The staircase was quite a thing to scale. Especially while running.
Chara was left wondering, with dread in her being. The specter of the strange non-human lady may be some illusion in her mind. It could just be a mentally projected fear, or paranoid delusion. That was certainly possible.
She wouldn't be entirely surprised if that were the case. Maybe she was just tired? Maybe it was the arena, and the strange encounter messing with her? But the prospect that that phantasm wasn't an illusion, wasn't some fantastical paranoia projected by her mind...it kept her going.
Reaching the top of the staircase, the light was a bit dimmer, and more bearable. The space she entered being a sort of big square room, which seemed to have once had four doors. Four paths leading to, well, she had no good idea where they were meant to lead.
One path appeared to have crumbled. With three doors appearing to remain as viable paths elsewhere. One heading off to the east, another to the south, and the final one to the north. The door to the north bearing an open door, with a path marked by magical fire.
Her own whisper noted. "We should check for signs."
"Ugh, they're always scratched out. It wouldn't even matter." The girl huffed, despite heading to check exactly that.
She neared the door to the south. The air was hotter in this place, and seemed to grow hotter near that door. There was no good sign outside of it, to indicate what was within. So she opened the door.
Beyond was a hallway of sorts, with no lights, no torches. She immediately felt uneasy about it. Turning she could hear a distant humming. Her alarm built, as she hurried back over to the pit. Glancing down into it. There was movement on the staircase.
Her eyes darted between the door into the dark, and the door with faint lighting. The only two presently open. Turning on her heel, she hurried to the north door, closing it behind her.
Her own whisper asked. "Someone must have come this way. O-otherwise it wouldn't be open, right?"
"I dunno, hopefully, probably." She muttered back.
Turning to face the hall proper, she found the walls had many different symbols carved across them. Most defaced and cracked. She didn't understand them, and didn't care too right now. The hall forked to the left at the end.
Hurrying across the floor, her feet made little pattering sounds as they went. Halfway down the hall, however, she felt the ground give way. Letting out a gasp, while attempting to grab the edge. Her hand gripping it only for it to crumble immediately after.
She let out a sound of surprise, while falling. The feeling of floating only lasting a moment. Before she came to hit the ground with a thud. Leaves splashing around her. Much to her surprise, she wasn't hurt. It seemed she'd fallen on a pile of leaves.
The room here, however, was nearly pitch black. Above, she heard the sound of the door opening. The humming getting louder.
"Hello in there~" A voice sang out from the floor above. It was unmistakably the voice of the non-human.
The girl noticed the cracked section of the floor mending over somehow. Leaving the area in absolute dark. Her heart began to pound.
Her own whisper commented. "Hide or Fight?"
Chara wanted to respond that she would just fight. But something in her...something within her being was refusing. Fear, absolute, and familiar. Like being confronted with a nightmare. It compelled her.
She dug into the pile of leaves. Pushing herself down into it. Laying in the dark, in the cool of them. Working on slowing her breathing. Working on being as quiet as possible. To calm herself, to be entirely, completely immobile.
Above the humming continued. Reaching a point above herself. Her eyes shutting tight. There was something in her mind. Something far away. Pleading to stay hidden.
The humming stopped, completely. The only sound she could hear, was the sound of her own heartbeat. And then, the sound of a breaking tile above. Of leaves being displaced as something landed.
"Are you down here?" The non-human whispered in the dark. "If you've fallen down...I'll help you get out."
She remained absolutely silent. Another sound coming to her attention. Movement, from somewhere else in the dark.
A lower, gruffer voice asked. "Hey...I'm trying to sleep, you dumb broad." Stepping, and the return of the humming. "Fuck are you looking for-"
A sound filled the air. It was like...slashing. That and the sound that was made when the Elder Puzzler fell into dust. Her heart was pounding now, the girl fearful that it could be heard.
Her own whisper saying. "Shh...okay...calm, collected...it's okay."
Chara listened to it. It felt...oddly reassuring. And thankfully, the non-human still seemed to be unable to hear it.
Said non-human, and her humming gradually getting a bit more distant. Moving further, and further away. Before a sound like rushing air could be heard. Venting heat into the room some. Followed by the sound of crumbling tile, up above. The girl confused at what had happened, but hearing the humming above once more.
And then, it moved into the distance. The sound of the door closing up above. As it continued away. Farther, and farther, until it wasn't audible.
