Hot air outside was stuffy like being inside an oven. Those who were not used to the smothering and claustrophobic heat could find Hotland to be an unwelcoming dry, hot place to live. It didn't help that it was the weekend, in the midafternoon it would be packed with monsters from other regions. All of them would be heading towards the MTT Resort or desperately trying to get a ticket to see one of the live showings of Mettaton. During those times of the day, the human-skeleton would stay indoors with her scaly mother. It wasn't because of fear of the sweaty bodies touching her or the overwhelming heat of too many bodies pushed together like a sardine can. It was a simple fact that large groups made her anxiety run high. It was still early in the morning so there were only a few monsters to deal with as they rushed to get to work on time.

The seaming hot smooth ground turned into rocky steps as Arial took a left turn at the fork in the road, down steps that led down to a darkened cavern. There, only sources of light were many glowing red sticks imbed in the black craven wall. Under the black fox mask, she smiled to herself when the path ends at the river bank. No one here waiting for the riverboat which was a relief. She hated the weird feeling when strangers felt the need to say something to her, like being in an elevator. It was usually the mundane small talk about the weather or any obvious statement that didn't need to be said out loud. Why couldn't people just simply nod their head to acknowledge each other's presence and leave it at that? This is probably why she enjoyed Grillby's company. Both of them didn't like drawing too much attention to themselves. They liked standing in the shadows admiring the world around them.

A light splashing of water hit the edge of the rocky ground of the river bank as she started to board the little boat. The girl shivered and took a few steps back. For others, the sound of water had a calming effect, but for her, it was a bit unsettling. Arial couldn't explain why she felt that way. She tried going to Waterfall alone as a child. The whole time her heart wouldn't stop racing and the tiny voice screaming in the back of her skull saying to leave the region. In one of the Waterfall caverns, there was a room with a piano. Arial smiled at the memory of herself sitting at a piano, trying to learn the song that her lost creator taught her to calm the soul. Remembering herself carefully pushing each note one by one.

Out of nowhere, a short hooded figure in a raincoat and gloves, took a seat next to her as she sat down in the boat. They started to play music for her. Ariel was a bit terrified at first until they took off the glove and placed a fiery orange-yellow hand over her black glove. Words were not needed to know it was her best friend that was next to her. It was hard to explain, but her soul knew the difference between Grillby's flames and other fire monsters. The flames were more orange tint than red and the warmth of his touch always made her feel safe.

Ariel still wore her black fox mask so her blushing face was hidden from the world. It started off as an innocent childhood memory of Grillby but quickly turned to a flashback of the lewd dream she previously had. What was wrong with her? They were just friends. The tiny voice started to tell her to go to Grillby's while her own timid voice told her to go to the Ruins to collect the human. Arial's muffled screams echo inside the mask, a painful throbbing feeling had started burning within her heart. It was as if her soul was waging a war on its own self.

"Tra la la….Care for a ride?...Where will we go today?…Snowdin?"

"NO!" Arial shouted at the top of her lungs as her whole body give out from under her and fell towards the river. Black gloved hands reached out and caught the girl in time. The sound of her dress shoes tapping against a wooden floor as the gloved hands careful placed the girl onto the wooden boat. There before her was tall black hoodie figure. "Thank you…. Mr. River Person" speaking in a muffled voice as she turned her head away slightly out of embarrassment.

The hood monster nods his head patting the girl softly on the head. Its head darted side to side looking for any other passengers to board the boat. "Tra la la…Good morning….Miss Arial Skeleton Dino" the River Person said in gravelly male voice.

"How did you know…I never wore this before" Arial said sliding the fox mask to the side of her head so it was easier to speak to the hooded creature.

"Call it a hunch….Snowdin correct… Tra la la?"

"Not today"

" Tra la la …Are you really sure you don't want to see Mr. Grillby Flame, today?"

"I'm sure, Mr. Charon …Could you take me somewhere off your usual routing." Arial asked smiling sweetly at the hooded monster. The River Person had always been referred as the River Person to most of the Underground, due to the fact they never revealed their gender or information about themselves to anyone. Human-skeleton was not bright like Alphys when it came to science and nerdy stuff, but she did have a passion to learn about the different monster culture. One best way to learn about it was through mythology and lore. Sure it was mostly all written by humans but it did help figure out who the River Person may have been once upon a time. It only started off as a simple a joke, called him Charon, because he was a hooded ferryman. Instead of transporting the dead, it was monsters. Which kind of made him freak out the first time she said his name out loud and told her to keep quiet about it in return he would give robes shield her identity. Which she agreed and had keep promise for the last eight years. It didn't mean she wouldn't ask him for a favor from time to time to use his magical ability to transport.

