Knight-2-Remember

Today had been quite the day. She made extra tips tonight because she was the only one working at the diner in hometown this evening. Her coworker had called her begging for her to cover her shift so she could go on a date with a cute guy she met. She knew she shouldn't have, she's working almost every day this week buuuuut..how could she kill her coworkers excitement like that? After closing up for the night she walks out the front of the building, locking the door behind her. The sky rumbles, a low warning that it was going to rain soon. She takes a deep breath, smelling the cold wet air and sighing.

She'd better hit the road or she'll have to drive in the rain.

Tugging on the diner's door one last time to make sure it's locked she fishes out her keys and makes for her car.

______________________

The drive is quiet, the roads are empty and only illuminated by sterile white street lamps.

"The others are going to be so mad at me...." She murmurs under her breath. The "others" being the residents of the dark world. Her ordinary household items come to life in the darkest of dark. When she bought the house a couple months ago. She had accidentally stumbled upon what she now knows as a "dark fountain" and was sent tumbling into the dark world. There she met many "darkners" who acted as though they were already aquanted with her. They caught her up to speed about dark worlds and how much they care about her. So she told them that she'd do her best to visit them everyday or as often as she can.

And boy did they hold her to it.

If she dares miss a day without explanation. Then as soon as she does return to the dark world she immediately gets questioned like she's on trial for murder. Wanting to know where exactly she went and why she didn't let them know before hand where she was going.

Today she had forgotten to mention she was working a double shift today....they had expected her to be home 5 hours ago.

Maybe she can bring them something as a peace of-

Oh?

She stops the car, pulling over to the side of the road and getting out. And looking down at the curb.

It was a TV. And OLD TV, it looks like the TV her grandparents used to have before they passed away. Where they used to watch those old black and white films. Every time she would come over she would sit on their old living room carpet,criss crossed and do her best to get into whatever show they had playing. She remembers always being exited when the original wonder women came on. Being that she was the only character she recognized on the roster of ancient shows. After her grandparents passed away almost everything was thrown out and the house was bulldozed so someone could build a newer house on top of it.

She crouches down gazing at the television. It had clearly been well loved in its time. There was a faint burned in picture of a kids channel logo on the corner and if you squint, you can see faded marks from crayons and markers on the sides,as well as some small scratches in the case. She runs her fingers along the smooth plastic casing, dust was caked in. And left a grey residue on her fingers. It may have been well loved at one point but it seems it hasn't been used in a very long time. And she can see why.

It's antenna was broken and it's screen was slightly cracked

The antenna had been snapped clean in half. The metal barely hanging on by a thread to stay attached. It almost looks like someone cut it with scissors or a blade.

She's snapped out of her thoughts when the sky rumbles again,dark clouds rolling closer and closer together into storm clouds. She shivers and puts her sleeves up on her sweater as a cold,misty breeze blows.

This TV might be able to be fixed now. But if it gets rained on and filled with water then it's as good as trash.

She stares at the telivision for a long moment, deciding.

....

It almost feels as if it's staring back.

....

Well, she needs a TV anyway. And she's been dying to start collecting some retro tech again after her old apartment burned down,her beloved collection of retro games, DVDs and vinyls unfortunately burning down with it. She HAD been saving up for a new TV to furnished her freshly purchased house,but....why buy a new one that's going to make her pay for a bunch of streaming services when she could have this old beauty for the low price of giving it a little TLC? Besides, she LOVES vintage media and misses her old collection, it would be nice to get back into that hobby.

With her mind made up, she stands up and grips the TV by the bottom of it's casing. And lifts-

And quickly puts it back down with a small thud.

"Oof- what are you 300 pounds??"

She stands straight up again, popping her back. Maybe she should just leave it....

But what would the darkners back home say if she told them she left an item like this out by the road to get rained on, they would probably be horrified!

How would she feel being abandoned in the rain like this. How terrified would she be of those storm clouds gathering above?

