Frisk began his ascent.

Mount Ebott. At a glance, it appeared to be an ordinary mountain, a lonely peak watching over a dense forest. If it weren't for the shrill alarm and the several armed guards running around, it would've been a serene picture. Frisk quietly skulked through the trees, carefully avoiding the alerted guards. He ducked behind a bush near an encampment, and he saw two high ranking officers walk out of the command tent. They both wore dark blue Military Police uniforms. One of them was a General, a middle-aged man in his fifties or sixties with a shaved head and menacing orange eyes. The other was some kind of Special Agent. He looked about ten years younger than the General, had short blond hair, and wore sunglasses over his eyes. From prior attempts, Frisk knew their names, General Jaeger and Agent Miller.

Their conversation played out exactly the same as last time.

"We have a situation," Jaeger said. "There has been a drastic influx of reset activity. Chances are, that brat is making a move. You know the drill. If you see any intruders, shoot on sight."

Miller frowned. "Sir, is that really necessary? He's just a kid."

"He's a World Master; he doesn't need your sympathy. We'll kill him as many times as it takes."

Miller scowled at his superior officer. "Orders be damned. There's no way I'm shooting a kid."

Jaeger furrowed his brow. "If that little shit gets through, it'll be the end of humanity. The power hidden beneath that mountain cannot be allowed to exist. There's no chance in hell I'm going to be ruled by some omnipotent god just because this stupid kid is too soft. If you see him, you will put a bullet in his head. Are we clear?"

"... crystal," Miller muttered.

That was Frisk's cue. He started tiptoeing through the path while Jaeger struck his subordinate's face with a closed fist. "That's an order, Miller!"

"G-go to hell. Maybe the monsters should wipe us out."

It pained Frisk's heart to hear that fight so many times, but he kept moving. He had failed several times, but he was confident that this would be the one. Attempt seventy-eight was the charm, right? Frisk pressed himself against a tree as another duo of guards walked by, right on schedule.

"Find him!"

"We can't let him though!"

The guards passed, and Frisk kept moving up the slope. He could see the main entrance to the cave, but he knew there was no getting through. The cavern was surrounded by watchtowers, cameras, turrets, guards, and a steel gate. No matter how many times Frisk tried, getting in that way was suicide.

"AAAAHHHHHH!"

Frisk felt something unbearably hot burn into his back. Damn it, he had lingered too long again. One of the guards had spot him, and not just any guard. Frisk turned around and saw her. She had blond hair down to her shoulders, and she was dressed in a dark blue Military Police trench coat with gold trimmings and a double-gold bar insignia, symbolizing the rank of a Captain. She carried a longsword in her right hand, and her left hand burned with fire magic. Frisk didn't know her name, but he called her 'Purple' because of her violet eyes, which burned with as much intensity as her flames.

"Stop right there!" Purple cried.

Frisk tried to run away, but Purple threw another fireball into his leg. He cried out in pain as the fire seared it. He managed to stop himself from falling on his face, but he was reduced to a slow limp. Purple easily caught up to him. Frisk turned and instinctively raised his arm, and Purple swung her sword. Frisk felt the blade cut through his bone, slicing off his lower arm.

Frisk screamed. He heard a thud as his severed arm hit the ground, and crimson blood spurt from the hole it had left behind. Frisk clutched it with his remaining arm. It hurt, and he still wasn't used to it. He looked up just in time to see Purple run her sword through his chest. "Don't come back," she snarled.

Another failure. Frisk closed his eyes and reached for his SAVE file...

FILE LOADED

Don't come back.

That's what she had said every time.

But he came back anyway.

Frisk made it back to the cave's entrance, and he made sure to keep moving this time. The main entrance may have been impossible, but Frisk knew there was another way. That wasn't just wishful thinking, Frisk knew. He had seen it. High up in the mountain, there was another entrance that the guards didn't seem to know about, a hole leading straight down underground. Frisk grabbed onto a steep rock wall and started climbing.

If I can just make this climb.

He grabbed hold of a rock and pulled himself higher, making sure his feet found steady support. He was halfway there. He could do this.

"I see him!"

"There! On that wall!"

No, please!

Frisk climbed faster, knowing his time was short. He jumped up and held onto the cliff's edge. He was almost there!

Crack!

