I woke up and looked around. I was back at the start, and my vision was blurred. I hadn't reset, had I? “Help!” I called, but it wasn't in my voice. “Ugh. My head.How far did I fall down?”

“Hello?” Another voice called from the darkness. “Is someone there?”

“Help! I think I fell down that hole up there.” The voice still isn't mine. I look down and see that my shirt is green, with a single yellow stripe. I see a shape appear in the darkness.

“Are you okay?” They said, helping me up. “This is the first time someone’s fallen from the surface before. Do you need any help?”

“A-are you a monster?”

“Yeah. Is that bad?”

“N-no, I’ve just never seen one of you before.”

“Can you stand?” He said, giving me his hand. “What’s your name?”

“Yeah, I can stand. And my name is… Chara. What's yours?” I suddenly realized what happened. Chara had reset too far.

“My name’s Asriel.” He replied. “Are you okay?”

“I think so. Where am I?”

“You’re in the underground. You should come with me. If you're with me you won't get hurt.”

“Okay. Where are we going exactly?”

“To the castle, to meet the king and queen.”

“Are you sure that's okay? I don't want to be an inconvenience.”

“No, it'll be fine, especially if you’re with me.”

“O-okay, thanks. No one has ever treated me this nicely before.”

“That’s sad. Aren't people nice up there?” He said as we walked.

“No. People hated me. They all did.”

“Why?”

“I… It doesn't really matter anymore.”

“Okay. Come on, we’ll take the elevators!” Asriel said, grabbing my hand. Asriel dragged Chara through a bustling city full of monsters and then through a snowy area called Snowdin.

“How far away is the castle!” Chara said out of breath.

“Just a little more. We won't have much walking now!” Asriel said, pulling Chara along. They took a left and came across a person on a boat.

“Uh, who is that?” Chara said, thankful they had stopped.

“No one really knows.” He whispered to Chara. “Can you take us to Hotland please?” He said, boarding the boat.

“Uh, stranger danger? Why would you get in some random boat?”

“Everyone uses it. Don't worry, it'll be fine. Now come on!”

“O-okay.” Chara said boarding the boat.

“Here we go! Tra la la la.” Said the river person as the boat took off.

Asriel grabbed Chara’s hand getting off the boat and took the elevators to the castle. He peeked into the throne room. “Mom? Dad? Are you busy right now?”

“Not at the moment Asriel. Is there something you wish to share with us?” Asgore asked.

“Um, yeah.” Asriel said sounding unsure, then pulled Chara out from behind the corner. “This is Chara.”

“Oh my! How ever did a human child get down here?” Toriel exclaimed.

“She fell.” Asriel explained. “From the hole at the beginning of the ruins.”

“Oh my child! Are you hurt! Come with me, I can heal you up. Gorey dear, can you get a bed ready for our new guest?”

“Yeah, sure Tori.”

“Um, who are you exactly? I'm sorry, I'm just a little confused.” Chara asked. It was weird, me being inside her. But I couldn't do anything about it.

“Child, you do not need to be sorry. I am Toriel, welcome to the underground.” Toriel said as she smiled at Chara.

“Oh. Um, okay. I really hope I'm not bugging you. Tomorrow I can just go back home and-”

“Oh, but you do not have to go so soon. You being here is not a bother to us. Please, come with me, I will show you to your room.” Toriel offered her hand out to Chara.

“Where’s Asriel’s room?” Chara asked, interested.

“You two will be sharing a room, if that is okay with you.” Toriel lead them through the house until they got to a door. “Here is where you will be staying the night.” Toriel gestured at the door.

Chara stepped through the door. There were two beds, one on either side of the room. “One of these is for me?” She exclaimed, shocked.

“Yes, child. I hope it will suffice.”

“Suffice? This is the best thing anyone’s ever given me!” Chara exclaimed.

“I am glad that you like it. Asriel, please keep our guest company. I will go make some butterscotch-cinnamon pie for this occasion.” Toriel headed into the kitchen.

I sat down in my bed. “Your parents are so nice.” Chara said to Asriel. “So are you.”

“They're always like that, I'm just happy that you're staying with us!”

“No one’s ever been this nice to me before.” Chara said. “I just don't understand why everyone here is being so nice to me.”

“That's just how all the monsters are. Everyone's always nice to each other!” Asriel jumped on his bed too.

“Oh. So, what do you like to down here?” Chara asked.

“I like exploring the underground and making new friends!”

“Um, okay.” Chara said, not used to so much enthusiasm. “So, why exactly did you help me?”

