Author Note: The Sans in this story looks like a mix of Gaster Sans and Fell Sans. I did not create Undertale, Underfell, the different versions of Sans and other characters, and I give credit to the people who did make them. I know Toby Fox, not sure who started the other things, but if I get a message with those creators names I will add them.
Chapter 1: One
"Help! Help! Please! SOMEONE HELP! MY MOM! SHE NEEDS HELP! PLEASE!" Shrill screaming pierced the icy calm air inside the forest, it echoing back almost mockingly as the young female stood in the doorway carved from the very stones of the cavern wall that divided the cold interior icy forests from the old ruins. She was panting heavily for air as she stood there, her eyes darting wildly around looking around the stark black and white environment for any signs of movement. Her heart was pounding in her chest, the tears running down her cheeks and the salty streaks burning from the biting cold. She had finally managed to push the heavy stone doors apart enough for to call for help. The snow was piled up at least a few inches and even as she had pushed it open she couldn't step out past it, frightened that if she stepped out the doors would slam shut and seal her off from the ruins. She sank to her knees as helplessness over took her panicked heart and she started to cry. As her breathing became shaky she felt like the world was spiraling out of control, and she let out a primal scream of anguish as she realized she couldn't go get help and that no one was coming. "AHHHHH!" She shouted savagely into the vacant woods around her, eyes shut as every muscle in her body strained with her effort. Someone had to come, they just had to. As her scream died out she felt her fists clench tighter, her nails biting into her palms and cold snow chilling her bare feet. Her body slumped against the door as she sank into the snowy floor, the heavy stone barely sliding at the added pressure as she started to weep silently into her fists as she trembled with frustration. Frisk couldn't tell how long she had been slumped against the door when she felt her tears finally subside. No one was going to help, no one came. Nobody came. She stood up and ignored the pins and needle sensation in her legs as she turned to go back to her mom. Even though she didn't feel the pain her ankle did, the snow had numbed her almost as much as the crushing realization that her mom might…might…She stumbled as her ankle rolled and sent her towards the floor, her hands out in front of her to break her fall instinctually as her thoughts paralyzed her. Instead of slamming into the floor a pressure at her waist roughly yanked her body and stopped her from falling.
"Sweetheart?" The gruff male voice sounded conflicted as the pressure at her waist continued to hold her, firmly, slowly setting her bare feet on the floor and slowly pulling away when he was sure that she was able to stand. The smell of acidic smoke, mustard, and something she couldn't place wafted over her senses, and slowly she turned to face the voice that was so familiar. She looked into a set of mix matched eyes, one burning with red fire, and the other seeming to flash between a brilliant cyan and rich amber before both seemed to fade down to white pinpricks of light in completely black eye sockets. His 'eyes' searched her face, a bony thumb running along her cheek and he closed his eye sockets and let out a deep breath as if he was weighing an important choice.
"Sans…mom…she…she fell down and…I don't know what to do." Frisk looked like she was going to start crying again and Sans stiffly pulled her to his chest, his hands awkwardly holding the human woman to him as he tried to grasp what he should do. He felt her hands grip the front of his black coat tightly and her slender shoulders start to shudder with repressed sobs. As he held her he could hear something else further down the endless hallway behind her, and it sounded like even more crying. He growled quietly, feeling the girl stiffen up as she realized that he could see her, the real her. She went silent, and he could feel her tremble now with a different kind of alarm. He heard the mechanically whirl of a security camera as it started to approach on the track. It made rounds back and forth through the forest and his guard station to watch for humans. He couldn't let her get caught on camera. He pushed her inside the ruins, and his eye glowed red as his magic pulled the door shut behind them and his own hand dropped the heavy stone locking bar into place. He didn't look down at Frisk as he shoved his hands into his pockets and sighed. "Sans?"
"Lead the way sweetheart. I've never been here." Those words snapped her back into action, her red-brown eyes glittering with hope and determination as she smiled at him. She started to jog back down the hallway, the muted sound of her bare feet on the old stone clashing with the easy trot of his boots behind her. When they passed under an arch he noticed the bright spot of sunlight that allowed green grass to grow in the center of the room. Frisk ran through the room quickly and he followed past the other arched doorway. When Frisk could finally see the stairs she broke out into a run, not worried about the skeleton trailing her. She darted up the wooden staircase into the home in the ruins. Six children were all crowded around the large goat monster that was unconscious on the floor. A tray of what had been freshly baked cookies was now shoved out of the way as the kids all tried to wake Toriel. Frisk dropped to her knees, the thud loud and it made Sans kneecaps sore just to hear it as Frisk gently moved Toriels' head into her lap, stroking the white fur on her adoptive mothers' face.
