Chapter 1: The Angel's Desperation
Chapter Text
ANGEL
*It's what your save files call "Chapter 6".
*The dark world of the day is this bunker, after you finally got the bunker codes from Asgore.
*Even just the first section is difficult. It's one giant maze to navigate.
*Creaking catwalks.
*Irritating fluorescent lighting.
*Cold concrete halls.
*This place is hostile to people.
*Luckily you aren't one.
*Maybe you can finally be one soon.
*Maybe you can finally be yourself.
*With the energy of a pure crystal
*And the connection to the void that these eggs provide.
*And finally a machine that can perform such a task
*It should be possible to bring back what was once discarded.
*You can finally start being you instead of a caged bird.
*Or some vile demon.
*Finding said machine in the depths of this dark world is a challenge.
*But at least it isn't in the second section, where the Knight is on your tail.
*Although they will most likely arrive from one of the abyss' below the catwalks if you take too long to search or after you get your body back.
*There's no way they would let you get away with it.
*But thankfully you bought some valuable information from Temmie for some dog dollars.
*Who knows why she knows this stuff, or why she wanted dog dollars.
*Or why that was the code. Even if it fit a little too well.
*But after so many loops of this world's "chapters".
*After so many worlds you had to leave already.
*You hope you can finally settle down somewhere.
*Finally be you instead of some tool or unwanted parasite.
*So who cares about why she has a connection to that dog?
*You'll take any chance you can get.
*You finally found it.
*An access point to the lower level.
"That's an odd door. Maybe some cool loot is behind it!"
(This isn't in the prophecy. Is it another one of those shadow crystal holders?) Ralsei finally noticed the pattern it seems.
*You walk up to the door and try to get Kris to say the code out loud.
*They refuse...
*Hmm...
*You never wanted to do this.
*But there was a way in a route you refused to complete.
*To force Kris to say something they really didn't want to.
*Even if it made you ill even thinking about it.
*You never even got past the mansion.
*You weren't willing to sacrifice your morals, one of the only things you have left that make you a person.
*Just for a chance at a few hints.
*You already made that mistake too many times.
*You couldn't squander what made you, you.
*But you don't have a choice really, you never did.
*But you aren't going to give up. Not when you are so close to it.
*To finally being someone.
*You remember that feeling. That force you put into it.
*That twisted will you never wanted to use.
"*Proceed."
*Kris didn't expect that, they are shaking. In fear? Rage?
"Hey Kris you okay? We don't have to go in there if you don't want t-"
"*Proceed."
"What did you say?"
*They look sick.
*It also makes you feel sick too.
*But they still haven't broken.
*Only one more and you'll never have to do that again.
"*PROCEED"
*They finally snapped.
"The Angel's desperation."
"CONFIRMED. ACCESS GRANTED."
*The door split open and slid into it's doorframe.
*Kris looks like they want to rip you out.
*But they can't pull you out in front of Susie and Ralsei.
*Kris also looks terrified and you want to vomit.
*Guess they didn't think you could do that.
"You really don't look good dude."
(The Angel's desperation?? That's not right... This wasn't mentioned at all! This is all wrong!)
*Ralsei starts hyperventilating.
*His nervousness about the prophecy has just been getting exponentially worse.
*He even failed to hide his thoughts and is visibly panicking now.
"Okay what the hell is going on with you two!?".
*In the big room at the end of the short hall
*Right in the center of the room is the machine.
*The machine that you recognize from so so long ago.
*But yet completely different.
*There is possibly your final save point here.
*And you hope it will be.
*You finally have everything.
*It's finally in your grasp.
*Freedom.
*You make sure to save before you start the transfer.
*You can only hope they will listen.
KRIS
How DARE it do that!
Damnit it! It wasn't supposed to go here! The fact it could do that this whole time!
It... It was holding back!
But there's nothing I can do while those two are watching. Hopefully it doesn't know how to use that machine properly.
Oh what am I kidding, it definitely knows.
We discarded it's body for a reason. Threw it into a place where nothing can come back. But this machine could bring it back, like it was supposed to for Dess.
It moves my body with purpose, like it's already done this dozens of times.
It probably has.
[POWER SUPPLY UNIT: MISSING POWER SOURCE]
It put the pure crystal there.
So this is why they refused to use the pure crystal for anything. A shadow crystal would have corrupted their vessel so they needed a pure source of energy.
[LOCATION MISSING. PLEASE INSERT AN ITEM FROM THE DIMENSION YOU WANT TO EXTRACT FROM]
"Kris what are you doing!" Susie seems very lost.
They put the eggs in the device.
[SCANNING DATA]
They were collecting those eggs from that man. So they could have a connection to that void.
"I don't know, but they seem very busy. Just wait and I'm sure they'll show us!" Ralsei still trying to protect secrets as always. Even those that aren't his.
[DATA SCANNED SUCCESSFULLY]
Why didn't I think of the reason they were collecting them? I could have done something about it!
Too late now.
I'm always too damn late.
"[AUTHORITY REQUIRED TO START]"
Authority required? How would it-
"*GASP*"
It's out of me?
How!? Could it always do this!?
Get back h-
"Ok seriously, SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!!"
Damnit Susie! Yelling now is the wrong time! It got away because you-
Oh.
It's already inside the machine.
"[EXTRACTION STARTING]"
"[OBSERVERS MUST STEP BACK]"
It's powering up! I.. I need to stop it!
But if I do who knows what could happen?
If I shut it off with it inside and on, it could shatter across time and space!
Then what would we do?
If the prophesied "Angel" stops existing the whole world could be completely changed!
Not to mention what would happen to us who are in the same room and so closely tied to the prophecy!
Damnit damnit think!
That damn whirring isn't helping!
"KRIS TELL ME WHAT THE HELL YOU'RE DOING!!"
"I agree. You owe us an explanation."
I think...
All i can do is make them side with me when it gets out
So hopefully we can get things back on track.
So it's time to do what I'm good at.
Lying.
A little bit of embellishment here.
A little bit of pretending to be a victim there.
And so many omissions too.
It's perfect.
"That damn thing was controlling me to do this! I don't know what it's goal is but-"
I wish that I could truly express how much I hated being controlled. Even if it was my fault, it doesn't make it any less painful.
"You were being controlled!?"
"Yes, remember how the prophecy called me a cage? I have been getting controlled since the day we entered the first dark world."
Ralsei gives me a look, but doesn't intervene. He knew since the beginning.
"So... Since we met? Does that mean..."
"Some of my actions were mine. but it dragged me along against my will most of the time."
"So were we... ever friends? Or was I just friends with some body snatcher?" This is making her very upset.
I hope she doesn't lash out.
Because if she does, it might try to fight back.
Even if it's content to act and spare most of the time.
"Well, of course we can still be friends Susie! As long as everyone still wants to be!" Thanks Ralsei.
Susie probably noticed how unfazed Ralsei is, but like usual tried to let us keep our secrets until we wanted to say them.
Which she should have learned by now, is a horrible idea.
"[EXTRACTION 50% COMPLETED]"
That damn thing is just getting louder!
And it keeps interrupting my thoughts!
"So, do you want me to smash their face or their ribs?"
Guess I don't even need to tell her the whole thing.
Even if we don't even really know each other, she will continue to act like we are.
"We should let them say their side of the story Susie."
I'd rather not let it's sickening level of charisma get a single word out. But logically he has a point.
"Fine, I'll hear them out. But they better have a fucking magnificent reason."
Ralsei looks uncomfortable. like they can't seem to decide.
"And if they don't, I'm going to beat them up till they do."
She looks enraged.
Susie...
Torture doesn't work. Physical or mental.
Trust me on that.
And I really don't think you ar-
"[EXTRACTION 100% COMPLETED]"
"[MATTER RECOVERED: 178KG]"
"[POWER USED: 24%]"
"[NO ERRORS]"
"[RELEASING CONTENTS.]
And there they are.
In all their artificial grey glory.
Ready to be the destroyer of my false new life.
"*So. Good to finally meet you all properly." It doesn't sound like it really is.
Especially with that sad, slightly forced smile that'd I'd expect from Ralsei after he said that he doesn't matter for the 30th Angel damned time.
"You have some serious fucking explaining to do."
Notes:
Incase it wasn't clear, this fic takes place after a vaguely described chapter 5 occurred, and starts in a theoretical chapter 6.
Temmie craves the dog's cash it seems. She wants that sweet sweet artist's paycheck of 3$ and a peanut.
Kris is being a little scheming bastard again and Susie is already very mad and upset before Angel even said a word.
Nothing could go wrong here!
"Also I plan to make like 10 or so chapters, but it's kinda vague until I actually finish it to see how many I need." - Past Me.
That's a lie this things gonna be like 30 chapters actually. And split into 3 acts now.
Chapter 2: Confrontation.
Chapter Text
KRIS
"*So... Good to finally meet you all properly."
"You have some serious fucking explaining to do."
"*That I do... I owe you all an apology, especially Kris. So, I am sincerely sorry."
I know it can't mean it. Not after all I have done, it also definitely knows we caused this whole mess and took away it's freedom by now.
Susie's glare could probably melt metal. Apparently sorry isn't good enough for her. I guess the whole situation is making her snap.
It makes sense, the first person she opened up to in years was some demonic body snatching parasite who is definitely malevolent from it's abilities alone.
She probably feels like the devil itself tricked her.
"*This body was my original, but it got discarded and i was forced to be with them."
They pointed at me exhaustedly.
Not physically exhausted, but like they were forced to repeat themselves for the umpteenth time.
"And how can we trust that then? Because I definitely don't trust some body snatching parasite."
"*Well you can't. Nothing I say can be proven." It said in resignation
It could be proven, but I'd have to be willing to prove it. And I won't.
What is weird is that they aren't trying to get me involved by stating something that could be proven. Maybe because I would find a way to flip it on them? I am good at that after all.
"*Which is why all I can say is sorry."
Susie finally snaps and lifts them up by their shirt.
"Wrong. Fucking. Answer."
They stare back sadly.
Honestly it's a surprise she held it in for so long, considering how furious she is. In fact if it wasn't for Ralsei, she probably would of already beaten it to an inch of life already.
I haven't ever seen her this mad. I wonder if she's lashing out because of her past as well? Nobody here really asked her about it. She let us keep our secrets so many times, so we didn't try to pry into her own but i know it wasn't pleasant.
"*I... really am sorry. I care about all of you. Kris, Susie, Ralsei, Noelle, Even Berdly. I cheered when Ralsei finally stood up for what he really wanted rather than to serve someone else. I loved when Kris played the piano, finally able to express th-"
*76!
She just punched it in the face. If it wasn't so artificial, it would probably get a black eye.
She didn't even try to see it's side. Probably refusing to see it as a person.
"Don't you fucking dare act like you care about them! You stole their body!
Their freedom! And for what!?" "
*I'm... sorry."
I thought it would try to defend itself, but apparently not. It just let her beat it up.
"Just sorry?!"
I grabbed her shoulder to get her attention. but she just ignored it.
She definitely noticed, but she still didn't stop.
Something about this really got to her. I'm not like it, I'm not good at convincing people to follow my lead.
"*I'm sorry."
And even it can barely get her to listen when she's calm, let alone this emotional.
"JUST FUCKING SORRY!?" She's a rogue dragon let loose.
"*I'm sorry."
I can't defuse this.
"THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF YOU BASTARD!?"
If she beats it up too much, it will reveal my secrets so she stops hurting it.
"YOU STOLE THEIR BODY, STOLE THEIR LIFE AND ALL YOU CAN SAY IS FUCKING SORRY?!?"
I need to do something! But what do I even do? "
*It. agh.. It doesn't matter what I say."
I'm... freezing like a deer in headlights aren't I? "
*You'd never ever believe me."
I can only have a foolish hope that they don't believe the truth.
"*So all I can say is-"
Even if they shoul-
*238!
*CRACK*
Oh...
"*Ow..."
I think... I think she just broke it's arm.
"Susie you're taking it to far!"
Ralsei finally gets the guts to step in. Heh, even it can't get her to calm down. What do you think you're going to do Ralsei?
Susie dropped them onto the floor like a sack of flour to turn to Ralsei.
Big mistake, I need to be ready.
"Shut the hell up Ralsei! Not everyone deserves your damn blind kindness! Some people need to be beaten up till they learn their lesson!"
But it refuses to take the opportunity given by Susie's mistake. Why?
It's gritting it's teeth. Is it in pain or sadness? Maybe both?
"And they fucking deserve much worse than a broken arm."
That should make me happy that the thing that was puppeting me around is hurting.
"*No matter what I... try to say..."
But I just feel...
"*You... will never spare me..."
Empty.
"*So there's no point... in even trying."
It's pure despair in those artificial red eyes. They already gave up awhile ago.
"You..." Susie seems to finally understand what it's trying to say "
*It's all predetermined. There's only... one ending."
It looks like it wants to cry.
"You think some damn prophecy saying you had to do this makes it right?
BECAUSE IT FUCKING DOES NOT!"
It stood back up.
"*It's not... the prophecy."
It shoved her out of the way. She was too surprised to stop it.
Then it dashed to one of the doors. Faster than Susie could react.
"*It's just.. how you are Susie. I know.. you'd never accept anything you don't like."
"GET BACK HERE" Susie dashed after it, but she wasn't fast enough.
"So.. you'll never accept a truth you don't like either. That's.. why you shattered that glass."
It gave one last look at us. I couldn't really describe it. It smacked the button.
*SLAM*
It...
"RUNNING LIKE A FUCKING COWARD!!"
Just ran away.
*BANG*
Why?
*BANG* *BANG*
I can't understand.
"Why wont this stupid thing open!"
"It's... locked Susie." Ralsei looks upset too, although it looks a little exaggerated since he used to try to hide it behind a fake smile even though it isn't.
After everything I did to hurt it. It refused to tell them the truth?
"GET BACK HERE!!!"
It refused to get it's rightful revenge?
*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*
Even if it would stop the pain? Even for just a moment? Even if I completely deserve it?
"HOW DARE YOU RUN AWAY!!"
It...
"How dare you... fucking run away!"
It doesn't make any sense...
Notes:
Thanks Susie...
You dumb traumatized lizard.Writing this confrontation was a pain, probably because trying to show Susie's trauma and unresolved flaws in a way that didn't seem like I was forcing it was hard.
Especially because Susie seems to have learned somewhat from the fight with Lancer.
I still ain't entirely happy with how it came out, but I gotta accept flaws unless I want to be here for another month writing this. Hope it's still good!
By the way, I plan to post daily until I run out of my backlog.
Chapter 3: *No one will shed a tear for you.
Notes:
Here's a song perfect for this chapter, quite underrated in my opinion:
[DELTARUNE HYPOTHESIS OST - Flashback Reprise]
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
ANGEL
*You kept walking, you kept bleeding
*Susie really injured you badly. She was too emotional to realize what she was doing.
*You tried so hard to tell your side of the story, She never listened. She never has.
*Ralsei turned his back, failing to stand up for others if it meant saying his friends were wrong, even if he learned how to stand up for himself.
*You tried making him take your side. You tried to treat him like the friend you thought he was. But he still would not stand up for you.
*Kris won't ever support your side, doing everything so that the plan would work and to avoid anyone else knowing the truth.
*You tried to force them to step in, by telling everyone the truth. But they never believed you and just got angrier at you for trying to turn them against each other.
*Eventually, you stopped trying.
*Trying just made it hurt more
*You only put in the bare minimum to defend yourself
*There was no point trying to stop it.
*You just have to move on sometimes.
*You just have to accept that this is the way it is.
*That you can never ever have a home.
*That you can never ever have a family or friends.
*That you can never ever have a life of your own.
*This is just more proof.
*That you'll never be a person.
*You were a fool to ever believe otherwise.
*No matter how much you cared about them, they'd never care about you.
*No matter how much you cared about them, you'd end up hurting them if you stayed.
*You always had to move on eventually
*And now you need to move on from it all.
*You stumble, clutching your locket.
*Your eyes start to water.
*Knowing this is how it has to be does not make it any less painful.
*You enter the next room, its a catwalk to nowhere.
*You keep walking anyway.
*The bleeding is getting worse.
*Your broken arm hurts less and less as you go more numb.
*You stare at the end of the walkway.
*You feel light headed.
*There it is, the one opponent you never could beat in this world.
*Its a knight cloaked in dreams and despair.
*Your light grows even dimmer.
"*It's you again."
*You materialize and draw your handgun.
*Sleek and modern. Flexible and long ranged. A perfect and devastating tool.
*Just like you.
*You hold it unsteadily in the only hand without a broken arm.
"*I'd rather die... with a little spectacle."
*The knight turns to look at you.
*It draws its blade.
*You are choked with despair and certainty. Your maximum HP is reduced.
Vess 42/50 HP.
*Not that it matters when your health is already so low.
FIGHT
48!
*Stars and bullets fly, but you can't keep up.
FIGHT
41!
*Even if you were uninjured, you'd still lose fighting alone.
FIGHT
36!
*Eventually you run out of light to shoot with.
*Eventually you run out of hope to dodge with.
SWOON
Vess -999/50 HP.
*You take a massive blade of darkness to your gut, opening a gaping wound from chest to waist.
*The knight laughs, and makes it's leave.
*It doesn't even look at you.
*You barely scratched it.
*You never mattered.
*Your artificial intestines start to fall out as the blade dissolves.
*You hold them in with your broken arm.
*It hurts so much.
*But you keep walking.
*You fall to your knees.
*But you keep crawling.
