Undertale - Coda Part 10 (Finale)

Coda 10 - Finale.

It's been some time. Frisk and Asriel have had a while to think about things, and have each come to their own conclusions about the future. Only one thing is for certain: You'd better stay Determined.

Adult Asriel/Frisk, some swearing, ~5500 words.

***

Part one.

All dreams end.

Frisk stared at the ceiling. They didn’t remember sleeping, but it was later in the afternoon than it had been. The shadows were different, the mug of coffee on the table was cold, their mouth was dry.

It still hurt, though.

Frisk sighed, sitting up on the couch and shuffling around until they could reach the mug. Cold, it was awful and bitter, cheap office coffee. Frisk took a second sip anyway.

At some point in the future, the ambassador’s office would have a for real espresso machine, but that was a ways off yet.

At some point in the past, Frisk had woken up to a warm smile instead of a beige ceiling.

Frisk cursed under their breath and put the mug back down, rubbing their eyes. Focus, damn it.

It had been around a month since… Since Asriel. At the time, it had seemed like a wonderful dream, exciting and without end. But, eventually, Asgore and Toriel had wanted some time with their son. The tour bus was set to depart for the next city. The words had died in Frisk’s throat.

“I’ll call you.”

That was not what Frisk had meant to say. Asriel seemed to know it, even though he also looked hurt. He had recovered, given everyone a friendly wave, and stepped into the darkness and away from Frisk.

A month ago. All the momentum, all the ideas, it had all crawled to a halt and died. Work had piled up in Frisk’s absence and catching up had proven difficult, not in the least because of the constant daydreaming that plucked at Frisk’s ability to concentrate, or the unusual and vivid dreams that they had started having about Asriel, and… Well, those had been very unusual.

As a result, Frisk was short tempered and tired, grumpy even. Frisk hated being grumpy. They hadn’t torn the world and time into pieces for the sake of being grumpy.

Frisk sighed and pushed the mug away, pulling themselves to their feet. This powernap was a power-waste of time, and there was no way any more work was getting done today with instant coffee. It was time for a more drastic measure.

***

The best cafes were usually the ones hidden out of the way. This one was in a side street down another side street, its very existence more of an urban rumour than a tourist attraction. The kind of place with a low ceiling, dim lighting, and no cakes or snacks of any kind.

There was only one reason to come here.

The barista was a human today, one Frisk didn’t recognize. Apparently, it wasn’t mutual.

“Ambassador.” He gave a curt nod towards one of the three stools in front of the bench. Frisk obliged, sitting and taking a deep breath of the scents of real espresso.

“You know who I am?”

“I was warned. The usual, then?”

Frisk looked down, lips pursed. “Mmm. Not this time. Gimme… Full power.”

The barista looked shocked. “Are you sure? This shit is actual, for real magic beans. We’re not liable if you literally float away.”

“Do I look like I’m interested in liability?”

“Actually, you kinda look like shit.”

“Thanks.”

Frisk considered this while the barista got out the thick oven mitts and pulled the ominous looking silver container out from under the counter. How long had it been since they had gotten a decent sleep? There had been so much to do, so many things on their mind.

Asriel turned to look at Frisk and smiled.

Frisk started. “Huh?”

“I said, 6.50 and sign this release form.”

“Right, right. Sorry.” Frisk counted out the money and gave the barista a small tip by way of apology, taking the cup and slipping back onto their feet.

The walk back was windy. Not many people were out at this time of day. The coffee was too hot to drink yet, and the promise of energy wasn’t worth the burnt mouth, not to mention the mounting apprehension as to what exactly was in those magic beans. The liquid visible through the opening in the lid had an almost purple sheen to it.

What the hell had happened, back there?

Frisk sighed again. No point in trying to deny the obvious. Every time their focus slipped, they thought about Asriel again. It was impossible to keep him away, he had infected Frisk’s thoughts.

This was why things were better like this. Frisk set their teeth, their free hand curling into a fist in their pocket. Better for the both of them. They were both caught in Frisk’s obsession.

