#I like to imagine that dark world Kris is more angelic

[arackoondraws]

Dark world Kris

Alt versions

[patchwork-crow-writes]

Thoughts on Kris x Ralsei, continued

(this is a continuation of my first post on this subject, creatively titled Thoughts on Kris x Ralsei. The parts all build upon each other, so it's best to read from the beginning. Here's a little TOC so you can get up to speed:

Part 1: And They Lived Happily Ever After Part 1.5: I Believe Your Choices DO Matter Part 2: A Pair of Star-Cross'd Lovers <- (You Are Here!) Part 2.5: In Another World, We Could Have Been (Just) Friends (Future parts to be added as they are written))

(Please be aware that this series will go over topics including coercion, non-consentual romance, and an observation pertaining to potential incestual undertones. If any of this makes you uncomfortable in any way, please proceed with caution. Thank you)

Part 2: A Pair of Star-Cross'd Lovers

Kris Dreemurr is doomed the instant the player assumes control of them.

If Undertale is a game about how your choices can affect the world, then Deltarune is about how sometimes, your choices mean absolutely nothing. Fate grinds on, irrespective of your wishes. Onward you march, towards your ultimate destiny.

This concept features heavilly in a lot of RPGs - the idea that the protagonist is the "chosen one" who will save the world, which due to the constrains of narrative and gaming, is what ends up happening 95% of the time. Much like the Knight and Princess dynamic I discussed in the previous part, this trope is so heavily ingrained in the gaming psyche that we do tend to accept it when it happens,as part and parcel of the RPG experience.

This very familiar setup is where Kris and Susie find themselves upon meeting Ralsei, who waxes lyrical about the very Non-Specific-and-Light-on-Any-Identifying-Details Legend. They are told that the balance of light and dark is being disrupted and a "terrible calamity (will) occur", are shown some apocalyptic imagery, three heroes who are identified by their race/species (and not their name - a detail which may become important later on), who will stop something nefariously dubbed the "Angel's Heaven". It is Prophecy 101, the most barebones framing for a quest you can imagine... but hey, the game needs a hook, doesn't it? Some grand stakes to get the ball rolling.

And so, the roles are doled out: Kris is the human, the unwavering leader; Susie is the no-nonsense contrarian who doesn't really care much for concepts of fate and determinism, and Ralsei is the exposition fairy, doing his best to keep his comrades on the path he has set out for them.

Ok, cool. But where does Kralsei fit into this? Well, in Part 1 and 1.5 of this series of posts, I brought up how Deltarune goes to great lengths to bring the idea of this pairing to prominence... but I didn't really talk about why the game is doing this. And the answer is, because it ties in with Deltarune's central theme of destiny and determinism. Or to put it another way:

Your Choices Don't Matter.

And here, you might protest. Because surely when the game says that, it's only refering to Kris's choices, right? We, as players, can choose from different dialogue options, we can choose to FIGHT or SPARE our adversaries. More fundamentally, we are the ones in control of Kris's movements and actions, while they are almost entirely powerless to fight our influence (note how I say almost - this will be important later).

But think for a moment about the choices we are given as players, and ask yourself - what meaningfully changes as a result of our actions? In Chapter 1, it doesn't matter whether we fight or spare anyone, they'll all return regardless in Chapter 2, with a single line of dialogue added as a handwave to explain why. And while Chapter 2 gives us a little more say in this - we can lose potential recruits to Castle Town by fighting rather than sparing, and they won't turn up in Ralsei's dark world at the end - the main points of the story do not meaningfully change to reflect this.

(there are, of course, things that we CAN do to change things in a pretty big way *coughSnowgravecough* but given that the means to achieve this are rather well-hidden, and it involves doing some very, VERY messed up things in pursuit of it, we can consider it an exception that proves the rule - technically your choices CAN have consequences, but those consequences are so horrific that you're probably better off not choosing in the first place.)

Okay, sure, you say. But this doesn't apply to the interpersonal relationships in Deltarune, now does it? If we don't want Kralsei to happen, then we simply don't choose any of the options that hint at it. That much must be in our power, surely?

To which I have one riposte: the Acid Tunnel of Love.

Brief overview of this sequence: Kris and Ralsei are tasked with "distracting" Queen while Susie and Berdly go to rescue Noelle. Literally on the next screen, the only way to proceed is across a giant river of acid, atop a swan pedallo, while soft carnival-style music plays in the background. Partway through, Ralsei has a heart-to-heart with Kris/the player, Rouxls Kaard does what he does best, and a photo may or may not be taken at the end.

You don't get to choose not to do this (unless you do that other thing which we're not discussing here). This just happens. And it's difficult to get away from the fact that this entire scenario is dripping with romantic undertones, especially when it's contrasted directly afterwards with Susie and Noelle's equally-romantically-charged Rescue and Ferris Wheel ride.

But then, perhaps it's a parody. A funny contrivance that sends up the absurdity of Kralsei by comparing it to a romantic pairing with actual weight, Suselle. But there are two problems with this; the first is that if we write off this scene as parody, then we must also do the same with the ferris wheel, because they both operate under the same logic - they're both based on a massive contrivance.

The second problem is that Ralsei doesn't seem to have got that memo. And no matter how you respond to his questions, the scene will end with his admiration for Kris strengthened. There is NO dialogue option you can select which will dissuade him from his feelings.

Exhibit A: calling Ralsei a lackey will have him cheerfully exclaim "Ooh, I've never been somebody's lackey before!" (because he's a darkner, that's literally what he was designed to be). Exhibit B: saying "It's strange" has Ralsei write off his question as, erm, "sarcasm". Which would perhaps be read as a rebuttal, except that his understanding of social situations is so minimal that he might genuinely believe he's committed a serious faux pas here, rather than interpret the response as a rejection. It also doesn't change his follow-up response, either. Exhibit C: Saying nothing when he says "it's good that you're you" has him laugh at how "Kris-like" not saying anything is, before saying that he "[likes] you-like things".

Cue Ralsei haters throwing their hands up in exasperation.

Contrast again with Susie and Noelle's scene. Here, too, we're presented with options to influence how things will happen. But the crucial difference is, we have absolutely zero sway over Susie, and she will always choose to say and do her own things. Here, too, we are powerless to intervene, but in a more direct way, whereas with Kralsei, even though we CAN choose an option, none of them make a difference to the scene or its outcome. This serves to show just how much agency Susie actually possesses, and is a stark contrast to Kris's severe lack of agency... as well as our own.

What does that mean, exactly? Well, consider this: Susie is free to make her own decisions, up to and including choosing NOT to pursue Noelle romantically. Kris, on the other hand, has no such freedom, and thus cannot choose to opt out of entering into a relationship with Ralsei. And, as I have alluded to a few times, neither can we, despite what our own feelings on the situation might be.

And thus we come to the title of this part - Kris and Ralsei are Star-Crossed. No reference to this line is made in Deltarune as of present, but it has numerous connotations which I believe are relevant to these two characters. Firstly, the idea that their connection is destined to occur - it's written in the stars, woven into the game's literal architecture. As such, there is nothing that anyone can do to stop it from happening - not Ralsei, who probably would be quite thrilled with it, not the player, who try as they might cannot influence it either way, and certainly not Kris, who is almost entirely unable to voice their own desires. We are each as powerless as each other in this instance.

Secondly, the idea that this destined relationship, no matter what form it might take, is doomed to end in tragedy. From the reaction to the various teas, we can infer that Kris is lukewarm on Ralsei at best (this may change as future chapters are released, but it's not exactly a ringing endorsement). And as time goes on, it becomes increasingly apparent that Ralsei is likely labouring under a false notion of who Kris actually is, and has fallen for the idea of Kris that he has conjured up in his own head, rather than the genuine article.

But the problem is more fundamental still, for if we understand the prophecy correctly, light and dark must be in balance - they cannot mix. That means no new dark fountains, which means that Ralsei can never manifest anywhere as a darkner once the events of the game are concluded. This would of course preclude any sort of interpersonal connection, romantic or otherwise. The best that could be hoped for in such a scenario is that Ralsei returns to whichever object he represents in the light world and Kris keeps him around as a memento.

This all assumes a great deal, of course - Kris's stance on Ralsei may well change, and for all we know Ralsei is more than likely very aware that we exist separately from Kris, as evidenced by his clandestine conversations with Kris while we see what Susie's up to. Additionally, it is entirely possible that Ralsei has instead fallen for US through Kris, which presents... additional complications. More on that later.

All of this leads us back to the central conceit of Deltarune: Our choices do not matter. Nothing we say, nothing we do, can change what is going to happen. We don't know exactly where this is going to go, whether they will fall into a full-on romance, or if they become something more akin to queerplatonic partners, or good friends, or something like siblings, or perhaps even mortal enemies. But one thing is for sure - Deltarune is going to continue cramming Kralsei down our throats, whether we like it or not.

...okay, think I best stop there for now. And look, I know I haven't really gone too much into the why of all this just yet. But patience - much of the past few essays have been establishing the groundwork - the what and the how, if you like. I'n Part 3, I'll attempt to go over what I believe the Narrative (i.e. the game) is trying to accomplish with Kralsei - what it's trying to say about games, stories, romance, and how we can be manipulated into endorsing a potentially problematic relationship, irrespective of the wishes of the vessel we control.

Thanks for reading!

[krispdreemurr]

I'm not sure if you're still doing fic requests, but maybe you could write one about Kris meeting (or experiencing might be a better term) Gaster? I can only imagine the properties of a man who exists both beyond and interweaved into the fabric of reality would also bend reality itself. I wanna know how messed up it would feel to be in proximity to this guy. Like a warning aura.

[i've done first meetings a few times before so this is a second one lol, hope that's ok]

The first thing they notice is always the words.

IT HAS BEEN

SOME TIME.

He doesn't speak. There is little sound here; the distant howl of wind, the pulse of their own heart. His words cut through that all and leave behind a silence deeper than is possible, a silence that their brain struggles to fill back up with noise, with words, with anything at all but the aching empty spaces.

They open their eyes.

They're standing on level ground in the dark. They have to remind themselves of that, because somehow they feel a sick lurch in their stomach like the ground has given out under them, like the wind is rushing past them, like they're falling on and on without end--

They're standing.

He's facing them.

Bone white against black, a shape defined by cracks and emptiness. Hands - more than make sense, more than they can keep track of. Eyes. A smile.

He was smiling the last time, too.

