"A-alright." Alphys mumbled to herself. Preparations were complete. Now just to test her new devise and see if it worked. Wringing her clawed fingers she grabbed a cinnamon bunny from the back table and approached her latest creation.
It was large, consisting of two rounded platforms with thin framing around both for the scanning units. There was also the separate processor unit and the mainframe that was larger then she was. It was big, metallic and bulky, but it needed to be for the shear amount of work it would do. She approached the mainframes computer screen and keyboard.
"I'll set this for ten duplicates at let's say… one-tenth the original size. Yes, that should work." She set the parameters, waiting for a confirmation ding from the computer.
Perfect.
Gently she placed the cinnamon bunny on the first elevated platform. Alphys backed away carefully doing one final settings check. All seemed to be in order. No warning lights were going off, and now to press the green button.
Finally, in thee.
Two.
One.
The theme song to Kissy Kissy Cutie started playing loudly, making the lizard jump a foot in the air. Hurriedly she checked her phone to see a text message from Undyne.
'Hey babe! We still going to that Dragon Ball Z movie?'
"OH NO!" Alphys squealed and rushed for her bag. She completely forgot about that, and now she was gonna be late! Clumsily she ran through the back exit, not even bothering to turn the lights off. Several silent minutes passed before loud knocking sounded from the hallway door. The door slowly swung open, a tall skeleton peeking his head in and glancing around curiously.
"ALPHYS?" Papyrus called into the empty laboratory, only to be met with silence. "That's strange." The skeleton pondered. "Surely she didn't forget Tiny-me's eye appointment." He becconded the smaller skeleton inside. Slim followed hesitantly, bumping his face against the doorframe on his way in. "Be careful Tiny-me! You can't break your face before Alphys has a chance to see it. Then we'll never get your vision fixed!" The shorter gave a small nod of acknowledgement but stayed close to Papyrus, clearly uncomfortable with their surroundings.
The two eventually came to the center of the lab. The lights were on and some equipment was still running, so of course Alphys had to be here somewhere, right?
"Hmmm… perhaps she's playing a game of hide and seek?" Papyrus thought loudly. "Let us search for clues!" The two separated and started searching under the tables, behind equipment, in the chemical hood by the wall. It was all impeccably clean, very unlike Alphys. Perhaps her human coworkers are better about cleanliness? That was getting off topic though. Ultimately they both managed to come up empty handed. "I can't find her anywhere." Papyrus sighed.
"No luck." Slim said quietly while trying to approach without bumping anything important. Suddenly he smelled something… familiar. Slowly he followed the trail, coming across a big round platform with something sweat on top. He crawled on it, kneeling down to get a better look at his target. It smelled so sweet, covered with cinnamon and shaped like a rabbit head. It was a cinnamon bunny from the Snowdin shopkeeper, and someone left it all alone and uneaten! Slim was starting to feel hungry, and the food had been abandoned. Would it be safe to eat? Or is this a trap? He was so hungry and this was a very fluffy world… but there was always the risk. Stars this was so hard! While Slim continued having his internal struggle Papyrus made his way over and leaned against a large metal thing, kind of looked like a bigger version of his computer's island at home.
"Oh! Perhaps she's just using the restroom!" Papyrus snapped his fingers at the genius thought. "If that's the case then we shall wait here for her return! Sound good Tiny-me?" Slim nodded but wasn't paying much attention, eyelights still glued to the desert. Nodding happily Papyrus put more weight on his arm, resulting in something giving way underneath his palm. The machine whirled to life, surrounding Slim in a green field as multiple scanners circled him.
"Tiny-me!" Papyrus ran to the platform but was blocked by the field. Slim couldn't stop giggling as the scanners moved around him, suddenly flashing bright green and going dark. Papyrus jumped up as soon as the field was gone.
"Are you alright?!" Papyrus grabbed his alternate and examined him closely. Slim just wiped a few tears from his sockets.
"That tickled." He laughed quietly. Papyrus just gave him a concerned look when another green flash went off behind them. They both turned, seeing more small devices moving around the second platform as something began to form. All of a sudden there was an affirmative beep, going dark to leave ten tiny creatures where there was once nothing.
Slowly the two moved closer to get a better view of the… little skeletons?
"Nyeh?" Papyrus gasped and crawled on all fours to get a better look. "Are those little you's?" Papyrus questioned. Sure enough they really did look like a group of ten tiny Slims huddled together nervously. They were all super small, barely above six inches in height. The little skeletons all had a single sharp golden canine tooth just like Slim with a crack running up the maxilla bone, and even wore identical maroon pants and fur lined jackets. The scars were the same, their frightened expressions uncanny, and the mannerisms as they twitched and scratched at themselves was all too familiar.
"They have the same collar as me too." Slim commented while picking one up by the back of his coat. The mini Slim flailed violently in an attempt to escape.
"Be careful with it!" Papyrus bolted upright and snatched the creature from the others grip. "They are so tiny and delicate! We can't risk hurting them." Papyrus looked down at the tiny monster in his hands. The little skeleton was rattling violently, curled into a tight ball and pleading for mercy. He was so light, so frail and… adorable. "It's alright even smaller Tiny-me!" Papyrus cooed.
"P-put me down… p-please." The little Slim whimpered. "M-Master… Master!" He cried and looked around anxiously. "Where's my Master!?" He was bawling into Papyrus' glove now, soaking the fabric through with tears. The sight made the taller skeleton's soul ache.
