Chapter One

(Mt. Ebbot)

The rough terrain tares at my skin, jagged rocks and prickly thorns scraping the cloth off my body. The beating of my heart deafens the sounds around me. Frantically I scramble to find something...anything to grab onto. My hand scrapes against something, a sturdy rock perhaps? It instinctively grabs on, wincing slightly as the point of the rock penetrates a few layers of skin. Breaths are coming out ragged, my lungs protesting against the lack of oxygen.

'Is it over?' I pant, swinging my other hand around to stabilize. Dirt impacts my lips, but otherwise I have ceased falling for the moment. 'No real damage it appears. The ribs may have a fracture worst case scenario but other than that appears fine...' I wince, carefully poking my left wrist with a finger. 'Definitely some sort of bruising there.' I sigh, feeling some of the surplus adrenaline wash out of my system. 'Thank god that catastrophe is over.'

I carefully move my feet closer into my body, bending at the knees to hopefully get a move on. The soil crunches under my boots giving a soft cry as they sink in. Gingerly I reach out above the safety rock, feeling around for anything else. Something brushes up against my hand, something a little thicker than a mere pebble or vine. I grasp it, a smile breaking out on my face. 'A tree root! Perfect!' Giving it a few tugs to test stability, I throw my other hand at it, pushing up with my boots. The immense pressure eases as the imbedded rock slips out, a red stain covers the point. I watch for a moment as a bead of blood rushes across the jagged edges, plummeting down into the infinite hole. Time appears to slow with each passing moment, each action feeling sluggish compared to the last. The sun begins to set above, the shadows of the trees cast menacingly into the hole.

'Almost...there...' I grunt, taking a moment to breathe. 'I should really start working out after this...' I huff out a tired breath, stretching my arm to the grassy surface above. The blades tickle against my grip, a slight wind above rousing them to dance. One more push, one more shove, this will all be over. Somewhere in my calculations, I forgot to factor in my natural clumsiness and my lack of upper body strength. My body flails much like a small child trying to climb up onto the armrest on a coach, arms struggling to hold on, feet kicking away.

"SOMEONE! HELP!" I yell, mumbling a string of curses at the horrible luck. The forest answers with a rustle of leaves, the wind picking up speed. It is after moment or two that I finally hear it. A noisily set of footsteps crunch over the gravel pathway up the mountain, the sound like music to my ears.

"SOMEONE PLEASE! I NEED HELP!" I yell out. "I AM ABOUT TO FALL! PLEASE HURRY!" The sun finishes its descent into darkness, the stars awaking from their slumber. A tall shadow looms over the hole, the body leaning slightly in. The night obstructs their face. A big grin jumps onto my face, my other hand releasing the only stability I have to reach toward the stranger.

"THANK YOU! PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR HAND!" I beg, throwing my hand close to the person's proximity. They seem to stare at it, their hands remaining loosely at their sides. I feel their eyes assessing my situation, taking a god awfully long time to decide what to do.

"UM! WITH A LITTLE URGENCY PLEASE!" My right hand begins to lose some of the grip on the soil, my digits digging into the crumbles of soil. After a little more time, I feel a hand grab my own harshly, causing a wince to trickle in as their skin connects with the gash. The pain vanishes quickly as a wave of hope fills my chest. They haul my body up with little finesse, their fingers digging into my skin like teeth. It is a quick tug, like picking up a rag doll hastily before a road trip. My feet remain dangling over the hole, my right hand hanging limply at my side, the soil crumbling back to the earth. My left suspended painfully in the stranger's grasp, the python-like grip slowly cutting circulation. I swing my body a little, attempting to put a boot onto stable ground. My eyes attempt to adjust to the newly darkened surroundings, trying to distinguish my savior's face.

"Thank y…" The familiar face comes into focus, stopping the niceties from spilling out. The once grateful smile falls off my face instantly. Their face stares blankly back at my own, a wicked looking smirk scurries onto their face. In the night light, their eyes illuminate an eerie familiar color…a trick of the dark perhaps? They pull my frame close, the blackness of their coat envelops my vision. A dark feeling resides in the pit of my stomach, their intent clear as day. The wind rustles restlessly around us, the sound of an owl and my heart echo through the dark.

