PLDF Chapter 10

> Chapter 10: The Reunion (Sub-Entries 91-100)
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## Sub-Entry 091: "The Grand Reunion":

So there we were...on the road.  The countdown clock was ticking down to tonight.  I think Violet had mathematically predicted what would be on my mind at this moment because she just had to share it across our satellite radios; her song of choice?  David Hasselhoff's "True Survivor" from her favorite internet fan movie, Kung Fury.  Somehow Violet managed to tap into an XM satellite on this world and link all our car radios to her media player.

I don't know how but I feel like she was planning some kind of payoff for this some day.  I had a hunch it had something to do with her pushing Karaoke Night to supplement Movie Night during the week.

"I didn't realize how far away from Ebott everyone traveled."  I pondered, now realizing...we all were in new frontier.  We were past the familiar of the now-broken game.  We were out of the Underground.

"Your worries are broadcasting loudly, Commander."  Bunnie warned.

"That obvious, huh?"

"Are you thinking about--"

"Yeah."

I was thinking about DeltaRune.  I was really worried that once we reached our destination...the parallels between the dream world and this one on the surface of Undertale...?...I was worried they'd be disturbingly alike.

Frankly being reminded that none of my choices mattered in the end left a bitter taste and a nasty sting in my memories.

In both the True Pacifist Ending and DeltaRune's Lightner World...Toriel was a school teacher, for starters.  Asgore had some connection to gardening; whether pruning bushes for Tori's school...or running a failing flower shop.  Bratty and Catty were inseparable...for completely opposite reasons in the two worlds; in one they were besties.  In another...sworn enemies who got on each others nerves but still managed to have families who lived next door to one another.

What about Alphys?  How employed would she be?  Working as a teacher in this world and hanging around trash cans?  Unemployed?  Still surviving on a diet of instant ramen?  Still an anime/manga otaku?  One thing I was sure about...I knew what her stance on Mew Mew Kissy Cutie 2 was.  That couldn't change suddenly, could it?  She wasn't suddenly going to start praising the sequel as superior, right?

Undyne wasn't suddenly going to get that missing eye back out of nowhere and start being a cop...or  security guard...or something?

Wait?  What about Sans and Papyrus?  Would Pappy still be Captain of the Royal Guard...er...technically the ONLY Royal Guard?  Would he even be out and about the house or cooped up inside, rattling his bones?

Or the big one...were we going to pull into town and see a grocery store with Sans' name on it?

Already that invited Violet to try and re-create the "Soup" meme I'd seen in at least one other Undertale AU...for gods sakes, let's not go there.

One thing I was fairly sure I could count on...Violet was counting on it too...was Mettaton had to have made it big.  No, HUGE.  I was sure, and not just because it was a common occurrence across MANY AU's...he'd be touring the world.  He'd especially be at the same level of "idol" in Japan as David Hasselhoff had in Germany.......huh.  Two Hoff' references in a row in this log entry.  Maybe I was thinking about his look-a-like, Michael Knight.  And that was bringing me back to K.I.T.T.

"Mind's wondering, eh, Commander?"  Sally pulled to the side of me.   I'd switched my 57' Chevy from hard-top mode to convertible for the ride.

"Yeah.  A lot of unrelated...and overly-related things going on."

"You know you still haven't given us the 'deets about where were even headed."

"Information on timelines following a True Pacifist Ending is all over the place.  No matter how many I juxtaposition...I can never find any one defining characteristic any of them have in common.

All I know is we're on the True Pacifist Ending that Frisk chose to stay with Toriel as her mother.  She would have been a teenager back when that happened but...still some years from being legal adult and able to move out of the house.  But also bearing in mind she accepted the offer to be Ambassador between humans and monsters.

The Dreemurrs provided the coordinates for a fairly upscale residence.  Possibly mansion-class if the data is accurate.  Either way...it would be good residence for a lot of monsters, both regular and Boss Monster, in the time it would take them all to get set up and start lives of their own and get residence of their own."

"Hmm." Bunnie pondered that.

"You know all this mention of the kid.  You really haven't let a lot of us in on their secret.  In fact I dare say you and Goat Son are the only ones who've really made her acquaintance."  Violet probed for info.

"Even Bunnie can't say she's really met the girl for sure.  Just what she and the other psychics witness across time and space."  Willie rubbed her chin.

"True, true."  Sally agreed.

"What can I say?  In so many timelines...so many AU's, especially Undertale Prime...Frisk is the center of their world.  The one that connects to everyone in some way.  In most of them, Frisk is non-binary...gender unknown or withheld.   But in other AU's their gender is well-defined; either male or female.  In some continuum's they're a step away from being a saint...kind of like the current one.  In others...spawn of the devil.  And in just as many...some mix of the two."

I was expecting Asriel to respond but.

"You're...being really quiet, Asriel."  I noted.

"Yeah...kind of am."

"I really expected you to chime in when the conversation changed to Frisk."

"Yeah.  Sorry about that."

Okay the signs were there.  Even to someone like me, I could sense that there was...chemistry.  He was doing his best to downplay it and somehow Violet HADN'T figured it out.  Good thing.  Don't think I wanted her picking on Azzy at a time like this.

"I guess he has a lot on his mind.  He went through ten years worth of memories in a pretty quick speed-run through the Underground."  Rotor scratched a tusk.

"A lot to decompress, wouldn't you agree?"  Jon asked.

"I suppose so..."

"Come on, Commander.  It's like Nermal used to tell me when you left adolescence behind and entered teenage years and adulthood.   As a kid, you were always bouncing off the walls over birthdays, holidays, and trips to theme parks and such.  You still enjoyed going once you hit your teen years and adult years but...you started being low-key about it.  At some point Rastajive had to keep asking if you were excited because to her it was like you were reading a book for summer school than going on summer vacation."

"A little embarrassing, Mitzi...but yeah.  You're right.  I did learn to contain excitement better.  But that didn't make me any LESS excited.  I just tried to be more composed and mature."

"Thanks for your concern, everyone.  But I'm okay.  Just...got things to think about."

"Scared about the grand reunion?"  Honey asked.

"Kind of."

"C'mon.  Even if they came from another timeline, they're still your mom and pop.  They'll go through the roof to see you alive!"  Violet encouraged.

"Well it's more complicated than that but you're not wrong."

We finally hit civilization as it soon fed into actual highway and before long we would reach some overpasses before we found the right turn-off ramp.

As we approached, I could see semblance of a recently founded town.  I could feel the flashbacks of DeltaRune coming back.  I was worried how much it could resemble the place from my pseudo dream.

"So.  What's it going to be?  Newer Home?"  Vi joked.

"Actually...it says "Newest Home"."  Rotor pointed out.

"Goddamit all, Fluffybuns."  Violet groaned.

"Yeah...that's Asgore alright.  Can't name for beans."  I joked.  Bunnie smirked.

Asriel was...still ominously silent.  He was pondering something.

This close to the home stretch...what was he planning?

"Check it out!"  Rotor started to notice the familiar.

"Oh my!"  Mitzi's eyes lit up.

"Awww yeeeeah."  Sally chuckled.

Callista looked at Scott who looked at her briefly, only so not to take his eyes off the road for long.

"It's surreal.  Like stepping into a dream."

"Bet you're glad to be home."  Honey prodded before Willie shot her a glare.

Unrelated, but we almost thought to nickname Willamina "Billie" but...Ted Theodore Logan and spouse beat us to the punch naming "Little Bill".  So...Violet suggest Willie after the annoying female waitress Indiana Jones dragged along for the ride with "Short Round" in "Temple of Doom".

We eventually went with it.

Back to the topic at hand...

"Hey!  Hey!  I see the Froggits!"

Sure enough...there they were hanging around the park.  The Froggits and Final Froggits.

"I think I see Snowdrake on top of that delivery of bagged ice to the grocery store."

Don't say ice.

We definitely passed by Fuku Fire chatting with Dress Lion as we turned the intersection.

While there was a...passing resemblance to the town of the Lightners...there were things...missing.

For one thing...the memorial graveyard.  For another...the church.  And the pizza place.  I guess with Mettaton going on tour, he needed his whipping boy so...no dead-end-job in fast food for Burgerpants.

All around I could see many inhabitants I recognized...

...and many that I didn't.

All those runs through Undertale......was I somehow not getting the whole story?  Inhabitants that I missed?  Then again...seven years is enough for another generation to come into existence.  No longer confined to Ebott...maybe it was enough for the population to start to flourish again?

Or maybe Lady Destiny decided to make a few edits after sitting idly by for so long.

Or then again...maybe Madam Fate was setting us up for another curveball.

I was worrying too much again.

"You see the place?"  Honey asked, impatiently.

"Just hold your horses."  Drew scolded.

"What eez zeez 'orses we are to be 'olding?"  Antoine scratched his head.

"It's just a figure of speech, Antoine."  Sally wrinkled her nose.

"A most curious place indeed."  Usagi noted.

"Ladies and gentlemen.  We're in unexplored territory.  I got nothing useful to offer."  I huffed, rather disappointed that I was no longer the sage of advice for Undertale for my crew.

"Don't worry about it.  We'll manage."  Mitzi assured.

"I am positive that all will be well."  Lupe agreed.

Asriel was still being ominously quiet.

"Hey!  Hey!  I see it!"  Violet easily spotted the large mansion-esque place.   Yeah, I'd say Asgore and Toriel did well for themselves on a gardner's and teacher's collective salary.  Impossibly well.

Big enough for a gated entrance to the grounds.

I wonder if there was a royal treasury that they had to fall back on for financing the founding of the town and such.  Maybe enough left over to get their own start?

It didn't quite resemble the other places I'd see Monsters take up residence in the other AU's.  The closet being AFAC.  But...something felt like an amalgamation of them as well.

I hope I didn't have to start checking for random portals behind the couch.

Looks like there was enough parking to spare for all of our vehicles.  If anything it was giving me vibes of Killmotor Hill.  In at least one AU, that was the location of McDuck Manor.  And this was big enough to compare.

Gods, I don't think I'd hear the end of it from Violet if it did have a staff of maids and butlers.

