Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The battle raging on the second-highest point of New Home was going surprisingly well for Clover.

Well, aside from the fact that he had to die—a lot—to make it this far. Whether struck by lightning or pierced by a bullet, he had been revived time and time again by a close ally. Something about ‘loading his save file,’ whatever that meant.

“Why won’t you die!?” The Kitsune in front of him hurled another barrage of fireballs, her voice a mix of rage and desperation. Clover weaved through the onslaught and retaliated with a charged soul bullet. The shot pierced through her fiery attacks and struck the barrier, cracking her shield.

Clover said nothing. As usual, he fought in silence. Words had rarely been necessary on this journey; he only spoke when information was needed—or when someone else forced him to.

The Kitsune’s hands glowed as she flung paralyzing magic his way. He failed to dodge this time, his body freezing up just as she summoned a geyser beneath him. The scalding water sent him sprawling. “Don’t you understand what’s at stake here?” she shouted. “The future of Monsterkind!”

‘One more…’ The thought burned in his mind as he forced himself to move. Ignoring the ache in his limbs, he took aim and fired another soul bullet, breaking through her shield and leaving her momentarily stunned. He fell to his knees, panting but resolute. He couldn’t stop now. Not when he was so close.

He had to finish what he started.

The Kitsune stumbled back, conjuring a fragile barrier in her panic. Clover’s eyes narrowed, immediately picking out the weak points. His shots were swift, each one finding its mark. Her barrier splintered under the onslaught, and she trembled.

“What did you expect when you came down here?” she spat, her voice strained. “That the human children would be living peacefully with us?”

Truthfully, Clover hadn’t expected peace. He had jumped down here knowing there would be some sort of conflict, but not like this. Her words stirred something deep within him—Justice. For the children. For what needed to be done.

“You living will only prolong our suffering!” she cried, her voice cracking as she unleashed a desperate barrage of fire and water from beneath him. “Just... just die already!” But Clover could tell she didn’t mean it. Despite her words, there was hesitation, even pain. They had traveled through the Steamworks together. That bond, however strained, could not be erased.

Dodging the last geyser, Clover took aim one final time. His shot shattered her weakened barrier completely, and she collapsed to the ground. This was his chance. He moved swiftly toward her, reaching for the mask that radiated with her borrowed power.

But the mask didn’t break. It only cracked.

And as it did, the world around him was consumed by an overwhelming, blinding light.

A male fox lay on the bed, his body wracked with violent coughing. His voice was faint but determined as he rasped, “Ceroba… p-promise me... you’ll finish my r-research. Even if Asgore b-becomes a god…”

Ceroba nodded, her expression heavy with sorrow. “He won’t be able to defeat humanity, will he?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Chujin gave a weak, bitter smile. “I-I know their cruel nature. Th-they wouldn’t hesitate to p-put us back down here… after killing Asgore.” His breath hitched, and his body shuddered as his soul flickered and cracked. “The only way for—” He cried out in pain, his words breaking as the fracture in his soul deepened. “Argh!”

“Chujin!” Panic surged in her voice. Was this it? Was her husband truly about to…?

He forced himself to speak, his words labored but resolute. “The only way for monsterkind to secure their freedom… the only way to keep Kanako safe… it’s in my lab. U-underneath our table…” His soul cracked further, dark blue spreading across it like an unstoppable tide. His gaze softened, the fight within him fading. “Tell… Kanako… I’m sorry.”

And then, in an instant, his body dissolved into dust before Ceroba’s eyes. She sat frozen, her trembling hands clutching at the air where he had been. Words failed her. All she could do was stare at the empty space, her mind struggling to grasp what had just happened.

The sound of hurried footsteps broke through her haze. Kanako burst into the room, her small frame shaking with sobs. “Mommy! Is Daddy—?!”

Ceroba turned to her daughter, tears streaming down her cheeks. Without hesitation, she pulled Kanako into a tight embrace. “I… Daddy… Yes, he…” Her voice faltered, but she forced the words out, her tears falling onto Kanako’s fur. “He’ll be gone… for a while.”

Kanako’s cries grew louder as she clung to her mother, and together they sank to the floor, holding one another as grief enveloped them. The room felt impossibly quiet, save for the sound of their shared sorrow echoing in the stillness.

“What… RIGHT DO YOU HAVE TO SEE THAT!?” Ceroba’s voice rang with fury, her grief boiling over into unrestrained rage. Clover had accidentally seen her husband’s death, a memory that wasn’t his to witness.

Her anger poured into her attacks, making them faster, stronger, and more relentless. Clover could barely dodge her strikes, each one leaving scorch marks across the battlefield. When her attacks landed, they hit with devastating force. He winced, silently thanking his past self for taking the time to collect all those Golden items. Without them, he would’ve been ash by now.

“Are you satisfied!?” she screamed, hurling another barrage of fire blasts his way. “Satisfied with making me relive one of my worst memories!?”

Her anguish should have enraged Clover, pushed him to strike back harder. But as he dodged her flames, what he saw wasn’t an enemy. It was a grieving widow, desperate to honor her husband’s dying wish. Her pain radiated with every spell, every fiery lash aimed his way.

‘...No. She’s wrong. Isn’t she?’

But then, unbidden, a memory surfaced—words from Starlo, spoken with bitter resignation during their fight:

"But now I've realized the truth... This sheriff stuff? It's worthless. We all tout justice, but... True Underground status is only secured through pain. Monsterkind's Hero is a title soaked in blood. In the end... we're nothin' but bandits."

The thought pierced through Clover like an arrow. ‘They’re desperate for freedom,’ he realized. ‘Freedom that we… that I’ll take away from them.’ If Clover succeeded—if he took the souls back to the surface—he wouldn’t just save the children. He’d condemn his friends to be unable to see the surface, the sun.

‘And that… that ain’t what a real Cowboy would do.’

His soul pulsed with newfound strength as Ceroba unleashed her next move—a blazing ring of fire meant to trap him, an inescapable inferno. But Clover didn’t flinch. With a burst of speed, he dashed straight through the attack, the flames parting around him as if the fire itself recognized his resolve.

The real fight had begun.

Despite the storm of conflicting emotions swirling within him, Clover pressed forward. His soul beat like a drum, pounding with Determination to see this through. Ceroba staggered under the intensity of his counterattacks, forced onto the defensive. She conjured a barrier, but Clover shattered it with unerring precision, forcing her back to her knees.

He knew what he had to do.

Charging his weapon, he focused his soul’s energy—not just power, but something deeper. A blast not of rage, but of Justice. The shot hurtled toward her mask, striking with enough force to send cracks splintering across its surface.

For a moment, it seemed like this was the end.

But as the mask cracked, a blinding light engulfed the battlefield, cutting through everything.

Ceroba rifled through Chujin’s file cabinet, her hands trembling with urgency. Papers and folders cluttered the floor as she searched. “The tapes said it would be in… Aha! Found it!” Her voice was a mix of triumph and dread as she pulled out a syringe filled with a glowing substance. She knew the grim truth—she’d never gain access to a Boss Monster subject. Her only hope was to modify the serum to work on normal monsters.

“Mom?” A small voice startled her from behind. Ceroba turned sharply, finding Kanako standing in the doorway, her wide eyes filled with curiosity. “What are you doing?”

Panic flared in Ceroba’s chest. She instinctively hid the syringe behind her back. “N-nothing, sweetie. Just go back to bed.”

Kanako tilted her head, her expression unwavering. “It’s about Daddy, isn’t it?”

Bullseye. Kanako’s intuition was as sharp as ever—just like Chujin’s. Ceroba sighed, lowering her head. “Yes, but it doesn’t—”

“I want to help!” Kanako interrupted, her tone insistent. “I watched the tapes. You need a Boss Monster, right?”

Ceroba’s heart sank. No, no, no, not you. Her bold little girl had always been fearless, but this… this was too much.

“I have the genes,” Kanako continued, stepping closer. “Let me help!”

Ceroba’s instincts screamed at her to refuse. Kanako was her child, not some experiment. But logic clawed at her resolve. Adapting the serum for normal monsters could take a lifetime—a lifetime they didn’t have. Still, her maternal instincts refused to budge.

“No,” she said firmly.

Kanako didn’t flinch. She crossed her arms and planted her feet. “I’m not leaving until you agree.”

Stubborn. Ceroba almost laughed at the bitter irony. “This is really our child, isn’t it, Chujin?” she murmured under her breath. Kanako’s determination mirrored her father’s, and it broke Ceroba’s heart. Her daughter, so young and full of promise, was willing to risk everything for Monsterkind—a desperation that reflected the dire state they were all in.

Ceroba’s resolve wavered. “...Fine,” she relented, her voice barely above a whisper. “But promise me. The moment you feel anything strange, you tell me. Do you understand?”

Kanako’s face lit up with a smile. “Okay!” she chirped, her enthusiasm piercing through Ceroba’s guilt.

Adorable, Ceroba thought with a heavy heart. She knelt down, gently taking Kanako’s arm in her hands. “Promise me again,” she said, her tone more serious. “If anything feels odd, you pull away. No matter what.”

“I promise,” Kanako replied, her voice steady.

With trembling hands, Ceroba injected the serum into Kanako’s arm.

At first, everything seemed fine. Kanako felt no pain, no discomfort. That night, Ceroba stayed up monitoring her, watching over her as she slept. For the first time in weeks, hope glimmered in Ceroba’s heart.

But the next day, that hope shattered. Kanako collapsed, her body trembling as her soul began to crack. The human soul within the serum was fighting back.

Panic overtook Ceroba. She sent Kanako to the lab, hoping Alphys could save her. It was the only solution she could think of. It was also her biggest mistake.

Ceroba never saw her daughter again.

That day, she learned a harsh truth. To save Kanako, and to secure Monsterkind’s future, she would need more than science. She would need a pure-hearted human, someone who could endure the burden of dying and allow  monsters to become equal in terms of power without succumbing to it.

Just like what Chujin would have wanted.

When the two of them came to, neither spoke. The silence between them was deafening, filled only with the tension of what was left unsaid.

Clover noticed it almost immediately—Ceroba’s attacks were growing stronger, each strike more ferocious than the last. It wasn’t just raw power; it was something deeper. Was this the strength of a mother’s love? The unrelenting drive to see her child again? That was her goal, after all—the reason she had braved the perils of the Steamworks.

And the cruelest irony? Her husband had been right all along. Even if Asgore became a god, humanity wouldn’t hesitate to obliterate him and his kingdom with all the force it could muster. Monsterkind’s freedom, their survival, wasn’t guaranteed by power. Yet Ceroba fought on, clinging to the only hope she had left.

And there Clover stood, the one obstacle between her and that hope. Not just hers, but his friends’ freedom too—the friends who had given him the best days of his life. The ones who had shown him kindness, who had laughed with him and made him their deputy. Friends who had trusted him, who had believed in him enough to bend the rules, to risk their own safety for him.

And now, here he was, in their way.

The realization hit him hard. His heart ached, his mind raced, but there was no hesitation. He knew what had to come after this battle. What had to be done, not for himself, but for them.

His soul surged, no longer pulsing with Determination, but something stronger—something clearer.

It pulsed with JUSTICE.

…

…

…

Clover weaved deftly through the chaos, reloading his revolver with soul bullets as he moved. This was it—it was over for Ceroba. Justice would be served. He steadied his aim at her barrier and fired, the shot piercing through her shield and shattering her mask.

“N-NO!” Ceroba screamed, clutching the crumbling remains of her mask in her hands.

She fell to the ground unceremoniously, her body limp with defeat.

“My love… my child… all gone.” Her voice cracked under the weight of her grief. “Why wouldn’t you just… I swore I had the key. Saving Monsterkind from their demise… carrying on his legacy… It was worth the risk to me. But now? Now my life is over.” Her words were laced with bitterness and regret. “I have done unforgivable things. I let my husband work himself to death... I put my precious little girl through hell…”

Her gaze lifted weakly, scanning the battlefield.

“And… Oh god.” Her eyes locked on the two monsters slumped against the wall. “Star… Martlet…” Her head fell forward again, trembling with sorrow. “All for a chance to make a difference. A chance. I don’t think I can bear this weight any longer.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “You won this battle. Do what needs to be done.”

Clover approached her slowly, gun in hand. Ceroba shut her eyes, bracing herself. For a fleeting moment, she welcomed it—the thought of finally reuniting with her family in peace.

But instead of the cold finality she expected, she felt warmth. Clover wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace.

“It’s okay,” he said softly.

Ceroba’s eyes snapped open, stunned. “Why?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Before Clover could respond, another voice broke the silence.

“Ceroba.”

She looked up, her breath catching. Starlo was on his feet, leaning heavily against the wall but alive.

Clover stepped back, giving them space as Starlo took a shaky step forward.

“You beat me up… pretty b-badly, huh?” Starlo said with a weak smile, his voice strained but unmistakably kind.

“S-Star, I—” Ceroba stammered, her eyes glistening with tears.

“Don’t sweat it too much,” he interrupted gently. “I reckon I deserved it for the Wild East fiasco.” His cowboy drawl faded, replaced by the soft timbre of his true voice.

Ceroba remained silent, too ashamed to meet the eyes of the two standing before her.

Starlo broke the tension with a small smirk. “Heck of a hit, though. I didn’t know you had that in you.”

“I’m… I’m so sorry,” Ceroba whispered, her voice trembling.

Before anyone could respond, Martlet groaned and stirred. The trio looked on in shock as she slowly sat up—she had taken Ceroba’s magic head-on, and yet, here she was.

“Wh… Where am I?” Martlet muttered, her head spinning. But as the memories returned, she quickly turned and grabbed Clover by the arm. “Clover! We gotta get out of here! Hu—”

Ceroba interrupted her, her voice low and steady. “No, it’s finished. Clover… Clover won.”

Starlo’s jaw dropped. “Y’all had a fight? And the deputy won?” He tilted his hat down over his face, muttering, “My lessons worked…”

Martlet, still trying to piece everything together, blinked in confusion. “Wait… How much did I miss?”

Ceroba shook her head, at a loss for words. “I—I don’t know what to do. Nothing I do will change reality. I did something inexcusable. And for nothing…”

Starlo stepped forward, his voice gentle but firm. “Hey. Where was I a few hours ago?” Ceroba glanced at him, confused. “In this same situation,” he continued. “My judgment was clouded, and I screwed up. But you know what you did? You forgave me. The posse did too. We both did bad things—no sugar-coating that.”

Clover watched quietly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Maybe it was safe now to do what was needed. Yet a part of him hesitated. Why?

“But there is hope,” Starlo added, his tone unwavering. “At least, that’s what I believe.”

Martlet, still groggy but sharp, chimed in. “I… I can’t begin to grasp what you’ve gone through, Ceroba. But this? This was an absolutely horrible way of dealing with it.” Ceroba remained silent, her shame deepening. “You can’t change what happened. You’re right about that,” Martlet said. “But you can control what you do from here. Your actions matter.”

The weight of their words began to sink in, but Ceroba clung to one final defense. “Chujin… His legacy, his final wish. It will never be fulfilled.”

Martlet’s expression softened, her voice somber. “Chujin might not have been the perfect monster I thought he was. But even his darkest choices came from a place of love. And that? That’s his legacy. Not some serum to ‘save the world.’ It’s everyone he helped—that’s what matters.”

Clover’s thoughts drifted back to Chujin. ‘He didn’t mean for Axis to blast that human… Even he looked disturbed when he recounted it.’

“Martlet’s right,” Clover said, stepping forward. “He made life down here so much more bearable. And for that, he has my respect.”

Ceroba’s defenses crumbled at last. “I never thought about it like that…” Her voice cracked as tears began to fall. “What the hell was I thinking? I was so tunnel-visioned, so… lost…”

Starlo placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We can work through this,” he said softly. “We’re here for you. And we always will be.”

‘This is it! This is the run!’ Flowey’s grin stretched unnaturally wide as he watched from the shadows. ‘Clover’s about to reach the king after this little detour. And the souls… oh, the souls… they’ll be mine!’

He had been glued to Clover’s fight with Ceroba, his petals practically trembling with glee. That power-up Ceroba had pulled off? Deliciously dramatic. It had made her nearly half as strong as Asgore himself. And yet, Clover didn’t die. Not even once.

‘Impressive,’ Flowey thought with a dark chuckle. It meant Clover could actually beat Asgore, and that was perfect.

But now? Watching them have a heartwarming little reunion was nauseatingly dull. Flowey’s vine curled into the dirt as he let out an exaggerated sigh. ‘Touching, really,’ he thought, rolling his eyes. Still, this outcome had its perks. Martlet hadn’t asked Clover to be her “roommate” during that rooftop heart-to-heart, which meant Clover had no reason to stick around.

Flowey giggled to himself, his laughter echoing faintly. The adults were already starting to argue, their voices rising and falling like a bitter symphony. It was just as he liked it—messy and chaotic. ‘After so, so many runs, this is finally it. I’ll get what I deserve!’

But then his laughter stopped cold. His eyes widened as he noticed something strange. Clover had pulled out his soul, holding it in front of him with an uncharacteristic stillness.

‘Wait… what is he doing?’ Flowey’s grin faltered, and unease crept into his voice. 

“No, no, no. He wouldn’t. He’s so close to the goal!”

Flowey’s vines twitched restlessly as he stared, his mind racing. For the first time in what felt like forever, dread slithered into his chest.

Clover blocked out the noise. The arguments—it all faded into the background. They were his friends, yes, but… he needed to think. The echoes of their voices swirled in his mind, reminding him of what had to be done.

"You probably want to go home, don’tcha?" Flowey’s sly, ever-present voice slithered into his thoughts. His companion throughout the journey. His guide.

"Humanity already won by trapping us down here, yet they keep twisting the knife." Ceroba’s voice was heavy with bitterness, grounding him in the harsh reality.

"You must have places to go, correct? The Castle… The Barrier." The words reminded him of his desire to live, to move forward.

"I did everything in my power to entertain… so monsters wouldn’t have to worry about being stuck down here." Starlo’s wistful tone echoed the Underground’s collective despair.

"Anyway, we’ll bypass the Royal Guard and plead your case to Asgore!" Martlet’s hope-filled words replayed in his mind, a memory of that pivotal boat ride that had brought him to this moment.

"Remember your real mission, Clover." Flowey’s desperate voice cut through, insistently pulling him toward his goal.

"Asgore only needs two more Souls to shatter the barrier." Ceroba’s grim reminder struck like a hammer blow. Asgore wasn’t just a king—he was a threat.

"What a world it would be if I had two whole friends." Dalv’s warm smile when they reunited in Snowdin surfaced in his mind. The dreams of everyone down here depended on him.

"Most might act cheerful, but life down here… it’s hopeless." Starlo’s quiet confession lingered, heavy and undeniable.

‘It’s time,’ Clover thought, his resolve crystallizing. ‘If it’s for my friends’ freedom…’

He manifested his soul in front of his body, its glow steady and purposeful.

"...The five children you set out to find in the first place…"

"Despite its ups and downs, our little adventure was a blast."

"Asgore’s still out there threatening human lives!"

"I MUST THANK YOU FOR OPENING MY EYES."

"Keep your head in the game!"

"Turns out you’re a pretty damn good leader, Clover!"

"Come on, Clover!"

"You are a kind soul. One of the best I’ve met."

"C l o v e r!!!"

Their voices called out to him, louder and louder, their faith and dreams intertwining with his own. Clover’s grip on his resolve tightened.

“Clover!” Starlo’s voice broke through the rising tension, filled with shock.

“Clover, what are you doing!?” Martlet’s concern was clear in her tone.

“Hey…!” Ceroba’s wide-eyed gaze locked on him, her voice trembling with disbelief.

“Clover… w-what’s going on? Y-you’re scaring us here.” Martlet’s voice trembled, her eyes wide with the realization of what was about to happen.

“It’s time,” Clover said simply, his tone unwavering.

Martlet’s face drained of color. “W-what does that mean?”

Clover’s lips curled into a soft, bittersweet smile. “It’s time to go.”

Starlo and Martlet’s eyes widened, their protests quick and desperate. They spoke of a plan, of something, anything to prevent him from sacrificing himself. They didn’t want him to die.

But Ceroba’s voice broke through their frantic attempts to reach him. “You’re serious.”

Clover nodded, his resolve unshaken.

Starlo and Martlet were barely holding it together. Ceroba's voice faltered as she whispered, “...I understand.”

Starlo turned to Ceroba, breathless. “Ceroba…”

“We’ve been selfish this whole time, haven’t we?” Ceroba’s words were laden with regret. “Dragging him around without Clover having a say... Selfish.” Her gaze softened as she looked at him. “They came here of their own volition… They deserve to leave on their own terms too.” Her voice shook at the end, heavy with emotion.

“But—” Starlo’s voice cracked, but Martlet spoke before he could continue.

“As much as we want to stop you…” Martlet’s eyes met Clover’s, filled with understanding. “I can see it in your eyes. It’s about our freedom, isn’t it?”

‘Spot on as always, Martlet,’ Clover thought, a quiet acknowledgment of her insight.

“Clover,” Starlo said, his voice softer now, knowing this would be their last moment together. “You are the bravest, most selfless human I’ve ever met. Of course, I only met one… But if I ever meet another, I hope they’re like you. I’d promote you to sheriff… but lord knows you deserve so much more than that.”

Martlet stepped forward, her arms wrapping around Clover in a tight bear hug.

Starlo joined in, pulling both of them into the embrace. Noticing Ceroba standing apart, he gently urged her forward. She hesitated but then joined the hug, the quiet understanding of the moment passing between them all.

They stayed like that for a few moments, no words needed. Their feelings had already been expressed.

Before Starlo could leave, Clover handed him back his gun, the weapon no longer necessary for his rest.

Starlo smiled, though his expression was bittersweet. “Heh, you got a receipt for that?” His smile trembled. “Thanks, Clover.”

Clover then beckoned Martlet over and handed her his hat.

“You truly changed my life, you know that?” Martlet’s voice was hollow as she spoke, her eyes clouded with sadness. “How am I supposed to know you’re human now, huh?” She furrowed her brows, trying to smile despite the pain. “I’m sorry that the world is like this. But people like you make it a better place. Thank you.”

“We’ll… We’ll be waiting outside,” Starlo said, his voice barely above a whisper as he left with Martlet.

And just like that, the duo walked away, leaving Clover and Ceroba standing there.

Ceroba approached him, a Soul container in hand. “You’ve earned my respect. I mean it.”

Clover gave a silent nod, his pulse weakening but still steady. The vibrant yellow of his soul swirled with red as she placed it gently into the container.

Then, Ceroba faltered, unable to look at him. “Do… Do you want me to stay?”

“…It’s okay. Go on.” Clover’s voice was weak, the weariness seeping in, but he wasn’t ready to collapse just yet. “I’ll… I’ll be okay.”

“Very well…” Ceroba’s eyes welled with tears again. “This won’t be forgotten, Clover. Goodbye.” She left, joining the others.

Once she was gone, Clover collapsed onto the ground. Was this what it felt like for the other humans? He didn’t know, and it didn’t matter now. True Justice had been upheld. The next human might change everything. He had done his part.

Flowey suddenly appeared, rising from the ground with his usual smirk. “So, this is it?”

Clover struggled to lift his head, trying to see the familiar face one last time.

“All that work, just to become another cog in the machine?” Flowey’s voice oozed mockery. “Heh, you’ve grown so predictable! I could undo all of this right now—”

‘No! Don’t—’

“But… Maybe you’ve earned your rest. After all, there’s always another. Can’t say it’s been fun, so… I suppose this is where we part ways.”

Typical. Flowey couldn’t even be open with him at the end.

“Oh, who am I kidding?” Flowey’s fake grin melted into something genuine. “Until we meet again… Friend.” And with that, he sank back into the ground, leaving Clover alone.

Clover crawled over to the wall, trying to make himself comfortable. He gazed at the sky above, taking in the beauty of the world outside, knowing that his friends would someday see it too.

Funnily enough, it was high noon.

Why did it have to be like this? Why did he have to be like Chara? Out of all the humans, it had to be him. Flowey wasn’t lying, though. He really did see Clover as a friend. Even if Clover was just a tool to him, Flowey had started to enjoy the unpredictability of Clover’s actions. Each run had been... interesting.

But, of course, everything had to come to an end. The next human would eventually appear. To keep himself from being tempted to undo all of it, Flowey knew he had to overwrite Clover’s file.

He pulled it up, his roots and petals swaying in anticipation, the save button right in front of him. Just as he was about to press it—

“H E L P M E !” Martlet’s scream echoed as she finally  dissolved into dust. True Justice had yet to be upheld though.

Flowey was livid. Clover had given away his position, and now the Underground would be on alert, with Asgore’s castle defenses up. “What were you thinking!? The castle’s defenses are going to be up now!” If Flowey had his hands, he would’ve been strangling Clover on the spot. 

“You—YOU BETTER BREAK DOWN THOSE DAMN WALLS AND GET ME MY SOU—”

‘Uh oh.’

“Your souls, I mean,” Flowey quickly corrected himself, trying to cover his mistake. Clover stared at him, unfazed. “W-wait, why are you looking at me like that? I meant your souls. Really!”

Clover didn’t respond. He just pulled out his gun and aimed it at Flowey.

“They don’t belong to you. They never will,” Clover said flatly, his voice unwavering.

“Ugh! Another dead end… Fine, whatever. I’ll just try again,” Flowey muttered, pulling up his save file, but nothing happened. “What? WHAT?!” He glared at Clover. “So you’re really going to backstab me now? I’m no stranger to that!”

Flowey lunged to attack Clover, but Clover reloaded. He tried to take the gun, but Clover reloaded again. He tried to escape, but Clover reloaded.

This was it. “...Hah,” Flowey chuckled bitterly. “I hated every moment we spent together! The only times I ever felt joy were when you died a painful, horrible death! Over and over again. I know how this ends.”

Clover’s hand never wavered, he kept his aim steady.

“That castle might as well be your grave!” Flowey screeched, fury filling his voice. The first bullet hit him squarely. These weren’t friendliness bullets anymore. No, these were yellow bullets of vengeance.

Flowey’s laughter died in his throat as he saw her.

Chara. It was faint, just a shadow lingering behind Clover, distant and hazy. “C-c-cha—” And then, Flowey died.

And that’s where his memory cut off.

“What the hell? W-was that Chara?” Flowey recoiled, his tendrils twitching as he pulled away from Clover’s save file. “Why now? What was that?”

He blinked, confusion mixing with a spark of curiosity. He couldn’t recall a run where Clover had actually killed him. Sure, he’d managed to scare him a bit when he hit LV 12, but nothing that would give him control over the timeline—unless...

‘Oh, that gunslinging–!’ Clover had allowed him to take control of the timeline. But wait, what... If it was Chara who had reset. It made sense now. They must’ve witnessed the carnage Clover caused and decided to step in before it went too far. They did have the red soul, after all.

Flowey smirked. This was his chance. All he needed to do to bring Chara back was to...

“…Get Clover to LV 19,” he muttered, the plan solidifying in his mind. And of course, not die in the process.

He chuckled darkly. “Sorry, pal. But I want my best friend back. You can rest afterward.”

With a flourish, Flowey erased Clover’s save file. In its place, a reset button appeared. His grin widened.

“What a wonderful idea,” he whispered, pressing it eagerly.

Chara hadn’t expected to wake up after their death. They weren’t planning to reset, after all.

But of course, a human had to ruin everything. A cowboy entered the Underground, and from what Chara could gather from his LV 20, he was slaughtering everyone in his path. The chaos began when they woke up to see him shoot a defenseless flower—no reason, no mercy. They instinctively reached for their save button, only to find it out of reach.

They were powerless, watching in helpless silence as the cowboy tore through the Royal Guard, one by one. No need for a battle; a single shot was enough to take them all down.

The captain fared a bit better than the rest. Chara had seen them engage the Cowboy in a fight, but even she couldn’t last long. After two turns, she fell.

With each kill, Chara’s desperation grew. They needed to stop this cowboy. They had to reach their save button. But it remained out of reach.

Finally, the cowboy entered the castle, the air thick with dust as he walked down Judgment Hall. Chara recognized his soul. Justice. It was almost ironic.

Instead of heading straight to the throne room, the cowboy ventured deeper into the castle, down a corridor and into a basement. Chara had never seen this part of the castle before—it hadn't existed when they were alive.

The Cowboy stopped in front of a row of coffins. The first one caught Chara’s eye. “Chara Dreemurr 2011” was engraved on it. The rest were marked with names of other humans. The cowboy moved silently from one to the next, inspecting each grave as if searching for something.

“He’s going to pay,” the cowboy muttered to himself.

Chara’s heart skipped. Had their father been killing humans? It didn’t seem so bad now that they thought of it. He probably absorbed their souls, and maybe that’s how he could defeat this threat.

The cowboy didn’t linger. Wordlessly, he moved toward the throne room. He created a save point before entering.

The familiar sound of their dad whistling drifted into Chara’s ears. It was soothing, a distant memory of when he would hum while tending to the garden with her and Asriel.

“Hey.” The Cowboy spoke aloud, catching Asgore’s attention.

Asgore tore his gaze from the window and turned toward the intruder. “The Underground is filled with beauty. Friends… families… hopes… dreams… Or at least… it was.”

The Cowboy’s grip tightened around his gun, ready to draw on the King. “A false hope. One built on murder.”

“I had to do what was necessary for the betterment of our kind,” Asgore replied, moving toward the Cowboy.

Suddenly, the Cowboy’s stoic demeanor shattered, replaced by pure rage. “Necessary? Necessary!? They were just children.” He whispered the last part, his voice raw with emotion.

“I had to do it,” Asgore repeated.

‘What?’ The thought raced through Chara’s mind. Surely her father hadn’t killed those children. And if he did… they must’ve been violent, like this Cowboy, right? Why hadn’t he absorbed the Souls yet?

The Cowboy clenched his teeth, his eyes burning with fury. He was determined to end Asgore’s life. 

“Wait, I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for this!” But her words fell on deaf ears.

“Though valiantly they fought, nobody could stop you, could they?” Asgore sighed, his gaze shifting away. “I had hoped this day would never come. Retaliation was inevitable, but I believed we could handle it as we always have.” He turned to the window, lost in thought.

“My dear friends, I am sorry,” Asgore said quietly, his gaze locking with the Cowboy’s. “I understand why you are here, but I fear it’s too late. Your goal is beyond reach. I do not take pride in Monsterkind’s plight…”

Chara wordlessly floated between them, drifting as a ghost.

“But it is a conflict not of our making. One thing is certain, however: your violence has ensured this war will never end. Many more, of both our kinds, will perish because of this day.” Asgore closed his eyes, a heavy weight hanging in the air. “Such is the path you’ve chosen…”

Asgore reached inside his cape.

“But even if you chose differently, the unfortunate truth is…” In an instant, he drew a trident and took a battle stance. “Your fate was sealed the moment you entered my kingdom. We will rebuild. With your soul and the others, we will be free... Goodbye.”

In a blur, Asgore threw his trident toward the Cowboy’s soul. It shattered on impact, and the Cowboy, eyes blazing with fury, shouted, “You killed children! Your kind reveled in it! You... you’re going to pay!”

His soul morphed into a gun, charged with raw power, building energy until it reached its peak.

“And those children… are going home!” He fired.

Chara watched in horror as the blast vaporized her father. The shot left a hole in the wall, revealing the shimmering barrier behind it. Asgore’s soul floated before her for a moment, then faded as the Cowboy stepped forward, grabbed the soul, and absorbed it.

The Cowboy’s LV shot up to 21. Chara, now able to access her save file, hovered over where their father had stood—nothing remained.

‘What… What just happened?’

The Cowboy pressed forward, dragging Chara along, both heading toward the barrier.

“Sorry, it took me so long,” he muttered. The Souls began to rise from the ground. “Let’s… let’s go home.”

One by one, the Souls left their containers. The Cowboy took each one, stepping through the barrier. He ascended the staircase that led to the surface.

Clover stepped outside, feeling as if he'd been trapped underground for years. He breathed in the fresh air as the souls left his hands and soared into the sky. His journey was finally over.

Looking for a way down the mountain, his gaze wandered to the distant city. The view was breathtaking, but he had no time to linger. He needed to get home. His parents—while overbearing— in their own way cared deeply for him.

He didn’t resent them, but being around them for too long was draining. They had a tendency to argue, and their insistence on him taking on adult responsibilities had worn him thin. (Seriously, why was he doing their taxes while they went out and partied?)

Shaking off his thoughts, he found a path down the mountain and started his descent. But before he could get too far, a voice called out to him.

“So that’s it? You killed all the monsters and now you’re going to just go home?” The voice scoffed. “Typical of a human.”

Clover spun around, his hand instinctively going to his gun. Had a monster followed him from the underground? He scanned the area, but all he saw was—was that a ghost?

“Hey... are you one of the lost?” Clover asked cautiously.

The ghost’s eyes widened in surprise. “You can see me?”

“I saw six coffins… But only five souls were freed. Did I leave you behind?” Clover murmured, almost to himself.

The ghost stared at him, its form flickering. “No. You didn’t.”

Clover hesitated. “Then... why are you here?”

The ghost’s voice turned bitter. “Why’d you kill them?”

Without missing a beat, Clover responded, “For justice.”

The ghost scoffed. “You killed my family just for wanting freedom? You're despicable.”

“What...?” Clover was taken aback.

The ghost clapped, though no sound came from it. “Great job. You killed defenseless monsters in your crusade. Must feel real proud of yourself.” The ghost floated closer, its presence unnerving. “Do you even know what monsters are made of?”

Clover took a step back. “Dust?”

“They’re made of love and compassion,” the ghost hissed, “something you wouldn’t understand. You’re nothing like a monster. You’re a MONSTER.”

“They killed children! They celebrated it!” Clover snapped, desperate to justify his actions.

The ghost’s voice softened, but its words were sharp. “You killed monsters who weren’t involved in the killings, didn’t you?” Clover fell silent. It was true—he had killed many innocent creatures. But he did it in the name of justice.

“That’s not justice,” the ghost spat. “That’s just some sick, perverted—”

“Shut up!” Clover shouted, his hand pulling his gun in a flash. “I did what I had to!”

The ghost’s eyes widened with fear, but then its expression twisted into mocking calm. “Pulling a gun on a defenseless individual. What a brave hero.”

“I... I didn’t mean to—” Clover’s words faltered. The gun slipped from his trembling hands.

The ghost’s voice was cold and sarcastic. “Doesn’t matter if you didn’t mean to. You thought about shooting me. Some paragon of justice you are.”

Clover stood frozen, his breath coming in short gasps. Had he really pointed a gun at someone innocent? That’s what he’d been doing throughout his journey—taking lives, believing it was for the greater good.

His mind flashed back to the words of Flowey, who had told him at the start that Asgore, the king of monsters, celebrated the deaths of human children. He had convinced himself that it was justified, that all monsters were complicit. But now, in the face of the ghost, those justifications felt hollow.

"Clover, was it?" The strange flower in front of him spoke, its voice dripping with mock concern. "It's dangerous for humans down here in the Underground," it warned.

"Dangerous?" Clover echoed, unease creeping into his voice.

"Yes!" the flower responded, its tone almost gleeful. "The monsters down here love to hurt humans, especially ones like you."

That was all Clover needed to hear. A cold resolve settled over him. He knew exactly what he had to do.

But the human in front of him had said otherwise.

"W-what do I...?" Clover stammered.

"What you're going to do is reset." The ghost mimicked taking steps toward him, leaning in close. "And you're going to fix it."

That sounded right. He had to atone for his sins. Even if he freed the children, the way he did it wasn’t right—it wasn’t just. “Y-yeah, okay…”

The two of them stood in silence, waiting for something to happen.

“Are you going to reset or...?” they both asked in unison.

The ghost scoffed. “I can’t reset. I can only load my save, which is from long before you fell down.”

“How do I reset?” Clover asked.

The ghost sighed. “C’mon, follow me.” They were already close, and Clover gave them a confused look. “Pull up the save menu.”

Clover did as instructed, the menu appearing before him: LV 21. He could hear the ghost muttering under their breath, likely something unflattering.

“Swipe right. The reset button should be right there.”

“I see it. So, do I just press it and... I’m sent back to the beginning?” The ghost nodded. “Uh, before I do this, who are you?”

“I don’t give my name to weirdos,” the ghost shot back quickly, dismissing the question. Which, honestly, was fair.

“Alright... Let’s do this again.” Clover pressed the button, and the world around him erupted in a blinding flash.

Chara had awakened during a fight Clover was in. It seemed that his determination had triggered her return. The important detail was that he was at LV 1, with 0 ExP—meaning he hadn’t killed a single monster.

Clover’s opponent was a strong, fox-like monster wielding both fire and water magic. Realizing he was about to lose to her relentless, unavoidable attacks, Chara intervened. She shone her soul onto Clover, allowing him to phase through the assault unscathed.

In the end, Clover won the fight, sparing the fox with a hug. It was a touching moment—if not for the fact that he gave up his soul afterward.

 —-

"Chara, are you sure your plan will work?" her brother asked, concern evident in his voice.

She weakly raised a thumb in response. "It’s for monsterkind’s freedom. It has to work."

—----------

What they hadn’t expected was for the flower Clover had killed to be in control of the timeline. They had always believed that only humans possessed the determination to alter it, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.

When they saw Clover had died, they immediately set out to find the flower. Tracking him down was easy—he stood out like a beacon, bright yellow in a city of gray.

They could only catch fragments of his words, but the message was clear: “Get Clover to kill everyone again.” Chara checked their save file, relieved to see it was still accessible. A heavy sigh escaped them as they realized there was no other choice. If things continued on this path, 

Clover would be trapped in an endless cycle of violence—unless they intervened.

They pressed the load button at the same time Flowey hit the reset button.

Clover gasped out for air. Why wasn’t he dead? Is this the afterlife? 

He got up and checked his soul— “Actually I think I am alive, no use in checking that.”

Clover then looked around. ‘Isn’t this where I first landed in the underground?’ Realizing that sitting there wouldn't help, he decided to get up and search for his friends.

He walked for a while until he reached the spot where he’d first encountered a monster—a Froggit, if he remembered correctly. Clover shook his head in disbelief. How could he almost forget? His journey through the Underground had lasted over two days, yet it felt like it had been so much longer.

This time, however, he wasn’t attacked as he passed through the area and moved into the Ruins. To his surprise, he found a save point. Eagerly, he approached and pressed it, hoping for Flowey to appear. But to his dismay, no one showed up.

Okay, what’s going on here? Clover wondered, continuing forward until...

He reached the room where he had fallen into the Dark Ruins. It wasn’t all bad—he had met Dalv, after all—but he could’ve done without the fall.

Hesitantly, Clover pulled the wrong lever, bracing for the familiar fall. But nothing happened. Confused, he reset the puzzle and tried again. Still nothing. Reluctantly, he decided to take the intended path.

That is, until he reached a room where the only path was lined with spikes. “Great,” Clover muttered to himself. Without a way to revive after dying, he was stuck. His only option now was to wait for someone to come, maybe the Goat lady.

So, he sat down and waited, hoping for help to arrive.

She had loaded her save near the old house. This was the moment they had gathered the buttercups to enact their plan to save all of Monsterkind. Of course, someone hadn’t followed through—the monster standing next to her, holding her hand.

“C’mon, Chara, we’re almost there! Stop staring at the corner,” Asriel, her brother, urged as he pulled her toward where they first met. They had been tasked with tending to the flower bed while Toriel was buried in work. If Chara remembered correctly, it was something about a place called the “Steamworks.”

“Stop pulling so hard...” Chara muttered. She had grown used to not being able to physically touch things as a ghost—strange, considering she had only been a ghost for about an hour at most.

“Sorry!” Asriel relaxed his grip, but still tugged her along. “But you know how Mom is about time.”

Chara hummed in agreement. Their mom was very particular about punctuality. “Punctuation is key to being a monarch. That includes everything,” she’d once told them, as she lectured Asriel on his schooling.

A chill ran down Chara’s spine as she recalled a time they had arrived home extremely late. Toriel had lost her cool, thinking they had been trapped somewhere. It was almost funny to see Toriel—of all people—lose control. Unfortunately, they had ended up grounded as a result.

Wordlessly, they continued through Home. This time, Chara wouldn’t eat the buttercups. It hadn’t gone well the first time. If they were going to fulfill the Delta Rune prophecy, they’d need a new plan.

“Howdy!” Asriel greeted every monster they passed, cheerfully asking his usual question, “How are you?”

Monsters were so friendly—almost to a fault. Chara feared that their kindness would be their downfall. That’s why she needed to make one of the Boss Monsters a god. Humans were ruthless, capable of wiping all of monsterkind out, as Clover had proven. Even if he redeemed himself in the end with his sacrifice, he had committed an entire genocide, unprovoked. It would be disastrous if someone like him—

“Chara, do you own a Western costume?” Asriel’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

She looked at him, puzzled. “No? Azzy, we share the same wardrobe. Where else would I keep it?”

“That’s what I thought too,” Asriel said, looking thoughtful. “But the Froggit mentioned a cowboy human running around Home. And, well... you’re the only human down here, so...”

Chara’s blood ran cold. ‘There’s no way he followed me back…’

She let out a light chuckle to mask her unease. “Asriel, the Froggit probably mistook a monster for a human. 

‘I do vaguely remember a monster who looked like a cowboy during Clover’s death.’

“If you say so, Chara!” Asriel grinned, trusting her completely. It was almost endearing how much faith he had in her. She could probably get him to do anything with the right amount of persuasion.

‘Not that I’d ever do that, of course. I’m not a human, after all.’

Humans were evil. Beyond saving. The orphanage they’d grown up in had proven that. Cruel adults taking advantage of little kids just for a laugh. They would kill every monster if given the chance. Just like that Cowboy.

…

…

…

 They passed through the Hallway of Independence, which was really just a long corridor. Chara remembered the time Asriel had helped her after her fall. The journey back to New Home had been a nightmare, especially with her fractured leg.

That was also when she learned about healing magic.

Incredibly useful, if used by the right hands. Chara had hoped to learn it one day, but for now, her focus had always been on offensive magic, especially under the training her dad had given her.

“Wait, how does the spike puzzle work again?” Asriel muttered to himself.

Chara sighed dramatically. “Oh, dear brother. It seems that I, the superior puzzle solver, will have to take care of this for you.” She got into a running stance.

“Wait, Chara, don’t---!” Asriel called out, but it was already too late. She sprinted across the puzzle with ease.

Reaching the other side, Chara struck a playful pose. “Not bad, right, Azzy?”

“Mom’s going to be mad you did that!” Asriel shouted from across the room.

Chara scoffed. “Not if you don’t tell her, she won’t.”

“But that’s lying!” Asriel whined.

