Golden Slumbers: The End

A gentle breeze awakens you. Bright light greets you as your eyes pry open. Spores dance about the area like dust motes; and golden flowers are crushed under your weight.

It broke your fall yet again, but you wish that it hadn't.

"Frisk..? Are...you awake..?"

Asriel.

Your eyes snap wide and you're on your feet and darting towards the voice. Asriel looks small and scared. But you don't stop. You hate him so much right now. Everyone was changing, and Sans...Sans..!

"Frisk, stop-"

"I'M NOT FRISK."

Your fist connects with Asriel's snout and vines gather around you to hold you back. Yelling, you thrash around violently and your knife slips out of your pocket and clatters to the ground. You stop momentarily to look at it, and then up at Asriel. Fear is embedded in his eyes. And you yell at his face. Not Chara. You. Frisk. Your throat grows raw with the intensity. He covers his face with both hands and balls up on the ground. When you stop, you hang your head and sob. The vines retract from around you and you cover your face with both your hands.

"I HATE YOU."

You don't. But you feel the need to tell him anyways.

"I'm so tired, Asriel...you're the only one who can stop this...and you won't! You coward!"

You raise your hand and bring it down on his cheek. His eyes widen, but he doesn't look too upset about it. Almost as if he felt like he deserved it.

"You c-coward!" Your voice cracks again, "I know you can do it, Asriel! You have to try! Or I have to force you! Please don't make me do that...Asriel, you're my brother!"

You try and reach him, but he covers his eyes with his ears and continues sobbing. You stand and push him over onto the ground, tears streaking your face. He makes no attempt to move. Fear paralyzes him.

"If you can't do it, let Flowey do it!"

You'll endure it.

Still, he doesn't make a move. But you know better. You know how Flowey operates. Leaning over, you gingerly pick up the knife and clench it in your hands. Finally, he notices you, and backs away into the vines. His arm outstretches to you, as if he's begging you to stop, but no words ever form on his lips. Gnashing your teeth, you run towards him and feel your heart sink deeply into the bottom of your chest. If he doesn't avoid this...

"Ah ha!"

The knife drives downwards, with all the force that Chara can muster, and tears open Asriel's arm. It takes a moment for him to react, but when he does, it isn't Asriel.

"Idiot, idiot, IDIOT!"

Looking around, Chara couldn't help but grin as the vines closed in around the two of them.

"Just like old times! Remember-"

Cut short, Chara dodged a tendril shooting towards them and sliced it the moment they saw an opening. You, in the back seat, surveyed the situation. Come what may, the more that Asriel...Flowey...used their power, the more they would draw from their resources around them. The magic was connected. And if Chara got to dance the same old dance that they so loved? They were free to do so. At least here, the only person in real danger of dying was you. Asriel was stronger than you, and you knew that. You held the power of determination, but that was only useful if you never gave up. And you gladly would if it meant bringing back your friends.

Flowey let out an aggravated roar and held his arms out before him, shooting the tendrils out your way once more. Chara dodged them once more; hacking and slicing away with childlike glee. But you observed. The walls began to move-to pulsate to life. It was almost disgusting. They were reacting to the need to kill you and serve Flowey. The blooms, you remember Asriel telling you, were alive. And from feeling their very life force being sucked out of them made them wail in disharmony. You hated it. Chara was fueled by it. Laughing, they dashed towards Flowey once more and dodged out of the way of friendliness pellets; they colliding with the vine wall behind you. Recoiling in pain, the vines wailed once more and congregated even more tightly in the area.

"Come on, Asriel! I know you're better than that!"

Chara tossed the knife from hand to hand, itching to strike a blow again. Taunting Flowey was not a good idea. Pellets amassed all around them until you could barely see the wall behind Asriel anymore. Gulping, you were unsure if your body could withstand this sort of pain, and so you let Chara do their thing.

The first hail seemed easy enough to skip and prance around, but it's when the vines began tangling around your feet and grasping at your ankles did Chara stumble and fall. Then the pellets hit. At first the pain doesn't even register; but it's when the vines begin tightening around your midsection that you begin to yell. Chara yells. Chara's knife is quick and slices off large chunks of vines. The magic dies off, dust flittering through the air, and you're freed up. Panting, Chara growing weak, you notice that the vines are retracting further from the corridors and hole. It was working, wasn't it?

You smile. Frisk smiles. Even though Chara isn't. Chara is slowly getting tired. A fear washes over you that you didn't know you had. What if Chara switched with you and refused to come back out?

"Shut up and let me focus!"

Chara is pissed. Off. You do. So you listen and watch, still, feeling pain building up from within.

Chara's breathing raggedly. You're both determined. For different things, but determined nonetheless.

