Segment 0.8 | Roads of decisions

I get yet again caught in another decision to choose between two paths. One further ahead of me which looking closely seems to have a Froggit in the room. But of course, I wasn't worried about that, what I was I worried about but for-

Polly: How long does this go one for!?

Mani: Surprisingly, this seems to be the last crossroad, Polly.

Polly: Nice, which one will lead me out of here?

Mani: … I don't know, he he!

Mani simply throws a piece sign while saying her ridiculous response. I simply shoo her away like a fly and she continues to taunt me. I choose peek over from the corner to my left to see anything. A large tree, a healthy one at that but it has red leaves similar to the ones that are found on the ground when navigating through the RUINS. Since the ceiling isn't that high it doesn't grow any further. Many leaves found sheading on the ground like it's fall or something. I wouldn't know now what season it was on the surface because I don't remember much when I fell. Though, tempted to take that path, I decided not to and chose the path straight ahead from me. Meet one last potentially friend before I leave this place.

Polly: Let's go check this out, Mani.

Mani: Alright captain!

Polly: You and your titles…

I enter the room and see someone familiar… It's Dave! The first Froggit I met when I came here, but how did he get here before I did, I wondered.

Polly: What, how did you get here, Dave?

Mani: Woah, that's cool you can teleport!

Dave: Ribbit… No, ya' moron. I simply took my-Ribbit through that door behind you and rode the shortcut here from the beginning, I was wondering why you weren't takin' the shortcut-Ribbit.

Mani: So, Toriel kept that a secret from us?

Polly: arg! Are you serious!? It took us like forever a not to mention the "friends" I met along that way!

Dave: I'm glad you had fun-Ribbit. The door was located on the right side of the entrance to the RUINS. I'm surpri-Ribbit, you didn't see it.

Polly: That's probably because it was dark and cold! And… Fun?

Mani: I had fun!

Despite the distance and time it took, I guess I could say it was an "experience" for me to go through the battles and know that maybe monsters aren't what they were told to me in class and stories.

Polly: I can't say, I hated it, anyway.

Dave: Ribbit, but just keep what I'm about say between you and me, alright?

Polly: A-alright…

Mani: ooo~ this'll be interesting.

Dave: Right-Ribbit, Not too long ago, I saw Toriel come out of the door behind me-not behind you, with groceries. I didn't ask her what they were for-Ribbit. But I assume it's for you, human. And besides monsters down here are all too intimidated to talk to her. Seeing how she's a Ribbit monster.

Polly: A what monster?

Mani: …?

Dave: Oh? Looks like it's time for me to leave, Ribbit. See ya'.

Dave begins to start hopping away and I repeat my question again louder as he hops further but it's hopeless as he is already gone.

Mani: I wonder what he was talking about…

Polly: I'm sure we'll find out later. Let's check the room that was behind him.

Mani: Okay!

I enter the room and it's dark-no dim, very dim and lit in a different color more like purple, I walk further and see something mind-blowing…! A Castle! And the buildings behind it, but it looks old and rusted. If you touched it would fall apart, I thought. A fragrance of freshly bought carpets, wood, and maybe even a hint of… Vanilla? I mean, Toriel passed through here so it was probably her. The castle however seemed to at a distance away from me and it's more like balcony where I'm standing on to see this view, If I named it, "The RUINED city of monster kind." I said out loud. Mani thought it was creative. I looked around the castle and along the skinny left to right balcony until I kicked something it sounded like steel or silverware when you drop it on bare floor. But that's the thing, I wasn't on bare floor but rough, dusty old ground. I looked down and saw and knife...! What's something like that doing here? I picked it up and if felt more like rubber or plastic, and then a text box appeared,

*You found the "Toy Knife* - 3 ATK

*Made of plastic

*A rarity nowadays.

Mani: So, a knife huh? Interesting…

Polly: A Toriel came from here too…

Mani: What does this mean, captain?

Polly: No idea, but I am keeping this in my ITEMS. Even though it's a toy knife, I don't want to use it.

We walk out of there and back to out, to walk the path of where the huge tree lies. And see someone walk from behind the tree and out, It's Toriel…! But it seems she's trying to call someone. Ring, Ring! As sounds that came from my Cell rang and reached to her ears, she noticed me standing right in front of her. In shock to see my presence and a worried sprint over to see if I'm okay.

Toriel: Eh!? My child! Are you okay? How did you get here? Are you hurt?

