Undertale: Reason to Live

Chapter 93

"Did you ever kill me?"

"No, you always sold me food to help me keep my strength up. You always helped me. Even in the run where I almost killed everyone, you still helped me because Mettaton wouldn't allow you to leave work to flee with the others."

Burgerpants went silent as he took in all that he just heard. Frisk feared the worst.

"Burgerpants, I'm sorry," Frisk said pushing open the door. "If you hate me forever, fine, but I would still really like you to remain my friend. God has taught me that it's impossible to go on without the love of other people in your life, and I need all the help I can get to stay a good person. Whatever you think of me, I'm going to keep making things right."

Frisk walked through the door and let it swing shut behind him. He walked forward with his head held high only looking back for a second to see if Burgerpants was following him. He wasn't.

Oh, well. It didn't matter. Frisk had work to do, and an indie song his mother and he had played long ago came to his mind to do just that.

"Oh, hey, Frisk," Inferno said upon seeing Frisk walk backstage. "Where's Burgerpants?"

"We got in a fight," Frisk said simply. "I don't think he wants to play on-stage with me anymore."

"Oh, no," Inferno replied. "Do you want me to talk to him?"

"No," Frisk said. "I'm okay with performing alone."

"Alright, then. Are you ready to go on-stage?"

"Yes."

"Then, follow me."

Frisk smiled confidently as he followed Inferno back to the stage while the latter was on the phone with Mettaton.

Frisk looked out at the audience and took a deep breath.

"Alright, Frisk," Inferno said. "Mettaton said you could get yourself on-stage after he gives his introduction."

"Okay," Frisk replied as he took a step towards the stage before Inferno placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Whatever it is you're planning, I'm behind you all the way," Inferno said. "The rest of the crew is, too."

"Thanks," Frisk said before he walked to the stage to sit down at his piano.

As soon as he did, Mettaton came back on-screen.

"Welcome back, beauties and gentlebeauties!" Mettaton said from the other side of the colored-tile obstacle course. "Thank you so much for your patience! Now's the time for my lovely contestants to cross the tile puzzle! So, without any further ado, I ask you, Mr. and Mrs. Skeleton. Are you ready?!"

"Hell yeah!" Undyne replied in annoyance. "We've been ready forever!"

"Yeah," Papyrus said confidently. "I, the Great Papyrus, can do this puzzle in my sleep. Bring it!"

"Okay, but before we begin, are you sure that you don't want me to take the violin from you?" Mettaton asked. "It might get damaged in this challenge…"

"No way!" Papyrus interrupted. "My wife and I are giving this violin to Frisk! You can't have it!"

"I told you to cut the wife thing," Undyne said under her breath.

"Whatever you say, Mr. Skeleton," Mettaton said. "Now, I know you have managed the colored-tile puzzle before, so I don't need to bother explaining the rules."

"Correct," Papyrus replied briefly before he and Undyne exchanged proud smirks.

"Then, let the challenge begin!" Mettaton said to much fanfare. "For this stage's musical accompaniment, I give you my son, Frisk!"

The spotlight turned on Frisk back on the stage at the studio. It was time.

He took the microphone and said, "I'm not your son!"

"What?" Mettaton asked in surprise.

"This song is dedicated to my real family, the ones who have helped me the most," Frisk said into the microphone with a smile as he began playing the opening piano chords to one of his favorite indie ballads.

"What is this?" Mettaton asked but no sooner did he open his mouth than did Undyne purposefully hop onto a green tile with Papyrus following suit.

"Hey, pretty boy!" Undyne taunted. "It's time to fight!"

Back on stage, Frisk sang, "You heard my voice. I came out of the woods by choice. Shelter also gave their shade, but in the dark, I had no name."

From back at Toriel's house, Sans watched the performance with a smile.

Frisk continued playing piano chords and sang, "So leave that click in my head, and I will remember the words that you said. Left a clouded mind and a heavy heart, but I am sure we could see a new start…"

Mettaton continued listening to Frisk's performance, but between avoiding Undyne's spears and Papyrus' bones, there was nothing he could do to react. That little brat had planned this.

After playing a few different chords, Frisk sang, "So when your hope's on fire but you know your desire. Don't hold a glass over the flame. Don't let your heart grow cold. I will call you by name. I will share your road."

Frisk began playing his chords faster. As he did, he heard the sound of a drum accompanying him. Frisk looked over and saw Burgerpants playing on-stage next to him. He looked over to him in confusion without messing up his chords and Burgerpants responded with a smile and a wink.

"But hold me fast," Frisk sang into the microphone. "Hold me fast 'cause I'm a hopeless wanderer! And hold me fast! Hold me fast 'cause I'm a hopeless wanderer."

For the several measures of instrumental music, these two had together Frisk shed his happy tears and let himself smile before they continued.

"I wrestle on with my youth," Frisk sang as Napstablook and Alphys watched on his phone while riding with River and Calibri on the boat. "We tried so hard to live in the truth. But do not tell me all is fine! When I lose my head, I lose my spine!"

Napstablook smiled and felt his determination growing with Frisk's during the next few instrumental measures.

"So, leave that click in my head!" Frisk sang. "And I will remember the words that you said! You brought me out from the cold! Now, how I long, how I long to grow old!"

Papyrus and Undyne continued listening to the monitors while listening to Frisk play and sing. Papyrus paused a moment to smile at his little brother while unbeknownst to him his mother was watching him on her desktop computer.

"So, when your hope's on fire, but you know your desire," Frisk sang. "Don't hold a glass over the flame. Don't let your heart grow cold. I will call you by name. I will share your road."

Burgerpants followed Frisk's rhythm more closely as he played the song's final instrumental part.

"But hold me fast," Frisk sang with a dramatic pause. "Hold me fast 'cause I'm a hopeless wanderer. And hold me fast. Hold me fast 'cause I'm a hopeless wanderer! And I will learn! I will learn to love the skies I'm under. And I will learn! I will learn to love the skies I'm under! The skies I'm under!"

Frisk finished out with the song's quick and upbeat instrumental portion to the applause of a cheering crowd. But when he was done playing, he turned to smile back at Burgerpants.