"I want every checkup completed before we start. Come on, move it, people, we need this done in the next hour or two!"
Gaster was getting everyone ready for the first major test of the CORE. To be able to make a portal to the Surface... this is what we have been working towards this entire time. And finally, we were making the first major step to being able to actually do that.
I wasn't going to miss this, so I was in the CORE, alongside Gaster. It was risky, with all the extra monsters around, making everything was working properly, but as long I was with Gaster, I knew I should be okay. He usually gave orders to the other workers from a higher area, over an intercom, where he could see more of the CORE's interior, so I would be harder to see.
The two of us still hadn't gotten over what happened a few weeks ago. Gaster had told me that Asgore wouldn't be joining us for the test, as he was still recovering from the incident. To me, that was great. I didn't want to see him again.
I could hear the sounds of machinery moving, and people yelling orders to each other. I knew that Gaster had made the CORE to be able to transform its internal layout, as without it, it would take days, even weeks to reroute everything should it have needed it.
Gaster turned back to me. "Are you doing okay, Chara?"
"Yeah... I... just never thought I'd see the day. Soon, we can avoid all the killing."
"Yes. ...Chara, I wanted to apologize for the human Soul. I knew she meant a lot to you, even you don't understand why. I should've come and talked to you about it first."
"...I... It's okay. I overreacted. Right now, let's focus on stopping this from happening again."
"Of course. Oh, and Chara." Gaster came up, and gave me a hug. "Happy birthday!"
I smiled, and returned the hug. It wasn't something Gaster gave out often. "Thank you!"
At that point, Lizzie walked in. "Gaster, it's time. All checks have been finished. All they need is your final say."
Gaster released me and stepped back, smiling. "Very well. Let's get started."
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
After Gaster had personally checked that every single internal part of the CORE (which took hours), he had everyone gather in a central open location of the CORE. Gaster stood on a bridge in front of all the CORE workers. I was standing right behind him, along with Lizzie, with about three of his other assistants lined up next to us.
"Today... we bear witness to the first step into a new future!" Gaster exclaimed to everyone present. "Today... we take the first step towards freedom! Towards hope! No longer shall we be trapped within this prison! Nor under the cycle of death that our king has perpetuated! To many of you, this is the first you have heard of this, so you are in for something special!"
He turned to me. "Shall we?"
I stepped forward, and called out, "Let the first test begin!"
There was loud cheering from the group, quickly followed by the shuffling of movement as they all dispersed towards to safe viewing areas, or to their important positions for those with necessary tasks in starting up the CORE.
Gaster, I, and the rest of us moved up to a private viewing platform. Shortly before we reached our position, we could hear the humming of machinery starting up, getting louder and louder as the CORE powered up for its true purpose.
As reached our perch, we could see many large mechanical arms, with large spheres on the ends, rising up from below the CORE, shifting into a position where they were pointing towards each other in an X formation.
"This is it, Chara," Gaster told me. "The first step towards freedom. ...Out of curiosity, are excited to see the Surface again?"
"Wingding... I... you know I don't like humans," I replied.
"Not humans. I mean the surface itself. I've only heard stories about the Surface, from those who passed them down generation to generation, or from those few monsters with extended lifespans that still are alive today. Your... early years were spent on the surface, correct?"
"You know they weren't pleasant years."
"Yes, but you still were around the beauty of the Surface, or so I have heard."
"That... that was so long ago. I don't remember it very well. But... I do remember the blue sky. Some days, it was clear, others there would be clouds. And at night, you could see stars against the dark sky. It's... really beautiful."
"I see... Well, Chara, I can't wait to see this."
As our conversation came to an end, the four spheres began to power on, charging up with black energy.
"It's starting," Gaster exclaimed.
Then the energy shot towards each other, fusing into a sphere of black, dark blue, and purple energy. The sphere grew as the energy poured in, until it shot a pillar of the same dark energy onto the floor below.
"It's the rift," Gaster said. "We've actually made a rift. With a little more time and some refinement, we can make this portal. The surface awaits."
I smiled with joy. I could go home. We wouldn't need another human to die. This was perfect.
