Indeed it has, Gaster agreed, his voice projecting not from his mouth, but by echoing through the bones of his hands, shaping in the holes and transmitting directly to the mind of the listener. When last we spoke face to face, we each had corporeal bodies of our own. Tell me, how is it that a celestial such as this one did allow a wraith such as you into her untainted soul?
Chara shivered internally, as unnerved as ever at how perceptive Gaster was. "Mom adopted her," he replied through Woona's voice. "When she learned about me, and Father...and Asriel...she decided she was going to make the family whole again."
And so she opened herself to a being of shadows and lies, to make him true, Gaster considered. She is either very brave, very foolish... His fleshy eye glinted in its socket. Or very Determined.
"Certainly one of those," Chara allowed. "All I had to do to speak to you like this...was ask."
And it unnerves you with how trusting of you she is, when you could so easily betray that trust. You don't have to give back control at this point, after all. When Chara's shock was mirrored onto Woona's face, a mirthless, unholy sound echoed through the chamber that could only be called laughter because there weren't enough damned present to be screaming. Just because I've lost my emotional half doesn't mean I don't remember what it was like to feel things...the onus that the trust of an innocent can unwittingly place upon a tainted soul.
Chara closed his and Woona's eyes against what was happening, gathering his thoughts. "What are you doing here, Gaster?" he demanded finally. "Did you have something to do with Woona getting the Legendary Artifact?"
You have the cause and effect backwards, Chara, Gaster countered. I am here because one of the Makers saw fit to put my greatest creation into play in this timeline. Something amazing awaits at the end of this tale, I am certain.
"A Maker? But Woona got it from the dog-your creation?" Chara gasped out, his interest changing mid-sentence as he realized what was said.
Gaster grinned mirthlessly as his hands shaped two different tales. That dog is how that particular Maker chooses to represent himself in this world. Makers tend to have a perverse sense of humor. As Chara's thoughts wandered, Gaster's eye narrowed. I said perverse. Do you think about your mother with that brain-oh wait, that's what you were doing.
Even as Chara blustered about that, Gaster's other hand shaped the much more important story. I served as the royal scientist to the King of the Monsters for a long time. I served Asgore, and his father before him, and his father before him, and his father before him...since before the war...since before humans even knew of our sacred summerlands above, let alone came to them...since before we were known as 'Monsters'... A quirk of the hand changed the storyline. Back then, I was not as I am now...I was whole. Things were peaceful.
When humans first came to our lands, there was peace. But as we came to understand human Determination, we discovered the potential within ourselves to generate it. But Determination requires a great deal of physical matter to properly manifest, and our bodies are almost entirely magic. When we generate too much Determination, it tries to transform that magic into physical matter, and... Gaster's eye glinted. Flowey has told you the results of Alphys' experiments, hasn't he?
Chara shivered, convulsively swallowing bile he felt even though there was none in Woona's throat. "Y...yes. He...mentioned it a few times." It was one of the few things that Flowey had Reset for, he was so weirded out by it...especially when he'd learned they couldn't be killed.
This was in the age when Asgore's father ruled, Gaster explained. He approached me to find a solution, a way to prevent our number from falling to the poison made in our own bodies. I worked long hours. Days...weeks...months...but I eventually found a solution. I created a crystal that was connected to the soul of every living monster by its very nature. When Determination was generated, it would automatically collect all but the smallest amounts, save if the Monster needed it to keep itself alive, and was in dire straits. A stone of pure, crystallized Determination. This has become known as the Legendary Artifact, my ultimate creation...the SOULSTONE.
The SOULSTONE glittered at Woona's throat in response to being called by its true name. "That's what it is?" Chara gasped out, putting one of Woona's hooves to the stone. "That's why it generated so much power in that timeline that didn't happen?"
