"Khhk..!" Breathing out a painful breath, I try and fail to stand.

"Haaa..." Sitting down, I move my hands over my legs and feel. I don't think I broke anything, But I'm also not a doctor. An expert in monster anatomy, But a novice in humans.

Trying again, I manage to successfully stand.

"There wasn't a need for that, Chara."

Wiping the pulped flower off my pants, I try my best to ignore Chara's laughter. 

Taking a painful step forward, I will myself to continue through the massive archway.

"..." Staring at the flower in front of me, I can feel something is different.

"Hehehe... You're not really human, are you?" Staring right through me, and into my soul.

"You REEK of determination..." Out of nowhere, I force my broken body to move backwards. 

Aggressively piercing the stone floor beneath me, two large spiked tendrils force there way out.

Squinting, I grab the stick behind me.

"No violence." Slapping it out of my hand the moment I grab it, I scowl at her before reading myself. Toriel should be coming any minute now. 

Dodging out of the way of the bullets, I feel my body protest against the excessive movement. Quickly grabbing my knocked-away stick, I put it in between me and the spear-like vine threatening to pierce my soul.

"HAHAHA! THIS MUCH RESISTANCE?! WITH NO LOVE?! JUST D-" Getting blasted away, I watch as he stares at me before disappearing into the dirt.

Crumbling to the ground, I watch as Toriel runs towards me.

"My child!" Rushing up beside me, She crouches down. "You're hurt! Let- let me..." Going silent, I watch as she casts a spell, before a fuzzy feeling washes over my body.

Standing, She crouches slightly and puts a hand out.

Grasping it, she speaks.

"What a terrible creature, attempting to kill an innocent youth..." Pulling me up, I stare at her silently.

"..."

Lurching forward as Chara smacks my back, I glare behind me before remembering im talking to someone.

Toriel, eyes sharpening follows my gaze. Staring through Chara, she sighs in relif. "I thought that you had seen that MONSTER again." Pulling me along, she drags me into the destroyed arch, that leads into the RUINS.

 

   

Leading me up the stairs, I look down at the pulsating black matter that was once my SAVE point. Dark as the void, it drips a viscous black goop onto the floor, which quickly dissolves into nothing.

squinting in disgust, I rip my eyes away and look at Toriel.

"A-ahm. Thank you for healing me." Not used to talking to people other than Chara and myself, I flinch at my stutter.

Smiling, toriel pats me on the head as we walk into the next room.

"There is no need for thanks, My child. I am just simply doing what anyone else would do." Breaking off, she walks in front of me.

"As you can see my child, the way forward is blocked." Moving to the large closed purple door, she knocks on it to make sure I know its completely closed.

"But fret not, my child. This is simply the way the ruins function. Filled with puzzles, they act as door keys and diversions to stall humans!" quickly continuing, she smiles. "But now, they are nothing more as tradition. Here, my child. Why not try to solve this one yourself?

Nodding my head, I walk over to the sign.

* Only the fearless may proceed.

* Brave ones, Foolish ones.

* Both walk not the Middle Road

Having done this puzzle before, I raise an eyebrow. The memories... are'nt coming? 

Confused, I solve the relatively simple puzzle.

"Excellent, my child." Cheerful, she softly grabs my hand and pulls me into the next room, A long hallway with levers covering the walls.

"This puzzle is also quite simple. Just walk to the levers that I have labelled and press them, and we shall continue on to the next!"

Walking away from me, she stands at the end of the room.

"...Chara." Whispering under my breath, I walk to the first labelled lever.

"Yes, Partner?" Carefully walking over the bridge, I start toward the next lever.

"My memories seem to be getting fuzzy. It's rather unnerving." Flicking the lever, I walk towards Toriel.

"That's strange..." Going silent, I make it to Toriel, who happily ruffles my hair. "Good job my child, come. I have something to show you.

Following her into the next room, Chara starts.

"It may be an unforeseen consequence of your world destroying ways..." 

"that is unfortunate." Barely whispering, Toriel still manages to pick up me mumbling to my self.

"My child, is everything all right?" Slightly worried, she comes closer.

"Im just a little..." searching for the word, I find it. "Scared. Yes, I'm scared." regaining her smile, she tousles my hair, again.

"Be not afraid my child, as everything will be alright. Ill make sure nothing harms you." uncrouching, she pulls me along deeper into the room.

"As a human living in the Underground, Monsters may attempt to harm you." Nearly instantly contradicting herself, she continues, oblivious. "If this happens, you must be prepared! Should you encounter a monster that wishes to hurt you, strike up a conversation.

Squinting my eyes quizzically, she smiles. "The monster may no longer wish to fight you! Which will allow you to escape conflict without anyone getting hurt!" 

Pointing at the dummy, she softly pushes me forward.

"Go ahead, my child. Practice on this dummy."

Staring into its cold, Lifeless eyes, we stare at each other.

"..."

"..."

What a meaningful conversation. 

Confused, Toriel stares at me. "My child, will you not converse?"

Looking at her, I stare back at the dummy.

"Chara... what do i do?" I whisper under my breath.

"Maybe flirting with it will make Toriel happy?"

Sighing in exasperation, I stare the dummy down.

Putting my hand on my hips, I lean forward.

"You've made me religious, 'Cause you're the answer to all my prayers."

(THUMP)

Hitting the ground, Chara laughs hysterically before giving me a thumbs up.

Proud, I step away.

"My child! You are... are good. Very good." Slightly flushed, she grabs my hand and through another archway.

"The next puzzle is quite dangerous, My child. So I will guide you through it! Please, follow me." Letting go of my hand, She rushes forward to the end of the hall.

Quickly following after her, I'm forced to stop when something heavy impacts the back of my head.

"Ack!" Jumping back, I stare at the Froggit.

Brandishing my stick, I'm quickly reminded of my place when Chara whacks me in the back of the head. Glaring at her, I put the stick down.

Flirting with the dummy worked, So it'll probably work here too.

"Are you a frog? Because every time I see you, my Soul Leaps."

Managing to stay floating, she lets out a loud laugh while hitting the wall. "Good job. 10/10."

I don't think it was that great, but the Froggit obviously did. Although completely oblivious to what the words actually meant, It still seemed flattered.

Hearing feet on stone, I turn and see Toriel bounding over towards me with the ferocity of Hades himself.

Stopping next to me, She stares at the poor Froggit like she's about to tear it in two.

Dejected, and probably terrified, The Froggit hops away.

"My child. Though it may be a good way to stall for time... Please talk to the enemy, rather than flirting with them." confused, I tilt my head. Flirting with the enemy hasn't let me down yet, and I highly doubt it will.

"Ok!" I say, smiling. A successful strategy is a successful strategy, no matter how strange the means of obtaining victory is.

Grabbing my hand, She leads me to the next puzzle, Which is a pathway filled with spikes.

"Alright, My child. This is the puzzle." Staring at me, she then looks at the puzzle.

"Let us do this one together, My child."

Smiling, I get behind her like a baby duck as she starts walking.