Took longer than expected. Wasn't the biggest fan of how I had things going, so I went back and did a lot of rewriting. With working full time it took some time, but hope you enjoy as much as I have been. Happy Reading.

Chara is taking things pretty well so far. Wonder how long that can last.

Chapter Text

The statue, no Asriel, watches me, a small smile forced on his face. He’s a creature unlike I’ve ever seen before. He stands about my height, but that’s the only similarity to a human that can be made.

His mouth and nose extends out into a snout, like an animal, and long floppy ears reach down to his shoulders like a puppy. Strangely as well, his face and body are covered in a fur, a short white fur that seems neatly kept and well-groomed, except for the short cowlick sticking up on his forehead.

Whatever he is, this creature, this monster, I need to get away from him. Who knows why he saved me. Am I to be cattle saved for his next meal or something worse? He’s small like me, but he has magic. He could kill me if he wanted; if I try to escape from him he’ll try to stop me.

Magic only hurts people.

While this is all going through my mind Asriel just stares. It’s as if he knew what I’m thinking. That if he looked away even for a moment that I would vanish like a wisp of smoke. Like that could even happen now, even with my legs healed, they’re still weak.

No, I’ll have to try and find another way to get away later. I’ll have to play nice with this monster and wait for him to slip up. It’s my only chance.

Asriel’s smile never wavers. He must know he’s in control. He waits for a response from me, but what do I say.

“Umm, hi... Thanks for helping me. Uh, where are we?” I say lamely.

“The Underground of course,” Asriel answers with a wide grin taking over. “Where else would we be silly?”

“I don’t know” I respond feeling no clearer than before. “Wh…What now?”

“Can you move okay? We should get to my mom and dad, I’m still learning to use my magic, I wasn’t able to heal you as well as you need, as well as the-“

“NOO” I cut him off “No” I repeat softer this time after seeing the surprise and fear splash across him. The idea of more of them will only make getting away harder. And if he’s telling the truth that he can’t use magic very well, maybe I really will be able to escape. But only if we’re alone.

“Don’t worry, mom and dad will only want to help.” Asriel says with his calm smile returning, “And besides they’re waiting for me close by, there’s only one way out from here anyways.”

“Come on,” he says as he softly pulls me towards the door, almost laughing with excitement as he says it. “They’ll love to meet you.”

He’s just pulling me along with him now. My legs not working properly, I can’t really put up a fight. I guess I don’t have a choice here; probably won’t for a while with my legs as they are.

Asriel pulls me towards the door again and instead of being dragged, I try to take some steps with him. I put all my weight into him in an act of defiance, maybe if he gets tired he’ll want to stop, but if he notices or cares, he doesn’t let on.

We get to the door eventually, having to take small steps, more scooting across the ground rather than making real progress, so it takes a while. Once there I stop and Asriel lets me. Peeking through the doorway, I try to see what’s in store ahead.

The next room is another area of abnormal light, cast by seemingly nothing. In the center of the room two figures sit upon a blanket with various foods arranged between them. They’re having a conversation, the smaller figure heaving in laughter from something the larger one said.

The two figures are larger versions of Asriel, both with animal like snouts, short white fur, and long ears.

The larger figure however also has a large un-kept mane of golden fur surrounding it’s face like a lion’s, that mostly conceals it’s ears. It also has long curved horns reaching up from the top of its skull.

The smaller figure looks much more similar to Asriel than the other, with only short curved horns and much more well-kept fur than both Asriel and the larger figure.

Returning my attention to Asriel since the figures hadn’t noticed us yet, being too focused on their picnic, I notice him staring. He quickly changes back from the concerned look to his happy smile and gives another little pull towards the picnic.

As he does a flash of panic unleashes itself and I pull away. I can’t go in there. They can’t notice us. I try to walk away, back from where we came, but I stumble and fall. I can’t breathe, I have to get away from here, I have to be quiet, I have to escape.

I can’t let them find me.

As I desperately try to crawl away Asriel slowly walks in front of my path and sits cross-legged in front of me with a sad look.

He whispers to me “Calm down, it’s going to be okay. We need to get you more help. I’ll be with you the whole time.”

He reaches his hand out to me a smile returning to his face that I hadn’t noticed he lost. He waits, waits for me to make my decision.