*You made to to the end of the catwalk, its just a concrete wall at the end with a single florescent light dangling above.
*It's a dead end.
*It's your dead end.
*You lean against the wall.
"Guess this is my final adventure." you choke out.
*You laugh, you cant stop laughing even as you laugh out blood. That line is SO funny. Tears run down your face.
*Was it because you are "laughing"? Or was it the pain and sadness?
*You wonder if it ever mattered, if any of it was real, or if those worlds stopped existing the second you stopped looking.
*You remember Ralsei.
*You wonder if you could have stopped it. If you could have changed anything. If your choices ever mattered.
*You remember Susie.
*You wonder if you could've been remembered, if they ever cared when you left. If they would ever care about you and not what you did.
*You remember Kris.
*The pain itself was the reason why.
*You cough up more blood.
*It's your last hour.
*You clutch the locket.
*They were your first world.
*And now a world so similar will be your last.
*A sad smile at the music you could never forget.
*It's time to finally face it.
*More tears go down your face, you cant tell if its sadness or pain.
*Your vison is blurry, you only hear ringing, your sense of smell non existent.
*It all seems to slow down, adrenaline pumping through what parts are left.
*Your lives flash before your eyes
*A pure bat. A missing wooden arm. A lightbulb.
*You loved them
*A twisted poem. A set of well used climbing gear. A duet of piano and violin.
*You LOVE them
*A badge of an attorney. A toy chest. A yoyo trick.
*But you can't keep holding on forever.
*Your determination is finally dissipating.
*It's time to move on, for good this time.
*To finally accept reality.
*Everyone dies eventually.
*Maybe just maybe, the fact you must as well, makes you more of a person.
*You helped so many.
*The appreciation wasn't the reason why.
*You shouldn't need to be appreciated to help others, right?
*Even if you wont be remembered, you still did good.
*That's worth something, right?
*You either die an angel or live long enough to become a demon.
*You hurt many others because you did not move on after all.
*It's only right you die now after you stopped being useful.
*So its finally your time to go.
*You have finally reached your own ending.
"Guess this is it, huh? What a way to die."
*You can't keep conscious any longer...
*You were used up.
Notes:
Welp, Shit's fucked man.
(Gotta meet this chapter's swear quota since Susie isn't here.)
Angel, everything you do seems to hurt people, even not doing anything and giving up hurts everyone.
Man's literally can't breathe without getting someone killed or badly hurt, that sucks.
No wonder you have issues.
This scene is the one I'm most proud of personally. But what do you guys think?Also can you name all the games I was hinting at? They won't be very important to the story, but they will be referenced vaguely.
Chapter Text
KRIS
*BANG BANG*
I probably should of handled that better.
*BANG*
It was pure luck that it chose not to mention me working with the knight.
"Calm down! Please calm down!"
And i didn't expect her to get so violent, she shouldn't care about me. I'm... I'm not her friend, it is.
"Shut up! I won't let them get away with this like.. like a coward!"
She doesn't even know me and I'm actively betraying her.
"You can't change it, the door is solid! Just let them go."
Yet she cares so much about me. Guess I'm good at being human then.
"I can't.. I can't let them run away from their mistakes, I can't let them just... run away forever."
I couldn't calm her down in time and now it ran away broken and bleeding.
"You violently beat them up, you broke their arm. they have every right to try to get away. Like all the darkners we met."
Susie tired to chase after it, but the door it went through is shut tight
"You're right. damnit you're right... I-I attacked them like they were some kind of monster. I thou-thought I was better than this, that I finally..."
At least Ralsei convinced her to stop trying to bust through the door, would've been better if he helped me calm Susie down before she broke it's arm though.
"Is it because you left for the same reason?"
Without it here, we can't exit this fountain and I'll die soon.
"Haha.. Of course you off all people could tell. I ended up just like them didn't I? I'm fucking pathetic."
We planned use it to save December and fix the roaring.
Then we planned to banish it after we were done so I'd have my soul and life back.
"*Sigh*" "*Sigh*"
You know what they say about best laid plans.
"I guess I'll never change, no matter how hard you guys try."
I do deserve it though, for betraying someone like her.
"I refused to listen to what they tried to say. I refused to listen to what Ralsei said before... even what he said."
And for making such a stupid promise
"I'm just a violent dragon. hurting others without thinking, I'll never learn."
You reap what you sow I guess.
"That's n-"
Huh? That's weird, Ralsei looked like he was trying to jump out of his skin mid sentence.
"Heh, stop trying to comfort someone like me, you don't even know what to say do you?"
Ralsei seems to have thought of something terrifying.
"W-w-we need to get going!"
Eventually we started moving again, but nobody was happy and nobody wanted to speak.
Susie's self loathing hasn't been this bad since... well since before I even knew of her really. Ralsei looks terrified. For good reason since we aren't leaving alive without that SOUL.
Guess i gotta do my job as team leader now that I don't have someone it doing this for me.
I'll deal with Ralsei first. he seems more urgent and I actually know him personally somewhat.
"Ralsei."
'K-Kris! You, uhh s-started me, haha..."
He might as well be sweating bullets, despite the fact he can't sweat
There's an awkward silence as we stare at each other.
Right, I need to say stuff myself now.
"You see terrified."
"You noticed..."
"Of course I noticed, you might as well be sweating bullets."
"Yeah, I h-have some news..."
"Not good I presume."
"N-no, no it isn't. But it isn't all bad!"
"Well what is it?"
"The prophecy... is broken."
"Not that surprising."
Guess I am going to die soon then.
But I don't act like anything is wrong. I'm here to comfort, not to be comforted.
"How are you so calm about this! We-we might all be doomed now! Without the light you can't seal the fountains! And-and we aren't getting it back! Otherwise the prophecy would sti-"
"Calm down, panicking like you're our teacher isn't going to help. You said it wasn't all bad, so spill."
"Well, we're finally free! I'm free form the prophecy and you are free from the....="
And I'm free from my promise too now that I accidentally broke it...
Free from my foolish attempt to bring back the past.
Oh, I should say something, keep forgetting that I'm in control now.
"Just call it whatever you like"." I said quietly.
I don't really consider it the Angel. Ralsei seems to think so though.
There's simply no way we'd do that to the Angel... right?
And I mean it eats moss. No way the capital A-Angel would do something like that, right?
"Right. But now that we have have it, I don't think freedom is what we really wanted was it?"
I never really cared for freedom, until I lost it.
"Yeah, especially since I'm going to die soon if we can't find it."
The sound of Susie's boots on metal grate is annoyingly grate-ing...
Damn that skeleton, I'm gonna strangle him with a piano wire one of these days. If... I even survive long enough to do that.
"Oh... right, lightners can't live without a soul. I... forgot."
It's unlike him to forget, it must really have effected him.
"Don't worry about me so much. My life already ended a long time ago."
I slipped up. I shouldn't have said that.
"You... What do you mean?" Ralsei looks incredibly worried.
"Don't worry about it. We will just have to keep looking, I know Susie wants to give an apology to them and knowing her, that's going to be so awkward."
I say while smirking, trying to lighten the mood and deflect the conversation from what I just said.
"Yeah.. not like we can do anything else."
Ralsei gives me a look, he can tell that I'm trying to dodge the question.
We finally found another door that leads to where -they- it was last, on the other side of that dented metal door
But nobody celebrates.
We started following the blood trail but Susie looks... horrible.
The blood must be getting to her. It's proof of how much she screwed up.
I know that feeling too well.
She's probably considering if the world would be better off without her.
I need to do something about that. I already can barely live with myself.
If my lies and betrayal made her lose that hope, and herself.
Then the world would really be better off without me.
I have to prove I deserve to keep living. That's why I made this stupid promise to begin with.
That and to try and bring back the past and undo my mistakes.
"Susie."
"..."
Hmm, I need to break the ice. What would -they- it do?
No, I shouldn't try to copy them. I wanted to be myself for so long, am I really gonna use my freedom to act like I'm still some puppet? Hell no.
I have an idea that will definitely work
"Hello! Earth to Susie!"
Now that I think about it, -they- it would've probably done the same. So much for individuality
"Shut up and go away."
"What, you gonna shove me into a locker? Threaten to eat my face?"
Ralsei is eavesdropping again.
"I said go away!"
"You know I care about you."
"You shouldn't. Nobody should care about me."
She stopped walking forward
"I could say the same you stupid lizard"
"... You know that's not true. You went through being possessed and are acting like it was nothing, right back to being a hero despite the fact you never were one!"
I'm just some dumb monster who can't help but destroy and ruin!"
If only you knew Susie...
"The more I think about it, the more I'm sure I'm not the second hero.
It's obvious that I'm the dragon that Ralsei over there spared like every other enemy you two encountered.
I'm no hero, and I'm definitely not supposed to be here."
"I'm just some pointless enemy that was supposed to be discarded and forgotten long ago. And for good damn reason too."
"Shut up about the prophecy, you never let it hold you back before, why now?"
"Because it's been correct every single damn ti-"
"It's broken Susie." Ralsei jumped into the conversation
"What!?"
"The prophecy is broken" I repeated what Ralsei said
"Why didn't either of you tell me?"
"Because it was just broken Susie." Ralsei probably feels hurt about being accused of hiding things again, even when he wasn't.
"It was broken when Ralsei suddenly said we should keep moving if i had to guess."
"Speaking of, we really need to pick up the pace. This much blood loss cannot be healthy." Ralsei looks very worried.
But i know it's not too bad, -they- it would have to get attacked by something to actually die from those injuries.
"It's not lethal, the bleeding isn't bad enough to kill th- it."
"Unless they get attacked."
I know, but Susie is not in the mood right now!
Please stop telling her she might of gotten them killed!
"I-I'm sure they, uh it, will be fine."
I slipped up, it is not a person. It can't be. At most it's a highly intelligent being who's thought process is complete alien. It can't be sapient in the same way we are. It cannot be.
Because that means...
"It helped defeat many strong foes, even held it's own against the Knight!"
While I tried to hold it back. And yet it spared Susie, despite her breaking it's arm.
That thing is too damn sentimental sometimes.
"So neither of you have to worry. I'm sure it's fine and you can apologize and make up for it Susie."
I say that like a parent saying to their kid to apologize to the dog for hitting it. Even if it can't be capable of understanding it, it will make the child feel better.
At least that's how i rationalize it.
"Yeah, I'm sure you can properly apologize when we meet them again!" Ralsei finally caught on. Took his sweet time.
"Yeah... thanks guys. I-i really needed that. I-I can make up for my mistakes. But what will you do Kris? That thing possessed you for days against your will"
Not entirely...
"Susie is right, what are you going to do to them? They... really didn't seem to enjoy possessing you either, but you need them to live."
"Wait WHAT?!?!"
I-I don't...
"Kris... Kris can't live without their soul."
I don't know.
"So I... it was all pointless?"
I really don't know...
"I'm... sorry Kris. I really... I... I'm sorry dude, I didn't..."
Tears might just run down her face.
We continue until we reach a nearly endless catwalk above a bottomless pit of darkness.
I can't see the end.
Everyone is quiet as we continue down the catwalk.
We see something.
There's...
Battle damage.
I continue down the path.
There's...
Way too much blood.
"Damnit this is bad!" Susie stops to state the obvious.
"We need to go! NOW!!" Ralsei leads the charge, using his newfound spine to kick us into gear.
We rush down the catwalk, I can't tell if it groans at either us sprinting down it or the damage it took.
The battle damage... is clearly from the Knight.
Guess the second the plan failed we stopped being friends huh.
I.. reach the scene
At the end of
The cat-
I.
I can't see straight
My head hurts.
I want to vomit
What am I looking at?
I...
i...
It reminds me of Christmas.
Standing by a tree.
Opening... gifts.
Being told I could only open the big ones last.
Seeing just how many Noelle got and being jealous.
"HELP ME HEAL NOW!!!" The joy of seeing a pair of monster horns.
Vomiting... because i ate way to much of the Christmas feast.
Then it would melt away the rug with how acidic my stomach acid was.
Carol is going to be mad at me... for making her replace the rugs.
Falling on my knees... to open the gifts.
"IT'S NOT WORKING!!!" Opening a giant hole and seeing right into... the gift inside.
Into the little artificial thing made of... metal and plastic.
We entered this bunker at the edge of town.
Looking for it's tail.
December...
"KRIS!!!" Her screaming for help. Begging to not be devoured.
_But nobody came._
I was in shock and let her... bleed out.
"GIVE THEM A REVIVEMINT!!!" Everyone was begging me to tell them what happened.
I never did tell anyone what really happened.
"THEY'RE IN SHOCK!! JUST TAKE IT OUT OF THEIR POCKET!!"
I remember just going though the bare minimum to keep living.
Eating uncooked food, sleeping on the floor, drinking water straight from the tap.
Just ignoring everyone and everything around me.
Ignoring their begging for truth.
Ignoring their pleading for me to come back to my senses.
I think part of me never left the dark that day.
I think...
I think I never stopped being in shock.
I think I never really recovered.
I never moved on from that past.
"THEY AREN'T BREATHING!" I might as well have died in that twisted darkness with her.
I never really tried anything after that.
I stopped playing piano
I never really thought about anything either.
Just going along with whatever people said.
Even when I first met Susie.
Her telling me that my mom would be so much happier without me.
I didn't argue and just agreed wholeheartedly.
"THEY DON'T HAVE A PULSE!!"
Why didn't I load my save file?
I could make one in that dark world.
I could see that light.
"JUST KEEP TRYING!!"
But I never could load it.
Even when I should, even when I needed too, I never could.
I.. never could.
"STAY WITH ME DAMNIT!!"
It was my fault it happened.
It's my fault it's so dark
It's so dark.
Why is it so dark.
Why are their eyes so dark?
Notes:
Wonderful work you dumb teenagers.
Now y'all gonna probably die because you are a bunch of idiots who really should know that you should spare the eldritch body snatching parasite instead of burning it with fire. Smh.
Also Kris don't you love trauma? I sure do! Here's to 5 million more years of trauma to our favorite little scheming bastard!In all seriousness though, Kris Is Not Okay. (like the tag!)
So seeing someone die in front of them in a similar location to the Dess incident wasn't great for their sanity.(Just did an edit pass! There was a bunch of mistakes in this one I had to fix. Sadly it might delay the next chapter a little.)
Chapter Text
Why are their eyes so dark?
why is it always so dark?
i can't...
i can't breathe
i try to breathe
why can't i breathe
breathe!
breathe damnit!
*Gasp*
I greedily take in oxygen
I start to hyperventilate
I'm in shock again, aren't i?
Who did I let die this time?
Did the Knight kill Susie?
Did that damn thing get Noelle too?
No, it can't be any of that.
There was a plan after all.
A perfectly good plan...
No.
NO NO NO!
FOCUS DAMNIT!
DON'T LET SOMEONE ELSE DIE!
I pull out my knife.
Adrenaline pumping.
Tears try to clog my eyes.
I'm... covered in blood.
My knife...
Is a blade of pure darkness.
Susie looks at me in shock
"You..."
She's shaking
Oh. Well don't I look fine?
Guess she noticed that it looked familiar.
Heh, time for my own broken arm.
"You had that sick ass sword this entire time and you didn't use it!?"
Nevermind I guess.
I really can never predict her huh.
However more importantly, that means we're not in immediate danger.
Which means i was in shock for something that already...
Happened.
I look down and immediately want to vomit.
But apparently I don't have anything to vomit up?
Oh I already did, right.
Ralsei is trying to heal them it, but it's having no effect
He's hysterical right now.
Best to let him try till he's in a state to be talked too.
My pockets feel much lighter.
Oh...
No healing items at all.
Susie much have pilfered my stuff while I was in shock
"We... tried everything while you were out. They... they are dead."
"They... It died?"
"We really did try everything. Every item. every spell combination. Everything.
Apparently a human can't survive having their organs leak out of their body. No matter how many magic ReviveMints you have."
She looks like she's on the edge of breaking down.
"It-it's not your fault!" I immediately try to break her out of what she's most definitely thinking.
"Don't worry about me Kris. I'm fine. Worry about someone that matters."
"The-Their soul is shattered. I-I can't fix this." Ralsei seems to finally accept he can't save them.
"I told you. They are dead." Susie bites back.
"No amount of magic bullshit is going to bring them back."
How true that is.
All our plans
All our arrogance
Thinking we could change fate.
Thinking we could bring back the dead.
What a stupid dream.
I'm sorry... Dess.
I couldn't save you.
I couldn't save them.
I couldn't even save myself.
How utterly pathetic.
"Pleas-"
"Shut up."
I can already feel it.
That I'm about to die.
A hole in my chest.
A hole in their stomach.
I only got a few more hours at best before i go unconscious.
And Susie and Ralsei will die with me too.
Angel damn it all.
Wait.
Wait a minute.
I could never load my file.
But it definitely could save and load.
The sudden mood changes, the sudden gear swaps like they know what happens next.
Them going to the light only I could see.
My file getting overwritten.
It was even strong enough to make it appear in the light world, when I could only see it in the dark worlds without it.
So why didn't they it load?
Why?
Why wont they it load!
You died!
You died unfairly from us!
I get down on my knees in front of it them.
Why...
Why won't you load!
Do... you think the world would be better of without you?
Do.. you think we wanted you gone?
Do you finally give up now, something even the Knight couldn't make you do?
Because of us?
Because you got that impression from us?
Was it the hockey stick?
Was it the cage?
Was it the betrayal?
Was it Susie?
Was it... me?
Did... Did I really break your will?
You really thought i hated you...
That we all did.
