The trinity of friends proceeded beyond the door in Toriels basement. Leaving a note scrawled in chalk, on the door. Marked, noting they were headed to find Chara. And would be back very soon.

Even with the cold that was present beyond the door, and through the walk forward, they hadn't been prepared for what lay past the final threshold. In the dark, snowfall tickled a nose. In the dark, the cold fluff illuminated the path. In the dark, wonder and mystery enraptured two young minds.

Even though Frisk was surprised to see it snowing underground. Her companions seemed utterly bewildered. Even struggling to process the sight, in some fashion.

"What...is this?" Suzy asked picking up a piece. "I-it's so cold?"

Noelle examined the snow, stepping on it. "It's smushy...and soft?"

This response to snow prompted a look of confusion from the human. Inspecting her companions with doubt at first, and then more genuine surprise. Had they never experienced snow before?

She vocalized that exact question. "Have you two not seen snow before?"

Suzy replied. "This is snow?" She pushed a hand into it. "It's...like, fluffy ice."

Noelle picked some of it up, creating a rather compact snowball. At first Frisk imagined the intent was to throw it. However, instead...she bit a big chunk of it, swallowing it. The human wincing, waiting. A moment passed before Noelle recoiled from it. Panicking some, while tossing what remained to the ground.

"A-ahh, ughhh, b-brain freeze!" She groaned, taking the stick slotted in her belt, and attacking it. "E-evil uughh, snow!"

Suzy used |U-Healing|

An orb of light colliding with Noelle, as Suzy tried to help. Noelle slashed madly for a moment longer, before losing strength and plopping onto the snow. Panting tiredly from her failed genocide of it.

Frisk laughed warmly. "You two are adorable." She sighed. "But you shouldn't just, eat snow." She suggested, flirting after. "Even if your reaction makes you look even cuter."

Noelle blushed at the comment, her eye briefly visible below her hair. She got up and huffed some. Crossing her arms.

"D-does not." She protested.

"Noelle..." Suzy examined her, smiling. "Are you blushing?"

"No!" Noelle pouted. "Y-you're both just being stupid." She stated, adding. "A-and Frisk is being weird with those flirts again."

Frisk responded. "Only for the best."

"You flirt with everyone!" Noelle declared.

"I only flirt with everyone once. I flirt with you two, because you're my friends." Frisk suggested. "And cuz you look so tough, and adorable when you're upset~"

The reindeer girl was utterly bewildered. Turning, she began wandering down the path in clear protest. Her friends following after her. Suzy assuring her it was okay, while Frisk just chuckled. Enjoying the moment.

Suzy asked. "Where did you learn to flirt though, Frisk?"

Frisk thought back. "Well, I got locked in a library once. And found the section on dating advice." She smiled some. "That was boring, so I just found a book full of cheesy pick-up lines, and effective flirts."

"How'd you get locked in?" Suzy asked.

"Well, that's easy. I fell asleep reading dumb dating books." Frisk replied.

Noelle asked. "Why were you reading them?"

"Couldn't find the one with cheesy pick-up lines." Frisk smirked.

The duo passed a crushed branch, while talking about this. It wasn't too much longer then, until they came to some strange pit. With an odd...gate thing, over it. And what looked like an awfully rickety bridge.

Noelle peered over the side. "Whoa...that's like...super deep."

Suzy carefully tapped the bridge. "I-is it safe?"

Frisk examined the trees, looking for an alternate path around. However, the snowbank was a little bit too high for them to climb up normally. She wagered they could, but they'd have to pull someone up. But it didn't look...the most stable either.

Frisk stepped forward. "Only one way to know."

Determined as ever, she proceeded across the bridge. Hearing it creak as she went. Thankfully the bars of the strange gate were too wide to stop someone trying to traverse it. Once on the other side, she turned back, beckoning to them.

Noelle glanced at the bridge, noticing Suzy looking at it anxiously. "You okay?"

"I-I can't..it's...what if I fall?" Suzy asked worriedly.

Noelle examined the bridge, offering her hand. "Here...I won't let you fall."

"B-but-" Suzy stammered.

"Do you trust me?" Noelle asked.

Suzy didn't respond. Instead, she took the reindeer's hand. The two girls heading across. The dinosaur monster whimpering some as they went. Before coming safely to the other side. Smiling, looking very relieved. Noelle released her hand, only to be hugged promptly, making her blush hard.

"Thank you." Suzy commented.

"E-eh, uhm, heh, y-yeah, it's fine, or whatever." Noelle muttered. "I-I don't...really do hugging though, so-"

"Oh, right, sorry." Suzy apologized, releasing her.

Frisk considered making another joke but decided against it. "Well, shall we?"

"Right, okay." Suzy noticed the sentry station in the corner. "Oh, what's that?"

Noelle looked it over. "Some small house?"

They wandered over to it, checking out the odd sight. The windows appeared to be shut. With a little sign indicating the sentry would be back in the morning. Written in a goofy font. Noelle wandered around it, while Suzy read the sign to herself. It didn't appear there was any way to check what was inside.

Frisk told them. "It's...some sort of sentry building. Whoever as here, left for the night." She glanced back at the ruins. "Are they, from the ruins?"

Noelle snickered some. "What's even the point?" She shrugged. "If the door is closed, nobodies coming in, right?"

