PLD Chapter 7

"CHAPTER 7: A Prophetic Dream. Blossoming Friendships"

Sub-Entry 61: "Hope Comes in Many Forms...Sometimes From Hopeless Ones..."
No New Year's Day to celebrate. No chocoate candy hearts to give away. No first of spring, no songs to bring. In fact...the next day proved to be just another ordinary day. One more day until Bunnie's big day.

Speaking of, it seemed as the Ecotropians had the same idea to join us at the fountain. Whether it was Bunnie deciding to meditate, Sally challenging herself with sports-stacking cups, Lupe sharing another bounty of impossibly large fruit, or Rotor working on the nearby drinking fountains an sprinklers with Skeeter, each fell into his or her own comfortable niche.

"AIIIIIYIIIIIIIIIIIIE! Sacre bleu cheese!" The sound of a French coyote sailing through the air after being literally thrown out of a restaurant was...sadly nothing new. And even more sadly expected by this point.

So of course the peace would be broken up by the unexpected arrival of UCIAT's own public annoyance and borderline offensive foreign stereotype, Antoine D'Cooliette. I probably should have warned Asriel in advance that out of everyone in UCIAT, Antoine was the only person who is harder to put up with than Violet.

At least Vi had her usefulness and resources. Antoine was an Ecotropian refugee and thus we had to ensure him shelter and asylum or it would look very bad for Miranda's image to kick him out.

"Mon dieu...what a terr-ee-ble experience. I am think-eeng zat' they are not appreciating my greatness. Hah! I say to them and hah again! Those fyoo-els will rue ze' day they cast out Antoine D'Cooliette!"

Bunnie, Sally, Rotor, and Lupe all face-palmed at the same time. I just shook my head. And Asriel just sat there with his mouth hanging open, not sure what he just saw.

To be very blunt, no one in his old Ecotropian circle had enough patience to outlast his snotty and rude personality or his tendancy to be a blowhard.

Even Bunnie had her limits to what she would tolerate. But the one who had it worst was Sally. Unrequited love was a killer and frankly Antoine couldn't take the hint that she wanted nothing to do with him. Ever since he was 8 or 9, Antoine had a crush on her. And he just could not stop smothering her.

It was a mystery what all had happened after the fall of Ecotropia.

Obviously he never ended up in Vortex or Bunnie and Sally would have known.

Rotor never saw him during his family's trek through Vorostov's badlands.

Lupe never really met the others until after UCIAT had discovered where her people had carved out a life behind the borders of the secret Vorostovian Reservation that hid them away from the world--she wasn't introduced to us until Bunnie had personally overseen the relocation of the Wolf Tribe to Neo Arcadia City. So the big question is...what happened to Antoine aside from witnessing his own family assassinations that broke him even further?

Technically Antoine wasn't even cleared for active duty. He had yet to pass Violet's psychiatric examinations. Besides Callista, Violet was the only one of us with a degree in psychology in addition to her doctorates in mathematics, computer science, and genetics. And she just found more and more creative ways to entertain herself while borderline psychologically torturing him in the name of medical science. It wasn't that she enjoyed tormenting him with couch sessions, ink blot tests. He just made it too easy to write it off that he had it coming.

It was a lovely day. Until now.

Sally quickly zipped to the closest available hiding spot, hoping to ride out whatever we were in for.

"Antoine, does Violet know you're out of your rubber room?" I prodded, knowing that Violet had let him out and into normal sleeping quarters a while back for good behavior following the last time he was "committed" to the psychiatric ward under Violet's orders.

Antoine, I could describe as being one part Papyrus and one part Metatton, and all grating on your nerves.

"I am not spend-eeng another moment in zat' terr-ee-ble place. So unsanitary! The bed sheets were 5 degrees uneven and a centimeter out of place! And I found a speck of dust on the bathroom floor. And the clothing I was assigned was two shades too pale! My eyes are not to be offended by such blatent disregard for proper color coordination!"

I knew he was going to complain about the food next.

"And when I ordered ze' crepe suzette, they used far too much batter! What slop art-eest cooked such a horr-ee-ble abomination! Such incompetance should be rewarded with the swift justice of zee' guilotine! And zee escargot? How DARE zey' use margerine?! You only use real butter on such a delicassy! Zee are an-ee-mals I zay! AN-EE-MALS!"

Oh brother. I had to wonder if real Frenchmen found him as annoying as the rest of us did. And Antoine kept talking and complaining.

"Is this about Queen Brooke not letting you into the Royal Guard again? You realize you wouldn't be guarding--" He cut me off before I could mention Sally's name. I could have sworn Sally groaned by that point.

"I am a soldier of Ecotropia! Am am being zee born to be a military genius, no?" "He's right about the no part..." Bunnie frowned.

"Sorry, guys. I didn't think he'd actually try to go out job-hunting on his own. I just can't be his wingman for these things anymore. When I tried to get him employment last he got hired and fired more than 50 times in a single day for...reasons."

Okay, I knew it wasn't nearly THAT many;  Rotor was as guilty as I was at exaggerating how bad Antoine was. Our humble plumber was the closest person Antoine had to what anyone could consider a friend. But even that had its limits.

I had a feeling most of those "reasons" involved no one in town having insurance coverage that great. Aside from Antoine's personality faults there was also the issue of him being prone to accidents... Overwhelmingly prone to accidents.

Violet described him as having the worst combination of "Cervantes Syndrome" (Our own little Don Coyote...er...Don Quixote) with the worst case of PTSD with bad luck and accident causing that made Fackler from Police Academy seem like a good luck charm by comparison.

Just weeks ago he had caused an incident involving a hot dog cart that resulted in a 15 car pile up, a broken fire hydrant, downed telephone poles, and several hospitalized.

"Maybe...Royal Guard duty isn't for you--"

Lupe tried to reason with him.

We hadn't noticed that Violet had joined us at that moment. She was muttering complex algebra and calculus equations to herself.

"...which makes the moment of instance..." She said with a grin as she calculated where Antoine would be at just the right moment in time.

"I will 'ave you know, madamoiselle that Antoine D'Cooliette is no stuffed shirt."

"Now." I heard her mumble. "HEY, SALLY!" She hollered out in her loudest voice.

"Zee princess? Where--" Antoine whirled moments before...

SPLASH!!!

It was awful of us but most of us couldn't contain our laughter.

Antoine emerged from the fountain a lily pad with a frog on his head. He spit out a large amount of water.

"Maybe not, Antoine...but you're definitely a wet blanket." Violet mused.

Antoine climbed out and sloshed away, grumbling.

"That guy...seems...very strange." Asriel said with a tinge of sorrow in his voice.

"Antoine's...kind of the oddball around here."

"I'd call him the black sheep of the flock." Violet followed up.

"Even back in Ecotropia he was...hard to deal with." Bunnie looked off to the side.

"He had a one-sided rivalry with our mutual friend." Rotor explained. "One he was always on the losing end of."

"And it really annoyed me how I was always the prize." Sally crossed her arms with a sour look.

"It's always been him against the world and nothing seems to meet his impossibly high standards."

Okay...two comparisons to Papyrus in a row. But between the two of them, I'd gladly spend all day with Papyrus over one hour with Antoine.

"He's just too irrate at everyone and everything."

"I don't really see it that way." All eyes were suddenly on Asriel.

"He just seems kind of...sad."

A moment of silence.

"Yeah...I guess so." Sally looked off to the side like she suddenly realized she felt kind of ashamed for being hard on him.

"I know he doesn't really serve a purpose around here but...maybe his low performance in a way...gives us all hope."

"How do you figure, sensei?"

"I'd say it's because we're glad we're not him." Violet sneered.

"Aunt Vi, that's not very polite." Asriel sounded almost like he was scolding.

