Morning came faster than you would have liked, but at least time was pushing you on. You groaned in an almost angry tone and sat up, your bedhead seeming to stand around your head like a crown. Looking to both sides you found Chara and Ink still sleeping comfortably.

A smile crept over your face with satisfaction. "These two..." You cooed gently. Deciding to leave the curtains shut for the time being, you shuffled through your bag and pulled out a new outfit for the day. It was simple, consisting of only skinny jeans, a loose fitting black t-shirt and socks. You'd be wearing your hoodie anyway, so your clothing didn't matter too much. As you walked through the bathroom, you caught a glimpse of your tired look in the mirror and sneered.

"Yikes, I look like a misused troll doll." You muttered, removing a pencil from your mop of unkempt hair. "When did I put a pencil there?!"

Shaking your head, you cranked the water in the shower and stripped while you waited for it to warm. You continued to try and detangle it up into the very moment you stepped into the shower's cradling warmth. You snatched the small soap, looking at it with disappointment. "Why are hotel shampoos so small?" You groaned.

Squirting its contents into your palm, you massaged it into a lather atop your head. A tune hung in the air as you bathed. You rinsed throughly and took your time, up until an obnoxious knock tapped at the door. Over and over she tapped until you finally growled an annoyed, "What?!"

"Hurry up! I need to pee!" Chara complained.

"Just pick the lock! It's not that hard." You sighed.

"I can't remember how!" She groaned. "Ppplllleeeaaasssssseeeeee!" She pled.

You rolled your eyes and stepped from the shower, leaving the cold water on so you didn't waste any hot. Opening the door, you were immediately shoved out into the room as the door slammed behind you. Your face flushed as you clung tightly to the small towel that squeezed your body under its coverage.

"What the hell Chara?!" You hissed, eyes shifting towards Ink only to find him still asleep. "Why did you shove me out of the bathroom?!"

"Well duh! I want to piss by myself."

"I'm in a tiny fucking towel Chara! If Ink sees me like this I'll die!"

"Then stop screeching and don't wake him up!" Chara yelled back.

Your eyes glanced back to his sleeping body and your face reddened to an almost impossible degree. You instead put your back to the bathroom door and clasped tightly to your towel. You had no idea why it was taking Chara so long to use the restroom, but you weren't happy. The Underground's artificial sun was rising and Ink would wake up. Not a good thing...

He stirred, making your heart speed up by a million. His eyes started to open slowly and you panicked. Squealing quietly, you ducked down to hide as much of yourself as possible. With eyes squeezed shut, you felt your soul appear, warm and somewhat light. Your body was cloaked in heat and weight, causing your eyes to fly back open.

Your soul was already gone, but around your body were shimmering new clothing. The wool was thick and warm, every color imaginable among its thread. It was oversized, reaching below your waist and stopping just a few inches above your knees. You couldn't see any other clothing than that but it more than enough. Looking to Ink for explanation, you found his back to you as he dozed off.

He must be trying to spare me the embarrassment.

Your lips curled into a grin. "I'll thank him later."

Chara opened the door with eyes lit. As she spied you on the floor, clothed with a fluffy sweater, the light seemed to die away. "Where'd you get that sweater? I didn't see it in your stuff."

"Then you're blind, because I packed it." You lied.

She huffed and you stuck out your tongue. "You try too hard." You teased, standing. "I'm smarter than you think."

"Could've fooled me." She muttered. You knocked her up the head and rolled your eyes as you slipped back into the shower. You set the sweater in your clothing, continuing to glance at it throughout the shower. You had never really been into such exaggerated colors, but the way the color seemed to move over the fabric seemed satisfying. It seemed comforting and safe.

When you finished and pulled on your undergarments, you looked at the sweater again. You had already taken a shirt out, but the voices in your head told you this would be a better choice. You put on black shorts that stopped just below your knee and put on the sweater. You dried and brushed your hair, repeating the same morning rituals as always before leaving the bathroom. Within the hotel room Chara and Ink had packed most of the bags, yours included. Chara rushed to take a shower after you as Ink offered a kind smile.

"Good morning (Y/N). How'd you sleep?" He asked.

"It was good. No nightmares so it was relatively peaceful. What about you?"

"It was my first time sleeping in a long time so it was nice."

"You don't sleep often?"

"It's not required for me so I don't make time for it often."

You snickered. "Don't tell Paps. He'll try to teach you his ways."

You shoved everything in your bag or your inventory, then pulled out leftovers from the night before. As you ate, Ink sat next to you. You could feel his eyes on you and turned your head to meet his gaze.

"What're you looking at?"

He smiled, the ghost of a blush hidden in his face. "You look beautiful right now." He complimented. "You haven't been relaxed lately so it's nice to see you that way."

You blushed lightly and shrugged. "Well, nothings happened to stress me yet. Just wait, I'll be dying by the end of the day. We are making it to the Judgement Hall today right?"

