Thinking about the incoming dazzling spectacle filled you with suspense. It’s a magic battle, live on camera!
Your job is to protect Ebott Town with your awesome giant shield. At the same time, you must observe Tsunderjudge’s efforts through the livestream to make any necessary changes on your side.
Things were expected to go wrong, but not to an extent that can’t be handled with some smart directing. At least… that’s what you were hoping.
Everyone in the town square, you included, stared at The Kaiju with saucer eyes and slack jaws. They just realised that they’re going to fight against a gigantic white bipedal female werewolf.
Her fur, bristled in aggression.
Her muscles, strong enough make Aaron swoon.
Her right socket, roaring with the colours Cyan, Yellow, and Orange.
She’s as tall as Mount Ebott. Maybe more.
The Kaiju let out a great roar. You could hear it both on the screen and from the meadow. The sheer force of her cries sent a shockwave of wind across the land, bypassing your anti-magic shield.
Mezil -- the one closest to the origin -- braced the impact with the aid of his cane and magic. Lady Lucidia’s handiwork of magitek coursed through his coat; you remembered how careful he was in preserving it.
You then heard the oncoming rush of leaves and grass. Not long after, you were smacked with a strong gust of wind. Grit, sand, and dried plant material landed square on your face. Eew.
The other monsters too ducked their heads. Though it was brief, the wind served as a preview of what’s to come.
It’s intimidating, just like the time when you fought Asriel for the first time.
Dad rested his hand on your shoulder. “Stay determined, my child. We’ll get through this.”
You thanked him for the encouragement.
The Kaiju opened her massive jaws and began the offensive with a laser beam. It ploughed towards the hardboiled wizard, burning a gaping trench in the ground. It also vaporized one Mini Mettaton.
A different Mini switched angles. Its Metta Cam zoomed in on Mezil, who must have reverse-teleported out of danger.
Bang, bang! His gun went. The Kaiju dodged one bullet, but another hit her shoulder. A shining red butterfly spawned at the successful strike. Yes!
Huh? W-wait! What’s happening? That section of her shoulder melted and fell off the bone! But… the gap was soon replaced by new ectoflesh and fur.
The discarded parts turned into shining magical dust. You watched as The Supreme Judge absorbed the powers in streams of ribbons. It appeared to further charge his Arcanagrams, making him glow all over his body.
Whoa! Was that a Level Up??? Was it possible to gain LV without killing? Apparently!
Just when you thought he was cool and awesome, The Kaiju smacked him with a sweeping claw. You hear the crowd gasp in horror.
The Metta Cam found him lying in the grass and dirt a few meters away, bleeding from his mouth. He tried to get up, but every attempt ended in failure.
The bleeding didn't seem to stop. His broken ribs had likely punctured his lungs: a critical injury.
Crap! He needs help! Maybe some artillery support will do the trick!
Pointing towards the conflict, you asked a friend for help. Undyne will strike down The Kaiju with her strongest spear!
Your request got her pumped for action! “Hell yeah, I can do THAT!”
The strongest fish on land conjured her new weapon: the Determination Enhanced Missile of Justice! The red-tint on her spearhead sets it apart from her usual fare.
“NGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!”
The spear launched at the speed of an actual rocket, whizzing past your shield in but a second.
And then… There was a mushroom cloud in the distance. The special stream went completely dead, leaving nothing but static. You gawked at the destruction with utter disbelief.
Even Undyne was shocked at what she did. “Uh… It… It wasn’t supposed to… I mean, I’m strong. But not the level of a NUCLEAR BOMB!!!”
Alphys commented, “M-maybe it’s because you’re supercharged by The Core. I-it seems to have buffed you… too much?”
On the other hand, Goopdoc’s face sparkled with curiosity. “How very, very INTERESTING! And she’s not even boosted by the rain yet. Doctor Alphys, analysis please!”
“U-uh um. Judging from the size of the mushroom cloud, t-the amount of energy released is comparable to at least 1/12th of the original bomb used in the Far East over a century ago! I think…?”
“They did what in the Far East? Oh, of course humans are capable of such atrocities.”
Your head felt dizzy. You leaned against Mom, tired.
“Frisk!” she exclaimed. “Are you alright?”