That’s what it was, after all. Frisk should have known better. After decades of calculation, planning, experimentation, what else would the outcome have been? Asriel had consumed Frisk’s every waking moment for longer than most people lived. And after everything, Frisk had been foolish enough to believe that they could just part ways, Asriel living his life, the life that he had been denied, as though Frisk were a benevolent deity capable of granting such boons.

Frisk didn’t feel divine. Frisk felt needy, and selfish.

Frisk needed Asriel. The revelation had broken their sleep, and it had stayed broken.

Back then, before he had gotten on the bus, Frisk had meant to say “I love you”. But… Maybe that was just wishful thinking. Was it even possible to love someone, when you were so obsessed with them?

Frisk desired Asriel, as though he was some kind of possession, a prize to be won. He had been saved, and now the reward was at hand. Frisk had set about obtaining him, claiming him, with the same relentless Determination that had driven them to save him, to save everyone.

As if he had stood a chance. How do you say no to someone for whom their whole life has been spent rejecting the very notion of no? Frisk had looked the very fabric of reality in the eye and caused it to back down. What hope did Asriel have, denying them?

Could they even be together? Was it possible for Frisk to love them, or were they doomed to covet him, to desire him simply because they did not possess him?

“You want something, and then you take it, and nothing in the entire world can stand in your way.”

The words echoed, like poison. Real or not, Chara saw Frisk for what they were: selfish, entitled, unstoppable.

There was one last thing to save Asriel from, before he would be free from his fate and all the strings that bound him to that patch of flowers. Frisk.

Frisk stopped at the side entrance to the office building that housed the current ambassador’s office. The door was reflective blue glass, polished to a mirror shine. They looked at themselves in the glass, taking it in.

The last thing to defeat. A final enemy. Me.

Frisk shook themselves, gripping the handle and pushing the door open. Not long after, Frisk’s sputtering and choking was audible.

“Augh! What’s IN this coffee?”

***

It was later. According to the phone, it was not tomorrow, but the day after that. Frisk groaned, compelled by the twin calls of thirst and nature to escape from the bed sheets.

When Frisk emerged from the bathroom, they wandered to the kitchen, grabbing a used glass and filling it from the tap, then wandering over to the big glass window that made up one of the walls of Frisk’s apartment. The city was outlined in lights and shrouded in night, maybe a little bit past 3 am.

That coffee had been a poor choice.

The paperwork was done, sure, but Frisk’s sleep schedule would take days to recover. Besides that, Frisk felt as though they had been physically beaten. All in all, a terrible idea. It would be at least a week before Frisk would go back for more. At least.

Frisk pulled their phone back out, grimacing at the gigantic wall of notifications it presented. Emails, missed calls, program updates. Texts. One caught Frisk’s eye, setting their teeth on edge.

‘Dreemurr, Asriel - hey frisk just checking in havent heard from you for a while an…’

Frisk flicked the screen back off and groaned, leaning against the kitchen counter. This couldn’t continue, not like this. Asriel would notice if Frisk ignored him in favour of work much longer, and Frisk could already see the dramatic entrance happening. He’d come in, sweep Frisk off of their feet and they’d both away into the sunset on a diamond horse with rainbows shooting out of its ass.

Avoiding the problem wouldn’t solve it. The problem being that Frisk didn’t trust themselves to not just… Give in. And Frisk didn’t trust Asriel to not just go along with it.

Or worse. Maybe he really did love Frisk back. That would be the cruelest thing of all.

There was no hope of them having a healthy relationship. It was wrong, and Frisk would have to be the voice of reason. Frisk would have to be strong, and confront this head on, like every other problem. Passively hoping that the prince would get bored and move on wasn’t going to cut it any more.

Frisk opened the phone back up, gritting their teeth and bearing the wave of elation and anxiety that accompanied Asriel’s name. They scanned his recent messages.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding.”

