PLDF Chapter 29

> Chapter 29: "The Return, Part 2" (Sub-Entries 281-290)
>
>

## Sub-Entry XXX: New Years Comes Around Once More As It Always Does...

So.  For quite some time we've had New Years Eve/Day come and go without incident since we ramped up security due to "whoopsies".  Usually Ripper Traveson is to blame; much to Nikita's chagrin, the Commander's headache...and Chameleon’s absolute fury (accompanied by a very painful dent to his wallet in damages).

We'd gotten it down to a science. We wrote the book on pulling this off without a hitch.

...then Ripper rewrote the book behind our backs.

If this feels like foreshadowing, then let's just deflate the already spoiled twist and confirm that yes it is.

He did it to us again.

Sometimes his need to spice things up......I can't even finish that thought as much as it frustrates me.  But that's NOTHING compared to how much it frustrates everyone else around me.  Including Lady Brooke.  Yeah...Ripper should probably not set foot in town for a while...though.  Chameleon will probably still track his subordinate down...probably delivery him to Brooke nicely tied up in exchange for amnesty.  And of course...what happens beyond that will be the stuff of nightmares.

Fortunately for him, Violet and Sally decided to mitigate some...mind you...SOME of his punishment and divert a significant portion of blame to an appropriate scapegoat.

It will be most unfortunate to be Al Dente......when he wakes up from his mini coma.  Violet last left him hanging from the New Year's Tether.

But again.  Spoilers.

While I approach this with a more subdued dissatisfaction, I assure you the Commander is far more...despondent.  I probably need not clarify but rest assured I am definitely asking Amaterasu to intervene...preferably in the form of Velaska Benikov or Elektra Coleman-Talbain stepping in before the Commander overdoses on a vastly unsafe amount of aspirin or other headache medicine.

He still has a notable bruise on his forehead from where he pounded his head against the wall after it happened...

I was passed along a message from...ahem...Daimyou...hope it's wise to tell your past self such things...

...ahem....a message that the timeline actually exists in two notable parallels at this point because Destiny and Fate couldn't agree on a proper variant.

So...they let both timelines happen in Miranda City side by side in the Space Time Continuum.

What does that entail?

In one timeline...Asriel has already returned to us and the big hoopla and welcoming of...well...things that would be SPOILERS for the other timeline and anyone who isn't up to speed at this point......yes, well...those things went down and here we are celebrating together.

In the other timeline?  Asriel's arrival happened afterwards.  So...obvious it's New Years Minus our little lost-and-found Dreemurr...not so little anymore, really.

So which timeline is this and which variation am I writing this journal entry upon?

Sorry to disappoint you...but the one without Azzy.

If at all you feel skeptical, just remember.  The Christmas sub-entry was before his arrival, so that much fits.

Though does that not imply that the cliffhanger we left off on happened in the new year?

Is it really that necessary to really ponder this detail?  Volt has said before.  Our world's timeline is...unconventional.  Very...pliable and malleable to an extent.  It is why only a major paradox can ever really cause our space-time any significant damage.  Why our timeline was always being remastered.

Though...directly...that's Destiny and Fate's doing.  Always erasing and re-writing what they've written on their DnD charts.  Always giving it...how did Vi put it?  The Wikipedia treatment and editing our very events over and over until they like what they see.

It's hard to dispute Vi's analogy about seeing the same cat twice as a sign that something's been changed in the Matrix.  But yes...this is how the Mandela Effect works on our world.  Only those really, REALLY in the know can prove it even happened at all.

Volt makes this deep exposition into our universe's rules seem easy.  Especially with meta-existence.

That said...let's move on to the matter at and.

December 31st.  On the eve of the new year and of course...Mitzi's birthday.  As if any of us would forget.  What kind of a teacher would I be if I was so inconsiderate to my student?

I assure you...I would remember this as vividly down the road as I do now.

It began like so, the night before...

Volt was top-side the UCIAT building, laying down the sets of heavy cables and setting up the electromagnetic tether and matter wave projection emitters.

He had just clicked on his communicator headset--designed especially to fit a werewolf's head and accommodate his top-side ears as opposed to other species that had the ears on the side.

He was on the horn with Dr. Lynx at the time.

"All units in place...as well as Sarge's security measures.  In recent years, she's been stepping our game to make these New Year drops "idiot proof".

...yeah.  I hear ya...uh-uh.....uh-oh.  No it shouldn't exceed 100 ampere.  That's why I opted for the tungsten-grafted nano-tube poly-carbon/copper weave with the additional laminate.  These things will take an ACTUAL lightning strike without overloading.

These things will take an ACTUAL lightning strike without overloading.  ...I know because I tested them on the Raiden mk XIV.

At the time, one of the Commander's twin daughters--Penelope-Anne was working her own electronic magic.  She was hooking up a large, flat-screen monitor outside Neil's shop, and had her phone in her hand.

"All right, so if everything's calibrated, Aunt Vi, we should have real-time coverage in both directions for the event."

Volt confirmed with Nikita and one of our suppliers at the time: "..the Affordable Robust Compact reactor core arrived ahead of schedule?  Excellent."

Yeah, we got it from Stark.

It's a good thing that Vi and the others have "shore leave" from Renalia in between brackets.  We'd never be able to pump out the software for everything without her."

Complicated story, but Violet was invited out to Renalia to watch some new-type arena sport between the major corporate conglomerates; all out for supremacy over who can showcase the better tech and innovation in an expo that would make Neo Arcadia City's entire ethics board have a heart attack.  It was...controversial to say the least.  And violent.  And involved Renalia showcasing a lot of the science that would make Sally and Violet both scowl; be it unrestricted robotics and cybernetics or genetic engineering.

Dragonius entered the square in his usual sacred attire,  while also carrying a very small flame on a torch as he entered. The torch seemed to made of a fire-resistant metal and well-cared for.

"Heya, sir Dragonius!  We just got the feed up. Say hi, Violet!"  Penny prompted.

"Hi, Violet."

Typical Violet.  Lame joke.

"That was lame."  Volt muttered.

"But indeed a classic. Are you and the others having an enjoyable time within Renalia? "

"You can ask Chameleon, if he can stop being his usual charming self for a few minutes."  Rafalka cut in before Vi could answer.  If it weren't so close to the midnight hour, I'd offer an explanation of who all was with Vi in Renalia.  But that's a tale for another time.

"Yeah.  But you best believe  I will be live-streaming this and maintaining our online tech support until we all get back home to Miranda in person for the big event. As if I'd waste a day of shore leave."  Vi grinned.

"You won't even know we've left Renalia until you're seeing my pretty face all up in this party. And I assure you my matrix code dress this year is going to blow you away. Until then we're going to two-way vid stream this for the next 23 or so hours. "

Chameleon wouldn't let Raf's comment stand without a sassy joke.

"So I launched one dagger. Look at it this way, Rafalka... My chicken was pre-cut."

"... Dare I ask?"  Dragonius deadpanned.

Rainbow wing was on hand.  And fortunately Nikita was able to provide online translation for the Draconic language.

"Woig rilvelklar ui vi edrok eorikc! (Food everywhere is a good year!)"  The red one spoke.

"By the way, did Sally get you guys the pizza on time?  I heard she had to break some land speed records to get from here to Renalia before it could cool even 5 degrees."

\* Suddenly Sally in Miranda Square \*

"You heard right."

From a nearby telephone pole, I could make out BSW-Null and his companion, Zeta.

Someone asked about Tiemtiaren AKA the black member of Rainbow Wing; the self-appointed leader and the only one to speak Common.

You know, Violet had once described Dragonius as sort of resembling the red dragon-man transformation from Magician Lord.  Not totally inaccurate but less warrior and more priest or monk.  Someone I related to in many ways.

"Oddly, I have not seen him. From what I have been told, he was practicing with his brothers and sisters to go caroling in Common for a while... And from what news I heard, I must thank you as well, Mitzi. I heard of the news that you added his brethren with your talent and musical aid."

"It's no big thing.  I just can't leave someone with a musical dilemma hanging.  And...it's a rare chance to draw upon my own thespian past.  Mitzi modestly downplayed it.

"It is always pleasant to see someone aid the needy in accomplishing more friendly tasks.

Marcel's sword-soul companion,  Jacquinette chimed in then in human form.

"Well, if you see him, tell him Jacquinette has something for him that he's likely to enjoy."

"I do wonder if I drew his interest because the group I was in after Rock-Afire Explosion was called "Toxic Audio"?  I hope I didn't disappoint him.  It was just a name after all.  And I wasn't the one who chose it.   But yeah...those were the days.  Being in an acapella group really eased me down from my post R.A.E. pad times.  Helped wash the bad taste in my mouth out after my huge breakup with my ex and my even bigger falling out with my ex-friend who he ended up cheating on me with."

"Wish I even had someone to call an ex.  The closest I had to a BF...disappeared in the palace fire just before...Ecotropia was blown off the map.  But y'know...we reconnected.  Then we went our separate ways, promising to join back up down the road.  It's complicated."  Sally replied as she got her DJ equipment set up and the interface for RVG-Gamma once he converted to his twin turntable platter form.

Zeta and Null had their conversation going on at the same time.

BSW-Null dropped down onto Zeta's shoulder. "Evening, Zeta. You've been quiet lately."

"Unit has been rather occupied."

"Occupied? This unit doesn't understand how an AI such as Unit Zeta could be occupied with anything for a time exceeding 1 standard hour."

"Null needs a hobby then. Like bird watching."

Irony.  Irony for a cyber-buzzard/vulture.

"Sensei and I were going to pay a visit to the Memorial Site at the crater some day. "  Mitzi assured Sally.

Penelope gently placed a hand on Sally's shoulder assuredly.

We've all lost people like that, Aunt Sal.

And of course...Rainbow Wing got into an argument.

"Batobot ui sini! Coi mahhn tepohaic riseil shafaer wer drid! (That is mine! It still has cheese on the box!)"  The red snarled.

Thric, sini! vorq sva wer lerovupel Aesthyr shafaer wer dros! (No, mine! Look at the beautiful woman on the top!)"  The blue one shouted back.

\*The two wyrmlings started fighting\*

"... Believe me, Mitzi. Getting the wyrmlings to act in peace is ALWAYS a noble mission."

Sally's conversation had sparked quite an exposition dump of what happened in Ecotropia.

"The whole city was blown off the map using what we suspect was a pre-cursor to Vorostov's gravity bomb.  The one they ended up blowing their own capital up with...  But nothing was ever confirmed.  Supposedly...their high command issued a statement that something was "stolen" from one of their laboratories.  The explanation always felt paper thin."

"Gravity Bomb"?... Like what? One that sucks more than us'l ta be caught near?"

Robert "Ripper" Traveson cut in.  He was still on probation from the last time he tampered with New Years and added some...explosive nitro which launched the New Year Ball into orbit.

> Yeah...it was considered theoretical and deemed an abomination by Ecotropia's science ministry.  Nikita is often quoted saying it makes her blood boil thinking about it.

The unsanctioned mercenary guerilla army that infiltrated our city and blew it to kingdom come claimed responsibility for the super weapon but...it still feels overly convenient how they got their hands on something supposedly in Vorostov's highest security military R & D facility

Chameleon added his two coppers over the live feed.

"If it helps, think of it this way. You know the damage caused there. You know what happened. But at least, the very least, it was over soon. He didn't suffer. It may have been the worst, but he's not still feeling pain to this day.  ... So don't take on too much extra pain to cover those fees. Let be considered paid and covered.

Volt found this an opportunity to distract from his melancholy.

"The rumor was they were trying to compete with the likes of other anti non-human outfits or outshine the legacies of those that came before.  You know, like Regina's old group.  Or one of the splinter cells that claim she inspired.

And though that that mass genocide of a City Kingdom would put them on the map."

"I'm still amazed she reformed."  Penny remembered how Regina was now on life probation under Brooke's watch.  And really trying to make things right again.

"...their carbon-scored skeletons were found in the charred remains of an abandoned domed city some miles from Ecotropia... There was evidence of a micro neutrino-bomb with additional napalm charges and a white phosphorus payload found at that site."

So...did Nikita ever tell Sally that her portable mainframe's new OS was actually the entire mental collective of her late brother, Prince Elias converted to digital form?

Maybe I should answer that another day.

Jump-cutting only a few minutes into the later conversation...

"New Year's eve is tomorrow, Zeta. So we're having our annual tradition!" Penny beamed.

"A ball so powerful it is witnessable from anywhere in the province."  Jacquinette wasn't wrong.

"Ball drop is as scheduled.  And yes...powered by a hybrid of solar-fusion reactor and ARC reactor.  With the number of lights in Neon City compressed down to a couple ton mirrored ball...  ...and outfitted with every means of holo-lithic, neon, L.E.D., and laser light show display known to mankind."

Of course Ripper couldn't resist the temptation.

"N' ya don't want me ta help work some extra tidbits fer it? I got a few spare heavies."

"I'm pretty sure Nikita has a--"  Volt started.

"Restraining order on any unauthorized personnel making any unapproved modifications? VERY.  MUCH.  SO."

Nikita's hologram appeared larger than life, actually causing Ripper to stumble backward and fall onto his rump.

"...yeah.  That.   A Restraining order on any unauthorized personnel making any unapproved modification."

"You heard the good doctor, Ripper.  Not on  your life and I'm pretty sure Chameleon has several punishments lined up--"  Volt stopped short as Chameleon decided to nip this in the bud, once and for all.

"No Ripper. No Rainbow Wing. Tithius was given orders... For once, your show might be safe. I... I don't have to help cover the costs."

Jacquinette immediately followed up with something to cut the tension.

"I like that Nikita modified the ball in more recent years to not immediately cause those of us with undead traits to combust! She is so considerate of us."

"Oh yes.  She figured out how to reduce the ultraviolet light factor to almost zero percent. That’s as clean a form of light out of every inch of it that you can get without causing bodily injury to light-sensitive.

Volt turned to Chameleon.

"Nikita also added Hails to that list.  And anyone connected to him."

Yeah the suspicious water that got too close to the launch was...now on the lists of Do-Not's.

We happened to notice Chameleon was actually smiling.  I'm...hesitant to say...it looked a little creepy.

So.  Jump-cut again.  This time by about 23 hours...

Sure enough Violet had been live-streaming the whole countdown with her usual antics and updates on the coding.  And to show off her latest eyesore of a gaudy computerized dress; high-speed neon matrix code and all.  And yes...an unhealthy amount of time showing off her trying on her new sandals.  I'm surprised she didn't get banned for showing her bare feet.  That is a thing that can happen, right?  It feels like something that could and should happen.

But then again, I'm described as "very clean".  So yeah. I tend to jump down her throat about things that probably aren't that bad...but they're still weird fetishes that make some of us uncomfortable.

Amaterasu help me.

It kicked off with Dragonius the first on site with second to show up...Princess Ivianna.  Ivy to her friends.  Others arrived in tow.

The Commander and the others were fast at work to get things ready.

Dragonius had entered the square once more in his sacred robes and the special torch (nearly extinguished). Regina followed the draconian, eager to participate in her first Miranda celebration of this occasion. The two remaining Rainbow Wing members(Green and White) entered last, sharing a fruit basket with each other.

"A pleasure to see you once more, Princess Ivy."  Dragonius greeted.

"And with us on the same side is even better. Thanks for letting me come see this!"

I think we were getting used to seeing and hearing Regina so pleasant.  A lot of years of hatred had to melt away and this was her redemption story.

Rainbow Wing's white wyrmling had something to say to that.

"Sva gekip jaciv tiric ti tepoha ekess xihood zahae oprinqu docaric. (At least she does not have to worry about loose fires.)"

Your guess is as good as mine.

Volt finished up work on the magnetic harness.  He had both Dr. Lynx and Violet in a FaceTime conversation to get things done remotely.

"...indeed.  That's why the heavy EMF power cables, Vi.  The Magnetic Tether pole requires its own power supply.  It has to have enough energy to support a few metric tons.  The ball itself has its own self-contained power core hybrid.  And we've refined it together like a fine wine over the last 15 years. And of course...there's the security suite.  Which is CLASSIFIED by your and Sarge's orders.

The Commander finished up the final wiring and insulation.

Mitzi Mozzarella came up from the staircase doorway for the big reveal of her shimmering green sparkle gown and strappy stiletto-heel sandals. Her blond hair was dome up amazingly. The birthday girl looked AMAZING for a mouse hybrid.  At least so everyone told me.  But she'd be amazing even if she didn't dress up.

"Hi, everyone."

"Hi, Mitzi! I hope this will be amazing. I've heard so much about this from others!

"Coi asadsadavi ui. (It usually is.)"  The green wyrmling said.  She tended to be the smarter of the lot of Rainbow Wing's pentad.

"And thank you so much for letting me help! \*grins\*  When I got the call from a couple of your friends, I was couldn't wait to help out!"  Regina was ecstatic.  "I never thought that Ripper and Violet would think of me when you came up with this."

The Commander brought us back to the reality of the matter.  It was later than we'd thought.  But where was Violet?

"Alright, we're at the ten minute mark.  Everything good on your end, Dr. Lynx? ........copy that.  Okay, Violet, everything ready on-

"GERONO-BUNGAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!"

We all looked up in the sky to see it.

Princess Violet had jumped out of a jet on auto-pilot with her jet pack fired up.  Plus...she also seemed to have jumped with her laptop in hands and was still programming IN FREAKIN' MID AIR!?!

And also...her matrix code dress could probably be seen from space!

Okay.  Vi made me actually lose my nerve for a moment.  She really knows how to shake me up and make me lose my composure some times.

"Ripper thought of... By curiosity, what did you do?"  Dragonius asked Regina before turned to look up at Vi sailing down.

"Hi guuuuuuuuys!"

"Well, Violet helped set up the video chat... And Ripper gave me the details to-... Oh, here come his spare heavies now!"

The sound of several helicopters and a couple of tanks are heard...

"Can I make an entrance or WHAT?  Upload's almost complete, Nikki."

Wrong thing to say, Vi.

"It's NIKITA!!!"  Nikita's holographic head appeared right in front of Vi, threatening to bite her head off if she could.

"... If no one is piloting--"  Dragonius cocked his head.

Jacob Lavitz landed in the square, a pair of bat-like wings made of bones and membranes unforming, and merging with the back of his clothing.

You think you'll never get used to a shapeshifter change their body in ways that at first seems like body horror but...then you actually DO get used to it.

So...he's our king.  Or was our king.  Still is?   Well.  It's complicated.  Very complicated.

"Okay two minute mark."  Volt warned as the system powered up.

"Get ready everyone.  Shades down if you need them."  He added.

"I'm really glad I get to see one of these again."  Jacob commented.

And then we got to the countdown.

“ Last minute.”  Volt prompted before giving the confirmation.

“THE COUNDOWN BEGINS!”

\* 10 \*

\* 9 \*

\* 8 \*

\* 7 \*

\* 6 \*

\* 5 \*

\* 4 \*

\* 3 \*

\* 2 \*

\* 1 \*

**-=[HAPPY NEW YEAR MIRANDA CITY =2023=]=-**

The helicopters and tanks are soon seen... with no drivers on complete auto-pilot! They are readying their weapons at each other... Soon, they blast at each other with their weapons (excepting firing at the tanks), causing each aerial item to have a huge explosion mid-air!

One of the copters ended up crashing  into the ball, however, and many of the stored weapons caused it and the ball to be go sky high in the blast!... Might be a few days before landing...

"... Wow."  Regina uttered, though I'm not sure if it was more impressed by the display...or in shock that this had gone a little...awry...

Volt and Nikita took notice immediately.

The Commander's eyes threatened to pop out of his head and his jaw hit the pavement.

"... Even when not on site, the wolf manages to affect the New Year."  Dragonius' frustration was palpable at best.

The Commander sloooooowly  turned to Nikita's image.

"Well.  That was a 2-billion gold force field around the ball that went to waste."

"Small consolation: It'll keep the ball itself intact as well as it's highly charged reactor core untouched."  Nikita's eyebrow was twitching and I could see her teeth grinding and she was moments away from stamping that crystal-clear, strappy icepick sandal-clad foot in angry rhythm.

"Ummm..."  The green wyrmling looked a little freaked out.

"Commander...don't do anything rash--"

Volt took a moment to walk over to the wall of the staircase leading back down UCIAT headquarters.

Then he proceeded to bash his head against it for a good solid minute.

"Violet... Can you-... Mo, perhaps with you aiding his contacting Regina, it might not end up well. Perhaps, can you have me reach Chameleon? He... He will have to know the result."

It seemed Dragonius knew something we didn't.

"It's okay, boss.  I got my contingency plan ready ahead of time..."

Contingency plan?

"Okay, this is Vi.  Drop the payload.