Their heart pounds in their chest, setting its own time, and they want to turn and run but they know the ground would give out, they know there is nowhere, there cannot be anywhere, they are lost they are gone they are drowning falling falling forever forever forever forever forever

One of the hands lands on their shoulder. It's shockingly cold, and it is burning hot, and it is burning bleeding melting dying, and they yelp and pull away.

"Don't," they hiss.

APOLOGIES

BUT THIS MATTER IS CRITICAL

I REQUIRE YOUR ATTENTION.

"I don't care about--" They shake their head, force themself to step closer on shaking legs. They can feel nothing beneath their feet, sharp and solid. "You've... Where's Dess?"

A pause.

With a thunderous crack that makes no sound at all, the smile splits wider.

YOU ARE TRULY

TRULY

CARING.

SHE IS SAFE. SHE IS PROTECTED.

ESCAPED FROM THE GAZE OF THE ANGEL

Another hand outstretches. It is lightyears away. It is directly in front of them.

WHICH IS WHAT I ALSO

OFFER TO YOU.

They stare for a moment, then manage a bare, "What?"

The shape--the man--straightens. Fingers tap aimlessly on dark air, with sharp clinks coming with each motion.

THERE IS A STORY YOU ARE CALLED TO SERVE.

THERE IS A ROLE YOU ARE CALLED TO FILL.

YOU CANNOT FILL IT.

He looks at them for a moment, cold light shining in broken eyes, and his gaze smells like bone and rust and feels like something cutting through their chest.

THIS IS NOT YOUR FAULT. YOU ARE AN EXCELLENT CHILD.

THIS IS JUST SOMETHING YOU CANNOT DO.

I SOUGHT TO ASSIST YOU

AND HAVE BEEN TRYING TO ACCUSTOM YOU

BUT IT IS CLEAR MY AID

IS UNWELCOME.

They remember. Finding themself at the bunker again and again, with only dazed half-there memories. People remembering conversations they'd never had. Hours, days, weeks slipping into a gray haze.

The growing weight on their chest, until one night they'd awoken and caught hold and pulled--

Their hand goes to their chest now. Feels a hole cut through, leeching away warmth. Feels something damp and clinging, blood through their fingers. Feels an alien pulse. Feels something that burns them. Feels everything and nothing at all.

"Why me?" they mumble.

BECAUSE IN A WORLD THAT WAS NOT

AND NOW WILL NOT BE

I WAS A FOOL.

They're back in the dark of the bunker, watching with wide eyes as hands in the dark grip the hilt of a blade and tell them to watch closely, because this is something only they can do, and--

They're dressed in armor they've never seen before, blue and silver, his hand firm and real on their shoulder as he gestures at the sky and talks about reaching to heaven, and--

They're holding out their hand, offering mercy, forgiveness, trust, and his own hand pushes it away and he drives a blade into the earth and nothing pours out and nothing happens and nothing and nothing and nothing and--

They shake their head, trying to clear out memories, to sort out what fits in their head and what is something alien to them.

I CANNOT CHANGE THE PATH.

THE KNIGHT

GIFTED KNOWLEDGE OF THE DARK

WILL OPEN THE FOUNTAINS

SEEKING FREEDOM

SEEKING ESCAPE.

THIS IS SET.

BUT.

YOU CANNOT BE THE KNIGHT.

"Because I'm a failure?" they croak, too overwhelmed to try and hide the truth.

BECAUSE YOU ARE KIND.

He gestures with many hands, and--

There's a window, or a door, or a warp in space, or they have been somewhere else all along. There's a body wrapped in gray, floating empty, hair shifting lengths, face missingabsentgonelost. There's more of those soundless words, but they're not meant for Kris, and they cannot make sense of them.

COME WITH ME

I WILL KEEP YOU SAFE IN THE DARK

FOR A TIME.

ANOTHER WILL CARRY THE BURDEN YOU CANNOT.

AND YOU WILL RETURN SAFE AND WELL.

They hesitate, looking at the stark white shape of the hand. It holds itself steady, a fixed point against the ever-falling ever-rising dark.

They don't want to.

But--

But they know. If there's a need for a hero. For someone who can save the world. It can't be them. Not Kris, tired lonely Kris messaging a brother who won't answer again and again, passing through the days in silence. Not Kris, who no one has even noticed as they slowly vanished.

Maybe it would be better to be gone.

Just for a little while, after all.

They're so afraid. They hate it here. They hate the man and his promises and his demands and his conviction that everything is set for them. They hate the dark and the way it clings to them and drips down them and weighs down their feet without touching them at all. They want to wake up tomorrow and eat breakfast with their mom and go to school like normal and live their life like normal and just keep on through the endless days and pretend.

But in the end--

They're so tired.

They reach across the distance, preparing to grab hold

and that's when red light cuts through the world blade-sharp and someone is yelling something at them in a voice they can almost hear and they feel something hooked in their chest snag taut like the other end has caught hold of something far distant and the man reaches across the infinite distance between them but they are

rising

rising

rising

"Kris!"

Something opens their eyes.

[of-twilight-and-moonshadow]

Help Me to Feel Again - Yuta x Emery

I've been in my Yoots feels lately, and then with what I saw happened at All In yesterday, this happened.

Can't promise that I'm 100% back with Dark Angel- as with work and college, I'm pretty busy all the time, BUT something once in a while might pop up :)

Didn't start out like I imagined either, but I guess my mind thought there needed to be more to the story? I don't question it anymore.

Part of the Dark Angel of the Bullet Club series

Word Count: 2484

TW: dizziness, passing out, suggestive themes (but nothing descriptive)

Tag List: @katries @rainries @summertimefun1982

(border by)

August.

How it was already eight months into the year, Emery couldn’t understand. Another month, she felt as if her world had been turned upside down. Everything she knew, everything she had, it was slipping through her fingers- and she didn’t know where to turn or even to pick up the pieces.

Kenny was still gone, with no return in sight.

Hangman had lost his mind, no longer her lovable cowboy.

Wheeler kept his cold distance from her, being aligned with the BCC.

The Bucks…. She didn’t even want to think about how that had all gone wrong.

OC and Chuckie had moderately distanced themselves from her since the Trent betrayal- though they were slowly coming around. Slowly.

Eddie was out with an injury, with no return in sight.

Wardlow had aligned himself with a new devil, Adam, and had since ignored her completely.

Kris had turned as well, no longer the friend Emery once had.

Jungleboy was long gone, replaced by this new version of himself that he aligned with the Bucks.

Darby… was there for her, but he kept a slight distance- not wanting her to get hurt because of his antics against the Bucks.

Kyle. That seemed to be the one person she had left right now that kept her sane. Her longtime best friend. Her brother. Her rock.

 She wanted to be able to wrestle, to take her mind off of everything, but unfortunately, the doctors wouldn’t clear Emery. A wave of dizziness had caused a misstep in training last week, leading her to awkwardly fall from the top rope. Although she had shaken it off and walked away, the dizziness seemed to stick around. No concussion came up in the scans, and there was no apparent reason for the swimming vision. The doctors and Tony Khan wanted to be sure, though- be sure that she wouldn’t accidentally hurt herself or her opponent, so no matches until the dizziness was gone for two straight weeks.

It wasn’t the first time this had happened, though, and a part of her wondered if it was the beginning of the signs telling her to end her career. Back in the early stages of AEW, Emery had constant dizzy spells that on-and-off lasted for almost two months. That, however, had been the effect of a botched move, where she had awkwardly landed on the back of her neck. Doctors were surprised that she didn’t have a fractured spine and wouldn’t need any surgery.

Now? All these years later, with all the shit she’d done in the ring since then? With everything else going on around her? Maybe it was fate telling her it was time to hang up the boots. She needed someone to talk to…. But who? Emery didn’t want to worry any of her friends…. The ones she had left anyway. The one she wanted to speak to…. It wasn’t much of an option because of the company he kept. Not that it mattered; Yuta had made it obvious last year that he didn’t want anything to do with her.

Sighing, Emery got out of her chair and began walking down the hall but immediately had to stop and lean against the wall as her vision swam. A small bout of nausea crept into her gut, and she had to close her eyes, willing it to all go away.

“Hey—you okay girl?” Willow asked, walking up to her, concern lacing her voice.

“I’m—I’m good, yeah,” Emery swallowed, focusing on breathing evenly until it all passed.

“You sure? I can go get OC or Kyle—”

“No—no, it’s…. I’m fine, really,” Emery argued, her voice soft, “Just…. Stood up too fast.”

Okay, that was a lie—but the last thing Emery wanted to do was worry either of them, especially right before their match.

“Alright, well—if you need anything, just let me know, okay?” Willow told her, a small, warm smile on her face. As the feeling ebbed away, Emery opened her eyes to look at the upbeat and friendly person who had recently become a good friend, bonding over the betrayal of Trent and Kris.

“I will…. Thanks.”

With a slight nod, Willow walked off in the opposite direction. Emery closed her eyes again, taking a moment to compose herself before continuing down the hall. Maybe some fresh air would help?

Before she knew it, August had passed and it was now September. Yet another month with no change to her life. Orange and Chuck slowly became themselves again, being around Emery more often, and Orange allowed himself to smile a bit more often.

Darby had gone radio silent since his loss to Jack at All In last month—just when she needed his calming touch. It was weird—how someone so chaotic like Darby could be the calming presence in another person's life, but that’s how it was for her. That was precisely what she needed, more and more lately, as the dizziness only worsened with each passing week. Emery tried not to think about it, tried not to let those close to her see how much she was struggling, but it was getting more difficult to hide.

The night of All Out – it all changed, as hiding it became impossible. She, Willow, and Mark Briscoe were walking down the hallway of the Chicago arena, waiting for Orange to arrive. Emery was trying to be happy and supportive of her friends, as they all had important matches that night – but the nausea in her stomach was intensifying with each step. The two competitors walked in front of her as Emery followed along, keeping her eyes downcast, focusing on breathing through the discomfort. Their conversation became muddled as a sudden intense wave of dizziness hit her, causing Emery to nearly crash into the wall beside her. Suddenly, Willow’s concerned face was right there, asking her something- but Emery couldn’t hear any of the words. Mark was over Willow’s shoulder, his fatherly instincts kicking in, knowing something was wrong with the younger talent. He asked Willow questions, trying to figure out what was going on, but before Willow could provide any answers, she lurched forward to catch Emery before she hit the floor completely, the strength completely leaving her body.

