AN: I loved Napstablook so I made an extra chapter for this. The resulting battle was inspired by a fan theme known as Spookwrath, which I heard from somewhere. Can't remember who made it, but was an amazing piece of work.
Disclaimer: Undertale belongs to Toby Fox.
"Take as much time as you need."
Frisk had turned back from The End at the last moment; it was their tenth time, trying to exhaust nearly every possibility. This time they had spared everyone, except for Mettaton. Nothing seemed to change, other than how the residents owere somewhat depressed. Nothing seemed to be that different from the other violent runs, but they might as well check to be sure. They have all the time in the world, after all.
Frisk walked through the CORE again, heading down the elevator to the bridge. The hotel was kind of sombre, the residents mourning over Mettaton's defeat. Nothing changed after all. Frisk gave a little sigh before talking to the hand receptionist; they might as well increase their HP before leaving for the surface again. Maybe the next round they'll find the way t-
"They no longer not care."
Frisk gave a look at her. They talked to her again, to only receive the same response. They moved the entrance where the diamond receptionist was. .
"MTT Resort prides itself in losing their loved ones."
They stepped back a bit, before their phone began to vibrate in their pocket. Putting the receiver to their ear, a garbled voice, sobbing, came through.
"…the dump..."
The receiver went deathly quiet.
"…come and get me…"
The line went dead, and soon Frisk felt the gazes of all the people in the resort on them.
As they made their way back to Waterfall, Aaron, Woshua, and even the Temmies were nowhere to be found. The air felt heavy as they moved through it, the feeling of hopelessness permeating the area. They realised that they never really went back so far before; only the area directly before every time they killed a boss. To be honest, they weren't really hyped for killing everybody, even after restarting so many times. They were pretty sure they couldn't even kill Napstablook, since he's a ghost and all that.
They waded into the muddy water, passing by where they met the dummy, the Astronaut Food and the huge piles of strange human junk. With each step they took, the feeling of dread crept up their spine as the ghostly hum of a familiar tune became louder and louder. But just before they turned the corner, a soft chirp of a bird came from the corner of the dump. Frisk turned towards to source, where Woshua was quietly bobbing up and down in the water. They approached Woshua slowly, who was keeping their gaze on them.
They raised their hand to wave hi, but Woshua simply blinked and opened his mouth.
"Don't touch me. I'm just here to see you get cleaned."
Frisk gave Woshua a questioning look, but Woshua just continued to stare.
They eventually left, with Woshua's gaze trailing behind them.
They crossed the mini-waterfall, passed the rushing water that filled them with determination, and approached where they fell; a small patch of golden flowers. The first thing that they noticed was the strange metal object that was lying on one of the wooden debris. It was something reminiscent of Mettaton's rectangle body; only that the screen was completely black, with a few splotches of grey accenting closed eyes, as well as that there were two recognisable headphones on the sides of its rectangular head.
Using the Worn Dagger, they tapped it slightly, prompting the Mettaton-shaped robot to wake.
"oh….
you actually came…"
The voice of the robot was very Napstablook, only garbled. The metal robot somehow got itself up to teeter on its single wheel.
"human...
…
at first, i didnt want to get in your way…"
The robot's screen flashed in a dull grey 'N'.
"…but i think i need to now."
-0-
The robot prepared itself, casting Frisk's SOUL into the battle box, as it teetered slowly in front of them.
*Here comes Napstabot.
Frisk checked them.
*NAPSTABOT 5 ATK 400 DEF
*This monster still doesn't seem to have a sense of humor…or any weakspots.
At Napstabot's sides, two arms extended from their rectangular body and hung low, as if they had no idea how to use them.
dr. alphys… helped me make this body once you left for asgore…
…
…do you like it?
*Napstabot waits for your answer.
Frisk tried to cheer them on, like they did before.
heh…
Napstabot begins teetering slightly faster.
*Napstabot looks weird, but a bit better?
Frisk tried to cheer them again.
heh…heh…
…
…do you really think that im that stupid?
Napstabot raised their right arm high in the air, causing Frisk's SOUL to turn yellow, before swinging it back down to force a sudden barrage of cds to rain down on the SOUL. The SOUL used its peashooter to barely make it through.
*Nevermind.
Frisk tried to spare them.
…
…not this time.
Drops rose from the water beneath the SOUL, filling the very top of the box until only the smallest area was left.
*Napstabot is trying to spell their name on the screen.
