Determined Love (Charisk)

Chapter 12: Entering Hotland

      Chara stared at the vent in front of her, Frisk was already moving ahead, leaving her behind. She didn't realize Chara wasn't following her until she turned around to ask her a question.
     "Hey Chara how about-" She looked around, and saw her on the first platform. "Chara! I thought we talked about this!" 
     "Yeah.. I know, its just." Chara couldn't find the will to step on the vent. 
     "Guess I'll just go ahead then. It was fun knowing you!" Frisk started walking away. 
     "Frisk!" Chara yelled, and stepped on the vent, using the air to jet across, and ran to catch up with her. She grabbed her arm and walked close. "Stop walking ahead!" She said.
     "Well, I've got to think of some way to get you to step on the vents!" Frisk laughed. 
     Ahead they saw a long line of self propelling tracks, moving at a rather fast pace. There were pipes scattered across, spewing giant bursts of steam. Frisk stopped before stepping on the track, causing Chara to stop as well. 
     "Something wrong?" Chara asked.
     Frisk was staring ahead, not moving. "Frisk?" Chara asked again.
     Frisk was silent and still, like a statue. 
     Chara poked Frisk's cheek. "Frisk?" She was starting to get concerned.
     Frisk was thinking about her past run. So many unpleasant memories washed over her at once. Dread, fear, sadness, and anger. She was angry at herself for ever doing something so stupid, but then she thought of Chara, and thought maybe killing everyone was a good decision. Chara was the best thing that ever happened to her, sure, but the memory of killing all her friends killed her on the inside. 
     "Frisk!" Chara yelled, trying to get Frisk to move. 
      She snapped out of it , and looked at Chara. "I need to talk to you about something." Frisk finally said. 
     "Sure, anything! You worried me you know, with the not moving and all!" Chara said, hugging Frisk's arm tighter. 
     Frisk stepped on the tracks, and they started moving forward. 
     "You know what I had to do to SAVE you right?" Frisk asked.
     Chara was taken aback by the weird question. "Well, yes, I do. What about it?" 
     "Sometimes I wonder if it was a mistake." Frisk said.
     Chara became offended and let go of Frisk's arm. "W-what do you mean?" 
     Frisk didn't realize what she had said, and grabbed Chara's hands. "Not because of you, don't worry. You are the best thing that has ever happened in my life." 
     Chara smiled. "What do you mean then Frisk?" 
     "The memories are so hard to deal with. I can see my friends dying in my dreams, or should I say nightmares, and every time we get into a FIGHT with a monster, I can recall killing it. It hurts dealing with it all." Frisk started to tear up. "Sometimes I wish I hadn't!" She started to cry. "But then I would've never met you, Chara!" 
     Chara pulled Frisk close to her and hugged her. "It's okay Frisk. I understand how you feel, trust me." She ran her hand through Frisk's hair. Frisk hugged her tightly. "It's over now, though, and you don't have to ever worry about it ever again. I'm here with you, your friends are all here with you." Chara said, kissing the top of Frisk's forehead. "And we'll always be together, remember? Through thick and thin." 
     Frisk faced Chara and wiped away her own tears. Chara was worth it. She loved her. All the heartache, the pain, all of it, was for her, and Frisk was happy she'd done it. The end of the track was nearing, and Frisk let go of Chara to prepare to get off.  
     "Thank you Chara. I don't know what I'd do without you." Frisk said, jumping off the tracks.
     "You'd be so lost without your knight in shining armor!" She said proudly, grabbing Frisk's arm to get closer to her. 
     The girls continued to voyage through Hotland, enjoying the heat and the monsters. For being so close to molten lava, it wasn't blisteringly hot in the Hotland. It was comfortably warm, like laying in the sun on a clear day to sunbathe. The monsters were extremely friendly, including Vulkin, a volcano shaped monster who loved hugs. Chara and Frisk would hug one tight whenever they got into a FIGHT with one, and it would blush and giggle happily, though when it giggled, it released some lava from its mouth, making the girls have to back away. 
     As they continued, they noticed more vents, making Chara groan. 
     "Why are these everywhere?" Chara complained.
     "I don't know, why not?" Frisk said sarcastically, making Chara sigh.
     Bravely, and heroically, Chara stepped on the vent before Frisk and launched across, the hot air taking her by surprise making her yelp. Frisk started to laugh uncontrollably, falling to her knees.
     "Chara!" She said, holding her sides because they hurt from laughing. "That was adorable! I've never heard you do that!" 
     Chara blushed madly from Frisk laughing at her. Her face was hot with embarrassment, and the heat of Hotland didn't make it any better. "Frisk! It wasn't that funny!" Chara said, crossing her arms, getting angry.
     Frisk started to calm down some, but not much. "But it was so cute!" She said, tears rolling down her face. 
     "Frisk! Stop laughing!" Chara yelled in anger. 
