Toriel smiled gently at you. "Well, young one, perhaps you can solve the puzzles of the ruins on your own? I'm afraid it has been quite a long while since I've had any visitors, and my house is quite messy." She laughed softly. "However, the puzzles are dangerous, so if you need my assistance, please, take this," she added, holding out what looked like a cell phone. It was absolutely ancient.

You raised an eyebrow, pulling out your own cell phone. She seemed surprised. "Sorry, but I've already got one. Thanks, though," you replied, trying to be polite.

Toriel didn't seem to be perturbed. She merely smiled and offered her phone number, which you added into your contacts. You felt like you were in something of a daze, receiving a talking goat's phone number. Still smiling she tucked her phone away and grasped your hands. "I will not be very far away, and as I said, if the puzzles are too dangerous, do not hesitate to call me." With that, she rushed off, leaving you alone in the Ruins.

At least she had the decency to solve the first one as she left.

☆¤☆

The puzzles themselves weren't very difficult. Certainly not the first few of them, especially when the switches were so obviously labelled.

Toriel must really be afraid of kids getting hurt...

Eventually you managed to avoid anything major, despite falling through the floor only once. "Please don't step on the leaves, my ass," you muttered, going back up the staircase to try again. "Who came up with these damned puzzles to begin with, that's what I'd like to know."

You were so busy talking and cursing under your breath that, at first, you didn't see it. Lying right on the floor, it was clearly obvious. Yet you walked right into the ghost, and consequently got stuck. "Damn it!" you cried out, backing off as the ghost got back up.

There were tears in its eyes already. "Oh... am I in your way...?" it murmured, looking to be on the verge of a total meltdown.

The last thing you wanted was to try and deal with a sobbing ghost. "N-no, no, really, it's all right. I'm sorry for, y'know, stepping on you."

"... oh... I didn't notice..." So far the tears were still there but did not begin to fall. Was that good or bad? Was the ghost simply suffering from depression?

"Well, I sort of got stuck in you. I'm sorry," you repeated. After a long, awkward pause, you shifted on your feet. "So, uh... what's your name...?"

"...... Napstablook," it- perhaps a he?- replied quietly. Only when he moved did you notice the headphones, making you sigh. Your damned radio was still back there somewhere, but you had no way of finding it. And even if you had, what then? Surely the fall had shattered the thing. You wanted desperately to get it back, and you thought it over. Napstablook just watched you, not moving out of your way still. He seemed to be... expecting something? "You look... sad..." he spoke quietly.

"My damn radio is somewhere back where I fell," you explained. Napstablook suddenly faded from your view and you threw up your hands. "Well at least I can keep going," you muttered, pushing on.

Wait, why am I still going? Then again, where else do I have to go? There has to be a way out of the underground at the other end of the Ruins, so it can't be far.

☆¤☆

Another puzzle or two proved to be no match for your adult brain; really, they seemed more for children than adults. Perhaps that was the point?

A corridor gave you a dead end, with nothing but spiderwebs. Great.

That's what I need, to deal with spiders.

There was already a spider occupying each web, and you swallowed hard, backing off and turning down another corridor. Coming face to face with a flyer for a bake sale made you hesitate. A bake sale? In the middle of the Ruins? Was this someone's idea of a joke?

Food made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders? Appetizing.

You did have a little money on you, and truth be told, you were curious. Spiders with baked foods seemed a little dubious, but you ended up returning to the webs after all, your money in hand. The spiders occupying the webs seemed... excited? They hurriedly crept into the shadows before returning with what looked like a doughnut and a jug.

... I'm not gonna question how that thing is being carried.

Gently, your hands shaking, you handed over the money and took just the jug. You didn't quite trust that the spiders had been touching the actual doughnut, and opted for the cider instead. Somehow, there was no trace of a web on the glass jug. The spiders took your money back into the shadows and, perhaps it was just your imagination, but you could have sworn you heard little sounds of excitement from their general direction.

I'm not gonna question anything anymore.

☆¤☆

The cider proved to be quite tasty, without a trace of any sort of bugs in it, which was a relief. But you didn't dare drink it all, as you were a little nervous as to when you would be able to drink something again. You weren't sure how long you might have to go without.

For the second time in the past hour you weren't paying attention to where you were going, and walked directly into Napstablook, who for whatever reason did not move out of the way. "Shit! I'm sorry," you exclaimed, backing away.

Only then did you notice the ghost holding up your radio. "I... fixed it... for you..." he wailed softly, holding out the device to you.

You gingerly took your radio back, heart pounding. "How did you even... I don't... th-thank you!" You would have kissed the ghost if you were able to, but settled for an attempt at hugging. You phased right through him, of course, but it seemed to have the same effect.

"Oh... I... wasn't expecting to meet someone so nice today..." he murmured.

You quickly turned the thing back on, fiddling with the dials until you could get to the proper station. Despite being underground, the static was non-existent. It seemed clearer than ever. "Thank you, Napstablook," you repeated again, smiling as kindly as you were able to.

He fell quiet for a bit of time, listening to the station you had turned to before looking up at you. "You... like this channel...?"

You nodded. "It's my favorite. I found it on accident but I can't always hear it."

The ghost paused, still listening. "I... can help you," Napstablook turned away, towards the direction you had been headed. "Keep going... until you reach Hotland.... he... oh no..." he wailed. "You're so nice..." The ghost faded from view again, and this time you felt certain he would not return.