#now i look back and realize. i just want chara to be at peace. | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

bluexiao · 3 years ago

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#come fish with me!

—different situations where you take him fishing with you

CHARACTERS. Albedo, Childe, Diluc, Gorou, Kaeya, Kazuha, Scaramouche, Thoma, Venti, Xiao, Zhongli

THEMES. mostly fluff but a few of them have angst pls i tried it to be purely fluff but i can’t help it

NOTES. i have had this idea ever since i just fish for fun (which i still do) in liyue. i needed the achievement by buying the rod and i tried my hardest to get the liyue one haha. i usually fish while the voice audio is off so it’s rather relaxing for me since i don’t have paimon screaming in my ear all the time. also i’ll probably do another version of this one next time but with most of the charas

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ALBEDO was also in the area when you asked him to go to the only fishing area in Dragonspine. At first, he was quite confused as to why you’d ask for him to accompany you considering that you usually fish on your own all around Teyvat. However, when you two were already settled with your baits on the water, awaiting for a Snow Strider to take the bait, that was when he slowly realized the answer to his question.

“Darling?” he calls, and when you hummed as you turned to face him, his cold hand was on your cheek, caressing them gently with a soft look on his eyes.

“What is it, Bedo? Is something wrong?”

“I must be neglecting you lately, have I?” he questions straightforwardly, but before you could deny him, he adds on, “That must be the reason why you’d want us to get together today, I apologize, for being such a bad significant other to you.”

Holding onto his hand, you shake your head and smile reassuringly to him, “I may have asked you because of the same reason, but you are not a bad significant other, Albedo. I just miss you, that’s all. Klee was the one who suggested that I should go fishing with you.”

He’s hesitant, but he merely whispers and “I love you too,” before landing a chaste kiss on your lips and momentarily leaned his forehead to yours, promising to himself to hold occasional fishing trips with you and Klee someday.

It’s quite difficult if you brought CHILDE with you since he’d usually beat up monsters first even if you both will just pass by them. He obliterates them easily however it’s quite a hassle, nonetheless. Although, it’s expected of him, anyway; any plain activity with him will evolve into one with an exciteming and thrilling turn so suddenly.

“Y/n, stand back for a sec, yeah?” “Let me beat them up for a bit,” “Hey, do you need some Stained Masks? Want me to get them for you?”

You’d actually have to get him to stop since it’s hindering your supposed “peaceful” day with him, and you’d have to explain this as well.

Despite this though, he lets out a hearty laugh and takes a hold of your hand, “Alright then, I won’t go fighting monsters anymore,” his smile then curls into a smirk as he adds with a wink, “But just so you know, I’m fairly experienced at fishing, how about a match and see who has the most caught fishes?”

There is a fishing spot near the Dawn Winery and DILUC knows about it. He was silent at first about it but when you asked, he hesitatingly replied “We used to fish here too before.”

He doesn’t talk about it but it was fairly obvious that he was reminiscing about something—silent as he could ever be as he fished with you and helped you with both of your catches.

Unable to contain it, you suddenly uttered an apology to him—hesitant, you were. Turning to face you, you were faced with a confused look of your boyfriend before a gentle smile breaks on his lips, his free gloved-hand reaching to take yours. You could feel his thumb softly caress the back of your hand as he begins to say, “Thank you for bringing me here, my love. Being here brings back memories, yes, but with you here, I find that there is no way I will feel displeased by it,” and as if he knew you needed more reassurance, he leans to press a kiss on the top of your forehead, “Come now, let us put our catch into good use.”

You would think that GOROU is good at fishing, but he’s actually not. He only has knowledge about it but… he never tried fishing since he usually just tells someone to do it. Be patient with him because he does learn quite fast, nonetheless. He looks very cute while he focuses on his very first baited fish, and you’ll absolutely smile yourself when his face brightens when he gets his first catch.

“Honey look! Look! I got it! I got a Medaka! Aren’t I good?”

Your hand finds itself on the middle of his ears and began to caress one of them, “You did good, honey, now, can you help me catch a Crystalfish, yeah?”

Praising him is very important, you’ll get to see his face flushed if you do<3

KAEYA would probably be the most chill out of everyone, no pun intended. The moment you asked him, he’ll be accepting the offer, to your surprise, since don’t he have work? Truth be told, he’ll accept it since he finds this as a way of “exploring” and knowing more about Mondstadt; and you.

“So this is what you do in your free time,” he says as he struggles on a Pufferfish that he baited, “I could say, this is a great exercise.”

He’s probably trying to act cool but the fight with the Pufferfish was quite intense, but of course knowing him, he won’t complain about it and would continue helping you out for the rest of the day.

Above everyone, it is KAZUHA who is the best Fishing Buddy.

He knows how to fish, he has experience in fishing, and he’s also a great company since he will provide you with tips and advice on the activity in general.

“My, you are doing quite well, my dove, you must be a professional at this,” he chuckles as he brings in his—probably—tenth catch for the last five minutes. Even if he was doing far better than you, he still doesn’t forget to praise you for your achievements. Furthermore, he also knows a lot of fish meals and he might even cook one for you with an Adepti Seeker’s Stove. And his cooking are superb, I tell you.

“Excuse me, what?” SCARAMOUCHE hisses and raises a brow. “You want me to fish with you? Why can’t you ask other-“ he pauses, and he turns away suddenly, leaving you without an answer.

“Alright, I’ll just ask Childe if he’s free-”

His eyes pierced your soul in an instant, glaring at you with a visible frown mixed with a pout on his lips, his arms crossed as if he was hiding something so obvious already, “Who said you’re going with him? Come on, stand up, I thought you were going to fish right now? Well then? Don’t make me want to change my mind.”

THOMA is good at everything, including fishing. Definitely a rival to Kazuha, but he’s more of an expert only at the ones in Inazuma since they’re the ones that he’s used to catching.

“Now, where shall we go next, we’ve cleared this area already for now,” he pauses, “Do you need the ones in the Shipwreck? Raimei Angelfish, was it? Stay here, I’ll go get them for you, it’s dangerous there and I don’t want you to get hurt, baby,”

You were hesitant to ask VENTI to accompany you in Stormterror’s Lair, since it was part of your fishing spots, after all. He appears like he doesn't mind though but every once in awhile, he gets silent and stares off in the distance, only snapping off when his bait captures a fish or if you call his name.

You were about to say an apology to him when he suddenly beamed at you and grab a hold of another rod, “I’m not really good at fishing, so would you mind if you could teach me, windblume?”

He may not say any of his problems now but it was because he didn’t want to ruin the day by thinking of negative thoughts. He wishes that you won’t worry about him thus he shows his bright smile—but behind it is a self that he doesn’t want you to see, for now, that is.

XIAO knew that the fishing spot in Dihua Marsh has enemies near it, thus he did not bother much that you asked him to fish with you. What he did not expect is that you needed to go to various places to accompany you in the fishes that you needed to for a certain polearm that you wanted to obtain.

“Humans and their desires… all of these just for a fishing rod and a polearm… am I correct? I don’t understand how such creatures would be needed in exchange for a weapon.”

Despite this long complaint, he never did so afterwards, merely following you all day long and even carrying all your catches back to Wangshu Inn then going back to you in an instant.

“Finished?” he asks when you’ve cleared an area, and when you nod at him, he wordlessly slips his arms on your waist and teleports you both to another fishing spot.

He obviously did not memorize each one of them just for you.

It has been awhile since ZHONGLI stepped foot on the top of Mt. Aocang and when you suggested that he accompany you to fish, he was delighted at it, nonetheless. He’s probably the most thoughtful above everyone since he may be the only one who will pack snacks for both of your journeys and immediately assumes that the activity is a bonding time for the two of you.

“Here, dearest, have some of these,” he brings a sandwich near you, not expecting you to merely turn your face and bite on it since you were preoccupied with having your focus on the beautiful hues of the Abiding Angelfish that you had been eyeing at early on.

ZHONGLI smiles to himself as he watches you with your focused gaze, admiring you and your beauty in the middle of such a peaceful place.

If he’s asked, he’ll say that he’ll definitely go back here with you someday to fish again.

TAGLIST (send an ask to be added~)

@softlybeloved @rim0na @icecappa @cozykaii @scaraslover @beastielevi @cursedraiden @thesatanofpizza @izayanna @stellumi @coco-goat-milk @nonniechan

#genshin x reader #zhongli x reader #xiao x reader #gorou x reader #thoma x reader #kazuha x reader #scaramouche x reader #albedo x reader #childe x reader #venti x reader #diluc x reader #kaeya x reader #genshin drabbles #genshin oneshots #genshin fluff

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weia-yo · 4 years ago

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hey it's undertale theory time!

this is heavily thanks to @drundertalescum for giving me brain food with the idea that when toriel mentions how asgore could've crossed the barrier with one soul she wasn't talking about the first of the 6 humans he killed, she was talking about Chara. here's the massive stream of thought that came from that.

what this theory centers around is actually not specifically that, but a question i've had for the 5 years i've been in this fandom, which is Why asgore and toriel decided to have asriel when they did? as we all know boss monsters only age when they have a child, so asgore and toriel having asriel meant that they were going to die sometime after asriel grew up. but why Then? why 1000-ish years after monsters were sealed underground and not any point before or after?

(part 1: the prophecy)

what we know is that at the time the monsters all lived in Home aka what's now the Ruins, sealed behind a door that can't be opened from the outside. this was to protect themselves from any possible human who decided to cross the barrier and kill them all. we also know about the deltarune prophecy, that the Angel, the one who has seen the surface, will make the underground go empty. we Also only know of three monsters who were mentioned to have seen the surface; asgore, toriel, and gerson.

And Another Thing, gerson mentions that lately people have started seeing the prophecy as being about an angel of death who will kill them all. but the thing is, the dude's Old. he's literally older than monsterkind's time underground. "Lately" to him could very easily be within the last few hundred years.

what i'm getting at is, i think the belief was that asgore, toriel, or gerson (or all three) were going to be the angel who would free them, but sometime during their stay in the ruins that belief shifted to the angel being a human who would go into the ruins and kill them all.

what i think happened was, gerson began to age. he's not immortal like asgore and toriel, he wouldn't live forever. i imagine when that realization hit asgore and toriel they had a long talk about the future. if the angel really was about a human who would kill them all, then asgore and toriel staying alive on the basis that maybe they were the angel who would free monsters was just giving them false hope.

they weren't going to do anything drastic, but taking away their own immortality, while giving monsterkind a new ruler without any expectation of freeing them, would mark a new era. for almost a thousand years they had hope that they would be free, but maybe it was better to just accept that this is their permanent home now and make the best of it. yes the prophecy likely said a human was going to kill them all but humans had left them alone for all this time and possibly forgotten all about them, they were behind a door that couldn't even be opened from the outside, staying in Home meant they were safe from humanity.

and then chara fell and everything went upside down.