\* Something is ejected from Vi's fighter jet still in the air on autopilot... \*

While we were all distracted with damage control...everyone else was enjoying the festivities.

Ivy smiled. "Did you imagine you'd be standing next to me during this, father?"

Jacob was just as enthralled.

"Are they always like this every year? That was spectacular!"  Regina tried not to think about our dilemma.

That was when we all heard it from above.  Muffled screaming.  A voice we recognized but wish we didn't.

As soon as he landed...

Al Dente was soon stuck to the magnetic tether.  And he was wrapped up in candy cane Christmas wrapping with a gag in his mouth...and a very big sign hanging around his neck that reads "I CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVERYTHING THAT WENT WRONG ON NEW YEAR'S!  HAHAHAH!  I DARE YOU TO SUE ME!"

...clever, Vi.  Clever.

Vi dusted off her hands.  "And scapegoat is a go."

"You are indeed a wise planner, Violet."  Dragonius said with an anime sweat drop.

Penelope realized the very big elephant in the room we were overlooking.

"....Wait a minute. We had the forcefield up.  ....That meant the blast would have been channeled.... Straight.... Down."

Oh god...how many floors did that explosion sear through if it managed to launch the ball up but force the blast down...!

Our Commander is going to explode when he sees it.

"....It's...not...helping.  All I know is it better miss the RAIDEN mk XIV by a mile or you're all going to want to take vacation time in the next......thirty seconds ago."

Oh yeah.  It would be WORSE than when the power grid was shut off by Walter Peck and the Storage Facility blew.  Much worse.

Jacob Lavitz put his arm around Ivy's shoulder, hugging her from the side.   "Every day is a blessing, and I'm not going to take them for granted.

Ivy smiled...then realized what the rest of us new about the New Year Ball.

"It's not coming back, is it?"  Ivy was among those looking up.

"I have two options.  The damages come out of everyone's salaries, collectively..."  Volt looked dismally down the hole....or out of one person's pocket for the ENTIRITY."

"... Yeah, I can explain that... Ripper suggested I get rid of some of my "personal past items" to help the show. He said you all had developed much better tech, so I added a few of the better ammo we no longer use... I guess it wasn't that tough."  Regina reluctantly fessed up, confirming what Dragonius already knew.

"It wouldn't be a Miranda new years if there wasn't some sort of ridiculous mistake."  Jacob shrugged.

"Ripper...used a third party...?  Volt stammered, eye twitching.  Completely broken by the fact that Ripper of all people had outsmarted us all.

"Nomagqe yth jalla xurwk wer ajikis kaldaka xikin wer rask. (Maybe we should make the wild wolf pay the bill.)"  The white wyrmling of Rainbow Wing suggested.

"Arlene is going to send someone to the stockades."  Volt's knees were wobbling and he was about ready to collapse on the spot.

"... I am sure Ripper will be paying a good deal once he finds the information."  Dragonius offered.

"Violet...get Kitty Dimitir over here ASAP and have her and accounting draw up the invoice. "  The Commander actually bared his fangs.

Vi was grinning like a loon.

"I can guarantee one thing... Chameleon will not be smiling."

"...Good news and bad news.  According to telemetric data, the ball is completely undamaged.  ...Unfortunately, it has also achieved low orbit."  Penelope reported as she got off the phone.

" Umm... Maybe we can count this as a New Year astronomical event?... Maybe?"

"As soon as Chameleon gets available in some form.  Make sure he knows just what his associate owes us.  And he better really hope that Galvan Enterprises doesn't take our company name out of their Rolodex and incinerate it.  I'm NOT going to explain to them how we lost solar fusion synchrotron."

Volt barked orders to our lab techs running around trying to get fire extinguishers and the lot to put out the flames.

"Do we need to get it back in one piece? Sounds expensive."  Jacob asked, not really understanding.

"And it took six months for Nikita to built it into that power core hybrid with the Affordable Robust Compact reactor frame...  Mostly because of having to synthesize a whole new chemical element."

Volt turned to Penelope.  "...yes, please do, Penny.  Please do."

"... May I ask you one favor after all of this?"  Dragonius inquired.

Volt took a moment to get his composure.

"Since you're completely absolved from any of Ripper's antics?  Name it."

"... Miss Destralli is a novice in the Miranda area. She seems to have thought she was doing the right thing for all of us under Ripper's instructions. Since this was her first New Year's Day here, might I ask that she be absolved of this from the UCI records?"  He asked.

"....I think you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone holding Regina responsible for this. It absolutely was a Ripper Special.  Penelope-Anne agreed.

Volt was surprisingly quick to be okay with those terms.

"Considering I don't want to endanger her ongoing probation?  Yeah, she can consider herself gifted a Get Out of Jail Free Card."

But...

"Ripper...he better hope that he does not pass go."

Volt crossed his arms and huffed.

That was when I made my presence known.  I'd gotten there from rooftop to rooftop with my advance class ninjas...and honestly I had a much harder challenge than them for one reason.

"Some things never change even though we've had several years in which we have been without incident."  I chuckled as I landed on the roof before our Commander and company.

I had made the trip across town in my own sparkling Jangese lavish New Year's kimono and strappy heels.  And I was wearing my favorite pink, metal kenseiken hair ornament.  Like a counterpart of Byakuya Kuchuki of the 13 court guard squad captains of the Soul Society.

It just looked so perfect in my groomed bangs.

"Thank you... I'm really, REALLY sorry I screwed all of this up. If you want, when that ball finally comes back down, I can help clean up any damage to it or the landing it makes."

Regina was quite appreciative.

"You're forgiven.  And you're a year wiser now.   The lesson being...next time Ripper suggests this: DON'T.  DO.  IT."

"Kagh coi geou qe spieka ekess ocuir batobot kaldaka itrewic torn waoli. (And it will be special to see that wolf get torn apart.)  The white wyrmling gloated.

"He might get a little buffer thanks to this."

Vi pointed her thumb at Al Dente...still hanging around...soiling himself while he struggled from hanging where he was magnetized to the magnetic tether pole.

"Yeah... I always heard he was an amazing driver and great with his vehicles."

One by one our collective eyes bugged out and we about choked on our drinks and food.

And then the entire UCIAT burst out laughing.

"That is partially true. Just... Not amazing in the way you might have expected.  Dragonius cringed.

"Oh he can drive...  ...He just can't park...or land...or safely dock a vehicle.

Vi saw the opportunity and jumped right in.

"Oh I've GOT to tell you how he first appeared in Miranda City..........by watering the Royal Garden with FALLING HELICOPTER PARTS."

And she went on and on...

"And Hestia's bakery certainly has a story to tell about a motorcycle stunt gone wrong...

...it ends with a meat cleaver.  Oh and flying a tank through the top floors of a sky scraper, wasn't it, Dragonius?

Remember the FIRST time he turned our New Year's ball into an orbital space rocket?"

Volt again turned to the wall...and pounded his head against it for another solid minute.

"Indeed... Or attempted to fly a fighter jet between the towers of a palace."  Dragonius followed up.

"... Wait. Those have actually happened?! I heard a couple from the troops before I switched sides! They were so crazy I thought they HAD to be made up!"  Regina was in shock.

I decided to close it out in my country's appropriate fashion:

"Akemashiteomedetougozaimasu, minna!!"(Happy new year, everyone!!)

"Happy new year, Bunnie. You wouldn't happen to have some glasses hidden somewhere, would you?"

"Glasses?"  I asked, a little coy.

Jacob Lavitz held up the bottle of brandy.

I smiled and let a pair of champagne chalices drop out of my flaring sleeves into my hands. I daintily handled them by the stems.

Ask and you shall receive.

"Care to join us?"

Jacob started pouring glasses.

"Delighted."

"You did your homework." Ivy said  with a smile. "How did you know what my favorite was?"

A momentary pause. "Thank you, Bunnie."

"I am permitted to have a small amount under my Order's rules. As long as I do not overindulge."  Dragonius confirmed.

"Anyway.  Anyone who hasn't wished Mitzi happy birthday, get in on it.  And get in on this cake I had made and the lime sherbet ice cream."  Gadget held up the cake as Pit showed off the lime sherbet ice cream.

"Good news, Commander.  The tungsten laminate mitigated a lot of the blast.  We still got some damages but they'll be addressed soon enough."

Finally things were starting to ease up on the Commander.  He didn't need the additional stress.

Dragonius 's torch ran out of fuel, the smoke from the extinguished flame coalesced gently into the air.

"I don't suppose there's been any comment from Queen Brooke?"  Volt asked.

"Still haven’t checked on the majesty thing. I think Haveraz might have some weird ceremonial title that I still hold, but i think it's just in name only."  Jacob scratched his head.

"It's one thing to get lucky one year and have her think that it was part of the show.  But are we really banking on lighting striking twice?"

"Just give her this piece of rotting meat and I'm sure we'll get minimal scary voice if she does call us out."

At that, Vi whacked Al Dente with a kendou stick.

\* Al Dente MUFFLED SCREAM \*

"Yeah...you know why ELSE you're being punished.> Something I can't say out in public unless I want to start a riot, you HORSE'S PATOOT!!!

Al whimpered.  But we could all tell those tears were about as fake as a cubic zirconium.

Dragonius pondered: "I do wonder if she does actually know how often these occur and secretly enjoys these moments, as long as they remain unharmful to the public who view them..."

"Anyway..."  Gadget sweat dropped.  "Here's to an exciting new year?"

"Agreed."  I nodded.

A long pause before the Commander finally said.  "Sure.  It'll be great."

Now.  If only Madam Fate wouldn't make a liar out of us.

Come on, New Year.  Don't let us down.

> -----From the Personal Diary Scrolls of Grand Master Bunnie (Translated From Jangese) ---
>
>

## Sub-Entry 281:  "Perspective, Part I: The Return; From Our Eyes"

In an unconventional and unorthodox move...I will now transfer this log back to our Commander's care as...anything I say beyond this point won't do it justice.

Let this come from his point of view as it will have the most impact on this account of the story.

So...I bid these journal entries sayonara.  For now.  But perhaps I will take up the pen another time in the future.  On that note...take it away, Commander.

> --RECOVERED DATA FROM THE RESEARCH LOGS OF RETIRED SPACE TIME CONTINUUM (STC) AGENCY FIELD AGENT AND FOUNDER, DR. VOLT ALESSANDRO ARCADE--
>
>

Holy schnikees.  Do I ever remember HOW to write one of these things?

Here goes.

So...here I am.

I'm a total wreck.  And my best friend came back to me after I had tortured myself for so long and passive-aggressively vented on my team.

What do I even do?

What do I even say?

He looks...so grown-up.

He looks so amazing.  So put together.  He's...grown up and matured without me into full adulthood.  Not...fresh-out-of-college, not wet-behind the year.  He's his own man, now.

And I worried for nothing.

And now...here I am...

What must he think of me!?

How badly am I letting him down?

All I can do is cry.  On hands and knees and--

Wait...he's approaching.

What is he...?

"Volt. You remember. I understand. It wasn't my fault. You were right. It wasn't what Chara wanted. And...it took me some time to realize it wasn't what I wanted either.

I'm glad. I'm glad I trusted you. I'm glad I took your hand and followed you out of Gaster's space.

Now...it's your turn."

He's...reaching out to me.  He's...offering to help me up?

And for Petri's sake...he's quoting All-Might.  His first words to me...and he's brought it full circle.  Back to that day...that day we met.

I'm going to overflow.

Just like him back then...I was hesitating.  I expected him to worry that maybe I wouldn't.  I was actually...starting to wonder if I shouldn't.

"Come on.  You don't want to be a failure, do you?"

Thank you, Azzy.  That was brutally honest.  And necessary.

"I mean you just can't give up on yourself or I'm going to have to owe Chara a whole 5 gold."

Amusing.  But really.  Money?  Not the way to motivate me.

"For no other reason than to be the one to reach out and take a chance...find what was lost.  Reforge our bond."

Doing better.  But...something just...wasn't there--

"Remember.  Before he became corrupt.  When he was young, impressionable.  When he idolized you.  Before the Council turned him into a monster?  His eyes shown with kindness.  He was your first best true friend.  Before me.  Sure the UCIAT were the first and your longest-lasting but he was the one who wanted to BE you.

Volt.  I'm daring to casually speak of him.  Because even I know he wasn't always like he was before Gaster sealed him away."

Going right for the heart, Azzy.

"To quote someone very wise...this isn't what he'd want."

The longest of hesitations.

Then he felt my hand wrap around his.  And I uttered only one thing as I was pulled up and into the manliest of bro-grips.

"That's a good point, Azzy--"  Was all I got out before I completely broke and threw my arms around him, clutched him and cried on his shoulder, wailing absolute buckets of tears.

"Shhhhhhhh.  It's okay.  Cry out whatever you need to.  There's nobody here.  There's nobody watching.  It's just us."

He was telling a blatant lie.  But it was what I needed to hear.

No one among the crowd was speaking a word.  I think Brooke had made it VERY clear not to even breathe hard and spoil the moment.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too, man.  I missed you, too."

A long pause.

"I don't--"

"--want to let go.  Where have I heard that before?"  Asriel was sly but sincere.

"I...I'm so sorry."

"For what?  You've done nothing wrong."

"But you...you're so--"

"Hey.  Just because I'm not showing it, doesn't mean I'm broken up inside, too.  I...guess I just..."

"Dealt with it so much better."

"Yeah.  I didn't want to put it that way but...you've had a rough time.  I'm not going to poke the bear."

"You're too good for us, Azzy."

"No.  I'm just good.  That's all.  Not great, not fabulous, not spectacular.  I just decide to be good.  And from there it is what it is."

I just sniffled.

"Hey...we're going to have to break this man-hug or it's going to get weird."

"Oh...s-sorry."

I stepped back.

"Man...where do I start?"

"Where do I start!?"

"Why don't you ask the questions you want to more than any."

"Asriel.  I...thought I'd never see you again.  How...?"

"You taught me all of your secrets...all of your science...you showed me the ways of the universe.  And then I made up my mind.  I made up my mind to be the prince of everyone's future.

From there...I taught.  They learned.  We built.  We progressed.  And we hoped.  We dreamed.  We wished.  Now...we finally made that wish come true.  It took...so much research...so many resources.  So much cooperation.  But on this day...I vowed to change the world.  By bringing ours both together.

Then...then I'd go back to where it began.  Maybe not to the very beginning of the timeline...but definitely...back to where I stopped wanting to die...and to when I started living."

His speeches are still as epic as ever.  How?  How is he this amazing?

"There's a lot more I want to tell you."

"I can only imagine."

A long pause from both of us as he looked me over.

"Hey."

"Azzy?"

"I...hope you don't mind but...I got you a present.  I was going to give it to you in November but...we didn't quite make it here in time so...consider it a Christmas Present, maybe?

He reached into his jacket...

...and pulled out a very nice...tie.

A necktie...he...he got me a necktie.  It's such a...Father's Day gift but...

But...

I was starting to tear up again.

"Allow me."  He said as he reached over and buttoned up my collar and lifted it up before draping the tie over...then actually taking the time to tie it in a pretty nice Windsor knot.

He finished by tightening it and tucking it down, between my shirt and gi jacket before brushing me up a bit to smooth the wrinkles and get it straightened.

"There.  I'm thinking you're back."  He stepped back to admire my appearance.

"Yeah.  You're definitely back."

Excusing the John Wick quote...he knew just what to say to me.

I felt it deep inside.  Something dormant and broken was putting itself back together...coming back alive...and turning very warm.

I was remembering.

This was Lady Destiny's big play.  And she just shoved it down Madam Fate's throat.

"My friend...it's good to have you back.  It's good to have the REAL you back."

"Yeah...good to be back."

We just stood there for a moment...before we yanked each other into the longest, manliest of bro-hugs and just squeezed each other tight and felt that friendship rekindle.

It wasn't that it had died or faded.  It was just on the shelf...it was just separated by distance...and time.

There were no hard feelings...there never were.  This was the situation...and the bridge had finally been crossed.  This was the wish.  His wish. My wish.  Our wish.

Wishes really did come true.

"So.   You...just visiting or--"

"Now, Volt.  I came a long way just to drop by and say hi.  Nah.  You don't really get what this is, yet.  Right?  It's not a drop by and say hello.  And I'm not moving back here permanently.

No, my friend.

This what you call...living in two worlds.  This is me finally having it all.

The gate between worlds is now open.

It'll take time for us to...recalibrate and move the gateway to a more suitable transit location on this world...can't have it in the middle of the square between shops and blocking the view of the palace and all...but yeah...

Volt.   We're neighbors.  Now and forever."

It really set in what he was trying to convey.  And...I think I got the full magnitude of it.

Our worlds were joined.   Two were now one.  Asriel could come and go as he pleased.

"But...we'll...still have to get some legal and other issues resolved with the Miranda Government...and...I'm pretty sure the world's going to know very fast about this..."

Asriel waved to Prisma and Wrench, still filming it live.

"Yet...I think this is the start of something really big and life-changing for all of us."

"Yeah...yeah, you're right."

"And the thing we can all remember is...we're not alone, anymore."

I actually managed to smile.

"Speaking of not alone...I hope you didn't think I was the only one coming on over."

"Asriel?"

Azzy already had his cell phone out and has speed-dialed someone.

"Okay, you two can come on over.  And bring..."them"...with you, too."

"...them?"  I cocked my head as Asriel turned back to the portal and waited with a big grin.

"Asriel...who...?"

And I would get my answer quickly.

But how was I to know that Asriel was already documenting this day in his own journal?

> --RETRIEVED UPDATE OF THE ONLINE PERSONAL JOURNAL OF ASRIEL TOBIAS DREEMURR-ARCADE, "AZZY"--
>
>

## Sub-Entry 282: "Perspective, Part II: The Return; From His Eyes":

It has...been a long time since I opened up my old journal.  Last time I did was...back in Undertale, where I found myself and my birth home.  I found my people.  I found my family.  I found my true love.

I can only imagine what kind of confusion this is probably going to cause in his dossier, I'm sure is labeled "Project: Lost Dreemurr FINAL"...but...

...I might as well start with a flashback and tell the story from my point of view, leading up to this moment.

It actually started years back not long after I first successfully opened a portal back to VGM-098...

"...another gateway failure?"

"Yeah.  Sorry, your highness."

"Alphys...please.  No royal titles.  We've talked about this."

"S-Sorry."

"We have the coordinates right but we just can't--"

"I know what the problem is."  I cut in.

"Y-y-you do?"

"I do.  And it's entirely an issue of magic."

"Is that that cause?  W-well, we can r-retrofit the gate to m-make use of our natural magic mantra--"

"No.  That won't work.  As much as we've come leaps and bounds with combining our magic with our science...the issue is compatibility."

"Excuse me?"

"Alphys, you remember when I explained to you why I no longer have magic.  Why I'm the only citizen of Undertale who doesn't?  Why I'm not even technically a Monster anymore.  I'm a Zoanthro Sapien.  I'm like they are."

"Oh...then...?"

"Their world has just as much magic as us but...it's not the same AS ours.  It's different.  It's not compatible.  It actually rejects our magic and...well to be perfectly blunt, on their world our magic leaks out and disperses...dissipates...becomes inert.  And...that endangers our existence as Monsters.  Not all of us can take in...the "stuff" of their world at the same rate I did.  I was a fluke.

If this were to be repeated with the rest of you...over time all of your magic will leak out and--"

"I see.  M-monsters are made of love and magic and...without one of the other we can't......"

Alphys looked down at her wrist at the curious watch-like device she was wearing.  Everyone else in the lab was wearing one, too.  In fact...

...all throughout our world, Monsters were issued one.  Why?  I'll...explain in due time.

"The real issue...is that we weren't the only world with a Magic Barrier.  For us...it was meant to keep us in.  As our prison inside Ebott.

But for them...they have a barrier called the Paling.  It's to keep extraplanar entities out.  Demons, Devils, Fiends...intruders...evil beings out of Miranda City.  Off of Fontraile.  Queen Brooke could tell you stories of keeping her...father away.  Their similarities to Raven and Trigon are more than coincidental, I can tell you.

The point is...it keeps out intruders of all sorts.  Indiscriminately.  Only those with the special technomancy cypher are even afforded entry to and from their world."  I paced, rubbing my chin.  I was considering growing a beard like Dad but...maybe I'll just let it be a small goatee.  Heheheh...goat-tee."

Alphys sweat dropped at the pun.

"Everything Volt has ever used...from his Emergency Recall in his STC bracer allllll the way back in my original timeline as it was self-destructing...to the Delorean, the Jules-Verne Train, the EPOCH, the Bill & Ted Phone Booths...every method they had of arriving on our world or any other required a Paling Cypher.  Imbued by Brooke or one of the Mage Academy.  It's always been that way.  Volt's kept this detail out of his logs because...well...he always worried they'd end up in the wrong hands."