“Wha’ should I do?!”

“See if you can find Orange—or Chuck—someone!”

“On it—yous keep her safe!”

Mark ran down the hall, rushing past all in his way, yelling in his Briscoe way for people to move.

“He’s a strange one,” Claudio remarked, shaking his head as he readjusted his Trios championship on his shoulder.

“You’re telling me,” Bryan chuckled, “Come on, let’s get to the locker room- get ready for our matches.”

The two older BCC members, followed by Yuta, began walking down the hall, crossing at the intersection where Briscoe had run past them. They heard the frantic voice of Willow Nightengale down the hall to their left, and each briefly glanced towards her before turning their attention back to in front of them. However, as soon as Yuta did, his head snapped back to the left, squinting his eyes to see who was on the ground beside Willow.

“Wheeler?” Claudio questioned, looking back at the younger man. As Bryan turned to look, Yuta’s eyes went wide in concern as he took off in a full sprint down the hall—every animosity and confrontation from the past two years gone from his mind.

“Ree!” Yuta exclaimed, skidding to a stop beside her unconscious form on the ground. Willow looked at him, uncertainty in her eyes, but he paid her no mind as he knelt beside them.

“What happened?” Yuta demanded, his hand reaching out to gently brush Emery’s cheek, pushing some hair behind her ear. A pained groan reverberated through her body, her already closed eyes squeezing themselves further together.

“I-I don’t know! She seemed fine, but—”

“She’s obviously not!” Yuta snapped, but when another pained groan reached his ears, he swallowed the lump in his throat, “I--- I’m sorry. There…. There has to be something---”

“I don’t know if it’s what’s going on… but she’s complained about being dizzy lately?” Willow offered.

“Dizzy?” Yuta repeated as Claudio and Bryan walked up to stand near them. As Willow nodded, Yuta traveled down memory lane to 2020, shortly after he joined AEW. When he had been with the Best Friends. When Emery and he were close…. When he had wanted to ask her out…. She had some dizzy spells back then, too—due to a head injury of sorts.

“Wheeler—we should go,” Claudio tried, attempting to pry the younger man away verbally. He and Bryan knew how Yuta felt about Emery and how he had tried everything to get her off his mind.

“I--- Where’s Cassidy? Chuck?!”

“Mark went off to find them—We were the first three to the arena…” Willow explained.

“Wheeler.”

He looked up to his BCC companions, a grimace on his face when he nodded. Chuck and Orange would be there soon. It’d be okay. She’d be okay. Right?

As Yuta went to stand up, he felt a tug on his jacket and looked down, his eyes widening at the sight below him. Emery had reached out, her subconscious just barely aware of his presence. Her hand was gripping the bottom of his jacket. It took everything in him not to see it as a sign to stay.

He needed to leave. But how could he leave her there when she needed him? When she wanted him to stay?

“Wheeler.”

“I--- One second….” Yuta asked of the older two as he reached up and unzipped his hoodie. It wasn’t a BCC one but a personal hoodie that he had carried for several years. Shrugging it off his body, Yuta gently placed it over Emery’s upper body, covering her head to shield her from the light around her.

“If…. If it’s the dizziness… the light will only make it worse…” Yuta explained, glancing at Willow briefly before standing up. As he did, one of the medic staff hurried over, having passed Mark Briscoe in the hall.

“Let’s give them some space…” Bryan whispered, knowing from personal experience how bad head injuries of any kind could affect a person. Yuta gave a slight nod, looking down at Emery’s form once more before following along behind Claudio and Bryan. Hopefully, the rest of the night went better for Emery and himself. As they turned the corner, Yuta heard Mark’s voice in the distance, but more importantly, when he looked up, he saw Briscoe flanked by Chuck Taylor.

“Good…. She won't be alone…”

*timeskip*

It was nearing midnight when Emery found herself walking down a hotel hallway towards one of the rooms. Not a room she ever thought she’d be going to again- but it was something she needed to do.

Especially after the ending of All Out.

Something in her told Emery that maybe…. Just maybe…. He needed her just as much as she needed him. Stopping outside the right room, she hoped he was alone. It’d make it easier on her if she didn’t have to deal with anyone else in BCC.

Dealing with BCC was never easy for her.

They had taken her Yuta from her.

Changed him into something…. Different.

Taking a deep breath, her grip tightening on the fabric in her arms, Emery reached up and knocked on the wooden door. It seemed like forever until the tell-tale sound of a lock being turned sounded and the door slowly opened, revealing a shirtless Yuta. They stood there momentarily, neither saying a word, before Emery extended her arms towards him. The black hoodie dangled from her grip, swaying in the space between them.

“I… I wanted to return this. I know it means a lot to you.”

“Willow tell you it was mine? She didn’t have to—”

“I knew it was yours,” Emery shook her head, finally looking into his eyes for longer than a few seconds, “It’s uh—got the green stitching on the inside of the pockets…. From where your gramma patched up a hole….”

Yuta paused, his face warming up slightly at the fact that she remembered such a fact. Slowly, he reached out and gently accepted the jacket from her, “Oh… uh… Right. Thanks….”

“Yeah…”

Silence stretched between them once more before Emery spoke up, “I wanted to uh… check on you… after what happened tonight…. With Bryan. I know you looked up to him—and what happened couldn’t have been easy….”

Yuta felt his throat constrict as he recalled the moment. The BCC—Mox and Claudio, mostly—turning on Bryan like they did. Holding him back from aiding Bryan. It made him sick to his stomach. It made him want to punch someone. Yuta’s grip on the jacket tightened momentarily, not going unnoticed by Emery. His stare burned a hole in a spot on the floor behind her.

“Sorry… You probably don’t want to talk about it…. I get it…. I—I understand betrayals…. More than you know…. It seems like that’s all I’ve experienced lately, heh….” Emery gave a weak chuckle, it dying on her tongue, before she cleared her throat, “It’s… late. I’ll let you get back to bed…. Good night… Yuta….”

Slowly, she turned to walk away, but before she even stepped, a hand was clasped around her wrist. It was tight at first but loosened quickly. Emery glanced up at Yuta, who was staring at her now, his brown eyes swimming with several different emotions simultaneously.

Did he dare say what he has wanted to for years? Did he finally make the move that he should’ve years ago?

Emery herself was conflicted. Everything that had happened between her and the BCC—whether that was with the Best Friends or the Elite. Could she overlook everything—could she let herself possibly give in, for this night, allow herself to finally feel something for once- something she hadn’t done in so long?

“Stay….?” Yuta asked of her, finally making up his mind.

“I…. I don’t know…. If I should….”

Yuta tossed the jacket in his free hand, somewhere in the room, off behind him. Then, taking a considerable risk, he reached forward and pulled Emery closer to him. Chest to chest. He stared down into her wide eyes, feeling her breathing hitch in her throat at the sudden force.

“Stay?” He asked of her once more, sounding more certain of himself.

Slowly, Emery shook her head once, breathing out an ‘Okay…’, causing Yuta to give a small smile. Effortlessly, he dropped his arms to her thighs and picked her up, Emery’s arms wrapping around his head as she leaned in towards him more. Turning around, Yuta closed the door with his foot and walked them into the room's darkness.

Yesterday hadn’t gone great, but perhaps they could start the new day better?

[liliallowed]

okay regarding the epic musical and the underworld...

hmmm

my dusttale senses tell me that this song isn't really suited for... just dust but more suited for dustgrave Noelle.

like she loses her dad she loses herself she loses her REALITY to Incase the world in stagnation.

a still world without death and without change.

where everyone is asleep. they're not dead heavens no!

but I imagine her snow grave route... or well the "angel's saintess" is more akin to an icey underworld where you can't really live or die just exist in cryostasis dreaming.

"I no longer dream" on the other hand would be Kris. unlike the Kris from deltarune this Kris has been trapped in their own mind while in a coma and they want to LIVE they want OUT.

they're sick of the dark world and playing childish hamesof make belief with the brother who is gone. with the family they can't return to. and a body that's been TAKEN from them.

no more games. they're tearing down the fountains and banishing the angels heaven.

of course the RED soul is the one helping them.

though the blue soul... a remnant of a dead god and an echo of a former anomaly... the being responsible for stopping the demon from "ENDING the world"... isn't too happy.

but in dustgrave ending the world IS actually the moral thing to do. it's time to wake up. it's time to face reality.

I feel like dust or just sans in general is too... apathetic for this? sure he feels guilty n misses everyone...

idunno it fits dustgrave SO MUCH BETTER.

like Noelle isn't evil. she's trying to keep everyone safe from the demon from prophecy that will bring the end of the world. but her actions are harmful. she's NOT saving them she's imprisoning them in blissful ignorance in a sweet icy dream.

on the other hand while murdering darkners would probably be less moral... there will be a compromise between the soul and Kris to get stronger without L. O. V. E but LVL.

yeah! believe it or not deltarune has a new LV mechanic! LVL and LV are different stats!

it's theorized that LVL is the progression of the story or just the amount of exposure to escapism. the more you feed the obsession the stronger your grasp on the dark world.

no need for slaughter. but there will be mad times going all around the carousel.

anyways getting side tracked. underworld fits dustgrave not dusttale.

[insertdisc5]

Hi!! I wanted to ask, in celebration of Deltarune CH. 2, do you have any updated thoughts and head canons about the game?? Like, y'know, similar to a previous ask about Kris in your Deltarune tag? Thanks!

thoughts on kris part 2 i guess???? (part 1 from ch1 here lol)

spoilers for deltarune like woah. this wont be kris focused just random thoughts on everything. thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk

not that many thoughts for this chapter tbh! EDIT LOL: this was a lie i have a lot of thoughts

-just in general i feel like the player isn't the only one controlling kris... like yes the player forced kris to do what happened in the snowgrave route but AT THE SAME TIME idk it feels like there's someone else too. just because of the terrifying voice i suppose. and also the jerky movement kris does every time they get their soul out? unless there's another reason for it... maybe getting your soul out means you walk weird lol

-BUT ALSO i feel like kris is 100% in control when they create fountains. idk it just makes sense kris would create them. to create another world, a better world, A WORLD WHERE THEIR BROTHER IS HERE PERHAPS? i do wonder why they get their soul out then though. i'm all for it sweetie! do whatever! i support you!