With a grunt she tries again, this time prepared for how heavy it it is. She struggles for a moment before hoisting it up over her hip, for an easier hold of it. Slowly, she waddles to her car, sets the heavy TV down, opens the door, struggles to lift the TV high enough to get it into the back seat,buckles it in, gives it a pat on the casing and shuts the door before getting back into the driver's seat and heading home as a few stray droplets start to fall on her windshield.

___________________________

She sets the TV down and a huff on her carpeted living room floor, warm light coming from the lamps she has scattered around. Wiping the small rain droplets off the TV case with the corner of her shirt, accidentally collecting all of the old dust on the corner as well. She sighs and wipes her face off with her sleeve. She didn't get too wet luckily, but it was really coming down now. She can't wait to curl up in bed with the rain beating at her window. She knows she's going to sleep amazing tonight.

Buuuut... before she can do that, she has to check in with everybody in the dark world

"Well, I'm sure everyone will be exited to hear we have someone new joining soon! I'm told it takes a little bit of time for you to appear in the dark world but I'm very excited to meet you!"

She gives the TV a loving pat on the casing before taking off her shoes and stepping in front of the small broom closet that's next to her living room.

She opens up the closet and swallows nervously as she gazes into the black darkness ahead. This was always the worst part. The darkness, the impending fall, the plummeting downwards endlessly and yet somehow it only ever lasted a moment

"Alrighty then..."

She takes a step back gears up to jump and-

The black pit sends a pulse of dread though her entire being. She gasps and grabs the frame to the closet door to keep herself from falling.

"C'mon... you do this every day.... their waiting for you..."

Who says she needs to jump in anyway? No one is watching her, she doesn't need to look cool or anything.

She sits down at the edge of the closet,her feet dangling into the darkness. The less height, the better. She firmly grips the edge of the floor and pushes herself off.

She plummets down, the light from her world about quickly fading and her surroundings growing darker and darker. She snaps her eyes shut and curls in on herself hugging her knees to her chest and bracing.

"Oof-!" (- 3) She lands with a splat, her limps sprawled out as she groans into the blue shag carpet beneath her.

She's gotta work on her entrance.

Standing up and dusting herself off, she takes a look at herself. She's always amazed by the outfit change the dark world provides. Instead of her work clothes and apron. She's now in a flowy blue dress, it's made of a velvet like material with flowy sleeves that dangle at her wrist and a turtle neck like collar. The edges of the dress and sleeves are embroidered with stars.

She's snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of commotion up ahead. Wow these guys get really panicked when she's late. She stops out of the entrance to the dark world and into the next room. Immediately one of her plushies come to life pounces on her. They'res lots of her living stuffed animals here, Plushins as they call themselves.

"My lady! You're here!" A small pink dragon plushin exclaims reaching up and grabbing onto her wrist

She smiles warmly at them

"Yeah, sorry I'm late I had-"

The Plushin tugs at her wrist will all it's might

"C'mon! Quick!"

"Huh, where are you"

A brown bunny joins in grabbing her other wrist franticly

"My lady! You have to help him!"

"H-him?" She questions, as she takes a couple steps forward letting them usher her along.

"Yes yes!" The pink dragon exclaims

"He's hurt! He's hurt!"

She picks up the pace

"Who's hurt?? What-"

She stops dead in her tracks and looks up

"-H-happened..?"

There in front of her was a giant, he was probably over 8 feet tall if she had to guess, he was wearing a red tail coat suit with black slacks and bright yellow dress shoes with a matching neck tie. And for his face, he was that box tv she just took home .His screen was shut off and his antenna standing straight up. Well, one of the antenna was, the other was dangling loosely sparks coming off it.

But most noticably...his arms were - gone. Not that he simply didn't have arms like many darkners here, no- he clearly HAD them at some point but...they must have been cleaved clean off, the fabric of his suit was torn where he must have been attacked. The opening in his shoulders sparking dangerously and wires hanging loose.

