Frisk opened their eyes. Their head was spinning, their mouth dry. It felt like they'd just awoken from a long, deep slumber. Their limbs were heavy with a lethargic feeling. A dulled, nauseous sensation filled their stomach. Their mind was a haze, their thoughts obfuscated. The child groaned in discomfort. Whatever they'd just got done doing, it seems like they may have expended a bit too much energy.
Only half-awake, the child tried to gain their bearings. They were lying on their back, staring straight up at the sky. Only there was no sky – just a ceiling made of blackened rock. They trained their sight on the large hole in the middle. It seemed to stretch up and up into the darkness – they couldn't see the top. They noticed a perceptible shift in the atmosphere. The air they breathed had a strange, musty quality to it.
The child shuffled around, shifting their weight ever so slightly. The surface they lay on was soft and seemed to support their weight with ease, holding them a few inches away the cold earth below. The child looked down at the floor beneath them to see what kept them afloat. They gasped at what they saw. Flowers – they were lying in a patch of golden flowers.
The clouds that'd settled in the child's mind finally subsided. Frisk leapt to their feet, a soaring feeling coursing through them as they practically jumped for joy. Their plan had worked! They were back in the Underground, at exactly the spot where they had first fallen down. They'd successfully taken the leap back through time: everything had been restored to the way it was when they'd first arrived in the Underground. The child couldn't contain their excitement: they were going to see their friends again!
With no intention of wasting another moment, the child jumped out of the flower patch. With a spring in their step, they set off down the hallway, leaving the craggy chamber and the patch of flowers behind.
Frisk skipped down the path playfully, passing through the wide door at the end of the hallway. They had the excitement of an explorer, eager to find their way through the Ruins once more. But what they saw as they turned the corner made their heart jump. They ground to an abrupt halt. Their legs seized up as soon as they realised where they were, their body frozen stiff. The room they stood in was dark, save for a spot of light in the centre where a grassy knoll lay. The room was distinctly familiar to them. This was where they'd first encountered Flowey: the creature that'd set this chain of events in motion. Asgore's murderer.
The very reason they were here again now.
Frisk was suddenly very nervous. In their last encounter, Flowey had transformed himself into a hideous creature of tremendous power. What had followed, the child struggled to recall. Although Frisk had prevailed against this fearsome adversary, it hadn't been easy. Breaking free of the flower's influence had been an almost soul-shattering effort. In the ensuing exhaustion, much of their encounter remained a blur to Frisk. All they knew is that it would be a very bad turn of events if they were to run into that flower again. They still felt sluggish and tired, their body still recovering from the effort of the reset. They didn't have it in them to handle another battle with such a beast. Even under regular circumstances, they wouldn't fancy their odds.
That was when they noticed something strange. In their panic, they had overlooked a crucial detail: the flower wasn't here.
Frisk blinked several times, looking around the darkened room uneasily. They slowly made their way towards the illuminated grassy patch in the centre of the room, their footsteps as light as feathers. They kept low to the ground and stayed alert, scanning every corner of the room for any possible place the flower might be hiding in wait. But everywhere they looked, they could see no golden flower – nothing at all. Finally, they looked back at the way they came. Nothing there, either.
The child scratched their head in confusion. What was going on? Nothing else appeared to have changed from the last time they were here – everything was just as before. They were even carrying the same equipment as last time: the wooden stick and their bandage. So why was Flowey not here?
Frisk almost jumped as they heard a familiar voice echo out across the room from behind them. "Hello?" the voice said. "Are you all right?"
Frisk turned around. The child felt their heart lurch as they stifled a gasp. Standing there, hands folded in front of her, was Toriel. The friendly monster, resembling a goat-like creature with her white fur, small horns and long ears, wore a surprised look – she clearly hadn't expected to discover a human child wandering around in such a place. She wore the same purple robe with the white sleeves and the royal crest – the delta rune – emblazoned on the front. It was just as Frisk remembered her – every detail exactly the same as when they'd met for the first time.
It's her, the child internalized in disbelief. It's really her.
Toriel looked at them with curiosity, a touch of pity showing itself on her face. "You must be so lost and confused," she continued sympathetically. She affected a friendly smile to try and soften the child's nerves. "I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins."
