Life In Melancholy. Happiness In The Dark

roommates.mp4

OH MY GOD

SOMEONE DID IT

OH MY GOD THE LIP SYNC IS PERFECT

LMFAO

Minding my own business, trying to get back into Yu-gi-oh when Cortana suddenly wanted to Netflix and chill.

It’s the day of the ceremony, all my limbs except my left arm are completely  useless, and my voice has yet to come back to me, but Alphys and everyone can clearly tell I’m interactive and fully functional besides these hindrances.

Mettaton pushes me in a repaired wheelchair that fell from the surface world into the front row. Everyone is dressed in black, and somber for the loss of their loved ones, but despite all of this, they come to greet me and give their thanks for saving them all. For saving what I could…

I hold Alphys’ hand as Mettaton has his extendable arm around us both as we get seated after the meet and greet. King Asgore takes the stage in a dapper outfit. Silence floods the land.

“ My people of The Underground, it has been exactly 1 year today since tragedy struck our lands of peace and tranquility. It is with a heavy heart that we all meet here today, but let us rejoice for against all odds, the causality count did not rise in that said year. Our sole savior and heroine has miraculously recovered from her battle with Chara. Undyne, we are forever in your favor, and never shall we forget the sacrifice you, The Royal Guard and all who fought against the human made in order to save our kingdom from complete annihilation. Though many were lost that fateful day, if it wasn’t for you, none of us would be here right now, and that is more than enough to be thankful for have, instead of what we have lost. “

Everyone bowed their heads in not just sorrow, but thankfulness. Despite me failing to protect their loved ones, they all still cared for me and were grateful to the point of obsessiveness

Sans stepped up to the podium, I gritted my teeth as I tried to hold back the tears for what was about to come next.

He spoke in a shaky tone, it was disturbing to see him not making puns left and right.

“ Papyrus was more than just a brother to me, he was also my best friend and my rolemodel. Though he may have been a bit overambitious at times, at least he had ambition to do anything, even if it was out of a realistic grasp. That is more than I could ever say after the passing of our father, Doctor Gaster. He was too young to remember when the doctor vanished… But… But I’m sure he would have been proud of his youngest son for how courageous and kind he was. And technically, still is. For you see, Papyrus lives on in you and me, in us all. When there’s a mountain too high to climb, Papyrus’ crackling voice shall whisper in the wind, encouraging us all to give it just one more shot. And if we fail? To calibrate the puzzle known as our will and try again when we have ourselves solved.”

Sans paused, on the verge of tears, and looked up into the black granite sky and shouted:

“ I’m done giving up you bonehead, I’m going to give it my all now, for both of us, you hear me?! “

He collapsed to his stout knees, Asgore walked up to him, giving him an embrace of comfort. Both men were crying for the loss of their loved ones as they walked behind the stage.

One after another, the families of the fallen friends got up to the podium and said their goodbyes to their loved ones. As they exited the stage, they would light a candle that corresponded to their loss, illuminating a picture of someone they will always miss.

I will miss them all.

We all will.

Hours passed and Asgore finally came back to the stage with Sans, the king towered above the regular citizen. I knew Asgore and Sans were friends, but it was curious why Sans would be on stage with him.

Asgore began to speak:

“ Ladies and gentlemen, before our announcement, it is time for one last person to take the stage.”

Asgore nod his head and Mettaton began to push me up the ramp, Alphys following behind.

We were now on the stage, Alphys nervously took the microphone.

“ E-everyone I’m glad you could come to the ceremony. I wish we could meet under better circumstances, but we’ll g-get through this…! “

Alphys was trembling in fear and stress. She tried to continue to talk, to torture herself until I could take it no longer and, albeit with great struggle, snatched the mic from her.

I held it up to my lips and with all my effort tried to speak.

“ I’m….. “

That’s all I could say, but even the mere utterance of a sound from my mouth, after a year of silence, caused Alphys to overcome her stage fright and jump for joy, and the crowd to give me a standing ovation.

They shouted every positive thing imaginable. It’s as if they knew that I was going to say sorry for failing, but in their eyes I tried my best, and though Sans’ brother and Asgore’s love may have been gone, and countless families torn apart by Chara, I managed to save many lives, including my soul mate.