(part 2: One Soul)

people have theorized that chara and asriel's friendship is the entire reason monsters lost their fear, left the ruins and went to live in the rest of the underground in the first place and i think that's most likely true, but what if before then asgore and toriel had a discussion? after all chara was a child but so was asriel, so was every child living underground, doomed to die without ever seeing the sun. chara was a human with a human soul. would killing chara be worth a chance at freedom?

we don't know if they had that conversation but we know the result; Absolutely Not. it's not worth it. it's not worth it to kill an innocent child for their freedom.

but i think they still saw within chara a chance for monsterkind to live on the surface. after all, toriel and asgore were aging, and when they died their soul would remain long enough for a human to take it and leave the barrier. i think they were hoping this would allow for chara to leave and find souls outside to bring back and break the barrier while a now fully-grown asriel would be able to lead the monsters on the surface to coexist with humanity, using his friendship with chara as an example to all.

of course this didn't end up happening because everything went wrong. monsterkind's hopes for freedom and an era of peace on the surface were all dashed, the prince of monsters was killed by the humans of chara's village, all the wounds from the monster-human war that were thought healed were torn open.

both asgore and toriel were understandably traumatized by this and both their reactions were completely understandable; asgore saw this as evidence that peace with humans was impossible and declared war, toriel saw asgore and monsterkind turning their backs on her children's legacy and decided to leave them behind. but it's what happened afterwards where i think they lost their way.

asgore lost his way because he decided to give monsterkind false hope. you walk through the underground and hear monsters talking about their lives; they're not happy. there are so many problems in the underground and it seems like few people are working to fix them; any time the problems are brought up they're either laughed off or amended with a "but it's ok because soon we will be free".

toriel also lost her way, by looking at the scenario where the humans went to asgore and fought him, which could only end in either of them dying, and choosing to not intervene.

the pacifist ending results in, among other things, toriel realizing (likely after facing frisk and finding their determination to not kill her) that she was wrong and that she couldn't let this fight happen.

i used to think this bit of the game was the one part i disliked, bc it didn't make sense for me for toriel to lecture asgore for not taking the first soul that dropped, but it never occurred to me until drundertalescum pointed it out that she very likely was talking about Chara.

toriel came here after realizing it wasn't worth it to let asgore die even if it meant the human could go free. and she reminds asgore what he seemed to have forgot, that it wasn't worth sacrificing anyone for their freedom. it wasn't worth it when the child in question was chara, it's not worth it when the child in question is frisk. and it's especially not worth it when asgore clearly doesn't want to hurt anyone, when he doesn't really want freedom, and is only doing this for a thin veneer of hope for monsterkind.

and asgore, who in the neutral run decides it would be better for him to die and for the human to take his soul, realizes that she's right. that it wasn't right to sacrifice anyone for their freedom, that it wasn't right to keep monsters barely going with this empty tragic "hope", and that it wasn't right to give up his own life even if it meant freeing frisk and through them potentially monsterkind as well.

#undertale #asgore #toriel #asriel #undertale theory #chara #frisk #long post

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logically-asexual · 3 years ago

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Hold me like you mean it

summary:

Logan’s feelings for Virgil and the fact that now Virgil barely notices him are stopping him from getting any work done. Janus offers a way for Logan to cope, by disguising himself into Anxiety. but is this really what Logan needs? and what’s in it for Janus, anyway?

Alternatively, an angsty story about rejection, denial, and manipulation.

warnings: (for the whole fic) unrequited love, rejection, manipulation, unhealthy relationships, gaslighting, dependency, dubious consent and non consent for kissing, sad ending, depression (vaguely described), angst in general, nightmares, self harm. let me know what else i should add.

taglist: @gummibearbullet @chara-07 @the-sympathetic-villain @whatishappeningrightnow

Read on AO3

Chapter 8

words: 934

The following day, Logan didn’t move from where he woke up until he realized Thomas was having a meeting. He got up, put on his glasses and styled his hair, and went to rise up with the rest. However, right before doing so he realized Janus was already standing there, in his place. He could shove him aside and join anyway, but he decided to stop and listen in for a moment.

Thomas was in the middle of researching for a project, and Deceit helped by listing ways to ensure sources were credible (only the ones that aligned with Thomas’ perspective, of course, but Virgil was able to counter him and balance their information with points both against and in favor). Realizing that everything was under control, he chose to follow Janus’ advice and went back to bed, staying alert in case he was summoned.

He wasn’t, and spent the rest of his day reading a book he found on the nightstand.

The next few days went similarly. He would stay in the room, entertaining himself with puzzles, sleeping, or staring at the ceiling. He didn’t change his clothes, in case he was needed and had to show up quickly. Janus came to talk to him often and told him about their day, about the progress he had made with Thomas to set clear objectives and go after them, while maintaining proper care for himself. Logan felt empty most of the time, but knowing this made him quite proud.

It took them almost a week, but one day the others finally showed concern about his disappearance, or so Janus recounted to him. He said that Thomas inquired about it, and Virgil told them what he had told Logan before leaving his room the week before, assuming this was Logan doing what he asked for and stopping his caring act. Janus let them know that he simply found a more efficient strategy to work in Thomas’ mind, and didn’t need nor want to come out here and discuss his input; all that they needed from him was already there tacitly. According to him, the others understood and swiftly moved on.

Logan knew Deceit wasn’t a reliable source of information, but he had no alternative, with no will to go check himself, and his reasoning told him the story added up. Additionally, he simply couldn’t not trust Janus, he was the one who had always been there for him, and his only real friend in so long, who hadn’t judged him even in his worst moments. If Janus lied to him, it was for the best.

“Did I really harm them?” Logan asked him later that day.

They were sitting together on the bed, Janus had his right arm around Logan’s shoulders, and a book on his other hand. A second left hand came to rest on Logan’s knee, as the first lowered the book and Janus turned towards him. Logan saw his eyes glance to the side, as he mulled over his answer.

“You made wrong decisions,” he said, looking back into his eyes, “but every single time you have acknowledged them, apologized, and tried to make up for them. They’re the ones still choosing to be hurt, you’re not responsible for them. You should focus on what brings you peace of mind.”

Logan nodded, and chose to focus on the comforting weight of Janus’ hands on him. Silently, he slid even closer to him, melting into the embrace. Sometimes, he would overthink his situation, and get the idea that Janus didn’t love him, not as much as he needed Janus, or that Logan didn’t love Janus more than he missed the idea of Virgil he used to have. But it was wrong, this couldn’t be another illusion, it had no reason to. When he thought about what soothed his mind, it was always Janus’ affection, there was nothing else, so he let it be.

Janus lifted the book again and went back into narrating the story out loud for Logan, pulling him away from his thoughts.

After a few minutes, though, Logan was alarmed by a familiar sensation. A tug. A signal that he was being summoned to a meeting.

“They’re calling me.” His eyes widened and his heart hammered in his chest as an uncountable amount of emotions filled his brain. “Janus.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “They’re calling me. Should I go? Maybe they need me. But what if they ask about my absence? Would they care about that? What if it’s about something important? I have to-” His mouth was shut before he could finish.

“Logan.” He turned to Deceit, who was looking back at him sternly. “What do you want?”

He inhaled sharply through his nose. His pulse was still racing. After a second, he tried opening his mouth and found it was no longer sealed. “I…” There was another tug, and he forcefully shut his eyes. “I don’t…”

Janus brushed his hair away from his face. “Come on, darling. You can do it.”

“I don’t want to go.” He finally let out.

“And you don’t have to.” His voice was low and reassuring, and Logan felt the stress fade away with his words. Still, he clung tightly to Janus, using him as an anchor, as if otherwise he would be pulled away against his will. There were no more attempts to call him.

After a moment, he let go of his stiff hold, leaning back. He hesitated, and then changed his clothes into sleepwear.

He would return one day, but for now he just wanted to rest.

notes: only one chapter left aaaaah. i love janus so much.

#logan sanders #janus sanders #loceit #sanders sides #thomas sanders #unhealthy relationships #hold me like you mean it #angst

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autisticundertale · 3 years ago

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What A Lie (chap 1-6)

Omg I cant believe we forgot to post our fanfiction here. Now yall have to wait for the next chapters like our DA followers

Our writing is kinda garbage, fair warning

(Contains Chariskriel, Flowiskra, Friskid, Sansgoriel, Sansby, Papyton, and Alphyne. If you have a problem with those ships, this fic aint for you.)

---------------------------

Chapter One

(Tw: non-intentional self-harm)

Asriel had grown used to the warmth that was provided from the company of Chara and Frisk’s bodies pressed into him. It had become unnatural to not feel their breathing and hear their sighs of content as he slept.

It had become tradition for his counterpart, Flowey, to snake vines amongst them as they lay asleep. It was even a casual experience if MK decided that he wished to join them, and snuggled at Frisk’s legs, using their thighs as a pillow.

Years of this comfortable nighttime tradition had chipped away at his ability to sleep alone. Alone, he was much too cold, the bed much too empty. Even having just Flowey in bed with him helped, despite the two of them typically avoiding one another to an extent. Asriel couldn’t remember the last time he had been without the warm embrace of his lovers, the viney hugs of his counterpart, or the soft warmth of his friend sleeping at the bottom of the bed.

So, when he felt a chilly breeze rub against him as he slept, he couldn’t help but wonder why his darling spouses were up before him. Slowly, the other sensations flooded in as he awoke; no blanket, no pillow, no clothes. Just dirt covering his lower half in an uncomfortable but sturdy pile. He wondered why there would be dirt in his room, trying to rationalize it in his head as he struggled to open his eyes.

His eyes opened not to the comfortable peace of his bedroom, but rather a large open space built with ancient bricks, with occasional golden flowers lining the walls. He knew this place well; after all, Frisk would come here to reminisce on the past, and he had had to come get them from here a number of times over the years, especially when things were hard at their work as ambassador.

He couldn’t recall coming here last night. Maybe he dissociated again, it happened every few weeks as far as he knew, but as long as someone came here with him, they could fill him in on what he didn’t remember.

It wasn’t until Asriel stretched- well, attempted to stretch- that he fully realized that he didn’t have arms. And then, as he looked around the room again, he realized he was quite small; too small. And suddenly, that feeling of dirt on his lower half made sense.

He’s a flower. This caught him off guard, but it didn’t alarm him. Sometimes, he and Flowey would re-merge when one of their bodies were struggling with something, or when one of them felt unsafe. Depending on the intensity of the situation, it could end up with a Flower-like body, a monster-like body, or a combination.

Asriel stretched his vines and the roots under the dirt. He decided to call forward his soul, just to check and see how it was doing with the merge, but after a few attempts he realized that nothing was happening. This was when the gravity of where he was and his situation finally hit him.

He was too small. Sure, he was a flower, but even Flowey had grown over the years. He was around the size of a young sunflower last Asriel checked. There’s no way he’d be this small unless he was a kid again.

Oh, God, no. The walls, the room, the place. It didn’t look the way he remembered. No, the flowers along the edges were young and clearly trimmed. Nobody came to the underground and tended for the plants anymore.

He started hyperventilating. This couldn’t be real. Why would it be? It didn’t make sense for him to be back here, as a soulless flower, after twenty years of living on the surface with his family and lovers. Frisk and Chara resetting after they had just got engaged makes no sense. Why would they want to start over? They had been so excited for the wedding, so proud of all the progress, so scared of the idea of losing what they had- and wait, was he feeling love still? If he’s soulless, how could he still love them? Did maybe a piece of his soul remain even after everything reset?

He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t think clearly. Everything was a muddled mess of noisy thoughts in his head, and he couldn’t help but cry. A nightmare, this is a nightmare, right? A misunderstanding, perhaps? A dissociative fugue that’s causing visions?

All his doubts that this reality is false melted away when he saw Frisk – young, frail, recently-fallen – walk through the door. He wanted to call to them, to beg them for an explanation, to beg them to fix this somehow but he was incapable of making the words come out. He just stared at Frisk wordlessly as they sat in front of him with a blank expression. They weren’t looking at him with the usual affection he could read. Their face…it was like an imposter.

Vaguely, somewhere in his panicked and confused mind, he wondered if Chara was also here as a spirit that he could not see. Based on what Chara had told him about that before, he assumed so. He wondered if they were trying to reach out to him, if they too felt confused and afraid, and he felt his vines curl uncomfortably at the thought of them being helpless like him.