Seems like the missile had also drawn some of your own energy. Also, you noticed that the world had yet to rewind, despite Tsunderjudge’s obvious obliteration. The ‘keys’ were really in your hands…
You tell everyone that you’re going to fix this. Be right back!
“Hey punk,” said Undyne. “Tell the future past me to not go 100%, okay?”
Definitely. You waved goodbye to her for the time being.
* * *
The next time you met Tsunderjudge, you profusely apologized with multiple bows. You totally definitely certainly didn’t intend to blow him into atoms with a tactical nuclear fish!!!
For once, he wasn’t hard on you. Mezil rubbed the back of his neck and said: “I had a feeling I wouldn’t survive anyway. Even with the Grandmaster’s blessing and Lucidia’s enchantments, the blow broke most of my bones. It would have hampered my mobility.”
What happened there anyway? Did Mezil command his Mark to intentionally rot away the Kaiju’s fake flesh?
“No,” he replied. “It was her instinctive response to shake off my will. If Marks can’t stay on her, I can’t use most of my tricks. No blinds, no movement restrictions, none of that.”
If he couldn’t plant any commands, how did he absorb the discarded ecto?
“That is related to my Ascension. I had activated it when I announced my oath.”
His oath? Oh. The one about ‘as long he walks this Earth’ and ‘peace’ and things like that?
“Yes. Also, while I appreciate your attempts of supplying backup, it is best that you focus on the defense.”
Touching his butterfly brooch, he further explained, “Since I can’t disable her, I instead chose to absorb the vitality of this ‘Kaiju’. Claim it as my own. After all, the power of her Philosopher Stone is not limitless. I will eventually drain it dry.”
In other words… the Vampire will win a battle of attrition!
“That’s correct. And that’s why you must remain vigilant. The moment I become an unstoppable threat, the titan’s focus will switch to you or Lucidia. Her clairvoyance will see no victory from continued meddling with me. When it reaches that point, only then should you consider using Captain Undyne’s powerful artillery to stop her charge.”
You showed an ‘OK’ sign to Mezil. Got it.
Shifting his eyes left and right, the Tsunderjudge asked a question with surprising self-consciousness. “My Ascension… Was it too obvious?”
You tilted your head. You thought he was just trying to be overly cool with his epic speech. How sneaky of the Tsunderjudge to slip his activation phase in there!
You reassured him that people wouldn’t know it. He only showed his back, so nobody could see his eyes turn red. Whatever Ascension flash happened was overshadowed by The Kaiju's transformation.
But, you did hear a tone to his voice. More oomph with some reverb.
Mezil sighed in relief. “Good. A gradual reveal keeps the spectators engaged. I didn’t want to show off too much in one go.”
W-what’s this…? Showmanship? Mezil? Talking like Mettaton? You’re not sure how to accept this.
“Hmph. Let’s wrap up the preparations. Double-check your SAVES. Did you make one automatic backup?”
You brought up your SAVE Menu. You regret not managing it better, because you don’t remember which files are associated with which event anymore.
With his help, you did some housekeeping. One slot got filled with the auto-save that happened right when you cast the shield over town.
Alright! You’re ready to tackle the next round!
* * *
This is bad.
This is really, really bad.
The Kaiju did not repeat any of her moves. Whenever Mezil changed his tactics, her Eye instructed her to adapt. Which meant that he can’t count on memory or routines!
So far, Mezil had landed at least three bullets on the giant, thus absorbing her vitality three times more than his previous attempt.
Yet somehow… it appeared three times more difficult. Her attacks grew deadier with each passing moment.
Shrapnels of bone shards, raining.
Deadly lasers, charging.
Gigantic claws, swiping.
The Vampire of Time must dodge it all.
The beast’s rampage had already turned all the grass into upturned earth. There’s hardly any stable ground to stand anymore.
He leapt off into the air and took flight. Ohoo! So he did have Blue’s flight magic installed after all. You always thought it odd that the husband of the floatiest skelelady didn’t fly more often.
He swerved around with the grace of an ice skater. He should have less issues now. This ability gave him all the mobility he needed!
…And again, just when you thought such, one of The Kaiju’s bone shards completely sliced his head off…
Your chest tightened from the sight. That was a REAL beheading on the big screen. You hear your fellow citizens scream in horror at the grotesque ending of Mezil Thyme's life.