Different smaller darkners were trying to heal him but he wasn't letting them anywhere near him. He's standing on his unstable legs and shaking off anyone who gets to close. His whip like cord tail thrashes around, hitting anyone who gets too close.

She catches sight of her friend as she approaches. Tipsy, her record player personified. She was taller than she was and wore flapper like attire complete with a yellow feather boa draped over her shoulders. She wore a vinal almost like a hat as it shadowed her face leaving only white glowy eyes. Through the hole of the hat like vinal she had her hair bunched up through it like a bun, the rest of her hair was left to sway freely past her shoulders. She had arm in a long silky white glove that reached all the way up her forearm and the other arm was the needle used to play records. Surprisingly, Tipsy seemed sober right now. She's usually drunk off all the spinning she does.

"My lady! Thank goodness you're here! This stray you brought in has gone completely off the rails! Why ,he almost smashed my poor Vinels! "(Personified vinyls, just little happy disks that like to roll around and spin. The hole in the middle is their mouth and they have little white eyes, Tipsy treats them like her babies)

"W...what happened to him?"

Tipsy sighs and looks over at him pitifully

"No clue, he hasn't stopped yelling for long enough to tell us. He seems violent though, I wouldn't venture too close my lady, unless you want to be crushed."

She turns away from tipsy and stares at the TV headed man. She really looks at him this time.

He stumbling around and only turns his screen towards something whenever someone speaks or makes a loud sound. Either that or they get his attention by touching him.

His screen is blackened and cracked.... maybe he can't see? It would explain how clumsy he's being, he's fallen on his knees several times in the shirt time she's been here.

She stares at his screen a bit more and notices he's... sweating? No that's not right, a strange staticy liquid pools at the corner of his screen dripping off the edge. He's panting and-

Oh, he's crying.

He's probably terrified. He's in a new place, he can't see anything and hands are all over him.

She would be scared too if she was in his shoes.

She takes a step towards him

"Everyone back away from him" she says loud enough for the Plushins around him to hear but not loud enough to be yelling.

Tipsy grabs her wrist as the Plushins back away

"My lady! Are you crazy? He'll-"

She puts a hand over tipsy's

"It's ok, if he gets too aggressive I'll flee ok? Just make sure the others don't come near him"

Tipsy looks against this...but she lets go and takes a step back

"Be careful,my lady..."

She smiles at her before turning back to the TV head she steps closer, purposely making as much sound as she can as she approaches. She stops a little bit away from him. And takes a deep breath

"Easy... there no ones going to hu-"

"BACK OFF!"

she feels a the air shift as she's pulled into a battle. Her steel blue soul glowing in front of her.

She feels the hair on her neck stand on end, it's ok, she tells herself. She's fought darkners before! It's kinda how they greet each other.

The man in front of her snarls his antenna sparking, she swears she can see canines in the black screen.

Ok.... you can do this. Lightners always have the first turn.

*ACT

*CHECK

*??? HP 99/5500 AT 13 DF 0

*He reminds you of a gameshow host. He seems TIRED...

TIRED? maybe she could try pacify him with one of her magic acts-

His turn

"WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE? W-WHERES TORIEL? ARE YOU THIEVES?? TRYING TO TAKE ME AND SELL ME FOR PARTS? I WON'T LET YOU!!"

A group of laughing stars appear behind him. She has to dodge one of them but the others fire off in random directions. A reminder that he can't actually see where you are to aim correctly.

Her turn

He's panting, and the CHECK said be was TIRED right? She should have a pacify spell shouldn't she?

She checks the magic menu and finds exactly what she's looking for.

*Lullify- hum a familiar tune to SPARE tired enemies.

She takes a deep breath and hums and old show tune from when she was a kid.

*The enemy gazes at you blindly, his antenna twitch, seems like he recognizes the song

*??? Was spared! You got 0 DD and 0 EXP!

