Chapter Text
October 15th 20XX 4:00pm
Ashlyn: Are you done with your interview yet?
(Y/n): Yeah
4:03pm Ashlyn: ...What’s with the pause? Suspense? Tell me if you got the job.
(Y/n): Oh, for sure. It wasn’t that difficult.
Ashlyn: Whooo! Go, (Y/n)!
(Y/n): Don’t patronize me. Getting a job at a coffee shop ain’t that impressive.
Ashlyn: Don’t cut yourself short, hun. An accomplishment is an accomplishment.
(Y/n): Do you want to do something? There is a pretty good burger joint that opened up a while back.
4:20pm (Y/n): Hello? Ashlyn?! It’s been like fifteen minutes since you’ve answered me? Are you good?
Ashlyn: Yeah! Sorry. I got this new game recently and I haven’t been able to stop. It’s really addictive.
(Y/n): What’s it called?
Ashlyn: Beautiful Souls Redemption
(Y/n): Neat.
4:28pm Ashlyn: You aren’t going to ask me to explain?!
(Y/n): Oh, sure go ahead.
Ashlyn: Yay! So “Beautiful Soul Redemption” is a dating sim I found through a link on discord during a 3am chat.
(Y/n): Shady. How many viruses did you get?
Ashlyn: None!
(Y/n): Liar.
Ashlyn: Okay one, but it hasn’t torn up my computer yet. In fact it’s like I don’t have one at all!
(Y/n): Yeah, sure, I’ll be real sure to rub it in your face when I get some shady email about “enhancement” pills.
Ashlyn: Shut up!
(Y/n): Love you.
Ashlyn: Love you too. Now let me finish!
(Y/n): Proceed.
Ashlyn: Anyway, as the protagonist, you move into this really big mansion with a bunch of really cute skeletons and you need to raise your stats with them to get one as a boyfriend.
(Y/n): ...
Ashlyn: It’s not weird once you start to play.
(Y/n): Right.
Ashlyn: Don’t judge me!
(Y/n): I’m not!...Okay, maybe a little. So what happens in this game where you romance the bones.
Ashlyn: Well for one all of the characters are really diverse in nature despite looking kind of the same. There is Sans Serif, the lazy older brother type. He’s the head of the house and he’s one for pranks. Then there’s his younger brother Papyrus Serif. He’s really sweet and sees the best in everybody. It’s hard to get through to him romantically though. He mostly just wants a friend. I haven’t seen too many people on the leaderboards that have successfully captured the non-existent heart of this skelly.
4:30pm (Y/n): Leaderboards?
Ashlyn: Yes, there is this online forum that trades tips and tricks on how to romance the characters. The people with the highest reported LV are on the leaderboards.
(Y/n): I have more questions on that, but do you mind if I go ahead and drive over to your house. I want to pick you up so we can go get dinner. Something tells me that you haven’t had a really meal in forever since you’ve gotten this game.
Ashlyn: I’ve been eating.
(Y/n): Ramen and Doritos don’t count.
Ashlyn: But Dorito Ramen is the most important meal of the day.
(Y/n): You’re combining this shit now?!
Ashlyn: OI! Language.
4:50pm (Y/n): Aight, cap. Go ahead and continue. I’m in the car now, so I won’t be responding.
Ashlyn: Good, girl. Texting and driving is no good .
Ashlyn: So after the Serif brothers are the Star brothers , Blueberry and Stretch. Blueberry is really hyperactive and a little bit childish. He gets attached to the protagonist really quickly in the game and he declares himself her “soul protector”, cute right? Then Stretch is the younger brother and is really protective of Blueberry. Sometimes it’s hard to believe he is the younger of the two. Stretch tends to hang around only with his brother for some reason, but when they are apart he’s either in his room or out of the house. It’s hard to catch him. Blueberry is usually seen with Papyrus and they are pretty much the golden boys of the house.
Ashlyn: Next are the Palatino brothers , really difficult to romance. They are two out of six of the most edgy looking skeleton’s on the main cast. The older brother is Red, a lazy skelly like Sans, but somehow just worse. He’s really crude, and rude, and has the worst attitude. Hey, that all rhymed, nice. His younger brother, Edge is rude and prideful. He doesn’t tend to like humans and that’s one of the biggest hurdles to get through with him. He thinks that they are beneath him and cause nothing but mischief. The same can be said for both Helvetica Brother s . They are super cautious around the protagonist and are the most likely to try to kill the protagonist.
Ashlyn: Oh, crap! I forgot to mention that the Skeleton’s have Danger indexes. If a character’s danger index gets too high they will want to kill you and you get a bad end. The Helvetica brother’s Raspberry and Slim have pretty high danger indexes in the beginning and it’s best to calm them down
Ashlyn: The Helvetica brothers are often confused with the Garamond brothers who I have honestly never looked into. I personally stay away from the six edgier skeleton’s because I don’t like confrontation. I might try one of their routes eventually though.
