castle_perrault | Soft Reset

As everything fades away when they die, coming back to life is like seeing everything fading into existence again.

The first thing they're aware of is light, and that they can see, rather than seeing anything in specific.

The second thing they're aware of is sensation, the weight of their limbs pressing into a smooth, stone surface.

Where are they, exactly?

Chara tries to focus, blinking a few times in the hopes of clearing their vision. An empty stone hallway, rather like the one they last died in, with high windows flooding the area with sunlight.

They take a deep breath and try and push themselves into an upright position, only to be hit with a wave of sudden dizziness and have to flop back onto the floor. Okay, that's not good. What happened?

They can remember their SOUL shattering, and laughing so hard their sides were aching. Sans. Bruises. Blood. Theirs? No, not at first. Chasing the other child down unfamiliar hallways. Messy. No EXP increase, no LV.

No partner.

Chara waits a moment, just in case any input is forthcoming, but even after several minutes they remain alone. Once again, they're going to have to do everything themselves.

They manage to sit up with only a minimal amount of dizziness, then lurch to their feet. Minus the dizziness, it's rather like the last time they died and woke up again.

The knife is nearby, again, and they pick it up, again. Their locket is also still hanging from their neck, and they can still feel it faintly beating. But there's also a strange weight in their pocket, and when they slip a hand inside to check- oh. Right. An... alternative version of their locket, they guess.

Gripping the locket tightly, they set out to find their purpose once again.

[As with Frisk's post, this is set three days after their death.]

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His sobs almost drown out the sound of Frisk's voice, but the touch to his arm shocks him enough to silence him slightly, enough to hear their voice. Quickly, he blinks his tears away, trying to focus on the blurry picture in front of him. Frisk is still in front of him, but... their eyes are open.

"Frisk...!" He chokes on another sob, his hand pulling away from them to press to his mouth as his eyesockets widen in shock. They can't really be okay... Is he just seeing things?

Their head bows. "S-4, please...s'okay...don't cry, don't..."

Against their own words, Frisk starts crying in earnest. They sink down and let their hand slide from his arm to his hand and clings to it.

It's been such a long day. They're so tired.

S-4 initially tries to stop his tears, but when Frisk starts crying, he starts up with renewed vigor, quickly pulling Frisk into his arms to keep them safe, just in case Chara came near them again.

"You're... you're okay. I'm here, I'm going to... I'm so sorry..." His words are like his thoughts, jumbled and incoherent.

That isn't what they wanted--there's a hot stab of anger deep in their chest, they just want things to go right already. And that just makes them sob harder, ugly frustrated-frustrating tears that wracks their already-aching throat.

They're okay, they're fine, they know that, they're always fine even after they get hurt and die, who cares--everyone, everyone suddenly, 'cause they all saw how they screwed up and lost--they don't need care, it's everyone else that's getting hurt and getting scared and almost dying and crying, too, and it needs to stop stop stop stop--

All that rage is kept on the inside. S-4 will only feel them shake a little harder as they curl into him, trying not to just explode, trying to stop their own dumb tears.

It isn't S-4's fault. They cling to the thought as hard as they're clinging to his hand. It's not his fault. They don't need to start screaming, as much as they want to, as much as it'll ruin their throat more--

Maybe then they won't have to deal with the consequences of talking.

...no. That's not fair either.

After a time, Frisk's sniffling and sobs go quieter. It's hard work. But they think they might cry forever if they don't try not to.

"Th-thanks," they finally choke out. "For...that." They wave their free hand at their face, where it doesn't hurt nearly as much.

Even that little bit of extra shaking is enough to worry S-4. He looks down at the human curled up in his arms, eyelights still flaring protectively. He tries to say their name, but he's cut off with a wince as his hand is gripped so tight. He lets out a soft whimper, but it's masked well by his tears.

He wishes he could make them less upset. He knows why they're upset, but he wishes that he could somehow take that burden all on himself. He hates seeing his friends in pain. He knows he was only supposed to protect Sans-Serif, but things have changed since coming to the castle. He's allowed to do what he wants, and what he wants is to protect everyone, but he can't, he know he can't, and that just makes him cry more.

He shakes his head at their mention of thanks.

"It's... nothing. I c-couldn't heal you before, so... so I'm glad it worked." He's glad he wasn't a failure this time.

Before? He'd healed them the only 'before' they can remember--after their first fight.

It takes several seconds (several more waves of quiet tears) before it clicks. Oh, god. Oh god.

"Ssssfour no. N-n-n-nobody can h-heal dead people. 'M sorry. So so sorry."

They let go of his hand and hug him right. "A-an'--an' I p-p-promised I'be be careful, too..." Sheer disgust chokes them to silence. They promised, and Frisk came to him all bloody and messy and crying anyway.

"I... I know. I know. But you were... were still warm, and I thought... I was stupid."

So, so stupid. All he'd done was made Sans hurt even more to see him struggle like that. If he was stronger, he should have been able to fix things, or at least recognize it was impossible to heal Frisk in that state.

"It's... okay. It's okay. You can promise again, right?" S-4 forgives them. S-4 can't do anything but forgive them, when they always forgive him.

"Y-you shouldnta seen that. 'M sorry."

They want to tell him he's not stupid, not at all, but words are too hard again. Stop crying, stop it, stop it.

What does a promise mean anymore? They already broke it, pretty much immediately.

But they nod. To make S-4 feel better, if nothing else.

"Don't be sorry. It's... my fault. Shouldn't have looked."

He wishes they would stop crying. The more they sob, the more he can feel tears overflow, ribcage tightening with the strain of giving up the excess magic.

"Please... it's okay. You're safe now, r-right?"

S-4...it's never them they're worried about. Not for the right reasons. But he might understand that, too.

They don't understand what they're doing. Not that it'd be any easier to stop if they knew they were hurting him.

Once they can make words again--"Y-yeah. 'M safe. 'M fine. 'M okay, 's okay." They sniffle. "C-can--can I--go to your room, you guys's, 'cause I wanted to talk to Sans, I gotta tell him, an' you too now, Chara's locked inna tower. It's okay."

He would understand that... even if it would hurt to hear. He cares about their well-being. Why doesn't Frisk care as much?

He holds them until they start speaking, and then his grip falters as they explain. "Chara is... gone? They won't hurt anyone?"

He grabs their hand tightly.

"We have to tell them. Right away."

They're gone for now.

...But Frisk isn't going to say that.

"Yeah. Yeah, let's." They squeeze back. "So e-everybody can worry less."

Though they might need a tiny bit of help getting back up. Honestly, they could pass out right there right now.

Frisk doesn't need to worry about getting up. S-4 knows exhaustion when he sees it, and he knows how to carry someone who's having trouble moving. In an instant, they're up in S-4's arms, and he starts walking down the hall, smiling softly. He's tired too, and he might be barely awake when he gets them to the bedroom, but he doesn't much care if it means Frisk and everyone else is safe.

They suck in a sharp breath--that wasn't expected at all--but settle quickly enough, resting their face on his shoulder and trying very hard not to fall asleep there.

Once they make it to the skeleton room, though, they carefully wiggle out of S-4's arms to make it over to where Sans is lying.

Soft Reset

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child no ;n;

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