#predatorshift

Gaster paused for a full minute, unsure this was the truth. His eyes fixated on the rubble, ready for it to move at a moment’s notice and for the fight to continue. He couldn’t believe that his plan had fully come to fruition and that Sans was truly dead. Even despite the fact Gaster watched Sans’s soul shatter. It was still a strange thing to process. It was only with the questioning of another monster that he snapped back to reality. One of the surviving monsters approached and asked cautiously, “Is… is it over?” Gaster sharply turned towards the monster when he heard them speak. The monster flinched slightly. Gaster sighed and relaxed upon the sight of the monster. He spoke calmly, “Yes… I believe it is finally over.” The monster sighed in relief. A confident smile dawned on their face. They turned and called out, “Hey! The fighting’s over! You all can relax now!” Frisk instinctively covered where their ears would be. Gaster quickly put the arms down to not draw attention. The monsters of New Home began to file in around the debris slowly. Some appeared to be injured from being hit by some debris. Others merely tread nervously, with occasional glances to the top of the buildings around them. One of the monsters in the crowd perked up at the sight of Gaster and Frisk’s form, “You’re Dr. Gaster, right? What happened? That almost looked like King Sans…” Gaster nodded, “It was.”

The crowd murmured. The cat monster that Gaster had saved earlier stepped forward. Their ears flat against their head in sadness and their tail limp. They spoke, “I… I had heard rumors about a serial monster eater, but… to think it was King Sans...” Gaster began to project his voice to include the increasing crowd of monsters, “I am afraid it is true. King Sans had lost his way. He had been eating his subjects for a long time. I was unable to stop him until now; thanks to the power of the human souls I have been collecting overtime for the barrier.” The crowd hushed and gasped. Most of them waited in anticipation for Gaste to announce the barrier was shattered. Someone from the crowd spoke up, “Do you have seven souls? Do you have enough to break the barrier!?” Gaster replied simply, “Yes.” Relief and awe spread throughout the crowd. Some began to cry tears of joy. Gaster continued with conviction, “It may take some time, but I can assure you, the barrier shall be broken today!”

A cheer erupted from the crowd. Gaster waited until the cheers settled before he continued, “I ask you all; gather your loved ones and wait for me at the entrance to the castle. I also ask you all to consider or stand up as a new leader for monsterkind. With the death of our king and our beloved Prince Papyrus dead, we will need a new leader.” The crowd bloomed with questions. “Prince Papyrus is dead?” “I thought he was just missing.” “Well, he’s been missing for decades, so he’s gotta be dead!” “Who could possibly lead all of monsterkind?” A voice rang from the crowd in a shout, “I say Dr. Gaster should lead us!” Gaster gave a dumbfounded and surprised expression. He tensed up as Frisk began to stifle a laugh in their shared mind. Gaster sputtered slightly and tried to speak, “Well… I don- I can’t just- I’m not qualified to rule-“ A monster interrupted him, “Don’t give us that crap! You’ve been working your tail off to help while most of us hid in New Home and survived with our sanity thanks to the substitute you created! If anyone’s helped monsterkind in here, it’s you!” The crowd murmured in agreement with that monster’s statement. Gaster stood there in awe. Another wave of disbelief ran over him. The world around him slowed as he tried to process the reality and gravity of the situation. Frisk felt his doubt and spoke, ‘Hey... they trust you. I mean... they’ve trusted you before. How is this any different?’ Gaster focused onto the shared mind, once more a conversation passed by within the span of a second. He spoke curtly, ‘It is vastly different to be a king. My job was to help find solutions; a king’s is to rule and apply those solutions. They would look to me for everything.’ Frisk turned their attention to Gaster’s memories. The screens helped them find memories they needed. They spoke, ‘But you’ve done everything for a while now. You made the substitute so they could survive. You brought justice to those you couldn’t save. You found the solution to their problems.’ ‘Only one kind of problem. A king must find solutions to all kinds of problems, not just wellness. I cannot possibly do that alone.’ Frisk questioned, “Who said you had to do it alone? You have all of them, right?’

Gaster’s eyes widened in realization before his expression fell to a thoughtful smile, ‘I... suppose I had been so focused on doing things myself that... I had forgotten. Perhaps you are right.’ Gaster focused on the crowd once again. He saw all their eyes look to him. He stood tall. He shouted in confidence to address the crowd, “If that is the decision monsterkind has made, then I cannot– no! I will not refuse!” The crowd cheered. Gaster continued to project his voice for all to hear, “As your new king I give my first order! Gather your loved ones and be ready at the entrance to the castle! I will lead the way from there once the barrier is broken!” The crowd began to disperse in a hurry. Murmurs increased about the crowd as they all began to call to their loved ones and delegate to find the rest. Some gave a nod to Gaster and blurted out a quick, “Yes, King Gaster!” before they ran off. Gaster stood there with a smile on his skull, still in disbelief, “King Gaster, huh?...”

Frisk hesitated to speak to him within their mind, ‘Are you… going to be okay?’ Gaster closed his eyes and focused on the conversation, ‘To be honest, I am not entirely sure. I will have to lead my people–and lead them into wartime as well.’ Frisk’s tone dejected, ‘Right…’ Gaster sighed, their tone lightened, ‘At least... now I know I am no longer alone in my efforts. And we still have a barrier to break.’ Frisk gave their affirmation, ‘Right!’ Without another word, Gaster teleported back to the lab. He used the disembodied hands to collect and hold the remaining souls. He then teleported into a room he didn’t think he would ever feel safe teleporting into ever again. The throne room.

The flooring in the throne room was the same as the Last Corridor; the golden tiles stretched throughout the room and met with the plain, stone walls. There were a couple windows that showed New Home, though not as extravagant as the ones in the Last Corridor. At each end of the room was a large entryway. One, in the back of the room, appeared to be simply carved, while the one in the front of the room was much more rectangular and ornate. A single throne stood in the center of the room, old and dusty. In the seat sat an equally dusty and rusting crown. The gems lost their luster, and some had gone missing. The crown appeared bent and broken in some spots. Under the throne was a set of pauldrons in an equal condition to the throne and crown. In a corner of the room sat another chair, but this one had been covered with a white sheet. A crown also sat in this chair, but it was much less ornate than the first. Yet, it was in a much better condition. It shined, as though it had been polished frequently. It also had all its gems.

Gaster focused on the crown in the corner of the room. He used his two free disembodied hands to gently grasp the crown and hold it in front of him. Gaster’s expression softened, “This was… Papyrus’s crown… I… I cannot believe it still looks like this.” Frisk spoke in a small confusion, ‘I guess… Sans took care of it?’ Gaster put the crown back on the seat with nothing but a sigh. He stepped into the carved entryway and continued down a carved pathway. A white light shone at the end of the tunnel, one that seemed to fade in and out. Three figures stood nearby the light, ones familiar to Gaster and Frisk.

