//------------------------------// // Truth, part 3 // Story: The Moon in the Dark // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// Alphys took up a post at the entrance to the Power Room. "Things are a lot safer down here when the power's on," she explained. "And the door will open as soon as all four keys are in their nodes. So...once you activate the last node, I'll run in and turn the main power on." Woona nodded. "That works," she agreed. "You're stammering a lot less, Alphys," Chara noted calmly. "Yeah..." Alphys replied hesitantly. "It's...I need to be strong here. For you both...and for me. I came down here...to face what I'd done...so I could find the strength to tell everyone. To...stop hiding." Woona nodded understandingly, nuzzling up against Alphys. "Don't worry," she whispered warmly. "We'll be there with you." Alphys sighed in relief. "Thank you..." Turning, Woona moved up along the right branch of the path. If I make it out of here alive, Woona thought silently, swallowing nervously. If you die, you can just reset to after Papyrus solved the puzzle you gave him, Chara pointed out. That's when you last saved. ...oh yeah, I forgot I could do that, Woona replied silently, much more relaxed. ...place is still terrifying. She continued reading from the data panels that lined the walls, seeing Alphys' progress reports of what she'd done to try and revive the monsters. Entering a large room with a path to the east and north, she paused. Which way, Chara? Why are you asking me? Chara demanded. Cause...you've always known which way to go? Flowey never came this far down here, Chara pointed out. The Amalgamates terrified him into resetting...and now I see why. Swallowing, Woona made her way around the room full of beds, reading the panel that told of how the monsters Alphys had been experimenting on had finally woken up as themselves. Well...how about the left wall maze method? Works for me, Chara replied as Woona went through the north path, then turned left at the split there. Woona continued to read the entries. 15 spoke of a happy ending...but 16 was just a series of 'no's. "Alphys?" Woona asked through the phone. "What happened between entries 15 and 16?" Alphys was silent for a long time. "Do...do either of you know what it looks like when a Monster dies with too much Determination inside them?" she asked sorrowfully. "I do," Chara replied. "Instead of turning to dust...they melt." "Yeah," Alphys answered. "The monsters who'd revived...they started to melt. And then...they clung to each other to try and pull themselves back together...and fused to each other, unable to separate..." "That's why you call them Amalgamates..." Woona spoke up, understanding. "...yeah..." Alphys replied sorrowfully. "And...you see why it's been...so hard to face this." Woona said nothing as she kept going, letting the connection cut. As she passed a small room to the side of the path, she paused, feeling something in the small room. Turning, she stepped in. She found herself in a small bathroom, with a pink curtain pulled in front of the bath and...something tall and thin waving back and forth inside as though showering. Carefully, Woona approached, swallowing worriedly as she saw the creature wriggle faster as she got nearer. "Umm...excuse me?" she asked softly as she reached the edge of the tub. "Is...do you have one of the keys?" she asked nervously. "I don't mean to disturb you..." A tendril reached out from the tall, thin body, seized the edge of the curtain, and pulled it back...revealing an empty tub with a glowing green key at the bottom, no sign of the creature that had actually opened the curtain. Woona stared, eyes wide. "They...really like freaking us out, don't they?" she squeaked out as she levitated the key out. "Sure seems that way," Chara replied. "...can we get back to the creepy hallway instead of the creepy bathroom with only one door?" Woona immediately dashed out of the bathroom, not pausing for breath until she was a ways further down the hall. Unfortunately, that breath was immediately exhaled in a scream of terror as Woona caught sight of what looked like a massive dragon skull with endless tubes connecting various parts of it. "What's that?" she cried out. "I...hear you found the DT Extractor," Alphys stated calmly through the phone. "Not very pleasant, I know...but it's the only design that worked..." A strange laugh echoed, and an Amalgamate rose from in front of the pit the DT Extractor rested in, posing sensually as its flesh dripped, its face possessing only a mouth of teeth against a lips-shaped head. A strong scent of lemons filled the air as Woona was surrounded by FIGHT lines, and the words 'Lemon Bread' appeared above the monster. Woona did her best to hold herself still. Any ideas? Woona asked Chara silently. No... Chara replied softly. Woona stared as the creature's eyes took shape as the face behind the teeth warped into a grin, before shifting back. The face is a giant mouth... she thought. Having no other idea what to do, she started to hum the song she sang with Shyren. The Lemon Bread stared at her. "I...remember something..." a voice spoke up, echoing from all around. As the creature's magic shaped a giant mouth, Woona shielded herself, hiding in the gaps in her teeth. Something about the way it reacted and was posing... Chara, did Shyren have any family before she became so...shy? An older sister who fell down... Chara began, his voice trailing off as he realized what Woona was saying. You think...? Following a desperate thought, Woona flexed the way she saw Aaron do, since he spent so much time around Shyren. "This seems...familiar..." Lemon Bread's voice echoed from all around. Carefully, Woona stepped back, giving Lemon Bread her space. With a wide smile, the Amalgamate withdrew, the FIGHT lines vanishing. "Alphys...they're still themselves," she said into the phone. "Well, I know that, but-" "No, I mean...the links they share with others...they're still there," Woona explained. "I...I don't think the ones they knew before this will...care that they are different. Not if it means having them back." "You...you really think so?" Alphys asked, her voice awed. "I have something to...test...with any other Amalgamates I meet, but..." Woona straightened herself, staring into the Lab. "I think so," she concluded firmly, filled with DETERMINATION.