Frisk: -waves hello to the audience, before signing with their free hand to the best of their abilities-
Flowey: They said, "It's nice to see everyone again."
Hana: ...you don't even use ASL in this story...at least not in the Underground, I think...? Maybe...? I'm chalking it up to magic.
Flowey: ...go with it already. She doesn't own Undertale that belongs to Toby Fox.
Hana: I'm only a fan of the Underfell AU...so there's that too. Enjoy the new chapter! Also, what did you guys think of DELTARUNE? I played it, and holy hell was I in for a surprise at the end! That was all kinds of WTF!
-Flowey and Frisk look to Hana in utter confusion-
... ... ... ...
+ - Chapter 2 – Puzzles and Door Keys - +
Toriel greeted you, as you entered the new space. Before you stood a pair of stairs, both leading up to the upper balcony platform.
"It's the main entrance to the Ruins." Flowey whispered.
You nodded in understanding. You feel something as you took in the entry.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The Shadow of the Ruins looms above, filling you with Determination.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Come, my child. We can't have you standing there forever." Toriel called out, and you quickly ran up the stairs to where the goat woman stood.
You appologize, though Toriel waves you off. You eagerly followed her into the next room. It was small, with a door straight across from where you entered, and six stepping stones on the right hand side of it. Next to the threshold, was a lever.
"Allow me to welcome you to your new home, innocent one." Toriel spoke up, "I am going to educate you in the operation of these ruins…however, expect not for me to repeat myself."
You nodded, though timidly. The Caretaker began to walk along some of the tiles, which remained down after she stepped on them. Four were pressed down, before she pulled the switch on the wall.
"The ruins have many puzzles. Ancient fusions between diversions and door keys." She explained, "You will be solving them to move from room to room…you had better adjust yourself to the sight of them, understood?"
You told Toriel you understood…you're fairly certain she's smiling in approval, but it's hard to tell with the crazed look that never actually leaves her eyes…
She leaves for the next room, you eye the remaining two buttons on the floor.
"Do not step on those, child." Toriel called, and you snapped your attention to where her voice came from.
"…Frisk, be weary of Toriel. I know you got her to spare us, but MERCY is still a thing that's foreign for her. For a lot of us, really."
You asked Flowey why Toriel said to not step on the two switches she left standing.
"To prevent us from dying do to your overly curious nature," Flowey grumbled, "Those two switches activate traps even if the other four are pressed down."
You chose not to step on the two remaining switches, and hurry after Toriel.
"'Only the fearless may proceed.'," The voice in your head spoke up, stopping you momentarily. "'Brave ones, foolish ones. Both walk not the middle road.' Might wanna keep it mind, partner."
The chill from prior returned to you with full force. You resume to run after Toriel.
"There are several switches you will need to flip." Toriel told you. "Let's see how well you fare, shall we?"
The first was easy, as you could only see one. You saw Toriel watching you on the far side of the room. Surely, she would say something if it were dangerous?
"Fat chance."
You silently muttered for the voice to shut up.
"I didn't say anything." Flowey said in confusion.
You let Flowey know you weren't talking to him.
"…how old are you?"
You informed the flower that you were ten, and then made your way along the path to the next two levers where Toriel was waiting for you. You eye the two mechanisms, and make for a go at one…
"Stay on the path." The voice warned you. What did that have…oh. Looking down, you saw that the path branched out from the main one, to the lever that you weren't originally going to pull. You pull that one instead, and the ground shakes under your feet.
"Well done, child!" Toriel preened. "I'm very proud of you, now, let's be on our way, shall we?"
You decided you enjoyed Toriel's praise, and hurried after her. Puzzles were so much fun, you hoped there were more to solve.
Sadly, there was no puzzle in the room you followed her to. You pouted slightly.
"I'm sure the flower told you, that this world, it's kill or be killed." Toriel stated. "As a human living in the Underground it's inevitable that monsters can and will attack you."
Something told you, you weren't going to like what Toriel was gonna tell you.