Frisk recognised those words immediately. Those were the same words she'd spoken when they had met in the last timeline. So the reset had worked, they realised. She had no memory of who they were. A small pang of sadness hit Frisk at the thought that her memories of them, the precious time they'd spent together, had been wiped away. On the other hand, the opportunity of reintroducing themselves to the kindly goat lady sent their curiosity soaring to new heights. Surely there were things they'd be able to do better than the first time they'd met. The child practically relished the challenge of making an even better first impression to the kindly goat lady than last time. They couldn't wait to get started.
Frisk was also struck by the immediate change they'd sensed as soon as she'd appeared. As a magical being, Toriel seemed to radiate her own essence. Her emotions and feelings permeated the air around her – they had a tangible heaviness that Frisk was aware of. In this way, the child was always conscious of her mood and what she was feeling.
This form of magic was a curious quirk unique to the monsters Frisk had encountered in the Underground. Only a handful of monsters seemed able to suppress this power – that flower being one of them. But Toriel was not one of those types. Her magic was very powerful, almost cloying in its thickness. Frisk always felt a sense of awe when stood near her. Perhaps such power came through virtue of being a boss monster and the strength of her monster soul. It was much the same sensation the child had felt in the presence of Asgore. Frisk felt their heart sink as they thought of Asgore. The thought of his magic, the feel of it, made the child shrink a little. It'd been so sad – so hopeless.
A few words from Toriel pulled the child out of their melancholy thoughts. "This way," she instructed with a smile. She turned and walked back towards the archway she had entered from. Frisk followed close behind her, hot on her heels.
Toriel led them into a small hallway and up a set of stairs. The familiar setting of the Ruins reasserted itself in Frisk's mind – it was like revisiting a fixed point in time. Everything was instantly recognisable to the child, from the purple hue of the bricks that formed the walls and structures, to the reddish leaves that lay scattered all over the stone floor. How strange it is for them to be here again, they thought to themselves. Exactly the same as they remembered it, though the circumstances were quite different this time. Frisk felt a slight chill as they considered the main 'difference' in this timeline that they'd encountered so far – Flowey's disappearance. The child resolved that they would stay close to Toriel, just in case that pest decided to show its face at a bad moment.
The pair of them passed into a small chamber that was immediately familiar to Frisk – the first puzzle room. A set of stone switches were set into the floor, with a separate yellow lever on the far wall. Toriel stopped in front of them, offering to demonstrate what she described as 'the operation of the Ruins'. Frisk waited patiently while Toriel stepped on each of the four correct switches in turn and pulled the lever, solving the puzzle for them. Frisk gave a few quick nods to show they understood what Toriel was telling them, eliciting a small smile out of the motherly monster.
They moved on to the next room. Now it was Frisk's turn to show her what they were made of. They'd already decided that they would take all their tasks seriously, no matter how straight-forward they might be. And so the child ignored the unmarked lever to their right, instead choosing to pull the lever that their host had abundantly labelled with yellow marker. Toriel clapped enthusiastically at this, showering them with praise.
Next up was the training dummy – not for fighting, but for talking. The child made sure they were on their best behaviour. When faced with the dummy, Frisk did their best to strike up the most amicable conversation possible. They went beyond the basic conversion-starters that Toriel suggested, going as far as to ask the dummy how their day was going, what its favourite food was, and even when it'd last ventured outside this tiny room and explored the rest of the Ruins. Granted, there were few meaningful conversions to be had with a lifeless training dummy but the child perservered all the same, trying their hardest to make the conversion meaningful and enlightening for both sides. Out of the corner of their eye, they noticed Toriel raising an astounded eyebrow at their dedicated display.
After bailing them out of a sticky situation with a rogue Froggit, one of the resident monsters native to the Ruins, they reached the fearsome-looking 'spike maze' puzzle. Frisk obediently took Toriel's hand as they traversed the hidden path through the maze together, just as they'd done the last time. Frisk couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed – they'd half-hoped they would get a chance to solve this particular puzzle for themselves. It was just the sort of challenge the child craved, though they could hardly turn down her offer of help.
At the other end of the extremely long hallway, the final test that she would set them, Toriel announced that she had to attend to business elsewhere. She quickly passed Frisk a small cell phone and turned to leave with the promise that she would return soon. Frisk tried to call her back but she was gone in a flash, leaving the human child standing there in the corridor. They were all alone again.
