Chapter 50

Sorry for the delay, but I wrote this chapter three times and still wasn't satisfied. Anyway, here it is. 

A fair warning: this chapter might work better if you've played or know a bit about Undertale. 

.......... 

Alex spent the night gaming. He built farms, hunted all kinds of animals—from small ones like rabbits to creatures larger than elephants. He upgraded his survivor's shelter into a small village and then into a small town. 

Using the anti-gravity bike, he explored forests, mountains, deserts, ice dunes, natural caves, and contaminated craters—each area with its own quests and objectives, from terraforming to mining ores and searching for useful herbs and plants. 

After playing all night, Alex lay on the back of a green creature that looked somewhat like a hippopotamus but with a long neck like a giraffe. 

"Hahaha, it's been years since I had this much fun." 

Alex was thrilled with this game. It wasn't a masterpiece, nor was it artistic or profound—it was just plain fun. 

While playing, he remembered several games that weren't considered great but were definitely entertaining: *Goat Simulator*, *Getting Over It*, *Cyberpunk 2077*, *Final Fantasy X-2*, and many others that, while not excellent, were still enjoyable. 

[N/A: Yes, *Cyberpunk* is great—my save file has over 140 hours—but a lot of people still hate it, and for good reason. 

I know many people hate *FF X-2*, but I genuinely love its terrible story. I don't know why, but seeing those awful characters entertains me. Yes, you can judge me.] 

Perhaps, ever since regaining his memories, this was the first time Alex had fun with a game without overthinking the story or anything complicated—just good laughs from the simple mechanics and the little bugs scattered around. 

Glancing to the right, he saw a massive group of animals with plants growing on their backs. While planting, Alex had just grabbed the seeder and run over everything in sight. 

The designer hadn't anticipated someone doing that, so the animals didn't die—instead, the seeder treated them as fertile soil. 

"Hahaha, I can't handle this." 

After laughing to himself for a while, he finally logged off to do his morning routine. After training and showering, he found Catharina finishing breakfast. 

"Good morning, Mom." 

"Good morning… Alex? What happened? You look great—even your skin is glowing." 

"Hmm… Oh, I just slept well today, hehe." 

"That's great! I always said you should stop staying up so late." 

"Yeah, yeah… Oh, before I forget, I might be home late today. I'm going to check out the orchestra." 

"Alright, but don't come back too late." 

After some more small talk, Alex headed to school, feeling completely energized. He even started thinking about making some simple, fun games. 

*(I think I'm running out of manpower. Just Ed and Fred won't be enough—I'll have to rope in… I mean, hire more people. Hehehe.)* 

...…. 

Alex might have had a great night gaming, but not everyone was so lucky. Alice was bombarded with requests to test Undertale's new ending. She finally gave in, closing her stream during the day and scheduling it for 8 PM to start exploring this new route. 

"Alright, you all want everyone dead? Fine, it's happening. Don't come crying to me later." 

Alice started the stream with a serious expression. She wore black makeup and a black dress, the kind usually worn at funerals. 

"I don't want any weaklings in this stream. Today, only death and carnage await those foolish enough to join me." 

Seeing this, the chat immediately lit up. 

*"Someone's really in character."* 

*"So beautiful. You can massacre me anytime."* 

*"Finally! I want to see what we'll discover."* 

*"Let's go! I want blood."* 

*"If you kill Papyrus, our friendship is over."* 

Taking a deep breath, Alice started a new game. 

"Alright, here we go." 

The opening cutscene played normally, just like always. She met Flowey and was saved by Toriel. After a bit of walking, she found the training dummy. 

"Okay, here we go. I guess from now on, the hunt begins." 

She attacked the dummy and destroyed it in one hit. A small, cute image of Toriel appeared with a strange expression. 

[*Ahh… Dummies aren't for fighting! 

They're for talking! 

We don't want to hurt anyone, we want…? 

Now come on.*] 

This small scene was enough to stir up the chat. 

*"Wow, just this is already making me sad."* 

*"You guys are weak."* 

*"Poor dummy just wanted to chat, hahaha."* 

*"I didn't want to see this, but my heart is filled with DETERMINATION."* 

Alice chuckled disdainfully, fully in character. 

