#don't ask why ralsei is in the light world

[dawnthefluffyduck]

It's cooling down now, happy fall :3

Next on the bucket list; planning for borders before the final stage of the drawing haha. I might do more to this later w/ the background but I think it's done for now

[patchwork-crow-writes]

More Thoughts on Kris x Ralsei

This is a continuation of my prior post on the subject, inventively titled "Thoughts on Kris x Ralsei". This is Part 1.5, because it adds on to Part 1, but isn't really substantial enough to be its own standalone thing.

If you wish to read any of the other parts in this series, here's a handy TOC linking to all the parts written so far!

Part 1: And They Lived Happily Ever After Part 1.5: I Believe Your Choices DO Matter <- (You Are Here!) Part 2: A Pair of Star-Cross'd Lovers Part 2.5: In Another World, We Could Have Been (Just) Friends (Future parts to be added as they are written)

Part 1.5: I Believe Your Choices DO Matter

I wanted to add a bit onto my previous ramble about Kralsei, on the nature of how Deltarune heavily encourages you to invest in the pairing. On that post, I did receive some feedback saying that many of the options to "flirt" with Ralsei are largely optional. And that's entirely correct! Most of the interactions ARE entirely within your choice to accept or refuse.

...but take another look at some of these choices we're offered, and you'll start to see something interesting. Let me show you what I mean.

So, we have the tutorial battle. During this battle, Ralsei will instruct you to hug the dummy (which looks just like Ralsei, a fact that will become important in a moment), so that you can practice ACTing. You hug the dummy, lesson's over. But then you see another option: Hug Ralsei. You choose it, Kris hugs Ralsei, who lights up like a fluffy christmas tree. That was cute, wasn't it? And hey, guess what? You can do it again! And again! And again! In fact, I'm pretty sure that hugging Ralsei is the only action you can perform repeatedly that won't force him to end the tutorial. (feel free to correct me if this is wrong!)

Here the game is teaching you some things, quite separate from the battle mechanics: One: Ralsei is huggable. Two: he really, REALLY likes being hugged. Three: there will be situations specifically tailored to allowing the player to positively interact with Ralsei. The game (and perhaps Ralsei himself) is priming you to expect more of these little interactions, and if you're receptive to that, you'll start looking for them.

And you won't have to wait long, either, because the next example I want to talk about is the ribbon. Picking up the ribbon in the treasure box will prompt Ralsei to give a tutorial on armour and equipping. He'll suggest you equip it to Kris, but you can choose instead to equip it to Ralsei, who will make a comment about looking cute.

There are many ways to avoid this dialogue - don't open the treasure chest, equip the ribbon to Kris, don't equip the ribbon at all. But here's the thing: the game assumes the player is familiar with the conventions of RPGs. You always open treasure chests. You always equip better armour as soon as you get it... and you will usually equip your strongest armour onto your most frail party member. And who would that be in this scenario...?

Why, if it isn't Ralsei... what are the odds of that?

Deltarune does something rather sneaky here: it uses player habits from other RPGs to ensure that a dialogue option that is ostensibly "optional" is in fact much more likely to be seen by a large number of players. And if you're trying to avoid that dialogue, it's because you're aware the dialogue exists and are going out of your way to ensure it doesn't happen... which more than likely means you already triggered it on a prior playthrough.

(This then primes a receptive player further, by saying "look, Ralsei says cute things sometimes when you try equipping him with stuff!" Which is probably how a lot of people stumble onto the Snow Ring interaction: "Are... are you proposing?")

Not enough for you? Okay then, to Chapter 2, and the return of the Dummy!

There's an option to return to the dummy at the beginning of the chapter - specifically, after Ralsei asks you to return to the abandoned classroom, but before you actually go there to orbify the room's contents. Interacting with the dummy prompts a yes/no choice on whether to hug it. And here, you can choose no, and "walk the path of fluffiness no longer".

But interact with it again, and you're given the same choice again. Say no again, say no ten times, or a hundred, but you'll always be given the choice again... UNTIL you say yes and hug the dummy. Then a text box will appear proclaiming "you're all hugged out." The choice only becomes closed when you accept hugging the dummy; until then, the choice remains open.

Of course, once you do hug the dummy, if you go back to Ralsei, he'll make a comment about not needing the dummy anymore, and how he'd rather you "practice on the real thing..." Which is a pretty unambiguous statement to unpick.

So what's the point I'm making here, exactly? Only this: You DO technically have the choice to not initiate these interactions, but the choices you ARE given are weighted towards initiating them, in one way or another. And for some of these options, it doesn't even matter what you choose... but we'll get to that in Part 2 proper.

Thanks for reading, and see you in the next one :)

[deltarune-au-domain]

(No depiction because I also suck at drawing... btw sorry if someone already submitted a really similar ask!!! character's name is "Amplexus," a post prophecy Ralsei that wondered off track, do not have a kris/susie but do have a castle town, and also empathizes too much.) Mr. or Ms. Honeycomb... Excuse me for a second but... You and I have it pretty well off in terms of wellbeing but... There's so much tragedy, so many awful things happening. So many kind people losing everything, so many kind people fallen needlessly. I know you are an archivist. You want to preserve things. I do too, but I wanted to preserve everyone. To keep everyone safe and happy, only dying after long fulfilling lives... Not that tribulations wouldn't exist. ... My crusade didn't really... work out for me. I only hurt myself in the end. I wish I was more like you. I wish I could stomach it all. I... Can't. I think too much, and I can't stop thinking. I-I feel like I can't breath... It all just leaves me wanting a hug... and... i'm so tired... ... After a while, I realized it's not possible... I... I know you take archiving seriously, as your number one priority, a-and I can respect that... but, as far as I can tell, you still dislike needless suffering... i-i think. ... i think i-i just wanted to hear you say it.

"The cycle of life and death, love and dissappear, the everything in between is.. necessary to our world.

It's unfortunate but it's true. Without darkness, it's hard to see the light.

We, as creations unfortunately don't have control of what our creators write for us. It's sad to whiteness suffering, yes, but it doesn't mean it's all hopeless.

That's why I archive things. So people's stories aren't told in silence. Existing without vain. Preservation, even at it's later stages is still something.

It's... best to worry about what we can control. Outside our universes, we can choose our paths without abiding by set narratives. Every bit of kindness matters no matter where we are!

It's hard if not impossible to save everyone on such a grand scale. Especially alone... Trust me, I know.

Don't take off more than you can chew. Every bit helps."

