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* (DELTA STATION. Headquarters of the Delta Patrol.)
* (Authorized Personnel ONLY.)

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Leitmotifs: Station

48. Before Delta Gates

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* Gee… if Dez finds out what I got myself into…
* Huh?
* Oh! H-hi!
* My name is Noel, nice to meet you!
* D-did you sneak in this place too...?
* Guess we’re both in this together, then.

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Leitmotifs: Noel, Don’t Forget

49. Noel

Check it out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-A_8KegjDNU

===== DIALOGUE =====
* (It's a beautiful day outside.)
* (Birds are singing...)
* (Flowers are blooming...)
* (On days like these, people like you...)
* (Should be able to live their life to the fullest.)

* ...

* Seven...
* Seven SOULs.
* As far as research has shown, that is what we need.
* You... are our first.
* ...
* We have tried finding ways of destroying the barrier without the need to sacrifice.
* But so far...
* Well, our lead researcher on this subject has long passed away.
* ...
* I know you wish to go home.
* And I am sorry, my child.
* It breaks my heart.
* But knowing that my kind have been trapped here for eons...
* That breaks my heart more.
* ...
* ...
* ...
* I must ask you one last time, my child.
* Are you ready?

[💛 YES]
[ *    NO]

* Me neither.

===== NOTES =====
The barrier. A grim reminder of the life the monsters were forced to leave behind. The sights, the sounds, all of it served to taunt them. To wave it right in front of their faces. Whether that was actually deliberate or an unfortunate byproduct of their methods is unclear.

But that doesn't matter.

The end is near.

081 - Release

Check it out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5eICG5Tbnwo

===== DIALOGUE =====
* (Standing together, face to face...)
* (Unaware of what's to come...)
* (...)
* (There's no more reminders.)
* (There's no more right.)
* (There's no more wrong.)
* (The only thing that's left...)
* (Is that what must be done.)

082 - A Miserable Creature

Check it out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1QA4PBDNnm4

===== DIALOGUE =====
* TORIEL - ATK 60 DEF 70
* ...
* It's the end.

===== NOTES =====
The long anticipated battle against the Queen has finally arrived, whether they're ready for it or not. Unlike Asgore in Undertale, Toriel DOES NOT disable Kris' Mercy button in any way shape or form, allowing them to TIRELESSLY SPARE HER!

In fact, the main reason for this is because throughout the battle, Toriel will actually plea for Kris to turn back and run away, to live a life with the friends they've surely made along the way. She does not want to fight, not even a little bit, but does so because she knows she has to.

Despite Toriel granting Kris the option to run, Kris actually straight up refuses to do so. They're too close to turn back now. They cannot back down now, there's got to be another way for everyone to have a happy ending here. This very sentiment is what keeps them going, the idea that even though there's seemingly no right answer HERE, there's bound to be good answers in a future where they press on.

Endlessly sparing Toriel is not the easiest strategy to pull off as it would take far longer to whittle her down enough to spare her than it would to simply fight her proper, but it IS an option.

083 - Reluctant Reprisal

Check it out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nOI--yQx37M

===== DIALOGUE =====
YOU ARE WEAK.
YOU ARE SLOW.
YOU ARE POWERLESS.
AND YET, MAYBE...
THIS CAN WORK.

YOU MUST SURRENDER THE QUEEN'S SOUL.
YOU SHALL SURRENDER THE QUEEN'S SOUL

===== NOTES =====
After a long, exhausting battle, Kris has dealt enough damage for the queen to be willing to surrender. But right as she's about to accept their offer of mercy, she's met with a surprise attack that completely wipes her out. Kris watches in horror as her body disintegrates and leaves only her SOUL behind, but snatches it before anyone else can.

This is where the culprit reveals itself.
Dr. Gaster.

He tells Kris his plan. To return back to his original form, to finally be able to live the life he'd lost so long ago. For this, he believed, he'd need a strong SOUL. Kris' SOUL. And yet, despite being a human soul, Dr. Gaster needed to guarantee that it was strong enough for such an undertaking. 

Dr. Gaster realizes, however, that there's still another option. It's right within grasp. If Kris won't relinquish it, he'll simply take it by force. This option, of course... is the Queen's soul. A monster soul that's strong enough to persist even without a host, a vessel, to support it. Kris would use it to cross the barrier, and Dr. Gaster couldn't allow that. 


So he takes it by force and immediately absorbs it before Kris has any chance to react.

084 - Something Truly Wonderful?

Check it out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/92uxCe0uDeY

===== DIALOGUE =====
YOU CRY OUT FOR HELP, YET...
YOUR PLEAS FALL ON DEAF EARS.

YOU CRY OUT FOR HELP, YET...
YOUR VOICE DOES NOT CARRY FAR.

YOU CRY OUT FOR HELP, YET...
...
......

* (I know she's in there, Kris.)
* (I can sense it.)

===== NOTES =====
Unfortunately for Dr. Gaster, the form he takes on is one that's far less stable and consistent. His current form is still stronger than his last, and he still feels a closer connection to who he used to be, but with the passage of time, it seems Toriel's memories aren't quite enough to keep him stable.

