Segment 0.4 | The RUINS

Toriel: Welcome to your home, innocent one. Allow me to educate you on the operation of these RUINS.

What lay before my eyes were a series of what seemed like traps and puzzles with a couple of signs ahead. Mani flies next to me and onto my shoulders.

Mani: Hey, are you okay about what happened back there? She asks in curiosity, not really worrying about me.

Polly: Of course I am, though I didn't expect his name to have that much effect on the world. It's a strange, reality... Glitched... Like a game, if something that isn't supposed to be there, is there. I feel like an earthquake, or a lightning strike would've been a better replacement to send a message to me, instead of a migraine.

Mani: Oh wow, you are so calm, how wonderful!

Polly: I'm only calm cause I need to be.

Mani: Woah...

Mani expressed her awe.

[Minutes before Toriel went to get me]

Polly: What's happening!? Why is everything around me glitching?! Mani, what happened, what did you do?

Mani: Whatever do you mean, Polly? Are you okay?

It seems Mani isn't aware of what's happening so I assumed there's something wrong with me, instead.

???: You aren't allowed to know my name, just yet, Polly, said the mysterious voice in my head.

But if it bothers you, we can go by an alias till you're ready, said the mysterious voice.

Polly: Fuck you, you bastard.

Mani: Oh... I'm sorry...

Polly: I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to the guy in my head!

Zell, that's a good alias, isn't it? Questioned the mysterious guy.

Polly: I don't care, stop this already...ngh! I groan in the struggle to gain back control over my brain.

Polly: Alright that's enough. I will find out your real name eventually, I don't know exactly what you are to me, but you are not my enemy... Zell, right? I'll stick with that... for now.

Zell: Right, after all, your journey barely has started.

And suddenly the glitching stops and my head stops pounding.

Mani: We should probably SAVE AND RELOAD now, don't you think, Polly?

I moved her out of the way and selected the SAVE AND RELOAD and then I got a text.

"Your journey has barely begun, up ahead lies the shadows of the RUINS above, filling you with DETERMINATION." I read out aloud.

*File saved*

Polly: By the way, Mani.

Mani: mhm?

Polly: What are you exactly? Are you a ghost, spirit, fairy, you're so tiny, that possibly....

Mani: .... I don't know what I am, But I have been with you ever since you were born. So that must mean something...? I've waited for you to notice me, but you haven't until now. I'm surprised though, when you fell down here you changed quite a bit! You're very special, Polly!

Polly: Special...? Do you mean that? And you've known me for that long? Yeah, I definitely wasn't prepared at all when I fell down here. Not that I've wanted to... Never mind. So, can anyone see you? Or is it just me?

Mani: That's entirely up to you! By simply thinking of it, I can make my appearance to the rest of the world, or just you! Mani says exuberantly.

Polly: Okay then, I want you to stay low for the time being, in exchange you get to ride on my head.

Mani: Really!? Thank you so much!

Mani flies on my head and lays on my hair comfortably and I hear someone slowly walking up to me and notice it's Toriel. Which now brings us back to the present, where we are now figuring out puzzles in the "CATACOMBS" which I didn't notice that a text appears above me whenever I enter a new place. "That's a good thing to know," I thought.

Toriel: The RUINS are full of puzzles. "Ancient fusions between diversion and door keys. One must solve them from room to room." At least, that's what would've happened anyway... But if you manage to solve at least 2/3 of the puzzles, then I will guide you through the rest, if you want my help anyway, but you dare to test your intellect on more puzzles, I will gladly allow it.

Polly: Okay, cool, sounds simple enough for me. Puzzles are really easy for me anyway.

Toriel: Ohoho~ is that so? Let's begin then, my child.

Polly: Could you stop saying that, please? My name or a nickname would be better... And plus, you wouldn't me as your child...

I walk past Toriel and towards the sign ahead of us. "Why did I say that?" I ask myself.

Toriel: ... If you wish it so much...

A tiny flash of memory of my past hits me. In that memory shows me holding a picture and... rain on the picture? The memory fades away and I find myself crying but I have no idea why.

Toriel: Polly? Are you alright?

I rubbed my tears away before she could get any closer.

Polly: Sniff... I'm alright, just a little tired that's all.

Toriel walks to the end of the room and the puzzle begins as she waits patiently.

Being in the RUINS has, although a slightly cold air, it also has a damp feel which in turn feels comfortable, the smell is surprisingly well and clean, like a pure fruit and flowery smell, The air as I walk further becomes light on my lungs and not so heavy as it would be on the surface. Not to mention the gravity here feels lighter as well.

"Touch the stone to read it."

Polly: Touch the stone? But weren't there some weird symbols on it?

Mani: What you saw was an ancient language used in the past but I activated "Auto Translation" to the sign, so you're able to read it!

Polly: Right, thanks. So, it's talking about this stone tablet, right?

I walk up to it and touch it and a text appears...!

"Stay on the path."

I walk across the three-foot-long and 6 feet wide wooden culverted bridge, and from there I see a switch with arrows drawn on it for me to trigger it. This definitely looks difficult, I thought sarcastically. I end up crossing another bridge and then see two more switches, one withdrawn with arrows and another with nothing drawn on the stone wall. At first, I took a moment to think and thought that maybe this was a trick and then took one good look at Toriel. I sighed and trusted her and so I triggered the one with the arrows on it. A slicing sound as if blades were being sheathed in their scabbard. But no, I see that behind Toriel were spikes blocking the path and that when I triggered the switch they sunk into the ground. Toriel smiles in approval before walking to the next room.

I followed behind her, slightly worried about the spikes rising up but kept moving to enter the next room.

Polly: That was way too easy, I read the sign 'cause I thought they would have something cool on 'em.

Mani: You've only just started, Polly, don't get yourself down on this.

Polly: I know, I know. I mumbled.