-(i am and will be playing deltarune with only kris' best interests in mind. i will not hurt anyone unless kris wants me to. dont worry my little meow meow im on your side! talk to me! no? okay ill stay under the sink its fine)

-speaking of asriel. SUMMER VACATION COLLEGE WHEN? SUMMER VACATION COLLEGE WHEN? SUMMER (starts crying) V-VACATION COLLEGE WHEN

-kris misses their brother so much it's so sad. if you make kris steal 5$ from asriel they take it "reluctantly"? talking to asriel online so often even alphys knows?? the google search?? GOING INTO ASRIEL'S GOOGLE SEARCH ROOM WITH THEIR EYES CLOSED BECAUSE THEY'RE CONVINCED THEY ALREADY KNOW WHATS IN THERE? THAT ONE IS LESS OF A MISSING THING BUT IM LIKE OH MY GOD

-the city walk with susie at the end makes it clear to me that kris really values susie's friendship... kris even sits with her if you spend long enough near the lake like aaaaah ;_;

-and even in snowgrave you spend your last acts with the final boss calling for your friends like YES there's a way bigger creepy aspect to this (kris as more of a Leader who Commands and commands their subjects to come) but still :'0 (and then noelle answers oh my god noelle im so sorry for the trauma)

-berdly. listen. listen. listen. liste

-berdly sucks but [berdly hurts his arm in the battle against queen if you don't save him because he doesnt want to hurt you] [berdly realizing smg's wrong in snowgrave and immediately taking steps to save noelle] berdly is my little crumb nugget. i will protect him.

-noelle. noelle. girlboss!

-like ooooh listen. hearing about the genocide path for undertale. made me go "that is SO COOL. i HAVE to experience it myself this is great. hehehe killing time" and like no regrets. i was fully enjoying the experience knowing i was an awful person. SNOWGRAVE THOUGH. i will never try this myself its too fucked up. casually grooming your childhood friend to murder people <3 and also acting like a weird stalker towards her <3 stockholm syndrome speedrun i will get all the info i can about this but i will never do this myself

-people remarking the kris/player>noelle relationship is similar to the relationship between player>chara in genocide path is like yes. chefs kiss. don't worry we just are making you stronger and everything will be fine "you made me kill my friend? and for what?" this is fine sweetie don't worry about it!!!!!!

-like the amount of details added to snowgrave, like if you equip noelle's watch she notices later? and her battle animations change as time goes on, she gets an ice shield and stops sighing in relief after battle? oh my god? oh my god.

-(berdly is not awake.) JUST KILL ME RIGHT HERE I HAVEN'T STOPPED THINKING ABOUT BERDLY NOT BEING AWAKE!!!!!

-also why didnt he turn into dust. so many possible reasons. is magic a thing in the normal world and perhaps no magic means no dust (theres graves). maybe he isnt dead. maybe hes braindead. maybe he'll come back. either way that boy is now in the closet big enough to put someone in

-also dess' name probably being december AND THATS WHY NOELLE LOST THE SPELLING BEE?!?!??! FUCK ME UP!!!!! JUST FUCK ME UP!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!!

-also so many good pixel art this chapter. too many? i didnt need pixel art of cardboard noelle falling on the statue. like thank you but please. please it hurts my game artist brain.

-the expressions in this chapter were also top notch. all the unsettling noelle expressions like (i fall over face first)

-i threw away the ball of junk (which i already tried in ch1) and this time the game was like "ARE YOU SURE BC THIS IS A BAD IDEA" and kris felt bitter :'( (it deletes all your items in the dark world)

-i uh fucked up and skipped the susie+noelle scene bc listen last time ralsei mentionned seeing what susie is doing we missed some PRIMO LORE. turns out it just makes you skip the scene and you dont get anything new. welp

-speaking of ralsei well you know. he exists. but im stuck on him going "i just wonder what being ralsei-like even is...?" ralsei my dude there's so much i could say about this. do you feel like you can't be ralsei-like because you feel like you have to be asriel-like

-but also that makes no sense bc susie hasnt even mentioned ralsei looks like asriel. and i cant imagine asriel being so meek. so WHAT GIVES

-ralsei as kris’ “i wish i was a monster just like my bro and family and i’d look like asriel but with red horns [THE HALLOWEEN COSTUME] and my name would be something cool like ralsei instead of a boring human name like kris and im sweet and cute because thats how i act with asriel because ASRIEL MADE ME” theory because that would be cute.

-ASRIEL GOING TO THE CHURCH TO CONFESS HIS "SINS" WHEN "SINS" AREN'T A THING IN THE ANGEL BELIEF LIKE I KNOW THIS INTERACTION WAS TREATED AS A JOKE BUT WHAT THE FUCK ASRIEL?

-kris definitely has a connection with the big red door in the city, judging by what the kids say they probably went there... i feel like this place's dark world will be the Final Dungeon you KNOW some shit happened there. also the sounds you hear when you go there is the phone dark world call's sound slowed down? AND AFTER SNOWGRAVE APPARENTLY YOU CANT HEAR IT ANYMORE? HUWAH?

-speaking of songs the songs were all so good, My Castle Town rules, the berdly snowgrave music is stuck in my head, flashback is uwah wuahah, Until Next Time is so good, AND ALSO A FRIEND NOTICED THE DARK WORLD CITY THEME IS JUST tHE SONG 74 (MOST NOTICEABLE WITH THE SNOWGRAVE VERSION)?????? WHAT DOES IT MEAN????? it might be just "hey its just reuse" BUT MR FOX YOU KNOW WE'RE GONNA READ INTO THIS IS NOELLE THE ONE SINGING IDK BRO!!!!!!!!!!

-asgore dreemurr fired from the force what happun!!!!! game theory is that asgore is related to dess' death/disappearance but eh who knows

-you start the chapter at lvl2 and get to lvl3 after the final boss, a friend mentioned this is probably because we destroyed a world and im :0

-to go back to kris it's still so interesting to figure out who they are based on how they act/people mention them. like kris shaking the ferris wheel car? yeah makes sense i can imagine a pranking kid do this. kris' dance? yeah thats a little silly but i can buy it. doing cool anime poses? well i dunno this doesnt line up PERFECTLY but sure. BUT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN SNOWGRAVE... especially >proceed like that is such a weird thing that i can't imagine them doing, but i can't completely see the "player" doing either (compare with going to sans -which kris doesnt know- and going "SANS!" because of course the player would know sans), like THATS one of the reasons i feel like there's someone else in there. the weird robotic merciless actions. if im going super meta it feels like there'd be someone else like writing the choices into existence for us to pick you know? gaster probably? god i need to read more gaster theories i completely sidestepped the gaster shit bc i wasnt interested. anyway just spitballing

-(looks at big shot guy) please dont make him the next tumblr guy i beg you

-obligatory "queen was great" mention if only because this part made me laugh a little bit too hard

that was a lot. thank you for letting me talk

[starlightshore]

knight talk and assorted theories

// deltarune spoilers dr spoilers chapter 2 spoilers

Originally this post was called

How Poncho human is relevant I swear to god

but then i derailed to other topics and discussions about the knight

note the hair tuff below. this is a consistent hair design.* (the original UT one is likely older before this design choice was chosen, though I added it in for clarity)

see how it matches with the head mage?

the lone human knight has more wavy hair that seems to flow in the air.

also compare this above image to the in-game one.

note how the other humans are removed from the image. I assume this is for reading clarity -but it’s also kinda odd isn’t it?

it’s humanity’s seven best mages who sealed monsterkind. and yet a knight and a mage are center-stage and the only ones visible? The poncho human keeps being shown again and again -and granted, they serve as a nice short hand for all of humanity but... it seems too convenient to me. Especially with the seemingly deliberate choice to make the mage share the same hair (but longer of course). Why bother doing that if not to imply they’re the same character?

Why are they by a knight? The history only mentions the 7 mages. Why is only one seemingly casting the barrier spell?

Knight seems to be more of a Title? Potentially? This line is from the Weird route (snowgrave or snow mercy, whatever you want to call it). And logically, Kris had to be taught to learn how to make a dark fountain.

we do not have any exact wording that implies Jevil, Spamton, Queen or Spade King met the knight in person, only that they met.

Spamton met the knight and talked on the phone. Unsure if they meet in person... except with jevil? He wouldn’t have a phone. there’s no phones in chapter 1. this isn’t to say the knight couldn’t communicate another way, but it’s kinda safe to assume...?

I think Kris is the New Knight. having (probably) made cyber city and now the next darkworld.

But I don’t think they’re the original knight. The queen and Seam know of darkners who weren’t in their world -implying at some point, darkners could meet and talk with other darkners who aren’t of their shared world. Despite... how doing so would turn you into statues.

Seam and Jevil have a history that predates the game. Likely, even a long time ago. How can they have a history if the fountain is new? How could Spade know Queen? Did these darkners exist and be sentient before they had a fountain? the fountains create their physical forms but that isn’t to say their consciousness. Do they exist in the will/minds of the lightners before taking form?

Seam also talks about the origins of darkners. They’ve been abandoned by lightners before.

Notably, The queen is under the impression the knight is gone.

And while, yes, I think Kris is the one who made cyber world I don’t think they’re the original knight. surely, for the history of darkners to make sense, there had to be an original knight. But... the most recent knight had to have been somewhat recent. There’s a time frame of darkners existing in the first place, and then the knight talking to Jevil, and the new fountains being made.

It really doesn’t make sense for kris to be the one to talk to Spamton. They’re a puppet too.

I... really don’t have answers. There’s this emphasis of humans being shown as the lightner with Ralsei. It makes me wonder if this is a human Ralsei knew? (is he a darkner? there’s a lot that doesn’t add up to himself. how he knows so much about how darkners work and kris + susie’s names and the light world school layout.) Could Ralsei have known Poncho from a long time ago? (maybe from being that old, or through the oddity of shared consciousness before gaining form the darkners might have had???) It’s just not adding up to me.

And obviously another detail is that Kris’ darkworld form is a knight. The weirdly placed knight in the barrier creation could be important to the original creation of darkworld.

Alternatively, it could be gerson and alvin. Alvin is deeply religious and it seems the Angel is the enemy for darkners -they need to banish the Angel’s heaven (along with the titans). Gerson says he got his story ideas from dreams, and this is how Noelle and Berdly reason their adventure to be. Undyne laughs kris off for telling the truth -how else would anyone react to such a silly thing?