“You were calling out for help, so I thought I should go and help you. Anyone else in the underground would have done the same thing, I was just doing the right thing.”

“No one’s that nice up on the surface.” Chara said, frowning.

“That's why you should stay with us! It will be so much fun!”

“So, what do you want to do?”

“Well, we could go to Snowdin and get some nice cream.” Asriel said thoughtfully.

“Nice cream?”

“It's the frozen treat that warms your heart! It's the second best treat in the underground, compared to my mom’s pies. Yum!”

“Didn't she say she was making us some?” Chara asked.

“We don't have to do that. Hey, I know! Let's go to the lab!”

“What do you need a lab down here for?”

“To research stuff. So, do you want to go?”

“S-sure, I guess. Why not?”

“Yay! Come on, follow me!” Asriel got out of his bed and started running out the door.

“Uh, shouldn't we tell Toriel where we’re going first…?”

“No, it's fine. Just come on!”

“Okay!” Chara said, running after him. They both got into the elevator and they headed over to the lab.

“Here we are!” Asriel exclaimed.

“This place is huge!” Chara said, looking at the large building.

“It's not that big once you get used to it. Let's go inside!” Asriel went over to the large door and pushed a button, and the door opened.

“Are you sure we can just go inside like this? Won't the person who owns it be mad if we just go in?”

“No, this is the home of the royal scientist. My dad is his boss so he doesn't mind.”

“Okay then. Show me around!” They both went into the large building. Inside the lights were turned off.

“Don't worry! I've got the lights!” He clicked the lights on and Chara looked around.

“Whoa! This place is bigger on the inside than what it looks on the outside!” Asriel turned on the lights.

“This is the lab!”

“So, what are we going to do in here?”

“Anything you want to do!”

“What kind of things can we do?”

“We can go see what Gaster is doing, if you want.”

“Who’s that?”

“He’s the royal scientist I was talking about earlier.”

“Oh. Sure, why not? If I'm going to be down here a while, I might as well meet everyone.”

“He’s probably down in the other lab.” They both went into the elevator to the true lab where Gaster was.

“So, what do you think he’s doing?”

“Probably working on one of his inventions.”

“Such as…?”

“Stuff to research souls with.”

The elevator hit the bottom. “Lead the way.” Chara said.

“His work station is over here, just around the corner.”

“Do you think we should disturb him? If he’s in the middle of working…”

“If you want to do something else we can. There are potato chisps down here if you're hungry.”

“Okay. Sure.”

“They're back at the elevator.”

“Let’s go then! I'm starving!”

“Is that you Asriel?” A voice came from down the hallway. Asriel turned around to face the voice.

“Yes, Dr. Gaster, it's me. And I brought a friend!”

“Hi.” Chara said quietly. A dark figure appeared in the hallway.

“Hello there young one. What is your name?” The dark figure got closer.

“Uh...it's Chara.” She said nervously.

“Hm. So you are a human. Interesting.”

“W-what’s so interesting about it?”

“You are the first human to fall down here.” The figure stepped into the light. He was a tall skeleton with glasses and a white lab coat.

“Oh. Is that bad?”

“No, not at all. You came here at a really good time.”

“What for?” Chara said, taking a step back.

“I’ve just finished my newest invention. It is a device made to measure the level of determination in humans.”

“Uh…”

“If it's not to much to ask, would you try it out for me?”

“I...I really don't want to…”

“That really is a shame, it would be quick and painless. I haven't had a chance to try it yet because I made it especially for human souls.”

“Come on Chara! Try it!” Asriel said excitedly.

“I...I don't want to.”

“It is just a hand-held device that can pick up determination levels if it's near a human soul.” Gaster explained.

“Chara why don't you want to do it? It doesn't sound bad. ” Asriel asked.

“Lots of things don't sound bad...but then they are.”

“I wouldn't even touch your soul, I just need to be near it.”

“And you’re sure it won't hurt me?”

“Yes, I am very sure that it would not hurt you.”

“Okay, fine.”

“Wait here while I go and retrieve it.” Gaster walked down the hallway and turned out of sight.

“Um, Chara, about earlier. What did you mean by things not sounding bad, but actually being bad?”

“Sometimes dying doesn't sound bad.” She said quietly.

“Wait, what?!” Asriel asked, freaking out.

“Why else do you think I fell down the hole? I didn't fall. I jumped.”

“But why would you do that?!” Asriel said, yelling.

“I told you, everyone on the surface was horrible to me.”

“I’m sure someone cared about you up there.”

