On her first run, Frisk thought she'd done something wrong. She'd saved everyone, sure, and the barrier was gone. She could go home, and the monsters could live on the surface. Everyone was supposed to be happy. Taking her new friends' advice, she went for a stroll through the Underground, revisiting every nook and cranny of the various lands. Since no one was out to kill her anymore, the walk felt calming, almost meditative. As she passed through the ruins, Frisk recalled the flower bed that had broken her fall. The girl quickened her pace, a strange unease taking hold as she came within sight of the flowers. Asriel was there.

When she saw him by the flower patch during that first run, Frisk realized that moment she'd shared with Asriel hadn't been a dream. Everything—Flowey ambushing everyone in the barrier room, Flowey becoming Asriel again, Frisk reclaiming her friends' souls through sheer determination, then bringing Asriel's true self back into existence—had actually happened. Overjoyed, she ran up to the monster child, calling his name. He seemed so surprised, so genuine as he opened up to her. Frisk hung on to his every word as he told her his story, even as a tiny voice in the back of her mind screamed in anguish during his reflection on his ill-fated friendship with the manipulative Chara.

It was over too soon. She wanted him to come with her, back to the others, to let him see his parents again. To let them know it was him who shattered the barrier and saved their people. To give him his due, and maybe find a cure. But he told her it wasn't possible. Not without a soul of his own. He would turn back into that unloving flower, trapped underground forever. Even though she'd only met him an hour ago, Frisk couldn't accept this.

She wanted a happy ending.

But when she tried to speak, he just gave her a sad smile and asked, "Don't you have anything better to do?"

Somehow Frisk left the ruins. The child didn't remember the walk back. But as she stood on the cliff side and watched the sunset with her new friends, that tiny voice spoke up again, fainter than ever, remarking, "Dad asked you a question."

She turned to Asgore, and without thinking, she blurted out a squeaky "yes." To her surprise, she learned from Papyrus of all people that she'd just agreed to be the ambassador for monsterkind. Her stomach turned; she wasn't even eleven yet! Next thing she knew, it was just her and Toriel. The tiny voice was silent as Frisk chose to stay with the lonely former queen of the monsters. On that first run, it seemed like the right thing to do.

Life on the surface wasn't so bad for the monsters. The people in Frisk's town were fairly easygoing, although Papyrus' idea of a "good first impression" warranted several explanations. Frisk barely knew what ambassadors did, but with help from Sans and her adoptive mother Toriel, she grew into her role. Days passed into weeks, and weeks into months. Gradually, the happy ending Frisk had worked for became a distant memory, all save for one aspect: Asriel.

Try as she might, Frisk couldn't let it go. Sometimes, when walking up the path to school, she'd notice the golden flowers planted in the yard and look for a smiling face. Other times, someone would greet her with a folksy "Howdy!" and she'd snap to attention, only for them to turn out to be another kid, or even Asgore. In her dreams, she'd see the Dreemurr prince, always just out of reach, out of earshot, with tears in his eyes. More than once, she'd wake up to find Toriel standing over her, assuring her as only mothers can that it was only a bad dream.

But Frisk knew better. Her waking life was the real nightmare. Finally, on the night before her eleventh birthday, Frisk made up her mind to return to Mount Ebott and look for Flowey. Soulless or not, he was still Asriel, and if she could take down a god with a simple gesture, she could do anything. The walk up was far more difficult than she remembered; how did she get up there in the first place?

Just as Frisk reached the mouth of the cave, she caught sight of a flash of green and yellow sink into the ground. Her face set into a familiar stoic expression, and she raced into the cavern. Somehow Mount Ebott hadn't yet been invaded by tourists and treasure hunters, so there was little to impede Frisk's progress. No one was making puzzles anymore.

She finally found him outside the castle. Flowey looked confused as he assessed Frisk. She had saved her old clothes, the striped sweater and baggy shorts. The girl just stared back at him, offering no explanation for her return.

"What are you doing back here?" Flowey asked. "You did it, you won! The barrier's gone. Monsters are free. What more do you want?"

"You know," Frisk replied. The flower shuddered, but didn't change his expression.

"Look, just forget this place, okay?" Flowey pleaded. "You've already seen everything here. Just let Frisk live her life."

Frisk faltered, her prepared speech dying on her tongue. Didn't he recognize her? If he didn't think she was Frisk, who did he—

"But… you never were the kind of guy who could leave well enough alone, were you?" Flowey continued, smiling nervously. "L-look, I know I mentioned kill-or-be-killed, but… I don't believe that anymore. If you really want to start over…"

That's not what I want, you idiot!

"…you'll be tearing everyone away from their happy ending."

Frisk wanted to speak, to set the record straight, but she couldn't find the words. The flower continued, "I can't stop you. I know what happened last time I tried. But… when you decide to reset everything… this world, this timeline, everyone's memories… please, reset me, too."

Asriel, please—!

"W-well, see ya soon," Flowey whimpered. "…Chara."

Just as Flowey disappeared back into the ground, Frisk found her voice.

"Don't go," she squeaked.

Too late. She was alone with her unanswered questions. Though the thought crossed her mind, somehow she knew looking for him was pointless. Letting out a sigh, she closed her eyes and waited for the tiny voice to chime in. Nothing happened. She remembered a pun. Nothing happened. She conjured up a memory of using a silly pickup line on Toriel. Nothing happened.

She called for help.

But nobody came.

At her wits' end, Frisk shut her eyes tight and concentrated on the one thing she wanted more than ever, one thing she would trade her perfect new life for a thousand times just to see this wish come true. She would save him, even if he didn't wish to be saved. For her peace of mind, and to reunite a shattered family, she would bring back Asriel Dreemurr, even if she had to sacrifice countless "happy endings."

She was determined.

In an instant, she felt herself falling…

Her second run had begun.