Despite the smile worn by Toriel, Flowey was a rather observant being. At least when it came to the posture and expressions of others. And looking over the monster lady revealed how off she was in the moment. It the little trickles of mana, fading into dust weren't a good indication.
Her eyes fell on him. A creeping unease rushing through him. A guess, or, several formed within the flowers mind.
He spoke. "Hey, Chara, I think we-"
"O-Oh-" The girl had a look of realization. "Right the pie. Uhm, sorry about the uh, pie." She apologized. "I saw it, and I know you said it was something we were gonna have and then we fell asleep so that didn't really happen." She recalled. "So, I just-" The woman stepped towards them. "wanted to make sure it was fine. Since we got up...before you, I figured we'd get a piece. And...when I went to check on you before, you were headed to bed. And you looked upset...so uhm, well, then we started talking about baking a new...one, but uh...um...are you upset?"
The collection of ramblings that slowly broke down into general confusion and unease, was oddly comforting to Flowey. It seemed her senses weren't that dull. Even she could tell something was a bit off, as Toriel stopped in front of them.
The woman knelt down. "I'm not mad." She said, hugging Chara. "It's...okay, my...child."
The hug was a bit tighter then anticipated. Chara was beginning to worry that Toriel had gotten stronger, and perhaps hadn't noticed it. Or forgot that these things could hurt her, sometimes. All the same, she hugged her guardian back.
"Well, that's good I think. Uh, safe to report it's fine?" She laughed a little. "T-the uh, pie, b-but the hug was nice too. A bit...tight, but nice."
Toriels embrace didn't properly end, lingering for a little longer than before. The woman pondering, in mild anxiety, if, the moment she left go, Chara might vanish. She closed her eyes, and focused on the feeling of everything. This seemed real.
Opening her eyes, she found Chara giving her a concerned look. The embrace being released, cautiously, and with hesitance. Flowey was sitting in a vase, by a piece of pie, looking as concerned as the girl was. To Toriels relief, distress, and confusion, it was all...still there.
"Forgive me, my child...I don't know what came over me." Toriel lied. "And..uhm, it's.."
She took note of the damaged clothes, the burn wraps, all the things she'd failed to attend. Some of it she helped cause. Either directly, or through neglectful action. That feeling, and realization was a solid stab of many different, unpleasant emotions. The largest of which was guilt.
"Hey. You...said before, you were, but uhm..." Chara hesitated. "Are you...sure, you're alright?"
"I'm...I am. Alright...I-I am alright. Please, come inside, won't you?" Toriel requested, rising. "We need to...to get you clothing that's not in such a state."
"Yeah..it is a bit breezy." Chara replied with a half-smile, and a nervous laugh. "C-cuz..it's...okay." She noted the guilty look Toriel had, realizing her joke hadn't helped as she picked up the flowerpot, and the plate. "Heh." She snickered, glancing at the flower. "That would be pretty funny."
"What would?" Flowey inquired.
Chara closed her eyes, mind rushing with thought. She was breathing a bit quicker than normal. Feeling like the temperature of the ruins was rising, along with a sense of anxiety. An instinct, an impulse kicking in.
"Seeing you in a little sweater." She suggested. "Oh, we could give it little sleeves for your leaves. That'd be super cute."
Flowey at first looked confused, then mildly mortified. "I'm gonna...politely decline."
She then gasped, and added. "And maybe a little bowtie, or a scarf!"
"W-what, no way!" He replied. "Maybe a cape but-"
Toriel let out an odd sort of laugh. "I'm going to have to go through the laundry in my room, and see about outfits." She then added. "But, don't you worry...I'll check for something for-" The flower gulped. "both of you."
Flowey felt like he was somehow in danger.
Toriel waited at the top of the staircase for them to head along, unable to help but be slightly amused with their interaction. Her good eye then noticing that there were various carvings in the dirt where they had been. Taking note that it appeared to be a symbol, the same one on her robes.
"I uh, for the record-" Flowey cleared his throat. "I really don't need a sweater. I don't get cold in the Ruins. It's pretty ya know, warm."