...So of course, that's when everything went wrong.
Suddenly, something behind the rift-making mechanical arms shuttered. Before anyone could react, it exploded it a large burst of fire. It collided into one of the arms, causing it to collapse. Without its full stabilization, the rift began to collapse. The dark pillar sputtered out of existence, as the sphere of energy quickly changed from black to white.
Our friends on the viewing platform quickly began freaking out as this was happening. I would've too, if it weren't for Gaster and his quick thinking. He suddenly pulled me into a protective embrace, his tall frame covering my small one, his back to the sphere. While I could barely see around him, I saw numerous bones shoot out of the ground, more than I could count, and more than I think I've ever seen Gaster summon, as they created a dome-like wall, separating us from the rift as it burst into pure light, engulfing us all.
Gaster and I were pushed back, as I heard that tearing of metal, and screaming from the others that soon faded into silence.
The light faded, and we found ourselves alone on that platform. Much of the structure around the was in tattered, parts of the machinery torn up. Even the railing that was around the platform was torn off. The bone wall Gaster conjured up was now shattered into thousands of tiny pieces, which were now turning into dust as they lost their magic power.
"Where... where is everyone?" I asked, still unnerved.
Gaster looked around. "The blast from the rift... It must've... pushed them off. We... you and I... we might have been to if I hadn't acted as I did..."
I just sat there stunned. The assistants... Lizzie... they were... they were just gone? No... they couldn't have.
Another explosion tore through the CORE. Gaster got up, and tried to pull me up with him. "Something must've overloaded in the CORE. And I think it isn't over. Whether or not the rift's explosion caused it to become worse, the CORE is about to suffer a complete meltdown."
I let Gaster pull me up, and said, "then we need to go. Now!"
Gaster nodded, and the two of us ran off.
The CORE was blowing up around us. We more than once had to weave in between fallen debris and support beams. We couldn't see them, but we could hear the screams of other monsters, hopefully trying to get out. But right now, we had to focus on ourselves.
Soon, we managed to get on the last bridge leading out of the CORE. Wasting no time, we quickly started running across... unfortunately, not knowing what was about to happen.
As we ran across, something below us blew up, rocking the bridge, causing it to lean to the side. This knocked me off my feet, but it was worse for Gaster. Unprepared for the sudden shift in the ground, he fell off the side.
Reacting as fast as I could, I managed to use my blue magic to grab Gaster and levitate him over the pit under the CORE. But in trying to do this, I had slid off the edge of the bridge, and was hanging off of the side.
"Chara, are you okay?" Gaster called up. But I didn't answer...
I just stared down the pit. Knowing what would happen if I fell, my fear of heights took over. By instinct, I held onto the bar on the bridge, my knuckles white in fear. I could've pulled Gaster up to safety, but I was too scared of falling.
"Chara, it's okay. I won't let you fall. I promise," Gaster said, trying to comfort me.
"O-okay," I replied. I tried to focus, and attempted to pull Gaster up. Within the next minute, I was able to levitate Gaster high enough from him to grab onto the side of bridge, and pull himself up.
First taking a moment to find his balance on the slanted bridge, Gaster then said, "Okay, I am going to come over, and pull you up. It's going to be okay..." He made his way over a quick and safely as he could, and knelt down to grab my hand. "Come on, Chara, just raise your other hand, and grab mine."
"Okay, Wingding," I told him, and I tried lifting up my free hand. I was still terrified, too much so to do it quickly. And that... becoming victim to my own fears... is what led to my downfall.
The bar I was holding onto snapped, and quickly broke off. I quickly tried to grab Gaster's hand, but missed. I could see Gaster attempting to use his blue magic, like I did for him, but he wasn't quick enough, and I fell out of his range.
I could only stare up at him, tears in my eyes, as I fell to my demise... If only I knew... the fate I was about to suffer, was worse than death...
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Gaster watched in horror as Chara fell out of his reach. He promised her... he promised he'd keep her safe... And he failed.
Another part of the CORE burst open in flames, shaking Gaster back into reality long enough for him to make his escape out of the CORE.
