Chapter 6: Save
A pulse rippled across the boarders of space and time, flung into its deepest reaches. It was a strange thing, formless, yet all too real. The realization of the fragility of existence. A mistake undone, but not forgotten. The cast off darkness of a SOUL that had tasted the life of another, and found the flavor displeasing.
A poor substitute for the Name… but for now, it would have to do.
"W- what? What's going on?" Lily questioned, as she glanced around at the room.
It was exactly as they'd left it. The toys in their box, the stuffed lion displaced from the others, the collection of different sized shoes gathered neatly within the small chest against the wall, the disheveled blankets on the unmade bed where they'd slept the previous night only to be woken by nightmares… everything. Her eyes fell upon the stick, still leaning against the wall where they'd left it before leaving the house earlier that day.
"The stick…?" Impossible. She knew for a fact Frisk had retrieved it. "How is it…?"
The sound of another sob drew her attention back to the boy in question.
He was kneeling in front of the golden star, crying softly with his arms wrapped around his torso. He looked like he was enduring the worst of agonies… and indeed, that might not have been far from the truth. Lily made her way to his side and hugged him as tightly as she could. He clung to her and cried harder, face hot with his own tears. Questions could wait.
They remained like that for all of about a minute before the door was pushed open by a white, furry paw. Purple robes entered the room a moment later…
"My children.. are you alright? I heard-" Spoke a familiar voice. Frisk's ears perked in an instant.
She never got the chance to finish. Frisk was up in less than a blink. He threw himself against Toriel's body, his small arms wrapping around her waist. He was so small, he could barely reach half way around her large frame, but still he held her as tightly as those little arms could muster. The kind monster's motherly instinct kicked in, and she quickly lowered herself to the floor and enveloped the child into a furry hug. The fabric of her robes almost covered his whole body, and her familiar scent filled his airways.
Lily remained rigid where Frisk had left her, staring in disbelief at their reunion. The moment she remembered how to move, she was at their side, clinging to Toriel's arm as new tears fell from her eyes.
"I'm so- sorry. I'm sorry… I'm sorry, Mom. I'm s..s..sorry! I DIDN'T MEAN TO! I swear… I- I didn't…" Despite being muffled by Toriel's robes, Frisk's voice carried clearly. His tears bled through the purple fabric and onto the fur beneath.
"It's alright, dear one. Everything is alright." Toriel masked her confusion with a soft tone. Her large hand rubbed gentle circles along the boy's back, waiting for him to calm enough that she could speak to him.
After a while, Frisk's crying abated enough that he was able to pull away from Toriel. His hands however, continued to clutch her robes, fearing that she might fade away the moment he let go. His blind eyes turned upward toward the motherly face above him as Lily snuggled against his side, her spectral form causing his shirt to bunch up where she hugged him. Toriel seemed to notice this.
"What is the matter, Children? Did you have a nightmare?" She asked, shifting her arm to accommodate the unseen girl.
A nightmare? Was that all it was? Their time at the overlook, their fight against Toriel, her death… was it just an elaborate nightmare? Frisk turned his gaze to Lily, her tears, her surprise, her relief… she'd seen it too; lived it, as he had.
That… was no dream.
Then what happened? His pain was gone too. He hadn't realized it in the wake of their reunion with Toriel but it was gone. The burns, and the soreness of his muscles… all gone, as if it had never been.
That's when he remembered.
The golden star twinkled innocently within the pile of toys.
That star. Frisk remembered touching it this morning. The feeling like time stopped for just a moment.
"'They make me feel like nothing bad can happen as long as one is near.'..." Lily whispered from her position next to him, her voice almost non-existent in her wonder. "Did… did the star pull us back?"
She had the same thought. Was that it, then? The star?
They both looked at Toriel. Frisk called forth his SOUL, its glow painting the room in a deeper shade of red. A monochrome image of his monster mother formed before his eyes. She looked just as she had earlier, before the fight. Her torso was absent the large gash she'd suffered and her face held no pain; only kindness and concern for her children. He concentrated further, focusing upon the thin band of energy that represented her life force.
