Ruined

Ace's POV

"Okay," Frisk spoke up once Toriel was out of sight. "She's gone. Let's go explore." Ace glanced at them, raising an eyebrow.

"Good idea!" Ray exclaimed, slamming his gloved fists together. "We can all go together and-"

"I'm going alone," Frisk replied, marching through the door, their hair covering their eyes.

"Me too," Poppy grunted, pushing her hands in her pockets.

"Well, I'm going to wait," Ace replied, sitting down with his back pressed against the wall. "You guys do whatever you want." Teri nodded, sitting down next to him.

"We can go together," Clover offered, glancing at Ray.

"Sure!" Ray exclaimed, beaming. Kat nodded to them. The three of them left the room, far behind Frisk. Poppy went even further behind, waiting until Ray and Clover were way out of the hall before venturing down it. A ringing sound echoed through the room. Ace jumped a bit. He put the phone to his ear, accepting the call.

"Hello? This is Toriel," she greeted, her voice distorted in the receiver.

"Hi, mom," Ace greeted. His eyes instantly widened and he put his hand over his mouth.

"Did-did you just call me 'mom?'" she asked. Ace could picture a blush crawling up on Toriel's cheeks. If she could blush…

"It… slipped out."

"Well… I suppose… would that make you happy?" Toriel asked. "To call me 'mom?'"

"Yeah... kinda," Ace admitted, running his fingers through his long hair.

"Well then, you can call me what you like, my child."

"Thanks." Ace smiled. "Uh… why did you call?"

"Oh, I just wanted to make sure none of you left the room… none of you did, right?"

"No," Ace answered. "We're all still waiting in the room." Ace shrunk beneath Teri's hard gaze. It wouldn't be a lie if they all came back before she did… right?

"Oh good," Toriel sighed in relief. The sound through this phone sounded like blowing air into a microphone. "There are a few puzzles ahead that I have yet to explain. It would be dangerous to try to solve them yourselves." Ace's eyes widened. "Be good, alright?"

"Of course, mom," Ace replied, gripping his pounding heart. "We will, thanks." He hung up. Placing the phone aside, Ace exhaled hard, shaking as he did.

"Why did you lie to her?!" Teri demanded, grabbing the phone.

"I don't know," Ace grunted, wrapping his arms around his legs. "I just hope they get back before she does."

"I hope they live," Teri admitted, leaning against the wall. Me too, Ace thought. "Uh…" Ace glanced at Teri as she continued to speak. "That dusting thing earlier was pretty crazy." Ace cringed at the image of the frog-like creature splitting into tiny pieces, which stuck to the wall.

"It was horrible," Ace murmured, shaking as he pulled his legs further into his chest. "I didn't know… death was like that…"

"It isn't for humans." Teri's voice shook. "J-just for monsters I guess…" Both fell silent.

Frisk's POV

Frisk shambled through the hall. They stomped through a pile of leaves, the crunching beneath their feet filling them with determination as they reach out to touch the yellow object before them. Their body surged with newfound strength. Frisk stumbled a moment before standing taller, gazing at their skin. They clenched their fists. It felt as if they could punch someone in the face.

"Your love has increased," the mysterious voice informed.

"You keep saying that," Frisk growled, stomping out of the leaves. "I still don't know what you mean."

"You're stronger now," the voice grunted. Frisk extended their arm in front of them, tracing their fingers across the thicker flesh.

"Killing monsters makes me stronger?" Frisk asked, their eyes wide.

There was a pause.

"Yes," the voice replied. Frisk pulled out their stick, their eyes narrowing. Their soul appeared in front of them. Whipping around, Frisk's fists clenched around their weapon. A tiny creature fluttered before them.

"It's a Whimsun," the voice whispered in Frisk's ear. Their eyes narrowed at the creature. "It approaches you meekly." Lunging toward the Whimsun, Frisk slammed their stick into the monster's head. The Whimsun let out a shriek. It's body split into dust as it hit the ground. The dust floated through the air, sticking to Frisk's hands, weapon, and the floor. Something surged within Frisk. Everything came together at once in their mind, filling them with a new kind of determination. One they had never quite felt before.

"I know why I'm here," Frisk muttered, marching forward with their weapon in hand. They scanned every area of the Ruins, seeking out as many monsters as they could find. The monsters didn't suspect a thing.

