"I can't believe this." Peter said. Inside the room Toriel had given him, he sat on the bed, thinking. "Toriel's been nothing but kind to me, but... I can't stay here. I've got to get back home."

"Yeah. And get me detangled from you." Chara sounded exasperated.

"That too." Peter admitted. Laying back on the bed, he closed his eyes. "I'll just take a short nap. I am kinda-"

Peter sat up and yawned. The room was darkened, and there was a slice of pie on the floor. "That looks good." He noted, picking it up and putting it in his pocket. He froze. "Um, I don't have pockets..."

"I took care of that." Chara replied. "I can store about eight items on my person. You're welcome."

"Thanks." Peter replied. He looked about the room. "What am I gonna do? I can't stay here, but I'd hate to upset Miss Toriel..."

"She'd keep you here for the rest of your life." Chara warned. "She's had a... rough life. From what I can tell."

Peter sighed. "Well, I now know what I have to do..."

Walking out of the room, he crossed the front hall to the opposite side. In the following room was a cozy living room. A fire was roaring, and three places were set at a nearby table. Near the fire, Toriel sat, reading. When Peter entered, she looked up and smiled.

"Up already, I see?" She said warmly.

"Well, yeah." Peter replied. "Thanks for the pie."

"Think nothing of it!" Toriel replied. "Um... I want you to know how glad I am to have someone here. There are so many old books I want to share. I want to show you my favorite bug-hunting spot. And I've prepared a curriculum for your education!"

Peter was taken aback. "That seems a bit overkill, TBH."

Toriel chuckled. "Well, this may come as a surprise to you, But I have always wanted to be a teacher."

"No surprise to me, honestly." Peter and Chara replied in unison. Well, only Peter could here Chara.

Toriel gave him a look. "STILL. I am glad to have you living here." She noticed the look on his face. "Oh, did you want something?"

Peter struggled for a bit. "Ma'am, you've been nothing but kind, but... Can I go home?"

Toriel looked shocked. "What? This... this IS your home now!"

"And that's very kind of you to offer, but I've honestly gotta get back!"

"Um..." Toriel quickly changed the subject. "Would you like to hear about this book I am reading?"

"Well-" Peter went to say something but Toriel continued.

"It is called "72 uses for Snails."" She continued. "Did you know that snails make terrible shoelaces?" She chuckled nervously.

"Heh... That's kinda funny." Peter replied.

Toriel went back to her book. Not wanting to disturb her further, Peter left the house to take more of a look around.

"What are you doing!?" Chara asked. "Don't tell me you're thinking of staying here!"

Peter looked out from a walkway near the house. The ruins of what looked to be a giant city stretched out for miles in front of him. "I can't stay here, I know. I have a home, a family, a city to protect. I've gotta get back to em. But at the same time... Toriel truly seems to be very lonely. Can I really leave her in the lurch after just one day?"

"Yeah. You can." Chara scoffed. "Benefit of being a human, being able to move on. Like we have to now."

Peter looked over the dilapidated city sadly. "Seems a sad spin to put on it."

"Maybe it is a bit bitter," Chara admitted. "But how long will you stay here before you tell her? We gotta rip the bandage off early, or it'll hurt more later."

Peter sighed. He could see the logic in that. Turning around, he walked back into the house.

Toriel looked up from her book. "May I help you? You look like something is on your mind."

Peter nodded. "I'm hesitant to bring this up again... But may I ask you once more, how do I leave?"

Toriel looked even more concerned than she had previously, but cleared her throat and stood up . "I... I have something to do. Stay here." She patted Peter on the head, and hurried out of the room.

"Wait!" Peter shouted as she left.

"Run after her, dummy!" Chara yelled. "Trust me, you need to hurry!"

Peter raced out of the room. Seeing her descending some nearby stairs, he rushed down and caught up to her in a long hallway.

"What are you doing!" He yelled.

Toriel didn't look back. "You wish to know how to return "home", do you not?"

Peter nodded.

"Well, ahead of us lies the end of the Ruins. A one-way exit to the rest of the Underground." She took a deep breath and continued. "I am going to destroy it. No one will ever be able to leave again. Now be a good child and go upstairs."

"I can't do that." Peter replied, on her heels. "I have a dessert date with Michelle tomorrow, and my Aunt will be frantic if I'm not home for lunch. I've gotta go back!"

"Every human that falls down here meets the same fate." Toriel sadly stated. "I have seen it again and again. They come. They leave. They die. You naive child. If you leave the Ruins, they... Asgore... Will kill you. I am only protecting you, do you understand?"

"I understand," Peter said, "but I can handle myself, I promise."

"Do not try to stop me." Toriel warned. "This is your final warning."

"Before what?" Peter felt himself getting angry. "I respect you, Toriel, but you have no right to keep me here." They were at the door now. "Now please... Let. Me. Go."

Toriel whipped around. "You want to leave so badly?" She chuckled darkly. "Hmph. You are just like the others. There is only one solution to this. Prove yourself."

Peter bounced on his feet. "Ok, what do you want me to do?"