He nodded, redirecting his eyes so he focused on your reflection in the television. "Yep. We'll be done tonight about. Then I can deal with Error and you can get Swap back."

Silence pursued as both of you thought of what you'd been pushing aside. "So, you'll be leaving your some other dimension huh? Somewhere Error can't do any damage?" You said quietly. "Guess you won't have time to worry about us little guys over here."

His expression fell as he looked at you. You kept your eyes down, a sad smile on your face. "Don't worry about us. Keeping him contained is a lot more important than remembering someone you met only a few days ago."

He took note when you said 'someone' rather than 'people' or some other, more inclusive word. "Don't worry (Y/N). Once Error is under control I'll come visit. I want to see more of your drawings. And it'll be cool to actually see how one of my words turns out."

He laid a comforting hand on your leg. And you smiled, hiding your disbelief with a curtain of hair. Your past had ruined your trust in promises like that. You stood and discarded your unfinished food, then tapping on the bathroom door. "Come on Chara! Let's getting going before next week shows up."

She growled from the other side, too quiet to be understood. You turned to Ink. "Text me when Chara's out. I'm gonna step out for a bit."

Though concern hinted in his posture, he nodded mutely. You left the room key with Ink and closed the door behind you. Your feet carried you aimlessly through the halls and down the stairs. You came out of the building in front of Napstatton's Resturant. Two allies flanked it on either side. One supported a shop run by two monsters: Burger Pants and Nice Cream Guy. The other was a dead end. You turned into the end and stood against the wall. Cans of garbage filled the air with a sickening scent of sewage and cigarette butts littered the ground. You leaned against a wall and closed your eyes.

Your thoughts wicked you away from the sour air and filthy ground, placing you in a void of black. Your words boomed in this world, perfectly preserved in memory. You could see yourself, the way the sweater hid your figure in waves of comfort. Even in the Hotlands, the sweater seemed to fluctuate so you remained cool. It adapted to your wants.

"I forgot to thank Ink." You said quietly, fingers playing at the oversized sleeves.

"B-B-Better  hurrry u-up  then..."

Your eyes darted open and around. Your heart stopped, choking your breath. He was no where to be seen, but his voice had been as clear as polished crystal.

His voice kept coming back. That small hook he kept in your mind, reminding you that he'd happened. It reminded you of the monster he was. Not a monster you'd grown to accept and love, but the only true monster you'd ever seen. A creature, no morals or regret, only primal objective.

You shuddered, gasping for breath, not realizing you'd been holding it. You watched your trembling hands, eyes clouded with images of horrid memories. The sweater felt heavier, and you wanted to sink to the ground and escape the fear, but you knew better. He was playing his mind games on you.   

Despite you escaping, he still tried to break you. That wouldn't happen. You weren't about to let this plan slip. You'd hit him when he doesn't know and you'd get Blueberry back. That's all that mattered.

Shaking your head furiously, you stilled your face and replaced it with a smile.

You marched back inside the hotel with determination in every step. Ink was waiting against a far wall with Chara standing at his side. He looked up and waved. You walked to them, grinning. "You ready to go?" He asked.

You nodded and turned to the doors, Chara and Ink behind you as you led the way out. This time, instead of trailing behind, you kept pace with Ink and Chara. You talked animatedly about how glorious the victory would be and how you'd all have a party once Blueberry was back. Ink would occasionally interjected with his own sarcastic comments, never failing to cause a snicker. The distance seemed to close quickly. It was as if your participation had sped time forward. Soon you entered the castle.

Asgore's home was mirror in a monotone scale, greys making its familiar warmth seem to wilt away. The monsters around you told his tales. The tale of the royal family and how it had both peaked and fallen. You knew it word for word.

The hall approached and your chest pounded. Your steps echoed. Chara stuck close to your side, clutching your arm. Ink was close behind you, stopping just before the door. He grabbed your arm and stopped you.

"I'm going to find a place to hide." He said. "If Error doesn't already know about my being here, we can use it as advantage." You nodded quietly, too nervous to ensure any words that wouldn't shake.

He set his hand on your shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry. This will all be over soon."

With that he stepped back through a portal and disappeared. Chara shared a look with you and you nodded. "Here we go..."

You pushed open the doors and walked forward. Pillars lined the hall, making it seem impossibly long. The stained glass was familiar, and comforting in a way.

It's almost over. You'll get Blueberry back and free the Underground. It will all be good.

Papyrus stepped from the shadows and smiled at you. "Hey guys. Let's get this show on the road."

His monologue continued, but it seemed lacking tension filled the air.

"You see guys, you may not have gained LOVE, but you gained love, get it? You-"

"This is-s-s path-pathetic."

The air seemed to both lighten and weigh on you at the same time. Quiet whimpers haunted the air as you froze. Papyrus' face seemed to harden, his eyes focusing beyond you. You turned slowly, eyes locking immediately with your worst nightmare. 

Blueberry was strung up in a canopy of blue strings, Error beside him, grinning deviously.

"Surprise."