[intro] EVERY DOOR A WINDOW

[hauntedxholy]

Kris Dreemurr has had a pretty long day.

The sort of day that people could probably make really weird game demos about. The sort of day that feels like it came out of Aesop and the Grimm brothers' surrogate lovechild's feverdream. Or whatever. Long day. They're tired. Time to yeet a soul.

Or like, that was the plan. As soon as they get home and open the door to their room, they lose their balance on the edge of literally *nothing* and end up falling- falling-- oof. Ok. Not falling anymore.

In a kitchen.

Not their kitchen.

Their skin is its usual color, but they're in their Dark World regalia, which is either a good or a bad sign. There's no one else around, though, and there are a few baskets full of fresh-looking fruit and bread and stuff on the counters.........

Fuck it! Time to raid a pantry.

Comments

[hauntedxholy]

Cool. Cool cool. So, Frisk has never been to the Dark World then, which makes things both interesting and...a lot more confusing. Kris is -- has been -- officially lost.

Though suddenly having their parents namedropped has Kris staring at Frisk in silence for another couple of seconds.

"Uh. Dad's...fine. Mom's...excited, 'cuz Az is visiting soon. Do you..." Wait. "Do you want to see?" Wait, what.

[dustless]

Visiting? "Where'd he go? Where--what?" Frisk straightens up, standing fully. Old habits have them shoving their bread and their jars into the nearest basket to carry around and save.

"Whatcha mean?" Oh, yuck, sounds like Flowey. "Wh--what d'you mean? There's no way to leave the Castle," they say uncertainly. Didn't Frisk already tell them that, or did they just think they did?

[hauntedxholy]

"Asriel's coming back from university next week. Mom would be happy to have you 'til then, if you want to say hi." They walk over to the pantry, and as they take their out of their pocket to open the door, the ball of junk comes out with it and falls to the ground.

And when they open the door, there's only darkness.

"Maybe you could even get Papyrus out of his room," they say. "I worry about that dude."

[dustless]

"University? Like, college? The one I know's too little for that." Or way too old, but Kris doesn't know about Flowey, so.

They push off and tail Kris anxiously. Not 'cause they're remotely expecting anything to happen--they're getting restless, and really just want to start a tour of the castle like they usually do for new people.

"The hell's that?" Frisk stops just about at their side, squinting into the dark. "An' why's Papyrus in his room?" They have a brother who's a Papyrus; he's a higher priority than weird appearing shadow doors.

[hauntedxholy]

"Yeah. My brother's a year older'n me, so he just left a couple months ago."

They stick a hand through. As soon as it passes what would've been the pantry's threshold, their hand disappears, swallowed by the dark, and they pull it back out a second later. "It's a door. Back to my house. And uh, I dunno. I haven't been able to ask him."

Kris has a bad feeling about this. Like, mega bad. "So what d'you say? Your choice."

[dustless]

That's something to think about. An Asriel who got to grow up.

But not a Chara. They hold the basket tightly against their chest.

"Well..."

It probably won't work. If it does...if it does...

Maybe they'll be able to find a way back for everybody. Maybe they won't be able to come back at all. Maybe they'll forget everything.

They forget to breathe, staring into the black.

Maybe.

Not trying for a good end won't do anything. Turn around, pretend it never happened, and if Kris is gone they'll regret it for the rest of their life. Which, in the Castle, just might be forever.

Frisk's supposed to be a teenager now.

   Yes             No
♥ Yes             No

"Sure."

Furtively glancing up at Kris's face, just once...

...They step forward.

AW YEAH HERE WE GO

[hauntedxholy]

They remain silent as Frisk thinks. Remain stoic when Frisk looks to them. Don't move as Frisk steps through the door.

Why can't Kris stop them?

Unlike Frisk, Kris' choices haven't seemed to matter in any world. A moment later they're stepping into the void themself. And in the space between worlds -- between SAVEs, between HOPE/DREAMS/LIGHT/DARK -- Frisk might hear the fading echoes of a song, if they're listening. It might even sound familiar.


...
...
...



They end up in Kris' room. The house is quiet with nighttime, and Kris themself is sprawled over the floor next to their bed, back in their usual sweater. They don't move.

[dustless]

"Oh my god," Frisk whispers, paralyzed in the center of the room.

This isn't the Castle. The Castle doesn't have carpets like this. Or lamps that need electricity. Or glowing star stickers on the walls.

