Pre-Chapter notes: So here we are with the next chapter. It's a little late as it comes on the heels of Hurricane Irma. Fortunately, we managed to avoid the worst of the storm, but there are many out there who weren't quite as lucky. For those suffering, or have loved ones suffering through the devastation brought on by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, please stay determined, and know that our thoughts are with you.
On a more positive note, happy second anniversary, Undertale.
With all that said, we hope you enjoy the chapter.
Chapter Three – Into the Ruins
As his vision returned to familiar darkness, Frisk immediately turned his attention back towards Lily, who's injured form shined before him like a weak flame. He ran to her, dropping to his knees and lifted her gently into his arms. Cradling her against his chest, he turned in the general direction of the strange being who had saved him, pleading to the only other person he could.
"Miss? Please! My friend is badly hurt." He clutched Lily closer to him. "Is there anything you can do? Please!"
"You are with someone?" The caprine woman gasped. She quickly made her way to the small boy's side and followed his gaze to his lap. There was nothing. Confused, she glanced about the chamber, wondering what it was she might have missed.
"Where are they, my child? Show them to me, and I will do what I can."
The words almost felt like a cruel joke to Frisk's distraught mind. How could she not see Lily?
"She's right here!" He all but screamed while motioning to his arms with a frantic nod of his head. "Can't you see her? She's right here!"
"I do not..." She paused. This was not something she was familiar with. Never before had she met someone who was so insistent on something unseen. Looking at the young boy's frantic face she forced her own worried mind to calm. "Stay right here, child. I must be sure that there are no further dangers. I will then take you - and your friend - to my home. Perhaps there I will be able to help her." The woman assured Frisk, standing up to look around the cavern.
Frisk returned his attention to Lily, and shook her gently, praying for some sign that she was alright. "Lily? Lily please. Say something!" He cried, patting her arm to try and get a response.
Lily, who up until now had been quiet, sobbed quietly. "It hurts…"
Frisk held her close, afraid that she might break if he squeezed too hard. "I know. It'll be okay soon. I promise."
The words felt more like an attempt to convince himself than her. It wasn't working very well. Nevertheless, the girl managed a weak smile as her bleary eyes focused on his face.
"Thank you. For protecting me..." She mumbled, tears streaming down her face as she weakly lifted a hand to place over his heart.
Frisk did his best to smile back, despite his worry. "I would do it again. You're my friend." He reached for her trembling hand and steadied it with his own.
That was when it happened. Lily's ghostly form flickered ominously like a lightbulb on the last of its charge. Frisk gasped in worry and fear as a strange white light began to brighten around their joined hands. Rippling outward, it grew ever brighter, encasing the girl like a cocoon of radiance before bursting into a hundred shimmering particles.
"Lily!" Frisk cried in a panic as his friend disappeared from his arms.
The lights drifted upward, hovering in the air around him for a moment. Then one at a time they fell, fluttering down toward him like snowflakes before disappearing, one after the other into his chest. Frisk squinted instinctively against a pain that did not come before looking around the now empty space for any sign of his friend. He found not one… not even the unique feeling of her hand in his remained.
"Lily?" He breathed, his gaze darting to and fro. "Lily?! Please, don't be gone… Lily!"
"I'm here Frisk." he gasped again as her voice spoke within his mind, a surreal sound that at the same time, was somehow soothing. "I'm just… so sleepy. I'm just gonna…take a nap. I'll… be okay."
The voice fell silent and for a moment Frisk felt his nervousness bubbling back to the surface. In the next, he felt it, deep within his chest, alongside the beating red of his own SOUL. A presence… her presence, exuding a heavy warmth. It was an odd feeling: almost like she was clinging against him from within, shielding herself from an unknown chill with the warmth inside his breast.
She was still there.
'I wish there was something I could do to help her…'
Even as the thought crossed his mind, his stomach became wracked by an incredible pain. He doubled over, stifling a cry as it burned through his abdomen and shuddered against his SOUL. Small arms wrapped about a slender frame, pressing in on his stomach as if to staunch a non-existent flow of blood. The recent memory of Flowey's seed-like magic ripping through his friend flashed through his mind.
'It… hurts… is this what Lily felt?'
He gritted his teeth against the agony, fighting the urge to cry out. Bullets indeed… it felt like he really had been shot. He breathed deeply, steeling himself against the burn as it gradually faded into a dull ache. He righted himself, doing his best not to let the pain show as he let the air out of his lungs with a shuddered breath.
Not a moment too soon. The rhythmic padding of the goat-woman's feet heralded her return. She knelt down and placed a hand upon his small shoulder. "Here I am, my child. The path is clear. Are you and your friend ready to move on?" She questioned, helping Frisk to his feet.
Still holding his stomach gently, Frisk gave a nod, hoping she hadn't noticed what had occurred just moments before. "Yeah. We're both good to go, Miss. Thank you."
She smiled and took his hand with her own… Hand? Paw? He didn't care. It was warm, the fur soft… comforting. Gripping his stick with the other, he squeezed that small piece of security and walked with her deeper into the cavern.
"I am glad I chose to come out here when I did. I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins. I pass by here every day to see if anyone has fallen down." She introduced herself. "I must admit. I was not expecting a human to fall. It has been a long time since the last one."
Toriel led Frisk down a few passages, winding her way through the various twists and turns like someone who knew the place by heart. Frisk nearly tripped when they came upon a set of stairs leading to another threshold but managed to steady himself before either injury or embarrassment befell him. Eventually they emerged from the tunnels and into a larger room. A great door marked by a strange crest not unlike the one they'd seen above the archway earlier barred the way forward.
"Welcome, innocent one." She said in a gentle voice. "These are the Ruins. Listen well, and I shall educate you in their operation. Here, you will encounter a number of puzzles: ancient fusions between diversions and door keys. One must solve them in each room to move further."
Toriel demonstrated by solving the puzzle in question, weaving among the six pressure plates, depressing the two on the left and right while leaving the central plates alone. A soft rumble of scraping stone resounds as the door slid vertical, leaving the way open. Turning from the switch she'd just pulled, Toriel returned her attention Frisk to make sure he understood. She frowned when she noticed him rooted firmly to the spot where she'd left him.
"Dear child? Is everything alright?" She asked softly.
Frisk jumped slightly at the sound of her voice. He had been listening intently on his surroundings trying to pinpoint where she had gone. Though he'd begun to get used to it, the light buzz of magic was still somewhat disorienting to his ears. The fact that Toriel's padded feet made so little sound against the stonework to begin with did nothing to help in that respect.
"Uh. Y-yeah. Coming!" He stumbled a little, gliding his stick against the ground to mark his path as he approached Toriel.
She smiled and turned toward the now opened doorway. Frisk honed his attention to the light sound of her footfalls and followed behind her to the next room. It was much larger than any thus far… even more open and cavernous than the vast chamber where they'd encountered Flowey. Clusters of green ivy snaked along the walls, creating natural pillars of leaf and vine. The trickle of water echoed throughout from the two canals that ran across the room, splitting it into three segments connected only by the small bridges crossing the water. In the distance a tall row of spikes formed an ominous looking wall on the other side.
