LOUDERTALE

by Superdimentio77

When Lincoln wins a free reservation at a resort, he of course invites all of his family to join him. But when said resort is standing next to a certain mountain, their visit up the mount might extend the Loud Siblings' trek by a little bit. What friendship and trials await them? Look out Underground, here come the Louds.

8. Ruins, Part 6

LOUDERTALE

Arc 1 : Ruins

Part 5 : Strong in the real way...

Author's Note : So... welcome back. This chapter sure took some time, didn't it ? But that's totally not because I got engrossed in a new game or a new fandom. Nooo...

*Discreetly pushes a Tanuki Mario and Bendy plushies behind a conveniently placed crate*

Okay, I might've developped a bit of a writer's block here and there, but I thank everyone of you kind reviewers for leaving a nice comment on my little story. You, fanfic artists, and June's Loud House episodes, are what kept me going with this rather emotional chapter. I hope it will please you as much as the last one surprisingly did.

Without further ado, other than I don't own Undertale, Loud House, or any of their characters, let's dive in !

---

Lincoln couldn't move. No matter how he hard he tried, his numb appendages wouldn't budge. But at the same time, Lincoln could feel, see, and hear everything around him, as if he was trapped into a red, hot limbo.

Did he really need a reason to remember last Thanksgiving ?

As said, all that Lincoln could see were pulsating red walls, noiselessly beating like a heart. His body was floating in a never-ending tube of that strange décor. As for the sound of the place, Lincoln's ears picked up the continuous sound of... tape rewinding ?

'Oh, this is more like Luan's 12th birthday party then.' thought the boy, his thoughts strangely echoing. All that was missing were raveneous rabbits, and his berserking father armed with a spoon ! Ah, such violence...

Lincoln kept floating for a little while, at the whim of an inexistant force, and was getting both increasingly bored, and increasingly worried. His sisters were nowhere in sight, and the last he saw of them was less than reassuring, especially Lori. In desperation, the boy called out to his apparently-not-imaginary-friend. 'Hey, spirit guy... girl ? Spirit person. You still haven't told me your name by the way, but no matter right now. Where are we ? Where are the girls ? And what's happening with my heart right now ?'

Lincoln was referring to the fact that he could feel a strange energy pulsating from his chest, with a worrisome red hue on its surface. He had no doubt that it was his SOUL's doing, but he simply could not explain the empowering feeling, except that it kinda reminded him of his last seconds on the Surface, trying to pull up his sisters out of the hole.

But the voice didn't answer, making Lincoln feel almost vexed. He was ready for a harsher call from inside his mind, until a little *ding* sound and a strange computer-ish voice stopped him in his tracks.

[LOAD COMPLETE]

"Wha-" managed to say Lincoln, before feeling something pulling him upward by the SOUL. As he flew at breakneck speed towards a hole of pure white light, the red walls began seizuring with all the colors of the rainbow, spinning faster and faster as Lincoln got closer to the light. The boy could only scream, but no sound came out.

Then, there was only light. Then, all faded to black.

And then all Lincoln knew was... purple ?

[LOAD SUCCESSFUL]

---

"AAAH !" yelled Lincoln, jolting up like he was waking up from a nightmare. The boy did his best to fight the nauseous feeling that was taking over his body at the moment, and trying to understand what the [Mercy] had happened. His cheeks bloated up twice, but he managed to keep his breakfast from making a run for it. Somehow. "Oh gosh, what a messed-up nightmare that... was- hey, wait a minute."

Some things weren't adding up. First, he wasn't in the pyjamas Toriel had bought for him. Nope, his trademark and very chain-manufactured clothes were on him. Second, he wasn't in the red room. He was standing before Toriel's house, and it was daytime. Looking at his clean clothes, Lincoln could tell that he hadn't taken a sudden nap here. Besides, the Goat Mother wouldn't have allowed it, and would have carried him to a more confortable place to rest. An easy task, seeing how easily she had transported Leni in that exact same way after one of Lynn's football shots had hit her in the head.

In fact, the thing Lincoln immediately noticed was that he had none of the burn marks inflicted to him during that... battle, and that he was standing right next to the Save Point. Kinda like he had been before going down the stairs, and...

A theory popped up inside Lincoln's mind, but he had to verify it. So he immediately dashed inside the house, and he immediately ran into his sisters, all without the slightest wound, and looking as confused as he was.

"Guys, how the helmet did we come back here so fast ? And why doesn't anything hurt anymore ?" questionned Lynn while probbing her body to feel none of the injuries she once had.

"Wow, maybe Lucy's teleportation powers got to us or something." assumed Leni naively.

"For the last time, I do not teleport." stressed Lucy monotonely, yet with a pinch of frustration.

"Riiiiiight..." grinned Leni 'knowingly', making Lucy's hand itch for a proper facepalm.

"This is... quite the mystery I must admit." said Lisa, scratching her wild brown scalp. "All I can remember is levitating into some sort of limbo, surrounded by Orchid purple walls, until some inexistant force dragged me into a strange light, and making me wake up here amongst you, right on my two straight femurs."

Luna perked up at this. "Dude, I had the exact same one, except the walls were yellow."

"Mine were blue !" said Lola.

"And mine were orange !" added Lana.

"No way, mine were orange too !" said Lynn in surprise.

The Loud Sisters began chatting all at the same time, until Lincoln's clapping hands brought them back to reality. "Guys, I think we've gotta focus here. I mean, how did we even left the basement in the first place ? And right after Toriel-"

Lincoln stopped himself with a little gasp, but the harm had already been done, both for him and his sisters. Recent memories came back to them with the force of a bulldozer. A bulldozer of feels that is. The mere fact of remembering Toriel's wrath, then pain, then apologies, and finally crumbling into dust, was enough to get tears welling up into the eleven pairs of eyes.

But as Lola went inside her dress... hammerspace, to reach out for a handkerchief before her mascara could get ruined again, she felt something that made her snap right out of her sadness. This... sugary, crispy feeling on her glove, one that had managed to stay fresh for days inside her dress. But that simply couldn't be...

The little princess took the item out for a good look. And it was exactly what she thought it was. "Uh, guys ? I think you might wanna look at this." called Lola worriedly.

Through emerging tears, the Louds turned to look at what their pink sister had to show. The same eye widening reverbated across all the kids' stumped faces.

"Lola... when did you pick out another spider donut ?" asked Luan, trying to figure out this new paradox. But of course, being Luan, "And not even sharing with your siblings ? That's not very sweet you know."

"Uh, that's kind of the thing. I didn't." explained Lola, getting more weirded out by the second.

"But didn't you gobble it up, like we all did when... wait a little sec." drawled Lincoln, as he quickly inserted his hand inside his pocket. His eyes widened once more, and he slowly fished out his own Donut Piece, under the shocked gazes of his sisters, who quickly did the same. And to their ever-growing confusion, all Donut Pieces were there, as yummy and uneaten as they were when they had bought them.

"Okay, this is getting very freaky. And I once saw a squirrel using Cliff as its steed." quipped Lana, though she was not sure that this was the best comparison in her book.

'How is this even possible ? It's like we never ate them in the first place !' mumbled Lincoln internally, hoping for an answer from Ghost Narrator up there, but the guy/girl/person was apparently taking a nap. But as he mulled over his last words, and added to them all the strange facts plus that tape rewinding sound, his theory came back to him. 'Like it never happened...'

"Can this whole thing get any more bizarre ?" commented Luna, arching an eyebrow.

"It... apparently can." pointed out Lisa. The little genius was currently looking at her own cellphone, and did not just looked like she had run out of battery. "I have arranged my phone to tell the exact time through a mechanism inside it, with no room for any error."

"Poo... poo ?" asked Lily, tilting her head.

"Why am I pointing that fact out ? Perhaps because the hour that I'm currently watching is simply improbable and impossible in every sense I can currently think of." finished Lisa with a small trembling chuckle, as she showed her phone to her siblings.

It read 11:00.

A moment of silence. Then, Lana felt a bit bold, and simply shrugged. "Well, even the best plumbers have their wrong wrench spinnings from time to time."

"My invention is not flawed !" argued Lisa back, not thrilled for her prideful intellect to be questionned. "I've been changing the mechanism every month, and it did not explode once. Hence, it works !"

"Those are pretty simple principles to live by, especially for you." quipped Lucy, prompting Lisa to hiss in surprise at the little princess of darkness being close enough to breathe down her neck. Boundaries weren't exactly a given with Lucy. "Even so, that doesn't explain how we came back one minute after Lincoln went to Save."

"Hold on, hold on, I'm demanding a time-out on this one !" said Lynn while doing an 'X' motion with her arms. Luan opened her maw, but quickly closed it when Lynn gave her a very meaningful look, along with a very meaningful breath through her nostrils. The jokester gave an innocent smile instead, prompting Lynn to nod in a "I thought so" fashion.

As the sisters began to chat and argue amongst themselves, the gears inside Lincoln's mind whirled faster and harder than ever, trying to make sense of all the clues he had at his disposal. 'Let's see, our injuries are gone, our donut pieces are back in our pockets, and we've apparently woken up RIGHT after I've... saved. But... if that's what I think, then...'

"Urgh, it's like getting those stupid old stage amps working along with everything." groaned Luna, not looking happy about the headache accompanying the furry mouth she was experiencing at the moment. "The more you tug on those tangled cables, the more they become... Lincoln ?"

"Lincoln ? He doesn't need cables, he uses food and water to work. I mean, those are how boys really work, right ?" queried Leni with pursed lips. There was that one time when she had managed to convince her fellow sisters that Lincoln was a robot after watching a movie, before remembering the ending. Nine-year old Lincoln had made sure to use every stretch of their apology for destroying his brand new computer and Mp3.

"No ! I mean, yes they do, but I'm talking about what our bro's doing right now !" said Luna, pointing at the shadow of the white-haired boy disappearing down the stairs at great speed, not even bothering telling his sisters of his action.

"What the- Lincoln !" called Lynn, immediately giving chase to her runaway brother.

"Hey, wait for us !" yelped Lola, as all bolted down the stairs as well. Once they reached the basement, they found their brother right by the bottom of the stairs, standing still.

"Lincoln ! We're supposed to stay a solid group !" scolded Lynn as the sisters annoyedly circled their brother. "I know everything's kinda weird right now, and I dig the burst of speed, but you can't just wuss out on us ! And you... um..." The jock began to trail down as she looked over her brother's features, namely the wide-eyed stare and the trembling jaw. A hint of concern passed over Lynn's own features. "Uh Lincs, you ain't having a panic attack, right ?"

"Nope... but I might be starting to see things." whispered Lincoln dumbfounded, pointing a trembling finger straight ahead of him.

Luan snickered a little. "Seeing ? Don't you mean, stairing ? Get it, cause we just went down some stairs... and..." But Luan's punchline stopped right there, right by the moment she took a good look down the corridor. Because what the siblings saw was pretty show-stealing, she had to admit that.

It was Toriel. Standing a bit ahead of the kids, her back facing them, and most importantly, not being a mere pile of white dust. Nope, the lady monster was tall and whole. And rather than questions piling up their minds, all the Louds could feel was an overwhelming sensation of joy.

"I... I can't flippin' believe it..." hiccuped Luna with renewed tears, but of happiness this time around. "It's... It's..."

"GOAT MOOOM !" cried out the twins in pure ecstasy, as they rushed towards Toriel and crashed into her robes, only furthering their joy of finding them, and her, to be very much real.

"You're there ! Oh gosh, we were so worried !" exclaimed Lana tearfully, trying her upmost not to use the purple fabric as a handkerchief.

"Yeah, we thought something terrible happened to you ! But I guess it was just all in our silly little heads ! I'm so glad." gushed Lola soothingly, as she rested her head in the robes. But... after a few seconds of being just glad for this nightmare to be over, Toriel's lack of response began to feel weird to the two blond tykes. Both looked up at her head, and arched an eyebrow at her serious expression. "Um, Goat Mom ?"

"So, you desperately wish to leave this place, to go home. Do you not ?" Toriel began, with a distinct hollowness and lack of tenderness that... wait...

"Um... what ?" muttered Lana with a puzzled tone. This sounded way too familiar.

"There is only one way to exit the Ruins, and it stands ahead of us. By passing this door, one can access the rest of the Underground, and see all that inhabit and lead it."

"Yeah, you kinda already said that. Like, in those exact same words." said Lola, trying to find some sense out of this situation. But Toriel kept going, as if she hadn't heard her.

"I'm going to destroy it. I'm going to destroy this cursed exit. Nobody will EVER be able to leave again. Now be good children, and go back upstairs."

And on those very familiar words, Toriel departed down the hallway, leaving VERY confused children behind. It was like hearing some kind of record, or watching a movie for the second time, each word being the exact same. And... that wasn't so far out from the truth, something that Lincoln realized as the puzzle pieces in his mind finally clicked together.

"Holy bargaining bananas ! It's finally making sense !" exclaimed the boy in sheer enthusiasm, which greatly startled his sisters, and confused them some more.

"Really ? You truly know what's going on ? Then please, do propose, I feel like taking the most scatter-brained of theories right about now." said Lisa while putting a hand on her throbbing head.

"The Save Points ! They work exactly how I first thought they did ! I know it sounds a bit weird, but hear me out. In games, once you've saved, your progression is written in the file, and cannot be changed. But everything that happens after that can be changed as many times as you want, until you engrave that new progress by Saving again ! And that's exactly what we did here !"

"Okay, wait a sec... are you telling me that we went back in time ? Like in that movie with the flying car ?" rationalized Lana.

Lincoln made a so-so gesture with his hand. "It's not exactly the same thing, but yes, we've gone back in time. After the... end of the battle with Toriel, I only had one thought in my head. To go back, and make so it never happens. And I'm ready to bet my entire Muscle Fish collection that you did as well." The sisters all nodded, starting to see where their brother was getting at. "And through this intense will of going back, we managed to Load the Save File, cancelling everything that happened after that. This is... just insane you guys ! That means we have a chance to mess up, learn from it, and go back to fix our mistakes !"

A thrill of excitement managed to quickly find its way onto most of the Loud siblings' faces. Who hadn't ever dreamed of a do-over for a lousy day or action ? Walking and falling into a manhole, destroying a window with a wrong-angled shoot, losing your only doughnut to the dog, the list of little misteps with frustrating consequences was endless ! And now, in this weird world, they had been granted the power to avoid that !

"By Waston and Crick's hypnotizing eyebrows, can you even dare to imagine how much it would increase the speed of technologic advances, and how much collateral damages could be avoided ?!" laughed Lisa ecstasically. Thoughts about studying this phenomenon, and of how much it could get her close to the perfection of a real Time Machine, more than made up to the fact that it didn't make much sense in the first place.

"And I could, like, choose the perfect outfit, and have hours of shopping ahead of me !" chirped Leni, imagining herself getting all the rarities of the sales, before that Nancy meanie and her harpies always following her.

"I could know all those football suckers' moves before they even play them ! Wait, never mind, that'd suck the fun out of the whole thing." Lynn nodded wisely.

"How about exams then ?" slyly suggested Luan, making her one-year-younger sister greatly perk up.

"Ooooh yeah, now that makes it fancy."

"Heck yeah it does !" whooped Luna, as the purple-yellow-red trio collectivley high-fived, ignoring Lisa's scornful gaze and headshake.

Seeing how sweeped up by excitement his sisters were, Lincoln decided to add the cherry on top. "But guys, do you know what's the sweetest thing of all ? The world is giving us a second chance to do things right with Goat Mom !"

This effectively got the kids to cheer louder. With better knowledge, maybe they could even avoid any conflict at all, and then be swept in hugs, pies, and maybe even getting to do the rest of the road with Toriel. It just sounded amazing !

But then, Lucy stopped cheering, as an idea came to her, one that she felt she had to share with her siblings. She miraculously grabbed their attention from the get-go. "Um, everyone ? I know putting a damp on the situation is kinda my thing, but... how are we going to make things different, since Toriel is already very upset with us ?"

Gloomy realization took its cue, leaving the kids to mull over this blunt, but very true statement of Lucy. The little goth was immediately reassured that she had not done anything wrong by a little head scratch from her big brother. The conundrum was real here. Staying behind could mean Toriel sealing the exit for good, and thus anihilating any chance to go back home. And going forward would mean having to face Toriel again, and more than potentially getting into another battle. And if there was one thing the Louds didn't need to see, it was a similar outcome to it.

"Well... we can try anyway." finally said Lola, twidling her thumbs. "I mean, if things get really bad, we can just do that Load thing, and try again, right ?"

"Supposing that it works again." reminded Lisa while scratching her chin. "Intense emotion seems to have been the fuel last time, or it could just be as simple as a Saving function. But we don't know that for sure. As such, no success probability chart can truly be drawn here."

"Yeah, but Toriel blowing up the door is kinda certain at this point." quipped Luan with a certain pun absence.

Lisa nodded. "Hmm, all too true, my dear substantial-incisored sibling."

Lynn scratched her head uncertainly. "So what, do we do a vote or something ? Who wants to go, and who wants to wait for a better plan ?"

