“Chara, are you alright?” Chara opened her eyes. Asriel was standing next to her bed. “You screamed. Are you okay?”

“I...I didn't scream…”

“Yeah, you did. You were really worrying me.”

“I didn't scream though…”

“You woke me up… It's like super early right now.”

“I didn't scream. It was someone else in my dream.”

“Did you have a nightmare? I sometimes get those…”

“I think I was giving someone a nightmare.”

“How does that work?”

“Believe me, I'm just as confused about that as you are.”

“So are you okay?”

“Why wouldn't I be? It was just a dream.”

“I don't know… I just wanted to make sure…” Asriel said looking at the ground.

Chara realized she had made him feel bad. After all, he just wanted to make sure she was okay. “Sorry. But yeah, I'm okay.”

“Okay… Are you going to go back to sleep?”

“Yeah, probably.”

“Can I sleep with you? When you were screaming I-I got really scared and I didn't know what to do and I didn't want to go get mom and dad because they're sleeping!”

“Yeah, sure, I guess.”

“O-okay.” Asriel said, getting into Chara’s bed.

“Goodnight, Az.”

“Goodnight Chara.”

They woke up in the morning to the smell of pancakes wafting from the kitchen. “Mmm! Something smells good!” Chara exclaimed, flinging herself out of bed. Asriel was still snoring so she didn't wake him up.

Chara walked into the kitchen. “Morning, Toriel.” She said politely.

“Oh! Hello, child! I did not expect you to be up this early! Your breakfast still needs to cool.” Toriel said, turning around.

“Mmkay. So, anything specific that we’re doing today?”

“Today I need to go collect more snails. If you and Asriel would like to come with, then you may.”

Collecting snails doesn't sound like a lot of fun, but I'll probably have to do it sometime. She thought. “Sure, I'll come with. Asriel probably will too, but I'm never really sure with him…”

“Wonderful! I usually go right after breakfast, so be ready!”

“Uh, okay.” Chara said. “Should I go wake Asriel up then, or…?”

“Yes, that would be very helpful. Thank you very much!”

Chara ran to their room. “Az! Wake up!” She said, shaking him awake.

“No… no, I don't want any…” Asriel said half asleep.

“Come on!” She exclaimed. “We gotta go!”

“Where are we going?”

“To help Toriel. I said we’d help her. Get up!”

“I’m too tired… Come again later…”

“But we need to eat breakfast now!” Chara groaned.

“Okay, okay… I’ll get up.” Asriel said, yawning.

“Come on!” Chara said, pulling him to the kitchen. “Okay Toriel, I got him. Finally.”

“Good, now just take a seat. Your breakfast will be out shortly.” Toriel said, getting out plates.

“Thank you.” Chara said, sitting down.

“Hey mom, why did Chara wake me up?” Asriel asked.

“You and Chara are going to help me collect snails today.” Toriel replied from the kitchen.

“I didn't know what else to do today, so I figured we might as well help.” Chara explained to Asriel.

“I guess that's okay… I hate getting up early though.”

“Sorry.” Chara said. “Toriel told me to wake you up.”

“No, it's fine.” Asriel said, yawning for the second time.

“So, uh, where will we start looking then?”

“I usually get snails in the ruins.” Toriel said bringing the two children the blueberry pancakes.

“Thanks!” Chara exclaimed, shoving a large piece into her mouth.

“Mm! Pancakes!” Asriel said excitedly.

“These are really good!” Chara said. “Can I have another one?”

“Yes, child. There are plenty more.” Toriel said giving both Asriel and Chara another pancake.

Chara shoveled the pancake into her mouth. “I'm ready to go now!” She said, her mouth still full of food.

“Wonderful. When Asriel finishes too, then we will start leaving.”

“Yum. Okay, I'm done now. I guess.”

“‘Kay, let's go then!” Chara said, eager to get out of the house.

“Let us go then. Follow me, my child.” Toriel said, opening the door for Chara and Asriel.

“So, how far away are the ruins?” Chara asked, curious.

“The ruins are all the way on the other side of the underground!” Said Asriel.

“So, a long walk then?” Chara asked.

“There are a few elevators we can use to get there.” Toriel replied.

“Okay then.” Chara said, happily skipping along. “Hey Asriel, guess what?”

“What?” Asriel asked.

“Tag! You're it!” She said, tapping him on the shoulder and running ahead.

“Hey! Not fair! Come back here!” Asriel yelled running after Chara.

“Haha, gotta catch me first!”

“Don't run too far ahead children!” Toriel called out.

Chara turned her head back to look at Toriel. “Okay!” She shouted, and tripped on a rock. “Oowww.” She said, rubbing her head.

“Chara!” Asriel ran and caught up with Chara. “Are you okay!?”

“I don't know.” Chara said, trying to stand up, but her leg gave out and she promptly fell back to the ground. “I can't stand up.”

