Chapter Text
A long time ago, a human child fell into a mountain and was swallowed by earth. No one was around to see them fall and no humans were there to mourn.
Despite all odds, the human survived. And down below where monsters were banished, they only welcomed the child with open arms.
They showed kindness. They saw the human not as an enemy, but as a shining beacon for peace amongst monsters and humans. The King and Queen even took the child in with open arms and raised them alongside their Prince. Hope was flourishing amongst the kingdom. Freedom was in reach.
But one day, tragedy struck. The child grew very ill and passed away. Only the Prince seemed to know how it happened. And before questions could be asked, the Prince ran.
The Prince took the soul of the human and went past the barrier set by human magic. The body kept in his arms, he was determined to bring them to the surface. The humans that saw this were not aware of his plight. They cried out in horror and attacked the Prince. He did not stand his ground, only retreating with grave injuries. By the time he made it back down to monster kind, the Prince had turned to dust.
The King- distraught by grief- vowed to find a new way to break the barrier. Even if it meant taking the souls of any human who entered the underground. The Queen refused to stand by his side, and left her place. Some say she simply waited out of sight, to see if he could truly take the life of a human. But the monsters stayed loyal to the King. Surely, he knew what was best.
Meanwhile on the surface, the story of the Prince faded into nothing more than an urban legend. History told of the war between monsters and humans; all being banished underground to where no life could ever prosper. The monsters had to have been long gone. No one could live down there forever.
History had long passed on. Perhaps the time of monsters was over...
🔪📖
"You idiot!" Seth lashed out. "I told you the mountain was dangerous, I told you we should have gone back to the house! Now we're stuck here!"
It was the start of a very bad day when two siblings found themselves at the bottom of a mountain. All they had were the flowers beneath them, some scrapes and bruises, and for one of them- a pair of cracked glasses. Seth could only mourn another set broken while their sister seemed as right as rain with her toy knife in hand. But that was no surprise.
Little Aqua was always getting into trouble. That's how they ended up in this situation. They were only in the nearby town to visit distant family, nothing more. A 'boring trip' was what Aqua called it. No games, no adventures, no nothing! Seth couldn't agree more, but they will willing to accept the dull weekend. Not Aqua though. She was determined to make her own fun regardless of it all.
Their mom allowed them to go out without her supervision, but on one condition: "Keep your sister in town Seth!" It was just one rule, one easy rule they should have been able to follow. But no, when Aqua wanted to explore, it always meant trouble. Which always resulted in Seth getting dragged down with her. Literally in this case.
They really should have just said no, turn down their mom's offer and admit they aren't cut out for the responsibility. They may be almost a teenager but handling Aqua was no easy task. But alas, it was too late now. They failed. And this was probably the worst situation they could have gotten into.
And still even now, Aqua remained unbothered compared to Seth. Even with them yelling, she seemed quite content, probably not comprehending the situation yet. She sat up from the flower bed. The golden petals were still stuck in her hair as she tilted her head to the side. "Uuu, it doesn't seem too bad Seth..."
Seth eyes widened. "Too bad?!" Arms went up in the air as if showing off their new environment. "Look at how far down we are!"
There was nothing else around them they could see out of the darkness that closed them in. The light above was about the size of a dinner plate, only casting down on the flowers. It might had been the reason those flowers managed to grow down here. And those flowers were probably the only thing that kept them alive.
Seth could only shudder at the thought. The imagery of them lying dead at the mountain where no one could find them. They got lucky- too lucky. It made their heart race, their breathing harsh. They quickly dug out their inhaler from their pocket. It was the only thing they were caring beside one of their books. Thankfully intact, they took a deep breath in. Aqua was used to their asthma attacks, as she simply shook the petals off. Clear again, Seth got up to pace and think of a plan.
'What would be the most logical thing to do? Climbing? No, Aqua's too small and I can't even climb a tree. Plus we're so far down, if we fall again... Is it even possible to call for help? Could anyone hear us? Who would even go inside the mountain?! Oh, mom's gonna kill me for letting Aqua climb up there. That is if we don't die down here first!'