"Pity…Where would Miss Dino like to go then… Tra la la?" Charon sighed which quickly turned into a snicker.

"Closest you can to the Ruins, please," Arial asked him kindly with a smile while sitting down. Charon was not her friend at all, but it was best to be polite when dealing with an ancient creature. She was not sure how much Greek mythology was true about him or how he came to the Underground. She really didn't want to know either out fear if she pressed him too much for information she would wind up somewhere more hellish then the river of lava in Hotland.

" Tra la la…Why do you want to go there?" Charon asked cocking their hood to the side in curiosity, looking back at the child's request.

"It's a secret," Arial replied as her eye lowered while digging into her massager bag before extending it out in front of her, holding up three silver coins. Traveling regular river route between Snowdin, Waterfall, and Hotland were free for passengers which were paid by the King, but special trips required money. A gloved hand quickly grabs the coins from her and tosses it into the blackness of Charon's hood. Arial always hated this part as she covered her ears as a loud grinning noise mixed with the sound of nails on a chalkboard echo out of Charon's hood.

The boat slowly raised from the water as two tiny feet sprouted from underneath each side. Arial grasped the edge of the wooden seat as it started to speed down the river. Giggling a bit as cooling waters splashed on to the boat and few drips lightly touched the side of her face. Once they were far away from the river dock and out of sight, Charon placed a hand on the longbow of the boat, shaped into a dog face as yellow magic traveled down their finger cast over the boat and all habitats aboard into the light. Everything around them fuzzed out into blackness then bright whiteness which caused Arial to shut her eye for a moment or two. Slowly opening the eye to find the boat had stopped next to a red fishing rod affixed to the ground and a gray rocky path surround by snow. The cold freezing wind nipped at her exposed cheek causing her human side to shiver. She started to miss her heavy, warm, and black robe dearly. Maybe she could borrow one from Charon? She looked up at him to speak but stopped as a dark aura loomed around her.

"Tra la la…Just thinking about another raven-haired child…Poor dear….She doesn't know when to quit…" Charon spoke as the tall hooded body cast a shadow on the girl. Two yellow orbs beamed from inside the darkness of the hood while a gloved hand point at the girl's chest. "I could help you end this game of misfortune…but it would cost you more than a few simple coins….Tra la la"

"Um…No, Thank you…I need to get going…" Arial said shaking her head no, as her body started rattling while she stood up quickly darting out of the hooded man's reach and hopped on the rocky ground. She was not sure what was going on, but her soul was telling her it was time to leave before she regretted it. When she felt like she was a few feet away from him, she turns around quickly and took hold of the side of her black shirt and bowed her head. "Have a good day…Mr. River Person." She called out before running off.

"Tra la la…Stay clear of any rosy cheek children…Tra la la.

Arial didn't look back to ask what he meant by those last words as she kept on walking, not sure where she was going. The only thing she knew was the gate to the Ruins were located somewhere in the snowy forest. She knew this because Alphys kept hidden cameras in a bush located next to the gate's door. Why didn't she grab a map of Snowdin before leaving home? Stupid! She would have asked Charon how to get there, but purple soul wanted to get far away from him and the water. "FLOWEY" she cried hoping the demonic flower was nearby to help her find the place.

"What took you so long, idiot?" Flowey grumbled as a yellow-white oval face popped out from under the snow. Arial rolled her left eye and leaned over to ruffle the yellow petals. The flower hissed pushing the girl's hand away before sinking himself back into the snow and reappearing a yard away. "FREAK!" he yelled, waving a leaf asking the girl to follow him.