Didn’t he say that he had shields? The Grandmaster’s protection??? The Kaiju still had enough strength to bust through all those buffs?
If that’s the case… how much does Mezil need to drain before he passes the threshold?…
How much time does he need to buy before Cenna and Garamond can show up to assist?… If they jump in too early, they’ll just get obliterated in half a second--
“Frisk? FRISK????”
Undyne’s intense calling for your name snapped you out of your thoughts. You asked her what’s going on.
Pointing towards the screen, she yelled: “That THING is charging her laser!!!”
Yikes! That’s right! You still have to keep up the shield! You--
The realisation dawned on you that the town’s morale was left in shambles. Your father, the King, did his best to keep the citizens together. Yet despite those efforts… they’re either in tears, overcome by despair, or reduced to panicked terror.
Your aura of Peaceful Determination radiated to rally up the monsters and keep them strong…
…But it was too little, too late. The Kaiju fired, punching through your weakened shield in a flash.
You.
Mom.
Dad.
Undyne.
Alphys.
Goopdoc.
Aiden.
Niton.
Everyone…
They were reduced to dust and ashes.
GAME OVER
* * *
Whenever Mezil died on screen, you no longer waited for the aftermath. The same outcome would happen every time.
People lost morale.
Your shield weakened.
And The Kaiju aimed towards you.
Unable to avoid the surefire Game Over, you stopped the clock before the sting of death could catch you yet again.
Too bad, the same could not be done for Mezil himself. He had been sliced, blasted, impaled, or any combination of the three, in rather gruesome ways. It reminded you too much of the Chara Possession Arc.
By Round 3, you learned not to jinx him with your misplaced optimism. By Round 10, his face was weighed down by weariness. By Round 30, he no longer stood straight.
By the end of Round 72…
…You found yourself in the Hub, hiding behind Dad, Grillby, and Cenna. They’re all ready to defend you with their lives.
A few feet away stood the Vampire of Time. Eyes, glowing. Teeth, gritting. His face contorted in wrathful vengeance, driven to win at all cost.
This overbearing, suffocating, chilling aura… it’s killing intent. Corrupted Determination. You can’t mistake it.
Faint red vapour exuded from his breath. He’s looking less like a human and more like the evil bloodthirsty vampires of legends.
“One more time…” He exhaled a bellow of smoke. “ONE…! MORE TIME…!”
“Mez?” said Cenna. “Get yourself together! Don’t you dare go DEMON on me, not right now!”
Her pleas fell on deaf ears. A ring of twisted DT spikes spawned behind his head, like a crown or halo exclusive for those fallen from grace…
You noticed that Lady Lucy and Snakeface crept behind. They showed hand signals to each other, coordinating their movements.
Snakeface then looked at you and placed a finger on his lip. He’s telling your side to be very, very quiet.
His wife cast a Green shield around herself. She walked forward with careful steps and a gentle voice. “Mezil, my light and dark… come back to me. It’s enough. You may rest.”
He didn’t respond either. You wondered if he recognized her at all.
Nonetheless, she’s determined to try. “Follow my voice. Let my song be your guide.”
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Lucidia started to sing a lullaby. Not long after the song began, her husband’s face relaxed. The deadly glow of crimson faded, along with the ominous spikes.
Snakeface blew a purple wisp close to Mezil’s nose. Breathing in the vapours made the man sleepy. It didn’t take long before his own exhaustion kicked him into dreamland.
There was no fanfare or any outward expression of relief. The whole process had a grim seriousness to it. Snakeface carried his boss on his back and left for the medical ward.
“Hey, Lucy…” Cenna muttered. “Did that happen before? I mean. I know Living Victories skirt the line between human and DEMON. But Ol’ Mez?”
She declined to answer. “Please rest, Judge Caraway. I must attend to his needs.”
Your usually spunky sister didn’t press further either. You heard a small ‘okay’ utter from her lips.
It seems that there’s nothing to do but to wait. In the meantime, you asked if anyone had anything to update.
“Nothing on my side,” said Cenna.
What about Grillby?
His answer: “…No enemies sighted… It’s possible… that they’re not attacking the school…”
Dad stroked his beard in concern. “Perhaps our foes consider the town square to be a bigger weakness?”
