Chapter Text
An ever encompassing darkness.
A place between cold and hot. Light and dark. Vast, yet almost claustrophobic.
This place had no name.
No face.
No trace.
There was nothing for miles.
…
Nothing.
Except for a voice.
No figure stood to claim it.
Yet its voice was sudden.
Looming.
Overpowering.
In a vast darkness that grew ever darker.
It spoke.
To
You
HOW
FASCINATING.
I MUST SAY
I AM
SURPRISED.
YOU WISH TO TAKE MY EXPERIMENT.
MY WORK.
MY
DELTARUNE.
AND MORPH IT
INTO SOMETHING
ELSE?
HM.
I SUPPOSE
IT COULD NOT HURT
TO LET SOMEONE ELSE TRY A FEW EXPERIMENTS.
I WILL WATCH CAREFULLY.
I AM
FASCINATED
BY YOUR REQUEST.
I WILL NOT
INTERVENE.
AFTER ALL
IT IS RATHER RUDE
TO INTERRUPT SOMEONE
AT WORK.
ALL THAT I ASK
IS
THAT YOU CLEAN UP
ONCE YOU ARE DONE.
And just like that, silence.
A sea of nothingness.
Then all at once, a blinding light overtook the dark.
And as much as it hurt.
You could not look away.
—--------------------------
It was the dead of night. The TV hummed quietly, static overtaking the Monster movie Marathon that was playing only hours ago. Susie was fast asleep, her snoring so loud Kris would swear it was shaking the house. Mom sat in front of them, slumped in her chair in a deep slumber. Nothing in the house stirred. All in the house enjoyed the quiet. The Peace.
Except for Kris.
Their form was dimly lit by the old TV as they crouched in the middle of the living room, forehead pressed against the brown rug, posture tense. Their hands were clutched to their chest, feeling their rapid pulse and shallow breathing. Their body shook violently, tears streaming messily down their face.
They were in unbelievable pain.
They don't know when it began or how long it had been. They didn't know what time it was. All they knew was that it felt as if someone set their chest on fire. It felt as if their SOUL was being ripped apart, shattered, and their body would soon follow.
They couldn’t move. They couldn't scream. They couldn’t focus on anything except the pain. It was overwhelming. Loud. Constant. They couldn't even muster the strength to rip out the source of the pain, to spare them a moment of clarity.
They almost swore they heard something akin to screaming deep within their mind. Their pulse was rapid, sweat from their face staining the carpet, and they could feel their clenched hand going numb from the tension.
And then?
It all stopped.
It was the strangest feeling.
To one second, be paralyzed by excruciating pain that renders you immobile, voice kept silent because you know all you’ll be able to do is scream, to it suddenly… stopping. Rather than relief they felt instant whiplash, vertigo.
Their body didn't know how to handle it.
Kris felt sick.
—------------------------
The morning sunshine streaming through the yellow living room curtains shined directly into Susie’s eyes, forcing her out of her slumber. Her lazy stretch as she sat up on her new second favourite sleeping spot was emphasized with a chesty growl. Her eyes leisurely scanned the home, not looking for anything in particular. It was quiet.
…Huh. Where'd Toriel and Kris go?
She stood up slowly, giving a final shake to rid herself of the last bits of sleep that plagued her body, and only had to look left to see Toriel. The older woman was sitting right outside the bathroom door, face painted with worry as she looked consistently between her phone and the door. Susie trudged over, concern beginning to shape her face.
“Uh… Everything good? Where's Kris?” She mumbled, able to see the tension in Toriel’s body upon getting closer. Toriel startled at her words, Susie’s eyes widened with surprise.
“O-Oh! Hello dear! My, I am so sorry, normally I would have prepared a nice breakfast, but I have been a bit… distracted.” She said, her voice cracking as she gave an apologetic smile. She looked back towards the door, lips pursed.
“I… I woke up to the sound of Kris stumbling through the hallway. They slammed the bathroom door shut, and I had expected them to sneak out,” She huffed. “So I prepared to go and chase them down. But… then I heard them in there, violently retching. Sobbing. Mumbling to themself…” Susie's face dropped. Holy shit, she slept through that?
“Oh, shit… A-are they okay?” Susie stuttered, posture stiffening in her panic.
Toriel sighed.
“It… is improving.” She reassured, faintly chuckling at Susie’s worry.
“I have been here for a few hours, texting them through the door. It is inconsistent, but… they have assured me that they are in no need of medical attention. I have not heard any more vomiting for a few hours.” She reassured the teenager.
