"You."

She spoke even before she realized it, voice quivering out with a tremble, so much emotion bottled into a single syllable. Her heart was hammering rapidly against her chest as she stared back at the cold, black eyes of a man she'd once known from a time long, long ago. She could feel fear arise in her as she recalled who he once was. What he'd once done.

"Me," he confirmed as he spread his arms out, his voice just as smooth, deep, and calm as she remembered it. His lips were tugged into a smirk, his orange hair shaved along the sides, but long in the back, pulled into a ponytail, his sharp eyebrows in contrast with his black eyes making him look humored at the sight of her. She was shaking, her eyes quivering, breathing hitched at the mere existence of this man.

After several long, tense moments in which silence hung in the thick air between them, he spoke. Just as slyly and confidently as he always had. "I'm a little surprised you didn't try to dig up the Messiah sooner," he admitted, "the signs were all there, but you… Asgore… that old turtle fool… you all just blissfully ignored them, didn't you?"

Toriel didn't respond. She couldn't. She was rooted to the spot, glaring at the man who'd taken so much from her, before the Great War had even taken place. How was he still alive? He was just a mortal man, after all, wasn't he? Even despite the things he was capable of?

When she didn't answer, the man continued, taking a couple of steps forward. "Not many are left from those days. I think it's almost poetic that I get to be here right now, ready to turn you to dust after such a long wait," he rolled his ebony eyes, letting out a chuckle that sounded so genuine and warm, it would have fooled anyone but her. She knew what truths lay behind those eyes, behind that smile.

"Your kind is going to die, Tori," he stated, blinking slowly. "Slowly. Painfully," his words were slow and painfully deliberate. "First we'll strip them of their rights, and then their leaders. We'll deepen the divide between them and humanity. We'll make them feel so hopeless and alone against an entire world… then we'll finally deal the killing blow. Sounds fun, doesn't it?"

A ball of fire materialized in her palm, her gaze darkening as she regained herself. "Not if I stop it," she stated, narrowing her eyes. To her surprise, the man actually seemed to relax a little at this.

"Oh, good," he smirked at her. "I like it when they put up a fight. Question is; how long do you think you can survive?"

She'd been just a child. It had been her thirteenth birthday a few months ago, and she thought herself an adult already, as most her age would often do. That didn't go without saying that she was chalk full of her own responsibilities around her family farm. Gardening wasn't easy work, and her father often went out of his way to make sure the young Toriel was just as good as him.

At the time, she'd been so… taken. Of course, it was extremely taboo. A human and a monster? But the first time she'd seen him… she'd been stricken. His voice, his smile, all of it. At the time, she'd thought of him as a friend, and she'd believed he thought her the same.

She'd met this man while out on a supply run for her father, leaving him to tend to the farm until her return. It wasn't uncommon, she'd done this plenty of times since she'd been nine, and the monster-human community nearby was very loving and welcoming. They always knew how to make her feel like part of the family.

So, just as she had a hundred times before, she rode into town on horse-back, hopping off to hitch her horse, named Benji, to a post. Like today, she'd usually dress herself up for such an occasion as coming to town, wearing a magenta gown with a cute equally colored hat over her head. Just as she was about to enter the shop, she saw something out of the corner of her eyes, immediately drawing her attention to it like a magnet.

It was a man. A human she'd never seen before wearing what appeared to be rather expensive, silken clothing, a mane of red hair splayed out behind him, pulled into a tight ponytail. Her eyes followed him as he simply walked across the street, disappearing inside of another store.

She blinked a couple of times, realizing how… entranced she'd been, but shook it off, brushing off seeing this human, and entered the store to begin shopping.

She saw him again once exiting. He was standing near the marketplace, talking to a tall, burly man with a thick mustache that hung down to his chin, wearing equally fashionable clothes. Her eyes remained glued to the red-headed human, before she hurriedly looked away as he turned his head in her direction.

She could feel a blush creep to her cheeks- but why was she doing this? She glanced back at him again to find he was back to talking to the burly man, so she did her best to ignore the human as she continued on her way.

