PLDF Chapter 16

"Chapter 16: A Human and a Hybrid Start Dating. I Truly Have a Life of My Own Now (Sub-Entries (151-160)"

Sub-Entry 151: "The Year Winds Down All Over Again":
"Over three-hundred thirty-five or so days down and...just another month left.  Where does it all go?"

I pondered things in the comfort of my own home.

"Hmm..."

I found myself tinkering with the P.K.E. Meter. I felt like it would have...it should have been found by Volt in Summerville. Maybe under a chair or recliner. I still couldn't figure out how I ended up with it. There were a LOT of things out of place the more I reviewed the video footage I brought back with me from Volt's research archives.

For one thing...I was sure he rappelled down a rope or some kind of harness or something.

But now...now the video showed him sliding down a fire pole like they had at Hook & Ladder 8...the Firehouse. Something was very strange about the Mandala Effect.

"I don't know what I'm obsessed with more?  DeltaRune or THIS."

I really couldn't slow my brain down over these things. Things I was helpless to do anything about. Things I wanted to resolve. Things like...wishing I could still be with Volt and together maybe we'd solve this Spengler thing together instead of just wondering how Volt's mentor ended up a "dirt farmer". Or why there was a passage from Revelations painted on the signs leading to his old farmhouse all of a sudden. I don't remember seeing them driving up to the place.

And I'm sure...Volt didn't, either.

"Wait!" I clicked pause on the video footage that, just now, I realized I had my NXS Switchboard in quad-copter mode, flying along side the car and streaming video to the hub computer aboard the car to transmit to our server later when we were back home. Wait...when did I do that?

This whole thing was feeling more and more supernatural. Was this another prank of Madam Fate? Was THIS an example of how the Goddesses re-wrote and edited our reality?

It was then I noticed what we BOTH overlooked when passing by the gates of a mining operation outside of town.

"Shandor Mining Company.  Established 1927."

My heart immediately jumped into my throat. Thanks to being around Volt and his mentors...I knew the name Ivo Shandor.

This was a moment I wanted to be back with my guardians more than anything...but...I was...stranded.

I had a reason to go back to my other home. Only I couldn't.

There was only one thing to do.

Accept it.

* sigh* "I should be there, Volt.  I should be there."

What to do, what to do, what to do? The only thing I could do. Get on with my life and have faith Volt was on top of things. I had...a really bad feeling about it all. Volt said...that during his ages and ages of crisscrossing time and space, there were moments among them that he blocked out of memory. He knew how they went down...but...they were just too painful to experience.

I didn't have to know the whole story to know...this was going to be one of those moments he was going to relive again.

"Just know that if I can't be there...I'm right there with you, Volt.  Do what you have to do...for Egon."

And with that moment of reflection and sadness...the subject was closed.

I examined the P.K.E. Meter just a little more. I couldn't help it. I needed to fiddle with something while my mind was this wired.

"Hmm.  It operates like just about every other method of detection of ionization rates...ion decay.  A sensor tube containing a platinum core electrodes...the newer ones use rhodium now...and the chamber filled with pressurized boron trifluoride with a mica lens.  It has two main settings and a mute setting; one for low ionization to be used indoors, one for high ionization to be used outdoors.  An audio amp strengthens the signal generated from the collective of accelerated ionization through the platinum electrodes which is measured and used to drive the bar graph readout, the angle of the wings, the flashing rate of the lights, and the audible clicks on the speaker output.

Basically a divining rod. Move it toward ectoplasmic manifestation, the reading gets hotter. Move it away, it gets colder. Hotter is better. Volt once said a 1991 edition could link to the paragoggles. Hmm. Which I had that version. This one looks a little worn down. How many years did Dr. Spengler have it?"

It's not like it's going to give a reading any time soon. Not on this world unless Mettaton or one of the other ghost monsters was around.

"Hmm?"

I hadn't noticed this before--

"GAAAH!" I freaked out as soon as the P.K.E. Meter had suddenly transformed itself into a positron-charged stun gun and at least a 40,000 volt arc of lightning zapped between the antenna "meter needles"; now converted into miniature pylons packing a massive jolt. I darn near dropped the thing!

"...!!!"

I noticed Chara at that moment, in her Soul Reaper form.

"If this is about raiding your fridge while you're out, I'm sorry!  I won't do again!" Chara was genuinely spooked. Almost as much as me.

"Chara!  I'm sorry!  I didn't know--"

"You don't have to threaten me with a gigavolt of electricity!  If I've crossed the line--"

"I'm sorry. I...I didn't know it could do that."

Darn you, Egon Spengler. Why didn't somebody TELL me this thing could do that!?!

"Well.  I guess now I have a home security system I never wanted..." I tried to make a joke of it.

I turned my attention to the December season. Rest assured...some day I would hear the story and how it ended. Just not today.

I shut off the meter and put it away for safekeeping.

"So.  Heard you've been busy lately."

"Well, yeah, I didn't get a chance to tell you on Thanksgiving Day.  But...the lab's made a major breakthrough."

"Oh?"

"I think we can become competition for Aperture Science in due time."

"...Azzy...if you're going to keep using inside jokes I don't know..."

"Well you could actually look up a little something called Portal and Portal 2.  I think GladOs has your kind of sense of humor."

"Riiiiiight.  A pile of chips and transistors can match my wit."

"You'd be surprised. But don't say I didn’t' give you a clue when I tell you: the cake is a lie."

".......I'd tell you I hate you right now, but I've never been that cruel and I'm not about to start crossing that line now, even jokingly.

I just chuckled. I was thicker skinned now than I was when we were kids.

It was reassuring that Chara didn't complete ignore her conscience when we bantered.

"You're planning on going back some day."

Well. Spoilers. Just because I wasn't ready to say it outright didn't mean Chara wouldn't beat me to it. Why is it so hard to keep the suspense up in my own journal. Okay, I'm not even good at drawing things out and surprising people with something this obvious but...I'd at least like it if someone didn't outright shoot down what little subtlety I was attempting.

I suppose the Christopher Thorndyke comparison was stronger than ever. But I'd like to think I'd be less of a pariah among an  Undertale fanbase as he was in the Sonic X universe. Heck, the most flattering thing Violet called him was "Sora cosplayer" who wandered out of Kingdom Hearts.

You're on another tangent, Asriel.

"Can I just pretend like I have an ounce of self-control?  Like it's a dream I've put on the shelf and forgotten about for a while and not something I'm chomping at the bit ever moment I'm alive and awake?"

"Azzy...embrace what's in that heart of yours."

"A bit of a mixed message out of you when previously you weren't at liberty to give me advice how to proceed with my life."

"Azzy, one message you need to hear is this.  And let me make it very clear.  You know what makes you happy.  You should do what makes you happy.  So if this goal of yours to return to their world is something you really intend to go through with, do what's going to put your mind at ease."

"I think...I'm about ready to just say it.  I just...need more time.  But...I think what I really need...is a counterbalance to keep it unbiased--"

"Seriously?  The whole point of this choice is for you to BE biased about it.  It's your choice."

"I know but..."

"Come on, little brother.  You're acting like you don't want to be the kid in the candy store.  Why?  Don't tell me you're finally listening to that bad advice I've given you over the years about growing up and big boys don't cry and such?"

"No...I mean...I don't know...maybe?"

"You're not getting any younger.  Take some initiative."

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one with a potential romantic interest."

Violet would add "...or ARE you...?" And then someone would have to thwap her.

Levity aside...

"Little brother. Dooooo iiiiiit."

"Could you...not...make it sound creepy like that?" I pushed her away, gently, with a single finger to her forehead, making sure not to nick her with my claw.

"Creepy is how I roll."

But...she was right. If I were still a monster, I'd have infinite time to decide something like this as long as I didn't settle down, get married, and have a child of my own. My magic and my spouse's magic would take the limiter off and we'd age normally. But in this state, as a monster, my magic would be working in a perpetual feedback loop; somehow renewing itself as it expelled itself and was re-absorbed. I still never learned how that worked, being so removed form my family for over a century.

Wait. Why AM I thinking that far ahead! This it's just a DATE I'm fretting over! And...even that was minor compared in the long run of where I could go with this!

Why is the simple act of getting a girlfriend so complicated? Heck, I was worrying more about keeping the relationship than actually starting it! Really. I mean...there were other things to be freaked out over...like what if she doesn't feel the same way? Isn't that the proverbial cliche to these things? The thing to worry about? History has proven awkward not-quite-dating situations like this are mutual. Often the other person feels the same way and is just as afraid to make the first move as you are.

I suppose the real deterrent is asking advice. Typically...no advice; good or bad, every really helps. What my gut tells me is...follow your own heart. Follow your own path. If you make a mistake, it's not the end of the world, right? It should be that simple. Emotions just...complicate things. Worry complicates things. Fear...just holds you back.

I guess the conclusion I keep coming to is...bite the bullet, Asriel. Just ask her.

"I'll...think about this."

"You've BEEN thinking about it.  What? Are you afraid of Mom's or Dad's approval?  They might object?"

"It's...crossed my mind.  But not the main issue."

"Is it the fact that both of your last names are Dreemurr?  Heck, mine is too and I'm not even born into this family much less the same species as you.  You were born into this family.  But you're sure not the same species as Frisk.  Frisk sure isn't any blood relation of yours and isn't even a monster or genetic hybrid any more than you are.   For crying out loud, Azzy...you even changed your last name to Arcade so--"

"I'm trying NOT to get ahead of myself.  I'm bent out of shape over a date not marriage and kids...that comes later, mind you."

"Asriel.  It's like getting on a roller coaster, not that I'd know.  One you get on, let the ride carry you to the next thing to worry about; that drop after climbing up the first hill."

"Okay...when did you of all people get sagely with metaphors and talking about things that neither of us know anything about?  Yet you're somehow the smartest person in the room talking to the actual smartest person in the room."

Yeah, that sounded arrogant but I was in a state where I wasn't concerned with modesty. There'd be time to feel bad about boasting about my smarts another time. Right now...it was matters of the heart I was focused on.

"Azzy.  You like Frisk.  She likes you.  Don't make this a complicated math equation."

It was getting hard to put up more of an argument.

I guess it came down to...what happens when the unstoppable force meets the immoveable object? They surrender.

"Okay.  You win.  But...if this goes south, I'm not going to be  up to speaking to you for a while."

"Fair enough."

Wait, fair enough? I was threatening something pretty bad to my own sister and she says "fair enough"? My conscience really knew how to mix messages within me, didn't it?

"Alright.  I guess next time I see her...I'll ask. Cool?"

"Cool."

The rest of the day was...uneventful as Chara had to head back before the other Soul Reaper Captains dragged her to General Yamamoto. Oh boy. Not the fire punishment again. And she used to know she was in deep stuff when Mom held an "ember" in her hand with a dour look. But usually it was meant for Dad doing something stupid. I don't know HOW I remember that now that I think back to old memories.

"Well.  Onward to destiny.  It's not the end of the world.  Just, potentially, a friendship you've been handling with...and I fully intend the pun...kid gloves."

Yeah. I went there.

Go, me.

Sub-Entry 152: "Working Up the Courage to Ask..."
Still reviewing that footage, waiting for DeltaRune to start back up again.

I was using my computer to try to enhance the video and try to get a better look at that girl...had to be no more than 12...sliding down that fire pole into Egon's makeshift lab.

Huh. She had the same glasses...and...the same hair style...? And...more than just a passing resemblance...

Wait.

Who the heck WAS THIS!?

Volt told me echo was likely a temporal event. We were seeing images of the future somehow intrude upon present time. Something like this hadn't happened since that ghost Tempus. In the strange case of Kylie Griffin and those "Extreme" Ghostbusters that Egon was destined to have in his parapsychology class at the university...

Though now I was thinking it was just like Undertale...this future branched off of the Manhattan Crossrift of 1984.

In fact...it was starting to look like the Vigo the Carpathian incident had branched off of that point, too. Though...Volt always insisted that Vigo the Carpathian, five years later, was canon to the main continuum. Otherwise why would Ray's Occult still be around in later years? Apparently an AU of Master Splinter's four turtles had an incident where their much younger April O'Neill acquired a book from Ray's Occult, while Mikey swore up and down he saw graffiti reading "Venkman Was Here" in the top of the Statue of Liberty. Speaking of later years...

The New Years incident at the museum led into the Shandor incident two years later with Ilyssa Selwyn while Ivo, himself was walking around in the Mayor's body while Walter Peck was hassling the guys with his Paranormal Contracts Oversight Committee.

I think Volt was right. A Ghostbuster-verse was all around us. So...what node was our UltraVerse in? Or vice-versa? Still wondering how this worked.

Well. Back on the back burner this line of thinking goes. As much as I'm enjoying it. I had something, surprisingly more pressing on my mind:  Frisk.

"Maybe she won't show..."

I had it in my mind that I was hoping she wouldn't, thus prolonging how long I'd have to work up the courage to ask her out.

But why prolong the suspense? Why let myself suffer more with this self-torture?

It was just a day or a night out with no funny business. Mom would never forgive either of us if we acted naughty. And besides...I don't think it was in either of our characters. I was sure straight-laced from my upbringing. While I couldn't speak for Frisk...something told me she listened to the angel on her shoulder while brushing off the devil on the other shoulder. So...yeah.

What did we have to worry about?

"How about...wrecking your friendship?" Flowey grinned devilishly.

"Not. Helping." I growled. This was one time he had the upper hand...er...leaf/vine on me. I wasn't in the mood to banter.

Really. Flowey was getting desperate for ways to amuse himself.

You know what...I should walk things back to about a few hours ago at Mom's school, when our human ambassador should drop by to return something to Mom that she left at home.

We just happened to meet in the hall.

"Uh...hey! W-what a pleasant surprise!"

"Oh!  Hey, Azzy."

I think I was visibly blushing under my facial fur from hearing Frisk call me Azzy. Did she ever do that? Did I not pay attention to it? Was I just now noticing? Wait, how was my head fur? Were my horns better retracted or extended!? Did my breath smell fine???

"Wh..what brings you here?" I rubbed the back of my head, heart pounded in my chest.

Jeeze this was awkward. I wasn't sure if she noticed and was just being polite or...if she was oblivious and being her usual kind self.

Gods...even in my journal entry here, I'm too flustered to put to paper...something meaningful to say. Some metaphor like "pouring my heart out" or "a rose by any other name". Tired old lines like those. Anything would be nice at this time as long as they were delivered with sincerity, right?

Oh boy.

I feel in over my head.

"Mom left some papers at home and asked me to swing by her house, pick them up, and drop em off. You teaching today?"

"Uh, yeah!"