Ashlyn: As the plot progresses the protagonist’s friend, the antagonist calls the protagonist for a place to stay. When the anatoginsit gets to the mansion they try to steal the love of the skeleton’s away from the protagonist and get her kicked out. Tragic, right. What kind of friend would do that?
(Y/n): Couldn’t be me.
Ashlyn: You’re done driving?
(Y/n): I’ve been standing at your door for five minutes now. Haven’t you been hearing the doorbell.
Ashlyn: Oops! Sorry! I’ll be right down to let you in.
(Y/n): Love you.
Ashlyn: Love you too.
October 20th 20XX 2:00pm
(Y/n): Hey! It’s been awhile.
(Y/n): How are you? I haven’t heard from you since I got the job and we went out to eat.
Ashlyn: I’m good.
(Y/n): Still playing that game.
Ashlyn: Yeah, I’m pretty invested.
(Y/n): Do anything else?
Ashlyn: No, not much of anything else interests me anymore.
(Y/n): That doesn’t sound good, do you think you maybe need a power hour .
Ashlyn: I will be sure to do that as soon as I buy this new DLC pack for the game. It’s advanced so much since I’ve started playing it.
(Y/n): Okay, text me later at some point okay?
Ashlyn: K.
(Y/n): Love you.
Ashlyn: Love you too.
November 28th 20XX 6:00am
(Y/n): Are you okay? It’s been a really long time since I’ve last seen you.
(Y/n): Your boss called me up saying that you haven’t been going to work.
(Y/n): Are you sick?
Ashlyn: I’m okay.
(Y/n): Great! So what’s going on? Why haven’t you been going to work?
6:32 am (Y/n): Hello? It’s been thirty minutes! Why aren’t you answering?
Ashlyn: I said I’m fine.
(Y/n): I asked you what’s going on. No one has seen you since a month ago and you haven’t been picking up anyone’s calls or texts. You barely answer mine.
Ashlyn: I quit working.
(Y/n): What?! When?! Did you even call and tell them?
Ashlyn: I think so.
(Y/n): “I think so” is not a good answer. Did you get a new job?
Ashlyn: I work from home now.
(Y/n): Doing what?
7:00 am (Y/n): Hello?
(Y/n): Look. I have to drive to work. Please answer me at some point.
12:00 pm (Y/n): I’m on my lunch break and I already tried calling you. Why won’t you pick up?
4:30 pm (Y/n): Are you mad at me. Whatever it is I promise that I didn’t do it on purpose.
6:30pm (Y/n): Ashlyn, are you okay?
8:50pm (Y/n): Please for the love of god, respond! I’ve called you ten times today.
Ashlyn: I’m here.
(Y/n): Finally! Please tell me what’s wrong.
Ashlyn: I’ve been waiting all day.
Ashlyn: The game got a new update and I needed to be in front of my computer to make sure it was installed to my computer.
(Y/n): What? That doesn’t make sense.
(Y/n): Is this what this is all about? Have you become a shut in for this stupid game?!
Ashlyn: Hey! It is not stupid. It’s very advanced and it’s about to get better.
Ashlyn: I’ve been doing so well that the developer gave me free pre-access to the newest update of the game.
Ashlyn: The REBIRTH update has been the most anticipated update for the Beautiful Soul Redemption community since last year. Very few have gotten the honor to get to see the REBIRTH update and you can’t find it anywhere else.
(Y/n): Please tell me you’re joking.
Ashlyn: The hell is that supposed to mean.
(Y/n): Language.
Ashlyn: Don’t you fuckinng language me. Why are you acting like I’m your kid or something. I am a grown adult. I can do whatever I damn please. I am far better off than you will ever be and I don't give crap what you have to say about “making good life choices”. As far as I am aware you have made ZERO good life choices. You do not have the right to lecture me or hang over me like you know what’s best.
(Y/n): What the hell Ashlyn?! I’m just worried for you. Everyone else is too. Your brother won’t stop contacting me. Your boyfriend won’t stop contacting me. Even your mom is trying to reach me. MY MOM and MY FAMILY are trying to reach me because they can’t reach you. No one can.
(Y/n): Just answer me.
(Y/n): Are you in danger?
Ashlyn: No.
(Y/n): Are you hurt?
Ashlyn: No.
(Y/n): Is someone messing with you?
Ashlyn: No.
(Y/n): Are you lying to me?
Ashlyn : No.
(Y/n): Then I guess, I’ll take your word for it. I’ll get off your back for a while, but please stop ignoring everyone.
Ashlyn: I will.
(Y/n): Promise?
