Chapter 41: Fallen Down
Frisk groaned as she got up. She winced at the sharp pain in the back of her skull.
'What happened?'
The last thing she remembered was going to town to buy some food from a local souvenir shop with her dog.
Her dog had managed to snatch a hotdog from a vendor as he was handing it to some young woman.
"That little devil," the woman screeched as she lunged for the dog who quickly sprinted away. "Get back here with my hotdog."
She had managed to grab him while Frisk had been lurking nearby some bushes.
"Finally caught you, you measly canine."
The dog yelped.
"Stop that, you're hurting him."
"Oh he's your dog is he?"
The woman sneered.
"Yes he is so leave him alone."
"How rude."
Suddenly the dog turned and bit her hand before her grip slackened causing the dog to drop to the ground before he sprinted away.
The man from the hot dog stand finally caught up with them.
"Did you see that? His dog bit me," the woman pointed at Frisk.
Someone had once again mistook her for a boy. She sighed. It was probably for the best.
"Well geez lady, it's not the end of the world. It was only one frank. I can always make another one."
The woman smacked his face with her purse.
"Forget it. I'm leaving."
She stomped away angrily.
"Ugh," the man clutched his head. "That could have gone better."
"Are you alright?" Frisk asked.
"Oh I'm fine. It's nothin' I've never experienced before," he said, before giving her a wink. "Well I better get to back to work before that harpy returns."
"I'm really sorry about my dog."
"It's no problem. Say are you out here by yourself? Where are your parents?"
"At home," Frisk said. "So do you run the hot dog stand by yourself?"
"Yeah. It's preferable to leeching off my parents even if they have the money."
"You look so young though."
"Huh, what's your name?"
'Well can't afford for someone to bring me back there.'
The city had her registered as a runaway. All someone needed was her first name and she'd have to go through child protective services again until they found her another home.
"Frank and you?"
"Joseph. Will you be alright by yourself? This is a shady neighborhood."
"I'll be fine."
Later that day, she had been chasing this girl who had snuck up on her whilst she had been getting some food.
That's right, she had ran until she was lead up to that mountain. The girl had been nowhere to be found and she was heading back when something pulled her into that hole.
She looked around.
'No one in sight.'
Looking around she saw she was surrounded by large white pillars and there was a faint light coming from above.
Lights glistened against what looked like blue stone.
'Well no point in staying here.'
"Hey!"
Frisk looked around in confusion.
'Who's that?'
"I'm over here."
Frisk turned around to see the owner of the voice coming from behind her. No one was there.
"Where are you? I can't see you."
"You're looking right at me, you idiot."
Frisk gritted her teeth.
"Hey dumbass, I can't see you. It may be obvious to you but..."
The voice chuckled. Frisk felt a chill when they touched her.
She turned and saw a young boy clinging to her shoulder. He wore a white shirt and black slacks.
"Try that again and my fist will be meeting your face," Frisk said. "Who are you anyway?"
"Chara. At least that's what this voice told me," he said. "About all I can remember is waking up on that bed of flowers. You're awfully heavy y'know."
"Oh I'm sorry if I weighed you down."
"Ha. Ha. Are you being sarcastic?"
Frisk turned and thanked the lucky stars that the yellow flowers had broken her fall.
Upon walking into a small doorway she spotted a small yellow flower covered in light. The strangest thing about it was the fact it had a face with long black eyes.
It smiled at her before it spoke.
"Howdy, I'm Flowey the flower. You're new to the underground aren'tcha?"
"You can talk?"
"Of course I can. Golly you must be so confused."
"A little."
"Someone ought to teach you how things work around here. I guess little old me will have to do."
Vines sprung out from the ground behind Frisk.
"Behind you!"
Both Frisk and Chara turned and jumped out of the path of the vines.
"What the-"
Flowey chuckled.
"In this world, it's kill or be killed."
Suddenly some vines came up from behind them and Frisk was ensnared.
Chara chuckled.
"Looks like you're in quite the predicament."
"It's not funny," Frisk said. "Help me."
The vines squeezed her tightly, Frisk struggled to break free.
Flowey slammed her body into the ground.
He winked at her with his left eye closed and his tongue sticking out.
"Oh dear, looks like that drained your HP but don't worry you can grow stronger," Flowey said with a sly grin. "...if you gain a lot of LV."
Chara chuckled.
"LV huh? What are you talking about?" he asked. "You're crazy talking like we're in some game with levels in it."
'Uh, what? This isn't a game this is my life.'
"It's funny because this flower doesn't seem to be taking you seriously at all," Chara said.
'You heard that?'
"Ha, what do you know I can read your thoughts."
Frisk dug out her lighter from her pocket and set the vines on fire.
Flowey yelped and Frisk was released.