Despite the clear concerns shown, Aqua seemed either oblivious or carefree to their sibling's struggles. She got up from the flower patch, watched her sibling walk in circles, before turning her head to look through the darkness that surrounded them. To any young kid, it should have been scary- perhaps motivation to stay in the safety of the golden flowers. But Aqua wasn't just any kid. She wasn't scared of the dark, she only saw it as a challenge.
She took the first few steps into darkness. Seth turned and caught the glimpse of her bright dress vanishing. They let out a panicked squeak, trying to grab her sleeve before she was engulfed. But Aqua was already walking away. Seth rubbed their eyes, moving their cracked glasses aside while trying to make her out. It was almost impossible to see her, but they could still hear her footsteps.
"Aqua! Come back here!" They tried calling out while staying in the sunlight.
A familiar voice bounced off the cavern walls. "...there's a room! Seth come on!"
Their eyes widened. "A- A room?"
Surely Aqua was mistaken. It must had been a continuation of the cave. It made Seth think. 'Maybe there's some tunnels leading upwards. Something man-made. Surely hikers come to this mountain, there might be some people who come down here all the time! Yeah, that has to be it! Maybe we'll be okay!'
Despite the slight fears of what waited in darkness, Seth left the light and went after their sister. It took a moment for their eyes to adjust, only relying on the sound of Aqua's giggling to guide the way. But it didn't take long for their eyes to not only adjust, but to notice some light in the distance.
They could finally make out Aqua as she glowed under the light. She gave a big wave and smile. "Seth! The room's purple up here! Come see!"
And while Seth wasn't inclined to believe Aqua, they weren't expecting her to be right. This wasn't any normal part of a cave. There were ruins. The rooms were decorated in massive pillars. Purple stone walls matched the path. Trails of ivy stood out along the cobble with red leaves piled up close by. It was beautiful, like something out of a book. Now more than ever they wished they had their spare glasses.
They would have stood there in awe, if it wasn't for the sudden clash of red leaves being thrown over their head. Aqua laughed as she threw more leaves onto Seth. "It's raining! It's raining blood!"
"Aqua stop it!" Seth complained. "And don't touch those! What if it's poisonous?!"
"Uuu, that would be fun!" Aqua chimed. "Evil leaves, hehe!"
They stepped over the leaves on the ground and took Aqua's hand firmly. It was time to be responsible. "We don't have time to play around. This was obviously constructed by someone. Maybe there's an exit up ahead."
Aqua grinned, "Uuu, can we race? Let's race! Let's race to the exit! Come on!"
She started pulling on their arm to run ahead, Seth doing their best to hold on while picking up the pace. "Slow down!" They cried. Yet their sister only persisted and tried to run faster.
They only got halfway into the next room before Aqua broke free and Seth stumbled onto the floor. Seth coughed while pushing themselves up from the ground. She could be so annoying at times. And yet when Seth looked up to see her run around the room to leave no stone unturned, they felt more rational. 'It's probably better to let her burn some energy out before trying to lead.'
And besides, Seth would be lying if they said they weren't curious in checking out this place too. Out of everything they've learned in school, nothing could prepare them on knowing what this place was. It was almost exciting, as if the two of them uncovered something no human has found before. Oh how they wished they had a notebook and pencil with them.
The first thing that caught their attention was a plaque on the wall. "Stay on the path," it read. It was fascinating. "Who could have made all of this?" Seth quietly said to themselves. "Who else was down here?"
"Next room!" Aqua shouted. "Let's go to the next room!"
Seth sighed, so much for taking in the sights. "We'll go, we'll go! Just please don't run ahead of me."
They were about to lead until their heart dropped. A sudden instinct to be quiet. Seth trusted it and focused. They could hear something; not the sound of a breeze or rocks tumbling. It was consistent and slowly getting louder. Like footsteps. Someone was coming. They weren't alone.
"Hide!" Seth whispered while grabbing Aqua's arm and darting to one of the pillars. They ducked behind and held Aqua close. She let out a small 'oof!' and was about to bombard Seth with questions before they put their hand over her mouth.
They kept their voice hushed and brief. "Be quiet!"
"Uuu, are we playing hide 'n seek?" Aqua asked, her voice muffled.
