|Chara - 24/24 HP| - |Flowey - 20/20 HP|
The duo proceeded past the space where the phantom had been. It seemed leveling healed them, which was good to know. Chara not bothering to check and see if she got anything from the...demise of the tormenter. A glance going to the Flower, who seemed very upset with the way things went.
In truth, she didn't feel any sympathy for the ghost. But, she didn't like being ignored by her companion. It made her feel, cold.
One path to the left bore very little light. While a path straight-ahead, was partially lit. Moving forward, she wandered them into a room and glanced around. It was mostly empty, save for a couple boxes, two spiderwebs, and a sign. Immediately her skin crawled, the sound of movement dragging her attention, as she noticed spiders crawling on the ceiling.
Letting out a panicked scream, she promptly bolted from the room. Catching Flowey off guard, as he looked around, clearly anticipating some form of fight. His confusion ending, when he noticed her shivering, and shaking, staring at the room.
"Are you serious?" He asked.
"D-d-did you see them?" She asked, quivering. "S-so many spiders."
Flowey blinked. "You just fought to the death with a ghost."
"They're all over on the ceiling." She said, voice full of dread. "J-just waiting...eh-ughhhh gross."
She made a whining noise. And turned her eyes to face him. The expression was...honest fear. Over something he honestly hadn't anticipated. His confused expression turning into a slight look of amusement.
"C'mon Chara, they're just spiders." He said, as she shivered. "Creepy, crawly-" She paled rapidly. "web designers."
She blinked, taking a moment to recognize the pun. Giving him a glare, not unlike the ones he usually gave her. The Flower snickering to himself.
"T-this is serious!" She noted.
"I mean, it's kind of an 'itsy bitsy' problem." He grinned.
"Flowey!" She huffed, as he laughed more.
After a moment he was able to calm down some. The girl straightening back up. While staring at the room, quiet for a time. Clearly considering her options. Flowey watched this, humming some.
"I get being a little freaked out by them, I do...however, we can always take the other path." He motioned. "Just, avoid them."
"But, what if we have to go in there for something?" She asked, huffing. "Then we wouldn't have it, and it'd be because I was afraid."
"Hmm. Interesting dilemma." He noted, with a steady smile. "Can you think of another way to solve the problem, perhaps?"
Chara gave him a little glare. "I-I know what you're hinting at. B-but I was just worried, what'd happen if they ate you."
"I can just burrow away, Chara." He reminded her.
"They're spiders, they're evil incarnate-" She declared, sounding slightly unhinged. "they come from the darkest void, to punish the hubris of all creation, for daring seek a days isolation from terror." She continued. "T-to drag us to a place dark, darker-" Her breath chilled the air some, visible to the flower. "yet...darker."
There was a pause after that statement. The girl remaining, unmoving for a moment. A certain dullness to her eyes.
"Chara?" Flowey asked, noticing the way she stared, a thousand yards away. "H-hey, Chara?"
"H-huh?" She snapped from it. "S-sorry, sort of zoned out." She quickly apologized. "B-but my point stands, they're dangerous. They could get you."
"I'm pretty sure I can handle a couple spiders." Flowey remarked, adding. "Just, stay here, and I'll go figure out what's going on in there."
The flower released his grasp from her, as she lowered him to the ground. Still looking less than content about the proceedings. But he wasn't really worried. It was just spiders, after all. And as dangerous as they could be, they were also rather business minded little creatures. So they were probably just trying to hawk some junk.
Burrowing through the ground, he pushed forward. Sprouting out in the room. It was...terribly unremarkable. Looking up, he found that a variety of spiders were indeed present. They appeared to be arguing, debating, and talking over various little graphs. Business monsters, they were such a bore. But boring was safe.
He read the sign. "Spider Bake Sale. All proceeds go to real spiders."
Looking up, he found smaller signs present in each of the webs. And noticed the spiders above him watching his movements. A few hurrying to block the entrance. He rolled his eyes, it was always the same strategy. Buy something, leave safely. Fail to, get attacked. How unoriginal.