Chara saves. For some reason, you forgot that you even could in a timeline. You took for granted that you were untouchable and that if something went wrong, it'd be an instant reset.

But saving meant that Chara feared dying.

With good reason, your body was beginning to fail miserably on you.

Chara dashes forwards and, without even landing a hit, is knocked back by a bright surges of multi-colored lights. Bracing for the worst, trying to avoid as much damage as possible, you know that the onslaught of magic attacks are far from over.

The rainbow colored fire tears at your skin, singing your hair, fraying Sans's coat, and forces you into the ground.

Still, you remain determined. Chara's presence in your mind begins to dim, and you begin to regain control over yourself. The pain is almost too much to bear with. It grounds you and knocks the wind straight out of you. How Chara was putting up with their half of the pain was beyond you.

"I CAN STILL FIGHT. I'LL TEAR HIM APART, THE STUPID IDIOT."

Chara's furious. They push you aside once more and take over all your pain once again. Yelling, they dash towards Asriel once again to see him beginning to morph into his stronger form. It stops Chara dead in their tracks and watch as their soul began fighting over for control.

Vines wither and break off from the surface of the hole and tumble down unceremoniously around you before scattering into dust.

"F-FRIIIIIISK..."

It's Asriel's voice mixed with Flowey's. They're fighting for control more than you realize. Golden petals scatter up from behind you as you kick off to race towards them. Those, too, began to change from a vibrant yellow to grey, and then dust.

"ASRIEL YOU CAN DO IT! FIGHT IT!"

Chara was weakened. Their presence began ever so slowly to retract from your conscience. Maybe this was the opportunistic time to rid yourself of them-

"SHUT YOUR STUPID MOUTH!"

Your eyes widen as a bright, golden light surges forth from Asriel's hands and zeroes in on you. And the last thing you see is Asriel's face scrunched up in trial, eyes shut, and tears leaking from the corners of his eyes.

"I did it, Frisk!"

The room is dark. Nothing in here hurts. Everything is just...quiet. Chara...Flowey...they aren't present. It's only you and Asriel.

"Hey..."

Asriel's hands find their way into yours and he presses his forehead to your forehead. Smiling, you rest your weight against his and sigh.

"So it's over?"

"I think so."

"Good."

You stay like that for a while. It feels like it's been too long since you've had the chance to enjoy your friend, and the time you share right now is the most precious you've ever had.

"I'm sorry I hurt you."

"You? You barely touched me!"

Asriel protested, laughing as he nuzzles closer followed by a tight hug. When you two pull away, bodies slackened and exhausted, he grasps onto your hands again and smiles.

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen...but thank you, for fixing it."

Your smile broadens and you laugh. It feels so nice to share this moment.

"Anything for my bro."

"We should wake up now, though. Don't you think?"

You nod and run your hand through the fur on the top of his head. It's soft and plush and reminds you of Toriel.

"Only if it's really over. Otherwise I think I'm okay staying here for a little while."

This time, it's Asriel who shakes his head.

"We can't stay. This place is the limit. You know, when souls are about to die? That moment where they exit the body and turn to dust? Our determination...Flowey's and Chara's? It's keeping us here. We're using them, now, instead of the other way around."

"Why?"

"Because I'm pretty frickin' strong."

He smiles, showing all his teeth, and gives you a final hug.

"I'll see you on the other side, Frisk."

"Alright. I love you."

His eyes soften as his body begins to fade, and he waves.

"Love you, too."

Sans's bloodied and battered coat feels heavy on your skin. You're not quite up to opening your eyes yet. You're alive. For the moment, you just want to relish that fact. Your breath is ragged, and you feel every bruise and cracked bone in your body, but you're alive. Better yet, your mind is your own. For the first time in a long time, Chara's voice is absent.

When you finally do decide to open your eyes, you notice golden petals gently floating down from the sky. Where they came from, you're not sure, but the sight of that in and of itself is enough to bring tears to your eyes.

Turning your head to the side, flowers surrounding you, you see Asriel some three feet away from you on the ground. His chin is dug into the ground, and his arm is laid out before him towards you as if he spent himself merely trying to save your soul. Gently, you bring your arm up from beside you and slide your hand under his and take hold of it. Giving it a soft squeeze, his eyes open and he flashes you his renown grin. You return the favor and, upon the sight of it, he begins giggling.

"Your tooth is missing."

He points out. Your eyebrows raise and tongue searches for the missing tooth. Sure enough, one of your canines had been knocked clean out. You smile anyway, earning another bout of small giggles.

"Can you move?"

You ask him. He tries and yelps in pain.

"Nope...you?"

You go to try. First your other arm. Then you wiggle your toes. Then your leg-

"ARGH."

Your leg cracks a few times and that alone answers Asriel's question. Grimacing, he drags himself forward using his arm and places his head right under your arm.

