#ember chara

[underhoneyau]

UNDERHONEY Character Designs

Underhoney AU belongs to me (@/AstridEv)

First page - Next

[sernik-krakowski]

Collection of (mostly) Areori doodles ive made since beginning orion

[this-is-z-art-blog]

[ID: digital drawing of a younger (around twelve) human Ember McLain, with dark hair and brown eyes, with a glowing blue egg hovering over her cupped hands. She's wearing small blue earrings, a dark blue long sleeved shirt, and a blue plaid skirt. The egg has a design of neon blue flames, and she's looking down at it with a surprised but intrigued smile. The background shows a scattered variety of music note symbols.]

@crossoverdanuary 2024: day 5, shell

Ember getting her guardian character in my & @jus-a-lil-mouse's (who did the rad egg design) shugo phantom au

[sonysakura]

⭐COMMISSIONS OPEN⭐

PM here or preferably send a request on Discord (sonysakura#9455) for a slot! Grab a slot within 24 hours for an extra sketch ✨ Reblogs are very much appreciated!

OFFERS INCLUDE: • Digitally lined and coloured character(s) art; • Cell-shading; • Transparent or simple background; • Scans, .PSD file and/or lineart on request.

Full Terms of Service doc Samples of art style and techniques

@sonic-commissions if you're still here 🙏 Also, Ember the Dragon belongs to @pika-yolo!

[caretaker-au]

AITA?

emberkeelty submitted to caretaker-au:

https://fail-fandomanon.dreamwidth.org/514733.html?thread=3111697837#cmt3111697837 I don’t expect you to publish this but I thought you might enjoy seeing it and I can’t send links in asks. Anon-meme AITA-fic!

[jus-a-lil-mouse]

A newswoman speaks into a microphone outside of large, concrete building. It is night, and there are floodlights illuminating the parking lot she’s standing.

As she begins speaking, the cameraman zooms out to reveal a large fight occurring on the roof of the building, featuring high-school age children in colorful costumes fighting an adult man, also in a costume. The newswoman is interrupted by one of the children being thrown off the building and landing nearby.

She drops her microphone, immediately moving towards the girl. “Dani? Danielle is that you?”

The girl gets up, steadying herself on the reporter. “Sorry, I gotta go!” she says, and the camera follows her as she flies into the air, returning to the fight atop the building.

The camera swings back to the newswoman. She is staring upwards, and her expression quickly turns from concern to cold determination. She looks into the camera, and says “I have to go. My kids are up there.”

-

The house is small. The for-sale sign is still out front, although the realtor put a large SOLD! sticker. The siding is a forest green color, the roof a bright red. The trim used to be white, once; the grass in the lawn is too long to be tasteful and the garden beds look even worse, bricks missing from the border and the flowers crowded by weeds.

Dani can’t help but think it’s perfect.

It’s small inside. There’s no furniture, because they’ll be moving it in this weekend.

The kitchen is red, with an island, and the dining room spills into the living room, where a fireplace is set into the wall. There’s only one hallway, but the flooring is a smooth wood that Dani just knows will be perfect to slide down in socks.

There’s three bedrooms, all different sizes, and three bathrooms, also all different sizes. Mom follows her around, fussing over marks on the walls and scuffs on the floor.

Dani loves it.

Ember is waiting for them in the master bedroom, arms crossed and smirking. “This is my room,” she announces when they open the door. “I saw it first.”

“Actually, I saw it first,” Mom corrects. “So it’s mine. Also, I’m older.”

Dani giggles. Ember’s grin flares up into something real and genuine. “Race you to the medium room,” Ember says, and Dani spins and sprints for her life. Ember has longer legs, but Dani has a head start, and she was right about the hallway floor - she slides through the doorway just a heartbeat before Ember does.

The medium room is on the corner of the house, meaning that Dani’s new room has a view of the front yard and the neighbor’s house. It gets lots of natural light and the walls are currently painted a light gray. The floors are wood, but Dani thinks they might look nice with a rug like in Val’s room, and that she wants to put glow-in-the-dark stars around like in Danny’s room, and get some thick curtains to block the sunlight in the mornings like in Sam’s room.

Ember throws her hands up in defeat. “Well the small room has a bigger closet anyway,” she says, and they both know she’s lying. Dani rolls her eyes and Mom calls for them to help unload the car. Ember is going to college two states away anyway; she doesn’t need a big room at home. Not like Dani, who is going to the nearby community college and living with Mom.

That evening, when they are sitting on the dining room floor eating pizza, Mom takes a work call in the backyard and Ember looks at Dani for a long moment. Solo, Sol, and Lun are in Dani’s dollhouse, one of the only pieces of furniture that came with them from Dad’s. She and Ember are alone for the first time in a while; she’s not used to having her sister’s focused concern.

“Are you good?” Ember asks. Dani nods. “You sure? The house is real small.”

Dani looks down at the half-eaten slice of pizza in her hands. She knows what Ember is really asking. The house isn’t small; it’s just not a mansion. They didn’t take any of their furniture from Dad’s, and Dani left all of her clothes there too, except for a handful of things she’d gotten from Val and Danny and Dash and the other student council members. Mom didn’t make anywhere near as much money as Dad did. Their whole world was smaller now. It was bigger though. Ember and Dani hadn’t spoken much before last year. Dani hadn’t had friends until a few years ago. She hadn’t really had a Mom before a few months ago, though not for Harriet’s lack of trying. So the world is smaller now, but it’s also bigger. It’s different. It’s good.

“It’s small, but I like it,” Dani replies. Then she kicks her sister in the shin, because she can, and because it’s funny.

“You little shit-“

“Amber Masters, what have we discussed about foul language?” Mom says, returning at the perfect moment.

Dani laughs too loudly to hear Ember’s response.

Yeah. It’s good.

-

A companion ficlet to @this-is-z-art-blog ‘s DannyMay piece for today! You can find it here!

[byenycfm]

September Wexley || 30 || #307 || Annie Murphy || Closed

Personality:

The epitome of ostentatious excess and privilege, September is the quintessential embodiment of a vapid, wealthy heiress. Her indifference to the struggles of the less fortunate stands in stark contrast to her immense inherited wealth, casting her as an emblem of privilege oblivious to the wider societal issues surrounding her. In a city that never sleeps, she remained a constant fixture of excess, a glittering example of hollow wealth and shallow indulgence.

Biography:

Born into opulence and raised within the gilded halls of extravagance, September's life has been marked by a relentless pursuit of shallow pleasures. As the middle child of the Wexley dynasty, her identity was enshrouded in a cloud of superficiality, adorned with designer labels and a detachment from the realities of the world beyond her social circle. Having reached her thirties without the need to work or strive for anything meaningful, September's existence revolved around a whirlwind of galas, parties, and an unending procession of luxury vacations. With her insatiable appetite for attention, she often graced the pages of tabloids and social media platforms, showcasing her lavish lifestyle in a spectacle of conspicuous consumption.

Then... Everything flipped upside down.

Trapped within the luxurious confines of her penthouse in the heart of New York City, September Wexley's life took an unexpected turn when the zombie infestation swept the streets below. Cut off from her usual array of shallow indulgences, she found herself confronted with a reality far removed from her vapid world. As the chaos rages outside, September's opulent surroundings are beginning to feel like a gilded cage, and the once-unthinkable notion of survival becomes harder and harder to ignore.

Pre Outbreak Occupation:  Socialite Martial Status:  Single Children:  N/A Residence: Apartment #307 Years residing at The Wexley: 30 Years Connections: 

Tobias Wexley Sr. - Father

Constance Wexley - Mother

Tobias 'Toby' Wexley - Older Brother

Margaret Wexley - Younger Sister

Zach Sanders - Best Friend

Ashton Ryder - Friend and meanie

Skyler Bane - Flirtationship

[isablooo]

Loo and Ember with their canon hair colours too!!

Since my current comic (Dracula's Guest) is set in the 1890s I couldn't help thinking up an 1890s AU for my Search for Quintessence characters!

info under cut~

So the AU is set in 1890s London

Willow- recently moved from Peru to UK and doesn't really like it here. His family were meant to move to his mum's home in Stockholm but ended up in London (idk how just roll with it) and put off leaving. He works as a gardener but does amateur boxing in his free time - he can fight alright and its extra income! That makes him sound tough but he's honestly a good boy who is just trying to get by.

Assana- shy young girl who's hoping to get into the London School of Medicine for Women. She grew up living along the coast in Whitby (her family are first gen norwegian immigrants) but she moved to London to study. I put her in a classic Victorian sailor outfit since she grew up by the beach!

Orolin- Honestly, I just wanted to draw Orolin as a newspaper boy lol. I think she'd kill that role. But in all seriousness, she's probably be aiming to work as a gardener like Willow! I envision them as neighbours in this AU

Aine- Orthodox Tewahedo nun on a trip to the London with her mother. She's pretty reserved but she's been in the convent since she was small so she's excited to get the chance to travel!

