Ben: "Flowey, you have no idea how glad I am to see you" I replied, my voice trembling with a mix of relief and lingering anxiety. "Things have been... strange. I need your help"

Flowey's eye narrowed slightly, as he took in the seriousness of my expression.

Flowey: "Alright, kid. Spill it. What's going on?"

I sighed softly, recalling in my mind what happened since Flowey was scorched into a pile of ash. Piecing together only the important information, I turned to Flowey, who was impatiently waiting for an answer, and spoke.

Ben: "Toriel" I uttered softly. Surprisingly, this name seemed to spark something behind his one eye, akin to recognition. "She took me to her house, fed me a pie, and I had an upset stomach ever since, until I took this blue liquid" I motioned to the empty bottle on the ground, his eye following along. "And now we're here"

Flowey's eye furrowed deeply in thought, his leaves mimicking hands as he rubbed his chin—or disk, or whatever you want to call the face of a plant—before glancing back at me.

Flowey: "Upset stomach, huh?That can't be right. Monster food converts straight into energy. It shouldn't react with your organs like that"

I listened closely, taking notes of this place's rules, but I couldn't help but feel my heart sink in dread, already knowing what Flowey was getting to.

Flowey: "Unless... That old hag" He muttered silently, but I could feel frustration radiating from his words. "Ben, you need to leave"

A frown grew on my face before lifting an eyebrow.

Ben: "You too find her suspicious?"

Flowey looked downcast.

Flowey: "Not just that. Other kids have been down here. I haven't seen them since. And with that healing potion, she's definitely hiding something, I don't think you'll simply die here. I think something a lot worse is waiting to happen to you"

Ben: "What do you mean 'worse'?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

Flowey: "I don't know the details" He admitted, "but there's something off about her. She might seem kind, but I've seen her change. She gets possessive..." His single eyes trembled slightly. "I can still hear their screa-"

The door suddenly slammed open, letting light enter from the other side of the mostly dull room. Out emerged Toriel holding a basket. She snapped her neck towards me, her eyes now empty and soulless- a stark contrast to her earlier lively nature.

Ben: "To-Tori," I tried to let out, but it only came as a gasp as my breath became deeper and more rapid. The small hairs across my body stood on end.

She slowly made her way towards me, her stern look meeting my shaky eyes. I gaped, uncertain whether to breathe or scream.

Toriel: "My child," She began, her voice unnervingly calm despite the darkness in her eyes. "why do you try to leave? This is a safe haven. You must stay"

I took a step back, my heart pounding in my chest.

Ben: "Toriel, I need to go. Something isn't right here"

She stopped a few feet away from me, the basket in her hands seeming almost out of place given the tension in the air.

Toriel: "You're not safe out there, Ben. Trust me, it's better if you stay"

I gulped anxiously, tapping my watch in the hope it works and looking at her to avoid any suspension.

Flowey, still at my side, hissed quietly.

Flowey: "We need to go now, Ben"

Gathering my courage, I stood my ground.

Ben: "No, Toriel. I appreciate your concern, but I can't stay. Please, let me go"

Her eyes flashed with something unreadable, and for a moment, I thought she might let me leave. But then she stepped forward again, her grip on the basket tightening.

Toriel: "I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter" She said softly, though her voice was laced with an underlying menace.

I suddenly felt something holding at my leg. Looking down, I saw it was Flowey, who I knew was getting impatient at our one-sided standoff.

Gazing back, my eyes widened in terror as I noticed Toriel had followed my gaze. Her eyes landed on Flowey, and her face contracted in disgust.

Toriel: "That disgusting demon creature is back" She slurred under her breath before lifting her hand. Fire swirled around it before settling into a fireball in her palm.

Ben: "Stop!" I shouted, my voice filled with urgency and fear.

Instinctively, I lunged to the side, grabbing Flowey by his leaf hand with me just as Toriel hurled the fireball at where he stood. The scorching heat passed dangerously close, singeing the edges of my clothes.

Instead of burning him again, the fireball broke a hole in the wooden wall, leaving the edges burned black. Toriel's expression told me she was not finished.

I rolled to the ground, hugging Flowey's pot for dear life before quickly jumping to my feet.

Ben: "Toriel, stop! What are you doing?" I cried out, trying to reason with her, but she seemed beyond hearing.

Toriel: "BEN! Unhand that thing at Once! It has no place HERE!" She said, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and something else- fear? Hatred?

