Chapter Text
"Do you think she's ever coming back?" Kris asks. "Maybe she left us here for the other monsters to finish off."
"Maybe you. I think I'd be safe." Noelle is no longer curled in Kris' arms. Instead, her head is lying in their lap as they both lounge on the ruins floor.
"Really?"
"She only said you had to be prepared for a fight. If this is some monsters vs. humans thing, then I'm in the clear."
"Damn. I'm singled out yet again. How cruel. Tricked to await my death like a lamb to slaughter by my own other mother. The shadowed beasts of the ruins will finish me off, then she'll come along and claim the spoils."
"What spoils?" Noelle breaks off into giggles. It hurts her throat, but this laughter is lighter than before. Kris is a bright spot of normality in it all. Joking around together just like back when they were kids.
"You've still got those rolls of cash on you, right?"
"No, I left it on the picnic table. I still wanted Susie to have it. Does her more good than sitting in the lake forever."
"Damn. Then we really don't have any spoils." Kris shifts, jostling Noelle from their lap. "Better go find some."
"Not-Toriel said to stay here. What if there's some monster out there who actually wants to hurt you, like she said?"
"Then she wouldn't have left in the first place. You know how overprotective Mom is." Kris peeks outside the doorway, then returns. "Come on, it's been like two hours. Or more?" It's truly impossible to tell without sunlight or a clock. When Noelle still doesn't budge, they sigh. "Okay, think of it this way. If you want to start rebelling, this is a pretty good way. Right? Come on, we'll only go a little ways. We can always turn back. Pinky promise."
"The last time I agreed to a pinky promise with you, it didn't end well for me." Noelle can still remember being scolded for her part in the scheme.
"Then have fun sitting here alone. Because I'm too bored to sit around here any longer."
"Fine by me." And Noelle watches Kris leave the room.
She follows a few seconds later.
(So sue her if being without her one familiar face is terrifying. This place feels like the backrooms. A very, very purple level of the backrooms.)
The next room has a single lone Froggit in it, different from the one they encountered earlier. Noelle greets them as Kris approaches more piles of the red leaves. Again, they spend far too much time looking at it to be normal. Even by usual-Kris standards. A spider scurries across the floor, walking right over Kris' shoe.
"What are you thinking about?" She asks.
Kris shakes his head. "It's--"
A ringtone cuts them off, and Kris rushes to pull out the flip phone from their pocket. Both teens lean in close to the speaker.
"Hello, this is Toriel. You have not left the room, have you? There are a few puzzles ahead that I have yet to explain. It would be dangerous to try to solve them yourself. Be good, alright?" She hangs up before they can respond.
"How did she know? That's freaky."
"Mom senses? Who knows." Kris turns somber again. "You sure you're okay?"
Noelle can no longer stand the pity. "Yes. Come on, let's check up here." Noelle points towards the room's closest exit. If she's going to stay alive to finish Dragon Blazers III, then she's going to find a way back to finish her goddamn game.
This new room is the most ornate they have found by far. Large pools of water line the edges of the wall, and there are pillars with ornate designs around the top. There are drawings on the walls as well, large and decadent. Noelle should really call them murals. On the left wall is the simplest one: a goat monster, dressed in choir robes, and a human, with a long shawl and spear. They don't look unlike Kris and Azzy at a young age, though Azzy always had several inches on his younger sibling. On the right wall is one far more sinister. A mass of figures stand above a cliff, looking down at the crowd below them. Most of the silhouettes are indistinct, but the crowd below is clearly made up of several kinds of monsters. Above them, there are two humans with weapons drawn.
And in the center of it all lies a bowl of candies surrounded by more of those red leaves. Where are they even coming from? The only plants that Noelle has seen are the vines crawling along the walls, and there aren't nearly enough of them to warrant this many leaves on the ground.
"Hell yeah!" Kris surges forward, ignoring all these details that seem very relevant to understanding their predicament. "Free candy!" They shove their hand inside the bowl and upon withdrawing it...
...the entire thing tips to the side and shatters on the floor.
"Kris!" Noelle exclaims. "How did you manage that?"
They look back and smile with their fistful of candy. "No idea. Help me pick up the rest of this, will you?"
"Be careful of the glass. I can't have you getting cut."
Between both of their pockets, they manage to nab about half of the candy bowl. Noelle has to stop Kris from starting to shove the rest into their shoes. On the wall behind the candy bowl lies the third mural, this one the grandest and most detailed of all, surrounded entirely by a thick carpet of vines. It shows humans and monsters standing opposed to each other. The monsters are made up of all different kinds, some that Noelle has never even read about before. They are led by a tall, imposing goat monster with one broken horn. They brandish a trident and stare down their opponent. The humans are far more indistinct; it's hard to even make out individual faces, however, all of them have weapons drawn and at the ready. Some wield spears and torches; others wield what Noelle can only describe as wizard staffs. The humans' leader is short, with their figure mostly hidden by a dramatic cape. A sword is in their hands, clearly poised to attack.
