38Frisk - Thinking/Flashback
[~*~] – time change
"Frisk" - Dialogue
"Frisk"/*Frisk – Chara talking through Frisk/mentally communicating to Frisk
The walk back to New Home was an interesting one, and on hindsight, they should've known it was going to happen. Asriel died over one-hundred years ago, but most monsters still remember him.
When they caught sight of him, their first reaction were wide eyes and mouths hanging open in shock. Seconds passed before they bowed and greeted, "Your Highness", "Prince", or, "you're alive!"
Poor Asriel was flustered and had to look to the ground every time someone spoke. He always greeted back, but Frisk had to pull them by his paw or he would've stood there, unsure what else to say.
From there, the monsters showered them with greetings, and the Royal Guards went as far as to kneel in front of him. No one questioned how he came back to life, even though a few quietly speculated that The Angel must've done it.
But that's all behind them, yet they're still holding onto the goat monster as they walk through the Judgement Hall. The external lights coming from the windows should be warm and inviting, but the deafening silence of the room makes Frisk feel like they're walking towards the guillotine in broad daylight. Passing shadows cast by pillars puts them at an edge. Because when they enter the light again, they imagine Sans has appeared, ready to judge them for their sins.
Frisk vividly remember dashing around this wide hallway, dodging bones that sprung from the ground and avoiding lasers from monstrous skulls. Or feeling the weight of the dust that clung to them like a second skin, and agonizing over Sans' specialty, Karmic Retribution, eating at their body like acid before killing them.
"Frisk?" His voice pulls them back to reality. Turning their head, they see Asriel looking back with concern. His face softens before flashing a timid smile. "We're going to be with Mom and Dad soon."
At first, Frisk is surprised, but refrains from showing it. They're thankful he wants to comfort them, but also ashamed they're reliving bad memories. Asriel is about to reunite with his parents!
They smile back and focus on how soft Ariel's paws are. "Do you know what you're going to tell them?"
His eyes move downward before focusing ahead. "I… no, I don't." He doesn't frown, but looks anxious and happy. "I've been thinking, but I don't know where to start."
The human grunts in agreement. They shift their gaze back ahead. The exit isn't far.
Considering Asriel's situation, Frisk doubts there's a correct way for the goat monster. So all they can suggest is, "you will know when you see them." No amount of practice is going to help when emotions run high.
From the corner of their eye, they see Asriel nodding, but as they're about to exit the room, his grip tightens.
Seeing him tense, Frisk starts rubbing their thumb over his fur in a circular motion. He sighs, and his shoulders move down. In the dull-gray hallway, he speaks again in a meek voice. "Thanks. I-I guess I'm pretty nervous."
Frisk nods. Even they are starting to feel it, so their free hand goes to a spot below their neck. Their fingers prod the golden heart-shaped necklace underneath their sweater. While Chara finds comfort in the handle of a weapon, Frisk finds it in the item their partner holds so much sentimental value over. Originally a gift from Asriel to Chara, the human is touched they're allowed to wear it.
Beyond an intersection is a room where seven caskets lie. Six dead children were inside, but after the barrier fell, they, along with their souls, vanished.
On the left is a rocky walkway that leads up, and the end is where their parents and the rest of their friends are.
They take a left, but Frisk's mind wanders to the six dead children. Did the fragments come from them? That line of thinking only brings more questions: how did Gaster get his hands on them? Did he damage them? And who was the skeleton? Frisk had searched endlessly through the Underground, and yet, this is the first time they hear the name Gaster. Did they? After all the resets, they can't remember. They learned so much that some things were a blur. It's likely they heard or read his name, but didn't put too much importance to it as it had no use in helping Asriel.
However, much like the inevitable explanation of their soul's new state, it will be for later.
They are halfway up, and Frisk looks at their friend to see how he's holding up. They notice his chest rising in and out faster, but his eyes remain entirely focused on what's ahead.
