#and told her she was more than a pitiful slave she was hero material

[thelaithlyworm]

ships ask meme: a ning/wu xie?

[missshezz]

Monster

Link: Monster

Fandom: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), prequel trilogy, all media

Warnings: None Apply (canon character death is mentioned)

Ratings: All ages

Word Count: 1000

Tags: Obi-Wan Kenobi whump, Obi-Wan dealing with Satine’s death, past Obitine, Anakin has issues, Anakin introspective, Anakin POV, Anidala, parallels drawn between how Obi-Wan deals with loss versus Anakin, foreshadowing of events, grief, anger, guilt, loss, mourning, Jedi Code, attachment being forbidden, post-episode 5x16– the Lawless

Summary: Anakin Skywalker is hailed as the Hero With No Fear. He’s the Chosen One. The greatest Jedi of his generation. Only he has a secret…

Obi-Wan Kenobi did not return from his mission to Mandalore as the man Anakin spent nine years apprenticed with.

Nor was he the same man he fought beside for the last two.

His former master was everything a good Jedi should be: calm, patient, wise.

Things Anakin, himself, was not.

Those core traits were there but shadowed by an air of despair and defeat he had never felt before in Obi-Wan.

Grief, guilt, and a fragment of anger were etched into a face that appeared far older than his former master was.

A wealth of things — deep, dark things — burned in the depths of eyes as familiar to Anakin as his own.

It was clear Obi-Wan bled from a wound invisible to the naked eye.

One which would not heal even with help from the Temple’s healers.

There was only one thing that could have happened that would bring about this change in the typically stoic Obi-Wan: the death of the Duchess Satine.

Anakin’s stomach twisted with a mixture of horror, dread, and fear.

Things good Jedi were not supposed to feel.

Along with anger.

Hatred.

Love.

Anakin wasn’t a good Jedi, however. Not in the same way Obi-Wan was. 

Or that Yoda, Windu or Plo Koon were.

Sure, the HoloNet hailed him as the Hero With No Fear.

From the time he was nine he had been told he was the Chosen One.

Prophesied to bring balance to the Force.

Many considered him the most powerful Jedi of his generation.

Of any generation, in fact.

His skills as a pilot made him a legend. Even he admitted there was none who could touch him on land or in the air.

He even rivaled Master Yoda as a swordsman.

Only, he had a secret.

A terrible one he had told nobody — not even Padmé — about.

There was a monster inside of Anakin. He once likened it to the krayt dragon. Only, this monster was far more dangerous than the krayt for it chewed away at the walls around his heart, infecting him with its venom, and clouding everything he believed in. He suspected it had always been there inside him, rearing its head at various times while he was still a slave but not gaining dominance until after his mother’s death at the hands of Tusken Raiders.

Obi-Wan wouldn’t have punished the ones responsible for his loss, however.

No, his former master would do as a good Jedi was taught: first, by relinquishing his attachment to the Duchess Satine, and next, by allowing his emotions to pass into the Force.

Unlike him.

Who slaughtered the entire Tusken village without pity or remorse.

And then married Padmé in secret. 

Something that would see him expelled from the Jedi Order should it ever be discovered.

He didn’t regret his choice.

Either of them.

For now, though, Anakin focused on Obi-Wan. He started to cross towards him but stopped when a figure materialized in front of his former master. Anakin’s eyebrows arched as he recognized the petite general who helped save his former master on Savareen.

I didn’t know General Kazzarin was here at the Temple. 

Or on Coruscant for that matter.

Normally, she stayed in the barracks with her men.

Yet there she was.

Almost as if she had known she would be needed.

As she had known on Savareen. 

No words passed between the general and Obi-Wan.

Not aloud, anyway.

Anakin was positive the two communicated with each other.

How he had yet to figure out. 

The only explanation either one gave him about their closeness was they were crèche mates.

Friends.

Anakin believed their relationship went far beyond that.

Was much deeper than either was willing to admit.

There was an intimacy between the two that simple friendship did not allow.

The kind only people in love shared.

Like he and Padmé.

Anakin watched as the general placed one of her small hands to Obi-Wan’s cheek.

A gesture meant to settle and soothe.

One Anakin was, himself, quite familiar with as Padmé tended to set her hand against his cheek whenever he found himself out of sorts.

Which was far more often of late than he liked.

General Kazzarin stroking Obi-Wan’s cheek did not surprise him any. Not after what he witnessed on Savareen. What shot his eyebrows nearly to his hairline, however, was how Obi-Wan did not immediately step back from the general, offering one of his gentle smiles, and a polite, but stilted thank you for her kindness.

No, his former master turned his face into her palm and closed his eyes.

Not only accepting her touch but actively seeking more of it.

Something Anakin had never seen Obi-Wan do before.

No, the man who returned from Mandalore was not the one Anakin spent nine years apprenticed with.

Nor served beside for the last two.

Because his former master would never allow such an open display of affection.

From within the caverns of his heart the monster whispered a reminder about how he would have received a stern lecture if it were him standing there with Padmé.

Who he couldn’t so much as hold the hand of in public.

He wasn’t allowed to kiss her cheek.

Stroke her hair.

Accompany her to any of the events she was required to attend as a Senator.

Their marriage was forbidden, after all.

As were emotional attachments.

His duty was to the Order and the Republic, after all.

If it were Padmé murdered, he would be expected to continue on.

Never stopping to grieve her death or avenge her.

A ripple — the same one he felt while searching for Obi-Wan on Savereen — flowed around Anakin, fluid as the waters surrounding Varykino.

The monster hissed as it slid back into its dark cavern.

Soothed, but only for the moment.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was everything Anakin Skywalker was not.

Patient, calm, wise.

His former master had twice defeated the monster inside of him.

Anakin had yet to defeat his.

He doubted he ever would.

[themattress]

On “The Rising of the Shield Hero”:

@ultraericthered on this post said about TROTSH: “The twisted fun of this series in the light novel, anime, and manga mediums is watching people try, to the best of their abilities, to make an enjoyable and acceptable story out of a source material that was anything but.”

Honestly, I think nowhere is that more clear than the resolution to the series’ original story arc. Billed even in official marketing as a “revenge story”, the first arc culminates in the moment where Naofumi the Shield Hero can finally exact his vengeance upon the corrupt King and Princess who had wronged him and made his life a living Hell. It’s the big climax.

And yet across all four versions, this moment is never the same in any of them!

In the original web novel, Naofumi is given the power to determine Aultcray and Malty’s fate...and yet he doesn’t. At all. I’m serious, he is manipulated by Queen Merellia at every turn and is basically led to the exact outcome he ends up “choosing” (having Aultcray and Malty officially renamed “Trash” and “Bitch” and made a humiliating public spectacle of). Why the fuck is the writer denying his protagonist full agency in this pivotal moment!? Well, I guess it’s because he never wanted this to be the concluding moment for Trash and Bitch, given the gratuitous torture porn they get placed in later on. I don’t know what the deal was with the writer’s real life ex-girlfriend and her father, but he certainly takes it out on them in his writing. But not only is this just unpleasant, but it robs the first story arc of a strong conclusion.