"BuRn In HeLl." They release my wrist, my soul releasing a shrill cry as my body begins to plunge into the abyss. Time seems to halt as the darkness encases my body; wisps of midnight hair flutter at the edge of my vision. The light from the moon vanishes after a second or two, the sounds of the forest long gone. All I can do is stare in suspended animation. Screaming turns to whimpering turns to silence. 'So... this is how I die...' I close my eyes; I feel my lips tug into a smile. 'Funny...I thought I could go out in a better way...' A tear races upward in a futile attempt to reach the moon, then another, then another. 'But I guess...I will be but another statistic in the lore of the mountain.'

I take a last breath, spreading my arms wide as I await the impact of the mountain floor.


Floral. Like the start of spring, the little flower buds blooming, releasing their own uniquely attractive smell. A faint breeze kisses my body, coaxing a gentle wake up call. There is a faint voice in the distance calling out, light like a well-tuned violin. Pain. Pain flares as though a fire is lit under my backside, the nerves screaming out in protest. I gasp, my eyes flying open as my body jolts to an erect stance. Something falls out of my hair, racing down my backside to the floor. 'I...am alive? How...' It appears to be the bottom of the mountain, but it illuminates as though there is a light source nearby. The rocky walls appear a dark brown, almost black in the inky shadows. There is a faint breeze coming from the east, the smell of cinnamon faint but present. My eyes travel down to the little yellow flowers, their smiling faces pushing proudly despite some of the fallen next to them. Six little waxy petals illuminate the pale white face; their forest green stems stand proudly in the soil.

'Huh…wonder how they managed to survive this long down here.' I pick up one of the crushed flowers, the petals falling haphazardly to the floor. The center remains intact as I inhale the scent, sighing happily. It draws a memory of lounging in a grassy field on a nice cool spring day, the sun not too over bearing, not a cloud in the sky.

"Howdy!" A shrill voice appears to shout out of blooming nowhere. I drop the flower, whipping my head frantically for the voice.

"Down here!" A leafy green petal appears waving frantically in my face. Upon further inspection, it is nothing more than another yellow flower with… Without thinking, I scramble back, flailing majestically as a fish away from the talking flower. 'How?! Flowers cannot talk! It is not possible with what little functioning organelles they possess!'

"Hi! I'm Flowey! Flowey the flower!" The little flower waves again, a relaxed smile on its little flower face. "By golly you look a little lost! It looks like little ol' me will have to show you the ropes! Ready?" I part my lips, getting ready to tell the little flower that this is all not possible. That I should not be alive at this current moment. Instead, a feeling washes over my body, silencing the protest. My lungs wheeze out an airless breath, the surface of my ribs throb painfully. My frantic heart drums against its confinement, the invisible force pulling at my very being. I grit my teeth, focusing in on the strings entangled around this organelle. With a flick of my wrist, the strings tighten, the invisible force releases for a second. I sigh in relief, clenching and unclenching my fists. The flower's face squishes into a twisted, demented look for a flash of a second, returning back to its kind smile. 'Could be a trick of the light...Yeah that seems logical…' The second wave of pain nearly collapses my legs, a shallow breath barely keeping the black dots from appearing. Suddenly, my body feels useless, empty, as though it is no more than a fleshy shell filled with bones.

"There we…go…" The flower's face frowns, its imaginary brows squish together to assess the thing in front of it. A small heart hovers between us, the color of its being causes my lips to frown as well. It is an ugly shade of orange, reds and yellows swirl around it encasing the heart with solid curls. A ghostly shade of grey covers the small being, wisps waving off in various directions. I cock my head to the side, examining the orientation of the heart. It lays horizontally rather than a typical vertical stance.

"This is…your soul. A cumulative of your entire…being." The flower scrunches their brows further, their eyes scrunching further in. 'This is…my soul?' I nervously reach out to it, gasping in shock as my fingers ghost through it.

"Down here you can gain something called LV." Flowey shakes its head, a smile replacing the previous worry. "What is LV you might be asking? Well… LV stands for Love of course!" I cock an eyebrow up at the flower, skeptical thoughts racing through my head. 'On the surface in video games, LV stands for level. You gain that through killing or questing…but the questing usually leads to killing.' The flower continues to smile, the corners cracking ever so slightly. 'It is definitely lying to me.'