“Are you coming over here or not?!” Chara shouted back, raising an eyebrow.

“I am!” Asriel grumbled as he carefully made his way through the puzzle. He finally reached her side. “See?”

Chara stuck out her tongue. “Slowpoke!”

“Aw, come on! You didn’t tell me we were racing! That’s not fair!”

“It’s implied,” she replied, slipping into her old Underground routine. Her sharp wit had always been second nature.

Asriel pouted, his arms crossed. “Whatever. Let’s keep moving.”

But before they could go any further, they heard snoring. It wasn’t unusual—probably just another Froggit—but as they turned the corner, they froze. There, lying in front of them, was... another human.

“C-Chara? It’s...!” Asriel stared in shock at the cowboy, his voice trailing off.

“...Azzy, hand me the knife.” Chara’s voice was cold, her tone leaving no room for argument.

“What for?” Asriel asked, confused.

“Just hand it to me.”

Without questioning further, Asriel passed her his knife. It was worn from use—mostly from gardening—but he’d always been careful with it. He often reminded Chara that if it wasn’t handled properly, it could hurt someone.

The noise they made roused the human. His eyes fluttered open as he rubbed them groggily.

Asriel froze, unsure of what to do. Chara, on the other hand, was desperately trying to hold the knife properly.

The first words out of the human’s mouth were, “Do I know you?”

Chara’s mouth formed the word silently. “Clover.”

Asriel blinked, still in confusion. “Am I missing something?”

Chapter Text

“...Hey.”

The person standing before Clover glared at him with an intensity that made him instinctively tense up. Clover couldn’t shake the feeling that he had seen this child before. If so, they must be one of the missing children. (Not that Clover’s sketches for the missing children’s posters had been particularly accurate.)

If this was one of the lost children, they’d clearly made a home down here. The matching outfits between the two kids suggested they were close.  Clover knew he had to tread carefully; he couldn’t afford to be as reckless as before. Without Flowey around, he had to rely on himself. Keeping his tone casual, he gestured toward the puzzle behind him. “I got stuck on this puzzle. Think you could help me out?”

“Oh, for sure!” the goat exclaimed, his face lighting up with enthusiasm.

“Azzy, we still have that thing to do,” the other human interrupted, their tone sharp with reproach.

“Oh…” The goat—Azzy—frowned briefly, then brightened again with a determined smile. “Well, he can just come with us then!”

The human’s expression shifted from irritation to outright disbelief. “Azzy, can I talk to you for a second?” Without waiting for a response, they placed a firm hand on Azzy’s shoulder and leaned in to whisper.

The two began a hushed argument, their voices too low for Clover to catch. He shifted awkwardly, tugging at his bandana—his only keepsake from the journey that brought him here. It wasn’t even the golden one he’d earned from the Macro Froggit, but it was better than nothing.

Eventually, the argument ended with the human sighing in defeat and Azzy grinning triumphantly. “Alright, Clover, let’s go!” Azzy declared, his energy as boundless as ever.

Before Clover could protest, he found himself swept along, Azzy taking the lead while the other human trailed behind, their eyes fixed warily on him. Clover couldn’t help but feel that he’d just been dragged into another adventure—whether he liked it or not.

...

...

...

The entire time Clover spent with them felt like walking on glass. He didn’t know how to address the other child without risking a disastrous reaction, so he opted for silence. Asriel, on the other hand—whose full name was Asriel Dreemurr—was much easier to talk to.

“I’m Asriel Dreemur, Prince of the Underground!” he had declared with a grin.

If not for Asriel’s uncanny resemblance to Asgore, Clover might have thought he was joking. During his time in the Underground, Clover had only encountered one other goat monster in person, and that was...

“Is Toriel your mom?” Clover asked, almost without thinking.

“Yep! She’s the Queen of the Underground!” Asriel replied proudly. “Wait, how’d you know?” His eyes widened in realization. “Are you a psychic? Chara told me humans on the surface had psychics!”

Clover chuckled. “No, just a lucky guess.”

Chara, standing nearby, muttered under their breath, “A ‘guess,’ right...”

By now, the trio had arrived at the flower bed where Clover had first fallen.

“So, how long have you been in the Underground?” Asriel asked.

Clover paused to think. Let’s see... He’d spent one day traversing the Dark Ruins, a night at the resort, half a day unconscious after the crash (Flowey had mocked him mercilessly for that), then wandered through the Wild East, tackled the Steamworks the following morning, and fought Ceroba for what felt like hours.

“About three days,” Clover finally answered.

Asriel’s eyes went wide. “You’ve been stuck on that puzzle for three days? Golly, that’s awful! You must be starving!”

Clover raised a hand quickly. “I’m fine, really.”

“If you say so… but just in case—here!” Asriel pulled a piece of pie from his inventory and handed it to Clover. “Mom packed it for my snack, but you can have it. It’s butterscotch!”

Grateful but slightly disappointed (he preferred cinnamon), Clover accepted the slice. “Thank you.” He turned it over in his hands and noticed something unusual—it felt more solid than he expected.

“This is...?”

“Food made for humans,” Chara explained matter-of-factly. “You’d need a ridiculous amount of monster food to get the same nutritional value.”

“Yeah! Like when Chara first learned Monster chocolate wouldn’t—”

“Shut up!” Chara hissed, cutting Asriel off by shoving a hand over his snout.

“Mmph—sorry, Chara,” Asriel mumbled sheepishly beneath their hand.

“When did you fall?” Clover asked, abruptly changing the subject and glancing at Chara.

“...Non yah.”

Clover blinked. “‘Non yah’? Is that a Monster year or—”

Chara smirked. “None of your business.”

“They fell around six months ago,” Asriel offered helpfully.

“Dude.” Chara turned to him, exasperated.

“That was rude, Chara,” Asriel retorted.

“I was just playin’...” Chara muttered, their tone defensive.

The mood was growing tenser by the moment. Chara cleared their throat. “W-well, let’s get to what we came here to do.”

“Yeah!” Asriel chimed in enthusiastically.

Clover stayed back, aware that he had no experience with handling flowers. His mind wandered to a certain missing figure. Speaking of flowers... Where’s Flowey? He should be around here somewhere.

“GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME, YOU DISGUSTING RATS!”

Flowey fought the urge to kill everyone on the spot—a terrible idea, especially since he couldn’t load his save anymore. The annoying kids kept trying to yank him out of the ground, their grubby hands reaching for his stem.

He’d been searching for Clover for what felt like ages, but there was still no sign of him. Home had never been this crowded with monsters, not since that one time when he was—

‘Wait…’

Flowey’s thoughts halted. He burrowed into the ground, zipping away from the grabbing hands as fast as he could. He tunneled forward until he hit a dead end. But there was something strange about this dead end—it shouldn’t have been here.

‘I know I made tunnels during my runs… So why are they blocked off now?’

His frown slowly twisted into a smile. “That gunslinger... I knew they were interesting! They must’ve interrupted my load and rewound the timeline to an earlier save point! Very clever, Clover. Very clever.”

But even that didn’t explain why he couldn’t load his save anymore. The only time that happened was when someone with more determination than him was in the Underground. And Clover? Clover didn’t have that kind of determination—not at his current level.

That meant someone else must have taken control of the timeline.

The question was... who?

Flowey pushed the thought aside for now. He had more immediate problems to deal with, like recreating the tunnels he’d painstakingly carved out in the Underground during his runs. It would take time—a lot of time—but if there was one thing Flowey always had, it was time.

Clover felt a growing unease as they walked, the absence of save points gnawing at him. It wasn’t just that he hadn’t had the chance to save since entering the Ruins—it was that he could see the save points, shimmering faintly out of reach. Flowey had once explained that determination played a role in the ability to load. That had been back in the Wild East.

Of course, Clover hadn’t paid much attention at the time. He’d been more focused on what Flowey was wearing than what he was saying. (“Howdy, pardner!”) That had also been their last proper one-on-one conversation before—

“I wonder what we’re going to tell Dad,” Asriel said suddenly, pulling Clover from his thoughts as they approached a house.

Clover hesitated, his curiosity piqued. “Is Chara also a Dreemurr?” he asked, glancing between the two of them. It would explain their matching outfits and sibling-like banter. But if that was true, it also meant that Flowey and Ceroba had lied to him about Asgore killing humans.

“Yep!” Asriel replied cheerfully. “They’re an official child of the Dreemurr family!”

Clover’s mind wandered. Would that have been his fate too if he’d waited for Toriel? A proper family? A proper home? He shook his head, trying to dismiss the thought. There was no use dwelling on what could’ve been.

“What doesn’t sound believable?” Chara asked sharply, their gaze narrowing. They must’ve noticed his reaction. “Is it so shocking that monsters would adopt a human child?”

“No—I just—It’s not that,” Clover stammered, trying to defend himself. “It was… something else.”

“Yeah, right…” Chara muttered, their tone dripping with skepticism.

The trio lapsed into an awkward silence, the only sound their footsteps echoing off the pathway as they neared what Clover presumed was the Capital.

Finally, they arrived at the house.

“Wait here, guys! I need to grab something from my old room before we head out,” Asriel announced, already halfway down the hall. He called over his shoulder, “Play nice, Chara!”

The sound of a door closing echoed through the corridor.

Clover froze as he felt a hand grip the bandana around his neck.

“We need to talk. Now.” Chara’s voice was low and firm. This wasn’t a request.

‘It was nice living while it lasted,’ Clover thought, swallowing hard.

‘Mweheheheh, I’ll just leave them alone for a few minutes, and they’ll be friends! I’m so smart,’ Asriel thought smugly to himself.

Still, it would look suspicious if he came back empty-handed. What kind of excuse would that be?

Asriel glanced around his old room, searching for something to bring back. Chara had taught him that good pranks always needed a solid cover story. If he didn’t grab something, Clover and Chara might get suspicious—and the last thing he wanted was for his plan to backfire.

The problem was, most of the things he really cared about were already in New Home.

He picked up a small plush he’d left behind, turning it over in his hands before placing it back. ‘Nah, that’s not believable enough.’

His ears twitched as he wondered aloud, “...I wonder what they’re doing right now.”

‘Asriel, for the love of God, please come back!’ Clover’s mind screamed.

Pinned to the ground, Clover barely dared to breathe. Chara had straddled him, the knife they’d snatched from Asriel pressed against his neck. Their eyes burned with an intensity that made Clover’s heart race.

“Why are you still alive?” Chara hissed through gritted teeth, their voice low and venomous.

‘Be honest, be honest, be honest—’

“B-because I-I breathe?” he stammered.

‘You idiot!’

Chara’s grip tightened. “You think I’m stupid? You died on that rooftop. So why’d you follow me back?” The knife wavered slightly, its edge no longer pressed to his skin.

“How do you—”

“Answer the question!”

“L-look, I don’t know, okay?! I just woke up and found myself here!” Clover’s voice cracked with desperation. He cursed himself for losing his toy gun; he had tried to fight back earlier, but Chara was faster. They had him pinned in under eight seconds flat.

Chara’s glare darkened. “We had an agreement, Clover.”

“What? I’ve never met you or made any deal…”

Wrong move. The blade kissed his neck again, cold and unyielding.

“So now I’m an idiot, huh? Let me remind you of what you did…”

What they said next sent chills down Clover’s spine. He killed Flowey? Rampaged through the Underground? Murdered Asgore? That couldn’t be true—it wasn’t him. He would never harm a monster, unless they deserved it, but that didn’t mean he’d kill one!

“I didn’t do that,” Clover said firmly, but the doubt in his voice betrayed him.

Chara chuckled, a sound that quickly grew into manic laughter. “Do you honestly believe that? How many times have you been through the Underground before I woke up? How many monsters have you hurt? How many times have you made my parents suffer?”

“Once! I’ve only been through the Underground once, and I didn’t kill anyone!” Clover’s mind raced. He needed to stall. Asriel had to return soon.

But if that didn’t happen, there was one other thing he could do—a last-ditch move that Mooch from the Feisty Five had taught him. It was unconventional and, frankly, ridiculous, but it might buy him enough time.

“You’re lying,” Chara muttered, their voice low and dangerous. “Typical human. Dangerous, manipulative, scheming freaks.”

‘Asriel, where are you?!’ Stalling clearly wasn’t working.

“I’ll kill you and load to see if you’re telling the truth,” Chara continued, their grip tightening on the knife. “Unless you want to be honest with me right now.”

Clover’s chest tightened. Was he about to die?

‘No. Not yet!’

Desperate times called for desperate measures. It was time to unleash the ultimate weapon—the surefire way to confuse someone enough to escape.

He inhaled sharply. “Chara—” Their eyes narrowed, locking onto his. “Do you have a map? Because I keep getting lost in your eyes.”

“What?” Chara froze, completely thrown off.

Just then, Asriel reappeared, a flower pot in hand. He looked at the scene before him, his brow furrowing in confusion. “What?”

“What? There’s no way that works.” Clover snickered, rolling his eyes at Mooch’s advice.

Mooch leaned back against the bar, tipping her hat with a smug grin. “No, Clover, you don’t understand. It always works—even when it doesn’t look like it.”

They were at the Saloon, passing time between Clover’s so-called ‘Cowboy’ lessons. The place smelled faintly of wood and adult soda, the perfect backdrop for one of Mooch’s bizarre life lessons.

“Seriously? The best you came up with was, ‘Are you a mountain breeze? Because your presence is refreshing.’ It didn’t even—” Clover stopped mid-sentence, noticing the sly grin creeping across Mooch’s face. “Why are you smiling?”

“You didn’t even notice I took your gun.”

“Wha—?!” Clover’s hands shot to his hip, but his revolver was gone.

Mooch held it up with a flourish. “See? Distracted. Even for a second, it’s all you need for a perfect distraction, Clover.” She handed the weapon back to him.

Clover stared at her in awe, before noticing something else, “Mooch, my G!”

Mooch grinned “...How'd you know?”

“Chara, why are you on Clover?” Asriel asked innocently, tilting his head in confusion.

Clover seized the opportunity, his voice tinged with mock indignation. “Yeah, Chara, why are you on me?”

Chara froze for a moment before swiftly tucking the knife beneath their sweater. Their face remained unreadable, but Clover could sense a crack in their composure. “It’s… how humans bond?”

Asriel blinked, processing the statement. “Oh! Is that why he said that weird thing earlier?”

“Yes…?” Chara replied, clearly unsure how far they could push this excuse.

“Okay! Well, get off the ground already. We still need to head back home,” Asriel said, his cheerful tone breaking the tension as he hurried down the stairs.

Chara stood up, brushing themselves off. They turned to Clover, their expression unreadable but their tone sharp. “Not. One. Word. Got it?”

Clover nodded quickly, unsure whether to laugh at the absurdity of the situation or cry over how close he had come to losing his life. Despite their excuse, he couldn’t shake the feeling there was a sliver of truth in what Chara had said. But why would he ever do such a thing?

“Good. Now, let’s go.” Chara’s eyes narrowed as Clover moved. Before he could take another step, they grabbed his arm. “You’re walking in front. You’re not leaving my field of vision, human.”

Clover sighed and reluctantly obeyed, feeling their glare burn into his back.

Chara followed close behind, silent but watchful.

“...”

“Move it,” they commanded, their voice clipped.

And so, the unlikely trio trudged onward, heading toward the exit of the Ruins.

Clover glanced around as they walked, hoping they might run into Flowey soon. He had questions—too many questions—and no one he trusted enough to answer them.

…

…

…

"C-cold…” Clover shivered. He wasn’t enjoying the trek through Snowdin. It turned out the upper region was far colder than the lower one.

He wondered if the Honeydew Resort still existed. Clover had realized that he was back in time, considering what Chara had said.

But why him? Why was he alive? If they had gone far enough back before Flowey existed, how far had Clover really traveled?

Were his friends still… here?

He knew the answer to that, but it was a question he didn’t want to answer.

“You cold, buddy?” Asriel asked, ever-sweet and concerned. “I can lend you my sweater if you want. My fur keeps me warm enough!”

Clover shook his head. He had a feeling things would go badly if they pushed him any further. Especially with someone so close behind them.

“Azzy, don’t you know—?” Chara began. “Humans are incredibly resistant to the cold. Right, Clover?”

‘That… jerk!’ Clover nodded, not wanting to disappoint Asriel, who was staring at him in wide-eyed amazement.

“That’s so cool! But wait, aren’t you human—”

A loud crunch interrupted him.

Clover immediately dropped into a battle stance before quickly relaxing when Chara and Asriel looked at him, puzzled. “Uh, style?” Clover muttered awkwardly.

A shadow approached despite the bright lighting around them.

“U-uh, howdy, mister! What can we do for you?” Asriel asked, his voice nervous as he addressed the figure.

The dark figure didn’t respond as it continued its approach.

“d o n ’ t y o u k n o w t o g r e e t a n o l d f r i e n d?” it said, extending a hand.

Clover was the first to react, shaking the figure's hand. The monster hadn’t attacked them, and it was just asking for a handshake.

But then a loud fart sound echoed from the handshake.

“heh… the old whoopee cushion-in-the-hand trick. it’s always funny!” The figure laughed. “anyway, you're a new human in the Underground, huh? that's hilarious.”

Clover eyed the figure. It was a short skeleton, with a voice that sounded like a kid, wearing an odd lab coat.

“I’m Sans. Sans the skeleton,” the figure introduced.

“Gunhat,” Clover blurted out.

“gunhat? You don’t even have either of those,” Sans shrugged. “whatever. I’m supposed to be working down at Hotland, but I’m taking one of my mandatory breaks.”

“What do you do?” Chara asked.

“Hm... twelve jobs, actually. One of them is as an assistant in the lab.”

“Twelve...?” Clover’s eyes widened. This Sans character must really be, the words slipped out before he could stop himself, “‘working down to the bone’.”

“nice one,” Sans snickered. “really tickled my funny bone.” A short ‘ba dum tss’ echoed in the background.

Chara looked around. “Where did—”

“Oh, I get it!” Asriel giggled. “It’s because you’re a skeleton!”

“...” 

“anyway, what are you kids doing out here?” Sans asked.

(“You’re a kid too???” Chara said, bewildered.)

“We’re heading to the capital,” Asriel explained. “We found—” He patted his own shoulder, “—this guy at Home.”

“cool. Well, my break’s over. time to get to my other job.”

“What’s that?” Clover asked.

“my other job’s break time.” Sans winked, then disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared.

“What a strange monster. I haven’t seen him around before... and I’ve seen every monster!” Asriel exclaimed.

“Yeah… something about that skeleton rubs me the wrong way,” Chara muttered, still wary.

Clover, seizing the chance for a lame pun, said, “Guess you could say you got a ton of issues with the guy… a skele-ton.”

Neither Chara nor Asriel smiled.

“We’re moving ‘Gunhat’.” Chara grabbed Clover’s hand, pulling him along. “Why that name, anyway? You don’t even have those two things anymore.”

“It’s what they call me in the Wild East!” Clover grinned.

“What...? It’s the Wild West, you idiot.”

Asriel stood still for a moment, then realized he was being left behind. “H-hey, wait!” He hurried to catch up with them, flowerpot in hand.

Chara was freezing. The sweater didn’t help much, despite that however Snowdin was her favorite part of the Underground. It was one of the few places where she could unleash her reign of terror without her parents interfering. (What’s wrong with a few harmless pranks, anyway?)

They were still unsure what to do with Clover. Either they had called her bluff or simply didn’t remember the genocide they had committed against her people. Regardless, even if he atoned by giving up his soul for Monsterkind, it didn’t mean he was off the hook yet.

Chara had seen him at the end, right before he was about to go home. That meant someone was waiting for him on the surface—someone he was willing to kill for just to get past the barrier.

‘Tch, why the hell would he want to go back up there?’ she thought bitterly.

And that also meant that if they figured out how to access their save file—by gathering enough determination or LV… Chara shuddered. She didn’t want to entertain the thought of what could be unleashed.

“Th-think you could loosen your grip a bit?” Clover interrupted her thoughts, sounding impatient.

“Later,” Chara snapped, not loosening her hold.

They weren’t letting go for a second. Clover was a threat. His future timeline run proved it. He had blasted her father as a “punishment” for his sins. What a joke. Humans had trapped kind creatures like them down here out of pure malice.

“Chara, look! It’s those snow monsters we built earlier!” Asriel said, excitement in his voice.

“Surprised they’re still standing,” Chara remarked. “The other kids would’ve used them for target practice by now.” She couldn’t help but feel pleased that her creations had survived.

“Hey, why doesn’t Clover make one?” Asriel suggested, looking at Clover eagerly.

“No,” both Clover and Chara replied at once.

“I don’t know how to make one,” Clover muttered, clearly uninterested.

“We need to get back home before it gets too late,” Chara said firmly.

“Another time, I guess,” Asriel said, a bit deflated.

They continued walking until they were stopped by a puzzle.

“Seriously? We’ve already been through this one,” Chara groaned.

“Yeah, it was super fun!” Asriel beamed. Then, turning to Clover, he added, “Why don’t you give it a shot?”

The puzzle wasn’t that complex—just throw a few snowballs at moving targets. Chara didn’t mean to brag, but she had completed it in fifteen seconds flat. It was one of the fastest records in the Underground.

“Sure,” Clover agreed after a pause.

Chara allowed him to escape her grip, watching closely.

"…"

It was colder without him.

…

…

…

It took them twelve seconds—three whole seconds less than her personal best.

It wasn’t a big deal; really, it wasn’t. But their pride refused to let a human like Clover beat them. So, they did what any self-respecting monster would do: “Let me try.”

“Huh? Chara, you want to go again? Okay!” Asriel said, excited, as he reset the puzzle by pulling the lever on top of the contraption.

…

… 

…

Chara tried over and over to beat Clover’s record, but each time they failed.

But they were determined to outdo him, and finally, they did—by a mere 0.01 seconds.

“U-uh, can… can we go now?” Asriel asked, clearly exhausted from having to pull the lever to reset the puzzle repeatedly.

Chara smiled, triumphant. “Yes. Yes, we can.”

They scanned the area for Clover, only to find him… making a snowman? It was a simple pile of snowballs with a smiley face, nothing elaborate.

“Clover,” Chara called.

“Oh, we’re leaving? Did you finish what you were trying to do?” Clover asked, looking up.

Chara nodded, satisfied with having regained their pride.

“Alright,” Clover said, getting up from the ground. “Lead the way.”

They had let him stray from their watch for long enough. Gripping Clover’s hand once more, they pulled him along.

“Let’s go, Azzy!” they shouted as Asriel crawled down the platform.

“Coming!” Asriel called back.

“Must be nice…” Clover whispered. “To have a brother like that.”

“Yeah… it is.” Chara loosened their grip slightly—just a little.

Clover felt confused by Chara. The other human was sending him mixed signals. Every interaction seemed either friendly or on the verge of them trying to kill him.

“...”

He should honestly be used to this by now. Every friend he’d made on his journey had tried to kill him at some point, only to apologize afterward. Maybe Chara was just the same?

Speaking of which, Chara made the cold more bearable. Snowdin had certainly lived up to its name.

He snickered when he saw the sign for Snowdin Village. Monsters really weren’t that creative, were they? Except for Starlo and Martlet, of course. The Sheriff was truly his worthiest ‘foe,’ and Martlet? She made the best puzzles. Clover wasn’t kidding when he gave her a three on that questionnaire.

…He already missed them a lot.

Strange, considering he’d only known them for about two days. Clover guessed that even the smallest moments could have the biggest impact.

“What’s wrong?” Asriel asked, his voice full of concern.

“Nothing, just a bit tired.”

“…You can rest once we get to River Person,” Chara said, tugging him along.

…Monsters really weren’t that creative, were they?

…

…

…

Snowdin’s town center was filled with child monsters—so many of them. It didn’t help that they swarmed around Asriel almost immediately, eager to play with him.

“Wow, he’s popular!” Clover exclaimed.

“Yeah, a lot of monsters like him for his kindness and helpful nature. He really lives up to his title,” Chara said with a small smile.

“Title?”

“Well, it’s more like our title, but I haven’t done much to earn it yet.” They stepped in front of Clover, “The Future Hope for Humans and Monsters.”

“That’s…”

“A pretty heavy burden to bear for a child, right?” Chara answered for him, their tone sharp.

“Yeah.” Clover’s gaze softened as he looked at Chara.

Chara glared at him. “Don’t give me that look. I’m going to prove, one way or another, that I’m worthy of that title.” They sounded irritated by his ‘pity.’

“No, it’s not that. It just reminds me of something an old friend said.”

“Future Hope for Humans and Monsters, huh?” Clover read the memorial in the UG Apartments.

“Yep! What hope they were, huh? They died before they could do anything.” Flowey popped up from the ground next to him.

“What do you mean?”

“Well! There were six humans that fell before you—” Flowey began to explain.

“But there are only five on the—”

“Let me finish, Gunhat.” Flowey waited for Clover to nod. “Good. Now, as I was saying…”

“Old friend? Do you mean one of the monsters on the rooftop?” Chara asked.

“Not exactly... He told me the story of how the first human died.”

Chara's eyes widened.

“You gave up your soul for monsterkind’s freedom, didn’t you?” It wasn’t a question.

…Did it get colder?

“Yeah.” They turned away. “I did.”

“Then the whiny boy died too. Pathetic, isn’t it?” Flowey concluded, his voice dripping with mockery.

“No, it’s just… so hopeless. Is this why Asgore resorted to killing the humans down here—out of grief? This whole situation... if they only did this because humans trapped them here... it just doesn’t sit right.”

For the first time, Flowey was at a loss for words.

“And that boy didn’t deserve what humanity did to him. I think… if we had met, we would’ve been really good friends.”

Flowey let out a bitter laugh. “You really think so?”

“Yeah,” Clover replied softly. “I do.”

The laughter faltered. “Alright, Clover. Go finish this 'detour' so we can get back on track to reaching Asgore.”

Clover nodded, turning to head toward Martlet.

But before he could leave, Flowey’s voice rang out. “Good luck, partner. You’re going to need it.”

Clover paused, offering him a small smile. “Don’t worry. Whatever happens, happens.”

The two of them sat in silence, waiting for Asriel to return.

Clover cleared his throat, breaking the quiet. “So, uh… want to hear about my time in the Underground?”

The best way to break the ice, he thought—start with something personal, and hope for the best.

Chara gave a small nod, their expression hinting at curiosity.

“...It was the best time of my life,” Clover continued, his voice softening, “and the most soul-crushing.”

“Asriel! Asriel! Asriel!” The kids gathered around him, excitement bubbling in the air.

As fun as it was to be with them, Asriel couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling that he needed to get back to Chara and Clover.

“Asriel!” A reindeer suddenly tugged at his sleeve. It was Rudy, one of the few close friends he spent time with when he wasn’t with Chara.

“Yeah?”

“Is that another human?” Rudy asked, pointing toward Clover and Chara, who were deep in conversation by the ‘Flames’ restaurant. It looked like Asriel’s plan to get them to be friends was actually working!

“Yep! We found him in Home,” Asriel explained, a smile creeping onto his face.

“What’s he like?”

“Clover? They’re super cool!” Asriel’s enthusiasm was genuine. Clover’s cowboy outfit seemed to symbolize justice in a way Asriel admired.

“That’s not exactly helpful, Asriel…” Rudy sighed. “But it looks like the new human is getting along with Chara.”

Chara was laughing, though Clover appeared slightly annoyed.

“I wonder what they’re talking about,” Asriel mused, a curious glint in his eyes.

“It’s not funny!” Clover exclaimed, a hint of frustration in their voice. Chara had just revealed their wicked sense of humor beneath their usually serious exterior. “I got lost in the Corn Maze for ages until Penilla felt bad for me and showed me the way out.” Clover shook their head, baffled. Who finds someone else’s misfortune funny?

“Clover, the exit is right there ! How are you missing it?” Penilla shouted at him.

“I-I DON’T KNOW! I KEEP GETTING STUCK ON THE CORN!” he cried out as another piece of Sweet Corn latched onto him.

“You’re nothing like your name, are you?” Chara asked, clearly amused by Clover’s misadventures in the Dark Ruins.

Clover rubbed his forehead, sighing in exasperation. “You’re not the first to say that…”

“Golly, that’s like... your third big fall!” Flowey laughed as Clover stumbled over to him after falling from the river. “Hurry up, save before you die... Clover..?”

“What?” Clover said, holding out his hand to the star to save his progress.

Flowey laughed even harder. “WOW, you’re nothing like your name. You’re so unlucky!”

“He made fun of me a lot for it,” Clover said with a small smile. Even though Flowey could be a bit of a jerk, he was still one of Clover's best friends.

“Was it your ‘old friend’?” Chara asked, curiosity piqued.

Old friend? Oh, They were talking about Flowey. Clover paused for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, he’s really mischievous sometimes, but he’s…”

“Dude, no way that’s how humans bond!” Rudy stared at Asriel in disbelief.

“It’s true!” Asriel insisted. “Chara explained it to me when I walked in on them.” He recalled the incident from back at his old home. “It confused me at first when Clover said that line, but now it makes sense.”

“And you’re saying Chara knew his name already, even though it was his first time here?” Rudy asked.

“Yep!”

Rudy practically bounced with excitement. “D-dude… what if they’re like… long-lost lovers or something?”

“AWHA!?” Asriel’s eyes widened in shock. If they could bulge, they would’ve popped right out of his head.

“No, listen. I’ve been reading some of Carol’s novels, and one of them had a similar situation,” Rudy explained, eyes gleaming.

“Why are you reading her books? Aren’t they just romance novels?” Asriel raised an eyebrow.

Rudy gave him a blank stare. “A-anyway… What I’m trying to say is, they might be... y’know...”

Asriel frowned. Contrary to what Chara thought, he wasn’t naïve. “No way. If that were true, she would’ve told me. I’m their best friend after all.”

‘But it wouldn’t hurt to ask them later, in private,’ he thought, mentally adding it to his list of things to do.

Just then, an adult’s voice called out to them. Rudy’s parents were summoning him. “Rudy, come home! It’s almost 7 PM!”

“Aw, man!” Rudy groaned before heading toward his house. “Just think about it, dude!” he called back before disappearing.

Asriel paused, now thinking about it. ‘ It would be kind of cool if that were true,’ he mused.

“Wait, did they say seven? Oh gee, we’re gonna be late if we don’t get moving!” Asriel quickly ran toward the two humans.

Asriel hurried over to Clover and Chara, panicked. “It’s already seven! We need to hurry to the River Person!”

Chara silently mouthed, “Tell me more later.”

“River Person? Don’t you just mail yourselves?” Clover asked, confused.

“Mail yourself?” Asriel replied, bewildered.

‘Ah, right. I’m in the past,’ Clover thought, processing everything. He wasn’t sure if that meant his friends weren’t... Asriel’s concerned expression snapped him back to the moment.

Clover quickly responded, “No particular reason.”

“Okay?” Asriel replied, still looking puzzled.

…

…

…

They made their way to the River Person without much trouble.

Just as Clover was about to board, the River Person stopped him. “Aren’t you forgetting something important?”

Clover quickly checked his belongings. Everything was from his previous journey, well, aside from his items.. “I... I don’t think so?”

The River Person chuckled. “The truly just deserve their reward, don’t they?” They gestured for him to board the boat. “Come now.”

As Clover climbed aboard, the River Person tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned to look, they were staring straight ahead, their focus fixed on the river.

“What was that about?” Chara asked, eyeing Clover curiously.

Clover shrugged and sat down next to Asriel. He wanted to continue the conversation with Chara, but a sense of unease lingered around them. Despite having two other monsters nearby, he wasn’t sure his actions had convinced Chara that he wasn’t a violent murderer. So, he decided it was safer to keep his distance.

“What, afraid I’ll bite?” Chara teased.

'More like worried you’ll stab me,' Clover thought dryly.

He shook his head. “I’m just a little nervous about riding a boat like this.” Clover didn’t have a good track record with boats, even on the surface. He’d crashed more than his fair share.

“Don’t worry, Clover. The River Person uses their magic to create barriers so we won’t fall off!” Asriel reassured him with a grin.

“Yeah, check it out!” Chara exclaimed, falling backward off the boat only to bounce back onto it with ease. “Still a little scary, though,” they mumbled, sounding more uncertain.

“Well, it makes me feel a bit better, I guess,” Clover muttered. “Pretty impressive magic you’ve got, River Person.”

They hummed in acknowledgment. “Where to?”

“Hotland,” Asriel answered. “Sorry if it’s a bit far.”

They laughed. “Little one, don’t fret about it.”

“Okay!” Asriel replied cheerfully, beaming.

The trio shifted around, accidentally rearranging themselves and leaving Clover in the middle.

‘How? Just how?’ Clover wondered with a bemused frown.

“How long does this usually take?” he asked aloud.

“Not too long. We should reach Hotland soon enough,” Asriel replied.

Clover nodded, feeling the boat move swiftly beneath them. Still, he couldn’t help but think that the mailing system was far superior.

…

…

…

They had both fallen asleep on him. Asriel drooled on his left shoulder while Chara nibbled absently on his bandana. This had to be the worst timeline he could be stuck in right now.

“Tra la la, the dead rose to enact a final act of justice,” the River Person hummed softly. “Tra la la, they fall once more into the hands of another…”

Clover stared at them, oddly entranced. There was something about the melody that made him focus more, even though he couldn’t quite grasp why.

“Tra la la, the others desire thirst, yet they know not… Tra la la, foes turned into allies will soon emerge… Tri li li, the end while nigh, is not.”

“...What?” Clover mumbled, completely bewildered.

“Good luck, Clover.” The River Person’s voice echoed faintly as everything around him suddenly went black.

“And they’re going home!” Clover blasted Asgore.

…

…

…

She just couldn’t get it out of her head. Their dad, the one who had taken them in and cared for them as his own, had been vaporized by a child sitting right next to her.

Chara mentally berated herself for acting so friendly with Clover, who, along with Asriel, was sleeping. If it weren’t for Chara witnessing the human’s rampage, she might have been fooled too! But no matter how kind Clover pretended to be, he was, and still is, a threat to the Underground.

Clover had shared part of his journey in the Underground with Chara. So much had changed in just a few years. Home had been dwindling in population for a while, but seeing it fall completely into ruin was disheartening. She was glad Toriel was still around to keep things going.

Thinking of Toriel, Chara hoped she’d be understanding about their late arrival. It would be a problem if they were grounded and unable to keep an eye on Clover. Who knew what dangers he might cause?

“Tra la la…” The River Person hummed again, the same tune they had been humming throughout the boat ride. It was strangely hypnotic.

Chara fidgeted uncomfortably. It wasn’t the best seat for a long journey, and when her foot bumped into something, she looked down to see a satchel.

“Hey,” she called out to the River Person. “Someone forgot their stuff.”

The River Person glanced over. “No, they haven’t. They’re right here, are they not?”

‘What? Is this Asriel’s?’ A devilish thought crossed her mind. ‘He wouldn’t mind if I rummaged through it, would he?’

Asriel had received something similar from the royal scientist. That weirdo claimed it was just a prototype, but it worked like a dimensional box. Gaster was one of the greatest minds down here.

But never mind that. Chara remembered that Asriel kept a stash of candy in here, specifically dark chocolate. How rude of him not to share!

She began digging through the bag, feeling around for anything interesting. She pulled out the first item and—

“Oh my angel, it’s a gun!” Chara exclaimed, startled. There was no way someone as innocent as Asriel would keep one. So that meant... “It’s Clover’s bag. But how?”

“Tra la la, the crossing is soon,” the River Person hummed, oblivious.

Upon closer inspection, Chara realized it was just a toy gun—two bullets max. Still, it was dangerous for someone like Clover to have. Chara decided to hang onto it for now.

‘...It wouldn’t hurt to see what else is in here.’ And so she spent the rest of the boat ride rummaging through Clover’s things. It turned out he had collected a bunch of cool stuff, including sweets from a place called “Oasis” and a fancy holster from “Blackjack.”

She slipped the holster on and placed the toy gun inside.

“Yeehaw,” she muttered to herself with a grin.

‘What am I doing…’ She stopped and frowned at herself. ‘This is so... stupid.’ With a sigh, she placed the bag back over Clover’s shoulder, but not before finishing off all the candy he had stashed.

“I must just be bored,” Chara muttered, chewing on a cupcake as she waited for the boat to reach Hotland.

He swiftly drew his trident, poised to end the human’s life—the one responsible for so much pain to his people.

“And with your Soul, we will be free.” In an instant, he drove the trident into the Human’s blazing Yellow Soul.

But it didn’t kill him. The trident shattered upon hitting the Soul, only serving to enrage the Human further. “You killed children! Your kind revels in it! Y-you... are going to pay!”

Asgore didn’t catch what they said next, as they—

He woke with a shout, breath shallow and frantic. What had that dream been—no, nightmare?

Asgore couldn’t fathom ever harming a human child, let alone allowing Monsterkind to celebrate it. That would be cowardly—freedom at the cost of innocent life was something he would never accept.

But the dream had felt so real. Running his fingers through his disheveled hair, Asgore figured it must have been the side effect of the buttercups Chara had accidentally put in the pie. Thank the Angel he was a Boss Monster, able to recover quickly.

He chuckled at the memory, though it had terrified his family. Still, it was one he treasured. Well, he cherished every moment with them, but this one stood out the most.

Sighing, he realized he shouldn’t linger in the past right now. The CORE project was waiting. Though his presence wasn’t strictly required, it was important for formalities.

Rising from his throne, Asgore carefully stepped through the flowers to leave—or, at least, he would have, had a panicked monster not barged in.

“A-As-asog–” the Moon Monster gasped.

Asgore immediately approached. “Breathe,” he commanded.

Once the monster steadied their breath, they blurted out, “The Marshlands... the uninhabited area... has split into two towns—The Oasis and Wild East!”

“What?” Asgore’s disbelief was evident. “Apologies, but could you repeat that?” he asked, voice steady despite the rising concern.

The monster saluted shakily. “Of course, sir! Two towns have appeared in the Marshlands, in the uninhabited region. They’re called the Oasis and Wild East!”

“Are they dangerous?” Asgore’s tone was controlled, but his mind raced.

“They’re armed. They shoot at us when we try to approach!”

“Armed?” Monsters with weapons were rare, and for them to use them effectively was even rarer.

“...Guns?” the Moon Monster hesitated.

‘You’ve got to be kidding me...’ Asgore’s headache flared. Guns were virtually unheard of—any materials for them were better suited for other projects. Besides, guns were inefficient—slow to reload, something which left the user exposed.

“How many are there?” he asked, a sinking feeling in his chest.

“O-o-our scouts spotted at least ten monsters,” the Moon Monster stammered.

That wasn’t ideal, but it was manageable. Asgore could talk them down, surely. If he approached this right, he could calm the frightened monsters—likely as confused as he was by their sudden appearance in his kingdom.

A headache, but not an impossible problem. He could resolve this peacefully, if he acted quickly.

“Redirect all traffic away from the area. I’ll handle this personally.” The CORE project could wait—this was more important. “And tell Tori I won’t be home today.”

Had they lingered a moment longer in the throne room, they would have heard a sudden, deafening explosion echoing from the barrier.

The containers, though empty, pulsed with a spectrum of colors. They wavered on the edge of reality, flickering in and out of the physical plane as if struggling to remain grounded.

Chapter Text

Clover was greeted by voices when he came to. “Can’t believe River Person crashed into Hotland like that,” someone said.

A voice he assumed to be Asriel's spoke next, “Right!? They’re always so careful with their passengers... Oh, I think Clover’s waking up!”

“Hey, wake up!” Chara shouted at Clover.

Clover blinked a few more times, and as his vision cleared, he saw Asriel hovering over him.

“Gee, and I thought Chara was a heavy sleeper,” Asriel said, earning a playful slug in the arm from Chara. “Ow!”

“Let’s keep moving,” they commanded.

Clover got up from the floor and looked around. It was indeed Hotland. A chill crawled up his spine. He had only been here once during his previous journey, so why did he feel so… scared of this area?

Like he had died in this area before?

‘Can’t think of that right now; I need to keep moving.’ Clover noticed the siblings starting to head off and quickly caught up to them.

...

...

...

When had he gotten his satchel back? Clover had only realized it once the trio had reached the elevator, where they were currently struggling to figure out how to get to their destination.

“I hate these elevators,” Asriel mumbled. “They’re too complicated sometimes.”

Chara scoffed. “Don’t they only change the pathways once a month?”

“How am I supposed to know that L1 goes to R2 and that R2 leads to L3, which leads to R1?!” Asriel was getting frustrated.

Chara shrugged. “Should’ve just paid attention to the mail, Azzy.”

“Why don’t you try then?!” Asriel barked.

They shook their head. “Nah.”

Seeing that they likely weren’t going anywhere anytime soon, Clover dug through his satchel. To his shock, he found a few of his items!

Though it was heavily disorganized as if someone had rummaged through it without care. Most of his healing items were gone, which was a shame; while they weren't really effective in battle, they tasted really good!

The glint of something caught his eye. Digging it out revealed it to be…

‘My deputy star? Is that also my old hat?’ Clover shakily pulled out the two items. ‘There’s no doubt about it.’

Clover clipped the star onto his vest and placed his old hat back on his head. He felt safer and a little cooler with them back on.

Now all he was missing was his toy gun. Even though he had never actually hurt a monster with it, the toy was still extremely useful for various situations, like Ceroba’s shield.

“Fine!” Asriel shouted. “I’ll just get someone to help since you don’t want to!” He shoved his flowerpot into Chara’s hands. “I’ll be back.” Then he stormed out of the elevator.

‘That’s right; I’m still here. Without them …’ Clover thought about his friends. If he was in the past, the chance of his friends roaming about was unlikely.

“...I don’t know how to use it either…” Chara stated.

‘Future Hope of Humans and Monsters, huh?’ Clover thought sarcastically.

“What? Why are you giving me that look?” they said, sounding annoyed.

“Nothing.” Clover turned his head away. It wasn't a good idea to antagonize Chara, he was still cautious around them despite the progress they’d made.

‘On second thought…’ It wouldn’t hurt to try to be better friends with Chara.

“Well, actually, why’d you keep pushing him?” Clover asked.

“I thought it was funny,” Chara replied plainly.

“That’s it…?” Clover had a feeling there was more to it.

“...”

Clover felt another shiver creep up his spine. Since when did Hotland get so cold?

“So, what’s wron—”

“What are you trying to do?” Chara interrupted, staring intently at the flowerpot.

“Whaddya mean? I’m just wondering—”

Chara cut him off again. “I just don’t get you.”

Chara didn’t understand Clover at all. How could someone go from being a violent murderer to becoming a pacifist hero? How could they shift from viewing every monster with rage to embracing one with such love? How could they go from taking all the souls needed for Monsterkind's freedom to contributing to it?