"To make progress here, you will need to trigger several switches." Toriel explained. "Don't worry, I have labeled the ones you need to flip."
Frisk paled… switches? Labeled? He shifted in place, again feeling nervous but for a far different reason this time. He listened for Toriel's footsteps and followed in their wake as she traversed the room. The switches in question sat upon the wall to his left, the correct ones labeled with arrows and encouraging messages both written in bright yellow ink. All of this went completely unnoticed to Frisk as he followed his guide who came to a stop near the second of the two bridges.
"Go ahead, child. Press that switch." She encouraged. Frisk looked about wearily. "Do not fear. I am watching over you."
Using his stick to guide his way, Frisk stepped gingerly through this section of the room. The sounds of the water trickling from all sides added to the persistent hum of magic, confusing his senses even further. He awkwardly approached the direction of the switch, fumbling blindly toward it. Toriel smiled in approval for a moment, until she noticed his steps veering slightly to the right. Her content expression shifted to worry a moment before Frisk's foot caught on the edge of the canal.
A frightened gasp was the only sound afforded to the boy as his body lurched to the right and he felt the familiar sensation of falling. Toriel's startled yelp was cut off as his body hit the water with a splash. Terror filled him as his head disappeared beneath, cutting off his every sense save the icy touch of the water. A rush of freezing liquid filled his mouth as he tried to scream, cutting off breath and voice in equal measure. Panic seized him and his arms flailed violently, reaching out for anything solid… something that would save him.
'Not now…! Not now, not now, not now!' he thought. 'Lily…Toriel…'
Something grabbed his arm in that moment, something strong and gentle. His mind snapped into almost primal focus, zoning in on that one speck of possible salvation. He reached over and gasped it with his other hand and was rewarded as his small frame was slowly pulled upward. Sound and smell returned to him as his head emerged from the water followed by the rest of his body. He coughed and sputtered as he was drawn up into a warm embrace. Water dripped from his clothes and hair, leaving dark patches upon Toriel's violet robes.
"Oh, thank heavens…" Toriel said, cradling him against her chest. "Are you alright, child? Are you hurt?"
Frisk shook his head vigorously. "No…I'm f-fine." He lied, even as his teeth chattered and the dull ache pulsed against his stomach.
Toriel continued to hold him close, slackening her arms only when he began to calm. She looked down to his face and frowned.
"You… cannot see. Can you, little one?" She observed, stroking his wet cheek with her fingers. Frisk lowered his head sadly and said nothing. He didn't want to be a burden. "It is true then."
Frisk sniffed as tears began to well up in his eyes. Crying was about the only thing they'd ever been good for and he hated it. Now she knew… now she understood how much of a hindrance he was. He supposed it was better she find out now rather than later. At least this way, it would hurt less.
"You poor dear…" She said gently, pulling him into another embrace. The action shocked him so much that he didn't even think to reciprocate. "I am sorry I did not notice sooner."
Somehow, her kind words only drew another flood of tears. The emotional impact of everything he'd experienced in the last couple of hours had finally taken its toll. He had no idea where he was, and his first real friend, the first person he had ever seen was nearly killed mere moments after they'd met. All he had at the moment was this strange woman, her gentle voice, and sweet scent.
So he cried… it was all he could do.
Toriel held the boy close, doing what she could to soothe him. She was in no hurry… not when there was a child that needed her. The boy was soaking wet, his bandage had washed off, and he shivered from the chill of the Ruins… but eventually he stopped crying. The goat woman smiled gently as he sniffed away the last of his sadness and helped him rise shakily to his feet.
"M-my stick?" He stammered with uncertainty. He'd lost it when he fell into the canal.
Toriel frowned and looked into the water where he'd fallen. Caught on the grate was a small branch, a single green leaf still attached to one end. With a deft motion she fished it out and returned it to her young charge's hand. Frisk smiled as he grasped the rough wood, comforting in its familiarity. Toriel beamed at the sight.
"I am glad you are feeling better." She said gently, and took his hand. "Come, I will guide you through the rest of the Ruins."
She did so, leading him to the switch and placing his hand upon it. Frisk felt around the mechanism for a moment before grasping the lever and pulling it down with a satisfying click. Toriel gave him an approving pat on the shoulder before leading him to the second. Upon pulling this one, Frisk heard a metallic shing as the spikes retracted.
"Well done, child." She said. "Let us move on."
Frisk swelled with joy at the praise as Toriel took his hand and led him into the corridor released by the spikes. Eventually they came to a smaller room, empty of any notable features save for the single, somewhat worn training dummy sitting silently near the rightmost wall. Toriel led Frisk over to the cute little mannequin before letting go of his hand..
"As a human living in the Underground, monsters may attack you. You will need to be prepared for this situation." She explained. Frisk gave her an uncertain look. "Worry not! The process is simple. When you encounter a monster, you may enter a fight. If that happens, strike up a friendly conversation. Stall for time, and I will come to resolve the conflict. Now, why not practice on the dummy?"
Frisk approached the dummy somewhat awkwardly. At first he hadn't thought much of it. Maybe this was Toriel's way of being nice, or introducing him to a new game. However, he was quickly caught by surprised when his SOUL suddenly sprang forth from his chest. Its radiant red glow enveloped him, and he found himself now able to see the dummy before him. He was about to grin when his eyes fell upon something above his SOUL… another band of yellow and red, split evenly between the two colors. He concentrated on it for a moment.
'10/20… HP?' He thought. 'HP… HoPe.Huh… how do I know that?' He considered that oddity for a moment, but could find no answer. Instead, he focused on the split line, seemingly tied to his own well-being. 'That must be from when Lily got hurt… will she really be okay in here?' He mused, pressing a hand against his chest.
He was still rather worried about her, though her presence never faded from his chest. She seemed alright for the time being, so he turned his attention back to the dummy who looked like it was about to fall over at any moment.
* A cotton heart and a button eye, you are the apple of my eye.
The pleasant little song came from somewhere in his mind, and made him smile.
"H-hello?" He said to the dummy. "I… I like your stuffing? It's nice…"
The dummy stared at him but didn't respond.
Toriel beamed proudly from where she stood nearby and clapped politely. "Ah, good! You did very well."
Frisk's smile brightened as his vision faded and his SOUL receded into his chest. He waved to the dummy before Toriel took his hand and lead him through the doorway to the north. Another room, this one also decorated with ivy. A patch of stone on the floor seemed to be made of a different, lighter colored material than the rest and wound with purpose in a zig-zagging pattern. Frisk followed her through it and to the adjacent corridor.
He shuddered and gripped her hand tighter as the sound of water burbled from nearby. Toriel seemed to sense this, and halted while she patiently waited for him to calm down. A curious Froggit hopped close during their pause, but a stony glare from Toriel sent it on its way. After taking a moment to calm down, Frisk nodded and his guide took that as a sign to continue. She lead him forward through the maze of spikes, sections of which retracted all on their own as she stepped over them. Frisk was unaware of these. If he was, he might have been more frightened, but Toriel 's guidance carried him flawlessly to the end.
