Asriel and Golemite told most of the story, Shye filling in for a few parts. While avoiding mention of the Everstar, they told the metal creator about Nowhere and the Skyway, and their journey to investigate the lands beyond the known boundaries of the Deep.
Archie listened intently, even as he repaired the creatures of the Precious Meadows. He was incredibly quick, processing over fifty ferrous ferrets, twenty-six copper chickens, and more butterflies than Asriel could count.
Their tale drew to an end, however, with a familiar chime. Papyrus pulled out a pocket watch similar to that carried by his brother. He frowned at the face before tucking it away in one of the many compartments of his body.677Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGTHU5EUf2
"My apologies." He said, "Shift change."
"Huh?' Golemite said, scratching her hair. Asriel couldn't fathom how his friend had yet to realize her transformation. Surely she could feel the hair, or the sensation of her face moving, or the weight of the big round ... additions.
"I'm sorry." Archie said, rising to his feet. "As much as I hate to subject such kind guests to the whims of my brother, it's his turn."
He walked to the two chairs and sat down with a sigh. After a few moments of silence, light flared around them as the Everstar slowly passed from one to the other.
Golemite's hand grabbed Asriel's shoulder. "Azzie!"
"I see it.' Asriel said.
"It's a shard of the Everstar!"
"I know."
"The Everstar?" Shye asked, eyes wide. "You mean the grant-a-wish Everstar?"
She looked at the shard, temptation in her eyes for only a moment. Shaking her head, she said, "Probably wouldn't work anyway.'
Asriel understood the truth. She wasn't willing to trade the life of the brothers for a wish.
"Are you?" whispered part of Asriel that sounded far too much like Flowey.
Asriel was still contemplating this when Beget came to life. After a mighty yawn, he turned his wide smile on Asriel, Shye, and Golemite. Once again, Asriel was struck with the similariy between Beget and Sans. It couldn't be a coincidence, not after everything he'd been through.
"So," Beget said, rising from his chair. "You're explorers, eh?"
"How do you know that?" Shye asked.
"One of the benefits of sharing a soul." Beget said with a shrug. "What one of us knows, the other does as well. Feel free to continue."
"Oh." Asriel said, "Well, um, that's pretty much it. We're making our way around the Deep to see what's out here."
"Must be nice." Beget said, sounding a little sad. Shaking his head, Beget turned to Golemite and said, "Well, I see you're finally up and around."
"Thanks ta you, I hear." Golemite said.
"Any problems?" Beget asked, grin widening.
Golemite shook her head. "I feel great. Bettah than great. Haven't had this kinda movement since I lived in the Underground."
Beget's gaze slipped to Asriel. Asriel could only shrug. Apparently that was enough to convey the situation; namely that Golemite hadn't noticed her change, and no one wanted to be the one to tell her.
Chuckling, Beget said, "Well, I'm glad I could help. Next time you go picking on my crittaceans, you may not be so lady."
"Lady?"
"Lucky." Beget said with a shrug. "Sorry; slip of the tongue. Well, my brother and I are glad you're here. Now that we are properly linked to the Skyway, we'll likely see more travellers. That's good; plenty of space, and so far everyone who's made it this far has decided to stay."
Beget paused, his blue eye shining brightly for a moment. "Ah, speaking of which, I got work to do. Feel free to follow if you wanna see a real creator at work."
Intruiged, Asriel followed the short tin man down the stairs into the messier of the workshops.
"Now my brother's cool and all, but between you and me, his focus is a bit narrow. I'm all for fixing our little friends, but what i love more than anything is making new ones. See, our Precious Meadows are what you might call a work in progress; the land, the plantlife, and creatures that live here."
He swept his hand across his vision; just as in the floor above, the outer walls of the Serenity Spire moved away to reveal an outside view. They were deep into the Precious Meadows now, where the Brass Woods were little more than a glimmering line on the horizon.
