EX - In Which Pinkie Pie Writes Chara a Note
Chara opened her eyes, expecting to see the darkness of her home universe greet her.
She did not see that. Instead, she saw… grass?
“What did that annoying pink horse do?”
As she got up, she found that she was currently, if her memory was correct, where she first fell into the Underground.
No, not just where, WHEN she fell, if the lack of golden flowers was anything to go by. Also, for some reason she couldn't fathom, the grass did not move, and the rays of sunlight were stuck in one place.
“H-How… How did she…?”
While looking at her surroundings, Chara noticed that there was a stack of papers by her side, with each individual piece having been written on. Tentatively, she picked it up.
The writing was in a loopy cursive that betrayed its writer's boundless energy, yet at the same time it was restrained, like that energy was not appropriate for the current situation.
Chara began to read the letter.
Dear Chara,
The moment I arrived in your universe, I learned two things. The first was that you and your other friends had planned to back-stab us and spread your own versions of chaos across Equestria. I honestly was not concerned, as I trust Discord and my other friends well enough that they can sort it all out and stop Tzeentch's plan before it gets out of hand. The fact that this story is rated T also inspired confidence.
The second thing I learned was that this universe apparently HATES you.
Now, there are many things that I can tolerate. A jealous Princess of the moon returning after a thousand years to cover the world in darkness? No problem; she never was really bad to begin with, just misguided and lonely. A spirit of chaos who wants to shape the world in his own twisted image? Also just lonely, and look how he turned out in the end. Shape-shifters crashing a wedding? Power of love. Dark king enslaving an empire? Hope of the people. You get the idea.
A universe where monsters were unfairly treated just because its physics made them potentially more powerful than humans? Where you were abused just for holding a different opinion from the rest of the crowd? Where the only way you could possibly free monsterkind was to commit suicide, have your best friend absorb your Soul, and kill six other humans? Where even then the two of you could not bring yourselves to harm someone else? Where your best friend was dragged back from the great beyond and twisted into a Soulless, nihilistic shadow of his former, kind self? Where YOU were dragged back just to watch as the player slaughtered everyone you ever cared for, just for a laugh? Where the only way to escape that endless torture was to outright destroy the universe? Where you were forced to smother your own personality, just to pretend to be someone who you never wanted to be in the first place?
As I said, I can tolerate many things. But the moment your own universe decides to do everything in its power to destroy everything you ever held dear to you, and to force you to never truly smile once in your life? I'm sorry, but there are only two words that I can use to respond to that situation.
Fuck. That.
So, I immediately set to work. At first it was difficult, since my powers can bend reality quite far, but not far enough to completely reshape the laws of metaphysics. Then, I quickly realized that I had your powers that I could work with as well, and everything just followed from there. I had to be careful about what I changed though. Alter things too far in one direction and everything is completely different; not enough, then you are right back where you started with no help what-so-ever.
The first thing I did was to completely shatter the link between this universe and the player. I knew very well that if the player had any ounce of control over the universe at all then they could just repeat the atrocities they committed over and over again. If I could, I would just replace them with someone who actually cared about this universe and its inhabitants. Alas, that is not an option without changing the entire metaphysical structure of the universe and effectively erasing you from existence. C’est la vie.
Then, I used the power of Determination to isolate the moment in time where you first arrived in the Underground, and created a permanent Save point; you will always have the most Determination, so you can go back to any time till then, anytime you want to. After that, I restarted the universe and Loaded that Save.
The sight that greeted me was breathtaking, let me tell you. The Underground really is more beautiful in person.
I had to go through a run in order to make sure the player's influence was permanently gone, so I did everything exactly as you did. I can see why you love Asriel so much; the friendship the two of you held was truly something special. I really wish I could meet him just as myself; I'm sure he would love my parties. Tell you what, I'll make sure that the next time I visit your universe I bring enough supplies to throw the two of you the best party ever! It's the least that I can do.
Anyways, buttercups? Yeah, this universe really did not like you all that much. Thankfully, the pain did not last that long, and before I knew it I was absorbed into Asriel and eventually sent into the afterlife. Or, at least I think I was? It's hard to tell when you blackout from your Soul shattering and immediately awaken as a mind-ghost in someone else's head.
I then had the chance to meet Frisk, and, when not being manipulated into a complete psychopath by an equally psychopathic player, it turns out that he is a really sweet boy. I think you will like him a lot. Ooh! When I return with the two you of together, I can also throw an amazing party for the two of you! I'll make sure that I bring something that can help you enjoy the food, what with the whole being a mind-ghost thing.
I could finally be myself around him during our adventure through the Underground, and we made many friends along the way! So many parties to throw when I get back! Oh, I just can't wait!
Asgore and Toriel are the best parents ever, even if they are very estranged by the time you awaken. Your deaths really hit Toriel hard, and Asgore declaring war on human kind didn't help matters much. Asgore is not faring well either; he regrets ever succumbing to his moment of rage and forcing himself to kill the six kids that fell. I think, however, that the both of them would be ecstatic to see you again someday.
We also met Sans and Papyrus. Sans is freaking hilarious! Sure, he can certainly be mopey at times, and I very much wish to never get him to dish me a bad time, if your memories are anything to go by. But think of the many pranks all of us can pull together! Papyrus is also pretty great; Frisk and I had loads of fun hanging out with him and solving puzzles! I don't know why anyone would even want to kill someone as innocent as him in cold blood.
Oh, and don't forget Undyne and Alphys! Undyne reminded me of you in a lot of ways, but once she cooled off from the whole 'all humans must die' shtick, she is actually pretty cool. And even if Alphys was indirectly responsible for what happened to Asriel, she still has a good heart. Her and Twilight would get along very well.
