I came up with this ending while writing 'Restitution' since downer endings are just too sad, so here you guys go~
The featured song is 'Move Forward' by EDOBY.
***
"Palette? Palette... come on, I... I didn't mean it... say something!" Goth stammered, soul hammering furiously in his chest as seconds ticked by in silence, "no... NO!"
Magic engulfed him as he poured everything he had into the unconscious skeleton. A cracking noise resounded from within Goth's rib cage, but he persisted.
I can't let Palette die! Palette... he's everything to me! I... won't...
Tears fell and the sound of a siren could be heard in the distance as Goth crumpled next to Palette's left shoulder, his energy spent and his soul crumbling.
---
Palette groaned as he sat up slowly.
Where am I? Everything's dark and shadowed, I can barely see my own hand. How did I get here? The last thing I did... stars, the fight! The grizzly bear monster!
Stumbling to his feet, Palette called out to the void, "Goth? Goth, if you're there, answer me!" staggering one way, then changing direction.
Where do I even begin?! Everything looked the same!
A noise behind him had the skeleton swiveling around to a sight that made his marrow run cold. Goth... standing before the imposing monster, arms spread wide with his soul in plain view. "Goth, run!" he shouted, scrambling toward the two.
I'm not making any progress... why can't I get closer?!
"I... I can't," Goth glanced over his shoulder, voice trembling as he met Palette's eye lights with a frightened, but nonetheless determined, expression, "I won't let you-"
He never got to finish his sentence, the bear's knife ripping through the small skeleton and the inverted heart before him with a swift and powerful strike.
"GOTH!" Palette screamed, urging himself forward as his friend's body collapsed in on itself. "No...," he whimpered as the small skeleton's body began to crumble to dust. His soul gave one final beat as it shattered into millions of pieces, "NO!"
Lights flared around Palette as he shot up, soul racing and breathing heavily. Frantically, he took in the entirely new surroundings: a pale orange hospital room.
Was I... was that a dream? No... no, it was definitely a nightmare...
"Goodness me, I heard a shout... is everything alright?"
Palette saw a middle-aged, greying human woman peek into the room. "Oh dear!" she exclaimed, bustling over, "your monitor is going wild, did something happen?" Following her gaze, he noticed a machine blipping excitedly, the tones matching his own soul.
"I... just had a bad dream, I think," he replied, receiving a relieved smile from the woman. He couldn't help but match it.
The calm moment gave way to worry once Palette realized something was missing, "Goth? Have you seen Goth?"
His soul tingled.
The woman looked stricken by the question, her gaze falling to the floor as her eyebrows furrowed. "This Goth... he was your friend?"
"Yeah, my bestest friend, we were hanging out today!" Palette chirped.
His soul felt warm.
"Did he have a red scarf?" the woman added, her expression darkening.
"Yeah, do you know where he went?" he asked, feeling pressure against his ribs.
"Oh sweetie... I'm so sorry...," she sniffled, turning to a chair... one that held a tattered, dusty scarf.
The pressure increased.
"The officer on the scene claimed he used up his magic trying to heal you. He must not have been very skilled at healing since the amount of magic he spent barely managed to close your wound..." She paused, thinking aloud, "but it might have been enough to keep you going until you reached the hospital."
Palette stared at the chair and its contents as burning tears began to sting his sockets.
Goth's... dead? ... As in... never coming back? Goth died to save me?
A whisper danced in Palette's skull.
No...
The woman pulled him into a hug, "He must have cared dearly for you... he was a good monster."
She was crying.
Palette reciprocated the hug, tears falling down his cheeks as he let out a sob, "He was the... the best friend a monster... could ever ask for!"
The pressure surrounded him.
---
Palette knelt by a grave surrounded by flowers in a cemetery. Goth's funeral had ended a half hour ago, having been held a week after his death. Everyone was on their way to the reception at his house, but the skeleton decided to stay behind a bit longer for some alone time.
Almost.
It would only be a small get together since not many people came for the wake or the funeral.
Guess Goth didn't have many friends. No matter, he never liked a big crowd.
Tear tracks streamed down Palette's face as he rearranged the flowers surrounding Goth's headstone.
"It looks nice," he murmured, his chin brushing against the red scarf draped around his neck. Reaper and Geno had agreed that Palette should have it, and the skeleton wore it proudly every day. "Reaper really knows how to pick out flowers... heh, guess that makes sense given his job," he chuckled sadly.
His soul warmed.
He placed a hand on his chest, "It's okay... after all, you're right here with me."
The wind blew as an invisible pressure enveloped his ribs, surrounding him with a faint whisper.
You are never alone.
***
Still hurts, but at least it's a bittersweet ending. In this ending, Goth really did pour everything into healing Palette, including his own soul, but he's still there in spirit.
As always, thank you for every comment and vote, since those are the best way to tell me you like my stories and want to see more~
Until next time, ciao for now~
Word Count: 862