[kaunaz]

aight i figure i should toss in my own Deltarune theory instead of just responding to someone else's. so let's talk about Ralsei.

this turned out to be a long-ass post, so get comfy.

so many people suspect Ralsei will turn out to have been Evil All Along, no doubt helped by his similarities to Flowey and possible connection to this universe's Asriel. he knows quite a lot about the mechanics of the Deltarune game, including how those tie into the player's keyboard. he keeps trying to ensure we follow a specific path through the Dark Worlds. he (previously) insisted on Kris being the absolute leader and submitting to them no matter what. and he clearly knows far more about the history of Dark Worlds, the nature of Dark Fountains, and the Light World itself than any other Darkner, and for some reason is very reluctant to tell us anything we don't absolutely need to know.

on one hand, i agree with the sentiment that Ralsei is hiding something Big. we haven't encountered any other "pure" Darkner (one born from the Grand Fountain), and he appears to have been alone for quite some time. he practically jumped at the chance to tell us the prophecy of the Three Heroes, but only told us about the Roaring out of desperation, and has yet to explain who or what the Titans or Angel's Heaven are.

but on the other... i can't agree that Ralsei's evil. for one, he definitely does NOT want to cause the Roaring, and i'm not budging on this. he wouldn't be having us seal the fountains if he wanted that. for two, while he's definitely a bit manipulative, the only goal i can glean from his more questionable behaviors is to keep us on track to seal the Fountains, without asking too many questions or becoming too violent. for three, having preconceived notions about how things should go isn't evil. when you spend so long waiting for something to happen, eventually you're going to build up an idea of what's going to happen, and it will inevitably happen differently than you're expecting. and it appears Ralsei has been waiting for this for a long time.

the previous paragraph assumes that Ralsei is telling the truth about the legend, the Roaring, and everything associated with it. if he's lying, that throws literally everything we've learned about Dark Worlds into question, and we end up with a scenario where literally anything is possible. if that's the case, i can't reasonably speculate on it because there'd be nothing to base my speculations on. so i'm going to continue assuming he's telling the truth.

what do i think is going on, you ask?

simple. Ralsei is trying to protect Kris and Susie to the furthest of his ability.

we know that Ralsei knew who Kris and Susie were before they arrived. and not only does he know the exact layout of the Light World, he understands its systems and culture well enough to know and agree that Kris and Susie should be doing their homework instead of slacking off in the Dark World. that tells me he's been watching the Light World for a long time, and probably knows things about Hometown that even Kris doesn't. he also knew exactly where the Cyber World was and how to get there, despite the library not being physically connected to the school. (how he got there isn't important - yet.)

with this level of insight into the Light World, i think it's reasonable to assume that Ralsei knows exactly who the Roaring Knight is.

remember that the Knight MUST be a Lightner, as Darkners are incapable of opening Fountains themselves. i'd have to replay Deltarune to be certain, but i don't think Ralsei ever brings up the Knight once. one would think that if he didn't know what was going on, he'd at least ask some questions about the Knight's identity. him saying nothing about it tells me that he knows much more than he's willing to let on.

i think Ralsei knowing who the Knight is would explain why he doesn't want to tell Kris and Susie more than they need to know. for all of his knowledge and apparent power, he cannot control what they do in the Light World. and if they were to know who the Knight is, there's a possibility that they would attempt to confront the Knight in the Light World, where they don't have any special powers or weapons. while the jury is still out as to whether or not the Knight is just as powerful in the Light World, they are clearly very good at manipulating Darkners, and it's likely they're good at manipulating Lightners too. and whatever they're trying to accomplish by opening Fountains, they are either 1) willing to risk destroying the world as we know it, 2) actively trying to destroy the world, or 3) unaware of the risks and maybe a bit insane. they are a dangerous person, and i understand why Ralsei would want us to avoid confronting them directly, at least without being as prepared as possible.

and since the Knight is so dangerous, i believe Ralsei is also trying to keep the Knight from figuring out who Kris and Susie are, or at least what they're doing. if the Knight knew who was going behind their back and sealing the Fountains, they'd probably go after the culprits in the Light World, and who knows what they'd be willing to do to achieve their goal. once again, Ralsei can't protect Kris and Susie outside of the Dark World, not directly. the best he can do is make sure they don't start the fight themselves.

come to think of it, that may be part of why Ralsei's obsessed with keeping Kris and Susie on track. the less time they spend in the Dark Worlds the Knight creates, the less time the Knight has to figure out who's missing from the Light World. perhaps the roles that Ralsei expects the party to have also play into this somehow? i'm not really sure on that one.

either way, i really don't think Ralsei's evil. while there are certainly better ways he could be handling the situation, at the end of the day, he just doesn't want Kris and Susie to get hurt. whether that's because he cares about them or solely because he needs them to stop the Roaring, it's too early to tell. all i'm saying is that i get why someone who knows THAT much about what's going on might want to keep some things a secret.

yes, i know i didn't talk about Ralsei not knowing exactly who he is, or why he talks about his identity as some sort of role he needs to fill, but that's beyond the scope of this theory. so is the fact that the prophecy was "foretold by time and space" and the possibility of connections to Gaster that raises. that's some weird shit, for sure, but i don't think it's relevant to deciding if he's evil or not.

[blueorange123]

Cold‐Banded Killer route [Aka DevilsX route]

A while back I posted this onto Reddit but I decided to bring it over here to add onto with some new ideas

Original post:

The route:

▪︎Attack Ralsei Dummy 5 times

▪︎Use a new act to glare at Ralsei

▪︎Battle ends

▪︎Ralsei asks if you'd like him to go look for Susie and you can meet up with them when he finds her

▪︎Agree

▪︎Fight all darkners in the field

▪︎In the first puzzle with the spikes and 3 buttons there are rocks on the buttons

▪︎Reunite with Susie and Ralsei at the puzzle that requires all 3 of you

▪︎In the C. Round fight force Kris and Ralsei to attack, the combined damage gives C.Round a scar but it still flees

▪︎Susie says they did an awesome job before questioning why Kris seems so bothered

▪︎The Seap is closed but in front of it is a chest with a weapon in it called the Banded Sword (Light World equivalent: Pencil with a rubber band glued to it, "BandPen")

▪︎The Banded Sword stops enemies from running away and prevents Kris from missing

▪︎The first time you kill an enemy it'll do the red disintegration effect like in the actual game.

▪︎After the first kill Susie and Ralsei will both be concerned with Susie unsuccessfully trying to hide it

▪︎Susie and Ralsei's overworld sprites change to have more concerned expressions

▪︎Kill every Darkner you physically can

▪︎K. Round has C. Round's scar but more importantly can be killed due to the power boost

▪︎The crown is intact

▪︎Lancer is shocked but still thanks you

▪︎Susie says she's joining Lancer to be one of the bad guys when in reality she's doing it to protect Lancer

▪︎Everything is more dull and less comedic up until the Susie and Lancer Fight

▪︎Kris puts on a menacing look without our input to try and make them more nervous and back off in order to not have to hurt them and it just barely works

▪︎Rather than fighting Lancer, Susie will reason with him to let her try and convince Kris to stop fighting and promises him they'll beat the King without fighting

▪︎Susie joins the party for real… reluctantly

▪︎Go to ??? [Will discuss what happens if you don't do this/procrastinate on it in future post]

▪︎Jevil swaps your Banded Sword for a Spooky Sword

▪︎Beat Jevil up

▪︎Jevil drops hints about the Snowgrave Route

▪︎Get a version of the Devils Knife equipable by everyone

▪︎Keep fighting

▪︎Nu Rouxls battle (Rouxls with the K. Round crown) [pronounced as new rules]

▪︎No scene between King and Lancer

▪︎"While you might think of me as a villain to everyone else… I'M THE HERO!"

