Chara raised his knife over Papyrus, the skeleton hurt badly. Around him the royal guard assigned to Twilight's protection was badly hurt, many of them with deep gashes and one with broken legs. Twilight, unable to focus given what she was seeing, given the.. .atrocity of it.... could only scream out.
"PAPYRUS!!!!" She shouted, as the knife began to fall, Chara laughing like never before...
But a massive blast sent Chara flying. Everyone turned, and saw a massive Gaster Blaster.... no, this looked like a ponified version, like a massive pony skull.
And beside it was Starlight Glimmer!
"STARLIGHT! YOUR MASTER BLASTER!" Pap said, shouting despite still being weak. Starlight smiled some. She had been working on this particular spell since facing Sans very long ago, and in the time since she perfected her own variation, a testament to her hard work and study. She glanced around at the soldiers, the kids, and the skeleton, and looked to Twilight. She knew that a continued fight would not be won, Chara was too strong.
"Twilight, use your teleport spell and get us out of here!" She called. Twilight, now refocused, knew where to take everyone. With her full energy, she transported the pony guards, Papyrus, Starlight, Asriel, Frisk, and herself to the hospital. Chara, moaning as he came to a good distance away, screamed in rage.
No EXP for this fight.
****
Doctor Hooves was quite busy the next hour, the nurses all working with the wounded guards. Amazingly, the armor had reduced their damage greatly. Papyrus in particular was mostly unhurt. Twilight smiled proudly at him.
"A royal guard indeed. I owe you my life." She said. Papyrus blushed as she kissed his skull.
"WOWIE... I HAVE BEEN KISSED BY THE ANGELS!"
Everyone chuckled... except for Asriel and Frisk. Chara was no laughing matter. Frisk knew that from his many runs in the underground. He knew how Chara could manipulate others to do his will. He had tricked Frisk into killing almost everyone down in the Underground simply because he believed there would be no consequence, that he would be stronger in the future. But all that occurred was Frisk lost more and more of himself. Frisk regretted that run more than anything, it was a stain on his heart he would feel the rest of his life.
But Sans had helped him through it. He saw Chara was controlling him. He saw that Frisk was still in there. Using what power he needed to Sans reached Frisk inside the possessed body, and the boy begged for release.
And he dunked the boy, knocking him back to his senses.
Never again did he hurt another soul, but strived to help everyone as best as he could. Sans helped him all the way through those dark times. Chara was....
"Frisk." Asriel suddenly said. "Something is making Chara hurt others."
Frisk looked at his brother. "Asriel.... you told me yourself he wasn't the best brother."
"I... I know... but you got to believe me. I remember early on. He was a good friend. He even... he even saved me from being a cake for Muffet."
Frisk went wide eyed. "Huh?"
"I... I swatted a few of her kids, called them ugly, pulled their legs... and... well, she decided I would be better as a pastry than a prince." He chuckled. "But Chara... he saved me. But he made me apologize to Muffet and work with her to atone for what I did. He was my brother... and he loved me, and I him."
Frisk nodded. "But then why-?"
Asriel looked at Frisk. "Not all humans are bad. But there are some. And when you get a bunch together in a single town... well Chara told me that was what it was. His parents were cruel to him. Other kids hated him and were encouraged to fight him. Even the law there accused him falsely of everything. When his memories were examined by dad's scientist, they found he was so hurt that he couldn't even see the others who tried to help him or give him comfort. In fact, he took his anger out on them and...:" Asriel trailed off, seeing Frisk had begun to tear up and was now almost sobbing.
It was so much like his own story. After all, his Mom had left when he was a baby, and his dad was going to give him up for adoption as he was leaving the country for good. The foster home he was going to was headed up by a mean owner, and he felt so alone. But the other kids.. they didn't want him to go. Though they'd loved him, Frisk however knew he could not stay.
He was lost in those thoughts for what seemed to be along time before something shot into his head. Oh no. Sans! Where was Sans?! He always showed up when he was down... why not now????
****
In the underground, Frisk's answer was clear. Sans was buried in rubble so that only his upper half stuck out of the massive pile. Sans could use shortcuts easily, but he could not simply teleport. He had to move through the walls and such to go where he wanted to. Worse, the rubble was such his Gaster Blasters could not pierce it. That was the problem with them: Great for fighting others... but lousy at collateral damage.
So.... he used them to make pictures in the floor, trying to pass time and keep his hopes up.
"and a little more... and we have a butterfly. beautiful." Sans said morosely. He sighed some, not noticing as the butterfly suddenly got up... and changed shape to a rather unique mishmash of creatures.
"Heya." The form said, getting a dragon head, and forming the rest of his mishmash body, including his claw and talon feet, his reptilian and paw hands, and his mixed up wings. Discord looked down at Sans, then looked at all the pictures in the now defaced judgement hall. "You've been busy."
"i think that is MY line." Sans said.
"Well... here's another one of your lines. You asked Frisk this before. Do you think anyone can change, given the right circumstances? Strange, you asked a few others that too. Asgore... Starlight..... Chara..."
Sans went wide eyed.