"You-," he sputtered.
"Oh those were your vines? I'm so sorry that I burned you. Didn't know you were such a pansy."
Chara laughed.
Flowey growled.
Five white pellets shot from his head. They seemed to be directed at her.
"Ew, it looks like jizz," Chara said.
Frisk sidestepped them as they flew past her.
Flowey's eyebrows furrowed, his smile strained.
"Hey buddy, you missed them."
Frisk sidestepped another series of pellets.
Flowey frowned, his eyebrows contorted in blatant irritation.
"Is this a joke? Are you braindead? RUN INTO THE BULLETS," he said before frowning for a split second. Frisk was sure she was imagining it as about second later he was smiling again. "er...I mean friendliness pellets."
"Cut the crap. It's obvious what they really were," Frisk snapped.
Suddenly Flowey's face began to morph and distort. His eyes were large with little eyelights and his mouth contorted into a mouth with sharp teeth.
" You know what's going on here, don't you? You just wanted to see me suffer."
Suddenly Frisk was surrounded by large white fireballs.
Before she could duck under them unscathed, green vines ensnared her.
"Hold still and this won't hurt a bit, ha ha ha ha."
Flowey's eyelights disappeared and his mouth opened revealing a toothy mouth as he laughed at her inevitable demise.
Before the fireballs could hit her, Frisk spotted a bright red light coming from the shadows.
"Behind you," she said.
Flowey turned and was knocked right out of the ground.
"What a terrible creature torturing a poor innocent youth."
A tall creature with two horns and white fur walked up in a purple shawl with some strange design it wore over a white robe.
They knelt down in front of her, a white glow covering their paws and brought it to her wounds which healed quickly.
"Hello, I'm Toriel, caretaker of the ruins."
"Why are you helping me?" Frisk asked.
"You were injured and you're not the first child who's fallen down here," Toriel explained.
"You mean there were others? What happened to them?"
The creature sighed.
"I don't know. It's been years since the last child has fallen down."
She held out her hand.
"Do you need a hand, dear?"
Frisk swallowed the bile in her throat suddenly very dizzy.
Still she was unsure whether to trust this creature.
'Better not to show weakness.'
"No," Frisk said. "I'm fine."
Frisk got up.
Chara snorted.
"Could have fooled me. That flower was going to kick your ass."
'Shut up,' Frisk's mind supplied, coolly.
"Sass Queen."
"Come I'll guide you through the catacombs. This way," Toriel said, walking north through another doorway.
The next room was covered in pink stone.
Two sets of stairs lead to another door and below it stood a pile of red leaves.
Suddenly a soft voice came from the pile of leaves.
"Help, I'm stuck and I can't get out."
Frisk knelt in front of the pile digging through the leaves eventually spotting a small grey mouse.
"Wow, I didn't expect to be rescued by a human," the mouse spoke.
"Yes," Chara supplied. "The mouse can talk."
"Are you alright?" The mouse asked.
"Ha ha, you should see your face," Chara said.
Frisk's face was frozen with surprise. She balked at the sight of the mouse.
Frisk turned to smack Chara off her back.
'Get off.'
He smiled releasing her shoulder.
"I'm fine just a lil' surprised that's all," Frisk stammered.
The mouse glanced around.
"It doesn't look like anyone's here. This isn't good."
"What's the matter?" Frisk asked.
"We were trying to gather food since it's very hard to come by when those spiders made a surprise attack. I hid in this pile of leaves but I'm a bit worried about what happened to everyone else."
The mouse glanced at Frisk.
"Can I ask you a favour? There should be a mouse hole somewhere here in the underground. Can you take me there?"
Frisk sighed and held out her hand. The mouse crawled up her hand.
Frisk was stiff having never held a mouse before.
"Relax I don't have rabies."
Frisk followed Toriel to the next room.
"Who's your little friend?"
"Me?" The mouse asked. "My name's Tiny."
Toriel held out her finger.
Tiny's hand reached out to shake her finger.
"It's nice to meet you, Tiny. Where'd you find your little friend?" Toriel asked.
"They were in the leaves, they asked me to escort them home," Frisk said.
"I see. I hope we can help you."
Frisk glanced around the room.
To the north from where she was standing were six grey floor tiles arranged in two rows of three.
Toriel walked over the tiles to the north and skipped the middle walking over the bottom tiles before pulling a switch against the left wall near a door heading to the left.
"My child, I see you're confused. Allow me to educate you in the operation of the ruins. The ruins are full of puzzles. Ancient fusions between diversions and doorkeys. One must solve them to move from room to room. Please adjust yourself to the sight of them."
Frisk followed her to the next room.
It was a vast room. She turned and saw that green vines covered the walls on both sides.
