ARC 4 - Asriel Return: Chapter 43
Frisk: I demand an explanation, and I hope for your sake that it's very convincing.
The trio, plus Milliarde, are currently gathered in Asrielās office: Asriel is still busy signing paperwork; Frisk stands with her arms crossed, looking rather angry; Chara stares at Frisk with his arms behind his back; and Milliarde stands with her arms resting in front of her and her gaze slightly lowered, as if she were bowing slightly.
Asriel: Stay calm, Frisk.
Could you please explain this to us, Chara?
Chara: You have nothing to worry about; she is no longer a threat.
She is under my command as my second-in-command.
She has lost her title of Kara, but she has regained her original surname, thus resuming her original role.
Asriel: Her original role?
Milliarde will tell the trio her story, leaving out no details. After about an hour, it seems that Asriel and Friskās expressions have softened a bit, although itās clear that neither of them trusts her yet after everything thatās happened.
Chara: Now you know the story, and why I accepted it even though we suffered so much because of it.
Asriel: If you trust her, I'll do the same, Chara, but she's still responsible for significant losses in our kingdom.
Chara: I am aware of that.
And I am also aware that, since I am now his owner, those consequences will fall on me.
Frisk stares intently at the corner of the room, a faint hint of sadness on her face, without saying a word.
Asriel: I'll let you two get married whenever that happens, but Charaā¦
A lump forms in Asrielās throat, as if he were struggling to utter such heavy words, especially to someone he considers his brother, but his role as king compels him to be stern, given that the losses have been particularly severe.
Asriel: Chara Dreemurr, I grant you permission to keep our noble surname, but after the wedding, I decree that you be banished from the Fountain forever.
Silence descends like a king over the room; the two guards present flinch slightly at the Kingās declaration.
Chara and Milliarde show no apparent reaction, while Frisk slams her enormous hand violently down on Asrielās desk, causing the entire room to shake and the desk itself to crack.
Frisk: Do you realize what you're saying, Asriel?!
Asriel: I can't just pretend nothing happened, Frisk!
I know exactly what that entails, but you also know who and what we lost during that war!
Frisk: I know that all too wellā¦ but to go so far as to ban it like thatā¦
Chara's hand rests gently on Frisk's shoulder; it's easier for him to do so now that she's leaning slightly over the desk.
His expression consists only of a slight shake of the head and a faint, barely perceptible smile.
Frisk: None of this is fairā¦
Frisk leaves the room with quick steps, a few tears streaming from her one good eye.
Asriel can only stare at the papers on the desk, unable even to look his brother in the face.
Chara: Don't give in to despair and insecurity, Asriel; you've made a king's decision, and I was already prepared for this possibility.
Asriel: I knowā¦ I know I should be stronger; one day I'll have to make decisions that are much harder than this oneā¦ but stillā¦
Chara's hand strokes Asriel's head, ruffling his fur, and then he looks at him with a smile, probably the most fake, heavy, and painful smile of his life.
Chara: Mom and Dad would be proud of you, Azzy, and so am I.
Chara takes off his golden heart-shaped locket and places it around Asriel's neck.
He looks at the photo inside one last time before closing it and gently pressing it against his brother's chest.
Chara: I don't care if these memories were planted by someone else, or whether they're true or false, you'll always be my best friend, Azzy.
Chara kisses Asriel on the forehead before teleporting to the Ruins, followed by Milliarde.
Asriel has no choice but to keep working, suppressing his sadness, all for the sake of his people.
Once back in the Ruins, Chara immediately heads to that bed of golden flowers, brushing the petals with his fingertips as he recalls the first time he fell into what was once the Underground.
Chara: Do you think I'm selfish?
Milliarde: I think you did the right thing, my lord.
Chara: In the most correct way, huh?
Tears begin to stream down Chara's face as he struggles to hold back his sobs and his sadness.
Chara: I knew it, I'm much weaker than I thought.