It was then that she let out the breath she had been keeping in. Taking in another, which also saw her briefly get a leaf in her mouth. She coughed and huffed, and pushed her way out of the leaves.
Stumbling around in the darkness, before stepping on something that crunched slightly. Like sand beneath her boot. The feel of it forced a shiver down her spine.
"What um-" She began.
Her own whisper replied. "We...should focus on leaving the room. Before she comes back."
The girl did her best not to think about it, trying to look around in the darkness. Her eyes somewhat acclimated to it. Enough to barely make out the leaves. And something on the floor a distance away.
She stumbled over to it, and pressed her foot on whatever it was. It felt like a vent. She stepped onto it. And tapped at the sides. She didn't know how it was meant to work.
Her own whisper commented. "There's a man here."
"What?" She asked, turning, looking around. "I don't-" She spotted the figure in the dark, staring at her. "s-stay back!"
She leveled the bat. The man was impossible to make out in the dark. But seemed somehow darker than it. He motioned with his hands.
Her own whisper noted. "He's speaking with hands. He...says there's a button on the side, to activate it."
Chara was confused, but said. "O-oh...t-thank you?"
He motioned, her own whisper speaking. "He says to be careful."
"You too." She paused. "Do you need help getting out of here?"
Her whisper spoke, as he motioned. "He says he does. But that we can't help him, yet." There were a few more gestures. "He promises he'll be okay."
The girl nodded. "Okay, I'll...let someone know you need help. I'm...sorry about your friend."
The man stepped back into the dark. Enough that she couldn't make out his outline anymore. It felt like he wasn't there anymore. She felt guilty, for having drawn the non-human here. For getting someone killed, while she hid.
Sighing, she moved her foot around, before she found the button. Pressing down onto it. A sudden heat blasted up from below her. Sending her flying up through the air. The girl gasping some, before breaking through one of the fragile points of the floor.
It seemed to have pushed her back up to the floor she'd fallen. The light around her illuminating the space. It seemed she was in the middle of the path. On tiles that seemed similar, but didn't break. It seemed there was only one correct path to get to the other side.
She was aware the non-human had left the area. So, she decided to see what was around the corner. Heading down the hall, and peering around it. However...there wasn't anything. It appeared the path had crumbled a long time ago.
"Heck." She muttered, turning back.
Seemed she had to leave the area. She proceeded back across the safe walking path. Getting nearer to the door, with each quiet step. Listening for any indication of the non-human. Leaning against the door for a moment, she heard nothing. Hoping that meant the coast was clear.
Pushing open the door, she was once more in the square room. Glancing, she found the eastern door was open. Even though it had bee closed before. It seemed obvious that the strange lady had gone that way. Meaning, she could only go to the southern door.
Hurrying across the open area, and around the staircase pit in the center, she reached the sealed door that had led to darkness. Opening it up once more, she stared into the unlit hall. It didn't feel like the right way to go. But she hoped that was just some trick, or something.
She immediately felt uneasy about it, all the same. However, no sooner had she been thinking this...then the sound of footsteps came to her attention. Accompanied by humming, from the hallway of the eastern door. Alarm built, so she stepped inside, and closed the doors behind her. As quietly, as possible.
"C-can you see in here?" The girl whispered to her whisper.
Her own whisper replied. "Decently, I guess?"
"Well?" The girl huffed quietly.
"T-there's a door near the back." Her own whisper noted. "It's...gotta be the right way, right?"
Beyond the door, a humming could be heard. Echoing through the room she had been in. An ill shiver ran down her spine. She turned on her heel, and began to sprint through the darkness. Towards, whatever door lay within it. She didn't really have time to debate that. She just had to persevere, no matter what.
The girl ran, and ran, until she hit something. The sound it made was a loud enough thud, to make her anxiety spike. The distant sound of humming pausing briefly.
"Is that the door?" She asked.
"Yeah." Her own whisper replied. "Sorry, I- should have-"
"It's fine. Shut up." She whispered angrily.
Feeling across the door. It took her a moment to find the handles. Pushing them, to open the double doors. Faint light flowed across her, and through the hall. The room within was a round room, with some sort of alter in the center.
The walls were decorated in strange figures, and words on broken stone. Various paths etched through the floor, seemingly meant for water to flow. The light coming from a shining crystal on the ceiling, that illuminated the space.