▪︎When King pretends to turn good you have 2 options, letting Ralsei heal him or trying to attack him, neither abort the route

▪︎If you let Ralsei heal King, it goes similar to the Chapter 1 violence outcome from the real game but Lancer mentions how he couldn't find anyone to ask for help from in the whole kingdom which puts a nervous expression on both Susie and Ralsei's faces before continuing mostly the same

▪︎If you try to attack the King, Susie will stop you and say she promised Lancer they wouldn't kill him

▪︎Either way, after leaving Susie will tell Kris they should go back to see Lancer and Ralsei sometime.

Notes:

After beating Jevil you get a permanent X-Slash you can use since Seam's Seap stays closed throught the route

If you try to be merciful immediately after getting the Sword, then the sound of Jevil's laughter will play, your sword will be replaced with a second Wood Blade, and the route will be aborted, after you reach the forest, Seam's Seap will be open and if you fight Jevil, he'll make fun of you, this prevents you from doing things like only killing Susie and Berdly, which while it would be interesting, would destroy the story [may discuss as a what if in the future]

Chapter 2 effects:

Only non-murdered characters will be in the Castle Town

Characters who were witnesses of the Weird Route trust Kris less

It still plays Empty Town instead of My Castle Town unless you recruit 5 or more enemies in chapter 2

There are less group interactions

[mymarifae]

I think it’s more like how light world time flows to the dark world. As in the supply closet definitely existed before the abandoned classroom was a thing so that’s why it might be considered the first. The other two fountains were built later in the town’s history, but are still pretty old. That’s my theory anyway.

oh so like. a dark world has existed as long as the light world's corresponding location has existed? so likeeee: cyber world came into existence once the computer lab was built, and queen's reign began when her light world counterpart was taken out of the old classroom after alvin retired/passed away and was moved to the computer lab. (because that is totally what happened. i know it.)

that's a really interesting idea and it makes a lot of sense and i really like it!!!! files it away in my brain forever. but honestly, taking it into consideration, i'd be more inclined to say that the abandoned classroom has existed as long as the school has, because it was part of the original building plans, thus making it older - while the supply closet could have been built in literally any time. 🤔 or, Brought In. it's kind of hard to tell, but the supply closet doesn't look like a built in part of the school. it looks like a portable closet

[ID: the hallway supply closet followed by an image of the closet in the abandoned classroom. end ID.]

see how the top kinda looks like, 3d almost? implying that it's not actually two double doors built into the wall, but a portable closet that someone shoved there. in that. hole in the wall. (????????)

anyway. either way as far as the "which fountain thing came first" debate goes, i like this thought a lot!! it definitely works. thank you for sharing! :)

[nightqueen1221]

could you write something for Deltarune about a Lightner being turned into a darkner?

I wasn't told wanted you wanted or what you wanted so I did headcannons for the main three.

Kris Dreemur

-Of course their shocked.

-But they don't really show expression.

-So it's more or less up to you if you think their shocked or not.

-Might start to think it might happen to them.

-But Kris is a Lightener from The Legend so it's most likely not going to happen, that is unless your also from the Legend or have some sort of play in it.

-This is most likely going to raise conflicts like, "How do we bring you back to the light world?" "How did this even happen?" "Is this permanent?"

-Kris is still going to treat you as a friend, or if their soul decided be a jerk to you, they'll still think of you as a friend and try and make it up to you some how.

-If nobody knows how it happened, Kris is on the case.

-They'll spend a good amount of time, even if it's just thinking, attempting to grasp what happened.

-If you were a human originally and there for didn't know how to use magic...

-They'll just kinda, push you towards Ralsei to teach you how to use that stuff.

-There was an attempt ✨ᕕ( ᐕ )ᕗ✨

Susie

-Confused AF

-Kinda just like, "Uhhhhh, that's not supposed to happen, right?"

-She freaks out on the inside but acts a bit more calm on the outside.

-(and by a bit more calm on the outside I mean she asked you who did this while she's thinking about the different ways she and slaughter them on the inside.)

-Once it becomes a bit more a normal things she doesn't really think much of it.

-If you were a human before she'll just run up to Kris like,

-"Kris, what do I do? Your a human, you should know this stuff."

-If you turn into something fluffy like Ralsei, she'll want to hug you more and she'll also fall asleep if you cuddle with her.

-(not saying if you were a monster with fur before she wouldn't hug you)

-Trust me, she's very dedicated to finding a way to make you a Lightener again.

-If your upset don't worry she'll cheer you up by saying things like...

-"Hey! Don't be upset about it. You can spend time with Lancer and Ralsei!"

Ralsei

-The most concerned out of anyone here.

-Is going to be looking and searching for any possible reason as to why this happened.

-"Does this have something to do with the Dark Fountains?" "Why did it start at this moment?" "Does that mean a Darkener can become a Lightener?" "Is this a danger to other people?"

-If it turns out something not big at all, he'll calm down but you can still see him asking questions to himself.

-By all means, he's happy to have another friend down their with him other than just Lancer.

-He'll make you cakes or something else if you don't want that.

-Something he's really excited for is you getting to stay in your room.

-If you want, he'll cuddle with you. (AND HE IS SO WARM OH MY LORD-)

-You also probably one of the few or maybe first to see past locked and boarded up rooms.

-He is also very happy to teach you what role you'll play in this world as a Darkner.

[yanderes-galore]

Could you do a ralsei x player darling?

So, another Self-Aware request? I can try, yeah!

Yandere! Self-Aware!Ralsei with Player! Darling

Pairing: Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Fourth wall break, Kidnapping, Alternate dimensions, Manipulation, Drugging/using magic to drug, Forced relationship.

- He is already quite aware of the connection between the Light and Dark World but he isn't sure where you're from.

- Like other self-aware characters he'll be able to sense you, hear you, and see you through some sort of means.

- Like maybe Ralsei sees you through his cauldron or just sees you through the screen in some other way.

- Either way Ralsei will probably be curious about this new presence around him.

- It always seems to be strongest when Kris is around, too....

- He'd probably try to communicate with you through text boxes.

- It's easier for game characters to interact with you when self-aware as they can use the code to talk.

- You'll notice something's up when Ralsei says things you've never seen others get in their playthroughs.

- No character seems to really pick up on it except maybe Kris.

- Mostly because Kris is loosely aware of your existence through their SOUL.

- Ralsei will make odd comments through his dialogue.

- Like things that seem a bit too specific...

- For example, he comments on an outfit you're wearing and it doesn't seem directed towards Kris like other dialogue.

- That or he mentions being excited to meet/see someone but doesn't elaborate except for one cryptic comment.

- "Who am I talking about? Oh, don't worry, they know who I mean."

- Ralsei may even try harder in battle.

- Like if you're having trouble dodging he'll help you out by healing you or nudging the SOUL you control.

- He wants your experience to be pleasant, not difficult!

- Ralsei probably thinks of ways you two could meet.

- He desperately wants to meet you in person even if that's not all that possible.

- One way may be if you finish a chapter and you get an extra cutscene.