“I am fairly sure they fell asleep. I hear snoring through the door.” Susie listened and, sure enough, there was a quiet snore coming through.
“Heh… Must've been exhausted after all that.” Susie laughed dryly, snout shaping in an awkward grin.
“That makes two of us, dear.” Toriel yawned, nightcap slipping to the side as she did.
They stood in silence for a moment, the mother blinking tiredly and Susie fidgeting with her claws.
Susie finally spoke.
“I… I'm sorry, Toriel.” Toriel cocked her head in confusion, ear twitching. Susie blushed a bit, breaking eye contact.
“For, uh.. ya know… bein’ asleep n’ all… I, uh, I would have helped if you needed me to.”
Toriel smiled softly at the girl’s offer.
“Oh no dear, it is quite alright. I am almost glad you slept through it, I was… quite a mess. And the noises were…” She scrunched her nose through a full body shiver.
Susie can’t think of a proper response, a way to make it clear Kris is more important than a few gross sounds and smells. The idea of saying something like that feels awkward, embarassing. So she just silently nods, and looks into the kitchen to stop the guilt churning in her stomach. Toriel notices her gaze, and points to the lower shelves.
“I believe we have some cereal in the cupboard, if you would like something to eat. As you can imagine, I do not have much energy to cook.” Susie nodded frantically at the idea.
“Oh, Of course! Don't even worry about it!” She sputtered, turning into the kitchen. Her gaze lingered on the door before beginning to look in the cupboards.
‘Damn..’ Susie thought to herself as she pulled out two bowls and spoons. ‘I… hope Kris is okay.’
She shook her head, as she grabbed the cereal and milk.
‘Who am I kidding? Of course they are!’ She smirked.
‘Kris is strong as shit. They'll be up kicking ass in no time!’
She dragged a chair from the dining table over to the bathroom for Toriel, gave her her bowl, and sat down to eat her cereal. Toriel sat vigilantly by the door, ready to tend to Kris at a moment's notice.
—-----------
Something wasn't right.
Kris snapped awake, confused for a moment at the feeling of cold tile against their cheek. Their throat felt raw, and their nose was overwhelmed by the scent of vomit and sweat. They forced their weakened body to sit up, observing their surroundings blearily.
Their gaze moved from the closed bathroom door, to their shaking hands, and settled on the open, putrid smelling toilet. It came back to them at the familiar sight..
Poor mom… Kris didn't mean to wake her up, but the pain stopping so suddenly left them queasy and dizzy. All their previous efforts to stay quiet had been in vain.
Evidently, they felt better enough to instantly pass out on the bathroom floor.
Kris chuckled a bit, thankful this wasn’t a normal sickness that would further mortify their Mom as she endlessly fussed over them. Every time they got sick, their parents would freak out, thinking the worst and hovering over them incessantly. Being the only human child in a town of monsters is… an interesting experience.
As Kris started getting feeling back into their arms and legs, they shakily flipped the lid of the toilet set down to sit on top.
Wait.
Hang on.
They were supposed to…
Ah.
Shit.
Kris fumbled for their phone, opening up their voicemail in fear. They had expected very angry, threatening messages about their failure to comply, and closed their eyes as they listened…
But there was nothing.
Kris did a double take.
They had failed to do what was asked… but they didn't get reprimanded? What was going on? First the pain, now this?
They slowly stood to look in the mirror. Their eyebags had gotten a little worse, but otherwise, nothing was that different. But of course, that was not all they had to check. They looked inward towards their SOUL and…
…uh.
…That's….
Curious.
While it had looked the same, the distinct energy their soul beheld was… off. It was almost as if…
But surely not, right?
That couldn't just….. happen.
They walked around the room. Not doing anything in particular, just running a simple test.
…
Oh.
Oh my god.
They didn't… feel compelled by some outside force to look at every little detail. They were controlling their own body. They didn't feel overwhelming dread and pressure if they didn't comply.
This was too good to be true.
There's one more thing they had to try.
Kris reached in, to feel their SOUL. Its warmth made them flinch a bit, but they lightly grabbed it regardless.
This would prove it.
If their SOUL didn't put up a fight to leave their body, if it didn't feel as though they were ripping out their actual heart, as if it fought to stay connected to the veins, muscles, tendons and organs that keep Kris alive, then that would settle it.
After a moment to prepare, they began to slowly pull it out. They had their eyes shut tight, prepared at a moment's notice to notice any sort of resistance, or pain. They waited and waited for the moment it would fight back. To prove it was too good to be true. To thrust them right into the backseat they've lived in for years.