From that day on, the trio never met again; each focused on their own work and duties.
Niamh and Muffet helped Chara design the perfect dress for the wedding, while Alphys helped Frisk choose the wedding dress that best suited her massive figure.
The big day arrives.
From 7 A.M. to 10 A.M., there will be a funeral service to honor those who fell during the war.
The largest graves, adorned with flowers and a trident, will be dedicated to Toriel and Asgore; one shaped like a fish and strewn with spears will be dedicated to Undyne; one strewn with bones, thank-you notes, and red scarves will be dedicated to the Great Papyrus; one covered with love letters, stickers, colors, and sparkling gifts for the one and only star, Mettaton; and other smaller, dog-shaped ones representing the valiant members of the Royal Guard.
Everyone will be present throughout the ceremony, everyone except Sans.
Asriel: I don't know if I'll be able to be a king like my father, but I'll do my best to protect our kingdom!
All the monsters cheer the new King Asriel Dreemurr with resounding echoes and thunderous applause; hope in the Fountain has not yet been eradicated, on the contrary, it is stronger than ever.
Asriel: But let's put our sadness aside in honor of those we've lost; today I have three more announcements to make.
First of all, Niamh, please step forward.
The girl, now completely covered by Undyne's old armor, except for the helmet, which she holds under her left arm, approaches Asriel and bows before him.
Asriel: Although you are human, you have always fought to protect the kingdom of monsters with great courage; for this reason, I, Asriel Dreemurr, the current King of Fountain, hereby appoint you captain and commander of the royal guard!
Niamh: I am honored to receive this title, my King; I will not disappoint you.
More cheers of joy rise from the crowd of monsters as Niamh takes her place to the right of the throne, followed by Bob and all the Temmies.
Asriel: My second announcement is that today, in the Kingdom of Monsters, there will be a wedding between two people who are very important to me, to the Dreemurr family, and to the entire kingdom.
Please, come in, Frisk and Chara.
Suddenly, an organ begins to play, and as everyoneās gaze shifts to the back of the room, the doors swing open and two very familiar figures enter the throne room at a leisurely pace.
Chara, accompanied by Milliarde and Alphys, is dressed in an elegant black suit complete with a scarlet red bow tie, while the other two are both dressed in white as bridesmaids.
Frisk, accompanied by Muffet, who is also dressed as a bridesmaid, wears a beautiful, floor-length wedding gown in a deep sky blue, adorned with tiny black beads.
Both approach the throne, then bow before Asriel, who rises once more and watches them for a few moments with a happy smile on his face, a smile that also hides a certain sadness.
Asriel: Chara, do you take Frisk to be your lawful wife?
Asriel: Frisk, do you take Chara to be your lawful husband?
Asriel: I, Asriel Dreemurr, the current King of Fountain, hereby declare you husband and wife.
May the star of good fortune always be with you.
Chara&Frisk: We are honored to receive your blessing, our King.
After the royal blessing, Asriel will return to his throne while Frisk and Chara exchange gifts, two silver rings with their first and last names engraved in pure gold, both slipped onto their left ring fingers, followed by a kiss and the raucous applause of everyone present; however, the expressions on Asrielās face and those of the newlyweds seem anything but happy.
Niamh: Something wrong, Your Majesty?
Asriel lets out only a faint, weary sigh and, with a wave of his hand, orders everyone present to stop the celebrations, which they do, to the surprise of everyone there.
As Frisk looks away from him, the King stands up again and stares intently into Charaās eyes.
Chara: Remember who you are, Asriel.
Don't look back.
I'm proud of you, brother.
Asriel: I know, brother.
People of Fountain, your King has one final announcement to make, and unfortunately, it is not a happy one.
The throne room falls into complete silence; even the slightest sound or creak is now audible as Asriel searches for the strength and courage to say what he must.