We parked and got out to look at the doors in front of us.

"Well.  Here we are."

## Sub-Entry 092: "We Arrive at Asgore and Toriel's But...":

"So...your mind at ease now, Commander?"

"Yeah...yeah I think that assured me that this world is most certainly not DeltaRune.  I think seeing Gerson Boom still alive was a big part of that."

"More for me than you, Volt."  Bunnie assured.

"Yeah...it's an ending where nobody had to die...of natural causes or Genocide Run."

"You're thinking that the Ultimate True Pacifist ending is at hand."

"The U.T.P.E.?  Yeah.  But I'm worried that I'm jinxing it but seeing the finish line and rushing to judgement so fast."

Many of us took a bit to gather some things and belongings we'd packed.

"C'mon, guys.  I know you're not looking at this like a vacation resort."  Mitzi scolded at some who'd brought more than a few housewarming gifts."

"Hey, Azzy will clear it up with everyone, right?"

Asriel was...last to exit the cars and he'd been staring at the place in silence.

"Hey, don't leave me hanging."

"Hmm?"  Bunnie furrowed her brow.

"Asriel...what's wrong?"  I was quick to pick up on it and my suspicions were confirmed as his gaze lowered and his eyes disappeared under the shadow of his head fur bangs.

"Look...it's okay to be a little nervous meeting the 'rents.  I get 'cha."  Honey tried to be supportive...for a change.

"It's...not that."

"Hey...I know we were riffing a little, but if we crossed the line for anything, Goat Son--"  Violet started.

"No, Aunt Vi.  No one's done or said anything wrong.

"Well...you said you're not getting cold feet.  You want to do this, right?  You waited your whole life for it."  Willie spoke up.

"Yeah."

"But something is holding you back."  Bunnie reasoned.

Asriel nodded.

"Well, spit it out.  What's got your ears in a knot?"  Honey wrinkled her nose.

"Honey!"  Sally snapped.

"No.  You should all know, so  you don't have to drag it out of me."

There was a momentary silence afterward.

"Well...what is it?"  Violet asked.

"C'mon, guys.  Give him space."

Then...it hit me what was bothering him.

It was something only he could do.

"I think I understand."  I muttered under my breath.

"Hmm?"  Bunnie looked to me...then immediately caught on.  "I see..."

"Okay, Asriel.  I think I have a good idea what's on your mind."

"Then you know what it is I have to do?"

"Yeah.  And...I don't think any of us can stop you.  And...really, I don't think we should."

"What the heck's going on, boss?"  Drew was concerned.

"Asriel, if you want to talk about it--"  Callista spoke.

"No.  No, there's no time to explain.  And barely enough time to do it and get back here."

"Yeah...I thought that's what this was about."  I unfolded my arms.

"What's this this about?  I don't understand."  Pit asked.  "Do you not want to go in?  Are you...ashamed of us?"

"No.  No, I could never be ashamed of you guys, Pit!  It's not like that!  It's just...something I have to do before I can face them.  I have to--"

"So.  You're going to try one last time."  I let out a deep sigh.  "Well...if anyone can do it...it's you.  But...time's wasting, isn't it?"

"Yeah.  That's why I have to get there and back as fast as possible."

"You're not going to be able to do it in your car, or any of the UCIAT vehicles...much less the Delorean."  I nodded.

I suddenly tossed him the keys to my 57' Chevy Bellaire.

"Commander!?"  Mitzi gaped in shock.

"Yo...lettin' him have the keys to your ride?  You really are Determined, Commander."  Sally smirked.

"Do you know what's going on, team leader?"  Willamina asked.

"Catching on...but I'll let him explain when he gets back."

"But...we're can't just wait outside for him to--"

"We're not going to.  We're going on ahead."  Bunnie explained.  "We'll just have to explain he was held up."

"Besides...I think it'll probably set up the surprise a lot better."  I mused.

"Agreed.  It'll break the ice a lot more effectively."  Bunnie nodded.

"Break the ice?  What are you going on about?"  Vi scratched her head.

"Really.  Someone as smart as you hasn't already put it together?"

"Put what together?"

"I don't quite understand the gist of it...but I support it."  Lupe chimed in.

"Me too!  Big little brother wouldn't flake out this far into it!  He'll be back!  You'll see!"  Gadget said with a bright smile.

"I'm glad you all understand."  Asriel tightened his grip on my car keys.

"Do what you have to do, son."  Scott managed to reassure Callista with that.

We were all in agreement.    By the time he returned, we'd all understand.

Asriel hurried into the driver's seat and fired up the engine.

"Azzy.  Don't be afraid to push her to her limits.  She can take it now.  With the upgrades, the engine can go all the way and make it back in one piece.  Not like it was in the old days."

"I understand.  And...thanks."

With that...he was off toward his destination.

## Sub-Entry 093: "Asriel's Mission of Mercy Back to Ebott"

"I have to do this."  Asriel said to himself one last time as he passed the city limits and out of civilization.

Azzy did a quick scan to make sure he was out of range of any patrol cars that could catch him in a speed trap.

"Time to put a couple violations on my driver's license."  Asriel reached over and flipped the appropriate toggle switches on my modifications to the 57 Chevy's console.

He took a deep breath after he took the safeties off of the options he had primed.

"Twin Turbocharger mecha-morph.  Supercharger with manual control blowers mecha-morph.  Plasma-turbine coils enabled.  And finally...nitrous oxide boost using Rock N' Roll Racing's own "Lightning Nitro"...only legal on a few planets.  Pretty sure this isn't one of them, Volt."

And with that he locked in his seat-belt harness and took deep breath before pulling up the safety cradle over the final ignition switch.

"Armed.  Let's make Aunt Sally grin...!"  He pressed the button as the engine finished mecha-morphing and the fan-belt on the blowers locked into place before suddenly spinning just as the Turbo Charger compressor fans started spinning with that familiar high-pitched whine.  And a final boost came from the twin nitrous oxide feeds directly into the intake manifold's fuel injector core.

From his current land speed to well into the 300's in under 1.4 seconds...the whiplash was beyond intense.  But Goat Son remained steel-faced.

"Yeah...that's more like it..."  He thought as my car left fire trails from its exhaust pipes.

All Goat Son could do was keep the wheel straight and keep his eyes forward...locked onto his target...locked onto Mount Ebott.

As a final note he queued up the appropriate music on my stereo's media player.  Calling back to Team Acorn's mix of personal themes--"Turbo Lover" by Judas Priest, "Free" by Crush 40, and "Where's the Fire" by Tim Feehan.  And just for good measure, "Speed Demon" by Michael Jackson and the instrumental, "Speed of Light" by Joe Satriani from the Super Mario Bros. Movie.

But ultimately...he chose one song above Sally's favorite playlist of speed-related songs for one that just fit the situation the best:  "Supercar" by Max Coveri.  As Violet called it, "the Honda NSX theme".  Absolutely dripping with Eurobeat and the perfect explanation point to top off what he was about to do with my dream car.

"Hold together, darlin'.  We're going to make a round trip in a world record!"

And he sped my car up faster and faster, rapidly approaching the engine's maximum limits.

***"SUPERCAR!!!***

***SUPERCAR!!!***

***SUPERCAR!!!"***

Like a rocket.

***"(Supercar for a super star***

***Come on get in it***

***And sock it to me baby)***

***Supercar shiny like a star***

***Can you feel the speed***

***It's time to move on baby)"***

And he was movin'.

***"You light up***

***My fire***

***You're shaping my desire***

***Keep running***

***Keep doing it***

***It's fast but I can beat it***

***You can't stop me now***

***I feel this wind under my skin***

***You better***

***Come to me now***

***You better catch up to me***

***So get on in my..."***

Say it with me, now!

***"(Supercar for a super star***

***Come on get in it***

***And sock it to me baby)***

***Supercar shiny like a star***

***Can you feel the speed***

***It's time to move on baby)"***

The digital readouts all over the dashboard were all reading "CRITICAL" and red-lining.  The meters were all going right off the top of the scale; "buried the needle" as Ray Stantz used to say.

***"The time's up***

***Decide it***

***I know that you can make it***

***Give it up***

***And join me***

***Let's run away and be free***

***You can't stop me now***

***I feel this wind under my skin***

***You better***

***Come to me now***

***You better catch up to me***

***So get on in my..."***

You know what it is.

***"Supercar for a super star***

***Come on get in it***

***And sock it to me baby***

***Supercar shiny like a star***

***Can you feel the speed***

***It's time to move on baby!***

Lights were flashing, the coolant system was on the verge of boiling over; almost faster than my laser-diffusion system could draw heat away from the plasma compressor turbines.  But I knew it would hold together after the latest revisions and replacements of carbon-nanotube/tungsten alloys and other reinforcements from the LAST time my car had been pushed this hard.

No grilled-cheesed sandwich engines this time.  Count on it.

***"You can't stop me now***

***I feel this wind under my skin***

***You better***

***Come to me now***

***You better catch up to me***

***So get on in my..."Supercar for a super star***

***Come on get in it***

***And sock it to me baby***

***Supercar shiny like a star***

***Can you feel the speed***

***It's time to move on baby!"***

Asriel furrowed his brow at all the danger warnings.  But while he was at the master red-line he hadn't crossed it, yet.  Just under the limit of what it could do.  But if he pushed it any further...even I didn't know what would happen.

"Come on.  Don't red-line.  I need to get there and back as fast as possible but I'm not going to blow the engine, doing it.  Just...enough to touch the sun, metaphorically.   Sorry for the Icarus reference, Pit.  But I have to convince myself I know what I'm doing.   Maybe I'll believe it once I get back into the city limits."

Goat son was confident.  But why go back to Ebott?

He had his reason.  And as far as he was concerned...it was the only reason.  This meeting couldn't happen without all its members present.

A time later...

Deep in the mouth of Ebott...

Flowey the Flower sulked alone in his silence.

This is what he wanted.  This is what he deserved.

For a creature without a conscience...why was he going through such lengths to punish himself.  Maybe he'd argue he was making them pay...somehow.  Maybe it was like Hyperdeath had said before.

