Note: This is a self indulgent "superboss" chapter that's written mainly for fun. It's not relevant to the rest of the story and may be skipped at your discretion. If you read it trigger warning for: Mention of death of an infant, mention of suicide, portrayal of D.I.D., graphic violence, mention of poisoning an infant.

As the family approached the palace, everything seemed to stop, a moment in time frozen. A voice spoke from all directions, whispering to Odile, "Seeker of the power to defy death. I can assist you. I only ask you to grant me... an indulgence."

"Hey what's going on?" Isabeau demanded.

"Is this the King's power?" Mirabelle inquired.

"No if it was, we would be frozen too," Aster replied, picking Bonnie up and onto their shoulders in an attempt to protect them, wondering if the frozen world was dangerous to touch.

"You guys don't hear it?" Odile inquired.

"Hear what?" Bonnie inquired.

"The voice promising to revive Siffrin," Odile replied. "That's just me?"

"I can speak to the rest if you wish," everyone heard him answer. "I will return him to you. I only ask your assistance in an experiment. I have employed a trio of travelers for my research. I merely wish for you to speak to them. Engage them in battle if needed. I am curious of the power of one them. His... DETERMINATION levels imply a great power, while he seems so eager to give up at the same time."

"Are you asking us to hurt somebody?" Isabeau demanded.

"We don't have to do that we still have Vel," Mirabelle reminded.

"Yeah I'm..." Odile added. "Not comfortable hurting some innocent bystander. Not if we still have options."

"Wait," Aster interjected. They knew Vel would not cooperate, and saw a chance to avoid that. They would still have to save Vel from himself but that left the matter of Siffrin unresolved. They could handle the two matters separately.

"I am merely asking you to defend yourself should he prove aggressive," Gaster assured. "I strongly prefer you do not take his life. He is not a very... stable individual."

"...if you guys are OK with this..." Odile offered.

"We don't even know his name!" Isabeau protested.

"You may refer to me as W.D. Gaster," the voice replied. "I assure you I will honor our bargain."

"...we should take it." Aster declared.

Odile turned to Mirabelle who shrugged. "It's a new experience? At least? That's an interesting change."

Isabeau added, "I don't know. I trust you. Your call."

"If we can see Siffrin again we take it," Bonnie declared. "I miss my sibling."

Odile took a deep breath. In and out.

"OK..." Odile declared. "We're in."

The world collapsed into a single point, leaving only a horrid black void. Four figures stood across from the family.

"Gaster those are children," Odile declared.

There were four kids before the family. The first a non binary child with a cowboy hat and a revolver. They seemed confident and firm. They had resolve in their eyes. They turned to the middle one, in both age and height. This boy wore a torn black jacket under a red cloak, and held a sharp blade in his hands. There was dried blood on the jacket. He appeared shaken, with a scar under his eye. He looked to the eldest. Who appeared to be both beast and man. The eldest held her little sister in one arm and a bat in the other.

"Hey wait no," The eldest declared.

"Gaster we're not fucking doing this!" The middle cried out. "They have a kid with them!"

"Isn't don't harm kids the whole point bro?" The cowboy asked.

"Yes it is Clover," the middle replied.

The middle seemed to freeze and looked into the darkness. He started muttering, "We don't know... we don't know..."

"Hey Richard," the monster snapped in his face. "Don't listen to him OK?"

"We don't know they're pure," Richard replied.

"We could just..." Clover suggested. "Ask?"

"I thought Purity was a meanie!" The youngest added.

"Noel it's not that simple," The eldest explained. "Richard... sees things."

"Hey hey easy," Odile stepped forward. She became worried after hearing that. "We're not gonna hurt you OK?"

"Are you pure?" Richard demanded.

"Pure?" Isabeau demanded.

Richard began to hyperventilate. He started shaking and stood between them and the other two. "Stay back! Stay the fuck back! You won't take them away from me!"

"Easy easy!" Mirabelle tried to reassure him. "No one is going to hurt you OK?"

Richard spun around. He covered his ears. "Where is she? Riley! Riley!"

"Dess do something!" Clover cried to the eldest.

