Determination (Charisk) [OUTDATED]

103 - THE TRUTH

(CHARA POV)[F]

     We showed up to Alphys's Lab, letter in hand, after a 5-minute ferry ride. Our conversation from earlier evolved into family history, which Frisk had a lot more to say than I did.

     "But, yeah. Originally my family came from the eastern part of the Central Kingdom, real close to the border of the Eastern Kingdom."

"How long have you been in the Western?"

     "Since like, forever. I haven't done much research, mostly just surface level stuff. If I had, maybe I would've known that we started the war."

     "You didn't start the war, Frisk. That was the first Archer. Eras ago. You are as far removed from the humans at the time as I am."

     "I know, I know. It's just... It's strange. Having this curse... It's crazy to think about how no one else could ever know how the bond we have feels. How this link is unique to us, out of 10 Billion humans and monsters, we were the ones that get to experience it."

     "Out of anyone else I could've had it with, I'm glad it was you."

     "Aw, you're sweet." Frisk grabbed my hand. "So, what about you?"

     "Hm?"

     "Where does your family come from?"

     "Well... My biological father, I think was born in the CK, but my bio mother is very Venezuelan. I don't remember much, but I was very confused why I was the color of printer paper compared to the other kids in the village."

     "You aren't the color of paper, you're just... sunlight deficient."

     "That's a very nice way of putting 'trapped inside a mountain for more than half my life.'"

     "We'll get out of here, Chara. I'll take you to the beach and you can get all the tan you want." I remembered when I took Frisk to the secret hot spring, and it's safe to say that tanning is not the reason I want to go to the beach with Frisk. I cleared my throat.

     "Anyway.. here we are." I slid the letter under the door and knocked.

     "O-oh n-no," Alphys started talking to herself. "is that another letter...? I don't want to open it... C-can't I just slide it back out...?" Frisk and I exchanged concerned looks. Another letter? I thought, was she already regularly receiving letters? What kind of letters are they if she doesn't want to open them? "N...no... I can't keep doing this. I'll read this one." Alphys fumbled loudly with the envelope. "I-it's shut k-kind of strongly...... O-Oh, vaya... Esto es tan... A-Alphys what are you th-thinking? No one would—" The door opened to reveal a frustrated and defeated Alphys Instead of her usual lab coat, she was wearing a pink 'Mew-Mew Kissy Cutie' t-shirt and black sweatpants. "Hey, if this is a joke, it's..." She looked up. "En la hostia, did you two write this letter?"

"What?! No!" Frisk said, shutting down any notion of me being anyone but hers. Wait. How did I know her intentions? It must have been the SOUL link. Alphys spoke again.

"O-oh. It wasn't signed, so, I had no idea who could have..."

"It was Undyne." I chimed in. Alphys turned a vibrant shade of pink.

"Oh my God. I h-had no idea that she, um, wrote that way!"

"Wrote like what? What did she say?" Frisk asked.

"Here, wh-why don't you two come inside." I didn't want to, but Frisk grabbed my hand and tugged slightly, walking into the Lab. The closest and politest socially-acceptable alternative to dragging me in by the ear. With no other choice, we went in and sat down on Alphys's sofa.