     Frisk stopped, but not immediately, realizing Chara was angry with her. She stepped on the vent and launched herself across the platform, walking towards Chara, who was turned away with her arms crossed. Frisk touched her back, "Chara. Come on! Don't be angry with me."
     "It wasn't that funny.." Chara said quietly, her face slowly regaining its natural color. She turned around to face Frisk, who looked sad. "Okay.. maybe a little." Chara said, cracking a smile.
     Frisk grabbed Chara's hand pulling her in for a quick kiss on the cheek. "Sorry, but you were just too cute!" Frisk smiled.
     Chara couldn't hold back from smiling. "A little less laughter would be appreciated next time." 
     "Of course, promise!" 
     The girls continued their journey through Hotland, passing yet another set of vents, which Chara reluctantly stepped on. It didn't take long before they discovered a new problem.
    "Frisk?" Chara said, looking at the orange and blue lasers ahead of them. 
     *Ring Ring* 
     Frisk looked at her phone and checked the Caller I.D. 
     *Alphys is calling* 
     Frisk opened her phone and selected speaker, "Heya Alphys!" 
     "H-hey, you two. I know the lasers may look bad, but I will use my knowledge and hack into the system to turn them off!"
      "Alphys.." Chara said. "How do you know there are lasers ahead of us..?" 
      "O-oh! Um.. I uh, had to.. um.." The lasers shut off, leaving a path ahead before she could finish speaking. "Oh! Looks like they are g-gone! Bye!" Alphys disconnected before the two could say anything. 
     "Frisk." Chara eyed her suspiciously. Frisk knew exactly what she meant by the stare.
     "I know Chara, but Alphys is doing this to help us, she's not trying to spy on us or anything like that." She noticed Chara was getting angry. Frisk could always tell. Chara's natural blush would turn red, rather than the natural pink, and she would always furrow her brow, sometimes, she would tap her finger on her hip, as a sign of her being impatient.
      "She promised she wouldn't do it anymore."
      *Ring Ring* 
      Frisk checked the Caller I.D.
      *Alphys is calling*
     Frisk opened her phone and selected speaker.
     "H-hey, you two. I know what you're talking about.." Alphys said. She sounded sad, like she was just told some awful news. "And I just want Chara to know, that... I-I'm sorry. I know I promised I-I wouldn't, but I thought you two would need help." 
     Chara started to calm down. "Alphys. You could've just told me that you had to, instead of promising me you would never do it again. I would've understood." Chara said, letting out a sigh.
     Frisk smiled at Chara, but she didn't notice. 
     "Y-yeah.. I see that now, but I didn't want to tell you, b-because I thought you'd get mad again! You really scared me the first time." When she said that, Chara had a look on her face that Frisk couldn't place. 
      Chara didn't know how to feel after she heard Alphys say that. All she could muster was a face that made her look confused. 
      "Look." Chara sighed again. "I am truly sorry Alphys. I didn't mean to scare you, but you must understand why i was angry with you, and why I felt angry now." 
     "Y-yes, I understand, and I'm sorry too, Chara! If you want me to stop, for real this time, I will, no problem." 
     Chara considered the offer, and wondered if Alphys was lying. She looked at Frisk, who was just smiling at her. "Whatever you decide Chara, I'm fine with." She looked at Chara with a face that said, "Please give her a chance, it would mean a lot to me."
      "Alright Alphys. You can continue to watch and help us, I don't mind. Besides, you'll just make it easier for us!" Frisk gave Chara a toothy grin, she was happy Chara was okay with it.
      "A-anyways you two! Up ahead, there is a giant door, you cannot open it unless you s-solve the puzzles on the left and right." Alphys said, sounding happier and more confident now she and Chara were back on good terms. "S-so, good luck!" She hung up. 
      Frisk nodded at Chara, as a silent "Thank You". They walked ahead and saw the giant door. It was massive, reaching so high, that when you looked up, you couldn't see the top, just the darkness of the underground. It was purple, and had strange circular symbols that glowed. Neither Chara nor Frisk knew what the symbols meant, but they each assumed it had to mean something unique to Hotland. In front of the door, or rather, in front of them, were more vents. The vent directly facing them, changed it's wind direction, going counter-clockwise.
      "Well!" Frisk said. "I guess I'll go left, while you go right, Chara. We can knock it out quickly." Frisk said.
      "But Frisk! I don't want to go without you! What if something happens?" Chara said, tightening her grip on Frisk's hand.
      "Nothing will happen, trust me. Besides, if something goes wrong, Alphys will be watching over you, and call me." Frisk reassured her.
      "Okay." Chara said, a little nervously, but she felt a little safer remembering Alphys was watching.
      Frisk let go of Chara's hand and stepped on the vent, shooting across to the left. Chara stepped on the vent, and shot to the right. They both smiled and waved and walked towards their puzzles.