"Well, that'd be a good start !" said Lincoln, enthusiastically snapping his fingers. Having everyone on the same page and behind the same idea would make things much less confusing for everybody. That was everyone's thought, except perahps... "Okay then Lori, throw in the vote !"

…

Lincoln's smile fell to confusion. For Lori not to immediately respond to a way of showing her leadership more than often involved her ear being glued to her phone, though the art of accomplishing tasks while talking in it without any interruption was an art without secrets for Lori Loud. But that simply could not be the case here.

Lincoln and the girls turned around to look at their oldest sister, who was facing the other direction. "Um, Lori ? Is everything alright ?" asked Lincoln with concern.

"..."

Leni pursed her lips, more confused than usual. She advanced closer to her sole big sister, and went to gently shake her shoulder. "Lori ? Are you taking a nap ? Like, it's not really the time for-"

"AAH !" audibly yelped Lori, backing away as if Leni's delicate hand was made of lava, or acid, or that weird sauce from Burpin' Burger nobody dared to touch. Upon seeing that it was not the case, Lori hugged her own midsection, and feebly spoke. "W-Were you saying something ? I-I was just thinking about *hic* stuff."

The ten Louds all quietly gasped. Looking at their oldest sister, it was quite the sad performance they found themselves watching. Her eyes were red and puffy, indicating that she had been strongly crying, and that after the Load had been initiated. Additionaly, her mascara was running all over her cheeks, which only highlighted the sadness of her eyes, which didn't even managed to focus on her siblings, instead quickly looking left and right par. Her body was overtaken with small spasms of pure paranoia, making her look like seeing a Whimsun would be enough to send her in a frenzied panic. Her teeth softly, but continuously chattered, and small distressed whines escaped her throat then and again.

Sorry wasn't doing the sight any justice. Lori had looked sorry before, like when she had been harshly mocked by mean classmates for her 'akward phase', completed with braces, weird voice, and zits. Or during her breakups, including the near one she had gotten from her Boo-boo Bear. But even when she had been at this point, there had still been some snark, some power in her tone, showing that there was still some of that in-control spirit Lori was known and, even if she could abuse it, loved for.

But here ? This... was no more than a trembling little shell, lacking any self-confidence, tough mind or down-to-earth nature.

Gone was every part of her 'standing up to the odds' mindset, of bouncing back from any panic attack stronger than ever, and of flooring it when things would seem to go awry, litteraly diving to salvage the odds from her family, or to take the stand for her family. Never had Lori looked so small and frail, especially to the siblings from Leni to Lincoln, who had seen in Lori, during her most young ages, the precursor of fun, of excitement, of Loud.

It was only at this point that the siblings realized how much Lori had truly been hurt by Toriel's battle. She had already demonstrated it right afterwards, but she looked even worse now. Upon understanding that the Loading had erased Toriel's death, the girls and boy had felt their grief and sadness disappear, even if the memory of her demise would no doubt haunt their nights for weeks, even months to come. But Lori hadn't just seen the blows, she had been the one who dealt them, including the fatal one. Her own sorrow couldn't be simply washed away, not when it stood on opressingly humongous stilts of guilt.

Small parts of that guilt managed to rub off on them too, as they now realised they had been so absorbed in their own little conversation and fantasies, their poor big sister's suffering had gone right over their heads.

So no, sorry-looking was no good description here. Heart-piercing was more of what Lori's family was feeling inside their very SOULs at the moment.

"Oh, Lori." sadly whispered Lincoln, barely able to look at the jibbering mess that was his sister.

"Gosh, you look positively terrible !" said Lola, not even trying to sugarcoat it. But her sad tone meant all too clearly that this reflexion wasn't out of malice, but of concern.

"W-What are you talking about ? I'm f-f-fine." stuttered Lori, pitifully attempting to defend herself. Her attempt at a convincing smile miserably failed once she felt Lucy's presence, making her jolt even more than usual.

"Lies are a poison you certainly do not need right now." lectured the small goth, looking directly into the eyes of Lori's shrinking form. "Pain and sorrow are things I've studied, seen, and are now my credo. As such, do not think that I can't see what you're going through. You only render this more painful for both you and us."

"Yeah Lori, let Cleopatra be the greatest Queen of Denile, hahaha !" cracked Luan, before softening her tone. "But seriously Lori, taking things with a smile is a thing, but trying to shove things under a smile, is just not right."

Lori didn't answer right away, only looking at the floor with a meek expression. "I'm sorry..."

Lynn decided to intervene, but not in her traditional way of doing so. She wasn't sure a harsh slap on the back would help here. "Look Lori, we don't blame you for what happened. It was an accident, we know that you would never do... that on purpose You're not that kind of person."

A sob escaped Lori's throat, as fresh new tears began to fall down. The simple fact of being reminded of her horrendous action was enough to push even further in her well of funk. "But I've become that despicable person..." she quietly cried.

"No no no, that's not what I meant ! It's... urgh, I'm no good at this." relented Lynn dejectedly.

"You tried, and that's enough for us." said Luna as she patted her sister's head, making her feel a bit better.

"So... what do we do ?" asked Lincoln to the others with a certain urgency. "We clearly can't bring Lori along to Toriel, that could tear her apart, and leaving her alone is out of the question. But if we don't follow Toriel..."

"Then we'll have no chance of escaping the Ruins. And no chance of going home." finished Lucy matter-of-factly.

A moment of silence echoed around the room, only betrayed by Lori's apologizing whispers. All wanted to reassure the blonde, especially Leni, who desired nothing more than to envelop her big sis into one of her tender hugs. But after seeing what a simple hand on her shoulder had done to her nerves, too much of a hasty gesture could get Lori to lash out, maybe hurting somebody, and only filling her with more guilt and self-hatred.

But, as all looked at the dark corridor ahead of themselves, the Louds knew the stakes were presenting themselves high, with many variations and new elements that they still scarcely understood. Only one variable was certain here : Time was of the essence, in more ways than one. As such, a decision was reached.

"We can't let Toriel destroy the exit. We have to stop her now." rationalized Lincoln determinedly. Then, his tone wavered as he turned back to Lori. "But someone have to stay behind to take care of Lori."

"Is it truly wise ?" asked Lisa with emotion that was becoming more and more of a common thing since their arrival underground. The little genius didn't even need to tap in her vast knowledge to see how fragile her big sister's mind was.

"We really don't have much of a choice." reminded the white-haired boy. Some complaints were about to be raised, but the firmness in his voice made all sisters quiet down.

"Heh, as much as I'd like to say otherwise, you're right bro." dryly chuckled Luna. She sighed, and softly approached Lori. "Sorry sis, but... you're gonna have to sit this one out."

At this point, the girls and boy expected, even hoped for Lori to recoil from this suggestion, refusing to let her siblings advance to danger without her, and firmly insisting to come, showing anger and spite, but also strength and energy. But instead ? The blonde kept her eyes on the ground as she leaned against the wall, and let herself slid to the ground with a small plop. There wasn't even shock in her eyes, as if she expected to be kept away from the fight, tossed away even.

Despite her heartache at this sorry scene, Luna kindly smiled to Lori. "Thank you. We won't be long, cross both of my hearts."

Lori didn't answer, neither did she move, only looking at her knees with the most tired yet sorrowful eyes the siblings had ever seen.

"So, who wants to... who does stay with her ?" sadly probbed Lola.

"Well, we're gonna need as much brains and wits as we can to get Goat Mom to relent from making one big mistake. Only one of us can stay behind, and it's gotta be the right one." planned out Lynn with authority.

"I-I could do it." proposed Leni hopefully, but lost her smile when she saw Lynn shake her head.

"Sorry Leni, it's not that you lack tenderness, but we need your good vibes to soothe Toriel down. And, you know, if you were to say something wrong by mistake... I know it wouldn't be your fault, but we can't let that happen unsupervised."

Leni sighed, but nodded. "I understand. I guess I'll be more helpful with everyone with me. Team effort, and all that, like in the movies." she said with a small smile, shared by her grateful sister.

"Okay, then who will- huh ?" began Luan, interrupted by a tug on her square-patterned skirt, one that she knew all too well. Indeed, it was Lily's tubby little hand who was sending the signal, with the toddler looking like she had something important to say. As such, Luan immediately took her in her arms. "You got something on your mind, Lilster ?"

"Ababa !" nodded Lily, pointing at herself. The baby translator immediately understood.

"What ? You want to be the one staying with Lori ?" translated Luan, to which Lily firmly nodded.

"Are you sure Lily ? It's a pretty big task, and you'll be left all alone." explained Lincoln, understandably concerned for his youngest sister.

But like her big sisters and brother, Lily was no quitter. "Gladglababltrxzzz !" she babbled energetically, wildly moving her little body.

"She says, 'Lori needs an innocent ear to listen to her, and I'm the baby for the job ! Besides, I really don't handle flames very well.'" translated the braceful jester.

"You have a point there. But Lily, are you 100% sure you wanna handle this important mission ?" asked Lincoln with both seriousness and concern.

Lily pursed her lips, and gave sad eyes. "Poo-poo ?"

"'Don't you trust me ?'"

Lincoln was surprised for a moment. But a smile quickly found its way onto his features. He turned to her sisters, and found the same smile drawing itself on their faces as well, with a couple of thumbs ups in the midst. Looks like there wouldn't be need for a vote after all.

Lincoln turned to Lily, and nodded. "Alright then, it's all on you sis. We're putting our trust in you, will you do it justice ?"

"Gaga !" Lily confidently blabbered, doing a little 'Attention !' pose by moving her hand onto her forehead. The cuteness of the action elected a few chuckles and "awws" from her older siblings, including Lincoln.

"Alright then, Private Lily. Keep an eye on General Lori until we come back, but don't hesitate to call for help if something goes wrong. We'll be there in a flash."

"Believe me, Charles trained me for a change, and now I can hear Izzy moving across the garden, so I'll hear ya !" quipped Lana, scratching her ear in a way indicating that Charles had taught her more than that.

Lincoln chuckled some more, and patted Lily's little head. "Stay safe, alright ? Good luck, and remember, we're never far, and we love you." soothed the brother as he gave her a little kiss on the forehead. The sisters gave their own encouraging hugs and kisses to the baby, who giggled and gave them back as much as she could.

With that, the girls and boy gave one more wave to both the happy blonde and the sad one, only one of them noticing the wave, and departed down the corridor. After making sure they were gone, Lily went to sit next to her sister, scooting close enough for her presence to be felt, but not enough to touch her. Looking up, she could see the silent pain and crying her big sister was going through, one that Lily could not tell how long it would last before a breach could open. Perhaps minutes, perhaps hours.

But Lily knew her duty. She could not play demanding baby on this one. She had to draw in her own Patience.

---

"I don't like what we just did. It's against the rules we've fixed, and it just plain stinks." admitted Lana with hands in her pockets, as the Loud group, now short of two members, kept advancing further down the hallway.

Lincoln patted Lana's cap in a consoling way. "You're not alone on this. But sometimes, rules have to be bended. And if we want to ever see Mom, Dad, and everyone else again, we can't stop."

Lana wiped a tear away, and forced in a small grin. "Gotta keep moving on. Feels right for some reason."

"Having cockroaches creeping all around your body feels right to you too, so hard to know what doesn't." joked Lola, electing a complice smirk from her twin.

"Putting on paste on your lips all the time. It's not like it even tastes good."

"Yeah, I tried it, and my lipstick doesn't taste anything like cassis !" piped in Leni. Giggles echoed around as a bit of much needed levity wormed its way into the Louds' hearts and SOULs. Seriousness came back all too soon however, as Toriel came into view, with her back once again facing them.

Lynn was the one to find her courage first, took a breather, and spoke with calm passion. "Goat Mom, we're gonna say it one more time. What you're doing here just ain't gonna end right. It's not right to begin with."

Toriel noticed the oddness the start of the sportive brunette's sentence was, but quickly brushed it aside to concentrate on an all-too familiar speech. "I am doing this to protect you. To do what I should have done when the others asked me the same question."

"The six youths that fell down the mountain before us, correct ?" questionned Lisa.

"Ah, so you already know that you are not the first ones here. Well, just like you, I took them in, but each time, the same old song played out. They came. They stayed. They left." Her tone turned icy. "They died."

"You... don't say." mumbled Lucy with a little chill passing down her spine for once. Strangely, this one concept of death wasn't sitting right with the young Goth.

"You think that the monsters outside of those Ruins will be as easily swayed than the ones you've encountered here ? Ha. This naivety will only get you hurt, I'm afraid. The world outside is not fit for you children, as it is one where they... ASGORE... will kill you without the slightest of hesitations."

"Yeah but, who is that 'ASGORE' ?" Luna probbed for answers.

Toriel's features tightened into an angry scowl, with a quiet wrath that the Louds had not yet seen in their Guardian's features. "A despicable person. And a coward. All in all, someone that you shall never get to meet. Especially not the youngest amongst you, that... wait, I do not hear Lily anymore. Why has she fallen so quiet ?"

"Oh, don't worry, we've just left her with Lori a bit back down, to look after her. As in, Lily is looking over Lori, who's not... feeling very well." said Lincoln perkylessly, scratching the back of his hair.

"Oh, I see. Is she... going to be alright ?" asked Toriel, unable to fight the motherly concern taking over her at the mention of a youth having a hard time.

"Yeah, we think so. Lori's always been able to bounce back on her feet, and not just in Spring, hehe." cracked Luan almost politely. Then, her face brightened up, as did her mind with the lightbulb of an idea. "You know, if you're really worried, we can always go back to see them. I'm sure all Lori needs is a little loving prescription from the Doc-Toriel, hahahaha ! Get it ? Accept it ? Come with us ?"

Both the pun's low-key humour and the thought of a distressed Lori made Toriel pause for an instant, actually starting to reconsider what she was doing. But it didn't last long, as her mindset resteeled itself. If she truly wanted to protect those kids, she had to carry on her mission to its very end.

"Once I have sealed this exit, we'll have as many time as we desire to discuss those problems." she firmly stated. "Now once again, I'm telling you, go to your room, all of you."

And once again, she walked away. The Louds sighed in heavy disappointement.

"Man, for just a second, the dream could've been true !" emphasized Luna, tightening her hands into frustrated fists.

"Yeah, in the end, we've made zero progress." pouted Lola with a huff, before a blue gleam appreared in her eyes. "But... that was only the first score. We've still got rounds to go."

"Yeah. Yeah ! We've got some points behind, but there's still minutes in the timer !" cheered Lynn.

"Yay ! The heel might have broken, but we still have some glue !" chirped Leni. Her statement got her some odd stares, and she sheepishly shrugged. "I didn't have a good analogy."

Lincoln grinned and brought his arm up in a rallying motion. "Alright then, let's make those images come true, and get our Goat Mom victory !" Cheers and eight arms of varying sizes joined his, and the Louds advanced, following their Guardian to the hall's corner.

"Go to your room this instant. This will be your last warning." ordered Toriel sternly. But there was an odd sense of acceptation, almost as if she knew her warning would not be heard.

"Come back with us to talk. This is still our demand, Goat Mom." said Lincoln, mirroring her statement.

Toriel sighed, and went on. The Louds followed her, of course, and tightened their formation, furthering their determination to keep going all around, until finally, they reached the dreaded place.

Toriel stood on the exact same spot. The spot from where she had attacked them. Where she had fallen down into dust. And just like last time, her words were the same. Well, almost.

"The path behind you is not yet closed, children. Please, go join your sisters. Do what's right, what has to be."

Luna calmly shook her head. "They aren't liking it anymore than us. This ain't the way to go, Tori."

"Please, Goat Mom. Don't do what you're about to do. It's not nice, and it's not you." begged Leni, her hands clasped into a praying motion.

"You can't just hope for things to be the same after that, especially if you destroy our way home. We... I can't start to imagine having to not like you. And I don't want to either." replied Lynn, crossing her arms.

"Open those gates. Both the ones in front of you, and those inside you." preached Lucy.

"Wiser words could not have been spoken. Hear and contemplate them, Goat Mother." acquiesced Lisa with a serious expression.

"We won't go back to our rooms ! Not without you..." demanded Lola firmly.

"We'll gladly take another piece of pie, even if it's our last one. Just... don't be dumb about this. Do what's really right." enjoined Lana, squeezing the hand of her twin.

"We told many jokes to eachother. But this is one act that shouldn't be in the main show, at all." stressed Luan with seriousness underlying passion, one she had got to know from a certain friend of hers.

Lincoln puffed his chest, and advanced a little. His tone breathed of the confidence his sisters were giving him, and of the promise he had made to a certain voice he hadn't heard for a little while. "Well, you've heard our call. You know how we feel, and you know what we want. And that's going forward, going home. We have all the problem-solving potential to deal with monsters, one way or another. We have your teachings for clay, our own skills to give it form, and our will to vizualise it. We'd prefer to do this with you, but if you truly refuse, then we'll still go on. Because that's what's right. And we hope that you know that too." Lincoln inhaled, and exhaled, both anxious and impatient for an answer. "So... what do you decide ?"