Minutes passed before Mettaton took the microphone, in a desperate tone he asked:

“ Please, anyone if you have seen Nabstablook, my darling Blooky, my cousin and comfort, please let me know, I miss him oh so very much. “

The crowd remained silent, until Muffet the baker spoke.

“ He’s been hiding with me and what is left of my clan in the catacombs, he didn’t want us to tell anyone because he thought you’d be ashamed of him for…. god knows what, but he’s alive and well, I promise! “

Mettaton’s shiny metallic eyes brightened up at the thought of him being reunited with his friend.

So empowered by the thought he decided to also honor the fallen by singing a dirge..

But everything faded away as I tuned my senses to the backstage area, where Asgore and Sans began to conspire.

“ With Undyne crippled, we can’t afford another Chara to strike us, we’ll all be wiped out “ said Asgore to the stout skeleton.

“ Then we must bring the battle to them. We strike in a few months “

My heart sank. I wasn’t one to favor humans but… that thing… it wasn’t just against us, it was against everything, living OR dead, monster OR human. They didn’t understand, that was no human, that was evil itself, it was the manifestation of negativity, and if we were to carry on our hatred for humans as it is, it will….

I snapped back to a somber, yet cheering audience, Mettaton taking a bow as the monsters began to come up to the stage, one by one, to collect their memorial of their fallen ones to set off to the waters.

Though discomforting and inappropriate , I did the best I could and saluted with my left hand to the memorials as their families carried them down to the lake, a teardrop gilded my skin.

Time passed and we had arrived back at the lab. Mettaton was at Muffet’s palace in search of his ghostly cousin.

Alphys carried my frail body to the bed and tucked me underneath the covers, with all her might she filled herself with the same power that she had filled me with 1 year ago today, and kissed me.

Determination.

I was too exhausted to kiss her back, so I simply smiled and dozed off into the realm of dreams. It was the first time in a year that I had left the lab, it had felt like I had just done that heated battle all over again, though my mind was filled with anxiety over the coming storm, I was simply too drained to toss and turn all night over it, I could train myself to speak up and stop the forthcoming madness tomorrow…

It was black and cold, but I was not afraid or discomforted, A shadow shifted towards me before turning around. Only his face and hands were visible. He speaks through his hands a language I have never seen before, but I’m strangely able to understand.

“ I will prevent this, all of this, now rest, and thank you for looking after him all these years. “

The sound of thread being cut awakens me to the sight of a field of gold and warmth.

Influences include the movie The Elephant Man, the ending of Cowboy Bebop and Apple Orchard by Beach House.

After what seems to be an eternity of nothingness, my senses start to revive.

“ So, Alphys, now with the human gone my new body won’t be complete, correct? “ A flamboyant voice says in a annoyed tone.

“ M…m…mettaton not right now, okay? You know how I dread this date. “

The robot sighs and goes back to humming a familiar song.

The trembling voice draws closer, whimpering along the way. She draws closer to my ear and whispers:

“ Please come back soon… I… I miss you…” Then scampers off crying. If I had the ability to turn my head, I would look into her saddened eyes. If I had the comprehension to talk, I would say I loved her, but it seems I have lost the ability to talk. I’m fully aware of my surroundings, but my body is completely paralyzed.

There are 2 things that are keeping me from crying. The sheer physical and mental inability to cry, and the fact that she’s alive.

I had defeated the one genocider and saved the underground.

Most of it at least…

Hours into days, days into weeks, weeks into months. I stare into the white ceiling of Alphys’ lab. From how she talks, she believes I am simply but a shell of my former self. That I am just hollow in the head, that everything but my brain is functional. She is wrong, and I would do anything to prove it to her. Despite her misconception, she still has faith that I can come back, despite what King Asgore, Sans and Mettaton have said. They stop by to visit what seems to be almost daily and talk to me. Telling me stories of the past.

Asgore reminisces about how him and Toriel watched me grow from a scrawny wimp with no backbone into a brave, fearless warrior. His voice shakes in sorrow every time he mentions his lost lover.