Dess backhanded Richard, "Richard snap out of it! Riley's dead! We're gonna bring her back but she isn't here right now!"

"OK," Richard took a deep breath. In and out. "Ok... sorry. I just..."

"Hey easy no one here wants to hurt any of you," Aster assured. "We were just supposed to ask about DETERMINATION and this Gaster guy would revive someone for us."

"You're cheating death as well?" Clover inquired. "I mean I can confirm he's good for it. He revived me after all."

"Good good," Odile smiled to disarm the unstable boy. "Is he... OK?"

"It's been... a difficult evening." Dess explained.

"Mom tried to kill him!" Noel added.

Mirabelle covered her mouth in horror. "What?"

"Yeah," Clover added. "Look. Forget allat. We just wanna know if you're dangerous or not y'all."

"Well what's pure mean?" Isabeau inquired. He had noticed the use of the phrase. It seemed to hold a lot of weight to Richard.

Richard's brown eyes went dull. His nervous expression became stoic and his posture straightened. He coldly declared, "Any who do drugs or harm a child are impure. The world must be purified."

Everyone looked at each other before Odile declared. "Yeah no we're not impure then. None of us would harm Bonnie."

"Just cause you don't consider it harm doesn't mean it's not impure," the boy continued.

"Hey is he fronting again?" Dess demanded.

"Purity can you please leave," Clover groaned.

Odile realized what was happening. D.I.D. Otherwise known as dissociative identity disorder. Purity was an alter, a split off part of Richard's psyche caused by severe trauma. Likely related to this "pure" business.

Purity demanded. "Have any of you provided intoxicants to the child?"

"What no," Odile declared.

"Siffrin let me try vodka once," Bonnie declared.

Shock overtook the family. This of course wasn't actually true. That was a prank Siffrin pulled with water nothing more, but none of them knew that.

Clover gripped their gun tightly. "How did ya say Riley died partner?"

"In my arms," Purity declared.

"Of what partner?" Clover demanded.

"Alcohol poisoning," Purity replied.

"Hey hold on!" Odile tried to defuse things. "We can explain! Just-"

"I watched her go blue in the face," Richard began fronting again. "I heard her speak her last words. Her first words. Her only words. I loved her. She was a baby! She was my baby sister! Riley! Riley!"

Richard began foaming at the mouth. Clover spun the barrel of their revolver to ensure it was loaded. They glared, "Now I don't like to resort to violence but... I'm afraid a crime like this can't go unpunished."

"Dess you're the eldest say something!" Odile pleaded.

Dess glared and set Noel down. "Go back ten paces. Look away. Cover your ears."

"But Dess-" Noel protested.

"Do as I say!" Dess demanded.

Noel complied, turning her back and covering her ears.

"You don't wanna do this," Isabeau pleaded cracking his knuckles.

"Wait I know what Bonnie is talking about! It's not what you think!" Aster realized. "We're not impure! It was just wa-"

"You TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME!" Richard screamed.

There was no longer any point in talking. Richard lunged for Odile, stabbing her in the chest. She coughed up blood. She countered by raising a closed fist in Richard's face. A blast of Rockcraft struck Richard hard, causing a nosebleed. Richard was sent flying back.

"I got you!" Mirabelle assured, her palms glowing with healing Craft.

Odile pulled the blade out as the wound sealed itself.

"They have a healer!" Dess declared.

"Just give me an opening!" Clover declared. "I only need one good shot!"

Richard spat blood, disarmed and sneering. "Gladly." He ran almost on all fours, like a rabid dog. He leapt for Mirabelle before she could even process it. Isabeau knocked Richard out of the air with a shoulder bash. Richard fell face down on the black void.

"Why does the blood look like when Zick drew blood?" Mirabelle demanded.

"Nevermind that they're covered in all sorts of weird shades!" Bonnie pointed out.

"You're the weird ones you monochromatic assholes!" Dess retorted.

Richard vomited pure bile as she struggled to force himself back to his feet, before falling back into his own vomit and blood. "Give her back." He growled. "Give her back to me!"

