~Empathverse~

Affection's Backstory

"Look, brother! The surface!" I gesture to the large, setting sun. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"It sure is." He claps my shoulder, grinning.

"Oh, Chara, let me help you with that!" I run over to the small, human child who's carrying a box with my set of armor in it. I take it from their hands, and they give me a small smile. I return it with a grin, and if my hands weren't full, I would ruffle their hair. I teleport down the mountain and set the box down near the rest of my stuff.

"Hey, squirt." Undyne says, patting my head as she ties her lab coat around her waist.

"RAAAA-!" Someone lands beside her, and I look up and see Alphys. "Hey, shorty!" She nudges my shoulder.

"I'm not short!" I stomp my foot, frowning.

"Right, right." She grins and slings an arm around Undyne's shoulder.

"I'm going to help Chara and my brother!" I teleport back up the mountain and almost bump into Asriel. "Whoops-! Sorry!"

"It's ok!" He grins at me, then stumbles down the hill with a small box in his paws.

"Here." My brother hands me a box full of kitchen supplies. I teleport down again and set it on top of another box that probably has clothes in it. My brother materializes beside me. "Mind movin' some of this stuff into our house?"

"I, uh.. Don't know where the house is." I look up at him, the sun shining against his six-foot four frame, casting a shadow over me.

"Over there." He points to a house close to the size of ours in the Underground, maybe a little bigger.

"Ok!" I grab a box and make my way over to the house. I kick the door open and sneeze as I inhale dust. I set the box down on the counter in the kitchen and put my hands on my hips. My gaze drifts to the window, and I stare outside at the small town we've inhabited. The emotions of everyone else hits me, and I smile. They're all so happy.

A wave of hope and Positivity hits me, and I turn to see someone standing in the doorway.

"Uh, hi-!" He raises a gloved hand, adjusting his scarf and the headband on his head (that looks suspiciously similar to mine). "I'm Hope!"

"Nice to meet you!" I stand up.. "But, uh... What are you doing in my house-?"

"Right." He scratches the back of his skull. "You see, uh..."

The door swings open, and my brother steps in, holding a box in his hands. He scoots around Hope, narrowing his eye sockets. "Who's this, Affection-?"

"I'm Hope." Hope says before I can answer. "Uh... I have to talk to your brother."

"Oh." My brother looks at me, then shrugs. "Alright." He snaps his fingers after putting the box down and teleports off.

Hope sighs. "Um... I feel like this is wrong of me to ask of you, but..." He looks at me. "I desperately need your help."

"With what?" I ask. "I'm always glad to help someone in need."

"Well-" He looks behind him. "You'd... Have to leave..."

"Leave?" I echo. "What do you mean?"

"There's no easy way to put this..." He says quietly. "You'd... Have to leave your friends... Your family..."

"I- Oh. Why?"

"...They can't travel through the Multiverse, and it's too dangerous-"

"Wait, 'Multiverse'?" I interrupt him. "What Multiverse?"

"Your universe is one in... Well, hundreds." He says. "Maybe even thousands."

"Oh." I blink. "That... Makes me feel small-"