Maybe...Adonis had just shown him that there was no point in going against Fate.

Some people...just don't get to have happiness.  Some people don't get their happy ending.

This is what a loser deserves...isn't that what you believe, Flowey?

But some...just couldn't accept that--

\*THUD\*

Flowey's look of shock was priceless, but no one would know as he faced away from what had just landed within stepping distance from him.

And then all of a sudden, Flowey's look of surprise turned to displeasure.

He turned and sure enough, it was who he thought it was.

Flowey was just about to give him what for when...!

Asriel smiled and pulled it from his E.N.G.I.N.E. storage and set it down with a soft depression in the soil surrounding where Flowey had burrowed up.

Flowey's eyes went wide and his mouth hung open as he looked up at Asriel...then what he had presented.

A pot.  A flower pot.  Already filled with soil.  Rich soil.  High quality stuff, too.  The best that Lupe's garden had to offer.

Asriel had knelt down and placed his hands on his knees as he looked down at the yellow murder flower.

"......."

There were no words.  There was no exchange of anger...of resentment...of shock.  Nothing spoken all.

It was just a stare-down.

Back and forth they looked.  While it seemed like they were just staring at each other...it reality they were both locked in a duel of Determination.  And only one could win.

Only one would have his way.

## Sub-Entry 094: "Getting Reacquainted"

"Come on, team. We're going on ahead."

"What?  Without him?"

"What do we say?"

"The truth.  There was something he had to do first."

"But we will withhold the details."

We all approached the door and knocked.

I almost was expecting a butler to answer the door.

But then...

"Knock knock."  I said loudly as I heard the doors unlock from the inside.

"Who's there?"

"Dishes."

A gleeful "Dishes who?"

"Dishes your invited guests showing up at the agreed upon time.  And we didn't run away with the spoons."

I recognized that laughter.

The doors opened and there she was...not in Royal Robes per se...but something semi-formal but in bare feet as I'd been expecting.

"Oh my!  It is you, Doctor!"

"It's good to see you again, Toriel."

"Welcome to our humble home, Dr. Arcade."

"I guess I have a lot of explaining to do for dropping off the map and...never releasing that book on my studies on the surface world."

"You've brought the whole group!  That's wonderful!  Come in!  Please!  I insist!"

"Well...since the hospitality was offered, we accept."

We all entered.

"It's been seven years--"

"Volt.  I'd rather be on a first name basis."

"Volt.  Where have you been?  Where have you gone?  I'm just dying to know!"

"Well THERE'S a flashback from he Raggedy Anne and Raggedy Andy movie."  Violet joked before Bunnie thwapped her for referencing those creepy twin dolls who...may or may not have been indecent.  It was hard to tell the way they were dawn."

"Again with the err...colorful humor, Violet Tokugawa?"  Toriel already picked up on the fact that she was probably talking about something naughty even though she barely knew Vi.  A mamma could tell when trouble was being mischievous.

"Take what she says with a grain of salt."  I sneered.

"Lady Toriel."  Bunnie bowed.

"Hey ya, Tori-Tori!"  Sally gave a salute she segued into a wave.

"Madam Dreemurr."  Lupe offered a courtesy.

"You probably recognize most of us, but we've also brought a lot of new faces from our crew."

"New members?  And some human?"

"And some...not so much."  Honey said tugging on Pit's wings, gently; coaxing him to spread them.

"Hey!  Please don't do that!"  Pit about jumped out of his sandals.

"What?  Does this excite--"

"I'm going to slug you."  Willie growled to her partner.

Honey let go.

"Th-thank you."

"Sit down, all and tell me all about it.  We have so much to discuss!"

"Yes...yes, we do..."  I looked off to the side.

"Asgore!  Asgore, our guests have arrived.

"Coming, Tori!"

I recognized that voice.  Sounded a lot more joyful than when I had last seen the down-on-his-luck King of Pain.

And yup...there he was in that Hawaiian Shirt.

"Asgore!"  Toriel snapped.  "You could have at least worn something somewhat nicer that that!"

"But this is the nicest shirt I have!"

"Asgore...."

"Well...I think it's pretty nice!  It has these nice flowers and--"

"We will talk about this later."

Ohhhhh boy.  Still wearing the pants in the family.  While their relationship HAD repaired...there was still friction.  I could tell.

"Yes, dear."

"Hey ya King!  C'mon in!  Don't be a stranger in your own house!"  Violet couldn't resist.

"Violet!"  Mitzi scolded.

"No, no.  It's quite alright.  Though I haven't been a King in seven years, really."

"Undyne and Alphys are out back and should be in momentarily.  Sans and Papyrus are also around.  Mettaton said he'd be arriving later on.  His tour of Japan only ended recently and he said he wouldn't miss this for the world."

"Ah, cool!  Blooky coming with?"

"Yes, of course.  I'm certain Napstablook will be eager to say hello.  I'd received word from Muffet and Grillby and they R.S.V.P.’d as well.  We can expect them to drop in."

"Cool, cool, cool yo!"  Violet grinned cheerily.

We all took seats in the...well was it more of a foyer or a family room...somewhere in between? It was pretty big to accommodate all of us.    Whatever you called it, it seemed like it was pretty well furnished but also pretty well humble a the same time.  Somewhere in between.

It was...uncanny how it balanced out between being a humble family's and something only the upper 1% could afford.  It wasn't the same as AFAC or the other AU's.  It wasn't like "Aftertale" or DeltaRune.  In fact I couldn't find an AU that it matched up with.

But most of all...it felt like...home.  Like it was an extension of the UltraVerse...of VGM-098...of Miranda City.  This whole world...somehow...for the first time it felt like it was specifically customized...tailored...modded...just molded to our AU cube.  Like it belonged to our universe all along.  It didn't feel like a copy.  It didn't feel like an arranged version.  It didn't feel like a song cover.  It felt like it was born and raised according to our style...our culture.  Our everything. that made this telling of an Undertale AU...specifically ours.  Distinct from every one else.

Yet...it didn't stop feeling like it was one grain of sand in a whole desert of AU's.  Buried in a fandom that ranged from pure to toxic and everything in between.

Why was I getting so philosophical, now of all times?

Once we were all situated...

"Well.  I think we should all at least get reacquainted and perhaps introduce the unrecognized."  Bunnie offered.

"Hey!  Are those group of nerds here, yet?!"  Undyne.  Definitely.

"Yes, they've just arrived."  Asgore assured.

"Sweet!  I can't wait to say hi to that big furry dork!"

"Umm...t-tell them we' b-b-be there as s-soon as we can!  (Oh gosh..)  We have to f-f-finish up--"

"Yeah!  We got a workout to finish!  Somebody's got to get this cutie lizard in better shape!  Trust me, Al!  You'll thank me for it."

"Urrrghll...."

Oh boy.

"Join us when you can!"  Toriel assured.

"Well...I guess I'll start.   After...well...we left Ebott I tried to get busy on publishing that research but...well...things got in the way...we ended up dropping off the radar...had a bid of a bad patch with funding issues..."

That was true.  Chaopolis had managed to disrupt the Tokugawa cash flow back then.

"Oh my!"

"One thing led to another and...well...stuff didn't happen that I hoped it would so...we went underground, metaphorically and planned for a day we could rise from the ashes again.  Maybe find another purpose now that Monsters have already acclimated to the surface world.  Seems like a moot point if I publish anything now."

"Golly.  That's too bad."  Asgore had a seat in his favorite oversized easy chair.  It looks like he paid for a pretty expensive massage chair model, too.  I had to wonder what trimmings it had.

One thing I didn't notice in the room was...a television set.  Maybe...Toriel was insistent on keeping family values in this part of the house and less keen on people becoming couch potatoes out in the open.

No matter.

"I was able to start a proper dojo to teach the warrior ways of enlightenment."  Bunnie assured.

Truth be told, Bunnie had more than one dojo, between Miranda and Jang.

"Ah you know.  I'm just delightfully me and got enough "skrill" to make my "ex"--"

"Murasaki-iro-chan.  I thought we agreed not to bring up your old not-quite boyfriends."  Usagi cleared his throat.

"My bad."  Violet grinned.  "Ah you know how it is.  Internet administrator, cosplay cafe, being these guys' tech support, and hosting all the anime and manga to make you do a "download" in your pants."

"Goddammit, Vi..."  I muttered, hoping Toriel wouldn't hear me curse.

"I have a nature preserve for all manner of flora, fauna, and ecosystems with a geology activity center."  Lupe offered.

"On the off season of my team's race circuit..."  Sally pulled her team-mates in for a group hug.  "I'm known in the clubs as D.J. Aelita."

"Plumber."  Rotor said simply with a shrug.

"I have a pizza restaurant called Rockafire Pizzeria!"  Mitzi spread her arms out.

"I work at a recycling facility and part time in a workshop using the parts they send over there!"  Gadget said with joy.  She was referring to Vanessa's place.

"I do manual labor at a data archive for their hardcopies and material items."  Jon shrugged before Felicia ended up getting him into a headlock to pose while she took a selfie.

"Oh my!  You've all done so well for yourselves!"

"Yeah...I guess the years have been good to us."

"We...should probably introduce everyone else."

"This little guy is an angel.  And actual angel."

"Hello.  My name is Pit.  I'm er...the Commander's archer scout."

"He...mostly deals with topography and cartography."  I corrected.

"Huh?"  Pit turned to me.

"Uh...map-making!"  Violet clarified.

“Bonjour, monsieur et mademoiselle.  Je suis Antoine D’Cooliete, chevalier du royaume de Acorn—”

“Yeah, he says hi.  His name’s Antoine and he thinks he’s a knight.  Dude’s a fencing instructor.  You know like you see in the Olympics.”  Violet covered his mouth.

“Oh!  How worldly you must be to learn a second language.”

“Learn!  Madam, I will ‘ave you know—”  Vi covered his mouth again.

“Yeah it’s kind of amazing how he mastered it like someone who was born and raised in another country!”

Antoine glared at Violet but decided to go with it.