"Richard needs help!" Clover cried.

"We gotta take out the healer first!" Dess retorted. "We're already outmanned! Cover me!"

Dess lunged forward. Isabeau made two fists and slammed them together, creating a shockwave of Craft energy on the ground. Dess leapt over it, swinging overhead and striking Isabeau in the shoulder. He cried out in pain and lost his balance. Bonnie tried to step in only for Odile to declare, "No! You stay out of this!"

"But-" Bonnie protested.

"Go sit with Noel or something! You are not getting involved in this starstorm!" Aster added.

Aster charged to intercept Dess. Bonnie had no choice but to comply. They walked over to Noel, who was shaking and covering her ears. "This sucks." Bonnie declared. They noticed Noel was starting to cry. Unsure what else to do, they offered, "Cookie?"

Noel hesitantly accepted the cookie. She nibbles it as the battle continued to unfold. Bonnie could tell Noel was deeply disturbed by whatever she had recently been through. Bonnie sat facing away from the battle. "Been a rough day?"

Noel nodded.

Bonnie let out a sigh. "I feel that. Been one hell of a crabbing week."

"Oh I love crab!" Noel exclaimed. "They're so crunchy!"

"Noooooo..." Bonnie groaned.

"What's wrong with crab?" Noel inquired.

"It's a religion thing," Bonnie explained.

"Like the Angel?" Noel inquired.

"Something like that..." Bonnie replied.

Dess lunged for Mirabelle, ducking under an attack from Odile, a slicing wave of Scissors Three and blocking a slice from Aster with her bat. She parried the attack with the hunk of metal, bracing herself against the bat. She pushed Aster back with all her might.

"Clover now!" Dess ordered.

Clover let out a slow exhale as time seemed to freeze. They steadied their aim on Mirabelle, taking a PRECISE SHOT right for her lower gut. A disabling blow that would be non lethal. The bullet drew blood, before lighting her flesh ablaze. Mirabelle cried out in pain and collapsesd, the fire quickly dissipating.

Mirabelle has fallen.

"Mirabelle!" Isabeau called rushing to her aid.

This was the opening the kids had been waiting for. "Cover me!" Dess called. Clover nodded. Aster saw what her plan was and leapt to intercept her. They raised their hands preparing to Craft, but a sharp pain in their palm caused them to flinch. Black blood oozed from the bullet hole. Odile tossed her book in the air and clapped twice, preparing Paper a V...

"I'm out!" Clover exclaimed trying to reload their gun.

"It's fine I made it!" Dess assured as she pulled Richard to his feet. She forced him to GET UP. "Come on! Get up Richard! You can't die here! We gotta get you home to Lily and George right?"

Richard spat blood and nodded.

Now without cover fire, Dess was open. She screamed as she felt a sharp pain in her back. Aster removed their dagger as Dess fell to her knees. "Dess!" Richard cried.

She clung to him and assured, "I'll be OK. I'm just... tired..."

Dess has fallen.

Richard screamed and glared at Aster. He frothed at the mouth like a rabid beast. "Filth!" He screamed.

Isabeau checked on Mirabelle in the chaos. She was alive but unconscious. He lowered her down gently. "She's OK! Come on we can take them!"

Aster staggered back as Richard growled and snarled. They saw death in his eyes. In a panic Aster...

Just attacked.

Richard evaded the flurry of blows with ease, like water carving through rock each slice breezes past them.

"Would you kill for your goals?" Richard demanded as he closed the distance. Aster threw a punch into the air, striking with Rock Craft that Richard ducked under.

"Would you die for them?" He demanded.

He got Aster in a grapple. "Aster!" Isabeau cried as he rushed over.

"I would do one of those," Richard sneered. His grip was strong. Impossibly so for a boy his age. The vines on his head pulsates unnaturally. "Wanna find out which?"

Richard BRUTALIZED Aster with a harsh pile driver that left them unconscious on the ground.

Aster has fallen.

Isabeau charged for Clover. Richard snarled and leapt after him. "Isabeau look out!" Odile cried. Clover fired off a round that grazed Isabeau's face as the fighter raised his fist into the air, striking with Rock Craft that crushed Clover under a massive sphere of energy.