Glaring back at her, this time my tone more rebellious than before.

Ben: "Neither do I, you crazy LADY!" I snapped at her, which only fueled her anger as she rushed toward me.

Frantically glancing around for an escape, I felt something warm behind me. I glared back to see the fire burning brightly at the hole Toriel had made with her magic.

Thinking on my feet, I glanced at Flowey, who seemed to quickly understand my plan, shaking his head to disagree. But I didn’t give him time before hurling him out of the window.

I gripped the edges of the hole tightly, the blistering wood burning my fingertips and filling my nostrils with a stinging smell as I tried to leap out of the window.

Toriel: "Such a shame" She muttered, her voice filled with  sorrow.

My lips parted in silent terror as my arms were grabbed by two furry hands, dragging me back from the outside light. Toriel flipped me around to face her, and I squirmed, waving my arms desperately to break free.

Toriel: "I hoped you would be well-behaved, Benjamin, but alas, I was wrong," She said, disappointment dripping from her words before her tone quickly flipped to anger. "Now I must do what is best for you!"

She swiftly let go of my right hand. I took the opportunity to punch her, but she was faster. As if muscle memory were at play, she caught my punch with her other arm, trapping both my arms in her clutch. Her grip tightened further as she held both my arms at once, and with one swift movement, she grabbed a syringe with her free hand.

My heart pounded in my chest as the distance between the syringe and my neck grew closer, I felt my heart thumping so loudly it felt like it might burst right out. Sweat trickled down my spine, dampening my shirt, yet an undeniable shiver coursed through my limbs.

Adrenaline surged through me, triggering the fight-or-flight response driven by primal fear. My vision sharpened, eyes dilating to take in every minute detail of my surroundings, preparing for the attack. My muscles tensed, ready to spring into action, fueled by the potent cocktail of hormones flooding my system.

A sense of urgency gripped me, a desperate need to escape the clutches of impending mortality. Time seemed to stretch and contract simultaneously, each moment dragging into eternity, each second feeling crucial. My breaths came in ragged gasps, my lungs straining to fill my body with oxygen, supplying the energy needed to survive.

In this heightened state, I experienced a paradoxical blend of overwhelming terror and exhilarating clarity. It was a battle between instinct and reason, where logic struggled to gain a foothold amidst the storm of emotions raging within me. Yet, despite the paralyzing fear, there was an undeniable thrill, a taste of the wild, untamed essence of existence itself.

With a burst of desperation, I headbutted her in the face, causing her grip to falter for just a moment. It was enough. I twisted my body, wrenching my arms free and stumbling backward, putting a few precious feet between us.

Ben: "Stay away from me!" I shouted, my voice hoarse with fear and defiance.

Toriel's eyes burned with a mix of sorrow and determination, the syringe still clutched in her hand.

Toriel: "This is for your own good, child. You have to trust me"

But trust was the last thing on my mind. I glanced around, searching for any way to escape. My eyes landed on the hole again, the outside light still streaming through. Without thinking, I lunged for it, throwing myself through the burning opening and into the cool air outside.

I braced myself for the impact, hoping for just a few broken ribs or, if I was lucky, just a sprained ankle. Instead, I felt something wrap around my hand, not furry this time, before my momentum disappeared and I hit the outside of the house. I grunted in pain, glancing up to my surprise to see Flowey holding me on the roof.

Ben: "FLOWEY?!" I let out a genuine scream of joy as Flowey began struggling to hold me further.

Flowey: "Y-yeah, couldn't l-et you fall that height. Now COME ON!" He reared his leafy hand up, giving me enough space to hold onto the roof and climb on top of it.

I crawled up, my pulse still racing, and took a moment to regain my breath. Looking around the roof, it was a stark contrast to the gloomy and stinky interior of the home; the view from the roof was refreshing.

Ben: "Thanks, Flowey," I said, my voice shaky but filled with gratitude. "I don't know what I would've done without you"

Flowey: "Don't mention it" He replied, his voice gruff but with a hint of relief. "But we need to move. She won't be far behind"

Without giving us time to think, Toriel reached the roof, her eyes locking onto us. Flowey's gaze was fixed on her, ready for any sudden movement, while I, still fueled by adrenaline, could only think about stopping her or die trying.

Toriel:  "Fine, if you don't want to leave" She said, a twisted sympathy lacing her voice. She was breathing heavily and sweating, clearly out of shape from the climb. "Then I will make you physically unable to leave"

I watched her with disgust, her twisted reasoning sickening me, almost making me want to walk straight to her and knock some sense into her.