Silence passed. He didn’t know if it was two minutes or an hour before Frisk quietly stood up and walked past him. He was baffled. How could they just walk away, with nothing to say? Theres no way they couldn’t remember him, not when they looked at him with that much understanding. How could Frisk –the sweet, compassionate, ever-loving ambassador for monsterkind – ignore the distress and clear wrongness of restarting after over twenty years of progress. He couldn’t accept this silence.

He died a little inside when he couldn’t bring himself to make a sound. This was his fiancée, for Gods sake, but he couldn’t even tell them to “wait” or ask “what is happening?” Pathetic. He felt the tears welling up and realized that he is – once again – a scared little crybaby.

He couldn’t bring himself to move until they were out of view. He slowly lowered himself underground, shifting amongst the tunnels underneath the dirt to follow them. He wracked his brain for something, anything, to say. He felt so disconnected, almost convinced this was just another one of his dreams. There was no way he could believe in this reality, not after all the promises and joy Frisk and Chara had given when they abandoned resets.

He half-heartedly wondered if his parents – if everyone else – could remember those twenty years. This reset…something wasn’t right about it. It didn’t erase his sense of love and affection, not entirely, so clearly it didn’t reset correctly. He guessed it probably had something to do with the fact that it was left untouched for two decades.

He realized brokenly that his face ached. He used a vine to touch it, and realized that while thinking, he had torn off one of his smaller petals, and was now leaking DETERMINATION and plant-fluids. He hadn’t even noticed himself ripping it off, hadn’t even realized it, but even now he couldn’t feel anything for his torn petal. He could hardly feel anything at all. He was so numb, and scared, and his whole body was shaking – when did it start shaking? – and he wanted to tear everything down, to wake up from this nightmare, to scream, to rip apart anyone and anything in his way, to…to…

Everything in his mind stopped when he realized how much dust was in the air as he followed them. How much dust was trailing along the old puzzles and empty roads. And everything collapsed like a pile of heavy bricks on his aching heart.

His beautiful fiancée- Frisk, his sweet princess, who had so much compassion in their heart- was killing. Murdering. Clearing everyone in their path. And most likely, Chara – his sweet, snarky, relaxed prince – was helping them do it, as they had helped them do everything else in their many years together.

There was nothing he could bring himself to do except scream. Nothing he could control about himself as his vines smashed and broke every puzzle, every path, every wall around him. This was a nightmare…

…And he was never waking up.

**********************

Chapter Two

Sans couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this uncomfortable. He had just woken up, unsure of the world around him (since he hadn’t exactly opened his eyes yet,) but everything was just so…terrible. Feeling too lazy to open his eyes yet (more like too emotionally drained from all the political drama that had been happening recently between humans and monsters within the last few weeks) he just decided to try and sort out why he felt so off mentally.

The bed, which he usually delighted to sleep in, felt uncharacteristically small and lumpy. Grillby made it a point to make the bed for Sans every night, ever since they bought an apartment together (with Mettaton and Papyrus taking the apartment next door that was connected to theirs) and Sans had grown used to that comforting softness. Chara had knit him the softest blanket in the world which – for some Godforsaken reason – wasn’t on him right now.

The air felt colder than usual. Sure, their AC wasn’t perfect and tended to screw up, but it was Summer, and he was living with Grillby. Things were always at least a bit warm, even when Grillby was well-controlled with his temperature.

The room felt and sounded like it lacked proper ventilation, and it stunk of Garbage, which he knew was a red flag considering either Grillby or Papyrus would take out the garbage at night. It almost made him open his eyes and investigate, but that wasn’t the most concerning part of this.

His soul felt fragile. His body felt unwashed, dirty, heavy, and tense. His head was pounding in a hangover – which is impossible, considering he hasn’t drank since Toriel pulled him out of his rutt and set him up with a doctor almost ten years ago.

Reality wasn’t setting in. He refused to open his eyes, refused to CHECK himself, refused to accept this. It just couldn’t be real, he wouldn’t let it be real, he would lie here with his eyes shut forever if it meant he didn’t have to think about this anymore. He couldn’t bare to open his eyes and look around this old mess that he had forbidden himself to fall into again. He couldn’t bare to open his eyes if there wasn’t sunlight shining through his window. He couldn’t get up, couldn’t leave this room, if he wouldn’t walk out to see Papyrus, Mettaton, Grillby, Toriel, and Asgore sitting at the table with a feast that could fill him for weeks.

He couldn’t handle the idea of betrayal from the people he considered his best friends. The people he considered his children. Couldn’t handle the idea that they had taken away his happiness and that nobody else but them, him, and maybe Asriel would remember.

He lay there, disconnecting from reality – from his body, from his thoughts, from his emotions and pain, from everything – for about an hour before someone entered the room and called out to him, forcing everything that was distant to absorb straight back into his body.

“…S…Sans?” It was Alphys. Alphys’s voice rang clear as day, and Sans knew with a rush that if anyone could fix this – if he had any hope of being happy and safe again – she was the person to go to. He forced himself up as quickly as he could, almost falling over, and Alphys ran to catch him from tumbling. One good look at her and he could tell she had been sobbing probably for a majority of the day. Maybe…maybe she remembered too? Maybe he wasn’t alone?

“S-Sans! O-Oh my God, I’m so glad you’re okay!” she hugged him tightly and he couldn’t help but to squeeze her as hard as he could. It helped him feel connected to his body, helped him stop from drifting away again.

“alphys, whats going on?” he croaked out pitifully and almost cringed at his own voice.

“E-everyone has been s-so worried about you! T-Toriel d-didn’t know if you could- If you’d…s-survive this again.”

Sans felt a wave of hope and nausea simultaneously roll through him. Toriel remembered him. She had to. Meanwhile, Alphys lifted Sans up (she always had been stronger than people assumed from all the heavy lifting robotics work can require) and carried him, running down the stairs, as if trying to get out of here as soon as possible.

“c-can…can you explain whats…g-going on?” Sans forced himself to say, his voice sounding so terribly torn. Alphys nodded and began her ramblings.

“We all woke up down here with our memories. Everyone has been gathering at Asgore’s castle while we try and figure out what to do. T-though admittedly, theres a few people h-harder to find…Papyrus, for one, isn’t here…I already checked, and Mettaton is gathering everyone from the rest of Snowdin s-so that’s helpful. A-Asgore says that worst case scenario, i-if we cant fix the timeline, we just would…need to find Flowey, give him the human souls a-and our souls temporarily, and have him break the barrier again…b-but, er, w-we haven’t found him. Toriel couldn’t…s-search very far into the ruins f-for him. S-so, f-for now, we’re just…evacuating.”

It took a minute for Sans to process that she said ‘evacuating’ and implied that something dangerous was in the ruins that stopped Toriel from venturing further. Before he could even find the words to ask, Alphys seemed to realize that he needed context.

With a shaking voice, and a broken sound cracking up between the words, she gasped out “F-Frisk and Chara a-are…k-killing e-everyone in there r-right now…”

The pain that shot through his soul was overwhelming. He could feel his soul crack, could feel a burning sensation shiver through his burns. His HoPe dropped, which was ridiculous considering it had been reverted back to being 1, and now was a pitiful 0.5. He was devastated.

And he felt as though his soul might shatter completely when he realized that Papyrus being missing could be even worse than he initially thought.

**********************

Chapter Three

(Tw: baby-loss/sorta-miscarriage)

Undyne could feel the smile on her face tugging against her dimples. Her cheeks hurt from how hard she was smiling, but there was no way she could stop. Alphys was being just far too precious, cuddling into the lump of her pregnant stomach, half-asleep and mumbling adorable nonsense to their unborn child.

Their son Justice was cuddling against Undyne’s legs. She could see his adorable sails fluttering in his sleep. When he softly snored, she almost thought Alphys had squeeled, because the sound were just that similar. She had to hold back laughter as to not wake up her gentle family.

Undyne closed her eyes, whispering a soft “g’night” to her family. She could do anything as long as she had her wife and kids. Anything at all.

When she awoke, the warmth of her family was nowhere to be found.

-------------------

Mettaton sighed as he carried Undyne through the castle, pacing back and forth. She had been unresponsive for the last few hours, the poor thing. Her house had been completely devastated and destroyed when he and Alphys had found her…not that it was a surprise that she had fallen into a derealized fugue of devastation after initially tearing everything apart.

He couldn’t imagine the pure grief of waking up knowing both her born and unborn children had been ripped away from her and that it was likely that they’d never exist again.

Alphys had said (through her own grieving sobs) that she probably would be unresponsive for a while. Souls were oversensitive during pregnancy, and this was a devastating enough experience even without that sensitivity.

Mettaton was concerned for her and Alphys. The two had been the dearest of friends to him over the years, and he owed them both so much. Alphys had made his dreams come true, Undyne had given his dear boyfriend Papyrus so many opportunities and had blessed him with friendship, and both of them together had helped Mettaton grow as a person and had supported him throughout all his tours and shows on the surface.

Plus, he loved their son so much; he became the honorary uncle to him, and Justice adored dress up, so he got to share all his fashion types with the young enthusiastic axolotl. Losing that child had his soul aching in ways it never had before. He tried to assure himself that it would be fine, as long as Alphys was alive she could fix the timeline…but he wasn’t sure if he believed that, honestly.

He just hoped Papyrus was okay. He wondered if Alphys had found him by now and would bring him back. He wanted to see that cute face, even if this wasn’t exactly the most romantic setting. It would help ease his soul’s devastating ache, that’s for sure. Papyrus was great at making hopeless situations feel lighter.

Mettatons legs were tiring, so he decided to stop his pacing and sit on the floor with the rest of the survivors that had been brought in thus far. The castle was slowly filling up, and he doubted he would have much room to pace if they kept flooding in like this.

He couldn’t help but hope Frisk and Chara burned in hell if they were doing this out of free will. Those two kids had been such the light of his life, freeing him from the underground and letting his dreams of praise and love from humankind become true. They had visited him often, called him “uncle”, asked him to dress them up, invited him to their prom dances and graduation, enthusiastically asked him to help them pick out their engagement rings when Asriel and Flowey had declared they wanted to get married to the two…they truly were sadistic if they did this just for the fun of it.

No point wasting more time thinking about it. He closed his eyes and decided now would be a good time for a nap. This whole ordeal was exhausting and he needed his beauty sleep.

**********************

Chapter Four

Papyrus’s bones felt unbearably cold. The snow wasn’t the cause, of course; it didn’t matter how hot or cold the atmosphere was, since temperature wasn’t a problem for skeleton’s unless it was directly touching their souls…then the temperature was an extreme annoyance...but clothes easily covered that problem up!

No, the chill wasn’t from the weather. It was from the absolute terror spiking through Papyrus’s very essence of being. Not that the great Papyrus liked to admit he was afraid – it made him worry people would believe he couldn’t handle himself, when he knew he very well could! – but he knew deep down that this was the scariest thing to ever happen to him.

He had been hiding out near the exit to the Ruins, waiting for – minutes? Hours? He couldn’t even tell anymore – for Frisk and Chara to walk through. He wanted to talk to them, to ask what was wrong, because he knew full well that they wouldn’t do this normally. He just knew it!

Sans was probably worried sick about him (if he were even awake yet) and Papyrus admittedly felt very guilty for leaving him, but he couldn’t have stayed with him! Sans would have insisted to come along or would have stopped him entirely, and both options were just unacceptable. He just hoped Sans would find the note he left on the table for him and would understand that it was in his best interest to go stay with Toriel and Grillby at the castle.

Mettaton was going to be fine, he knew that fully. He was fully capable of keeping calm in the worst of situations and was a very independent man (which Papyrus found very attractive.)