Frisk felt a sudden vulnerability: what if that flower were to return suddenly and ambush them while she was gone? Would she be able to save them like she had before? Or would they…
The child doggedly shook their head, shoving those fears aside. Now wasn't the time to think such thoughts. They knew what they had to do. They looked at the cell phone in their palm – a curiously familiar item. An urge to hit the speed-dial button to ring Toriel gripped the child, but they knew there was little point in calling her directly. Toriel would not return to this spot – she was too preoccupied with sorting things out for them back Home. Even though it was technically disobeying her wishes, they would need to catch up with her themselves. The child stashed the cell phone in their pocket and set off down the halls on their own, delving deeper into the quiet halls of the Ruins.
The child quickly forgot about their previous concerns. They were off-the-hook, free to rediscover the Ruins and revisit the remaining puzzles that'd been set up for them. Though they were content to have the freedom of exploring by themselves, the regular calls they received Toriel were never unwelcome and never failed to lift their spirits. At the very least, it let them know that she was OK.
Then came the most important decision of all: the flavour of the pie Toriel was baking. Frisk had been waiting anxiously for the phone to ring, and had already prepared their answer by the time Toriel's voice came on the line.
Cinnamon or butterscotch? Both, please!
Toriel reacted with surprise at the child's snap decision-making. Either that, or it was what she'd been considering all along. But how could a child possibly guess that? She muttered a quick farewell to her little guest and hung up the phone.
Frisk strode through the Ruins confidently, a big smile on their face the whole time. One by one, they accomplished all the challenges before them with a lively ease, working their way through the Ruins bit-by-bit. They were truly happy, for they knew exactly what they were working towards: a fresh start. Their goal remained in the forefront of their mind: they were going Home.
There were, unfortunately, some instances where a monster didn't react well to the human child's presence and would set upon them. Thankfully, Frisk had expected this. They were well-practiced from their previous journey through these familiar halls. The few times that a monster lashed out at them, they would duck and weave through the attacks with an almost effortless agility. They'd already dealt with much worse. Frisk knew the behaviours and habits of these monsters like the back of their hand, but the child also had the patience to find a peaceful outcome for every encounter. They would try every trick in the book, always foregoing the use of force, until they'd won the monster over to their side as a new friend. It required patience but, in Frisk's mind, it was worth the effort.
They also re-encountered Napstablook, the spectral creature that'd blocked their way on their first journey. There was something strange about seeing the bashful ghost again, lazily stretched out and pretending to sleep, almost as if it'd never moved from its spot. Though the ghost laboured under the same dejected, futile air that Frisk remembered from before, the child knew that the ghost's troubles were far from hopeless. All that was required were some friendly words of encouragement.
Just as before, the ghost rushed off in a hurry before Frisk even had a chance to say goodbye. Though Frisk knew that the ghost would return to its home in Waterfall, it was always possible they might revisit the Ruins at some point. By then, perhaps the child would be ready to make the ghost feel more welcome in this place. For now, though, the child would press on. With just a few more puzzles to go, Frisk was more excited than ever to reach the end of the Ruins.
A short while later, the human child reached their destination: Home. Frisk trotted into the courtyard, the path lined with heaps of dry leaves. Before them stood an old tree, withered and ragged. Its reddish leaves lay scattered on the ground underneath its wispy branches – they had fallen off a long time ago. Behind the tree lay Toriel's home: an old but well-maintained house fashioned out of the same purplish bricks that formed the walls of the Ruins.
They noticed some movement inside the house through one of the windows. That must be Toriel rushing around, the child recalled. She was making the final touches to the house, preparing for their arrival.
The child quickly looked down at their clothes: their purple and blue striped shirt and blue shorts. The Ruins, for all its charm, was a dusty old place and had already left its mark on what they were wearing. The child quickly straightened out their clothes, brushing any lingering dust and debris off themselves. They gave a small sneeze as they felt an itch in their nose, sparked by the small cloud of dust that was kicked up. But it couldn't be helped – they wanted to be spotless. Clean clothes, and not a scratch from any of the monsters – Toriel was bound to be pleased with them.
A few moments later, Toriel stepped out of the house, walking hastily towards Frisk. She seemed surprised but also delighted that they had made it here by themselves, all while keeping themselves out of trouble. Frisk grinned sweetly, a small blush forming on their cheeks. They were relieved to see her.