Gerson could of created the darkworld with his stories? It’s just.. so obvious to me that they have to be connected somehow. Imagination is what darkners are, and the angel is connected to the calamity. the two fit the bill perfectly.

so, either humans are the originators (as they’re often depicted in ralsei’s lullabies and continued depictions) or its gerson and his son. Gerson makes more sense because of the connections, and with his death it could be seen as “abandoning” the darkners. I wouldn’t be surprised if we read a Hammer series book to find specific darkner references at some point lmao...

[dreamsy990]

started playing tales of symphonia and the brainrot is real so take kris as emil and ralsei as tenembre

please no spoilers!!! i just started chapter 2 and know nothing about it besides what ive played!!!

okay so me and my sister were having a chat about deltarune and she said “oh yeah kris’s whole ripping out their heart thing gives me huge emil vibes” and she convinced me to play tales of symphonia and. holy shit she was so right. i cant help but imagine kris in a ton of these games things like??? tenembre asking emil to make a pact with ragno whatever the fuck??? just replace tenembre with ralsei, emil with kris, and fucking demon lord guy with idk gaster or the angel and there u go thats the au

also theres the switches hid behind moss in the first area and you have to burn the moss. i like the idea of ralsei being like “uh what are you doing you’re supposed to burn those” and kris just chomping the moss like “why burn perfectly good food”

anyways i probably wont make any more stuff for this au idea. i just thought it sounded fun enough to draw

i couldnt decide on a color palette for this so i did one with light world kris and hatless ralsei and for the outfit i just color picked emil. and the other is roughly based off kris’s dark world palette but the internet was down so i had to just hope i remembered what they looked like lmao. i was also going to throw in susie as marta but i dont feel like coming up with a new outfit for her, i dont want her to just be normal dark world susie, and martas outfit doesnt really fit her. plus i dont really know how she’d fit into the au as like a monster since thats kind of weird unless marta is secretly a monster in some epic twist or something idk.

the game is pretty fun in that ps2 era way. its also just,,, genuinely kinda funny sometimes??? it has these optional bonus convos and theyre so cute like UGH MARTA SIMPING FOR EMIL AND TENEMBRE BEING LIKE “wishful thinking”???? YES PLEASE. theres also a part where marta sees this poster of lloyd and shes like “ew thats disgusting lets set him on fire” and tenembres like “YOU HEARD THE LADY EMIL BURN IT”. tenembre has a favorite and honestly kind as he should.

Theres another guy i think his name starts with r and he looks like axel but me and my sister just called him michael the whole time. hes the worst. like i was like “oh hes gonna get a character arc where he learns to be a good person” and my sister was like “oh no quite the opposite” and now im scared lmao

anyways yeah!!!! oh also at one point i accidentally messed it up and gave ralsei demon eyes but i dont have the screenshot on this rn as im posting so i gotta look for it later and edit it when i find it.

[inkdemon-whore]

For the Spamton Au, who’d be leading the party? If it’s Spamton now that’d be hilarious. Cut to player desperately trying to convince the other characters to Act through gremlin trash man. “Tell Noelle to cast Heal prayer” Spamton flashing the okay sign before turning to Noelle: “[Angel] CAST THE [Nutritious Deal] ON [Great Customer Prices!!]” “???WHO EVEN ARE YOU?!”Although granted it is implied that Kris’s and the players voice is separate it’d be so funny if everything the player tries to get across through Spamton just ends up being horribly deep fried. Also Kris doesn’t do anything now they just sit in the background drinking Pepsi.

Unless Kris still controls the party somehow? If so I have no idea how this whole situation works ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Stuff established for player!spamton au so far

Kris traded their soul for the thorn ring, and punched their soul into spamton like a dick

It's a symbiotic, or maybe parasitical relationship. Giving benifits to both, but with the trade off of kris being unable to leave the dark world, yet being stronger and able to make their own choices without the player controlling them, and spamton getting the ability to act, despite now being under the players control and likely going through more mental stress than before

Spamton and the player might try to get back to the party and be a leader, but the party doesn't understand and just sees spamton as an enemy. Kris is more than likely still the leader, but if the soul is visible to the party, there may be confusion as to why spamton has a soul and kris does not. If that's the case, the party may try to hunt spamton down to get kris soul back, or kris might do everything in there power to keep the soul/player away from them.

So it'd probably go like this, player is trying to get back to kris, kris is trying to run/kill spamton and the player, spamton is trying to get the soul out and not die while doing that. I called it tag before, but this makes it out more like a game of hot potato

Other lil tidbits, the player can speak through the glitch bits of spamtons voice, but only sometimes, it's a bit hit or miss. Same with act and magic, with the button being corrupt, and a 50/50 chance of being act or magic. Spamton can maybe use neo attacks, but I'd imagine it'd be smaller in comparison, while also having some of his normal attacks

Kris more than likely is just attacking now, and has lost the act function, ironically having less options/choice in battle

_____

Feel free to send more ideas if pall got any, but I think this is just about rounding out the au :V

[smells-like-mettaton]

For the sensory prompts, how about Number 29 (The smell of burning wood) with Burgerpants, Mad Mew Mew, and Seam?

Rating: T Word Count: 1872 Read on AO3: here

---

The stupid Ice-E’s employee was so stupid. STUPID. STUPID!! Why did Kris have to leave him here, too? This world was supposed to be HERS!! Her new life! Her cool life!!

How was she supposed to have a new, cool life when the stupid orange cat kept following her around and calling her his girlfriend?

“Y’know, I was going to be an ACTOR… but this place is WAY cooler than going to college! And it’s free!” The guy grinned. His mouth was too full of teeth.

What was his name again? She’d looked it up so she could catfish him on her cousin’s behalf, but then she’d immediately banished it from her memory. That had been rash. It was way easier to make fun of someone if you knew their name.

Whatever. Whatever! The bird monster running the cafe was easy cuter, and more elegant, and actually worth her time. “Swatch,” their diamond-shaped nametag read.

She tried not to get caught staring at their cool orange-and-rose glasses. Could she get a pair of those? They might clash with her new pink outfit, but it would be worth it.

“I bet they don’t even have TV here yet,” the Ice-E’s employee was still blabbing on, despite the fact that she wasn’t even pretending to listen. “This town looks older than dirt.”

He sipped his red ButJuice. She hoped it tasted like butt. He hadn’t bothered to order one for her with the money Kris had left them. If he rambled long enough, she could probably sneak the leftover “Dark Dollars” out of his pocket.

Her magical transformation had come with magic staff. Right now it was hidden under her skirt, but if if she could reach under the table with it, and “accidentally” bump his leg so the money fell out…

Nah, that sounded too complicated. She should just bonk him over the head and be done with it.

Meowsers, was he still talking?

“Once I show them all the fancy stuff we have in our world, I’ll be a big shot!”

Glass shattered behind the cafe’s counter. Maddy looked up, seeing Swatch holding the remnants of the wine glass they’d been polishing.

“Excuse me.” They swept the shards into a trash can with a cloth.

“Huh.” The orange cat stared. “What a weirdo.”

“Says the guy who fell in love with a few jpeg artifacted pixels of a bikini,” Maddy muttered.

“I didn’t quite catch that, sweetheart.”

She flashed her sharpest smile. It looked way more menacing with her new catlike eyes, she imagined.

“Oh yeah? Catch THIS!”

She chunked his glass of ButJuice at his face, where it blew up in a loud and fiery explosion. The Ice-E’s employee’s chair fell backwards and crashed in another explosion.

“Wow, this world IS cool!” Maddy beamed.

Swatch sighed.

“Oh, uh. Sorry?” That was the proper response if you blew up something in someone’s house, right?

Swatch seemed cute and nice. They probably didn’t deserve to clean up even more glass. Or pathetic catboy.

“Don’t be blue,” they said though. “That particular master was…”

“A stain on the face of the earth? The Angel’s greatest mistake? Not deserving of the proud title of Cat?”

“...Annoying.”

Maddy shrugged. “Okay, that too, I guess.”

She poked the unconscious Ice-E’s employee with her foot. When he didn’t move, she swiped the money from his pocket, blew a kiss to the cafe owner, and dragged him out the door. She left him around back, next to a few trash cans full of stale macarons and green satin ribbons. The catboy’s tail twitched, so it wasn’t like he was dead or anything. Probably. Most monsters couldn’t move if they were dead, right?

Whatever. Whatever!! She was here to enjoy her new life, not worry about some jerk who’d insulted her cousin!

The Castle Town was dark, lit only by a few cyan lanterns, but it was alive in a way that Hometown never was. Maybe that was just because in Hometown, she’d hardly been alive. Just a ghost, a shadow ignored by pretty much everyone but her cousins.

But here, she was practically a celebrity! The townsfolk called her “Master Lightner,” and waved happily.

(Except those who didn’t have arms, like Nubert. His smile was more than enough to make up for it.)

The fame wasn’t what she was after, though she knew her cousin would’ve loved it. Maybe she should try to bring him here. Then he could strangle the Ice-E’s employee himself, ha!

ANYWAY! She loved this place because of her new body!! She looked just like Mew Mew from her favorite show Mew Mew Kissy Cutie. Through this body, everything looked brighter, and she could smell things, and taste…

Taste! She hadn’t even tried out her new taste buds yet!! She’d been so busy with that stupid cat, she hadn’t actually tried any of the cafe’s food. The thought of going back and embarrassing herself in front of Swatch made her wince.

Well, there were other shops and restaurants around here. Let’s see, what direction smelled the best…?

Her nose wrinkled as she caught the scent of… something burning? She’d never had a nose to smell with before, but that’s what her subconscious thought it was. She crossed the street towards the tent-like structure the smell was coming from.

“Well, well! What have we here?” the shopkeeper said when she ducked inside. The shopkeeper’s orange button eye spun in surprise. “Another Lightner? Ha, maybe this will be as much chaos as… well, never mind that.”

A smile stretched across the tattered catlike face. Was this shopkeeper even a monster at all? Or something like a stuffed toy brought to life?

“Anyways. I’m Seam, pronounced Shawm. And this is my little seap.”

Maddy frowned.

“You just said your name. Why’d you tell me how to pronounce it? I’m not stupid.”

“Ha ha ha! It’s nice to be called out on that again… Let’s just say it’s not for your benefit.”

Like that made any sense.

“Are all cat monsters so weird?” she grumbled.

Seam shrugged. “I don’t know. Perhaps you could tell me?”

She blinked. Right. She was a catgirl now—and as far as anyone here knew, that was all she’d ever been.

