Frisk had been expecting... well, he was not entirely sure what he expected when he followed Toriel. Being forced to walk down a hallway as a test of independence, meeting a ghost, and meeting a talking rock... none of that was expected in the least. Oh well, he had pretty much given up on using logic down here. There was something magical about this place, and it was probably the magic.

Human magic was much more simple, but much more combat-oriented. There were basic magics that helped everyday life, but most of it was based on doing potential damage, at least from what Frisk knew. This Saving and Loading ability Chara explained to him was completely new, apparently only being used by the most determined soul in the world. He had no idea why he had been unable to use it before, above ground, but perhaps the barrier kept certain types of magic sealed inside as well? Neither he, nor Chara, could be sure.

To be entirely fair, Frisk was only fifteen, and Chara was sixteen. It was little surprise they had no knowledge on the more esoteric aspects of the barrier. Particularly since Frisk had thought the barrier was a myth. Chara, on the other hand, was never focused too much on the barrier except how to break it, though she would not discuss that with Frisk.

Frisk paused in front of the door to the house Toriel had been at, thinking about Chara. She was... odd. Not entirely emotionless, but it was like her emotions were connected with his own, but also muted. She had told him that her soul was too damaged for her to be independent of him, but her description of how it felt was... unnerving.

"It is similar to viewing everything without attachment. I care about the monsters, but only because a part of you does, and I acknowledge that part also existed in me. In an interesting way, your soul is feeding mine so that it can... regrow? Regenerate? I am unsure. In any case, my soul is damaged, and I only feel emotions that you feel. Even then, I only feel them on the level I would have before." She had said, her voice echoing in his head with an ethereal charm to it. "I am not entirely empty, but I do not feel as strongly as a living being. Before, when my soul was separate from my body but still intact, it was as if my thoughts were muted, but my emotions were enhanced. It led to many problems, I recall..." She had not explained, and Frisk could not ask her to. It was obvious she did not want to discuss the situation further, not that Frisk could blame her.

It was weird how her soul was in such a relationship with his simply because they both were Determined. She did not have any idea why it happened, but at the very least, he was not alone down here.

He walked into the home, following Toriel. "Welcome to your new home, my child." Frisk did not like the way she said that... "Come, I will show you to your room so you can rest." He did, however, like the sound of that. Even without the fall, the journey to the mountain itself was tiring beyond belief. The Ruins had been fun, but his exhausted state did not help anything. The small monsters that came his way were, thankfully, too scared of him to fight beyond a single attack, and even that seemed reluctant.

She led him to a small room, one he assumed belonged to a male around the age of fourteen, judging from the toys and posters on the wall. That did not matter much to him, but the bed certainly did. "Feel free to rest, I know your journey must have been tiring. I will be here when you wake up, do not worry." Toriel paused. "Oh my... is something burning? Oh no!" She fled from the room, faster than Frisk could run, and left him alone to rest.

"Frisk." He heard Chara speak up.

"Whats up? You've been silent for a while now." Frisk questioned the ghost-voice.

"Nostalgia, mostly. I feel... more. Anyway, it would be best to sleep for a while, though I suggest not sleeping in your clothes, they are filthy, and itchy." She was not wrong, the clothes having been put through quite a bit of damage from the fights and journey.

"Yeah, could you uh... look away?" Frisk turned his head to the side, fidgeting a bit.

"I am physically incapable of that, I see what you do, and a small area around you similar to a Third Person perspective. Do not be nervous, though, I have seen far worse, I promise you." Somehow, that line made him feel worried for Chara. What had she seen...

Frisk sighed, not exactly pleased or displeased with the idea of Chara watching him. He slowly wrenched his sweater off, he sweat and dirt making it harder to pull than normal. Yes, he needed new clothing... Regardless, he pushed forward and took off the rest of his clothes.

Chara made a strange humming noise, like she was concentrating. "You are underfed, but not quite emaciated. You should stay with Mother for a while, she will feed you well and get your health up to standards."

Frisk shrugged. She was not wrong, his body had been affected by the long amount of time he spent out of society. He was too young and unskilled to really hunt, so he had to resort to stealing food when necessary. "I don't really have anywhere else to go... But I do want to explore the Underground more. This place seems amazing, and the sheer magic here is beautiful."

"There is no rush, the Underground is full of magic and I am sure Mother with help you with that. You can learn a lot about magic here as well. I was completely unfamiliar with it when I arrived, but I became the strongest in the Underground fairly quickly. Human magic is not as strong, but it is much more combat-oriented. Monster magic is mostly about an expression of the soul, rather than an expression of singular emotions and concepts." Chara hummed again. She seemed to do that whenever she went deep into thought, Frisk realized. "You may be able to learn more about magic through Mother as well, I recall she is quite skilled with Fire Magic, as well as Healing magic. We can talk later, though, you need to rest. I can tell. Before you do, you might want to create a Save here, just to be safe. That way you can find a way to convince her to teach you magic. She was quite reluctant with me."