"Maybe, someone is guarding the path to the door?" Suzy suggested, recalling. "Didn't she say she had a friend out here?"

Frisk was able to recall that. Giving the station a tap. Wondering...

With that assessed, they continued on the path to the next area. Frisk noticing the shining light, that only she could see. Briefly stepping over to it. Making contact, it prompted, giving her the ability to |Save|. Something she had figured out the meaning of...the hard way.

Saving her progress, it named her 'Frisk - LV2.' She tilted her head at that. The number had risen. She wasn't sure what that part meant. And trying to think of what she might have done to increase it...just made her head hurt. A lot, so she moved on from it.

Beyond the light, the next thing of note was a box of some variety. They headed over, Frisk examining a scratched-out sign beside it. Someone didn't like the sign, apparently. Turning, she moved to, and opened the box. Inside was a strange toy knife. It was made of an oddly thick plastic.

"Is that a knife?" Noelle asked, grinning. "Awesome."

Suzy laughed nervously. "Should we really be taking random knives from a box?"

Frisk stated what it was. "It's...just a toy knife. I mean, it could be dangerous...but not really." She pocketed it, scratching in her mind. "Be a shame to leave it."

"Okay, but if we find someone who's missing one-" Suzy began. "we'll...return it, right?"

"Of course." Frisk assured her. Suzy seemed happy with that answer.

They elected not to take the left turn, wagering the path forward was just straight forward. Moving down the road, the duo came across another Sentry Station. Marked as informational. It was fairly well crafted, but unfortunately, closed for the night.

While examining it, Frisk heard Suzy yawn. Perhaps heading out at night was a bad idea. She wagered they needed to make proper forward progress. Hopefully the town wasn't too far away?

While thinking this, the walking trio came across...yet another sentry station? The sight of it so near the other was confusing to say the least. This one was also a bit plainer than the last.

As they approached, Frisk noticed that there was someone inside. A wolf like monster, who appeared to be resting, tiredly. A lantern at the desk providing illumination to the area. Only then making it obvious how dark it was out that night. Ears twitching as they approached.

"Hi there!" Suzy greeted.

Noelle gave her a look. "H-hey, what are you doing?"

"W-what, I was...oh, uhm..." Suzy trailed off. "Oh...I messed up again, I-I'm sorry."

"Wait, hey now, don't be upset." Noelle laughed nervously. "I just, ya never know with people, right?"

"Oh for fucks sake." The wolf sat upright, yawning a long yawn. "Ugh...by the angel..." He saw them moving. "Wait...kids?" He asked. "What in the world are you all doing out here?"

Suzy asked. "Are...you a good guy?"

"Good guy, what?" He rubbed the cold from his eye. "I'm a sentry with the royal guard. So...yeah, I dunno, I guess?"

Frisk asked for clarification. "Which...means?"

"I work for the king to protect people, blah blah blah." Wolfo sighed tiredly. "Yes, I'm a good guy. Well, close as you can get anyways." He squinted. "Didn't answer the question though...what are you all doing out here?" He glanced. "It's dark as hell out here, and definitely past even your combined bedtimes."

Frisk thought up a lie. "We got lost."

Suzy chimed in. "We're trying to find our way back home."

Noelle smirked. "Snowdin."

"Oh for..." Wolfo appeared to debate something. "You're lucky todays been a good day brats." He stood up, taking the lantern, while leaving out the back of the station. "It's my break anyways. I'll make sure you get home safe." He smiled a little. "Could even get a raise outta it. Heh. Wouldn't hafta sleep in this thing."

The wolf monster didn't sound completely thrilled with the prospect of helping them. But, even if it was motivated by some form of self-interest, Frisk was glad to have the guide. It would certainly be a bit safer, for at least the majority of the walk. Once they reached the town though, she imagined the wolf would part ways with them.

The group followed the wolf, as he started down the path. Frisk following along first, as the other two joined her. Noelle letting out a yawn, as she did.

Suzy examined the wolf. "So, you had a good day, right?" He nodded. "Well, what made it good?"

"Stay close." He requested, as they followed along. "And what made it good?" He scratched his chin. "I dunno, guess...I got pet by some weird smelling phantom." He sniffed the air and motioned at Frisk. "You smell kinda like it actually."

Frisk asked. "I do?"

"Eh...maybe it's just that lasagna playing havoc. I knew it had to have some side effect." Wolfo groaned, the group reaching some patch of ice. "Walk around the ice." He led the way. "How did you all manage to get this lost?"

"We got into a fight." Noelle offered back. "We totally could have won, but uh...decided to be nice instead."

"Yeah, sure kid. Don't go pickin fights. Some folks are really dangerous, ya know?" His requested, as they progressed wandering towards another bridge. "Careful on the sides. You go over that cliff, and ya ain't getting back up."

The area they were passing through, had some sort of large square marked around it. Frisk noticed broken pieces of something in the snow, before looking over the cliff. There was a fantastic view of the underground from there. She paused briefly to look over it all. This whole world had been beneath her feet this whole time?

Her focus fell on a nice cottage in the distance. The lights bright, in contrast to the darkness. She wondered who lived there? Her attention returning to the others, prompting her to continue after them. Trying to ensure she didn't fall behind.

Even as steps moved in the shadow to follow them.