Sans took a deep breath he knew this day was coming they had planned it all out to this very day just in case something like this happened. Things will be okay even if he doesn't understand now he will. This was my choice. this is my choice it's not a good one but it's the only. Alphys and the king promised to take care of him. They promised to tell him the whole story. The untold story. My story. this was it. this was how they were going to get there freedom.

~~~
"Hey papyrus." undyne said walking up to him slowly.
"HELLO UNDYNE!" papyrus greeted with his usual gusto.
"How" undyne paused unsure if she should even ask. " how bad do you want to be in the royal guard?"
Papyrus noticed something off about undyne she looked down. "IT'S ALL I EVER WANTED! IS SOMETHING WRONG?"
Undyne gave a hollow laugh at the question. Yeah something was wrong everything was wrong but there was no way she could fix it or stop it. "There might be a spot open."
"REALLY DO YOU MEAN IT!" papyrus said bounce in place. "OH I CAN'T BELIEVE IT I THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAVE A TRUE CHANCE TO BE A ROYAL GUARD!"
Undyne gave a strained smile at his display of pure glee. "In order to gain this spot you have to complete a task."
She know it wouldn't be there for long especially when she tells him how he was to earn his spot on the guard. She knew what the guard meant to him but she also knew what it's gonna mean for him to be in the guard. She couldn't do that to him but she had her orders. Taking a deep breath she braced herself this was not going to be easy. "Are you up to the challenge?"
"I THE ROYAL GUARD TO BE PAPYRUS AM UP FOR ANY CHALLENGE." he boasted with self pride.
"Very well come with me to the castle your task awaits." undyne said unassertive. Papyrus was to happy to notice that his decision seem to cause her to be uncomfortable.
Along the way papyrus asked questions a mile a minute and undyne could almost pretend it was just a normal day but the loom castle in the distance grew closer with every step and she knew in her heart of heart that if it was up to her she would be leading papyrus aways from what was to come once they got to those gates. It wasn't that she didn't want him to be in the guard it was just if there was another way any other way for him to join she would take it but there was no other way.
When they made it to the castle undyne felt worse. She lead a excited papyrus in and stopped just at the door of the judgment hall. His choice his choice his choice. She chanted to herself as she turned to papyrus. "This is where i must ask again. How bad do you want to be in the guard?"
"I WANT TO BE ONE MORE THEN ANYTHING." papyrus repeated not understanding what was wrong with undyne she seemed a bit off. Even when he had asked all those questions she seemed to be hinting at something. With answer she tried to disheartened him from it all but he took it in stride because it had to be a test. "I AM DESTINED TO BE ONE. I JUST KNOW I'M CUT OUT FOR IT."
"Very well." she managed.
His choice his choice his choice HIS CHOICE screamed in undyne's ears as she lead him into the judgment hall.
The king was standing there looking out the window with a sorrowful look. When he saw undyne and papyrus he made no attempt to hide or fix his feelings this was his choice and they should honor it.
"Papyrus the skeleton you wish to be one of my royal guards? I do not know you and have only heard good things of your character but i must ask this of you do you truly understand what it means to be a royal guardian? Will you take the sacrifice that come with upholding your duties?"
Papyrus was so excited so proud so full of hope he could explode but he tried his best to be professional in front of the king. Undyne had made similar statements on the way here he know it was a test of loyalty and smarts or something another just as he knew the job was not an easy one he knew it was glitz and glamor it was hard work and the people of the underground would count on him if something should happen. He knew this and still thought it to be worth it. Telling the king so seem to be the right answer as the king sighed and nobbed. "Well papyrus in a few moments your task will be set out before you but as you wait i wish you to think and ask yourself would you kill? Would you kill 1 to save a million?" with that the king walk off to the entrance of the room and stood beside undyne. Papyrus did think about about it. Could he kill? Was it in him? Would he be able to? 1 for a million that didn't sound so bad but could he really do it? Could he kill? Just as papyrus was thinking this over Sans appeared before him.
"Hey bro!" he said in his usual lazy way.
"OH SANS I HAVE SUCH GREAT NEWS! UNDYNE SAID I COULD BE A ROYAL GUARD!" papyrus said proudly to his brother. Who he knew would be just as happy about it as he was. After all Sans supported everything papyrus he supported everything he did even when it was lazing around when he should be doing things.
"Yeah bro i heard in fact I'm in charge of your task." sans said pointing to himself smugly.
"REALLY? WHAT IS IT? IM SURE I THE GREAT ROYAL GUARD CAN COMPLETE THIS TASK WITH NO PROBLEMS."
"Well sir royal guard you have the task of obtaining one human soul."
Papyrus stood still. what a human soul. How was he to get one No humans have ever come by. Why was this his task? was this a trick? A prank? Papyrus in confusion decided to voice his question hoping against hope that this was not a joke they were playing on him.