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Chara, Asriel, and Asgore noticed Gaster’s arrival. He appeared alone, but he was accompanied by three glowing lights around him. Asgore was the first to speak, “Everything is… done then?” Gaster nodded, “It is.” Asriel noticed Gaster’s double-voice, “Whoa! You sound kind of cool!” Frisk turned toward Asriel. Their eyes widened at the sight of the blood. They gasped before they spoke in near-horror, “Asriel… what happened to you?!” Chara narrowed their eyes at Gaster and stayed close to Asriel. They immediately became defensive. They questioned curtly, “Why would you care?” Frisk floated one of the eyes closer to Asriel and Chara. Chara immediately grasped their knife and unsheathed it. They instinctually tried to gather their magic, but still found they had none. The hands stopped short of Chara and Gaster’s body spoke, “No, no! It’s me, Frisk! We both have control over his body. But, seriously, why is Asriel covered in blood?!” Asriel slinked behind Chara. He hesitated to answer, “I… I don’t want to talk about it…”

Chara snickered at Gaster as they stowed their knife once more, “You could not win over a child?” Gaster walked past and approached the barrier, “And here I thought I was going to give you a chance to survive. But, you seem to desire death instead.” Chara glared at Gaster. Their right hand immediately went to their sheath once more. They spoke in a low, threatening tone, “What are you saying?” Gaster admitted calmly, “Frisk wanted you to live.” The disembodied hands immediately turned back to Gaster. Frisk blurted out immediately after in embarrassment, “Hey!” Chara raised a brow, but they did not relax their stance, “Even after I chased you to your death? Why?” Frisk sputtered for a moment before they gave a resigned sigh. The two free hands focused once more toward Chara and Asriel. Frisk spoke, “Chara… you’re mean… and scary and… you mean a lot to Asriel…” Chara smirked as they finally relaxed, “You want to spare me because of Rei?” Frisk continued, “I… I saw how you two were back at your house and while you were separated. I… I may not know what happened down here… but I think I know that you two need each other. Not just because you like being with each other, but to survive.” Asriel raised a brow, “Chara… needs me to survive?” Frisk spoke nervously, “I think… you’re the only reason Chara’s survived so long, Asriel.”

Chara’s eyes widened for a second before they narrowed their eyes at the disembodied hands, “You are more intelligent than you let on, mirror. Well done.” Asriel looked over at Chara curiously, “What do you mean?” Chara blushed lightly and looked nervous, “Well… Rei…” Chara sighed and crossed their arms, “I cannot believe I am about to say this…” They spoke bluntly, still with a blush across their face, “If... I didn’t come back home to you… or Mother… or Father… I probably would have gone insane– more insane in my attempts to survive here.” Chara hugged themselves. Sorrow bled into Chara’s tone as their voice softened, “I… probably would be dead…”

Chara glared at the disembodied hands, “You continue to back me into corners. But this is the last, I assume.” Gaster regained vocal control, “Indeed it is.” The disembodied hands looked towards Gaster once more. Chara’s arms relaxed as raised a brow at Gaster, “You two need to signal when you switch or find a second mouth.” Gaster retorted curtly, “We do not have time for this incessant conversation! I have a barrier to shatter and all of monsterkind is waiting at the castle for their new king to signal their release!” Asgore blinked and stepped just past Asriel and Chara, “Did you say… new king?” Gaster sighed before he affirmed, “The people of New Home declared me monsterkind’s new king.” Asgore frowned, “If… I may be honest with you, sir… I do not think you can handle such pressure alone.” Gaster turned towards Asgore, “No. I cannot, but... I have thought it over... and I have the help of the people, in the end.” Asgore approached Gaster, “Well, I mean… I was going to suggest something else.” Gaster silently raised a ‘brow’ before Asgore continued, “I have thought about what I said and concerning these new developments… I believe I was wrong to quit as your assistant. I apologize for my actions. But, for now, it sounds as though you could use someone to help at the very least delegate some things. You may have all of monsterkind to aid you, but it would help to have someone beside you.” Gaster replied bluntly, “You do realize you are asking to assist me in leading a kingdom and a war.” Asgore nodded, “I know my dear Toriel would have been more appropriate in both regards, but… yes. I am.” Gaster silently mulled over the offer for a moment before he responded, “Very well. But know this will be difficult, even with the two of us.” Asgore nodded, “Of course, sir. But, it is as you said; we will have all of monsterkind to aid us.”

Gaster turned his attention to Chara and Asriel, “And with that out of the way, the last issue is you two.” The disembodied hands turned back to Asriel and Chara. Frisk chimed in, “Is no one going to tell me why Asriel is covered in blood?!” Chara noticed the hands turn and raised a brow, “I’m going to assume that was my mirror tal-“ Asriel cried out in panic, “I ate your body!” Frisk couldn’t even respond before Asriel continued at a break-neck pace, “I didn’t want to, but I just did, I was so hungry and I couldn’t stop myself!” A few tears leaked out as Asriel slowed his words, “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” Frisk was quiet. They gave a horrified expression for a few seconds. It deflated to sympathy as Asriel sobbed. Chara quickly hugged Asriel and patted his back. They gave quiet assurances to Asriel. The disembodied hands looked downwards. Frisk curled in slightly and spoke quietly, “I… I don’t know how I feel about that… but… maybe it’s better you ate it instead of… well... Sans. I’m sorry I asked…” Asriel sniffled, “It’s okay. You... probably deserved to know...”

With Asriel calmed, Chara turned towards Frisk and Gaster, “To answer your concern, Gaster, I assumed our protection was over. The deal has been satisfied to some extent.” Gaster stood the body tall as he spoke, “While it is true we now owe nothing to each other, I am compelled annoyingly by Frisk’s part of the soul to be generous. I cannot take you back to the lab. I realize thanks to Frisk’s perspective on the situation that you would be trapped there for an unknown amount of time while I tend to my new duties and all of monsterkind files out of Mount Ebbot.” Chara crossed their arms and replied calmly, “What do you suggest, then?” Gaster smirked, “Ironically, your mirror’s plan. You run. I can hold off monsterkind for a short amount time. Perhaps only an hour at most, but I doubt that calculation more and more.” Chara nodded, “That should be enough time to leave the city at the base of the mountain and the surrounding area.” Asgore sighed, “I will find a way to contact you two once things have calmed down slightly. I am sorry I will not be able to come with you.” Asriel and Chara gave Asgore a hug. Asgore kneeled down and reciprocated the hug. Chara let go and spoke, “I still have my phone, you could use that.” Asgore stood and smiled, “What a wonderful idea!”

Gaster cleared his throat, “If we are finished, then-“ The disembodied hands sharply turned towards Gaster. Frisk blurted out, “W-wait!” Gaster growled in annoyance. He glared at the disembodied hands. He stressed his irritation in his voice, “What. Now?” Frisk frowned and spoke in a chastised tone, “I just wanted to say goodbye to everyone… we don’t really know what’s gonna happen with my soul, after all…” Gaster grumbled, “Make it quick,” Frisk nodded. The disembodied hands turned towards Chara, Asriel, and Asgore. Frisk spoke with a small sadness, “Even though we haven’t known each other long… I… I just want to say goodbye and good luck.” The hands turned to Asriel, “Take care of Chara, okay?” Asriel gave a wide smile and a thumbs-up, “You got it!” Chara frowned and replied dryly, “That is my job, not the other way around.” The disembodied hands turned towards Chara, “Well… you may be powerful… but you’re still only human. So… be careful anyway?” Chara smirked, “Once I actually rest, my magic will return. I will not lose.” Frisk gave a slightly nervous laugh at Chara’s comment. The disembodied hands looked to Asriel subtly. Asriel gave a small giggle, which prompted a slight glare from Chara. Quickly after, the hands turned towards Asgore, “And…” Frisk motioned towards themselves and Gaster, “Make sure he doesn’t put everything on himself. But, I think you know how he is.” Gaster let out a subtle growl. Asgore smiled, “No matter happens to your soul, Frisk, I hope you end up safe.” Frisk nodded slightly. The hands returned to the form’s side. Frisk turned the body towards the barrier, “Okay… I’m done.” Gaster grumbled, ‘You are quite the human, aren’t you?’ Frisk chuckled lightly in response.

