The familiar feeling of falling, of slipping away and into nothing, beckoned. However, a flicker of something halted the process. The shattered pieces of the soul shining, purple and dark, pulling somewhere. Grasping at something that had been forgotten.
When she opened her eyes, she was sitting across from a human teenager, in a corridor with a yellow and purple tint to it all. He had dark curly hair, and dark rings beneath his eyes. His foot tapping impatiently, as he smoked freely. A cigarette in his lips, hanging, as he passively smoked.
The sensation of smoking wasn't something Chara had ever personally participated in, given her parents distinct warnings against doing so. Though, the feeling of it was a bit intense. Her senses shared with the young man, prompting her to feel every impatient little tap he made. To feel the rush of nicotine in her being, and the high that came with it.
He wore a patch that read West Kingman Highschool, on his jacket, and was toying with a rock in his off hand. Debating things in his mind, that she sometimes caught glimpses of, or, at least, felt in some strange way.
"H-hey...Mychal?" She drifted nearby.
"Eh, oh, hey, what's up kid?" He replied, blowing his smoke away from her. "What...what's up, why the look?"
"You shouldn't smoke." She cautioned, prompting him to roll his eyes. "I-it's...bad for people, even mom says so."
Mychal to the cigarette from his lips, and held it between two fingers. He examined it, and contemplated her words. Before shrugging at her suggestion.
"Chara...nothing is good for you. Shit, I read even oxygen like...causes your cells to explode or something. But you know that, right?" He remarked, flicking the ash and then smoking again. "Besides, it's like you said with all that...stuff you did. Even if I die, I just 'reset' right, long as we stay determined?" He asked, brushing his nose. "Like what happened, when I fell over that edge?"
"Well maybe, b-but you still shouldn't." Chara huffed. "She'd be really upset." The girl explained. "And you might get sick like I did. The reset doesn't...work when that happens."
"Oh yeah, like you smoked?" The Teenager chuckled.
"No...I didn't...I, well, I ate the buttercups, and.." She trailed some. "It...hurt, but I wanted to help, and-"
As she spoke, his tapping became all the more rapid. Anxiety growing, along with a sort of casual irritation. She could feel it, even as he took a long drag of the cigarette. Finally, he let out a long groan, stopping her mid-speech.
"Ya know what-" He laughed some. "no offense kid, but your mom isn't my concern." He remarked, flicking the cigarette at her. "Nor is you getting yourself all fucked up and sick like that." He said. "Eating those damn things like a moron." She glanced away. "I'm surprised you didn't...didn't uh..." he trailed off some, as the realization came back to him. "Uhm..."
The exchange left the two in silence for a time, the teenager pushing one hand into his pocket, another against his head. He felt like a jackass for what he'd just said. The phantom that had accompanied him since he woke up in these ruins floating there, looking dejected and hurt.
Mychal cursed himself internally for forgetting that again. He hadn't intended to be rude, in truth, he was just stressed. His dark blue jacket contrasting with the faded yellow wall. He had to remind himself that the kid was...significantly more stressed than he was, most likely.
Their first attempt at trying to ammend that hadn't exactly gone well though. Mychal had, at her behest, attempted to tell Charas mother about her presence as a ghost. Something he was more than glad to have avoided the second time.
He wasn't sure he could handle the response he'd gotten again. It was...too much. Especially given his phastamal companions respose.
"Fuck, I'm sorry...Chara." He apologized, awkwardly. "Look, it-it uh, all I mean, is that...it doesn't really matter, see, I'm not staying here." He noted. "I can't, right?" He smiled a half-smile. "I've gotta go home. So, I can't...be sitting here, being concerned about what she wants, ya know?"
"But-" The child began. "You can't leave...she...she won't want you to leave."
That was one of their present issues with one another. And try as he might to ignore her pleading, he couldn't. He wasn't sure how this whole 'ghost' thing worked. Or if she was destined to be stuck with him forever.
Mychal rose from his seat, stretching out some. He bounced the rock in his hand, looking at the wall across from them. With a motion he tossed it. Ricocheting it off the floor, against the wall, and back to his hand.
"Look, kid...she seems pretty nice, I'll give you that." He tossed the rock into the water, as he stepped across a small bridge. "But I've lived in cities less cramped than this joint, yeah?" He remarked, while pulling out his switch blade, toying with it. "I've got stuff I gotta do. People I gotta take care of." He told her. "And sides, she doesn't exactly seem the cougar type, so I'm pretty sure I ain't gonna get laid."
