Frisk woke up at midnight, to the smell of butterscotch pie. She hopped out of bed and ate it right where it was set on the ground. It reminded her of her time in the Underground. Yes, there were bad memories there, but some of her best memories come from the Underground. Frisk got up and exited her room. She walked down the hallway into the living room. She expected Toriel to be sitting in her big plush chair she had brought from her old quaint little house, but there was no one here. The lights were out, but the room still felt warm. A note was left on the chair. Frisk decided to read it.

Dear Child,

You must have expected me to be reading in my chair. Sorry, but I am not here. No, I haven't left you, do not fret, I am only sleeping. The beds here are so lush and comforting, unlike my old bed.

Thank you for understanding,

Toriel.

The human took the note and shoved it in messy pockets on the side of her blue shorts. Frisk then went to bed and dreamed of pie, Toriel, and all her friends she had previously saved the month before.

The next day, Toriel woke Frisk up, gently petting her hair.

"Hello my child. You slept for quite some time… It is already past noon! Papyrus has invited us to a spaghetti dinner. Well… I suppose you do not have to go if you do not wish, but I would not feel comfortable leaving you again. Also, I think it would be nice for us all to be together again."

Frisk decided to go. Toriel and Frisk gathered their things, and headed off to Sans and Papyrus' log cabin in the forest.

After an hour of Toriel's reckless driving, they pulled into a gravel driveway.

Toriel turned her head to the backseat where Frisk sat clutching a yellow car seat so hard that the fabric had begun to crease. "I am very sorry my child! I should have never decided to drive! I feel I am a danger to you and the other humans that were outside the vehicle… Driving is not quite my strong suit…"

Frisk nodded encouragement and let go of the car seat. Toriel exited the vehicle and unbuckled Frisk from her seat. The child hopped out of the grey minivan. As they walked towards the door of the wooden home, Toriel held Frisk's hand. When they arrived at the door, they realized it was already open. Inside they could hear the two skeletons arguing.

"SANS! I HAVE DONE IT! WOWIE! THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST DISH I HAVE EVER MADE!"
There was a quiet pause.

"WELL? WHAT DO YOU THINK?"

"hm. i think it could use some more meat."

Toriel and Frisk walked into the home, realizing it was exactly how the brothers had decorated it in the Underground. They shut the door behind them. The skeleton brothers were standing around the large wooden dining table. It seemed as though they haven't noticed they walked in. They were facing the other way.

"WHAT? BUT I HAVE USED THE PERFECT RECOMMENDED AMOUNT; THE BEST AMOUNT MY SKILLS CAN MUSTER!"

"just a suggestion. you know, i could use some more meat on my bones." Sans turned and winked at Frisk and Toriel who stood holding back a chuckle.

Papyrus, who had just caught on, turned and gasped, stomping his foot on the carpeted floor. "OH! SANS! HOW DARE YOU MAKE SUCH A TERRIBLE PUN IN THE PRESENCE OF SUCH HIGH CLASS!"

"you mean in front of the cool lady and the kid?"

"NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT MYSELF OF COURSE." Papyrus proudly put a hand on his chest.

"of course. hey, why don't you guys have a seat?"

Toriel and Frisk sat down, and Sans sat across from them. Papyrus still stood.

"hey bro, why don't you sit?"

"FIRST, THERE ARE MORE GUESTS COMING. SECOND," Papyrus flashed a smile. "I AM NO LAZYBONES."

Sans put his hand to his face, and Toriel snorted. Frisk faintly smiled.

"OH COME ON, THAT WAS A GREAT PUN! NYEH HEH HEH HEH!"

Before Sans could object, there was a light timid knock on the door.

"MORE FRIENDS TO RECOGNIZE MY GREATNESS!" Papyrus shouted. Everyone was silent. "EH, I MEAN, ESTEEMED GUESTS…"

Papyrus swiftly trotted over to the metal door and opened it. Outside stood Alphys and Undyne.