Toriel moved aside, to let them in. Watching, as they started down the hall towards the room. The monster lady closing the door behind her, while observing them.
"Oh c'mon. It'll be fun. What do you think?" Chara asked her. "I think he'd look kind of cute in one of those jackets. Like those puppies with outfits."
"I'm not a puppy!" He exclaimed in worry. "I'm a Flower. You don't put a jacket on a flower!"
"Don't worry Flowey, it'll be funny, and cute." Chara assured him. "Right, Mom?"
Toriel replied. "Give me a moment, dear. I have to...do something. Please play for a little while, would you?"
The girl stopped by her bedroom door. "O-okay...you look really cool by the way."
"Thank you." Her guardian replied. "Give me just a moment."
The repeated request inspired Chara to venture into the room. Giving a final glance at Toriel. The woman waiting until they left, for a certain shade to overtake her eyes. A distress, a fidget. She didn't understand what was going on, how, why?
Her mind went back to the theory that she had finally snapped. Gone completely off the deep end, after all these years. A following inquiry compelling itself from her being. Did it matter if she had?
She passed by the room, and stepped towards her own.
Into the room, the duo delved.
"So. We uh...gonna talk about her whole...demeanor now?" Flowey asked, quietly.
Chara glanced at him, and set his container on the ground. Stepping past him to one of the drawers. Pulling it open, she began to look through it. Starting an investigation through the various places here within the room for some form of entertainment.
He spoke. "Chara?" She kept looking. "Hey...I know it's...I dunno, rough but-"
"I don't want to talk about this." Chara replied, fidgeting, looking into a closet.
"t seems like...the easier part of the many questions you should have." He noted.
The girl twitched, and slammed the door, with unintentional force. Turning enough to get a look at him with one of her eyes. The red all but drowned out by the purple at this point.
"Please...stop." Chara requested quietly. "It's...too much. J-just...please."
Hearing this request, Flowey shifted some. He didn't really want to just leave things alone. But, on some level, he wagered he understood why she wanted to. Who wouldn't want to pretend everything about this situation was normal? That it didn't beget many, many questions.
"Yeah. Okay." He replied.
"Sorry." She muttered quietly.
He sighed some, and quietly joined in her hunt for something to do while they were here. As they went, and at the end of their hunt, they found various pieces of paper alongside coloring utensils. Namely colored pencils in a disparity of sizes, as well as a couple boxes of crayons. The pair settling down to take a break with these things.
Drawing, coloring, there was something unique about it, in her estimation. It had a strange power, and the capability of preventing most troubling or scary thoughts from consuming her. Drowning out her surroundings, and troubles, or giving them expression and outlet.
Her movements when drawing were rapid, and generally resembled furious scribbles. Yet, her vision remained focused, and even when she wanted to second guess a sketch, she persevered. She could barely perceive of Flowey watching her, attempting to mimic her artistic abilities. Which in her humble opinion were on the stunning and brilliant side of mediocre.
He was, for the most part, having a remarkable difficulty with it, at least at first. Either breaking the crayons, or having difficulty holding them with enough force to draw with precision. Even hissing at it once, before she popped him on the head with a purple crayon.
"H-hey." He replied.
"Don't hiss at the art." She instructed.
"I was hissing at the crayons. They're...defective." He muttered, before finding his crayon taken from him. "Huh?" She made a few jots with it, before handing it back. "Y-yeah well...you have like...human magic, so it doesn't count."
She managed a little smile. "Maybe...ease up a little on your grip?" She noted. "You're holding too tightly, fighting with it. That's why it keeps breaking."
Flowey considered what she said, and set about trying to fix his approach. Chara meanwhile, hummed along to a song she'd forgotten, her mind projecting an image into her head. Casting the outline onto the paper, constructucting it as she moved. Tracing, and scratching in the loose spaces.
Her pace grew, her hand moving furiously, eyes unblinking. Etching two figures across the canvas of scrap paper. Her focus only broken, when she got a tap on the shoulder.