Yes. Every time a Monster generates Determination, it is absorbed by the Stone, stored until the need of one who can tap its power unleashes its magic. However, the forces I worked with to create it did not take kindly to being tamed against their will...and exacted a price. The clever mind that sought to circumvent the fundamental nature of the world, the mischievous heart that cared not for consequences...these were split from each other into two separate entities, and the Heart lacked the knowledge to anchor itself properly, and was cast beyond the veil of time. Gaster frowned as he recounted this detail. The only way I can recover my true self is if no Monster speaks my True Name before I am whole again...which is why, when I explained all this to Oberon, he outlawed hockey.
Chara found himself more confused than enlightened by this, until he realized the last bit had been revealed by the other hand, which seemed to take more amusement in the situation then was really appropriate. "If the Stone is so powerful, then why wasn't it used to win the war?"
Because its power is too great for any Monster to use safely, Gaster's hand explained. Even Oberon could not risk tapping its power, or the flood of Determination would tear his soul asunder. As such, he ordered me to seal it deep underground. ...unfortunately, my efforts in creating it drew the attention of the humans, and they came to realize just how much power we had...and they came to fear us. And that fear turned to hate... Gaster smiled mirthlessly as Chara staggered back. That's right, Chara...I'm the reason humans brought war to us. I remembered what it felt like to care for all those who fell because of me...but feeling nothing has left me with only madness. And when I saw that madness also taking seed in my Master, the King, your father...I sought a true solution. Since my Heart was banished beyond the veil of time...I sought to conquer it.
Chara gasped in shock. "You made the Resets!" he gasped out. "You were trying to make yourself whole again, and caused the looping time!"
You are clever after all, Gaster allowed. Yes, a side effect of the magic I sought to master backlashing against me. The Underground became trapped in a bubble of time, echoing throughout the eons. And whoever had the strongest Determination within that bubble, bound by the barrier made with the souls of Men, could turn back time at will along their own path through our lands. But such power is dangerous...and so I slipped back through the cracks in time my tinkering left behind, and sought to make those who could guard that power against misuse...
"Sans and Papyrus?" Chara whispered. "That's why they're so different?"
They are my sons, after all, even if most don't remember that they were made, not born. Each was made with a different purpose. Papyrus was supposed to be the protector of time...and so I made his skeleton body of physical matter, his bones pure Determination...Determination he was unable to access, as he lacked the confidence to face the job he was made for. But should he ever overcome that hurdle and believe in himself, then even Time itself will obey him.
But when I realized that the forces I sought to tame defied mastery, I lost almost all hope. It was in that darkness I saw it...the last spark of hope that the entire monster race will ever have. The last spark...which burns brightest when it is all that is left in the darkness. And thus was born sans, a skeleton with only one HP, the last spark of Hope made manifest. When he isn't needed, his power is not brought to bear, and he might go unnoticed save by those he befriends. But when he is all that is left...
"His power is overwhelming," Chara concluded. "Flowey often ranted about how frustrating it was to try and fight him..."
Exactly. And as Hope made manifest, his magic can directly manipulate the souls of others...and even draw forth power from the SOULSTONE without being destroyed, as long as he does not channel it into his own body. Gaster's hands fell silent at last.
Chara remained silent, taking it all in.
Do you have the answers you sought here? Gaster's hands inquired.
"...more than I expected, Gaster," Chara replied. "In fact, the only question you didn't answer...is more one Woona would need answered than me. ...why did Father kill the other children?"
Alphys will tell Woona that, should she ask her, Gaster countered firmly. She knows the whole story, and you won't need that answer until then. For now, the crack in time created by the removal of the SOULSTONE is closing due to its presence. Our conversation is at an end.
As simply as that, Gaster faded out.
Shivering, Chara walked Woona's body out of the chamber. Woona...
To Chara's surprise, Woona instantly arose within the shared spiritual awareness. I didn't really get most of that...except that my necklace is super duper important, and Sans and Papy are really good friends to have...