Frisk tried to fight, swinging –and missing- Napstabot.
i knew it…
i guess i really want this…
…
get ready…
*Napstabot wants to show you something.
Napstabot reached behind them and fiddled with the machinations behind, causing the completely black screen to flash rapidly, as the metallic whirrs of gears echoed throughout the dump. Right before Frisk's eyes, Napstabot's body begins to distort and meld, until it all ends.
The only thing that was left recognisable were the black headphones on the robots' head. The body was a more conservative version of Mettaton EX's body, with their SOUL pulsing in their torso, and an eerie red light glowing from their left eye.
…You fleshy cousin killer.
*Napstabot OS appears.
Frisk tried to flee.
*Napstabot OS shakes its head slowly. They won't let you leave.
Napstabot OS spells out in grey letters; 'Feeling really up to it right now."
*Napstabot OS prepares a sad attack.
Frisk checked again.
*NAPSTABOT OS 19 ATK 50 DEF
*Dr. Alphys's second greatest invention.
Napstabot OS's eyes rapidly cries blue and orange tears throughout the box.
*The water doesn't seem to affect Napstabot OS at all.
Frisk asked Napstabot OS why he was attacking them.
why i'm doing this…?
heh…
i could ask you the same question.
Napstabot OS takes off their earphones and pins them onto the box, blasting white music notes at the SOUL from the sides of the box, before pulling on the wire and having it return to them.
*The faint odor of metal cds permeates the vicinity.
Frisk asked what they had done to anger them.
it's simple…
i thought that you were my friend.
Napstabot OS pulls off his headphones and repeats his attack.
*Napstabot OS's eyes glow with a sad glow.
Frisk asked what they meant.
and I thought that
a friend meant that they would never
hurt me…or my other friends.
Napstabot OS pulls off their earphones and swings it by the wire through the box five times, the colour of the headphones alternating from orange to blue randomly.
*Napstabot OS is staring into you.
Frisk attempted to explain their motives.
shut up.
i dont want to hear your excuses
because
nothing can excuse what you have done
Napstabot OS cries orange and blue tears throughout the box.
*The rushing waterfall behind Napstabot OS fills you with dread.
Frisk attempted to explain again.
nothing.
Napstabot OS removes his headphones and swings them around six times.
*It's as if they're mad at you or something.
Frisk attempted to Fight Napstabot, hoping that it might prompt something.
Napstabot OS tanks the hit, but shows no sign of having taken damage. Instead, they looked even more angry now.
go ahead…do it.
Napstabot EX cries flashing orange and blue squiggly bullets to crawl around the inside of the box and aim for the SOUL.
*The faint odor of metal cds permeate the vicinity.
Frisk picked Explain one more time.
…
…
fine. write me an essay, or whatever.
Frisk types on Napstabot's arm his answer. Once they were done, Napstabot closed his arm and continued to swing his headphones through the box.
*Napstabot OS is saving your essay to throw into the trash.
Frisk pleaded with Napstabot OS to read it.
…
why…?
so that you can kill me when my back is turned…?
…
no.
Napstabot OS causes piles of cd-shaped bullets to rain down, only leaving the smallest pathway for the SOUL to go through.
*Napstabot OS is listening to Spookwrath.
Frisk pleaded with them, reassuring them that they had no interest in trying to hurt them.
…
…
…fine.
Napstabot OS pauses his attacks to read Frisk's essay on a screen in his arm.
*Napstabot OS is vulnerably reading your essay.
Napstabot's eyes squint to see the small letters, ignoring Frisk. That left Frisk thinking. If they so wanted, they could attack right here and finish the battle. And they could simply just reset to their old save file later, so what's stopping them from attacking? What would happen if they did?
Frisk raised the Worn Dagger and brought down onto Napstabot.
They snapped to attention, catching the blade with their mechanical hand.
…
…
i knew it.
*Napstabot OS is enraged.
Napstabot OS' left eye glows with malice, growing in intensity with each passing moment.
Frisk felt dread creep up their spine, and checked.
*NAPSTABOT OS 19 ATK 50 DEF
*You screwed up.
good thing…
that i'm such a fast reader, hm…?
Napstabot OS cries tears into the box, filling it with translucent grey liquid, which alternates rapidly between blue and orange.
*You have Napstabot OS' unbridled attention.
Frisk tried to Spare Napstabot OS, but failed.
…timelines…?
the power to 'SAVE'…?