Instead of taking his hand I look at him. I really look at him for the first time. Deep into his eyes, the portal to your soul as people used to say. His eyes different than a humans, just like everything else about him, his irises a very dark blue, almost black, misshaped with a small notch missing near the top.

I look into him as he keeps his hand out waiting, but I don’t see anything. Nothing that will help me, nothing that tells me if he’s lying to me or not. All I see from him is a confidence that he exhumes, his small happy smile never faltering.

A kind smile that means nothing to me. A small warmth coming from it, similar to the one that filled my body when he healed me. I focus only on that, filling my mind with it, slowly regaining control over my breathe.

I look down to his paw errrr, hand, and again it differs from my own having only three fingers and a thumb. I’ll have to trust someone down here if I’m to have any hope of getting out, if only a little bit and for as short a time as possible.

And this Asriel has only helped me so far, maybe he will continue to until he can get what he wants from me, hopefully I can escape before that time comes.

Slowly, I raise my hand up to his and place it onto his palm. He clasps his fingers around it and stands up.

His smile turning into a wide grin he says,

“I’m glad you’re ready, I was getting stiff here on the hard ground.” Giving him a small quick smile as an apology, he seems satisfied and starts pulling me back to my feet.

Walking the few feet back to the door, since I guess I hadn’t really made it that far when trying to crawl away, we step through it.

Still standing in the darkness around the edge of the room Asriel lets me go, giving me a quick look of confidence and then turning his attention to the figures that still hadn’t noticed us.

“Umm, Mom… Dad…” The figures stir and turn to where Asriel voice came from. Asriel steps out into the light and the figures give him the same happy expression that Asriel had given to me so many times now.

“Ummm… Don’t freak out okay?”

“I met someone over in the flower bed, where I usually like to play.” Asriel says, “They were hurt, so I helped them. And I know you don’t like it when I use my magic without supervision, but they really needed help and I did. I did help them. But… I wasn’t able to heal them fully. They still need your help.”

“Mom, Dad, this is Chara.” He says as he holds his hand out, beckoning me to join him. No going back now, but I still really don’t want to do this. He gives me a look when I don’t step out and starts shaking his hand impatiently.

Not able to leave on my own, I do the only thing I can do now. I step into the light.

Asriel calms, his grin wider than ever, but his parents are standing now, after their son’s confession. And their looks of concern instantly transform to fear as they see me. The smaller figure quickly rushes forward to grab Asriel as the larger one summons some sort of fire magic ready to strike.

Before I can try to rush back into the safety of the darkness Asriel gives off a high pitched squeal.

“NOOOOOOO!” He screams in his childlike voice, “I SAID NOT TO FREAK OUT. I told them you’d help them. They’re still hurt. Please stop, you’re scaring them. They need your help.”

Asriel starts to break down into tears as his pleas continue, never moving from his spot between us. Only mumbling now to the smaller figure that was now in front of Asriel, holding him, tears flooding down his face.

“I’m sorry young one, please don’t cry,” the smaller figure says with a feminine voice. As she speaks the larger figure’s magic falters and disappears entirely.

The smaller figure, Asriel’s mother, turns her attention to me now, suspicion still in her eyes, but an apologetic smile on her face.

“I’m sorry my child, please do not be afraid. We do not wish to hurt you. You just surprised us, that is all.”

”Please come.” She says raising her hand, “We can help you. Asriel says you are hurt?” I hesitate, is this a trick now. They seemed perfectly happy to have hurt me a moment ago. Before I have a chance to keep brooding or react Asriel speaks up with his big grin returning.

“Chara can’t walk very well right now, I wasn’t able to heal them right.” A quick sadness covers him, but then vanishes. “They need my help.”

Asriel walks away from his mother to her evident dismay, but she doesn’t stop him. Asriel walks up to me, slow and cautiously, but since I don’t flinch away, he gets closer and pulls himself under my arm like before and we slowly make our way to the blanket.

There he sits me down. His father and mother looms above us, but then sits near us. They still seem weary, but they’re trying to hide it I think.

His mother speaks first, now that we are all together on the blanket.

“Are you hurting, my child? With all the blood covering you it is hard to tell where you are injured.”

“No, nothing hurts that badly” I quietly squeak out. “Asriel did alright healing me, I just can’t move very well.”