Frisk nodded, covering up and laying down to sleep. The moment he did, he created a Save, knowing Chara was intelligent and taking her advice was probably the best thing he could do at the moment. His head was foggy from exhaustion, clear thought too far away from his current capabilities.

When he awoke, he found himself in the same position, curled up hugging the blanket to him. He stretched and yawned, slowly getting out of bed. The light was off, but he could see fairly easily. His clothes had been cleaned and folded neatly on the floor, next to a... pie of some sort. He did not recognize the smell, but it was absolutely wonderful.

"Good morning, Frisk. Or night. It is hard to tell..." Chara sighed. "We slept for quite a while, it seems Mother made her favorite Buttspie. Ah, Butterscotch Cinnamon pie, sorry."

Frisk chuckled, before pausing. "We?"

"It seems my consciousness is connected with your own. When you sleep, I fall asleep as well. It is... refreshing. I feel more alive now, as well." Chara's voice reflected this, a more amused, perhaps curious, tone to her voice.

"Well, good to know! I really should thank her for all this... She reminds me of my mom, just not as laid back..." Frisk went quiet for a moment. "It was nice of her to clean my clothes though, I really needed them cleaned..." He got dressed, enjoying the feeling of fresh clothing instead of his usual dirt-ridden sweater and jeans. It was oddly chilly underground, so he was thankful he had worn those instead of shorts. What person would wear shorts with a sweater? That made no sense.

Well, his head was clear again, if the off-track thoughts were anything to go by.

He headed out the door, carrying the pie with him. It was solid enough that he could eat it with his hands, thankfully. It seemed wasteful to use a fork for such a small thing, and he had no desire to add to Toriel's list of chores. Maybe he could help her out as thanks? He was not sure if he would be any good, having not done any chores before.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." Toriel smiled kindly at him, sitting in her chair with an open book and... glasses. "I see you found your pie and clothes."

"Yes, and... thank you. So much. No one has done anything like this for me in a long time. I dont really know how to repay you." Frisk smiled up at her, his eyes moist. He was not able to express his gratitude before, but with his head clear, he really saw just how much she had done already. Not a lot, for a normal kid, but Frisk had been alone and afraid for so long...

Toriel looked saddened by the knowledge, but did not mention it. It seemed as if she had some experience with children with questionable pasts. Oh. Right. Chara... "My child, there is nothing to repay. You needed clean clothes, and a good meal, I think. Was your rest pleasant?"

Frisk nodded. "Yes, thank you. It was great to sleep in a bed again." He should probably watch what he said about his circumstances with her, but he could not really help himself, she seemed so... kind. He really could not hide anything from her. "So... I don't have anywhere to go. I know... I'm asking a lot, but..."

Toriel hugged him before he could finish, causing him to tense up slightly. She did not let go, but Frisk did relax into the warm embrace. "My child, of course you can stay with me. I would like nothing more." Toriel let go, leaning backwards but still holding onto him lightly around his shoulders.

Frisk almost cried there, but he held it together. Well, a tear or two leaked out, but no one said anything.

Time passed, as it tends to do. Toriel was an amazing person, Frisk learned. Eventually he got comfortable enough to call her 'mom', which made her so happy. Chara was not silent during this time, becoming more emotive and more lively each passing day. She, much like Frisk, seemed a ball of happiness with the events. She apparently loved to scare and tease Frisk, though, which he never seemed to become immune to. He did not mind it, though, she seemed innocent in her actions and it made her happy, which made him happy. Anything he could do to help. He really enjoyed helping people.

Toriel decided to teach Frisk, mostly the basics of education but also a bit on magic. So far, the best fire magic he could use was catching one hand on fire without harming it, not the massive fireballs Toriel demonstrated. Still, he learned quickly. Toriel was a good teacher, and Frisk was an intelligent kid. He also realized where Chara got her style of speech from... and her humor. Toriel seemed to love puns, and Frisk came to as well, over time.

Eventually, Frisk came more out of his shell, being more expressive as well, and much more like... a kid. Not exactly his age, but his childhood had been... weird at best, so he enjoyed the time he had to relax, even if it meant playing with toys that no self-respecting fifteen year old would touch. Chara teased him about that, but got excited when he pulled out a strange action figure... He did not recognize it, but it seemed to be of a dragon, which was awesome because Dragons.

All good things come to an end, however, and Frisk, as well as Chara, had been discussing the barrier. Frisk learned of what it was, and how to break it, which Chara discouraged but agree that perhaps time had passed enough for a better plan to be in place. Chara also expressed concern over whether or not it was her fault that Asgore was not around Toriel anymore. She was not surprised, Asriel's death would have been a terrible blow, coupled with her own... She did not have to imagine they could not really come to terms with it and were forced to separate because of it.

