Dreams then, were equally difficult to acquire in these Hotland Ruins. The pervasive status queue was bleak things that hardly qualified, or outright nightmares. Fed into by concerns over lowering food stores. Over dwindling supplies of water, or drink. Most of these things having to be magically conjured, though the act of doing so still required increasingly rare base components.
Sometimes people attempted to escape through the exit. Well, once they tried. But that was years prior, and their demise had been quick, absolute, and brutally efficient.
In this moment however, these concerns. The haunting aura that clouded ones mind. All of it had given way, to something peaceful. Soft dreams, as though the finest of furs. Soft happenings, as though the most comfortable of pillows. They were filled with perceptions, and interpretations. Examinations of the person she wanted to be, as a reminder, contrasted with the person she was now.
The positive, negatives, and all the aspects there-within blended together. Yet not in a fashion to torment her. Instead in some delicate mixture, that provided some comfort for the first time in a long time. However all things end, that is the nature of life. And it wasn't long, before this comforting dream ended, as the rest had.
Her eyes opened, at the resolution of some phantasm. Depicting a dream reality where she had never fractured her relationship with her adoptive mother. An inversion of her own, where everyone was more noble, and innocent. Where they all held onto hope, despite everything.
The characters involved in this tale never seeming to have fell, or, to have fallen from grace. Her thoughts ending, finding herself resting on her couch, with a pillow beneath her head. Most certainly not where Muffet recalled having been last.
Groaning a bit, as the sound of the tv stirred her from her reprieve. An episode of a show, familiar to her, was playing at a low volume on her television set. The name escaped her in these waking moments, though she recalled it being about some a Ronin, who used a reverse blade. It was a classic, in her eyes.
The spheres of the soul, her eyes, fell upon a form resting on the floor watching it. The human child, transfixed on the display. Wearing a softer smile than the one that had been forced during their conflict. Hood back, with that peculiar bat resting on the floor beside her.
Well this was a fancy turn of events, the woman thought. She had set out to confront the human, to claim the soul for the salvation of everyone here. It seemed that desire had gone poorly for her. To her credit, she hadn't been expecting friendly fire from another monster. The action had sort of ruined what was meant to be a more impressive fight that she incorrectly believed she could have won.
"Human...why are you in my house?" Muffet asked tiredly.
Chara glanced back. "Hey, you're awake." She spoke. "Afternoon, spider-lady. And uh, well I didn't know where else to bring you." She explained. "So I asked the bird where you lived, and brought you here."
The woman felt this didn't answer her question. "So...why are 'you' here?"
"You didn't wake up after you got healed." The girl noted. "I wanted to stick around and make sure you were okay."
Haven't collapsed into an unconscious state, it made some sense Muffet didn't recall being healed. Though she did have a complete recollection of the sneak attack performed by Heatdrake. And him offering to heal the girl.
These thoughts filled her with a desire to smack the bird out of righteous irritation. The woman, instead starting to sit up. Groaning some as she had. It appeared the healing wasn't a complete process, and she was still a bit dinged up.
Examining her person, she was missing some items. Scanning the space, she discerned their location. Her cloak was on the coat-rack. Her swords resting beside it. With her tea kettle sitting on the coffee table before her. Well, at least nothing had been stolen.
"Thank you, dearie." She replied with semi-sarcasm, her head was pounding. "Though I must profess, I'm intrigued you healed me."
"Well my Big Sis was talking to you, and spoke about you like you were a friend." The girl noted, adding. "So, even if you are a spider that tried to kill me-" she shivered some. "I'm didn't want to hurt her friend."
"Friend, right." The woman sighed. "Human, she isn't just a 'friend' she is my adoptive mother. De'facto guardian for most of my life honestly." She added, feeling a touch surprised at her own willingness to just blurt these things out.
"Oh." The girl seemed surprised. "Wait, wait, wait...she's your mom?"
