"Q. Why are you here?"
"A. I came to the mountain and fell in."
"Q. Why did you come to the mountain?"
"A. I had to."
The answer baffled Chara. "Why?" they asked aloud, while Frisk stared at them, looking more serious than they had previously. They began writing and returned the notebook to Chara after a few moments.
"Something called for me, so I came. I thought it was strange. I wonder now if it's because of you and thought that is why I found you. But the tug comes from elsewhere."
"That makes sense. I mean... I wasn't awake until just before you got here. Or just after? I'm not sure..." Chara shook their head, wondering about it but having more questions in mind. "That aside... Did you come from the village near Mt. Ebott?" A nod. That's what they'd feared. Chara wanted to ask if they were still continuing the experiments they had done long ago, but... they didn't know if they could handle that knowledge. They didn't want to upset Frisk possibly, either, if they were anything like them. So instead they asked, "...do you... do you have a family?"
The response was a nod, accompanied by a somewhat sad smile. Part of Chara was relieved, but... that pained expression had them curious. They wouldn't ask.
Not wanting to ask anything else for the moment, Chara suggested they explore. The two of them first went to Toriel's room, where Chara made a mental note of the queen-sized bed. Dad definitely wasn't here with her, even though they'd held out hope this entire time that he would be... They peeked into Toriel's open journal, finding nothing but puns about various things, and after laughing at a few Chara noted, "It's... It's really nice to know she hasn't really changed at all. Even though circumstances obviously have..."
They continued down the hall past a room that was undergoing renovations, and ended up at the mirror. While Chara had looked into this mirror previously and noticed their slight appearance change, now they could not see themselves at all. "I wonder why my eye is black now. Do you have any idea?" Frisk only shrugged, though, which wasn't very surprising.
When they returned to the bedroom, Frisk immediately went to sit and write something, holding up a page that just said, "I'm tired." Chara hadn't even thought of it, but... they were dead. Did they even need sleep? "Oh, um... okay. You should sleep then. I'll just hang out here or go back to where we met for a while." Frisk looked at them with a bit of concern, but they assured, "I'll be fine! Really. I could use some time alone to take this all in anyway."
Frisk continued to stare at them, but eventually gave in and nodded. Chara watched as they went to lay down and snuggle up in the blankets, smiling a bit as they sighed and tried to relax. This had to be a lot for them. Chara remembered when they fell into the ruins, injuring themselves badly in the fall... if not for Asriel finding them, they surely would have died alone. They felt maybe it'd have been better that way, but...
"...good night, Frisk." Chara whispered as Frisk settled in. They turned away and sighed, closing their eyes and focusing... returning to the void they'd woken up in.
They stood there a few moments without knowing what to do.
And then, with everything settling in slowly, they fell to their knees, collapsing into quiet sobs...
...When Frisk woke up, they were alone. They rubbed their eyes, listening to the peaceful sound of a music box from somewhere. The tune was unfamiliar – maybe one of their siblings had brought back a new one? How long had they been asleep? They felt like they had a strange dream...
...when they opened their eyes, they saw the unfamiliar room. They quickly remembered... it was no dream.
They clenched their fists a moment, not sure how to feel. They could feel the toy knife pressed against their skin under their clothes. Toriel was nice to them. She was Chara's mother. All the other monsters were nice. Frisk didn't think they'd have to use it, even now, but... it was just a precautionary thing anyway.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
On the floor, near the bed... was a slice of the pie Toriel had spoken of, on a small plate. They weren't particularly hungry, despite not eating anything so far... They figured they'd just go wrap it up after talking to Toriel, so they picked the plate up and headed off in the unexplored direction of the house.
They only paused a moment to look at the stairs.
When Toriel saw them entering the room, she smiled, setting her book down in her lap and saying, "Up already, I see?" Frisk smiled back, nodding, setting the pie down on the table for a moment in case they had a reason to speak to her at the moment. "Um, I want you to know how glad I am to have someone here," she went on, "There are... so many old books I want to share. I want to show you my favorite bug-hunting spot. I've also prepared a curriculum for your education!"
There was a mixture of excitement and sadness in her tone. Frisk could only think of Chara, this poor woman's dead child... If only she knew. Frisk had lost their father, but they could only imagine the pain he would've felt had it been the other way around.