"Hey Chara, look!" Flowey said with a positive smile.
He held up a picture to her that was crude and poorly drawn. It very much looked like a child had drawn it, or, at least, a younger child. It depicted the two of them in a garden of golden flowers. She felt, a bit confused though, noticing that her representation appeared to have purple eyes.
"That's neat." She replied plainly.
He frowned. "I thought I did really well."
"I said it was cool Flowey." She assured him with a chuckle.
"Tsk, s'not what ya meant." He scanned over his picture. "I know, it's pretty bad. I was always better at piano anyways."
Chara subconsciously nodded, but felt bad judging it. She reminded herself she had no room to, as it wasn't like hers was all that amazing. She sighed, pausing her movements.
"Flowey, I'm being serious." She lied. "Honestly, it's great. I mean, that's the garden I woke up in right?" Humming. "And this is...supposed to be me?"
"Eh, of course it's you." Flowey remarked, rolling his eyes. "How can you not tell?"
"My eyes are red." Chara noted, tapping her cheek ner her eye.
"Well, there's some red in them." Flowey replied, she looked confused. "Uhm...Chara, your eyes have been getting...purple."
"They have?" She asked, adding. "Really?"
"Yeah. Wait, you didn't know?" He asked, noticing her get up, looking around. "What are you doing?"
"Looking for a mirror-" She recalled one in the hallway. "that isn't...my eyes aren't purple?"
Opening the door, she noticed Toriel passing by, carrying laundry with her. He guardian pausing briefly upon noticing her. Taking a moment to pat her on the head, offering a reassuring smile.
Toriel spoke. "Just a little bit longer, Chara."
Chara replied. "A-alright. Thanks, mom."
With that, Toriel continued away, towards the living room. Chara hesitated to leave the room after that, recalling that she'd promised to wait patiently. She figeted, struggling with the urge to go investigate, and a desire to be good. Hesitantly stepping back into the room, resisting the rising impulse.
Flowey asked. "Not gonna go investigate?"
"So uhm-" Chara shifted from the topic. "Do you go to the garden often?"
"Huh, yeah." He replied. "It's a nice place. Very classy."
"So you just like, hang out there?" She asked, sitting back down. "Talk to other flowers, that sort of thing?"
"No?" He sounded confused. "Chara, I can't speak to the other flowers, they aren't ya know, alive."
"Well, technically they are." She noted to him with a little smile. "Like trees, and birds, and monsters."
"You know what I mean." He replied. "Smartass."
"I do, but it's not what you said." She teased, before adding. "But no, it's a cool picture Flowey." She assured, returning his attention to it. "Especially when you give it a second glance. After that it just really-" She smirked. "draws, you in."
He shot her a look. "You said you wouldn't do that!"
"Do what?" She asked, continuing her drawing. "It's just a compliment, petals."
"Make puns, you promised just one day without making a single pun." He noted.
"Yeah, but I didn't say that it would be today." She said as he groaned, a laugh slipping her lips in response. "Between you and Azzy, it's just too easy."
He flinched at that, and set his picture back down. Thinking for a moment, he got another piece of paper, uncertain how to respond to that. He glanced over at her picture, and got a confused look.
"What...uh...what are you drawing?" Flowey inquired.
"I dunno." She replied. "Just something I keep...seeing. Like an itching in my head, sort of."
Dragging the auqa blue pencil across the pencil, she made a few final marks with it. Taking a second to finish with a flourish of red slipping through a hair blind. Adding to the steam flowing from a pair of eyes. Setting these things down, she felt content.
Notticing his curiousity, she picked up the paper so he could get a better view of what she'd been tinkering with. It was a depiction of a moment, of two individuals. The two standing opposite one another.
It depicted spears manifested from blue luminous light planted in the ground, or seeming to appear in the air. All aimed at the faint outline of an individual, wearing what seemed to be a dark blue sweater. It was hard to make them out, as they stood in the darkness, their eye glowing red, steaming was visible.