Why were they so nice this time?

What had changed between the time when he killed every monster he encountered and the time he sacrificed himself? If he didn’t have any memory of the timelines, then nothing should have changed. So why did it?

‘They’re just pretending to care. Clover isn’t different from other humans,’ a voice in Chara's mind whispered.

“What? You’re starting to worry me now,” Clover said, feigning worry for Chara.

‘He’s just using you to get to Asgore. You’re just a means to an end,’ the voice rationalized.

Chara tore their gaze from the flowerpot, ready to confront Clover when they noticed something—the same hat Clover was wearing was the one they had killed Asgore in.

That all but confirmed it. Nothing had changed; the only reason they hadn’t killed anyone yet was that they didn’t have their gun. But didn’t they have their gun the last time?

Clover nervously chuckled, “W-wonder what’s taking Asriel so long?”

‘That’s why you’ve been stalling for so long to reach New Home.’

Chara slowly walked towards Clover, determined to stop whatever Clover was planning. They inched their hand closer to the knife hidden in their pocket.

“Chara…?” It would only take one good stab, and it would all be over. That threat would be eliminated, and Chara could pursue Monsterkind's freedom the right way this time.

Yet, as they stood there, they saw Clover’s hand hovering over the empty holster at his side, shaking. Chara should have enjoyed making the genocidal maniac squirm, but something about this didn’t feel right—they felt… dirty.

Staring into his eyes, red met yellow. Clover appeared focused despite his obvious tension. He looked so… innocent.

‘He’s just a kid like you.’ Chara thought.

By the time Chara regained their senses, they were inches away from Clover, who looked incredibly uncomfortable.

“...Sorry,” Chara muttered, quickly coming up with an excuse. “I just wanted to see that star on you.” They unclipped the star from his vest.

Clover noticeably relaxed, his tension fading. “Oh! That star is a sign that I’m the deputy of the Wild East! I got it after I went through my lessons with the Feisty Five.”

“Feisty Five…?” Chara quietly asked.

“They’re the protectors of the Wild East, and their leader is the sheriff, North Star…”

Chara listened intently as Clover recounted the tale of how ‘Vengeful Vergil’ fell to the posse.

Clover was one of the strangest humans they had ever met. Maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing after all?

After telling Chara about the Vengeful Virgil attack on the Feisty Five Asriel had come back with another person in tow. It was a lizard-like monster.

“Sorry it took me so long—” Asriel started. “I didn’t want to bother anyone that was working.” 

“Mr. D-Dreemurr i-it’s fine!” the lizard stuttered out. “I’m sure that any of the staff would’ve been g-glad to help you.”

“Haven’t seen them around before,” Chara stated.  

The lizard was about to explain why until they saw Clover. “I-is that—Oh my Angel it’s another human.”

“Howdy.” Clover tilted his hat.

What came next didn’t seem to surprise the Dreemurrs, though it certainly did for him. A barrage of questions came out of the monster.

“How long have you been here–how’s the surface–did humans invent giant robots–Cowboy robots?!” They seemed very excited. 

Before the monster continued Asriel cleared his throat. “Alphys…”

“Are you from the Wild West—” Though that didn’t seem to stop them. “and—and-”

“Alphys!” Asriel shouted.

“O-oh right sorry.” Alyphs clicked the buttons to the Elevator. “J-just got a bit excited. Not every day a human falls into the Underground y'know?”

Clover felt dazed, he had blanked out after the second question. “It’s okay.”

‘It’s just really annoying...’

“Now, what’s the issue here?” Alyphs asked Asriel.

“The buttons…” Asriel started to explain the problem.

“...Your friends sound like quite the group,” Chara whispered.

“Mh hm, it’s weird, I’ve only known them for at most two days. But it felt like I’ve known them for years.”

The elevator shook as it started to move. 

“Finally!” Asriel shouted, relieved. “Can’t believe that took us so long…”

“Hooray.” Chara sarcastically cheered. 

…

…

…

They finally arrived at their destination, the UG Apartments. The group parted ways with Alyphs, who mentioned that they needed to return to the lab.

“It’s funny! I keep running into new monsters today,” Asriel said as they stood in front of the apartment complex.

“Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen or heard about Alphys before today. Shouldn’t a scientist like her be more well-known?”

“I guess she must be one of the more reclusive ones…”

Clover tuned out their voices as he noticed the path leading up to the rooftops. He knew he shouldn't just wander off from the group, but something compelled him to walk up there.

His footsteps, softened partly by Decibat teachings, led him to the back alley of the UG Apartments.

…

...

...

The monsters here had mistaken him for Chara, which was understandable since Chara was the only human known to be down here. Clover wasn’t going to complain, though; they had given him a bunch of dark chocolate!

The back alley looked largely the same as it did the last time they were there on other business. Since Chara had been the first fallen human and the time between fallen children was around ten years, it painted a depressing picture of how unchanged the underground was.

‘It makes their desperation to reach the surface more understandable.’ If Clover found himself in the same situation as last time, he still would have gone through with it. It wasn’t fair that monsters were stuck down here while humans got to live blissfully on the surface.

Not that it mattered now; as far as Clover knew, the only two human Souls in the entire Underground were his and Chara’s. There was no way Chara’s Soul would be taken by Asgore to break the barrier.

‘Oh?’ The path leading to the rooftop no longer had stairs. Instead, there was just a ladder that looked like it was about to break apart at any moment.

Despite his reluctance, Clover felt the need to reach the top. Carefully, he began to climb the ladder. It creaked and swayed under his weight. Unfortunately, it couldn't handle his load, and he heard a loud snap from above.

Panicking, he quickly reached the top, barely gripping the edge as he heard the ladder break below him.

‘Won’t be going down that way again,’ Clover thought to himself as he pulled himself up from the ledge.

Looking around, he immediately noticed something. The area looked the same as when he and Martlet had been there before, but it seemed out of place compared to the rest of the apartments. It appeared much newer than the rustic vibe of the surrounding area.

However, that didn’t stop Clover from approaching the spot where he and Mar—

‘What is that?’ Clover stopped in his tracks. There was a picture on the ground. He should probably give it to the receptionist inside the UG Apartments if the monster came back looking for it.

Step by step, he made his way to the picture until he reached it. Picking it up revealed that it was a photo of him and his friends. For a moment, Clover couldn’t breathe. What was a photo of his friends doing here? He couldn’t assume it was a younger version of them, as it was the same picture they had taken the night before Clover went into the Steamworks.

It had been taken on Martlet's camera…

“C’mon, Ceroba, just let it wait till tomorrow!” Starlo whined.

Clover had just won the battle moments ago. Although it took a few tries, who knew the sheriff would be the one to stop him in his tracks? Not even Dalv had managed to take him down, and he had lightning!

Ceroba sighed. “I guess you’re right. It wouldn't matter if we got to the lab if we’re all tired.”

“Exactly!” Starlo exclaimed. He then turned to Clover, “C’mon, Clover, I need to apologize to you and the Feisty Five properly .” He adjusted his hat. “And I know exactly how to do it.”

“No persona, Starlo,” Ceroba chided.

“Oh shoot, right!”

...

...

...

“Wait, so you surrendered to win?” Martlet asked skeptically. “That was such a big risk, Clover!”

Clover bashfully scratched the back of his head. He had honestly planned to use that run to die and reload to figure out another way to beat his opponent.

“How’d you get out?” Clover asked, shifting the topic.

“Oh! It turns out the jail isn’t exactly good at keeping prisoners, though Moray had already released me by the time I figured that out…”

‘Seriously? She didn’t realize that when I went through the bars to get her water?’

“But it looks like everything worked out in the end!” Martlet happily exclaimed. “The Feisty Five look like they’re having fun together again.”

Clover glanced over at them. Ed had everyone in a bear hug—was he crying?

“Can’t wait until this is all over,” Martlet whispered to herself .

“Why’s that?”

“Well, I want to try harder!”

“...Harder with what?” Clover asked, confused.

“On my puzzles! I was considering quitting the guard until you showed up.” Martlet explained. “I mean, I’m already on probation, so… Anyway! You’ve made me see again that being the royal guard can be really fun!”

‘I’ve made a difference in someone’s life?’ Clover didn’t quite know how that made him feel, but it wasn’t bad.

“Oh! I have an idea!” Martlet stood up from her chair at the bar. “Let’s take a photo!”

“With what…?” A photo? Clover’s parents weren't huge on the whole picture thing , especially for a moment he considered trivial.

“With this!” She pulled out a camera from her wings.

“Where did you even—”

“Go get the others, Clover! I'll set this up.” Martlet ran off to prepare the camera.

Once she thought he couldn’t see her, she pulled out a manual titled ‘Cameras for Dummies 101.’

Silently laughing to himself, he went off to gather the Feisty Five. “Hey.”

“Oh heya, Clover!” Starlo smiled upon seeing him. “How ya feeling?”

“Fine,” Clover simply stated.

“Of course he’s fine; he kicked your ass!” Mooch slurred out.

The group went silent. Ed was the first to speak up, “Oh boy, she sneaked an adult soda, didn’t she?”

‘Adult soda actually makes you act funny?’ Clover had taken a chug of it during their duel with the sheriff, bu t…

“Of course not!” Starlo giggled, looking woozy.

Maybe monsters reacted differently than humans?

Ace shook his head. “Don’t let Dina see her like this…”

“See who like what?” Dina, who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, stood before the group with a tray of drinks in hand.

Starlo, sensing the impending danger, took the lead. “See Clover starving! Get him some Feisty Sliders, stat!”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course, sheriff.”

Ed let out a relieved sigh. “That was a close one.”

As entertaining as the antics of the five were, he still needed to do what Martlet had asked. “Martlet wants a photo of all of us,” he mumbled.

“A photo, you say?” Moray looked intrigued. “Sure! It’s not every day you get to befriend a human and a royal guard.”

“A picture…? I don’t see why not.” Ace tilted his hat so it covered his face, but Clover could still tell he was a little happy inside.

“Sure!” Ed needed no convincing. If he was doing it with friends, he had no reason to question it.

“Swhuree!” Mooch was, well … being Mooch?

“Of course, Pardner! Who wouldn’t want a picture with the North Star?”

Clover pointed toward the area where Martlet was. “Over there.”

The group moved over to where Martlet had set up. She gave him a thumbs up, signaling that she had figured it out.

‘The power of skimming through a book, huh?’ Clover thought to himself.

“Looks like they’re having fun,” commented the fox lady next to him as they turned to look. “Make sure to rest well for the day tomorrow.”

Right, the retrieval of Kanako from the lab. They might face the royal guards, who would definitely be a step above what he had faced so far .

“I don’t mean to bring the festive mood down, but…”

“You’re worried for Kanako.”

“...”

Clover gave Ceroba a gentle smile. “Don’t worry, we’ll get her for sure.”

For some reason, that seemed to make Ceroba even more tense.

“Uhm…” Not wanting to spoil the mood further, he tugged her sleeve. “Come; let’s have our picture taken.”

They silently made their way to Martlet, who greeted them excitedly.

“Ceroba, you want to be in this too?”

“Hm mh,” the fox-lady replied.

“Oh man, I've been waiting to use this ever since I got it from Waterfall!” She quickly arranged everyone into position. “They said to put it on a timer…” she mumbled to herself .

“Feathers, it's the other button.” 

“Oh shush how do you even know– oh you’re right, sorry!” She turned the knob. “ Alright everyone ready?”

“Hourry annnd get over hereee~” 

“Why is she speaking like that?” Ceroba asked.

Starlo nervously chuckled. “Oh, you know her, just being herself!”

“Ok…?”

“Alright in one! Three” Martlet began to count down.

“Wait a minute, did you four give her Adult Soda?!” The Feisty Five heard Dina shout from across the room.”

“two…”

“Oh shoot Martlet hurry up so we can get–” Too late, a barrage of trays struck Starlo and his posse.

“Three!?!”

A flash captured the moment.

Clover couldn’t help but smile at the chaos around him. Even if it was a bit crazy , the memory it had created was invaluable. Clover had been smiling a lot lately , he wondered why.

But he did know one thing for certain . By the end of his journey,  these monsters will for sure get Justice .

Marlet giggled next to him. “Can’t wait to do this again sometime!”

“Yeah. We should.” Clover agreed.

Funny how things don’t always turn out like you expect them to. But why was this here? Martlet had the only copy of the photo, and she was going to make more before his... sacrifice.

Wait, that meant his friends, or at least Martlet, were here too.

He quickly pocketed the picture and started to go search for his friends! Actually, where could he find his friends?

That’s when an idea clicked in Clover’s head. Since he was already headed to the Capital, specifically to the Castle, he could just get Asriel to ask the king for help in finding his friends. It was a foolproof plan— the chances of it failing were virtually nonexistent!

Great! Now that he had it all planned out, he could get back to the others!

The others that were… likely confused about where he had gone. Uh oh.

Before he could find a way down, a voice called out to him. “✌︎ ☠︎☜︎🕈︎ ☟︎🕆︎💣︎✌︎☠︎ ✋︎☠︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 🕆︎☠︎👎︎☜︎☝︎☼︎⚐︎🕆︎☠︎👎︎✍︎ ☟︎⚐︎🕈︎ ✋︎☠︎❄︎☜︎☼︎☜︎💧︎❄︎✋︎☠︎☝︎📬︎” ”

Turning toward the voice, he saw a tall figure cloaked in darkness.

‘What... is that monster saying?’ Clover tensed up, preparing for an unexpected attack. Even if he was in the past, he needed to remain on guard.

The being chuckled to itself. “Apologies for frightening you, little one. I merely wish to speak with you.”

“...Who are you?” Clover asked, focusing intently on the strange individual.

“Me? I’m Doctor Gaster, the head Royal Scientist.”

“Where is he!?” Chara fumed, clearly annoyed. Were they tricked by the human? Had they put on that innocent act to gain the upper hand?

“W-whoa, Chara, chill out,” Asriel said, worried for them.

They had noticed that Clover had vanished as soon as they clicked the button for the elevator inside the building.

“Sorry. I’m just… confused about where he could have gone.” They didn’t want Asriel to feel responsible; it wasn’t his fault. It was Clover’s.

“Clover might just be lost or something! There’s no need to fret about it!” he reassured them.

Chara rolled her eyes. “Okay, Dad.”

Asriel sighed. “Let’s just retrace our steps. It’s not like there are many places Clover could’ve gone based on how we came in.”

“You’re right. We need to be quick, though; I don’t want to run into that gang of monsters that roam around here.”

Those monsters weren’t particularly strong; they were just annoying to deal with. They had the audacity to fight her at every opportunity, citing it as ‘a test of strength.’

“What if that’s why Clover isn’t here?” Asriel suggested.

‘...Oh, that’s probably more likely,’ Chara thought, allowing the idea to linger. ‘Oh no.’

Clover, while capable, didn’t know how to handle those types of monsters—the ones who needed to fight until they couldn’t any more to be spared. With Clover’s lower stats, his chances of surviving such a foe were slim. It also didn’t help that she hadn’t Saved since the ruins. If he died...

That thought made her feel oddly uncomfortable.

“Azzy, we need to hurry and find Clover now.” Chara grabbed Asriel and pulled him toward the entrance of the apartment complex. “I’ll check outside; you search the inside, okay?”

Asriel nodded. “Okay! I’ll ask around to see if anyone has seen Clover.” He ran off.

Chara did the same.

“Okay… What do you want to talk to me about?” Clover asked the scientist.

“It’s not every day that a human falls down here. I’d prefer to gather information from you before you’re inevitably swarmed by dozens of curious monsters.”

Clover, although a little unnerved, saw no issue in answering a few questions. After all, monsters weren’t attacking humans right now.

“Alright, ask away.”

The monster grinned widely. “Very well, it has started.” Gaster cleared his throat. “Your name?”

“Clover, no last name.” His parents had always been adamant about not using last names in their family. Odd, but it never really mattered.

“Clover? A lucky name.” He scribbled down Clover’s answer in a notepad. “Now, what’s your Soul type?”

‘Soul type? Oh right! Those are the things we learned in school.’ Clover struggled to remember what his Soul was. It was yellow, but what did that mean again?

He couldn’t recall, so he offered his best answer. “It’s… yellow if that helps.”

“Ah, how intriguing. The Soul of Judgment has come to the Underground.” Gaster continued writing in his notepad. “Tsk.” He suddenly looked annoyed. “It seems our time has been cut short.”

Clover glanced around. There didn’t appear to be anyone nearby.

“Unfortunate; I was hoping to get a sample from you.” Gaster tucked his notes into his cloak and turned to leave into the darkness. “Oh, wait. Before I go…” He tossed Clover two healing items. “Try not to die, will you?”

And just like that, he vanished.

“Wait, what did he mean by—”

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t our favorite human, Chara!” a monster called out. “What brings you down to the apartments?”

“I’m not—”

“Wait!” The horse greaser? Monster interrupted, eyes wide. “Could it be that you remembered our duel?”

Clover sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “What duel…?” It was just not his week, was it?

“...” They stared at each other, silence thickening the air.

“ALRIGHT!” the monster shouted, flinging his arms dramatically. “THUNDERING HOOVES COME OUT!”

“...” Nothing happened.

“Where are they?!” the horse monster looked around expecting to see his gang.

Clover couldn’t help but smirk, a chuckle threatening to escape. The idea of fighting a whole group of monsters like the one in front of him was almost comedic in itself. Though it's not like that would actually happen.

“Boss, the door is locked.” A muffled voice came from behind a door.

‘Just had to say that, didn’t you?’

“What!?” The Boss spun around, eyes bulging. “Seriously? I told you guys to stay behind the vents, not the door! What are we, a bunch of clowns? Get your act together!”

“Sorry, boss! We couldn’t catch up with you when we heard of the human that was near the Apartments, you just ran too fast,” another voice chimed in.

“Gah!” The monster leaned closer, whispering like it was the world’s worst secret, “They don’t need to know that!”

“Sorry, boss!” another voice piped in, a nervous giggle escaping. Just how many were there? This felt like a bad game show.

“It’s fine… just don’t do it again,” the boss sighed, rolling his eyes like a parent dealing with rowdy kids. He opened the door, revealing four bickering monsters, all trying to squeeze through at once.

Clover’s eyes widened, and he backed up slightly. They were blocking the only exit down from the rooftop. ‘Great. Just great.’ He thought Clover might need to fight these guys.

“THUNDERING HOOVES GET INTO FORMATION!”

The monsters, who for some reason were all horses, posed dramatically. Not as impressive as the Feisty Five, of course, but perhaps somewhat comparable.

"Seeing as you can beat us one-on-one and duos, Chara, we'll show you the power of teamwork!"

At least they weren't going to kill him.

"We'll stop holding back, just like you told us to!"

‘I really should just shut up,’ Clover thought as he prepared for the fight that was about to begin.

"I can't believe him! What part of 'not leaving my sight' doesn't he understand?" Chara mumbled to herself. She had searched everywhere for Clover but to no avail. Not that she was worried about him, of course—she was more concerned about the monsters he might encounter.

And that stupid gang that likes to hang around here wasn't making her feel any better. Every time Chara came through alone, they had to deal with that annoying boss and their ridiculous crew.

They called themselves the Thundering Hooves. Granted, they weren't really strong opponents, only having 40 ATK and 5 DF, and they were incredibly slow despite their name. However, they made up for it with their numbers, often attacking in a group.

"Tsk!" Chara kicked over a can. She'd rather not risk running into them while searching for Clover.

"Is something the matter, little one?" a voice called from the shadows.

"Hm?" Chara looked over. "Oh hey, Gaster."

He stepped out of the darkness and approached her. "You seem to be looking for something, or someone? Perhaps I can help."

She nodded. "I'm just looking for someone."

"Ah, the other human, I presume."

"Yeah, them. Any idea—" Chara paused, realizing he just referred to Clover. "How did you...?"

Gaster chuckled. "I had a nice little chat with them. Clover, quite the name, isn’t it?"

"Where is he?!"

"My my, aren’t you in a rush." Upon seeing her glare, he relented. "He's on the rooftop of the apartment building. You may want to use the stairs, though, he broke the ladder leading up to it."

"Thanks, I'll see you later." She turned to run back into the UG Apartment building when Gaster stopped her.

"One more thing." Chara halted. "Those rascals are fighting him."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

‘Oh, you've got to be kidding me,’ Clover thought to himself, sweat trickling down his brow as another barrage of horseshoes rained down.

He dove behind a vent duct, the metal surface screeching against his skin as he narrowly escaped the deadly onslaught. Just as he caught his breath, a sticky glob of snot plummeted from above, glistening ominously in the dim light.

“Remember this one?! I’ll show you what happens when you laugh at my name, Fury!” the monster bellowed, with a grin that sent shivers down Clover’s spine.

Clover’s instincts kicked in. He rolled to the side, adrenaline pumping through his veins, but before he could regain his footing, a horseshoe slammed into his chest with bone-rattling force.

“I…I can’t—” Clover gasped, pain searing through his body. He had faced far tougher foes, so why did it hurt so much? Clover was about to check his Soul to see what was going on when...!

His foot got stuck in the magic snot.

“Good work Fury! Dash ram into him now!” The boss commanded.

Clover could only watch in horror as the monster rushed towards him. Was…Was this how he died again? He didn’t even get to see his friends again! Just as Dash was about to ram into him he felt time slow down to a halt.

‘No. I refuse!’ Clover was determined to see his friends again. If he’s unable to move…Then he’ll just have to hit Dash's head on too!

Time began to move again, Clover wasn’t going to fall to these guys. Mustering every ounce of determination in him Clover smashed his head against Dash’s as he rammed into him.

Dash stumbled back clutching his snout. “Argh!”

“Crap! Dash, are you okay?” the leader shouted.

“I-I’m fine! Just hurts, that's all,” Dash replied, rubbing his nose.

“Regroup! Molly, keep throwing those horseshoes!” The leader's voice boomed across the battlefield.

Clover healed himself by eating the strange item Gaster had tossed him. He felt a little better and turned his attention back to the gang, who were deep in discussion.

Once again, Clover hid behind a vent duct. ‘ It doesn’t seem like these guys can be talked down like other monsters until I beat them in a fight.’ But that solution was out of the question—he didn’t have his gun right now. How could he—

‘Wait, I turned my pellets into ammo during my fight with Ceroba! Maybe I could make a gun too ?’

Clover pulled his Soul out to try and enact his plan, but what emerged wasn’t right. Instead of a shining yellow Soul, it was just a red outline.

‘Oh no, oh no no no no! Is that why I’ve been getting hit harder? Because I don’t have a full Soul?’

Before Clover could gather his thoughts, a thunderous voice echoed across the roof. “ALRIGHT GUYS, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!”

His heart raced—he couldn’t take on these monsters. The only option left was to escape. But where would he run?

The clamoring of horseshoes grew deafening as they smashed through the vent duct, forcing Clover to roll away just in time. He desperately scanned the chaotic rooftop for any escape routes. And there it was—the door the gang had used to reach the roof, a glimmer of hope amid the chaos. How had Clover almost forgotten?

He had to reach it and regroup with the others. But how?

Once again he didn’t have time to think as Fury started to charge up an attack. “Cover me!”

As Dash barreled toward him, Clover spotted a critical opening. Dash left himself wide open for a counterattack when running! That meant if he could grab him just in time...

The moment was almost here. With a surge of adrenaline, he began to run toward Dash, timing his moves as Molly unleashed a fresh barrage of horseshoes that whizzed past him.

“Dash, watch out!” Fury shouted, desperate to warn him.

Dash was too late though, Clover pushed his body to the limit, dodging and weaving through the chaos. As Dash slowed, Clover seized his chance. With a swift sidestep, he lunged forward and gripped the back of Dash’s leather jacket.

“Shoot! Molly, ease up on those horseshoes!” The leader’s voice shouted over the chaos, panic seeping in. “Fury, Aim away from Dash!”

“I can’t!” Fury shouted back. “Dash try to get out of the way!”

“G-get off me human!” Clover meanwhile had covered Dash’s head with his jacket, steering him.

“D-Dash, I mean it—get moving NOW!” Fury shouted, Clover on the other hand was wrapping Dash's leather jacket over his head, blinding him.

“CAN’T SEE!”  Dash cried, disoriented and fighting to break free.

Then?

Fury fired their attack, leading to Clover using Dash as a surface to jump off of. This caused him to face the attack of snot face-on, making him immobile.

“W-what! Magic can do that?!” the boss shouted, clearly shocked.

‘Just three more…’ Clover thought to himself. If he could take out one more enemy, he might be able to escape.

“Ack! Whatever! Molly, get Fury off the ground! That charged shot took a lot out of him!” the leader commanded.

Molly nodded, but it seemed she was unable to speak.

“Now,” the leader smirked as he stepped closer to Clover. “It looks like my friends here couldn’t take you down. Are you ready for our fiftieth rematch?”

Clover felt a pang of pity for Chara, it sounded like they had faced these foes many times before he encountered them.

“Or so I would say if I were a fool.”

Clover stared at the monster in confusion. "What?"

“Now, Artemis!”

Suddenly, Clover felt a sharp pain in his side.

“Let your guard down…” the shadowy horse mumbled.

At that moment, Clover realized he had forgotten about the fifth monster!

He staggered, struggling to stay on his feet. The boss stood beside Artemis. “How do you feel about a duo attack?”

“Whatever,” Artemis replied.

With urgency, Clover quickly consumed the mysterious healing item that Gaster had given him. It was his last one, so he needed to ensure that this next barrage of attacks would be the final one before he could escape.

The boss ran toward him, flinging horseshoes into the air. He then raised his arms dramatically. “Dodge this!”

The horseshoes he threw froze mid-air, then multiplied and aimed themselves at Clover. His eyes widened, there was no way he could dodge this, not with whatever move Artemis was about to make!

But he wouldn’t die here.

Clover's Soul pulsed with power as he braced himself for the attack.

The boss looked unnerved and chuckled nervously. “Heh, uh, Chara, this is the part where you do some weird human stuff and beat me?”

“Do it,” Clover replied flatly.

This caused Artemis to hesitate, stopping momentarily. “What?”

Both of them were shocked by Clover’s willingness to take the hit head-on. This gave Clover a window of opportunity to escape.

And escape he did, sprinting toward the door!

“W-wait! Was that a trick?!” the leader sputtered.

“Crap! Should’ve known!”

“Molly, throw an attack at him!”

Molly was slumped on the floor next to Fury. Weakly, they unleashed a magic attack at Clover, but it fell to the ground, missing him completely.

“No, she’s too tired!” The boss glanced at Clover, who was about to reach the door. “Screw this, take this!”

But before he could act, Clover leaped through the door.

“No!”

Chara had forgotten just how many stairs the UG Apartment Section One had. She had never needed to use them before, as the elevator was faster. However, since Clover was on the roof, she had a reason to make the climb.

He was the catalyst for many new experiences they were facing.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from above, accompanied by heavy breathing. “Can’t… believe I made it!” It was Clover.

Gaster had mentioned he was battling the Thundering Hooves on the rooftop. Since Clover was a few flights of stairs above her, it seemed he had won.

“Can’t… stop right now.” He sounded incredibly exhausted.

Footsteps echoed on the stairs, and eventually, Chara and Clover met halfway.

“I can’t believe—” She was about to scold him but halted when she noticed dark red stains on his clothes.

Monster food could heal various wounds that humans might sustain in the Underground, but it couldn’t fix everything. Blood loss was one of those limitations.

Clover stared at Chara for a moment before breaking into a huge smile. “Am I glad to see you!” He rushed down the steps and hugged her tightly.

“What… happened to you?” Chara felt a pang of annoyance at Clover's clinginess, but her concern for his injuries took priority.

“I… just had to check something real quick, and I ran into a few monsters,” Clover giggled. “I got a little hurt, but it’s not a big deal!”

'Not… a big deal? Monsters don’t normally attack the physical body like this!' Chara thought, alarmed. The only monsters that would target a human’s physical body would be the guards or the ones like the ones in the—

“Did they think you were me…?” Chara absentmindedly asked.

Clover let go of her. “How’d you know?”

Chara clenched her fists. He had unknowingly taken on a battle that was meant for them. “Wait here.” Clover raised an eyebrow but complied nonetheless.

If she had been annoyed before, she was now beyond furious. It wasn’t fair for Clover to take on her burdens, not that she cared for them, of course, but it was a matter of principle! Uninvolved people shouldn’t shoulder others' issues. Chara went up the stairs toward the roof, the monsters up there should still be around.

…

“Ah ha! You’ve come back for more, Chara! And I see you left that odd outfit!” the leader, Aaron, exclaimed dramatically.

Chara glanced around the roof; it was a complete mess, with debris scattered everywhere along with broken vents and pipes. She returned her gaze to Aaron.

Normally, Chara wouldn’t consider hurting a monster. Why would she? They were some of the friendliest creatures around. But she would make an exception for this monster.

“Well, actually, before we resume our duel…” she paused. “Are—are you okay? I mean, I played it off as a trick, but uh, you just stood there while I was about to use my strongest attack.”

“What…?”

Artemis, digging Dash out of some grime, nodded. “Yeah… During the fight, you were acting kind of weird too. You didn’t even notice me when I was about to attack you, and I’ve never seen you do that to Dash before.”

Dash rubbed his forehead. “That was a wicked headbutt, Chara… Didn’t know you had it in you to hit like that.”

“And you didn’t even try to attack Molly at all!” Fury added, sitting against a broken vent duct. “You always get her before you get the rest of us.”

Molly just nodded in agreement.

Ah, that’s right. Monsters, while capable of cruelty, aren’t evil. She supposed a very stern talking-to was in order instead of beating the Thundering Hooves senseless.

“Well, you see…”

...

...

...

“Wait, so let me get this straight: that human wasn’t you? Instead, it was another human who fell down here?” Aaron repeated what Chara had said.

“Yes.” Chara nodded.

“And they aren’t a clone of you?” Fury asked.

“Hm mh.”

“Oh gee, we feel really stupid right now…” Dash mumbled.

“It doesn’t matter how you feel right now. Fix the mess you caused,” Chara scolded them.

“Right! Alright, Thundering Hooves, commence operation fix the rooftop!” Aaron commanded.

They all replied in unison or gave a thumbs up, “Yes, boss!”

They collectively ran to… try to clean up? They were really just piling everything up and attempting to fix it with tape. Chara should probably notify the front desk before she leaves.

“Hey, Chara,” Aaron called out to her. “Sorry for attacking your friend earlier…”

“We’re not friends,” Chara quickly corrected.

“Brother…?”

She shook her head. “Not family either.”

“Oh.” His eyes widened. “Oh shoot! I didn’t know you two were like that!”

What...?

“I know it’s not much, but…” He handed her a bunch of cash and a card. “The card is our mailing address. He can send us a letter asking for help, and we’ll come running!”

“The money?” Chara hesitantly asked.

“It’s to give your boyfriend a little something extra for the trouble we put him through!”

What.

“Clover’s not—” A large crash muffled the rest of what she said.

“Oh crap! Sorry, Dreemurr! I gotta help that gang, y’feel?” Aaron quickly ran over to the commotion. “Sorry again for attacking your partner!”

“He’s not my—ugh!” Chara groaned. This was not what was supposed to happen. She sighed. “Not like them believing that will cause me problems…”

She decided to head back down the stairs and return to Clover.

And if anyone said that she looked flustered, they were lying.

Clover was sitting on the stairwell in agony. The healing items he had eaten only acted as temporary healing. And what was the deal with his Soul looking like that? Clover decided to check his Soul.

He allowed his Soul to come out of him, and yep—it still had just a red outline. It was kind of freaky seeing a hole in what was supposed to be his Soul or left of it at least.

Could it be that no longer having a full Soul meant he took more damage? But that didn’t make much sense, since he could momentarily endure a very strong attack and be fine.

‘All this thinking is hurting my brain,’ Clover groaned. It had been an eventful day, and it didn’t seem like it was going to calm down soon. He sighed, it didn’t help that he couldn’t save. Clover hadn’t realized how much he relied on saves for healing until now.

Speaking of healing… he needed to heal, but with what?

‘Oh wait, I have those chocolates the monsters gave me! I can heal using those!’ Clover hadn’t eaten those chocolates during battle because he couldn’t stop to eat as he did with the strange items Gaster had given him. They just weren't as effective at healing.

He felt much better after finishing the third box of chocolates. Looking into his satchel, he saw he wasn’t even close to reaching the last box.

Clover felt a bit strange about being mistaken for Chara and receiving gifts because of it, but dark chocolate was his favorite, so he didn’t mind.

Thinking of which, what was taking them so long? They had gone to the roof, but—Oh God, he really was an idiot. He was about to rush upstairs to help Chara when he heard the door open.

Clover waited for them to reach him, still feeling sore for some odd reason. He grimaced as he sat back down. This was just one fight yet...He felt so tired. Was Saving the only reason he could continue his journey in the first place? Clover shuddered, if he hadn’t had Flowey’s Saves during his journey in the Underground, he surely would have fallen without leaving the Dark Ruins.

Not that it mattered now, though. Clover mentally berated himself for being reckless. He often reminded himself that it was a terrible idea, yet somehow, he always found a way to get into trouble.

Funny how he kept doing that to himself.

The footsteps finally reached him, and when he looked behind, he saw a very tired-looking Chara. “Hey.” They plopped down onto the stairs next to him.

Clover munched on another piece of chocolate. “How’d it go?”

“Fine.” They handed him a card. “They said they were sorry for attacking you. They thought you were me in some western get-up.”

“I guess that’s fair. Not many monsters probably know another human is in the Underground.”

“...Aaron also wanted you to have this.” Chara handed him a bag.

Clover’s eyes widened. 'Oh my God! That’s over four hundred G’s! Wait…'

"Aaron?”

“That’s the leader of the Thundering Hooves,” Chara explained.

“Ah.” He popped another piece of chocolate into his mouth, feeling a little better.

The two of them fell into an uncomfortable silence, at least for Clover. He didn’t need to fill the empty air as his friends usually did. It felt strange, he had been talking a lot more lately compared to his time on the surface or even during his time with his friends.

‘We should get back to Asriel, but…’ Clover flexed his leg, ‘I feel too tired to move.’

“Why’d you run off like that?” Chara broke the silence. “You could’ve… You got hurt pretty bad.”

“I’m fine, really!” He was not. “But like I said, I needed to check something out on the roof.”

For some reason, that only made Chara glare at him. “There’s nothing up there.”

Clover giggled softly. “Nuh-uh.” He pulled out a picture from his inventory. “Check it out!”

Chara took the photo from him, gasping. “This is…!”

Clover smiled. “Yep! My friends! Or at least a picture of them… But that means they have to be here!”

They handed him back the picture. “What do you plan to do about that?”

He looked at them, confused. “What do you mean? Isn’t it obvious? I’m going to find them.”

“You do understand that the Underground is huge, right?”

“It’s only like…” Clover quickly counted the biomes of the Underground on his fingers. “Six areas for them to be in.”

“Wrong. There are eight.”

“...What?” Clover was shocked at the revelation. When he looked in Chujin’s lab, he saw the map of the whole Underground, and there were only six!

“The Desert and the Quarry.”

‘That’s only seven then???’

“I’ll cross that bridge when I get there, alright?” Clover rubbed his forehead. “Just let me have this, okay?”

“It’s not a bad thing that you want to find them, just be more realistic about your chances of finding what, eight monsters among the millions that live in the Underground.”

When Chara put it that way, Clover shook his head. All he needed to do to find them was get Asgore's help! Everything would be okay afterward.

"Let’s get going," Chara said, getting up from the steps. "Asriel is probably panicking, looking for us."

"R-right." Clover stood up, only to promptly fall back down. "Sorry, I'm just a little tired." Why did he feel so weak? He had eaten those chocolates to heal up and felt better as a result. So why did he still feel so… tired?

Chara sighed and muttered, "Can't believe I'm about to do this…" They moved in front of him. "I know you know about the Save Points. You've been eyeing them every time we passed by one."

What? How did Chara know about them? Only Flowey could make those. Were they suggesting that—

"Here," Chara held out their hand. "I'll…" They looked reluctant to say what was next. "Help you Save, in case a monster attacks you."

"…?" Clover was puzzled. Weren't they supposed to create a Save Point by now?

"Well? Grab my hand; it’s the only way my Save can affect you."

Clover complied. It seemed that Chara and Flowey had different ways of creating Saves for him.

"Let me just…" They held their other hand out and formed a Save Point next to them. "There! Now don’t get the wrong idea about me doing this. I just don’t want to explain to Asriel why you’re all beat up."

A familiar menu popped up in front of him, displaying his name and LV. He pressed the save button. The moment he did, he felt the exhaustion fade away, replaced by a warm sensation and an odd sense of determination.

Clover let out a sigh of relief, he felt ready to keep going!

But before he could go down the steps, Chara stopped him. "Hold on a second." They held out their hand. "I didn’t say this wouldn’t come without a payment."

"Payment…?" The only money Clover had on him was a handful of G's. It was a shame, he had that amount for only a few seconds.

"Don’t think I didn’t notice those chocolates."

‘...That’s it?’ He took out one of the boxes of chocolates.

"Here you—" Clover barely had time to register what happened before Chara snatched it. "W-whoa!"

"Let’s get going." They no longer had the chocolate, had they already eaten it?

"Where’d the—"

"Gone." Chara almost looked proud as they smugly smiled.

Clover couldn't help but smile as well, he hadn't noticed it before but they were actually kind of cute.

...

...

Wait.

‘...Is it weird to think that about friends?’ It was an odd thought, but it didn’t mean anything! His friends called him cute all the time—something that often annoyed him—and it was nothing! Why was he trying to justify this? It wasn't that complicated, and—

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Chara stared at him, looking weirded out.

"I-it’s nothing!" Clover started to walk briskly down to the lower levels.

"Okay…?"

‘Where are they!?’ Asriel had been frantically looking for Clover and Chara now, but alas, he couldn’t find either.

He had searched the entirety of the building but he had yet to find any clues about Clover’s whereabouts.

“Prince Dreemurr, waiting for someone, I presume?” a voice called from the darkness.

Asriel turned to face the shadows. “Oh, hey, Mister Gaster. I was looking for a friend, but I've lost them and Chara!”

Gaster stepped out from the darkness, holding a flower pot. “Quite the predicament, isn’t it? Though I wouldn’t worry. Something tells me your friends will be joining you very shortly.”

“What makes you so sure of that?” Asriel asked.

The man chuckled. “I wouldn’t worry about it. Now…” He handed Asriel the flower pot. “This belongs to you, doesn’t it?”

“Oh! Thanks! I thought Chara still had it, but I guess she must’ve forgotten it.” Asriel took the flower pot from Gaster.

“Yes… I have a feeling you’ll be needing it soon.”

“What do you mean?”

Gaster was a mysterious man, to say the least. Not that he had anything to hide, quite the opposite; he just tended to assume everyone understood what he meant. He was quite the joker when the opportunity arose, though those chances were rare.

“I must be off to the lab. My new assistant has come up with a rather interesting invention—‘The Undernet,’ she calls it. Quite impressive, I’d say; it uses the prototype radios that the Royal Guards use as a medium. Do tell your father or mother about this, will you?” Gaster approached the darkness once more. “I’ll be off now. Have a pleasant evening, Dreemurr.”

“Uhm, sure?” Asriel watched as the man teleported away. He called them shortcuts whenever Asriel bothered to ask.

Asriel placed the flower pot next to him and sat down. He hoped he wouldn’t have to wait long.

…

…

…

Asriel was bored. Even though it had only been ten minutes, it felt like a slow period. However, it did give him some much-needed solitude away from the others—time he used to think about that day.

He thought about Chara’s plan, which was set to begin today.

Clover’s sudden appearance caused him to completely forget about the plan to free Monsterkind from their imprisonment. It was a solid plan: Chara would get sick, lose their soul while preserving their body, he would absorb it, become powerful, and then collect the other six souls from the surface to free Monsterkind. After that, he would return Chara’s soul.

Something about that plan didn’t sit right with Asriel, but Chara assured him that it wouldn’t go wrong. So why did he feel a nagging sense that it would?

Not that it mattered right now. Chara seemed to have backed off from the plan, as she hadn’t collected the buttercups to eat.

He felt relieved knowing that Chara also seemed reluctant to go through with the plan. Asriel was glad that Clover had fallen into the Underground; he had become a really good friend, at least to Chara. Asriel hadn’t spent much time with Clover yet, but he planned to change that tomorrow. After all, what could happen overnight that would change their plans?

Suddenly, Asriel heard a loud bang coming from down the hallway. “....Are you walking so fast?” Chara was complaining about something.

“It’s n-nothing!” Clover nervously replied.

Asriel ran up to the two of them. “There you are! Where were you? Chara and I were looking everywhere for you.”

Clover sheepishly smiled. “Sorry for wandering off like that. I just had to check on something.”

‘This is his first time here, though…?’

Chara elbowed Clover in the stomach. “Maybe next time he’ll learn to be more careful.”

“I didn’t get hurt too badly…” Clover muttered.

“Golly, you got hurt?!” Asriel checked Clover’s stats, and everything seemed fine. He realized it must have just been a small human injury rather than a loss of HP.

Clover decided not to respond to that question and instead asked, “So how are we getting to Asgore?”

Asriel smiled. “Oh, that’s easy! We just have to wait for our turn in the elevator, and then we need to walk a couple of blocks in New Home to get to the next elevator.”

“Lots of elevators, huh?”

“Yep! New Home is divided into floors, but you don’t need to worry about that right now.” Asriel started to pull both Chara and Clover toward the elevator. “We need to hurry, though! I saw the elevator open earlier, and I’m not sure how long it will stay open.”

“Maybe if someone hadn’t run off, we would’ve gotten to our destination sooner.”

“It was totally worthwhile, though,” Clover replied.

Asriel blinked, wondering if he had missed something important.

A loud voice echoed through the lobby. “YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! I MISSED IT BY A FEW SECONDS!?”

The trio froze. It looked like they weren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Chara turned to look at Clover. “Should’ve listened to—”

“I know…”

...

...

...

Waiting in the lobby wasn’t too bad. Asriel had a few spare G’s in his pocket, so he sent Chara off to buy some treats in the shop. Although Chara was reluctant, he reminded her of what had happened in the elevator in Hotland.

This left him and Clover alone together for a little while. It was an opportunity that hadn’t happened yet, and Asriel intended to use this time to get to know Clover better.

What better way to do that than to ask about his life on the surface?

“Hey, Clover?”

“Hm?” Clover replied, sitting on the ground and playing with his hat.

“What’s the surface like? I’ve asked Chara, but they usually deflect the question.”

“The surface, huh?” Clover mused. “It’s… hard to describe.”

“How so?”

“Well, there are a lot of good things up there. Like the stars, western movies, and nature. But…” Clover trailed off.

