The group soon continues onto the great board. When they got there, they noticed both the glowing floor, and a sign; which Kris walked over to, and read. When he was done, he turned back to Ralsei. "What did it say, Kris?" The fluffy goat boy asked. '"When you step into the light, you'll return to where you were before."' Kris replied, signing as usual.
"So, what the hell do we do then?" Susie asked. 'We watch the pattern on the floor, and differentiate between the lanes.' Kris answered. The three of them crossed the puzzle easily, the girls flying behind them. Due to the darkness in the air, the older of the two sisters didn't have to worry about being seen as much. Chara, on the other hand... Due to her bright outfit, she contrasted the darkness heavily, as if a drop of blood on a white carpet.
When they got to the other side, they encountered some Ponmen. Which quickly attacked them. Kris and Ralsei immediately warned the enemies about Susie, who promptly misses the attacking afterwards. The Ponmen then "thank" Kris and Ralsei by attacking them. "Wow, ungrateful much...? Ralsei and Kris warned them, and this is how they're repaid..." Chara commented. Fortunately, the attacks missed.
Kris then told the first Ponman goodnight, sending them to sleep. Ralsei then promptly spared them, as Susie tried to attack the remaining Ponman, but misses. Afterwards, said enemy attempts to return the favor to Kris, but misses as well.
Ralsei then sings the enemy a soft lullaby, sending the Ponman to sleep. Vixen had a small smile on her face when she recognized the melody. Chara noticed, and looked at her questionably. "What are you smiling for?" She asked. Vixen looked back at her, still smiling. "You mean I haven't told you? Ralsei and I both liked singing that song..." She replied. Chara made an "Ohh" noise, and continued watching the battle.
When it was their turn again, Kris spared the remaining Ponman, thus ending the battle. Afterwards, the group traverses over yet another glowing floor puzzle. When they got to the end, they noticed Lancer there, who seemed to be waiting for them. His back was facing them, but he still knew they were there...
"Hahaha... So you've begun to cross the great board..." Lancer commented. Chara was taken aback by the sudden change in attitude. "W-What the hell...? Is... Is this the same Lancer?" She questioned herself, quietly. "The halfway point to our castle. Hmm... Impressive." Lancer states calmly, seeming really unnatural to Chara. Why was he so calm all of a sudden, she wondered. "So, it's a shame..." He paused, turning around to face the team.
"You won't make it a step further! 'Cause my GUYS are about to smash you into blood!" He finished. "What the fuck?! No, seriously, is this real?" Chara whisper-shouted. "Well, apparently, yeah. 'Cause I hear it too..." Vixen replied. "Oh, ya think?" Chara responded, sarcastically. "Lots of blood! Splooshing blood! Very gross and bad!" He added, laughing afterwards, before taking out a bucket. The bucket was blue, with a black spade on the front.
"...What..?" Chara whispered. "Hey, purple girl, was that scarier?" Lancer asked. "Why are you asking ME!?" Susie yelled, in sheer shock. Which she disguised with anger. "Because you're really cool at being terrifying! I wanna be as scary as you!" Lancer replied. Chara sighed in relief, putting a hand to her chest. "Oh, thank god... I thought I was going crazy..." She whispered.
Susie glanced away for a moment, before approaching Lancer. "What is she..." "Doing...?" The sisters questioned, one finishing the other's sentence. Susie looked away again, trying to hide any slight embarrassment she may have. "You... Want to be like ME?" She asked. "Yeah!!!" Lancer replied, enthusiastically.
Susie looked away YET again, before looking back at Lancer. "Well, that's stupid." She commented. It was silent for a moment before she spoke again.
"...But, umm, the new laugh isn't as awful. And saying you'd turn us into blood is, uh, cool." She commented.
"...What the hell is up with the bucket, though?" She asked, looking down at the bucket. "FINALLY, someone asked!" Chara whisper-yelled.
"It's to put the blood in." Lancer casually replied. "Oh." Susie simply stated. "Well OK then..." Chara remarked. "Well I mean, ya DID ask..." Vixen said, looking at her younger sister. "Yeah, yeah..." Said sister replied. "Yeah, I'm not, uh, supposed to make a mess." Lancer informed, glancing away for a second. 'Must be his dad's rules.' Vixen thought.