It did make sense. There were more civilians than guards around. All it would take was one gunshot to set off a chain reaction.
“…Furthermore…” Grillby added, “…Lady Lucidia started to suffer headaches… Her Eyes were being strained… by the quick repeats… Sir Gaelic was not with me… But I’d assume he’s the same…”
Oh? That means she’s a Purple too?
Your brain is having trouble keeping track of all the information about your enemies and allies. No wonder managers keep lists and hire secretaries.
Moving on, you asked if there’s anything else. Everyone shook their heads, and thus concluded your short debriefing.
Hmmm… You don’t think anyone is in the mood for joyful activities. In that case, why not just bum out?
Out in the garden, you spawned a picnic mat alongside a radio. Put on some vapourware music and invited the others to Napstablook together.
The four of you ended up lying down like pieces of trash, staring into the unending darkness of The Void…
You weren’t sure exactly how much time had passed since you started vegging. It didn’t matter in this spacetime pocket anyway.
Eventually, Dad broke the silence. “Are we being too selfish?” he asked. “We demanded for no one to die. And yet, Judge Thyme has to suffer for it…”
You huffed. No, Dad. That’s a stupid thought. Tsunderjudge himself wanted to go through with this nonsense. He could have done it your way: rewound to pre-court, fixed Papyrus, and forgot about this whole Kaiju business. But noooo he just had to take the most convoluted route.
Grillby instead retorted: “…Have you forgotten Judge Thyme’s warnings?… The enemy would escape… And we would be in greater danger… It’s inevitable…”
Of course you remember! But Tsunderjudge isn’t a prophet: what he says won’t always come true!
“…And your better scenario… is also mere speculation…”
“Oooooookay!” Cenna raised her hand high in the air, cutting the argument short. “Before we go around shifting blame, mind if I speak my thoughts?”
…Sure. Not like there’s anything better to do.
“Look, Frisky. I get how you feel about Ol’ Mez. Sometimes you just wanna smack him across the face! But, at the same time, I also get how Grillby feels. Let me tell ya, that last timeline looked all sorts of wrong. Like, international politics level of wrong. We would’ve been way better off had we let this Monday pass and used Tuesday to dig for intel. Maybe then we could have used your pre-court suggestion with confidence too.”
Your bravado vaporized in the face of hindsight judgement.
“Point being,” said Cenna, “This scenario is the result of compromise between two parties. Give and take, yeah? Mez is doing his job according to your objective to save Niton. In turn, you gotta trust him that he has your best interest in mind.”
………………………………
You never thought of it that way. Or maybe you did, but you’re too ashamed to admit it.
“What will happen now?” asked Dad.
“…I don’t know…” The fire elemental captain replied, “…Whatever steps we take… The tragedy of the Six… must not repeat… We’re in trouble because… we had sacrificed human children… in the name of greater good…”
Dad added, “It’s not just the human children. It’s ours too. Grudges. Longing. Resentment. These negative emotions once consumed whole generations.”
Consequences weighed down on everyone’s necks. Still, you don’t get how it’s better for Judge Thyme to insist on taking the hard road.
“…Judge Thyme chose to take the hard road… because it’s the right one…”
So -- in a hypothetical scenario -- if Grillby ended up in Judge Thyme’s shoes, he would also endure a hundred deaths?
“…Yes… Call it a soldier’s heart… Us Royal Guards fight… so others don’t have to…”
Wow. Was Grillby always so fiery? Hot damn! You told him that you still couldn’t get the image of the quiet bartender out of your mind.
Dad chuckled at your baffled reactions. “Frisk, oh, Frisk. Being a bartender is different from being a captain. Silence is golden when it comes to serving drinks. The reverse is true for an advisor, where words of wisdom are worth the nation’s treasury.”
Just acting his job, huh? You pondered with a loud ‘hmmmm’. You’ll keep that tip in mind.
Many, many more ‘void hours’ passed before you heard any news from the Tsunderjudge. You eventually found him sitting on his spot on the living room sofa, paired up with Lucy and Snakeface.
Even after his mandatory rest, he looked exhausted.
You waved your hand over the Tsunderjudge’s face, trying to see if he snapped out of dreamland yet. Not even a glare, huh? Looks like he’s still feeling moody.
