Now we're REALLY getting the Ruins arc underway!
Chapter Four
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When Frisk arrived to a new room it was to a ghost that was 'sleeping' on a pile of leaves that was blocking the way to the next room. She walked over to him curiously, tilting her head. The ghost wasn't moving, but was speaking softly. "Zzzzzzzzzz... Zzzzzzzz..." They seemed to be saying 'z' repeatedly. "Zzzzzzzzz..." A pause, and the voice was a quiet whisper. "Are they gone yet?"
Frisk looked around, frowning. There was no one in the room... "Yeah," she whispered back. The ghost was only quiet for a moment before speaking again.
"Zzzzzzzzzz..." The ghost seemed to be saying 'z' out loud again over and over, pretending to be asleep. With a frown, Frisk nudged the ghost with her foot. She really did need to find Toriel. At the nudge, the ghost floated up, and her soul was coming out to rest in front of her, a fight once again beginning.
As she checked him over, she noticed he didn't seem to have a sense of humor... The ghost - he looked like a Napstablook - seemed to waver in the air for a moment. "Oh, I'm real funny." He then started crying, the tears moving and attacking her soul. She squeaked, moving her soul as best she could to avoid the attacks, still flinching as a few hit her. She gave him a weak smile and owww.
"Heh..." It was a weak little chuckle, but it was still something. When the next attack started, there was...nothing. "Really not feeling up to it right now. Sorry." Napstablook looked just a little bit better. Giving him a better smile, she told him a little joke. Maybe if she made him feel better...he'd leave her alone. "Heh heh..."
This time when the tears went after her soul, they were a bit...halfhearted. And much more easier to dodge - she was starting to the get the hang of these 'fights'! She nodded, laughing a bit as she told him another joke. The cheering up seemed to have improved Nabstablook's mood again. It seemed like he wanted to show Frisk something. "Let me try..."
This time when his tears came out they floated up, creating a dapper top hat. "I call it Dapperblook. Do you like it..." He eagerly seemed to be awaiting a response. Frisk nodded, giving a quiet little giggle. "Oh gee..." Just like that, the fight was over, and Frisk's soul was back in her body. "I usually come to the Ruins because there's nobody around...but today I met somebody nice... ...Oh, I'm rambling again. I'll get out of your way."
With that, Napstablook was gone, leaving the path clear for Frisk to once more search for Toriel. Frisk walked off with a smile.
A few minutes later, she entered a room. Tilting her head, she saw a small sign with what she recognized to be the number seven next to a picture of the shinies she'd been picking up along the way. Counting out seven shinies, she threw them down next to the sign, trying to brush the web away and nononono spiders were bad and gross and nonono. She squeezed her eyes shut as she carefully brushed the web away, blinking as she felt something put in her hand. Looking over, she tilted her head at seeing a donut. Looking around and seeing...no one, she munched on the donut. Huh. It tasted kinda weird.
Still, though. Free donut. Kinda free. Seven shinies free.
A bit more walking, talking, and fighting, and her phone was ringing once more. Answering it, she heard the familiar voice of Toriel. "Hello? I just realized that it has been a while since I have cleaned up. I was not expecting to have company so soon. There are probably a lot of things lying about, here and there. You can pick them up, but do not carry more than you need. Someday you might see something you really like. You will want to leave room in your pockets for that."
Frisk looked down at her pockets, which were stuffed with candy. "Kay." With that, it seemed the call had ended.
About fifteen minutes later, Frisk was falling down the third hole in that room. She huffed, upset by the fact until she saw Napstablook. "Hi."
"I fell down a hole..." Napstablook seemed rather upset about the problem, much like Frisk. "Now I can't get up... Go on without me..." There was a long moment of silence between them, the ghost speaking once more. "Wait, ghosts can fly, can't they... Oh well..." With that, the ghost was gone from the room.
A few rooms later, and Frisk was coming across another Froggit. She tilted her head at it questioningly. It looked like it had something to say. The Froggit stared at her, giving a croak of noise. "Ribbit, ribbit." It seemed to be saying 'Just between you and me... I saw Toriel come out of here just a little while ago. She was carrying some groceries. I didn't ask what they were for... We're all too intimidated to talk to her.' "Ribbit."
"Ribbit," Frisk responded. 'Constitutional rights.' Only as a rough translation. The Froggit looked confused, head tilting.
"Ribbit." 'Strange human, you are. Still, I suppose we are all allowed our oddities from time to time.' Frisk nodded, walking into the room that the Froggit had pointed out. Looking around, and seeing a lot of buildings in the distance, she frowned. Toriel wanted her to stay here, so she would. Looking over, she saw a toy knife. The child walked over and kicked the knife away, sticking her tongue out. Knives were bad. Bad knives.
Doubling back and entering another room, her sight was dominated by a large black tree that was utterly barren, a pile of bright red leaves making up its base. She looked over to see that Toriel was getting her phone out and about to call, looking up to see her and seeming surprised before rushing over. "How did you get here, my child? Are you hurt? There, there, I will heal you."
With that, Toriel was picking the girl up and holding her close, a warm feeling seeming to wash over her. Frisk smiled, snuggling a bit closer and feeling completely safe and warm in the other's hold. And now that she thought about it, a bit tired. All that dodging and falling was a bit draining. "I should not have left you alone for so long. It was irresponsible to try to surprise you like this." There was a pause and a sudden blush from Toriel, who looked like she hadn't meant to say such a thing.
"Surprise?" Frisk looked excited by the prospect of surprise, giving a grin.
"Err... Well, I suppose I cannot hide it any longer. Come, small one!" With that, Toriel was setting her down with a smile, already heading to a tiny house in the corner of the Ruins, two large piles of leaves on either side of the door. Frisk glanced to the giant pile of leaves nearby, narrowing her eyes at seeing something shine in the midst of the pile. This time, she wouldn't let it escape! She pounced, grabbing at it only to frown at still not being able to pick it up. Looking up to the house, it looked much more tidy than the rest of the ruins. She gave a grin, filled with DETERMINATION as she followed after Toriel.
Heh. You're gonna like the Thanksgiving chapter for certain...
