(Author's note: At the commissioner's request, Chara’s rocking ‘she/her’ pronouns for this one. Same Chara, new pronouns, and still plenty of attitude! This takes place in the same AU from last year's Haloween story.)

The air crackled with an unnatural chill as Kris, the eldest Dreemurr sibling, navigated the winding path towards the imposing structure that was Officer Undyne's "House of Horrors." A rusty wrought-iron fence, draped in cobwebs thicker than Kris's old Halloween costume, surrounded the property.  A flickering jack-o-lantern perched precariously on each fence post, casting eerie shadows that danced and writhed in the twilight.

"Whoa…" breathed Asriel, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and excitement. He clutched his worn copy of "The History of Humans and Monsters," a book he insisted on bringing everywhere, even to a haunted house. "Do you think she has a real werewolf in there, Kris?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Azzy," Frisk chided, their voice calm and reassuring despite the spooky atmosphere. "Werewolves aren't real."

"But what about vampires?" Chara piped up from her perch on Kris's back.  "Or mummies? Or… or zombie clowns?" She shuddered dramatically, her small hands tightening around Kris's neck.

"We'll just have to go in and see," Kris said, their voice muffled slightly by Chara's grip. They adjusted their younger sister's weight and shot a reassuring smile at Noelle, who was walking beside them, her eyes darting nervously from shadow to shadow. She gave a small, surprised gasp as she saw a familiar face: Susie!

Susie, leaning against the gate, casually munching on a piece of chalk, gave the group a half-hearted wave.  She seemed completely unfazed by the spooky surroundings, her expression a mixture of boredom and amusement.

"Susie?" Kris asked, surprised to see her there. "What are you doing here?"

Susie shrugged, her mouth full of chalk dust. "Got bored. Figured I'd check out this 'haunted' house.  It's not that scary." She crunched down on the chalk, sending a shower of white dust fluttering to the floor.

"You're eating chalk?" Asriel asked, his nose wrinkling in disgust.

"Yeah, so, pipsqueak?" Susie retorted, raising an eyebrow. "It's not like there's any decent food here. Besides, it's good for your bones."

Frisk, ever the practical one, pointed out, "I don't think that's how it works, Susie."

Susie just rolled her eyes. "Whatever. You guys gonna inside or what?"

Noelle was starting to have second thoughs. "I don't know… maybe we should just go home," she said.

Susie scoffed. "Come on, Noelle. Don't be such a scaredy-cat. It's just a bunch of fake spiders and ghosts."

Noelle bristled at the taunt, but before she could retort, Kris intervened. "We'll keep going," they said, giving Noelle a reassuring smile. 

Noelle, despite being a self-proclaimed horror aficionado, was already feeling a knot of anxiety tightening in her stomach.  She loved the thrill of a good scary movie, but the prospect of real-life jump scares filled her with a dread she couldn't quite shake.  She'd agreed to come tonight, not just for the fun of it, but also to prove to herself – and maybe to Susie and Kris – that she could handle a little fright.

"I-I'm sure it won't be that scary," she stammered, trying to convince herself as much as anyone else. "It'll be like Susie said. Probably just some cheap decorations and people in masks."

As they approached the entrance, a figure emerged from the swirling mist that clung to the ground. It was Officer Undyne, clad in full armor and sporting a wicked grin that would make even the bravest soul tremble.

"Well, well, well," she boomed, her voice echoing through the night.  "Looks like we've got some fresh meat for the grinder!  You ready to face your fears, punks?"

Asriel squeaked and hid behind Frisk, who simply nodded with a stoic expression. Chara, however, seemed unfazed.  "Bring it on, fish-lady!" she yelled, shaking her tiny fist.

Undyne chuckled. "That's the spirit, little one! Now get in there before I change my mind and make you clean up all the cobwebs!"

With a final warning to "beware the horrors within," Undyne ushered them through the creaking front door.  The interior was dimly lit, with flickering candles casting long, dancing shadows on the walls.  The air was thick with the scent of dust and decay, and a low, mournful groan seemed to emanate from the depths of the house.

They cautiously made their way through the first room, which was decorated as a mad scientist's laboratory. Beakers bubbled with ominous liquids, and strange contraptions whirred and sputtered in the corners. Asriel, fascinated by the scientific apparatus, was quickly distracted, peering at the labels on the bottles and trying to decipher the strange symbols.

