Cage Of Bones

Chapter 32: Scorch Marks

Author's Note- May the most stressful night you could ever imagine commence!

Trigger warning(s)- Uncensored language, reference to past trauma, child endangerment, reference to off-screen character death, violence among characters, use of knives, guilt, and possession.

(Updated Edits On 1/2/23)

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"Alright...Undyne just texted that the authorities have been alerted. The streets should be cleared for now until Chara and Papyrus are out in the open again." Toriel reported, pocketing her phone before looking back out to the street from her spot against a tree.

Flowey simply nodded, refusing to look up at her.

"How long you think that'll take?" he asked plainly.

Toriel shrugged.

"Not sure. Hopefully not too long. The sooner this is over with the better."

She cast a shaky breath as she wrung her hands together.

"I really hope Fiyoku's alright. Her father's already had one too many scares tonight..."

"Eh, I'm sure she'll be fine. She never seemed like the type to back down easily." Flowey retorted.

Toriel allowed her folded hands to drop.

"I know...but from what Sans told us, Chara is far more powerful than they ever were before. More so than they were when Gaster fell. They've unlocked power within Papyrus that I bet he himself didn't even know he had. All of it without his impeccible mercy. If Fiyoku isn't careful...she won't stand a chance."

'If you only knew...' Flowey thought, shuddering slightly at that description.

Flashes of the deeds of his long dead sibling danced across his memory as he looked on at the empty street before him. So much blood...so much pain...so much anger...Flowey was surprised that this good run even existed after all the Genocides that have occured. And even before the resets...Chara did so many terrible things right under his nose. Hell, they were the reason he ended up in the position to become a flower to begin with. Now here he was...about to fight them alongside his mom for the sake of saving people that he had killed himself more times than he could count. He didn't expect his past to come and bite him so soon...yet here he was...and it hurt. A lot.

"-Though, if Grillbz and Sans raised her the way I think they did, she knows ways to defend herself. And once they get to her she'll be safe. She just needs to hold her own until then...I guess that's all anyone can hope for now..." Toriel finished with a small sigh of defeat.

Flowey's eyes widened a moment at the sudden snap back to reality before they fell toward the ground once more.

"Oh...uh...mhm...I guess..." he muttered softly, his mind elsewhere.

Toriel took notice as she glanced down at the rooted flower. This lack of sarcastic remarks was not something she was expecting going into this situation. Granted, her and Flowey never really interacted one on one often before then, but she had gotten used to his attitude during their time on the Surface. It was a constant brave face that he put on that had given her peace of mind in several different accounts due to its consistency. Seeing that gone now and replaced by this silent vigil...it was so out of character for Flowey...and it was beginning to worry her. And if they were about to face the kind of person Sans had described...

She'd rather take the chance to act before she lost it.

"You alright there Flowey? You've seemed a bit off ever since we all dispersed. Is there something on your mind?"