Upon crossing into the next room, Toriel paused and removed her hand from Frisk's.
"You have done excellently thus far, my child" She said, but Frisk could sense some hesitation in her voice. "However, I have a difficult request to ask of you."
"What?" Frisk looked in her direction. "What do you need?"
"I… I would like you to walk to the end of this corridor by yourself." She said with some difficulty. "I know it is difficult, especially after what I've just learned about you, but you must trust me. Please, forgive me for this."
"Wait!" Frisk called as her padding footfalls grew quieter in the distance.
He stood there silently for a few moments, now feeling more alone than he ever had before. Was he wrong about her kindness… had she left him? He wrapped his arms around his damp chest, clutching his stick in a white-knuckled grip. He was shivering, but he didn't know if that was from the cold or his own fear.
With shaking limbs he put one foot in front of the other. What was there to lose now from following her last request. Apart from Lily, she was one of the few people who had even shown this much kindness to him… he at least owed her this much, right? His footsteps echoed down the dark corridor. No other sound answered them save that of his own breathing and the guiding scrape of his stick. It seemed to stretch forever… empty, silent, and cold. His heart pounded with such force that he felt it in his ears. He was alone… he was-
"Greetings, my child." He heard a familiar voice. "Do not worry, I did not leave you. This exercise was simply a means to test your independence."
Frisk felt a heavy weight lift from his shoulders, and sighed.
"It was scary…" He admitted.
"I know, dear one. I know." Toriel soothed. "But you did splendidly. Come along now."
She led Frisk through another small passageway and into another room. The ripe smell of fallen leaves filled his nostrils from all sides. It felt peaceful here… safer than the other rooms. Toriel placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled.
"I am sorry for doing that to you, but it was important, child." She said in that motherly tone that always set him at ease. "You see, I must attend to some business, and you must stay alone for a while."
"But-" Frisk pleaded.
"I know, but please trust me." Toriel cut him off. "It will only be for a moment, and I might be able to find something to help your little friend as well. Here, take this." She placed something heavy and vaguely rectangular in Frisk's hand. "It is a cell phone. If you have need for anything, just open it and press the button on the top-right and I will answer. Can you do that for me?"
Frisk thought for a moment and then nodded. She was kind enough to help him, so he could be brave for a while if that's what she needed. Toriel smiled proudly before turning away with some reluctance and disappearing further into the ruins. Frisk looked around the area, fanning the air with his stick until he heard the tell-tale rustle of a leaf pile. He sat down near it, idly turning the leaves over with his stick. After a moment, he decided to check on Lily.
"Lily…? Lily, are you there?" He said to the air around him. After a few moments without a response he tried again, voice wavering in fear. "Lily? Are you okay? Lily..?"
"…Huh…? I- I'm here..." Lily's sleepy voice spoke within his head, along with what felt like a yawn. The sound caused him to relax. "I'm sorry for… for sleeping so long…" Frisks SOUL pulsed gently with her presence, loosening itself in a way that resembled a nice long stretch following a nap.
"It's okay. I was just worried about you. You were hurt a lot…" He mumbled, placing a hand to his stomach. "I was so scared when you turned into those lights. Then you went into my body, and I felt your pain…"
White-hot regret spread through his chest, and his SOUL pulsed dully with the feeling. "I'm… I'm so sorry Frisk. I didn't mean to hurt you. I should have listened when you said to wait…" Her meek tone, and the surge of emotions he felt was almost heart rending. "Maybe… What if I tried to leave? Maybe you'll stop hurting as much?" Lily asked softly, pushing her essence against his chest to try an escape.
Frisk opened his mouth to speak, but a sudden gasp of pain cut off whatever response he might have made. At once, his body was assailed by a burning agony that forced him to his knees. A cry rippled from his mouth, and was immediately echoed by another within his head. He shuddered, and clutched his stomach, trying to steel himself against the pain. He could tell that Lily was too, and he wasn't sure rather the tears that began to well up were hers or his own. The stick fell from his hand and clattered against the stone of the Ruins as his left hand shot to his chest. He could feel the throb of his SOUL beneath.
"Li…ly!" He gasped out, trying to reach the girl with his own emotions.
Then, quickly as it came, the pain faded. A sound, like an intake of breath resounded in his head "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She cried, as sincerely and shamefully as her own pained voice could muster. "I didn't mean to hurt you! I won't do it again. I promise."
Frisk took a deep, shuddering breath to calm himself as the pain faded back into a much more manageable dull ache. His fingers clutched around his heart, hoping to calm her as well as the pounding in his chest. "I- I guess you aren't ready to come out yet. It's okay… you can stay there until you're better."
"Alright." Lily replied, uncurling herself to once more fill up Frisks SOUL and mind. "I'm sorry…"
"You don't-" He shook his head and corrected himself. "It's okay… you didn't mean to."
They took a moment to rest and allow both of their minds to calm down. When the silence was broken it is Lily who broke it. "So where are we? I mean I see the leaves but what happened with Flowey? I uh.. don't remember much after the attack..."
"Oh yeah. After you were hurt I tried keeping him away from you." Frisk explained. "It didn't seem like he could see you but his bullets could do some real damage."
"Wait, bullets?" Lily asked. "Is that what hit me?"
"Yeah… he let it slip when I annoyed him." Frisk said grimly. "Liar…"
"What happened next?" Lily asked, a little fascinated by the story.
"Well he had a bunch of them surrounding me but then this really nice woman came and got Flowey to leave us alone." He said, diving into the story. "Her name's Toriel. She's a goat… or like one, anyway. I've never actually seen one, you know? But she has fur and long ears, the whole thing. She even had horns!"
"Really?!" Lily said. "That sounds so cool! I wish I could see her. I-"
She paused. Something about the woman's description and her name struck Lily as familiar. She felt like she should know this person but no matter how she tried she couldn't understand why. Maybe she'd met Toriel in a time before she'd lost her memories. It was an odd feeling, but she decided not to dwell on it. Frisk didn't seem to notice her thoughtfulness and the last thing she wanted to do was worry him, especially since he seemed to be feeling better.
"Anyway, you might get to meet her soon." Frisk said. "She said she wouldn't be long."
Their conversation trailed off, and Frisk sat back against his hands. He fumbled around for a moment before finding his stick, resting patiently where it had fallen, waiting to be picked up. He was content, and he could tell that Lily was too from the warmth that cradled his soul. The fact that his friend was okay and that he, too was still alive was heartening for him. That thought flowed through his mind like a warm summers breeze, and soothed Lily's own wounded spirit. He was filled with determination.
"Frisk look! Another star! How'd you do that?" Lily practically bounced with excitement, drawing his attention toward what she'd seen. "That warmth I felt just then… was that it?"
There, in the middle of the pile of brown and red leaves was a large golden star, flickering softly full of light. He stared at it for a moment, his own excitement merging with Lily's and causing it to shine a bit brighter. A gentle buzz, strange but not uncomfortable filled his mind for a moment before vanishing just as quickly. He shook his head, in confusion.