Beneath the mural is a stone plaque. Noelle steps closer to read it, with Kris looking over her shoulder.
"Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: humans and monsters."
"One day, war broke out between the two races."
"After a long battle, the humans were victorious."
"They sealed the monsters underground with a magic spell."
Noelle looks back at the mural, at how the lead human and monster have so much hatred drawn in their eyes. The leading monster could almost be read as regretful, or even determined, but the underlying emotion is unmistakable. The human has no such nuance. The leader's face is the only one with any real detail, making their emotion even more representative of the group. Noelle looks back to Kris before stopping.
They look similar, almost. They have the same nose and jaw, the same swoop of the hair and crinkle of their brow. Then again, Noelle hasn't seen many humans in person, so that might not mean much.
"That sounds crazy," Kris mutters. "Like, all of monsterkind? All of humanity? How'd they get split like that?"
"Human and monster relations have been pretty rocky at points in history. We were just talking about the Norbury Riots in class last month."
"But it's never been that clear-cut before. I mean, it's hard enough to get two humans to agree. All of them?"
Noelle tilts her head. "This clearly isn't the full story. It's barely four lines. We might be able to ask your other mother for more answers."
"That's what we're calling her?"
Noelle shrugs, and Kris takes that answer as good enough. They tilt their head as well.
"It almost looks like Dad when he's angry." Kris points back to the mural, the monster leader.
"I don't think I've ever seen your dad actually angry." Jokingly riled up, sure. Sad, plenty. But angry? Genuine anger? Never.
"I mean, it does happen. But, goat monsters all kinda look similar, it's just in their nature." Kris shrugs. "Mom had to explain that when we saw another group of them on TV, and I thought they were our long-lost cousins."
"That's very common in boss monsters."
"Of course you'd know that, smartass." Kris sticks their tongue out and turns back, ready to leave the room. Noelle follows, shoving them very gently. Just enough to wobble their balance.
It's so, so nice to joke around again. To not have every interaction undercut by fear of what her friend had become.
The duo makes it out of the candy room and past all of the red leaves. Several small, flying monsters cross their path as they make their way through the next stretch of the ruins. Only a few pull them into a battle, though it barely takes one small smile or sign of surrender for them to fly away. Each time they drop a couple of golden coins behind them. A few more Froggits peek out at them as they pass, but none approach.
It's all going smoothly until the floor falls out beneath them.
Luckily, the drop isn't too far, but that doesn't ease the shock. Noelle picks herself up after a few moments, surveying the room. It's too far to climb out the top, and there's nothing to stand upon for a boost, but there are two sets of stairs leading back up.
Kris mutters, "Well, she did call them ruins," before picking themself up as well, dusting off the crushed red leaves.
"Do we just... go back up?"
"I guess."
They walk up the stairs furthest from where they entered and emerge on the other side of the hole. The doorway slides shut behind them, blending in seamlessly with the rest of the wall. Upon further inspection, the floor they stepped upon was obviously cracked and made of something flimsy.
"What's the point of this? It's not a puzzle."
"A trap?" Kris offers.
"What kind of a trap lets you walk free immediately?"
Kris has no answer to that.
"This really is like some kids' edgy backrooms level." Noelle huffs.
Not-Toriel calls them again shortly after, inquiring about their preference between cinnamon and butterscotch. However, before they can answer...
"Wait, don't tell me... is it butterscotch?"
Kris goes stiff, something mournful flashing in their eyes. "How did you know that?"
"I had a hunch." Not-Toriel giggles. "It is often, when a human falls down here, that I feel like I already know them." Something soft creeps into her voice, and she almost sounds like their Toriel. "Truthfully, when I first saw you, I felt... like I was seeing an old friend for the first time. Strange, is it not? Well, thanks for your selection."
She hangs up the call, and Noelle and Kris are left staring at each other in confusion.
Then the phone rings a second time.
"Hello? This is Toriel. You do not dislike cinnamon, do you?"
Kris finds their voice again. "No, no. Cinnamon is great."
"Wonderful. Thank you both for being so patient." Then she hangs up again.
...
"Is Mom always this weird? Or is this freaking you out too?"
"I mean, she's not-not weird, but this is a whole other level. She's like, too formal?" Noelle can't find a better way to put it.
