Chara wandered the winding corridors, her red eyes sharp and wary. She reached out to touch a familiar glyph on the wall, but her fingertips seemed further away than usual. Confusion etched across her face as she looked down, noticing her shoes appeared slightly larger than before.
"Am I... shrinking?" Her voice trembled, echoing off the ancient stone. The realization sent a chill through her, and she immediately began to search for answers, fearing what might happen if the process continued.
Chara stumbled into the kitchen, her clothes slightly loose and her steps uncertain. Toriel, gentle and motherly, noticed the change at once, her brow creasing with concern.
Toriel, the caretaker of the Ruins, offers a comforting presence, her robes trailing as she moves.
"My child, what troubles you so?"
"Something is wrong. I’m getting smaller, and I don’t know why," Chara replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Chara and Toriel hurriedly leafed through dusty books, searching for any mention of shrinking curses or peculiar magic. Each page seemed heavier than the last, as Chara found her hands barely able to turn them.
"There must be a cure. There has to be," Chara insisted, her determination burning despite her dwindling size.
"Stay hopeful, dear one. We will not give up," Toriel replied, her voice soothing even as worry flickered in her eyes.
Chara, now barely half her original height, pressed on bravely. She clambered over pebbles that now seemed like boulders, following clues from a book that mentioned a legendary healing spring hidden deep within Waterfall.
"Just a little further... I can do this," she muttered, her voice tiny but resolute, as she pushed aside oversized reeds and pressed deeper into the glowing mist.
Chara, exhausted, finally reached the spring. The waters shimmered with a gentle blue light, and the air hummed with quiet energy. Trusting her instincts, she waded into the pool, feeling the cool water swirl around her ankles, knees, and finally her shoulders as she continued to shrink.
"Please work," she whispered, closing her eyes and letting the water embrace her.
Chara awoke on the mossy bank, her body restored to its normal size. Relief flooded her as she stretched her arms and glanced around, feeling herself whole again. The memory of fear lingered, but hope now blossomed stronger than ever.
"I made it," she breathed, her voice steady and bright. She smiled, knowing she’d faced the unknown and found the cure, carrying newfound courage within her heart.