Though the child knew that Toriel was more than capable of defending herself, they'd feared that their nemesis, Flowey, would resurface, deciding to go after her directly instead of them. Instead, Flowey still hadn't shown himself. Frisk scratched their chin, perplexed. Was it possible that the flower had vanished from this timeline entirely? No, they had to assume he was still at-large, somewhere in this reset world. But if he was refusing to show his face, that could only be a good thing. Right?
That was when they remembered the King of Monsters, and Flowey's main target: Asgore. Now that everything was reset, Asgore would surely be alive once more. Would the flower choose to go after Asgore by itself?
The child forced themselves to consider the possibility, trying to recall everything they knew about this world. At this point in time, the King already had the six human souls in his possession – a morbid treasure that he guarded fiercely. This was the treasure that Flowey seeked. But Flowey had only chosen to strike during their battle when Asgore was distracted. The flower was crafty, and only appeared when the six souls and the crucial seventh, Frisk's own soul, were within its grasp. If the flower still lived, it seemed unlikely that they would be able to get past Asgore's watchful eye, so long as the child kept their distance.
Frisk knew they couldn't risk the possibility of Asgore's life being threatened as a consequence of their misguided attempts to escape. If continuing their journey outside the Ruins put Asgore's life in danger, then the solution was obvious: they would stay here with Toriel. Maybe there would still be a way to leave the Ruins one day and see their friends again, somehow. But for now, they were in agreement with Toriel: it was too dangerous for them to leave this place.
To their surprise, this plan of action suited the child just fine. Standing there now, they found themselves wondering why they'd ever tried to leave. Why chase so hard after a way back to the surface? It didn't seem to make sense to pursue such a distant goal. What they wanted – the thing they really wanted – was already here.
"Is something wrong, my child?" Toriel interjected, looking down at them with mild concern. "You seem a touch dazed. Are you feeling well?"
Frisk looked up at Toriel, casting their mind back to earliest memories of this place: the moment they'd first awoken in the Underground. For a brief time, she had been like a mother to them – something they had never known. Not only had she saved their life from that fearsome flower, she'd taken them in, offering to care for them and raise them as one of her own, all out of the kindness of her heart. She was undoubtedly the nicest goat lady the young child had ever met.
Frisk wanted to show how much they appreciated her kindness but were unsure how to correctly express themselves. She was very tall, practically towering over them. Without a better option, the child wrapped their arms around one of her trunk-like legs in a tender embrace.
Frisk tells Toriel that they love her very much.
A startled expression flashed across Toriel's face. "My goodness! Where did this come from?" she exclaimed in surprise. She dug her other foot into the ground, stopping herself short of stumbling backwards as she stared in disbelief at the child clinging to her leg. After a moment, her surprise gave way to a warm, amused smile. She gently patted Frisk's matted hair with one of her large, paw-like hands. "You are a very peculiar child, but an affectionate one," she declared with a small giggle. "I promise I will do what I can to ensure that you are happy here."
Taking their hand, she led the child inside the house. They turned right, past the wooden banisters of the stairwell, passing down the hallway and stopped outside the first of the rooms. Frisk already knew that her room was at the end of the hall. The one they stood in front of now – this one was going to be theirs.
Toriel led them inside their room as Frisk affected an expression of astonished excitement. After all, she had intended this to be her big surprise for the child. Frisk was more than happy to play along, though the comfy-looking bed, single wardrobe, patterned carpet and the oversized pile of toys were all immediately familiar to them.
After welcoming them to their new home and giving them a small pat on the head, Toriel stepped outside and gently shut the door behind her, leaving the child to their own devices. With an almost subconscious immediacy, Frisk crashed out on the bed. They gazed up at the wooden ceiling, a happy smile gracing their lips. For the first time in what felt like a long time, they were at peace. This was the start of their new life with Toriel. Last time, they'd decided to move on, leaving her by herself in the Ruins. But that wasn't going to happen again, Frisk told themselves firmly. This time, things would be different.
The child gave a small yawn. They were exhausted from everything the day had brought them. Reaching over to the bedside lamp, Frisk switched off the light and snuck under the covers of the bed. Before long they were fast asleep, a glimmer of hope lingering on in their heart.