The Silver Soul

9

We're sitting around the breakfast table. Frisk is chatting away about needing more "ten flakes", or something like that. After that night, the night where I saw her, Toriel's been getting me to do vocal exercises. My voice is healing quicker than the rest of my body though.

Toriel, I notice, is being very quiet. I can see her staring at me when I'm not looking. There is something big on her mind. I try not to look at her, and instead focus on breakfast, which isn't hard, since it's delicious. Finally, she speaks up.

"Will. I know this is sudden, but, can you tell me of your family. Your real family," she says. Her purple eyes show worry in them. I shrug in response, trying to remember. But it's harder than it should be. Mostly because whenever thoughts about my parents tried to sneak into my mind, I would block them off, before I could be overwhelmed. Which is why I can't remember anything right now.

But then I realize something else. The memories aren't rushing in because I've been blocking them off. The memories aren't rushing in because they aren't there. I can't remember anything. Not mother, or father. Not any siblings. Or friends. I can't even remember where I lived. A dull ache starts up in my stomach, and I feel panicky.

"Will. Is there something wrong?" she asks. I nod. "What is it, my child."

I force my voice to cooperate. "I can't remember anything," I say quietly. My gaze turns toward the tablecloth. "I can't tell you. I'm sorry."

Toriel lays a soft, warm hand on mine. "Do not apologise. It is not your fault, my dear. Perhaps you have temporary amnesia. If this is the case, then I suspect that you should get them back very soon." Toriel's tone is reassuring, but her eyes say otherwise. "In the meanwhile, maybe you should go and make some new memories. I believe Frisk has a whole list of places she wishes to visit." Frisk bounces in her seat more, making the chair wobble slightly.

"We need to go to Temmie Village. And I promised Mettaton that I'd visit with you. Oh! And we need to go to the capital. I want to show you Waterfall. It's really pretty! And-"

"You do know that most of the stuff you're saying doesn't actually make any sense to me." I remark. Frisk sticks her tongue out at me and we burst out laughing, my problems temporarily forgotten.

"Hurry up!" Frisk screeches. I struggle with the clasp of the cloak that Toriel gave me. My fingers feel too big and clumsy to pull the clasp together. Finally, after another two-minute struggle, I succeed, and run down the hallway. Except I don't run the right way, and smack into the wall at the end of the corridor. Holding my throbbing head, I turn, disorientated, and find myself facing a mirror. I should really get going, but, I'm curious as to what I look like. It's weird, and slightly alarming, not knowing what you look like anymore.

In the mirror, I see a girls pale, thin face, framed by long strands of snow white hair. She looks tired and fragile, like a porcelain doll. The girl in the mirror and I lock eyes. Hers are blue, with copper flecks.

Like her eyes. My mind starts to buzz. Don't you remember, Will? Your little ray of sunshine. My head suddenly explodes with pain, and I crumple to the ground, shaking. My throat constricts, so instead of a scream, all that comes out is a small, choked cough. The voice relentlessly continues. You let her die. You didn't do anything to stop it. She's gone now, you'll never see her again. Don't you feel bad? That you're here, alive and well, and she's dead.

Stop it! Get out of my head. Get out of my head! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! I scream at the voice.

And, as suddenly as the headache appeared, it vanishes. I stand, still shaky and confused. For some reason, it feels like guilt is eating me up from the inside.

"I'm sorry," I whisper to no one in particular.

Frisk's yells again, and I stand and stumble to the living room.

We basically sprint through the white snow, bumping into unsuspecting monsters. I follow the child, as she runs confidently forward. Instead of going right through Snowdin, she turns a corner, and we find ourselves in front of a river. On the water, floating serenely, is a wooden boat, and a figure with an indigo cloak.

"Tra la la. Hello, child. Would you like a ride in my boat?" they say. Frisk nods energetically and runs onboard.

"Come on, Will!" I run and jump onto the wooden deck, almost falling into the dark water. Maybe I shouldn't trust a stranger straight-away, but Frisk trusts them, and that's good enough for me.

The starts floating down the river, leaving a blue trail in its midst. "Tra la la," the riverperson sings. "The water is very dry today. Tra la la." The boat starts to slow down slightly. I can see a strip of land approaching. Oddly, the ground is dark blue, and the walls have blue crystals in them.

The boat stops and Frisk leaps off. I follow her after mumbling a thank you to the riverperson. We walk through these caverns quickly. But I still manage to observe everything. There are tall, blue flowers that glow brightly in the darkness. When I go up to them, they whisper words to me, snatches of conversations or even wishes to see the sun.

We eventually find ourselves in a room with no light. The floor is covered with blue crystals, which make paths. Frisk takes my hand and runs down a certain pathway. I see light at the end of it.

It's another cavern. Secluded, isolated and empty.

Well almost.

"Hoi!"

"Hoi!"

"Hoi!"

Small things start swarming us, knocking me over. I can't see what they are, mostly because they're literally all over me, weighing me down. I can feel soft fur brushing my face. I try to get up slowly, as to not hurt them, whatever them are. They fall off my body easily enough, and soon, I'm standing again.

"Meet, the Temmies!" Frisk pronounces dramatically. A small horde of...dogs? Or are they cats? They look more like cats. Anyway, a small horde of these things are at my feet, vibrating intensely. They are quite cute, wearing bright, yellow and blue striped shirts. My lips curl into a smile of their own accord.

"Hoi! I'm Temmie. And this is my friend, Temmie!" one says excitedly. The other hurry to repeat it, and soon the air is thick with the odd voices of Temmies saying hi. Or hoi in their case. Frisk scoops one into her arms, happily hugging it close. The Temmie cuddles right up to her. Tentatively, I kneel and pet another one. Its fur is soft and velvety. I carefully guide it into my lap, keeping my hands away from its mouth. It just snuggles down, content. I start to pet it, scratching it behind the ear every now and then. The Temmie perks up again, looking me directly in the eye.

"Humans...such a...CUTE!" she says.

"Thank you, Tem. I think you're cute too." At this, the little monster's face just lights up, with what I can only describe as pure joy.

We spend hours in Tem Village. It's only when we get a call from Toriel, asking where we are, that we decide to head home. But we promise to visit as soon as possible.

My mind stays quiet for the rest of the day.