- One where it's just Ralsei sitting in his castle, smiling at you.

- "Oh, hey! I was hoping this worked. It's nice to finally meet you, (Y/N)... just the two of us. I... know you can't taste it but I made a cake!"

- He's still just the sweetest towards you even if you're separated by a screen.

- "I've been studying ways on how we can meet! Although spells for other dimensions are... difficult to master. Give me time and I'm sure I can make it happen!"

- His words may be odd but you expect nothing much.

- It's a game that breaks the fourth wall, that isn't new!

- It doesn't become an issue until you wake up in a place you don't understand....

- Only to see a goat prince stare at you with hopeful eyes.

- "It worked! I can't believe it worked! Oh, watching you from a screen was so painful... but now you're here! Let me show you around!"

- Ralsei is very adamant that, despite taking you from your home, you make the castle your new home.

- You ask him all sorts of questions and he's sure to answer.

- You ask why you're here and his answer is so innocent.

- "I wanted to meet you! Admittedly I... have wanted to meet you for a long time-"

- You ask how you're here, he frowns.

- "I told you before! I was practicing a spell to bring you here!"

- You ask when you can go home...

- "This... this IS your home! Is it not to your liking?"

- When you start to panic, Ralsei does his best to calm you naturally.

- But if push comes to shove, he has his pacify spell....

- "Please calm down! I just want you to be happy here!"

- If it was not possible to bring you to his world, he'll just manipulate your game like a virus.

- Yet if he can...

- You may never see your old life again with him.

- "Don't worry! I'm sure Kris and Susie will love you!"

[kawia-renka]

Hi!! I just found out about your blog and thought it was really cool I was wondering how would asriel chara frisk kris Susie and ralsei react to reader who has a fear of a dark

Frisk, Chara, Kris, Susie and Ralsei With A Reader Who's Scared Of The Dark

❝ Thanks nonnie! For how much I like Asriel, he was the one I struggled the most when writing this. Huh 0-0

And unfortunately I wasn't able to come up with anything for him. I didn't write him, but if/when I get any ideas, I'll edit this or make a new post with it!

I uh, am also scared of the dark. I have trouble falling asleep without my lamp on TwT I just- like having things visible to me - ❞

• Oh Frisk can definitely understand why you'd be scared of the dark. They were probably scared of it as well, but eventually, after falling down to the underground and facing monsters trying to kill them in various ways, they realized there are way scarier things.

• That doesn't mean the dark isn't scary. No, it is scary. Periodt

• Whenever you're having a sleepover, Frisk leaves a lamp on, if you'd like. Or they cover it with some fabric, to make the light dimmer but still visible.

• They don't mind you being scared of the dark, like I said before Frisk used to be scared of the dark as well.

• Okay, you're scared of the dark. Noted

• It may seem like Chara doesn't really care about your fear, but actually they do. When you're in a dark room together, they ask you if you're fine with the lights being off. If you're not, Chara will try to find a source of light, a flashlight or anything.

• But they like telling you scary stories. I mean, they left the light on, that's good enough-? Don't worry if you're scared of them, Chara will hug you. But they'll still read it, just not out loud this time.

• Kris would be pretty chill about it. They won't judge or question you for it.

• Okay ,one time they might've scared you by turning off the lights. But it was an accident, I swear-

• If you're staying over at Kris's house and you have trouble falling asleep, they'll offer to tell you some stories to maybe help you fall asleep.

• Those stories can be things that happened, for example, at school, and often involve Noelle, Berdly, Susie, Asriel... Or something more fantastical and fictional like a world of darkness with various interesting characters. Huh, you sure didn't know Kris had such a bizzare imagination.

• She kinda just, laughed at you.

• Although she actually doesn't mind it, Susie will at least try to make you 'face your fears'.

• So when Miss Alphys asked for someone to get the chalk, she immediately raised her hand. Because this seemed like a great opportunity!

"See? Nothing to worry about. Just a casual, dark closet. " She said while you walked into it

• The supply closet was dark, but she knew that. What she *didn't* know however, was that it also led to a different world.

• You soon found yourselves to be in the Dark World. I mean hey, at least your fear of the dark is getting better? No?

"Goddammit [Name], where are we"

• Ralsei is very understanding and caring about it.

• He makes sure to keep the lights on when you're with him. Or to not go to places that are just, pitch black.

• Though you are in the Darkners world sooo... As the name suggests, it is dark here /no?yes?maybe

• If you ever find yourself in a situation where the lights go out, Ralsei can probably use a spell of some sorts. Wait, is there a spell he could use? Lumos. Lmao idk

• In other words; Ralsei just cares for you and doesn't like seeing you scared, so there's always some sort of light on when he's with you.

[krispdreemurr]

first day

Coming into being with years of memories is a disorienting experience.

Ralsei rubs his temples as he walks through the corridors of his empty castle, sorting through his thoughts. He knows that he's only existed for a few minutes, even as he knows he's been waiting alone for years. He knows a prophecy he's never heard, carved into his bones. He knows the thin nature of his world. He knows he's spent day after day gazing into the dark, and that somehow, impossibly, although neither of them were there, someone spoke to him from the shadows.

He knows that there is a child who loved him, and projected their hopes and dreams onto him, until they became nightmares. He knows why he has been alone, and why he will be alone again.

He knows he will never be enough.

He sighs, lifting his hood a bit so he can gaze up at the tall wall of the cliff. He's looked at it a hundred times, and never before. The dichotomy is slowly resolving itself, the pieces fitting into a more harmonious whole, but his head still aches if he focuses too hard.

And then something distracts him from his reverie.

There's a figure atop the cliff, looking down at him. They're backlit by the Fountain's light, obscuring their features, but he can make out a cape, the shine of armor.

"Hello?" he calls up, quickly adjusting his hood over his face again.

The figure backs away half a step, seeming startled.

"Oh, um, sorry--! I didn't mean to scare you! I just..." He climbs up onto a slightly higher ledge, trying to get closer. "You're--the one who opened the Fountain, right? You're the Knight."

When the figure speaks, their voice is nothing Ralsei would have expected. It's hoarse, quiet, only audible because of the stillness of the Dark World.

It's young.

"I... guess," they say. "I just... Someone told me there was a solution to... something, here. Something I can't handle. And I... I had to try." They crouch down stiffly, tilting their head. The rainbow light glints off the edge of a mask. "I didn't mean to... uh... bother you?"

Ralsei hesitates, leaning against the cliff wall. He knows the prophecy. The Knight and the Angel will work in uneasy concert, the dance of their battle bringing closer the Angel's Heaven, the terrible Roaring breaking free at their blades. One will open fountains, the other close, and both together will upset the balance of Light and Dark beyond repair. He knows the figure above him is his enemy.

But they sound so young.

(They sound so familiar.)

"You're not bothering me," he says, as reassuringly as he can manage. "You're actually... the first person I've ever talked to!"

"Oh." The Knight contemplates that for a moment. "That sucks."

"No, it's--it's alright! I'm just waiting on..." Ralsei hesitates, not sure he should tell the Knight the truth if they don't already know it. "Um. I don't... think what you're looking for is here. I'm sorry. But..."