Below them was the beginnings of a village; the skeletons of buildings slowly being assembled by the monsters below. Not just monsters, however; large elephants with shining flanks of steel moved heavy materials, crittaceans climbed straight up metal girders fastening rivets. Large lumbering creatures with four stilt-like legs and bark-like skin moved about, planks and beams around them floating as though via telekinesis.
"The new city of Glencove." Beget said proudly. "We offered them a place closer to the Brass Woods, but when they saw the other towns, they wanted to be closer."
"Other towns?" Shye asked.
Beget nodded. "Of course. Dahllen, Lyrrana, Bellfast ... there are quite a few towns the closer you get to the middle of the Precious meadows. Mind you, this is the first time we've had a whole city to move; I built the first towns just to try out a few ideas on possible homes for future residents; underground structures, tree houses, floating platforms ... just wanted to work on something different really."
He smiled to himself as he stared out over the construction of the city. "Who knew people would come by and actually want to live there? A few wanderers here and there, and suddenly we had residents. It's been a big help; there's a lotta stuff needin' to be fixed for just my brother and me to be doin' the fixin'."
Picking up a small delicate tool, Beget said, "Their assistance gives us a chance to continue our work. There's still so much left here to build, so many new creatures needin' to be created."
Snapping his metal fingers, Beget turned to Shye and said, "Say; would you like to try?"
"Try what?" Shye said curiously.
"Try making a new creature for the Precious Meadow." Beget said. "It's not hard; I'll do all the work. I'll show you what parts we have, and you can tell me what you like. I'm always lookin' for fresh ideas, and you seem a clever girl."
"True." Shye said, rubbing her chin. "All right."
Asriel was eager to watch, but realized he wouldn't be getting the chance when Golemite's hand came to rest on his shoulder.
"Say, I need to cover some Skyway stuff with Azzie." Golemite said. "You mind?"
"No problem." Beget said. "You know where we'll be. You can use my brother's workshop. Just don't touch anything; my brother's great, but he can get a little touchy about people movin' his stuff."
Asriel and Golemite ascended to Archie's workshop. When Golemite came to a halt beside the twin chairs, Asriel said quickly, "I'm sorry, but we didn't even realize you'd been injured, let alone that they'd picked you up and-"
"Huh? Azzie, I'm fine. My fault for runnin' off." Golemite said, once again misunderstanding. "Dis ain't about dat. We gotta talk about the Everstar ting."
Asriel sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I know."
"I mean, I look at what dees guys are doin', and it's great, yeah? Dis place is amazin'. Heck, if I'd know dey could fix me up so well, I'da come here ages ago. I feel great."
"You've never looked better." Asriel said, a faint smile on his face.
"Ting is, I know you wanna go home. Dat means you need da Everstar."
"I know." Asriel said, hanging his head. "And honestly, I don't know what to do."
Golemite sighed and knelt down beside Asriel. After a moment of staring at Asriel's chest, she adjusted her posture. "Sorry; you must be growin' or somethin'. Anyway, what I wanted to say was that I'm with whatevah you decide."
Asriel turned to Archie's still form. "This would be easier if they didn't look so much like them."
"Like who?" Golemite asked.
"Sans and Papyrus." Asriel said. "Two skeletons I met in the Underground. They even act the same; Archie's got the energy and the sense of duty, Beget's more laid back and moves at his own pace. Despite their bickering about their counterpart, you get the feeling they care about each other."
"Yeah." Golemite said. "I got that too. You notice how neither one of 'em waited a second before respondin' to the switchover chime thing. It's just a shame they gotta live like this."
"Yeah." Asriel said quietly.
They stared at the chairs for a long time before they heard Shye shout, "Golemette! Asriel! Come see!"
"My name is Golemite." Golemite muttered, sounding annoyed.
They found Shye and Beget at the same workbench, a three-eyed catlike creature made of ebony sitting before them, licking its paws.
"You made a three-eyed cat." Golemite said. "Very original."
