In case you didn't see my updated version of the last chapter, you can see illustrations for some of the chapters (by me - along with other stuff) on Deviantart. Search for TheGreatAmisia and I will come up.

Thank you for checking by.

Also, the narrator is Amisia.

We walk past a sign hanging on the wall. It reads:

The western room is the eastern room's blueprint.

… This message would have been pretty cryptic if I hadn't known that it simply refers to the spike-puzzle that we'll be exposed to in a moment.

The first time I read it, though … I was more than mildly confused.

Frisk and I walk side by side, hand in hand, and about a meter behind Toriel. Last-mentioned is constantly turning her head to look back at us. I smile at her everytime she does so. Frisk seem to be lost in their own thoughts, so I try to lead the way by gently pulling their hand with me.

Toriel stops again, once we're at the bridge leading to the puzzle, to send us an investigative look. She seems to be considering something. Frisk and I stop, too. We both look at her, both knowing what's coming, both waiting for her to speak.

She frowns lightly, but then (apparently) makes a decision; a decisive look settling in her eyes. She looks at us, still with the investigative look on her face, and says:

"This is the puzzle ..."

I'm waiting for her to say: 'but … here, take my hand for a moment.' and have her walk us to the other side, because she won't risk us getting harmed by the puzzle ...

But no such words were spoken.

Instead, she says:

"But … have you guessed what the key to this puzzle is yet, my children?" I can feel Frisk's hand stiffening, and we unknowingly look eachother in the eyes … Frisk has that indefinable look on their face again. Not determination. Something else. I look away, back at Toriel. Her expression is still the same. Since Frisk isn't exactly answering Toriel's question, I decide to do.

After all, I'm the type of person that will never not take an opportunity to appear smart. Even if I'm not.

The western room is the eastern room's blueprint.

"Well, that sign," I motion a nod back in the approximate direction of the sign, "... kind of gave away the answer. We've got to step on only the spikes that match the light purple path from the room before the hallway, right?"

Toriel is looking absolutely flabbergasted.

She obviously didn't actually believe that I would solve it … not to mention so quickly.

Frisk is also looking at me, the indefinable expression is back, and that mixed with suspision.

But Toriel's expression is very suddenly swapped with a blinding smile.

And she looks really proud as well, as she excitedly says:

"Right you are, my child! I am proud of you."

I smile. And as I am only feeling a little bit guilty about it, I decide to ignore the feeling crawling on my back.

Toriel smirks.

"Well, it shouldn't be a problem for you to solve it, then. I will be right behind you."

She wants me to walk over the spikes alone? Interesting.

This wouldn't happen in a normal timeline.

Well, this isn't a normal timeline, either, so I guess that makes sense.

And I guess it's not a difficult challenge ...

But then again, I must not look like I actually know all of this already (oh goodness, I'm doing a terrible job so far) … So I decide to let go of Frisk's tiny hand, jog back through the hallway, take the briefest of looks at the path on the floor, before turning back to Toriel and Frisk, pretending to having had to check the path's pattern again, in order to step on the right spikes.

Of course, this is all acting.

Pretty bad acting, I suppose.

But hey, what more can I do?

I know exactly how to solve every puzzle in the UNDERGROUND (assuming we see the entire UNDERGROUND in Undertale - which I actually don't believe is the case) and the ones in the RUINS are no exception.

(In case you're wondering, this particular spike-puzzle has inactivated spikes in this:

._._I'''''''I._._._I'''''''

… pattern.)

And with the close gazes of both Toriel and Frisk (possibly also possibly-Chara, who knows?) following me, I cross the puzzle.

I let the pattern light up for my inner vision as I walk, and I follow it closely.

Four spikes forward, four to the left, four forward, four to the right, all the way down minus two spikes (six), and all the way forward.

The spikes lower under my steps, so as to not hurt me. I can feel the sharp spikes under my shoes, but they don't even make dints in the soles. I make it to the other side, totally unharmed.

I can hear Toriel cheer for me. I turn around to smile at her.

My gaze falls to Frisk. They look impressed too, but they also look like they … know? It appears that I'm not the best actress after all, but I'll take things as they come.

I've already decided to talk to Frisk once we've had some rest at Toriel's. It'll all be a little easier to tackle then.

Yes, it will all be easier once we've rested.

And eaten pie.

My smile is genuine.

Toriel takes Frisk's hand (they're apparently not as trusted as I am (once again, I wonder how old they really are? Maybe ten? I don't know. I have never been very good at determining ages, so don't take my word as law or anything. (I'm just wildly guessing here (bracket-ception)))) and unkowingly echoes a scene that I've seen unfold more times than I can count.

Frisk seems pleased with holding Toriel's hand.

For all I know, their last run was a genocide, so it doesn't surprise me.

It must have been a long time since they last held her hand.

Frisk smile at me, once they're all the way across the puzzle.

Of course, I smile back.