Frisk and Gaster began to focus. Their eyes locked onto the barrier. Gaster brought the remaining souls to his chest and began to absorb them. As the souls were absorbed, Chara, Asriel, and Asgore felt the magic radiate off of Frisk and Gaster’s form. More disembodied hands appeared, which made seven in total. They floated above and around Gaster and Frisk’s form in an arch. The holes in the hands turned into the shape of the sleeping souls. The form did not change otherwise, as the magic began to focus around the form, rather than inside of it. Their eyes began to glow. Soon an aura of magic began to glow around their body as well. The aura seemed to flow into the holes of the hands and focus. All at once, magic burst forth in beams from the seven hands. They focused onto one point of the barrier. Only after a moment did cracks start to form through the mist-like white wall. Asgore gasped and quickly brought Asriel and Chara into a protective hug. More and more cracks formed until finally, with a loud crash, the barrier shattered as though it were fragile glass. The mist-like white faded and darkness nearly coated the tunnel. A soft light poured from beyond the barrier, much more white than yellow. Gaster and Frisk fell to their knees. The disembodied hands crumbled to dust as energy slowly, visibly, left Gaster’s form. Their body began to shrink and revert to its original form. Frisk spoke in a weary tone in the shared mind, ‘I feel… tired… is… this…’ Their voice faded from Gaster’s mind along with the last trickles of energy that were not his. Gaster’s form returned to normal, aside from a few noticeable tears in his coat. His mind was silent. No words from Frisk, even his own thoughts were still. He was his own being again.

Asgore loosened Asriel and Chara from his hug. He stood and ran over to Gaster in a near panic, “Sir, are you alright?” Gaster groaned and held his skull for a moment, “Just… tired. I need a minute to gather myself again.” Asriel and Chara approached. Asriel frowned, “Frisk is… gone… aren’t they?” Gaster lowered his arms and turned his head towards Asriel, “Yes. They are gone.” Asriel looked down with a deep frown. Chara patted his shoulder lightly, “And we need to leave. Now.” Asgore nodded, “I wish you two luck.” Chara began to lightly drag Asriel by the hand towards the white light. Asriel protested at first but accepted after a moment. Asriel looked back and gave a slightly sorrowful, “Bye dad…”

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Chara quickened their pace, their only focus on the light ahead. They let go of Asriel’s hand. They saw he easily kept up with them. They smiled; his meal had already begun to help him. Soon, the tunnel broke to reveal the source of the light: the full moon on a cloudless and starry night. Asriel stared in awe at the starry night over the treetops. His mouth hung open slightly. Chara smiled, they instinctually grasped their necklace, “I fulfilled my promise to you at long last. Those are the real stars.” A few tears streamed from Asriel’s eyes. He spoke in awe, “They’re… more beautiful than all the sparkling rocks in Waterfall put together…” Chara took Asriel’s hand once more, “I wish we could look at them all night, but we must hurry.” Asriel’s expression dropped. They gave a disappointed, “Oh... Okay…”

Chara led Asriel down the mountain at a quick pace. The two jumped over logs and rocks and found animal-tread paths to follow down. The found their way down with little trouble. At the base of the mountain, the two came across a two-lane road just at the edge of the forest. Chara pointed to the right, “We must follow the road this way. If you hear something approach, say something.” The two began to walk along the road. Asriel raised a brow and questioned, “What am I suppose to hear?” Chara mused for a second before they answered, “Something... mechanical.”

Chara stopped walking. Asriel stopped and turned his head slightly, “What’s wrong?” Chara answered in a serious tone, “Give me your sweater for a little while.” Asriel reeled in disgust, “But- But my sweater’s covered in blood!” Chara slowly took off their coat, “Rei, please trust me. This will help us.” Asriel whined slightly, “Okay… I trust you…” Asriel turned and took off his sweater, this locket was slightly rustled, but not removed. Asriel turned back and gave Chara his sweater. Chara exchanged it with their jacket, “Here, you can wear this for now.” Asriel whined, “But that has dust on-“

Asriel gasped and perked up, “I- I think I hear that mechanical thing!” Chara’s eyes widened and they gasped. They had little time to prepare, but they thanked their quick fortune. Chara quickly put Asriel’s sweater on as they questioned, “Which direction is it coming from?” Asriel looked both ways for a few moments as Chara adjusted the sweater. Asriel pointed to the way they came from, “That way!” Chara smirked, “Okay. Hide in the bushes and wait for me to call, you, understand?” Asriel hesitated, confused, “What are you going to do?” Chara walked into the road and began to lie down, “I am getting us transportation. Now, please Rei, hide.” Asriel finally hid in the forest brush. Chara laid in the middle of the road for a few seconds before they began to hear the same noise as Asriel. They knew it very well: a car. The sound of the car grew louder and louder over the course of a minute until Chara heard a large screech sound as the tires of the car came to a complete stop. They felt the heat of the car on their back and heard the engine next to their ear. They smirked, unbeknownst to the car’s driver and Asriel. Their plan worked so far.

The driver’s side door flew open and a man called to Chara, “Oh my god! Kid, are you okay!” The man rushed to Chara’s side and they began to take in Chara’s form, “Shit, you’re bleeding!” They knelt down close and reached for Chara, “I gotta get-“ Chara swiftly grabbed their knife and put it to the man’s neck. The man gasped but did not move other than a slight shake of fear. Chara slowly stood, all the while they kept the blade at the man’s neck. They shot a cruel glare and spoke in a menacing tone to the man, “Move, and you die.” The man began to beg, “Please! Take my money- Take my whole wallet-” Chara smirked down at the man, “I am taking your car. Follow us and I will find you and kill you.” The man whimpered, “O-okay… I won’t, I promise!”

Chara smirked impishly. They did not take their eyes of the man as they called out, “Get in, Rei!” Asriel jumped out from the bushes and spoke in worry, “Chara, what did you do to him?” Chara moved to respond, but the man saw Asriel and screamed, “A MONSTER!?”

Despite the fear of Chara’s blade, the man immediately got up and ran. He ran down the road he was already headed had Chara not stopped his car. He screamed bloody murder all the while. Chara blinked at the man’s actions, “I should have just put you on the side of the road…” Chara sheathed their blade. They looked at the still running car, “At least we still have the car. Quickly, inside!”

Asriel quickly went to the passenger side door and sat in the passenger seat. Meanwhile, Chara sat in the driver’s seat. They looked down between Asriel and themselves and gave a relieved sigh, “Thank goodness; it’s not stick.” Asriel raised a brow at Chara’s words. All he saw was a device that appeared to be a lever in a rut. Asriel spoke in a confused tone, “Isn’t that.... a lever?” Chara blinked as they closed the door. They snickered at Asriel’s joke, “Good one.” Their face turned serious, “You see that black thing? Pull it over your chest and put the metal part in the red clasp on the other side of your seat.” Chara pointed to the seat belt buckle. Asriel nodded and complied with some struggle. Chara put their seat belt on with ease. Chara put the car into drive and floored the gas pedal, which they could thankfully just reach. The car skirted for a second before it zoomed off in the direction of the man. The car quickly flew past the man and away from the forest that surrounded Mount Ebbot.

Asriel took off Chara’s coat. He struggled to get it out of the seat belt for a moment, but he eventually got it untangled. He held it towards Chara, “Here.” Chara did not look at Asriel, “Toss it in the back. I will give your sweater back to you when we are safe.” Asriel silently threw the coat onto the back seat and looked forward. He spoke with slight awe, “This thing… a car? It looks complicated…” Chara smiled, “I watched my birth parents drive one. I should be okay.” “I hope you’re right…”

Asriel paused. The silence was awkward. He changed the topic quickly, “Um… so… where are we going, exactly?” Chara responded bluntly, “Anywhere. Most likely somewhere away from Mount Ebbot, and away from humans. Father should call us once things calm down.” Asriel’s tone dropped slightly, “It almost sounds like we’ll be in this thing for a long time.” “That could be the case, but as long as we can get gasoline, we can keep this car running. That man said he had a wallet. Try to see if you can find it. It should have cards and green paper-like things in it. It is all currency.”