"Noted." Kris folds the phone up and crams it back into their overstuffed pockets. "You think this puzzle is as straightforward as it seems? Just push the rock onto the switch?"
"That's what the plaque says."
Kris sighs, looking back at the written text. "I know, these just don't seem like they're really doing a good job at keeping people out."
Before they can push the rock together, another battle begins. This time it's a Froggit, stepping towards them with a tilted head. Several of the small, flying monsters are crowded in the doorway, observing. A few spiders lay beneath them.
Noelle coos at the display. "Aww, you guys are just a little curious, aren't you? It's alright, Kris is nice, I promise."
"I appreciate how froggy you are." They say, getting the Froggit to blush and hop.
A few small white flies materialize around the frog monster, flying at Kris' exposed soul. While Kris is dodging the attack with ease, Noelle takes note that whatever magic is creating these flies doesn't affect Kris' body at all. It's only when a fly hits their soul that they flinch.
The encounter ends a few moments later, and the Froggit slinks away, leaving a few gold coins at their feet. Kris insists that they're fine and scarfs down a few candies to prove their point. They continue their journey, running into a few more curious Froggits, but nothing terribly dangerous.
Until they come across another mass of cracked flooring. It stretches on the entire back half of the room and continues around the bend. Without much other choice, Noelle lightly taps the floor, watching as it crumbles away.
"Now what?" She groans.
"There has to be some way through. There hasn't been any other path; Toriel had to have passed by here. That means there's a solution."
"Well, you can figure this one out, Puzzle Master." Noelle sits down, pulling out a few candies from her pocket. "I'm tired."
It takes a few minutes of trial and error, tossing small debris and tapping their foot, but Kris finally finds one patch of floor that doesn't fall.
They take a few tentative steps forward.
Then a few more.
They can see around the corner now, craning their neck. Noelle smiles, standing up herself.
"I found the way! Follow me."
Kris makes it two steps around the corner before they fall through the floor. Noelle is peering over the edge as fast as she can, careful to stay on the still solid ground.
"Kris? Are you okay?"
A dramatic groan is her response. She can see down to the room below, filled with red leaves and one fallen human. When Kris sits up, they groan again. "There's another staircase up. I'll be back in a second." There's a pause, then they call back up. "Wait, give me a minute."
Kris comes stomping out of the door shortly. "The solution is mapped out down there; I can lead us through." Then, under their breath, "These are the most pointless roadblocks ever. Like, Roulxs levels of pointlessness. Why even have the stairs back up if these are to stop an intruder?"
"Not-Toriel did say 'diversions and door-keys' specifically. They were never a long-term solution. Besides, what if a Froggit got stuck?"
Kris glares at her. "Don't logic at me. Let me be upset."
"If I have to suck it up, you do too." Noelle glares right back.
Kris sighs and takes her hand, leading her through.
When the rock scolds them for pushing it, Kris nearly commits a homicide.
There is a small hole in this hallway, too small for any monster Noelle knows of to use. Across it is a table with a plate of cheese. Kris slides to the floor next to the table, burying their head in their knees.
"Is it too late to regret giving you an inspirational speech?" They sound so small. "We've been wandering down here for hours. I'm so tired."
"You could eat that cheese."
Kris does make an attempt, but the cheese is stuck to the table. This simple fact crushes the last shine of hope in their eyes.
"The spikes are still an option." Noelle half-jokes.
"No."
"You're the one bringing it up."
Kris turns away from Noelle, unable to look her in the eyes.
"Back at the lake..." They stop.
Noelle waits, not like she can do much else.
"You mentioned, at the lake, that you wanted to change. When you asked me to... say it... You smiled. You seemed so happy." Kris pauses again. "Did you... Did you really like me better that way? When I... changed?"
"I wouldn't say I 'liked you better'," Noelle says, shivering a bit. "It was terrifying. No one else noticed how you weren't yourself, you made me hurt Berdely, you... in my room..." She has to pause, thinking for a moment. "It's hard to word properly. I missed you this way, but seeing you like that... It was my escape. My way out of everything unbearable. You were so sure of everything. You knew things. I thought maybe you knew how to break free of everything."
She doesn't mention how scared it made her, that evening in her room. How Kris had gone from being her friend the night before, returning her watch and reassuring her, to something otherworldly. Something who could read her thoughts and force the ThornRing back onto her.
"... I think I get it," Kris whispers.
They rest a few minutes more before moving on. As they pass through the next few rooms, greeting Froggits as they go, Noelle finds herself falling behind. When her courage is gathered enough, she thinks: if you can hear me, say red or blue.
Kris says nothing, doesn't even look her way. They simply continue walking on. Not a stutter in their step.
