As Frisk makes her way down the mountain path, she is overwhelmed by the sights around her. The breeze blows past her, and makes the tips of the trees gently sway. She looks up at the sky and takes in the warm blue and fluffy white clouds. She looks at the mountain, and beyond its peak she can see a gently light glowing, though she can't quite see the source. The sound of birds singing makes her look back at the trees.
"This is so… I can't believe this." She smiles. "How… How could those humans ever leave this? This place is so beautiful." She stops and picks a yellow flower. "These are amazing." She smells the flower as she continues on her way. "You know, I haven't even seen any monsters yet. Outside of the cliff thing, this place is perfect. I don't know why everyone is so afraid. Maybe monsters don't even exist anymore." As her journey goes on, the sun slowly goes down, and darkness reaches out and grabs at Frisk. Her walk slows as the shadows get longer. She holds on tightly to her flower, occasionally she runs her fingers over the petals. In the distance she sees a castle, with a city surrounding it. "Is… is that where monsters live? O-or, maybe that's an old human city."
"Oh, that's where monsters live." Frisk jumps and looks around, but she doesn't see anyone. "Howdy, friend." She looks down and sees a larger yellow flower with a face at its center. She jumps back and drops her flower. "Why so scared? Look, you seem pretty new to everything. I'll help you out, pal. My name is Flowey. Flowey the flower."
"U-uh… H-hi. I'm…" Frisk starts to speak, but Flowey continues instead.
"You know, humans are a rare sight out here. If you're gonna be around, I'll make sure you know what everything is. Now, us monsters have a unique way of showing our love for each other. We use these need little 'friendliness pellets'." He smirks as a ring of pellets appear around him. "When a monster wants to be friends, they'll make their own pellets. Now, what you do is you allow these pellets to touch you, and you'll feel a neat emotion that shows just how close you are with the monster. Here, as your first monster friend, I'll give you these pellets."
"O-okay." Frisk smiles nervously as the pellets slowly move towards her. "I… I'm happy monsters aren't as scary and mean as we were to…" The pellets hit her, and she feels a sharp pain as they dig into her skin. "Ow! Hey!" She steps back as the pellets disappear. Flowey's smile becomes twisted, and Frisk feels a chill run down her spine as few tiny trickles of blood slide over her skin.
"You idiot. Did you really think things would be that simple? In this world, it's kill or be killed. There is no friends or kindness." He laughs as a ring of pellets surround Frisk. She spins around, but there is no escape. "Die!" The pellets shoot in at her, but suddenly they disappear as a ball of fire hits Flowey. He shouts and disappears into the ground.
"What a wretched creature, attacking an innocent child." Frisk looks up to see a tall goat woman walk out of a tree line, a basket on her arm. "Young one, are you okay?" Frisk shrinks back, not saying a word. The woman smiles sweetly. "Please, do not fear, my child. My name is Toriel. I walk these paths every day. In the past, human children have come from this mountain, so I am here to care for all who come to the surface."
"Y-you… w-won't hurt me?" Frisk quietly asks.
"Never would I dream of hurting such a precious child." She holds her hand out. "Come with me, young one. I'll care for you." Frisk hesitates, but then she takes a few steps forward, until she's able to place her hand in Toriel's. "There we go. Follow me." Toriel gently wraps her larger hand around Frisks, and the two walk back into the trees, through a tiny path that leads down a hill. "Now, we are still part way up the mountain, but many monsters live all over this land. Monsters also love traps, so along the paths there are many traps and puzzles that must be solved. Also, and I do not mean to scare you, some monsters may attack you. Not all monsters will though. Some simply don't understand, or have been misinformed regarding humans."
"I… I-I don't want…" Frisk stutters, but she stops as Toriel smiles at her once again.
"Do not be afraid, my child. There are only a few monsters here up on the mountainside where I live, and should you be attacked, since it is not a large place, I can come to your aid." They break through into a clearing. Here there is a training dummy, as well as parts for a puzzle in a pile. The dummy and the puzzle parts both have a cover over them, though the sides are all open to the air. "Here, this is perfect for you. Practice striking up a conversation with this dummy. If you can do that and stall any fight you are in, I'll come to your side and stop the battle before anyone has to get hurt."
"O-okay. I'll try." Frisk walks up to the dummy, and she sees a stick next to it. She grabs it and looks at the stick, then at the dummy. "So just talk? Not fight it or anything?" She looks at Toriel.
"Yes, simply start a conversation." Frisk looks at the dummy again, and she tightens her grip on the stick.
"Um… H-hey there. My name is Frisk. It's, uh, nice to meet you. I hope we can be friends and you don't, you know, kill me or anything." She laughs lightly, and Toriel laughs as well as she walks up and stands between her and the dummy.
"Good, good." She pats Frisk's head. "You did so well. Come now, let's continue the journey to my home." Toriel walks down a wider path, and Frisk follows, still beaming after the praise she was given. "Now, there is a puzzle up ahead. The forest here, where it hasn't been cleared, is very thick and difficult to walk through, so you must complete the puzzle in order to go on." They continue on, and into another clearing. There's a sign posted, and as they walk past Frisk reads it.
