I apologize dearly for such a long hiatus. My life has been hectic, with school work, illness, and other awful distractions. I also apologize for the short length of this chapter. Not a moment too soon, I bring you Chapter Two of Is This Truly Home.

Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose. He was tired and frustrated from a long, boring flight. He was annoyed by the fact that he couldn't go on the same flight as his son, due to it being full and much cheaper to keep his son on his already paid for flight than move him over to Gabriel's. Not only that, but add on the fact that his own flight was delayed for a day, and he was just ready to get this trip over with before it even started.

Normally Gabriel wouldn't go with his son on these trips, but he felt guilty over the fact he hasn't been paying much attention to his son lately, having only gotten worse after his wife, Ariel, disappeared a month ago. Adrien also seemed to be retreating into himself lately, also worrying Gabriel. He decided to himself that he would try his hardest to give his son the love and attention he deserved.

Leaving the airport, he turned his phone back on as he entered his car, hoping to check his calls and texts before he started the long drive. The second he turned on his phone, it exploded with alerts. Usually this would be normal. What really alarmed him is that they were all from Nathalie and clearly panicked. Quickly opening the texts, he read what she had sent.

Nathalie – Gabriel. Gabriel please pick up your phone.

Nathalie – This is of the most urgency.

Nathalie – Gabriel it's about Adrien, please pick up.

Nathalie – GABRIEL.

Quickly typing in Nathalie's work number, he calls her. It rings for 10, agonizing, seconds before Nathalie picks up.

"Nathalie," Gabriel says, slight anxiety dripping into his voice.

"Thank god, Gabriel, you finally picked up-"

"Nathalie," Gabriel says, louder.

"I woke up and he wasn't-"

"NATHALIE!"

"I'm sorry sir, b- but Adrien has gone missing. He was last seen last night hiking up Mount Ebott."

Gabriel's world came crashing down around him.

Adrien opened his eyes. Everything hurt, and his head felt as if it was forcibly stuffed with cotton. He looked as best as he could while staying as unmoving as possible, for fear of worse pain. Other than the little patch of sunlight and buttercups he lay upon, he couldn't see much more than darkness. He whimpered, hurt and scared. He could feel tears start to form.

Quickly blinking them away, Adrien tried to get up, just barely managing to sit up. He could taste blood in his mouth from biting his tongue on the way down. He decides it would be best if he got moving so he could look for a way out. His legs wobble as he slowly lifts himself up before collapsing on ground again, now laying on his side.

"Hello…?" Adrien whimpers.

"Is anyone here? Anyone at all?" He calls out, close to tears again.

He curls up into himself, fists full of the black sweater he wore for the cold hiking weather. Nearby, a confused, frustrated flower wonders what a near perfect human copy of him was doing in the underground. It burrows away when a large, goat-like woman, comes to water the buttercups. Hearing sniffles, and muffled sobbing noises, she drops the watering can and rushes over to whatever was making that noise.

"Child, are you alright?" A comforting and concerned voice asks.

Adrien looks up, wiping tears away from his face. He gasps, seeing a large, animalistic being. He jerks up, trying to crawl backwards, only to fall back down on the soft cushion that is the plentiful buttercup flowers. He cringed, irritating most of his wounds with the fall, and the flower pollen.

"My child, there is nothing to fear, so please hold still."

Adrien froze, not only due to the fact it's been engraved in his head to always due as he's told, but due to the fact he was in a lot of pain at the time, and he didn't think he could move much in the first place. The goat lady took one of his hands in her large fluffy paw, which was surprisingly comforting. A green mist flows from her heart, swirling around her arms in a serene, graceful form, before flowing up his own arm in a similar form, before stopping at his heart.

A small rectangular box flickers into existence in front of him, a little green heart next to a yellow bar. The heart, small, fragile, and slightly cracked, slowly starts to heal as the green magic sews the cracks shut. As this happens, his wounds heal with the heart, feeling warm and safe. He still has some phantom aches though. He looks to the text, where the goat lady seems to be reading.

ADRIEN

SOUL TYPE: KINDNESS

HP: 10/4 - 10/10

LV: 0

EXP: 0

AT: 0

DF: 10

The goat lady reads the stats and softly gasps, appalled.

"You have half as much hope as the other children, and such high defense…" She whispers to herself.

"W- Who are you…?" Adrien asks, voice soft and slightly fearful.

"Oh! How rude of me, I haven't even given you my name."

"My name is Toriel, and I care for these ruins," She answers, "I come to water these flowers often, keeping watch out for anyone who falls down."

Both people feel a strong sense of nostalgia and depression at the nature and appearance of the other, both reminded of family they have lost. One, a child at the hands of fear, the other, a mother who disappeared.

"My name is Adrien," He says, quiet.

"Hello Adrien," Toriel says, her voice soft, "Are you lost?"

"Yes ma'am," Adrien says, as polite as possible.

"Please just call me Toriel," She says with a smile, voice comforting, "Follow me."

Toriel reaches out to Adrien with a large fluffy paw, to which he takes, thankful for the help. As he stands, he notices that despite his tall stature, Toriel is much taller than him. Regardless of this, he finds her presence to be comforting and warm, nostalgic in a way. Her speech and attitude both remind him of his mother. Blinking down tears, he follows her through a large pillar door. As he walks, buttercup petals trail behind him, as if following him.

"Asriel?"