Shye punched Golemite in the arm, despite the fact it would only hurt her. "Ow! It's not just a cat! Watch!'
She moved away from the table and held out her arms. "C'mere, Mina!"
The kitten let out a meow before crouching down, wiggling her tail and hind end for a moment, and leaping into the air, where thin membranes between its arms and legs spread out, allowing her to glide to Shye in a manner similar to that of a flying squirrel.
"Good girl!" Shye said, rubbing Mina's dark fur. Mina purred loudly, the sound similar to a pepper grinder in use.
"Three eyes will give them excellent depth perception, and the ability to glide should come in handy." Beget said, looking pleased. "Small stomach and ability to process metal and vegetative matter means they'll help spread the local fruit trees, as well as cut down on wasted fruit."
"Great." Golemite said. "So it can jump on things and crap. Very impressive."
Beget frowned at her before turning back to Shye with a smile. "Thank you, Shye; why not keep the first? I'll run you through how to take care of her while I make more.
"Oh, yes! Thank you!" Shye said, hugging little Mina.
"As for you two," Beget said, "We have some rooms set up for our occasional visitors. Nothing fancy mind; but theres one for you and the lady."
Asriel tensed, only for Golemite to rub his fluffy ears and say, "Yeah, Azzie looks kinda cute, but he's really a boy."
"Really." Beget said as Shye giggled. "That's hilarious. Well, I'll show you to the quarters, after a quick stop by our vegetative constructors; I'd imagine you bioforms will want food."
"Not just the bioforms." Golemite said, rubbing her muscular stomach.
The quarters were very basic; little more than a cushioned bed and a small empty workbench, but Asriel was too tired to care. He fell into a deep sleep within moments of laying down. By the time he woke up, whatever provided the sunlight of the Precious Meadow was once again gone, replaced by the twin moons. Asriel rose from his bed and stepped out of his chamber.
From the sound of snoring in the next room, Golemite was still sound asleep. His ears picked up soft breathing from another of the rooms, likely Shye. As he thought this, the door creaked open to reveal a small three-eyed feline face that looked up at him and meowed curiously.
"Hey, Mina." Asriel said, kneeling down to pet the little cat-like creature. She rubbed against his hand a few times before leaping onto his arm and climbing on his shoulder. After a cursory examination of his head, she hopped back to the ground and let out a soft meow before running toward the stairs.
"Hey!" Asriel said, "Where are you going?"
The feline didn't stop; she ran up the staircase as though chasing something, leaving Asriel to follow.
As he returned to Beget's workshop, he was surprised to see the skeleton busily working at one of the benches, a small pride of the cat-like creatures all perched around him.
"Ah, he awakens." Beget said, still working. "Archie wanted me to tell you hello. You slept through his last shift, I'm afraid."
"How long have I been asleep?" Asriel asked.
"Oh, about fifteen hours." Chuckling as though he knew Asriel now wore a shocked expression, Beget said, "The beds are designed to induce deep and restful sleep. I might've overdone it just a bit."
"Maybe a bit." Asriel said, sitting on a stool beside the workbench. He watched with interest as Beget assembled another of the cat creatures, his hands moving quickly to transform blocks of materials into fur, bones, and skin. In less than a minute, a calico variant sat on the table, asleep.
"Still tryin' to think up a good name." Beget said as he started on another one. "Kitterkats? Pouncers?"
Asriel shrugged. "Flynx?"
"Fl- heh. Cute. I like it." Beget chuckled for a few moments before falling silent. "Asriel, isn't it?"
"That's me." Asriel said.
"You're lucky, you know. To be able to go out and explore the Deep like this. I love the Precious Meadows, but if I had the option, I'd be out there too, checking it all out."
After a few moments of silence broken only by the clink of tools, Asriel asked, "Why don't you?"
Beget sighed. Once he finished his current flynx, he set down his tools. "You mind comin' with me a minute?"
"Sure." Asriel said.
The short tinman led Asriel back into Archie's workshop, right to the twin chairs where Archie currently rested.