Toriel put a paw on the door, and somberly closed her eyes. A small part of her truly wanted to believe that to be true, that they would be okay on their journey. But the rest of her knew this was either too much of a risk to take, or that her teachings could not be used to the very end, if they truly desired to go home. And that wouldn't be their fault, nor his...

"...You truly aren't going to change your mind, are you ? You cannot simply be happy with what you have ?" murmured Toriel with grim acceptance. "In the end, you are just like the others."

"W-We don't want to hurt you like this. But we just gotta move forward !" insisted Lynn as she whipped her arm and slammed her foot down, making the sound echo around the room.

"Do you truly believe it then ? That you'll be able to move without fear ? That I myself, should not be afraid either ?" dryly responded Toriel, straightening herself up.

"YES." simply answered the Louds in unison, as was their will. If only their two missing members had been there, the passion would have felt whole.

Things were now clear to Toriel. She was about to be unheard once again. But, this was her last chance for her own desire to have a meaningful impact. No more child would meet death, none that she could prevent from going down its road. "Very well then." she murmured with a trembling breath, as her hands fell to her sides.

"Uh-oh..." cringed Lisa, as all knew exactly what was about to unfold.

"Prove to me that I'm wrong." she pressed on, turning around as her paws began to light up with orange flames. "Prove to me that you have what it takes to survive out there. Prove to me that you will not-" She halted herself as she saw the apprehension in the children's faces. And that was it, only apprehension, without any shock or surprise. Toriel's tone became a bit suspicious. "Children, why do you look at me as though you have witnessed this before ? Is there something you are not telling me ?"

The Loud kids blinked in slight shock, then looked at eachother with solemn expressions. "We told you, Tori. It's not the way to go." reiterated Luna almost omniously, not quite wanting to go into details that she herself wasn't even too sure of.

Toriel stood unsure for a moment, trying to decipher what that could mean. But she pushed those thoughts aside. "Whatever it is, it matters not. Until you have proven yourselves worthy, I will NOT allow you to go !"

Flames appeared on the walls, embers danced in the air, and a heap of colourful hearts appeared, with only one colour missing. And once again, the kids' shock was replaced with only disappointement and grim nostalgia, yet keeping a willful look.

Critical Battle Engaged !

{Undertale – Heartache, either OST or Orchestral}

*"Toriel blocks the way... again."

"It begins. But not exactly like last time." rationalized Lincoln as he created a human circle, his tone hopeful. "Girls, I think we can do this."

"Alright, but we have to proceed with caution and using our new knowledge." lectured Lisa. "None of the arguments we used in our first battle had any positive effect. It costs me to admit it, but I think my attempt actually worsened the situation."

"Well, there are things we still haven't tried. So for now, let's keep throwing in ideas until we reach a nerve, or just come up with a better strategy." proposed Lynn.

"Ah, the 'write, crumple, and basket' strategy." resumed Luna knowingly, seeing how this was her usual method to write her own songs. Right along the 'Blast the amps, and see which tune makes windows rattle the most harmonically' technique. "That sounds good, but let's not forget that we don't have infinite tries. This fight ain't pleasant, and neither is getting pelted by fireballs."

"Let's get this show on the road then !" said Lana, exchanging a collective high-five with her sisters and brother.

It was Lynn who decided to go first. After looking at the cursed option that was FIGHT, an idea popped up inside her head. She reached for the ACT button and pressed on her new option, Compromise.

"Goat Mom, how about we tweak the rules a little ? I'm usually up for some rumble, but this isn't really my cup of protein shake. So instead, why don't we get to prove our 'strength' some other way ? Parkour, intense training, making sure we're 'ready for the outside', as you like to put it." Lynn chuckled nervously, even more so upon seeing Toriel's cold eyes still looking through her. "Um, we can even prove our strength against Dummies, giving them the old one-two, and some kicks, and some holds, like the one where you press your thumbs against the exact middle of someone's spine. This one's a killer."

"I can vouch for that. Three months ago, and I can still feel it." groaned Lincoln as he nursed the reawakened knot down his back.

"So, how about it ? Let us make you see we're ready in some other way than to... fight you until..." Lynn ended it there, unwilling to just think of the end of this sentence. That old Froggit hadn't lied, finding out was truly awful.

Unwillingness was also of Toriel's mood at the moment. The Goat Woman simply shook her head sternly. "It will not prove what I need to be assured of. This is the only way that I know you'll be alright, that your SOULs won't be taken."

"What about dodging and running ? Maybe that could help us survive." insisted Lynn rather... ironically.

"Against many monsters, perhaps, yes. But it won't be of any use against ASGORE. And it's a fight you can't avoid, no matter what. None managed to before you..." imposed Toriel, her voice trailing down at the end with a pronounced hint of regret. She remembered every smile... Her eyes regained flare soon enough. "If your desire is not to fight, then go back to your room !"

She mirrored that statement by delivering her 'Sweeping Paw' attack, the flames brightening with the same menacing blaze. Now, with Lori plus Lily in her arms being both absent, there was a little more floor for the children to dodge without walking all over eachother. But the attack still managed to connect, inflicting its fire bites onto Lynn's abdomen, Luna's left hand, and Lisa's back. The trio expressed their pains in different ways, mainly throug hissing and cursing under their breaths, with Luna going pure British, while Lisa chose a more international way of doing so. Still, all three felt the urgent need for both an ice pack, and a good bar of soap.

*"Old ways die hard... Many apologies for how I constructed this sentence."

As the attack ended, Leni felt her brow tighten, fearing for a minute to be wrinkles of stress, before realizing it was her own anger taking over. As sweet as Leni was, even she had a point where she needed to stand her ground. And now, the blonde knew it was time to show Toriel that she meant serious business. So, shoving all her concerns aside, Leni moved to the ACT Button, and chose an option that surprised her fellow siblings, Reprimand.

"You know, I was actually going to make you the totes cutest sweater before we go, so you'd always have, like, a warm hug reminding you of us all the time. But now, I'm not sure you deserve it at all. Because the Best Goat Mom who's worthy of that sweater wouldn't do such mean things for such weird reasons." harumphed Leni, as she turned around glowering and her arms crossed under her chest. The sharp edge of this declaration certainly managed to shock her sibs even futher, who knew that while she could claw and bite like the rest of them, badmouthing was certainly an usual thing to see around the sweet ditzy teenager.

But even so, Leni showed a little weakness, as she couldn't resist trying to get a peek from Goat Mom's reaction, all the while looking afflicted by her own words. For an instant, a certain pain was found marking Toriel's face, highering the kids' hopes for a breakthrough. But the curtain of indifference quickly fell down again, pushed even further by Toriel's strict, yet determined tone.

"Such a shame. A sweater from you would've been lovely, my child. But if never seeing this piece of art means keeping you safe, then I'll gladly take that loss."

Leni felt conflicted on that statement. Yes, not confused, conflicted. She felt a bit sheepish over Toriel calling her work a lovely piece of art, and actually felt pride over Toriel valuing her and her skills so much. But at the same time, Leni felt the sting of failiure, and not from a 'Getting another F' mosquito, but from a 'Getting told to your face that you'll never amount to anything' bumblebee. This sting also became physical once the 'Double Serpentine attack' hit her right hip, alongside the back of Lucy's head, and Lola's right shoulder. The teen could only look at the ground sadly, wondering if she should've just shut her trap... whatever it meant.

*"Toriel's ideas will not flinch under a sweater's warm power. But was she always this way ?.."

Lincoln pressed a hand against his head as a strange sense of melancholia hit him. He tried reaching for what could be the culprit, but once again, the voice wouldn't speak when the situation didn't call for it, or when it felt like it.

In the Loud ranks, the pressure was starting to come back, as well as the suffocating heat. In other words, they were not amused by this developpement. And that fact got one punny teenager to realise one of the most important rules in the joke book. When it comes to jokes, short and sweet is best. Always leave your audience the time to breathe, and don't try to squeeze in a theme too hard, change your subject. However, at this point, even by not counting their previous fight, Luan could tell that the joke was in desperate need of an end. Putting a hand past the sapphire blue representation of her being and onto her trademark squirt flower, an idea blossomed inside the comedian's mind. One that kinda went against her normal schtick.

Her own ACTion appeared, Truth. Luan pressed it, and went to stand closer to Toriel, akwardly rubbing her sweat-covered neck.

"So, Goat Mom. You know how I'm usually the joker, silly as a buzzer button, always bleating around the bush, hahaha... ha." she sighed, but kept her composure. "But right now, I'm not fooling around. So I know this will come off as a little crazy, especially coming from me, but this is the actual truth, one hundred percent jokeless."

Toriel arched her brow ever so slightly, but it was enough for Luan to know that she had her attention. Her siblings on the other hand, didn't look unimpacted at all.

"Luan, what the heck are you doing ?!" yell-whispered Lola.

With a small half-confident smile, Luan couldn't help but crack, "Being forward for once in my life, so we don't have to rewind."

"Bad pun aside, are you sure of your move right now ?" asked Luan's roommate with great doubt. But Luna knew, by looking into her younger sister's eyes, that she had cemented a plan. And to deviate Luan from a plan of hers was no easy task, especially about either serious matters, or for her prank of the day. The rocker thus quickly relented with a headshake and a sigh. "Welp, off you go then."

Luan nodded, and turned back to her fire-wielding listener. "Alright, so you were asking why we look like we have seen this before, why we look downright unshocked by those events. Well the truth is... we've already lived those moments." Toriel looked a little perplex, but kept silent, allowing the she-jester to continue. "Your warnings, this battle, you not wanting to back up from your position, we've seen them all. I mean, some things were different, our convincing, while still talking, was different, and Lori and Lily were there. Heh, and the reason why they're absent right now goes with how the fight ended. You rolled your furred knuckles onto Lori's buttons, especially by hitting Lily by accident, and she ended up attacking you, delivering blow after blow, until... there wasn't any target left to attack."

Images of precious memories and fond comedies/puns/jokes flooded the young clown's mind to prevent another kind of flooding, more physical. Fortunately, the rubber fibers of her comedic being held on tight, and she proceeded.

"Then, as everything was going down the nonexisting drain, there was a big flash, and we all got teleported back upstairs. Apparently, through those Save Points we've told you about and the force of our will, we managed to turn back the clock, no. joking. I mean, I don't even like science-fiction, but this is one crazy move I have to believe, because I just lived it ! And now, Lori's stuck in the corridor with Lily, too riddled with guilt to move or look any of us in the eye, and we're reliving what's basically the prelude of the worst moment of our lives. And that's counting my 12th birthday ! So please, believe us when we tell you there is no good end to this story. The plot is full of holes, the out of character factor is off the charts, the execution hurts everyone one way or another, and the rewatch desire, especially the ending, is a big no-no !"

Luan turned a sad gaze in the direction of a little crack on the left wall's bottom, oddly looking like a little smiling face. And even oddier, this actually made Luan feel a little better, and pressed her to finish her thought. "If there's one way I can see this tale being saved, it's an alternate ending. And right now, I really wouldn't mind seeing it, that sad yet happy ending. What do you say, dear goat-teller ?"

The flames' creaking was the only thing that would be heard in the moments that followed. The siblings were stunned by this serious rant provided by their usually so silly sister, but at the same time admired her bout of bravery, of standing for her ideals in quite the original way for her. As for Toriel, she stood quite bewildered by what she had just heard. Monster magic did draw its power from will, as did the traits of the Human SOULs. A certain wall of magic had reminded her that fact enough, and to all monsters in the Underground as well. But the power to go back in time ? What lunacy, or rather luancy, was this child going on about ?!

In the depths of her mind however, Toriel could not shake off a strange feeling. Some parts of this fight felt... quite familiar. The children's begging to end this confrontation felt like déja-vu, the kids seemed to understand her attacks despite having never used them or even told them about, and Lori and Lily being absent bothered her even more than it should have, as if them not being here made this picture incomplete. Could this fantasy have more than a lick of truth ? Could she believe in it ? Toriel was very unsure of that.

But then, Toriel took another good look at those children before her, highlighted by a particularly bright flame shining over them. While she should've seen the anxiety plaguing their faces, Toriel instead read in them the tales they had shared during those six wonderful days. Those that made her feel that hope was possible again, and that solitude would be of her daily life no more. But of course, nobody listened to her prayers. Nobody ever listened to Toriel.

The woman reitarated the question to herself. Could she allow herself to believe in that tale ? No, she could not. She would not. Because this time, she would be heard.

"I appreciate imagination in a youth, my child, but I'm afraid I cannot allow myself to be carried away by this imaginary bout, as the dangers that await you beyond this point are anything but imaginary. Do you understand ?" demanded Toriel with upmost seriousness. She arranged her hands for her next magic attack. "As for an 'alternate ending', there is the one that favour your own safety, and that I've been offering you since the beginning. Which means, go back upstairs !"

With that, Toriel attacked, throwing in her continuous Streams of Fire. The swaying blazing lines managed to hit, 'conviniently' enough, all the Louds hadn't been hit yet, with Luan taking the blow right above her knees, leaving a mark into the bottom of her skirt. The comedienne couldn't help but chuckle at the funny thought edging her mind, as she softly murmured it to herself as a couple of tears descended her cheeks.

"I know they say 'Liar, liar, pants on fire', but it looks like I wasn't dressed for that job, hehe."

*"Toriel simply won't stop acting aloof."

But Luan had no time to mope about their situation, as she felt the shadow of hands reaching for her. She turned around to see all of her siblings with sad but supportive smiles, and that quickly got her to grin too. Luan gratefully took the hands, stood up, and was immediately shrouded in a round of pats on the back and shoulders, completed by a little hug from her tune-loving roommate.

{The music quiets down, becoming almost background-like}

Lana sighed sadly. "Now what ? Straight out telling the truth didn't change anything ! I thought that truth was supposed to be golden or something." she grumbled irritatedly.

"Actually, silence is, and speech is silver." corrected Lisa.

"Hail to that. But Lana's right. Despite Luan's deep words, the situation remains as bleak as the corridor behind us." recited Lucy, sounding clearly more down in the dumps than usual. "Sigh. Is fate truly inexorable ? It seems that this power was only a curse in disguise. Everything can become wrong in the blink of an eye."

"Luce, this is no time to go 'Philosophical Undertaker' !" chatised Lynn, as she flickered the black-haired girl's forehead. Of course, she barely received any reaction other than a small "ow". Lynn then dragged her hands down her cheeks with frustration. "Urgh, this plan is getting us nowhere, and we're starting to get into oven territory, or July heatwave ! If this thing really 'works like a game', then maybe there's something we're missing here. Right, Lincs ? Isn't that how you get around your puzzles in your RPwhatsit ?"

The sole brother rolled his eyes at Lynn's ignorance over such a simple abbreviation, and scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I guess so. This... could be compared to a Boss Battle."

"So what, do we get fired or something ? Luan, why are you laughing so hard ?" naively asked Leni as she watched her sister basically losing it on the ground.

"No Leni, a Boss is a big enemy. You usually find them at the end of a level, and you need to beat them to progress. And we are at the end of the Ruins, so it kinda makes sense, but we don't want to beat Toriel up. And the 'gameplay' shouldn't allow it."

Lola tilted her head at Lincoln's airquotes. "You're completely losing me here."

"We have a way to move past fights without having to rumble." explained Lincoln, pointing at both the ACT and MERCY buttons. "If that's the case, then it means there has to be a way to do the same with a boss, namely Toriel. But if the normal way doesn't work, that means we must use a special way, something we haven't done before."

"But how do we do that, bro ?" questionned Luna, starting to see the reasoning behind this.

Lincoln tapped his two indexes on his chin like a well-oiled metronome. "There's usually two ways to get it right. Either we need something specific, like an item or a code of some sorts, or there was a clue on how to do this before. Going back isn't looking of an option for our freedom, so I guess the best thing we can do is rattle our brains, and see if we can remember this one golden little tip."

"This is starting to sound like school, and I don't like it." complained Lucy, remembering the incessant mingling that school implied. If not for her friends from the Morticians Club and a certain red-haired boy, Lucy would've put curses all over the school to make it close. Or at least give it a little life, with the help of beings that don't have any.

The brainstorming was thus in session, with the kids going over every moment that they had spent in the Underground. From their fights to Toriel's scrumptious meals, by way of their trips to Home, all the monsters they had talked to, all the books and signs they had read. Even going so far as to remember their terrifying first encounter with a monster. Noises of heads being scratched echoed right along the static embers, Lana doing so with her foot.

Toriel did not try to obstrute their attempt, leaving them at least the choice of their actions. She could only hope that they'd see reason soon enough...

After a full minute, Lincoln could start to feel a slight brain cramp coming up, and decided to go around the table. "Alright, anyone's got any clue on what to do ?"

Luan shook her head sadly. "No, the only thing that keeps coming back is *snort* Loox's name. I'm sorry, but I just can't move past that one !"

"And all I can think of are all those nice Froggits we've seen." chimed in Lana rather joyfully. "Yersteday, I even found one that was the size of an ant. He was one strong little guy too, able to lift my entire sneaker in the air !"

"And, um... I remember that... Lily almost ate a yellow crayon, and I tried to taste it ?" tried Leni hesitantly.

