The Forest
You were at peace drifting between half awake and dead asleep comforted by Toriel's steady breathing coming from the left.
Random thought bubbles emerged from the depths of your mind the smell of the Cinnascotch Pie, Toriel's soft voice reading a story to you, dried leafs crunching under your shoes and the cave before the ruins.
The cave… something at this picture irritated you enough to let your sleepy mind focus on it before it could vanish.
It was gray just rock-gray with some brown spots of dirt and without the slightest trace of the buttercups you remembered.
Letting the image grow bigger in front of your mind's eye you recognized the slope you landed on it was flowerless as well.
Curiosity and the knowledge that Toriel was within arm's reach boosting your bravery you reached out to take the whole though in.
Like a cat jumping at a mouse it enveloped your mind cutting you off from the sound of Toriel's breathing and the reassuring glow of the desk lamp throwing you right into the scene before your mind's eye.
The first thing you felt was the cold ground pinching you with sharp stones then the pain of multiple bruises covering your whole body followed by a sudden strong feeling of surprise as you took in a sharp breath.
The eyes of the dream body started to dart around and the surprise of being alive got quickly surpassed by dread as only sharp rocks and dark threatening cave entrances awaited your gaze.
Startled by the sound of distant steps and laughter breaking the heavy silence you flinched causing a small rock slip that echoed trough the cave and the nearby corridors.
The steps stopped and a female voice asked, "Did one of you hear that too?"
Fear started to crawl up your back as two other voices confirmed the observation of the first one.
Trying to get up you rolled over to one side placing one hand onto the ground for support as the steps sounded again.
Seeing 'your' arm covered in a green sleeve with a single yellow stripe forming a circle around the elbow brought you back to your senses letting you mentally take a step back.
Realization struck you it was just another dream like the one with the fleeing girl.
Armed with this knowledge you tried to turn your head and again the dream head didn't move but your perspective shifted letting you see the dark wall-less room in front of your mind's eye while the cave was still present in your normal vision.
Looking around you expected to see another heart but although you could hear and feel fast beats pulsing through the darkness close by you were unable to locate it. Remembering the end of the last dream you watched closer but the dark figure wasn't present as well.
Focusing on the cave again you felt how 'your' muscles tensed and 'your' weight shifted onto 'your' left arm.
A bolt of blazing pain surged from your lower arm through your spine erasing every thought pulling you back into the cave.
Audible in a cry of agony your distress resonated from the walls prompting the steps to speed up.
Another voice masculine this time stated concerned, "It sounds like it came from over here."
Using your other arm you managed to sit up before a fast small thing entered the cave stopped in front of you and voiced its greetings, "Oh! Hello there. Who are you?"
It looked like a goat about your size but it stood on two feet and and talked.
Examining your ill-treated body it asked stepping a bit closer, "Are you okay?"
Still supporting yourself with your good arm you raised the other one to stop its approach.
Misreading the gesture it grabbed your hand, "Here let me help," and pulled with surprising strength.
For one moment your whole weight hung on one arm then something in your fore arm snapped with a deafening crack. You don't know if the sound scared it or the sudden surge of pain was visible in your face but it let go of your hand and you dropped back to the ground as waves of agony raged trough your body paralyzing every muscle.
Between your painful whimpers you heard it call for help, "MOM HELP THEY ARE HURT!"
Someone came you felt heavy steps shaking the ground behind you and-
A strong wave of irritation struck you yanking the dream away leaving you in the dark room with the small shadowy figure right in front of you.
It was a bit taller than you covered in dark waving shadows emitting waves of irritation with slight traces of anger conveying you the feeling as had you taken its crayons without asking.
Opening your mouth you tried to apologize but instead of the words a wave composed of guilt flowed over to your opponent.
Pure surprise flowed back to you as it hadn't really expected you to answer.
For one moment no one of you moved then it slowly raised a hand as to great you.
Mirroring its behavior your hand raised as well.
It waved to you and you waved back.
Now moving closer it extend an arm to you but before it was even close you felt something nudging your shoulder and heard Toriel calling for you, "Rise and shine little one. It's time to get up."
She didn't knew when it happened but at some point in the night they abandoned the plushie and moved over to her and she in motherly reflex put her arm around them.
Now she didn't dared to move to not wake them. They looked so peaceful not a single nightmare had bothered them so far although their breath was a bit faster than usual in the last minutes but now it was again slow and steady.
Looking over to the wall clock besides the door she decided it was now time to get going.
Nudging their shoulder carefully she whispered into their ear, "Rise and shine little one. It's time to get up."
Starting to emerge from the unknown depths of sleep they groaned and tried to move away from the disturbance but were unable to get very far as her arm was still holding them so they simply rolled around.