"You will need to be prepared for this situation. When you encounter a monster you will enter a FIGHT. I want you to attack this dummy." She gestured to the beaten-up dummy in the room. That poor thing…it must've been through so much.
You took note of the goat monster walking to the next door. She stood in front of it, blocking the next room.
"It's just a dummy, Frisk."
You knew that but…
"You encountered the dummy. Its attack and defense are zero." The voice narrated for some reason, "A broken cotton heart, and a cracked button eye…once upon a time had been the apple of someone's eye."
That was…kinda sad. You felt bad for the dummy.
"Heh. Looks like it's just gonna fall over. You should put it out of it's pathetic misery."
You refused. You decide to try talking to the dummy. You tell it that despite all the hardships you're sure its faced, it will come out stronger than it thought it could.
"Frisk…it's a fucking dummy."
"Er…child, what is it you are doing? Attack the dummy."
You refused.
You spared the dummy.
"…the dummy accepts your MERCY with gratitude…?" The voice was bewildered. "Hey, look at that. You won. Somehow."
Both Flowey and Toriel were speechless. Without another word, Toriel exits the room. She seemed…troubled?
Shrugging at the strange behavior, you smiled at the dummy, and then pat its nose. You tell it goodbye and hurry up to the next space.
"There is another puzzle in this room…I wonder if you can solve it?" Toriel led the way down the hall, to a smaller section of the room that led to the other side of the area. Trying not to fall behind, you almost didn't see something jump out at you.
"Froggit attacks you! It has an attack of four, and a defense of five." The disembodied voice stated. "It doesn't believe anything comes easy for it."
What do you do in this situation? Froggit seemed…confused. More so than angry. You decided to try complimenting it.
It blushed.
"Ribbit, ribbit…"
"Froggit didn't understand what you said, but was flattered anyway." Your paranormal friend(?) narrated.
"Ribbit, ribbit…meow."
"…they said they were sorry for attacking you so suddenly, and that it thought you would kill it."
All that from two ribbits? …and a meow? Wait, what?
"Frisk, I wouldn't keep that crazy goat waiting for too long." Flowey said. "Hell, I don't think she realized you stopped to…um, talk to that Froggit there."
Nodding, you waved goodbye to the Froggit, and hurried after the caretaker. "I am trying to decide if you can solve this…" Toriel mused to herself.
You looked around her, and gulped. Those spikes seemed super dangerous.
"Of course, they are, you idiot." The voice groused. You chose to ignore the comment.
"…hey, Frisk." Flowey whispered. "The west room mirrors the east room."
You weren't sure what that meant. You turned to face where you knew the west room laid. Was it the path on the floor? So that meant…you had no idea how to memorize something like that on your own!
"You do know Toriel left without ya, right?" You snapped to attention, and quickly glanced back to where Toriel stood. Crap, she was on the other side?!
"…how'd you…? No, you know what? Never mind." Flowey grumbled. "I know this puzzle like the back of my leaf. You good at following directions?"
You nod, offended that Flowey would think otherwise.
"Great. Go slow. Start stepping forward." You did as Flowey said, carefully following each of the directions. You wondered why he was whispering though...
Before you knew it, you had reached the end of the puzzle. "Well done, my child!" Toriel preened, "I'm very proud of you."
…you didn't feel like you deserved that credit, but decided that it would be in your, and Flowey's, best interests to say nothing on the matter.
"I honestly thought something like this would be a little too dangerous for you, but I had a strange feeling you could do it…how strange of me to think, is it not?"
You…couldn't really argue there. This was your first ever time meeting Toriel. It also occurred to you, that rather than just 'child', Toriel had called you her child…
Her child? You smiled softly. She really was like a mother, wasn't she?
"Come, let us go to the next room, alright?" You nodded, and eagerly followed the motherly goat.
The next room you entered was the longest you've ever seen in the Ruins. You could barely make out the other side from where you currently stood. Was there another puzzle here? You hoped so, but it didn't look like there was. You felt a little disappointed in that.