"I can help you get some LV!" Answering the little flower's summons, little white petals appear above my soul, waiting patiently to fall. "All you have to do is run into these 'friendliness pellets'! Ready? Try to catch them all!" At its command, the petals begin to fall in a random pattern. I back up, sliding my soul along with me out of harm's way of the petals. Flowey huffs, its smile tight on its face as more petals are summoned.

"Hey buddy pal, you missed all the friendliness pellets. You are supposed to run into them. Let us try again." The petals come down a little faster this time, their aim a little more accurate. I nervously attempt to back away, petals whizzing by barely missing the skin. One petal nicks my arm, tearing the flesh with its razor edge. Blood welds to the top, dripping slowly down in a spiral fashion. Flowey smiles, flashing some razor sharp shark-like teeth. Its eyes blacken a bit, the pupils changing from black to white. 'Like some fucked up horror movie…'

"HeY tHeRe PaL. yOu SeEm To KnOw WhAt'S gOiNg On DoNcHa?" The squeaky voice deepens an octave; a heavy darkness encompasses the surrounding area. I slowly take uneasy steps back, the flight or fight response kicking in.

"YoU jUsT wAnTeD tO sEe Me SuFfEr DiDn'T yOu?" I gasp, watching helplessly as the sharp petals create an impenetrable circle around my soul. The little flower lets out a cackle, it's deep voice filling my soul with dread.

"NoW dIe!" It howls again, pushing the circle into the trapped soul. I close my eyes, awaiting the impact. I wait…and wait…and wait… I peek open an eye, looking directly at the evil little flower in the ground. Its eyes widen as something flies near it, its intent to kill vanishes. A trickle of sweat falls off its face into the soil. I open my other eye, watching it hastily retreat into the ground, a fireball smacking into the earth where it once stood.

"What a nasty little creature!" A melodic voice lightens the area; their sing song voice carries in the wind. With a hasty retreat, my soul re-enters my husk filling the void. I turn to thank the mysterious savior, but the pleasantries fall right off my tongue. My eyes widen, my foot taking a small step backwards. 'Holy frigging goat she is tall!'

A goat woman stands directly in front of me, her face so high up I have to crank my neck just to see her. Standing about seven feet tall, the woman in question glances down, her amethyst eyes wavering in concern. Her fur a luscious pure white, the tendrils perfectly groomed like a brand new blanket. She adorns herself with a long purple dress swaying at her ankles, a strange golden symbol decorates the middle space. The monstrous woman kneels down, her amethyst eyes reflect a startled, disheveled face.

"My child, are you alright? Did that nasty little creature harm you?" A massive paw begins to examine my frozen form, lifting my arms, tilting my head, everything a caring mother would do to their child. Occasionally a yellow petal falls off my head from her constant movement.

"Oh he did manage to scrape you up!" She scolds at the soil, a frown etched onto her snout. "I do apologize my child for the creature's behavior. We are not all like that." A faint hum of green snaps the shock out of my system. Her furry palm illuminates a mint green color, the magic humming a soft tune under its breath. Panic trickles into my system, my frame shakes from the consuming load. Shaky legs retreat backwards, my eyes never leaving her stare. The jagged cave wall connects with my back, the spines of the rock stroking my backside. I hiss, pain splintering out along the nerves. 'The fall hurt a lot more than anticipated.' The goat woman remains where she squats, the green residue wiped from her paws. "I…apologize." She begins carefully, her voice steady as her gaze. "I did not know my magic would scare you. Come," Her voice falls to a mere whisper. Her lids lower a little, hiding an emotion underneath. The jewels within her eyes whisper quietly, speaking the unspoken words within her soul. The goat woman extends her paw in a silent offering, a kind smile forming on her face.

"We can go back to my place in the Ruins to patch you up if that is what you wish. I promise you that no harm shall come to you while you remain in my stead." I glance warily between her face and her hand, expecting her to pop something crazy like the exorcist flower. My body hesitates, nothing wishing to work. 'Breathe…you can do this…You are showing a potential enemy a weakness!' I carefully let go of the safety of the wall, the action shaky and uncertain. My hands clench nervously in front, my eyes keeping a lock on the goat woman. Each step is heavy, the weight of fear slowing every movement.