This proceeded to happen over the course of the next few years. He was always there every time she visited the town, alone or not, but sometimes she'd managed to lock eyes with him. His were charcoal black, and almost reflective. It was unlike the eyes of any human she'd ever met. And she'd heard his voice a few times. Strong. Warm. Confident. She found herself attracted to this human for reasons she couldn't quite agree with. It was, for lack of better terms, very taboo—and very exciting.

Their first interaction came shortly after she'd turned seventeen, and she was wandering through the market with a basket, her attire still very similar to that of just a few years prior, though the magenta blouse was now a violet dress, her frilly hat replaced by a veiled violet one.

Toriel browsed through the selection of booths, grazing by fruits and vegetables, paying for an apple for the ride back home- and she saw him again. She was well aware of when he was around, her breath practically becoming ragged when he was near. She glanced about to see him, and was startled to find him right behind her, his arms folded over his chest, stubble grazing his chin. She locked eyes with him, and immediately felt her face flush, which seemed to amuse him.

She was rooted to the spot until he gave her a nod, along with the most subtle of winks that she certainly caught onto. "Good day, malady," he greeted with a slight bow. "I've seen you shop here for years, yet we've never spoken. My friends call me Luci. And you are?"

Her breath caught in her throat, before she managed to croak out; "T-Toriel. Toriel Hoperiss."

"Hoperiss, hm?" Luci smirked, leaning to the side slightly as he shifted his weight onto a singular leg. "Not a common name these days. Old royal family, right?"

"Once upon a time, maybe," Toriel responded, surprised at her own response. At how simple it had been, at how casual. Like she wasn't screaming internally, having secretly fantasized of this moment.

"You look about the same age as the Dreemurr Prince," Luci commented, "he's being courted by many, you don't happen to be a potential bride, do you?"

She shook her head, and he let out the softest of chuckles before shrugging his shoulders. "Too bad. Their loss, I guess."

And they spoke well into the evening, Toriel feeling some sort of radiance each time he spoke, and when they parted ways, she was left feeling… strange. She felt as though she were in love, yet at the same time, something felt just so off about him. But what?

Did she care? Not really. She was feeling incredibly giddy.

… and she completely forgot to purchase supplies.

For the next few months, this process continued. She'd stay in town longer and longer each night, talking the hours away with a human. A human. By Orion, her father would kill her if he found out.

But she liked it. Her infatuation with the man was coming to a boiling point, yet one day, his perfect visage received its first crack. The first time he broke character of his perfect persona.

The day she met her future husband.

It went like any other. The two met at the entrance to town, and walked along the road, talking, sometimes flirting, which had become more of a common practice between them, when suddenly, the town seemed to get riled up. People ran into their houses to grab their families, into shops to let customers know what was happening, the streets filling up with monsters and humans alike.

"What's happening?" Toriel asked, intrigued. Luci didn't seem to know either, but a nearby villager turned briefly to face her.

"It's the Prince! He's visiting the town!" he stated excitedly. Toriel peered over the heads of a few men to see the distant figure of a tall monster wreathed in royal purple robes, waving a great white paw at the people greeting him, two monsters on either side of him. A fish monster, his scales a blue-ish green in color, his black hair pulled back into a bun, armor adorning his entire tall frame, presumably of the Royal Guard, and on his other side stood a skeleton monster, donning black robes, his arms held formally behind his back.

"Prince Dreemurr!" Toriel grinned, looking at Luci with excitement. "I'm surprised he's visiting! Royalty rarely comes out this far north," her companion, however, didn't seem particularly pleased with this, a scowl besetting his face, making Toriel furrow her brow with worry. "Is something the matter?"

"Kings, Queens, royalty, they're all pathetic," he informed her. "In the end, they're in it for themselves and for their power. Don't let his boyish charms fool you."

"What ever do you mean?" she questioned, frowning now. "We haven't yet met him."

"Why do you think he's here? To ask for your hand in marriage. You are the fairest of your kind, after all."

His comment made her blush, but the words before made her wonder if there was any truth to them. She and her father rarely made it known that they were related royalty to the Kingdom of Hopes, mostly going out of their way to avoid attention. How had the Prince heard of her? And why would he come out all this way for a single bride when he already had so many available?

