~Faye~

Faye was not feeling anymore brave. She wanted to go home and hide away from the terrors of the world. But there she was, being dragged through the RUINS with her friends. She patiently went alongside them, praying that she would get to go home soon...

"Can we… call Toriel?" she suggested, gripping her toy knife. She didn't want to kill or be killed. She distracted herself by looking at the new room. There were piles of red leaves and a Froggit near a door.

"Sure we can," Frisk told Faye. "Percy, can we have the phone?"

"THERE'S CANDY IN THIS ROOM!" Brayden yelled from the door ahead.

"Don't take all of it, pardner!" Clover snapped back at him, entering the room. Soon, their bickering filled the air.

"Cut it out, you two!" Melody grumbled, storming into the room. She joined in on the arguing.

"Here," Percy handed Frisk the phone. He stood near the door where the three were arguing.

"Ooh, sure, let's ring her," Cody joined Frisk and Faye.

Coincidentally, Toriel actually rang the kids just as they were about to ring her.

"Hello, this is TORIEL," she greeted. "Are you all there?"

"Uh, not all of us," Cody answered, chuckling sheepishly. "I'll go and get the others if you want, Ms. Toriel!"

"That would be splendid, my child." Toriel replied.

So Cody left the group and entered the candy room. Frisk and Faye gazed at each other.

"Um…" Faye bit her lip. "So, um… are we the first humans to fall Underground…?"

Frisk's expression darkened for a brief moment.

"Well…" Toriel coughed. "Not the first, but…" She breathed out. "It has been quite a while since a human has fallen down. I am surprised to see so many of you at once."

"Oh…" Faye replied. "What happened to the first human that fell?"

Before Toriel could respond, Brayden ran over, putting his arm around Faye.

"Goat lady!" he greeted. "What's goin' on?!"

"Brayden…" Melody sighed, trailing behind him.

"Ah, you children have not left the room, have you…?" Toriel asked with concern. "There are a few puzzles ahead that I have yet to explain. It would be dangerous to try to solve them by yourselves."

"I'm sure we can handle it, Ms. Goat lady," Brayden grinned.

("I doubt that," Melody uttered.)

"Well… be good, alright?" Toriel replied. She was about to hang up.

"Wait!" Faye squeaked, almost dropping her toy knife again. "Don't go yet! Um… I just wanted to say, uh… hi!"

She almost said Mom. She missed Mom. Her aunt was great and smart and awesome, but she wasn't Mom. Faye probably wouldn't see Mom again. Or Dad, either.

"You only wanted to say hello?" Toriel asked. She chuckled. "Well then, hello, my child."

"Hi," Faye replied. Everyone was looking at her again. She didn't feel great. But she wanted to keep talking to Toriel. Frisk's reassuring smile made her feel a little bit better.

"It's a nice day today," she said. "I like nice days."

"It is a nice day, my child," Toriel said patiently. "You must be used to the sunshine, the growth of plants and many other wondrous things on the surface."

"Yeah," Faye replied, looking excited. "I like all the plants. There are so many plants and they're all really pretty. And in Spring, all the birdies have their little babies and they feed them all season…"

Brayden groaned. "Faye…"

"Let her talk," Frisk told him. "I think she needs this."

"What do you know?!" he snapped at them. "You're not her best friend!"

"Brayden, I think we should go," Melody grabbed her friend's shoulder. "Frisk… can you…"

Frisk nodded at her. And so, the others walked off, leaving Frisk and Faye behind.

"... and the autumn is so pretty with all its leaves," Faye gushed. "And…" She trailed off. "Oh… where did everyone go?"

"Don't worry about it," Frisk told her. "Keep talking all you want. They're just up ahead."

"And you stayed…?" Faye asked. "For me?"

"Well, yeah, I'm your friend," Frisk beamed. "I'm here for you."

Faye's eyes watered. "Frisk…"

Toriel chuckled. "Oh, dear children. Perhaps you should catch up with your friends."

"Oh, okay," Faye almost didn't want to go. She wanted to stay, forever. "Goodbye, Mom - I mean… um… Toriel, can I call you Mom?"

"You wish to call me… 'mother'?" Toriel asked, sounding shocked and a little sad. She sighed, composing herself. "Well, if that is what you makes you happy… then call me whatever you like."

She hung up. Faye looked happy. Frisk squeezed her shoulder.

"Come on," they said, leading her ahead.

"BOO!" Brayden yelled, scaring a whimsun. It leaned away from him, shivering in fear. It whimpered and flew away.

Brayden burst out laughing. Faye stared at the poor monster and immediately felt sympathetic. She wanted to run and hide as well.

"Brayden, that was so rude," Melody told him. "We're supposed to be nice."

"Aw c'mon, it's fine," Brayden retorted, waving it off. "I only scared it a little!"