I was trying not to sound like I was forcing an answer. In reality I must've sounded like I was in the men's room in my pajamas and Frisk burst in to show off a sweater she made for me and all of a sudden asked if I was...ahem...using the urinal, to put it delicately.

Why did I just type that out like a moron!?! I hope she NEVER reads this...

It was just a question about teaching, Asriel!

"Well...I don't mean to hold you up so..."

"Er...no, th-that's okay!"

"Azzy, you seem a little nervous.  Something on your mind."

Just say no and all will be forgotten--

"Well...actually, yeah. I don't know if this is the right time and place to ask but..."

No! You idiot, don't--!

"Frisk...would you...be interested in spending time with me...that is...I...I..."

"Asriel...are you...?"

I gripped my fists by my side and squeezed my eyes shut. The jig is up.

"...Frisk...would you...please consider...going out  on a... *hard swallow*...date with me...?"

I'm dead. My friendship just went down the loo. I--

"Asriel...I...I...this is..."

"Sudden? Y-yeah...I'll understand if--"

"Actually...this is a great relief."

"Excuse me?"

"I've...been trying to work up the courage to ask if...you'd be interested in spending time together but...I don't know...maybe it would be awkward if the girl asks the guy out but...this is a progressive new world where gender roles and norms are being challenged and, and...!"

Oh gods. This was really happening. It was really true. She WAS as nervous as I was. She DID feel the same way! How...how is this happening!? Is this...okay? Is this even...acceptable in ANY Undertale AU? I mean...what if this is catering to someone's ideal ship fantasy? What if someone reads this journal entry some day and this is just pandering to their "will they, won't they" head canon?!?

"Frisk...are you saying...?"

"Asriel...I'd...like to give this a try."

"You're...accepting?"

"Well...yes.  I think I am."

In that moment...I hadn't noticed...we were holding each others hands. By the gods...was this honestly playing out like a bad rom-com script? Were we doing this!? This was just so cheesy enough to work...that it was working?

Good golly. I was...feeling so much.

"Hey. Azzy?"

"Y...yes?"

"Your...eyes are kind of cycling through colors."

"Wha...?" I looked at myself in the reflection of the shiny metal back plating to a calculator I happened to have with me.

"Oh wow...this hasn't happened in ages..."

But what did it MEAN? It wasn't like I was battling Adonis again inside the Axis of Reality. I had just gotten Frisk to say yes to a date.

And yet...this feeling. This feeling felt like...

I think the new generation reploid, Lumine put it best when describing the evolution of their robotic species:  awakening.

That was it. I felt...an awakening in my own heart...in my own soul. And just as I was thinking this...I think my soul emerged from my chest only momentarily and it was cycling through the seven rainbow colors of the soul types in sync with my eyes.

It kind of felt like something dormant was waking up again. Hyperdeath? No. This was something else. Something...long forgotten. Something I hadn't experienced since Frisk and I crashed the pseudo-code and ended the RESETS and SAVE FILES for good.

But like that my soul was back into my very being and I got a hold of myself. Something...felt switched back on again. Just to be sure I checked to see if my HUD would come up...the same time Frisk thought to check hers.

Nothing. Thank goodness the code was still shattered, scattered, and dissipated from reality.

Yet...if it wasn't that...what did wake up?

"So...how does tonight around...6 or so sound?  I guess I could cook something or...just send out for pizza...I don't know. Umm...whatever goes?"

"S...sure.  I'd like that, Azzy."

And like that, we parted ways and...

"What have I done...?" I was beside myself. I did the dare. I went for it. I did exactly as I told Chara I'd do.

Well...what now?

Now...back to the present.

"Oh man, oh man, oh, man..."

I had a lasagna microwaving...I had unfortunately lacked the foresight to make one from scratch using Mitzi's and Hestia's recipes, albeit hybridized and perfected to my own tastes...

And of course I had Grillby's on speed-dial, hoping he could have someone deliver out to my address. Honestly, did he have a delivery service for pizza? That was something I should have asked him a long time ago.

A knock at the door...

My heart darn near exploded in the moment. At least it felt like it. It would be the longest, most suspenseful walk to the door I thought I'd never actually embark on. But before I came to my senses...I'd already opened the door.

"Frisk...w...welcome to my place."

It's not like they dressed in formal clothing. Heck, I was pretty casual, myself. I mean...neither of us agreed to dress up. We weren't actually going out to enjoy expensive food or a movie or dancing or anything. I just...invited her...into...my....house.

That's all.

Violet was right all along. Someone REALLY should have taught me how to actually date. If anything Frisk had more experience with both a pity date with Papyrus that ended in being "friend-zoned" and a role-play with Alphys that...somehow got her and Undyne together. And yes...I think all this time was being polite to me, that's why I didn't actually record many if ANY incidents of her being a "flirt machine" as Flowey put it...

...but then again, I was probably oblivious to whatever instances there were, like a blockhead.

I guess this was the sign that making a pass at me has always been on the table. Which meant I'd have to start picking up on how often she really DID flirt with me. Otherwise I could image a lot of moments of cold indifference punctuated with "Nothing's wrong." or "I'm not mad." or "everything's okay"...when I clearly missed the signs and ticked her off.

My gods...I'm worrying about THOSE cliches now!

I'm over-thinking this!

Heck, I didn't even get her flowers from Dad's shop. Though...if we're being equals, she didn't bring a gift either so...

Someone please explain to me how dating works!

"Uh...come in!"

And like that...there was no turning back, now.

Sub-Entry 153: "First.....Date?"
Okay. She's in your home, now.

"Thank-you for having me over."

"It's...it's no big deal.  Really!" Awkward.

"So--"

"So--"

Yikes. Jinx. Who owes who the soda?

"You first--"

"You first--"

Come on. Not this trope...

"No, that's okay--"

"No, that's okay--"

Now it's getting spooky.

I reciprocated first.

"Sorry about that." Frisk rubbed the back of her head.

"This...kind of thing never happens.  Right?"

"Eheheh..."

Awkward silence.

"Well.  I guess this is a date.  Um...really...didn't think ahead on this.  Really didn't plan.  Not a good first impression, huh?"

"It's fine, Azzy. I'm just glad you finally said something.  I was...starting to think maybe you weren't interested--"

"Frisk...I'm not sure how to say this without it sounding a little creepy but, I've been thinking about you all the time since my memories of this place came back. I...did tell you about how I asked Volt to erase them so I could...I could rest on my laurels for a bit.  Have a...bit of peace of mind so I could finish growing...maturing."

"I...never stopped thinking about you.  Now who must sound creepy?"

"Well...there's a fine line dividing creepy from endearing.  It's...just a hard to know where it is and not crossing it is sometimes harder than it looks.  But for all practical purposes, any advice Aunt Vi gave me is a bad template to go by."

I chuckled, a little embarrassed.

"I'll take your word for rit."

"I...just don't want to end up doing something to offend...anything that merits getting slapped across the face is probably a good par to go by?"

"Azzy, give yourself some credit.  I can see you're trying as hard as I am and...well, we're both in the same boat trying not to be a burden on the other...trying not to be awful; even if by accident."

"Yeah...there is some wisdom in playing it too safe but...where do we take the risk with this relationship?"

"Well...why don't we just start by being friends and eventually more than friends.  Let it happen naturally?  I mean...we have the rest of our lives to figure this out. Right?"

"Of course."

"So...maybe...us just talking now is a good start.  I can tell you really want to express how you feel."

"And I you.  I can tell you're keeping it bottled up inside but..."

"Yeah.  That virtue of patience."

"While also keeping Newton's Laws of Motion in mind.  An object at rest, and all...  This relationship will go nowhere if we just idle."

Okay we were both man-splaining and woman-splaining to each other things we already knew but...maybe we just needed to hear from one and other to validate that advice. Know that...we both understand.

"I...guess I should start but offering to hang up your coat and offer you a seat on the sofa."

"It's a deal." Frisk slipped off her heavier jacket. It was getting to be winter time and...well. Snow would be falling soon. Ah the memories of Snowdin Forest and Snowdin Town were sure to come back to both of us.

Well. We both sat down. It was Frisk who broke the silence.

"Something smells good." There was nothing fake about how she said it. There was definite cheer to her voice. It wasn't just being polite. I think she was optimistic that this dating thing was going to work out.

"Oh.  It's just a lasagna I baked.  I had a lot of lessons from Mitzi.  You'd like her.  She's super nice and super kind.  She's like a childhood friend; the girl next door...only like an older aunt or step mom. But you'd never know it looking at her. She looks like she's still a teenager or college girl.  Hybrids have some pretty impressive extended youth.  It'll be close to 200 before she starts showing visual age and by then...well...let's not talk about something as unpleasant as when our time's up."

It was a mouthful for Frisk to take in but I could tell she was FASCINATED. I think in a way she kind of regretted not getting to see where I was growing up. Though she did at least get to see Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley. I kind of wanted to visit those places myself so...she had two up on me.

Heh.

"Oh wow!  It can't wait to try it!"

"You'll be glad you did." Before I knew it I had patted her on the shoulder from behind...which almost turned into holding it gently.

What do I do here? Jerk it back and apologize or wait and see if she accepts it--

"...!"

I...guess she's cool with it.

"Okay. Well...umm...TV?"

"Sure.  I didn't watch a lot of it growing up."

"I was the opposite in Miranda.  I think I had many a moment I was afraid of becoming a couch potato.  But...I balanced it out with other things, too!" I sounded like I was trying to compensate for something. Like I was afraid that being viewed as a TV junkie would make me seem less interesting, or something.

So. We got comfy and ended up flipping channels until we came across something that we both liked.

Monster TV was different than it was back in Miranda but...Miranda TV was sure different than Earth programs.

I guess every world, dimension, and point in the modern age--from the dawn of black-and-white TV to the internet streaming era--had its own plethora of stuff to watch. I didn't want to draw any comparisons to that "Interdimensional Cable" that mad scientist with the drinking problem and abusive relationship with his family invented...but...

Hey, at least there was no "Gazorpazorpfield" on our setup. Yikes. My ears are still burning from Violet tuning it in on her expensive system once.

In no time we were laughing...we crying...but thankfully there was no hurling. Excellent.

I was being pretty low-key about being around Frisk this long. I was trying to be a gentleman but...I had to admit...for a human she was pretty schwing.

Erf...how awkward was that reference?

I don't know how but we had subconsciously scooted closer to each other; I think during some emotional scenes. I think we both just kind of wanted to be held...

When the kitchen timer went off.

"Oh!  It's ready!"

And there's the end of "separation anxiety". Nothing like a moment of distraction to make it easy to awkwardly jump away from each other and ruining what could have been an early romantic moment between us.

I went to the kitchen and took care of matters. It was just dinner. There was no wine or candles. It was too early for us to think about stuff like that, right? Slow and steady wins the race. I hope.

Sub-Entry 154: "Frisk and Me":
So. Dinner. Lasagna, buttered breadsticks and some golden flower tea. Dad sure provided me with enough of it, not that I was complaining.

It was getting to be a pretty in-crowd of those of us who loved this stuff. I mean...how do I describe the flavor? Sweet can tell you only so much. I mean...is it nectar sweet, fruit sweet, sugary sweet? Even now that was hard to describe. It was just...sweet. Not overpoweringly sweet. Just sweet.

I came to learn there were varieties of honey such as orange blossom and such so...nailing down a description for something that was already plant-based was going to take imagination.

Really, am I struggling this much just to describe the flavor of golden flower tea?

All I can say is, I'm glad it's not buttercup extract. Chara would most certainly find an angle to that to torment me with. Some...things are just left in the past.

But yeah...it's amazing that something from the surface world that found its way into our world could make something delicious and obviously non-poisonous. It's more than just an acquired taste. Sometimes it feels like...a lifestyle.

Frisk made every indication that she agreed; despite the fact I hadn't audibly conveyed any of these thoughts. Maybe...she was just feeling what was in my soul?

Maybe. Just maybe.

Is that...any early sign? A good one?

"I never get tired of this.." Frisk sipped away. I almost reminded her to save some for the meal. It was on the counter cooling but I estimated it wouldn't be long before it was ready.

I think I was the only monster in town who made real food. Human food, to clarify. It wasn't made with magic...just the good old fashioned way.

Somehow...being magic-deprived didn't make me feel like I had a handicap. I never felt disabled or lacking. Mostly...because everything that took its place made sure I didn't miss something that wasn't there. Growing up like this...just made me feel normal. I guess...I forgot what it was like to be one of my own native people.

Not that there's anything wrong with embracing your adopted people.

I wanted to find the balance between the two, though. As the Prince of This World's Future...I had to be the bridge between worlds when my next destiny was at hand.

"You look like you're spinning your wheels."

"Yeah.  I'm always spinning my wheels.  So much to think about.  So little time.  And...I'm really trying to be careful about explaining what's on my mind.  Not everyone is in the know.  Not everyone can understand but...I know...there are lot of you all that want to understand so...that really comforts me when I take a moment to realize...I am different."

I think that was the word Frisk was avoiding to use. Like it carried risk of offending.

But really...if Violet taught me anything about being different...it's that you should feel flattered being described as such.........whether that was the intent or not. Hey, no one but me can bring down my own confidence. Am I right?

"Different is good, Azzy.  In truth, I'm as different as they come.  Or at least I was to begin with now that there are other humans in Newest Home."

"Yeah.  They're still the minority but...I got to say, I'm impressed with the progress you've made with diplomatic relations.  Makes me hopeful that someday I can assist you in those lines."

"Someday?  Azzy, you're ALREADY helping me!  In a big way!  I don't think you understand how popular you are outside of the Monster population."

"No kidding?"

You'd think I'd learned this lesson back when I first learned how much of a celebrity I was among the planets and the Elder Gods. But in all fairness...I was neuralized up to a pretty good group of years since being a teen.

"It's made headline news that by a miracle the son of King Asgore and Queen Toriel has come back to life."

"Well...even that's not the full truth."

Flowey scoffed.

"Hey, I'm perfectly willing to keep it on the table for the truth about you to come out--"

"No deal." Flowey snarled.

"Uhhh...okay..." My smile faded. "But you know it's there for the taking."

"Let them think I'm dead.  It's all I want.  It's all I need.  It's all I'm ever going to have, goat boy." Flowey growled. "Whatever charity you're offering, you can KEEP it."

"Aww...that's not fair, Flowey." Frisk scolded.

"Naw.  It's fine.  Flowey's made his choice.  Or rather...you might say as a plant he's--"

"DOOOOOON'T!"

"Made his bed?" I grinned, wagging my tail.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" Flowey did what I considered the best impression of Yosemite Sam I'd heard in a while.

