Aizawa pov:

He looked so happy on that stage, so carefree. But I couldn't shake what he'd said last night. 'Goodbye, Shota.' It felt like his final goodbye instead of a simple goodnight and how he called me Shota. He doesn't ever call me by my first name, I was completely fine with it. We'd known each other long enough to be on a first-name basis, but it was so sudden.
I'd talk to him straight after the performance. Just to make sure he was okay.

I take a deep breath, just enjoy the performance.

~

~

~

The gym had emptied, only my class left behind to clean their mess. With a quick glance around the room, I couldn't spot him, Sans was nowhere in sight. I walk over to Midoriya, he probably knows where he is.

"Midoriya," I call, the green-haired boy turns. "Do you know where Sans is?" I ask, Midoriya pauses. Thinking.

"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him since the performance finished. Maybe he snuck off to get some ketchup? He does like it quite a bit." Midoriya says as he taps his chin.

"Midoriya! Stop slacking off and take this ice!" Mineta complains as he shoves a chunk of ice into Midoriya's hands.

"Right, sorry!" Midoriya says as he hoists the ice into his hands. "If I see Sans, I'll let him know you want to see him," Midoriya says before scurrying off. I leave with one final look around the room, deciding that perhaps Sans had snuck off. It didn't sound like him, not one bit. But I wanted to ignore the growing pit of dread forming in my stomach.

*Buzz, buzz*

I sigh, pulling out my phone. It's a text from Sans, I open it. My blood runs cold. My eyes trail along the words again.

hey aizawa, if you've gotten this message, then i've decided to go through with my plan. i am confronting one of my biggest fears, i'm sure you know what or who that is. i know it's pointless to ask you not to come after me, so i'm not going to. instead, keep the festival running. i don't want my choice to ruin the day for everyone else.
if i survive, i'll come back, if not, then well. i can't, hehe. this is something i can't avoid any longer. 
thanks for looking after me, i'd definitely be dead if it wasn't for you, and i'm sorry.

The words replayed in my head over and over again, horror strangling my mind. I sprint out of the gym, flicking through my contacts, clicking on the one I knew could help. He was one of the smartest people I knew. I had to find my kid.

Sans pov:

He had a pretty good guess at what Aizawa was going to do, Sans knew he wouldn't be too difficult to track, and he'd done that on purpose. If he did end up losing, there was still a chance someone would take the kid down after him, but if they had all of their DT, it was almost impossible.
I stood in the abandoned warehouse, waiting. I'd checked for any traps, there was nothing. Boxes of old and forgotten cargo are piled against the walls, covered in thick layers of dust. No one had been here in a long time, and that's exactly how we needed it to be. No civilians or Heroes to interfere. It was just going to be Frisk and me trying to win fates favour.

Footsteps echoed towards me, echoing off the cold, stone floors and up the empty walls. The figure stands about seven meters away. Even with the distance, I could see the dagger gripped loosely in their hand, the small windows near the top of the room providing the only light.

"So, you did decide to turn up!" A voice echoes. "I'm surprised you weren't too tired, especially after your amazing performance. I never expected you to be such a good singer!" Frisk laughs, their wicked smile piercing through the room. "Too bad you won't get to enjoy the fame or praise." 

"i'll get enough of that after you're dead." I monotoned, this only makes the child smile larger.

"I doubt that, you're friend might not think of it that way. Aizawa, wasn't it? Or what about the Midoriya boy?" They're trying to get under my skin, we just need to stay calm. "This world is a far more entertaining game, Sans! Too bad, you won't get to play with me." They fidget with the tip of their knife, glancing over at me. Gaze threatening to snap at any moment. "It'll become even more fun once I can go between the two! I'm sure your brother is wondering where you headed off to!" They cackle.

"what?" The word slipped out.

"Right! Of course! You wouldn't know!" They seemed entertained by my ignorance. "There's a way back to our world Sans." They say, I stare at them. I could see Papyrus again, I could see everyone again. I could... "All I need is my Determination, the Determination you stole." Their voice turns bitter as they glare. 

"i didn't steal it." I say, they grip their knife. They take an exaggerated breath.

"Listen, Sans, I don't care if you did or didn't. It's pointless to think about." They pause. "I want to make a deal with you. I'll take you back to our world, I'll reset everything and let you live a normal life with your brother. In exchange for the Determination you have." They say. "So, what will it be, comedian?" They ask, clearing the distance between us and sticking their hand out for me to shake. "Do we have a deal?"
I stare down at the hand, the bloodied, sinful hand of a demon. A hand that's helped them kill hundreds of innocence. A hand that's killed me over and over and over again. They knew the answer, they'd be an idiot for thinking I'd accept such a deal.