"I think what Violet means is...when each of us has his or her moments when we feel down and lowly...someone always has it worse. And if they can keep on going and stick to their guns....if they can keep persevering in the face of their own failures and rejections...then maybe things aren't so bad. I mean...Antoine keeps trying to impress Sally even though it's clear it's never going to work. To keep trying like that takes a special kind of...determination." Lupe volunteered.

"That...kinda makes sense." Asriel looked a little more sympathetic.

"The point is...none of us hate him. It's just that we can only take him in small doses. Antoine is just...Antoine." Rotor acknowledged.

"Hope comes from the suprisingly hopeless. What a concept!" I mused.

The rest of the day became uneventful.

Sub-Entry: 62: Kodomo no Hi/Happy Birthday, Bunnie Rabbotou
Thursday came around sooner than we thought. The Koinobori carp-shaped windsocks were flying at full mast on the flagpole erected at Rabbotou Dojo.

Bunnie, Megami, and Asriel stood outside looking up at them.

"That one at the bottom, Asriel-kun. That one is meant for you. The ones above it are for my students and the top ones are in memory of father and mother."

"I feel....honored." Asriel felt like he was grasping for the right words as it was starting to set in that the holiday was beginning to feel special to him as well.

"My birthday has always been on Children's Day. I suppose it's a strange irony as I've...never really felt like a child even in my youth. I would always be too stoic to fully appreciate the time for recreation."

"But now you're grown up, sensei. Does it get sad that you can't enjoy those things anymore?"

"It does. But it also takes other forms. February 2nd and 3rd I herald the coming of spring with Setsubun--my country's annual roasted-soybean scattering festival. Last March 3rd was Hina Matsuri--the Jangese doll festival--also known as Girl's Day and Gadget's birthday falls on it. For a couple of days I can display my doll set in accordance to tradition. And Festival of the Rabbit holds great joy for me and all the children I celebrate with. And even when it rolls around to Tanabata on July 7th, I enjoy my country's traditional star-gazing festival. And Otsukimi in September where we appreciate the Harvest Moon. And there are so many birthdays and other things to celebrate."

Bunnie looked at peace.

"Having a proper childhood was never something I could enjoy. But with age comes growth in all interests and with it, the things that are precious to you evolve with you. You appreciate them more. You understand fully the reason why you liked or loved things to begin with. I guess one way of putting it is that life is like a fine cheese...it grows more precious with age."

"I wish I had such memories to call my own. Most of what I remember has...turned pretty dark and faded. And for a hundred years I had...nothing to remember but being sad and lonely."

"Asriel. I understand where you're coming from. So maybe this bit of insight will help us both. The loneliest people...are the kindest. The saddest people...smile the brightest. The most damaged people...are the wisest. All because they...we...don't wish to see anyone suffer the way we do."

Asriel looked up at Bunnie with tears in his eyes...but a big smile.

"That's so beautiful, sensei. And...it helps a lot."

Bunnie gently patted Asriel's head, turning it into a gingerly, motherly rub.

"You're a good friend, sensei."

"You're a good friend as well, my student."

Later that day we were all present at Rock-Afire Pizza. Sure enough Mitzi had made the most impressive strawberry birthday cake I had seen yet.

Everyone even remotely acquainted with Bunnie attended. From her highness, Queen Brooke all the way to Asriel and his circle of friends.

As a special surprise Mitzi got to show off her talent...in song. Even at her age, she still had the most enviable set of pipes I'd laid ears on. Such a singing voice.

It was the first time Asriel had heard Mitzi show off her musical talent.

And I could tell he was as deeply moved as Bunnie.

As a special treat, Mitzi brought in her old band mate, Rick "Beach Bear" Bailey. With collaboration between Mitzi and of all people, Master Splinter, they wrote a special song for her. Something about skipping stones. It was a beautiful song and Beach Bear performed it incredibly beautifully. Splinter had some insight to give before the song started. :detemmienation:  (Music Video Link)

"Have you ever skipped rocks on the water? Skipped them when the water is flat and calm and watched the rings and watch the rings grow around the place where the stone touched the water? Each of you is like that stone. And everything you do--good or bad--makes rings. All of us must work to make good rings, because just like the water, the rings that go out will affect all that they touch."

Splinter turned to Asriel.

"Young Asriel, you remember the day you came home from the park so excited? The story you told me. The truth always lies here. It is the smallest things which makes the biggest difference."

Asriel smiled brightly, closing his eyes and cocking his head to the side. There was a tinge of embarrassment from being put on the spot.

"As you progressed in your teachings, Mitzi-chan, you became aware of a great truth through a form I didn't expect. You learned that one could transcend violence, and achieve a higher spiritual awareness through the sounds of music."

Mitzi turned pink in the cheeks but remained smiling.

The song had ended and I couldn't just see but feel how lit up Bunnie was by it all. I'd never seen her so moved by so many friends present.

"This is truly a wonderful day, Soul-Twin."

Even Bunnie's half-sister, Bunnette Von Rabbotte had attended. There would be time to explain her complicated backstory another day.

There was of course cake and the usual celebration and even presents. Everything was just wonderful.

With memories such as these so perfectly preserved in digital medium and memory, now seems like a good point to leave things as as they were and continue these mission reports another day.

Sub-Entry 63: "Shadows of the Truth Behind Her Lies..."
"Give up. You can totally stop this bloodshed. You don't have to keep being a sucker for punishment. You know how you can stop all this, don't you?"

Chara's eyes burned bright red as she twirled the knife as she stood amongst the fatally wounded ranks of the Boss Monsters of the Underground.

My gods...it was painful to look at them. The massive slash across Toriel's body, the slices across her cheek and right ear. The tears in her eyes. The horrid look of disbelief on her face; the look of a mother betrayed by her own daughter. She was already starting to turn to dust at her horns, the bottom of her ears, and her claws.

Papyrus, beheaded, the dust flaking off his battle body while his severed skull in his hand. Smiling like a loon. It was heartwrenching to see he still believed. No. He didn't deserve this. Chara, you dirty brother kill-- *gasp*

Undyne...so that's what was underneath your eyepatch. I know that this was a wound from long before even Chara fell into the Underground...but it only made the imagery worse. Oh, Undyne...this isn't right. Those horrid lacerations. How much of you did Chara carve away? She was partially melted, indicating she was determined enough to at least get a second wind and try to fight for her life. But the dust was starting to wisp off of her.

The trembling fear. It was more than I could take. And seeing it manefested on what was left of Alphys...this was true horror. Even though she wasn't a Boss Monster, the effect it had on me was no less than the others. Her broken glasses. The bruises. The deep cuts. Her labcoat hanging on in tatters. And the worst part was that look in her sullen eyes that said "I'm okay with this. I deserve this. Don't cry for me. I'm trash." She was already dust up to her ankles.

Muffet. Sure she was creepy and was a little off. But she wasn't a bad person. Despite how hard it was to supress screaming every time I got wrapped up in her webs, poured me a brimming cup of spiders, and scared out of my skull from becoming a giant spider snack... ...all I could feel was sorrow. Even spiders deserved better. I'd gladly buy out every baked good on her menu if it'd take away the pain. Each arm was starting to erode away into dust.

Metatton. I know he was a ghost and you can't really kill a ghost. But his robot body...that was another story. And Chara had hurt him where it counted. Wrecking such beauty. I hadn't seen a machine so badly mangled, mutilated, and desicrated since...since ever. I'd see Casshern tear robots afflicted with the Ruin apart. I'd seen Haruko make a mess of Medical Mechanica's cybernetic creatures. I'd seen Zero's rampage when he was a Maverick infected with that virus. But I'd never seen something this disrespectful. She made this personal.

Monster Kid. Another creature who wasn't a boss but... This was waaaay over the line. He was an innocent. Just a child. Was Chara really this depraved? I couldn't help but think his last moments was his confidence completely shattered when trying to avenge Undyne.