“I’m the good kind of weird.” She bared her new set of pointy teeth. “What kind of food do you got?”

“Food? Ha, no one comes to me for food anymore… but I’m grilling a batch of Darkburgers, if that interests you.”

Her mouth watered.

“Burgers! I always wanted to try burgers!” She slammed a fistfull of Dark Dollars down on the counter. “Give me all the burgers you’ve got, mew!”

“Well, I was going to save one for myself, but who am I to refuse a Lightner?”

She couldn’t tell if Seam’s smile was accusatory or sincere. She bit her lip. Was she already ruining her new life by being a dummy?

“Give me most of the burgers you’ve got. Please. Mew.”

Seam laughed again and disappeared into the back of the tent, where the burning smell came from. That left Maddy to shuffle in front of the “seap” alone.

Which left her too much time to think.

Kris hadn’t told her why they’d left her and that Ice-E’s guy here. Their little goat friend had told her that she and the catboy had rooms in the castle, but she’d been too enthralled with the town to check it out yet.

She could walk. She could look like herself.

But that meant that for the first time, people would really, truly see her. Swatch saw her dunk on the catboy. Seam saw her act like a dummy over a few burgers. These people were her new neighbors, and maybe even… her new friends?

She hoped they could be friends. She’d never actually had friends before.

(And she never would, if she kept acting so stupid.)

“Most of the Darkburgers, as requested.” Seam set the tray down on the counter. The bottom was so hot, it started to sear the wood the counter.

(Sear. Would Seam pronounce that “shawr”?)

“Thank you. Thank you!!” She beamed, then licked her lips. “Oh, right. The money—”

“On the house. Just this once.” Seam’s grin stretched a little wider, pulling the purple stitches tight. “It’s not every day I get to meet such a talkative Lightner. In fact, you remind me a bit of…”

Seam stared off into space.

“What? What?? WHAT??”

“Myself. In my younger days.” Seam’s grin waned, the shopkeeper’s ears drooping a little. “Ah, to be full of such energy again…”

“Try a burger!” She pushed one of the crispy-looking sandwiches towards Seam. “Food gives corporeal—uh, food gives most monsters energy, right? RIGHT??”

“Ha ha ha… I suppose they do, miss…?”

“Maddy,” she said before chomping down on a burger of her own.

Oh. Flavors exploded in her mouth. Most of them tasted like fire smelled. The meat was crunchy, and the bread was somehow soggy—but it was still the best thing she’d ever tasted.

Seam’s head tilted.

“It’s not THAT bad, is it?”

“Huh?” She swallowed, then felt the tears running down her cheeks. “No, it’s good! Good!! GOOD!!! SO GOOD I CAN’T TAKE IT!!”

She collapsed against the counter, sobbing from the heavenly taste of burnt burger. Stupid. Stupid!! Did she lose her head when she got a body? Did all corporeal monsters experience emotion this strongly?? Or were Seam’s burgers really just that good???

“Ah… if you say so.” Seam patted her shoulder consolingly. “I have some tea you can wash it down with, if you’d like.”

She nodded, rubbing the back of her hand across her wet face.

“Sorry. Sorry! I don’t know what came over me…”

“Never mind that. The souls of Lightners always shine brighter in the dark.” Seam produced a kettle from somewhere and poured two teacups. “We need that kind of light. Even if it hurts to look too closely.”

“You don’t make any sense.” Maddy accepted her cup and took a swig.

OW. Hot, hot, so hot! She spit it back in her cup. She’d known the corporeal bodies could feel heat, but she had no idea it HURT so much!

“Ha ha! It helps if you blow on it.”

“Is this a prank?” Maddy scowled. Why would blowing on something make it less painful?

“Believe me or don’t, it makes no difference to me.” Seam smiled.

Maddy grumbled, but blew on the tea. Steam clouded her vision, but when she took another careful sip, it wasn’t so hot.

“Wow.” She stared into the dark cup. “It… worked?”

“That’s one perk of living this long. You pick up a couple of things.”

Seam sipped from the other teacup, pinkie held out elegantly. Maddy copied after a bit of fumbling. Corporeal hands were hard. Things didn’t just float around in her ectoplasm; she had to keep her grip balanced exactly right.

She could feel the warmth through her fingers, though. Like the tea was alive.tha

(And finally, finally, so was she.)

“Maybe all cats are a little weird,” Seam decided. “I think I rather like it that way.”

Maddy smiled back. If that was true, Seam was definitely the good kind of weird, too.

[nodutra19]

Speculating On Deltarune A Bit

I just watched Keyan Carlile's video on old Gravity Falls theories, and it got me to make this post which I've been meaning to do for a hot minute. This is just gonna be an obsessive's ramblings based off other stories he likes.

KRIS AND RALSEI

Noelle already speculates that Ralsei looks somewhat like Asriel, although chances are Toby is gonna twist our balls on this one since she never outright says who Ralsei resembles which would make this a great red herring. Now that I think about it, if Susie has been in Hometown for a while and didn't move in recently, the fact she says nothing about Ralsei's appearance might mean Asriel looks different. Or maybe she is a recent resident and simply didn't know Asriel when he was younger since she still hints that Ralsei bares a resemblance to Toriel. Could go either way.

That aside, let's get to what I wanted to say: Since Kris and Asriel are siblings and were more than likely raised together, and if Ralsei does resemble Asriel, maybe the reason why Kris is so averse to the Ralsei tea and in general seems to get uncomfortable around Ralsei is because he resembles their sibling. I mean seriously, imagine if you found a fucking spitting image of your sibling in a different world when your actual brother is off somewhere else, and this doppleganger looks younger (let's presume Asriel appears older just like Kris does than Frisk and Chara), and some entity you can't comprehend keeps putting you two together like a child does their Ken and Barbie dolls. Of course you'd be repulsed! I don't think I've seen a lot of people reflect on that. JaruJaru somewhat does it with his befuddling (if intriguing) theory of how Ralsei came to be, but he does it on a "What if Kris accidentally killed Asriel and his dust was left in a spot for the Dark World?," but really think about it: some force beyond you seems adamant in putting you in fluffily romantic situations with someone who heavily resembles your brother, don't matter if y'all're related by blood or not. This idea came to me as a joke tweet but then I actually thought about it and I suddenly got new dimensions. I doubt this is wjat Toby Fox is playing at but still. After all, Kris seems very attached to Asriel. On that note...

2. KRIS AND ASRIEL

This is way more on the fanfic/what if scale of things, but what if Asriel isn't the best brother? I revisited an old manga I shall not name, but essentially the protagonist loved his big brother and saw him as an angel, almost a God. But once he looks into his brother, he finds out over time that he wasn't the best person. Unlike Asriel, this big brother was unkind and aloof, often antagonistic to others and repulsed by them, "loving" only his little brother. Maybe Asriel didn't mistreat Kris, but I doubt Toby Fox will give us an angel, and more than likely I feel Asriel might know more than the average person.

There's a lot of mystery surrounding his bond with Kris, so it can go in any direction. We got the pure Asriel in Undertale through flashbacks of him as a child, but we all saw how co-dependent he was as an adult(?), and how corrupt he became as Flowey.

I originally had way more to say but this is all that actually came out as words. Everything else whittled away to nothingness. I got no damn idea how the Command Route is gonna play with all these either.

[wrestlingisfake]

AEW Fake Rankings, March 17

Men's singles division - babyfaces

CM Punk

Adam Page (AEW men's world champion)

Eddie Kingston

Sammy Guevara

Wardlow

Keith Lee

Swerve Strickland

Christian Cage

HOOK

Wheeler YUTA

Men's singles division - heels

Chris Jericho

MJF

Adam Cole

Scorpio Sky (AEW TNT champion)

Andrade El Idolo

Ricky Starks (FTW champion)

Daniel Garcia

Powerhouse Hobbs

Ethan Page

QT Marshall

Unranked: Cezar Bononi*, Erick Redbeard*, Fuego Del Sol, Jake Hager, Lee Moriarty, Nick Comoroto, Tony Nese

* Not listed on AEW's official roster

Six months ago it felt like AEW had a lot of big names from WWE coming in, and I was curious how that would shake out. Interestingly, quite a few of those big names have moved into the tag division, so there's way more room now than I expected for the talent that came up through the minor leagues.

Even so, it's unmistakable that CM Punk and Chris Jericho are the stars of the show right now. Adam Page may be the top champion, but to truly be taken seriously as the top dog he's going to have to put the title up against one of them, and my guess is it'll be Punk. As for Jericho, he's already put over Kingston, but I think his first one-on-one loss with this new heel run will be where he really gives someone the rub. Could be Eddie again, or perhaps Guevara.

Men's tag team division - babyfaces

Jon Moxley (GCW world champion) & Bryan Danielson

The Hardys - Matt Hardy & Jeff Hardy

Darby Allin & Sting

Luchasaurus & Jungle Boy (AEW tag team champions)

Penta Obscuro & PAC

Santana & Ortiz

Top Flight - Dante Martin & Darius Martin

Alex Reynolds & John Silver

Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta

Varsity Blonds - Brian Pillman Jr. & Griff Garrison

Men's tag team division - heels

The Young Bucks - Nick Jackson & Matt Jackson

reDRagon - Bobby Fish & Kyle O'Reilly

FTR - Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood (AAA tag team champions)

Malakai Black & Brody King & Buddy Matthews

2point0 - Matt Menard & Angelo Parker

The Acclaimed - Max Caster & Anthony Bowens

Private Party - Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy

The Butcher & The Blade

Colten Gunn & Austin Gunn

Unranked: Alan Angels & Preston Vance, Anthony Henry* & JD Drake*, Bear Boulder & Bear Bronson, Brock Anderson & Lee Johnson, Evil Uno & Stu Grayson, Peter Avalon & Ryan Nemeth*

* Not listed on AEW's official roster

AEW helpfully got nearly every tag team booked in a couple of battle royales recently, which showed off the division in full force. But all of those teams have been overshadowed by three supergroups: Moxley-Danielson, Allin-Sting, and the reunited Hardys. Any of these teams would have to be considered heavy favorites against Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus, but none of them have gotten in line for a title shot yet. I'm real curious how AEW will keep them all from crowding out the rest of the field.