He was coming, alright. The last stop of the tour was this city, just a few blocks over. He was already on the bus, and the last show was in a handful of days. He was expecting to see Frisk there.

Great. Dramatic irony, Frisk’s least favourite kind of irony. The show was coming to an end, the final curtain was approaching.

Frisk took one last, deep breath, trying to bring their emotional turmoil to rest. A little sooner than they were anticipating, but that was fine. Frisk would just have to get it over with as quickly as possible, like ripping off a bandage.

Go see Asriel at the show and tell him that they had to be apart, for both their sakes. Break up. Frisk would let him go, and that way, at least Asriel would have the chance to be happy.

That was what was important. Frisk would survive, like usual. It would be easier, maybe, knowing that Asriel was finally free of the curse of Determination.

One last dawn approached, reaching out into the sky and pushing the stars away. Frisk couldn’t help but feel like it was the beginning of the end.

All dreams end, after all.

***

Part two.

Asriel idly plucked at the strings of his guitar, loosely following along with the recording he was listening to. He was lying on the bed, looking at nothing in particular on the ceiling, neatly cocooned in a tangle of headphone wires and chargers for the various devices on the bed with him. The last show had gone pretty well, but this last one was going to be the biggest of the tour, and he wanted to get it just right.

His reached up and fumbled with his phone for a moment, restarting the song and then returning to the instrument resting on his stomach. His fingers and ears started to work, barely involving his mind, so he let that wander as he practiced.

There were no do-overs, up on the stage.

***

Another memory. Asriel had been thinking about the past a lot lately. This one was washed out, the colours desaturated, the world out of focus. Everything was unimportant, except for the blood.

It was red. Humans were dramatic like that.

“I-it’s fine.”

“It’s not fine! You’re bleeding!”

Frisk tried to wave Asriel away, but there was no strength in it. They were woozy, although that was probably just shock.

“I’ve had way worse than this. Don’t even worry about it…” They sounded like they were about to pass out.

“Don’t-! L-look, sit down, I’m gonna, uh…” Asriel looked around frantically as he helped Frisk away from the broken window, trying to remember where they kept the first aid box.

“You can’t do healing, remember? This is nothin’, I’ll just, hah, ‘m gonna Reset a little. It’ll be good as new.”

Asriel wheeled around to look at Frisk. “No! N-no, don’t. Please.”

Frisk winced, cradling their cut arm with the other arm as they sat down. “Ah!” They sucked a deep breath in through between clenched teeth, going steadily whiter in the face. “C-Come on, Az. What’s the problem? Just a moment back, and then you don’t have to worry about it. B-besides, this… Really hurts…”

Asriel looked away, down at the ground, clenching his fists. He sniffed a little, trying to hold back the familiar urge to cry. “I… It’s because, it’s important. I pushed you and you got hurt.”

“Ah, no big deal. We were just playing. I forgive you.”

“No, not that! I mean, I… I screwed up, Frisk, and I’m sorry. Let me fix it, ok? I’m gonna go get the first aid stuff, stay here. And don’t Reset!”

Frisk took another pained breath, grimacing down at the blood leaking around their fingers. “...It’s a proper kit, right? I guess I can tell you how to stop the bleeding, at least until your mum gets home.”

“Right! I’ll be right back. Promise me, whatever you do, don’t Reset this, ok? You have to let me try to fix this, instead of just sweeping it under the rug like it never happened. It’s important to me.” Asriel gave one of his gentle smiles, and then hopped up and scampered towards the kitchen. That was where it was, up in the top of the pantry, he remembered now.

Asriel has watched the whole scene play out, a small splash of colour in a white void. The intense focus of a child. He sort of missed it, to be honest.

His younger self was gone, somewhere else. Frisk, still a child here, had watched him run off. Asriel couldn’t tell if he had actually heard this bit, or if he’d imagined it. With a memory like this, it was hard to tell.

Asriel crouched down and looked closely at Frisk, as Frisk looked in the direction Asriel had run off. They looked oddly sober, considering how woozy they had been a moment prior.

