Chara's Corruption

13 - Grudge

 Time had passed. Frisk lay staring up at the ceiling of their room. They sighed and shut their eyes for a moment. When they opened them they stared directly at Chara's ghostly form. She floated over. "It's been a while, Frisk."

Frisk sat up slowly in bed. "Yeah. Nearly a year."

Chara shrugged. "What is a mere year to us. We've lived out hundreds of them."

Frisk began to get out of bed. "I know. But when you're not doing anything they seem like forever." Chara slipped down onto the floor. "You're not going back are you."

Frisk stared uncomfortably at the floor. "Well. I've been here a while, and... You know."

Chara waved her hand dismissively. "I agree. It's been too long since I've seen a new landscape."

Frisk walked over to the door and opened it slowly. They stepped into the hallway and began walking down the dark passage. Reaching the kitchen they searched around for a piece of paper and began writing their note. Chara watched over Frisk's shoulder. "A bit cheesy isn't it." Frisk ignored her and placed the note on the counter. They walked back into the main room of the house and began the long descent down the stairs.

With each step Frisk felt the air get colder when they finally reached the wooden door that separated the ruins from the rest of the underground. They stopped. A cold breeze blew from the crack beneath the door. Chara walked up to the wood and placed a hand against it. "Are you scared."

Frisk reached for the doorknob. "A little. What if I mess up. It's not like restarting will help anymore."

Chara smiled. "Well I guess that means this is a branch in our story we've never seen. I can't wait." Frisk hesitated then opened the door wide stepping out into the cold snow.

The snow fell gently around them, slowly filling the trail of footprints Frisk left behind. They walked up to the snow covered barricade and waited for the familiar sound of footsteps behind them. But it never came. They turned around and saw nothing but the deep snow behind them. Frisk hesitated again before proceeding onward. After several minutes of walking they came to a familiar cluster of rocks. One of papyrus' old puzzles. They smiled as they quickly solved it from memory.

Frisk suddenly felt like someone was watching them. They turned and saw a familiar skeleton standing across from them. Sans stared back at them with a soulless gaze. "Hi kid." He said. "It's been a while."

Frisk tensed and covered their eyes after a moment they peeked between their fingers and saw that Sans hadn't moved. He just stood there unmoving. Fisk lowered their hand and asked. "Sans?"

Sans said nothing and continued to stare silently. His expression wavered as a shrill voice cut through the silence. "Sans is that a human!"

Sans lightened. "Sure is Pap."

Papyrus strode up behind Sans. "Prepare yourself human. To undergo the greatest gauntlet of puzzles ever created." He flourished his hands dramatically. Frisk smiled. Papyrus looked down at their smile. "I see. You are a puzzle lover as well? Aren't you?" Frisk nodded their head. Papyrus raised his hand above them. "Well... These puzzles are unlike any you've seen before. Prepare to face a series so devious that the mere mention of their difficulty would make you tremble. But fear not the great Papyrus will give you hints if you get stuck."

Frisk's eyes drifted over to Sans who stared at them with a fake smile. Papyrus ran off to ready his puzzles leaving Frisk alone with Sans. Sans spoke. "I really want to believe you've changed. I truly do."

Frisk shifted. "I have changed."

Sans gave them another cold stare. "No. You've gone too far for that."

Frisk began to tear up. "Why can't you give me another chance."

Sans pretended to think about it. "Well lets see. First, how many times have you destroyed this world. Second, how many times have you killed me."

Frisk looked down at their feet uncomfortably. "I know, And I'm sorry. But... You killed me just as many if not more times and I can forgive you."

Sans chuckled sarcastically. "The main difference between those two are the simple fact that I killed you to stop your massacre. You killed me for your own entertainment."

They both stood in silence. After a moment Frisk spoke in a small voice. "I know I may never undo what I've done but can you at least give me a chance."

Sans narrowed his eye sockets. "Every time I look at you, all I see... Is a demon. You want me to give a demon a chance."

Frisk looked down at their feet. "Sans. Do you know what it's like. To live the same life over and over. And nobody remembers. That kind of loneliness does things to you. You lose perspective, because... You've done it all. But now, somebody else can remember. They won't just let you reset your mistakes. They remember to."

Sans paused before responding. "But you weren't alone. Didn't you have Chara to speak with. She remembered."

Frisk shook their head. "No. Chara's different. When you live the same life over and over you start to break down. Chara wasn't always what she is today. When I first met her she... She was actually pretty nice. But as time passed and I began to break down too, she broke down with me. Then as things continued since she was within me she started to become me. She became less of the person she was and more of a manifestation of my anger. I probably could have held off from genocide by myself but, the ware of repetition and the tear of... of a second little voice in your head. Telling you to do horrible things. It would have been difficult to hold back one. But two. That is too much."

Sans stared coldly at Frisk. "That is no excuse for what you've done."

Frisk's voice intensified. "I know! But... " Their voice died off. "I know."

Sans took a step towards were Papyrus had run off to. "I can never tell when you're lying. But I'm not the kind of person who will prevent you from continuing." He turned towards Frisk with an eye filled with billowing clouds of blue flame. "But mark my words kid. One slip up. And its over. If you ever try that kind of stunt again." The flame extinguished to be replaced with an endless void. "You will have a really bad time." His pupils reappeared and a smile returned to his face. "I've got an eye socket on you." He turned and slowly trudged after Papyrus.

Frisk sank to the ground and sighed with relief. Chara appeared by their side. "Well. I guess Sans isn't very determined to hold his grudge. All this time the world resetting with him seemed like a weakness. Guess it was more of a protection. Only a few resets and he's already breaking down." Chara smiled. "Monsters really have no determination."