Illuna- French girl who works as a maid for a very rich family - She was employed by them back in Paris but came alongside a lot of the other staff when they moved to London. She loves glamour and loves perusing the latest Parisian fashion magazines that her mistress has shipped in

Ember- rich girl who is the daughter of a politician, often accompanying him on diplomatic visits. She's very sporty so she's almost perpetually in a cycling suit!

[kg-day]

I genuinely want to know what show the people who say that Aang never respected Katara are watching. "Aang never let Katara feel anything other than what he wanted her to feel" "He idealized her" "He didn't care about her feelings" "He didn't support her the way she supported him". WHERE ARE YOU GETTING THIS FROM??? That's a rhetorical question because I already know what episodes/moments they're using to make those assertions (The Southern Raiders and the kiss in Ember Island Players), and even then, THEY'RE WRONG.

Let's start with TSR. This episode gets so misinterpreted it's not even funny. First off, Aang was never even upset with Katara in this episode, he's just warning her against killing someone??? He never gets mad at her or berates her. He just talks to her with a level head??? He openly acknowledges that he knows and understands how much rage and pain Katara is in, and he never tells her that she shouldn't feel it, he just advises her not to act rashly because of it??? Where is the lack of respect? Where is he ignoring her feelings or getting upset with her for not acting the way he wants her to? He lets her take Appa and even tells her that he understands that this is a journey she needs to take and supports her doing so, he just doesn't want her to kill someone. Honestly Aang shows more respect for Katara by knowing who she is as a person and not enabling her in her revenge than Zuko who is only going on this trip with her so that she'll forgive him, not because he actually cares that she's upset over the death of her mother (and this is not Zuko slander before people take it as such, I love Zuko, but it's not even subtext that his motivations in this episode are selfish and not about Katara).

As for the kiss in EIP, yes, it was not okay. Yes, it was a mistake. Yes, he shouldn't have done it after Katara laid a clear boundary, but he recognizes that immediately. After Katara- rightfully- gets upset with him, he gets upset with himself. We also see that he never repeats that mistake again and is fully okay with letting Katara lead after that. Which is why it's Katara who initiates the final kiss on the balcony. And if you still don't think he learned anything from it, he starts to ask for her consent in the comics before kissing her, showing that he absolutely DID grow from that mistake. So, we're really going to let one moment where a 12-year-old boy made a mistake dictate the entire show and negate everything that came before it??? That's coocoo banana's behavior.

I also think that those assertions are completely baseless because when does Aang idealize Katara? When does he hate her rage? When does he not support her? Is it when he laughed with her after she stole from pirates? Or in that same episode where he constantly reaffirms her skills as a waterbender- first by saying that he's able to pick it up so easily because she's a great teacher and then later when he refers to her as a waterbender which makes her so fucking happy? Is it when he gets so upset that Pakku refuses to teach Katara how to waterbend that he tries to walk away from his own waterbending training? Is it when he goes behind Pakku's back to teach her anyway? Or when he stands by actively cheering her on when she's raging against the patriarchy and fights Pakku? Is it when he calls her Sifu Katara because she expressed that he referred to Toph that way but not her? Is it when he helped her commit ecoterrorism and told her she was a hero for helping the people in that Fire Nation village? Is it when he holds her after she breaks down because she learned how to bloodbend? Is it when he comforts her after Jet's death? Is it... you get the point, don't you?

Aang recognizing Katara as someone who is strong and capable is not him idealizing her. Him not enabling her committing murder is not him hating when she feels rage. Aang actively supports Katara's rage on multiple occasions, he just doesn't enable her when he knows she's acting out of character. If you don't ship Kataang, that's fine, but please don't make up baseless accusations to try and tear them down just because you're mad that a ship that had no basis in canon (potential is not evidence) wasn't canon.

[howlsofbloodhounds]

Thinking about the fact that Delta!Sans canonically is a plural character cuz he absorbed the Bravery soul and now they share a body and can canonically have soul-to-soul conversations and time kinda freezes for them when they do.

Thinking about how Ultratale!Chara is referred to as Omega and Delta is Delta and thinking about the kiddo tryna call themself Alpha cuz they’re “cool and manly and tough.” But somehow Delta manages to convince the kid to settle on being nicknamed Beta instead, symbolism of being a second-in-command and all that.

Thinking about Delta wandering by stores and getting distracted because the kid spotted some cool boxing gloves or action figures in the glass windows and then Delta shows up late to his meetings with Epic and Color, carrying bags of toys, because the kid started crying when Delta tried to leave without buying them anything.

Or whenever the Epic Sanses hang out, Delta always makes sure to order something sweet for the kid to enjoy because listening to “grown up talk” is boring and not fun and if he doesn’t Delta will be dealing with a headache all evening.

Thinking about Delta trying to keep the kid away from the worse of the fighting and all the worse things that the Multiverse has to offer, because the kid dreams about their death at Asgore’s hands and what it felt like being held in a container for centuries almost every night. But the kid always insists that they’re brave and tough and strong and they can handle everything.

Delta taking every opportunity he safely can to allow the kiddo to be a kid again. Decorating their shared room in their apartment in the Omega Timeline, making a spot in the corner designated for Beta. He sets time aside to allow them to partake in activities of their choosing, such as puzzles, strategy games, and competitive games.

Thinking about Color and Delta hanging up all of Beta’s drawings on their fridge like proud parents, and Color sometimes just sitting and listening to Beta yap to all the other six souls absorbed inside Color because, unlike Beta, they aren’t exactly their own full people anymore but it makes the kid feel less alone.

Letting the kid explore the surface and play in the sun whenever possible, as they spent who knows how many years trapped Underground in a jar. Maybe Delta even gets glimpses of Beta’s memories whenever they dream, the loneliness and claustrophobia of being trapped in a jar. The fear of being hunted down by monsters throughout the Underground and having to face down someone as intimidating as Asgore, the pain and fear of death, experienced through the eyes of a child. A very brave and strong child, but a child nonetheless.

Maybe Beta clung to the few embers of warmth they had when they were living under Toriel’s care, and Delta/Sans gets to see his friend in a new light, but also he gets to make true on his promise by at least keeping an eye on and taking care of Beta when he couldn’t for Frisk.

I think Delta possibly considers what happened to his Frisk a very deep and personal failure, made worse by the Toriel that Beta remembers—because Delta gets to see how much Toriel loved each and every fallen child and he can imagine the grief she felt when they all left and died. I’d like to think that AUs of Asgore, heights, spears, being alone, and enclosed spaces are all fears for Beta, so Delta always tries to reassure them even though they attempt to be brave every time.

So basically both of them are struggling with PTSD, and also Beta with the fact that they’re now in a body that isn’t their own after however many years of not having a body. And also the fact that any friends or family they might’ve had when they were alive are likely dead now, so I’d imagine that Delta would try to search down and visit any graves of Beta’s family whenever visiting Ultratale or any of its variants.

Beta proposes making graves for the residents of the Underground too, probably in the Omega Timeline. And given that Delta is friends with Epic who is friends with Cross who shares a soul with XChara, I can already imagine the trouble that XChara and Beta would get into.

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

UNDERTALE ASK BLOG - PRESENTATION (2024 UPDATE)

Hello! I’m Myfanwi, 27 years old and adoptive parent of two chinchillas, Thor and Mjöllnir. I have ADHD and I'm currently struggling to have my autism diagnosis.

I’m a French writer (she/they, I don’t care), so my English might be weird sometimes, but I’ll do my best. I’m currently looking for a job in France, and failing it a lot.

I started this blog on February 3rd 2021, and we're still here and active. I'm taking Undertale (canon and AU) headcanon requests from people and answering them with my characters.

The askbox is always open so don't hesitate to participate!

I also write Undertale French fanfiction here and here.

1 - You can ask whatever you want, except heavy sexual things. If I'm not comfortable with an ask, I will say it. You can send as many asks as you want. The askbox is always open, I don't close it.

2 - I’m ok with angst and touchy subjects. I’m also very very LGBT+ friendly (I’m aroace and enby btw).

3 - I don’t do match-ups except during some rare events. I don't do RP interactions (= answering people asking things to the characters directly), only headcanons (= writing things ABOUT the characters).

4 - Please, select a maximum of 12 characters per ask. The character list is right under this section. By default, if not mentioned, I’ll go with the main skeletons: Undertale, Underfell, Underswap, Horrortale, Swapfell & Fellswap Gold Sans & Papyrus.

5 - You can ask for interactions between several of my characters too, even if they are from different alternative universes. For convenience, they are magically all living in the same world. You can have more info right here [The link is coming soon, I'm reworking on it].

6 - I'm fine with personal questions and asks about my fanfictions too!

7 - Fanarts and fanfiction are welcome. Don't hesitate to tag me so I can reblog your art!

8 - If you find a spelling mistake, don't hesitate to point it out. I prefer these comments on recent posts, as I have more than 2000 posts on my blog and can't physically review them all.

Click on a name to get more info about the character!

If there's no link attached to a character's name, please refer to this old post for a small description. The character sheets are currently being rewritten, but it takes time.

