City of the Ruins

"Oh, are you two awake now?" Toriel was sitting beside the fireplace in the living room, wearing a pair of glasses and leisurely reading a book.

"Yes," the two children replied.

They could feel Toriel's genuine affection for them, and there was nothing on the surface they particularly missed. After discussing it, the two finally decided to settle here and live with Toriel.

"Well, I want you to know that having company makes me very happy. I have so many old books here that I'd like to share. I want to take you to my favorite bug-catching spot." Toriel began chattering away. The two children exchanged smiles and continued listening to her.

"I've also already arranged lessons for your education. This might surprise you... but I've always wanted to be a teacher... actually, perhaps that isn't so surprising. Anyway, I'm very happy you'll be living here. Oh, is there anything you need?"

The two children exchanged a glance and said in unison, "We'd like to look around."

"Oh, is that so? Of course. Let's have a look around the town in the Ruins." Toriel stood up approvingly. "But to keep any monsters from attacking you, I think I'd better go with you."

The two children nodded. They were quite happy to chat with Toriel, too.

"Go on, tell her what's on your mind," Linde whispered into Frisk's ear with a soft chuckle.

Frisk finally gave in. She walked up to Toriel. "Um... well... uh..."

"What is it, my child?" Toriel looked at Frisk with concern.

Frisk's cheeks were flushed red, a sight Linde found thoroughly delightful.

Noticing Linde watching from beside her, Frisk decided to throw caution to the wind. "Could... could we... call you... M-Mom...? Uh! I mean! It was his idea! Um..."

Warmth filled Toriel's heart. Seeing Frisk's expression, she couldn't help laughing. "Hahaha, of course, my child. You can call me whatever you like!"

"Mm... M-Mom." Frisk took Toriel's large, furry hand.

Now the pressure was on Linde. Although he felt a little awkward, as an orphan, he didn't mind calling someone-a monster-who was willing to care for him so attentively his mother.

"Um... Mom, let's go see the town," Linde said, slipping his hand into Toriel's other hand.

Toriel had never been so happy. "Of course, my children. Follow me."

They walked out through the front door of [Home], rounded the strange, large tree, and turned right. A Froggit was standing there.

"Ribbit, ribbit, Your High-"

The Froggit was just about to bow when he suddenly realized something. He shuddered and immediately corrected himself.

"...Ms. Toriel, you're visiting town again."

Toriel nodded calmly. "I'm taking the children for a walk around town."

"Then have a pleasant trip, ribbit!" With that, the Froggit hopped away.

Then, after passing through a metal gate, they entered the town in the Ruins.

The City of the Ruins was an enormous city dominated by shades of purple. Monsters bustled through its streets, filling it with a lively, lived-in atmosphere.

Quite a few small shops lined the streets, each selling different goods.

"Hey! Toriel! Are these the two children you mentioned?" A shopkeeper waved to Toriel. "What are their names?"

The shopkeeper was a monster whose body was entirely green, with a bald crown fringed by hair and dark eyes that looked rather melancholy (this appearance came from the fellow blocking the door to the mayor's office in Deltarune).

"Oh, to be honest, I don't know their names yet!" Toriel suddenly remembered. "Haha, you get forgetful as you grow older. So, my children, your names are...?"

After the two children told her their names, Toriel smiled and answered the shopkeeper, "Well, those are their names... all right, I'm going to take them around some more. See you later!"

The shopkeeper smiled and waved to them, then went back to arranging the snails on his shelves.

"You were attacked by monsters because of the king's orders, but not every monster is willing to obey him. There are especially many of those monsters in the Ruins, so most of the monsters in town don't mind that you're human," Toriel explained to the children.

The children nodded and continued wandering around town with Toriel.

They made a full circuit of the town and met quite a few of its monsters.

Just then, as though he had suddenly remembered something, Linde turned to Toriel and asked, "Mom, how do monsters learn to use magic?"

"Learn to use magic?" Toriel paused in surprise. Did this child want to learn magic?

"A very small number of monsters are actually born knowing magic. The rest are usually taught by their parents to connect with the magical power inside them when they're six, allowing them to naturally master magic suited to them."

Toriel answered, "If you'd like to learn, I can try teaching you."

"Really? That's great!" Linde cheered. Come on! If I can learn magic, why wouldn't I? Who would turn down a chance to become a mage?

"Frisk, would you like to join us?" Toriel asked with a smile.

Frisk nodded emphatically.

"All right, then let's go home. I'll start teaching you right away!" Toriel smiled brightly and led the two children back toward home.