You voiced your concerns about his health.
Cenna supported you. “The kid’s right. You look like you got run over by the isekai truck and then some. Don’t think I’m letting you off easy, old man! You’ve got some explaining to do.”
Seemingly out of nowhere, he then grumbled: “Curse my age and scars… I would have done it all in one go if I was younger.”
Dad asked: “I noticed Judge Thyme didn’t turn into a Lich upon death. Is there something wrong?”
Lady Lucidia spoke up. “Your Majesty, I apologize. I turned that function off as a precaution against Persona’s spirit. With the Keys of Fate in Frisk’s safe hands, I need not worry about permanent death befalling my husband.”
Snakeface pulled his legs up, hugging his knees together. “Also, ‘tis not wise to rise either. Imagine what outrage would blaze if M’lord turns to bone before the eyes o’ the ignorant.”
A human transforming into a monster on screen… Yep, terrible idea! It might take a decade before people accept the whole Lich conversion process. DEFINITELY not right now.
“Give the Keys back to me,” Mezil muttered.
You grabbed an imaginary ‘key’ in your fist and hid it behind your back. No. Not until Mezil stops being delirious.
“That’s not…” Mezil stopped mid sentence and pinched the bridge of his nose, grumbling something about the after-effects.
Trying again, he said: “Please lend me your Keys. I need them to make a SAVE on every success. Starting the fight from the beginning is hampering down our success rate with too many permutations to consider.”
Isn’t that… uh… ‘save-scumming’?
“Hm, so you’ve heard of the term? Yes. We will need to save-scum this. Under normal circumstances, doing so might lock myself into the enemy’s trap. However, I’m not making much headway and I’m worried about Link Cascade.”
Link Cascade? Is that the cause of Lady Lucy’s and Snakeface’s headaches?
“Yes. In a nutshell, it’s an overloading of the Purple Aspect. Too many timelines. Too much data. Too much to compile. Think of it as a short-circuit leading to a system crash.”
If that’s the case, why would a save-scum work then?
“Because that data won’t build up at a single point. At our current rate, we’re compromising our own allies, rather than the enemy.”
…Hmm. You wondered if that has anything to do with his really, really, really weird DEMON state. Though whenever you or Cenna tried to bring up that subject, you hit a dead end. The Tsunderjudge in all his tsundereness was determined not to answer.
Despite that, would you trust him? The old you might have refused, but bygones are bygones. You have come to terms with the reality that you’re borrowing the authority of the Supreme Judge. You don’t own the Keys of Fate anymore.
You thus agreed to his plan. How about a handshake of approval?
“A fine gesture,” he commented.
Business done! The Tsunderjudge should get a bit more rest. Meanwhile, you’re really wondering where Doctor Gaster went. He didn’t hang out with you at all.
You cupped around your mouth and yelled into The Void. Yo! Goopdoc! Where is he?
Click! It sounded like someone turned on a microphone.
“Child of Mercy, if you may be so kind, could I have another hour? Us scientists are hard at work, calculating the balance of the Arcanagram’s output with The Core. There are too many factors still unaccounted for. For example, the weather! As you know, rain will arrive midway through the defense. This will tremendously boost the efficiency of all water and ice type monsters -- Captain Undyne included -- at the expense of fire type monsters.
What about Mom and Dad?
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about them. They’re so powerful, they can set fire to the rain.”
He… he had a point. A long, long time ago when you were baiting fake parental claims, they literally turned water into fire. Go on, Goopdoc.
“If I don’t figure out the safe limits of our energy consumption, we’ll have bigger worries than that oversized menace. A reactor meltdown could become a real possibility!”
…Ice Wolf… chucking ice blocks… to prevent overheating… He’s not there anymore…
You facepalmed at the realisation that The Core may not have enough cooling to do what it needs to do.
“THIS!” Lady Lucidia grumbled. “This is exactly why you must ALWAYS meet safety regulation standards!”
Gaster being Gaster, felt challenged by Lady Lucy’s outburst. “It worked perfectly fine before! For a good number of decades too! Nothing about this scenario is ‘normal’ and you know it. Can your Surface generators generate a town-sized shield? I think not!”