She watches as exhaustion overtakes him and he crumbles to his knees , panting from exerting himself in his injured state.

She takes the chance to take a step closer, not too close, but barely out of arms reach. Static tears are rolling down his screen and his shoulders are shaking.She speaks softly to him

"Hey there.... Easy....its ok ,love...No one's going to hurt you.

He hiccups and and tries to rub the tears away but can't due to his lack of hands.

"W-where....am I? Where's Toriel? Where's S-susie? Or Kris? Why can't I- i-"

"Hey hey- easy.... it's ok, I can tell you where you are. You're at my house. I I live a couple blocks away from where a found you."

He sniffles

"F-Found?"

She hesitates

"You were on the curb, I saw you when I was driving home and picked you up. It was going to storm soon so if I didn't then...you would have gotten...uh..."damaged""

He bristles at this seeming surprised

"The curb?? Like where people bring their trash out? Tori- she...they..."

"They threw me away....?"

She gazes up at him sadly. This is probably his worst nightmare come to life.

"I..I think so. I'm so sorry to have to tell you that."

He hiccups and more tears sweat out his screen, he leans down bringing what she assumes to be his face closer to her and hangs his head and starts to sob.

"I- I remember now- she threw me out. I was old, the knight damaged me and - she said that .....that it was about time she threw me out- that I brought her....too many bad memories."

"I- I just wanted to make them happy! I just wanted to see them smile like they used to! But- I was making them sad all along? That's the exact opposite of my purpose I'm supposed to make lightners happy!"

She listens to him cry his heart out. Her own heart aching for him. She takes a hesitant step forward. And slowly brings her hand up to touch his chest. He flinches a bit causing her to pull away but this only upsets him more

"N-No! Don't leave me! Please...."

She brings her hand back and uses the other hand to cup the corner of his screen. Wiping the tingly static tears away before rubbing the side of his casing. He leans into her hand his breathing staring to calm. She wraps her other hand around his waist then brings the hand that's rubbing his casing down to give him a full hug.

"It's going to be alright,love." She murmurs

"This all sounds completely out of your control. You can't help what becomes a bitter memory over time. Sometimes it just happens when people grow apart."

He leans into her almost fully, she struggles a bit to hold his weight up but manages. They sit like that for a moment before she notices his one working antenna coming down to seemingly sniff at her hair.

"You....smell like the hot chocolate Kris and Azzy used to come home with...f-from the diner" he murmurs

She smiles "heh- well that's because I work there! It's how I pay for the house"

He seems to relax a bit more

"W...what's your name?"

She blinks

"Oh! I'm sorry! I never introduced myself! You can call me Rue."

"Rue?" He repeats trying it out on his tongue.

"T- that's a nice name. I'm Mr. Ant Tenna... but you can just call me Tenna"

She pats his back before pulling away from the hug, still staying close.

"That suits you well Tenna! Oh- speaking of your antenna. You're hurt."

He rotates his shoulders with a sharp wince

"S-so it would seem!" He says trying to sound like it isn't hurting like hell.

"The people from before are my friends. They were going to try and fix you! I promise no one here wants to hurt you but you're injured pretty badly....do you think maybe you could let them help?" Rue offers

Tenna seems to mull this over for a moment.

"W- will you stay?"

Her gaze softens and she sits down next to him, waving the darkners over that had been watching from afar.

"Of course"

__________________________________

At first they tried to start fixing him but he kept squirming because well- can't imagine it feels good to have your arm soldered.

So she talks to him to distract him as best she can.

"You recognized the tune I was humming immediately! You must be a pretty big fan of F.r.i.e.n.d.s huh? I used to love the show but I only had the first season"

"Oh- you're a gameshow host? What kind of stuff do you do?"

"Woah! You sound like a big deal! Maybe I should be a little more respectful. Mr. Ant Tenna."