"Ah, hit a nerve have I? Or maybe... I hit a bulls-eye." He punched out, punching the picture of the bull in the eye, the picture whimpering and running off. "After all.... Chara was your FRIEND first, right?"
Sans sighed. "yeah... he had his moments of cleverness... i loved his hot sauce trick at grillby's. man those dogs never saw it coming. it was a... dog gone hit!"
Both characters laughed. "Soooo..... What happened?"
Sans sighed. "i dunno.... one day he... no, honestly, over the course of the time with us he began to lose hope. he told me, why return to the surface when we would just be hurt all over? i wanted to tell him about the good humans i knew about from when my family lived on the surface...but i couldn't argue with him.
and that was when it began. he began to hurt others. bad. he even played nasty pranks on asriel, the kind you should never play on someone. like trying to poison the king, and laughing it off. and each time he did those things, his eyes... those red eyes.... anyways i tried to hope he would change. i begged him to remember he was the hope of the world.
then he died.... and asriel took his soul to get six souls..... and... and they killed him. the boys hometown killed him. but... i learned from his diary that in truth he meant to kill them anyway. seeing that.... well it got to me, made me think chara never was any good after all."
Discord sat on a pillar, looking like a shrink. "Ahhh yes....verrrrry interesting. pleeease do continue." Sans stared at him with one blue eyes, and Discord lost the getup.
"anyway... after that, i went along with the king’s order to kill any human who fell into the underground, never get close again i figured. and one of those souls we have now... my hands are soaked in her blood." He held up his hands, his expression mournful and filled with agony. "i... i had become like chara.... i killed when there might have been another way."
They were both silent for a moment.
"after that, things began to change. i began to shift through timelines, as someone gained that power of SAVE, LOAD, and RESET. we all grew to hate. and time and time again i killed her. Hope was her name... and when she died i lost mine."
Discord stopped looking like he didn't care and began to move the rubble.
"after that... i know i couldn't go back... and getting to the surface didn't appeal anymore either. i just gave up. until.... until FRISK came.
he gave me hope, because I saw what he could.... actually no. discord... please... i want to see it. i want to see the day he proved he was better than i was or would ever be."
Discord, being a spirit of chaos, knew exactly the day. It was after Frisk committed to a genocide run and showed up in the judgement hall. He was covered in blood and dust... and wore a familiar red scarf. But... he was sad. He was crying as he began to fight with Sans, and barely tried to slice at him with the knife he held.
"kid, come on, you better start trying or..." Sans began, but the child interrupted.
"No! Please Sans, I give up! I don't want this!" He sobbed, falling to his knees. "It isn't worth it! I don't care what the reward is, It isn't worth it if I lose everyone I love."
Sans watched as the two ghostly images Discord made from San's memories drew closer, Frisk tossing the knife at a pillar, the knife breaking into pieces. He ran to Sans and held him, sobbing.
"you're still there. buddy. pal." Sans said, smiling more, letting Frisk cry into his hoodie. "i won't miss this chance. we are going to try again okay?"
Frisk nodded.
"and... if we are really friends... you won't come back... right?"
Another nod.
"ok.... let's get it right. together." The two hugged once, then Sans stepped back. "this will hurt kid. but after..."
Sans moved his hand up, and encased and impaled the boy with bones. It was the last time he ever used that attack for a long time. As the images faded, Sans smiled, tears in his eyes.
"after that... frisk kept his word. he vowed he would save everyone, he would find a way. and then.. pinkie came. and when those two kids were reunited, it was like i had my hope back. i wanted to go back to the surface again. i wanted to live again. i wanted to care again."
Discord smiled, snapping his fingers, making the rubble go away. "And now, seeing Chara?"
Sans smiled. "seeing chara... i realized what happened. something took control of chara in his sorrow... something terrible. i know there is good in him. i know it in my heart. but... i cannot be his guide. my past and his.. .is to full of pain." He looked at Discord. "but i think we both know who can be."
Discord nodded. "You think she can handle it?"
Sans nodded. "she knows what happens when SOUL, the Symbol of Unyielding Love, and not LOVE, one's Level of Violence, can make all the difference. And she can give even more examples than I can."
Discord nodded. "Then we better go. If you're getting serious enough to use proper wording in your sentences, we better hurry."
*****
Chara stood before the house. It looked so familiar. It looked like her home in the underground.
Good. They knew where she would be. He chuckled madly as he approached the door. But... as he did... he froze...
*****
The anomaly tried to type more words on Edward's keyboard, but the words formed on their own. "What is this?!"
Edward, unconscious at the far end of the room, was unaware of what was happening. The anomaly growled and slammed the keyboard in frustration.
"CHARA! YOU OBEY ME!"
-----000-----
Chara heard the voice echoing, but it was blocked out as he heard happy laughter. the main entry... it looked so familiar. and in his memory he and Asriel were playing by the steps that led downstairs.
"Guess we are leaving for a bigger home soon huh?" Chara asked.
"Yeah! Soon we will have a big city all too ourselves, and no more having to share the bed." Asriel said. Chara giggled.
"Good, because talking about Hansel and Gretel in your sleep was getting kinda old.
Asriel froze. "I DID NOT!"