“But?”

“Sometimes the people up there aren’t so kind to one another, forgetting those in need of help. That’s actually why I came down here—to answer their call for help.”

“You…knew Chara?”

Clover shrank back. “W-well, actually, uh…!” He was caught off guard. “No? I uh, heard some people got lost in the woods around the mountain, so I came looking for them. I stumbled into the Underground?”

Asriel raised an eyebrow. “Wait, why did you say you jumped down here then?”

“Slip of the tongue?” Clover stuttered.

What Clover said wasn’t adding up, but before Asriel could question him further…

“Yo, Azzy, catch!” Chara appeared and tossed him a Floral Cupcake. Asriel barely caught it before it fell onto the floor.

“Wow, took you long enough,” Asriel remarked. “Your prince almost died from not having his sweets! What do you have to say to that?” he said dramatically.

Chara rolled her eyes. “Sorry, Your Majesty, the line was longer than expected. I humbly ask for forgiveness.”

Asriel bit into the cupcake; it was great! “Forgiveness granted.”

Chara dug around in the paper bag. “Here, this is for you.” She tossed an item to Clover, it was a piece of monster candy. “This should be enough to heal you, just in case.”

Clover muttered a small, “Thank you,” as he placed it in his satchel.

Wait…

“You don’t know how to use healing magic, Clover?” Asriel asked the cowboy.

He shook his head. “Nope, I don’t think humans can use magic—why are you staring at me like that?”

Asriel stared at him, jaw dropped. “Of course, humans know how to use magic! Chara did when we first met. Right, Chara?”

“I…” They glanced off to the side.

Did he touch on another sensitive subject for her?

But just as he was about to apologize, they replied, “Humans don’t like it when they see the unexplainable.”

Asriel decided he would ask them what was wrong later when they got home.

For now, he said, “Uhm…those humans were just jerks! Everyone should know how to use healing magic, Clover. Let me show you how!”

Clover nodded.

‘This should be easy enough for him to learn!’

“Alright, let’s get into a battle.”

Clover finally entered a battle format that was familiar to him, at least against normal enemies. His larger fights had his friends engaging with him physically.

“Since we’re not actually fighting, your soul won’t pop out,” Asriel explained. “To perform healing magic, all you have to do is fight!”

Clover tilted his head. That didn't seem like healing...

“With love!”

‘Ah, so I just need to fight without any intent to harm?’

“Alright! Attack me with your best love hit!” Asriel encouraged.

“Wait, Azzy,” Chara interjected. “Shouldn’t you be a bit more careful?”

“Oh ho! Chara, did you forget my DEF stat is 50? I’m sure I can handle a few accidental hits from Clover.”

Chara shot a glare at Clover from the sidelines. “Those hits better not hurt him.”

‘This seems… easy enough. But how does this use magic?’

Clover prepared to attack when he suddenly froze. “Wait, I don’t have a weapon.”

“Oh right! I forgot you needed one of those to imbue magic into,” Asriel said. “What weapon do you normally use? Is it like a lasso—”

“A gun,” Clover replied bluntly.

“....”

“I—I mean a toy gun!” Clover quickly corrected himself.

“Golly, I thought you were talking about a real revolver for a second there.”

‘Of course, I wouldn’t use that… That would be insane .’ Clover silently giggled at Asriel’s reaction.

“But that creates an issue. If you can’t imbue your Soul’s magic into an object, then we can’t have you healing anything!”

“Actually,” Chara interrupted, “I found a toy gun while I was in that shop. Catch!” Chara tossed Clover the toy gun.

“How convenient! It’s almost exactly like the toy gun I had!” Clover smiled at Chara, who just turned away.

“Yep… Convenient indeed…” Chara sounded nervous. “I would like it back though, finders keepers.”

“Alright, you have your weapon now. Imbue your Soul’s magic into the gun.”

Clover took a deep breath, trying to replicate the actions he performed during his fight against Ceroba. Yet, he struggled, he didn’t feel the intense sense of justice he had during that battle. But maybe it didn’t have to be about justice? He recalled another intense feeling from that fight, one of determination.

Taking another deep breath, Clover drew strength from his desire to find his friends. Slowly but surely, he felt the toy gun fill with his Soul’s magic.

“There it is! Now, all you have to do is hit me with love or something similar!” Asriel beamed, excited to see Clover’s development.

Clover heard Chara whisper to themselves, “Why is it red? It was yellow last time.”

Clover took his stance to aim at Asriel. “With love, right?” He pointed to Asriel’s heart. “Bang!”

The red bullet flew straight toward Asriel’s chest, but mid-flight, it transformed into a bright green four-leaf clover.

+338 HP

“Whoa! Not bad, Clover! If I were hurt, that would’ve been a fourth of my—Clover?”

Clover’s legs buckled beneath him; he felt incredibly tired again. Wait…

‘It must be from using anything related to my Soul… This doesn’t seem reliable unless I get my Soul back.’

“Sorry, just a little worn out from that,” Clover admitted. “It took a lot out of me, though…” he mumbled to himself.

The battle ended with both sides conceding. The room returned to its bright colors.

Asriel approached him. “That was good for a first try!”

Chara appeared beside him. “You used up too much of your Soul’s magic. Noob.”

Clover shakily got back up. “You probably had the same issue.”

Chara’s plain expression turned into a wide grin. “Nope! I’m a prodigy, unlike you. Never had an issue like that.”

‘That’s… admittedly really cool.’

“Here ya go, pal!” Asriel shot a fireball at him, healing him.

Clover felt a bit less tired; the fireball merely calmed his trembling legs. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Asriel gave Clover a thumbs-up. “Y’know, Mom could teach you how to use magic like Chara does.”

“Psh, no way! Clover doesn’t have my Soul type, so he’ll obviously have different magic than me,” Chara said.

Asriel raised an eyebrow. “How do you know what Clover’s Soul type is? He hasn’t shown it to you, right? And even in battles, outsiders can’t see what the Soul is doing.”

Chara shrank back, “... Humans just know that when they bond…?”

‘... We’re idiots, aren’t we? I think at this point, telling Asriel about our situation would be easier than whatever we’re doing.’

However, after considering it further, Clover realized it probably wasn’t a good idea to tell Asriel that his entire family had fallen apart due to him and Chara wanting to do good, which ultimately led to the deaths of five children at his father’s hands. Children who Clover agreed to go find that landed him here in the frist place. And that the only reason Chara knew his Soul type was due to them somehow being able to see it during his journey in the Underground.

It would be a really bad idea to share that with him.

His eyes widened. “For real?! That’s so cool—wait, that doesn’t make much sense.”

“My dear brother, what doesn’t make sense? Cease your foolish thoughts and just accept this information as it is.”

“Okay?” Asriel seemed confused.

A loud ding caught the trio’s attention; the elevator was open again.

“It’s open! Hurry before it closes!” Asriel shouted as he, along with Clover and Chara, scrambled to the elevator.

It closed rather quickly when the trio entered it, the only thing they heard was the shout, “NOT AGAIN!” 

…

…

…

New Home hadn’t changed much since Clover's last visit. To be fair, he had only explored one street before making that decision.

However, that didn’t diminish the beauty of the city's nightlife. Monsters of all shapes and sizes crowded the streets of New Home, vendors opened up their shops, and colorful lights illuminated the gray streets. It would have been nice to stroll around if he wasn't in such a hurry.

“Oh, I see that the highest floor of New Home has caught your attention! It’s great to hang around here at night, though Mom doesn’t really like it when we stay out late,” Asriel told Clover.

“Almost forgot how pretty the city looked from up here,” Chara said as they leaned against the balcony. Clover moved closer to where they were standing, and the view was breathtaking.

It was a far cry from his previous time in New Home. Had monsters truly lost all hope when Chara and Asriel died?

He glanced at Chara and thought, ‘It’s not just a title after all… They really are the hopes and dreams of all the monsters down here, aren’t they?’

It would honestly be an inspiring thought if it weren’t so despairing. Chara stared at him with a confused expression. “Seriously, do I have something on my face?” they asked, wiping their mouth. “Did I get it off?”

“A-ah, no,” Clover stammered. The night scenery actually made Chara look pretty! “You look perfect,” he reassured Chara, hoping it sounded like a kind compliment.

“…”

‘Oh God, that sounded a lot more friendly in my head than it came out. Please tell me nobody heard that last part.’

Asriel was the first to catch on to what Clover had said. “Did you just say—”

Clover quickly blurted out, “Ly normal! Perfectly normal, nothing wrong with Chara's face.”

Chara blinked in confusion. “...What?”

Clover nervously laughed. “We should get going now, right?”

‘That was embarrassing, and we’re moving on from it immediately! Oh, Clover, you need to word what you say better.’

“Indeed…?” Chara still seemed puzzled by what had just happened.

“Nu-uh, you totally said that—” Asriel began, but Clover firmly interrupted him.

“To the Castle!” Clover exclaimed as he ran off in the general direction of the elevator leading to the Castle.

“W-wait, that's not the right path to it!” Asriel called out as he chased after Clover.  

—--

'What… is he using that weird compliment thing on me like he did at Home? Why in front of Asriel?' Chara felt a mix of emotions—disgust, confusion, and something else entirely.

It started with a small giggle, then a snicker, until it turned into outright laughter. Chara thought what Clover had done was incredibly bold, though he probably intended it to be just a normal compliment.

Chara couldn’t help but smile. “What a stupid human.”

But then they realized they were going to be left behind if they didn’t catch up to Asriel and Clover.

“Wait up!”

“Still no Nicecream, huh?” Clover said, looking at a closed ice cream stand. Even at this time, the vendor wasn’t there. It was a shame; he hadn’t had ice cream before, and if what the other kids said was true, it was a delightful treat.

“Yeah? It’s only an afternoon snack,” Asriel replied to Clover. “Why would he be open at night?”

“It’s not like he’s a shop vendor that stays open all day,” Chara chimed in.

Clover muttered, “Mo would.” Even though the healing items Mo provided were subpar compared to those from other vendors in each region, he was still a valuable ally.

They were finally almost at the Castle. What should’ve taken only a couple of hours for the siblings had taken them the entire day.

“Can’t wait to tell Mom who we found in the Ruins!” Asriel exclaimed.

“It’s still called Home, Azzy. And yeah, maybe she’ll cut us some slack for being so late if we show her the human we found.”

The trio reached the crossroads by the Castle elevator. Continuing forward would lead them to the Castle, but going left would take them back to where they had last left their friends.

“Hey, can we make a quick pit stop here?” Clover asked the others.

Asriel stopped walking. “What for?” He glanced around. “There’s not much here.”

“....”

“O-okay?” Asriel smiled. “We’ll be waiting for you here, I guess.”

“...Don’t dwell on what happened for too long,” Chara advised Clover.

He nodded, he'll make it quick.

…

…

…

Not surprisingly, the roof looked vastly different from when he had fought Ceroba. The tree was still young, and the floor beneath him felt much newer.

But other than that, it weirdly brought him a strange comfort to be there. Clover vividly remembered watching the others walk away after their goodbyes. He felt cold as the life force left him. It was really scary, though he knew it would be worth it in the end. It was a shame, however.

He wouldn’t be able to see his parents again.

That was his second objective after finding the missing children. The strange men had instructed Clover to search Mount Ebott after doing something with his parents.

He planned to do this after leaving the mountain with the five children in tow. After all, the strange men had assigned them the mission to find the children around Mount Ebott. Only after they accomplished that would he be allowed to see his parents again.

A small part of him had already moved on, though. He didn’t think that even if he completed his mission, the strangers would let him see them again.

Whether Clover liked it or not, he had been given a second chance to live. After finding his friends, maybe he would…

No, there was no point in thinking about a future that had yet to happen. He turned away from the scenery and headed back to the others. Clover had reminisced long enough.

He had a new mission to finish.

And even if he wanted to have fun like the others, he needed to be the mature one, as he always had been.

If Clover stayed there a little while longer, a poster would have flown into his face.

What was on it? A crude drawing of a gunslinging human.

**WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE**

**MONSTER "COWBOY"**

**FOR THE CRIME OF SLAUGHTERING THEIR FELLOW KIND WHILE DISGUISING THEMSELVES AS A HUMAN.**

Approach with extreme caution, as encounters have proven fatal.

Please alert the nearest Royal Guard upon any sightings. If unable to do so and a confrontation occurs, the use of lethal force has been authorized.

**REWARD FOR CAPTURE OR DUST: G 5,000,000**

Chapter Text

Darkness was the only thing Starlo could see right now. He had no idea what had just happened. One moment, he was heading up to Asgore with Ceroba and Martlet to deliver his deputy’s Soul. Then, without warning, a violent earthquake knocked him out!

“Uhm… Guys? Where are we?” Martlet called out.

“I reckon we’re in rubble, Feathers,” he replied.

“What!?” she shouted.

A groan came from in front of them. “Urgh…”

Martlet bumped into him, causing him to trip and fall onto someone. “Feathers, watch where you’re walking!”

“Sorry—whoa!” She tripped over his foot, landing next to him. “I just can’t see…”

Suddenly, they were flung off by none other than Ceroba. “Get off me!” She dusted herself off. “Can’t you see—oh.”

“Sorry about that,” Starlo said as he got off the ground. “Can you light a fire, Ceroba, so we can see where we are?” he asked.

“I’ll try,” she muttered. A small light flickered from her hand. “There.”

The first thing he noticed was that Ceroba didn’t have Clover’s Soul container.

It took time for the rest to come to the same conclusion.

“Where’s Clover’s Soul…?” Ceroba wondered aloud, absentmindedly.

“Oh my god, did it get lost after the earthquake!?!” Martlet exclaimed, clearly panicking.

Starlo understood the feeling, he was affected too, but it hadn’t fully hit him yet that they had royally messed up Clover’s sacrifice.

“It’s okay!” Ceroba reassured Starlo and Martlet. “It can’t have gone far from us. Those containers are sturdy enough to handle a lot of damage.”

Starlo nodded. “Y-yeah, you’re right! We just have to find it!”

“Okay! I’ll fly up as high as possible to see if I can spot the container!” Martlet prepared for flight before Ceroba stopped her.

“Wait, you won’t be able to see, and my flame can only light up so much. Stay close to us. Clover’s Soul glows a vibrant yellow, so we should be able to spot it easily,” Ceroba explained.

“If you say so,” Martlet replied. “Can’t believe an earthquake happened of all things.”

Earthquakes in the Underground weren’t unheard of per se, but they were rare and incredibly destructive to the unprepared. Starlo had never seen one personally since he lived out in the Dunes, far from the capital where they happened.

Not that it mattered now. The trio needed to find their fallen friend’s Soul before another monster could. While they didn’t doubt that whichever monster found it would deliver it to Asgore, it wouldn’t feel right for that to be how the Soul was given.

The trio wandered around for a while before noticing something was off.

“Hey… This isn’t New Home, this is Waterfall.” Starlo said to the others.

“Now that you mention it,” Martlet checked her wings, “that might explain why I keep having to shake water off my feathers.”

“How did we get out here when we were in the Capital?”

“It’s fine, I remember holding the container when we fell. It must still be around here somewhere,” Ceroba reassured them, though Starlo could see that she was anxious.

"Let's get searching then!" Martlet went off ahead of them only to trip over a piece of stone.

...

...

...

Their worries were relieved when they stumbled upon a faint yellow glow hidden beneath a pile of dirt. Starlo rummaged through it and pulled it out.

“Phew! Sorry about that, deputy,” he said, handing it to Ceroba.

She shook her head. “Keep hold of it, Starlo. I don’t have both my hands available. Store it under your poncho.”

He nodded, “Got it…”

“Well, now that we found the Soul, all we have to do is get out of here.”

“If we even know where ‘here’ is…” Ceroba mumbled.

“Ah, don’t sound so defeated, Ceroba! I’m sure we’ll run into another monster soon enough. Then we can… deliver Clover’s Soul to Asgore.” Martlet frowned. “I—”

“Can't believe he's gone, I know, I feel that too,” Ceroba finished what Martlet was going to say.

Starlo’s breathing hitched. He had hoped to put off the realization that Clover was dead until after they gave Asgore his Soul. “We should’ve told him no…”

“It wouldn’t have been fair to take away his choice.”

“I mean, yeah! But… he was a kid!” Martlet exclaimed.

“He made his choice,” Ceroba said, her flame wavering. “He knew what he had to do...Sometimes adults can't see that.”

Starlo calmed himself—who was he kidding? This wasn’t right!

But there was nothing he could do now. He knew this was the only way Clover could rest easy, even if they had taken him in the Royal Guard would've just sent them to Asgore who would've killed Clover. Just like they did with the fourth human who fell down here. His memory was foggy, but he remembered that the human had lived in the Underground for years before a monster reported him to the Royal Guard.

Starlo couldn’t recall the human's name, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was that the human was arrested and sent to Asgore.

Clover would surely meet the same fate if they took him in. And that was the worst part, giving up his Soul was the only way he could go out on his terms.

Starlo stared at the container and sighed, “He really was one of a kind, wasn’t he?” He had seen firsthand how strong humans could be, and he did not doubt that Clover could have beaten Asgore. Yet… “He gave up his life when he didn’t have to, just to give us a chance at freedom.”

Ceroba nodded in agreement. “Clover was way too kind to us. We’ve all attacked him at some point, but he forgave us.”

“Stop! You’re going to make me cry!” Martlet exclaimed, her voice trembling. “It’s strange… we’ve only known him for at most two days, but…”

Starlo smiled. “It feels like we’ve known him for years, doesn't it?”

“Yeah.”

Ceroba chuckled. “And here I thought I was the only one who felt that way.”

“Hmph! You should have seen the posse! During the deputy’s training, they stuck to him like glue.” Starlo fondly remembered having to drag Clover away from Mooch. He overheard what she was telling him, and it was nothing a child should use to escape danger.  A deep sense of unease settled over him. “What will we tell the others when we get back?”

Ceroba sighed. “I think I’ll leave it to you, they’re your gang after all.”

Starlo laughed. “Nonsense, you’re a part of it too!” He earned a glare from the kitsune. “W-well, unofficially, of course.”

“Maybe I should consider joining you guys in the Dunes,” Martlet proposed quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I never realized how lonely Snowdin could be...”

“Considering joining the Feisty Five?” Starlo asked with a hint of surprise in his tone.

“...I’m not opposed to—”

Ceroba sighed. “Seriously, Martlet?”

“What? It’s not like I’m going to stay in the Royal Guard after this.”

“Huh?”

Martlet continued walking as if she hadn’t said anything… until she tripped because she couldn’t see where she was going.

“F-Feathers! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine…” Martlet mumbled face in the ground.

Asgore had almost forgotten how nice the meadow part of the Marshlands was. Perhaps after this ordeal, he would visit it with his family.

However, he wasn't here for pleasure, he was here to deal with the “Oasis” and “Wild East.”

He wasn’t sure why these monsters were attacking them, but he did know that they were scared and armed. For that particular reason, he had brought Gerson with him in case things went south.

Gerson laughed, “Wahahaha, Fluffybuns, why don’t you just let me handle it? I’m sure I can take care of a few monsters on my own.”

Gerson was nearing retirement, and Asgore could see that. He no longer had the speed he once possessed during the War. He had started to become more reckless and battle-hungry, likely trying to feel more youthful. Since criminals in the Underground were rare, and he had already defeated most of the Royal Guard…

Well, it at least kept his senses sharp.

“Of course, you can,” Asgore replied, “but we’re here to ease their fear.” He promptly dismissed Gerson’s suggestion. “They haven’t done anything wrong, from what I gathered from the monsters who ventured close to the town. They weren’t hurt, rather, it seemed that the monsters aimed to keep them away.”

“Right… A simple ‘stay out’ sign wouldn’t work, eh?” Gerson muttered sarcastically.

“That’s why I brought you here too.”

Gerson deadpanned at Asgore. “Ah, I see… Having the captain of the Royal Guard show up at their front door is sure to ease their fears.”

Asgore chuckled. “Indeed. Having a highly respected monster such as yourself will surely convince those monsters to let us in.”

Gerson laughed heartily, “Wahahaha! Don’t sell yourself short, Asgore!”

“I’m merely a king; what am I compared to the Hammer of Justice?” he mused.

Gerson raised an eyebrow. “You… don’t believe that I'm more respected than you, right?”

“By whatever do you mean?” Asgore feigned ignorance.

He blocked out whatever Gerson had to rant about next. This was a good way to reign him in before he acted irrationally. Perhaps in later years, he’d humble himself. Perhaps.

...

...

...

Asgore wasn’t one to be filled with rage, yet he felt it as he approached the Oasis. There was dust on the ground—not regular dust, but monster dust.

Gerson widened his eyes. “This is…!”

“Dust, yes,” Asgore confirmed. He knelt and touched a pile with his finger. “It’s old, though—at least four days. Before the discovery of the two towns.”

“Angel… you don’t think that…”

“No, but they need to be brought in for questioning.” Asgore looked up from the pile of dust to see several more piles. “Whoever did this must be taken to justice.”

Gerson clenched his fists tightly. “Bastard… Why the hell would they kill their fellow kind?”

“I don’t know. But perhaps that explains the fear of those monsters.”

“We should hurry.”

Asgore could only watch as the piles grew in number the closer he got to the Oasis. Why hadn’t that moon monster told him of this?! If he had known it was this serious, he would’ve arrived sooner.

...

...

...

It didn’t take much time to reach the town. It felt empty; he had stopped seeing the dust piles as he got closer to the makeshift gates.

“Is anyone there!?” Asgore shouted.

He and Gerson waited for a response until…

“Is that the king?” a loud whisper came from beyond the wall.

“It’s Gerson too!” another monster shouted.

“Quickly, open it! There’s no way they can be controlled!” yet another monster shouted.

‘Controlled? Golly, just what have these monsters endured before we could get here?’

A small crowd of various types of monsters approached the duo.

“What took you so long?”

“We need help!”

“North Star and Ceroba couldn’t stop them.”

“There’s a monster controlling others, forcing them to kill!”

All of them sounded scared, confused, and distraught, but one sentence broke through the crowd.

“Have you killed the human?”

“What?” he and Gerson both said at the same time.

A bat-like monster stepped up from the crowd. “T-the scary human! The one that was killing us all.”

Asgore needed to be careful about what he said next. It was clear that these monsters were somewhat delirious, thinking Chara would hurt them. That must’ve been the monster that attacked them!

“...I—” Before Asgore could say anything, Gerson interrupted.

“What the hell are you talking about? What’s with all the dust?!”

Sensing the glares, Asgore said, “What my friend here meant to say is that we need information about the attack. I’m afraid… that you’re newcomers in my Kingdom, and the prospect of another harming you is alarming. I’m sorry that your friends have been killed by such a fiend.”

A scoff echoed from the crowd. “Monster? No way, they were human! Killed my friend in front of me!”

“What do you mean newcomers? H-had you forgotten the Dunes?! IS THAT WHY WE HAD NOBODY ELSE TO SAVE US?!?” a horrified monster shouted.

The crowd began to grow agitated; Asgore had failed to de-escalate the situation.

That is until a voice silenced them.

“Silence!” a man in a fancy tuxedo shouted. “I’m sure the King has a good reason for not being able to help us.” Asgore could still tell the man was glaring at him under his tophat. “Right?”

Voices started to clutter together in the crowd. “A-Ace? Where are the others?”

“They're probably in the Wild East. That’s where those other weird monsters have been showing up.”

“I assure you, I have no plans to abandon my kind in their time of need. Do tell me what has happened to this place,” Asgore asked the man.

Ace tilted his head, his eyes piercing into Asgore before relaxing. “You seriously don’t know, do you?”

Gerson and Asgore shook their heads.

He sighed. “C’mon guys, we’re not ambushing them.”

Gerson's eyes widened. “You planned to ambush us?!”

A voice came from behind them; it was a short squirrel. “We couldn’t risk it. If that flower monster took control of even the likes of you two, then we needed to...y'know.”

An ogre popped up from the ground. “Bleh! It got in my mouth!” He looked at the two monsters in front of him. “Yeah, that human seemed to convince another monster to help them.”

An individual dropped down from the roof; it was a fish monster. “We lost too many monsters by letting our guard down. I’m sure you’d understand.”

“I’d understand more if you told me what happened here.”

“Right…” The squirrel nodded. “I’ll explain. It was around four days ago…”

{!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!}

It was a fairly normal day for Mooch. She had woken up to an empty room. They had left her there since she was still a “growing child” and needed all the rest she could get. (Just because they liked the sleep doesn't mean that it was right for them to leave them there!

But when Mooch left the house?

There were panicking monsters on the streets of the Wild East, running towards Sunnyside with Ceroba guiding them.

Mooch ran up to Dina, who stood at the front of the town watching, and asked, “Hey, what’s going on?”

“Mooch?! There you are! The others have been looking for you everywhere!” Dina sounded nervous.

“Why is everyone running around?”

“You don’t know? The human that was running around in Snowdin has shown up in the Dunes.” She bit her thumb. “Hurry up and get with your friends. I’ll be keeping watch.”

“But—”

“Go!” She had never seen Dina this serious before.

Mooch noticed the shaking from Dina as she headed toward Sunnyside. That’s where they were likely to be, anyway.

…

…

…

“Mooch, there you are!” Ed ran up to her and hugged her. “We couldn’t find you once we got the evacuation notice from Starlo!”

Ace appeared next to him. “Starlo has been running around the Dunes, getting every monster he can find to get them out of harm's way from the human.”

“While we’ve been here doing nothing!” Moray shouted as they dragged corn out of the cellar.

“Stop!” Mooch broke out of Ed’s hug. “Just… just tell me why we’re running away from a human, please.”

Ace raised an eyebrow. “You haven’t heard…? That human from Snowdin has reached the Dunes. They’ve already taken a large number of us before we could even notice.”

Mooch felt a chill crawl up her spine. Was this real? Was this actually happening? Have… monsters she knew…?

Her breathing quickened. Why was it hard to breathe?

“Mooch?” Moray looked concerned.

Mooch wasn’t scared. Why would she be? Even if she was still considered a minor, she was part of the Feisty Five! The cunning thief!

A gunshot echoed loudly from the direction of the Wild East.

…

“Shit! Everyone inside, now!” Moray commanded the monsters still outside. “Mooch, stay here and keep them safe.”

“What?”

“W-w-wait, what? Where are you guys going?”

Ed smiled stupidly. “Isn’t it obvious? We’re going to help the Sheriff.”

“Hmph! He honestly thought we’d let him handle the human on his own.” Ace shuffled a deck of cards.

Moray laughed nervously. “This town is still technically under our protection…”

Mooch couldn’t think of anything to reply with. If what they said was true, then… were they going to die?

Gunshots echoed more violently closer to them.

“At the very least, we can slow that human down so that others can get to safety,” Moray said.

…

…

…

They went off to fight against the human while Mooch sat inside the cellar, twiddling her thumbs. She heard what the other monsters were planning to do when they could leave, but it was disheartening. They wanted to check on their families who stayed behind because they didn’t believe in Starlo’s warnings.

They thought it was a game.

She flinched at another gunshot. With the emptiness in the air, it was easier for her to hear sounds from the Wild East. Mooch knew what Starlo’s gun sounded like; it was nothing like those sounds.

Then, after a while, the gunshots stopped. Had her friends won? It wouldn’t hurt for her to check it out, would it?

A small part of her didn’t want to acknowledge that her friends might be dead.

“Is it over?” Sadie asked from beside her.

“I’ll… go see. Lock the cellar door when I go.” Mooch headed for the steps leading up to the farm. “I’ll be back, okay?”

The other monster nodded.

Mooch left the cellar, the brightness of the “sun” blinding her. The atmosphere felt eerily empty as she heard the door close behind her. “Okay, Mooch, it’ll be an easy mission— in and out.” She started making her way to the Wild East.

...

...

...

The first thing Mooch heard when she arrived in town was laughter. It wasn't joyful; it was the laughter of pure malice, and it was deafening.

“Oh, Golly! Do you three really think you can beat me? You really are idiots.”

The first voice she recognized was Ace’s. “Watch out! He’s using Vergil as a puppet!”

As she got closer to the town, Mooch could finally see the extent of destruction. The water tower had been completely knocked over, blocking access to the town square. Blackjack’s wares lay scattered across the sand; his shop was utterly destroyed.

In the distance, flames rose from the bar.

“Help… me…” Mooch saw Vergil, they horrified by the sight. Vines twisted in and out of his body, with a grinning flower perched on his head. Vergil's Every movement expelled dust as the creature kept him alive with green pellets.

“Sorry about that, buddy! I need you to stall these bozos just a little while longer.” The flower spoke gleefully. “I’ll consider letting you go if you entertain me enough, turtle.”

“Hey!” Ed yelled. “He’s not some toy for you to play with!”

“Oh? I honestly don’t care!” The flower raised Vergil's arm. “I’m trying here not to get bored of him, honest! But geez, He has such BASIC moves that I can’t help it!”

To prove his point, the flower forced Vergil to unleash an attack of shells and speeding carts.

“Nothing is interesting about this guy. Maybe I should’ve kept that bartender’s body. She had way more fun attacks then whatever this bozo has,” Vines began to erupt from the ground. “Oh well, I’ll just do that after Clover dies to Ceroba again.”

“You… did this to Dina?” Moray gripped their rapier tighter. “Just what are you?!”

“Oh, a new line! Looks like he’s progressing in the fight!” A vine swung at Moray, but Ed blocked the hit.

“Urgh!” Ed grimaced, feeling the impact that the attack had on his body. “Moray… I’ve got an idea! Let’s use that move we’ve been practicing!”

Moray gave a sharp nod. “Right.”

They stood back to back, preparing for their next move. With a heavy stomp, Ed slammed his fist into the earth, sending shockwaves through the ground. A thick cloud of dust erupted around them, obscuring their movements.

“Seriously? This is your plan? How disappointing,” the flower scoffed, its voice dripping with disdain. With a flick of its tendrils, it launched a shell into the dust cloud. But just as quickly, a rapier shot from the haze, piercing the flower’s vine and pinning it to the ground. “What the—?”

Moray shot up into the air, their body a blur of movement.

Meanwhile, Ed dashed toward the flower, grabbing rocks as he went. “I’ve got you now!”

He reached out to seize the flower, but another vine lashed out, wrapping around his arm and hurling him to the ground with brutal force. The creature’s hold on Vergil tightened, and the flower forced his body to twitch unnaturally, expelling a cloud of choking dust into Ed’s face.

“Idiot, you thought that would work?” the flower mocked.

Ed coughed, struggling to clear the dust from his vision. “Got ya..."

Meanwhile, Moray moved quickly, piercing through the vine pinning Ed down with a move. They turned and once again pierced through another one of the vines that held Vergil. “You’re pathetic, is this all you’ve got?” The Flower sounded bored. The flower sneered. “All of you fish monsters are the same. So annoyingly persistent.”

Ed shook off the dust and got back on his feet. He snatched another rock and hurled it toward the flower, but his aim was off. The rock flew past harmlessly.

“Your aim is as bad as your strategy,” the flower taunted, its voice mocking. “No wonder the sheriff got himself killed, his posse is full of morons!”

Ed’s eyes flared with anger. “He's not dead!"

The flower’s grin twisted even further. “Let’s make this more entertaining, shall we?” It slammed its vines into the ground, ripping up the earth in jagged lines. More tendrils shot from the cracks, tearing apart the landscape as if the very ground itself was bending to its will.

Suddenly, a sharp voice cut through the air, “I wouldn’t count on that.” Ace appeared behind the flower, moving with quiet precision. He struck Vergil’s head, his blow forcing Vergil’s body forward in an unsettling jerk. “We’re not out of cards yet.”

From the rocks, a series of floating clubs, aces, diamonds, and hearts emerged, their sharp edges gleaming. They streaked toward the flower with the intent to remove them from Vergil. The flower reacted quickly, swiping at them with its vines.

“You’d really risk hurting your friend?” the flower sneered. “Golly, and I thought I'd seen bad friends."

Ed grinned, "Bad friends don't do what's best for their friends. It's over."

The flower’s eyes narrowed as it realized the trap closing in on them. Its grin faded into a more calculating expression. “Bold. But do you think I’ll just stay here while you send those cards to me? I’ll abandon this body the moment you make your move.”

Moray glared at the Flower, “You’re already trapped.”

A dozen rapiers materialized in the air, each one slashing through the vines that bound Vergil. The Flower hissed as each vine was cut.

“Now get out of our way!” Moray shouted at the flower, their tone unwavering.

For a brief moment, the permanent grin painted on the flower’s face faltered. It appeared that everything was going according to plan. For a brief moment, it seemed that everything would be okay.

Then?

“Hah…” The flower looked down, a shadow obscuring its face, “Hah… HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!” It began to laugh. “Nice try.”

Just as Ace’s attack was about to hit, the flower effortlessly wiped out the attack with its pellets, snatching Mooch's friends with its vines.

“Oh, it’s been fun messing with you stupid wannabe heroes. But I’ve got bigger monsters to help kill.” Any damage the flower had suffered seemed to vanish! It was as if none of the gang's efforts mattered. “And by the way?” The flower pulled a vine from Vergil’s head. “You would’ve never freed him no matter how hard you tried. The vine controlling him was in his head.”

As the flower maniacally laughed while crushing the gang, Mooch remained hidden behind a cactus. She realized that if she did nothing, they were doomed.

Ignoring her shaking hands, she quickly and silently got close to Vergil… and tore the controlling vine from him.

“W-what?!” The Flower rotated its head to see Mooch helping them get Virgil to safety. “Ah, it’s the mistake.” The Flower dropped Virgil’s weakened body on the ground along with the others.

“M…Mooch.” Ace weakly called out, “G…g-get out of..here.”

“You’re the most annoying of them all. Always ruining my fun when I bother to play around in this idiotic town.” They said as they rooted themselves onto the ground. “As much as I would like to deal with all of you again…I’ve done my job.”

A singular gunshot echoed behind the Flower.

Its smile stretched far wider than it should have been able to, “Welp, that’s my signal to get going!”

“Wait!” Mooch reached for the creature, but it vanished into the ground too quickly. “No!”

Ed groaned as he got up, “Virgil!” He picked up the being from the ground, “You okay?”

“I–They…So many…Oh, Angel…So much dust….” Virgil started to sob. “I k-killed them. Oh no, I failed them. They trusted me…They thought I was the Flower…”

The four surrounded him, he was going to survive his wounds, but the emotional scars would run deep. He wouldn't be okay, not for a while.

“T…The human…Stop……them…They..can’t…win.” Virgil gasped out before he went unconscious.

Ed gently placed him back on the ground. “We need to go.”

Everyone nodded their heads.

“But how are we going to get past the knocked-down water tower?” Moray asked.

They all stopped to think. They couldn’t risk wasting any more energy than they already had with that Flower.

“I got it,” Ace told the three of them. “We’re near Blackjack, right? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind us borrowing a few tools.”

‘Borrowing’? A smug look slowly crawled onto Mooch’s face; she was in.

…

…

…

The ones fighting in the town's center could’ve never expected what happened next. An explosion blasted through the tower, the sound booming across the time, four individuals stepped through the rubble.

Ceroba was struggling to breathe; they had been fighting the human for a while now with no end in sight. Every move she threw at them, they seemed to know how to dodge it.

“Thinking about it now, it was strange…When we tried to attack the human, they also knew how to dodge us even when it was the first time we met,” Mooch noted.

“This Flower…Do you have any idea of its motives?” Gerson asked the four.

Moray shook their head, “Nope, just spouted some nonsense about wanting to help the human in whatever way they could.”

“Anyway, we fought the human for a while but…”

“Why won’t you die!?” Ceroba shouted as she launched a barrage of cherry blossoms and bell bombs at the Cowboy. “The four of you get out while you still can!”

The Feisty Four were heavily wounded. “B-but…!” Ed was about to protest until Ceroba interrupted them.

“I’ll…I’ll follow after you, okay!” She winced as another bullet grazed her. Ceroba readied her staff again for another attack, “Th-that’s the best you got? Didn’t even faze me…!” She unleashed a barrage of energy spheres while throwing flower bombs at the human.

“She’s right…We can’t win, we need to retreat now…” Ace, who had taken the most hits, urged them.

“I don’t like it, but…” Moray turned to Mooch, “Is it okay if we leave Ceroba with you?”

Mooch nodded; she understood why they asked her to stay behind. She was easily the fastest of them all and could escape quickly if needed. She could also hold the human back while Ceroba fled.

“Okay…Ed grab Ace, I’ll get Vergil and head to the cellar,” Moray told Ed. As they left, Moray turned to them, “Come back okay?”

“Mhph!” She ran off to hide in a pile of rubble.

…

…

…

“Ah!” Ceroba cried out as another projectile struck her side. “You’re determined to stop us, aren’t you?”

The human didn’t respond, weaving through Ceroba’s rapidly increasing fire attacks with ease. This was the moment for Mooch to help, to get Ceroba out of here. But just as she was about to act…

The distant sound of a train’s horn echoed, growing louder.

“What is...?” Ceroba steadied herself, trying to regain focus she squinted, “Is that—”

Before she could finish, the train tore through a crumbling building, crashing toward the cowboy at full speed, leaving no time for the human to dodge.

Dust and debris filled the air. When it cleared, a familiar figure stepped from the wreckage. North Star, the sheriff, held a single Flower tightly in his grip. “Sorry, Roba, I tried to hide, but…” North Star gave a cool smirk. “Some Ruffin tried to pull something nasty on me.”

“Unhand me, you human-wannabe freak!” The Flower writhed in North Star’s grip, its voice sharp and mocking.

“I reckon I’ll be doin' no such thing,” North Star replied firmly, shoving the Flower into a nearby pot. “We’ll take care of you later.”

The human, still recovering from the unexpected attack, pushed themselves up.

“I’ve heard about you,” North Star continued, his voice cold, his left hand resting on his holstered weapon. “Y'see, I can't allow you past this area.”

“What’s he...?” Ceroba whispered to herself, struggling to stay upright.

“Outlaws like you don’t get to keep doin’ what you’re doin’. Folks like me take peace seriously,” North Star said, though his voice had the usual gusto. there was a tremor in his hand, betraying the uncertainty beneath his cool exterior. Mooch could see it.

“But you have a method to what yer doin'…” North Star hesitated, then looked up at the human with a flicker of determination. “You could’ve shot Roba by now while I was talking, but you didn’t. And that means somethin’.”

The human’s expression was unreadable, but their stance was firm. They didn’t back down. North Star’s hand, still trembling, hovered over his gun.

“How about we settle this fairly?” North Star’s voice was low, almost hesitant. “A dual. The fastest draw wins.”

The Flower scoffed, calling out to the human, “Hey pal, are you sure you want to play into his game?"

But the human didn’t respond. They simply walked toward North Star, their steps steady.

“Ten paces,” North Star muttered, his gaze never leaving the human. Mooch watched closely, her fingers twitching, unsure of what to do. She was considering intervening but... This was North Star’s fight—no his duty.

Each step was heavier than the last. The tension hung thick in the air. One shot could end or continue the human's rampage. The fate of this moment lay in the hands of both the sheriff and the human, two beings driven by their sense of justice, for better or worse this would be a critical moment moving forward.

“Draw!” North Star called.

Before the human could even move, North Star’s gun fired, striking them squarely in the head.

“No way, Clover!” The Flower’s voice was sharp, filled with annoyance rather than concern. “Do you have any idea how much time we’ve lost because you wanted to play along with that idiot!?”

For a moment, no one moved. The silence was thick, and heavy with disbelief and confusion. The human didn’t fall.

“I’m fine,” came a flat reply. “It was a fake.”

“Hah…” North Star whispered, “I can't do it, you're still just a kid...I'm such a fraud… I couldn’t even do it when it mattered…" He looked up at Clover and gave an empty smile, "Thanks for makin' me feel cool for a little bit."

The human pulled his weapon out and took his stance, aiming at the sheriff but Before Clover could fire it, Mooch struck, hurling a gold coin straight into his hand. It flew through the air, knocking the weapon from his grasp with a sharp clang. The gun skittered across the ground, far out of reach.

“North Star—no—Starlo!” Mooch cried, rushing forward on top of the rubble. “What are you doing?!”

Starlo’s eyes were wide, still processing what had just happened. “Mooch? Why aren’t you in the evacuation area?”

“I didn’t sign up for some fake gang, I thought you were the real deal!” Mooch snapped, breathing shakily, she had no idea what she was doing but that wasn't going to stop her now.

“I'm not-” Starlo started, his voice strained.

“That’s not true!” Mooch sharply interrupted Starlo, "You can beat him. Like in those Western movies the five of us watched—the good guys always win, no matter what.”

Starlo froze, staring at her. The weight of her words hit him like a train.

Then, Ceroba, barely standing, staggered up behind him, “As much as I didn’t want you involved, you didn't run... Don't get me wrong, I'm still ticked off that you didn't listen.”

“C-Ceroba, I—” Starlo stammered.

“But…” Ceroba winced, leaning on their staff. “If I’m being honest, I could really use your help to take down this thing.”

Starlo blinked, taken aback. For a moment, it felt like everything had paused. But then, a smile broke across his face, a flash of confidence returning to his eyes.

“Of course, I wasn’t gonna die like that! I was just... pulling your leg,” he said, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Ceroba scoffed, shaking her head. “Yeah, alright, Star. Try not to die.”

A pot shattered nearby as Clover sneered, turning toward the group. “Did you three think the world stopped just because you were talking?” He eyed North Star, then the human. “I hope you don’t mind me joining the fun. It wouldn't be fair for you to be in a three-on-one battle, right?” they winked.

“Why…does this feel…wrong?” the human asked the Flower.

The Flower grinned in response. “Buddy, don’t you remember what I told you? They’re all accomplices to the murder of the missing kids.”

Clover nodded. “A-ah, right.”

The wind howled as a mixture of dust and sand clouded the battlefield. Each side glared at the other, waiting for the next move.

The real showdown was about to begin!

“Wait, hold up,” Gerson interrupted Mooch. “You’re saying a monster was manipulating a human into causing a massacre? And that they’ve been to Snowdin?”

Mooch nodded.

Gerson turned to whisper to Asgore, “There haven’t been any reports of this here. You don’t think this town…?”

Asgore shook his head. “If that were the case, they would’ve attacked us by now. There’s something more to this than it seems.” He turned back to Mooch. “So, this Sheriff, ‘North Star’ as you mentioned, Ceroba, and you confronted this human?”

“Well, they mainly did. I just supported them. Those two were always among the stronger monster types.”

“Boss monster?” Gerson asked.

Ace shook his head. “Just regular monsters.”

“You’re still alive, though,” Asgore said. “I take it you survived the human but at a—”

“Very high cost,” Ed finished.