Asriel nodded and began to search his surroundings in the car. He opened a few compartments before he found a simple brown wallet. He raised a brow and held it towards Chara, “Is this it?” Chara took a quick look at the wallet. They nodded before they turned their attention back to the road, “That is it. Hold onto that. We will need it.” Asriel put the wallet in his lap, “Okay…”

It was a strange feeling for Frisk and Gaster to look through their eyes at the exact same time. Their vision came into focus quickly. Their other senses followed. Gaster immediately felt a few differences. It all felt natural to him, yet Frisk felt it was completely foreign. Gaster could tell he grew taller. His back had a slight hunch to it. His claws and teeth were both sharper and longer. He could feel his feet had destroyed his shoes. He was taller because his feet had changed to hind legs. Balanced and ready to move at a moment’s notice. Without even a glance at his eyes, he somehow knew one of them now permanently glowed red. Perhaps the strangest of all, he felt a thin tail of bone protrude from him. He had become slightly bestial.

Gaster had no time to examine himself to confirm the changes with his and Frisk’s eyes. He heard Sans growl deeply. It sounded bestial and echoed slightly. Gaster’s vision, while already forward, focused on Sans entirely. Sans clenched his teeth in rage for a moment. Frisk instinctually stepped back for a second in fear. They took the body with them in that step. Gaster stopped them from a further, more noticeable, retreat. He spoke to Frisk in their shared mind, ‘Be calm but be ready. He will attack us.’

Frisk paused. In that pause, Sans pounced. He teleported in front of Frisk and Gaster. With all of his strength, he attacked with a downward swing from his claws. Gaster dodged backward, ready for the attack. The claw crashed into the golden tiles where Frisk and Gaster once stood. The tiles cracked from the attack, the stone under the tiles now exposed. The claws seemed to have instantly grown twice in size.

Not far from Sans’s right side, Chara tumbled backward without a sound. Sans’s gaze locked onto Chara. Chara shook at his gaze. He flashed a wicked grin. Chara froze. They still had little magic to defend themselves and with him so close there was nowhere to run.

Frisk saw Sans’s attention was no longer on them, but Chara. Frisk gasped and raised an arm towards Chara, their voice combined with Gaster’s, “No!” Sans raised his claws again and attacked Chara. His claws met something. Something that wasn’t flesh or stone. Energy. A wall of red energy appeared in an instant between Chara and Sans. Sans raised a ‘brow’ at the wall of energy. He tried to claw through it multiple times. He growled lightly. Yet he saw the barrier only protected one side. He quickly teleported behind Chara to attack them there. Gaster quickly adjusted the barrier to encompass Chara fully. Sans only notice this after his attack landed on the barrier.  He roared in frustration. Gaster helped Frisk maintain the barrier. Frisk seemed grateful, ‘Thank you.’ Gaster mused, ‘I only used this new power in a more practical way. I will admit your magical instincts are decent for a human. Focus on maintaining magic, and I will work on the application of it.’ Frisk gave a more even tone, ‘Okay. I’ll try.’

Frisk and Gaster continued to maintain the barrier, much to Sans’s chagrin. Gaster smirked and spoke aloud to Sans, “You will have to deal with us first.” Sans’s gaze immediately shifted to Frisk and Gaster. He frowned at them for a moment as he connected the dots. He chuckled darkly. His eyes went dark. His voice echoed slightly, “G L A D L Y.”

Everyone in the Last Corridor could hear bones crackle and snap. Sans began to change. He grew as tall as Gaster and Frisk. His claws and hands grew as he slammed down on all fours. A bone tail, thicker than Gaster’s, emerged from his backside. Spikes protruded from his back, skull, and the back of his neck. A strange black miasma slowly emitted from Sans’s form. It began to fill in the gaps in his bones and fill the immediate air around him.

Sans pounced. He attacked Gaster and Frisk swiftly. Gaster and Frisk were just as quick to dodge. The tiles beneath them were pulverized. However, slowly but surely, Gaster and Sans left the Last Corridor. Gaster teleported to one of the nearest tall buildings in New Home. He was about to summon a blaster but Frisk spoke up, ‘wait, what about the beam? Shouldn’t we use that instead of the blaster for now?’ Gaster canceled his attack and mused, ‘I suppose...’ A hand of bone, one that mirrored one of Gaster’s own hands, appeared next to them. From the empty palm, red energy quickly gathered and fired towards Sans. It hit him in the shoulder. It instantly got his attention. Sans teleported to Frisk and Gaster and tried to attack them. Frisk summoned a flat barrier and blocked the attack. Frisk sounded worried, ‘Okay, we led him away. How are we gonna beat him?’ Gaster grimaced lightly, ‘It seems our power is only enough to defend. We will need to retrieve a few of the souls to defeat him.’

Gaster used his blue magic to throw Sans back. Sans used his own teleportation magic to land safely. Frisk panicked, ‘But we can’t leave him here to get them! He’ll go back and kill Asriel and Chara!’ Gaster replied dryly, ‘I’m surprised you worry for someone that was eager to kill you.’ Frisk’s tone became more somber, ‘I… I may be scared of them… but, they were scared too; scared of dying. And… they’re important to Asriel, so-‘

Frisk saw Sans come back for them. Frisk panicked slightly and summoned five hands. Beams flew out in near succession. Some only went through the miasma while Sans dodged the rest. Sans landed safely and summoned a blaster of his own. Frisk threw up the barrier before the blaster went off. Before they had the chance to release the barrier, Sans teleported behind them and slammed his tail into Frisk and Gaster. His tail grew much longer, and a large arrowhead shape grew on the end of it. Gaster quickly teleported on top of another building to gain his footing. He grunted, ‘He’s faster than I remember.’ Frisk sounded nervous, ‘What about that soul-grabbing thing you did? That kind of worked. Oh! What does that smoke do?’ ‘Miasma, and do not worry about it. It only affects those with lungs.’

Gaster looked around to see if Sans was nearby. Sans quickly noticed the building that Gaster had fled to. He summoned two blasters and began to fire at Gaster. Gaster dodged with ease. He was surprised at his new speed. With it came a new idea. He sighed, ‘I have an idea. A brutish one, but it could work.’ Frisk sounded confused, ‘Okay?...’ ‘Use the blasters and beams to distract him as much as you can. I will take care of the rest.’ ‘Okay.’

Frisk began to concentrate their magic to summon five hand-beams. They appeared close to Sans and began to fire. Sans ceased his own attack and turned his attention to the beams. He roared at them. He began to claw and blast them. Frisk continued to summon more to distract Sans. Gaster seemed amused at this, ‘He has begun to lose himself.’

Gaster saw his chance. He sped and teleported above Sans. He spun down and slammed his tail into Sans’s skull. Sans let out a small cry of pain as he was thrown off balance by the blow. Gaster used this imbalance and used his magic to grab hold of Sans’s soul. With all of his might, Gaster threw Sans into a nearby building. Sans landed deep within the wall and debris began to fall from the building. Gaster and Frisk heard a couple monsters scream in panic down below.

Before Frisk could say anything, Gaster had teleported to a new location. The new area looked familiar. The linoleum tiles and the pale walls were unmistakable; this was deep within Gaster’s lab. Frisk looked around in confusion and shook, ‘Where are we? What about the fight? What about those people that-‘ Gaster approached a wall of the room as he interrupted Frisk, ‘Those monsters will be fine.’ ‘But-‘ ‘Enough. The longer we discuss this, the longer we linger.’