"These two are my teammates as you have guess.  Purple-hair here is Willamina. We call her Willie.  She's a pop star back home.  And this little orange-yellow ball of trouble is Honey Cat.  She's a fashion mogul and she's got her own line of clothes where she calls home."

"I'm..not really that big a deal in this part of the world, yet."  Willie tried to downplay it.

"If it's not sweet, you're not wearing Honey!"  Honey on the other hand was soaking it up.  Good grief.

"This is Felicia.  And old friend from the er...old country.  She's kind of a technician for us."  Jon tried to keep it simple and ambiguous.

"And I see you have some human crew, as well!"

"Colonel Scott O'Conner.  I....was a soldier.  But not any more.  More of a...security detail and logistics, now."

"Dr. Callista Penelope Brighton-O'Conner.  Neurosurgeon and psionic researcher.  And this handsome man's lovely wife."  She planted a kiss on Scott he wasn't ready for.

"How lovely!"

"Drew White.  Naval Sea Commander.  Lately I've been more of a go-fer for the boss.  Y'know...go for this...go for that.   Diplomatic relations."

Drew was being rather low-key about his cover story.

"It is good to see equal opportunity in your group, Doctor."  Toriel smiled.

"Monsters and Humans are both welcome."  I said with a grin.

Then my grin faded as I remembered.

"There...was one more of us coming but...he had...something personal to take care of.  But he's on his way back."

"Oh.  I see."

"He...really does want to meet everyone here but...it was just...something he had to take care of."  I looked kind of flustered.

"It cannot be helped, Commander."

"I know.  I have to have faith that he won't be long."

"It is okay, my friend.  We can wait up for him as long as it takes to him to take care of his personal business.  We have all the time in the world, now.  Right?"

What a wonderfully ironic way to put it, Goat Mom.

"Indeed.

"Well...can I offer you refreshments?  Perhaps some tea and some pie?"

I could already see Jon's tongue unroll from his mouth and the drooling begin.

"Um...yeah...but only a small amount.  We don't want to spoil our meal, right?"  I tried to be polite.

"Oh, do not worry, my friend.  I'm certain we will have plenty of room."

"Well...since you put it that way..."

Better hurry, Asriel.

For a long while, it seemed, we got lost in conversations.  They were conversations most certainly run through a filter, to keep us from spilling the beans suddenly and without warning.  We...really did need to break the ice and ease them into the truth.

I could feel my sins crawling up my back and they were about to stab at the nape if I didn't get this off my chest.

Oh boy.

Time passed and we'd all gotten pretty chummy.

It wasn't long before Undyne and Alphys joined us.

Undyne didn't have a clue what was really going on.

Alphys...well...she knew.  And I could tell it was as secretly awkward for her as it was for me.

Honestly...I didn't know if she'd be able to keep her nerve up.

"...w-w-we haven't s-set a d-d-d-date yet but--"

Okay.  Yeah.  Some similarities to AFAC.  Then again I saw this happening in a lot of AU's so...

"We're totally going to after all this time!"  Undyne squeezed Alphys into a one-armed hug, making the pangolin flail for a bit.

Alphys' cheeks were cheery red but she was obviously very happy about it.

"Congratulations."  I offered.

"It's been a long time coming.  I...h-have a lot of people to thank.  And...you all are on that list."

"Shoooot, man.  It ain't no thinnnnnng."  Violet grinned.

"Despite Violet's shoutout to old school jive, I agree."  Sally mused.

But of course it wouldn't be a party without the Skelebros.

And it began with Jon complaining about the one thing that was a surprise to no one.

"All this waiting...my stomach is going to cave in..."

"Jooooon..."  Felicia whined.

"I'm serious...I feel like my stomach is going to collapse into my rib cage."

"Heh heh heh.  Now that sounds like a rib-tickler!"

I knew that voice.

Sans.

"Brother!  You shouldn't make light of the non-skeleton folk!  It's not their fault they have internal organs like stomachs and spleens.  We should be neighborly and offer them proper nourishment.  Nyeheheheh!"

Papyrus.

"Oh!  Most of you know Sans and Papyrus!"

Hey, glad to see there are humans that don't go running off at the sight of skeletons.  Most get rattled when they cal-cium."

"SAAAAANS!"

Oh how I missed this.

Toriel of course giggled.

The banter continued for a bit.

You know it's funny how time flies.

The skeleton brothers went back to their business while Alphys and Undyne opted for some alone time while the conversations continued.  The anecdotes did the trick and time ticked away.  Who knew being this social would lead to time flying that fast.

It was then came the knock at the door.

"Oh!  Your friend must've finally arrived!"

Violet moved her gaze from her T.A.O. link's screen, sliding her eyes to meet mine, subtly.

I knew.

And slowly I could feel time itself begin to slow to a crawl.

It was happening.  It was really happening.

And yet...I didn't know what would happen once that door opened.

Bunnie bowed her head, closing her eyes.

Sally gripped her fists, at her sides.

All our gestures and body language were going completely unnoticed...except for maybe Alphys.  Possibly Sans but...who could tell with his eye sockets in that smug closed shape like he was sleeping the whole time.

Toriel reached the door and opened it without hesitation nor without checking through the peep hole.

"Hello there!  Welcome to--"  Toriel just stopped in mid sentence...and then her gaze widened...and it grew into a full gasp as she turned pale.

Asriel had frozen up, too...his gaze turning wide; realizing that while he did in fact prepare himself for this...there was nothing that could prepare himself for this.

It was her.  It was REALLY her.  It was his mother...aged a little from the time she and Asgore had been caring for the eighth fallen in seven years but...there was no mistaking it.

The white fur.  The cow-like horns.  The same floppy ears.  Those same dark copper red eyes that were like Chara's...and...like his own.

He'd grown a little taller than her.  Somewhere  between her height and Asgore's.  He'd left his horns completely extended.  There'd be time to talk about...that...later.

It was then I noticed Flowey in the pot...in Asriel's grasp.  No one else had noticed.

I had a feeling of dread that Flowey would ruin the moment but...the moment remained...hanging indefinitely in time.

This was it.  This was...

## Sub-Entry: 095: "The Moment Worth Waiting an Eternity For":

...yeah.  The moment worth waiting an eternity for.  That about summed it up.

I only wished it could last forever but...

Toriel was the first to speak and it was...an attempted cry of panic.

"A...Asgore....!  Asgore please come quick...!"

"Hmm?"  Asgore's keen ear picked up on it.

"Tori...?"

"Asgore, just please hurry and come quickly!"

"Toriel!  What is the matter!  What has you--!"  Asgore had gotten up from his seat and rushed to the door when he came face to face with.

"...oh my....!"

"This...this cannot be....!"

Asriel finally worked up the courage to say it.  The gravity in the room felt like it was doubling...and tripling.

"Howdy...Mom...Dad..."  He sniffled, trying to find the words.

I felt my heart in my stomach...I had to take action, too.

"...A...A...Asriel...!"

Finally he managed to say it.

"I can feel...no...I do feel.......Mom, Dad...I feel everything.  Happy...sad...excited...relief...sorrow...at peace.  I...I've finally come home."

"Is it...is it really you, son!?"  Asgore asked.

Asriel choked up a sob.  "I still feel bad about using buttercups instead of butter...you know...when we baked that--"

And then came the bearhug.

"Son!!!!"

"My sweet Asriel!  You've come back to us!  But...but how!?  How are you...!?"

"The longest of stories, which I intended to tell  you all about."

"I don't understand...we saw you turn to dust...that horrible day is engraved in our memories.  How...?"

No one had heard me approach.  But it was my turn to bring it home.

"Do you remember, Toriel?  What I asked you that day?"

I was asking a pointless question.  This Toriel couldn't possibly remember what I had asked after the timeline had been reset.  After Frisk had used the RESET.  There was no way--

".......if...the most precious thing in the world to you was taken from you without explanation without a reason that made sense....if you got on with your life and it was...still a very nice life in spite of not having much....if one day...life decided to return to what was lost.  You convinced yourself that this was impossible...but by some miracle the world showed you overdue mercy...what.........what would you do?"

Dead silence.

Asriel looked at me with a worried look.

"Do you remember what you told me?"

This Toriel couldn't.  She shouldn't.  It was impossible--

"I said...that is not the kind of question you should ask if you do not wish to provide false hope."

Toriel's eyes were hidden under the shadow of her head fur.

It was impossible.  This memory...it somehow persisted into the new timeline?  Somehow...this question had passed from the previous Toriel in UTPR-3224...to this one in UTPR-3235.

Somehow I felt as though Madam Fate just gagged.  And somehow I felt as though Lady Destiny was smiling.  She was smiling from ear to ear and the payoff of my big gambit was more than she could have ever bargained for.

"You...Volt Arcade...who ARE you...?"

"In another lifetime...I would have said a guardian angel but...let's face it.  I'm not the angel here.  And as much as it's obvious that Pit is an angel...no...someone else is more deserving of that.

"Lady Toriel."  Bunnie rose to her feet.  "We have...much to discuss...and much to reveal.  There is far more to us than...we could have ever let on back when we first met.  Now...now it is the time for revelations.  Now it is time...for Destiny's Plan to reach fruition."

I'd suddenly remembered Flowey in the pot.  I had been anticipating him...waiting for him to ruin the moment.  But he kept quiet.  He let it pass.  I could tell he didn't want it to.  But...he still let father, mother, and son have their moment.

Inside...I knew he was just a storm of frustration and emotion.

It was only a matter of time before--

The gasp.

"Asriel.  What are you doing with...THAT!"

My nose immediately caught scent of the immediate heat spike.

I could set my watch by it.

"Oh dear..."  Asgore got back as the ball of flame was now dancing in Toriel's palm.

"What is that thing doing here?"  her voice had grown cold.

"I knew this was a mistake!  I knew I shouldn't have trusted you!"  Flowey panicked, trying to pull himself free from the pot.

## Sub-Entry 096: "Defending Flowey":

"Mother.  No."  Asriel, protectively cradled the flower.

"Do you know what that horrible creature--"

"Did?  Yes.  I know.  I know all about it."

"Then why would--"

"Because you don't know the whole story.  Nobody does.  He wanted it that way."