…
you must think that i am really stupid if you think that I was going to believe that.
They reach their mechanical hands into the box, the fingers attempting to squash the SOUL with extreme prejudice.
*Napstabot OS doesn't believe your lies.
Frisk attempted to convince them that they weren't lying.
all this talk about 'SAVE'ing…
reloading and trying again and again…
it's really farfetched, isn't it?
They repeat their blue and orange attack.
*Napstabot OS scoffs at such a ludicrous premise.
Frisk tried to convince them again.
the king's son…?
asriel…?
…
i don't know where you heard that name from…
but it sure doesn't prove anything.
They attempt to squash the SOUL again.
*Napstabot OS' eyes flicker with lava.
Frisk continued to try to convince them, asking them what they needed to say to spare them.
heh…heh…
…
spare…me?
do you really think i want your brand of 'mercy'?
*…
Frisk tried to convince them again, asking why.
lets say I believe your story…?
lets say that you actually DID reset this world and fight my cousin again and again…
now…if I knew the number of times that you spared him…
i would only ask you one question.
…
why did you kill him this time?
*…
Frisk tried to explain, but nothing came to mind.
to 'try every possibility'?
to 'see how it felt'?
to 'see if killing can SAVE anyone'…?
…
sorry…im rambling again…
…
but something just doesn't add up, now does it?
if you actually could do all those things…
…
what made you think that by killing Mettaton…
…would let you SAVE...anyone?!
*…
Frisk tried to explain, but nothing came to mind.
…?
well…?
what excuse do you have…?
*Napstabot OS waits for your answer.
Frisk tried to explain, but nothing came to mind.
…?
*Napstabot OS waits for your answer.
It was true. They had tried every conceivable way to save Asriel, ranging from killing everyone to sparing everyone, to the point that they almost found it to be a chore. Before this, they had already killed Mettaton countless times, but never really found the time to actually look back on all of the sins that they had erased.
They simply had literally no reason to go so far, other than to please themselves.
Frisk shaked their head sadly and looked to the ground.
…yes.
…that's right.
…you don't know why.
…and im guessing that from your expression…
this is the first time you've seen me like this...
…
…
me…in this body…im not supposed to exist, am i?
im just the lucky one…out of all of the Napstablooks you've seen…
that actually cared…
…
…
*Napstabot OS's eyes stop glowing.
*They looked depressed.
Frisk remained silent, and tried to Spare them.
…
…
hey…
you know what…?
i just realised…if what you said was true…
…
this fight…all of this…is meaningless, isn't it…?
you could reset it all later, and I would be none the wiser…
…
so this was all just a huge waste of time…
…
…
i'll spare you now.
*Napstabot OS is sparing you.
Frisk spared Napstabot OS.
-0-
Napstabot stood solemly on the wooden planks, careful as to not fall into the water. Frisk realised that throughout the battle, they were standing in liquid human waste, and quickly got up onto one of the wooden debris. Napstabot held their head low, not wanting to look directly at Frisk.
"oh no..."
Napstabot looked ready to cry again.
"i can't even avenge you, mettaton...
...im such a useless cousin..."
Frisk watched silently as Napstabot knelt down on the planks, their headphones in their hands. Water began to flow down their face.
"human...
did you know that mettaton bought me these headphones...?
once he became a star...
when i thought i was completely alone...
he sent these to me, in a box.
inside the box was a letter...saying thanks for all i had done for them...
...
that was one of the best days of my life.
...
but now, he's gone.
and he's never coming back."
They raised their head.
"...
but after all that you told me...
...
could you do me a little favor...?"
Frisk nodded curiosity.
"...when you...'reset' again...please...
use some common sense...?
i mean...
going around and killing everything and hoping to see something special to happen...
is kinda dumb, don't you think...?"
Frisk gave them a strange look, before nodding slowly.
Napstabot gave a weak smile.
"heh...heh...
...
oh, im sorry...
i think i took up a bit too much of your time...
oh no..."
Napstabot leapt into the water, and eased themself through the dump.
"im just gonna...
...work on my cds...
...
thats what he would have wanted...
...
see ya."
Frisk watched as Napstabot left from sight, before SAVEing once more at the checkpoint. They waded through the water to where they found the Mad Dummy, where Woshua and his bird was still there, watching them. Frisk approached Woshua to say hi. Woshua simply stared at Frisk.
"So...are you clean yet?"