To Save a Life

by Infernity Zero


Determination

Hang on, Pinkie. I'll save you!

Despite the thought of her friend in danger, she forced herself to stay calm. The party planner was way too eager to make friends, overly excited, and compassionate to a fault. Flowey was cruel, deceptive, and preyed on every insecurity he found. Pinkie never had a chance. And assuming he hadn't killed her already, that meant every second counted.

"heya kiddo." The formerly empty booth she'd noticed before was now manned by Sans. "saw my brother earlier. he told me about how you two had a bit of a fight. and how he spared you." He paused for a moment. "thanks for that."

She glanced off to the side. "You're welcome."

Her pain must have shown on her face because he leaned closer. "everything all right, kid?"

She shook her head. "No. No, it isn't. I think one of my friends might be in danger. So I need to get to the capital fast."

Sans's eyes vanished into blackness again. He didn't say anything for several seconds. Instead, he walked around the booth and stood in front of her. "Do you remember when I told you about your brown hair?"

Brushing it at the mention, she nodded her head. "Yes. What about it?"

He jabbed a finger at her face. "You've changed again. Your eyes are red now."

Walking back over to the Echo Flower, she examined her face in its reflection. Her eyes had changed from their usual green to a deep, blood-red. "Not again. I keep having random spikes of adrenaline. I recognize people I shouldn't. I'm remembering things I wasn't here for. And now, my body's changing before my eyes. What's happening to me?"

She turned back to Sans only to start in surprise. Sans stood there, eye glowing bright blue, with two face-looking creatures floating above him. As she watched, the face creatures opened their mouths, each one charging a blue beam of energy within.

"Sans? W-what are you...doing?"

"That depends on what happens next. You kept my brother happy, but you're getting too close for comfort." He stepped closer. "Be straight with me. What. Is. Your. Name?"

She put her hands on her hips. "Wow, Chuckles. You're still spewing that cryptic mumbo jumbo even after everything. You know who I am. I'm [Chara]." She slapped a hand over her mouth. "Wait, that's not right. I'm [Chara]. [Chara]. Why can't I say [Chara]?"

"I knew it." He moved the faces closer. "How about this? I'll stop being cryptic if you'll stop hiding behind that girl. Come out. Now."

She gave a shudder of her own and a slight groan; then in the blink of an eye, I was in her place. "All right. You got me. Just calm down."

Sans glared at me. "Don't tell me to calm down. I want answers. What's your plan? How did you get her body? How are you even here?"

"Easy. That determination she's been using since she got here? It was mine. She would have been dead before she even met you if it wasn't for me. The more determination she used, the more control I gained." I gestured down at myself. "And now, I'm here."

"And what happens now?"

I shrugged. "That's up to her not me. I know you don't trust me as far as you can throw me, Chuckles. But I haven't done anything wrong." I put my hands on my hips. "Of course, you never did trust me, did you? Even before all of this."

He nodded. "I don't trust any human. Not since I found out that nothing I do matters. You can just reset everything that I do. Me and everyone else." His eyes narrowed. "Do you have any idea what that's like? Knowing that any progress you make in life can be snatched away in an instant? Knowing that a world where the barrier finally breaks and everyone goes free can be replaced by one where everyone dies? That we're all just toys meant to be played with until we break." He pointed a finger at me. "You don't care about any of us. Not even Asriel!"

The wave of grief that swept over me was so great that I fell to my knees. Inky black tears leaked out of my eyes. "Don't bring Azzy into this. I loved him more than anyone else in the Underground. Why do you think I set up that plan in the first place? I just wanted him to be free and happy."

Sans crossed his arms. "And so you could get revenge on all the humans on the surface at the same time."

I nodded. "I won't deny it. I hate people. They trapped all the monsters down here. They didn't treat me that much better. As far as I'm concerned, they can all burn." Crossing my arms in return, I set my jaw resolutely. But after a few seconds, I looked down at the ground. "Or at least...that's what I used to think."

He didn't say anything.

"So what happens now? Are you going to kill me because of something I might do? Or are you going to use your shortcuts to help her save her friend? Because if you're trying to avoid having a 'bad time', I don't think stalling her here will do you any favors."

He growled and clenched his fist. The Gaster Blasters next to him charged to full power. But after hesitating a moment longer, he put them away. "All right. Fine. But let me be very clear." He held up his other hand, and my heart turned blue, jerking me downward to smack into the floor. "I even think you're pulling another stunt, and I make you a new skeleton out of bones that aren't yours. Got it?"