Kris is on the floor. They're not wearing armor. They're maybehurt, they need help up.

Frisk can't move.

The Castle is home, the Castle is a prison.

"Kris," they croak. "K-Kris. Y-you...a-are you 'kay?"

Frisk's not.

They're smiling, shakily. They're crying, quietly.

[hauntedxholy]

Oh, right.

This isn't a dream.

Every part of their body strains as they climb to their knees, and they grit their teeth against the reply waiting on their tongue- nope. No. Nah! Testing the grip of their hand, they press it against the chest of their sweater, and reach--

in--

"GKGGKH," they say, and then as the weird fuckin parasite soul thing flashes in their grip, "uh, yeah, peachy." They glance over at Frisk's face, looking away quickly when they see the tears there.

[dustless]

The smile is off their face in a snap.

They barely hear their own shriek of "KRIS!"

They want to say DON'T DO THAT or ask HOW CAN YOU TOUCH YOUR OWN SOUL, only their throat can't take yelling. Burying their face in the crook of their arm to smother the disgusting hacking, they stagger forward in primal, terrified instinct. Oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no--

[hauntedxholy]

They don't know how they're gonna explain this to Mom. It's not like there are any otherOH SHIT WHAT THE FUCK

Startled, they toss the soul into the cage where it belongs and scrabble to their feet, trying to meet Frisk halfway. "SHHH SH SH it- it's okay, Frisk-"

They kind of take Frisk by the shoulders, trying to steady them. Oh god, why are they coughing so much. That sounds bad. Why is this happening. Their body is still heavy, still numb, which makes it hard to tell how strong their grip is. "Y-you nnneed to calm down," they whisper. If they can't, Kris might have to get their mom. Glancing at the door, they wonder if she might not be on her way already.

[dustless]

Oh no oh no oh oh okay, they're not dead or anything, but what's going on. Frisk is shaking against their fingers. It kind of hurts where they're holding. They don't care about that.

Their head tips forward. It's hard to stop coughing when they can't calm down. Way too much just happened in the last thirty seconds than they can fully process. They were never supposed to leave, a SOUL is to live, how and why the hell did they do that.

They do manage it, after a horrible time that feels like hours but is probably about a minute. By the time they can look up to stare at Kris wildly, the white around Frisk's gold irises are shot utterly pink.

[hauntedxholy]

This is awful. This just plain old sucks. Kris is really not...good...with people, even at the best of times, and this really isn't the best time for either of them. Are they supposed to say something here? Is there a procedure for this??? All they can do is flounder, kind of, and support Frisk's weight when they need it. Which--

Oh, heaven below, that pink just does not look good. "Uh." They glance at the door and back again. "Maybe a stupid question, but are- are you like, okay?"

[dustless]

Frisk turns their head to look at the SOUL in the--cage.

Why is there a cage.

They breathe a few long, scratchy breaths. They're still crying, too, and that's just another distant layer of gross. They are not taking their world being turned upside-down twice in a row well! Why couldn't they just've gotten stabbed or something, that's something they could be handling just fine.

"Me? What 'bout you?" they rasp, frantically looking between Kris and the cage.

[hauntedxholy]

Kris follows their gaze to the... oh right.

When they're sure that Frisk isn't about to topple over the second they let go, Kris heads over to their bed, hastily stripping off one of the blankets and kind of rambling the entire time. "Oh I'm great nnnow that- that I got that off my chest. Ha, get it, cuz- look, it's fine." See, now there's a blanket over it. Like it doesn't exist! All good. "I can explain later, but mmy mom's probably about to come check on--"

Aand those are footsteps. Cool! They're back at Frisk's side just in time for the knock at their door.

"Kris, are you alright? I thought I heard-" Toriel opens the door, still wearing the clothes she wore to teach today. "Oh dear! What in the world?"

[dustless]

Their mouth's open, rows of fangs glinting, to try asking another series of possibly-nonsensical questions--and then they hear mom and stuff's moving fast and the door opens.

Toriel. Been a long time since they saw her. Any her. This'd be nice under different circumstances.

Frisk yanks the basket up in front of their face, which hides their mouth and some of their eyes. Not enough to hide their view of Toriel and her face, to see if she's going to freak out. Last thing they need, but they can bolt and regroup if they have to.

"...Hi," they say. It's all they can get out without their voice doing something weird.

Can't think of any conversation topics now, anyways.