Lisa dismissively wagged her index. "While your gagging face was a humourous sight, I do not think this information truly add matter to our conundrum, and... the time is..."

The little genius' sentence ended there, as pure reflexion appeared over her features. This change was quickly duplicated on Lincoln's own face, with words almost appearing before their eyes, as the other sisters could only watch the duo with curiosity.

'Froggit... not... matter... yellow... name...' were those five crucial words. It was now only a matter of putting them the right way, and... 'Froggit... yellow name... not matter... does not matter...' Two young pair of eyes widened.'The yellow name does not matter !'

[Flashback...]

"Knowing that Sparing is an action, and not a lack of action, is the key to avoid conflict. Who knows ? Maybe at some point, you'll have to Spare someone whose name isn't yellow."

[Flashback ends]

"THAT'S IT !" exclaimed Lincoln, slapping a hand over his forehead.

"BRAIN BLAST- I mean, EUREKA !" yelled Lisa as well, partaking in her brother's excitement as they both looked at eachother with big smiles, while the others could only look more confused.

"So... you found something, dudes ?" quipped Luna.

"Not just something, my chaotically harmonic sister. We might've found our move towards a proper checkmate, and thus for a peaceful capitulation." lisped the bespectacled little brunette. "Brother, do we share the same thought ?"

Lincoln firmly nodded, brightly showing up his chipped tooth in his smile. "Yep. Just like I thought, we must do something special to get out of this one. And that something special is an action we've never used before."

"But ACT doesn't work ! Nothing gets Goat Mom to budge from her spot ! What else do you wanna try ?!" probbed Lynn, feeling a bit irritated by this new little mystery going on. But her irritation vanished as she saw the confidence emanating from his little crimson heart, the energy almost bouncing against her own orange one with a strange resonance, a feeling that wasn't lost by the others.

{Music comes back into focus !}

"Trust me, we didn't try that one yet." assured Lincoln. The boy then approached the set of buttons, and went for his attempt. But the ACT button remained untouched.

It was the MERCY button that Lincoln chose, followed by a white Spare choice.

A weak, almost imperceptible wave of energy washed over the room, but didn't bounce off anything, especially not Toriel. The woman only blinked... before taking her turn with a 'Sweeping Paw' attack, which was evaded by all the Louds.

"Lincoln, what're you doing ?" hissed Lola a second time, both relieved to have dodged that attack and furious at Lincoln for wasting that turn. The narrator stayed silent this time around, as though curious of what was happening as much as the little princess.

"You'll see." simply replied Lincoln, swiftly repeating his Sparing choice. Toriel once again didn't speak, and attacked with a nasty Streams of fire attack. Leni and Lucy took the attack, but managed to shake the pain off.

"Seriously bro, the button's not yellow ! Aren't you seeing how un-yellow it is ?!" scolded Lynn. Being free-spirited was something the athlete could respect, but even she knew that going solo strategy on the field could be the quickest way to ruin a game.

But Lincoln only kept smiling, clearly seeing something his sisters were not. "Oh trust me, I see that lack of yellow. And that's why I'm gonna keep pressing it."

And that he did, 'meaninglessly' Sparing Toriel for the third time, only to still not get any reaction from the woman herself, and another Sweeping Paw, with Lisa taking one in the knee. But the little braniac still held a confident look, the complete contrary of her sisters, who decided to turn to her for an answer.

"Lis', we need an answer now." demanded Luna. "What's that stuff Lincoln and you found, and why does it involve him throwing our turns away ? I mean, I've got trust in our bro, but we're still in the dark here."

"And seeing the flames around us, that's saying something, hahaha !" chuckled Luan, getting her usual fill of groans.

Still grinning, Lisa tweaked her glasses, and gave her yapping sisters an explanation. "That is quite simple, dear sistren. We were looking for a clue in our past, and us two saw it in the wise words of a helpful batracian."

"Which one ? There were so many of them, and all with really funny names." said Lana, to which her twin sister lifted an eyebrow.

"I thought they were all named Froggit ?"

"Nah, they were just shy to give us their names the first time around. Like Senior Froggit, his name's actually René !"

Lisa interrupted the blooming conversation with a throat clearing. "Passing on this intricate, but nontheless unimportant fact given the present moment, the Froggit you are looking for was the one we encountered right after our first meeting with Moldsmals. We were given some details about the riping moment to allow Mercy onto our opponents and thus being able to clear out the battle."

"The yellow names, we know. That's not very new info." pointed out Lucy, briefly spooking her little sister.

"Ah, but you must remember the full extent of the informations he gave us. When we acknowledged it, our serviceable monster acquiantance added that Sparing was a way of showing, meaning that we don't want to fight. And that one day..." A twinkle passed through her lenses. "...we might have to use it for someone whose name isn't yellow."

A streak of illumination hit the seven girls, prompting gasps and wide-eyed stares all around. Their brother's strategy instantly became crystal clear. Luna even felt the need to add, "Holy... girls, remember what happened the second we got that tip ? The phone rung, and the person who was calling was... blimey, that is timing !"

"Indeed it is." nodded Lisa, as she observed Lincoln going for another Spare. But instead of indifference on Goat Mom's face, a pinch of confusion appeared through the slight lowering of her steel-crafted brow, even as she attacked with another . "And I think we may be looking at the blooming fruits of that theory."

Toriel voicelessly launched a 'Double Serpentine Attack', a faster one this time. It managed to graze a couple more sisters, as well as Lincoln, right in the left leg. The boy winced, put a knee on the ground, but quickly found his way up on his noodles. And with a sweeping of his hand over his forehead to banish some sweat, he pressed Spare once more.

And this time, it got Toriel to open up her mouth. "Child... what ever are you doing ?" she carefully asked.

"We've told you what we want and don't want to do here. Now, I'm showing it to you." maintained Lincoln, his red SOUL shining a little more brighter. Which may'd been the reason why a certain voice decided to chim in :

*Well... looks like you've found an alternate way after all.

"And I'm gonna make it work." whispered Lincoln to himself, dodging the incoming Sweeping Paw attack.

"You know not what you're doing. Alone out there, you won't succeed." pressed Toriel authoritavely.

But unbeknown to her, those words echoed into the eight sisters' minds and SOULs. Their outline began to shine, quickly followed by an even stronger light from the center of their SOULs. A way of ending this battle, a way of proving Goat Mom their will had opened to them.

And they felt determined to make good use of it.

"He ain't alone." started Lynn, advancing to her brother's level, and hitting the MERCY button. Then she pressed Spare, while giving a knowing grin to her lil' bro, and exchanging a small fist bump.

Toriel blinked in slight shock, and opened her mouth a little. "T-Those aren't the rules ! You must attack or run away ! There is no other way !" she insisted, while drawing in a Double Serpentine attack.

Lowering her head to let a whizzing fireball miss her, Luan was the next to Spare Toriel, her big toothy smile right where it should be. "Yes, there is ! And that's the way we're showing you right now !"

Toriel shook her head, clear frustration starting to appear as she balanced her Streams of Fire, even more vehement than before. "What do you think you are showing that way ?! What do you think you are proving ?!"

"That we've got guts and the skills to survive on our way home !" said Lana, as she and her twin both pressed the Spare option without the slightest of hesitations.

"Yeah c'mon Goat Mom, we're supposed to be the ones who have little focus here." added Lola.

The infuration in Toriel's features only grew, followed by a touch of melancholia. "Fight me or leave this room ! Those are your two choices to survive !"

"You talk and attack, but that's not what rings true in our hearts." quipped Lucy, making a silent advance into the spotlight. She locked her mysterious gaze on Toriel, and pressed Spare. "I am not one to speak of hope, but do you truly think this a way to cope ? Of you we know there is better, so douse those nasty flames with fair water."

The fact that the children were seriously starting to doubt her felt so wrong to Toriel. And in her mind, that small part of her couldn't help but agree. As another Sweeping Paw was thrown over to the kids, Toriel looked on the side with a mix of anger and sadness. "Stop it. You're crossing the line." she simply mumbled.

"No way, no how, Tori. If anything's worth doing, it's worth overdoing." quoted Luna, joining in the evergrowing sibling band, and taking her cue on the Spare encore.

"Stop this folly this instant." murmured the monster with increasing sorrow replacing anger in her voice. Why were they so persistent ?

"You've started this madness, Goat Mother. Only you can bring it to an end." sternly answered Lisa, quickly using her little legs to reach her siblings and the Spare option.

At this point, Toriel had her vision completely turned away from the kids. From their stares both judging and so full of life. The one she was so desperate to protect. "Stop... stop looking at me that way." she ultimately whispered, not even bothering to attack.

"We can't look away. We can't do that to you. Because we love you very much, Goat Mom." said Leni with overwhelming kindness, as she joined the almost-complete Loud sibling bunch. She reached for the Spare button, and reached out for the hands of her siblings, who quickly mimicked her actions, and quickly sealed their bond and determination for their Guardian to see.

And Toriel saw, she knew all too well those traits. She had seen them in almost all of the human children that had been under her care. Including a special one so long ago, and one she could almost feel... being present right now.

Toriel pressed a hand against her forehead. It seemed that her mind was truly drifting way. Senility, heatstroke, or her emotions overwhelming her, she hadn't the faintest clue, but this was something she could not allow herself to do, not while those children's lives were in her hands. The blazing around said hands reignated, stronger than ever. Her crimson eyes pierced through the Louds', who didn't back down one bit.

"Enough. That is enough of all of you. You will respect what I am doing for you here, and you will answer my question with the two choices that I have given you, and only them ! Now stop being difficult, listen to me, and just let me protect your lives !"

Toriel's powerful command was accompanied with a Sweeping Paw from both fronts, and with flames picking up extra speed, and even bouncing off the walls. The nine kids each got their share of fire, and the attack actually managed to take 5 HP away from them this time. They understood the message, Toriel was livid now, and it was not a pretty sight.

But angry she might be, she was still their lovable Goat Guardian acting aloof. With that in mind, the kids picked themselves up and off the ground, and looked ahead to their assaillant without the slightest shadow of fear. All at once, they defiantly pressed the button once more. They were going to Spare the fur out of this monster, whether she liked it or not.

*"Survive through the will, and overcome any obstacle in their way. Such is the way of the humans."

Lincoln decided to turn a deaf ear over the venom held in that last word, and awaited the next very flammable attack right alongside his sisters. But as he looked at each of them, he too felt this picture to be incomplete. Lori and Lily should be with them, showing their determination, maybe even managing to convince Toriel to give up this meaningless fight. But instead...

Lincoln took a peek at the dark corridor behind him, and could only wonder how those two were doing. Moreover, if there was any improvement to Lori's soul-crushing guilt trip.

They needed her leadership more than ever.

---

{Music pauses...}

Anyone who knew little Lily Loud knew that she was one active baby.

To her, moving wasn't as important as breathing, being fed, or... 'poo-poo', but it was a dang close fourth place. There was always something interesting popping up in the toddler's mind. What sound would make that pan if I hit it with this wooden spoon ? Or with a block ? Can I still reach my toes ? What smell would the grass have if I rolled into it ? Life was an adventure that was only put on hold when nap time came along. As such, staying steady wasn't one of Lily's passions.

But if there was a second thing that people knew about Lily, it was that she was very aware of her surroundings. She wasn't always on point, sometimes eagerly smiling while her siblings were paralyzed with anxiety and fear. But she could tell when things were really bad, and knew when it was time to keep a low profile for the sake of her family.

And this was one of those times, certainly the most important too. Lily had a mission, everybody was counting on her. She couldn't let boredom win, not while she had such an important role to fulfill.

Besides, it's not like Lily truly could get bored here.

For twenty minutes straight, her sole focus had rested on Lori, only wavering a couple of times as she heard the yells of the ones she loved, and the sound of fire attacks being launched. And while it saddened her to still hear the battle dragging on, it was nothing compared to the absolute void of pain and sorrow that her big sister had become.

Lori's schedule of pity was tight and almost mechanic. For a full minute, she would stay deadly silent, not piping the slightest of murmurs, not making the tiniest of noises. Head in her knees, she had almost been looking like Auguste Rodin's lost work, The Wallower.

Then, she would lift her head to noiselessly fix her empty gaze onto the wall in front of her. Lily had tried waving her hand right in front of her face, but without any result. And a few seconds later, her eyes would swell up with tears, and her face would meet her knees again, quietly sobbing and whimpering for a good dozen of seconds before falling silent once again.

Seeing her big sister in that state didn't sit well with Lily at all. But by reminiscing some wise words from her roommate, and from some of her other siblings, Lily felt all the more compelled to wait for Lori to come around. Most of her time had thus been spent looking at her without the slightest coo or babble, only putting her little pudgy hand on her leg to signal that she was indeed still next to her.

Her other hand rested on the little cyan heart in front of her, that had appeared a little after her siblings had left her here. The mere fact of touching it steeled Lily's will to keep steady, calm in those rough times. After all, that would be what her sister would do. They shared the same colour, that had to count for something. But Lori's SOUL wasn't looking any better than her owner, the strange dullness that coated it contrasting with the radiance of Lily's.

But after all this time, Lily's vision started to waver towards the ceiling. From what she understood, her home, as well as her mommy and daddy, were way up there. There was a possible exit, but Goat Mom, a woman who had been so kind and nice, didn't want to let them go. Then... she died. And now, she was alive again, but still unwilling to let them go, because someone very mean wanted to kill them and take their SOULs.

Lily could only wonder. When had things gotten so complicated ? Was this how things were going to be now ? Were naps going to be the least of her worries, knowing that she'd have to fear for her life every step ahead ?

Lily shook her little head. Those were thoughts she didn't want to understand. But here she was, sitting next to guilt-ridden oldest sister, wondering when she'd ever hear the sound of her bossy, but loving voice, or even if she'd hear it again.

"You shouldn't be here..."

Lily's body immediately straightened up, leaving the tot surprised that something else than her pale-skinned big sister had startled her. But she knew that the perpetrator was still inside the family circle, and turned her vision back on Lori, who hadn't moved a muscle.

"Ah ?" cooed Lily, tilting her head questioningly.

"You shouldn't be here, with me. You'd be way safer with the others." mumbled Lori with more tiredness in her voice than Lily had ever heard her sporting, even accounting the times where she had woken her little sister up before getting her morning shower and coffee. The taller blonde shuffled her head deeper into her knees. "I'm a bad person, Lily, and you shouldn't be around me. Just go to them. Leave me alone like the bad person I am."

Lily didn't answer, nor did she move or obey. Her only action was to tilt her head even more questioningly. Lori wasn't pleased by that.

"Did you not hear me ? I told you to get away from me. Go away." said Lori with a rougher tone, hoping that getting brusque would get her baby sister to obey.

But it was the exact opposite that happened, as Lily recognized that tone. It was the same one that Toriel had been using, the one that indicated that she wasn't being herself, and being all dumb. As such, Lily outright refused her big sister's orders, crossing her arms and shaking her head with a fierce "Uh-uh !".

A small growl escaped Lori's throat, as her voice morphed into a quiet, slowly incresing snarl. "I'm not feeling good about anything right now, and you're not making things any better by being here. So now, just listen to me, and get the hell-" Lori immediately smacked a hand over her mouth, knowing that she had almost sworn in front of her baby sister. Her guilt level was quick to rise once again, and her head crashed back in her knees. "See ? I almost yelled at you. I know you're trying to be nice, but I litteraly don't deserve that treatement. Just go..."

"Lo'i..." slowly said Lily, with an undertone that could clearly be translated as "Please tell me what's wrong...". Lori didn't budge to the request, but when she felt Lily snuggling and rubbing her head against her arm, she felt herself beginning to relent. And when she saw those small curious, but worried eyes, Lori knew she truly had no choice, and gave a deep sigh of pure melancholia.

"It's a long story, a complicated one too. This goes well beyond the atrocious act I pulled back then. Or, forward then, or whatever Lincoln calls it. Are you sure you wanna get involved in this ?" indulged Lori with a heavy-hearted tone. Lily didn't miss a beat, and waddled over to sit herself in front of Lori. She gave her big sister's legs a few taps with her hands to signal that she was down for this tale. Lori chuckled hollowly, "Of course you would. Alright then." She took a deep breath, and began her story.

"The reason why I'm regretting this is not just for what I did – although it's already pretty bad by itself – but also why I did it. You may be thinking that I attacked because she was attacking us, relentlessly assaulting my little siblings ? Heh, I wish. The fight was a good load of sparks, but the powder barrel had been there for way longer than that. Seeing you getting smacked in the face was the matchstick that managed to set that gunpowder ablaze, leading to... you know what." she sighed, pausing to let the horrific image of Toriel's demise go away once more. "But even then... I didn't do it for you, for the sibs, or even because of Toriel. I did it for the only person that I apparently care about more than anything else in existence. Me."

This single word managed to make the room's general atmosphere feel even heavier. But Lily kept gazing at her big sister, knowing that this was merely a prologue.