Toriel's eyes darkened. "Prove to me you are strong enough to survive."

Peter's spider-sense went crazy, as his SOUL flew from his body and in to a fight... With Toriel.

"Oh no." He stated.

"This is what you wanted... right?" Toriel asked, her hands becoming engulfed in a mystic flame.

"Chara, give me a rundown." Peter whispered.

"Toriel has extremely high ATK and DEF." Chara replied, sound frightened. "She think's she knows best for you. I've never seen her like this..."

Toriel frowned and launched row after row of fireballs. Peter just managed to dodge the first wave, then leapt from the next. "Toriel! Can't we talk this out! Isn't that what you taught me? Talking?!"

"Toriel is acting aloof. Ironically, I don't think talking will help you here." Chara replied, sounding more concerned. "You've gotta fight her. Prove you have what it takes."

Peter kept dodging. "I'm not gonna fight someone who gave! Me! Pie!" He slid under a row. "Who took me into their home!" He felt some fire graze his SOUL. "I just want to go back to my own!" He pleaded.

Toriel's face was impassive as she launched row after row of fireballs. "What are you doing? Attack... or run away! What will you prove this way!"

"Toriel... I have extraordinary powers." Peter cried. "Heck, I could punch a man through stone! But I have sworn to fight for good, to use my powers for good! I wont fight for myself! Last time I did, it cost me dearly. I REFUSE TO FIGHT WITH YOU!"

"You may have to." Chara spoke softly, like the words were paining her to say. "You won't prove anything this way. Just get it over with, human. That's another thing we're good at."

Peter ignored her, and focused on the fireballs, which showed no signs of stopping.

"FIGHT ME OR LEAVE!" Toriel cried, continuing her assault.

Peter refused, but didn't say a word. His eyes looked on her with sadness, with fear...

With pity.

Toriel shook her head. "Stop it. Stop looking at me that way!" She threw more and more fireballs, and Peter was getting tired. More hit him. "Go away!" The fireballs began to abate as her expression shifted from stony to saddened. "I know you want to go home, but..." She stopped her attack.

Peter collapsed to the ground.

"But please... go upstairs now." Her eyes began to brim with tears. "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! So why are you making this so difficult?"

Peter slowly sat up. "I... I have a home. I have friends, family, loved ones. It would be nice to stay here, but... I have a responsibility to them. To those I protect every day. "

Toriel looked at him, nearly crying. "Please, go upstairs."

Peter shook his head.

Toriel started to chuckle. "Hah ha... Pathetic, is it not?" She shook her head. "I cannot even save a single child."

Peter looked her in the eye. "If you keep me here..."

Toriel shook her head. "No. I understand. You would just be unhappy trapped 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. My expectations... My loneliness... my fear..." She took a deep breath. "For you, my child... I will put them aside."

The color returned to the world as Peter stood back up. "Thank you."

Toriel didn't look at him. "If you truly wish to leave the Ruins... I will not stop you."

Peter nodded. "Thank you. Again."

"However." Toriel continued. "When you leave... Please. Do not come back."

"But-"

"Please. I hope you understand." She turned, and Peter accepted her proffered hug. "Goodbye... my child."

"Goodbye Toriel." Peter said, beginning to tear up. "Can't you come with me?"

Toriel shook her head. "I'm afraid... someone must stay here. Water the flowers. Watch for more children." She turned to walked away, and with one final look at Peter, was out of sight.

"... You did it. I'm not sure how, but you did it." Chara said. She sounded like she had been crying. "I guess... We gotta go now."

Peter nodded. "Yeah. I guess." He began to walk down a long hall, the air getting cooler and the floor rising. As he exited the hall, he noticed a small patch of green. Flowey promptly sprung up.

"You again?" Peter said, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I'm a bit more knowledgeable now... Friend."

Flowey chuckled. "Well partner, I betcha feel real great. Congrats on not killing anyone this time!"

Peter looked at him strangely. "Thanks... I guess."

"But what if you meet a relentless killer? You'll die... and you'll die..." Flowey's face took on a demonic form. "AND. YOU'LL. DIE. What will you do then? Will you kill out of frustration?"

"Hey bucko," Peter interrupted. "I don't run that way. Maybe web em up for the cops, but I don't kill. To many have already died because of me."

Flowey laughed. "Hah! Maybe you'll just give up... And let ME inherit this world's power! Your morals will mean nothing, not when you're done here. You will kill. Or you will be killed." He laughed again, sounding like a crazed banshee, and vanished.

"I don't like that guy." Peter noted, walking towards the exit.

"Join the club." Chara muttered. "He does seem... familiar somehow... cold blooded killer notwithstanding."

"Well, I'm not gonna press THAT topic." Peter replied. As he exited the Ruins, it occurred to him that his problems... may only be beginning.

/I can't believe we've left the Ruins already. What a trip! This is really fun to right, and you know who we're meeting next...
Anyways, please leave a review if you have any constructive criticisms or ideas! See you whenever I have the time to update next!/