In the light novel, the first major change is that this whole moment is initiated by Bitch being given a slave crest on her body and thus forced to admit the undeniable truth of how she and her father framed Naofumi. Afterwards, there is more of an actual dialogue between Naofumi and Merellia concerning Trash and Bitch’s fates, as to what would be considered going too far, what wouldn't’ be far enough, where the line between self-satisfying vengeance and objective justice can be drawn, and stuff like that. Most importantly, Naofumi’s conclusion is made by him alone after Bitch attempts to act remorseful and sweet-talk him with dialogue about how revenge is pointless - realizing that it’s far more efficient to strike at such a shameless person through their ego rather than through any physical harm, he decides on the name-changing, public humiliation route. Overall: not half bad, a marked improvement.

The manga has hands-down the best version of the scene. When Merellia gives the power to determine Trash and Bitch’s fates over to Naofumi, his facial expression immediately conveys that he would much rather not. In both the web and light novels, Naofumi immediately demands the death penalty. But the manga’s version of Naofumi is far more self-aware and has a stronger sense of emotional balance, and he clearly recognizes that he’d only get conflicted over various factors and his personal feelings when it comes to making this kind of decision. But THEN Bitch tries her anti-vengeance sweet-talking, which was the dumbest thing she could do, as it sets off Naofumi’s PTSD and NOW he demands the death penalty for her and Trash. In the previous versions, once Merellia takes this option off the table it was Naofumi who started to consider various forms of physical torture. But here, Merellia herself brings them all up as suggestions. Recognizing just how much power she is granting him even at the cost of her own kin, Naofumi softens up and does the whole name-changing, public humiliation punishment for the Queen’s sake, as he wants to return this favor to her.

But then we got the anime, and....um, what the fuck is this? There is no debate on the matter, Naofumi isn’t even granted the right to decide anything up-front: Mereliia just up and gives the death penalty to her husband and eldest daughter! And the kingdom’s citizens are initially horrified by this, only for them to learn the truth of what Trash and Bitch have done and thus in the very next scene are unanimously crying out for their blood. If this wasn’t stupid enough, Naofumi randomly has a prophetic nightmare of their exact method of execution: death by guillotine. For some reason it disturbs him so much that he is conflicted the whole way through as this is being set up. Surely his own revenge fantasies have been darker than this!

Then, on top of having already creepily sexualized Bitch’s spasms caused by the slave crest, the show proceeds to creepily sexualize her writhing around, crying and begging for her life as she is readied for the guillotine drop. WHY? Who asked for this!? Merellia is increasingly anguished and it’s revealed after the fact that when it came time for her to give the order for the guillotine to drop, she was instead intending on ordering herself to be put to death in her husband and daughter’s place! THAT was her plan!? She’s supposed to be this brilliant manipulator and yet she couldn’t think of anything that doesn’t involve someone dying!?

Finally, at the last minute we have Naofumi making his choice, but the context behind why he makes it is radically different. Bitch addresses him by name and starts pleading with him to save her, and while he proceeds to say in his public speech what his train of thought was in the light novel as a justification for halting the execution - that someone as shameless as this deserves much worse than death or even physical injury - the animation of his face in the moment Bitch made her pleas tells an entirely different story: to put it simply, Naofumi halts the execution because he’s overcome by pity, he actually feels sorry for Bitch in spite of everything because she’s been reduced to such a pathetic, demeaning state where she has to sincerely beg him, whom she loathes, by name, to save her life. And...OK, this might have been an interesting turn if the way Naofumi was written and developed up to this point supported it, but that’s just not the case. That the jaded, cold-blooded, vindictive guy we’d just spent the last 20 episodes watching would do such a 180 on what he wanted to see happen to the people he hated the most, the very people who made him so jaded, cold-blooded and vindictive to begin with, is a bridge way too far to make any logical sense to most viewers.

Also, changing the moment to this degree makes Bitch’s role in it a lot bigger, and thus would naturally have ramifications for her going forward. So...does it? Does Bitch develop from this moment and become less of a one-note, misogynistic caricature of a female mega-villain? 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA - NOPE!

So in conclusion, it’s clear that from medium to medium TROTSH has no idea what kind of story it’s supposed to be telling if such a key moment, the culmination of the story as it was being told thus far, can keep shifting so radically. And...yeah, that’s kind of its twisted fun.

As for my ranking of how this moment: Manga > Light Novel > Web Novel > Anime. 

[b-chansbbygirl]

Captain

Summary: PTSD is slowly taking over Bucky’s life after his return from Afghanistan.

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Word Count: 1,179

Warnings: Violence, war, PTSD, talk of suicide, panic/anxiety attacks, character death, angst, mentions of medical procedures. 

A/N: **READ AT YOUR OWN RISK**. I am not responsible for any negative reaction you may have to this fic. Please read the warnings and take them into consideration. I also understand this subject can be touchy to some. If you or someone you know is suffering from PTSD or suicidal thoughts, please don’t hesitate to seek help. Thank you to those who have served and protected.

He couldn't sleep, but that wasn't new.

Ever since Bucky had come back from his second tour in Afghanistan, he hadn't been the same. Although the war had taken its emotional and mental tolls, the physical ones were the hardest for him to overcome.

Bucky watched as the glass of water he held shook in his hand. He clenched his jaw as he tried to steady himself, but his attempts only made the glass slip from his fingers and shatter across the kitchen floor.

The sound made him flinch, and it was as if a switch was flipped in him. His grip tightened on the counter as his chest grew tight. His breaths were short but heavy, and his wide eyes began to water as he stared down at his shaking hand. His mind was shutting down. All he could think about was the hot sun burning his skin and the sand on his tongue, the sound of gunfire echoing in his head.

“Bucky?”

His wide, frantic eyes searched for the source of his name, but his vision was too foggy. His ears picked up the muffled patter of feet across the kitchen tile. Soft arms wrapped around his torso just as his knees gave out from under him.

“He blacked out last night, Steve.”

Y/N sat curled into a patio chair, watching Bucky closely through the dining room window. He had barely touched his breakfast, choosing black coffee as a more suitable meal. Her heart clenched at the bags under his eyes.

“What happened?” Steve's voice came tight from the other end of the line.

“I don't know. I heard something shatter, and when I went downstairs he was practically already on the floor. I had to catch him so he wouldn't hurt himself.”

Steve was quiet. She knew he didn't know what to say - there was nothing he could say. They both knew that he was getting worse. It had started with small things; his jaw would twitch when the secretary at the doctor's office would tap her nails on her desk; his grip would tighten on the grocery cart when the cashier popped her bubble gum; he had to leave Sam's barbeque early when the kids got the basketball out. This was the first big attack that Bucky's had since he came home and it scared the shit out of them.

“I don't want to lose him,” she murmured, her voice rough with unshed tears. She wiped at her eyes, a sad smile on her face as she watched Bucky finally lift his fork to his plate.

“You won't, sweetheart. I promise.”

“You should see Barnes' girl. If there's anything worth fightin' for, it's her.”

“Watch your mouth, Wilson.” Bucky's words were threatening but his smile told otherwise.

Carter chuckled to his right, “You better watch it, man.”

“Nah, he's harmless.”

Bucky shook his head at the two and turned his gaze to the open window.

The sun burned his skin and the sand stung in his eyes. He hated the heat more than anything, and it didn't help that he was covered from head to toe. All he wanted was to be safe at home with his girl. Out of all the things he missed, he missed her the most. Being away for months with little to no communication was harder than he expected it to be.

A glint of silver flashed in Bucky's line of sight. He squinted his eyes and glanced along the ridge. When he saw it again, it was too late to say anything. It happened too fast to comprehend.

A deafening explosion, a flash of heat, the feeling of being weightless.

Bucky rolled his head and winced at the pain all over his body. His ears were ringing, his head pounding with his pulse. Heat was licking at his skin, but he couldn't get himself to move.

