Chapter 19:
Flowey's POV- third person
Flowey looked at Toriel. Crap, this was bad. She'd heard him refer to himself as Asriel.
"Ummm…" Dammit, this was not how he wanted things to turn out! He was going to tell them eventually, but not now! He wanted to tell everyone on his own merits, not because someone overheard something!
"A-Asriel?" Toriel asked unsteadily. Flowey hesitated, unsure of how to go about this situation.
"What about him?" He asked harshly, trying to replicate the anger he's felt all those years. Dammit, this was harder than he's thought. And he used to be so good at impersonating emotions.
Flowey, you have to tell her now, Frisk signed. She's heard to much already. Terror gripped the tiny flower.
"No!" He cried, motioning for Frisk to come closer. Frisk sighed, and turned to their adoptive mother, who was watching the spectacle with confused and sad eyes.
Could you give us a moment? They asked. Please? Flowey needs to… talk about some things. Toriel nodded, then hurried out of the room. Frisk waited till she was out of earshot, then shut the door. They turned to the golden buttercup, who looked like he was on the verge of hyperventilating.
Alright, spill, they said. You never cared about what Toriel thought about you before, so what changed? Flowey stared down at his leaves and suddenly Frisk got it.
Oh… they said. Now that you've got a SOUL, you're worried about what she'll think of you... Flowey's head snapped up to reveal tears brimming in his eyes.
"You know what?" He asked, voice wobbling. "You're right, you're absolutely right. I don't want Toriel to hate me, but with how I've been treating everyone, I think she might!" Flowey's breathing quickened.
"It's even worse now that she knows that her son was turned into a freaking ENRAGEMENT FLOWER WITH SERIOUS PROBLEMS!" Flowey started chewing on his lip, becoming hysterical.
"She's gonna cast me out, isn't she?" The trembling flower asked. "She's gonna send me back underground-" Flowey stopped talking suddenly, his entire frame going from: 'trembling badly', to: 'violently shaking'.
"DON'T SEND ME BACK UNDERGROUND!" the golden flower suddenly screamed, startling Frisk so badly that they took a step back. "PLEASE DON'T!" Frisk did nothing, they just stared at the buttercup in shock while he screamed his non-existent lungs out.
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW BAD IT WAS!" the flower screamed. "BEING ALONE, POWERLESS… I WAS ROOTED TO THE SPOT! I COULDN'T MOVE! I WAS STUCK UNDERNEATH THE ENTERENCE TO THE UNDERGROUND THE ENTIRE TIME!" Flowey took a deep breath to continue screaming.
"AND I COULD STILL HEAR CHARA!" He sobbed, tears bubbling over. "I COULD STILL HEAR THEIR FINAL WORDS TO ME… AND I COULD STILL SEE THEM KILL ME!" Flowey stopped screaming, and dissolved into tears. Frisk got the feeling that the flower must've had this emotional baggage bottled up for a long time to have this severe a reaction.
"Please don't let Toriel or Asgore hate me…" the golden buttercup mumbled. "I miss them…"
The golden flower slipped off into an unsteady sleep, mumbling and shifting around a bit.
Frisk sighed. Now that Flowey had emotions, they'd probably have to send him in to see a therapist. The poor flower didn't need to have another episode like that- it wasn't healthy.
With a start, Frisk remembered what had caused this problem: Toriel finding out about Flowey once being Asriel.
They groaned, silently cursing themselves. They really should've closed the door behind them- they could've avoided the entire problem that way.
"Frisk?" Said child started; Toriel was calling them. Sending one last glance at the sleeping buttercup, Frisk hurried downstairs to talk with Toriel.
The former queen looked like she had been crying a bit; her eyes were slightly red. Her voice was steady when she spoke, however.
"Frisk, was what Flowey said true?" She asked. "Was he really once… Asriel?" Frisk shifted their weight, unsure of how to go about this conversation. Flowey was quite protective of his past, as evidenced by how angry he was at Frisk when they revealed that they'd told Alphys that he was once Asriel. Sure, he had emotions now, but Frisk wasn't sure that that changed anything.