With that our conversation was terminated. Oh well. Three's a crowd. Especially on a date. So much for him razzing us for entertainment value. Ha ha ha... *sigh*

The second timer went off.

Time to eat.

"Oh wow!" Frisk's eyes widened. I think part of her was glad she wasn't having to stomach Pappy's spaghetti but she'd NEVER breathe a word about it. None of us would. It would just break Papyrus' heart if the truth ever came out. And to that ends I made Flowey not only swear a solemn oath but sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Oh yeah. As a prince, I was pulling rank with a royal decree. This was a binding contract and not up for debate. So mind your P's and Q's and keep that temper under control, Flowey. I'm going to be watching and listening. We all are.

Ahem...right. Away from that tangent. What I was actually seeing was genuine delight and an anxiety that was making it hard for her to wait before digging in.

But before that...

"To our friendship...and whatever it may bring.  I hope it's lots of love and joy." I offered a toast.

"To being more than friends.  I'd really like this very much."

A clink of glasses and we drank at the same time.

And now...the feast.

As soon as Frisk took a bite, I saw her eyes light up. For as often as it had been in the other timelines where Frisk's eyes were up for debate; constantly squinting shut as many AU's described...it was nice to have a variant whose eyes were no longer a mystery what color they were or hidden by her bangs.

Just looking into them...I could see the determination lying on the other side of those windows. It was...truly beautiful. Mesmerizing. Like true color brought to light...brought to my attention.

It was almost too distracting for me to remember to start eating, at that.

"Asriel, this is AMAZING!"

And from there Frisk actually went on a lengthy description, lauding me over my talent; something I'd expect to hear from the judging of a Food War at Totsuki Academy.

I finally had to gently calm her down and politely ask not to oversell it. I was hardly the best at this but...

"Mmm."

...then again, I DID make one of my better ones this time around. Really...this honestly was good, if I do say so myself. If Frisk agreed with me this much...it had to be true.

Ah, lasagna. Italian. Or Valendian on VGM-098. A "bed" of wide noodles with frilly edges. Top that with a mixture of cheeses; mainly Romano and ricotta in sort of a pasty consistency. Add a layer of sauce flavored with spices and such; I preferred to make it the way Volt enjoyed--without chopped veggies like onions or chunky tomato pieces--just nice and smooth but thicker than the stuff in those cans of Spaghetti-O pasta. And of course mixed with a mixture of ground beef and ground sausage. And repeat a few times like you're making a parfait, before coating the top layer with a five-cheese blend including the iconic mozzarella and provolone so that it melts nice and gooey.

And if you did it just right...you got a stack of food that doesn't collapse when scooping it out of the pan. Nicely al...den--  Yeah, I'm not going to invoke his name. Let's call it "firm" but you can sink your teeth into it while being flavorful and not a chore to get on your fork and keep it on your fork.

A dash of salt, maybe a little pepper, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese...and you got heaven on a plate. Just have some breadsticks with garlic butter on the side and all is complete.

I think...the meal was so good...we didn't speak a word until the plates were cleaned and we felt the need to sit down on the sofa again.

"You're...amazing, Azzy."

"Thanks." I was blushing up a storm.

So...where did this take us, now?

A few more hours of TV-watching...this time joined by a little emotional support.

"OHHHHH!!!  He's so cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute!"

Spot, you are the best wingman I could have asked for.

"His name is Spot. He's a Rabite.  The only one on our world, now but..."

Yeah...I hadn't thought of breeding rabites. Or if it was even a good idea. Introducing a new or unusual species into an ecosystem--even with the best intentions--can backfire drastically. Honestly, I wasn't sure I was doing what was best for Spot as it was but...

At least I could tell he was happy. That was probably all I could ask for.

Frisk of course spent a long while petting the rabite. I think Spot had a new friend for life.

And of course I couldn't end it there without demonstrating the fine art...of the rabite hat.

I don't think I'd heard Frisk giggle so much or so loud before. She was sold. If I wasn't a keeper before, then I'm sure I just got a boost toward those lines.

But...it really was up to Frisk if I was worth a second date.

Fortunately, yet unfortunately...our time came to and end, in the latter case.

But the up side to that was...

"I had a wonderful time, Asriel.  You are a prince in more ways than one."

"Awww shucks..." I was so moved I let out a bleat, completely out of nowhere. That sealed the deal. This date was a success.

"So...?"

"We'll have to do this again."

"So...there's room for second date?"

"I'd like that."

"Then...we'll have to get together and arrange a time.  Cool?"

"Very cool."

I ushered her to the door. While I did envision it as me taking her home and dropping her off at her house, I was glad she was independent and was driving her own car and such...I guess she was living on her own when she wasn't staying at Mom and Dad to visit.

You know what? This is perfect. This is just how it should be. At the very least...this is what works for us.

"Thank you for a great night, Asriel."

I didn't actually expect what came next and even if I did, I wouldn't have been prepared for it.

Yes. I am talking about a good-night kiss. Granted it was on the cheek and she DID follow up with a playful boop to the snoot...

But that was the cherry on top of the sundae.

This was what sealed the deal for me.

This was...

"...the best day of my life..." I uttered after the door closed and I turned around and almost fell backward into the door; nearly fainting.

Really. I was visualizing tiny hearts spinning around my head as my own heart was thumping wildly.

Get a hold of yourself, Azzy. At least...get your head together.

I knew of one way to do that.

I about air walked my way back to my bedroom and closed the door...set the sound-proofing barrier around it so that I wouldn't disturb the neighbors.

I picked up my guitar, plugged in my amp, set the dials and controls appropriately...then hoped to Huey Lewis that I wasn't going to be too darn loud.

I counted off to the first downbeat and played an oh-so-familiar song that somewhere Marty McFly was appreciating. And I let my vocal chords do their thing as I let my guitar do its thing.

"The Power of Love...is a curious thing.

Makes one man weep, makes another man sing.

'Change a hawk into a white dove. More than a feeling. That's the power of love!"'

I was feeling it.

"Tougher than diamonds.

Rich like cream.

Stronger and harder than a bad girl's dream.

'Make a bad one good. Make the wrong one right.'

Power of Love will keep you home tonight."

I was glad to be home tonight.

"You don't need money! Don't take fame!

Don't need no credit card to ride this train!

'It's strong and it's sudden. And it's cruel sometimes.'

But it miiiight juuust saaaaave your liiiiiife!

That's the POWER OF LOVE!

That's the POWER OF LOVE!"

And it feels real good right now.

"First time you feel it, it might make you sad.

Next time you feel it, it might make you mad.

But do be glad when you've found.

That's the power that makes the world go round!"

I think I've felt all of those things leading up to this point.

It's good to realize what it's all about in that moment it just makes sense.

Sorry, Doc. But it really is just like lightning.

"You don't need money! Don't take fame!

Don't need no credit card to ride this train!

'It's strong and it's sudden. And it's cruel sometimes.'

But it miiiight juuust saaaaave your liiiiiife!

I pondered if that would one day be the case.

They say that all in love is fair.

Yeah, but you don't care!

But you'll know what to do...

When it gets hold of you...

And with a little...heeeelp from abooove...

You feel the powwwwwwwwwwwer of love!

You feel the power of love!

Can you feel it?"

I went into a solo I'm sure left McFly grinning a world away.

"Don't take money!

Don't take fame!

Don't need no credit card to ride this train!

Tougher than diamonds and stronger than steel!

You won't feel nothing until you feel...

'You feel the power! Just feel the power of love!'

'That's the power! That's the power of love!'

'You feel the power of love! You feel the power of love!'

You feel the power of loooooooooooove!"

I set down my guitar as I sat down on my bed and reflected on what I had just played...what I just felt.

It all clicked in this moment.

I can't believe I'm saying this.

I have a girlfriend.

Sub-Entry 155: "I Want to Make This Work":
The title to this journal entry says it all.

I DO want to make this work.

Generally, people can go through a lot potential dates before they find the one that's Mr. or Mrs. Right.

But...Frisk just has those traits...those qualities which make me want to care for this relationship and treat it as gingerly as possible. To put it in the vernacular...I don't want to mess this up.

I do want to make this work.

So...how do I go about doing just that?

Well...common sense dictates that I don't be (as Vi would put it) a jerk. Though the word she used I definitely censored to keep my thoughts clean. Let's just say it's another four-letter word for an undesirable person.

The next day...

I was rather quiet while Dad and I were on our break in between gardening jobs.

"Son?"

"Yes, Dad?"

"You seem...off on a cloud.  Are you...okay?"

"Well...I was hoping to save the news for the next time you and Mom were in the same place but...

Man, I hope she doesn't get mad that I told you first."

"Well...what is it?"

I sighed.

"I'm going to tell you straight out.  Yesterday...Frisk and I went out on a date."

I let that sink in--

"Oh how wonderful! My boy has truly grown up!"

...or not.

"Yeah...eheheh...it's really something.  But...I guess I have reservations."

"Hmm?"

"Well I did tell you my date was with Frisk.  So...is that...okay?"

"How do you mean, my boy?"

"Well...Frisk is family.  Adopted, but...then again being a adopted is something I know about.  But...my birth name is Dreemurr.  And her adopted name is Dreemurr.  So...does this present umm...a complication?"

Asgore scratched his head for a bit, trying to put it together.

"I do not see how? Neither of you are a blood relation. You are not even the same species."

"Yeah.  That's my loophole but..."

Did I really just want this to be okay merely by a loophole? Plus like he said...we aren't the same species. And even if we were both monsters...wasn't it more or less tradition to marry well...another goat monster?

"You seem to be overthinking this."

"Yeah.  I do that.  Look...it's more a matter of...our shared family name than anything else."

"My boy...even if you both were to take it to...I believe your generations calls it "the next level"...you are worrying about a given end to something far off.

For the sake of argument, let's say it DID go beyond dating and you got engaged then married. Well...technically, you'd both have the same last name anyway. But it's like you said...you took the name Arcade when you were adopted so...would that not mean her last name would become Arcade as well?"

Well...a valid point.

Wait a minute! Why AM I so worried about something so far off? Why AM I so bent out of shape over technicalities and such. For that matter...why were we speculating Frisk and I getting m-m-m-married!?

Oh boy. When I say I don't want to get ahead of myself, I REALLY don't want to get ahead of myself. Too many more things to worry and fret about.

It's just dating, after all.

"Well...I guess I just need to hear what I already know from the generation before.  From my parents.  I guess...part of me hopes to keep you both feeling like you and mom still serve a purpose in my life.  That your role as teachers isn't already over before it had a chance to begin. After...well, I've been out of your lives for a 100 years."

"You are too good for this world, my son." I think I saw Asgore get misty-eyed over how considerate I was being to him.

"You need not worry about us feeling useless or like we're out of your life.  We'll always be there to support you.  And do not forget.  We have been raising Frisk for some time now.  We've had...at least some experience with the part of your life that we missed out on.  While it is true they were...older than when we first lost our Asriel...Flowey, I think you said he goes by now....it was still some semblance of parental roles. Some part of it is still better than missing out completely.

Tori...your mom needed it more than I did. Frisk was a god-send and...well, I can think of no one better for you to be with if you truly have feelings for. Obviously neither of you have any issues with being completely different species. A hybrid and a human. So...love finds a way."

"Yeah.  Love, just like nature, finds a way." I looked up at the clouds, seeing a goat-shape and a human shape drift toward one another by chance.

And then things got quiet for a bit. I noticed that my V.E.H.I.C.L.E. storage system; while largely disconnected from its UCIAT network was still at least locally active with my E.N.G.I.N.E. dots. While I had a chance to idly look at the gear I was carrying in addition to my work uniform and tools.

I took a moment to set my work stuff to the side and stretch out a bit; get some life back into me while we were resting up.

A thought occurred. It was looooong past Father's Day but...

"Dad...?"

"Yes, son?"

"Would you...maybe like to have a catch?" I said as I released a baseball and a couple of catcher's mitts from my inventory. A gift from Sarge and Ariel Rastajive...and Bunnie, too.

He got a strange look on his face for the briefest moment...before shedding a couple of tears and smiling.

"I think I'd like that."

At that moment, it was like I was living the very last scene of the movie, "Field of Dreams".

I took a moment to whisper to myself "If you build it...he will come.".

Right now I felt like I had to go the distance to ease his pain. Asgore...was still covering up that pain so...it was the very least I could do as his son to make things...at least some degree of right.

Asgore was aging again as was Mom now that we were a whole family once more.

But that didn't mean he was dead. Far from it. I think...if he didn’t mind the aches and pains of a little athletic activity, the simple act of father-and-son time would more than make up for it. It meant something to him. More than I could ever ascertain, in all probability. That is why I had to do it.

He gave me good advice. This was what I was giving him in return.

Time.

So...back and forth we tossed the ball. We had a few missteps until we found our rhythm. And then for the remainder of our break...we remembered what it was like.

I remembered what it was like. When I looked up to him...literally. Now...I could look him in the eyes and see what was behind the fluff, the crown, the robes, and the armor.

And it made me wistful just how frail he really was underneath all that mountain of goat monster.

I would have to take care of him and mom some day. Right now...I was giving them their freedom. The freedom of retirement. But...some day the day would come I'd have to lead them by the arm as their golden years would one day wither just as they would.

I hated the thought of inevitability but...that's the nature of life.

For now...I think when I got around to telling mom? There would be new life in them. The life of happiness. The life of knowing their son from an expired timeline and their daughter; a human from the outside world were ready to take their first step in solidifying human-monster relations.

It was simple. They could see it some day, even if for us that was...a looong ways off and we weren't even sure our relationship would make it to that put, yet. What every mother and father wishes for once their children have left the house.

Oh yes.

They were looking forward to one day being grandparents.

Well...if things work out with Frisk...we'll keep that promise. We'll embrace the Arcade legacy.

We'll adopt.

And whether by blood or by legally-binding promise to love, to shelter, to feed, to clothe, to protect, and to nurture...we'd have a son, a daughter, both, or whatever combination the fates afforded us...and that will be our gift to Asgore and Toriel Dreemurr.

Buuuuuuuut...let's just stick to the present for now.

By the way...our break was up. Back to work!

Sub-Entry 156: "The Research Into Other Undertale AU's Goes On":
I've refined what I know about alternate realities.

Refined it with the mountains of data that I've taken back with me; most of which was embedded in the memory systems of my NXS board. Such a universal tool when I'm not using it to hoverboard around town. Still makes me a celebrity, especially among the monster children.

"Hmmm..."

Real talk, now. I didn't have the resources Volt had to peek into the curtain that keeps other realities hidden in plain view; on top of the same space and time coordinates.

