"You can't trust anyone down here." Chara said, whereas before, she had been speaking in my mind. "All monsters are not to be trusted. You can only trust your own kind to survive."

I nodded in understanding. My approach with Flowey had taught me that much, at least. At my sign of agreement, Chara grinned in a satisfied way before leading me into the next room.

It was beautiful. The entire ceiling and walls were lined with purple bricks, and vines grew everywhere into pretty patterns. The place almost looked ancient, and gave off a feeling of mystery. The shadow of the Ruins loomed before me, and I was filled with Determination.

Wait, the Ruins? I suddenly felt like I was supposed to remember something, but couldn't quite grasp it. Chara noticed my sudden stop, and turned around to give me an expression of suspicion. "Is something the matter?"

"I just feel like I'm supposed to remember something…" I stood still a bit longer, trying to grasp the feeling. Chara stared at me, and I could tell she was a bit fidgety. I was too concentrated to figure out why.

I tried my hardest to remember, but after a while, it just slipped away. I sighed, shaking my head in disappointment. Chara could only smile wearily back at me before she turned around and continued forwards again. I followed.

Chara continued up a flight of marble stairs, but I couldn't help noticing the colorful leaf pile close by. It took all my control to not jump into one of those. I didn't want to look too childish in front of Chara, my new friend.

Wanting to make conversation, I decided to comment on her clothing choice. "Nice sweatshirt." I complimented her. The color scheme of green and yellow really went together.

She turned back with a smirk on her face. "I could say the same for you."

Blinking, I stared down at my clothes and realized I was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt as well. Not to mention it had stripes too. However, the color scheme was duller, with magenta and a light blue. Not as bright and cheery as the green and yellow of Chara's.

We entered through another room, where there were a couple of grey buttons to the side. Chara ignored them, so I did too. The door was wide open, and we passed through into another purple hall. There were bridges and rivers, and I stared in amazement as I continued to follow Chara.

We were out of the hall now, and there was now a single training dummy in the middle of the new room. It was just a simple one, peach-colored, and a shape that slightly resembled a deformed human. Chara headed towards it and beckoned to me to come forward. Confused, I did as she instructed.

"While passing through the Underground, monsters will attack you. You will have to be prepared for the situation."

I gulped. "What do you mean?"

Chara waved her hand around as she talked. "When you see a monster, you will enter a fight and your soul will be drawn out. Like that approach with Flowey. When this happens, all you have to do is avoid their attacks. And after that, kill them."

I blinked for a few moments, taking the information in. "Wait, what?"

Chara shrugged and motioned to the training dummy. "You get to practice on the dummy. Lucky you."

I gulped, not wanting to disappoint Chara, especially not after I had just started to work with them. Nodding uneasily, I approached the dummy, and my soul was drawn out of my body again. It was nice to see it again. Feeling unsteady, I felt myself rise into the air.

After figuring out my balance, Chara spoke to me again. "First off, you need to learn how to control your soul so that you can avoid attacks."

"The dummy's going to attack me?!"

"No." Chara shook her head, sighing in exasperation. "No, he's not. But you need to be prepared for when someone does attack you."

"Ok."

"Great. Now all you have to do is concentrate on your soul and order it to go a certain direction, and you will automatically fly that way. Okay? Try it."

Nodding, I focused on moving my soul. Surprisingly, it obeyed easily. Too easily. I was so unprepared by the precision that I almost flew straight into a wall. Luckily, I stopped myself just in time.

"Now, you just have to attack. Here." Chara reached behind her back and pulled out a stick. The familiarity of it struck me hard, but I couldn't remember where it had come from. Chara tossed the stick into the air, and I barely managed to catch it. I was pretty clumsy. "Attack the dummy with this."

Eyeing the stick skeptically, I approached the dummy and swung it as hard as I could. To my utter surprise, the stick didn't bend at all, and the dummy immediately turned to dust. I had successfully hurt it… and killed it in the process? How had that happened? Matter couldn't suddenly shrink in on itself and just turn to dust like that, unless it was exposed to fire or something.