Mooch’s breath quickened. “I-I don’t know what went wrong.” She cupped her hands over her head. “We were doing so well against them, but then they— they just knew our every move! That’s when—”

“I’m out!” Starlo shouted as he heard a click coming from his revolver.

Ceroba created a barrier over Starlo as the human targeted him. “Too…tired,” she said wearily before collapsing onto the ground.

“Ceroba!” Mooch cried.

“It happened so fast, you know? One moment they were there, and the next…”

“Oh, I’m going to enjoy this!” The Flower struck Mooch with a vine and fired projectiles at her. “With that fox gone, those annoying shields won't protect you!" it cackled.

“If I wasn’t so weak or had completed my objective there then…”

“No!” Starlo yelled, digging into his poncho for his last dynamite stick. “Get away from her!” He threw it at the Flower, sending it flying off. This only gave the human the chance to target Ceroba, who lay unconscious.

“Ceroba might’ve…”

“Y-you! Why! J-just, just why!?” Starlo shouted in distress. “What’s the point of all this?!”

The Cowboy stood there silently for a moment before answering. “It’s for Justice for those who were lost.”

“Justice…?” Mooch whispered. “You can’t even admit the harm you’re causing!?”

This turned out to be a mistake as the human focused on her. They had never seen such hatred from anyone before. It felt cold.

“Flowey was right. You really are monsters.”

“If I had stayed out of the way, maybe Starlo would’ve…”

The human loaded bullets into their revolver. “I thought I was in the wrong for a moment,” they said. They aimed at Mooch, “Justice will be served.” For a brief moment, she saw the chamber of the gun glow a shining yellow.

“W-wait! P-please don’t—” But it was too late. Time seemed to slow as she lay there, helplessly watching the bullet draw closer.

“I honestly thought I would die there,” Mooch let out a hollow laugh. “But he just had to be the hero one last time…”

Mooch closed her eyes, not how she expected to be taken out. At least most of her friends were safe. That... wasn't bad, not bad at all.

But instead of a sharp pain entering her she felt nothing. Opening her eyes revealed–

“Starlo!”

He grunted, “Heh, whatcha starin' at Mooch? It’s only a small bullet wound.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get that sight out of my head.”

There was a gaping hole in Starlo where his gut was supposed to be. “G-g-guess this is the end of the line, huh?” He nervously chuckled. “At least I won’t keep R-Roba waiting.”

“I…Don’t say that!”

“I’m going to be honest Mooch, this hurts a lot and I’m kind of scared…But can you do me a favor?” She nodded. “Tell the ... .posse…and my… family I’m… sorry…for not...bein…g…a bet...ter…fri…end…and…son.”

He fell backward onto the ground with his arm raised. Mooch looked up to the human who stared with bewilderment. “...”

Before she could run she felt something hit her, hard, it was Starlo’s train.

“Of course king, you know what monster magic can also be used for, as an expression for oneself,” Ace told Asgore.

“So when I got hit by it…”

Instead of the pain that they'd expected from the train, they felt...Love? It reminded Mooch of the first encounter she had with Starlo and her subsequent joining of his posse. It reminded Mooch of the many times that Starlo dragged her around town to have her return stolen items. It reminded Mooch of his 'lassons' that he had the four do for their daily trainings.

He'd rather have them safe than have the chance to be able to survive himself.

The train would go and go until it dissipated once it reached Sunnyside farm. She landed on the corn softly, the other three ran up to her asking what happened. She couldn’t even get the first word out before bursting into tears.

“T-they–He–she—dead!” She couldn’t even form a proper sentence as they brought her down to the cellar.

{!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!}

“And then a few days later we’re here.” Mooch finished the story.

“It’s not a fake story,” Gerson spoke in a hushed tone to Asgore. “I can sense that and she ain’t lying about that human and monster committing this massacre.”

The evidence supporting the fact that a massacre did occur was too strong. However, there was one oddity in their story. “A flower monster attacked you?”

Ed nodded, “Yeah? What’s so confusing about that?”

‘Flower monsters aren’t apart of our race, that's what’s confusing.’

“Nothing, just confirming what was said.” Asgore chalked it up to being the human’s magic. Clover, that was their name right? It wouldn’t be out of the question for that human to be able to cast plant-based magic if they were able to slaughter so many of his people. “I’ll send some of the Royal Guards to this area to help you recover from your tragic loss.”

A citizen from the sidelines humorlessly laughed, “Wow, I didn’t think they were serious when Dina said that the only time the government would help was if it was the end of the Dunes.” This earned him a kick from a child. “Ow! I’m just kidding!”

“Another thing before I go, you mentioned that this human was named Clover. Can you give me a description of what they looked like?”

“...I don’t see why not,” Ace muttered to himself. “They were around Mooch’s height, if not a little shorter, and they were dressed like a cowboy.”

“A cowboy?” That sounded very familiar to what he had dreamed about last night.

Moray shuddered, “They also had those weird eyes! During our fight with them, their eyes changed from a yellow to red ones!”

“Did they also possess a yellow bandana with blue polka dots?” Asgore inquired.

“How’d you know?” Mooch asked.

“Intuition.” It confirmed that his dream wasn’t just a dream, but a foreshadowing of what was to come. “Gerson, does our old bounty system still work?”

It had rarely been used before. Only around fourteen times in the entire Kingdoms history. The way it worked was that a monster would insert themselves into a printing machine and have magic honed in the form of judgment, like Gerson, becoming a medium to print out Wanted posters. Since it was made out of judgment, the bounty poster would hover towards the direction of the criminal when held out.

“Maybe a little finicky to use, but it should still work,” he replied. Gerson smirked, “Don’t worry yourself, Fluffybuns. I’ll take care of this human—”

“No,” Asgore cut Gerson off. “Just get them sent out and use the description we've been given as a base for the drawing. This threat should be our highest priority, as well as the priority of the Underground. While we haven’t had any new cases like this, it doesn’t mean that it can’t happen again.”

“A-ah, right, it’s not a game. Alright,” he rolled his arm, “What should the human’s bounty be? Assuming, of course, that we let the monsters of the Underground help out.”

That wasn’t a bad idea. Monsterkind was far stronger than during their time on the surface, given the relative peace. The Oasis and Wild East were exceptions to this due to their sudden appearance, but according to Mooch, they weren't weak either. If everyone banded together, they could overwhelm the human and bring them to justice.

“What’s the criminal ranking, Gerson? It’s been so long.”

Gerson stroked his goatee thoughtfully, saying, “Let’s see... Our ranking system starts at one hundred thousand G for the lowest-level criminals, those who’ve committed non-violent offenses, like theft. Next, we have one million G for criminals with a history of violence, especially those who have harmed other monsters. Finally, the highest rank, three million G, is reserved for the most dangerous criminals—those who are both violent and have taken lives.”

Asgore pondered the proper amount of G's the human's bounty should be assigned. One million seemed so little…

“You’re thinking about this?!” Ed exclaimed, outraged. “It’s obvious what his bounty should be!”

“Yeah!” Moray nodded. “Five million! Clover’s done way more than just be prone to violence and murder, they outright committed genocide!”

“Yes… that does seem fitting for such a foe.” He turned to Gerson. “And if you will, please note that the threat isn’t a human but rather a monster masked as one?”

“What the hell—why would you put that?” Ace rarely shouted with rage, but this was an exception.

“It threatens the safety of my child. If they were to find out that one of their own has been slaughtering our kind… It wouldn’t be right for a child to bear the burdens of another for the rest of their life,” Asgore explained to the Feisty Four. “If that’s all, we’ll be taking our leave. We must make haste with the time we have left.”

With no monster saying anything further, Asgore turned away and started to head back, with Gerson following suit.

“A battle of great importance will commence soon,” Asgore muttered under his breath. “But… will I have to murder a child to secure the peace of monsters and humans?”

“He has another child now?!” a random monster screamed. “Since when did Asgore adopt human children?!”

Ace tilted his hat lower to cover his eyes. “Perhaps we’ve been disconnected from the Underground for much longer than we thought.”

Mooch sighed. “The thought of the human just… waiting for his moment to strike is frightening. I’d bet he’s plotting to get the rest of us as we speak.”

“What?! There’s no way!” Asriel cried out.

Clover had returned from his detour feeling relieved. It filled him with a strange determination to apologize to his friends for putting them through that after reuniting with them.

“Wow… that makes it what? Eight losses for you in just this one session?” Chara smirked. “I suppose the game of tic-tac-toe is too complex for you,” they teased the goat.

Asriel pouted. “We’re going again!”

They giggled softly. “We’re going to nine? Wow, my favorite number!”

“What… are you two doing?” Clover asked.

“Hm? Oh, you’re back!” Asriel got off the ground. “You took a while. Want to play—”

“As great as it would be to chat here, we should get moving home. Knowing Mom, she’s probably freaking out over where we are,” Chara interrupted.

“R-right… Golly, we’re going to be so grounded if showing her Clover doesn’t work,” Asriel said, worried.

Chara reassured Asriel. “I’m sure she won’t do that… probably.”

“What do you mean, probably?!”

Chara just hummed as they briskly walked off toward the castle elevator.

“H-hey, wait up!”

Clover looked down at the street that the two had used as their playing board. He was in disbelief at what the results showed: the same pattern for each round they played. It was baffling how Asriel fell for the same trick every time Chara and he played.

It reminded him of what Ace did to Mooch during that party. Ace was on “Mooch duty,” as Starlo called it, keeping an eye on her in case she got out of hand. While it wasn’t exactly the same as tic-tac-toe, he kept her distracted for a while by doing the same magic trick over and over. For a smart squirrel, she sure was pretty gullible.

Clover twirled the toy gun. While he knew that Martlet was somewhere in the Underground, he hoped that the Feisty Five had somehow also come to this time. Clover chuckled to himself, he’d bet if he ran into them, they’d drench his vest in tears. That is if they were aware of his sacrifice.

Clover frowned, they hoped that they wouldn’t be too hard on Ceroba once they received the news.

…

Wait, he needed to catch up with Chara and Asriel before they accidentally left him behind!

…

…

…

Chara rubbed their forehead. “Can’t believe we almost forgot you again.” They turned to face him. “Seriously, how are you so quiet?”

They were inside the elevator going up to the castle. It was a bit nerve-wracking to head to where he was once supposed to bring Asgore to justice to ask for his help in finding his friends. It felt strange, for sure.

“A friend taught me,” he responded. “I haven’t exactly been able to unlearn it…”

“Really?” Asriel raised an eyebrow as he leaned against the wall. “You humans sure have weird quirks. Like Chara has that face they make when they get—”

“No, I don’t,” Chara quickly interjected.

“Eh? What do you mean you don’t have one? You do that thing where your eyes go all—”

“Ahem!” Chara pointed their head toward Clover. “Not right now.”

“Oh, okay!”

‘What face does Asriel find weird?’ Clover thought about it some more. It had something to do with their eyes, but—

Clover was standing at the exit of the mountain. It was getting dark, but before he could go, a figure stood before him, facing the lowering sun. Turning around revealed a human with voids for eyes and a melting face. It was…!

Clover felt a sharp pain in his head. Gasping, he clutched the side of his head with his left hand. What was that? It was just like viewing Ceroba’s memories!

Asriel looked over at him. “Something wrong?”

Chara stared at him but didn’t say anything.

“I-it’s nothing, just a headache...” Clover told them. “I haven't had a chance to sleep ever since coming down here.”

Asriel frowned. “Golly, three days and no rest? No wonder we found you passed out at Home.” His frown turned into a smile. “Well, once we get back home, you’ll be rested up in no time! Ain’t that right, Chara?”

They just nodded, though Clover knew they understood he was lying. That save point had put him back at his peak condition.

‘Why couldn’t I come up with a better excuse?’ Clover mentally berated himself.

The rest of the elevator ride was uncomfortable after that. On top of that, he was starving from not having a proper meal in a while.

...

...

...

“And here we are!” Asriel exclaimed as he unlocked the front door to the house.

Despite never having been there before, it felt strangely familiar—like an odd sense of déjà vu. “Looks nice,” he commented.

Chara rolled their eyes. “Ah yes, the gray certainly appeals to the eye.”

“C’mon, Chara, gray is a staple of the best monster architects!” Asriel replied as he opened the door.

“A little color wouldn’t hurt anybody,” they mumbled.

Asriel smiled. “If you want to be technical, orange and blue attacks have harmed monsters.”

“...”

“I don’t think that’s what Chara meant, Asriel.”

“It isn’t?”

Chara sighed. “Just get inside…”

“Okay?”

They were finally back home. Honestly, if she could put into words how long it felt like it would've stretched over to four chapters.

‘An odd comparison for sure…’ Chara thought to themselves.

“I can’t believe that took us the whole day!” Asriel stated as they walked inside.

Chara flipped the light switch, illuminating the room. “I can’t believe Mom or Dad isn't here. Usually, they’re doing that gross grown-up stuff in the living room while working on papers.”

“Gross grown-up stuff?” Clover asked out loud.

Chara rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t get me started on what they do.”

“Oh, here they go again,” Asriel muttered.

What came next was a justified reason for her disgust over her parents' activities: the silly nicknames, the lovey-dovey attitude, the way they stuck together like glue, and those stupid puns her mom made. It wasn’t that Chara had an issue with the actions themselve. it was actually quite nice to see. But her parents were way too affectionate for her liking.

It took Chara a while to get used to a loving environment like that when she was first adopted by the Dreemurrs. It was a far cry from what the orphanage was—

She paused, raising eyebrows from the two in front of her.

‘Whoa, where’d that thought come from?’

“A-anyways…you get the point,” she finished her rant abruptly.

“I, for one,” Asriel pointed a finger in the air, “think it’s lovely. What about you, Clover? Do your parents do that too?”

“...I don’t know. They were always working,” Clover answered, his tone empty.

Chara mentally facepalmed. Had Asriel just asked Clover about his parents, whom he probably wanted to see again? “Azzy!” she hushed him, “Underground, remember?”

It took him a few seconds to get the hint. “O-oh golly! I’m sorry, Clover. I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s fine,” Clover replied with a gentle smile. “I’ve already moved on from them.”

Oh. That’s right, Clover had realized that they weren’t in his time anymore. It reminded Chara that her fears, while justified, didn't make sense. Even if Clover killed Asgore and got back to the surface, he would just be homeless on the streets without anyone to care for him.

A sense of uneasiness crawled into the room as they stood there in silence.

“......”

Suddenly, a loud rumble echoed through the room.

“W-whoa, what’s that?”

Clover looked off to the side, almost embarrassed. “I dunno.”

Chara scoffed. Had he not eaten the pie already? “Azzy, can you do me a favor?”

“Yeah…?”

“It seems that your new friend here is starving. You should get him some of the leftovers from yesterday, don’t you think?”

“Oh boy, you’re right! I guess that pie didn’t do it for him.” He went over to the next room.

"..."

“For the record, I was saving it as a healing—”

“You forgot it,” Chara bluntly interrupted.

Clover scratched his head. “...Yeah, I forgot about it.”

“Thought so.”

Chara was about to ask him what his deal was in the elevator until she noticed the state he was in. While he was in peak condition, that was not the case for other parts of him. One major issue that was starting to become apparent was the smell. “Ew, when’s the last time—actually, don’t answer that; I don’t want to know.”

Monsters didn’t need to clean themselves like humans. Their physical body, that is. This was mainly due to their different physical composition. Humans are made of physical matter, while monsters aren't made up as much of it. Her parents found that out the hard way after the first week of having Chara.

Clover nervously laughed. “About four days…?”

They blinked. “...Second door in the hallway to the left. Go clean yourself, will you?”

He nervously laughed again. “Uh…this is the only pair of clothes I have on me.”

In response, Chara blinked before sighing. “Did you seriously jump down into a mountain without anything?”

“When you say it like that…”

“Just go. I’ll get you something from Asriel.”

Toriel was having a bad day, to say the least.

In the morning, while she was working to ensure the CORE project didn’t exceed its budget by an obscene amount, a worker from the Steamworks had asked for her assistance. It regarded a sudden influx of robots in the Macro Frogit station. Not wanting to disturb the Royal Guards on their break, she decided to accept the call for help.

So she left, asking her children to take care of the plants that had grown where Chara had fallen. While she would have done it herself, something told her that things wouldn’t go according to plan.

This feeling turned out to be very true!

A robot calling itself “Axis Model 14” had caused quite a stir. While it wasn’t dangerous per se, it was an incredible nuisance to deal with. Axis stated its purpose was to protect the Steamworks from intruders, which so happened to include everyone. It had even caught her off guard once, throwing her into a room with other workers caught in the crossfire.

To say it was annoying would be an understatement.

It took all day to wrangle the pesky machine and shut it down. Toriel left it with one of the scientists, Chujin, she believed, to search for a possible explanation of what the robot was and where it came from.

But all that was in the past now; she finally got to see her bundles of joy once more. Even if they were supposed to be asleep, the lights being on indicated they were still up to see her. Entering her home, she was greeted by the smell of meatloaf from yesterday. ‘Asriel must be enjoying a little snack with Chara,’ she thought as she went to the kitchen.

Once she made it to the kitchen, she saw Asriel wrapping a plate with tin foil. “Sweetie, what did I tell you about sneaking food into your room?”

Asriel almost dropped the plate before catching it. “O-oh hey, Mom. It’s not for me; it’s for a friend I made today!”

Toriel smiled. Of course, he made another new friend today. If she didn’t know any better, she would’ve thought he had befriended the whole Underground by now. Then she remembered what time it was. “Asriel, isn’t it a bit late for a friend to come over?”

“He’s staying over! Chara insisted on keeping them close!” her son responded.

While she’d appreciate a heads up about another child staying over, the fact that Chara was making more friends besides Asriel made her feel relieved. “What about his parents? Are they okay with this?”

“Oh, uh, about that…” Asriel fidgeted with his sweater. “We sort of found him while we went to take care of the flowers in Home.”

“Found him?” Toriel asked, puzzled. The Underground wasn’t dangerous, but it was concerning for a child to be left alone like that.

“Yeah, he’s a human like Chara.”

What.

“I-I’m sorry, sweetie, but could you repeat that?” Toriel was taken aback.

“Sure! He’s a human like Chara. They won’t say it, but they know each other from the surface!”

What.

“I-I see…Could you tell me the name of this human?”

“Yep! His name is Clover! He said he accidentally fell into the Underground while searching near the mountain, but I think he was just lying about being here to look for Chara.”

What.

“Is he related to Chara?” Toriel asked.

“Nope!”

Wha- ‘Actually, it’s not bad. He’s probably just a close friend of Chara. They are just children after all.’

“Ah, where is this Clover?”

Asriel rubbed his chin in thought. “Uh…I think he’s in the bath right now.”

“And Chara?”

“She’s in our room right now looking for clothes. Turns out Clover only had what he was wearing when he came down.”

“That’s unfortunate. Well, I’ll be checking on Chara now.”

Before she could leave, Asriel took her hand. “Wait, Mom! I want to tell you the cool stuff I learned about humans!”

She huffed but smiled tiredly. “Very well, what did you learn?” It was nice to see that Asriel had developed a curiosity for learning.

“It turns out Clover is really interesting!” Asriel began to ramble about all his newfound knowledge. He spoke about humans resisting cold temperatures and how they were quiet on their feet. “Oh, another thing before you go! Did you know that humans bond in unique ways?”

Those words made her pause,“What do you mean ‘unique ways’?”

“Back at our old house, I heard Clover say something about getting lost in Chara’s eyes while she was on him,” Asriel explained.

What?

Toriel felt a bit dazed. Her child was only twelve, and yet they were already in a relationship with another. Toriel had thought she'd understand the phrase 'children grow too fast' with Asriel but alas she was proven wrong.

Asriel looked worried. “M-mom, are you okay? You look a bit wobbly.”

“I-I just need to process this.”

“I can’t wait for you to meet Clover!” Asriel exclaimed.

‘Oh Angel, please give me a break,’ she prayed silently to herself.

A shiver ran up Chara’s spine as she sensed that trouble was coming her way soon.

Shaking off that feeling, she resumed drawing on a piece of paper. Asriel was taking a long time in the kitchen for some odd reason, and Clover was currently being cleaned of his time in the Underground. Chara figured that working on her hobby would be a good way to pass the time.

Chara was drawing a certain Cowboy along with his stats and once finished would be added to her journal of Monster stats. Or would he need to be put in another journal since he’s not a monster? She shook her head, they’ll figure it out later. The drawing was coming along just fine until a certain someone stepped into the room.

“Wow, that was relaxing,” Clover said as he entered.

He was wearing Asriel’s old sweater, which was pink with a purple stripe. It was similar to the matching sweaters that Chara and Asriel had. “Not wearing your hat?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Nah, I left it with all my stuff at the entrance.” He dug around in his pocket before pulling out his toy gun. “Here you go, thanks for letting me use it.”

“Sure…” Chara replied as she took the gun from him.

“It’s really cool looking! I gotta say, the attention to detail makes it look straight out of a Western movie,” Clover unknowingly complimented his weapon. “You have a really good eye for this type of stuff!”

Chara was taken aback by the compliment. Not that she minded, they strangely liked it, but it seemed so sudden. “What are you doing?” she asked.

He was vibrating with excitement before blurting out, “A-are you also a fan of the Wild West?”

'What?' Chara couldn't believe that was what he was excited about.

“Not really,” she finally said.

Clover’s glow faded the moment those words left her mouth. “Oh…”

Chara internally winced, not wanting to see Clover look so disheartened, not wanting to deal with the annoyance. She quickly followed up with, “I haven’t heard much about it. Mind telling me about it?”

His smile returned. “Oh! You’ve been missing out then!” What followed was a deep dive into Cowboy culture. Clover was surprisingly knowledgeable about where cowboys came from and the history surrounding them. They were relatable, struggling to survive against all odds in the Wild West.

It was sort of cool, not that Chara was going to admit it.

But alas, she could only take so much. “Alright, slow down.”

Clover gave her a sheepish grin. “Sorry, I just haven’t met another kid to tell this to!”

It was strange— the more they talked, the harder it became for Chara to remember how Clover used to be. To be honest, she still had reservations about humans, but maybe it was worth…befriending them?

Sure, making friends with other humans hadn't worked out in the past, but perhaps Clover was an exception. Speaking of which, “What do you mean? Aren’t humans still crazy about that kind of stuff?” The Wild West had still been relatively popular among children before she fell into the Underground.

Clover shook his head. “No…they moved on to other ‘cooler’ things. The only other place I’ve seen that people seem to like it is in the Wild East.”

“I guess that makes sense?” Chara mused. Just how long had she been in the Underground? “What year was it when you fell?”

Clover tilted his head. “About…2086?”

'Oh my, it has been quite a while, huh?' That was over seventy years after her death!

“Wait, so when did the other children fall?”

Clover blinked. “Thirty years before me. I guess you wouldn’t know that since, y’know, past and all. I think the first one fell down here a year or two after you. As for the rest...they fell in at varying times of each other. Though the last one fell in fifteen years before I did." He explained.

Did Clover come down here to look for children who wouldn’t even be kids anymore? “Why would you go down here, then? You do know that they would either be dead or adults, right?” Chara asked.

“Well, I was told to go find them,” Clover replied.

What?

Before Chara could press for more information, a loud knocking came from the door. “Chara? Honey, are you in there?”

“Isn’t that Toriel?” Clover asked.

Chara chuckled, “Only one of the nicest monsters around.” She got up from the floor and went over to the door. “Yeah, I’m here!”

Opening the door revealed her mom, who was quite tall but had a warm presence. However, she looked a little off…

“Howdy!” Asriel exclaimed as he walked over to Clover, plate in hand. “Here you go, buddy.”

Clover muttered a quick thanks as he tore into the food, consuming it quickly. “Much better.”

“My my, Clover, such a savage. You even ate the tinfoil,” Chara teased.

He smiled. “It adds flavor!”

Chara had a feeling he wasn’t joking. To be fair, she also had her fair share of oddities, like gunpowder. Not that it was her fault, it tasted like white chocolate.

“Greetings, my child. I hope my two children have been welcoming to you,” Toriel said as she moved away from the doorway. “I apologize in advance if one of them has been…unbecoming towards you.”

What was that supposed to mean?

“It’s fine. They were nice to me!” Clover told Toriel.

“Is that so…” Toriel muttered as she eyed both Chara and Clover.

‘Does she think we’re siblings because we're both humans?’ They inwardly laughed at that thought. It was a funny thing to think about.

“I’m sorry Clover, but could I perhaps talk to Chara in private?”

“Okay?”

‘Classic Toriel, already planning to give Clover a welcoming party.’

“Can I show Clover around the house?” Asriel asked Toriel.

“Sure, sweetie.”

The two of them left with Asriel dragging him out by the hand.

Toriel warmly smiled, “Your brother is quite excited about the new arrival, huh?”

Chara snickered, “Azzy does get excited easily. Should’ve seen him when I told him that Clover was a psychic.”

“And what about you?”

She raised an eye, “What do you mean?” Something told her that this conversation was not going to be about a welcoming party.

“You two seem close from what Asriel said. You must be happy, no?”

What? What nonsense had Azzy been spouting to Toriel? Of course, she wasn’t pleased by the human showing up, that would be insane.

“We aren’t close,” Chara said a little too quickly for her liking.

Uh oh, Toriel’s giving her that look, the look of ‘I don’t believe you but I’m going to pretend I do.’

Toriel lightly laughed, “Oh well, I suppose you two are only just children at the moment.”

Chara furrowed her eyebrows, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Toriel stared at her for a few moments before relenting, “I see the determination flowing through your eyes my child, very well, I’ll answer your question. You see-”

Unbeknownst to Chara, this would be a very grave mistake.

“And that’s that!” Asriel said, turning away from the staircase. “Any questions?”

Clover shook his head. “No, you explained it pretty well.”

The Dreemurr’s house, despite being inside the Castle, was not that large.

“I can’t wait to show you the rest of our home tomorrow!”

Clover took that back. This is just where they slept, the rest of their home must be huge!

Asriel stifled a yawn. “Whew! What a day it’s been, huh?”

‘We have been trekking across the Underground for a while,’ Clover thought.

He also yawned, realizing he was up for a good night's rest. “I do feel a little tired.” It was nice to sleep without worrying about whether he’d be attacked. He was also happy that he was going to find his friends tomorrow! He wondered how they would react.

“But where are you going to sleep?” Asriel asked aloud. “I guess we could make you a makeshift bed on the ground. That’s what Chara and I were thinking anyway.”

Clover shook his head. “I’m fine sleeping in that big chair near the fireplace. It’s large enough to be a bed on its own anyway.”

“I suppose that could—” Before Asriel could finish, a loud bang echoed from the hallway, followed by rapid footsteps. “That’s weird… Did something happen?”

Emerging from the hallway was a flushed Chara. “Azzy, dear brother, we need to have a small talk about not sharing certain things with certain individuals,” Chara said through gritted teeth.

Asriel looked puzzled. “Can’t we do that later? I feel—”

Chara gripped his arm. “I wasn’t asking.” But before they could drag Asriel away, they turned to Clover. “And you… Just don’t do anything!”

As Clover watched Chara take Asriel away, he wondered what had happened in that room. Electing to ignore that, he decided to take the time to look around the area he was in. Although Asriel had shown him most rooms, there was one area he hadn’t seen—the path to the throne room.

With a destination in mind, he started down the stairs when a motherly voice called out from behind him, “It’s quite late, isn’t it?”

Looks like he’d have to do this later. Clover glanced back at the source of the voice; it was Toriel, who appeared tired. “Just looking around,” he told her.

“Why not stay a little while? I’m sure you’re tired from the long journey you’ve just endured.”

There it was again, that strange sense of déjà vu! “Okay.”

Toriel took his hand, it almost felt like he was with Ceroba again. “I’m sorry, but we don’t expect visitors to stay over often… but I’m sure we can work something out.”

If this had been at the start of his time in the Underground, Clover would have followed along with whatever the Goat Lady said. However, it was different now, so he stopped her from leading him to the siblings' room. “Wait, I already know where I’m going to sleep.”

“O-oh, you do? Apologies for assuming.”

‘She really likes saying sorry, doesn’t she?’ Clover thought to himself.

“I just need a blanket if you have any.”

Toriel considered his request. “I think that we still have that one… Wait here for just a moment.” She let go of his hand and went off toward another room.

While he could have used this opportunity to sneak to the throne room and maybe find Asgore to help him find his friends, Toriel was right about it being late. Although physically he could keep going, he was mentally exhausted. Clover still couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that he had traveled to the past.

Then there was Chara. They seemed to know him for some odd reason, despite him never having met them, to his knowledge. Furthermore, if the calendar he had seen was correct, they disappeared in 2010. That was around seventy years ago, yet they still recognized him. Their behavior toward him was sporadic; they had first threatened to kill him, then provided invaluable help for just chocolate, and now they were treating him indifferently. Did they want to be his friend or not? It was truly confusing.

Clover shook his head. While his situation was indeed strange, it didn’t detract from his goal. That photo on the rooftop confirmed that at least Martlet was somewhere in the Underground, and with luck, his other friends would be nearby as well. Clover snickered to himself, imagining that the bluebird was probably panicking over why everything was so different.

'Or not… That apartment looked identical to when I went up there last time. It wouldn’t be surprising if other parts of the Underground looked the same.'

“Clover, I found a blanket you could use,” Toriel said, snapping him out of his thoughts. She stood in front of him with a yellow blanket adorned with blue polka dots. “It’s quite similar to your bandana—what a nice coincidence.”

“Thank you,” Clover muttered as he accepted the blanket.

A loud crash echoed from outside.

“W-wait, Chara!” Asriel cried out. “It was just a joke! A joke!”

The sound of crackling fire filled the air. “Oh, you don’t say? I’m also just joking, Azzy,” Chara said cheerfully. “Stand still, I’m still new to this type of magic.”

Toriel rubbed her forehead. “Those two sometimes…” She shifted her gaze back to Clover. “Don’t worry, nobody will get hurt. At most, Chara can only form a weak fireball.”

“Shouldn’t you still…?” Clover hesitated.

“I will, but it’s nice to see her be more emotional around others. She’s always emotionally reclusive unless she’s with us.” Toriel walked off, adding, “Sleep well, won’t you?”

Clover nodded as he found himself alone again. He walked over to the chair… Chariel? He shook his head. That didn’t make much sense.

He closed his eyes, and for once, a peaceful slumber awaited him. He wasn’t sure what tomorrow would bring, but he was certain that everything would be okay once he found his friends. It had to be.

Clover woke up in a sweat, startled to find himself in a place he thought he’d never see again: the surface. He was in the backseat of a car that was driving towards Mount Ebott.

“I’m sure you’ve heard about that legend from your parents,” the driver said. “It’s all true. Monsters are living in that mountain.”

“...”

“Nothing to say, huh? Not surprised, we’ve probably had this conversation for God knows how long because of your reset ability.”

Reset…? What was that?

The car slowed to a stop. “This is it.”

They both stepped out of the vehicle and entered the wild landscape of Mount Ebott’s forest. “...”

“You know the deal: find the kids, and you get to return to your life.”

Clover nodded and headed off toward the mountain.

“Wait!” the shadowy figure called after him. “If it means anything… I’m sorry you were born with the Soul of Vengeance. But this is for the best, for all of us.” The figure stepped back into the car.

They drove off, leaving Clover all alone once again.

—--------------------

Clover woke up in a sweat, not exactly how he thought he’d start his day. He groaned as he got off the couch, the chair creaking beneath him.

‘Where are my friends?’

Determined, Clover made his way to the front entrance, gathering his belongings and putting his cowboy outfit back on. However, he noticed one piece of vital equipment missing.

The gun—more specifically, Chara’s gun.

Monsters in the Underground varied considerably in battle, some could be spared just by acting, while others needed to be brought down to low HP, as the Thundering Hooves had shown him. He wouldn’t use it, of course, unless absolutely necessary.

His only dilemma was that it was Chara’s gun. While he should wait for the two siblings to wake up…

“...”

He was impatient. Clover didn’t know why, but something inside him urged him to continue his search. It felt irrational; if he had just waited a few minutes or maybe an hour, he could have asked Asriel for help with Asgore.

‘...Nah, it’ll be quicker if I go alone. Not like I’m going to get hunted down or anything.’

Decision made, he headed toward the siblings' room. It would be tricky to avoid waking them from their slumber.

…

…

…

It turned out that retrieving the gun was much easier than he expected. The toy had been left conveniently on top of the drawer!

As he placed the weapon into his old holster and turned around to leave the room, a loud screech came from below him. The snoring from the right side of the room ceased.

‘You just had to jinx it…’ Clover sighed. He really should have just asked.

“Azzy…” Chara mumbled tiredly, “Go back to sleep. You're annoying.”

Luck wasn’t on his side, was it?

“Uhm… It’s me,” Clover whispered to Chara. “Sorry, I didn't want to wake you two.” He heard rustling from the bed and mentally sighed as he turned around. Instead of the expected darkness, a pair of glowing red eyes stared back at him.

“Why are you here?” they asked.

Clover mentally scrambled for an excuse, but none came to mind.

He paused, 'Wait, why would I lie? There’s no point in creating needless problems.'

“Just wanted to borrow your gun real quick. Thought I’d explore the castle, I didn't want to be defenseless while doing that,” Clover explained.

Chara looked at him sleepily, and after a moment, replied, “M’kay, I guess that makes sense. Just don’t be out for long; Mom thought it’d be nice to show you around New Home today.”

Clover nodded. “Right, I’ll be back before that then.” He was about to leave when…

“Hold on, come over here,” Chara beckoned him closer.

Clover listened and moved closer to Chara’s bed. “What? Do you—Ow!” Clover stepped back as he yelped. Chara had grabbed his cheek firmly.

“Shush!” Chara hushed him. “You’re going to wake up Azzy.”

Irritated, Clover replied, “What are you doing?” Suddenly, a bright light blinded him, and he felt a relaxing warmth wash over him. “Oh, you were making a Save point for me. Why didn’t you…” Chara was no longer moving, their eyes closed. Should he be concerned or…?

The snoring returned; they had fallen asleep again. Clover guessed that Asriel wasn’t joking when he told him that Chara was quite the sleeper. Just as he was about to step away, Chara muttered, “...wait...”

“What?” Even in their sleep, they maintained their grip on his cheek. The moment he asked, he heard a weird noise and felt a tug pulling at him. Then he was pushed back, sensing something loosening on him.

“...chocolate…” Chara murmured, nibbling on something.

Weirded out, Clover proceeded to leave the room, only to notice once outside that he no longer had his bandana.

“Oh, you gotta be kidding me,” Clover grumbled but didn’t make an effort to retrieve it. He felt that if he tried to pry it off Chara, he would end up using one of their Save points.

Begrudgingly, he continued his trek to the throne room. Why had Chara even mistaken his bandana for chocolate? It’s not like he—oh.

'Can’t believe my messy eating habits got the better of me…' Clover thought to himself, recalling how he had been gorging on boxes of chocolate.

Twirling his gun, Clover stopped at the front entrance when he spotted the flowerpot that Asriel had been carrying around all day. Picking it up and placing it in his bag, he thought it would make a kind gift if he found a cool plant. It would take him a little more time, but Asriel deserved something nice.

“Alright, let’s get going.”

...

...

...

It felt foreboding as his steps echoed down the corridor, the surface light shining through the windows. Clover must have been at the highest point of the Underground for the surface light to reach him.

As he made his way to the presumed throne room, he felt a chill go down his spine, as if he were being judged. Strangely enough, despite never being there before, he experienced a feeling of déjà vu when he reached the end of the long corridor. That sensation had been happening an awful lot for him recently.

Upon entering the next room, the grayish hue returned. He wasn’t sure why, but a sense of dread built up inside him as he got closer to the throne room. Why was he shaking? There was nothing to be afraid of; he was Asriel and Chara’s father right now, and he wasn’t hellbent on murdering humans yet.

So why was he so nervous?

Just as he was about to enter the throne room, he noticed something odd. There was a Save point next to the entrance. Instead of its usual blinding shine, it was a dull yellow, swirling like Chara’s Save points.

It wouldn’t hurt to give it a light touch.

The moment Clover’s fingers grazed the Save point, he felt a surge of determination. He felt whole yet still incomplete. He checked his Soul, and sure enough, it was filled in, but instead of the bright yellow it should have displayed, it was a pastel red. Ignoring the fact that he had developed another 'Soul', his major concern was how unstable it looked. It appeared as though it was barely holding together, vibrating violently.

Clover shook his head, it didn’t matter right now. He just needed to find his friends. With the king’s help, he was sure that it would be an easy task.

...

...

...

The first thing Clover noticed once he was inside the throne room was the floral scent and the grass. It was peaceful, as if everything was going to go his way. The second thing Clover noted was the giant monster slumped on one of the thrones. That monster?

That was King ASGORE.

He was the other ruler of the Underground, the strongest monster, and the one Clover sought help from. Asgore grumbled as he stirred awake, “It’s already dawn?” He rubbed his face as he got off the throne.

“Hey,” Clover called out, catching Asgore’s attention.

The king gasped and took a step back. After a moment, he sighed, “Though valiantly they fought, nobody could stop you, could they?”

Had Clover’s exploits already reached the king? This made things easier; all he had to do was explain his situation, and he’d get to see his friends much faster.

Asgore walked toward the window, sunlight illuminating him. “My dear friends, I am sorry that I didn’t hear your cries for help until it was too late.” He then shifted his gaze to Clover, glaring at him with fury. “I understand why you are here, but I fear that it’s too late. Please, follow me.” Asgore moved into the next room, leaving Clover alone.

Everything within Clover screamed not to follow that man into the next room. He could just go back, get Chara and Asriel, and find out what was going on safely.

But another part of him was determined to get Asgore’s assistance in finding his friends. So he pressed onward into the next room.

Asgore was waiting for him. “I see you’re quite the decisive one, aren’t you? I half expected you to run away. Though that is to be expected from what I’ve heard you’re capable of.” Asgore continued walking down a path leading into another room. “If you will.”

"Hey wait! What are you even talking about- and he's already gone..." He sighed, it didn't seem like talking to him would be of much use. Clover complied and followed Asgore. What came next could only be described as insane. He was greeted by a pulsing white wall that seemed to stretch into infinity as he entered behind Asgore.

“The Surface,” Asgore stated, catching Clover’s attention, “that is your goal is it not? It’s beyond reach, this barrier, the seal that has binded monsters down here for a millennium, is what keeps you down here. Unless you absorb a Boss monster’s Soul.” He placed his hand into his cloak, “But you know that, don’t you? That’s why you annihilated my people in the Wild East and Oasis.”

Everything Asgore had been building up to faded from Clover's mind as the shock of hearing "Wild East" and "The Oasis" registered. If he remembered correctly, those places were only built a dozen years before his fall! There was a good chance he might see Starlo and the Feisty Four there!

Clover was ecstatic—until he processed Asgore's earlier words, "Wait, did you just say annihilate—"

"I don’t take pride in Monsterkind's plight. I wished to ease their burdens by giving them hope through my children. They were supposed to be—no—are the future of humans and monsters. You will not be the one to destroy our hope."

Clover barely had time to register Asgore pulling out his trident; it happened too fast!

Asgore’s breathing hitched for a moment, “A mere child is responsible for this. I…have to bring you to justice…for those you have slaughtered in the name of your sick Justice…” His grip on his trident shook, “It’s a shame, you could’ve been a great friend of Asriel and Chara.”

The world faded into a familiar black and white. Four buttons appeared before Clover: Fight, Act, Items, and Spare—buttons he had seen hundreds of times before.

“Most monsters don’t realize that they’re at their strongest against humans in this state.” Clover could only watch in horror as Asgore smashed the buttons with a red trident, shattering them into pieces. “The use of this type magic is only known to the highest-ranking members of the kingdom, and for good reason. It gives monsters the ability to bypass the need for physical combat and harm their foes without allowing them to fight back or escape.”

A strange light fills the room. Dawn is shining through the barrier. It seems that Clover won’t be asking Asgore for help. Knowing that he’ll see his friends again no matter what, fills him with JUSTICE DETERMINATION.

Asgore shifted his gaze down, “It is cowardly, I know. However, “ He resumed glaring at Clover, “you’ve proven to be the worst that humanity has to offer. It’s tragic that the Angel sent us the best human only for the next to be a wretched reminder of what awaits us on the Surface… We will rebuild what you tore down, and with your Soul, then perhaps, we’ll have a chance of freedom.”

Clover placed a hand on his gun's handle, even if he couldn't attack Asgore with the weapon it brought him some sort of comfort.

“Goodbye.” The air grew hot as flames surrounded Clover. “I wish you could’ve been better.”

King Asgore attacks!

Clover took a deep breath, feeling the fire draw closer. Even though this situation exceeded his expectations, he refused to let it stop him from achieving his goal. He will see them again.

That sense of Justice he had for Monsterkind is fading, he just wanted to feel safe again.

Chapter Text

“Ah!” Clover cried out in pain as the flames scorched him. The battle was not going the way he had planned. Asgore had proved to be one of the strongest monsters that Clover had ever fought before!

“I just don’t get it, why murder my people?” Asgore slammed his trident inside the arena Clover was in, sending the Cowboy tumbling into the ground. “They’ve shown you compassion and in return?” He set out another inescapable ring of fire, “You showed cruelty and pain!”

Time seemed to slow down to a halt. Had Clover finally reached his limit? Had his determination not been enough? Was…this it? Unable to flee or even fight back against an unbeatable foe?

“No.” Clover refused to just die here, he had just learned that his friends were for sure here in the Underground with him! 

Time started to resume as the fire enclosed him. However, unlike before, Clover used every ounce of will in him to send it flying back to Asgore! The king was shocked as it crashed into his face!

-1 HP

“How…?” Asgore stared at Clover puzzled before chuckling, “I must say, never in all my life have I seen a human manage to pull that off before.” His grip tightened on his trident, “Though all that means is that you're even more dangerous than I previously thought.”

‘Alright, just…Just gotta do whatever I just did to not get hit by that fire.’ Clover thought to himself as he prepared for another onslaught of attacks.

Massive spheres of fire descended from above, their fiery glow casting ominous shadows across the battlefield. Clover’s eyes darted upward as the blazing orbs plummeted. When they struck the ground, they erupted into hundreds of smaller fireballs, turning the arena into a chaotic storm of flame. Clover ducked and weaved through the onslaught, sweat dripping down his brow until a flicker of shifting colors caught his attention.

Orange. Blue. Blue. Orange. Blue. Orange.

Clover steadied himself, sidestepping the final wave with practiced ease. He’d seen this type of attack before—it was nothing new. Predictable. Manageable even.

But then a new color flashed into view.

Red.

'Red, What is that?!’ Clover internally screamed to himself, he prepared himself for the next attack.