Arial heavily sighs walking over to Flowey. When she was only a few inches away from him, he sinks back into the ground, before popping up farther down the path. This keeps repeating until they came to a dead end in their path. There in front of them was a dark mass of purple rock wall that appeared to have no end to high and one entrance made of two doors, which bears the Delta Rune. Arial didn't like the look of this. Alphys had always told her to stay clear of anything bearing the royal family crest. "I'm sorry, mom." She thought as a few tears fell from her eyes. This was the girl's last chance to set everything right. Telling herself, whatever happens, no matter the cost, it was all for her loved one's sake. Her hands trembled with fear as she placed one on each door. There was no telling what was on the other side, but somewhere inside had to be the human child. Taking a deep breath, before slowly releasing it out of her lung as she presses hard on the purple doors of the Ruins. Pushing forward as hard as she could, her feet started digging deep into the snowy ground. Arial screamed in frustration pushing hard on the door, but it would not budge and there were no handles to pull it forward or back. "It's not, opening!" Arial groaned feeling around the doors in hopes there was a clue or keypad to help them get inside.

"Say knock…knock," Flowey whispered

"What?"

"Just do it!" Flowey barked in a low voice.

"Knock…Knock!" Arial called out while tapping on the door. A light rustling could be heard going on inside the cave as she placed an ear on the icy cold stone. "Could that be the Keeper, inside?" she wondered pressing her ear closer to the door.

"Oh, my…Your voice is new …Oh, I'm sorry….Who's there?" a female voice spoke from the other side of the door. The voice had a familiar smooth softness to it. Where did Arial hear that voice before? The human-skeleton backed away looking down at the flower, which was making waving gestures with his leaf for her to keep going.

"Adore."

"Adore who?"

"Adore stands between us, please open up!"

"That is good one Miss…I'm sorry I can't"

"It's Arial…Why not?"

"I need to keep my child safe."

A Child? Could the Keeper be referring to the human child? If so, this reminded her of Alphys taking pity on a child that didn't belong in the Underground. No, pity was not the word; it was unconditional love for their adopted children to keep them safe. Even if Arial was an abomination, she was not a heartless monster that would take a dear child from their mother. "What would Gaster have done?"a tiny scornful voice spoke within her soul. The girl sighed in agreement gripping her shaky human left arm. Her creator would put all feeling to the side and do what was needed. Take the child to King Asgore. Free the Underground. Don't look back."You kind of sound like my mom when I tried leaving the la….house alone for the first time…She was so scared. I told her I loved her and I would return… It was importation that I see the world on my own …The Underground can be a scary place, but it can also be amazing too."

"My child is different from the rest of the Underground...I fear there will be monsters who would wish to harm my child"

"Miss Keeper…I know how it is to be different…. I'm still terrified to let others see my true appearance...I can't even….." Arial bit her bottom lip slightly and lifted her head from the stone door. Legs trembled a bit and she wants to run away, but the purple soul encourager her to stay and persist. Monsters deserved to be free, especially Sans and Papyrus. Shouldn't they be able to sleep under same stars as the humans? Papyrus dreamed of capturing a human and becoming popular, but his soul was too soft to ever let any harm come to anyone. She had a feeling Sans could do it, but she didn't want to stain his soul with the dark task.

"Young lady, are you alright…What is it little…"

Arial's mind was pulled away from her thought as something tugged on the end of her black shirt. The demonic flower was looking up at her with his gray oval face and huge yellow teeth grinning. The girl's body was petrified as she was lost for words. This creature looked like her ex-friend, Flowey but there was dark hate flowing around him. Is this, what happens to soulless creature driven by only determination? A vine sprouted out in front of him then carved the word 'Love' into the snow. The plant's black oval eyes turned bloody red as a vine wrapped around Ariel's arm pulling her down to devil's body leave. "It's kill or be killed" chilling laughter echoed into the girl's ear.

"You naive child... If you leave the RUINS... They... ASGORE... Will kill you. I am the only one protecting you, do you understand?...You want me to invite the girl inside...What if…You have a point… Miss Arial, what led you here my dear?"

Flowey's gray face slowly turns to a bony white as it twisted into a round face of Sans. Arial slowly nods her head looking back to the Ruin doors. Guessing by the sound of the Keeper's voice, she must have been talking to the child. Part of Arial wanted to laugh hysterically at what she was about to do. Standing up straight before looking one more time at the word in the snow. Some would think it's a simple word expressing a warm feeling of endearment, but here in the Underground it had another meaning, 'Level of Violence'. "My older brother…He told me he had a friend that lived in the Runes." Arial lied, using her dress shoe to brush snow to cover the word before sliding the black fox mask over her face.