Staying completely still, the soul retraced back into my body, and I continued to stare at the pile of dust. It was like real dust, but grainier like sand. I could feel my gut wrenching, and I realized that I didn't like to fight. Just the idea of it made me feel sick.

"Good job." Chara smiled at me, and staring at her expression, I decided it was worth it. As long as it pleased Chara, then maybe things would be fine. "You learn quick. That's good. There's no place for mercy down here. If you don't learn, then you die."

I frowned at her. "Then is what Flowey said true?"

Chara wiggled her eyebrows. "That's the only thing that dumb flower has done correctly. He knows the rules of the underground. And you should too. Come now." She left the room, and casting one last look at the pile of dust, I followed her.

"There's another puzzle in this room." Chara informed me before giving me an amused smile. "Do you want me to give away the answer?

"No!" I had to prove myself to Chara.

"Ok then."

I nodded, and trying to feel confident, I marched ahead of her, only to be immediately approached by a monster that very greatly resembled a frog. There was something creepy under it, but I didn't have time to observe it. Who knew my lessons would have to come to use so quickly?

My soul was drawn out, and I felt myself panicking. Chara waved reassuringly at me from below, and her gaze calmed me down. Taking a deep breath, I swung my stick at the frog with full force.

I missed. My aim was off. Immediately afterward, I could feel myself burning with embarrassment. The enemy had been right in front of me, and I had missed it. The frog croaked in a displeased way, but I didn't give it a moment to think before I swung the stick again. This time, it hit. After a yelp, it turned straight into dust, leaving behind a pile of tiny gold coins.

I could feel myself breathing heavily, even though basically nothing had happened. The death was so quick, I didn't even have time to process it. It had been so… easy. Much easier than I had expected. I had expected the frog to put up a fight, but there wasn't even any of that. Had I done the right thing?

"Money?" I frowned, trying to ignore the fresh layer of dust that was now coating the stick. Just looking at it made me sick. This felt wrong. I quickly reassured myself that it wasn't my fault. That if I hadn't attacked, then the monster would've killed me. But just thinking about how small and harmless it looked made me regret my actions even more. Sighing, I drifted back to the ground as my soul came back.

"Gold. It's the currency." Chara gestured helpfully. "Go on ahead, take them! They're all yours."

I frowned again. "Is it right… to take other people's money?" Why was a frog carrying money anyway? Maybe it was stealing it. Then that could justify my actions of killing it. Probably. I could feel myself frowning, once I realized I was just making excuses for myself.

"Is it right to leave a bunch of free gold lying around?" Chara shrugged. "I don't know, but if you want to waste money for no reason…"

After a moment, I nodded. Chara was right. Of course she was right. She was the more experienced one here, after all. I took the gold into my hands and stashed them away into my pocket. They were small and light, easy to hold. Trying to calm my shaking hands, I moved on past a sign that I didn't bother reading.

Ahead of us was now a bridge of deadly spikes. I could feel dread filling me again at the daunting puzzle that lay before me.

Chara grinned at my expression. "Still want to solve it on your own?"

I shook my head, feeling tired. After killing something, I didn't really have the energy to figure this stuff out as well. It all felt like too much.

"You know, I could just tell you the answer, but I think you'd be too paranoid to follow my instructions." Her eyes glinted. "However, I have a better idea."

I raised my eyebrow curiously. "What?"

"You can let me control you."

I could feel my eyes widening. "What?"

"You can let me control you." Chara repeated.

"No, I mean… how?"

"Just give me passage to do so when I try to take control. I can help you cross this bridge, but only if I get the consent to."

"Consent?" I repeated, feeling slightly flabbergasted.

"Do I have to repeat myself again?" Chara groaned.

I quickly shook my head. "I just don't get how you can control me. I just have to let you do it and you can?" Chara nodded. "And I have no control over myself whatsoever?"

"You know, you could just let me control you right now, and figure out all the details as it happens." At my face of doubt, she added, "Don't worry, it'll be quick."

