Stay Determined

Toriel

"Toriel?" The human asks me. 

They have woken up. Good. "What is it, my child?" I ask.

"How do I leave the Ruins?"

I stare at the child. "Little one, this is your home now." They cannot want to leave. They cannot be like the others, share the fate of the others.

"I have to leave." The child looks away. "You... I can't stay."

"Stay with me. Let me keep you safe."

"No!" The child shouts. "Please. You can't really want me to stay."

"My child, it is not a bother to look after you," I say. This child... I will save this one. I will protect this one, raise them like I wanted to raise the others. I shake my head. "I promise."

"Toriel, I need to leave. I... this place... I don't belong here."

I turn to the child and sigh sadly. "You are sure this is what you want?" The child nods. "I will not force you to stay in the ruins, little one. I know you would simply be unhappy. But let me make a deal with you. I will guard this door. If you can make me move aside, I'll let you leave. If you cannot, you will stay."

"Whatever it takes," The child says firmly.

It tears my heart to do so, but I attack. The child spares me. "What are you proving this way?" 

The cycle repeats itself. "Fight me or leave!" 

Again, I attack. The child is hurt, but again, shows mercy. "Stop it!" I cry. 

I attack. They show mercy. They look at me with pleading eyes. "Stop looking at me that way."

 Again, I attack. Again, the child is merciful. I close my eyes and attack again, then again. The child spares me both times. "I know you want to leave, but..." 

I sigh. I cannot attack this child anymore. "But please... Go upstairs now. I promise I will take care of you here." I see the child's eyes tear up. "I know we do not have much, but..." I sigh. "We can have a good life here." We both are crying now. "Why are you making this so difficult?" I shake my head. "Haha..." I laugh. "Pathetic, is it not? I cannot save even a single child."

"I'm sorry, Toriel!" They sob. "I won't fight you, but I won't stay here! I won't ruin you! I won't let you die because of me!"

I stop the battle. "When you leave," I say, "You will not be able to return. If you leave now, you leave the Ruins forever. Are you certain this is what you want, my child?"

They nod. "Yes. Toriel... I'll never forget what you taught me. I'm never, ever going to hurt anyone."

I bend down and give the human a hug. "Little one, I was never in any doubt about that. Stay safe, will you not?"

The child hugs me back, tightly, but does not answer. Then the child pulls away and leaves the Ruins.

Have I made the correct choice? The child is alone out there.

No. Not quite alone. The one that shares his jokes with me... he promised me he would keep any human that came down here safe. I made him promise.