"Please don't cry." Papyrus pleaded in a softer voice. "Here! Will candy help?" The skeleton grabbed some monster candy from his inventory, placing it on a nearby table and smashing it with a bone club. There! Now they were mini sized. He grabbed a few pieces and turned back to the tiny Slim, plopping a shard of candy in his own mouth before offering it. "See, it is very safe and tasty!" The little Slim just eyed him wearily before finally taking a few shards for himself. Nyeh, at least he shares that much with the original. The quickest way to Slim's heart would always be food after all.
"Do you feel better?" Papyrus asked. The little Slim nodded, seeming to make himself comfortable in Papyrus' palm. He was actually super cute, sharing so much in common with Slim but in an even smaller package. Did he have the same thoughts and memories as the original? What should he be called? The names might get confusing with eleven Slims running around.
"We should think of a name for him." Papyrus suggested. "Even Smaller Tiny-me might get confusing after a while. Any suggestions?" Papyrus turned to see Slim munching on a few pieces of the shattered candy. He tensed upon being caught, quickly shoving the rest in his mouth and shaking his head no.
"Hmmm…" Papyrus scratched his chin. What would be a good fit? Maybe something linked to Slim's personality? "I've got it!" Both Slims looked up at Papyrus' announcement. "How about Courier! He's so quiet and subtle like the typeface. It's perfect!" Both monsters watched the little skeleton for any reaction. He seemed to ponder the name for a moment before giving an affirmative nod.
"Excellent!" Papyrus chimed. "Now we should come up with names for the… others?" Papyrus looked down to see the platform devoid of life, except for ten tiny cinnamon bunnies scattered across the surface. "Did you see where they went Tiny-me?" Slim looked around the lab frantically, still having trouble seeing his surroundings. He eventually shook his head sadly.
"This could be bad." The excitable monster pondered. "Looking for Alphys is one thing, but finding nine tiny skeletons in such a big place is another." The three monsters stood in silence for a moment before Papyrus perked up. "Oh, I have an idea!" The skeleton handed Courier over to Slim, quickly jumping onto the platform and striking a pose.
"Do me next!" Slim paused, frame going tense. There was a long silence, in which Slim began sweating and looking around frantically. His face suddenly flushed bright ochre, eyelights widening in embarrassment as he tried hiding behind Courier.
"Nyeh? I don't get it. What did I-" Understanding suddenly set in and his face turned bright orange.
"N-not like that!" Papyrus huffed a bit flustered himself. "I meant clone me. That way the little me's can help us look in all the small places!" Slim and his tiny duplicate looked at each other thoughtfully. That might actually work. He couldn't see any problems with that logic, and what's the worst that could happen? Courier certainly didn't seem perturbed by the idea, so why not? The frail skeleton nodded in agreement, walking over and pushing the same green button Papyrus had earlier. The machine once against jolted to life, surrounding Papyrus in a green field.
"Nyeh. Nyeh heheHEHEHE!" Papyrus laughed uncontrollably. It felt like tiny feathers were tickling every inch of bone. He was already on his side cackling when the scanners were finally done. Stars if he had muscles they would be screaming in agony right now. The familiar green light flashed once more, all the weird devices going to work on the second platform and creating tiny beings in their wake.
"Nyeh!" Papyrus jumped upon seeing the ten small skeletons on the nearby pad. "It really worked! Those are little me's!" He and Slim both leaned in closer, inspecting the curious monsters. Indeed they all looked exactly like Papyrus, maybe a smudgeon taller than the Slim clones. They were all dressed in the same skinny jeans with white sweaters with blue cuffs, each accessorised with a tiny red scarf and boots.
"Nyeh!" The closest one piped up in a slightly higher pitched voice. The others seemed eager to follow suit, all parroting the first as they crowded around the legs of both skeletons.
"Hello little-me's!" Papyrus greeted enthusiastically.
"Hello Big-me!" The first tiny Papyrus greeted back. The original swiftly lifted him off the ground, bringing him in for a hug.
"Did you hear that Tiny-me!" Papyrus whirled around to see a flustered Slim and Courier surrounded by the Papyrus clones. Right, crowds did tend to overwhelm his more anxious self. "Little-me's! Could I have your attention please!" The tiny skeletons all turned to face Papyrus, listening intently. "We need all of your help in locating the other Tiny-me clones. Could you search the small hiding spots?" They all gave an affirmative "Nyeh!" before scattering around the room, all except the one in Papyrus' hands.
"I'll need to come up with a name for you too!" Papyrus cooed to his tiny self. The little clone took the task of climbing up Papyrus arm, making his way on top of the shoulder pad and standing triumphantly. "I'll call you Mini-me!" The larger skeleton decided.
"Mini-me!" The tiny clone shouted happily. Papyrus couldn't help the sparkles in his sockets.
"No need to fear!" Papyrus shouted confidentially trying to be just as enthusiastic as his small double. "We will find all of the clones in no time!" With a triumphant laugh Papyrus burst into the hallway and down a corridor, leaving Slim and Courier behind. The lanky skeleton checked the phone in his pocket. They had already been here for three hours, and Fell would certainly be stopping by soon. Stretch would probably be there too, seeing as that 'Deadpool' film they were watching couldn't be too long. He let out a sigh and glanced down at his worried double. He had a feeling this wouldn't end well.