The concept of this was quite a shocking revelation for the girl to experience. Her complete attention ripped from the show playing across the television. It held significantly less interest to her, than this odd development.
The child turning her entire body to face Muffet, much to the woman's confusion. The monster noting that the childs injuries had, for the most part healed as well. With a little bit of scarring under the girls eye, forming. The woman imagining this was likely due to not having enough healing items. The spider-monster feeling a strange amount of pressure in general at the inquiry, having been said in such a tone.
She didn't know what the human was expecting to hear from her. Perhaps the girl was anticipating some grand or elaborate tale to accompany it? It honestly wasn't that exciting, at least to her.
Further, her thoughts prodded in annoyance, why was the human so comfortable speaking to her. It hadn't been that long ago before they were pitted together in a fight to the death. Moreover, it had only been slightly longer since the seemingly innocent creature before hat killed someone, with a level of brutality found from pit fighters, or serial killers.
However, no sooner has this distasteful thought manifested, than another sprouted into being. A chastisement for this chastisement. Giving a moment of consideration to counteract this thought.
The human was apparently quite young, or at least appeared as such, even bearing the striped style of shirt that children wore. To be so young, and evidently so powerful was a bit surprising in and of itself. And when these factors were mixed with the overwhelming fear of death, the results were predestined to end disastrously.
Muffet did find it a curious prospect, that when the child was faced with a threat to herself, she managed to remain composed. Taking actions to spare those who had quite literally gathered themselves to rip the soul her body. Her mind briefly replaying the obvious acts of restraint shown by the being from the 'surface.'
All of that fell apart with a single set of threats. A threat against Undyne, the only one who seemed to be showing her any kindness. And a threat against the girls mother. Someone who she seemed to hold a great opinion, and value for. It was surprisingly well understood by the spider-monster.
Could the woman honestly blame her for lashing out in that moment, and doing so without restraint? If someone had threatened her family, she would have responded the same. If not far more severely.
Further, if she was honest with herself. The monster had come to kill a child, for selfish motivations. Sure, one could ascribe them to altruistic intent. But Muffet had to profess, she was no moral bastion, and she could not judge the girl. So, finally, breaking from her thoughts, she provided an answer.
"Quite." The woman replied. "I would note that she is not my mother by birth, mind you. However the individuals associated with that process deigned to abandon my in the snow, as the core was suffering a meltdown." She explained. "So, I'd profess that Undyne is a more actual parent, given that she found me, and chose to care for me as her own."
"That's...I guess our moms are similar then." The girl said.
"How so, dearie?" The woman inquired.
"Well I uh...I have an...'original' family too." The girl explained. "They were...well, they were bad people. But after I-" She hesitated. "well, I was found by my family, and they took me in." She said. "It was...wonderful."
The woman was a little amused. "My, my, of course my mother liked you. We, the trinity, of wayward orphans~"
"Heh...I uh...I guess so huh?" The girl noted, adding. "Sorry."
"Fufufu. No need to apologize, dearie." Muffet considered. "Want to hear a story about my mother?"
"Sure." Chara replied.
"Well, you see. Once upon a time, she was a great warrior-" The spider monster began.
The two beings began to fall into a pattern of telling short stories with one another. Depicting moments from their lives. And moments from the lives of their families. Never revealing too many details to the other. Though for different reasons.
Chara had concluded that many monsters in the Hotland Ruins didn't have a high opinion of the royal family. Even if she wasn't specifically certain why. So for the time being, she would keep it quiet.
Muffet however, merely thought that some details weren't relevant for a good story. Even if sections were missing, as long as the one being told had some context to work with. Perhaps they could envision something more elaborate than the reality that had occurred.
Perhaps they were a touch foolish to do this. Perhaps things would be better if all their little secrets had escaped in the moment. If all things were told. But then, they were relaxing, enjoying the peace and security this moment provided them.
And wasn't that a marvelous thing, in itself?