I tried to ask Chara about what their mother had meant when she had said their name, but they refused to tell me. They just dragged me through the house and down into the basement, where we went through a door at the end of the hall.

As soon as the door closed behind us, Chara releases me and glares at me. "What were you thinking!? We were trying to avoid my mother!"

~I was merely curious.~ I reply calmly. ~You had never said how we were going to avoid your mother after burning the tree.~

The child grits their teeth in frustration. "It should have been obvious. I didn't know you were an idiot!"

I smile. ~Why should I not seem the way you called me?~ I ask, referring to the first time the child had called me an idiot.

They glare at me. "Maybe so we can actually get something done? Correctly?"

I glare back. ~But you seem to act like we have all the time in the world.~ I feel my anger rising again. They are in such a rush, but take so much time. They summon evil, but want to do good. They are dead, but somehow they are here. It's maddening.

"We might, but the monsters don't." They reply testily. "Especially my father."

~Your father?~ I ask, confused. Was he not in the small house we just went through? And how was he at risk?

They shake their head. "The story doesn't matter, it's the wrong history you need to know. What you do need to know is that he's the king, and if we don't save the monsters, he's going to have to do something horrible."

Horrible? I like the sound of this. ~What will he have to do?~ I ask. Could I help somehow?

They glare at me again. "Let's just go."

I sigh. More unanswered questions. But.. there's something horrible that could happen. There's hope at least. ~Fine.~ I reply. The child turns and walks down the purple hallway, and walks over a strange patch of grass before going through a purple archway. I follow in silence, thinking. What could it be that their father would have to do that's so horrible? Horrible enough to wake an evil demon from slumber to try to stop it? It's got to be related to death somehow. Maybe their father is going to die? I look up at the child, who is now staring into a forest that's beside us. That would explain the desperation.

I relax slightly. This task, to save all the monsters, isn't out of the goodness of the child's heart. It's driven by the selfish desire to save their father. ~You're not so good after all, are you?~ I tell the child.

They don't respond, and instead continue to stare off into the forest. I look with the child, curious as to what's so interesting. The trees really stand out, their dark shapes contrasting with the blinding whiteness of the snow below them.

Wait, snow? I look down at my feet, my anger soon replaced with amazement. There's snow underground? How is there snow underground? I look back up at the child, intending on asking them this, but they're still turned away from me. My dark heart plummets. I must have insulted them.

~I am sorry, Chara.~ I apologize. They turn back towards me, their red gaze fierce.

"I don't care what you think of me." They spit out. They point the knife at me again. "But I will not let you doubt that we are going to save the monsters. I am not going to fail again." Again!? I go to respond, but the child keeps going. "There is a reason I summoned you. Even something noble and good can require some evil. That's where you come in. And I don't mean just burning a stupid tree."

They really want to do some evil. My heart swells, and even though I'm tired and want to destroy every living being in sight, I know that I am glad to have been woken up by this child. As long as they pay me properly in the end. ~Where are we going now?~ I ask.

They smile, all anger leaving in an instant. "We're going to follow this trail," they point onwards, "until we reach a small town called Snowdin."

~What's in Snowdin?~ I ask, now curious because of how specific the child is being.

"More history." They reply. "Not to mention some really cute skeleton kids."

I perk up at that. ~Skeletons? Kids?~ I question. The skeletons of kids? This is the land of monsters, after all, it figures there would be a few dead bodies lying around.

They just roll their eyes, and start moving forward. "You'll see."

I follow them through the snow until we reach what looks like a sentry station next to us. I stop to examine it. ~What is this?~ I ask the child, who turns back towards me, clearly annoyed. It seems abandoned.

"It's just an old sentry station." They reply. "Not much to look at." They sigh, but then smile, remembering something. "There's one up further that's much more interesting."

Interesting? Could it be the skeletons of kids? I quickly continue forward, moving past the child, who scowls and shakes their head. "You're going to get lost!" They call out, but I'm already far ahead of them. They grumble to themselves and follow me.

Excited to see the skeletons, when I come to an intersection, I quickly turn left, only to find myself facing a small river cutting through the icy landscape.

"See? I told you." The child says behind me.

I turn and face them. ~Maybe I meant to come here.~ I say defensively.

They snort. "Riiight." They come over to me, standing beside me. "Then why did you mean to come here?"

I look around quickly, and spy a fishing pole. I smile. "To prove that at one point, I was here." I pick up the fishing pole and stick it in the snow on the bank of the river. Then I freeze it there with magic. That way it will never be moved. I look over at the child, expecting them to scoff at me, but they're staring at the fishing pole as if they've never seen it before.

~Chara?~ I ask hesitantly. Why do they keep spacing out like this? Are they alright?

Chara snaps out of it, shaking their head. "Sorry." They say. They look up at me and shrug. "It's a nice idea, I guess. But no one will ever know your name."

My name.. I can't help myself, I laugh.

Now Chara is confused. "What's so funny?" They ask, their brow furrowed.

I stop laughing, looking back at Chara. ~You couldn't possibly understand, you're a human.~

"A human ghost thing." They correct. They cross their arms. "Try me."

~Okay..~ I try to think of how to explain. ~Basically, I am nothing. I have no name. Only those who have summoned me actually know my name, and that is the last thing I give to them before their death.~ I say. I smile, remembering telling so many others. ~It's so that they are forever stuck in purgatory for what they've had me done.~

Chara is now staring at me in shock. "What? Are you saying you punish them for summoning you? Didn't they pay your price?"

I nod, now becoming more serious. ~They paid the price of summoning me when they pulled out their heart. However, my price is slightly more, since it's the price for me to stop doing what they said to do.~ The child's expression falls, clearly sad about their predicament. ~However.~ I start, and the child looks up at me, hope starting to become visible in their red eyes. ~Things are more complicated with you.~ I state simply. Complicated is very true. How am I supposed to collect payment if the child is already dead and can't seem to move on?

I shake my head, storing away those thoughts for now. I look at the child. ~Now. Where are these kid skeletons?~ I ask. ~You did say they were adorable.~

Chara smiles, pushing back the same thoughts as well. "Follow me, and I'll lead you the right way to Snowdin." They turn around and walk down the path I turned on. After one last look at the fishing pole, I turn and follow them.