Chapter Fourteen
(Frisk is our narrator!)

Undyne helped Alphys to her feet. "Come on. We need to get the monsters down here home. There's no reason for them to be cooped up down here." She looked to Papyrus. "Would you give us a hand?"

"OF COURSE."

Bones held out his hand to me and I took it. I looked to the hallway and saw one of the merged monsters there, peeking in at us sadly. I looked up at Bones and found him waiting on me.

"The elevator down the hall goes directly to Asgore, right?"

He nodded. "Do you have a plan?"

"The plan is to talk him into letting me see the souls so I can talk to them. Maybe I can convince them to open the barrier." I looked down for a moment, thinking. "I guess it's time to call Az."

Bones cocked his skull to the side. "You sound a little off put by that. Any reason why?"

"I just realized we hadn't told him we'd left."

Bones smirked. "I'm sure he won't be too put out." He nodded toward the door and we headed for the elevator. "You are famous after all."

My jaw dropped. "You are a dead man!"

He snorted. "That's only because I refuse to run." He hit the button for the elevator and we stepped inside.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I don't know if I should consider that lazy or foolish."

He shrugged, hands in his pockets as he leaned back. "Probably both."

The elevator door opened on a gray, brick corridor. Walking down the path revealed a balcony overlooking a massive city in a very old, but aesthetically pleasing style. Monsters filled the streets, walking here and there between car traffic... actual car traffic. I stood for a while staring at the variety of monsters below. A group of school children pointed up at me, and began waving with all their might. I waved back and got happy squeals in response. I followed Bones as he leisurely strolled along.

We turned a corner and in front of me was a house almost exactly like Asriel's. A glowing star crystal sat on the path before the door and I stopped to touch it before following Bones inside, letting the wave of determination wash over me. No one appeared to be home, but a note hung on a chain locking the way down the stairs. 'If you need to talk, I'm in the throne room. The key is in the kitchen.' C burst to life on my shoulder, looking around as I walked.

"You all right, C?"

"Yeah. Someone else's memories and all."

I nodded and headed into the kitchen. The key rested on the counter on top of multiple different recipes for cinnamon butterscotch pie. Huh. Asgore has a favorite food and one he had trouble duplicating. Good to know.

On my way back out to the stairs, C pointed to the hall. "Go in the first room please."

"Okay." I went in and found two beds and a room filled with toys, storybooks, and old textbooks.

C pointed to the dresser and the golden, heart shaped locket that rested there. "Take that and wear it."

"Are you sure it's okay to do that?"

"It belonged to Chara Dreemurr and I won't let him be forgotten. Put it on."

I slipped the chain over my head, relieved that it came to rest far below C's chip. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine." He disappeared from my shoulder, heading back into the cabin in my head.

Heading back to the chain, I unlocked it, and felt a little ridiculous doing so. I could have just lifted it and walked under. I paused for a moment and turned, looking for something and not finding it.

"Something wrong?" Bones asked.

"Yeah. No pictures. Not any. Monsters have access to cell phones, cars, and hell, your entire society runs on magical electricity."

Bones nodded, smiling a little too proudly.

"Don't you have photography?"

He sighed. "We do. But..." He turned, looking at the empty walls. "Sometimes it hurts too much to remember the past and the family you lost."

I frowned and went down the stairs into a corridor similar to the one in Asriel's home. But instead of a set of massive doors, it lead into a hall of stained glass, glowing like gold as warm light poured in from what appeared to be a garden on the other side. I walked up to one of the windows, looking onto the garden and real sunlight. I craned my neck to see upward and could make out a hole in the cavern so high up and isolated as to be impossible to reach. Light streaming down from that hole providing a maddening and yet useless hope.

I turned to move on only to have Bones grab my hand. "Hold up a minute."

I looked up at him.

"This is it. The end of the journey. In a few moments, you'll meet the king and determine the future of this world. You've walked this road, determined to see the end and, despite the fears of many, have proven to have a certain tenderness in your heart. No matter the struggles or hardships you faced, you didn't let them put you on a path of destruction for mere self preservation. Despite the LOVE you carry, you chose against adding to it, and in doing so, you gained real love."

He cocked his skull to the side for a moment. "Does that make sense?" He shrugged. "Maybe not." He pointed to the door. "In there is the greatest challenge of your entire journey." He took both of my hands in his. "If I were you, I'd have thrown in the towel. Found a nice place in the Undergound and called it my home. But you're unwillingness to give up means that monster kind gets to see the sun for the first time in centuries. We're all counting on you."

I sighed and hugged him, something he hadn't been prepared for by the shock before he hugged me back. I stepped away from him. "Just go get Asriel."

C appeared on my shoulder. "We've got this."