"No this is no joke it's the real deal. You know how many puns i'm missing trying to show you i'm serious. As for the soul well that should be easy. All you have to do to get it is fight me." sans said nonchalantly.
Well that was true a lot of possible jokes did go by and he didn't make one. But he couldn't fight sans that was hardly fair sans wasn't a good fighter and he only had one HP how was he to have a fight unless they meant like the game. He had to snatch it from sans but that still seem too easy could that really be his task?
"ALL RIGHT BROTHER, WE SHALL FIGHT FOR IT." papyrus started out with a smile deciding that the game would be an easy victory for him either way.
His smile faltered when he was pulled into a battle. Looking over at his brother he was shocked to see his easy going smile turn to a serious and menacing one. What was going on?
"No a game pappy you have to defeat me to get the human soul."
Papyrus was even more surprised when he heard a fight song that wasn't the easy going bouncing non-threatening song that usually played when he sparred against Sans. this one was threatening harsh and meant business.
Papyrus had the first move but he was sure what was going on so he went to use CHECK

SANS 1 ATK 1 DEF
The easiest enemy - This was my choice
Can only deal 1 damage
It read this didn't help papyrus at all so he used SPARE
"Sorry bro not this time."
Papyrus was surprised when a very organized aligned bones ceiling to floor came at him from both sides causing him to weave and dodge.
"WAIT SANS I CAN'T FIGHT YOU." papyrus called out once the attack ended. He used SPARE again.
"That's too bad bro because i'm going to see to it you're in the royal guard." Sans said as he sent out another attack this time a blue attack mix.
Papyrus doged these easily and SPAREd sans once more. "I CAN BE A GUARD AND NOT FIGHT YOU CAN'T I?"
"Afraid not bro this is the only way." sans said before attacking. This would have been harder to dodge if sans hadn't added little tight platforms. Maybe this was a sign. A sign that papyrus could getting through to him. They were brothers after all there's no way sans would want to hurt him right.
"THERE'S ALWAYS ANOTHER WAY, WE JUST HAVE TO FIND IT." papyrus called out as he chooses to once again SPARE sans.
His brother didn't say anything. He just attacked. More platforms. He was definitely was getting through.
"IF WE WORK TOGETHER I'M SURE WE CAN BOTH COME OUT OKAY." papyrus uses SPARE.
"No this is the only choice the only way." sans sent out another attack. This one had a single platform. The floor was covered in bones and one long bone would pop out of the ceiling an attempt to knock him off of the platform.
"I REFUSE TO FIGHT YOU SANS." papyrus said with a stomp of his foot and SPAREd sans again.
"Sorry bro but you're going to have to fight me." sans said and attacked summoning little Gasterblaster papyrus had to somersault jump and dodge to avoid.
"I WILL NOT FIGHT YOU, YOU'RE MY BROTHER." papyrus SPAREs.
"And as your brother. you will fight me. you will win and become a royal guard. I have faith in you. NOW FIGHT ME" sans his eyes going hollow as shouted. then he attacked. Papyrus wasn't ready for it and immediately started taking damage. he expected more bones and platforms but sans seemed to be everywhere at once and he could seem to keep track of any of his attacks. papyrus actually felt scared sans was serious and he was taking some serious hits.

~~~~
Papyrus was on his hand and knees crying and heaving big sobs into a empty hoodie. He had been like that for 10 mins hunched over clutching the dusty hoodie and crying for his brother he had just struck down. A blue human soul hovered over a pile of dust. Papyrus took no notice of it as he called out in a loud croaky scream. "SANS!"
Hearing him scream out in a sad broken voice was worst than anything she had ever seen.
Undyne came over to him touching his shoulder. He jumped at the touch and with tears streaming down his face he looked at undyne with a doleful look.
"This is a joke right." He stuttered out in a unnatural low and hollow voice. "It's a prank? a joke? a gag?" papyrus asked frantically. "Tell me this is not real!" he asked more terrified this time as grabbing on to undyne like she was a lifeline. When all she did was look away trying not to look at his sorrowful eyes he sank further. Down clutching the sweater to his chest and continued to cry an almost silent mantra filled the air "no no no not him no no no no not him no no no"

~~~
Papyrus is a royal guard now although he doesn't take much joy in it as he would have. He has taken to wearing sans's hoodie as well as his lazy habits but no one could really blame him. He can even be spotted at Grillby's. He doesn't really seem to eat anything he just sits there staring off to space and listening to the noise around him. When the new broke to the people everyone offered their condolences and congratulated him on being a royal guard. Papyrus didn't care. Nothing mattered he felt hollow to it all. the king had called for his present today he should get going it would be rude to keep him waiting. papyrus thought as he got off the bar stool leaving an untouched tray of fries behind.
"thanks Grillbs. put it on my tab." he said as head headed for the last place he saw his brother alive.