"Yep. That's the real, whole reason I did this. Not out of sibling love, or anger towards her attitude. I just threw a pathetic, egomaniac fit, acting like the pompous brat that I am, and struck her down just because I felt butthurt about not being the sibling leader, that I have actually ceased to be for a long time now !" yelled Lori thunderingly. She did not care one bit about the amouts of pain her clawing hands was sending through her legs, her nails pratically digging through her skin. In fact, she deserved that. Hundreds of times worse for sure ! Thousands even !

However, Lily intervened with a worried coo, not wanting to witness her sister punishing herself. It seemed to work, as Lori's hands slowly released their vice grip, and proceeded with her story.

"You know... I remember when it wasn't like that. When I first tried that leader gig." the blonde softly said, the happy reminiscing easying up her pain, if just a bit. "I was seven, barely taller than Lana and Lola. Already, our house was a mess, our old house I mean. What could you do ? Luna wasn't anything like her present self, and Luan wasn't yet an expert prankster, but I can tell you, things were already quite lively with five girls and one baby boy, all full of energy. Luna and Luan were pretty creative in finding ways to entertain themselves. Leni was sweet, but she had the logic thinking of the walls she was constantly running into. Lynn was one busy bee, already kicking balls in every room of the house. And Lincoln... well, he was kinda like you. With more popping up in unexpected places, and less 'poo-poo' incidents.

"So, as long as the sun shone bright in the sky, the house was in near constant chaos. I mean, there weren't as many girls as there are today, but there was also no elder siblings to regulate the mayhem. All we had were Mom and Dad, with ten less years of experience and barely anyone to help them. So, as you can guess, they were pretty much overwhelmed, especially since they had to keep working in shifts, both to have the money to feed six kids, and to have at least one to watch over us. They tried getting someone to do the latter, but we proved too much for most baby-sitters, and Pop-pop was not getting any younger. I could litteraly read their tiredness through the number of bags under their eyes, as nights weren't any better, with fights over who gets to use the bathroom first, and Lynn always trying to steal Bun-bun from Lincoln, leading to fits that could be heard three blocks over.

"Little-er, I didn't think much of it. But at the age of seven, I finally realised how miserable we were making them, when I heard Mom breaking down one night, thinking that we were all to bed. I used to be one cookie thief, and I eavesdropped in their talk by accident. Needless to say, the cookie jar became the least of my priorities after hearing those heartwrenching sobs. Even if we didn't mean to, we were making their life a living hell, and that was horrible just thinking about it. But..."

Lori's voice gained a glint of her old confidence. "I realised that if there was one little girl who could change that, it was me. So, I stayed up all night to draft up a plan, and as soon as the morning came by, and the breakfast was dealt with, I assembled the sibs for what would be our first sibling meeting. I explained the situation, and after getting Leni to stop crying out of guilt, I told them what we were going to do about it : Votes to decide in advance where we would go for fun afternoons, what film we would see on movie nights, and who would take what seat in Vanzilla, who had up to three Sweet Spots back then. Fight regulations, moments of calm for Mom and Dad to take a little break, chore assignements, I went down the whole list. I got groans, I got complaints, but once I promised that it would bring fun for everyone, and reminded them for who we were doing this, our voices and minds were in unison, in one Loud cheer."

Lori's fond smile only grew, and a small liquid latecomer escaped her eye. "You should've seen them. Those smiles, those giggles of pure joy. When I was younger, this was all I needed to feel like a leader, it was my reason to be so. We devised plans together, built our trust by organizing secret meetings for shameful mistakes, and all around made life even more fun in the Loud House. And the pride we could read in our parents' faces was the sweet cherry on top of the chocolate cake."

"Choc'ate, hehehe." giggled Lily, eagerly rubbing her tummy at the prospect of her favourite treat.

"Yep, I sure miss chocolate too." Lori softly chuckled, then pursued her tale. "The years passed afterwards. We got a new home, Lucy was born, followed two years later by the twins. Our numbers were only increasing, and so was our chaos. But despite it all, we managed. With the others growing up, I wasn't alone anymore for ideas. Luna and Luan quickly became great monitors, followed by Lynn and Lincoln. Leni was a little out of focus, but came out as an amazing pacifier. Heck, even our latest additions could have great ideas. But whenever things got tough, they all knew that they could turn to me, their leader. And I made the promise that I would never, ever, leave them hanging. Did we have fights ? Of course. Were there mistakes ? Definitely. But we always managed to fix it, I would put my 100% into that. Then, we would be back on the fun and awesome life that was the one of the Loud House !"

For the first time since they had talked to Toriel, there was true hope to be found in Lori's eyes, and happiness in her features. Her joyous gaze towards the ceiling was a ravishing sight for Lily. Finally, it looked like things were getting better for the eldest Loud.

… But all it took was one memory for it to all fall down the drain. Five words only.

"And then, came Middle School..." said Lori while bowing her head, her voice laced with pure self-contempt and resentment. Lily gulped. She had heard snippets from her brother and punny sister of how tumultuous those years had been, but she was finally about to hear the complete version.

"This was the time when I had to leave my sisters behind. I was conscient of how different this would be, of how harsher things could get, not just study-wise, but also socially. The first year went... alright, actually. I still had friends from Elementary, and I just felt like being one year older, that's about it. Sure, I met bullies that reminded me that I was once again part of the youngest of the school. But I managed to have fun all the same, and the year was over before I knew it. Next year was looking bright, with Leni joining me in the class beneath me, and I was honestly convinced that this 'Middle School destroys you' was just hogwash." Lori dared to chuckle, then took on a much darker tone. "But Summer Vacation brought me some unexpected gifts, other than the announcement of Mom's ninth pregnancy."

"After eating one chocolate bar too many, my teeth ended up a mess. I had so many cavities, Mom almost fainted when she saw the carnage, and rushed me to the cabinet. I got a year of braces, and way above Luan's level. Even she said she could see herself in those big ugly plates. Then, my body started its akward phase, and it has its name for a reason. Body changes, my voice broke more than if Cliff meowed with barbwire in his throat, and a field of zits and pimples litteraly grew on my face overnight. And no matter how much I'd pop them, not only would they quickly grow back, but they always left huge ugly spots behind. I got some teasing from the sibs, but they eventually died down once they saw how much it upsetted me. But in school... heh, boy did I get reminded of it. About every single minute I walked into those corridors."

Lori fixed her gaze on Lily, getting a whine from the toddler for the amount of pain it carried. "Lily, what I've lived, I hope you never get anywhere close to it. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, not even on Carol. Even she doesn't deserve that. I'm so thankful you weren't born to be there to see me during that specific year, or the couple of years that followed. They say that school is a pain, that it's 'torture', but those guys and girls don't know what they're talking about. I litteraly lived that pain." Her voice cracked a little more with each passing sentence. "I still remember every name I was awarded. Keyboard face. Tooth troll. Ugly McLoud. Those were the words echoing around me all day, at every passing moment. It didn't help that my grades were actually pretty good, making me the perfect target for jocks and those pompous Miss World-orbits-around-my-navel. Funny thing, Carol wasn't actually part of that crowd. My main perpetrator had only one name : Marine." Lori spat the name with such venom, it could've punched a perfect hole in the wall. "At every corner, her and her posse were always there to get the school riled up for mockeries. I know my friends wanted to defend me, but Marine's control over the school managed to drive them away. I never blamed them for that. Who'd want to share even a piece of what I was going through ? I can't count the number of times I came back home late due to being stuck in a locker, or having to get all my homework pages thrown into a tree. Sometimes I'd come home with my arms covered with chinese burns, my teeth having mud between them, or my whole face dripping wet from swirlies. One thing for sure, I'd never come home with a smile, and I'd always crash on my bed crying. Everyone was worried about me, they wanted names to end this madness. But... I was too scared. Too much of a coward to even fight back. So I just let it happened, day after day, month after month, until the next Summer Vacation hit.

"But then it hit me. I would have to go two years, two more years of this living hell. And after that, would come High School, where this kind of reputation can only get worse. I would be mocked, left alone and friendless, for five stinkin' YEARS ! It terrified me, it filled me with dread and anxiety, that just kept coming and coming, until one day... I just... snapped. I wasn't going to let that happen again. Never. NEVER. NEVER !" yelled Lori, the ghost of the rage she had displayed that day still haunting her. "And... that's when the part I truly regret began."

"This was the part of my life when my status became everything to me. I did countless lawnmowings, house paintings, and so many other jobs just to get as much cream, moisturizer, and cosmetics that I could get. Thankfully, my braces got taken off as scheduled, but the biggest part of my summer just ended being about that, this insane quest to not repeat this hellish year. So much, that I don't actually rememeber having fun at all this summer. Then, the moment of truth arrived, the return to school. My skin was flawless, my teeth pearly white, and my mind dead set on not letting anyone looking down on me. The first few laughs and mockeries from the few that weren't impressed by my physical 180 were immediately terminated by my sheer glare. And when came Marine, getting under my skin in the millisecond she appeared, I didn't even let her speak. I simply struck her right on the spot – Verbally, not physically – and left the whole school speechless. And that's what I was met with the following days, silence. No more teasing, no more paper pellets or paper airplanes with humiliating caricatures thrown at me. I was free. And that should've been enough for me."

"But, of course, it simply wasn't good enough for Lori Loud." Lori annoyedly pursued, gripping the sides of her head. "This should've been the point of satisfaction for me, I wasn't a laughingstock anymore. But apparently, I didn't just want dropping of charges. I wanted retribution, payback upon those who had dared to make a fool out of me. And as such, no more was the nice little nerdy girl. A new Queen Bee was born, and this one stung hard. If one dared to drop the slightest comment on me, or the slightest funny look, I instantly hit them where it hurt the most : their pride. In a matter of weeks, nobody even dared to look me in the eye, too afraid I would strike them down. My friends were getting scared of me, even though I never mocked them in the slightest. Even Leni and Luna would hide away from me, and many would hide from them, just because they were my sisters. And then... came Marine."

Lori's grip on her hair became much greater, yet trembled, as did her voice. "I, quite frankly, despised Marine back then. I had never despised someone ever before, but I certainly did here. And to this day, I can't help pestering whenever I remember that little smile, just proud of me suffering. But... none of what she did to me, could excuse what I did to her. Lily... I-I did horrible things to that girl. I would search every day for her, to verbally humiliate her, push her deep into the mud, destroy her. I hit her very confidence, again and again, breaking it apart as much as I could. Even when she was down on the ground, hysterically sobbing, I kept pushing her deeper into this pit of despair. In a month, I managed to get back to her five times ! And yes, I said one month. Because afterwards, I had made her life so unbearable, she decided to change school altogether."

"And you think that's the worst part ? Oh no, that came a couple of years later, when I learned what Marine was actually going to say to me, that very day I started attacking her." Lori paused here, as if she wanted those next words to stay in her throat so it could hurt just a little more. Then, in a whisper, they came out. "She was going to apologize. She wanted to start over, get a clean slate, and undo every wrong she had done to me. We could've become friends, sweep everything under the rug, and get a happy ending out of this. And instead, what did I do ? I destroyed her inside out, breaking her whole personna into pieces, and possibly scarring her for the rest of her life."

Now, was Lily truly understanding every word her sister was pronouncing ? No, of course not. But by simply getting the gist of them, Lily could sense how bad those things her sister did were. But the adorable toddler simply wouldn't turn away, instead hanging on her sister's every word. As through Lily's shiny SOUL and Lori's slowly dulling, she knew there was yet more to come.

"So, I became Royal Woods' Middle School local terror, even scaring out students from grades above me. It only made sense that I repeated that kind of demeanor at home. But to them, it was even worse. In the matter of two months, the faithful leader labrador of their pack, which they trusted in with everything they had, had turned into a rabid dobberman. I became snappy, mean, condescending, and so much more. Sibling meetings weren't about deciding by vote anymore, they would be about who'd work up the guts to talk back on my decision. And well, let's just say, there is a reason everyone is afraid of me threatening to turn them into Human Pretzels." There was a slight hiccup in her voice as a particular memory flashed by. No, not the one you think of... "You know, with the way I used to act, I'm not surprised that I was the one that inspired Lola into being what she is today, though thankfully, not nearly as bad."

"During those following years, I threatened the very balance of our sibling relationship. The chaos became even more unhinged, traditions were all almost forgotten, and the entire Sister Fight Protocol had to be built because of how frequent fights were getting, a couple of them actually landing the brawlers into the hospital. All wasn't lost however, our siblings tried to keep things friendly and fun, Lincoln especially, and gave their upmost to help out with Mom's latest arrival, you. But one thing I'm convinced of, is that I played a part in none of it. I had become the instant buzzkill, the predator roaming around, and everyone would freeze up as if I was that T-rex from that Dino Meadows movie. I helped out around the house, but only because it meant not getting into trouble. I stayed frosty at Lisa's prodigiously young intellect, or at Luna's brand new passion, completely changing her. Even when you came, all I saw was... one more brat to put up with."

Lori took another pause to let the thought digest, both for Lily and for herself. Her normal self would have been horrified of telling such blunt information to her little baby sister, but Lori wasn't feeling anything like her normal self at the moment.

"But you know... you were the one that finally slapped some sense into me. Not litteraly." precised Lori with a tiny smile that quickly vanished. "You were three months old, and you were getting into your 'grabby meatloaf' phase as Dad called it. Never... never understood that. But anyway, one night, schedules were tight for everyone. Mom had a speech, Dad had an important meeting, and all the sibs had things they had been planning for weeks, such as concerts, sleepovers, meetings with renowned physicists, all of that good and usual stuff. That only left me, whose main goal of this night was trying a new ice-cream shop that had just opened. But, pride from the time obliged, I was enraged at the idea of not being able to go that precise night, even though there was no special event. But nope, Lori Loud said she would be there, so Lori Loud had to be there !" Lori spat her own name with disgust.

"Of course, Mom and Dad weren't convinced, and I ended up in babysitter duty. I was practically a master at this point, but the master was feeling thoroughly livid tonight. I kept muttering profa- bad words under my breath against my whole family for leaving me stuck here. And with each of your innocent demands, my mood only got worse and worse, and I progressively began to focus my anger onto you. And after changing your diaper for the third time, as you were cooing and agitating your little arms for a good little hug, I snapped at you. Quickly, violently, I began accusing you of this being all your fault, barely holding back any of this unjustified anger from an even more unjustified target. I was like a storm, a raging cyclone of hisses and pathetic rage, but... it died down the second you began to cry. I can't think of a moment in my entire life when something hit me more out of the blue, and made me feel so bad. Well, maybe until recently for the latter. But seeing you cry like that, not only made me realize what I was doing right now – screaming at a newborn – but also for the first time in years, made me see myself for what I had become. A narcissistic monster."

"When everyone came back, they found you well and asleep, and they found me crying my eyes out on the couch. Thinking back, it was quite the role reversal. And when I saw them, I started sobbing without restraint, beating myself up, begging for forgiveness, and all of that under the astounded gazes of my family. But after all I had done, especially to my siblings, they accepted my apology, just like that, as if those two last years had never existed. Well, not entirely true, I still had to work my way up to gain their complete trust back, but my night still ended at the center of one of our legendary group hugs."

"So, I was back, leader once more, and the sibling traditions were restored. But, my attitude still left some marks, like the Sister Fight Protocol. And... now that I take the time to look back... I truly wonder if deep down, I changed." heavily sighed Lori while passing a hand through her hair. "I've done efforts, I became way less of a control freak, and accepted help wholeheartedly, even when it came from Lincoln's usually half-thought plans. But this craving for attention, this desire to be put in the spotlight, and for things going solely my ways... I think they are still a big part of me. I still threaten everyone that comes into my room, sans you and Leni. I'm still haughty, condescending, and just bossing others around. I act like I've matured, yet I played a dirty trick on Leni just so I wouldn't have to share the title of being the one with a driver liscense, so I could have others do my bidding. And I was litteraly the first one to go solo on the treasure hunt for Sharon Daimonez. Yeah, what a grownup move those were." the blonde scoffed. "But still, I felt like I was getting better, that my leader stance was fair, but important. I felt like I was really improving, finally becoming mature."

"But my whole world was turned upside-down when we... well, came down into this crazy world ! Where plants can be psycho, greetings are translated into assault against little floating hearts that were apparently part of us from the day we were born, and where the whole world apparently works on video game logic ! What's next, a comic ? A cartoon ?! One of those fanfictions Lincoln and Lynn read all the time ?! I just... it's just weird stuff, coming one after the other, and things only get more complicated as we go on. But more than that, during this short period of time, as our lives were turning into this whacky adventure, my own flaws jumped right back into my face. Every time I'd do something worthy of a leader, I'd do a gaffe, or someone else would manage things better than me. And I should've been mature by being okay about it, but I didn't. Oh no, I certainly didn't."

"And then with Toriel, I felt like she would be behind my every decision, that she was the one person I simply couldn't disappoint. But when she not only continuously attacked us and you, but also expressed that I had disappointed her, this feeling of being an utter failiure hit me where it hurt. And the only mature way I found to answer that ? To hurt back. Just like before." Lori's woeful tone came back again. "It's just clear now. Deep down, I haven't changed. And if not for this Save Point power, I would've murdered somebody, and not even someone bad. No wait, scratch that last one, the mere fact that I MURDERED someone is enough for me to be considered as a true monster ! No wonder I began to see myself as Flowey. I'm no better than him now."

