one: it starts again, this time with more crazy – you’re welcome.

IMPORTANT: IF YOU HAVE NOT READ MY OTHER FAN FICTION CounterTale: Chapter 1! GO READ AT LEAST ARC 1 (CHP 1-16) NOW OR THE STUFF REGARDING RACHEL WILL NOT MAKE SENSE!

I whistled as I fished out my keys from the metal clip holding the straps on my bag. The lanyard held a clasp, so it was easy to access it. Locking the door, I set out. Today, I hoped to find some lead that would help me.

Strutting across the stone walkway, I clipped the lanyard back into place. With the keys hidden against my back and my backpack-purse where it was supposed to be, I opened the gate and stepped onto the sidewalk.

Getting to this dimension was easy. After unlocking my powers, a feat only necessary after my heart stopped beating once, I was quick to leave my old world behind. While CounterTale was great, I didn’t want to do a do-over if I could help it, and in this universe…well, I was looking forward to seeing how hawt this Sans was in person.

I had already erased the Reader, taking her place. Hell, it’s my story, so why the fuck shouldn’t I put myself in her place? At least she and I had the same Soul. Heh, I’m the author, so it makes sense that my character embodies me.

However, I wasn’t nearly as shy as her. So, I wondered if Sans would like a girl with as much personality as me. I thanked my past self for taking an alternate timeline to Under the Spotlight. I wouldn’t ruin the Reader’s chances with Sans. After all, that was the first version of this alternate universe, so it was only fair.

I snorted. Just how many times am I going to break the fourth wall this time? I wondered. I grinned, excitement flooding through me. Only time would tell.

After roughly ten minutes on foot, I saw the first sign for the convention I was attending that day. Given that Alphys and Undyne loved anime, I expected them to be here. So, even if Sans wasn’t, I would try to befriend them first.

I rushed up the steps and through the door, showing my pass to one of the guys with the convention logo on their shirts and earning my wristband. Then through the door to the main hall.

“Have a good time, Miss Telari.” He welcomed as he turned to the next person. I grinned, glad I had made myself a citizen before all this. And glad I had my last name be something I didn’t outright hate.

Thankfully, this time around, my powers came naturally. Well, I did decide to do-over the Undertale universe after my last adventure was complete. This time, I was twenty-five, the same age as Sans instead of a year younger. Not aging, obviously, thin, slightly muscled, with the same looks, minus the blue highlights. Having ebony hair was enough. Having the unnatural blue was going too far.

I walked through the doors and hissed softly. Ooooooh! It was packed. This was nothing like Baltimore Comic Con that one year. I had only gone once, so I should have excepted that. And this state was a lot bigger than Maryland, so the bigger building should have clued me in.

“I hate crowds.” I groaned.

“M-m-me, too!” Came a trembling squeak next to me. I turned and nearly started laughing.

“Hey! I know you! Your Doctor Alphys!” She cringed away, startled by my volume. Shit! “Oh, shit. I’m sorry. I can be really loud. I’m kinda…over-emotional by nature. Sorry about that!”

“Oh…I-I see. It’s okay. At least y-you’re not racist.” Holy shit, the poor thing looked like she was trying hard not to run for her life.

“Um, so I…you have a girlfriend, right?” She looked at me startled. “I read up a lot on monsters. I’m kinda…well, I really like you guys. I was hoping to actually meet you here. Because I found out you like anime.” Better to be honest. “Oh, maybe that seems stalkerish. Sorry. Point is, I’m kinda…different, so I get it.”

Her eyes seemed to brighten behind the large spectacles on her face. “You came here to find me?”

“Yeah! You and any other monsters. I came from a community that doesn’t like ‘different’,” I used my fingers to quote, “and since your one of the more well-known monsters thanks to your work at Gaster Industries, I thought you would be a good start.”

She smiled, and then faltered. “Are you being honest or are you really after someone else?”