“Whatever.” Cenna interjected. “If it’s going to be such an unreliable hackle of hodgepodge you shouldn’t have proposed using it in the first place. You’re playing with people’s lives, y’know.”
“…Some things never change…” Grillby added.
“Aye! Aye!” Snakeface agreed. “Preach it, sister!”
Dad coughed in guilty discomfort. “P-please everyone, let Doctor Gaster work in peace. …Would you all fancy some Goldenflower Tea?”
* * *
Alright! It’s time for Kaiju vs Mezil Thyme, Round 73+!
For once, everything went somewhat according to plan. Whenever Tsunderjudge died on screen, time would rewind to his last best position.
You glanced at the clouds. It’s weird to see them snap backwards in chunks. It reminded you of a glitchy, memory-starved 3D video game.
The citizens cheered, unaware of the suffering he went through in the process. All failures were erased. All successes pieced together into a seamless display of magic.
The strength of your shield rose along with morale. The Kaiju won’t target your town as long as she doesn’t detect any weakness.
“What a FABULOUS performance!” Mettaton exclaimed. “I expected nothing less from our dashing defender of peace!”
Fabulous, indeed. It’s a spectacular display of deadliness.
In the midst of the hype, Mom leaned close to your ear. “Frisk, are you sure it is safe for Judge Thyme to use this kind of magic?”
Had Mom seen it before?
“Not quite. That is why I worry. The vibe he gives off… it is similar to The Legendary Hero at their height… after murdering countless monsters.”
You told Mom that you don’t know either. You can only trust him.
Upon the fifth strike, a drastic change took place. Mezil’s Mark flashed in a great many red lights, all over The Kaiju’s body, ripping the magic straight out. His action had outsped her reaction!
Giant streams of white ribbons collapsed on his body. They’re so numerous, they blocked the Metta Cam here and there.
By the time it cleared…
…The Vampire of Time had regained his youth.
Black hair!
Wrinkle-free skin!
A slightly less pale complexion!
Upon that instant, the whole town burst into baffled gasps of exclamation. Monsters. Humans. Gungnir. Magi. All were equally shocked.
It sure befuddled YOU! How was that even possible?!?!
Did he rewind his biological clock?
Temporarily juxtaposed his past self in the present?
Illusionary Void shenanigans?
Or… is he a real vampire after all? How else can a 50-year-old man return to his prime, full of vim and vigor?!?
You noticed he stopped dying from that point onward. His dodges were on point and his counters pushed his foe to a corner. There was no hesitation. No wasted moves. His mind acted as one with his body.
A bone shard flew towards his neck. His Green enchantments had boosted to a point where they were able to stop the blow in its tracks.
Mezil grabbed the enemy projectile and shattered it in his hand. He absorbed the fragments, adding more power to his pool. What a turnabout!
Suddenly, you heard the voice of a woman:
“Hey Kaiju gal, don’t forget about me!”
The Metta Cam switched to Cenna, your big sister, whose coat fluttered against the winds of battle. She had her SOUL out in the form of a bird, ready to fly at a moment’s notice.
“It’s her!” Mettaton hammed it up, “Our HOT AND SPICY Princess, Cenna Caraway, Vanquisher Extraordinaire!”
The citizens buzzed with excitement. Your defense formation started to sound more and more like a festival.
“Yeah, that’s right! I saw her hanging out with Frisk!”
“Princess Cenna! Princess Cenna!”
“She’s so cool!”
She tipped her hat. “Yo, ready for some fireworks? One order of the kabooms, coming right up!”
Her SOUL soared high. Bright orbs of light trailed behind its path, bursting into crackling flashes.
Disorientated by the cacophony of light and sound, The Kaiju lost her focus. She tried going after Cenna instead of Mezil to silence the source.
Big mistake. The Vampire used the opportunity to land another bullet. More strength sapped away for his gain.
The fireworks continued for half a minute more. Each of The Kaiju’s attempts to lash out against the noisy spectacle merely opened herself up to Mezil’s counter.
The barrage then stopped. Mezil stretched an open palm towards the beast as an invitation. A brilliant red aura emanated from his being, a stark difference from the darkness you witnessed in the Hub.
“Surrender!” He commanded “Give up your futile mission, or else your soul shall be forfeit!”