"Anyway, thanks for your feedback! I'm really feeling scary!" Lancer beamed happily. "...Ummm, no problem, I guess. Haha." Susie replied, kinda awkwardly before looking around. "...So are your guys gonna attack us, or...?" Susie trailed off. "...Oh! Yeah!" Lancer seemed to remember something. "...I was so excited, I forgot to bring any guys. But NEXT TIME, it'll be the end for--..." He trailed off.
"...Why do I get the feeling he's gonna ask something pointless?" Chara wondered aloud. "How can you tell that, exactly?" Vixen asked her. "Well, after you hanging out with Sans and Papyrus all the time, I started getting used to Papyrus's silly questions. So much so, that by this point, I can basically TELL when someone's gonna ask something like that. Even if it's not directed at you or me... Difference is, Lancer's questions just make me... Ugggh! You know?" Chara explained. Vixen simply nodded in slight understanding.
"Hey, I've just been calling you guys clowns..." Lancer commented. "Does your team have an official name or something?" He asked. Ralsei seemed to light up at the idea. "Oh, Kris, we should come up with a name!" He suggested, happily. "No, we shouldn't." Susie argued, clearly against the idea.
"Then it's decided! Everyone puts a name in the bucket!" Lancer states, clearly ignoring Susie's remark.
Once everyone had put in their entries, Lancer spoke up again.
"Alright, everyone's put in their entries! Blue person, you can choose. Since you look like you don't care." He said, looking at Kris.
Kris reaches into the bucket, and pulls out a neatly folded piece of paper and handing it to Lancer. "...How much do you wanna bet that that one's Ralsei's?" Chara remarked. "It wouldn't surprise me if it was, honestly." Vixen replied. Lancer then read the paper. ""The Legendary Heroes: The Herald of Fun and Friendship"." He read out loud.
"Yeah, that's definitely Ralsei's..." Chara commented. "Oh, oh! That's mine!" Ralsei exclaimed, proving the light demon's point even more. "Welp, you called it." Vixen simply said. "See, I think it's the perfect name... Because we're all friends: That like to have a lot of fun." Ralsei explained. Chara covered her forehead, somewhat facepalming. "My god, Ralsei, how are you so pure?" She asked. "Chara, I have asked myself that many times, and I still have zero idea.." Vixen remarked.
"Let's change it to something SHORT! INTIMIDATING! Something PUNCHY! Something BADASS!" Susie cut in. "Like what?" Ralsei questioned. Susie struggled to come up with an answer.
"Well, uh... Y'know, for starters... How about just, uh... "The fun gang". Ya know, just, uh, concentrating on the "fun" part." She finally said. "It's perfect!!! Well, see ya, Fun Gang!" Lancer cheered, before running off laughing.
After that, the now named "Fun Gang" continued onward, passing through another glowing-floor puzzle. It wasn't long before they reencountered Lancer yet again. "Hohoho... Well STEP on my boots." The aforementioned boy said as he noticed them. "...Well. That's different. Again, sounds like Papyrus." Chara commented. "If it isn't the Fun Gang. You boys or girls had better turn back while you still can." Lancer claimed.
"Lancer! What is it this time!?" Ralsei questioned. "Hohoho... I'm simply warning you...!" Lancer stated, before taking a step forward. "Something EXTREMELY dangerous is lying ahead!" He added, taking another step. "Hohoho! It's actually really inconvenient!"
Another step.
"Ha! I can't go home at all because I'm so scared!" Lancer exclaimed. Everyone seemed unsure what to think. "Um... OK..? That's... Somewhat concerning..." Chara commented.
"Wh... What is it!?" Susie questioned, before her and her comrades approached. Behind Lancer was the same sentient checker piece from earlier, it just seemed happy to be here.
"Aww, its so cute!" Vixen quietly squeal, smiling. "Oh... That thing again... OK then." Chara remarked.
"Oh, hey, little guy..." Ralsei called to it, gently. "Well, I can definitely see why you two are friends, based on THOSE reactions to that... Thing." Chara remarked, pointing at the little thing.
"THAT??? THAT'S what you're afraid of???" Susie questioned Lancer in disbelief, gesturing at the small bean that is the living checked piece. "W... Wow, purple girl! You aren't scared!?" Lancer asked, amazed by what he saw as Susie's bravery. "Heh, why would I be? What's it gonna do?" Said Dino girl asked, confidently. "Hmm, well, normally..." Lancer trailed off, trying to remember.