A gunshot flew into the rock underneath Frisk's arm; the bullet had flown right through. Frisk screamed as his arm burned with hot pain, but with all his determination, he managed to pull himself up over the ledge and rolled to safety.

His arm was bleeding badly, but luckily, the bullet hadn't stopped inside. Frisk took a bandage out of his pocket and applied it over the entry and exit wounds. That would have to do for now.

Frisk laid down on the ground, and he laughed. He'd done it. After taking so many bullets to the head, neck, chest, everywhere, he finally made it. He had won! The entrance to the mountain was right next to him, with no guards in his way. All those deaths were going to be worth it. The monsters were going to be free!

He slowly approached the gaping hole; his stomach churned when he looked down. It was a large drop, at least five stories, maybe more. He had to climb down carefully. Frisk held on tight to the ledge and lowered himself down. He felt for a rock underneath his foot, and he started descending. He took a deep breath. This was it; this was the last obstacle. He was almost...

The rock beneath Frisk's foot fell off the wall, and Frisk followed, plummeting down into the cavern.

Frisk heard a voice. "Wh-what? Where am I?"

He darted his head around. "Huh? Who said that?"

Flowey flashed a sadistic grin. "In this world, it's kill or be killed!"

The voice spoke coldly. "What are you doing here, human? This is no place for your kind."

"It's alright; I won't hurt any of you," Frisk promised.

"You took more candy; how disgusting," the voice teased. "You are the scum of the Earth."

Toriel blocked the way. "Prove you are strong enough to survive."

Frisk sobbed, his hands covered in dust. "T-Toriel..."

"Just as I thought," the voice hissed. "Despite all your empty promises, you'll kill anyone who gets in your way. Some hero you are."

"N-no, I can fix it!"

"She's DEAD! You KILLED her! How can you possibly save her now?!"

Toriel laughed bitterly. "Pathetic, is it not? I cannot save even a single child."

The voice was shocked beyond belief. "Human..."

Frisk smiled. "I told you; I'm not going to hurt you."

The skeleton waved. "I'm Sans. Sans the Skeleton."

"Hey, what's your name, anyway?" Frisk asked.

"What does it matter?" the voice grumbled. "I'm dead."

Frisk winked at Papyrus. "That jawbone of yours is so dashing!"

"STOP FLIRTING WITH THE ENEMY!" the voice screamed.

"Your life is all that stands between us and our freedom!" Undyne roared.

Flowey stared at him incredulously. "Why...? Why are you so... nice to me?"

The voice spoke quietly. "A-Asriel...? No, that's... that's impossible..."

Asriel's voice cracked with pain. "Chara... do you know why I'm doing this?"

"Because you're special, Chara."

"I... I'm doing this because I care about you, Chara!"

"I'm so alone, Chara."

"I'm so afraid, Chara..."

"Chara, I... I..."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's time for monsters... to finally go free."

"Maybe... the truth is... Chara wasn't really the greatest person."

The voice whimpered. "Brother..."

"While, Frisk... you're the type of friend I wish I always had."

Frisk's heart froze. He understood what Asriel meant, but it almost felt like... a betrayal. He wished he could tell him the truth, but he knew that wasn't what the voice... what Chara wanted.

"... Frisk," Chara whispered, "thank you for everything you've done, but I'm afraid it's time for us to part ways."

"No! I don't want you to go!"

"Frisk..."

"Stay with me... Chara."

One Year Later

"Hey, you awake, buddy?"

Sans tapped Frisk's shoulder, and he snapped back into focus. He was sitting with Sans at the bar in Grillby's. Frisk's plate was clean save for a few crumbs, and Sans was holding a mostly empty bottle of ketchup. Frisk turned to face him; he was smiling his usual smile.

Sans winked. "Welcome back, lazybones."

"S-sorry, Sans," Frisk apologized. "I was just… thinking about something."

"Really? Do tell," Sans implored.

Frisk frowned. He could tell him half the truth. "I was just thinking about the Underground," he said.

Sans nodded. "Yeah. that was quite a thing, huh?"

He chuckled. "You don't know the half of it."

Sans hummed. "Yeah, you're not exactly a normal kid, are you?"

Frisk paused. He wasn't sure how to feel about being called abnormal. "What... do you mean?" he asked.

"Oh, my mistake," Sans said. "I didn't realize it was normal for kids to free an entire kingdom trapped under a mountain."

