Hope Rising
You recalled an old memory as you fell into the earth. You had gone back to Mount Ebbot with your family. They were careful not to let you out of their sight, still cautious from what had happened a few years prior; so, when night fell, you went up into those great cliffs to visit with your best friend and savior, a man you called ‘Dreamer’.
He was, as usual, surprised you had come to see him another year, but it was a good surprise. You did so enjoy his company, and you knew deep in our soul he did as well. You talked about many things, and the time passed by so very quickly, but too soon it was time for you to return to your family, and leave for another year of wishing to talk with him again. You did love talking to him.
But before you left he told you something. He said, “You know… You do not have to keep coming here, child.”
But you simply refused to take his words to heart, and you told him that you had made a promise many years ago. And you would never break that promise, no matter what the world threw at you. You told him you hated breaking promises.
He replied only with a sigh, and you knew he was gone, even though he did not say goodbye. The promise you made, you could barely remember it, but you knew what it entailed.
So, as you fell you smiled. You smiled because you were going to meet him, to free him, to keep your promise. “I promised… And I’m not a fan of breaking promises.”
Then you hit the ground, and your world fell dark and cold.
…
But your soul refused.
Your eyes shot open, and you took a sharp breath. The world you saw around you was very strange, almost scary, if not for the soft bed of golden flowers underneath your body. You stood, shaking petals from your hair and clothes, and proceeded to the next part of your journey.
Much like the bizarre sunny spot covered in flowers you had woken on, there was a patch of healthy green grass, where a lone golden flower resided. You approached the flower, and it turned it’s head, so that you could see a smiling face, and hear a happy voice.
“Howdy! My name’s Flowey, Flowey the flower! Hmmm… You’re new to the Underground, arn'tcha? Golly, you must be so confused! Someone ought to teach you how things work around here! Guess little old me will have to do. Ready?”
You look at the flower and slowly nod yes, still processing his words. You decided you had no clue what you were ‘ready’ for.
“Here we go!”
Your field of view suddenly became dark, and the only thing you could see was the little flower, smiling at you. That smile suddenly began to creep you out.
A light tugging at your chest roused you from your thoughts, and you noticed a light glow resonating from a tiny white heart. You looked at Flowey expectantly.
“That is your soul, the very culmination of your being.” Flowey says, pointing a leaf at the heart.
You reach out to touch it, and as you do you feel a strange urge to cry. It’s beautiful, unlike anything you’d ever seen. You feel it glow brighter with your touch and you are suddenly filled with a sense of wholeness. You want to stay in that moment forever, but then the flower interrupted.
“... Anyways,” the flower mutters, “Your soul starts off weak, but can can become stronger if you gain a lot of LV. What is LV? Why, LOVE of course! You want some LOVE, don't you?”
You nod again, thinking perhaps you were being a bit silly for thinking something was wrong.
“Down here, LOVE is shared through… little,” He looks a bit nervous,”...white… ‘Friendliness Pellets.’”
Your suspicion returns briefly, but you figure ‘it’s a flower, what could possibly happen?’
“Move around, catch as many as you can!”
A barrage of little white dots move toward you, and you maneuver yourself so that you are in the direct path of one. However, the instant it hits you reel back, holding your fractured soul close to your chest.
“W-what was th-”
“You really are an IDIOT!” Flowey laughs, his features contorting into the most evil and unnatural smile you had ever seen, “IN this world, It’s kill, or BE killed! DIE!”
A circle of the pellets circled you, and tears began to stream down your face as they got closer and closer around you. What haunted you most however, was that you would never fulfill your promise. You would never see your family again. They would never see you again. Dreamer would never be free. You felt useless.
The pellets suddenly dissipated, a you turned your gaze to the flower again, whose expression shifted into confusion and shock. A fireball flew into him, and you cringed as he was violently uprooted from the soil, and cast into the shadows. A beautiful woman… no, a beautiful goat woman stepped into the room, and with a tender, motherly voice, she said;
“Oh, dear child, I am so sorry you had to meet that awful creature. But do not be afraid. I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins.”