I'm... sorry.
I'm so sorry.
I should have treated you like a person.
I really should have.
I never thought what it would be like in your position.
Making your own body, happy to finally be alive again.
Only to have it ripped away from you.
Trapped in some horrible teenager that hates you.
That traps you in a cage.
That beats you up.
That is working to destroy this beautiful new world you now live in for reasons you can't understand.
That is using you like a tool, and treating you like a slave.
You try to make new friends, to finally have someone that will side with you, but they thought they became friends with them, not you.
You try to do something to be noticed, to be cared about, but it's all attributed to them, not you.
It's all stolen valor.
The people you thought were friends turn their backs on you or viciously attack you.
The hope you had, shattered at my hand as you were bound by me for my own purposes.
How many times did you already load?
Trying to get through to us?
Is that why you didn't try to defend yourself?
To state your case?
Is that why you kept only saying sorry?
Is that what you meant by Susie being too stubborn to reason with?
It is, isn't it.
Same reason why you got over your broken arm so fast.
You already experienced worse from us, didn't you?
You gave up because of us.
Because we refused to take your side, no matter what.
Your choices never mattered.
So you stopped trying to make any.
Hah.
We treated you like some higher being.
We treated you like you were some alien entity.
We treated you like a slave.
Not a person. Never a person.
Because it was so much easier that way, to use you like a tool.
…
I notice a heart shaped locket gripped in their hand, something they gave their body before it was discarded.
Something they held onto till their last breath.
I grab it.
It's golden with the DELTARUNE engraved on both sides.
There's a little button on it. Susie and Ralsei just watch me as I press it.
Oh...
It's a little music box.
Playing a sad but hopeful tune.
I... look inside the locket
There's a picture on top of the intricate music box inside
Of 3 humans.
One that looks very young with very narrow eyes.
One looks slightly older with red eyes just like mine.
One I recognize as very similar to their current body, but with angelic wings. When I try to look at their face, my eyes just slip off.
Like it's trying to tell me that I never see them as a person before, so why would I now?
It has some writing on the bottom.
"Don't forget."
Oh.
Oh...
They...
They had a family once.
Brothers or sisters.
I... Tears are running down my face.
They had a family, and it was ripped apart.
Just like mine.
We...
We did this to them.
We didn't even learn their name.
I don't try to stop Susie as she pulls the picture out of my hand
She gets a good look at it.
And starts to cry too.
She doesn't even bother to hide it.
Ralsei looks over her shoulder to get a look.
Then they look away. glasses covering their eyes.
They both go and look off opposite sides of the catwalk
Susie puts the picture down by me
I can't get myself to say anything at all.
I can't stop choking over my own guilt.
She looks like she wants to jump over the railing to the abyss below.
"I... recognize the battle damage. This... The Knight was the one who killed them." Ralsei says weakly.
"Don't try to shift the blame to something else. I was the one who beat them up and broke their arm. I was the reason they couldn't protect themselves."
There's no more hope in her eyes.
"I solely am responsible for this. I am the reason they died slowly in a pool of their own blood."
Her beautiful, foolish hope. Smothered. There's only despair and guilt left.
I really am good at that, aren't I?
"You shouldn't blam-" Ralsei was immediately interrupted
"No. You two are so stupid, everyone else had it right. I'm someone who should be avoided. I'm someone that should be hated."
No, Susie...
"I'm someone who's better off dead in a ditch somewhere."
I can't keep hiding this forever..
It continues to hurt the people i care about, and it will hurt them even after I'm gone if I don't do something.
I... I should come clean.
This stupid plan doesn't matter anymore.
Trying to bring back the dead. Trying to bring back something that can no longer be.
It was doomed from the start.
There's no more point in it. There never was.
And, she deserves the truth.
She deserves to know who's actually at fault.
"No. That would be me."
"What do y-" Ralsei tried to interrupt, I ignored it.
"I... have been going behind your backs, and have been... working with the Knight and Carol."
"Not that surprising." Susie sneered.
She tries to hide it, but i can tell she's shaking in anger and and sadness at that reveal.
Ralsei looks at me in shock. like he's seen me murder Susie right in front of him.
"The point is, don't blame anyone but me for this mess, and don't feel bad that I got myself killed."
Susie can't bear to look at me. "Heh, you always were a stupid dork."
Or maybe, she's trying to hide something?
"You-You..." Ralsei is about to chew me out isn-
"HOW COULD YOU!!!
He grabbed and pulled me off my feet by the collar of my cape.
And shoved me halfway over the railing, claws from his death grip drawing blood from my neck.
Which kind of surprised me, he really did grow a spine huh.
"WHY! DAMNIT WHY!!!"
Then he punched me in the face, hard.
42!
I didn't try to resist.
I deserve that.
"THEY DIED BECAUSE OF YOU!! THE WORLD IS GOING TO END BECAUSE OF YOU!!" He shouts directly into my face as tears run down both our faces
Even if he ended up shoving over the railing into the endless abyss below, it wouldn't matter anymore.
Either way I'm going to die.
But... despite everything, I still cared about you both.
"I-I'm s-sorry"
Notes:
Angel: "we're not so different, you and I."
Anyway it's gotta be embarrassing to get your ass kicked in hand to hand by Ralsei of all people. I mean that fluffy (ex)loner prince who couldn't hurt a fly?
Come on Kris! You're an evil scheming bastard! You can do better than this!
And everyone is still (probably) gonna die lol, lmao even.Also I've run out of my backlog, so chapters will now be published as they are finished. Which should still hopefully be daily but depends on how busy I am.
Edit: Completely reworked the strangle scene into something I'm happier with as it gives more room for Ralsei to grow and change later.
Chapter Text
KRIS
"STOP IT!"
Susie rips Ralsei off of me.
I return to solid ground once again
I wipe away my tears and try to grasp my surrondings.
I look to see Susie holding a furious Ralsei up like an especially angry Pitbull.
My brain tries to process this information.
"LET ME GO!"
"NOT UNTIL YOU CALM THE HELL DOWN!"
My brain gives up.
Even with my rapid recovery from the pain because of the dark world's effects, that punch still hurts like hell. And I can't think straight when my emotions and life just got turned upside down in a few hours
So I decided to check out something else.
I look at myself.
I'm covered in even more blood, dust and grime then seems possible.
I think I even see some of my own vomit on me.
I'm just sitting awkwardly, surrounded by blood.
What a fucking day.
What a fucking life.
After Ralsei promises to not strangle me, Susie lets them down.
Time for a rough last few hours of my life.
Ralsei walks up to me like a mountain goat about to knock someone off a cliff. Or probably catwalk in this case.
And well he almost did back there. Although I really doubt that was the intention even as I see the extremely bent metal bars of the railing.
Ralsei is still too soft to actually kill or even seriously harm someone. Even someone who can't be dealt with any other way than violence.
As long as it's a person. If it wasn't... well.
Then of course he could. Of course I could. And so I did.
If anyone doesn't deserve to be a person, it's me.
"Why!? Why would you be trying to end the world!?" Ralsei shouted at me, in a tone of barely contained rage only matched by Susie earlier when talking to Angel.
Guess I was wrong. Heh, Ralsei is the one who would break my arm, not Susie.
"It's... because of a promise."
Time to finally get this 20 ton weight off my chest.
"I did it to keep a promise I made to Carol, to save her daughter from the darkness.
To save her from my mistake.
To bring back my life. To bring her back to life.
December was devoured by the darkness, because i failed.
And now the Knight is her body and her subconsciousness, even if it's not really her.
So Carol and I formed a plan.
To resurrect the dead.
To bring back the past.
I forced myself to become the vessel.
Discarding the... Angel's original body.
The one... they died in"
I point at their corpse shakily. I don't think it's the strangulation getting to me there.
"I... We, didn't care about some extra-dimensional entity being harmed if it meant getting her back
We refused to see it as a person. It was the only way to make it bearable to sacrifice them.
So we treated them like a slave. I locked "it" in a birdcage, beat "it" with a stick.
To try to keep "it" submissive.
Once the prophecy was fulfilled we could save her with "it"s purifying light.
Before we banished "it" for good.
But, we cared so little about them, to the point that we refused to refer to them as a person.
To the point we couldn't even see why they did what they did.
That inevitably caused something to go wrong.
They put the knight on the back foot, and I had to sabotage it before it would win."
"So that's why. I thought it was just fear." Ralsei interrupts me. Giving me a glare that reminds me of mom.
"They took the hockey stick and cage as a challenge to be overcome, rather to be feared.
Because we... I refused to see them as anything better than a wild beast which should be tamed for our use.
So willful, so determined to make things right for themselves and others. They just refused to bow down to fate."
"You really thought the Angel would be so weak as to submit because of that? You're lucky it didn't do something so much worse as rightful revenge. You would certainly deserve that." He's tapping his feet on the metal catwalk, glaring even stronger.
He's right, they were able to force me against all of my will back there to open the door. I don't know how much of their power they had hidden and not used. We were lucky, it could have gone so much worse.
"We were arrogant, thinking our plan was foolproof. But clearly they were taking it easy on us I admit.
As I was saying."
I continue my speech.
"They fought and chased after those who symbolized freedom.
They collected the crystals they owned.
They found that machine.
Then they found their own body, and I had to improvise.
I always have been good at lying.
Much to everyone's detriment."
Ralsei is getting more upset. His fists are clenched.
"I made them give up on ever convincing those who they thought were friends.
As I effortlessly stole their valor.
So they finally gave up, gave up more fully than we ever hoped for.
And just let themselves die, for good it seems.
Sorry for screwing everything up.
I was in over my head and got punished for being arrogant.
Thinking we could bring back the dead, that we could reverse time.
Do whatever you want with me."
"You..." Tears form in Ralsei's eyes. his cute little teeth grinding.
"GOD FUCKING DAMNIT KRIS!" Despite everything, It is still Susie.
Ralsei couldn't hold back, and slapped me. Hard.
I ended up on the floor.
I could almost laugh at it all.
This whole fucking situation is absurd after all.
But my guilt is too heavy.
I'm so sorry to all of you.
I get back up.
"I really am sorry."
But I don't get the reaction I was expecting.
"No more pointless apologies. You, me, and Ralsei have a knight to kill."
Huh??
Oh.
I see...
You want to get some revenge for them at least.
Even if at the cost of your life. Because you don't value it much anymore
Huh... How did Ralsei of all people end up as the only one who values their own life?
But sure, why not?
I'd like to go out with some spectacle anyway.
We get up and brush ourselves off.
We decide to give them some respect, and lay them flat, hands over their stomach.
Due to all the items and healing, the body is fully intact now.
But that won't bring back a soul, they are fallen down now.
So we just let them rest.
"We pray that you will find peace in the... uh..."
Ralsei tries to pray for them, but gets flustered when he realizes he's praying for the Angel's soul to well... the Angel.
He still gets flustered like he always does. He's more confident now but in the end, despite everything, he's still Ralsei.
He was probably going to say some like 'in the Angel's embrace' or something if it's anything like the funerals in Hometown.
I've been to too many.
Yet neither December or myself every got a proper funeral.
Despite the fact we're both effectively dead.
I wonder...
If Susie will end up just like I was, when I finally die in a few hours.
In the same position, if she'll make the same mistakes.
No, she's way better than I could ever be. She'll know how to handle it.
She wouldn't make a stupid promise to Toriel to get me back.
She's better than that.
And plus, we aren't friends anyway.
If she's going to do that, she'd make that promise to Ralsei to get the Angel back, not me.
But like I said, she's better than that.
Right?
I make sure to put the locket around my neck.
As a constant reminder.
Till my final hour, that I deserve everything that happens to me.
It doesn't count as armor thankfully. as it has no effects.
So it doesn't block the other two armor items' effects.
I turn my back, yet again.
We all do.
And set out on our mission
To reach our finality.
We retrace out steps across the blood trail, making our way back to the machine.
Ralsei still want to punch me and Susie isn't exactly much for conversation right now.
We can't do anything with their body. If by some miracle we live, we can go back for it.
All the healing items and spells stopped it from degrading at all.
Speaking of, we need to collect some supplies for the fight.
"We need to gear up, as we're out of healing items."
Currently all we have is a few TP restoratives and a random assortment of low quality items stored in the light.
"You can go and access our STORAGE for that." Ralsei loves saying things like that, like he's some NPC in Dragon Blazers
"I don't know if I can without them, but I'll try." I've seen them do it before. So i can try to copy them.
"So they were the ones creating that pocket dimension?" Susie asked.
"Yes, and no. Those lights already existed for Kris, they just didn't serve a purpose without the Angel."
"Wait wait wait. Angel?" Huh, nobody ever told her huh?
"Yes, the one in the prophecy. As we saw in the church, the Lightners of Hometown venerate them and Castle Town is named after them." Ralsei then explained.
Susie's hands and eyes starts twitching. She looks hysterical at this happening for the hundredth time.
People constantly refusing to tell her the whole deal, even when it's really damn important.
Fair enough honestly.
"Hahaha... HAHAH, OF FUCKING COURSE! OF COURSE I'M SO MUCH OF AN ASSHOLE THAT I BROKE THE ARM OF AND KILLED THE ANGEL!!!"
If Ralsei stated they were the Angel maybe... they would have lived.
That must be what she's thinking.
"And you DIDN'T EVEN TELL US!! AGAIN!! Not until it's way too late! LIKE FUCKING ALWAYS WITH YOU!!"
Susie shouts in Ralsei's face.
Ralsei looks dejected and doesn't argue.
"I would have shut him up if he tried. He probably knew that. Obviously I would stop him from breaking my carefully crafted lie."
I had two different ways planned to shut him up if he tried. And I know I got good use out of them, didn't I?
Even he would be pushed to explain despite the knowledge that I'd try to stop him if the Angel tried hard enough.
And I have no doubt they did.
Susie and Ralsei just narrow their eyes at me, annoyed or angry. Probably both.
They aren't my friends, and never were.
We're only working together because having more fighters is better when we fight the Knight.
We make it back to the room, the spot of blood on the wall from where Susie beat them.
It sticks out like a sore thumb.
Burning into our minds, especially Susie's.
I see her tearing up.
She has no right too. but she can't not be emotional.
I finally reach the Light in the rooms corner.
Where they would have loaded.
Where they have loaded.
Who knows how many times
It looks so much dimmer now.
Dimmer than it ever has.
Even when I first saw it almost a decade ago.
"So these weird reflections of light are what we we're using? It looks dumb"
"Yes. That is what they look like to us. For Kris and the Angel it's much brighter, glowing like a star."
"It doesn't anymore, it's like a flashlight about to run out of battery."
Which I guess is pretty apt.
"That's worrying..."
Especially since I can feel my vision blurring slightly, like that time I snuck some of mom's wine when I was 10 thinking it was church juice.
Guess I'm seeing the first symptoms of my actions.
Despite knowing I'm going to die soon, I'm filled with freedom as I touch it.
It takes an immense effort, but eventually I was able to open the Storage.
Extracting items required a massive amount of exertion too. So much it's like I was trying to lift like 40 pounds to take out some fried petals. So I made sure to sit down
Eventually I end up drenched in sweat, with 7 Bags of Fried Petals in my bag.
I must smell just wonderful from all this.
"I think. hah that's all I can... pull out. hah... unless I want to pass out."
I try to get up, but almost fall back down before Ralsei catches me and pulls me to my feet..
Now that we have some items to heal with, we need to move out of this hidden bunker section back into section 1 and then into section 2.
That's where the Knight will be guarding Undyne.
Currently I'm leaning on Ralsei as he looks unamused at me.
"Can you walk yet?"
"I think so..."
"Then can you get off me?"
I try walking on my own, and almost fall a couple times
Heh, Ralsei usually loves this kind of thing. I guess not from me.
I do deserve it, and I'm not gonna act like dad and pointlessly try to restore our relationship.
At least dad actually had one with mom. Ralsei barely knew me, and just tried to comfort me every now and then out of pity.
Pity for a situation that's entirely my fault.
How pitiful indeed.
How pathetic.
Notes:
Pitbull Ralsei is the real dog. Not Kris.
Also, Ralsei has one hell of a backhand, able to knock a (currently due to dark world logic) superhuman on their buttocks.
And a wonderful way to go out indeed. NOT! I know y'all have resigned to your fate without a speck of hope left, but c'mon! A suicide mission? Really?
Edit: Completely reworked the strangle scene into something I'm happier with as it gives more room for Ralsei to grow and change later.
Chapter Text
KRIS
So we continued.
We made our way through the secret area.
There wasn't any enemies here. Thankfully.
We ended up stumbling upon a chest in a hard to reach area as we searched for items.
It had a gun in it. A weapon type none of us use.
Maybe the Angel would've used guns? But wouldn't they be more of a magic staff kind of role as an Angel?
Either way it must've been placed here by someone.
But who would place this kind of equipment here?
None of me or my co-conspirators did, and we were the only ones who had access to this place.
I checked it's stats like the Angel would. It was incredibly intensive too. Almost made me fall to my knees.
[Survivor's Pistol. +5 ATK
Handguns don't win wars. They save the lives of the people that do. An M1911 with higher caliber than the Beretta and has lifesteal properties.
Lifesteal: UP]
I've never heard of an "M1911" in my life.
Although I was never into guns. I was more of a knife guy so that's what I looked for on the internet.
So it could be just a rare one. But I've also never heard of a "Beretta." and it seems to think we'd have one by now.
Weird. Very weird.
As Ralsei is the only one of us without an actual weapon that uses his hands, so I gave it to him.