Undertale : Sans, Papyrus, Toriel, Asgore, Undyne, Alphys, Frisk (Adult), Chara (Adult), Mettaton, Gaster, Grillby, Muffet, Burgerpants, Asriel, Flowey, Gerson.

Underfell: Sans (Red), Papyrus (Edge), Undyne (Storm), Alphys (Amy), Grillby (Ash)

Underswap: Sans (Blue), Papyrus (Honey), Undyne (Abigail), Alphys (Savage)

Horrortale: Sans (Oak), Papyrus (Willow), Toriel (Old Lady), Grillby (Ember)

Horrorswap: Sans (Nugget), Papyrus (Pumpkin)

Horrorfell: Sans (Copper), Papyrus (Chief)

Horrorswapfell: Sans (Bear), Papyrus (Tiger)

Swapfell: Sans (Nox), Papyrus (Rus)

Fellswap Gold: Sans (Wine), Papyrus (Coffee)

Outertale: Sans (Moon), Papyrus (Sun)

Dancetale: Sans (Rambo), Papyrus (Salsa)

Dancefell: Sans (Rumba), Papyrus (Tango)

Farmtale: Sans (Sam), Papyrus (Ben)

Mafiatale: Sans (Demon), Papyrus (Creeper)

Mafiafell: Sans (Fang), Papyrus (Torpedo)

Other skeletons: Ink, Error, Disbelief!Papyrus (Delta), Dustale!Sans (Dune) - Killer!Sans (Killer)

HELPFUL LINKS

Characters birthdays

MASTERPOSTS

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37

FANFICTIONS

Completed - The Doppelganger [Underfell & Horrortale] | Out of the closet [Undertale] | 7 a.m. in the neighborhood [Undertale]

In progress - Horrortale: Rotten Apple [Horrortale] | What is best for humankind [Undertale prequel] | No weakness [Underfell] | Remember the good days [Undertale] | A heart in a cage [Undertale]

[this-is-z-art-blog]

[ID: two page digital drawing of Danielle Phantom and Ember McLain against a dusky sky. In the first image, Dani is seen from the knees up, hovering in the air. She's in a modified version of her ghostly form, with blue skin, green eyes, gray hair in a messy bun, and black sleeveless dress with a ripped up hem, white belt, white gloves with the fingers torn off, and ripped red overskirt. She also has open silver bracers at her neck and upper arms, with a ragged, torn red cape hanging from the arm cuffs, forming an asymmetrical wing silhouette behind her. She has her arms spread at her side and is snarling out "Sweet little Lunar Heroine isn't here anymore. I'm Heiress Eclipse."

In the second image, a human Ember with tan skin, black hair with some blue streaks, and brown eyes, is looking up at Dani from the ground with dismay, hands pressed to her own chest. She's wearing a dark blue cropped tank, black skirt, and black fingerless gloves, and a dark choker necklace. She's saying "You're...me."]

@crossoverdanuary week honorary mention, heir

From my and @jus-a-lil-mouse's shugo phantom au, Dani in the middle of her corruption arc/breakdown, casting aside her superhero persona Lunar Heroine to instead embody her fears of failing and being discarded. This is the moment her big sister Ember realizes Danielle's vision of becoming cruel, thoughtless, and directionless is in part based on her

[sonysakura]

⭐1 COMMISSION SLOT OPEN⭐

Discounted price for 5 days only! PM here or preferably send a request on Discord (sonysakura) for the slot!✨ Reblogs are very much appreciated!

OFFER INCLUDES: • Digitally lined and coloured character art; • Cell-shading; • Transparent or simple background; • Scans, .PSD file and/or lineart on request.

Full Terms of Service doc Samples of art style and techniques

[luminique]

YIPEEE I LOVE DISCUSSING OCS !! i think people who think self-shippers/yumejoshis are cringe need a bit more whimsy in their life ☝️

my agent's name is scarlett reid and she's a bat thiren under victoria housekeeping ! i was debating whether or not i'd make her represent the vampire trope bc lycaon's story teased an upcoming vampire chara (altho idk if he's gonna be playable) but this is all i can think of for now so unless i can come up with something else, she's gonna be the vampire of the team 😭

basically her story is that she has a sickly younger sister who inspired her to pursue pediatrics, the only issue is her fangs become visible when she talks/smiles and it scares most kids 😭 she also has a crazy work history because she used to take up a bunch of jobs just to get by until she got the opportunity to join victoria housekeeping

i've also been considering making it so that she was a medic in the ember arena which is where she met lighter but i haven't decided on if she was born in the outer ring and moved to new eridu or born in new eridu and worked in the outer ring for a while for some reason

OOH SHE SOUNDS LIKE SHES SLAYING ?? like ugh i’d eat her up if she was in game !! her name is so pretty too and shes a bat thiren ?? sign me uppp

as part of lighter nation, i believe lighter would absolutely ADORE the little fangs. like the first time she smiles at him, he was a little scared but he finds it charming. whenever he’d attempt to flirt with her (and fail miserably), as long as her little fangs show, he KNOWS that she’s genuinely smiling and laughing.

also , since there’s a huge misconception that most bats like human blood, i think he’d be a little worried that she’d go crazy upon seeing him bleeding from his matches. BUT NO, she’s treating him so well, his eyes are focused on her while she’s busy patching him up. this is canon, i was there in the ember arena 🙂‍↕️

i hope we get more about the outer ring because i think it could definitely help you decide which origin is better for her. i LOVE your oc and i’m so happy that you’re telling me about it AKSHSKBS

[seraphiism]

𓆩 ღ 𓆪 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞

( i wish i could be everything for you. family, home, watchtower, lighthouse. i am sorry for every way i've ever hurt you, including this. )

chara : clive rosfield fandom : final fantasy 16 quote cr : mabel podcast a/n : ngl someone may have forgotten some of the plot in ff16. not me though

── IT WAS ONCE SAID THAT THERE ARE THREE UNIVERSAL TRUTHS IN THIS WORLD :

ONE : GRIEF IS A DEAD MAN WALKING. it will overcome you, destroy you, devour you, drown you beneath the waves of sorrow. IT WILL HURT. it always will. but it is ultimately you who deems your survival. do not forget that.

TWO : YOU WILL KNOW LONELINESS LIKE IT IS YOUR DEEPEST COMPANION. you will find familiarity with the emptiness, and it will turn into nostalgia turned to mourning twisted into an anguish. in the end, you won't know the difference between friend or foe in the coexistence of your own solitude.

THREE : THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD IS A TERRIBLY HEAVY THING, DEAREST. make sure you do not carry it alone.

it is almost amusing, you think, gaze boring into the dying embers before you, how convenient it is to forget said truths. how it slips from the mind in the most foolish of times when the truth is spoken to you ; how obnoxiously it echoes into memory when you speak of it to someone as means of lessons learned.

the truth is a very miserable thing sometimes, this sobering reminder of humanity, but it is also something so excruciatingly tender.

you shiver. the air is cold and unwelcoming. the embers burn bright, then nearly fade into nothingness : a distant flux and flow, the reignition of something that wants to survive.

what a profound sight it is, clive thinks, almost breathless at your beauty beneath the moonlight, it is a mere glimpse to the serenity that settles in the depths of your heart, almost forgotten, and in the weariness of your features, it serves as something hopeful. you must be searching for a shooting star ; you always are, and maybe he's searching for one tonight, too. how lucky you would both be if granted a wish fulfilled. perhaps it would spare you from the pain to come on this endless journey, this path to redemption and salvation.

he looks to the sky, too, hopes to remember this moment for a long while, this time in which you find repose beneath the stars.

it is not long before you feel him shift beside you, his hands gentle as he drapes his cloak over your shoulders. you do not say anything, but you smile in silent thanks, and he wonders how he can do this. how he can say this. the destruction of oneself is much easier than the destruction of another. he returns the smile, but it does not reach his eyes, and you know that something is wrong.

he averts his gaze, focuses on the fire. dying, dying, dead. fire is such a horrific being, he has learned, and what a tragic way he has discovered it so. how it burns and burns, consuming everything in its path. it is ruthless in nature-- a terror that seizes anything it can, burning it into damnation and ruin until there is nothing but ashes meant to be forgotten.

such fire runs in his blood, and with it, a quiet violence. he does not know why, doesn't know how, and he begs the question to the divine a thousand times over. there is no answer. there never is, never will be. the only thing he knows is that there is blood on his hands, and he cannot afford to shed yours. he will not.

even if it means going your separate ways, even if he means breaking your heart, even if it means carrying out an act of betrayal to the trust that has bound you to each other.

"i..." he cannot even bring himself to speak. what a coward he is. "there is something i wish to discuss with you."

you still look to the sky. the subtle curve of your lips does not falter, even with the words he does not expect to hear.

"you plan to leave, don't you?" you wonder if there is a shooting star somewhere out there, wonder if it will be kind enough to visit in times of despair. "you think this is all your fault, that you were the one who killed what you thought to be most precious."

the smile has faded. your gaze shifts to the ashes, then to him, seeing that heartache in those blue eyes. something feels like it's tightening around your throat. you suspect it is grief. you speak again, anyway.

