songs for the fallen

[Undertale (2015) originally by Toby Fox. This story is an AU, and is written to be mostly understandable to non-fans.]
TL;DR AU Chara & Frisk slow-burn enemies to friends.
[Content warning throughout for references to child abuse/neglect and suicidal thoughts.]

It's an unseasonably cold morning in May when runaway foster kid FRISK finally decides to give in to the siren's song of the mountain that's been haunting them since they hitchhiked to the small town of Ebott. They're expecting a quick end to a long, miserable story, but what they find at the bottom of the pit they tumble into is far from anything they could have predicted. Thrown into a world of magic and monsters, they realize things here are nothing like the world they left behind.

And, of course, there's the voice in their head. That part's definitely new.

Newly awoken from a death that was supposed to be final, CHARA, misanthropic former Princet of Monsterkind, must contend with the fact that not only is it awake again, but it's stuck with a human, of all things, as its host. All it wants is to finally complete its plan to set its family free--but the owner of the head it's stuck in seems intent on getting in the way. At this point, closure seems impossible.

But there's only so much two kids sharing a body can avoid each other. As the two settle into an awkward alliance, each with their own motivations to reach the King of All Monsters, it becomes apparent that they will need to use their unique bond to their advantage. The fate of this world has long been set in stone. But with enough determination, even mountains can be moved.

Undertale "Tags":
--Narrachara
--Nuanced Chara
--Nuanced Frisk
--Chara & Frisk-centric
--Not romance-centric
--No player, but there not being a player changes the story. (Frisk filling the role of the Player is the driving force of changes in this AU.)
--Frisk is not a Dreemurr sibling.

[STATUS: 2/3 acts completed, 250k words so far. Placeholder cover.]