Bones shrugged and disappeared, teleporting away. I continued into the next hallway and found a large, open doorway into the throne room. A glowing star crystal waited on the floor next to the door. C disappeared from my shoulder as I touched the stone feeling my determination soar. I stepped through the doorway and into a room that was less a throne room and more a garden. A massive goat monster with a thick, yellow beard walked among the flowers, watering them. His golden armor glinted in the light while his long purple cloak dragged over the flowers around him.

I blinked a little, expecting to see something that reminded me of Asriel in King Asgore. The similarity in face was there, but his massiveness was not strength. Merely corpulence. The crown sat upon his head, but I felt no urge to kneel. This man was tired, lost, and still deeply grieving an incident that happened a very, very long time ago.

He hummed to himself before he noticed I was even in the room. "Is someone there? Just a moment while I finish up with the flowers." He turned. "There we go. Howdy! How can I..." The watering can clattered to the ground as the King of all Monsters backed up, eyes wide. "Chara...?"

He blinked shaking his head. "Oh. I so badly want to say, "Would you like a cup of tea?" But... I'm sure you know how it is. If you were the even the sixth to fall, I could have offered you a home here. But... You are the seventh. The seventh soul. The last one needed to open the barrier."

"Your Majesty-"

Asgore cut me off. "You know what we must do. When you are ready, come into the next room." The goat king turned and left via the door behind the throne.

"So he wants a fight?" C huffed.

"Apparently." I took off my backpack, resting it on the throne as I pulled a few things out. After stuffing monster candy and cinnamon buns in my pockets, I pulled out the piece of pie Asriel had given me, carefully unwrapping it.

"You're going to eat that in front of him, aren't you?"

"Yes."

C nodded. "Good."

I pulled out the knife I'd gotten from the Dummy and held it in one hand before following after Asgore.

He paced nervously in the next room. "How tense. Think of it like... a trip the dentist." He headed into the next room.

"Really? The dentist?" C growled. "Dentists don't generally murder their patients."

I shook my head. "He's not prepared for this. I'm pretty sure it's been so long since he's seen a human that he thinks I'm a child. For a moment there, I'm pretty sure he thought I was the original you."

"The striped sweater?"

"And the locket." I followed the king into the next room. Inside, it appeared to be a long tunnel that went on and on with daylight just on the other side.

Asgore stared at the barrier. "This is the barrier. This is what keeps us all trapped underground. If... If by chance you have any unfinished business... Please do what you must."

I frowned. "We don't have to fight. The barrier will not open unless the seven human souls want it to open. I will be less then willing to help with that task dead."

Asgore's head and shoulders sunk, eyes closed in deep pain. "I know."

My jaw dropped. "You mean to keep all monsters in the Underground."

"If the barrier were to open, I would need to make good on my declarations of war against humanity. A war I know we would lose. It is better to stay here and monsters to remain safe."

Seven vessels rose from the floor. Six of them held a human soul. The seventh waited for me.

"Human, it was nice to meet you. Goodbye." A glowing, red trident taller than him, appeared in his hand. He lifted it to strike.

I held up the cinnamon butterscotch pie and slowly ate it in front of him. He stood frozen in place, blinking as I licked the last crumb from my fingers. I used the moment to throw the knife, catching his hand and causing him to drop the trident. He howled, holding his hand as I ran forward. Kicking the trident out of reach, I grabbed his injured hand, pulling the knife from it, and leaping back.

Asgore held out the uninjured hand and the trident flew to it. He swung for me and I ducked it, rolling in the opposite direction. The trident came back at me and I jumped forward, rolling between his legs. I grabbed his cape as I came up, jumping on his back to throw it over his head. He stumbled and I took the opportunity to grab him by the horns and use my weight to pull him to the ground. He let go of the trident again and this time I picked it up, dragging it out of the room and around the corner.

I came back in to find him ripping his cape off. Some long dead fire kindled in his eyes and he slammed one fist into the palm of his other hand, rolling his shoulders as he came at me with a punch. I ducked it and pushed his other arm aside as it came around. I jammed the knife in his knee and he hissed as I pulled it out, leaning heavily on the other leg. He lifted his arms to grab me and I kicked the other knee as hard as I could, sending him to the floor.

Asgore grabbed my ankle and pulled, throwing me further into the room and against outer most edge of the barrier. I smacked it hard and popped a piece of monster candy as I stood. I fell into stance and waited for him to get to me, taking the moment to relax a little and let the monster candy do it's job. There was one thing I couldn't do and that was trade blows with him. One punch would be enough to take me out. I needed a way to get him down and keep him down.

"I could do with some suggestions, C."

"That's only show armor. You can do a whole lot of damage to him if you get it off of him."

I nodded once. "Got it."

"Incoming fire magic."