Luci's words turned out to be false, and the Prince gathered the town around him to begin discussing his plans once he assumed the throne. He spoke of offering troops for protection, materials to build walls, safer trade routes, and to the great pleasure of every working man and woman in that town, he said he'd lower their taxes. He didn't once mention anything about marriage, or even about local Gavalitch Monsters.

And just like that, he was on his way out, the crowd dispersing, but he stopped suddenly, his eyes having found Toriel's in the crowd. His jaw went slack for a moment, before he regained his composure, glancing around nervously for a moment.

Prince Dreemurr was indeed around her age, with long blonde hair that was slicked back, two small horns jutting from his forehead, his crimson eyes unable to pull away from hers. By this time, his companions had noticed his lack of presence, and had turned to find him clearing his throat, and walking slowly toward Toriel, who couldn't help but find his obvious awkwardness a bit adorable. He came to a stop a few feet in front of her, and managed to stammer out, "H-h-hiiii…"

Toriel found herself giggling at it, thinking this to be such a silly interaction… but it had a charm to it, too. "Hello, your majesty," she curtsied to him. "That was a pleasant speech you gave."

"You think so?" The Prince beamed at her compliment, before Luci cleared his throat, his usual smirk plastered over his face. A glance at him seemed to set something in Toriel. The moment she saw him, he consumed her thoughts like an obsession within seconds as he introduced himself to the Prince, who thanked him, nodding in response.

"We were just leaving."

Luci placed a hand on her shoulder, urging her away, and the Prince's face fell. "I won't keep you any longer, then," he stated, looking at Toriel. "I… hope our paths cross again, some day."

"Unlikely," Luci replied with that same smirk plastered over his face. Toriel's thoughts were practically battling and she was unable to say anything as the human urged her away from the Prince, who stared after her for a moment, before continuing on his way with his two companions.

It was like a broken mirror, shattering some perfect image. Something suddenly felt incredibly off about him. Like a veil had been lifted, yet still hung over his face. She continued her usual routine of meeting him, but he seemed to notice her shift in attitude toward him as well, becoming much more short and agitated with her. And then, he started seeing her less and less.

Yet the Prince, he would often come by, bringing with him gold and gifts for the town, often excusing himself to look for her- and she'd wait for him. Not being around Luci, somehow it was as though he no longer consumed her very thoughts. She'd never say it to his face, but he suddenly made her feel… uncomfortable.

She saw him around as frequently as ever, of course, but he seemed to keep his distance. Jealousy? That was the only assumption she could make. He was acting… strange. Too strange for her.

Her thoughts returned to the present when the Prince spoke to her. "So uh… I brought these from my castle gardens. I grew them myself!"

She smiled at the brilliant bouquet of violet flowers in his hand, which he'd been hiding behind him. "Oh, they're wonderful!" she accepted the gift from him, her cheeks burning as she smelled the flowers. An aroma of honey and fresh dew came from the bouquet. "Thank you, your highness," she curtsied to the Prince, who blushed deeply at this, scratching his arm awkwardly.

"Oh… uh… you don't have to… call me that if you don't want," he grinned nervously. "Asgore is fine."

"Well then thank you, Asgore," she stared into his eyes, both of their faces turning red before he looked away first.

"I've been meaning to ask you, Miss Toriel," he spoke, "your hand wouldn't… happen to be claimed in marriage… would it?"

She almost dropped the flowers, the question genuinely surprising her. The Gavalitch Monster regained herself quickly as she found her voice. "No… um… but I'm not currently available."

"That's okay! I was just asking," Asgore rubbed the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Would you mind if I ask you another question?"
"Not at all, go right ahead."

"That man who was with you when we first met… I haven't seen him around after. I hope I didn't do anything to make him scared or… something. I meant no harm when I spoke to him." Toriel averted her gaze at this, much rather preferring to not speak of the human who her heart had practically belonged to for these last few years. She still didn't know if the feeling was mutual, if that was why he distanced himself now due to Asgore's presence.