Hours passed, as he and a few others made sure that the rest of the monsters got out alive.
Luckily, the CORE's structure didn't completely collapse. He would be able to repair the damages, and finish the project. This was not a huge set back in the CORE's completion. But that didn't matter to him.
Chara was lost. Along with many others. Monsters had died in the meltdown. Chara, Lizzie, and the other assistants. Many of the construction workers, who all had families. All those deaths... would weigh on him for the rest of his life.
Asgore was responsible for one death, more to come if he continued to slay any human that would fall down here. But more deaths were on Gaster's hands.
His head hung low, he thought to himself, should I tell him? Should I tell Asgore that his daughter is gone?
He turned towards the other monsters trying to recover from the CORE's meltdown. "I must go speak with the king."
The monsters who were better practiced with healing magic nodded towards him, and he made his leave.
Gaster found the king already on his way to the CORE. "Dr. Gaster! I was in my throne room, when I felt a shock wave of... something, and then there was an earthquake. I've been spending the last few hours trying to help calm down the denizens of New Home. Who knows what the rest of Underground is going through."
Gaster had been so focused on what was happening in the CORE itself, he hadn't considered how it would have affected the rest of the Underground.
"Are they alright?" Gaster asked.
"Oh, yes, thank goodness for that," Asgore replied.
"Yes, it's good to hear that. The CORE... when we began the first major test, something overloaded, and the generator suffered a meltdown."
"Oh dear, is everyone okay? Can the project be recovered?"
"Yes, I believe we can fix the damage and finish the project, but completion will be delayed for an extended period of time. Perhaps another year or two. But as for those in the CORE... I think most got out, but many are injured. And some monsters were lost."
"...Oh..." Asgore's head fell. "Can we find their dust?"
"Not likely..." Gaster felt a pain in his soul, as he knew what he had to say next. "Asgore, I'm sorry, but... Chara..."
Asgore looked up at Gaster. "Chara?"
"She... she was one of those... lost... I'm so sorry..."
Asgore's expression... was not one Gaster expected. It was a look of confusion. Then he said, "why are you apologizing to me about this? Was she someone close to you?"
Gaster was shocked by this. "My king, she... she was your daughter. Chara Dreemurr. You know that, right?"
"I..." Asgore stopped to think for a moment. "I've never had a daughter. I've only had one child, and he... committed suicide over a decade ago."
"What... I..." Gaster tried to correct him. This must have been some kind of prank. But then he realized that Asgore was truly distressed talking about his lost son again. This was not the time to berate him. "...I'd... like to find my family. They must be so worried. Can you see to the survivors?"
Asgore took a few seconds to process what Gaster said to him. "...Oh, yes, of course. They must be very worried. Go, I'll handle the rest."
Gaster nodded in response and quickly left. He made his way back down through Hotland and towards his home in Waterfall.
His father, Semi, was outside, checking around the house.
"Father," Gaster called out.
"Ah, Wingding," Semi replied, raising his head up. "There was a quake a while ago. I was just checking to make sure the house is still stable. You've been gone for the past few days. Your wife wanted to tell you something."
Gaster nodded. Of course, she was likely incredibly worried about him.
"Yes, that quake. That may have been... my fault. I'll tell you about it later," Gaster replied.
Semi seemed a little surprised by this, but nodded. "I suppose it's not easy, being the only scientist working on that CORE thing."
Gaster was taken aback by this. "Father, you know I have assistants. I've told you about them. You've even met Lizzie."
"I... don't recall this. I didn't know you had assistants."
"Father... what-" then Gaster stopped, thinking about how Asgore seemed to forget about Chara. His assistants disappeared in the rift's blast, and then Chara fell into the CORE... "I must talk to Pristina."
"Yes, she is inside, in that, ah..." Semi ends up lost in thought. "I'm not sure what that room-"
"Yes, yes, father." Gaster quickly brushed him off, and ran to find Pristina.
He found Pristina in Chara's room, staring at some old photos.
"Pristina," he called out.