Trying not to laugh on this adorable sight she nudged them again and whispered, "There will be pancakes with jelly."
That worked opening their eyes a confused look appeared on their face as they noticed their altered position and her arm around them.
Standing up she shooed them out of the bed to take a bath while she was preparing the breakfast.
Washed and changed to your blue sweater with purple stripes (one around the belly the chest and each upper/lower arm) and your blue trousers you enjoyed the sweat taste of pancakes bathed in jelly while Toriel still wearing her sleeveless nightdress was rummaging through the house packing stuff into a big backpack.
Finishing the pancakes you waited for her to notice you so she would put you back to the ground not that you weren't able to climb down on your own but Toriel got this worried look when you did this at one time so you waited.
Coming back from the hallway she added your plushie and some spare clothes to the content of the already well filled backpack before she took notice from you.
Approaching she remarked, "Already done I see," and grabbed you around your waist, "Ok and down we go."
Being placed onto the floor you noticed something you overlooked yesterday in the dim light of Toriel's room.
Pointing at her arm this time not covered in the long sleeve of her dress you asked in childish curiosity, "Scar?"
Covering the pale line between the fur on her right lower arm with the left hand she retorted quickly, "Oh that is nothing," trying to play it down she continued, "Just a little accident in the kitchen a long time ago nothing to worry about."
Seeing you still starring at her she added, "Uh why don't you look at the shelf in your room for some comfy boots while I go and refresh myself?"
This words spoken she vanished into the direction of the bathroom leaving you still wondering about the scar.
Shrugging of the feeling that you missed some important detail you followed her advise and walked to your room.
Keeping your time in the room as short as possible always observing the darkness under the bed with one eye you grabbed the first pair of boots that would fit and hurried back to the living room.
After Toriel refreshed herself and finished packing she added a long purple scarf with blue stripes and red gloves to your outfit before she strapped the backpack on. Looking down at you making sure she got your attention she declared the rules for the trip, "Okay Frisk listen carefully."
Her using your name meant that it was serious so you listened extra carefully.
"Stay close to me at all time."
Ok.
"If you lose me call me immediately," bending down she showed you a small cell phone, "Just push the button with the number one on it for four seconds," ensuring you got that she put it into your pocket.
"Don't talk to strangers."
Stranger danger.
"Never ever tell anyone that you are a human."
Why?
"Frisk. Do you understand?"
No you don't understand why you shouldn't tell but you nod because the instruction is clear although the meaning is unknown to you.
"Good then follow me."
To your surprise she guided you down the stairs into the cellar instead leaving through the front door.
The excitement of finally seeing the cellar was quickly suffocated by the reality of ordinary things neatly arranged on big shelves covered in dust.
Crossing an unremarkable door in one of the walls Toriel led you deeper into the ruins through seemingly endless similar corridors until she stopped in front of a big door.
Two mighty pillars framed the sides of the double door supporting a bigger stone in the shape of an arc featuring the same emblem as Toriel's dress.
The sight of the winged circle above starring back at you felt you with awe although it looked a bit threatening with the tree triangles beneath (the outer two pointing up and the middle one down) reminding you of sharp fangs in an one eyed face lurking for unwary wanderers.
Toriel hesitated for a second then stepped forward and pulled both halves of the door open letting in ice cold winds that howled trough the corridor eager to conquer the warm air inside the ruins.
Grabbing your hand Toriel crossed the invisible border between the ruins and whatever was outside of it with one firm step.
A feeling like static electricity crawled over your body as it moved over the threshold slowing it down until half of it had passed then it pushed you out. Out into the snow.
It looked like a postcard a thick forest covered in snow so white confectioners would murder to get this shade of icing on their cakes.
Darting from left to right your eyes tried to see it all as Toriel still holding your hand in a solid grip guided you along an for you eyes invisible path that led away from the double door deeper into the forest.
He was a bit late but that was no issue since the lady was mostly late as well. Taking the last long step he arrived on the free area in front of the cave wall.
"that's funny someone forgot to lock the door"
Stepping closer he could see right into the corridor behind the large double door it was empty besides two weak tracks punched inside the dust.
Following the diffuse tracks with his eyes he cursed himself for not coming earlier just this one time as he was unable to follow the footprints after they reached the threshold because the falling snow had already covered them.
Leaning forward he shouted into the corridor, "hellooooo?"
Only the echo answered him. "ooo ooo ooo"
Considering his options he hesitated for a moment then extended one arm to the corridor.
His hand stopped exactly over the threshold as it had hit an invisible barrier.
Testing the consistence of the obstacle his magic flowed through his fingers and collided with the bright burning power stretched over the door frame and the entire cave wall.