[hauntedxholy]

So. Things just keep happening, they guess. Kris takes a step forward.

"Uh, Mom," they say, "this is Frisk. Frisk, this is...my Mom. W-we, uh, there's a- the- fuck-" Yep, that's not working. They take another step forward and switch to using their hands. They don't know if Frisk can understand, but if they can, they'd see Kris sign something like, Sorry and they're my friend and need a place to stay for a bit and like, super tired right now, wow.

Toriel's expression grows more and more bewildered. But when Kris is finished, she looks between them and the smaller anxious child standing in the middle of the room, and a warm smile grows across her face.

"Kris, you should have told me you have a human friend. I would've had you invite them over much sooner!" She directs the smile at Frisk next. "I know it is very late, but is there anything I can get for you?"

[dustless]

They get some of it from the edge of their vision. They've gotten a lot of practice with sign at the castle.

"Um?" They actually would like something to drink now. What they want more, though, is for Toriel to go away. They like her and they were friends, but Kris and their SOUL is something that screams more important right now.

So they shake their head quickly. "No. Thanks," they mutter.

It's good Kris can sign, 'cause they're not going to be able to talk after this.

[hauntedxholy]

She looks for all the world like she doesn't believe them, but after a moment of consideration, she thankfully decides not to press. "Alright. I'll be heading to bed, so the kitchen is all yours if you change your mind." The look she gives them both then is a little sharper. "We'll have plenty of time to speak more in the morning."

"G'night, Mom," Kris signs, somewhat lamely.

Kris turns to Frisk as soon as the door closes behind her. "That...went well," they say. "Um. You should- should sit down." Or something. Before they like, pass out.

[dustless]

They nod. Probably would've raided the fridge (carefully) later if she didn't give permission, but it's nice she did. And a whole night is definitely enough time to think up an excuse.

They nod again at Kris after she's gone, shakily walking over and sitting on the bed by the cage.

"Okay," Frisk breathes. The basket is abandoned on their lap to free their hands. 'Why is your S-O-U-L out. How did you do that. How are you alive.'

...Is that even their SOUL?

[hauntedxholy]

"'s not-"

Sigh.

Standing in the middle of the room, Kris looks at Frisk and the rug under their feet and then the cage, still covered by the blanket. There's a faint red glow from underneath it. Amazing.

Their hands clench at their sides once, twice, three times before Kris brings them up to sign in return. "It's not mine. Dunno whose it is. D'you want it?" They grin, a little stiff. "Comes with free possession."

[dustless]

Frisk spreads their arms helplessly. Not the answer they wanted! Or hoped for! Or...anything! Plus something feels nauseatingly familiar that they slam back into the 'for later examination' box.

Kris could be lying about the 'dunno', but they'll take that at face value for now. If they're some weird warped human version of Flowey, they're being remarkably polite. 'Where'd you find it? It controlled you? I can take it?'

If Kris wants them to steal it, they will, if not letting...it?...in them. They scoot down the bed before they can even get an answer, plucking the blanket up with a pinch of just two fingers--as if it's gross--to get a clearer look.

[hauntedxholy]

Maybe there are better ways to explain this whole thing. Kris doesnt know what that would be, though, and it's not like they've ever told anyone before. So they say nothing. When Frisk lifts the blanket, the soul is visible hovering inside, somewhere near the bottom, and as they watch it veers up towards the light, nudging against the bars.

Neat!

Kris glares at it as they stalk up. "This thing came out of my nightmares." They lift the blanket off the rest of the way, glaring some more. "Kind of. About being made into a vessel, and then I wake up and suddenly something else is making all my choices for me." Frowning, they look over at Frisk. "And it...knew about you."

[dustless]

'...My S-O-U-L is mine.' They keep staring at it, something in their chest clenching. 'I shared. With a kid named C-H-A-R-A. But they didn't control me.'

But. But, but, but.

Another Chara. One who cut their throat, one from a place like where their brother-Sans came from, one that almost killed the whole Underground. They said something like this. About a third.

'What did it tell you about me?'

[hauntedxholy]

....

So is soul sharing like, a common thing? Have they been left out of the loop this whole time?

"It didn't say anything to me. It's what it said to you." They drop the blanket back down on the bed, and collapse on top of it with an oof. "The SAVEs, the- under the ground or whatever, that was..." They motion over to the birdcage, and the soul inside it.