Asgore raised his trident high, sweeping it across the arena with ferocious intensity. Streaks of orange and blue cascaded down in relentless waves, forcing Clover to move and pause in perfect sync. He timed his movements carefully, but as the final strike came…

-14 HP.

Pain exploded across Clover’s body as the attack struck hard. He staggered back, vision blurring, struggling to keep his balance.

“I… truly am sorry it’s come to this,” Asgore said softly. His voice was tinged with regret, his gaze downcast. “But these are the consequences of your choices.”

The box-like arena began to shrink, its walls closing in around Clover. He was trapped. Asgore roared, his trident glowing with raw power as he prepared to deliver the final blow.

The weapon came crashing down onto Clover.

But instead of striking its target, the trident’s hilt slammed against the arena’s edge. A deafening crack echoed as the enclosure fractured, leaving a gap wide enough for Clover to escape.

He staggered forward, gasping for breath.

“What? It works on physical weapons too?!” he muttered in disbelief. His desperate deflection had worked, but it had drained him. He had done it too early. Every muscle screamed in protest, and his vision blurred.

Still, he steadied himself, raising his head to meet Asgore’s gaze.

“Your tricks aren’t gonna work on me,” he spat, defiance sparking in his voice.

The black and white hues of the battle arena began to fade with color replacing it. 

“I get that you won’t help me but—”

Asgore didn’t let him finish. A ring of fire erupted around Clover, trapping him once more in the black-and-white arena. The flames burned more intensely as more orange and blue projectiles rained down.

“Clever,” Asgore said, his tone colder now, “but cleverness alone won’t save you.”

Clover gritted his teeth, forcing himself to counter. With a surge of willpower, he redirected the fiery ring, sending it hurtling back toward Asgore. But this time, Asgore moved. The dodge seemed like it took no effort on the king's part.

Clover’s heart sank. ‘Monsters can dodge in this state? Since when?!’

The attacks came faster now, giving him no time to think. He twisted away from a fireball, only to slip on something beneath him. His body hit the ground hard, knocking the air from his lungs. Dazed, he glanced down to see a small, glowing shard—it was orange.

He scrambled to his feet as Asgore sighed, his expression unreadable.

“You’re persistent,” Asgore said, almost admiringly. “In some ways, you remind me of someone. Another human… consumed by a warped sense of justice.”

Flames erupted again, this time engulfing one-half of the arena in an intense blaze. Clover dodged wildly, the heat searing his skin.

“What is it with this guy and fire?!” he growled under his breath, narrowly avoiding a fireball that streaked past his head.

“She was one of the mages who created the barrier,” Asgore continued, his voice heavy with memory.

The flames shifted, consuming the opposite side of the arena. Clover dove to avoid the sudden burst, but the searing heat scraped against him, leaving burns in its wake.

“She believed our kind had no right to exist,” Asgore said. His strikes grew heavier, his movements fueled with justice, “All because of a legend. A story that seven souls of different aspects could make a monster… a God.”

Clover clenched his fists, he honestly did not care about whatever Asgore had to say. He was going to get away from him and reach his friends!

“Ironic that her people would turn against her as they feared she had become akin to one along with the other mages. Their existence was only allowed if they sealed us.” Asgore’s glare hardened as they noticed what Clover was doing, “Golly, you just don’t give up do you?”

Clover crouched low, his fingers brushing against shards scattered across the arena floor. Asgore’s words echoed, his speech a brief reprieve in the chaos. It gave Clover just enough time to collect a few more pieces. The fragments didn’t quite fit together yet, but he couldn’t focus on that now.

A flash of red caught his attention!

“Why… won’t you just fall already?!” Asgore bellowed, his trident cutting through the air with relentless force. Each strike was faster than the last, aiming to corner Clover. “You cannot win! Why fight the inevitable?!”

Clover ducked under one swing and sidestepped another, his heart pounding as he narrowly avoided the blade’s edge. The fiery heat of the arena pressed against him, he breathed and searched for that feeling, the feeling of determination to see his friends again.

He found it.

With a sharp pivot, Clover baited Asgore into overextending and countered the trident to have it once again strike the arena walls, the impact breaking the arena and sending the world back to normal!

Clover didn’t hesitate. Using the shaft of the weapon as a makeshift ramp, he sprinted up its length. His legs burned, his breaths came shallow, but his grip on his toy revolver was steady.

“The inevitable?” Clover gasped as he reached Asgore’s towering frame. “That’s…” He raised his gun, a brilliant red glow gathering at the muzzle. “...unfair!”

The Soul-charged shot blasted from the barrel, striking Asgore’s shoulder point-blank.

The king staggered back with a roar of pain, his grip faltering on the trident. Clover’s heart skipped. He hadn’t expected that much damage. He hadn’t expected it to hurt the king at all!

But the look in Asgore’s eyes—a mix of fury and regret—made Clover think twice about apologizing.

Clover was forced into battle once more as he became boxed in the arena. Asgore straightened, his movements deliberate, his voice colder now. “I see,” Asgore said, slipping his trident back into his cloak. “Very well. I’ll refrain from using my weapon.” He raised a hand, and the flames surrounding Clover surged, licking at his clothes and skin. “Magic is a monster’s specialty, after all.”

The real fight had begun.

…

…

…

Clover gritted his teeth as he dodged firebombs erupting into smaller, deadlier projectiles. The inferno raged, forcing him to twist and leap to avoid the searing heat. Even so, he kept an eye on the scattered shards of buttons around the arena.

Piece by piece, he gathered them, his fingers fumbling as the arena’s heat grew unbearable. 

Finally, he snapped the fragments into place: the Item button.

Asgore’s gaze narrowed. “You’ve reclaimed a button?” His expression darkened as he took a slow step forward. “No matter. I’ll destroy it the moment it’s my turn.”

Clover scanned his inventory, frustration bubbling. Most of his healing items restored only 5 HP—not enough to survive. Then his eyes fell on his silver bullets. A plan clicked into place. ‘If the trident broke the battle box…then why can’t I?’

He loaded the bullets into his revolver, “One shot,” Clover whispered. “Don’t miss.”

True to his word, Asgore destroyed the Item button when his turn began. “You can’t keep this up, human,” Asgore said, pointing toward Clover’s shaking Soul. “It’s losing its color and it’s unstable. Your ‘Determination’ has its limits. Please, just give up.”

Clover’s HP hovered at 2. Pain wracked his body, but his mind burned with resolve. This is it, he just needed to—- suddenly, the flames vanished. The arena grew silent, the air heavy and still.

“I’m sorry it had to end this way,” Asgore said, his voice soft yet unyielding. The walls of the arena began to close in, pressing Clover from all sides. “Goodbye.”

Desperation surged through Clover as he scrambled to pick up the remaining shards around him.

“I’ve always hated this spell,” Asgore continued, his tone wistful. “On the Surface, it destroyed a mage’s human army. Their forces lost in a single night.” He sighed, his voice tinged with sorrow. “It took all the Mage of Perseverance’s mana to stop its flames.”

Above the shrinking arena, a brilliant light flared. Clover shielded his eyes as it grew, swelling into a massive, burning sphere.

“It’s a reminder of the Surface,” Asgore said, his voice reverberating through the void, “ The Sun. ”

Clover’s heart raced as the fireball swelled, its heat suffocating. Frantically, he pieced together the remaining shards. With a final snap, the Fight button came together in his hands.

Asgore’s voice echoed, “Ah, you’ve regained your turn. No matter, it’s all for naught.”

Clover’s hands tightened around his gun. One turn. One shot. It was the only one he would need.

His Soul flared as he slammed the Fight button, channeling every ounce of his Determination into his weapon. Cracks spiderwebbed through his Soul, but he didn’t care.

Miss.

“I truly am so—” Asgore began, but his words died as a deafening crack split the air.

Clover’s bullet ricocheted off the wall, shattering the box-like arena entirely.

“What?! But you don’t have any bullets!” Asgore shouted, his voice tinged with confusion and panic.

The battlefield dissolved, the world returning to a normal hue.

“You can’t— wait… where’d you go?” Asgore’s voice echoed into the void, his attack shrinking back into a small fire.

…

…

…

‘CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP!’ Clover internally screamed as he ran down the long yellow corridor. The moment those walls came down he started running, there was no way he was going to stay in that room with that sun-like attack!

He heard the sound of stomping down the hallway as he entered the next room.

There was no way Clover was going to be fast enough to reach the house where Chara was so he did the best next thing.

“C’mon, hurry up!” Clover panicked as he repeatedly pressed the elevator button. He looked up to see what floor the elevator was on, “Oh it’s not even near this one,” Clover blankly said. It took him a few seconds to realize what that meant, “Oh I’m so dead,” he grimly told himself.

The booming sounds of Asgore were coming closer and closer. If he didn’t think of something then he was finished!

Clover looked to the left of him towards the cityscape of New Home, it would be pretty easy to just jump off the ledge if he climbed on it…

He sighed, things never went his way did it? Well, he survived three big falls, what makes four?

Clover pulled himself over the ledge and took a deep breath. He silently hoped that Chara would notice something was wrong and do that ‘load’ thingy. He glanced down and shuddered, it was a very long drop.

“Stop running!” Asgore commanded as he entered the room.

It was now or never.

He jumped.

Why was she chewing on a bandana? Chara stared, puzzled, at Clover’s bandana.

“Why’d he leave it here?” they muttered to themselves, sliding off their bed. They folded the bandana and tucked it into their pocket—for safekeeping, of course.

Chara walked carefully past the sleeping Asriel to not wake him up and headed out to get ready for the day.

The first thing to greet them was the enticing aroma of breakfast. ‘What’s Mom cooking?’ As they made their way to the kitchen, snippets of the Underground’s news broadcast floated in from the TV.

“A monster pretending to be a human? How deplorable!” the anchor declared indignantly. “Can you imagine the nerve? Attempting to tarnish the reputation of our beloved human and even harming other monsters in the process! Did I sum that up right, Anne?”

“That’s right, though I did just explain it in detail…” his co-anchor replied, clearly annoyed.

“O-oh, sorry… Onto brighter news! A hotheaded rookie has been making waves in the Royal Guard, climbing the ranks at record speed—”

Chara turned the TV off with a sigh. Whoever this weirdo was, they’d need to be dealt with before causing any real harm. But first—breakfast. It was the most important meal of the day, after all.

“Chara?” Toriel greeted, placing a lid over a steaming pan. “You’re up early. Usually, you’d still be asleep.”

“I… felt like it,” Chara replied, unsure themselves. “What are you making?”

“Bacon and eggs,” Toriel said warmly. “Why don’t you fetch Asgore? He should be in the throne room.”

Chara nodded. They’d grab Clover too, assuming he was still wandering the castle grounds.

…

…

…

Chara hadn’t expected to find their dad hunched over the castle’s ledge, frantically scanning the grounds below.

“Dad?” they called, their worry spiking at the sight of Asgore’s disheveled state.

“This is bad…” Asgore muttered, seemingly unaware of Chara’s presence. “I need to alert the Royal Guard—they’ve made it to New Home…” He typed something onto his... phone? Since when did monsters have access to those?

Chara walked up and tugged at his hand. “What are you talking about?”

Asgore flinched, startled. “A-Ah, Chara! I didn’t realize you were here.”

“What’s going on?” Chara questioned, their voice firm. It was rare—if ever—that they’d seen their father so shaken.

“I…” Asgore turned away, his shoulders slumping. “I’ve failed you. I’m so sorry.”

‘Failed me?’

Chara frowned, puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“It wouldn’t be right for me to hide this from you.” Asgore fumbled through his coat, muttering, “Apologies, but I seem to have misplaced it.”

Chara rolled their eyes. Asgore, for all his titles and responsibilities, was hopelessly disorganized. It was a good thing Toriel managed the important documents. “You probably left it on your throne.”

Asgore paused, thinking. “That’s… likely.”

Chara sighed, noting how oddly he was behaving today—tense and distracted. “Let’s go see what this ‘important thing’ is.”

Asgore nodded, his voice heavy. “Very well.”

…

…

…

“You’ve met another human?” Asgore asked as they approached the throne room.

“Yeah. We ran into him when we went to Home,” Chara explained. “We were going to tell you yesterday, but you weren’t around.”

Asgore chuckled softly. “It’s good to see you connecting more with others, Chara. In a friendly way, no less.”

“Hey! I’m always friendly!”

“Oh, yes,” Asgore replied with mock sincerity. “Pranking Gerson with a whoopie cushion during a council meeting was incredibly friendly.”

“Exactly! Wait…” Chara narrowed their eyes. “You don’t mean it like that, do you?”

Asgore only hummed, his deliberate silence a classic dodge.

Chara groaned. “How dirty.”

Finally reaching the throne, Asgore picked up a piece of paper. “Ah, here it is. It’s a good thing you found your friend when you did. Take a look at this.”

Chara accepted the paper and skimmed it—then froze. “ Clover?! ”

“Yes, the criminal is named Clover… wait, you know them?” Asgore’s confusion was evident.

“That’s the human I’ve been talking about!” Chara exclaimed. 

‘Why is Clover on a wanted poster? He’s only been here a day! How does he already have a bounty?!’ Chara, who was dumbfounded, thought to themselves.

Asgore took a deep breath and knelt to meet Chara’s gaze. “Listen carefully. I need to ask you some very important questions. Is that okay?”

Chara nodded, swallowing their growing unease.

“You said you and Asriel met Clover yesterday. Where exactly?”

Chara thought for a moment. “Near the entrance to the Underground, by the spike trap. He was stuck there.”

“How long was he stuck?”

“Three days,” Chara replied, their confusion mounting.

‘It’s not exactly a lie but it’s better than the actual answer.’

Asgore groaned, his hand trembling. “Oh, Golly… Your friend may be in serious trouble.”

Trouble? Chara frowned, seeing that it would be better for Clover to be here; she tried to Load a Save Point. To their shock, the attempt failed.

LOAD FAILED…

“What?” they muttered, trying again with a fresh Save Point. They successfully Saved but when it came time to Load it…

LOAD FAILED…

Chara’s stomach twisted. Something was very, very wrong.

“I agree,” Asgore said, mistaking Chara’s reaction for panic for their friend. “This is a major concern. A monster may be impersonating your friend. I shall go out personally and find him after I alert the Guard with the new information.”

“No!” Chara blurted out. “I’ll go find Clover.”

Asgore hesitated, then nodded. “Very well. It may be best if you do—given how we last met.”

“You’ve already met Clover?”

Asgore winced, averting his gaze. “There was… a misunderstanding. One I owe him a deep apology for.”

“Is he okay?”

“He’s alive,” Asgore admitted, his tone heavy with guilt.

Chara stared at the wanted poster again, scanning the list of alleged crimes. It made sense why Asgore might have confronted Clover, but that didn’t make it any less frustrating.

“Is there anything else I need to know, Dad?”

“Oh Yes. Hold the poster flat on your palm,” Asgore instructed.

Chara did as told and watched in surprise as the paper floated gently, pointing in a specific direction. They caught it before it could drift away, “It tracks the person on the poster, doesn’t it?”

“Quite perceptive,” Asgore praised Chara.

Chara blushed faintly. “W-Well, yeah, of course I am! Anyway, Mom asked—”

A sudden flash of colors erupted from the next room.

“—for you to eat breakfast…?”

“That’s strange,” Asgore muttered, moving to investigate.

Chara followed close behind. Reaching the source of the commotion, they both froze.

“That’s—!” Chara stammered, unable to form the words.

“Human Souls!?” Asgore exclaimed, his voice filled with shock.

Clover lay in the shattered remains of a boat’s mast, groaning as he tried to orient himself. Luckily, he had landed on the sail of a docked sailboat, cushioning his fall, though it had crashed into the port as a result. Unluckily…

“Hey, kid! What do you think you’re doing!? You just broke the first boat in the Underground’s history!” a shrill voice cried.

An owl monster stomped toward him, feathers ruffled with agitation.

Clover rubbed his head and leapt off the wreckage, brushing ash off his tattered clothes. “Uh, sorry about that,” he mumbled, guilt creeping into his voice.

“Sorry doesn’t cut it!” the owl squawked, wings flapping in exasperation. “Do you have any idea how long it took to fix it let alone maintain this thing? How am I supposed to explain this to my boss?” They buried their face in their wings, muttering about pay deductions and the impending lecture.

Clover hesitated, glancing at the wreckage and the frantic owl. He felt awful, but he had somewhere to be. He turned and started walking away, leaving the bird to their plight.

…

…

‘Wait a second… That’s not right!’

Clover spun on his heel and jogged back. He couldn’t believe he’d been about to ditch someone who needed help—especially when he was the one who caused the problem! That would be unjust!

The owl was pacing back and forth, feathers trembling. “Maybe if I fix it myself, she won’t notice. Or maybe—gah! No, no, she’ll know the moment she sees it! I’m so fired! What am I going to—”

“Would it help if I pitched in?” Clover asked, interrupting their spiral of panic.

The owl froze mid-step, staring at him before jabbing a feathered finger into his chest. “Of course, you’re helping! You’re the one who broke it!” They somehow grabbed him with their wing, shaking him as they spoke. “We’ll need materials. There’s a shed by the docks—go grab the supply crates while I survey the damage. Move it!”

Before Clover could respond, the owl flew off in a flurry of feathers and muttered complaints. Dazed from the encounter, Clover steadied himself and headed for the shed.

When he reached it, a glowing red light on the door stopped him in his tracks. It seemed to lock the entrance. Walking around the building, Clover spotted a set of levers nearby.

“Monsters sure love their puzzles,” he muttered, fiddling with the levers at random until he heard a satisfying ding!

The door unlocked.

Inside the shed was, of course, another puzzle—a familiar setup from Snowdin. A small, cheerful robotic voice greeted him. “Howdy! Welcome to the shed of The Underground Marine Museum! ”

Clover blinked, “Why would a museum have a guide in the employees-only shed?”

“Let’s get started!” the voice chirped. “To your right, you’ll find the controls for material selection. Simply guide the ball to the desired material and press the start button!”

“Sounds easy enough,” Clover said. He approached the console but froze before pressing the button.

‘Wait... What materials do we even need?’ The owl hadn’t given him a list.

“Well, better to grab too much than nothing at all.” Taking a deep breath, he pressed start and began the puzzle.

…

…

…

“Great! You’re back already! Did you get the tools like I asked?” The owl looked visibly relieved as Clover approached.

“What tools? You only said to get materials,” Clover replied, raising an eyebrow.

The owl froze, staring at him blankly. “...Okay… uh, hm… it’s fine! Most of the repairs can be done with nails only!” They quickly pointed to the mast of the boat. “See those blue marks? Those need reinforcing with nails before I can reattach the sail. And at the front of the ship, we just need to replace the wood panels. Lucky for us, your landing didn’t damage the hull—if it had, oh boy, that would’ve been a disaster—”

Clover’s attention began to drift as the owl rambled about the boat. He focused instead on the blue marks they had mentioned. If he understood correctly, his gun—or more accurately, Chara’s gun—could make quick work of securing the nails.

“Sorry, I lost track there for a sec,” Clover was interrupted from his thoughts. “You’ve got the front of the ship covered, right? Since I can fly I can handle the mast.”

“Oh no, I can do the mast. The front part needs the most attention and you're probably better suited to fix it since you’ve done it before,” Clover responded to the owl.

The owl blinked at him skeptically. “Kid? I appreciate the help and all—really, I do—but that’s way too high for you.”

Clover smirked and twirled his gun for effect. “Don’t worry. This will get the job done in no time.”

The owl squinted at the weapon. “A… toy gun?”

“It’s not a toy! It’s a weapon of Justice!” Clover insisted. “It shoots stuff really fast if I aim properly!”

“I don’t think that’s how—”

“Trust me, I’ve done this before.” Clover slid a nail into the barrel, took careful aim at one of the blue marks, and fired. The nail struck dead center, lodging perfectly into the mast.

“W-whoa!” The owl flapped up to inspect the nail, their eyes wide. “Nice shot, kid! It’s perfectly in place. Though… I’ll have to paint over these so it doesn’t look like the mast is held together by nails.” They landed beside him, visibly impressed.

“How much time do we have to finish this?” Clover asked.

“I’m not sure, so let’s hurry up!” the owl replied, snapping back into action.

…

…

…

Clover fired the last nail into the mast with a satisfying thunk! “Done!” he called out.

The owl, now painting over the nails at the mast’s base, looked up. “Really? Great work, kid! This should hold until the next maintenance check.”

Clover slumped onto the dock’s ledge, catching his breath as the owl joined him moments later.

“That was way too close,” the owl sighed in relief, stretching their wings. “You know, not many monsters would stick around to fix their mess. They’d say sorry and bolt. But you? You stepped up.”

“Glad I could help,” Clover said, standing and brushing himself off. “But I’ve gotta get going—I’ve got some friends to meet.”

“Good luck with that!” The owl extended a wing for a handshake but then paused. “Oh, wait! I never got your name. How rude of me.”

Clover tipped his hat. “The name’s Clover. And, uh, sorry again for crashing into…” He glanced back at the boat. “…this historic piece.”

The owl chuckled, rubbing the back of their head. “Clover, huh? That name sounds familiar… but I can’t remember why. Oh well! I’m Gilli. Gilli Howlett.”

‘Monsters are really creative with names, huh ?’ Clover thought, stifling a laugh.

“Well, see you around, Gilli!” Clover waved and jogged toward what he assumed was the exit, only to stop abruptly. “Wait a second… where am I, exactly?”

Gilli blinked at him. “It’s obvious, isn’t it?” But seeing Clover fidget awkwardly, they realized he was serious. “Wait, you don’t know where you are? For real?”

Clover scratched the back of his neck. “Uh, yeah. What’s the fastest way to the Dunes from here?”

“The Dunes? You mean the Desert?”

“Yeah, that!”

Gilli hummed in thought. “Well, seeing as we’re in the lowest part of New Home… you’d need to cross to the other side of this lake and go to the elevator. From there, find the River Person. They’ll get you sorted out.”

“Got it!” Clover turned to leave, then hesitated. “Uh… which way is the exit?”

Gilli pointed straight ahead. “That way. I’d guide you, but my next shift’s about to start.”

“Thanks!” Clover grinned and took off, finally heading in the right direction.

As Clover ran, he felt something. He had done the owl right by fixing his error and not getting them in trouble for his mistake. It was the right thing to do. It made him feel, while not whole, like a part of him returned. A feeling, not of determination, but of Justice. 

…

…

…

Despite the early hours, the streets were packed with monsters, bustling and chaotic. Clover couldn’t help but notice the odd, lingering stares as he maneuvered through the crowd. It was hard to tell if they were curious, suspicious, or something else.

“Did you hear?” a voice floated through the din. “There’s a monster on the loose with a bounty of five million G’s!”

“Five million?! No way that’s real!” came a sharp reply. “That’s gotta be some prank. There’s never been a criminal with such a bounty!”

“It’s true! Why else would the King and the Royal Guard issue it?” the first voice insisted.

Another chimed in, cutting through the chatter. “Alright, but what about the Queen? What’s she said about all this?”

Clover strained to hear more, but the growing noise of the crowd drowned out the conversation. The throng of monsters thickened, forcing him into a suffocating press of bodies. Grunting, he shoved his way free and ducked into the nearest shop, eager to escape the crush.

As the door closed behind him, he took a breath and scanned his surroundings. The interior was striking—a Wild West aesthetic, complete with old wooden beams and display cases filled with peculiar trinkets.

“Greetings!” called a familiar voice from behind the counter. “Take a look around, but if you ain’t buying, keep your mitts off the merchandise.”

Clover blinked, his gaze snapping to the shopkeeper. “Blackjack?”

The older monster leaned forward, his face breaking into a strangely nervous grin. “That’s my name.”

A whirlwind of thoughts rushed through Clover’s mind. What’s he doing here? But of course, Blackjack would be here. He was ancient—time itself hardly mattered to him.

Clover cleared his throat. “So… what are you selling?”

Blackjack smirked and slid a list across the counter. “Glad to see someone appreciating the finer aspects of human culture. Feast your eyes on the best gear you’ll find on this side of New Home. Took decades to perfect these.”

Clover skimmed the list. Rifles, dynamite, revolvers—everything screamed Wild West. One item, in particular, caught his attention.

“Gunpowder! I’ll take your entire stock!” Clover exclaimed, excitement lighting up his face. He wasn’t even sure how much G he had on him, but he was determined to get that gunpowder. It wasn’t his fault it tasted so good.

Blackjack tilted his head, his hat quirking. “Gunpowder, huh? Planning to make your own tools, are ya? Sorry, kid, but I’ve got a livelihood to protect.” Seeing Clover’s crestfallen expression, he added, “Tell ya what, though—I’ll let you have a few bags. Might even throw in some fresh attire.”

‘Didn’t know his hat could do that…’

Clover’s grin returned. “Deal. How much?”

Blackjack rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Seven bags of gunpowder and a new outfit… that’ll run you one hundred and eighty G.”

Clover blinked in surprise. ‘That’s it? Blackjack would’ve normally charged me twice as much.’ Without hesitation, he handed over the money.

Blackjack passed him the goods with a chuckle. “Anything else catch your eye, young connoisseur?”

Clover’s gaze lingered on a gleaming revolver in the display case. “I want to buy that gun.”

Blackjack’s eyes narrowed as he retrieved the weapon. “This beauty? My magnum opus—one of the first firearms I ever mastered.” He leaned in, his glasses glinting ominously. “You think you’ve got what it takes to handle it?”

Clover didn’t answer. Instead, he grabbed one of the bags of gunpowder from the counter. Blackjack watched, curious.

“Now what do you think you’re—HEY! You’re not supposed to eat that!” Blackjack’s voice rose in alarm as Clover began chugging the gunpowder.

The burn wounds scattered across Clover’s body began to heal. Finishing the bag, Clover smirked and wiped his mouth.

“I can do more.”

…

…

…

With a satisfied smile, Clover slid the Wild Revolver into his holster. “See? That wasn’t so hard, was it, Blackjack?”

Blackjack leaned heavily on the counter, rubbing his temples in exasperation. “Fine, you proved yourself. Just—please—stop eating the gunpowder!” His voice carried equal parts frustration and disbelief.

Clover chuckled as he carefully packed the remaining three pouches of gunpowder into his satchel. “Don’t worry, sir. I won’t go firing this weapon around recklessly.”

Behind him, Blackjack muttered under his breath, “Can’t believe I had to part with my masterpiece just to stop him from eating gunpowder…”

Hearing this, Clover couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, alright, I’ll stop pulling your leg.” Digging into his satchel, he retrieved a small pouch of coins and tossed it onto the counter. “Here, for your troubles.”

Blackjack’s eyes went wide as he opened the pouch. “H-Hey! This is two hundred G! That’s double what it’s worth!”

Clover froze for a moment, internally panicking. ‘Ah, crap, I can’t take it back now!’

Clearing his throat, he straightened his posture and gave his best confident smirk. “It’s just what a dignified deputy of the Wild East would do.”

“A deputy… of the Wild East?” Blackjack squinted, suspicion clear in his expression.

Clover shot him with a finger gun. “Yup! The Wild East—only the finest place in the Dunes. Protected by none other than the legendary Feisty Five!”

Blackjack rubbed his chin, clearly unconvinced. “The Dunes? Feisty Five? Do I need to call a doctor? Didn’t know eating gunpowder could mess someone up that bad…”

Clover’s grin faltered. “Ah hah… yeah, about that…” He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. 

‘Guess I forgot for a second you’re not the Blackjack I knew back in the Wild East.’ 

He sighed, mentally kicking himself for letting nostalgia get the better of him. The silence stretched until Blackjack leaned on the counter again, studying him with mild curiosity. “Your friends sound like an interesting bunch. Tell me more about them.”

“Ain’t you got a business to run?” Clover asked.

Blackjack gestured to the empty shop. “Look around—ain’t a soul here but you and me. I got time.”

Clover hesitated, then glanced out the window. The crowd outside was still thick, with no sign of thinning anytime soon. With a resigned shrug, he leaned on the counter. “Well let me tell you about the adventures of the Feisty Five.”

He launched into a lively recounting of his day in the Wild East, tales of daring adventures, and run-ins with the infamous Vengeful Vergil. Blackjack listened intently as Clover described the constant battles to defend the town and how the North Star always managed to bring justice, no matter how tough things got.

Okay, it was a little exaggerated but that’s the point of retelling stories. Starlo said so himself!

“Sounds like a lot of trouble,” Blackjack finally said, shaking his head.

Clover laughed softly. “Yeah… but they’re the best kind of trouble.” His grin softened into something more reflective. “They’re some of the best folks you could ever meet.”

Blackjack nodded thoughtfully, then tapped the counter with a finger. “Y’know, this place ain’t exactly booming. Maybe I’d earn more if I set up shop where your friends are. Got a feeling they’d appreciate my handiwork.”

Clover smirked. “They might. Though, knowing them, they’d get you in on their antics.”

Blackjack let out a bark of laughter but quickly gestured to the outfit still lying on the counter. “Speaking of, you gonna take that new getup or what?”

Clover looked down at the charred remains of his current clothes—his vest hanging by threads, and his pants peppered with holes from Asgore’s trident. He shuddered at the memory. Asgore had put him through the wringer, and Flowey’s expectation that he’d win that fight felt downright ridiculous in hindsight.

“You got a changing room?” he asked.

“Not exactly,” Blackjack replied, pointing to a small closet in the corner of the store. “But you can use that.”

Tipping his hat, Clover grabbed the outfit and disappeared into the closet. As he examined the new threads, a chuckle escaped him. The outfit was nearly identical to his old Cowboy attire. It reminded him of the time Starlo gave him a new hat for the first ‘mission’

As he fastened the new belt, a thought crossed his mind. How would Chara look in a Wild West getup? 

“Yeehaw,” Chara drawled, firing a clean shot into the dummy, their tone dry. They turned to Clover, adjusting the hat perched awkwardly on their head. “I can’t believe you convinced me to wear this.”

Clover leaned against the sandbags, spinning his revolver with practiced flair. A cocky grin spread across his face. “You gotta look the part, Chara. Can’t catch bandits without looking the part.”

Chara rolled their eyes, flicking at the fringe of the vest Clover had forced on them. “Sure thing, ‘deputy ’. Let’s go save the Feisty Five from Vengeful Vergil.” Their voice was thick with sarcasm, but the faintest quirk of a smile betrayed them.

“Now you’re getting it!” Clover replied with a laugh, unable to stop his grin from growing. Then, before he could stop himself, he added, “And, uh… for what it’s worth, you look… nice. Cool, even. Like a real Cowboy.”

Chara froze for a moment , tilting their head with a look that could’ve been curiosity—or teasing. Clover couldn’t tell. The desert air suddenly felt warmer, and he wasn’t sure if it was the sun or the weight of Chara’s gaze.

They’d probably say something that would make Clover's heart—

“Everything alright in there?” Blackjack’s shout shattered the daydream, dragging Clover back to reality.

“Y-yeah! Just, uh, getting the belt on!” Clover stammered, fumbling with the buckle to get it to click. He wasn’t sure why his thoughts had drifted off to thinking about Chara of all people weirdly. He had only known the other human for only a day and he was already wanting to be more better friends with them! 

Actually... that was the case with most of his friends. But something felt different with the other human. He wanted something beyond just fri-- He quickly brushed the thought aside and headed out of the room.

“Lookin’ sharp there, young’un,” Blackjack said with a nod, eyeing Clover's new outfit.

“Thanks for this, Blackjack,” Clover said, offering a quick smile. He glanced outside—his eyes narrowing when he noticed the streets were suddenly empty. “But I’ve got places to be.”

“Right. See you around... Actually, what's your name, kid?”

Clover turned toward the door, one hand resting on the frame. “Name’s Clover.” He shot Blackjack a casual grin. “Clover Gunhat.”

He stepped out with a confident stride, but as he walked away, a nagging thought wormed its way into his mind. Did I pull that off? God, I hope so. Ace always said a dramatic exit leaves a good impression.

Blackjack watched Clover’s figure disappear into the distance, his brow furrowing in thought. “Clover, huh?” he muttered, pulling a bounty poster from under his hat. His fingers hesitated as he looked at the familiar face on the wanted poster. Clover’s face.

It didn’t add up. Blackjack could feel it in his guts.

“Kid looks exactly the same,” Blackjack mumbled, scanning the poster again. “But the crimes? The way that kid was…Ain’t no way.”

He shoved the poster under his vest and walked upstairs, his boots echoing in the quiet room. Up top, his old TV screen flashed the same alert again, the words blaring across the screen.

“CRIMINAL SPOTTED IN NEW HOME. REMAIN INDOORS. ROYAL GUARDS ARE CURRENTLY HANDLING THE SITUATION.”

Blackjack gritted his teeth. “No. Ain’t no way in hell that kid’s a murderer,” he scoffed, swiping the remote and shutting off the TV with a harsh click. “No way he’s the one they’re after.”

He stood still for a moment, staring at the blank screen, his mind still circling. Something wasn’t right. Blackjack had never been one to trust things at face value after all.

“Where is everyone?” Clover muttered, glancing nervously around another corner. The streets were eerily empty.

Not long ago, this area had been packed with bustling crowds, forcing them to push their way through. Now, the silence was unsettling, hanging heavy in the once-lively district. It had been like this ever since they left Blackjack’s store. Had something happened?

Still, Clover couldn’t deny the silver lining. ‘At least the elevator’s up ahead.’ The massive structure stood in the distance, its silhouette stark against the horizon. Without the crowds, reaching it would be faster.

As they walked, a sudden gust of wind sent a piece of paper skidding across the street. Curious, Clover bent down to grab it.

It wasn’t just trash. It was a poster.

“Isn’t this... me?” Clover said aloud, staring at it. A bounty poster. Their bounty poster.

They stared at the image, disbelief turning to dread. There was no mistaking it—the face on the poster was theirs. Then their eyes fell on the bounty amount.

“Five million?!” Clover yelped, their voice echoing. “That’s… that’s insane!” The sheer number made their head spin. “The amount of gunpowder I could buy with that…”

But the shock didn’t stop there. Scanning the listed crimes, their stomach turned. Murder of monsters.

‘So that’s why Asgore attacked me,’ Clover thought. Panic set in as a new realization dawned. ‘If I’m wanted, does that mean I’ll be hunted?’

The idea was terrifying—and oddly thrilling. “I’m like… a real cowboy,” Clover murmured, imagining themselves as a cowboy in an old movie. But reality quickly set in. This wasn’t a game. They had to reach the Dunes, and any further delays could be dangerous.

They were already moving again when—

“NGAHHH!!!”

A deafening roar shattered the silence. The ground trembled as something slammed into the street. Clover dove behind a vendor’s stand, heart racing. “What was that?!” they whispered.

Peering cautiously, Clover saw a fish-like monster standing in a crater, cracks splintering outward from their landing. Their expression radiated raw power.

“Damn it,” grumbled a second figure. A turtle-like monster landed beside the first, his movements surprisingly graceful. “Your dust cloud made me lose sight of him, rookie.”

“It’s not for you, Gerson!” the fish monster—Undyne—snapped. “It’s to strike fear into the human!”

Gerson shot her a sharp look. “Watch what you say. The king’s orders are clear—we don’t call Clover a human.” He hefted a massive hammer, his tone brooking no argument. “And don’t call me ‘Gerson.’ It’s Captain to you.”

“Sure thing, old man,” Undyne replied. She patted him on the shell, “Still, it’s great having you back in the Guard—even if you took my spot.”

Gerson frowned. “I never left. We’re scheduling you a psych evaluation after this.”

As they bickered, Clover’s hand hovered over their Wild Revolver, quietly loading the rubber ammo. They had heard stories about Undyne from Ceroba in the Steamworks. She was the Captain of the Royal Guard and one of the Underground’s strongest fighters. If this Gerson guy had replaced her, he was clearly no pushover.

Clover’s pulse quickened. If this came to a fight, they wouldn’t stand a chance.

Gerson pulled out a radio. “Shut down the elevator. Block all escape routes and deploy guards to search the city. Clover has been spotted in this district of New Home. Capture him alive—those are Asgore’s orders,” He stowed the radio and turned to Undyne. “You’re fast. Locate the ‘monster’ and report back. Engage if necessary—but no killing.”

“Aye aye, sir!” Undyne saluted before leaping onto a nearby rooftop. In moments, she was bounding from building to building, her speed breathtaking. Clover watched, equal parts awe and dread. It was no wonder that she was once the Captain of the Royal Guard.

When Gerson finally left, Clover cautiously rose to their feet. ‘I really hope I didn’t need the elevator to reach the River Person…’

Fighting wasn’t an option, and their appearance was now a liability. How could they reach the elevator without being recognized? Leaning against the vendor’s stand, Clover wracked their brain for a solution. That’s when something caught their eye.

“A mask?” they muttered, picking up a fox-shaped one from the stand. It wasn’t much of a disguise, it’ll do.

After tucking their hat into their satchel, Clover slipped the mask over their face.

“I hope this works…”

…

…

…

“Clear!” a Royal Guard shouted, ‘securing’ the alley before moving on.

Another guard groaned, dragging his spear along the ground. “Why can’t this guy just show himself already?”

“Because he knows he’s a wanted criminal,” his partner replied dryly. “Why would he want to get caught?”

“Maybe he feels bad…?”

The first guard barked out a laugh. “Yeah, sure. There’s a reason he’s worth five million, genius. Captain says whoever catches him gets the G’s, so keep searching.”

Their voices faded as they disappeared down the street, leaving the alley silent once more.

Clover cautiously popped the lid off a trash can, peeking out. Once the coast was clear, he climbed out, brushing scraps of garbage from his coat. Pretending to be a monster is an option… but only if he had to. Wandering the streets alone during whatever lockdown this was would only make him stand out more.

He sighed. At this pace, it’d take forever to reach the elevator, and even if he got there, the guards would be waiting. He needed a shortcut—some way to skip all this mess.

“…”

For a second, Clover half-expected something miraculous to happen, as if the universe would throw him a bone.

“...”

Nothing–.

“NGAHHH!!!”

Clover nearly leaped out of his skin as Undyne burst out of a nearby manhole, the cover clanging against the ground. He dove behind the trash can just as she landed, her energy radiating like a storm.

“Where is he?!” she snarled, scanning the alley with an intense glare. After a moment, she took off, charging down the street in the opposite direction.

Clover stayed frozen for a few beats, barely daring to breathe. Finally, he let out a long sigh of relief. That was way too close.

When he was sure she was gone, he crept over to the manhole and peered inside. The dark, grimy tunnel below greeted him with the unmistakable stench of sewage.

“The sewers, huh?” he muttered, wrinkling his nose. “It’d save me a ton of time, but… ugh, it’s disgusting.” Clover hesitated for only a moment before shaking his head. “Well, they’re waiting for me at the Dunes.”

A determined smile crossed his face. Taking a deep breath, he swung his legs over the edge and dropped into the darkness below, disappearing into the depths.

…

…

…

The smell of moss and algae clung to Clover’s senses as he trudged through the cold, stagnant water. He shivered, wrapping his arms around himself as he moved.

“Well… at least it’s the fastest way to the elevator,” Clover muttered under his breath, trying to convince himself this wasn’t so bad.

To distract from the chill and the stench, he let his mind wander. ‘What am I even going to say to them?’ 

He imagined reuniting with his friends, picturing their reactions. Would they be happy? Confused? After everything—including giving up his Soul—just showing up out of nowhere felt… awkward.

His thoughts were cut short when he reached a dead end. A rusty ladder led upward, disappearing into the light above. Clover sighed and placed a hand on the cold metal, starting his climb.

‘It was a nice break while it lasted…’

Pushing aside the manhole cover, Clover emerged into the middle of the street. He moved quickly, keeping his head low as he made his way to the elevator. As expected, it was powered down—completely useless.

But as he rounded the corner, the sound of rushing water caught his ear. Down a narrow path, he spotted the river—a welcome sight. Relief flickered through him, but it faded quickly when he noticed something was missing.

No River Person.

Scanning the area, Clover’s eyes landed on a note pinned to the side of the elevator building. Approaching cautiously, he read it:

‘Out on break. Back soon.’

Clover frowned, he glanced around, noting the strange patches of bushes growing directly out of the pavement and scattered rocks the size of boulders. The eerie stillness made him uneasy, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

Regardless, since he was already here, Clover did his best to look as inconspicuous as possible.

“Hey, you!” a Royal Guardsman called, already making their way over.

‘It didn’t even last a few seconds…’ Clover internally groaned.

“What are you doing out here? You’re supposed to be inside—there’s a wanted criminal in the area,” the guard said, squinting at him. Their gaze lingered. “Actually… you kind of look like him…”

‘WHATDOIDO?!’ Clover’s mind raced, panic surging. The mask hid his expression, but he knew it wouldn’t take much for the guard to figure him out.

“ Fox noises, ” Clover blurted out, his voice as confident as he could muster.

“...”

The guard stared at him for an agonizing moment before breaking into an awkward chuckle. “Ah, my bad! Shouldn’t have assumed you were that crook. Sorry about that.” They gave a small wave as they turned to leave. “Remember—stay inside!”

Clover stayed rooted for a moment, letting out a shaky breath once the guard was out of earshot. ‘Oh God, no wonder Chara thinks you’re an idiot.’

Deciding it wasn’t safe to linger near the elevator building, Clover made his way toward the river. He’d feel a lot better once he was closer to an escape route.

But as he moved, a sudden noise made his heart stop.

The rhythmic stomp of boots.

Before he could react, shadows began closing in from every direction. Tens—no, at least a hundred—of Royal Guards emerged from the alleyways, rooftops, bushes, rocks, and the river, forming a tight circle around him. Their weapons gleamed in the dim light, and the weight of their stares bore down on him like a physical force.

Clover froze, panic gripping his chest. ‘Oh no… Oh no, oh no, oh no…’ His mind raced for an escape, but it was too late. Clover swallowed hard as he looked around him, his thoughts spiraling. ‘How am I getting out of this one?’

“Gahahaha!” The booming laughter of a monster echoed behind him. “Told you my plan would work, Undyne.”

“I still think charging at him head-on would’ve been better,” Undyne retorted, arms crossed.

Gerson scoffed. “And risk one of us getting killed? No way.”

Clover spun around, his eyes darting between the two monsters. “How...?” he stammered, bewildered. “How did you find me so fast?”

Gerson stroked his facial hair thoughtfully, a smug grin tugging at his lips. “Eh, no harm in telling you now. You’re already caught.” With a flourish, he unfurled a poster—Clover’s bounty. “This little beauty here tracked you down.”

Clover’s confusion deepened. “If you knew where I was, why didn’t you attack me earlier?”