Frisk laughed nervously. "Heh, well, I didn't do it alone."

"And you're already training to be an ambassador, a critical representative of monsterkind."

"I suppose not every kid does that…"

"And," Sans said, "you're the World Master. You have the power to turn back time, because your soul has more determination than any other being in the entire world."

Frisk sighed. "Okay, you win. I'm not normal. Are you happy now?"

And to top it all off, you have a voice inside your head!

That was Chara, Frisk's beloved companion. Frisk had met Chara as soon as he landed in the Underground. Apparently, Chara's body had been buried under the golden flowers that had broken his fall, and his determination was so strong that it had awakened her from death, causing her to manifest as a spirit inside Frisk's mind. Frisk knew perfectly well that the normal reaction to hearing voices in one's head was to scream and seek psychological help, but Chara was no hallucination. Although she had initially reacted to Frisk with hostility, she gradually grew to trust him as they journeyed through the Underground together.

Frisk had quickly found himself enamored with Chara. He could tell that she cared greatly for the monsters who had taken her in and raised her as their own child. She could be cold at times, but she was a wonderful and amazingly supportive person when she wanted to be. She also had a fun, quirky sense of humor, even if her puns made him groan. Frisk was so happy to have met her.

Sans laughed. "I gotta say, I really appreciate what you did back there. Most people wouldn't be so conservative with the ability to control time. If someone is gonna have that power, then I'm glad it's someone as responsible as you."

Frisk's heart was warmed to hear that, but he was also reminded of Flowey. That had been a perfect demonstration of how horrible the ability to save could be when placed in the wrong hands... or vines, in that case. "I know what you mean," he said.

Sans's eyes dimmed. "However, there are a lot of people out there who don't trust you so much."

Frisk's gut twisted. Sans was usually such a cool friend to hang out with, but he didn't like it when Sans's eyes got darker. "I... suppose that's true," Frisk said.

Sans pointed outside, towards a black van parked nearby. "Who do you think those guys are really protecting?"

The van belonged to Frisk's secret security detail. A couple months after he had helped destroy the Barrier, Jacob Malcom, President of the World Government, insisted on assigning a team of bodyguards to watch over him. Not only was he the World Master, he had also been dubbed the 'Hero of Monsters' for everything he had done for them. Malcom insisted that such an important person needed protection. Frisk hadn't been in a position to refuse, but he knew what the security detail was really for. It wasn't to protect him; it was to keep tabs on him, the one who could sent the entire universe back in time.

And, by interesting coincidence, the security team was led by Agent Miller, the same one Frisk had slipped past when he'd infiltrated Mount Ebott. He seemed like a good guy, but that didn't mean his superiors were.

"Of course, you can't really blame them," Sans said. "You gotta remember, when you reset, it's not just you who's going back in time. You're sending everyone back. You're not traveling to another timeline; you're rewinding the timeline you're already in. Everyone's lives are ripped away and sent back to an earlier point in time. You can't expect everyone to rest easy knowing that kid has the power take away who they are and replace it with someone else."

Ouch, Chara said. He is absolutely correct, of course, but even so...

Sans's words cut deep into Frisk's heart. He frowned bitterly. "Gee, could you make it sound any worse?"

"Well, I suppose we monsters are worse," Sans said.

Frisk nodded solemnly. "I wish more people could trust you guys."

Sans shrugged. "Eh, again, you can't really blame them. If just one monster were to absorb seven human souls, we'd have a god of the world on our hands. It's only natural that they'd be scared of that."

Frisk grimaced. He knew Sans was right. He had seen that power firsthand when Asriel became the self-proclaimed 'God of Hyperdeath.' According to Chara, he had possessed infinite attack and defense, not even nukes could stop that, and that power could be obtained by any one monster with any seven human souls. Honestly, it was no wonder the humans were so afraid.

However, Frisk couldn't give up so easily. He couldn't accept there was no way to fix that problem. Maybe if they worked hard, they could find some kind of cure. He knew Alphys had already begun researching for one. He just hoped the World Government would give them enough time.

"... I did the right thing, didn't I?" Frisk asked. "Don't you deserve to be free?"

Sans closed his eyes. "Just because we deserve it, doesn't mean we should have it."

What was that supposed to mean?