Noticing her silence, Asgore quickly decided to change the subject. "Er- sorry. You don't need to answer that. Would you like to meet my friend? He's currently in-training to become the Royal Seer."

She gave a nod, relieved he had changed the subject. "I would very much like that."

The next Royal Seer turned out to be that skeleton monster she often saw around Asgore before the Prince would go to greet her. He was still draped in black robes, his sunken eye sockets unblinkingly staring at her as she and Asgore approached. "Wingding, this is Toriel. Toriel, Wingding."

"Pleasure to meet you," Toriel curtsied to the skeleton, who smiled back at her, his rather stern expression brightening.

"The pleasure is all mine, Toriel. Asgore can't seem to shut up about you, so I suppose we were to meet eventually," he finished with a light-hearted chuckle, before bowing low to Toriel, an arm placed behind his back. "Asgore tends to call me Wingding but I much prefer W.D. if that's alright with you."

Time, once again, began to pass. Days into weeks, weeks into months, and months… into years. Three, to be exact. She was nearing her twentieth birthday when it happened. The event that gave her a deep-seated hatred for humanity.

The day she learned who Luci truly was.

It had gone on like any other. As Asgore was forced to undertake more and more duties within his kingdom, she saw less and less of him, but W.D. still often came around to update her, relay messages, and occasionally pull pranks with her. Despite his usually icy and serious demeanor, W.D. was quite the mischievous trouble-maker. His pranks were normally harmless, often silly little things that about any boy had done before. Throwing small rocks at people from behind cover, knocking on a door and hiding, or throwing somebody's cape or robe over their face and racing off to avoid their view.

In fact, today happened to be one such day where the two found themselves behind a large cart filled with hay, tossing small pebbles over it at a scaly monster with a long snout and a massive belly, who kept looking about angrily as a small rock would bounce off of his feathered hat.

W.D. chuckled, diving back into cover beside Toriel, who snickered. "Poor Old Man Aberton," she spoke, unable to contain her grin. "Isn't this the third time this week we've harassed him?"

"He's the easiest," W.D. replied, accepting another pebble from her and peeking over the cart of hay, before taking a sudden step back, shock registering on his face before he dropped the pebble and quickly recovered, folding his arms behind his back. "May I help you?" he asked.

Toriel peeked over from where she was and felt her heart skip a beat. Luci was standing there, his usual smirk plastered over her face, almost looking like a mask now. His eyes flitted over to Toriel the moment she saw him, their eyes locking.

"I'm here to speak with Toriel," he told the Seer, now no longer looking at him. Was that… hunger in his eyes?

"Ah. You," W.D. replied coolly, his demeanor seeming to frustrate Luci for a moment, who looked back at him, annoyed.

"Problem?" he asked.

"Now that you mention it… I believe it is," the skeleton nodded. "She's spoken of you. She'd prefer you to do what you've been doing, and keep your distance."

"Why don't you let her decide?" Luci replied, taking a step toward W.D., who merely stared back, the two almost performing a staring contest.

"It's alright, Wing," Toriel stated, rising to her full height and giving the Seer a nod. "He won't be long."

"She's right, I won't," Luci chuckled as he said this, and despite his warm attitude, his words made a chill run down her spine. W.D. looked toward her, before giving a nod.

"I will be close," he stated, before walking away onto the street, his back toward them the entire time.

"It's been years. I thought you'd moved on," Toriel told him, and he scoffed, grin widening slightly.

"Moved on? From what?" he searched her eyes for a moment, before his eyebrows raised. "Oh my… did you think-" his voice trailed off and was replaced by laughter. Laughter that didn't seem to belong to him. It was cold, shrill, and devoid of life. It made her feel as though she'd been dumped in a bucket of ice water.

She was unable to speak, so he continued; "I can't blame you. I tend to play with my food," he paused, allowing the uncomfortable wording to settle in as he took a step closer to Toriel. She could practically feel his breath on her face now. "Young SOULs are always the best. So ripe… so hopeful… Wanna know what makes them better? Unconditional love. Not the sappy kind either, you see, Tori… I have a habit of making my victims fall in love with me. Because when I break their fragile little hearts… well, it just gets juicier. Would you like me to continue?"