I chuckled. “Both, actually. You aren’t wrong about being after someone else. But I do want to get to know you, too. Is it okay that you’re right and wrong?”

She sighed. “It’s fine. You’re the first person to be honest and admit that.”

I put my hands on my hips. “Well, to be perfectly frank, I do love anime.” And because of this encounter, I chose a universe identical to mine in regard to media, so all the anime I knew was here, too.

“O-oh?! Which anime do you like?”

“Let’s see. Now, before I start, I’m a dub girl.” She grimaced. I lifted my hands up to tell her to wait. “I can respect people who only do subs, but I just…other languages are hard and ruin the experience for me. But I can do subs if I watch them before the dubs. It’s a psychological thing, I guess.”

She giggled. “Okay, fair enough. Go ahead.”

“So, I like My Hero Academia. Even made a psychotic OC with a copy quirk for it because I’m weird like that. I’ll explain more later.” She had stars in her eyes. “Then I also like The Seven Deadly Sins – and the dub is really good, so if you haven’t seen it, you need to. Um, Akashic Records of a Bastard Instructor I think is what it’s called. Josh Grelle is AMAZING when he dubs it! In Snow White with the Red Hair, too! Squee! Oh, I also saw The Royal Tutor more recently. And…”

On and on, I listed anime. She had a notebook and began writing some of what I said down. “Oh, but I can’t watch anything too gory or with suspense because I can’t deal with it psychologically. I love comedy, romance, fantasy, and all that. Funny romance is my jam!”

“Oh, I’m s-so happy I m-met you! You clearly do have a great l-love for anime! I need a bigger list of everything!”

“Aw yeah, you bet!” I cheered. I held out my hand for her to shake and she took it without hesitation.

“What’s your number? I would really li–”

“ALPHYS!” Holy shit, that’s loud! I turned as an angry fish approached. A wild Undyne has appeared! I didn’t notice Alphys gawking at me.

“Al, you okay? Is this human giving you any trouble?” Oh hell no, don’t call me that! “What the hell? How’d you do that?”

“What?” I blurted.

“Y-you have telepathy?” Alphys squeaked.

I gasped. Shhhhhiiiiiiittttttt! I dun fucked up!

“No way! That is telepathy!” Undyne grunted. She smiled. “That’s so cool! What else can you do?”

“Uh…um…um…thingsssss?” Spewing word garbage again. Wonderful job, Rachel!

“Rachel? That your name?” The fish said with a chuckle. “So, you a mage?” I nodded wordlessly.

“Sh-she was interested in meeting monsters, especially Sans.” I turned back to Alphys, feeling betrayed. The yellow monster smirked. “And she likes anime, too.”

“Sans, huh?” Undyne grumbled. “Another fangirl. Great!”

Don’t think. Don’t think. Don’t think.

Undyne narrowed her eyes. “Anything else?”

“NOPE!” I blurted loudly.

“hey guys, are you terrorizing another human?” Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck. There he was, looking exactly as I imagined him, and dressed in almost the exact same attire as he had in the game, minus the shorts and shoes. Instead, he had the cut-off trousers I designed over the sneakers he had in his Steam Card.

Holy shit, he fit every one of my headcanons. Over six feet tall, pretty lean with a bit wider hips, and slightly chubby. I was trying really hard not to drool as he approached. This should not be so hard. I was already married to a version of him once before. Why should he have this affect on me?

Because he matches your ideal version of perfectly sexy to a T, Rachel. He is literally the most gorgeous man you have ever seen. How you aren’t trying to seduce him right now is amazing! Why aren’t you doing that? You should be doing that!

Nope. Nope. That’s not normal. Normal is key right now. People don’t jump at other people because they are infatuated. C’mon, even I – master of shameless things and grandmaster sassafras extraordinaire – understand this. Holy fuck, I really want to, though!

By now, Sans was in front of us, drawing the attention of everything within twenty feet of us. Beside him was Frisk, who looked like they were trying to climb him and failing. But with that determination, I’m sure they’d succeed. Preferably before they reached adulthood. I snorted at the thought.