"Spider Donut...10 G?" He scoffed. "Wow...20G for cider...you guys are really trying to rip people off, aren't you?" The spiders didn't appear to appreciate the insinuation. "Listen. My friend, out there, only has 12G."
A spider crawled down, and erased the 10, marking it up to 12.
"Yeah no. Her mom's Toriel." Flowey said, the spider pausing, and quickly crossing out the 12, moving it down to 8. "How about this...we put in a good word edgewise, and you give her some of that cider?"
A couple of the spiders appeared to debate. One wandering near the entrance, looking out at Chara. While a few more dug around through a cobweb, producing a sketch drawing of a picture. The one by the door nodding, as the rest panicked some. A couple spiders lowered a cider, and a donut. Flowey considered extorting them for more. Normally...he wouldn't, but...well, he was hungry too.
"Any chance you could add another donut. For me, a friend?" The Flower grinned.
Chara waited, pacing outside the room. She could hear Flowey, it sounded like he was talking to someone. But she didn't hear anyone responding. But it was quiet, muffled. She couldn't make it out.
Panic built, as she debated what to do. Did she go in, and just...start swinging? That would work, right? Maybe, if she avoided attacks just right, she'd get her mana back again? Use that?"
Her breathing became fast, her resolve building. She wouldn't back down. She just had to persevere. Staring to turn and face it, she found the Flower popping out of the ground in front of her.
"O-oh, uhm, Flowey?" She glanced at him. "You're okay a-and what is all that?"
Flowey was in the middle of munching on a donut, glancing at the cider and donut held in his off leaf. "Cider and donut."
"Where did you get them?" She asked.
"Spiders." He replied. "They said they hope you have a great day." He held it out to her. "Should be fine. Safe to drink, that kinda thing."
Chara glanced into the spider room, noticing one peeking out. "A-are you sure?" She shivered, watching him eat. "What's...that made out of anyways?"
Flowey responded in a monotone, while waving his leaves. "Magic."
"Or don't answer me." She huffed, picking them both up. "Uhm...thank you."
"S'okay. Ready to go?" He asked.
"Yeah." She smiled a little, giving a final glance, and a shiver to the spiders, before- "Wait...did you pay them for this?"
"Na. They were so friendly, they just decided to give it to you." Flowey remarked, noticing her huff, and start over. "What...are you doing?"
Chara stopped by the door. "Uhm, thank you, for the uh, stuff." She carefully set down ten G. "H-have a-" The spider moved, and she screamed, hurrying back to the Flowey. "y-yuck, ughhhh."
"Amazing." He snickered, while returning to his perch on her arm.
The duo wandered from that room, and into the next. The dark around them, rather oppressive. Chara looked around, a little surprised that Toriel hadn't lit up the area. Pausing, and heading back into the other room, placing her stick up against the fire. Igniting the end and proceeding back into the dark room.
Gazing out, she discovered it was a long hall. However, a glance revealed a Froggit staring at them. She blinked in surprise, before straightening the stick at the Froggit. The monster examined her for a moment, before looking over the flower.
It let out a series of ribbits, and croaks, roughly translating to. "I'm not dumb. I saw the fight with that freaky ghost. If we couldn't beat him, we can't beat you."
Flowey examined the dark. Watching where the light of the flame revealed. The little reflections of three Froggits in the room. It would be a 'rough' fight. But definitely not an impossible one if they decided to try something.
"That's for the best." Chara noted.
It ribbited some. "Some advice...young slayer." She raised a brow. "The dead don't rise, without something making that happen." It croaked. "Be weary."
A chill ran across the duo. The girl staring at the creature, scanning it over for a moment. Flowey sneaking a glance at her, noticing her inquisitive, and semi-worried expression. Not like the expression of someone hiding something, but the expression of one who didn't know. He wasn't sure which would have been more distressing, but he wasn't a fan of this one.
She moved the torch and turned away from the monster. Not giving an answer or responding. The others in the dark watching her. Flowey glanced back. And...for a moment, he swore he saw another pair of eyes. But it was gone as soon as he blinked. He could feel her heart rate though, rising, faster. Her breathing distressed some.
"Stupid frogs." Flowey remarked.