Soft Reset

[buttercup_eater]

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.]

Comments

[dustless]

Frisk stares down at him for a moment, relief and exhaustion and anger all rushing together to drive the words from their head, and they sit on the edge of his bed.

"...Sans. Sans. Gotta...talk...tell you something. 'S important."

[sansational]

Sans is still slumped on one side of the bed, his eyesockets just barely open and staring at nothing very much. Sans-Serif is sitting perched on the other side of the bed, his knees drawn up to his chest, his chin resting on them. When Frisk speaks, he reaches over to roughly shake himself by the shoulder. "wake up."

It's an argument they've been having on and off for a while now. Sans' expression flickers into a sullen sort of glower, but after Sans-Serif shakes his shoulder again, he manages to struggle upright into a sitting position. Even he knows that it's that, or fall asleep in the middle of whatever Frisk has come to say.

He stares at them and tries to feel...much of anything. Relief that they're okay. Worry at whatever they might have come to say. He feels neither. He's so tired. But he manages a reply, even if it's only: "mm?"

[dustless]

Frisk nods their quiet thanks to Serif, so they don't need to touch him, just in case he's having a nightmare or something like that.

They think Sans should be sleeping after all of this, but at least they know he'll hear them. It can wait a few minutes more.

They slump enough they nearly slide off the edge onto the floor. Their voice is ragged, clipped. "Chara's gone. Not dead gone. Locked up. Tauriel. She got them. So. Don't gotta be scared now."

[sansational]

Serif nods his acknowledgement back. He's seen what can happen when Sans has a very bad nightmare. It's safer if Frisk doesn't touch him just yet. And when they slump, he reaches past Sans to try and tug them a little more securely onto the bed, by the back of their shirt.

For Sans, details are slow to filter in through his own exhaustion. He hears names, first, then...

Gone. Locked up. Tauriel got them, Tauriel will keep watch. It's the best possible scenario. Maybe the only possible scenario. She'll keep watch.

Don't have to be scared.

He nods, slowly. "okay." And then, after a beat: "good." And then, at last. "...thanks."

[dustless]

Frisk lets him pull them. Then they just topple backwards to lie down, width-wise on the bed instead of lengthwise. They realize that's a bad plan even as they do it, 'cause they're going to fall asleep right there...

...somehow, that doesn't motivate them to get up.

"Welcome."

[sansational]

Both Sanses look down at Frisk. Both Sanses look at one another.

Then they both quietly give up on the idea of motivating Frisk to get up. Sans starts to get up off the bed. Sans-Serif grabs a hold of him and glares. And, just this once, the unspoken communication that passes between them works.

So, taking care to give Frisk as much space as they can, both skeletons lay down on the bed width-wise, too - Sans on one side, Sans-Serif on the other. Sans is deep asleep within seconds. For Serif, it takes a little longer.

"i'll wake him up," Serif mumbles, in case Frisk is still awake to hear them. "if he has a bad dream again."

[dustless]

They fling an arm up to cover their eyes. Okay. This works.

"Mkay. 'S fine. M...not...gonna...just napping..."

And then they're out cold. And will probably stay that way for around two hours.