“Oh my gosh! Mom! Chara fell down and got hurt!” Asriel yelled. Toriel ran to Chara's side quickly.

“Child, hold still. I need to assess your wounds.” Toriel said looking at Chara's leg.

“O-okay.” Chara said, wincing at the pain.

“I can heal your wounds, just please don't flinch.”

“I'll try not to…” Toriel’s hands started glowing a green-yellow color. There was a tingly sensation that went up Chara's leg as Toriel healed it.

“Just a little longer child.”

“It feels weird.”

“There, I am done now. You should be able to stand.”

Chara stood up, but couldn't put a lot of weight on it. “It still hurts a little.”

“The closest place to get food for you would probably be the lab if you would like to go there. I can carry you, if that's what you prefer.”

“I think I can walk to the lab.” Chara replied. “It doesn't hurt that much.”

“Well, if you would like me to carry you, just ask.” Toriel said getting up.

“Chara, does your leg still hurt?!” Asriel said, still panicking.

“Like I said, it hurts a little, but I can walk on it.”

“Are you sure?!”

“Y-yeah.” Chara said, though truthfully it still hurt quite a bit. “I'll be fine.”

“Are you super sure?” Asriel said, calming down a little bit.

Chara sighed. “No.”

“Then I’m going to carry you!” Asriel said with a determined expression.

“Uh, are you sure you can lift me…?”

“No! But I’m gonna try!”

“Uh, okay then…” Asriel, with surprising strength, lifted Chara up. However, it felt very unstable to Chara. “Az, set me down, please!” She said nervously.

Toriel, seeing what Asriel was doing, went over and took Chara out of Asriel’s arms. “Asriel, if Chara does not want you to carry her, then please don't.”

“Okay, mama.” Asriel said, looking at the ground.

“So, how far to the lab then?” Chara asked, still trying to relax from Asriel lifting her up.

“We still need to get to the other elevator, and go through a little bit of Hotland to get to the lab.” Toriel said.

“Okay then. Sorry if I slow you down a bit because of my leg.” Chara started walking forward, her left leg dragging on the ground.

“Oh! There is no rush. Please, don't injure yourself even more trying to go faster.” Toriel replied.

“But if I don't go faster, we won't have as much time later.”

“It is fine, it's still early in the day.” Toriel said.

“I'm sorry.”

“Don't be. Now let us continue on.”

“Okay then.” Chara said, walking more slow.

“Chara, the elevator is right around the corner.” Asriel said, still ashamed for what he did.

“Okay.” Chara replied. The rest of the trip was slow. Chara's leg only got worse as they went on. When they finally reached the lab, Toriel was carrying Chara.

“Here we are child. I will set you down over against that wall .”

“O-okay.” Chara replied.

“Don't worry Chara, I’ll wait with you while mom gets food for you.”

“Okay.” Chara said. “Please don't pick me up again.”

“I won't…”

“Thank you. So, uh, what do you want to talk about?” Chara asked, when someone walked in front of her. Chara jumped back.

“O-oh, s-sorry.” The person replied. “I-I didn't realize someone else was in here.” She turned to Asriel. “W-what are you guys doing here right now?”

“My mom is getting food for Chara's leg.” Asriel replied.

“Uh, s-sorry, but who's Chara?” The monster asked.

“Chara is my best friend, and she is the human right there.”

“Hi.” Chara waved weakly.

“O-oh. Hello.” The monster said, giving Chara a handshake. “I-I'm Alphys. It's nice to meet you.”

“You too.” Chara replied, trying to be polite. At that moment Toriel came back.

“Oh, hello Alphys, I see you’ve met Chara.” Toriel said.

“Y-yes, I did. A-and it's great to see you again, your majesty.”

“Thank you Alphys. Now, Chara, here are some potato chisps. I couldn't find anything else, unless Alphys has anything.”

“N-no, s-sorry, I don't have any other food here at the moment.”

“That is perfectly okay. Chara, just eat the food and you will feel better.” Toriel said.

“Okay.” Chara said, ripping open the bag and popping a chisp in her mouth. “I feel better already!” She exclaimed, standing up.

“Chara, are you okay to keep going?” Asriel asked.

“Yup!” Chara said, standing up. Her leg didn't hurt at all. “Thank you, Toriel!”

“You are very welcome. Let us continue on.” Toriel replied. They all continued on until they got to the ruins. They spent most of their day there, collecting snails for Toriel’s recipes. After they finished, they returned to new home.

“Toriel, I'm hungry.” Chara said. “Can I have something to eat?”

“I am very sorry child, but dinner is not yet ready.”

“Mm. Okay then. Asriel, what do you want to do?” She said, turning to him.

“There's not really that much to do…”

“Don't you have any board games or something?”

“No, but we have paper to color on if you want.”

“Okay.” Chara said, walking to her and Asriel’s room. “Where is it?