"But?" the Knight prompts, half-collapsing into a sitting position. They kick their legs in the air.

Ralsei has to admit that he wasn't expecting his fated enemy to be anything like this.

Then again, he guesses he's only had expectations for a few minutes.

"There's... another place, in your world," he says hesitantly. "Close to here. It has... potential? More than this Dark Fountain, where I'm, well... the only thing that could be here, properly. Places that are older, that are full of things that have been used and loved... Those form bigger worlds."

He feels a stab of guilt at sharing so much, but the Prophecy is inevitable, isn't it? There's no escaping it. If anything, he's aiding the heroes, by ensuring the first Dark Fountain will be close to his little world.

Right?

"That's..." The Knight pauses, then nods. "Yeah, the, like, old recess classroom? That... Yeah, that could work. Okay. Okay." They stand slowly, still moving stiffly, uncertainly. "I don't... have long, today, so..."

"The Angel's already fighting you, then...?" Ralsei asks, softly.

"Is that..." The Knight pauses, then gives a hoarse laugh. "That makes as much sense as anything, yeah. Sure. The Angel. Guiding me with Its light and all that." They hesitate. "Are you sure you don't know how to..."

For the first time, Ralsei feels a sting of true regret.

"I don't," he murmurs. "I'm sorry."

"Okay. That's... okay. Thanks anyways, uh, weird cloak person." They nod, once.

"Ralsei," he answers immediately, feeling the shape of his name for the first time. Almost on instinct, he reaches up, starts to pull down his hood--

At the first glance, the Knight jolts, looking away.

"Ralsei," they say, and give another one of those hoarse, bitter laughs. "Alright. Alright. I... I need to... I'm sorry. I..."

"Wait--!" Ralsei calls, but the figure is already stumbling away, back into the dark, back the way they came.

He watches them go, until they're fully out of sight.

He has been alone all his life.

For the first time, he knows what it means to feel lonely.

---

The next day, when a hero looks at him with blank eyes and says his name in a familiar hoarse voice, he discovers another new emotion.

Fear.

[the-unrelated-theorist]

I'm not going in depth because I'm not sure I even believe this thought that I had, but here it is, anyway:

The more I think about the bond that seems to be developing between Kris and Susie, the more I worry. Because initially, we have complete control over Kris, and no control over Susie. We still don't have full control over Susie (and I'm sure we never will have), but we have begun to lose some control over Kris. The two of them are growing closer and closer. In the Light World, Susie wants to stay with Kris as we go around town, except for when we might run into certain authority figures (ie, Alphys, who Susie avoids completely, and Toriel, who Susie only agrees to meet because Toriel offers to feed her). Kris protects Susie from Spade King's attack in Chapter 1. Susie is the one who notices how freaked out Kris is after Spamton Neo. Susie knows better than to ask Kris about the bunker, and she stops herself from making some comment about the cringey exchange between Toriel, sans, and Asgore. Kris' guts by the end of Chapter 2 have reached the same level as Susie's, while Susie's rudeness continues to drop the longer she hangs out with Kris and Ralsei. For some reason, I feel like Susie's confession that she always wanted to bite Kris' hair is her way of saying she always liked them and just refused to admit it (I'll have to examine the dialogue on that one, because I really don't know why it makes me think that). And again, I haven't gone in depth, but Kris strikes me as being afraid to be left alone with us, ie, the SOUL.

And then, in Undertale, a game whose story revolves almost entirely around two kids who join bodies and SOUL's, there's this obscure little comment that maybe Suzy is the real reason we're in the Underground in the first place.

So, really wild theory that I literally just came up with, but I'm wondering, what if Susie and Kris were to... I don't know, just join together like Chara and Asriel?

Yeah, crazy, right? Probably not where the story's headed. But we don't know where it's headed yet, anyway, so why not?

[patchwork-crow-writes]

Thoughts on Kris x Ralsei, continued

(this is a continuation of my first post on this subject, creatively titled Thoughts on Kris x Ralsei. The parts all build upon each other, so it's best to read from the beginning. Here's a little TOC so you can get up to speed:

Part 1: And They Lived Happily Ever After Part 1.5: I Believe Your Choices DO Matter Part 2: A Pair of Star-Cross'd Lovers <- (You Are Here!) Part 2.5: In Another World, We Could Have Been (Just) Friends (Future parts to be added as they are written))

(Please be aware that this series will go over topics including coercion, non-consentual romance, and an observation pertaining to potential incestual undertones. If any of this makes you uncomfortable in any way, please proceed with caution. Thank you)

Part 2: A Pair of Star-Cross'd Lovers

Kris Dreemurr is doomed the instant the player assumes control of them.

If Undertale is a game about how your choices can affect the world, then Deltarune is about how sometimes, your choices mean absolutely nothing. Fate grinds on, irrespective of your wishes. Onward you march, towards your ultimate destiny.

This concept features heavilly in a lot of RPGs - the idea that the protagonist is the "chosen one" who will save the world, which due to the constrains of narrative and gaming, is what ends up happening 95% of the time. Much like the Knight and Princess dynamic I discussed in the previous part, this trope is so heavily ingrained in the gaming psyche that we do tend to accept it when it happens,as part and parcel of the RPG experience.

This very familiar setup is where Kris and Susie find themselves upon meeting Ralsei, who waxes lyrical about the very Non-Specific-and-Light-on-Any-Identifying-Details Legend. They are told that the balance of light and dark is being disrupted and a "terrible calamity (will) occur", are shown some apocalyptic imagery, three heroes who are identified by their race/species (and not their name - a detail which may become important later on), who will stop something nefariously dubbed the "Angel's Heaven". It is Prophecy 101, the most barebones framing for a quest you can imagine... but hey, the game needs a hook, doesn't it? Some grand stakes to get the ball rolling.

And so, the roles are doled out: Kris is the human, the unwavering leader; Susie is the no-nonsense contrarian who doesn't really care much for concepts of fate and determinism, and Ralsei is the exposition fairy, doing his best to keep his comrades on the path he has set out for them.

Ok, cool. But where does Kralsei fit into this? Well, in Part 1 and 1.5 of this series of posts, I brought up how Deltarune goes to great lengths to bring the idea of this pairing to prominence... but I didn't really talk about why the game is doing this. And the answer is, because it ties in with Deltarune's central theme of destiny and determinism. Or to put it another way:

Your Choices Don't Matter.

And here, you might protest. Because surely when the game says that, it's only refering to Kris's choices, right? We, as players, can choose from different dialogue options, we can choose to FIGHT or SPARE our adversaries. More fundamentally, we are the ones in control of Kris's movements and actions, while they are almost entirely powerless to fight our influence (note how I say almost - this will be important later).

But think for a moment about the choices we are given as players, and ask yourself - what meaningfully changes as a result of our actions? In Chapter 1, it doesn't matter whether we fight or spare anyone, they'll all return regardless in Chapter 2, with a single line of dialogue added as a handwave to explain why. And while Chapter 2 gives us a little more say in this - we can lose potential recruits to Castle Town by fighting rather than sparing, and they won't turn up in Ralsei's dark world at the end - the main points of the story do not meaningfully change to reflect this.

