#system delta

I like to think their system operates somewhat similar to a fusion from Steven Universe. Most of the time they are Delta —and appear to be like a singlet.

The reason for this is because Sans is legitimately struggling to operate as only Sans, as separate from the Bravery soul. So for awhile, Sans and the Bravery soul were fused together as Delta, because it gave Sans the bravery to continue functioning.

Eventually, however, it fell apart. I’d like to think it started actually when the bravery soul started remembering more about his previous life—and he could no longer simply function as just Bravery.

Perhaps this was also around the time when either Color and Epic seemed to drift more away towards Killer and Cross, or even around the time they moved out.

With both Beta and Sans struggling so much separately and unable to maintain a fusion, they decided to seek out therapy for themselves and figure out how to work together.

Because now that Beta was gaining more..individuality and self awareness i suppose, developing more but also remembering more, their teamwork was also starting to fall apart.

With time and effort, the two manage to learn to find balance as separate individuals sharing a body, and a mind, and a life.

And they start using their fusion as Delta as a way to find comfort and stability, to try and be closer too, instead of just purely as a last restore lifeline because they couldn’t Sans was struggling with depression and PTSD and the Bravery soul was not just a fully separate, developed individual capable of functioning without Sans in the body fused or blended with it.

Everyone out in the external multiverse will refer to them as Delta, regardless of if they’re actually fused together or not. But as home, in private, with their friends and family—they alternate between their names as Beta and Sans, and Delta when they’re not just Beta or just Sans.

I like to think the animals in the Chromatic Crew household can definitely tell the difference, too.

I also like to think that Delta doesn’t often have amnesia barriers between their two halves, even when they’re not fused together.

There’s still definitely dissociation of course, particularly when encountering a trauma trigger for either Sans or Beta that either triggers one to the front immediately or destabilizes the fusion, but most of the time it’s mostly “emotional” amnesia.

I like to think that, unlike Color, Delta doesn’t have a headspace. Whenever the two aren’t fused and only one is fronting, the other usually is watching from the backseat or is “asleep,” as they describe it.

They have always had pretty good internal communication, but during episodes of intense dissociation, they will verbalize their back and forth conversations out loud to each other.

It helps them to stay focused and grounded, even if they have to block out and ignore the external world and its people for a brief moment—and even if that causes people to give them weird looks if it ever happens in public.

Color has never once found these moments strange, even back when he wasn’t aware of that they were two, not one. He would literally just sit and journal while the two just talked to themselves out loud. At the most he would find the sounds of their voices and breathing grating and annoying and would literally just get up and walk away mid conversation.

Delta enjoys sparring with Cross and Swap, I feel. Delta was also the one who encouraged Cross to join him in participating in the Omega Timeline’s Coliseum, and two of them have earned a reputation as a duo.

I like to think that although the Coliseum is Beta’s favorite location in the OT, Grillby’s is actually Sans’.

It was actually on Sans’ idea that Delta first told Color about the existence of that Grillby’s and was the one who suggested going together, hoping to both help his friend and maybe attempt to connect and bond with Color this way. Unfortunately for them both, it didn’t turn out as they were both hoping for.

The food was amazing. But nothing else was anything approaching familiar for Color. Delta had to tell him what his favorite food used to be, and Color thought the jukebox was on the left. He doesn’t remember if Grillby’s ever had a vending machine or not. Delta still goes to this restaurant occasionally, but it somehow felt lonelier than usual—even though he could feel that his two halves were still there with him.

Beta had a panic attack the first time he fronted alone in the body, and the sounds of bones clinking and rattling together still sends him into hyperventilating.

Delta likes retro-gaming, thanks to Beta’s half of the fusion. Inspired by Color’s tendency towards hoarding and collecting—specifically photos, journals/notebooks, and music records in Color’s case—Delta also started tentatively collecting older video games and consoles.

Unlike Color who enjoys being on the move after years of being forced and confined to one location, Delta is used to being on the move—both as Beta, but also as Delta traveling and hopping between AUs.