"Sorry..."

"Don't worry..."

You adjust your arm around him as best as you can and feel your breathing even out. Looking down, you see Asriel close his eyes and rest a bit. You don't want to. The flowers and vines missing fill you with hope. Maybe things actually worked out, this time. Maybe everything was going to be alright, after all...

Your eyes slide shut and you hug Asriel closer to you.

Yeah. Every reset was worth it.

"THEY'RE DOWN THERE!"

Voices echo from above. You can't quite place who it belongs to because it's so far away. You're found, now. Whatever happens next, you'll deal with when you're rested. All that mattered in this moment was your victory.

Your mouth fills with a heady taste. You recognize it, you think. You're unsure. Your mind's growing foggy with fatigue. When the ground leaves you, you barely remember to cling onto your charge. An eternity seems to pass, but it's just enough for you to be reminded that the magic is familiar. It's Sans. Sans...

You open your eyes once again, tired, and you find yourself and Asriel coated in a blue and orange aura. Papyrus was there, too. You were safe now. The two of you. And

Sans was safe. He had to be.

"i've got you, kid...god...what a mess..."

"Papyrus, be steady, it's going to be alright."

Asgore's voice is soft yet firm. The kind that made people ease up instantly.

"RIGHT!"

Asriel leaves your arms via magic, and you end up laid out on the snow. You breathe a sigh of relief and your eyelids pry apart one at a time. Sans is there. He's...him. He's not contorted. He's not gone berserk anymore. He's speaking to you, but the words don't register. Running up the mountainside is Undyne and Mettaton. Alphys is trying to keep up, but she's there too. They look so utterly battered that you're surprised they can run at all.

A small smile escapes your bloodied up lips.

You did it...

Returning to normal life was a trial in and of itself. Clean up was horrendous. Asgore, Undyne, and Papyrus would have their work cut out for them in trying to convince people that monsters could still be trusted. Even if the kill-count for both humans and monsters were well into the hundreds.

"You were very brave."

Toriel brushes your hair out of your face as you lay against her arm. On her lap is a sleeping Asriel. She had healed you well enough so that you stopped bleeding, and since hospitals and all other care were filled up with people already, there was no way your family was going to allow you to get lost within the halls and let you out of their sights.

"Sans is still upset over his jacket..."

You muse, watching him sleep in the couch across from you. He's exhausted as well. He had every right. You weren't too sure what happened to him after he inhaled the pollen, but you knew better than to ask. Even Undyne would never admit to what happened to her, even after you saw her change before your very eyes.

"I'll stitch him a new one. I think you deserve every right to keep this one as a trophy."

You let out a single laugh and nod, snuggling closer to her arm. She caresses the side of your face with a finger and watches as the news still goes on about death tolls and how all the vines and blooms had disappeared with only traces of dust.

"Do you want me to change channel?"

"you should put something less depressing...i think the kid knows by now exactly what happened."

Sans peeks open and eye and it falls onto you, lazily. Toriel takes notice and gently places Asriel off to the other side of her and you pry yourself away from her arm. She changed the station to a children's Christmas movie and excuses herself from the room to prepare a meal. Sans keeps a trained eye on you until Toriel is out of earshot and then, for the first time in what felt like eons, he smiles what seems to be a genuine smile.

"proud of you, bucko."

"Thanks, Sans." You rest your head on the side of the couch, groaning as you do so. Asriel really did a number on you.

"i mean it. you didn't even reset."

"No...but Chara saved...we almost reloaded."

He shrugs.

"better than a reset. who cares. we're all alive. you actually did it, squirt."

You nod. Above everything, after all you've gone through, you understand Sans a lot more than you ever thought possible.

"Chara is gone."

"great."

"Yeah...it's...quiet."

His other eye opens.

"miss it?"

You shake your head. You enjoy the silence again. You don't feel the murderous intent in the back of your mind.

"good. keep it that way...and...frisk?"

Your eyes start sliding closed, but you force them open again.

"thanks."

"I'm tired of resets, too, Sans...this is the last time. I swear."

Sans closes his eyes and breaths a sigh of relief. You do the same, your body melting into the warmth of the couch.

"thank god..."

Rest came easy. All the sins you bore around your neck, shackled and begging for atonement, eased away from you. You were free from the burdens of what lingered after you left the Underground. All you had left, now, was to look forwards to tomorrow.

AN: That is the end, folks! Thank you so much for sticking around and reaching this point! -throws confetti- this was a lot of fun to write! I mean a TON of fun! I don't think I'll be writing another HUGE story like this one for a while, but one-shots will be happening (and already have), so keep your eyes peeled like a banana. Lots of love to you guys, and I really mean it. I didn't expect so much support from the fanbase. THANK YOU!