Dust. It was everywhere. Scattered all over the floor, walls, traps, and puzzles. Dust lay all throughout the Underground. Most recently in the golden hallway, and most often on the girl with the striped shirt. No longer was this shirt pink and blue; now it was yellow and green. The girl wasn't the same pacifist as before but, was the human that was first to fall. Dust covered her head to toe, caked in her hair, ingrained in what she wore, and covering the lone knife in her hand. Her expression was one of pure evil and determination, but her red eyes were vacant. They told of a different story than the dust that trailed behind her. An old story of a young girl that only wanted to save her family so long ago. That same girl was falling into corruption as time passed. Now, here she was, everyone she could ever care about, the same people she wanted to save, dead by her own hand. This time she didn't plan to go back. She wanted to end the suffering, at least at the beginning that's what she had told herself each time she took over but now, she did it all for the power. She didn't want to give it up. She didn't want to give back control. She wanted to end everything below and above once and for all.

Her name was Chara, and she was the demon that came when people called its name. At least that's what she has accepted over time but, in truth, she was just a child, a hurt and broken misunderstood child. Deep down she knew this but, she's done so much over so many sessions that she figured that she could never go back to before. Before she died before she first met the pacifist and before she started to take over. Now that she had full control of the body she accepted her fate, at least until another appeared before her. The pacifist, the girl in the pink and blue striped shirt, Frisk. She floated in front of her barely tangible, barely connected to the body that was once her own. The pacifist had a determined frown set upon their jaw as they stared sadly at the one that had helped them through this place when they first fell. Now, however, after her own curiosity sparked something inside the so-called demon, the one that helped wasn't the same anymore, but she was determined to fix what she had helped cause.

The demon stared back in confusion and disbelief before she took in what she was seeing, then she sneered at the other girl mockingly. She chuckled and clapped condescendingly at the other human before finally speaking to the other. Her voice seemed darker than she remembered and it had this eerie gravelly echo to it, not that she minded, anything more to intimidate the one before her. "I knew you had just as much determination as me Frisk but, I didn't think you had it in you to even try and separate from me. You've always been the weaker one, always sparing and showing mercy to the very ones that tried to kill you. You're still so weak, you're barely tangible and you're still connected to this body. How in all of the Underground do you possibly think you could stop me?" Chara asked laughing at the pacifist now.

Frisk said nothing in reply, just stared at her counterpart and waited. Chara frowned at the lack of response before laughing again. "See Frisk? You can't even speak in my presence. You know what I'm capable of. You know what I am. I am the demon that comes when people call its name. It doesn't matter when, it doesn't matter where, but in the end I-" In that moment is when Frisk moved forward, wrapping her arms around the other girl firmly. Chara froze when she was embraced. "What are you doing?!" She snapped at her. "Why are you hugging me? I've killed everyone several times over, I could kill you now and be rid of you for good! I-I don't want a hug...I… don't deserve it…I'm just a demon Frisk…"

"No," Frisk began calmly. "No, you're not...you're just a kid...we both are. I know you think we can't fix what we've done but, we won't know unless we try. Please Chara, this isn't you. This isn't the girl that lost her life trying to save all of monsterkind. This isn't the first human to fall into the Underground. This isn't the girl that watched her brother die at the hands of her own species. Please, Chara this isn't you..." Frisk said letting her tears fall onto the dusty floor. Chara was shaking with emotion by then and laughed half-heartedly at the pacifist. "See Frisk...you're weak...crying over someone like me...I don't deserve any mercy…" Chara said as her own tears started to fall. "I don't either… I did it too, out of curiosity...but, that just means we have to work for it, and I know we can, together." Frisk said with determination. Chara let herself smile. "The idea of doing this together...fills you with determination…" Chara narrated before letting go of the knife. It fell and clattered to the floor leaving the two in silence. "I don't know how much help I'll be as a ghost…" Chara commented as Frisk let go of her and backed up. "I'll find a way to save you Chara, you and Asriel. I promise." Frisk replied wholeheartedly. Chara nodded solemnly before raising her hand up and bringing out the rest button. "Together?" She asked, her voice sounding more normal now. "Together." Frisk replied before they both placed their hands on the reset button and everything faded into black.

