No Matter What - A HC + other MCYT'S Undertale fic.

Caretaker

Gem didn't know how long her body kept her under.

All she remembered was the pain slowly fading and then nothing more for the longest time.

She wished she would wake up, and the events of the last three years be all a nightmare. She would wake up and hear Joel and Pix getting on each other's nerves. As annoying as it was before, she'd trade anything to have it back.

But she woke up, in the place they encountered that awful plant. But something was different.

It wasn't just her and Fwhip here. There was someone else.

They sat next to the children, looking elsewhere. Were they watching for that sunflower?

Their appearance was a lot to be desired, with a long purple and white cloak that obscured most of their features. The thick bulky tail covered in black and white scales curled at their feet. Long, curled horns rested atop their head.

And their eyes blazed with a cold intensity Gem had only read about in fiction.

Gem shuffled, trying to move her numb limbs. That caught the person's attention, the fire going out and getting replaced with... worry?

"Oh, you're awake! I was worried my magic hadn't worked..." He sighed, rising to his feet. A clawed hand reached out, an act of kindness. Gem hesitated... but took it.

She wasn't ready for how her world shifted, how her body (despite apparently being healed of all wounds) lurged as the wave of nausea overtook her.

"Fwhip...?" She whispered, her voice failing her. Where was he? She couldn't lose him, too.

The strange man stepped aside, letting Gem see her brother. He was okay, standing and upright, albeit with the same confused expression she no doubt had.

"Well... who are you then...?" She really needed some water, she couldn't continue like this.

The man paused next to them, mentally slapping himself for forgetting to introduce himself. "I am Xanther Void, Caretaker of these here ruins. I come by every day to see if any humans have fallen."

"So how do we... get out?" Fwhip was next to ask, the younger boy uncharacteristically clinging to his sister like a leech.

Xanther's face fell, and he avoided eye contact.

"Xan...?" Gem tried this time.

"It's... complicated, I can explain when we're in the ruins..." Xanther looked... uncomfortable. Was the topic that bad?

He led them through a large archway, the gloomy darkness replaced by a soft light.

"The ruins do have many inhabitants... though I haven't had guests in a very... long... time." Xanther continued, still not quite looking at the twins. "The last was human, like you two. A very nice boy, if a bit odd."

Gem felt the need to speak up. She had to confirm the theory that'd been forming. "Was his name Jimmy, by chance...?"

Fwhip elbowed her, making her bat at him in retaliation.

Xanther paused. "Why yes, did you know him...?"

Both twins nodded, although it was subtle. They didn't know how they felt about how Xanther was acting. Like he knew something they didn't.

Something yellow caught Gem's eye, glinting in the soft light. It sparkled and almost called to her. It looked like a star, almost.

Gem reached out, ignoring her brother's confusion, and touched it.

Instantly, she felt like there was something (or someone?) standing beside her.

It couldn't be Fwhip. He was in front of her, tugging at her shirt in confusion. He looked worried.

'The shadow of the ruins looms above, filling you with Determination.'

"-em? Gem? Gem, what's going on?!" Fwhip's voice finally cut through the brain fog, Xanther hovered just behind him, a hand on her shoulder.

Gem shrugged his hand off, shaking away the cold feeling that consumed her. "I'm... fine. It was nothing, just some leftover shock... I think. Let's continue."

-

Pearl watched the others for a long time. She was lonely, that's for sure. It sucks being dead and well... the whole no one being able to see or hear you thing.

Jimmy was different. He was sharp, if a bit easily distracted. He had a lot going on inside him and well... someone had to intervene before he messed up.

It sucked that she couldn't even talk to him now, not that she could when he was alive.

Pearl liked spending her time in the ruins now. Maybe someday something interesting would happen, hopefully soon.

Pearl could feel something off about the twins. Not the boy, though he did remind her of the brunette girl.

But the girl twin (Gem, was that her name?) she intrigued her.

She felt so very similar to Pearl herself. Could she have the same Trait? But that was impossible, wasn't it? Determination Traits only come by once every couple decades or so.

(Had it really been that long since she-?)

Pearl floated down, allowing her body to rest next to the girl. She watched as she stared at the Save Point, the thing that no other living creature (Hybrid or Human) could see.

Besides her.

Almost instinctively, Pearl let herself speak.

And Gem reacted.

She reacted! She could hear her! This is amazing!

She...

She didn't have to be alone anymore...

Pearl let the girl walk away, trailing after Unc- Xanther and her brother. She would find her again, and maybe these two were the key Pearl had long awaited for.

She just had to be patient.