Asriel: Based on what happened during the war, due to events I cannot disclose at this time and the heavy losses we suffered, Iā¦ Asriel Dreemurrā¦ I hereby officially declare that Chara Dreemurr will be banished forever from the kingdom of monsters; his title of Prince will be revoked, though he may retain the surname Dreemurr, and he will never be allowed to return home.
Today is the last day Chara Dreemurr is permitted to remain in our kingdom.
Suddenly, the silence becomes sharper than any weapon or word, and everyone turns to look at Chara and Frisk with a sad expression, at least until Bob speaks up.
Bob: I donāt know why our King made such a harsh decision, but I hope you donāt want to say goodbye to our Chara like this!
Have you all gone soft, you bunch of idiots?!
This is a fucking wedding! What would those who fell in the war say about you right now?!
Come on, letās give our bride and groom the best wedding ever!
For a few moments, the room will fall into total silence, only to erupt into shouts, applause, and various celebrations as the music fills the air with happiness once again.
Niamh glances at Bob for a moment, winking at him and whispering a soft āThank youā a gesture to which the leader of the Temmies responds with a quick tip of his military cap.
The party will go on from morning until late at night, by which time everyone will be fast asleep on the kingdomās streets, with the royal guard busy escorting everyone back to their homes.
Asriel and Frisk will also be in their beds at the palace, slightly drunk but very tired from the party.
As for Chara, he will have headed back to the heart of the Core to have a private chat with a friend, while Milliarde will have returned to the Ruins in the meantime.
Sans: Are the celebrations already over? I thought you'd keep them going for at least a couple of days.
Chara sits to his right, leaning his back against the glass like the skeleton, and offers him a cigarette, which he accepts gladly and has him light it for him.
Sans: Please forgive me for not attending the celebrations, Prince Chara.
Chara: I'm no longer Prince; because I took Milliarde under my wing, I lost my title and was banned.
Tomorrow I'll be leaving the Fountain.
For a few moments, all you'll hear is the hissing of the smoke, and nothing else.
Sans: You should spend the night with your wife instead of here with me.
Chara: I can't get drunk, but both Frisk and Azzy let themselves go a little too much and have already passed out.
Getting them both to their rooms was a real struggle, you know?
Sans: I can imagine that.
Chara: Can I ask you a question, Sans?
Sans: If you want to know about my shortcuts, I'm sorry, but I've never even told Pap about them.
A heartfelt laugh escapes Chara's lips.
Chara: No, no, that's not it.
Do you think we have free will?
Sans: An existentialist question, are you sure you're not drunk?
They both share another laugh and a smile with each other, though itās very brief, as they both quickly become serious again.
Sans: Based on what I've seen recently, my honest answer is no, but like Pap, I'm certainly not the type to give up just because of that.
Chara: I see, thank you for your answer, Sans.
Chara stands up, stubs out his cigarette in an ashtray nearby, and starts to walk away.
Sans: What are you going to do now?
Chara: Bah, who knows, I might go buy some flowers for my farewell, golden ones would be ideal.
He says this as he plays with the blonde tips of his long scarlet hair, then disappears immediately afterward, returning to the Ruins.
The air is heavy, the pain in his chest even heavier; Milliarde greets his master with a brief, elegant bow.
Chara: I never imagined I'd actually meet you in person, Kara.
I hope you're the real one this time.
Sitting on a bed of golden flowers, illuminated only by the glow of the full moon, his two empty eyes now turn to look at the now former Prince of Fountain.
A faint smile is etched on his face.
Kara: I appreciated your question to Sans.
The figure stands up, spreading its arms wide, as its ghostly form rapidly begins to fade away.
Kara: Tell me, Chara, do you believe you have free will?
They look at each other without either of them saying a word.
The figure vanishes, leaving only a red soul in its place.
Chara steps closer, clutches the soul in his right hand, and crushes it; when he opens his hand again, only dust begins to drift away in the silvery glow of the moon.
//Next chapter this saturday