“Hmm” His mother says, “Well I am glad to hear that. We have been so rude, I apologize. My name is Toriel, I am Asriel’s mother, and this is Asgore, Asriel’s father.”

“Hello” Asgore says in a deep strange voice.

“And your name was Chara, correct?” Toriel says and I nod in response.

“Well Chara, I hate to keep you waiting to be helped, may I use my magic on you to finish the job my little Asriel started? It may be somewhat uncomfortable, but that will not last long.”

I hesitate. She could be anyone. Even if she did want to help, who knows if she even knows what she’s doing. I feel Asriel’s warm hand on my shoulder and looking over to him he smiles and nods to me. I lower my head and turn back to Toriel and slowly nod to her never raising my gaze.

“Do not worry my child, everything will be alright.” She says to me softly as she raises her hands above me.

An energy emits around me, different from what came from Asriel when he healed me, this one is much less intense and more focused. This energy flows through me like a pool of calm warm water.

“Asgore can I get some help from you here, I want this to be over quickly for the poor child.” She says.

“Yes my dear.” Asgore says as he moves to the other side of me. He sits behind me and asks “I will need place my hand on your shoulders little one, will that be alright?”

I nod again lightly and feel his warm large hands lay upon my back and then his magic releasing and mixing with Toriel’s.

“Hmm, looks like Asriel did well in healing you, but he was unable to restrain his power.” Toriel explains, “He healed your wounds, but then also built onto the areas that were healed with excess muscle and matter. It is no wonder that you are having trouble moving as you are now. There will be some pain removing it all, but it will only be temporary. Forgive me for this my child.”

She pauses in case I wish to respond, but I remain silent and she continues.

“Alright little one, prepare yourself. Asgore lets begin.”

The warm pool of energy that’s still spread throughout my body starts to concentrate on certain areas, the spots that felt wrong, the spots that had felt so much searing pain just a short while ago. The energy intensifies on one of the many and a sudden pain replaces it.

I let out a quick squeak of surprise and pain that I was so much hoping I could have kept inside and with it I feel another small soft hand placed on my leg. I look over and see Asriel next to me, grief stricken across his face and tears beginning to roll out again.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I only wanted to help you. I didn’t mean to.”

Asriel lowers his head in shame, tears running down the fur on his snout. I place my hand onto his and give it a squeeze. He looks up and I give him a small smile.

What a strange creature this Asriel is.

As I watched him another sharp pain strikes and then quickly vanishes and I try and fail to withhold my sound of pain. With it Toriel begins to hum a tune of some kind, either in concentration or comfort, an eerie tune with a happy tinge, but it only feels sad.

The magic begins to concentrate on another point, but as I tense for another spark of pain Asgore begins speaking.

“I am sorry that I reacted badly when I saw you little one.” He says. “It has been a long while since we have seen a human. Many of us never thought we would ever see one again. And when I saw the blood covering you I thought the worst.”

”I hope you can forgive me, forgive us.”

Unsure of what to do to appease him I raise my hand and place it upon his own that rests on my shoulder. It had worked with Asriel and it seems to work with him as well as he says.

“Thank you small one.” Another sharp pain strikes and dissolves, but this time I remain silent.

Asgore squeezes my shoulders lightly in reassurance, but remains silent as well. I start focusing on Toriel’s haunting happy tune, playing it through my head as another pain strikes and another. More keep coming, but I keep strong concentrating on Toriel’s song and Asriel and Asgore’s warm presence. More and more until finally Toriel stops humming and Asgore raises his hands off me.

“I’m sorry that took us so long my child. Your injuries must have been extensive. How are you feeling now?” Toriel asks.

“I’m okay. Thanks.” I respond pathetically.

“How could you know that silly?” Asriel laughs out, “You haven’t even tried moving yet.”

“Give them some time, child.” Asgore says, “Take all the time you need Chara.”

“Thanks.” I repeat, trying to stand now.

Surprisingly I stand without a problem, like nothing had ever happened. Perhaps my muscles are still somewhat tight, but only like I’d just woken from a nap.

“I can move again!” I say loudly, jumping and then stretching, testing my body for any flaws.

Remembering where I am however I quickly regain my composure and lower my gaze.