"yikes that burns."
Although the door as its main focus was reversed in its meaning from keeping anything out to letting everyone in and with its main source of power gone the spell was still solid like a brick wall preventing even the small snowflakes from entering the ruins.
Ignoring the throbbing in his left eye he pressed additional cold force into the waving magic net of geometric patterns hindering his progress.
The silent fight continued quite a while before he took a step back. Breathing heavily the exhausted look on his face transformed into a smile.
It didn't budge but whatever refreshed the energy's of the ban seemed to take time out this month and the open door would drain the remaining power in a matter of hours rather than days.
Producing a cell phone from his blue hoodie he quickly called a number from his short list.
After two rings an annoyed female voice answered with a brusque, "WHAT?"
It was dark and the wind howled outside of the wooden cabin.
After marching the entire day she decided to rest here for the night Frisk didn't complain they were exhausted and already asleep in one of the sleeping bags after she administered another vial filled with medicine.
Sitting in the darkness listening to the slow and steady breathing of the child her thoughts wandered back in time as her fingers touched absent-minded the scar on her right lower arm.
The memory still hurt like it happened yesterday.
They had fallen down before Frisk a girl as well but taller.
She remembered for her it was a normal day like any other she made sure that the child stayed inside where they were safe, she couldn't risk that they left and died as the other five.
How wrong she was at this time.
Making a detour to refresh the spell after purchasing grocery's she nearly stumbled over them.
With the black hair shirt and trousers they were nearly invisible in the poorly lit corridor only the red ribbon around her ponytail and the white skin prevented her from blending completely into the shadows.
Surprised by the sudden encounter she demanded to know, "Child what are you doing here!?"
They flinched on the sound of her voice and she foolishly assumed they were just scared of the surroundings.
Stepping closer she declared, "It is not safe outside my child. You must return back home now."
Seeing her approaching they shouted, "Stay back!"
She ignored the child's request they were just scared and she knows best to keep them safe.
As they saw her still coming closer they raised one on of her sharp kitchen knifes in a defending manner.
Later she would find out that they used it to break the lock on the front door to escape.
She froze on this sight. What were they doing that thing was sharp enough to hurt them severely!
"Child what is the meaning of this? Did someone attack you so that you had to flee?"
Face alternating between insecurity and fear they stated, "Nobody attacked me but I'll now go back home to the surface. Don't follow me!"
She sighed the poor child didn't they understand that it wasn't safe out there and that they must stay to be protected? "We already talked about this it is to dangerous outside for you to leave."
Even her calm patient voice didn't soothe them as they shouted, "NO! You just blocked every discussion about this! I won't let you trap me here for any longer!"
She didn't think about the child's perspective at this time for her it was keep them in and the doors locked so that they would be safe but for the child it was nothing more than a golden cage.
A lonely cage.
Voice brittle they whispered, "I just wanna go back home."
The knife trembled.
She took a step closer they took a step back.
"But child this is your home now."
They shouted again, "NO IT ISN'T! I wanna back to my home! To my Parents! TO PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT ME!"
That hurt but they didn't mean it they were just frightened.
Another step forward another step back they were now standing with their back to the wall.
"But child I care about you please let us forget about this and go home."
She extended her arm. "Please give me the knife you shouldn't play with that it could hurt you."
They pressed themself against the wall. "Stay back!"
She would see this moment again and again in her darkest nightmares every time shouting at her past self to stop to take a step back to let them space to breath to calm down but not once in her dreams the events changed she would always take the next step and murder the child.
This time as well her past self took the step and reached for the knife sealing the fate of the child.
Screaming in fear they wielded the knife in panic against her right arm cold steal biting into warm flesh bathing in red blood.
More in surprise than actual pain she flinched back taking in a sharp breath.
That was the second mistake.
For the child there was now a big monster hissing in furry creeping back to lunge at her.
Letting go of the knife they run for dear life and nothing could stop them.
She followed them she pleaded them she warned them of the danger ahead and she promised them everything but they didn't stop.
She was just a couple of steps behind them when the old floor cracked open and swallowed them whole.
Just a short glance down was enough to confirm their death as the small body was surrounded by a fast growing red puddle emitting from a pointy dent on the not longer moving chest part of their shirt.
She couldn't even bury them as the body was already gone when she had back tracked to get to the lower level taken by monsters greedy for the fame of capturing a human soul all that was left was the puddle and the red ribbon fallen of on the impact.
She had done anything to protect them but in the end their dead was her fault alone.
Feeling again tears of regret watering her eyes she raised her arm to wipe them away.