Clover has fallen.

Richard seized the opening, drop kicking Isabeau in the back. He cried out in pain and fell to his knees. He turned to face Richard who swung with a roundhouse kick to the face that took him out.

Only Richard and Odile remained.

Richard turned and glared at Odile's growling and sizing her up like a hound would its prey.

"I remember the rain," he snarled.

"What?" Odile demanded, confused. She stood her ground, her tome held tight, and her open palm ready to craft at the drop of a hat.

"I remember the smell of the rain," Richard repeated. His posture straightened. His eyes went dull.

Richard was no longer fronting.

"I remember the smell of our own blood," Purity continued. "I remember that man. That ogre of a man. He offered to employ me. I refused. I had to purify him."

Purity stuck out his left arm, as if awaiting something. "I remember him beating him. I remember... feeling I was dying. I remember she never came to save me. Flowey! I know you're here, you piece of shit! If we were ever friends, answer my call!"

There was a moment of tense silence, but nothing happened. Odile inquired uneasily, "...Is Flowey another alter or..."

"Flowey you fucker!" Purity screamed.

A mocking laugh echoed in the void as vines wrapped around Purity's arm. "Aw but it was fun to watch you squirm." Flowey mocked and grinned. "I'm not taking hits for you."

"I don't need you too," Purity sneered.

Flowey looked over the carnage, inquiring, "You sure you don't just wanna hand over your soul? I can kill Asgore. I can protect Clover."

"You're going to help me finish the job," Purity growled. "Lest you want her "stealing your prey"."

Flowey sighed, "You know me to well don't you? Fine. I'll lend a hand, but I want your soul."

"And Lily wants a new bouquet," Purity retorted.

"Tch," Flowey growled. The flower sneered, "Well at least you're more fun than the other one. Let's dance!"

Odile examined her situation. It was two against one. A living flower and a mentally unstable and dangerous child against herself. She looked over to Bonnie and Noel. The two had gotten caught up in some sort of game and were no longer paying attention. She sighed with relief. That at least meant they wouldn't see it as things got ugly.

Odile took a deep breath. In and out.

She raised two fingers, sending out a wave of energy, Scissors Three. A massive gash appeared across Purity's chest.

She couldn't hold back for his sake any longer. She had to defend herself.

Purity clutched his wound and fell to his knees.

"That easily?" Flowey demanded.

Purity has fallen.

"Now are we done here?" Odile demanded. "If you'll just surrender already-"

But it refused.

"Yeah there's the stubborn fucker I know!" Flowey exclaimed with a sneer. "Let's quit fucking around!"

"Let's," Purity sneered. "I will hold her in my arms again if it kills me."

Purity lunges forward at Odile, tooth and claw at the ready. Odile sidestepped the attack, creating a fist and firing off Rock Craft. The blast of energy sent Purity staggering back. Flowey conjured HEALING PELLETS that sealed his wounds. "Come on! You're not dying to her!"

Purity wiped the blood from his mouth and lunged. Odile was ready for tooth or claw, but not for what they had planned. She opened her palm and fired a small beam of energy, Paper Craft. Flowey fired off projectiles of his own, little white pellets of magical energy sliced into her skin, drawing blood.

"Hey she's strong do you have a plan?" Flowey demanded. "She hardly flinched!"

Purity ducked low, grabbing something off the ground. "Flowey now! I have it!"

Flowey nodded, a vine shot from the ground at Odile from behind. She leapt out of the way but this PIERCING VINE was never meant to deal the killing blow. No, it was only a distraction. Purity impaled Odile with Mirabelle's blade. Odile coughed up blood as Purity sneered. "Gotcha."

"Not well enough," Odile growled. She tossed her book in the air and clapped twice.

"Purity look out!" Flowey cried.

But it was too late. Odile cast Paper a V point blank on the boy. He was sent flying back, across the empty void. He struggled back to his feet, but could not rise past his knees...

Purity has fallen.

You breath in. And out. Gained 0 EXP!

