Deltarune - Dark, Darker, yet Darker

The Decision

" So who gets to go home, Asriel? You or Kris?"

"W-why can't we both go home?!"

"You intruded, didn't you?" Gaster asked calmly. "I could just kill you both here, but that would be such a waste. And I could just keep you both here, but I'm trying to be nice. Plus, your answer interests me."

Asriel's mind started racing. What was even happening? Today had started out so normal, and then... Asriel HAD wanted today to be different, but not like this! He just wanted one last happy memory!

Last... memory... it suddenly occurred to Asriel what was really at stake here. But not for him. Kris had so much left here, but Asriel was just about to leave his old life behind anyway. The choice was easy.

"Kris will get to go home, and I'll stay here and do whatever you want. Just please, let me go pretend I'm going off to college! Then, I promise I won't fight, and no one will come looking for me! Please, I just don't want anyone to worry."

Gaster looked at Asriel with an interested look. "That's very logical of you. I'm curious, though. You didn't seem to consider for one second leaving Kris here. Do you care about him that much? You know how bad it's going to be if you stay here, right?"

Asriel took a deep breath, and, somehow, legitimately smiled. "I'd much rather go through that myself then to hurt Kris. I could never forgive myself if I knew I did anything to make him suffer."

"As you wish, then." Gaster said. "I'm going to put a tracking, listening, and recording device on you. Then, I will gently put Kris to sleep. You will tell him that he fell down the stairs, hit his head, and passed out. You will act completely normal as you go about the rest of your day, and not let anyone on about what's going on. Tomorrow you will act as normal as well, and take the plane you were supposed to take. I will retrieve you from there. If you do anything even the slightest bit suspicious, your brother will pay for it. Do you understand? I'm letting you say your final goodbyes, but don't make me regret it."

"Thank you." Asriel said. And he meant it. He knew what this guy was capable of, and all of the horrific things he had heard that had been done to other people who met him. But he had a heart, and wouldn't hurt Kris. And for some reason, Asriel believed that he really wouldn't. So when Gaster then starting placing all sorts of devices all over Asriel to make sure he didn't break his end of the bargain, he didn't even mind. He wasn't even the slightest bit afraid. After all, what was it that he had to lose?

"Alright, now remember, no matter what you try to do to these devices, I will be able to find you. And if not you, your brother. Do you understand? I have eyes everywhere."

"I understand." Asriel said calmly. "I won't break my side of the bargain if you don't break yours."

Gaster gave him a confused look. "You are a strange child, you know that?"

"So I've been told."

"Now I will have to hurt your brother a little bit. Afterall, it won't be believable that he passed out from head trauma if he's completely uninjured. I will be gentle, though. I'm just going to give him a mild concussion."

"That wasn't part of the deal!" Asriel shouted angrily. "You said you wouldn't hurt him!"

"No, I simply said he could go home unharmed. And compared to what I could do, really, I'm taking it very easy on him. You don't have to watch if you don't want to."

"I don't"

"Then wait here and I will return with your unconscious brother in a few moments. Don't go anywhere."

The feeling of dread started to return to Asriel. A concussion meant "unharmed" to this guy? Then what was "hurt"? What was "a serious injury"? Asriel's mind began to race again, but he forced himself to take a deep breath. He was doing this for Kris. Kris's safety was Asriel's number one concern right now. And no matter what this guy could do to him, it was all worth it to know that somewhere, Kris would be happy. He could smile and eat all the chocolate he could ever want and pull all the pranks he could ever think of. It's not like Asriel had any plans for his life, anyway. He had entertained the idea of being a game designer or an artist, but he sucked at drawing and none of his game ideas were any good. But Kris could do anything. He was a piano prodigy who had so many creative ideas and just... so much LIFE to him. Asriel couldn't take that away!

Asriel couldn't help but wonder, though – what kind of future would HE have? This lab was both too dark and too bright, and the sterile smell was just overwhelming. Would he be stuck down here forever? If he were to try to escape, after all, something terrible would happen to Kris. He started to shake. He could feel his heart racing. What IS going to happen to him? He had been so worried about Kris's future, he hadn't taken the time to be concerned about his own. He was still going to get to go home SOMETIMES when he was in college, and he still had SOME potential. Maybe he wasn't going to be a huge deal or anything, but he would still have a chance at making a game that he loved . Now he had nothing at all.

He felt tears welling up in his eyes. He didn't want this! He wanted a chance at life, too! He punched the wall next to him. This wasn't fair!

"Well there's no need to get violent with my walls." Gaster said as he came out, holding a passed-out Kris. "I assure you that they have done nothing to deserve that."

Asriel looked at Gaster, and then at Kris. Kris looked so vulnerable right now. Asriel wanted to scream and cry, he really did, but he didn't want to put up a fight before he got to say goodbye. He didn't want to lose that chance.

Asriel forced a smile, and took Kris from Gaster. "I'm going to go home and act like everything's fine now. I promise I won't tell anyone. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll see you then, Asriel."

Asriel took a deep breath, and started walking up the stairs he had been told was the way back home. He'd have to take everything in. Afterall, this would really be his last goodbye to absolutely everything he had ever known.

~~~

Gaster watched as the conflicted goat monster slowly climbed the stairs with a sense of dread. What Gaster found funny, however, is that he actually thought he had a choice. It was always going to be him that Gaster would take. He had been preparing the perfect experiment to conduct on him all along. He just made things easier and far more interesting by coming here himself. He really was a good brother.

Asriel finally got to the top of the staircase and the door slammed behind him. "SANS?" Gaster called out.

"Yeah, dad?" Said a short skeleton in a hoodie as he walked out of the shadows.

"Keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't tell anyone. And bring him back here as soon as possible?"

"Sure thing dad. You know me, a bone-ified stalker! I'll keep an eye socket on him."

Gaster sighed. "Just try not to fall asleep, alright?"

"Heh. I know how important this one is to 'ya. I'll work myself to the bone if it means not missing out on this one."

"Thank you, Sans." Gaster smiled. He could always count on Sans if he needed to. Afterall, he had no time to watch Asriel right now. He had to finish preparing this next experiment much sooner than he originally planned. He'd probably have to get Papyrus to take care of everything else around here while he worked on this. Seemed like it would be an all-nighter tonight.