Sans tells me stories about his brother’s eagerness to join The Royal Guard, and his thirst for knowledge on how to make Spaghetti. My heart drops every time he mentions that innocent little cinnamon roll. He tries to laugh it off but deep down, I know he’s dead inside. First his father many years ago and now his brother…

Mettaton just talks to me about his day and his how he’s angry at me for finishing off the evil one, for he really wanted to try out the new body Alphys was working on for him. He sings the same song he hums all the time while telling me this, as if he’s in an opera. He sounds so arrogant but really, he just wish that it could have been him in my place, he dreads seeing the professor like this, day after day. Not to mention the slaughter of everyone scared his brother into hiding who knows where.

I had failed them all. Despite trying my best, my best was not enough and hundreds of our people were annihilated in the massacre that took place from what seems to be yesterday.

But in reality, has been almost a year ago.

My comatose state had lasted 6 months according to Alphys, and I’ve been in this aware yet helpless, almost vegetative position for 5, and every single waking moment I’ve been conscious I have been trying my absolute hardest to just show her 1 sign of life, any sign of hope.

Any sign to change her mind about giving up on my recovery and letting me join our fallen friends in the afterlife, and as Asgore puts it, letting me have The True Heroine’s Ending he thinks I’ve  earned.

How can he call me a Heroine when I allowed so many of our brothers and sisters fall?

I listen to Mettaton’s radio show nightly, it’s mostly just him singing about his legs or something, but sometimes he cries out for Nabstablook to return. But today he has a special announcement to share. It’s about the upcoming mass funeral to honor the monsters who were lost in the attack. It is to be held on the 1 year anniversary of the defeat of the one everyone dubs as Chara.

That’s my goal, to attend the ceremony and apologize to all the families for my failure.

Days pass and it seems like my time is running out, Mettaton and Alphys dance together to Mettaton’s favorite song, the one he hums all the time. Mettaton sounds to be having a blast, but Alphys, as usual, does not seem to be enjoying this at all. She doesn’t seem to be enjoying life at all for that matter, in fact, if she does cut the cord on me, she said she’s going to go on a date with me soon after…

It’s driving me insane, just like the Chara attack, I’m helpless yet again to save those who are important to me. I just… I…

In my soul I close my eyes and let go of everything, I feel like I gave up, but I knew I hadn’t. I have felt this feeling before… After almost half a year of consciousness, staring blankly into the ceiling day in and day out, through sunshine and moonlight, everything goes black again. All I can sense is the song Mettaton and Alphys are dancing too. Now that I listen to it, it doesn’t sound too bad. To think after listening to it for almost a year everyday in some shape or form, I grew to like it.

A tapping begins to join into the song, I never heard this part before. It goes sloppily to the beat and kinda hinders the song’s quality, but something about it is comforting.

The music stops, but the tapping still continues. Footsteps enter the fray, rushing towards my numb body, my comatose, vegetative shell. I hear the collapsing of a body to their knees and the gasp of 6 words in the happiest shriek to ever grace my ears.

“ Oh My God.. YOU ARE OKAY!”

A heavy body lands on top of mine and begins to sulk, tears cascade through my bandages, the tapping stops and she begins to cry even louder.

The darkness fades, slowly but surely, as my vision begins to recover. But instead of the bland ceiling I have gazed upon for seemingly eons, it is my soul mate, with my hand stroking her spikes tenderly. I try to move my other limbs, but it seems as if only my left arm of my 4 limbs is functional.

I blink away the thought of tears and try to comfort Alphys with words, but it seems my voice has not come back yet as well, I tap her head and pucker up my lips, she lifts her stout head out from my chest and glances at me before hiding her head again, face red as Papyrus’ pasta sauce.

Papyrus…

I cry silently, I never do this in front of anyone, I’m always the badass who is tough as nails, always giving noogies and calling people punks. But honestly, deep inside I’m just like any other living thing. Fragile, frail, scared of death.

I smile from ear to ear, my sharp teeth trying their hardest to distract her from my weakness. Mettaton is also emotional, he dances and twirls in a dance of delight and grace, singing the same song as always, but with a twist.

“If ever forever through black and the nether

Shall we perish in the light of the moon’s glow

I want you to know this my darling little Alphys

That Undyne put on one hell of a show”

He tries to cheer me up with his theatrics, and manages to make me smile, but I still hurt over everyone who was lost due to my inability to protect them.

If only there was a way to save them all…

A fade back into sleep, resting for the ceremony soon, my first time outside the lab in a year.