The methods to which I could do that have been progressing the slowest and...I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have authorization to tap into A.E.O.N. and Cryptosmasher, now that I was home. On a planet that was still a number of progress levels below VGM-098's.

"This is interesting..." I shuffled through the hardcopies I made for my  own benefit and put them into dossiers.

The current one I was looking at was on called UTP-9148. The number was random and Volt never told me how they were assigned and if they were in any order. I could spend decades figuring that out at my leisure, mind you. But the more I combed through ones like this the more I realized I wasn't the only Asriel out there that got a second chance though...most of the ones I'd come across...did do the deed that got them killed. As to how those got their souls back...well...the ones that did so...each had his own story.

The one I was looking at now I was nicknaming "Parallel". And it sure wasn't the only candidate which that nickname felt appropriate. It was just the first one I got to. As far as I could tell, there were a crop of other Monsters I didn't recognize. Childhood friends like this Giegue person. And new enemies like these "Renegades". Oh...and apparently in this AU, Frisk is my adopted little brother?

Unfortunately the research cut off before we could learn more; Volt's last update was before they took me home to Undertale. But there was something about this AU's Mettaton's soul being shattered into three pieces and something about "Soul Overlay". That sounds pretty cool, honestly. I wonder if we have something like that in our universe? Ahem...right.

And something else about Alphys cracking Interdimensional Travel. Well...there was a chance they could happen upon our universe and things would only start to get more interesting from there.

But if I was honestly trusting my gut, AND if history had proven to this point...? It was likely our AU in the UltraVerse was going to remain buried among the pile of infinite AU's for a long, long time. Maybe it'd never get discovered. It's okay. I don't think we're ready to meet our many, many other neighbors yet.

Though in one instance we already had with Violet's gender-swap AU. I hadn't thought about Asriella and Amp in a long time. Though, bringing that up...it makes me realize that they're probably going through the same thing Volt and I are now. Asriella's probably gone home. I wonder if the Princess of Their World's Future is doing the same thing, pondering the same things I am at this very moment? Wouldn't that be kind of nifty?

Nifty? Huh. There's a word that sounds like something Dad would say. I know they say your parents live on in you but...I really hope I'm not going to end up writing "Nice day today" on every page of my journal, gain a lot of weight, and wearing loud Hawaiian shirts like he does in his retired days. With all due respect. He is still my dad and I still love him...but the thought of turning into that some day...feels pretty awkward at this point. But more to the point...I still want to be my own person, not "Asgore Junior" or his clone.

It's times like this I realize Volt's reassurance that I more than likely take more after mom.

And it's times like now that I realize I've gone on such a tangent. So...right. Back to AU research.

There were more out there than just "Parallel". I wonder what "AFAC" is up to? What about "GltichTale"? Could "One More Chance" still be going on? I was also thinking about "The End"...also known as "A Dreemurr Reborn".

What about the alpha set? The first documented alternate universes? UnderSwap and UnderFell. I don't know if either of them was the very first, but they are still the longest-standing and the earliest entries in Volt's research. I no longer felt inclined to put quotation marks around them because they were some of the first if not the first two so...they felt iconic by this point. Certainly more established than our AU most definitely was among the pile. Heck, ones like UnderFresh and PokeTale had to be more "mainstream" than our dinky little AU cube in the middle of who knows where, right?

I no longer had access to Cryptosmasher through the T.A.O. Link or A.E.O.N. via my bracer and visor.

"How am I supposed to continue this research without that massive network throughout the space-time continuum? I barely have enough resources now to keep my tech going,  much less a multi-galaxy of planetary omni-computers linked in a parallel-processing uber-colony."

It's hard to top a gender-neutral intelligence designed for the purpose of observing and unifying data across space, time, and dimensions for the heart and soul of S.T.C.'s operation. And right now my Scanner Visor glass, my T.A.O. uplink, and most of the functions of my Bracer were disconnected from all that. That was the kicker.

"Hmm?" I heard a knock at the door.

Of course I answered and...it was Alphys...and Undyne?

"What up you big, fluffy nerd!"

"H-h-how do you d-do, Prince Asriel?"

I smiled. I was glad to have people over. It made me feel like I wasn't a total shut-in. Granted...I had just gone out on a maybe-a-date-maybe-not with Frisk so...my life was far from pathetic, right?

Gosh, if I could be any more awkward and unsure about myself at this point I'd be practically a rags-to-riches movie cliche. I had the set-up, I just needed the forces that be to lead me into an unspecified adventure which challenged me, frustrated me, entranced me, forced me to grow and become a more interesting character...you know. What I did during my teenage years.

The meta is strong with this one, yes? Eheheheh...eheh....ughhhh.

Really, could anyone ACTUALLY be interested in this mundane point in my life? Did I leave enough of an impression to be chomping at the bit to find out what's next?

Ahem. Get your head back in reality, Asriel. Quit feeling like you need to sell yourself as someone to be liked or even appreciated. I know this is basically a diary but...get all this out of your system and just bite the bullet. Be that Prince of this World's Future you promised to be!

"I'm good."

Yeah. I'm good. Really. I'm good.

"You up for a few more rounds in the back yard!  I promise I'll pay for the stuff I broke last time."

"As much as I'd love to, Undyne, I'm just not up to it today.  Besides, you already had your martial arts lessons this morning.  I may be the sensei but I have to rest up in between lessons, you know."

"Damn!  What a drag!"

"Eheheheh..." Alphys rubbed the back of her spiky head.

"Fine then.  If you're not up for some brawn, what's the big brain of yours up to?"

"Well, I'm glad you asked because while I do enjoy my time with you Dy-Dy, I've been thinking about something's more Alphys' speed."

"Oh?"

I went over to my desk and picked up something I put together in my spare time. A holo-projector based on Aunt Vi's design for her CyberDrive Gauntlet. For Glitter.EXE's projector puck.

I set it down and turned it on and scrolled through a holo-tablet I had lying nearby, linking to it.

"I've actually been thinking about those other countless Undertale AU's out there.  You know...versions of our world that are like us...but different in ways."

I projected multiple hololyth wireframes of different versions of the same planet and each one had a "shield" of hololyth windows wrapped around it in a perfect sphere; each window had a different recorded videos and still-photos of things Volt had documented from each.

"What the Hell...!" Undyne had a look like her brain shifted gears without the clutch.

"Oh...m-m-my gods...! Is...is this r-real?  Are these from...!"

I nodded.

"This relates to my ultimate goal but...this is like a much farther off goal.  Learn to walk before you run.  Let's work on getting to...you-know-where before we go you-know-there."

"Where...? There...?  What?!" Undyne gave a sneering look.

"Oh.  Of course.  Th-that makes s-sense." Alphys rubbed her chin, while looking down.

"Which one is this one?" She managed to hold back her stutter for that question.

"USPR-001.  It's called UnderSwap.  Essentially, everyone's counterpart switches roles in this alternate universe.  In it, Undyne is the Royal Scientist, Napstablook is NapstaBot...or NapstaTon? And Temmie Village becomes Flowey Village."

"Pffft." Flowey snorted from the kitchen table. "Just what I always wanted to be...a fluff-and-filler army of saccharin-sweet side characters with a speed impediment."

I decided to nip that in the butt. "And Temmie is the big bad trying to get the fallen child, who happens to be Chara in this one."

Flowey scowled.

"What's their Alphys like?" Undyne couldn't quite put the numbers together.

"See for yourself." I pulled one window out of the other.

"Killer!  Sweet axe!  And that scar over the eye!"

I think I could audibly hear Alphys' heart thumping and she was definitely sweating.

"You know I debated whether it was a good idea sharing this information with anyone.  Even my own family and friends but...if our world is ready for that next step...if it is ready to evolve and move into a new era...then he or she who does...dares.  Or something like that."

"Man I would SO pound you if I found out you were keeping this secret!"

"Despite risk of committing assault and battery on royalty?" I crossed my arms with a smug smirk.

"B...! But...!  YOU ABDICATED THE THRONE!  YOU'RE NOT A PRINCE ANYMORE!"

I grinned. I think I understand why Chara finds it hilarious to mess with people. But don't make a habit of it. That's what Flowey does when he's in a good mood.

"Seriously.  It's a lot to wrap your head around knowing that there's countless versions of you in other planes of existence. I've had over a decade to let this sink in...and it still baffles me.   We have the proof here.  WE'RE. NOT.  ALONE."

I emphasized that like an orchestra conductor...something I'd picked up from Dr. Emmett L. Brown.

That...surprisingly left Undyne speechless.

Alphys didn't know what to say, either. But someone else did.

"Oh big whoop! So there a whole universe out there. Once upon a time that would have given me SO MANY POSSIBILITIES!  But then he came and he sucked all the fun out of this!  He ruined it forever!  He...he...!"

"Flowey." I was solemn.

"Don't.  Don't do this to yourself.  He hurt us all.  He's gone. Let it go."

"...let it go? Hah.  Hah.  Hah......you really are...the prince of all idiots." Flowey pulled himself into the pot.

"Why you...!" Undyne lunged for the pot but I held her back.

"No.  Let him go.   I know I've said it before, but...he's still a version of me.  He's just...irreparably damaged.  Chara, Frisk, and I were lucky that we...recovered. The scars are still there from our trauma but we've moved on.  We're ready for the next phase of our lives.  All of us are hurt by what Adonis did but...now, it's like most of us never even knew about him.  Those of us that do...mainly the Boss Monsters...well.   We've left him behind."

"Prince..."

"Asriel..."

"I made a vow that I'd let the Wraith fade into obscurity; without even a moment's thought about it.  Just bringing up its name feels like it goes back on that.  I could think of no other way to cope than to bury Allouicious Adonis' memory like it was a casket and never ever come back to the cemetery we left it in."

Gee whiz! How did our conversation about other universes suddenly turn into a sudden downer and incredibly dark and morbid? Adonis' name was practically the mother of all curse words by this point. He really did leave at least a faint trace of tainted memory that, try as we might, could not wash off of us.

"Let's...change the subject." Alphys was so despondent about the subject she actually kept her stutter under control.

"Want to go back on topic?" I suggested.

"Hell yeah!  This talk about other dimensions kicks a--"

I half-coughed. I was still enforcing the rule of keeping language G or PG-rated. Sure the A-word wasn't that bad...but I was inheriting more of my mother than I cared to admit. Yet had no qualms showing off.

"Right, right...kicks butt." Undyne rolled her eye.

"Sh-show us another one!  It's f-f-fascinating!"

And I went down the list until it got redundant.

"Alphys, this is only a hobby.  A side-project that has no real hope of progressing as things are.  I don't have an eye in the sky.  Anything I could come up with is theoretical.  But...maybe sharing it with another mind who'd have input to give is a start.  Maybe if you and I can go back and forth on this during our lunch breaks on my work days in the lab?"

"Th-th-that would be g-great!  We c-could make so m-m-m-many theories about so much!"

"Yeah.  Maybe if we at least have a basis for what things could be, some day we'll have a model to work with when we arrive at that point we're tackling things that will be once we arrive at that bridge."

"Man, this is gonna be so awesome if we DO eventually get to other Undertale Universes!" Undyne grinned that fang-filled grin.

"Slow down there, Dy-Dy.  Crawl before we walk.  Walk before we run.  Run before we learn to drive a car...and learn to drive a car before you get a boating and/or pilot's license."

"You get to the point where we're flying space ships, and I'll do my damnedest to exercise patience. Gods, I hate being patient..."

I let her get away with a use of the D-word.

"Have you sh-shown Frisk?"

"I have.  She...actually kind of already knew about it before hand. I have to wonder what she and Volt discussed before hand.  I do seem to remember he said something about giving her a couple vacation sessions away from Undertale while he and the Ultra Crew Institute were...fixing things inside Mount Ebott."

"Crap!  Even the HUMAN knew about Alternate Universes before us!"

I decided not to tell her about Gerson. Or Mettaton.

"Eheheheh..."

"....oh...right. You knew too, Alphys." Undyne sounded deflated as heck.

"S-s-sorry!  I sh-sh-should have t-t-t-told y-you."

"Was that the LAST of your confessions?" This was the most I'd ever heard Alphys and Undyne having a tiff, much less an argument.

I think Alphys was about to give one of the Jangese "if-all-else-fails" forehead-to-the-ground, praying for forgiveness apologies on hands and knees.

"Let's not get into blame.  Things worked out.  Let's keep it civil." I was preemptive to extinguish Undyne's temper.

I guess it was also implied that Chara knew as well, seeing as how she was a Soul Reaper in another dimension. And even before that she had crossed timelines to get another shot at getting back her Asriel.

But let's not add fuel to the fire.

Undyne eventually got bored of our quantum mechanical discussion and fell asleep, snoring in my recliner while I wheeled out a whiteboard and had a long night filling it up with all kinds of theoretical algorithms and flow-charts on Alphys' and my best guesses about things in the other dimensions. The other AU's. Eventually she had to head out, rousting Undyne in the process. I could see her blush when she touched Undyne's hand by accident. Those two were an odd couple who were made for each other. That was pretty universal among many an AU.

"Somehow, the research will go on." I mused as I looked at the whiteboard. I smirked, feeling optimistic.

Sub-Entry 157: "Cyber World: Mr. Arcade...Welcome Back.  We Missed You...":
"...this is new..."

Didn't we already do this?

Oh. Right. Probably should mention I'm back here again. And this time I was a little prepared for this.

Third time's a charm?

"Oh.  You're here again."

Well. That was abrupt. Last I remember, Frisk had dragged Chara in to prove to her that this DeltaRune thing wasn't just my imagination. Only this time I thought to get Alphys in on this.

I had shown her blueprints of this...scanner colander Volt had slipped me from Dr. Spengler's research.

She thought it was brilliant and gladly built it to spec.

Frisk asked me if this was a good idea.

Chara...just tore into me with laughter and teasing. Why did I expect anything more?

But if it's proof, my sister, wanted, it was proof she was going to get. I wasn't about to sit through more of her trying to push my buttons. I got enough of THAT from Flowey.

"And how incredibly delighted you sound to see me." I mused smugly.

Kris just remained...silent.

"Listen up, buttercup...!"

Oh she did NOT just use the b-word. Granted I had long since been over my issue with buttercups and how Chara died from ingesting them. Yeah, subtle as a brick bringing that up as if I needed to explain my issue with them as if I hadn't already done that a thousand times before... Ahem. If you were me, would you let that slide? No? I hope I guessed right because I'm not gonna.

A pleasant grin. "Sure.  Make sure you speak into my good ear.  Though I do have two and they work REALLY well." I even added a chuckle for effect.

That stunned her for a moment. I think she was catching on I was smarter than she took me for. A lot smarter. And that's not just being arrogant...she'd more than proven the difference between us in behavior.