The heel side is a little light right now, and it may get lighter if the FTR storyline actually leads to a face turn. We should probably see a face team turn heel before too long. Mox and Bryan already seem kind of heelish, but nobody's going to boo them right now and AEW seems to accept that, so we'll see if that leads anywhere. It feels like something's up with the Dark Order, or at least with Alex Reynolds, but I can't imagine all three of its teams (Reynolds-Silver, Uno-Grayson, Angels-Vance) going heel.

Women's singles division - babyfaces

Thunder Rosa (AEW women's world champion)

Kris Statlander

Tay Conti

Red Velvet

Mercedes Martinez

Women's singles division - heels

Britt Baker

Jade Cargill (AEW TBS champion)

Serena Deeb

Leyla Hirsch

Jamie Hayter

The Bunny

Unranked: Angelica Risk*, Kayla Sparks*, Leila Grey*

* Not listed on AEW's official roster

There's still a lot of work to be done here, to get more women on TV regularly. It's a positive sign that we've been seeing two non-title storylines (Deeb vs. Hikaru Shida, Hirsch vs. Statlander & Velvet) in addition to Baker vs. Rosa and Cargill's winning streak. That's a good demonstration that creating more spots for the women isn't just a matter of rolling out new championships. At the same time, though, it's kind of absurd that Nyla Rose and Ruby Soho haven't been on TV in a month. It's also perplexing to me that a lot of top female talent that WWE cut last year hasn't shown up in AEW yet.

No TV matches in 30 days: Aaron Solo, Abadon, Anna Jay, AQA, Brandon Cutler, Colt Cabana, Diamante*, Emi Sakura, Frankie Kazarian, Jack Evans, Jay Lethal, Jora Johl*, Josh Woods* (ROH pure champion), Kiera Hogan*, KiLynn King*, Lance Archer, Luther, Marina Shafir*, Matt Sydal, Michael Nakazawa, Nyla Rose, Ruby Soho, Serpentico, Shawn Dean, Skye Blue, Sonny Kiss

* Not listed on AEW's official roster, but won at least one AEW match

Fans have been increasingly frustrated that a lot of wrestlers have been "demoted" to Dark and Elevation, the Youtube shows. Thing is, as long as AEW produces these shows, there will always be lower-tier talent that primarily appears on them. The only question is which wrestlers should be considered "lower-tier."

Archer, Lethal, Nyla, and Ruby are obviously just simmering and racking up wins to build to a TV push later. Cutler, Cabana, Diamante, Sakura, Kazarian, Evans, Luther, Sydal, Nakazawa, Serpentico, and Dean seem to be positioned as journeymen who are there to do reps with the developing talent. The rest are presumably considered "in development," for better or worse.

No AEW matches in 30 days: Anthony Greene*, Anthony Ogogo, Dustin Rhodes, Billy Gunn, Hikaru Shida, Joey Janela, Julia Hart*, Leva Bates, Megan Bayne*, Penelope Ford, Shawn Spears, Zack Clayton*

* Not listed on AEW's official roster, but won at least one AEW match

Here's the group that isn't even wrestling on Youtube. Spears and Shida have been appearing on TV recently, so that's fine. Rhodes and Gunn are basically player-coaches so I don't expect them to be around much. I expect Ogogo has travel issues getting into and out of the UK. Janela is planning to leave when his contract expires. Bates has reportedly taken on more of a backstage role, although she did return to the ring not that long ago. Greene, Bayne, and Clayton each have wins in AEW, which generally signals plans for a continuing relationship, but that's not a guarantee.

So of this group, the only ones I'm really scratching my head about are Penelope Ford and Julia Hart. But for all I know they could both be injured or taking time off.

No AEW matches in 2022: Angelico, Arjun Singh*, Brian Cage, Danhausen, Marko Stunt, Paige Vanzant, Ryo Mizunami*, Yuka Sakazaki

* Not listed on AEW's official roster, but won at least one AEW match

Angelico has appeared on Dark recently. Cage has (unexpectedly) had his contract extended, so I figure he'll be returning soon. Danhausen appears to be walking around okay after breaking his leg in October, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's cleared to wrestle. Vanzant just signed so I expect her in-ring debut within a few weeks. Marko is reportedly already out of the company, but AEW still lists him on their website roster. I keep thinking Mizunami and Sakazaki are gone for good, but they still manage to get back to the US once in a while.

Part-time/semi-retired: Christopher Daniels, Mark Henry, Paul Wight, Rebel, William Regal

Regal is listed on the official roster with a win-loss record, just like Sting, Henry, and Wight. That suggests that they expect Regal to have a match someday, although Henry's been here for nearly a year and still hasn't. I really can't imagine Regal working a match in 2022, but then again I didn't think I'd be seeing Sting doing big table spots either.

Inactive

Jake Atlas (left knee - ACL tear)

Kenny Omega (various injuries)

Kip Sabian (shoulder - undisclosed injury)

Miro (right thigh - hamstring injury)

Orange Cassidy (left arm - unspecified injury)

Rey Fenix (left elbow - dislocation)

Riho (right arm - unspecified injury)

I haven't seen any updates on any of these injuries, except that Omega reports that his recovery is taking longer than he planned. Sabian has been appearing for weeks in the audience with a box on his head, so I assume that means he's about to return, but he sure is taking his time with that. I predict Miro to return without warning, when we all least expect it. I also predict Orange will be on TV with that sling for months, and then one day they'll do a gag where he admits he forgot to take the sling off, and he's been medically cleared for weeks.

[edeacilys]

Time to theorize about what may have happened to Dess, Noelle's sister. (And probably Kris too)(and maybe the story? Idk)

So, I'm starting from the beginning aka the Legend. In this legend, the ANGEL'S HEAVEN needs to be closed by the three heroes.

Yet, in the game, only the soul is needed to close a FOUNTAIN OF DARKNESS. So that's means, that the two sources are different. As simple as that.

But what does that has to do with Dess? well I'm coming to this point. Just you wait.

In chapter two, we learned that a (new) shadow world also can not be connected to the one already existing one, aka the one where Ralsei lives in the first chapter. The cyber world is a world to itself. That's and there can be more than two LIGHTNERS that can enter it (Noelle and Berdly).

We learned a lot through Chapter two: the relationship between Kris and Noelle, some lore, new cool music, new easter eggs, creepy and unsettling characters... But the most important one is Bredly.

That's right. The most annoying bluebird was a crucial point! Why? Well this is why:

Thanks to him, we learned that if a LIGHTNER got injuries in the dark world and isn't or can't be healed (or die) it will reflect on their life outside of the dark world. That's and they can be controlled (like wtf? The fricking plug on Berdly?! Dude that sight has troubled me a lot!).

And that. Is important to the story.

Why? Because that maybe explain what has happened to Dess.

Why would I say that? Well because of what Noelle has said about when they were kids. When they -Asriel, Kris, Noelle, and Dess- get out to play in the wood. And probably near the bunker. What is so mysterious about that bunker?

Well, that bunker is linked to Kris and Noelle because of what the kids have said about it. That and there is a story, or "legend" to it. We don't know what this is about yet but I'm pretty that we will learn about it near the end.

But back to when they were kids. What if...behind that heaving locked door was one a dark fountain? And a group of kids entered this place and get overwhelmed by the dark world? They were kids! Can you imagine tiny Noelle against someone like The King in Chapter one? Their first time in the dark world didn't go well. Since they come back to their world with someone missing. Or even dead next to them. Dess has probably died or got stuck in that shadow world.

What do I mean by stuck?

Well, maybe Dess is simply trapped inside a Shadow world. A shadow world that got closed since it is the only way out of a shadow world. And what if someone has tried to take control of the kid!Kris but leave the shadow world without solved that problem?

To me, that would explain why there is someone else, other than the PLAYER, who takes control of Kris, ripping the soul (that has probably closed their fountain) out of him and open other shadow worlds.

But that is just an idea that flourishes in my mind! So it is no big deal :D

[rosepetalwings]

DESSERTRUNE

okay, looks like people are interested in my AU dessertrune so..... please enjoy the upcoming jumble of words i've strung together to explain this au!

(TRIGGER WARNING - This is a horror AU and will deal with dark and disturbing topics, including gore, murder, and even cannibalism, intended to disturb the viewer. The post will be tagged with the appropriate tags to warn for such things but please do not read if such things will affect you negatively. Please stay safe and enjoy something else that may bring you joy, for you are worth it. 🖤)

Story

There's giggly chattering amongst the more naive and imaginative students of Hometown's school of a world in the shadows made of saccharine enchantment and wonder... Taffy trees and frosted fields and sweet smiles from the saccharine people that inhabit this magical land. How terrible it is to know that their innocent dreams are but sugar coated nightmares.

But all is not lost.

For you see, Legend tells of 3 brave young heroes from the Light banishing the Angel’s Confections from the land which promise to bring ruin to them all. To rid the Dark of its extra Fountain and the curious candies that have sprung up in ostentatious billboards and flashy, loud ads all through the Dark World is the Heroes’ Quest; a quest that may consume them whole.

Locations

Light World

Everything in the Light World is mostly untouched, save for the bunker which sports an odd little sticker for some strange candy... Curious when you consider the sticker's brightness and newness against the bunker's weathered and dilapidated age. Probably just some kid with new stickers wandering where they shouldn't have been.

Dark World

????? - Dark and haunting, this muted pink area sports rock candy jewels that glint strangely in the shadows that bathe the area. Best to keep moving along, judging by the strange iridescent sludge that pool around everywhere here and open mouthed grinning puzzles that seem to giggle quietly at you specifically...

Castle Town - A break from the burnt bubblegum-pink, there is an empty town that surrounds a lonely castle. It is dark, and so very quiet, but completely untouched by the sludge from before. Abandoned? Or, perhaps it is so lonely a location, everyone overlooks it.

Field - A long field of pastel purple grass and luscious strawberry pink-red trees with tall buildings off in the horizon... There’s an overwhelming scent of fruit punch on the breeze and- oh! It seems a “Lancer” has left up signage everywhere, warning others in a childish scrawl to not eat from the candy stalls that advertise so loudly and brightly on every path... "The taste of happiness!" the wrapper proclaims. Upon meeting him, there’s a sense that he is perhaps not the most upstanding child with how much he loves to call himself a villain... But- perhaps he has a point, with how the candy seems to beckon the observer with its bright, happy colors... Would you believe this mischievous young lad?