Frisk gently squeezes his hand as the last sign of assurance. The gesture is promptly returned.
Then Sans' voice echoes down. "-tibia honest, I knew it wasn't going to be humorous, but that's no reason to get your bones all rattled up."
"SAAAAANS! THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A MONUMENTAL MOMENT! YOUR PUNS ARE DEFINITELY! NOT! ALLOWED!" And that's Papyrus' voice echoing all the way down. The silence and the close space amplifies everyone's voices. "SEE, YOU EVEN HAVE ASGORE'S CLONE CRYING." Except for Papyrus's voice, his default is a megaphone.
"That's right. *Pft* ha ha! Your jokes are falling short." And that's Toriel. Despite the puns, Asriel looks ready to cry with a wide smile adorning his features.
"you're right tori. papyrus is a skeleton of high standards." Their mother's snort is followed by laughter.
"LOOK WHAT YOU DID! YOUR CORRUPTIONS HAVE SPREAD TOO FAR, BROTHER!"
"Come on, you're smiling."
"I AM, AND I HATE IT!"
Unless they want to ruin the surprise, Frisk had to hold back a chuckle during the entire comedy routine, but Asriel, despite smiling, cringed at every pun.
Then he speaks in a low voice. "I don't get why she loves puns so much."
And at that, Frisk attacks. "It's because they're very punny."
He cringes, yet his smile holds. "Frisk, that was terrible."
They nod and are glad all his previous tension is gone.
Once they take the last steps, Frisk and Asriel are introduced to a normal scene.
Mom, Sans, and Papyrus are the closest to the center. The ex-queen is wearing a purple robe with long white sleeves, and on the front is the Delta Rune symbol – white wings with a circle on the circle-and below are three triangles with the middle one further below and upside-down. She is rubbing tears from her eyes. Her laughter turns into snickers as her shoulders began to shake.
Papyrus the skeleton is standing tall and proud, actually taller than the boss monster. He has his trademark armor: a white chest plate traveling around his upper body, basketball like shoulder guards of the same color, a red scarf around his neck, blue metal underwear that stays in place, red boots and finally red gloves. His toothy smile is perpetual like his brother's, but despite the narrowed annoyance in his eye sockets, Frisk can tell he's enjoying himself.
Sans, barely taller than the kids, is wearing a blue hoodie with a white shirt underneath, black shorts and pink slippers. His hands are in his jacket's pockets, and against all logic, his eye socket closes to wink at his brother.
A little more to the right are the last three monsters.
Asgore can be considered a giant for his broad size rather than his height. He has golden shoulder guards, a purple cape that covers most of his body with a golden suit of armor underneath. Golden hair jumbles up with his beard.
In battle, he brought a level of fear and intimidation that not even Undyne could bring, but outside, he carries a calm demeanor.
Right now the King is speaking with the ex-head of the Royal Guard. "Have humans really changed that much?"
Undyne gives a fanged grin. She's a humanoid fish warrior, currently wearing red shoes, blue jeans, and a black tanktop. Her skin is covered in aquamarine scales, the entirety of her right eye is yellow with the exception of a black, slit pupil. She wears a red eyeshadow, and her left eye is covered with an eyepatch. A fin of red and blue protrude from the sides of her head, and a long red ponytail reaches to her mid-back.
She has a thin appearance that's deceptively weak, but Frisk personally knows how strong the boulder-suplex-fish warrior is. "I'm telling you, Alphys's documentaries are the best! Isn't that right, Alphys?"
Next to her is a chubby, yellow lizard monster. She's hunched over, just a head short of reaching Undyne's shoulders, wearing a white lab coat and round glasses. The scientist is starting to sweat while tapping together her stubby fingers. "Y-Yeah, my hu-human documentaries are p-precise."
Frisk almost forgot about that particular argument. In this timeline, they told Undyne that the anime Alphys' 'documentaries' is real. It's a shame it isn't; a world of magical girls and people who can wield giant swords would be perfect for the monsters.