She rubs my face, dusting me off like a 5-year-old who fell and hurt his knee. Multiple attempts at checking my clothes, seeing tiny tears in them. I swipe her hand out of the way but her care for me is too strong for me to resist.

Toriel: There, there, I will heal you.

Polly: St-stop, I'm fine, Toriel. I healed using the candy you gave me.

Toriel: Candy can heal you, but they won't heal internal wounds.

Polly: What?-

Toriel gives me a hug and some words.

Toriel: I should have not left you along for so long. It was irresponsible to try to surprise you like this, I hope you'll forgive me.

Quiet in my response to that but forgiving her by giving her a hug back. Toriel smiles and decides to show me what she was up too.

Toriel: Err… Well, I supposed I cannot hide it any longer. Come with me, small one!

Polly: Just don't serve me on the plater as a surprise, please… I murmured under my breath.

Toriel: What was that, Child?

Polly: I'm hungry, did you make something?

Toriel: Of course, I did! How did you know?

Polly: You smell like butterscotch…

I follow Toriel into her home, which would soon become mine as well. The purple brick walls as the theme of entrance with the same red leaves on both sides of the brown door. Which would have a stone table above it, but it's far up for me to read it. And it being way too much work for someone who has had to go solo the way here. I figured, "I'll read it another time". But then there was that star again, that would float and shine brightly as if it was hope in physical being. I saved and reloaded, "Seeing such a cute, tidy house in the RUINS fills you with DETERMINATION."

Mani: We can't know if it's tidy unless we go in there, right?

Polly: I'm sure it is.

SAVE

I walk in and see the rails to a staircase that seems to be going down with bookshelves that reside on the right side of the staircase. A vase of tall, strange purple flowers the grow in it on the left side.

Toriel looks at us and smiles.

Toriel: You smell that don't you? Surprise! It's butterscotch-cinnamon pie!

Polly: I knew that already, Toriel.

Toriel: Oh really… I'm sure pie was something you've always eaten on the surface, haven't you?

Polly: …. I- uh-

Toriel: I thought it would great to celebrate your arrival, I want you to have a great time living here. So, I will hold off on snail pie tonight.

Polly: Snail pie?

Toriel: Here, I have another awaiting gift for you.

Polly: A suddenly I'm the birthday kid, awesome.

Toriel giggle and walks to my right down the hall where three doors, assuming rooms are there. I follow her and she stops at the first door. "Here it is," she said excited to show me.

Toriel: A room of your own. I hope you'll love it!

(Water sausage)

She hurries off to the kitchen to check on the pie in the oven, making sure it isn't burning. I glance at the large vase near me, flanked by two plants that look oddly familiar, though I can't recall their names. I open the door, and for some reason, the faint sound of "chilidogs" echoes in the distance—don't ask me why, maybe ask the author who thought of that.

The air smells… old, like a nostalgia that's hard to place, but mostly dominated by the soothing scent of lavender. The room is cozy, with a bed placed neatly against the far right wall, two lamps—one short, sitting on a small desk on the far left. A drawing hangs nearby, a beautifully detailed yellow flower—not a sunflower, something else. A wide bookshelf lines the wall, crammed with books. There's a closet, one that doesn't open. It's not locked, but no matter how much I nudge it, it refuses to budge. I guess my curiosity will have to wait for another time.

The warmth of the room surrounds me, and an overwhelming sense of fatigue hits, as if I've been drugged with sleep. My body collapses onto the bed, too tired to fight it. And then, it hits me.

Polly: I'm so~ tired!

Mani: Yawn, so am I!

Polly: How are you tired; you didn't even do anything. And did you actually say "Yawn" instead of just, you know, yawning?

Mani: 'Gotta play the part! And besides it's my first time existing in the mortal realm, so I oddly feel tired too but maybe it won't happen so often... sorry.

Polly: mhm, whatever. I've never been in so many battles in day before!

I stretch my arms out and face towards the ceiling lack of a fan, I feel something crawl up my hand and assume it's probably Mani trying to mess with me again.

Polly: Oi, you can't just walk on people's hands, its rude-

To my surprise, there lies Mani, glowing softly, her light pulsing like a heartbeat as she peacefully rests in my hand. I can't lie, I was surprised but not so that I would make the mistake of awakening her. "Wrapping her in the blanket will do", I thought. Crawling on the bed and uncovering the blanket to plunge us both in, gently, of course. The lights in the room that would shine orange in the room turned off by itself. I was too exhausted to notice the change. As I close my eyes, to fall in a great sleep, the lingering thoughts that wandered around my mind begin to settle and then quietness.