A Loox approached them, begging Frisk not to pick on them. Frisk grabbed the Loox's eye, yanking it out of its socket and kicking the rest of the body against the wall to split into dust. A Vegetoid emerged from the earth in front of them. Grabbing each end of the vegetable, Frisk pulled it in half allowing it to turn to dust in their hands. A Migosp danced toward them. Frisk ripped its wings off, slamming their head against the monster's head. Finally, two Moldsmals. Frisk stomped the goopy things into the ground as they walked, passing the dusty remains without another thought.

Their strength grew after every encounter. Each monster was easier and easier to kill, some taking only one hit with their stick. Frisk continued to scan the Ruins for monsters.

But nobody came.

"You've killed all the monsters in the Ruins," the voice informed.

"Not all." Frisk stomped forward, their hands so sticky with dust their fingers were practically stuck to their stick.

"Oh… r-right…" The voice quivered.

Frisk shambled through halls, solved puzzles, and touched save points, without so much as a flinch when things went wrong or a smile when things went well. Their mind was cleared of everything but their goal. They stopped in front of a leafless tree.

"Oh dear, that took longer than I thought it would," a sweet voice echoed through the voice. Toriel emerged from behind the tree, holding a phone at her ear. She put it down as her gaze met Frisk's. "How did you get here, my child? Are you hurt?" Toriel gasped, as she rushed toward Frisk. "Where are the others?"

Frisk shrugged.

"Oh dear!" She rested her hand on Frisk's shoulder. "You go inside and make yourself at home! I'm going to find your friends!" Toriel disappeared down the hall. Frisk made their way into the house, marching right into the kitchen. Throwing their stick aside, they pulled one of the drawers open. The contents shined inside.

Kat's POV

Three friends made their way through the empty halls of the Ruins. Emphasis on empty. Nothing stirred, nothing made a sound. Kat's stomach churned as she glanced at the floor, coated in gray dust. A line of it traced the entire floor.

"What happened here?" Clover asked, pointing at a particularly dusty corner.

"I hope nothing," Kat admitted, gripping her stomach. The three walked right past solved puzzles.

Clover gulped, his eyes fixed on the dusty trail. "You don't think Frisk would…"

"Oh, they'd never!" Kat gasped, her hand resting on Clover's shoulder. "Frisk wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone... " She gestured toward the dust. "This!"

"But if they did, they likely had good reason," Ray replied, clenching his fists. "It was probably an epic battle to the death with a relentless monster!"

"This many relentless monsters?" Clover asked, gesturing toward the dusty walls.

"It's possible!" Ray exclaimed, stomping his foot into the ground. Kat silently hoped he was right.

"My children!" a voice shrieked. The three friends screeched to a halt. Toriel emerged from the hall ahead, Poppy, Teri, and Ace trailing after her. "Where have you been?! You had me worried sick!" Toriel exclaimed, stopping in front of the three children.

"We were exploring," Clover sighed, looking at the ground, "Lo siento. We didn't mean to worry you, Toriel."

"Well, come along," Toriel prompted, gesturing to them with her hands. "We must get home." The three nodded, walking beside Poppy, Ace, and Teri. Poppy's head was hung low, her long red hair covering her eyes. Something gray coated her hands and cheeks. Kat's eyes widened. She might've just tripped in the dusty piles outside, Kat insisted to herself, Don't assume the worst of your own friends.

The group made their way into Toriel's house, a quaint little cottage at the end of the Ruins. Toriel pushed the door open, revealing bright walls and flooring. A sweet scent wafted toward them.

"What's that smell?" Kat asked, sniffing the air as she entered the house.

"It is a butterscotch cinnamon pie!" Toriel replied, closing the door behind the children. "I thought it would be a nice way to welcome you all here. So I'll hold off on snail pie for tonight. Would you like me to cut it for you?"

"Yes please!" Teri replied, tugging on Toriel's robe. Toriel chuckled, patting Teri's poofy hair with her paw. She made her way to the kitchen. Kat scanned the living room, spotting a figure on the chair.

"Frisk!" Kat gasped, rushing toward them. Their brown hair was matted, covering their eyes, and gray flecks coated their hands. "Are you okay?! What happened to you?" Frisk said nothing. Kat took a step back, raising an eyebrow. "Frisk?" Still no response.

"The pie is ready!" Toriel's voice called from the kitchen. Kat glanced at Frisk one last time before dashing toward the table with the others, her mouth watering at the scent. She sat between Teri and Ace, taking her plate of pie.

"Mom, what's wrong with Frisk?" Ace murmured, pointing at the living room chair with his fork. Toriel glanced at Frisk, her eyes wide.