The ground shakes slightly, as the purple doors slowly wiggled opened. Arial took a few steps back at the sight of the creatures that appeared in the doorway. One of them was anthropomorphic goat monster wearing a long purple robe that displays the Delta Rune on her chest. Beside her, holding onto one of her fluffy white paws was a human child who wore a striped purple-blue shirt, blue pants, and brown shoes. Cold sweat trickled down the human-skeleton's spine while she bends her knees and bows her head in respected to the creature and the child. In the corner of her eye, she could see the angelic smile spread across the human's face. This made her purple soul feel uneasiness in the presence of the child. They were not giving off any strong dark aura, it seemed like they were hiding something by masking it with a fake smile. It was giving Arial the heebie-jeebies. Could this be how Flowey felt when she would smile for him to mask her pain and fears? She wants to ask him but didn't bother to look down to ask, already guessing that coward had slithered back underground soon as the ruin doors had started to open.

"So my Pun Friend's little sister…Do you like puns too child?" the Keeper smiled with concern in her voice while extending her free paw for Arial to take. She didn't fully trust the young monster, but her child seemed to. She couldn't remember the last time she enjoyed sharing puns with another female.

"Joker is my brother media …I don't think outside the fox once in a while" Arial giggled holing up her bony hand for the offered paw to take. She was expecting a simple respectable handshake, but instead, a hand gripped onto her hand as her body was quickly pulled into the Ruins. The goat monster released both the children's hands before placing a white paw on each of the doors. The bright morning light of Snowdin slowly disappeared behind doors. Arial's heart sunk at the sound of the clinking of a metal latch, locking the door completely shut.

"I hope you like butterscotch cinnamon pie." Toriel smiled, taking each of the children's hands and dragged them down a long hallway. Not even noticing the sound of bones shaking a bit as Arial looked over her shoulder as at the exit doors became father way. It was hard to explain, but she felt like a small child again being trapped and confined in a place she did not want to be. Part of her wanted to scream turn back, but other half keep quite as they went up a flight of stairs. Wooden floorboards creaked under their feet as they entered a large living space with a reading chair next to a small fireplace. Nearby was a bookcase filled with joke and pun titles Arial never heard of. Her inner bookworm wanted desperately to curl up in a cozy chair and lose herself in a sea of bone tickling words spread across each page, nicely tucked inside the books. The voice within her soul told her this was not time get sidetracked.

Toriel motion for the children to take a seat at the large dining table before disappearing into another room that appeared to be the kitchen. The fear of never seeing the outside world staring wash over Arial as she noticed the human child was expressing the same emotion she had while living with her creator. No matter how much you try asking to leave, they would not let you out.

"Frisk" the human child smiled, bowing before carefully taking girl's skeleton hand. Sweetly placing a quick, light kiss on the hand.

"Arial" She muffled behind her mask blushing a bit as the child took a seat next to her.

"There you go, dears" Toriel smiled placing a slice of pie and tea in front the children. A frown spread across her face noticing that the girl was still wearing the fox mask. She thought the child was being very rude to not at least try some of her pie after she put all of her motherly love into making it. Her large white paws reach around the front of the girl's face and carefully started to lift the mask up. A trembling bony hand quickly placed over the paw trying to force the mask back down. "It's alright dear I won't judge...You can't eat, with that silly thing on…Oh my, star child" goat monster gasped, taking a few steps back at the sight of the teenage girl's skull with left side partly covered with human flesh.

Arial quickly grabs her mask back and put on side her face before placing her hands on the table as she started to rise from the chair. Her body became heavy as white furry paws pressed on her shoulder causing her to crumble back into her chair. Without wasting time, Toriel pulled her and her chair into a tight hug while nuzzling the side of her face.

"Noooooo…It's alright…You wouldn't happen to be Gaster's little one?" the Keeper asked sweetly.

"How did you…" Arial asked trying again to stand up but couldn't budge an inch as the furry arms bound her to the chair. Hugs were meant to be warm and comforting, not intimidating.

"I thought so… You look like her…I guess my pun friend was Sans then…It's such a small world…"

"Miss Keeper?"

"You can call me, Aunt Toriel, my child…You should drink some tea. It's getting cold… Now…You said you had a mother earlier…Does that mean Gaster took on another soulmate?"

