my eyes, slamming the button with all the strength I have left. "I will save you the next time." Chara and Flowey howl out in pain as a bright, white light encases the room. Their bodies shred at the seams, fading into nothing more than specks within the light. I smile, feeling the tears pour down my face as time pulls at my body, ushering it backwards in time.

"Reset."