"Please, please have MERCY on the monsters here." Surprise donned Frisk's face. Wasn't it usually 'be good, my child'? Then again, Dave was here so maybe he changed something, like how he said every timeline was different no matter how similar.

Time was hard to understand, much less master, Frisk realized with growing horror.

Toriel continued. "Of course, protect yourselves if need be, but every monster here is special. They do not use violence against others, and some are extremely fragile. While I may want peace with humans, but...my people come first." Frisk and Dave nodded. Life was not to be toyed with, they learned in their own set of experiences.

"So I ask of you, please, do not hurt anyone unnecessarily." She smiled sadly at them. Her smile had turned into that of the letter 'o', however, when both humans ran up to hug her, unseen ghost hugging her from behind as well.

"We're going to miss you, goat mom." Dave murmured. This was all too nerve wracking for him, especially the mere fact of having physical contact with someone, but with Toriel, Dave couldn't care less.

She had grown onto Dave and he didn't want anyone else to be his mom.

There was Roxy, but she was doting older mama bear sister more than anything.

Toriel fit the category of ultimate mom. Like seriously. Flaws and everything.

"Go now. Do not look back and come for me anymore, I would not be able to bear it. Be safe…" Toriel spared them a longing glance, then walked away from them, never looking back.

Dave was silent for a moment then turned back to Frisk and Chara, only to see the former quite concerned while the latter was…

Chara was crying?

Well, they weren't bawling their eyes out, per se, rather, they hunched their shoulders and their back stiffened, as if forcing themselves not to cry. The lip biting was another factor to be considered, as well.

But of course…

Dave, while being able to look nonchalantly calm and collected on the outside, always had his mentality on overdrive, and prone to panic-induced states; especially in very emotionally distressing situations.

This was most definitely one of those times.

Okay, shit, ghosty's crying, what the fuck do I do here?! I've never comforted a kid before, much less an incorporeal form who has lived as much as I have. Dave held back a grimace. He looked at Frisk, who shrugged helplessly. They hadn't a single clue what to do, either.

"Uh, Dreemurr," Dave stepped a bit closer, which ended up in Chara abruptly stopping their tears and looking him straight in the eye. A little too close for comfort.

"You did not see anything." They glanced at Frisk, who gave them an innocently confused look, then turned back to Dave, who was nodding dumbly.

"Consider myself obliviated then." He said a tad softer than usual. He knew red eyes were uncommon, but this kid was the epitome of 'creepy' when they set their head into it. Though it could be a side-effect from being incorporeal. He wasn't all into theorizing, so he didn't try to glean more hypothesis from his already fucked up brain.

He did not need more stress thank you very much. He stuffed his hands back into his pockets after fiddling with his pack. He turned to them both.

"Well…alright, let's keep going then. Lead the way, Frisk." Frisk flashed him a small grin and a quick 'race- you!' to the blonde before dashing off. Dave followed right after.

"No fair, bro. Warn a man next time, yeah?"

*You stuck your tongue out at Dave.

"Eh," Dave shrugged. "Suit yourself." He disappeared with a crack and appeared a few feet ahead of the mute.

*Now who isn't fair?

"Payback is sweet, kid."

*You adamantly refuse to be called a kid when Dave himself is a kid.

"Your point being? I'm still three years older than you, squirt."

*You are not a squirt!

Dave and Frisk finally arrived at the end of the long hallway. Good grief, how long was that path? About 60 meters? Talk about a workout.

They passed through the gate, Frisk quietly ranting about how it wasn't fair that while they were terribly exhausted, Dave did not even seem to be winded. Said boy shrugged.

"Take it or leave it," he said in response. Frisk only pouted, which made Dave ruffle their hair in retaliation, sending Frisk yelping and grumbling.

All in all, it was a pretty pleasant moment.

All three came into view of an eerie patch of grass.

Out of it came Flowey, who began to mock them.

"Oh, so you think you're so clever, manipulating that woman into not fighting you just to get out of the battle. I know what happened to you." He sneered. Frisk looked down at the ground a bit sullenly, not really liking it when Flowey brought up times when they died, but did not put up a fight as it was normal for them.

Dave was a different case entirely.

"Better than having someone who clearly cares about you fight you, but then I guess you wouldn't understand that, flower boy."

Flowey hissed in response.

"I'm no flower boy, peasant! Learn your place."

Dave raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Look who's talking."

Frisk had to giggle in response. Says the one who is the flower. Chara, hearing their thoughts, let out a snort before controlling themselves.

"Ugh, enough of your silly mind games! Be warned, humans," His tone was menacing, but Dave wasn't affected, and neither was Frisk. Frisk's expression was just hard to decipher at times, while Dave honestly did not give nigh a single fuck.

"You've chosen the easy way out, the coward's way out," Flowey continued. "But I wonder what would happen if some relentless murderer were to encounter you? Would you still SPARE them, like a total weakling, or will you ?" The flower laughed his usual creepy-ass laugh, before shooting back down into the ground and disappearing to somewhere someone like him usually disappears to.

Dave frowned for a minuscule second before going back to his default blank state. Frisk waved them over to the gate, finding nothing wrong with what had transpired, already having been used to the insults hurled at them. Dave automatically strode towards them, but his mind was elsewhere.

To be honest, I'd rather DEFEND. MERCY can only work so much, and if I really were against a relentless murderer…well. I hope they know I won't take anything standing down. Dave's eyes, had his shades been gone, would seem darker (or was it an ethereal glow?) to anyone who saw them.

The gate opened with great effort, and immediately they were attacked with chilling cold.

TRACK 'RUINS INTRO' IS FINISHED. LOADING TRACK 'SNOWDIN CONFUSION'...

A/N: oh god. im finished with this arc. thank fuck. okay so y'all are pretty close to catching up to where i am so i better finish with school already ha

see you next month! inconsistent updating warning again!

2nd A/N: Also, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! KIND OF WEIRD HOW IVE FINISHED THE RUINS ARC IN ONE FUCKIN YEAR. time flies so damn fast. another thing:

since some have complained to 'dont swear in your summary, please and thank you' i kept getting really anxious about it so im changing the summary. hope you're happy, folks.