Post-Halloween Catchup - Backdated to a few days after The Showdown

[itstheend]

There's a drift of dust scattered near the Edge.

Morning sunlight glints off it. It resembles white sand, or icing sugar.

Somehow it's survived the entire Castle being destroyed and brought back. Somehow it's survived the altitude; perhaps the air has been unnaturally still, or perhaps some residue keeps it somewhat together. Mist wisps from it.

There's a spark of red over it. Something returning, reluctantly, home. Lost souls can't stay lost forever.

Right where it belongs. About time.

The dust shimmers briefly rainbow and shifts, an edge falling away, before it rises up to meet the hovering thing, the last component needed. Melts as soon as it hits it, becoming viscous sludge before dripping back down to where more is drawing in and returning to encase the scarlet light. It thickens, begins to take molten-wax form as clumsily as a child making a stick figure out of play-doh; two sausages for arms, two for legs, a lump for a head. Slowly, the proportions even out, detail begins to set in and creates an alabaster statue, and then colour swirls and bleeds in spreading patches.

It's Chara. Themself.

They collapse onto suspiciously clean stone and lie there still for a time, until with a sudden, rasping heave of air they wake, cough, and open a single red eye. Their head feels stuffed with cotton. Their memories of after dusting and before coming to live again are thankfully as substantial as fog. The movement of their chest stutters, and they start hacking. That's right. Have to breathe again. They close the eye and roll with great effort onto their back, hands on their chest, and do just that. They feel like they've been put in a blender, despite no apparent injuries that they can pinpoint.

*Mmmmrnrnrnnn

An arm tries to move. They block it, and the limb jerks, caught between two opposing forces for a moment before settling limp at their side.

*Wh-
*...Chara?

Welcome back, Frisk. Enjoy your month of freedom?

*What happened...?

Well.

The child, apparently silent and staring listlessly at the clouds, will be there (getting increasingly sunburned) until chill night temperatures drive them indoors. Come bother them? Find them wandering the hallways late? Wonder why they're trying to sleep in a kitchen?

 

They're trying to avoid people, but since when have they gotten what they wanted?

Comments

[characlysmic]

Wow. You look like shit!

{A voice, far to cheerful and far to loud to be directed at anyone who clearly wanted to be left alone but Chara's favorite hobby was sticking their hand right into the fire wasn't it? They grin down at the sitting child with their hands in their pockets, red eyes gleaming with humor that while not quiet malicious, certainly wasn't kind.}

So? Is this a habit for you? Sit around and stare at the sky and look super mopey? Seem's kind of useless if you ask me. {Nobody asked them. That's the joke.}

{Are they half trying to start a fight: probably? But hey its a human so Chara doubt that they are doing nothing less then a civic duty. Besides, this place is boring! Maybe they can rile this kid up and see them do something funny. And if not, well maybe there actually was something real cool in those clouds!}

[itstheend]

How about: fuck you.

[It's equally cheerful, and syrupy sweet to match their smile. There's also a middle finger involved, as they let their head loll just enough to look them in the eye while doing it. Who knew flipping someone who is, to most appearances you, off, could be so cathartic?

God though, the hell did that accent come from?]

Piss off, cowhand.

[characlysmic]

Wow, no thanks. I'll have to uh, decline your generous offer. Pftahaha.

{They're honest to god tempted to flip this other Chara off in return. Did they say tempted? They meant they were already doing it. Their grin only seems to widen at Charas response. They spot irritation when they see it, and the fact that its their face (lookin a lot snootier then Chara ever did though) certainly helps with cues.}


Pft. Cowhand? Please. I've never even seen a cow. If you wanna insult me, you could have put a bit more effort in.

{They plop down next to Chara instead, the picture of practiced nonchalance. You're not getting rid of yourself that easy Chara.}

I think demon eyed son of the devil is always a good opener but you look kind of more like a sad sack of useless shit?

[itstheend]

[Chara's smile widens, baring teeth. Is it possible to like-hate someone? It's happening. Five seconds in and they already loathe themself, a wave of intense dislike, although that's not anything new.

Being unable to get rid of themself is also not news, sadly.]

Please, why would I insult you when you are already doing so well at it?

[I know you are but what am I etc etc. The great thing about being the same person, technically. They force themself to stay in the same position despite the other Chara's proximity prickingly uncomfortably at their safe personal space radius, because they know that shifting will be exposing a weakness, and if there's anything Charas are good at it's sniffing out and exploiting weakness. Staying calm and composed is the key.

They really want to punch themself, but instead they settle for propping themself up on their elbows, which at least makes them a little more prepared if the other Chara tries just that. Ugh, everything aches. Their skin stings uncomfortably. Ignore the pain.]