He would do what he could to help everyone in Papyrus’s part, Papyrus was certain of it. Though he was definitely going to give him the biggest of kisses and the most genuine apology for leaving him to worry after sorting this all out.

He was so lost in thought that he missed the door opening. He only noticed it once it shut strongy, shaking the wall that Papyrus was leaning against. He shot to his feet, stumbling to follow after Frisk’s quick pace. They were holding a Toy Knife coated in dust (Papyrus ignored the sick feeling that shot through his soul and pushed away the thoughts of what that knife had done) and from the little of their face he could see, had an…empty expression. It was so unlike them, Papyrus almost wondered if that was even a human that passed through.

Before Papyrus could even speak, Frisk’s voice echoed in the winter air. It was light, almost indistinguishable, and held a light sprinkle of emotion (what kind, Papyrus couldn’t tell.)

“Sans? Papyrus?”

Papyrus’s soul soared. Was Frisk looking for his and Sans’s help to fix this? They always had gone to one of the brothers for assistance when they knew they had done something that had hurt someone – Papyrus knew it was because he and Sans were the best at giving apologies, considering they both used to have many fights when they were younger, oftentimes with one another.

“FRISK! TURN AROUND! I AM HERE TO ASSIST YOU!” he called, trying to sound confident, though internally he was wondering if he should have come out here at all. He wasn’t naïve. This could be a very dangerous choice. He knew he’d have to be ready to fight if things were to go badly.

Frisk turned. Papyrus's soul stopped when he saw their face.

He had seen Chara’s “creepy face” a few times, but this wasn’t the same thing. Not even close to it. The light reflecting off their face from the crystals across the cave ceiling, mixed with the shadows of trees, illuminated their face in a very ominous way, which only made the expression so much more disturbing. One eye glowed red, while the other was like the essence of darkness…as if a black hole had opened within their head, desiring to consume, to drain all life that was left.

It paralyzed him with fear. His soul started pounding so heavily it gave him a headache. He couldn’t place why this expression was so…soul-wracking.

Papyrus stumbled back, losing all his metaphorical nerves. That thing (he couldn’t even bring himself to think of them as Frisk) stepped forward. The smile remained unnaturally calm, and their eyes were unblinking. They stared at him. Stared so intently it made Papyrus’s bones tremble and he could hear them clacking together.

A minute passed. Two, three, four. Still, that being had yet to blink a single time. They also hadn’t stepped closer. It was an uncomfortable, terrifying silence that hung in the air between Papyrus and the being.

Papyrus slowly and shakily pushed his hand into his pocket, pulling out his phone in the slowest pace possible as to not intimidate the being. Suddenly, without warning, they stepped forward and he jumped so intensely that his phone fumbled to the ground and plopped into the snow.

Why can’t I speak? Why can’t I step forward? Why can’t I run? Why didn’t I tell anyone I was coming out here?

Those questions repeated in his head over an over as he was approached. His body felt light and unnatural. He felt ready to pass out. It was as if the creature being closer made it harder to control himself.

He tried to yell for help. His voice worked, if hardly, as he called for his brother. It was hardly a shout, but if Sans were anywhere on this path, he would be able to hear his voice echoing.

Papyrus collapsed. The creature knelt down. His eyesockets began to feel too heavy, but he was holding out as long as he could; the creature seemed to be waiting for him to fall asleep.

He was able to hold out for three minutes, all the while hoping and praying Sans – or anyone, for that matter – was near.

But nobody came.

**********************

Chapter Five

I’m such a coward.

Those words rang repeatedly in Asriel’s head as he trembled and hid underground. His leaves were crumbled together, which honestly kind of hurt, but he couldn’t bring himself to do anything else. He had never been the brave and confrontational side.

Flowey was usually the one doing the difficult stuff, but for some reason he had been silent. Usually, he could hear Floweys thoughts, but…Flowey didn’t seem to be awake. Maybe not even here. And Asriel was absolutely terrified, even more so at the idea that his other half may not come to be the hero this time.

Asriel never thought he’d miss Floweys thoughts. Usually, Flowey’s thoughts intermingling with his was overwhelming and annoying. But he would be glad to hear any comment, even an insult, from the other half of his soul.

Right. His soul. The soul he couldn’t summon or see, but could feel. Maybe that’s why Flowey wasn’t around. Maybe the timeline was too corrupted to process that Asriel and Flowey aren’t sharing a mind anymore.

Maybe Flowey is erased completely.

Asriel couldn’t help the nausea that rolled over him at that thought. He threw up, expelling what little water and magic was in his vine. Flowey was like a brother to him. No, Flowey was more than that. Flowey was quite literally a piece of his mind and the thought of him being…gone forever…

Asriel dry-heaved, his vines trembling and petals wilting. He was still desperately hoping this was a nightmare, but already knew that hope wouldn’t help him in this situation.

He wondered if his parents were alive. If his friends were alive. If Chara, too, was hopeless.

Maybe all of this was Chara’s idea.

He internally snapped. He wanted to rip his head off for thinking that. As if his brain were someone else, he growled at it.

“Chara isn’t like that! They made a mistake when we were kids, but they just needed help. Which they got. They are someone I trust. Someone I love.”

So you think Frisk is like that, then? That Frisk is a disgusting, horrible, dirty killer? A traitor?

Asriel practically jumped up, forgetting that he was underground, and smacked his head so hard against the dirt around him that his petal began to bleed.

“NO! Frisk isn’t- they aren’t- CHARA AND FRISK ARE MY BEST FRIENDS!”

If not Chara or Frisk, then who is the murderous tyrant?

His own internal question stumped him. His mind really was asking good questions. Important questions. Questions he couldn’t find an answer to.

Who is the cause of this?

Frisk was the only person with the ability to reset. Unless someone was born with a Determination soul that was stronger or equal to theirs…but even being born with Determination as a main trait was excruciatingly rare. That, paired with having enough DT to beat Frisk’s DT? It had to be impossible.

Plus, that wouldn’t explain why Frisk would suddenly go murdering people....

Asriel was going to continue contemplating, but he suddenly realized he couldn’t move his body. He could only move his eyes. It was like…

Blue magic. Asriel felt enthralled. Someone was using blue magic on him, someone had found him, someone was alive!!

He was pulled up from under the dirt and started to sob in joy when he saw who it was that had found him.

Papyrus. PAPYRUS!!

He smiled at Papyrus, too emotional to speak. Papyrus, too, said nothing. He just…hugged him. And in that moment, Asriel prayed and begged to God that everything was going to be okay.

Because he wasn't going to be alone in this.

His most trusted friend had come to save him.

**********************

Chapter Six

Toriel was furious.

Maybe she should’ve felt grief, confusion, betrayal, or terror. But she just couldn’t feel anything other than anger for the current situation.

She was so angry with her children. The children she raised to be respectful, dignified, loving, and kind. The children who had enthusiastically promised to never hurt anyone again. The children whom she dined with every night, excitedly discussing their wedding plans.

She desperately wanted to understand why they decided this was a good idea. Did they really get so bored that they decided to just end the timeline? How pathetic and apathetic could someone be? How could her children have grown up like this?

Asgore had been hunkered down in his throne room, sobbing this entire time. But she just couldn’t understand why he was depressed instead of feeling furious. Did he not feel that his parental lessons were just being ignored? Did he not wonder how his kids could lack such empathy?

She didn’t judge him for crying, though. She understood. He always hated living Underground, hated being king, hated being trapped. And now he was back here, in that very position.

All because of their ungrateful kids.

Maybe she was being unfair. She couldn’t blame both her human children, not yet. Frisk was the only one capable of resetting in the family, so maybe Chara was innocent. But she would still gladly be angry at Frisk.

Toriel stormed through Waterfall, heading towards the Ruins. Perhaps she was foolish, trying to stop the child herself. But in all honesty, she couldn’t really care what ended up happening to her at this point. Her life was gone, her progress was ruined, and her children had vastly disappointed her.

She absently wondered if Flowey was soulless again, or if his soul-transplant had been lucky enough to survive this botched reset.

Toriel felt her body grow heavy as it hit her. Asriel. If his soul didn’t survive, Asriel was probably gone with it. He would be lost in the void of (what he had called) purgatory, awaiting a revival.

At one point, she would have considered Asriel and Flowey to be the same person, but Flowey and Alphys had made it clear one day that it wasn’t that simple.

She still remembered that moment clear as day, over 15 years later…

-------------------

A few months after breaking the barrier, Alphys had sat Toriel and Asgore down to explain to them both how Flowey was created, and whose memories he had. Toriel could tell talking about it made her nervous, but she held no malice towards the small monster. Alphys never intended to harm anyone, let alone revive a part of her dead son as a soulless flower.

Toriel had decided to let go of her malice and grief several weeks after this, making up with the people she had once held anger towards. She just didn’t have time or energy to be angry about these things anymore, especially not with her newfound family. (This had also led her and Asgore’s romance to begin re-blooming, but that’s far from the current topic.)

Toriel had happily began calling Flowey “Asriel” and “Azzy” after Alphys told her his origins. Flowey, generally, seemed unbothered when being referred to as Azzy, but he grew aggressive and defensive when called Asriel.

It wasn’t until he snapped at Toriel, screaming at her “I’M NOT ASRIEL AND I NEVER WILL BE!” that she grew confused. She thought that he was denying his identity, and tried to assure him that his body and lack of a soul didn’t make him any less of her son, but that didn’t seem to help. In fact, he seemed angrier.

He demanded she stopped calling him Asriel, because “Asriel is your other son!” before locking himself (and Frisk) inside of his room. Toriel, confounded, decided a visit to Alphys’s lab was due, because there wasn’t anyone else who could explain things the way she did.

So, there she was, sitting across from Alphys, sharing tea and cookies with the small monster. Alphys, after being given a rundown of the situation, blurted out Have you ever heard of plurality?”

It took Toriel a minute, wracking her mind for any meaning behind that term. It was a bit difficult, considering she had hundreds of years of memories by now, but she doubted she would have forgotten this if she did know it. She had always secretly been interested in science and could clearly remember every scientific term she had learned since childhood.

“…I cannot say I have.”

“T-that’s expected. Its n-not something commonly spoken of- t-theres a lot of stigma around it-…”

Toriel gripped at her robes, trying to conceal her lack of patience. She was frustrated, but it wasn’t Alphys’s fault. Or anyones, really. She just had a long day and wanted to get this over with so she could return home and give that poor boy a hug. He seemed to really want one.

“What is it?” she asked, a little too quickly. Alphys paused and seemed to be holding herself back from an overly-explained scientific explanation. She seemed to be considering how to explain it to Toriel in a simple way.

“U-Um…hm…well…plurality, i-in simplest terms, is when two or more people s-share a body…it’s usually f-formed in order to cope with trauma, b-but it can be a born trait…humans d-develop it more often than monsters…f-for them, it often has d-dissociative symptoms, s-so it often gets titled ‘Dissociative Identity Disorder’, ‘Otherwise Specified Dissociative Disorder’, o-or ‘Unspecified Dissociative Disorder’…b-but sometimes it doesn’t have a-any disordered symptoms...”

Toriel tried to wrap her head around this. She paused, before hesitantly asking “if I am…understanding correctly…it is like the body is…a machine to control for each…individual…?”

Alphys lit up, excitedly clapping her hands together, “Yes! They can s-swap out who’s driving, or w-work together and drive it with m-multiple people, o-or backseat- erm- I-I’m glad that my explanation made a bit of sense, hehe-“

Toriel couldn’t help but smile at Alphys’s excitement. The little monster had instinctively grabbed Toriel’s hands from across the table, holding them gently. It was quite a sweet gesture.