They take a moment to admire the puns, the laughter, the tranquility, and to realize how perfect all of this is. A family is all Frisk ever dreamed of before falling into the Underground, and now they have a brother to share it with.
Asriel's eyes move between his Mom and Dad. A single tear roll on his cheek as his mouth opens and closes.
They let go of his hand, places theirs on his back and gently pushes him. He offers no resistance.
His steps are slow and shaky, not daring to cause a single sound, but the entire mood of the room changes when Mom's eyes drift towards them.
Her smile drops and she blinks a couple of times. She wipes the tears off furiously before looking at Asriel straight in the eyes. Her eyes widened, and her lips become a thin line.
Sans is the first to notice. "Something wrong, Toriel?" When she doesn't answer, his beady eyes follow her line of sight, and they vanish. His smile strains and his posture becomes rigid.
The human is unsure if Sans knows Asriel was Flowey, and if he does, they hope he doesn't do anything rash.
The last skeleton looks confused before he too turns to look at the young monster. He smiles widely, not reading the tone shift. "WOWEE, NOW WE HAVE A CHIBI VERSION OF ASGORE'S CLONE!" His voice gets the other group's attention.
When Undyne's gaze locks on the monster, she frowns, and her eye narrows in concentration. "Hey, Asgore, isn't that-"
A yellow hand grasps her scaly one. She stops to look down at Alphys, who has a hand covering her mouth while staring at the King. Undyne looks up, and she shuts her lips tight. Eye widened at the state of her King.
Asgore has a joyful smile. The next second he look like he's in grief. His eyes shine with hope, and his lips part slightly wanting to say something. He looks haunted by something only he can see.
Frisk never put into thought of how their parents would react, so they stay still, not wanting to ruin this moment. And they're happy to see Asgore stepping forward.
"Asriel… son, is that you?" His voice is shaky, filled with uncertainty, yet smiling, eyes brimming with tears. Mom also steps forward. Her hands are shaking, and she's biting her lip as tears freely fall out.
The young monster has managed to hold most of his tears back despite looking ready to cry his heart out. "Mom, Dad, I *Hic* I…!"
He bolts forward, and his parents do the same. Midway, Mom drops to her knees and welcomes her son in a tight embrace.
His face is buried in her neck, and Mom has her chin set over his head. Asgore also goes down to his knees next to her, his huge arms surrounding the family he thought he'd lost and pulling them to his chest.
The restraints fall off, and the Dreemurr family starts crying to their souls' content.
Mom has her eyes shut and starts rubbing the back of her son's head. Asgore is wearing a serene smile as his eyes reflect the love for his family, and while Frisk can't see Asriel's face, his arms are shaking from the force he's applying.
No words are shared, but none are needed. This is something Frisk understands. Many times, Chara's presence reminded them they're not alone.
*Frisk. They hum to show they're listening, and Chara's voice is the softest they ever heard from them. *Thank you. The human feels their heart swell as their partner's tears run down their cheeks. *Thank you. Their throat tightens from what should be the hoarse voice of their partner's. *Thank you. They feel Chara hugging them from the side. The ghost's face press on their shoulder. Muffled "thank you" are repeated over and over.
Knowing that their friends are watching, Frisk places one hand over their partner's and gently tightens it.
"so, kid," Sans voice suddenly comes next to them, but they're so joyful that they're not startled. "You are the one who brought the billy back from the dust." It was more of a statement than a question, but Frisk still nods as they wipe the tears.
"OF COURSE THEY DID, SANS!" Unlike his shorter brother, Papyrus' footsteps can be heard. "AS SOMEONE WHO AIMS TO BE AS GREAT AS ME, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM!" The human wipes the last of their tears off, and turn to see him standing next to his brother, fists on his hips, eyes closed with a proud smile.
"i'm pretty sure reviving death is impossible," he counters in his laid-back tone.
Papyrus opens his eyes and looks confused. "WHO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT!?"
