Toriel stiffened slightly at Izuku's question.
"Why don't I bring you to my home? There, you may rest and have some food."
Izuku nodded, realizing just then how hungry he was.
"Splendid. Come this way, dear child," Toriel said, walking through another stylized stone archway.
As they stepped through, Izuku was greeted by a large hall built of stone bricks, lit by purple lanterns lining the walls. Looking at Toriel, then at his hands, he realized the purple glow wasn't the color of the bricks—it just tinted everything in the room.
As he walked, a faint tune seemed to hum just out of reach.
Play Undertale soundtrack: Ruins.
Following Toriel up a flight of stairs, Izuku noticed a yellow star nearby, pulsating rhythmically—expanding and contracting.
"Um, Miss Toriel! What's that?" he called out.
Toriel looked over her shoulder. "Oh, that's just a pile of leaves, little one. I know it's a bit messy, but I'll get around to tidying up after you've settled in."
Izuku, not wanting to trouble her further, kept quiet and followed her up the stairs.
"Welcome, young Izuku, to the Ruins!" Toriel declared. "Allow me to educate you on its operations."
She stepped on a few floor buttons as she spoke. "You see, the Ruins are full of traps and puzzles, meant to keep its inhabitants safe and sharp-minded. To progress, you'll need to hone your wits and solve these trials."
She pulled a lever, opening a nearby door.
"Come now—I want you to solve the next room's puzzle!" she said, stepping through.
Before leaving, Izuku read a sign aloud:
"Only the fearless may proceed. Brave ones, foolish ones. Both walk not the middle road."
He glanced at the puzzle, understanding its message, and continued forward.
"In this room, you'll need to pull several switches," Toriel explained. "Don't worry, I've marked them for you. Please take your time—I'll be waiting at the end of the room."
Izuku explored on his own, starting by reading the first sign:
"To read signs, make sure you open your eyes!
—Signed, A Sign Guy."
He deadpanned. "Really?"
Wandering off the path, he found another sign on the wall:
"Stay on the path."
"Seriously??"
As he walked down the hall, he spotted a switch on the wall, highlighted and surrounded by arrows.
"Please flip this switch.
—Signed, Toriel."
He flipped it, hearing a satisfying clack in the walls.
A little farther along were two more switches. One was as obviously marked as before:
"This one too!
—Toriel."
Flipping the second switch, he was met with a chorus of clinks, clanks, and grinding as the spikes near the exit retracted.
"Splendid, my child!" Toriel praised, clapping her hands. "Let's move on to the next room!"
In the next room, Toriel gently placed her hand on Izuku's shoulder and guided him toward a practice dummy.
"Down here, many monsters don't look at humans favorably. Some may wish to harm you."
Izuku shivered at the reminder.
"However," she continued, "most monsters can be placated if you simply talk to them. Try it out on this dummy."
Izuku felt the air shift again—this time, far less violently than with Flowey. Shy and a bit embarrassed to be talking to a lifeless object, he stammered out a quiet, "H-hi."
Seconds passed in silence...
Toriel gave him a gentle smile. "I guess you're not much of a talker, huh? That's alright—you did wonderfully for your first try!"
Izuku's cheeks burned with embarrassment, but the praise still warmed him inside.
They continued to the next room.
"There's a puzzle here," Toriel said. "Would you like to try and solve it?"
Izuku nodded confidently as they approached. Falling slightly behind, he suddenly felt the air grow heavy—a frog-like monster hopped out of a hole in the wall.
Izuku panicked. What do I do? I don't know anything about it!
A panel appeared in his vision—not as overwhelming as before, but like a HUD floating before his eyes.
Fight
Act
Item
Mercy
Before he could react, Toriel stepped in from around the corner, putting herself between Izuku and the monster. Whatever she did, the monster—apparently called a Froggit—stumbled back, pale-faced, and fled.
Toriel sighed and turned to Izuku. "Are you alright, little one?"
Izuku, still shaken, nodded, and they continued on in silence.
They passed a sign, which Izuku read aloud:
"The western room is the eastern room's blueprint."
Pondering its meaning, Izuku accidentally bumped into Toriel's back. "Wah!" he yelped.
Before he could fall, Toriel caught him quickly, relief washing over her face. "Please be careful, my child—I wouldn't want you to get hurt."
Izuku nodded sheepishly, glancing around her to see the next room: a floor full of spikes.
He paled.
Toriel laughed nervously at his expression. "Heh heh... this is the next room, but… would you take my hand for a moment?"
Izuku slipped his hand into hers, curious but cautious. As she stepped onto what looked like deadly spikes, he gasped in horror, instinctively trying to pull her back.
"Oh, it's alright, child," she reassured. "I've walked this spike maze many times over the years. You have nothing to worry about."
She pressed down with her foot—and instead of piercing her, the spikes retracted one by one as she walked, pulling Izuku gently along.
Izuku held his breath the entire way, bracing for the worst—but the pain never came. By the time they reached the end of the maze, he gasped for air, a little light-headed from holding his breath so long.
"Please don't make me do that again!" he begged, still trembling slightly.
"Understandable, my child," Toriel soothed. "I had a difficult time walking through the Ruins my first time, too. But don't worry—there are no more spike puzzles from here on."
Izuku sighed in deep relief as she led him into the next room.