Several wide streams of water blocked the path ahead.
Only way to cross was through the bridges.
"To make progress here, you will need to trigger several switches. Do not worry, I labelled the ones you need to flip."
Frisk followed Toriel across the bridge.
A lever to the left was labelled with helpful arrows and instructions. Frisk flipped the lever and the two crossed the second bridge.
She tripped on the corner of the bridge nearly falling in the water.
Toriel turned and caught her in her arms.
"Are you alright, my child?"
"Yeah," Frisk stammered, her heart beating erratically.
"Aw, how cute," Chara cooed.
Frisk having realized what was happening pulled away.
There was no reason to get attached to this creature who could kill her.
It'd only hurt her more.
Chara chuckled.
"So you do have a heart?"
'Quit reading my mind.'
Still why would a complete stranger care for her? Only a fool would protect someone without knowing anything about them.
Frisk pulled the lever on the other side of the bridge.
"Splendid! I am proud of you, little one. Let us move to the next room."
In another part of the underground, Loox had been out playing a game in the dirt when he spotted a froggit in the distance.
"Well well, look who came out of the pond thought you were afraid to come out like a little momma's boy."
"I'm not a momma's boy. I'm not," the froggit said.
"Funny how denial is a river that runs deep," he said.
His eye turned a bright yellow and the froggit was pinned to the ground.
"What are you gonna do now? Call for your momma? Alot of good that'll do when you can't even move."
The froggit quivered.
Loox laughed maliciously.
He conjured up some fireballs.
His yellow eyes had faded back to their normal violet color.
The froggit discovering that his legs could move hopped away frantically.
"Cr-p!"
Inside the next room, Frisk caught sight of a worn dummy on the northern left corner of the room.
"As a human living in the underground, monsters may attack you. You will need to be prepared for this situation however worry not. The process is simple. When you encounter a monster strike up a friendly conversation. Stall for time, I will come to resolve the conflict. Practice talking to the dummy," Toriel said.
"I don't know," Frisk said with a grin. "What if I offend them?"
"You can say anything. I don't think the dummy will be bothered."
Frisk cringed.
It would probably be best to ask Toriel.
"Do you need some ideas for conversation topics? Well I often start with a simple 'how do you do'. You could ask them about their favorite books."
"That's so boring," Frisk said.
Still she walked up to the dummy.
"A cotton heart and a button eye. You are the apple of my eye," Chara said.
The dummy turned.
"Wait did that dummy just move?" He asked. "It looks like it's about to topple over."
'Cut the crap. Dummies don't move.'
"This one does. I don't like the way it's looking at me."
'Get over it. Besides did you hear what she said.'
As the two were arguing neither noticed the dummy flying away.
'I've always wondered why ghosts can float for so long. I mean what ghost up must come down, am I right?'
"Wait, come back. I didn't even get to practice," Frisk called out to it.
"That's probably a good thing," Chara said. "You'd probably kill it with kindness."
'Shut up, Chara.'
Toriel's left brow lifted a hair.
"Well that happened. The next room awaits."
Frisk followed her to the left room.
It was a wide pink room with a lighter pink set of rocks on the floor in the shape of a 'c'.
Frisk followed her down a narrow corridor when she ran into a frog that stood to her knees.
"My my, look who we have here," the frog croaked. Pellets appeared behind him.
Chara chuckled.
"Looks like he's going to attack you."
Frisk tensed, poised for battle when suddenly Toriel crept up behind them.
"Ahem."
The frog turned and nearly jumped a foot in fright. Frisk glanced at Toriel who was giving the frog a reprimanding glare.
The frog turned and slipped past her.
"Man is she scary," Chara said. "I kinda feel sorry for him."
'That's a little disturbing. You just got through telling me that he was going to attack me.'
Chara smiled.
"Yeah I did, didn't I?"
As she continued to follow Toriel, Frisk saw the exit clear across a room that contained a floor of spikes.
"Here take my hand for a moment."
Toriel grabbed her hand. Frisk noted they were warm and very soft.
She almost didn't want her to let go so unused to the affection.
Her heart warming at the tiny gesture.
Toriel guided her through the spikes.
"Puzzles seem a little too dangerous for now."
It was as Loox was heading home that he ran into Sushi, Leapy and Shorty who had surrounded him from all sides.
"My my, look who we have here. The underground bully," Sushi said. "I heard you were picking on my little brother. Got anything to say, bub?"
Loox turned tail and ran. He took a shortcut that lead past the spiked pit.
At the sight of another froggit, Loox shivered. If he remembered that was Lumpsy the eldest of the four brothers.
Quickly he hid around the long corridor.
"Man she can be very scary when she's angry," Lumpsy spoke to himself. "Guess she still must be mad about the death of the last human."
