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It was the middle of the night, the massive Swelter Stone that usually illuminated the area had gone dim. As it was now dark, a tall sleek fox-like monster with ginger hair and wearing a kimono approached a kotatsu set dead center in the dining room. The monster, Ceroba Ketsukane, approached the table slowly with tears in her eyes and used all her strength to move it out of the way. Beneath it was a trap door.
The fox was filled with grief as her husband, Chujin Ketsukane, had passed on a few days prior. His body was reduced to nothing but dust which has then been collected and prepared for his funeral. Before he passed on, he gave Ceroba a task, an important one at that. Ceroba remembered these words in her head, and wanting to be the loyal wife that she was, fulfill his legacy.
“I recorded a message for you,” his words echoed in Ceroba’s head. “When I’m gone, I would like you to view it. Will you do that for me?” These words, ringing in her head, pushed Ceroba forward as she opened up the trapdoor.
Below were a set of orange stairs that led down to a dark hallway. Ceroba was nervous as she walked down the stairs, her footsteps echoing through the dark room. Making it to the bottom, she would look around in the hallway. All around her was scraps of robotic pieces, paperwork, boxes, and blueprints.
Eventually making it to the end of the hallway, Ceroba would see a computer sitting right in front of her. The screen remained on with static playing. Around the computer sat shelves covered with books. Approaching the shelves, she would glance at them. “SOUL research?” she said. “What… what was Chujin planning?”
Ceroba did not understand any of this. As far as she was aware, Chujin was simply just an engineer who used to work at the Steamworks. However, she pressed on. Knowing that Chujin left her a message, she would look over to one of the shelves where a tape sat. “This must be it,” Ceroba said while wiping a tear off her face.
Inserting the tape into the computer, a video began to play right in front of her eyes. The screen turned blue for a moment before static flashed once again. Immediately a sewage-like green filter appeared with Chujin set in the center of the screen. The background, however, was impossible to make out as to where he was.
“Greetings, this is Chujin,” the video said. “I don’t have much time these days for a written journal so I opted for video. I have no idea who will view these, if anyone, but I see it best to document my work. That is all for now. Signing off.”
Ceroba stared confused, but she knew at some point she would know what she must do. At the very least, seeing the face of her husband, even in uncertain and worrisome circumstances gave her some form of comfort even if just mildly.
Immediately the next video began to play as it showed Chujin once again. “This is Chujin…” Even if Ceroba could not see his eyes through his goggles, Ceroba could tell by the tone of his voice something was bothering him. “Today I traveled to Snowdin with my daughter on casual business. While I was busy, Kanako wandered off to play with a resident. That’s when it happened…” Ceroba knew where this was going, she remembered hearing about the story from her daughter, Kanako, and from Chujin himself.
“A few panicked townsfolk ran up to me saying that a human had entered the area,” continued Chujin. “This human… they attacked the monster Kanako was with.” Yes, Ceroba remembered it all clearly now. The fright Kanako had, the strange silence and isolation Chujin gave in the moment. Ceroba’s eyes were wide open as she watched as Chujin seemed more and more distressed.
“She was so close… She could’ve been next. No one was there to protect her… Not even me…” Chujin’s distress frightened Ceroba. She remembered how upset he was all those years ago, but clearly it affected him more than she could have ever realized.
“I don’t understand… I just don’t understand!” continued the tape. “Humankind already won by trapping us down here yet they keep twisting the knife! This cannot continue any longer! As of today, I’m looking into stopping this perpetual injustice once and for all.” Ceroba realized this is the mission he gave to her. Her breathing grew heavier and heavier as she witnessed her husband drive himself to madness.
Immediately the next tape played. “This is Chujin with unfortunate news… I was… fired from my engineering position.” Ceroba, shocked, immediately outed the words, “What?” to herself upon hearing this. She thought Chujin retired from his position. “He was worried sick, of course he could not tell the truth,” she thought.
“I poured my all into my project,” the tape continued, “but it wasn’t enough! The programming was buggy but I could’ve ironed it out with a few more iterations!” “Programming? What programming? What project?” thought Ceroba. She was clearly missing some vital information, but it had to be about the human.
“Why am I punished for trying to take our struggle seriously!?” shouted Chujin in the recording. “…I feel as if I’m the only one who hasn’t forgotten or chosen to live in ignorance…” Ceroba realized it was indeed about the incident with the human.
“I told Ceroba I was retiring. Can’t let her think less of me.” Ceroba realized how insecure and stressed he was. If anything, this could have been her fault for letting this all get to Chujin without even realizing it. “But enough of that…” continued the tape, “it’s in the past. I must live in the present and plan for the future. Prove I can save monsterkind… another way.”
