Chapter 1: Foolin'

How long has it been since Flowey had seen another person or monster or anybody? The flower used to count by plucking other flowers and throwing them in a pile. He lost track after 67. Ever since the prophecies came to pass about the underground being emptied out, things had been a little more quiet around here. Still. Silent.

Another icy breeze snapped the flower's stem as he stood there motionlessly, as if it didn't matter at all. These days, it seemed to be the only company Flowey had. He remembered when Frisk came and found Asriel among this very same bed of buttercups. Asriel told the child to leave him. After everything he had done, he thought things would be better this way. Eventually Asriel was left among all the golden flowers where, at some point, he became one, himself. Again.

Well, it wasn't like he wasn't expecting it. On the other hand, part of him wished it hadn't come on so quickly. If Flowey had to be honest with himself, the underground looked as if it had been purged with no dust to show for it. Nothing. No self-recognition, no proud parent moments, just nothing. Not even the ghosts bothered to stay; those amalgamations left with their respective families a long time ago.

And what about Flowey? What about his family?

…

…

… what family?!

As far as Flowey knew, he had seen his mother and father dead at least once, even killing them himself in some timelines, and don't even get him started on Chara (not that he killed them or anything. Just don't do it.)

Once he killed everyone in the underground, just because he was bored. After that, he spent his days waiting among a field of golden flowers, wishing Chara would come back or someone would half a brain would at least come down here and go on a killing spree. That would have been great; Flowey would have watched. That's the only thing he hadn't done yet and will probably never get the chance of doing, thanks to Frisk. Before them, Flowey innocently waited to kill the poor saps who fell into this death trap. It was evident to the homicidal plant that if Chara had fallen in here at some point, others were bound to follow. He just wanted a reaction; that was all. Nothing against them, to be honest. They were going to die anyway. Just ask the six human SOULs before Frisk. When a seventh human wandered their way into the underground, Toriel managed to thwart that plan too, and guess what? They're the reason why Flowey was stuck here in the first place, feeling the way his empty being felt now.

Trapped in this poisonous mixture of despair and restlessness, he sat in the freezing dirt he was grounded in, sulking to himself and watching one of his petals fall off. Typical. Did it really matter? He wasn't even sure what he was hoping for anymore. Even Frisk, out of everyone, had left him. After everything Frisk had done for the abominable plant, that kind of hurts.

"Why," the flower mumbled hoarsely, his stem starting to shiver from the cold. "Why did you spare me?" He could feel the rage boiling in his voice. Was it to make him change his mind? Oh, that really helped. No, really. Was it to make him a good flower and not kill anybody? Well, that worked out brilliantly. Especially, because it was accomplished out of reluctance. At first, he thought this was what he deserved; just staying trapped down here forever. Now, it had been what seemed like an eternity. He was hoping someone would stumble in here just so he could kill them, but nobody came. The boredom was really taking a toll on him.

Flowey started to feel something bubble up from inside of him. He nearly startled himself with his own laughter. "You… you idiot," he roared toward the open heavens. "How dare you?! You just wanted me to suffer!" He exhaled like bull about to charge. "When I see you, I'll murder you. I'll rip away your happy ending, Frisk. Just wait until you get down here. Just wait!"

"Or maybe you could have a happy ending, yourself."

Flowey froze, the wide grin on his face kept with him. His eyes followed the path of the voice.

"…what?"

"Flowey, please listen," they spoke softly. "I'm sorry I didn't bring you back sooner. I didn't think me leaving you here would hurt you so much." Flowey swerved around and stared at him incredulously, his face flushing so hard he thought it would melt off. He wanted to wonder for how long they had been standing there, however the fire of rage coursing within his small body had other ideas.

"Say that to the bullets, you brat," yelled the vengeful plant, lining a circle of pellets shooting straight for their soul. A burst of laughter echoed throughout the vacant walls as the human was struck alive and erased from sight.

Admittedly, that had to be the best excitement the flower had received in ages. Too bad Frisk couldn't join. Oh wait, they're dead. That's right. Flowey was standing triumphantly, basking in his satisfaction.

"Ha," he shouted. "What an idiot. Standing there and taking it like the weakling they are. They should know better than to try and play me!" That was until his realization smacked him in the face like a mallet. Flowey's eyes widened and suddenly he was aware of the chilly gusts of wind blowing towards him. He pulled himself under and huddled in the flowerbed for warmth.

