Reckoning Tale-An Undertale Fanfiction Novel

Chapter 22: Never A Princess, Just a Pawn

fun level 74 Original MC Sans and Frisk

"This is your life, Frisk.  It was all a farce, and they got me too. I didn't take you back in time. Caleb didn't have the other souls. They even had one primed though for Asriel, knowing what I would have done. It was all just a game," Amanda said. "I didn't realize the scope of this barrier thing, I really didn't." 

"Hey." Sans walked toward her. "So how come my brother was having an at least nineteen-year-old conversations with me, that suddenly went into fairytales?" 

"Included it. I improvised a little. Hey, they were the ones who thought it'd be cute and smart to turn Frisk into a 'sleeping princess'," Amanda said. "Made the illusion easier too. Only twice a month upkeep. Turned the crank much faster. Childhood. Sure does go by pretty fast for a monster. Say . . . a little under a year?" 

"A year? Not even a whole . . ." Impossible, it was all impossible. 

"I know. It was a good life too. I watched the program. The time you were around, you made them count. Especially with Asriel. Made a good team." Amanda looked toward Sans. "You were easy. Everything in the Underground is recorded. Before you rescued Frisk, they just filled in your old memories to the front. Gone but not forgotten. Same old posts, day in and day out." 

"I don't . . . but . . ." 

"It's all controlled, Frisk. I didn't get it either, and I'm sorry. I'm not perfect, I'm human too," Amanda said. "The Underground isn't just in a barrier. It's completely controlled. As in your minds too! Usually, you're allowed to be your own self, but you both saw what happened, right?" 

"Papyrus." Sans spoke. "He didn't even understand what I was saying." 

"Yeah. From what I can tell it's a combination between technology and the magic inside the barrier. Including a lot of 'feels'. People are even paid to sit and control the Underground minds like a game. And the game? The game is the reckoning. Not the little test thing, Frisk. Time after time when you beat it and your father kept using the souls to turn back time? It was still just part of the game. No. Ever since you cracked that barrier, they've been playing it. Against your father. For your father. Your job here. Your goals. Sympathy. Anger. Ducking Sans. Finding Sans. Just, everything they could that might steer you one way or the other." 

"What?" Frisk shook her head. "I don't understand." 

"Both sides have been playing the Underground. When your father went after your mother, the other side showed up to help her. They've been playing too, but don't cheer 'cause they are just the same kind of assholes. You two. You guys, I'm sorry for what happened." Amanda shrugged. "They don't have any power to manipulate minds outside of the barrier, unless they physically get you. We're all safe." 

"I died," Sans insisted. "If this is that time, I died in it. I know I did. I felt it." 

"Illusion. Everything. There is heavy magic casted into it. The highest being forced perception, but even that can only influence so much. There is mind control, persuasive magic, and basically. It's . . . anyone in the Underground can become a see n' say at any moment." 

"That's sick!" Frisk grabbed her head, her mind reeling. Her life wasn't her life. Her life wasn't her life? 

"Only a few things could be controlled, and only for so long," Amanda said. "That power is only within the barrier. You're safe now." 

Frisk just walked around the yard, trying to put it together. Her yard. Her yard?  

"Oh, and we need to talk about Caleb. He's almost home, but don't worry. He's not actually 'home'."