On The Surface | An OCTale Sequel

36) No Longer Home

"For as long as I can remember...there's been a, uh, problem with...my soul. All I know is that humans like you and the other fallen children are able to sense my 'glitch'." She explains, sighing, and I sit back up to look at her.

"Your soul? Oh, yeah...sometimes when I look at it with my 'soul vision', it disappears, or changes trait." I reply, Guidea shuffling uncomfortably.

"So basically, I'm a freak with a laughable joke known as a 'soul'. God knows if I class as a human or a monster at this point!" She yells, throwing her arms about. I try to intervene, but she continues.

"And now this interdimensional being is coming to kill me and you and end the book and there's nothing we can do about it!"

"Wait, you know?" I interrupt, sure that my completely hypothetical question wasn't enough to give it away.

"Oh, I've known for far longer than anybody else here has." Guidea laughs hysterically, not teally making much sense now. She's started to glitch out again.

"Guidea, please calm down! We'll find the answer to your-"

"Oh, I know why I was cursed with this! I was never supposed to exist! If it wasn't for my existence, my birth, then this world wouldn't even been called OCTale - it would be Undertale! Everything in this world has become so different from what it was originally...and that's why the Puppet-Master is here to destroy it! To destroy me! If I die, the world turns back to normal!" She laughs, not really yellong at me, but more at herself.

"Woah, woah, too much information! Could you explain what any of that meant?" I retort calmly, trying to console her. I would hug her, but that would probably make it worse.

"Heh...don't be stupid. You know what I'm talking about. I'm a worthless piece of code that needs to be erased." She laughs half-heartedly, tears running down her face.

Then suddenly, the world turns black and white. Guidea's soul is still glitching in and out of existence.

"Go on. Kill me, and end this world's suffering."

I shake my head sharply.

"Guidea! You aren't the one who made you this way, alright? You weren't a mistake! You're one of my best friends and the greatest and only adoptive sister I've ever had...just please, I don't want to have to fight you!" I sob, as I start crying too.

And as quickly as the colours faded, they return.

* * * *

...

"...Someone's here." I mumble, Guidea now calmed from her mental breakdown. I activate my soul vision, and all I see for now is the six human souls in the distance, mine and Guidea's, and...

...In the shadows, I see another soul. A soul like nothing I've ever seen before.

I summon a magic orb to my hand, and Guidea copies with her fire, unsure of what's going on.

"Come out, whoever you are! I know you're there!"

"Eheheh...nice eyes you have there, old friend! I was hoping to leave the surprise for longer, but I guess since you figured out my plan, I have no other choice!" The shadows jeers, as they summon a magical sword into their hand, before stepping out of the shadows to reveal...

No...

"What's the matter? Aren't you excited to see your old friend again?" Luke laughs unnaturally, a glint of malice in his eyes. Guidea takes a step backwards in shock, seeing her once-dead brother now alive.

"You aren't Luke! Stop hiding and face us one-on-one, Puppet-Master!" I yell, as 'Luke' frowns.

"Well, it was your friends' fault for being so willing for me to take their body! Anyway, I'm not here to chitchat. You know why I'm here, OCTale Tyler." She giggles, Guidea also realising that his disposition isn't right.

"You'll never kill me! I won't let you!" Guidea retorts, her bravery wavering slightly. But how can we stop her?

"Heh...says the one who was begging for death a few moments ago. This story was about to get interesting! Shame that I'll have to spoil that for you~!" She mocks, and the world turns black and white again.

I can now see that Luke's soul is being controlled by another...wait...

That looks like Guidea's soul signature...but how is that possible?

...it must just be another glitch.

The Puppet-Master takes the first move, aiming for Guidea with her sword, but I swiftly jump in the way, blocking with my pen knife. The creature grins, and suddenly, my knife is flung across the room and I'm pinned to the floor.

"Did you really think a flimsy weapon like that will stop me? I won't hesitate to kill you too if you get in my way!" She laughs, before being knocked away by a fireball. Guidea lends me a hand up, and I notice that, for a split second, Luke gained back control.

Wait...I wonder if Prosperity could...

I focus on a happy thought, and I try to steal the Puppet-Master's sword.

"Why would we ever be mad at you, Castellar? You should have told us!"

I feel a tug, and suddenly, there's a magical sword in my hand, coloured red unlike the bright purple The Puppet-Master's is....

...wait, she still has her sword? Then how do I have one, too?

"Tyler! How did you do that? It's like you just mimicked her ability!" Guidea remarks, and I nod.

"Yeah, I did! En guarde, Puppet-Master!" I chirp, charging towards her with force. But I'm careful not to hurt her too badly, in case of harming Luke. Just enough for her possession to weaken.

"Alright...I'll dance!" She laughs, clashing her sword against mine. Whilst we clash, Guidea summons her staff from wherever she stores it and jams it into the ground. She turns hers and my soul blue, and we both jump before the fire flares up, ensnaring the Puppet-Master, who screams.

As the fire fades, we both land back down, and my sword fades away.

* * * *

"Did...did we do it?" I gasp, making my way up to Luke's body, now on the floor.

"Ow...my head...what the hell just happened?" He mumbles, rubbing his head in pain. The Puppet-Master is nowhere to be seen. He looks up towards me as I offer my hand.

"Tyler! You're here? And Guidea, too...am I dreaming? Hey, and where's Flowey? I thought he was with you two." He remarks casually, but he stops in surprise as both me and Guidea hug him; Guidea even begins to sob, glitching slightly.

"Luke! I'm so glad you're alive! I don't blame you for anything you did, okay? But look! Your plan worked...it just took a little more sacrifice than you first wanted." She cries, Luke smiling, but then slowly shifting to an expression of dread.

"...What's wrong?" I ask, as he stands up.

"Where's the Puppet-Master?" He asks in dread, as I shrug.

"She ran away, I think. Why?"

"Oh no...no no no no no no! This is bad! This is really bad! Guys...I accepted her into my body so she wouldn't hurt anybody else, but now she could be anywhere, in anyone's body!" 

"Oh god! No... there's got to be a way to stop her!" I gasp.

"Well, there is one way...she can only possess people who are feeling negative emotions. So we can start by making sure everybody is feeling positive today!"