Suddenly, the room flickered black around me, and everything except the ground disappeared. The colors were stripped away, turning into stark white and black. I looked at myself, noticing my clothes now resembled my 10-year-old self's outfit due to the lack of colors.

From the depths of my chest, a radiant glow emerged, transforming into a cartoonish yellow and orange heart inside a white box, just like earlier with the dummy. But this time, the box had words inside it, reading:

'Toriel Is Standing In Your Way Of Freedom'

I looked up to see her charging fireballs. My heart pounded, the adrenaline surging even more intensely through my veins. I had to act quickly.

Toriel: "This is for your own good" She said, her voice echoing with a mix of sadness and resolve.

Summoning every ounce of strength, I dodged the first volley of fireballs, my body moving almost on its own. Each stride, each action, more sluggish, more slow, my adrenaline running low, as it can only take you so far before it begins to fail you as well.

Toriel: "You can't escape this time" She declared, her eyes flashed with a mix of anger and something else- regret? But she kept attacking, her fireballs relentless as she launched another barrage of them.

I could hardly weave through the attacks, my sense of justice and bravery fueling my every move instead of the declining adrenaline. With each successful dodge, my muscles ached, begging for a break.

My eyes shook with dread as I saw a fireball heading toward where I was about to land. I didn't have enough time to dodge, and my legs were mere seconds from giving out. Instead, I lifted my hands to shield my face, feeling the intense heat radiating from the fireball as it neared me. It finally struck my Omnitrix, and I felt the skin around my arm start to burn and bubble. My eyes closed, preparing to be turned into a human torch.

But instead of the expected agony, there was a sudden, brilliant flash of green light. The Omnitrix, dormant until now, roared back to life, absorbing the energy from the fireball. I opened my eyes, staring in shock at the swirling green energy surrounding my wrist.

The Omnitrix had activated.

Ben: "No way..." I breathed, a mix of relief and surprise flooding through me.

Toriel paused, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Toriel: "What... what is that?"

Taking advantage of her momentary hesitation, I quickly scrolled through the holographic display of the Omnitrix, searching for a suitable alien. My finger landed on the only alien, Heatblast, and without a second thought, I slammed down the dial.

In an instant, my body transformed in bright green light. I felt the intense heat coursing through me, but this time it was a familiar, controlled blaze. As I transformed into...

Heatblast: "HeatBlast!"

I let out a chuckle, feeling a surge of confidence coursing through me. The sudden spark of energy emanating from the watch snapped me back to reality.

Looking down at the, uh, SOUL thing, I noticed a green light enveloping it, but I could see the light fading slowly. It was obvious what that meant: my transformation time was limited, and boy, was it running out.

Heatblast: "Alright, Toriel, let's see how you handle this!" I shouted, my voice echoing with newfound power.

Toriel's eyes widened further, but her resolve didn't waver.

Toriel: "You've changed" She whispered, utter surprise coloring her voice. "What... what kind of magic is this?"

Heatblast: "The kind of magic that saves the day!" I declared, lifting my hand and unleashing a stream of fire. She managed to dodge, but not without getting slightly scorched. Surprisingly, instead of burning, I noticed an upside-down white heart hovering above her, shaking violently. Glowing numbers fell from it, cracking slightly.

Toriel stumbled to the ground, clutching her chest, her breathing rapid as she gritted her teeth. The color drained from her face.

Toriel: "Y-you've gotten stronger, my child. But I'm not sure it will be enough" She muttered, slowly rising to her feet. "Six innocent souls taken before their time..."

Her sudden mention of the souls struck me. Were these the children Flowey spoke of, or was this another deceit? Regardless, I stood firm, ready to defend myself.

Toriel: "But it's fine" She continued, her tone unnervingly calm. "I won't let you be the seventh, because you're going to be safe, stuck inside with me"

Out of the blue, she launched another volley of fireballs at me, but this time, I was ready. Raising my hands, I absorbed the fireballs effortlessly, the flames merging with my own fiery form.

Heatblast: "You can't beat me with fire" I said, launching a counterattack. I shot a stream of flames at her, this time not to harm but to push her back and create distance.

Toriel stumbled, clearly taken aback by the sudden turn of events. She struggled to regain her composure, her eyes now a mix of confusion and desperation.

Toriel: "My child, please, this is for your own safety!" She pleaded, her voice cracking with emotion.