"you think... that your existence should be void, that you should be punished for what you believe you did. that if you stay-- if you stay here, if you stay with me, then it'll happen all over again."

he does not speak for a long while. what can you even say to that? how can he tell you that you're right, that he's afraid he could hurt you to the point of no return and not know it? that he's going to leave you because he loves you?

you turn towards him, your hands reaching for his. your hold is tender, careful, but he feels the way you tremble ever so slightly. it is his fault.

"the things i've done back then--" he pauses, uncertainty in his eyes, a grief of some sort, "i didn't know it was me. i thought i had been chasing after the one responsible for my pain, but i've been chasing a ghost all along." his hands squeeze yours, and maybe they're shaking, too. "i failed my duty. there's only one path that lies ahead of me, and that is one where you are safe."

he doesn't know what to expect-- your anger, your fury. that's what he almost wants, because it is much easier to end things that way. but he doesn't expect your expression to soften, doesn't expect to feel the way your hand cups his cheek, thumb tracing over his scar. he is already on the verge of break, but this may be the one thing that pushes him over the edge, and a sorrowful smile finds its way to your lips at the tears that threaten to trail down his face.

"you don't want to go, clive." your voice is barely above a whisper, quiet, almost forgotten in the wind.

no, he doesn't. he doesn't want to leave, doesn't want to leave you, doesn't want to lose you. he wants to stay. he wants to think that there's hope somewhere, but the truth of it all is that there's just not.

"no, i don't." he places his hand over yours, instinctively leans into your touch. "i don't."

"so stay. stay with me. i know you are in despair. i know. but the truth runs deeper than any of us suspect. you can't give up, not yet." this time, your voice almost breaks. you lean forward, your forehead pressed against his. you are afraid to speak. "we are not meant for solitude, you know. the path you take is the only one i know. i will not leave you, clive. not now, not ever."

he doesn't--

he feels his heart waver, feels like his thoughts are a mess, mind a haze in the midst of mourning. he cannot help but close his eyes at your words, at your warmth. he doesn't know if he can believe you, not yet. to grant himself forgiveness is an act of selfishness, and it is not one that is deserved. not now, maybe not ever.

"you've always bested me, haven't you?" even now, he's unsure of what to say, what to do. you've always been right, always known the best course of action. even in the darkest nights of ruin, you've always managed to find the light. for that, he is grateful. "...you have my heart, always. thank you."

you smile, but this time, it is a quiet sadness, yet almost hopeful. your lips meet his-- brief, but more than enough.

the journey ahead is a long one. it will be difficult. it will be harsh, cruel, and it will push both of you to the point of break. but so long as you have each other, you will make it.

"of course." you answer, and you kiss him once more. "you have my heart, too. our paths will always be intertwined, clive."

he laces his fingers with yours, lips ghosting against the back of your hand in an act of reverence.

"yes," he murmurs, and maybe there is something holy in the way he speaks to you, looks at you, "always."

[werecat1234]

Revised Merging Timelines Chapter Two

Sans was walking through Snowdin, Chara next to him as they killed all of the monsters in the area. The snow was falling around them, and it was mixed with the dust of the lives they'd taken. Sans could feel something new in his soul, and he savored the feeling, wanting to feel as much of it as he could before it vanished again. He headed into Grillby's, a water bucket behind his back, and Chara was peeking around the corner of the window after him, watching him in interest. 

"hey is anyone here?" Sans asked, hiding the bucket of water behind him, knowing a certain fire monster was here and would remain here for the rest of the timeline... as a corpse.

"Sans!" Grillby exclaimed, rushing over to him, "Ah, thank god you're ok!"

Grillby put his fiery hands on Sans's shoulders. The warmth would've typically been comforting and soothing, but it did nothing for the numbness he felt other than make his soul pound in his chest at the nearby kill. His soul had started enjoying killing; the emotions soothing the aching numbness, and the LV helped too. It was just this once, and then it all stopped. The guilt would stop, the LV would stop gnawing at him; it was all just this one time! 

"Your brother was looking for you." Grillby continued, voice gaining an urgent tone, "There's a human killing every monster they see and we have to go right now!"

"grillby." Sans said flatly, getting the fire monsters attention, "i want some ketchup."

"Ke-ketchup?" Grillby asked in shock and surprise, "What... Sans... Did you not hear what I just said?! There's a human ki-!"

Sans brought the water bucket out from behind his back, chuckling a bit in anticipation, a forced smile on his face, Grillby's fire reflecting in the water. The laugh was still flat and numb, no emotions truly behind it, but he can't remember the last time there was. Everything he was was fake. 

"Sans... what are you doing?" Grillby asked, stepping back, his only response being the emotionless face of the skeleton, who took a step closer, "HEY SANS STOP! STOP IT SANS!"

Sans broke into another fit of laughter, the sound hollow and unsettling, easily able to send chills down even the fire monster's face, pun unintended. 

"Sans if you do that I will be-" Grillby started, only to be completely drenched in water.

Grillby yelled out in agony, his constant flames weakening and shrinking, being snuffed out by the water. He yelled out in anguish again as the water froze him, extinguishing some of his flames and leaving him weakened, body barely aflame. Sans used bone attacks against him, pinning the weakened monster against the wall, two bones sticking out from his chest with others stuck in the wall around him.

"Why.... did you do that?" Grillby asked, barely getting the words out through the pain, both horrified and shocked.

Sans chuckled again, a bit of madness seeping into it this time as he replied "why not?" with a murderous smile.

Grillby groaned in pain, gasping out, "'Why not?'? Sans, you're not like this. What happened? The Sans I know would never hurt his friends or his family."

Sans summoned Gaster Blasters behind him, his hand alight with magic as they charged up their lethal beams.

"i'm really sorry, grillby, but i have given up on all of you." Sans replied, voice empty, voice not having any true remorse. "Sans wai-!" Grillby yelled, only for the blasters to fire, killing him.

Grillby didn't turn into dust, instead a pile of ashes that floated through the air, the glasses broken on the ground, the suit burned and damaged beyond recognition from the blast as smoke and embers floated through the air. He would be coughing if he had lungs, and he shuddered at the pleasing feeling of the kill, and Sans felt his LV go up. Everything faded to black and then....

Sans woke up with a gasp, jolting up and loosing his balance, falling onto the floor with a grunt. He could still smell and taste the ashes, like he'd walked through a cloud of cigarette smoke. It was bitter in his mind, flashes of weak flames in his vision that he was desperately trying to blink away, but he was left mostly unsuccessful. Like the last Reset, Papyrus burst inside of the room, skidding to a stop on his knees, but thankfully this time Sans hadn't woken up from a nightmare as severe as the last timeline, so he was a bit calmer with his brother. 

"SANS? BROTHER, WHAT'S WRONG?" Papyrus asked in concern. 

"oh... h-hey, paps..." Sans said, voice shaking as much as his eyelights were as he looked up at him. 

"WHAT HAPPENED? IS... IS EVERYTHING OK?" Papyrus asked.

He couldn't unhear Grillby's screaming. The screams were echoing through his mind as much as the faint noise of Chara's words were, their voice in the background but words too muffled to hear. His bones were rattling and trembling in his fear, and he looked down at his hand, his tears on his glove, and his vision flashed to it being that black liquid from his nightmare last timeline. Sans blinked quickly, and the hallucination faded again, much to Sans's relief.

"yeah, i-i'm ok... just uh... j-just a nightmare." Sans replied, wiping away tears.

'or was it?'

Sans jumped, looking around, eyelights shrinking. What was that?! Sans's soul twisted and clenched in his ribcage, and he looked around the room, but he couldn't see anything. No hallucinations of Chara, no hallucinations of anyone else.... It... It sounded like himself.

"SANS?" Papyrus asked in concern.

"hey pap? could um... could i be alone for a bit? i uh... need some time to think.." Sans requested. "OH... ARE YOU SURE?" Papyrus questioned.

"yeah, i'm uh... i-i'm sure, bro..." Sans replied. 

Papyrus still looked hesitant, but he relented after a moment, exiting the room. After a moment, Sans asked quietly.

"w-what did you say?"

'i said, 'or was it'. by the way, do you realize how damn much you sound like alphys? i mean jeez...' The voice chuckled.

Sans let out a shaky exhale, bones rattling a bit as he asked, forcing his voice to be steady, "who the hell are you?..."

'you really don't know? wow, you're seeing weird memories of yourself that aren't you, and now you're hearing your voice, and yet you can't even put two and two together? was i seriously this dumb?' The voice questioned, mostly to himself.

"wait, are... are you that... that other me?" Sans asked.

'ding ding ding, you guessed it.'

"how... how is this possible?.." Sans wondered, more to himself than the voice in his mind.

'you think i know? i just got here.' The new voice verbally shrugged.

"i... i think i need a minute." Sans said.

'well i'm not giving you one. look, i don't know if i'm even real, or if i'm just a figment created by your, to be frank, very unstable mental state. honestly, i've seen a cup of water in an earthquake more stable than your mind.' The voice taunted.