“I… I promise. I won’t Reset. I’ll wait for you, even if it hurts.”

***

Silence. The recording was long over. Asriel opened his eyes and blinked, focusing on the ceiling with a moment’s effort. Weird, to dream about that now, of all times. Frisk still had the scar, a thin line along one forearm. They almost seemed proud of it, sometimes.

Asriel shook off the cobwebs of memory and rolled over, trying to extract himself from the web of cables he’d spun. After a moment’s hunt, he located his phone and opened it up.

Oh, speak of the devil. Frisk had responded to his message. They’d been really busy with the whole Ambassador thing for the past few weeks, playing catchup presumably, so they hadn’t talked much. Not since… Well.

Asriel was looking forward to seeing Frisk again, at the very least. By sheer happenstance, the last stop on the tour was Frisk’s home city, a coincidence Asriel was more than happy to capitalize on. The thought of it made him smile, a guilty little grin as he put the guitar aside and slipped off of the bed, reaching under and pulling the little box he’d hidden there out into the light.

Something special for someone special. The very idea of it made him blush, embarrassed but excited.

Frisk was going to love this.

***

Part three.

Frisk leaned against the wall, looking out into the darkness.

It was quiet. The show wasn’t for a few hours yet, but Asriel was somewhere around here. The stage was setup, and everyone was elsewhere, attending to their business. Frisk pulled their phone out one last time, double checking the message.

‘meet me at the stage at 1, i have something to show you ] :)’

This was definitely the place, then. It was a few minutes before one, so Frisk wandered down the dimly lit stadium, trailing their fingers along the backs of the seats. There were some steps at the corner of the stage, and Frisk could see a curtain behind the drum kit with a light shining through it. Maybe he was lurking somewhere out there.

Frisk took a deep breath, trying to calm their nerves. The resolve was still there, a dull ache. It refused to be ignored. No matter what happened, this was it.

The end.

Frisk climbed up onto the stage.

“I was wondering when you’d get here.”

Frisk, to their credit, managed not to scream. “Gh-! Az, come on, don’t scare me like that!”

“Sorry.” Asriel grinned, not looking even the slightest bit sorry, slipping down off of the box he was perched on. Frisk spied a bottle of beer up there, an unusual sight. Asriel wasn’t normally the type to just casually drink before a show. “You’re only a handful of minutes early today, everything ok?”

He walked up close, and Frisk tried not to flinch as Asriel hugged them. He was warm, soft, and smelled like home. Frisk gently patted him on the back, returning the hug as platonically as possible.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just, you know, tired, overworked.”

“I really need to get you a real holiday, put some distance between you and all your troubles.”

“That would be nice.” Frisk sighed, pulling away. The ache in their gut was getting worse, a twisting knot of anxiety and stress. “...Listen. I… I uh…”

“I got you something.”

“Y-you what?”

Asriel grinned, hopping over to the box he had been sitting on and springing up slightly, fumbling around in the darkness for a moment and then sliding back down to earth. He had a tiny box in one hand, like you’d get from a jewelers.

Oh no.

He turned the box over in his hands nervously.

“So… I’ve been thinking. A lot. About that whole… Thing we had.”

“Me too.” That was the truth, at least.

“And I know you’ve been busy and, well, sometimes you can struggle a little to express yourself at times like this. N-not that I’m much better! But, well, ah…” He petered out, struggling to find the right words, looking at the box as if it would inspire him. “...Frisk. When I think about you, I feel like… I haven’t felt that way in a long time. For a long time, I was convinced I’d never feel like that again. It’s confusing, and scary, and exciting, and, well, I want you to have this.”

Frisk’s heart seemed to stop as he opened the box and turned it to show them the contents.

Inside, there was a red locket. A heart.

Frisk remembered to keep breathing after a moment, looking wordlessly from it to Asriel.

“But… That’s…”

He grinned, reaching into his shirt with his spare hand and fishing out a similar looking pendant.