Sans. That gash across his whole body. That apathetic look like he didn't even care. And really...I bet all he really wanted to do was go to Grillby's one last time. Oh gods...

And yes. Even Asgore was not safe from her wrath. I knew his punshiment was coming sooner or later. I knew his sins were many and despite the support of nearly all of his people, he stood alone. In the other timelines he either ended his own life or it was Flowey... *sniffle* ...who sent him to his death. I knew it could be no less devastating to be butchered like this by his daughter than it was for his son to pierce him with "Friendliness Pellets".

All of them so wounded...so...wait....something was...? What was off about this picture? Deep red cuts and slices but...no blood. That was when I thought all the way back to Toriel's sad story of Asriel's death when it hit me what was off about it. The blood. I had always thought she had said that Asriel was bleeding but...if what I was seeing was right, it couldn't have been his blood. I'd reached an undeniable fact: Monsters don't bleed. Then that meant... And then I remembered. The arrows and weapons that had pierced Asriel had went right through him and impaled Chara. That was Chara's blood all over him. It was her blood he was trailing! It was her blood and Asriel's dust that covered the Golden Flowers in all the timelines.

"Aww...having a moment of reflection? How touching."

I looked up at Chara and snarled, my werewolf instincts taking over for a brief moment of anger. I then saw what was among the fatally wounded Boss Monsters and company.

While there were countless mounds of dust...it was the remains of Omega Flowey and the crumpled remains of his tiny Golden Flower core at its epicenter that really finished the job of destroying me emotionally. The poor soulless creature looked up at me, his white face stretching and shape-shifting to that of Asriel's long enough for him to say it tears in his eyes and scared to the point of shaking.

"I don't want to die..!"

Chara was suddenly behind Flowey, the knife hovering over him.

"Choose, Arcade. Life. Or Death. Asriel. Or..."

"I know you better than that. At what point would you even entertain the notion that I was ever in control. That I ever had a choice."

"Smart little mongrel, aren't you? I guess there's just no reasoning with you..."

I squeezed my eyes shut as I heard Flowey's scream and then silence.

"How heavy are your sins, I wonder? I feel every one of mine and I have no problem standing under their weight." Chara licked the blade.

It had to happen again. The great equalizer between several good times and Madam Fate's incessant need to spice things up. When she couldn't mess with me on the physical plane with the likes of Chara's sadistic torture of monsters she would possess, she'd attach my heart strings to a freight train and drag me for an emotional Hell through the moments like the scare in Lupe's garden or Violet's unnanounced Magna Centipede simulation. And of course...the nightmares which still hadn't stopped. I was beginning to worry why I was even having them. There had to be an explanation. And until I found what that was...I was going to suffer. But at least one thing gave me comfort. Better me suffering than Asriel.

"You can run from this all you want. I'll just come back again. And again. And again. I can go on as endlessly as you can. It's only a matter of time before your mind breaks."

"Why do you want him back so badly? What could you possibly need him for if all you want to do is destroy the world over and over? What? Are you so perverse that you'd make him watch? As if he'd ever see things your way. As if he'd ever accept your twisted philosophy."

"And what's he to you? You're not his father. You're not even a Monster. He's not even useful to you."

"Useful?! What the Hell is wrong with you?! Why do you always feel like the only attachments to people are that they serve a purpose?!"

I gripped my fists. I was pushed to the end and about to drop off.

"Okay. No more games. No more lies. What the Hell happened in your childhood that made you a heartless scourge upon this world."

I lunged at Chara and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Who or WHAT are you?!"

Chara closed her eyes and chuckled darkly.

"Power." She said plainly. "Together with my partner...you call them Frisk I believe...we eradicated the enemy and became strong. HP. ATK. DEF. GOLD. EXP. LV. Every time a number increases...that feeling... That's me. Now I've reach the absolute. There is nothing left for me here."

Chara's face started melting again and the black ichor poured out...and kept flowing. This was new. It eventually completely enveloped her until her form was nebulous.

"Now. Get out of my way so that I may destroy this world and move onto the next. Let me erase this pointless existence around us."

"No."

"Hmm... How curious. You must've misunderstood me. I repeat myself... SINCE WHEN WERE YOU THE ONE IN CONTROL?" The knife headed toward my head.

* GRAB*

"Since I CHOSE to be." I snarled as I siezed her wrist and stopped the knife. "Now. Answer. The. Question."

"I answered you."

"You answered with a lie. Truth. Now."

"You really are an idiot!" The last word seemed to echo everywhere. But that wasn't what drew my attention...

Sub-Entry 64: "My name is...":
Wait...just now...something...faint... Chara's insult was overlapping something...else?

"What?"

"I said you--" "..lp....e......Pl....he...m.......so...b...dy ..." "-.idiot."

"I...I can't hear you!"

"Are you deaf?! You're a fu--" "He...lp...me! Calling for....lp....but...no...dy......came...!"

"Ugh!" Chara's face suddenly looked suprised and confused...then in pain...her monstrous mouth widened and threatened to overtake her whole face...and something was deep inside the blackness.

A face. A child's face? Copper eyes. Rosey cheeks. And...crying.

"I'm so...rr...y...! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry."

Okay. This was messed up. Chara was inside...Chara?

"Who are you?"

"I'm...Chara.  Chara Dreemurr."

"Tell me another one." I crossed my arms, convinced this was one of Chara's sick mind games.

"I AM Chara! The real me."

"Then you've got a lot to answer for--"

"I know. It's time. My judgement is finally upon me. I'm done."

"Wait, what?"

"I'm finished...it's over. There are no more options left for me. Everytime I turn around something...or someone dies."

I remained unwavering...but I was at least willing to listen.

"But what do you expect from a child nobody wanted...whose only possession was the real knife? Whose very name is just an abbreviation for "character". Like she wasn't even a real person but just a...throw-away."

That got my attention. All the way back to one of the earliest log entries I had submitted to STC. Throwaway character. It couldn't be coincidence.

Chara wept buckets of tears looking at me with that sad, frustrated and extremely pained expression.

"I tried everything. I really did. Making sure I didn't do anything to hurt my new family. Trying to fit in as a human among a family of monsters. And suppressing my anger to make sure I didn't KILL anyone..."

Chara's face scrunched up in a look of rage.

"But no. Even now as I look at you, you're just like the others. All I ever get is rejection and hate. For what crime? Being ME. Just being myself."

Chara pulled further out, yanking her arm out and wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

"When...when Asriel died...I watched as a spirit. Everyone mourned him. Everyone was devastated by his loss. Everyone cared so much about him. What made him so special? What made him worthy of a second chance?!?" She outright shrieked at me.

"What about me? There were no tears shed for me.  There was nothing done to remember me.  None of them cared about me! I know they didn't give a goddamn about me."

She looked up at me.

"I know...because I'm naive. I'm just a stupid child...that can't love or be loved. I'm a terrible person...who loves...and despises her own murderous nature."

It was at this time I noticed I was no longer gnashing my fangs or knitting my vaguely lightning bolt-shaped eyebrows.

"I...I didn't mean to hurt anyone. Not Mom. Not Dad. But..." Chara's lip was quivering.

"I did it."

She pulled free a little more and it was about that time I saw it around her neck...a golden heart-shaped pendant. But...wasn't it in Chara's pants pocket? One of them...had to be Asriel's. Both lockets were with the same person?

"It just hurts so much knowing that I hurt them. Even....even my.......my best friend.....oh god...Asriel...what have I done? I'm sorry... These stupid human emotions...they're like KNIVES. Knives that I can't discard!"

I stopped looking at her with accusing eyes. My pointed ears had drooped like a scolded puppy's. And my jaw was starting to quiver. I wanted her whole act to be a trick so I could retaliate against her deplorable actions. But at the same time...I really wanted this to be true.

"Let me fade away. Even trash has value in the Underground. I can't even make that claim.