"Gr-Gr-Great," he groaned. "I forgot they have the ability to SAVE. That miserable twerp... with all that determination... They never give up. It won't be long before I find them crawling their way back over he-" the flower cut himself off, seeing the human towering over him again. The child was only a few feet further this time. They took their coat off, spreading it out with their hands.

"I had a feeling you'd try to do that," Frisk stated bluntly. "That's why I SAVEd right before coming." Flowey glared at them.

"What do you want, Frisk," Flowey growled. "Can't you see I'm happy where I am?! I don't need you. I don't need anyone."

As Frisk observed the plant, they noticed his stem couldn't stop shaking and some of his once smooth and soft petals were starting to become wrinkly. They knew the flower had started to wither, but that wouldn't stop the plant from being as feisty as ever. Frisk softened their voice. "If you let me talk, I'll give you my coat for warmth."

Flowey grumbled, but it wasn't out of anger. There weren't even any death threats, this time. He knew that if he were to kill the human again, they'd just come back. What's the point? The plant turned away and hunched over, staring at the ground. When Frisk saw that Flowey wasn't putting up a fight, they approached him with caution. The last thing they needed was to reload a second time. Sans would kill them.

They stated their defense before wrapping the coat around him. "When the monsters made it out to the surface, it made national news. There were a lot of protests and many humans were terrified. Asgore made me the ambassador on the monsters' behalf. It took Asgore and I months to restore peace between both parties. Today was the day the peace treaty was signed. I went there just before coming to visit you."

"Oh that must have been swell," he voiced sarcastically, his body coiling against the leather and fur. "As for I, I have been having the most wonderful time rot-ti-ting away in this futile wasteland. Not that it would m-matter to you."

Frisk opened their mouth, but slowly they closed it. Flowey was right. They shouldn't have forgotten about the plant as they had. The human's posture slumped, looking at the shivering plant remorsefully. He couldn't even keep his teeth from chattering. On the other hand, seeing that while his face was contorted to those giant mandibles was pretty funny. They kept that to themself, though.

"Flowey," Frisk finally spoke. "I want to take you to the surface with me. That's why I came here." Flowey only huffed in response. "You see, it's Christmas Eve and I didn't want you to have to spend it alone." Flowey's eyes started to become animated again. He lifted an eyebrow.

"Huh? What's that? I thought you had no problem with me being left alone. What makes Christmas so special that you would suddenly change your mind?"

"Well," Frisk started. "Christmas is a time where we all gather with our families and put presents under the tree. Then we all circle around and open them. And after that, we bake cookies and then sing songs…"

"That's lame," Flowey remarked almost instantly, lifting his head up. It's started to sound like the tradition they had over in Snowdin. "Is this like in some of Alphys's old books and animes. The ones where there's a big fat man in a red suit?"

"That's the one~," Frisk clarified cheerfully. Flowey's grin began to widen until his smile became twisted and coiled.

"The one where we burn him to deeeeeath~?"

"NO! No," Frisk shouted immediately, falling back with rocking hands. "It's just a story. You can't kill him."

Flowey deflated at once. "That's even lamer." Honestly, might as well party with a bunch of talking rocks. They'd be much more entertaining than surrounding himself with a bunch of people he didn't care about, feeling things that he wasn't allowed to feel. Then again, he had the opportunity of experiencing the surface world. That didn't sound like a bad idea. It was either that, or dying. After a few minutes, Flowey heaved a long sigh.

"Flowey," Frisk called to him again. "It's not good for you to be out here."

"Fine..."

"You're going to freeze, and…"

"Fine."

"I don't want you to suffer any longer. You're my -"

"FINE!" Frisk slid away quickly as the screaming plant stood up without warning and once again put a circle of white pellets around him. Flowey bared his teeth at the child and began to scream. "Frisk, you are testing my patience. You have ten seconds to get me off the ground or I will shoot you right here, right now. Do you get me?"

Good thing Frisk came prepared. They nodded as they reached behind them and pulled out a ceramic shaped like a pot. First they showed it to the plant and when his defenses had gone down, Frisk coiled their fingers around Flowey's stem and uprooted him from the ground with one swift yank.

"Oooow…" the flower whined. "Be careful!"

"Sorry," Frisk said candidly, setting Flowey into the pot. They carefully patted the soil around him, just to make sure he was secure when they started to walk. Frisk then bent over and took the coat lying on the ground. They wrapped it around the cold flower very tenderly before standing up and heading straight for the ruins.

It was going to be a long trip from here.