For Chara resetting was always quick, she never really paid any mind to the blankness of the void when she passed through. She was back in the Underground as soon as she would leave, but this reset was different as she was still in the void moments after her and Frisk pressed the reset button. Her curiosity won over her fear as she stared out into the empty abyss. She then started to hear an old voice, it sounded like a different language most likely one that would be spoken in hands, but she understood what was being said perfectly. "Not your time. Second chance. Live again. Redeem and survive Chara Dreemurr." The voice said as Chara's soul started to pull her out of the void. "Wait! What do you mean?" Chara asked fighting against her own soul to possibly get some answers. "Second chance. Your turn to save. Go." The voice replied her soul started to win the tug a war. "Who are you?" Chara tried again feeling like she should know who was speaking, she just couldn't put a face to the voice. "Go. Save everyone." The voice said before Chara's soul took one last tug and Chara was blinded by a bright light.

When the light reseeded, all Chara could feel was the pain. This confused her since she didn't have a body but when she sighed in her mind she actually gasped for breath. This woke her up and above her, she saw Frisk standing there looking down at her in disbelief and surprise. "C-Chara?" Frisk voiced out with a small squeak. Chara blinked in confusion just as surprised as her as she took a deep breath and felt the breath inside her. She lifted a hand and looked at it and sure enough, it was real. She then bolted upright and patted at herself. "H-how… I-I… F-Frisk?" Chara asked as the shock finally hit her as she looked up at her partner. "You're…. Alive…" Frisk said in awe as she stared back, watching as Chara took more breaths in and started laughing giddily. "I am… I'm alive… how I...I died….I…." Chara said trailing to take an extra deep breath to calm her nerves. "I'm here…." She said in realization before she was hugged by Frisk. "You are here...you're saved...you're alive again… I don't know how but, you're really here….It's so good to have you here...in person, in the flesh." Frisk said crying happily into the other girl's shoulder. Chara hugged back loving the contact that she didn't realize she missed so much.

They stayed like that for several moments before finally letting go of each other, then Frisk helped Chara stand and relearn how to walk, which didn't take too long, fortunately. They stayed in the same area for a moment before realization hit them both. "We gotta go through together, we...we can save everyone now…" Frisk said, causing Chara to stop and think. " I get to see everyone… everyone that knew me… Dad, Mom, Azzy... er...Flowey ...Oh man, how are they going to react?" Chara asked, heaving a sigh at the possibilities. "Well...only one way to find out." Frisk replied gesturing to the exit of the room they were in, which would lead them to Flowey followed by Toriel. "Yeah… shall we, partner?" Chara asked, holding out her hand which Frisk took quickly. "Yes, we shall." She replied before they walked forward and into the next room.

When they got to the patch of grass in the middle of the next room, a familiar yellow flower poked out of the ground. "Howdy I'm Flo-" He started his usual greeting only to stop short at the sight of two humans instead of the usual one, mainly staring at Chara. He stared at her incredulously as she stared back awkwardly. "Hehe, greetings bro...long time no see?" Chara greeted casually but awkwardly. Flowey frowned and looked to the ground. "No… You can't be...your dead…" He said still in disbelief. Chara frowned a little at his reaction before speaking. "Believe me. I'm just as shocked as-" "No your not real, you're dead! I saw you, I can't believe this…. No just, no!" Flowey yelled before going back into the ground. "Wait!" Chara called before she stopped and sighed. "Well… that went well…" Chara said sarcastically. Frisk placed a hand on her shoulder sympathetically. "He's just in shock... We will see him later." Frisk assured getting a nod in return before they started to hear footsteps coming from the ruins in front of them.

It didn't take long for the goat women that they have both known to love to come through the entrance of the ruins. "Hello? I heard a commotion, did another child fall…" Toriel asked before seeing not one but, two humans, one of them she didn't think she'd see ever again. "C-Chara?" she asked, already tearing up as she patted closer to the two of them. "A-are you...really real? A-are you really here?" She asked, kneeling down in front of Chara and placing a hand on her cheek. "Yeah, Mom. I'm back." Chara replied, the goat women letting out all of her tears in response while pulling her daughter into a much-needed hug. Chara fell into the hug missing how the mother hugged her with all of her love and affection. Chara missed so much from being alive, she didn't know why or how she got brought back but she was more grateful than she could put into words.

It took a few moments, but Frisk waited patiently as the two hugged out their reunion. "How are you back? You...fell...you were no longer with us…" Toriel said and started to cry again. Chara wiped away her tears with a sigh. "I'm not really sure Mom, all I know is when my new friend here fell into the underground, I woke up." Chara explained gesturing to Frisk to come closer. "Oh goodness I apologize, for not greeting you little one, my name is Toriel and I am the caretaker of the ruins, what is your name if I may ask?" Toriel asked sheepishly. "Of course, my name is Frisk, What are the ruins?" Frisk asked with ease. "Yeah, and why are you here now?" Chara asked though both knew the answer, it was best to ask to avoid suspicion, not that Toriel would get suspicious but, it was just better to try and stick to the script of the past as much as they could with both of them being here. They glanced at each other as Toriel explained everything, and immediately they knew that with Chara being alive, everything they have learned over the resets wouldn't help too much this time around, they were going to have to wing it from here on out.