"It is okay my child." She coos. I stare at her hand for a moment, every thought screams to run away now never turning back. A shaky sigh escapes my lips, a slight chill races up my spine. 'Where would I exactly run to even if I wanted to? I am underground for fucks sake…' A flutter of something odd occurs deep within my chest. Like a whisper it flurries into my mind silencing the negativity attempting to surface. It coos and coddles the frantic thoughts, whispering sweet nothings about the woman before me. Whatever the reason may be, my soul wishes to leave with the goat woman, murmuring on about trusting her. 'It…should be okay…right? Trust your gut and all that jazz…'

I shakily release one of my hands, placing the palm directly over her furry one. It feels like running a hand through someone's hair or a similar feeling to wigging toes in brand new carpet. Thick furry fingers encase my hand from view easily. We sit for a moment before she gives a little tug. A burning feeling snuggles warmly under my cheeks, the fire bringing some color to my face. Embarrassment worms its way into my soul, wriggling around uncomfortably. The goat woman appears to notice but remains silent on the matter. Carefully she stands, a bright golden smile lights up the darkness surrounding us.

"Come, let us go home." She begins to guide us through the cavern with ease, her strides are graceful compared to my clumsy footing. The ruins, although adorned with stalactites, is not exactly what I thought it would be. The pathways wind in each and every direction, purple bricks line the natural cave walling, and ivy as far as the eye can see. There are only a few creatures down the current pathway, each one fleeing at the sight of the keeper. Occasionally we pass a pile of blood red leaves, perplexing my thoughts with their origin given that not a single tree lives within the area.

"…" The questions linger on my tongue, begging to come out. I tug on the goat woman's grasp, drawing her attention.

"What is it my child?" The goat woman slows to a stop, her patient gaze staring down. The question aborts as quickly as it came. I blush, turning my gaze to the floor, my voice refusing to work. She sighs, giving a gentle pat to the top of my head, continuing ahead as though nothing happened.

Within a few moments, a large open door appears before us. Stairs line either side of an elevated platform, their stark whiteness a complete contrast to the mundane purples and greens. We walk up and through the first door only to be greeted with another door. This particular door is different from the rest, the bright metallic silver illuminating the candle lights.

"Welcome to the Ruins innocent one. Oh! Where are my manners?" She chuckles to herself, shaking her head. "My name is Toriel. I do apologize for the late introduction! My mind appears to be…elsewhere today…" Sadness washes over her features for a brief second, snapping back to her signature smile a moment later. Toriel's face dusts ever so lightly with pink, her paw nervously scratching behind her head. "What would your name be?" I attempt to speak once more, my lips flopping open and close like a suffocating fish. With an agitated huff, I close them, my lips protruding into a pout.

"It is alright dear. Perhaps later." I give her a thankful nod, gesturing her to continue her speech.

"Here in the Ruins, we use puzzles to get around." She makes a gesture to five nicely polished square rocks on the floor. They remind me of perfectly carved stone people use in their yards for decorations, only square shaped. A little yellow lever hangs close to the door, the circular bulb reaching towards the sky.

"Each mechanism has a puzzle to open a door or location." Toriel's hand slips her hand out of my grasp, her steps making quick work of pushing a few stones down. With a quick flick of the yellow switch, the door swings to life in front of us. I gasp, my hands flying to my mouth. 'The door just frigging opened! With a puzzle no less! I wonder why monsters use puzzles instead of regular locks on their door? Are they that trusting of their neighbors?'

A faint giggle draws me out of my thoughts. I glance up at Toriel, quirking an eyebrow. Toriel holds her paw over her face, covering a smile as another light giggle escapes her throat.

"I do apologize my child. I find that you are making such an adorable face that I cannot contain my laughter." Her fingers carefully grab at my own, giving a slight pull through the door. The rooms are much the same as the previous ones with more purple bricks than anyone could possibly need. A waterfall in one of the rooms is the only slight break-up of the otherwise unremarkable scenery. Toriel stresses the importance of knowing how to solve puzzles, allowing me some freedom to try one that clearly marks the correct answer. 'Although it feels like cheating since she put markers up for me…' I sigh as we approach a rather tediously long purple hallway. 'Why is the ruins so purple? Is this normal for most rocks to be purple here?'

"I am sorry my child, but I must ask that you walk through this room alone." Toriel releases my hand, a sad look sits uncomfortably on her face. She quickly bolts down the hallway until her furry form disappears from sight. Squaring up my shoulders, I begin my walk down the corridor after her.

