Chapter 4

The next room was one Frisk knew she was going to have trouble in- especially if there were FIGHTs as she walked down this rather long hallway. She could not see the end, it was that long.

"*Yeah, this is the longest room in the Ruins," Chara murmured. "*I didn't really like it either, mostly because the first time I walked down it I was rather… injured. I never knew even the simplest healing magic."

"Oh, if you want I could teach-"

"*I can't use magic anymore. As a ghost, I have lost all my magic, so it wouldn't do go at all."

"Oh…"

Looking up at Toriel, Frisk noticed how she seemed unsure of herself.

"You have done excellently thus far, my child," Toriel said, her voice wavering with slight nervousness. "However… I have a difficult request to ask of you. … I would like you to walk to the end of the hallway by yourself. Forgive me for this."

And with that, she bolted down the hallway- so fast that Frisk could not see here in a few moments.

"*Jeez, she's gotten a little… overprotective since I died," Chara murmured. "*I wonder how long it's been since I fell. Hey, what's the year?"

"211X…"

"*Angel Above! It's been one hundred years since I've fallen?! How is mom still alive?! She's human!"

"Maybe using magic for as long as she has has changed her biology… By the way, monsters don't… 'dust' anymore, we have to bury our dead now."

"*I know that. Monsters haven't dusting in thousands of years. Humans dust now, and that's why I said that I dusted. I spent about a year here Underground," Chara paused for a moment. "*We should start walking-"

Frisk dropped to all fours, surprising Chara. After a quick moment of easing up her muscles, Frisk bolted down the path of the hall, ignoring Chara's bold yelp as the ghostly boss monster seemingly was pulled along.

It took about five to ten minutes to reach the end of the hallway, but Frisk paused at two white pillars, at either side of the hall, and stood back up on her feet, brushing dirt and dust off of her paws. Then, she walked forward, stopping when Toriel walked out from behind a pillar.

"Greetings, my child," Toriel said, with a relieved smile. "Do not worry, I did not leave you. I was merely behind this pillar this whole time." She paused, looking at the pillar, then back at Frisk. "Thank you for trusting me. However, there was an important reason for the exercise. ...to test your independence. I must attend some business, and you must stay alone for a while."

"*Little does she know that you will never be alone," Chara chuckled.

"Please remain here. It's dangerous to explore by yourself," Toriel continued. She paused. "I have an idea. I will give you a cell phone." Pulling out said cell phone, she handed it to Frisk. "If you have a need for anything, just call. Be good, alright?"

"*You received the CELL PHONE," Chara said, laughing slightly. "*Hey wait- that's my old phone! Welp, I'm glad you have it."

And with that, Toriel exited the room.

"So what now?"

"*I say we continue through the Ruins. There's a SAVE POINT in the next room, so it would be good to SAVE before a human walks in and attacks you."

"Yeah, but Toriel wants me to stay here…"

"*One word of advice: The best way to get mom to realize you are able to get through the Ruins without her is to go through without her knowing. Especially since she seems… a bit too motherly right now."

The two monsters talked for a moment more, before Frisk finally agreed to go to the next room. However, taking a few steps into the next room, she got a call from Toriel.

*Ring. . .

"Hello?" Frisk asked meekly- she was never one who liked to talk on the phone.

"Hello?" Toriel echoed. "This is Toriel. "You have not left the room have you?"

"N-no…" Frisk responded- already hating the fact that she had to lie.

Toriel seemed to believe her. "There are a few puzzles ahead that I have yet to explain," she said. "It would be dangerous to try to solve them yourself. Be good, alright?"

*Click…

Frisk put the phone away, and then looked about the room. She noticed the twinkling SAVE POINT, and hurried to SAVE.

"*Playfully crinkling through the leaves fills you with determination," Chara read out, chuckling slightly.

"But I'm not playing in these leaves!"

"*That's just the SAVE POINT talking. Each one has their own line depending on the place they are in, your emotions, or other odd things. They change on a whim too, but it's nice to see that these ones have their own new ones," Chara explained.

Sorry for the short chapter- I will post more soon!

~Arana