Chapter three – Catacombs

-X-

The new chamber Toriel led the children into differed from the others. To begin with, it was much darker, the ceiling far less hole-ridden; Frisk could not quite see the walls. He shivered, and not from the cool air rushing in from behind him.

Like the previous room, it had no door leading to the next, the brick corridor leading through snaking left and right in such a way that one cannot see the other chamber from the other.

What drew Frisk's attention however (which after a quick glance he saw that Toriel was pleased with) was the pale-grey silt path winding through this first chamber, contrasting greatly with the dark-brown floor; he could see the path clearly despite the darkness.

"Frisk-" Toriel hesitantly drew his attention.

Toriel leaned forward towards him, smiled, and continued, "There is another puzzle involving these next two rooms. It is a little different from the others however… Could you try and solve it for me?" This she asked with a hint of trepidation that left Frisk feeling uncertain, but he wasn't about to let such a kind person down.

He nodded demurely, "Yes ma'am". At this, Toriel's eyes widened, her fanged mouth dropped open slightly.

Toriel spluttered, "There's no need to call me that, Frisk! Just call me Toriel, how about that?" She finished with what she presumed was a comforting smile, her eyes closed. 'This poor child… but how endearing!' she thought.

Frisk responded to this with a quivering lip, holding his hands tightly to his chest.

"*Call her 'Mom' you big cry-baby. It's what I did" Chara spoke matter-of-factly. She had moved to Toriel's side, looking between her and Frisk with a small smile.

"Could you be… could I call you…?" Frisk struggled to find the words. He felt tears well up in his eyes, but he would not let them fall, and shut them before they could.

Toriel pulled him into a light hug. "There, there my child. You can do this, I won't be far, I promise" she spoke out softly.

At this, Frisk calmed down. What he said next almost made Toriel jump.

"Thank you, mom" Frisk mumbled, sincerely, quietly.

Toriel was astonished, holding him in front of her. She did not let the surprise appear on her face. Instead, she gave a strong smile and looked him straight in the eyes- "Frisk, would that make you happy? You and I have just met… Are you sure you would like to call me… mother?"

Frisk nodded so rapidly, the motion shaking them both.

'Frisk… do you not have anyone to return to…? My poor child…' At this thought, Toriel gave him as strong a smile as she could muster, hugging him once again. "If that would make you happy, you may give me whatever name you wish! We'll be together for a while after all!" She said gently.

Toriel then rose, letting Frisk go. Her own tears, for him and her past would not be shed here. She continued with the previous subject before they did.

"Could you be strong for me then Frisk, and show me you can solve this puzzle?" She asked almost pleadingly now.

She watched Frisk as he obligingly and determinedly nodded. She then proceeded with a slightly faster pace toward the dark corridor.

Frisk watched her go. "*Smooth Frisk, real smooth." Chara teased. "*You really had it bad up there didn't you, to follow my suggestion so easily". This Chara said in a more muted, considerate voice.

He didn't look at her face, gazing instead low, at the silty path, and slowly nodded.

"*Well it would make her happy to do as mom asks then, wouldn't it? We can't wait around here forever, after all." Chara continued assuredly, laying an intangible hand on his shoulder.

Frisk noticed two things here; that he almost felt her hand there… Did he imagine it? Secondly, how naturally Chara also referred to Toriel as 'mom' also. He set this aside in his mind for later however, deciding to heed Chara's advice.

Frisk turned to the plaque imbedded into the wall, he could just make out the words in the darkness, not that he could read them. "Chara, what do the words say?" He quietly asked so that only she could hear.

Chara moved closer to the sign, and read- "*'The eastern room is the western room's blueprint'. Strange… Does that make this the eastern room? We'd have to see the next room to be sure" Chara rambled thoughtfully.

Frisk nodded and smiled in thanks, and then turned back to the snaking silt-path that had so drawn his attention. "A blueprint? Could it mean this path here? It does look out of place…" He said with increasing confidence.

Chara thought about this, and nodded, smiling slightly. "*I think you could be onto something there, my child" She said that last part with a deep, joking voice. Frisk pulled a face at this, and turned toward the corridor, moving toward it. Chara followed, giggling quietly the whole way.

-X-

The brick corridor was much longer, and much darker than Frisk had thought. It widened in what he assumed was the centre, shadows dancing where the wall and the floor met. As he walked through, he was uneasy- were the shadows watching him? He swore that they were, as ridiculous as it sounded.

Not so ridiculous.

Frisk's expectations became reality as out of the darkness, something jumped toward him. He struggled not to let out a shriek, had Chara not stood at his side, he was sure he would have done. As it stood, he let out a whimper- he would not let this monster know he was frightened!

Not that he should have been.

The 'frightening monster' before him appeared to be a toad of some kind, only its eyes appeared almost human. Its mouth, set in a grim, almost mournful expression, its greenish-brown body low to the ground as it sat on all-fours.

The toad gazed at Frisk curiously, and croaked. It did not notice Chara, who undeterred moved up close to it, and knelt so she could have a closer look at the creature.