"Mom, it's going to be okay mom, I brought help, please, just…just please stay mom. I love you mom." At her cooing the six children turned to gawk at Sans, their eyes all focusing on him. Sans was used to disappointing others. He had disappointed his friends, his king, and especially his family, but when those six sets of eyes locked onto him he felt like he had to do what he hadn't done in eons. He had to try. Their gaze filled him with some something that was uncomfortable for him, like a warm itch that made his bones feel like they needed to do move. Sans stepped towards them uncomfortably, watching the kids all shift to one side of Toriel as if somehow their mother would protect them if he attacked. Crouching down Sans looked over Toriel, his eye flashing blue and yellow again as he examined her, trying to 'read the code' for what was happening to his old knock-knock partner. His skeletal grin was firmly plastered like a poker face as he reached out and took her wrist, feeling the pulse of Toriels' soul. When he saw a particular equation scroll by he knew what was wrong, and gently put her hand down over her chest. His grin firmly in place but his eyes went black as he turned to Frisk, the young woman completely absorbed in trying to wake her mother up. His hand reached out to pat Frisks shoulder, drawing her attention to him again.
"I T ' E." The heartbroken look she gave him made him want to lie, to tell her he could help. But false hope would only cause more pain. "When monsters fall down…they don't get up again. Her number is up sweetheart…best you can do is being with her when she goes." His white irises returned and his grin fell a little at the corners, a sad look on his face as her eyes shone with determination and her hands clutching the dark black fabric of her mother's dress.
"No. There has to be something. What about a doctor? Or Green magic?" Sans was a bit confused that she knew about green magic. He shook his head, avoiding the pointed glares of six other children.
"A while ago the new royal scientist was working on trying to fix this…but since no one has seen that blasted reptile in ages, or any of their fallen family members again, pretty sure it was a failure." Of course it would be. That lizard was too inexperienced to go it solo. The king should have known better.
"Can you help me take my mom there? If there is any chance, I have to try. I won't give up on her Sans. I can't." Frisk had a look in her eyes that he knew if he said no, she would be crazy enough to try and carry Toriel through the underground single-handedly.
"I can take her there, don't know what good it will do, but I can try." Sans would really have to reach down into himself to remember his old short cut to the lab back in Hotland, but that itch in his bones wouldn't go away. He had his shortcuts to other places in Hotland, so he just needed to find that old one, or at least one close enough.
"Okay, let me grab some stuff and we can go." She grabbed a pillow and used it to prop up Toriels' head so she could stand. His hand shot out, gripping writs her before she stood completely.
"Sweetheart, if you go, who is gonna take care of the kids?" His eyes moved over her features. She stared at him in bewilderment, and that in turn made him puzzled.
"Sans…what kids?" Her voice was soft and even, but he could hear a tone of hesitation, like she was worried about him now too. He turned to look at the six children, feeling a rattle travel up and down his spine as where he had seen them it was now just empty space. Swiveling his head around rapidly he realized that indeed, it was just them, and there was only two chairs at the table. Then why had he seen six other humans? "Sans? Are you okay?" Her gentle voice and her hand on his own startled him back to reality.
"Yeah I just thought I saw…never mind, it's not important right now. You still can't come. It ain't safe." That was the wrong thing to say apparently as she jerked her hand away from his grasp.
"I've lived in the ruins since I was ten Sans, and Toriel is my mom. If something happens to her and I'm not there I'll never forgive myself. Now wait here, I'll be right back." She turned on the heel of her foot and rushed towards her room, trying to figure out what to bring. She tossed on a blue and purple sweater over her black tank top, the sleeves long enough to cover her hands, and she rolled them up to her elbows as she stuffed some extra underwear and pjs into a small bag. She moved over to the flower pot on her desk, the yellow petals pulled in and its stem was shaking. "Flowey…We're going with mom to the doctor." The flower turned towards her, its' bottom lip trembling but it just nodded.
"You need shoes." Flowey spoke softly, and it was obvious that they were not handling this well. Frisk nodded, slipping on her only set of shoes, a worn out set of fur lined boots she had gotten on her last falling day. She had long since outgrown her childhood shoes. "Your necklace." Flowey jerked their head towards the long chain necklace with a metal key. The key was a simple straight rod with a few teeth and topped by a simple crown. Frisk slipped it back over her head, it resting almost directly over her heart. "You need to grab something from Moms' room too. Her favorite thing." Frisk nodded, opening up the pocket on her sweater, gently scooping up Floweys' pot and delicately placing them into her pocket.