"Brayden..." Cody just stared at him. "That was uncalled for."

"Yeah," Frisk nodded. "You need to have more patience."

Faye bit her lip. Brayden was her best friend and she loved him, but sometimes he could be a little… insensitive.

"Ehhhhh it's fine," Brayden shrugged. "Come on guys, there's more monsters we gotta fight!" He raced off to the next room, falling down a hole. "AHH WHAT THE F-!"

"Brayden!" Melody groaned.

"I dunno how you put up with that guy," Clover told her, eyeing her brother and glaring at any monsters that dared to approach him. "Or how anyone does, for that matter. He's wild."

"But he's brave." Faye spoke up.

Unlike me, she thought sadly.

"And then there's you who's his best friend," Melody commented, giving Faye a stare. "You're so different from him. How does that work?"

"Their opposing natures are a force my brain cannot comprehend," Percy added. "They would make for a good fanfic, though."

"I don't know," Faye replied. "We've been friends for ages. We knew each other before I moved to Ebott. I didn't see him again until he moved to Ebott as well and went to the same school as me."

"Yes, he moved when I moved to Ebott," Melody said, looking thoughtful. "We moved together. And Percy of course, who came with me."

Percy grimaced.

"You guys are so slow!" Brayden entered the room. "Come on! The underground is waiting!"

Everyone groaned and entered the next room. Faye stalked behind, staring at the purple floor. She thought of Brayden's smile. His presence. His protectiveness.

She sighed, sticking by Frisk as they walked ahead.

Frisk was… different from Brayden. They were nowhere near as impatient or as loud. They were… more down to Earth. More humble and friendly. And they were kind. Faye was glad they were her friend. They were a good person to have around.

Toriel called the kids again while they were pushing a rock onto a button and getting rid of some spikes. She asked if they preferred cinnamon or butterscotch. No one could agree on anything.

Toriel said she'd bake a mixed pie, since she was going to do that anyway. Faye was happy about that. She liked pies. She wanted to keep talking to Toriel but no one else looked happy about that, so she refrained.

After that was a maze that had soft patches that you could fall down through. They led to a maze of red leaves. Avoiding them created a path that the kids had to follow.

Melody held Brayden back so he didn't run into everything, Percy staying behind her. Faye followed the Frisk who already solved the puzzle. Cody and Clover followed them as well.

The group ran into Moldsmal, a monster that looked like a bowl of jelly had come to life. And to everyone's surprise… Frisk whistled at it, seductively.

"That mould of yours…" they teased. "It really gets me going."

Moldsmal began shaking.

"What in tarnation are they doing…?" Clover asked, blinking.

"That is unlike any dance I've seen." Melody commented, moving away.

Faye lay down on the ground next to Moldsmal. It was very peaceful. She liked peaceful things.

Moldsmal was so embarrassed that it left early. Frisk grinned and crossed their arms.

"The heck was that?!" Brayden asked Frisk, making a face.

"The way to its heart," Frisk giggled. "Come on! More puzzles await!"

The kids did another puzzle with a sassy rock, who wouldn't move onto a button to get rid of some spikes.

Melody told it off and it did what it was told. The kids fought some more Froggits and Moldsmals and went to the next room.

Frisk stopped in there for a moment. It was a small room with a little table holding a plate of cheese. A mouse hole was in the wall. Faye walked up to it and listened to the mouse squeak too many times.

The next room passed through a hall. On the ground were red leaves, which had a ghost pretending to sleep on them.

"zzzz," they snored, looking a little anxious. "(are they gone yet?)"

"We can tell you're not sleeping." Melody told the ghost, folding her arms.

"Get out of the way!" Brayden snapped, trying to move the ghost. A battle started with the ghost, whose name was Napstablook.

"Sorry for disturbing you," Faye mumbled quietly. "We just want to pass by."

"No need to fight." Cody agreed, waving his hands.

"Yeah," Frisk wiggled their eyebrows. "I'll show my ghost if you know what I mean."

"oh noo….." Napstablook sobbed.

Their tears flew around the battle arena, hitting everyone's SOULs.

"OW!" Brayden groaned, covered in tear stains. He glared at the ghost. "You think you can cry on me?!"

He tried to punch Napstablook but it didn't work because you can't punch ghosts.

"I'm so sorry." Faye told the ghost, giving it a patient smile. Napstablook seemed to appreciate that.

"heh…" they mumbled, crying some more. Clover brushed tears off her cowboy hat.

Napstablook looked like they didn't want to be there. Faye related to them.

I wish Toriel was here… she sighed.

Frisk was giving Napstablook another flirty stare. Brayden's gaze was not so pleasant. Melody was holding him back as usual. Cody was staying near his sister.