"Ok! Ok! I'll just stick to Tenna!"

"Hmm....if you listen hard enough you can still hear the rain outside"

"Huh? Oh yeah! It's one of my favorite sounds! Plus how it smells? Ugh it's incredible"

"Well...I guess it makes sense that you don't like it as much, with power outages and all"

"But hey, curled up in a blanket watching TV while it pours outside sounds like a perfect day to me!"

"Ok.... looks like their done, how are you feeling?"

____________________

Tenna listens to Rue talk, occasionally providing a response as he feels the pain in his shoulders slowly eb away. He becomes aware that he's starting to be able to feel his arms again...did they replace them? He only winces a little when someone tapes up his antenna.

As he feels the small hands leave his body one by one signaling that their done repairing him.

He concentrates for a moment before flicking his screen on with a click. He's greeted with the familiar whining and ringing sound that comes from his screen turning on. And his vision returns.

"Oh! I didn't realize that came on! Makes sense though. Can you see me now?"

Tenna looks down at the source of the voice and...

Oh wow..

Standing in front of him was a human. He's only seen one other human in person (that being kris) and anything else he only knew from the TV shows and games he used to play for his old family.

She had curly jet black hair that came down to her shoulders. Her skin was a warm ivory color and her cheeks were dusted with a rosy color. It was hard to tell her eye color because she was wearing rose colored glasses. she had on a flowy blue dress and her feet were socked.

She tilts her head at him and smiles, giving him a little wave

"Heya! Nice to see you,love! How are you feeling?"

He feels his fans kicking on and his screen warming

"I- I'm feeling much better. Thank you"

"I didn't do anything, you should really be thanking the others"

She gestures behind her to the group of friendly looking darkners who wave at him,he waves back

"Thank you!" He says loud enough for them to hear.

"Good to see you up big guy!"

"You had us all worried for a second!"

"Glad your feeling better!"

Words of kindness ring out all around him. He can feel his screen warming up until a flower POPS! and blooms on his nose. Causing the Lightner below him to giggle.

People are laughing at him.

People are smiling at him

People are happy to see him.

Susie... wasn't lying to him? She meant it? Someone really wanted him? People really wanted him?

_________________

Tenna is told that he shouldn't move around too much so he doesn't mess up the freshly welded parts. So he sits down. Rue sitting down next to him and keeping him company. Other darkners come and go, introducing themselves, bringing him healing items and more.

Rue stays with him for a bit before she yawns, prompting him to do the same.

She chuckles " well guess we both better get some rest huh? I stayed WAY longer than I thought I was. I'll see you tomorrow Tenna!"

She waves and turns around to leave but suddenly she's lifted off the ground as Tenna clings to her

"Don't go! Please! I don't want to be alone!"

She sqirms a bit "Tenna! It's ok ! There's plenty of people here to keep you company just ask them to-"

She cuts herself off at the sad puppy dog look he's giving her. His antenna are dropped and he's almost pouting.

She can resist....

She can resist...

Oh who is she kidding?

She sighs "alright...I'll stay. But just for tonight!"

He immediately beams and hugs her closer

"Oh you will?! Thank you starlight!"

She smiles, a couple aches from sleeping in a closet are worth it for that smile of his.

______________________________

She wakes up the next morning covered in a blanket.... actually... she's surrounded by several blankets...and several darkners. Seems everyone got exited that she was sleeping over and decided to join. They were all sprawled out on the ground next to her and Tenna.

She waits for Tenna to wake up to leave. Telling him that she'll be back later today. He looks sad to see her go but understands she has work and a life to get back to. He waves goodbye as she enters the beam of light to go back to the light world.

He watches her disappear into sparkles. He feels his screen warming.

Maybe he does still have a purpose after all.

End!

Thanks for reading! Rue has a fandom soul btw! If you haven't seen my original post try and guess what trait her soul exhibits the most! Here's a hint it's not any of the original 7!