"shut up..." Sans muttered, fists clenching a bit.

'yeah... no. you're stuck with me whether you like it or not. besides, i'm stuck with you, in your body, in your mind. have fun dealing with the kid later.

Sans groaned. Right, that was happening in...

'two hours and fifteen minutes.'

Sans was silent in surprise, wanting to give the voice a confused and curious expression, but since he didn't have a form, he just gave it to the floor. 

'what? i've experienced countless resets, i know the times.' The voice replied, and Sans sighed, rolling his eyelights. 'hey, look at it this way, me and you get some quality time to talk 'til the brat opens the doors. whichever personality is controlling them, anyways. and yes, i know about that, i'm in your head, you have no privacy~'

Sans sighed, knowing this would be absolute hell. Not only did Chara's voice like to go peek-a-boo in his mind, this other version of himself would probably be here for the foreseeable future, and Sans already had a headache. What had he even done to deserve this?

"shut it... what do i even call you?" Sans asked.

'hmmmmm... interesting question, lucky, it has to be something elegant, bold, says a statement, makes me stand out, and it's just gotta-'

"killer." Sans cut off his honestly narcissistic monologue.

'huh?'

"killer. that's what i'm calling you. that suit you, your highness?" Sans sassed, and Killer burst out laughing in his head.

'oh man, i think i might actually enjoy this!' Killer laughed.

Killer laughed more, and Sans sighed in exasperation. The laughter was dark and twisted, sounding like his own but much more malicious and evil, and it did a lot for his headache... by making it so much worse.

"why are you even calling me 'lucky' anyways?" Sans asked after a moment, admittedly curious..

'because if i get a nickname, then you get a nickname. it's only fair~ besides, you're luckier than i was. ergo, lucky. can't call ya leprechaun because you don't have enough g for that to be correct.' Killer answered.

Sans wished he could punch him, but Killer was unfortunately only in his head. Something caught his vision, and his eye sockets widened in shock, teleporting over to his window, looking at his reflection. He couldn't see his eyelights in his reflection, but he could sense they were lit, but he couldn't see that in the glass. What he could see was a faint, glowing red target on his chest.

'ooooh looks like someone's hallucinating already~ again~'

Sans stayed in his room for the rest of the night, mostly tucked into a corner of his room with Killer talking in his mind, thankfully drowning out Chara's whispers in his mind. Sans honestly wondered if Killer was doing that on purpose.

'i am. i know how it feels when they just don't shut up. so, i just drown out the noise by always thinking' 

"thanks..."

'don't thank me. you're gonna have to listen to me nonstop talking in here~' Killer pointed out.

"great..." Sans muttered, less thankful than earlier.

Killer snickered, the sound echoing in Sans's mind, and Sans sighed, looking down at the floor. 

'you still thankful?' Killer asked.

"a little." Sans replied, and Killer chuckled.

In the morning, Sans followed his regular routine, with eating breakfast with Papyrus, Killer muttering complaints about the pasta and about eating in general under his breath, and Sans had to choke most of it down, forcing it down his throat for his brother's sake. Killer was not happy about it, but Sans was ignoring him. He wasn't going to listen to someone who killed everyone multiple times all because he felt empty inside.

'watch it, lucky.' Killer growled.

Sans smirked at the anger in Killer's voice, hiding it with a forced smile as he ate some more of Papyrus's spaghetti. He had to admit that it was pretty satisfying to hear Killer pissed off. Sure, Sans knew what Killer went through, but he could still be bitter about what Killer did and how he didn't seem bothered by it. 

'oh c'mon, you know repression is the best medicine.'

Sans wasn't too sure about that. He knew that?

'eh, you'll learn. eventually.' 

Sans wasn't looking forward to how Killer expected him to learn, but it did seem like a given... 

Once Sans's patrol started, he headed to the Ruins door, waiting for the kid to show up. His vision flickered after a gust of wind shot by, carrying snow that briefly blocked out Sans's vision. When the snow passed, everything was a bit hazy, and he looked down, seeing himself with dark blue sleeves, black fingerless gloves, white shorts, and blue sneakers. He saw the door open, and Killer's voice jolted him out of the hallucination, reality flickering back into view.

'the clock's run out, time's up, over blaow! snap back to reality, whoop, there goes gravity-! oh hey, welcome back!'

Sans looked around, the door slowly opening to the human exiting, and he could tell from their expression they weren't Frisk. They didn't have any LV or EXP, and there was no dust on their clothes, which was admittedly comforting. He was still on guard, though, so he regarded them carefully before approaching. He realized as he walked forward that Killer had drawn him out of the hallucination intentionally, and he was thankful for that, and no catch Killer could come up with would change that.

 Sans reached the kid, and greeted, "hey kid, you been behaving?"

The kid looked over at him, surprised with his appearance, responding after a moment, "Yeah, yeah I have... umm... are you ok?"

"i'm fine. i can tell you're not frisk, though. they already told me about the.. situation... what's your real name? you have one?" Sans asked, and the kid didn't answer.

'intimidate them! do it!' Killer encouraged.

Sans refrained from listening to the resident murderous, sadistic sociopath in his head for the... second time this timeline? Was it more than that? Sans had a feeling that number would go up a large amount overtime, and he was barely a few hours into the timeline. 

'hey! ... true. also yeah, that counter's gonna be going up a lot.'

Sans held back a sigh, and told the human, "come on, kid. it's not a big question."

"My... my name's Riley.." The kid answered.

"well then, it’s nice to meet you, riley. well, we might've actually met before in a previous reset, but I'm making this our first official meeting." Sans said.

'now do it. ensure they won't try any funny business. no one wants them to... i dunno... get ripped apart limb from limb, tossed into the burning pit of hell as the hellfire licks away at their pathetic and useless flesh as they scream out in absolute agony and... sorry, is this bothering you?' Killer asked, chuckling.

Sans looked absolutely done right now, he was sure of it, and Killer was snickering in his mind, the sound bouncing around in his skull. 

"you gonna be merciful this timeline? no killing?" Sans asked.

"I plan on it.. Are you ok? You look upset..." The kid asked.

"yeah, i'm fine. and good, glad you're not gonna go around dusting everyone. what's even the point of doing all these resets anyways?" Sans questioned, "why go through the underground every time?"

"I don't know, I just know I'm Determined to finish the route... It's hard to resist the urge, and... none of us can control when a Reset happens except for one of us..." Riley said.

"chara."

Riley looked at him in surprise for a moment before saying, "Good guess."

"what?" Sans asked.

"You... you just said their name. Chara." Riley explained, confused at Sans's confusion.

"oh, uhh..." Sans started, Killer laughing in his head. How had that happened? "i didn't realize i said it..."

Riley shrugged a bit, lightly kicking at some snow under their foot. They seemed like an anxious and nervous type, so he would need to try and keep them mostly calm here.

'soooooooo...... no threatening them?...' Killer asked.

There was no way in hell Sans was doing that.

"so, want me to take you into snowdin? keep this from getting repetitive for both our sakes? different events?" Sans asked.

"That... . . . I'd like that, thank you. Promise you won't let me get killed?" Riley asked.

'just say no and kill them! please!'

"sorry, kid, but i don't make promises, however... i'll try keeping you alive. how's that?" Sans asked, ignoring Killer.

"It's good enough.." Riley relented, and Sans led them into Snowdin.

On the way into town, there was an awkward silence between them, Riley looking down at their feet as they walked.

'i'm bored. wanna trip them with a bone?' Killer asked.

'no'

'killjoy.... oh hey, you thought back at me!'

'what do you mean?'

'that! instead of me just reading your internal dialogue!'

'reading?'

'nevermind! you still did it! congrats!'

'. . . thanks?...'

'you're welcome! . . . seriously though, this is boring. at least start up some sort of conversation for me to eavesdrop on!'

Sans sighed, Killer back tracking to that again. Did Killer have ADHD or something, or was he just used to keeping his mind filled with thoughts to block out Chara's chatter?... Sans should probably give him something to entertain him before he found some way to break something or drive Sans crazier than he already was.

"so kid, how many times have you been in control during a reset?" Sans asked, starting up a conversation.

"I umm.. I have no idea. I didn't really keep track.." Riley replied. 

"gotcha. any hobbies?" Sans questioned.

"I like knitting and reading. Swimming too, that's kind of fun, but not in cold water." Riley replied, and Sans nodded.

"you tried swimming in waterfall by hotland? should be pretty warm there." Sans suggested.

"I think I tried that a few Resets ago. It was pretty nice." Riley replied, before asking, "Why are you asking all of this?"

"eh, i'd at least like to know who i'm talking to instead of just a name. you and the others in there, you're all unique with your own preferences, and you should know that you don't have to be considered as one collective group." Sans replied, and Riley smiled a bit at him, unaware of his (mostly) lie.

"Thank you." Riley smiled, and Sans nodded in response.

'chick-flick moments are so damn cheesy. hey lucky, wanna hear about the time i got a knife stuck in my eye socket?'