The words “ There is a way, and I will find it. “ are said, but not spoken.

As if propelled by wings of valor, I fly out of the water and land upon the blood and dust tainted ground. I somehow knew where the genocider was, without questioning the logic behind this new found sense I dash towards their next destination. Alphys’ home.

Hotland.

In a matter of moments, thanks to my new found speed, I am there. The sights of my fallen friends upset me, and the sheer heat of the atmosphere makes this a race against time, but this does not discourage me, no, this motivates me to take care of this as soon as possible. I must return this gift of power and love to her. The good times we shared shall not end, not now, not ever.

I see the lab in sight, but almost most importantly, I see 2 of my royal guardsmen battling against the fiend. Sweat laces my forehead as I continue to dash, but even the speed of light could not save those 2. Without even a moment’s hesitation, they both are struck down with the force of hatred incarnate. They hold each other as they fade away.

This will not be our fate, Alphys.

I lunge at them with my spear, they block with their knife and turn around, giggling as if they almost expected me to come back. I breathe heavy as the surroundings start to take their toll on me. They know this as well as they dash towards Alphys’ lab. They can tell the one I care for the most is in the titanium coated walls, probably shaking uncontrollably underneath the bathroom sink… I will save her.

Backflipping in front of them I perform a crescent sweep at their heels, they jump then cut into my arm with their weapon. I gasp out in pain, but this is not the end, for I miraculously start to regenerate and in a matter of seconds it’s as if nothing even happened.  We are both astonished at this, my face the polar opposite of their horrified shock.  

I raise my free hand and conjure up an ethereal sphere and chunk it at the evil one as they are caught off guard, they deflect it with their knife, but not before it grazing their arm, tearing a part of their sweater and causing a wound. Black miasma flows from the gash, just as I expected this thing was no human, but a manifestation of all the negativity in the world.

Though I did not fancy humans, this thing would destroy all of them as well, if they haven’t already. Not only did the fate of all monsters rely on myself, but the fate of every living thing which calls this planet home.

I keep up my pursuit, my skin beginning to dry and crackle at each move, I did not have much time left. They were quick, but not quick enough, for throughout my onslaught of jabs I had manage to caress their flesh several times, a cloud of concentrated nihilism began to form over their head.

It shifted into the form of a head and screamed, catching me off guard if only for a second, but even that was enough time for my opponent to strike, it struck both of my legs, penetrating through the armor and bone to destroy my kneecaps. I collapse, but force myself up with my spear as a crutch, my regeneration powers were starting to slow down, as my desire for a wet and cool environment began to overwhelm me.

Regardless, I reform and continue to fight, the cloud of miasma laughing at the over eager thought of my defeat.

I swing my spear like a sword at their head in a vertical manner, they use their weapon as a means to block. I press down harder and harder into the knife, sparks flying from the friction of our 2 weapons clashing. I then use the knife as a mean of leveraging myself, as I jump upwards, spear still in hand clashing with the knife. I am now directly above the fiend, almost balancing myself with the spear as it pushes downward, the knife being forcefully edged closer and closer to their face. I then drop down behind them and form another energy spear in my free hand while I descend.

They are finished now with no means of escape.

I land upon the ground and begin to throw the ethereal spear, winding my arm back, letting them choose their fate, rather it be death by impalement or being split in two by my physical weapon.

Just as I’m about to launch the fate sealing blow, I cough up blood. and lose my advantage entirely. The realm of hotland is not one where I thrive in at all, the warm of love and compassion in my body is being replaced by the heat of stress and suffering, my arm and legs give out, it seems the wounds upon my body were only temporarily safeguarded. I use my last remaining good limb to punch the ground as I start to gasp for air. My body is so dry and worn.

Is this the end?

The fiend gathers its composure and starts to walk slowly towards me, knife in hand, gritting their teeth.

I start to hyperventilate as my senses grow numb, my vision begins to get blurry and a sharp ringing pierces my eardrums. I fade in and out of consciousness until it all goes black…..

“ Undyne! Stay Determined! “

I snap back to reality, they loom over me laughing maliciously.

I glance hindered towards that familiar voice to see a yellow blob wobbling towards me, the fiend also realizes this and starts to make a dash to end her life.