"You're not making sense, son."  Asgore blinked.

"Seems like quite a commotion at the door, Sans.  Is this another of your childish pranks?"  Papyrus glared at Sans, gloved knuckles to his hips.

"Zzzz...."

"No, of course not.  You'd actually remain awake to see one of your jokes run its course."

Papyrus looked over.

"Oh my!  It's the little yellow flower!  Hello, friend!  It's been too long!  Nyeheheheh!"

"Oh no..."  Flowey covered his eyes with a leaved vine in a facepalm.

I think it was about that time that Sans' eyeholes snapped open and the left one...definitely glowing cyan.

Oh crap.  Usually Asriel's gambits paid off but this one was rapidly becoming a dumpster fire.

"Mother.  Father.  If I had been around all that time I was gone...I should have...I could have said what I'd believed all this time...but...I didn't know I believed it at the time because...I needed a lifetime to learn it for myself.

And what I learned is this: Don't kill...and don't be killed."

Toriel's expression softened...like this was...familiar.  It reminded her of someone...someone like...

...well...it reminded her of Frisk.

It all came flooding back.  How the child wouldn't fight back and...ultimately left the RUINS after giving one last give...a loving hug that only a mother could appreciate.

"Grr...."  Flowey begrudgingly gave up trying to escape and just turned away, in shame.

"Listen...what I have to tell you is...going to sound impossible but...we really need to sit down and talk.  He and I both have........very, very long stories to tell.  And...they're going to be hard if not bordering on impossible to believe--"

"What the Hell is going on out here!  Did somebody get into a fight without me?  I'm going to--"

Undyne stormed passed everyone in the other room before charging toward...before suddenly coming to a stop.

And then her lone eye widened and her webbed frilly ears just drooped.

"Wha...what the..."

"Hey...Di-Di.."

"...what the Hell...?  How...how the Hell...?  P...Prince Asriel...you're...!  You're alive!?"

"Hmm?"  Papyrus immediately took notice.  "It seems there's quite a gathering at the door!  Well, come on in, friend!  I, the Great Papyrus, welcome you with open arms!"

Asriel withheld a chuckle.

"Nyeh?  King Asgore, are you cloning yourself again?  I'm seeing triple now!  Who is this new not-so-tiny-but-still smaller Asgore?"

"Okay...not exactly what I expected...but you're most certainly the Great Papyrus, right?"

"Nyeheheheheheh!  My reputation precedes me!  Ever so gradually my fanbase continues to flourish!"

"Well, if that's an open-invitation, I'd love to join your fan-club."

"And I have not forgotten about you, my old friend, Flowey!"

I think I heard Flowey moan...but I could tell it was also insincere.  Admit it.  You missed him, you big yellow murder flower.

"Well.  So you're the prince, huh?  C'mon.  You're pulling my leg."

Suddenly Sans.

"Oh believe me, I'm As-riel as it gets."  Asriel shrugged with a sly grin and a wink that was all too familiar.

A moment's pause...followed by Sans responding with boisterous laughter.

"Yeah, you're Tori's kid alright.  And you got her sense of humor!"

"Really?  I didn't know she reported it missing.  You want me to give it back."

Toriel had snuffed the flame and covered her mouth to hold back the giggle.

"Ohhhhh please..."  Flowey muttered.

Toriel shot the flower a death glare.

"Mom.  Seriously.  I know the whole nine yards about him and there's...a lot that he hasn't told you because...well...frankly I wouldn't believe him either if I didn't already know the truth but...I think it's time the other person who can let us in on the big secret should join us..."

"Umm....wh-wh-who's um...at the d-door!"  Alphys stumbled over herself.  Honestly...it was kind of a convincing performance.

"And you must be Dr. Alphys."

Okay so it was about this point her act gave way to genuine surprise.  Even she wasn't prepared to lay eyes on Asriel even though she knew the whole truth.  Even though she had safeguarded my secrets up to this point.

"W-wait...you look...familiar...you look like....\*gasp\*...you're...Prince Asriel!?"

Nice acting, Alphys.  Though...in actuality you were probably only half-acting.  There was genuine surprise to that.  You'd been waiting a long time for this.

"Glad you could join us, Al!  I don't know how but our prince is back from the dead and he's got a freakin' talking golden flower with him.  That's crazy!  And weirder still, Papyrus actually KNOWS that flower!"

"Yeah...crazy...isn't it?"  Sans hovered near the flower.  "Almost like you two met in a former life."

I could almost sense Flowey gulp.

"You got to hear this, Alphys.  This fuzzy beanpole claims someone else is in on the story behind this talking flower thing.  I'd figure you of all people would want to meet them and get all science-talk about this thing."

"Uh...y-y-yeah.  I'm s-s-sure it's f-fascinating.  But...the bigger matter first...you're really Prince Asriel?"

"That's what it says on my driver's license."  Asriel said with a shrug.

Flowey rolled his eyes.  Yeah, the jealousy was hitting hey.

"Wowie!  But surely your car cannot be as cool as the Great Papyrus'!"

"Heheheh...we'll just have to compare sets of wheels.  But later."

Asriel turned serious.

"I did promise...we both had very big and very long tales to tell."

## Sub-Entry 097: "Asriel Tells his Tale"

"I'm going to give you a general overview, as much of a too-long; didn't read version as I can but...it's going to be a long story and it's going to get complicated along the way...and...it's really going to make you question how Volt and my friends and adoptive family have...done the things they have if they've been...trapped in the barrier with the rest of us...or rather...with all of you.

You see...for one-hundred years I've...not been dead...but rather...this Dreemurr has been...lost."

"L...Lost...?"  Asgore repeated.

"What kind of explanation is that!?  I saw you turn to dust!  We all found the bullets' from the human's weapons in your dust...we saw the injuries their melee weapons caused you!"  Undyne sputtered.

"Let me finish.  I was lost to time and space.  It may be hard to believe but...I didn't fall down...I fell into the Void...the space between spaces...somewhere that the previous Royal Scientist had discovered when he built the CORE and tapped into limitless extradimensional energy to power our underground with light and heat.  Kind of like that anime, Dr. Alphys.  The one called "Dimension W"."

"Oh y-y-y-yes!  A fascinating s-s-story about--"

"Save the explanation for another time, Alphie.  What's this crap bout falling into the CORE!?  Is this some kind of joke, your highness?"

"No joke.  It's very real, and I promise.  Sometimes the story doesn't make sense until the end.  Just be patient."

Quoting Rufus, you sly devil, you.

"For 100 years I spent in that empty space.  Crying.  Not eating, not sleeping, not aging.  And most important...not dying.  I think...it became an existence actually scarier than death.  So much so that...I convinced myself that death was...all I deserved.  I lost my best friend...my parents...my kingdom...my home...my EVERYTHING.  My whole world and...I convinced myself it was my own fault.  I did this somehow.  I couldn't...quite explain how or rationalize why it was my fault or how just...failing to take Chara's soul led to all this but..."

I sighed.

Asriel continued.

"I was...an Asriel that never took a soul.  One who never crossed the barrier.  One who never died.  But mostly...one who never forgave himself."

"But...what did you have to apologize for!  You were innocent!  You didn't deserve--"

"Mother.  Please.  I'll explain as best I can.  I know.  It's hard to hear but it's true.  I got to the point where I did believe this was my eternal punishment.  But then...

...then, he saved me."

Asriel looked me right in the eyes as I began to stream tears.

"He got me away from that place...and brought me to friends...and...a new family."

"N....new...family?"  Toriel furrowed her brow but also had a scared look of disbelief.

"Umm...that'd be us."  Scott and Callista were in each other's embrace.

"For fifteen years now...I've grown up with them.  Learning who they were and what they do.  Absorbing their teaching and picking up on their skills.  I trained with them.  Excelled at their sciences.  I was introduced to a world of popular culture.  I grew strong and fast and smart.  And I began to appreciate what you said once, Dad...about being the hope...being the dreams...being the prince of this world's future."

Asriel had avoided bringing up Chara any  more than he had to.  I'm sure if he kept that up, it would start to concern the Dreemurrs as Asriel and Chara were inseparable.

"This is...this is unbelievable..."  Toriel was beside herself with questions...too many for her to sort from...too many to figure out how to prioritize.

Asgore didn't even know what to ask.  This was...this was so far out of their comfort zone.

"My...life more or less restarted after we escaped my dissolving timeline.  I didn't understand it at the time.  I was just so broken and catatonic.  I'd been self-punishing and self-loathing for song long I just...I just went numb.  Numb inside...numb all around.  Just so numb that all I could do was cry.  The existence I'd had inside the Void had made it so I'd never die from starvation...I'd never age...I'd never be anything more than what I was.  It was so terrible that I'd grown numb to it...that I wouldn't even know it was terrible.  It was just...all I knew.

But that all changed when...when we fell out of that place...through hole in the sky.  It was the middle of the night and...Volt and I about fell to our deaths. But...we instead landed in a giant fountain.  Somehow we survived."

"Goodness...!"

"That's crazy!"  Undyne spoke up.

"Volt took me to a place...a temple...a temple that was also a dojo.  That is...a school for the martial arts.  Self-defense, that is.  We...went out back to the gardens...to that place where........where I met Sensei...Master Rabbotou I mean."

Bunnie nodded her head in an improvised bow.

"She...gave me a temporary place to stay.  New clothes and...spiritual guidance along the way."

Toriel looked to Bunnie.  Bunnie didn't even flinch.  She didn't show any sign that she regretted a single action.  That look...that expression told that she knew what she did.  She did it.  And she'd do it again without hesitation.

"One early morning...so early that the sun hadn't come up...Volt took me to finally get some food.  For the first time I actually felt hunger and...I was starving.  I didn't even care what time it was.  I was...still out of it but...He took me to Mitzi's Rock-Afire Pizzeria.  I now realize it was...a little weird having a pizza for breakfast but.......it was the most delicious thing I could remember ever eating.  It was...also the first time I spoke so...I...started opening up to the possibility of making friends.  But...I was still unsure."

