Cody could see nothing. His heart was racing. A chill went up his spine.

What was this place? Where was he?

All he could see was darkness. He took a tentative step forward, a dull ache in his stomach.

"But Frisk..." a voice whispered from somewhere. "You're the future of the whole world!"

"Hello...?" Cody asked, looking around. "Is someone there?"

"Then the world doesn't have a future." a voice laughed spitefully. Then everything went white.

...

Cody observed his mother cutting up vegetables and checking on meat in the oven. It almost looked like... fun. Cody didn't have any hobbies other than skateboarding, and he wasn't really that good at it. He wondered for a second...

"Hey, Mom, can I..." Cody paused. "... help make dinner?"

"Of course!" his mom grinned at him. "You can definitely help me."

And so, that's where Cody's strong passion for cooking began. Although, he kept it secret for a long time.

... Until the incident happened.

"You really don't have to worry about what others think," his mother told him. "You're special just being you."

"But everyone judges me." Cody grumbled, ignoring taunting voices in his head.

The social norm was a cruel thing.

Cody held up his skateboard. "I guess... I guess I'll just be what people want me to be. Just a normal kid."

His mother simply smiled. "One day, Cody, I promise... you won't mind anymore."

"Yeah, right," Cody frowned. "That'll be the day people will walk all over me."

"Who said they aren't already..." his mother mumbled.

Cody woke up in his bedroom. The sun was shining into his bedroom. He got up and observed himself in the mirror. Today was a special day. It was his birthday! (And his twin sister's...)

Cody put on a short-sleeved shirt and shorts. He grinned and headed downstairs. The kitchen smelled great! His mom must've made a birthday cake of some sort. Cody could hear Clover playing some video game in the living room. Cody rolled his eyes. His sister was such a nerd. 

"Happy Birthday, Cody!" Cody's dad approached his son, ruffling his hair. 

"Did you get me some presents, Dad?" Cody asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" his dad replied, smirking. "A few of your friends are comin' over by the way. It'll be a pretty big party."

"Well, duh!" Cody replied. 

He went into the living room and eyed his sister playing video games. She was still wearing her pyjamas. What a nerd. 

Cody frowned at the screen. "Turn that off, Clover. It's annoying."

"No way," Clover replied casually, not even looking at him. "I'm playing as many games as I want."

"It's my birthday!" Cody responded.

"It's mine too," Clover retorted.

"Dad!" Cody yelled, looking over his shoulder. "Clover won't stop playing her stupid video games!!"

"I told Clover she's allowed to play video games this morning," Cody's dad responded. "Sorry bud, you'll have to deal with it."

Cody pouted and left the room. His mom walked out of the kitchen. She gave him a friendly smile.

"Cody!" she greeted. "Happy Birthday!"

"Clover sucks." Cody replied, frowning.

"Why would you say that?" Cody's mom replied, raising her brow. She squeezed Cody's shoulder. "Doesn't matter. You can come help me in the kitchen!"

"I don't like cooking." Cody whined. 

This was actually a lie, but Cody felt self-conscious about his hobby. He wanted to dislike cooking, but... no.

He just didn't want to be judged anymore. But...

"Really?" his mother sounded sceptical. "Well... maybe you'll change your mind when you see what I got you for your birthday."

"What did you get me?" Cody asked, now excited.

"You'll see," his mom laughed. "Your friends will be here soon. You'd better get ready!"

...

Soon, Cody's friends arrived, as well as Clover's. They were a group of kids Cody had met at school, who he was somewhat acquainted with. 

They had a pretty good time. Cody got a bunch of presents, including a skateboard, since he was into skateboarding at the time. His sister got more video games, good for her...

Cody enjoyed himself overall. He loved having a birthday. Presents were great. And he was a little older now. Unless you're over 30, being older is great.

Though... his mom hadn't given him his present yet. He was rather curious about what it was. He hoped it was a skateboard or something like that. He nagged his mom about it, and finally, she took him into her bedroom to show him the gift.

"Here you go." Cody's mom handed her son the gift. 

Cody grinned. He tore off the wrapping paper, revealing... an apron?

"An apron?" Cody asked, sounding disappointed.

"Of course!" His mother smiled.

"Mom, I don't like cooking." Cody whined.

"I don't think that's true." his mom retorted. She smiled. "Cody... you can be into whatever you want. It doesn't matter. Skateboarding, cooking, video games... you do you, son."

"Hmph." Cody pouted, observing the gift. 

The apron was... kind of cute. It had a pink heart on it.

"You'll look great in it." his mother grinned. 

Cody made a face. 

His mother sighed. "Just try it... even for a little while. I know deep down you're a very sweet boy and you do care." She knelt down and gave him a hug. "So... be kind for me this one time and put in your very best effort?"

"Fine." Cody grumbled.

"But... really, you should always be kind," his mother told him. "Not just for me."

"I guess." Cody said, not really interested.

Cody didn't realise how much all this would matter until the incident.

...

It started one afternoon when Cody was observing his skateboard, wearing a long-sleeved shirt. It had been a little while after his birthday. He didn't like short-sleeved shirts anymore. He had tried cooking and hot oil landed on his arm while he was wearing a t-shirt. So he didn't trust those shirts anymore. And his sister was now for some reason obsessed with cowboys. She kept putting on some stupid cowboy accent as well, which was just plain annoying.

Cody's dad suddenly barged into his son's room, interrupting Cody's thoughts. His face was full of terror, grief... horror.

Cody had never seen his father like this before.

"Dad?" Cody asked, feeling some concern. "Are you okay?"

His dad fell to his knees, taking in deep sobs. Cody raised his brow.

"Dad...?" he asked, stooping to his father's level and rubbing his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Cody..." his dad paused, eyeing his son. Cody took a step back. "Your mom... she..."