"It's been like this since we were first came into being." Beget said. "Me and Archie, and these damn chairs. Yes, we share memories, but the truth is, we only talk to each other in notes. All these years, and I've never really met my brother."
Turning to Asriel, he said, "But he is still my brother, and I care about him. I care about the Precious Meadow. If I took the shard of the Everstar and left ... and yes, I know what it is ... I could leave Serenity Spire and go anywhere ... and believe me, I have that thought every day."
After a long moment of silence, Beget sighed and rubbed his metal forehead. "Without the shard present within the spire, this whole place could very well simply stop. No Archie or Beget to repair damaged animals, or make new ones, or anything. Maybe the people we've taught, the people who live here could take over repairs ... or maybe this whole place would fall to ruin. Truth is, none of that bothers me as much as the big thing."
Beget put his hand on Archie's. "I'd be abandoning my brother. He'd never get to move again, never live again. No more notes about my messes or collaborations or about something funny he discovered while working. Then I think about it and realize he must've come to the same conclusion; after all, he's still here, isn't he?"
They both stared at the chairs for a long time.
"And now you're here." Beget said. Without a word, he touched his chest. The Everstar fragment glowed, as did the shards in Asriel's chest.
"You carry a shard too." Beget said. "And I'll admit, when I felt its presence, part of me thought of taking the opportunity. One more shard, and my brother and I could work together, truly together. No more back and forth; we'd be free to stay here or depart as we wish; as long as one of us remained, the Precious Meadows would be okay. Maybe we could even take turns. Archie would like that; I know he wants to see his work up close, not through the damn windows."
Beget stared at Asriel, and for a moment, Asriel thought he might have made a fatal error. The sight of Sans's face with its glowing blue eye was never a comforting one.
The light in the blue eye died. "But then, what of your Precious Meadow? What of the things you could do? You need your shard as much as I do. Could I take someone else's life for my own selfish purposes? No. I'd rather stay like we are forever than do that."
Another long silence passed before Beget said, "Which brings us to why you really came here. It might interest you to know that even while inactive, our bodies are still capable of hearing."
"Then you heard Golemite and I talking about it." Asriel said as a sick feeling rose in his stomach."
Beget nodded. "You seek to complete the Everstar, which means you need our piece too."
The chime sounded. Beget stared at Asriel for a moment longer before slowly climbing into his chair.
"That's why I gave Mina the imperative to bring you here, right now." Beget said, "I don't want to die, but I am a creator, not a destroyer. If you wish to take the Everstar Shard, I ask that you show us the mercy of doing it now. Let my brother and I die together."
"Beget-" Asriel said, reaching forward, but it was too late. Beget sat back and closed his eyes.
This was the moment. Asriel had to make his choice, and he had to make it fast, as the shard was already leaving Beget.
"Take it." Flowey whispered in his mind. "Take the shard. Its why you came here."
"I don't want to hurt anyone else." Asriel said.
"Who do you think you're kidding? You came here to take that shard! That's why you brought the swords!"
"I brought them to protect myself!" Asriel said. "But Archie and Beget aren't a threat! They could've killed me while I was asleep, or attacked me on sight, but they didn't! They just want to live in peace!"
"And all you want is to return to your family! Is that so wrong? You heard what Beget said; the people living here could probably keep this place goin' just fine!"
"But I'd be killing Archie and Beget!"
"Killing schmilling, they aren't even alive!"
"How can you say that after everything they've done?"
"Listen, if you're really going to be such a bleeding heart about it, then you can go and find another power source for them ... after you have your soul!"
Asriel stared at the floating Everstar shard for a moment before shaking his head. "No."
"Don't be stupid! Take it now, while you have a chance! Take it! TAKE IT! TAKE-"
Asriel's hand shot out as though of its own accord, stopping the Everstar. The glowing shard pulsed softly, the warmth permeating his hand.
"Yes." Flowey whispered in his ear. "Yes! Now take it!"
