Chapter Text
Chapter 2: More than Dust and Bones
You made it to the next room unscathed. "It's very purple in here." You observed aloud, soft piano music began to play, it was pleasant, monsters must have quite the thing for music you rationalized.
Along the path you walked, observing the neatly laid outline of red leaves on the floor. There was something glowing yellow in the pile of the same red leaves; naturally you wanted to check it out. It sparkled like a diamond in sunlight, kneeling down was a little painful but you still reached out to touch it.
The white text appeared in a white boarded black box, the box was smaller this time. It didn't have the same strained suffocating atmosphere like the playing field.
(The shadow of the ruins looms above, filling you with determination)
HP fully restored.
A soft ping echoed throughout the room. After the echo subsided you leaned on the stick to stand again but felt no pain. You were... healed? Was that what the text meant? You held out your arms, testing to see if there were any residual aches but there were none to be found. "That was amazing." you whispered softly. It was warm in the ruins, so you removed your coat, which was thankfully not too damaged from your fall or the battle, and put it into your bag before you decided that you'd seen enough of this room and moved onto the next.
The door was open but it looked like a puzzle on the floor. Oh you hoped there wasn't going to be too many puzzles, they aren't your strong suit. The door was beginning to close so you ran through it quickly. Sliding through Indiana Jones style grabbing your bag through at the last second, completely unnecessary but very cool. You stood and dusted off your clothes, another purple room but this one was far larger. You went to read the stone sign on the wall.
"Stay on the path."
Simple enough instructions, so you walked along the path and across a short bridge. There was a yellow switch to your left, upon investigating there seemed to be worn instructions, probably written in chalk, but from what you could read you were to pull the lever. So you did, you did the same to the next lever with old chalk words next to it, the spikes blocking your exit slid into the floor with a loud CHUNK. Onto the next room you went, you figured there was no going back after all.
In the next room there was nothing but the light purple path and a single dummy, it looked like it was made from cotton fabric. On touching it you entered a battle, the music changed and you panicked a little thinking the dummy might have been a monster in disguise but no. It was just a dummy. It was here you noticed that there were more orange options then just Fight. Since it was still unsettling to see your soul you decided to explore the other options in order to distract yourself.
Act : Check or Talk
Item : Bag, Pocket Knife, Clove Cigars, Lighter, Human Snacks, Bottle?
Mercy : Spare or >Flee
You were pleased that Fleeing worked and as the music went back to normal you were sure to equip your pocket knife...just in case...
In the small hallway between rooms you encountered a monster.
*Froggit attacks you!
You entered the battle and stared at what the white text said was called a Froggit. It stared at you, but you were afraid. This was a monster and that flower said this world was kill or be killed. You'd never killed anything bigger than a mouse and even then it was with a trap, not your bare hands. But your rationalized with yourself. You couldn't flee, the option wasn't there. The other options were there though and maybe it wouldn't attack unless you did. You decided to Check its stats.
Act: >Check
*Froggit : HP 20- ATK 4- DEF 1
This monster stands in your way, it seems confused.
The Froggit's attack filled the field, the bullets looked like flies and it hurt when each one hit you, you lost 4 HP. When it was your turn again you didn't think, you chose to Fight. You slashed outward with the pocket knife. The Froggit screamed and turned to white dust that piled up and you looked on in horror.
*You WON!
*You earned 10 XP and 20 Gold.
*Your LOVE increased.
The battle was over, the playing field gone, the soft piano music returned, you had only 4 HP left. You dropped your knife and stumbled back feeling sick, the pile of dust stirred with the breeze your fall created. The frog monster had harmed you in confusion if the Check held any truth; you struck out in fear and ended its life. You felt dizzy and so you sat. You sat there for a very long time thinking. You felt horrible. In those moments you decided that you wouldn't harm any more monsters, even if they attacked you, unless they happened to be a talkative bullshit flower. You weren't cut out to be a killer. No amount of "I'm sorry." would bring back this monster, it is dead. You stood, picked up your pocket knife and continued forward.
The next room was just unnecessarily long but other then that no other monsters...you wondered if they saw you murder the Froggit and all decided to stay away.
The room after that held another Froggit but it didn't attack you; instead it seemed to be telling you about how to show Mercy. The white text translated its croaks and ribbits to you and you took them deeply to heart. There was candy in a bowl in a room above you, it said to only take one...you took two. One you ate, which restored a little of HP you had lost, it was distinctly un-licorice like; the other you decided to place in your bag for later. You had found another sparkling point.
(Crinkling in the pile of leaves fills you with determination.)
HP fully restored.
You noticed that with every restore while your physical health was patched up, your tattered clothing and spilled blood was not. Dried blood still clung you your cheeks and arms. It was black around your nostrils from it and some trickles from your now healed lip were beginning to dry and become sticky. Your pants and shoes were still muddy and torn in some places and your t-shirt had a few tears from the battle with the froggit...even though you didn't want to think about it the dust from the fallen monster still was sprinkled across your black shirt. You hoped to come across another river or stream soon to wash yourself, because you were sure you looked awful.