They’re trying to get used to being in one steady location in the Omega Timeline, and trying to allow themselves to trust the stability. Starting with trying to make their home seemed lived in, and allowing possessions that aren’t purely for survival’s sake.

Delta also got the actual delta and beta symbols tattooed somewhere on their body, perhaps around their collarbone or hands. It looks like this:

Not only is it just the symbols of their chosen names together on their shared body, not only are these symbols commonly used in math and science—and so those who love mathematics, science, engineering, etc. may choose to get these symbols as tat—but according to Google, the delta symbol spiritually means;

“In a spiritual context, the delta symbol (Δ) is often associated with change, transformation, and the Holy Trinity, particularly within Christian traditions, and can also represent the concept of a divine ternary or triad.”

And the beta symbol not only means this, but can also means something like;

“In a spiritual context, "beta" can refer to the second letter of the Greek alphabet, often used to denote something secondary or a stage of development, and can also be associated with brainwave activity during alert, focused states.

In Hinduism, "Beta" signifies a term of endearment used by Nimai to address the cowherd boys as his sons, highlighting a deep, affectionate bond and a sense of familial connection within their community

In neuroscience, "beta" brainwaves (12-30 Hz) are associated with alert, active, and focused states, such as when solving problems, making decisions, or engaging in critical thinking.

While not a universally accepted spiritual term, some interpretations link "beta" brainwaves to a more active, external focus, contrasting with the more relaxed, inward-focused states associated with alpha and theta brainwaves.”

I was also thinking that, maybe to remember and honor Frisk, they got the alpha and/or epsilon symbols tattooed on their body, too.

The Alpha not only goes with the Omega—Chara—but is said to represent a beginning, so together they represent “the beginning and the end.” The epsilon is even used to refer to children sometimes. You can find that here.

(Also side note, according to this, “In music, more accurately in jazz, delta represents a major seventh chord.” And I feel that’s something along the lines that Color said to Delta sometime after their first meeting. Because Integrity knew it.)

But I was also thinking maybe Ultratale/Vitaltale Frisk could potentially be nicknamed Theta, because it’s apparently a symbol of death and Thanatos in Ancient Greece, but that felt a little too on the nose. And I didn’t feel like doing extensive research into every Greek alphabet letter at the moment.

To be more specific, his creator is apparently Filipino. According to Google, the majority of Filipinos are Catholic.

Sans was Underground, and seems to have been raised and born there. So even if the Mt.Ebott of Ultratale/Vitaltale was in the Philippines, Sans likely would’ve been somewhat removed from the human cultures and customs above.

However, Beta would not have been—he could’ve been grown and raised in the Filipino culture and customs.

Meaning he could’ve likely grown up and been raised Catholic, and after Sans absorbed his SOUL years later and Beta starts remembering more about his life and culture, he could’ve started sharing these memories with Sans via dreams and through their fusion as Delta.

And if Beta clings to his faith as a source of hope and familiarity, that could likely show up in Delta. Especially if Delta starts remembering a life he— and the body he’s in—never actually lived, and Sans has no clue about any of it.

It could lead Delta to feel torn between these two worlds, and start questioning his faith.

Since Sans has no experience with human religions and Beta was a child at the time of his death, Delta may experience religious influence more as emotional imprints and memories rather than strict doctrinal belief.

Religious guilt and sin. Beta may have internalized ideas of sin, penance, and the fear of disappointing others, especially authority figures.

Since Delta experiences overwhelming survivor’s guilt and struggles with the belief that he failed people he was supposed to protect, this could mirror the Catholic concept of mortal sin and the need for repentance.

Even though Sans himself may not believe in sin, Beta’s influence might cause Delta to view his perceived failures as moral failings rather than circumstantial.

The Catholic belief in forgiveness and redemption could create a longing within Delta to atone for past actions.

Beta may subconsciously associate helping others with seeking absolution, even if Delta doesn’t consciously think of it in religious terms. Acts of service, self-sacrifice, or trying to prevent others from suffering might reflect this.

Beta might have grown up believing in the traditional Catholic concepts of the afterlife. Memories of fearing Hell or longing for the promise of Heaven may linger in Delta’s mind.