Loox was about to head home the long way when he caught sight of a yellow flower popping in front of Lumpsy with a big smile on it's face.
"Who are you?" Lumpsy asked.
"No one important. It's a pity that human left you here all alone."
"I'm not alone my brothers will come help me," he said.
Flowey's face distorted revealing a mouth of pearly white teeth. They chuckled maliciously..
"Haha, you really are an idiot. How naive. No one's coming." He said before winking his left eye and sticking his tongue out. "You're..."
Lumpsy took a step backwards.
"all..."
Vines appeared from the ground. The froggit barely managed to sidestep them.
"alone."
Beads of sweat ran down the froggit's head.
"I guess that means your someone else's dinner."
The froggit gulped and took a step back.
Suddenly vines sprung from the ground.
Lumpsy gasped and wheezed as the vines slowly suffocated him.
"Please...don't."
"But nobody came. Hahaha."
Suddenly a group of white pellets hit the froggit instantly turning it to dust.
"So easy. That was no fun. I wanted to play for a little longer."
Loox gasped.
"Who's that? Does someone else want to play my little game?" Flowey asked. He chuckled.
Loox ran straight through the shortcut.
"Haha, so pitiful. You think you'll make it out of here alive? What an idiot. I'm the god of this world."
Toriel lead Frisk to the next room. It was surprising to see a long pink corridor with no end in sight."
"You have done excellently thus far my child however I have a difficult request to ask from you. I would like you to walk to the end of the room by yourself. Sorry about this," Toriel said briskly walking away.
"Wait!" Chara shouted.
'She can't hear you. She's long gone.'
"No thanks to you. What's your problem anyway? Aren't you worried about what could happen to us?" Chara asked.
"You mean what could happen to you? Nah, you're already dead so you don't even need to worry about it. Just laugh at your own misery and it will just go away."
"That's not funny," Chara snapped.
Frisk snorted.
"Really? Last I checked you enjoyed laughing at other's misery and as they say misery loves company."
"Well it's not so funny when it happens to you," he said.
"Glad we got that clear, captain obvious. It's never funny when it happens to you because it's not supposed to be."
Chara frowned.
"You would know that if you ever experienced it."
Frisk continued to walk.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"I guess I shouldn't have expected to find a human down here. That's what I get for expecting too much. Can't expect much from a ghost."
Chara glared at Frisk.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I'll just have to do everything myself. It's what I've always done," Frisk said as she walked to the other side of the room.
As she neared the end of the room, Toriel walked out from behind a single, tall, white pillar.
"Greetings my child. Do not worry I did not leave you. I was merely behind this pillar the whole time. Thank you for trusting me."
Frisk was pale.
"Are you okay? You look a little pale I hope you're not upset with me," Toriel said, concern lacing her voice.
Frisk shook her head.
Truth was she had been very upset. She thought she had been so used to being abandoned but she had been so disappointed when Toriel left and angry when she spotted her. All because it felt like this old lady had played with her feelings.
"You don't have to lie to me you know. You looked very upset when you saw me. You must have felt so betrayed but I will never abandon you."
She embraced Frisk, clutching her as thought she would disappear if she left go.
Tears came from the corner of Frisk's eyes. Maybe this time this was genuine.
Frisk was tense and didn't dare move in case Toriel let her go.
Finally Toriel released her.
"I'm sorry. I must tend to some business and you must stay alone for a while but I will be back. Just in case I don't return and you run into trouble I will teach you some magic."
"Really?" Frisk asked, her eyes lit up.
Toriel nodded.
"I'll teach you the slow spell. If you can slow down the attacks of monsters it'll be easier to dodge their attacks. Close your eyes and concentrate."
Frisk closed her eyes.
"Now picture a blackhole and everything falling into it. When objects are sucked in a blackhole they slow down right."
A slow deep voice cut through her thoughts.
"I hope this spell can be of use to you."
Frisk opened her eyes and seen that the voice was coming from Toriel.
It appeared the spell even slowed the movements of monsters.
"I think I did it."
Toriel chuckled.
"Very good my child. That should be enough to get you through the rest of the underground if I don't return. It wears off in about a minute though but that should be long enough to convince monsters not to fight you but be careful, my child. Expend too much magic and you will die."
"Looks like you learned a new spell," Chara said.
"Please remain here until I get back. I have an idea. I will give you a cellphone."
Toriel handed her a thick cellphone.
Frisk looked confused.
"What's that look supposed to mean? Do they not have cellphones where you come from?" Chara asked.
"I'm sorry if it's a little ancient," Toriel said.
"No, it's alright. I can call you on this right?" Frisk asked fiddling through the menus.