"This may come as a surprise to you... but I have always wanted to be a teacher." Toriel paused a moment, eyebrows scrunching up as she thought about what she said, and she added, "...actually, perhaps that isn't very surprising. STILL." She smiled once more, for a moment looking happier than she had the entire time Frisk had been with her. "I am glad to have you living here."
After confirming with Toriel they didn't need anything, they went to go wrap the pie up in the kitchen. They poked around a bit, but found nothing but chocolate in the fridge and fur in the sink. There was nothing really in here.
Including... Chara.
Frisk hadn't seen them since they woke up. They leaned against the counter, wondering if they were okay. Wondering what they should. They couldn't stay here – they had to keep going. If not to return to their home on the surface, then to do what they'd aimed to do in the first place. But how were they supposed to get out? If they asked Toriel they'd break her heart. Chara may not want to leave. Frisk knew that... they'd be happy here. They could be happy here.
But... there were things they had to do. They had to remain... determined.
That's how they'd gotten this far, after all. They wondered if Chara couldn't see the save points because they weren't determined enough or because they were a ghost. Frisk wasn't going to mention it anyway, considering the whole system was crazy enough without the idea of progress saving. But... if they died...
They had to keep going. They had to live.
They had to get out.
So, hesitantly, they went back to Toriel and signed those inevitable words: "How do I exit the ruins?"
Her eyes widened for a moment, but then she smiled. A fake, worried smile. She stood up quickly, startling Frisk, and told them, "...I have to do something. Stay here." With that, she hurried away, leaving Frisk no time to grab onto her and say anything else. They hesitated to go after her, taking a few steps before pausing. Looking to the bookshelf, where a single book stood out. They stepped toward it and picked it up.
It was a history book... They opened to a random page. "Trapped behind the barrier and fearful of further human attacks, we retreated. Far, far into the earth we walked, until we reached the cavern's end. This was our new home, which we named... 'Home.' As great as our king is, he is pretty lousy at names."
Frisk's heart ached a bit, knowing humans like them had caused the monsters such pain. Even so, they'd been so... accepting. Frisk had befriended so many of them, despite needing Chara's help at times. Their kindness...
It filled Frisk with Determination.
They finally chased after Toriel, knowing exactly where she had gone without even thinking about it. And it wasn't long before they met up with her in the hallway of the basement. "You wish to know how to return 'home,' do you not? Ahead of us lies the end of the ruins. A one-way exit to the rest of the underground. I am going to destroy it. No one will ever be able to leave again. Now be a good child and go upstairs." She continued walking, but Frisk ran after her. They wouldn't let her do this.
She paused again, turning to look at Frisk sadly. "Every human that falls down here meets the same fate. I have seen it again... and again... They come. They leave. They die."
She could see the look in their eyes. She knew they wouldn't back down. But what she didn't know, what she didn't see, was Chara, appearing very suddenly between them. Chara, who looked back and forth between the two of them, turning to Frisk specifically to ask, "What are-"
But Toriel continued on.
"You naïve child... If you leave the ruins... They...
Asgore... Will kill you..."
Chara's eyes widened as Toriel once again smiled sadly. "I am only protecting you, do you understand? ...go to your room." This time, as she turned to walk away, it was Chara who chased after her, asking what she meant despite their words being lost on her. At the sight of Chara, Frisk had faltered slightly. What were they going to do? They... they couldn't let this happen. But they couldn't hurt Toriel. Especially not with Chara there.
As they caught up, Toriel did not turn to look at them, only saying, "Do not try to stop me. This is your final warning."
She proceeded to the door. Both children, desperate and afraid, followed her there.
"You want to leave so badly? Hmph. You are just like the others." Chara's eyes widened. Others? What others? All the children's things in the room, the separation from father, saying he would kill Frisk... what had happened since they died? They wanted to scream and ask her, but they knew it wouldn't help anything.
They had stayed in the void crying for a long time. But they had also been thinking... maybe Frisk was the hope the monsters of the underground needed.
But it wasn't that simple now.
"There is only one solution to this. Prove yourself... Prove to me you are strong enough to survive!"
Without seeming to think about it, Chara moved in between them. They turned to Frisk with such a desperate look, Frisk was a bit... startled. Toriel's voice behind Chara asked, "...wait. Why are you looking at me like that? Like you have seen a ghost." Chara's eyes conveyed a feeling of pain Frisk had never felt so... intensely. "Do you know something that I do not?" They did. They knew of her suffering child who could not communicate their presence, who could not reassure her everything would be okay. Who could not do for her what she'd done for them long ago. Who could not take back their mistakes. "...no. That is impossible."