"What?" Cody asked, getting a bad feeling. His skin prickled.

"Well..." his dad held back another sob. "You know how she went on that business trip? Well, the p-police called and said..." He paused. "And said that while she was there, she..."

"She what...?" Cody asked.

"She was shot," his dad answered. "She's dead, Cody."

And everything came to a halt.

Cody sat next to his sister on her bed, hugging himself while taking in deep sobs. Clover was holding his arm protectively, glaring at their father, who was standing nearby the door.

Cody knew it was only because she couldn't bare to loose him, her only real family. Their father... wasn't the same as he was before. Cody knew Clover didn't consider him family anymore.

He was too far gone.

"Stay over there," Clover grumbled, turning away from her dad. "You're not gonna help us."

"Clover..." Cody began, attempting to be understanding. 

He remembered his mom's words. Be kind. He never honoured them when she was alive.

So he'd have to do it when she was dead instead.

"We're all stuck here..." their father laughed, sounding not unlike a maniac. "Don't you just wish it could all end?" 

"Get over it," Clover growled at him. "What the Hell is wrong with you?"

"Clover, please..." Cody whimpered, taking his sister's arm. She was shivering. "We shouldn't get mad over this."

"Yes, we should, Cody," Clover spat. "He's not Dad anymore. He's just crazy."

Cody whimpered. For the millionth time, he wished his mom wasn't dead.

Cody searched through his cupboard, his arms weak. He still couldn't comprehend it. It didn't feel real. None of this felt real.

Cody found the apron he got for his birthday, right at the back. He slipped it on, over his favourite long sleeve and pants. He looked at himself in the mirror.

So be kind for me this one time and put in your very best effort?

His mother's voice made his eyes go watery. He smiled at his reflection, tears slipping down his cheeks.

"I'll always be kind, Mom," he said. "I promise."

...

It was late at night. Cody could hear a lot of commotion downstairs. He couldn't sleep. He opened his door. His dad and Clover were yelling at each other.

"THERE'S NOTHING LEFT FOR YOU HERE YOU STUPID GIRL!"

"THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE NEVER AROUND!"

"YOU TWO ARE JUST SO MUCH STRESS!"

"YOU'RE THE WORST DAD EVER!"

"Please... no..." Cody tried to yell, but he could barely bring his voice to a normal tone. Why was everything falling apart? Why did his mom have to die? Why was this happening?

What did he do?

Cody turned away, closing the door. He sunk to his knees, feeling physically sick. He hated this so much. So much. He began sobbing into his palms, wishing the world could end.

He wondered if his father was so mad after all.

Suddenly Clover burst into his room, a furious look on her face.

"Get up," she told Cody seriously. "We're leaving."

"What?" Cody asked, eyeing her.

"We're leaving, running away," Clover repeated with a scowl. "I'm not living with that psycho."

"Dad's not crazy, Clover..." Cody tried to protest. His sister's glare hardened at 'Dad'. "He's just..."

"He's just what?" Clover spat, clenching her fist around her gun.

"But... where will we go?" Cody asked, his heart thumping.

"We're gonna find that criminal who shot Mom," Clover answered. "And we'll take them down."

"But Clover, they're so far away!" Cody protested, standing up.

"I don't care," Clover growled. "We'll find them."

"Clover..." Cody pouted.

"Get your stuff bro," Clover said firmly. "We're leaving now."

"Now...?" Cody asked.

"Yes," Clover spat.

Cody frowned. He knew everything wasn't great right now and his sister was cranky, but... he couldn't bring himself to want to abandon his father. It wasn't kind or the right thing to do. What if something went wrong along the way? The thought of that made Cody shiver.

He didn't want anyone else to get hurt.

"Clover... I know you're upset, but..." Cody smiled. "Hey... it's okay. Things will get better."

"Things will get better if we hunt down that criminal." Clover growled.

"No!" Cody protested. He stood up. "No! Hurting people won't change anything. We'll still be in square one!"

"Square one." Clover eyed her brother dryly.

"Clover, just..." Cody's eyes were full of tears. "I'm angry too... but this isn't right. Revenge won't bring you peace! It'll just bring you down to the killer's level!"

Clover gritted her teeth. "Do you want the person who killed Mom wanderin' around free?"

"We're just kids," Cody pleaded. "We'll let the police deal with this. They'll put the criminal in jail. And besides..." He looked down. "Dad really needs our help."

Clover looked away, her hat covering her face. She was trembling.

"Hey..." Cody said softly, smiling. "It's okay, Clover."

"No it's not." Clover mumbled, her voice shaky. 

Cody wrapped his arms around her, giving her a tight hug. She stiffened in surprise, but gradually hugged him back. She cried into his shoulder.

"We're going to be okay." Cody told her gently, "As long as we stick together, we'll be okay."

...

Cody was back here again. Lost. Alone. Afraid. He didn't know where he was going. This place was so dark. He wished he hadn't yelled at his sister, or at his friends...

Cody sniffled. He just wanted to go home.

"You seem sad," a voice told Cody. It sounded... familiar.

"I just want to tell everyone I'm sorry." Cody sniffled, wiping his nose.

"I know that pain," the voice replied. "I know it very well indeed. Unlike you, however, I don't get that chance. Once you return to the real world, you will see your friends and family again. You will be able to apologise. If I only were so lucky."

"Really?" Cody asked, grinning. He tilted his head. "W... wait, who are you? Where am I?"

"Who I am is not a concern of yours," the voice replied. A figure stepped into the light. Cody gasped.

"You're that kid from..." He realised where he was.

"Yes," Chara smiled at him. "Welcome back to the Void, Cody Luckgreen."