The pressure of Mezil’s overwhelming Peaceful Determination made The Kaiju buck. If this could be finished without further violence, that’s half of your worries gone right there.
Despite everything, the monster refused. She instead sought to retaliate. Her jaw opened wide once more, charging the biggest laser beam yet.
“I see that reason has left you.” Thunderjudge retracted his offer and took aim. “So be it. Reveal your true form to the world!”
The gun fired true. This last bullet struck the middle of The Kaiju’s chest, planting a giant butterfly across it.
And then -- just as Mezil had commanded -- he drained The Kaiju’s fur and flesh.
She struggled against the streams, desperately trying to cut off the flow with her claws. Her terrified screams stung your heart.
Dad muttered in sorrow. “Poor, poor girl.” You agreed with the sentiment.
Before long, the last chunk of her false flesh had been consumed. Only her true skeletal body remained.
The Kaiju fell to her knees. As Lady Lucy had told you, maintaining an ectoflesh body required a tremendous amount of energy. Now, all of that was gone… taken by the Vampire of Time. One could mistake him as the new owner of the Philosopher’s Stone.
Rain had started to fall; the cold droplets pattering on your shoulders.
Mezil announced:
“Now all that’s left is the twisted image of your misfortune. By my mercy, I shall set you free.”
You could tell that she had yet to give up. The way she lifted her head… it was as if she’s trying to say ‘not yet’. 'Not yet!'
The Kaiju proceeded to rearrange her bones, morphing into a four-legged canine. Her new doggy form bolted straight in the direction of the town.
If she’s doing that… there’s a high chance that she doesn’t have the strength to fire those lasers anymore. Great news all around!
This is it: Phase Two. Let’s wrap this up in a snap!
Doctor Gaster, Doctor Alphys, please make the necessary adjustments for the weather.
“Yes, Child of Mercy! Adjusting the levels as we speak!”
“W-w-we’ll do our best!”
Undyne, pin down the enemy! Whatever she does, do NOT go 100% power. Go 100% skill!
“Right on it, punk!”
Blast off! Spear after spear whirled towards the running Kaiju. As a swift clairvoyant Seer, she dodged once… twice… thrice…
You gulped. She dodged everything! Not good!
King Asgore immediately issued a command: “Brace for impact! Do not falter!!!”
Leading by example, he planted his trident in the ground. You and your mother followed his cue. Then, the Royal Guards and the remaining citizens did too.
The Kaiju slammed straight into your shields. A loud glassy chime resonated from the edge of town. For something made out of bones, she packed one heck of a crazy punch!
Your SOUL shook. Even though your body had been left untouched, your senses believed that you had endured a head-on collision.
The Kaiju continued to slam and claw. You felt the growing fear and worry of the monsters around you.
Head, hurting.
Knees, wobbly.
No! You cannot lose here. Not after the hell Tsunderjudge went through!
You are DETERMINED to outlast!
You activated your own Ascension for that extra boost. The street lights flickered from the demand of extra energy. The giant TV also struggled to stay on.
Deep down, you prayed that The Core doesn’t explode.
The smashing then stopped.
…Why? Where is The Kaiju?
Looking back at the big screen, you caught the bone wolf trying to dig downwards, confirming your worst suspicions.
OMG! It’s trying to go UNDER the shields!!! Your magic can’t go below the earth! Someone please please please stop that thing! Anyone!!!
Undyne yelled at the top of her lungs. “Got you covered, squirt!”
In response, she shot a giant muddy spear out from the very hole The Kaiju had been digging. Long-distance conjuring for the win!
The enemy, however, instinctively leapt backwards to dodge what would have been a fatal spike through the skull. Soon after, she started digging another hole, right next to the previous spot.
“Like hell I’ll allow THAT!!!”
Undyne pushed on, sprouting rows of water spears from the rain-dampened grasslands. The defensive line chased The Kaiju further and further away.
The Captain of the Royal Guard started to pant. Now drenched, you can’t tell the difference between her sweat and the rain.
“I… can’t go any further,” said the fish. “It’s too far away. And I’m getting winded.”
You asked if she can hold out just a little bit more.
“Maybe for one last Hail Mary, but that’s it.”
Then let’s make it count! You looked up to Dad to make the final call as the King of Monsters.