Aaaand the moment was over. Great. A minute later, Papyrus came into view, and Sans's eye sockets widened with an idea. This was a distraction Sans could get behind, and based on Killer's laughter, he'd overheard Sans's thought.

"kid, give me your hand." Sans whispered, and when Riley did, Sans put the whoopie cushion on their hand.

They walked through the snow a bit more, leaving behind footsteps that were covered up by the snow soon after. They reached Papyrus a bit later, his steps faster and larger than Sans and Riley's, making it take longer to approach him. Papyrus looked over as their footsteps neared, and he waved, walking over to them both.

"HELLO, BROTHER! HELLO FRIEND OF MY BROTHER! I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE MET! I'M THE GREAT PAPYRUS! AND YOU ARE?" Papyrus asked.

"R-Riley, nice to meet you." Riley said, holding back a laugh as they extended their hand to him.

When Papyrus shook their hand, a loud fart rang out in the area, and Sans and Killer both burst out laughing. Riley was soon to follow, Sans doubled over from laughter, his lighthearted and happy while Killer's was a dark, twisted version of it. The fact that Sans could hear his own laughter within Killer's was honestly disturbing, and a bone-chilling reminder of the fact that Killer was, in the end, him. "SANS." Papyrus said flatly after a moment, and Sans only laughed harder, but Killer couldn't possibly laugh more than he already was.

"y-yeah bro?" Sans snickered.

"WHY?" Papyrus asked, and Sans snorted. 

"s-sorry, bro. if you gas-ked me, though, i'd say that reaction really blew me away." Sans chuckled, and Papyrus just looked done with everything. Killer wheezed.

When they got to Snowdin, everything was mostly normal... mostly. Some monsters were suspicious, but only really tried fighting them when the kid approached them on their own, mainly the guard dogs. Sans didn't intervene much, just when Riley seemed like they were having trouble, so Sans occasionally pulled them out of the way with his magic, Papyrus cheering the kid on the whole time, thinking it was all surprise sparring. 

'how come you're helping them so much? i mean it wouldn't be the first time the kid's died and came back.'

'i want to be on good terms with the kid. not letting them get killed like they asked seems like a good start.' Sans thought.

'fair... say, how bad do you think this whole situation is gonna get? i mean honestly, you can't possibly expect this to not get worse.' 

Sans shuttered a bit; he'd known it would, but being reminded of the possibility... wasn't fun.

'might not be fun, but hey, ya gotta consider these things. watch the brat.' 

Sans's attention drew back to Riley, pulling them out of the way of an incoming attack from Dogaressa that would be difficult to dodge. 

'thanks.' Sans thanked him.

'eh, whatever.' Killer brushed him off, 'saw your memory last timeline, when you saved frisk from undyne. you know why they did that?'

'manipulation from chara?'

'it's a bit more... extreme than that, but basically. watch for when you go blank, that is uh... bad news. i don't deal with it, personally, but you will.'

'yeah... thanks for drawing me out of it before.' 

Sans pulled them out of the way from more attacks, and he heard Killer's voice reply in his mind again.

'don't mention it.'

'no, i think i will.'

'why?'

'to irritate you. i'm still pissed at you because of what you did.

'yeah, i feel it. whatcha gonna do about it?~'

'i don't know, you aren't exactly tangible, so... maybe just annoy you?'

'. . . i'm a masochist, by the way.

'you slimy little-!'

'haha! you can't win!'

Sans groaned, pinching the bridge of his nasal cavity, and he closed his eye sockets, opening them when he heard Riley approaching him and Papyrus. He could see on their face that they'd figured him out, and upon them saying thank you, Sans shrugged in response, playing it off. 

After Riley was able to befriend and spare them, they walked back to Sans and Papyrus, giving Sans an appreciative look. Looks like he'd been had. Oh well.

"WAIT, ARE YOU A HUMAN??" Papyrus asked, having overheard some of the conversations.

"Umm.." Riley started, fidgeting a bit as they considered how to answer. 

"yeah, they're human." Sans said.

"WHAT?! SANS, WE MUST CAPTURE THE HUMAN! WHY HAVEN'T YOU DONE SO ALREADY?!" Papyrus asked in shock.

"well, they aren't hurting anyone, and besides, they're pretty cool to hang out with." Sans shrugged.

'that and they aren't killing everyone they see. yet.' 

Sans held back the urge to facepalm. Barely. 

"We can hang out if you want? No capturing needed?" Riley offered, nervous.

"LIKE... FRIENDS?" Papyrus asked, hopeful.

"Yeah, like friends." Riley agreed.

"YIPPEEEE!!" Papyrus cheered, putting Riley on his shoulders and happily marching to Sans and Papyrus's house. Sans chuckled a bit, following behind them.

'... am i the only one who wants to see papyrus just yeet riley into the air and see them get somehow impaled on the top of one of the trees?' Killer asked. 

'dude!!'

Sans was shocked, eyelights shrinking a bit, and he was greeted to the mental image he was convinced Killer had put there. 

'ha! intrusive thoughts for the win!' Killer laughed, and Sans sighed. 

When they got home, Papyrus showed them around the house, Riley found some G in the couch, which they gave to Sans, who told them to just keep it. After the rapid tour, Papyrus and Riley went up to his room to hang out, and Sans sat outside of the door, his skull resting against it with his eye sockets closed. The whispers were in the back of his mind, muttering things to him that he couldn't understand, and Killer's voice was white-noise drowning it all out. Killer was easier to ignore than the whispers, though, which was nice in a way, but Killer was right, it was getting annoying. When Sans started listening to Killer again, Killer was in the middle of a sentence.

'- so then i started wondering, are there other combinations with strawberry jam and black licorice?'

'... what?' Sans was extremely confused.

'oh! look who's paying attention again! heya lucky!' Killer greeted with way too much enthusiasm.

Sans sighed quietly, facepalming. He heard Papyrus cheering in his room, and Sans smiled fondly at the noise. At least his brother was happy for the time being, that was the important thing. 

'ugh. i still don't get why you're so focused on that.'

'what do you mean?' Sans asked.

'ensuring they're happy. i mean, you're going through hell, and yet you're focused on everyone else being happy, or at the very least papyrus being happy. why?'

'i guess i just know that just because i have to go through it, doesn't mean that they need to.' Sans replied, 'they don't deserve to be brought down just because i am. even if they wind up forgetting, even if it all gets reset... there's no point in making them miserable. besides, i can handle it.'

'you and your damn martyr complex...' Killer grumbled.

'you and your damn apathy.' Sans countered.

'. . . touche. still, even if you're not taking them down with you, why don't you do something to entertain yourself? change things up? the kid knows you remember anyways, why don't you make your own choices?'

'i do make my own choices, and i'm choosing to do this.' Sans replied.

'that's not what i mean. i mean doing something you normally wouldn't do in fear of consequences. you could run through the underground wearing something ridiculous, you could prank everyone, you could get undyne and alphys together or get trash talk from the lady behind the door about asgore. hell, you could even convince papyrus to wear undyne's armor through a truth or dare and have him run around the underground as her! or you could just start killing, but that's a big stretch for you.'

Sans shuddered at the last thing Killer mentioned, though the other ones were admittedly interesting. It would be... pretty fun to stir some stuff up, but he was also too lazy to do something like that. His exhaustion wasn't forgotten; it didn't let him forget his existence, always making him sluggish and tired. The thought of messing with everyone else, though, just from harmless gags everyone would forget anyways... it would be entertaining... It would definitely keep things from getting boring or monotonous, that's for sure.

'i take it you did those things too?' Sans asked after a moment.

'nah, i didn't break the script. the same thing, every single time, all to piss them off, but they got their way in the end... i never really did anything different before chara convinced me to team up with them for some fun.' Killer answered.

"killing everyone isn't 'fun', Killer." Sans muttered, fists clenching.

'it is when you haven't been able to feel anything for so long. feeling anything at all is pure bliss. besides, i'm sure the longer this keeps up, the more bored you'll be. i have some harmless ideas for you to try, and i can tell you're tempted by them. you'll break eventually. everyone does.' Killer said. 

Sans went to respond, but he heard footsteps approaching Papyrus's door, so Sans quickly teleported to his room, hiding the fact he'd been outside of the room. The door opened a moment later, and Sans could hear Papyrus and Riley exiting the room, their steps heading down the stairs towards the living room. Sans sat down on his bed, next to the clump of sheets on his mattress, and he crossed his arms.

'i'm not like you, killer, and i never will be. i refuse to be. i might change things up, but i won't kill everyone like you did.' Sans glared at a wall in frustration, Killer not having a physical form for him to glare at.

'i thought that too, once. i told chara that so many times, and  l o o k  w h a t  h a p p e n e d . '

Sans shuddered a bit from the change in Killer's tone, and he looked off to the side. He hated the fact that Killer was right. They were technically the same monster, sans the genocide loop and everything, but Sans did have a decent amount of Killer's trauma. The whispers in the back of his mind were proof enough of that, trying to get him to listen in and let them guide his thoughts, but Sans wasn't stupid enough to allow that to happen. Sans went to respond to Killer's statement, but Papyrus calling for him cut him off.