She quickly turned around. "Wingding!" She cried out. Ran and pulled Gaster into a hug. "You're back! I have something to tell you!"
"...Yes, I heard, but first, Pristina, do you know who Chara is?"
"Chara... um, it sounds... familiar, but, um... no, I don't think I've met a Chara personally."
Gaster fell to his knees. Chara wasn't simply lost. She was forgotten. Somehow her memory was erased from everyone when she fell.
Except for him. He remembered.
Why? Why did this have to happen?
"Wingding? Honey?" Pristina called out, worried. "Are you alright?"
"...No, I've just lost everything. Chara, she's gone. She's lost, forgotten. I..." Gaster's voice shook on that last word.
Pristina leaned down and held his hand. "I... don't know who this Chara is, but... you haven't lost everything, right?"
"Pristina, you... don't understand?" But Gaster stopped. Could she? She didn't remember Chara. Asgore didn't. Semi probably didn't. Only Gaster did.
He looked up, and what he saw tore him up inside. It was still Chara's room. All of her stuff, her books, the Echo Flower she grew in the pot on her desk, the Rubix Cube he gave her. It was her room, unchanged, but without Chara. With no memory of her. It was like an empty echo of what was lost.
But it got worse. He caught a glance at the photos of Chara desk. He got up, and got closer to get a better view of them.
They were photos of Chara with either Gaster, her friends, or both. But Chara was no longer present in them.
"...She's truly gone. She... she..."
"Gaster... listen... I might know something that could cheer you up," Pristina spoke up.
Gaster turned to her, crest-fallen. "...Yes."
"I'm... I'm with child!"
Gaster was quiet for a short while, before managing a smile. "That's great." It was his turn to hug his wife. "That's amazing!"
They let go, and Pristina stepped back. "I can't wait. A child, Wingding. We're going to be parents!"
"Yes... Pristina, can I take some time alone. I need to think about this. Don't get me wrong, this is great! But I need-"
"Don't worry! I get it! I'll go to start dinner." She gave a little squeal of excitement and left the room.
Now alone to his thoughts, Gaster peered back at the photos. He was excited to have a child, but he could not forget what he just lost.
Now he realized that the rift they made had erased Chara from the world. And he created that. He knew there would be risks, but never thought it would lead to this.
At that moment, he decided to scrap the rift portal project. He would still finish Asgore's generator, but only under its originally planned purpose. He promised at least that much. Then, he would end this path. No longer would he follow the path of science.
Once he made this decision, he sat down in Chara's desk chair. He just lost his closest friend, his best friend, and he couldn't even give her a proper send-off. Not without her friends, who've lost their memories of her.
What would happen if he lost anyone in his life? His father Semi, his wife Pristina?
What would he do then...?
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
So that's my story. Those are the events that lead to my fall. I don't know how long it has been. Feels like forever. Trapped in this dark, endless plain.
I had a horrible life on the surface, and fell into the Underground, had to good life, until that fell apart. Then, years later, I fell into the Void.
I've lost all my friends, my family, and I don't even know what's happening in my own world. Do they even remember me?
My life is over, forever trapped in the Void...
...
...
...
...Wait...
I heard a sound, like a door opening.
I looked over to where the sound came from, only to see a bright light. It's been a long time since I've since light of any kind, so it hurt to see it, but as I vision adjusted, I could see a white rectangle, like a doorway.
Then a small figure walked through that doorway. At first, it was hard to see, but as it walked forward, I could see... a human. A young girl, maybe eight years old, how old I was when I first fell. She took a good, long look at me, and then got a surprised look on her face as she brought up her hands, and began speaking in sign language, something I hadn't seen in a long time.
She had signed...
Mommy?
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Author's Note: So, a bit of a longer chapter, but this one needed it. This is the end of the third act, and now, the next chapter will be the beginning of the end of the first book, the events leading into the second book. The end of the chapter does introduce a new character, and though I haven't described it here yet, I can tell it's someone that you would be familiar with from the game itself.
Also, I nearly forgot about Gaster and Pristina getting married. I made sure to bring it up now, but I worry it may have been too late considering what my more immediate plans are for the story.