Go walk on air.

[The Edge is right there, after all. Don't those clouds look almost thick enough to stand on? Why not try it?

*Chara!!]

[characlysmic]

{Well thats the technique isn't it? Get in close, show no fear, practically ooze confidence until nobody knows what you're really thinking. Be so dishonest you have to be taken at face value. Sure their estimating how much strength it would take to actually throw the other Chara off the Edge if push came to shove but that was a backburner thought, well hidden.}

{And they can be very, very good at keeping things hidden.}


Well you got me there I guess! Sad sack of useless shit it is then! Absolutely free of charge from you're best buddy Chara.

{They shoot the Edge a glance, contemplative, cheerful expression unreadable, before shrugging again, grin back in place.}

Nah. You first.

belated cw for suicide ideation whoops

[itstheend]

[Time to go on the offense rather than the defense, then. The other Chara is close enough to flick on the nose with an index finger and thumb, about as hard as that can be done, Chara's smile slipping towards 'condescending'.]

Cute.

[There are many things Chara dislikes, and not being taken seriously as a threat is one of them. Being talked down to is one of them. Being dismissed is one of them. They doubt this Chara is too different, in that regard.

Walking off the Edge is very tempting, right now, but they can no longer do that without taking Frisk with them. The window of opportunity has passed. They see that contemplative expression. Not as unreadable as they'd like to be, are they? That's right, it's there when you want it.]

I think I shall decline.

[Their tone is bone dry.]

cw child abuse

[characlysmic]

{ They see hands approaching their face suddenly and their body jerks back slightly in a barely suppressed flitch, smile sharpening knifelike, shoulders hunching slightly. Reflex all of it, born from times that don't matter anymore. They grit their teeth they know there are no adults here, they could take this kid).Sweet sunny hatred blooms in their heart at the condescending tone. Congratulations! You really hit the nail on the head with this one! Now they kind of want to push this kid off the edge! }

Wow thanks! Really wish I could say the same of you but..

{Their tone is the same as always but they're far to angry to come up with a bettet retort that ISNT a punch. Ugh, it's more fun when people are cowery and meek or at least honest. Snooty rich kids aren't fun at all.}

[itstheend]

[CRITICAL HIT. Chara's smile becomes predatory, and they sit up and start dusting themself off with the same air of a cat licking their shoulder, or a bird preening. And despite their clothes and the stone in a large radius around them being immaculate.

(The extra, non-bone, mass had to come from somewhere. In a way they're literally as well as figuratively absolute dirt now. Time to stop thinking about this.)

The other Chara's reaction warms their cold black heart. Good. That's right. They're no pushover, other-them.]

...but I'm far too scary to be cute?

[The tone is mocking, deliberately digging into the fact that the other Chara leapt away from their touch, even though Chara knows full well why that occured (it seems some things truly do not change) and would have probably done the same.

Go on, push them off the Edge, they dare you. Don't just wait for things to happen follow your dreams reach for the stars.]

vibrates in anger.

[characlysmic]

I don't get scared.

{If they sound huffy its because they are huffy. Don't you holler at them. They'll fucking rip your tongue out, probably, if they could figure out how to do it.}

You are just...so horrible I couldn't stand being touched by you. Yeah.

{They nod to themselves but their eyes burn with alert energy. They're ready to leap up and tackle the other if they make one wrong move. Or if they feel like it. They know, in theory, they really, really reeaaaaally shouldn't disappoint the Dreemurr's by attacking and killing some random Chara. But.....maybe the kid could give them just one little excuse. Make the first move, they dare you. You'll find yourself off that precious edge soon enough.}

the Anti Tem

[itstheend]

[This is suddenly unexpectedly so much fun. Now they know what it's like to be on the other side of Sans's irritating unflappability, and it is amazing.

They should do this more often.

They see that tensing. They, themselves, are not going to make the first move either. Their weapon and armor seems to have disappeared, but they can probably beat themself if it came to it. They do it all the time. Still, they don't know the other Chara's LV, although they're betting it's low.

Chara folds their hands in their lap, still smiling. Utterly polite, back straight but not rigid. The picture of a harmless, proper child.]

So you are scared of being touched by something horrible?

[There's no point refuting the truth that that's what they are, after all.]

Re: the Anti Tem

[characlysmic]

{Chara spits at their feet, hopefully they get a shoe or something. Suck on that, smug bastard.}

Nah. I told you. I don't get scared.

{They wanna punch that shit eating grin right off the other kids face. They resolve to beat something up today even if its not this kid, they're sure they can find an easier target to take out frustration on.}

[itstheend]

[Chara is an experienced dumpster diver, they've had grosser. They can put up with some spit on a shoe if it means pissing off this other self even more.