"about the billy, the king, and tori hugging." With his head, he motions towards the Dreemurrs. Despite Papyrus' 'yell', they haven't budged from their spot.
"ASGORE'S CHIBI CLONE!?"
"that's the one."
*Gasp* His eyes widen to the size of dinner plates, and his jaw becomes ajar. "YOU'RE TELLING ME CHIBI ASGORE IS ASGORE'S AND ASGORE CLONE'S SON!?"
By now, Chara steps back after getting a reign on their emotions. The ghost is sporting a relaxed smile as they watch things play out.
Another set of footsteps come from the other side, and Undyne slides to a stop next to Papyrus before wrapping an arm around his neck. He's pulled down and then assaulted by her knuckles rubbing on his head. "Papyrus! You knucklehead!" she grins.
He struggles to break out. "PLEASE DON'T NUGGY THE SKELETON!"
"Then stop asking questions and enjoy this! Just look at Alphys!"
The yellow lizard is now standing closer, facing the emotional scene with a twinkle in her eye. Her giggles are half restrained as she plays with her claws.
"How're you handling it, Alphys!"
Instead of answering, she says, probably without realization, "ToreyGorey it is then."
Frisk manages to hold their own giggles back, and although they approve of Mom's and Asgore's shipping name, they doubt they will be getting together anytime soon. Mom has a century's worth of resentment and anger against Asgore for declaring war against humanity and… the death of six children, but they trust Alphys will work it out in her fanfiction.
"kid," Sans speaks in a low voice. He's standing next to them, and his back to the other two. The short skeleton is staring at them from the corner of their eyes. "you're gonna explain this some time, right?"
They nod and are grateful that Sans decided to leave this for later. Mom and Asgore are going through an emotional roller coaster. They don't need to go through more when there are other important things to do.
Frisk's face twitches. Internally, they frown at the growing list of "to do later", but despite knowing it's best to do it soon, they're also dreading when the time comes. What will his family think about their new soul? Chara was freaking out over it. As for not being able to load and reset anymore, Sans should be happy, right? It was in the… genocide timeline the skeleton told them that resets caused him to lose interest in everything – except for his brother – puns and Mom. Thankfully the skeleton believed it was Frisk's fault, so maybe that will help him get a positive outlook on life? But the conversation Frisk is most scared of having is with Asriel. They can't let him know how many resets they went through for him, or how they almost died when obtaining their new soul. And how will he take it that they lost their time powers-?
*Frisk. The human prevents themselves from jolting. *Hey, we… we will think of something. I mean, saving Asriel was the hardest part. Everything else should be easy. For a moment, they believe their partner's words, but the harsh reality sets in.
What about the humans? They want to believe everything will be alright, that all their problems will be solved, but they're not the same optimistic kid that completed the first pacifistic timeline. They know how difficult it is to complete the impossible. Building peace between monsters and humans will be even more so.
"HUMAN!" Frisk raises their head to meet Papyrus' gaze. He's crouched down. The corners of his smile are dipped down in concern. "I'VE BEEN CALLING YOU, BUT YOU HAVEN'T ANSWERED! IS SOMETHING WRONG?"
The human nearly grimaces from their mistake, but smiles for him. "Sorry, I'm just tired." But Papyrus doesn't believe them. They know this because it takes him seconds to reply.
He smiles like his usual self. "IF YOU SAY SO!" Then his arms reach out towards them. Frisk is confused as he wraps them around his waist. They're lifted, turned around and placed on his shoulder. "BUT UNTIL YOU GET BETTER, YOU'RE WELCOME TO REST THERE AS LONG AS YOU WANT!"
At first, Frisk wants to protest, but their body betrays them. *Yaaaaawn* Had they always been this tired? Granted, Chara made them walk all the way to the start, rested a little before walking all the way back. On second thought, maybe this isn't such a bad idea. Their body is starting to feel heavy and their legs sore.
Frisk gives a tired nod.