Everything goes numb and I close my eyes, it feels as if I am back in the peaceful place in which I heard those same words that she spoke, to fill me with this incredible, now faded power.

I feel as if I am formless, as if I am dead. But never have I felt so alive. I muster up every last single bit of life force that I have left into my hand and scream at the top of my dried up lungs, almost disintegrating my vocal chords. I chunk everything I have left in me blindly, my senses slightly coming back to me before I completely black out.

The last thing I hear before comatose is an unidentifiable scream.

I remember the first time I met Alphys. She was such a wreck, even more than myself. food stained hands, dirty labcoat, everything one could ask for if they wanted to be the scum of the earth. There was just something about her, however, that made me want to get to know her. It wasn’t her liking for the things she calls Anime or her scientific knowledge, no not at all.

It was her passion to keep going, despite feeling like worthless scum.

Though her smile was always backed by a gallon of inner tears, she tried her damn hardest to not ruin the mood between her and her company. No matter how much of a klutz she was, she tried her best to help those in need with her incredible, yet self hated genius.

She didn’t want to be the royal scientist, she wanted no responsibilities at all. All she wanted to do was waste her life for she felt like she was nothing.

In her own words she was a baka, for despite how much she hated herself, she was loved by everyone who ever crossed her path.

Especially me.

One time, she invited me over to watch an anime called “ White Reflection “ which was about a war between 2 human countries. But instead of using guns and swords, they used these human like giant robots called Mannequins. Inside the Mannequins the humans could control them like they could control their own bodies, but at a cost. Whatever damage their Mannequin took, they would also feel on their bodies. Rather or not this was how human history really was, it was amazing and I glad I came over, considering how I beforehand thought anime was for children.

But in the end, it taught me a life lesson in which I used up until this very day.

The humans didn’t put their lives on the line just so they could pilot cool giant robots or blow stuff up, no, not at all. The humans were terrified to go into this war, but they did so regardless. It’s because they loved the country they were protecting, both sides did.

It taught me that you do crazy things for what you love, rather it be a country, an object or another living thing. In my case it was the latter. For after being taught this lesson, I decided to take up the position as leader of the Royal Guard. Not only for Alphys, but for all the monsters in the Underground.

I start to feel my body slip away into dust, my consciousness begins to white out. If I had the energy, I would pat myself on the back for using my last few moments of life to recall the good in my life, not the failure which fate has bestowed upon me today. The failure to protect my country, my friends, my love….

I try to smile and banish the negativity from my fading mind, but instead, tears fall from my eye, merging into the water around me. The illuminance from waterfall gets dimmer as I sink lower into the depths…. Blood, dust and tears murk the waters around me….

“Papyrus…

Sans…

Asgore…

A…Alphys

I tried my best you punks, if any of you are still alive, avenge me”

I whisper into the cold darkness which caresses what is left of my form. I close my eye and await the trumpets of the afterlife to greet me, to reunite me with my loved ones…..

The freezing touch of death is dispelled, I am now greeted in the warmth of compassion and kindness. My body is so at ease, I dare not open my eyes, for the light of this sanctuary feels so serene, so clerical. My worries, my fears, my anxiety, all washed away by this welcoming light.

Children laughing, birds singing, flowers blooming, I am in tune with it all.

I am at peace more so than I have ever been before. This must be the true heroines ending the fables Asgore mentioned long ago. They said that after meeting a warrior’s death, one would awaken in a field of golden flowers, reunited by their loved ones and surrounded by euphoric bliss for all eternity.

Footsteps come towards me, as if they are wobbling through the field. I try to glance over to see what is happening, but my eye refuses to open. They take their hand and stroke my hair, it comforts me. They then begin to hum a song, this soothes my soul.

This goes on for what seems like forever, I never wanted it to stop, but it did.

They then kneel down towards me and whisper into my ear.

It’s a voice I know. A voice I’ve heard so many times before.

A voice I love whispers gently as possible 2 words before everything becomes clear.

2 simple words that inspire me more than I have ever been before….

It’s abysmally dark and nightmarishly cold around me, yet I am warmed by these words.

I open my eye to notice that I am far beneath the surface of Waterfall, but I am still here, I am still alive somehow. My body has changed drastically, not into chunks and pieces, but into something I’ve never witnessed before. Words cannot begin to explain what I am now.