A line of fire balls came me and I ducked under them. He reached back with one fist to strike me and I leaned back, using my moment to slide by him. Scrambling to my feet, I jumped on his back again, finding the straps of his armor and slicing them on either shoulder, careless as to whether or not I injured him. The armor hit the ground as he grabbed my sweater and tossed me again, though with no where near the force he could, into the near wall. Another round of fire balls came at me and I quickly covered my face, rolling on the floor to avoid getting caught.

I shoved the knife in a pocket in order to pick up a piece of the fallen armor. Using it like a war shield, I smashed into Asgore, knocking him back. I stepped forward, holding onto the straps, and swung with all I had, cracking him in the head and sending him to floor. I stood there for a moment, breathing heavily and waiting to see if he would get back up. When he didn't move, I dropped the breastplate and let out a long sigh.

"Ah. So that is how it is." Asgore pulled himself into a sitting position, but made no move to attack. "I remember the day after my wife died. The entire underground was devoid of hope. The future had once again been taken from us by the humans."

"No. That wasn't your future. Your sons were your future and you've gone out of your way to erase their existence. With the exception of the oldest monsters in the Underground, no one remembers Asriel and Chara. How could you? How could you do that to them?"

"I..."

I threw my hands up in frustration. "You're people have been living under the influence of human culture for centuries with just the things they've found in the dump! You could have easily said that the war was over at anytime and that any human who came here would be treated as a friend, to show humans that you're presence was a boon to the world. Instead, you went out of your way to harm the human souls so they'd never want to give your people the freedom they deserved!"

I sat down with a thump on the floor. "How am I going to convince them to open the barrier?"

"Take my soul, and leave."

I sighed. "I'm not doing that."

"After everything I have done, you would rather stay?" He smiled a little. "Then I promise, for as long as you remain here, I will take care of you as best I can."

Asriel huffed from the door. "She isn't a child, Father. And as far as strays go, I've already taken her in."

"Hey!" I turned to glare at him and instead blinked. He'd ditched the comfortable hoodie and jeans for black slacks, a white dress shirt, and a dark purple vest with the Delta Rune over the heart. The prince had returned.

Asgore stared up in wonder at his son. "Asriel...? Is it really you?"

Asriel came in, offering his father a hand up. "I'm Asriel as it gets."

I snorted, but Asgore only smiled sadly. "Still taking after your mother, I see." He stood with the help.

Bones reached under my arms from behind, lifting me to my feet. "How did his trident get out in the hall?"

"I dragged it out there so he couldn't summon it back."

"Nice."

Undyne ran into room. "Wait! Don't fight him..." She stopped looking at us before her eyes fell on Asriel. She trembled, eyes wide with a strange kind of wonder. Her eyes closed and she knelt to him, one webbed hand over her heart.

"I guess we all know our king when we see him," Bones whispered. I looked up at him for moment, but his eye was on Undyne.

Asriel turned to the vessels. "Bones briefed me on what's happened to the souls. I'll talk to them."

Bones looked me over. "You all right?"

I nodded. "He tossed me around a bit, but nothing I hadn't seen in training." I looked around him to Undyne. "Hey, Sushi Roll. You can get up."

Her voice trembled deeply. "Who is he?"

"That would be Prince Asriel, the heir to the throne," Bones answered.

"Why do I...?"

"Yeah. I felt that way too the first time I saw him."

I looked up at Bones. "Did you kneel?"

He smirked. "I was carrying you at the time so all I could manage was to bow my head."

"How's Alphys?"

Undyne bobbed her head a little, lips pursed. "Okay, for the most part. We got the all of the amalgamated monsters back to their families. Papyrus was very helpful in explaining to everyone what had happened. But really, everyone is just happy to have their loved ones back alive."

"Where are they now?"

"On their way here. I used the Royal Guard's way through to get here faster."

I looked to Asriel as he spoke quietly with the six hearts that floated in front of him. It didn't take much to realize that, despite his soft words, he was giving a tongue lashing to one of them, likely Hector. After a while, the goat grew quiet and turned to me. "Are you ready?"

I glanced at Bones and Undyne for a moment before nodding and stepping forward.

Asgore reached out, putting a hand on his son's arm. "We are not ready for this."

"No. We are long past ready."

"The war..."

Asriel frowned deeply. "From the reports I've heard, never existed. It is time for the barrier to fall." Asriel took my hand as six souls gathered around me, and pressed my palm against the barrier. He muttered some incantation under his breath a golden glow surrounding him and then myself and the souls. There was a bright, white flash, and the barrier cracked down the middle before disappearing completely. A portcullis engraved with the Dreemurr family's crest covered the cave entrance that now loomed in front of me. Asriel let go of my hand and motioned me forward. "Go on."