A pained grunt left his lips as he was pulled from the wreckage, a gloved hand tightly gripping his vest. His surroundings suddenly became clear as he was pulled to cover.

His eyes caught the Humvee, flipped on its roof. Flames had claimed what hadn't been blown apart. Bile rose in his throat when he saw a bloodied arm hanging out of a shattered window. His other squad members had engaged in a firefight with their attacker.

Sam's face blocked out the sun and his lips were moving, but Bucky couldn't understand what he as saying to him. Every noise he heard was muffled and his vision was fuzzy. Nothing seemed real.

But the pain - that was real.

Bucky nearly screamed as his arm was shifted. He watched as Sam used his dirty bandana as a makeshift tourniquet. Past his friend's hands, he saw the damage - sharp, jagged shapes of metal had pierced through the material of his uniform to be embedded into his muscle. Blisters and burns joined his open wounds. The ground was beginning to become soaked with his blood.

Bucky liked to think he was brave and strong; everyone else did. But he was scared. Scared of death, of never seeing his fiancée again. His heart shattered at the thought of it not being him that returned home to her, but a CAO that would inform her of his early death.

With tears and panic in his eyes, Bucky gripped Sam roughly by his collar to get his attention. Sam froze and stared down at him.

“Please,” he whispered, his voice wavering with pain and fear.“Please tell her.”

Sam's jaw tightened at the desperation in his teammate. “You're gonna tell her yourself.”

Bucky's grip loosened as he lost his fight, letting his hand drop back down to the ground. His mind and body finally gave into the shock, slipping into a foggy state between unconsciousness and reality. He could faintly hear Sam shouting Steve's name, and soon he was being lifted and carried.

Bucky stared blankly at his breakfast. He wasn't hungry and he felt guilty for that. Y/N had stayed up with him when he couldn't sleep the previous night, had hauled him off the kitchen floor, and then slaved over breakfast, only for him to not have an appetite.

He heaved a deep sigh as he stared into his coffee. His fingers twitched on his scarred hand and he watched. It was out of his control. The skilled surgeons had been able to salvage what was left of his arm, but they couldn't fix the nerve and muscle damage. He couldn't move right. He couldn't ride his bike, he couldn't mow the lawn, and he couldn't touch her the way he wanted to.

The pink and white, shiny skin stretched as he flexed his hand. His grip wasn't tight enough to crush a flower.

Tears stung behind his eyes, but he held them back. He was tired of being weak and not being able to take care of himself. Physical therapy was only frustrating him, and he hated the looks of pity everyone gave him. They thought he was broken. He wasn't going to tell them that they're wrong, because they aren't.

Y/N quietly shuffled into the dining room, taking the seat next to him.

She held her own cup of coffee, the steam softening the lines in her face. Her eyes were on him, and even through her smile, he could see how tired she was. It made his heart sink.

“How are you feeling?”

Like shit. Like a burden. Like I owe you the world but have nothing to give.

Bucky studied her face for a moment before his eyes moved back to his meal. “I think about it sometimes.”

Y/N's lips turned upward, eager to hear him speak.

“I think about you and the day I asked you to marry me. I think about the day I left. I think about Carter's dead body hanging out of that burning SUV, and about all the other people that risked their lives to save mine.”

Her smile disappeared, now replaced by something he couldn't read. Her hand reached out to grab his war-scarred one, but he couldn't feel it. Not fully, anyway. There was pressure, but he couldn't feel her skin.

“I think about how I can't touch and pleasure you the way I used to.” Bucky's throat was tight and he couldn't hold his tears. They slipped down his cheeks in rivers, but he made no more to wipe them away. “I think about how sometimes I want to take the 9mm in the bedside table and put it in my mouth.”

His eyes met with hers. There was that look again. He could see the worry in the tired lines on her face.  It only made his guilt worse.

“But I don't,” he continued, his eyes glued to her face. “I want to, but I don't. Because I love you.” His tears were flowing faster now, his vision of her growing blurry. “But I don't want to fight anymore.”

His words sent a dagger through her heart. He had been seeing therapists and doctors, taking pills upon pills, and she had hoped that they were helping. Until now, she hadn't realized what was really going on inside his head, but he never talked about it, not even to his doctors. Her grip on him tightened. She knew they were running out of time.

“He still has a few more classes, but we can get those scheduled for you.”

“That's fine.” Y/N couldn't hold in her smile at how cute he was. Clean blonde hair, golden eyes, and a too-big, bright red vest that read 'SERVICE DOG'. His tail flicked excitedly behind him as he stared up at her. “How old is he?”

“Going on six months, now. He's up on his shots, too.”

“I'll take him, then.”

The trainer grinned, giving a nod and turning back toward her office. “I'll be back with the papers.”

Y/N kneeled in front of the puppy, his ears perking up as she reached for his collar. The little, bronze colored tag that hung there read 'Captain' in black letters.

Her lips tipped up in a smirk, her fingers moving to scratch behind his ear. “Well,” she started, his wide eyes watching her in curiosity. “You're about to be a hero, Captain.”

[nsschaintale]

LINE 7: GLAMOROUS TO THE CORE

UNDERTALE

LINEAR TEMPORAL

LINE 7: GLAMOROUS TO THE CORE

Hiro had started to explore the lobby of the hotel. Other than the bright floor and the statue, Hiro met a small pink and blue origami monster who says that MTT Resort is Hotland's biggest apartment building-turned-hotel. It prides itself in providing a good stay, whether someone stays there for a night or already lived there, even when it's passed through. The front desk is manned by a blue monster with a hand for a head, and he spotted three monsters loitering before an elevator. One is a worried green dragon on the phone telling someone that he might not get home, a white feline monster wearing red shoes on her front paws, glasses, black hair, and has a black briefcase by her, and a black one-eyed slime monster who's outraged at the situation. The elevator before them was apparently in use, but from the sound of the complaints from them, it was like this for a good while. Down the right hall are a set of four doors. One asked for Sea Tea, one asked for a Cinnamon Bun, one didn't specify anything, and one was locked from the inside. Hiro wasn't able to provide the items as he used most of them previously, so he moved on as a green janitor monster was mopping up his own dripping slime in vain. As he was about to head out the doors with the CORE sign above them, he heard a cough ring out from the shop on the right of the Core entrance. There's a sign that showed a burger next to the letters MTT above the double doors. He walked inside to see a standard burger shop with the only employee smoking behind the counter. The employee was an orange cat person wearing a red and yellow uniform with a paper hat of the same colors, and the name tag showing “Burgerpants” on it. He was leaning on the counter, smoking his cigarette and looking bored as usual. On the menu, there was a Starfait, a Glamburger, a Legendary Hero, and a Steak Shaped Like Mettaton's Face (yes, that's what it's called). Hiro only had enough for 3 Starfaits, so he bought those, getting inwardly startled by Burgerpants's “joyful” reaction.

Burgerpants (has a pained smile): Thanksy! Have a FABU-FUL day!!!