11:50 pm (Y/n): Ashlyn?
Ashlyn: Yes, I promise that I won’t purposefully ignore everyone.
(Y/n): Okay then.
(Y/n): Have a good night.
Ashlyn: You too. I have to go now because the game just finished and It’s asking me to do something.
(Y/n) : Okay, I love you.
December 2nd 20XX 5:00pm
(Y/n): Where are you?!
(Y/n): Ashlyn pick up your phone.
(Y/n): Ashlyn, I’m serious. Pick up your phone.
(Y/n): Answer me
(Y/n): Your landlord has called me and you Brother saying that you haven't been paying your rent and when they came by and opened your apartment you weren’t there.
(Y/n): You haven’t been back to your apartment for days.
(Y/n): Where did you go?
6:15pm (Y/n): Please answer me
8:37 pm (Y/n): Please answer your phone
(Y/n): Or text me just something anything
9:10 pm (Y/n): please
10:06 pm (Y/n): please
11:48 pm (Y/n): I’m coming to your apartment
December 3rd 20XX 1:00 am
(Y/n): I’m at your door. Your neighbor let me into the building.
(Y/n): Please open the door.
(Y/n): Are you not here anymore?
(Y/n): Did you just suddenly take a trip somewhere. Your landlord said that all of your stuff is still in your apartment.
3:00 am (Y/n): I guess I’ll leave then.
December 4th 20XX 1:00 pm
(Y/n): It’s been more than 24 hours. The police have pronounced you missing.
December 16th 20XX 5:00 pm
Ashlyn: hello
Ashlyn: you just attempted to call me. please don’t attempt to call me right now. text messaging will have to do. are you available to text message?
Ashlyn: i need you to do something for me.
(Y/n): What the fuck. Where have you been. Everyone thinks you’re dead! Answer the phone.
Ashlyn: please don’t attempt to call me right now. text messaging will have to do. are you available to text message?
(Y/n): Answer my questions. NOW. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?
(Y/n): IF YOU DON”T ANSWER ME, I WILL CALL THE POLICE.
Ashlyn: i will answer your questions. refrain from calling the authorities.
(Y/n): Where have you been?
Ashlyn: i am playing the game “Beautiful Soul Redemption”. have you played before? it is a good game and i recommend it to you.
(Y/n): What the fuck.
(Y/n): Is this a bot?
Ashlyn: i am not a bot. i am the highly complex system that runs the game “Beautiful Soul Redemption”.
(Y/n): I’m calling the police.
Ashlyn: please, refrain from calling the authorities.
Ashlyn: your friend needs your help.
(Y/n): What is this? A ransom? I don’t have a lot of money.
Ashlyn: please come to your friend’s apartment.
(Y/n): Fine. I’m on my way.
You find yourself at the door of your best friend’s apartment about an hour later. You’re panting so hard that you have to put your hand over your heart to calm down. Your best friend has been missing for a little over a month. The Police announced her missing a few weeks ago but you haven’t seen her for much longer than that. Now you’re standing at her door again, trying not to cry. Was this some type of trap? Should she have called the police?
That thought reminded (Y/n) that this apartment is a crime scene and that she could get in a lot of trouble.
*Ping*
(Y/n) looked down at her phone. There is a text message from “Not-Ashlyn”, telling her that the door is unlocked and that she needs to enter the apartment. This really feels like a trap. There is probably someone waiting on the other side of the door to shoot her or something. This is really scary for (Y/n), but she gathers the very little bravery she has and twists the knob of the door. She peeks inside. It’s completely dark inside. She steps through the threshold and very quietly closes the door behind her. She finds herself tip toeing around, flinching at any noise she accidentally makes. A light appears down the hallway. It’s coming from Ashlyn’s room. (Y/n) slowly creeps down the hallway and peeks into the room. The light was coming from Ashlyn’s desktop computer. She opens the door completely and is hit with an unpleasant smell. Doritos and Ramen or rather Dorito Ramen .
(Y/n) couldn’t help but curse and cover her nose, “What the hell Ashlyn?” The smells of dirty laundry, unwashed sheets and dead goldfish were also present. She stops herself from dry heaving and makes her way towards the computer. The screen was blue and white text was flashing across it.
(Y/n) sat down in the chair and suddenly the screen went white and a logo with a Red heart and “Beautiful Soul Redemption” written across it. After a few seconds, a start screen came up. There were seven floating hearts that bobbed in place on the screen. It would have been a complete rainbow if there were a red heart somewhere.
*Ping*
(Y/n) looked down at her phone.
December 16th 20XX 6:10 pm
Ashlyn: press “Start” and follow the instructions.
(Y/n) hesitates, but moves the mouse over the Start button. When she clicks she feels herself leaving her body and everything goes dark.