(there are, of course, things that we CAN do to change things in a pretty big way *coughSnowgravecough* but given that the means to achieve this are rather well-hidden, and it involves doing some very, VERY messed up things in pursuit of it, we can consider it an exception that proves the rule - technically your choices CAN have consequences, but those consequences are so horrific that you're probably better off not choosing in the first place.)

Okay, sure, you say. But this doesn't apply to the interpersonal relationships in Deltarune, now does it? If we don't want Kralsei to happen, then we simply don't choose any of the options that hint at it. That much must be in our power, surely?

To which I have one riposte: the Acid Tunnel of Love.

Brief overview of this sequence: Kris and Ralsei are tasked with "distracting" Queen while Susie and Berdly go to rescue Noelle. Literally on the next screen, the only way to proceed is across a giant river of acid, atop a swan pedallo, while soft carnival-style music plays in the background. Partway through, Ralsei has a heart-to-heart with Kris/the player, Rouxls Kaard does what he does best, and a photo may or may not be taken at the end.

You don't get to choose not to do this (unless you do that other thing which we're not discussing here). This just happens. And it's difficult to get away from the fact that this entire scenario is dripping with romantic undertones, especially when it's contrasted directly afterwards with Susie and Noelle's equally-romantically-charged Rescue and Ferris Wheel ride.

But then, perhaps it's a parody. A funny contrivance that sends up the absurdity of Kralsei by comparing it to a romantic pairing with actual weight, Suselle. But there are two problems with this; the first is that if we write off this scene as parody, then we must also do the same with the ferris wheel, because they both operate under the same logic - they're both based on a massive contrivance.

The second problem is that Ralsei doesn't seem to have got that memo. And no matter how you respond to his questions, the scene will end with his admiration for Kris strengthened. There is NO dialogue option you can select which will dissuade him from his feelings.

Exhibit A: calling Ralsei a lackey will have him cheerfully exclaim "Ooh, I've never been somebody's lackey before!" (because he's a darkner, that's literally what he was designed to be). Exhibit B: saying "It's strange" has Ralsei write off his question as, erm, "sarcasm". Which would perhaps be read as a rebuttal, except that his understanding of social situations is so minimal that he might genuinely believe he's committed a serious faux pas here, rather than interpret the response as a rejection. It also doesn't change his follow-up response, either. Exhibit C: Saying nothing when he says "it's good that you're you" has him laugh at how "Kris-like" not saying anything is, before saying that he "[likes] you-like things".

Cue Ralsei haters throwing their hands up in exasperation.

Contrast again with Susie and Noelle's scene. Here, too, we're presented with options to influence how things will happen. But the crucial difference is, we have absolutely zero sway over Susie, and she will always choose to say and do her own things. Here, too, we are powerless to intervene, but in a more direct way, whereas with Kralsei, even though we CAN choose an option, none of them make a difference to the scene or its outcome. This serves to show just how much agency Susie actually possesses, and is a stark contrast to Kris's severe lack of agency... as well as our own.

What does that mean, exactly? Well, consider this: Susie is free to make her own decisions, up to and including choosing NOT to pursue Noelle romantically. Kris, on the other hand, has no such freedom, and thus cannot choose to opt out of entering into a relationship with Ralsei. And, as I have alluded to a few times, neither can we, despite what our own feelings on the situation might be.

And thus we come to the title of this part - Kris and Ralsei are Star-Crossed. No reference to this line is made in Deltarune as of present, but it has numerous connotations which I believe are relevant to these two characters. Firstly, the idea that their connection is destined to occur - it's written in the stars, woven into the game's literal architecture. As such, there is nothing that anyone can do to stop it from happening - not Ralsei, who probably would be quite thrilled with it, not the player, who try as they might cannot influence it either way, and certainly not Kris, who is almost entirely unable to voice their own desires. We are each as powerless as each other in this instance.

Secondly, the idea that this destined relationship, no matter what form it might take, is doomed to end in tragedy. From the reaction to the various teas, we can infer that Kris is lukewarm on Ralsei at best (this may change as future chapters are released, but it's not exactly a ringing endorsement). And as time goes on, it becomes increasingly apparent that Ralsei is likely labouring under a false notion of who Kris actually is, and has fallen for the idea of Kris that he has conjured up in his own head, rather than the genuine article.

But the problem is more fundamental still, for if we understand the prophecy correctly, light and dark must be in balance - they cannot mix. That means no new dark fountains, which means that Ralsei can never manifest anywhere as a darkner once the events of the game are concluded. This would of course preclude any sort of interpersonal connection, romantic or otherwise. The best that could be hoped for in such a scenario is that Ralsei returns to whichever object he represents in the light world and Kris keeps him around as a memento.

This all assumes a great deal, of course - Kris's stance on Ralsei may well change, and for all we know Ralsei is more than likely very aware that we exist separately from Kris, as evidenced by his clandestine conversations with Kris while we see what Susie's up to. Additionally, it is entirely possible that Ralsei has instead fallen for US through Kris, which presents... additional complications. More on that later.

All of this leads us back to the central conceit of Deltarune: Our choices do not matter. Nothing we say, nothing we do, can change what is going to happen. We don't know exactly where this is going to go, whether they will fall into a full-on romance, or if they become something more akin to queerplatonic partners, or good friends, or something like siblings, or perhaps even mortal enemies. But one thing is for sure - Deltarune is going to continue cramming Kralsei down our throats, whether we like it or not.

...okay, think I best stop there for now. And look, I know I haven't really gone too much into the why of all this just yet. But patience - much of the past few essays have been establishing the groundwork - the what and the how, if you like. I'n Part 3, I'll attempt to go over what I believe the Narrative (i.e. the game) is trying to accomplish with Kralsei - what it's trying to say about games, stories, romance, and how we can be manipulated into endorsing a potentially problematic relationship, irrespective of the wishes of the vessel we control.

Thanks for reading!

[rangarlamamicado]

Post of a dream I had about chapter 3's release. It was pretty fuckin' crazy but fortunately I remember lots of details about it and what happened in it as well as footage and funny moments of weird shit, and shit I saw on Twitter about it as well in my dream? Strap in.

Okay so I remember it opening in the ruins which makes sense, but instead of it being purple like the normal ruins, it's dimly lit like the room you fall on the flowers in? And rather than arriving on the flowerbed and going right, you start on an altar... and go down and left.

It was actually the door to leave the ruins where you fought Toriel I believe now that I recall, but when you walked left as if to go upstairs, a song begins playing (I talk about it later...) and you see pillars leading to a giant open space that looked like the promo art for undertale with Toriel.

Anyways, you wake up and Susie is like confused if this is a dream, but plays along, commenting on how she might see Noelle there too. Depending on what route you took Noelle might actually show up, but I'll get to that in a bit. On Twitter in the dream I saw some spoilers.

Where you encounter the Dummy, it's replaced by the Mad Dummy, and you have to face them after Susie jokingly hits the dummy, not knowing someone's using it. Also, you rematch Lancer after it's revealed this place's fountain is made of pure darkness. Ralsei doesn't show up...

