Determination (Charisk) [OUTDATED]

113 - LAST GOODBYE

"Chars..." He looked deep into my eyes. "Do you think he's...?"

"I can feel it, Frisk." I knew what he meant.

"We'll be back!" I shouted as we ran quickly out the door, almost certainly leaving them bewildered.

We ran back through The Underground, passing every place we had been through on our journey. The castle, New Home, cutting through the Core to get to Hotland.

"Dammit!" Chara shouted as we passed the 'Temporarily Out of Service' sign posted where the ferry usually was.

"Chara, I'm sure he'll still be there."

"I don't know how much time we have left..." He shook it off and we kept going. We splashed through many puddles in Waterfall, trying not to make any sound around the echo flowers. We trudged through Snowdin town and forest, earning many weird looks from people, all the way until we approached the open exit to the Ruins.

"You think he's here?"

"I know it." He took a deep breath and entered. I had no idea where I was going, but Chara had this place memorized. Down to the individual puzzles. The magic of this place had made all of the stone a brilliant magenta. Contrasted with the same glowing blue water you could find in waterfall, these ancient rooms and halls were incredibly vibrant. Chara took no time to enjoy the scenery, however, and we pushed onward. Monsters which looked like frogs and small insects naturally moved out of our way as we ran.

We came upon the entrance to the Ruins, a huge door with two spiral staircases down into a large garden. Chara grabbed my hand and pulled me close to him, picking me up in a bridal-carry in the process. Before I could yell out in fear, he spring-boarded off the baluster and jumped off the balcony. We were airborne nearly 30 feet off the ground, and he never took his eyes off his goal. Effortlessly, he stuck the landing just in front of the garden. He looked down at me in his arms and smirked.

"You okay?"

"H-holy shit..." My face flushed. "You are... so hot right now." He blushed in kind, setting me down.

"L-later..." Definitely later. "Now, come on!"

We walked past the patch of dirt and grass—now heavily patted down—where we first met Flowey, and walked through the long corridor connecting the entrance of the Ruins to the entrance of the Underground. We turned the corner to see the pillar of light from the surface cut through the dusty, cave air, shining down on the last buttercups in the entire Underground. And in the center of that flower patch, we saw him.

Chara ran and tackled Asriel into a hug, crying and laughing at the same time.

     "I've- missed- you- so- much- and—" Chara started to hyperventilate.

     "Shhhhh, I thought I was supposed to be the crybaby, huh?" Chara lightly pushed his brother. "Stealing my thing? C'mon Chara, not cool."

     "I... Know..." His breathing steadied as they started to laugh again.

     "I... Didn't think you'd come."

     "Asriel. I will always be here for you."

     "I know, and that's what scares me." Asriel stood up, barely managing to help Chara up in the process. He was physically weakened.

     "Why are you here all alone? Mom and Dad are finally in the same room, now would be—"

     "Come on, Chars. You know someone has to take care of the flowers." Asriel picked up a nearby watering can, presumably miss Toriel's, and filled it in the small stream that ran along the edge of the room. He tried to carry it, but his arms trembled so hard that water splashed out of the can. Chara gently took the can from him, holding it with complete ease.