The door at the start of the hall began to creak, prompting her to head inside, and quickly close the doors. Looking around, she found a bunch of sticks of disparate sizes at the base of the alter. Taking one of the stronger looking ones, she shoved it through the handles To prevent anyone from getting inside, at least she hoped it would.
Her own whisper spoke up. "Is that gonna work?"
"I-I don't know-" Chara began, before hearing something.
She turned, to notice one of the heat vents was rattling. Drawing the bat, she held it facing the noise. Feeling tense beyond reason, before something dropped out. Landing in the center of the strange alter. A familiar face, on a familiar creature. Another concern that had slipped her mind for a moment.
"HoI I'm T-" The creature huffed. "oh it's you."
"Temmie." The girl whispered. "What are you doing here?"
"Looking to kill someone." The creature noted.
"Shhh, shhh, please." The girl pleaded, shushing it.
The creature got a mischievous look. "So much anxiety." It began to whisper. "Why are we quietly hiding, little monarch?"
Her own whisper noted. "Ugh...this creature is an impure evil thing. Far from trustworthy."
Chara muttered. "I-I know...just, shut up."
The Temmie snickered. "Wow. Didn't expect you to lose your mind already, Chara. Quite a record."
The girl had a decision to make. The humming was getting closer. And given the danger that being presented, she couldn't afford two enemies. So, she hurried over towards the cat-dog, and gave another 'shh.'
Giving this prompted the Temmie to bear a scary face. About to respond with some aggressive comment, before the humming got close enough to hear. The creature raising a brow at the intruding noise.
It got louder, and louder, before stopping just before the door. A moment of silence following, before the door rattled some. The girl turning her back on the creature, aiming her bat at the door. Stepping back, to hide behind the alter.
The cat-dog however hopped down, and walked up to the door. It shook a bit more violently. The creature appearing amused.
"My, my, if it isn't 'you.' The door is sealed for a reason." The Temmie remarked. "Don't you have somewhere else to haunt?"
"Temmie~" The voice of the non-human nearly sang. "It's so...nice...to hear your voice. Heh, heh...can you open the door?"
"So you can eat another one of my vessels with that thing you're wearing?" The Temmie remarked. "You must think I'm an idiot."
The door was shook harder. "Open...the...door Temmie." The non-human demanded from the other side. "You wretched thing."
"This is my private hide-away. You aren't allowed in." The Temmie noted with playful disdain. "But if you're so insistent...I could call my friends, and...see about evening the odds. Sound fun?"
The door, and the stick strained some. Fingers pushing through the cracks. The cat-dog stretching, growing to unnatural proportions. Filling the air with the sound of tearing leather and shifting bones. Obscuring any view into the room. Now bearing gangly claws, massive teeth, and a horrifying appearance.
"Is...she...in there?" The non-human asked. "I can't...see in..."
"You idiot." The Temmie laughed darkly. "If there was anyone else in here, I would have eaten them already." It tilted its head. "Why...who are you looking for?"
There was silence. "I'm looking for the girl. She's very alone right now. I just want to keep her safe."
Temmie pushed a claw against the door, the fingers withdrawing. "Oh, I get it. You're looking for the human." The creature snickered. "You and I both know that's not what you want it for. You obsessive freak."
"Foul vermin." The voice replied, with an unwelcome echo. "You don't understand anything."
"I understand plenty." The Temmie hissed. "And I know when I find her. I'll eat her fucking heart, just to spite you."
There was silence for a moment. "Loveless, soulless creature. Enjoy your isolation."
The humming slowly returned. Alongside the sound of footsteps, leaving the door. Growing more distant, as the non-human headed back down the hall. Leaving.
Those remaining within the room retained an air of silence for a time. Waiting for it to become distant. Waiting until the sound of the door closing at the end of the hall. And the vanishing of the fell hum.
The body of the cat-dog gradually shifting back. With the sound of crushing bones, and tearing leather filling the air in the process. It was a horrifying process to witness. I'll spare you the exact details.
It turned, looking over to the girl. Who was staring with wide eyes, at it. The creature was half-tempted to follow through with the promise offered. But spite, was a powerful motivator, even for such a soulless being.
"So, you got the attention of that 'thing' did ya?" The Temmie snickered. "You idiot."
Chara asked, still whispering. "W-what is she?"