"SANS! BROTHER, WE'RE TAKING YOUR FRIEND TO UNDYNE'S SO THEY CAN MEET EACH OTHER!"

They were what?...

'heh. seems like the brat wants to change things up too.' Killer chuckled. 

"SANS!!!" Papyrus called out when Sans didn't immediately respond, "GET DOWN HERE YOU LAZYBONES!!"

"i'm comin', paps!" Sans yelled back, getting off of the bed and heading towards the door.

'seriously, think about it, lucky. being lazy is a weakness; a flaw. it's boring. cut loose; have some fun.' 

'do you think that, or is that something they said?' Sans asked, knowing which one it was, and Killer went silent. Sans sighed, 'that's what i thought.'

Sans opened the door, heading downstairs to see Papyrus waiting by the door a bit impatiently, and Riley was standing next to him, much more patient than Sans's brother was. Papyrus perked up when he saw Sans, though, his impatience giving way to excitement.

"GREAT! NOW, ARE YOU BOTH READY?" Papyrus asked.

"b-both?" Sans asked, eyelights shrinking a bit from panic.

Did he know about Killer? No, he couldn't know, there was no way. Killer was just in his head, he didn't have a form, and if he did, Sans would be the only one able to see him. There was no way Papyrus knew about Killer!

'relax, papyrus doesn't know about me. he's not smart enough to figure that out.

'killer, shut the fu-!'

"YES! YOU AND YOUR FRIEND RILEY! ARE YOU BOTH READY TO HEAD TO UNDYNE'S?" Papyrus asked, cutting off Sans from his swearing, and Killer snickered in his mind.

"oh. yeah, i'm ready. kid?" Sans responded before looking at Riley, and they nodded.

Sans tried to ignore the curious and concerned look they sent him afterwards, seemingly seeing his panic when Papyrus had remained oblivious to it. He needed to be more careful unless he wanted something happening.

"GREAT, LET'S GO!" Papyrus smiled, picking Sans up and heading out the door, Riley following behind the two skeletons, Sans facing behind Papyrus from how he was carrying him, "SANS, YOU SEEM TENSE, BROTHER... IS EVERYTHING OK?"

'oh wow, lucky, you sure do such a good job on keeping everyone happy and unaware of how poor your mental state is.' Killer sassed, and Sans gave him the mental middle finger, Killer responding by blowing him a raspberry.

"SANS?" Papyrus asked, drawing his attention back to him.

"huh? oh, yeah, i'm ok. you don't kneed to worry about me, paps. just got a lotta things on my skull." Sans replied.

"UGH! THAT WAS HORRIBLE, BROTHER!" Papyrus groaned, and Sans chuckled, relaxing.

"aww c'mon, paps! i thought it was pretty humerous." Sans grinned.

"SANS!" Papyrus yelled, and Sans laughed.

"tibia honest, paps, nothing's wrong. just thinking about how some body said someone had their back. i'm trying to figure out where they went with it." Sans grinned, and Riley snorted.

"DO NOT ENCOURAGE MY BROTHER, RILEY!" Papyrus chastised.

"what's the matter, paps? your funny bone broken?" Sans asked, and Papyrus groaned in exaggeration.

Riley reached up to give Sans a high five, and once said high five happened... the whoopie cushion went off. The loud fart rang out around them as they walked, Killer snickering in his mind as Riley giggled quietly out loud. 

"SANS!" Papyrus yelled, exasperated.

"heh, sorry bro. i didn't mean to let that one rib." Sans grinned. 

Papyrus yelled in frustration, slinging Sans over his shoulder as he stomped to Undyne's house in annoyance, Riley following behind him, laughing. The laughter was drowned out by the blizzard, wind gushing past his skull, and the snowy landscape behind them flickered, Chara faintly visible.

'crap.'

"Come on, Sans... You can do it... Now's your chance, partner!"

Sans looked down at himself, seeing his appearance identical to Killer's once again, and there was a knife in his hand, but he couldn't feel the weight of it or himself gripping it. Killer was saying something in his mind, but Sans couldn't concentrate on it, Killer's voice muffled.

'no.'

"Yes! You know not to refuse your best friend, right, Sans?~"

'shut up...'

"You're so close... Just one slice, and you'll win! Kill him for me, Sans... Kill him. now."

'stop, please..'

'oh for the love of-!' Killer started blasting music in Sans's head, making him grimace, it difficult to focus on anything in his mind, but also drowning out Chara's voice.

The music was loud, mainly a lot of electric guitar and drums, and Chara vanished from his sight, his own appearance flickering before returning to normal, and he breathed out a sigh of relief. He felt some tears coming from his eye sockets, and he disguised them with a yawn, ignoring how they took the appearance of black goop before returning to their usual appearance. The blizzard faded into the distance, the three of them now walking through Waterfall, and Sans buried his skull in Papyrus's chest, eye sockets closed to block out how the shadows of the walls almost seemed to move around them when he looked at them for too long. He felt like he was losing his mind.

Killer eventually turned down the music into a faint background noise, covering up the whispers, and Sans thanked him mentally, not thinking it but feeling it. Killer didn't seem to care either way, though; indifferent to Sans's gratitude. He removed his face from the crafted armor after a few minutes, needing something else to focus on other than his own mind, and he started counting stalactites on the roof of the cave system, trying to distract himself.

"Hey Sans? What are you doing?" Riley asked.

"counting stalactites. why?" Sans responded.

Riley shrugged a bit, before questioning, "What's the difference between stalagmites and stalactites?"

"easy, kid. stalactites grow out of the ceiling, and stalagmites grow out of the ground. you can tell the difference through the 'm's and 't's. the 'm's look like stalagmites growing out of the ground, and the 't's look like stalactites growing out of the ceiling." Sans answered.

"Wow..." Riley said in amazement.

"WOWIE! THAT IS AMAZING, BROTHER!" Papyrus complimented.

"thanks." Sans said. 

'did you know you can slice a stalactite at just the right moment and drop it on someone and dust them?' Killer asked out of nowhere, and Sans's eyelights vanished for a moment.

Thankfully, the kid didn't seem to see the look on his face before he could school his expression. The fact that Killer knew that because he probably tried it raised a large amount of questions Sans didn't even know how to ask.

'dude, what the hell?' Sans asked as Killer snickered in his mind. 

'hey, you can't tell me you never thought about it~' Killer replied.

'yes i can, because i never thought about it!!' Sans snapped.

'. . . damn. i can't believe i used to be this boring. eh, whatever. it's still cool. maybe you'll see it happen in one of your nightmares. those seem to be something that'll be happening a lot more, and the hallucination... well...' Killer trailed off, and Sans internally sighed at that, knowing Killer was probably right. 'it used to be one of chara's favorite things to watch. it never worked on undyne though, we tried that a bunch of times and it never worked.'

'can you not talk about murdering my friends?' Sans requested.

'aw c'mon, jekyll! don't tell me this is bothering you!' Killer snickered.

Sans decided not to give him the reaction he wanted, and Killer sighed.

'hmph, fine. be that way. if you'll excuse me, i'm gonna hyde out in your subconscious for when the fireworks start at undyne's house.' Killer said, 'enjoy the tunes!'

Sans sighed quietly as Killer started playing music in his mind, though at least he might have a few minutes without a psychotic version of him in his mind chattering away about murder, brainwashing, or about strawberry jam and black licorice, which... what the hell.

When they got to Undyne's house, things got... chaotic. Papyrus approached the door, holding Sans with one arm as he raised the other to knock on the door. He adjusted his hold on Sans again, using both arms to hold him securely, and Sans heard Undyne walking towards the door. Sans turned his skull to see the mouth of the entrance of the house opening, Papyrus stepping back as Undyne walked outside.

"Hey Papy-!" Undyne greeted, but stopped in her tracks upon seeing Riley, before continuing in a much more dangerous tone, "Papyrus. Why do you have a human behind you?"

"WELL-" Papyrus started, but stopped when Undyne summoned a spear, clearly ready to attack.

"undyne, don't. they're fine." Sans said. "not a human, just a monster kid who got confused on what holiday it was."

"I doubt that. That's a human, Sans. I know it is." Undyne glared, and Papyrus gave Sans a strange look from his lying.

"hear that, kiddo? your costume is super realistic." Sans smirked.

"STOP MESSING AROUND, SANS!" Undyne snapped.

"i'm not." Sans denies.

"YES YOU ARE!!" Undyne hissed.

Riley hid behind Sans, Sans could feel their grip on the back of his jacket, and he could see them peeking over his shoulder in the reflection in one of the waterfalls. The reflection flickered, Chara gripping Sans's shoulders with the wide smile visible on their face, whispering next to his skull. Sans had black liquid running down his cheekbones, wearing a black turtleneck, dark blue jacket with a fluffy tan hood, white shorts with a black stripe on each side, and blue sneakers. There was a glowing white and red upside-down heart outside of his chest, the red dripping down from the bottom.

"Protect your best friend, Sans... Protect me."