"Listen." I said rather calmly. "You needed to let this out. You've been keeping this to yourself for a while, right?"

"What do you care?" *sniffle*

"You know...things die to make room for new life. Maybe...the two of you died so that that someone else could continue the story."

"So we're just stepping stones? Is that it? What kind of existence is that for us? That can't be it. So tell me why. Why am I here?"

"..."

"When I was adopted into the Dreemurr family...Dad said I was the future of this world. Mom said I was the angel that would save us. I didn't quite know what they meant. What was I supposed to do? Was it my destiny to free all the monsters? It would be the best way to repay them for their kindness. Asriel and I studied at the library to try to find a way to do it...that was where I learned about how a monster could absorb a human soul and cross the barrier."

Chara's gaze fell.

"I never imagined that 100 years later, I would be the one telling the eighth child to kill everyone. I made the excuse that I was...just following my nature but...that was a lie, too. Wasn't it? Ever since I made up my mind to go ahead with the plan and get Asriel to agree to it...since the day it failed so badly...what have I done since then? I'm the girl that destroyed the world...a hundred...a thousand...maybe a million times over. And I've manipulated Frisk over and over to make it happen. Sometimes Frisk would listen. Sometimes Frisk would ignore me. Sometimes half and half. And this kept going on until..."

"Until I interfered."

"So...the other me asked a question that...I want to know the answer to. What is Asriel to you? But more than that...what are you to him?"

"What is he to me? Hope. Dreams. Wishes. Destiny. Legacy. And the little brother that Gadget and I always wished we had. I never meant to take him away from anyone. Not Asgore...not Toriel...not you. I just wanted...to save him from his fate."

I sighed.

"As to what I am to him? I...don't want to say this because...I'm afraid you'll feel.......replaced."

"Tell me. How does he see you?"

"He told me...I'm his best friend."

"...he really did deserve better than me. I guess...he got it."

"Chara..."

"It does hurt a little. But I understand why. Anyway. I'm glad he's happy--" Chara suddenly turned aghast. "No. Not now...I still have things to...no, please! I...I..."

The ichor suddenly started pulling Chara back into...well...Chara; into her vengeful outer shell.

"That's enough out of the peanut gallery. You've said too much." Chara's eyes inverted to black sclera and red irises. Just like the God of Hyperdeath....before her inner self was sucked completely back in.

"You weren't supposed to see that. Now I guess I have to resume my attack on you. This time be a good fleabag and no more dodging or catching my knife. It's going to stab you and cut you into so many pieces. I'm sure if I chop you up into enough tiny bits even you won't be able to regenerate from it."

"Heh. This has been eye-opening."

"Why so smug all of a sudden?"

"Well. I guess I lost this battle. But there's one thing I know that's escaped you."

"And what would that be?"

"All this time...I've know that this was all just a bad dream."

Chara looked stunned for a moment.

"N-no! This is happening for real! This is--"

"Well. You've amused me enough and I've learned plenty. Sorry. But I'll be leaving now." I mused as I suddenly lifted off the ground, hovering up into a white shaft of light, the world turning brighter as the dust and the remainder of the corpses started turning to sparkling gold light around me. As I flew up higher into an every-whitening sky I could see Chara screaming in rage but her voice got quieter and quieter until it disappeared. And then I felt the world shake and everything turned completely white...

I left evil Chara with one last passing thought just to have the last word and bring the dissing home. In the words of one Rick Sanchez:

"This is how you dream, b****!" Freddy Krueger couldn't have put it better.

Sub-Entry 65: "The Request/Happy Mother's Day"
I slowly opened my eyes and sat up. I looked pensive. Was it really all just a dream. Or was this some kind of...omen?

I immediately contacted Bunnie and Callista.

"Commander."

"What is the matter?"

I looked at them both and asked plainly.

"I need you to dive into my subconscious and see the dream I just had."

A momentary silence.

"Dr. Arcade. I'm sure you're well aware of the unwritten rule of psionics." Callista cautioned.

"That most reputatable psychics of the world will not enter a person's mind without permission, barring a really good reason to do so. It's just common ethics. Well. I'm giving you permission to peek."

"Commander." A pause. "Very well then."

Bunnie took her place on one side of me, Callista on the other. Both held their hands over top of my head as I knelt down, tea ceremony style. Both focused and looked deep.

After a while had passed.

"So. What do you think?"

"It's...hard to say if it is merely just a dream. But...if it is some kind of clairvoyant message or warning...it certainly changes perceptions about Chara."

"I still have no doubt that if I face her again, she'll be quite evil and murderous. Whatever I...think I felt......what I sensed inside her nebulous form...it felt like something buried so deep even Chara doesn't know about it--if it even exists at all."

"If it's true...then there's hope for your other goal. Saving Chara next and getting her into a better state of mind."

"Good to have hope. But still no practical way to do it yet. It's...probably going to take more time than I thought. And besides...it'd get too complicated tending to two rescued lost souls from doomed timelines. Not to say how much of a complication it would even be reuniting them."

"Agreed."

"Anyway. Off to Computer Valhalla again."

"Commander."

"Hmm?

"I pray that this turns out for the best. It has been some time since your last clash with Chara. I have the feeling she'll be on the move in the Underground before long."

"She's not ready for her end game. And I can predict what that'll be."

"The strongest monster to do her bidding."

"Asgore."

"In his fragile state of mind, he'd have next to no mental defenses against spiritual possession."

"Maybe. Just maybe I can make it to him first. I've gone so long without meeting the king face to face. I need to know the monster who took the lives of six children and then collected their souls. I need to know whether he is...a sage or murderer."

Callista covered her heart with her hands and bowed her head in sorrow.

Bunnie closed her eyes, understanding.

"I sense that you'll have a few more obstacles in the way before you make it there."

"Typical." I shrugged it off. I started to head off before I looked over my shoulder.

"By the way. I'm sure someone's already mentioned this to Asriel and he's probably already said something. But...Happy Mother's Day, Callista."

"Awww. That's so sweet of you to remember."

"A thoughtful gesture. But I wonder if everyone can celebrate it?"

"Don't worry, Major. I'm one step ahead of you..." I smiled warmly.

Elsewhere in the universe...at a certain quaint little home inside the ruins...

"Hmm? What's this?" Toriel opened the doorway and saw it right in plain view on the ground. She knelt down and picked it up the box and read the note attached.

To: Toriel Dreemurr. On behalf of all the children in your life who you've ever cared for and everyone who might be thinking of you. In honor of a holiday my research has shown is celebrated in the human world. Happy Mother's Day from the Arcade Family. Signed: Volt, Lisa, Elektra, Stephanie, and Penelope-Anne.

"Ohh..." Toriel smiled with tears welling up, reaching up and lightly touching her cheek.

A quick unwrap of the box and inside was a framed photo of Volt, Lisa, Elektra, and the twins, Stephanie, and Penelope-Anne. Each of them held their hands together such that it made a heart-shape from the fingers; thumbs at the bottom to form the point, and fingers  forming the arches.

Choking back a sob, Toriel wiped her tears and took the items inside. She made her way to her room where she moved aside her diary and other items, finding another framed picture face down. She placed the Arcade Family photo next to it...hesitated a moment then stood the other photo frame upright, revealing the Dreemurr Family; Asgore, herself, Asriel, and Chara.

"What a wonderful thing you've done for a tired old woman, Doctor." She uttered. "May your family be blessed."

Toriel got up from the chair, looked back longingly at the desk before turning the light off and closing the door.

Sub-Entry 66: "Violet Just Can't Help Herself..."
I of course braced for the third time for the random Skrillex track programmed into her doorway and of course the score of Tron Legacy. Girl really liked her Skrillex and Daft Punk.

I signed in, and of course I found Violet working on her laptop computer.

I immediately wished I hadn't seen the image she had generated.