* TORIEL – ATK 80 DEF 80 HP: 440/440
She was alive… she was really alive.
Frisk stared absently for a moment before realizing she'd asked him a question. "Uh… yeah… Mom. Lily and I… just had a nightmare is all.. We're sorry for scaring you…" Frisk said, trying to smile as he used his arms to wipe the tears away.
Toriel gave them both a loving smile. "Nightmares are frightening, but they cannot harm you. You are both strong children… I am sure you can overcome this. But do know that you can talk to me if the need arises alright?" She said, drawing a nod from both Frisk and Lily. "Since all of us are awake, how about I start breakfast early? I am sure you are both hungry."
With that she stood and patted the boy's head, before stroking the air where Lily's would have been. How she always knew, neither of them could guess but after what just happened, neither did they care. After taking a moment to make sure they were alright, she left them alone and made her way toward the kitchen.
"Frisk...?" Lily folded her hand in his, clutching tightly.
"She… doesn't remember." He said, pausing for a moment before continuing. "But you do… right?"
"Uh huh." She confirmed. She wished she didn't. "You screamed and everything got all weird and fell away… and now we're back here." She waved her arm out across the room to illustrate the point. "Frisk, what happened down there?"
"I… I don't know." The boy shook his head. "I just felt so bad. I didn't mean for that to happen. I didn't want that to happen. And then it just… didn't. We're back here and Mom… Mom's okay."
"So what? You turned back time?" She asked.
"Did I?" He questioned, trying to wrap his aching head around what happened. "I remember touching the star before we left. Or, I guess we haven't left yet, huh? Agh… this is confusing."
"Just slow down… one thought at a time, okay?" Lily said, giving his hand a little squeeze of reassurance.
"When I touched it, it almost felt like time stopped for a second. It was like it 'saved' that moment for me… and when I cried out, it brought us back here." His face scrunched up as he explained, as if he was searching for something but couldn't find it.
"SAVE…" He repeated thoughtfully. "That's what it was. I 'SAVED'… H-how do I know that?"
"It… it doesn't matter." Lily said, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms protectively around her friend. "I don't care where it came from, I'm just glad you were able to do it. You brought Mom back, Frisk. You brought her back…"
"Yeah… I did." He said, the reality of it finally dawning on him. "We can fix this now. We don't have to leave… that was a mistake. Whatever I feel like I have to do isn't worth her life." Frisk gave her a guilty look. "I'm sorry… I just can't. Maybe there's another way to get your memory back."
Lily shook her head and hugged him closer, squeezing with all her might. "I'll stick with you no matter what you decide. Maybe I don't need my old memories. I can make new ones with you and Mom!"
"I'd like that…" He said, placing a hand on her arm. "Thanks…"
'This is how it should be…
It had been a few days since the children's' ill fated attempt to leave the Ruins, and things had largely returned to a cozy, if uneventful existence. The first day was the hardest. Seeing Toriel alive and well again had been the greatest of shocks. Yet, she truly seemed to remember none of what happened. Frisk and Lily had done their best to act as normal as possible both to avoid worrying their adoptive mother, and because neither had any particular desire to think about it.
The days that followed were filled with idyllic contentment. Jokes and games, explorations in the city, meeting and getting to know the Ruin's monster inhabitants… and a loving mother and warm home waiting when they returned. Much of their free time was spent learning more about the strange abilities Frisk possessed. Using his SOUL, he could see monsters and their attacks, but color and most details did not reach him and neither could he observe his surroundings. The only exceptions they found were the SAVE points, his SOUL, anything that he had 'equipped', and Lily, all of which he could see in full detail. It didn't take long to make the connection that all of these had to Frisk himself and Frisk was surprised by just how much of it came naturally to him.
Most of their time yesterday had been spent helping Toriel hunt for snails which she used to make her favorite Snail Pie for dinner. Lily had recoiled at the prospect of eating anything made from the shelled mollusks. Frisk was also reluctant, but in the end, curiosity won out when he noticed how thoroughly Toriel enjoyed it. To his surprise, it wasn't terrible… on the contrary, it was actually quite good. The snails gave the filling a consistency like thick gravy and the blend of spices created a flavor both unique and palatable.