Hiro decided to try and ask about the hotel, but ended up getting various pieces of advice, from not ending up like him to never interacting with attractive people. Case in point: the two girls who asked him to sneak some Glamburgers for them. He was caught by his boss on his way to meet them, leading him to drop the burgers and his pants, earning him the nickname. Burgerpants dreamed of working with Mettaton, but not in this manner. He wanted to be an actor, but ended up working at the restaurant. Even though he had some troubles with the robot, Hiro asked why Mettaton was bad, and Burgerpants called this place a labyrinth of bad choices. Even when the staff tries to change something to work better, Mettaton rejects the idea, citing that it's not how it worked on the surface. This confused Hiro as he knows the monsters hadn't been on the surface, so how would Mettaton know? Hiro certainly didn't know. He's just a kid. When the cat mentioned how humans were always eating hamburgers made of sequins and glue, Hiro felt disgusted at the thought. Burgerpants questioned how people find the robot attractive, when he's literally a rectangle. He did at one point buy a kit online that makes people more rectangular, but it didn't work. Hiro was curious about what Burgerpants would do if he was freed. The cat told him he was probably going to be stuck at this job forever, but the one thing that keeps him going is that if Asgore gets one more Soul, everyone can leave for the surface and he'll find a second chance for himself.

That worried Hiro.

He's still not sure of what to think of Asgore. After that enlightening conversation, Hiro was curious about the two chicks Burgerpants mentioned. He didn't go down the alley before when he met Sans, so he headed back out. There, he met two monsters; an alligator with blonde hair, pink eyes, and wearing a pink longsleeved top with blue and yellow stripes, and a purple cat with black hair that has blue tips, a gold earring on her left ear, and wearing blue overalls that have yellow fur lined on the straps. Their wares were interesting. Junk food, a gun, a cowboy hat, and a key. Again, Hiro only had enough for some stuff, so he only bought the junk food. When asked about Burgerpants, the girls called him a creep, even though Catty thought he was kind of cute. She didn't have any real standards. They thought he'd be okay if he treated them with respect. He seemed to blame them for the way he acts, especially when they asked him for the Glamburgers. Bratty was going to share them, but Catty wasn't planning to. Bratty and Catty were their names, and they're best friends for-EVER! Looking over the  items, Hiro had asked where they got their stuff.

Catty: We got them from the garbage!

(awkward pause)

Bratty: It's GOOD garbage.

Catty: It's like, really good garbage.

Hiro was not so sure about the junk food now. They apparently got their garbage from the garbage store, but mostly from Waterfall. Catty exclaimed that she found a gun in a dumpster. Hiro wondered if it belonged to anyone who came before him, which is possible since he did see some trash fall into the area. When he asked about Mettaton, the girls were crazy about him. They both claim that he's their robot husband, either being already married to him or planning to do so. He just doesn't know yet. Hiro wasn't sure if Mettaton is husband material considering the few run-ins he had with the robot, but the girls mentioned that they heard rumors about him being made by Dr. Alphys was his idea. Afterwards, he acted like she was an old friend. They weren't friends anymore, unlike these two. About Alphys, she used to live on their street and was like a big sister to them, if she takes you on trips to the dump. She showed them the coolest places and always collecting some weird cartoons. Then she became the Royal Scientist and they haven't seen her in forever. They mentioned Alphys had always thought Asgore was a super cutie, so they thought she made Mettaton to impress him. A robot with a Soul was something that was possibly relevant to his hobbies. Soon after, Asgore made her do the science stuff, but apart from Hiro, nobody's seen anything from her. She likely just stays in her lab all day. When asked about Asgore, Bratty called him a total goober and Catty says he's a big, fuzzy, goofball.

More descriptions of Asgore that confused Hiro.

They mentioned how he was nice and they love him. So much so, they're both hyped for the destruction of humanity. Disturbed, Hiro left them with that thought and mulled over what happened. The more Hiro hears about Asgore, the more he wonders why Toriel made him out to be so bad. It's clear that everyone but her loves him. Did the king do something to draw Toriel's hatred to him? He'll find out soon, he feels. For now, Hiro decided to talk to Burgerpants about  Bratty and Catty. Hiro told him the girls talked about him and that he should stop acting like they owed him, and if he wanted to be friends with them, he should see through their perspective. Burgerpants felt pity for Hiro, thinking he got brainwashed. Friendship was a hot person's way of making someone their slave, according to him. He then wanted to know what time they wanted to hang out. Hiro went back to ask them and Catty said he should go look for junk with them. Bratty was worried, but Catty thinks it'll be fun. She felt that that kind of person would want to hang out all the time once they join up. Catty wondered if she felt bad for him, and thought about how cool they are compared to him. They'd be saving his life with their friendship. Bratty was still unsure, but once Catty mentioned Glamburgers, Bratty asked if he was free after work. Hiro soon realized he's being a messenger between Burgerpants, Bratty, and Catty. He told Burgerpants that they want to hang out after work, and the cat got excited, thanking him and asking Hiro where they wanted to go.

Hiro: To the garbage dump.

Burgerpants eventually accepted it. After playing messenger for the trio, Hiro found that the relaxing atmosphere of the hotel filled him with determination. He looked past the front desk towards the doors with a flashing sign saying “CORE” above. With some resolve, Hiro pushed forward. Once he stepped out, he spotted two shadow figures heading into an opening ahead on the opposite end of the bridge. Before moving past the flanking bushes, his phone rings.

Hiro: Hello? I just saw two shadows ahead of me.

Alphys: Huh? Who are they? N-Nobody else is s-supposed to be here. Oh well! We can't worry about that now! (hangs up)

Hiro entered the area and it looked far more advanced than any other area he went through. The floor is mainly blue with some glowing circuitry lines in intricate designs in different areas. Two paths flanking the elevators led to a different exit, and before he picked one, his phone soon rang again.

Hiro: Alphys, I'm here.

Alphys: I see you! Ready? This is it! Take the elevator up to the top of the CORE!

Hiro (goes up to the elevator, but finds it's not working; answers his ringing phone): Ah, the elevator's not working.

Alphys: What?

Hiro: I'm pressing the buttons, but it's not opening.

Alphys: ….The elevator should be working... W-Well then! Go to the right and keep heading up!

Hiro: Okay! (follows her instructions, but ends up in a dark room with blazing fire below) Uhhh....

Alphys: Now just keep heading up!

Hiro: I can't! There's fire here!

Alphys: ... That pit...isn't on my map. Forget it! Let's try the left side!

Hiro left the room and went up the left path. He saw three red-tipped blue columns flanking the path.

Alphys: Okay, you should be able to make it through here!

Hiro: All right.

As he headed up, the two shadow figures he saw before quickly approached him.

Hiro: Ah!

Alphys: W-Watch out!

The area went grayscale and a battle ensued. Hiro soon faced against a magician type monster that popped out of its hat along with two floating spheres. Its hat covered its eyes, didn't look like it had arms as its coat bellowed and its boots floated underneath it. His options were Talk, Stare, and Clear Mind. Hiro decided to clear his mind and thought of pollen and sunshine. Hiro soon had to dodge flying crosses, but got hit once. The Madjick, as it was called, flaunted its orbs menacingly. Hiro then tried talking to it, but was interrupted as it chattered to itself. Hiro managed to dodge the orbs, then Madjick whispered arcane swear words at the boy. Hiro soon spared it, clearing the room of gray and answering his phone.

Alphys: Th-That was close... Wh...Why are there so many monsters here?

Hiro: Maybe they work here?

Alphys: Ah... I mean... It's no problem, r-r-right? W-w-we've just got to keep moving forward! (becomes silent then hangs up)

Hiro: …?

Hiro soon enter the next area and ahead of him is a barrier and a long glass-floored bridge lined with the laser nodes. Three sets of three light bulbs with three different colors are seen on the light-stripped wall before the switch. He noticed that he could see the various inner parts of the bridge as the lights flickered in various patterns and some spots have a sort of wear with some gray panels and purple insulation worn or broken off, exposing the wires underneath.