“Sorry.” I say meekly. “Thank you for helping me.”

“Think nothing of it child” Toriel says with a sad look, “We are glad you are alright now.”

“Are you hungry little one?” Asgore asks. “Would you like some fruit or maybe some tea?”

Am I hungry, I never really thought I would need to worry about that again. I should eat something though. I don’t know when I’ll be able to find any more food again. And I need to get some information from these creatures before I escape.

I nod silently and they beckon me to come back to the blanket. Asriel excitedly comes and joins us as we all sit to eat.

“Here try this” Asriel says happily holding up a strange fruit that I don’t recognize.

“What is it?” I ask while closely scrutinizing it. It was the size and color of a small green grape, however it had strange blue veins covering it, underneath the fruit's skin.

“A berry of course, try it. It’s really good, they’re my favorite.” Asriel says as he tosses a few into his open muzzle.

I might as well, I don’t really recognize anything else I see here either. I nibble a small piece off to try it, I had never really been picky before, I never really had an option to be, but I need to be careful here.

But to my surprise it tasted good. It’s tart, but with a hint of sweet, somewhat like a blackberry that’s been picked a bit too soon before it was fully ripe. I eat the rest of it and as I’m chewing my body starts to realize just how hungry I really am. When I swallow it however, something strange happens. A rush of energy fills me up like a burst of adrenaline.

“What was that?!” I ask surprised, “Its making me feel weird.”

“Oh, have you never tried any of our food before?” Toriel says in response, “It has been a long while now, perhaps there is no longer any left on the surface.”

“Our food is different than the food the humans eat, the food you are used to. Ours is made of much less matter than the humans. Ours is made mostly of magic and when eaten the magic gives you the energy from it directly, which soothes and empowers you. I am sorry we did not warn you my child, we are so used to them, I did not think of it.”

“They’re good though right?” Asriel says holding more out to for me. I smile to him and take what he offered, slowly eating one at a time.

Between berries I gain the courage to ask to no one in particular, “So if your food is different than humans, then what are you all if not human?”

Toriel looks surprised, “We are Monsters of course, did you really not know that little one? Did you not learn of us on the surface?”

I shake my head in response to her. She sits puzzled for a moment, but then suddenly she gains a look of recognition and quickly brings her hand to cover her mouth. A look of fear and sadness clearly showing as she says.

“I’m so sorry my child, if you did not know what we were then when you first saw us you must have been so frightened and we reacted so horribly to you as well.”

“I am so sorry,” Toriel says as she quickly leans over and embraces me in a hug. I tense up. I don’t know what to do, I don’t want to upset her. I still need more information from these people err.. Monsters, but I hadn’t expected this.

Asriel leans over to join in the hug as well and places his face into his mother’s side. “It’s okay mom, Chara forgives you. Right Chara?” Asriel says his voice muffled.

Still not knowing what to say I make an affirmative noise and hope that it will suffice. It seems to as Toriel says.

“Thank you my dear. If you do not know of us then you must be so confused right now, please ask any questions you have of us.”

Can it really be this easy? Will they give me everything I need to know? I can’t risk upsetting them; I’ll have to start with some simple questions.

“Can I have some more of those berries please?” I say.

Asriel laughs and hands me the whole bowl of them, grabbing a handful for himself before letting go.

“Thanks” I say. I eat a few and then get to my next question. “Are there a lot of you down here? How big is this place?”

Asgore responds this time saying, “All of monsterkind that we know of are down here with us. Or all that is left.” A quick sad look flashes across him and disappears. “We all live nearby in a place we have made our home. The underground spans much farther than we have built, but most of it has not been explored.”

“Why hasn’t it been explored?” I ask, my curiosity peaking.

“It is safer here,” Toriel says softly.

Feeling that this is a difficult subject for some reason I leave it behind and go on to more important topics.

“Are there any other humans down here?”

“No, there are none. You are the first one to walk this ground in a very long time, possibly ever.” Asgore says.

“Good,” I say relieved. Toriel and Asgore seem confused by my response, but thankfully they don’t question it. Unable to think of any more questions, I need to broach the topic that I’ve been delaying. The only question that really matters for me. “Thank you for helping me and for the food, but can you tell me how to get back to the surface?”

