Anime
“S-sans? Could you ever RESET?” Alphys asks out of nowhere.
And it catches you so off guard that you just freeze. Just. Stop walking.
Alphys obviously notices this and thinks she had done something wrong, “Obviously you d-don't have t-to answer.” She stutters out quickly, stopping to face you in the middle of the sidewalk where you're standing.
“no.” You reply once your mind finally starts working again, and then you realize you should probably clarify that response, “i couldn't ever RESET.”
You both start walking again, heading towards this shop that's close to your house that apparently sells manga and anime. Alphys was going to go by herself, since Undyne had some errands to run, but you asked if you could come along. For the hell of it. You've been feeling a bit better honestly, but you're still kinda… eh.
From slightly behind you and to your right you hear Alphys tapping her fingers together. You turn and look back at her, still walking, and she looks like she about to choose her words wisely.
You slow your pace down the slightest bit so that Alphys is now walking side by side with you. In the corner of your eye you watch her, opening and closing her mouth a few times like she's going to say something, but then regrets it. You're starting to get anxiety about what she could possible have to say that's so bad that she has to think about it for this long, so instead you initiate the conversation.
“did you, uh, want to say something?” You keep walking, and both of you keep an even, slow pace.
Alphys seems to notice that you had been watching her in her little indecisive state. “W-well, you're probably w-wondering why I asked you if you c-could, um, RESET?” You nod to get her to continue, “W-well I had been thinking, you… you…” She takes a deep breath and says her next sentence almost quick enough that you didn't understand what she was saying, “You have Determination and I was wondering if you could maybe RESET because you could remember timelines even that flower can’t and he can RESET so I figured you would probably be able to to?” Alphys gives you a sheepish, questioning look.
You pride yourself on only flinching once when she said that. And it was barely noticeable. “umm, well…” You search your mind for an answer that you thought you knew, but apparently you didn't. So instead, you just make the best guess you can. “i actually don't know,” you admit, “but i'm pretty sure it has something to do with our souls. monster souls i mean.” You're about to jump into an explanation of what souls are made of, and then you realize it Alphys you're talking to. She probably knows more about souls than anyone. “it kind of goes against what our souls are made of. there's a reason monster souls don't persist after death i guess. they're not meant to have Determination.” You shudder. “they physically can't. except, well, i guess i'm living proof that isn't true, right?” You give a small, humorless chuckle. “so i guess even if a monster soul had Determination and was somehow still alive, like mine, it would be going against everything a monster souls stands for.” Alphys nods, like she's mulling this over in her head as well, and probably has a better understanding of what happened then you do. “i mean honestly i hadn't even thought about it now, which is weird, right?”
You both walk in silence for a few more steps before continuing where you left off. “of course Frisk’s soul was capable of RESETTING, it was pure Determination. and that flower didn't have a soul, so he didn't have to abide by any laws at all on that sort of matter.” You walk a few more steps, “but as i said, i hadn't really thought about it before now, i could be totally wrong.”
You look over at Alphys and she seems deep in thought, but not like she's not paying attention to what you're saying. Noticing you staring at her, she pipes up, “Yeah, t-that sounds pretty right actually. At l-least it m-makes sense in theory. I c-could always run some tests if you really wanted to know, b-but-”
“no.” You cut her off without a split second hesitation. “i don't need to know and i don't want to.”
Alphys looks at the ground at her feet, hitting the ground with a soft tap with every step she takes. You feel a pang of guilt.
“not that i don't want to because of you… i just… i don't want to have to be experimented on. again. and… i know… that you would never go that far…” And of course oh thought your father would never go that far, but look how that turned out, “but if, if this is really the ending, no RESETS, no time stuff, no genocide anymore, i don't want to pursue something i know will just… just make me think back on those times.
You look up in front of you a spot the store in the distance, about a two minutes walk from your current spot. It's quiet for a few more moments minus the sound of your footsteps against the pavement and the cars passing by until Alphys responds. “I can completely s-stand behind t-that. I would f-feel the same way.”
“thanks.” You say quietly, not really for anything specific, but just for Alphys… being Alphys.
The store is close now, close enough to see the various banners and posters advertising new animes and manga that's come out, and your immediate thought is, ‘yup. this is Alphys’.
“didja have anything in mind?” You ask.
“What?”
“for anime. or manga. or whatever the hell kinda weeb stuff you're getting here.” You tease in a light tone.
“Ha ha, mr. space dork.” She gives you a smile.
“hey, what can i say? some of that space stuff is out of this world.”
Alphys groans as you walk inside.