Also, it's weird because Lancer became a giant Jojo style badass??? I think Rouxles powers him up with the control crown or medieval ginger ale or almond milk or something silly. It was a lot like Pluto's rematch from Omori if you know how that goes. It was hilariously bad too.

Susie also busts literally everything in the perspective puzzle rooms just before Toriel's house. She just starts ripping shit out of walls and crawling in and solving it from inside. Also Frobbits start showing up and Kris does something sketchy offscreen... the Frobbits don't come back.

There's also a major detail I remember, but throughout the entire ruins, rather than an instrumental that plays... Toriel sings a version of 'My Castle Town' with lyrics. I don't remember what they said, but I think it resembled Lifelight from Smash Bros in the sense of symbolism.

Also, I remember that, because Susie messes with the puzzles, a "mommy-protected security system" goes off that Toriel set up because the ruins are dangerous and she didn't want Kris or Susie to get out without her help because of the danger... and they have to escape fire magic.

A version of Heartache plays during the chase sequence, and after that Susie begins to question whether they're in the dark world for real or not, and you can affirm or deny it. Also, it's revealed that the festival is occurring, and Toriel is hosting "her house of horrors,"

Toriel didn't understand that you were responsible for the fountain, but it comes from where you begin in Undertale. She thinks you set it up, and thanks you for the fun attraction, but calls it dangerous, and realizes you did this. This shocks Susie, but your route dictates this.

If you chose to commit to Snowgrave, Susie realizes that you also probably killed Berdly, and either Toriel and Susie or just Toriel engages based on your route, but if Susie and Toriel fight you, you have to survive until Noelle comes and saves you, in which she freezes Toriel.

Susie would ask what she's doing, but rather than her dialogue box having any text, it's like that one meme of Mr. Incredible's face, and whether you 'know' or not. I'll be attempting to recreate Noelle's expression, but it terrified me. I don't know what happens after this.

Also to clarify it seems like the door staying open in the light world leading to the dark world as well as Toriel hosting her house as a "house of horrors" was pre-planned, hence why Noelle shows up, figuring Susie was in there. Toriel uses Asgore's belongings she took in the divorce as the 'horror'.

Also I wasn't sure what year it was, but a trailer was released with it detailing the footage of it I saw, which confused me, but it actually released on 10/18, and I think it was of 2021? Everyone was shocked at its speedy release, but it didn't feel real, and I wish it was real.

Also, side note, the first shot of the ruins with that undertale promo shot was actually where the fountain was, and Toriel was there serenading its "protector" which is gone by when you arrive. Flower? Knight? Mike? Gaster? Who knows, neither do we, but that's all I know.

Feel free to AMA on the details, I dream vividly and if you care I might recall details I was unsure of, but with the popularity of the salt route and prunsel that's the only reason I felt compelled to share this. I hope of you see this you found it entertaining.

[forgetmynamepleasethanks]

Yooo! You seem to get a lot of requests for Kris x reader stuff so if you do other characters could I request headcannons for Ralsei x (male)reader where the reader is a bit crazy (think chara trying to kill people and stuff) and Ralsei always uses pacify to stop him but still defends him when the rest of the fun gang asks Ralsei why he hangs out with the reader because they're basically attempted murderer and Ralsei is like "Yeah well I think hes nice" happy new years btw

Headcannons for Ralsei with an obviously murderous boyfriend who Ralsei keeps in check.

-----

• To be honest, you're indescribably lucky that Ralsei puts up with you.

• Without him defending your actions the rest of the fun gang would have ripped you to shreds (or at least tried to) long ago.

• Ralsei is probably one of the only people who you haven't tried to stab

• The same cannot be said for the rest of fun gang, if it weren't for Ralsei and occasionally Noelle casting pacify on you there's a decent chance you would have done some serious damage to Susie by now.

• Speaking of Susie, you two are at each others throats. Sure she's a bit nicer to her friends now but she is still definitely on board with the idea of biting your face off.

• If it weren't for your dodging skills which were comparable to the incredibly agile Kris you would have received an axe right between your eyes ages ago.

• Not that it wouldn't be well deserved, you almost definitely tried to stab her first.

• Safe to say Ralsei sits extra close to you when he invites you to come along with him to hang out with the fun gang

• When you two are alone though, I would assume you would be much more normal. Probably not asking how his day was normal but a lot less crazed look in the eyes normal.

• If you still feel human emotion, a sentence that you should never have to worry about being said about you but I digress, you would probably ask him why he stays with you when everyone else seems to hate you.

• He'll probably respond with something about how they just don't realize that even though your actions reflect those of a genocidal maniac, your a bit of a softy when your left alone

• When he tried to win the fun gang over on your behalf, his argument was similar.

• He tried to give examples of you being nice but all he could come up with is that you make him happy.

• Speaking of which, why do you make him happy?

• Well, it's those times when the rest of the fun gang is in the light world and it's just you in the castle, sometimes when he's busy he'll catch you lying in the internal garden either sleeping or just relaxing.

• It really fuels his hope that maybe you are just misunderstood, because lately he's had a hard time believing it himself.

• Comfort is a strange topic when it comes to you two. Surprisingly when it comes to who is comforting who it's usually you comforting Ralsei.

• That's mostly caused by you not needing comfort all that often, being as nonchalant about horrible things as your are makes it a lot easier to go with the flow.

• One of the only times he's comforted you was when Berdly called you a monster, which Berdly quickly explained meant not as in the type of individual but as in a terrible terrible person.

• That one bothered you for some reason, maybe because it was the first person other than Susie who had called you evil, or maybe because he said it so casually like it was just a commonly accepted fact.

• Either way Ralsei was happy to comfort you, it's all confectionaries and quality time with this guy. That's just how Ralsei comforts you.

• On the other hand, when you comfort him your either cracking dumb jokes or if someone hurt his feelings offering to kill them, which he always says no to of course but then you try anyways.

• It's less of an offer to kill someone and more of a warning.

• If someone were to ask Kris about you (assuming the player isn't part of the equation because then its murderous maniac vs sometimes genocidal time deity) they would probably just give a thumbs up.

• Kris doesn't hate you, their part of the short list of people you haven't tried to stab because in your words: "Their hair is kinda funny looking" Which I guess is reason enough to befriend them and not try and kill them.

• Kris would consider you somewhat friendly, one of the few people who would even think about calling you that.

• You two have talked about pie before because if you have any attachment to the color green, murderous intent, or are a ghost that commits genocide, you're a big fan of pie.

• They brought you some of Toriel's pie and now whenever Ralsei asks if you want him to bake you anything it's always the exact same thing.

• Ralsei really likes going on walks with you, you tend to have quite a bit of energy, for better or for worse, which means he gets to follow you around as you impulsively turn you head towards any bit of noise or movement.

• Ralsei does his best to keep you happy, and he helps greatly just by being there.

• As much of a problem as you can be, you still hope that one day you can befriend the whole fun gang, and not like how sans befriended Kris' mother, but in a way where they actually don't think your a menace.

• It's probably going to be pretty hard for you, but at least you always have Ralsei to help you along the way.