I felt the shadow of what anyone would call out as a "retcon" having used the phrase "it's always been...".  But no.  I'm pretty sure if this were a retcon of the rules of our worlds I'd know about it...right?

I mean...did...Destiny and Fate's rewrites to all of us go that deep?

My gosh...that's a real possibility.  I mean...isn't that the essence of rewriting reality?  It's not just the world that changes...you change with it, too.

Though...without asking our unseen author, whoever they may be...how would any of us EVER know if it was always this way...or just a convenient retcon.

Seriously, Azzy.  Get your head out of the clouds and stop gaslighting yourself with meta-existence quandaries.  You may never know the answer to this.  And Volt probably never will, either.

I tented my hands as I sat down at the computer desk.

"When they let me return home here to Undertale...Volt and I agreed that after deactivating my Bracer's STC functions...just leaving the Unitrix and a few features...I'd also have to give up my Paling Cypher.  As much as that didn't make sense to either of us?  It was a test of our will-power.  Our self-control.  Our need to stick to our paths and explore our separate destinies without feeling temptation.  Without looking over our shoulder toward the past all the time and feeling like living our lives without each other was an obligation.

In short.  We both decided we wanted to commit to the pursuit of our hopes and dreams.  We had to believe that this was what we wanted for ourselves.  I chose to come back here on a journey of self-discovery; with every intent that it was only a temporary journey.  That I'd find a way back.

And I'm sure Volt had every temptation to...visit even once.

I can't fault him for not dropping by.  I can't fault him for moving on.  He's his own man.  I'm my own man.

There's some wisdom that applies best here:

“I don’t cry because we’ve been separated by distance, and for a matter of years. Why? Because for as long as we share the same sky and breathe the same air, we’re still together.” — Donna Lynn Hope

Granted that wasn't the one I was searching for but...giving my history of being a bit of a crybaby...maybe it's the one he need to hear right now.

Well...I better get along now and tell him what he needs to hear.

I have this feeling...he's not in a good place.  I can't explain it.  But...I know Madam Fate too well.  She'd get to him before she ever tried anything we me.  I think she knew that I wasn't as easy, now, to manipulate as I was then.

Now that I knew the score of this Ultimate Game of Good and Evil...I knew a trick or two for turning it on its ear when the Goddess of Pain, Suffering, Chaos, and Discord intended to use me as her tool to get to him...or just to see my own pain and suffering.

I've dragged this contemplation out long enough.

Let's make a statement, shall we?

"Be careful out there, my little angel."  Mom's sudden hug took me surprise.

"Hey.  I make it a habit not to look for trouble.  I'll be careful.  It's going to be fine, I promise."

Something about that word...promise...rang differently with her now.  I think...she knew that I intended to keep my word.  And nothing in this universe was going to stop me from doing so.

"Oh!  Azzy!  You forgot the item!"

Frisk handed me something.

"Yeah.  Can't forget this."  I quickly stowed it in my jacket's inner pocket.  "He's going to need it."

I turned toward the murder flower.

"You know there's still time for you to back out...you did say--"

"Pth.  Just get on with it.  I'm going with the kid."

"Don't tell me you don't prefer my company, Azzy-Flower."

"DAH!  I told you never to call me that, "Chara"."

"The way you say that name you treat me like I'm a fake or something."

"And you of all people act like you don't understand why!?"

"I'm just messing with you.  But if you REALLY long for your original best friend--"

"Don't you dare threaten to toss me into the VOID with Gaster!"

"I wouldn't do that.  Besides. It would mean sharing a prison null space with.....him."

That made Flowey very afraid.  I could see the fear PIERCE through his eyes and the memories traumatize him all over again.

"No no no no no no no no no no!!!"

He thrashed about like he was trying to get out of his own pot but not really making an effort.  I knew he could have pulled himself out and disappeared any time he wanted...that's how he escaped Alphys' lab originally...

Really...he was just throwing a tantrum.

"I'll signal you from the other side when it's time to come on over.  Okay?  You girls and the rabites and Mr. Grumpy-grump here...

...then the parents and everyone else in hopefully a controlled, orderly manner.  But you know what they say about plans."

"That everybody has em' until they're punched in the face, squirt?"  Undyne cut in.

"That's the one."  I shrugged and rolled my eyes.

"Just TRY and keep some kind of order to these.  If everyone just charges through in a mob, we're going to start a panic.  Heck, we already are if the same weird stuff is going on over there that's kicking up over here."

"Yeah..."  Frisk looked over her shoulder at the weird air currents and weather patterns in very precise, but very random patches.  And of course...the micro-glitches that Volt warned me about.

Even though we broke the HUD and RESET code and such...I felt like our world still had that pseudo software interlaced with its very existence.  Something that happened when the goddesses "imported" our world in the UltraVerse, creating yet another of an infinite number of copies...infinite number of timelines...all spread out across its own AU cubes...even outside of the UltraVerse in other "author'-generated" variants like SwapTale and UnderFell.

Maybe...it's remnant of Undertale Prime; created by that...higher power out that there that still sends that Annoying Dog to be his...her...their avatar.

"Wish me luck, everybody!"  I waved to the crowd.  The cheers went up and choruses of "good luck" overlapped one another.

I turned.  I took a deep breath.  And I smiled.  My eyes totally dry.  There would be time to cry another day.

Now?

It was put one foot in front of the other.  And repeat.

I approached, putting my hands in my pockets.

I wanted Spot to ride, rabite-head style back but...I felt like I wanted it to be one-on-one.  Don't worry, little buddy.  You're in good hands with Frisk until it's her turn to come on over.

As I got closer, I could hear the muffled sounds on the other side.

Yeah.  There was a bit of panic.  There was probably a huge crowd...

My adopted family was probably all front and center.  My teachers.  My friends.

And him.

He was there.  I just knew it.

Nothing left to do but go to him.

I kept my eyes open as I reached the portal; the six seals, slowly opening up; each like a camera iris.

At least the sixth seal had opened and behold there was a great equalizing of dimensional spaces.

And the weather and phenomenon churned to a halt and there grew a stillness.

An unknown....wave of energy...possibly magic washed out of the gate through us.

Alphys had confirmed, once on our world that energy flux would go inert, eventually.  It was just incompatible with our world.

And all the while our energies would flow into theirs...and dissipate.

Somewhere in the middle...they'd form a dimensional meniscus.  A sort of two-way air-bubble that kept our worlds separate even though they were cracked open between one another.

Like an air lock.  A very simplified if not reduced air-lock.  Though an actual airlock needed two gates and a chamber between them to serve as intermediary.  This was more like...a safety valve than an airlock.

This was making me remember those episodes of Stargate SG-1 with R.D.A.  That guy who kind of looks like MacGyver...wink, wink.

I could feel my fur stand up as I was within touching distance.

If this had been a new experience to me I'd try to feel the energy...run my hand across it...experiment with it.

But, no.  This was familiar.

I was absolutely sure this would work.

Now.  I prove it.

I stepped forward, my foot crossing into the event horizon...and then the rest of my followed as I immersed myself into it.

It was kind of like a swimming pool...turned sideways.  Where gravity had turned 90 degrees.  And I was walking through the surface into the beyond.

From there...space-time just kind of did its thing.

It was calming.  It felt nothing like you would expect this much intense energy to feel like.

It was...normal.  In fact it felt greater than normal.  Once you experienced this sensation...it was like everything behind you felt weird.  It felt like a safe place.  A comfortable place.

And then it was over...

...and I felt the air...the climate...everything felt like I just left it...but not the same somehow.

It was...as though my soul knew I was no longer in Undertale.

I recognized this state of...existing.  It was a long, quiet memory.  It was what it felt like to be back in Miranda City.  Even though I didn't have a drop of magic left in me...I still sensed the difference.

It kind of reminded me of what Max "Electro" Dillon said:  "The power...it feels different here." during No Way Home.

As accurate as any movie quote.

My eyes readjusted in microseconds.  But my brain didn't process the image before my heart did.  It was what I saw.

I saw him.

He was there.

Just as I had thought.

And true to my suspicions...he was not looking too great.  Had...my absence really been so harsh on him?

A part of me felt awful because I came out smelling like rose.....darn it, I was trying to avoid that flower metaphor...ahem.

I came out untarnished after the years apart.

And here he was...falling apart.

There was temptation to ask him "Yo, what happened!?"  But hat would be rude.

Of course I wanted to blame Madam Fate.  In all likelihood she was the majority of the blame.

But truth be told...it was a situation that couldn't be helped.  He was who he was and he just...got emotionally invested in what was another STC assignment gone off the rails...in which he chose to do things his way.  And the relationships he rekindled...and forged for the first time (like with me) often overtook his logical judgement.  He spoke with his heart.  He acted with his heart.  I could never fault him for that.  He was a good man.

And you know what?  He could still be.  If I just showed him the way.

I knew just what to say.

"Volt. You remember. I understand. It wasn't my fault. You were right. It wasn't what Chara wanted. And...it took me some time to realize it wasn't what I wanted either.

I'm glad. I'm glad I trusted you. I'm glad I took your hand and followed you out of Gaster's space.

Now...it's your turn."

He was hesitating.  This was just how it played back then, with the roles reversed.

Okay.

How do I want to play this?

How about...the Real Genius reversal?  I was Mitch Tailor.  He'd be Chris Knight.

"Come on.  You don't want to be a failure, do you?"

His eyes fell.

That was a harsh stinger.  It was mean but I had to make sure I got his attention.  He needed his friend to be brutally honest.

"I mean you just can't give up on yourself or I'm going to have to owe Chara a whole 5 gold."

Okay we DID have a bet going on.  I wasn't going to use that but...y'know.  He need a bit of levity to come off that nasty jab.

Okay.  Now for the sincere angle.

"For no other reason than to be the one to reach out and take a chance...find what was lost.  Reforge our bond."

Doing better.  But...something just...wasn't there--

Wait.

I got it.

Yes...go back.

Remind him you weren't the first.

Then go back to the beginning.

"Remember.  Before he became corrupt.  When he was young, impressionable.  When he idolized you.  Before the Council turned him into a monster?  His eyes shown with kindness.  He was your first best true friend.  Before me.  Sure the UCIAT were the first and your longest-lasting but he was the one who wanted to BE you.

Volt.  I'm daring to casually speak of him.  Because even I know he wasn't always like he was before Gaster sealed him away."

"To quote someone very wise...this isn't what he'd want."

The longest of hesitations.  As I expected.

There was... the smallest of doubts he wouldn't take my hand.

But I pushed it away.

I would have 100% confidence in my friend.

Come on, Volt.

Then I felt his hand wrap around his.  And he uttered only one thing as I pulled him up in what I HOPED was the manliest of bro-grips.

"That's a good point, Azzy--"  Was all he got out before he completely broke and threw his arms around me, clutched me tight, and cried on my shoulder, wailing absolute buckets of tears.

"Shhhhhhhh.  It's okay.  Cry out whatever you need to.  There's nobody here.  There's nobody watching.  It's just us."

A like, I know.  But it was what he needed to hear.

No one among the crowd was speaking a word.  I think Brooke had made it VERY clear not to even breathe hard and spoil the moment.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too, man.  I missed you, too."

A long pause.

"I don't--"

"--want to let go.  Where have I heard that before?"  Asriel was sly but sincere.

"I...I'm so sorry."

"For what?  You've done nothing wrong."

"But you...you're so--"

"Hey.  Just because I'm not showing it, doesn't mean I'm broken up inside, too.  I...guess I just..."

"Dealt with it so much better."

"Yeah.  I didn't want to put it that way but...you've had a rough time.  I'm not going to poke the bear."

"You're too good for us, Azzy."

"No.  I'm just good.  That's all.  Not great, not fabulous, not spectacular.  I just decide to be good.  And from there it is what it is."

He just sniffled.

"Hey...we're going to have to break this man-hug or it's going to get weird."

"Oh...s-sorry."

He stepped back.

"Man...where do I start?"

"Where do I start!?"

"Why don't you ask the questions you want to more than any."

"Asriel.  I...thought I'd never see you again.  How...?"

I smiled.

"You taught me all of your secrets...all of your science...you showed me the ways of the universe.  And then I made up my mind.  I made up my mind to be the prince of everyone's future.

From there...I taught.  They learned.  We built.  We progressed.  And we hoped.  We dreamed.  We wished.  Now...we finally made that wish come true.  It took...so much research...so many resources.  So much cooperation.  But on this day...I vowed to change the world.  By bringing ours both together.

Then...then I'd go back to where it began.  Maybe not to the very beginning of the timeline...but definitely...back to where I stopped wanting to die...and to when I started living."

I think I still got it when it came to speeches.

"There's a lot more I want to tell you."

"I can only imagine."

A long pause from both of us as I had a good look at him.  Wow...he really let himself go.

At this rate his sandal straps are going to snap from wear and neglect. .  And Bunnie told me that was a bad omen in Jang.

I was surprised his clothes weren't torn.  They were a little...ripe but...y'know

Then I remembered what Frisk entrusted to me.

"Hey."

"Azzy?"

"I...hope you don't mind but...I got you a present.  I was going to give it to you in November but...we didn't quite make it here in time so...consider it a Christmas Present, maybe?

I reached into my jacket...

...and pulled out the perfect tie.

It felt  more like...I should be giving this to dad...either of them; Asgore or Scott.

"Allow me."  I said as he reached over and buttoned up his collar and lifted it up before draping the tie over.

The knot was simple but elegant.  And in the end...

I finished by tightening it and tucking it down, between the shirt and gi jacket before grooming the overall appearance to some semblance of neat.

"There.  I'm thinking you're back."  I stepped back to admire his appearance.

"Yeah.  You're definitely back."

Okay, I did use a John Wick quote.

Something changed in his eyes.  Something was alive again.

He  was remembering.

This was Lady Destiny's big play.  Pretty cool, wasn't it?  Heroes shouldn't gloat but.  This was a good moment..

"My friend...it's good to have you back.  It's good to have the REAL you back."

"Yeah...good to be back."

We just stood there for a moment...before we yanked each other into the longest, manliest of bro-hugs and just squeezed each other tight and felt that friendship rekindle.

It wasn't that it had died or faded.  It was just on the shelf...it was just separated by distance...and time.

There were no hard feelings...there never were.  This was the situation...and the bridge had finally been crossed.  This was the wish.  His wish. My wish.  Our wish.

Wishes really did come true.

"So.   You...just visiting or--"

He had questions.  I had answers.

"Now, Volt.  I came a long way just to drop by and say hi.  Nah.  You don't really get what this is, yet.  Right?  It's not a drop by and say hello.  And I'm not moving back here permanently.

No, my friend.

This what you call...living in two worlds.  This is me finally having it all.

The gate between worlds is now open.

It'll take time for us to...recalibrate and move the gateway to a more suitable transit location on this world...can't have it in the middle of the square between shops and blocking the view of the palace and all...but yeah...

Volt.   We're neighbors.  Now and forever."

I'd only recently come to grips what I intended to accomplish.  And...I think he got the full magnitude of it.

Our worlds were joined.   Two were now one.  My people and I were free to go back and forth without restriction.

"But...we'll...still have to get some legal and other issues resolved with the Miranda Government...and...I'm pretty sure the world's going to know very fast about this..."

I waved to Prisma and Wrench, still filming it live.  What a show this must be.

"Yet...I think this is the start of something really big and life-changing for all of us."

"Yeah...yeah, you're right."

"And the thing we can all remember is...we're not alone, anymore."

He actually managed to smile.

Let's go to the next step.

"Speaking of not alone...I hope you didn't think I was the only one coming on over."

"Asriel?"

I pulled out my cell phone and speed-dialed Frisk and Chara.

"Okay, you two can come on over.  And bring..."them"...with you, too."

"...them?"  I cocked my head as Asriel turned back to the portal and waited with a big grin.

"Asriel...who...?"

And he would get my answer quickly.

I wonder if he knew I'd been documenting this for so long.

Our notes would intersect at this point, in all probability.

As much as I'd like to continue on this...maybe a day will come I can add to my journal again.

Well.  Let's turn this back over to Volt.  Hope it's not getting too confusing.

But I think it's going to be all him from here.  And I'm sure his data logs are long overdue for an update.

> --RECOVERED DATA FROM THE RESEARCH LOGS OF RETIRED SPACE TIME CONTINUUM (STC) AGENCY FIELD AGENT AND FOUNDER, DR. VOLT ALESSANDRO ARCADE--
>
>

## Sub-Entry 283: "Reunion...er...Reunions (Plural)":

As he pointed sure enough, there were two ripples in the portal; it was still open.

I was...at a loss to say anything when I had a million things in my head I wanted to just get out.

Two human shapes...then...form.  Then identities revealed.

"Frisk."  I caught sight of the 8th child first...with Spot perched on her right shoulder...and another rabite perched on the left...and she was carrying a flower pot--

My eyes widened at the little yellow murder flower, trying unsuccessfully to look away from us.  There was so much all around it was impossible for him to tune out.

The other human?

I quickly recognized the Gigai body.  It...hadn't been updated so...yeah, she was the same as when I last laid eyes on her.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Hey, yourself, crybaby."

"Still with that nickname, sis."

"C'mon.  Be nice."

Flowey on the other hand just grumbled.

Frisk walked over, shifted Flowey to one arm, cradling him gently while extending her right hand.  Asriel reached out and accepted the and bent down and kissed the back of it.  Frisk smiled brightly.

"Well.  What can I say?  The moment's arrived."

"It finally has."

As soon as Asriel backed up...I saw it.  On Frisk's finger.

An engagement ring.

Oh.  My.  Gods.  And Goddesses.

I looked at Asriel with misty, swelling eyes.

"We're not married yet but...I think you know what the both of us are going to ask."

I nodded, still sniffling.

"Hey, pointy-ears.  I still welcome in town?"

"That's...really Queen Brooke's call but...I think your parole period is up.  You've got a clean slate and I'm not sure anyone would recognize you in that Gigai body."

"Well then.  I'll keep my nose clean, Doc."

I turned back to Azzy.

"You...still have Spot, I see."

"He's been my anchor and wingman."

"And he's got a friend--"  I broke off when I made the connection to Brooke's report.

And then all eyes were on Flowey.

"......."

Just the longest staring contest.  I could tell he was pissed at me.  Maybe 90 percent so at me and 10 percent at Lupe.  I could tell he was giving her brief cold glances in between burning a hole in me.

"You want me to say it, already?"  He snarled.

"Flowey.  Nobody forced you into this."  Frisk scolded.

"Tch!  He didn't need to know that!!!"  Flowey snapped back at her.

"Flowey..."  I couldn't think of anything to say.

"You got what you wanted, Arcade.  I'm here.  It's all coming up you, isn't it?  It's all about you.  The damn goat wouldn't shut up about you."

"You know we can toss you back any time you want...or any time we FEEL LIKE IT."  Chara got down really close to Flowey.

""D...D-Don't threaten me with the c-crap again, Chara!  You're not even--"

"Yeah, yeah.  I'm not YOUR Chara.  At least this version of you.  You still haven't come to grips with which timeline you belong to.  Ours or--"

"The one she reset?"  Flowey looked up at Frisk, narrowing his eyes.

"Hey, come on.  I warned you about throwing that back in her face."  Asriel reached over and gently thumped Flowey on the head with his index and middle fingers.

"GAAARGH!  You wouldn't be so tough if--"

"I'm not doing it to be mean.  I'm doing it to remind you that no one's above the consequences when they do wrong."

"Learn that lesson, Azzy Junior."  Chara taunted.

All I could do was blink...blink at this seasoned dynamic.  One unusual family bantering back and forth.  And here they were like no time had passed between our last meeting.

I felt like a third...no fourth...fifth...a sixth......no, seventh wheel in all this.  Two rabites, two humans (one technically a Soul Reaper), a goat and a murder flower.

Why does it always come down to seven?

"Uh..."

"Oh.  Uh...sorry to leave you out of this, Volt.

"But...why--"

"It's simple, Volt.  After I went back home...I learned how to make promises again.  And...now I'm getting the chance to keep them.  Good ones."

"Promises?"

"Yeah.  One of them...was that I'd show the people I love and respect the world I was brought up in.  My second home so to speak.  And if we're going to be neighbors now...we might as well ask if we can take the grand tour."

"In due time.  We're....going to have to have a nice long sit-down with Brooke.  And you have kind of caused a bit of a stir around here the last few weeks."

"Yeah...that's on me.  There weren't many work-arounds for not having a Paling Key."

"So...how...?"

"Violet method.   Alphys and I hacked it.  We got Gerson Boom to figure out how to combine our science with ancient runic magic until we came up with something that could interact with the Paling, even if it was incompatible.  Essentially using a "fing-longer"  to turn the TV on without a remote.