Asgore and Toriel shared a glance with each other. I don’t like it, I don’t think they’re going to let me go. Toriel avoiding the question asks me. “Do you know anything of us monsters little one? Is there nothing of our shared history that is remembered on the surface?”

“I don’t really know. I never really went to school,” I say embarrassed, “All I know of monsters is what people tell in scary stories. Hiding in darkness, tricking people, hurting people. I didn’t think they, er, you were real”

“Sorry.” I say realizing I might be offending them.

“That is alright little one,” Toriel says not realizing why I apologized. “Our history with humanity is not very happy, perhaps they chose to forget. It all happened a very long time ago now.”

“What did?” Curiosity getting the best of me.

Toriel and Asgore share another knowing look.

“There was a conflict between humans and us monsters long ago. Fighting broke out between us and a long battle ensued. We monsters however were no match against them.” Asgore says sadly with a hint of anger beneath the surface.

Toriel continues “We surrendered to the humans, for that was all that was left for us. And that is how we ended up down here. The humans chose to seal us away underground with a magical spell. Any may enter through it, but nothing can exit…”

“Do you understand my child?” Toriel says taking my hand into her own. “I am sorry little one, but now that you are down here with us, there is no way for you to return to the surface.”

Toriel waits silently for me to think, but I can’t. She can’t be telling the truth, this has to be a lie. There’s no way that we could have forgotten something like that, no matter how long ago it happened. They must be lying to try and keep me here, I doubt I can get much more information from them if they’re already lying.

They are trying to keep me here for whatever reason though. Now I just need to play along and wait for a chance to escape and find my own way out.

“What now then?” I ask.

Toriel and Asgore yet again glance at each other, but then Toriel quickly begins, “It is getting somewhat late, perhaps we should return to our home and get some rest and then we can think on exactly that in the morning. I know Asgore and I are both tired after all the magic we used, Azzy too seems tired out.” Toriel smiles towards Asriel as he is trying hard to not nod off. “He used a lot of magic as well.”

“Noh im fine,” Asriel slurs.

“And I imagine you must be tired as well Chara, after all that you have been through.” Toriel ends.

This could be perfect, if we return to their home then they will have to leave me alone at some point. They both can’t keep watching me forever.

“Yeah” I agree.

“Good” Toriel says standing, picking up the sleepy Asriel as she does. “Asgore could you clean up the picnic please.”

“Yes dear,” He responds and quickly cleans up the area like they had never been there.

“Now little one I need you to trust me here,” Toriel says “We have a little way to get back to our home and on our path there we will come across other monsters. They… They may not react very well to the sight of you much like we didn’t. It will be best for others to not yet know of you until we have all had some time to think and Asgore and I have had time to plan.”

“So I please ask of you to wear this blanket and stay close to us until we get to our home, it will not be for long.” Toriel says, reaching for the blanket Asgore is holding. She then holds it out, waiting for me to take it.

Seeing no harm in it I take it and wrap it around myself.

“Alright let us head out” Toriel says with Asriel still in her arms.

She begins walking towards the only other exit, Asgore waiting for me to follow. I move to follow, but trip after a few steps on this oversized blanket. Asgore chuckles in his deep voice and says.

“Here little one, let me help you.” Before I can protest he wraps his arms around me and picks me up much like how Toriel did with Asriel.

“No I’m okay, I can walk, I’ll be fine.” I say indignantly.

“Shush little one,” Asgore says with an amused grin. “It will be safer for you this way and it will not be for long. Alright?”

Not happy, but not wanting to delay things any longer, I remain silent and Asgore takes that as a concession and follows in Toriel’s wake.

As we walk I hear voices I don’t know, some distorted, unlike any human voice. These must be other monsters that Toriel warned of. I slowly reach over to pull the blanket more over me, fully covering my face from the possible threats. Muffled now I can barely hear the monster’s voices and Asgore seems uninterested in small talk. We continue for a ways and I hear other various mechanical sounds that I can’t place, but I don’t dare to look and reveal myself.

Finally having a moment to myself since this all began, my fatigue begins to over-encumber me. The warmth of the blanket and the heat from Asgore only worsen my sudden drowsiness. No matter how I resist I feel myself passing into unconsciousness. As I am about to succumb I hear Toriel from ahead of us.

“Finally home,” She says.