Considering Delta’s experiences with the Underground’s soul mechanics, this could lead to existential confusion.

Delta may struggle to reconcile what he knows about monster souls, determination, and the Underground’s mechanics with Beta’s belief in eternal judgment.

He might question if monster souls face the same fate as human souls or if Sans is truly “soulless” in the eyes of a human God.

Beta’s memories might resurface when Delta feels vulnerable or overwhelmed.

Carrying or wearing symbolic items like a small rosary, a crucifix necklace, or even a Sampaguita flower (symbolizing purity and resilience) could provide comfort, even if Delta no longer actively practices the faith.

During moments of distress, Beta’s muscle memory might compel Delta to trace the Sign of the Cross or whisper a simple prayer like the Hail Mary or Our Father. It may not always be a conscious choice, but more of a grounding mechanism.

Memories of Filipino Catholic traditions like Simbang Gabi (night masses leading up to Christmas) or Holy Week re-enactments may bring bittersweet comfort.

Delta may find himself longing for the vibrant community gatherings and comforting rituals that Beta once cherished.

In an attempt to feel connected to Beta’s past, Delta may prepare traditional Filipino holiday foods like bibingka or puto bumbong during Christmas, or observe Undas (All Souls’ Day) by lighting candles and reflecting on those who have passed.

The Catholic value of serving others and the Filipino concept of Bayanihan (community support) may influence his actions.

He might go out of his way to help others, particularly those he perceives as vulnerable or suffering, as a way to channel the selflessness that Beta admired.

Delta’s Catholic-influenced ideals of forgiveness and redemption could fuel his resentment toward Killer. He may see Killer as someone refusing to seek redemption or atone for his actions.

Sans, who never had human religious beliefs, might feel frustration or confusion at the intrusive thoughts of guilt, punishment, and the concept of sin that Beta’s influence brings.

Delta may find himself rejecting certain aspects of Catholic doctrine while still clinging to the comfort of familiar prayers and rituals.

During moments of vulnerability, Delta might worry that the suffering he and those around him experience is divine punishment.

However, the more rational side of him — influenced by Sans’ perspective — might push back against this, creating an internal tug-of-war.

Over time, Delta may learn to separate Beta’s childhood understanding of religion from the more complex adult perspective he’s developing.

Rather than viewing God as an all-judging figure, Delta might find comfort in the Catholic teachings on grace, mercy, and unconditional love. Delta may ultimately find peace in honoring Beta’s cultural and spiritual roots without feeling bound by dogma.

Lighting candles for the dead, practicing kindness, and appreciating the beauty of community and resilience could become personal spiritual acts, rather than strictly religious ones.

Also, given the HC that Beta grew up with an abusive or neglectful family, it’s very likely that Beta could have been deeply involved in Marian devotion given his circumstances, particularly in the face of abuse, neglect, and extreme fear.

According to Google, in Filipino Catholic culture, devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is incredibly significant, and children in difficult environments often turn to Mama Mary for comfort, protection, and a sense of maternal love — especially when their own families are abusive or absent.

Coming from a neglectful or abusive household, Beta could have idealized Mary as the ultimate, kind, protective mother figure. He might have prayed to her often, believing she could offer the nurturing and unconditional love he didn’t receive at home.

After falling into the Underground and becoming separated from or having to leave Toriel, Beta may have clung to his Marian devotion more desperately.

Prayers like the Hail Mary or the Memorare (“Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary…”) would have been comforting mantras in moments of fear or despair.

In the darkness of the Underground, the idea of a gentle, watchful presence like Mary could have brought Beta strength.

Catholic teachings often emphasize Mary’s suffering during Jesus’s Passion and death. For Beta, who endured fear, pain, and eventual death, this might have made Mary feel deeply relatable. He may have believed that she understood suffering in a way no one else could.

Even as Beta fought for survival, Marian prayers may have lingered in his mind. He might have whispered them for courage during terrifying moments or when hiding from threats. The belief that Mary intercedes for those in need would have brought him comfort.