Then Papyrus wobbles, almost dropping them, as the skeleton is raised and placed on the shoulder of the fish lady. By her tone, Frisk can tell she has a toothy grin. "What are you saying Paps? Of course, the little Punk is alright. And if he isn't, then an extra cooking session should do just the trick. What do you say, Punk?"
"Yes!" they answer immediately. No matter how many times they repeated the activity, Frisk always found it fun to do. It must be because they just… let loose and break the law of common sense as they cook Undyne style.
"NYEH HEH HEH HEH! PREPARE HUMAN, FOR THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL SHOW YOU HOW A TRUE MASTER CHEF COOKS!"
Their smile becomes more genuine as they ponder on the idea. I've never cooked with Papyrus before. The realization has them nodding eagerly, and Papyrus squeals in delight as sparkles cover his eyes.
*See, Frisk? This is why I like monsters over humans. Even if it's silly, they will do it to make you feel better. They concede to their partner's point. *So quit worrying. They will freak out when you tell them. That's just-you know… Their partner's blush appears on them. *That's our family.
This gives Frisk pause. For so long, they heard that word passed around the kids in the orphanage and seen most leave with a new family. This is the first time they hear somebody else tell it to them and not refer to it as an insult. Their heart flutters.
A family, they think in a daze. The redness on their cheeks fades off as they feel Chara's smug smile.
*And I hereby dub you, Frisk Dreemurr.
That almost got them to raise their eyelids in reflex. Frisk…Dreemurr. Their heart skips a beat. Then in a low voice they say, "Frisk Dreemurr." Frisk loves how the name rolls off their tongue so naturally.
"My child." Their mother's voice snaps them to reality. Only now do they notice how high they are. Their mom has to raise her head to look at them.
From up there, they see Asriel and Asgore staying behind. The king is on his knees, rubbing the head of his son. He's wearing a tired, but serene smile. Asgore is saying something, and Asriel nods with that cheerful smile of his. Both have shiny fur on their cheeks, due to the tears.
Their mother is pretty much the same. She lowers her head. "Undyne, could you put Papyrus down? I wish to speak with my child."
"Sure, your Highness!"
*Sigh* "Toriel is fine-"
But the fish warrior puts them down before she can finish. Then Papyrus turns so the human and the ex-queen face each other.
"SORRY, ASGORE'S CLONE, BUT I HAVE TO HOLD ONTO THE HUMAN BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY TIRED."
"don't you mean bone-tired?"
"SANS!" Papyrus has that hate/love smile.
As for Frisk and their mom, they chuckle in appreciation.
"R-right." They take a moment to compose themselves. "Frisk." That gets them to stop. They've never told anyone their name except for Asriel. They look at their mom with surprise. "Asriel told me," she clarifies. "He also told me other things."
They nod, paying closer attention than before.
"He told me you saved them." Her soft voice calms them down. She's looking at them with a type of fondness they can't quite place. "Is that true?" Frisk isn't sure why their mother wants confirmation, but they nod either way. Her smile seems to radiate more. "My child!"
As her paws move toward them, Frisk remember where they've seen it. It's after the parents signed the papers and walked out the main doors; Frisk caught glimpses through the windows, but this is something they will never forget: a mother's love. While Frisk always thought of Toriel as their mother, they quickly learned the difference between a mother and a caretaker, and she took the role of the latter. Much like she did for the other six children.
They're picked up with such gentleness it surprises them, and soon their cheek is pressed onto her neck. It tickles briefly, and as Toriel places one paw behind their head and the other on their back to hold them, Frisk feels safe.
Their arms circle around her neck with a tight grip, not willing to let go of that feeling. "I love you… Mom."
They hear her gasp before tightening her hold. "I love you too, my child."
Those last two words, Frisk has heard her say countless times, but now they were spoken with a different sentiment, almost as if… she truly means they're her child.
A new set of tears roll down their cheeks, all belonging to Frisk. They push their face deeper into her neck, basking in the warmth and safety their mother provides.