"You were always a good kid, Azzy.  I saw you so sad and lonely, I just couldn't let you go hungry, too."  Mitzi beamed with all the tenderness of a mother.  I think Toriel sensed that, too.

"It was about that time I discovered your world had reconstituted into another timeline.  A new one and...A.E.O.N. confirmed that it would run a True Pacifist course;  a timeline where the eighth fallen would actually be a good person.  Where they'd try to free you all without hurting anyone...without killing."

"Dear me..."  Asgore definitely looked like we had rocked his world.

"While Asriel was acclimating to Miranda City...I started exploring this new timeline.  I called it UTPR-3224.  And...that's when I first officially met you.  I'd observed countless versions of you, Toriel in other timelines...as...that was my assignment in my organization, the Space Time Continuum Agency.  I was a glorified historian and...more or less a field agent archivist; collecting data and records for our master historical database.  But...I diverted from my orders because...I felt like I had to do the right thing with Asriel.  So...I met you...interacted with you...and...through selective dialogue I secretly got your blessing to take care of Asriel.

That's when I asked you that question about what you'd do if the Universe could return what was taken from you."

"I see..."  Toriel looked pensive, trying to process this.

"Ahhh.  So that's why you seemed off those last few times I talked to you, Tori.  It was after I met this guy, when he stepped out of the RUINS and fed me that lines about researching environments or some shtick.  And that trick with being a flier?  Pretty clever way to cover your tracks.  Literally."

Sans pointed out, putting me on the spot.

The things he just said...those were from UTPR-3224's timeline.  It was starting to confirm a theory I had that maybe the two timelines, UTPR-3224 and UTPR-3235 were...or had somehow merged.  Everyone’s memories were blending together.  Was this Lady Destiny's doing?  I couldn't tell if it was causing plot holes or...fixing them.  That is...if this were some kind of fanfiction story or something.  Getting meta again, I guess.  The Goddesses work in mysterious ways.

"Yeah...well...I had to return to my world and...check up on Azzy."

"I met more people after he came back.  Sensei...rather...Bunnie...enrolled me into her classes and...got me fitted for a martial arts uniform.  We call it a "gi".  Looks like a short white bathrobe with matching trousers, really.   It was there I got to meet her teacher, the great and wise Grand Master Splinter."

I didn't really expect him to bring up Splinter's name in this.

"Back and forth I traveled to your world while checking up on Azzy while raising him and helping him learn.  The very next trip...I met you, Great Papyrus."

"Nyeheheheh!  You slippery snail, you!  All this time we had actually met before.  I...don't quite understand the timeline thing yet but..."

"Yeah...one of those trips visiting you, I got you that Captain Skull Man model kit!"

"Wowee!  I don’t' know how but I remember that, suddenly!  I could never explain where he came from but...now I know!  Truly this was always meant to be!"

"Now you're getting it."

It was then that Toriel happened to spy the family photo I had given her on a Mother's Day.  It was just sitting there in a stand-up frame on a coffee table.  She quickly understood as well.

This was your plan, wasn't it, Lady Destiny?  You didn't let the timeline completely delete...you preserved it just so you could merge them together into...well...what do I call this new emerging timeline?  I'd...figure that out later.

It seemed like one thing that disappeared into the Goddess ghost-writer's trap door after another was coming right back at us.  Everything that disappeared from relevance was now back in style.

"I'd met Grillby and all the other monsters of Snowdin.  On my next return trip I got into trouble with you, Undyne.  Somehow...we ended up in a battle atop that crag."

"That was you back then!?"  Undyne was in disbelief.

"You remember how Monster Kid almost fell of the edge and like a fool I jumped after him with no way to go back up?  I nearly doomed us both.  But you caught me by the tail and hauled us up and...let us go for all practical purposes."

"This totally doesn't make sense because I remember also meeting with you another way...and remember your anime rabbit girl over there...Bunnie, right?  She and I fought."

"I remember."  Bunnie nodded.

"It seems like the two timelines are somehow coming together."  Asriel explained what was on my mind.

"That's l-l-l-like the ultimate s-s-string th-theory phenomenon.  Wh-what did you even call it?!"

"I don't really have a name for this phenomenon happening all around us.  It's all new."  I frowned.

"I was learning so much and...I even met my first superhero.  Right, Aunt Sally?"

"Scootin' and rootin', Azzy."  Sally used THAT Sonic the Hedgehog quote?  Now I heard everything.  Miles had to have sneezed just now, talking about big brother Sonic like that.

"And some of us...not so super or heroic."  Rotor raised a hand.

"Heroes come in all shapes, Rotor.  Not all wear capes.  Some wear overalls and carry a plunger."

"Oh, stop."

"I also met a real-life angel.  Pit."

Pit didn't say anything but...he was definitely happy being acknowledged.  That reminds me...I waited a long time to show Toriel and Asgore some photos I'd been sitting on for 15 years.  It could wait until dinner time.

"And I met the cutest and nicest little big sister I'd ever come to know."

Gadget giggled.  "Awww...thanks, Azzy!"

It wasn't long...before I became the first Monster to see the sun for the first time in generations."

"You've actually seen the sun!?"  Undyne's eye widened.

Asriel nodded.  "The most precious and priceless moment I could have asked for."

"By that point...Volt and friends decided it was only proper I be given official citizenship and...be adopted into a family so...they did just that, registering me under the new name, Asriel Tobias Dreemurr-Arcade."

"Tobias?"

"Toby, if you prefer.  It sounded like a really cool name."

Imagine that.

"And...Mr. O'Conner and Dr. Brighton adopted me as their son."

Scott just sort of waved.

"He was the best child anyone could have asked for.  I'm...just sorry that we didn't know another version of his parents were still alive out there.  I feel...guilt now that I realize we'd overtaken your responsibilities as parents.  It's...not like you both gave him up for adoption...our understanding was that...he was orphaned."

"Which...was true."  Asriel nodded.  "In sense.  Now...things are...complicated.   But I'm hoping once we're done explaining everything will become clear and we can move on."

"I tried to keep him protected...away from harm...to get him past his trauma but...things...got complicated indeed.  Unforeseen circumstances combined with......unwelcome guests...sought to disrupt the plan.  If...Asriel feels comfortable explaining some other time he'll tell you about it.  Otherwise...I'd rather not open those cans of worms."

"For five years I learned and grew and...soon I was old enough to start learning what it was that Volt and his crew really do.  And before long...I was able to venture off world with him."

"You got to see other p-p-planets!?"  Alphys held her cheeks as she gaped with star-filled eyes.

"Other planets...other worlds...other universes...other dimensions...even other points in time itself.   I got to do it all, see it all...be it all."

Asriel's expression fell.

"But...the peace didn't last.  Volt tried his best to keep me out of it but...I was insistent...I was determined.  And I couldn't stand by as enemies threatened to overtake our world...overtake EVERY world.  They called themselves Chaopolis and...they were beyond horrible people.  They cheated...they lied...they murdered...then conquered...they played mind games...they caused genuine hurt and suffering and wallowed in it like hogs in a muddy stye.  It was horrible and...I couldn't let them do to others what they were doing to us.  So...fought in many battles...in a long-winding war."

"Oh no..."  Toriel's color just drained.

"But even though I did bring harm to others, I kept to my vow that I wouldn't kill anyone.  I'd bring them to justice.  I'd capture them if I had to."

"See?  Asgore Junior gets it!  Nyeheheheh!"  Papyrus, you're still too good for this world or any other.

"And in the end...we toppled their empire, broken their ranks, imprisoned them all...and sent their leader to a realm of no escape.  I...I have a lot to go into detail over but...suffice to say we didn't just save the universe...we saved seven of them...including this one.  We saved all reality as we know it."

"This is quite a tale!"  Asgore tugged at his beard.

"It is.  It's all true, at that.  I'm...sorry this wasn't the life you wanted for me but...it was the life I lived."  Asriel looked his mother in the eyes.

"Oh please...you just keep downplaying it all.  And you keep building up everything else around you!  Why are you so bent on glorifying this stupid game!"

"Flowey!"  I snapped.

"Nyeh?"

"None of you get it!  I'm sure YOU of all people could understand, Prince Dreemurr, but you're acting just as ignorant as everyone.  Even Smiley Trash bag isn't addressing the elephant in the room!  This was all supposed to be a game but you and the kid BROKE IT!  It doesn't make sense anymore!"

"Flowey...I don't get it.  You got what you wanted.  Something different."  I protested.

"What a load of mulch.  If I got what I wanted, you think I'd be stuck like this forever!?"

"You are being quite rude."  Toriel growled at the plant.  "I will not hear any more of your lies."

"Mom...I think there's something we all should know.  Now that the truth is coming out...now that the Barrier is broken...now that monsters have all gone free...now that the RESET is broken...I think it's time we all knew."

All eyes were on Asriel.

## Sub-Entry: 098: "The Nature of Their World of Undertale":

"Flowey is right."  Asriel had sat down at the table with the others to discuss.  "The truth is...our world...is a game.  At least...it was."

"What...do you mean a game?"  Undyne looked a bit perturbed.

"It's hard to swallow...but our world...isn't just one of its kind.  It's one of hundreds...of thousands...possibly millions of copies.  All unique.  All presumably...manipulated...controlled...played by their own powers that be...their own outside demi-gods...whatever...whatever the "players" are.  And all of these copies of our worlds came from a common source...an "Undertale Prime".  Somewhere out there is our true creator."

Asriel went on to explain, in great detail, what Undertale really was.

"Game...like a--"

"Computer game.  A simulated world.  Real to all of us but...you know...I'm still wrapping my head around this "meta" stuff and this...fourth wall awareness.  Only a few of us have ever really been...privy to what's behind the curtain...the nature of our world but...yeah.  Our timeline...timelines have all been cyclical loops...played in countless ways with countless outcomes...all to be either RESET or ERASED.

But since the barrier broke...something changed in our "copy" of the game and...we're living on our own.  As a real world without anyone deciding our destinies or fates.  Our "game" has been broken.  Here we are."

"Dear me...!"  Asgore looked like it was going over his head.

"This is...I don't know how to feel about it."

"Grrr!  It makes me MAD thinking there are sickos just killing us for the fun of it!"

