✱ Chapter 3

"You have to explain yourself," Flowey demanded, Sariel had carried him back to the wooden disc yet again as she frustratedly kicked the snow, choosing to stay on the embankment. This separation made the flower uncomfortable but at the same time he began to think about how he was getting all twisted about something that was clearly a personal matter to Sariel.

She must think I'm crazy, but I have to know!

He attempted to walk back some of his own misplaced anger,
"What are you going to do, send me down this thing just for asking a silly question?" he let out a soft laugh.

"No… I wouldn't do that. I just knew showing you would cause this reaction," she sighed and kicked more snow, nearly throwing herself back, it actually frightened Flowey somewhat.

"I'm not avoiding your question," she stopped herself, that was lie and she knew it, "Actually I am, but I'm frustrated at this stupid thing, it's not my usual go-to I had a previous one that I could command with magic, it had a fine crafted dog figure head and…" she could tell she wasn't amusing him at all with this diversion. "I'm just not sure why you're so mad" she whined, finally stepping aboard, "You don't have to be my friend anymore if you don't want to. I'm not like them, you know. I'm not part of their family anymore."

Anymore? The comment stuck with him.

He tried his best to feign that his anger was merely misplaced exasperation, "I'm not mad, you just have to look at it from my perspective," his voice was shaking a little as was his stem, "...I just don't GET it. I know for sure you're not the Prince." He shut up before continuing, he wasn't thinking clearly now as uncertainty about what was going on had gotten the better of him. It seems the golden flower was hardly the only one with his share of secrets.

Having kicked the disc into motion, Sariel sat down on the floor of the gondola and stared at the flower. She could see that something wasn't right, perhaps she could tell something else was going on with him. But Flowey had no idea what it was, only that some gears were turning behind those eyes of hers as they bore into him.

She sighed, her eyes seemed to grow heavier and glassier while looking at him, she stared away from the Golden flower and into the flowing water passing them below.

"The royal family, The Dreemurrs, had a son, the Prince and he passed." She turned her head to Flowey, he just stared, blinking at her, Yeah I know that part I'm not stupid.

Sariel paused, visibly holding back tears, she recounted the old story out to him still despite his protest:
"Well, after he passed there was a great mourning and during that time the King, after a time, thought it would be for the best to perhaps have another child,"

Flowey shook, unnerved by what he was hearing, trying to contain himself utterly but he couldn't help but think negative thoughts about what he was hearing. He began to realize quite quickly that this was prior to his awakening, it must have been!

"For a while it wasn't half bad I think, I remember learning and growing. I remember being hidden in the Castle of New Home. When I was of age they tried to convince me I was the Prince and that now I was alive again." Sariel continued, huddling to herself, she brought her knees up to her chest and pressed her head down into them. The Entire time Flowey looked on at her totally blindsided by what he was hearing.

"I- uh, I had no idea…" he managed, "I can't believe they'd just have another kid… I mean in a weird sort of way I can…"

She wrapped her hands around her legs.

"I mean, it's not like anyone was supposed to know! After a while they came to despise me, I couldn't blame them. I'm an abomination."

Despite not seeing her face, from her shaky voice Flowey could tell she was sobbing.

"The Queen first, she was so kind to me at first, calling me by his name, reading me bed time stories and cooking for me. Then as time went on, I became different, I deviated from what she wanted me to be. I wasn't him. I couldn't be. I could feel her love and attachment to me grow cold."

Flowey began to regret asking anything at all, he wanted to get off of this stupid thing and leave, forever.

Sariel tilted her head up, having calmed slightly from the crying to stare Flowey down, her legs straightening out. "Eventually they discarded me, and… I became just another Monster so long as I kept my head down." she raised her voice, "What kind of parents do that?"

"Bad ones…" Flowey craned himself away to face the water very much the same as Sariel had done at the start of their conversation.

"I just… Can't believe what I'm hearing." It's as though he's fixed in a trancelike state Flowey numbly shakes his head, each barrage of newly revealed information only cutting deeper and deeper.

They tried to replace me, and they were treated so poorly by the world around her, a self-labeled abomination. Despite his utter repulsion for the situation at hand, he feels a certain kinship.

"I can't believe they'd try and replace their son and I know you can't understand what my life is like…"

You took the words right out of my mouth but also you're so wrong, and you have no idea HOW wrong you are.

She shakily steps up onto her feet but still hunches over facing Flowey awkwardly, "After this if you'd like to go, I won't blame you. I just ask you not to tell others about me." she took in a few deep breaths while wiping her tears, stretching.