"Look, Kris!" he whispered excitedly. "This one says 'Essence of Screaming Ghost'! I wonder what it does?"

Before Kris could answer, a sudden crash from the next room sent them all jumping. Noelle yelped, her heart pounding in her chest.

"What was that?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

"Probably just a rat," Frisk said calmly, though their eyes darted around nervously.

Chara, ever the fearless one, marched towards the source of the noise. "Come on, slowpokes!  Are you scared of a little noise?"

They followed Chara into a room that resembled a torture chamber, complete with rusty chains, an iron maiden, and a rack that looked all too real.  As they were examining the gruesome instruments, a bloodcurdling scream echoed through the house, followed by maniacal laughter.

Noelle jumped again, this time letting out a small squeak.  She felt her face flush with embarrassment.  She was supposed to be the horror expert, the one who wasn't afraid of anything.  But these realistic scares were getting to her.

"It's okay, Noelle," Kris said gently, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.  "It's all just pretend."

Noelle nodded, trying to calm her racing heart.  They continued through the house, encountering a variety of spooky scenes: a graveyard with glowing tombstones, a cobweb-filled attic with a ghostly apparition, a dining room with a table set for a gruesome feast.  Each scare made Noelle jump, and she could feel her anxiety growing with every step.

As they entered a room that resembled a spider's lair, with giant webs hanging from the ceiling and hairy spiders crawling along the walls, Noelle's nerves finally reached their breaking point.  A large, furry spider suddenly dropped down in front of her face, its eight eyes glowing menacingly in the dim light.

Noelle screamed, a high-pitched, ear-splitting shriek that echoed through the house. She stumbled backward, her legs feeling like jelly.  She bumped into Kris, grabbing onto their arm for support.  In her panic, she didn't even notice the warm, wet sensation spreading through her pants.

Kris felt Noelle clutch their arm, her fingers digging in with surprising strength. They turned to look at her, concern furrowing their brow. Noelle's face was pale, her eyes wide with terror, and her breathing came in ragged gasps.

"N-Noelle? Are you okay?" Kris asked, their voice soft and soothing.

Noelle couldn't answer. She just shook her head, her gaze fixed on the monstrous spider that was now slowly retreating back into the shadows.  She felt a wave of shame wash over her as she realized what had happened.  Not only had she completely lost her composure, but she'd also… well, she'd had a little accident.

Kris, ever perceptive, noticed the dampness on Noelle's pants and immediately understood.  They gently guided Noelle away from the spider room, leading her towards a dimly lit hallway.

"Don't worry," they whispered reassuringly. "It happens.  Let's find a bathroom."

As they walked, they could hear Chara's triumphant laughter echoing from the spider room.  "That was awesome! Did you see her face? She totally freaked out!"

Frisk, ever the voice of reason, tried to shush their younger sister. "Chara, that's not very nice.  Noelle was just scared."

"So? It's a haunted house! You're supposed to be scared!"

Asriel, who had been strangely quiet, suddenly spoke up. "I think I saw a real ghost in there," he said, his voice hushed with awe. "It was floating right above the spider webs!"

Kris, preoccupied with Noelle's distress, barely registered Asriel's words.  They finally found a bathroom, a small, dingy room with a flickering lightbulb and a cracked mirror.  They helped Noelle inside and closed the door behind them.

"Here," Kris said, rummaging through their backpack and pulling out a spare pair of sweatpants and underwear.  "These might be a bit big, but they're better than nothing."

Noelle's cheeks burned with embarrassment.  "I-I can't believe this happened," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.  "I'm so sorry, Kris."

"It's really okay," Kris assured her, their voice gentle and understanding. "It's just a natural reaction.  Don't be embarrassed."

Noelle hesitantly took the clothes and changed, feeling a mix of gratitude and shame.  She emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, her face still flushed but her composure somewhat restored.

"Thank you, Kris," she said sincerely. "You're a lifesaver."

Kris smiled. "Anytime, Noelle."

They exited the bathroom and found the rest of the group waiting for them. Chara, seeing Noelle's change of pants, let out a giggle.

"Looks like someone had an accident!" she teased, relishing in Noelle's discomfort.

Noelle felt her cheeks redden again.  She was about to retort when Chara suddenly went quiet, her face turning pale.

"Uh oh," she mumbled, her eyes wide with fear.

Before anyone could ask what was wrong, Chara let out a shriek and dashed towards the bathroom they had just exited.  Frisk and Asriel exchanged confused glances.