She opened her mouth to scream for W.D., but his hand quickly covered it, and his other grasped her shoulder, whirling her about to slam her against the cart of hay, his grip inhumanly tight. She could feel tears sting her eyes as his face got closer to hers. "I waited for you at home… but I got impatient. Did you know that grieving SOULs have a bit of a sweet yet sour taste to them? Your father was a deeply troubled man…"

The fear in her eyes, the terror she felt, he seemed to be thriving on it, the hunger in his eyes growing as he stared at her. "I haven't eaten a proper Gavalitch SOUL yet, your father hardly counted. I'll let your boyfriend know what it tastes-"

The interaction was severed as a blue light enveloped Luci, his eyes widening for a moment, before he was suddenly thrown a good three dozen or so meters into the air, away from Toriel. W.D. stood nearby, his arm raised to the sky in the direction of the human, before he dropped his arm downward, and Luci slammed into the earth at equal speed, a sickening thump resounding from the blow.

"Toriel," W.D. turned his gaze upon the Gavalitch Monster. "What did he say? What did he do?"

She couldn't speak, her words sticking to her throat every time she opened her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks, and to her horror, Luci was climbing to his feet, brushing dirt from his clothes, his sly grin settled on his face. "Gravity magic," he stated. "I'll admit, I haven't feasted on skeleton monsters in a while. A little dry for my tastes."

"You're Lucifer," W.D. stated after a moment. "Brother of Asmodeus?"

The name seemed to halt Luci for a moment, his smirk sliding off of his face. "Asmodeus is dead," he finally spoke, and the skeleton gave a simple nod.

"I know. I killed him."

He swiped with his hand through the air, swinging it upward, the fireballs she'd flung at him being ripped into nothing as they disappeared. Toriel took a step back, her fists engulfing themselves in fire as he neared, and she slowed her breathing, before slamming a fist forward-

Nothing but air.
She felt his arm slam into her elbow, and heard the crack before she felt it. She saw her arm bend unnaturally, the power fading from her hand as she let out a cry of pain, before his hand grabbed her by the shirt she wore, and swung her into the alleyway building. The wall cracked beneath the strength he exerted, and his eyes flared with malice as he glared hungrily into her own. "A thousand years I've waited to taste your SOUL," he informed her, placing one hand almost gently on her throat, before squeezing tightly. "I believe it was well worth it, don't you? The hardships you've faced… your struggles… your fears and regrets… It all adds so much flavor. Don't worry, Tori… your SOUL will be my favorite yet."

And her life flashed before her eyes. She could see her father smiling down at her as she planted her first seed. She could see Old Man Aberton getting his hat pulled over his eyes by W.D. She could see Asgore down on a knee, a ring in his hand. She could see her son, held in her arms. She could see her daughter lying dead on a bed of flowers, her husband roaring in anguish. She could see the gates of the Violet City being sealed forever. She could see one, two, three, four, five, six children, all passing through the Ruins. She could see Frisk, beaming up at her. She could see Asgore embracing Frisk in his arms, tears falling down his cheeks. She could see Sans and Papyrus at her table, the former laughing at her jokes, the latter appearing displeased. She could see Undyne and Alphys struggling against her in a game of bowling. She could see her friends and family cheering at a Mettaton concert…

And the last thing she saw was Frisk smiling at her from the table. Happy. Content. Loved. Calling her 'mom'...

And everything faded…

…

"Suppose I lied to you," Lucifer spat, glaring down at the pile of dust at his feet, unkempt clothes, a bead necklace, and a pair of rectangular glasses lying atop it. "Your SOUL was terrible. Happiness is overrated," he shook his head, before pulling a phone out of his pocket, sliding it upward and putting it to his ear. After a moment of silence, he spoke. "Deed's done. Thanks for the opportunity, Father. It was… a pleasure to see her again. If you need me, you know where to find me," with that, he closed the phone, and marched away, not even casting a second glance back at the remains of Toriel Dreemurr…