The Scarlet Forest - The smell of sweet fruit punch fades out into spicy cinnamon as the crimson trees seem to grow brighter. A few fallen leaves float on by with the wind as their vehicle, and the stalls from before disappear... Smaller strip malls and buildings abound here... Though there is a large store that calls to each Darkner that approaches with bright neon signs. “Come and see the new line of Halberd Inc. treats!” the dark-circled greeter cries out with a smile so big it looks like it aches, "New improved formula! 150% more sweetness packed in!!" and the huge line of much too eager Darkners that queue up for a taste of the reformulated sweets cheer cacophonously...

Great Board - The smell of licorice envelopes the air in the Great Board, which in and of itself, is filled to the brim with billboards and bright lights and neon signs and weathered posters out the wazoo. It is a smog ridden area, lit only by the blinding neon lights that guide the way up to the castle. There's a small maze of a city here, before the Factory. It's gritty, and dingy, and it smells like a burning dumpster fire there but it is a small bit of respite before trekking elsewhere... Perhaps one could stop at the Boardway Theater, where there's a quaint little horror musical about a killer barber. Song about having "a little ponman", the Halberd Inc. papers last said.

The Factory - Halberd Inc.'s core production facility. Every facet of it is highly secured, contained, and protected. It employs almost every Darkner in the area, in some form or another. If they do not work in the production line, they work in transportation of the products. If they do not transport Halberd Inc. products, they sell the products. Or advertise. Halberd Inc. is inescapable. Halberd Inc. loves you. Halberd Inc. provides for you. Working for Halberd Inc. is happiness. Don't you want to be happy? Feel all sweet inside? The cagey silver-haired assistant hugging his clipboard a little too tightly too his chest doesn't seem all that happy. Maybe if one presses the stressed man, he'll give up the dark secret of this sordid manufacturer... And, quickly, do inform him of where his adopted(?) son has tarried off to.

Characters

Lightners

Kris - The hero of our tale. A quiet kid, normally. Though, normally not so quiet as when they enter the Dark World. They enter a world of sweets and yet their mouth is taken from them, replaced only with a thin, red smile against the purple of their mixed berry gummy flesh. They have no mouth and they must scream.

Susie - A rude girl that's about as tough as leather. ...Makes sense as to why her hide becomes fruit leather, in the Dark World. About as sweet too, deep down. Hard to convince her away from not just absolutely wolfing down all the free food around her though. But... she does listen to Lancer's warnings, thankfully.

Noelle, Asriel, Alphys, Undyne, Toriel, Asgore, Sans, Papyrus - Unchanged. Speculate on what you'd like with them. Though I have thoughts here and there for "sweets" versions of them.

Darkners

Ralsei - A fluffy boy that smells like toothpaste. He'll correct you that it's spearmint that you're picking up and then offer you some sugar free gum. Or an apple. Or some celery. As a healthy snack.

Lancer - The bad guy! ...Or so he says, as he continues to help you through this strange, saccharine world. Just kind of seems like a little kid that means well... A little, jawbreaker-looking kid, with how round he is and the paint splatters from all the signs he makes all over his clothes. ...Are those meant to be there or not?

Seam - The local shopkeep. This purple rock candy feline knows much about this old world and how very terribly the world has been corrupted since the rise of Halberd Inc. Stay a while to keep out from the not-so-fresh air and ask about all the nitty-gritty details, Seam certainly won't mind.

Rouxls - Rex Halberd's right hand man, a frigid blue raspberry slushie of a Kaard and a yes man if ever there was one. Though, only to keep the peace and his life. He only trusts the CEO of Halberd Inc. as far as he can throw him, now that he knows what the candy contains. (He almost throws up every time he thinks about it.) He wants to see the company crash and burn and run away with Lancer to build anew but he's powerless to do so. Rex owns just about everything Rouxls knows... And if Rex doesn't own it yet, he will. A little help or direction for this hopeless assistant would be appreciated.

Jevil - Must be quite the sucker to have searched this far down in the Factory. This swirling lollipop man with a harlequin smile only laughs uncontrollably as you near the bloodied vat of... candy(?) within the room. He was locked in here a while ago and forgotten for the crime of upsetting the CEO with silly games. He wishes to open your mind, see the real truth of this world... Or kill you in the process. Either or.

King - The Rex Halberd. CEO. Father. Friend. Leader. And the most awful person alive. He has more money than most would ever see in 100 lifetimes. He would dangle his own son off of the roof of his factory building. And he would more than happily consume his own products because, just like his workers and his family, the Darkners' bodies used to create his sweets are nothing more than something for him to use and discard when they have become worthless. Kick this dude's fucking ass.

[mothsocks99]

Deltarune stuff I noticed/theories

SPOILERS!

(This is just a place I’m putting my thoughts and theories on deltarune, mainly chapter 2. Ignore this if you want ffff)

Okay so. Some stuff I’m noticing. Other dark worlds must still exist even w/o the knight opening a fountain. Fountains just connect the light world to the dark world, it doesn’t actually create them (which I’m sure has been figured out already, I’m just slow). We can confirm this bc king and queen already know each other even though they live in other worlds + ralsei knows that darkeners turn to stone in other dark worlds, which implies he’s aware of the other worlds.

Kris might not actually be the knight. Before you fight queen as a boss, she mentions that any lightner with enough Determination can open a dark fountain. So maybe kris is just determined to do so. In fact, I have a theory that ralsei wants kris to keep opening fountains…(also I feel that kris being the knight is a bit too obvious, or at least, not as big of a deal in the grand scheme of things if it’s being revealed this early)

I think when ralsei asks you to ‘imagine what Susie is doing right now’ in both chapter 1 and 2, ralsei takes that time to talk to kris without you, the player, being privy to their conversation. Ralsei is always caught saying “so that’s why..” right as Susie comes back to the party (as well as the player). Perhaps ralsei is telling kris things they don’t want the player hearing, and I think it might be ralsei asking kris to open dark fountains. Why? Maybe to keep getting access to other dark worlds and the darkners who live there. I think ralsei wants you to keep recruiting more darkners to castle town. For what, idk, but probably not something great. The card kingdom used to be ruled by four kings until the knight appeared and took the king of spades under their control. But now, after defeating the king, ralsei is the sole ruler, which definitely works in his favor.

I’m don’t think ralsei is evil per say, but obviously suspicious. He already knows kris and susie’s names before meeting them, he seems to be aware of game mechanics (more so than other characters) much like sans and flowey, he was able to make it to the library + the dark world that was opened there all on his own, he seemed quite dismissive after the spamton fight etc. But I don’t think that makes him an antagonist quite yet, I feel like that’s too on the nose for toby.

When the angel or angel’s heaven is mentioned in Undertale and deltarune it always makes me think of asriel. I think it used to be common to assume the angel was referring to frisk and/or kris but asriel makes more sense to me; Asriel is the name of an angel of death in Christian lore, which helps. In Undertale when asking about the ‘Delta Rune’ it’s said the angel will either set everyone free or kill everyone in the underground as an ‘angel of death’. Which refers to the Undertale pacifist fight w/ asriel as he both technically kills everyone before the fight and sets everyone free after the fight (plus he literally has rainbow angel wings, so). So when it comes to deltarune, maybe the asriel of this universe has been to the dark world before and influenced it? Or maybe it’s straight up referring to ralsei instead as he is probably connected to asriel? Idk mannn

Also I can’t wait to find out what happened with asgore and the police + what’s up with Noelle’s mom. And of course what’s behind the bunker in the woods. I’m also curious about what onion means about the familiar song they’re hearing,, just so much to look forward to!

(I may add to this later, I just wanted to get all my thoughts out)

[liliallowed]

I imagine that Kris must hate Crimson, even as much as sans hates them. Kris still has their mind in tact while Crimson has a hold on them and their actions. They are not a mindless doll, and yet they are being treated like one. Crimson talks to people, acts different then them in their own body and does so much in the dark world. Although Kris wanted to be friends with Susie, Crimson was friends with her first, and it's slightly implied that Ralsei knows that there is something up with Kris and who is in control. Ralsei talks directly to the player and tells them controls, what their actions mean, and that they will follow them no matter what they do. No matter what the after does and how Ralsei disagrees with it he will always do what the Player says. He puts Kris in change and therefore puts Crimson in charge, he gets angry at Susie for hurting but never Kris, he always looks up to you idolizes you no matter what you say. He likes THE PLAYER. Him and Kris have never interacted without Crimson there. Ralsei knows more then we know, and cares for the player more then we know. Kris is also shown to be horrified by the player's actions like by panicking when you go back to the place we're Noelle and the player killed spamton, and is implied to feel uncomfortable and horrified by the Player's actions. Especially on poor Noelle's behalf. Poor, poor, angel Noelle. She is manipulated into murder and traumatized by the Players actions while they basically ruin the two childhood's relationship and kill berdly. The damage done to Noelle in the Snow grave route can hardly be explained in paragraph. It's horrid.

Honestly Crimson sucks I hope that twink can never can access DELTARUNE again and so they cannot ruin my poor babies lives no longer. I will jump them.

you'd be surprised that they are far from the only villain in dust grave. ;)

an icy prison of self preservation against the titans relentless massacre.

the frozen statues pray for salvation. is it a demon or a angel that answers? will they be free in death or life?

so they even care anymore to know the difference? crimson was the angel. they have ALWAYS been the angel of the prophecy.

freedom is subjective. killing them would have freed them from the confined date of eventual starvation and inevitable collapse of the underground.

granted there was a possibility of them going to the surface but who's to say that choice was even a good ending? who's to say the humans didn't slaughter all the monsters anyway?

while crimson would probably be the ultimate baddie... I don't think deltarune is trying to tell that story again.

in fact... deltarune connects to crimson on a much deeper emotional level.

it's about running away from reality. it's about excessive and obsessive escapism. it's about childhood memories. about nostalgia and how clinging to it ROTS the heart like stagnant water.

deltarune is about connections. about a lack of control over fate. about an inevitable.

I think... despite everything... crimson will come to feel like this world is aknowledging their pain. their loss. they will feel less inclined to resort to violent outbursts.

because with each run... they DO lose something.

this world KNOWS that. it sees that. it feels like it's trying to reach out to crimson... while in Undertale they were reaching in...

like a long awaited unanswered call.

in the dark only blind eyes see and some may call ignorance bliss.

crimson can't break the tightly wound script unlike dusttale. that limits them... but also they feel reassured.

of course I can't say much about chapter 3 or the rest...

but I feel like you SHOULDN'T be playing deltarune with an Undertale mindset. and should not play Undertale with a deltarune mindset.