“Come on little one,” Asgore says beginning to place me down on the ground.

I quickly regain myself and get my footing below me and peek out from the blanket feeling disoriented and light headed from my close call with dreamland.

I need to be more careful.

“We are alone now, you can reveal yourself.” Asgore says.

Taking off the blanket is more of a challenge as it has knotted itself around me, but I manage and Asgore reaches out to take it. Looking around at my new surroundings, I find myself in a strange room of some sort. Ahead of us is a cute little brick house with leaves covering the ground around it. Behind us a small sapling of some tree I don’t recognize grows. It must somehow be the source of the all the leaves that are neatly piled around the yard.

“Welcome to our home my child,” Toriel says. “Please come and join us inside where it is warm.”

We all enter the quaint little house and to my surprise it is a complete contrast to the outsides purple brick walls and floors.

Inside is much like the homes of the human world. Wooden floors and tan walls with a staircase leading down ahead of us. Two hallways lead off to the rest of the house on my left and my right.

This all feels so out of place here underground.

Toriel leads us to the right hallway and I follow with Asgore heading up the back. It reaches far across the house with multiple doors along the left wall. Upon the ground is a soft decorated rug reaching the length of the hallway. Throughout the hall there are various vases and decorations filled with well taken care of plants of many varieties. Stopping in front of the second door on the left Toriel whispers.

“This is Asriel’s room,” She says quietly not to wake the now sleeping Asriel. “Let me go place him down to sleep and then we can get you comfortable for the night as well.”

She enters the doorway and I wait, peeking in to not lose sight of them. Asriel’s room again is much different than the rest of what I’ve seen. The room is colored in a light blue with his walls, floors, and bed all matching the theme. Various toys are strewn about and many different drawings and story books are piled around. Toriel steps to the bed and pulls back the covers, placing Asriel down and returning them over him.

“Night night little one,” She hums out. “Sleep well; tomorrow you are going to clean this mess you have left your room in” Smiling, she quickly pats her child’s head lightly and makes her way carefully back out of the room.

After closing the door she says, “Alright, let us get you comfortable as well for the night. Asgore could you please go and get the extra bedding for the little one?”

“Yes my dear,” He says and continues down the hall and enters the third door.

“Here this way, he will be a moment.” Toriel says leading me back towards the entrance.

Once there we continue on and enter the left hall this time. Here we come upon their living room.

This time the color scheme matches rest of the house, but much less decorated than the rest of the home had been. Some comfortable looking chairs surround the fireplace and on the other side of the room a large dining table sits with wooden chairs arranged around it and a potted plant in the center. A bookcase near the fireplace being some of the few decorations of the room, is filled with various worn looking books of many colors and sizes.

Toriel walks towards the fireplace and says “Here come take a seat by the fire and get warm.” She leans down and summons some more of her magic and casts it into the fireplace.

Not wanting to, I hesitate. I know it is still too early to try and escape, but I do not want to go over there.

“This will be where you sleep for tonight young one. Will that be alright with you?” Toriel asks, now turning and realizing that I haven’t moved from the doorway.

I just shake my head even as I see another question about to reach her lips. But she pauses, concerned and confused.

“Was there somewhere else you would rather stay then?” She asks.

Not trusting my words I move to the far side of the room and sit down in the left corner of the room behind the table. As far away from that spot as I can.

Toriel walks over, her expression not changed much and simply sits down against the wall as well. Far enough away that I’m not too uneasy, enough space between us that I could run away if need be, if she didn’t use her magic that is, but I don’t want to think about that.

“You know you might get cold over here, these wooden floors may be much easier to clean, but they carry no heat, even more so at night.” She says.

I just shake my head again and remain silent. My eyes locked on the ground, not daring to look around.

Several moments pass by like this, the only sounds are of Toriel’s soft breathing nearby and the crackling sounds coming from the fire across the room. Until she finally decides speaks up again.

“Child, I… I do not know what you were doing when you fell down here. I also do not know what thoughts are passing through you with all that has now happened and what we have told you. But I know you do not trust us yet, I know that you fear us as well.” She raises a hand like she wishes to touch me, but rethinks it and lowers it again. “You have no reason not to. Especially with how we first greeted you.”