"You knock like a weakling!" Undyne was turned towards Alphys who looked embarrassed of such a terrible knock. "THIS is how you knock."

Undyne slammed the door shut and pounded ferociously on the door. Papyrus jumped back, no longer wanting to open the door. Somehow he knew what was going to happen next. A big blue spear stabbed through the door and demolished it. Undyne strutted in with confidence, while Alphys nervously stood outside the door smiling sheepishly. She was holding something behind her back, but no one could see what it was.

Toriel's hand covered her mouth in shock. Sans and Frisk were expressionless, and Papyrus got over his temporary amazement and smiled warmly. "WELCOME UNDYNE AND ALPHYS, TO MY HOME! PLEASE SIT SO WE MAY DINE ON THE EXQUISITE MEAL I HAVE PREPARED US TODAY!"

"Sorry about the door. I'll get ya a new one." She sat down and kicked her feet up onto the table. Alphys still hadn't moved. "Hey Alphy! Come on over here! I didn't mean to scare you! Bring the little devil over here too!"

Alphys quietly held out a small round flower pot. In it was Flowey. Flowey the Flower. Everyone gasped except Undyne and Papyrus. Sans stepped forward.

"what is he doing here?" Sans' voice seemed to unnoticeably waver.

Frozen still, Alphys stuttered, "Well… I, uh, thought that maybe since I… Um…"

"I INVITED HIM!" Papyrus interrupted.

They all looked at Papyrus. He was unfazed. "YES, I THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE INVITED THE CHAOTIC FLOWER TO JOIN THE FEAST. I HAVE GREAT REASONING. EVEN THOUGH HE MAY NOT HAVE A SOUL, AND ONLY THE HUMAN KNOWS HIS TRUE IDENTITY, I BELIEVE THERE IS STILL GOOD IN HIM. EVEN IF HE MAY NOT SHOW IT."

The flower was hunched over, unmoving.

"he manipulated the human, just so he could rule the underground and destroy all humanity AND monsters, including you."

"I'M SURE HE TO HAS GREAT REASONING TO HIS ACTIONS. I WILL NOT LET THAT GET IN THE WAY OF HIS HAPPINESS. NOW! EVERYONE SHALL SIT AND ENJOY THIS MEAL! EVEN OUR BOTANIC GUEST." Papyrus reasoned as he sat down.

Toriel wiped her eyes, as she found Papyrus' speech a bit touching. Sans smiled and shook his head. "alright. but if he so much as thinks about touching any of us…" The white irises in his eyes vanished. "he's gonna have a bad time."

A blue pickup truck pulled in. Papyrus stood back up. "OH! I ALMOST HAD FORGOTTEN THE MOST IMPORTANT GUEST OF ALL!"

He hurried to the door and yelled as the last guest stepped out of the truck. "HELLO YOUR MAJESTY! WAIT. YOU ARE NO LONGER A KING. HELLO MR. DREEMURR! COME RIGHT IN!"

Asgore Dreemurr stepped into the house, consciously. "Hello everyone…" He glanced at Toriel who was avoiding his eyes.

"Hey big guy! Come sit over here!" Undyne pointed to a seat next to hers.

"Um, why thank you Undyne." Asgore sat next to her.

Papyrus moved into the kitchen and brought out more spaghetti and plates. "HERE YOU ARE! NOW DISH UP EVERYONE!"

"bone-apatite." Sans joked. Alphys sat down, and this time, everyone laughed at his joke. Flowey did not.

They all sat happily munching on Papyrus' spaghetti, which to their surprise, tasted delicious. Flowey stared at his plate full of spaghetti. Anger and hatred still coursed through his stem and roots, all the way up to his head and petals. "You idiots…"

Sans dropped his fork and stared into Flowey's black eyes. "welp. finally, the freak speaks."
"NOW SANS, I THINK-"

"No… He's right. I AM a freak." His expression turned evil and withered. "THE BIGGEST FREAK YOU WILL EVER MEET."