Heatblast: "This isn't safety, Toriel! This is imprisonment! And highly illegal in many states!" I shouted back, my flames flickering with intensity. "You have to let go!"

The words seemed to hit her like a physical blow. She faltered, her fireballs extinguishing in her hands. For a moment, there was silence, the air thick with tension.

Toriel: "I... I just wanted to protect you" She whispered, tears welling in her eyes.

I wasn't sure what to believe now - the psychopath I had been fighting or the broken mother standing before me.

Heatblast: "A while back, you kidnapped me, manipulated me, poisoned me, and tried to inject a mysterious liquid into my neck. That's the opposite of protecting"

Toriel's expression wavered between sorrow and guilt as my words hung heavy in the air. She seemed genuinely torn, caught between her desire to protect and the harsh reality of her actions.

Toriel: "I... I did what I thought was best" She murmured, her voice shaky. "I couldn't bear to lose another child..."

Her confession tugged at something inside me, a mix of sympathy and anger. Despite her reasons, what she had done was inexcusable. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself amidst the turmoil of emotions.

Heatblast: "There are better ways to protect someone than trapping them against their will" I replied firmly, my fiery form flickering with intensity. "You can't force safety on someone"

Toriel looked down, her hands trembling slightly. The weight of her actions seemed to settle heavily upon her.

Toriel: "I... I see that now" She admitted quietly, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, my child. I truly am" Her words struck a chord in me. Despite everything, seeing her remorseful and vulnerable made me hesitate. Could she change? Was there hope for her to redeem herself?

Heatblast: "You need to let us go" I said firmly, my tone softer but resolute. "We can't stay here"

Toriel nodded slowly, wiping her tears away with a shaky hand.Toriel: "You're right" she agreed softly. "Go, before I change my mind"

'You Spared Toriel'

The white box popped up again, displaying those words before slowly fading away as the fight ended. The world around us seemed to flicker back to normal. Colors returned slowly. I glanced down at the SOUL hovering in front of me, noticing the green color draining away from it. It reverted to its usual yellow and orange glow, indicating that whatever power surge had occurred was now subsiding.

The Omnitrix on my chest  glitched again. Green light enveloped me briefly before I detransformed from HeatBlast, returning to my human form. Curious, I took a quick peek at the watch, only to see it glitching once more. The core spun around erratically, displaying the glitching silhouette of HeatBlast before the hologram closed.

Ben: "Weird" I muttered to myself, shaking my head slightly. The mysterious behavior of the Omnitrix always kept me on my toes, but this glitch seemed different from the usual, maybe I have to unlock them somehow, who knows.

Suddenly, I heard a gasp from behind me. I glanced back to see Flowey, his single eye wide with disbelief.

Flowey: "How the hell did you turn into a fire monster?" he pleaded, his voice tinged with astonishment.

I chuckled nervously, I guess the cat is out of the bag now, getting a safe distance away from Toriel and closer to him.

Ben: "It's called the Omnitrix," I explained, turning to face him fully. "It allows me to transform into different aliens with unique abilities. HeatBlast happens to be one of them"

Flowey blinked, his expression a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

Flowey: "Aliens? Different abilities?" He repeated, clearly trying to grasp the concept. "And you just... pick one and transform?"

Ben: "Pretty much" I replied with a shrug. "It's a long story, but yeah, that's the gist of it"

Flowey seemed to mull over this new information, his leafy brow furrowed in thought.

Flowey: "Huh... I guess being stuck in the Ruins for so long made me miss a lot" He muttered, half to himself.

I sighed internally, relieved that Flowey didn't react negatively or become overly curious about the Omnitrix. He seemed to take everything in stride, which made things much easier for me. It was a weight off my shoulders that he didn't suddenly turn into some power-hungry maniac or bombard me with a barrage of questions.

Ben: "So, you know a way out? Because I really don't want to..." I gestured awkwardly towards Toriel behind us, still on her knees. "God knows what kind of thoughts are going through her mind"

Flowey nodded knowingly.

Flowey: "Jeez, you're so clueless without me"

I chuckled and rolled my eyes playfully.

Ben: "Alright, Mr. Tour Guide, lead the way!"

Flowey: "Alright, follow me to the basement"

With a mix of relief and curiosity, I followed Flowey as he led the way down Toriel's house, descending the staircase cautiously. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of monsters awaited us at the other end. The dimly lit stairs seemed to stretch on endlessly, each step echoing softly in the stillness of the house.