"What was that about?" Frisk wondered aloud.

Kris, sensing another potential crisis, followed Chara into the bathroom.  They found her huddled in the corner, tears streaming down her face.

"Chara? What happened?" Kris asked, kneeling down beside their youngest sister.

Chara sniffled, pointing a trembling finger towards the toilet.  "The… the potty…" she stammered.  "It… it growled at me!"

Kris couldn't help but stifle a laugh.  It seemed that even the fearless Chara had her limits.  Upon closer inspection, they noticed that the toilet was indeed making a strange gurgling sound, probably due to some plumbing issue.  But to Chara's overactive imagination, it sounded like a menacing growl.

"It's okay, Chara," Kris said soothingly, patting her back.  "It's just the toilet.  It can't hurt you."

Chara looked up at Kris, her eyes still filled with tears.  "But… but it growled at me!  And… and I had an accident too… my pull-ups are all wet..." she confessed, her voice barely a whisper.

Kris's heart melted with sympathy. They gently helped Chara clean up and change into a fresh pull-up, reassuring her that accidents happen to everyone, even the bravest of souls.

When they emerged from the bathroom, Chara was still a bit shaken, but the tears had subsided.  She walked over to Noelle and, in a rare display of empathy, gave her a small hug.

"It's okay," she whispered.  "I had an accident too.  The potty growled at me."

Noelle, surprised by Chara's unexpected kindness, couldn't help but smile.  "Thanks, Chara," she said softly.

The rest of the haunted house was a whirlwind of eerie encounters.  They cautiously navigated a room filled with creepy dolls, their glassy eyes seeming to follow their every move.  One doll, dressed in a tattered wedding gown, even giggled menacingly as they passed.  Chara, surprisingly, found this room the most unsettling, clinging tightly to Kris's hand and refusing to let go.

In a long, shadowy hallway, they encountered moving portraits, their eyes blinking and mouths forming silent words. The portraits seemed to whisper secrets to each other, their voices echoing faintly in the gloom.  Asriel, fascinated by the magical paintings, tried to engage them in conversation, but they remained stubbornly silent, their painted eyes fixed on the group with an unsettling intensity.

Just as they were starting to think they had seen it all, they stumbled upon a truly chilling sight.  In a room bathed in an ethereal blue light, they saw a figure floating in mid-air, its form shimmering and translucent.  It was a ghost, no doubt about it.  Even Chara, for once, seemed speechless.

Asriel gasped, his eyes wide with awe.  "A real ghost!" he whispered, clutching his book tighter.

The ghost, however, seemed less than impressed by their reaction.  It let out a mournful sigh, its voice a low, melancholy moan.  "Oh no," it wailed. "Not again.  Do I really look that scary?"

The group exchanged confused glances. This wasn't exactly the terrifying specter they had expected.

Upon closer inspection, they realized that the "ghost" was actually Officer Napstablook, they normally gloomy demeanor amplified tenfold by the spooky atmosphere.  They weren't even part of the haunted house; they had simply wandered in by mistake, drawn by the promise of solitude and melancholy.  The fact that everyone seemed to think they were a terrifying ghost only deepened the specter's existential despair.

"I just wanted to be alone," Napstablook mumbled, his voice barely audible. "But now everyone's staring at me.  I'm such a failure."

Frisk, feeling a pang of sympathy for the dejected ghost, tried to reassure them. "You're not a failure, Napstablook.  You're just… unique."

Napstablook sighed again. "That's just a nice way of saying I'm weird."

Kris, sensing the need for a change of subject, quickly steered the group away from the melancholic ghost, leaving them alone to wallow in solitude.

As they exited the haunted house, they were greeted by Undyne, who was beaming with pride.  "So, how was it, punks?  Did I scare the living daylights out of you?"

"It was awesome!" Asriel exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement.  "I saw a real ghost!"

"Yeah, it was pretty scary," Noelle admitted, glancing at Kris and Chara.  "But we made it through together."

Chara, emboldened by her newfound camaraderie with Noelle, puffed out her chest and declared, "We weren't scared at all!  Except for the potty.  That thing was terrifying."

Everyone laughed, the sound echoing through the cool night air.  As they walked away from the haunted house, the fear and embarrassment faded, replaced by a sense of warmth and camaraderie.  They had faced their fears together, and in the process, they had discovered a deeper connection with each other.