"Everyone OK?" Odile called out. She helped Isabeau to his feet as Mirabelle tended to Aster's wounds.

"We're fine," Mirabelle gasped out collecting herself. "Change. What do they feed these kids?"

"Trauma," Flowey mocked.

"Oh great now the talking flower is gonna hassle us!" Aster groaned, drawing their dagger.

"Nah," Flowey assured. "I'm just using the kid. If he's lost do whatcha want just don't kill him. I need him alive. I don't really give a shit. But yeah this kid... he mentioned before he had a baby sister who died in his arms of alcohol poisoning. She was poisoned by someone. I don't know who. I do know whoever it was beat him into submission when he tried to stop them. Guess something in the poor kid just... broke."

"That's horrible," Aster lowered their dagger. "Is that why he attacked us? I know what Bonnie was talking about! I did the same thing with my Bonnie! It was just a joke! It was just boiled water!"

"Yeah it was vodka used to kill her," Flowey chuckled. "You all really hit a nerve. Still... he's stronger than I thought. Maybe he can finish the journey after all..."

"What makes you think he can't?" Isabeau inquired. "They're just kids and they almost kicked us like crab shells!"

"Well..." Flowey became hesitant. "I think... the biggest danger to Richard is himself at this point."

"Woah hey hey," Aster replied. "You don't mean-"

"I know what I said," Flowey sighed. There was a tense silence. Flowey forced a smile. "Aw don't you worry! I'm watching over them! Need his soul after all! Just... don't tell the other three I was here OK?"

"Wait," Mirabelle demanded. "Who's Lily? Who's George?"

"Oh just some people he knew," Flowey exclaimed. "George's uncle was a child beater so Richard purified him. Apparently bit a chunk of his shoulder! Lily... was kinda his partner? Not like siblings in arms like him and Clover. Richard and Lily were romantic partners. Kinda. Two broken kids clinging to each other cause they had no one else. She treated him more like an attack dog than a partner though. Lied to him. His stuff from him. Apparently the guy who tried to kill Richard has some connection to Lily? I don't have a clue what to be honest." Flowey winked. "But I'll watch over my best friend here, so none of you worry about that."

Flowey hid underground. Noel turned around, seeing Dess face down in the void and rushed over to her. "Dess!"

"I'm fine," Dess assured, forcing herself to her feet, using her bat to help support her weight. She limped over to Clover. "Hey. Clover. You alive?"

"I hate this so much," Clover groaned. "Why did Marlet have to not be home? We could have just stayed with her!" Clover rolled over on their back.

"We just gotta get back there and to Snowdin," Dess assured. "We're gonna get through this. OK? Is Richard OK?" Dess turned to look at Richard who coughed up blood and rose to his feet.

"You think you're better than me?" Richard growled.

"Bonnie was lying!" Aster tried to explained. "We're not impure!"

"Do you wanna see what it looks like?" Richard snarled. Something in his chest began to glow yellow. "I'll show you!"

Richard projected a memory...

The sound of rain. Two glasses of tea.

Odile saw through his eyes, the day he nearly died. That ogre of a man towered over him. He described Richard as if he was some hooded vigilante. He requested Richard's services. Said he was "good at intimidating people." Richard splashed his tea in the ogre's face. The downpour drenched the duo as they stood by the river in front of the ogre's manor.

A battle between good and evil.

A finale.

But this was no battle. This was no finale.

This was a man.

Beating a broken child to death.

The memory stopped.

Odile returned to the void where she saw Richard had seemed to calm down. Aster waved their hand in Odile's face. "Hey. You OK?"

"Yeah. Yeah." Odile nodded. "Just... saw something."

"Come on," Dess ordered her allies. "We should go."

"What if they're lying?" Richard demanded. "I can't-"

"You trust me right?" Clover demanded.

Richard nodded. "I do."

"Then trust me that they're not impure and let's go," Clover pleaded. "OK? Bro?"

Richard backed away, lowering his blade.

Clover and Richard turned to leave. Dess and Noel wasn't far behind. "Dess can we speak?" Aster inquired. "Alone?"