I walked up the path to the mouth of the cave and looked out on a late afternoon sky. I stepped out of the cave onto a path that overlooked the forest between Mt Ebbot and St. Canard City. Asriel came up to stand next to me, his long hair picked up in the slight breeze. Bones came out next followed by Papyrus, who bowed deeply to Asriel, though he didn't seem to be as overwhelmed as Undyne had been. Speaking of Undyne, she came next, Alphys trailing behind her, doing her best to hide from Asriel's gaze. Asgore came last, standing behind his son.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Asgore sighed.

Alphys blinked at the light. "It's even better than on TV. Better than I ever imagined."

Undyne leaned over to look at me. "Frisk, you LIVE with this?!"

I nodded.

She smiled. "The sunlight is so nice and the air is so fresh!"

"HEY, SANS. WHAT'S THAT GIANT BALL?"

Bones rolled his single visible eye. "Oh, don't start. You know exactly what that is."

"NYEH HEH HEH!"

Asriel sighed. "As beautiful as it is, we need to think on what comes next."

Asgore nodded. "Indeed. Frisk, I have something to ask of you. Will you act as our ambassador to the humans?"

I blinked at him. "I have absolutely no skill in such a thing."

"Her people skills are rather limited," Asriel mused. I elbowed him in the side and only got a chuckle in response.

"FRISK!"

I whipped around, pushing past everyone to rush into my mother's arms.

"Oh, Thank God! You're alive!" Mom leaned back to take my face in her hands, stroking my hair for a moment, before hugging me again. As I pressed my face against her shoulder, I heard the weapons come up.

I looked up, glaring at the soldiers behind mom as I stepped away. "WEAPONS DOWN! SAFETIES ON! THAT'S AN ORDER!"

They immediately complied. "Ma'am? We have standing orders to contact command after we found you."

I nodded. "Then do so."

He glanced to the monsters behind me. "Uh... What do I say about... them?"

My former CO came up from behind the group. "You don't need to say anything. I'm right here." He looked at the monsters for a moment and then back to me.

I snapped to attention. "Sir."

"Your mother uses a phone number she shouldn't have to light a fire under my ass about you being missing and when I find you, you've fulfilled an ancient prophecy."

I smiled. "It's been an eventful few days."

He leaned in a little, the corner of his mouth quirking up a bit. "There's a smile I haven't seen in forever. So which one do I talk too?"

I turned, looking at Asriel and Asgore. Asgore put his hand on his son's shoulder. "Go on, Son."

Asriel patted his hand and walked over to us. "I am Prince Asriel Dreemurr. I will handle all negotiations for the foreseeable future." He held out his hand to shake.

My CO took his hand. "General Johnathan Cowen. The legend says that monsters come back after a time of great strife and if you've got even a quarter of the strength legend says you have, we could certainly use it."

"Frisk told me that you've just recently come out of war. Find my people a place on the surface, I can help you secure a less conflict prone future."

My CO nodded. "If you can take a few more days underground we can start arranging relocation."

Asriel raised an eyebrow. "Only a few days?"

"We've got a stable population here, but not a large one. After the war..." My CO shook his head. "There's plenty of room in a lot of places and empty neighborhoods that need filling." He looked to me. "I will see you at 0800 tomorrow..." He sighed at my mother's glare. "1200 tomorrow for a debrief." He turned back to Asriel. "The area between here and the city limits is mostly forest, so we don't have to worry about too much contact between humans and monsters until we can make a public announcement of your return. I'll come here with the appropriate people to speak with you tomorrow afternoon."

I frowned. "Sir."

"Yes, Church?"

"The original reason I was even on the mountain was because I was offered a substantial amount of money to investigate several disappearances. That offer came in on a secure line. Did you send me up the mountain for this?"

He frowned, shaking his head. "No. I had no idea you were anywhere other than your mother's house when she called. I'll have ops check your phone history."

I nodded and mom grabbed me, hugging me close again. She didn't let go until my CO and his detail had left. "I've spent the last five days on this damn mountain searching and praying that you hadn't walked up here because that's what people did when they wanted to disappear. They just walk up the mountain."

"Mom..."

She kissed my face, her hand running over C's chip. She turned my head to look at it, fingers running along the lines of the implant. "What is this?"

"A long story." I took her hands in mine. "I swear, I didn't walk up the mountain to die. But I almost did and Asriel saved my life." I pulled her along. "Come on. There's some very wonderful friends I'd like you to meet."

xxxxx

A/N: Reiken was the reader who made the specific request to see Church's original run in the Underground. While I resisted writing it for a bit, I finally just dove in, and liked how it turned out. I hope you like it just as much! :)

Leave me a comment to let me know you liked the story and thank you to everyone who took the time to say something!