"That's the second time." Frisk said curiously. "I don't get it…"
"You weren't able to do it before?" Lily asked. "Like on the surface?"
"Nope. It only started here." He explained.
"Well, I think it's pretty cool." Lily complimented before turning her attention back to Frisk. "Hey. Why are you sitting in the middle of this room anyway?"
"Oh. Toriel asked me to stay here while she went and did something. She said this room was mostly safe." He explained. "I think she felt bad that I was blind... I ended up taking a dive into some water back there..."
"Oh Frisk..." Soothed Lily, making her essence grow and heat up, spreading a comforting sensation throughout the boy's body."You shouldn't have been worrying so much about me then. I don't want you to get hurt..."
"It's alright. I'm okay now." Frisk shook his head dismissively, but couldn't help but smile anyway at his friend's concern. "Anyway, while I was waiting for her to come back, I decided to call for you. She gave me a cellphone and everything."
Frisk pulled the phone from his pocket to show Lily. "Oh, that's good." Lily said, looking around the room as he returned the phone where it belonged. "Kinda boring in here thoughisn't it?" Frisk shrugged. After what he'd been through 'boring' didn't seem so bad. Undeterred, Lily spoke again. "Oh,I know! Let's explore a little." She said happily.
"I don't know. Toriel said there are a lot of puzzles and traps. I don't want us to get hurt again..." Frisk reasoned, playing with the stick in both hands.
"But I'm awake now. I can still see like this, so I can guide you. We won't go far if you don't want to?" She hesitated. "I wanna do whatever you want to Frisk."
Frisk smiled, feeling content as he rose to his feet and stretched a bit. "I guess it's okay, as long as we don't go too far. I wouldn't want Toriel to worry. She promised to help you feel better once she came back for us." Firmly gripping the stick he stood up, glancing about the room with his sightless eyes. "Where to first? I know the door over… there? I think? Is the one we came through." He says, pointing in the direction of the western wall.
"That's a good place to start. There's another doorway to the right of it on the other wall. We can go there first?" She said, nudging him in the correct direction. Shrugging Frisk set off for it, entering through the doorway.
It wasn't a particularly large room, and there didn't seem to be any other entrances or exits from what Lily could see. However, in the center of the room, sitting on the pillar like an idol was a large bowl. It looked to be filled with something but Lily couldn't tell what it was from here. There was a note attached to the pillar beneath the bowl which drew her curiosity.
"Oh hey. There's a bowl on the pillar and… a note." She explained for Frisk's benefit. "Get closer? I wanna see what it says."
Complying with Lily he walked forward, holding out his hand until his fingers met the pillar. "What's it say?"
"'Monster Candy. Take One.'" She said. Frisk could imagine her face lighting up. "Oooh candy!"
"Monster Candy?" The boy raised a brow. "What's that like?"
"I think it has a distinct, non-licorice flavor." Lily joked.
"Ha ha." Frisk droned. "But now I'm curious. What flavors are there?"
"Let's see…" Lily examined the individual pieces as Frisk looked over them. "There's blueberry, peppermint, watermelon, bubblegum and-"
Frisk noticed the pause. "What?"
"Licorice…"
Frisk snorted at the irony, nearly knocking the bowl over in the process. Lily pouted, but quickly got over it and turned her attention back to the candy.
"No chocolate… Bummer." She sighed. "I guess we just take one? Which kind would you want?"
"Let's go with watermelon then. I like those." Frisk said.
Having made his decision, Lily guided his hand to the correct piece. It took him a moment to fish out the right one, but in the end he succeeded. Unwrapping the little confection, he popped it into his mouth with a hum. The mildly sweet taste of watermelon rewarded him. As he made to swallow the treat however, he nearly choked on his own surprise… and might have, had the candy not suddenly dissolved the moment in touched his throat.
"What happened?" Lily asked, having apparently felt the sensation as well, in her own way. "That was kinda weird…"
Before either of them could think on it further, they were hit with another surprise as a light tingling sensation traveled throughout Frisks body. It began in his stomach before steadily moving outward, across his limbs and around his SOUL. It was warm and soothing and the boy eventually felt the throb of pain slowly ebb away. Lily shuddered in time with Frisk as the magic continued to heal them from the inside out. Frisk shook his arms for a second in confusion.
"Huh. It doesn't hurt anymore." In a flash of inspiration he decided to check his HP. "20/20. Hey, it's full again!"
"What?" Lily questioned a moment before what he said sunk in. "You're right… I don't hurt anymore either."
"Think you can come out now?" Frisk suggested.
"Maybe…?" She said with a bit of reluctance, shuddering as she remembered what happened last time. "Just… sit down while I try? I don't want to hurt you.."
She sighed softly in apprehension, waiting patiently for him to comply. She concentrated, and imagined pressing herself against his chest. She braced herself for the pain, and was relieved to find that this time, there was none. Feeling more confident she pressed a bit harder. A few particles of light emerged from Frisk's chest, and were gradually joined by others which floated lazily before him. All the while, Lily's presence within him seemed to lessen with each one that appeared. Moments later, they began to coalesce until at last the white light faded to color and shape: the form of Lily remained before him, healthy and unharmed.
Frisk couldn't help but jump to his feet and throw his arms around her, grinning stupidly all the while. "I'm so glad you're okay Lily… I was so worried about you after what Flowey did..."
Hugging him back, Lily laughed happily. "I am too. I'm glad he didn't hurt you though. You're the best, Frisk!" The soft, rosy tint of her cheeks stood out a little more at her smile. "Still, the food here is amazing… I wonder how it works."
"Me too. Right now though, I'm just glad it helped… you're feeling okay right?" He asked.
"I think so?" She looked herself over. "I feelnormal. Well, as normal as this can be…"
Frisk grinned a little at the bit of self-deprecating humor, then focused on his SOUL. He'd suffered no change of his own, his HP still sitting at a full twenty. Turning his attention to Lily, the boy focused a little more on her and the flickering band of energy hovering above her. It too was full and yellow, shimmering brightly without a trace of red to be seen. 15/15. Less than him. He found that a little strange but decided not to dwell on it too much. She was alright, and that's all that mattered for now.
"Huh?" Lily's eyes curiously turned upward. "What are those numbers?"
"Wait, you can see them?" Frisk questioned.
"Yeah… is it that weird?" Lily asked. "What are they?"
"I'm not sure. It first happened after you got hurt. Toriel didn't seem to see it, so I just thought no one else could but me." Frisk tried to explain. "Somehow I just knew how to do it. I don't know why."
"Just like those stars… that's so weird." Lily mused. "But still, it sounds pretty helpful."
"I guess so," Frisk agreed. "I just wish I knew more about it."
"Well, anyway!" Lily perked up a little more and decided to change the subject. "That was a good start, so let's keep going. I think I saw another path in the opposite direction.
"Oh yeah, that's the way Toriel went. Maybe we'll run into her on the way?"