"Really? Really?" I crossed my arms and wrinkled my nose.

"Come on. Tell me you don't see it."

I pinched the bridge of my muzzle, between my eyes a moment before clasping my empty palms, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.

I inhaled deeply then responded with a very Papyrus exclamation and expression.

"OH MY GOD!" I exclaimed, in disbelief in the same way Papyrus would express his disgust toward Sans for making a bad pun.

"First Toriel. Now Asgore? Are you TRYING to completely disrespect his dead parents?"

"Disrepect? This should be considered an gesture of great honor, my favorite spark wolf."

"Violet. You CG'ed a picture of Asgore as WWE Superstar, Daniel Bryan doing his YES chant. As much as I'm sure you've taken artistic license and as much as you're amused by exposing his furry chest, and even more amused by the whole obsession with goat memes, this is not the kind of thing you should be wasting your talents on."

Violet just grinned.

"Don't you have ANYTHING to say to that?"

"Fear the beard!" She giggled. "Feeeeeear the beeeeeard!" She said a second time, this time making it sound like a goat's bleat.

I face-palmed. Then I slapped the laptop closed, not taking any chances that Asriel would see it.

"So where is he?"

"He's with Pit over there."

I caught sight of the familiar wings, olive branch wreath, toga and sandals and hustled over.

"Hey, Pit. Is Asriel with--" I stopped short as he turned around and my eyes widened.

Sub-Entry 67: "Angel With a Purty' Face":
Hi, Volt! Do you like it?" Asriel beamed grasping the bottom of the toga gently...almost in a girlish fashion.

I was speechless.

That was when Pit soon joined him.

"Hi, Commander!"

This had suddenly become an "Angel Land Story" that I wanted to remember forever. :detemmienation:   (Music Link)

"Miss Violet asked me if I wanted to try a little cosplay and I thought it would be nice to dress up in unusual clothes. You kinda missed it earlier. For some reason she had me wear a giant banana costume. Not sure what that was about but she got it on tape."

Asriel handed over the JVC camcorder and hit the playback button. And I was of course greeted by Asriel in said banana costume, shaking a pair of maracas and dancing while chanting "It's peanut-butter-jelly time! Peanut-butter-jelly time!"

Granted. It was the cutest thing I'd ever seen. But that still didn't let Violet off the hook. I'd have to discipline her...later...maybe. This was just too much adorbs. By far the best thing I'd ever laid eyes on. I had a feeling that in some other AU cube, this was probably something huge.

"I liked Pit's outfit so much that he offered to let me wear one of his own. So what do you think?"

Asriel did a little spin on the heel of his sandal so I could get a look. As I suspected the wings were fake. But wow. This really sold the image of Toriel's sweet, little angel.

Pit stood next to him and I was about ready to squeal like a high school girl.

"Wow. You look...amazing." Was all I could get out without it turning into something awkward or embarassing.

I decided to snap a photo with my T.A.O. link's camera. This was going in the scrap book. And yes...I would show this to Toriel some day.

"It's really comfy. Even the sandals feel nice." Asriel said, looking down at his feet and wiggling his toes.

" I feel kinda heroic in this. Can I please keep this? For maybe a costume party or something, Pit? Pretty please?"

"It's yours, my friend." Pit beamed brightly.

"Alright!" Again with the clenched knuckles under the chin with the eyes shut look of giddyness.

"As long as you've got--" Violet started.

* THWAP*

"No. No." Bunnie was suddenly behind her with a folded up tessan fan. She gave Violet and extra whap with the fan just for good measure. There was one YTP reference she didn't get to make.

"It was worth a shot."

"Hey. Let's show this off to Gadget. I'm sure she'll just be tickled pink by it."

"And Mom and Dad, too?" Asriel asked.

"Sure."

I took Asriel by the hand and led him out of Computer Valhalla, each of us signing out for the day.

Sub-Entry 68: "Lupe's Story":
"...Yes, just like that."

Asriel dug the hole in the soil deep and dropped the seeds in then covered it up.

"They're not so scary when they're like this."

"It will take time but I think we can get you back to your happy place around flowers, my child.

"When you call me that...it reminds me of my mom, Toriel Dreemurr."

"Is it...okay if I do?"

"Yes."

"I'm glad. I...used to dream of being a mother and having children of my own but..."

"Was it...because of the soldiers?"

"A part of it, yes." Lupe sat the watering can down.

"A long time ago...my people were part of the same kingdom as Sally, Bunnie, Rotor, and Antoine. It was a good life but we wolves...felt like we weren't close enough to nature. Ecotropia was a nice balance of science and nature....technology and plant life. But the wolves of the kingdom; my ancestors felt we were slowly straying too far from our place on this green planet."

"Wow."

"So...with the King's blessing we decided to embark on an exodus to new lands to call our own that we might call our own. Start a simpler life, not as a structured society but a simple tribe. In those days most of the land of Vorostov was lush and green and full of life. A paradise untouched by the Vorostovian humans. As we traveled, our tribe began to form philosophies about life. About nature. About coexistence. About loving our planet and treating it with respect. We became in tune with the pulse of the planet. We took only our fair share and left no mark on the land except the footprints of our sandals."

Lupe watched as Asriel patted the soil down.

"We formed connections with flora and fauna alike. We forged deep bonds with our genetically pure, unevolved brethren. We synergized with the trees and plants of this world. We studied the rocks and minerals of the earth, only taking our fair share. We purified our hearts, minds, and bodies in nature's bounty. And in doing so we became druids; the sages of this world that love and embrace life itself in all of its forms."

Asriel listened in fascination.

"We learned how to channel their powers and abilities. We had a symbiosis with the plants allowing us to influence or even control them. With the discovery of certain gems and crystals we found a way to channel the spirits of animals and borrow their abilities temporarily. Some of them even allowed us to make the call to mother nature and summon the elements themselves--fire, earth, wind, water, lightning, thunder."

"Tending to nature. That sounds...kinda like what Mom, Dad, and I used to do back home. Maybe...not as fancy as that. And definitely not the whole...superpowers thing. We just had our magic. And the Dreemurrs have always been the most powerful magic-users."

Asriel looked at his empty hands for a moment, flexing his fingers a little. There was the undertone of disappointment, as he had reminded himself of his lack of magical power.

"There's more to the story but...it's not a very happy one. I can finish it another time. What about you, my child? What is your connection to nature?"

Lupe offered a towel, water, and some organic, non-toxic hand cleaner of her own making. It had a lovely peachy blossom scent to it. Asriel accepted and watched off the dirt as he explained his own story.

"Well...it's a story that starts before I was even born. I'll try to remember how Mom told it to me. They say the first Golden Flower came from the human world outside of Mount Ebott. From that one flower, all Golden Flowers came into being and spread throughout the ruins, and into the Underground. Even to the Capital. Mom and Dad's throne room was covered ended to end with them. I loved them. I would lay among them for hours. I almost felt like I could be...one with them."

Oh you had no idea, Asriel. And I preferred it stayed that way. Alphys' intentions were good...and yet... This was a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone.

"But something changed all that, didn't it?"

Asriel began to tear up.

"Chara."

"Your adopted human sister."

"Long before my time......way before Mom and Dad's time...there was a war between humans and monsters. We monsters...lost...and were sealed away inside Mount Ebott. Their spell casters created a barrier around Mount Ebott and sealed us inside."

"And Chara found a way to break the barrier."

"We both did. We found a book in the library that told how a monster could absorb a human soul and gain great power. Enough to cross the barrier. And with seven human souls a monster could ascend to an absolute god and have the power to destroy the barrier completely."

That's how it starts. It begins as an idea. It grows into a dream. Mistakes are made. The dream turns dark.

"Oh my..." Lupe looked meloncholy.

"I was...shocked that she wanted to go through with this...and wanted me to be the one to take her soul. I tried to refuse at first but...she talked me into it."

