Frisk hung their legs over the edge of the stairs, resting their forehead between the bars. The only view was of the dark basement they weren't allowed into.
(They'd tried. Mom said it was dangerous, or they'd catch a cold, or they should read a book.)
I don't know why she's so worried about that. It's not like there's anything down there, Chara mused.
Frisk sat up straighter. Their legs stopped swinging.
"Wait. You know what's in the basement? Why didn't you say anything?"
Shut up. You're not supposed to talk to me out loud, remember? You'll sound stupid.
Right… Frisk blushed. But you know what's down there?
Well, sort of. Everything's a little different than I remember. But I'm pretty sure it's just the exit to the Ruins.
"The what?"
"Frisk? Are you alright, my child?" Mom called from the living room. She was sitting in her big chair, preparing tomorrow's lesson. She was going to teach Frisk about how plants grew underground.
"Just playing again!" They called back.
Lying to Mom always made their stomach churn. Not because they were afraid of her finding out, not like they used to be. It just felt wrong.
But… Mom lied to them too, hadn't she? If Chara was right…
She didn't lie, Chara insisted. You never asked her what was down there.
That was true. Frisk never asked how to leave the Ruins, either. They'd thought about it, but… what would be the point? They weren't going home.
This was home.
You're a strange kid, Frisk.
Their eyebrows furrowed. What do you mean?
You're curious. You want to read all of Mom's books. You poked through her room. You explored every inch of the Ruins. And yet you still refuse to look farther.
Frisk blinked. Most of that wasn't surprising, coming from one of the two people who was always wondering why they didn't "reset." But one thing Chara had said was new.
They'd called Toriel "Mom."
Their presence recoiled at the thought.
Chara?
No response. It made Frisk nervous. If "Chara" thought of Toriel as Mom too, what if they were just a voice in Frisk's head? They didn't seem like any kind of monster Frisk had met, not even a ghost like Napstablook.
But Chara didn't return to ease their worries.
And staring down into the darkness, Frisk felt terribly, dreadfully alone.