Noel looked up at her sister confused. Dess smiled gently and rustled her hair. "It's OK. I'll be there soon."

Noel nodded and followed the other two into the darkness. Dess turned back, confused but interested. "What is it?"

"Yeah Aster what's this about?" Mirabelle inquired.

Aster sighed rubbing their eyes, "You all see it right?"

There was no response. Aster groaned. "I think Richard is going to try to hurt himself."

There was a tense silence. Dess looked down at the ground uneasily. She gripped her bat tightly. "He... already tried to hurt himself."

"What?" Odile demanded. "You need to get him somewhere safe. He's not well."

"I know that!" Dess exclaimed. "I'm trying to! We just gotta get to Marlet and he'll be safe but I don't know when that'll be! I saw it!" Dess seemed like she was about to cry. "My mom held him in her arms with a knife in his back! He wasn't resisting! He wasn't fighting back! He was going to die if I didn't do something!"

"You don't think she-" Isabeau demanded.

"She absolutely manipulated him into attempting assisted suicide," Dess shook her head. "He... he's been through so much. Too much. I have to get them to Marlet. He had this massive breakdown when we were in Snowdin. He just started... crying. When we found him he was just muttering "where's Riley?" Over and over and over. Whatever is wrong with him is getting worse. Then there's Clover! They're just a kid! Them and Richard are close. Like siblings. I don't know if Clover could take losing him. Not now."

"I'm not sure what help I can offer," Odile sighed. "I..."

Dess shook her head. "It's OK. They've gotten this far. Clover and I took on the Royal Guard. Richard took on Undyne. I'll... I'll figure it out."

Dess turned to leave. She sighed and turned back. "Just... keep your kid safe OK? I'll take care of my friends."

"We will," Odile nodded.

Dess disappeared into the darkness.

It grew darker.

Darker.

Yet darker...

Gaster spoke from the void. "This has been very. Very. Interesting. Despite in position of a JUSTICE soul and wishing for his own death, it appears both of the humans possess a limited amount of DETERMINATION. This bodes well. Now for our deal. I must clarify something."

"Oh boy here we go," Aster groaned. "We've been duped!"

"Nothing of the sort," Gaster assured with a chuckle. "Merely that my... abilities will have side effects. In truth, I do not revive the dead. I prevent their deaths. I will return you to moments before Siffrin's death. This journey will cease to have happened."

"OK works for me!" Isabeau exclaimed dusting his hands off. "Good work everyone!"

"Wait no!" Mirabelle exclaimed. "What about Aster?"

"Yeah what about our sibling?" Bonnie demanded.

Gaster took a somber tone, "The... events of this journey will cease to have happened. Aster will have ceases to find the name of their soul. Their true name. They will attack Siffrin. They will lose. They will leave."

"Oh..." Bonnie looked away. "That's... that's bad."

Aster sighed, "I... but what choice do we have? If Vel doesn't cooperate-"

Odile stepped up, "Then no."

Aster tried to protest. "Odile this may be your best chance to-"

"Hey no she's right," Isabeau added.

"We're not trading one sibling for another," Mirabelle added.

"Yeah!" Bonnie added. "They're family too! I'd we lose them we're just right back where we crabbing started!"

Gaster gave off a soft chuckle. "Then you are... truly kind. I am afraid however, that this was all I could offer you. I wish you well in confronting Vel. This conversation will now cease to have happened..."

Aster snapped awake from an odd dream they couldn't recall. Something about hands. They didn't know what, but it didn't matter, as today was the day.

Author's Notes: Yes this means that if they had accepted Gaster's deal the ending of the original game would happen wholesale and that's that. You can consider this "Ending 1 of 4 - Nothing's Changed." This chapter was purely me being self indulgent for fun, but if you're interested in Clover, Richard, and Dess, I have written a story about the trio going through Deltatraveler. Even if Dess only appears in the end. Richard is the protagonist of my novel. The story is called Deltatraveler: Pure Mode. If you read it, trigger warning for everything this chapter had a trigger warning for plus portrayal of a suicide attempt.

Pure mode can be found here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/58410322/chapters/148780495