I frowned at her and faced the spikes again. They were not appealing. If Chara could just control me for a moment to allow me to cross, then things would be quicker and easier. But after a moment, I shook my head. "No thanks. I-I think I can manage for now." The idea of being controlled was still a little unsettling.

Chara gave me a displeased look. "Fine then. Suit yourself."

I sighed in relief before listening to Chara as she gave me instructions to cross the bridge. I could see what she meant by me becoming paranoid. She literally told me to walk right on the spikes, and that was something I was not looking forward to.

But to my surprise, the spikes would always retract before I even stepped on them!

"Now move left." Chara told me. As I did, I noticed how she seemed to be flying right above the spikes, so she was practically avoiding them without even meaning too. Lucky duck.

After a few more left and right turns that formed a kind of zig zag pattern, I finally made it to the end. "We made it!" I celebrated.

"You've done excellent." Chara noted approvingly, "However, there is one more thing I must test you on before I know that you understand the rules of the Underground."

I frowned at her, mainly because I was upset about the fact that she didn't think I was good enough to survive on my own. "Well, what is it?"

"Walk to the end of this room by yourself." Chara instructed me. "Just remember, you can't trust anyone down here. Don't fall for anyone's lies. They'll all betray you in the end. After all, in this world…" Chara paused, staring at me expectantly.

It took me a moment to realize that she was waiting for me to continue the statement for her. "...it's kill or be killed."

"Right on. I'll be waiting for you at the end." Chara gave me one last look before disappearing right in front of me, like a ghost.

I wasn't sure how to act. Should I follow what she said and move on, or dismiss that as my hallucinations finally going away? After a moment, I decided to go ahead. There would be no harm to it anyway.

I moved my feet down the hall, examining the purple walls and green vine shoots. Where were they growing from? After getting bored of seeing the same wall over and over again, I moved my gaze to the path below me. It moved in a kind of wavy pattern, almost like someone had tried painting it straight but ended up messing up really badly.

I was so busy examining the ground that I almost bumped into a big white thing. Looking up, I realized what I was facing. A big, white goat-monster was standing before me, giving me an eerie smile. Her dress was the color of the Ruins, dark and mysterious. Feeling afraid and hearing Chara's advice echoing in my brain, I took a step back.

Seeing my frightened expression, the goat monster said in a lady's voice, "Ah, do not be afraid, my child."

Don't fall for anyone's lies. They'll all betray you in the end. Chara's reminder was all over the place, and my whole body was screaming to run away from this big, scary goat monster. Was it going to eat me? Was it trying to sound nice just to goad me in before killing me?

My whole body shuddered as she continued in the same nice tone, "I am Toriel, caretaker of the-"

Before she could even finish the sentence, I had dashed right past her and through the doorway. I had to get away while she was busy talking. It was my only hope to run away.

Right outside the doorway was a nearby leaf pile. With no time to think, I quickly jumped in. Thankfully, there was enough to hide my whole body. Staying still, I heard the thumping of paw steps as they approached my leaf pile. I held my breath, waiting.

"Child? Child, please come back! It is dangerous to travel the Ruins alone!" I shut my eyes, waiting for the monster to go away. After a few more thudding noises, all that was left was silence. The scary monster was gone. I took a deep breath of relief, knowing I was now safe.

"Howdy." Feeling my skin prickle, I turned my head to find Chara hiding in the leaves with me. "Don't worry, I didn't leave you. I was just in this leaf pile the whole time."

I blinked at her. "Was that the test?"

"Yes. Although the result wasn't what I expected."

"Did I pass?" I asked hopefully.

Chara raised her eyebrow. "Sure, I guess. But next time, just kill the darned thing. Why'd you run away, anyway?"

"I…" I found myself trying to think up an excuse, just not to worry Chara. "I was scared."

"Well, we can work on that." Chara got up from the leaves, and I followed suit, rustling the colorful leaves around me. I smiled at their crunchiness, and grabbed a couple handfuls just to squash them. I couldn't help staring at them, and wondering where they all came from. There hadn't been any trees around, exactly.