But that moment never came.
Kris opened their eyes to the sight of their SOUL floating in front of them, above their hand.
Calm. Quiet.
Free.
Kris’ breathing hitched and picked up the pace. They stared for a while, before allowing their soul to fly back into their body. And for once, it wasn't whispering awful things. This can’t be another dream, right?
Kris began to shake. They pinched themself, and when the pain was felt, they began to cry. Genuine tears of joy streamed down their face.
They were back.
Their body was theirs again.
Holy shit.
That… thing… was gone.
They were…
They were free.
They didn't even realize they were on the floor again until Toriel was knocking frantically.
“Kris!? Are you okay!? Did you fall? Please text me!” She cried.
And Kris laughed.
Truly, honestly laughed.
No force to stop them.
No force to make them be okay.
They pulled out their phone and texted their worried mom.
-im fine, i just slipped a bit im not hurt
Toriel sighed in relief.
“Phew, you had me worried! Whenever you are ready, Susie is waiting in your room. She seemed worried about you!”
Kris then heard a loud groan above them.
And they smiled.
Susie absolutely hated it when someone would point out her being nice. And it was so funny to see.
And now? They could laugh at that. They could smile. They could cry.
After a bit, they stood, and looked in the mirror again. A pair of red irises stared right back.
And for once, instead of an unrecognizable husk, pulled to and fro by an unseen force, like they were a play thing, they saw… Kris.
They had so much to do.
—---------------
Susie stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do while she waited for Kris. She kinda just… observed their room. She noticed that Kris’ side was so barren. It didn't have any awards, unlike their brother's side. It kind of pissed her off.
She thought that Kris had done way more impressive shit then Asriel ever could. The Dark World more than proved that. They were able to keep face, even in situations so incredibly dire. She sort of admired that. As much as she tried, she could not be as non-bothered as them.
She heard the door click open, and whipped around quickly to see Kris. All things considered, they didn't look any worse. Or better. They looked like Kris. She smirked.
“Done puking your guts out, nerd?” She joked. Kris… cracked a small smile?
…maybe?
It’s totally possible she just imagined that. Kris doesn’t usually do that.
Kris flopped onto their bed, and looked up at Susie with mischief in their eyes, before pulling out their phone. They typed something and faced it towards her.
-how kind of you to worry abt me susie
Susie looked away and scoffed.
“Whatever dude. I wasn’t WORRIED, I was just… uh…” She stammered, a red blush forming. Kris’ grin grew and grew.
So… she didn’t imagine it? Since when the hell did they start smiling?
-u were just what susie
She was forced out of her mind with a tug on her sweater from Kris.
“I-it doesn’t matter, dumbass!” She scoffed. “But, it is pretty… cool, that you aren’t, uh, dead.” She refused to face Kris as she uttered that last part.
“...Anyways, why the hell does the other side of your room have so many awards and shit?” She had observed that while they were gone. It was so odd that that side was all decked out, and Kris’... wasn’t.
Kris scoffed.
-thats azzys stuff
-he did a lot of things at once and excelled in all of em
-when he left he didnt take em to like
-inspire me
-or whatever
She looked a bit angry.
“The hell he need all these awards for? Here.” She stomped suddenly, making Kris jump. A glow in the dark star fell into Susie’s hand, and she chucked it onto one of their shelves.
“The Susie Award. For having me over at your house.” She stood proudly.
Kris froze.
That… was really sweet.
Kris smiled a warm smile, trying not to cry again.
…But did they deserve that award?
After all, it wasn’t really THEM that befriended Susie. It wasn’t really them that earned it. That… thing did. It knew all the right things to do to get Susie to befriend Kris, and while it has been nice, it’d be a lie to say they didn’t feel guilt begin to build and seep into every part of their body. They were afraid that once Susie knew, she would stop being friends with them. That she would hate them, or bully them again or avoid them entirely. Their heart ached at the idea of losing her.
So could Kris really accept this?
It felt almost unfair to Susie.
They had been so caught up in the excitement of autonomy again, that they hadn’t even stopped to consider this. They nearly jumped with joy at the idea of being able to be… NORMAL.
But being normal came at a price.
The Kris Susie knew was gone.
Would she still like the REAL Kris?
“..hellooooooo? Earth to Nerd! You good?” Susie’s voice cut through the tension rapidly building in their mind. They jumped a bit.
-sorry
-i appreciate the award
-even if its dorky
“Wh- EXCUSE YOU!?” She turned away. “The ONE TIME I do somethin’ nice…” She muttered sarcastically.