“BECAUSE!” Undyne cut in, her voice sharp and commanding. “Even though we could’ve totally kicked your ass, Gerson and I had a bad feeling about you. While ambushing you was totally stupid! It was the safest option for everyone.”

Gerson planted his feet firmly, his gaze like a blade. “Now,” he said, voice low and steady, “don’t make this harder than it has to be. Asgore made it clear—we’re not allowed to kill you.” He hefted his hammer, its weight unmistakable. “But before we send you to him, I have one question.”

Clover’s heart thudded in his chest. Slowly, he nodded.

“Why?” Gerson’s voice was grave. “Why kill monsters?”

“I didn’t kill anyone!” Clover blurted out.

Silence fell.

The wind ceased. The water stilled. Even time itself seemed to hold its breath.

Then chaos erupted.

“What the hell?!” one of the Royal Guards shouted from the circle surrounding them.

“Did he just say he didn’t kill anyone?!”

“Liar!” another snarled. “He’s not even willing to own up to what he’s done!”

“You bastard!” one guard growled, rage simmering in their voice.

But their fury was nothing compared to the storm brewing in Undyne’s eyes.

“HEY!” she barked, silencing the outcry with a single word. Her fiery glare burned into Clover. “I thought it was bullcrap when they said you were behind those murders... but now I see. That’s how you lured your victims. Acting like some innocent child.” She clenched her fists, her armor creaking. “I’ve had enough! I, Undyne, will strike you down!”

The wind howled as her determination ignited.

“Hold it, Undyne,” Gerson said, stepping forward, hammer in hand. His deep voice rumbled like an earthquake. “I won’t let him escape justice, but I also won’t let your anger cloud our purpose. I’ve seen his kind before, back on the Surface—manipulative, cruel. They’ve extinguished the hopes of Monsterkind once, but we won’t let it happen again.” He adjusted his grip, the ground trembling beneath his feet. “We’ll bring him to J ustice for everyone he’s killed.”

“Wait, I’m not the guy you’re—” Clover tried to protest, but Undyne cut him off.

“And you all!” she shouted, turning to the guards. “Stay back! This one’s ours.”

‘Talking won’t get me anywhere…’ Clover thought, dread tightening his chest.

“Block off any escape routes!” Gerson barked at the others. He turned back to Clover, his eyes cold and unyielding. “Your time is up. No more running, no more excuses. Your Justice —no, vengeance —ends here.”

Time seemed to slow for Clover as the monsters prepared to strike.

Justice.

Someone was killing monsters—and they looked just like him. That wasn’t right.

Justice.

If Clover got captured now, he’d lose any chance of stopping the real culprit.

Justice.

Deep within, his Soul began to quiver, faint cracks glowing with a vibrant yellow light.

That monster... if they weren’t stopped, they’d hurt more monsters. Hurt his friends and his new friends, the ones he’d barely met yesterday.

That wasn’t right. He couldn’t let it happen. If he was stopped here, more lives would be lost.

The thought ignited something deep within him. Determination surged through Clover! This wasn’t about survival anymore. It was about Justice . He would stop whoever was doing this. They wouldn’t escape Judgement.

Time snapped back to motion.

The first thing Clover saw was the faint, glowing red lines. They helped him before, and now? They were back to help him again.

“NGAHHH!!!”

Undyne attacked first, hurling her spear with pinpoint precision. It tore through the air like a missile, impossibly fast, deadly accurate—

But Clover sidestepped before it even left her hand.

“Don’t open with something so obvious, rookie,” Gerson said gruffly, hefting his hammer. With a mighty swing, he slammed it into the ground, sending rocks flying into the air. “Here’s how it’s done!”

The stones hovered for a moment—then veered toward Clover, each one tracking him with eerie precision.

Clover’s eyes darted, tracking their paths, ready to dodge. But just as suddenly as they’d launched, the rocks fell harmlessly to the ground.

He hesitated, glancing at Gerson, “Are we gonna talk this out now?”

Gerson shook his head, his eyes sharp,“You’ve got it, don’t you?”

“Got what?” Undyne snapped, her spear poised for another throw.

“Danger Foresight,” Gerson said. “It’s a Soul ability that naturally belongs to Chara.” He turned to Undyne. “Can you pull their Soul out?”

Clover’s stomach dropped. “What—?!” He staggered back, but it was too late.

An unseen force yanked his Soul from his chest. There it was: cracked, pulsing, glowing a bright yellow.

“What’s with the cracks?” Undyne frowned, squinting at it.

Gerson snorted. “A Judgment Soul. Unbelievable. But then how can he...?”

Clover stared, wide-eyed, at his yellow Soul. The crowd erupted into murmurs, the air heavy with suspicion and malice.

One voice rang above the others. “Does that mean, after Asgore deals with him, we’ll get six more Souls?” they hopefully asked.

Clover tensed his mind racing, ‘No. No way. This Asgore wouldn’t kill other humans right ?’

“WHATEVER!” Undyne roared, silencing the crowd. Her glare locked onto Clover. “It doesn’t matter what Soul you have!” She slashed her spear through the air, its tip glowing green.

“You’re still getting arrested,” Gerson added, stepping forward with a hammer in hand, prepared to keep him down.

A force locked Clover in place, freezing him where he stood. Around him, Undyne’s blue spears materialized, forming a cage of spears.

“Can’t we talk this out?!” Clover yelled, desperation creeping into his voice. He drew his gun, firing at the spears to redirect them.

“HELL NO!” Undyne bellowed, charging toward him with fire in her eyes.

Clover’s heart raced as the attacks closed in, leaving him no room to escape. At that moment, he knew his journey might end before it truly began.

“Tra la la,” a soft, melodic voice hummed from the shadows.

The spears surrounding Clover began to slow, their movements sluggish. Gerson, too, faltered, his breath labored. “Why… am I… so tired…?” He dropped to one knee, confusion clouding his face as he struggled to stay upright.

One by one, the Royal Guards crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

“Tra la la,” the voice repeated.

Undyne alone remained standing, her resolve still burning despite the weariness dragging at her limbs. “I…won’t let you… use your mind powers… on… ano...ther… monster...” She stumbled forward, determination still fierce in her eyes. “You… aren’t… getting… away!”

Just as her spear descended toward Clover, she collapsed, face-first into the dirt, fast asleep.

Clover exhaled sharply, not realizing how tightly he’d been holding his breath. “Phew... Thanks, River Person.”

The River Person glided onto the shore with their usual calm demeanor, though their tone was tinged with curiosity. “Odd. I’ve never seen a monster last for so long under that magic…”

Clover turned to them, but when he tried to move toward the boat, his legs wouldn’t obey. He looked down in confusion, realizing that his Soul was still glowing green. “What the—? Why can’t I move?”

“I… I won’t let you escape!” Undyne’s voice cut through the air, weak but filled with rage. Slowly, she stood, her spear spinning in her hands with trembling force. “I won’t let you harm another monster!”

The River Person raised an eyebrow underneath the hood, clearly intrigued. “How curious… No monster has ever stayed awake after I used that magic.”

Clover turned to them urgently. “Can you do it again? On her?”

“I cannot,” the River Person replied with a shake of their head. “The spell is taxing. I need time before I can cast it again.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Clover muttered, frustration building.

At that moment, a flash of red crossed his vision. He instinctively ducked just as Undyne’s spear whipped past him, barely missing his chest.

“I’ll still kick your ass, even if I’m half-asleep!” Undyne shouted, hurling another barrage of spears.

The spears came at Clover from all angles, their deadly paths clearer than ever thanks to his foresight—but with his body sluggish and uncooperative, it was nearly impossible to dodge in time.

Finally, one spear struck.

“Ack!” Clover gasped as the sharp tip sank into his arm.

-6 HP

“Gotcha!” Undyne roared, leaping toward him, spear raised to deliver a killing blow.

‘She’s just too strong… her will is stronger then mine,’ Clover thought, his mind racing. The sheer force of Undyne pushed him to the ground, her foot planting firmly on his chest, and another spear piercing his side.

-13 HP

“It’s over, human,” Undyne growled, her voice cold and unyielding. “After we take your Soul, we’ll only need one more to shatter the barrier.” She pulled out a set of bindings, her smirk cruel. “A shame I won’t get to kill you myself, but I hope Asgore makes you suffer for all the pain you’ve caused.”

Clover’s breath came in shallow gasps, his vision blurring. ‘I failed… Sorry, guys.’

He tried to pry Undyne off him but to no avail.

Undyne paused, frowning as she picked something from his clothing. “A deputy badge?” She let out a bitter laugh. “Who in their right mind would give you this?”

Clover could only watch, his heart sinking. ‘Starlo… I’m sorry.’

Undyne examined the badge with disdain before tossing it aside. “Doesn’t matter. It’s just garbage—just like you.”

“No,” Clover rasped, a spark of defiance flaring in his chest. He refused to let his journey end here. Not with his body left in some trash heap, not while his friends were still in danger!

Undyne stared at him in disbelief as he slowly pushed himself up causing her to stumble off him. “How… How are you standing?! Your Soul should be green—you're supposed to be paralyzed!”

“I don’t know,” Clover replied, grabbing an item from his bag. “But I’m not letting you stop me.” With a quick motion, he drank from a pouch of gunpowder.

Undyne’s expression twisted with fury. “It doesn’t matter! You’re still going down!” She summoned another wave of spears, hurling them toward him.

Clover dodged, his movements slow but desperate. He had to find a way to break free—get to the boat, reclaim his badge, and stop Undyne from attacking him.

“Why keep fighting?!” Undyne shouted, her voice cracking with exhaustion. “You’re wanted by the entire Underground! Nowhere’s safe for you! You’re better off dead!”

Clover’s heart pounded in his chest, but he didn’t stop. He refused to.

Clover drew his Wild Revolver and fired, the spears that came at him deflecting and flying off in various directions. “Sorry, Undyne, but I’ve got places to be!” His friends flashed in his mind, fueling a surge of determination . His Soul shifted from its usual yellow to a pale red.

Undyne’s fury boiled over, “You won’t hurt anyone else!”

She charged, her speed making it almost impossible to dodge, but Clover sidestepped just in time as she crashed into the wall behind him.

“Tri li li~” River Person’s voice echoed in the distance, oddly calm amidst the chaos. “To win against the undying will of another is impossible unless you turn their will against them.”

Clover glanced back, rolling his eyes. “Great, that totally helps.”

His eyes darted to Undyne, but something else caught his attention—spears that had previously been thrown were still on the ground.

Suddenly, a flash of red caught him off guard. “GOT YOU!” Undyne shouted as a spear stabbed into his shoulder from behind.

-5 HP

Clover screamed, the spear burrowing deeper into his flesh. He turned quickly, only to see Undyne backpedaling, summoning yet another spear.

They locked eyes. Neither one moved—until the unmistakable sound of the Royal Guard stirring behind Clover broke the silence.

‘I need to end this now!’ Clover thought, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

He grabbed a spear from the ground and dashed toward Undyne. Before she could react, he swung the hilt of the spear into her face, knocking her to the ground with a satisfying thud.

Grabbing his deputy badge off the floor, he bolted toward the boat.

“Not so fast!” Gerson’s voice rang out from the shore. He threw his hammer at Clover, and it hit him square in the chest.

Instead of Clover falling, the human sent the hammer flying back toward Gerson. “What the—?” Gerson’s eyes widened in surprise as he moved out of the way.

River Person gave the boat a gentle nudge, and it sped down the river.

Clover collapsed on the boat, finally allowing himself to relax. He was worn out—bruised, bleeding, and completely drained. His body screamed for rest, and for a moment, he just wanted to lie there, away from the chaos. He hated all of this—the violence, the conflict. He would much rather talk things out. But right now, he had no choice but to keep moving forward.

…

…

…

"Why are you helping me?" Clover asked once they were far enough from the Royal Guard.

The River Person glanced over at him, their voice soft but unwavering. "You're innocent, aren’t you? Wouldn’t it be right to help you?" They paused thoughtfully. "To be caught in a struggle that’s beyond us… it’s tragic."

Clover furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"

The River Person hummed, then spoke with a weight that hung in the air. "Let me put it this way." Though Clover couldn’t see their face, he felt as if they were looking at him with pity. "The past haunts us, the present remains stagnant, and the future…it’s always out of reach. To be trapped in this cycle…" Their voice trailed off, "It’s a nightmare."

"Are… are you okay?" Clover asked, standing up, unsure of what to say.

A small chuckle escaped the River Person, quickly morphing into a deep laugh. "Am I okay? What about you? You just fought off the Royal Guard’s finest! No wonder this route has changed so drastically… Humans like you are so selfless."

Clover scratched the back of his head. "Uh, thanks…?"

The River Person’s tone shifted, quieter now. "To answer your question… No. I’m not. But the future seems more hopeful when people like you are around." They turned toward the river, their voice softening. "Don’t give up, Clover. Even when all seems lost, there will always be someone to help you back up. Don’t forget that."

Clover nodded, slipping the fox mask back into his satchel and settling his hat on his head. "Oh, wait! I almost forgot—can you take me to the Dunes?"

The River Person raised an eyebrow, voice tinged with amusement. "Little one, the Dunes aren’t the Dunes yet. They’re still called the Marshlands here."

"Oh," Clover said, deflating slightly.

"Don’t worry," the River Person reassured him. "We’re headed there now."

Before Clover could respond, a loud bang echoed from the back of the rowboat. "Who…?" The River Person turned sharply, their voice cautious.

"NGAHHH!!!" Undyne screamed as she dangled from the back of the boat.

"Undyne?!" Clover shouted, shocked. He turned to the River Person. "What do we do?"

The River Person handed him a stick. "She’s about to fall asleep. Knock her off—she’ll be fine in the water. Undyne has gills."

Clover hesitated but followed the River Person's instructions, swinging the stick at Undyne, who was breathing heavily, "I won’t—" Undyne started, but Clover knocked her off, sending her splashing into the water with a shout. The boat picked up speed.

"Undyne…" Clover muttered, still stunned. "She’s the most determined monster I’ve ever met."

The River Person's voice turned urgent. "Hold on tight, child. The boat’s speeding up, and with her interference, we might crash."

As the light at the end of the tunnel grew brighter, signaling their approach to the Marshlands, Clover sighed. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me—" But before he could finish, everything went black.

You hammer at the wall section that had fallen in the Oasis, hands shaking slightly, but it’s going faster than expected—thankfully, the creature is helping.

The Flower popped out beneath them after working on the other side, “Howdy, you sure have your work cut out for you, pal!” the creature said cheerfully.

You shudder . The flower's voice. You can’t stand it.

“I mean, you were one of my ‘buddies’, and yet they’re still making you work instead of letting you wallow in self-pity! What scum… Don’t you agree?”

You nod , You learned long ago that it’s best not to disagree with the creature.

“Great! Now…”

You freeze. ‘Angel, no. Not again.’

“That brings me to our next task, once we’re done here. Same thing as last time, it’s on your table at home, in the jar… Golly, what was her name? It's so forgettable… Oh, right! It’s Big Cactus.”

You feel dizzy. Your thoughts are racing, clouded. Why does it sound so normal? It sounds like you should be doing this. It’s fine, right? At least it’s not monsters this time. At least that’s over. You think it is, at least.

“Well, get to it! Or I’ll have to entertain myself another way while I wait for my best friend.” The Flower sank back into the ground.

You finish the last nail and turn toward home. Monsters are acting like everything is fine, but you see it. The way they’re pretending. They’re all pretending.

The only one who seems truly okay is Blackjack, but you don’t know why.

“I don’t know why… despite everything, I’m glad I moved here. Y'know, I was recommended to come here a dozen years ago by some kid who walked into my shop. My memories are a little hazy, but I recall he gulped down a few bags of…”

You try to listen, but the words are just noise. Your head’s too heavy, too full. You feel those stares—the pity from the other monsters. They don’t understand. You hope that they never will.

At home, you see the jar on the table, five days old at least. It’s waiting. You know what you have to do. But you’re so tired. You can’t stop. You know you can’t. Not again. Not yet.

You pick it up. The tears come silently. You just want this nightmare to end soon.

Chapter Text

“You brought the goods?” asked a raccoon, nearly swallowed by the folds of an oversized trench coat, as the approaching figure drew closer.

The figure, a kitsune similarly draped in an equally absurd trench coat, responded with a monotone voice, “Mo, right? Yeah, I got the cocoa butter and gunpow–”

“SHHHHH!” Mo hissed, frantically waving his tiny paws. “This is supposed to be all secretive for the anniversary boy!”

The kitsune rolled her eyes and shrugged off the trench coat, revealing Ceroba underneath. “Why are we even doing this? He’s off being distracted by Star.”

“It’s a surprise anniversary party,” Mo said, his voice rising indignantly. “We gotta give it a hundred percent for my favorite customer!”

Ceroba threw up her hands. “Alright, alright, I’ll play along with the dumb disguises. Let’s just get this over with.”

Mo nodded in approval, stepping aside to let her in. “You may enter.”

Ceroba shot him a flat look. “It’s my house. I don’t need your permission.”

“O-oh, right… yeah…”

The sound of gunfire echoed across the Wild East, reverberating through the dusty streets.

Clover grinned as he sprinted after the infamous criminal, Vengeful Vergil. His latest scheme had been foiled, and now Clover and the rest of the Feisty Five were hot on his trail.

“By George! He’s too fast, Clover! We’ll never catch him!” North Star bellowed dramatically, drawing stares from the gathered townsfolk.

“I can’t even think of a way to reach him!” Mooch chimed in, flinging coins at Vergil. She missed on purpose, of course, wouldn't want to catch him so easily.

“Is this really how he escapes…?” Ace muttered under his breath, scowling.

“GAH!” Ed shouted in frustration. “Moray, can’t you do something?!”

“I am not throwing my rapier, Ed!” Moray snapped.

Clover, having just ran out of ammo for his gun during the chase, pressed on regardless. Even if they couldn’t catch him, they weren’t giving up!

“Bahahahaha!” Vergil’s voice boomed through the Wild East, totally not amplified by speakers hidden somewhere. “I’ll throw a rock in the shoes of everyone in this town!”

“That fiend!” North Star howled in a thick cowboy drawl. “What about the monsters who don’t even wear shoes?”

The team pushed on, desperation mounting. Was all hope lost?

“Now, watch as I–” Vergil’s taunt was abruptly cut short by a sharp bang, and he crumpled to the ground.

“What the!?” the Feisty Five shouted in unison.

“Oh, uh… what?” Clover stammered after the dramatic pause, breaking the tension.

The wind picked up, swirling sand and dust as two figures emerged from the haze.

“It can’t be…!” Ace’s eyes widened.

“It’s…” Mooch hesitated for effect.

“Isn’t that Asriel…?” Ed pointed out.

Moray sighed and leaned in to whisper, “Ed… It’s still part of the show.”

“Oh.”

North Star grinned, adjusting their hat. “Well, I’ll be… It’s our fellow cowpokes, Lucky and Dusty!”

Chara tipped their hat toward Clover, twirling their revolver with a flourish before blowing on the tip, safety goggles firmly in place. “Howdy there, partner.”

Asriel beamed as he sprinted over. “Hey, Clover! Check it out! Mom made me this awesome outfit!” He did a little twirl, his cowboy costume kicking up a puff of dust.

Clover couldn’t help but smile. “Looks mighty fine, Lucky.” His gaze shifted to Chara, whose western attire was still predominantly green. Some clothing habits, it seemed, were impossible to shake.

“Sorry we’re late,” Chara said, clapping Asriel on the back. “Azzy here decided to spend forever in the shopping district before heading out.”

As they spoke, Vergil began inching away, crawling toward freedom.

“Now where do you think you’re going, pardner?” North Star loomed in front of him, arms crossed. “Jail it is for you.”

“Ah, shucks!” Vergil groaned as North Star tied him up with one swift motion.

“Good work, team,” North Star said, hoisting Vergil over one shoulder with ease. “I’ll see y’all at Ceroba’s place. I’ve got some… ruffians to take care of first.”

“Okay!” Clover waved as the group began to disperse, a smile lingering on his face. He turned to the other two kids, “Let’s go.”

...

...

...

Today had been an especially good day for Clover—better than usual! The entire town had joined in the excitement of the Wild East show, even Blackjack making an appearance.

“Having fun?” Chara asked, strolling alongside Clover as they headed to the estate.

Clover nodded eagerly. “Yeah! What about you?”

“Me?” Chara arched an eyebrow. “I mean, I only showed up at the end, but… sure. Those gun lessons you’ve been giving me must be paying off. Did you see how I got Vergil’s legs in one shot?”

Clover’s grin widened. “Yup! It was so cool when you showed up and saved the day!” he exclaimed, his excitement bubbling over.

Chara turned away, a faint flush creeping onto their face. “Psh, as if I didn’t already know that.”

“It’s neat that you guys get to do stuff like that every day,” Asriel chimed in, trailing just behind them. “All we ever do is royal duties.” He groaned, slumping dramatically at the thought.

Chara chuckled softly. “You’re just complaining because you keep getting yourself into trouble with Mom.”

“It’s not fair! You always get Dad!”

“That’s because you keep distracting him when he tries to teach you. Plus, he totally babies you.”

“He does not!”

Clover, trying to stifle a laugh, gestured ahead. “Oh, looks like we’re here already.”

Ceroba’s home came into view, the estate standing tall in the distance. Asriel’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“Ooh! Hurry up, Clover!” he shouted, suddenly shoving Clover forward with surprising enthusiasm.

“H-hey!?” Clover yelped, stumbling forward as Asriel continued to push him toward the house.

Clover stumbled to regain balance as Asriel continued pushing him toward Ceroba’s estate.

“Azzy, stop it! I can walk, you know!” Clover protested.

“But you’re too slow!” Asriel teased, grinning ear to ear. “We’re so close!”

Chara shook their head, a small smile tugging at their lips. “You’re gonna wear him out before we even get there.”

“Good!” Asriel shot back, grinning mischievously. “Then I’ll just carry him the rest of the way!”

Clover’s eyes widened. “Don’t you dare!”

Before Asriel could respond, the grand doors of Ceroba’s estate creaked open, revealing Mo’s head poking out. He was inexplicably wearing an oversized trench coat, the collar almost swallowing his face.

“Hey, kid,” Mo greeted nonchalantly.

Clover blinked in confusion. “Mo? What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” Mo deflected with a dramatic scoff. “What are you not doing here? Quit standing around and get inside already!”

With a flourish, Mo pushed the doors open, revealing only pitch darkness inside.

Clover hesitated, glancing at Chara and Asriel. To his surprise, they both stepped inside without a second thought.

Chara turned back briefly, the faintest glimmer of mischief in their eyes. “You coming, or are we leaving you out here?”

Clover shrugged, curiosity outweighing caution, and followed them into the shadowy estate.

…

…

…

Clover might’ve gotten lost.

“Ow!” He bumped into yet another wall.

Okay, scratch that—he was definitely lost in his own home.

“Where did they go?” Clover muttered aloud, groaning at his own disorientation. How could he get lost in his own place?

Suddenly, two hands gripped his shoulders. “Boo!”

Clover yelped, stumbling backward. “Who–?!” His eyes widened as he spotted the glowing red eyes in the darkness. He knew exactly who it was. “Chara?”

Though the darkness made it impossible to see their face, Clover could still hear the smirk in their voice. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself, Cowboy.” They pulled him up by the hand. “I’ll show you where you need to be. Don’t let go.”

As they walked together down the hall, Clover felt a strange sense of comfort being with Chara, as if he belonged there in the moment.

They stopped. “Here we are.” Chara let go of his hand, stepping forward, and the lights flickered to life.

“Surprise!” The voices of all his friends erupted, and confetti rained down.

“Y-you guys…” Clover was stunned, his heart swelling with warmth.

Martlet was holding a cake, grinning ear to ear. “Hi, Clover! Happy first anniversary!”

Starlo chuckled, “You should’ve seen their face.”

Ace stood in the corner, holding a balloon marked ‘One.’

The kitchen and dining room were filled with everyone Clover had come to care about, and the sight filled him with joy. It was so… nice.

“Wait, where’s Ceroba?” he asked, his eyes scanning the room.

Martlet laughed nervously. “Well, uh, she had a little accident with the cake earlier. Who knew gunpowder would explode like that?”

Before Clover could process that, Ceroba entered the room, dazed and covered in gunpowder. “H-heya, Clover~” she slurred. “This has truly been an Undertale… Yellow True Pacifist Route~!” Then she faceplanted onto the floor.

Chara’s face tightened with worry. “Is she okay?”

“Ah, she’ll be fine,” Mo waved off the concern. “C’mon, I wanna see how gunpowder chocolate cake tastes!”

At the mention of chocolate, Chara’s eyes lit up. “Chocolate, you say?”

The room filled with chatter as everyone gathered around, leaving Clover and Asriel standing off to the side.

“This is why you were excited, huh?” Clover grinned, nudging Asriel.

Asriel sheepishly laughed. “Golly, you got me!”

“A year’s gone by already, huh?” Clover said, his tone a bit wistful. “Crazy how fast time passes.”

...

...

...

The afternoon slipped away quickly, and before long, it was time to say goodbye.

“Bye, Roba! See you tomorrow!” Starlo waved as he carried a sleeping Mooch out the door.

“Bye, Star,” Ceroba waved, leaning against the doorframe. She glanced at Clover, her gaze softening. “Isn’t there someone you should say goodbye to?”

Clover thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. “I don’t think so?”

Ceroba scoffed. “Remember what we were talking about earlier?”

Clover’s face flushed as the memory hit. “H-hey, I wasn’t going to do it tonight!”

Ceroba ruffled his hair. “Sure, kiddo. See you inside.” She walked off, heading toward her home.

From a distance, Clover heard Asriel. “Chara,” he groaned, “Hurry up! We’re gonna be late getting home!”

“Go on without me,” Chara called back. “I forgot something at Ceroba’s place.”

“If you say so…” Asriel grumbled as he headed off, leaving Chara and Clover alone.

A few moments passed before Chara appeared before Clover.

“Hey,” Clover greeted, his pulse quickening for reasons he couldn’t quite understand.

“Hello,” Chara replied, their voice softer than usual.

Clover felt his anxiety rise. Why was he so nervous? It was just three words: ‘See you later.’ Simple, right?

Chara seemed to be struggling with something too. The usually confident, determined Chara was… off, and that only made Clover more anxious.

The two stood there, locked in a silent standoff, neither one knowing exactly how to break the tension.

It was Chara who moved first. Without warning, they walked up to him, and before Clover could process what was happening, they planted a quick peck on his cheek.

Clover froze, heart racing, barely able to comprehend what had just occurred.

Chara backed away quickly, laughing awkwardly. “I didn’t get you anything for your birthday, so Azzy suggested…” They faltered, then turned on their heel, almost sprinting away. “Bye bye~!”

Clover stood motionless, his mind reeling. What… just happened?

“Told you the Deputy had it in him!” Starlo exclaimed to Ceroba and Martlet, with Mooch still snoozing on his shoulder, completely oblivious to the conversation.

“That’s... shocking.” Ceroba stared wide-eyed at the scene that had just unfolded. “Though, to be fair, Chara acted first, not Clover. So technically—”

Martlet cut in, raising an eyebrow. “Wasn’t the condition that they’d start acting more... couple-like, instead of being complete dorks around each other?”

Starlo grinned. “That’s right, Roba. Pay up!”

Ceroba sighed, though a small smile tugged at her lips. “Fine, you win.” She handed over a bag of corn chowder with a dramatic flair. “My best meal that I can muster.”

Martlet furrowed her brow as she stared at the bag. “Why that?”

“What? It’s good!” Starlo defended, holding the bag like a trophy.

Ceroba glanced over to Clover in the distance. He was still standing frozen in place. “Should we go get him?”

Starlo shook his head, grinning. “Nah, let the kid bask in the moment.”

Minutes ticked by, but Clover didn’t budge. After a dozen or so minutes, they couldn’t help but check on him.

“Clover?” Ceroba called, her voice a little softer now.

“T-they... Chara... I...” Clover stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. Their face flushed.

Needless to say, that wasn’t how Clover expected his anniversary to go.

Chapter Text

The air felt heavy as Chara and Asgore made their way back home, the silence between them thick with unspoken thoughts. Neither seemed ready to break it, both grappling with what they had just witnessed.

Finally, Chara spoke. “What are we going to tell the others?”

“Nothing,” Asgore replied, his voice low. “Not until Gaster has had a chance to examine them. I don’t want to risk giving our people false hope—not with Souls as unstable as those.”

Chara hesitated before asking, “And Mom?”

Asgore’s expression tightened. “I… I’ll tell her once I’m sure of the Souls.”

Chara stopped in her tracks, forcing him to do the same. “Why wait to tell her? She deserves to know.”

He sighed, running a hand through his mane. “I wasn’t sure if I should tell you, either, but… knowing you, your curiosity would have uncovered it sooner or later.”

Chara tilted their head, puzzled. “What? It can’t be that bad.”

Asgore looked away, his gaze fixed somewhere distant—toward New Home. “Those Souls… they’re young. Very young.”

The words hung in the air, and Chara felt their stomach twist. They knew what he meant. Those Souls belonged to children. But how could he know that when he hadn’t yet—

“I’m sorry,” Asgore interrupted their thoughts. “But I think it’s best if we don’t talk about this any further.”

Chara nodded reluctantly. Asgore was right—there was no point in dwelling on it now. Still, the weight of it pressed down on them, questions buzzing in their mind.

“Well!” Asgore said suddenly, forcing a cheerful tone. “Let’s not linger on dark thoughts. We should head back.”

“Right…” Chara muttered, falling into step behind him. The oppressive silence returned, but this time, it felt even heavier.

...

...

...

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Chara groaned, standing beside Asgore as they both watched Toriel glare at the TV. Displayed prominently on the screen was Clover’s bounty, the number five million practically glowing. “He didn’t even last an hour in New Home…”

“Asgore,” Toriel said evenly, her voice carrying a dangerous calm only years of marriage could perfect. “Care to explain why this nice child is currently wanted?”

Asgore shifted uncomfortably, offering a weak laugh. “W-well, Tori, you see, it’s all a bit of a misunderstanding—”

“A misunderstanding?” she interrupted, her voice sharp enough to cut stone. “Asgore, misunderstandings do not lead to a child having a bounty worth five million gold!”

“Wait! There’s a very good reason for this!” Asgore blurted, holding his hands up defensively.

Toriel pinched the bridge of her nose, visibly trying to compose herself. “Fine. Explain.”

“Well, it started when I…” Asgore began, fumbling through his explanation.

Chara tuned him out, their eyes flicking back to the screen. ‘The Marshlands, huh?’ they mused. ‘Guess I know where Clover’s at right now.’

Deciding to make their move, they quietly slipped out of the room, only to nearly collide with Asriel in the hallway.

“What’s going on?” Asriel asked, glancing past Chara toward the living room.

“Nothing important, Azzy,” Chara replied casually, sidestepping him. “I’m just heading out for a bit. Oh, and while I’m gone? Try to make sure Mom doesn’t murder Dad, okay?”

Asriel frowned, clearly puzzled. “Uh… okay?”

“Bye bye~!” Chara called over their shoulder as they darted toward the elevator down below. Of course, they made sure to snag a bar of chocolate from the counter before heading out.

“I suppose that makes sense,” Toriel said at last, though her glare remained sharp. “But you will make this right when we find him, correct?”

Asgore nodded earnestly. “Of course. I owe him that much.”

“Good,” She straightened, her tone firm. “We’ll sort out this mess. For now, I’ll make sure the kids eat before we head out. Kids!”

“Right here,” Asriel called, appearing in the doorway.

“Ah, uh…” Asgore hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. “How much did you hear?”

“Not much,” Asriel replied, tilting his head. “Is Clover in trouble?”

Toriel’s expression softened as she knelt to his level. “No, honey. But your father and I need to make sure other monsters don’t think he is.”

“Oh!” Asriel perked up. “Is that why Chara already went out to look for him?”

“What?” Toriel froze mid-motion, slowly turning to Asgore. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Asgore, did you send our child to go search for the other one, alone?”

“Yes?” Asgore replied cautiously. “I don’t see the problem. I gave Chara the poster, and they’re more than capable of handling themselves. Besides, Clover trusts them more than anyone else.”

Toriel stared at him, her hand pressed to her temple as if physically holding back her anger. She inhaled deeply before speaking. “Asriel, once you’ve finished breakfast, could you tend to the garden in the throne room for me?”

“Uh… sure,” Asriel said, glancing nervously between his parents.

Toriel fixed her sharp gaze on Asgore. “Chara will return safely—and you will ensure that. Understood?”

Asgore sighed heavily, recognizing the look in her eyes all too well. They would be having a long conversation once this was over. “Very well,” he said with resignation. “I’ll bring them back.”

Chara moved quickly through the streets of New Home, her boots clicking softly against the stone. The streets were eerily quiet; most monsters were still inside, adhering to the warning. She was almost at the next elevator when—

“Well, if it isn’t our favorite human!” a voice rang out from the shadows, far too cheerful for her liking.

She groaned inwardly. Not this guy again. “What do you want, Aaron?”

The greaser stepped out of the shadows, his smirk as obnoxious as ever. “Oh, just a little explanation.”

“Over what?” Chara asked, her gaze flicking upward to spot his gang lingering on the rooftops.

Aaron’s eyes gleamed with ‘mischief’. “Why does our good pal Clover have a bounty of five million on his head?”

Chara’s chest tightened involuntarily at the mention of Clover, though she quickly masked it with irritation. “That’s none of your business,” she shot back, stalling for time. Think, Chara. Think.

But Aaron was persistent, leaning in with a knowing grin. “Come on, spill it. I mean, we’re all friends here, right?”

Her brain scrambled for an excuse. “Uh… another monster’s impersonating him?”

“For real!?” Fury blurted from the rooftop, his tone skeptical.

‘Nope. Not even close.’

“Yep,” Chara lied, keeping their expression neutral.

Aaron snapped his fingers in realization. “Ah-ha! So you’re chasing down the copycat, huh?”

‘Not at all.’

“Yes, exactly,” she replied, forcing a confident nod. “So, if that’s all, I really need to get going.” She turned sharply, heading for the elevator.

“Awah!? You’re not even going to ask for help?!” Aaron called after her, his voice tinged with disappointment.

Chara paused mid-step, genuinely confused. “Why would I?” she asked, turning back to face him. “I can handle this just fine on my own.”

Aaron fumbled, uncharacteristically flustered. “I—I, uh…”

“What the boss means to say is that he wants to help Clover too!” Dash interjected from above, earning a frantic nod from Aaron.

‘Monsters and their weird attachment issues,’ Chara thought, exhaling slowly.

She crossed her arms, pretending to weigh her options. “Okay, fine. If you’re that desperate to help, then spread the word that Clover’s not actually a criminal. Think you can manage that?”

“WE’LL GET RIGHT ON IT!” Aaron declared, his booming voice making her wince.

‘He’s annoyingly loud,’ she thought, rubbing her temple. 

“Great. You do that.” She stepped into the elevator, eager to escape the annoyances.

As the doors began to close, Fury’s voice rang out one last time. “Good luck finding your boyfriend, Chara!”

“He’s not my—!” The doors shut with a resounding click, cutting her off mid-protest. “…boyfriend.”

Chara groaned, leaning against the wall. ‘Fantastic. Let’s just hope that they don’t spread their dumb ideas.’ She could already imagine Toriel teasing her more if this nonsense ever reached her ears.

Her hand drifted to her thigh, brushing against something firm. She glanced down and stiffened. The fancy holster. The one she’d grabbed from Clover’s bag.

Her pulse quickened, though she told herself it was just from the thrill of taking it. ‘Why did I even take this?’

As the elevator hummed to life, her thoughts drifted back to what Toriel had reminded her the night before, a knowing look in her eyes. About when they were hunting snails…

“Huh? That doesn’t make any sense. How does a monster giving you something mean they like you?” a younger Chara asked, tilting their head as they swished their net through the pond, searching for snails.

Toriel let out a warm, hearty laugh. “Oh, my child, that is not quite what I meant.”

Chara caught a snail, holding it up for inspection. “Then what do you mean, Mo—uh, Miss Toriel?”

Toriel smiled gently at the slip, her eyes soft with affection. “Let me explain it this way. Think for a moment—what is something that every monster you’ve met seems to have in common?”

Chara paused, furrowing their brow in thought. Monsters were so different—big, small, winged, scaled, furry. Physically, they had almost nothing in common. And yet, they all lived together peacefully, a stark contrast to what life on the Surface was like.

“Your Souls?” they guessed hesitantly, worried to get it wrong.

“A thoughtful answer,” Toriel said, nodding. “And true. But that is not what I was getting at.” She set her net aside and clasped her hands in her lap. “Haven’t you noticed that monsters rarely change their clothing?”

Chara blinked, caught off guard by the question. Now that she mentioned it... it was kind of strange. They looked down at their own sweater—the one the Dreemurr family had given them. They had multiple of the same sweaters, but it had never struck them as odd before.

“Oh… yeah,” they murmured.

“For monsters, clothing is deeply personal,” Toriel continued. “It is not simply practical but a form of expression—sort of akin to magic, in a sense. To give a piece of clothing or an accessory of said clothing to another is something of great significance. It is a profound gesture of trust… or affection.”

Chara stared at her for a moment before wrinkling their nose. “That’s so weird,” they muttered under their breath, turning their attention back to the pond.

Toriel laughed again, “Perhaps it is, my child.”

Chara didn’t respond, too busy poking at the water. Still, a faint thought lingered in the back of their mind, a question they couldn’t quite think of how to say.

“Oh, that explains a lot…” Chara mumbled, their gaze lingering on the fancy holster. No wonder that gang—and even Toriel—assumed that Clover and they were...

They shook the thought away, cheeks faintly warm, and stuffed the holster into their pocket. ‘I’ll give it back once I find him.’

At least no one else had seen it. Or so they hoped.

The elevator dinged, snapping them out of their thoughts. As the doors opened to the UG Apartments, Chara stepped out, grateful for the lockdown—it made elevator waits almost nonexistent.

“Let’s see…” they muttered, pulling Clover’s bounty poster from their pocket and holding it up. The direction it floated to confirmed what they already suspected: the Marshlands. “Wow, this is going way easier than I expected.”

For once, things seemed to be going smoothly. Chara made it through the streets uninterrupted, heading toward the River Person’s area to hitch a ride to the Marshlands.

That peace didn’t last long.

“Is everyone okay?” a panting voice asked. Chara’s attention snapped to a blue bird stumbling into view, feathers ruffled and frazzled.

“I-I-I think I’m alright? Those Temmies didn’t strangle me…” replied another voice, this one with a distinct cowboy drawl.

“I told you we should’ve gone around instead of straight through their village,” an irritated kitsune snapped, brushing off their kimono.

Chara froze in place, staring in disbelief. There was no way—it couldn’t be those guys.

The blue bird let out a nervous laugh. “At least we got out of there!”

“We almost lost the Soul when they tried to trample us,” the kitsune—Ceroba—said bluntly.

“And you said my lasso was useless,” North Star chimed in smugly. “I caught the deputy before they fell into the river.”

“Glad that’s over,” Martlet, the blue bird, chirped, trying to change the subject. “Let’s get going to… the…” Her gaze landed on Chara, and her voice faltered. “...Castle?”

North Star looked over, then slapped Martlet’s back, grinning. “Feathers, what got you so spooked—oh.”

Ceroba sighed, rubbing their temples. “We can take a break if you two need it. I know Waterfall was rough, but—” Ceroba stopped mid-sentence as their eyes met Chara’s.

Chara’s stomach flipped. They weren’t sure what to say to Clover’s friends. After a brief hesitation, they said the first thing that came to mind. “Uh… Greetings, I’m Chara.”

Ceroba’s ears flattened, and their eyes widened. “Oh, shi—”

...

...

...

"We’re in the past, aren’t we?" Ceroba asked, breaking the silence after the group finally calmed down.

"What? How!?" Martlet, shocked, blurted out.

Ceroba pointed at Chara, her eyes narrowing. "They’re alive when they shouldn’t be."

Chara shrugged, offering a faint smile. "You catch on fast, fox-lady."

"Wait, hold on a second," North Star raised a hand to pause the conversation. His expression hardened as he studied Chara. "You’re that Chara? Like… Chara Dreemurr?"

Chara shifted uncomfortably under their stares. "Yep. The very same."

The three monsters went silent, their expressions cycling through disbelief, shock, and unease.

"So…" Martlet finally broke the silence, her voice soft. "Clover didn’t have to sacrifice himself?"

North Star let out a shaky breath, rubbing the back of his neck. "Shucks, Clover, I’m sorry. This is all kinds of messed up."

Ceroba’s ears twitched as she grimaced. "If we had only waited a few more minutes, he’d still…"

Chara couldn’t bear to keep them in the dark. "He’s still alive, y’know."

"No way!" Martlet exclaimed, her voice tinged with hope before faltering. "I mean, it’d be great if he was, but we’ve got his Soul with us, and we’re in the past!"

The other two nodded in hesitant agreement.

Chara frowned, tapping their fingers against their arm. ‘How am I going to convince them Clover’s alive?’ They considered their options, eyeing the two items they carried that belonged to Clover—and one that showed him. Opting for something tangible, they reached into their satchel and pulled out Clover’s bandana.

"Here, does this look familiar?"

Ceroba’s eyes widened. "This is—!" Her words caught in her throat.

"Clover’s bandana?!" Martlet finished, her wings fluttering in shock.

North Star frowned, skeptical. "Hold on. If that’s his bandana, it means he’s here somewhere, but how’s he alive without a Soul?"

Chara tilted their head. "Look, whether you believe me or not is up to you. I’m heading to where Clover is, and you can either keep doing your thing or come along. Your choice."

It didn’t take much to sway them. Despite their initial doubts, the group decided to follow Chara.

As they prepared to move, Chara added, "Oh, one more thing. Clover’s kind of a wanted criminal right now, so we need to find him before the Royal Guard does."

Ceroba sighed, muttering under her breath. "This is not how I envisioned my day going."

Chara resisted the urge to laugh, thinking, ‘I didn’t expect to be alive either.’

Martlet’s voice broke the reflective silence. "Wait, so if we’re in the past, does that mean our friends and family from the present—uh, future? Whatever—aren’t here?"

North Star followed up, his brow furrowed. "And if Clover’s alive, what do we do with his Soul?"

Ceroba shook her head. "Starlo, we’ll figure that out after we get Clover."

Chara’s ears perked up at the name, her eyes narrowing slightly. ‘His name isn’t North Star?’ she thought, stunned. Clover’s stories about the Wild East always referred to the sheriff by his alias.

A question nagged at Chara as they approached River Person’s area. "You mentioned the Temmies attacked you. Why would they do that? They’re usually peaceful."