I swing my fist, hitting Frisk directly in the nose. They stumble back, blood already dripping down their shirt. Eyes watering, their red eyes glow with joy. "did you really think i'd work with a dirty killer like you? i guess you really have lost your mind." I say, Frisk stands. A large grin on their face, laughter bubbling up their throat.

"I knew you wouldn't take the deal, but it was worth a shot. I was expecting a Blaster, but a punch to the face? It's so exciting! You're so unpredictable now! This is going to be fun!" The laugh.

"it's a beautiful day outside, birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and children are enjoying the sunshine. on days like these, villains like you... should be burning in hell." I hiss the words, it seems like a mini ritual. A familiar tune begins to play, bringing the same mood as always—the same thoughts.

A megalomaniac was going to receive Karma from a Judge.

"Don't disappoint me, Judge!" Frisk shouts, charging forward. Knife in hand, smiling like a crazed lunatic as they swing their blade. Red streaks slice through the air, I dodge as they speed past me. Calving deep trenches into the cement floor. "Pay attention, Comedian! Wouldn't want to stop the fun before the party starts!" Frisk shouts, knife swinging toward my side.

"this'll be fun once it's over!" I shout as bones sprout out of the ground, Blasters appear around Frisk and blast, giving them only a second to predict the movements. Their laughter echoes through the hall, loud and poisonous. Full of joy, insane.

"I didn't think the comedian would be the party pooper, but here we are!" Frisk smirks at me, my face set in a stone-cold glare. I summon a blaster on my hand and a bone in my other, shortcutting to their left. The blaster chomps chow on Frisk's arm while the bone smashes into their jaw. As a larger blaster floats above us, I back away, the intense heat roasting Frisk's back.

They should be out cold, I'd looked across a lot of platforms saying that the jaw was a weak spot for humans. If you hit one hard enough on the jaw, they'll get knocked out, good thing I checked. 

I could use it now, and they'd wake up cuffed and in a jail cell.

The smell of burning flesh wafts through the room, making me want to gag, Frisk hisses in pain as they stumble to their feet. They're still conscious...

"You're no fun, so serious. You almost got me, Sans, you almost won." Their face is covered by shadow, their hair is messed and spread erratically over their head. "I've had enough playing around, say your final goodbye." Their voice was angrier than before, the smile full of excitement was now one of murderous glee.

I had to use it now.

This is it.

I summon two blasters, one regular and the other the extractor. Frisk eyes them suspiciously. I raise my hand, a barrage of bones sprouting out of the ground, another group firing from above them. They dodge and swing their knife, running toward me, ready to deal their final blow.
Their hand hovers in front of my chest, a multicoloured upsidedown heart pops out.

They knew.

They grab the blaster and clamp it over my soul, I feel my magic dissipate. No longer able to flow. The knife calves into my bone, a red substance leaking from the reopened wound. I fall backwards. Staring up at Frisk, their eyes growing satisfied. They bend down at my side, smile mocking my weakness.

"I don't think you understand how happy it makes me to see you like this." Frisk says just above a whisper. "Powerless, pathetic, and soon to be dead," Frisk mutters. "No one will know, you'll just be a pile of dust. I'll put you in an envelope and send you to them as a present. I'm sure they'll like that!" They smirk, the extractor hums before letting off a quiet ding.

"no..." My voice falters in my throat as Frisk stands from my side and walks to the extractor. I shift to lay on my stomach, wound screaming in a painful protest. I grip their ankle out of desperation, I could feel my grip wavers as my body weakens.

I was dying. And they were going to get the DT.

The mouth of the blaster opens. Frisk smiles down at the glowing red orb that was now separate from my dying soul. It lit the room in a bright red, Frisk's eyes glowed with satisfaction.

I needed it, I was going to die.

I was going to die again.

I don't want to die again.

They had the Determination.

Tears welled in my eyes as I reached toward the Determination desperately, even if it was far out of my reach.

I'm sorry, everyone. I've failed—Aizawa, Pap, Eri, Midoriya, everyone. I didn't want that. I wanted to be Determined enough to stop them.

"Isn't that cute? You're trying to stay Determined." Frisk smiles down at me. They free my soul from the extractor, letting it return to my chest. It was useless now, dying. I couldn't use my magic even if I tried. I could barely move.

I can't move.

I can't dodge.

I'm going to die.

I'm sorry.

"I would've liked to keep you around, but... You're too much of a threat and unwilling to cooperate. Besides, you without DT is probably boring. If you can't remember, you're just another boring piece of code." Frisk reaches out for the Determination. 