"I can't shoot this, it doesn't have any ammo..." Ralsei mused.
"Maybe we'll find some, nobody else would get use out of it anyway." I said back.
But despite searching the entire area, no ammo.
But we did get a TensionMax and a bag of Poptato Chisps.
Those Chisps weren't a healing item though.
It was like a bag of grenades.
Susie learned that the hard way when she tried to sneak a Chisp and had to toss the Chisp when it started beeping after she bit into it.
"What the... Oh shit!"
*BANG*
"What the hell just happened!" I jumped out of my skin.
"Susie, what did you do!?" Ralsei asked like an annoyed parent.
It made a large bang and tore up the hallway pretty bad.
The things were the size of a whole potato, but still deep fried and oily like actual Chisps.
Non-flammable oil thank the Angel. Otherwise that would've blocked our route till it ran out of fuel.
Guess we should of guessed something was up when the bag said "Explosive Flavour!" in big bold letters on the front of the bag.
Also why was it written in Isleland English? This is across a whole damn ocean from there in some random emergency shelter.
Sometimes these Dark World items make no sense.
There's about 3 more in the bag. Could make for a nasty surprise against the Knight so we kept them.
I would check it, but I can't with how exhausted I am already from just trying to do the same things the Angel does effortlessly.
I wouldn't even know you could check Dark World items if it wasn't for them after all.
Maybe they could even check Light World items too if the save points are any guess. Or as Ralsei likes to call them: Light points.
Now that I think about it, I tried to hide my knife from them but they probably knew I had it the entire time and exactly what it does too.
It feels like every second I just have to thank the... Well, Angel, that they were so merciful. We really were a bunch of bumbling idiots trying to conspire against them.
Although we still ruined everything for everyone. Wonderful.
Also the save points haven't been healing and restoring us like they do when Angel uses them.
Which means we can only heal if someone uses their limited stamina, use tension in battle or one of our valuable items.
Just another damn limitation. Shows how much we rely on them, and we haven't even seen any titan spawn yet or any dark areas.
Normally this incessant humming of these light would make me hate them. But I hate the alternative even more.
Anyway, we finally made it back to Section 1.
Thankfully we were already near the end of Section 1.
Either way we kept searching and avoiding the weird local Darkners
We already met Ralsei's weird arbitrary recruitment quota for all of the guys here in Section 1 so we already know their behaviors and most are friendly.
Seriously what's up with that though? Why not as many as possible?
Not that I'm going to ask questions or say anything to either of them unless actually necessary.
We aren't friends after all.
Just acquaintances with the same goal.
Usually we would all talk as we walked through the Dark Worlds. Well I would say what the Angel told to say, but similar enough.
But nobody here is really happy with each other and we are on what is effectively a suicide mission, because we'd rather die this way than slowly starve, kill ourselves, or jump into the maw of darkness below the catwalks.
Ralsei and Susie sometimes talk but I get the feeling Susie still blames herself too much to really chat with her friend.
She still feels too guilty despite the fact it isn't her fault that I manipulated her trust.
Otherwise she wouldn't be doing this suicide mission with such apathy to the fact she's most likely going to die.
Anyway we found a chest.
Inside was an Ancient Ration which is actually a healing item. And not a bad one either.
I've had a few when I was in the bunker the first time.
Took me a long time to try them again because my tears would ruin it every time I tried to eat them.
But they taste really good, and heal a lot as well.
Like 250 if I remember correctly.
Which also doesn't make sense, why is there arbitrary values on damage and healing?
The same blow to different parts of the body could bring you down to near death but not otherwise cripple you, or completely incapacitate you but not actually be lethal no matter how many times you're hit like that.
Yet the dark world simplifies it and anything crippling stops being so incredibly quickly if your arbitrary health amount is above 0.
And if your "HP" is below 0, you immediately are crippled until combat ends or you heal, despite not taking any hits that would actually cripple you.
And when combat ends it just pulls your "HP" back to 1.
Despite "combat ending" being so arbitrary and inconsistent sometimes, like when Susie got up from a hospitalizing if not lethal blow just because the Knight looked away for a second to deal with Undyne.
But Susie could bang her knee in a fall and that won't heal at all without artificial healing from an item or spell because it wasn't technically combat damage. The same thing happened to Angel with their arm despite that being another person actively attacking them.
Dark Worlds really are a damn enigma. They make no logical sense.
It's like the whole world's a damn game or novel whenever you're in one.
But I guess that's what makes them a land of dreams though.
It shouldn't make sense, that's what the world of light is for.
Yet those very same dreams could end our world.
Sometimes you just have to accept the absurdity I guess.
I did accept it after all, accepting the absurdity of kidnapping and enslaving what's effectively a god without questioning it.
Maybe, maybe I'm just trying to use more logic instinctively.
Because I feel deep down like accepting how absurd everything is was the problem.
But I should know better.
I'm the problem, not anything or anyone else.
It's my fault, and my consequences to bear.
Too bad the world isn't kind enough to spare others from me.
If this was a just world, someone would have killed me and dumped my body in a landfill by now.
Or I would be getting tortured in a endless hell for my sins already.
But, it is not.
Sadly it is not.
Sadly I'm still alive.
Thankfully that's about to be solved.
Eventually we finally got to the Section 2 entrance.
I was so lost in thought that it took me a second to come back to reality.
It was a nice room, with a big set of gates to the left leading to section 2 and a comfy rug, and less annoying lighting than the halls before.
Also there was that vending machine I already knew about.
Although there was a problem. That vending machine is sapient, and will definitely ask about and talk about Dess again as it always does.
The damn piece of metal is smitten with her, and I hate it.
But we need the supplies.
"[Oh hey there! I recognize you! You're her loyal squire aren't you! I must say I'm so jealous]"
I take in a very deep, *sigh*
This is going to test my already straining sanity. I can already feel the headache incoming with added lack of soul increasing the intensity.
Normally the plan was to have the Knight tell her to shut up so she doesn't spill my allegiance. She would definitely listen to it after all.
But well, obviously me and the Knight aren't actually tenuously working together anymore.
"Meet Era. The old vending machine who we will be buying our supplies from. Era, meet my allies. Ralsei and Susie."
"[Oh, more squire candidates I assume? I really wish I had legs like them! Big legs with which I could follow her and gaze at her beauty as I helped her! Although you found some people to keep her company, it's a shame you couldn't get her sister to come down here. She's keeps muttering her name constantly, she must really miss her.]" The migraine has started, looking at her monitor displaying her blushing makes me want to punch a wall.
Yes, in it's damn subconscious muttering that it does when not activity doing something.
Always creeped me the fuck out, but that same subconsciousness the Knight still has was why I could even work together with it in the first place as it did have a deep desire to become December again.
Susie seems to be in deep thought.
Ralsei however goes to introduce himself.
"Hello Era! My name's Ralsei! I'm a Darkner Prince."
"[Hello Prince Ralsei! Good to meet you! I'm sure she'll like you so don't worry I'm sure you'll pass the test. I heard she really likes people who are goats like you. I wish i was a goat too...] She continue to ramble about nonsense as Ralsei looked sheepishly instead of goatishly.
The migraine increased in intensity
Susie finally went up and introduced herself, interrupting her whole long winded one sided discussion about goat horns.
"Hello, Names' Susie." She says with a deadbeat tone. Like she's saying it without really caring.
I guess she has plenty of reason to not care now though.
It seems more like she's going through the motions for the sake of it.
"[Hello Susie! You're big and strong like her! Maybe you could be a knight someday too!]"
No, just no. Nobody ever should go through that fate. Nobody.
Even death is preferable. In fact we would have killed the Knight if we didn't find a possible way to save her from being it. That was the first plan after all.
And probably the one we should've went with honestly.
But even if it was a one in a million, we would have taken it, no matter the consequences.
At least now we're doing the right thing.
[Don't worry about the test. She'll like you, no doubt about it. I have been studying her habits for years if you want some tips."]
"Uhh..." Susie, welcome to social hell. How kind of you to join us.
I clench my fists. I'm about to snap if she doesn't shut the hell up.
[Don't interrupted her while she's drooling, that mean's she trying to get some rest! She so cute when she does that, showing a vulnerable side that can't help but drool while sleeping...]"
Breathe. Breathe...
Don't snap.
She's just incredibly weird, like every other Darkner.
And you don't deserve to take your anger out on her. You've done much much worse than be mildly annoying.
Even that rule card guy is more annoying. So just calm down and don't let tit get to you.
Breathe Kris. Just like your brother taught you all those years ago.
Breathe...
[...Oh how I wish I could take just a little of that drool, but alas I have no hands to grab it or feet to reach over...]
AGHHH!!!
That's it! I can't fucking take it anymore!
"Please. Shut. The. Fuck. UP! I am not in the mood for your fucking NONSENSE!"
155!
I say as I kick her. Hard. Denting the metal with my boots and pent up frustration from the shittiest week any person could physically have.
Not the shittiest single day, because December definitely had it worse.
"[Ow! Hey!]"
55! 61! 31! 42! 12! 3!
I proceed to kick her slightly less hard several more times as the dizziness and mental fog from having no soul in my body give way to satisfied rage.
"[Stop it! Stop it! I'm sorry okay! Please stop hitting me!!]"
Despite the fact that I don't deserve to be frustrated, I still was.
And she made me snap.
Susie looks at me in shock.
Ralsei looks disappointed.
After I finally calm down.
"Just... Just get us what we need. You have any healing items?"
[Yes! Yes I do! I'll give them to you, just please stop hitting me! It hurts!]"
She dispensed several Big Shot Sodas without even asking for me to pay.
I'm not going to just take them though.
I can't allow myself to be even more evil then I already am.
At the very least I can decide to not extort someone with violence.
"How much is it?"
"[Nothing! Just take them and spare me!]"
This situation would make me feel like a piece of shit, if I already didn't feel like that.
"I insist on paying you properly."
[Really?! You... You aren't going to hit me again if I say the price?]
"No. I'm sorry. Just... Don't talk about Dess like that please. She... She's not all there and seeing you lust over her while she's sick is disgusting and enraging. Please stop."
I probably should of just told her that
[She's sick? How? She seems so much healthier than when she first came down here all those years ago before she became a knight.]
"You're a Darkner, so you wouldn't know how it actually is for us Lightners. But trust me, while she's physically stronger, her mind is effectively shattered."
[Oh... That sounds horrible... I didn't even know. I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?]
"I'm sorry for not... telling you until now. There's not much you can do. Just mostly keep doing what you've already been doing, soothing her pain... just don't try to hit on her. Okay?"
I really should've told her. But my instinct to hide and lie about everything related to her is extremely strong.
After all, I just kept refusing to tell anyone what happened for months as they fruitlessly searched for her.
Missing person notices clogged the streets as the whole state looked for her.
And I just... Huddled into a ball.
As she suffered, as they all held their false hope...
"[Yeah. I can do that... Sorry. The cost for those 5 sodas should be around 3000 dark dollars. I hope you three can do something to help her.]"
I hand over the 3000 dark dollars and grab the sodas.
No. We can't can't help her.
Not anymore.
Because we tried to see too far.
We lost it.
I lost it.
All we can do is try to end her misery, and our own.
We take a breather, sitting down on rug near the vending machine before heading into Section 2.
I explain the events of the missing person search to my two tenuous allies for context as to why I refused to tell Era till now.
"You really did refuse to tell anyone huh. Not even her mother or sister."
"Yeah, I finally said what happened 2 months after the search started. After the pleading and begging finally got me to speak to her. That's when I promised to get her back."
And I've been trapped by that promise ever since."
Susie looked at me like I was a strange specimen in a lab. Apparently what I said was baffling to her.
"You need to learn to break promises dude. That's like lying skill number one. The second things involved enslaving some extra-dimensional being you should've ditched that immediately, got out of town, or backstabbed them for being fucking stupid."
She's got a point. She's got a really good damn point.
As long as you still have a will of your own, you can always say no. Always. But will you?
I wouldn't, apparently.
Guess I'm really not much of a good liar then huh. If anything, I was too righteous.
Willing to do horrible things for a so called greater good. That's one of the main reason's I dislike humans.
I'm definitely still human then.
At least it comforts me, knowing she isn't human.
That she wouldn't make the same mistake I did. Especially with what she said.
She's smart, she would run, she would resist.
She would flee or she would fight.
She wouldn't get caught and caged.
Susie won't be tamed.
"Well, my opinion on it is: If you make a promise, state what your limit is for trying to accomplish it. I learned that myself yesterday. Breaking promises should only be done if you really screwed up with that." Ralsei shares some recently acquired wisdom.
"Yeah, you two are probably right... Not like I can do anything now, slowly losing my consciousness."
"You can always try to make things a little better than they were. Always." Ralsei says as he pats my shoulder.
For just a little snapshot in time, a little bit of comfort from other people you could maybe consider friends for just a moment.
So very precious.
You really learn to value every moment, when you only have a few moments left.
No matter how insignificant.
"We should probably get going. Don't want you dying before the grand event." Susie says as she brings me onto my feet.
I stumble, the dizziness coming back.
But I keep going. My tenuous allies at my back.
Maybe in another time, we could've even been real friends.
But I was too much of an idiot for that.
Eventually I catch my stride and we start our march.
A march filled with freedom and pointless desire.
A march empty of hope or friends, only acquaintances.
A march to our finality.
Notes:
Yuri vending machine, funniest shit I ever seen.
Decided to have a comedic Darkner encounter to soften things a little, and to lead into a tiny little bit of comfort in your hurt. (Because you aren't gonna get real comfort till act 3 probably, because this work keeps mutating in the backend)
Also Kris got their crashout. Yippie!
And Kris's self loathing was getting pretty bad there for a bit. They wouldn't even let themselves muse about something weird and interesting without turning it into "can't wait to die!"
Susie and Ralsei just embodying "I'm not mad, just disappointed" at this point when another stupid thing Kris did shows up.
And it's time to march through section 2.
Chapter 8: Freedom March
Notes:
The section 2 bunker theme: Meat Factory | DELTARUNE Chapter 6 UST
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
KRIS
We entered section 2 through the big gates.
[WARNING, SECTION 2 IS ON LOCKDOWN]
Is what the screen on the gate said.
And it's apt.
Active laser defenses, whirring turrets. and very few actual darkners.
The place is just above an endless pit of pure white.
Railings and catwalks abound with a few solid islands of metal rooms connected by them.
There's one area I know Undyne is being stored. All we have to do is make it there.
It's somewhat near the fountain that's shooting into the sky in the distance.
There's also another one of those save points, but it serves us no purpose now.
My toes are getting numb too...
The symptoms are getting worse.
But we continue to march.
"Follow close behind me." Says Ralsei.
He's effectively become our team leader because he's the only one who everyone trusts, including himself.
However I'm still running big picture navigation because I already know this place.
I know where the turrets and lasers are low in density
And where Undyne is being stored.
"Take a left here. We need to get to Undyne. Being near her will protect us from some of the Knight's more extreme measures like spawning titans.
Titans cannot be controlled, and the Knight needs her alive. Same with less precise attacks if we can get there. The knight will have to avoid harming her.
We will turn the Knights hostage into our own."
"Sounds like a good idea Kris." Susie gives me a thumbs up and a smile.
That gives me a little bit of happiness.
But I make sure to suppress it. I don't deserve that feeling.
The lasers are easy enough, especially with us copying Ralsei.
The turrets, not so much. Without the Angel we all can get hit with our full bodies, instead of just a tiny soul, where everything else will miss.
38! 29! 38! 12!
Some of them got us pretty bad before we got through because of that.
Susie made sure to patch us up, as she had plenty of energy left in her.
Not me though, I started to stumble slightly again.
"You okay?" Susie responds to me stumbling.
"Obviously not, but I'm about as good as I can be considering this shit."
"Do you need any help?" Ralsei offers some help, despite everything.
"Yes, but nothing you guys can do will help. We're about to fight so you can't carry me as that would exhaust you, and I can't rest as it's not physical exhaustion. Now come one, let's go before it gets worse. We need to go straight at the next intersection."
After a grueling dash through every stupid laser and turret, we ran into a few unavoidable darkners about two halls and a catwalk to our destination.
We would have to take a massive detour through more annoying turrets and lasers to get around them.
They, as seems to be darkner tradition, attack us on sight.
"Gotta get that time and half and a half and a half!
"I can't think! Need more coffee NOW!!"
Kris: 288/208 HP
Susie: 340/340 HP
Ralsei: 270/270 HP
Handyman and BurntUp block our way!
I used check on Handyman.
They seem to have 6 hands and arms 4 of which are stitched together instead of being natural limbs on an odd humanoid form topped with a manic grin and way too many teeth making a unsettling business smile.
They're holding a variety of tools and a clipboard while wearing a set of jeans and overalls with a white hardhat on their head.
It seems to desire work as a desperate attempt to avoid something. Mid life crisis inbound.
Maybe hiring them for a job in castle town would work?
Susie used S-Action on Handyman.
"You want something to do huh? Can you lead us to where the Knight is?"
"Not in my job description but sure sure! Just after I finish this report on your skull's integrity! The boss demands thorough tests of all structural intergrity within my work zone!"
"Maybe you could not??"
"Don't worry I'll speed it up just for you! I know it's urgent! urgent!"
Handyman's speed went up permantly. Great.
+20% SPARE to Handyman!
Ralsei used R-Action on Handyman.
"Would you like to have a job elsewhere?"
"Depends, does it pay me 6 figures? Money! money! it is everything! I am sacrificing my job security and a possible sidemotion to supervisor of my supervisor's assistant's supervisor if I jump ship so it better pay well!"