“Nope.” Asriel then ran and hugged Chara.

“I care about you Chara!”

“How? I just met you two hours ago!”

“We are friends right? Friends care about each other!”

“I've...never had a friend.”

“Well, you have one now.” Asriel said, still hugging Chara.

“I found the device.” Gaster said returning from out in the hallway.

“Okay.” Chara said, still unsure. Asriel then let go of Chara, letting her approach the scientist.

“Hold still.” Gaster used his blue magic to turn Chara’s heart blue, and to keep her soul stable. He then took out a rectangular shaped device with a wire attached to it. Gaster put the wire next to Chara’s soul and the device started to get a reading.

“Uh, what exactly are you doing?”

“For this test I am recording your determination level.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Human souls have seven main traits, determination being the strongest one of all of them. And, done.”

“Why does it matter how much determination a human has?”

“It is the trait that allows human souls to persist after death. Normally monster souls don't do not do this, with the exception of boss monsters. This is because monsters do not have determination, but instead hopes and dreams.”

“Hey Chara! I’m a boss monster!” Asriel exclaimed excitedly.

“So, how much determination do I have?” Chara asked curiously. Gaster looked at the reader.

“Very peculiar. Your soul has an excessive amount of determination compared to a normal human soul. At least I know that it works.” Gaster said as he looked at his machine. “Thank you for your time, I now must record my findings.” Gaster then left again, right after looking at Chara one last time.

“Um, so, is he always like that?” Chara asked Asriel.

“Yeah, kind of. He keeps to himself most of the time. Hey, do you want those potato chisps now?”

“Yeah, sure.” Chara followed Asriel to the vending machine next to the elevator.

“They're in there. Don't worry, they don't cost anything.” Asriel said smiling.

Chara grabbed a bag out. “Should we get back home now, or is there something else you want to show me?”

“Oh, I just remembered! Gaster has these really cool prototypes over here!” Asriel said pointing down another hallway.

“If they’re prototypes, should we really be playing with them?” Chara asked warily.

“I wasn't going to play with them. I just wanted to show you how cool they are.”

“Okay then. Lead the way.” Asriel took them down a dimly lit hallway until they reached a bigger room.

“Here they are!” In the room there were many different kinds of animal like skulls plugged into the wall. They came in many different sizes, with some being bigger that a person.

“What exactly are they?” Chara asked, looking around.

“Gaster calls them magical conduit war frames, but I just call them Gaster Blasters.”

“Oh.” Chara said.

So that’s where that name came from, I think.

“Where to next?” Chara asked.

“That was it. Now we can go home and have some pie! You're going to love it!”

“Um, you aren't going to tell Toriel that I jumped, are you? I mean, you can if you want, but…”

“I can keep it a secret. Race you to the elevator!” Asriel then ran off through the dark hallway.

“Hey, wait up!” Chara yelled after him, running.

“I’m gonna win!” Asriel said, running faster.

Chara stretched her legs and passed him, then lost her balance and slid into the elevator. “I won!”

“Hey, you cheated!”

“Did not! I slipped!”

“Did too! Slipping is against the rules!”

“I didn't try to!”

“How do I know you're not lying?!”

“Why would I lie to you? You’re the first person that’s ever been nice to me!”

“Okay, I believe you. You win.” Asriel said, defeated.

“Let’s go home then.” Chara said, smiling.

“Yeah!” They both got into the elevator and went from the lab to their house using the other one. “Mom! We’re home!”

“Good! I just finished the pie.”

“Mmm! It smells delicious!” Asriel said excitedly.

“It does smell pretty good!” Chara agreed.

“I am glad you think so, my child!” Toriel said. “You two go sit down, I'll bring it to you.”

“Yes, momma.” Asriel said taking his seat.

Chara sat down next to him.

“Here you go my child. Please enjoy it.” Toriel said giving Chara and Asriel some pie, and smiled.

“Thank you.” Chara said, smiling, then took a small bite. “Mm! It’s really good!”

“Yeah! It is really good!” Asriel said.

“Thank you both. I am very glad that you enjoyed it.” Toriel said, pleased.

“Gorey! Would you like some pie too?”

“Yes I would, very much so.” Asgore said walking into the dining room. Asriel then cut a slice of pie for Asgore and gave it to him.

“Can you show me how to cook like this?” Chara asked enthusiastically.

“Why yes, of course! I would enjoy teaching you how to cook!” Toriel said.

“Cool!” Chara exclaimed.

“Can I help too?” Asriel asked.

“Yes you can!” Toriel smiled.

“When do we start?”