Frisk looked beyond Chara, at Toriel. Their soul appeared, the battle beginning, and as they focused again on their friend...
Chara could only look them in the eye and hopelessly plead, "Frisk... She doesn't know what she's doing... She's scared, and hurt, but... she doesn't want to hurt you... Please... don't... don't hurt my mother anymore...!"
They felt the knife against their skin.
There was an easy way out of this.
They smiled.
And used mercy.
It was hard at times to avoid Toriel's fire attacks. Frisk continued to dodge without attacking, sparing her every chance they got. They would not fight.
"What are you doing? Attack or run away! What are you proving this way? Fight me or leave!" Toriel's continued to speak as she attacked, but when Frisk looked to her they did not show their fear. They did not show their doubt. They smiled at her patiently. "Stop it. Stop looking at me that way!" Her attacks became more intense as she screamed, "Go away!" Frisk worried for a moment they could not avoid them, but...
Quickly realized despite the onslaught of fire magic heading toward them, every attack was missing as if on purpose. Toriel, for a few moments, became silent as Frisk stood there and looked at her, their soul in perfect position for her to attack. They stood their ground. They would remain determined.
And Chara, who had only been able to watch, useless in the face of Toriel's flames, stood beside them.
The fire died down.
"I know you want to go home, but... Please, go upstairs now. I promise I will take good care of you here. I know we do not have much, but... we can have a good life here." Frisk stepped toward her, smiling. It was clear their mind was made up. "W-Why are you making this so difficult? Please, go... upstairs..."
Frisk stopped right in front of her, looking up at her, with Chara slightly behind them. Toriel stared back down at them and... after a moment, she laughed. "Pathetic, is it not? I cannot save even a single child. ...no, I understand. You would just be unhappy trapped down here. The ruins are very small once you get used to them. It would not be right for you to grow up in a place like this."
The monster woman sighed, and kneeled down to look Frisk in the eye. There was something in her gaze like recognition, and she was obviously close to tears as she said, "My expectations... My loneliness... My fear... For you, my child...
I will put them aside."
Frisk's soul returned to them as it ended. Toriel stood again, shoulders slumped, not looking directly at Frisk anymore. "If you truly wish to leave the ruins... I will not stop you. However, when you leave... please do not come back. I hope you understand."
She once again leaned down to hug Frisk tightly, holding them for a few moments as they reached around her to return the gesture. Chara could only watch, ignoring the familiar pain in their chest as Toriel told Frisk, "Goodbye, my child." To Chara... it felt like something they themselves had needed to hear. They would not burden their mother with knowledge of their existence. This was likely... the last time they'd ever see her.
She nearly left, Frisk staring at the door without looking back, when she turned to look at them one last time. Without them looking, she had a frown on her face, one that worried Chara. Could they... could they really just leave like this? She walked away, but Chara immediately turned to ask Frisk, "...can we follow her? Please? I can't leave things like this. There may be nothing I can do, but..."
Frisk continued to stare at the door, and Chara was worried they would not agree. But they finally nodded. She was nowhere in the house above, but while they were there Frisk packed a bag with all the things they had collected, sneaking in the toy knife. They took the piece of the pie that had been left for them, figuring they'd save it for later. One last reminder. And finally they took the notebook, figuring it was the easiest way of communicating with Chara.
Eventually they went all the way back to where they had started, finding Toriel again. She seemed surprised when she saw Frisk, who signed something to her that Chara couldn't understand, but smiled. "Do not worry about me. Somebody has to take care of these flowers." Without looking at them anymore, she turned back to stare at them. The children looked at each other, unsure of what to do.
Chara stepped forward and, careful not to go through her, hugged her as best they could. It was the only thing left for them to do.
It was time to leave.
And as they did, neither saw when Toriel bowed her head and began to cry, remembering all too well that familiar, cold embrace of her child...
(Hello, writer Reefy here! Just wanted to say if you like Icetale so far, please leave a review. Feedback is helpful and I most certainly would love to hear what you think! Sorry if this chapter seems rushed. We're now moving out of the ruins into Snowdin. See you then~)