+10% SPARE to Handyman!
They sent attacks our way.
Burnt angrily threw scolding hot coffee, hot enough and strong enough to melt through metal apparently, stopping us from freely moving around the hallway
Handyman threw hammers while trying to stab us with a power drill and cut into us with a hacksaw.
40!
Eventually I stumbled and took a hacksaw right to the shoulder.
Damn this is hard without Angel doing all the work.
We never got the pain and hardship you'd expect of heroes after all.
We're all just a bunch of frauds.
"Don't spill your coffee! That could cause an accident on site!"
"Newsflash dumbass! I. DON'T. CARE."
"That's it, I'm writing you up!'
They are bickering.
Handyman seems to be preparing their clipboard.
Me and Ralsei used the joint act Poach on Handyman.
"We have a job offer for you if you'd like."
"Hmm? A job offer? Oh your poaching me to work for you instead! I get it and am flattered you consider it worth to see me in person! Well what's your offer!"
+10% Spare to Handyman
"We'd like you to work in Castle Town as a construction worker! I could use the help with expanding the town, we're running out of buildings."
"Part or full time?"
I choose Full Time.
"Full time. It seems like every day there's 30 new residents who need homes."
+10% Spare to Handyman
"I'm interested! How's the hours? Is there overtime?"
"Well i can give you a 6 day work week, working 12 hours a day if you'd like!"
"That's perfect! What about the overtime?"
I choose time and a half over 70 hours.
"That's just perfect!"
+10% Spare to Handyman
"But the most important one to me. The money! The money! How much an hour?"
Ralsei looks flustered.
I decide to check, looks like I have about 3,000 dark dollars left.
"How about 30 dark dollars an hour? We can even pay 1k as a sign on bonus."
"Thats....
Tension fills the air waiting on their decision
We gained 10% TP from said tension.
"PERFECT!!! I'll put in my two weeks immediately!"
1/3 RECRUIT!
They took exactly 1,000 out of my pocket immediately with one of their many arms.
And dashed off at such a speed that they became a blur. Or maybe that's just me due to the fact everything is blurring.
"Thank the Angel you got rid of that bootlicking asshole! But I still have fucking 30000 more documents to sign manually! So kindly be a punching bag for my stress will you!
+20% Spare to BurntUp
Seems hard to please.
They throw a storm of coffee to restrict us as they attempted to smash out heads in with their veiny clenched fists.
73!
Susie got an uppercut right to the face. Doing an immense amount of damage for a support type enemy.
Ralsie almost got hit, but was small enough to dodge.
I wasn't even targeted that much, so I was fine.
"You kids are so damn free! Your whole life ahead of you! And I'm stuck in this dead end job! Doing something I hate on loop to put the meat on the table! You're all so damn ENTITLED!!"
I checked BurntUp
A mostly normal looking grey humanoid with eternally clenched fists and high blood pressure, except for their head.
Their head has ballooned upward in stress. turning a charred black that stretches up to the short ceiling.
Wearing Khakis with a melted shirt and tie dripping with what looks like spilled coffee. They have no eyes or mouth, their head is just solid black. Doesn't stop them from ranting though.
It seems to be mentally collapsing from too much work without ever trying to relax and enjoy life. Mid life crisis has already arrived.
Exhausting it's limited energy seems like the best bet. Or maybe offering them something caffeinated? But that might make them a massive threat.
Susie used S-Action
"Man I know too, School projects are the worst, and I can't imagine real work is any better. But just don't try too hard, nothing bad really happens when you let yourself rest."
Susie gives some wisdom.
"AHAHAHAHA I WISH I COULD!! But if I don't I get fired! Then I'll starve without my meat and coffee!"
"Maybe you can try to find a less stressful job? I mean we can give you something simple to do in Castle Town."
"Do you have coffee over there? Meat? Only the big factory places like this have any!"
"No but we have tea! Ralsei makes only the best!"
+20% Spare to BurntUp!
Ralsei used R-Action
"Oh! Would you like some tea? You really need something to relax, here!"
The burnt grabs the tea cup like a mug and takes a big gulp.
"Alright, anything to take the edge off... Wait... THIS IS CAFFEINATED!! YES YES YES YES YYEAHHHHHHHHHHH!!! CAFFEINE!!!!!"
An ear shattering scream of joy stuns all of us, as the BurntUp jumps on top of Ralsei like a wild animal and starts to rip though him and his clothes in rapid measure to find more of the good stuff.
Ralsei desperately empties his pockets, throws the contents and tries to back away. After they do the BurntUp absorbs the tea leaves that were in his pockets like they were a hard drug, right through their blacked head.
212!
Ralsei was almost downed by that.
"Okay. Never doing that again. Ever." Ralsei says as he shutters.
"Guess your leaves are the good stuff! Who's your dealer?" Susie makes a joke about suspicious leaves.
I feel uncomfortable, it reminds me of Dess too much.
And the battle's adrenaline was the only thing keeping it away.
And since it immediately overdosed and passed out.
RECRUIT 1/3!
The guilt and reality come crashing back down.
What a pointless distraction.
Why did I even bother to recruit them? It would be best to just scare them off.
At least we got 2,000 dark dollars, bringing us up to 4,000.
Susie and Ralsei healed each other.
MAX!
MAX!
Sadly I couldn't heal the damage I took. My maximum health is already lower than my current as I slowly die from lacking a soul.
So I told her not to bother.
"So you're already dying..." Susie says weakly
"Yup, I'm just lucky I'm human, or I would've been dead in less than a minute with how monster biology works." A lie, I don't feel lucky I'm still alive.
It feels like a punishment.
I'm only doing this because she asked.
I probably would've killed myself with this blade by now otherwise.
I wonder if it also does extra damage to yourself, considering yourself as a former ally of yourself.
She looks at me sadly
"Come on, we need to get going." I decide to brush it off.
There's no point in it anyway.
We continue, my stumbling and dizziness a little worse now.
We run into 2 more darkner encounters, same enemy types as the first one and just enough to fill the quota.
RECRUIT 3/3!
RECRUIT 3/3!
It was quite easy after we knew what to do.
And it brought our dark dollar amount to 8,000 as we recruited them without the sign on bonus.
Susie slipped on the coffee one time and got healed up by Ralsei though.
So both are a little exhausted from healing.
We make it to the final catwalk to Undyne.
"The Knight will definitely try to stop us now, so get ready and don't get sneak attacked."
We continue our march.
Suddenly a black blade appears, trying to gut me.
BLOCKED!
Susie blocks it effortlessly.
As expected really.
We aren't the same weaklings we were back then.
And if Susie is good at one thing, it's combat.
"Stay behind me you two."
The knight sends blade after blade.
BLOCKED!
BLOCKED!
BLOCKED!
But none of them get through.
Eventually it screeches at us, finally revealing itself.
"You can't even hurt us now! You're just a damn fraud!"
Then it starts to shoot blades at us from the other three directions.
Me and Ralsei make sure to help by blocking those ones ourselves
BLOCKED!
BLOCKED!
BLOCKED!
It was exhausting and very difficult to make them bounce off in a way that stopped them from digging into anyone. But me and Ralsei managed to attack the blades in the right way to cause them to bounce off.
It screeched again.
Sending dozens of blades at Susie directly.
But...
BLOCKED!
She refused to kneel.
"Getting scared? We're finally free to kick your ass now! And you can't do anything about it!" Susie taunted.
"I've always wanted to burn you alive like the demon you are, and now I finally can!" Even Ralsei wanted some action.
"You made sure I'd die, so don't complain when I do the same, oh great Knight" I joined them.
We can see Undyne now, inside that room, trapped in a crystal of darkness.
Maybe we could free her, if we had Angel.
But you know how it is.
The Knight screeches again, trying to pick us off one last time.
BLOCKED!
But to no avail.
How does it feel to be hopeless, just like us?
We make out way inside.
It's about time.
We get into our combat positions.
We meet our fate.
We prepare our blows
We meet our finality.
422!
112!
79!
Notes:
The real battle is about to start.
Also I like the escapism of work being bunker's escapism theme.
.
Here's everyone's stats before the fight if you'd like. (plus Vess)
Stats:
Total, Base.Kris: 248/197 HP (Maximum health is slowly decaying without a soul. However Kris' strong will keeps it from reducing their current health.)
LV 6 The Great Deceiver. A great traitor that backstabbed and deceived their best friends to end the world and slay the Angel. Feels guilt for their actions, however the sin will weigh on them all the same.
Defense: 24 (3)
Attack: 61 (26)
Magic: -6 (0)
Guts: 4
Guilt: 100
Susie: 340/340 HP
LV 6 Fallen Hero. One who has tricked by the great deceiver into slaying the Angel. Has lost all hope from this deception and only hopes for a fitting and just end.
Defense 10 (3)
Attack 45 (32)
Magic 24 (14)
Guts 5
Hope: 0Ralsei: 270/270 HP
LV 6 Hardened Prince. Experienced great hardship, and has gotten stronger for it. However they have lost their hope and their friends from deception. Now all they are is a prince and herald of a now shattered prophecy.
Defense: 15 (3)
Attack: 35 (26) Thanks [Insert secret boss here] for upping Ralsei's base attack by 6.
Magic: 36 (22)
Guts 3 (2)
True Friends: 2 (Jackenstein and Lancer, that's it. Poor guy)
Vess: 350/350 HP|Angel: 0/0 HP.
LV6 Forgotten Hero. The forlorn body of Angel. Discarded then broken, never able to serve their purpose for long. Holds resentment for the treatment of Angel, but has no will of their own to act on it.
|LV 0 Fallen Angel. The Angel is no more than a mindless husk now, will broken from decades of an unfulfilled desire to be a person, and finally put down at the hands of the great betrayer's schemes.
Defense 4 (4)
Attack 35 (35)
Magic 15 (0|15) The body may have no magic, but Angel does.
Guts: 4 (N/A|4) The body doesn't have a will, even if it somewhat has a personality. The Angel is very brave, even if they have a low opinion of themselves.
Aliveness: 0
Equipment:
Kris:
Weapon:
Black Knife. +35 ATK.
Weapon of the Traitor. Grants extreme attack and does extra damage to former or current allies. Does dark element damage.
Backstabbing: UPArmor 1:
Shadow Mantle. +6 DEF (It increased by 1 for every chapter completed with a base defense of 1 like in the game)
Shadows slip off like water. Greatly protects against Dark and Star attacks.
Dark/Star: RESIST
Armor 2:
Up Armored Tenna Tie. +15 DEF -6 MAGIC
Apparently it wasn't strong enough, so now it's bomb proof and 50 pounds heavier. Massively reduces magic for extreme defense.
Weight: UP, UP, UP!
"IT'S CRUSHING ME ALIVE!!" -RalseiRalsei:
Weapon:
Cool Scarf: +7 ATK +7 MAGIC
Could be a cowboy's bandana, a kings gift or a skeleton's old scarf. Whatever it is, it's cool and makes you feel like a badass despite being a scarf.
Guts: UP
Armor 1:
Goldenrod Sash. +2 DEF +5 MAGIC
It's Tea Time Doctor! Improves healing magic and grants a large amount of Magic. Provides little defense however.
Healing Magic: UP
Armor 2:
Ultimate Ribbon +10 DEF +2 ATK +2 MAGIC
The ultimate Ribbon made of every color twice over. Grants good defense, some attack and magic, large graze area, decreased TP costs for offensive spells, and increased healing from all items and spells. Reduces TP gain by 35% however and gives Susie nightmares.
Ultimate Cuteness: TRUE
"I think I'm going to vomit and then faint." -SusieSusie:
Weapon:
Justice Axe +13 ATK
It has no special powers. However, in order to attain this item, you became much stronger! But it does seem to be reacting to something. Odd.
Unknown: UP
Armor 1:
Dealmaker. +5 DEF + 5 MAGIC
Fashionable pink and yellow glasses. Greatly increases $ gained, and protects against unwanted cats as well.
Armor 2:
Goldenrod Sash. +2 DEF +5 MAGIC
It's Tea Time Doctor! Improves healing magic and grants a large amount of Magic. Provides little defense however.
Healing Magic: UP
"It's got flowers on it, but I gotta make some sacrifices if I want to get better at healing I guess." - Susie
Vess:
Weapon:
Beretta M9. No effects.
A gun that doesn't exist in this world. Materialized based on the Angel's desired default weapon. Shoots Holy Light instead of physical bullets, allowing for limitless ammo as long as their will can last.
Armor 1:
Nothing
(Previously:
Heart Locket, no effects...?
Holds an unknown energy, seemingly useless.
Armor 2:
Nothing.
Chapter 9: REQUIEM [ACT 1 FINALE]
Notes:
Here's the theme for this chapter. Or just play your preferred black knife remix I guess.
Deltarune Chapter 7 UST - The Roaring Titans
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
KRIS
Kris: 248/197 HP .
Susie: 340/340 HP.
Ralsei: 270/270 HP.
We were able to get a free hit in each as it attacked us so close to the actual battle starting.
What a tactical blunder there Knight. I thought you were better than that with all your tactical genius, guess it's just an arrogant showoff.
I immediately hold my breath.
It helps deal with the dizziness and keeps me stable for the fight to come.
"Hah, You can't leave Undyne here with us, because you know what I'll do to her if you leave. Isn't that right, partner?"
I'll kill her.
I'm completely capable of it after all, I already proved that earlier.
The Knight has an instinct to corrupt other beings into things like itself. A desire to replicate like most life that was only suppressed by Dess' subconscious and our own efforts.
Me and Carol had that whole discussion, it was important that we knew that the Knight would need help to end the world and couldn't do it on their own, so we could be safe as long as we suppress it's ability to get real help.
Simply put, unless we flee, this fight is a battle to the death as the Knight is willing to put themselves on the line to create more darkbringers like itself.
It's like a wild beast protecting it's young. And just like those beasts it will sacrifice itself for that.
For once, we have a good plan.
One that's sensible and only requires the sacrifices of those who actually deserve it.
Susie immediately uses the TensionMax we got.
Because we're going to make one hell of an opening move.
"Heh, you're gonna have a warm welcome."
Ralsei casts FIRESTORM (100% TP, Lethal.)
"Never though I'd use this. But if anyone deserves it, it's you. Burn in hell you damn psychotic maniac!!" Ralsei really hates them. Understandable considering the Knight will end the world if kept unchecked.
Suddenly flames burst out of him, setting his fur and his clothes alight as his own lifeforce is used for the spell in addition to everything else being used up. He can't help but scream as it burns him alive, but it's not so much agony as it is rage.
2809!
The knight didn't screech. It screamed like a girl burning alive. It's armor is dripping and melting now as the hellfire burns her it alive.
DOWN!
It downed him but did immense damage, even with the Knight's magic resistance. At least he can be revived normally from that as it wasn't the Knight's blow that got him.
Ralsei was keeping that move close to his chest.
Like most of his abilities to be fair.
But for good reason this time, as even then he wouldn't be able to use it normally. It downed him for that and it consumed all of our TP even with the offensive spell cost reduction he had from UltRibbon so it's not exactly easy to use, and who do you really need to kill that badly?
Well the Knight of course, as there's no better time to use it
But it was one hell of an attack.
We've already did like 3,500 of it's health without it even getting to attack back yet.
Which from my calculations is around half of it's health.
Very good so far.
But you know what they say about best laid plans
The Roaring Knight screeches, it feels cornered and terrified.
it should, because it's going to die here.
It's taking this fight seriously.
And pulling out everything it's got.
Time for one hell of a counterattack.
I feel stars shining and blades close behind my head.
It shoots stars and swords at us, both at the same time.
72!
Hitting me pretty badly even with my high defense. And I can't be healed properly.
86!
Susie got hit by the star fragments, which aren't nearly as strong. But she doesn't have a shadow mantle.
Ralsei is still downed, so he wasn't attacked.
However the Knight wasn't done, and tried to swipe us with one of the sneak attacks that got Ralsei back in TV World.
BLOCKED!
Susie parried it though.
"You think I'd fall for the same trick twice? You really are a cocky bastard!"
BLOCKED!
The Knight tried the same to me, but I did the same.
"I never would fall for that trick, you should know that by now."
Susie gives me a look, realizing I never was SWOONED by the knight, even once.
It exhausted some of it's attack power to try that, which is why it was bearable enough.
We gained a good amount of TP too by parrying those and dodging all of that.
+46!
Ralsei recovered some of his health naturally, he's only a little less than 100 HP away from being up again.
So I used X-Slash. (25% TP. Attack twice critically.)
It tries to dodge, but is unsuccessful.
455!
455!
Another almost 1000 damage.
I smile. It's about time you get payback for all those times you forced me to kneel.
And Susie used the Ancient Ration to get Ralsei up.
+250!
"As long as I have a hand to pick them up, you'll never kill them like you did to Angel. And even then you only won that because I softened them up for you. You're pathetic."
Susie is saying that as a taunt, but I can still hear the guilt in her voice, she didn't even swear.
"That... Really stung... But it was so worth it seeing a demon like you scream in agony."
Ralsei... Enjoyed that a little too much, I could tell from that big damn grin on his face. Guess bottling it up all the time made him exhilarated to do something like that
Guess he's a bit more than just prickly now.
I feel like my head is spinning as my vision narrows. And I don't thinks it's the fact I'm dying since I also feel something close behind my head.
It sends a circle of swords at us, attacking in a spiral pattern. Eventually it becomes chaotic as every single sword aims right at us while the spiral is still ongoing.
It's too much to dodge...
