What Went Wrong?

Chapter 43

After what seemed like another century, the white light slowly faded away. I was still on all fours, breathing steadily in and out. The pain felt like my heart shattering again, but in a much less emotional way. Frisk was tottering up, trying to shove themselves off the ground. Asriel was back to being my brother, the brother I remembered and loved. He was standing there shaking with his left arm covering his big eyes.

I felt my immense determination slowly dissipate. Frisk finally got to their feet and hurried over to me and knelt down next to me asking me over and over again how I did it. I just shook my head, I had no fucking idea. I looked into their eyes again and saw myself in its reflection. My eyes were back to their normal shade of deep red, they were all done flaming. I was still trying to wrap my head around how I managed to pull that off.

Asriel was still sobbing and managed to choke out, "I'm so sorry. I was always a crybaby, wasn't I, Chara?" He laughed a little and wiped his tears away.

Sniffing, he looked up and saw me still on the ground with Frisk kneeling by my side. I could see the pain and sorrow in his eyes. He slowly walked over to us, making his movements obvious so he didn't look suspicious. Once he was right in front of me, he smiled down at me.

He rubbed the back of his neck and then flung his arm down with his hand out, "Chara, what I nice name. I'm Asriel. Asriel Dreemurr." I laugh and grab his hand. He pulls me up to my feet and I help Frisk up.

Together we stand in a small triangle. Frisk suddenly launched at Asriel and hugs them. Asriel was thrown off for a minute but quickly recovers and gently hugs them back. Maybe it was a sign of compassion or sympathy... eh, I could never understand either of them. They pull away but Asriel takes a hold on Frisk's shoulders and speaks to them, ashamed of his actions, "There's no excuse for what I've done..."

Frisk shakes their head and pulls down his hands so their holding hands. Asriel looked a little surprised by their gesture but tries to get them to understand his point of view, "W-what?! Frisk, come on! You're... you're gonna make me cry again. Besides... even if you do forgive me... I can't keep these souls inside me. The least I can do is return them." Frisk's face fell a little but nods slowly and let's go of his hands.

Asriel turns to me and stares me in the eyes... I carelessly look back, straight faced. I sighed, "Asriel, that's one hell of a way to-" I'm cut off by an exploding Asriel.

"CHARA!!! I'M SO SORRY!!! I SWEAR I DIDN'T MEAN TO. ALL THOSE TIMES I MOURNED YOU AT YOUR GRAVE AND THAT TIME FOREVER AGO WHEN YOU APPEARED AND I SHOVED YOU AWAY LIKE TRASH COMPLETELY IGNORING THE FACT THAT YOU WEREN'T EXACTLY RIGHT IN THE HEAD!!! AND... A-AND... EVERYTHING IS MY FAULT AND IF I JUST DIDN'T SCREW UP THE PLAN YOU MADE IN THE FIRST PLACE NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AND YOU COULD'VE RESTED IN PEACE A LONG TIME AGO. EVERYTHING COULD HAVE BEEN MORE SIMPLE. MOM AND DAD WOULDN'T HAVE SPLIT APART. A-AND WE WOULD HAVE LIVED ON THE SURFACE ONE HUNDRED YEAR AGO. I COULD'VE GROWN OLD AND LIVED AN OKAY LIFE UNDER THE SUN. AND I COULD HAVE VISITED YOU'RE GRAVE WITH REAL FEELINGS AND NOT AS A DUMB OLD BUTTERCUP! A-AND..." Asriel finally stopped for air.

I lean out and hug him. A firm hug, representing the fact that I would never leave him again. It was like tying someone down with their hand by their side. His eyes opened in shock. He wasn't expecting that from someone like me, someone who hates hugs with a passion. He lifted his arms and hugged back.

I don't exactly know how long we stood their in silence hugging but soon enough Frisk made a small cough. We both laughed at them and split apart. I put in a smug look and look Asriel in the eyes and say, "What I was going to say before I was, so rudely interrupted, by Mr.Prince over here, was that's one hell of a way to say hello to your long lost sister, Asriel. I glad to finally see you again... and... and I wish I could be with you forever." I look down in despair, remembering that once Frisk leaves the Underground I will be sent back to my grave and Asriel will just become a flower again when he gives up the souls.