"Ugh. I hate history. It's so boring!" Lily sighed, taking advantage of her weightlessness to weave through the branches of the barren tree outside Toriel's home.
True to her promise, Toriel had prepared an academic curriculum for the two of them. Frisk had expected to learn something more about the Monsters living in the Underground, but it seemed Toriel had decided to start them on Human subjects. Her knowledge wasn't the best in that respect, but she seemed to feel it would be easier to go over what they were familiar with. Presently, they'd finished their studies and Toriel had rewarded them by letting them play outside.
"I like history. I think it's pretty cool. Not quite as cool as science, I guess but still…" Replied Frisk from his spot under the tree, leaning against the rough bark. "I don't like math though…"
"That's because you can't see the numbers." She teased gently, poking his head in passing as she floated by on another lap around the tree. She paused for a second and hovered, looking sheepish. "That… came out a little meaner than I meant it. Sorry."
"No. You're right. If I could see them they would probably make more sense." Frisk shrugged and looked up at her as she did a few flips through the branches. To him, it looked like she was dancing in empty space, her body flicking in and out of the non-existent shadows of the limbs.
"Well, well, well…" Said a voice from below, sounding far too cheery for its own good. "I bet you think you're reeeeeally clever, don't you?"
Lily wheeled about, searching the surrounding area for any sign of the speaker. Frisk perked his ears and listened and was surprised to realize that the voice was in fact coming from the ground itself. The words carried clearly - too clearly, as if the earth itself had parted like air to deliver their message. Not a moment later, the soil began to shift and roil a few feet from where Frisk sat. From its parting sediment emerged a large golden flower.
"Flowey." Frisk frowned and jumped to his feet, his stick at the ready to defend himself and Lily.
"Oh, how scary." The flower drawled. "You really know how to use that thing, huh? Too bad you chickened out. That's fine though… you were able to play by your own rules. You spared the life of a single person. But don't act so cocky. I know what you did…" Flowey grinned, his tongue poking out of his mouth in what would be considered cute any other time. "You murdered her."
"Wait, you-" Frisk recoiled. "How do you know that?"
Lily attempted to float down to Frisk's side, but the boy noticed her. He motioned silently for her to stay far above him since she was unable to defend herself in her current form. She frowned in annoyance, but knew he was right. Those bullets nearly killed her last time. Flowey noticed the one-sided exchange and his eyes narrowed.
"Well, that's interesting. I wasn't sure before, but now I get it." His saccharine grin hid the venom in his voice. "You've got a little helper, don't you? Who is it, huh? Come on… you can tell me."
Frisk remained silent, his SOUL pulsed within his chest. He thought about calling it out so he could see Flowey, but he didn't want to give the little weed a reason to attack. So he simply used the sounds to guide his gaze and hoped the flower wouldn't notice.
"Not telling me? Aw… and after all I've done for you?" That sweet smile only made his sarcasm that much sharper. "But wow, the way you used that knife though…? How you cut through her chest like that? Golly, that was a work of art. Now, why'd you have to go ruin it by going back?"
"Shut up…" Frisk muttered, clinching his stick tightly.
"Didn't you notice it…?" He smirked. "That feeling when you turned her to dust? That power? You can't tell me you didn't enjoy it."
Frisk shuddered. All he could remember was the pain and guilt of what he'd done. Flowey frowned.
"You didn't feel it? Huh." He began. "Did you even try? I bet if you killed her again, you'd feel it… then you'd know I'm right. I mean, you can just undo everything again, can't you? What do you have to lose?"
"How does he know…" Lily spoke from above. "Toriel didn't even remember, so how could he?"
Frisk wondered the same thing.
"You naïve idiot…" Flowey responded to the question. "Do you think you're the only one with that power? The power to reshape the world… purely by your own determination. The ability to play God! The ability to SAVE."