Frisk remained silent. Gaster found an imprint in the wall and pressed on it. A small section of the wall seemed to flip forwards to reveal hand scanner. He put his right hand on it. It gave a pleasant beep before a large section of the wall opened up. It revealed two shelves in the wall. Each shelf held three glass containers with grey lids. Within each container was a different colored soul. Frisk hesitated, ‘These are…’ Gaster grabbed one of the containers, ‘The souls.’ Gaster screwed the lid off quickly and threw the jar aside. It shattered across the linoleum floor with a large crash sound. Gaster paid no mind to the noise and put the new soul to his chest and absorbed it. He did the same with another soul. He mused, ‘Three should do.’

Gaster’s body began to tear his coat. A large number of spikes appeared on his arms, spine, and tail. His head became more bestial, his snout protruded outward much like a dog’s. His claws became massive, no longer instruments of finesse. Five hand clones appeared and floated around his head and shoulders. Both Frisk and Gaster seemed to be able to look through them with ease. Gaster seemed pleased with the changes, ‘This will do nicely.’ Frisk sounded confused, ‘I don’t feel the presence of these souls...’ Gaster’s tone evened out, ‘They have been asleep for a long time. But, it does not matter. They cannot interfere with our control. I can sense our wills are stronger. But, enough of this dawdling. We have a mad king to depose.’ Gaster and Frisk teleported out of the room without another word.

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It took a full minute for Chara and Asriel to move even a muscle after Gaster, Frisk, and Sans left the Last Corridor. Adrenaline still pumped through Chara’s veins. They could not fully focus on the world around them until the minute subsided. Their adrenaline faded. They slowly took in their surroundings in the Last Corridor. Their eyes soon found Asriel. He stood on his knees, his eyes locked onto Frisk’s corpse. His mouth hung open slightly. His body shook noticeably. Chara was worried at first but couldn’t help but smile at Asriel’s focus on Frisk’s corpse. Perhaps they wouldn’t have to push him into this after all. Yet, that hope was expertly dashed. As soon as Asriel went to reach for Frisk’s corpse, he shook his head vigorously. He curled in on himself and cried out, “No! I- I won’t!” Asriel hugged himself and began to sob. Chara frowned and slowly stood. They’d have to convince him after all.

Their steps startled Asriel out of his weeps. He gasped and turned his head toward the sound. His fur stood on end and his tearful eyes were widened. That changed the moment he realized it was only Chara. He smiled through his tears, “Chara…” Chara sped to Asriel’s side and hugged him deeply. They quietly replied, “Rei…” Asriel sniffled. He began to ramble, “I… I was scared that… you and Frisk…” Chara gently shushed Asriel and pet his head, “It will be fine now, Rei. Soon, everything will be fixed.” Asriel sniffled, but spoke in a confused tone, “Fixed?... I… I don’t understand… Mr. Gaster already has Frisk’s soul…” Chara smiled at Asriel, “There is that. However, there is something more important to be done.” They cradled Asriel’s face gently as they spoke, “I need you to keep your promise.” “My promise?” At first, Asriel sounded confused, but his expression suddenly grew to shock, “Wait… you don’t mean-“ Chara pulled away from Asriel, “Yes, Rei. You promised me you would live, no matter what happened.” Asriel grasped the lockets around his neck tightly. He cried out, “But… but that was when I thought you were going to die!” Chara raised a brow, but kept their tone even, “So a promise doesn’t matter if I do not die?” “No!” Asriel curled into a ball. He spoke quietly, “I just… don’t want to hurt you…”

Chara pet Asriel’s head once more and spoke gently, “Then let me help you. After all, there is a suitable meal right next to you.” Asriel let out a confused, “Huh?” He slowly turned his gaze to Frisk’s corpse once more. He lingered for a few seconds. His breath turned heavy. His stomach growled loudly. He tore his gaze away and covered his eyes. He cried out, “No! I can’t!” “Rei, you must.” “But… that’s Frisk!”

Chara kneeled down and put their hands on Asriel’s shoulders. Their tone was strict and even, “Rei, listen to me. That is no longer Frisk. All that Frisk was, was taken by Dr. Gaster. Look again; no soul lies within that corpse.” Asriel moved his head slightly in order to look once more but stopped himself. He closed his eyes and sobbed, “No! Even if it’s not Frisk anymore, it was still Frisk’s body! I won’t eat them!” Chara bit their lip and tried to think quickly. This situation was stonewalled. Asriel wasn’t listening to reason. They expected this, but not to this degree.  They had to think of something else. Something with more emotion.

A new thought entered their mind. Slightly devious, but still something that was sadly true. More importantly, it was emotional. They frowned and spoke with a slight somber, “Rei… what if Sans comes back?” Asriel nearly jumped. His head shot up with shock. His voice wavered, “But… Mr. Gaster led him away...” “And what if he fails to kill Sans? He will come back for Frisk’s corpse and find us.” Asriel stood, “Th-then, we have to run!” He turned towards Frisk’s corpse, “and… get...”

Asriel paused as his gaze focused on Frisk once more. He paused, and his breath became heavy once more. His stomach growled loudly enough for Chara to hear. Chara saw this and frowned. Their idea only partly worked, but no doubt Asriel would snap himself out of his trance soon. They sighed; the push had to be physical after all. They spoke under their breath, “I’m sorry, Rei. You will forgive me for this later.” Chara circled around to Asriel’s backside. They gave him a quick and forceful push towards Frisk’s corpse. Asriel was immediately thrown off balance and let out a, “Whoa!”

Asriel landed with his torso and face in Frisk’s pooled blood and his snout immediately next to Frisk’s left arm. Asriel groaned. Before he could open his eyes, the scent of blood overwhelmed him. He blinked open his eyes. He tried to shake off the blood, but his white fur was deeply stained red. Even his hands were stained red with blood. He looked at his hands in horror and found he slowly brought his hands to his mouth. He whined and tried to grab the closer hand. He stopped the closer hand, but he also lightly splashed a few dots of blood on his nose. Without a thought, he licked the blood off his nose. He paused. His eyes seemed to glaze over into a trance. His tears stopped, and he became silent. His instincts took hold. He began to lick his hands clean of blood. Once his fur was nearly free of blood, he began to tear into Frisk’s back without any hesitation and bring anything within into his maw.

Before they knew what hit them, many spiked bones had been run through Frisk’s body. Frisk couldn’t move. The shock was heavy, they found no breath to scream from the immeasurable pain. Their hearing faded first; sounds of victorious chuckles and worried screams all muddled together in an incomprehensible cluster. Their vision faded next; what was once clear became blobs. They could see one of blue and white approach them. Their muscle control then faded. Everything relaxed. Their pierced appendages drooped down the bones slightly. Their back no longer tensed. Their neck could no longer hold up their head. Gold, white, and red were all they could see until black finally consumed their vision. Their pain faded at last. The last sense to fade away.

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Asriel screamed. His eyes focused on Frisk as they were run through by at least seven bones. He fell to the floor and scooted back from Frisk’s corpse in fear. Sans’s low, husky chuckle emanated through the hall, only marginally covered by the sounds of shoes and Asriel hitting the floor. The sounds of shoes came from Chara. They moved to the side. Some of the bones grazed and tore their jacket’s right sleeve, but Chara themself was unharmed. The only one that was as still as Frisk was Gaster. His stance lowered slightly. His eye sockets locked onto his king past the dead body. He was ready the moment something happened.

Sans began to collect himself. His glowing eye locked onto his prize, yet it drifted to Chara for a second, “Looks like you get one for yourself after all.” His eyes returned to Frisk’s corpse. Something new shined above it. A red light, one that coalesced into the shape of a heart. Frisk’s soul. Sans’s eyes locked onto the soul. His jaw unhinged. His mouth watered. He called out his claim, “But this one is mine!” Sans teleported to Frisk. The bones all disappeared at once just before he teleported. The were no cracks in the floor. No evidence the bones were there other than small outlines of blood that suddenly filled in as the drops of blood that covered the bones all dropped to the golden floor at once. Frisk’s corpse also began to drop. More blood poured from the now gaping wounds. The blood began to pool out to all sides. Asriel could only watch in horror, transfixed on the blood that approached him. His breath felt heavy. His mouth watered. His stomach growled, though unheard through the commotion.

