The first thing she noticed was that her head was pounding. A maelstrom of pain was raging within her skull, making her stomach squirm with nausea. It felt like her skull was trying to split open
Not wanting to aggravate her headache, she just layed there silently.
After a long while of working up the courage to open her eyes, she was greeted with the blinding light from the sun above. She squirted and turned her head away. Looking off to the side, she was quickly greeted with the sight of rocky walls on all sides.
Do to the blinding light, and the flowers she could feel underneath her, she had originally thought she was outside. But it turned out that this was not the case.
How did I get here? She did a quick search through her memories, but unfortunately she didn't find the answer she was looking for. In fact, it only raised more questions.
Who am I again? She wondered to herself. The confusion she was feeling was quickly changed to nervousness, and soon it had become fear.
Who am I?!?! What's my name?!!? She did another search through her mind, but this time much more complete.
It took a while, but after a bit of digging she found a single word that seemed to resonate deeply from within her being. It gave her a familiar, warm feeling.
It was Dash.
Dash. That's my name. My name is Dash. The small pony, now known as Dash, thought to herself with a faint smile. It wasn't much in terms of identity, but it was a start. She was just thankful that she had something to use as a crutch. It was something to help keep her hooves on the ground, and that's all that honestly matters.
With her personal dilemma now satisfied for the time being, Dash remembered her current situation.
Oh yeah, a cave. I'm in a cave. Why am I in a cave? How did I get here? Dash then remembered the sunlight shinning above her. She turned her head back to its original position and gazed upwards.
The sun seemed to have moved since the last time she looked at it. It now halfway hidden, making it so Dash could see the opening in the cave far above.
That must have been how she got in this cave.
Oh well.
Dash flipped onto her side and slowly begun to got up, trying not to aggravate her headache.
A returning wave of nausea washed over her, causing Dash to lose her balance temporarily. Luckily, she caught herself before she fell. Dash reached up and rubbed where the pain in her head was coming from.
There was something warm and wet coming from the back of her head. Quickly pulling her hoof away, she looked at it in horror.
She was bleeding!
This must be why she lost her memories. She hit her head when she fell. From the looks of it the wound is pretty bad. Not life threatening but still bad.
Ignoring the wound for now, she looked around. Not noticing anything interesting other then some pillars, Dash decided to head deeper into the cave.
Eventually she came across a strange flower, and upon closer inspection she noticed the flower actually had a face! Dash was fascinated, and her fascination only grew when the flower started talking.
“Howdy! I’m Flowey, Flowey the flower!” He introduced himself. Dash was just lost for words but introduced herself too.
“Um, hi? I’m Dash.”
Don’t trust him.
Dash's ears perked, she could've sworn she just heard a voice. She shook her head and turned her attention back to Flowey.
“Hmmm…” Dash swore she could see the gears turning in Flowey’s head “You're new to the Underground, aren'tcha?”
She nodded.
“Golly, you must be so confused. Someone ought to teach you how things work around here! I guess little old me will have to do. Ready? Here we go!” Suddenly a red heart popped out of her chest, Dash jumped back in surprise.
“See that heart? That is your SOUL, the very culmination of your being!” The yellow flower said.
SOUL? Dash reached forward and poked it. It caused a shiver to go down her spine.
“Your SOUL starts off weak, but can grow strong if you gain a lot of LV. What's LV stand for? Why, LOVE, of course!”
“LOVE? That's good right?” Dash asked.
“Yup! You want some LOVE, don't you? Don't worry, I'll share some with you!” Flowey winked cartoonishly and all of the sudden, five white pellets appeared around Flowey.
Dash had a bad feeling about this.
“Down here, LOVE is shared through... little white... "friendliness pellets."' Are you ready? Move around! Get as many as you can!”
The white pellets gently flew over to her, she reached forward and touched them. Dash gasped and doubled over in pain.
“You idiot!” Dash looked up but quickly recoiled in shock. Floweys face was now absolutely demonic!
“In this world, it's kill or BE killed. Why would anyone pass up an opportunity like this!?”
Dozens more spinning white pellets appear around her.
She was trapped! Dash didn't know if she can take another hit!
“Die.” He started laughing as the pellets of death began to close in on her. Out of nowhere a fireball came and knocked the evil flower away. A large goat monster come walking in.
“What a terrible creature, torturing such a poor, innocent youth.” The goat grumbled disapprovingly.
Dash backed up into a wall and started shaking. She was scared out of her mind! What's this monster going to do to her? Probably cook Dash with her fireballs and eat her, that's what!
The monsters eyes softened at the sight of the terrified filly, she didn't even look more than five years old. It's clear that the flower has made her distrustful of monsters, and from the looks of it she was already hurt from the fall she had. The flower made things worse though, she will need immediate medical attention.
Poor thing.
The goat monster walked over to the shivering filly and put a paw on her shoulder, making her flinch.
“Do not be afraid, my child. I am Toriel, caretaker of the ruins. Can you tell me your name?”
“D-Dash," the filly sniffled. She seems to be calming down.
“Okay Dash, what do you remember before you fell down here?” She asked while petting her rainbow mane.
“Nothing.” Toriel grew very worried, the filly can’t remember anything but her name? This is not good, she was planning on showing her the puzzles that make up the ruins, but getting her help is much more important. She can use her healing magic on the wounds but its best if she does it at the house.
Meanwhile, Dash was starting to feel comfortable around Toriel. Maybe she can trust the motherly goat monster? She seems nice; unlike Flowey.
Dash was knocked out of her thoughts when she was scoped up into Toriel’s arms and cradled like a foal. Her face burned with embarrassment, but she didn't make a fuss. She knew that she probably can’t walk long distances on her own right now.
“Come, my child. Let me take you back to my house so we can take care of those wounds.” The monster said as she started walking down the corridor. Eventually they came upon a room with a floating star in it.
“What’s that?” She asked while pointing at the star. Toriel looked over toward where Dash was pointing.
“What’s what, my child?”
Dash looked at Toriel in confusion “The sparkly thing! Can’t you see it?”
No she can’t, stupid.
There's that voice again! Where's it coming from? Well, whatever, it's right, she doesn't seem to be able to see it.
“Nevermind.” The friendly goat monster looked at Dash with worry but didn't push the matter further. When Toriel wasn't looking Dash reached and touched the star.
The shadow of the ruins looms above, filling Dash with determination!
Dash blinked stupidly at the sudden rush she just felt. This place just keeps getting weirder and weirder.
Dash was pulled away from the star as Toriel walked up the stairs into the another room with a puzzle.
“The ruins are full of puzzles. Ancient fusions between diversions and doorkeys. One must solve them to move from room to room.” Toriel explained. “I’ll teach you about them another day, my child.”
After a long walk filled with puzzles, spiders, and a weepy ghost, they made it to their destination. Before they went inside, the little filly reached out and touched another one of those stars.
Seeing such a cute, tidy house in the ruins gives her determination!