"SAVE…" That same word Frisk had used before. Flowey knew that too?
"It used to be mine, you know." He said. "I thought I was the only one with that power. But… I can't SAVE anymore. Apparently, YOUR desires for this world override MINE."
Frisk wasn't sure whether to be relieved or terrified. On one hand he was glad that such a power was no longer in the hands of that maniacal flower. But on the other he worried about what that meant for him. The power to reshape the world… total control over everything. He'd seen it once already… by simply willing it, he'd turned back time and returned Toriel from death. It seemed incredible… he could do anything he wanted, and if he messed up, he could just undo the damage.
But… he'd seen many adults on the surface gain power only to abuse it. Would he be any different?
"You know," Flowey's voice drew his attention away from the moral dilemma, "when I saw you kill her… I honestly thought I was looking at someone else. Hahaha… I feel so stupid. I actually let myself think that I knew you." Flowey's almost somber expression mutated into one of his fanged grins. "But I was wrong. I see that now. You're weak… sentimental… foolish. You could never be the one I want."
Lily watched the conversation from her position high above the tree's barren crown. Her friend, the boy who fell from above faced off against the malicious talking flower that lurked in the Ruins' shadow. Frisk remained still, but his hand clenched white-knuckled around his stick. Flowey's words rang in her ears, echoing again and again in her mind. It was strange… that little sob story should have meant nothing to her. The flower was a liar… he could have easily strung together a few words to try to break Frisk's spirit. So then why…
'Why does my chest hurt like this?'
Frisk could sense the faint aroma of dried rose petals and tears. Was it coming from Lily? It was so faint, so… uncertain, that he couldn't quite tell if he was imagining it or not.
"Well, whatever." Flowey's chirpy voice drew him back to the danger in front of him. "Honestly, watching you drift through the days, living your 'happy life' with the old hag… it's starting to get really boring."
"Why do you even care?" Frisk asked. "Just leave us alone."
"Now why would I do that? I haven't had this much fun in a looooong time. I just feel like you need a little push, so I'm going to help you out. Aren't I nice?" Frisk held his ground. He knew whatever 'help' the weed meant to give was probably anything but.
"What are you going to do?" His question held a grain of worry.
"Nothing much… just thought that sweet old lady might like to know how you murdered her." He said. Frisk stiffened despite himself. "She has a right to know how the little human she's caring for really is… don't you think?"
"She'll never believe you!" Frisk challenged.
"Maybe not." Flowey admitted. "But it doesn't matter if she believes me. It's the truth. All I have to do is plant that one little seed of doubt. It'll keep eating at the back of her mind, because deep down, she'll know it's not a lie. How long will your happy little sitcom last until it becomes too much?"
"I'll just load!" Frisk said before he could stop himself. Another word he knew without knowing.
"And I'll just tell her again." Flowey countered, and his face warped into a simulacrum of Frisk's squinty expression. "I wonder how many times before you'll finally snap… then what will you do? Will you kill to distance yourself from the pain? Or will you give up entirely… and let me inherit dominion over this world?"
Frisk's hands trembled, and his head hung low. "Why… why are you doing this? I haven't done anything to you… why do you hate me?"
"Hate?" Flowey asked, he cocked his head and stuck out his tongue. "This has nothing to do with hate. I just want to see where this goes, what you'll do. You, and your mysterious little friend…" Frisk locked eyes with the flower again, using his voice to judge the direction. His form twisted and warped into a glaring face that seemed to melt outward from his stigma. "So, my little monarch… surprise me. I'll be watching…"
A terrible cackle erupted from the flower beast's twisted mouth, tongue lolling and flicking greenish slobber around him. Then he vanished, burrowing beneath the ground and tunneling away, leaving only a small patch of disturbed earth to show he'd ever been there to begin with.
Frisk listened for the sounds to vanish before slowly sinking to the ground beneath the tree. He was exhausted, and his breath came out in short, trembling puffs. Lily drifted down beside him and lowered herself to the ground. Neither one spoke… both were far to consumed with their own thoughts and uncertainties. For Frisk it was Flowey's threat… how long before he carried it out, or would he even do so? Could this simple life really last? For Lily it was his story. He'd barely revealed anything at all, but the slight pain she felt could not be denied. Who was that little flower? And what twisted him to become such a 'miserable creature' as Toriel had once called him?