Hiro: It's that barrier... (answers his phone)

Alphys: Looks like you can't proceed until you hit the switch. B-But, those lasers will activate when you do. Um, looks like they'll come in this order. Orange, orange, blue. Got it, move until the third one!

Hiro: Okay. (hits the switch, then moves forward) Oran- (sees the colors being blue, blue, then orange) BLUE?! (gets hit by the blue laser, dodges the lasers that followed, stopped on the second blue one and dashing through the orange one) I.. (picks up the call) Alphys!?

Alphys: Oh my god... Are you hurt? I...I'm sorry, I.... I gave you the wrong order. (slight panic) E-Everything's fine, okay? Just keep going to the right.

Hiro: Okay... Is she all right...?

Hiro made his way through the corridor, spotting even more panels broken off and the triple set light bulbs on the wall, passing them by before he arrives at a T road with the bottom pointing north. Seeing the state of the area made Hiro think that the Core hasn't been fixed up for some time.

Alphys: A crossroads... (clicking and papers shifting are heard) Uuuh....uhhh.... Tr...Try heading to the right!

Hiro: Okay. (moves ahead; his phone rings) Hello?

Alphys: W-Wait! No, I think you should h-head up!

Hiro: Ah, I guess?

Hiro moves up into another area. He soon runs into a shadow figure again, and meets a monster called Knight Knight as the area went gray. She was a giant kneeling monster with a face that occupies most of its torso and is occasionally tapping her large mace on the ground. Checking his options, all Hiro could do is Talk and Sing to her. He remembered singing with Shyren, so he tried that, noticing the monster getting sleepy. The monster looked drowsy, but she managed to rain meteors and Hiro got hit by one. Hiro dodges them this time after singing again, lulling the monster into a deep sleep. Once she did, he took the chance to spare her.

Hiro (answers the call): I ran into more monsters...

Alphys: Sorry, I...I...I thought that... Let's try the right.

Hiro: Okay... (returns to the crossroad and heads to the right; sees a long corridor with the laser nodes moving their blue and orange lasers across the way) Ack, it's lasers again.

Alphys: M... More lasers... Okay, I...I won't mess around this time. I'll just deactivate the lasers and let you through. (clicking and tapping is heard, then stops)

Hiro: …..? Alphys?

Alphys: They're... They're not turning off... I can't turn them off, I....

Hiro (worried): What are we gonna do?

Alphys: I-I-It's okay! I have this under control! I'm going to turn off the p-power for that whole node. Then you can walk across. (turns power off in node) Okay, go!

Hiro: I'm moving now! (moves across)

Alphys: W-WAIT! STOP!

Hiro (sees the lights flickering and stops as the corridor gets filled with blue lasers; a blue laser appears and points at his side): Aaaah....Alphys...

Alphys: Th-The power... (heavy tapping is heard) It's turning itself back on. D-Damn it... Th-This isn't supposed to...

Hiro: I can't move...

Alphys: I...I'm gonna turn it off again. When it turns off, move a little then STOP. Okay? Y-You won't get h-h-hurt.

Hiro: All right.

It was an excruciating trek across the bridge as Hiro was guided by the lights to stop and move. He did take a chance to hang up as he needed to focus on the path ahead. Once he made it, he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and answered Alphys's call.

Hiro: I made it!

Alphys (slightly more panicked): Yes! S-See? I've got everything under control. Everything's under control! (hangs up)

Hiro (stares at his phone before hanging up): Uh….? Hm. (leaves the area)

He makes it to a crossroads where a Save Star is waiting. The area was more lit up from the light below. Hiro look down to see flowing glowing liquid that he was unsure of what it was made of, so he moved on to the star, answering his phone as he approached it.

Hiro: Ah, I'm at another place with more roads. Where should I go next?

Alphys: Okay! Y-You should... (rustling sounds) You should.... I don't know? (rustling stops) This doesn't look like my map at all..

Hiro: Ah, uh... (looks around) Um, there's a star and four paths and-

Alphys: I'm sorry... I...I...I have to go.

Hiro: Alph- (gets hung up on; stares at his phone) …..I hope she's okay....

After pocketing his phone, he touched the star. He could smell something in the air. He's heard of the ozone layer in one of his classes, and this scent made him think of it for some reason. Either way, it filled him with determination. Two signs with green light lettering are seen on the wall flanking the northern path. The left sign shows “North, the warrior's path. West, the sage's path. Any path leads to The End.” The right one shows “East... The End.”

Hiro: Wow, that's easy! I'm gonna go this way!

Hiro departed down the eastern path. The path led through a large area of liquid and past several mechanical chrome pillars that have several red lights flashing on them. He soon came to another crossroads with two signs and an electrical barrier. These signs show “To the East! This is The End.” and “ I cannot fight. I cannot think. But, with patience, I will make my way through.”

Hiro: Hmn, I don't think I can wait. I'll go up more. (leaves, doesn't notice the barrier vanishing)

He kept going north to find a T-road, so he kept going to see what's up there. He found himself in a room with just a trash can inside. He decided to look inside and found 100G in it, digging it out and leaving. He went to the left this time, coming across a sign showing “Traverse the northern room, and The End will open.” Hiro was curious about the other end, so he went left to find another T-road and went north. Another room with a trash can present had a Glamburger in it. Hiro was unsure of it, but it's wrapped up, so he felt that it should be okay. Hiro went back to where he was and made his way on the long bridge, only to be ambushed by what looks like an armored Whimsun called a Whimsalot and a spikier Froggit with a small crown called a Final Froggit. The options for Whimsalot were Terrorize, Console, and Pray, and the ones for Final Froggit were Threaten, Compliment, and Mystify. Hiro decided to compliment the Froggit.

Hiro: I like your crown!

The Froggit understood him perfectly and lowered its ATTACK. Despite that, Hiro didn't do well in the fight, flailing around and getting hit by flies and butterflies. There was a strange smell lingering around that was like nightshade and bleach. Hiro turned to Whimsalot and used Console.

Hiro: Um....I think what you're doing is all right?

Whimsalot: Ah...I've made my peace.

Hiro got surrounded by butterflies and couldn't really dodge the flies, leaving his health at 1. He quickly ate a Starfait, healing himself back to 19. Against, he got surrounded and took hits. Afterwards, he noticed the Whimsalot locking eyes with his, so he prayed. This caused the monster to remember its conscience, leading it to not want to fight any longer. Hiro spared the monster and focused his attention to the frog. With only Final Froggit left, Hiro was able to dodge the flies easily. He saw a look on the monster's face like it knew why it's here. Hiro decided to try mystifying it and did something mysterious. Upon seeing this, Final Froggit recognized that it had more to learn from this world. Suddenly, a small white frog appeared, hitting Hiro at first, but he was able to avoid it. Hiro soon spared it and the battle ended. He noticed he was running out of items to use, so he went back to the hotel and Snowdin to buy more, dropping by Sans and Papyrus's place and seeing Undyne and the tall skeleton hanging out by the mailboxes. Hiro waved at them as he went back to return to the Core to continue onward. Again, he was ambushed by a Madjick, but also a Knight Knight. He knew what to do with them. Shocking to Hiro, he managed to dodge the spheres and crosses that appeared. He sung Shyren's song again until the knight fell asleep. While she slept, Hiro dodged Madjick's sphere, sparing Knight Knight in the process. This time, Hiro messed up and ran into the crosses. Hiro glared at both orbs, causing them to freeze, and thus giving him an opportunity to spare Madjick and leave the battle. Not a few more steps ahead, and he ran into Final Froggit, Whimsalot, and a new monster that similar to Loox called Astigmatism. Astigmatism's options were Don't Pick On, Pick On, and Challenge. Hiro didn't want to challenge nor pick on it. Hiro realized too late that he forgot to heal and died in the battle, surrounded by butterflies and running into a bubble stream. Hiro woke up at the Save Star and realized he had to fight Knight Knight and Madjick again.

