His body hurt. Badly. The brunette sat up, causing a wave of pain to travel through his nerves. Chara bit his lip and attempted to lean against his arm for support, but immediately recoiled.
"Damn it!" he screeched, "That hurts like shit!"
The tears running down his cheeks angered him further. He swore again, quieter, and furiously swiped them off his skin.
From within the shadows, another child watched with curious brown eyes. He stepped forward and asked softly, "Are-are you okay?"
The human jumped and looked around. It was a bit dark down here, but the sun streamed from the gaping hole Chara had just fallen down, so when the young monster stepped into view, he could clearly see that the goat-like creature wasn't anywhere near human: he was covered in dirty, white fur with long furry ears hanging down just past his shoulders, white fangs poked out from his mouth, and small horns were growing from the top of his head.
Most humans might have screamed in fear and begged for their lives, but Chara didn't have the energy for that. His heartbeat picked up speed, his eyes widened, pupils constricting as if a bright light had been flashed in his face. Chara was frozen, mouth gaping open but no sound escaping.
When the monster child took another cautious step toward the human, Chara was sent into motion, using his feet to push himself backward. The creature halted, and tilted his head nervously.
"You're hurt…" it stated worriedly.
Chara did not look at it, as he muttered, "I'm fine."
"But…your arm," the monster protested, "And you're crying."
The human boy wanted to jump up to his feet, but was unable. Instead, he compensated by raising his voice as he indignantly shouted, "No I'm not! I don't cry!"
The pitiful, yet fiery look he cast the creature pierced the monster's heart, and he approached the human, holding out a paw. Chara looked up at it in surprise, then looked down again, brown hair splaying over his face. The older child did not wait for Chara to grab his hand, and instead, grasped the human and pulled him to his feet. Chara struggled for a moment, but then stopped and allowed himself to be led. He found he had little choice.
"I'll take you to Mamai and Daidi, they'll help your arm," the goat child said confidently.
"Why are you being so nice to me? You don't even know me."
"What's your name?" was the answer he received.
The human cast him an odd look, then mumbled, "Chara."
"I'm Asriel," the monster smiled at him, "Now I know you."
Chara nodded mutely. He knew he should have put up more of a fight, for the sake of self-preservation, but his value of his life was near zero, so if he was being taken to be killed and eaten, then no great loss would befall him. Hopefully, they ended his life quickly.
The two children reached uneven land, where there was another gap in the earth. A ladder had been set up by Asriel earlier, but he knew Chara wouldn't be able to climb down.
"What is this place?" the human asked, seemingly ignoring their problem.
"Well uh, no one lives here anymore. It used to be a part of Home, but we moved to New Home. This used to be the old castle."
"Castle?"
"Yeah, we have a new one at New Home. Um…" Asriel looked down again, "I don't know how you can get down."
Chara looked at the ladder, then back up at the monster child. "Just go first and hold the ladder when you get down."
"But your arm…are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine."
"Okay," Asriel nodded, and climbed down.
As the human watched him, he briefly thought of running off and finding another way out, but he didn't think that would help anything.
"Alright, I'm holding the ladder, Chara!"
Chara slipped down until he felt his feet touch a ring of the ladder. He realized Asriel could easily let go and watch him break every other bone in his body, but he shook the idea from his mind. It was too late now, anyway. Climbing with one arm wasn't easy, but he was okay so long as he had at least one, and both legs. His feet touched the ground and relief was felt by both children. They continued their path, traveling through what appeared to be the lower levels of what once was the castle.
There was a large, open door with light streaming through. Chara looked at Asriel, who was walking through the entrance. The human followed.
/
"Mamai!" Asriel shouted, rushing forward.
They had entered a small room with two thrones of equal size. A woman's voice sounded from a doorway.
"You are back already? I thought for sure you would be playing for lon-"
A creature much like the boy in front of Chara stood with wide eyes. She dusted her paws off on her purple apron, brushing what appeared to be flour down the front, and walked over to the human child with apprehension and concern. Conflicting thoughts shone in her dark brown eyes. Her maternal instinct, however, won over and she gently placed a paw on the boy's shoulder.
"My child, you are hurt," she stated, looking the human up and down.
"I think they broke their arm!" Asriel piped up.
Her eyes drifted to her son, then back to the human boy. She knelt down in front of Chara, and placed her hand as gingerly as she was able on his mangled right arm, closing her eyes. He felt the pain lift from him, and after a moment, the goat woman opened her eyes and looked up into his.
"Does that feel any better?"
"Yes," Chara affirmed softly, "Thank you, miss."
The monster stood, "Please, call me Toriel. Where are your parents, young one? Are you all alone?"
"I don't have any parents," the boy spat bitterly.
Toriel did not know what to say to that, so she simply muttered, "I see. Well, I think it would be a good idea for our scientist to check you over-"
"I'm fine!" Chara argued.
"Yes, yes, but just to be sure," her voice firmly left no room for disagreement, "After that, we can figure out what to do with you. Come now, little one."
"May I come, too, Mamai?" Asriel ran forward and grasped his mother's hand.
"If you would like, that is probably a good idea. So Chara can have someone…familiar, with them."
Both children followed Toriel down a few grey hallways until she stopped at an ornate door, upon which, Asriel's mother knocked. A man's voice could be heard on the other side, muffled, and then footsteps. The door gently opened to reveal what appeared to be a skeleton, dressed in black garb under a stained, white lab coat.
"What might I assist with, your Majesty?" the man bowed, then rose.
"Would you mind looking over this child for me, Doctor? They are a human," she leaned in closer and lowered her voice, "Might you also give them a…psychiatric evaluation, as well?"
"Yes, your Highness," the man said without hesitation.
He approached the human child and knelt down, "Hello, child, I am Dr. Gaster. May you and your friend step into this room with me?"