'I can do this…it is just a hallway after all…Nothing scary like that flower… Nope…' I groan, face palming. 'Great! Now I psyched myself up for nothing!...I hope.' The darkness of my soiled boots contrast greatly to the cleanliness of the hall, feeling like a peasant attending a royal ball in rags. The teal tank top clings desperately to my body, the mesh around it shredded in various places either from the flower or the fall. Despite the battle, only the black leggings remain almost one-hundred percent free of damage.

'The sleeves will most likely have to be cut unless the monsters down here have a magical repair anything spell.' I sigh, messing with the shreds of the sleeve between my fingertips. 'This was brand new too…'

Despite the wardrobe malfunction, the room appears to remain stagnant, the backdrop ceasing to change into a recognizable landmark. Beads of sweat break out on alongside my head, racing down the length of my neck. My hands begin to fidget with the hem of my shirt, picking idly at the frayed threading.

'Am I almost there?' I glance around, the same image passing by once more. Didn't I just see that vine and column together a few paces back? Oh I did didn't I? Shit why couldn't I be directionally coordinated like most people?!' I feel the impact of a smooth marble surface slap at my body.

"Fear not my child, for I was behind this pillar the whole time!" I rub my forehead, staring between the goat woman and the newly acquainted pillar.

"Are you alright my child?" Toriel cocks her head to the side, a small crease of worry on her brow. I give her a shooing motion, nodding my head after a moment. 'At least I didn't hit it hard enough to bruise.'

"I needed to see if you could do this all by yourself to test your independence!" The frown on her face deepens slightly, her fingers tighten in her grasp.

"You will need to be alone for a while I am afraid to admit. Hence why I gave you the test. I need you to stay here and wait for me to return. It can be very dangerous exploring the Ruins on your own…" Toriel digs into her dress pockets, pulling out a small mobile device. Carefully she drops it into my awaiting palms, watching patiently as I examine the little device. It is a little lilac flip phone, the time in a small square on the front of it. A little plastic antenna protrudes out the top of it, allowing the little heart charm to dangle happily. I carefully take the ancient device, slipping it into the waistband of my leggings.

"If you need me for anything, you can reach me by calling! I really do not wish to leave you alone but…" With a sigh she squats down, a gentle paw rests on my shoulder. "I know I said I would take us home, but this is an important errand. Will you trust me and stay here until I return?" I give Torriel a hesitant nod, a feeling of dread filling the pit of my stomach. Toriel releases a breath she was holding, a thankful smile gracing her face.

"Thank you. I shall return shortly." She stands, her strides carrying her with a borderline running-walk out of the room. An uncomfortable silence settles in; the only noise breaking it is my uncomfortably loud breathing.

"…Great…" I mutter with a sigh, glancing at a space between the pillar and the wall. I walk over, carefully plopping my behind onto the floor. A foreign object pokes at my side, eliciting a 'yelp!' followed by a string of mumbled curses. An elongated screen greets my presence, a splintering crack consuming most of the screen. A blurry reflection stares weakly back through the jagged edges. Midnight strands of hair stand in random places, bits of remaining yellow petal cling to the nest. Even the bang that normally hides a portion of my face is in disarray, the hair sticking out like a cow lick. Frantic golden eyes stare back, dark bruising circles encase the bottom of the eyelids. Little freckles settle down in various homes over the bridge of a clunky, poorly put back together broken nose. The most unsettling part of it all was the appearance of my skin: a ghastly paper color sinking in to cling to the bones and muscle beneath. 'I look like death.' I sigh, ignoring the reflection to examine the phone. Despite the crack in the screen, the phone appears to have survived the fall minus a few chips in the plastic casing. Petals and soil wedge into the gaps between the phone and case, clogging some of the unimportant buttoms.

My thumb hovers over the home button, pressing carefully. It makes a 'click!' sound, but otherwise does nothing remarkable. The black screen stares back mockingly.

"Useless piece of technology…" I grumble, tossing the device into my waist band once more. 'Maybe someone down here knows how to fix smart phones? Then again, if everyone is using what she has, I highly doubt it.' Vibrations rumble against my hipbone, screaming a song to gain my attention. I fumble attempting to get it out as the song continues to sing. 'Toriel' flashes across the screen in a pixelated text. I hastily open the device, quickly pulling the phone to my ear.

"Hello. This is Toriel. I was wondering if you like butterscotch or cinnamon." I wait a beat, looking at the device as though it was an alien. 'She is kidding…right?'