"You have done well thus far, my child." Toriel spoke up, smiling down to you. "However, I have one last thing for you to do."
You cocked your head to the side in curiosity. Flowey was skeptical.
"I need you to walk to the end of this room by yourself." She informed you, before turning on her heal, and running away. She was faster than you thought she was, and quickly lost track of her in ways you weren't certain should've been possible.
"Don't run, Frisk." Flowey warned you. "I know you want to, but god dammit, don't."
You ask Flowey why.
"There are randomized traps hidden almost everywhere...one misstep, and you're dead."
You argued that Toriel just ran down the hall.
"They're set to attack humans." Flowey countered. "But…despite that, I can't tell ya where the activated ones actually are."
"…I know where the traps are. Just start walking, I'll guide you." You blinked in surprise. Why was the voice helping you now? "Tch. Just shut up and listen. Got it?"
You decided to not look the gift horse in the mouth…whatever that was supposed to mean.
"Frisk…?"
You tell Flowey not to worry, and that you had at least a little confidence in what you were about to do.
"If I die, I'm haunting your sorry ass!"
"What a crybaby…" The voice muttered. They then proceeded to tell you where to go, when to stop, continue, and before you knew it, you were at the end of the long corridor.
"Outstanding!" Toriel's voice sounded, as she emerged from behind the pillar at the end. "You truly got through it! Wonderful, my child!"
You blushed, scratching the apple of your cheek in embarrassment. You wished you could give the credit where it should be given…
"I suppose I have little to worry about." The goat monster mused. "I feel less concerned leaving you alone for a while. There are errands I need to run, and I would apricate it if you would stay here while I complete them."
What were you supposed to do here? You pondered.
"If you need anything, just give me a call." She handed you a cellphone. At least, you were pretty sure it was a cellphone. It looked ancient, and you felt disappointed there weren't any apps…
"What do you expect? It's a model from 1992." The voice chided. "And for what it's worth, it's actually pretty decent."
You decided you would take their word for it. Was your generation that spoiled?
"All signs point to 'yes', partner."
"Don't go wandering off, understood?"
You nod, and watch as Toriel leaves.
"We can't stay here." Flowey speaks up. "Let's leave."
You hold up a finger, and try out the phone. It rings twice before Toriel picks up.
"My child, is something wrong?" Her voice came over the receiver. "Did you...need anything?"
You tell her no, and inform her you just wanted to say hello.
"…well, hello, then. I hope that suffices, my child. Goodbye." She hung up.
"Can we go now?"
"Can we go now?"
You tell both of them to wait a few minutes or so. Your curiosity was getting the better of you. You called Toriel again.
"…you want to know something about me?" Her voice sounded oddly skeptical. "...there is nothing to say. I live in the Ruins, and I dislike intruders who sneak into my domain. With ill intentions."
"Friiiiiiisk! No more!"
"Friiiiiisk! Stop it already!" You were having too much fun annoying your two companions.
Eventually you didn't have anything else to do…how would Toriel react if you flirted with her? But she was basically your mom…
…kids are known to be pranksters, after all. With a grin, you call Toriel again. You flirt.
"…o-oh my…you're such a little rascal, aren't you?" She mused, "I could just pinch your cheeks, you're so adorable! But surely, you can find someone better than an old woman such as myself."
Click.
This was actually very fun. You decided you liked flirting…but for now…you really wanted to see what laid in wait beyond the hall you were fooling around on your phone in.
... ... ... ...
This chapter was fun to write. Toriel was actually a little more difficult in this case, espeically because she's not always the nicest in Underfell...but I kinda wanted her to have hints of that kindness, but still be able to fit into the world of literal "kill or be killed".
As much as I might need it, R&R doesn't stand for Rest and Relaxation. Leave a review and lemme know how I'm doing! Show this work some love (Not LoVe!) by favoriting this work, and don't forget to follow so you know when I'll post the next chapter! Stay determined, and I'll see you guys next time on...
Hell Underground!