Hiro: Agh....

This time, he was bombarded by meteors which threw him off from his last attempt. After sparing them, he went back and saved before facing the three monsters that he lost to. Hiro remembered Astigmatism saying to pick on it, so he did, sparing it afterwards. He did the same methods on the frog and bug monsters, but did horribly worse, dying again. It really was a nightmare. He even noticed the eye monster saying not too pick on it, and died again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

Until finally, Hiro managed to beat them. Ahead of him was a switch on the wall. He figured it was for the exit and clicked it. After that, he went back to the star, saved, and moved on. He went down the path that mentioned the east being the end and followed it, leading to a bridge where he ran into an Astigmatism. He picked on and spared it with ease. Hiro reached an area where the elevator and an entrance similar to the one he went through before the first set of lasers is seen.

Hiro (saves then stands before the winged entrance): This gotta be the way to get to the castle. (nods) Right, I'm getting determined!

Once he went through, he was confronted by none other than Mettaton.

Hiro: Not you again...

Mettaton: OH YES. THERE YOU ARE, DARLING.

Hiro: What's it this time?

Mettaton: IT'S TIME TO HAVE OUR LITTLE SHOWDOWN. IT'S TIME TO FINALLY STOP THE “MALFUNCTIONING” ROBOT. …..NOT!!! MALFUNCTION? REPROGRAMMING? GET REAL. THIS WAS ALL JUST A BIG SHOW. AN ACT. ALPHYS HAS BEEN PLAYING YOU FOR A FOOL THE WHOLE TIME.

Hiro: Eh? Really...?

Mettaton: YES. AS SHE WATCHED YOU ON THE SCREEN, SHE GREW ATTACHED TO YOUR ADVENTURE. SHE DESPERATELY WANTED TO BE A PART OF IT. SO SHE DECIDED TO INSERT HERSELF INTO YOUR STORY. SHE REACTIVATED PUZZLES. SHE DISABLED ELEVATORS. SHE ENLISTED ME TO TORMENT YOU. ALL SO SHE COULD SAVE YOU FROM DANGERS THAT DIDN'T EXIST. ALL SO YOU WOULD THINK SHE'S THE GREAT PERSON...THAT SHE'S NOT. AND NOW, IT'S TIME FOR HER FINEST HOUR. AT THIS VERY MOMENT, ALPHYS IS WAITING OUTSIDE THE ROOM. DURING OUR “BATTLE,” SHE WILL INTERRUPT. SHE WILL PRETEND TO DEACTIVATE ME, “SAVING” YOU ONE FINAL TIME. FINALLY, SHE'LL BE THE HEROINE OF YOUR ADVENTURE. YOU'LL REGARD HER SO HIGHLY, SHE'LL EVEN BE ABLE TO CONVINCE YOU NOT TO LEAVE....OR NOT. YOU SEE, I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS PREDICTABLE CHARADE. I HAVE NO DESIRE TO HARM HUMANS. FAR FROM IT, ACTUALLY. MY ONLY DESIRE IS TO ENTERTAIN. AFTER ALL, THE AUDIENCE DESERVES A GOOD SHOW, DON'T THEY? AND WHAT'S A GOOD SHOW...WITHOUT A PLOT TWIST?

(door shuts behind Hiro; knocking is heard)

Alphys: H-Hey!!! Wh-Wh-What's going on!? Th-Th-The door just locked itself!

Hiro (looks back): Alphys!?

(the area lights up in red with five red spotlights surrounding Mettaton with one white spotlight focused on him)

Mettaton (holding a microphone): SORRY, FOLKS! THE PROGRAM'S BEEN CANCELLED!!! BUT WE'VE GOT A FINALE THAT WILL DRIVE YOU WILD!!

(the floor raises up, then rises higher as Hiro falls to his knees)

Mettaton: REAL DRAMA!! REAL ACTION!! REAL BLOODSHED!! ON OUR NEW SHOW...”ATTACK OF THE KILLER ROBOT!”

Hiro was thrown into a battle with Mettaton, his soul becoming yellow again. His only option was Burn, so he tried that. Considering how he often runs into fire recently, he felt that it was what he'll do if it continues in this manner.

Mettaton: YES, I WAS THE ONE THAT REARRANGED THE CORE! I WAS THE ONE THAT HIRED EVERYONE TO KILL YOU! THAT, HOWEVER, WAS A SHORT-SIGHTED PLAN. YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE A HUNDRED TIMES BETTER? KILLING YOU MYSELF!!

Hiro: Then that person Muffet mentioned was him... (waits for the attacks to come, but nothing happened)

Mettaton: LISTEN, DARLING. I'VE SEEN YOU FIGHT. YOU'RE WEAK. IF YOU CONTINUE FORWARD, ASGORE WILL TAKE YOUR SOUL, AND WITH YOUR SOUL, ASGORE WILL DESTROY HUMANITY.

Hiro was caught off guard with some falling blocks, which he started blasting away. Hiro decided to try and spare the robot, but Mettaton ignored his attempt.

Mettaton: BUT IF I GET YOUR SOUL, I CAN STOP ASGORE'S PLAN! I CAN SAVE HUMANITY FROM DESTRUCTION!

Hiro spotted some robotic arms descending and shot at them, forcing them to pull back from him.

Mettaton: THEN, USING YOUR SOUL, I'LL CROSS THROUGH THE BARRIER...AND BECOME THE STAR I'VE ALWAYS DREAMED OF BEING! HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS...NO! MILLIONS OF HUMANS WILL WATCH ME!

Two arms and a line of blocks with a bomb in the middle fell. Hiro shot the arms and a block, but he runs into one by accident.

Hiro: Ah!

Mettaton: GLITZ! GLAMOUR! I'LL FINALLY HAVE IT ALL! SO WHAT IF A FEW PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE? THAT'S SHOW BUSINESS, BABY!

Hiro (gets a call from Alphys): Alphys, help!

Alphys: U...Uh.... I can't see what's going on in there, but.... D-D-Don't give up, okay!? Th...There's o-one l-l-last way to beat Mettaton...It's...um...it's... This is a work-in-progress, so don't judge it too hard...But you know Mettaton always faces f-f-forward?

Hiro: Yeah!

Alphys: That's because there's a switch on his backside. S-S-So if y-y-you c-c-can turn him around... um... And, umm... press th-th-th-the switch... He'll be... um.... He'll be... Vulnerable. Well, g-g-gotta go!

Hiro: Ah. I guess it's my chance to make him move. But how? (notices the Burn option changed to Turn in yellow; selects it) Uuh, hey, there's a mirror behind you!

Mettaton: OH??? A MIRROR??? RIGHT, I HAVE TO LOOK PERFECT FOR OUR GRAND FINALE! (turns around and exposes his switch) HMMM... I DON'T SEE IT... WHERE IS IT....?

Hiro (flips the switch): Got ya!