The sound of one of the empty ketchup bottles laying around anywhere in the cabin getting thrown to one of the walls by her sudden movement brought her back to the present.
Checking that Frisk was not awakened by the sound she saw the first days with them again in her mind.
She determined to not let them grow on her as she was convinced that they would leave her without a second thought and them trying their best to be a good child getting more and more frightened by her reserved behavior until they broke down when she confronted them.
She did her best after that to be them a good substitute mother carefully avoiding to repeat the same mistakes making sure they were not confined by her urge to protect them or were hurt by a monster.
It turned out well in the beginning both of them opened up and it was just like in the old times with her first children.
And now the two of them were here resting in the forest they terrible ill and she angst-ridden to lose them.
She knew it was dangerous to leave the ruins everyone out there would be after their soul either out of greed or for the 'good' cause but she would rather take on the whole underground than loosing another child to poison.
Bending over she stroke some loose hairs out of their face and checked their breathing again before she would rest as well.
For you the next day started as dull as the last ended as the two of you advanced further into the forest.
At least it was now easier to walk since someone or rather a lot of someones had created a depth beaten track over night.
The only thing that distracted your mind from the boring white nothingness all around you was the question what Toriel meant with the sentence "I see news still travel fast down here," when she saw the fresh paw prints in the snow.
But as you found no solution to this puzzle your mind started to get side tracked with unimportant stuff until you just kept going without thinking at all.
Falling onto your shoulder Toriel's hand stopped you with a firm grip.
Emerging from the dull state of mind you were in you saw a wide snow less gray area covering the whole path in front of you.
There is nothing why did she stop me?
Mentioning you to stay behind Toriel stepped onto the plane surface one arm extended to test the air in front of her.
At first nothing happened so she took another step.
A bright bolt of sparkling electricity struck her arm propelling her backwards into the snow.
Gasping in concern you raced to her side.
Her arm looked unharmed but she didn't move.
Bending down to get a closer look you heard her mumbling.
There were a lot of words and things you never heard of she was promising to do to whoever build this "...incredible dumb waste of space that I will melt down and pour right into-"
Opening her eyes she stopped the stream of funny words as she noticed you looking down at her.
"Oh hey there little one," sitting up she moved her unharmed arm up and down before your eyes, "Don't worry it was just a little shock no harm done."
Standing up she grabbed your hand, "But I think it would be the best if we avoid stepping onto that thing."
After she led you around the "incredible dumb waste of space" the boring hike continued.
Placed in irregular distances there were more cabins in various styles and shapes besides the way each one connected with a smaller track onto the bigger track.
Toriel's left foot slipping on a field of ice broke the monotonous cycle of step after step once again.
Sitting now on her back various emotions cycled over her face as her gaze wandered over the ice and then to the garden hose that was used to create it.
Grinding her teeth looking like she had one or two things to say about this she got back up and grabbed your hand again.
"Stay close my child I don't want you to trip."
At first you tried to walk normally but let quickly go of this plan as your feet just slithered away on every movement.
Being dragged over the ice you looked down in curiosity how Toriel managed to walk so easily on this slippery surface.
Uprising streams of steam answered your question using her magic the ice simply vaporized on the slightest touch of her soles.
The next hour was again quite boring and the strain of the long walk started to slow you down with each passing second but you didn't complain because you were a good child.
Having an eye on the child struggling to keep up she slowed her steps down and started to consider her options.
'Nightfall' wasn't far she had to think about a shelter.
The cabins would be an obvious choice but although they were empty every single one had at least one sign of the royal guard carved into a wall or the door marking them in her eyes unsafe for the child.
Perhaps I could improvise a tent with the blankets in the backpack?
Shaking her head this thought was ruled out by the climate.
Possible but it isn't sure that such a tent would be able to hold enough warmth for them to survive.
She looked at her hand.
A large fire would be another option but it could be seen from afar and it would require me to support it through the entire night meaning that I would be to exhausted if someone tried to attack them.
Regardless how she looked at it the cabins were the safest way to guarantee their survival.
Suddenly the child stumbled but managed to catch themself before they could fall.
In reflex flexed muscles relaxing she hesitated.
They are exhausted but we can't rest here.
I could carry them.
Doubts tackled her as she followed this thought.
But they always tense up when I lift them except when they're to sleepy to care.
Would they be scared too if I announce it before I pick them up?
She opened her snout then closed it again.
They wouldn't see it as a question. They would see it as an order.
Clenching her fists the image of the girl knife raised in defense pressing herself against the corridor wall appeared before her mind's eye forbidding every thought of unasked action.
Preoccupied with her concerns and fears she noticed the figure in the black coat armed with a two-handed axe blocking the path to late to avoid it.