You winced as you felt yourself come back to consciousness. You wanted nothing more than to keep sleeping, to sink back into the dream world. However, your body just wouldn't allow it. You were waking up whether you wanted it or not.
You opened your eyes and the world came into focus again. Above you was a tan-colored ceiling. You could tell you were in a bed, one of the softest you'd ever slept in. Not a single uncomfortable lump, and it was actually very warm. No wonder you had slept so well.
"You're awake!" You cringed at the sound. You hadn't thought anyone was in there with you. And you recognized the voice well enough. Well, five seconds of peace and quiet was fine.
You managed to sit up, surprised to see that there wasn't any pain in your body. You were a little sore, but otherwise, felt pretty good. If not for the fact that there was that goat kid in front of you, you would have thought falling down that pit was a dream. Your eyes narrowed at the thing that had ruined your rest.
He looked startled. Good. "O-Oh, were you still trying to sleep? S-sorry…" He looked away. "I was just really happy, because even with Mom's healing magic, you still didn't wake up for the past three days, and…" You tuned out after that. Three days? You had been asleep for three days? With a bed this comfortable, that was understandable, but to think you were that hurt. But considering you fell from so high up, you really should have been dead by now.
You flopped back onto your back and stared up at the ceiling again. So you were stuck with the monsters you hadn't believed existed. That was great. Talk about ironic. Though, from what you had seen, these monsters were nothing to be afraid of. This guy anyway was a total crybaby. Not threatening in the slightest.
"So, uh, Chara?" You turned your head to look at him. He had his hands in his pockets, awkwardly, but his eyes were full of curiosity. "You fell from the surface, right? Which means you're a human?" You nodded. No point in lying. However, his face positively lit up. "Wow, so I was right! I can't believe a human is in the Underground!" You turned away. Why did he have to be so loud and enthusiastic?
"C-can you tell me about the Surface?" That question actually made you stop for a second. Why would he care about the Surface? "I mean, I've never been able to see it. But my parents tell me stuff about it sometimes. Is it true that there are little lights in the sky, brighter than any crystal?" You nodded. He only grew more excited. You could have sworn he was about to jump for joy. That would have been even more annoying.
"So, what about seasons? Does it get hot or cold every few months, no matter where you are?" You nodded again, even though his idea of seasons was a bit off. But you just couldn't understand why someone would be so interested in something like that. It was boring. Just regular stuff that happened.
"Why do you care?" You finally managed to say. You didn't like to talk much. It was almost never worth it. But you just had to know why this monster was so excited about basic things like stars and weather.
"Because… that stuff never happens down here…." His face was downcast. You felt a twinge of guilt from seeing this really happy guy brought down to that level of sadness. From what you could tell so far, he was shy, but cheerful. "And we can't go to the Surface ourselves, so I figured asking someone from there would be the best way to figure it out." He turned away. "I-I'm sorry for annoying you."
"Don't be." You couldn't stop yourself from saying even that. Something about him made you want to make him feel better. Maybe he was just that pathetic. Or maybe something else. You didn't understand it at all. But maybe you could.
"What was your name again?"
That shy smile returned to his face as he turned to face you again. "Asriel."
The next few days passed in a blur. Oddly enough, just eating the food that Toriel, Asriel's mom, made caused you to get better. By the next day, even your worst injuries seemed to have healed. Monsters really did have magic or something. They all treated you so nicely. You didn't even have to ask before being given what you needed. It was just so different from what you were used to. But of course, the day came when you were fully healed. And even though you loved staying with the Dreemurr family, you acknowledged the fact that you couldn't just stay with them forever.
It was night when you left the room you and Asriel shared. He was fast asleep, snoring quietly. You couldn't help but think he looked kind of cute, like a stuffed animal. Just with little, harmless fangs. But still, not a care in the world. You would miss him.
You took one last look inside the dark room and shut the door behind you. Down the hall, you could see the lights were still on in the rest of the house. You walked toward the yellow glow, past the front hall where the steps you had never gone down led, and into the study. Asgore was sitting there. The giant of a monster was sitting in a chair that almost looked too small for him, reading a book. He didn't notice your presence until you coughed.