They hear the sound of others talking, but ignores it. They can vaguely tell their mom is moving as their tears come to an end.
"Frisk." That's their mother, but they keep their face where it is, even if it's damp. "My child, Asgore wishes to ask you something."
Reluctantly, they pull away. They don't know what question he has, but it must be important if Toriel is insisting. They rub their eyes, and they're now cradled in mom's arm. This position is very tempting to fall asleep.
"Howdy, Frisk," Asgore's voice snaps them awake. They move their arm down, and see that the Monster's eyes are red and puffy, but he's smiling. Asriel is right next to him, holding his hand. "We've been discussing a few things of what we will do when we travel to the surface, and we all agreed that..." They stay silent and wait. The King closes his eyes briefly before speaking with more resolve. "Frisk, would you accept becoming our ambassador?"
"Huh?" they voice out their surprise. Even Chara feels the same way.
"When monsters make themselves known to humans, I'm sure that most will be scared of our kind." His smile dips down a little as he breaks eye contact. When their eyes reconnect, he's no longer smiling, and his eyes gain a somber look. "You already did so much for us, but-"
"Yes!" After the initial shock wore down, they didn't hesitate. This is exactly what they wanted – a way to help. They can tell their partner isn't as excited as they are, because now Frisk will have to interact with adult humans more often.
Asgore's smile returns and Asriel laughs. "See, Dad. I told you Frisk was going to say 'yes'."
He nods, content written in his face.
"My child." Frisk turns to their mother, who's giving them a concerned look. "Please think this through carefully. I don't want you to accept out of pressure." she shots Asgore a 'mommy glare', which makes the King downcast with guilt. "Papyrus would be more than willing to accept the role as ambassador."
"But I want to do it!" Then they add with a smile, "if it helps everyone, then I want to be the ambassador."
She looks surprised before her expression softens. "Just like before, you're set on doing this?" Frisk knows they're talking about the time they decided to leave the Ruins to continue their adventure – instead of staying inside the safety of their home abandoning all hope exiting. They nod. "Just like before, I will push my fears aside for you, but now, you won't be doing this alone."
They almost correct her, but Chara doesn't seem to mind. In fact, they feel happy.
Toriel turns so they can see the rest of their friends.
Undyne has already hoisted Alphys to her with an arm around her waist. The scientist is sporting a large blush along with a dazed smile, and the ex-captain is looking at everyone with a glint in her eye as well as an eager grin. "If we're done with all the mushy talk, Alphys and I are going to be THE FIRST ONES TO SEE THE SURFACE! SEE YA LATER NERDS!" She leaves as she dashes towards the pathway leading upwards, leaving behind a cloud of dust all the while laughing, "NGHAHAHAHAHA!"
"BROTHER." Papyrus turns to their brother with a panicked look. "WE MUST HURRY BEFORE UNDYNE IS THE FIRST TO SEE EVERYTHING."
"paps, the overworld is much larger than the undergrou-"
Much like the other one, he dashes towards the pathway while picking up a trail of dust.
"heh," Sans shrugs lazily at the remaining monsters and human. "Guess I better follow." Instead of following his brother like a normal monster, he takes the opposite direction.
"Don't worry, Dear," Asgore starts explaining at seeing Toriel's confusion. "He has his shortcuts."
"Uh huh." She shoots him a deadpan look for calling her 'dear'.
Realizing his mistake, he starts sweating as his eyes dart around before settling on his Asriel. "Son, are you ready to see the surface?"
"Yes, but…" A faint blush adorns his cheeks as he lowers his head. "I…want to…"
Frisk is confused at why Asriel is acting that way, but when his eyes flicker to theirs, they can't hold back a playful smirk.
"Mom," they start while looking at her. "Could you put me down?" When her worried gaze sets, they remember why they're being carried in the first place. "I'm alright now. I promise."