The two departed from the room, leaving the bowl of Monster Candy to delight some other wanderers with its sweet treasures and headed for the other path. As they stepped beyond the leaf pile that still blazed with the gentle light of Frisk's determination, their collective attention was drawn by a rustle of movement up ahead. Another Froggit hopped out from the leaves, as surprised to see Frisk as he and Lily were to see it. Frisk felt his SOUL drawn forth as his vision awakened, staring into the large eyes of the salientian monster.
"Ribbit, ribbit." It croaked, as magic surged around it.
"Frisk, watch out! It's-" Lily began.
"I know." He cut her off. "I can see it."
Lily bit back on her obvious question, knowing that it wasn't the best time to ask. A number of projectiles, these ones resembling insects fluttered toward Frisk's SOUL. He stepped around them easily enough, using his stick to gently nudge a few of them away. Once the Froggit relented a little, he raised a hand up in a gesture of peace. Its large head tilted questioningly.
"I'm sorry if I startled you…" Frisk apologized. "But um, you look like a gentleman, er… frog? Let's not fight, okay?"
"Meow…" The Froggit's decidedly un-froglike response was accompanied by a deep blush.
"It doesn't seem to understand you, but was flattered anyway." Lily said.
"You understand it?" Frisk questioned, turning to her..
"Ribbit, ribbit…" The Froggit croaked apologetically, as the tension on Frisk's SOUL slackened. "Ribbit. Ribbit, ribbit."
"'I am sorry for attacking you like that.'" Lily translated. "'In return, I'll offer you some advice. We of the Ruins are not used to humans, but nor do we bare them any ill will. If you show us that you do not wish to fight, then we shall respond to that mercy in kind.'"
"I think I get it." Frisk responded. "Thank you."
"Ribbit… ribbit ribbit." croaked the Froggit. Lily snickered lightly at Frisk's side.
"What did he say?"
"N-nothing." Lily replied evasively, hiding her grin with her hand.
The Froggit gave a dignified nod before hopping past them and continuing on its way. With a smile, Frisk waved goodbye to the monster.
"He was nice." Lily commented.
"Yeah. I'm glad we didn't hurt each other." Frisk agreed before noticing that she'd yet to stop grinning. "Okay, now I'm really curious. What did he say?"
"Oh, fine. If you insist." Lily cleared her throat in a decidedly dramatic fashion, before reciting. "'Ah, if only we could understand one another. I would love to discuss our culture with you over a fly or two.'"
Frisk blanched before glaring at her. "He did not."
"You can ask him yourself if you want." the specter teased.
Frisk sighed. "Anyway, how'd you know what he was saying?"
"I'm not sure… I understood its language somehow. Maybe I learned it somewhere?" She shrugged before remembering something important. "Speaking of weird stuff like that, you said you were able to see just then."
"Oh yeah, that." Frisk remembered. "I say 'see' but I don't even know if that's what it is. It only happens when a monster pulls out my SOUL. I can see it, the monster and their attacks… but that's all. The only thing I can see besides that is you."
"Huh. You think it's got something to do with the magic down here?" She asked.
"I think so… but I still can't see the world around me…"
He trailed off, a little forlornly at that. Lily rested her hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. It's a start, right? If you learn how it works, maybe you can figure out how to see more with it."
Frisk smiled and placed his hand over hers. "Yeah… maybe you're right."
They had barely stepped into the next room before the phone in Frisk's pocket chimed out a simple ringtone. Fishing it out, the boy quickly felt for the button Toriel had indicated and answered, positioning the phone so Lily could listen in as well. The caprine monster's motherly voice spoke through the receiver.
"Hello, this is Toriel. You have not left the room, have you?" Frisk remained silent, a bit of guilt creeping into his chest. Toriel did not seem to notice the lack of response and continued. "There are some puzzles ahead that I have yet to explain. It would be dangerous to try to solve them on your own. Be good, alright?"
"O-okay." Frisk said, not knowing how else to respond. "I will."
"I know, my child." She replied in that motherly tone. "Be well."
She hung up, and Frisk returned the phone to his pocket. Lily smiled fondly.
"She sounds nice." She said "But, if you don't want to go on after that, I'd understand."
"No, it's okay." Frisk insisted. "I mean, it's not like I'm alone right? You're here with me, and if it gets too dangerous we can always come back."
"Ha! So you do have a rebellious side!" Lily chirped happily.
"No… it's not like that. I just…" Frisk never finished the thought, eyes lowering awkwardly.
"Hey, don't look like that. I was just teasing you…" She consoled him, voice softening. "We… we don't have to do this, you know."
"No, no!" Came Frisk's retort. He shook his head and stood up a little straighter. "I already said we could go. Besides, I'm curious about the rest of the Ruins."
Lily seemed convinced by that and the two moved further into the room. Though it was little more than a short hallway, something about it seemed off. The walls were cracked in a number of places but none more prominently than the two large gaps set within the one to the north. Unlike the others, these were even, identical shapes, and seemed as if they were put there for a reason. Lily pointed them out to Frisk, and the boy frowned. They were much too high for him to reach from here, and there was no way to guess at their purpose.
"We could probably just ignore them. They don't seem dangerous." Lily suggested as she examined the rest of the room. She frowned. "Hey Frisk. Hang on a second. The floor looks wrong."
Frisk watched from where he stood as his companion drifted forward for a closer look. Sure enough the floor was cracked and unstable. Through the cracks in the stone, the ghostly child could just make out a few vague hints of what appeared to be a lower level.
"Hmm… It looks like the floor is about to fall through…" She mumbled thoughtfully. "But Toriel had to have come this way…"
She examined the rest of the floor, looking for the means to get across without falling down into the lower level. A few tufts of white peeked out from the cracks, and it didn't take the spectral girl long to notice their pattern.
"Lily? Have you-" Frisk began, only to be caught off guard as she quickly wheeled about and drifted back to his side.
"Hey Frisk! I think I get it! There are a few places that are sturdy enough to cross." She grinned happily, and grabbed the hand without the stick. "Come on. Follow me. I won't let you fall. I promise!"
"A..alright!" Frisk replied nervously, keeping pace behind Lily.
Guiding him over to the stone, she pointed out each place where the stonework was strongest. Frisk followed her directions as best as he could. A small loose step sent a few crumbling stones clattering into the leaves below but he managed to keep his footing, and it did not take long before they slipped by the trap and into the next room.
This one was larger than the previous two, but the floor seemed a lot more sturdy. The first thing that Lily noticed was the long row of spikes barring the way ahead.
"Really? Do all the puzzles and traps re-activate once you pass them?" She asked, her expression deadpan. "I mean. Toriel had to come this way!"
Her annoyance almost seemed to resonate within Frisk's SOUL. It smelled like burnt lemons… "Come on, it's okay. I'm sure we'll figure it out." Frisk said. Trying to console her while ignoring the scent was… difficult to say the least. "What-"
Frisk jumped slightly as the phone in his pocket rang once again. Fishing it out, he quickly opened it and answered. The distraction drew Lily's mind from her annoyance as she moved to listen in.
"Hello? This is Toriel." Her voice echoed. "For no reason in particular... Which do you prefer? Cinnamon or Butterscotch?"
