Guess I'm Stuck With You Now

Explain Yourself

"That… sounds like it hurts…"

"It did. A lot…"

Kris took a few seconds to think about the Player's words.

"So, what I'm understanding here is that you were just playing a game, and then suddenly lots of pain… and then you were here?"

"Yeah, and I'm red , and phase through everything like a ghost." They stuck their hand through the cage, going through the bars and wagon as if it weren't there. They swung their arm through it aggressively. Still no physical contact.

"You must be made of the same stuff as the soul right now." They put their hand on the Player's shoulder, to which they flinched at a bit. "... but, I can touch you just fine."

After removing their hand from the Player's shoulder, they took another moment to think, putting their hand over their chin. "There must be someone else behind this, pulling the strings and getting us both involved… someone or some thing making a connection between our universes…"

"... Kris…"

"... yes?"

"Do you still think that I am a bad person…?"

The Player frowned. Something weighed down on their mind.

"Well, I don't know you very well. But, since you were involved in this unknowingly, I can't make the judgement that you are a bad person because of it."

The Player pondered over this. It was both a relief and a huge problem that made their stomach sink, leaning more on the latter. They wondered if they should tell Kris. It would only be fair, wouldn't it? They can't just hide away the truth to make them look like a better person… However, Kris would surely hate them if they knew.

They stood up, legs a bit wobbly.

"What are you doing?" Kris stood up as well in reflex and eyed them.

'They already mistrust me enough…" they thought. "I need to get out of this corner, please…" They held their arms close to their body.

Kris grabbed their sleeve and pulled them over to the center of the room. The player stepped back a little.

"I… think you should know something about me."

Kris raised an eyebrow.

"You're… probably not gonna like it…"

"Okay… what is it?" Kris crossed their arms.

The Player already told them they wanted to tell them something,  but was still hesitant. They couldn't go back now. They took a deep breath, their heart pounding.

"So… you know how most games… have multiple saves? And how you can delete them and make new ones, and replay the game…"

Kris narrowed their eyes. The player shifted uncomfortably, fiddling with their thumbs.

"I've played Deltarune several times, and… I've seen you rip out your soul several times, and throw it into the cage…"

Kris glared at them. "So you're saying that you've always known you've been controlling me, and that I hate being controlled? Yet you did it over and over again..?" 

They frowned. "Yeah…"

Kris groaned, exasperated. "Then you really are the horrible scum I first thought you were. Was all that crying and apologizing an act? I actually believed you felt guilty."

"I- it wasn't, actually… I have always felt bad…" They felt a pang of guilt at their every word, shedding away their self worth.

"Then why would you keep doing it!?" They yelled.

The Player couldn't look them in the eye. Their gaze was intense, full of hatred. "B- because, to me, it was always just a game! And… It made me happy… I never thought it could actually be real , and I know it's no excuse! But that's the truth! And I'm sorry!"

Kris had to take a second to breathe and hold back their persistent urge to grab them and yell at them.

"You need to leave. Right now."

The Player shrunk.

"If you're so sorry, then you will promise me three things. Look at me."

The Player looked up at them. Their instinct was to avoid their eyes, however they made themself remain in eye contact. They didn't want to find out what might happen if they didn't. They never thought they would ever be in a position of the receiving end of hatred and animosity this intense, especially from Kris .

"You will never open the game again. You will never play the game again. And you will never control me again. Promise."

Their voice was barely above a whisper. "I promise, I won't open or play the game again… or control you…"

"Good. Now, you need to leave."

"... I, uh… don't know how…?"

Kris paused in thought, closing their eyes for a second.

"If you came here when I took out my soul, then I just need to put it back in… If that works, after that you will go home and close the game, and never open it again."

Kris grabbed their soul. The Player flinched under the feeling of pressure on their entire being. Kris pulled it over, the Player moved with it, growing more anxious than they were before. They tensed up.

N

either of them said a word or looked at each other as Kris shoved the red heart back into their chest, the Player fading away and disappearing with it in dispersing strings of red light.