Sans turned to me and immediately, his sockets widened. Oh…oh right. Did you really forget that you are his Soul Mate this time? Yes. Yes, I did. To be fair, Sans looked like he swallowed something really sour and was trying not to show it affected him.

“Yo, bonehead! You okay?” Undyne waved her hand in front of his face.

Sans coughed, a sound that was clearly painful, as he looked away. “yeah, yeah…m’fine.”

Undyne turned to me. “Yo, human! Whatchu do to him?”

I lifted my hands in mercy. “I didn’t do anything. I…”

“nope. nope. my fault. my magic isn’t agreeing with the food i ate earlier. that’s what i get for not trusting my gut feeling.” I faintly heard the sound of a rimshot from his pocket. I snorted, turning away. Oh, I could feel the smug coming off him.

“Great. Another pun lover. C’mon, Alphys, Frisk. Let’s go.”

Alphys jolted. “Oh wait! I wanted to get the hum…err, Rachel’s number.”

I nodded and pulled out my phone and handed it over, taking hers in the process. After putting in my digits and swapping them back, I watched Alphys follow the blue monster and little human waiting in front of one of the auditorium doors. With them having gone inside, it was Sans and I…alone…at a packed convention.

“uh…” Sans began. “wanna get some food elsewhere? i don’t trust the food here after that. but, i know a place.”

I grinned. “Sure.” I followed him out and made sure to keep up as he weaved this way and that around the newcomers there for the convention. The crowd separated for Sans and I made sure to stick close as we rounded the corner. The moment we were alone and out of sight, he grabbed my shoulder and teleported.

The next moment, we were inside a sub restaurant. So used to teleporting from my time with the other Sans, I wasn’t fazed. Thanking Sans, I walked up to the counter to order. There was no line or customers, so I began asking the girl on shift what I wanted. When she finished mine, she moved on to Sans’ order.

“Are these together or separated?” She asked when she finished his.

“Sep–” I began.

“i’m paying for both.” Sans said, somehow overpowering my voice despite not raising his.

“I can–” I tried.

“i insist.” He replied easily. Oh. His sockets widened for a moment. Gasping softly, I turned away, hoping no more of my thoughts would be broadcasted as I looked at the packaged subs in front of me. Damn, I was really looking forward to sinking my teeth into that. Yep, I was super hungry.

“this way.” Sans directed me, holding the trays as he pointed to a booth in the corner. I followed silently, still trying to figure out why my telepathy was being so…uncontrollable. Hmm, I wonder.

“you gonna eat your food?” He asked. I looked up to a smirking skull, eye-lights gleaming with humor. I glowered, taking hold of the sub and unwrapping it. Then, still not willing to meet his gaze, I sunk my teeth into ranch-filled paradise.

“damn, that must taste really good. a ranch girl, i see.” He mused.

“I love the fuck outta ranch. That’s my condiment.” I stated proudly.

“oh, you must know a lot about me.” Fuck me sideways and leave me to die. “why would i do that?” Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I smother my mouth in more ranch.

He chuckled, taking another bite of his sub and exposing his large – hot – teeth, his fanged canines – oh, bite me – sinking deep into his meal.

“are you jealous of my meal?” He teased.

I growled to myself, looking away. “I usually have better control than this.”

“i can tell you’re off your game. do you know why?” Oh. He was trying to see if I knew about us being Soul Mates.

“Yes. I do.” I looked him in the eye with a daring gaze. I let my eyes flash briefly, only catching him off guard for a moment before he composed himself.

“who are you?” He asked.

“I’m Rachel Telari. And as I’m sure you already figured out, I know a shit-ton about you.”

“yes. how about you tell me why?” His gaze flitted away for a moment and I turned to see the girl who made our subs was gone. The sound of a door closing was the only normal clue that we were truly alone.

I turned back to him, noting his expectant expression. “I’m your Soul Mate.”