Seth only went along, "Yeah, like hide and seek- just be quiet!"
The footsteps of this stranger were unusually silent. Seth could barely make anything out, but they knew someone was there. A slight humming could be heard from them. It sounded a bit older and feminine. Still, Seth was unsure where they could be- and who knew how long Aqua would stay quiet for. Hopefully this person wouldn't be here for long, but who knows what they're even doing.
There was a thought to take a quick look, just to see if this stranger was planning to leave. It was a risk, but it felt necessary. When the humming seemed more quiet, they peeked around the pillar to check. And Seth gasped.
Whatever it was Seth was looking at, it was no human. She was tall, with white fur and a small set of horns on top her head. Her back was turned away, making it impossible to discern what she was doing. But Seth recognized what she was immediately. Straight from the history classes they always got As in. A monster. An actual monster. The rumors were true. Monsters were still living underground.
They must had been staring long enough for Aqua to peek around too. She let out an awe. "Looks nice and fluffy... Like a goat!" Seth softly smacked her head and shushed her.
"Aqua, that's rude!" She stuck out her tongue and shushed them back. Seth shushed her again before breaking out of a potential shushing fight. "Let's just lay low until she leaves. Then maybe we can-"
"Hello!" Aqua called out, weaseling out of Seth's grasp. Their heart dropped even further. This was it. This is how they die. The monster turned around as Aqua ran ahead. Seth hid back behind the pillar and covered their eyes. They couldn't watch what happened next!
"Oh... Oh my..." The monster sounded stunned.
"Uuu, you're so tall..." Aqua commented. "And fluffy!"
That's it. Goodbye Aqua. Seth braced themselves for anything. A scream, a roar. That rule from earlier to keep an eye on Aqua was now far from broken... But nothing came. Instead, the stranger let out a gasp and sounded as if she was about to cry.
"Another human?! Oh my goodness... How did you get down here little one?"
"Fell from the sky!"
A faint laugh followed. "Well you seem to be in high spirits... Are you hurt little one?"
"Uh uh."
Curiosity was starting to eat at Seth while eavesdropping. They slowly moved around the pillar and watched. The monster was now facing them. She was kneeling down in front of Aqua, her eyes looking slightly watery yet the smile on her face was grand. If they didn't know any better, it was as if she was holding back the urge to swoop Aqua into a big hug.
"My name is Toriel," she introduced herself with a hand on her chest. "What's your name little one?"
"My name is Aqua!"
"Aqua. Oh that's a beautiful name! You haven't been down here for long, have you Aqua?"
Aqua shook her head. "No, we just got here."
Toriel's eyes widened at the mention. "We?"
"Yeah!" Aqua chirped. "My sibling's back there hiding right now!"
'OH OF COURSE YOU'D RAT ME OUT-'
Seth ducked back behind the pillar the moment Toriel looked up at them. They felt their chest tighten, fiddling with their inhaler and tempted to use it. Or wait, wouldn't the noise make it more clear they were hiding here? Still, the gig was up and they heard Toriel's voice a lot more closer to them.
"Hello there little one. My name is Toriel. I'm the caretaker of the ruins."
Seth stayed quiet. Toriel tried again.
"...I understand you must be scared right now. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to show up somewhere brand new. And we haven't seen a human down here in a long time. But rest assured, I will do what I can to keep you and Aqua safe."
Gaining some courage, they turned back to look. Toriel was at their eye level with a hand offered out to them. Aqua was still further back, smiling as usual. As intimidating as everything was, what other choice do the two have?
So Seth took her hand and they walked back to Aqua.
🔪📖
If there was one thing that was clear to Seth, Toriel was indeed the best person to run into.
She held their hands the whole time. She offered to pause and inform Seth on any questions they had of monsters or the ruins itself. She listened to both of them ramble on and quickly interfere at any argument. She had an ungodly amount of patience with Aqua that was almost impressive. Toriel even managed to convince Aqua to give her the toy knife she had on her.
When Seth asked if it was a good idea- despite knowing that the knife was rather harmless- Toriel simply shook her head. "Violence is not needed here," she replied. "If any monster tries to bring you harm, I'll put a stop to it."
