Ruins Speed Run

Quiet, nothing save for the clicking of buttons as Frisk tried to figure out how to use the large brick of a phone Toriel had given them. Originally, it had been given to Player since she appeared to be older, thus making her the responsible one. Yet, once Toriel left them in the corridor they chased her in, Player admitted to not knowing how to work a phone. So, it was up to Frisk to keep it. How strange, they thought, a teenager doesn't know how to use a phone! Had she never owned one?

Speaking of Player, her footsteps tore their attention from the phone to her heading the way Toriel had gone. "What are you doing? Mom said to stay here!" Frisk called.

"Face it, nothing's going to happen if we just sit here. It's adventure time!" Her nervous chuckle was enough to tell Frisk that she honestly did not want to go alone. Even the way she swayed side to side added on to that suspicion.

Joining hands again, the two continued after, what Player calls her, Goat Mom. The moment they stepped out of the corridor, the phone rang. "Hello? This is Toriel. You have not left the room, have you? There are a few puzzles ahead that I have yet to explain." The quality of the phone call was a little grainy. Frisk took the call, reassuring her that they were okay and that they would be good.

Meanwhile, Player wondered why "Mom" answered by addressing who she was when there were no other phone numbers on the contacts. Maybe it was just something Player herself forgets to do, therefore thinking it silly. Gee...

The ruins were filled with Froggits, Whimsums, Loox, and vines. Each puzzle encountered was beginning to tire out Player's mind...and legs. Frisk still had the energy to fall down holes, climb back up a chute, flip switches, and dodge monster attacks like nothing. However, the same could not be said for Player. If Frisk had not been there to help, she felt she would have broken her legs on the multiple times she failed to walk the right path.

Not to mention Toriel's phone calls. With each ring, Player grew a little more frustrated, but kept up her curious smile. The only thing that held her interest was what laid beyond the ruins. Her imagination filled with all sorts of colorful areas with many a creature to meet. It made her squeal in the middle of battle once, causing her to get hit by a leaping Froggit. In fact, Frisk noticed just how distracted Player was just by how often she failed to dodge even the simplest attack.

The two were fighting a Moldsmal when this happened. A Moldsmal!

It became a desperate run for more monster candy and an equally frantic search for a save point. All because of Player's poor dodging skills. Despite the low HP, Frisk still smiled at the blundering girl. She tries her best, that's all that matters. Forget the fact they had a game over seven times already.

It was like a miracle when Player met Napstablook. She got a happy break time on the second turn, which was very much needed. Dodging acid tears is hard, even for Frisk - the best dodger she knew! The whole Dapper Blook scene made Player chuckle.

"Well, aren't you just dashing?" Frisk's voice acted as an echo for hers. Both giggled.

The slight flirtation embarrassed the ghost. "I usually come to the ruins because there's nobody else around..." they admitted. "But today I met some nice people..." a pause. "Oh, I'm rambling again. I'll get out of your way." With that, Napstablook disappeared.

A little past that lay a spider bake sale. Normally, Player does not bother with spiders, but it is a bake sale. She pulls Frisk into the small room with her to see what treats await them. The smaller web offered donuts, the bigger offered cider. With all the gold the two had picked up, they were able to get one of each. How lucky!

"I never expected spiders to be so cute!" Player was speaking in an awkwardly high-pitched baby talk. Frisk could only smile back.

More calls, more puzzles, more sparing.

"I'm beginning to sense a pattern here..." Player said more to herself than to Frisk. She had caused them two more game overs by the time both reached a crossroads.

"What is it?"

Player pointed a finger upward, though she did not intend to gesture to anything. Rather, she held her hand out to the side of her. "This place purposely makes you go against your natural instinct of straight up murdering! It does this by making everything so cute and friendly." At Frisk's slump of the shoulders, she added: "Oh, I'm not complaining. I love it! It totally messes with your mind." She was hopping excitedly now, making Frisk's arm do the wave. They guessed she had forgotten they were holding hands.

With a shuddery laugh, they pointed to the intersection. "Which way should we go?"

Coming to a stop, the girl cleared her throat. Her eyes were darting again. "Maybe down here. If Goat Mom didn't go there, then we go the other way. Easy as cake!" At Frisk's puzzled smirk, she blushed. "Have you tried making a pie from scratch? Yeah, no. Cake is easier. Cake is love, cake is life."

Frisk burst into a fit of giggles. They laughed harder when Player's face got brighter. Patting their new friend on the shoulder, they pointed down the narrow path as a way of saying "Onward!"

All that was down that way was a single Froggit. It croaked that it had seen Toriel go the other direction. Even still, the two went farther down until they saw a view of a...city? Both spotted the toy knife, exchanging surprised glances.

"Mine!" Player chimed, racing to pick it up. "Yoink!" Once the word escaped her mouth, she regretted it. Great, Frisk was laughing again. She joined in, knowing full well how silly she must have appeared.

Going down the wide leaf ridden path, the pair was met with the sight of a large tree. It was withered, twisted, and black. The mere sight of it prompted a "Cool!" from Player. There was no time to admire the tree as footsteps crunching against the orange leaves kept the duo alert.

"Oh dear, that took longer than I thought it would." Toriel's worried muttering got closer. She arrived into their line of sight just as she pulled out her own phone. Noticing the children, she rushed towards them. "How did you get here so quickly? Are you hurt?" She asked almost frantically, searching and examining them both. "Don't worry, you will get a sincere apology for this," she seemed fairly upset over the bruises and scrapes. Then, her eyes went soft again. "I should not have left you alone for so long. It was irresponsible to try to surprise you like this."

Goat Mom paused, catching herself. "Err...well, I suppose I cannot hide it any longer. Come, children!"

Following her led to a quaint home deep in the ruins. It fills the duo with DETERMINATION.