Several months later, Asgore was back to perfect health, and the kids were pretty much never trusted into the kitchen again. Least not til they were a little older anyways, maybe.

Asriel and Chara were hanging around near the Dump, having both found a camera there and were using it to take pictures of each other making funny faces.

"Hey...remember that time we tried making a Pie for Dad?" Chara brought up suddenly, when Asriel had left the lens cap on, after making Chara make his "creepy face" as revenge for him doing the same thing before too.

"Huh? ….OH! Yeah, when we got the Buttercups and Cups of Butter recipe mixed up, right?" Asriel asked. To which Chara simply nodded.

Happy energy gone.

"I should have laughed it off, the way you did Cha…" Asriel pouted, his floppy ears looking even more droopier than ever. "Mom was so mad at us. I felt so bad… We really messed up, didn't we? Even though she didn't say anything about it, but..I could tell. But um, why did you bring that up Cha?" Asriel tilted his head slightly, confused.

"...I think...I may have a plan that will free us all." Chara said simply, not looking at Asriel and messing around with some random piece of plastic he'd found. "And it involves using the Buttercups from the Pie Incident."

"Huh?" Asriel questioned, now even more confused. "Wait, I don't get-?"

"You need a Human Soul to get through the Barrier right?" Chara continued, "Well...I have a Human Soul. Right here." Chara said summoning out his red one in front of Asriel to see, after finally learning how to do that, by watching the monsters do it, without the need to go into battle to see it. "We can use MY SOUL Az."

"B-But- It won't b-break the barrier just-"

"I know Az, That's why I'm telling YOU this. And, only you. Because…" Chara hesitated a moment as he sucked in a breath before continuing, "I mean...we don't know if we'll ever get another human to fall down here. We might not get another chance at this. Humans only live for so long anyways, and...well…" Chara swallowed, still holding his SOUL in his hands before he turned back to face his adopted sibling. "Azzy, I want YOU to be the one to absorb my SOUL and free everyone!"

Asriel gasped, mouth hanging open, not expecting that. "Ch-Chara…! I-"

"You've always said, you wanted to be a good King some day, when eventually YOU get the Throne! So, this'll show Dad you're ready for it, you won't even have to do anything to kill me. I just need those buttercups like, when we baked Dad that Pie. And, I can just...you know. End myself. It's my choice, right? It'll be easy, and eventually, when I'm...gone. You can take my SOUL, cross the Barrier and go to the Surface. Gather 6 more Human SOULs and BOOM! Goodbye Barrier!"

"I...Chara, I don't know…" Asriel hesitated.

"Please, I don't...I don't want to kill any Monsters." Chara said, his shoulders shaking. As he stared back down at his own red soul, almost seeming disgusted by it. "It's either that or...this. I'd rather choose my own destiny, and I think, this is mine. It must be why I'm down here, and, I'd rather, my best friend and brother be the one to handle my SOUL."

"You were the one who found me Az, and took care of me when I was injured, and we've been together ever since. You're the only one I can trust with my plan. Together, we can save the Monsters from this hellhole. You deserve to be up on the Surface with everyone! Please…"

"I…" Asriel hesitated, looking at Chara first, in the eyes and then also down at their red soul, as if sensing his determination from it. Asriel thought about it for at least 5 minutes before, finally, he looked back up at his sibling looking just as determined as Chara. "A...Alright. I'll help you, in any way I can. If...If you think this is the right thing to do. Then we'll do it. Together."

Chara smiled at him, "I knew I could always count on you."

"Of course, I'd never doubt you Chara. You're my best friend."

"And you're mine."

'And maybe now, I can pay you all back this way finally for letting me into your lives...' Chara thought to themselves silently. 'And make it up to you all for my mistakes...'