Suddenly and seemingly from nowhere, it finally escapes: a loud wheeze out from the little Flower. He lurches forward in a heated action such that the pot nearly tips over. Still seemingly trapped in that daze, the shuddering through his body had now become violent; there were tears welling in his eyes, which still gawk emptily to the floor of the gondola. This action disturbs Sariel who reaches her hands down after him to keep him upright.

"A-are you okay?"

The two were now arriving at their next destination and the makeshift boat slowed, Sariel picked him up now complete in anticipation. "It's my life Flowey, I have wasted so many tears trying to forget it but I tell you it solves nothing. Please don't feel bad I have done well for myself."
The little flower practically collapsed against her in their grasp, the tears won't stop flowing and his shuddering only seems to worsen.
Sensing what she presumed was his overflowing sadness, Sariel gently rubbed her bent index finger against the back of his stem with a 'there… there.' Comforted somewhat, he's totally paralyzed now. Even now, even after all the horrors he'd endured, the terrors of his bastardized resurrection, his own death and ultimate failure to be anything but a harbinger of ill omen...

and yet, it seemed as though he'd still much to learn about his own life. Not only had his distraught mother attempted to replace him with those Fallen Humans, but a monster too?

"Ha… ha… ha… At least you can say THAT much!"

"Again, I don't expect you to understand you're just some happy flower. I suppose if it is a little tragic… you may cry" She attempts to continue comforting him as she begins to walk down a darkened path, unlike before though this one illuminated itself very quickly once they were enveloped by the darkness. Illuminated by the natural light of cave and its features, and of the streams nearby. They were just passed Waterfall but were close to where they initially departed at MTT.

"J-just… some… happy flower…" He vacantly echoes her words staring into the bleak caves, listening to the drops of water. Finally, it seems as though a pressure point has been struck, then all at once, flames ablaze within Flowey's beady black eyes, his lips drawn back into a hostile snarl. A Dreemurr's fiery will. He stuck himself up right and got into Sariel's face.

"You must understand ME pretty well, then, huh?! I bet you've got THAT all figured out! Golly, just LOOK at how happy I am!"

She stopped and nearly walked back into the cave wall by Flowey's action, it startled her.

"Flowey... What's the matter?" Sariel seemed somber now, rid of her earlier emotion. She must have known by now more was going on but couldn't work it out.

Flowey could tell this.

"What's the MATTER? NOTHING'S the matter, you IDIOT!" He craned around in a half spin hysterically.

"I'm so OBVIOUSLY fine...! Besides, the Underground is FULL of flowers...! Who CARES if THIS one gets stomped down some more, huh?!" He's bristling, six yellow petals standing on end like the fur of a livid animal. Sariel remained silent looking straight through Flowey in her hands in great confusion, he could tell she was uncomfortable.

"I…" A long, ragged sigh escapes him, and he slowly shakes his head. All of a sudden, he looks utterly exhausted. "How much WERE you told?

about the prince…"

"A lot" she lowly admitted,
"What's A LOT? Tell me!" he demanded.

After a great pause, she took in a deep breath,
"Enough… I mean, when they tried to really make me like him toward the end of our time together I had to learn. At first they introduced me to things he liked to do or things he liked to eat."

She sighed "Toward the end, it wasn't a choice anymore, they forced me to do it. The Queen especially, made me study his habits, attempting to wake me up and put me to bed at the same time, get me into similar foods. They really tried their hardest."

Flowey wobbles. This is all just so much to take in. He's a flower, and yet... he's feeling ill. "…Do you know how he died?"

"It was said that he died honourably at the hands of the humans right? Just like the warriors who fought the humans previously in the war, while trying to return the body of his sibling to the humans… " She continued to walk forward, holding Flowey a little more distantly than before while still facing him; she managed to take the two in whatever direction she was going.

"From the way you say that it seems like you don't believe it yourself!" he shouted, though not as loud as before.

"I mean, from what I know they were very sure of the decision they made that day." she softly let out.

What did she mean by this, how could she possibly know something like that? "And how do you know that? HM?"

She puts down Flowey; Her arm shakes slightly as she points to something just behind the Flower. They had arrived.

"Not important, We're here…"

"It wasn't that simple! They-" He was caught off guard by what she said, it took him a moment before he realized what she said. Thin frown twitches upon the flower's face, and he slowly rises, pivoting on his stem to glance behind him at just what she'd pointed out.

