Chapter ?

"..."

The flower has returned.

"So you've come back. I'm not all that surprised."

Its confused expression has molded into a grin, and if you didn't know this flower, you would find the smile perfectly innocent.

"After all, what is left for you after an ending like that? So disappointing, so empty.

"Could there be a more satisfying way to end things? I will spoil the fun for you:" and the flower's eyes go to darkness, stripping its face of any humanity, "There isn't. There will always be a reason for you to come back.

"You will never stop yearning for more. That is simply your nature."

It looks to the side and takes a moment to itself, as if to consider something.

"So, shall we go for one more round of pointlessness? Another dive into this dead end.

"It's your decision."

The flower winks at you before it disappears down below, where it came from.

.

The human stands where Determination last resonated through their being. Their breath turns into vapor at the inn of Snowdin, and they look forward, their eyes solemn.

"Why didn't we go all the way to the beginning, Chara?"

The spirit feels like nothing. They always feel like nothing. But they're always present.

"You told me you'd let me make them happy. You were willing to give up control."

"I don't want to, anymore."

Frisk looks to the ground, then crouches close to the snow. They wrap their arms around their knees and mutter this into their sleeves like the child they are:

"Then what do you want?"

There is no answer. The human sits still for a while before they stand back up, and their shoulders slump. They start walking through the snow, over the familiar path toward the familiar house.

.

Sans steps through the basement door and faces the fields of white outside. His thoughts are being ebbed with concern, but he's pushing that aside as he strides past the structure of his house.

He reaches the corner when he already spots the person he's looking for heading toward him. He supresses the sigh of relief that almost wants to come.

"hiya there, kid."

His tone is nothing short of casual, but when the child gets closer, he notices something particular in their expression. They're not quite smiling, and they have trouble looking straight at him. They've done something wrong, he immediately knows. His chin lowers slightly, judging.

The human comes to a stop, and they rub at their upper arm in a nervous manner. Silence reigns while Sans waits for them to speak up.

"I..."

They consider starting with a sorry, but they've long since realized that is the furthest from what Sans wants to hear.

"I went back in time."

The human stands up straight and faces the monster. It's done, and there's no reason to beat around the bush.

Sans is still wholly unreadable, and doesn't seem taken aback when he answers, either.

"why?"

They resist cringing at themselves and the awkward manner they must come off.

"I was planning on going back to the moment I fell into the Underground... To change everything."

Again, silence, and then another: "why?"

"Because Chara said that..."

The human poked at the ground with the tip of one of their shoes, and their gaze followed its movement.

"This is a dead end. The things that need to happen in order to free monsterkind, they're not sure they can happen here. And they had lost interest in what would happen to this timeline. So they wanted to go back and start over."

"and you just do as they say?"

Frisk looks up, but can't hold Sans' gaze for long. His lack of reaction unsettles them.

"I've been afraid to admit it, but... That's all I can do," they begin, swallowing, "I was never in control. It's Chara, it's always been Chara. And, I think... It will always be Chara."

"You can't change that."

The silence reigns a little longer. Sans looks to the ground blankly, then back up at the human in front of him.

"and what are you going to do now?"

Words feel like ash, but he speaks them to the wind anyway. Even specks of dust eventually return in the world he lives in.

The human shrugs.

"I'm going to continue."

It's then that footsteps become audible to the both of them, and the human and monster turn to look who approaches the house. It's the taller and younger of the two skeletons, wearing a t-shirt and shorts despite the freezing weather.

"AH, WHAT A STYLISH CHOICE OF OUTWEAR, HUMAN!"

That has become the standard greeting for Papyrus whenever he sees Frisk wearing the winter coat he's fashioned. They smile at him for a moment before averting their gaze, but Papyrus is slow to pick up on the atmosphere.

"I HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM MEETING MY VERY GOOD FRIEND, UNDYNE! I JUST WANTED TO INFORM YOU THAT I WILL NOT BE MAKING DINNER FOR YOU TWO: IT IS FAR TIME YOU REPAY MY KINDNESS AND RETURN THE FAVOR. YOU DON'T WANT TO BE RUDE AFTER ALL, DO YOU?"

"making dinner sounds like too much trouble. i think i'll go to grillby's instead."

Sans shrugs at his brother, and because it's Sans, you wouldn't even be able to tell that things were tense between him and the human only a moment ago.

Papyrus frowns at him.

"SO YOU DO WISH TO BE RUDE? IT DOES NOT ONLY APPLY TO QUESTS! BROTHERS CAN BE RUDE, TOO!"

"well, geez, you sure know how to antagonize me."

His tone was, of course, neutral. Papyrus opens his mouth and leans forward like he's about to make a point, but gives up on it and sighs instead.

"WHAT ABOUT YOU, HUMAN? DO YOU INTEND TO BE LAZY?"

They shake their head softly.

"I can make dinner. It's only fair."

Papyrus' expression brightens at that. He doesn't have time to say anything before he's interrupted, though.

"nope. you're on timeout."