“You gave this one back to me, yeah. This one was Chara’s. But this new one…” He hefted the box, looking at it intently. “I made it for you. It’s… Special to me. I only make these for people that I… L-Love.”

He was blushing. He looked shyly from the pendant to Frisk, smiling.

Frisk shook their head, backing away. His expression faded, being replaced by confusion.

“I-I can’t. I can’t.”

“Wha… What do you mean?” Now he looked hurt. It was like being stabbed, it hurt so much to see him disappointed.

“I can’t!” The shout echoed throughout the empty stadium.

“But… Why?”

“Because… Because I shouldn’t. It’s not right. You deserve better.”

“Better? What are you talking about?”

“Az, I… I’m not normal. I’m broken. No, worse. I’m determined.” Frisk took another step back, wrapping their arms around their middle, keenly aware of how cold it was without Asriel there. “It’s like a sickness. You should stay away.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” He looked confused, upset, maybe even angry. This was the last thing he had been expecting, obviously. “Your determination is the whole reason I’m even here! Why would you call it a sickness?”

“It’s poison. I can’t turn it off. No matter how hard I try, I can’t just… Settle. I keep on looking for new things to do, new stuff to discover. I use things up. I use people up. Like they’re… Objects. And once I’m done with them, I move on. When was the last time I spoke to anyone else from the underground, Az?”

“H-how should I know? A while, I guess?”

“It’s like they’re not even real anymore. I did it all, saw everything I wanted to see, and then I left them behind. Like some kind of parasite. I don’t want that for you, I couldn’t forgive myself for doing that to you.”

“Come on, Frisk! It’s normal to drift apart from people sometimes, it’s not like they’re gone!”

“Listen to you, defending me against myself. Don’t you realise that I’ve just… Pressured you into this? I kept at you until you had no choice but to relent, just like everything and everyone else in this world. What kind of fucked up relationship is that? It’s the cruelest thing I’ve ever done, to make you love me.”

Frisk had subsided to a whisper. They leant against one of the speakers by the front of the stage, slumping to the ground, looking absently at a vacant spot on the floor. Asriel was silent.

“I should just go. Leave, never bother you again. You should just leave me alone, for your own good.”

“...I don’t believe you.”

Frisk blinked and looked up at Asriel. He had his fists clenched, his jaw was set. He was gripping the pendant, the one he had made for Frisk, in one hand. It was shaking with the effort.

“You… Don’t?”

“Not one word. You’re not broken, you don’t use people up, you’re not a parasite, and you didn’t pressure me into anything. Frisk, you’re a hero, and a good friend, and-”

“I’m not! All the things I did, I did them because I had to! I couldn’t stop myself! I’m no hero. Hell, I’m not even a good person. I look at people, at monsters, and sometimes… I- I have to decide to not… W-what sort of hero has to decide not to kill people? Like it’s some fucking choice? I’m dangerous, and you need to stay far away from me.”

“No.”

Frisk faltered. What more could they say, to make Asriel understand? Why didn’t he care? It didn’t make any sense.

Frisk got to their feet. It he wouldn’t see reason, Frisk would have to see it for him. They’d leave, and that would be that.

Asriel was waiting, between Frisk and the stairs.

“...You’re in my way. I’m leaving.”

“I won’t let you. I won’t let you do this to yourself either. I don’t believe you for a second, Frisk. You think that you’re dangerous, that I’d be better off without you, that your good deeds somehow don’t count. I think you’re wrong, and I don’t think you want to leave me like this.”

“Get out of the way, Az. Don’t make me go through you.”

“You want to leave so badly?” He spread his arms. “Prove it. Prove to me that you’re strong enough to walk away.”

Asriel blocked the way.

***

Asriel regarded Frisk. He was hurt, angry even, but that could wait. Frisk needed him, perhaps now more than ever. They didn’t even seem to be aware of the tears staining their cheeks.