"B…butterscotch…" I stutter out, my voice coming out a tad too nervously. 'Smooth one. Make the goat woman worry more about me more than she already does.'

"Oh! Of course dear! Thank you!" The phone clicks, the dial tone static talking through the speaker. I click the phone shut, glancing at it for a brief second when the phone springs to life again.

"Hello. This is Toriel. I was just wondering, well, do you dislike cinnamon? I mean…" She seems to ramble on the other end for a little while, talking to herself about things she needs to pick up still. "Would you snub it if it was put in front of you?"

"I…do not particularly like cinnamon…but I will eat it if it is presented in front of me." The last bit comes out in a rush of words, meshing to one incoherent sentence. 'Strike two…'

"Oh! Okay then! Thank you!" 'Click!' The phone buzzes with empty air static once more. I stare at the opened phone, waiting for another call to suddenly come through. When a good minute passes without another incident, I shut the device, slipping it back into place. I pull my legs up to my chest, instinctively wrapping my arms around the tops. A small, comforted sigh escapes my lips. I rest my chin on top of my knee caps, my eyes closing out the world around me. 'Well…this is boring. The phone is so old that apps are not a thing yet…I wonder if I will be able to get to the surface.' I snort, chuckling to myself at the idiocy of the statement. 'That is if the monsters do not consume me first.'

"Ribbit." Something croaks nearby, snapping my eyes open. I scan the area, a sigh of relief escaping my lips as I watch in fascination as a frog hops on by. The body is a decent size, at least a foot tall with big, round eyes. Thin slits of black make up what appears to be the pupil in a white ball. The frog stops for a moment, twisting its head in my general direction. The eyes appear to silently judge, the eyelids squinting closer together. The frog hops a little closer, its slick body stops within reaching distance.

"H…hi there." I wave, watching as its eyes do a once over. Within a few seconds, its cheeks flare up with a light green hue, its eyes glance nervously away. It appears to be embarrassed or flattered about something, but to which I am not sure.

"Ribbit. Ribbit. Moo." The frog quickly hops away, looking rather pleased with the simple interaction. 'Wait…did it just moo?' I stare after its backside for a moment longer, shaking my head as a giggle escapes my lips. ' A frog that moos…who would have thought?'

The sound of webbed feet hitting the tiles echo off the walls, various chirps and tones over power the footsteps within a few passing seconds. The frog, or at least I think it is the same frog, leads a pack of frogs, most likely its friends or something. Different shades and sizes of the frogs come into view, croaking and making weird mooing noises. They make a semi-circle around my body, their talk silencing as the leader steps forward. It is a similar looking frog from earlier with the addition of a tiny crown on its head.

"Ribbit. Ribbit. Ribbit." It gestures a webbed hand to a frog next to it, the frog's cheeks flushing with a bright green hue.

"…Ribbit…" It waves meekly, glancing up briefly before casting its gaze shyly to the floor.

"Ribbit. Ribbit. Moo." The king, or at least I think it is the king, frog redirects his attention to me, offering its hand. Not really knowing what to do, I lean down, taking it carefully between my thumb and middle fingers.

"N…nice to meet you, your highness." With a small shake, I nod to the king. It stares for a moment before it too breaks out in a bright green blush. The king frog quickly takes its hand back, staring at it like a treasure. I stifle a giggle behind my hand.

"Ribbit! Ribbit!" It yells excitedly. The frogs around it begin to cheer, moving in closer. A few begin to poke at my clothing, others nestle in close, poking for attention. The king frog makes his presence known immediately, jumping onto my knee caps so it is eye level.

"Okay your highness. I will give you the best seat in the house!" I giggle, carefully grabbing him. I push the other frogs out of the way of my legs until they are straight out, allowing the king to sit on my lap. Its face explodes with the blush, its ribbits shaky. Other frogs begin to hop up onto my legs, nestling in the crevice between. Once they settle, all the eyes stare intently at me, waiting for more words.

"Alright everyone! Let me tell you about the time I wanted to take over the playground…" I talk to the group hesitantly at first, worried they would get bored quickly. They listen with the intensity of a mystified child, allowing my nerves to relax. I begin to warm up to the strange frog creatures, giggling at the silliness of the situation. They do not really appear to understand, but each one fuses with a little blush, listening contently to the story.