"But...it looks like the plan didn't work."

"Chara got the idea after we baked a cake for Dad together...but we used buttercups instead of butter. It made him really sick. He explained things when he got better. Chara finally had her answer how to get her soul out of her body. And so she told me that she was going to eat as many of them as it took. I was too scared to stop her. And when she did fall sick, I wanted to go back on the promise and just forget about it...but it was already too late." Asriel's gaze fell. "So much of the poison had gone through her that she was bleeding from the mouth. I was terrified and all she could ask was if I was excited...I was finally going to be free."

Lupe choked back a sob. Perhaps this was the darkest truth for her that freedom wasn't free. How could Asriel be expected to pay the price of freedom when going free up onto the surface...meant going alone...without his best friend?

"On the day I was supposed to absorb her soul...I...I fell...into some place dark. I thought I was alone but...there was a man...I think he was a man...he looked kinda like...the Royal Scientist that disappeared when I was really young. I tried to ask him for help but...he wasn't very helpful. After a while he just ignored me...no matter how much I cried. So I stayed in the corner. For a while I cried out for help...but no one came. So...I stopped calling for help...and just cried. All I could do was cry. I didn't get hungry...I didn't get tired. I just felt like I was...stuck."

"Oh my!  How tragic!"

"I...gave up on myself. I lost hope. I just wanted it all to end. There was a point when I just wanted to reset everything but...I stopped wanting that. I didn't want to experience it all again if there was nothing I could do to change the outcome. I remembered hearing something about the human world...that some humans believed in something called an afterlife. It was the last hope for me to cling onto. Maybe if I...stopped living...I'd be with Chara again. But I just kept going on. And. I started to believe I was being punished for betraying Chara...for leaving Mom and Dad behind...for everything that she wanted me to do once we were outside the barrier. That last hope...started slipping away, too."

"Oh, Asriel..." Lupe clutched her heart.

"I thought it would be that way forever but then...then someone finally came."

"Ex-Commander Volt Arcade." Lupe beamed. "He is...truly a god-send."

"Ever since that horrible experience...watching Chara suffer in bed from the buttercups..."

"I understand now. And we'll get you through this. Together. Okay?"

"Okay...Miss Lupe."

"For now...one step at a time." Lupe smiled and gently placed the crown of flowers in her grasp around Asriel's head. Asriel smiled brightly...then returned the gesture with his own flower crown as Lupe knelt down and bowed her head.

"You look very lovely."

"You do as well."

We hadn't noticed Bunnie, Sally, Rotor, and Mitzi had arrived and brought with them, Lupe's birthday cake-- white, mint chocolate-chip. And sure enough they kept the birthday celebration small, quiet, and understated.

"Smile for the camera." I beamed as I brought the image into focus.

Asriel stood as tall as he could as Lupe draped her arms around him from behind, crossing her wrists and leaned her head gently on his right shoulder; cheek to cheek. It was such a beautiful pose together. For a brief moment, Toriel's image almost seemed to superimpose over Lupe's. But it was just my imagination.

* CLICK*

"Happy Birthday, Miss Lupe."

"Thank you so much, everyone. This....this is just what I wanted."

Lupe closed her eyes and savored the quietness of the nature preserve...and soon after the taste of her favorite flavor of cake and ice cream.

Sub-Entry 69: "The Twice as Nice Mice: Gadget":
"...okay here goes!"

Asriel readied to duck and cover per Rotor and Skeeter's earlier advice.

Gadget lead the hose of the compresser tucked in her backpack of holding to the Tesla Turbine Blender.

Gadget twisted the wires together on the hand grip trigger then flipped up the shield on the thumb switch.

"And...we...have...POWER!" She pressed down on the switch.

The compressor in her pack roared to life and the pressure gauges on the blender spiked.

"And now for the finest blended smoothies you'll ever try." Gadget pressed the smoothie button.

Asriel squeezed his eyes shut as the machine spun to life with a super loud whir like a muffled jet engine. And then...it stopped.

"Huh?"

Asriel opened one eye.

"Golly! It worked!" Gadget said with sparkly eyes.

"Congratulations, Gadget." Asriel relaxed his tensed state.

"Thanks for believing in me, Asriel. You're so wonderful to have faith in me!"

"Y-y-yeah. Wonderful..." Asriel blushed a little as he looked off to the side. Skeeter was suddenly nowhere to be found.

"...Gadget, I--"

Asriel wasn't prepared for the sudden hug.

"You're a wonderful friend!"

Asriel's expression softened.

"I...don't know if I'm the best person to turn to for a confidence booster. To be honest...I really don't have that much faith in myself. I haven't really found any interests besides--"

"That doesn't matter. You're nice to me and that's all I could ever ask for."

"I'm...nice to you?"

"Super nice!"

'Well...if you think so. I'm just being myself...that's all I've ever known how to be."

"You'll figure out what you're good at. Just as I did."

"How...did you figure out what you were good at?" Asriel asked.

"Maybe...I need to start from the beginning. The very beginning." Gadget said as she unhooked all the apparatus and poured herself and Asriel the finely blended fruit concoction.

Asriel accepted and tried it. His expression brightened. If anything Gadget could make good juice drinks with science. When her inventions worked, they worked great.

"I didn't always used to be a Hybrid. Once...I was a normal mouse. I was one of two groups of laboratory animals. My group was "control specimens". That's a fancy way of saying we got only food, water, and exercise. The other group was the "experiment specimens". They were the group that was experimented on...tests were run and weird complicated things done to them that they'd use us to compare differences to."

Gadget's story had an underlining tone that reminded me of Alphys' work on the Amalgamates and on Flowey. When you experimented on life itself you had to be ready to accept the consequences of your results; good or bad.

"Big brother was always nice to me. He treated me more than a lab mouse and more than just a pet. While...I can't quite remember what I thought but I...remember what I felt. It was...a feeling of being loved."

"Awww." That was certainly heart-felt. "So...what happened to you?"

"In Neo Arcadia City...it's a bad thing to modify living creatures or make new ones...new living organisms, using science...if that makes sense to you, Asriel.  It's a forbidden science called "genetic engineering". It's against the law to transform creatures into different creatures in our home country."

This was a law that went all the way back to the aftermath of Project: Exodus. When the country was christened "Neo" Arcadia (after rebuilding from Ancient Arcadia's ashes), a pact was formed among our people that we would never, ever try to replicate the experiments which even created the Hybrid race in the first place.

"It sounds like magic.  Does transformation magic really exist?"

"Well...I guess it does. But...I don't really know anything about magic. I suppose...with science, I guess it's possible. Because that's what happened to me. But...it was an accident what happened."

"Hmm?"

"There was equipment being moved around and...stuff got accidently broken and released a bunch of weird chemicals which got exposed to different kinds of energy and radiation...sudden changes in temperature and pressure and a whole lot of other things I still don't understand."

"Oh my goodness!"

"The lab was evacuated and we were all left to perish because we were...contaminated. The staff there locked down the room, shut down its power and utilities then...flash sterilized everything."

"Sterilized?"

"Purged. Removed all traces of life.  You know.  Everything contaminated couldn't be allowed to live."

Asriel got a little misty-eyed, knowing what that meant.

"They...didn't do it to be mean. It's just that...in all likelyhood we wouldn't have survived the chemicals...it would have been......a slow and painful way to go if left alone. At least...it would be quick and we wouldn't suffer."

"Ohhhh..." Tears. Definitely tears.

"But...out of all of them, I survived the bleach protocol. And I was...changed by it. It affected my growth...my...evolution, I guess? I started...changing slowly. Becoming more...human like. I started getting smarter. And then I started standing on two legs and talking."

"That's...really something."

"I won't pretend I don't know what kind of trouble it must've caused Professor Arcade...that is Volt's first mentor and co-founder of the UCIAT. He must've had to go through a lot of ethics committee tribunals and such. But in the end...he came out of it without losing his credentials or his reputation. And...big brother got to hold onto me. I could be his little sister now."