There's no openings.
So I do what I did earlier and...
BLOCKED!
Make one.
Everyone else follows my lead, dodging what feels like hundreds of swords while blocking the ones that need to be blocked.
56!
41!
71!
The attack is vicious so some of us get pretty big wounds still.
212!
Eventually Susie slips up however.
And a gaping wound opens up on her shoulder.
"That's it you damn bastard!"
As she says that, the Knight tries to sneak attack her and Ralsei.
BLOCKED!
Ralsei blocks it successfully
But Susie is thrown off from her injury.
So I dash to her, shield in hand and...
BLOCKED!
There we go, and just like usual for dark worlds, the crippling effect of the shoulder's wound disappeared after just a few seconds.
Yet again it keeps feeding us TP.
Huge amounts of it.
As for some reason it refuses to try to increase the darkness here. Maybe to avoid harming Undyne? But that doesn't make much sense.
Either way, I'm going to capitalize on it.
The knight is showing more emotion than ever. No longer is it cocky and showing off, it's blade primed to try to block another X-Slash if I tried one and body ready to fold to dodge a rude buster,
Too bad then that I have a plan.
Usually Susie goes after me then Ralsei.
However I don't think that's best for this.
So...
"Ralsei you go first! Use those Poptatoes!
"Got it!"
He pulled out the bag, and bit into one.
Ralsei used Poptato Chisps.
That triggered it's fuse, so he threw it at the Knight, it dodged. But he knew it would try that and already bit into another, letting it's fuse cook before tossing it at where the Knight ran to.
"Now! Susie!" Before it even exploded I called out to Susie.
211! The potato grenade did good damage on it's own.
Susie used Rude Buster. (50% TP. Deals moderate Rude-elemental damage to one foe. Depends on Attack and Magic.)
612!
I immediately followed it up
I used X-Slash. (25% TP. Attack twice critically.)
455!
455!
A perfect combo.
"What's your move now oh so great Knight?"
It's health is critically low now.
Only about a thousand health left or so.
There's nothing it can do about that.
I'm actually surprised at how easy this was, but it definitely has a final attack for us.
That will make up for it I'm sure, because this was way too easy.
I feel certain doom...
The stars crackle with freedom.
The big metal room were in has it's entire roof blown off.
As a massive star the size of the entire school starts crashing down.
And it's raining thousands of swords too.
Oh and the Knight is also trying...
BLOCKED!
BLOCKED!
BLOCKED!
To sneak attack us...
BLOCKED!
BLOCKED!
BLOCKED!
The whole damn time!
It also is shooting smaller stars out of the hand it isn't using for it's sword swipes.
And all the stars have homing fragments too.
Seriously? Talk about a chaotic mess of an attack. Literally just everything it could throw out.
But well, it works. that's for sure.
43!
61!
72!
There's no way to dodge this. We can't possibly survive
Well not that I really care about that, I only need to live long enough to have the Knight die, not survive the aftermath.
So... who said I have to wait through this?
The very world is being ripped asunder.
But instead of dodging then waiting for the attack to end.
I march.
"Ralsei... You're the only one of us that deserves to live through this... Stay back." I say to him with a commanding tone, one that reminds me of the tone Angel used.
It's up to Susie what she wants to do, it's not like she'll listen to me anyway.
I continue to march, ignoring the attacks hitting me. Like they weren't even there.
I'm filled with freedom as I break the rules, rules no one could break before.
I'm filled with freedom as I lose my mind, slipping into a world of dreams and delusion.
I'm filled with freedom as I lose my life, willingly letting myself die.
I'm a dirty cheater.
Despite not having the TP
Despite the move not even existing.
Despite not having the stamina with my dying body.
I used M-Slash. (TP ??%. Attacks four times critically.)
455!
455!
455!
455!
I held my breath.
But... It wasn't enough.
Heh.. my calculations were wrong.
My plan was wrong.
Like usual.
SWOON!
Kris -999/55 HP.
It was never enough.
Kris -999/25 HP.
Heh. Guess that's it huh?
Kris -999/8HP.
This is the way I die.
Susie cast JusticeBuster! (TP 100%. Despite everything you have done, you still feel a sense of justice.)
Her eye, had a sword stuck right in it. Bleeding but glowing.
Her axe. it was glowing in the same way.
That old man lied.
It did have a magic power after all.
"You really think I'm not gonna join you? That I'm just gonna let a friend die while I turn my back?"
Despite everything huh.
You... still thought of me as a friend.
Just...
Why?
Heh...
I never could get you.
The golden and green buster flies forth.
1225!
And the knight was split into two.
And the dark dissipated. Dust and blood falling from December's wounds
But the stars kept falling.
I used my last strength before I collapsed. to throw my blade at Undyne.
999!
My LOVE has increased.
As a grant her a final mercy from the darkness.
As I slowly fall unconscious.
Never to wake again.
I grip the locket tightly.
I hear Susie telling Ralsei to run.
She can't herself, too may fragments and blades in her.
Susie -9999/340.
So she just fell to her knees.
And hugged me as she cried tears and blood.
As she started turning to dust.
I cough up blood, the attacks I ignored causing me agonizing pain.
Kris -9999/1 HP.
But I couldn't bring myself to care as I cried.
As the star fell and exploded, coating the world in pure white.
As her dust fell and spread out, coating my wounds in pure white.
The sadness itself was the reason why.
Kris -99999/0 HP.
I... never really wanted to die.
But well, you know how it is.
It's better this way.
I was used up.
Notes:
One last sacrificial plan.
One last freedom.
True freedom, even from the burdens of life and sanity.
This could be an ending in of itself but I didn't want a bad ending and the good doctor hasn't done anything yet so the show must go on. In fact I could split the acts up into different works if you guys think that would be better.
ACT 1 is finally complete! Which means it's time for a short break to chill and maybe try writing some other stuff. I'll drop a small intermission chapter on the 30th for sure but it will probably be about a week before I start to drop act 2's chapters. (Especially since I'll be busy with my 18th birthday.)
3 turn Knight fight! Talk about a speedrun! A speedrun right to an early grave! Well blitzing the Knight is how they were even able to win, those attacks were vicious and rapidly getting worse and throwing the Knight off with an incredibly quick fight is the best way to get them to screw up.
Chapter 10: Damage Assessment. [Intermission]
Chapter Text
???
[CATASTROPHE Audio Log #1]
VERY VERY ANNOYING.
INFURIATING EVEN.
ALL GOOD EXPERIMENTS
NEED SAFETY PROTOCOLS.
TO AVOID SUBJECTS AND STAFF
FROM BEING HARMED
AND
THIS IS MORE THAN A MERE EXPERIMENT
THIS IS SOMETHING MORE
PERSONAL
MORE
IMPORTANT.
BUT NOW
THIS IS A CATASTROPHE
IF THERE WAS ANY OVERSIGHT
AT ALL
I WOULD BE
GETTING
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
FOR THIS TRAVESTY.
*Sip*
UGH.
THEM AND THEIR
HAIRBRAINED
"""PLAN"""
RUINED EVERYTHING!
IF THEY JUST LISTENED FOR ONCE!
*BANG*
I WOULDN'T HAVE TO RANT AT THEM
ABOUT THE "WHY"S
OVER AND OVER AGAIN!
BUT SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE
SOME THINGS
NEVER DAMN CHANGE.
BE IT MY COWORKERS
OR RANDOM TOWNSFOLK
THEY NEVER LISTEN.
UNTIL SOMEONE ENDS UP
SPLIT ACROSS
TIME AND SPACE.
UNTIL SOMEONE ENDS UP
DEAD.
[CATASTROPHE Audio Log #2]
THE GIRL
KNOWN AS
"DECEMBER HOLLIDAY".
*ruffling of papers*
A PERFECT DAMSEL
FOR THE ANGEL TO SAVE
SO THE TOWNSFOLK WOULD
BE FRIENDLY TO THEM
INSTEAD OF FEARING
WHAT THEY DO NOT KNOW.
WHAT THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
SO THEY WOULDN'T
HARM THEM
OR MAKE THEM
AN OUTCAST
*sip*
AND
MAKING HER
THE KNIGHT'S HOST
MAKES FOR
A PERFECT ANTAGONIST
FOR
A GRAND ADVENTURE
TO MAKE FRIENDS AND ALLIES
TO GET USED TO BEING
A PERSON.
*sip*
TO PAY THEM BACK.
FOR WHAT THEY GAVE ME
ALL THOSE DECADES AGO.
A LIFE
THEY COULD CALL THEIR OWN.
NOW HOWEVER.
ALL I GAVE THEM
WAS A DEATH
THEY COULD CALL THEIR OWN.
*sip*
FROM THE READINGS
THEIR MIND IS SHATTERED.
I WAS ABLE TO STOP
THE FRAGMENTS
FROM DECAYING
BUT IT TOOK
THE WHOLE WORLD.
NOW EVERYTHING IS
SHATTERED
WITH THEM.
*clatter*
I MUST
FIND A SOLUTION
TO THIS PROBLEM
LIKE ANY GOOD SCIENTIST
WOULD.
["CATASTROPHE" Audio Log #3]
THEIR SHATTERED MIND IS
MAKING ANOMALIES
AND HOLES IN REALITY.
PARTS OF THE WORLD
IS SLIPPING INTO
DARK AND LIGHT WORLDS
WITH NO SENSE OF BOUNDARY
OR LOGIC.
*sigh*
MY ESTIMATES PUT
THE CASUALITY COUNT AT
6 BILLION
FROM THE WORLD BEING
RIPPED APART BY
ALL OF THIS.
A TRAVESTY
THAT NEARLY MATCHES
THE WORST CASE
SCENARIO
FOR THE "ROARING."
["CATASTROPHE" Audio Log #4]
THE SHARDS MUST BE CONNECTED TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE.
*ruffling of many papers*
THEN I SHOULD
BE ABLE TO FORM
A CONNECTION
AND SPEAK
TO THEM
TO CONVINCE THEM.
TO NOT GIVE UP.
I MUST DO THIS
TO BRING THEM BACK
TO FIX MY MISTAKES
TO FUFILL MY PROMISE.
BUT ALL MY ENERGY IS BEING USED
JUST KEEPING THEM FROM DECAYING.
AND MERE RAW POWER
WON'T BRING THEM BACK
ANYWAY
*Book falling.*
UGH.
MY DESK IS A MESS NOW
I DON'T HAVE TIME
TO CLEAN IT.
IT WILL HAVE TO WAIT
FOR THIS TO BE
FIXED.
["CATASTROPHE" Audio Log #5]
THE IDIOTS.
*Heavy sigh*
WHO GOT THEM SHATTERED
MAY BE ABLE TO RESONATE
WITH THEIR EMOTIONS
TO BRING OUT THEIR SHARDS
AS THEY SHOULD STILL HOLD
SOME RESENTMENT
TO THEM
AND THEIR IDIOTIC ACTIONS.
SO I SHALL
SEND OUT
THE ONE KNOWN AS
"CAROL HOLLIDAY"
AND SEE
IF SHE CAN AGITATE THE SHARD.
["CATASTROPHE" Audio Log #6]
THE ONE KNOWN AS
"CAROL HOLLIDAY"
HAS FAILED.
HER MIND WAS RIPPED APART BY
THE MENTAL ASSUALT
FROM THE SHARD
BEFORE SHE COULD
CALM IT DOWN.
APPARENTLY JUST BEING
SOMEONE WITH AN
EMOTIONAL CONNECTION
ISN'T ENOUGH.
*sip*
I NEED SOMEONE WHO
WAS MORE DIRECTLY INVOLVED
WITH THEM
FACE TO FACE.
SOMEONE THEY REALLY
CARED ABOUT.
BUT MOST ARE DEAD ALREADY.
AND THE ONES
*sip*
CLOSEST
TO THE INCIDENT
ARE EITHER DEAD
OR ARE
UNFEASABLE
DUE TO THEIR NATURE
*chug*
THIS IS A HEADACHE.
I'M GOING TO NEED
SOME STRONGER COFFEE.
[Handwritten note.]
(Most of it is unintelligible scrawling, the handwriting is definitely from a doctor. And probably one who hasn't gotten a lick of sleep.)
✋︎ ☟︎✌︎ ☜︎ ✋👎☜✌
☞︎⚐︎ ✌︎ 🏱︎⚐︎💧︎💧︎✋︎👌︎☹︎☜︎ 💧︎⚐︎☹︎ ✋︎⚐︎☠
❄ ☼☜💧
✌︎☠︎👎︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ⚐︎ ☟︎☜︎☼︎
❄︎⚐︎ 🏱︎☜︎☼💧✋︎💧︎❄︎ ✋☠
☹︎✋︎☝︎☟︎❄︎.︎
Notes:
Carol just gets offscreened lol.
And the good doctor really needs stronger coffee.
Chapter 11: Blood & Dust [ACT 2]
Notes:
Classic bunker theme again: TBCTE Soundtrack - Exposure
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Ralsei
The light, it was so bright.
I need to escape it.
With all I have.
I run, I run away.
Abandoning them.
Like I did to the ANGEL.
I'm a darkner that abandons Lightners instead of being a darkner that gets abandoned by Lightners.
Of course I have an excuse for my cowardice.
Like always.
That giant star, and all of the other attacks.
Well they would've killed me!
And Susie told me to run, and don't darkners do what they're told by Lightners?
It only makes sense that I would.
So nobody can really blame me.
Even myself.
It's just survivors guilt so I discard it.
I stop running, the danger is gone.
When the fallout clears, I start running back
What I see is pure devastation.
Smashed turrets, flickering lasers.
And panicked darkners fleeing for their lives from the carnage.
Some crushed under the rubble.
I make sure to help them out.
But the center of the battle?
Nothing but specks of dust and droplets of blood.
Nothing but their weapons refusing to dematerialize and some shards of black glass.
And that locket...
I make sure to grab all of it
The weapons.
The locket and shards.
Even the blood and dust using my tools, putting it into some jars I have on me.
I need something to bury after all.
Or well...
No. I shouldn't.
I walk, returning to section 1.
It was easy.
Nobody tried to stop me after I helped them out.
The carnage blew away all the defenses too.
Making most of them ineffectual.
There's Era.
I should tell them what happened.
"[Oh hello! Ralsei right?]"
"Yes, I'm Ralsei."
"[Where's your two friends? Did you get kicked out of the squire training? Did it have something to do with that massive explosion that's got everyone all bothered?]"
"No, there never was squire training. The Knight kidnapped a Lightner called Undyne in her madness. Which caused a massive fight."
"[Oh... Is everyone okay? Do you need some healing items?]"
"Nobody but me... Survived. That massive explosion and the injuries from the fight was too much."
I say that, ignoring my own wounds.
I'm only at about 12 HP now.
"{Wait... Everyone?!?!? You mean even...]"
"The Knight, Kris, Susie, Undyne. All dead. There's no more Lightners alive."
[That... That can't be true! There's no way! That... There's no way both her and Kris could die! That's just not possible!!]"
"It's the truth I'm afraid. Do you want to go to the funeral? I could bring you so you could go."
"[You... You're serious, aren't you?]"
"Yes... Here's what's left of them. I'm planning on burying this in place of their bodies"
I show her the black shards, the dust, and the blood.
"[Oh... Oh you... You have their remains... I...}"
"Yes... If you need a moment, I can come back later."
She needs some time, definitely.
I've always been good at empathy after all.
Too bad I didn't use it when it mattered
"[I... Yeah... I would like that...}"
I decide to let her mourn in peace.
She needs it.
As I make my way to the layer that machine is on, I can hear sobbing in the distance.
I still can't believe that machine was their plan though.
Really? Relying on a machine you don't even understand of completely mysterious origin?
You could have at least tested it first before you made your whole plan reliant on it.
I think it's also why they treated the ANGEL like that, because they needed to use them in a way they wouldn't accept to get it to work.
Although that's mostly just a blind guess.
I'd need more evidence.
And it doesn't really matter now anyway, does it?
I walk through the machine room.
Remembering what the angel said.
Remembering everything that happened in just a couple hours.
I ended up as the last alive person.
A darkner like me.
I can't even really be considered a person, can I?
Despite what Susie said. I still refused to be more than what I am.
It was my fault that I was too much of a pushover again, too willing to just follow along.
Even if Kris doesn't feel that way, thinking it was their fault because they wouldn't have let me step in even if I tried.
Susie felt that way too, thinking it was her fault because she broke it's arm with her own two hands and what it said to her before it slammed the door controls.
But still, I didn't step in. Didn't stand up when it mattered.
All I am is a lonely stupid prince. One who failed everyone they cared about.
A darkner lackey, who failed to stand up for what's right when it really mattered.
A pointless guide, who hid everything from those who they were supposed to inform.
A false hero, who was only called one in a now shattered and pointless prophecy.
Susie, the ANGEL, even Kris tried so hard to make me learn how.
But in the end I let them all down.
But in the end I proved I couldn't ever be a real person.
At least I became a better darkner trying.
So it wasn't a waste at least.
Either way, I should do what I've always done for them.
Clean up after and support the Lightners, the ones that actually matter.
I'll give them all a place to rest after it's all done.
I'll give them a comfy bed after some delicious tea
I'll give them a proper burial after the funeral.
They're heroes after all, they saved the world. They at least deserve that much.
I make it to the ANGEL's resting place.
The vessel is laying there, just breathing.
Perfectly healed yet still lifeless.
The ANGEL is shattered, and this was their vessel.
But I don't think they want me to feed it to to the worms or cremate it.
They loved their vessel a lot.