Toriel declined to say why she left exactly, only that the castle was in good hands and the ruins needed her. Chara knew the truth already so didn't press any further as Toriel started to lead them into and through the ruins. Going through the ruins hit Chara with nostalgia pretty quickly, going through it alive again was very different than being a ghost over Frisk's shoulder. Toriel ended up teaching Frisk the ways of the underground since Chara already knew it all from when she was alive. Frisk, of course, knew how it worked already too, but played her part accordingly. Everything seemed similar to previous resets except Chara's added presence and verbal narration which Toriel thought was cute.

It wasn't until they got to the room that Toriel would leave that things were majorly different again. It was clear from her mumbling that she was conflicted, she wanted to bring Chara along with her to spend time with her but, at the same time, she didn't want to leave Frisk alone in favor of Chara either. "Mom, why don't I stay with Frisk, we can stay here till you get back okay?" Chara offered easily letting the goat woman heave a sigh. "Well, alright my child, you do know the area but still stay here till I get back, here have this cell phone so we can stay in contact. I won't be long children." Toriel said, giving the cell phone to Chara before leaving. After she was gone Chara turned to Frisk. "No flirting with Mom." Chara firmly said, causing the pacifist to laugh as they headed further into the familiar ruins, both laughing happily and filled with Determination.

Almost two years after the events in the Underground at the beginning of the ruins, in the same room that Frisk fell three sets of ropes came down from above. On the first rope Frisk, herself climbed down and unsynced herself from the rope. On her back inside a backpack was her brother Flowey who looked impatient. Above them was their sister Chara and new best friend Jeremy, at least till a loud yelp and thud was heard to her left. Having just fallen onto his back, Jeremy groaned in pain as he glared up at the culprit of his fall. Chara showed no sign of innocence as she laughed maniacally as she finished her descent. Flowey also laughed as Frisk moved to check up on Jeremy. "Chara, did you really have to cut the rope? He could have gotten seriously injured." Frisk chided at Chara after Jeremy told her he was fine. "What? We both survived the fall from the top, I figured he'd be fine from ten feet or so. I wanted him to get the experience, is that so bad?" Chara asked, still chuckling.

Frisk sighed exasperatedly as she helped Jeremy sit up. "I appreciate the thought of giving me the whole experience but, warn me first next time please." Jeremy said rubbing his back before Chara walked over and helped him stand. "Alright I will but, to be fair neither of us knew we were going to fall into a hole when we went up to the mountain so the surprise is a part of it too." Chara explained with a shrug. "Well that makes sense...so this is the entrance to the Underground right?"Jeremy asked looking around. "No meatbag, it's the exit." Flowey commented sarcastically, which got a look from both girls telling him to behave. "Matter of speech you weed." Jeremy snapped back before Frisk told them both enough. "If you two don't get along I will call Sans to take you both back up to the surface and that's final." Frisk firmly warned both of them, giving a yes ma'am in response.

Frisk nodded satisfied with their response before turning around and leading everyone further inside the Underground. Jeremy looked around in awe as they went into the ruins. While Frisk led the way with Flowey, Chara explained the ruins as they went through the old deactivated traps, explaining how they had to get through each one. Jeremy also got to see the rooms where they first met Napstablook and the spider bake sale. Eventually, the four of them arrived at the small home at the end of the ruins. The same one that Toriel lived in when she took care of the ruins, and although everything from inside had been taken out to go to the surface, it still looked like it once held a nice loving home. They stopped in the living room for a break and to tell Jeremy more about their adventures in the underground.

Once everyone was sitting down on the floor Frisk took Flowey's pot out of her backpack and set him down before pulling out a few containers, handing one each to Chara and Jeremy. Chara thanked her already knowing what it was, opening it and getting the fork from inside to eat the contents. Jeremy also thanked her too before opening it and seeing a pie inside, alongside a fork. "Uh...what kind of pie is this?" Jeremy asked unsure, but willing to try it. Flowey gasped exasperatedly. "You don't know mom's pie? And how long have you known us, I can't believe it." He replied shaking his head in disappointment which didn't seem to bother Jeremy one bit.