Chara chuckled. That's...that's the important bits, yeah. Since Woona was once more ready...he relinquished control of the body, surprised it was so easy for him to do so. The shadows of his being seemed...a bit less dark. Then again, perhaps it was just in comparison to the one he'd just been speaking to.
Smiling happily for her brother, Woona decided to test the one thing she understood - more or less - of the conversation. She extended her magic into the SOULSTONE...
...and was filled with DETERMINATION.
hockey.. hee.
6990876 I don't get it... But I wanna...
If we had to wait a month for this, I would say #worththewait. Somehow, a chapter of this quality took oh so much less.
Woah, okay this was a sudden revelation gone for the interesting...
YASS!!!! THIS IS SO COOL!!!! ONE OF BEST CROSSOVERS!!!!!! YAY!!! That was my reaction at first, then I started reading more and more and this happened. Oh kewl........ It's awesome..... We need more excitement!!!
Oh, shyte be hitting the fan soon, I can tell. I look forward to it with high expectations... And a whole lotta popcorn.
This is a very good chapter! REALLY GOOD! EPIC EVEN!!
our sacred summerlands above, let along came to them
and was in dire straights
1. I believe this is Alone.
2. I believe this is Straits.
Well dog gone, the Makers sure have a sense of humour alright.
Guess Papyrus is... DETERMINED to the bone.
Poor Gaster, not being... Wholely what he used to be.
holy crap you just dropped a bomb didn't you
and knowing this is one of your stories I cant wait to see how Luna saves Asriel
This makes about as much sense as all the Gaster theories I've seen. Which isn't very many, as I've only tried making my own.
OH HEL YEA THIS IS HAPPENING. (if slowly)
I love how you perceived the skelebros, especially with Sans' single HP. Hope, yea pretty much. Like in a pacifist run after he takes you to Grillby's, if you talk to him again he will offer to try and 'catch' you. He's easier than PAPS!
STAY D E T E R M E N E D and please continue this story. (づ ̄ ³ ̄)づ
Wow! So the Mysterious Torc that Woona received from the white dog in chapter 7 is actually the SOULSTONE? That just blew my mind.
In fact, the whole chapter blew my mind with Sans and Papyrus being super-important and all.
That's actually a good explanation for Sans
Heh, I thought the Soulstone was the Alicorn Amulet.
6990933
(It looks I'm going to have to act like Papyrus for the rest of this story in the comments section.
i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/046/075/720.png
Is this going to end up with a whole 'Why did I hate humanity? Why did I hate all life? ... ... ... That's funny. It has been long since anyone asked me that question. Including myself. So long... that I don't remember.' for Chara in the end?
6990884
what is the name of the black rubber object that hockey players want control of?
Yes, I am trying to be subtle.
Whoa... bombshell bro, holy crap...
Damn good chapter well done, well done!
Chara got WOONAD!
I've always looked at the first encounters with Undyne as awesome, because she was the first monster in the underground to figure out Frisk was a human and actively try to kill her. It inspired such a 'hunted' feel that made the game amazing at the start of the journey. It was also the only boss fight where the way to win is to flee and run to the edge of Hotlands. I'm looking forward to seeing how Luna handles it.
But really, that's some fascinating lore you've woven together there. But to be honest, I really want to see how you write up the rest of the Undyne scenes.
....OoO. I am in awe. You went and turned Papyrus into a damned Tank! He literately just needs to believe he can do it, and he will freakin' Hulk Smash anyone in his way.
Oh... Oh I just had the beautiful image of Papyrus slamming Asriel in God of Hyperdeath mode around, and then saying "Puny God" to him.
Out of curiosity... what was the music that set the mood?
6991559
This comment.
Ah... You saw fit to include the Amalgamates?
*shudders*
God...
Considering what you just told me, that doesn't sound too good...
6991601
It's only Monsters that can't handle being filled with DETERMINATION. Woona handles it just fine.