"Clever goat."

"And of course I couldn't complete the big day...without one of these..."

Asriel reached into his pocket...and pulled out a 75 ohm to 300 ohm transformer.

"Respect for the devil's pitchforks. “he pointed to the metal prongs."

In that moment...I was stunned.

And then...it all just...popped.

And all I could do...was laugh.

And Asriel joined me in that laugh.

"Azzy...you...are so amazing.  You've surpassed me in every way."

"Nah.  I'll just settle for equaled you.  Better to stand on equal ground than living in the shadow of one or cast that shadow yourself."

"Wise beyond your years."

"Oh please...get a room."  Flowey crossed his arms.

"Dorkus ficus."  Chara sniped.

"Walking corpse."  Flowey hissed back.

"Children.  Behave before I separate you."  Frisk scolded.

"So...I already know Spot.  And who's this little gu--"

"Gal.  Her name is Candi Cane."

"Candi...Cane?  Oh, that is such a Frisk name for a rabite that looks like the embodiment of Christmas."

"Didn't I say, that Frisk is really something else?"

"Yeah...in more than one timeline."

A hesitation.

"I know what you want to ask.  And really.  Hyperdeath and I have come to a balance.  And...he really doesn't have much to do or say deep within.  He...just wants to sleep.  I think...weirdly enough...he misses--"

"Being Flowey...or rather...being ACTUAL Hyperdeath and not...whatever..."

"I...understand.  Adonis did...a lot of things that I still don't understand.  What effect it had on you.  On other timeline versions of you."

"In time maybe we'll have our answers but...for now.  Let's rest on our laurels while we can rest.  Let's...let's go toward that new golden era.  That future we promised both our people."

"Sounds...sounds good."

I think we got that that squared away.

Now came the next issue to ask about.

## Sub-Entry 284: "Frisk and Asriel Have Been Engaged For How Long Now?"

"You know...I think it's time I met up with the rest of my friends and family.  You want to meet them all over again?"

"I'd like that."

"What the hey.  Might be interesting."

All eyes on Flowey.

"Peh.  Fine."

"Come on, Volt.  Re-introduce us.  In the order I met them those nights and days, if you can."

"Whatever you want, Azzy."  I smiled, finally trying to find the old me inside me...trying to get myself back to calm and composed...and...hopefully my eyes would dry a bit after the longest of cries.

Bunnie smiled as we approached.

"You have aged.  And yet you have plenty burdens still weighing on you.  But you wear them with pride.  You welcome them."

"Yes.  But I see them not as burdens, but rather responsibilities, sensei."

"So.  Now that Volt has accomplished what he set out to do...in the name of peace and sanity..."

"Then maybe his war with himself can finally rest, Bunnie."

"Yes."

So they were going to speak casually about me with me standing there, listening?

"So.  May haps we find those places.  Those places where... the sky is burning, the sea is asleep, and the rivers dream.  People made of smoke and cities made of song.  Somewhere there is danger, somewhere there is injustice..."

Asriel smirked.

"And...let us not let the tea get cold."  He suddenly produced a tray of wooden cups with hot, green herbal tea.....from his own anime subspace pocket?

It was the first time I remembered seeing Bunnie with a closed-eyes, anime smile.  That cliche face they somehow made but couldn't be explained.

"Arigato, Asriel-kun."  Bunnie accepted a cup with both hands and bowed her head.

"Finally.  I can actually enjoy the tea and not have any worries if my body can actually ingest "real food" in lieu of Monster Food.

"Wait long enough and mistakes can correct themselves."  Bunnie patted him on the shoulder as he stowed the tray once most of us had a cup of our own to drink.  Flowey of course turned it down out of protest, insisting that he didn't drink the strained roots of his brethren...or something.

"Your loss."  Chara taunted.

"Hmm."  Dr. Lynx arched an eyebrow as Asriel approached her.

"Everyone.  Dr. Nikita Katherine Lynx.  Genius.  Pride of Ecotropia.  And I actually met her before meeting Mitzi.  I'm sure Sarina and Hestia and Elektra are around somewhere but...we'll get to them all in time."

"Pleased to meet your acquaintance, Doctor."

Frisk instinctively new how to properly carry herself and was immediately on Nikita's good side.

"What's up, Doc?"

And automatically Chara was on her not-so-good side.

"Move it along, fuzzy ears."  Flowey growled.

Nikita lowered an eyebrow...then stuck her nose in the air as she turned away from Flowey.  She wasn't having it from him.

"Yeah you better turn around and keep walking."

"She knows how to engineer weed killer."  I whispered.

That made Flowey shrink down and struggle not to panic.

"I thought you'd see it that way."

"And you remember Mitzi?"  Asriel took the group to the Sweetheart of the Pizza Pie.

"Oh my gosh, yes!  How are you?"

"Hey again, Frisk.  It's been a while."

"You still cooking and singing?"

"Like boss, girl."  Mitzi put her knuckles to her hips and smirked with a sassy grin.

"Awesome!"

"Yeah, thanks for takin' good care of Azzy all these years."

"My pleasure."

"It may be a bit forward but...uh...a bite to eat afterwards?"

"Done and done again."

Sarina and Hestia could also be seen among the crowd.  Asriel picked them out almost instantly.  He'd give his proper hellos later.

And next up...

"Pit."  Asriel smiled as soon as he laid eyes on the angel.

"Welcome back, Asriel."  Pit was a little misty eyed but kept his composure.

"You've grown so much."  He looked up into Azzy's eyes for a few moments before taking flight and hovering so they could both be at eye level.

"And you haven't aged a day."  Asriel beamed in admiration.

"I guess if you're still aging..."

"Yeah...being with one family or the other seems to be enough to let me age naturally.  Some of that is finding my true love in Frisk.  But it's not a bad thing.  I thing the chin hair kind of gives me a bit of legacy."

I'd never really noticed before but yeah...even before the facial hair, I'd noticed Asriel's eyebrow color was blond, just like Asgore.  It was like the lone patch of yellow among all that white.  And...the only hint of Flowey that I never made a connection to.  Well...besides that yellow and green jumper.

A moment of silence before they both hugged it out.

"Thank you for being the angel of mercy I needed when I thought I deserved an angel of death."

"Everyone needs a second chance, Asriel."

"I never thought I'd meet an ACTUAL angel.  The word was tossed around so much back in Undertale, at times it felt superficial.  But when you're just a kid back then...it felt like it had so much weight to it.  So much expectation to be this...prophesied entity.  And that's assuming we were even interpreting the prophecy right."  Frisk had certainly done her research with Gerson about the whole lore prior to her fall down Ebott.

"Well.  Now I feel like I'm on trial for past deeds."

"But you have repented for them, Chara."

"Yeah I guess.  It's just...hard not to feel my sins still crawling even after all this time."

Flowey just ignored Pit.  I think he felt one way or another he was treading on thin ice.  Especially if the stories about Pit's true power and potential were true.  Felling a fallen goddess, a demon lord, and Hades--the literal ruler of Tartarus....just whoa.   He wouldn't stand a chance against even a dart let alone a sacred arrow from Pit.

"And of course--"

Azzy was interrupted from the moment Gadget squealed and threw her arms around him.

"Whoah!  Easy, Big-Little-Sister!  I missed you too, Gadget!"

But the two of them still got caught up in the moment and before long they were laughing and carrying on which climaxed with Azzy tossing Gadget up and catching her over and over a few times.   He ended with letting her land on his shoulders in a hybrid tower.

"You're still cute as ever, little-big-brother.  You're so luck you found a fiancé!"

"Yeah...I am."  Asriel blushed in the cheeks at being cute.  He remembered the call-back to how flustered he got the first time he was called cute.

"You two sure seem like you're pretty close."

"She's honorary family.  She's was the best substitute sibling I could have asked for growing up.  You know...until Chara came back into my life and stopped being evil."

"Hey now.  You know that was more the Legion Wraith than me, right."

"Yeah, but you were no angel even before hand.  I know your mischievous streak well."

"Put me on the spot, why don't you."

"Well.  Aren't you going to say hi to Gadget, Flowey?"

Flowey grumbled and crossed his vine-arms and snorted...before a long hesitation and he begrudgingly answered with.  "Hi."

"Hellooo!"  Gadget replied back as spritely as possible.

"Don't make me regret this, kid."

That was when Sally and Rotor were present.  And Willie and Honey joined up afterward.

"Aunt Sally!"

"Hey ya, Champ.  You nova?"

"Oh I am a total red giant belting out solar flares."

"Maximum."

Sally and Asriel shared the most powerful of bro-grips I'd seen.  So powerful, the clap of their hands together before tightening their grips actually made me wince.

As Matt Riddle put it?  Brooooooooooo...

"My first superhero.  Still tearing up the tracks I hope?"

"You know it.  Our winning streak is still breaking records."

"We're just that good."  Honey actually dared to do a dab.

"Honey...we talked about this."

"I thought I was only banned from T-posing!"

"This just got added to the list."  Willie crossed her arms.

"Well I'm glad to hear it because..."  Asriel step back a bit before giving a look to Frisk who returned his sly grin.  Then he looked to Chara who looked like that cat that swallowed the canary.

And before I knew it, the three of them had simultaneously anime-quick changed into OGPX gear and sandals.  Azzy in his familiar white set.  Frisk in a purplish-blue.  And Chara in a crimson red.  When together?  They kind of resembled an American Flag.

Then again...so did Sally's team save for Willie's suit being yellow instead of white and Honey's being more orange than red.

And I'm sure Honey's jaw actually hit the pavement as Willie's eyes bugged out of her head.

"...because we, Team Solar Storm are officially challenging you to a title match when this all settles down.  Lightrunner, Windshear, and Flametrail?   You're up against Solar Blossom,  Star Soul and Air Blade."

There was a hush that swept over a good portion of the immediate crowd around us.

With that...Sally twisted her mouth into a grin I'd only ever seen on two people before.

Gol D. Roger, the former Pirate King.  And Monkey D. Luffy, the future Pirate King.

And with that she laughed but not in a way that suggested she rejected their challenge.  This was a laugh that said...I thought you'd never ask and this is going to be a lot of fun.

"Challenge accepted, Goat Son.  You just made my millennium."  Sally hadn't looked this happy in ages.  That goofy grin was something that she once told me...only Sonic had ever pulled off.  And now...she mastered it.

That excitement went on for a bit before it kind of died down and...everyone just kind of didn't know how to react going from a famous OGPX athlete to a local plumber.

"It's cool you're back.  It wasn't the same without you."

Rotor didn't have much to say but...he said it in a way that hit deeper and more sincere than any of us.  It was casual...but meaningful.  You felt the emotion.  There was no overacting, no over-the-top like with Violet and Sally.  He was just plain old Rotor.  He was fine with that.  He embraced that.  It was who he was and he didn't need to be anything beyond that.  "We're just plumbers." as Captain Lou Albano as Mario put it.

But really.  We all knew, inside, he was shouting "pluming power" or something that only sounded better in his head than out loud.

Barely a moment afterward, I noticed Master Splinter step out from behind Bunnie.  When did he get here?

He simply tapped his walking stick to the ground and propped himself up with it, with both palms resting on top of each other; on top of the cane.  He didn't say anything but I could have seen that smile a block or two away.  Yeah...he met Asriel shortly after my return from Undertale but before my clash with Undyne.

Finally Violet couldn't take it anymore and hand to make her presence know.

"Well, I know I’m just asking for the big hurt but I guess we can give this another go-around."  She had channeled her most Peter Venkman-est of greetings as she shoved past us.

"Hello, Aunt Vi.  I didn't forget you."

"That all you got to say after you ditched us and ran off the Undertale?"

"Hey now--"  Frisk started to protest before Azzy indicated it was okay.

"I didn't ditch you.  I just found my first home.  My place of original and took some time off to find my roots.  I had every intention of coming back here."

"You know I'm not very good for you, Cinnamon Roll.  But y'know...give me a few years and I can whip myself in shape and be pretty impressive by the next century."

Pretty sure she'd live to see that time though how much lifespan she'd have left was up to the fates.

"Why don't I give you a jingle in the year 2100, then and we'll make it like old times."

"Why don't you give me a jingle right now, kiddo?"

Azzy shook his head.  "You know the Ghostbusters II dialogue between us is nice.  You haven't changed at all, Aunt Vi.  Still the self-proclaimed firecracker.  Or how did you put it again?  Oh yes...I remember now.  Your exact words were...

Asriel stepped back as he swept his arm out like a lively conductor about to orchestrate the biggest performance of his career...you know...just like my mentor Dr. Emmett L. Brown would do...

"Genius, billionaire, rabbit princess hacker philanthropist. From Little Tokyo, Edoropia I have traveled far and wide, scouring the universe for all that is 1337 and all that is n3rdy! The thousands of movie dialogue I've memorized, the hours logged in intense gaming sessions, the vast number of comic books and manga I've bought in entire series and collections at a time The questionably sane number of MP3's, memes, vines, and videos I've downloaded! The even more questionably legal weapons I have in my collection...oh, and I think I have Cloud's Buster Sword somewhere in there too...ahem...anyway. Yes, it is with great PASSION and DETERMINATION that I come to you live from the grandest stage of them all! My name...is Princess Violet Usako "Usa-Hime" Tokugawa! For the thousands...er...actually for the both of you in attendance, and the millions and millions of you out there subscribed to my MeScreen channel...ladies, gentlemen, werewolves, and Goat-Son......

LLLLLLLLLLLLET"S GET READY TO NERDGASMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!"

Asriel grinned as stupidly as he could manage.

"How was that?"

"It's me.  It's really me.  I think you left out a detail or two but...y'know I'll...give it a pass.  Yeah, I'd say you earned your keep today."  Violet pulled out a Nestle's Crunch Bar and dangled it a bit, yanking it back a bit as Azzy tried to grab it.

"You've...you've earned it."  She let him grab it.

"Thanks, Vi.  But...I think someone else wants it more."

"Oh don't flatter yourself."

"Okay if you don't--"

Chara grabbed it and unwrapped it and bit into it.  "Mine."

Azzy just shrugged.

"Looks like I'm not the ONLY one who's still more fun than a barrel of monkeys."

"Hey.  Just because I was being controlled by an evil wraith doesn't mean I haven't forgotten your little antics, Violet.  Watch your back or I might have to pay you back in kind."

"If that's a prank war challenge, you don't know what you're getting into."  Vi grinned.

I facepalmed.

"Just break it up, you two.  Before this escalates."

Frisk...just waved uncomfortably.

"Well.  I did warn you."  Azzy whispered to her.

"Not that I didn't listen.  I just didn't give it the weight it probably merits..."  Frisk sweat dropped.

"You know, Aunt Vi...technically I didn't really meet you, per se, until after meeting a lot of others before hand.  Jon.  Lupe.  Willamina.  Honey.  My ADOPTED PARENTS...?"  Asriel grilled her a bit.

Lupe stepped forward.

"Hello, Asriel."

"Hi, Miss Lupe."

"Just Lupe."  She clarified.  "I think we've long been equals.  It feels strange being reminded that I'm single, never been married.  Addressed so politely."

"Yeah...it's...just the way I was raised beforehand and afterward."

A silence ensued.

"So.  Do you...still think about the Buttercups?"  Lupe bravely got to the point.

Chara's face fell as she turned away.

"I was going to ask you the same.  But...yeah.  I can't forget.  Neither of us can."

Frisk covered her mouth, uttering a gasp when it came back to her.  Seeing the story unfold on Alphys' video tapes.

"It was a bad experience.  But it made us both stronger.  We faced our fears.  And here we are.  Better friends because of it.  Because of that day we all shared our pain with one another."

"Show me a hero's story and I'll write you a tragedy - Samuel "Mark Twain" Clemmons.  Right, Commander?"

I nodded at Lupe correctly quoting the Earth History and quotes.

"Frisk.  Chara."  Lupe nodded to them.  But truth be told...she had more to say to...

"Tch...stop looking at me..."

"You...didn't want this, did you?"

"Why did you have to come back into my joke of a non-life?  This...existence.  How can a soulless creature even be considered alive just because it was given a will to live?  Just because of that damn determination."

"I don't question how a robot can have a soul, even though I am the last person to be asked about technology.  Why should I question if a flower that has a mind and a voice is alive or not?  Life is life.  Even if you do not have a soul.  You are still you and that's all that I need to know."

"Do you think your flowery philosophical words are going to make me feel better?"

"Flowey, come on.  Please be nice."

"As if nice ever got me anything."  Flowey snapped at Frisk.

"Well if you keep up the misbehaving I can show you what a lot of meanness can get you--"  Chara said with the creepy face.

"GAH!  Don't do that!"

"Flowey.  Just give this a chance.  If you find you are still unhappy, I will not take offense if you want to leave and return to Undertale."

"Don't give me your pity.  I'm nobody's charity case."

"Nor would I say you are.  Just give it thought, my friend.  As things are..."

"You don't really have a choice.  We took a vote.  You were the only one who didn't agree.  You're here now.  So try not to see just the bad.  And hey...it's not an endless series of time loops and resets anymore.

And this is the most important thing.  He can't get to you.  Not anymore."

Asriel had a good point.

"......."

"Flowey?"  Lupe asked.

"One.  And only one.  Chance.  Screw up and I'm gone."  He pointed a vine at Lupe's nose.

"As you wish.  Now if memory serves...didn't you attend the Lunar Celebration later that night, Asriel?"  Lupe's expression turned joyful as she looked to Jon..

"Oh?  Is it my cue?  Well, gov.  Glad to see someone in Undertale is keeping you properly fitted and fashion coordinated.  I dare say that ensemble you're wearing now is worthy of my tailor shop's gold standard."

"Thanks.  I know a guy and a gal or two back in Newest Home."

We all kind of paused awkwardly at the reminder that Asgore still can't name for beans.

"So.  You going to invite your wife-to-be and sister to one of my cookouts afterward?  Because I'm inviting all of you pre-emptively."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world."  Asriel assured.

And then he looked longingly toward Callista and Scott.

"Well...I guess we're next but...I kind of figured we'd be saved for last.  You know...meet the parents again."

"You know...I think that's as good a cue as any..."  Asriel pulled out his cell phone again.

"Okay.  You're both up.   Like they say on the Price is Right.  Come on dowwwwwn!"

And all eyes were on the portal again as it rippled and out came Asgore and Toriel, hand in hand.

Murmurs and chatter went up among the crowd.  I'd say most assuredly that several people could see the resemblance and made the connection.

"We're finally here, son."

"My Asriel has truly done something wonderful and impressive, hasn't he, Gorey?"

"Yes he has, Tori.  Yes he has."

Asriel flagged them over.

"Mom.  Dad.  You remember...well...Mom and Dad."

"Scott, my friend."

"The pleasure is mine, King Asgore."

"Callista.  Oh my!  You've--"

"Aged.  I know.  It's a human thing."

"Well...it's a Monster thing, too.  I'm starting to be unable to go many places without my bifocals now."

Sure enough, Toriel did seem slightly more withered by age but still lively.  Still a beacon of hope and dreams like her son.  And yes...she was wearing those reading glasses.

Asgore was showing a little less color in his wild mane and facial hair, too.  I guess their aging process had started back up since Frisk joined up with them...and Asriel just kept it going.

Such was it to be mortal.  I...I miss that.  I actually miss aging.  Why would I miss aging, knowing what it eventually entails?  What comes with it?  Aches...pains...being out of touch.  What...goes with it.  Sight.  Hearing.  Memories.

Why?

I...hope I'd be able to answer that some day.  Truth be told...the Dreemurr Family would answer it before I ever would thanks to the Goddess Contract.

Like that, both sets of parents were off to have their own conversations, leaving Asriel and the others to continue the reunions.

Scott indicated that they'd catch up soon.  But he also indicated that he knew a long sit-down with Brooke and the Miranda Government was nigh.

I sighed then watched as more reunions continued.  Technically Willie and Honey didn't meet Goat Son until after he was introduced to Violet, but they were part of Team Acorn so...

Speaking of Brooke...I could tell that while she was maintaining order...she was definitely making sure we all saw that we were going to be summoned.  Very soon.  And a loooot would have to go down before this day could be wound down.

And then Felicia suddenly tackle hugged Asriel from behind.

"Gah!  Felicia!?  Where'd you come from!?"

And he could immediately tell she had only put on her lab coat.  Really...even that much fur covering her up did not make her any less...um...inappropriate.

I could see Asriel blushing deeper and deeper.

"I'm uh...glad to see you too...now could you please let me go..."

I could also see Frisk's eyes disappear under the shadow of her hair.  Yeah...you might want to diffuse this quick before the fiancé gets a little...vexed.