"Well, my undead monarch, that's a fun question." The cat-dog wandered over, and hopped up onto the alter. "Once upon a time, the body, at least, was something a lot like...this one~" The creature snickered. "And then, one day...was suddenly something else."
"What?" Her own whisper mixed with her, vocalizing. "That doesn't tell me anything. You impure thing."
"Ouch, so wounding, so scathing~" Temmie said in a teasing voice. "I've heard worst from the last dying breaths of my victims screams." It noted darkly. "But, you're right, it doesn't tell you a lot. Question is, how much do I reveal?" The creature pondered. "The 'thing' that wears that vessel, that's within it, it wasn't originally there." The cat-dog half-explained. "That body escaped when I did, empty, and aimless. And then, it wasn't anymore. It was made 'full' in a sense."
"Escaped...full?" The girl huffed. "From where, with what?" She got annoyed. "I don't understand."
"Tsk, tsk. Spoilers, Chara, spoilers." The Temmie chuckled. "The thing you should take-away from it. The important details, are, that I highly doubt your sudden revival, and that thing being here, are coincidental."
"It knew my name." The girl commented.
"Of course, it did." Temmie said in amusement. "It's been obsessed with you. Always mewling your name in the dark. 'Waiting' for something. Holding such a dark obsession for a dead princess. Sounds like motivation to me."
The concept of having someone 'obsessed' with her was a terrifying prospect. Moreover, the thought they would have somehow found a way to revive her moreso. Especially as the girl was left worrying, dreading whatever the intent was, behind doing so.
"You think she had something to do with it?" Chara asked.
"In truth, Chara, I only know so much. There are forces I do not understand. People playing games in the dark, same as I." The Temmie noted, adding. "But I do know that it only has that 'one' vessel. And those, can be destroyed. So~" The cat-dog stepped to the edge. "If we kill it, then your little stalker goes away."
"Y-you want to kill her?" The girl felt conflicted. "She..."
"Listen to me well, little monarch. That thing, if it gets ahold of you...you're gonna wish you had died." The Temmie commented. "And you aren't going to be able to kill it alone~"
Her own whisper huffed. "So, to stop that impure thing hunting us...we have to align with this one?" Her mind was conflicted. "This feels wrong."
Chara wasn't sure how she felt about it, even knowing the danger. "We could ask Undyne or others for help."
"If you want the Caretaker and the other monsters to get slaughtered, absolutely~" The Temmie said, sticking its tongue out. "That thing will kill them. Brutally. Is that what you want?"
"I...well...no." She admitted hesitantly.
"Of course not. You're so sweet princess. Even if you are a killer too, you have principles~" The Temmie said, mockingly. "Thing is, you and me, no loss. If some of my legion get slaughtered, it doesn't bother me. If you die, well, you can get up. I'll make sure of that." The creature smiled, as she thought it over. "Why the hesitation...you know I'm right."
"There's...you only have one of you in the ruins, right?" The girl asked.
"You think it would matter?" Temmie hummed. "Honestly, I wager, if push comes to shove, you and I could handle it. If we were very careful." The creature then added. "But, if you're concerned, all you have to do, is get past that exit door." It said. "If you can do that. Well, leave the area, enter into the dark halls. I promise she'll follow. And then, I'll bring some 'reinforcements' to help~"
"What's gonna stop you from hurting everyone else after?" The girl asked. "You don't seem the kind to just live and let live."
"So little trust." The Temmie sighed. "Is it so hard to believe I want to be friends with my murderer?" The comment made the girl glance away. "Tell you what. I'll make you a little promise. I'll leave all your friends alone. If you do this." It offered. "If you don't...I'll get in, and I'll tear them all apart. Starting with that Caretaker you think is a friend."
"D-don't you dare." Chara growled, shadows flowing to the edge of her eyes.
"Oh, you're so naïve." Temmie noted. "First, that you believe your 'friendship' in the first place. Second, that you think you could stop me." It spoke. "Imagine her muffled screams, as I peel back the layers of skin. Drink the mana within, and leave nothing-" Its face turned scary, its claws growing. "But a pile of dust where she once was." The girl glared at his point. "Can you live with that possibility, princess?"
"I'd hunt you down. I'd kill you." The girl warned, mixing with the whisper, her resolve intensifying. "Every last one of you impure creatures. Until there was nothing left."
"That's the spirit." Temmie grinned. "So, do we have a deal?"