-----

Hope you enjoyed.

[corrie-zodori]

KICKS IN THE DOOR HOLDING A BUNCH OF PAPERS AND RED STRINGS ALRIGHT Y'ALL STRAP IN because I am on a Deltarune lore high I am here to info dump about stuff that I've picked apart from some things people may not have dug into. SPOILERS AHEAD just in case!! ---------------------- So as y'all know there are hidden lyrics in the song "Big Shot". Both in the middle, and at the end (which sounds like gibberish, and only plays IN game. It was removed in the official track.) Said gibberish, when slowed down, to me sounds like "Think its coming for me, I cant explain until youre all alone" Layered over one another. These lines are highlighted in gibberish, for some reason. I can't find a video on it, but you can slow down the gibberish and kinda make it out fairly easily. I don't feel like Toby would put this in for no reason. Keep a pin in this.

As it stands, in my opinion this is the clearest version of the middle lyrics we are going to get. https://youtu.be/KEATCOOzDYE?t=28 What I PERSONALLY hear is this: "Think it's coming for me answer the phone, I can't explain til you're all alone, it pulls the strings and makes them ring, can't tell you much - it's breaking up! (or until your heart is breaking up?) Think it's coming for me, answer the phone, pulls the strings and pulls the strings and tell you what you big sh- (bitcrushed, goes back into the song but we know it'd say big shot)" I am pretty stuck on the lyrics "can't tell you much - it's breaking up! (or until your heart is breaking up?)" as it's the hardest for me personally to make out, so if you hear something different, let me know what you think! Also, a thought that I had, is assuming it IS accurate lyrics, "I can't explain until you're all alone" in the song could be something to chew on because of one odd thing. We've seen ralsei talks to kris when they are alone/off screen from the player, explaining something (see: "so that's why-" in chapter 1 when we cut back to them, and he stops.) If such is no coincidence, why does this line appear in Big Shot? Is this connected to spamton (who we already know like 99% certain is connected to gaster, as is potentially jevil)? Or is this connected purely all to Gaster specifically? I think Gaster might be WAY more connected to Ralsei than we think. (Or, a more cracked theory, gaster is controlling ralsei, or ralsei is one of Gaster's followers. But this might be a stretch.) Now, something I'm not sure if anyone has done, is reverse these hidden lyrics. And so I did, and what I found was *very* interesting. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TQTBiBsmtsAnHXP7aEpDbINk8zHDIV5E/view?usp=sharing What I can make out is: "Help me kris - in the tears- all alone - Are you there? Are you listening? Hear me in the tears - listen for me" I presume the rest is intentional gibberish, maybe to imply that gaster is trying to communicate, but is having trouble getting through. It's literal garbage noise with actual words sprinkled in. The tears thing especially is interesting, because of this poem that is supposedly linked to Gaster. (SEE: The bottom of this rant.) Also related to Ralsei, I already personally, do not trust ralsei. He comes off like he knows too much, he is hiding the upstairs part of the castle (which could just mean its for future chars in later chaps idk), he knows where specific things are in the light world (see: when he asks kris and susie to go back to the school in a very specific spot), and he brushes off the thing with spamton neo even though something CLEARLY wrong. I love Ralsei ofc, but I feel like there is something sinister about him, or at the very least something very hidden. I speculate that Gaster may be trying to make his own vessel. For what reason, we aren't sure. Either create in some way, or corrupt even (perhaps if they aren't worthy/capable/compatible?), but all of his experiments failed (except, perhaps, who we know as Kris.) What we know (assuming that his lore from undertale DOES carry over here) about gaster is that he supposedly split apart. Maybe creating a vessel is his way of somehow becoming whole again, or returning to the light world? Why do I think that Gaster might be one of the main plot points in the story? Well, at the beginning of the game when you make the vessel, the theme that plays is called "another him" and it is literally a mix of Gaster's theme slowed down. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8U9yBPM1gY Anyways, Other hidden lyrics I noticed potentially are REVERSED things. One isn't necessarily lore, just kinda funny, when you reverse the regular spamton theme, it sounds like he's saying "give me give me, give me the key!" and "hey everyone" layered over one another. Referring perhaps to his "hey every buddy" greeting he tends to do, and referring to the keygen he sells you, which is important to him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV58sCaHJPE And this one? This one is interesting to me. I

am 90% sure this is coincidence, BUT I think the clearest thing I can hear in this is "help me Kris!" Which is... very ominous. Everything else, I'm not sure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PadUojqDog ------------------------ All of this is, ofc, speculation, and what-ifs. As we know, Toby Fox rarely puts things in for no reason, but some things COULD genuinely be coincidence. We've seen him put hidden things in songs before, reversed or not, sped up or slowed down, etc. So, potentially, take this babble with a grain of salt. There is a LOT more I could talk about especially regarding Gaster and his potential role in the story, and his interactions with these characters, but for now just have this!!

[ralseisralsus]

Okay so Reasons I Don't Trust Ralsei

Spoilers for chapter 2 under the cut, top is all from chapter 1

(I don't hate Ralsei I just think he's gonna be a twist villain)

How does he know so much about his the Dark World works despite having (supposedly) lived alone in his castle before we came around? (Since he's never had friends before) If he studied it all, why did he? Just curiosity? Or does he have plans?

Where the heck IS the rest of his town? Where is the royal family??? Servants??

Why does he look like a boss monster? Is he actually from the surface? Most of the monsters are based on animals, while Darkners are based on objects.

If he IS a monster from the surface, why lie and say he's the prince from the dark? Why not guide the heroes to Lancer, who's ACTUALLY a Darkner prince, if he wants to be so helpful?

Will closing the Fountain of Light work if he's not truly a "prince from the dark"? Is he trying to usurp the heroes' mission?? Why would he do that, unless he's in league with the Knight??

Why hide his appearance for so long? Toby Fox did it as a reveal for the player, but what in-universe reason is there?

Why is his face sprite so detailed when no one else's is? Is he more important? Or see himself as more important?

CH 2 Spoilers Ahoy

How does he know about what happens outside the Dark World when he tells Kris to go get the inanimate Darkners??? HOW DOES HE KNOW

How did he know about the computer lab Dark World? How did he get there? 'Sensed dark energy', PLEASE. YOU'RE IN THE DARK WORLD. YOU GOT A DARK FOUNTAIN IN YOUR BACKYARD.

Why is his dark fountain different in his castle town anyway? Why do we not need to close his? Unless he doesn't want us to?

Why did he hesitate when Susie asked if his room was upstairs? What was he REALLY hiding up there???

Why is he immune to the petrification of being in another world? Is he not a true Darkner like I suspected from chapter 1? Why is he lying???

Why did he try and make the party split up in the city when, most often, the player loves exploring all paths???

I hate his posture. Hands behind the back, passive expression... It feels like he doesn't care what happens.

He really is passive. Joins the Queen as a butler without a fight, tries to make Kris the only one able to act and reluctantly learns himself, doesn't argue when Noelle stands behind Susie, watches calmly as Lancer is petrified... Why doesn't he care?? About anything???