"This clearing is a map of the other." She quietly reads out. She looks around the clearing, but all that sticks out to her is the grass that's cut shorter, creating a path, though it isn't quite straight. When they walk through a small gap between clearings, Frisk sees a long stretch of spikes, with tall walls of boulders lining either side, making it impossible to go around.
"Hmm…" Toriel looks at Frisk. "Perhaps this is too dangerous for you right now. Here, take my hand." She holds her hand out, and Frisk grabs it. Toriel then walks through the spikes, but as she walks, some disappear, like an illusion. They walk through the path of spikes, turning a few times as they go. Frisk looks at the spikes they avoid. They come up to her knees. There's a tiny bit of space between them, but she'd probably get hurt trying to walk between them. They reach the end of the spikes, and continue on. Trees, boulders, bushes, and signs mark different clearings, making it impossible to see straight to the end. As well, the paths don't continue straight on. Frisk simply trusts Toriel and follows close to her. During their walk, a frog type monster suddenly jumps out from behind a bush and in between Toriel and Frisk.
"W-wait! T-Toriel!" Frisk panics and holds her stick tighter.
"Calm down." Toriel looks back. "It is simply a froggit." Frisk looks from Toriel to the froggit, then she swallows her fear.
"Um, h-hey there." The froggit croaks. "Y-you know…" She smiles slightly. "Y-you're kind of cute." The froggit blushes as Toriel walks to them. She gives the froggit a stern look, and he cowers down before hopping back to his bush. She then smiles at Frisk.
"You did so well, my child." Frisk blushes and smiles back.
"Thank you. I… I'm glad I can do something right." Toriel looks puzzled a moment, but then she turns and continues on, Frisk right at her side. They suddenly stop in the next room where another froggit is resting. Frisk stands closer to Toriel.
"Wh-what's wrong?" Frisk quietly asks as she looks up. "Why'd we stop?"
"I just remembered, I must go attend to some things before I can allow you to continue." Toriel looks down at Frisk. "This place is safe, my child. Please, stay here until I return for you." She starts to walk, but then she stops and turns back while reaching into a pocket in her dress. "Here." She pulls out an old looking flip phone and holds it out to Frisk. "This phone has my number in it. Should you need anything, do not hesitate to call me. I shall call you when I am on my way back."
"O-okay…" Frisk takes the phone and looks down at it, then back up at Toriel, who is smiling.
"Do not be afraid, my child. I may leave you alone for a while, but trust in me. You shall remain safe, so long as you continue to do as I say. Now, be good and stay here for a short while." She waves, then continues on. Frisk stands there, nervously glancing at the froggit off in the corner, near another exit to a different clearing from where Toriel went. She looks down at the phone, then she looks at the monster. He looks at her as well.
"Uh, h-hello." She smiles nervously. The froggit makes a croaking noise, but, somehow, she understands the noise, and it makes her stumble back.
"Hello, human. I'm Fro."
"Y-you… H-how can…" She shakes her head. "M-magic must be really strong out here too. I didn't expect to understand a froggit." He seems to laugh, though it sounds like croaking.
"You know, human, I have some advice for you about battling monsters. Would you please listen?" Frisk nods. "If, during a fight, you act a certain way, or weaken a monster, but not kill them, then they won't want to fight you anymore. Please, when this happens, show some mercy." Frisk looks surprised.
"I… I will." She smiles. "I don't want to hurt anyone, and… Monsters haven't all been so mean or scary, like I've been taught. If most of you are kind and friendly, then… then I don't want to end that." Fro seems to smile.
"Thank you, human." Frisk puts the phone back in her pocket, then, slowly, she starts walking around. At first, she only explores the room she's in. However, she soon goes to the room next to Fro. She sees a pedestal with a bowl on top of it. When she walks up she sees some writing etched into it.
"Take one." She reaches in and pulls out a piece of candy, which makes her smile. She unwraps the candy and pops it into her mouth, before walking back to the room with Fro. For a while, she stays there. However, as her boredom grows, and pulls out her phone. She calls Toriel.
"Hello?"
"Toriel? Hi. I… Just wanted to say hi, I guess."
"Oh, is that all? Well, hi. I hope that is sufficient."
"Yeah, I… well… Actually, do you know how long you think you'll be?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, my child. Please, be patient for a little while longer." Frisk sighs.
"Alright, I'll try. Thank you, mom, uh, I-I mean, T-Toriel." She blushes, but, rather than hear laughter, she hears what sounds like muffled crying. "T-Toriel? I'm sorry, I-I didn't… I-I don't really have a, you know, mom, so you…"
"If… you would like to call me mom, I… would not be unhappy about that."
"R-really?" She smiles. "O-okay. Thank you… mom."
"I will speak to you again soon, my child." Frisk hangs up as a few tears roll down her eyes. She beams as she puts the phone away. Once again, though with more pep in her step, she walks around, inspecting the clearing. However, as before, boredom sets in. She looks at the way Toriel left, and, though she hesitates a moment, she walks through to the next clearing.