"Well, she's a goat, not a cat." Chara noted. "And...laid?" She asked, floating beside him, watching the knife. "Why do you want that?"
"Admittedly I think it's the eyes. Always gets me...that sort of soft, caring person." He smiled sly. "Always wanna fix you...have faith in you and help you. It feels nice, especially when you just..haven't got faith in yourself." A huff escaped his lips, as Chara felt his sadness for a moment. "Plus, they tend to be real demons in the-"
"What does laid mean...is that a thing?" The child inquired.
"Whataya mean, what's laid mean?" He scoffed. "It means fu-" He had a sudden realization. "Err right...you're a kid, not a teenager yet...and Tori's your...Mom...huh." He coughed, glancing, and chuckling nervously. "Know what, nevermind." He commented in embarrassment. "Just, forget I said anything."
"But-" She moved forward, floating in front of him. "Why did you want it?" She asked. "And why would mom have it?"
"Chara, kid, you're killing me. Just-" He made a waving gesture with his hand. "Please, just forget about it. Your mom's...great, nice person, I'm just an idiot k?" He huffed. "I'm sorry I said anything, right, just let it go."
Chara considered what he may have been trying to say, wondering on the implications. He had been experiencing some strange mix of emotions she was unfamiliar with, sort of like wanting something. It took a moment, but she eventually discerned, what she believed he was after. Giving him a knowing look.
"Wait, wait...you mean the necklace thing?" She asked.
"What?" He asked.
"Those are called lays" She stated, rolling her eyes. "Me and Asriel read a book about it." She told him matter of factly. "I guess...Mom did help us make them, but I doubt she still has any."
"The what-" He began, before smiling some, as it clicked. "Right, yeah, those. Those flower necklace bits...yeah, you got me. I've uh...always wanted one, ya know?" He gestured to himself. "Figured it'd bring out the blue of my eyes, or...something. Leave it to you to get the word right kiddo."
"Can't believe you really called it a laid." She snickered, sounding a little arrogant. "And you're in high-school?"
"Never said I was a good student." He smiled a more genuine smile. "I'm just a big idiot who can't do words right." Making her laugh a little, while folding the switchblade into his pocket. "Among other things."
They headed into another room, and then hooked left. The soft purples and yellows of the ruins, all around them. Guiding steps, as they entered into the large space before the quaint little home in the ruins. It had a brilliant tree in the center, with some of the leaves having fallen off, leaving a couple barren branches. Below it, a bed of flowers, in its infancy.
Mychal took note of a monster present, resting on her knees as she watered them. She had a softness to her eyes, and a perpetual little smile. Off ever so slightly, hiding some sort of pain. When they approached, her attention turned to them.
"Good morning Mychal." She said warmly.
"Oh...morning, Tori." He responded, briefly glancing to Chara. "Good to...morning."
"You left before I could make breakfast...I hope you slept okay, at least?" Toriel slowly got to her feet. "I know the bed is a little small, but I'd hope it was comfortable for you."
Chara noted the look of fondness in Mychal's eyes, conflicted as they were. "Yeah, it's fine, I've slept on way...way worst, so...it's cool." He shifted his posture. "Sorry to bail out like that, just...ya know, thinking on some things."
"That's perfectly alright." The woman assured him, as Chara dissipated from beside the teenager, like a shadow in sunlight. "I hope you're feeling well-" She sounded nervous. "I know...the ruins can be a lot to take in."
He glanced to where Chara had been. "It's not that big a deal, promise." He considered something. "Hey, listen, I need to ask bout something."
"What's wrong?" She inquired. "Are you okay?" She asked. "If you need something, we can head to Old Home, and-"
He let out a sigh, looking guilty "N-no no, it's not that..it''s just." He glanced away. "How...what's uh...what's beyond the ruins?" He asked, noticing her shift. "Cuz, you got that door in the basement. I wager...that's the way out?"
"I asked you not to go down there," Toriel noted, glancing back towards the house. "Beyond that door...it's dangerous."
"And...if I needed to get out?" Mychal asked, meeting her eyes.
"Mychal...I don't think you know what you're asking." Toriel responded.
Chara felt the click of the switchblade in Mychals hand. As his eyes searched her mother's own, his brow furrowing. An uneasy silence setting in, as his smile began to fade. This new sensation, this emotion he was feeling. It filled Chara with dread. His lips opening to speak-
Memory Upload Complete.
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