"*It's a Froggit. Doesn't sound like he wants to hurt you or anything, he just asked who you were is all." Chara explained nonchalantly.

Frisk stared at her. He felt his confidence increase alongside his bewilderment. "You can speak frog?" He asked doubtfully.

At this, the Froggit hopped closer to Frisk and croaked in what he assumed was a questioning manner. One eye was half closed, its head tilted.

"*He just asked who you were talking to. Remember Frisk, only you can see me. It won't do to have people think you're crazy now would it?" Chara said quickly.

Frisk shook his head at her, then focussed on the Froggit, which was still watching him from the ground. "A-ah Mister Froggit, I was just talking to myself, I…" Frisk said stutteringly.

The Froggit hopped toward Frisk again, and this time Frisk stood his ground firmly. He could do this.

"*Hey, why not telling him to go away? You're a lot bigger than he is… Or you could, I don't know, tell him what a pretty frog he is? Maybe he'll appreciate that?" Chara suggested jokingly, flippantly waving her hands.

Frisk took the second recommendation. Half-closing his eyes and smiling, he leaned down and cheerfully said- "You're looking mighty handsome today Mister Froggit, I bet all the princesses line-up to kiss you!"

The Froggit's eyes seemed to widen as it sat there stock-still. Frisk thought for a moment he had offended it, before it croaked again quietly. Chara snickered the whole time.

"*I don't think he quite understood what you said, but he seems flattered anyway!" Chara then laughed, as Frisk pouted at her.

Initially unnoticed by the children however, was the return of Toriel. She walked back through the corridor, wanting to check up on Frisk to ensure he was doing okay. To her surprise, a contrast of happy and angry emotion, it appeared to her that Frisk had been talking to much avail with the Froggit in front of him.

The Froggit noticed her immediately however, and at her stern, stormy glower, hopped away quickly into the darkness.

Frisk and Chara, now noticing the presence of Toriel, looked toward her, the Froggit having made its getaway. Toriel watched the monster go for a little while, before turning toward Frisk with a gentle smile and asked "Are you ready to come through, Frisk?"

Frisk nodded with a stronger smile than he had been able to muster previously in this strange new world, and with an appreciative, beckoning glance at Chara, moved toward the exit.

Chara, in her muted amusement, made to follow. Hidden from them both though was the yearning expression as she watched him grasp onto Toriel, missing the touch.

-X-

Frisk let go of Toriel's purple robe in surprise at the 'puzzle' presented in the next room.

'Puzzle… more like deathtrap!' Frisk's mind raced frightfully at the scene. Instead of the dark, plain brown floor he become accustomed to, there were hundreds of gleaming-silver spikes, so sharp he could not make out where the tips ended.

Frisk looked up to Toriel's face. She had a closed-off expression, as if resigned. She stood there staring down at the spikes, and said nothing.

He then turned his head toward Chara, who looked… determined?

"*Frisk, can you see just before the spikes here?" Chara pointed down toward the spikes on his right, his eyes followed. After squinting in such a dark room, he could just make out what looked like a raised paving before the spikes. Small enough to not be obvious, but it clearly meant something. He looked back at Chara, who had an accomplished expression.

"*Think Frisk! It might be a pressure plate- if you stand on it, the spikes should lower" She waved behind her toward the corridor they had come through. "*Remember what the sign said? That path has to be the clue to getting through these spikes!"

He remembered. Looking back at the pressure plate, he thought back to the path; it zigzagged twice, starting at the bottom- which he quickly figured out must mean where the plates started on the right.

At this, Frisk broke out a big smile, gleaming at Chara, who nodded, returning a lopsided smile of her own. He could do this. With a quick glance to Toriel, who was still musing, he moved with resolve toward the spikes.

Swallowing any doubts he had, he stood on the plate. With a rapid hiss, the spikes in front of him retracted into the ground, making him jump.

"*That's it! Check for another pressure plate in-front to your left, I bet what that sign said is true, and that we should zig-zag through these" Chara proudly exclaimed, rushing up behind him.

It was the most emotion he had seen from her thus far. 'Perhaps she likes to solve puzzles, or…?' Frisk contemplated with a smile.

Steeling himself, setting his shoulders straight, he slowly moved to check on the truth of their theory. He could see the next pressure plate! They had worked together, however small, and figured it out!

Before he could step onto the next plate though, Toriel suddenly approached behind him, placing her clawed hands on his shoulders. "Wait my child!" Toriel cried with concern. Her grasp held him in place.

"This puzzle… seems a little dangerous for you right now. Take my hand and I'll lead you through" Toriel continued delicately, throwing a pained smile.

Frisk couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but smiled back and nodded. Chara folded her arms and pouted. "*So much for that" she harrumphed petulantly, but said no more and followed as Toriel led Frisk by the hand slowly through the spikes.

Frisk noticed as he was led through that Chara's theory was correct, that the solution was to zig-zag through the barbs. Soon enough however it did not matter as the three of them left the spikes, and moved through the door at the end of the room.

