p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" It must have been the cold that woke them because they felt no pain. They finally felt the warmth of the light and tried to breathe it in, but the only thing they inhaled was icy air. It was then that the daunting realization came that the morning light they greeted was too far above them. The atmosphere revealed itself as only grim and ghastly and terribly dusty; the area felt small as walls were visible in some places, others covered by the thick darkness that suffocated everything. Most peculiar of all, a sweet fume penetrated the air, unable to be ignored despite everything./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" Golden flowers and their petals scattered all about the room, a result of their predicament. Seeing their fault below them, they got up as quickly as their legs would allow them. It was only then that the pain came full force. Their legs buckled and bent, and they crashed, destroying more flowers. The feeling spiked throughout their whole body, leaving them weaker than before./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" There wasn't a moment of hesitation to make another attempt. This time, slower and with more patience. Going far enough to grab ahold of what they could, they were able to keep themselves up. Walking wasn't much of an issue after that, but it was important to keep focus. They were still very weak; it would be easy to give in./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" Somehow, through the darkness, they made their way around, hoping to find a way out. The deeper they got, however, the more anxiety crept in. This didn't seem normal./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" They stumbled upon what seemed to be a dead end, nothing alluding to a way out. Holding themselves in place as best they could, they turned their head around. Nearly beside them, another room. One that was framed strangely with pillars. One that showed light. They turned themselves around and fumbled towards it./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" The room was mostly pitch black, the light they saw before coming in as a single strand from above. The opening was just as far and inaccessible as the last. They looked back down hopelessly. In front of them was a single flower, illuminated by the string of light that brought them there. They did not pay much attention to it, only that it looked old and weak—a strict contrast to the lively flowers that had surrounded her when she awoke./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" They were shifting their weight slowly, preparing to progress, when they stopped suddenly when catching something moving in the corner of their eye. They looked back down at the same single flower, only to find it looking back up at them. Sudden stillness./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" They didn't know what to make of this. It was only a flower, yet it looked at them. It looked straight at them, as clearly as the fear that showed on its face./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" "Oh god," it spoke. This was not of their imagination. "A human," it whispered to itself. The flower seemed to snap out of some sort of phase, but the fear was still clear. "Please don't hurt me," it whimpered. "Please don't hurt..." Before it finished the sentence, it let out a desperate sigh, lowering its flower head down gently./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" They were still too rooted in place to give a proper reaction. Nothing could come to mind when attempting to make sense of this. The flower, it simply stayed like that for a little while, its petals wilting around its face miserably, only seeming to become more defeated as time dragged on. They remained still./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" Eventually, the flower did look back up, though this time, meek but sure intent curiosity seemed to override their fear. It looked at them truly for the first time, not backing down once while doing so./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" Finally, it breathed./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" "But you're okay, aren't you?" It looked at them, not truly looking for an answer (seemingly already knowing it). "No, you're not one of them—not one of us." It was almost as if it was reassuring itself. "I can tell."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" They felt reassured by this, their stillness finally being left aside. Even a smile began to show in the dark. It stopped as quickly as it started when they noticed their emotions weren't being reciprocated. The flower only looked at them with the same fear it had in its first appearance, betraying its last said words. Somehow, they knew the flower had more to tell, and they ought to listen./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" Crouching on their knees beside the flower carefully, they balanced themselves and waited. The flower met their thoughtful look and said, "I'm worried for you, truthfully." The flower looked away slowly for a moment, its own face reflective of something pensive and sad. It looked back at them in an attempt to meet some sort of understanding./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" "I know you don't know where you are," it told them softly. "Well, emhere/em, it's...not safe." It struggled to find the right words. The flower peered at them, looking for a response. They only stared as they'd done before. "And if you want to get out of emhere/em you'll have to..." Its voice became more distressed. "You'll have to go all the way through."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" They waited for a little bit, waiting for the flower to continue. It didn't. They stood back up as fast as their growing pain would let them. The flower watched them, hesitant and alarmed./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" Of course, they knew what it meant. The way up was forward./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" "Wait!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" They stopped. The flower dipped its head for a moment in relief and looked back up, its expression changed into an awkward smile./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" "Golly, you must be so confused." The flower's tone was more controlled and put together now. "I haven't been very helpful, have I?" They shifted a little toward it. "Someone ought to teach you how things work around here. I know I'm not ideal but...I guess I'll just have to do, right?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" They stood there, their back mostly turned to the flower, looking at it thoughtfully. It only took a moment for them to smile and give a little nod. They were about to turn around and continue, but the flower's voice stopped them again./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" "I never told you my name." They turned to the flower completely now. "I'm Flowey—Flowey the flower." Flowey let out a quiet, breathy chuckle. "And you?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" For a moment, they only stood in silence, thinking of Flowey's request. One long look to the dark path ahead of them, a moment of hesitation. Flowey watched as they sat cross-legged right in front of them, letting their poor leg rest. Their hands intertwine together in their lap. They lifted their head to look at Flowey and finally spoke./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" "Frisk."/p