The Fallen Player

Chapter 3 Snowdin Forest

The temperature in Snowdin Forest was cool but not freezing to the point I would need a coat. The items I wore kept me warm enough to walk through Snowdin. The cold wouldn't deter me as long as I kept moving along. Fortunately, the snow was packed down from Sans, creating a flattened path to entertain Toriel with knock-knock jokes. The tall trees were a bit overwhelming as I glanced up, trying to find the tops of the trees, only to feel dizzy afterward. I could see the bridge in the far-off distance with the added bars being too wide to keep out humans made by Papyrus. My eyes turned to face the snow-covered bush right beside the Ruin door. Asriel waited for me to make the first step before moving along.

I suddenly inquired, "Do you think the cameras are on?"

"I'm sure they are, but no one is watching. Everyone's at the end of the game, remember?"

Taking a deep sigh of relief and feeling more confident that Sans wasn't around, I felt self-assured to march forward, seeing the twig already snapped before walking over it. Asriel followed silently behind me. Passing up the twig, I heard the dreaded twig snap in half behind me. I turn to face the twig, thinking Asriel had stepped on it, creating the sound.

"Did you step on the twig, Asriel?" I whimpered out as he passed me up.

"No, why?"

"I...uh....heard the snap as if Sans was following us from behind."

"I didn't hear anything like that. I stepped over the twig." He tried to reassure me, which didn't help, as I felt my heart start to pound.

I gulped and followed briskly behind Asriel. Coming to the bridge, Asriel walked through the widened bars. As for me, I stopped in my tracks, hearing footsteps in the snow creeping up behind me. I quickly turned around, seeing Sans holding his hand out. I almost shook his hand as we both stood in silence until the skeleton brother started to break apart, having his pixels disappear as he glitched out of existence.

"Did Sans glitch out just then?" Asriel spoke almost in a whisper after watching the scene play out. He couldn't see Sans but seeing my actions hinted at what was unfolding.

"Yeah....like clockwork. As if the game's thinking it restarted from the beginning."

"Do you still want me to scope out Snowdin? I can, for you." Asriel asked in a soft sweet voice.

I turn to face the prince and cry out, "You wouldn't mind?"

"I don't mind. But I have to warn you....before I change back into a flower, your unique skill may not be enough to change me back into my original form. If the game is glitching out as you say, It may force me to keep my Flowey appearance."

"But you will still be you, right?!" I felt uneasy after hearing that. "I would hate to have the "Kill or be Killed" attitude of Flowey to deal with."

"Hard to say for sure. But because you never sent Frisk through the barrier in your playthrough, I should maintain my memories while still taking on the form of a flower...It's just." He pauses.

"Just, what?" I responded sharply.

"Just that, when I change into Flowey, I may not be....well....very nice. I may be a bit sassy towards you. That's just how Flowey is in the game. I'm sorry if I'm a bit crude to you, and please don't take it the wrong way, okay?" Asriel apologized before he dared to change into his Flowey form. If he didn't apologize now, he might not even care once he transformed.

"Oh, is that it? I can handle a little bullying flower. As long as you don't hurt me physically, I can take harsh words if thrown at me." I give Asriel a thumbs up. "But only if you want to change into Flowey. After hearing all that, I would rather have you in your true form." I gesture to his appearance in front of me.