Ceroba and Martlet exchanged pointed looks before glaring at North Star—Starlo—with Ceroba growling, "Why don’t you explain that one?"

Starlo chuckled nervously, scratching his neck. "Oh, c’mon, we got out of it, didn’t we?"

Ceroba scoffed. "Barely."

Martlet hesitated, then sighed. "I mean… I guess that’s true—"

"No, Martlet," Ceroba interrupted, her tone firm. "We could’ve gone through the village just fine if—"

The Sheriff and his new posse of—

"Stop being dramatic and just tell them what happened," Ceroba groaned, cutting off Starlo mid-sentence.

"...Fine."

Starlo, Ceroba, and Martlet had accidentally stumbled into Temmie Village after escaping a cave-in. Surprisingly, it had been relatively easy to dig themselves out using a few explosives Starlo had gotten from Mooch who had "borrowed" it from Vergil.

As they emerged from the rubble and trekked further, a cluster of huts and strange decorations came into view.

"Is that a village?" Martlet asked, tilting her head as they drew closer.

Ceroba squinted at the unmistakable structures. "If I’m not mistaken, that’s Temmie Village—a strange place with even stranger monsters. I suggest we go around."

Starlo waved her off. "Nonsense. What’s the worst that could happen if we just pass through?"

"Couldn’t we ask for directions while we’re there?" Martlet chimed in. "It’d be nice to know where we’re heading."

Ceroba sighed in exasperation, "Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you."

When they reached the village, they were greeted by an odd assortment of statues and paintings, all featuring Temmies in various poses.

"Why is that one riding a giant lizard?" Martlet asked, pointing to a painting with wide, curious eyes.

Ceroba crossed her arms. "Don’t you know? Temmies were once considered one of the most dangerous species of the Monster race. But one Temmie," she gestured toward a nearby statue, "convinced the others to stop their aggression and focus on selling Temmie Flakes instead."

Starlo and Martlet exchanged confused glances before Starlo asked, "Why do you know that?"

Ceroba raised an eyebrow. "It’s basic Monster History 101. Didn’t you—actually, don’t answer that."

Martlet sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "I was too busy making puzzles to study…"

Starlo puffed out his chest. "And I was busy delivering justice!"

Before anyone could say more, a loud voice startled them.

"hOI!! welcome TO... TEM VILLAGE!!!" a Temmie exclaimed, suddenly appearing behind them. "hOI!!! I’M tEMMIE!!"

Starlo tipped his hat politely. "Well, howdy there! Nice place you’ve got here."

"yEs! tEmS…LIKES HOME!!!" the Temmie said, or possibly yelled—it was hard to tell.

"We were wondering how to get to New Home from here," Starlo continued. "Reckon you could give us some directions?"

The Temmie perked up even more, if that was even possible. "dirECTIONS??? TEM CAN HELP! FOLLOW!!!"

The Temmie trotted off toward a shack, leaving the group no choice but to follow.

Martlet chuckled nervously. "W-wow, these guys are…enthusiastic?"

Ceroba’s rolled her eyes as she looked back at the others. "Did anyone bring any G’s?"

"No," Starlo and Martlet answered in unison.

"Not even one?" Ceroba asked again, a hint of irritation in her tone.

Both shook their heads.

"Great," she muttered, following the group into the shack.

The group was nearing River Person’s area, the faint sound of flowing water growing louder with each step.

Chara glanced at the others, noting their ragged appearance and tired expressions. "I still don’t get it. Why is it Starlo’s fault that you all look so worn out?"

Ceroba groaned, shooting a sharp look at Starlo. "Oh, it wasn’t about the money. It’s about when he decided to…"

Starlo raised his hands defensively. "Now hold on! Let’s not make this sound worse than it is!"

"You tried to barter with Temmie Flakes, Starlo," Ceroba snapped. "And then proceeded to eat them in front of them when they said no!"

Martlet groaned, wings drooping as she added, "That’s not even including why they got mad at us in the first place…”

"nO Mons? It ok. tEM still give Direction!!!" the Temmie declared, handing Ceroba a crudely drawn map. "bE back yah!? foR Tem Flakes!!!"

Starlo leaned casually against the statue of the Temmie outside, observing the village. Despite the odd construction, he could appreciate its quirky charm. The place reminded him of the makeshift creations the Feisty Five would build when they were low on funds.

As Ceroba exited the shop, Starlo straightened up. "Are we ready to go?"

Ceroba nodded, holding up the map. "We should get to Asgore’s castle soon to deliver…” She winced before continuing, “If we follow these directions, it should be an easy trip."

Martlet frowned, glancing back toward the village. "They deserve something proper as a send-off."

Ceroba gaze was casted downard, "Yes, he does."

Starlo pushed off the statue with a sigh. "Well, let’s get moving. Not like this Soul is going anywhere if we don’t."

"S-Starlo?" Martlet stammered, her voice tinged with fear.

Starlo raised an eyebrow at her reaction. "What’s got you so—"

The sound of shattering stone cut him off. Slowly, he turned to see the statue behind him crumbling. Its head tumbled forward, smashing through stalls, toppling over the painting Martlet had admired, and finally crashing into a house with a resounding thud.

The silence that followed was suffocating.

"We need to leave. Now," Ceroba said sharply, grabbing both Starlo and Martlet by the arms and dragging them away.

"How…?" Martlet mumbled, still in shock.

"It doesn’t matter how, Feathers!" Starlo hissed. "They don’t know it was me, so let’s just—"

"Are you get chuckle?" a Temmie suddenly blocked their path, glaring. "You think it fun???"

Ceroba stepped in front of her companions, putting herself between them and the growing mob of Temmies. "Look, my friend’s an idiot, but we’ll fix the damages. Just let us—"

Another Temmie joined, shaking violently. "Why knock over statue of Hero Tem???"

"hOi!!! What happen???" a third Temmie yelled.

Within moments, more and more Temmies appeared, their anger growing louder and more chaotic.

"Uh, guys?" Martlet whispered, panic in her eyes. "What do we do?!"

Ceroba gritted her teeth. "Move slowly back the way we came. We can go around the village."

"WAHT?! Hero Tem statue destroyed?!" one of the Temmies shrieked.

"WHAT"

"WHAT"

The mob roared in unison, their voices overlapping in shock and outrage.

"Who did destroy?! Who think funny?!"

The Temmie who had greeted them earlier stepped forward, pointing dramatically. "It was… WEIRD MAN!!!"

Starlo winced. "Ah, shucks."

With no better plan, he stepped forward, his demeanor shifting into his "North Star" persona. He tipped his hat and addressed the mob. "Now hold on there, friends! I reckon there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstand?!" a Temmie shouted. "Why destroy Tem???"

"Whoa now, let me explain," North Star said with exaggerated calmness. "Y’see, I noticed one of them Temmie Flakes on the statue and got so excited I accidentally knocked it over. It’s all a big accident!"

The mob went silent for a moment before a voice squeaked out. "Tem Flake???"

Starlo hesitated, realizing his story was about to backfire. "Uh, yeah! A… special Temmie Flake." He quickly tore off a piece of his poncho behind his back and held it up. "See? One of a kind."

Ceroba leaned in, whispering harshly. "They’ll know it’s fake if they touch it."

"We see hm?" a Temmie asked, stepping forward.

The three of them groaned internally.

Thinking quickly, North Star raised a finger. "Tell ya what—how about I give you this special flake in exchange for letting us go?"

The Temmies murmured among themselves.

"Is worth???"

"noEs Tem broken!!!"

"bUt flake!"

Finally, one Temmie shouted. "OKAY! WE LET GO! DROP FLAKE!!!"

Ceroba buried her face in her hands. "This is ridiculous…"

North Star chuckled nervously, tossing the poncho scrap toward the mob. "Pleasure doin’ business with y’all. We’ll be on our way now!"

As they turned to leave, a Temmie called out. "WAIT!!! whaT goLd Shine???"

Martlet quickly stepped in front of Starlo. "T-that’s just his… skin! Yeah, his skin!"

"noes its not!!! gIves us those… TOO!!!"

Ceroba growled, stepping forward. "No can do. These are important—"

"Deal’s off then," a particularly articulate Temmie declared, stepping out of the mob.

The group froze.

This Temmie continued, its voice eerily calm. "Those items shall be placed together. Only then may you leave."

Starlo tried to stay composed, smiling faintly. "Now hold on, partner. No need to make this difficult." He crouched, picking up the scrap. "I mean, it’d be a shame to lose this piece of history, wouldn’t it?"

Ceroba hissed under her breath. "Stop antagonizing them!"

North Star ignored her, popping the scrap into his mouth. "Down the hatch!"

The mob gasped in collective horror.

"Y-YOU!!!"

"Well, that’s settled!" North Star declared, spinning on his heel. "We’ll be off now—"

The three bolted as the mob erupted into chaos behind them.

"What was that?!" Ceroba snapped, keeping pace.

"Improvising!" Starlo shouted back.

Martlet glanced behind them nervously. "At least they’re not following—wait, what’s that?"

She stopped short, realizing there was an extra paw on her arm. "That’s weird…"

"That’s a Temmie!" Ceroba yelled, smacking the paw away. "They can stretch their bodies to absurd lengths!"

Martlet blinked. "What?"

Before she could react, another paw wrapped around her, yanking her back.

"Oh no."

“A mob of Temmies? That’s weird… From what Dad told me, their population is sparse,” Chara remarked, narrowing her eyes.

Ceroba nodded in agreement. “They’re supposed to be. For some reason, though, it felt like they multiplied overnight.”

Starlo opened his mouth to continue the story. “Oh, and then—”

Chara cut him off, holding up a hand. “Let me guess: you struggled against the Temmies, and somehow lost Clover’s Soul in the chaos. Then you—who, for some inexplicable reason, had a lasso—managed to catch it before it fell into the river?”

Starlo’s confident grin faltered. “How’d you know?”

The silence that followed was heavy with implication. Nothing needed to be said; it was clear from the way Clover and his friends always seemed to narrowly escape disaster that luck was never on their side.

As they reached the river, Martlet looked around, “Is there supposed to be someone here?”

“Yes,” Chara replied, frowning as her gaze followed the winding river toward Snowdin. “That’s strange. River Person is usually here when I need them.”

The others exchanged odd looks.

Chara sighed, crossing her arms. “They have this weird traveling system that—” She stopped mid-explanation when she noticed their unimpressed expressions. “I’m not lying,” she muttered.

Martlet perked up, pointing to a sign on a nearby wall. “Oh hey! It says they’re out of order!”

“Ah, shucks.” Starlo groaned dramatically, tipping his hat back. “How else are we supposed to get to wherever Clover is?”

Chara’s gaze shifted toward the looming silhouette of the lab in the distance. She hadn’t gone through the areas on the far side of the lab before. She’d never had a reason to, nor had she wanted to. 

But Clover, it seemed, was a catalyst for many new experiences in her life.

She mulled it over briefly before muttering to herself, “There should be a way through Steamworks…” It would be a significant detour—at least a few hours longer than they wanted.

Martlet hesitated before speaking. “So, uh, Chara? I know you know where Clover is, but… where is he exactly?”

“Marshlands.” Chara’s tone was clipped as she started walking in the direction of the lab. “Let’s go.”

...

...

...

Wearing a sweater in the hottest part of the Underground was probably a bad idea. On top of that, Chara regretted not bringing any water. She hadn’t run into a Save point, and creating one would slow her down significantly since it drained her energy. All in all, the situation wasn’t ideal.

“You sure you’re okay, kid?” Starlo asked, his tone laced with worry. “You look like you’re gonna keel over any second.”

“I’m fine,” Chara replied quickly, brushing him off. “Once we’re at the lab, it’ll be cooler.”

“The lab, huh?” Ceroba muttered, and the unease in her voice made everyone except Chara tense.

“Is there any other way around—?” Martlet began hesitantly.

Ceroba cut her off with a shake of her head, her gaze fixed on the looming structure ahead. “Martlet, it’s fine. She wouldn’t even be here.” Her voice trembled slightly as she finished.

Chara furrowed her brows, glancing at Ceroba. Who is she talking about?

When they reached the massive doors of the lab, Starlo ran his hands along the surface. “How do we get in? I don’t see a door handle or anything.”

His question made Chara raise an eyebrow. “Why would a secure door have a handle?” She motioned for them to step back. “There’s a different entrance back in UG Apartments, but we’re short on time…” Placing a boot firmly against the door, Chara channeled her determination into it. With a burst of energy, the massive door creaked open under the pressure.

The sound left Ceroba and Starlo stunned.

“What?” Chara asked, noticing their reactions. “You act like you’ve never seen magic before.”

“So… that’s what humans look like when they use magic,” Ceroba said, her tone contemplative. “It’s… different.”

“I thought humans needed a catalyst for that sort of thing,” Starlo added, his confusion evident.

‘Humans… right.’ Chara’s expression darkened momentarily. No matter how much they wish otherwise, they’ll always be one. 

“Doesn’t matter. Let’s move—”

A sudden click from her right stopped her mid-sentence.

“Got it!” Martlet announced triumphantly, dusting her hands. “Turns out the keypad was just covered in dust—oh, uh…” She trailed off, noticing the open door. “You already got it open.”

‘Gaster’s lab has a keypad?’ Chara thought, a faint flicker of confusion crossing her face. ‘Why didn’t he mention it?’ Then again, she remembered the irritated looks he’d given her every time she barged in unannounced. ‘He did give me a code… I just thought it was useless since there wasn’t anywhere I could put it in.’

Ceroba tilted her head. “Shouldn’t you have known—”

“Shush,” Chara interrupted sharply, stepping inside without another word.

...

...

...

“💣︎✡︎ 👎︎⚐︎⚐︎☼︎!” Gaster shouted, striding toward them with hurried steps. “🕈︎︎☟︎︎✡︎︎ ❄︎︎☟︎︎☜︎︎ ☟︎︎☜︎︎☹︎︎☹︎︎ 🕈︎︎⚐︎︎🕆︎︎☹︎︎👎︎︎ ✡︎︎⚐︎︎🕆︎︎ 👌︎︎☼︎︎☜︎︎✌︎︎😐︎︎ 💣︎︎✡︎︎ 👎︎︎⚐︎︎⚐︎︎☼︎︎ ❄︎︎☟︎︎☜︎︎☠︎︎ 🕆︎︎💧︎︎☜︎︎ ❄︎︎☟︎︎☜︎︎ 🏱︎︎✌︎︎💧︎︎💧︎︎👍︎︎⚐︎︎👎︎︎☜︎︎ ✋︎❄︎🕯︎💧︎ ☜︎✠︎🏱︎☜︎☠︎💧︎✋︎✞︎☜︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ☼︎☜︎🏱︎☹︎✌︎👍︎☜︎!” He glared directly at Chara, his expression as sharp as the tone of his distorted words.

“Uh… sorry, just passing through,” Chara said cautiously, though the jumble of symbols in his speech left her utterly lost. 'If only I had a translator ...'

“What… what’s he saying?” Ceroba asked.

Chara sighed. “He gets like that when he’s mad. I think, anyway.”

Martlet tilted her head at the imposing figure. “Who’s this?”

“I was wondering the same thing,” Starlo chimed in. “I thought there was only one Royal Scientist?”

The strange man grumbled something indecipherable as he typed furiously on a console. “❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👌︎🕆︎👎︎☝︎☜︎❄︎ ☞︎⚐︎☼︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👍︎⚐︎☼︎☜︎ ✋︎💧︎ ✌︎☹︎☼︎☜︎✌︎👎︎✡︎ ❄︎✋︎☝︎☟︎❄︎ ✌︎💧︎ ✋︎❄︎ ✋︎💧︎…”

Chara frowned, her confusion deepening. She could understand a few changes in leadership if they were fifty years in the future, but this was Gaster—a boss monster and a scientist devoted to his work. How could he have been replaced and forgotten so easily?

“Wait,” Ceroba said, her voice cutting through the moment. “Isn’t Alphys supposed to be the Royal Scientist?”

Chara scoffed, recalling the nervous lizard she had met in the elevator. Her? The Royal Scientist? That couldn’t be right. “Wait, what did you just say?”

“That Alphys is the Royal Scientist?” Ceroba repeated.

‘No way… if this is fifty years in the future, shouldn’t she still be…’ Chara’s thoughts raced. Maybe their Alphys was just really old? Or maybe there was another explanation.

Gaster sighed and approached them, his tone softening. “Hello, Dreemurr. What can I do for you today?”

“We’re just passing through. Sorry about the door,” Chara replied quickly.

The Royal Scientist rubbed his forehead, his expression softening into curiosity as he glanced at the others. “I see. Hm? That’s odd—I don’t believe I’ve seen you three before.”

Martlet perked up immediately. “Oh, that’s because we’re from the fut–”

Ceroba clamped her beak shut in a flash. “We’re from… the more isolated parts of Snowdin.”

“Ah, I see. That does make sense. The monsters there rarely appear in the database.”

“Isn’t that a problem?” Martlet asked, squinting suspiciously at Gaster.

“Eh, probably,” Gaster replied with a dismissive wave. “I’ll fix it once I’m done with my current project.”

“Project?” Martlet’s curiosity sparked again.

Chara’s eyes widened in alarm. “Wait, Martlet, no–!”

Before Chara could intervene, Gaster snapped his fingers, and a glowing, spectral hand materialized, silencing her with a single gesture. “Well, I’m glad you asked!” he said, his tone brightening.

What followed was a deluge of rapid-fire explanations, dense jargon, and diagrams conjured into the air with his magic. For Chara, it was absolute torture.

...

...

...

“And then, if everything goes to plan, the CORE shall replace the Steamworks as a more efficient and powerful energy source,” Gaster concluded, his tone brimming with pride.

Starlo and Ceroba had managed to drift off during Gaster’s lengthy explanation, slumped comfortably in nearby chairs. Martlet and Chara, on the other hand, weren’t so fortunate.

After a beat of silence, Martlet tilted her head and asked, “Are you done…?”

“My apologies,” Gaster said, inclining his head slightly. “It seems I’ve taken too much of your time.”

“You think?” Chara muttered, rolling her eyes.

The soft ding of elevator doors opening snapped their attention to the source of the sound. Quick, hurried footsteps followed as a nervous lizard stepped out.

“T-the machine is r-ready, Doctor Gaster!” Alphys stammered, clutching a clipboard to her chest.

“Wonderful! I’m quite eager to see the fruits of our labor.” Gaster turned back to Chara and Martlet, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. “If you have the time, I’d appreciate it if you brought the other human next time. I require a sample from them.” Without waiting for a response, he stepped into the elevator, leaving Alphys standing awkwardly in his wake.

Alphys’s eyes widened when she spotted the group. “W-wow, h-hey, Martlet! D-didn’t think I’d s-see you here.”

Martlet gave her a bright smile. “Hi, Alphys! I hope everything’s going well!”

“Y-yeah, it is!” Alphys replied, visibly relaxing.

Meanwhile, Chara had taken it upon themselves to wake Starlo and Ceroba, giving them light nudges until they stirred.

Alphys shifted awkwardly on her feet. “W-well, I-I still have work to do, s-so…”

“Got it. See you around, Alphys!” Martlet waved cheerfully as Alphys retreated upstairs.

Ceroba watched her leave, her brows furrowed. “I know it’s not the same monster, but… it’s hard not to compare them.”

“Right?! She even looked the same,” Martlet added, crossing her arms.

Chara, standing slightly apart, glanced at them but kept her thoughts to herself. Strange… but not worth thinking about right now.

She pulled out a folded poster with Clover’s image scrawled across it. “Let’s get out of here,” she said, straightening it. “I’m not sure how long he’ll stay in one place.”

The others nodded in agreement, quickly falling in step as they made their way out of the lab.

Long after the four had left the lab, Alphys was hunched over her clipboard, scribbling down general descriptions of the three unfamiliar monsters she’d encountered. Her pen paused as the radio on her desk crackled to life.

“✌︎☹︎🏱︎☟︎✡︎💧︎📪︎ 👍︎⚐︎💣︎☜︎ ✋︎☠︎📬︎ 👎︎⚐︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ 👍︎⚐︎🏱︎✡︎✍︎” Gaster’s voice crackled through the static.

Alphys grabbed the radio, fumbling slightly. “Y-yes, s-sir. I’m here.”

“✋︎❄︎ ✌︎🏱︎🏱︎☜︎✌︎☼︎💧︎ 💣︎✡︎ ⚐︎👌︎💧︎☜︎☼︎✞︎✌︎❄︎✋︎⚐︎☠︎💧︎ 🕈︎☜︎☼︎☜︎ 👍︎⚐︎☼︎☼︎☜︎👍︎❄︎📪︎” Gaster began, his tone analytical. “❄︎☟︎⚐︎💧︎☜︎ 💣︎⚐︎☠︎💧︎❄︎☜︎☼︎💧︎ 👎︎⚐︎☠︎🕯︎❄︎ 🕯︎☜︎✠︎✋︎💧︎❄︎📬︎🕯︎ ☺︎🕆︎💧︎❄︎ ☹︎✋︎😐︎☜︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎📬︎”

Alphys froze, gripping the radio tighter. “S-sir, w-what does that mean?”

Gaster’s voice remained calm, almost clinical. “Ah, apologies. I lied to them earlier about the monster database. It does, in fact, have a complete record of every monster over the past fifty years, including the secluded ones. And yet… those three have no entries. It’s as if they appeared out of nowhere. Just like you did the other day.”

Alphys’s eyes widened. “T-that’s huge! W-what do we do with that information?”

“For now, we observe,” Gaster replied. “🕈︎☜︎ 💣︎🕆︎💧︎❄︎ 💣︎⚐︎☠︎✋︎❄︎⚐︎☼︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ✌︎☠︎⚐︎💣︎✌︎☹︎✋︎☜︎💧︎ ❄︎☟︎✌︎❄︎ ✌︎☼︎☜︎ ✌︎🏱︎🏱︎☜︎✌︎☼︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ 💧︎⚐︎ 💧︎🕆︎👎︎👎︎☜︎☠︎☹︎✡︎📬︎ ☞︎🕆︎☼︎❄︎☟︎☜︎☼︎💣︎⚐︎☼︎☜︎📪︎ ✋︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ✌︎ 💧︎✌︎💣︎🏱︎☹︎☜︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ⚐︎❄︎☟︎☜︎☼︎ ☟︎🕆︎💣︎✌︎☠︎🕯︎💧︎ 💧︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎📬︎ ☜︎✞︎☜︎☼︎ 💧︎✋︎☠︎👍︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎✡︎ ✌︎☼︎☼︎✋︎✞︎☜︎👎︎ ✋︎☠︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 🕆︎☠︎👎︎☜︎☼︎☝︎☼︎⚐︎🕆︎☠︎👎︎📪︎ 💧︎❄︎☼︎✌︎☠︎☝︎☜︎ 🏱︎☟︎☜︎☠︎⚐︎💣︎☜︎☠︎✌︎ ☟︎✌︎✞︎☜︎ 👌︎☜︎☜︎☠︎ ⚐︎👍︎👍︎🕆︎☼︎☼︎✋︎☠︎☝︎📬︎ ✌︎💧︎ ☞︎⚐︎☼︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 💣︎✌︎👍︎☟︎✋︎☠︎☜︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ 👍︎☼︎☜︎✌︎❄︎☜︎👎︎📪︎ 🕈︎☟︎✋︎☹︎☜︎ 💧︎❄︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ ✋︎☠︎ ✋︎❄︎💧︎ ☜︎✌︎☼︎☹︎✡︎ 💧︎❄︎✌︎☝︎☜︎💧︎📪︎ ✋︎❄︎ ☟︎✌︎💧︎ ✌︎☹︎☼︎☜︎✌︎👎︎✡︎ 👌︎☜︎☝︎🕆︎☠︎ ❄︎☼︎✌︎👍︎😐︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ ⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ 🏱︎⚐︎💧︎✋︎❄︎✋︎⚐︎☠︎ ✋︎☠︎ ❄︎✋︎💣︎☜︎📬︎”

“Sir!” Alphys interrupted, her voice sharp with panic. “I’m n-not even sure if it works!”

A tense silence followed. Then, Gaster’s voice softened slightly. “Ah, sorry I keep slipping back to my native language. I'm glad that you understand it well Alphys. Regardless, I shall address any flaws in the machine myself. Is that acceptable?”

Alphys hesitated, then nodded, though he couldn’t see it. “Y-yeah. That’s fine.”

“Good. Keep up the excellent work, Alphys.” With that, the radio went silent.

Alphys set it down and sighed heavily. A faint, nagging ache gnawed at the back of her mind. She couldn’t remember anything before yesterday, and the frustration of that blank void only grew stronger. She glanced down at the papers scattered across her desk. They were hers—her notes, her schematics—but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t remember writing them. She’d simply woken up atop them and followed their instructions.

Her hand drifted to her forehead as she groaned. ‘Ugh, all this thinking is giving me a headache.’ Maybe some Mew Mew: Kissy Cutie would help her unwind…

She froze mid-thought.

‘Wait. What even is that?’

“I think it’s over here,” Chara murmured to themselves, rounding yet another corner.

Starlo let out an exasperated huff. “Sheesh, pretty sure that’s the third time we’ve seen that rock.”

Ceroba raised a brow. “And you’re counting because…?”

The group had gotten lost almost immediately after leaving the lab. Venturing into an unfamiliar area without a map had gone about as well as anyone could expect.

Who would've guessed?

“Fourth time’s the charm?” Chara offered, veering off in yet another direction.

Not even a minute later, they stumbled upon an elevator.

“Oh, there it is,” Ceroba said, her tone maddeningly casual as they approached.

Chara shot her a suspicious look. “What do you mean, there it is? Have you been here before?”

Ceroba shook her head. “The layout of Hotland’s changed over the years. It’s a lot more… complicated now than it used to be.”

“The Steamworks, huh?” Martlet chimed in, curiosity in her voice. “I’ve never been through here before. What’s it like?”

Starlo shuddered dramatically. “Robots. So many robots. When we were chasing Ceroba, we kept getting stopped by them. And don’t get me started on the floor-that’s-actually-lava section. Oh! And that time Ed almost drank acid.”

Ceroba rolled her eyes. “Steamworks isn’t bad as before since we’re in the past. It’s still functional. And it might have… Never mind. Let’s just go.” She stepped into the elevator, cutting the discussion short.

The others exchanged wary glances before following her in. Only Chara seemed unbothered by the sudden tension in the cramped space.

Trying to fill the silence, Martlet asked, “So, what’s the plan once we find Clover?”

As the elevator began its descent, Ceroba mused, “He’s being hunted by the Royal Guard. The safest option would be getting him somewhere secure.”

“What about his Soul?” Starlo asked, crossing his arms. “If he’s alive, does he still need one?”

Martlet turned to him, aghast. “Of course, he needs his Soul! It’s his! What kind of question is that?”

“That’s not what I meant, Feathers.” Starlo raised his hands defensively. “I’m just saying... What if we faked his death? No Soul, fake body found, no problem. The Royal Guard stops searching, and Clover gets to disappear.”

Ceroba sighed, shaking her head. “And what? He spends the rest of his life in hiding? The second another monster sees him, it all falls apart.”

“It’s just an idea!” Starlo snapped.

“There has to be a better option than that!” Martlet squawked, feathers ruffling.

Chara tuned them out, their focus slipping inward. They’d forgotten how much they hated arguments. They could stop this conversation—just tell them that Mom and Dad already had a plan. But somehow, the words caught in their throat. Why was it so hard? It wasn’t like the group would scream at them for trying to help. They weren’t like…them. They were monsters after all.

So why did it feel the same?

“Ah, we’ll figure it out once we find the deputy,” Starlo finally said, breaking the stalemate. He glanced at Chara, forcing a grin. “Right, Chara?”

Chara nodded, even as they silently fought to keep their hands steady.

Starlo frowned upon seeing this, which then turned into a warm smile. “Well, I wouldn’t worry about the deputy. No sir! He’s got a knack for dodging trouble.” He adopted a cowboy drawl. “Reckon he could even sweet-talk the Royal Guard into turning back.”

Ceroba smirked faintly. “He’s pretty evasive. I doubt they’ll catch him anytime soon.”

Chara let out a quiet breath, easing some of the tension in their shoulders. Not that they were nervous. Not at all.

“It’s not that,” they began, their voice wavering slightly. “I, uh... My parents already have a plan for this. We just need to get him back to the Capital.”

A heavy silence followed.

“Oh,” Martlet said finally.

“...”

And just like that, the awkward quiet returned, thicker than before…

The silence was broken once again by Martlet.

“Ugh, how long is this elevator gonna take?” Martlet groaned, flopping dramatically onto the floor.

“It is taking longer than usual,” Ceroba noted, eyes flicking up to the ceiling.

Finding Clover was proving to be a much bigger headache than it needed to be.

Chara muttered under their breath, “If only that idiot had stayed home…”

Starlo’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait, you had him at the Castle? What happened?”

Chara pushed off the wall, feeling a surge of frustration they hadn’t realized they were holding back. It was almost a relief to feel it rising, to finally get the words out. “What happened?” Chara’s voice sharpened. “I’ll tell you what that idiot decided to do instead of staying asleep or even waiting for me…”

After what felt like an eternity, the elevator finally reached the last floor, the entrance to the Steamworks ahead.

Chara breathed a quiet sigh of relief as they stepped out of the elevator. Venting their frustrations earlier had been surprisingly cathartic. They felt… lighter, in a way.

Martlet and Starlo, however, stumbled out behind them, still dazed from Chara’s impassioned rant about the situation.

As for Ceroba? She wore a soft, knowing smile as she stepped out, clearly unfazed by the earlier drama.

Chara glanced back at the two exhausted monsters. “You two can take a break. Once we get through the Steamworks, we’ll be where we need to be.”

Without a word, Martlet and Starlo plopped down on the ground, already too drained to protest.

Chara motioned for Ceroba to come along as they moved ahead.

As they walked, Ceroba spoke up. “Quite the strong feelings you have for our friend.”

Chara scoffed, brushing off the comment. “I’ve known him for a day, and he’s already a huge pain to deal with. Keeps getting himself hurt for no reason.”

Ceroba nodded in understanding. “I can relate. It’s good that he has someone like you to care about him.”

Chara froze, turning toward her. “What’s that supposed to mean? He’s got you guys too.”

Chara’s heart sank as they watched Ceroba’s face twist into a sly grin. No, she couldn’t be… ‘not her too.’

“You did use some rather detailed descriptions when talking about him…”

Panic flooded Chara’s mind. ‘No, no, no, no, no, not her, not now!’ they thought desperately.

Chara floundered for words. “We’re just…” They paused. Were they friends with Clover? “...friends,” they finally muttered.

Ceroba’s laughter rang out, sharp and teasing. If looks could kill, Chara would’ve already blasted her into the next dimension.

Ceroba, still chuckling, finally relented. “Alright, Dreemurr. I’ll stop teasing you.”

Chara huffed in exasperation. “Thank you.”

Ceroba, however, wasn’t finished. “If it’s worth anything…” She let the words hang, her grin returning. “From what you’ve said about Clover, I think he feels the same way.”

Chara whipped around, heart racing. “I’ve known him for only a day!”

Ceroba raised an eyebrow. “It only took that long?”

Chara’s pulse quickened. No. They weren’t flustered. They weren’t blushing. That would be ridiculous.

Ceroba’s smirk only widened. “It only took me a week for my husband…” Though it faltered at the end.

Chara’s mind raced as they glanced nervously toward the Steamworks. They needed to find Clover soon—before Ceroba’s teasing drove them to do something…regrettable. 

...

...

...

“The laundry chute?!” Starlo shouted, disbelief in their voice. “Why through there?!”

“It’ll let us skip the entire Steamworks,” Ceroba explained, her voice calm but with a sense of purpose. “Save us a ton of time.”

Martlet opened the laundry chute and peered down, her face a little pale. “It seems a bit… deep? I can’t see the bottom from here.” She laughed nervously, but it didn’t quite ease her unease.

Starlo turned to complain to Chara, but when their eyes met… “Ah, gosh darn it. Chara looks like they’re about to have a heat stroke,” Starlo muttered, his expression softening. “Let’s go, then.” Without waiting for a reply, he jumped into the chute.

“I hope everything goes well!” Martlet called as she followed him.

That left Ceroba and Chara standing at the top, the silence between them heavy.

Chara waited, but Ceroba didn’t move. The seconds stretched out.

“Are you going to go?” Chara asked quietly, a bit of impatience creeping into their voice.

Ceroba didn’t answer immediately. She just stared at the chute, the faintest flicker of something passing through her eyes. “Yes… I just… I just need a moment,” she finally said, her voice distant.

Chara frowned, sensing the hesitation. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Ceroba’s gaze turned to them, and after a moment, she nodded. “This is where my ex-husband used to work. Chujin. That was his name.”

“Ex?” Chara asked, confusion creeping in.

Ceroba let out a dry laugh, “… He’s not with us anymore.”

‘Oh. He’s dead.’ Chara’s chest tightened with the realization. They felt foolish for prompting her, for pushing her to say more.

“Sorry… I didn’t mean to—”

Ceroba raised a hand to stop them. “It’s fine. He knew what he was getting into. He was obsessed with those experiments, pushed too far.” She looked away, her voice quieter now. “I can’t live in the past, and I am choosing to move forward with my life, but sometimes… sometimes I wonder what could’ve been. What we could’ve had if I stopped him. I could’ve—should’ve stopped him, but all I want is to just move past that. Is that selfish of me to want to move on from him? To…just leave it behind in the past?”

Chara felt an unfamiliar heaviness settle over them. They weren’t prepared to have this kind of conversation. “I… I don’t think it’s selfish,” they said, unsure. “You can’t change the past, but wanting to move forward? it's probably a good thing.”

Ceroba met their gaze, a faint but sincere smile tugging at her lips. “Thanks,” she said softly. She turned back to the chute. “Better not keep them waiting.”

With that, she jumped into the darkness below.

Chara hesitated for a moment, then followed her, the weight of the conversation still lingering in the air as she entered the chute.

...

...

...

“LET ME GO, STRANGE HAT MAN,” a robotic voice barked as the figure squirmed against the lasso holding him.

“I don’t think so!” Starlo grunted, visibly struggling to keep the robot restrained.

Martlet stumbled into view, panting. “What took you two so long?”

“Axis…?” Ceroba whispered, her eyes narrowing.

“OH, HELLO TALL LADY.”

Starlo blinked at Ceroba, baffled. “Wait—you know this thing?”

“I AM NOT A ‘THING,’ STRANGE HAT MAN,” the robot snapped. “I AM AXIS. STUPID.”

Chara stood back, watching with wide eyes. The whiplash was unreal.

Ceroba sighed, her tone turning firm. “Axis, can you stop fighting with my friends, please?”

“HE IS THE ONE WHO LANDED DIRECTLY ON MY HEAD THOUGH???” Axis shot back, voice laden with offense.

Martlet chuckled nervously. “To be fair, you were standing in front of the chute…”

“SHUT IT, BLUE OWL.”

Martlet flinched. “I’m not an owl!”

“Axis,” Ceroba snapped, her glare sharp enough to cut metal. “I’ll ask you one more time—stop.”

“COMPUTING… [Tall Lady Request]…” Axis froze mid-movement before sighing with an exaggerated robotic tone. “ACCEPTED. I DO NOT WANT MY ASS KICKED AGAIN.”

Chara blinked. “Again?”

“It’s a long story,” Ceroba muttered, brushing off the question. She turned to Starlo. “You can let him go now.”

“If you say so.” Starlo grumbled as he untied the lasso. “Man, if I hadn’t caught him off guard, he’d have wiped the floor with me.”

Martlet offered an awkward smile as she approached Axis. “Sorry about, uh, literally landing on you out of the blue.”

Axis ignored her entirely. “TALL LADY, WHO ARE THESE INTRUDERS?”

Chara’s thoughts buzzed. ‘A sentient robot? I didn’t think it was possible for that to be made!’

“They’re Starlo and Martlet,” Ceroba said, already heading for the door. “We’re just passing through. We wouldn’t want to keep you from your wife.”

“ABOUT THAT…”

Ceroba paused mid-step, raising an eyebrow. “What? Did Daisy get mad at you?”

“IT IS NOT THAT. I LOST DAISY WHEN THE WORLD STARTED TO RUMBLE. THEN THE STRANGEST THING HAPPENED. WHEN I REBOOTED, THERE WERE INTRUDERS EVERYWHERE.”

Martlet tilted her head. “Why are you here instead of dealing with them?”

“SHE, AS THE KIDS PUT IT: ‘ROCK MY SHIT’ “

Starlo scoffed. “Seriously? Someone actually overpowered you face-on?”

“YES. SHE LOCKED ME IN HERE. SHE IS A JERK.”

“Wait.” Ceroba frowned. “What do you mean by ‘the world started to rumble’? Only New Home gets earthquakes.”

“EARTHQUAKES? NO. IT WAS NOT THAT. BY DEFINITION, EARTHQUAKES ARE—”

“Axis,” Ceroba interrupted, her patience thinning. “Not an earthquake? Then what was it?”

“SIMPLY PUT, TALL LADY, I HAVE NO IDEA???”

Ceroba rubbed her temples. “Great. Just great. Wait…” She squinted at him, realization dawning. “Why are you even here?”

“I AM ASSIGNED TO PROTECT THE STEAMWORKS BY MY MASTER. SPEAKING OF WHICH, I DID AS YOU SAID AND SAID HELLO TO HIM.”

“What!?” Starlo nearly dropped his hat in shock.

“Huh!?” Martlet looked like her eyes might pop out.

‘Isn’t he dead?’ Chara bluntly thought.

“You didn’t answer the question–” Ceroba’s expression turned blank as her brain processed Axis’s words. “Wait. What do you mean you… talked to him?”

“WHAT IS SO CONFUSING ABOUT WHAT I SAID?”

“Good work, youngin’! I’m sure once you finish reprogramming that robot, the Queen’ll make sure you get a pay raise!” Chujin’s co-worker patted him on the back with a hearty laugh.

“I sure hope so. It’s been cooperative so far, but I’d rather not stick around it longer than necessary,” Chujin muttered, brushing dust off his uniform.

“Aw, Mrs. Dreemurr knocked that bot into submission! You’ve got nothing to worry about.” His co-worker’s booming voice echoed down the hallway as they walked toward the laundry room. “Alright, see you later, Chujin. Good luck with the bot!” With a wave, the co-worker headed down another corridor, leaving Chujin alone.

‘Easy for him to say,’ Chujin thought sourly, dragging his feet toward the laundry room. ‘He’s not the one working on it.’

The Queen had physically subdued the rogue bot—Axis—in this very room. Chujin could still picture the bizarre battle: Axis dodging most of Mrs. Dreemurr’s blows while cleverly using the Steamworks layout to its advantage. It was... unsettling, to say the least.

Chujin sighed, his tail flicking in frustration. His entire week had spiraled downhill. First, he’d been called in on his day off after the other engineers mysteriously called in sick. Then, in a mortifying accident, he broke his supervisor’s computer while delivering files for the latest cleaning bot upgrades—an incident that cost him part of his paycheck.

And then there was Axis.

He shuddered at the memory. The robot, an experimental guardian model, had taken an unnerving liking to him, insisting on calling him “Master” and “protecting” him from supposed intruders at work. It was precisely why he’d been assigned to fix the thing. Just his luck.

“Can’t put it off any longer,” he muttered, forcing himself toward the laundry room. But as he approached, muffled voices drifted through the thick metal door.

“I’m not ready to see him again!” a mature-sounding woman’s voice cried out.

“I ain’t ready to see a dead man either!” a deep cowboy drawl replied.

“MASTER WILL BE PLEASED TO SEE YOU,” Axis declared in its unmistakably robotic monotone.

“That’s… good? I think?” a younger woman’s voice responded hesitantly.

Chujin froze mid-step. His fur bristled as he cautiously backed away. He wasn’t prepared to deal with this alone.

“Can’t believe we’re waiting for him,” another voice muttered, this one young, frustrated—definitely a child.

Chujin groaned internally. He couldn’t, in good conscience, leave a kid alone with a potentially dangerous robot. Swallowing his apprehension, he reluctantly unlocked and pushed open the laundry room door.

The room fell silent as every figure inside turned toward him.

There were five of them—none of them workers. Chujin opened his mouth to demand an explanation, but before he could speak, one of the strangers—a tall, imposing kitsune—staggered backward. Their wide eyes darted to him in shock before they collapsed with a resounding thud.

“Ceroba!” the cowboy’s voice rang out, panicked. He knelt beside the fallen monster.

Chujin stood frozen in the doorway, his mind racing.

‘What have I gotten myself into?’

“C-Chujin… alive?” Ceroba murmured, still dazed as Starlo carried her on his back.

“Thanks for letting us out, Chujin,” Chara said as they walked down the long, dim corridor.

Chujin averted his gaze, muttering, “You didn’t give me much of a choice.”

The atmosphere was awkward as the group, including Axis, made their way toward the Steamworks’ entrance.

Martlet, attempting to ease the tension, spoke up. “So, Chujin, sir? How long have you been working here?”

“Sir? Please.” He scoffed. “I’m barely in my twenties. Anyway, about a year—probably my last year, considering I’m so fired for letting Axis out.”

“MASTER—”

“Stop calling me that!” Chujin snapped.

“FATHER—”

“That’s even worse?!”

Chara couldn’t believe this was the so-called mad scientist Ceroba had married. He acted like an ordinary monster—well, as ordinary as a boss monster scientist could be. The truth was apparent the moment Chara saw him.

Boss monsters had a distinct presence, their Souls more physical and commanding than those of regular monsters. Their features stood out, too—like Asgore’s golden mane or Toriel’s prominent horns. In Chujin’s case, it was his eyes.

“You can come with us if you like,” Chara offered.

Chujin shook his head. “I need to make sure I don’t lose my job after letting you guys into the Marshlands.”

Starlo leaned toward Chara and whispered, “Probably for the best. Sleeping Beauty over there can’t handle the not-so-dead husband.”

“I SHALL REMAIN BEHIND. IF I DO NOT LEAVE, FATHER WILL NOT GET INTO TROUBLE,” Axis declared.

“If you say so,” Martlet replied, a hint of amusement in her voice.

“We’re almost there. Through these gates, you’ll reach the Marshlands.” Chujin gestured to the looming metal doors ahead. Then, abruptly, he turned on his heel. “Good luck—gotta go save my job!”

Before sprinting off, he spun back to snatch Axis. “You’re coming with me!” And with that, he disappeared down the corridor.

Martlet chuckled softly. “It was nice seeing him again, even if he’s not quite like I remember.”

“He’s still as goofy as ever, that’s for sure,” Starlo agreed.

The group approached the gates, their destination ahead. Chara pushed the heavy doors open, leading them into the bright, blinding light beyond.

…

…