Ok so I'm debating on weather or not to just make the reader an OC at this point because I feel like I've already made her female and have a whole life so I mean ....all she's missing is a name. But here's a bit about her.

She's a very empathetic person. She feels peoples pain. She really doesn't have it in her to hurt anyone she sometimes struggles to push away the people who are hurting her though. She's always wanting to reach out a fix them. It's a flaw of hers.

She likes vintage media a lot. Records old gaming consoles,stuff like that. So naturally when she finds an old crt(Tenna) it catches her eye.

I've noticed that most Lightners seem to take on a DND type class when they enter the dark world? So I decided to make her cleric like. I want her to have healing magic but I just don't know where she would learn it.

She has a dark fountain in her house. I know I know very lore convenient but I can't help it. Most fics show the person discovering the fountain after they've had Tenna for a bit. But I decided to have her frequently visit the fountain and already be somewhat familiar with dark worlds. Not quite Castle town. But close enough

This takes place after chapter 3. And post cleaving. I'm gonna say it was a snow grave or dark route because Tenna isn't repaired by Susie. Mc plans to repair him herself in the morning. Because when she brings him home it's dark,late and stormy out

But she ends up stopping into the dark world for a bit maybe to tell someone something but as soon as she does. A bunch of smaller darkners rush up to her and drag her along. Saying that she has to help "him"

(Also because most darkners seem to hold lighters they care about to a royal type standard. They also call mc "their lady" this is based off the fic called "His Lady" on AO3. One of my favorite written works about Defernull tenna btw definitely give it a shot)

She's dragged along until she sees him.

This giant TV headed man. With his arms cleaved clean off. One of his antenna is damaged and dangling lose from where it had snapped. However damaged he's still quite strong it seems because he is.losing .his .mind.

It seems like he's mostly blinded right now because his screen is cracked and turned off. But that doesn't stop him from yelling and shaking off the concerned darkners that are trying to calm him. Or help him.

But she really can only focus on one thing. The static like droplets of liquid pooling at the corner of his screen. He's crying. He's just scared.

Being the empathetic person she is. She walks up to him and trys to talk to him. I imagine that she has a very soothing voice so it breaks through the panic just enough for her to get his attention.

He's a blubbering mess. He's asking for names of people she's never heard of. Asking for the family that threw him out during a rain storm. He's asking for darkners and employees he used to know. But most of all he's begging. Begging not to be killed. Begging not to be thrown away. Begging to not be abandoned.

So you talk to him. He clearly can't see but he can hear her very well. So she just talks and talks. She tells him no one's going to hurt him. That the people are only trying to fix him. She tells him her name. Asks for his. She tells him about where she works. How her day went. What she's planning on doing tomorrow. How much she likes the rain. How she likes his suit. How everything is going to be ok.

And before he knows it. His screen lights back up. His vision returns. And he sees her for the first time. And is speechless.

She however beams ,happy that he's ok. He doesn't know what to say so he barely manages to squeak out a thank you.

She smiles at him and says that she should probably go. And that the others will take care of him and that she'll see him tomorrow.

This snaps Tenna out of his daze. He panics again and clings to her begging her not to leave him.

She's a bit of a softie so she ends up staying with him until he finally exhausts himself and powers off. She still stays though and falls asleep next to him.

Anyways he gets better and develops the fattest crush ever.

I've always really liked the fandom soul ideas of having more than just 7 traits. So I've decided to give her the soul of EMPATHY I was debating between Passion and Mercy at first but after writing a bit more about the character I figured empathy made the most sense.

Here are a couple fandom soul graphs I'll link the artists at the bottom. Empathy is in-between patience and integrity on the first graph and patience and kindness on the second.

Let me know what you think! Thoughts or advice would be great!

https://www.reddit.com/r/Undertale/s/0gcP5byYfG

First picture

https://share.google/images/nKEpO0UALDEobgln7