“But know, all we have told you has been the truth. You are safe here. And no matter how much some of us might wish it, there is no chance of escape for any in the underground, human or monsters. They made sure of it back then when the barrier was created.”

She pauses again, maybe to let her words set in or possible to think on them herself. The sounds of her fidgeting with her hands tell me she is far from done or satisfied with what she has said so far.

”I know that we have all just met, but it is important that you know all this. You coming here changes things. Things that have been the same since as long back as most can remember. This will be a sensitive time.”

“But know also that we harbor no ill will towards you for your humanity. The humans that sparked the conflict so long ago were only afraid, afraid of our power. The fear of the few spread to the many and then there was no returning to the way things had been.”

”But we do not hate them for this. Most of us who are old enough to remember the surface, to know humanity, we know the good in you all. We know the compassion, the love, and the fear.”

“So we do not despise you for what you are, we are only happy that you are alright little one. And Asriel has seemed to have taken a liking to you as well.”

Toriel smiles warmly, looking tired for reasons other than the magic she used today. Footsteps sound from behind us and Asgore walks in with bedding.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” He says placing down the bedding near the fire. “This should suffice to keep you comfortable for tonight, if not do not hesitate to speak with us.” Asgore smiles as he adjusts the bedding and prepares it for me. All while unknowing of what he had interrupted.

“Bring it over here, my dear, please.” Toriel’s vitality now returned, she stands and points towards the bedding.

Asgore somewhat confused, but not wanting to argue, picks it back up and brings it over.

Toriel steps out of the way and Asgore sets it back up again ever so gently and then backs smiling, but tired, to admire his work.

“Thank you dear.” Toriel says giving him a quick hug to his side.

Asgore then gives an affirmative hum and leans against the table.

“Why not get some sleep little one? Things will be easier in the morning after we all have gotten some rest.” Toriel says and then looks to Asgore. “Let us get some sleep as well. I will meet you there in just a moment.”

“Yes, my dear. But do not stay up too late now, we all need to get rest after today.” Asgore says as he leaves.

Toriel smiles toward him as she loses sight of him. “Now come on my child. Let’s get you in bed.”

Instead of standing, I reach over and grab onto the blankets and pull them to me, into the corner. Ready now to speed things up, I cover myself and try to look like I want to sleep. The sooner she leaves, the sooner I can escape. I get farther into the bedding and pull up the covers over my dirty clothing. She smiles a knowing sad smile.

“Good good. Now sleep well young one.” She walks a few feet towards the exit, but then turns back to face me.

“Please child, I only have one request of you. Please do not do anything rash tonight. I know you are afraid, but you are safe here. Please think on what I have said, before you make any decisions. Goodnight child.” And with that she leaves.

What does she know, she doesn’t know anything about me. She acts as if she wants to help, but how could she. What does she want from me? If what she says is true then how could she possibly feel that way? It doesn’t make sense. She must by lying or hiding something.

Deep in my dark thoughts as I often find myself I blink and when I open my eyes again I find myself in darkness. The fire had gone out.

Idiot, I scold myself, how could I have let myself fall asleep. How much time has passed, is it too late to get away?

I push back the covers and quickly stand, dizzy with sleep still clouding my mind. Looking around, I have no idea of the time. How can they even tell it down here?

I sneak to the doorway and peak through. It’s dark, but I can’t see anyone. The door that we came in from is closed, if I make it through it I’ll be gone from here forever.

Just a few steps.

I dash to the front door, quickly turning the cold handle and pulling it open a crack, there wasn’t even a lock. Now in the strange light of outside I sprint to the sapling, happy my legs are working again.

I can go anywhere I want now, but I had failed to actually ask about this place well enough. Any direction could be a bad choice, so I guess it really doesn’t matter which one I take.

Decision made I step away to leave, but I pause. I need to think things through. I know how to survive well enough, I learned that long ago. But I need to think, I can’t let my fear control me here.

Turning around I rush back to the house, but instead of entering, I take a seat on the leaves near the door.

I need to make a plan before going back inside. I need supplies. I need food, clothing, something to protect myself with. I can’t risk getting close to their bedrooms though. The room next to where I slept will be my only option and perhaps whatever was down those stairs.

Slipping back in to find anything I might need, only one thought keeps repeating in my mind.

Sorry lady, I don’t make promises.