Kris is still staring. I think their gaze was starting to pierce. Okay. I read you. Get back on task.

Susie's patient finally gave out. Small surprise. "Fine. We doing this or what?"

I know I shouldn't poke the bear. But  I had to. Chara is really becoming a bad influence on me. I really should know better. But...this much experience over someone who's just a bratty kid? How do I hold that back? How do I not stand up for myself?

"Ladies...first." The most obnoxious, most cheery, most pleasant grin I could manage. And it. Pissed. Her. OFF.

"Grrrrrrr!!!"

As she stormed past me, I turned to Kris.

"I'm...sorry you had to see that.  And...I hope I didn't over step my bounds."

"......"

It's REALLY creepy trying to figure out what he...she.....THEY are thinking. You'd think I'd have a grip on non-binary people by now...but if I have to correct myself twice...

It wasn't even that. I'd had experience with knowing what was on Chara's mind when she gave me the silent treatment. Or iterations of Frisk when they were seemingly mute as Volt's research indicated from UTPR-3224. But this was different. Very different.

So...we were on what appeared to be an aqua green platform or rectangular pillar with alternating green and yellow dashes or lights...which lead to narrow path. A path connecting more like it. On the one hand it felt like a circuit pattern. And not just because there were yellow, surface-mount L.E.D. rectangles in the background connected by circuit pattern wires. All seemingly hovering in pure blackness.

Truthfully this reminded me of two things. One...it was kind of like Spark Mandrill's Electromagnetic Power Plant. Like the EXACT same paint scheme, just missing the glass conductor tubes full of lighting and all the machinery around.

And the other...? A highway. The same thing could be said about the same in-universe world of Abel City...because this also looked a little like Central Highway; that obligatory opening area among skyscrapers and mavericks driving out the humans in droves. From the very same entry in Mega Man X's series.

"Hmm?"

Another save star? Only this one was...different. It was...swirling in regular pulses. According to Kris' save file the location was "Dark World?". Yeah. That question mark was foreboding. Was it or wasn't it?

In front of us were a trio of yellow arrows pointing forward. The highway platform ended there with a gap between it and the next platform. But the way it ended was open-ended like........oh. Yeah. I know where this is going.

From the moment we stepped on, we were slingshot across the gap in a funky fast dash... Just like any other video game that used this mechanic, I guess. Wait, were we in a video game? Felt like one. Far more than Castle Town did. Maybe there was some truth to this being a "Cyber World"...and yet I clearly had nothing telling me or indicating in any way this WAS a Cyber World.

Was this a strange form of pre-cognition?

Okay. A little further down the road and--

"Are those...electrical plugs...?" I blinked seeing the dangling blue extension cords hanging down from....from...I couldn't tell where they were coming from! Too far up to see an end to them.

"A sign of life!" I gasped as we happened upon a sleepy or...distressed...pink creature. Kind of like a small cloth or velvet doll with pink hair and pale...skin. It...she...was shaking. In fear.

"The wires...the wires...!"

I waved my hand over her closed eyes. She was in a catatonic state. Completely in shock, I'd say.

What did she mean by the...wires?

Another slingshot across some more arrows. There was...some battle damage on the streets I could see from the sides.

There was another pink creature. This one was too out of it to even respond.

A third set of arrows sent us to one more length of street--

* BUZZZ*

What was that...?

I noticed the street had...open electrical sockets on them...and...suddenly I felt like something was hovering over us--

"Oh nutbunnies..." I looked up at the hovering plugs above us. The one directly over us suddenly turned glowing white before I heard the buzzing discharge overhead.

"Look out!"

I noticed at the moment, our souls suddenly emerged and became visible.

Oh no...

A massive discharge of electric plasma shot down toward us into the socket before exploding out in massive shockwave of twin ionic blades in opposite directions.

At the exact moment THAT happened, everything around us darkened, and the outlines of the streets lit up with an obnoxiously bright magenta neon light. Like actual neon tubes.

We dodged like mad to weave and bob our way through the paths of zaps and sparks.

A third pink character.

"Everyone was..." And that's all she said before going catatonic.

Two more ahead.

"E-everyone else has been...!"

But here...now there was more than just battle damage...there were BLAST CRATERS. What kind of a place was this?

"S-save us...she's going to...!"

I looked at the others with a worried expression.

Susie tried to put on a brave face...but I could see she was getting kind of nervous. Kris? Who knows. I couldn't get a read on them.

I don't know how this could get any more--

"Somebody help me...!"

My eyes widened. Waaait...I know that voice...! How could I forget a voice that demure...that apologetic...that...!

I couldn't even say that my worry was right...I didn't even finish my thought a month ago. But here it was right here. Here SHE was right here.

"Noelle...!" I whispered.

That was her...in white robes. Almost like the angel you saw on top of a Christmas Tree. Kneeling down in the street, crying...

"Somebody please..."

She turned in our direction. She didn't seem to notice me as much as she did Kris and Susie.

"...!..."

Her look momentarily turned to relief before turning to panic.

"Susie!?  Cool that you're here, just.  Wait, get out of here before it's too late!"

Before any of us could ask for an explanation, a hovering...top of a carousel flew over head, stopped over Noelle...lowered and turned into a cage! A cage with LASER energy bars.

"NOELLE!" Susie gasped as the cage took off like a rocket and flew straight up and away.

That's...when we heard it. What was "it"?

That laugh. That female laugh. So chilling. And so familiar? I've heard someone laugh like this. Someone like...Lancer...? What was--

Okay, now the laugh had segued into a full song. Someone was LAUGHING A SONG! How does THAT work?

Some kind of dark queen...ominously ghostly light blue skin...tight, black outfit...complete blackness over the eyes...blackness that was spade-shaped. And she was sitting on a throne...a throne with rocket thrusters. She was holding a wine glass full of something green in it and twirling it around to slosh around the liquid.

And all the while she was hovering up from the darkness while being accompanied by harpsichord music.

"Hell Of A Study Session." She gloated with a grin...and a robotic-sounding reverb.

I immediately made the connection. The Spade King. His son, Lancer...there was too much about this woman that looked too similar to be coincidence.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?"

"I Am Known As Serial Number Q5U4EX7YY2E9N.  But You Foolish Children May Call Me..."

And suddenly she took a sip from her wine glass, just moments before a green holo-lyth pointed straight at her with an arrow and the text: "QUEEN".

"Queen."

Susie scoffed.

"Like we're gonna call you "Queen"." She sneered. "Q5U.....3...7......uh..."

And a second window appeared on the other side of the Queen saying the exact same thing with the same arrow.

"Queen." She repeated.

"Well, look, "QUEEN."  We're not "children"...!"

I almost facepalmed. Susie did exactly what she said she wouldn't do.

More holo-windows appeared, depicting a stick figure kid and a stick figure teen.

"Teens Are Merely Big Children." And in smaller...subtitles...what...!?......ahem...smaller subtitles she said "And Adults Are Even Bigger Children."

The pseudo of this place is crazy.

"...doesn't that make you a child, too?" Susie retorted. She actually delivered a clever line?

"No I Am:  A Computer (Smart)!" And sure enough this was accompanied by ANOTHER set of holo-windows, depicting...yeah, you guessed it. A computer with the word 'smart', pointing at another computer with the word 'smart'.

And...did her non-existent eyes suddenly display in red letters "NICE"? Okay, her eyes were not eyes, but an LCD visor. Like a display panel. Yeah, she was a robot.

"...computer...?" Susie was caught off guard.

"Well Thank You For the Stimuli But I Must Leave Now (Goodbye)!"

And as she jetted off, Susie lunged at her but was way too late. She pointed at the despot and demanded to know:

"Wait! WAIT!!  Why'd you capture Noelle!?"

You know you never expect a villain to return suddenly after you demand to know something. They usually just leave you hanging...but--"

"I Would Have Captured You Too But I Ran Out Of Cages"

"WHY THE CAPTURING!?" Now Susie was P.O.'ed.

"So That She May Become My Willing Peon..." And yes...a holo-window of Noelle--

"...In My Quest For World Domination!"

Wait, time out!

I watched as she was surrounded by several red holo-windows of the Earth...only this time in red and accompanied with smug smiley face emojis.

"Also Maybe I Will Make Her Face Into A Robot One?"

Villain has gone off the rails? Biiiig checkmark, yes.

"WHAT!? WHYYY!?!"

"Seems Cool."

"Well FORGET it, dude!" Susie snarled. I was agreeing with her at that point. This was madness. This was messed up. This was wrong. I don't care how quirky this humor was. This was not happening.

"Nobody's turning anyone's face into a robot!" Susie was seething by this point.

"Could That Be A Statement of Animus Dissension?"

"Huh?"

Word of advice, queen. Use smaller words. Only one of us present has a college education and a vocabulary that large and knowledgeable of those terms.

"You Wanna Fight, Loser"

"YES!  YES, ALREADY, YES!!!" And Susie began swinging her axe.

"Oh.  Then Bye."

Like that the queen just gave us the metaphorical middle finger. I'm glad she didn't do it for real, or this entry would have to be censored.

"WAIT!!! A GODDAMN! SECOND!!!"

Oh, it's on. I could have been a jerk and made a snide comment to Susie about her temper. But that's not in my character. That's not who I am. As an Asriel, I know that as a fact. It would even be a 50/50 chance Flowey wouldn't stoop that low. All I know was...I was behind Susie on this one.

So, Kris. Our de facto leader...what now?

"I Have No Time For Such Frivolities (And Would Kick Your A**!)  But Perhaps Someone Else Could Entertain You!"

With that...I heard it behind us. The Wires we were warned about...suddenly grabbed the two pink things from earlier...by their FACES and brought them to the Queen...before something happened...there was some kind of energy discharge...and the next thing I knew...those adorable pink creatures had suddenly mutated into...into...what the heck WERE THEY!?

"Enjoy: Your Assimilation"

And with that the Queen was off...and we were suddenly thrown into a battle.

"Werewires swung in!" I felt like I was narrating a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate character reveal.

Okay...Volt explained this. I had an idea.

"Susie...we can't hurt them...but maybe we can do something almost as awesome to save them."

"Don't act like you can tell me what to do, old man!"

Old man...? It's okay. Be patient.

"Oh.  Well...it's a shame, I was just going to suggest you throw someone at those wires and knock them loose--"

Okay, I was expecting Susie to grab me to shut me up but instead she grabbed Kris, who had their sword out...like they were expecting it.

And after waiting for a bit for the arc to be just right...Kris was thrown like a javelin; enough to smack the wires hard.

"The wire greatly loosened."

Our opponents tried to counterattack.

"BIG!"

"ZIG!"

Sparks and lasers as our souls dodged for dear life. Turned out we could also momentarily put a barrier up for a second or two around our heart-souls.

"Werewire dusts sparks off its shoulders."

We kept this up until...

"Kris...I think we can spare them now." I looked through my Scanner Glass and noticed the meters that read "Mercy" Both had reached 100%.

Kris did as I asked...and like that I noticed another HUD display reading Recruit 2/6. That implied there were at least four more of this somewhere.

And like that...

"YOU WON!"

"Phew.  Nice fighting again after so long!  Now let's go catch up to Queen!"

For the briefest moment I got flashed a toothy smirk. Yeah...I think we were on the same page now.

Thinks were looking--

* THUD*

"...or not!"

A secondary ambush!?

But like that...the two pink creatures unplugged and turned back to normal before whisping away in joyful sparkles. I guess they were free.

"Huh?  They calmed down...?"

I rubbed my chin for a moment. It made sense, though I didn't know the cause of it.

But speaking of sense...my doppelganger sense suddenly went off. As if on cue, the world seemed to rotoscope around me as I slid my gaze to the side without turning my head. Like that I knew the cause.

"I just used my PACIFY spell to put them into sleep mode."

Suddenly, Ralsei. Also...I don't know if he's aware he just made a computer joke.

"Ralsei!  You're here!" Susie was actually happy to see him.

"I felt a dark presence and hurried over."

"Are we glad to see you!" I said, trying to sound relieved though...honestly I was kind of expecting him to show up. Like there was a connection between us that was more than just the obviousness of us being anagram's of each other's name and looking exactly alike save for the red horns and glasses...and the wizard get up.

Well...when I wasn't in this human disguise, I mean.

"It seems that a new Dark Fountain has appeared..."

"Ralsei!  They got Noelle...!"

I was reminded of T. S. Robert's scene in Ninja Gaiden II: the Dark Sword when Ryu Hayabusa finds Robert beaten up and left for dead after he lets him know Irene was taken. But he doesn't tell him who did it.

"Damn!  What was she THINKING messing in our Dark World?"

That's your concern, Susie? That Noelle was poking around in the Dark World? I didn't see your name or Kris' on it. But on that note, that was an unfortunate thing to consider. Noelle stumbled upon what they were keeping secret. That told me, this was escalating. Whatever started in Chapter 1 was growing bigger.

"If we don't do something, she might be...!" Okay, now I was starting to notice Susie was noticeably down.

"Worry not, Susie! All we have to do is seal the Fountain!"

Good old logic.

"Yeah. YEAH!  Can't be mad about another Adventure, right?  C'mon, Kris!  Let's go!"

Like that Susie became take-charge. As if that was going to be surprising but...I think she needed this.

I smirked and shrugged.

We were off. But who knew we'd step foot-first into a mini-game just to get to wherever we were headed. Where WERE we headed?

And...was that a robot D.J. with a boom-box for a head? Wait...wasn't this...!

I remembered from Castle Town. This was one of the Sweet Cap'n Cakes!

We were in free-fall or so it felt like as he played his chip-tune jam, hovering parallel to the highway as what looked like white electronic resistors were threating to knock us over from behind in waves. Almost like we were running the hurtles, backwards.

Before we knew it we had reached the end and as we went past the nearly vertical path that took us straight to this new path...out in the distance, it came into full view.

A city-scape that was like a cross between mechanical city skyline...mixed with a carnival, complete with giant Ferris-wheel structures. All lit up with weird lights. But the sky...was not sky...but rather a green, wire-frame vortex...like an event horizon attempting to blow everything outward from its funnel shape.

Once we reached the Save Star...

"A green field extends before you...  And, in the distance, a city shines brightly.  You are filled with the power of a new adventure!"

Kris' save file read "Cyber Field - Entrance".

And as we entered the city-scape I only had time to glance at the giant holo-lyth billboard that read "Cyber World", hyphenated by that same green wire-frame funnel...with fireworks?

The world was starting to fade out as we navigated through the maze of streets, dodging more Werewires and seeing more holo-panels of the Queen.

Plus there were spinning...ornamental staves? Weird.