Damn coward, Chara spat. Does he truly think monsterkind should have remained trapped underground? If this land must choose between humans and monsters, then let it be monsters.

Frisk winced. He knew Chara still hated humanity, and he knew exactly how she had died, what she had tried to make Asriel do. Frisk hated what Chara had done that day, but he couldn't bring himself to hate Chara herself. Calling her actions ruthless was a massive understatement, but he understood why Chara had done it. She may have hated humanity, but she was also terrified of them, terrified that they would one day finish the extermination they had started over two-thousand-years ago. He could never hate her for trying to protect the family she loved so dearly, even if she had gotten them hurt in the process.

Uh... no offense! Chara chirped. You're one of the good humans, Frisk!

Umm, yeah, thanks.

Sans gave him a lighthearted laugh. "Nah, I'm always rooting for you, kid. Maybe things will be different this time. A lot has happened in the past two-thousand-years, after all. Maybe I should give it a chance."

Frisk smiled. "Thank you, Sans. That's all I ask."

"There's one thing I don't get, though," Sans said. "You had to give all those Military Police guys the slip, didn't you? Whatever happened to them when we got out?"

"Don't you know?" Frisk asked. "When the Barrier was broken, they were all teleported away deep into the forest. By the time they got back, it was too late."

Despite how the Military Police made it seem, there were plenty of people who wanted the monsters to be free. Although President Malcom had posted all those guards, he couldn't just declare war on the entire race. Once they had escaped, there was nothing he could do.

"Yeah, I do," Sans said. "I just wonder what caused it."

"I... guess it was the same power that broke the Barrier," Frisk said.

Sans nodded. "Yeah, guess we'll never know, huh?"

Frisk wished he could tell him about Asriel, how it was him who had destroyed the Barrier, but Asriel wanted his existence to be kept secret. He didn't want to break his family's hearts all over again. It was unfortunate that he couldn't get the credit he deserved, but that was how he wanted it.

Sans got out of his seat. "Well, I should get going. Papyrus will get cranky if I don't get back soon."

He laughed. "Alright, I'll leave you to it."

Sans pat him on the back. "Take care, kid."

Frisk waved goodbye. "Bye, Sans!"

Sans walked out of the restaurant, and Frisk soon followed.

He walked outside and headed back home, to Toriel's house. After Asriel had broken the Barrier, Frisk had decided to stay with her. He was an orphan. His father had died before he was born, and his loving mother had died of a terminal illness a little over one year ago, just a few days after Frisk had become World Master. He had reset so many times trying to save her, but it was futile. A child's determination developed as they grew older, and Frisk could only go as far back as the moment when he had become World Master. By that time, it was already too late. There was nothing he could have done to save her.

With nowhere better to go, Frisk had chosen to stay with Toriel, who was more than happy to accommodate him.

Although, as great as Toriel was, Frisk didn't feel comfortable calling her 'mother,' for a couple of reasons. For one thing, he still missed his original mother, so calling Toriel 'mother' felt wrong to him. How could Toriel be his mom? His mother was dead, and she wasn't coming back. Toriel was an amazing person, but she wasn't his mom.

As for the second reason, it was Chara. He didn't want to be thought of as Chara's brother; his feelings for Chara were... more than brotherly.

Heh, Frisk knew he was being ridiculous. He had no idea if Chara would share those feelings, and he certainly wasn't in a position to ask. Chara... didn't even have her own soul. Her attachment to Frisk's soul may have saved her from being like Flowey, but it wasn't clear if the love and compassion she felt were genuinely hers. To ask her if she loved Frisk may have been like asking if Frisk loved himself. Frisk knew he had to help her somehow, but where would he get a free human soul? It wasn't like he could just kill someone for Chara's sake. He wasn't crazy.

He kept walking through the suburban streets of Surface Home, the new monster capitol which was built near the sprawling metropolis that was Ebott City. As it was the monster capital, the streets were full of monsters happily going about their day, but there were also a few human visitors walking around, curious about their new neighbors. They wandered the town like nosy tourists, wanting to learn as much as they could about monsters.

I am uncertain how I should feel about this, Chara said. All these humans strolling through monster territory.

Frisk tried to lighten the mood. Hey, Toriel's house is just down the road. We'll be back with your mother shortly.

Mhm, yes. Perhaps she will make us some ButtsPie.