"Oh this is too rich."  Chara mused.

"Finally.  Something worth seeing."  Flowey's expression had turned to that mischievous smirk.

I could tell it wasn't usually a good thing when Chara and Flowey were on the same page.

"Felicia?  You've met my fiancé, right?"  Eheheh..."

"Oh, hey!  You're a lucky one.  Hang onto this little morsel. He's cute enough to eat right up!"

"We've met."  Frisk said flatly.

"Feliiciaaaa!"  Jon protested.  "We talked about this.  And snap your lab coat shut!  You're going to end up in arrested for indecency!  Again!"

"Indecency?"  Felicia cocked her head as if she didn't really understand.  "I don't understand what the problem is, but okay."

My gods.  She's not doing it on purpose.  She genuinely IS oblivious to it.  She's just that bubbleheaded.

"Sorry, Azzy."

"Not as sorry as I'm going to be if something like that keeps up--"  Was all Asriel got out before he was given a hard slap across the face...

...by Shishiko Fukushineko.

"You have SOME NERVE coming back here!"  She had her arms straight down and fists clenched after the slap.  And she was leaning into him hard.

"You left without even saying goodbye.  If you think you can waltz back in here like nothing happened, you got another thing coming, buster!"  She said poking him in the chest, actually making him bend a bit backward from the confrontation.

That was about when Frisk grabbed her wrist.

"Excuse me.  But WHO are you?"

"Frisk...this is Shishiko.  She used to be She-Lion.  Long story.  But yeah...she's the homeless girl I got a job at Rabbot Dojo."

"Seems like she's got lingering issues."  Chara rubbed her chin, rather amused.

"Yeah?  What of it?  I admit it.  I worked for a real sleazeball back in the Flip Side.  I stopped being proud of it a long time ago.  I paid my dues."

"You want to explain to me what your deal with Asriel is?"  Frisk asked, a bit defensively.  I'd...never seen her jealous before.  As much as she used to flirt?  This is...a new side her.

"I'm sorry, Frisk.  She...got mixed messages when I saved her.  I've made it clear I wasn't looking for a relationship but...she still has this bit of puppy-love I guess--"

"Hmmph."  Shishiko turned away and crossed her arms.  "Don't flatter yourself."

"Eheheheh...she's...bit like Tsunderplane."  Asriel whispered.

"Ohhhh."  Frisk looked a little more understanding at that.

"Fair enough, Shishiko.  But uh...touch my fiancé again and--"

"Yeah, yeah.  I'll watch it.  Don't get your hair in knot.  So I've got a temper.  Sue me."

"Technically a lot of people back home did!"  Sally cut in.

Shishiko rolled her eyes over being reminded that her counterpart was still around...somewhere.  And definitely did NOT forgive her for blindsiding her and Team Kopy Kat.

"Whatever."  She walked off.

Then it came down to Antoine.

"Bonjour, Asriel."  Antoine said with a salute.

"Bonjour, Antoine."  Asriel gave a little bow.  "I've been keeping up on my fencing practice but...honestly I can't find a suitable sparring partner back home.  You know how it is."

"Ah, oui oui."

"You remember Frisk?"

"Mademoiselle."  Antoine took a knee and kissed the back of her hand.

"Always such a gentleman."  Frisk giggled.  "I might be in the mood for a lovely French parfait.  And I might even have a dessert, too..."  She said as she playfully booped his snoot.

There's the classic Frisk flirting.

"Never going to outgrow that, are you?"  Asriel shrugged.

"Oh well.  I've gotten used to it.  But you really need to get used to girls making a pass at me.  You don't want to get a reputation for being a hypocrite, do you?"

"Okay.  I get the message, Azzy."  Frisk smiled and shook her head.  "Fair's fair.  And I guess I got to work on that."

"Don't be in a hurry to...it's actually kind of flattering."

Was that Azzy's attempt at flirting?

Well.  I guess that was the grand majority of the crew.

But there was one person who didn't get to attend.  Why?

Several hundred miles off the coast of Fontraile's easternmost border...

"Mmph...mphm....mrph-hrm-hrm..."  Al Dente' struggled as he remained tied to the mast of the makeshift raft.  The gag still in his mouth.

If the wind kept up he'd...probably make it back to the western border of Kaeleron...probably before he starved to death.  Though...at his weight and body fat percentage...that was highly unlikely.

"Well, everyone...you remember what I was trying to say earlier?"

"Azzy?"

"I guess what I should have said is..."

And that's when I saw more start to trickle out of the gate in small groups.

"WHAT'S UP NERD!?!"

Undyne!?

"Alright!  Bring on your giant swords and magical princesses!  Tell me once and for all that ANIME IS REAL, DOC!"

Undyne came soaring out from a jump, spear in hand with a mighty "NGAAAAAAAH!!!!"

"Undyne!  W-w-wait up!   Oh dear...oh g-gosh...!"

Alphys waddled out at a dead run, carrying stacks of papers and CD ROM's worth of raw anime dumps, and stacks of ramen in one big pile of paraphernalia.

"Doctor Arcade!  Doctor Arcade!  W-w-we...\*pant pant pant\*  We...m..made it... \*pant pant pant\*"

And Alphys tripped and fell face-first, spilling her stack.

"AWW THAT SUUUUUUCKS!"  Undyne laughed a goofy laugh.

"M...my glasses...!"  Alphys groped around for them.

"I'd better help her out..."  Asriel let go of Frisk's hands and headed over and helped with getting Alphys' stuff together.

"Oh my g-g-g-god...I'm really here...we're r-really here...this is unprecedented!  Oh I'm s-s-such a m-mess.  Wh-where do I even s-s-start!  There's s-so much d-data to collect!  So many th-th-things to experience!"

"Alphys.  Slow down.  You're going to end up falling down and we won't be able to bring you back.  Sure Flowey was a rare case as are the Amalgamates but..."

"I know. I..."

"Deep breaths."

"O-okay."

And before long Alphys was back up and headed in my direction with Undyne following, trying to seek out the King and Queen.

"Duuuuude!"

"M...Monster Kid?  And...what are those he's wearing?  Robot...arms?  Magnetically tethered to him?"

"Just like Sword Man or  a Reaverbot, Commander."  Bunnie rubbed her chin, observing the floating appendages that seemed to almost be attached by something invisible.

"Hey ya, M.K.  C'mon on and join us!  Meet the friends and family!"

"This is so killer!  I'm stoked!  STOKED!"

His surfer slang had expanded.  I'm guessing Asriel showed him the Bill and Ted movies and Wayne's World...and Surf Ninjas...and everything else that had cliche valley girl and valley guy speak.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho...I smell business opportunity!"

What?  Muffet, too?

"You don't waste a minute."

And Grillby?

"Nyeheheheheheheh!"

I know that laugh.

"Better clear the way.   He insisted."  Asriel warned me as Alphys had adjusted her glasses one last time.

"Insisted on what--"  I barely got out before I heard the engine rev and Papyrus' red convertible drive out.

Was he...wearing sunglasses, a scarf and a beret cap?  Oh gods...he was reminding me of that AU Simon Belmont.

And just like that, Sans overshot him on a tricycle.

"Saaaaans!"  Paps about blew his time.

I'd let them work that out.

Before long a sizeable amount of Newest Home's population had left the gate and had gathered with us all.

"Oh boy...I guess we overdid it."  Asriel rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"So...tell me more about your engagement, Frisk."  Mitzi was excited.

"Well...we've been putting off the ceremony for a while now.  It's starting to get a little overdue."

"Well when did he propose."

"Um...well..."  Frisk looked away awkwardly...before asking Mitzi to lean down so she could whisper in her ear.

Mitzi's eyes wide.

"You've been engaged for HOW LONG!?"

That was when most of the single ladies as well as Callista turned in Mitzi's direction and looked directly at Frisk and Asriel.

"Eheheheh...we...might need to get this done sooner than later."

"Girl, you have GOT to set a date.  Like now."  Sashay pointed out.

"Yeah they do...people are starting to talk back home."  Chara crossed her arms.  "C'mon, you two.  What have you put it off so long for.  We get it.  You're made for each other.  So just have the ceremony already!  Get a preacher and a church and do this thing!"

"Chara...this has to be perfect.  We can't rush into this!"  Frisk protested.

"Yeah.  Can't hurry love.  Like the song goes."  Asriel's eyes turned cyan.

"Yeah, but what's the point if it never happens!?"  Chara shrugged, spreading her arms out in a "I'm about done with this crap" way.

"Well...there's a reason, you know.  We..."  Frisk stammered a bit.

"We want the ceremony done here.  And not just though a drive-thru chapel with an Elvis impersonator."  Asriel explained.

"Fair enough."  Chara rolled her eyes.

"Ughh."  Flowey grumbled.

"So...when were...?"

"It's cliche...but I'm thinking a June wedding.  What say you?"

"I'd like that, Azzy.  I'd really like that."

"Okay.  Let's set a date in June."

"And I think I know the perfect date..."  Asriel looked to me.  I knew which one.  Yeah...let's get him over here from Neo Arcadia City.  It would be the perfect birthday gift.  To be godfather to the two of them.

"Alright.  Let's plan for it.  But for now."

"Yeah.  Quite a bit of chaos to die down."

"Asriel?"

"Yeah, Volt?"

"The wish.  Your wish.  My wish.  Our wish.  It really came true, didn't it?"

"And now you know what it is, don't you."

"Yeah.  I always knew.  I always knew."

"You know one other thing, didn't you?"

"Yeah.  Now I know it for sure.  It takes a helping hand, just like a miracle.  It takes hard work and all the virtues, especially Determination but...

In the end...

Wishes do come true."

## Sub-Entry 285: "The Joining of Two Worlds.  Finally.  Everybody is Here"

It finally happened.

Everybody's here.

Mirandians.  Undertalers.  Together.  United as one.  People getting to know each other.

Our world...a land where non-humans, not necessarily just monsters, mind you...non-humans and humans co-existed.  As well as bio-engineered constructs and cyborgs and artificial intelligence.  Any form of sentience had been co-existing in Miranda for ages.  It was our claim to fame as our take on the "melding pot".

If you were Mirandian you understood what it was to be American on the various planet Earths of the Infinity-verse.

This was OUR prophecy.  Even though it had been unsaid.  It had never been put to words, let alone scripture.  It just was.  And it was just fulfilled.  This was a HUGE, landslide victory for Lady Destiny and just another knife in the back of Madam Fate or so she'd say.

Why she refused to actually rage-quit?  Same reason as Destiny.  They can't quit.

Maybe...maybe because existence depended on it.

Maybe...this was a thought I never had before but...maybe they were prisoners of their own device, as the song, "Hotel California" by the Eagles went.

"Well, Dr. Alphys.  I kept my promise."

"You did."  Alphys looked at me with teary, reddened eyes under those coke bottle specs.

It was about that time I noticed what she was wearing on her wrist.

"Huh?  What's this?"

It was like no watch I'd ever seen.  I double checked just to make sure it wasn't a Unitrix.  If Asriel managed to ACTUALLY clone his own Unitrix, Asmuth would have me thrown in the Null Void so hard I'd bounce.

"Oh.  I can explain that."  Asriel smiled.

"It all goes back to when you first started running tests on me.  Tests in LYOKO, mainly.  But I'll never forget about jumping out of my own flesh and fur skin when the medics extracted a sample of blood from me.

Monsters don't bleed.  They're not inherently matter.  They're love and magic with only a bit of substance to bind it all together.

Undertale magic is incompatible with this world so it leaks out.  Some faster than others.  And without magic to sustain us well...eventually we fall down...and fade away into dust that eventually dissipates whether it's spread our favorite thing in life or not.

So...when mine leaked out of me Miranda's substance flowed into me.  While it's magic wouldn't hold everything else did.  From the moment I ate the food, drank the water, breathed the air, and stayed in the natural energy field of this world...I was being changed inside and out.  I was still me on the surface and in my heart and soul but...I wasn't a Monster anymore.  Food, drink, exposure to the natural energies and radiations...love and care...all the things that are found on this world...all that are unique to it built me up at the same rate my magic tore itself down.  The end result...I metamorphosed into something compatible with this world over time.

I suspect my magic was already under tremendous pressure to begin with but being in Gaster's Void must've compressed it to the ratio that was just perfect for me to make this evolution.

So...if this could happen to me, it could happen to any Monster that stays on this world for an extended time.  And while...yes, they could become a Hybrid like me, there's the danger that it might not take and...a monster could fall down and fade a way with no way to help.

To that end...Alphys and I devised a way to combine magic and science into a sort of bio-metric receptor that constantly measures and analyzes a Monster's magic and magic levels.

In short...it's like a glucose-monitoring system for diabetics.  Each of these is a gauge for measuring how long someone has until their magic leaks out to dangerous levels.  In short...a sort of way for us to know when to head back to Undertale to replenish our magic before the process becomes irreversible."

"You two...really did this?  You figured all this out in those years you were gone?"

"It was a long and arduous process, but...we had to ensure every citizen's safety."

I noticed some of the monsters weren't wearing watches but other implements.  Loox, for example had a contact lens prosthesis with a holo-projection.  Monster Kid was wearing a choker around his neck with similar projector.  I guess it needed to be in contact with actual body parts and not prosthetics.

But some monsters...were wearing a badge instead.

"The badges?"

Asriel paused for a bit and looked down for a moment then looked at me.

"Those represent monsters...who've chosen to take the risk of becoming native to this world...that they might become non-humans and hybrids like myself.  They...understand that they'll lose their actual magic in the process and there's no guarantee they'll develop a Hybrid Ability.  But...it's...their choice.  Frisk and I couldn't force them to conform.  That would be wrong."

"Yeah...I understand.  So...they...?"

"Have pre-arrangements in case they do end up falling down from magic loss.  Their families have specialized life insurance polices to that degree.  It's...just the way it is.  It's the best we can do."

A somber moment...only to be interrupted by Sans.

"Nah.  The kid's a class act. He knows to "watch" us while we're on the "clock"."

"Sans, you're doing it again."  Papyrus loomed behind him.

"No need to get "wound up" over my "piece" of time puns, Paps if it's "ticking" you off."

"OH MY GOD!"

I saw Chameleon out of the corner of my eye.  He's not going to--

"Chameleon will suffice but I'm sure my enemies certainly confused me for such."

Wow.  That was bloody arrogant, man.

"That said...name's Chameleon.  Local mercenary for hire.  I do...the unpleasant things that most people won't for the right price.  You know...when it's absolutely necessary and talking isn't the solution.  But uh...I'm hoping to...bone up on being a proper neighbor."

And he hooked Sans in an instant.

"Well I know a professional when I cal-cium.  So I'll just have to stay on your good side or I might have to make a...marrow escape."

"SAAAAANS!!!"  Papyrus freaked out.

"Oh this is going to be fun times ahead."  I think Chameleon actually managed to get past the fact he was talking to a skeleton in a hoodie.  And given his bias against undead and regular dead coming back to life...

Meanwhile Mitzi was already introducing Muffet to Hestia.  Certainly a giant spider was not the easiest creature to get used to but...you know.  Culinary arts gurus stick together.

"Watch this one...she is G-R-E-E-D-Y.  With a capital Gold Piece."  Mitzi whispered.

"I can already sense the friendly competition..."  Hestia whispered back.

"Oh and this is Grillby."

"Charmed.  You'll excuse me if I don't shake hands."

Yeah, I don't think I want to find out if Hestia would end up very badly burned.

"Well.  If you live up to the praise Mitzi has for you, you can light my fire any day."

Flirting, Hestia?  Apparently Frisk rubs off on people she never even met!

Tithius was already making a friend with Monster Kid.

"Monster Kid has metal arms like Metal Rabbit!"

"Hey, you know my name!"

It was actually a lucky guess.  Tithius tended to call people by obvious nicknames.  Violet being crazy rabbit, Callista being vanishing artist, and Mitzi being cook mouse to name a few.

But of course in spite of all that...one just HAD to make an entrance.  I think we know who...

"May I have your attention!  Ladies and gentlemen, monsters, and other creatures...MTT Resort is proud to present it's glamourous star, CEO and overall fabulous guy..."

Oh gods, Burgerpants.  He's got you announcing his arrivals, now?

"Give your applause, adoration and ratings to...METTATON!!!"

And up went the search lights, fog and laser light show.

And from the cloud I saw Mettaton's "very sexy leg" kick out like a can-can dancer followed by that voluptuous "OHHHHHH YEEEEEEEEES..."

And the show began with Mettaton dancing his way into our presence.

At first the silence of the crowd was worrisome.  I thought that maybe this was too over-the-top and maybe not the best way to introduce the sexy rectangle turned EX form.

But as soon as he landed from his big finish as his name was projected in lights?

Thunderous applause from the whole town.

My god...he has that effect here TOO!?!?  He's...just a natural performer on ANY world!?

How does he DO it!?!?

How is he just that likeable with that towering ego?

But...like I said before.  He's egotistical...but has a certain charm that most self-absorbed narcissists lacked. That way that despite the fact he can out-Gaston Gaston...he's actually a decent guy who attracts an audience and a growing fanbase.  He's...basically Papyrus' dream realized.  Just for...different motivations and with a different method and style.

Is it no wonder he won Paps over?

"Come now, Blooky.  Don't be shy.  We're all friends out here, aren't we?"

Napstablook floated out of the gate next.  He didn't have much to say but he did trust his cousin's words.

I watched with morbid fascination.  The crossover to end all crossovers...or so it felt like it.

Here we were...Mirandians and Undertalers...joined together. Interacting.  Opening the door to a new age.

One I had no idea what it would lead to.  What challenges we'd have.  What...adventures could lie ahead.

And then I realized it.

The flood gates had burst open.  This was the final step in Project Lost Dreemurr.  A step I'd jokingly considered...but now it was real.  Goat Son made it happen.

This opened the door for limitless possibilities.  What I felt had been held back in the first part of this long adventure...this first Lost Dreemurr story I had logged...had opened up partially and let an impressive amount of what I thought was the penultimate...well...everything.

Then...it all went away as the mission ended.  It was still ended but...now we were in unknown territory.  This was new frontier.  There was no timeline to guide me now.

This was as much a golden era as I could imagine.

Destiny claimed victory.

Fate was fuming, no doubt.  And likely scheming.

The game felt over...but it also gave me a faint worry in the back of my mind that beating the game...unlocked additional content.  Additional chapters.  Additional challenges and I had no idea how far into the future that could be if it even happened.  What even was "it"?

If I stopped to think and worry about it...I'd probably compile a list of loose ends...unanswered questions...things that probably shouldn't have sat right for me.

Yet...I was too much on a natural high to start doomsaying.

I vowed if anything DID happen in the future, I'd handle it the same way we handled Evil Chara.  We'd prepare in the background, without letting that distract us from living our daily lives.

Suddenly Azzy got a call on his cell phone.

“Yes?  What?  What do you mean…?  Uh-oh…  …who was supposed to be watching them!?  Oh no…”

Brooke was in the vicinity and immediately locked onto Asriel’s look of dread.

“Asriel.  Is there a problem I should know about?”

Asriel sighed.  “First of all…It is really good to be back.  Second of all…I’m going to have to deeply and profusely apologize while I have time.”

“Apologize?  For…what?”

“Well—”

And then we heard it.

“Hoi!”

That was when a Temmie crawled out of the gate on all fours.

“For that?”

“Just wait…”

And then…!

“Hoi!  Hoi!  Hoi!  Hoi!  Hoi!”  First a small group of consecutive calls of “hoi”…

…then a crowd of overlapping calls of “hoi”

And then…

“Here come the Temmie’s…”  Asriel facepalmed and cringed, his teeth and fangs visibly grinding.

And then the avalanche of Temmies poured out of the gate.

“I believe I’ll be accepting that apology.”

“I sincerely appreciate it.  I assure…this was not planned and I assure…someone’s going to get disciplined for this.”

“I should hope this does not become a problem.”

“My advice?  Hide your shiny things and gold.”

Chameleon narrowed his eyes as Tiem immediately barked orders to the other members of Rainbow Wing to immediately if not sooner round up all their valuables and get it to a secure place.

A long hush of awkward silence among us.

“We are filled with…De-Temmie-nation?”  Frisk awkwardly grinned with a painfully forced shrug.

“Way to make things less problematic, Frisk.”  Chara prodded.

“Nice one, brat.”  Flowey sneered as he soon found himself handed off to Lupe.

“Ugh.  Passed from one bleeding heart to another…”  He complained.

“We’ll…attempt to round them up.”  Toriel offered.

“Appreciated.”  Brooke wasn’t particularly chipper.  Yet a far cry from displeased.  More like…she was still patient enough to see where this would go.