Frisk perked up instantly. "Oh! I really like Cinnamon!" at the same time Lily called out Butterscotch. Realizing how quickly he'd spoken, he turned and mouthed and apology toward his friend.
"Oh. I see. Thank you very much." Toriel hung up and Frisk lowered the phone.
Lily's brow furrowed. "That… was strange? Oh well. Cinnamon is good too. I wonder why she asked?"
He shrugged, slipping the phone once more into his pocket. Lily returned her attention the room and the puzzle it held. She frowned again, but at least her irritation was a bit more subdued.
"Let's see… there's a wall of spikes blocking the way, a rock.. and... a plaque?" Confusion laced her voice and she drifted toward the etched stone set within an elaborate trellis of vines. "'Three out of four gray rocks recommend you push them.' Okay… I guess that means we need to push the rock into the right spot?"
"Maybe. Lead me to the rock and I'll push it?" Giving a nod of agreement, Lily approached the rock in question and hovered near it.
"Here it is. Looks like there's a button over here." She moved some feet away and pointed down to a spot in front of her. "Try moving it here."
Frisk didn't answer, instead feeling out with the fingers of his right hand until they rested upon the rock's rough surface. With a nod, he leaned his weight into it, and it slid forward, surprisingly easily for such a large object. Lily drifted to his side as the rock locked into place with a shudder. A loud click echoed off the walls before the distinct 'schling' of the spikes retracting back into the ground followed.
"Sounds like we did it!" Frisk grinned
"Yeah! Come on! Let's-" Her response was cut short at yet another call of Frisk's phone.
Raising an eyebrow he answered the phone quickly. "Hello?"
"Hello. This is Toriel again." She greeted politely. "You do not dislike butterscotch do you? I know you said you prefer Cinnamon but… would you turn up your nose if you found it on your plate?"
"Nuh uh. I like butterscotch too. So does my friend!" He grinned, feeling a little better about his quick response earlier. Lily seemed to light up a little too.
"Wonderful. It sounds like I made the right choices. Thank you for being so patient. Alright. Be good my child." She spoke softly
"I will." Frisk responded. "Bye."
"Awesome! I'll get my butterscotch!" Lily spoke up as Frisk hung up the phone. "I wonder why she's asking these questions? Any idea?"
"Sounds like she might be making something for us to eat? I mean. I am getting a little hungry." Frisk says, placing a hand on his stomach. "But… didn't the candy turn into magic when I ate it? If all the food here is like that, doesn't that mean we'll stay hungry?"
"Maybe but… Somehow I have a feeling that the magic makes you feel full when you're supposed to." Turning her attention back to the path she leads Frisk onward. "We could ask Toriel when we see her."
The corridor wound ahead and they eventually find themselves in yet another room. Lily's worry took on the murky scent of moist air just before a storm. Frisk frowned.
"What's wrong Lily?"
"This whole room… The entire floor looks like it's going to crumble at any moment…"
She coasted over to the unsettling stonework, and lowered herself to the ground. Her expression turned thoughtful for a moment as she came to rest upon solid ground. Slowly, she reached for the cracks and concentrated. If this form was, in fact, spectral then maybe…
Her suspicions were rewarded as her hand passed seamlessly into the floor and vanished beneath. She pulled it back out, completely unharmed and smiled. Then, using that same concentration, she lowered her head instead, and looked around the room below. It was covered almost completely in the same crimson leaves they'd seen before. Almost being the keyword, as a distinct path traced its way through them.
At first, Frisk was horrified. To him, it looked as though her hand and lower arm had simply vanished without a trace. Horror changed to confusion, and finally to morbid fascination as she peered down to the floor below. After a moment, she spoke, voice slightly muffled by the floor.
"I might be able to guide you. It's just like before. Some of the floor is sturdier than it looks." She explained. "I can see patches where no leaves have fallen through so I'd guess those are where you want to walk."
Popping her head back up she looks to Frisk. "I could float down there and keep my arm above the floor so you can see me? It's the only thing I can think of."
"T- that's should work." Frisk stammered, blinking almost imperceptibly as he tried and failed to understand how she could do that. Then again, a talking flower had just tried to kill him, a goat-woman had saved him, and he'd somehow created two stars. This was probably the least strange thing to have happened today.
"Let's go! Just let me know if I get to fast okay?" She said,
Frisk nodded and she slipped beneath the stone like it had all the density of water. Her arm popped out from the floor and gave him a playful wave before moving forward. Frisk followed, his fascination slowly giving way to humor as her arm wove about through the stone, not unlike a dorsal fin cresting over the surface of an ocean. He covered his mouth with his hand and stifled a giggle at the idea of being guided by a friendly shark or maybe a dolphin.
With Lily's guidance the two managed to reach the end without incident, and Frisk heaved a sigh of relief when she emerged from the floor and made her way over to him. She grinned at him as they stepped into the next room… and frowned at the sight of what lie there. Another room, and another puzzle. It looked similar to the room with the pushable rock, only now there were three and the spikes lined a bridge crossing another canal.
"Are you kidding me?" She said exasperatedly.
"What is it?" Frisk asked, noticing her sour expression. "Another puzzle?"
"Yeah, more rocks." Lily explained. "Though… the gap across the water doesn't look very wide. We could just jump across…"
Frisk shuddered, the burbling of the water drawing up memories of his terrifying spill, and shook his head. Noticing this, Lily's expression softened and she placed a hand on his shoulder. Frisk's squinted eyes turned to her but he said nothing. He didn't need to.
"Right, I'm sorry." She apologized. "Puzzle it is. At least we know what to do."
Frisk's nod followed her as she guided him to the first rock. "Do you not like puzzles, Lily?"
She paused, thought for a moment and then shook her head. "I don't hate them. At least, I don't think so. I guess I just thought they'd be solved already by the time we got here. I mean, Toriel came this way, so she must have had to go through them herself right?"
"That makes sense." Frisk replied. "Maybe she reset them? She wanted me to stay put after all… I guess she hoped it would keep most of the other monsters away from us until she got back. She probably didn't expect us to follow her since, you know… my eyes being like they are."
"I guess it has been pretty fun. I would say I don't remember the last time I've had so much fun but, well…" She let the sentence hang, causing Frisk to laugh a bit. "Alright, you win… follow me."
Frisk followed behind the beacon that was his companion as she directed him to the rocks in question. The first two slid neatly into place, sinking down onto their respective switches with an audible click. Lily lead Frisk by the hand over to the final rock and gave him the go ahead. The boy placed a hand on the rough stone, and took a step forward.
"Whoa, there pardner! Who said you could push me around?" Cried a deep gravelly voice.
"Ah!" Frisk yelped, stumbling back and falling onto his haunches. He glanced about frantically wondering where the noise had come from.
"You should learn some manners, there boy." The voice spoke again, drawing the red child's attention toward the rock itself. "Don'tcha know it's polite to ask?"
"Hey! You're one to talk!" Lily snapped. "Don't you know it's rude to scare people like that?!"
"I'm- I'm sorry…" Frisk said, lowering his head.