It really required no introduction, it was the highlight of the day and came at the right moment of their conversation: it was the statue which once was in the MTT. Light which came from far beyond above on the surface made its way down to the sordid thing and illuminated its shape and vague contours but hiding some of its finer details of the statue. This statue was to represent the Prince, of course. A puddle surrounded the statue which had not shrunk down slightly, overtaken by water and decay.

Oh, god

There were a number of items however, Flowey didn't recall seeing the last time he was here, strewn about the edge of the puddle. To its right, curiously, was a ruined umbrella which was torn, broken, and partially submerged with it. Around it lay wreaths of dead flowers, a few melted and unburned candles, and various toys which appeared to have been taken from the Castle.

Once again, Flowey flinches backwards in his pot as though he'd been struck. The statue. Why here? Why now?! It's impossible the other is aware at all, and yet it only feels as though she's attempting to further twist in the knife.

The person he'd once been, cradling the lifeless body of his only friend.

A friend he'd so dreadfully failed.)
"Why? Why did you HAVE to bring me here of all places?!"

"I made a promise to myself that every time I come into this area in the badlands I would stop here to pay my respects to the Prince."
She swallowed and nodded sternfully, seeming to find Flowey's comments disrespectful. "It's the least I can do…"

She reached into her robe and pulled out the photograph and placed it just in front of the statue. Once placed, with her hand now free she placed her fingertips to the ends of the candles and lit each.

"I hope you know the prince really wasn't as great as everyone THOUGHT he was."

It's so sudden, so sharp, such a bold statement out of seemingly nowhere. A maintained a hard gaze affixed to the statue, he would know, wouldn't he.

Sariel shushed Flowey, and scowled at him.

"Of course he was, he died when he was a child. So pure and untouched by any prejudices or opinions, the poor thing didn't even fight back against those humans."

"I know it might not be your style, I'm not a fan of the royal family either but can't you see he only did what he thought was right, can you really blame him for that?

She stuck her arms out and hung her head down before the statue, nearly throwing herself to the ground, her cloak coming in contact with the muddy ground and the water, but she didn't seem to care.

"Your attitude speaks a lot about you, you're very suspicious. You're making me think you have some vendetta against the royal family."

"That's what YOU think, huh…"

Flowey scoffs, rolling his eyes.

"I mean... I GUESS you could say I was "close" to them. In a sense…"
He started to calm down again. "But what does it matter anymore?"

She ignores the flower's rambling and instead seems to be in some sort of meditation. She concentrated for a moment before opening her maw to speak out in a dry, serious voice.

"Oh Prince of the Underground, may you be at peace wherever you are now… May you have solidarity with your fellow ancestors and fallen friends…"

She took in a deep breath and continued, The longer she spoke, the further he seemed to become agitated. The brow line furrows with visible disgust.

"May you have peace in the afterlife… should the gods wish it."

She turns back, visibly very saddened again. She darted some eyes over at Flowey. "Would you like to say something?" His hollow stare is quick to shift into a resentful glare.

"...No."

"Then we may leave…" she says in a normal tone.

Flowey is silent as he's carried back to the boat, mind swimming with an endless sea of conflicting thoughts that point back at him like knives.

How?
How could I EVER go about explaining why I'm here, and WHO I am?

Nobody would have believed him except for, well, them… and they had left long ago. He misses them so much.

Years. He's been waiting Years, it stuck with him still even hours after hearing it. He couldn't believe the Human left him YEARS ago. He considered this whole day to have been a mess, and wanted to get out now more than ever.

Sariel had already placed him back on the gondola before he had a chance to scurry away on to the ground, he had to start focusing and not think so much, but he couldn't help but overthink.

"You are going to answer my questions now…"

"Oh am I?" Even though the question came from nowhere, he still was able to remark back coyly at her, he was ready for it.

"We aren't going anywhere until you tell me your problem with the King and Queen, or the Prince. I was starting to suspect you might have been close but your frustration confuses me." she started them off once again in the direction to which they came, the whole time she had been huffing and puffing while pushing at the pole. The actions weren't lost on Flowey, her frustration came out in her rowing.

Flowey sighs, peeking up at the other from a slightly hunched gait. Oh, boy, here we go.

"...You seriously wouldn't believe me if I told you."

After all, he thought, I am just some "happy flower".

Pulling the pole up slightly and huffing a heavy breath, she looked at him with eyes like daggers which came across the most intimidating as she had been so far, maintaining a silence that drove Flowey mad. Seems she was stuck thinking what to say next but then she uttered "Try me." Taking a page from Flowey's own book.

