“Kris! Susie! You came!” Greeted a delighted Ralsei, practically skipping out the castle's gate, the card castle's to be precise, to greet the two of three fated heroes with a bright smile gracing his face, though the impact was lessened by it being hidden beneath magical shadow. “Yeah well, could hardly not show up after you promised a cake.” Susie said, playing the part of the aloof mean girl quite well, though you could tell anyone she was excited to be back. She'd probably promptly kick your butt afterwards so you debated that it was 'probably' not worth it, for now.

You greeted the green-robed wizard with one of your patented hugs, Susie groaning at the ACT. “Ugh, seriously? Why don't you just marry him already.” Susie grouched, standing a little off to the side whilst you and Ralsei hugged it out. “H-Huh? M-Marry!?” Ralsei sputtered, blushing profusely despite himself. Huh, how did that work with that magic shadow, you wondered to yourself.

Susie grinned at the two of you with her sharp yellow teeth, “Relax, I'm just pulling your leg. Where's Lancer?” She asked curiously, trying not to sound 'too' interested in meeting her friend. “Oh, he's inside with that Rouxls guy. He's showing off his, erm, puzzles again.” Ralsei explained, you weren't sure you would call those puzzles but who were you to argue?

“Cool, see ya inside Kris, you two lovebirds can finish up in privacy.” Susie spoke, snickering, and with a backwards wave as she headed inside, leaving the darkener mage flailing to think of a defence that wouldn't sound like he was insulting you, but the purple lizard monster was already gone. “... I still like Susie, but I think I preferred her meanness to her teasing.” Ralsei admitted, gaze glued to the floor. You offered the wizard a pat on the shoulder and told him that Susie was clearly jealous of his fluffiness. “O-Oh, do you think so?” Ralsei asked, blushing at the compliment further.

Seriously, how does someone blush that brightly in a shadow?

You politely ask if Ralsei is going to invite you inside. “Huh? Oh! Right, that reminds me would you like to help me pick out the cake's frosting? They're just about done but I was thinking... we could... do that... together... maybe..?” Ralsei spoke softly, his question barely understandable beneath the mumbling into his scarf. You said you'd love to, the lovable mage clapped his paws together excitedly in response. “Great, let's head inside!” He announced, grabbing your hand and ushering you inside – You politely allowing yourself to be brought along.

*

The card castle was quite familiar to you, though it was much nicer to appreciate when you weren't sneaking or fighting your way through it, you didn't realise just quite how big it was when you were on your quest here yesterday. For instance, the hidden door to the kitchen on the third floor was something you failed to notice last time. Ralsei stopped outside it, seemingly remembering something.

“Oh, wait, I just remembered – The castle cooks' don't like it when I wear my hat in their kitchen. They said something about the magic being bad for their ingredients, can you hold onto it for a second whilst I go fetch chef hats for us both?” Ralsei asked, removing his wizard hat, the enchantment that bathed his fur in impenetrable darkness fading with it. You agree, giving a mock salute. “Thanks Kris! I'll be back real quick!” He says before jogging off down the hall, leaving you alone outside the kitchen, and with a cute-looking hat.

You'd probably look 'amazing' it in it.

With a devious smirk, you place the hat upon your head, it having being sized for someone with horns, it didn't offer too much resistance and fit rather loosely around your forehead – just above your brow. You look down at your hands and don't notice any shadowy blackness. Huh, maybe the magic didn't work on humans? The hat slides down a little further and covers your eyes entirely. Well, now you can't see anything. You push the hat's brim out of the way and rest it a little more snugly on your head. That's when you started to feel... itchy and your clothing felt unusually tight, like it was a size too small.

You scratch at your body, trying to soothe the sudden itchiness, unbuckling some of the armour straps as you do for easier access, your hands running through your fur pleasantly... That didn't sound right. You bring your hands up to your face but instead of a familiar set of 10 digits greeting you, a pair of paws lay in their place – covered in white fur. A rising sense of panic began to build throughout you as you realised your body was 'very' wrong, yet you struggled to remove the involuntary smile on your face.

You had... Fantasised about something like this in the past, even trawling through certain 'forums' late at night on Azzy's computer but to see it actually happen? It was terrifying. Your breath came in short, sharp intakes and you pulled the hat from your head, letting it flutter onto the ground, after a momentary struggl to unhook it from your newly-grown horns for a moment and waited for a moment or two to turn back to normal...

… Nothing happened.

You were really in for it now, you thought to yourself. A primal instinct told you to get out of sight before Ralsei got back, before he saw you like this. You remembered passing by a bathroom earlier, Ralsei having pointed it out as you both passed, and you quickly made your way there, waiting against a corner as a Rudinn sentry passed by – Worried they'd think you were an intruder and sound the alarm.

*

Inside, you searched for a mirror and took a good look at... Yourself? You were a boss monster, just like your family were, with a broader, taller body than your human body had ever been. Your hair had remained as it was, though it now shared space with white fur and a set of long, fluffy ears hung along with your 'emo fringe' as Berdly called it. You could see your eyes much better, still ruby red as ever but they had a crazed, panicked look to them. Sweat droplets were visible on your fur, were you not focused on other things you might have wondered how that was possible.