"No. He has been gone for ten years, She, my adopted mother…How long have you been here?" Arial asked carefully blowing the tea before taking a sip. The drink was slightly bitter with a hint of honey, warm, and smooth. Toriel appeared to be fragile, but the girl was starting to see why Flowey had asked for her help. The goat monster had an overprotective mother complex.

"Twelve years…Does King Asgore know you're alive? Is your mother a Royal Scientist?"

Arial's hand shaked a little as she placed the teacup back onto the table. She was starting to feel an unpleasant sensation of dizziness in her head while her body slouched over. Could it be she was low on magical energy? She was a bit hungry, but not enough to make her feel sluggish. "I don't think so…Why do you ask?" she asked taking a bit of the pie, hoping that would help.

"Is she?"

"Yes!"

"Then I'm sorry…I can't let either of you, children leave…" Toriel said slowly releasing her grip on Arial. "Let's see…You can stay in Frisk's room until I finish renovations in the other room…That should do…" Toriel spoke to herself as her voice started to travel off in thought as she started to walk away from the children.

"Wait? You can't keep me here...My mom and brothers are going to be wondering where I am." Arial leaped out of her chair, knocking some energy out of herself. Her body trembles a bit as her hands slide across the edge of the table using them to prop herself up as she slowly tried to walk towards Toriel. "What did yo…" the girl lost all concentration of thought as her body quickly shut down.

"I'm sorry again Ali…Arial, I promise to keep you safe this time….both of you…" Toriel said catching the girl in time while slowly placing her limp body on the ground. "I'm going to destroy the door so no one can ever leave…Please stay here…Look after her, Frisk" Toriel demanded as she placing a hand on the stair rail beginning to descend down the stairs.

"Mom...Please don't!" Frisk cried racing over and grabbing the back of Toriel's dress. The goat mother deeply sighed and carefully pushed the little human off of her. The child followed her down the steps pleading with her over and over to reconsider her plans.

"Frisks, I have to, child… His plan cannot be allowed to succeed…Be good little one, won't you? "she asked pulling the small child into a caring hug. A dark chilling aura drifted into the hallways. A gasp escaped Toriel's lips as she looked over Frisk's shoulder to see bones illuminated by purple light, hovering all around them. The air filled with bloodlust as a purple flame of hatred glared at them.

"NO! You can't keep us here…We will never belong to your family…" Arial's voice cried down the hallway. Her lips turned into a wicked smile. Her right arm raised into the air. Toriel quickly leans over and pulled Frisk in a hug shielding the child from danger. The halls echoed with screaming as bone pierced into Toriel's shoulder bone.

"Why are you doing this, my child?...I only want to help you."

"I HATE ALL YOU DREEMURRS," Arial yelled as bone cut the side of Toriel's left cheek.

"Why?...I see" Toriel coughed looking up and noticing tears dripping down the side of the girl's human face. Biting her bottom lip, Toriel carefully raised herself trying to block out the pain throbbing from her shoulder. A smile spread across her face while red blood dripped down the side. "I'm sorry, child, but I only want to keep all of you safe." she slid in front of Frisk, cupping a fireball.

Toriel breathed heavily staring at the sharp bones still hovered over her head then at human-skeleton before her. It had been millennium scent she had a battle a monster could use skeleton magic. Try to burn magical bone would be tricky, seeing would be moving at speed to fast for fire stay latch on. The only way to defeat the girl would use physical strength. How was she going to get close to the girl when she had to shield Frisk? "Child I need you do your best avoid the attacks." She spoke in a low voice as fireballs surround her body before aiming towards the human-skeleton.

Toriel fired flames toward Ariel. The girl rolled her eye in disappointment when the flames were blocked by bones that flew in front of her. Without warning, something white and furry smacked her hard across the left cheek. The taste of iron dripped down the side of her lip as she recovered from the sudden blow. Her eye caught sight of burning anger coming from dark crimson eyes.