“ S-so!” Alphys continued “For humans, plurality is usually a-a mental thing, but for m-monsters, it’s a-almost always connected t-to souls- with some excpections, of course. Y-Yknow how humans have conjoined twins sometimes? W-well, in monsters, i-instead of having a conjoined body, we get a, um, conjoined soul! And each soul-member c-can take turns with the body!”

Toriel considered this for a moment, eyes-locked with Alphys. The only response she could think of was “So Flowey is conjoined with Asriel’s soul?”

Alphys bit her lip. She shifted in her chair uncomfortably, before hesitantly answering “Sort of…Flowey doesn’t…have a soul, yet. So, its more like they share the memory of what once was a soul…a-and, according to Flowey, he’s the only one who can feel Asriel or see him…s-so they don’t share control over the body, at least not yet…b-but! I’ve been working with him and I think I found a way to…erm…f-fix that and give Asriel s-some control a-and Flowey a soul…i-if you a-and Asgore…um…c-consent with that...a-as a parent?”

Toriel could feel herself melting inside. She could talk to her baby again. She could hold him. She could apologize for being such a horrid mother. She could thank him for everything he did for her. She could take him places with his father. She could finally, finally, have the life she wanted with him.

Now it finally connected in her mind why she didn’t feel any closure with Flowey. Flowey wasn’t the son she lost, but rather a new child for her to adore. A new son who shared the memories Asriel had but wasn’t truly him. And while she adored him and appreciated him just as much as her other children, she still missed her first son.

“Oh, Alphys…” she sobbed. She stood up from her chair, grabbing Alphys and pulling her into a soft hug “Alphys, you’re so wonderful, dear…” she buried her snout in the now-blushing monster’s head-crest “We absolutely MUST call Asgore and tell him the WONDERFUL news!”

And they did. They brought him over to explain to him in person. They decided on a date to try out Alphys’s idea. And, of course, Toriel and Asgore did what they should have done weeks before.

They threw a “welcome to the family” party for Flowey. Because he deserved to know that he was seen as an individual, rather than just a ‘new version’ of their previous son. Deserved to know that Alphys's explanation was understood, and that his feelings were valued separately from Asriel's.

Their family grew all the happier from then-on. Flowey finally received closure for the identity-crisis he had long been struggling with. And the Dreemurr parents had never been happier to have not just one, but two sons to adore.

-------------------

Toriel shook her head. This was a terrible time to be reminiscing. She would have to find Flowey and ask him directly if Asriel was still okay. She could only hope that in the terrible scenario where Asriel were re-erased, Alphys would successfully bring him back again.

She also hoped that Flowey and Asriel weren't completely shut down. Losing their fiances and each-other might just be their final breaking point, and Toriel had no idea if she could handle seeing her children so broken. She never felt more determined to save her sons in her life.

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secret-time-is-here · 3 years ago

Text

An Error's Journey

Chapter 71

Previous - First - Next

Warnings: Verbal abuse, fighting (both physical and not), trauma.

This is also a really long chapter... seriously. 4K words.

Screaming. Yelling. Shouting. Did they ever get tired? Didn’t seem like it. He clutched the bean bag tighter, curling more. Would they ever shut up? Give him a moment of rest? His eyes had felt heavy for so long, just like his body. Yet he also felt lightless. Disconnected. Barely feeling the fabric under his fingertips and pressed against his face.

His mind refused to sleep, the voices were far too loud. Far too much. Yet, the white space he lived in was too little. Not enough. Not right, and somehow, also too much.

“What do you want?!” He finally sat up, turning back to still see nothing. The endless white greeted him. Blue hanging strings curtained his vision.

Silence greeted him in return. It felt wrong. It wasn’t natural. But if this wasn’t natural, what was?

With a heavy sigh, he turned and laid back down, pushing himself into a ball on the poor excuse of furniture. Back to the white void, and eyes momentarily shielded. He blinked, once, maybe twice.

He awoke to the voices back again.

“We’re bored!”

“Go do something!”

“You’re so lazy!”

“Not my fault you’re bored!” He yelled back at them.

“Aww, little Error too afraid to go back outside?” He wasn’t afraid. He never was. It just didn’t feel right to be out there.

Too many sounds, too much too little still. Then his soul. That’s what hurt the most. His body always felt like it was burning and his soul beat too loud to hear anything else. Then the worry, thoughts he didn’t understand. Who was he worried for? Who was he trying to find? Why was he terrified of being found?

“I’m not afraid!”

“Then why don’t you go out then? Prove us wrong. Destroy a little. Have some fun for us.”

“Fine! I will!”

He wasn’t afraid.

His hands shook as the magic sparked, but the portal opened just the same.

He arrived on the other side, the dark cold underground was still too much. The voices were quiet. Cold air puffed around him, strong winds chilling him to the bone. His scarf swayed with it.

Down below, people were peaceful. Green and red lights blinked and shined, disgusting abominations that weren’t meant to be going about their day as if everything was fine. How he hated these universes. A short overconfident Sans jumped about checking his puzzles, a Papyrus nearby dozing off in the fresh snow.

He could work with this. Show the voices how much he cared. How he wasn’t afraid.

He shivered more, sounds echoing from everywhere. It hurt to keep his eyes open. Too much. He could use a nap first.

Stalking was the easiest part, watching the pathetic Chara acting all innocent. Pulling at their souls with their fake care. The human played their little game, trying out run from run. They knew well enough to not bother with a pacifist, the neutral timelines dipped into genocide.

He was quick to steal their soul once he saw the opportunity. Killing Flowey happily and using the human to kill Asgore. The rest of the underground was a piece of cake, that was until Papyrus decided to get in the way. It was a struggle to lead Sans away. But in due time, he did. Who was the lazy idiot now, voices?

…Where are the voices? He did good, right? He was doing what they asked-

Papyrus moved to the justice hall. The blurry blob of orange standing in the distance. He approached from the shadows.

“Sans-?” Papyrus shakes his head, “No… no. You’re not Sans.”

“That’s right! How smart of you,” he smiled, voice glitching, “I’m not your Sans.”

“Where is he then? What about the human? And everyone else?”

“Oh, you didn’t realize? Your brother is right here with us!” His strings moved, bringing the struggling soul closer.

“Pa-paps…!”

“As for your friends… and the human, I guess.” He nonchalantly looked away, “Let’s just say… they’re hanging around.” He chuckled softly to himself, but Papyrus glared. Could he really not take a joke?

“...So what? Did you come here with my bro… just for a final fight with me before you erase my world?”

“What?” He couldn’t help but laugh, “Hah! No! I’m hardly so barbaric… no.” The battle screen he was all too familiar with flickered to life before him. “I came here with your bro- so he could have his final fight with you…”

“Papyrus- Please! Run!” The poor pitiful Swap Sans shook in his boots, but the blaster fired all the same. More attacks flew, and he smiled from the sidelines, barely moving his fingers as he watched the fight.

Bones spawned wave after wave, and Papyrus easily avoided it, Sans did his best to fight against it, but to no avail.

“Hehe… want to learn something fun? It has to do with your universe…” More gaster blasters fired, “Before eradicating a universe, I love examining its code.” Sans easily dodged with his help, “Your universe was very curious! Would you like to know the probability of a universe like yours existing?”

Papyrus barely caught a moment to look him in the eye to glare, before dodging again. “A probability of 1, divided by 9,109,043,495… that’s simply a freak accident. Isn’t it? You’re all accidents.” Orange flared from Papyrus's eye, “There should only be one universe. And you’re just a blip on the radar. Unwanted static. I mean… who would miss you?”

Papyrus glared further, looking ready to sprint full force at him, but Sans spoke up.

“Paps… wait.” He could barely see Sans raising their hands assuringly, “It… it’s okay. I’m okay. But… I can’t stop him. So… please. Just- just run.” The other’s expression softened, and Error watched with a confused look, “Don’t… I- I can’t. Don’t let me kill you-”

“Sans! But- I can’t leave you! Not here… Not with him!”

“Maybe he won’t kill me. Maybe– Maybe… he just… needs someone to talk to?” He could feel Sans fighting more against the strings, trying to turn to look at him, he couldn’t help the surprise. The honest curiosity and kindness streaming from the perfect little idiotic soul.

Sans turned fully to him, “Is that it? Do you need someone to talk to…?”

Someone that actually wanted to talk? To actually be there with him–not leave?

“Haha… you… you want to talk?”

“Ya… yeah. I do want to talk.” Sans took a hesitant step closer, the sound echoing harshly, “Maybe it could help us both? Maybe… we could even be friends?” The hand holding the strings fell, and Sans stepped closer.

“Sans– wait! Don’t get near him!”

“Trust me Papyrus,” Sans spoke, not looking away from Error, “I got this.” When Sans started to get closer, practically touching–how dare he–Error started to step back, “You know. You can talk to me… to do such terrible things… You’ve really got to be hurting. Right?”

“...heh. Yeah.” It felt nice for some little idiot to understand so well without him saying anything. He couldn’t process it. He tore his eyes to the ground, trying to focus. “You’re right… It would be nice-” His grin split wide, and for some reason, Papyrus seemed more worried. More scared. “To have someone new to hang around with.”

“Enough!!” Papyrus summoned several gaster blasters around, all aimed at Error.

“Papyrus! Wait–Don’t! I’m getting to him! I’m-” Last second, they all aimed up, cutting off the strings that tied to Sans’ soul.

He could barely see the tiny blurred lines of blue before suddenly Papyrus was clear in front of him and he was taking a solid kick to the face. Falling back. He crashed into the wall, rubble falling around. He could distantly hear Sans talking to Papyrus again, but nothing intelligible could be made out over the ringing in his skull.

He launched himself back up with his strings, finally bringing out his own blasters. If he wanted a fight, he would get it.

“Now!!” Papyrus yelled, and Sans ran away, hiding somewhere.

He jumped around, dodging everything with ease.

“Missed me by a-” He swung his strings, “-Thread!” He slammed back down on the judgment hall tile, his blurry vision barely able to spot the dark orange against the orange of the room.

Bones suddenly sprouted below, and he yanked himself back, but Papyrus followed, nearly reaching close enough to touch. “Enough!!” He pulled his strings around, wrapping them around Papyrus and throwing him back. Laying on the floor pathetically. “You… seam a little tied up… heh-heh!”

He summoned two bones in his hands, “Don’t look surprised… I’m always the one pulling the strings.”

Just as he swung the bone, ready to end the stupid abomination, he stopped. He couldn’t.

“Heh… I was wondering if maybe you were holding back.” Papyrus started with a weak smile, “I guess I was right... You’re still a Sans after all.” Blue peaked in from the corner of his vision, but he stayed focused on Papyrus before him, “That’s why you possessed my bro… right?” His arm shook from holding the bone high, “Because despite everything. You’re still you. And we’re still brothers. No matter the universe… you still can’t hurt me.”

“...You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re right. I’m only guessing. But, my bro–my sans. He believes there’s good in everyone.” The strings fell slack again, and Papyrus stood up, “And… I want to believe that too. I don’t know what happened to you, or your timeline–but… I’m willing to bet anything you had friends and family there who loved you… Right?”

His vision began to glitch out, his skull hurting. It always hurt thinking about the past. Always something blocking it.

“And… if I ever saw my bro like this… Because I love him with all my heart, I would never leave him to suffer like this.” The tell-tale ping was barely heard over his static, the room darkening again with the battle scene.

He could feel the vibration of the bones drifting through and across the floor. Back peddling against it as the glitches made his sight worse. He needed to get out, now.