"You weaklings. There's no place for your cowardice here. I'm just getting started." 

She smiled as the viewer count rose and continued. Nothing had changed—she learned about puzzles from Toriel, got the call where Toriel asked if she liked pie, and then reached the part where Toriel leaves her alone. 

Monsters started appearing. 

[*Frog attacks you.*] 

As soon as the battle started, Alice killed it in one hit. 

[*YOU WON! 

You gained 10 XP and 20 gold. 

Your LOVE increased.*] 

Seeing this message, Alice's eyes twitched slightly, but she pressed on. 

[*Whimsun approaches meekly.*] 

Again, the fight ended in one strike. She kept walking in circles, killing everything in sight. 

"I think this is infinite, but I've probably killed enough. Let's move on." 

She took a few steps, and another battle started—but this time, a different message appeared. 

[*But nobody came.*] 

"It changed. Seems like there's really something hidden here." 

Alice was slightly surprised. She hadn't expected the game to actually have more content, but since everyone was excited, she wanted to use this to gain more followers. 

*(Seems like there's really something here.)* 

"I knew there was more to it." 

"Great, things are about to get interesting." 

"Let's go! I want to see how it goes with Napstablook." 

Seeing something different, everyone got hyped. Alice quickly solved all the puzzles, equipped a small toy knife, and continued. The game progressed normally until she reached Napstablook's area—where he simply disappeared. 

A little surprised, she went to Toriel's house, got a slice of pie when she woke up, talked about leaving the Ruins, and finally faced Toriel in battle. 

As soon as the fight started, Alice already felt sad. 

"Alright, time to relive my trauma." 

Taking a deep breath, she attacked and won in one move. 

[*You hate me that much? 

Now I understand who I was really protecting by keeping you here… 

Not you… 

But them…*] 

"Nooo, Toriel!" 

*"What's this warmth on my face?! Oh, right—tears."* 

*"Haha, look at Alice's expression."* 

*"I told myself: 'You're ready.' But now I realize… I'm not."* 

*"Quick, someone shoot the best girl."* 

*"Yes, yes, yes! Bring on the chaos, hahaha!"* 

*"I forgot how kind Toriel was. Seriously, killing her is just cruel."* 

Reading the chat, Alice sighed. 

"I haven't even started, and my eyes are already burning. Damn it." 

After chatting for a bit, she left the Ruins—but before exiting, she met Flowey. 

[*HAHAHAHA… 

You're not just a human child, are you? No, you're something empty. 

Just like me… 

Actually, it's you, isn't it? 

We're still inseparable even after all these years.*] 

Seeing this, Alice grew thoughtful. 

"He's talking like he knows the protagonist. This is getting interesting." 

Progressing further, Alice noticed the game's music had changed—no longer the soft, soothing tunes from before. Now it felt darker and more tense. But what really surprised her was the scene with Sans and Papyrus—especially Sans' dialogue. 

[*My brother would really like to see a human… 

So, y'know, it'd really help me out if you kept pretending to be one.*] 

"Did you guys notice the music? Super weird. And not just the music—everything feels off. When you first meet Papyrus, we hide behind the lamp, but now it's like he doesn't even see us as human." 

Continuing, she realized most puzzles were already solved. Even her interactions with Sans and Papyrus lacked their usual humor. Sans kept telling her to try having fun and maybe attempt the puzzles, but after killing all the monsters in the area, nothing amusing happened. 

After a few more interactions, Sans left a message before disappearing. 

[*Seems like we don't need your help to have fun after all. 

Y'know, I was thinking… 

Looks like you'll be fighting my brother soon, real soon… 

Here's some friendly advice: if you keep going down this path… 

You're gonna have a bad time.*] 

As soon as he vanished, the chat exploded. 

*"That was threatening."* 

*"Sans is awesome. Plain and simple."* 

*"Seriously, things got dark real fast."* 

*"His fight is gonna be brutal—I'm sure of it."* 

After some more chatter, Alice pressed on. Arriving in town, she noticed everyone had fled in fear. She could enter shops and steal whatever she wanted—only one character stayed behind: Monster Kid, laughing at how stupid the adults were for running away. 