Still, Frisk had a plan. Chara had regained most of her soul by now, so his soul was technically twice as strong as before, due to Chara. He figured that if he could get to the barrier, two human souls of pure determination might be enough to slowly damage it, cracking it open over time. It may take a year or two, but it should work. It was possible, at least in their eyes, but it was also risky. Determination was the only type of soul not used in the Barrier, according to Monster History. No one was sure why...

Still, Frisk had to find a way to leave the Ruins and get to the Barrier before he could even attempt his plan, which meant leaving the Ruins. Which meant convincing Toriel to leave with him. He had no doubt she would help him on his way.

So he explained his plan to her.

Toriel stared at Frisk for a long moment, before responding. "No... it is dangerous out there." Chara and Frisk were both confused. The monsters in the Ruins had been weak, relatively harmless. They were easily placated and held no real ill will. Chara knew of powerful monsters, but monsters were friendly... right? "If you leave the Ruins, they... Asgore will kill you. He will use your soul to finally break the barrier."

Frisk and Chara paused in horror. The implications were obvious, Asgore had collected six souls already, or five and united Monsters to power enough for that final soul needed. Chara had once told Frisk about Asgore, or Mr. Dad Guy as she put it. He adored that nickname because it was so adorable and she had made him a sweater with that name on it. She had been only ten at the time, which was impressive given the size of a sweater needed for Asgore. She told him about how he was the kindest and softest hearted monster she had ever met, even moreso than Toriel.

To hear that he had killed several children...

Something in Chara broke at that, and Frisk could hear her sobbing, but he could say nothing because he felt too sick and confused to really think of what to say. "But... I want to break the barrier, I want you to be free and happy!"

Toriel smiled at Frisk, her worried expression vanishing in an instant. "Oh Frisk, I am happy, so long as you are here."

She wasn't. He could tell by her eyes, by her trembling shoulders, by her slightly heavier breathing. She was forcing herself to act happy, but she felt trapped. Probably even more than the other monsters, given the limited space the Ruins provided, as well as the lack of meaningful conversation. He was not sure how he knew, but Chara agreed with his assessment, her sobs slowing to a sniffle.

He decided against calling her out on this, not knowing how she would react. "But the other monsters... They are trapped! It isnt right!" He was not used to shouting, but everything within his soul, as well as Chara's was screaming at him to help the Monsters escape.

"...I have something to do." Toriel's shoulders sagged with an invisible weight, thought she walked with purpose towards the basement, which Frisk had yet to see. Well, he knew where the exit to the Ruins was now.

Chara's voice stopped him for a moment. "Frisk... Be careful, okay? I don't want you to get hurt." There was a hint of urgency in her voice at this request.

"Chara, its Toriel, she wouldn't hurt a fly." She would probably intimidate it into leaving, like that Froggit.

"Just... don't die, Frisk. I don't want to lose you." Chara sounded desperate now, but he could not blame her. He was the only thing she could interact with. He could feel the barest pressure when she tried to touch him, and he was the only thing that heard her voice. As her soul regenerated, she became more powerful, more able to interact with him, but if he died, it would be over for her.

"Chara, did you forget I can load?" Frisk smiled.

Chara went silent at that, not knowing what to say, but knowing she should say something.

Frisk ran down the stairs to meet Toriel in the basement, which was a long corridor leading towards an extremely large door, easily twice his height, and four times his width. It was meant for Asgore's size, probably.

Toriel stood in front of the door, her back facing Frisk. He could not see her face, but he could FEEL the tension in the air.

"If you are so desperate to leave... prove your strength to me." Frisk stared at her, confused. She finally turned, an intensity in her eyes that was not there before. "If you wish to leave, you must prove to me you are strong enough to survive. Fight me!" She declared, before throwing fire at him.

Frisk had seen her fireballs before, having been awed at the demonstration. It was nothing compared to being on the receiving end of them. He barely dodged the first wave of them, but refused to attack her. She had taken on the role of his mother, even if he would never forget his birth mother. He could not hurt her, never.

He did not dodge the second wave, being just a bit too slow.

It was not like the movies, where the fireball had some magical kinetic force behind it, pushing him back. No, instead it was plain fire, setting his body ablaze, to Toriel's horror.

Frisk screamed as the fire engulfed him, his clothes and skin being burnt to ashes in mere moments, far too fast for him or Toriel to react. The pain was unimaginable, like every part of his skin was being ripped from his body at once, the fire burning deeper into his flesh until his screams became gasps for air. He heard that once you were set on fire, you suffocated before you burned to death.

He could still breathe.

He felt every second of the flames eating away at his body, turning him to ash. The last thing he saw was Toriel's horrified face, but the last thing he heard was Chara screaming. "Frisk! Stay determined, please!"

Then he saw nothing.

Frisk woke up, in bed, sweat and tears rolling down his face, a silent scream dying in his throat as the pain vanished in an instant. He felt Chara's presence, trying to hug him, to comfort him from the pain he had experienced.

He sat and sobbed for what seemed like an eternity, with only Chara to comfort him.