They sat there for awhile, both engrossed in their own thoughts. Frisk considered what Flowey said before finally turning to Lily. "Do… you think he was telling the truth? Would he really tell Toriel?"
Lily sighed, crossing her arms in defeat. "It's not even a question of 'if'. It's more of 'when'. I don't know how long it would take but… do we really want to test his patience?"
Frisk shook his head softly. "I thought so."
Silence reigned for a few more moments before Frisk asked another question that had been on this mind for awhile. "What was that anyway?"
"What do you mean? What was what?" She asked, confusion lacing her voice.
"Oh" He'd forgotten she still didn't know. "I uh… guess I never said anything before? It's, well… every time you feel something strongly enough, I get this… smell? It's like it's connected to the emotion somehow. The first time was when we went through the Ruins' puzzles. Remember how you were annoyed that they were reset? I got this strong smell of burnt lemons." He lowered his head guiltily. "I, um… Sorry. I know it's… not really my business."
"It's okay… I mean, you can't really help it, right?" She dismissed, giving him a gentle smile. "But… what's that got to do with Flowey?"
"Well… I'm not sure. It was hard to notice, but I think it happened again." Frisk explained. "It smelled like… sadness. Like something was upsetting you other than Flowey's threat."
"Oh… that." Lily said, lowering her voice a little. "I don't really know. For some reason his words just made me feel kind of bad for him. You know, when he talked about you not being the one he wants? It sounded like he lost someone… maybe that's why he's like that?" Her gaze focused on her hands and she turned thoughtful. "But the way it felt… it wasn't that I pitied him. I mean, I do but… it was more than that."
Frisk recalled the smell and brought a finger to his chin thoughtfully. "Hm… I wonder. Maybe you knew Flowey before? You know like before what happened?"
He tried to word the question without reminding her that she's sort of dead. She was already upset and he had no desire to make her feel worse. Lily considered the possibility.
"I… I guess it's possible? But would I have been friends with someone like him though?" The question came out as more of a statement as she settled in next to Frisk's side.
"Maybe he wasn't always like that. You said losing his friend might have had something to do with it." The boy suggested, shrugging. "If you were his friend once, it would make a lot of sense."
"That… doesn't make me feel better." Lily stated. If that's true it would mean that she…
"Sorry… I guess we just don't know enough." Frisk apologized, hanging his head dejectedly. "But now, I think we do know one thing. We can't stay here. I don't want to put mom in danger…"
"I don't either. But we also don't know what's beyond the Ruins. We should probably prepare some things. Come on. Let's go into town and find a shop. I'm sure we can find something useful there. We've managed to save quite a bit of money from the monsters we've met, right?" She floated up from the ground and took Frisks hand to guide him forward. It was warm, and helped her calm down a bit from the recent influx of emotions.
It was a good idea. Last time they'd been in a hurry to follow Toriel and stop her from destroying the exit. They hadn't had time to gather supplies or prepare… and if the areas outside the ruins were as harsh as she'd claimed they would need all the help they could get.
It took them a while to find a shop but when they did it was worth it. The first one they stumbled upon was a general items store, so it had almost everything they needed. They found a small satchel that attached to the hip, and were delighted when the shopkeeper informed them that its magical weave could store far more than its small size would suggest. They also picked up several food bars full of nutrients, and a metal canteen with a plastic cup-lid for water. They paid and thanked the shopkeeper before returning home.
Toriel was nowhere to be found… that was odd. Maybe she was in her own room thinking up another joke? The two of them made their way to the kitchen to take the last slice of pie slipping it in the satchel along with a fork to eat later. They filled the canteen with water from the tap before placing it inside as well. They were just about to go down the stairs when Lily stopped suddenly, seeming hesitant.
