My vision was failing. The world seemed to be spinning around me as I finally felt the impact of the slash from the Real Knife. I fell onto the ground, my view of the human in front of me turning towards the ground as I brought my bony, skeletal hand to where I was hit. Through my corporeal form, I could feel them, my broken ribs, with the pieces lying about on the floor. Little spurts of red bled out from the marrow, staining my black hoodie. It was when I finally managed to turn my eyes towards the young kid in front of him and marvel at the red eyes.

I am going to die.

I sat there for a while, motionless for a few moments, blinking my empty eye sockets as I felt my power drain together with the red stuff. It could be blood, or even ketchup, whatever. Looks like the fifteenth time was the charm for the kid after all. Heh. Well, couldn't say that I didn't see it coming. I saw it many times before, until I honestly couldn't give a damn about it. Now look at where that's gotten me.

My vision cleared. The kid's still there, holding the damn knife. Probably waiting for me to turn to ashes or something. Sadistic, dirty brother-killer. Couldn't blame him though. At least he had the decency to miss my Soul. I probably still had enough juice left in me to throw one more attack in, sure. It's welling up inside me, with all the shit that I had to go through before this. Maybe this attack would actually kill this time; the kid seems to think that it's over.

"…But Papyrus…you wouldn't like that, now would you?"

That goofy smile of his suddenly shone through in my mind, with the hopes of a thousand dreamers kept in the heart that he wore on his shoulder. I still had it in me, to try for one last attack. Maybe...just one more…

…

…

Nah. Too much hassle.

I felt the red stuff dribble out from my mouth. I might as well try and keep my dignity, eh?

"welp."

I gave one last look at the kid. Striped shirt, ashen hands, red eyes, neck-long hair… In another life, he would have been good. He was supposed to be good. He was supposed to be…a friend, right? He was supposed to be. He should have been. Maybe if he was, Papyrus, Undyne, the rest of them, would still be alive. He should have been the one to save us all.

Or maybe I just wanted him to be.

"…i'm off to grillby's."

I began limping off. I could feel the kid still looking at me up until I left the hall. Good thing the memories only started to flow when I was halfway out. His dumb little laugh of his echoed in my head, with that silly smile of his forcing his way through into my mind. I still remembered what we talked about before he went to the bridge, dumb laugh, silly smile, 'battle body' and all…

"bro…you shouldn't go. that kid isn't right."

"Eh? What are you talking about, Sans?"

"the kid scared off everyone in town, dude. i really think you shouldn't go."

"You need to understand, my brother! It doesn't matter what kind of person the human is! The human could be the most infamous person on the planet, for all I care! But there's potential for good in that human, and I know it! So I, the Great Papyrus, will be the one to reveal that!"

"what'cha gonna do?"

"Befriend, of course! Not even a human will be able to resist me, the Great Papyrus', friendship! Nyeh heh heh!"

"...don't you mean, 'bone-friend'?"

"…That's the worst one yet, Sans."

"but hey, you're smiling."

As I sank to the ground, I could have sworn that I saw Papyrus standing opposite of me, with that cool-looking pose of his. Heh. I'll be seeing him soon, anyways. Maybe he would want something; I heard that they still have some spaghetti left in the back room.

"…papyrus…do you want anything?"

I suddenly felt my body breaking apart. The kid had hit my Soul, he didn't miss after all. I bent over as my body began to lose control. It began from my fingers and toes; my bones were becoming ashes. I didn't have enough time to go to Snowdin after all.

"looks like neither of us would be going to grillby's for a while. sorry, bro. maybe the kid'll find a way to fix all this. maybe he'll actually be our friend next time."

As my mind began to fade, I could have sworn that I heard his voice.

"Yes, Sans. Maybe he will."