Across from the shadowy figure was another. Wearing a set of armor, with a bright blue streak coming from her eye. A contast to the being in the shade. Red hair flowing down, seeming to be discheveled, like she'd been fighting. It seemed to shine some in the faint blue light of the spears.
Flower stared with wide eyes at the image. "That...that's..."
"Pretty cool right?" Chara asked, setting it down. "I think they look really awesome. Some sort of standoff between good and evil." She tapped the spear wielder. "I think this one's the good guy. Like a true hero."
"More like a real villain." The Flower muttered in a very annoyed tone.
"Huh?" She asked.
"Err, does she, I dunno...look familiar to you at all?" The Flower asked. "Do...either?"
"Why do you think it's a she?" Chara asked back, as Flowey shifted some. "And...I dunno. I don't think so?" She asked. "Should I?"
The train of thought was intrudeded upon, by the creaking of the door. Toriel stepping into the bedroom. Her outfit had altered, and she was now wearing a large hooded black jacket, over top a crimson shirt that hugged her body a bit. The pants from earlier exchanged for darker ones that went just past her knees, meeting a pair of boots that seemed stylish.
Chara couldnt help but think the jacket looked really tough and cozy, especially with the fur-trimmed hood. It also didn't really look like the kind of thing she'd seen her mother wear before. That, or any of the outfit, for that matter. The monster lady adjusting her jacket some.
"Chara, my child, I'm...going to be headed out for...just a short while." Toriel said hesitantly. "I need to get a couple things. I also...really need you...to remain here until I return."
"Are you...where are you going?" Chara inquired.
Toriel replied. "I've already set out something to drink, alongside another piece of the pie. It's...until I can get something healthier." The woman laughed nervously. "Maybe...before we should go to...no, I-" She hesitated, and glanced to the flower. "Can I trust you'll still be here when I return?"
Flowey wasn't entirely certain where she was headed, but he was smart enough to have a sense of the reason. Though, he was a bit surprised that her threatening request sounded a bit more genuine this time. If he had his way though, he'd rather she didn't go do, whatever she was headed to do.
"D-definitely," Flowey assured her. "Right Chara?"
"Can I go with you?" Chara asked, curiously. "Is...are you headed to get-"
"Not this time, my child. I am, very sorry. Please just, remain here for a time." Toriel requested, kneeling down for a moment. "I'm sorry to leave you alone again. But I promise you I'll be back soon."
The tone she was using inspired concern in the girls mind. Chara hugged her, holding her tightly. She didn't want her to leave, not this soon. She'd finally gotten home. She didn't get a hug back, only a pat on the head, leaving her to wonder if the woman was upset at her for something. But she didn't say that out loud.
With that, Toriel gave a soft wave, and headed out into the hall once more. Walking as though she was heading back towards the living room, as the door closed. Briefly checking her phone, before hooking around, heading to the staircase downstairs.
Chara meanwhile, was left wondering why Toriel would need a jacket. The ruins could be a bit chilly, but they weren't that cold, were they? She imagined they must be even warmer with fur.
"She'll be back." Flowey assured her, adding. "And uh, hey, I wanted to ask. You're sure that picture isn't of people you know?" He added. "Maybe just...this person, here, spear lady, no ideas about her?"
She blinked, scanning it over. "I don't believe so. Why, do you know someone like this?"
"No." He replied quickly. "Just, really uh, cool. Very detailed is all."
"Yeah." She appeared in thought, briefly heading over to open the door. "So...it's...yeah. Hey, why did she need a jacket?"
He turned, responding. "Well, it is a bit chilly these days."
"I didn't hear the door?" She half-asked, opening hers, peaking around the corners. "Wanna go see what mom's doing?"
"She asked us to stay here for a while," He reminded her. "I think we-"
"Yeah, that sounds pretty boring." She concluded. "Besides, we aren't going to wander off or anything. I mean, she can't have gone too far right?" She suggested while picking up the flowerpot. "Maybe, one of the rooms?"
"Chara!" Flowey exclaimed as she darted from the room. "Just wait for a second would ya!?"