"Um...certainly though it's important to note that this phone is equipped with many features. There's a program that also tells you when a monster doesn't want to fight you anymore. I can't quite remember how to use it through. Hopefully you could make use of it. Be good alright?"
She left Frisk in the room.
Minutes passed.
Chara watched Frisk fiddle with the cellphone.
"You act just like a kid with a new toy. Do you not have cellphones on the surface?"
'Not quite. I mean there are cellphones but at this point there are better ways to contact someone without one. That's why I was surprised that Toriel had one."
"Wow, how long was I even dead for?"
'Who knows.'
Frisk put the cellphone back in her pocket.
"Why are we just sitting here?" Chara inquired with exasperation.
Frisk hugged her knees and rocked non-chalantly. She cracked a smile.
'Why? Are you bored?'
Chara groaned.
"Yes. We could be doing something productive right now."
"I could but it's more funny seeing you frustrated."
Suddenly her cellphone began to ring. Frisk unfolded her cellphone, pressed the talk button and held it to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Hello, this is Toriel. My errands are taking longer than I thought they would, I found what I was looking for but before I could take it a small white puppy snatched it away. How odd. Hey! Stop!" Toriel spoke, her voice growing distant as Frisk heard the sound of panting on the other end.
"Come back here with my cellphone."
"What was that about?" Chara asked.
'Some sick twisted story about a dog and flour.'
Chara snorted with laughter.
"You're really funny, you know that."
Frisk sighed and they headed to the next room.
There was two paths, one to the left and one to the right.
Before Frisk could even think, her phone rang.
Frisk answered it and held it to her ear.
"Hello? This is Toriel. You have not left the room have you? They're a few puzzles ahead that I've yet to explain. It would be dangerous to try and solve them yourself. Be good alright."
Frisk clicked the phone off.
"You want me to scout the left room?" Chara asked.
'Yeah.'
Chara hovered over to the left room.
"So no exit, huh?"
Frisk glanced around the room before looking into the basket, the only interesting thing in the room.
Inside the basket was this black twisted candy in a clear wrapper.
"It says, 'take one'. What do you think will happen if we don't?"
'What is this anyway?'
Chara shrugged.
"Don't know."
'Well I won't bother. It could be a trap. These puzzles were probably left for humans. If other humans have fallen down here I'm sure there would have been some word about them on the surface yet there's been nothing. Don't you think it's a little fishy that Toriel mentioned it at all?'
Chara shrugged.
"Maybe a little."
'A friend of mine fell down here several years ago. The last anyone saw him was at this mountain. If he had escaped they would have found him. No one can ever escape once they're initiated.'
"Wow, you're a piece of work aren't ya. Is that some kind of tale your buddies tell everyone?"
'It's the truth.'
Chara swallowed.
They headed out of the room and headed to the right before heading north running into a flying creature.
Frisk brought out her phone.
The monster was highlighted by a yellow color.
'What does yellow mean?'
"Who knows?" Chara replied with a shrug.
The creature sobbed.
"Hey!" Frisk called out.
The creature's antennae lifted and it's eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and fear before running away.
"What a coward," Frisk spoke. "Who runs away when someone tries to talk to them. It shows weakness."
Chara chuckled.
The two continued walking to the north.
There was a room with two sets of stairs on the left and a room further north.
Frisk started walking forward when suddenly the floor crumbled beneath her.
"AHHHH!"
"Hey!" Chara called out from behind, reaching out to grab her but he was too late.
"Ow," Frisk stammered, wincing as she got up and brushed her butt which had been dusted with red leaves. She turned and nearly jumped at the sight of a small green gelantinous creature blocking the way to the stairs.
"Who-?
The creature inched closer.
"Can you move?" Frisk asked.
The creature gurgled and it began to grow larger.
Frisk stumbled backwards, falling back into the leaves.
It growled.
She ran past it bumbling up the stairs.
Frisk wiped the sweat off her face.
"Phew that was close."
"Hey, how'd you get over there?" Chara asked from the other side.
'The stairs below lead to the top.'
Chara grinned and floated over.
"Strange how I don't fall. Guess I must be lucky."
Once they headed to the next room, Frisk got another call.
"Hello, this is Toriel. For no reason in particular which do you prefer? Butterscotch or cinnamon?"
"What's she saying?" Chara asked.
'Butterscotch or cinnamon.'
Chara grinned.
"Easy, cinnamon."
"Why cinnamon?" Frisk asked.
"I don't know it just feels bad choosing butterscotch. Just the thought of butterscotch makes me queasy."
"My child?" Toriel spoke.
"Cinnamon," Frisk said.
"Oh I see. Thank you very much."
Frisk hung up for maybe a minute before the phone rang again.
"My child, you do not dislike butterscotch do you? I know what your preference is but would you turn up your nose if you found it on your plate?"