Opening a portal behind him, he stumbled through. Barely hearing Papyrus again over his oncoming crash, “Buddy… is that where you come from? Heh… you can’t kill everyone I love and just run.”

“...you’re right.” There was still one more thing he could do. His strings launched out, attaching to that pathetically kind soul he could feel in the distance, his vision still worse than ever.

“Sans!”

“Pa–Papyrus!”

“You want him back?” Sans screamed his brother’s pitiful name once more, “Then come find me.”

“Papyrus help-!” The portal shut, and the poor little Sans stayed there in shock. Error just rolled his eyes, moving to sit on his bean bag, “Me…”

The voices flocked back. Always so desperate after he’d been gone for a while.

“Shut up…” He groaned, laying back, arms across his eyes, the swap Sans seemed startled, suddenly quieting his cries. “Not you.” He could hear fabric rustle as Sans turned, but he didn’t bother. With a flick of his wrist, he grabbed the little perfect soul again, yanking him up into the strings above.

It must have been sometime later when he awoke again. His eyes didn’t hurt as much anymore, the once flaring pain only rumbling under the surface now. Tolerable.

The soft snoring drifted down from above, loud in the silent space. But not quite. It was quiet, not silent. It was nice. He never thought he’d enjoy another’s company, but here he was. He would let the other sleep, he could entertain the voices a little.

The voices sometimes were nice, asking questions. Sometimes, he allowed it. Answering whatever odd things they asked. He brought down dolls as they talked, playing around with number eleven, twelve, and thirteen. He fucking hated thirteen. Didn’t have a reason that he could remember. Just always hated Cherry.

“Error, what about the others? Multiverse travelers? Like Gaster, Core, Ink, Reaper, and Dream and Nightmare? Even Nim?”

“Gaster exists I guess. Another abomination hiding that I’ll find eventually… Core is elusive.” He could hear Sans waking up above him. “I’ll kill them and all those abominations in their little safe world one day.”

“And the others?” His skull began to hurt again.

“...I don’t know them.”

“How was your trip outside?”

“Eh, alright. Still… noisy.” He could feel Sans wriggling in the strings, “But I brought a surprise for you all!” He grinned, carefully dropping Sans next to him, “Ta-da!”

The voices erupted in surprise and wonder, all of them talking at once “Hold on! One at a time! Stars.” He rolled his eyes, and Sans looked at him concerned. Worried even. “What?”

“Ar–are you talking to someone?”

“Duh. You can’t hear them?” The swap Sans shook their skull, “Fine, I can be a translator then.”

The voices were more than eager for someone new to talk to. All buzzing around excitedly.

“Blue! How’s it been with Error?”

“Has he been an asshole yet?” He paused at the comment, choosing to keep the harsher words of the voices away from Sans.

“Oh, that’s your name? Error?”

“Yup.”

“Oh, Cool! Nice to meet you, Error.” Sans extended his hand, but quickly got the message when he cringed away from it, “Anyways, it’s been okay. I haven’t been hurt yet… I–I don’t like the… I dunno, suffocating quiet? It’s… overwhelming.”

“Have you put your glasses on Underswap Sans yet?” Sans looked at him questioningly, still not hearing the voices. He slapped the glasses on their face, Sans blinking at the sudden change.

“...I still put it off better.”

“As if, you ugly bag of bones.” He ignored the comment.

“Are you upset with Error at all? Do you hate him?”

“Well… yes. Very. But, I will never hate anyone. Hate… it’s a virus. Hating him won’t help. It will only make this all hurt me worse.” Cobalt looked to the ground, “And… Error’s hatred… that’s what caused the suffering of all my friends. Hatred only ever hurts.” They nodded to themself before looking back up in the general direction Error was.

“Wow. They’re nearly as pitiful as you. At least they got a perfect soul.” He huffed, and the voices moved on.

“Do you think Error could be a good person if he tried?”

“Well… yeah. I believe every soul has the potential for terrible evils- and incredible good. And the decision to be good isn’t always the easiest one.” Sans shrugged with a smile, “Sometimes you just… don’t know the way.”

Hah. Being good. As if. He was the number one abomination. No hope left–nothing left for him. Nothing-

His vision began to glitch out, and he blinked it away. He let the strings around the swap Sans’ soul fall.

“You aren’t a threat at all.” He shook his head, honestly. It was pretty clear, but who knows what Sans and his brother were trying to pull back there? Had to be careful.

“Apology chocolate?”

“Do you like chocolate as much as this idiot?”

He scoffed at the voices, before opening a portal, smiling at number thirteen's angry cut-off yell.

“Here… as a… apology.” He shrugged, turning to Sans and pushing over a bar. His nonextant stomach panged with pain, “Fuck, it’s been a while since I had food.”

“Thank you… and uh, thanks for untying my soul. It- it wasn’t super comfortable.” Error just shrugged, tossing the chocolate in his mouth, wrapper and all. Sans looked on with a hilariously horrified expression, “What are you?!”

“A skeleton mostly.” He smiled innocently

“Hah. That’s a good one. Like you could ever be more than the worst monster of the multiverse.”

“What’s the antivoid like, Underswap Sans?” Sans took a minute to finish his bite before looking around.

“Um. Well. There are no shadows. And no noise. I mean, literally no noise.”

“Do you think Sans can’t hear us because we are just your imagination?”

“Yeah, you’re such a freak you’re using your imagination to make conversation…” He could hear the sadist grin on that voice's face.

“Stop.” He gritted out, uncaring of how Sans began to look at him. He huffed, sitting back with his arms crossed, “Next question.”

“Does Sans know about the multiverse yet?”

“The… multiverse?” Sans answered curiously as Error stood up, raising a hand to open a window.

“Oh, you don’t know about the multiverse? Guess I get to teach you then…” The window flickered through different AUs, “The multiverse is pretty large, but to dumb it down, every conceivable version of us exists… you are far from the first Sans! But hey, take some pride in being the first underswap to exist… still a bunch of abominations though… I really do hate them.”

“Uh, Error?”

“Ugh, what?” He snapped to the voices

“You should probably comfort Sans. He ain’t looking too hot.”

Error turned with a raised brow to Sans curled up against his bean bag in a little ball, hands clutched tight against their skull, nearly scratching himself if it weren’t for the gloves he wore. The hiccuping crying started again.

“He… hey… stop that.” He didn’t know how to comfort people. How were you supposed to do that? “It’s fine? You’re okay?” The noise was getting too much, echoing across the antivoid, “You need to stop… now.” A crash overcame him. Vision blacking out as he recovered.

He returned moments later, probably the shortest crash he had ever had. Sans began to laugh, “Shut up!”

“What was that?”

“Nothing!” He repeated, but the damage had been done. He sat back down in his bean bag, Sans scooting a little bit away.

“What does Sans like to do for fun?”

“Oh, knitting is nice!”

“Oh? I know crochet and sewing… but Haven’t tried knitting yet.”

“Well, I can teach you!”

Things were calm and serene after that, just answering questions and growing closer, despite the circumstance. He could feel that shadow watching again. If Sans saw, they didn’t say. Knitting it turns out wasn’t hard at all, and he taught Sans crocheting and sewing in return. The least he could do. He even pulled up Undernovela for them to watch. Sans was very shocked by the affair between Sin and Tori.

His little stuttering voice “T-the Queen?!” He could never get over that.

“Where’s your Toriel, Error?”

“Ugh… don’t-” His skull throbbed with pain, “Don’t talk to me about Tori…”

“They’re asking about Queen Toriel?”

“Yeah… they like to ask about my past… but there’s a lot of holes… I usually just bring up a window to calm them down. Show the past again.”

“You can show the past?”

“Well, yeah. It’s just a matter of going back in the records of whatever AU you want. Not that hard. Letting the voices watch my stories can keep them at bay for a while… haven’t done it for anyone… physical, yet.” He didn’t want to know what would happen if he did. But it was that, or deal with the voices' questions.

He breathes in, opening the window with shaky hands, “This… It's my earliest memory… although kinda patchy.”

The memory plays, and Error can’t help but look away at some parts. The voices mocking how he used to be. How good of a little destroyer he had become, he pulled up his hood and crossed his arms. Doing his best to look disinterested. Sans watched on with morbid curiosity.

The memories flickered through, fast-forwarding through all of his visits to that Toriel, until the fateful day. Finding out they were all ghosts. Just a bunch of abominations.

“Just like you, our number one abomination.” They reminded wicked smiles etched into their words.

When the memory turned dark, a battle scene playing before them, Sans finally turned away.

“I’m sorry Error. I… I just can’t. You guys can continue on without me! I’m still your friend Error. Despite this. Okay?” He turned to Sans, the other hugging himself as he inched away.

“Friends…?”

“Yeah, of course, Error.” They seemed confused, and he smiled. Looks like the voices helped him for once after all.

“...I see. Looks like I caught you… You dirty little liar.” He wasn’t deserving of friends. Just the deepest pits of Hell. Whatever Hell was.

“Liar? I don’t know what you-”

“Heh, Let’s cut the crap, shall we? Man look at you, ruining storytime! With your fake 'friendship’ nonsense and that stupid smile- it's making me sick.” He spat, sitting up from the bean bag, the voices rumbling with surprise and joy.

“I… what do you want fr-”

“I want you to be honest!” His voice started to glitch out, he laughed breathlessly, “Haha… Don’t you get it-? I destroyed your love. Do you know what this is?” His strings shot up, wrapping around that liar of a soul, the red determination tingling in his hand, “That’s right! A human soul! But this one? Is special. This was your human…”

Sans’ expression turned solemn, just standing there and taking it, “...The final human your world needed. This human had the potential to kill, or save, everyone in your world. They were so powerful, they could even reset time. Go back, fix mistakes- they could undo all my hard work. First, I killed the time-traveling flower- And then? I imprisoned this human, so no one could reset. Don’t you get it? I didn’t just burst into your timeline and attack everything! I watched. And waited. And planned. I meant to hit your world where no backup plan could save you.”

Sans’ expression crunched with negativity, waves of confusing intent radiating, “...There it is. Anger. C’mon you wimpy Brat! Tell me what you really think. C’mon- C’mon C’mon! Be direct- I want to hear it.” They continued to say nothing, looking away. Eyes drifting from the floor out to their right, “Say something! …Stop Ignoring me! Stop it!”

“...You killed all of my friends. You… made me watch… as you tried to kill my brother. You… You almost made me murder Papyrus.”

Error laughs, “That I did! What are you gonna do?”

“...Nothing. I can’t do anything to stop you. Besides, I don’t think you actually want me to fight you.”

“Wait- What are you-” Sans takes a step forward, and Error cringes back, bold posture falling.

“You’re scared, right? Of me?” That was the farthest-reaching statement he had ever heard, and he had literal voices in his head. “I knew it!”

“What?!”

“That’s right, I gotcha figured out, Mr.Murderer! You were scared of fighting the magnificent sensational sans! That’s why you tied me up and traumatized me n’ stuff!” Sans stands triumphantly, one finger pointed in the air with a wink.

“You can’t be serious…?”

“I don’t blame you! But I also figured something else out! Your true weakness! That weakness? Friendship!” He feels the crash come on and leave faster than the last, he blinks away the glitches to no avail. Sans continues to talk, “Ah-ha! Knew it! But that’s okay! I’m here! I’ll help by being your first friend! C’mere Error! Gimme a big new friend hug!”

What!” His hands clench at his sides, he can feel his magic sparking in his eyes and hands. The glitches in his vision increase, and he could barely see Sans’ overconfident expression fall, “That’s it I’m done with you!” He can feel the pain oozing out of the other, and he takes joy in it. Serves him right, “Since you’re having so much fun playing games with me- I got a great new game to play with you! It’s called, leave the little brat in the anti-void Until he begs me to come back-” And with that, he turned and stumbled through a portal.