"Don't apologize, Frisk! You aren't the one at fault here," Lily retorted, before kicking the talking rock… or she would have if her foot hadn't simply phased right through it. She tried again with the same result, and ultimately settled for a sharp glare instead.
"HMM?" The rock said, seemingly unaware of Lily's attempt to kick it. "Aww, s'alright pardner. I didn't mean to scare ya."
"Huh? Y-yeah! You should be." Lily said curtly, crossing her arms. Frisk did his best to stifle a giggle as he pushed himself to his feet.
"Um, would you mind moving over a little?" Frisk asked gently.
"HMM? Ah, there's a good boy." The rock's gravelly voice somehow softened. "Okay, just for you, pumpkin."
The rock shifted forward about half an inch.
"What the- they barely moved at all!" Lily exclaimed, somewhat annoyed.
"Could you… go a little further, please?" Frisk asked.
"Oh? Alrighty, how's this?"
It took them some time to get the rock to move where they wanted it too and stay there. Between its poor directional orientation and Frisk's blindness (thus necessitating Lily's guidance), it took a good few minutes to get it into place but at last they managed it. The spikes descended rendering the bridge cross-able and that was just what they did. The smell of smoldering coals spoke as much toward Lily's frustration as her expression did.
"I swear they were doing that on purpose." She insisted. Frisk shrugged.
"'Three out of four gray rocks recommend you push them.'" He recited, remembering the plaque. "I guess the fourth is a little more independent."
They moved onward, passing through a room whose only features were a simple table with a piece of cheese stuck to it, and a very timid looking mouse which longingly eyed said cheese from the safety of its home. Frisk attempted to remove the cheese in hope of offering it to the reluctant rodent, but it seemed to be stuck to the table. Eventually they were forced to give up and move on, hoping that one day the mouse might find the means to claim it on its own. With nothing else to do there, they continued on to the next room.
What they saw there defied belief.
Lying in the middle of the path, among a bed of fallen leaves was a figure, pure white and shapeless. It looked like a ghost, but it was quite unlike Lily's spectral form. Where as she appeared human but for the weightlessness and levitation, this one looked like a bedsheet with eyes. A single hand shot to the girl's mouth in order to avoid bursting out in laughter at the sight. They approached carefully, Frisk with a good deal of caution, Lily with an enormous grin.
"zzzzzzzzzzzzz…" It said. One of its eyes opened slightly and quickly closed once again upon noticing the young boy with a confused expression standing over it. "zzzzzzzzz… (are they gone yet) zzzzzz…"
"He's literally just saying 'z' repeatedly." Lily snickered, floating over and poking the ghost in the side. "Hey, I know you're not asleep."
"Hello?" Frisk offered. "Are you awake?"
"oh… i guess it didn't work…" The ghost said. "i must have picked the wrong spot to be alone again…"
"Are you okay?" Frisk asked, drawing upon his SOUL in order to look at the ghost.
It seemed to notice this, and sighed. "you can put that away… i'm not really feelin' up to it right now, sorry…"
"I don't want to fight you, I just want to talk." Frisk said, smiling gently.
The ghost drifted into the air, shifting from laying to floating upright in a single motion. It was actually much taller than it seemed at first, but almost seemed to shrink in on itself in an effort not to be seen. Its expression seemed to be locked in a state of melancholy that made Frisk frown. Lily noticed this too and her mirth evaporated in an instant, as she returned to Frisk's side.
"oh… that's fine then." The ghost said. "i'm… napstablook. but… i guess you didn't ask. sorry…"
"It's okay. I'm Frisk." The boy said with a patient smile.
"frisk… that's a nice name…"
"Wow… I feel kind of bad for them." Lily said, looking up with a bit of concern at the sad face of Napstablook. "I wish I could apologize for poking them like that."
"it's alright… I barely noticed…"
"Wait, what?" Lily exclaimed. "They heard me?"
"You can hear Lily?" Frisk asked.
"was i not supposed too? oh, i'm sorry…" Napstablook apologized, and their form seemed to flicker slightly.
"No, no! I-it's good!" Frisk said quickly. "You're the first one besides me."
"i see… i think i get it now." Napstablook said thoughtfully. "it must be because they're like me… sorry about that."
"Like you?" Lily asked. "Does that mean I'm a ghost?"
"maybe… you're different from other ghosts though…" they said.
"Because I look different?" Lily asked, taking care not to come across wrong. It looked like one false word might cause the poor thing to fade out of existence.
"kind of… but…" He thought for a moment. "but there's something else… i can't really say what. sorry…"
"It's okay. I'm glad you can talk to her. She's a really great person." Frisk said. Lily's blush was accompanied by a vanilla scent. "You seem nice too."
"heh heh… thanks." Said the ghost with a sad little smile. "your name's lily? that's a nice name too…"
"Thank you…" Lily replied softly, still somewhat embarrassed from Frisk's compliment.
"i normally come to the ruins because there's nobody around…" Napstablook sighed. "but today i met two really nice people."
"You should try to be a little more confident." Frisk encouraged. "I'm sure you could make lots of friends if you tried."
"heh… maybe." Napstablook's voice was dour, but they looked a little happier now. Their sad eyes were now accompanied by the faintest of smiles. "oh, I guess you wanted to get through here, huh… sorry, go ahead."
"Maybe we'll see each other again?" Lily suggested. Napstablook smiled.
"i'd like that." Napstablook's form began to fade once again, but both Frisk and Lily could see that sorrowful smile grow a little bit brighter at their kindness.
"See ya later!" Frisk said, waving as he dismissed his SOUL, catching the quiet echoes of the ghost's soft laughter.
Lily couldn't help but smile. Someone else could see her. And talk to her, too! Flowey… The rock… neither of them even noticed her. Frisk was nice, but it was good to know that he wasn't the only exception to the rule. Still, that fact also came with a realization: she was a ghost, or something similar… so that had to mean she was dead, right? The thought weighed heavy on her mind.
Frisk could feel her disquietude aching within his SOUL, manifested in the melancholic scent of grave soil on a winter's evening. He wondered if should say something, but couldn't find the words no matter how he searched. Some things were better left unsaid, even with the right intentions… he'd learned that many times. She would talk about it when she was ready.
That silence hung over them like a veil even as the two continued on into the next room. At first glance it seemed to be empty, save for a couple cobwebs. Closer inspection on Lily's part, however revealed a small sign nestled between the two largest of them.
"Spider bake sale? Uh..." She examined the webs a bit more and noticed a few small spiders hiding underneath the smaller of the two. Tilting her head in confusion she turned to Frisk. "Seems like they're selling doughnuts… 7 gold…"
Frisk sniffed. It smelled like melted sugar and cinnamon.
He reached into his pocket and extracted a few coins. "We only have 3 gold thanks to the Froggit. Maybe later we can ask Toriel if she can loan us some gold for one. They smell really good."
Pocketing his money again he and Lily left the room. A tiny spider-sigh did not reach their ears. They passed back through the room they met Napstablook and turned left toward the next. It appeared to be a straight shot to the other side.
Except for the line of spikes blocking the doorway.
