Determination (Charisk) [OUTDATED]

90 - DEATH BY GLAMOUR

(FRISK POV)

     "OH YES. THERE YOU ARE DARLINGS."

     "Mettaton." The room was dark, but from what I could tell, looked like a large industrial elevator.

     "ITS TIME TO HAVE OUR LITTLE SHOWDOWN. ITS TIME TO FINALLY STOP THE 'MALFUNCTIONING' ROBOT... NOT!!!" He put 'Malfunctioning' in air quotes.

     "What do you mean?!" I asked.

     "Stop playing games with us, Mettaton!" Chara shouted.

     "MALFUNCTION? REPROGRAMMING? GET REAL. THIS WAS ALL JUST A BIG SHOW." Mettaton wasn't acting flamboyant, there were no cameras or studio lights. No italics. "AN ACT." Was... Was Alphys lying to us about Mettaton?

    "What do you mean, an act?"

     "ALPHYS HAS BEEN PLAYING YOU FOR A FOOL THE WHOLE TIME." His words felt like a bomb exploding in my chest. It all made sense now. The fake 'being defeated', Alphys conveniently saving us at every turn, her surprise when she couldn't just lead us through the CORE... Was this why Diitii branded her the Liar? "AS SHE WATCHED YOU ON THE SCREEN, SHE GREW ATTACHED TO YOUR ADVENTURE, TO YOUR RELATIONSHIP, THE DRAMA. SHE DESPERATELY WANTED TO BE A PART OF IT. SO SHE DECIDED TO INSERT HERSELF INTO YOUR STORY." I felt sick. What about when Chara's new body was being made... did she tamper with that too? Was she the reason Chara's DETERMINATION skyrocketed? Just so that she could save the day? Or what about every time we got hurt, and we'd come to her for help? Was that also orchestrated? No! I tried to tell myself. She couldn't have known every time we got hurt..

     But can you still trust her? A dark voice echoed in my head.

     "Sh-Shut up!" Chara shouted. My legs wouldn't budge. "She wouldn't do that!"

     "OH, BUT SHE DID. SHE REACTIVATED PUZZLES. SHE DISABLED ELEVATORS. SHE ENLISTED ME TO TORMENT YOU." I held the sides of my head, trying to make sense of it all. "ALL SO SHE COULD SAVE FROM DANGERS THAT DIDNT EXIST."

     "But they did exist!" I tried to stop myself, but I was past the breaking point. The only thing keeping me from slipping all the way were the patches that Alphys provided me. "We almost died! Several times! All because of Alphys messing up! Puzzles that went wrong! Misinformation! If she hadn't reactivated them..."

"MY POINT EXACTLY. BUT SHE KEPT. PUSHING. YOU. FORWARD. ALL SO YOU WOULD THINK SHES THE GREAT PERSON... THAT SHES NOT."

"Santa María y sus cuatro hermanas..." Chara looked down at his hands.

"AND NOW, ITS TIME FOR HER FINEST HOUR. AT THIS VERY MOMENT, ALPHYS IS WAITING OUTSIDE THE ROOM. DURING OUR 'BATTLE', SHE WILL INTERRUPT. SHE WILL PRETEND TO 'DEACTIVATE' ME, 'SAVING' YOU BOTH ONE FINAL TIME. FINALLY. SHE WILL BE THE HEROINE OF YOUR JOURNEY. YOULL REGARD HER SO HIGHLY SHE WILL EVEN BE ABLE TO CONVINCE YOU NOT TO LEAVE... OR NOT."

"As if!!"

"MUCH LIKE YOU, YOU SEE, IVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS PREDICTABLE CHARADE." Mettaton glanced past us at the door, making sure no one was there. "I HAVE NO DESIRE TO HARM HUMANS."

"Y-You don't?" Mettaton shook his head.

"FAR FROM IT, ACTUALLY." He held out his gloved hands, his disco-tiled faces slowly faded through many colors. "MY ONLY DESIRE IS TO ENTERTAIN. AFTER ALL, THE AUDIENCE DESERVES A GOOD SHOW, DONT THEY? AND WHATS A GOOD SHOW..." Mettaton clapped his hands together. "WITHOUT A PLOT TWIST?" The door shut behind us.