Lori turned one last time towards her baby sister, and felt internally amazed by the fact that Lily was still listening, as she could tell from her little sad pudgy face how much of this story's harshness she understood. As such, Lori felt the need to wrap this story up. "So you see Lily ? I'm a bad person, someone who can kill out of petty jealousy and pride. I know you are growing up with a lot of role models in all our sibs, that you saw a lot of different passions, from Lisa's facts to Luan's peppiness, and even Lucy's macabre. But now, you must realise, I'm not someone you should look up to. Lincoln is set to be a better leader than I ever was, and there's plenty of wisdom and ingenuity to go around. You don't need me, because my usefulness literally expired right when I planted a stake in the form of a lipstick in it."

Lori's eyes began to well up again, as she put her knees back into her knees, and said in a broken voice that reminded of a white heart she had herself broke.

"Maybe that's why that platform cracked under my feet back then. Just so I could disappear, and the world would finally be rid of me."

And that was the final straw that tipped over the yummy chocolate milkshake for Lily.

*SLAP !*

Lori reeled up from the hit, even though it was barely enough to leave any mark. Rubbing her cheek, she turned to her waddling assaillant, who had a glare fixed on her. Even more tears started to appear as Lori came to terms that she had hit the lowest point, that even Lily hated her now. But before the vice of negativity could close itself on Lori, the baby blonde quickly approached her big sister, separating her knees, and putting herself face-to-face with her, making Lily's still vibrant SOUL come in contact with Lori's dull and trembling one. The two hearts seemingly locked up, and Lily finally took her turn to speak her mind.

And yes, we do mean speak.

"Lori, this is not true." was what Lori heard, even though Lily's lips only mouthed her usual babbling, although a frantic one. It seemed that Lily's true and honest thoughts were translated through their SOUL lock, sounding like what Lori could only imagine being the voice she'd one day have as a child. "You are wrong, wrong wrong wrong ! You are not a failure."

Lori's confused stare gained a furrowed brow. "Lily... have you litteraly not heard all of what I've just said ? Of the terrible things I did, just to benefit me, myself and I ?"

"Of course I did, I've heard everything !" firmly uttered Lily, her face still showing firmness, yet losing its initial anger. "But it's not true, it's just not true. You are someone great. I can tell that by just all I can remember, and not just from all those nice stories told by Lisa, Linky, and the others. I remember how you'always take extra care when preparing my bottles, adding the touch of honey I love so much. You build sandsculptures with me in the park, always praising me even when it'd just look like a little lump of sand. And when you tuck me in, you forget all about your phone so you can sing me that lullaby Mommy used to sing for you." Lily flashed her sweet little smile. "You really care about me, not because you're forced to, but because you just do. That's not what a bad person does."

Lori could feel her heart swell up and her eyes well up again at Lily's compliments, but part of her kept telling her that she didn't deserve any of this praising, that she was still a pompous egotistical murderer. "N-No, I am bad. I did so many wrong things for the wrong reasons, and..."

But Lily's smile didn't disappear as she shook her head. "No, you made mistakes. And you try to fix them. And Goat Mom is not dead anymore, and you do feel bad about it. Meanie Flowey certainly wouldn't feel bad about it. You're not perfect, you make errors and boo-boos, like Mommy and Daddy do sometimes. But you're still my big big sister, and I will always look up to you. Wanna know why ?" asked the toddler, to which Lori meekly responded with a nod. The eldest blonde emitted a little gasp, as Lily threw her pudgy little arms around Lori's midsection, and rubbed her head affectionately against her stomach. The SOUL lock didn't even need to do the translation on that one.

"'Cause ah 'wuv you, vewy much."

That was all it took for Lori to crumble into sobs, but not out of pain this time. She knew Lily couldn't possibly comprehend all the details of what she had done, all the effects and repercussions it had done and was still having today. But for this little ball of innocence to simply forgive her and tell her that no matter what, she would still be someone she could admire, filled Lori with an ocean of joy that instantly drowned up her guilt and sorrow. All she could feel doing was to tightly hug her baby sister back, muttering apologies and thanks, and just appreciate to be there with her youngest sibling, nothing else mattering for those few precious seconds.

For an instant, everything was nothing but relief and harmony for the two...

But a wake-up call came in the sound of fireballs crashing against walls, reminding the young adult and tot, now that their problem had been solved, of the issue still raging on. The hug thus ended, with the two SOULs disconnecting, and Lori's SOUL looking completely revitalized.

Lori took a breather, and regained the confidence in her gaze as she exhaled throug her nose. "We've got to stop this fight. But... how can we help ?" murmured the blonde, putting on a thinking face, quickly mimicked by the baby in her hands. Going straight back into battle without any new info didn't quite sound right, and while their sisters and brother were busy making sure Toriel didn't blow the exit, they had the possibility to go back upstairs. This was an advantage they had to use, but how ? How could they try convincing Toriel of letting them go when they apparently knew so little of her, of her past and...

"Her... past... Holy goat, that's it !" exclaimed Lori in sudden clarity. She pulled Lily's face closer to her own. "Lily, I've got an idea, but we gotta make this quick. Are you with me ?"

Lily nodded, but then began to squirm around in Lori's arms, rubbing her knees frantically while her red face gained a akward expression, completed with little whimpers. It didn't take Lisa's IQ to see what was going on here.

Lori rolled her eyes and gave a little grin. "Alright, maybe we can take a little bathroom break on the way. You've certainly earned it."

And with that said, Lori ran up the stairs, on her way to both find her proof, and avoid more liquid to be shared. All she could hope was that her siblings could handle Toriel for the time being.

Just a little more, for their leader to come back.

---

{... and unpauses !}

*If something's going to happen, it is certainly taking its time. And you seem to be running out of it...

"Well gee, tell me something I don't know." sarcastically shot back Lincoln. The strange 'non-human' was feeling very talkative as of late, and Lincoln's patience towards it was starting to wear thin. But the patience he needed for this fight was still standing strong, as were his sisters'. Physically though...

Doing their best to avoid another Firestream incoming, Lisa and Luan still felt the burn, as the comedienne would put it, and their HP were sent down to the level of their siblings. Said level turned around a measly 3, with luckier ones like Lucy, Lynn, and Lana standing at 5, while Leni and Lola were in severe danger with an alarming 2 HP left. The kids' clothes all presented burns and tears to match their owners, who were covered with injuries. Everything hurt, the room's temperature was close to unbearable, and the fight had dragged on for more than twenty turns now, and Toriel was still attacking.

But were the siblings feeling like giving up ? Not one bit. They could feel the rising disturbance in Toriel's attacks, and in her continuous pleas and orders for them to step down. But each time, the Goat Woman was only met with the pressing of the Spare option, and nine young pair of eyes shining with determination, despite tiredness clearly starting to take over. Toriel simply couldn't admit it, but... they were winning. She still had so much power to go, but her heart was simply struggling just to keep up this wall of sterness.

Why couldn't they just listen to reason ? Why couldn't they just listen to her ?

"Children... don't you sense the pain plaguing your body ? Do you not realise how easily you could avoid it, if you simply stay here with me ?" insisted Toriel, feeling like her speeches were turning into a broken record, but then again, they hadn't really been changing their course of action either. "This pain, this suffering, those will be what they will inflict you beyond those doors. So, once and for all, stop this foolishness !"

The Loud youths didn't answer at first, letting a small veil of obscurity hide their eyes. Apart from Lucy, for obvious reasons. But soon, those who were looking faint rose up to their feet, standing straighter than before, and kept gazing into Toriel's own piercing orbs.

"Stop this foolishness ? I think you just stole our line here, Tori." calmly said Luna.

"Agreed. Only one needs to get its priorities straight at the moment, and that person is you, Goat Mother." nodded Lisa, the flames' light reflecting in her glasses.

"Yeah, your reading glasses are supposed to be just for that, reading. So why can't you just see things straight already ?" insisted Luan.

"Like, we are sending you our signal here, one that even I can comprehend. So why can't you ?" questionned Leni, sounding slightly sad, yet just as willing to not let her objective slip through her hands.

"I'm someone who likes to pick up fights just for fun, and even I can tell this was a bad plan, in and out." chided Lynn with a furrowed brow and crossed arms.

"This has been a painful experience, is still one, and probably will be one if we continue. Even if we turn around, you can't expect things to be the same." reminded Lucy, in hopes of getting through their Goat Guardian, and trying her best to keep her dry tone straight.

"Yeah, it just won't be anywhere close as before. We don't want to spend our lives with you if it means constantly being reminded that you took our only chance to go back away." painfully acknowledged Lola, gripping and squeezing her muddy sister's hand.

"We... we don't want to hate you. That would just be too horrible." tearfully added Lana. "So screw the pain, we'll keep Sparing you !"

"We don't care if this fight takes ten, thirty, or even a hundred more turns. We'll still Spare you, over and over again !" finished Lincoln with power in his voice, his red SOUL beating in perfect unison with his sisters', symbolizing their power and will. The boy once again pressed Spare.

Toriel closed her eyes and sighed. Apparently, they still wouldn't listen to reason. It looked like the Firemancer was going to have to bust out more advanced moves. She'd regulate the power of course, wouldn't want any accident. But Toriel was convinced that this attack would finally get them to comprehend how powerful and dangerous a monster could be.

The blazing on Toriel's paws intensified tenfold, and she brought them in the air. Then, dozens- no, hundreds of fireballs spurted out like a geyzer. Finally, Toriel pushed her hands forward, and true Rain of Fire rolled its way towards the human kids.

Said kids sharply gasped at both the surprise element and flare of the attack, and the oldest siblings immediately dove in to serve as human shields for the youngest, with Lynn taking Lana, Luna taking Lucy, Luan taking Lola, and Leni taking Lincoln and Lisa. All braced themselves for the pain that was sure to come from this unavoidable attack.

…

But it never came.

The children shakily opened one of their eyes, and what they saw was nothing less than surprising. The sheer avalance of fire was avoiding them, opening like curtains, and falling on their sides without even so much as to graze them. They were surprised to say the least, but not as much as Toriel seemed to be.

"Totes beautiful..." breathed Leni with shiny eyes.

"I know it's kind of in the heat of the moment, but... what's happening exactly ?" asked Luan, releasing her grip on Lola.

"That, I think I can explain." lisped Lisa, squirming out of Leni's constricting hug. "You see, magic is linked to the monster's own SOUL, thus to all of what the monster feels. The more frantic, the faster the attacks will go, as demonstrated the Loox twins. If the monster has its focus out of the battle, its attack will be meaningless, as we saw with our friend Migosp. So, for this attack to miss us on purpose, it would mean that its owner doesn't want to conduct the assault, even if they don't care to admit it." The little genius turned around to face the bewildered Goat woman. "But that you should know, Goat Mother. After all, you taught me that fact."

"Hey, yeah. You said that to me too !" pointed out Luna.

"And me !" added Lola.

Lincoln didn't miss a beat, the perfect opportunity was presenting itself on a hot silver platter. "See ? Your magic is showing your true state of mind. You don't want to continue this battle anymore than we do. Just drop it. You can't win this fight."

A pang of fear resonated through Toriel's body. It simply could not be. She couldn't lose this fight, not like that, not out of weakness. Again. Her nerves only swelled up with anxiety when Lincoln pressed the Spare option once again, and she could feel her SOUL agreeing to the small wave of magic coming out of it.

Toriel tried to brush it aside, summoning another Sweeping Paw. But all that managed to come out of her paws were harmless fireballs, cementing the idea that Toriel simply could not accept. Deprived of any dissuasive power, Toriel still found her voice, and said, "Children, go back upstairs."

"No." replied Lucy, Lana, Lola and Lisa, pressing the Spare button.

"Then you must fight !" insisted Toriel, sending in another useless assault.

"No !" chanted Lynn, Luan, Luna and Leni, with another Spare action.

"You must choose between those two options now !" yelled Toriel, tears pinpricking her eyes while sending another aimless attack.

"NO !" roared the nine kids at once, punching the Spare option with such force, the wave's magnitude was strong enough to blow out all the embers on the wall, and to push Toriel back a couple of inches. The Motherly Monster was fine, she still had magic reserves, and she wasn't hurt physically in any way. But inside, it was just too much to bear. The fire in her hands disappeared, and she bowed down her head, her stern face betrayed by a couple of tears and a trembling brow.

"Why... why can't you just be happy with what you have ?" weakly murmured Toriel, the flare in her voice having disappeared along with her magic, apart from the flickering wall of flames still blocking the door. "I know we don't have much, that the Ruins are quite narrow... but we can be happy here. Counting stories, play games, and just be happy. I know we're not related, but I'll do my upmost to make you feel as if we are. So why... why can't you just stay ?"

"We'd love to stay, you have no idea how much we'd love to." said Lincoln, sadness clearly present in this tone. And yet, he still smiled at her. "But... we have to go. But we told you, you don't have to be worried for us. You gave us love, comfort, and plenty information for our quest. So, don't be sad, because we'll keep being determined."

Toriel's eyes widened a little more. This single word evoked something particular to her, a feeling she's been feeling since she's met this young white-haired boy. It had been weak, and the two had nothing in common, may it be physical or in their characters. And yet, looking at him, at his flamboyant red SOUL... Toriel couldn't chase the feeling that she was seeing this shy but lovable child that brightened up her days, months before she chose to exile herself from the monster world.

Lynn decided to take the helm, dropping on a sneaky fighter position. "Linc's right, Goat Mom. If those monsters show up, they better have nerves of steel to survive my death glare, and be ready for a good thump on the nose if they get too much all over our business ! Or eyes, if they don't have a nose. And if they don't have both, I'll get creative."

"Yeah, don't worry about a thing. I'm as good in pacifying critters than I am to make them surrender. Not to toot my own horn, but I did wrestle a couple of alligators back in the day. I even got them to imprint on me, choosing me as their leader. 'Visit them everyday, they are big sweethearts." chuckled Lana.

That never-ending bravado... this gap in her teeth... and that passionate orange. All of those elements reminded Toriel of an eight-year old child that had passed through her humble home. The eight-year-old boy always had this confidence that he could take on the entire world.

"Don't worry, Goat Mommy ! I'll give'em my special one-two, and once they see how strong I am, they'll respect me, we'll become pals, and they'll show me the way home ! Easy-peasy !"

"Doesn't happen often, but I'm one-hundred percent behind Lana on this one !" flaunted Lola, giving her golden hair a little whiff. "When they'll see us enter the stage, they'll be left utterly dazzled, especially by me. Once that's done, it'll take a few words for them to quit this barbaric attitude, and they might just get a tip from me to improve their lives."

"Covering their homes in pink glitter will be something dazzling for sure, hahaha ! Get it ?" cracked Luan, much to the annoyance of her princess of a sister. "But if that doesn't work, I really hope they know how to swim down there, 'cause I'm gonna flood them with acts and jokes that will leave them out of breath ! Hahahaha !"

Great self-esteem, energy, and a dazzling blue SOUL breathing those two. Those, plus Luan's ponytail/bun brought more memories back to Toriel, ones of a dainty ballerina, ready to conquer her audience from all of her twelve years of age.

"Fear not, Mother. I shall jump above all obstacles in my way, and inspire those monsters with awe. None shall stop me, as I have much more lights to encounter and shine under back home."

"We shall not be reckless either." precised Lisa with a tweak of her glasses. "Clear-thinking and careful planning will assist us. And with all that you have taught me about the intricately scientific world of magic, I'll have all the cards in hand to share between us, and get us the sweetest deal to come out on top."

Another vision hit Toriel as she observed the young genius before her, who shared many things with a certain blond nine-year old. Huge glasses, always having something to write and to write on, an everlasting will to find a solution, and the electric purple in their SOULs. Even the speech and constant lisp were there.

"There is no equation, puzzle, or riddle down here that can't be solved. And if they haven't yet, they just have to wait for an expert to come along. By taking my time and calculating the probabilities, I will make it, I guarantee that to you with upmost certainty."

"More cards ? Like, I still don't get it." vouched Leni, scratching her platinium blonde scalp. But she immediately put on her sweet smile again, ignoring the groans and couple of facepalms echoing around her. "But I agree with the idea though. I'm sure if we do what you said, and be super nice with them, they'll be so happy they'll let us pass straight up. If they need an ear to listen to their problems or someone to knit them something nice, I'll always be there to take the offer !"

Such sweetness, such positiveness. Such calm green in her SOUL. There was no doubt in Toriel's mind to compare her with a gentle boy that had too offered so much kindness around him, as well as delicious meals. The thirteen year-old teen had nothing less than the future of a grand chef ahead of him.

"Monsters may be aggressive, but all the desire deep down is for someone to give them a tender hug and tell them everything is gonna be okay. And not only will I do that, but I'll make their taste buds quiver with unforgettable tastes, and their hearts swell up with kindness."