"Oh, nothing dear," Toriel insisted, scooping a bite of pie onto her fork. "They just got dirty from being outside…" She cast a glance at Poppy. "And it seems you have too, dear."

"Oh yeah…" Poppy gazed at her graying hands. "I tripped into some dust, and it won't come off… dust here seems to do that." Kat's heart pounded. That isn't normal dust… It could be magic dust… it doesn't have to be what you think it is.

"Are there usually more monsters in the Ruins?" Clover asked, fiddling with his fork.

"Oh, they're just hiding," Toriel replied, tapping her claws against the table. "They're not used to humans after all…"

"We wouldn't hurt them, mom," Ace insisted, gazing up at Toriel beside him.

"Oh, I know you wouldn't, dear." Toriel rested her paw on Ace's cheek, smiling down at him. Ace smiled back at her.

The group finished the rest of their pie in silence. Once they were done, Toriel stacked their plates, putting the forks on top before placing it all in the sink.

"Thanks for the pie, it was yummy," Ace murmured, inching closer to Toriel.

"You're welcome, my child." Toriel ran her paw through Ace's blond hair. Frisk shambled toward them. Their head was still bent down, hiding their face beneath a layer of hair.

"Do you want something dear?" Toriel asked, gazing down at them.

"When can I leave?" Frisk asked, clutching something in their pocket.

"Leave?" Toriel got down on her knees. "Why would you want to leave? This is your home."

"This isn't our home," Poppy cut in, glaring daggers at Toriel. "We have families on the surface we need to get back to." Ray nodded. Toriel glared at the two redheads before gazing back at Frisk.

"You…" Her voice was soft, though it seemed to tremble. "You come with me." She glanced at the others. "The rest of you, stay here." Toriel got to her feet, making her way toward the stairs. Frisk trailed after her.

"What's that about?" Clover asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Let's find out." Kat pushed her chair out, walking on her tiptoes toward the stairs. The others followed. Toriel lead Frisk down the stairs and through a dark hallway. Frisk clutched something in their pocket. The two skidded to a halt. Kat followed their lead, stopping just behind one of the corners to peek out at them.

"You are the reason everyone has disappeared, are you not?" Toriel asked, her voice echoing coldly off the halls.

Kat gripped her pounding heart, her eyes as wide as dinner plates. No… Frisk wouldn't… She doesn't know them… She's just mistaken…

"I am not a fool. Ahead of us is the end of the Ruins. A one-way exit point to the end of the Underground. I am going to destroy it. Go back upstairs and I will forgive what you've done." Toriel continued onward and Frisk followed. Kat followed as well, careful to remain out of sight of the pair.

"That can't be true," Teri murmured in Kat's ear. "We've known Frisk since Kindergarten. They wouldn't even hurt a fly." Kat nodded. She gazed at Frisk, gripping her heart. But why are they following Toriel still? Prove your innocence! Come back to the house! Toriel glared at Frisk over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed.

"No more monsters will fall at your hands. If you get past me, they…" Her voice shook. "Asgore… all of them… will be killed. I can not allow it. I will not allow it." Toriel's paw clenched. "You are a danger to all of monsterkind. If you don't leave now, I will have no choice but to… to…" Toriel took a deep breath. "Go back now… this is your final warning." Both continued onward, stopping in front of a large purple door. Kat gazed at them from the corner.

"You naive child… you do not know what you are doing…" Toriel's voice shook. Her back was turned to Frisk but Kat could see her trembling. "You want to leave so badly?" Kat flinched as Toriel's voice hardened. "I cannot let that happen. There is only one solution to this." Her paws clenched, suddenly glowing bright orange in the dark hall. She turned around, shooting fire from her hands.

Ace's POV

Ace's heart pounded in his throat as he watched the scene before him. Toriel summoned fire into her hands, throwing them at Frisk. They skidded across the floor. The flames landed on the ground beside them. Frisk continued onward, dashing forward as they clutched something in their pocket.

Another fireball was launched at them. Hitting them square in the chest, Frisk was slammed against the end of the hall, past the group behind the corner. Frisk patted out the flame with their hand, flicking away the embers. Ace's eyes widened. Frisk stood up again, glaring at Toriel.

"How are they alive?" Ray murmured to Clover. He shrugged. Ace ignored them, his gaze fixed on the fight. Frisk dashed forward. The fireballs grazed them, landing on the ground behind them. They only stopped once to tap out the flames. Toriel backed up further and further until her back was pressed against the door. Fireballs were flung from her paws every second. Frisk dashed closer and closer, pulling something out of their pocket, which glinted in the firelight. A knife.