"Um…" Faye had an idea as she faced the ghost. "Hi, my name is Faye. You know, um… Napstablook, today I'm feeling a little airy. You could say I'm… Faye-ding away."

She winked. Everyone else groaned expect for Frisk.

"Wow, Faye," they chuckled. "These puns are making me a little Frisky."

"Oh, spare us," Melody face palmed.

"heh heh…" Napstablook laughed. "let me try…" A dapper hat appeared on their head. "i call it 'dapper blook'..." They paused. "do you like it…."

The ghost eagerly awaited for a response.

"Really suits you," Melody answered. Brayden gave Napstablook a thumbs up.

"It looks really nice, Napstablook!" Cody answered. "You look great!"

"Swell, pardner," Clover agreed.

"You look great!" Frisk beamed.

"You look really nice." Faye added.

Percy was silent, hiding behind Melody.

"oh gee…" Napstablook looked away. The battle was over. "i usually come to the RUINS because there's nobody around… but today i met somebody nice…" They paused, looking at all the impatient children (cough cough, Brayden, cough cough).

"oh, I'm rambling again…" they sighed. "i'll get out of your way." They disappeared.

"FINALLY!" Brayden exasperated.

"What a nice ghost." Faye commented, observing the purple walls again. She noticed Frisk was moving right, going into a room. Faye followed them. They were in a tiny room with cobwebs on the wall. Apparently it was a spider bake sale.

She watched them drop all their items aside from their stick and bandages and literally throw their money into the spider webs. Spiders crawled down and gave them six donuts. They looked disappointed about something.

"Wow, that's a lot of donuts," Faye told Frisk, appearing behind them.

"Whoa!" Frisk jumped. "Didn't see you there."

"Oh, I didn't mean to scare you," Faye pouted. "I'm so sorry."

"All good," Frisk waved it off.

"Don't mind me asking, but… why did you buy so many donuts?" Faye asked.

"Well, they're for you guys!" Frisk grinned.

"Aw, really?" Faye asked.

Frisk nodded. "Not right now, though. Let's wait until later and we'll have a bite then, huh?"

Faye nodded. And so the two joined the others.

The kids spoke to three froggits about some things. Now they knew that monsters with yellow names meant you could spare them. And there were apparently four frogs. Faye wanted to look for the fourth frog, but everyone wanted to move on, so she stuck with the gang.

The squad arrived at the next room. There were separate holes covered in the soft material that led to different places. Spikes blocked the way to the next room. The kids were in one of the holes.

"Hmm…" Frisk eyed the puzzle. "Let me have a go."

They jumped in a different hole. A few moments later, the spikes ahead were unblocked.

"Whoa…" Cody gasped. "How'd they figure it out?"

Frisk came out of a vent. "Eh, it was a pretty simple puzzle."

"I admire your intellect," Percy told them.

The group walked towards the door. Suddenly, they got into a battle with Migosp and Moldsmal - the former didn't look too happy. Cody seemed to have an idea.

"You look sad," he told Migosp. "Do you want a hug?"

He approached it, arms spread.

Migosp didn't look any happier and began throwing insects at Cody. Moldsmal joined in and threw slime at the poor little cinnamon roll. He fell over.

"Cody!" Melody gasped.

"Jeez, gimme a break," Cody muttered under his breath. He ate some of his cookies, Frisk kneeling to check on him. His smile returned.

Clover, naturally, was very ticked off. She pulled out her gun and aimed at the monsters, wearing her death-stare.

"You'll pay for that, bandits," Clover bared her teeth and perfected her aim.

"No…" Frisk uttered.

Clover pulled the trigger…

… and then someone was grabbing her gun. It was Frisk, their hands on hers. There was a tense silence.

"Don't," they told her. "They're just innocent monsters."

"What?!" Clover snapped. "They nearly killed my brother!"

"They don't know any better," Frisk told her. "Clover… it's okay. We're stronger than the monsters. And look, your brother is fine."

Cody waved, a cookie in his mouth. Clover lowered her gun, shakily.

Faye raised her brow. Wow… usually only Cody could Clover down if she was angry. And yet, there Frisk was, and their magical way with words…

Frisk backed up, sparing the monsters. They grinned once more.

"See?" they grinned. "It's okay!"

Clover bit her lip. There was a tense silence.

"Come on," Frisk said. "Let's keep going!"

"WAIT UP!" Brayden chased after them.

"Clover, It's all okay now," Cody said, patting his sister's shoulder. "I'm fine, and so is Frisk!"

"That monster…" Clover muttered.

"Clover, seriously, chill out," Cody sighed. "We're good now, aren't we?"

Clover mumbled under her breath.

Faye eyed the twins for a bit. She wondered what it was like to have a sibling. The only other only child was Percy, but he currently lived with Melody, so he wasn't really lonely.