“Just…th-think of it as a f-fauna exchange.”  Alphys suggested.  “We k-kind of…g-g-g-got a stow-away of our own on the other s-side of the gate and we kind of b-b-bred them together and…yeah…Undertale k-k-kind of has a r-rabite infestation now.

“I suppose it’s our turn to apologize?”  Jacob rubbed the back of his head.

“Let’s just call it even.”  Asriel tried to settle things.

Yeah.  It all set in at that point.

The story was continuing.  And it was past the point I thought it was over.  Maybe...

...maybe the story would never end.

But was it up to me to decide that?  No.  Whatever higher power was guiding the Goddesses...whatever or whoever was behind our very existence...he, she, it...they would decide.  I hope...whatever our maker decided for our meta-existence...it would one day bring this tale to a satisfying end.

To be honest?  I felt like overtime just barely started.

It wasn't the beginning of the end.  But we were far from the end...whatever that may be.

How do you top something like saving all realities?

Well...I guess we'd have to wait and see.  But for now...there were more pressing matters at hand.

And that would take us eventually to the palace...

## Sub-Entry 286: "Peace Treaty.  The Alliance Between Fontraile and Undertale Becomes Official":

It was...a few days...weeks maybe.  Definitely before the month ended.

Arrangements had been made.

Prisma's report ran GLOBALLY.  In more languages than I even knew existed.  To more countries than I knew existed.

Basically.  Our world had now formally made public that aliens were real.  And we now had them as neighbors.

And from there...the media circuses and pop culture spun it into a hurricane of this and that.

Whether it was the morning shows making light of the matter, sometimes in NSFW ways...whether it was the serious expose programs debating back and forth whether or not this was a good thing...whether it was the TV preachers trying to turn this into a religious thing while pledging donations (and getting called out by legitimate religions like the Church of Eatos)....whether it was the night shows doing skits about it...whether it was pop songs and internet memes and such...and yes, even those supporting it getting into it with those protesting it...yeah.  It was all just too much too soon.

Whatever the case...it was ALL OVER the planet in some way or another.

"What have we done, Asriel?"  I muttered to him.

"Yeah.  I foresaw this coming.  And...Frisk and I still decided it was worth the risk."

"You...holding up alright?"

"As good as can be expected.  They've flooded the airwaves with this 24/7.  It's hard to sift out what to take seriously and what to just ignore.  What's supporting our causes...and what's just toxic fandom.  And of course...splinter groups that broke off of DC and NS looking for an excuse to stir things up and start a war between races again.

That's all we'd need.  Another war to send us back into a mountain prison."

"That'll never happen, Azzy."

"Easy to say now...but...it's hard to remain optimistic when people keep doing stupid things in the name of the seven deadly sins."

"Yeah.  It is what it."

"It won't be long now before we're called to the palace for the signing."

"Can't believe it's already been drafted and revised and already ready to be signed."

"I think both our worlds really want this.  More than that...maybe...we just really need this."

"Yeah."

"It never occurred to this...that you'd bring about all this.  When you were a mere 10, disregarding for the time in Gaster's void...

This is quite a destiny you realized."

"I always knew I'd have to think big to leave my mark on the world.  Doesn't get much bigger between two worlds."

"Agreed."

"And I thought I was nervous before, being re-introduced back to the people of Undertale.  To a world that I was technically deceased.   Being from another timeline...I thought that would complicate matters but...if anything it only enhanced my popularity."

"Makes sense."

"Our lives are about to change.  Hopefully for the better."

"We're long overdue for it.  And now a piece of paper is going to make it official."

Nothing more to say beyond that.

But preparations had to be sped through two sets of government before the big day.  It was said to be one of the fastest diplomatic matters to ever take place in our world's history.

Partly due to the dynamic duo that was Asriel and Frisk.

Frisk had mastered so much in her lengthy career as Ambassador between humans and monsters.  Asriel was the prince. The got things going between Jacob and Brooke and Asgore and Toriel.

Our worlds' gears were meshing together like clockwork.

To say what had to happen behind the scenes was...too mind blowing for even me to ponder.  Even a fraction of it.

The day finally arrived.  And...I actually awoke in my own bed...in my pajamas... instead of my shop's cot and still in my usual clothes; silver gi, button-up shirt and tie, lab coat and sandals.

And Lisa was next to me, not awake yet.

How often does this happen?

Um...let me get back to you, but I think...er...never.  Yeah...I'll shame myself for it another day.

Important stuff now.

So...instead of my usual outfit...I dug out my nicest suit that just screamed college professor, even down to the fancy patches on the elbows and the vest over top the shirt and tie.

But of course I was still going to wear my best sandals.   A pair that matched my suit.

You ever try to stuff a werewolf's feet into dress shoes?  Um...the toes WILL burst out of the fronts.  Then the whole shoe will pull apart from the stress and then shred apart and you're barefoot all over again.  It's almost like your paws just refuse to be that confined and actively destroy your footwear from within.

I even tried making a pair of shoes from the same bio-receptive material as the rest of my clothes.  It...didn't end well.  So yeah.  My species, specifically can't wear anything but sandals in our morphed form.

Jon has yet to learn this lesson.  And he's a tailor; constantly replacing his own wardrobe because he "forgot".

Settle down, Vi.  This is all I'm going to say on the matter.

Bunnie had her own formal Jangese ensemble.  And honestly it was easy to see how she would gain the title of Daimyou in the future.  She really did look like the grandest of empress.  And...it was still only the second grandest attire in the room compared to Brooke's.

I think Brooke didn't mind.  It was her way of letting Bunnie know it was okay to stand with her as an equal in some aspects.   Really...Bunnie hadn't changed when it came to authority.  If she wasn't authority, she was always her most humble and submissive.  She always knew her place even if she was invited to stand at her queen's side and dissuaded from kowtowing.

Which left...Violet to be...well...Violet.

I'll just pray that she doesn't come wearing the "I HEART Toxic Waste" t-shirt with the bathrobe and fluffy bunny slippers again.   Val Kilmer won't acknowledge the homage to Real Genius, Vi.  Get over it.

I trusted the rest of my team to handle their wardrobe appropriately.  If anyone, Sally was probably the next in line to worry about, due to her very vocally stating that she hates getting gussied up like a Barbie doll.

But to my relief...she still cleaned up nicely.  Just because she hates being acknowledged as a princess doesn't mean she's forgotten how to be one.  Though, if she had it her way...she'd come to the ceremony in a full suit of knight's armor made for a woman's physique; with helmet in hand.

Gods.  She really WAS like Undyne at some base level.

I guess that's all I could worry about, to be honest.  It was up to Goat Son to make sure his side was in formal appropriate attire.

Imagine my awe as I saw Asgore, for the first time....groomed up in a style that was unusually similar if not almost exactly the same as the Beast in that famous ballroom scene of the Disney movie, Beauty & the Beast  (the animated one not the lackluster live-action.  Violet's words precisely.).  I didn't even know his beard could be groomed in a style I'm sure final battle End Game Thor would appreciate.

But that was only SECOND to Toriel in full queen attire.  I almost thwapped Violet for grinning and remarking she was a total cougar.

Wait, was that offensive or flattering?  I've actually lost track at my old, immortal age.

Um...whatever.  She was...um...rocking the look.

And though I did say second...truthfully...Asgore and Toriel were fourth and third compared to the real star attractions.  Prince Asriel Tobias Arcade and wife-to-be, Frisk Dreemurr.

I don't think I've heard that many gasps, whispers and mutters from our people before.

Were we jealous?  Damn right we were.

But on the same note....I think so were they.

isn't it endearing when it's mutual and not one-sided?  The grass is always greener...

Did I really waste this much writing on fashion and appearance?  It's all superficial and this is all show.  The real matter at hand was putting ink to a document...

...after a very extensive formal ceremony and reading of the document top to bottom.

"Duuuuuuuude..."  Monster Kid was struggling not to nod off.

I could see Undyne with her arms crossed, tapping her finger on her left forearm while at the same time, Ripper had already let his head tilt back and tongue fall out of the side of his mouth while snoring and drooling.

Before Chameleon grabbed him by the fur on the back of the nape of his neck and gave him a "friendly wake-up call" accentuated by a yelp.

I could see Honey tapping her foot and setting off a few embers as the fiery glow wrapping around herself started to get brighter.  She started to pull her stiletto-heel, strappy sandal off with the toes of her other foot, hoping no one would notice--

Then her flames went out from the briefest of an air vortex that surrounded Willamina, accompanied by a glare.

"I no do nuuuutheeeeng!"  Honey protested in a terrible Mexican accent, struggling to get the footwear back on.

Lupe then glared at her next.  Though...not sure why she'd be offended.  If it had been a shot at our equivalent of Native Americans, that would have definitely done it.

"I think we're losing people, Major..."

"Then they will have to learn patience."  Bunnie was unsympathetic.

"Don't tell me."

Prisma continued to film in glorious 8K HD.  Wrench had been issued an upgrade to his camera just for the situation.

Then came the signing.

First it was passed to Jacob and Brooke for approval.

A moment of Brooke making a final read...before signing with the pen...

...then stamping her own palm over the bottom...leaving an ominous black light seal next to the simple ink stamp that Jacob had left.

I think I heard Asgore audibly gulp and tug at his collar before he got the glare from Toriel.

He sheepishly signed and added his own official ink stamp before Toriel snatched it and signed...

...before I caught the slight smell of something burning before I noticed the small wisp of waft of flame that snuffed out about the document...leaving a blackened Delta Rune seal next to Asgore's seal.

Brooke raised an eyebrow...then twisted her mouth into a brief smirk that almost said "touché".

I caught the drop of sweat roll down Bunnie's temple.  That was indeed intimidating.

And with the document verified on both sides, it was ordered to be copied for records and framed to hang on display in the palace's specialized wing where treaties with other nations were on display.

With that a handshake between Jacob and Asgore sealed the deal...though Jacob didn't expect to be pulled into a friendly hug.

Toriel facepalmed while the camera was off her.

Brooke graciously accepted Toriel's hand in friendship afterward...turning it into a firm grip.  I think she was actually surprised to see that Toriel had a grip as strong as her own.

Tell me I’m not imagining the set of black flames and red flames wrapping and intertwining around their firm grips, Bunnie.

Which was something I'm sure the Mage Academy would have to ponder considering our magics were still incompatible with one another.  Were...the both of them brute-forcing a synergy just for the moment?

Whatever it was...it was deemed an iconic moment that canonized our two city-kingdoms becoming sister cities, allies....neighbors...and friends.

There were of course speeches and acknowledgements and so forth.

Some words from both Ivianna and James.  Then some words from Asriel and Frisk.

Everything was perfect.

"Anxiety, Commander?"

"I...just don't know how to take this.  It's...all good, don't get me wrong but...it's just so......unreal.  It's so...ephemeral.  It's..."

"I know.  Like a dream."

"Or a wish come true.  I just...wasn't prepared for it to come true.  I'd been in a deep blue funk so long this much......good fortune just seems...strange and unfamiliar."

"No it does not.  You need only be reminded how to feel what you are feeling again."

"Yeah but..."

"And that's how I know you have returned.  You're already starting to worry again, Commander."

I'd begun to notice the additional guests who'd answered the RSVP on both Pit's and Asriel's behalf.

An appearance by Rock "Mega Man" Light?  Yes, please.

Benjamin Kirby Tenneyson and family?  All check.

Too many to name if I went down the whole list but I think it was the biggest gathering we'd managed since the crossover wars.

In that moment I realized, the more things change--

"HEY!  Well excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me, PRINCESS."

Pit sighed and looked uncomfortable as Rock shook his head and Simon put his knuckles to his hips and Samus gave a disapproving stare.  Little Mac just shrugged.

"Word to the wise, Link.  I wouldn't get into it with THAT princess..."  Asriel warned.

"Why not--"

And then Link found himself face down, crackling with static.

Princess Ivianna turned away, folding up her wings, a tangle of lightning running down the vein structure.

"That's why."  Asriel bent down, arms behind his back in an almost butler-like way.  Then he turned and took Frisk's hand and resumed mingling with the crowd.

...the more they stay the same.  Eheheheh.

Sally just grinned and gave her best Sonic shrug.

"Heroes shouldn't gloat, Aunt Sally."

"I'm not gloating.  I'm just expressing my jubilant apathy to the situation."

"You've been hanging out with Aunt Vi, again."  Asriel rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to have a time getting to know Violet, aren't I?"

"You have no idea, dear."

After about a certain point, Brooke could tell the formal gala and the ballroom afterparty was getting a bit lukewarm and stale even for her taste so she decreed that we were all free to celebrate in our own appropriate fashions.

And then the party really began.

"Kudos, Pit for getting the Blockheads from Tetris to serve as our backup group."  Azzy mused as he and AU Kevin Keene plugged in their guitars to the amp.

"Now we're talkin!"

"Naw.  Now we're ROCKIN, Captain N!"

"Dudes.  Would it be most excellent if we join in?"

"It would be a totally bodacious honor to jam with you."

Bill S. Preston Esquire and Ted "Theodore" Logan.

Who saw this coming?  Not me.

Oh boy...this was going to go on all night.

Not that I'm complaining.

## Sub-Entry 287: "Finally Undyne Gets Her Answer.  Anime Is...!"

Well, a few days pass...things are still hustling and bustling and Undertale is still pretty darn big news.  And sure enough it did spread over the planet.

It didn't take tourism long to ramp up.  At least among the countries Miranda was cool with.

Paramis was still kind of on the fence.

Vorostov outright refused to RSVP.

And of course there were threats from splinter groups trying to be both the next Destiny's Call and Natural Selection.

I think it was even said that Border Patrol was mobilizing in anticipation for Anthrocide to come out of the shadows and try something stupid and genocidal.

Brooke was adamant on sparing no expense to see that justice was swift, justice was merciless, and justice was indiscriminate toward any and all terrorist groups.

Undertale slept a lot better now that they knew that our law enforcement was collaborating with theirs and meshing quite well.

In the days that followed, Asriel and I worked on setting up something that we hoped would go global.

We had been inspired by the last couple of Michael Bay Transformers movies......don't laugh.  We'd been inspired by the concept of "Energon detectors".  Only in this case it was a network of monitoring stations to keep an eye on Undertale Magic Meters.

Everyone's Magic Monitoring Watches could be linked to a central hub and could monitor magic levels all throughout the city.

In time I proposed dusting off the old Warp Zone system that we had long since evolved into the Cyber Gate networks and combining that tech with an emergency response system.

The idea was that any citizen of Undertale whose magic had leaked out to dangerous levels could open an emergency gate back to Undertale at any time, without going through customs.  A system I promised we'd monitor closely to make sure no one got ideas of abusing the immigration system somehow.

In addition to that, Alphys and Sarina hoped to develop a way to actually hold Undertale magic in a reservoir to use in an emergency injection system at each station.  Kind of like an inhaler or insulin injection.  While Undertale magic couldn't be retained by a Monster body, maybe there was a way to retain it in an artificial construct

Asriel had thought this out thoroughly.

"Genius."

"C'mon, Volt.  You're embarrassing me."

"It's true.  It's damn true."

"Well...I can't take all the credit.  Alphys was vital with getting this off the ground."

"So."

"Yeah.  You decided to invite us all to UCIAT HQ.  Am I at liberty to speculate why?"

"I think we both know.  It's been a long time coming.  So...the guest of honor--"

"NGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!"

The small tremor sent shockwaves through the ground as her spear pierced the concrete.

"Whoah!!!"

"Never mind."  I deadpanned, once I got my footing.

"Duuuuude!"  Monster Kid wound up flat on his back.

"What's up, nerds!?"

"Well, apparently not M.K.'s rump."  Violet mused.

"Very funny..."  M.K. snorted before he used his mechanical arms' air jet mods in the palms to give him a boost getting back up.

"So--"

"Nah.  The weed's a no-show."  Undyne positioned the shaft of her spear on the back of her neck as she draped her arms over it and rocked the weapon back and forth; clearly showing that she was already getting bored standing out here.

The winter weather had returned and she was no more keen on it than she was Hotland's nuclear heat.

"I already cleared it so...normally, you'd have to check your weapon at the door--"  Azzy started.

"Get one thing straight."  Undyne was suddenly in my face.  "I don't drop my weapon for anybody until I can't fight anymore."

She poked me in the chest a few times to accentuate.

"Eheheheh...duly noted."

"Undyne!  It's cool!  I'll just have to get you special access privileges."

"Fine.  But anyone tries to disarm me better be prepared to remove my spear from their a--"

"Let's...just go inside."  Asriel begged.

"About time you showed up."  Chara crossed her arms.

"Are you always going to hassle him about that, Chara?"  Frisk protested.

"Yes.  I'm his sibling.  I get to do it."

"Well I'm his fiancé and I object to it."

"Agree to disagree."

"This one take long before we can move on."

The DNA and facial recognition scan recognized Asriel.

"Updating profile and photo.  Welcome, Asriel Arcade."

"Great to be back."

"The rest of you..."  I prompted as Kitty stood by with a tablet, making the appropriate profile frameworks.

"Adding guest member access.  Inputting facial recognition and biometric data.  Loading.  Profile updated.  Welcome, Frisk Dreemurr."

"Soon to be Frisk Arcade."  Vi reminded.

Frisk giggled.

"Scanning...caution.  Pre-existing biometric and facial data found.  Match: Chara Dreemurr.  Known level 10 threat--"

"Override.  Delete previous profile.  Erase prior record of subject."  Kitty cut in, rather quickly and in boss lawyer mode.

"Authorization accepted.  Deleting previous profile and erasing criminal history."

"Nice save there, briefcase."

"Consider it your only grace period.  And it's Miss Dimitir to you, young lady."

"Feisty.  I like this one, Azzy."

"Eheheh...please don't tick her off when she's in this mode.  The last time I remember her like this, she almost served Chameleon both a subpoena and an affidavit for things I still don't know if I want to ask about..."

"I'll keep my nose clean."

"Registering profile.  Welcome, Chara Dreemurr."

"Boy, Arcade.  You sure forgive but you sure as heck don't forget."

"Him or me?"  We both said at the same time.

"Yes."

Kitty's expressing got a little more dour at that.

"Creating new profile.  Scanning facial and biometric data.  Now loading biographical data.   Welcome, new user, Undyne."

"Fuh-huh-huh!  I'm totally official now."

And it repeated for Monster Kid.

Only a moment.

"S-s-sorry! I'm l-late!  Oh no...oh no...I wanted this first experience to b-be special!"

"It's okay, Alphys.  C'mon.  You're not even that late."  I encouraged.

"Don't worry. It's all taken care of.  Volt even pre-loaded your data.  All's needed is the face scan and DNA log."

A sweep of the omnidirectional rotoscope cameras and the scanning armature and...

"Level 9A access granted.  Welcome, new employee, Dr. Alphys."

"Your work visa has been uploaded to our network and your administrative privileges are up and running."

"Wow, look at you, Alphys.  Joint employment between Undertale's research labs and Ultra Crew Institute labs.  You're going to be pulling double duty going back and forth!"  Asriel complimented.

"You've gone from nerd to super nerd!  That's freakin' awesome!"  Undyne's hearty whack on the back almost sent Alphys tumbling face first into the floor.

"Th-th-th-thanks."

"Well, you've had enough time for intro to UCIAT's foyer.  Let's get on to the main event."  I readied my access key and lead to the elevator lift.

I think it actually got faster than last time I even used this.  And that wasn't that long ago to re-open my dimensional lab.

And once the security doors were opened...

"I'm sure you've built an impressive lab with a main supercomputer directing it all, Alphys.  So...why don't I show you ours...?"

And Alphys' jaw hit the floor and she started hyperventilating; trying to stammer for the words.

"Whoaaaaah..."

"Damn!  It's even bigger than the CORE!"

Well...I don't know about that...but the Supercomputer Quadrumvirate certainly reminded me of about 4 mini CORE towers.  All conveniently in the underground of our building.  And this was still miles above the RAIDEN facility.

"Yeah, I probably should have acclimated you guys to it with photos before hand.  But...uh...it's a pretty darn good lab."

"Oh boy I bet you could play video games until you drop dead in a place like this."

"Well...yeah, but we do scientific research in here--"  I said moments before Violet went past us, driving a forklift that was hauling a very large palette with both a Street Fighter II cabinet and a  pinball machine crammed and strapped down to it.

"....goddammit, Vi."

"Sweeeeeeeet!"

"Ain't it, though?"  Vi chuckled as she took the lift down to ground level and drove toward her personal lab.

"Why does that rabbit always have to undercut everything I say?"

"Eheheheheh..."  Alphys rubbed the back of her hand.

"She's really alright when she's actually focused..."

"Oh this is going to be fun times."  Chara mused with the creepy smile.

So...thus began the grand tour.