"You're being a naughty child right now…Do you think your mothers would want blood on your hands." Toriel snapped, the dark red irises glaring into the girl's soul. A white paw gripped the child's shoulder tightly, with her other hand starting to swing towards Ariel's cheek to strike her a few more times. The sight of purple tears forming in the girl's eye causes the goat monster to finally stop her attack. Looking down, she could see Arial's hand turned into a fist and rub it in a circular motion across her chest close to the heart. Toriel nods her head before pulling the girl into a comforting hug. She couldn't blame the child for being angry with the Royal family even if she was not Queen anymore. It was still partly her fault for some of the misfortune that had fallen on the skeleton family. "It's alright dear…Aunt Toriel's not going to hurt you anymore…I'm sorry too." Speaking in a calm motherly voice she softly pets the child's raven hair.

Arial's body became heavy as it lends into the purple dress. Licking some of the blood from her lips and groan a bit at the soreness in her left cheek. No more words were spoken between them as the goat monster smiled, carefully kneeling down while still hugging the girl. The purple flames disappeared from the human-skeleton's right eye socket as her human eyelid closed. Opening her eye for a moment and noticing Frisk racing towards them then closed again. Opening her eye slightly for a second to notice a rosy cheek child beaming down at her with a twisted smile. Her mouth slightly moved to speak a name that was familiar, but time was up as she drifted off into a soulless sleep.

"Mom!"

"Are you feeling alright dear?"

Her eyelids slowly opened as Arial looked blankly up to find Toriel smiling down at her. Nodding her head slightly as she slowly raising her head from the comfort of the older woman's lap. Behind them was the exit doors, out of the Ruins.

"It's time for both you to go…Arial, I hope you and Sans can look after Frisk for me."

"You're… let…ting us go?" Arial chocked a bit at the sight of a large dark wet spot soaked in Toriel's clothing. Her trembling hand reaches up to touch but was quickly stopped as a paw grasped her wrist. "What happen to yo…"

Toriel placed a finger on Arial's lips hushing the girl to be quiet. She couldn't bear to hear another word from either of the children. She was sorry for being tough with them and not understanding their feelings, right away. There's so much they didn't know and needed to learn, but no time to waste. They had to leave now before she changes her mind. The ground shakes slightly, as she pressed hard on the purple doors, slowly opening. The afternoon light of Snowdin beamed into the room as goat mother pushed the children out into the cold snow "Both of you are good children…I hope you both find what you're looking for…Please do not come back. I hope both of you will understand….Goodbye Frisk…Al…Arial" Toriel's voice trailed away, disappearing behind the purple doors.

Arial stared at the large door in confusion. Did she miss something importation again? Didn't Toriel make a big deal about them staying in the Ruins with her forever? Toriel was hurt; shouldn't she go back and offered to heal her? The voice in the back of her mind told her it would be rude to go against the goat monster's last request. The reason she came to the Ruins in the first place was to collect the human child so she could take them to the King. The only way to get there was to go through MMT building which leads to the New Home, the Underground Capital. On foot, it would take all day to get there and the riverboat would be quicker. The thought of dealing with a large crowd of monsters in Hotland and New Home made her feel sick to her stomach. Then there was the problem of not getting back in time for Papyrus' special family dinner. The beating of the human-skeleton's heart raises as it tries to figure out what to do next.

"Arially"

Arial turned around in the direction of the voice only to end up with fluffy wet coldness splattered on her face. The human child giggled as they lean down to scoop up some more snow, carefully form it into a ball. "Frisk what are you doing?"

"Snowball?"

"No Frisk…Thank you" Arial smiled, crouched down, and took hold of the child's hand. They only had been out in cold for few minutes and little one's hands were already extremely red and cold to the touch. The human child must have noticed the fear that had overwhelmed her a moment ago, just trying to find a way to ease her mind. It's heartbreaking how adorable child showed companionship for someone secretly taking them to their doom. Not today, she didn't have the heart or willpower anymore to do it. Taking a deep breath, she cupped the tiny child hands over her soft-bony mouth, breathing warm air into them a few times. Until then, she would be kind and protect the little one from danger. Fill their heart with happy memories. "We should get to town."

Frisk nodded their head taking hold of Arial's bony hand, leading her down a path constant coniferous trees. A sturdy branch on the ground as they both pass by it. The human child stops a few feet from a bridge with bars going across, but the bars were too wide to stop anyone from walking through. Looking over their shoulder expecting someone to be there behind them, but no one there. Sadness filled their eyes as they tighten their grip on Arial's hand and keep on walking through the rest of Snowdin Forest together.