The other two turn to Sans, surprise tangible in the air.

"bad kids don't get to play. go home to tori. we're eating out tonight."

"So that's how he's gonna be."

Frisk doesn't quite share Chara's resolve.

"What?"

Sans doesn't spare them a glance, and Papyrus looks conflicted. He keeps flicking his attention between Sans and the human, uncertain what to say.

"bye, chara. learn to act nice for next time."

There's momentary darkness before the human's monster friends are gone. They stand there stupidly blinking for a while, staring at the spot Sans has just stood in.

.

"So who are we spying on today, huh?!"

Undyne's voice is as rough as ever while she manhandles Alphys, pulling her closer by her shoulders. That causes the lizard's face to turn a shade darker.

"A-ah! Spying i-is a bit of a... A c-crude word for it! I p-prefer thinking of it a-as, w-well... Watching a h-hero's journey!"

"This is one for the history books, ay?"

Undyne cackles for a moment before she releases her friend and turns to the screen she was following.

"Sorry to pop in without notice! I just needed, um..."

She's forgotten her excuse and quickly changes the topic again.

"What are they doing?"

It seems Alphys is monitoring Snowdin. Specifically, Frisk. They're talking to Papyrus and Papyrus' older brother, Undyne immediately notes, but the sound is turned off. Alphys must've muted the feed when she first walked into the lab.

"I-I lost t-track. But I think they w-were arguing about s-something."

Undyne can't tell if Alphys is being truthful, but it doesn't matter. Technically it isn't her business, anyway. (Nor is it Alphys', but she's not going to tell her that.)

"That doesn't sound fun. I should go beat some sense into them!"

Her declaration is fierce, but she almost seems to forget about it in the next moment.

"But anyway, since I'm here and not there... Didn't you say a few days ago that you have a new anime I might like?"

The Captain has turned sheepish. Alphys' eyes light up.

"O-oh, yes! It's about–"

"Wait, why did it go bl–WOAH!"

"Huh?"

Both monsters are staring at the screen, Undyne much more intensely than the confused Alphys. Her confusion doesn't last long when she notices Frisk is alone. For whatever reason, Sans must've done his thing – and Undyne has witnessed the event.

"What just happened?! They just... Disappeared!"

She turns to Alphys, looking for answers. The yellow lizard is at a loss for several seconds.

"Oh–um, what did... Um, I d-didn't see, s-so..."

The Royal Guard shows a hint of hurt in her expression, and she even takes half a step backwards. It's as if she's seen something in the scientist that she hasn't before, and it immediately scares said scientist into talking. Undyne is the one thing she can't lose, not even a little bit.

"W-wait! I...!" she takes a breath, chews on her claws, then continues: "I'm sorry! I-I didn't m-mean to s-seem like I m-mistrust you, Undyne! But I–he..."

The fish monster's hurt expression disappears the moment she detects the panic in Alphys, and she pulls her to her chest.

"Shh, it's okay. I didn't mean... Ugh, I just..."

Undyne frowns deeply.

"I've never seen that kind of magic before!" she suddenly exclaims, pulling away from Alphys in order to growl at the screen. "I don't trust him, I really don't. If he wasn't Papyrus' brother, I would beat him up!"

Alphys shows a concerned expression and Undyne calms ever so slightly.

"Okay, I wouldn't beat him up. But I don't like how he keeps secrets. And he's unreliable, too."

"I-I don't, um... Find t-that to be the c-case."

Alphys looks down at her claws while she fiddles with them. Undyne turns to her, her eyes wide. She can tell there's more to what has just been said, and she's taken by surprise.

"H-how should I p-put this..." Alphys begins, knowing full well she has to say something, "W-we're f-friends. And Sans has h-helped me w-with some things... Um, t-that are not so important n-now."

Undyne wonders if it has something to do with the Amalgamates that have been set free, but doesn't bring it up. Another secret to his growing pile.

"I-I just hope t-that you won't d-dismiss him, you know?"

There's a very brief silence before Undyne sighs and slumps into Alphys' unoccupied computer chair.

"I won't. I wouldn't've anyway. I'm the head of the Royal Guard! I do take my responsibilities seriously... He's my employee, too. He's part of my responsibilities."

Undyne frowns again at the thought. Alphys feels tension leave her.

"R-right! Well, I'm g-glad... That's all I w-wanted to hear."

She considers her next words in the calmed silence.

"H-he keeps secrets, but i-if I know him a-at all, it's for g-good reason. S-so..." she shifts her weight from side to side, "I'd just l-let it go. S-sometimes that's the... B-best thing to do?"

Alphys finds herself suddenly lost in her own words. She's accidentally said something that might hold more meaning than initially intended.

Undyne's silence speaks of the same thing. And after that silence is over, she seems fully ready to change the topic.

"Right.

"Again, since we're here... Let's just watch that anime, huh?"

Alphys is happy to agree.

[A/N] Saw a video on writing. I now know what I got wrong, so I'll fix it. After that, I should be able to move on from this story.