"S-should we go back to the room and touch the star again? You know… just in case…? I don't want to take any chances…" She asked nervously, shifting side to side as she glanced back towards their bedroom.
Frisk thought about that for a moment. He wasn't jumping to do this either, but the longer they stayed, the longer Toriel would have to find them out. They could simply load the last SAVE if worst came to worst, but then all their preparations would be set back. Flowey's threat? No… he'd already shown that he remembered things following a load… and if he knew what they were doing, he might try to undermine them out of spite. In the end Frisk agreed and the two returned to their shared room and the familiar glow of the golden star. Frisk placed a hand over its light and again time froze for but an instant, solidifying that spot for them to return.
The blind boy and his ghostly companion stepped back into the hallway. Toriel seemed to still be in her own room from the subtle sounds coming from next door. Seizing the opportunity, they moved toward the stairs…
And made it about half way down before Frisk heard the creak of an opening door, and the soft padding of furry feet on hard wood. It was the last sound he'd hoped to hear… and the one he most feared.
"Go, go, go!" Lily hissed, ushering Frisk down the rest of the way.
All-too-loudly, the boy continued down the stairs and into the corridor leading to the exit. He hoped beyond anything that Toriel had somehow not seen or heard him as he moved as quickly and quietly as possible down the path. Around the branching corner the exit loomed tall and menacing, its stone shut tight against the rest of the Underground. The two children realized, to their despair that they had no idea how to open it.
"Heavens, my child. What are you doing down here?" They blanched at the sound of a gentle voice behind them. "And… why do you have that satchel?"
Frisk turned around slowly, head lowered in guilt. Lily floated at his side, unable to look directly into the worried eyes of her caprine mother. Toriel's gaze shifted from Frisk, to the satchel at his side, to the large threshold of the exit behind him. Understanding dawned upon her and she frowned.
"Small one… do you know what lies beyond that door?" Her voice spoke a question, but she already knew the answer.
Frisk nodded sadly.
"Then you must know that I cannot allow this…" She said, predictably. "The rest of the Underground is not as accommodating as these Ruins. If you leave here, you will die, just like the others. That cannot happen. Please, child… come back home with me. You will be safe here, I promise."
She took a step forward, prompting a vigorous shake of the head from Frisk. "I… we can't, Mom. You don't understand. Don't say you do, because you really don't this time."
"Are you that unhappy here, my children?" Toriel asked, the pain in her voice was like a knife in Frisk's own chest. "Do you desire the outside world so much that you would endanger yourselves? As your guardian, I cannot accept that."
"That's not it at all!" Lily shouted at the caprine woman, wishing to be heard. "Just listen to Frisk! He knows what he's talking about… we both know what we're doing. Just please… listen."
Alas, her words fell silent to all ears but Frisk's, and the boy spoke in his own soft voice. "Just… let us go. It will be easier that way."
"I cannot…" Toriel said, her voice wavering. "I've lost too many children already."
Her expression hardened, and a surge of magic enveloped her. White hot tongues of magical flame coursed across her arms, setting the sleeves of her robes aflutter. Lily returned quickly to Frisk's side, remembering the confrontation from before and fearing the worst.
"Mom, please don't…" Frisk muttered and forced himself to look at her. "I'm not going to fight you."
"Frisk?" Lily made no attempt to hide her worry at his declaration.
"I am sorry, dear child. I do this for your own good!" Toriel cried as her flames once more coated the chamber in orange light. "If you truly mean to leave this place… then prove to me that you are strong enough to survive!"
Her will surged forth to draw out Frisk's SOUL but the boy expected it this time. Instead of allowing her to call it out by force, he met her will with his own and pushed the essence of his being from his chest. There, Toriel stood, like a spirit of flame painted in monochrome. The fire crackled and danced around her, judging him on his conviction. He was scared… even now his arms and legs trembled at the sight of the unforgiving blaze. But this time he did not crumble beneath their oppressive force.
"Lily… stay back, okay?" He said. "I don't want you getting hurt."
The girl looked from Frisk to Toriel and shook her head. "No. I'm not letting you go through this alone, Frisk. Not this time. Even if I can't do anything, I still want to help you." She took his hand and focused. "Let me."