Gaster smirked and acted quickly. Just as Sans began to teleport, Gaster cloaked Frisk’s soul in his own blue magic. As Sans landed next to Frisk, Frisk’s soul rocketed to Gaster’s left hand. Sans paused for a moment. Shock and confusion in his gaze. It broke the second after as Frisk’s body fell into its pool of blood and splashed the bottom of his pants, cloak, and boots. His eye locked onto Gaster. He roared, “THAT’S MINE!” Gaster quickly moved the soul to his chest without a word. He shoved it into his chest, where he knew his own soul lay. The soul entered his body and began to bond with his soul. Time seemed to slow around him. All he could focus on was the intense feeling that welled within him. What at first felt like an ember upon his soul, grew into a fierce wildfire throughout his entire being. He closed his eyes and shook. He clenched his sharp teeth. All he could focus on was this feeling, this raging war within his soul. One that to the outside world was only a few seconds, yet to him, it felt as though hours had passed.

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Gaster opened his eyes. Nothing was as it was before. There was no golden hall. No human or monster children. No king that would certainly be trying to kill him that very second. Instead, this was a dark area. Scattered around the area appeared to be a variety of work desks, ones that were familiar to him. He could see many screens around him on supposed walls, all filled with static. He looked up to see the screens were so numerous that he could not see them all. He narrowed his eyes, what was this place? He took a step. The sound of the floor reminded him of his lab. The second his lab entered his mind, half of the screens lit up with various visions of his lab. It showed paperwork, work on the substitute, simple conversations with a variety of monsters and Chara. Gaster’s eyes widened. After a few moments of examination, he came to a quick conclusion; these were his memories. Was this his mind? Why was he here? A small flight of panic surfaced; was he dead?! He’d certainly remember being dead. All the screens changed to what happened a few moments ago. Frisk giving themselves up. Sans showing up and killing them. Gaster retrieving the soul and shoving it into his ribcage. Then the memories of his lab seemed to repeat.

Amidst this curiosity, a young voice cut through the darkness, “Wh-where am I?” Gaster let out a small gasp. His eyes drifted toward the source of the voice. A small figure stood at the other end of the room. Frisk. All the tears of their clothes were repaired. All the wounds they suffered underground were also mended. Gaster’s calm demeanor lowered to a simmering rage, “Y O U.” Frisk shook. Their eyes focused on Gaster. Gaster’s eyes lit up and he attempted to use his blue magic on Frisk. Nothing. Frisk didn’t lift up as Gaster had anticipated. Gaster growled, “What is this?” Frisk called back, “I don’t know! I don’t know where we are or what’s happening! I just remember-“

Frisk cut themselves off. Tears began to pour from their eyes, “I… I died… I’m… dead…” The screens changed to both Frisk’s and Gaster’s view of Frisk’s death. The area around them began to brighten. Above the endless array of screens, the sun peaked out. Gaster squinted at the new bright light. He covered his eyes with the sleeve of his coat to give shade for his eye sockets to adjust. Around the screens, greenery began to grow. Topiary bushes lined the screens. A tall, chain link fence became the supposed walls of the room. In a corner of the room, a tall, climbable tree grew. The floor remained the same, and the desks remained as well.

Gaster’s eyes widened at the changes around him. He growled and tried a different magic. Bones surrounded Frisk, the structure akin to a cage. Frisk screamed and fell down. They curled into a ball. Gaster could clearly hear their begging despite Frisk murmuring, “No… please… I don’t want to feel that again!” The sun above began to hide behind clouds. Thunder began to sound. It sounded distant, as though it was the first sign of a storm on the horizon. Gaster ignored Frisk’s begs for mercy and spoke, “Now I understand; this is my soul. You are here because I absorbed your soul.” He smirked, “I had hoped to simply kill you to avenge Prince Papyrus, but suppose-“ Frisk roared in a retort, “I DIDN’T KILL HIM!” Gaster’s eyes glowed in his rage, “DON’T LIE TO ME!”

A familiar, struggling voice cut through the darkening room, “I... ran out… yesterday… morning…. I… Frisk… I can’t… hold... on…” Both Frisk and Gaster found their eyes drift to the screens around them. Gaster became entranced as he saw Frisk’s memory of Papyrus’s transformation. He spoke in shock, “No… he couldn’t have…” Frisk frowned deeply and looked at Gaster, “He… lost control…” Gaster became entranced by the memory. He watched Frisk flee Papyrus in vain. He saw them pinned down by Papyrus and them beg for him to stop. Gaster relaxed as he watched, so much so that he released his magic. His eyes stopped glowing. Tears began to bud as he watched Papyrus regain himself and realize what had happened. Frisk relaxed slightly but kept their eye on Gaster as he continued to take in their memory. Despite this, hearing Papyrus’s voice again sparked a few tears of their own. They streamed by the time Frisk heard those final, sorrowful words once more, “Now go!... And… don’t turn back…”

The screens faded to static once more upon the memory of the doors closing. Gaster’s eyes widened, “That’s all? That cannot be all!” Frisk shook their head before they sniffled and wiped their eyes clean, “That’s the last time I saw him… I… I didn’t know he died. What happened?” Gaster sighed. The memory of Papyrus’s fate entered his mind. The knock on the door. Opening it. The pile of dust. Frisk gasped at the sight, “N-no!” Frisk curled up slightly. Their tears began again, “Why?...” Gaster frowned deeply. He spoke sorrowfully, “I suppose… I knew from the start what had happened. I was… blinded by my grief. I didn’t want to accept he would truly commit suicide.”

The sound of rain pervaded the area, yet no drop could be seen. Frisk hesitated, but spoke calmly, “You… really cared about him… didn’t you?” Gaster sat down. A simple chair materialized for him to sit in. He spoke plainly with a sorrowful frown, “Perhaps unfairly so. I had hoped after my plan came to fruition, he would take his rightful place on the throne. Once I finally had the chance to depose his lunatic of a brother, that is.” The screens changed to various travesties both Gaster and Frisk witnessed of the mad king. Frisk shook, their own death still fresh in their mind. Their voice wavered slightly, “What… kind of chance?” Gaster’s expression evened, “The seven human souls that are needed to break the barrier, but their power would also destroy Sans once and for all.” Frisk instinctually gripped their chest. They spoke quietly, “Isn’t that… a little much?” “Perhaps. I suppose the power of one soul can put me on equal terms with him if I am careful. But he is ruthless, even without his full power.” Frisk’s eyes widened, “He’s not even using his full power?!” Gaster shook his head and crossed his arms, “Far from it. There is a strange fact within a monster’s biology. We can give into our instincts wholeheartedly, and that grants us a new form with additional strength and magic. However, we lose who we are. We become a slave to our instincts if we stay in such a form for too long. Much to my surprise, Sans has not fallen into that form as of yet.”

Gaster gave a strange expression of realization. He leaned forward and gave a grunt of frustration, “Why am I telling you this? You are just a child! This conversation is a waste of time!” Focus returned to his gaze. He stood from his chair and raised an arm forward towards Frisk as he spoke in a serious tone, “What matters now is that I gain control of this combined soul and use your power for my plan.” Frisk took a step back in fear. Gaster summoned the cage of bones once again. This time, Frisk could only stand as they cowered. Gaster spoke bluntly, “Submit control of this soul.” Frisk cried, “I-I don’t know how!” The sounds of thunder rung closer than before. Lightning began to flash behind the screens. Gaster narrowed his eyes, “Then I will make you submit.”