"NO!" Ace tripped from his hiding spot. Frisk lunged forward, landing right in front of Toriel and slashing the knife across her stomach. A harsh cry echoed down the hall as Toriel fell to her knees. Blood sprayed in front of Frisk, coating their face and the ground around them red.

"NO!" Ace dashed past Kat and Frisk, his eyes swelling with tears. "MOM! NO, PLEASE! YOU'RE ALL I HAVE, PLEASE!" Toriel met Ace's gaze, her eyes watering.

"I… I am sorry, my child…" She rasped out, gripping her bleeding wound. "I… I wish I could have stayed with you longer but… it is my time." Ace fell to his knees. He grabbed Toriel's paw, sinking his face into her fur.

"Please…" Ace whimpered, shaking. "I can't… I can't go on without you…" Ace met Toriel's gaze again. She opened her mouth to reply but no words came. Her paw split into pieces in Ace's hand as her head fell to the side, the rest of her body splitting into dust. A white soul appeared before them. It shook like a tree about to fall before splitting in half and disappearing.

Ace fell to the ground, tears streaming down his face. Images of Toriel seared into Ace's mind. He saw her sitting with Ace in the living room, reading him a book as his mother once had… Another image of her hugging him, like his father refused to do… He clenched his jaw, pushing away the images of his father throwing glass bottles at Ace's head.

"I'm sorry," Poppy sighed, resting her hand on Ace's shoulder. She paused. "But it had to be done."

"But I can't live without her," Ace whimpered, shaking as he pushed himself into a sitting position. "I'll have to go back to… him…" Ace cringed at the thought of his father.

"If that's how you feel…" A cold voice pierced the air. Was it… Frisk? A screech echoed down the hall, followed by footsteps. Ace's eyes widened. Something sharp was shoved into his back, cracking his spine like a twig. A cry rasped from his throat. He was kicked in the stomach, rolling against the wall with another gasp. Frisk inched closer, step by step. Heart pounding in his chest, Ace covered his eyes with his arms. The knife was shoved into his chest. Ace froze, his heartbeat coming to an abrupt halt before he fell to the ground, eyes forever wide with shock.

Poppy's POV

The room stood still. Ace's body, still gushing with fresh blood, laid on the floor. Poppy gazed at Frisk, her jaw dropped.

"Why would you do that?!" Kat gasped, stomping toward Frisk. "What is wrong with you?!"

"He was our friend!" Teri exclaimed, pointing at Ace's body. Poppy took a step back, her body hot with shame. I did nothing to stop that…

"He wanted to die," Frisk replied, wiping the blood off their knife. Poppy flinched as they extended in the group's direction. "Do you?"

"You've gone mad!" Teri gasped. Frisk stepped toward her, the knife pointed right at her throat. Teri jumped back. Frisk did not advance, simply keeping the knife extended in front of them.

"Don't bother," Clover insisted, pushing the doors open. "Let's just… go…" Frisk nodded, shambling through the hall. Poppy followed. She cast a glance at Teri, who scooped Ace's soul into her arms with a sigh. Poppy glanced at the ground. Shaking, she struggled to push away the image of Ace's lifeless body out of her mind.

That's what'll happen if we defy Frisk… They were the one that killed all those monsters… That's why I only encountered one. Poppy thought back to the one Froggit she encountered in the Ruins… how she had slammed her notebook into its head and when it didn't leave, she ripped its legs off… Power had surged through her, making her stand taller. She wanted to do it more… But the innocent lives… How innocent are they really? Toriel tried to trap us here forever and every other monster so far attacked us first. Poppy nodded to herself. She would kill in self defense… that was all it was…

A high-pitched laugh echoed through the hall. Poppy glanced up in alarm. Flowey stood in a patch of grass ahead of them, beaming. Frisk took a step toward them.

"You're not really human, are you?" Flowey asked, tilting his head to the side. "No, you're empty inside, just like me. In fact…" He paused to chuckled. "You're Chara, right? We're still inseparable after all these years. Listen. I have a plan to become all powerful Even more powerful than you and your stolen soul." Flowey's face contorted into one of pleasure. "Let's destroy everything in this wretched world. Everyone, everything in these worthless memories… Let's turn 'em all to dust."

Frisk nodded before pushing past Flowey. Poppy and the others followed, their footsteps the only sound as they made their way out of the hallway. She was nodding slowly to herself. Yes… turn them all to dust… it's what they deserve...