"I'm usually not the one to go for immediate friendships and all that mushy stuff. But... this world certainly had showed me intriguing creatures, some I can even relate too, and are sweet in a way that I can appreciate. So, if our straight path back home is to be tainted by the light of friendship, I guess I won't shy away from it." quipped Lucy with a small smile, and a small blush upon remembering that certain sweet someone.

Luna nodded, and patted the little goth's head affectionally. "True words there. We'll be fair to those guys as much as we can, hearing their swings before we present ours. But we ain't gonna be pushovers either. 'Cause if there is one thing those monsters are going to get from us, it's the pure and honest Loud style !"

A calm, measured, and fair way of moving forward. Such had been the ideal of a daring fifteen year-old girl, her yellow SOUL reflecting her golden hair topped with a brown cow-boy hat.

"There had been some mighty injustice going around this place, Goat Ma, from both sides. Ah'm goin' to right those wrongs, and get justice to be served. Once order is finally back, we'll have one mighty banquet, and I promise we'll be both there to taste that grub under the sun."

Toriel just didn't know what to think anymore. With all those blasts from the past, it seemed that even her memories were turning against her, trying to push in her decision to let those children go. To send them away forever. And to make her the sole resident of this house, once again. Was this it ? What the world had decided for her, what she had brought onto herself ? Eternal solitude and constant heartbreak, for having disobeyed the words of the greater good.

Toriel's heart skipped a beat. Those two words... why were they making her blood sizzle ? Lincoln managed to get her attention from it for a brief moment. "So you see ? If Lori and Lily had been there, I'm sure they would have said the same thing. I know it's hard, even though I may not understand how hard, but I'm also sure that deep down, you understand it. We got to know you, and we know how much of a wonderful caretaker you are. And we know that in the end, you'll do what you know is the greater good." finished Lincoln with a gentle smile, that he shared with his sisters as they all grouped around him.

But Toriel did not acknowledge those smiles, as she remembered why those two words were filling her with such sudden anger. Those two cursed words were the centerpiece of the last speech HE had given her, those sentences she had been mulling and raging over for decades, if not centuries.

HIS reason for such a foolish plan.

"No, I will concede no more ! This is not just about my will or yours, but for our people who have been suffering for centuries. Humans have taken everything from us, and I tried to handle it with humility and understanding, but they've crossed the final line. I will not allow monsters to live in despair any longer, they deserve to bathe in the sun's rays we've once known. If this plan requires the sacrifice of humans, then fine ! If I must base this kingdom's hopes and dreams on such a terrible act for them to still have some, then fine ! And... if this has to go against what you think is right and wrong... then fine..."

To this day, Toriel still could not believe he said that to her. She cared not how much it must've hurt to say it, the mere fact that he could say it was enough for Toriel's heart to shatter into pieces, and for love to be replaced by a seed of resentment, that only grew year after year. The growth became even more proeminent when she understood that his plan was in no motion at all. 'Not allow them to suffer any longer'. Lies and false hopes, those were all that he provided.

To this man, nothing she could say or think had mattered. Already, she could see a massive horned shadow linger over the youth in front of her, already promising the same fate he had given to those who had come before those kind children. But then again, neither did those six youth listen, ignoring all her advice on the danger outside. And now, after putting her sweat and both hearts in her words, to try to make them understand that she had naught but the desire to protect them, she was still being utterly ignored. Why ? Why ? Why why why why why WHY ?!

Why was it so hard for the world to just listen to her ?!

"Why..." began Toriel through grinded teeth, as the flickering wall of flames behind her suddenly flared back to life, and with even more flare than before.

"G-Goat Mom ?" whimpered Lola, understandably scared by not only the power, but also by the sheer wrath emanating from it. The Loud band gathered together even tighter, starting to shake. Even Lincoln's internal voice allowed fear into their speech.

*This... this is not good. At all.

"Won't anyone..." pursued the monster, frustration spreading in her voice at a frightening rate, as did the flames' blaze, spreading all over the walls behind Toriel, around her, and even on the ceiling. Its heat was getting so intense, the orange was starting to change into a piercing white.

"Goat Mom, i-i-it's not funny anymore..." hiccuped Luan, tears of fear starting to appear, and not just on her face. The quivering only intensified amongst the kids, the fire's power overwhelming their senses, and not doing any good to their injuries. But Toriel was blind to all of this.

"Just listen to me..." spoke Toriel with cracking and dangerous wrath. The rampaging fire stopped its advance, and instead started to focus into a pure white ball of flames, flanked by what resembled two white wings, composed of flames as well. The entire room looked as if it was sweltering by the attack's mere intensity.

"Toriel, you gotta calm down ! Lisa was right, your magic's going haywire !" cried out Lincoln in despair, not feeling too well over finding out that something more terrifying than Flowey was possible to witness.

But Toriel stayed deaf to the children's pleas and cries. Certainly not out of spite, but because of the overwhelming sensation of years of frustration and contained anger finally taking their toll on the woman, rendering her oblivious of what was happening around her. She simply couldn't take it anymore. This true raging fire inside of her was finally exploding, perhaps as it should have on this fateful moment that had begun her exile. Well, it had been quite the wait, but Toriel was finally letting it be free, not giving a darn about her image or consequences.

But in her blind rage, Toriel had forgotten what those consequences were.

"FOR ONCE IN THEIR LIVES ?!" roared Toriel with every bit of anger possible for her to muster, flowing like a scorching tempest. And her magic, obeying her SOUL's present core feelings, decided to give it form, zooming towards the terrified kids with terrifying power.

And it was the very moment our poor heroes cried out in fear that Toriel opened her eyes, and in a split second, realised what she was doing. Panic immediately found its ways into her mind and features, and for a moment, the world seemed to slow down, as if giving Toriel full knowledge and view of what she was about to do.

An act that would make her even worse of a person than HIM !

Knowing she had very little time, Toriel used every bit of her magic expertise to decrease the attack's power as much as she could. That would normally be fairly easy to her to render any of her attacks harmless, but this attack was proving to be more powerful than everything she had ever used, even during her defending participation in the war. Toriel didn't allow herself to breathe during that second, putting her very being into taking every drop of power she could attain. Until finally...

{Heartache stops.}

The attack connected.

*BOOOOM !*

The deafening sound bounced around the room for a good three seconds. During those seconds, white was all Toriel could see, forcing her eyes to take refuge behind her purple sleeve. Once it stopped, a cloud of dust invaded the scenery, leaving the woman with overwhelming dread and regret.

"No... please, no. Don't let it be this way, I beg of you..." murmured Toriel, praying that someone, anyone was listening. The Ruins' Guardian could feel herself being overridled by a premature feeling of guilt and anguish. If she was to have done the unforgivable to even one of them, to a child, Toriel knew, she would not survive this heartbreak.

And after several agonizing seconds, the dust cleared up, revealing...

"L... Lori ?" whispered Toriel in shock.

Indeed, blocking the hugging ball of Loud siblings, was none other than their eldest sister, her arms and legs spread out in a protective fashion. And for good use it seemed, as her smoldering body and multiple burnt marks all over the front of her body made it all too obvious that she had taken the attack head on, barring any flame from reaching her siblings. And she had been successful ! The siblings looked... bad, but they didn't look any worse than before. Their expressions on the other hand, had changed from terror, to utter shock, to intense worry. All souls present, monster and humans, shakily looked above the blonde's head. A tsunami of relief hit them when they saw the smidge of yellow in her HP bar, as well as a reassuring 1 still standing.

But that didn't mean Lori was feeling okay. At all. The mere fact of breathing was sending pain through the teen's body. But instead of hissing in pain, she instead chose to give a small grin at the siblings behind her, who were watching her with big eyes. "Hehe... look at this. I'm away for five minutes, and the place's already falling into rubble..." she chuckled, which was not the smartest move, as the echo of pain given to her ribs made her knees buckle under her. "Urgh..."

Fortunately, reaction was immediate amongst the other humans, and immediately caught up their sister as gently as possible, before circling her. "Oh my gosh, Lori ! Are you alright ?! Where does it hurt ?! We need a doctor !" fussed Leni, already in tears into seeing her older sister in such a poor state.

"Well I'm a doctor, but there is not quite much I can do here." pointed out Lisa, trying to sound calm despite the apparent worry on her face. "Perhaps if I had some cotton and disinfectant..."

"Forget the First Aid Kit, we need a bed and three tons of bandages !" cried out Lola, her panic immediately quelled by Luna applicating a calming back rub.

"Let's not burn any bridges here, hahaha !" joked the optimistic Loud teen, before falling into concern once again. "But really, how're you holdin' up Lori ? Are you done immitating Lucy ?"

"I dare say you were better than the original." quipped Lucy, a trace of sadness in her voice, as she twiddled her fingers. "And... it was kinda scary, not gonna lie."

Lori couldn't help but chuckle at all the panicked yet caring attention she was receiving. Which was once again a mistake, prompting her to cough forcefully. "*Cough cough* Guys ! I'm alright now... sorta. I just needed to wind up a little, to think about what I've been doing recently, and not just since we've come here. But before we talk about that... there is something I need to say, to somebody else."

The kids immediately understood, and cleared the path for Lori to look directly at Toriel. The woman seemed relieved to see the blonde being alive, as well as the others. But at the same time, she seemed truly shaken over what she had almost done. To think she had almost...

And this weakness was exactly what Lori was hoping for.

[Undertale OST – Memory...]

"It doesn't feel good, huh ?" began Lori with a gentle knowing smile. "To know that you've let your anger fall on an innocent, for reasons that only concern you and you alone, and almost pushed you to commit the unforgivable. I know that feeling. I've been there, more recently than you think. But... at the same time, I'm sure the roots of my problems go as far as yours, do they ?"

Toriel didn't peep a word, focusing her confused stare onto this child she taught so much, trying to understand where she was going with this. How the tables had turned...

"After my little episode, which I'll gloss on the details, I went upstairs to do a little snooping around your room. I found books, plants... socks." For some reason, Lori blushed a little at that. "And... a journal. Yes, I know, it's unforgivable to read someone's journal, I should've known better. But there was just a little information I needed to find. One that I've connected with the dusty photo standing in the Red Room. A family photo."

Toriel hitched a breath, and looked down, her body starting to shake. It was quite the shocking sight for the kids to see their strong Guardian looking so meek all of a sudden. Only Lori didn't seem surprised, and kept going in stride.

"I noticed it from the moment you gave us the room, but I never found the right moment to talk to you about it. I also noticed that you were in it, along with an erased bigger shape, and two blurred smaller shapes." she counted, throwing a piercing yet understanding look. "Those two, or at least one of them, was your child, am I right ? And they're not here anymore. That is the main reason you've been taking care of all those children before, and us as well. Am I correct, Toriel ?"

Silence once again, as Toriel's shivering only increased, and her eyes began to mist. The children softly gasped at this revelation, with Lisa feeling stupid for not having guessed that before, with all the clues left behind.

Lori's expression gained sadness, and she pursued. "I don't know how it happened, and why. And I can't say that what you've done isn't admirable or thoughtful in any way, including this fight. But if you're truly acting through those reasons, then I must make you understand why what you're doing right now is not fair."

"Back up there, we have lives. Friends, besties, even a boyfriend or girlfriend. But above all, we have our parents. Our father, and our mother. And let's talk about her, our mom is great. She's taught us many things over the years, from our first words to the way we should live as respectable women, and even man. Everyday, she pours all of her energy into kids she's been devoting herself to for eighteen years, right down to her pregnancy of me." Lori's voice grew heavier as childhood memories came back to her, from trips to the beach to snow days, birthdays, thanksgivings and christmases included. "Her life is now dedicated to those kids she love so very much. It's not always easy, but she adores it, as she adores us. And, by keeping us here... you essentialy rob her of her entire life. At this moment, our mom is most certainly at her worst, crushed by the fear that her eleven children might be gone forever, unquestionably blaming herself for it. And as a fellow mother, as well as someone who's known that pain of loss before, you must understand the torture you're putting her through right now. And it's just not fair..."

A sole tear ran down Lori's left cheek. "We just wanna see her. We just wanna go home."

Toriel remained quiet still, but she was clearly acknowledging what Lori was telling her, and it only made her feel worse. She knew the uncertainty and fear of it, as well as the loss over a child she'd been nurturing from the day he was born. But to abruptly end an overwhelming and life-dedicating bond of eighteen years and of so many prideful children ? Toriel could only imagine, and that only made the feeling of guilt hit even harder. Even more as the softness of Lori's speech reminded her of a small girl that passed here long ago. No older than the twins, a single red ribbon in her eyes, and clutching on a plastic knife, that was gifted to her, with her dear life.

"Please, M-Miss Goat Lady. I've been extra nice, and you've been nice too, but... I wanna go home, to see my mo-mo-mommy..."

Lori could see breaches opening in the façade that Toriel was desperately trying to uphold. But the authoritative Loud had still a trick or two in her pocket (Get it ? Can't be up her sleeves because she doesn't have any ? What is that sudden smell of tomatoes ?). She didn't like doing this, but this was an opportunity she couldn't miss. With a deep breath, Lori unleashed her last attempt.

"What you're doing right now, you're doing for those kids you lost, both yours and the humans who you gave shelter. You want to keep us here to protect us, so we won't disappear like them. And, that's noble. But... if they were here right now, if they could see you... do you truly believe they'd be proud ?"

Toriel winced. Hard. Other accusations had harmed her emotionally, but this one had litteraly hurt, like being on the receiving end of one of Lynn's jabs. Or at least of how painful she was told they were. And inside, it was even worse, her insides and mind equally scrambling and spinning, quicker and quicker. Her inner cracking wall was now eroded to its absolute limit, sending wave over wave of discomfort into every fiber of her being. Toriel desperately tried to hold it in, to ignore this haunting pain. But as of now, a mere drop of water would prove enough for the entire dam to collapse. The smallest of things, the meekiest of actions, would suffice for hell to break lose.

And small was what would define the culprit very well.

The thousands of thoughts inside Toriel's head stopped when she felt a tiny tug at her robes, so soft she almost didn't feel it. Slowly, she looked down to find none other than the youngest Loud, looking at her with sad eyes. Lily then put her arms up in a 'pick-me-up' fashion, and innocently enunciated :

"Mama. Up, Goa' Mama."

Toriel's eyes widened to their limit, and her heart simply stopped. Looking down at the baby balancing herself on her two legs, Toriel saw something else. She saw a furry little ball of sunshine and puirity, tucked into his little green jumper, and looking up at his mommy with two eyes full of wonder for the world, and the purest of smiles adoring his little furry cheeks. She r-remembered his earlier w-w-words...

"Hehe ! 'Wuv you Mama..."

And just like that, Toriel crumbled.

"Ah... aaah... AAAAAAAAAAH !" she tearfully bellowed, falling on her knees. She took Lily in her arms and wraped her into a hug, almost nuzzling the little girl, but unable to due to the torrent of tears cascading down her face. Loud and agonizing sobs repeatedly barreled up her throat, decades of bottled up anguish finally going free, with every wail keeping the sadness level steady.

Lily did not truly get the why and how. All that she understood was that Goat Mom was sad, very sad. Thus, Lily did the only thing she felt she could do when someone she loved was sad, and threw her arms around Toriel's neck as much as she could, nuzzling her face with all the tenderness and patience she could muster.

*"...You won. You earned 0 EXP and 0 Gold. But perhaps, you won much more...

Critical Battle... over.

{Music fades to the background.}

As their SOULs finally buried themselves back in their chests, the Loud children observed the scene in silence, with some starting to cry their own tears. They could feel the sadness in every sob they heard, and wanted nothing more than to be there for her as well. But...

"S-Shouldn't we be comforting her too ?" meekly asked Lana, her tone cracking. She immediately felt Lori's hand on her shoulder, and turned to her harbouring a sad smile and softly shaking her head.

"Let Lily handle it. I know, it might be hard to look at, but Toriel needs this. Sometimes, it's fine to just cry. And she's been delaying that moment for quite some time." Lori's smile diminished. "Way longer than me, for sure."

A bit of confusion appeared amongst the Louds. "What do you mean ?" asked Lynn, raising her brow.

Lori sighed at a Lucy's level of melancholia. "I've been keeping some feelings inside for quite some time as well, and that backfired in a horrible way. Tell me, do you think I'm worthy of being your leader."

"Well, yeah. You're the oldest, the smartest, the most mature of all of us." earnestly said Lola. "Without you, our house would fall apart. Or blow up. Or be flooded. Whatever disaster comes first."

"But you managed just fine during those years I wasn't your leader." pointed out Lori, prompting gasps and gulps from her siblings. It seemed they remembered as well. "To this day, the memories are still fresh, of those two years of hell I've inflicted over you. Nobody deserved any of it, not even my tormentors, and especially not you. I know", she stopped Leni, Luna, and Lincoln right in their tracks, "that you've forgiven me, and that I made efforts to change. But, sometimes, I wonder if I did change. I'm still unfairly mean to you guys at times, pushing you around just because I'm the oldest."

"Ah, c'mon mate, ain't the end of the world as we know it." chuckled Luna. "You've got tastes and pride, but we've got our own faults. Just because you're the leader doesn't mean you've got to be perfect."