Frisk's heart warmed. That was thoughtful of her. No one ever asked what she wanted in a long time. She was unused to feeling so spoiled.
"No," she said, not wanting to come across as snobbish. Really she'd be happy with anything this woman would give her.
"Right, right I understand. Thank you for being patient by the way."
Frisk hung up the phone. She saw a row of spikes blocking the path ahead as well as a large rock next to a dug out trailed leading to a grey floor plate and the spikes receeded.
Back at Home, Loox panted as he stepped foot in the pub. Inside the place was illuminated by bright lights that flickered between red, green, yellow and blue giving the interior a trippy feel.
Amongst the moldsmal, there was a monster with a snake head that looked like a medusa and a couple of Vegetoid sitting in some of the seats.
A tortoise with long blond hair tied back in a ponytail stood behind the front counter serving drinks to them. He wore a black apron over a white polo shirt.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
"I-I just saw...there's a crazy flower murdering monsters down here."
The tortoise chuckled.
"Really? I find that hard to believe. A talking flower? That's a new one."
"Philip, I wouldn't shoot down his idea so easily. You ol' folks always are quick to see the world through narrow eyes," the snake monster said. "There's not even enough information on our kind to refute any claims no matter how outrageous. We are magic creatures not mundane nothingness."
Loox looked at him in confusion.
"Um...who are you?"
"Cobra Wan Slinobi. Pleasure to meet you. So what is the deal with this flower anyway?"
Loox told him everything.
"Fascinating. Why would he say that the froggit was going to be apart of someone's dinner? Could he be using their dust to make food? Why would he do that?"
"I don't really want to know," Loox said. "Don't you think it's a little morbid?"
"Morbid or not I'm eager to find the answers."
"Oh ho, want answers hmm. I might have some idea," a migosp said from the corner of the pub.
"Oh and who are you?" Loox asked.
"You can just call me Tom," the migosp said.
"Alright Tom, tell us what you know."
"Well I heard from Leapy that his brother, Shorty found a human underground. Don't you think it's coincidence that this happens around the same time you spotted the flower killing Lumpsy. Maybe that flower is working for the human."
"Well if that's the case what rules out the fact that the human doesn't have a high LV?" Loox asked.
"So we don't confront them directly then," Cobra said.
"Ohoho, but you wouldn't have to worry about that," Tom said.
"So you intend to confront the human by yourself then?"
Sweat beaded down Tom's forehead. He glanced down at his hands which he held clasped together.
"Uh, yeah...yeah that's it. In no way shape or form was I intending on you to capture the human for me. That would be silly," Tom said. "What would I hope to gain by luring you into a trap that could only end in your inevitable demise."
"Well then lead the way Tom."
Philip rolled his eyes.
Meanwhile as Frisk was heading to the next room, she heard someone behind her.
"Hey! I heard you killed my brother. What's the big idea? You think just because you're bigger than us that you're special. You have some nerve."
She turned and saw another frog.
"What are you talkin' about?"
The frog began shooting flies out of it's mouth. The flies flew towards her.
'Sh-t.'
Frisk closed her eyes.
Her left hand glowed.
Opening her eyes the flies flew towards her more slowly.
Frisk tried to sidestep them but the flies turned and headed towards her.
'It's like I have a target on my back or something.'
She turned but saw there was nowhere to run. One of the flies seemed to pierce her body and she gasped wih pain as more joined.
'Any ideas how to get out of here, Chara?'
"I got nothing."
'Nothing?! If I die because of you, I'll-'
"I don't know alright. Quit pressuring me. Maybe you could bond over a game of chess. I don't know. Why don't you just flirt with it?"
'WHAT?! It's a frog. Isn't that bordering on bestiality?'
Chara smirked.
"You act like you've never flirted before. Come on it can't be difficult. Tell it a pun, a joke or something."
"What did the frog say to the hungry witch?"
The froggit fired more attacks.
"Guess it wasn't very funny."
'I didn't even get to the brunt of the joke.'
"Come on you're not even gonna let me finish the joke before I croak? The frog tells the hungry witch to just take the legs. It's supposed to be funny."
"He always used to say that before you killed him."
'It's still attacking.'
"I don't know what to tell you."
Frisk reached down for a stick nearby. She took out her lighter and burned the end tossing it at the frog.
The frog yelped before it disintegrated into dust and the flies disappeared.
Frisk wiped the sweat off her face and she continued on.
There was another staircase to the left. Frisk looked to the right. The path zigzagged to the north.
Frisk took a step to the right on the southern most side and fell to the bottom into a pile of red leaves.
She cautiously followed the trail below spotting a sigh hugging the wall of the left.
Frisk wondered if it paralleled the top floor.
She read the sign.
"Please don't step on the leaves."