Frisk groaned. Butterscotch pie, Chara.

Yeah, ButtsPie! You have a problem with my shorthand?

Ah, Chara. Never change.

A while later, Frisk arrived home. He walked up to Toriel's house, opened the door, and walked inside. As he entered, Toriel walked in from the kitchen and greeted him with a warm smile. "Greetings, Frisk. How was your day?"

"Great!" Frisk said. "Sans and I had dinner at Grillby's."

"That sounds nice!" Toriel said. "By the way, I baked you some pie. It is waiting for you in the kitchen."

Ah, Chara was right. Frisk smiled. "Thanks, Toriel."

"You are welcome, Frisk!"

Frisk went into the kitchen and took a slice of the pie. He put it on a plate and took it to his room. He sat down on his bed and bit into the pie; Frisk and Chara both savored its sweetness. Chara could sense anything that Frisk sensed, including taste. Despite not having a body, Chara was able to enjoy the pie as much as Frisk did.

Not that Chara could see it, Frisk gave her a sappy smile. I wish you could be here for real, with your own body.

I... yes, that would be nice.

His tone grew more bitter than sweet. And... I wish Asriel were here.

As do I.

After breaking the Barrier, Asriel had disappeared. Frisk tried to tell him to come with him. He swore that he would find a way to save him, to make him Asriel again, but Asriel wouldn't have it. He had been completely resigned to his fate.

Frisk picked up one of the two pictures on his nightstand. The photograph was torn and discolored with time, but the image was still clear. It was a family photo of Toriel, Asgore, Asriel, and Chara. They were all smiling, with Asriel and Chara holding bouquets of golden flowers in front of their parents. They looked so happy. Frisk stared at Asriel, who was grinning widely.

"It's best if you just forget about me, okay?"

The photograph trembled in Frisk's hand.

"Just go be with the people who love you."

No...

Frisk slammed his fist on the nightstand. "To hell with that!"

Frisk?

"I'm not going to forget him!" Frisk said. "We're going to find him. Tomorrow, we're going to start looking for him."

Wh-where will we find him? Chara asked.

I don't know! You're his sister, aren't you? Where would he go?

I... I'm sorry, I don't know.

Frisk sighed. We'll get someone to help us. Maybe Alphys? She's the one who... created him.

I suppose it's worth a shot, Chara said. I do hope we find him. There are... many things that I need to tell him.

Frisk nodded. Yeah.

Chara's voice grew somber. He... he's right about me, Frisk. I'm not the greatest person. You're the friend he deserved, not me.

Frisk couldn't stand hearing Chara talk like that. He shook his head. Don't do this to yourself. I'm sure Asriel doesn't regret being your friend. He just... wishes things turned out differently.

I... well, we'll find out, won't we?

Yeah, we will.

After a long pause, Chara spoke again. Frisk... thank you. You've already done so much for me, even though I don't deserve it. I... understand that my actions were wrong. I understand that now. I still cannot say that I am fond of humanity, but I am trying my best to temper my hatred. I have you to thank for that, Frisk. Thank you so much.

Frisk blushed. He had to admit, it felt good to be praised by the girl he liked so much. No problem.

He kept looking at the photograph. This time, his attention was focused on Chara. Her hair was styled almost exactly like Frisk's, bangs that went down to her shoulders, but its color was more of an auburn rather than Frisk's brown. Since her soul had been a determination soul, Chara had red eyes, and since he also had a determination soul, Frisk also had red eyes. Although, Chara's eyes were a brighter shade of red, which looked absolutely stunning. Frisk couldn't help but stare. She was so...

Uh... Frisk?

He smiled. You're so pretty, Chara.

Chara scoffed. Really, Frisk? Already back to shameless flirting? Whatever happened to finding my brother?

Pretty much, but in Chara's case, he really meant it...

Frisk frowned, his heart aching. He couldn't tell her, not while she didn't have her own soul. He returned his attention to Asriel. We will find him, he said. Even if he's soulless, he has to be happier here than wherever he is now.

I hope so, Chara said.

Yeah, Frisk hoped so, too.

AN: Greetings. I am the author. Like many authors around here, I'll be writing notes before and/or after the chapter every once in a while. I'll be happy to answer any questions you have, and any feedback – good or bad – is always greatly appreciated! Well, that's all for now. Thanks for checking out my story!