Mettaton: DID YOU. JUST FLIP. MY SWITCH?

Suddenly, Mettaton was shaking violently as Hiro backed far away, worrying the robot would soon explode. Light bursts from the metal body until the whole area was engulfed in it, yet the only sound that was heard was....

OH~ YES~

Hiro: Oh...whoa...?

A pair of spotlights descended and focused their light within a cloud of smoke, a humanoid figure stood among it. Its voice had a familiar robotic tone in it, but it seemed more...human..?

???: Ohhh my. If you flipped my switch, that can only mean one thing. You're desperate for the premiere of my new body. How rude... Lucky for you, I've been aching to show this off for a long time. So... as thanks, I'll give you a handsome reward. I'll make your last living moments.... (a flash of light reveals a male android) ABSOLUTELY beautiful!

Hiro was stunned in seeing this android, even more so when he finds out it's Mettaton, but with an EX on the end of his name. Mettaton had taken the shape of a man with short black hair, most of it covering his right eye, a metallic section on his left cheek, large shoulder guards, arms similar to the ones he had as a robot, holes on the right side of his chest that may be the speaker, a dial on the left side, a chassis containing a white soul, black skintight pants, and high-heeled boots.  The boy watched as the android made various poses in place and noticed a line graph on the upper left corner that shows a yellow line, a cyan line, and fluctuating purple line, and the words “Ratings 3001”. His options are Pose, Boast, and Heel Turn. Hiro had watched the android doing many poses, so he tried one out dramatically, raising the ratings to 3101.

Mettaton EX: Lights! Camera! Action!

Hiro saw six legs appear, descending towards him. Hiro shot two grey ones to move them and went between moving ones, hitting on the right. He saw green words pop up and the ratings had 50 more points. Hiro posed again, raising the score 3311.

Me. EX: Drama! Romance! Bloodshed!

Bombs appearing between little umbrella-carrying Mettatons threw Hiro off as he shot the ones on the right side. A bomb explodes, catching him off guard. Hiro ate a Starfait, which the audience loves and received 300 points, the score being at 3756 now.

Me. EX: I'm the idol everyone craves!

Six legs and some boxes appeared, drawing Hiro's attention as he shoots the legs and boxes. Hiro didn't notice a leg and it hits him, making the score bump up to 3826. Hiro decided to do a boast.

Hiro: Your attacks won't get me! I won't get hit at all!

Me. EX: Well then! Smile for the camera!

Hiro saw the ratings gradually rise as two arms and four Minitons (as Hiro decided to call them) descend. He managed to survive, and the ratings hit 4151. Hiro dramatically poses again, bringing the score to 4251.

Me. EX: Oooh, it's time for a pop quiz! Have fun with that on-screen keyboard... This one's an essay question!

To Hiro's surprise, a blank screen and grey keyboard popped up in front of him with the Essay Prompt: What do you love most about Mettaton? Hiro was unsure before putting his answer: His style and legs. Hiro threw in the legs part because he's been seeing them a lot in this battle, not because he liked them. Apparently, the mention of legs raised the number to 4601.

Me. EX: That's right. Legs was the correct answer! (saves the answer for future use)

Hiro (confused): Oh...I guess?? That was right?? (strikes a pose again, seeing the number bump to 4701)

Me. EX: Your essay really showed everyone your heart. Why don't I show you mine?

The door of the chassis opens and Mettaton's soul came out. Several pulses of electricity sparked out along with some Minitons blowing heart kisses at Hiro. Hiro tries his best to dodge the onslaught, but still gets hit by them. Even the violence contributed to the score as it rises to 4856. Seeing his health running low, Hiro eats a Glamburger. Because it was on brand, it jumped the score to 5356.

Me. EX: Ooooh, I'm just warming up!

Hiro manages to dodge all of the Minitons and their hearts. The score rose to 5416 now. Hiro hadn't noticed before, but the area had a peculiar smell wafting in the air. He soon realized it was coming from Mettaton. Hiro made another dramatic pose, making the score hit 5516.

Me. EX: You got some pretty lovely poses! But how are you on the dance floor!?

Hiro: Not that great...

A spotlight focused on Hiro as a disco ball  hangs above him. Hiro shoots at it, noticing it changing the lights from white to blue. He keeps going as he noticed Mettaton's poses seem to be a little faster than before. The impromptu dance-off brought the score to 5526, with Hiro ending it in a pose, raising the score again to 5626.

Me. EX: Fabulous! Can you keep up the pace?

Hiro: Yeah!

The disco ball descends again, but the lights move faster. Hiro messes up his shot once, but he quickly regains control, ending the dance with 5666 points while posing again.

Me. EX: Lights! Camera! Bombs!

Hiro: Not again!

Hiro sees his battle field become thinner and four bombs and blocks appear. In his attempt to shoot them, one set hits Hiro while he was caught in the explosion. The violence bumped the ratings to 5856 before Hiro's pose made it 6006.

Me. EX: Things are blowing up!

To Hiro's dismay, more bomb blocks fall. He somehow only got hit once, bringing the score to 6136. He eats a part of a Bisicle, which he noticed it didn't bring the descending score up.

Me. EX: Time for our union-regulated break!

The words “Happy Break Time” flashes on Hiro's field.

Hiro: Just like Napstablook... (notices Mettaton posing at a rapid rate) I'm gonna pose, too! (poses with style)

Me. EX: We've grown so distant, darling... How about another heart-to-heart?

Hiro sees the soul coming out again and shoots at it. 4 waves of boxes pulsing in and out from the android's soul along with sparks, and Hiro manages to dodge everything surprisingly well while shoot the dancing bot's soul, raising the score to 6496. This caused Mettaton's arms to fall off, startling Hiro as he poses to bring the score to 6596.

Hiro (panicking): M-Mettaton, your arms fell off!!

Me. EX: A..Arms? Wh...Who needs arms with legs like these? I'm still going to win!

Hiro didn't do well this round. He was hit by several blocks and bombs, and just when he thought it was over, there was a strange feeling in the air.  Like time was being rewound. Suddenly, the blocks and bombs that went by him came back up, causing him to jump between the spaces he shot out. The ratings sat at 6816 because of this.

Hiro: That was close! What was that feeling..? It feels...

Me. EX: Come on...!

Again, the record/rewind stage appeared before Hiro. He did a little better this time, now that he got the gist of this stage. His score rose to 6996, but this is where things took a heel turn for the worse. He's run out of items.

Me.EX: The show...must go on!

Many blocks and bombs fall, causing Hiro to try and shoot at them. Hiro was hit a few times blasting the bombs away, his score hitting 7136 and jumping to 7286 after he poses.

Me.EX: Dr...Drama! A...Action!

The blocks and bombs fall again faster, and Hiro was hit a few times again. The ratings were at 7446 when he poses again.

Me. EX: L...Lights... C..Camera... Enough of this! Do you really want humanity to perish!? ….Or do you just believe in yourself that much?

Hiro: I don't want that, but I do believe in myself!

Hiro was becoming weary, which caused him to mess up the bomb block section. The score rises to 7576.

Me. EX: Haha, how inspiring! Well. Darling! It's either me or you! But I think we both already know who's going to win. Witness the true power of humanity's star!

Mettaton's soul comes out again. Hiro had to dodge more sparks as he shot away at the soul and the two bombs that revolved around it. Once done, Hiro saw half of his field flashing with a warning.

Hiro: What's that- (sees a row of legs jutt out at him; dodges away) AH! (hears the warning behind him and moves away as more legs appear) Gah! This is crazy!