This was a rare moment. Gadget abandoning her rose-tinted-glasses, ditzy, innocence for deep insight. Just because she acted like she was naive didn't mean she actually was.

"I grew. I learned. And I found I was good with mechanics. With machinery. And I always felt strongly against throwing things away carelessly. So...I recycled what I could. I reused anything that looked like trash...junk. I think brother called it "makeshift technology". He said it was what someone named...Angus Macgyver used to do in a pinch. That when you were in a tight spot, you had to think your way out."

Heh. Gadget acknowledging the Phoenix Foundation's best and brightest. Peter Thorton found a genius when he crossed paths with Mac. I wish I had been old enough to understand our anti-terrorism agency allies back then.

"I was sad when Volt left for Fontraile. Sure Uncle Gyro would visit every so often and Professor Arcade would check up on me...but it wasn't the same."

"You must've been so lonely."

"I was. But I was also...determined. When I came of age, I made a decision. So I asked the founders if I could go to Miranda City and join my brother's team. After some...debate...they agreed. And they trusted me to take care of the rest. And so I came here and joined at the same time as Miss Lupe. And now here I am."

"That's a wonderful story, Gadget! You're so amazing."

"Hey, you want to see something really amazing? I discovered I had a Hybrid Ability a while ago but it was also an accident how it happened. Professor Arcade had to invent a way to control it since it normally stays dormant. But that's why I wear this."

Gadget pointed to the Reduction Belt. It's G-shaped motif resembled the "Go-Onger" emblem used by Dr. K's "R.P.M." Power Rangers of our own Corinth City.

"What does it do?

"Guess!"

"Uhh?"

"Go on, guess?"

"I'm...afraid I really don't know."

"Awww. That's no fun. Well then. I'll show you!"

Gadget adjusted the dial and activated it...and she suddenly began shrinking, clothes and all.

"G-G-Gadget! You're....you're getting smaller! Much smaller!" He cried, stepping back. "What's happening to you?"

Gadget shrunk down to the size of an actual mouse!

Reluctantly, Asriel inched over then squatted down on hands and knees. He got as close as he could. Gadget smiled and reached up and pet his nose gently with her tiny hand.

"...!"

Gadget stepped back a ways, adjusted her Reduction Belt and resumed her normal size.

Asriel stood back up.

"Wow! That's an incredible super power!"

"You really think so? It doesn't seem like it would be useful in battle or anything...but it's great for working with microcircuits and such. And that's not all."

Gadget tinkered around with the switches and the dial and from the belt projected a beam of neon G's as she swept it over the small tumblers of smoothies...expanding them to easily the size of a large ice tea pitcher.

"Whoaah. It works on other things, too?"

"I use it to resize spare parts. Or in this case, supersize our drinks at no charge."

"That's really amazing!"

Gadget beamed and proceeded to pick up her supersized drink and sip away.

Asriel did the same.

"I guess it's no "small" boast that your power is really "big"? Don't mind my "volume" but my emotional "size" (sighs) say it must really "grow" on you."

Asriel grinned a big cheesey grin, rubbing the back of his head. He was stretching to make a series of puns but Gadget really didn't seem to mind of they were forced. His first one around me was just beginners luck. But with practice...I had a feeling he'd be as good as Toriel or Sans.

Gadget quickly broke into laughter.

"Gee whillikers! That was really clever! You're so funny! I can't stop giggling."

"My mom, Toriel really liked puns. I'm trying to get back in the swing of being as good at them as she was."

A happy sigh from both sides. Then silence. Asriel looked down a moment.

"Gadget I have to tell the truth.  I don't want to hurt your feelings.  But I can't lie to you either.  You said that I had faith in you.  But...Skeeter warned me that your blender might...blow up so I--"

"Asriel. You don't need to apologize. I know. I know sometimes my inventions...don't always work out. The truth is I was ready to brace for a big explosion or worse. I just didn't want you to see me doubt myself."

Well. What do you know?

"I'm glad to spend time with you, Gadget. You're really fun to be around. And you know something...I feel like...I can just be myself around you and not feel like I have to be on my best behavior or feel like a dork like Chara used to call me all the time. I can just be...me." Asriel closed his eyes.

"That's such a nice thought. And you know what? I like you just the way you are."

"To thine own self be true as Miss Sally says."

Asriel opened his eyes.

"Oh wow, you have a special power too! Your eyes changed color!"

"Oh no...not again! What color are they this time?!"

"Blue. Really blue. Like Sally's and my own! We're a match!"

Blue. The color of Integrity. Honestly I would have figured it would take something a situation like not too long ago at Computer Valhalla where some kids thought they'd be smart and try to hack their data cards with an illegal card reader/writer to get unlimited credits on the V.R. machines. Of course that quickly de-escalated when Violet happened to be standing right behind them, snatched up both cards and rewrote their data, banning them from the building for an unspecified time.

If they had made him the offer to get in on this, I'm sure he would have declined and probably tried to tell Violet. They'd probably try to bully him about "NARC-ing" on them. And then Violet would have intervened anyway. Either way...end result was that in that theoretical moment or this real one, Asriel displayed Integrity; being true to yourself and who you were. Being honest.

"Do...do they look nice?"

"Very nice." Gadget said in that sisterly way.

So now Asriel had gone through three eye colors. Four if you countered his original copper red.

Sub-Entry 70: "The Twice as Nice Mice: Mitzi":
Later that day...

Mitzi took over watching Asriel in Gadget's place.

"So. You ready to learn how to make your own pizza?"

"I always thought that the first thing I'd make would be mom's snail pie but...this is just as good."

"I like your new eye color."

"Thanks. Volt says it represents Integrity. I guess that's another word for honest?"

"Well you're an honest soul. That's something to be proud of."

Mitzi watched her hands and encouraged Asriel to do the same. As a courtessy she provided him with an apron bearing the old Showbiz Pizza Place logo.

"Everyone I've talked to has such wonderful stories about their past. Do you have a good one to tell, Miss Mitzi?"

"I do if you'd like to hear it."

Mitzi powdered her hands up with a little flour and let Asriel do the same. She snatched up a mass of dough and began kneeding it. Asriel followed.

"Please."

"I got my start in music...in singing at the age of eleven or so. My older sister, Molly Madelline Mozzarella...we called her "Mini" for short. After the girlfriend of that mouse with the big amusement park and the cartoons. What was his name again?

Anyway...she got picked to be in an experimental new kind of rock and roll band as the main act for a new family pizza restaurant called Showbiz Pizza Place. It was an attempt to try again after the poor success of Charles Entertainment Cheese's more adult-themed Pizza Time Theater. It wasn't...very appropriate for kids your age and I don't think I'd be comfortable with you around all the cigars he smoked.

But...I'm getting ahead of myself."

"Go on."

"Well...Molly's group called itself the Wolf Pack Five. They were made up of Master of Ceremonies, Rolfe "Wolf Man" De Wolfe, Piano-playing gorilla, Fatz Geronimo, guitarist Mick Bailey, the former member of the Beagles and drummer Dingo Starr. And before a late change in lineup the position my sister was going to have as its female singer was originally held by a veteran named Queenie the Fox. But it didn't pan out so Mini took over."

Mitzi took a deep breath.

"For a year they performed, one show over four weeks for a total of twelve in all. But corporate decided the image needed to be refined a bit so...Wolf Pack Five disbanded.

My sister went on to other things and they signed me on as her replacement after reviewing a demo of me signing "Tomorrow" from Little Ophan Annie with dad accompanying on guitar.

Mick handed the guitar over to his cousin, Rick--you met him before. Beach Bear?

Dingo Starr left his drumset to our new drummer, Duke Chaupetta who performed under the name "Dook Larue".