It would be so easy, Asriel realized. All he had to do was close his hand. He could feel the power of the shard resonating with the shards within him, each seperate but eager to join together.
Even as that thought passed through his mind, another followed, this one of Sans and Papyrus, the skeleton brothers. They bickered at times, antagonized each other, but deep down they cared about each other deeply, just as Archie and Beget. How many times had he already seen them torn apart while he controlled the timelines? How many times had his determination brought them suffering?
"Not again." Asriel said quietly. "I've caused enough suffering. If i have to stay in the deep to make up for what I did ... so be it."
"Atonement? Really? You really think that being an idiot's gonna affect some kind of cosmic balance? That's crazy! In this world, you take what you can get!"
"No." Asriel repeated, his voice louder. "It's not mine ... and I only need one."
"You only need ... no! What are you doing?"
Asriel gasped as one of the two shards within him separated. It flowed down his arm and appeared in his cupped hand beside the brother's shard.
"No!" Flowey screamed in his ear. "You can't! YOU IDIOT!"
With a shudder, Asriel pulled away his hand. The shards floated between the chairs for a few moments, circling each other a few times before separating and floating opposite directions into the brothers.
Asriel took a step back as both brothers stiffened slightly and came to life. Beget was the first to awake. He seemed confused, at least until he turned and saw Archie standing up as well.
"What ... has happened?" Archie asked, sounding confused. "Beget's memories of the last shift didn't transfer. Something must be wrong."
"Archie?" Beget said, reaching for his brother with a shaking hand.
Archie turned and saw his brother, the light of his eyes brightening considerably. "Beget? You ... you're active too?" His eyes went from his own chest to Begets, where the two shards of the Everstar pulsed softly. But how ..."
Beget threw his arms around Archie's slender midsection. Archie slowly hugged his brother back, a smile on his face. After a few moments, he said, "Well ... perhaps now, we can finally have a proper conversation. We can start by talking about your little Heffalump experiment."
"Uh-oh." Beget said falling back into the chair. "I think I'm falling asleep again."
"Beget." Archie said, frowning. "Beget, you get up this instant!"
"Nope." Beget slumped in the chair, his legs over the armrest as he pretended to sleep, the big grin sabotaging any question as to him, actual slumbering. "Definitely feelin' sleepy."
"Beget, don't you dare!" Archie said, a small amount of steam escaping from his earholes. "We've got work to do! Beget, you get your lazy beams up this instant! Beget!"
Asriel quietly headed back to his room as the brothers continued arguing, the loss of the shard leaving him feeling tired once again. It was strange; he should've felt bad, having essentially given up his chance to get to the surface. The truth was, he actually felt happy. Sure, he'd miss his parents, Frisk, and the others, but he had a place in the Deep now, and it was such a wondrous place with new friends, fantastic places, and the tantalizing call of the unknown.
More than anything, however, he'd won; he'd beaten Flowey, and resisted selfish temptation. That alone made his chest swell. While he doubted he'd heard the last of his former self, the victory was oh so sweet.
Golemite was still snoring when Asriel reached the rooms. Smiling to himself, Asriel crept back into his room and closed the door quietly. Just as he started to lay down on his bed, something caught his eye on the wall. The polished metal was partially reflective, giving him a somewhat wobbly view of himself, but something seemed off.
Asriel approached the wall, squinting at his reflection until he realized it was the Everstar on his chest. The outline of the five-pointed star was still there, the center still bright ... only now, one of the points was glowing as well.
"Looks like you lucked out, brat." Flowey's voice whispered in Asriel's ear. "They get to live, and you still get a point for the effort."
Asriel froze; he could see the flower's reflection in the wall, feel its stem coiling around his arm. "You seem surprised. Silly Asriel; we're one and the same. You'll never be free of me. I'll be watching ... and waiting."
Asriel finally found the courage to turn his head, only to find nothing coiled around his arm or perched on his shoulder. There was no one else there; just him.