"Hold together...just a bit longer..." I uttered to myself, trying to see just a little bit more before the dream gave up the ghost. Just a little bit more...

Our path was broken up from the next one by what looked like a Tea-Cup Ride?

We all god it and the ride spun as we twirled around in our seats; the whole mechanism advancing across the chasm.

Before we left the area, while the others weren't looking I extended my NXS JoyCon's grappling tether as far as it could go and snagged what I discovered was a "Glow Wrist". I snuck it into Kris' inventory when they weren't looking. Kind of an off-screen thing to do but...

Every little bit helps.

As luck would have it, we ended up doubling back to make sure the area was secure...and because Kris insisted on recruiting a few more Werewires through Mercy.

From there it became a barrage of crossing and ascending these mini-game obstacles with the Sweet Cap'n Cakes D.J. and the Tea Cup rides.

We pressed on a little further. My vision was getting a little hazy and I could swear I could feel Frisk's hand on my own in the waking world.

Have patience. I'll come back to you. Promise. I just felt I needed...to finish something up here.

Ralsei stopped us at of all things...and Encyclopedia on a pedestal? An EDIT-ABLE Encyclopedia. While we were stopped, Ralsei wrote an article about LOST recruits. How violence would cause them to be lost but sparing would allow them to be collected as additions to our party; that which I already suspected.

"Oh!  Kris!  It's an Editable Encyclopedia?  Shall I write an article?" Of course, yes.

It was nice and flowery, just like I'd expect something to come from Sensei Bunnie; about how defeating enemies would make them lost forever. But the bonds you break may make you stronger somehow.

Stronger...as in gaining EXP. Oh HECK NO! We're not doing that.

We stopped by another of those pink creatures...this one in brighter spirits.

"Recently something called "INTERNET" is having an outage.  Some say it was the secret to the Queen's "know-how". Since then, she's become quite extreme...

As I struggled to hold onto this world a bit longer...yeah...things were staaaaarting to make sense, maybe? For us in the real world, internet outage was an inconvenience or annoyance. But to a robot/computer? Yeah...that was like tying an artery shut.

I could see our destiny up ahead...but what we didn't see was the 2D cat-creatures with mail envelopes for heads...e-mail enemies?!

The Tasques crossed our paths.

"There there, little kitty..." Ralsei was quick to pacify; lowering their attack and defense. We were still pelted by digital yarn balls and BMP soundwaves. Weird.

They were emitting an 8-bit purr. Weirder.

But before we knew it we had two more recruits after sparing them.

Finally we got some exposition that I kind of already figured out by this point but...to put it into context:

"Lightners!  I haven't seen many of you, recently.  If you didn't know, an evil ruler is taking over this world.  I don't really like politics, so I have no opinion on this."

A being after Volt's own heart. Though, I'm pretty sure he'd care about despots taking over the world.

My mental energy was spent by the time we came to our first puzzle. And it was easy-peasey as I'd expect. Basically...spell out the password, which was "APPLE" on the keys. Kind of like the old tile puzzle back in the RUINS of Ebott.

It was like a giant speak-and-spell with less, keys really. Even down to the "Apple" Macintosh voice saying each letter.

With the last key stepped on, the lighting arc blocking our way dissolved.

But that led us to a red ghostie-creature.

"Looks like you got past Nuberts Force Field.  Nubert doesn't know how that forcefield got there.  But it's Nubert's Force Field.  As a price, have Nubert's Treasure.  Nubert doesn't know what's inside.  But Nubert will give it to you."

You know...I think his name is...um...Nubert?

Inside the treasure was...the FiberScarf? Interesting. We got a weapon or armor or something.

Unfortunately...that was all I had left. I could see Noelle in the cage up ahead but...by then...my eyes were starting to close in this world...

...as they were opening in the open world.

"Azzy!"

I guess...that was as good a place to leave off.

"You're back!" Frisk hugged me as I sat up.

Chara snorted as she turned away from the computer screen. "Okay.  I guess there's something to this."

"A-A-Amazing!" Okay. Alphys was here, now. That's not weird, is it? But...the secret was starting to spread; just like it was in DeltaRune.

I wonder if I would struggle to keep this contained in our world as much as Kris and Susie weren't exactly keeping it as secret as they hoped in theirs.

"Well?  What do you think, Doctor?"

"I...I d-d-don't know. These images aren't b-being fabricated by your mind.  They definitely exist somehow.  The data inflow seems to align with perceiving in real-time rather than being generated from the imagination."

"So...he isn't just making this up." Chara wrinkled her nose.

"I d-d-don't believe he is.  Besides. W-why would he w-want to?"

"Some are people who just want attention.  Others are just nutballs off the street." Chara grinned.

Okay. How did she channel Peter Venkman just now?

I wanted to suggest past-life experiences intruding upon present time. Or erased memories stored collectively in the subconscious. I was also hoping to eliminate clairvoyance or telepathy.

But for now...it looks like the story would go on another day.

"Well.  We have it recorded." I observed on the playback, finding it weird looking at myself...and my doppelganger in third-person view. The mind was weird how it recorded stuff. I would have thought I'd be seeing things from first-person perspective. As I would see it. This was more...omnipresent or omniscient. At the very least an aerial view with a really good wide-angle lens in glorious 8K definition.

"Now...we just wait for the next part of the story."

It was then I noticed that Frisk looked eager to get back into DeltaRune "chapter 2". I could tell she was determined; we HAD to save that poor girl, Noelle.

I also had to appreciate that Alphys had invented a way to look into dreams, more or less. Maybe this would come in handy. For now...I had proof that DeltaRune wasn't just a figment of my imagination. In some form. It existed. And I had a role to play.

Sub-Entry 158: "Heart to Heart With Mom":
Well. This was coming, sooner or later.

I wasn't dreading it. But...I felt like something about it could also be a touchy subject.

Also...I wasn't sure how she was going to take me telling Dad first.

One thing to do...

Get her in a good  mood and maybe guilt her away from acting out against him if she DOES feel slighted.

"You know, old tradition seems to have a misconception that the son favors one parent over the other.  Sometimes that's true but...not for me.   You know I love you both equally but do you know that I also favor you both equally.  Two halves of who I am is because of you and Dad."

"Why, Asriel!  It is a bit out of nowhere for you to speak of such things.  Is something on your mind?"

"Well...there is something I want to talk to you about but all things in due time."

I had a seat after offering some of my own take on Mom's snail pie.

Yeah...a bribe is a bit underhanded. But it works.

Usually.

"You amaze me, Asriel!  This is...well...AMAZING!"

You have a way with words, mom. I think I've caught you in a rare moment where you've pulled a Dad.

"You never forget the taste of your mother's favorite treat for you."

"Okay...treats...compliments.  You know I wasn't born yesterday, my little angel."

"I'm not exactly hiding the fact that I'm buttering you up.  But let me finish before I get to the reason I choose to do so."

"There is more?"

"Well.  I guess I can consider this a bit of...a segue.  And it involves someone we know very well.  As does the main thing I want to talk about; someone else we know very well.  One before the other, if you will.   Don't tell a story out of order if it can be helped, right?"

"Such wisdom!"

I cleared my throat.

"I have to admire how you've maintained a level of civility with Dad for so on after...well...the unpleasant times."

"Hmm...go on." Toriel arched an eyebrow, sensing I was going somewhere with this.

I decided not to sugar-coat it and turned stoic at that.

"I know that you've had this question on your mind about me.  How I must've reacted when I found out what father did in my name...against your wishes.  Against everything you've believed.  You've been beside yourself with wondering...would my own son side with the man I learned to despise...or would he stand with me and never forgive what was done?"

"Asriel..." It was sobering for mom hearing me speak so frankly on a topic like this.

"Taking either side would be folly.  There had to be a compromise between the two.  Yes, mother.  I believe killing is wrong beyond comprehension.  It's a sin that is hard to forgive...but also not impossible, either.  The deciding factor for me was...Dad has shown true remorse.  It's not just words but...actions.  He's paying for what he's done and making it right.

Mom...I grew up in a city of second chances. It took you a long time to understand what was...most certainly my first lesson in a new home. A lesson in identity. And now that I understand and embrace who I am...I hope I can impart and reenforce that sense of identity onto you."

"That is...so mature of you.  Honesty...I never would have foreseen my own pride and joy becoming the teacher and me having to learn from him."

"Do not oversell me, Mom.  I'm still learning and you still have a plethora of experience over me."

"Hey, now.  I know that was not meant to be an age joke."

"Of course not!"

I was playful as was she. She understood it was a mere slip of the tongue in an attempt to flatter.

"In all seriousness, mom.  I am grateful that you've buried the hatchet...rather than buried him."

"Well...I suppose that would be the nasty sickness...?"

"Mom?"

"Would I not have...bury-bury (beriberi)?"

Oh. My. Gods. YES!

I chortled.

"You have not lost the touch, mother dearest."

"Enough of this pretense, Asriel.  Do be so kind to get to the point."

"Well...it's like this.  Dad already knows what I'm about to tell you.  And...I'm sorry, I wanted to tell you both at the same time."

"Asriel..." There was a slight sternness to her voice. I expected as much.

I took a deep breath and came out with it.

"Frisk and I have...started to date each other."

She blinked twice as her jaw slowly dropped...then she covered both her cheeks with her hands and that expression turned to dazzle. The sparkle in her eyes and the expression of a squealing little school girl.

"My baby!  You...!  And with...!  And...and..."

Then it sunk in that Asgore knew before her. "Oh.  I see." She coughed and cleared her throat, trying to sound reserved and stoic.

"With all due respect, you can manage a better acting job than that.  If you're going to fake me out that you ARE mad at father for learning before you did...at least scoff and say "Ooooh, that maaaan!" while stomping your foot.  Sure it would be fake and cheesy as heck, but at least it would get a laugh out of me."

"I'm that easy to read?"

"Mom.  I'm a Dreemurr.  I may have been apart from you all for upwards of nearly 13 decades, but I know my own flesh and blood...er....magic and love...?  Whatever."

"So...you can tell I'm not mad."

"Honestly I have a harder time telling when Sans is mad.  Speaking of which, he makes a good uncle."

"Indeed.  He's...a strange addition to our extended family.  I know...in a different lifetime he and I might have...become more than friends."

"Yeah, I know about the other timeline.  Believe me a lot of people ship you two together."

"Ship?  Liiiiike...on a boat?"

"Sorry.  New-age term.  More like a romance novel term.  Like when you have a favorite couple."

"Oh, yes!  That makes much more sense.  This new generation giving new meanings to old words!"

Okay maybe Mom and Dad were more similar than I gave credit for. The contrast was obvious but...they had to have something in common for them to......though, it could have just as well been an arranged marriage. Royalty is fickle that way. But true love can come from an arranged marriage in time...

WHY AM I SUDDENLY THINKING ABOUT MARRIAGE!?

Get back on topic, Asriel.

"Soo...I've gotten LESS reaction over the fact that I told you it was Frisk--"

"I support this."

"Oh.  Well.  That was quick.   You're sure you don't have any reservations?  I mean...Frisk is your adopted daughter now and--"

"It is fine, my son."

"I've...already had a sit-down with Dad over this and--"

"Let us not muddle the waters..."

Okay that was definitely a jab at Dad's intelligence. Savage, mom. Savage.

"I'm serious.  He had some actual good advice to give but...I was hoping a second opinion...?"

"My precious boy.  That mind of yours is like a beehive."

"You know, that's not the first time I've heard that comparison."

"So many thoughts buzzing around.  But you over think it."

"Yeah...yeah, I do that.  I do have your gift...your capacity for thought.  For smarts.  For humor."

I smirked at that last word.

"So...the different species, the shared family name...though, technically I've changed mine to "Arcade"...all non-issue?"

"Why should it be?  Why should you not find your one true love?"

"Well...let's give it time before I officially call it the L-word.  But yeah...Frisk and I both want to make this work.  So...now that I have both of my parents blessings...and Chara has stopped harassing me over it and Flowey knows he can't bug me with it..."

Toriel chuckled at the latter two.

"...life is going to change for us.  We're...tampering with the dynamic.  And--"

"And anything worth attempting carries risk, my son.  I believe you should know this?"

"Yeah, went through that lesson in my teenage years.  I think I've balanced out my adventurous side." I said with a smile before adding with a glum look. "Though...I really long for those days now..."

Mom could see the sadness a mile away but decided to follow it up later.

"Whatever comes of it, you can rely on your father and me to guide you...at the very least...rely on us as crutches during the hard times.  We may not have much left to teach you...if anything at all...but we will NEVER stop supporting you.  Is that not okay?"

"That is more than okay, mom."

And a moment of profound silence as we hugged, longingly.

"Now...is there any funny business you or Frisk would like to confess...?"

"Moooooooooom!!!" I protested.

That made her giggle. She could still mess with me infinitely better than Flowey.

Sub-Entry 159:  "Pondering the Depth of My Own Insight.  My Wisdom and Self-Realization Have Truly Grown":
What a title for a journal entry, huh? It's a mouthful. Probably leaves you wondering what I'm talking about, doesn't it?

I've never had what I call a "Star Wars" moment. A moment of having Obi Wan Kenobi's level of insight.

But at this moment...

I looked to the stars through my window...and I sense something.

I sense something in one of our many neighbor AU's.

I think I know which one... I know it's one that's been having a very uphill struggle against a great evil. One born of jealousy...hatred...one born from one of the humans who had great magic power...maybe one of the ones who created their world's Barrier.

Whoever or whatever was spawned from it...

...just now breathed its final terrible moments before crumbling into black ash.

And I also felt...an echo. No. Two. One echo felt vaguely familiar. Like someone extremely close to me.

The other...felt exactly LIKE me.

This could only mean one thing.

Somewhere...a Chara and an Asriel had just overcome a great challenge that had nearly killed them.

Somehow...they lived and rekindled something I was intimately familiar with.

That thing was...hope.

It didn't surprise me as much when I considered that all of us "players" and "NPC's" across the Undertale unlimited-verse...if that's a word...are fundamentally connected. Even if it's not physically, even if there's not a tether between our souls...something binds us as being part of the same original genesis of our...world. Our...game.

It was then I realized something about how my sensei saw the world. And how her sensei saw the world.

Rather...it's like that sixth sense the pierces the veil of what we THINK are the boundaries of reality...and shows us glimpses of what's actually there. What no one else can grasp.

Things that people dismiss as supernatural nonsense or the ramblings of paranormal fanatics.

But we know they're real. We can't always prove these phenomenon.

I must sound as much a conspiracy theorist as Rotor in his spare time. But I'm not crazy. I'm not obsessed. In fact, compared to him, I'd be called the normal one. That's saying something for someone as low-key and off-the-radar as him.