Hiro had to deal with the soul sparks and kicking legs twice more before he saw Mettaton's legs fall off and the ratings hitting 7696. He poses in front of the limbless android, adding 100 more points and making it 7796.

Me. EX: ….then.... Are YOU the star? Can you really protect humanity!?

Hiro: I don't know. Maybe if I tried hard enough?

In his thoughts, Hiro is caught off guard with the soul shooting sparks at him while he shoots at it. Mettaton remained silent during the exchange. Hiro was so worn out from the battle that he didn't realize the disco ball came out and he panics. Some sparks and Minitons came out and hit Hiro as he desperately tries to shoot and dodge them. With no more items left to use, he was left at 2 Hp. With the last of his power, Hiro poses with all his might. The audience screams in adoration, but it wasn't enough. He was completely worn out to the point where he couldn't see the bombs nor recognize that it was the rewind stage. He shot at one, causing it to explode on him and making him literally go out with a bang. He soon wakes back up at the save star outside of the elevator. Even though he usually gets healed and refreshed at these points, Hiro still felt the remnants of exhaustion from that battle and lays in his spot for a while. It was during that rest when he remembers that feeling from being rewound in the fight.

Hiro: That was weird. It was like.....a tape rewinding? Oh... Is that what happens when I die? I redo stuff? ….. (puts his hands on his head) My head hurts....

Deciding to not think more on it, Hiro rested a little while longer before getting up and reentering the room where Mettaton is waiting. Hiro was not much in the mood to hear Mettaton's monologue and tells him about the mirror again.

Me. EX: CLEVER. VERY CLEVER.

The battle ensues again. Poses, bombs, and bolts fly as Hiro danced and fought his way against Mettaton. He stopped caring about the ratings as he needed to concentrate. Despite doing much better this time around, he ran out of items and was back on his last two HP again. And once again, with feeling this time, Hiro poses with his might. The battle was soon cut off as Mettaton sees the ratings skyrocket past 10000.

Mettaton (excitedly): OOH, LOOK AT THESE RATINGS!!! THIS IS THE MOST VIEWERS I'VE HAD!!! WE'VE REACHED THE VIEWER CALL-IN MILESTONE! ONE LUCKY VIEWER WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO TALK TO ME...BEFORE I LEAVE THE UNDERGROUND FOREVER!! LET'S SEE WHO WHO CALLS IN FIRST! (phone rings) HI, YOU'RE ON TV! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ON THIS, OUR LAST SHOW???

???: …..oh.......hi....mettaton....

Hiro: Huh? This voice...

???: ….i really liked watching your show...my life is really boring....but...seeing you on the screen...brought excitement to my life...vicariously. i can't tell, but...i guess this is the last episode...? i'll miss you...mettaton......oh.....i didn't mean to talk so long....oh......

Mettaton: NO, WAIT! (tries calling back) WAIT, BL.. (hears a click) ..H....THEY ALREADY HUNG UP. …. I'LL TAKE ANOTHER CALLER!!!

As soon as he opened the phone lines, calls started pouring in as the viewers voiced their joy in watching Mettaton on TV and the sorrow they felt at the thought of losing him.

“Mettaton, your show made us so happy!”

“Mettaton, I don't know what I'll watch without you.”

“Mettaton, there's a Mettaton-shaped hole in my Mettaton-shaped heart....”

Mettaton (saddened): AH... I...I SEE...(grins solemnly)...EVERYONE... THANK YOU SO MUCH. … DARLING.

Hiro: Yes?

Mettaton: PERHAPS.... IT MIGHT BE BETTER IF I STAY HERE FOR A WHILE. HUMANS ALREADY HAVE STARS AND IDOLS, BUT MONSTERS...THEY ONLY HAVE ME. IF I LEFT....THE UNDERGROUND WOULD LOSE ITS SPARK. I'D LEAVE AN ACHING VOID THAT CAN NEVER BE FILLED. SO... I THINK I'LL HAVE TO DELAY MY DEBUT. BESIDES. YOU'VE PROVEN TO BE VERY STRONG. PERHAPS...EVEN STRONG ENOUGH TO GET PAST ASGORE.

Hiro: …

Mettaton: I'M SURE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PROTECT HUMANITY. HA, HA... IT'S ALL FOR THE BEST, ANYWAY. THE TRUTH IS, THIS FORM'S ENERGY CONSUMPTION IS....INEFFICIENT. IN A FEW MOMENTS, I'LL RUN OUT OF BATTERY POWER, AND...WELL.

Hiro: Oh no! Will you be okay?

Mettaton: I'LL BE ALRIGHT. KNOCK 'EM DEAD, DARLING. AND EVERYONE.... THANK YOU. YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT AUDIENCE!

With Mettaton's parting smile, a bright light flashes in the area then fades. Once Hiro lowered his arms to look around, he saw the stage had return to normal and Mettaton's resting form on the ground before him. Before he could make a move, he hears the door opening behind him.

Alphys: I...I managed to open the lock! Are you two... (runs in; stops in shock) Oh my god. (rushes over to Mettaton) Mettaton! Mettaton, are you.... (checks him over, sighs in relief) Thank GOD, it's just the batteries. Mettaton, if you were gone, I would have.... (trembling) I would have.... (silent, then shakes her head) I m-mean, h-hey, it's n-no problem, you know? He's just a robot, if you messed it up, I could always...j-just build another. (becomes silent again)

Hiro: Alphys?

Alphys: Ah....I'm...fine. Why don't you go on ahead? I....I just need a moment.

Hiro: Okay....

Hiro took a look at Mettaton's broken body, and got a quick vision of a more deadly version of him. Strangely, despite this towering version with its flowing cape, laser eye, and deadly gun arm, that Mettaton was shot down in one hit. Hiro shook that vision away, and departed the room exhaustively. As Hiro made his way down the corridor, he was caught up by Alphys as she apologized for before.

Alphys: L-Let's k-keep going!

(silence)

Alphys: S-So you're about to meet Asgore, h-huh? You must be...Y-You must be... Pr... pretty excited about all that, huh?

Hiro (frowns): Not really.

Alphys: Oh.. (twiddles her thumbs) A-At least you'll f-f-finally... You'll finally get to go home!

Hiro (smiles): I'm more excited about that! (arrives at the elevator; pushes the button and is about to enter) Here I go.

Alphys: W... Wait!

Hiro (notices Alphys standing some distance from him): Yeah?

Alphys (smiles nervously): I mean, um... I... I was just going to..….um...say goodbye, and.. (her smile slowly drops; faces away from him)

Hiro: Alphys?

Alphys: ...I can't take this anymore. (turns away) I...I lied to you.

Hiro: About what?

Alphys: About....A-About how to l-leave here. R-Remember wh-when I said that with y-your human soul, you c-can pass through the b-barrier...?

Hiro: Yep.

Alphys: A....A human soul isn't strong enough to cross the barrier alone.

Hiro: It isn't?

Alphys: N-No.... (looks down at her feet) It takes at least a human soul...and a monster soul. (silent; turns to him) If you want to go home.... You'll have to take his soul. You'll have to kill Asgore. (walks away then stops) I'm sorry.

As Alphys ran off, Hiro stood before the open elevator in shock. He has to...kill Asgore? He had no intention of killing anyone in the Underground, nor anyone ever anywhere. Besides, Hiro's never killed anyone before in his life.

…...

Right...?

TO BE CONTINUED