"At least I won't kill him… Man, this game is hurting me. But why can't I stop playing?" 

Complaining, Alice kept exploring the town. After checking everything, she left and found Papyrus waiting outside. 

[*Hold it, Human.*] 

Hearing Papyrus speak, the protagonist took a step forward. 

[*Hey, stop moving while I'm talking to you! 

I, the great Papyrus, have some things to say. 

First: You're a creepy weirdo. The way you hate puzzles, the way you drag yourself around, the way your hands are always covered in dirty dust… It's like… 

It's like your life is heading down a dangerous path. 

However! I, Papyrus, see great potential in you! I believe anyone can be a great person if they try!*] 

"No, Papyrus, run!" 

*"Damn, this hurts."* 

*"Let's just stop here. I'm not strong enough for this."* 

*"This game really preys on your weaknesses."* 

While the chat debated, Alice kept her eyes on the game. She saw the protagonist stepping forward. 

[*Hey, stop moving! This is exactly what I'm talking about! 

Human, I think you need counseling. Someone needs to keep you in line—but don't worry! 

I, Papyrus, will be your friend and mentor! I will turn your life upside-down!*] 

The protagonist walked even closer. 

[*I see you approaching… 

Are you offering an accepting hug? 

Wow, my lessons are already working! I, Papyrus, accept you with open arms!*] 

Then a battle started with a message that made Alice wince. 

[*Papyrus is sparing you.*] 

"No, damn it… I don't want to kill him… Stupid game, why this?! Ugh, my makeup… How can I love a character so much?" 

Alice wasn't the only one affected. Everyone watching was debating, their eyes slightly red. With a trembling hand, Alice selected *FIGHT* and attacked—but she didn't expect a small cutscene to play. 

Papyrus opened his arms, expecting a hug, but the child holding a knife stepped forward and slashed, shattering his body. 

[*Well… that's not what I expected… 

But despite that… 

I still believe in you… 

You can be a little better… 

Even if you don't believe it… I… I promise…*] 

(N/A: Don't know about you guys, but this hit me hard the first time.) 

*"Noooo!"* 

*"I feel so dirty."* 

*"Too sad. My Papyrus…"* 

*"Yes! This is what I live for."* 

*"Why didn't he fight?! (╥﹏╥)"* 

*"When Sans gets you, you're screwed."* 

*"A cute game turned dark real fast."* 

*"What did you expect when you kill everyone?"* 

Alice stared at the screen, the tip of her nose stinging slightly. But after a deep breath, she just moved forward. Now that she'd started, there was no point stopping—she was too curious about this new ending. 

Advancing through Waterfall, Alice noticed how things had changed. The flowers no longer spoke, everything felt sad and somber. Undyne still appeared for the chase sequence, but all puzzles were deactivated, leaving little to do. The game was practically paving the way for her. 

"Only Temmie is left in the shop. Look at her expression… Ugh, I feel awful." 

Though complaining, Alice didn't stop playing. She kept going, killing every monster in her path. The battles grew increasingly difficult—Undyne, Muffet, Metatron… All the diverse, charismatic characters slowly fell one by one. 

Finally, she reached the New Home—a house almost identical to Toriel's. While exploring, Flowey appeared and spoke to her, recounting his past. 

[*I remember when I first woke up here, in the garden. 

I was so scared… 

I couldn't feel my legs or arms… My whole body had turned into a flower. 

Mom! Dad! 

I screamed, but no one came.*] 

Sighing, Alice started piecing things together. Every time Flowey appeared, he shared bits of his experiences—how the king found and took him in, how he lost the ability to feel love, how he tried to feel *something* but failed. He even spoke of trying to erase his own existence. 

But in doing so, he discovered that whenever he died, he'd return to his own save point. Realizing this, he decided to help people, to find the best ending for everyone—but eventually, he grew bored. After enough time, people became entirely predictable. 

[*It all started because I was curious. 