This is a battle against a man who has nothing to lose, and so much to gain. He knows that Kris' SOUL, no matter how weak it is, will always be strong enough to stabilize him. Stabilize him enough to start fueling his memories, the Queen's memories, and his own body as a whole.

No longer shall he be stuck living in the only piece of him scattered across space and time that managed to land right where he used to be. No longer shall he be stuck living in the smallest piece of him that lacked the necessary memories to bring the Underground to salvation.

He WILL be the hero, he WILL bring salvation to monsterkind and he WILL do so by any means necessary... even if peace isn't an option.

--

Quick thing I'd like to address!
A few songs -- this one included -- now have thumbnails!! I've been sitting on a small handful of them, so I figured I might as well finally update the thumbnails on YouTube and SoundCloud. It'll still be a while before every song gets a thumbnail since I've still got quite a lot on my plate (especially for the upcoming month!) but I'll make sure they get them eventually!

085 - HIM

Check it out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HM6UJYwGvcY

===== DIALOGUE =====
* (The deeper you go...)
* (The brighter the past looks.)
* (But you mustn't give up.)
* (So you call out for help once more.)

===== NOTES =====
It takes a long while of calling out to the Queen, dodging and weaving through the Doctor's various attacks, but Kris manages to pick up on the faintest hints of a response to their pleas. They know she's in there somewhere, and now it's just a matter of finding her.

This phase of the battle is essentially one long "soul section", with the attacks Kris endures being Dr. Gaster's attacks rather than Toriel's. Kris keeps diving deeper and deeper into the darkness in search of any signs of Toriel or her SOUL, calling out to her along the way through the help of ACT command buttons that manage to appear in their path.

086 - HER

Check it out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PcohzXNRyCM

===== DIALOGUE =====
* WHAT DID YOU...
* HOW DID YOU...
* WHY DID YOU...

* Doctor!
* You are better than this!
* I know you are.
* Please.
* ...

* I AM SORRY.
* BUT I CANNOT GIVE UP NOW.
* I MUST... BECOME...
* I MUST... TRY.
* TO FIND MYSELF.

* (YOU'VE GOT THIS, KRIS!)
* (JUST REMEMBER...)
* (THE RIGHT THING TO DO HERE...)

===== NOTES =====
Kris manages to find Queen Toriel's SOUL and pulls it out of the darkness into... well, still the darkness, but the much more shallow end of it, allowing Toriel to regain some strength as she's not completely subdued by the darkness.

Toriel provides Kris with various health bullets, and with her being fully conscious and capable, she's also able to help distract, weaken and (somewhat strangely) stabilize Dr. Gaster enough to finally get him to snap out of things. It still takes quite a lot of work, but eventually they succeed, and the Doctor admits his defeat.

087 - THEM

===== DIALOGUE =====
* [DING!]
* NOTIFICATION: NEW EMAIL!

* (Tap.)

* SENDER: PAPYRUS [COOLSKELETON95@UNDERMAIL.NET]
* SUBJECT: HELLO!
"HELLO!"

===== NOTES =====
With Toriel's willing help, the Doctor takes a much more stable form at last. Not quite the one he was hoping to be able to take, but one he's happy enough to accept as his own. With Toriel's body destroyed, she has no choice but to remain a part of Dr. Gaster, an uncomfortable circumstance that forces her to step down from her royal duties.

Depending on Kris' actions leading up to this fight, the emails they receive may be from different people. The email typically updates Kris on the current goings-on of the Underground, such as who's taken over the throne since they left, as well as more personal updates regarding the friends (or foes) Kris has made along the way.

In some realities, Asgore sees his grand return to the throne.
In another, Alphys instead takes over.
Sometimes it's Papyrus, or Sans.
Sometimes it's Undyne.
Sometimes Napstablook and Mettaton may even rule together.

The lives they've spared and the lives they've ended all affect what happens next. I'll have more details on what specific endings take place... eventually! Maybe. Probably. I hope.


No promises.


With the end of the Neutral route content, I'll have to announce a bit of a hiatus for The Old Switcheroo. This due to some holiday events I've been prepping (and still need to continue working on!). That is in fact "events" plural. I'll make a more formal announcement in the community posts about the specifics and where you can check things out.

What I can announce here, though, is that The Old Switcheroo will be returning early next year! Uploads should start early next year, either January of February. That mainly depends on a few college-related things coming up on my schedule, but I'll be sure to update you on the various relevant platforms when I know more.

While there's still plenty to come, I'd still like to take the time to thank everyone for their overwhelming support. This project has been in the works for YEARS, starting off as a little goofy spin-off before eventually blossoming into a fully-fledged, genuine real attempt at an Underswap take, and I'm glad people enjoy the work I've put into it so far.

See you later!

088 - Left In Ruins

yet another UNDERSWAP take made by @fish-ruby-fish
not associated with the official UNDERSWAP

special thanks to The Old Switcheroo & TS!UNDERSWAP for inspiration, check em out they're great!! :D

48. Before Delta Gates

UNDERSWAP: Tuna's Take

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