The shit eating grin gets wider and shit-eatinger. Chara props their head on a hand, elbow on knee.]

Me thinks you doth protest too much.

[This other them is just too easy to wind up. Looks like the shoe's well and truly on the other foot now!

Frisk has their head metaphorically in their hands, and has been like that for the entire past minute.]

[characlysmic]

{Hey, if Chara loves anything, its pissing off people and getting pissed off themselves and starting a fight and then wondering why they bothered. Just, a constant cycle of fucking themselves over for no reason. Its ok buddy, they don't know why they're like this either. They glare at the other Chara harder.}

Doth? The hell you even talking about shithead?

{Its not really their fault that they never completed fourth grade. Man they might have been getting some lessons from Toriel but they had a hard enough time with normal books don't bring old english in here.}

!!fun!!

[boogerman]

Don't look now, Chara, but your shadow has changed. Longer, thinner, with distinct spiky hair--that's no snake, no child, that's a Boogeyman! Notice him already!

ayyy

[itstheend]

Jeez, cool your jets, senpai has noticed you.

Or, well, they've startled back from their own shadow when a moonbeam saw fit to suddenly throw it on the wall in front of them. Like a cat, they're trying to pretend they didn't do that even though they're clearly still ruffled, backing away until they feel there's a good distance.

Don't mind them, they're going to try and repeatedly stomp on their shadow. This is going to go less than well for obvious reasons.

[boogerman]

"Pitiful!" That smarmy, obnoxious voice is definitely coming from the shadow, which moves on its own, arms gesturing. Rather like there's a person there, unseen...

"You can't be rid of a shadow by trodding all over it!"

[itstheend]

The voice makes them glance behind them; is someone casting- no, there's no one there. They return a glare to their shadow. They very much wish they could grab it and rip it off, somehow. It feels skin-crawlingly parasitic.

They smile down at it.

"True."

That gives them an idea. They start walking down the hallway. Maybe one of these rooms is hiding a set of floodlights, you never know.

[boogerman]

It follows, always pointing away from the most like as any normal shadow would. And it doesn't shut up. "Funny. I'm seeing two sets of fears here. You weren't two people before. Have you considered seeing an exorcist?"

hhh dreamwidth ate this notif sorry

[itstheend]

"Have you considered jumping off the Edge?"

Said very sweetly. Chara opens a door. Full of paintings, which seem to be looking at them. Shuts the door. Another; some kind of abandoned bedroom. Another; tapestries. Rinse and repeat. Having a repetive task with clear indicators of progress does soothe a little even if the aggravating problem has not gone away.

*Charaaaa
*Hi Nightmare King!

"He can't hear you," they mutter, disgruntled. There's no point hiding that someone else is here, evidently. "Do you really have nothing better to do with your time than bother me?"

np

[boogerman]

"Been there, done that." he says. Naturally, he'll admit it to everyone who asks. Madmen are to be feared, it may help.

"It didn't stick. We're all stuck here, and no, I don't have anything better to do. Nothing personal."

cw suicide/suicide ideation

[itstheend]

What's that saying? We're all mad here.

"What a shame," Chara says, briefly examining yet another bedroom. While it's sarcastic, they can still commiserate with being unable to shuffle off the mortal coil despite things that should by rights fling them entirely off it with prejudice.

"Then you will probably find it rather uninteresting."

After this many rooms and the Castle's general aesthetic, it's very unlikely they'll find what they're looking for. They're just looking in doors out of a little spite, now, and mainly curiosity.

i'm bad with warnings clearly

[boogerman]

"Now, I never said I was bored. You're all oodles of fun." Who says oodles and expects to be taken seriously?

The Boogeyman, apparently.

"What are you looking for?"

[itstheend]

"A left-handed screwdriver," Chara says, smile not budging an inch. Honestly, who tells someone that they're looking for a weapon specifically for them? "You wouldn't have happened to have seen one, have you?"

*Snk.

As shown by how they open doors, they are left handed at the least, although they don't expect him to be fooled.

[boogerman]

The shadow taps its chin thoughtfully and keeps on trollin'. This is the life. "I see. You know, they used to exorcise left-handed people too. Sure you don't want to try it? I know a few dozen different rituals, I can help."

[itstheend]

"Honestly, what demon work it's salt would want to be exorcised?"

Hold still. Water. No. Things to no longer think about.

If he tries to force them, they won't go down without a fight, but he's seeming all style and no substance the more they interact with him. Theirs is the wariness they'd afford to anyone else.

"Of course, if you know a ritual for getting rid of you, I wouldn't mind."