Vi could have started a drinking game with the number of times Alphys geeked out.  Violet would have said something like: "Every time Alphys puts her hands on her cheeks and squees her non-existent pants, throw one back."

Then I'd scold Violet for even mentioning alcohol on the clock; and not the kind you'd find in a laboratory burner.

Frisk, Chara, and M.K. stayed pretty fascinated with what we had to show them.  Alphys only nerded out that much more.

"Just wait until she shows you "LYOKO".

Probably should have waited until you could ease her into it, Azzy.

But Undyne's interest only stayed for so long until the over-abundance of "smart" was making her head hurt a bit.

I could only imagine how Papyrus would take it.  Probably be bone-jangled.  Heheheheheh.  That's a good one...I gotta tell that to Azzy.

"Ugh...this going to go on much longer?  Even I have my limits of how much nerd culture I can take."

We did take a detour through Vi's lab...by mistake.  Mostly due to M.K. deciding to do some tricks with a yo-yo while the grown-ups were talking "big words".

One attempt to walk-the-dog later caused it to roll right through her door.

You can figure out where it went from there...

"Okay...you're leading off with the Firefly Funhouse entrance, Vi?  I guess that means Bray Wyatt is back?"  Azzy was still playing a little catch-up.

"Just wait until you meet...Uncle Howdy."  Vi said with a sadistic smile before laughing maniacally...then she blew out the flame on her ominously glowing lantern as the lights went out.

"AHHHH!  Not cool!  Not cool!"  M.K. panicked before crashing into her table of Johnny 5 clone toys...who immediately broke into "I Heard it Through the Grape Vine" by the California Raisins (or maybe it was the Marvin Gaye version?  Not sure which it was.)

That was when Azzy's solar flame lit up in his palm.

"C'mon, Vi.  Presentation is good but don't you think you're going a little overboard--"

Moments before someone dressed AS this Uncle Howdy put the Sister Abigale finishing move on Al Dente.

"How the Hell did you sneak in here!?"  I roared upon seeing the unconscious basset hound.

"Security!  Security!  We got a code brown.  We got a code brown."

The walkie-talkie crackled before the head security card protested. "Him again!?  Oh gods...someone get the clean-up kit and the bio-hazard containment.  We have another "dude smoothie" to ship out of here."

"Dude smoothie?" M.K. questioned.

"It involves stuffing THAT into a barrel."  I grumbled moments before the doors opened and security, in full haz-mat hosed Dente down with a mixture of soap and riot foam before jamming him into a barrel marked with a radiation trefoil,  a bio-hazard symbol, a skull-and-crossbones, and chemical info diamond on it.

"Get him out of here!  Now!"

"With pleasure, Commander Arcade!"

And he was wheeled out on a two-wheeled transport.

"Okay...diversion ended....let's--"  I looked around and there was no sign of whatever rabbit hybrid cosplayer Vi hired anywhere.

"How...how did he do that?"  I asked Violet moments before I could swear a door fame with unnatural white light pouring out of it slammed shut and disappeared in a kerosene fog bank.

Vi just grinned.

"Okay, Vi.  I know how this works.  You're going to wow everyone with distractions and I'm going to get ticked off so let's just--"

And she was already seated at the pipe organ, belting out a rendition of "Sword of Justice" from Devil's Crush/Dragon Fury.

"Aw man, I LOVE this song!"  Azzy grinned.

A pipe organ version of Sword of Justice?  Really.  Just...try to imagine that if you've played Devil's Crush.  Or look the song up on YouTube. (MeScreen if you're from Miranda).

"Why do I bother...?"

And it was like this for a string of random anime geek-outs until Undyne chopped a table in half with a replica of the claymore sword used by WWE superstar, Drew MacIntyre.

"You know...I was JUST thinking we ought to get to the main reason we invited Undyne out here."

Way to be unflappable, Vi.

"Let's just go."  I moaned as Azzy and I lead on to...that room."

And so...

"What the Hell is all this?  The world's largest metal donut factory."

"Be nice, Dy-Dy."

"Grrr....nice isn't usually my style."

"I noticed..."  M.K. whispered to Frisk who just sweat-dropped with a shrug.

"Ohohoh...if the Legion Wraith had found THIS while walking around in my body..."  Chara grinned devilishly.

I silenced her with a glare.

"Right.  Right.  Bad thought.  Won't give it another mention."

"Undyne.  You have asked one question more often than any other."

"Yeah, so?"

"Well....I think...it's about time."

"Time for what?!  Don't you start being all cryptic on me, fuzzy-tush!"

"Just bear with me.  Well, Azzy?"

"They all answered the call.  Any time we're ready?"

I smirked as I pulled out a master RC Box I'd rigged...it kind of resembled the Silver Gokai Ranger's morphing device down to the anchor-shaped key when he wanted to unlock armored mode...

I inserted the big grundy key and turned it with a heavy click as the red LED went out and the green one lit up.

And with that, a large number of gateways in the room suddenly came to life as their displays, each had a different pre-set.

As the portals came to life, one-by-one,  visitors began to step through...familiar visitors.

As this was happening it all felt like it had gone to slow motion.

Undyne's frills initially drooped as her eye widened and her mouth fell open...then her ears perked right up when it set in and she went from WTF to OMG.

"The question I believe was...Is Anime real?"

As I asked, Undyne gripped her fists, raising them to the sky and practically shouting in excitement.

"Well.  You tell me."  Violet mused, arms crossed as we stepped to the side and allowed them all to gather.

"I believe you've been wanting to meet them for a long time.  May I introduce..."

The drumroll began.

The spiky, golden-haired, blue-eyed form of Super Saiyan, Son Goku chuckled all goofy-like as he held up his hand in a peace symbol.

The dainty form of the Champion of Justice struck her signature victory-v pose while grasping her Super Sailor S wand.  Indeed.  Serena, princess of the Moon Kingdom had arrived in the form of Sailor Moon.

"Heeeeeey!"  Our attention turned as the clop-clop of flip-flops made the scene as I immediately spied that X-shaped scar over the nearly bare chest, accentuated by that vest and shorts and one very signature straw hat.  There was that distinct scar under the eye...and of course that ridiculously big grin that only Gol D. Roger had ever matched.  Yup.  It was he who was of the Worst Generation and the future Pirate King, Monkey D. Luffy.  We hadn't seen him since the whole Pirates of the Dark Water incident.  "You guys better have a lot of meat ready!  I'm starving!"

"Yo."  I turned at the surly voice of the orange-haired young man in the black kimono...resting the Zanpakutou, Zangetsu over his shoulder.  Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki.  All the way from Karakura Town.

"Don't forget about me." And speaking of orange-haired goofballs...I immediately spied the very orange robes and Raiden-esque hat of Lord Seventh, himself.  The Hokage of the Hidden Leaf, Naruto Uzumaki.  I could see the Nine-Tails chakra practically leaking out of him while he had arrived in Sage Mode, to open-toed boot.  (I met you half-way, Violet.)

"Is it hot in here?  Or is it just me?"  That saw-toothed expression of the barefoot young man in the Section 8 trench coat could only be Shinra Kusakabe. Third generation pyrokinetic and member of the Fire Force.

"Yeah?!  I'm not letting your forget about me!  BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BE THE WIZARD KING!"  White-haired, gutsy guy in those robes with the distinct bull emblem.

Asta.  Yup.  A member of the Magic Knights of the Spade Kingdom...specifically of the Black Bulls.  For a guy born without magic, he sure made up for it in guts.  And yes...there was that 5-leaf clover Grimoire...the one that contained the Devil or so they say.

"I'm here, too!"

"HEY!  DON'T GET IN MY WAY, DEKU!"

"S-Sorry, Ka-chan!  I was just--"

"FAH!  Whatever!  Hey, listen up!  Pay attention because you're looking at the next Number One Hero!  Bakugo Katsuki!"

The humanized version of Blast Man, wearing the grenade-shaped arm units and the pissed-off look shoved his way past and pointed a thumb to himself.

Leave it up to Dyna-Might to steal a scene from his rival.

"And I'm Midoria Izuku.  It's very nice to meet you."  The green-haired kid gave a very polite bow to all of us.

Hello, Deku.  Seems we had two of the best and brightest of UHA show up, too.

From one of the other portals, it seemed its lead was having some troubles of his own--

"LUPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!"

"Sorry to cut and run, pops but I have a prior engagement!  Hee hee hee hee hee!"

And like that Lupin III popped out of the portal, carrying a big sack full of stolen valuables moments before he shoved a pursuing Inspector Zenigata back through the gate with a boot to the face just before it closed; the inspector's parting words "DAMN YOU--" cut off suddenly.

Never mind about the troubles of his own.   They'd be waiting for him when he got back.

"Sorry we took so long getting here.  It won't happen again...will it?"  Kagome Higarashi stepped out in her priestess garb right behind.

"Hmph."  Inuyasha scoffed before resting his fully summoned Tetsusaiga over his shoulder and facing us with a cocky smile.

"We're not being left out, either!"  Moroha lead the charge as Towa and Setsuna followed.  The quarter-demon daughter of Kagome and Inuyasha and the twin half-demon daughters of Sesshomaru and Rin.

"We're finally here in the youkai world, Nezuko."

And Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado were present.

And one by one more and more showed up.

From Knights of the Zodiac/Saint Seiya; Pegaus Seiya himself.

From Hunter x Hunter, Gon Freeces and Killua Zoldyk.

From Trigun...the six-billion double-dollar man himself, Vash the Stampede.

From Planet Arus...Keith Kogane and the entire Voltron Force.

From Fist of the North Star, Kenshiro.

From Pallet Town, Kanto...Ash Ketchum and Pikachu.

From Heightened View Terrace, Taichi Kameya and Koromon.

From Tokyo's future past...or...past future?  Tobio AKA Astro Boy.  Wow, that's an old school face among the crowd.

From Paradyne City, the Negotiator, Roger Smith and R. Dorothy Waynewright with Norman accompanying.

From Cowboy Beebop, Spike Spiegel, Faye Valentine, Jet Black and uh...I'll just call her Radical Edward.  Her full name's too long.

From an time adjacent to that...a dandy guy from space, Space Dandy.  Keep him and Vi separated.  Imperative to keep him and Vi separated.

From Section-9, Major Motoko Kusanagi.  She flashed a smirk to Bunnie who returned the gesture......wait, when did Bunnie get here? Never mind.  She does that.

Before long the Gateway Lab had filled up with an army of characters we'd met over our long careers in UCIAT.

"Is Anime, real Undyne?"  I said with a grin.

"YES!  YES!  YES!  YES!  YES! YES! YES!" Undyne bellowed before laughing to the heavens.

"Oh wow...oh wow...oh wow...!"

"Duuuuuude!"

"What do you know.  They're all real after all."  Chara mused, arms crossed.

"Chara, you're a Soul Reaper.  You ought to know at least one of them was real."  I wrinkled my snoot.

Chara just shrugged, not losing a centimeter of her creepy grin.

Frisk just giggled.

"Oh, and Alphys..."  I said as I put her hand on her shoulder...before pointing to one lone gateway that opened up...and out stepped.

"M...M...M...M...M..."

"Use your words, Alphys.

"Mew-Mew Kissy Cutie!?!"  She managed to finally say...before fainting.

"Huh?"  Undyne whirled to see Alphys pass out.

"FUH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!  YOU FELL DOWN!"

Oh boy.

"Well.  So what would you suggest we do now that we have this small army assembled?"  I asked, casually.

"GET US TO THAT RAXIS ARENA PLACE AND MAKE THIS OFFICIAL!"  Undyne reveled in the aggressive level of excitement.

Oh boy...what have I done?

## Sub-Entry 288: "The Floodgates Have Opened.  Dawn of Worlds of Infinite Crossovers":

From that point onward, it became quite a storm of deciding who was going to officially join Ultra Crew Institute and go on missions...and who had to stick to their responsibilities back home in Undertale.  Who would be going back to Undertale.  Who would be staying.  And who would be commuting between the two.

For Azzy and Frisk it was a no-brainer.  Commute. Have a house in Undertale...and a place in Miranda City.

Chara was bound by the Soul Society so...it was up to chance where and when she'd show up.

Asgore and Toriel decided to remain back in Undertale with the promise of visiting whenever invited.

Papyrus pledged to come to Miranda City once a day to be among his new friends while also tending to his Undertale friends back at home.  It was win-win to him.  In addition to holding his position as Captain of the Royal Guard (and only member by this point), he submitted his application to Ultra Crew Institute.  It was approved almost immediately.  Welcome to the team, Pappy.

Sans...did whatever Sans felt like.  You couldn't be sure where he'd pop up.  Or when.

Both Grillby and Muffet worked out a schedule, which maximized both their competition with each other and with Mitzi and Hestia...as well as their collaborations with one another for big events and special orders and such.  And of course...to collectively start a culinary arts school while acting behind the scenes as a quartet of silent partners.

Alphys, true to her world ended up pulling double duty, racing back and forth between Undertale and Miranda City; practically quadrupling her own research.  She was hesitant to go on missions as honorary Ultra Crew.

M.K. of course applied and decided...he wanted to live in Miranda on a permanent basis.  He was okay with losing any and all magic.  And he was very confident he could become a  Hybrid like his hero and Best Friend Forever, Asriel.  We broke it to his parents gently.  I guess they eventually came around to it.

Mettaton...wow...where do I even begin.  You'd think that opening two worlds up to him would be plenty big for a life's dream.  Well.  I already know the world was not enough.  But two still not enough?  No.  Mettaton was thinking WAY bigger.  He decided to take himself...not global...not galactic...no.  He was going to on tour through the whole multiverse.  And dragging Burgerpants along for the ride.  There's thinking big, thinking bigger...thinking the biggest of all...  ...and then there's Mettaton...who thinks FINAL ULTIMATE.

I should stop him before he starts touring time itself.

At every glance this seemed like an ending.  This seemed like it was finality.

But no.

It was just beginning.  We'd opened Undertale up to the rest of the universe.  And the universe up with one another.  We were all one big collective now.  The Ultimate Crossover Existence.  We crossed over crossovers and then crossed those crossovers with more on top of them.

This is the ultimate melting pot.

It was like "America" wasn't just an Earth country any more.   It wasn't a planet, or a galaxy, or a universe...or the whole InfinityVerse.

It was a perspective.  It was togetherness.  The Ultraverse was now smaller than every...and yet it had grown bigger than anything I'd ever imagine.

How do you even top this?

Well...in the months that would come I'd answer that question.  Asriel would be there to answer it with me.

And now that our ranks had expanded...so had our potential for crossovers.

It was like a video game where you hacked in and activated the master cheat.  Everything became unlocked.  Everyone had become unlocked.  Unexpected relationships--friendships...rivalries...maybe outright sworn enemies (gods, I hope not) were going to take center stage.

What parallels would we see?  What contrast would we see?

It was the dawn of Infinite Crossovers.

Asriel and I both made this possible.

As King of Crossovers, I just sized up my crown.  Andi I'd never felt more alive.  I'd never felt my research more validated.  I'd never felt more justified that everything I'd ever done--whether going with the council or against the--was right.  It was correct.  It was all for the best even during the days it was at its worst.

I understood my destiny and my fate more than I had ever done before.

It was a great feeling and it was only going to swell.

The adventures were coming.

I could hear the call to missions ahead.

I loved it.

This is was the hope.

This was the dream.

This was the wish...and the wish came true.

So...what next?

No.

What lies at the end of "final"

That actually intimidated me to think about.

Where there had been a beginning, I knew somewhere down the road there would be an end.

While I'm here in this transition between now and then?

There was no choice but to enjoy the ride.

Alright, Asriel Arcade.

Wow me with were we're all going from here...

## Sub-Entry 289: "Finally a Somber Moment.  Two Best Friends Together Once More":

Suffice to say...the excitement lasted more than a few days.

Why wouldn't it?  This changed the world.  It changed two worlds.  Heck...it was going to change ALL worlds.  Just as it had before in the N-Division's time.

Neo Arcadia City had long known we were not alone in the universe.  My father figure, my teacher, my mother figure, my gym instructor, my crazy uncle...and all the rest...

...they pioneered this, once upon a time.  Even as early as grandpa Giovanni Marco Arcade; who laid the groundwork for what would be a shrinking universe...

History repeated.  Again and again.  Only this time I was speaking on a positive note.

The talk shows continued.  The news articles in both print, TV, and on the internet kept the momentum going.  Television, radio shows, podcasts and movies saw new changes.

Undertalers were integrating into the world.  And we were integrating into Undertale.

The migration between two worlds set our planet ablaze with progress.  For generations to come, it looked like.

And I was on the highest of highs that I could ever remember.

In a way...it felt like Universal City was born again...but in a new way with new people...new situations ahead.

I was cautious.  I was nervous.  I was looking at all the ways this had gone right...and all the ways it could still go wrong.

It was overwhelming.

I left the trust in each of my crew members and family members and friends to handle this new era in their own ways...responsibly...and to the fullest.

So...

...what should I trust myself to do, now?

I was looking back, alright.  Seeing what I had picked myself up from.  I knew I couldn't hold myself to a promise of "never again".  Fate would make me dance to her tune again, some day.  Right now I was damn sure I wouldn't be fooled so easily.  She burned a bridge.  But I knew she'd find another and be carrying plenty of gasoline and a match when she did.   No doubt she'd try to make sure we were all on it.

I was...in all of my crew's debt, now.

Particularly Bunnie.

The more I tried to ask for forgiveness...the less she'd want to hear about it.  She'd already forgiven me.  While I knew she would never forget, she had already put it behind her.

Could I do the same?

As a Scorpio, trust was as fragile as glass and considered the precious of the precious.  It was a chore affording that trust again when it had been broken.

As a taurus, the major was more bull-headed than even Violet or myself.  Sally was often the same.  Lupe...it was hard to tell.  Her patience often overshadowed her capacity to be stubborn.

Huh.  I guess it was only fitting that I talk about our astrological signs, as Violet had put Weird Al's "Your Horoscope For Today" in the playlist for a recent Movie Night.  Granted...I really hope I don't find myself on an unexpected trip that involves screaming while falling out an open window.  But I am at least working on that low self-esteem I built up lately.

Anyway...what was my point again?

Oh.  Right.

Well...I'm sure everyone was wondering if they'd earned my trust back.  Well...yes.  They had.  I was hard to forgive sometimes but...I wasn't completely petty.  Though...Bunnie had risked that trust again.  I'll let her off the hook for now.

But really my point is...the person whose trust I really questioned if they'd earned back...was my own.  Could I trust myself to keep up this upward swing before the pendulum decided to rebalance things and send my spiraling down?

It was going to be hard.

It was going to be my next biggest test.

And...it meant I'd have to be watching Madam Fate and Lady Destiny like a hawk.  The game was on hold...but the fact the former played an "intermission' with us all told me...the game would continue.  I had no idea where...and when.

I forced myself at that point to shift my train of thought to something else I hadn't thought about in ages.

While the game was on pause...what was to stop us all from having classic adventures.  Like we used to.  On...and off world.

A lot of them were now aware of us.  A lot of them we had partnerships, alliances, and treaties with.  A lot of them...we had history with.

I'm sure...we were missed as much as they were.

Violet would remind me...any fandom can be toxic but even still...they still mean something to someone.  A lot of someone’s, whether celebrated in a good way...or a bad way.

I'd...be a little lost what she meant by that but...sometimes her meta-commentary turned out to be a wisdom that often proved relevant.  Maybe I shouldn't just be going to Bunnie for enlightenment and wisdom.  Sometimes the best wisdom in our world came from our own nerd culture.  Now that it had all been popularized...I'm sure the references were only going to double-down.  And now a whole world was going to share in them.  If Azzy had planted enough seeds...no doubt...Undertale would be in the know.  It would already be in our inner circle.

Where am I going with this?

I foresaw...a lot of unfinished business.  A lot of places Asriel had never been to, yet.

I could think of several off the top of my head.  One...would surely have the puns and wordplay that was right up his alley.  If he didn't mind...scaring up a few supernatural laughs in the process.   No doubt...someone reading this might know where I'm going with this, especially if they caught what I wrote in my logs all the way back in Project Lost Dreemurr's first story...

"Thought I'd find you up here.  Hey, Volt."

I was stunned for a moment.

"Volt?"

"Oh.  Uh.  That's me.  Um...hello, Azzy."

"Yeah...this is familiar.  This is you spinning those wheels, grinding those gears...your thoughts are going a million miles per second, aren't they?"

Oh.  I guess I probably should have mentioned I'm on the clocktower balcony but...the grill wasn't with us.  Heck, it's still January, for crying out loud!

As much as I wanted the summer weather to last, unfortunately once Goat Son's cyber portal equalized things between our worlds and settled down...back to the status quo.  And yes...even more winter blizzards our way.