Curious about what would happen if I killed everyone. 'I don't like this,' I told myself. 'I'm only doing it because I have to know what happens.' 

HAHAHA! What an excuse! 

You, of all people, should know how liberating it feels to act like this, right?! 

At least we're better than those sickos who just WATCH everything happen… Those pathetic people who want to see it all but are too weak to do it themselves. 

I bet someone like that is watching right now… Aren't they?*] 

"…Guess he's talking about you guys. Hahaha." 

Alice, who had been tense following Flowey's words, couldn't help but laugh—yet she also sensed a deeper meaning in them. 

*"I feel attacked right now."* 

*"Damn, now I'll have to play this alone or feel like trash."* 

*"Damn you, you're just a flower."* 

*"I even felt ashamed."* 

Seeing the chat's reactions, Alice just laughed. 

"Alright, you sickos, let's keep going." 

Flowey continued talking about his experiences—how he'd done everything possible, from killing everyone to giving them perfect lives. But he also spoke as if he knew the protagonist. At some point, though, he started feeling fear—fear of things spiraling out of control, even begging to stop destroying the world, saying it was wrong. 

"Even he's starting to fear us. But honestly, I'm getting uncomfortable with this character too." 

Sighing, she pressed on until she met Sans. 

[*Hey. Feeling guilty yet? 

I've got a question for ya. 

Do you think even the worst person can change?*] 

In response, the protagonist stepped forward. 

[*Heheheheh… Alright. 

Here's a better question: You wanna have a bad time? 

'Cause if you take one more step, you're REALLY not gonna like what happens next.*] 

Again, the protagonist stepped forward. 

[*Welp. 

Sorry, old lady. That's why I never make promises. 

It's a beautiful day outside. 

Birds are singing. 

Flowers are blooming… 

On days like these… 

Kids like you… 

Should be burning in hell.*] 

"..." 

The battle started immediately, and she was met with a massive combo—killing her instantly. 

"..." 

*"Hahaha, I told you he'd wreck you."* 

*"That combo was insane."* 

*"This is why Sans is my favorite."* 

*"Haha, that was amazing."* 

*"Look at her face—she doesn't even know what happened, hahaha."* 

Alice was stunned, but she quickly restarted. It took her four tries just to survive the first combo—only for Sans to laugh. 

[*Heh, always wondered why people never lead with their strongest attack.*] 

"…You bastard." 

Muttering under her breath, she saw a message: 

[*You feel like you're gonna have a bad time.*] 

First attempt. 

Second attempt. 

Sixth attempt. 

Tenth attempt. 

Twentieth attempt. 

"AAAHHH! Damn it! He's beating me like a bitch… Enough! I'll finish this tomorrow." 

Alice threw the solid-light controller away in frustration. 

"Stupid game." 

......... 

Unconcerned with players' frustrations, Alex finished his classes and headed to the orchestra. He needed some music for the competition's finale. 

*(Since this is my last chance for free advertising during the competition, I'll make sure to attract as many eyes as possible to the company.)* 

Arriving, Alex saw Maria and Albert arguing about work. As soon as he approached, they greeted him. 

"Alex! Finally decided to show up. Thought you'd forgotten about us." 

"Hehe, sorry. I've been busy lately—released my last game for the competition and had to keep an eye on anything going wrong." 

"It's fine, but don't overwork yourself. Besides, Jade's performance is in a few days—you better not be busy then." 

"I won't be. I'm looking forward to seeing her." 

Albert, watching them chat, rolled his eyes. 

"Alright, kid, just say what you want. Doubt you came just to admire our beauty." 

"You know me… I came to see you, but I also have a job. Like I said, the competition's ending, so I've got one last chance to advertise my projects. 

I'm making a trailer for all my future projects, but to make it good, I'll need a great soundtrack." 

Alex used his holographic bracelet to send them a file with the lyrics and sheet music. They skimmed through it, and Maria smiled slightly, her eyes gleaming. 

"Alex, you really know how to excite a musician, don't you?!" 

................. 

This chapter wasn't my best, but the next ones should improve.