Frisk stood up uneasily and dusted off her shorts.

What have I gotten myself into? she thought. ...and is there a way to escape?

Suddenly, a calming feminine voice rang out from ahead.

"Hello? Are you alright?"

A tall goat woman in a purple dress emblazoned with a delta symbol appeared around the corner.

Toriel.

Frisk trembled and looked at her feet. She didn't want Toriel to like her in this timeline. She was going to kill her, after all...

She smiled warmly. "Ah, do not be afraid, my child. I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins. I pass through here every day to see if anyone has fallen down. You are the first human here in a long time.

"Come! I will guide you through the catacombs." and with that, she took off, Frisk trailing close behind

-----

Slice.

Slice.

Slice.

It was a never ending cycle.

Frisk swung her stick at the monsters.

They gave her a look of absolute terror.

And they vanished.

Stab.

Stab.

Stab.

They never stopped coming.

Why won't they just stop coming?

I don't want to kill them.

Stop it.

Stop coming.

Slice.

...please?

-----

Frisk lay in her new room, staring up at the ceiling. How had she done it? How had she killed them all? She drew her fingers along the toy knife she had found earlier in the RUINS.

They were so innocent. They didn't deserve to die.

Why?

Frisk pushed herself out of bed, her heart pounding in her chest. She pulled open the door, blinking as the bright light blinded her. She walked towards the living room, her feet dragging on the floor.

Toriel was sitting on a giant tan chair. A warm fire was blazing beside her in a fireplace and a wide table was on her other side. She was reading a big book.

Toriel looked up. "Oh, hello! How are you, my child?"

Frisk smiled uneasily but didn't respond.

"Did you want to hear about the book I am reading? It is called "72 Uses for Snails. It really is quite interesting."

* ...How do you exit the RUINS?

A look of shock crossed her face but quickly vanished. "Umm... how about an exciting snail fact instead? Did you know that... snails sometimes flip their digestive systems as they mature?"

* How do you exit the RUINS??

Her voice grew slowly more desperate. "Did you know... snails talk really slowly..?!"

* How to exit the RUINS.

"...I have to do something. Stay here." Toriel stood and raced past Frisk to the stairwell in the entryway. Frisk followed close behind.

Frisk dashed towards Toriel and grabbed her large hand. Toriel pulled it away, surprised. "You wish to know how to return 'home,' do you not?" She whispered. "Ahead of us lies the end of the RUINS. A one-way exit to the rest of the underground. I am going to destroy it. No one will ever be able to leave again. Now be a good child and go upstairs." She broke away and continued walking forward. Frisk continued to follow.

Toriel looked behind her and sighed. "Every human that falls down here meets the same fate. I have seen it again and again. They come. They leave. They die. You naive child... If you leave the Ruins... They... ASGORE... Will kill you." Her voice trembled. "I am only protecting you, do you understand? Go to your room."

"Do not try to stop me!" Toriel was almost shouting at this point. "This is your final warning."

Finally, the two reached the end of the hallway. A large, magenta door loomed in front of them. Toriel turned around and gazed down at Frisk. "You want to leave so badly? Hmph. You are just like the others.. There is only one solution to this.. Prove yourself. Prove to me that you are strong enough to survive!"

Frisk's soul flickered in front of her. Her heart was racing and her arm trembled.

Frisk looked helplessly at Toriel. Tears brimmed in her eyes. She didn't want to do this. But she had to. She had to.. for Asriel.

How could she do this?

[SPARE]

[SPARE]

* ...

* ...

[FIGHT]

Frisk leaped out at Toriel with a small cry and sliced at her chest.

11289

A look of surprise passed Toriel's face. She fell to the ground and knelt on one knee.

"You.... really hate me that much, don't you? Now I see who I was protecting by keeping you here... Not you.... But.... them..... Ha.... Ha..... Ha....."

Frisk let out a wail and crumpled to the ground next to Toriel.

* I'm sorry, Mom! I'm so, so sorry....

Toriel's dull grey soul appeared between them, cracking down the center.

Toriel faded away into a pile of dust.

Why did Asriel... no, Flowey.. make her do this?

Why?

....Why..

Frisk wiped the tears from her eyes and stood up, gazing at the giant door in front of her. With one last glance behind her, she pushed it open and stepped into the wintery wonderland beyond.

-----

Wow, I wrote this all in literally one night... I'm proud of myself!

Anyway, thanks so much for reading and I really hope you enjoyed! I'm going to begin writing the next chapter ASAP, so hopefully it won't be as long of a wait. Once again, thank you so much and I'll see you all next time! Peace out.

-Maddie