Err… yeah, he was, they said, deciding that the golden buttercup wouldn't mind them confirming that piece of information. Toriel's eyes hardened.
"How?" She asked. Frisk's eyes darted around as if the owner was looking for an escape route.
Well… that's… a long story… they said awkwardly. I'm not sure how much Flowey wants me to tell… or if he wants me to say anything at all… heh.
Toriel opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a bloodcurdling scream. Frisk's eyes widened, realizing what they had forgotten to do: play the music box.
Quick as a viper, Frisk turned around and raced upstairs, not bothering to check if Toriel was behind them.
The Ambassador of monsters quickly threw open their bedroom door and ducked, a 'friendliness pellet' zooming over their head. They silently cursed inside their head. If Flowey was summoning magical attacks, this nightmare must be something else- he'd only done this twice before.
Trying to ignore the screaming buttercup, Frisk looked around the room, spotting the music box almost immediately. They grimaced. It was all the way on the other side of the room- they'd have to fight through swarms of 'friendliness pellets' to get to it.
Frisk took a deep breath. They could do this! They've got this in the bag.
Frisk waited for an opening, then ran, dodging attacks like a pro. They got hit a few times, but they didn't lose any major HP.
Reaching the music box, they wasted no time in winding it up and playing it.
The reaction was immediate.
Flowey stopped screaming, and literally all the 'friendliness pellets' disappeared. (It was quite a spectacular show, actually, just watching all the little white lights blink out of existence.)
Flowey blinked, like he was just realizing he was here, then promptly dissolved into tears again.
Frisk wasted no time in running over and scooping their flowery friend up into a hug. (Flowey even tired to hug back- it was kinda sweet.)
"My child…?"
Frisk looked up, realizing Toriel had followed them. Holding onto Flowey's pot with one arm, they beckoned for Toriel to come in with the other.
She did just that, staring at the victims of the 'friendliness pellets' (the walls) with a mixture of awe and fear swirling around in her eyes. Frisk chuckled at her reaction- they'd had the same one the first time they'd seen the carnage Flowey's magic could cause.
Flowey, probably hearing the sound of footsteps, lifted his head, ducking it again when he saw Toriel.
"Hi mom," he said, voice thick with suppressed emotion- it was weird hearing Flowey talk like that. "You gonna kick me out now?" Toriel gently took the pot from Frisk and held it eye level with her, forcing Flowey to meet her eyes.
"No," she said. "I'm not going to evict you. I want to know your story- the entire thing." Flowey nodded, tears trickling to a stop.
"Ok," he said. "Can we call everyone else over though? I don't know if I'll be able to tell the story twice." Toriel nodded, pulling out her phone and handing it to Frisk, instructing the child to send a group text to everyone asking them to meet here ASAP. The child nodded, and did just that, handing the phone back once they were done. Toriel nodded approvingly and handed Flowey back to Frisk.
"I'll be right back," she said, heading out the door. As soon as she was out of sight, Flowey turned to Frisk with fear burning in his eyes.
"Frisk I'm scared," he said, eyes wide. "What're they gonna think of me once they know the truth?" Frisk rolled their eyes.
Flowey, practically everyone thought- thinks- of you as a murderous flower, they said. I don't think their opinions on you can get much worse. Flowey nodded slowly, still looking a little unsure.
"I guess," he said uncertainly, then sighed. "Man, having a conscience is hard- there's so much to worry about!" Frisk giggled a bit.
It gets easier, they said, snickering a bit.
Then the doorbell rang.
Flowey's eyes widened, fear entering them again.
"Frisk- wait-" he said, trembling slightly. "Maybe this is a bad idea." Frisk shook their head and picked Flowey up, setting off towards the door.
No Flowey, they said. You knew that you'd have to tell them your past when. I gave you the option to have a SOUL all those weeks ago. You have to do this. Flowey laughed nervously.