Something pulls Frisk away. A hand? A second hand strikes Frisk in the stomach. This was my chance. I tried pushing myself forward, but my body wasn't working. I couldn't move. I notice the red orb flicker, it seeps down the side of the extractor's mouth and drops to the flood. It looked more like blood than one of the most powerful things in the multiverse. The DT slinks across the floor, I reach out my hand. 

The DT climbs up onto it, travelling down my arm and disappearing into my jacket. It slipped out in front of my chest, soul popping out. The hairline fractures seemed less important as a large crack ripping its way through my soul. The Determination, now seeming to have a mind of its own latches onto my soul, seeping into the white. The familiar unfinished pattern forms once again as I feel my magic return, life flowing back into my body.

I was Alive.

"Yeah, you're alive, Comedian. You're welcome." The voice came as a shock, I scrambled to my feet and spotted the source of the voice.

"chara?" I ask, eyes trailing over the floating child. They looked like they'd been doused in red paint and couldn't wash it out.

"The one and only."

"how?" I mutter, Chara rolls their eyes.

"Questions are for later. G had the element of surprise. If he had his magic, he'd be able to hold them back easy, but it's only his hands, he can't hold Frisk back long." Chara says, as if on queue Gaster's hands tumble across the floor.

"So! The fight continues, and you've got some friends!" Frisk's eyes glaze over the hands floating to my left and the ghost to my right. "Chara, since when were you all goodie-goodie?" Frisk glares accusingly.

"We both know I never wanted this!" Chara shouts, their body seems to glow a more violent red.

"And Gaster, of all people to team up with, you chose the person who hates you the most. That's hilarious!" They laugh loudly.

"what's hilarious is that you're gonna get dunked on." I say as I grab Frisk's soul and throw it from wall to wall; bones sprout under their feet. They land comfortably at every collision, jumping and avoiding the bones. I slam them to the ground, running toward them. We charge head-on. They swing their knife, red training, past me as I dodge and weave. 

"Close up isn't you-" Frisk's words were cut off as a crate slammed into them. Gaster's hands pushed it, I could almost see his smug smirk on his face. Frisk plunges their knife into the box; it turns red and explodes violently.

"That's new," Chara mutters, Frisk tenses. Their anger growing larger. They cross the distance between us in seconds, knife ready to slice right through me. I didn't have time to move, Gaster's hands didn't have time to stop them. There was no time.

I'll die if I get hit again.

Something latches onto the knife, pushing the hand backward and giving me time to dodge.

Blitz.

"You little pest!" Frisk growls as they slice the Blaster, Blitz's two halves feel to the ground, still refusing to disappear. Frisk's foot goes to crush the Blaster. 

I grabbed their soul again.

The pure terror in their eyes brought a smile to my face as I threw them backwards.

*Click*

The extractor activated.

Frisk tumbles to the ground, and their knife skids out of reach. I let out a tired sigh, my front was drenched in red. Everything had been slightly out of proportion after I got hit, but the feeling was becoming heavier.

"Give it back!" Frisk shouts, charging again, I flick around. My hand glowing a purplish red, the back of my hand collides with their cheek, and they collapse to the ground. Blue bones sprout around them.

"You should've done that the first time," Chara complains, I turn to the extractor. Frisk's soul sits in it as the red Determination seeps away. Their soul turned a pale white before the machine opened again. I stared at the substance as it waited for the touch of another soul. "It's yours," Chara says, I glance to the side. They're wearing genuine smiles, they were happy. Then they begin to fade.

"where are you going? why are you fading?" I ask, Chara simply smiles.

"We're going back to the void, it takes a lot of energy to come here like this." Chara pauses as Gaster's hands float to their side. "Come visit us, won't you?" Chara's words echo into the silence as they both disappear. I stare at the empty space for a moment before turning my attention.

Blitz.

The small Blaster was dead, I cup him in my hands. I would bring him back. I placed him in my pocket carefully, hoping he wouldn't dust or disappear. I'll bring him back, I promise.

I turn back to the elephant in the room. The glow of Determination lights up my surroundings, I approach. My soul pops out of my chest—the red substance leaning toward the soul. My soul grazes against it, and the Determination instantly seeps into it, the red pattern seeming to dissipate until the only spots of white display a familiar symbol.

The angel who has seen the surface.

The world swells again, this time, I lose my balance. 

I was so tired.

So, so tired.

I wanted to sleep.

But one thing kept me awake, if only a moment longer.

A familiar voice called my name.

A/N: YOOOOOOOOO!!!! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! That was the climax! Jez! You have no idea how long I've wanted to write this chapter!

BOIIIIIII