Narrowing in the middle, this room has the most unique architecture they've come across. There is an exit right across from them, but blocking the teens' path, lying on a bed of red leaves, is Officer Napstablook.
Noelle and Kris are both standing by them, and they clearly knows that the two are there, seeing as their eyes are open and they’ve looked at the pair several times, but the ghost yet to acknowledge them. Instead, the ghost stays lying flat on the ground repeatedly saying the letter "z" aloud.
"Excuse me?" Noelle asks.
They begin to say "z" louder. Realistically, Noelle knows that they could simply walk through them; ghost monsters are entirely incorporeal without a host, but that is about the rudest thing you can do. They are in no position to be accidentally making enemies.
"Officer Napstablook, can you please let us through?"
"officer? no... i'm just a ghost..." They pause for a moment. "oh no... i gave myself away... now you know i'm not asleep..."
Another battle begins, thrusting Kris' soul from their chest. Tears are already gathered in the ghost's eyes.
"It's okay, man." Kris says, "We just wanted to pass by." They smile patiently, which only makes the tears in Napstablook's eyes overflow.
Instead of rolling down their face, the tears float off, heading towards Kris. None of the bullets graze their soul, thankfully, though a few do fly wide and miss their mark. Noelle almost doesn't realize that they hit her at first. Then she feels the sizzling, stinging pain on her hand. She squeals and jumps out of the way. No physical mark has been left, but the lingering pain burns.
Noelle scrambles for something to say to cheer up the ghost. Officer Napstablook always liked a good joke; maybe this one would too?
"What happens when a frog's car breaks down?" She waits for Napstablook to tilt his head. "It gets toad!"
They smile, just barely. "heh heh..."
Kris readies to dodge the next attack, but nothing comes.
"Um, are you going too..." they prompt.
"oh, no. i'm really not feeling up to it right now. sorry. you can have another turn."
"I mean, we aren't trying to fight you." Kris ventures. "You can go back to your nap if you want."
"no... i'm not tired anymore..." Napstablook smiles again, even fainter than before. If Noelle hadn't brought them and Officer Undyne treats with her mom so many times, she may have missed it entirely. "actually, let me show you something..."
They begin to cry again, but this time the overflowing tears fly upwards instead of out. Slowly they congeal until Napstablook has a shimmering, milky top hat floating above them.
"i call it 'dapper blook'... do you like it..."
"It's very suave," Kris says, Noelle nodding along.
"oh gee..." The battle ends, and the few remaining tears Napstablook sheds roll slowly down his face. "i usually come to the ruins because there's nobody around... but today i met some people who were nice... oh, i'm rambling again... i'll get out of your way..."
Napstablook faded away, leaving a clear path for them to cross.
"This is so freaky..." Noelle can't help but say. "They seem even more down than they normally are."
"We got them up and moving at least. The next room looks pretty small, let's check it out." Kris crosses over the leaves without hesitation.
The small room isn't decorated at all. No pillars, no etchings in the wall, none of the detail they had come to expect from the other rooms. There weren't even any vines. No, none of that. What it did have was spiderwebs. Dozens and dozens of spiderwebs, coating the corners and ceiling in a thick blanket. Only a few spiders are currently scurrying around, but it's clear that many, many more live here. In the center of the room is a sign, written in big, shaking letters.
"Spider Bake Sale." Kris reads aloud. "All proceeds go to real spiders. Huh. I am hungry."
There is a rustling above them, and a few spiders descend. Three are carefully balancing a tray covered in different types of doughnuts. One holds out a slip of paper, written in the same hand as the sign, reading: 7G EACH. Noelle reaches into her pocket, past the remains of her share in the candy stash, where they've been keeping the golden coins other monsters keep dropping.
"Is this 'g'?" She places the small pile in front of the group. The spiders do what appears to be a happy little dance, which Noelle takes to mean yes. "I think we have about twenty here. Can we take three?"
The spider holding the note paces for a moment, puts down their note, scurries back to one of the spiders holding the tray, and seems to have a heated conversation about accepting Noelle's deal. After a minute, the tray approaches them, and the first spider scurries to the pile of coins.
"That looks like a yes to me!" Kris grabs a chocolate-covered doughnut.
Noelle hesitates to choose one, but finally lands on a classic glazed. "Which is our last one?"
Kris looks back at her, mouth already stuffed full of chocolate. They say something along the lines of "bweugh?"
"We're splitting the third, right?" Kris nods emphatically. "Then get over here and help me pick it out." Noelle takes a bite of her own doughnut.
They eventually settle on one coated in powdered sugar and sit in a web-free corner of the room to enjoy the rest of their food. Lunch? Was it lunch? It felt like it should be lunch.
Noelle decides that it's lunch.