-X-

This room was, if anything, darker than the previous, which was dark enough as it was! Only a few holes punctured the ceiling, allowing the glistening orange light to filter through. Just enough to see by, but once again he could not see the walls clearly. The other side of the room was out of sight- 'This room must be huge!' Frisk assumed.

Noticing his unsure expression, but pleased at the strength she saw was now present, Toriel made good on the tough decision she had been arguing with herself over.

"My child, I… I am sorry for this. But I need to ask you to do something else for me" Toriel looked him the eye with what she thought was a strong look.

"Could you make it to the other side of this room by yourself? I know you can do it!" Toriel requested in a regretful voice. Before Frisk could respond, she quickly moved off into the darkness, and was quickly swallowed by the shadows.

Normally, such a request might seem ridiculous. Not here however, the yawning abyss ahead more ominous than he had ever seen. He was frozen in place. "Why would Mom…" Frisk cut his words short, the familiar title still alien on his lips.

"*C'mon Frisk, it's not that hard! Remember, we just have to walk… through…" Chara's voice petered out, and for a moment looked unsure herself. She quickly squashed the feeling down- 'I am stronger than this!' With that thought, she firmly placed her hand on Frisk's right shoulder.

"*Let's go. If anyone jumps out at us, we can deal with them together, right partner?" She said with a resolute frown settled on her face, gazing into Frisk's eyes.

Frisk was taken aback at her words, but quickly gathered himself and nodded with a quivering smile. "Right!" He whispered. They set off at a quick pace into the dark.

As they moved, Chara never removing her hand from his shoulder- He swore he could feel it- the darkness seemed to move around them. It was utterly silent outside of Frisk's swift footfalls.

Nothing jumped out. Nothing reached out to grab them. Nothing made a sound. Nothing. Before long, they could see the other side of the room. "*See it wasn't that hard was it now?" Chara joked, a little too quickly.

Frisk ignored the tease, and instead quietly said, "Thank you, Chara". He smiled at her. Chara simply smiled back, and pointed at a solitary pillar to the side of the exit.

This time, he did not feel his resolve leave him, and approached the white, striated pillar. He briefly wondered why Chara had pointed to it, until his question was abruptly answered.

He yelped as Toriel suddenly moved around the pillar, leaning toward him with a proud look.

"Do not be afraid Frisk! I am proud of you, making your way all by yourself through this room" Toriel stated. Frisk gave a guilty start, but Toriel did not notice. Chara moved closer, sniffing humorously.

"As you can see, I never truly left you… This was just a test. A test of your 'independence'! And you passed with flying colours" Toriel finished with a pleased smile.

Frisk felt inordinately pleased with her words, if he stayed strong, this wasn't so bad after all! He felt like he had accomplished much in such a short time- if Chara stayed by his side, he could manage. He pasted a determined frown on his face, making Toriel chuckle lightly, and Chara smirk once again.

Without another word, Toriel moved toward the exit of this latest room, Frisk and Chara in close-tow.

-X-

This room was much brighter; not only was the ceiling more porous, but there were sconces with lit torches imbedded into the wall at 15 pace intervals. This time, there were two doorways in addition to the one the trio had entered through. The bright, red-brick room had deep piles of red leaves deposited against some of the walls.

'The leaves must fall through the holes in the ceiling' Frisk surmised. He did not have much longer to think on this however, as Toriel whirled on him once again.

"Frisk, I must ask you to wait here. This room is safe, nothing will hurt you as long as you remain in here." Toriel voiced this whilst not looking at his face.

"Where are you going M-mom? You'll come back, right?" Frisk quickly, pleadingly said.

"Of course I am Frisk! I am just going ahead to prepare some things, make sure the way is safe, clean up-" Toriel stopped herself suddenly here, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Do you by any chance like cinnamon? Or maybe butterscotch? It's important!" She listed this off quickly. To Frisk, the question did not make sense. But he answered honestly.

"I don't know what they are. Are they… flavours?" He answered with a question.

Toriel looked abashed. "Oh my child. Do not worry, I am sure you will like both! Now wait here for a little while. As long as you stay in here, you will be safe, and I will return and quickly bring you to my home. How does a nice pie to fill your stomach sound?" Toriel quickly said.

Frisk nodded excitedly at the prospect of food. He was quite hungry, cinnamon and butterscotch sounded interesting!

"Okay my child, wait here, and I will be back in no time!" At this, Toriel moved rapidly into the next room and out of sight, truly leaving Frisk and Chara to themselves for the first time since they entered the ruins.

Frisk, the recent experiences having 'hardened' him somewhat, remained resolute. Chara by his side, and Toriel not too far away, what did he have to worry about?

-X-

A/N: The latest chapter! Thanks to 'allen Vth' and 'Zypheriel' for the kind reviews.

This is where it starts to pick up! The next chapter should be out either late tomorrow or Saturday. Please don't hesistate to drop me some criticism if it reads poorly, whichever! I would like to improve :-)

See you then my friends!