She consents, albeit reluctantly. They're set down gently, which is something Frisk's legs are grateful for. They can easily hide a wince as they step forward, but not the way their legs shake.
Asriel takes notices and crosses the short distance with a long step. "Frisk!" They're pulled closer as his arms wrap around them. "Why didn't you tell me you were this tired?" And now they feel bad. They wrap their arms around him and mutter a quick apology, but he steps back, and one of his arms pulls back.
Before Frisk could ask him what he's doing, the young boss monster bends down to snake an arm behind their ankles. Recognizing what he will do, they blush and are picked up in a bridal fashion with surprising ease.
"There." His eyes meet theirs, but after a few seconds, he actually smirks as a faint blush grows. "Is the princess comfortable?"
Now Frisk is sure their face is on fire. No! This isn't supposed to happen! It's usually the human that does the flirting, and they wonder if this is how everyone else they did it on feels. The giggling of mom and Asgore only adds to their embarrassment.
"Frisk." His smirk has been replaced by an innocent smile fitting of a kid that hasn't gone through hell a thousands of times. In short, it's pure and radiant. "Thanks for saving me. I…I promise I will make it up to you somehow."
"But you don't have to," they reply softly. As they see he's about to protest, they rest their head on his shoulder. "A family is everything I ever wanted." As cheesy as it sounds, it's the sole truth.
They close their eyes and let themselves be spoiled like a princess.
[~*~]
Undyne had every right to be excited.
Over a hundred resets had made them forget the surface's beauties. The open cool breeze is fair on their skin, the rays of the sunset are like a warm blanket, and Asriel is like a soft bed carrying them.
Their small group is walking on a rocky path leading to the base of the mountain, and instead of feeling apprehensive to face humans again, Frisk is oddly excited to begin their job as ambassador.
They can feel how their soul brightens with vigor… with a strange tugging of sorts. They control their expression in case Asriel is seeing them and focus on that strange feeling.
If they were walking instead of resting in Asriel's arms, they might have missed it. Paying closer attention, they realize the tugging is in six different directions.
The six traits. Frisk tries putting a name to the emotions they're emitting, but it's like hearing people all around them whisper in the same volume. They focus on one trait, but no matter how many seconds pass, that feeling doesn't become clearer. While far from being an expert, with a clear mind they should be able to control the energy in their soul.
They slow the flow of determination in the core, but instead of finding something important, they all quiet down at the same time.
Frisk is confused, but before they try to ignite their determination to see what happens, the human remembers their partner is more knowledgeable than them. Chara, what do you think that was? Being connected to their soul, they should have felt that strange tugging. Yet, there's no reply. Chara? Thinking back, their partner has been strangely quiet for most of the time. They ask again with more distress. Chara?!
Their soul stirs. *What?! Are we being attacked? Frisk can tell they're looking around.
No, we're fine. I… you got me worried. That gets their attention. Where were you?
They grow agitated. *I was checking what that freak did to you soul. Frisk stays silent to allow Chara to continue. *Your soul is stable, so there's that. As for… the other fragments. Those things are kinda alive.
Alive!? Did they tell you anything?
*No! Not that kind of alive, just… There's a pause. *They're a bunch of emotions, nothing else.
But I heard them whisper.
Chara shrugs. *Like I said, a bunch of emotions. I was hearing them too, but I could never understand a single word. I'm guessing they're trying to influence you depending on the trait. More like trying. They snarl. *Those stupid fragments just don't shut up when I tell them to, so I'm trying to make them listen to you.
Frisk nudges them through their connection to continue.
*That skeleton just put the fragments here. They're not even attached to your determination, just acting when it does. Their next words drip with venom. *With the shitty job he did, it makes me think he wanted you to suffer.
But you said my soul is stable.
*Frisk! It's your soul! Your very being and he just dumped all these fragments into you without a care!
But I'm alive and fine, so he must've known what he was doing.