His vines burst out, latched onto the door handle. Stopping her forward momentum, with an 'oof' from her. Falling with a little thud, while still carrying the flowerpot.
"H-hey!" She huffed. "What was that about?"
"This is a bad idea. And..." He trailed off, as she gave him a look. "Even if I say no, you're just gonna go anyways, aren't you?"
Chara replied. "Flowey, I can't not go."
"Sure you can. You just stay put." Flowey replied.
"But-" She began. "I-I have to make sure she's okay."
"Seriously. What are you even worried about?" He asked, sounding quite annoyed. "She's strong enough, she'll be fine. She's totally safe." He stated plainly as he could. "Why can't you just stay put?" He demanded. "Do you have any idea how lucky you are, to be able to do that?" He asked, sounding angry. "To be able to be here?"
She remained silent for a moment, the flower starting to calm down.
"I know." She replied, quietly. "And...it sounds stupid. But I feel like...I haven't seen her in forever." She tried to explain. "I don't want her to go, and forget about me."
"Forget about you?" Flowey asked, sounding confused. "Why would...she forget you?"
"Flowey...I'm not, well, I'm not really...that important to them." Chara told him, getting a confused look. "Toriel...my family, they only really took me in out of pity." She laughed nervously. "D-did you know that?"
"That's...that's not why..." He shook his head. "You really think that?"
"Well, I just...I finally got home and then...she leaves." She explained. "We didn't really 'talk' and...I wanted to ask about Asriel, or Dad...or how she got hurt." She hesitated. "Or why she looks so sad, and upset when she looks at me. Why she keeps looking through me. Like...I'm not there." She admitted, eyes watering. "And it makes...sense. Right?" She covered her mouth. "But that's okay, I-I know I'm...not worth the time."
"That...that's not true." He told her. "It's not that. It's just-"
"Did I do something wrong?" She asked nervously. "You'd...you'd tell me right?" She asked. "I wanna know what I did wrong. I...I didn't mean it...I don't...know what it is, but I just-" She seemed to be spiraling. "i-if I knew what I did wrong, I could fix it? I think?"
Flowey fidgeted. "Hey, hey, take a breath, don't cry. Please?" She did anyways. "Ah shit. Look it's...it's been a really...really tough and ya know, emotional day." He said, thinking back. "And, it'll be...alright?" He didn't feel certain on that. "Just, it's not your fault. The uhm, her. I promise. And she's probably just...going to the store or something. She doesn't really...have a lot of food here, after all."
"Was it the pie?" Chara asked, covering her eyes her sleeve. "Did I say something wrong?" She added. "W-was it...a bad joke, I-"
"Chara, stop, please. It's okay." He requested, not fully armed to handle this. "She's just got a lot on her mind. And had to get some little thing done. That's all." He added. "I know that you...you really have no idea what's going on either, do you?" She shook her head. "Right. Okay...first, here-" He gave her a piece of cloth. "if you really wanna go running around, you're gonna need a jacket, or something. But, you got to stop crying first, okay?"
"Th-thanks...Flowey." She replied, still sniffling. "I-I can."
The girl took a moment and worked to try and calm her breathing down. Brushing her eyes to a dryer state, by wiping away the tears on the bandaged part of her 'sleeve.' Leaving them stained black in some places.
"Feeling better?" He asked, getting a nod. "Good. Let's find you a jacket, or something."
"That's...that's a good idea," Chara agreed. "S-she needed one, so...I might too."
He looked over the damaged clothing she had. "And maybe a whole new outfit...honestly."
The girl worked to reinvigorate herself, to drive back the feeling of doubt and concern. She tried to focus on the moment, and not how confusing and awful everything felt. Picking the flower up, she headed out of the room.
"Always helps to have an added layer of defense against our enemies." She noted with a small smile. "A-and...thanks...sorry about uhm..."
"Don't apologize. It's okay. Today's been rough." Flowey responded. "And, honestly, I was more thinking against the cold."
"That's fair. Uhm, thanks for not...giving me the cold shoulder." She replied. "So...I saw her...take the clothes this way, I think?"