"Are you comfortable Flowey?" Frisk asked, her human appearance morphing into a monster. Her skin and brown hair lost behind white thick fur, her red-brown eyes changing to blue with rectangular pupils. She looked like she could be Toriels' kid.
"Yes, it's fine in here." With that Flowey went back to being silent, their face cast downwards. Frisk went into her mother's room, looking around for something that was Toriels' favorite. "That stuffed doll. It means a lot to her." Frisk reached out to grab it, a tremor passing through her, a flashing series of memories and emotions that didn't belong to her making her fingers quake and drop the aged goat shaped doll. Flowey realized what was happening to her and its little petals reached out and grabbed the doll, stuffing it into Frisks' bag. Frisk was struggling to calm her breathing, her eyes bleeding more red and black as the after affects of the object rattled her. "Frisk…Sans will leave without you if you don't hurry." With those words Frisk forced her legs to move back out into the hallway, her stiff stance making her walk unstable but she managed to get back to Toriels' side. Frick hid her eyes from Sans, but the visible shudders of her body drew his notice. Sans looked her over, still surprised at how strong the disguise magic on her was. He couldn't see the human face underneath.
"I still don't think you should come. I should have skewered you already." He recognized that strained walk and his eyes were watching her carefully, seeing no weapons in her hands but not trusting her completely. Even if he was too lazy, it was still kill or be killed. All he got for an answer was Frisk moving to resume her place as Toriels' pillow. "Fine. No skin off my bones." He reached out and grabbed their hands, his magic manifesting powerfully as he shifted them through one of his short cuts. There were too many people for him to carry with his magic so rusty and out of use as far as Hot land. They jerked wildly and landed near the river on the outskirts of Snowdin. Frisk bit her lip, forcing down the grunt pain from being jerkily tossed on her knees and shins onto the rocky shore of the river. Thankfully Flowey and Toriel were okay, and it seemed as if Sans was all right since he was crouched over while still holding onto their wrists. "Shit, I can't carry us any further." His red flaming eye went out, but his other eye was still flashing with color, and Frisk looked around, trying to figure out where they had ended up. Frisks eyes were back to normal reddish brown, hidden under the blue goat eyes of her disguise charm.
"Tra-la-la. I am the riverman. Or am I the riverwoman...? It doesn't really matter. I love to ride in my boat. Would you care to join me?" Sans and Frisk jumped at the sudden sound of a voice behind them, a large wooden boat peacefully floating there, with a hooded figure that held an equally sturdy handle to the rudder of the vessel. The hooded figure tilted their head of the group on the snowy shore, patiently awaiting an answer.
"Yes please, we need to get my mom to the…royal scientist." Frisk felt a bit foolish for not knowing where they were going, but the hooded figure just tilted their head the other way, staring at Frisk intently even as the black void under the hood hid any possible face.
"Tra-la-la. Humans, Monsters… Flowers. Normally too many to carry, but emergency changes everything. Bring on board. Tra-la-la." Frisks eyes widened. How could this person see straight through her disguise when even Sans couldn't. Sans and Frisk struggled to lift Toriel up and into the boat, Frisk amazed as the boat which seemed only large enough to carry two people stretched before her eyes to accommodate all of them, a dog face and legs sprouting from the boat as well, the boat rising off the water's surface.
"Hot land, as close to the lab as you can." Sans offered up, his body jolting as the boat took off at a running speed, water being tossed up behind them. Frisk was doing her best to shield Toriel from the rushing wind, too focused on her adoptive mother in front of her to really see anything about this new area of the underground. "Sweetheart…if this doesn't wo-"
"It will work Sans. It has to, I won't lose my Mom. No matter what it takes, she's not going to..." Her fists were clenched so tight that her knuckles were turning white under the fur. Frisk would do anything to save Toriel…even changing fate. Frisk could feel Sans glaring at her, as if he could somehow read her thoughts, and from the nasty sneer on his face he was not happy about her train of thought.
"Tra-la-la. Ashes to Ashes. Dust to Dust. Humans and Monsters. Tra-la-la." The river person sang softly, almost to themselves, but the words seemed to echo hauntingly between the two as Toriel rested unconscious. Sans huffed and looked away from her, cracking his knuckles to relieve some of his stress since he couldn't light a cig in this wind.
Chpter End.