The little checker piece cheerily strolled on over to the last row, and standing directly on the red tile in the center. The row it's on starts to glow, and a crown falls onto it's head. "...Um..." Chara trailed off, before it grew bigger in size. "Oh. Well, that isn't too ba-" She was immediately cut off when the checker piece grew even bigger, muscular legs. "Oh... Well then. That's apparently a thing now." Chara commented.
"It crushes people to death, I think." Lancer finally says.
When the now giant checker piece attacks, Kris, unsure of what to do, just defends. Ralsei did the same, while Susie just attacked. She did hit it, but it didn't seem to care. When it was the weird being's turn to attack, it somehow landed a few hits on each team member. "Ah, shit, no!" Vixen said, panicking slightly.
As the battle continued, the sisters tried to find a way to help. "W-What should we do?! We can't just let it crush them!" Vixen exclaimed to Chara. "I... I don't know, but maybe we can-" The younger sister paused as she looked at the crown on the thing's head. The young girl then gasped. "Sis! The crown! If we get it off, we can save them!" She explained, frantically.
"O-OK. But how do we make sure it doesn't attack us?" Vixen asked. "Leave that to me! When you're ready, just give the signal, and I'll distract it, allowing you to get the crown off it's head!" Chara assured, smiling. Vixen agreed to the plan, coming up with a signal.
Meanwhile, back with Kris, Ralsei, and Susie, things were looking rather bleak. Just when it started looking hopeless, that's when they heard it.
"Angel of darkness,
Angel of darkness,
The world is in your hand.
But I will fight until the end!
Angel of darkness,
Angel of darkness,
Don't follow your command!
But I will fight, and I will stand!"
They all heard a voice sing. It sounded familiar to Ralsei, but not to the others. Just before anyone could question anything, they saw a white-cloaked figure zooming by with demon wings. "Hey, checker face! Over here!" She yelled, getting the checked piece's attention. "Yeah, that's right! I'm talking to you! Come and get me, buddy!" She taunted, flying in circles around it.
"W... Who is..." Susie trailed off. 'Ralsei, is this the Demon of Light you were talking about?' Kris asked.
"Y-Yeah... Its her, but... Where's the angel...?" Ralsei replied, muttering the last part. Just then, the darker of the two sisters flew by, surprising everyone. Susie jolted up from seeing her. "That's her! I recognize her cloak!" She yelled, pointing at her.
The Angel of Darkness swooped over the checker piece, and kicked off it's crown, causing it to shrink down to it's original size. Defeated, the little guy rolled away. The two sisters flew to the ground, landing for the first time in what felt like forever. "Are you all OK?" The darker one asked.
"Y... Yeah! Thank you both for your help!" Ralsei replied. "A-Are you two..." He trailed off.
"The Angel of Darkness, and the Demon of Light? Yep." The lighter one answered for him. The darker one smiled, holding her hand out to Ralsei. Her younger sister was helping the others. "Its great to see you again, Ralsei!" The dark one happily stated. Ralsei was surprised. 'Sh... She knows my name? How?" He thought. "Y... You know who I am?" He asked her.
The angel looked surprised for a moment, before her face lit up with realization. "Ohh, you probably don't recognize me, huh? Sorry about that... Here, let us just..." She paused, pulling her hood down to reveal red hair, white horns, and amber eyes. Her younger sister did the same thing, except she instead had brown hair, black horns, and red eyes.
The group stared in surprise at the two girls, but Ralsei's attention was especially drawn to the red haired one. "I... Is that...?" He mumbled. The girl smiled. "Yes, Ralsei. It's me, Vixen."
"I'm glad to finally see you again, old friend!" She added.
(AND THEY HAVE FINALLY CROSSED PAAAATHS! Now, if you're curious about how Ralsei and Vixen know each other, I'll explain that in the next chapter.
Also, one last thing. This is Vixen and Chara look like WITHOUT the hoods.
Here's Vixen. Not gonna lie, when drawing this design, I thought of Alice Angel.
And here's Chara. I kinda changed her shirt color to go with the whole, "demon of light" aesthetic. I think this really ties it together.
Welp, see ya next time!