"My name is Whimsun…" A weak-looking ghost said as it drifted slowly into view. Whimsun looked like it took a lot of effort to keep from running away. "...I...I'll stop you…" He said, half-heartedly and sadly.

"I'm...not really doing anything, it's not necessary…"

But before he could continue, he found pellets zooming towards him again. He wasn't sure how he managed to, but he dodged all of them.

"I...I really don't want to do this, Whimsun!"

Whimsun started sobbing, but sent another round of pellets. This time, one struck Shinji in the leg. He winced in pain.

Looking up, he saw Whimsun looking at him. "I'm sorry...but I can't do anything right...I'm really not a g-good Monster..."

"That's really not true," Shinji said, as he tried to recover from the latest blast of pellets. "Y-you're really good. But you don't have to fight me. I don't want to fight you." Shinji remembered what Toriel had told him.

Whimsun looked taken aback. "R-really? That's the n-nicest thing anyone's ever said to me..." He floated off crying, although this time in happiness.

Shinji, who was quickly acclimating himself to his environment, decided to continue on. He noticed, however, that as his red heart faded away, that its color was slightly faded. Did that mean he was losing health?

Shinji kept walking through the purple corridors of the Ruins. He hadn't encountered any other Monsters since, but he could sense that he could probably encounter one at any moment.

He kept walking, and noticed piles of leaves in the corridor. Which struck him as odd, because there weren't any trees.

He was so busy looking at these leaves that he didn't notice when he hit something that wasn't the ground.

Nearly tripping, he looked down to see what he had run into. But he didn't see anything - how could he run into something invisible?

Then, slowly, the image of what had caused him to stumble appeared. It was a white ghost, with large oval eyes.

"Hello?" Shinji said, cautiously. He knew by now to be careful when meeting new characters here.

"Zzzzzzzzzzzz," the ghost said, out loud. "Zzzzzzzzzzzz"

Shinji looked confused. Is that ghost really just saying Z? What does that even mean?

"Ummm..." Shinji began, still cautiously. "...I don't mean to intrude or anything, but why are you saying 'Zzz' like that?"

The ghost didn't move, but he heard it speak with a soft, almost demotivated voice.

"Oh sorry. I guess I used the wrong sound. I didn't notice when you walked in," the ghost said.

"Suuu suuu suuu suuu suuu suuu," he began again. "Suuu suuu suuu suuu..."

Now he's pretending to sleep? Shinji thought. Beginning to think this ghost was better left alone, as he probably wanted to be, Shinji tried to walk around the white figure.

However, the ghost was taking up the entire path. Seeing that the ghost wasn't going to move, Shinji decided he would have to gently push him out of the way...

Just as he began to move the ghost, however, he saw that his heart had appeared again.

Not again! Shinji thought, berating himself for making so many mistakes.

The ghost seemed to be blocking his way now, facing him. Shinji remembered what Toriel had said...

Just talk...talk, or do something, and they won't want to fight you...Shinji said to himself.

"So, umm...I guess good job using the right sound effect, at least..." Shinji began, awkwardly. "I really didn't mean to push you..."

"Heh..." the ghost said, a small grin showing on his face. But the ghost still seemed demotivated. Shinji began to notice tears flowing from the ghost's eyes, and they zoomed towards him.

Shinji raced out of the way in time. Maybe he was gaining experience now...

He looked at Shinji again, as if expecting him to do something next.

"You can tell me what's wrong if you like," Shinji offered, though he really didn't know what he could do.

"Really not feeling up to it now, sorry..." the ghost trailed off. His tears flowed again, zooming towards Shinji. He expected them this time, but was struck by one on the arm anyway.

Shinji cried out and cringed as he was hit. But he recovered quickly - it was only a slight injury.

"I guess I can understand why you don't want to talk," Shinji said, sympathetically. "Everyone wants to talk to you...when you're sad, I mean...andd ask what's wrong, but no one can really say anything that helps...at least, that's what happens with me...I know..."

The ghost was looking at him oddly. Almost appreciatively.

"I have something I'd like to show you, if you like..." the ghost said, finally. Tears began to flow from his eyes, but instead of zooming towards him, as Shinji feared for a moment, they collected on top of his head. Soon a top hat appeared, as if by magic.

"...I call it, 'dapper blook.'" The ghost said with a small, timid chuckle.

Shinji smiled. The ghost smiled too.

Looking next to him, Shinji saw that his heart was no longer there. The confrontation must be over.

"I usually just come down here to be alone, because no one's ever in the ruins," the ghost said. "But today I met somebody nice..."

"What's your name?" Shinji asked.

"Napstablook," Napstablook said. "Anyway, I'm rambling again..."

"I hope that I see you again...maybe you can visit me later...when you're nearby..."

"Yes, I'd like that," Shinji said, smiling a little.

"Anyway, I'll get out of your way now..."

Napstablook disappeared, and Shinji was a little sad that he did. But, realizing he had to keep going forward, he kept walking down the passageway.

He had a feeling he'd meet Napstablook again. And many more Monsters...he hoped they'd all be as kind.