It made me think back to the first time I could remember an event like this. It was...actually Master Splinter who had this kind of moment. The moment he sensed another variant of himself had...perished. Perished violently by the blades of his sworn enemy in an act of spite...an act of vengeance...in an act of pure hatred and malice. An act done before his own sons and adoptive daughter.

I didn't quite understand what he meant by the star symbolism. By just two tiny lights in the sky; one going dark and one being birthed into existence. But I ALWAYS understood how he felt. I understood loss. I understood saying goodbye. I had...only started accepting that as part of life at such a young age. But it was still an acceptance that came too late after a very unfortunate point. The point that began all this. That led to where I am now.

* sip*

Mmm. That's good hot chocolate.

Those moments of insight are there for all of us. We just have to be attuned to them; and that usually doesn't happen in the moment. Usually this is the sensation that gets pushed aside or not even noticed at all. It's present but other things have our attention. Other things...just get in the way; especially when we consider those things the priority. What we NEED to be responsible for. In being the most responsible, that's often the point we become the most neglectful.

Then we find out all too late we weren't there. We weren't in the moment. We let the moment pass us by. And something was lost or missed because of it. Opportunities. Special events.

Promises.

* sigh*

How do you tell yourself you can be there for anyone or anything when you fail to do so because you tried to be there for everyone and everything? That's the rub. That's the sting. That's the moment you have no choice but to acknowledge you're only human...or Hybrid.

As I reflected upon the end of a...glitch in the Undertale-forever-verse. Gotta find a better name for that...I was eaten away by the acid that is known as "being unable to do anything about it".

The Asriel and Chara of that Undertale AU I was sense were going to have to brave this thing called "life"...on their own. It was their story. I wasn't a part of it, and while I entertained the notion of wanting to be...it wasn't my place to decide. It wasn't my story to fiddle with. They'd be find without me or Volt or any of us. Every AU story would.

Just the same as whatever adventures Volt was having across time and space...I couldn't be a part of them anymore.

I was...retired.

At least...I felt temporarily. But I could no more prove that at that point. Not with our progress level as it is. But some day. Some...day.

Maybe...maybe it was okay that "Project: Lost Dreemurr" was lost in a sea of other AU's...not even significant enough to be a grain of sand in the desert. I mean...if someone did find us, well...I have hope that we'd inspire in some way.

But yeah...just being us was enough. Just being our own thing was enough.

This moment of being super-meta......I guess I just needed to get it out of my system. I needed to vent this so I can shut the blinds over the fourth wall and get back to living life in my self-contained reality.

I still didn't know if we all really existed or if we were constructs. And...maybe it's good never knowing. That's...too much responsibility to know you are a work of fiction and someone's just putting words to a page.

But...if what I'm sensing and feeling is me because I choose for it to be? Honest to goodness? That's all the validation I need. I'm perfectly healthy believing that much. That I have a life to take on. A life that's not hurting anybody. A life that's not a distraction. Just...a story to tell in this journal that maybe someone finds interest in some day. Maybe when I'm gone. Maybe when I'm still here.

I know who I am.

I am Asriel.

That's a simple fact.

But I'm not the only Asriel. I'm just one of many.

So...what's my big self-realization here?

Umm...did I...really have a big one? Not just a lot of little things I already know but...maybe put aside because I was wrapped up in the life I've made up to now?

Mom is right. My mind IS like a beehive.

Heck of I've barely said anything out loud. I mean...

"Who'd hear it?" I said with a shrug just now.

Okay too many moments like that would get weird. I'm in full introvert mode now so, it's not even like Frisk is around.

And Flowey sure wouldn't want me talking his non-existent ear off.

So where do I go with this? I'm just...here. Alone in my thoughts. It's not much of a thing to write about. Yet, I AM writing about it in this journal. I'm just...brainstorming for the sake of brainstorming. Maybe filling an empty part of this chapter in my life because it's something to do.

"Hmm."

Okay, I'm REALLY talking now. And honestly to hear myself. Is this...boredom?

My goodness.

This is...the epitome of "normal".

I'm just a normal dude, figuring his life out.

Cue my most Keanu Reeves "Whoah."

I had so many thought in my head that it suffered a traffic jam and now it's gridlocked. I'd gone from asking the deep questions about another me in another universe who was probably half-dead after vanquishing a great evil with the help of another Chara...

...to realizing I've got nothing more to talk about or think about because I was coming to grips with the fact I'm just narrating my thoughts into a journal. I think...somehow I went in reverse of where I was supposed to go with this. How lame. My big revelation was supposed to be here and I got it out of the way to begin with.

So...what now?

"What.  Indeed....now."

"HEY!  Keep it down in there!" Flowey yelled at me.

Oh no. I went over my decibel limit and slightly annoyed the flower. There's my moment of excitement. How DO I top that?

"Yikes...I think I better back off a bit.  My writing is starting to make me sound like Chara.  I'm the cute, optimistic one.  Not the wise-cracking, sarcastic pessimist."

"YA THINK!?"

High point of my night. I'm having a one-way conversation with Flowey. By one-way I mean he keeps insulting me.

* sigh*

I think I zoned out at this point because the next thing I knew I was being woken up by...

"Hey.  Flowey didn't have too many objections to me coming over.  I...hope it's okay if I came in to check on you."

"Frisk!"

Frisk? In my room!? And only after my first date? Calm down, Azzy. She was just checking on you as a friend......a girlfriend.

It's not like she's going to see something SUPER EMBARASSING--

"Oh how cute!"

She. Found. Captain. Snuffles.

Of course she did.

"Y...yeah...I won him from a crane game as a kid."

"He's adorable, Azzy!"

"Y...yeah...he's okay--"

And then I was hugged out of nowhere.

"Oof!"

Okay...I changed my mind. This is fine. Like the meme goes, this is fine.

"You looked a little off when I checked on you, but now you look  like you're feeling better all of a sudden.  Did I come at a good time?"

"Yeah.  You came at the perfect time, Frisk."

You know...I think I...want to leave off here.

Sorry, folks. This is private.

Until next time!

Sub-Entry 160: "Christmas"
At last.

The easiest holiday to bring to Undertale.

Why?

Excuse my grammar.

Because it was already there. Yeah...I started a sentence with "because". My Common...actually on most worlds they call it "English"...my Common-speak Teacher would be disappointed.

Yeah. Even before I was born, somehow Christmas as existed in Undertale; with no explanation...no real backstory. Not even a religious connection. It was an even more stripped down version of the Jangese adaptation of the holiday.

I knew that Jang was a bi-lingual country because far into its past, Common-speaking fishermen had come to its shores and brought the language over. The process of translation practically built an entire era over its history. Common had become so accepted in Jang, that speaking the language was no longer considered a "gaijin" custom. It was as natural as the fish in their waters and made a mandatory part of most curriculums in Jang.

With that exposition out of the way...how does Christmas factor it? Well...I'm still not sure how it fits in on VGM-098...but the means, obviously came from it being imported.

On many worlds, such as Azeroth, the world of Warcraft...such holiday was referred to as "Winter Solstice" or something like that.

Every major religion had its own take, its own counterpart, its own beliefs or disbelieves. And some didn't even celebrate.

But here in/on Undertale? We had it. We had Christmas though...I can't say for certain ANYONE, even Gerson could explain its roots or such.

There was proof of it in Snowdin Town. Of all things a Christmas Tree with presents all around.

There was proof of it in New Home, in...Dad's old place. In our old room. A gift for me. A gift for Chara.

Plus we had our own take on Frosty the Snowman. Frisk still had the piece of him, which she kept in her freezer and would take out during the winter months just so it could travel the world and explore, just like she promised the Snowman she would.

A girl of her word. How do you not respect that?

Then there was Dad himself. Dressing as Santa year after year. Never spoiling the magic while I was young.

Heck, many still believed. I doubt anyone would ever let Papyrus in on the...heheh...secret to the red-suited one.

Granted, I felt inclined to bring at least SOME of its lore to town but...I was dubious about how much of it could cause conflict with whatever beliefs we had now.

Something...I hadn't touched on was...this year I had something gnawing at the back of my mind.

A certain reindeer monster in DeltaRune...one who was in trouble. One who...probably wouldn't have a merry Christmas. Compounded with the fact I knew...her father...was in the hospital after they 'found some crap' on his tests.

Aside from the angel symbolism, the various references to a certain red-nosed reindeer, and other blatant allegories...there was just much for me to comfortably dwell on when I couldn't be there.

All I could do...all Frisk and I could do...was keep her in our hearts and...delay our ability to at least...know the story, much less help her...by another month. Whenever these...periodic dreamscapes decided to occur.

"You have a choice now, Asriel.  Do you...take up the red suit and beard and such and carry on the tradition?  Or...defer to the old man and let Asgore have one more year of it for old time's sake?"

I pondered this while I made my stops in town...did my shopping...ran my errands.

As luck would have it I'd make what I'd decide later if it was a mistake or not...and enter Muffet's.

...goodbye, a significant portion of my Christmas Shopping budget.

But...at least the Spider-Nog was good. Let's...not get into what she used to make it.

"Ughhhh...Muffeeeeeeeet..." I moaned as I left with a bit of a stomach-ache from over-indulging. No one could pack your belly and empty your wallet like she could.

Fortunately...Alphys taught me the value of a contingency plan and Violet taught me how to invest on the side just in case of an emergency.

"Hello, financial reserves." I mused after accessing my other account.

Now came the next challenge. A dance across town to avoid Frisk.

Uh say whaaaaat?

Now I know you probably have theories so let me set the record straight. Essentially...we were making sure we didn't spoil each others' surprise gifts while shopping. That meant, resisting the temptation to meet up should we accidently bump into each other.

Fortunately, I had Papyrus while Frisk had Sans to help choreograph to prevent such whoopsies.

Though...I had to wonder how reliable Sans was going to be...? No offense to the skelly but...I could image he'd be falling asleep standing up at some point.

As for everyone else...

"Wow, mom...!"

For years, I imagined the holiday grew cold and empty to her...meaningless in the After Asgore era...

So it came as kind of a shock how much her appreciation had not only had a resurgence...but it had grown far more magnanimous.

Any more finishing touches, and we'd be looking at the Griswold family house...as it had become visible from space and forced an auxiliary nuclear reactor to come online at the power plant.

Yeah. I went there.

"Do you like it?  I put forth my best effort!"

I was going to have to really put on my A...no...my S-Game to top this on New Years Eve. This was a magical light show down with flame magic I never would have seen coming.

How she was able to maintain it remotely made me reevaluate how she'd faire against Queen Brooke in a comparison of fire magic. Obviously Brooke would outclass her but...now it was looking like the gap was...narrower than I projected.

Containing all those colored flames in glass capsules must've taken some planning and engineering...and not a single volt of electricity used in the process. It was both...old-fashioned and modern at the same time.

"You've done an amazing job, Mom.  I don't know how you're doing it, but you're doing it!  This is one of the best I've ever seen."

A visit there was what I needed.

Plus...gingerbread monsters didn't hurt a little. Somehow...Muffet's binge didn't ruin my appetite for a few of Mom's treats. And somehow that didn't spoil my lunch.

"Thank-you, Grillby.  You're a god-send."

"I could never disappoint one of my best customers.  You've left such a glowing endorsement for my place, I believe business has steadily risen.  But it hasn't gotten unmanageable yet."

"Hey.  You have yourself a merry Christmas, Grillby.  And give my best to your daughter."

I couldn't tell if he was smiling, per se. How DO you read the expressions of a literal fire man?

All over town I took time out to be a prince to my people even though there was no monarchy in town much less in this country.

Small things like snow-sledding with human and monster kids...and ice skating.

As much as I'd like to spend it, one-on-one with Frisk...we'll have something to do on New Year's. She'd approve of me being chummy with the younger generation.

"I...missed out." I thought for a moment that I would have liked a childhood with Monster Kid...M.K. as a friend.

But speaking of M.K...

"Duuuuuude!"

"Someone's excited about his Christmas Gift tomorrow.  But...I'm pretty sure you already know what it is."

"Totally!"

"Alphys sends her regards." I said with a wink.

Then I turned serious.

"Okay.  Serious dude talk.  This is a pretty major tool to augment your life.  So I don't want to be a nag or sound like the 'rents but you will have to be responsible for them...and with them.  Obviously you know what I'm talking about in the general sense..."

"For sure.  I'll be totally cool with them, dude."

"Yes but don't just be cool in the common sense way." I felt I had to be pre-emptive. "I don't want this new world opening up to you to change who you are."

"What do you man, man?"

"Sometimes...people can go all their lives with a...disability or life-defining trait or quirk.  Then all of a sudden you introduce them to something life-changing.  You give a blind man sight and he doesn't know what to do with at first but he learns.  But in time...the very use of sight changes his lifestyle...and by extension it can end up changing him, too."

"You mean--"

"Yeah.  Sometimes a little power can go to one's head.  It can make them cocky.  Overconfident.  Arrogant.  It can change them.  Even corrupt them."

"Duuuuude..."

"I've seen it happen.  The last thing I want is to open the door for someone I know and care about to step through and have no way back to the person they were before."

"This is...kind of heavy to lay on me dude."

"But you understand, right?"

"............right.  Okay.  Gotcha.  You can count on me.  I promise I won't forget my roots, dude."

"That's my dude." I gave a thumbs-up.

And everywhere else, I'd have someone else to bond with.

"...checkmate again, my prince."

"You have to admit...I'm getting better.  It took more moves for you to outflank me."

"Don't let a little progress make you overconfident now."

"With all due respect, I gave this same speech earlier to a friend so I get it. But in healthy doses, a little confidence can go a long way as a catalyst for greater things."

"My, my!  Don't you sound all seasoned?"

"Well...tis' the season.  So don't feel..."salty" if I win the next match.  I don't want to be "peppered" poor sportsmanship I can't "relish".  That just won't "cut the mustard" when I'm trying to "ketch-up"."

"Hee hee hee hee!  You certainly got your mamma's sense of humor and your old man's smile!  You are most certainly a Dreemurr!"

A wink and a shrug. You get a little bit of love too, Hyperdeath. I feel you smile in your slumber.

Yeah. Basically EVERYONE was fair game.

Even Flowey.

"..."

I didn't say anything to him. But...I could see...him wanting to cry  but...still conflicted over whether he could...or not.

"Merry Christmas, little brother."

* sniffle*

And that's all I got out of him. But...it was the strangest thing...for a moment...my soul resonated with the tiniest...spark of something within Flowey's pot. Could it be...?