"Crystal clear."

"Then let's get going." He started walking into the next room, and I followed him.


Sunset's eyes snapped open. She was standing in front of a house that looked a lot like Toriel's. She scratched her head.

What just happened?

Everything was a blur. The last thing she remembered was hearing Flowey's threat and meeting Sans. After that, nothing. Now, she was in a completely different location. But a nearby sign told her that this was indeed the capital, so she was in the right place. She headed inside the house.

The house matched Toriel's on the inside as well. She headed to the right at first and walked forward until she came to the mirror and caught sight of her reflection.

Wait, when did my shirt change colors?

Instead of the blue shirt that Toriel had originally given her, she was now wearing a green one. Combining that with her red eyes and brown hair, there was no trace of Sunset Shimmer left. Just...whoever this was.

"Who are you?" She leaned closer.

Her reflection crossed its arms. "I'm surprised you don't already know. I've been here the whole time."

Her eyes widened. "That voice. I know that voice. You're the person that helped me go back to Toriel when I was in the void. Chara, right?"

"In the flesh. Or I should say, in your flesh."

"Why do I look like you now?"

I sneered at her. "Remember way back at Toriel's house when you looked into the mirror at her house?"

"Yes. What about it?"

"I was already with you way back then." I shrugged my shoulders. "In fact, since you landed in the Underground in the first place. You're very determined, Sunset Shimmer. Although, for the life of me, I don't know why. Trying to save a bunch of friends that abandoned you twice over. Going out of your way to spare every last monster you've met, even the ones that tried to kill you. What are you trying to prove by doing this? That you won't stain your hands even to save your life? That you're a coward to your last whimper? That you won't sink to their level?" My eyes turned from red to black as ink began to leak out of them. "What is it? Why won't you fight?"

Sunset didn't respond at first. She just looked at me with a pained frown. Then, she put her hand on the mirror. "If these are your memories I've been recollecting, then you know why. Let's say I do kill every monster. What do I get out of it? That won't help me get home. Because a human soul and a monster soul are needed to break the barrier. You were the one who wrote that down, remember? Attacking the monsters will either lead to them teaming up to kill me or just fleeing. And if my friends are down here, the monsters might kill them to harness their souls or out of fear of being attacked. So that's two reasons right there. But more than that...." Her voice trailed off.

"More than that?"

She turned to me. "Why do you WANT to kill? I understand the humans after what they did to you, but why the other monsters? They showed you nothing but kindness despite you technically being their enemy."

"That's the problem." I retorted. "Because they're too kind. The one thing all these monsters want more than anything else is to be free from the Underground. They should have killed me. They should have killed you. And all your other friends. Every moment they don't is a moment you or one of your friends could kill them. And the surface? Please." I shook my head. "You have my memories, so you know what happened."

"Asriel." With her frown deepening, she nodded. "You tried to save everyone."

The mirror flickered a couple of times, showing small images with each split-second flash. There was Asriel approaching a village with my body. Then, a group of humans were obstructing his path, all of them armed. The next picture was nothing but a red splatter all over the mirror. Then, my face reappeared. "We didn't do anything wrong. We didn't even say anything! But that didn't matter to them in the slightest. They killed us, without hesitation or mercy. The humans took everything from the monsters. Again." I glared at her. "Even if the barrier breaks and all of monsterkind goes free, they'll still be slaughtered anyway. Every monster is fated to die at the hands of humans. Humans on the Surface. Humans like me. And humans. Like. You."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She returned my glare. "I haven't killed anyone intentionally."

I clicked my teeth. "Sooner or later, you will. It's inevitable." With that, I disappeared once again to leave her alone with her thoughts.

Sunset wondered onward in silence, barely able to think, save for a brief twinge of fear when she walked through the brightly lit judgement hall. After passing through it, she headed to the throne room. And as expected, there was someone waiting for her.

"Dum dee dum," sang a deep yet soft voice. "Is someone there? Just a moment. I have almost finished watering these flowers." The shaking of a watering can reached her ears before he slowly turned around. "Howdy, how can I--"

Both of them froze in place. Two sets of eyes widened. The can crashed to the ground. She took a step back.

"Asgore? You were Santa Claus?"

After several seconds, he nodded. "And you're that girl from Snowdin Town. Hello again."

"Hi." She moved to the side until she was standing on the opposite end of the throne. "I still have that sandwich you gave me."