The distant screams of help cut off. Echoing in the space of Outertale.

For a brief moment, all of it is suffocating. The sudden lack of anyone screaming at him. No voices to dictate him. No one at all. Alone. By himself. It’s quiet, pleasant. There’s the distant calm of everyday life for the space-bound people of outertale, and he sits on the rock. Distantly wishing that someone was there with him. Feeling as if someone should be there with him.

He sits alone.

I wasn't joking about the notes thing

#undertale #utmv #undertale au #an error's journey #aej #aej chapter 71 #chapter 71 #error sans #underswap sans #underswap papyrus #my writng #my works

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starlightshore · 4 years ago

Note

Is there any evidence that Chara is an abuse victim? It's a very popular headcanon and I want to understand why

hrm. ok let me preface this with a couple of things: one, i actually answered this same question a couple weeks ago (week ago? time means nothing to me) on AFR but i got triggered by continuous use of the topic and people wouldn’t stop talking after i asked multiple times for us to stop. (no bad blood to anyone involved) this is only relevant because its the same question, and I want to make it clear I am fine with talking about this topic, and I will say if or when it’s stressing me out. I am not against talking about dark themes, and at the moment I am calm and fine.

I want everyone to know that this is a triggering topic and i specifically am susceptible to this and it’s surrounding themes, so please try to read the room I’m creating on this topic and give me the proper space.

i say that all ahead of time because I do not want to get triggered or talk about child abuse/death/suicide at length. this ask is fine. maybe a couple more if it’s brief and not asking me to do further research.

secondly, I want to talk about UT canon real quick. UT, for the most part, relies on text to spell out it’s history and world. characters don’t walk on screen and say: I’m Chara Dreemurr. I was born on September 15th 2003. I’m nonbinary and use they/them.” like no, characters live in the moment and yes their past define them, but they got bigger things to worry about and talk about current things. maybe they’ll refer to past things, but never bluntly.

--putting under read more. discussion of child abuse, self harm, and other ingame dark topics. This is mainly a character analysis

So, either you infer from what’s available or you search the wiki/playthrough/text dumps. The very act of playing no mercy route has lore in itself, if you account for player theory and other factors I’m not getting into here. Anyway, Undertale is a very Deep and loaded game with lots of world building built into every nook and cranny. (just spend 5 minutes on semi-frequent undertale facts if you’re curious to this rabbit hole)

Anyway point being, Chara is the narrator. this is fact. “it’s me, Chara.” They outright say it. I hate when people call it theory when it’s more explicit than most things in game.

anyway, the main flavor text i want to point to is this:

* "Faded Ribbon" - Armor DF 3 * If you're cuter, monsters won't hit you as hard.

So here’s a couple things I want to talk about first. Yes, monsters fight and that is normal.

* But they will never know the joy of expressing themselves through magic.* They'll never get a bullet- pattern birthday card...

It’s 10000% likely that Chara dealt with monster fights when alive. And that most likely lead to culture shock and confusion, but with Toriel (lmao, she outright scares off a froggit from Frisk) by their side and being a royal, I highly doubt they were in any danger in that household.

point being, yes, monsters could of hurt them, I would think this mindset is more directed to humanity, rather than monsterkind. You can read it more bluntly that it’s about monsters after all, t does specify monsters here. My counter point is that is to foreshadow how monsters are weaker beings who are more in-tuned with their magic-based bodies and are susceptible to intent, and likewise their magic reflects their own intent.

So yeah, I think it reflects to Chara’s general history and mindset to wanting to appear more tolerable to avoid pain, be it physical abuse or fear of being human. Chara, who calls themself a demon and hated humanity passionately, would be fully aware they are human. When welcomed to a very loving monster family, they didn’t want to ruin the prophetic angelic image they placed on them. They knew with their own imperfect behavior, that they were doomed to fail them.

This can be inferred from how both Toriel and Asgore wear the deltarune (Toriel’s robes, Asgore’s armor makes the wings and their homes in both games have the symbol). Gerson talks about how either the Deltarune Angel (someone who has seen the surface and returned) would either free them or destroy them all. Chara, who the underground believed to be that Angel, was put on this huge pedestal that clearly both parent’s believed in.

We know Toriel represents Integrity,

* someone who sincerely likes bad jokes...* has an integrity you can't say "no" to.

(along with being refereed to in the blue color of text)

and by both (points in DR’s direction) and this line from her when allowing Frisk to go past the ruins:

My expectations... My loneliness... My fear...For you, my child... I will put them aside.

Toriel says expectations first. It’s clearly a huge part of her motivation. I absolutely see how this pressure not only was put on Chara, but Asriel as well. This isn’t a hate letter to Toriel btw, but rather an examination of her parenting that led to the main tragedy of the game. It’s a cautionary tale. Toriel was not prepared for adopting a suicidal preteen.

speaking of which! back to the whole point of this post.

* I know why (Chara) climbed the mountain.

*(Chara) hated humanity.* Why they did, they never talked about it.* But they felt very strongly about that.

Now I want to say that Chara hating humanity enough to run away to kill themself doesn’t strictly mean they were abused, but wow! Chara is seriously mentally ill (and frankly, yes, children can be are suicidal) and I don’t think that level of suffering happens for no reason.

* The ends of the tools have been filed down to make them safer.* Seems like gardening tools.

* Where are the knives.

The gardening tools in Toriel’s home are dulled and there are no knives in the kitchen. These are actions one takes when their child self harms, this isn’t precautions based in them being literal infants. Chara I imagine was closer to 10/12 age range than Baby. (what baby knows what a tsundere is?)

All these paint a picture of a child who self harms, who violently hates humanity and wanted to kill their (likely) abusers. I’ve also seen someone suggest the fact that FIGHT is your first option in the game in itself reflects how Chara’s first instinct is to Fight first. Both Frisk and Chara are heavily influenced by the player’s actions (both literal and in a parental/guardian like influence) and we see this thru Chara’s outlook changes depending on LV, as well how Frisk feels about violence. (dogfood bag being half full/empty, punching mad dummy in the dump)

Using the themes of the game and backstory/context, we can see how Chara has been taught violence as a viable option. I’d link that more to their pre-underground as Monsterkind as a society preaches mercy and uses bullets not as a murderous tool, but as self expression.

Again, I don’t want to say that just because a child is mentally ill and self harms, doesn’t mean they were abused but I don’t think it’s out of line as a reasoning for it. Yes, sometimes you’re just born with such mental illness, but I choose to interpret the faded ribbon dialogue + their own desire to fight/kill as something taught by example. It fits the themes. It’s more realistic to see Chara as someone who’s been hurt and has learned to hurt in return. (AND that does not mean abuse victims are therefore doomed to become abusers! chara is a child first and thru the pacifist route they’re just as merciful as Frisk! It’s a character arc)

and just to be absolutely clear because I KNOW how tumblr handles nuance sometimes, I am speaking as a former abused and suicidal child. Making that clear that when I say this is how I read the text, it’s not just me speculating on the game’s content but on a real life knowledge of how this shit works. Chara very, very much reads an abused and depressed child who just wanted to fulfill the prophecy for the sake of their family’s freedom.

With almost killing Asgore on accident, Chara realizes that they are an evil human and the only way to free their people is to die violently. (don’t look up buttercup poisoning side effects, it’s bad.) Chara didn’t need to die to escape. They could of killed any of the dreemurrs, but they chose to die horrifically. It’s common for those who are suicidal that they’ll want to die before people see them in a negative light.

also couldn’t really fit this earlier but hell, this is long anyway so I might as well say this here. I think we can also infer Chara’s hatred for humanity grew with learning the history of monsterkind. The books harshly say human souls are different and it’s possible they may not even naturally have compassion and love, or at least, are not required to have it. Humans sealed monsters underground and commited actual genocide against them. (and i don’t use that word lightly. the no mercy route isn’t a genocide, please don’t use that term for that. esp don’t lighten such a heavy and real-word term to a frickin video game route oh my god)

We have this repeating theme of society’s influence on children and how cycles of pain continue. What is “in this world, it’s kill-or-be-killed“ but a statement on society? I’ve discussed before that I think it’s very likely Chara said those words to Asriel as they were being murdered, and how the very system that put Chara into this path was human society that both failed Chara and monsterkind all those years ago. The game’s message is that you must not kill, and you must not be killed in return. That there is a third option, and that even in dire circumstances if you use 7 virtues and are determined enough, you can avoid war and make peace. This isn’t to say self defense is bad, Undyne the Undyning is framed as a hero, and cruel/corrupt rulers should be disposed of (king spade)

this got a little off topic but I thought it was fun to write about. The game’s main theme is built around that phrase, it’s Asriel’s character arc of him learning thru Frisk/Chara/Player that in this world, despite everything, you don’t have to kill or be killed.

TLDR; Chara is implied to hate humanity so strongly they were willing to die horrifically to free monsterkind and fulfill the angel’s prophecy. the game depicts them as a very mentally ill child and with the addition of the faded ribbon text + desire to FIGHT, Chara likely learned this mindset before falling underground. looking at the themes of the game and chara’s backstory, we can infer and take a guess at who they were and what the game is trying to say. Undertale is a good game and has a good moral. That’s my TedTalk

#personal stuff #sams replies #ask to tag #suicide mention #child abuse mention #self harm mention #Anonymous

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the-mad-hattie · 4 years ago

Text

Ichi Crushes a Child

Ichi was sleeping soundly in the morning, nothing to do today so plenty of extra hours they could sleep in. They let out a small breath and smiled in their sleep peacefully.

*Bang*

Ichi’s eyes shot open at the sudden crashing sound of pots being banged against each other. “She’s here.” Ichi grumbled getting out of bed ready to murder a child.

The annoyed Chara marched through the hall to the kitchen to find her, they knew it had to be Glitter, no one else would be foolish enough to wake them this early in the morning so abruptly. “Glitter!” They yelled turning into the kitchen.

Ichi looked through the kitchen not spotting anyone, but a floating ladle near where the pans hung caught their attention. They watched it start banging on the pots creating the crashing sound again. Their anger was turning into curiosity at the self moving and misbehaving kitchenware.

“Hello?” Ichi called out as they approached the ladle. After getting close they realized it wasn’t moving by itself, a tiny person was holding it. “I remember you being small, but not bug sized.”

“Hey! I’m not a bug!” Smol Glitter squeaked back angrily.

Ichi reached over and picked up the tiny Glitter between their fingers. “Could have fooled me.” They remarked about her size again. “And stop banging on those pots already.”

“I had to wake you. Now make us some breakfast.” Glitter demanded.

They had originally intended on punishing Glitter for waking them, but Ichi’s anger had faded by the time they found this different and tinier Glitter. Instead Ichi cooked them both up some eggs and bacon to eat.

The pair now sat on the couch watching a show as they ate their breakfast. Things were peaceful again before Ichi’s phone suddenly started blowing up with notifications.

“Why is everyone texting me all at once?” Ichi asked aloud picking up their phone. “What the hell?”

Ichi scrolled through half a dozen contacts sending angry messages for what Ichi had apparently said to them. It didn’t make any sense until Glitter spoke up.

“It’s probably all the girls in your phone.” The tiny child said after swallowing a bite of bacon.

Ichi gave a quick scroll and realized it was every girl, datefriend, and crush in their phone sending the angry texts. “What did you do?” They asked getting angry again.

“I told them all to get lost and never talk to you again.” Glitter answered.

“You what?!”

“You’re my bro bro, you don’t need to be hanging out with other girls that just want to give you kisses and cuddles.” Glitter said eating her breakfast not paying attention to the raised fist looming above her.