“It's in the drawer underneath the lamp.”

“Alright.” She said, pulling out the paper and handing Asriel a sheet. “What are you gonna draw?”

“You can see it when I'm done!”

“Okay then.” Chara sat down at a little table in the center of the room and began to draw.

“Hey! What are you drawing?”

“A flower.”

“Oo! Let me see!” Asriel said looking over Chara's shoulder.

“It's not very good…”

“I like it! Hey, look at mine!” Asriel showed Chara his picture of him as the god of hyper death.

Chara looked confused. “What is it?”

“Well, duh. It's me as the god of hyperdeath!”

“Huh?”

“Do you not like it?”

“No, I just don't understand. What's a god of hyperdeath?”

“It's me, but super powerful! Oh, and I have super awesome attacks too!”

“Where did you come up with this?”

“It just came to me. It looks great though, right?”

“It honestly looks kinda scary…”

“So you don't like it?”

“No, I think it's cool, just scary.”

“It's scary because I want to scare the humans so they can break the barrier.”

“So, you want to scare me?”

“Are you scared?”

“Scared of your drawing?”

“Yeah!”

“Well, it looks scary, I'm just not scared of it.”

“So, you wouldn't want to help break the barrier and set all the monsters free?”

“Of course I want to help you guys, I just don't know how!” Chara said. There was a knock on the bedroom door.

“May I come in?”

“Yeah.” Chara said as Toriel opened the door.

“I just came to tell you that dinner will be a little later than usual because the snails still need to cook.”

“Okay.” Chara replied, holding up her drawing. “Look what I drew!”

“That is wonderful Chara! I must find a frame for it!” Toriel said looking pleased at Chara.

No one had ever told her her drawings were good. “Thank you.” She replied, looking down.

“I will have to find a frame later though. For now, I must keep making dinner.” Toriel said, leaving the room.

“So, do you only draw yourself as the god of hyperdeath, or do you draw other things too?”

“I like drawing me and my family up on the surface because I really want to go there someday.”

“Maybe someday you will.”

“Did you know that a monster soul and a human soul can cross the barrier together?! It's super cool!”

“How would I know that?”

“Because that's what Gaster told me.”

“I still don't see how I could know that.” Chara said teasingly.

“A monster would have to absorb your soul, but I wouldn't do that to you.”

“That's good to know.” Chara said.

“Yeah. A monster with a human soul is also super strong!”

“Well, that's interesting.”

“What's interesting about it?”

“Just that you could be super strong, I guess.”

“So what's the surface like exactly?”

“It's bright, with lots of colors.”

“What kinds of colors? Why is it so bright? What can you do up there? What are the other humans like?”

“All sorts of colors, and it's so bright because of the sun. You can do all sorts of things, but the other humans are mean.”

“Why are they bad?”

“They just are. They were mean to me. That's why I fell down the mountain. Not really fell. Jumped.”

“But you could have died! Why would you do that?! Not all of them could be that mean, right?”

“All the ones I knew were mean. They didn't care about me, so I left.”

“But what about your parents? Didn't they care about you?”

“My parents left me four years ago because I was a ‘problem child’.”

“What did you do to make them feel that way?”

“I don't know. I just don't know…” Chara said, letting her hair fall over her face.

“I-it's okay. I didn't mean to bring that up…”

“I don't care anyway. I shouldn't have survived that fall…”

“But if you didn't survive the fall then, we wouldn't be besties right now…”

“Yeah…”

“Dinner is ready, children!” Toriel called from the kitchen.

“Coming!” Chara called, getting up from her chair.

“I’m coming too!” Asriel yelled.

“I'll get there first!” Chara yelled, scrambling to get to the door.

“Chara! Remember what happened last time?” Asriel said, walking to the door.

“Fine.” Chara said, slowing and opening the door. “Let's go.” They both sat down at the dinner table that Toriel had already set. “What's for dinner?” Chara asked.

“Snail ravioli. I hope you two like it. Oh, and Asgore will not be dining with us tonight. He's very weak right now.” Toriel said, giving everyone dinner.

“Thank you.” Chara said, taking a bite.

“I love ravioli!” Asriel said.

“You love everything.” Chara replied teasingly to his comment.

. “I don't love everything!” Asriel said, taken back a bit.

Chara looked at him doubtingly. “Oh, really?”

“Yeah! I don't like the people who were mean to you!”

“I meant with food.”

“Well, you never said that!”

“Sorry!” Chara said playfully. Toriel chuckled. After dinner, they got ready for bed.

“Hey, Chara. Are you going to be okay tonight?” Asriel asked sleepily.

“Why wouldn't I be?” Chara asked, confused.

“Because of what happened last night.”

“Oh. I don't know. I think so?”

“O-okay, but if you're yelling, then I'm sleeping with you.”

“Fine.” Chara said, and collapsed onto her pillow.