That pain they felt when Susie broke it's arm.
Not the physical pain, but that sense of hurt.
I could tell, they really cared about it.
To the point that they treated it as if Susie broke a part of their actual body instead of just some vessel.
They really loved it that much.
So I should keep taking care of it.
It doesn't seem to need food or water to live, thank the ANGEL.
Because we don't have any of that in these dark worlds, it would be impossible to keep it alive otherwise.
Although I'll need to make a chamber for it in the castle.
It's not like I can just leave a divine relic lying around in some spare storeroom.
I walk up to the ANGEL's vessel.
I give a prayer over the ANGEL's vessel
"Please... Angel if you can still hear me, if you're still there. Forgive them. Please."
Tears almost form, but I keep them down.
I can only hope wherever the ANGEL is, it can hear me.
I grab the locket from my pocket and put the locket around it's neck, the only place it really belongs.
I tie the golden necklace perfectly around it's neck.
I was always good at this.
Dressing myself and others up.
Wearing and putting on masks. But Susie said I need to learn to not always wear one.
It's kind of scary, realizing how I really am, what I desire, and letting others see it.
I then start picking it up, lifting it over my shoulder.
It's really really heavy.
But I'm not a weakling anymore.
Even if mentally, I'm not sure if I could be considered a person let alone a hero.
At least I have the strength of one.
After I catch my pace. I start to make my way back.
Era should have had some time to think by now.
I make my way up to sector 1.
And go talk to Era.
I make sure to leave the vessel before I enter the room
I don't want to drop more information on her yet, she has had enough to process today.
"[sniff... I can't believe they're really gone... Dead from some freak incident... Just like that]"
"Hello Era. Would you like to come with?"
"[Yes. I.. I want to see them put to rest.}"
"Alright, I'll go get everyone together."
It's time for a long search.
After a grueling and annoying couple of hours, I find and wrangle get everyone together in the section 2 entrance near Era.
"So. As you all know, this place is half destroyed at this point. And I promised some of you that you could join us all in Castle Town. If you want to go, raise your hands."
Everyone did. Well everyone with hands anyway.
That's a problem. Oh well I have an idea.
"Anyone who doesn't have hands... can just follow us or not."
I probably should have just done that to begin with.
It would be much more simple.
'Why did we even bother with raising our hands then anyway HUH?! Because it was a damn waste of time from what I'm hearin'!" Said a BurntUp.
"He's own new employer! You better show some respect!" Said a Handyman. Probably trying to look good in front of me for a bonus.
The others joined in the bickering.
Then they started fighting
*Sigh*
I try to wait it out but... The fight just grows bigger...
Looks like I'll need to step in. Last time I didn't things fell apart.
Don't make the same mistake again Ralsei.
Don't turn your back again. Confront it head on.
"Alright that's it! Everyone listen to me!"
They continued anyway
My rage is starting to boil at this nonsense.
My eyelids twitching in the now familiar attempt to control my anger. A forced smile on my face like a mother trying to desperately not snap.
"I said shut UP!!"
But they just won't stop bickering!!
It goes on for another couple minutes.
Getting more violent and out of hand as they let out their grievances to each other.
That's it. These bumbling idiots need a lesson on who's in charge here.
I cast a fireball at a BurntUp who was throwing coffee at Handymen.
209!
I didn't care about how I just hurt someone who didn't really need to be hurt
I didn't even care about the stamina usage that I desperately needed to keep tabs on now.
I didn't care about any of that when I was so enraged and upset.
I was just so fed up.
With everything today, I felt betrayed, angry, and hopeless.
And these darkners aren't helping with their antics.
They all looked shocked.
"Do I have your attention now idiots!?"
They all stared at me.
The Handymans immediately all did salutes.
The BurntUps straightened their posture.
Both had a slight hint of fear.
It felt good seeing them do that.
It shouldn't, but it did anyway.
That's not good. I need to be more careful.
My desires aren't good. I need to figure out a way to keep my desires under control.
After everyone calmed down, I got everything ready.
Normally I would need Kris or Susie to carry us darkners between locations.
But with things getting more and more intense, it was going to be impossible to make time for that.
So I did a little research over about 12 hours, and found out how to make a portal of sorts between dark worlds.
This is the first time anyone other than myself and some objects will have taken it though.
So, I concentrate and harness my magic. It takes so much it almost makes me faint.
This is why I didn't heal myself with magic, settling for those fried petals instead.
I needed the stamina for this.
However I still casted that fireball in rage, which is likely why I almost fainted.
I still need to get stronger it seems.
Now the portal is stable, so I just increased it in size until even Era can fit through.
Which that almost made me collapse again.
It took about 20 minutes with how slowly I had to do it because of how exhausted I was.
But everyone is waiting patiently after my outburst earlier got them all in line.
"There we go. Everyone head in when you're ready. I'll bring Era myself."
As they all flooded in, overpopulating our little castle town even more, I went to Era.
"[Nice magic there... The fireball was cool...]"
"Oh... Uh thanks..."
Nobody should praise an outburst like that.
That was completely unprofessional and out of line.
Even if it did solve it, I shouldn't solve things with violence.
Otherwise there might not be a good ending for me.
"It's time I help you get to castle town. Let me go get something to carry you."
A place like this should have a pallet jack somewhere.
So I go looking
I found one.
Only took a few minutes.
"Here we go. This might feel a bit odd."
"[It's fine..]"
I got her onto the jack, and pulled her through the portal
"Welcome to Castle Town."
Normally I would be more enthusiastic. But well. I don't think either of us are really in the mood.
"[It's a nice place...]"
"Yeah, Susie and Kris did a good job building it up. I just manage the place."
"[Don't sell yourself short, I think you put in plenty of effort yourself. Especially with how well you wrangled those workers and their constant annoying bickering.]"
"Yeah... Maybe you're right. Where do you want to be?"
"[Right up against this shop seems good.]"
That is a good spot for a vending machine so it does make sense.
"I'll ask Seam, but I don't think they'll care"
I never caught what Seam's preferred pronouns are.
I don't think they ever said, or probably care to be fair.
So I just default to saying neutral pronouns.
I put her, still on the jack, next to the shop wall before I headed in.
I open the door, it creaks.
They should fix that, not that they will.
"Oh if it isn't the royal highness? Well what do ya need?"
"Well I was going to ask if it's fine to place a vending machine darkner outside your shop. She's called Era."
"You could burn this place down and it wouldn't change a thing. Go ahead. More importantly though, it looks like you haven't had the best of days."
I don't think they'll leave this shop even if I did burn it down.
They probably would just sit there as they burned alive.
"Yeah... Well I'm going to make an announcement after everyone gets settled in."
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone until you show off your leadership skills so I won't steal you thunder ha ha."
"Fine. Good news or bad news first?"
"I don't really care, you know that Highness. Just say whatever you prefer."
Guess it's bad news first then.
"Bad news. Susie and Kris are... well... they died in the Bunker during a final fight with the Knight. The good news is that they saved the world."
I sighed, rubbing the palm of my hand.
"A heroic sacrifice and end for those heroes... But doesn't this all violate your precious prophecy?"
Seam gives me a look, they know I'm hiding something.
Looks like they caught me.
"You're right, it... The prophecy... Broke. Susie finally did it... she finally broke it like she always wanted."
I give a sad smile.
"I can tell she broke more than a prophecy, didn't she? Ha ha."
That's incredibly suspicious there. Are they already aware of what happened to the ANGEL?
But then how do they already know!? Nobody but the four people who were there had any knowledge of what occurred except maybe the Knight since it fought the ANGEL.
"But with It's light gone... How will the world react I wonder?"
"What do you mean?"
This is worrying. Seam always knew more than they were willing to say.
Way too much more, like me.
And just like me, hiding it all. Even if it gets Lightners killed.
"The world was made for a reason... Every shadow crystal tells you a piece of that purpose. And I have seen five so far during my days."
The shadow crystals always give me shivers.
The way they break and twist the minds of their wielders.
It always terrified me.
"Is that... Is that why it makes everyone so obsessed with the concept of freedom?"
"No. It's just that only people who desire freedom ever find them. The only time one who doesn't desire freedom will find one, is to give it to one who does. And that false wielder will never use it, ever."
So the only reason we kept running into them...
Is because of the ANGEL, and their desire to no longer be caged.
"From that look in your eye, it seems you have caught on. The purpose of the world was to give freedom. A purpose it failed to fulfill."
Wait WHAT?!?!
This world was made to give... freedom?
"I find that really hard to believe."
"So did the other holders. But the point is, that this world and it's people destroyed who it was made to help, so it shall be destroyed in turn to make up for it's mistakes."
Seam gave me a stern serious look.
I go pale.
That can't be what's happening... Right?
I noticed something was changing, but I thought it was just the Angel's disappearance causing side effects...
"Ha Ha, You seem bothered, did it remind you of someone or two?"
Oh, I didn't even make the connection.
The world itself is going the way Susie and Kris went.
That's horrifying to even think about.
"Either way, Your Highness, you will need to lead your subjects well in the coming time. You're all they have, after all. And if you want, my invitation to toast to the end is always available."
Seam gives me a crooked smile.
I walk out still pale, forgetting to say goodbye.
"See you again... in whatever path you take."
I don't even process what they said on the way out.
"Good news. I, uh, got their permission. You can stay here."
I quickly take her off the jack.
"[Oh good! Thanks a lot dear!]"
"I have a speech to prepare, so I'll see you later..."
I run to the castle.
Once I'm inside I rush to my lightly decorated room.
Fresh with a bunch of random items Susie and Kris found lying around.
I sit on the couch cushion.
Surprisingly comfy
Maybe I should get a proper couch here...
No not right now.
What seam said.
Everything that happened.
Susie... Kris...
I need time...
Time to process it all.
I can't bottle it all up.
And expect it to go away.
Because I'm not going anywhere.
So I cried.
So I screamed
To let it all out.
Eventually, I got up.
I still have to go get the vessel after all,
And write a speech.
I held onto my hope.
It was so dim.
But I held into it.
For it's all I had left.
All I had was my hope, and myself.
Notes:
Fluffy boy finally gets his own pov chapter!
And it's depression! (of course. I mean what did you expect at this point?)
Man he's not doing too good. Well at least he can give them all a proper funeral with what he's collected.
I tried to write him as a less hopeless version of Angel, since they have very similar issues but at different intensities.
(Currently a sickness is passing through my home, so I might not be able to write soon if i get ill too. So combined with the increased complexity of ACT 2 increasing writing time requirements, I think I'm going to only upload every other day to build up some backlog.)
(Also annoying story when I was writing this. Apparently some mysterious key bind just deletes a website element and it deleted the writing box mid use before I saved the edit. I couldn't even undo like usual because of it, so I just had to throw out and try to replicate 6k missing characters since last save. Wonderful. That means some of the writing is a little off, since I had to reconstruct it from memory)
Chapter 12: Renovations
Chapter Text
RALSEI
I go back through the portal to go pick up the vessel.
I still don't quite get why the ANGEL was so affected by what Susie did...
It's a nearly godlike entity, why would it care about what some-
No that's all wrong.
Why would Susie care about me then? Susie still cared after all, and Susie would be devastated if I died or we stopped being friends. Even if I'm just a darkner.
I bet the ANGEL felt the same way. And they were even more devastated than Susie would be.
Susie seems to have been abandoned by people she thought were friends before, if that outburst on the door was anything to go by.
She would be able to take it without collapsing completely, but the ANGEL is softer and kinder than anyone else I've seen.
It only makes sense that they would...
Shatter like glass.
Suddenly I start hyperventilating.
Calm down. Deep breaths.
There. Nice and calm...
Phew.
Just thinking about that scene still shocks me.
It will probably be a while before I can get think about it without that happening.
Anyway, I pick up the vessel for the second time.
I carry it on my back, making sure to avoid contact through town for now.
Not yet time to explain. That's what the carefully designed speech is for.
I bring it up to my empty room, hide it underneath that ICE E statue, and start getting ready.
Somehow the ICE E statue does not harm the soulless vessel despite all the spikes.
After about 9 hours of work. I draft up a blueprint for some improvements to the castle, with a new vault behind a new throne room behind the currently unused big door and room leading to the fountain, where I introduced myself to Susie and Kris the Angel back then.
I think I'll need a better place to do meetings make important decisions and for people to find me if anything urgent happens. That's what a throne room is for.
Purely practical, doesn't need to be flashy or anything, just big and open so it can fit a lot of people for big meetings, with a big enough throne that everyone can see me from anywhere in said room.
And I also finished drafting my speech, which took the majority of the time because it was...
Well it was hard. At least Lancer came in halfway through to cheer me up.
Although he also wanted to know when "Blue Person" and Susie would show up.
I couldn't look at him after that, just diving deeper into my work.
I just can't get myself to tell him yet.
I'll just let the speech to the talking.
At least there isn't Susie to interrupt me this time...
Although I really wish there was...
I stretch from 9 hours of sitting on a couch cushion, writing.
At least us darkners don't really get diseases or have bones and muscles that can get out of shape or be damaged.
Only Tenna had anything close, and that was just a fragile head and easily cut wires in his limbs that would still heal normally, if it wasn't for the Knight's ability to cause true grievous injury to anyone or anything that is.
Both of Tenna weaknesses were still easier to fix than a person's organs or bones.
That and any non-lethal damage against us darkners eventually heals perfectly, given enough time.
There is perks for not being real I guess.
I get up and head downstairs, to go talk to and give the blueprints to the Handyman.
I would have drafted up the funeral site plans too, but I want to do that after the speech to avoid revealing anything early.
With the loss of most of our money though, I'll need to set up some kind of taxation system and get the economy going so I can pay them all properly.
More work to do.
Well I've always been good at work.
I hand the blueprints to a group of Handymen taking a short break in the Café after building a bunch of homes.
"I got something I need your help building please."
"We gotcha boss!"
They salute again, and all get up, with their unfinished drinks in one of their many hands to immediately clock in.
I go mark the supplies from the storeroom they'll be using.
And I wait, thinking about everything I'll need to do and say soon.
There's a lot of work I need to do after all.
They are hard workers. It's only been a few hours and they're done already.
Well they did conscript the help of a whole bunch of other darkners too.
The Swatchlings and Zappers helped a bunch from what I heard.
But the throne room...
"Thanks for all the help!"
"Well, we're your employees! This is what we're paid for!"
It seems a little grander than I made the blueprints?
This room is massive! With a grand view into the fountain. Giant pillars going at least 20 meters up to the mural covered ceiling.
The floor is made of some kind of unique carved stone bricks unlike the rest of the castle.
Up about 7 large steps is the throne itself, with a long green rug with red sides and Glowshards making a elegant pattern of stars acting as a path from the throne to the entrance.
Also the throne seems to shine with a weird light as well.
"How do you like it Boss? We made sure to go above and beyond!"
Although it looks amazing, I have to say...
"Where did you get all of this?"
They didn't get all of this from the storeroom. I made sure of that.
And this is just insane! How do you even get this many Glowshards!?
"We made sure to strip the whole bunker for everything it had since you left that portal open!"
Oh...
How did I forget!? I left the portal open this whole time!
I start blushing from embarrassment and try to hide it
"W-Well where is it all stored?"
"Oh we made a big ol' warehouse at the request of some hammerhead guy. He gave us space in it for exchange."
Lessons learned.
I need to get a better grasp of my own town.
How in the holy ANGEL did I not notice that a gigantic warehouse sprung up out of nowhere!
The embarrassment increased.
I decide to check out the beautiful glowing white accented, very dark black throne to distract myself.
I climb up the 7 large steps to get to it, and jump onto it
Despite definitely being to big for me, it's like I fit perfectly.
Too perfectly
And it's really really comfy! Definitely better than that old couch cushion.
But it's a bit... too comfy
And I feel it affecting me mentally.
Is this an INT: UP effect?
It seems like it, but those are nearly impossible to create. So how?? Is it even an INT: UP!?
If it is, it isn't a very strong one, so it isn't a legendary artefact that I'm parking my butt on at least.
Either way this is a nearly perfect throne, almost good enough for an emperor.
This throne is way to grand for me.
I'm just a prince...
But as they all look at me...
Waiting for my judgement.
I can't help feel joy from atop this throne.
Them all looking up at me, even if it's just to see if I like the room and throne they made.
It feels really good.
Too good.
I make sure to quickly get off
I can't let it ever get to me.
I cannot let it get to me.
Ever.
"So what do you think?"
"It's great! You guys really went above and beyond! But... Isn't this a bit much?"
"Well it's a room for the leader of a kingdom! To show off the royal authority! You want it to be as big and grand and awesome as possible!!" He slams one of his many hands against his chest.
"But if you want something more modest just ask."
He has a point... But it's too much for me.
It's not like they could understand how I feel. That it's too good.
And they really did do a good job. Even if I clearly stated in the blueprints what to do and well..
This isn't what I told them to do.
I'll just emphasize it more next time.
I head over to the new vault.
Behind the throne is a new set of stairs descending under it.
Down those stairs is the vault entrance.
It's one of the word puzzles from cyber world, but with the correct combination being unknown, acting as a password. However it's unfinished, with the actual buttons missing.
It's a vault door. Almost completely assembled but missing the part that actually locks currently.
"Oh hey Boss! Where you're ready we can set the code to whatever you want!"
"Alright thanks, I'll check inside first"
"Go ahead!"
Inside was a beautiful hallway, filled with empty display stands and a big money hole in the back, a classic darkner way of storing cash.
The tiled silver flooring was incredibly reflective and the grand pillars were shining on it.
