Beyond the room the floating ball of fire was once more ignited, guiding there way. It ran past a sign Chara didn't get to read. Then to a path leading to a...fascinating sight. A sort of bridge, covered in very sharp looking spikes. Toriel kept close, and briefly explained the nature of the room. That it was a reflection of the path in the previous, and that following said path was the only way to walk across it safely.
She didn't recall it, her attention being more focused on how dusty some of them were in the gleaming firelight. She couldn't place why, but it felt...uncomfortable to her. Threatening, perhaps. Add to that, the water in the room was still, and smelled awful. Enough to make her gag a little.
Entering into the room proper, she noticed a purple shine near the wall. It flashed briefly with 'Saved' before vanishing. She glanced to Toriel, but the woman didn't appear to see it. Or at least, hadn't acknowledged it.
"I don't...know that I'm ready to have you navigate this alone." Toriel pondered, having stopped them both before the spikes. Looking them over with a thoughtful expression. "That time will come...but for now, please keep hold of my hand."
Chara did exactly this. Following along, as her goat-mom guided her. She noted however, that even with the spikes receding as they stepped, the tips of them were still protruding. Scratching against the bottom of her shoes. She noted Toriels lack of them, and the way the woman winced stepping. It was...clearly painful, even if it wasn't life-threatening.
Finally passing the bridge in earnest, Toriel let out a long sigh. The flame igniting the path to the next room. Her guardian didn't move for a moment, likely waiting for the pain to rescind.
Noting this, Chara tried to think of something to say. "Do we uhm, still live in the same place?"
"In a sense, yes." Toriel replied, releasing her hand and stepping to the next room. "Though, perhaps I was a bit nostalgic in its creation."
"Creation?" The girl followed along, curious about what she meant. "Do we not live in the castle anymore?"
"No, my child, we do not." The woman said, the paid entering a room that seemed to stretch endlessly into the dark. "It's...complicated, and I will explain, later."
"Why did we leave?" She asked. "Did something happen to it-" Chara jogged alongside Toriel, as she kept walking. "is everyone alright?" She gained no response. "Mom?"
The woman almost tripped, nearly missing a step. "What?"
"Well-" She began "Uh, nevermind." Her caretaker kept her gaze focused on the path before her. "Your...outfit looks cool looks nice."
"Thank you," Toriel responded.
The child looked over her own outfit. Complete with burn marks, and some general damage. And then back to the look of her guardian.
"Hey...do ya think maybe I could get a new outfit too?" She asked. "I mean, this one smells funny, so." She snickered, without hearing Toriel laugh. "Get it...because it's on me." She explained. "Because...ya know...jokes?" She realized it wasn't very funny.
They stopped near the end of the room. Passing some form of pillar. It seemed large enough for a person to hide behind it. Chara noticed that the room ahead appeared to have light coming from it. Something that Toriel also seemed to notice, eyes widening, as her expression turned a bit conflicted and anxious. Glancing at Chara, she was visibly debating a thought, before frowning some.
"I need you to do something for me, my child." The woman began. "I have to head to the house and do some-" Her gaze seemed to darken. "Cleaning."
"I can help if you want?" Chara suggested.
"No, that's...alright. I need you to stay here, for awhile." Toriel suggested, adding. "I will only be gone a short while. Please forgive me...I-"
The wildness to her eyes began to return. That distress that made her act...different. Seeing this, sensing it, Chara moved to act.
"Then I'll try and stay right here, okay?" Chara suggested, briefly taking her hand. "I can...hang out behind the pillar?"
Toriel appeared to calm, smiling some. "Ahh...yes, that could be a good idea." She wagered, feeling around in her robes pocket. "In fact...here, I have this old cell phone-" she handed it to Chara. "It has my number in it...it still works, and if you need anything-" she held her hand tighter. "anything...you call me, and I'll return. Understood?"
"I've goat you." Chara replied, prompting a more genuine smile from Toriel, she sighed and released her hand. "Oh, uhm, what do you have to clean anyways?"
"Oh-" Toriel smiled some. "I just have some Dusting to do." She snickered.
Chara didn't understand that joke but was able to grasp that it was one.
"No worries." She scanned over the phone. "And, if anyone shows up I just need to call you?"
"Yes, my child," Toriel responded. "Now please, just...stay here for a little while. I will be back as soon as possible, I promise you."
"Alright. I'll see you later then ." Chara commented, taking a seat by the pillar. "Uhm, have fun?"
"I'll see you shortly, my child," Toriel responded with a warm smile, briefly stepping over to ignite one of the old torches on the wall beside the exit door.
The girl opened the phone and began tapping through it, as she was leaving. Toriel was a few steps from the room before her pocket started ringing, surprising her. Glancing at it, she turned, and held it to her ear, smiling.
"Hi." Chara greeted. "Just testing."
Toriel snickered some. "You wonderful dork." She mused, before closing the phone. "I will return shortly, don't worry."
"Alright...later mom." The girl said, as she left.