Tales From Down Under // UT Shorts

Toriel

Toriel sighed as she brandished a broom and swept up the dead leaves of the tree in front of her home. "That cursed tree is never going to grow..." she concluded. And yet, she kept it there, because she cared about it. It was the same thing with her and any fallen human children. Each time a child would fall underground, Toriel would protect them and lead them to her home. Eventually, the child would grow bored, and they would want to leave. In an act of desperation, Toriel would fight them with her fire magic, to show them what the Underground is really like, but she always lost, and she had to let the child go...

That's how it's been, for many years.

Toriel shook her head, trying to clear the thought from her mind. "I have been working for quite some time now... Perhaps I should go make something to eat..."

Minutes later, Toriel is sitting on her porch, cutting up pieces of butterscotch cinnamon pie. The combination of flavors, the way it melted in your touch... these things always calmed her down.

As she was about to eat her last piece, a Whimsun flew up, sniffing the leaves and looking at Toriel with a shy expression. It looked tired, it's demeanor one of desperation for something, and Toriel couldn't help but pity the poor creature.

"Come over here, you poor thing..." she coaxed in a soft voice. The Whimsun was scared but flew up to her slowly.

"You look so exhausted..." she said. "Have this last piece of pie, dear. It's delicious. And feel free to rest inside."

The Whimsun flew into the house, stopping for a moment to smile at Toriel for a split second.