Joooooy.

"Pull up a lawn chair.  I...don't have anything to eat though and I left the cooler of sodas at home."

"Yeah.  I'm trying to cut down, anyway."

"Hard to give up sweet things, huh?"

"Especially with Muffet gouging my wallet every day."

I laughed at that.

"Same greedy spider?"

"Same greedy spider."

Azzy took a load off as well as his sandals.

"My dogs are barking, Vee."

"Heh.  And without Violet to take humor in it."

I managed to get my own sandals off and just let my paws cool.  We'd both been running around and standing up for days on end since this whole thing began.

"Wish there was at least a moon out."

"You and me both, Volt."

A long silence.

The mood had become...low-key.

It felt like it should have been somber but...there was no tragedy or bad news.  It was just...

...just exhaustion for both of us, really.

Not much to raise a stink over.  Just...a reason to rest.  Take it slow.  Let it all digest.

And reflect.

"Twenty questions?"

"More like twenty-thousand."

"Well...ask away."

"So...your people seemed to--"

"They accepted me so quickly.  So readily.  I told them...I wasn't their timeline's Asriel.  He was...gone.  I was just...from another instance where...I lived.

And yet that didn't matter.  I was the one and only."

"You've always been the one and only to me.  Even when I tried reaching out to Flowey...my heart still saw him as such even though I told myself.......and...I feel like I'm painting myself into a corner with my line of thinking now."

"Don't apologize for it.  Every Asriel is an Asriel.  Whether a goat or a murderflower."

"Yeah...how did you get Flowey to agree?"

"I out-determined him.  Simple as that."

"Simple...as that.  Wow.  You really are something else."

"Had to go with that one, huh?"

"Had to."

A long period of silence.

"I did...so much to advance our world.  I bench marketed so many things.  Heh.  I wonder if I’m going to have a problem with patent rights and trademark infringement?  Wonder where the line of fair use is for us?"

"If it's not a problem now, Kitty will make sure it stays that way.  She's a very good lawyer, you know."

Azzy chuckled.

"And so much happened to me for a few years."

"Yeah.  Engaged.  To Frisk, even.  I had a feeling about you two."

"No you didn't.  You always knew.  Beyond a shadow of a doubt, you knew."

"I'll tell myself that and eventually believe it after enough repeats."

"Maybe it's just as well that you guys never taught me dating advice...how to talk to a girl...I mean romantically.  Maybe I just had to be a late bloomer, you know?"

"I know.  Speaking from experience, at that."

"You?  But I thought you and Lisa?"

I shook my head.

"It wasn't completely love at first sight.  But...we knew there was something there.  At the time I was more or less amazed that she got out of...our village alive.  Made it to Neo Arcadia.  And...had a similar upbringing as me.

Our first dates were awkward.  I mean...I don't think either of us found our voice until we realized "You Make Me" by Weird Al Yankovic was our special song.

"It's definitely not the most normal of love songs.  If you can call it that."

"It's what we want it to be.  And it lit the flame.  So...you and Frisk?"

"We took it slow."

"I'll say.  This long to set a marriage date."

"Hey, now.  Don't think Lisa didn't waste a moment to tell me how long it took for you to pop the question."

"Fair enough.  \*sigh\* Fair enough..."

"Anyway...let's move on from...the big day, okay?"

"Sure."

"So...Chara hooked back up with you.  I..hadn't seen her around the Soul Society as much.  Especially given her recent position."

"Yeah.  She made Captain, finally."

"Captain of Squad 3.  That marigold really suits her now."

"It's partially changed meaning.  But...it still represents despair.  It still reminds that battles are gruesome.  That fighting leads to permanent consequences.  Chara's way of finally seeing things from my point of view.   Even now she embraces "don't kill and don't be killed"  at least where applicable.  Hollows...I guess they're the loophole.  I mean...what's dead can never die, right?"

"Oh, if only that were completely true..."  I looked down.  "Not unless you have a Goddess Contract.  I'm the only truly-immortal Soul Reaper and...I've sure been shirking my duties as a captain-level Shinigami."

"The parents are still good.  You'd never know they had a falling out by this point save for the occasional mom stare."

"I believe that."

"Everyone else...well...you'll see for yourself."

"I bet I will."

I paused.

A long pause.

In fact I think he actually got concerned that I was suddenly speechless.

"Azzy...how did you manage...?"  I sniffled.

"Don't look at me like I was bulletproof.  I...I had some severe moments of weakness.  And...while I didn't exactly write them in my journal, it...it wasn't all smiles and happiness.

I...I missed you."

"And I you.  But...I fell apart and--"

"Come on.  Let's not make this a competition.  Much less a one-sided one.  It's not as black-and-white as you think."

"It'll be hard for me to accept that.  But...I know you're telling me the truth."

"I did worry.   Part of me did wonder why...you didn't try to visit."

"All of me wondered why I couldn't bring myself to.  Or...maybe I just resisted the urge to.  Either way...I don't know what I was thinking.  It was so simple.  And I was so...conflicted."

"Maybe...we both just needed to mature...to ferment...to find the next phases of our lives before we reconnected."

"Maybe."

"But here we are.  Princes of the Universe?"

I sat up and was tempted to wag my tail.

"I guess you and Frisk watched Highlander?"

"The first movie was epic.  The series was good.  Let's leave it at that."

"I hear ya."

Another long stretch of silence.  Somber silence while looking up at the stars and trying to stay warm.

"DeltaRune."

"You...went there?"

"I did.   Seems...there was another chapter to experience.  Seems Kris and Susie had...more adventures to have...and...their secret got out to a couple more.  Though..."

"Wait, other classmates?  This could be serious."

"Yeah.  Right now, I'm trusting that the both of them still believe it was all just a dream but..."

I nodded.

"And...what did you think of...Ralsei?"

"It was an easier anagram to swallow than "Serial Murderer".  And...It was cute trying to picture myself as a wizard.  A prince with no subjects...at least back then.

"Sounds like quite a tale to tell."

"Yeah...and...maybe far more serious than things were after the first "chapter">  Azzy furrowed his brow.

"Volt...I think..."

"...Azzy?"

"Kris might be..."

I motioned for him to not finish that thought.  I knew what he was going to say.  It was just a theory then but...all signs pointed to the obvious.

"Whenever the next chapter opens up.  Whether for you...or me...or for anyone else..."  Asriel looked really worried.

"...we'll have to fight as hard as we can to prevent the Roaring Titans from waking up.  The Roaring Knight is already--"

I nodded.

"I was afraid of such."

This new news was echoing with me.  Echoing something...recent.  A rumor coming out of New York.  One I had hoped to approach Winston Zeddemore about.

There were...unanswered things I'd pondered about my mentor's future.  Those echoes that started back in Summerville, Oklahoma.  The seeds of Spengler's legacy being planted.

And if it was true that the final vision I'd have of Winston promising to take Ecto -1 back to the old Firehouse to have her fixed up would actually happen...then...

I thought back to the day the Containment Unit exploded after Peck shut down the protective grid.

A frightening amount of spiritual turbulence was released when it blew.  The whole building was absolutely saturated by it from within as it fountained all those ghosts toward Shandor's high-rise temple...to Gozer's gateway.

Even after the fixer-upper, five years later, I felt I should have...run proper tests and scans on the building.  Make sure there wasn't something dormant, still left over from the explosion.

That said, we'd rebuilt big, red, and metal but...

...what was destined to happen to it some 35 years later?  I kept having this vision in my head...of that lone, red, blinking light on the main panel...

What was keeping that grid intact after the building lease had...left Ray's name and got bought up to be a some kind of coffee house or something...whatever it was...

I was speaking of future events that hadn't happened upon writing these entries into my logs.

If those visions were true and Winston did buy back the building...then the story was going to continue.  Would...that family that moved into the Summerville Farmhouse that Mentor had set up shop in...really come all this way to the Big Apple?  Why?

There were still connections I was hesitant to make.  And the most obvious one of all...would mean that I didn't know my mentor as well as I thought I did.

That girl...that bespectacled, 12-year-old girl from those time echoes...there's no way it was coincidence she shared mentor's mannerisms.  Could she really be--

"I guess you're thinking about the Legion Wraith, too, huh?"

"Azzy...!"  I gasped, jolted out of my thoughts.

"It's harder than I realized keeping it...forgotten.  But I made a vow.  I can't ever look inside that machine again.  Not without risking seeing...that thing once more.  Forgotten...has to mean forgotten."

I nodded.

"Oppenheimer changed the course of Earth history with a theory realized in the most devastating weapon of all time.  That wraith changed the course of our lives just by whispering in Chara's ear."

Azzy nodded, looking melancholy as all heck.  "I don't want to acknowledge that I owe just as much of my life being as good as it is...as I do for all that was taken from me.  It's a weird balancing act keeping both of those thoughts in me on equal terms.  And...that's what's giving Hyperdeath his peace."

Hyperdeath.  Mention of that other persona deep in his soul.

"We have an understanding now.  I bet...if he did awaken it would be more like..."

"Kurama."

"The Nine-Tails Fox Spirit.  And me, like Hyperdeath's jinchuriki."

"You can't...actually draw power from him...abilities...?"

"I don't think so.  At least...I never tried.  And...I really don't need to.  Or want to.  And...really he has no interest in being in the driver's seat anymore if you catch my drift."

"Flowey?"

"He doesn't want to talk about it."

We had too much to discuss...too much to think about.  And so much of it felt...somber.  It felt...like the same vibe as a long, long, long, long goodbye.

"This talk is really what we both needed.  Isn't it?"

"Long overdue, Azzy.  Long overdue."

"Well.  We're cool, now.  Right?"

"Frosty."

A back and forth fist pound followed by a knuckle bump.

"Volt.  I...think I just want to stay up here a while.  With my best friend.  With you."

"Yeah...I...really don't feel like letting go right now.  Whatever you want."

"However long I need to?"

"Yeah."

The conversation just kind of ended there.

And we just stayed out.

And we stayed out...until waking up in the same place the next morning...a little dusting of snow kickstarting our morning.

"...oh man.  We are in so much trouble."

"We're gonna be if we don't get out of this.  We'll catch the death of cold!"

"Frisk is probably worried sick!"

"Don't say sick."

"Yeah...that was a nasty February back then.  Still the arm pit of the year?"

"And not a shaving of deodorant to spare."  I shrugged as we headed back down the stairs.

"Hey.  It was a good talk, wasn't it?"

"The best one we've had.  At least...recently."

"Asriel.  Thank-you so much for the necktie."

"It was the missing piece, wasn't it?"

"It sure was."

And with that we were on our way.

## Sub-Entry 290: "The Future Has Expanded.  Come What May, Let Us Face it With Determination":

The new norm.

What else to call it?

This will, in all likelihood, be the new status quo of our world.....er...worlds.

And as I put earlier, it may only be the beginning.

It just seemed like the New Year rang in.

Now it was the end of the first month.  And I mean the very end.

"Futurist."

That's the word Tony Stark had coined when Steve Rogers questioned the term.  Which lead to discussion about online news feeds in lieu of a newspaper.  Stuff like that the modern world gets that someone from the 1940's would be lost by.

So...someone from the tail end of the 1970's to the dawn of the 80's...now seeing all this unfold.

You'd probably asking if I'm talking about myself.  Well...sometimes it gets hard to say as...when I was actually birthed into this world of VGM-098...isn't always something I remember clearly.

I just know what it was like growing up in our 20th century...then maturing during our 21st century.  Then becoming immortal some time down the road and experiencing...well...EVERY century, sooner or later.  Time travel will eventually catch you up with not just one but countless lifetimes.  Countless world histories.  Countless dimensions' histories.

Every time I was assigned to some place and some time new...the future of what lay ahead got a little bigger and the world...my world all around me at any given time...got a little more cramped.

My Rolodex had filled up from mission to mission.  I made friends, enemies.  And most of the time no one even learned of my existence, as the mission clearly stated I should do in order to preserve timelines.

They say when you're nervous and feeling anxiety your mind...your thoughts are on the future.

They say when you're sad and depressed...your mind is in the past, fraught with nostalgia and regret.

So...I guess when one is happy that is when they are most situated in the present?

It fits.  It seems true.

Asriel always seemed like he was happy.  Maybe he was more in tune to what was now than I ever was.

Even now, he seems happier than ever.  Granted...I'm not exactly in a deep blue funk anymore but...I am playing catch-up to him.  I am like he was...slowly building acceptance to what was probably going to be my life, indefinitely.

It's fine.  It's nice.  It's everything I hoped for.  Everything I dreamed of.  Everything I wished.

Something was gnawing at me that I was in for instances of all three I hadn't even considered, yet.  New challenges.  New adventures.  New everything.

This felt like a new era.  And it was still the early 21st century.  If anything in the next two years we'd hit the quarter mark.

What had happened was big.  It was really big.  And it hadn't shrunk even a bit.  The momentum kept on going.

We couldn't stop the beat if we wanted to.  If we tried.

And Lady Destiny?  A winning streak was new to her.  At least...it was unfamiliar.  If she'd had any before, they'd been snuffed out and overtaken by Madam Fate wrecking things and forcing the story...our story to be scrapped and rebooted.

Her rage-quit was some time ago.  She'd had plenty of time to cool off and start scheming again.

It was weird.  It was weird not knowing what lay ahead in either of our timelines.

Before...I'd be prepared for what was coming.  Though...that didn't always mean I was ready for it.  Things still caught me off guard.  Things went "off script".  The game changed under my nose.  Over and over.

The fact was...I'd come to realize what Obi-Wan meant by "only Sith’s think in absolutes--"

...wait a minute, wasn't THAT an absolute?

"Well.  That train of thought is "maklunky"."  I rolled my eyes.

Ugh.  I've got to find better sources of wisdom.  Ones that don't contradict themselves.

Seriously.

This was what it meant to live in what was "normal".  That..."normal" being...that there was no normal.  If it didn't take you by surprise, chalk it up to experience.  For "normal", it means life isn't like  a video tape like it was for us Time Travelers.  We could fast-forward ahead or rewind back.  We could watch the tape a million times and find something new or create something new.  Everyone else?  It was more like being in the theater rather than streaming or plugging in a Blu-Ray.  Once the show started, there was no going back.  And (baring paying for another ticket to watch it again) once the show was over, that was it.

"I think I can guess what's on your mind."

I looked over and--

Huh.  Not who I expected.

"Oh.  Frisk.  I figured--"

"Asriel has things to take care of back in Undertale.  He'll join us again later this evening."

"Sure.  That's cool."

I think cocked my head, catching what she had said.

"You...er...can?  I mean you know..."

"I think about the future all the time, Doctor.  Especially now that I don't have a RESET to fall back on.  It's for the best anyway.  Resetting...just stagnates your progress.  You sacrifice what's going to happen just to have another shot...a do-over for what already did happen.

I appreciate someone in your position more than anyone can."

"Yeah...once you travel time, your whole perspective changes.  And changes.  And changes again.  Until it's pliable.  Until you learn to think fourth-dimensionally.  Before...you realize what you've given up and what you can still have.  And you keep asking yourself if what you're doing is even right.  If it causes more damage than harm."

"You have a lot more worry in you than Azzy."

"Yeah...he learned a bit of it from me but...his determination and optimism greatly off-sets it.  He's better at going forward than I am."

"Probably better than any Asriel in the Undertale-verse."  Frisk shrugged.

"He got you up to speed on the multi-verse, huh?"

"Yeah...I had a bit of a start with Sans.  Took me this long to really grasp the depth of his lecture from...y'know...the other runs.  I'm...not that sure how many of them were actually me and...well...how many runs I had the same soul.  It's a blended together now and...all a haze.  Those memories of past times."

"I completely understand.  As an immortal time traveler whose own story has been reset hundreds of times?  I get it.  I get what it's like to not be sure who you were and if you still are that person.   You know my plight better than anyone who didn't actually have his or her own save file, sooner or later.  Heck even Flowey knows.  And that's been happening ever since the rules were established in Undertale Prime.

As if the rules regarding both player, boss monsters, regular monsters, and NPC's weren't murky enough...Madam Fate made them even harder to follow modding your world.  Modding the game.  Replacing your assets and rewriting your scripts."

"You...ever figure out that "FUN value" thing?  I'm sure in another life...another run I probably did but...as I am now I don't much understand it."

"Each iteration of you had a different level of self-awareness.  A different clarity of the fourth wall of your world.  Now here you are trying to adapt to the new meta."

Frisk nodded.  "It's...actually kind of refreshing that this version of me...in this...Undertale AU...isn't the lead.   Chances are I wouldn't even know about that...enough timelines ago."

"Don't sell yourself short.  You're still important to the story.  You're the missing piece of HIS story."

"We're going to be very happy together."

"You already are.  You just need a date to make it official."

I was tempted to ponder the other AU's that shipped Asriel and Frisk together.  It felt more right than shipping Frisk with Chara or with Sans.  Maybe the vibe reminded me of other ships.  Maybe I just saw ones that started with childhood friendships and blossomed into something over time more believable and organic than that tale of love at first sight that turns into a crush.

But to be fair, Asriel/Flowey was right.  He was someone that Frisk knew for all of a few minutes before he walked off, never to be seen again save for that final ending with him asking if Frisk had anything better to do.

And our Asriel...didn't really have THAT much time together with Frisk.  They hadn't grown up together.  They didn't officially meet until the Seven-Fold Cross rift.  Then they said goodbye for another few years until they joined back up again when we brought Azzy home.  And then...well...I guess they had enough time from then on to decide this was what they wanted.  Together.  Forever.

Was that why I found myself doing the guy doing the "Get it away" gesture with his palm vs. th "That's the stuff" deep inhaling moment of bliss meme while pointing to the "right choice" when comparing "Son-Amy" to "Son-Sal"?  Maybe.  I did consider a banterous, Moonlighting type friendship fraught with a few arguments and opposite personalities  that grew into a relationship more endearing than the girl that wouldn't stop chasing a guy while making up her mind she was going to marry him some day.  That...felt less like love and more like stalking.  It was just my opinion, mind you, but that shallowness didn't sit right with me.  I'm sure plenty of others favored the blue and the pink hedgehog hookup over a hedgehog and a.....well...half-chipmunk/half squirrel princess relationship.

Guess our Sally felt the same as me, because she always lowered an eyebrow when I brought up Amy Rose.

"You're not trying to analyze Azzy's and my relationship are you?"  Frisk asked a little slyly.

I about jumped at Frisk's insight.

"I've been around the block.  I get it.  Trust me.  We both worked this out.  Honestly, Azzy had more worries than you about it.  Did you know he even second-guessed it just because we have the same family name?  We're not siblings.  We're not even the same species.  We're soulmates.  That's all we have to be."

"Yeah...thanks.  You’re right.  I...just needed to clear the gunk out of my head before Violet started making light of it or something."

"Whatever she has to say I'm sure Chara teased us both about it, first."

That made us both laugh.

"And I'm sure you've already pondered this but...not now...but when we're ready.  We'll adopt.  That's what Arcades do, yes?"

She predicted I'd ask that?

I smiled.

"Welcome to the family, Frisk.  You'll fit right in.  Can't way for you to meet your godfather."

"Can't wait for him to meet my crazy Dunkle."

Now THAT was a meeting I'd love to frame and hang on the wall for eternity.

"Anyway...I should get back home.  Check on the others and stuff."

"Places to go and people to see."

"I guess you saw the other versions of me that made that choice.  Instead of--"

"Staying with Goat Mom.  Yeah.  I've seen them all.  So many variations that I feel I knew you before YOU knew you.  If that makes sense."

"Believe me.  Perfect sense, Doctor."

Frisk started to head toward the cyber gate.

"Doctor.  I know there's one piece of advice that...Azzy said your mentor once gave.  I think it would be best if you said it aloud.  Do you know what I'm talking about?"

I had to think a moment but then I remembered that moment following Marty's return to 1985 moments  after the original Delorean was obliterated by a diesel locomotive.  That moment after Jennifer Parker showed the blank fax printout.

"I do."

I cleared my throat.

"For whatever reason...if you or Azzy ever have worries about what lies ahead.  Don't worry about it.  Your future hasn't been written yet.  No one's has.

Your future is whatever you make it.  So make it a good one.  Both of you."

Frisk turned and smiled, eyes a little misty.

"I just needed to hear it from someone experienced.  From someone who lived that advice, himself. "

I waved.

"Take care of yourself, Frisk.  And him.  And those rabites of yours."

"I will.  We'll see you tomorrow.  Okay?"

"Promise."

"Music to my ears."  Frisk turned and headed into the portal.

Yeah.  I could feel it.

It was going to be a good future.

We would all make sure of it.

***CRYPTOSMASHER LOGOFF***

***END TRANSMISSION...***

Chapter 30

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