"But...they can't all be bad...can they?  I mean...some...higher power managed to bring us here, right?"  Papyrus pointed out.

"In our world...our specific alternate universe or "A.U." for short...our lives have been controlled by a pair of sister goddesses playing an ultimate game of good and evil.  And they've been at war over what kind of ending we deserve."  Asriel went on to explain.

"I do not like the thought of not being in control of my own life."  Toriel growled.

"Now you understand why I dislike prophecies so much."  I looked off to the side.

"Someone very wise told me that destiny comes from the word, "destine".  Meaning to carve a path to a predetermined end.  While the end may be a given, the way we get their IS our choice.  And I strongly believe our choices matter."  Asriel looked solemn.

"All of this is...just mind-blowing.  If it's all t-true then everything we know about our culture, our religion...it's all j-j-just."  Alphys was really just continuing our thoughts from seven years ago, when I had told her the truth.

"No way, Alphys.  I refuse to believe we're just some dots on a computer screen."  Undyne clutched her fists so tight her knuckles were cracking...much to Sans' and Papyrus' disturbance.

"Well....truth is we'll never really know the truth about what our universe is.  Even with all the proof I've gathered through research and such...it's always going to be just a theory."

"A game theory?"  Violet spoke up.

"Too soon, Aunt Vi."  Asriel rubbed his temples.

"Well, you told them, fuzzball.  You sure this is what you wanted them to know?"  Flowey fumed.

"We all have a right to know but...I suspect there are some of us who already knew."  Asriel tented his hands.

It wasn't long until Toriel's and Alphys' eyes were on Sans.  And then Undyne picked up on it.  Asgore and Papyrus were last to realize it.

"All the world's a stage, eh?"  Sans shrugged.

"How can you be so nonchalant about this!?  You KNEW and--"

"And we all had a role to play as long as the game existed."  Asriel crossed his arms.  "Which brings me to my next point...how my story fits into...theirs."

"Hmm?"

I think Sans was glad to be off the hook.  But no doubt this conversation would surface another time and he'd be grilled for keeping the truth from us.  Gerson Boom and Mettaton would have their own moments of confirming what we already knew.

"My part in the story ties in with the fact...that in every iteration of our world...I was supposed to die."

"Don't say that!"  Toriel about freaked.

"You must've believe such--"

"I didn't want to believe it until I saw it for myself.  In countless other timelines."

"Timelines?"

"I'll explain soon enough.  But the truth of the matter is...for fifteen years I haven't spent my life on this world...but on another."

"What do you mean "this world"?"  Papyrus asked a legitimate question.

"Do you know what they call our world?"

"No."  Asgore scratched his head.

"Undertale."

"Under...tale?"

"Yes.  For countless years, monsters have lived underground.  And this is our tale.  Or rather...it's someone else's tale as they braved our world to decide if they wanted to go back to theirs...or...free us from ours into theirs or.......as much as I hate to say it...end us AND our world."

"WHAT!?"

"I'm afraid...this is where it gets complicated...our world has repeated its timeline countless times...and the eighth fallen has...had different intentions...a different soul with each one.  Some friendly and kind...some...truly horrible creatures that only enjoyed our deaths."

"This is...this is....!  Asriel...how do you know of this?  How can you say all of this is true?

"It's true because I've seen it from the world beyond this.  Beyond Undertale."

## Sub-Entry: 099: "The World Beyond Undertale!?"

"A world beyond..."Undertale"?  Toriel questioned.

"Like...aliens!"  Undyne gasped.  "I knew it!  I knew there was more to anime than just magical princesses and beefy warriors with swords!"

"Let me walk you back to my earlier story."  Asriel explained.

"The truth is...I'm not the Asriel of this timeline or the one before it...but a Genocide Timeline.  I'm an anomaly.  A survivor of a timeline where no one was supposed to live.  I guess in the Marvel Comics universe I'd be a "variant"...to draw upon a Loki reference.

"Let's not get the T.V.A. involved."  I warned, feeling like S.T.C. could already be butting heads with them over...a lot of matters, to say the least.  Eeeesh.  What in the name of Tom Hiddleston had I unleashed with the Institute for Future Technology, Dr. Brown?

"You're...what?"

"I've already told you about timelines.  That they're our collective history but...when something different happens, our timeline separates into other instances.  They're kind of like straws on a broom.  They call originate at the same place, but each one goes off it its own direction.  Mine...was a genocide timeline and I was supposed to die but...I didn't.  I ended up in the void between worlds...somewhere in the epicenter of the CORE's reactor...where Dr. Gaster fell into."

"Gaster..."  Asgore gasped the name as it was something that just came back into existence in his own memories.

"Volt...Volt saved me from the fate of my timeline collapsing upon itself and...he brought me to his world...his universe.  A planet designated VGM-098 in with an AU usually called the UltraVerse.  I...I grew up there.  I was raised there.  I...was adopted by a human couple there."  Asriel looked right at Scott...and Callista."

"You...?"  Asgore asked.

Both nodded.

"I learned...I grew...I matured...I became so much more than a scared little goat prince jumping at his own shadow.  The first year or so was...a healing experience.  For heart, mind, and soul.  And then...when I was able to stand on my own two feet...Volt showed me that there wasn't just our planets out there...but a whole galaxy...countless galaxies...and not just one universe but as many universes as there are stars...maybe no end to them.  A..."Multiverse"...no...an InfinityVerse.

And I've gotten to see so much of them.  So many worlds...so many places.  I've learned so much...seen so much...I've been to the stars...I've used science to see the quantum realm...I've been in Cyberspace.  The world out there...is so endlessly big and it just keeps going and going beyond what we already know."

"I am thoroughly japed by this new information!"

"This...this could be the discovery of a lifetime...no...a lifetime of discoveries!"  Alphys had gotten so excited she lost her stutter.

"Then this meeting was a..."

"All part of the promise.  All planned from the very beginning."

"But how does the flower fit into this?"  Undyne crossed her arms.

"I think it's time to come clean, Alphys."

"Hah!  Alphys already spilled her guts about the animates and Mettaton.  She doesn't have a single secret to hide from us!  Isn't that a good one, Alphys?  That you know anything about this weed?"

"......."

"...Alphys?"  Undyne suddenly got a bad feeling upon seeing that Alphys wasn't laughing and actually...looked worse because of it.

"Doctor..."  Asgore started to feel like Alphys borrowing the first Golden Flower along with the Six Human Souls was more than she let on about trying to bring back fallen monsters.

"Dr. Alphys...what else have you been hiding?"

"It's okay, Doctor.  You don't have to explain it alone.  Like I said.  I know the truth.  I already gave a pretty big clue that I'm not this timeline's Asriel.  But...if I'm not him...then this timeline's Asriel...?"

"I don't follow."  Asgore blinked a bit.  Toriel...was starting to look a little pale.

I spoke up again.

"I hate to point this out...but does anyone remember what Prince Asriel's dust fell upon when he...fell down?"

"On the...!"  Toriel blanched.

"A-A-A-Asgore......T-T-Toriel...when I began experimenting with the h-human s-s-souls, I discovered the power of liquifying the trait that holds their s-souls together; the power of Determination.  And I used that to not just try to wake up fallen monsters but...to try to devise a..."vessel" that was neither human nor monster...one that could be given a will to live with injections of determination...one that could...contain multiple souls so...no monster would have to make the sacrifice to break the barrier."

"Oh, Doctor..."  Asgore realized how far she was willing to go to keep him from martyring himself.

"My...experiment ended in failure when...the flower went missing after all those injections.  But..."

Flowey was growing ever more visibly angered by it.

"I'm afraid..."

"Go ahead and say it, Doctor."  Asriel's eyes were hidden underneath the shadow of his head fur in that anime style.

"Every Asriel in every timeline in our AU has the same fate much the same as in most Undertale AU's.  Even Undertale Prime."

"You can't be serious...!"  Toriel was visibly angered.  "Are you saying this...THIS...is my...!"

"Toriel.  Look him in the eyes.  A mother knows."

Flowey  made the mistake of making direct eye contact...or so he'd claim.

Toriel's knees started to buckle.

"Tori!"  Asgore caught her.

"It's true...no...no...."  She began to weep.

"Why did you tell them!  It was better this way!  It was better they thought I was dead!"  Flowey snapped at Asriel.

"I...don't quite understand..."  Papyrus cocked his head.

Undyne looked completely broken by this revelation.

"A monster's dust is sprinkled upon his favorite thing in passing."  Flowey begrudgingly recited.  "Are you happy now?"

"No.  Because you're clearly not."

"This is exactly why I didn't want you--"

"To tell them.  And yet...you've just proven you can feel something.  Otherwise...it wouldn't have mattered this much."

Asriel looked to Toriel as Asgore and everyone else in the room.

"Now you know.  With no game that exists...there's no reason for anyone to be protected from the truth anymore."

"And now that the truth is out...this brings us to our final issue..." I approached Toriel as Asgore helped her back up.

"The truth has finally come out....but all this time...I've lied by withholding all this from you.  I had...very good reasons but...they don't excuse me for what I've done."

It was about that time my knees buckled and I found myself dropping to hands and knees and hanging my head...as I started to cry.

"I've put my team and myself through Hell and back...trying to keep this from all of you."

"Commander.  We've all had a part to play in the grand scheme.  Our hands are just as heavy as yours.  Our sins are crawling just as far up our backs as yours."

"I looked you all in the eyes..."  I sobbed.  "Gave partial truths...and full lies.  All in the name of peace and sanity.  My intentions were good but...here we are."

"You're all...aliens!?"

"Every one of us."  Violet admitted.

"From a different time, a different place, and a different dimension."  Sally crossed her arms.

Undyne stormed over and grabbed me by the shirt and tie and brought me close.

"You lied!  You have any idea how much this pisses me off!?  That all this was just some sort of--"

"A promise."  Asriel put his hand on Undyne's wrist.  "It was for my sake."

"I don't GET IT!!!  How can you be alright with this."

"Tori...?"  Asgore looked at Toriel, who had gone silent.  Ominously silent.