"I am back from my errand my…" Toriel's voice lights up the corridor, her words dying out just as quickly. I glance up from the king frog, my hand in mid-pet. A miniscule frog croaks nervously atop of my head, the suction cups on their fingertips sticking to my scalp.

"…Um hi Toriel…Nice of you to hop in." I return my gaze to the frog, petting it meekly as a blush coats my cheeks at the lame pun.

"Hope I didn't ribbit you from anything important." She giggles. I roll my eyes, chuckling under my breath.

"It is time to go my child. Please say goodbye to your friends." The frogs chirp in response to Toriel's request, making themselves sparse as the group begins to disperse. The little one jumps onto my shoulder, giving a quick flick of its tongue on my cheek before joining the massive heard into the sunset that is the end of the room. Fire burns under my face, my hands instinctively reaching to the slick spot.

"It appears that the little one has a real suction to you." I groan, pulling my body up from its stiff position. The bones beneath crack deliciously, the muscles straining to get some stretches in.

"That was bad Toriel…"

"I know." She smiles, offering her hand. I offer her up a smile, allowing her fingers to curl around my hand. We walk for a while, the silence a comfort. There are a few more puzzles to solve down the next few halls, their tricks easily discovered behind the out of place pillars. Toriel walks forward, a proud skip in her step as a building comes into view. On our way up to the building, we pass a particular out of place tree. The tree itself is black as though painted by death. Red crisp leaves pile at the bottom, leaving the top scarce. Something about the tree sends a shiver down my spine. 'Nerves most likely.'

"Welcome home my child." A little purple brick house sits by itself against the purple wall, looking a little plain. The smell of cinnamon wafts through the open windows, yellow curtains billowing slightly out. The front door is the same purple color as the bricks, only it is made of wood with a brass handle. Toriel unlocks the door, carefully holding the door open as we walk in. It takes my eyes a moment to adjust to the massive color difference. The inside is a stark contrast to the cooler colors outside of the building. Light oak boards cover the floor, matching the nearly identical paint on the walls. A staircase into what appears to be a basement is the first thing to greet me, a brown carpet racing down the stairs. Small little end tables litter the north wall, little plants hang limply out of their containers.

"I hope you come to love this home as I have. I…" Toriel pauses a moment, her gaze flashing various emotions. She sighs quietly, giving my head a small ruffle.

"I am grateful for your arrival my child. These days have been…rough." She glances away, heading down the eastern hallway, beckoning me to follow. We stop immediately at the first door on our left. A brown carpet similar to the one on the stairs covers the middle lane of the floor, not quite meeting the end of the hallway with its intricate diamond pattern. Little wall scorns light up the home with a warm golden glow. Flower pots dot the end tables in the hallway with a single yellow flower happily growing in its vase.

"This is your room. You can take a rest if you wish or just relax for now. I know this is a lot to take in." A hand brushes the top of my head, ruffling the mess further. "I will be in the kitchen if you should need me." My hand reaches out to grab her dress, halting her from her departure. I cannot look up at her, the childish impulse slightly embarrassing for a woman my age. Just as quickly I release the dress, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt.

"…Nix…My name is Nix." I can feel the warmth and pride radiate off the goat woman, a reassuring hand pats the top of my head.

"That is quite a unique name my child. I thank you for sharing it as well as your voice with me." Her quiet footsteps pad away, leaving me alone with the door presented. 'Here goes nothing.' The door creeks under my touch, sliding open into a burgundy room. 'Is this…a child's room?' A twin bed rests in the upper right hand corner, the burgundy quilted blanket covering most of the bed. A toy chest sits at the base; a few stuffed toys hang out on the other side of the bed. A nicely sized dresser sits to the left of the bed followed by a smaller one. A lone picture of a flower drawn in red crayon hangs on the wall. It is the only real decoration that feels authentic in the otherwise time-stopped room.

'It feels a little awkward to be laying in a child's room. I wonder if Toriel had a child that grew up at one point.'

I take a seat on the bed, watching the mattress sink under my weight. It sinks similar to a memory foam, easing my body to a comfortable resting position. 'Perhaps a nap is in order…' A yawn escapes my lips, my eyes already complying on the nap. I curl myself onto the bed, snuggling into the pillow. 'I hope Toriel doesn't care too much…'

Darkness encases my vision, my body succumbing to the sleep it desires.