"Flowey….Mom has been busy the past year since more schools opened up, we're lucky to even have pie for us, much less for friends." Chara explained with a sigh. "Yes exactly that's why I specifically asked for some for this trip so Jeremy could try it, It's butterscotch cinnamon by the way." Frisk replied opening Flowey's then her own. "Oh that makes sense, and that's an interesting combo." Jeremy mused while picking up his fork. "Yeah it is and this is the only way I'll eat either of these ingredients." Chara explained as he took his first bite. "Well!?" Flowey asked impatiently before getting shushed by Frisk. After a few thoughtful chews, Jeremy swallowed and then looked to Chara who raised an eyebrow in response. "I can see why, because this is the best pie I have ever had." Jeremy said, sounding dead serious. Chara smirked and nodded in approval before she continued as did Jeremy. "Oh thank the stars, he has taste buds." Flowey's said before also eating his pie while Frisk giggled at the response while continuing her own.

They ate in a comfortable silence till they were done, then Frisk put the containers away. "So I've been meaning to ask, but why do you use "stars" in expressions like oh my god?" Jeremy asked hopeing it wasn't rude. "Simple we're not religious." Chara said getting up and stretching. "Like there might be a higher being but a lot of us that have lived or at least experienced the underground really don't follow any higher being." Jeremy nodded understanding that part. "Alright, but why stars of all things?" He asked simply. "Well being trapped underground and not able to see something that's only shown in history books is a big part of it." Frisk explained. "Plus it probably cause they're in the sky and unreachable kinda like a higher being would be." Chara continued. "Oh yeah that does make sense and it seems pretty universal among everyone, at least you two and all of monster kind." Jeremy figured aloud as he got up off the floor. "Yep, exactly." Chara said as Frisk got Flowey back into her backpack and got up ready to go and filled with Determination.

"Having everything packed up again fills you with Determination." Jeremy said aloud beating Chara by a few seconds. "Excuse you." Chara replied giving him a pointed but amused look. "What? I wanted to try too." Jeremy replied in defense lifting his hands in surrender. Chara rolled her eyes while Frisk giggled. "Sheesh between you and Sansy I'm going to be out of a job." Chara complained as she headed to the stairs to go to the basement and exit of the house. "I highly doubt that Chara." Frisk replied following close behind with Jeremy and Flowey. "I know Frisk, I'm just giving him a hard time that's all." Chara replied. "Oh, believe me, I think your brother does that enough on his own." Jeremy commented as they went down the stairs. "Um, rude." Flowey let out in return as he rolled his eyes and crossed his leaf-like arms.

"Now boys behave." Frisk said simply glad they already stopped before they could begin. Chara got to the exit first and looked up at the big door that leads to the rest of the underground. "So this is where we fought mom." Chara commented idly like it was an everyday thing. "Wait, what?" Jeremy asked Frisk for a confirmation. She nodded before explaining. "Yep she did that with every kid that fell down here, she didn't want them to leave because death would be their fate, not us of course, but she just wanted to protect her children. " Frisk explained. "Yep, but after a while, if we got hurt during the fight she would purposely not hit us with her attacks and switch to pleading. It was always sad to see Frisk leave when I was a ghost, and I got a taste of it in the last reset. Frisk even offered to go on her own but I refused." Chara explained while pushing open the door.

On the other side was a long hallway that leads to a bigger door to go outside. "Wow, talk about false alarm." Jeremy commented, getting Chara and Frisk to giggle in response. "Right? Especially since mom said she'd block the exit after we leave, I always wondered which door was she referring to?" Chara said with a laugh as they started down the hall. "She never had the heart to do that obviously." Frisk replied, shutting the door behind them.

"Speaking of this hallway actually, Flowey you didn't appear in any of the usual spots in the last reset, including here, you were pretty shocked huh?" Chara asked looking back at her brother. "Well yeah, you suddenly appear alive and well? Of course, I was shocked, but just cause I didn't show where I usually did, didn't mean I didn't show at all." Flowey explained. "So where did you pop up instead of here?" Frisk asked curiously. "Oh just after you passed Alphys first camera just outside the next door, and before you first met Smiley Trashbag in person." Flowey replied. "Oh, I see, wanted to see how that would go huh?" Chara replied as she got to the next door and started to push it open as well.

"Well kinda, I wondered how you would be with him, I didn't expect the panic attack though…" Flowey admitted quietly. "Panic attack?" Jeremy asked, looking to Chara now. "Yeah first ever one after being alive, here I'll explain all that after you see the conveniently shaped lamp." Chara said laughing and bounding into the snow ahead. "Conveniently shaped lamp?" Jeremy asked, looking to Frisk confused. She giggled before grabbing his hand and running after Chara. "You'll see, it's a part of the story. Now come on." Frisk said, pulling along a blushing Jeremy behind her.