Frisk looked around.
Specific tiles seemed to be covered with red leaves. She headed back up stairs.
"What took you so long?" Chara asked.
"I was trying to figure out how to pass this room. There's a sign downstairs saying not to step on the leaves. I don't think I remember the tiles though. Can you tell me which ones aren't covered with leaves?"
Chara's face turned red.
"On it," he said heading below.
With Chara's guidance they got through the room. In the next room was a series of three large rocks that lead to three grey floor plates. A spike bridge was ahead lodged between two bodies of water.
Frisk pushed the two rocks on the left onto the floor plates and was about to push the third rock but when it didn't budge. She took out her phone to try to speak to it.
"Whoa, there, pardner. Take it easy. I don't want to turn to dust thank you very much. You think that I don't know what you did? Word travels fast in the underground, bub."
Frisk flinched.
"Everyone was tryin to kill me," Frisk said.
"Likely story," the rock said.
"Look I'm sorry alright. If I can take it back, I would but I can't. So can you please move?"
"Certainly sonny."
It moved several inches forward.
"Can you move a little more?"
"Hmm, you want me to move some more? You ask for a lot don't you, pumpkin?"
The rock moved to the right several inches.
"Can you sit on the switch?"
The rock moved to the switch.
The spikes receeded but as Frisk drew closer they came back up.
She turned and saw the rock had moved off the floor plate.
"Excuse me but can you actually stay on the floorplate?" Frisk asked.
"Hmm, you wanted me to stay there. I need to take it easy. I have a sensitive back. Warn a guy next time," it huffed as it moved back on the floorplate.
Frisk passed the spike bridge and walked to the next room. There was a mouse hole to the left and a small wooden table with a triangular piece of yellow cheese.
"Hey Tiny, want some cheese?"
The mouse peeked out from Frisk's shirt and frowned.
"It might look like you can eat that but that cheese is stuck to the table. Some of my friends found that out the hard way. I guess this is where I'm getting off. Thank you. I really appreciate everything you did for me. It's just a pity we're make such a bad impression on you. If only there was a way I could make it up to you."
Frisk shook her head and knelt down.
Tiny crawled down her arm.
"No, it's alright. I can understand how they feel, believe me."
"Well then I guess this is goodbye," Tiny said, crawling into the mouse hole.
In the room ahead there was a narrow corridor blocked by a white ghost with big black eyes lying in the leaves.
"Hello?" Frisk called out.
"I think it's sleepin," Chara said.
Frisk walked closer and spoke louder.
"HELLO?"
The ghost began uttering the letter Z loudly.
"are they gone yet?" It spoke softly before it continued uttering the letter 'z'.
"Hey! Get up, you're in the way!" Frisk said.
"That's pretty blunt. I hope you didn't hurt their feelings," Chara said.
'There's no use beating arond the bush if nothing gets done.'
The ghost sniffed.
"sorry."
Tears began to fall from their eyes.
"Now look what you've done. You made 'em cry," Chara said.
The tears crawled up the walls and began falling from the ceiling.
"hey aren't you the king's son?" the ghost asked.
It's eyes seemed to be glancing at Chara.
Chara's eyes widened.
"Who are you talking about?" Frisk asked.
"Wait are you talking to me?"
Chara pointed to themselves.
"yes."
"Wait you can see him too?"
"was i not supposed to? i'm sorry."
"It's not that," Frisk said. "If you can see him, it's just strange no one else has spoken to him. I just assumed because he was a ghost that noone else could see him."
"oh i see. maybe that's why no one has talked to that other human who has fallen down."
"I guess being a ghost means you have ghost sight," Chara said.
"You mean there's another ghost down here?"
"yes. i don't think you will find her though. she tends to disappear alot."
"Oh. Well I'm glad I'm not crazy. I was beginning to think he was just a figment of my imagination."
Chara huffed, folded his arms and turned away.
"well i'm glad i could help. i hope i wasn't too much trouble for you."
"Not at all."
"Well," Chara spoke. "while he isn't, you certainly are."
"Oh?"
"I get no respect from you. Haven't I been useful?"
Frisk snorted.
"If by useful you mean providing snarky commentary to everything I do then yeah."
"What's that supposed to mean? Are you telling me that I'm useless?" Chara asked.
"im so sorry i never meant to come between you two."
Frisk frowned.
"Don't blame yourself. You shouldn't be sad because we don't get along. Not your fault that someone chose not to stay dead."
"Quit talking to me as if I'm not there."
"Shut up," Frisk snapped. "You're such a spoiled brat. The world doesn't just revolve around you, you know?"
Chara snorted.
"Fine, I'll shut up but don't you dare ask me to come to your rescue because I ain't doin' it."
Frisk sighed, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose.