“You know… I thought I didn’t care anymore. I had won. I saved everyone. Even you, Az. There was no more reason to Reset, and I was free.”

Frisk clenched their fist, shaking. Asriel stood his ground, trying not to think about how frighteningly strong Frisk could be, if the occasion called for it. Frisk seemed to be talking to themselves as much as him, so Asriel just let them talk.

“Our lives could matter again, now. That was the whole point. But then…” Frisk chuckled without humour, shaking their head. Asriel tried not to blink as Frisk began to slowly walk towards him. “Can you believe it? I was the problem, ultimately. That was the worst part. I can’t stop myself. It’s not enough, for me to have a happy ending. It wasn’t enough, for me to have the love of all my friends and family. Nothing is ever going to satisfy me, is it?”

Frisk thumped down on Asriel’s chest with their fist. It was more like they were illustrating a point than fighting. Even so, it winded Asriel slightly.

“Isn’t that fucked up? Determined enough to fix things, too determined to leave them fixed. I can see it happening, even now, a Reset. I have to go, Az. Go far away, and find something new to fixate on, and keep on doing that until I’m dead, because otherwise I’m going to be a threat to… To everyone.”

Frisk’s fist slipped down, hanging limply at their side. They were so close now, Asriel could feel their breath on his shoulder. He didn’t dare move, standing his ground until the last.

“I’ve been… Outside this timeline from the start, haven’t I? This was always coming. I have to remove myself from it, so that it can continue without me. So that you can go on and actually have a future. And you deserve that, Az. You’re something special, you know that? I spent so long trying to give you this life, this second chance. And once I got you here, I just… Took you. Like you belonged to me.”

Frisk’s breathing was ragged and uneven. Tears started to stain the black paint on the stage floor, but Frisk didn’t even seem to notice.

“B-but don’t kid yourself! I only wanted you because I couldn’t have you. That’s how I work, that’s how my damage is. And, and it hurts, to be so greedy, to see that greed twist you. The more you love me back, the more it hurts. You say you want me to stay, and that just makes me want to run away from this, from what I’ve done to you. The more I think about it the worse I feel, about this sin, about what I’ve done. I can tell, I can’t live with the guilt. This world is slipping away from me.”

Frisk stopped, rubbing at their face limply, their voice cracking.

“I’ll… I’ll fix it. I’ll undo the wrong I did to you. I’ll save you, one last time, and I’ll do it properly this time. When I go back, I’ll rescue you one more time, and then you and your family can be happy together and I’ll just… I’ll just go. I’ve always been an outsider, forcing my way in because I know just what to say. If you forget me, you’ll be better off. You’ll be free, finally.”

Frisk sobbed, once, trying to hold it back.

“T-this is what I am, Az. This is what Determination is.”

Unable to stand it any longer, Asriel hugged Frisk fiercely. They tensed up, shocked. For a moment, they were still, and then they struggled, pushing at Asriel’s chest.

“W-what are you doing! Stop! Let go of me!”

Frisk managed to squirm free, shaking and sniffing.

“Y-you need to get away from me!”

Asriel waited, still blocking the exit. He wasn’t going anywhere.

“D-do you know why I have to do this? It’s, it’s because you’re special, Az. You deserve better than me. You know what this is like. You might be the only other person alive who understands why I have to go. I… I love you so much, it terrifies me. I want you to be happy, so much, and this is the only way I know how. So… Please…”

Frisk stepped close, pushing up against Asriel with both hands.

“G-get out of the way…”

Asriel felt the wetness of Frisk’s tears on his shoulder.

“And just let me go.”

Asriel hugged Frisk again, more gently this time. They crumpled against him, limp and sobbing.

“I… I’m afraid, Az. I’ve been alone for so long.”

Asriel gently caressed the back of Frisk’s head. “Ssssh. You don’t have to be alone, not anymore.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah. You don’t want to go, but you know you can’t stay, and it’s tearing you apart. I know what that’s like, Frisk. I lived it, remember? The weight of that feeling, the weight of Determination… It’s heavy, isn’t it?”