Upon his death and the entrapment of his soul in a jar, Beta’s connection to Mary may have become complicated.

Feelings of abandonment or confusion — questioning why his prayers weren’t answered — could leave him struggling with resentment or doubt. He might fear that even Mary, whom he saw as his protector, ultimately could not save him. Or didn’t want to save him.

Despite that, the deeply ingrained need for her comfort would remain. Echoes of past prayers and a yearning for her presence might be an underlying part of Beta’s emotional landscape, even after fusing with Sans as Delta.

While Sans would have no frame of reference for Marian devotion, Delta would likely retain some of Beta’s subconscious reliance on it.

In times of extreme stress or despair, Delta might instinctively recall Marian prayers or clutch at a symbolic item like a small rosary that Beta once owned.

Delta, with Sans’ pragmatic view of the world, may struggle to understand the spiritual comfort Beta once found in Mary. He might dismiss it as childish or naive, yet find himself unable to completely sever the emotional attachment.

Over time, as Delta works through his trauma and comes to terms with Beta’s past, he may gradually reclaim some of the peace that Marian devotion once offered.

Even if he doesn’t fully believe in the religious doctrine, the act of prayer itself — especially to Mary, a symbol of comfort and protection — could remain a grounding mechanism.

Delta might unconsciously seek out objects like a small Santo Niño statue (representing the Christ Child) or a Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia pendant, items that Filipino Catholics often keep for protection. Beta’s memories may give these symbols a lingering sense of safety.

During moments of grief or remembrance, Delta may light a candle, say a prayer, or even observe traditions like All Souls’ Day (Undas) — not strictly out of belief, but as a way of honoring Beta’s roots and coping with loss.

Given that Delta experiences flashbacks and/or dissociation, running his fingers over rosary beads might serve as a tactile grounding method, echoing Beta’s coping mechanism.

Delta may eventually confront the question of why Beta’s prayers weren’t answered. Through this, he might come to a more nuanced understanding — not of a world where prayers are simply granted, but one where resilience, love, and memories endure.

While Delta may not fully embrace Catholic beliefs, continuing small acts of Marian devotion might become his way of showing Beta — and himself — compassion.

What if Delta got kidnapped by Nightmare?

I fear he’d kill himself and Nightmare. He’s a straight menace in a fight and stocked to boot with heaps of reckless, somewhat endearing but all sorts of terrifying, bravery.

He’s going to be fist fighting any time they try to take him out of wherever they’re keeping him, assuming he doesn’t recognize immediately that fighting at every chance he gets and running his mouth could result in being bound and gagged. And he needs his hands and legs free.

He’d definitely be actively planning his own escape. He knows for certain that Epic and Color and Cross will come looking for him, he’d rather they not be anywhere near Nightmare or his castle.

One of his main concerns would probably also be trying to stay stable—to not allow himself to split off into Sans and Beta yet, he can do that when they’re safe.

Sans can’t afford to give up, and Beta is a child—it’s not his responsibility to try and motivate Sans to help him save them all while afraid himself.

Because either way, his main goal is to protect and save people. He doesn't want to put any innocents in danger. But when someone is captive under Nightmare and Nightmare is actively threatening them, he's not sure whether to take the risk of fighting or not.

So, would he fight to try to save them knowing Nightmare could kill them in a second, or would he steer clear of fighting and leave them behind to have a better chance at survival?

I don’t have a clear, decisive opinion on this one—but I do have some potential ideas. Perhaps it’s a debate that Delta has within himself—between Sans and Beta.

One is a child—who may or may not have been raised in and with Catholic values—and has the soul trait of bravery. This child is also already dead, and perhaps has beliefs regarding an afterlife of sorts.

Sans is an adult, who is removed from the religion that Beta grew up in. He is also basically implied to have been a scientist at some point—so he likely tends to think more logically, and considers things that the dead, brave, child he is fused with may not consider.

Either because the kid just simply didn’t consider or think about it, or simply because the idea of not doing something to save this person immediately feels cowardly. Perhaps to Beta, leaving an innocent behind is the equivalent of running with their tail between their legs.