Frisk was surprised by her conviction, but it wasn't his right to deny her even if he wanted to. This had as much to do with her as it did himself. So, he squeezed her hand and met her focus. This time, they would do it together. Lily's free hand moved to the carnelian glow of Frisk's SOUL, and the light accepted her, drawing her spectral form into it with a pulse. Toriel noticed the wisps of silver wind that gathered around the small boy and her frown deepened.
"Both of you, then? Very well." She said sorrowfully. "Show me your conviction, my children!"
As before, a gout of fire burst forth from Toriel's furry palm. It crackled through the air aimed directly for Frisk's SOUL. Despite his fear, he did not recoil, he did not even attempt to move from his spot. The flame struck his SOUL, causing it to shudder against his chest. He grit his teeth against the pain and fought back his mind's desperate pleas for him to flee, to avoid the flames like a magnet of like polarity.
"Frisk…? Are you alright?" Lily asked, though it sounded like she'd felt the force of the attack as well.
"Yeah…" Frisk grunted. "Trust me okay? We'll be alright."
"Wh- what? You will not defeat me by standing there, children!" She called. "Attack, or run away!"
More flames, an arc that spread randomly between caster and target. Again, Frisk remained still. The flames struck him multiple times, and he could sense Lily's pain alongside his own. Still, he refused to give in. His hand clutched tightly on his stick and he lifted it up.
Then, with a single motion, he tossed it aside. It struck the wall of the corridor and clattered to the ground, useless as a tool to inflict pain.
"What are you proving this way…?" Toriel gasped, her stern façade faltering at the sight of the action. "Fight me, or leave!"
Toriel's flames grew brighter, and she unleashed another volley of magic. The heat burned against Frisk's flesh and into his SOUL. Increment by painful increment, he felt his HoPe lowering. His own pain was accompanied by Lily's. He felt her cringe and shudder within him with each strike, but she gave no more sign of giving in than he did. No… her conviction – her determination – burned alongside his. The scent of fire filled his senses. Not magical fire, like Toriel's attacks, but a natural flame – ash and fragrant wood: a bonfire promising both comfort and safety.
"I told you, Mom." Frisk said. "We won't fight you."
"Stop… stop looking at me like that." Toriel stammered. She looked on the verge of tears. "Go away!"
More magic. But this time the flames never touched the children. They snaked along the ground, fell from above, and erupted from below. An impressive display of power, but a display was all it was. Those that drew close extinguished or went askew, avoiding the small boy, covered in burns. Eventually Toriel's arms lowered and she panted, visibly exhausted from expending so much of her magic.
Frisk was painting too. He was exhausted, his body hurt all over, and it was a wonder that his clothes had somehow survived the punishment with nary a loose thread. His brow was soaked in sweat and his limbs were shaking so hard it felt like his legs might give out at any moment. Even now, his fear of the flames screamed within his mind, begging him to give in if only to make it stop.
And yet, there he stood, stubbornly refusing to bend.
"Please… just… go upstairs now." Toriel pleaded, though the flames were already dying out around her. "I know we don't have much, but we can have a good life here. I promise both of you…"
"I'm sorry, Mom." Frisk said but he didn't move.
"Frisk… talk to her." Lily said. "I don't think she'll fight us anymore."
"Why are you making this so difficult?" Toriel asked as the flames burned lower. "Can't you see that I do this because I want what's best for you?"
"I don't mean to. Neither does Lily. But we can't stay here, Mom… not now. I can't explain why, but… there's something I need to do. It's important. As much as both of us want to stay with you, we…"He paused for a moment but forced himself to meet her gaze. "Please… you have to trust us."
"I see. Haha… pathetic, is it not? I did this to save you, but I did not even try to understand you." At last, her capric face broke into a sad smile. "No… you're right. It is wrong of me to try to confine you like this. You will do what you must. It is not my right to stop you."
"Mom…" Frisk said. "I'm sorry."