Chara grinned at me. Playfully crinkling through the leaves fills you with determination.

I grinned back at her and looked around, making sure that the white monster was gone. When I felt secure, I brushed the leaves off and continued on, passing even more piles of colorful goodness. Chara floated next to me, seeming undistracted by the wonders. Maybe she had already been here before, and already seen all the sights before.

Then suddenly, an insect monster darted in front of me, flapping its pitiful wings and giving me a hopeless look. Feeling slightly afraid of this monster despite its bleak outlook, I quickly swung my stick across his front, leaving a small red gash. In the next moment, he turned to dust, leaving behind another pile of coins.

Blinking at the quickness of the battle, I grabbed the coins and quickly pocketed them. Chara gave me a pleased look, and I tried my best to ignore the dust. After all, what was done was done, and there was no going back. I just had to keep moving forward.

A few steps later, the same monster flew in front of me again, and I mercilessly swung down on it. More dust, more coins. This was starting to feel more like a routine. I could deal with it, I could manage.

"That's right." Chara told me. "The more monsters you defeat, the stronger you become." I could only nod uneasily in response.

Ahead, there were a couple of cracks in the ground. I was uncertain about stepping on them. Feeling unsure, I turned my head to face Chara with a questioning gaze. She looked back with curiosity, but said nothing.

"Um, what am I supposed to do?"

"Let me control you, and you'll know."

I glared at her for a moment before shaking my head. I could find out the answer on my own. Seeming amused, Chara turned away to let me work out my own answer.

Well, there was only one way to pass this for certain. I took a few steps back, preparing for the jump I would have to take to cross the cracks. It was certainly a large gap, but if I tried hard enough, then I could probably make it. With Chara's gaze on me, I took a deep breath before charging forward and leaping.

The cracks passed under me, and I flew forward. Miraculously, I made it to the other side. I did not land gracefully, and landed on the palms of my hands, scraping them a bit. The stick almost broke in the process.

Chara floated across the cracks to meet me. "Surprising, but effective. Nice work, partner."

"Thanks." I dusted off my pants before moving onwards.

"Say…" Chara suddenly asked, "Which do you prefer? Cinnamon or Butterscotch?"

"Huh? Why?"

"No particular reason." She shrugged.

So she was just curious? "Uh… okay. I guess…" I thought about it for a while before realizing that I didn't know. "I guess I like both?"

Chara smiled a little. "Me too."

More monsters appeared, but I always managed to turn them to dust quickly, which also meant more coins for me. Chara would always seemed pleased at every death, yet there was still a lingering disappointment hiding behind her happy frame.

After solving a puzzle that required pushing rocks, I confronted her. "Okay, what am I doing wrong?"

"Wrong?" Chara raised an eyebrow.

"You're not happy for some reason." I explained. "Is it because I'm not doing things right?"

Chara looked at me for a moment, a feeling of something stirring behind her eyes. In the next moment, she hung her head down. "I just want to help you. I want to help you through these puzzles and help you become stronger. However, you refuse to accept my offers." There was a tightness in her voice, and I could feel sorrow and sadness emanating from it.

I was starting to feel guilty. Chara had helped me so much, yet in return, I had only made her feel bad. "I-I'm sorry. But I really can manage on my own. There's no need for controlling anyone."

Chara gave me a sharp look, and I wondered if I had said something wrong. "Oh? You say you can manage by yourself?" She gave a small laugh. "Alright then. Let's see just how far you can get… on your own."

"Wait, what?" Was she leaving me behind? "No, don't leave!" I could feel dread seeping into me, making my limbs feel heavy. What had I done? I couldn't do this alone! Chara couldn't leave right now… not after I had just become friends with her!

"Just remember, partner. The more you kill, the stronger you are. Don't forget that." She waved a hearty good-bye. "And don't worry. I'll be back when you actually need me."

"But I need you now!" I protested.

"So long!" In a poof, Chara was gone, and I was alone.

I AM OVERWHELMED BY THE AMOUNT OF AWESOME PEOPLE. Thank you all so much! :3