Your had a muzzle with a pair of healthy fangs that your mother would've been proud of and a set of short, red-pink horns that reminded you of Ralsei's. You noticed your tail peeking out from behind your body, wagging in a nervous manner you had seen Azzy's had when he was preparing for a big exam at school. You turned on the sink and started running water over your face and muzzle, trying to clear the illusion from your mind and wash away the facade clinging to your body.

It stubbornly remained.

The nervous tension inside of you continued to coil tighter and tighter, like a wound spring being wound tighter than its strength would allow, and you let out a small sob. “Kris! Kris?” You heard Ralsei calling from down the corridors, a nervous knot of energy building in your stomach. “Excuse me, have you seen Kris Mr Guard?” You could hear Ralsei ask the Rudinn sentry outside and you knew you were trapped.

You looked around the bathroom for an alternate exit. No such luck. “No, sorry Mr Prince Ralsei Sir!” You heard the Rudinn reply and you breathed a sigh of relief, maybe he'd keep walking and you could- “Maybe he went to use the bathroom?” The Rudinn guard suggested and you cursed your stupid mouth for jinxing it.

“Oh good idea! Thanks Mr Guard!” You heard Ralsei say in his sweet, sing-song voice. You debated hiding in one of the toilet stalls but, with your slightly more cumbersome body and armour, you wouldn't be able to hide effectively in time. You heard the bathroom door open and you dived cor a corner. “Kris? Are you i- Ah there you are! Gosh Kris, you had me so worried! Why'd you need to go in such a-?” Ralsei asked, cutting himself off as he noticed you huddling in a corner – trying to hide your changed form as best as you can.

“... Are you alright Kris?” Ralsei asks, his voice full of concern that, at any other point in time, would have filled you with joy. Now, you just wanted him to go away. You tell Ralsei as such, to leave you alone and not to look at you.

“Kris, it's okay, I'm your friend, you can talk to me about anything.” Ralsei said patiently as you hear him taking several steps closer. You tell Ralsei you don't want him to see you like this. “See you like what? Kris, please, just calm down and tell me. I want to help you.” He says firmly, kneeling down and placing his hand on your shoulder. The warmth not comforting you like it used to. You heard him shift uncomfortably. “Kris..? Your shoulder feels... Different.” He comments and you know there's no point in hiding any more.

You try not to wince as you hear Ralsei' gasp and reflexive response to pull away at the sight of you, whether that was due to your appearance as a monster or from the tears stinging your eyes into an even uglier red you can't say. He had his hat, and the two chef hats, by his side – presumably having set them down to talk to you. “Kris..! What happened? What did this to you?” He questions, looking you over, running his soft paws through your fur. You felt sick at how much you delighted in the feeling.

You explain to Ralsei what happened, how you put his hat on for a moment out of curiosity and how it changed you into... This. At least, you convey the general gist through the occasional sniffle and choked sob. Was this permanent? You thought. Would it follow you to the real world..? How would you explain yourself? To your classmates, to your family? Would mom still love you..? Ralsei sat with you, patiently listening to your explanation, though your inner turmoil was not so audible.

“... I see Kris, I'll try to fix this, don't worry.” He said, though you could see his unsure expression plainly without the magical shadow his hat afforded. “I don't think it's permanent anyway...” he muttered, catching your gaze he could only look apologetic. “...I'm sorry, I should have warned you that the magic might have a strange effect on a human...” The white-furred mage apologised.

“...But, Kris, you ARE still human, no magic can change the nature of a SOUL.” Ralsei spoke, holding onto your paw with his own and giving a light squeeze, you gave your own back. “You're still you Kris, past the exterior.” He says, offering a smile. You give your own back, feeling your panic subside, just for a moment. Though, you couldn't help but feel, deep down, that he was wrong. A conversation long-ago fluttered to your mind.

You think for a moment to yourself and, after a minute's hesitation, you confess that some part of you hopes it is permanent. That you had always felt... A part from everybody else in your own world, that there was a fundamental disconnect between you and your family. You even admitted you had actually looked into seeing if it was possible for this to happen to you, on purpose, when you were younger.

As soon as you tell the enraptured darkener about that, you couldn't stop. You tell Ralsei about how Asgore sat you down and did his best to explain that what you wanted couldn't be done, and even if it could, you wouldn't be the same person any more. You tell him that, even when this accident had just happened to you, you were struggling to not be delighted that it happened.

Ralsei, ever patient, simply sat and listened, only interjecting with the occasional nod, request for clarification and so on. When you seemed to be winding down, he simply hugged you tight. “... Do you want to go see Susie? The cakes can wait a little longer...” You give a nod, your throat clenched tightly as you both rose to your feet. You felt drained after confessing all the doubts that were plaguing you and the prospect no longer intimidated you as much as it had earlier.

“But Kris, human or monster or anything in between, it doesn't change who you are to me and I... I-I love you Kris.” Ralsei spoke softly, his own confession seemingly inspired by your own heartache. “And I'm sure your family won't abandon you either, I'm sure they love you just as much as I do Kris!” Ralsei added, looking at you with adoration. He stepped up on his tippy-toes and hesitantly placed a kiss to your cheek. You return the favour with a hug and a peck to his own cheek, strugglign with your muzzle for a moment.

“We don't get to choose who we are in this world Kris,” Ralsei says gently, stroking your back, “but we do get to choose our actions in it, and I know your actions matter. I saw them myself. I know you're still the same person then as you are now.” He speaks proudly and you catch your reflection in the mirror.