Ichi was about to smash the tiny child before their phone went off again with a text from Asriel. “Wait, Asriel’s thanking me?” They said aloud confused.

“I sent Asriel and Muffin kind messages since I know you forget to say how much you care about them.”

Ichi’s anger was starting to fade again. They really were bad at expressing feelings, so Glitter doing it for them was kind of a big favor. Ichi opened their fist and picked up Glitter instead of smashing her. “Let’s go wash these wishes and then play a game.”

“Hide and seek!” Glitter suggested as Ichi carried her back to the kitchen to clean up before their game.

“Ready or not, here I come.” Ichi announced after finishing their counting and went off to find the tiny Glitter. She definitely had the advantage given her size, but it wasn’t as though there were unlimited hiding spots in the house, just more she could utilize with her tiny size.

Ichi looked under pillows, furniture, beds, inside of drawers and dressers; but they couldn’t find Glitter anywhere. The only places left would be inside the walls or under the floorboards at this point, but there were no easily accessible places like that, except where they hid their chocolate.

“Oh she better not be!” Ichi said in a serious tone returning to their bedroom to move their dresser and lift up the floorboard to check on their candy stash.

After scooting the dresser aside Ichi could see the floorboard already removed, inside was Glitter eating their stash of candy. An angry Ichi raised their foot ready to crush Glitter and the empty wrapper remains of their candy stash, but to their surprise Glitter turned around and handed a candybar to Ichi.

“I saved you the chocolate since I know you like it best.” Glitter smiled, unaware Ichi was about to smash them to bits.

“Oh.” Ichi responded surprised and lowered their foot back down to the floor away from Glitter. Looking past the tiny gremlin Ichi did notice she exclusively ate the candy they didn’t really care for, saving every piece of chocolate for them. “Thanks.” Ichi said taking the chocolate candybar.

“And you found me too.” Glitter congratulated Ichi on winning and put her arms in the air to indicate to Ichi permission to lift them.

The previously vengeful giant gently lifted Glitter out of the hiding spot and set her on their shoulder while they put the board back and scooted the dresser back over it. “I guess a new game now?”

“Let’s play a board game!” Glitter suggested.

Ichi and smol Glitter played games until it was becoming evening, Glitter unknowingly building up in Ichi the urge to crush her every time she beat them and did her dumb little victory dance to taunt them. Luckily for Glitter she lost as many times as Ichi did depending on the game, so like the previous times throughout the day Ichi was able to hold back from crushing the poor girl.

As the most recent game was being put away a new text was received, this time from Sour Patches. She must have been late seeing the breakup text Glitter had sent all the date friends earlier and Ichi expected a hateful response like from everyone else, but instead it read like a return of affection?

“That’s weird?”

“What is?” Glitter asked from below Ichi on the floor.

“Every other date friend sent me hateful replies to what you sent them, but SP has the same feelings for me back she says?” Ichi summarized the reply for Glitter.

“Oh I sent her a love confession.”

“What?! Why!” Ichi demanded.

“Well you keep telling everyone you don’t like her already, so I couldn’t just send her that kind of message like I sent all the others, so I just did the opposite and told her you like her.” Glitter answered.

Dead silence. Ichi had finally snapped after everything they had forgiven the tiny Glitter for today, but confessing to SP on their behalf was too far. They looked down at Glitter and gave her a smile that sent a shifter down her spine. “We need a new game right?”

“We don’t have to, I could just go home.” Glitter very awkwardly responded fearing that smile.

“I insist, one more game.” Ichi said raising their foot high in the air. “Let’s play crush the bug.”

“I don’t like this game!” Glitter screamed as Ichi chased her tiny form through the house, each stomp of Ichi’s foot landing closer and closer to her before *squish* ____________________________________________

@girl-in-a-hoodie1 @channydraws

There, I finished it. Y’all are terrible for requesting this.

#Ichi #smol Glitter

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lucarioisinthevoid · 4 years ago

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What would everyone think of king Afton?

After many years of the animatronics killing nightguards, they finally caught William and killed him. But as you know from my ask about Goldie and Cassidy, Cassidy lied saying it wasn't him. When humans found out the animatronics were sentient, they locked all animatronics underground, including all the nightguards that were stuffed. Which meant Afton was still around to mess with the animatronics and the dead kids. When animatronics started getting the hang of having a society, springtrap (as how he went by in his suit. It became common among stuffed humans to make up names for themselves instead of using their human names) became the town nuisance. He basically caused trouble just get reactions, everyone just ignored him and pissed him off.

A few years later, about a week after Golden Freddy's and Cassidy's death, the guards were waiting for orders from king Fazbear, Bonnie was subcoming to guilt and depression seeing the situation with Goldie and Cassi as his fault, the Marionette was mourning the death of another child in her room, and Freddy was in his palace thinking. He honestly didn't know how to feel in the moment of their deaths, so he just kept thinking about it knowing the should feel something, like sad or angry.

Springtrap snuck inside the palace, almost too easily. When he was sneaking in, a human fell down. Freddy went to investigate, with springtrap following behind in the shadows. The human that fell sorta looked like Cassidy, except she had gold blonde hair, but that was the only difference. It was like the world wanted to play a joke on Freddy, "hey look!!! A little girl that looks like both of your now dead friends!!! Isn't that funny?!!?!" How dare the world. Before he could even think, all the feelings he should have felt flooded through him, the sadness of loosing the people he loves, the guilt of being unable to prevent their deaths, and the anger towards humanity for killing people he held close to his soul. Without thinking, he projected his anger towards humans on the child, and mercilessly killed her.

He was brought back to his senses when William started laughing and applauding the show before him. Freddy then attacked him, nearly killing him before realizing in this moment he was no better than him. After this realization, he declared war on humanity. The Marionette ran away back to the ruins never to be heard from again, and springtrap was made into the new royal adviser. Freddy hired him as royal adviser in hopes that maybe Afton could teach him to be more merciless.

The only reason why he was so merciless as a killer was because Chara made him think he was insane, and he was a player's puppet. He lived his own life so many times, why would it matter if he killed people if he knew they were going to be fine when he wakes up yesterday? Now Chara became dormant, and the players stopped controlling him. Kinda ironic how he's now feeling powerless despite now having complete control of his body.

He began to feel regret for everything his done. The many people he's killed, the many people he let stay dead. He was no longer above his actions. He was no longer above consequences. This made him fall into despair and depression.

After years of being royal adviser, Freddy gave him a title of king, trusting him enough to rule beside him as brothers. After he was crowned, him and Fazbear became closer, like actual brothers.

But they had disagreements, like all siblings do. Except their disagreements had to do with life and death. Freddy would argue with Afton over killing humans, he'd say that he needed to kill humans and collect their souls in order to set them all free. Afton would argue saying that everyone had already suffered enough, and that more children didn't deserve to die. When ever human children fall down and leave the Marionette's protection in the ruins, he would try and protect the children from Freddy, in hopes that he might be able to talk him out of killing them. Usually the kids flat out give up and let themselves be killed. Afton stopped trying to protect the kids after a 5 year old gave up her life to Fazbear.

King Afton, with the help of doctor Bonnie, removed his suit, and rebuilt Springbonnie and Fredbear. Fredbear remembered how Afton used spring for murder, but thankfully Springbonnie didn't remember how he was used. He didn't even remember the surface, he just knew who he was, who his brother Fredbear was, and that Afton was one of the people that made him. Afton talked with Fredbear privately about how times had changed from 1987 to now, when Fredbear was shut down to when he was rebuilt. Fredbear didn't remember the bite of 87, and his memories of the surface weren't any better. All he remembered was kids, the layout of the diner, and the stars he'd look at out the window.

Once Afton explained everything, leaving out the bite incident, Fredbear to forgive the poor corpse for everything he's done. He didn't trust him, he just forgave him. Fredbear and Springbonnie then left Afton's room where they were rebuilt and started living their own lives.

This Afton is a more forgivable, and melancholy version of Afton.

What would everyone in your AU think of King Afton?

First up, very interesting take, though now all the pressure of the “why did you kill” are put on Chara. The concept of Afton getting EXP from stuffing children into suits is wrecking me with laughter to be fully honest- this man must be buff- Everyone is a big number, but I can give you three main people, I think.

Marionette hates him- like all Williams. He doesn’t believe in redemption; he doesn’t believe in the concept of regret. Nobody ever regretted what happened to him, thus regret must be a hindering emotion at best- a liability at worst. Useless and hurtful. This William is pathetic! How can you go around killing children because of some fucking spirit?! And then being all regretful about it, as though it makes a difference?! Devaluing these murders even MORE! How much must he hate these children that he admits openly that his murders were pointless and soulless and now after decades something he would be taking back?! HOW DOES THAT HELP?! WHO?! HE DOESN’T DESERVE PITY. AND YOUR FREDDY, HE SHOULD HAVE KILLED HIM FOR GOOD! SO WHAT IF YOU ARE “EQUALLY” AS BAD?! IF TWO WRONGS MEET AND ONE KILLS THE OTHER, THEN WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE RIGHT! There is nothing more appalling to him than regretting the evil deeds, because then you say you did those evil deeds out of weakness and selfishness and nothing else came from it. Marion doesn’t regret killing the guards. Marion DOESN’T regret killing the guards! (My Marionette would make a much more ruthless ruler of the underground than both William and Freddy combined…) Fredbear is actually somewhat happy. He feels terrible for everything that happened until then and that the Marionette had to leave home because of William returning and becoming an advisor- and of course, he’s agonizing about the fact that another child had to die. But in the end, there’s some reassurance in William just being another puppet, suffering the circumstances and now working for redemption. The children are still here in some way after all, with this new technology- once it is perfected, everyone can live the life they wanted. All he hopes is that William will be a force of good this time around and for good this time. He shouldn’t have crumbled to the timeloop, but… … things like that are mindbreaking, certainly. Not being yourself is extremely scary. And how can you be sure you ARE yourself? If he would have the chance to say anything to Afton, then it’s to not give protecting the children. They need you. They need someone to stand up for them. No matter how pointless it seems or how often you fail, continuing to try is what matters. Stay determined. You owe them this after all- you have proven your ability to use what’s inside of you for destruction, make sure that it will become good permanently. You need to wake up every morning and choose to do the right thing. They need you. Both the living and the dead. Old Sport thinks he’s a funny fucker. As someone in the same shoes as him- well, without that evil spirit thing, but still- he sees his acting out and then doing a 180° as pretty hilarious. Like, sure, you go dude, reinvent yourself as this regretful somebody who wants to help, Old Sport gets it, he has done stuff like that too- but being all mopey and melancholic about it? Just move on! If you were in a loop, what does it matter? Reset and restart. You didn’t feel bad doing it, right? So why feel bad now? What’s the point? Genuine question. You did the deed, you committed the crime and that was okay. And then you stuck to that timeline. Sorry, not sorry, you have nobody to blame but yourself. And that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to move on and change and make peace, that’s totally fine, but the way Old Sport sees it from the outside, there’s a lot of misplaced guilt. This is a story, right? … … even if Old Sport doesn’t like, part of him feels jealous. Afton lacked control over his body, but at least he had a soul, right? At least he HAS a kind of personality and sense of self. He can make himself into a consistent character, unlike Old Sport who has to pick and choose and never knows what to do- In his opinion, Afton needs to get a grip and be less ungrateful for the things he actually DOES have. Save the kids, kill the kids, whatever, protect your sense of self… but then at least be satisfied with your choices that came out of that sense of self. Guilt is a choice. Either regret and act or don’t and stay back.

#NOT my AU

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