My heart is pumping at an adrenaline filling pace, yet my mind is at ease and full of hope and love.

I glance up at the surface and begin to swim at breakneck pace towards the dim light above.

Those 2 words…. She did this to me, and I will make sure to come back to her alive to repay her.

For a true heroines ending.

I will Stay Determined!

Peaceful was the atmosphere in this day in which everything changed. Children playing, water cascading, tranquility abound from the depths below to the granite ceiling above.

I, a hot headed mistress of battle, sharpened my spear as per usual in my daily routines.

Cold was the steel which my scaly flesh grasped, soon to be warm in the blood of carnage.

Little did I know at the time that this life force, which shall gild my once thought to be only friend, would be cold as the waters in which I would call my final resting place.

With the only comfort being the memories I had of her… my soul mate in white.

Patiently, albeit slightly annoyed, I awaited my cheery pupil’s arrival for another lesson in food-craft. 5 eerily quiet minutes passed by the designated time which he should have arrived, if not for the horror which slowly creeped up toward him and his brother. I picked up my phone and texted my darling, informing her that I was seemingly free and all hers for the day.

I held the phone in my grasp as I awaited her usual 5 second reply.

But it never came.

My mind started to run, full of anxiety and tension. I looked towards my golden case which enshrined my platinum armor, I knew things were taking a turn for the worst. But looking back on it, they weren’t taking a turn,  they were diving nose end into a furnace of despair and misanthropy. I donned my suit and texted my sweetheart 3 words before heading off into the land where earth’s tears cascade and chrysanthemums bloom; Waterfall.

Alphys… if you were still alive when I sent my feelings to you, I hope it made you smile as much as I am now.

As the fading light shimmers upon my body, torn asunder.

I walked towards the cause of the screaming, the monsters of this city ran past me as I trudged through the crowds of the tormented. Mothers, fathers, children, pets, none were safe from this invader from the outside. Members of the community from not only Waterfall but also Hotland and Snowdin rushed past me for safety. The shopkeepers, the librarians, the Temsmen, Snowdrake and Woshura alike, nothing was willing to face this evil anymore.

Not even me now that I think about it… For once in my life I was scared, not for myself but for those who I deeply cared about. What would they think if I, the hero they all cheered for and believed in, failed in her duty to protect her kind against the human menace?

No… that was no human which slayed me, it was evil incarnate. Death itself.

The green and yellow death.

Piles of dust were starting to litter the way, nearly dead citizens crawling on their lasts breath, I knew I was getting close to the cataclysm. Thoughts raced through my head with each step that I walked. Despite being a strong, fearsome leader of the royal guard, I still had feelings. Just as leader of Asgore’s elite, I had to stay strong through all forms of fear and intimidation. Regardless of knowing this, the wasteland of death around me made my stomach queasy and my razor sharp teeth grind.

But the tears did not fall until the earth’s was all around me. Until I knew that this was truly the end of my journey.

Shame that my last few moments on this plane of existence will be showing weakness.

There I saw it, the most horrific site I had ever seen with my eye. The armless child, who looked up to me like a mentor, friend, and role model, cornered by the “ human “ Their knife drew closer to the child’s throat. They could have ended the poor armless one’s life at any moment, but the terrified look in his face sated the malefic one’s thirst of sadism Their lust for despair. They began to laugh uncontrollably, eyes red with hatred, venom running from the mouth, head tilted to frighten the young monster to the point of comatose. Pushing them closer and closer to the endless pool of water below; to either meet their end by loss of blood or breath.

The vile one then raised it’s knife now that it’s hunger had been cured. It’s hunger for fear.

I knew what had to be done… Without second thought I lunged towards the child, pushing them out of the way, in return being impaled through the heart.

I shouted for the little one to flee as fast as he can and forget about me, for with 1 devastatingly powerful blow, my time was coming to a close.

I gasped for air as I began to cough up blood, the “ human “ begins to kick me, closer and closer to the watery abyss below. I smile faintly as it seems the armless child has escaped.

I glanced at the abomination and snarled before I finally took the plunge, they laughed in victory as I fell to the depths, becoming one with the waters which all things come from…

                               -                                       -

I began to reminisce of the past and what the future could have been as I awaited my time to be up.

An animated and improved version of the 15 minute comic.