Asriel taps his chin and suddenly his eye light up, "Chara! Don't you remember mom's homeschooling at all?! We CAN be together again! We can live in our own heaven together. After our mistakes we served our time in our own hells. If we let our souls go from this world and concentrate on the same thing as we fade away forever, we might have a chance of being together, forever. It can be found in The Monster's Laws Of Death issue number 380... don't ask me how I remember that."

Both Frisk and I laugh. I've never felt more hopeful about anything. I wasn't about to lose my brother again, I would do anything to be with him. We all grasp hands and stand in a triangle. Frisk's nods to Asriel and Asriel nods back knowing it's time to let the souls go. Asriel starts to reach out to release them when I suddenly cry out for him to stop.

I grab Frisk my the hand, spin them around and roughly pull them into a hug. Frisk giggles and returns the action. I whisper in their ear, "I'm so sorry about... well, everything. The mess you fell into. The struggle of putting up with lunatic me. The pain of simply trying to get home to the surface. My unhelping tips about everything. All the fight you've been in. All the times you've legitimately died... I guess what I'm trying to say is... um... than-thank you. Without you falling down and saving monsterkind we would all be back a square one, a mess! Without you, I would have never seen my brother again! Without you, both Asriel and I would have stayed insane, mad, and emotionless. I hope what I'm trying to tell you is coming off to you crystal clear... it would kind of suck if it didn't." I sigh and let go of Frisk.

"No. Thank you, Chara. For helping me to the very end. All your funny remarks kept me laughing when things got rough, all those times you were there to comfort me when I was feeling lonely or scared, and all those times you translated monster language to me so I could read and write. And... your life's story... Chara, I know you don't like sympathy, but I'm so sorry. I thought my life was bad... that is nothing compared to what you've been through. But now you have Asriel and you can live together. I guess even the worst of people can get a happy ending if you change. Hey, if you'd like I'll still visit your grave and keep your flowers growing!" Frisk tells me all this through thoughts. I smiled and nod. I've never heard anything so sincere and meaningful from Frisk.

I put my arm around Frisk as they nod to Asriel once more. He puts his hands out in front of him and rises up into the air. He wills the six humans souls to exit his body as well as the hundreds of monster souls. Together as one he directs the to the barrier and uses their magic to shatter it. Frisk jumps up and down in excitement as the huge monochromatic barrier slowly fades away to us replaced with yellow, cozy, and warm sunlight. I smiled and take a long breath in. Asriel released all the monster souls back to their original monster body and sends the six human souls free.

I let go of Frisk, knowing I have a short amount of time before we both wither away to heaven. I go over and take a hold on Asriel's hand, having the slightest worry of losing him again. Frisk has tears already flowing down their face.

I called out to them, "Hey, Frisk! When you travel with my family back to the surface... help guild them... remember not all humans are what they seem... it's a dark world up there and it'll take some major miracle to get all humans to accept monsters. Trust me... people will hate your guts for bringing them back. Not a single monster with be except right away but... maybe, just maybe after a few years, everyone will live in harmony..."

Asriel noded, "Frisk... you're going to do a great job, okay? Everyone will be there for you, okay? Well, Chara... our time is running out. By the way, Frisk, please, take care of mom and dad, for the both of us, okay?" Frisk roughly nods, new hot tears flow down their cheeks. It's hard to say goodbye.

I speak up, with a small hiccup, "Frisk... don't be afraid to tell they my story... okay? If you would like to wait, that's fine... they are very patient monsters. Tell them that we're sorry.. a-and... I'm the demon that comes when people call it's name. You remember that last thing... it applies to everyone... but please don't use it very often." Frisk lets out a shaky laugh as more tears stream out of their eyes. They lift their sweater sleeve and wipe them away.

I look at Asriel and he looks back at me. Together we go over and hug Frisk goodbye. As our bodies slowly fade away and we watch the bright white fuzzy light surround us... Asriel and I let go of Frisk and I leave my soul behind. Together, hand in hand, we walk to nowhere exactly until we reach a unlimited sized field of Buttercup flowers that lay in a hilly plain underneath the bright glowing sun.