And she did just that, with such efficiency too. One look was all it took for any monster to tremble and sulk away. With Toriel by their side, they were truly safe from any harm.
Their day was already eventful enough with the fall and introduction. By the time they reached her home, the offers of pie weren't enough to keep them awake. Toriel carried Aqua in her arms while Seth sleepily clung to her dress. The spare bed was a bit cramped, but they didn't care. It was probably the best sleep they had in a while.
When the next day came, the two had more and more questions. Seth and Aqua followed Toriel out of her house to a little garden she was tending. Seth was more inclined to learn about the underground while Aqua got distracted by the small frog-like monsters that watched from afar.
"How many monsters live down here?" Seth asked while they watched Toriel bury a seed under some dirt. She dusted her hands off and reached for a watering can.
"Not many live here," Toriel answered. "This was our home at first, but over time we spread out."
"How big is this place?"
"Bigger than you'd think! And diverse too, good for some monsters with picky tastes."
Aqua jumped into the conversation while tossing dirt in the air at Seth. "Why do you stay down here anyways Miss Lady?"
Seth coughed at the cloud of dirt and swatted her away. "Because they were banished down here Aqua! Didn't you pay attention in class?"
Even with a question like that, Toriel remained as gentle as ever. "I'm afraid we can't leave the underground. The barrier prevents any monster soul from leaving..." Aqua's frown matched Toriel before she was handed a dull hand shovel. "But enough about that. Why don't you help me dig some holes for planting?"
A task like that would be enough to keep Aqua busy and get some energy out. Seth wondered if Toriel really needed all of those holes or was just finding a way to let Aqua play while they talked. Still, Toriel's last words stuck with them.
"Any monster soul..."
History classes never taught much of old magic humans used back when monsters lived beside them. But Seth could remember one of his teachers explaining how powerful the human soul was meant to be. Almost like pure magic itself. When Toriel went back to tending the ground with the little girl occupied, Seth asked one last question.
"Can a human step through the barrier?"
Toriel stopped. Her hands hovered over the dirt before curling in as she turned to face Seth. It was clear she was trying to keep her composure, although Seth didn't know why. "I'm afraid it's... More complicated than that Seth."
Seth didn't back down. "What do you mean?"
She looked over to Aqua again. She was busy trying to stab through the dirt, not paying attention to the two. "...Times have changed down here. Monsters have become desperate to leave. They... King Asgore... Are desperate to try anything to break the barrier..."
While the exact words didn't leave her mouth, Seth could feel what she was truly saying. The tone said it all. They weren't sure how to respond, so they'd let her get back to gardening.
But the topic didn't go away, not fully. The very next day, the two humans stayed inside while Toriel cooked. And Aqua was starting to get bored.
"Uuu, but I want to see more of this place!" she complained. "I want to see more monsters!"
Seth spoke before Toriel could overhear them and step in. "It's dangerous Aqua. Miss Toriel said so. We should probably listen and stay."
They turned over the page of one of the books Toriel had lent them. It was a nice break from their usual reading and their first time reading monster litature. Before they could process the facts about snails, Aqua leaned over their shoulder and kept talking. "I thought you wanted to leave."
"I do!" They closed the book with a huff. "Miss Toriel is nice, but we still need to get home! Mom must be worried sick, and who knows how much time has passed! I'm just..."
'I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do,' Seth wanted to say.
"...I'm just trying to think things over more."
Aqua stared back at Seth, before her attention turned to the kitchen doorway. Toriel was standing there. The little girl jumped off of Seth and ran over to the monster, rambling about something Seth didn't bother to pay attention to. But they could feel the monster's eyes on them.
Now more than ever, they felt like they needed to make a decision. For both of them. They needed to step up, but what was the best option? Toriel was safe and caring, yet it didn't feel right leaving behind the family the two had on the surface. And while Toriel seemed responsible, Seth didn't know if she fully understood what human children needed. What about school? What happens when they get older?
On the other hand, the journey to wherever the barrier is could be dangerous. But can't be impossible. If monsters have lived here for so long, there had to have been set paths and structures. And there had to have been other nice monsters like Toriel. There was no way all of them could be aggressive.