Ceroba now could fully see what Chujin spoke of when he said his project was bigger than himself and everyone. Chujin was indeed ambitious and she loved that about him, but somehow she let that place him in a horrible mental state that she knew was her fault.
Immediately the next tape played. “This is Chujin. After years of research, I’ve made a breakthrough!” Ceroba realized this tape must have taken place closer to the present. “Boss Monaters…” continued Chujin, “They may be the key to monsterkind’s survival. “Like Asgore?” Ceroba asked herself. “I was able to reach this conclusion because I…” continued Chujin, “…I carry the Boss Monster gene.” This was something Ceroba never knew or even realized. “That must mean Kanako,” she said to herself.
Immediately her train of thought was interrupted by Chujin’s continuing spiral. “This means my SOUL is much stronger than that of other monsters. More importantly, Boss Monsters are immortal until they produce offspring.” Ceroba was not fully sure where Chujin was going with this project, and his distress only worried her more as she could feel herself holding back tears and panting.
“Right now,” continued the recording of Chujin, “monsterkind is few in numbers compared to humanity but…” Chujin paused for a moment. “…What if anyone could become a Boss Monster like me? Like… Kanako?”
Ceroba now fully realized where this was going, Chujin wanted to turn potentially every monster into a boss monster. “As a nation, an army,” continued the tape, “we could finally possess enough power to take the Surface back! My theory of this involves the fusion of a human SOUL and a Boss Monster SOUL.” This must be the task Chujin was giving Ceroba, to create an army of Boss Monsters in order to reclaim the Surface from humanity’s clutches.
“From that, a serum would be extracted which could transform any average monster.” continued Chujin. “…Unfortunately, I have not garnered enough proof that said serum is possible. I must conduct more tests,” finished Chujin. The stress Chujin was visibly wearing him down, and Ceroba was keen on noticing it in the recordings. Somehow though, she seemingly never noticed it when he was alive.
“This…” the next tape played, Chujin sounding sick, “This is Chujin. I was worried this might happen.” His hair looked messy. This was indeed near his final moments alive. It was clear to her, Chujin was working himself to death and Ceroba allowed this. It was her fault.
“I was worried this might happen. Science is a dangerous game. Rather foolishly, I experimented on myself… several times.” Ceroba’s eyes widened hearing this, she could have stopped this. She could have been there for him. She could have protected him. “Over and over, the subject rejected the fusion, and I think I know why.”
“I’ll be direct…” Chujin’s voice was sickly and weak to the sound and Ceroba could not bear listening to it. Tears filled up her eyes as she continued to breathe heavily. All she could think about was that this was her fault. “My SOUL has deteriorated and I don’t know how much longer I have. However… I believe my theory holds stronger than it ever did.”
Ceroba grabbed hold of her chest as she felt her heart pounding. She was panicking. “This is my fault…” she mumbled to herself. “I should have been there for him…” However, the tape was not done and she heard her name called which perked up her ears.
“This is a message to my dear Ceroba: This research is up to you.” Ceroba looked directly at the screen as she now knew her task. Chujin’s legacy has been denied and she must complete it for him. “No one else would listen.”
“After I’m gone…” continued Chujin, “look for the next human who falls down here. Someone pure of heart - uncorrupted.” Ceroba, feeling sick, would feel determined to make up for her wrongs against her husband. “I need you to obtain their SOUL but not just anywhere… You must have a Boss Monster SOUL nearby to fuse with.” “I will…” said Ceroba sadly. She will make things right for Chujin and for the future of monsterkind. But there was one question left, who would be the Boss Monster needed?
“You’ll need…” said Chujin, “…Damn it all.” His distress was clear as he covered his face and removed his goggles. Ceroba felt her gut quench as she realized Kanako was a potential choice, but she could never do that to her precious daughter.
“Search for a willing Boss Monster in the Underground. Someone else… please. Our little girl… Kanako… She needs to live a happy life, unaffected by my endeavors.” Ceroba, still tense from the whole situation and still holding back tears, would let out a sigh of relief as she knew her daughter was safe. “That is my final wish.” The tape would finally end as Ceroba was left staring at the static on the screen.
Horrified by what she had allowed to happen to her husband and how everyone refused to take him seriously, Ceroba weeped as she collapsed on the floor. “I promise I’ll fulfill your request, bring justice to your name, and right my wrongs,” Ceroba said all while sobbing incoherently.
What felt like hours of crying and sobbing, Ceroba would finally pull herself together and stand up. Wiping her nose while sniffling, she began to look through the various books, blueprints, and other pieces of research Chujin had left behind for her. “I promise to make things right,” said Ceroba. Ceroba must stay strong and follow what Chujin wanted. She must be decisive, devoted, and determined.