"Fine, you want the truth right?" He arched her brow at her, despite their antagonistic tone she gave back a silent and respectful nod in reply to his question. "I was the Prince!"

Immediately her face dropped with all expression and she stared dead at him, he knew she wouldn't have expected such an answer "Excuse me?"

"Yeah. You heard me."

"Look if this is a joke," She submerged the pole once more pushing harder against the water and starting to buckle her knees a bit with the force. This time Flowey was not intimidated at all and remained totally static.

She didn't seem to know what to make of this, "I don't understand… you're a Flower. Come on." still perplexed.

"You poke around the Underground a lot, right? Being that you're probably one of the only people left here?" She nodded again, though this time less assuredly.

"Ever been to the Hotland lab?" Flowey wasn't expecting the reaction he got, she shuddered and her hand nearly slipped from the pole, but she caught it. She looked like she'd seen death at that moment. She managed a weak, "Yes…" in response.

"That stupid idiot scientist and her lab, those journal entries there... have you read them? I don't know if you knew her, but the royal scientist was involved in some 'Shady business' on behalf of the King, and that's not even touching on what you told me."

She grew aggressive, yanking the pole up into the air and raised her voice to an angry tone "I was there. I left that place and I didn't dare look back," She pointed at Flowey with the pole which she was flailing around "You can't blame me for that! I never asked for this, I never asked to be born!"

What do you mean? What were you even doing down there?!

The flower raised his voice in response, he bared his teeth at her in his reply, with his inky eyes narrowing to vicious little slits. "and you think I asked to be resurrected?! Empty, hollow, SOULless…"

"Completely unrecognizable to ANYBODY I once cared about, and unable to feel a thing for them no matter how hard I tried…" A forced, bitter smile crossed his lips, his gaze flitting downwards. His voice is heavy, as though he's struggling to even explain himself.

"With the knowledge I utterly failed my only friend, and that this must be my punishment."

"At least you had a chance at life, I wasn't allowed one from the beginning… I had to live in your shadow the whole time." She thrashed the pole against the body of the wooden disc carrying them downstream, it shook violently but only for a few moments. The Deck was scarred with a large groove from the strike.

"At least YOU have a SOUL." He continued, "The royal scientist… she was researching the effects of determination she'd extracted from the human SOULs on monsters who'd fallen down." a shiver shot up his stem,

"Do YOU know what happens when a creature without enough physical form is exposed to that stuff?"

"Yes, I saw it first hand when they put me down there, and I will never forget what I saw." She closed her eyes and breathed in.

"Those… things. Amalgamates. And You call yourself an abomination!" he forces a mad cackle, "It's funny, isn't it? They're almost like my family, in a sick, twisted kinda way." He continues the cackle into a dry laugh before lowering his tone a little, "But that's why they'd finally decided it was unsafe to test on monsters. So... of course, the next logical step was to use something neither human nor monster. Something with enough physical form to hold the determination."

Sariel Exhaled, she worked it out on her own, "The flowers…"

She whispered.

He nodded somberly.

"Yep. Those same flowers the Prince had unknowingly brought from the surface. They're everywhere, now, of course, but… it wasn't always like that. I'm sure you know.

In the king's garden, there'd been one specific flower that had grown quicker than the others- that was the one the royal scientist selected.

It wasn't a fluke that the flower had grown especially well, either."

"It was you."

It's me. There was something satisfying about hearing that from her.

Sariel seemed to be growing calmer, if nothing else this helped calm Flowey down as well. The high tension between the two made this conversation feel like such a relief for all the thoughts that had been filling his mind since the Morning when he first spotted that tea cup and knew that something wasn't right about this Boss Monster.

"I think I understand what you're getting at here, but I think from what you're saying there's something you still don't know."

"And what's that? Since I'm so stupid… enlighten me some more."

"You're a Flower, it makes so much sense now. it all makes perfect sense…"

"What?" his eyes lit up, what could she possibly know?!

She drops the pole into the water

"Oh-!" She turned back around and exclaimed, she remained totally frozen for a moment as if to process her mistake. Then she jumped to the floor of the gondola, a string of expletives came shooting out from her like Flowey had never heard before.

"Oh no no no no nO NO NO!"
Flowey processed what had just happened: she had dropped the pole into the water.

"We're not getting that back, are we?" He chimed in sarcastically at this break in their conversation.

He sighed heavily, slumping over in his flowerpot in second hand embarrassment for this girl.

"Can't we keep talking, what's the problem now? It's just a stupid pole."

"We're going too fast is the problem."