He walked over and sat down on the throne with a sigh. "That's nice."

She sat down on some grass, noticing that the golden flowers weren't bother her as much as they were at Toriel's. She pulled the knife out, and used it to cut a few blades of grass. "You know, if I had my way, this would be the only thing I'd ever use this knife on."

He nodded sadly. "I know that feeling."

She looked up at him. "Is this the part where you kill me?"

He had to pause to rub his eyes before he responded. "I don't want to kill you. I don't want to kill anyone. The only reason we're in this situation is because I wanted to avenge the deaths of my son and daughter from the humans that took everything from us. But you didn't hurt anyone, did you, Human?"

She shook her head. "No, I didn't."

"It would be easier if you had." He sighed again. "I must now punish the innocent along with the guilty."

She held up her hands. "Does it have to be like this? Can't you just take back what you said? Make a new law?"

"It's not that simple." He shook his head. "That vow gave the Underground hope for our freedom. That our suffering from the humans would finally end. And it still gives them hope even now. To undo it at this time would crush their hopes and dreams all over again, and possibly incite rebellion as well." Tears ran down his face. "There's no way out."

Sunset found herself struggling not to cry as well. Was this what Princess Celestia had felt all those years ago when casting her out? Trapped in an unwinnable situation no matter what? It was enough to make her heart break. She wondered how her friends would react to such a sadistic choice.

Her...friends?

Her head snapped up. Her face shown. Her eyes sparkled. "Wait a minute. That's it. That's IT!"

Asgore started in surprise. "What? What's it?"

"My friends." She gestured to herself. "My six friends fell down here before I did. A-A-And two of us are trained in magic!"

"Y-you are?" He glanced at her. "That's amazing. I didn't know there were any wizards left among humankind." Just then, his head snapped up too. "Wait a minute. The Barrier is magical too. So are you saying--" He froze. "I...I don't want to get my hopes up. But if what you're saying is true, then that means...."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" She pumped her fist. "Since you need seven souls and there are seven of us, then we might just be able to break the barrier without killing anyone!"

The same glow that was in her eyes now transferred to the King's. Slowly, he reached up and wiped his tears away, replacing them with a beautiful smile. "So. No one has to die." He leaped to his feet. "NO ONE HAS TO DIE!"

The two of them were so excited that both of them had to take several minutes to regain their composure.

"I don't have to change the vow." Asgore punched his fist into his hand. "I'll just modify it a bit. Decree that all humans found should be captured and brought to the capital to await the King's judgement instead of being executed immediately. The monsters will think I'm doing it to watch them squirm--"

"--when you're really trying to keep the humans alive and break the barrier faster in one fell swoop." Sunset finished. "That's brilliant!"

He turned back toward her, his smile growing even bigger. "Human. Thank you. You may have saved both human and monsterkind this day. If this works, I--no--we will be in your debt for eternity."

She gave the best curtsy she could. "It was my pleasure, Your Highness." Holding out her hand, she walked forward, ready to offer hers in friendship.

Stepping forward himself, he offered his own in return. But an instant before their limbs touched, Asgore suddenly gasped. "Look out!"

Strong hands clamped onto her shoulders. Strong hands lifted her into the air. Strong hands flung her to the side. The instant she hit the ground, her head turned back to see three gigantic vines piercing though the spot she'd been standing in two seconds ago before shooting forward to impale the King though his shoulders and stomach.

"NO!"

Asgore only had time for a single, pained breath before the vines pulled him apart, his body dissolving into dust before he'd even hit the ground.

"You IDIOT." Two voices spoke in unison.

Sunset whirled towards the throne room doorway. "Pinkie?!"

Pinkie Pie was indeed there. Her entire body was wrapped in vines, jerking her limbs up and down like a puppet on strings as blood leaked out of her eyes. And rooted on top of her head, directing the performance, was her old friend, Flowey the Flower.

Sunset drew her knife in an instant and pointed it at him. "YOU!"

"You haven't learned a thing." More vines clusters appeared around the tainted Pinkie, each one wrapped around something. Or rather someone.

"Applejack? Rarity? Twilight? Flutters? Dashie?" Sunset's entire body trembled. "Let them go. NOW!"

Flowey leered at her, forcing Pinkie to do the same. "In this world, It's KILL or BE KILLED! And you're about to find out why! All of their souls are MINE!"

Raising her knife, she'd just launched herself into an attack when everything suddenly went dark.