ACTing, she Checked the Dummy. There were deep gashes, stitched over many times before. There was no unified fabric anymore, the whole thing was now held together with an assortment of patchworked fabric. It was an unfortunate sight.

"Focus Chara," Toriel said calmly. "Fight, or...Run Away." She suggested.

She gripped the stick and scanned it over. Giving a slight swing she got a feel for it. Her red eyes scanned the dummy over once again. The FIGHT prompt illuminated. She swung down and struck at the Dummy.

The stick was heavier on the swing than anticipated. She almost missed the swing, stumbling at the beginning. It thumped the side of the dummy, before scraping on the ground.

Straightening herself out, she chuckled. "I-I'm sorry, I...I kind of messed that up." She noted, laughing a little bit. "I bet I looked like a Dummy, huh?"

"That's alright, please try again." Toriel requested, sternly.

"O-oh. Alright." Chara frowned.

"My child-" The girl glanced back at her caretaker. "That last joke...left me in stitches," Toriel assured her.

Chara smirked, for whatever reason seeing Toriel smile made her want to. However, despite the hollow sensation still being present, she at least felt a bit more determined.

The youth scanned the Dummy over, examining the weak points on its person. The stitches and areas it was held together would likely suffice. With a thoughtful strike she hit it, but nothing seemed to happen. She hit it again, harder this time. When nothing happened, she let out a low growl her eyes darkening.

Something whispered to her "I told you it feels good right? To tear them apart?" With a slight twitch, her lip curled into a snarl. "One more time should do the trick, don't you think Chara?"

A single streak of black liquid ran from her eye, her expression changing to a vicious smile. Clenching the stick harder, she swung wide. Her power carried into the swing, her movement more fluid and controlled.

The stick hit a seam, tearing through the Dummy like paper. The stuffing tore out, breaking through the air. She jumped in surprise, as what remained collapsed to the floor.

It took her a moment to process, the stick hitting the floor with a quiet thump. Using her sleeve, she wiped the liquid from her eye, the feeling...whatever it was...began to seep away. Chara won. She gained no EXP and no GOLD.

The slight glow of her eyes faded, as she scanned over the torn Dummy. "Sorry, I certainly...I didn't mean to do that." She apologized, the world returning to its faded colors.

Her caretaker stepped past her, examining the Dummy. "That's quite alright." She picked up the stick, glancing back to notice Charas worried expression. "Don't be upset my child, it's only a Dummy." She assured her. "There are plenty in the world."

"I didn't mean to tear it apart like that." She stated, her mind flooding with screams and pleas of terror. "I just thought..." Chara held her hand against over her heart, a cold creeping across her spine, had Toriel seen it? "Please don't be mad, I'm sorry, I-I'll fix it I just-"

"Shh, shh shh...It's alright." Toriel assured her, in a soft voice. "You did well, it's okay." She laughed softly, giving her ward a reassuring smile. "It's alright. You're alright, silly child." She noted playfully. "That's what they're meant for."

"A-are you sure?" Chara asked, having expected to hear something different. "I-I thought you'd be angry."

"Of course not," Toriel assured her. "Come, my child, we still have a ways to go." The woman said, taking her hand again. "The ruins aren't the safest at night."

"Alright." She glanced back at the dummy once more, managing a little smile. The cold faded back to the familiar emptiness. She would have to tell Rei how well she'd done.

After departing from the room...

The duo passed over a bridge consisting of spikes. Toriel kept her very close as they walked, briefly explaining that only certain spikes went down. The others, well, there was a respectable amount of dust across them. Chara couldn't quite recall why, but the sight of the dust seemed threatening somehow.

Upon passing the bridge, they came to a very long room. "So...we have a new home now?" Chara finally asked.

"Oh...yes, well...in a sense yes," Toriel replied. "Though, perhaps I was a bit nostalgic in its creation. So, it won't be that different to you."

"Why did we leave the Castle, though?" Chara inquired. "Did something happen to it?" She asked, gaining no response. "Is everyone alright... ?" She asked, gaining no response, her eyes faintly glowing. "Hey-" She tugged at her sleeve. "Did Asriel like the locket?"

The woman almost tripped, nearly missing a step. "Y-yes...I think he did." She replied, correcting herself.

"Really?" Chara asked, looking mildly embarrassed. "I thought it might be silly but..." She trailed, noticing something. "Did?" She asked.

"What?" Toriel asked back.

"You said-" She began "Uh, nevermind." Her caretaker kept her gaze focused on the path before her. "Your...dress looks nice." She said.

"Thank you," Toriel responded.

Chara glanced over her outfit. "I think I should probably a new sweater." She commented. "This one smells funny." She snickered, without hearing Toriel laugh. "Get it...because it's on me." She explained. "Because...ya know...jokes?" She realized it wasn't very funny.

They stopped near the end of the room. Toriel looked like she'd suddenly remembered something, sort of worried, and uncertain. Glancing at Chara, she was visibly debating a thought, before frowning some.

"I need you to do something for me, my child." The woman began. "I have to head to the house and do some-" Her gaze seemed to darken. "Cleaning." She commented.

"Oh, I can help!" Chara suggested.

"No," Toriel replied sternly. "I...I will only be gone for a short time-" She let out a sigh. "Please forgive me, my child. I promise I will return shortly."

Chara felt their hands disconnect. "Alright. I guess...I'll just wait here?" She asked.

"Yes. In fact-" Toriel rummaged through a pocket Chara hadn't noticed on the side of her robes. "Here, this is a cell phone." She explained. "If you need anything, or if anyone gets near-" She placed it in Charas hand. "Call me, and I shall return. Understand?"

"Okay." The girl nodded. "So just...hang out here." She glanced at the pillar beside her. "What do you have to clean?"

"Oh-" Toriel smiled some. "I just have some Dusting to do." She snickered.

Chara didn't understand that joke but was able to grasp that it was one. "Alright." She scanned over the phone. "So, if anyone shows up I just need to call you?"

"Yes, my child," Toriel responded. "Now please, just...stay here for a little while. I will be back as soon as possible, I promise you." She assured her.

"Alright. I'll see you later then ." Chara commented, taking a seat by the pillar.

"I'll see you shortly, my child," Toriel responded with a warm smile.

The girl opened the phone and began tapping through it. Toriel was a few steps from the room before her phone went off, surprising her. She opened it and held it to her ear.

"So you showed up." Chara voice said.

Toriel glanced back at the girl, presently waving at her. "I suppose I did say, anyone, didn't I?" She mused, before closing the phone. "I will return shortly, don't worry."

Her ward simply nodded and rested against the long pillar. She was busy working on a pun, or two. She wondered how long Toriel would take to return. Why she left, and what she was "dusting" exactly?

As she sat, there was a sound, the Flower popping out of the ground a short distance from her. Flowey seemed to scan her over, as she did the same in return. There was a silence between them, both clearly waiting for the other to say something.

"So-" The Flower began.

She reached out and grabbed his petals, catching him by surprise. "Howdy Partner."

"C-chara-" He began in alarm, before she released him.

"Just playing with you Petals." She remarked with a smirk. "So, I'm waiting here now." She noted.

"Yeah, I noticed that," Flowey commented. "Well, she at least seemed happy to see you...strangely."

Chara nodded. "She seems distracted by something. But, yeah, she said she needed to do some dusting-" The flowers expression darkened. "what's with that look?"

"Oh, nothing." Flowey laughed nervously. "J-just uh, she cleans with a certain enthusiasm." He explained hesitantly. "Almost burned me once. Heh...heh..."

"Well, do you want to wait with me?" She asked.

"Sure." He responded warmly. "That could be...nice."