Down the Rabbit Hole

Chapter 3

Again, the next room was purple--what is up with the purple?--but it was just a long corridor with a lighter purple path. Toriel was waiting at the beginning though, so she had something to say again.

"There is another puzzle in this room. I wonder if you can solve it?" I smiled at that. Was I going to finally be able to do something myself? I really hope so, though Toriel is nice, I want some freedom. She walked off to the right, I following behind her, and Becki counting the steps I was taking, though backwards.

'Five' step, 'four' step, 'three' step.

"What are you doing?" I mumbled, knowing she could hear me, and another step.

'Nothing. Two' step, 'one.' When I stepped after she said "one" I was attacked randomly by a frog type creature, the fight scene coming back. 'Zero. Froggit attacks you!' Becki announced, almost excited that something happened. 'I finally did it correctly!'.

I shook my head at her antics and smiled nervously at the Froggit, feeling uncomfortable with my soul out of my chest. It didn't seem natural at all, but I guess monsters had a certain ability to make souls come out. It shined and yet was the same. "Uhm hello. You look... nice today?" my voice raising in pitch towards the end and making it sound like a question. I'm not an expert at reading monsters, but I'm pretty sure he was flattered, which was confirmed a moment later. 'Froggit didn't understand what you said, but was flattered anyways.'

Toriel came moments later, apparently realising that I wasn't following her anymore. She looked strict as if she were scolding small children for taking a toy from their sibling. The Froggit though looked apologetic and left, the area disappearing and my soul zooming back into my chest before Toriel can see it.

She didn't say anything, but took me further into the room, us passing a plaque that Becki read without me even asking. 'The western room is the eastern room's blueprints.' What does that mean? It doesn't make any sense, but these plaques so far have been pretty straight-forward. I'm guessing we'll learn soon enough.

I continued on, until we were at a bridge with spikes on it, water below us.

"This is the puzzle, but. here, take my hand for a moment." She held out her hand which I was about to take before Becki said something. 'She's just going to lead you across, but I know the way. Just keep going past her and I'll help you.' She sounded genuine, which I was pretty sure she was from the Froggit incident. I smiled, I did need some independence. Pretending to take Toriel's hand, I faked it and went around, following Becki's fast and accurate directions. I heard Toriel in the background yelling for me to stop and that I could get hurt, but I kept running.

'Go straight three spikes, they will flatten themselves, and then head to the end of the bridge. Go right four and then straight down the whole way. Five right and then up again and then to the right to the end.' I was there in a matter of seconds, smiling the whole way. "That was fun!" Of course, Toriel was short behind me, looking just slightly surprised that I knew my way, but also peeved that I had ran across something so dangerous.

"My child, you could have hurt yourself. Why did you do that and how did you know the way across?" She was worried for me, filling me with love.

I smiled at her concern and raised my arms in delight, my too-small white shirt raising up my belly a bit before I let them fall. "Magic! And because it was fun, why else would I risk something? Plus I was bored and wanted to show you some independence," I exclaimed, my eyes lighting up. It really was fun, and even though I knew Becki knew the way, it was still scary.

Her lips twitched upward in amusement before smiling the whole way. "I guess I won't have to test your independence then. I'll just give it to you now and then I'll go while you can explore the UNDERGROOUND. Deal?" I smiled at that, her hand was held out in a universal "deal" sign.
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"Of course. Not to be rude, but I've been itching to go at a faster pace," I said, accepting her hand and shaking it. She deposited an object into my hand as she shook it.

"I will see you later then, my child. Don't be too late." And with that, she walked off, leaving me to my own imagination and exploration. Finally, my curiosity will have an outage.

I looked at the object in my hand and realised it was a phone. Old-fashioned, but a pretty black flip-phone, and nothing that I would get too distracted on. I opened it, the only contact being in there was Toriel, but I easily changed it to "Mom". She felt like one, and saying Toriel was too long. I think it would be better if I did, and I believe she would like it. Granted, I'll only call her that if I wasn't in her presence because... embarrassment.

I follwed in the same direction, mainly becuase that was the only way to go, but she was gone as I entered the next room. It was another long corridor, but was straight. 'This was going to be the original room she was going to test your independence and then hand you the phone.' Becki explained, the mist that was following us becoming slightly stronger.

We continued walking, the room being significantly longer than I first thought, and I wanted to ask questions. "So, am I the only one to see you?"

'Yep! Some people may see a glimmer, but they won't know it's me or anybody. You're the only one to hear me as well, and later on I will probably have enough strength to show myself to you.' Becki explained, floating more in front of me. I nodded to that and remembered something.

"Flowey seemed confused when I had a gray soul. But, he knew the words to say like he had practiced them, meaning he knows something​, but he was confused for a moment," I said, "do you have any idea why?"

By now, we were about to go into the next room, when a pillar caught my attention. I looked behind it, and on the ground there was a slight shimmer. I picked it up, recognising it as a bracelet. Mom was wearing it earlier and must have dropped it. I slid it onto my wrist, determined to give it to her.

'First, your soul is silver, not gray. Gray is less shinier while silver is brighter. And you'll find out why later, but he was expecting you to have a red soul, red meaning DETERMINATION.' Becki explained, going through the door. But, why would I have a red soul? And how does she know that he thought I had a red soul. Instead, I shrugged and followed her.

The first thing I saw was a Froggit, and red leaves with another gold-star thing in them. An open area to go through if you went North, and a pathway down. I went to the Froggit. It didn't look like they were going to attack me, and I spoke to him.

"Hello," I greeted. I felt the need to be nice to everything and everyone. It made me smile, because I knew I was going against Flowey's "kill or be killed" rule.

"Ribbit, ribbit," Froggit responded, and before I could walk away, Becki translated. 'Excuse me, human. I have some advice for you about battling monsters. If you ACT a certain way or FIGHT until you almost defeat them, they might not want to you anymore. If a monster does not want to fight you, please, use some MERCY, human.' As she finsihed translated, he said another, "Ribbit," and nodded. I wondered though, two things. One, how did you fit that many words into two ribbits, and how he knew to finish with the last ribbit. Though I wanted real answers and I didn't want to bother Becki, I found fun in creating my own theories.

I approached the gold-star in the red leaves, and felt happier and more lively as I approached it. 'Playfully crinkling through the leaves fills you with DETERMINATION.' I walked out away from the star when I ran into something. Gradually, the fight area appeared, and I groaned. This was getting a bit annoying. 'Whimson approached meekly.'

She looked so scared that I started out with a soft voice, "Ar-" before I could finish my first word though, she ran away crying, making me feel bad. At least I didn't have to fight her.

This really was going to be a fun and amazing journey, isn't it?

A/N: Whelp. Not my best piece of work, but I'm content. I actually like it, and starting next chapter I should have a picture of Miss. Ash for you all. 1535 words!