"I'm sorry about that. I want to apologise on behalf of my high spirited partner for ruining your day."
"its alright."
"What's your name anyway?"
"it's napstablook."
"I hope I can lift your spirits because you've already lifted mine," Frisk said winking at him.
Chara snorted but didn't look at them.
"im too old for you. id just weigh you down," they spoke.
Tears fell from their eyes and Frisk swiftly dodged them.
"That's nonsense I'm sure you're a spry ol' ghost."
"heh," it chuckled mirthlessly. "really not feeling up to it now."
"ha ha, wow you really do sound like an old man."
"heh, you can't flatter this fractured spirit."
"Haha, all we need is a top hat and you'd look like that man from the Great Gatsby."
The ghost blushed.
"heh, let me try."
The ghost's tears flew upward forming top hat on his head.
"i call it 'dapperblook', do you like it?"
Frisk blushed.
"You make one sexy spirit."
Chara groaned.
"Are you flirting with the ghost?"
"Oh, the ghost is learning," Frisk said.
Chara grumbled.
The ghost blushed a faint red.
"oh gee i usually come to the ruins because there's nobody around but today i met somebody nice. oh im rambling again."
The ghost avoided her gaze.
"i'll get out of your way."
It vanished without a word.
"Does this mean you'd smooch a ghost?"
"Heh, I don't see anything wrong with it."
Up ahead was two paths. One in front of her and one to the left.
"Say I thought you weren't talking to me."
Chara huffed and disappeared.
Frisk walked to the left.
There was a wooden sign talking about a spider bakesale to the right. Probably the room she had avoided.
A froggit stood ahead. It was smaller than the froggits she had ran into so far.
She tried to speak with it.
"Hey you're not gonna kill me too are you?" the froggit asked.
"Kill you? If you don't intend to kill me then why would I do that?"
"Is that why you killed my brother?"
"That froggit I fought was your brother? I'm very sorry about that. Truly I am but I only tried to defend myself."
The frog sighed with relief before tears fell from their eyes.
"They were the only family I had. After our parents died we only had each other. The four of us."
"Four?"
"Yeah, there's me, Sushi and the other two froggits. We're a group known as the 'F4'."
"Oh."
"Well you said it coudn't be helped so there's no use in cryin about it. If you ever see me again though feel free to say hi. My name is Shorty."
"Well bye Shorty. Thank you for telling me this."
In the room ahead was a sign pinned to the left wall and three staircases on the right and left walls that Frisk assumed lead to the bottom floor.
Napstablook was up ahead.
"Napstablook, what are you doing here?"
"oh i got lost and i forgot where i was going."
"But aren't you a ghost. Can't you just phase through the walls or something?"
"gee i didn't think of that. what about you though?"
"I'll be fine by myself."
"oh because i don't mind helping if you need me."
Frisk glanced around.
"I'm trying to look for a switch. I think it's down one of these floors."
"i could look if you like?"
"Alright."
Napstablook phased through the right floor furthest from the other door.
He headed up the staircase with a red ribbon on his head.
"Was that on the floor below?" Frisk asked.
"yes it looks like it would look good in your hair."
"At least if you're cuter at least monsters won't hit you as hard," Chara said.
Frisk pulled her hair back tying the ribbon around her hair to keep it in place.
Napstablook phased through several more floors before finding the switch on the second staircase on the left side.
The spikes blocking the next door receeded into the floor.
"Thanks for the help."
Suddenly loud malicious laughter echoed off the walls.
"Haha, look who we have here. A ghost guiding a human."
A horned monster with a large violet colored eyeball walked in from the other room and glared at them. He was accompanying an angry monster that looked like a beetle.
"You would be nothing without your little bodyguard. Fight me, one on one," the horned monster said.
It fired red eye beams at Frisk.
"Heed the swarm," the other monster taunted her.
A bunch of flies came bustling towards her.
One of the eye beams burned her skin and the flies preyed on her causing bloodied wounds down her arm.
Frisk slashed the beetle across the chest.
The other one, the monster with one eye looked at the other monster in horror and he began to kneel pleading with all his might.
"Please don't pick on me."
The edges of Frisk's vision darkened and she collapsed unconscious.
Cobra Wan Slinobi came bumbling out of the shadows.
"Looks like he's out cold. You were foolish to confront the human head on. What if they killed you?"
"I-I didn't realise."
"Well it seemed your pitiful display caused the human to grant you mercy and Napstablook seems fine."
"Napstablook?"
"He's a ghost that occasionally comes to these ruins. As a species of undead, they of all creatures would know if someone was truly malicious and if he's around that human, he can't entirely be dangerous," Cobra said. "Napstablook?"
"yes."
"Can you take that human with you?"
"er...yes."