*Sigh* Frisk, remember how you woke up on the ground? The human can't help but feel worried for a second. They mentally nod. *Well, that was me who woke you up, and that was after I made proper connections with them to your determination. I'm still doing it because the last thing I want is for them to do whatever they want. Like now. They growl the last part.
Frisk sends waves to comfort them, but Chara stops them.
*And then there's what those fragments are doing to you. They can feel their partner's stare laced with concern for them and anger towards the skeleton. *You said you can't feel it, but I can. They're changing you, and they're going to keep doing it until I make your determination the leading piece in your soul, but it's going to take me days to finish that!
They just don't understand why their partner is like this. But as long as it's me, isn't it fine?
In a frustrated voice they answer, *the fact that you aren't freaking out is the reason why I'm doing it.
They ponder about this. Sure, their soul is entirely different now, but there's no notable change to them. How much have I changed? They have to be sure.
*Not much, but it's there. Your emotions…they're too strong, and the worse part is that-hey. Something's wrong.
That's all they need to open their eyes slightly.
Asriel is looking ahead with a look of confusion. They turn their head and are unfortunately greeted by the backs of their friends for traveling behind. The other thing they see is the forest.
Toriel is the first to speak before she turns to the tall skeleton. "Papyrus, are you sure about this?"
"OF COURSE, ASGORE'S CLONE!" he says it without turning, and the certainty in his voice is obvious. "THERE ARE HUMANS IN THE MIST WHO HAVE COME TO GREET US!"
Frisk isn't sure where the skeleton is looking at, but they don't see any mist-their eyelids raise as a dense fog starts encroaching from behind the trees. Fog machines come to mind, but it was instantly discarded. But then, what other explanation-
*Magic. Chara answers in a low, steely voice. Focusing on their connection, Frisk can also sense the wall of magic that's appearing from nothing. Not only that, but something about the area suddenly feels off.
Something in their soul tells them to look up, and they listen.
They aren't shocked to see the fog settle over the sky like a blanket. They don't panic when they sense it spreading over a mile. Not when a tug on their soul tells them to analyze it. So when they [check], information starts flooding their mind.
Back in the underground, they used this to see the monsters' stats and catch a brief glimpse of their personalities. On items, he got a line or two of insight, but now they feel as if they're truly seeing for the first time.
[Dimension Lost. Also known as "Fog of Extinction". A high-tier Longinus that creates mist as protective veils or to bend the space it surrounds.]
[Balance Breaker: Unlocked.]
[User: Georg. Class Type: Prodigy Magician]
Frisk is satisfied and files the information for later use. This should've been strange for them, but it feels familiar.
*Tsk. That's just what I told you! The fragment of perseverance acted on its own!
The human nods before focusing on their surroundings.
Their mother approaches with Alphys in tow.
"My children, I will have to ask you to move further back. Alphys will stay with you to ensure you're both safe."
The scientist is playing with her fingers in a nervous fashion, but nods in a resolute, shaky way. "I-I will l-look after them." Though it sounded more like it was to herself than Mom.
Asriel is doing better. The only sign that shows he's shaken is the trembling in his hands.
Today was meant to be a day of celebration for Frisk. Now there's a good chance a confrontation will ensue with these unknown people and their family.
As they're carried further back, they feel all seven fragments pulse and spread waves of energy throughout their fatigued body.
A/N: My beta-reader (Tapp) has finished over a week, but school work has prevented me from doing a few additional changes myself – until now. I'm somewhat disappointed in myself that I have to end it in a cliffhanger, sorry guys, but it was either this, or take much longer and I just wanted to give everyone some prove that this story is not death.
So there you have it guys, the Undertale cast has finally reunited, and they're about to have a nice, long confrontation against a Faction from the DxD cast – I'm sure most of you know who they are.
Please review and give me your thoughts. Did I do a good job with their characterization, or did I butcher them terribly? If anything else, just leave your thoughts about this chapter down below. Those reviews motivate me to keep writing.
Edit (5/28/2018): Few grammar changes.