"Wait, we're going to Toriels room?" Flowey guessed, as they started in that direction.
"I see your keen sense of observation hasn't faded." She responded, managing to calm down somewhat. "Truly it is the gift which continues to provide for us."
"Har, Har, Har." Flowey scoffed. "Barging into moms room is a terrible idea, and we should in no way pursue it." He noted. "Let's check the room we were in before-"
"I see your mouth moving, but all I'm hearing is-" She turned on her heel to face the door before them now. "I love that idea Chara. Wow, you're so funny and have friends, and people who love you. We should totally pursue it."
"Chara no." The Flower commanded. "That's not even remotely what I said."
"Not listening, and I don't care." The child declared, opening the door. "Onward, my flower-powered compatriot."
Entering into Toriels room, was like entering an entirely new world. It didn't resemble it the way she remembered it at all. Then again, she could only remember a few random things in general.
The place looked like it had been recently cleaned in some sections. Save for the pile of laundry that had been placed next an area marked 'fold later. And well, a few other places.'
She noted the desk was littered with bottles, glasses, crumpled pieces of paper, and the sort. The bed hadn't been made, and was terribly out of sorts. And there were a couple bags of trash by the door, that simply hadn't been taken out.
"It's...kinda dirty in here." Chara commented.
"Yeah, that's what happens when you give up." Flowey remarked.
"Give up on what?" She asked.
"Lots of random little things...let's just get a jacket and go. Okay?" He requested.
And thus, the next ten or so minutes were spent looking over or through the various articles of clothing in the pile. A dozen or so shirts, pants, shorts, a few dresses. A different set of robes. And then, finally some jackets there-within. As she looked over the pile, she hummed.
"Okay, you go be on lookout in the hall." She requested.
"We're just getting a jacket right?" He asked.
"Well you said I should...replace my clothing." She reminded him. "And some look like they could fit so-"
Flowey promptly extended his vines, pulling himself towards the door. "Got it."
She watched him struggle in this action and rolled her eyes. Picking up the flower-pot she moved him out into the hall. Setting him down, before heading back inside, closing the door behind her.
Flowey remained there for what felt like another ten or so minutes. Patiently, and impatiently doing a whole lot of nothing. Every now and then he'd glance down the hall, worried that Toriel might show up, and burn him to death. But that didn't happen.
He thought about the outfit she'd chosen, and imagined he had some idea where she had actually gone. Cringing at the thought of 'him.' A figure of annoyance in his mind.
"Smiley trashbag." Flowey muttered to himself.
Finally, the door opened, and Chara stepped back outside. Turning he found that she looked a bit different than before. Having swapped out everything, seemingly.
In the present moment, she was wearing a long-sleeved black shirt, with similarly black pants, that were slightly too long. A belt running through the loops. Above all that, however, was a green hooded coat, that seemed to be a bit thicker than most. Her sneakers weren't actually replaced; however, they had been altered. Pieces of wood, and duct tape applied to 'reinforce them.'
"So, does it look cool?" She asked.
"Did you try to look cool?" Flowey asked.
"Well...yeah?" She glanced at herself and frowned. "I-I mean, I can go and try-"
"It totally looks awesome." He lied. "Like, real...lone wanderer kinda thing."
"You think so?" She asked, smiling.
"Totally." He replied, also noticing a plain black backpack in her hand. "So, what's that for?"
"You." She noted, adding. "I uh, found it buried in the corner. I took a bunch of old papers, and random junk out of it. Figure...we can put the vase in, ya know, so I can have free hands, and you can come along?"
"Huh, that's actually a really good idea." He admitted. "Easier to watch your back, when I'm literally watching your back, right?"
"I am known to have super smart ideas sometimes." She smiled a very encouraged smile.
"I d-" Flowey stopped, and sighed. "Definitely."
He'd let her have that.
With that, it seemed the next phase of their journey was set to begin. The pair both aware that the only path Toriel could have gone, was downstairs. To whatever lay beyond.