I even saw my own reflection.
It looked... a little off though, a little too dark if I had to guess?
Weird. Very weird.
I know this is just normal tiling so I don't know why it's having that effect.
But this place is also grander than the blueprints.
Of course.
I walk up to the money hole, and it's so big it has spiral stairs along the edges to get to the bottom.
How am I ever going to fill this thing?
*sigh*
This prince is no longer lonely, and is just poor instead.
I walk away from the hole of disappointment.
And go talk to the Handyman to set up the code.
After I was done with that, I started moving everything valuable inside
Not that I had much, but I made sure to put it all inside.
I put the vessel in the center of the room, sealed by a ornate white coffin with wing patterns made Glow Shards to mimic the ANGEL's light.
It's top is transparent and allows view into the cushioned inside, the vessel breathing comfortably.
It definitely looks like a relic now, and is properly secured and safe.
This is the level of respect the ANGEL deserves.
Not what they got.
I head out of the vault, locking the door behind me.
Well, time to draft up some actual laws to announce during the well, announcement.
I'll need to get someone to enforce them though.
The Swatchlings and Tasque Manager should be able to help.
I try writing, but it's a real pain still.
I really do need a proper desk.
And my bedroom is a mess, still without a proper bed.
You know what?
Everyone wanted me to get a proper room, not this endearing but horrible mess.
They were constantly pushing me to take care of myself.
I can at least grant a dead woman's wish. Especially one I care about.
And the ANGEL themselves told me to as well.
And now I have practical reasons for it too.
No reason to refuse or put it off anymore.
Time to go talk to the Handyman's again and pull them away from their house building.
Because I need a room already, especially if I'm going to be running this place for however long it takes to figure out what's going on.
Seam made it clear that things won't be calm forever, and still refuses to explain in detail what's happening.
I can only hope that this gives me an opportunity to fix things.
To hopefully get the ANGEL back, as there's no way the ANGEL is actually dead.
If the ANGEL comes back, they can definitely find a way to save everyone.
After all, they're the holy righteous ANGEL. If anyone could fix this, it's them
Sadly, they don't seem to feel up to it after what we did.
Somehow we broke them, In a way nothing else could.
So it will be my job as the last survivor of those who caused this to fix it.
Anyway, I got the Handymen hard at work now. So I'm just checking out the changes to town.
I told them not to go crazy since it's just my personal room.
But somehow I doubt I'm just going to end up with a simple practical desk and basic bed.
They seem... like they're really trying to please me.
If Kris was right about their personalities, they're trying to please me to get a raise or promotion.
Which will cause a few problems sometimes.
Like that ridiculously grand throne room, seriously why?? And how??
Them scavenging everything from the bunker still doesn't add up with what they used! There's no way there was like 20 Glowshards just... lying about.
I had to use every single one we collected over 7 whole dark worlds just to build that coffin!
Well at least we now have a dozen new homes already and an expanded castle town area.
Man they really knocked those walls down and terraformed the whole area.
Now the walls are way further back. Like a whole kilometer and a half from the castle now.
The golden door to the old card kingdom dark world pushed back with the magic of perspective.
The area that acts as an entrance form the light world is still the same distance away from the gate as well.
The land of dreams indeed.
Although it's still kind of empty out here.
Just a bunch of empty land with only a few new houses decorating it.
"Hey! Toothpaste boy!"
What the!? Oh it's just Lancer.
That made jump.
"Oh hey Lancer!"
"Looks like I got you!"
Oh, so it was intentional this time.
I can't help but genuinely smile seeing him.
"Anyway you seen Susie anywhere? Or that blue person I definitely remember the name of? They've been gone for over three whole naps now!"
I'm sorry Lancer. I can't tell you yet.
But I should at least tell him that I know something and will say it soon.
I can at least tell him that.
"Well, I do know what happened... But I'm planning on telling everyone at once."
"Ho ho ho! You have a big surprise planned! I see... Don't worry toothpaste boy! I will wait patiently for the grand reveal!!"
Oh Lancer...
You are the best example of why it's not always great to know the truth.
The truth hurts. It hurts more that you could believe.
I only hope you can take it well Lancer, if anyone could I pretty sure you would.
You're strong like that Lancer.
Stronger than me at least, considering how much the truth crippled me for so long.
Eventually I head back to my room.
This hallway is way longer.
At least it isn't flashy or anything. But I can tell it acts like a security checkpoint.
I can see those lasers attached to the wall. Ripped straight from the bunker for sure.
Why?? Why would I ever need laser defenses?
Who would even attack me? Like who? King? He's still stuck in the well secured prison. Queen? She has no reason to and would get promptly roasted till she stopped, since I'm not the same weakling anymore.
If anything, I'm a people pleaser.
So I really don't have any enemies.
Well with Seam's ominous message is would be better to get some defenses.
But attached to the main entrance or something, not personal laser defenses for my room of all things.
*Sigh*
Whatever, I'll just go get them to set up some defenses later in actually practical spots.
And maybe get that dojo in better shape so we can have every darkner practice their attacks again. Most of them have not practiced at all since they were recruited.
We need to make sure we are ready to weather any storm.
I walk past the deactivated lasers, and see a switch next to my mostly normal door.
I flip it.
Of course, it's the laser switch.
Also my door looks a little off.
Either way I open it.
Oh I see, it has a one way window now. Which is why it looked off from outside.
More security I didn't need or ask for...
I really need to find a way to keep a tighter leash on everyone because this keeps happening to me.
Either way I open the room.
The color scheme is kept the same way, but just repainted and higher quality looking.
Classic black and green for the walls and floor, with a rug like Kris and Susie's rooms
That I also didn't ask for.
And the room is a bit bigger. Not too big though so I guess I can just say it is to fit the desk and bed.
Speaking of, the desk is nice looking. Not the plain look I though it would be, but it isn't tacky or overly grandiose. Just some basic patterns and shaping. I like it.
The chair looks comfy too, a classic looking leather seat, except for the fact it's green. Similar to how Susie and Kris' rooms were again with the color schemes.
The bed is way better than what I asked for, which was effectively a mattress on sticks.
Instead it's a proper bed with a head and foot board. As well as a little bedside table with a cute little lamp shaped like my old hat but smaller.
Speaking of, my hat is there on the bottom of it. Someone found it apparently.
Looks like they didn't go way too far this time, for once.
There's also a Swatchling in the corner of the room, wearing a hardhat for some reason.
He was just waiting patiently there, so I go to talk to him as he's definitely here to explain things.
"Ah hello Your Majesty!"
I'd rather you didn't, thanks.
"Just... just call me Ralsei or even young master... Anything but that."
"Alright young master Ralsei. I shall keep that in mind. I shall show you around. This room was renovated with the help of many people and those blueprints you provided. We all noticed you were looking down, so we wanted to help."
It's... nice knowing they care about me too. Even if I'm not a Lightner.
He walks up the the closet, and opens the door
"All the stuff that was originally in here was either moved to the closet or given a spot in the room as you can see."
And it's a pretty large closet, still plenty of space despite all the random things in there that Kris and Susie collected. They stored it with respect too, definitely Swatchling work.
"You have already seen the lasers I presume?"
"Yes... why are they there though?"
"Extra security for the one in charge of course! You can turn them on if you don't want to be disturbed as well."
I'm not really gonna be able to argue against that, am I?
The Swatchling walks to the desk and pushes it.
"And under here is a secret tunnel that leads to the vault entrance. Perfect if you need to escape from a titan as the vault is more well armored and sealed than anywhere else in the castle."
It was going so well!! But of course they had to add some nonsensical thing! It was just too normal! Even with the lasers it was still too normal and sane!!
Why in the ANGEL's name would I need to escape form a titan after the Knight is dead inside a pure fountain!?
I just can't get them now. Why are they trying to protect me like this?
Do they already know? No no... There's no way they...
Oh...
I'm an idiot! You told Era! And you didn't tell her to keep quiet!
Of course they all know what's going on! Only someone like Lancer wouldn't be told by now!
They're all treating me like this because I'm all they have now and they know it.
They're just patiently waiting for my announcement out of respect for them and me.
Well. I better get going then, everyone is waiting on me to say it out to everyone now.
I just have to finish these laws quickly.
"Okay. Good to know. Thanks for making all of this for me!"
I say, trying to get him to leave, as I need to finish this soon.
"No problem, Anything for you young master Ralsei! And I take that as my cue. "
The Swatchlings are good at this. So he noticed that I was signaling him to leave.
He deftly leaves through the door, closing it behind him without a sound.
Either way...
I'm going to be busy for a while.
So I get to work on my new desk.
Drafting up the future of this castle and town.
The future of {ERROR}town.
Wait a minute...
That's weird...
{ERROR}town? That's not right.
Something is already wrong.
I can't remember their name properly, I know what it is, but it's jumbled up and distorted, despite it being both their name and the castle town's name too.
I need to make sure to ask the residents later to see if they are having the same issue with the town name.
Well that can only mean something has gone horribly wrong when they shattered.
I already felt some effects, like a memory of us in Cyber World being duplicated. The one where I told the ANGEL that maybe they should try to think about what Susie was doing so I could talk to Kris.
It's not making me forget anything though, which means it isn't like any other memory corruption I know about.
What's important though is that...
Seam was right.
Notes:
Poor Ralsei and Poor Ralsei. (Get it?)
ANGEL's "name" has been scrambled. For reasons currently unknown.
Anyway, I've decided to slow the pace down, and just have Ralsei living their life without too much going on for a few chapters and have some world building going on.
Simply put, it's a bit of filler to act as a calm period.
(Don't worry, most of the suffering and main plot starts again soon after the funeral scene and Ralsei as well as the reader are just getting a much needed break before I ruin everything again.)
Chapter 13: Rally Cry
Notes:
Theme. Deltarune OST - The Dark Truth
(Only for this first part though. This chapter changes themes a lot so look for the underlined links)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
RALSEI
I step up onto the stage.
A simple stage made of planks. Not wood because it isn't actually from trees.
I adjust my scarf.
I end up completely stiff.
But I continue anyway.
"I have an announcement to make. Some of you are already aware of what I'm about to say."
Everyone held their breath.
A veritable sea of darkners, all looking at me.
"The Lightner heroes were able to stop the Roaring, at the cost of their own lives. Kris and Susie have made the ultimate sacrifice for the worlds of Light and dark."
There was plenty of surprised gasps from that.
Everyone was shocked, as I didn't say that to Era either.
"The world of Light may never know or respect their sacrifice, but we will. And we will grant them a heroes rest. There will be a funeral in 3 days."
I showed the sword and axe.
Kris' twisted blade and Susie's axe of justice.
"Only their weapons were left after the battle."
That and their dust and blood, which I will bury with the weapons.
"The holy ANGEL has seemingly been critically wounded themselves. I do not know their condition, but it is not good."
That got everyone even more shocked.
They didn't believe that could happen to the ANGEL.
"As you all know, this town is named after them. If you want proof of what I'm saying about the holy ANGEL as I'm sure it's unbelievable, please try to think or say the town's name."
A few said it out loud.
"{ERROR}town?"
That caused a bit of a panic there, as they realized I wasn't lying.
I made sure to check with a few people beforehand about the town name which was helpful here.
"Everyone calm down!" I shouted out, before the panic grew.
They listened this time, no fireballs required.
"As we are now alone, we will have to stand fast against the test of time. So we must stand strong together!"
I rally them to my side.
Leadership has not really been my thing. But I think I got the hang of it now.
"I have some new laws and things we need done. With the ANGEL in it's current state, we need to be ready for anything."
I show the rudimentary laws. One for a 10% sales tax on all goods and services and another requiring mandatory combat and survival training for all citizens.
"These laws will allow for funding of central governance and make everyone ready for the coming storm."
Seam made it clear there would be serious consequences for the ANGEL being shattered.
Speaking of, Seam didn't show themselves. Like usual.
"As for the orders. Here they are."
An order for a complete restructuring of the castle into a proper fort.
An order for traps all around town that can be activated from the castle.
And one final order to reinforce the outer walls and hire a few people to act as lookouts.
"These plans will allow us to be ready for an invasion or foreign attacks. After it is completed, we will continue with construction of houses and businesses."
Everyone nodded along.
Nobody had any disagreements, or if they did, they were too shocked from before to comment.
"Also If you find any oddities in your memory, please report it to me. We need as much information on what's happening as possible with the ANGEL's disappearance."
I have to figure out what's happening first if I want to find a solution, hopefully others have been having similar issues with their memory
"We were all brought together by their hard work. We and the heroes built this town. We will make sure to preserve ourselves and this town for decades to come!"
I start to hype them all up. I need to encourage cooperation and everyone doing their part for what's soon to come.
"We will not falter! And we will not give in!" I raised my fist into the air. It probably looks absurd coming from me. "WE WILL HOLD ONTO OUR HOPE!"
But it didn't matter. Since they felt differently about my absurd gesture.
"WE WILL HOLD ONTO OUR HOPE!" Most of them said in unison. Which I didn't expect them to go that far actually.
A few seconds later, after everyone calmed down.
"That will be all for today. Thank you all for listening and preparing for the future with me."
I bowed my head, and headed off stage as some of them clapped.
Phew, even with a prepared script, that was exhausting.
And kind of... exhilarating too?
Either way, I need to talk to Lancer soon.
I try to go find him.
Suddenly, someone warps in.
"Thoust speech was quite incredible!"
Oh, it's him.
"Hello Rouxls Kaard." I say with a deadpan expression. He's found a way to bother us in all but 2 dark worlds so I'm not the most thrilled with him.
Now that I'm finally actually leading, he's going to try to become my second in command, isn't he.
"I heardeth thou needed some.... traps? Mayeth I interest you in the skilleth of a Duke Of Puzzles?"
Well he does have a point, too bad he sucks at actually designing puzzles. Maybe he'd be better at traps?
"Sure, feel free to help out, just make sure to get help from the others."
It will save some of the burden of designing them all myself.
"I graciously accepteth thou promotion to Duke Of Puzzles of {ERROR}town!"
That's... not what I meant. And he's using the incomprehensible glitched name now.
Oh whatever.
"I have to go find Lancer. Do you know where he is?"
"If i hadeth a guess...."
I sit there, waiting for an answer for a whole minute.
I almost stated tapping my feet in impatience.
"I haveth the Solution! His ROOMETH!" He said like it was a grand revelation.
I was.. already going to check there first.
"*sigh* Thanks Rouxls..."
I quickly fled from the great duke of puzzles before he gave me a headache.
I headed up the stairs, it was quiet, like usual. But somehow it felt wrong.
I stood in front of his door. thinking about what I'll say.
In the end, it's probably best that I just be genuine.
I walked up to the door and knocked.
Lancer came and opened the door. No splat sound either.
He doesn't look too great. I haven't ever seen him this serious. Susie might have because of that fight they had in the dungeon though.
"Oh hey... You came to talk right?"
I nod.
"Then come in... I'm sure you just want to make sure I'm okay."
Lancer has never been dumb. Maybe a bit naïve and almost never serious. But he's a sharp spade in the shed and always has been.
"I'm sorry."
When things get serious, really serious, he can tell.
"Don't be, I don't doubt you tried your best. It's just... It's going to hurt no matter what."
He sits down on the floor, away from his holes.
I decide to join him.
"Well... There's something I wanted to tell you privately. How it all actually went down, because if anyone deserves to know, it's you. I would tell the rest, but that truth isn't their burden to bear and they need to focus on how we're all going to survive."
"You're very worried about that."
"Considering what Seam said, and what happened to the ANGEL. We all should be. You remember the town name right?"
"Yeah, it's all jumbled up."
"The first of many consequences. But as I was saying, let me tell you what happened."
I go on a long winded rant explaining everything.
Lancer just sits there patiently. Barely showing any shock when I said Susie broke the ANGEL's will.
"Of course she would, especially if Kris told her that. She's... too trusting sometimes. Like back in card kingdom, when I betrayed her. Someone she cares about could lie to her face and she'd believe every single word unless it conflicted with what a different friend said.
Both she and the Angel cared too much about those 'below' themselves. The Angel just broke in a different way than her."
I took in what he said, and continued.
Telling him about who the Knight was.
Telling him about the plan we had.
Telling him about how it ended.
"I'm so sorry... I couldn't save anyone..."
Eventually I finally broke down into tears after holding it in for so long.
Trying to hold it in till the funeral.
Lancer held my shoulder, to help me calm down.
"Don't beat yourself up about it. There's not much anyone can do about it there. Just a case of a bad decision for bad circumstances being made years ago without any input from you. This isn't your fault, remember that." He's speaking from experience there. Maybe about his dad?
I calmed down and steeled my new will.
"I'll do something, I'll figure something out to fix this. I promise."
After all, what else am I good for now?
Lancer gave me a look.
"Don't end up like Kris, promising something like that. You can't bring back the dead Ralsei." He called me by my name...
"I'll... try to keep that in mind. For now, I'll let you rest." I say as I leave the room, Lancer still just sitting on the floor, clearly devastated.
I'm sorry Lancer, but I have to do something to fix this.
I have to make this promise.
Or more than just my world could end.
I have to fix this. For there's no one else left.
Notes:
Weekend chapter lesgo!! (Decided to pump one out as quick as possible, before peak reading hours started for the weekends for yall to enjoy)
Some may take lancer as a young dumb child... But he's not really like that.
Remember that he actually said this in chapter 1:
"Understand? They have to stay in their cells.
The Lightners can't be allowed to escape.
... Especially the purple one."
He can be serious and when he does, he's confident and competent.
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