Our act expanded into a three stage show with Wolf Man now performing as our comedy act under his real name opposite A.I. driven smart puppet, Earle Schmerl.

Finally the act was complete with our new host and our pizzaria's frontman mascot, William Robert Brockali. Known affectionately as "Billy-Bob". And beside him his loyal companion, Looney Bird."

Mitzi slowly walked Asriel through the process of spinning the pizza dough. It took a few tries and a couple landing on the floor before Asriel got the hang of it.

"This is fun!" He beamed. "Keep going! This story is really interesting!"

Mitzi giggled.

"Well. Once the new concept was revealed we took off as the newly christened "Rock-Afire Explosion". And we were a huge hit for over ten years. We had a lot of hit songs, most of them covers of other people's works. But we had some of our own originals like "Too Shy", "Baseball", and "Strain Your Brain". He had a lot of fun on tour and had a lot of laughs and memories.  And we always had our own little spin on things...like the improvised "Fatz For President" dialogue and banter inserts during the Guitarzan Show." :detemmienation:  (Music Video Link)

Mitzi took a moment to reach up and snag what appeared to be a spaghetti strainer--a colander--off the wall that had been decorated with lovely girlish odds and ends. It looked very personalized for Mitzi...and then put it on her head, splaying her ears slightly from the notches cut into it so it would fit.

Asriel covered up his giggle.

"I wish you could have been there for the Crazy Colander nights on Wednesdays. It's a pretty long story but it's a fun one for another time."

Mitzi resumed working on the pizza, showing Asriel how to scoop out servings of pizza sauce and spread it around on the dough.

"It was all so wonderful. We shared a lot of birthdays. Had a lot of on stage skits, jokes, and moments. I'm...embarassed to admit I even had a meltdown when Billy Bob told his story about getting to meet the King of Pop, Michael Jackson at Disney World and I didn't get to go because I had cheerleader practice. I was such an M.J. fangirl back then. I'm getting all pink in the cheeks thinking about it now."

"I don't know who that is but he sounds like he was really talented."

"I have a lot of his music in the jukebox if you'd like to hear it sometime. It's worth a listen."

"Uh-huuh!" Asriel nodded with the knuckles under the cheeks expression of determination.

"The time Beach Bear grossed me out on Trivia Night about how much saliva human mouths produce in a day...the time Fatz made me freak out and almost lose my lunch over the Monkey Man Chewing Tobacco thing...the duets with Dook. And so many more. But...all good things...must come to an end." Mitzi's smile faded as she finished spreading the sauce and looked at the shredded provolone and mozzarella cheese bins.

"What happened?"

"My ex-boyfriend ruined everything. He was a rude and crude rat in a derby, red vest, and always smoking cigars and insulting his guests. He was...even less nice than your Chara friend."

"Oh. I see."

"But I was head over heels for him because I was at that age when I thought people like that acted out only because they were misunderstood. Turns out he was a big jerk and an opportunist. He worked with an old high school friend I thought I trusted. They used me to get their hands on corporate secrets and such under my nose. And then one day they revealed they were re-branding Pizza Time Theatre as "Chuck E. Cheese."

A sigh.

"At the press conference when we saw the big reveal under the banner of "Corporate Unification" our hearts sank and our dreams crumbled. But what really hurt was watching Chuck E. and my high school friend, Helen Annagrey Henny share a romantic kiss. I felt my heart break. I stormed on stage and kicked Chuck in the...well...nevermind. And then I slapped Helen across the face and stormed out. It was...headline news the next day. And it looked bad for us."

"That's terrible!"

"Helen turned it personal over the next few days and pretty soon she skewed the Corporate Unification in C.E.C.'s favor. We tried to walk out and go on strike. Somehow Chuck and Helen were able to hire impersonators in our place. When we tried one last time to fight to keep our band and restaurant chain...we finally got phased out."

Another deep breath and an even sadder expression and Mitzi continued.

"Rolfe...tried to reboot us under New Rock-Afire Explosion. But...it failed. And it was an unpleasant time for all of us. My...wardrobe was vastly inappropriate. And to top it off Rolfe had tried to lighten the mood by playing practical jokes on us. But the last one went too far. I shampooed my hair with a bottle of conditioner he...replaced with hair remover. I performed the next show...bald."

Mitzi turned deep red as she spread the cheese around.

"What a mean thing to do!"

"We tried one last time as New Rock-Afire Kids...but we actually got hate mail for that. And our Dance-A-Tronics theme made us a laughing stock. It was a good idea but a terrible delivery and an even worse promotion thanks to Rolfe screwing things up. So...we broke up for good and went our seprate ways.

Dook gave up trying to be a space dog and go into space and bought a junkyard and a tow truck.

Beach Bear took up residence on Technopolis Beach not far from where Sally lives. He tried his luck under his own band, "Heart Attack Diner".

Fatz took to the airwaves in his own Not Safe For Work radio morning show with our old guest Jeff "Uncle Klunk" Howell.

Earle became an excutive in a media conglomerate. He makes big money now.

Rolfe was last seen in Bingo's Bet-It-All Casino Paradise with debts in the hundred-million credit range. When you owe that much money you're usually never seen from again.

Which left Looney Bird investing in a laboratory complex to research drinkable "Gas-o-hol" fuel alternative and Billy-Bob returning to Southern Bluegrass terrritory.

I went off on my own and joined an all mouse band, Toxic Audio. Older, wiser, and knowing the business I was prepared when we stopped being famous again and broke up. I collected royalties from both careers after a while and lived off of them, turning the old Showbiz Pizza Place location at 328 Electric Avenue in Neon City into a residence and a museum. I found the old pizza recipes there and I never went hungry."

"So then...?"

"Violet actually found me. She communicated with me over the internet. She was...a bit of a die-hard fan of all things nostalgic so...she made me an offer to join UCIAT. I said I'd need a year to get ready. I whipped myself in shape and studied a book on martial arts that Bunnie-sensei had published. Then I was recruited during a short hiatus between tiers at the Raxis Battle Tournament when eveyrone had a chance to fly out to Neo Arcadia. I packed my bags and said goodbye to Kaeleron and found myself roped into a sudden field mission. And afterward I set up shop here in the old Fechter's Drycleaning store. The rest is history."

Mitzi finished topping her pizza appropriately. Asriel did the same choosing only pepperoni. A goat kid after my own heart.

Mitzi set the egg timer and helped Asriel load the pizzas in the oven.

"You've had quite a story, Miss MItzi."

"It gets better every time I tell it."

"I see you and Gadget together a lot."

"We bond pretty well despite me being old enough to be her grandmother. But you'd never know just looking at me, huh?"

"It's kinda like how Monsters don't age when their families break up." Asriel mentioned...then his expression fell when he realized how sad that was.

"Asriel...don't think about sad things."

"Hmm?"

"Think happy, not grumpy, not angry, not stinky! Think happy! Cause' happy thoughts are better!"

I'm sure that was a reference to something...but it escapes me what it could be.

"Okay, Miss MItzi."

"You did a fine job on your first pizza, Asriel. You're going to be a fine chef some day."

"That would be nice. Maybe some day I might even figure out how to make some of mom's old recipes...I...kinda miss the taste of her snail pie."

"Snail...pie? Well...um...whatever your heart desires, I'll...try to make it happen. Some day."

MItzi was trying to cover up the fact that she was easily grossed out by some things. Snails and slugs happened to be one of those things.

Time passed the timer went off and pizzas were allowed to cool before being sampled.

"This has been a good day. And I got to spend it with my favorite mice."

"That makes it twice as nice."

"So that makes you and Gadget..?"

"The Twice-As-Nice Mice." Mitzi beamed.

"I like that."

There was no debating it. Asriel had the best role models a kid could ever ask for in this town. Moments like this made me hopeful for what lay ahead for me in the Underground.

Chapter 8

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