She's just learned to use the SOULSTONE as a portable save point.
woona's pure soul is cleansing chara of his darkness like Ichigo's Zanpakuto cleansing sins from hollows just far far less violent
6991570 Wow... I'm blind.
So... Portable save point and instant heal at anytime? GG, No re.
Well, there's one thing I have to say.
Holy fk
I really love the history you did here.
And it all makes so much sense at the same time. Creepy, but still amazing.
6990876 puck-er up, sunshine.
6991021 So did I... but this SOULSTONE thing makes that bauble look like a cheap trinket by comparison...
6991179
...The Puck? His name is Puck?
6991780
It's a hyperlink to the comment. It should work fine, just click it.
6991783
Oh balls, you replied too fast. I just deleted that comment.
Yeah, I get that it's a hyperlink to the comment, but most of the time when I use hyperlinks like that, it doesn't take me to the comment, so I have to go searching through the comments for the one with the blue background.
Thankfully, while your hyperlink didn't take me exactly to the comment, I only had to scroll down a little to find it.
6991785
Generally, if it doesn't take you there directly, that's because it loaded the location on the page before loading the story's cover art, so you can just scroll down a bit to find it.
6991788
Sometimes I have to go through pages of comments to find the directed comment though, it's weird. Whatever, though.
6991778 ... If there's a joke here, I'm missing it quite effectively...
6991922
same, don't worry
6991693
whelp
*gets up*
guess Flowey should prepare to get dunked on
6990933
SANS, YOU LAZY SKELETON, STOP WASTING YOUR TIME ON THIS RIDICULOUSLY HILARIOUS WEBSITE AND GET TO YOUR STATION, YOU NEVER KNOW IF WOONA MIGHT NEED OUR HELP
... Welp, time to see some pony do some stuff with some people.
Well then, this has absolutely nothing to do with anything.
Yup. Absolutely nothing.
The man, quite literally, speaks in hands.
Portable SAVE point? I was expecting compressed friendship lasers. Element of Harmony type powers compressed into one stone by DETERMINATION.
I got my head canon. ...or neck canon.
... Welp, time to see some pony do some stuff with some people.
Whenever there's a problem, a skeleton will tell a fish lady about it.
vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/undertale/images/9/99/Undyne_(genocide_armor).gif/revision/latest?cb=20151219024306
Thaaaaat's politics!
[quote]Yes. Every time a Monster generates Determination, it is absorbed by the Stone, stored until the need of one who can tap its power unleashes its magic. However, the forces I worked with to create it did not take kindly to being tamed against their will...and exacted a price. The clever mind that sought to circumvent the fundamental nature of the world, the mischievous heart that cared not for consequences...these were split from each other into two separate entities, and the Heart lacked the knowledge to anchor itself properly, and was cast beyond the veil of time. Gaster frowned as he recounted this detail. The only way I can recover my true self is if no Monster speaks my True Name before I am whole again...which is why, when I explained all this to Oberon, he outlawed hockey.You know, this raises further questions. Did you just so happen to know that Gäster is a term relating to hockey, or did you look up various iterations of "Gaster" until you could come up with a joke you could use?
And there you have it, a confirmation that Tatsurou knows what Ultra Sans is.
On the one hand, he doesn't want to hurt anyone. On the other... they had taken so much. The ultimate expression of the mind at war with itself: cognitive dissonance...
Well then, see ya.
Finally, someone has actually done something with Gaster! Now all I need to know is why Sans' blaster is called the Gaster Blaster.
6992208
Because Gaster made it.
Duh!
iambrony.steeph.tp-radio.de/mlp/gif/107371__UNOPT__safe_pinkie-pie_animated_gasp.gif
WHAT?!?!?
6991980
Umm...which bit, exactly, are you asking about having "absolutely nothing to do with anything"?
6992017
And as for the connection of Gaster to Hockey...the actual connection I was using involves the name Oberon.
6991642 Oh. Makes sense. Will the Amalgamates actually show up, or were you mentioning them in passing?