Sans was ready to strike, and Flowey could tell. His face reverted back to normal. "Calm down skeleton. I'm weak. I no longer have the human souls, therefor I can no longer destroy you all. You know, you are all big fools. None of you fully understand the POWER that he holds."

They all stared at Sans. He was still glaring at Flowey. The flower continued. "That power is VERY special. I have it. HE HAS IT! So does the human! You know what that power is called?"

The yellow flower's face shifted to look like Alphys' face. "DETERMINATION."

Alphys stared at Sans, then at Flowey. "B-but… That's impossible. Every monster who- who's been injected… They've melted!"

Flowey cackled. "Wow, for a royal scientist, you really ARE stupid. Have you considered everything? The comedian… He wasn't injected! He's-"

Suddenly, Sans' eye glowed a cyan-yellow color. With his hand, he made Flowey's pot levitate. "you don't know anything about me. you're just a freak I want nothing to do with."

With the wave of his hand towards the window, Flowey's pot broke through the window, shattering it. Papyrus ran to the window and looked out. In the dry grass outside, laid the brown pot, but the flower was gone. They all looked at Sans. Frisk noticed something no one else did. Under his heavy coat and the white shirt that covered his chest, he was breathing heavily.

"I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A HAPPY GATHERING… BUT BY INVITING THE FLOWER OUT OF KINDNESS, I RUINED IT FOR EVERYONE ELSE." Papyrus looked defeated. He started to walk to his room. "SORRY, BUT IT SEEMS I HAVE LET YOU, MY FREINDS, DOWN."

Undyne walked stood up and caught up with him put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey. You didn't ruin a single thing. In fact, I think everyone can agree that the food you served today was AWESOME."

Everyone at the table nodded except Sans. Alphys looked at him curiously. Undyne continued to cheer Papyrus. "I think this was the best dinner ever made."

His eyes were on the floor, but then he looked up. "REALLY?"

"Yes Papyrus. It was quite good." Asgore smiled at him.

"For once," Toriel met Asgore's eyes, "I agree with Asgore. You are quite the cooker. Maybe the best in all the lands!"

Frisk nodded with enthusiasm, and a wide grin.

Alphys returned her eyes to Papyrus and added, "I-I don't know much ab-about human food, but… I'd say n-no one could have made a better dish…"

At that moment Papyrus smiled the biggest of any skeleton. "R-REALLY? WOWIE! IT SEEMS AS THOUGH I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AM LOVED AND ENVIED MORE THAN I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT. MAYBE TOO MUCH…"

He glanced around at all his guests. "NO. NOT TOO MUCH. JUST ENOUGH!"

Papyrus grabbed Undyne and hugged her. "Woah! Hands off!"

He let go. "SORRY."

Sans looked troubled in a way that Frisk couldn't describe. Just then, he got up and apologized. "i wanted to apologize for earlier, it's just… that flower has been on my nerves ever since we've left, and i feel like… well, coming here was a big mistake."

"I'm afraid I don't understand…" Toriel had a worried look on her face.

"this wasn't like me. i wasn't myself there for a little bit. im gonna get some air now… i'll be back tonight ok, bro?"

"SANS! DON'T LEAVE! YOU HAVEN'T EVEN FINISHED EATING YET!"

"don't worry. i'll be back to have some prime ribs." No one laughed, as it didn't seem appropriate.

Sans left through the empty doorway. Frisk jumped out of the chair and looked for him, but just as expected, he vanished.

Later that night, after everyone left, Papyrus sat on the couch looking out the window, hoping Sans would come back. Behind him he heard a voice. "what's up?"

Sans stood behind the couch, holding a white dog. "YOU ARE FINALLY BACK! … WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?"

"that doesn't matter. what matters is that i think this would make a PAW-some pet." Sans winked halfheartedly.

"SANS! I-" Papyrus smiled at Sans. "MISSED YOU."

Papyrus' voice could usually be heard from great distances, but that sentence was the quietest thing Sans had ever heard his brother say. Deep inside, Sans could feel that there was something different about this timeline.

Something very strange.

To be continued…