"Well Frisk. There's a puzzle somewhere… I don't see it though." Lily announced, floating ahead to investigate.
She scanned the room, looking for any sign of where the puzzle and its solution might hide. After a moment of searching, she noticed a hole in the floor to the left of where they'd entered. Looking down into the abyss revealed a small room with a large cluster of leaves below. A winding staircase spiraled up, connecting the lower room to where they now stood.
"Frisk. I think I found it. There's a small staircase here. Let's check it out." She drifted back to the boy and grabbed his wrist. Frisk obediently followed as she led him down the stairs. He had to be careful… a fall would be rather painful. However, they soon reached the bottom without incident. Lily noticed the switch right away. She was about to point it out when something else caught her eye: a small red ribbon hidden amidst the leaves.
"What are you looking at?" Frisk asked, noticing her staring at the ground. He reached forward to where her gaze lingered, and his fingers grasped the ribbon. It was soft to the touch, the fabric faded in places where It had been folded and creased several times. "Is this part of the puzzle?"
"No. I don't think so. It might belong to Toriel… I wish I could wear it." Lily began thoughtfully before grinning like she came up with the best idea. "Hey, maybe you should wear it! It would look great in your hair!"
"Wha- no way! Nuh uh, I'm not wearing it in my hair." Frisk denied with a vehement shake of his head, and prepared to pocket it instead.
"Aw please?" She pouted. "Well… what about on your arm?"
Frisk thought about it for a moment and then sighed. He set his stick down next to him, and fumbled the ribbon into place along his upper arm. After a few failed attempt, he managed to tie it securely into place. At least it didn't look too ridiculous like this… probably. "Better?"
"Much. Let's go!" He grabbed his stick and she grabbed his wrist guiding his hand to the switch.
He pulled it down and they climbed back up the stairs. Lily smiled when she noticed the spikes had retracted. After a little more walking they reached a bend in the path that eventually led them to another large room. It was long and wide, but there didn't seem to be any puzzles. There were however, several Froggits and some other monsters spread throughout the open space. They'd barely gone a couple of feet when a gelatinous monster wiggled its way up to Frisk and drew out his SOUL.
The aroma of lime gelatin wafted through his nose, causing it to wrinkle.
"Burble burb... Squorch burb." The thing wiggled before sending small pellets at Frisk. Expecting this he quickly jumped to the right, out of line of the magic.
"Hee hee… it thinks you're cute." Lily giggled, translating the slime creature's burbling language.
"What? Uh. Thank you?" Frisk sputtered as laughter rang from behind him.
"Aw, look at it. Curvaceously attractive, but no brains." She snarked, trying to restrain her laughter as the boy gave her a funny look. "Try wiggling at it!"
Frisk's eyes somehow squinted even further, but he had no better ideas. He approached the amorphous monster and shook his hips and arms in reminiscence of a wiggle. The creature blubbed happily and quivered in response.
"What a meaningful conversation!" Lily crowed, throwing her head back in laughter.
For all her jabbing it seemed to work. The Moldsmal burbled pleasantly and slimed its way passed Frisk, leaving behind a few gold coins in its wake.
"That… was weird." Frisk glanced back at Lily with an 'are you kidding me?' look on his face. This only made her laugh harder.
Ignoring his companion, he turned his attention to the rest of the room. No other monsters seemed to want to bother him so he dismissed his SOUL to give it a rest. He could have waited for it to retract on its own so he could see, but he still didn't know much about how SOULs worked, except that it was vulnerable outside of his body. That alone was enough to make him not want to risk it. He picked up the coins left by the Moldsmal and stuffed them into his pocket with a huff.
"Aw, come on Frisk. It was funny." Lily said with a smile, draping her arms over his head and drifting along behind him as he proceeded down the large corridor.
The next room was easy. They simply needed to press the colored buttons in the right order. The only problem was finding them. It took them a while but eventually they did just that. One was hidden under a rock. Another in a pile of leaves. The third? High on the wall. That one was the easiest to find, but the most difficult to actually press due to Frisk's small stature. Taking a moment to position himself, he leaped and just managed to tag it with the end of his stick. Lily caught a few of his grumbles about being short and bit back another snicker.
Things continued like that for awhile: a bit of walking and another puzzle. It started to get really fun once they got used to it, and both were smiling happily when at last, they come across another fork. Taking the path forward brought them to a small ledge overlooking a large walled city. It seemed almost empty, but for a few lights twinkling in the distance. It was beautiful, if somewhat surreal.
"A city, all the way down here, huh?" Frisk said.
"Yeah…" Lily agreed.
They stayed there for a few moments, gazing out over the empty city. It was almost sad in a way… what this place must have looked like when more monsters still lived there.
"Doesn't look like there's anywhere else to go from here…" Lily spoke up after a time. "Guess we should- huh? What's this?"
"What?" Frisk asked, as she floated down toward something nestled in the corner of the overlook.
"It's… a knife." She said matter-of-factly. "Well… A toy knife anyway. Maybe we should grab it? I wouldn't want someone to hurt themselves."
"Alright. Sounds like an idea." He leaned down to pick it up and place it carefully in his pocket.. "I hope we're almost to Toriel. I'm starting to get a little tired. And hungry..."
"Let's go then. I'm sure we're close. I feel it." Lily reassured before starting back down the path.
Frisk made to follow, but paused before glancing over his shoulder back towards the city. The strangest feeling washed over him stood there, feeling the texture of the stone parapets and listening to the soft whisper of an underground breeze through the distant buildings. It was almost… nostalgic?
'Weird… why do I feel like I've stood here before?'
He shook his head. No… that would be silly wouldn't it? After all, he'd surely remember it if he'd come to a place like this before. It's not exactly an experience he'd be soon to forget. He turned back to follow Lily's guidance as she lead him down the path to their immediate right.
It must have just been his imagination.
Authors' Notes:Bit of a longer chapter this time but there didn't seem to be any earlier point to end it. Hope that's okay. Couple of things to mention for this one.
It might seem a little strange that Toriel took so long to realize that Frisk was blind. There's a couple of reasons for this. For one, Frisk tries to hide it as much as he can, and is generally able to get around well enough by his other senses. Add to that, blindness is an incredibly rare condition among monsters to begin with and Toriel has been isolated for a long time, so she's had almost no interaction with those who suffer from it. The closest she got was likely the purple SOUL child, and they were merely near sighted.
A few of the Ruins puzzles were changed to make a little more sense narratively. The biggest example is the 'hidden switch' puzzle, which is a stand in for the 'perspective' puzzle. The latter's gimmick only really works because of the game's top-down view, so we felt this would be a good substitute.
We're also seeing a few subtle effects of the True Reset beginning to surface…
ShiningwingX: At the beginning of the Chapter we mentioned Undertale's second birthday (September 15th). I also wanted to bring up that as of this writing, today (the 19th) is KikiRukata's birthday. So uhh, two birthday mentions in one upload! That's gotta be a record, right?
Think that just about covers everything. We hope you're all enjoying the story thus far. The next chapter should be uploaded sometime around the end of this month or the beginning of next.