The reflection changed, Chara's hand moving down his arm, despite the fact he could only feel Riley gripping his back, and Sans kept his arm tense, not letting it go boneless as he saw Chara grip his wrist. Their smile grew as they slid a knife into Sans's hand, the skeleton's fingers moving to hold the imaginary weapon, Chara's other arm moving to wrap around his neck in a hug, their chin resting on his shoulder. Sans fought to keep his mind from going blank, the emptiness setting in and he felt himself growing more and more out of it, and more compliant. Papyrus and Undyne were arguing, but Sans couldn't understand what they were saying, everything a fuzzy haze except for Chara's whispers. Sans clenched his jaw as he fought it off, and he was actually missing Killer's presence right now-

'i leave you alone for a few damn minutes! focus on the kid, lucks! focus on what feels real, not what your mind is doing to you!' Killer yelled, and Sans obeyed, focusing on Riley's presence.

He focused on Riley gripping the back of his jacket for safety, and his toes curled in his slippers, focusing on the physical sensations, tearing his gaze away from the waterfall, and the whispers slowly quieted down, his appearance returning to normal after a few blinks, and he breathed out a silent sigh of relief. 

Undyne was watching him strangely, and something seemed to click in her mind, and knowing her, it would either be unnervingly accurate... or extremely far-fetched...

'i'm betting on far fetched.' Killer said, and Sans agreed.

"I think I know what's going on here.." Undyne spoke up, narrowing her eye.

"yeah, the kid got confused." Sans replied.

"No. The human is mind controlling you!" Undyne accused, pointing at them dramatically.

"... what?" Sans asked.

'called it.'

"Of course! It all makes sense now!" Undyne shouted, before turning to Papyrus, "Papyrus, are you controlled too?!"

"NYEH? NO! AND I DON'T BELIEVE MY BROTHER IS, EITHER! RILEY IS A GOOD FRIEND, THEY WOULDN'T DO THAT!" Papyrus replied.

"That sounds like something a mind controlling human would make you say... Sorry, Papyrus, but I don't have a choice." Undyne apologized gravely.

'move.' 

Sans saw Undyne's spear swiping at him, and he teleported himself and Riley out of the way, Undyne looking at him in surprise as he dodged. Sans had an arm in front of Riley, a barrier between them and Undyne, and he got ready for a fight.

'i know her attacks, just follow my instructions and you'll be fine.' Killer told him.

'i know them too.' Sans pointed out.

'i've killed her before, i know them better. you want my help or not?' Killer asked.

'. . . fine...' Sans begrudgingly agreed.

'get the kid out of the way.' Killer instructed.

"paps, catch!" Sans yelled, using blue magic on Riley's soul, flinging them to Papyrus, who caught them.

'dodge to the left.' 

Sans dodged to the left, avoiding spears that shot out of the ground from under him. 

'duck.'

Sans ducked down, dropping to the ground, Undyne's spear swinging right over him.

'jump.'

Sans leapt off of the ground, pushing off with his hand, spears appearing under him and vanishing as he landed again.

'dodge to the right.' 

Sans dodged to the right as spears shot out of the ground, one slicing a tiny mark through his slipper, narrowly missing his foot.

'duck.'

Sans crouched down as Undyne swung her spear at him again, and he felt his hood move from the speed of the attack.

'jump.'

Sans jumped up as spears appeared around him in a circle, converging towards him, and he made bones appear to block them as he fell to the ground again, ready to dodge once more. The attacks continued a bit longer, Sans falling into the rhythm of dodging the spears and getting used to following Killer's instructions.

'fling her into her house.'

Sans used blue magic to grab her soul, flinging her into her house immediately and leaving a dent in the building, and he froze after he did so. Undyne was looking at him in shock, still held in place by the blue magic, and Sans was surprised he'd just did that.

'dude?!' 

'what? hey! don't let her go! keep her there. don't release her soul.' Killer snapped as Sans went to release her soul before stopping, keeping his grip on the white upside-down heart.

'ok? now what?' Sans asked.

'talk at her or whatever pacifists do, i dunno. i know how to fight, that's it. just keep her there so she doesn't do anything too stupid.'

Sans held back a sigh, barely, before asking Undyne "will you please listen to reason now?"

Undyne was still looking at him in shock, probably processing the fact that she'd just been beaten by the laziest and 'weakest' monster in the Underground. He could hear Killer laughing in his head at that, and Sans had to admit, it was kind of funny, even though in reality Sans was one of the strongest.

"U-Undyne?... I umm... I really want to be your friend. I.. Papyrus told me a lot about you, and you seem really cool..." Riley said quietly, fidgeting.

"I won't fall for your tricks, human! We can never be friends!" Undyne declared.

"you mean to tell me, that you, undyne, captain of the royal guard, can't do something?" Sans asked, and Killer snickered, and he heard Papyrus laughing a bit. 

"Wait- NO! I can do anything!" Undyne defended herself indignantly.

"apparently you can't be their friend." Sans smirked.

"RAAAAAAGH!!" Undyne yelled in frustration.

'gaslightin', huh lucky? not bad... not bad at all.' Killer praised.

Sans sighed. Killer praising him for something was somehow worse than the murder talk. Sans released Undyne's soul, knowing she wasn't going to be a problem anymore, and she pulled herself out of the dent in the wall, looking mildly impressed with Sans's capabilities before turning to the three of them, looking Determined.

"FINE! I'll be their best friend ever!! You'll see, punk!!" Undyne yelled.

Undyne walked over to Riley, her steps shaking the ground a bit, and she picked the human up, carrying them inside. Sans and Papyrus exchanged glances before nodding, the skeletons following the human and fish monster into the house. When they got there, Undyne was grabbing a pot and some vegetables, preparing to make some pasta sauce by the looks of it. Undyne was very... violent when making the sauce, fruit juice and guts splattering everywhere, the pasta was thrown into a pot, including the damn box, and everything was on fire within minutes. Killer was laughing like a maniac as the house went up in flames, and Undyne grabbed Riley, carrying them outside as Sans teleported himself and Papyrus out of the burning house. Sans could still hear Killer laughing so loud he could barely hear himself think, and Undyne set Riley down on the ground, looking them over for injuries before looking back at the flaming house.

"Fuhuhu... Uhh... That was awesome!! Hey, you know what?! I bet, since I just, like, saved your life and all, that we're definitely best friends now!!" Undyne yelled in triumph. Riley nodded, going along with it, and Undyne grinned in pride. "YES!! I did it!! Take that, punk!!"

Undyne pointed at Sans with a victorious grin on her face, and Sans faked a defeated expression, "dang. yeah, you got me. you really proved me wrong."

"I DID! Did you see that Papyrus?! I JUST PROVED YOUR BIG BROTHER WRONG!!" Undyne yelled, and Sans winked at Riley with his left eye when Undyne wasn't looking, causing the kid to laugh.

"I DID, UNDYNE! WELL DONE!!" Papyrus congratulated.  

"Oh!! You know what'll make us even closer now?! You gotta meet my... friend, Alphys!! She's so cool! She's so smart and funny and creative and knows a ton about human history! She's got these picture books detailing everything, with massive swords and sticks with magic and there's even giant ones and then there's these ones with wings and- sorry, you probably know all this, you're from there!!"

'i don't think the brat's from an anime, undyne.' Killer snickered in Sans's mind. 

"Anyways! Come on!!" Undyne yelled, picking up Riley again and stomp-running to Hotlands, Papyrus quickly picking up Sans and running behind her.

Sans sighed, watching craters form in the ground when Undyne stepped somewhere, and how Papyrus had to run around those areas, barely making a sound. They got to Hotlands in record time, Undyne barging into The Lab, and scaring the crap out of Alphys and making her almost spill her cup of Instant Noodles. From there, introductions went on, Killer wouldn't shut up about telling Alphys and Undyne to just kiss already... and then Mettaton showed up. For some reason, Killer was just itching to fight him, trying to convince Sans to pick a fight, but Sans refused every time.

Riley went on several of Mettaton's shows, including a final one where they fought at the end, and Sans, Papyrus, and Undyne were locked out of the room, unable to help, but Alphys helped out a decent amount. Sans had to fight off his own mind, resisting the urge and Chara's voice whispering for him to help them, and he was tense the whole time. Sans eventually settled on not watching the fight at all, the skeleton turned away from the TV. Riley wound up getting the ratings up sky high and Mettaton's battery died soon after, ending the fight.

From there, they all traveled to Asgore, walking through the hallways, Judgement Hall, which brought back all kinds of bad memories from his nightmares, and then they finally made it to the throne room, where Asgore was already waiting. Sans was in front of Riley, ready to defend them, but a fireball came out of nowhere, knocking Asgore away. The source of the flame turned out to be Queen Toriel, the lady behind the door, and there was some conversation that followed before once again, the barrier was broken. The timeline was over again....

Riley looked down sadly, and apologized "I'm sorry. This was really fun, Sans. See you next time..."

Just like that, their eyes opened, turning red, their mouth pulling itself into a smile, Sans tensing despite the smile seeming different from the one haunting his mind. The world Reset once again, but something felt so, so much worse than last time...

RESET.