Nah. I already knew one AU where that was the case. I don't think ours was that lucky. I don't think it was universal. But...for his sake...I wish it were.

And then I remembered his words...this world can't have two Asriel's.  *sigh*

Finally it came to that night with Mettaton hosting a blowout at Mom's house.

There was festivities, there was food, there was music, there was dance...

And of course the moment I think...Frisk and I waited an eternity for.

"I'm so happy, Asriel.  This is everything a girl could ever want."

"Yeah.  Everything a guy could ever want.  I'm pretty sure it's a universal thing whether male, female, or non-binary."

She nodded as we held each other's hands.

"Attention ladies and gentle-monsters.  If I may direct your attention to our fabulous Ambassador and our ex-Prince Dreemurr...!" Mettaton's voice rang out as he brandished the microphone.

What the...? Is this a...spotlight? On us? But why--

"Uhh...Azzy...?" Frisk slowly looked up and I followed her gaze.

"Is that...mistletoe...!!!" My eyes widened. A lot.

Oh boy...oh boy...oh boy oh boy oh boy....!

Okay...dating was one thing but THIS!?!

* gulp*

"Will they or won't they!?  Can you feel the drama!  Can you feel the tension!?  Can you feel the ROMAAAAAAAANCE!?  This is it!  This is the moment.  Will you seize it, Frisk and Asriel?"

Okay. Breathe easy. Breathe...seriously, breathe.

"Frisk..."

"Asriel..."

We looked deep into each other's eyes.

It seemed in appropriate to deliver the monologue about staring into the abyss. Sure, it was a good description of the blackness within the pupil of the eye. Sure there was also that stuff about the eyes being windows into the soul...

But...but...but...!

"I’ll...understand if you don't want to..."

"But...all eyes are on us...I feel like we kind of have to."

"Yet...if that's the only reason...doesn't that make it...lack integrity?  Like we're telling a lie to--"

"Appeal to peer pressure?  Yeah.  Totally.  And...that's not cool, is it?"

"Nope."

"So...what do you think we should do...?"

A pause.

Finally I said it.

"Hey...what's life without a little risk?  Nothing gained, nothing ventured?  He or she who does...dares?  Something like that?"

"Good speech but...if it's all the same...could you please be quiet and...?"

"Yeah..."

So...we leaned in closer.

Our lips touched.

And that was the moment.

The moment then passed the moment everyone cheered and clapped.

It's official. This IS the best Christmas ever. After all...we gave each other the best gift of all.

The first gift of Christmas.

"Merry Christmas, Asriel."

"Merry Christmas, Frisk."

And to all...a very Merry Christmas.

The Gods or whatever deity bless us; every one.

Sub-Entry XXX: "New Year's"
Well. New Year's.

If you've stuck with Volt's and my stories up to now, you know how we celebrate New Year's Eve.

There's no other way to ring in the New Year than with a shimmer ball that you can almost see from orbit.

I've of course taken on the task. But I'd be doing it without Dr. Nikita Katherine Lynx.

Fortunately...I have Dr. Alphys. I just hope that's enough. Also...I hope that I've picked up enough from Volt to know what I'm doing from an electrical standpoint. I really don't want our first New Year's done Asriel style...ends with me blacking out town.

Ohhhh boy. Please don't let me black out town.

"Is this...?"

"Yeah.  My own take on a..."hybrid"...of Arc Reactor and a Mr. Fusion Home Energy Conversion System.  I've hopefully cracked a way to apply alchemy to recycling to generate more than enough energy to meet the power requirements for this beast of a ball we're building."

"You n-never cease to a-amaze me, Prince Asriel."

"Alphys, can you please stop calling me prince.  There's no royalty here.  We're both equals in this lab."

"S-s-s-sorry.  Force of habit."

"Yeah.  Hard one to break.  Not that I'm not flattered.  It's just...I'm too modest for my own good.  Learned that from Volt and the others."

"The toughest act to follow?"

"Very much so.  Pretty admirable, don't you think?"

Alphys nodded.

"Well.  Back to work..."

We both lowered our welders masks and fired up our plasma torches and let the sparks fly...

So yeah. There it was. We were doing this.

You're darn right, we're doing this. I say this with absolute confidence. I was looking forward to it. It reassures me that there's still a little bit left of my old childhood self still awake inside this grown-up body.

So. The leadup to the big night?

I looked around town and smiled at the New Year's specials and sales and such. Signs and display...decor...you get the idea.

Everyone was ready to say goodbye to the old year and usher in the new year.

It was an unspoken promise. A promise of hope. A promise of dreams. A promise of wishes. Time would tell how much/how many would be granted. Time would tell how patient we'd have to remain until we see what kind of a year it was going to be.

But hope and dreams were something I was never short on. Hope and Dreams was my credo. And...I'm still not sure how I know that it's also my theme music. Or how I even know HOW my theme music goes from when versions of me were the Absolute God of Hyperdeath. Honestly, I actually had more than one. "Hope and Dreams", "Save the World", "Memory", and "His Theme".

Should any Asriel really be aware of how meta his world really is?

Serious talk now.

I guess from that moment when we become Flowey...we always are. And...just becoming ourselves again doesn't revert that knowledge. We have to still know who we were...what we did...and what we know about the nature of this world.

We can't take it back. Even though I never became Flowey...I have the same awareness as him. I have the same knowledge of him. I know...what can't be forgotten. What NPC's aren't meant to know.

For the time that Undertale was still a game in the UltraVerse...? I wasn't an NPC anymore. I wasn't just a plot element anymore. I was never a Boss Monster. I became a main character. A main character in a story that was not ours...but someone else's. Then it became our story. And now here I was...living MY story.

Man, I've really gone off topic when I should be talking about New Year's. I really do that a lot lately but...that's what happens when you have the busiest of beehives for a mind. Constantly buzzing with thoughts that never slow down. Never cease. And most of the time...never get answers.

Back on topic. I told Frisk that...besides being the New Year it was also the birthday of one of my first guardians. A mouse hybrid most certainly after Frisk's own heart. Truly a kind person. Truly the girl next door. Truly...the kind of person I wanted to meet, only my own age. Minus the one hundred years.

I told her about how well Mitzi cleaned up for her special day. He we'd always make her a lime-flavored birthday cake as green as her dress; with lime sherbet ice cream.

While we didn't have any birthday's to celebrate...

"Azzy...I have a wonderful idea."

Frisk most certainly wanted my advice on how to replicate that shimmering green gown and stiletto-heel, spaghetti strap sandals.

That's where it came in handy that I paid attention watching Uncle Jon...or would it be more Nephew Jon? What do I consider him if Jonathan L. Talbain was Volt's son-in-law but I was Volt's best friend?

Anyway. I had plenty of notes to go off of. The trick was finding an actual tailor in town who could do the job. Thankfully...Mettaton had connections.

"Anything for you, dearie!"

Still...awkward being called "dearie" but...you know, I respected Mettaton's integrity so much of course I was cool with it. But it was still weird. That part I'd never retract.

However! The caveat of this arrangement was...I could not lay eyes on it until New Year's Eve. Frisk was determined to make this...a surprise. Just for me.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

So...let the countdown to the countdown begin.

Some hours into the day later...

A dinner befitting the last moments of this year...

"Grillby.  Your finest small pepperoni pizza, please."

"At once, my prince."

He gets a pass on that one.

"Ahhhhhhhh.  That's what I'm talking about." I smiled after I returned from choosing my favorite Mitzi Mozzarella selections from the juke box to play in sequence.

This really is the perfect balance of two homes at this moment. Really...this is what I should have sought all along. Sometimes...you CAN live in two places you call home at the same time. Maybe not physically. But as it's said...home is where the heart is. And my heart was just bursting with love and happiness.

There were some minor errands all across town. And rest assured they were handled as needed.

Yet, it was all about the main plan.

Tonight...had to be perfect.

After a while of planning for it, I finally had the means and resources to make it happen. I could now share one world with another.

"Everything is set, my liege." Mettaton gracefully bowed.

"....i hope you like the music we have picked out..."

"Whatever you got, Napstablook, it'll be fine.  I have faith in you and so does your cousin."

"...that's nice of you to say..."

Well, he wasn't Sally. But he didn't need to be. He was D.J. Napstablook. And that's who we needed right now. You can believe a ghost can host with the and be the boast I'd like to toast.

A little word-play there.

"My son you have done wonderfully organizing this."

"You truly have the Dreemurr gift for celebration."

"Thanks, mom.  Thanks, dad."

"Frisk will be along shortly.  She wants it to be perfect."

"Of course.  She can take all the time she needs as long as she's here before midnight."

I wasn't worried.

But I was nervous. I'd seen Frisk in casuals and in semi-nice attire. But formal? In a gown? Dressed up so fancy?

Is it natural for me to be...physically attracted to her? I mean...it doesn't matter what's on the outside. It always was her heart and soul I admired. Her determination. The fact that she had as much of each of the seven virtues as me. As people...we were made for each other.

It was just...I didn't want her true beauty to just be summed up as something superficial as a pretty gown with make-up and bombshell gorgeous hair and such.

I also wanted her to feel as pretty on the outside as I knew she was on the inside. It was important to her for this one night. That made it important to me. Simply because it meant so much for her to go through this much trouble to impress me. I'd...I'd do the same for her.

It wasn't "if" we truly understood each other. It was "how much". And that amount just kept climbing the more we spent time with one another.

I hate to say it but...it really did feel like...Destiny.

"I think you're redeeming yourself, my goddess.  Your White Knight should have much to smile about."

"Did you say something, my boy?"

"Nothing important, pop.  Nothing important."

Rather...nothing he needed to be aware of. Even a son has to keep secrets from the parents sometimes. Explaining the Goddesses to them? I still don't know if they quite get it. Maybe they shouldn't get it. To many people in the circle could be dangerous.

"All p-power is a g-go, Prince Asriel.  We're nearing the countdown."

The Magnetic Tether was in place. The gravity system and the wireless link to the computers were a go. Everything was going according to a Nikita script. And fortunately...we didn't have Ripper, Rainbow Wing, or Hails and Crystalliana to cause an...accidental mishap involving explosives or volatile potions.

The ball wire-framed in and materials. And wow...we did it. In fact we outdid ourselves. This was...worthy of Nikita Lynx's stamp of approval.

It was close to the final hour. And really...I was getting a little antsy. What if...something DID actually delay Frisk? What if something did go wrong? What if...!?"

A tap on my shoulder.

"May I reserve this dance for after the ball-drop, your majesty?"

I turned around...and it took EVERYTHING in me to keep my jaw from literally dropping.

"F...Frisk!  You...you...!"

"Yes, Azzy?"

"You...look...absolutely perfect!"

"R...Really?"

"Really."

A moment of gazing into each other's eyes. Yeah...this is really romantic--

"My Prince!  I d-d-don't want to interrupt but--"

"Frisk?  Hold that thought.  I'm holding you to that promise of a dance afterwards.  After all...a New Year's Celebration without a dance is a celebration not worth having."

"You sweet-talker, you."

I loved it when she giggled like a giddy school girl.

"Okay.  All systems go."

"YEAH!  LETS LIGHT THIS SUCKER!!!" And there was Undyne.

"My goodness!  It's even better than the Christmas Tree!  Nyeheheheh!"

"It is an en-lightening experience isn't it, Paps."

"Do not ruin this for me, brother." Papyrus deadpanned.

"Duuuuuuuuuuuuude!"

"My dude!  And sporting the prototypes, too!  How they working out for you?"

"Aww this is the sweetest Christmas gift EVER!  Check it out!  Who's got two metal thumbs and can also use these mechanical arms to fly?  THIS GUY!!!"

And that's where we shared our first high-five.

Don't ever change, M.K.

"Prince!  It's time!"

"Gotta go.  But you know where to find me...after I take care of certain other matters."

"Duuuude!  You and Frisk!?"

"Totally, dude."

"DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDE!!!"

"Like, I KNOW, dude!"

"Awesome, dude!  Totally dude-ical!"

That's enough use of the word 'dude' for now.

"Now...where were we, my princess?"

"I believe right here, my prince.  Right here." We took each other's hands and looked up at the ball and waited for the big moment. And then it came.

* 10 *

* 9 *

* 8 *

* 7 *

* 6 *

* 5 *

* 4 *

* 3 *

* 2 *

* 1 *

- = H A P P Y  N E W  Y E A R NEWEST HOME!!! = -

At the very moment it hit bottom...Frisk and I together shared a passionate kiss...on the lips.

With everybody watching.

And you know what...? I was okay with it. Frisk was okay with it, too.

We had nothing to hide.

In fact I dare say...this really was perfect.

"Now...I think we owe each other a dance.  Mind if I lead?"

"Be my guest, Azzy."

The confetti and the noisemakers were going off all around. Cameras were flashing and video recording. Mettaton had spared no expense on media coverage.

Yeah...soon the world would know and understand.

Frisk and I had become the bridge between two worlds.

I don't know how the...other AU had overcome the hate that spawned the..."Bette Noire"...I think it was called? But I know how our AU had done so. This was what was putting the exclamation point on it.

We'd probably still have objections in the world.

Some would still consider this scandalous. Perverse. Even...sacrilege.

Well. Consider this me declaring that those who feel so...have the right to do so. But to act upon it? They will be considered, from this point, the minority. And they will be handled with the full extent of the law should it follow the path of other AU's.

Frisk and I will work to put the hate to rest and show the minority what they don't want to see:  a world of possibility and a world of acceptance. A world of love. And a world of inclusion.

We will push forward for the shared hope and dreams of both races and never repeat the mistakes of the past.

As I think all of this, Frisk and I danced the night away with all eyes on us.

"In this moment, everything...just feels right."

"I feel the same."

I can understand Flowey's reservations. Why when we ask him to look and listen for the beauty in the world...it's all too easy for him to be overwhelmed by how much noise is pumped into him by the memories of his bad experience. Something else causes that kind of noise. To quote a certain movie that Violet has in all likelihood seen on its release date...that something...is war.

Never again.

One war between humans and monsters was bad enough. Whatever Frisk and I need to do to keep that cycle from repeating...we'll stay determined our WHOLE LIVES to make that happen.

"Hmm..."

"Yeah."

I now have a goal on this world. It's going to be a challenge making that goal come to pass...as well as my long-term one. The one that I'm getting closer to finally spelling it loud.

I'm not Christopher Thorndyke. But I'm readying myself to follow in his 18-year-old footsteps. Here's hoping there are no "Metarex" waiting for me on the other side when that day happens.

"Happy New Year, Asriel."

"Happy New Year, Frisk."

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!!

Chapter 17

Back to Part 1

Return to Part 2

Back to Project Lost Dreemurr FINAL