A new bone appeared in front of Frisk. Before they could react, the bone ran them through the center of their chest and lifted them far off the ground. No blood poured from this new wound. Frisk screamed out in pain. The memory of their death replayed on the screens. From the center of Frisk’s form, energy started to build. Gaster squinted at the red speck, “What is that?” The speck of red energy exploded outward all at once. It encompassed nearly all of the area. Gaster was flung onto his back near one of the outlying desks. Meanwhile, Frisk somehow landed in the tree at another edge of the room, despite being far from it initially. The branches began to curl around Frisk, as though the limbs tried to protect them. They desperately clung to the trunk of the tree and sat on another, strong limb. They shook and cried as a familiar thought entered their mind.

The screens changed once more. Frisk appeared to be up in an identical tree. Their vision was clouded slightly by tears. Four kids stood at the base of the tree. Their calls ranged from heckles to invasive questions. “You’re always running to that stupid tree!” “You think you’ll get adopted by a tree or something?” “Come down and say you’re sorry!” “What, you think you’re some tree person? Maybe you’re an escaped plant monster!” The three other kids stopped at that last exclamation. They stared at their final compatriot with a strange look. The first child spoke in a quiet realization, “Maybe that’s why they’re so weird and quiet…” The four children descended into more heckles and laughter. Most of them blended together. In the memory, Frisk burrowed their face into the tree trunk. Frisk cried out, in both the memory and in their current form, “I’m not a plant monster! Just go away!” Another burst of energy exploded from Frisk’s form. Gaster was more prepared this time. He teleported forward in time to not be affected by the blast. However, the screens returned to static once more. Frisk wept quietly, barely heard over the static around them. All was still. The storm above seemed to calm down to a cloudy day. Even Gaster hesitated to move, on guard for another burst of energy. After a few long moments, he decided it was safe. He slowly approached the tree and spoke calmly, “It appears we are at an impasse.”

Frisk sniffled and turned their apprehensive gaze to Gaster. A desk and chair materialized in front of Gaster. He sat down and began to speak, “I can sense we each control exactly fifty percent of this combined soul and not a speck more. We do not have the luxury of time to fully fight for dominance, not with King Sans undoubtedly about to attack and devour us.” The branches around Frisk relaxed slightly. Frisk turned their entire body forward and wiped the last of their tears away, yet they still frowned deeply and said nothing. Gaster continued, “We have no choice but to work together. We must kill him and break the barrier together.” Frisk hugged themselves, “But… I don’t know how to fight.”

Gaster rolled his eye sockets with a sigh. He stood in silent contemplation for a moment. A smirk flashed across his skull for only a moment. He mused aloud to Frisk, “Would you learn how in order to protect Asriel and Chara?” Frisk’s eyes widened. They leaned forward in the tree, “Oh no… they’re with us…” Gaster gave a light smirk in delight, “And the longer we drag this out, the more they are in danger as well.” Frisk relaxed with a frown. They only hesitated for a moment before they spoke in a resigned tone, “…Okay… I’ll help you defeat Sans.” Gaster raised a ‘brow’, “And?” Frisk pouted, “And break the barrier with the other six souls.” The desk and chair disappeared as Gaster stood. He extended his hand towards Frisk, “Then, we have a deal?” Frisk jumped out of the tree and landed safely on their feet. Frisk approached Gaster cautiously, “What will happen to me... after we break the barrier?” “I can only assume your soul will disappear once all the energy inside of it is spent all at once. Beyond that, I do not know.” Frisk gave a sigh before they shook Gaster’s hand in agreement. The sun shone brightly on the two of them. Energy from their two forms seemed to flow into each other. New information passed between the two. All at once, the area around them faded away into darkness.

Frisk and Asriel did not pause upon seeing New Home. Frisk saw the new area around them but was able to continue on while they took in the scenery. Adrenaline still fueled them and they were unsure if it was safe to stop. Asriel ran at their side. He huffed and panted heavily. Frisk could see pink through his fur on his cheeks as well as sweat begin to wet his fur. Frisk spoke in worry, “Asriel... are you okay?” Asriel wheezed in between words, “Just… a bit… tired…” Frisk gently put a hand to Asriel’s shoulder, “We can probably slow-“ Frisk jumped slightly. Their hand jumped from Asriel’s shoulder. They looked around on instinct. They fully expected to meet Chara’s glare upon merely touching Asriel. Yet, there was no Chara in sight. Frisk’s eyes widened upon this realization. They were alone with Asriel again. Asriel noticed Frisk’s slight shock and looked around himself. He blinked, just as surprised as Frisk, “Chara’s… gone?” He slowed slightly and gasped. Fear seeped into his gaze and looked at Frisk, “You don’t think they fell off the path, do you?!” Frisk shook their head, “I don’t think so.” Asriel frowned, “Should we… wait for them?” Frisk paused. Unsure. Chara was smart and wanted them dead. On the other hand, they were also good protection. However, there was no guarantee it would be Chara that would catch up to them first. They almost shivered at the thought.

A different, curious thought ran through their mind, “How… close are we to the barrier?” Asriel looked ahead towards the castle. He relaxed and smiled, “I think we’re close.” Frisk raised a curious brow. They looked forward. The castle was nearly before them. It was carved into the stone, easy to see that some went into the mountainside. It was detailed. Tall towers with blue roofing. Intricate designs in the stonework. Yet, the castle was smaller than Frisk had thought. About the size of a large manor. Frisk and Asriel marveled at the sight, much like Chara had with New Home. Asriel giggled, “We can reach the barrier, and we can show Chara my idea!” Frisk half smiled. The choose not to respond. They slowed down as the two approached the entrance to the castle. It opened to a small yard-like area made of stone. There were many claw marks and what appeared to be unnaturally rounded areas in the walls. At the end of the yard was a simple door. Asriel and Frisk walked up to the door, both somewhat nervous. Asriel, after he finished wheezing from the run, spoke, “This must be the private entrance to the castle.”

Asriel turned the knob. He found it unlocked. The door opened easily. The area it opened to was a small foyer of a seemingly small abode. Compared to the claw marks and holes outside the home, the home was surprisingly neat, despite the obvious signs of disuse. Thick layers of dust caked on the floor, banisters, and small cabinets. The air felt thick from the now unsettled dust in the air. Both Asriel and Frisk began to cough heavily at this new cloud. It took a few moments for the dust to settle. Even then, Asriel continued to wheeze. Frisk quickly noticed that in front of them was a set of stairs. They spoke, their voice slightly hoarse, “Maybe… we go down those stairs…” Asriel coughed and sounded greatly hoarse, “Okay… let’s…. go…” Frisk helped Asriel step carefully through the door. They closed the door behind them and decided to lock it. They let Asriel lean on them as they led him to the stairs. Asriel went to grab the railing, but Frisk gently stopped them, “Don’t... more dust.” Asriel coughed again, “R-right…” Asriel continued to lean on Frisk as the two made their way down the stairs. Asriel’s breaths were heavy with slight rasps to them. He whined, “I’m… so tired…” The two reached the bottom. They were greeted by a long, singular hallway. In the distance, Frisk could see it turn and give off a faint light. Frisk decided to press onwards, “We should be away from this dust soon.” Asriel breathed deeply and smiled wearily, “It already feels better.”

They decided it would be best to go the rest of the way in silence. They found the turn to be a shorter distance than thought. The tunnel soon opened up to another large view of New Home. Asriel spoke softly, “Dad said you have to walk through a golden hallway to see the king. I wonder if we’ll see it.” Frisk noticed something just up ahead. An elevator. It held no particular signs of disuse or regular use. Frisk mused, “That must be for visitors…or was…” Asriel saw on the opposite side of the elevator was an entrance to another hallway. A golden light shined through onto the grey stonework in front of it. Asriel’s eyes widened. He marveled, “Is… that it?!”