As you made your way through the Ruins puzzles and battles, showing Mercy to every monster you met no matter what. Slowly you were getting tired from the traps and pitfalls. You finally came across a water source in the room with the rock you needed to convince to move. So you decided to clean up, not feeling too shy about your body since there were no monsters around... and you're pretty sure rocks don't have eyes. You stripped down and stepped off the bridge and into the shallow stream temporarily turning the water a cloudy rusty brown as you scrubbed your arms. Then you rinsed your face and your black t-shirt and pants, you tried not to think of the monster dust you rinsed free of it.
You sat to rest and dry next to a mouse hole and a table with cheese in the room after that.
(Knowing the mouse might one day leave its hole and get the cheese...It fills you with determination.)
You made a friend as you went along, their name was Napstablook and they were a very sweet, yet emotional ghost. You were happy that battle took a turn for the best and parted ways kindly. You bought some doughnuts and a cider from the spider bake sale. Stashing them in your bag more then happy to help a good cause since you weren't sure what you would do with the gold currency once you reached the surface...if you ever could...
More puzzles, more pitfalls, more merciful battles. The more you fought the more you wondered if you were being attacked because you looked human. If that was so you made a mental note to try and disguise yourself as soon as you could. Your adventuring took you to a small house in the Ruins with a blackened leafless tree, you sat in front of the tree and felt at peace.
(Seeing such a cute tidy house in the RUINS gives you determination.)
You now allowed yourself a moment to breathe. To lean your head back against the old blackened wood and rest your eyes. Your body felt heavy from the exertion of puzzles, climbing, falling, and dying. You recounted to yourself the battles and shivered for a moment at how you died.
…
Yes you distinctly remember dying twice.
Your HP was low and you were out of food to restore it so you did your best to avoid the Loox's attacks and just...didn't. One hit your soul a final time and you saw it shatter in an almost cartoonish way. Breaking like glass and then fading away into pale green wisps of smoke.
*STAY DETERMINED
The white text prompts you. So you do, forcing yourself to pull together the pieces of your soul and you opened your eyes into existence again, gasping for air back by the mouse hole and the cheese. You then threw up, there was nothing in your stomach of course so it was nothing more then acid that burned your throat and nose. You got back to your feet and checked yourself for any changes; upon examining your legs you swore. A deep crescent scar had appeared on your left upper thigh. It caused you no pain and appeared as though it had been there for ages, but you knew it was from the killing blow. You shivered, but this would not stop you and pushed on. Shortly after that you died again this time from a Froggit's jumping frog attack, you found it heavily ironic and accepted this death. Hoping it would help pay for your sins toward your earlier kill of its kin.
When you resurrected again by the cheese you found a scar in the shape of a frog hand etched into the right side of your collarbone, your shirt collar could not hide it.
You hadn't realized you had fallen asleep until a soft gasp and the sound of clattering buckets woke you with a start. "My child are you alright?!" Asked a warm voice, full of concern. You were not entirely awake, but the voice and words reminded you of how your grandmother would speak when you visited her. "Mmm fine Gran. Mum just got too rough again." You replied, unthinking. "How could any parent treat a child like such?" the voice asked darkly, wrapping warm soft fuzzy arms around you. Whoever it was smelled of fire and baked goods, you were to exhausted to care about who it was. You cuddled into their embrace and sleepily answered them. "You know how She gets. Anything can set her off... Can I just finish my nap? I'll... tell you... about it..... later...." you mumbled before falling back into the sweet darkness of sleep.
When you awoke fully you found yourself in a dark bedroom. Were you really at your Grandmother's? Had you only dreamt about the fall? You groped around to turn on the light and found yourself in an unfamiliar space. You vaguely remember a voice and warmth. Ah, so the owner of the small house must have come home...and they made you pie? You picked up the plate and fork off the floor and sat on the edge of the bed examining the still warm slice. The filling looked green, you'd never seen a green pie before, and while it smelled very good you decided you weren't really hungry right now. You set aside the plate and the pie slice disappeared into, what you had discovered earlier, was your inventory. Leaving the room that looked to designed for children you set out to explore the rest of the house and find your host. There were some plants around here and there, decorating the little halls and rooms.
Gentle guitar music filtered through the house in the same way the piano music filled the outer Ruins. It was calming and pleasant. The warm atmosphere of the little house filled you with determination.
"Hello?" You called out, hoping to summon your host. "Hello...I'm sorry I passed out in your yard. Today has been kinda weird for me and- OH!" A large white furred red eyed monster stepped from the room behind you with a kind smile.
"Hello my child. How are you feeling? I did my best to heal most of your injuries and took the liberty of washing your face...I hope you don't mind." The monster was the same voice from earlier. You tried your best not to be intimidated but she was huge! Far larger than any human you had met and that wasn't counting the horns that sprouted from the top of her head.
"I-ah...I'm so sorry I crashed your house and called you my Gran, Miss." You mumbled, the monster chuckled at you and warmly caressed your cheek, the underside of her paw was soft but worn and had no fur. You flinched away out of habit and she withdrew her paw.
"I am Toriel. I live here in these Ruins, tending the flowers and helping any who may fall down that hole and into the mountain. There's no need to apologize little one, I am not mad about your appearance, or you calling me your grandmother. Though surely I am flattered you associated me with someone you care about" You let out a sigh of relief, a breath you hadn't known you were holding and gave a small smile. "I'm _____ and I...I didn't know monsters were still alive down here."