thisavrou_log | [closed] Fallen Down

Who: Frisk and Toriel
When: July 18th
Where: On...the ship...?
What: Frisk wants to help. Toriel decides someone else needs to be SAVED.
Warnings: N...one...? A chronic and worrying lack of consideration for one's own well-being?

The Ingress's malfunction had not been subtle. Frisk had felt it the moment that it began, a sudden wash of energy that surged through them, seemed ready to tear them apart...and then slipped past. Where the rest of the ship regained it's integrity, Frisk remained as cracked and fragile as before. Perhaps even more so, with how they felt in the wake of it all. Lost and out of place and powerless in the wake of...everything.

Messages go around lightning fast, and it doesn't take long before the captains are helping to organize rescue for those crew members displaced. Frisk can't find Asriel, nor Papyrus or Mettaton, and they can't just stay here knowing that their family could...

Running far faster than they've moved in a while, Frisk sprints down the halls toward the flight deck. They need to be there, they need to be on the first ship out. Every ship, they have to get there and find them all and do something--

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

With a cursory check of the network and general murmuring spreading through the ship itself- Toriel isn't oblivious to the fact something has happened. The ship has jumped locations, crew members are missing- a general air of chaos follows suit.

It also brings to mind the fact one little human ambassador will launch themselves into trouble. After her talk with Alan and learning just what her child gets up to, Toriel finds her way to the flight deck, staying by the entrance.

Unsurprisingly Frisk practically flies through the doorway and Toriel gently steps forward. "Frisk." If Frisk plans on going anywhere, they need to get around the particularly large wall of monster blocking their way.

Frisk yelps and stumbles to a stop, staring up at their mother from only a few feet away. If they weren't in such distress, they might recognize the irony of the situation; a mission that needs to be done, a hallway and a door and no turning back.

* Toriel blocks the way!

"Mom?"

"You are not going to join the rescue party." Toriel states simply, a hand settling against her hip. There is really no need for subtly in the moment, not given the way Frisk came running through the door making a beeline for the gathering people beyond them.

"Wh...what?"

Frisk blinks a few times, taken aback. It's not as though Toriel has let Frisk roam about without any restrictions--they have a bed time, there are certain things they need to ask about before they go running off. And it's not like they hadn't been grounded barely more than a month prior.

But she had never stopped them when it was important before.

"Why? They're--everyone's in trouble!"

"No." She states firmly back, not particularly being swayed by Frisk's argument. "There are many, many capable people signing up to rescue others already. You not joining them will not change that any."

Toriel is honestly completely done with her children throwing themselves into danger, whilst it is always for the greater good in some regard- she is done. Done with it.

"But--!"

They have to help! They have to do something, they have to do what they can, the things that no one else could! They have to make sure things go right or else--

...or else...?

"But...but I want to..."

If they aren't being good...if they aren't helping...then what good are they?

"Frisk, you're made of glass." Her voice softens a touch, but Toriel is settled on her decision. "You're also a child. My child. My child who bases far too much of themselves on helping others."

She's never been oblivious on that. Frisk has always been in her eyes a go-getter, a child with a gentle heart and great intentions to help. Learning about what she does know of Frisk's powers, their deaths- it gives her a clear idea of why Frisk does this. Why Frisk thinks they can always jump in and solve apparently unfixable problems. They've always had a second chance, at least in the underground to fix a mistake. It also gives her an idea of what it has done to Frisk.

"You need to learn, you cannot always save everyone. Nor are you obligated to at every sign of danger or distress."

"But...I..."

Frisk wilts and curls in on themself, their head bowing and shoulders shaking.

It's...it's okay if they come back, isn't it? That's how it's always been. As long as they keep trying, they'll get it right. That's...that has to be right, doesn't it? It doesn't matter if they get hurt, so long as everyone is okay in the end.

And nobody will even remember--

...except they do, here. There's no RESET anymore. No SAVE, no FILE to rely on. One try, and that's it.

"Why...why can't I..."

What are they supposed to do?

"Frisk, you cannot go." She repeats firmly back, moving to crouch on the child's level. She reaches out to place a gentle hand on Frisk's shoulder. Toriel is intent on holding true with this.

"I value your life, you need to start doing that as well." They've brushed past this topic before, but she has always let it go to some extent. Today... Today she cannot.

Frisk's gaze pulls up slowly to meet Toriel's own, as confused and lost as their mother is firm. This is...they're supposed to be the strong one, aren't they? They're supposed to make things right, to know what to say, to be able to...

But they aren't. And...maybe they never were.

Frisk opens their mouth, but no words come. They don't know what to say. Should they deny it? They don't...they're not worth anything. They're not...if they can't help, then...

They whimper, and step forward to cling onto Toriel as tightly as they can.

Toriel gently sweeps Frisk up into her grasp, walking away from the gathering rescue group. The growing din of plans and engines coming to life fade as Toriel walks.

She only softens faintly the further they get from the flight deck. "Let me take care of you, Frisk. It is my job after all." Toriel cannot lose another child. She cannot let one throw themselves into this situation.

Asriel is already gone from the ship, she cannot bare to lose another child. Much less if the rescue fails, much less if those who go down die. The what if's are too much for her.

"You've done so much, you need to rest a little."

Frisk moves on automatic, lifting their arms and leaning into Toriel's soft bulk, looping both arms around her neck. They close their eyes and clench their tiny fists into the fabric of her uniform, a heavy weight settling on their mind and SOUL.

The worst part is they want so, so badly to listen to her. To believe that what she says is true. Frisk is so tired, exhausted and worn out from timeline after timeline after timeline of pain and hurt and joy and reunion, only to have it ripped away again. The whole time on the Moira...in a strange way, it doesn't feel real. They keep up appearances, try their best, but...part of them is waiting to wake up again. For everything to go back.

There's not even a FILE to hold onto, here. Even if Frisk tries to reach for it, there's nothing there.

But they can't...they can't tell Toriel. They can't tell her that even if they go home, that everything will just be ripped away all over again. That the Barrier will come back, that she'll be all alone again, that Frisk will have to leave her behind so many times and they don't even know if it's doing any good.

It's...it's easier to lie, isn't it? If only to spare them.

"...'m sorry."

"You don't need to apologize, my child." She states gently back, nosing carefully into Frisk's hair. She can walk and nuzzle at the same time, it's a task she's mastered after so long. Toriel hopes she can provide her child some comfort, a sense of home. A sense of safety.

"Simply- be a child, let me take care of you." All Toriel really wants is to let Frisk have a chance to be a child, to be safe. She's oblivious to her child's worries about their distance from a FILE or their worries of resets. She simply sees a small child pushing themselves to the limit. "Stay with me."

[closed] Fallen Down

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