"That actually brings me to my second point." numbered Lori remorsefully. "Since we've fallen down this whacky world of magic and monsters, I feel like I didn't do much as a leader, or even if I was truly it. I've given votes, took some actions, and made smart choices. But at the same time, I couldn't help but notice how good you were doing without me. Lincoln and his weird power, as well as his quick-thinking; Luna and her calm, chill attitude; Leni, Lily and Luan keeping the morale high; Lola and her craftful talking; Lana and Lynn always pushing forward, and Lucy looking beyond to find hidden depths of a situation or an individual. As not only a leader, but also your big sister, I should've felt proud over all those wonderful talents. But instead, I became so jealous, resentful of your qualities, overshadowing me. Because I didn't see... because I don't see, where that makes me I fit in there."

The siblings felt truly befuddled at what they were hearing. With the bond they all had, for their sister to feel that way and for them to never grasp even a clue of it ? Now they were feeling quite bad too.

"But, the answer's obvious, you've even said it. You're our oldest sister, the girl who we can rely on the most through a difficult situation." softly spoke Luan. "We trust you. You... know that, right ?"

"I know, I know, and I should litteraly be fine with that. But I'm not !" raspily yelled Lori. Her expression then became fragile and fearful. "The truth is, I'm scared. Not of this place, but of what it's telling me. I'm scared of seeing you doing so well on your own, not needing me as much as you used to. And not just that ! I'm scared of thinking that what I did during those two years left a sort of gap between us. And in the end, the thing I'm t-truly mortified of, is to know that next year will be my entering into College, meaning that I'll probably have to move out, maybe somewhere far away... and that when I'll be gone, things will be exactly the same. Except then, you won't have a pompous nag pushing you out of the way all the time."

Silence, only betrayed by Toriel's sobs in the background, and Lori's sniffling. The Louds truly felt that they had to take a moment to digest this information, so that they could react in a proper manner, which meant in a calm, thoughtful and reasonable way-

"That is the biggest pile of baloney that I've ever heard in my life."

Or, Lynn could simply choose to jump the gun and be extra forward with this.

Lori blinked through her tears, looking at her frowning athletic sister. "...What ?" asked the blonde in a still trembling voice.

"You heard me. You are basically telling us that you are useless to this family. And that is complete malarky !" stressed the brunette, not an ounce of hesitation in her speech. "Without you, this thing we've all got going on here, wouldn't even exist in the first place."

"Lynn's right !" chimed in Leni, wiping her sister's face with her handkerchief. "Like, you made the house's rules, created the sibling council, and pushed us to create that super strong sibling bond, even though we're all so different ! You're the one who made that super smart birthday plan with all those codes to keep the surprise alive every year. You even took the time to explain to me that surprise is not a living creature. So confused that day. But anyway, you've done so much for us over the years, not because you had to, but because you could. And you say you aren't providing anything good to us ? Sorry, but even I think that's a dumb thing to say."

Lori's heart warmed up at those nice thoughts, but she immediately put on another pouring on it, not wanting to gain false hopes. "I'm not saying I never did anything. But recently, I've been kind of a lousy leader. I mean, do you remember when we thought a burglar was on our premises ? I began panicking and crying like a helpless baby. In front of Lily, and even she doesn't do that."

"That happened once ! Gee, since when are you so nitpicky about yourself ?" groaned Lana. "We can play this game too, you know. Remember when I was five, and I tried to fix the roof's tiles by myself ? I slipped down, and I was hanging for my life, until you came along to catch me. You spent over an hour with me to calm me down, petting my head like I'd do for Charles."

"And what about when the Rolling Boulders were in town ?" inquired Luna. "I had the tickets and everything, but the parents insisted for a chaperone, and I couldn't find anybody. I was so upset, even Lucy called me out for how sad and gloomy I looked. And out of the blue, you decided to cancel this date with Bobby, that you'd been preparing for two weeks, and took me to what became one of the raddest concerts I've been to !"

"Your expertise of our residence's First Aid Kit is also to be appreciated." lisped Lisa with a small but genuine smile. "Even I have difficulty remembering the number of times my then fragile epidermis had to be treated from scalds and cuts."

"And splinters, from that time my little homemade stage's floor collapsed under me ! Then again, shouldn't have stacked more than five books atop my head." concurred Lola, scratching her chin.

"You went the fastest way with me, and downright taught me how to use the white case." joined in Lynn. "Makes sense, seeing how much stuff I usually take in the face. And arms. And stomach. And below the belt, if you know what I mean."

"In the butt ?" Leni pursed her lips, to which Lynn replied with a pat on the head.

"Yeah, that's the best answer."

Lori felt herself starting to crack, but decided to keep pushing still. "Okay, so I did some good deeds. I-It doesn't erase the fact that I can be awful with you guys."

"So ? We're not exactly pure of sins either." shrugged Lucy. The goth then began scratching the back of her head. "I kind of ask like a downer all the time, even when you don't ask me anything. And though most of my surprise appearances are due to me just being able to blend with the shadows involuntarily, I'd be lying if I said I don't use that skill to scare you on purpose sometimes."

"I'm kind of the other way around. Always going on with jokes and pranks, and I say it's to brighten up your day, which is true, but often, I'm the only one laughing." admitted Luan, akwardly smiling while twiddling her thumbs. "I kind of force my way in sometimes, using you as guinea pigs for my routines, and showering you with puns. And April's Fool Day, it's... yeah, let's just say this is a time where you feel Marching just May not be enough ! Hahaha... um, get it ?"

"I give it a 7." noted Lola, inexplicably raising a card with said number on it.

"Yes !" fist-pumped the clown teen.

"And I do tend to make plans to get you girls out of the way, just so I can have fun. I promote teamwork, but I can be the most selfish sometimes." counted Lincoln with a heavy shrug. "I mean, remember the time I won that 'Limo for a day' contest ? Lori, you were litteraly the first one to say that I should be allowed to enjoy it, seeing how I was the one to eat all that mustard. And boy, I didn't repay that kindness very well, did I ?"

Luna softly patted her brother's shoulder. "It stung, bro. But you made it up to us, and we accepted your apology. Of course, the burgs, limo and mustard helped sweeten the deal quite a bit."

"The seats were so comfy, and the AC was the perfect temperature. Truly, the ride of a princess." reminisced Lola, her eyes glimmering with dreams, but it was quickly followed by a scornful frown. "If only some people hadn't thought it'd be a good idea to cover the seats in mustard to slide on them."

Lana and Lynn crossed their arms, and turned their noses up. "We have absolutely no regret."

The siblings chuckled mirthfully, with even Lola joining in, and for Lori to put on a small smile. Seeing this improvement, Lincoln decided to act up, and tenderly took Lori's hand. "See ? We aren't perfect. That's okay. And you aren't perfect either. But that's okay too, because we don't expect you to be perfect. I think we'd prefer Naggy Lori than Boring little miss-perfect."

"Hey. Only I can say I'm naggy." harumphed Lori, getting a few giggles around her.

"And that's our Bossy big sis, the one we know and love. Not gonna lie, we were a bit afraid back when you pushed the meanness off the charts. But despite the times we called you out for it, we truly believed that one day, you'd stop being angry. Most important, we never stopped considering you our big sister. Even through that crankiness, you gave us proofs that you loved us, however sparse they could be."

"I... I did ?"

"Heck yeah !" bounced in Lana. "That roof story happened before you apologised, and that's what made us know that you were 100% still in there."

Lori looked at the ceiling for a moment, reflecting on this. As she did, memories began to resurface. Small sanctuaries of calm and tenderness during those infernal years, ones she had delivered, without any obligation. Heck, she even used that rage for good reasons, like that guy who had dared toying with Leni's heart. The Queen Bee had become a swarm all on her own that day, and made sure those sting marks would stay for a loooooong time...

Lori tightened her lips, and let the waterworks slowly do their job, slowly emptying the reservoir of guilt and sadness inside her heart, as her SOUL appeared and began to shine, which echoed with her siblings' own, almost like the moment she had put on the little ribbon, still fashionably resting atop of her head. "I-I... I don't know what to say, I... After what I've done, you..." She then spoke the faintest of voices. "You really want to put your trust in me again ?"

"No, we won't." sternly said Lincoln, taking Lori by surprise. But it was quickly followed by nine warm smiles in her direction. "Because we never stopped trusting you. You're our leader, our big sis, and above all, a Loud. And no Loud gets left behind, not now, not ever. You taught us that well. You'll teach us more, and we'll teach you in return. United under your leadership, we know we'll get back home. So don't cry sis, because yes, we trust you, just as much as we love you."

Any trace of the weighing despair that had been devouring Lori's SOUL was no more. All the blonde knew now was pure, unbridled joy. All dams broke lose, and two tidal waves of tears assaulted Lori's cheeks, which were tightened in the biggest smile that the Loud had smiled since her arrival here. Pain miraculously went numb across Lori's beein, and she wasted no time in wrapping her arms around as many girls and boy that she could get. The kids quickly helped in her endavour, and caught her into their signature family hug, nuzzling, laughing, crying tears of joy, and plain out proving through gestures how much they loved their sister, and how much she loved them in return.

What ?! I'm not crying ! I simply have something- oh wait, that joke's for later...

The heartwarming scene seemed to last forever in the ten children's mind... but only about thirty second in reality, before like the effects of a certain star, her invulnerability to pain stopped, causing her to wince and fall back, with her siblings catching her once again.

"Yeah, maybe the hug could've waited. We're not exactly in tip top condition either." amended Luan, having some difficulty standing up.

"Pain is but a part of life, destined to come to us at any moment." recited Lucy, seemingly unfazed. Then she crossed her arms behind her back, and practically hissed like a bat. "But yeah, it brought the whole luggage this time around."

"I hear that. Even talking makes my jaw ache." said Lori with a tired, but joking tone. She gratefully smiled at each of her siblings. "But seriously guys, thank you. This was exactly what I needed to hear. You can bet that I won't let your trust be wasted, I'll finally do what's right for all of us."

"As will I."

The siblings turned around, and saw Toriel near them, still holding Lily in her arms. The baby had rejoined her favourite activity, nibbling on Toriel's ear. The sound of the woman's voice and the smile she sported meant only one joyous thing for the Louds.

Goat Mom was finally back !

"Goat Mom !" cried out the twins, immediately tackling their fluffy authority figure and nuzzling her robes profusely. While Toriel managed to take the tackle without much reaction, she almost lost footing when the much heavier Leni did the same. But the woman simply accepted the affection wholeheartedly, and once that was done, she adressed the humans with a warm and slightly guilty tone.

"Children, I commend you for your patience in putting up with my antics, and owe you the most sincere of apologies. You had to endure the consequences of choices and actions that you had no fault in. And in the end, you were hurt by being in the crosshairs and rantings from the lunacy of an old lady. *Sigh*, it was so wrong of me to inflict you any of that, and I feel I must make up for it. That is, if you are ready to grant me forgiveness..."

The answer did not lose a second in coming, in the form of a lot of happy chit-chat. "Of course we do !" "Hell yeah !" "Most certainly." "Apology accepted !" "A chilling yes."

Toriel sighed in relief, thoroughly content that she had been pardonned. "Then allow me to repay them." she said, a familiar magic green blaze surrounding her paws, that she passed over the ten youths' heads. Progressively, burns and injuries vanished altogether, and the kids felt their tiredness being washed away, almost as if they had gained a new energy.

"Ah yeah, that's the stuff !" happily exclaimed Lynn, stretching her limbs with delight.

"Finally, I can carry the weight of the world on non-sore shoulders again. Joy." monotoned Lucy, but clearly sounding relieved to those who knew her.

"That is one way to cool things off ! Hahaha !" cracked Luan, earning eye rolls and a little chuckle from Toriel. The latter made the comedienne sigh contently. "It's good to have your audience back."

Lori litteraly bounced back on her two feet, and gave her neck a little crack or two. "It's good to be back. And it's great to have you back, Goat Mom."

Toriel supressed a giggle, and brought her unoccupied paw on the eldest blonde's head. "I feel quite silly to have left in the first place. But now that I am back, I shall grant a true answer to your question. There is indeed an exit lying beyond this door, one that can take you back to the surface, to your loved ones. And now that you have proven me that you have the determination to accomplish this quest, I grant you freedom to pass those doors."

"For real ?" excitedly asked Lincoln. Toriel answered with a nod, and cheers immediately rose up, Lincoln especially. It looked like they had found the good ending to this section.

"Ooh, ooh, I've got a question !" piped in Leni, flapping her arm in the air. "That's all nice and stuff, but like, do we really have to go now ?"

Lisa felt the urge to facepalm at what she considered another one of Leni's simple-minded episodes. "After the turmoil we've been through, I think validating the reasons for which we did it would be appropriate."

Leni took a second to absorb all the big words, and pursued. "No, not like that. What I mean is..."

*GROOOWL !*

All non-furred hands fell to their respective stomachs, and blushes appeared around the room. "... I think lunch would be nice before that."

Lisa akwardly cleared her throat. "You bring a valid point here, my apologies."

Toriel softly gasped. "Oh dear, lunch already ? Well, I suppose one last meal wouldn't hurt..."

"Actually, I think we should take a bit longer than that." chimed in Lori with a knowing grin. "We can't venture in the unknown without a little bit of organising first. We'll need some food, water, extra clothes, toilet set, and maybe a little souvenir or two."

"Yeah, you've always got to be prepared. Except for the toilet set, I can live without it just fine." remarked Lana.

"Yeah, but we'll probably be sleeping in the same room. So bath time's still mandatory, little dudette." gently admonished Luna.

Toriel clapped her hands, while making sure Lily wouldn't fall down. "That is a splendid idea, my child. The area waiting for you is quite cold, so I managed to acquire some winter clothes for you. I'd say it's because I figured out you'd be staying indefinitely, but perhaps in the bottom of my heart, I knew this day would come. And of course, I'll wrap you a nice pie to enjoy for this long trip."

"Butterscotch-Cinnamon ?" asked Lola with shiny peepers.

Toriel giggled. "What else ?"

"YES YES YES !" yelled Lola, doing a little victory boogie.

"Pie ! Hehehe !" cooed Lily, bouncing in Goat Mom's arms as if it was Christmas time. She then crawled her way onto the woman's shoulders, rested her little head between the two short horns, and lightly pulled on the long white ears. "Mush, mush !"

Even Lucy couldn't resist a heartfelt "Awww" at the adorable display, and Toriel especially did so. She'd certainly miss those little moments...

"Well, you've heard the cavalier. Onwards it is." jested Toriel.

"Um, Goat Mom ? I know it's kind of akward at my age, but... can I take your hand ?" shyly asked Lori, as if wanting to thank Toriel for what she had taught her. For one, the glare she was adressing to the little sniggering smart guy and gals.

Toriel on the other hand, looked positively delighed by the offer. "Of course my child, you don't need to ask." she chuckled, and took Lori's hand. The blonde felt butterflies in her stomach at the warm touch.

"Dibs on taking the other one !" uttered Lincoln, quickly touching his nose. The others reacted a split-second later, but a split-second too late as well, prompting defeated groans and some booing. "Yes ! It's about time I won one of those !" The boy then proceeded to proudly take Toriel's left paw.

"No fair ! If you get to take Goat Mom's hand, then I take yours !" decided Lana with a small grin, and immediately did so.

"And I get to take Lori !" said Leni, touching her ear.

"Dudes, let's form chains ! Everyone gets to be linked to G.M. !" proposed Luna, quickly meeting universal approval. In the blink of an eye, all Louds had completed the human chains, with the oldest at Toriel's right, and the youngest at her left.

Now feeling ready to go, monster and humans departed from the small room where so much had happened and not happened, ultimately fated to come back again for a final good-bye. For now though, they would all get a little respite, and enjoy those last moments in eachother's company.

And that was fine with Toriel. She didn't fear loneliness anymore, and she finally felt confident in letting them go. What a heavenly feeling that was. Toriel decided she'd make the most out of those few moments left, and then she'd be ready to say good-bye to those wonderful children. Their mother was a lucky woman, for sure.

All in all, for what had been quite some time, Toriel felt free. And perhaps the thought wasn't just a thought, but a sensation as well. Feeling the warmth of their SOULs through their physical link with her, and looking at them trailing around her...

They almost resembled the wings of an angel.

---

Author's note : I LOVE HAPPY ENDINGS !

And there you go ! As you can see, the Ruins Arc is not yet finished, but it will be in the next chapter. And you know what that means after that... or do you ? You see, I was asked to do a little interlude to see how things were going on the Surface, to have other characters interract with the news of the Loud kids' disappearance. And while that does sound nice, I'm not quite sure how to handle it, seeing as it would mean doing it for every Arc ending.

What do you think ? Should I do that, or get to the next Arc as soon as possible ? Don't hesitate to throw in your opinion, as well as some ideas you'd like to see in future chapters. Who knows, I might just add them. Just make sure it's not an ask for an AU or for Genocide. For the last time, I'm not touching those !

Don't hesitate to feed the author with a juicy Review, and until next time, this is Superdimentio77, telling you to keep calm, things will get good soon. And if they are, then they'll become even better !

Buh-bye~