Undyne had brought me close so that our noses were about touching.

"If you want to hit me...then go ahead.  I went into this...knowing what I've done...I went in ready to accept the consequences.  Every sin I committed, I committed with every intention of paying for what I had done."

"Volt, you don't have to do this--"  Asriel cut in.

"Yes.  Yes, I do."  I replied.

"And now that I've given my last confession...I am...ultimately at your mercy."

Well.  Toriel stepped in between us, forcing Undyne to let me go.

Well.  This was it.

What do you do, now, Toriel?

Will you spare this unworthy soul?

Will you show mercy?

Forgive?  Or do not?

## Sub-Entry 100: "At Their Mercy.  Release From the Promise at Last":

My entire crew stood by; unable to take action.

I could not take action.

This was the choice and the ones to make it...I was bowed down on hands and knees, forehead against the ground in what Bunnie called the "if all else fails" apology.  Essentially, in Jang culture, as the last resort expression of humility when apologizing.

The moment was now.

At this very moment, Goddess Destiny and Fate were awaiting chance to decide their game.  Decide if my ultimate gambit paid off.

While Asgore was still king in spirit...even then...and now...Toriel would always be the one with the brains and the true authority.

I was willingly putting my immortal life in her hands.

"Doctor..."

"I have humbled myself at your feet.  If you need any more proof that I have nothing left to part with...but the very sanctity of......my birth name."

"Volt...you don't have to--"  Surprisingly...it was Bunnie who said this and Asriel who stopped her and shook his head.  He understood.  The time wasn't right to speak up.  Not yet.

"The name I was given at birth is..."

It was as though all the sound stopped at that moment but...the words were said.

"I have nothing more to say...only for you to give your final judgment."

After the longest time.

"Doctor.   In these years we have learned much about you.  And you have done much in our wake.  You have invaded the space between our worlds.  Taken one of our own...far from his planet of birth and put him in an unrecognizable environment.

You raised him as one of your own kind.  Showed him wonders of the world...taught him skills and abilities that are completely alien to his home...including the art of self-defense; making him capable of violence."

That made me cringe.

"You took him to other words...to the stars...through time...to other...dimensions, you called them.  You dragged him through a war."

Asriel furrowed his brow at the implication that I had made him do ANYTHING against his will.

"You placed him in a foster home with human parents.  And you kept him a secret all this time.  But that is not all."

Toriel's eyes remained hidden.

"You set foot back on our world...after it had been..."reborn"..."reconstituted"..."reloaded".  Whatever this...game did.  You met each of us.  We welcomed you into our homes and you interacted with us like puppets on stage for some...lofty end game goal.  After all that...you disappear after we earned our freedom....only to return and bring back what you'd taken.  All this just so you could confess."

"It's always been for him.  I make no excuses for what I've done."

A long time passed.

"You have lied to us.  Manipulated us.  All for this.  You realize that by confessing this...you gain nothing.  You stand to lose everything you worked for."

"I went in...ready to accept the consequences."

It seemed like time began to stretch for me.  Seconds dragged on.

The suspense was killing me.  Honestly.  This was the worst thing I'd ever experienced.  I could almost feel Madam Fate drooling over it...anticipating my doom.

"Doctor.  I do not truly know your intentions...nor do I understand them...it does not make sense in the grand scheme of things.  Why?  Why would you do all this?  In the end it all comes back to one reason.  And it is that one reason you will not relent.  You are...very determined.  That look in your eyes right now...  I have seen that look before.   A human child once gave me that look...before they left the RUINS.  But you know that don't you.  That look...that's the look of Determination."

No more stalling.  No more anticipation.  Now was the time for judgement.

"Your plans lay before us and I assure you all Monsters will know...they will know, Dr. Arcade...no...Dr. Coleman...we will all know..."

My ears drooped and my eyes closed to accept the inevitability.

Toriel raised her head enough to see her eyes...and the tears.

"...we will all know all the wonderful things you have done."

What...?

Asriel smiled brightly.

"What the Hell...!?"  Undyne took a step back, aghast by her sudden statement.

"I agree."  Asgore approached.

"Mom.  Dad.  I owe my LIFE to Volt.  He's my best friend.   I have a future thanks to him.  To all of him."

"Heh."  Sans gave that closed eyes grin I knew like an old song.

"I don't quite know why everyone's so moody but it seems like everything has worked out!   Nyeheheh!"

"Grrr...why did you wait so long to bring our prince back to us...and I don't even know if he IS our prince!  How does any of this make any sense!  He died!  I watched him die!   We watched him die...but he's alive because he's not even from our timeline!?  And you're saying this WEED--"

"HEY!"  Flowey snapped.

"Is our real Prince because of Alphys' experiments with Determination!??"

"Di-Di.  Don't overthink this.  I am me.  I know all this is making your head hurt...but everything's fine now."

"Let me explain."  Callista rose to her feet.  "I'm a doctor.  A doctor of neurology.  Brain science.  But also trained in psychology and aspects of the humanoid mind.   I can assure you...waiting to bring him back to Undertale was necessary.  For him...just as much as it was for all of you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Undyne.  Let us hear them out."

"Mom.  Dad.  Everyone.   I've already said that I know about everything.  I know what happened the day that we...that your Asriel and Chara...died.  I know about Dad's decree...your disgust...the kingdom falling into despair.  Our hopes and dreams slowly dying a painful death.  I know what that tragedy...did to everyone...how it made us all...people we'd never thought we'd become.  A self-exile.  A hunter/executioner.  A...king of pain...a royal scientist trying to hide her lies...others I can't even image what they were willing to do...just to make the cycle end..."

Sans slid his gaze to Asriel, slyly.  A subtle way of letting him know to tread lightly.

"And then there was me...100 years of being lost...alone...and blaming myself for what happened to each and every one of you...hating myself for being responsible for what my Chara did to herself...

I convinced myself that this was what a bad person deserves.  That death was too good for me.  I needed to pay."

"Asriel..."

"Son..."

Silence for only a moment or two.

"My family.  My friends.  We are all broken.  We were all in bad places.  None of us were in any shape for a reunion.  The reason why Volt waited to bring us together...is we all needed time.  To heal.  In here."

Asriel thumped his chest.

Flowey was fighting back the urge to say anything...but at the same time...he couldn't say anything.  Everything Azzy was saying was right.

"Aunt Vi....Violet, I mean...would say that it's like a fine wine.  it has to age.  it has to mature."

"Personally, I'd say it's more like a fine cheese.  It gets more precious with age."  Mitzi spoke up, out of turn before Vi could say something.

Toriel looked down for a moment...then looked back up.

"You're right.  We weren't ready to know you were...out there."

Undyne begrudgingly accepted that.

"I've grown up.  I now understand.  Now...I'm ready.  I'm ready for the truth.  I'm ready to know where I came from even...if it's just one of many timelines...copies of our world.  I...I want to belong.  To your...to our world."

"I think that would be a good idea."  Asgore spoke up before Toriel could answer.

"I think it would be a wonderful idea to let Semi-tiny Asgore experience our wonderful world for himself!"

"I-I-I think it w-w-would be the opportunity of a l-lifetime to f-f-f-finally meet the Prince.   I mean h-he's a l-legend by this point and...I feel r-r-responsible after--"

"AHEM!  Don't mind me...just your stinking' failed creation is all."

Asriel held back a chortle.  "If you want I can ask if there's a place for you, too!"

Flowey hissed.  "Don't look down on me like I need handouts!  I'm not your charity case!"

Asriel let a laugh.  "Okay.  Then I supposed I can put you back--"

"D...DON'T YOU GET SMART WITH ME!"

"Was I really such a little kid, Mom?"

Finally Toriel managed to crack a smile while trying to hold back a laugh.

"You were certainly a...budding little bundle."

Flowey's eye began to twitch.  "What....are you doing?"

"Maybe this version of me just never learned to branch out and keep an open mind?"

"Stoooooop."  Flowey growled.

"Are you sure something good can blossom from him?"

"NO NO NO NO NO NO!"

"He's really not such a...bad seed."

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"  Flowey had had enough.

It certainly got a reaction from the Skelebros.

"Heh heh hehhh!   He really is your kid, Tori."

"NYEEEEEEH!  I STAND CORRECTED!  THIS IS THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAVE EVER HAPPENED!!!  IT WAS BAD THAT LADY TORIEL IS AS OBSESSED WITH PUNS AS YOU, BROTHER!  BUT OUR OWN PRINCE IS JUST AS PUN-CRAZED!"

Oh this was rich.  Everything was happening just as I would have predicted has I actually predicted it.

"Err...everyone seems so lively.  I suppose I should--"

"No offense, ex-king but...I'd keep the dad jokes under your crown."

Already on top of it, Vi.

"Oh!  Then perhaps jokes about something else?  Like--"

"Like...how about no."  Flowey sneered.

"Er...okay uh...son."

"Grrrr...I liked it better when you didn't know who I was.  Makes sorry I actually cried in front of you..."

"Hmm?  When did you do that?"

"Never mind!" Flowey snapped.

How sloppy that he forgot, for a moment, what timeline he was in.  Wait...how DID he have memories of Genocide Timelines?  Maybe...it was related to how Sans could know about the "other Sans" or that timelines were jumping around...and why he knew about RESETS and...oh boy...that opens up research I never finished figuring out after so many Undertale runs for the sake of S.T.C.'s records.

"You know...maybe it's just easier if just go with this than try to think about it any further.  Getting a headache trying to make sense of it."  Undyne finally conceded.

"I suppose it's settled then."  Asgore declared.

Smiles all around.

"Well then, Asriel.  Welcome home."  Toriel welcomed her son back into her open arms.

"Mom..."

A loooong and well-deserved hug sealed the deal.

Elsewhere...

"Well played, sister.'  Madam Fate grumbled, resisting the urge to pound her fist down upon the chessboard.

"After all this time...it paid off."  Lady Destiny tented her hands.

"Welcome home, Goat Son.  Welcome home."

*To Be Continued...*

**CRYPTOSMASHER LOGOFF**

**END TRANSMISSION..**.

Chapter 11

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