Chapter Text
Another adventure, another set of recruits to get, and another part of the prophecy comes true.
Like always.
And like clockwork, you do puzzles, dodge attacks, and talk to the people around you.
All while pretending you were someone who you weren't.
Call it identity theft, but it was more like you were wearing living skin, and you were the parasite that controlled in the inside.
Not wanting to think more about it, you advance onwards.
You were stuck on some random mini boss, and as usual, the world turns black around you after being hit one too many times.
But, something about this death was off...
You didn't watch yourself split into two, then fragmenting into hundreds of pieces before your very eyes.
And it didn't seem like it was going to happen either.
You felt as if you had been waiting an eternity.
The deafening silence making it hard to think.
No wind, no quiet low humming sound, Nothing.
The endless void stretching for what seemed to be farther than you could comprehend.
And all you could see
was
pure
nothingness.
Suddenly,
You heard some very quiet music, along side the sound of that robotic voice again.
Could it be the stranger from the phone?
"HELLO,
PLAYER."
You jolt around to look him in the face, shocked to be met with something that looks like nothing you have ever seen before.
His face split on both sides, his eyes piercing, locked on you. He seemed to be purely black and white.
You were there frozen, not out of fear but more so out of awe.
Something about him seemed... ethereal? He had some sort of glow to him.
"IT IS QUITE NICE YOU SEE YOU AGAIN.
ESPECIALLY FACE TO FACE."
Your throat unclenched, you never even noticed that it was clenched in the first place.
Could you finally... speak?
With your own words?
Your own voice?
Your own true thoughts?
'Who... are you!?'
You yelled, your voice raspy from unuse.
You had no time to ponder how this could have happened, for all you know you could be in danger!
"WHERE ARE MY MANNERS?
I HAVE NOT INTRODUCED MYSELF.
I AM GASTER."
"Gaster..?"
You mutter, testing the name in your tongue.
"Huh. Sounds nice."
Gaster seemed to lean a bit closer to you, his eyes widening ever so slightly, while his pupils remained locked on you.
You looked away, not entirely comfortable with the close proximity with such a seemingly mystical being, not knowing his intentions.
'Why am I here?' You think as your mind starts to race, "Why wont you give me back my vessel?" you think to yourself.
"I WISH I WAS ABLE TO.
"YOUR CREATION WAS TRULY WONDERFUL.."
"AS FOR WHY YOURE HERE, I JUST WISH TO HAVE A FRIENDLY CONVERSATION IS ALL."
You didn't realise you might have been talking out loud, but your curiosity made the shock wear off.
"Well, where is it?"
Gaster's face drops, seemingly feeling guilty.
"I HAVE YET TO FIND IT. I AM VERY SORRY...
YOUR CREATION WAS WONDERFUL..."
"Oh.. wait.. What is happening to Kris?? Are they ok??"
"WELL, LETS TRY TO IMAGINE IT."
The air was humid, the fun gang seemingly in some sort of flower field walking down a path. The three adorning flower crowns made from daisies and buttercups upon their heads as the smell of roses and daffodils wafted the warm air. Ralsei clasped his hands together, not focusing on anything in particular, while Susie walks with a rose head in her mouth, the stem poking out her teeth as she watches the butterflies and other wildlife fly and cling to the leaves of the dark candy trees, the candy seemingly recently picked and leaving the hard to reach candy on the top area of the tree.
There was a bridge in front of the trio, and a sign reading "Only those brave enough shall pass my bridge!".
The trio came to a halt before the bridge as Kris seemed to be clenching their hands, shaking.
"Kris, are you alright? We can take a break if you want!" Ralsei suggested, his voice gentle and kind.
Kris slowly looked around, starting to shake more and more as they clasped their chest. They seemed... lost?
"Kris? You ok?" Susie questioned. Both Ralsei and Susie started to get worried, they watched as Kris tried to walk, before Susie caught them before they collapsed onto the ground 2 steps in. You could somehow feel the cool dirt beneath you, but you weren't there, Kris was.
"Dude! You look ill!" Susie exclaimed as she noticed how pale Kris was getting. Susie shot her heal at Kris, but to no avail.
Both Kris and Ralsei were looking around, Ralsei knelt beside Kris.
"Why are you guys looking around..?"
"Oh..Susie could you go look for some healing items?" Ralsei asked, a weak smile adorned his face, though it seemed anything but sincere.
"What? But healing Kris didn't-"
"Please, Susie."
"...You never tell me anything!" Susie roared as she stormed off, looking for healing items.
"Kris. What happened."
Ralsei placed his hand on Kris' shoulder, looking into their eyes.
"Please, tell me Kris. I just want to help."
Kris brushed Ralsei's hand off their shoulder as they averted their gaze.
Ralsei's eyebrows furrow as he took their hands in his to check something, his eyes widening in shock.
"Kris...? Where is.."
Ralsei stumbled over his words, taking a deep breath to try speak more calmly.
"Where is your.. soul...?"
The words hung in the air, Ralsei felt Kris' hands growing cold.
Kris didn't dare answer.
Ralsei couldn't know that this entire time, they never said anything themselves, but a parasite did.
Every kind word,
every thoughtful gesture,
because of that stupid soul.
Suddenly, you felt a firm hand on your "shoulder".
You open your "eyes" to see Gaster wiping your away the tears you didn't know you cried.
"NOW, WHAT ARE THESE TEARS FOR?"
"Kris needs me! I have to get back there!" You exclaim
"HEY. I CAN SEND YOU BACK IF YOU WANT."
"Please, I dont want Kris to die!"
"THEY AREN'T GOING TO DIE.
THEY ARE JUST SLOWLY LOSING CONCIOUSNESS AND WILL SOON WAKE UP IN THE LIGHT WORLD."
"And what happens after that???"
".....
LETS GET YOU BACK TO KRIS." Gaster murmured, attempting to be reassuring despite the situation.
"Uh... Gaster,
will I see you again after this?"
"OF COURSE.
YOU ARE FREE TO COME HERE ANY TIME."
"Well...
Next time... don't take me out while Kris is awake, ok?"
"I PROMISE."
And just like that, you were back in the game.
Ralsei was knelt beside Kris as he tried to check for the soul again, relieved to see it was there.
Back into the fire you go, you could say.