Chara felt like she was one of the humans who wandered into a church. The kind who sold their soul to a hostile entity that threatened torment and death, if they didn't comply. She tried to ignore the feeling that she was making a deal with an angel.
Her own whisper asked. "Is there nothing else we can do?" Of course, they both knew the answer to that.
She huffed some. "Fine. We can work together. For now." She leveled the bat at the cat-dog, eyes briefly abyssal dark. "But if you try anything. I will tear you apart."
"Wonderful. Just, wonderful." Temmie smiled, looking absolutely thrilled.
The situation calmed some. The bat lowering, and the warped body-parts of the Temmie returning to normal. It seemed a deal had been struck. An alliance of sorts, to endure something potentially worst.
"Question is..how am I supposed to get past her?" The girl asked.
"Easy. Don't go anywhere alone. It should be that simple." Temmie suggested. "Find yourself a 'friend' and stick with them for a while. Trust me. That thing doesn't like others being around." The creature commented. "She'll wait for you to be alone."
"I-I'm alone now!" The girl reminded the creature, feeling uneasy still. "I don't even know where she is."
"Come now, Princess. Do you think I'd suggest this, if I didn't have an idea?" Temmie asked. "I'll be around in the vents. You just keep an eye on the broken ones. And I'll keep an eye on you. If she's nearby, I'll give you a little wave. If not, I'll give you a nod, and move on."
"And if she catches up, and tries to attack me?" The girl asked.
"Then I guess you'd better hope you're strong enough for that fight." The creature grinned. "Because we won't get a second chance."
"That's...okay, that sounds better than nothing I guess." The girl asked, before inquiring. "Why does she want me?"
"Apart from possibly having something to do with you being 'alive' again?" Temmie hummed. "I wager it's some twisted form of 'friendship' or the belief that you could be. She's not human, but she's awfully similar to one. Maybe she feels some kind of kinship."
"She isn't acting like a friend. She's...she's acting more like a stalker." Chara noted.
"Bingo." Temmie nodded. "Oh well. She's probably wandered off to go find you. Which means you have a narrow window to go find someone else. So...I'd hurry along, if I were you." The creature looked up, and vaulted into the vents. "Good luck, little monarch. Heh heh...I'm rooting for you."
"Gee...thanks." The girl sighed.
The creature was already on its way out. Moving up through the vent, and off to...wherever it was going. She felt uneasy about the alliance she had made. But she was somehow significantly more unnerved by the non-human.
Her own whisper asked. "You know we can't trust that thing, right?"
"Yeah, I know. Clearly." She huffed, slotting the bat. "But we really don't have a choice. And...at least it ensures Temmie doesn't attack us for now."
"I suppose." Her own whisper muttered back.
The girl stepped over to the door. Hesitating, before taking the stick from the handles. Opening it slowly, letting some of the light fill the dark of the hall. It was, thankfully, empty. With a clear shot to the door.
She began to walk down it. Not closing the door behind her, however. She wanted to be able to run back, and seal it if the non-human showed up again. This was a wise thought pattern, in general.
As she walked, and got nearer. She attempted to distract the concerns in her mind. First reminding herself that she wasn't, or shouldn't be too concerned. It might be painful, but if she got cornered, she just had to find a way to...die, and she would go back. Then, she'd know to avoid the creepy lady. Granted, the prospect of being forced to commit suicide for survival, didn't help.
So, she turned to something else. "I'm...gonna give you a name."
Her own whisper asked. "Pardon?"
"I'm giving you a name." Chara whispered back. "I'm...uhm...I'm gonna call you Whisper."
Whisper asked. "Is it because it's like, a whisper in the mind?"
"I'm not...the best with names, when I'm stressed." She muttered back.
"Neither was Dad, to be fair. But that was like...in general." Whisper added.
"Ya know, having you say the things I'm thinking is weird. But it's...better than having nobody to talk to, I guess?" She muttered, reaching the other door. "Are you keeping watch behind us."
"Naturally." Whisper replied. "I'm not...letting her sneak up on us again. Period."
The room beyond was nice and empty now. With no signs of the non-human. The girl even wandering over to the staircase, to peer down and check. Her focus then turning to the door heading forward. And a pipe next to it. The Temmie leaning out, just to nod, before scurrying off.
Well, at least if the non-human showed back up, she'd have a warning. Putting her hood up, she started towards the only door left to travel through. Anxious as ever, but still holding on to the will, to persevere despite it.