And so, the mighty goat pointed his trident forward. “Alright citizens, more water! Lend your strength to Captain Undyne! Intend to capture, and only to capture!”
The citizens united their intent. You sensed a massive shift of magic under your feet. Every water monster pitched in to draw moisture for her, forming globules that were suspended midair.
Undyne started to talk. It wasn’t to you or anyone in Ebott Town; it was to her unfortunate foe. She said: “Hey mystery bone girl, looks like you’re having it rough. I’ve known a few magical skeletons like you, so I know what kind of burden they carry. Sorry for being a villain to you… But this town is my home. So…”
Upon her will, the mightiest fish fused the globules into mega-sized water spears: a whole armoury’s worth.
“EAT SPEARS NOW AND WE’LL BE FRIENDS TOMORROW! FUFUFUFUFUFUFUFUFUFUUUUUUU!!!”
The great multitude of spears rocketed towards the target. Luckily for everyone, Cenna’s SOUL bird had also caught up at that exact same moment. The display of magical fireworks further harassed The Kaiju, preventing her from ‘seeing’ with her Orange Aspect.
At last -- by the power of OVERWHELMING JUSTICE -- Undyne had successfully pinned The Kaiju face-first on the muddy earth. The rain of spears piled on her, complete with an X formation over her neck.
The giant cannot move anymore. Is that it? Is that the answer…?
Lightning and thunder rumbled in the clouds. The Vampire loomed overhead, menacing.
Mezil unsheathed his cane-sword and raised it to the heavens.
“It ends here!”
Upon that declaration, he threw down the sword. It shattered Kaiju-chan’s skull, and at last touched her true form with his mark. The great crimson butterfly spread its influence, unravelling her bones into ribbons of magic.
In the next few seconds, the sword that struck the beast hovered in midair. Then it fell blade first into the earth. The glint of polished metal shimmered against the raindrops.
The Metta Cam stopped recording there. Not long later, the rest of town went completely dark. Thereby, the special paid adult-only broadcast ended with a spectacular victory… alongside a nationwide blackout.
The irony. Your pacifistic demands taxed the generator more than a mini nuclear strike…
Meanwhile, the citizens murmured between themselves.
“Did we win?”
“Are we safe?”
“N-no more surprise attacks right?”
“But why did the lights go out?”
“The Core couldn’t take it, I guess.”
Not even Mettaton dared to make any definitive claims. Perhaps it’s a good time to pull out your phone and make a call.
Ring, ring. It got picked up pretty fast.
“Hello, Frisky?” said Cenna.
You asked your sister if it’s all clear.
“…How good are you at acting?”
That return question made you break a cold sweat. You’d like to think that the ACT command is your speciality. But you gotta know the ‘why’.
“See, Frisky. After Mez drained her dry, we were supposed to find the gal knocked out in the grass. Remember what happened to Gael after his transformation faded?”
Yes, you do. He was left behind on the beach sand.
“Problem is, Mez found nobody. No sniper gal at all. He shut off the stream before anyone noticed.”
Does that mean the mission technically failed???
“No. It’s still too soon to call the mission a failure. Just know that it’s not quite done yet. Your job now is to keep hopes high and to lead your guests safely to the school.”
Alright. You wished Cenna ‘godspeed’ and ended the call there.
Everyone looked at you with bated breaths. If you mess up your ACT here, it’s going to be pandemonium.
So…
You triumphantly raised your fist to the air.
WE WON!!!!
The whole of the Dreemurr Nation burst into a massive celebration. It’s so loud, their joyous roars of triumph could reach miles on end.
Dad picked you up for a massive hug. “We did it, Frisk!” he exclaimed. “It was a great success!”
Mom said, “I’m so proud of you.”
In the background, you heard Doctor Gaster mention about ‘joining the repair crew for The Core’. Well, he was the original inventor after all.
With the official proclamation of victory, Mettaton wrapped up the event. Spirits remained high in the air as the Feast of Fantasy finally resumed. Additional townsfolk decided to join your entourage. Some monsters won’t pass up the chance for a party.
You could see your school from a distance. Your mission objective: so near yet so far. You hoped that somehow, someway… they could capture the enemy in time. For everyone’s sake.