Frisk swallowed wetly, nodding.

“But, well, you don’t know what you want. You don’t know what to do. Your heart and your mind are pulling you in different directions, and you’re just not sure. But I’m more sure than I’ve ever been, Frisk.”

Asriel pulled Frisk back a little, taking a good look at them. Frisk brushed some hair out of their eyes, sniffing, suddenly self conscious at how bloodshot and snotty they must look. It made Asriel smile.

“Determination can make you obsessed. It can twist you. I understand that, and it’s ok. You’ve done nothing wrong, and even if you had, I’d still forgive you. I care about you too, Frisk, enough that it terrifies me as well.”

Asriel brandished the locket he had been holding. Frisk’s eyes never moved from it as he undid the clasp and fastened it around Frisk’s neck.

“But… Isn’t that a good thing? We can be scared together. I’d like that, if you’d do that with me. I want it, so much. And the thought of us, of a future with you, well… It makes me feel really Determined.”

Frisk’s eyes widened.

“I have it too, remember? I only lost the power to Reset because you were even more Determined than I was. But that was back then. You don’t have to worry about Resets, not anymore. Never again.”

Frisk concentrated, reaching for the power. It wasn’t there. It was gone.

“I’ll keep you safe now. I’ll protect you from it, this time. You can let that urge go. You can be free of it, now.”

Frisk looked shocked, and then disbelieving. Fresh tears welled up in their eyes, and they managed to smile before they surged forward, hugging Asriel so hard he thought his ribs would give way, giving what looked to be heaving, healing sobs into his shirt. Asriel smiled tiredly, resting one hand on Frisk’s head, holding them close.

By the time the rest of the band turned up, Frisk was fast asleep, dreaming of the future.

The End.

***

Epilogue.

“So, did it work?”

The tall figure didn’t speak. It never spoke. Chara was used to it.

“I mean, he’ll just have the same problem now, right? Or maybe not… I mean, if his Determination is caused by him wanting things to stay the same, maybe it’ll counteract the urge to move on. Or maybe it’ll all go to hell! I don’t know.”

Chara rolled over in midair, cradling their head in both hands. The tall figure turned slightly, looking at them. Chara stuck their tongue out.

“Who cares, really. It’s probably best not to overthink things too much. At the very least, Frisk was finally honest with Az! I was hoping the dream stuff would do that for me, but, well, I guess they had other things on their minds at the time. Oh well.”

The tall figure narrowed its eyes. At least, Chara hoped they were eyes. This could mean it was displeased, or angry. But, it could also mean it was laughing. Or, depending on the circumstances, hungry. Kinda hard to tell with expressionless mutes.

“Ehh, shut up. I’m done screwing with them anyway, it’s all up to those two now. It seems like there might actually be a point in existing now, too, seeing how time might actually continue now. Sorta makes me wonder what I’m gonna do next. It’s not like you get a manual when you die, no one has explained to me how to operate an afterlife.”

The tall figure gestured, something it did very infrequently. It pointed out, into the stars. Kind of out. It was tricky to describe, given their nonlinear natures.

“What, you think I should just go? Is there something out there for me as well?”

No response. Typical.

“Well I mean, what else am I gonna do, watch these sadsacks all day? Sounds kinda boring for an eternity, if you ask me. Maybe you’re onto something, mister. You keep doing the weird creepy mute guy thing, and maybe I’ll see you around. Later!”

Chara swam into the infinite sky, not really expecting to find anything but more sky.

***

“Chara?”

“Hmm?”

The small child looked up from their colouring book.

“We have some nice people here to see you. You remember, from the adoption agency?”

The small child nodded.

“Well, today you are very lucky. They’ve bought a nice couple, a human and a monster, and they’re looking for someone to adopt and take home and look after! I have a good feeling about this one. It’s like it was meant to be.”

The small child nodded again. Yes, this felt right.

Everything was going to be alright.