"No, dear one. I let my own emotions cloud my judgment. I see now, that I was wrong." She gave a mollifying shake of the head. "My expectations, my loneliness, my fear… for you, my children. I will put them aside."
She lifted a hand and another pulse of magic surged. Frisk and Lily heard a commotion behind them, and the boy turned quickly toward it. As their shared gaze fell upon the source of the disturbance, Lily gasped.
"The door…" she said. "It's opening…"
Small wisps of fire broke away from the torches and drifted toward the door. One by one they gathered upon each aspect of the symbol, setting it alight with magic flame. As the last piece fit, the two stone slabs shuddered before grinding outward, revealing a long stone bridge on the other side, connected to another threshold beyond.
"This is the exit. It is yours to use as you wish. I will not stop you, but please remember: once you leave, you will be unable to return." Toriel explained. "Still… I know you are strong. You will be alright. Just… please. Promise me you will be careful.
Frisk turned away from the exit, and looked back toward Toriel. She was smiling but he could still see the sadness in her eyes from the light of his SOUL. Tears began to stream down his cheeks as he looked at her, and within, he could tell that Lily was feeling the same. United in their desire for a last farewell, the children moved forward. Frisk's joints screamed with every step, but they both ignored them, using what little energy was left in his small body to reach her. His arms wrapped around the monster mother in a hug, both children putting all their effort behind the embrace.
Toriel knelt down in response, and wrapped her large, furry arms around them. Frisk's legs threatened to give out, but she held them up, using what little remained of her magic to soothe their injuries as she hugged them back. It was over all too soon, and Toriel stepped back from her children.
"Be good, innocent ones." She said gently. "And… be safe."
Toriel turned and began to make her way back down the corridor. Upon reaching the corner of the long hallway, she chanced one last look back at the small human she'd briefly cared for, and the ghostly companion within his scarlet SOUL. She knew it must be her imagination but somehow the boy looked a little bigger, that glow a little brighter. It had only been a few short days, but already they'd grown so much.
It took every ounce of mental strength she had, but Toriel managed to turn away. If they could be strong, so too, could she. At last, with a strange mixture of wistfulness and pride, she made her way down the path back to her home, content to place her trust in her beloved children.
Frisk and Lily watched until she rounded the corner before turning back to the portal. Frisk felt a bit melancholy as he retrieved his stick from where it rested against the wall. Miraculously, it too had survived the blaze of magic. That fact gave him a measure of comfort as he turned toward the threshold's gaping maw.
"What do you think we'll find out there?" Lily mused aloud.
"I don't know." Frisk replied honestly. "I can't say I'm not scared but… this is the right thing to do."
"It'll be okay. Whatever happens, we'll get through it together." The boy felt a warmth grow around his SOUL and he knew Lily was hugging him from within. "After all, we made a promise, remember?"
Frisk managed a little smile. He certainly did.
Anticipation filled them both, but they were content. Their mother was alive, and they had her support. Knowing this was enough to fill them with determination for the road ahead.
Authors' Notes: First off, we apologize for the somewhat slower uploads this month. We've been dealing with a bit regarding the move. Hopefully this will change soon but, without going too far into it, we really don't know WHEN it will be done, to be honest. Still, we hope you've enjoyed this chapter all the same.
Anyway, so we now have our first glimpse of the threat mentioned way back in the first chapter. We'll leave the details to your imagination… for now.
As for Frisk and Lily, well… a simple life is a fine thought isn't it? Unfortunately simple lives don't have sociopathic talking flowers in them.
ShiningwingX: Being as I am a huge Dark Souls fan, I felt compelled to make a small reference to the series during the Toriel encounter.
KikiRukata: I'm glad we're finally uploading this. I know it's a little later than our last uploads so I hope we didn't disappoint anyone! We we're originally going to upload this last night but we decided to wait until today because it's our 8 year anniversary today...and I fell asleep last night xD. Thank you to everyone who is reading and watching us!
Lastly, if you enjoy this story please take the time to share your thoughts. Reviews go a long way toward helping us improve as writers, and we'd love to know what you all think!