Positives and negatives existed on both side. A true dilemma Seth wasn't sure about. They thought about it more, neglecting the book as they stayed in the living room. At least until they noticed Toriel walk over. She sat beside them on the ground.
"...You miss the surface, don't you?" She asked gently.
Seth was hesitant to be truthful but they slowly nodded. "...I'm sorry. Your home is nice but-"
"-No, I understand Seth." Toriel quickly assured. "I'm not mad at you. I'm only concerned about what awaits for you two beyond the ruins. Who knows what could happen... And little Aqua..." Her voice almost broke at the mention of her name.
They inhaled sharply, trying not to think of the worse. "Can I ask you something about the barrier and Asgore?" Seth questioned while moving closer to Toriel.
She frowned, yet still gave a nod.
"...Would he really try to kill me and Aqua? We're just kids."
Toriel said nothing. She closed her eyes, thinking to herself. "...The last time I spoke to Asgore, he was filled with immense grief- as was I. It changed him. And he was determined in his cause, seeing seven lives as nothing compared to the lives of his people."
Seth sighed with defeat. "...I see."
"...But I also know Asgore." Toriel soon added. "I knew him for a long time. I know how soft he can be to many people. Some might see it as a bit of a pushover, but others saw it as a good thing. A king should have compassion. And as I know of, you two are the first humans to fall down here since he made his decree. Maybe, if I can be hopeful... Maybe Asgore will make the right decision and show you two compassion as well."
It was nothing more than hope, Seth knew that. They knew it would be risky and it wouldn't be easy. But all they could think about was Aqua. Their sister shouldn't be down here. Maybe hope would be enough.
Seth got up from the floor, picking up the book on snails and handing it back to Toriel. "...I think we have to leave."
She looked in pain, whether concerned for what could happen or hesitant if even she was making the right decision. Nevertheless, Toriel complied. "If it is what you think is right, I won't hold you back..."
🔪📖
Never before had the two stepped foot below her house and seen the ruin doors. The air felt colder down here and Seth was almost ready to turn back. But Aqua only seemed fascinated, and knowing that this is for her, they knew this had to have been the right choice.
Aqua said her goodbyes first and gave Toriel a hug. "Bye Miss Goat Lady, thank you for playing with me!"
Toriel's arms held tightly onto the little human one last time. "Goodbye Aqua... Be nice to Seth now. You do what they tell you to do, okay? They know what's best."
'Like she'd listen to me,' is what Seth wanted to say but knew it would worry Toriel. It was weird how accepting she was to let them go. They almost expected more of a resistance, maybe her trying to be more strict and forceful. Still, it was probably better to not question it. Maybe she was just being hopeful.
Toriel let Aqua go, and she ran straight for the door. Seth was ready to follow, until they felt Toriel's hand on their shoulder.
"Seth? Can I ask you something?"
They looked towards Aqua, unable to push open the big doors by herself, then nodded.
Toriel's hand remained on their shoulder as her face looked cold. "There is a lot of responsibility on your shoulders now Seth. It is your duty as the elder child to keep your sister safe. No matter what. As I've said to you before, I do not know what truly awaits you two. I do not know what Asgore will choose to do now that he will know humans have returned. I can only hope from here that he will make the right decision, before he does something our kind will truly regret."
They nodded, eyes fixating away from Toriel and towards the ground.
"...I only hope that you will make the right decisions from here. You're not just looking after yourself. You're looking after Aqua too."
Seth felt their words stuck in their throat. Their hands messed with the sleeves of their sweatshirt. All they could do was nod.
Toriel gave them one last hug and whispered into their ear. "Promise me you'll take good care of her Seth, no matter what happens. Promise me you'll put her first. Promise me you'll bring her somewhere safe."
"...I promise," Seth choked out the words. The hug didn't feel as comforting as before. It felt suffocating.
When Toriel got up and went to help with the ruin doors, Seth slowly trailed from behind. Their eyes were only on Aqua. They had a promise to fulfill. A job as an older sibling.
They only hoped they were truly as responsible Toriel expected them to be...