"Put more pressure on me why don't you," he mumbled. Frisk shook their head and made their way downstairs ans into the living room where everyone was already seated, some wearing looks of suspicion, others boredom, and some cocktails of confusion and concern. Frisk set Flowey on the table and turned to the group.
Attention everyone, they said. Flowey has something very important to tell you. The golden buttercup took a deep breath. He didn't know what he was gonna say, but he knew that he shouldn't- couldn't blurt out the story in one lungful.
"I was once Prince Asriel till I got killed and my dust spread all over some buttercups then Alphys injected a flower with determination and then I was reincarnated as a flower with no feelings."
…
There was an immediate uproar.
Alphys and Frisk both did a synchronized facepalm.
Papyrus and Undyne looked hopelessly confused.
Toriel and Asgore looked shell-shocked and confused.
And Sans being Sans just laughed.
Flowey shrunk back in his pot, the attention on him now doubled. Crap, this was bad. Very very bad.
"Flowey," Said flower jumped. Asgore had spoken up.
"Yes?" The golden buttercup asked meekly, sounding like a child about to be scolded by his parents. Asgore trained his gaze on the trembling flower.
"April fool's day was weeks ago," he said, sounding hurt. "Please don't joke about things like this." Flowey's heart plummeted.
"No-no!" He gasped. "It's the truth, I swear!" Alphys stood up.
"Y-your Majesty, if I m-may," she said. "What Flowey s-said is the t-truth. He was once A-Asriel." Asgore sighed.
"Explain then," he said. Alphys twisted her hands together.
"W-well-" Asgore held up a hand to silence her.
"I'd like to hear it from Flowey, if you don't mind," he requested, giving her a kind smile. Alphys nodded and sat down again. Flowey gulped. He had the spotlight again- great.
"W-well, you remember the whole spectacle with Chara, right?" He asked. Toriel and Asgore nodded. Flowey hesitated.
"Well, you know how I- Asriel collapsed on a bed of buttercups after being attacked by the humans, right?" He asked. "And died?" Flowey didn't bother waiting for them to reply, he had to get this story out.
"Years later, some flowers grew there that had the dust of Prince Asriel in them," he said in a rush. "And then later, Dr. Alphys injected one of those flowers with det- a special substance." Flowey didn't want to go into the whole spiel about DETERMINATION- it was to confusing a story.
"And because of that special substance," Flowey continued, voice wobbling a bit. "Asriel was reanimated as a flower- me." Flowey sighed.
"I didn't have a SOUL though," he said. "Mine had shattered, rendering me emotionless." He twisted his leaves together.
"I just kinda wandered around the underground after that, without a specific goal in mind," he said, not bothering to mention how he'd killed everyone numerous times. "Until Frisk recused everyone, left me underground, brought me aboveground, and got me a SOUL." he laughed nervously.
"And um, that's it," he said. "That's the end of the story." Flowey yelped as he was swept into a hug by Toriel and Asgore.
"Asriel… we missed you so so much," Toriel whispered. "It's good to have you back." Flowey didn't bother correcting her on the name- he'd get to that later.
"Um- guys?" Flowey gasped. "Tiny buttercup here, slowly suffocating!" Toriel and Ashore released him immediately, both wiping tears from their eyes.
"Sorry Azzy," Asgore apologized. Flowey shrugged.
"Meh, don't worry about it," he said. "Oxygen isn't that important to me anyways." Toriel laughed. Flowey smiled.
Things were finally looking up.
*Kjm126316 shyly peeks around the corner* Is it safe?
*Dodged weapons of destruction like a boss*
Ok, ok, I'm REALLY sorry about not updating sooner. But, I have a legitimate excuse:
I'm on vacation.
But it's all ok, hey, 'cause I'm on vacation! Everything is great, hey, 'cause I'm on vacation! (Whoever gets that song reference gets a cookie)
Ok, I'm not on vacation right now, but I was, which was why this chapter took so long to make it's appearance.
Anyways:
This is the last chapter guys. It's just the epilogue left, so don't fret because because it seems like the story isn't finished.
Um yeah.
That's it.
Au revoir, little biscuits!