Faye lived by herself with her aunt. She liked living with her aunt, even though she could be very busy. She mostly played by herself in the garden, building homes for the ants and finding sticks for the birds to make nests.

If not, she explored her aunt's cute little house, building pillow forts and having tea parties with her soft toys. And occasionally going on the internet like all the cool kids. It was fun on her own, but it was better with friends. Or her parents, who weren't getting any better. She missed her parents.

Faye found the crew in another large, spacious room. There were pillars and coloured switches all around. The correct switch unblocked the path to the next room. Frisk was attempting the puzzle. Faye followed them.

She followed people quite often. Her parents, her aunt, Brayden, her other friends, a sparrow bouncing along the sidepath, a stray cat, Toriel, and now, Frisk. They seemed to know the right switches to press.

"You really don't want monsters to get killed?" she asked.

"Well, do you?" Frisk asked.

"Not really," Faye shook her head. "Some of them are a bit scary…"

"Mercy is the way to go," Frisk told her. "Trust me."

Faye nodded. Of course, why wouldn't she trust them?

While doing the puzzle, a monster named Loox appeared. Clover wasn't taking any chances and became super over-protective with her bro. Loox didn't want to be picked on, so Faye didn't pick on them. Melody stopped Brayden from trying. Percy took notes. Mercy was used. The regular.

The kids reached a room with a path going right and a path going north. The north path had red leaves. The kids went right, where a Froggit told them it saw Toriel with some groceries.

There was a doorway that led to a view. The kids stood there for a moment, overseeing a purple city. A nice-looking, purple city. Faye wasn't a city girl, but she thought cities were pretty cool.

"I used to live in the city," Melody sighed. "Good times. It wasn't purple, though. I don't think cities are usually purple."

"Never liked cities," Clover commented. "Too many buildings."

"Most cities these days have a higher population density than rural areas," Percy commented, adjusting his glasses. "Surprisingly, not long ago it was vice-versa."

Faye bit her lip, observing the others as they walked away. Was she the only one who didn't want to run all over the place? The others were already rearing to go.

Faye sighed. I don't belong with them, do I…?

The kids left the view. Faye walked beside Frisk. They were always waiting for her. Truly, they were the most patient person she'd ever met.

She kept following them as the kids walked up the red leaves, finding a dead tree on more red leaves. Faye felt bad for the dead tree.

"Frisk…" she grabbed their sleeve. "Um… do you think we're gonna get out of here?"

"Huh?" Frisk asked. "You mean, the underground?"

"Yeah," Faye nodded.

Frisk paused for a moment. And then they smiled.

"Of course we will," they told her. "As long as we stay DETERMINED!"

"Hey Ms. Goat Lady!" Brayden greeted.

Melody looked unhappy about his greeting, as if it wasn't up to her greeting standards.

"Oh dear, that took longer than expected," Toriel sighed. She walked over to the kids. "How did you get here, my children? Are any of you hurt?"

Faye checked herself out. She had bandages so she was okay. Cody seemed fine (he always had food stored around, so healing was no problem for him). Brayden was a bit hurt, probably from all the running.

So was Melody, who was dusting off her tutu. Faye thought Melody's dancing skills were pretty sweet. And she knew a lot about music, too. Percy was okay (he was taking notes as usual). Frisk was perfectly fine. Not even a scratch.

"There, there, I will heal you," Toriel assured them. "I should not have left you all alone for so long. It was irresponsible to try to surprise you like this."

"Surprise?" Brayden asked. He grinned. "I love surprises!"

Faye didn't, on the other hand. Surprises could be a little scary.

"Hee hee," Toriel chuckled. "Well, I suppose I cannot hide it any longer. Come, small ones!"

She walked over to a purple brick house surrounded by red leaves. There were two small windows and a door. It was a cute house.

"I sure hope she doesn't turn us all into pie." Clover grunted, eyeing the house.

"I don't think she'll do that," Frisk chuckled. "I think it's just good surprises in store!"

"Yeah!" Brayden yelled, racing towards the house. He grinned at Faye. "Let's gooooo!"

Melody looked really done with everything. Faye felt unsure. She really hoped Toriel wouldn't turn them into pie, because that would suck.

Regardless, she followed everyone else, admiring the RUINS. Frisk stood on the leaves for a bit, doing something, then entered. Faye eyed Melody who danced through the leaves.

"Frisk really is a strange kid - honestly I'm not sure if we can trust them," Melody commented, humming a tune to herself. She danced through the leaves. "You look scared, Faye."

Faye squeaked. "Well, aren't we all scared?"

Melody walked over and linked arms with her. "I'm not Brayden, but I'm something that will help you I should hope. Let's go in and see what's next."

This was one of those times where Melody was really nice to Faye. Faye realised she wasn't always running off. Sometimes, she was patient too.

The two went in together, hopes high.