Before the two of them could move, they heard a desperate cry echo from the hall behind them, “Asriel?!” Asriel and Frisk gasped. Asriel turned to Frisk and pushed them into the golden hallway, “Hurry! Go! I’ll meet you there!” Frisk took off into the golden hallway without another word. Asriel slowly followed in behind Frisk. Asriel stood in awe at the golden hallway. The Last Corridor. Asriel slowly walked past a few pillars of the hall, slowly taking in the design. He focused on the first window. The lights of New Home poured in and illuminated the hall. But that splendor was short lived.

Chara entered the Last Corridor and saw Asriel. They cried out his name once more and ran to his side. Chara took a moment to breathe as they clung to Asriel’s shoulders. They tightened their grip and looked at Asriel. Panic encompassed their expression. They pleaded with Asriel desperately, “Where are they, Rei? Where is my mirror?!” Asriel winced at Chara’s tightened grip. He stepped back and spoke, “They’re… they’re-“ Chara’s desperate look descended to a crazed desperation. Their eyes widened, and they gave a smile that seemed a little too wide. They chuckled lightly, “They’re just ahead, aren’t they? Trapped here at the end.” Asriel shook his head. His gaze focused and he spoke with conviction, “Chara, I have an idea about the barrier! We can-“ Chara’s expression calmed slightly. Their smile descended. They cut Asriel off, “Rei… whatever you are planning will not work.” Asriel frowned. He began to plead with Chara, “Chara, please listen!” Chara gritted their teeth and yelled, “Then why won’t you listen to me in return?!” Asriel shook and cowered. Chara relaxed before it fully sunk in what they had just done. They approached Asriel with a wide-eyed expression, “Rei… I… I’m sorry… I… I should not yell at you…” Chara pulled Asriel into a hug. Asriel yelped slightly as Chara held him tightly at his chest, yet so gently at his head. They cuddled their chin and mouth deep into his ear and neck. A few sniffles came from Chara, “I just want to protect you.” Asriel shook at first. They didn’t have the strength to pull away from Chara’s hug, but it still felt… off. It wasn’t as it was before. One arm around his chest tightly and the other cradled the back of his head gently. Any move backward was denied, as Chara’s arms seemed to lock in place at the slightest movement. He was locked in place for almost a full minute before Chara’s arms finally moved. They relaxed slightly and lowered their arms, but they paused. Something was strange. Asriel was no longer looking at them. His gaze widened in horror and was focused on something behind them.

Chara felt an all too familiar sensation upon them. Something gripped their soul. Before they could fully react, they were launched backward a few feet and lifted into the air. They let out a yelp unconsciously. A deep, familiar voice cut through the Last Corridor. He spoke words Chara had dreaded to hear, “Time’s up, Chara. I cannot wait any longer.” Chara shook. They floated next to Gaster on his left side. Their eyes locked onto him, widened as far as they could go. Tears instantly began to stream from their eyes. They spoke quickly in a panic, “No! No, please! They’re just ahead! They’re trapped! I just need a few more minutes!” Asriel stepped forward and pleaded, “What are you doing?! Let them go!” Gaster glared at Asriel, “I am taking the last soul I need.” Gaster turned their glare towards Chara, “If I knew it would be this much trouble, I should have taken your soul when you gave me the last one.” Asriel began to shed tears as well, “You… you’re going to kill them?” Gaster spoke bluntly, “Yes.” Asriel cried out, “No!” Asriel ran up to Gaster and began to try and drag Chara to the ground. His feet moved backward, but he stood in place. He grunted and pleaded, “You can’t take them! They didn’t do anything wrong!” Gaster raised a brow and looked down at Asriel’s futile efforts, “On the contrary, they have failed to uphold their end of the bargain.” Asriel huffed ad he tried to pull Chara to the ground, “I’m… tired of hearing… of this… stupid deal… and not knowing what it is!” Chara’s expression had deflated to one of defeat. They no longer moved. Instead, they hung limply in the air. Their tears continued to flow with no end. They sighed deeply and looked down at Asriel, “Rei…I did not want to involve you in this… I was trying to protect you… I was a fool.” Chara quickly looked towards Gaster, “I will go with you without hesitation… but… please let me say goodbye to Asriel. Five minutes. That is all I ask. Nothing more.” Gaster glared at Chara for a few moments. He sighed and released his magic from Chara. Chara plummeted to the floor and landed with an ‘oof’. He glared down at them, “Five minutes.”

Chara nodded and stood up. They gave Asriel a half smile. They offered their hand. Asriel hesitated but took it. The two began to walk. Chara began to recount what they knew, “This deal… it was twofold. Firstly, I supplied blood for the substitute and your medicine. He created it and distributed it, with you and one other guaranteed a supply. Secondly, since Mother had already trained me to defend myself, I was to find and retrieve the last two souls needed to break the barrier.” The two stopped two pillars from Gaster. Asriel looked unsure, “Does that mean you…” Chara nodded, their tone even, “Yes. Another human fell before my mirror, and I killed them.” Asriel frowned. He shook his head and spoke defiantly, “But- but you don’t need to!” Asriel gripped both of Chara’s hands, “I figured it out! You need a human and a monster to cross the barrier, right? What if a human and a monster held hands? Wouldn’t that work?” Gaster spoke bluntly, “That does not work.” Asriel puffed his cheeks for a moment. He looked back at Gaster with a glare, “And how would you know?” Gaster spoke with a matter of fact tone, “Because Prince Papyrus tried that with the first human to walk in the underground. It failed.” Chara spoke sorrowfully, “I told you Asriel… it was not going to work.” Asriel looked back at Chara. His tears increased, “But… but I promised Frisk that I would help them get home… I… I…” Chara shushed Asriel calmly. They gave a sad smile and cupped Asriel’s left cheek, “That does not matter now, Rei. None of it matters. I see now you choose to protect someone. I just… wish that someone was me.” “But… it could be.” “It is far too late for that, Rei. Even I cannot run forever.”

Chara used their free hand to pull their locket from under their sweater. They gave Asriel a more serious look despite their tears, “Rei. I want you to promise me something on your locket.” Asriel blinked, “Oh… okay…” He pulled out his own locket silently. Chara took a deep breath and spoke, “No matter what happens, promise me you will live. Everything I did was to protect you. Everything I did was to give you the strength to survive. You must face the facts; you need to eat humans to survive.” Asriel whined, “But-“ Chara’s gaze intensified for a moment. They raised their voice, “Promise me, Rei!” Asriel winced for a second, but soon saw Chara gave him a genuine smile through their tears, “Please… let me die knowing you will live.” Asriel was silent for a few moments. Nothing seemed right. Not Chara, not Gaster, not even himself. He could tell that Chara was silently begging them to say yes. But that would mean letting them go. He gave a defeated sigh. He knew there was only one answer. He spoke with a frown, “Okay… I promise.” Chara smiled. They removed their locket from their neck and locked it around Asriel’s. Chara smiled all the while. They felt a lump in their throat, yet they managed to summon three simple words, “Thank you, Rei.”

Gaster’s curt voice cut through the moment, “Your time is up.” Chara looked over at Gaster. They gave a simple nod with an even tone, “So it is.” Chara’s expression became blank. They began to walk towards Gaster. Asriel sniffled and called out Chara’s name once more. Chara stopped in front of Gaster and looked back at Asriel with a smile, “Goodbye, Rei. I wish I had the chance to show you the stars, like I promised.” Gaster went to grab Chara by the arm. A voice cut through the golden hall, “Wait!”