We even got a nice surprise when we found out that there may be a chance to save Asriel! ...But, I think that you will want to do that yourself. I know how much he means to you, and I would never dream of stealing the honors of saving him away from you.
The end result, though, was that we destroyed the barrier and freed monsterkind. As it turns out, humans in the modern day are much more accepting of monsters than in the past. There were so many new people to meet when we reached the surface, even I had a hard time of keeping track of them all!
However, my Pinkie Sense told me that I did not have much time left in this universe, so I explained the situation to Frisk, said my goodbyes to everyone, and Loaded back to when you fell. The last thing I did before I wrote this note was to reverse engineer the mind teleportation that Tzeentch used in order to create a way-point to this universe. I'll tell Discord about it when I get the chance so that we can visit you and catch up later.
I briefly froze time such that when you finish reading this note you should have a minute or so before Asriel arrives. You could do things the same way you initially acted so you can properly meet Frisk, or you could hold off on that doomed plan and just spend some quality time with Asriel for a lifetime. Or...
Look, the only thing that I cannot change to try to make things easier on you in the future is YOU. You will still have your memories, your Determination powers, and your own free will to do whatever you want, not to mention that Tzeentch may still be breathing down your neck depending on how my friends deal with him. None the less, I hope that you will at least consider no longer going down the warpath. I figure you won't, but, if you do, at least know that I don't blame you for it; I probably would have snapped as well if I existed under the same conditions that you did.
Just, think over everything that happened and what I've told you. I'm sorry for what happened to you, and I wish your future well, no matter what path you take. Hopefully everything I did will cheer you up; I wouldn't be the Element of Laughter if it didn't. I look forward to my friends and I seeing you truly smiling some day.
With warm regards,
Pinkie Pie
Ooh! P.S.: Don't worry, I already know what your favorite flavor is. I may not be able to make a butterscotch-cinnamon pie as well as Toriel does, but I swear by Celestia that I will do my best!
Chara was stunned.
“She… She did all of this… For me?”
She looked up from the note. Sure enough, time was moving again; sunlight poured down from the hole in the cave, and the grass gently swayed in the small but perceptible breeze.
“I… I…”
Chara couldn’t help it; she fell onto the ground and began to cry.
She remembered the years of abuse she suffered before she fell into the Underground. She remembered Asriel crying for her as she suffered from buttercup poisoning. She remembered the apology she gave Asriel before their Souls shattered. She remembered the demonic smile that was plastered onto Frisk's face. She remembered the looks everyone had as they were brutally cut down and turned into dust. She remembered the look on Asriel’s face as Frisk- no, SHE was forced to murder him in cold blood. She remembered staring down the player from across the void, telling herself “No more. If they want me to be a genocidal demon, then that’s exactly what they will get!” as she destroyed the universe atom by atom, bit by bit. She remembered the eternity that she spent stewing in her own hatred and self-loathing until Tzeentch contacted her. She remembered how she took part in the mad god's plan to betray the ponies' trust and take over their universe, all because she wanted to remain 'friends' with someone who was never her friend to begin with.
However.
Chara also remembered the year of friendship that she and Asriel had. How the two of them would always play together. How they would spend time with Toriel and Asgore- no, Mom and Dad each day. How much they loved them both. How Asriel's gift, one of a pair of heart-shaped lockets, warmed her heart. How Asriel convinced her that killing the humans in her village would do no good for monsterkind. How Asriel accepted her apology before their Souls shattered. How much she loved him in the moment before they both died.
How the ponies saw her clearly suffering and gladly offered their help to give her at least some escape from her dead universe.
As her tears started to die down, Chara noticed someone walk in from the narrow hallway into the cave.
“It sounds like it came from over here…”
That voice, could it really be?
Sure enough, it was. Asriel stepped out from behind a pillar and took note of Chara sitting in the grass, tear stains down her cheeks.
“Oh! You’ve fallen down, haven’t-?”
Before he could finish that question, Chara leaped up from the grass and ran over to him, then pulled him into a tight embrace.
“Oh Asriel, I’ve missed you so much! I’m sorry for everything that I did! I’m sorry for everything that happened! I promise that I will be a better sister for you from now on! I promise!”
“Oh, uh… I-I accept your apology...?”
Chara quickly realized that, this being the past, Asriel knew nothing of what had happened from her perspective. Oh well, she would just have to explain everything to him later on. She let go of him, and began to walk with him from the patch of grass to the door at the end of the hall.
As the two walked along, Chara thought about everything in that note. If what Pinkie Pie said was true, then that meant that she had as long as her natural life expectancy before she Loaded back to a few minutes ago. It also meant that she did not have to worry about the player’s influence anymore; she was free to be herself once again, and that’s what she intended to do.
“So, what’s your name?” Asriel asked.
“Chara.”
“Chara? That’s a nice name.”
Whenever Pinkie Pie next visited this universe, Chara had both a lot of apologizing to do, as well as a lot of thanking to do. She also hoped that Pinkie would bring her friends over too, so that she could begin to get to know them properly.
Thank you, Pinkie Pie, for everything you did for me, even when I was acting like a genocidal maniac. Even after everything that the others and I did to you guys. I could never repay you enough. Thank you.
For the first time in her life, Chara truly smiled.
Author's Note
I wrote this alternate ending to the original story because I felt that Chara did not deserve the fate she got, and because I am almost certain that Pinkie Pie, upon seeing the pain and suffering that Chara went through, would go through hell and high water to help her through her problems. I know many people will feel that Chara doesn't deserve any sympathy, or even empathy, or that I haven't done enough to help her out, but I feel that this is the most in-character way these characters would react and interact in this situation.
Credit for the original story this one was based off goes to GMBlackjack.