Chara giggled and swooned. "Oh save me Chara! The spider witch has me locked up in her cakehouse! I'm gonna BE a butterscotch pie!"
Asriel pushed, Chara pushing back, the two starting a tickle war, laughing and finally hugging. They were young and carefree, and had no boundaries to their friendship.
Chara forgot then those bad days before he fell.
-----000-----
"CHARA! FIND HER!" The voice echoed, Chara seeming to move on his own. But he refused. Even as his eyes began to glow the old Chara fought, heading for the bedroom. Seeing it made him wide eyed, and teary.
The everyman dolls were there, still on their shelves, looking like a weird cross between a man and a snub nosed elephant. Chara wnt to one, and took out his knife, cutting it open down the middle of the chest, fluff spilling out, as well as a small box..
Inside that box, wrapped with wax paper, was still the gift he had hidden for his mom: a snail made with Asriel's help. It was actually a snail flavoured candy, shaped like the cutest dang snail you ever saw.
Chara smiled blocking out the voice, remembering more again.
-----000-----
"Mom will love this." Asriel said, holding up the candy. Chara smiled, cutting open the everyman doll.
"Doctor, we are ready to put the happy taste bug in the patient." Chara said, in a deep voice. Asriel shuddered.
"Ummm.... why are you hiding him like that Chara? It seems kinda... violent."
Chara turned to Asriel. In his eyes was a hint of red. "I wish I could do this to the people in my town Asriel. especially my parents, after they beat me so much. But I.... I DON'T want to do that to mom...." But under his breath, he remembered a voice saying... 'not yet.'
"Chara.... are all humans like that?" Asriel said as he watched Chara slice the doll open.
"All of them that matter. All the ones in charge, and soon everyone. Monsters are better off." Chara said, placing the snail in the doll. "Thread."
"Thread." Asriel said. Chara smiled.
"I wish I could do it like this... just cut them open and remove the bad parts, then replace them with everything monsters have that's good. Then we could all be happy." Chara's lips quivered. "Then... no one... no one would..."
-----000-----
The memory faded as Chara recalled the darkness and weakness of the other monsters soon after, the teasing some gave him, the accusations that it was his fault they were all down here. Chara grew angry, and stood. No. No holding back anymore. Toriel was worth a lot of EXP, and Chara knew where she was. He would need that EXP to kill the unicorn that stopped him, to eliminate those guards... to destroy Frisk.
Frisk. He recalled his spirit working like a guide when he landed on those flowers long ago. He recalled the things that he told him to do...
********
"YES CHARA...." The anomaly said, continuing to type, "REMEMBER WHAT YOU MADE HIM DO."
********
Chara chuckled, making him ignore the puzzles, making him hurt so many, making him that much closer to taking control....
And then, at that last moment, Frisk backed down. Frisk gave up. And Chara never got that close ever again, forced to watch time and time again as Frisk helped everyone, even doing random things for no reason, like hugging that Vulkin over and over, or letting Muffet win once to see what would happen, or... worst of all, letting Papyrus capture him. Three times.
Now Chara was DETERMINED. Determined to get his revenge on Frisk for stealing his family. Determined to eliminate the monsters for not killing humans. DETERMINED to end it all. But... he needed EXP for the power. And he knew where to get it.
Chara left the room, knife in hand, as he headed for the living room. Sure enough, there was Toriel, reading a book, amidst the stormy weather outside. Chara smiled and raised the knife, throwing it at Toriel as it imbedded squarely in her chest, Toriel gasping as dropped her book, Chara smiling.
"Gotcha." He said. "How does it feel Mom... knowing you failed, that soon your little favorite child will be next? Or have you forgotten that you prefered him over me, that I was always in trouble and he was not?!"
Toriel grasped her chest.... then smiled.
"Missed me." She whispered, and the illusion faded, the knife remaining embedded in the chair. Chara was wide eyed.
"What?!" HE said. He looked about, until he finally faced the stairs leading to the basement. He smiled evilly and went to them.
"Mommy? Chara's home, and he has something for youuuuuuu...." He said amidst mad laughter, his eyes glowing red now, the anomaly back in total control. But as he entered the basement, he saw the vastness of the chamber, a massive library lined with books for teaching. On the floor was the symbol of the Delta Rune, glowing faintly amidst the torchlit room.
And at the far end of the room was a lavender unicorn, smiling smugly. Behind her was Toriel, out cold. Starlight had to do so to protect her, and made a promise internally to take whatever punishment she would get afterward. But for now she had to do what Sans said. She had to stop Chara.
"Heyas Chara, from one villain to another." Starlight said. "I bet you're confused. You wonder why I am here and Toriel is out cold. Well, I will tell you. See, an old friend of yours thought we should talk. And buddy, if you don't listen..."
She formed a pair of what she dubbed Twi-Lasers, massive pony skulls that now had her symbol on the foreheads and a firm look in their eyes.
"Well, as Sans would say, your gonna have a BAD time."
In the distance, a familiar, dark song began to play. Megalovania. Behind him, he touched a save point, or at least so it seemed.
Chara knew then this would be fun. Painfully fun.