And because Beta is a child who is already dead, perhaps he is often willing to discard his own safety or the possibility of death if it means saving people. Protecting people.

Sans may not be as gung-ho about this hero thing the same way Beta is, and he may not exactly be so opposed to death himself—but not when it puts the kid at risk.

But considering that Nightmare doesn’t often do killing of victims himself, because he believes that doesn’t allow him to gain from their negativity, perhaps it’d be a mixture between Beta’s bravery and Sans’ observation skills (able to tell how many times the Player has died supposedly just by the look on Frisk’s face) that gives Delta the courage to attempt calling out Nightmare’s possible bluff.

(Perhaps the back and forth inner dialogue between Sans and Beta actually comes to an abrupt halt when something in Nightmare’s facial expression or eye changes in such a way that both parts of Delta immediately notice, and it causes both halves to fall back into a single train of thought that brings a stark clarity to Delta with it.)

If that’s the route you decide to go, with or without the internal split debate between Beta and Sans in Delta’s psyche, then that probably means that character you mentioned still isn’t safe from harm.

Maybe safe from death, assuming Nightmare is in fact bluffing on this one, but not from physical, mental, emotional, or psychological harm.

If this character has some intelligence or is just rather quick thinking and observant, perhaps they either find a way to free themselves or fight Nightmare off long enough to put some distance between them—and that’s when Delta decides to immediately start physically fighting back, perhaps trying to simply hold Nightmare off while the other gets away.

(And maybe the other surprises him by refusing to just run away and leave him, and attempts to help him fight Nightmare and escape with them.

Maybe this is successful, or maybe it isn’t in that Delta isn’t able to get away— but they are. And perhaps they run to get help, planning to come back for Delta.)

Or maybe they both just immediately run away from Nightmare, and either both or only one of them successfully gets away.

Depends on your interpretation, these things were never touched on in their canons. But considering Delta and Beta honestly seem more like fused, while Color absorbed the six souls, I’d say that at least Beta can possibly do both.

He’s a spirit, so he can exist separately outside Delta’s body (which is a big advantage), but if you go with the idea that he can also take control over Delta’s body—then they’d see from D’s eyes too.

On the other hand, unlike between Delta and Beta, Color relies on the six souls to keep him alive, and they were absorbed in a moment of desperation.

They’d have a much more vested interest in keeping Color alive if they see through his eyes, even if they can’t exactly take full control over his body, besides potentially heavily influencing his mindset, emotions, and behaviors in a way that’s pretty startling if you aren’t used to it.

There may be one or two who are able to fully form separate spirits like Beta, at least eventually, but Color and his firelights have always kinda needed eachother from the moment Color absorbed them.

Which would also play into the guilt and sense of responsibility Color feels towards the kiddos, because thanks to his choice, they can no longer live fully separately from him; and as a cost of his choices, he can’t live without them.

I remember from the convo with Delta anon a while ago about how he'd feel and act when he's finally left to his own devices after getting used to Color and Epic living with him for so many years. He'd go full dissociation, maybe even being too afraid to break the silence in the apartment, desperately clinging to any memory he had of them - or trying to find a reason as to why the both seemingly abandoned him.

I also remember that he would most likely not contact them, probably out of fear that if he did and asked why they left, they either wouldn't answer or would give the most agonizing one. He would blame himself for it eternally if they ever said that he pushed them away or something like that.

So, I've got some extremes down that I can use. But do you have any more ideas or advice on writing it? (It's fine if not!)

I made this little ask that some links to tips for writing dissociation in general, I don’t know if it’ll help or not, but it’s there.

I suppose it’s also important to consider what is triggering this dissociation episode. Stress, trauma memory, overwhelm—from either him, Beta, or both—or perhaps he and Beta are starting to get “blurry” and don’t even really know who they are? Maybe Beta remembered something distressing about his human life, or Delta/Sans had a dream about Frisk or Papyrus. Also to consider how much they remember afterwards—also to figure out is the dissociation just derealization, just depersonalization, or both?