Asgore's face lit up when he saw you, but that only made your throat constrict harder. You would miss that warm smile too. "Oh, Chara. I didn't realize you were still up. Do you need a glass of water?"
You shook your head and looked down. "I... have to go home." You could only barely force yourself to get those words out. It hurt even more now that you said it. Asgore was silent for a moment, but you could hear the slight creak as he stood up.
"Chara... I have to show you something. Come with me." He started walking, past you, and into the front hall. From the glimpse you got of his face, he seemed just as heartbroken as you.
You followed Asgore to the stairs, and then down them. You had been told not to come down these stairs. You had thought there was some terrible secret hidden beneath the house, that you were simply not allowed to see. But now, it looked like you were going to. Asgore led you down a long, dull hallway. Not a single color stained the pure grey walls of stone around you. The walk felt as if it lasted forever. The soul crushing silence didn't help things at all.
Eventually, you could see that the hallway opened up into a much wider space. When you reached it, you were awed with the sight. All around you stretched a sprawling city. You were apparently on a high walkway above the streets. But even from here, you could see monsters who apparently had a late curfew. They didn't take notice of the human and monster above them.
While you stared, Asgore took no notice and kept walking. You ran to catch up to his wide strides. Finally, the two of you came to a large door, which he simply walked through. You followed, and were amazed at the sight. There didn't seem to be any end to the wondrous things you saw down here. You were in a long corridor, made of what looked like pure gold. Moonlight shone in from an unknown source. Asgore continued to walk. You didn't make the same mistake as last time.
At the end of this hallway was another grand door. However, this one led to a much shorter hallway, once again grey. Finally, Asgore turned back to you. "We're almost there. Just a bit longer." You nodded, and he led the way to a plain-looking doorway. What was inside was surprising. It appeared to be a garden, full of beautiful flowers. All of the colors you could imagine decorated the space. You couldn't help but gasp at the sight. It was beautiful. You loved plants, to the point where the small garden you had was the light of your existence on the Surface. Hopefully, those golden flowers would still be around when you got back. But what was even more surprising were the large, ornate, chairs in the center of the circle of flowers. They almost looked like thrones. But they couldn't be, right?
"Do you like it?" Asgore asked. You were surprised to hear his voice. In your wonder, you had forgotten that he was even there. "I spend a lot of time down here, tending the flowers." You nodded, unable to hide the grin on your face. But it soon faded with the realization that you wouldn't be able to spend a second in this garden again. "However, this isn't quite what I wanted to show you. Come."
He continued on, and you followed, lost in your own thoughts. You were starting to regret your decision to leave.
This last trip wasn't long. You were led to another small room, which led into a large doorway. Just standing near it, you could feel something odd coming from it. It felt powerful, and disturbing. However, Asgore stepped right in without missing a beat. You followed, hesitant.
Wait awaited you was something that filled you with confusion and a vague sense of dread. You now stood in a vast white expanse, that seemed to extend forever.
In the distance, you could see a black rectangle. However, it wavered and shifted like a mirage; you couldn't be sure it was even there.
Asgore turned around, a solemn expression on his face. "This is the Barrier, the magical seal that keeps up monsters down here and off the Surface." But, humans can pass through just fine, you waited for him to say. But that never came. "And I'm sorry to say, humans cannot pass through it either." You breath caught in your throat. Asgore noticed this and nodded solemnly. "Yes, child. You cannot leave the Underground. I hate to be the one to tell you this."
That was it. You could never return home. You could never see your family, neighbors, or any human ever again, unless they fell down here like you did. Tears began to well up in your eyes.
"But, if you wish, Chara, you can stay with us. Toriel and I would love to have another child in our family. And Asriel likes you very much. So, if- oof!" You hadn't let him finish that sentence. Before you could even control yourself, you ran straight at the large monster and embraced him in the largest hug you could muster. He felt so soft, and so comforting. You weren't able to stop the tears running down your face.
"Thank you!" You blubbered. And those two words just kept spilling out. You didn't even care how ridiculous you must have looked. You had never felt so happy in your life. "Thank you..." You could feel Asgore's huge hands patting you on the back as he returned the hug.