-susiieeeeee i was kidddinggggggggg
-i really do appreciate it
-ill cherish it for forever
“See, now THAT’S dorky!” She smirked, lightly punching their shoulder. They rolled their eyes and chuckled.
-yeah yeah
-srsly tho
-im ok suz
“...what even happened, dude? All I heard from your mom was that you, like, tumbled through the hallway, and slammed the bathroom door.” Susie looked confused.
-js randomly felt ill
-it was js suuuper bad nausea
-i threw up a couple times
-which sucked balls but im ok now
Kris technically wasn't lying with that. It HAD begun out of nowhere. Susie scoffed.
“Heh, maybe next time don't eat too much pie, nerd.” Kris looked offended.
-ok first of all
-i didnt even eat that much
-2nd
-how do i know you didnt poison the pie…
“Wh-! I did NOT!”
-wooooow suz
-poisoning ur friend….
-i thought i meant more to u…
-after everything weve been thru…
Susie huffed.
“Whatever, you just couldn't handle how fuckin’ RAD my pie was. Not my fault.” She joked like normal, but honestly, Susie was having an internal conflict.
She may not be the most observant, but even SHE could see the shift in Kris’ personality. They were a lot more… animated? Every time she had seen them, they were basically totally stoic. Even when they did some silly things, or something was stressful or scary, they did not show any emotion. Save for some very rare moments. But now, it was happening way more. She didn't know how to react.
Her mind couldn't help but wander back to yesterday. Specifically, to that fight. It wasn't even necessarily Spamton that she was thinking about. She was just so mad. She had rarely ever seen red like she did at that moment. She had finally made a new friend, after everything, and she was about to lose it. Lose them. The moment she clocked onto what was happening, she bolted towards Kris, axe drawn, her pure fury glowing from the blade as she swung it up, a Rude Buster tearing through the air towards the figure standing over them. Kris didn’t deserve to die. Not in a dark hallway like this.
While the battle proceeded and ended as normal, Susie took note of how Kris was looking. They were shaking, their normally neutral face was morphed into a deep scowl, and Susie could spot a tear running down their face. She couldn't let them hold this in.
At first, she asked a general question about what they'd just been through, hoping Kris would want to speak. However, after Ralsei's incredibly unhelpful response, she saw Kris tense up even further. She froze for a moment. Susie gulped. She would have to swallow her pride, her weird complex she had about being “soft”, and ask directly. After a moment, she leaned in and softly spoke.
That response has haunted her since then. The pain. The anguish. The horror. And then how they just snapped back to neutrality like it didn't happen. After the dark world, she began to wonder more about Kris. About what they were hiding. What they were feeling. How much did they force down? Is this them finally opening up…?
Now, this wasn't bad by any means. If anything, it made them way more interesting to be around. Now she can know for sure if her jokes land or not. She just… ugh, she WORRIES that Kris was, like… putting on a facade for her. And she didn't know whether it was out of fear, of admiration, of pity? None of these options made her feel great.
…But maybe she was just overthinking it. Maybe?
They both had been through so much together, in both worlds. The adventures they've been on have made them bond greatly. Maybe this is Kris at their most comfortable.
And, well. She hadn’t really been the most approachable until recently. She bullied them. It's no wonder they didn't feel like opening up. She was downright awful the first time they fell into the dark world, and while she was better yesterday, she was still getting used to… actually having friends again.
She liked that Kris was being themself.
She usually hated it when people hid shit from her, but maybe just this once,
She can let it slide.
“...I’m glad you’re okay Kris. Genuinely.” She flashed a small genuine smile.
Kris turned to joke, but that smile caught them off guard. They sighed contently and shot a small smile right back.
…Could they? Could they even..? They had to try. They hadn’t spoken in a long while. Not of their own will, at least. That thing always forced them to speak, making their voice come out strained and unnatural. Susie deserved this. She deserved to hear the real Kris. They took a deep breath, and…
“...T-th.. thanks.”
It was shaky. It was rough. It was quiet. But it was them. It was their voice.
She looked shocked.
“U-uh! no problem, dude, just, uh, um…” She couldn’t form a coherent sentence. They snickered. Susie snarled.
“SHUT UP!! I-it caught me off guard!” Kris continued to laugh at her demeanor. As funny as it was, it was also really, really nice she didn’t ask about it. Or look worried. Or angry. It lifted such a huge weight off their shoulders. If she had noticed the change, she wasn’t responding negatively to it.
They were still friends. Kris didn’t scare her away.
Thank the Angel.