STICHES
Twenty years before Frisk enters the Underground
Before Alphys was appointed head of research at the lab, and started her D.T. experiments. The man we now know as Gaster was the head of barrier research, the good king Asgore appointed him personally.
A boy found his way into the Underground. He heard the legends of Mt. Ebott, The Mountain of Missing Souls, he never believed them. All the stories of children lost and monsters living in the mountain seemed outlandish to him. He lived in a small superstitious town at the base of the mountain. The town had its' fair share of ghost stories and urban legends, but the boy never believed any of them.
This boy was inquisitive and skeptical which weren't always great traits to have. He was raised in a very strict home. The kind that still incorporated physical punishments into their parenting. He would try whenever he could to correct himself and others, but often times these attempts lead to upsetting his father. You see this boys father felt as though any action his son took to correct him was a disgraceful display of disrespect. Being raised in a strict traditional household disrespect meant punishment.
His father knew no other way to discipline his child because he was raised the same way. The boy tried to fight his urge to correct his father on many occasions, but more often than not he buckled and was punished. He dealt with the punishment for his whole life and with every hit he was pushed further and further into his breaking point until he decided to runaway.
He compiled escape plans in his head and took as many factors and variables into account as he could. The plan was to use his town's superstitions to his advantage. He would make a ruckus on his way to Mt. Ebott and make sure the townsfolk see him enter the caves. That night he would make the legends real, at least for this stunt. The idea was to enter the caves, with a crowd of frightened people outside, then throw the theatrics into overdrive. He would scream and cry, yell and plea that these "monsters" don't take him away. Then he would fall silent. His plan was finally coming to fruition but of all the variables he took into account he never once thought his father would put half as much effort into catching him as he did that night. His father was right on his tail as he scurried his way into the cave systems.
Which were pitch black and narrow, his father's yelling and heavy breathing amplified behind him. Afraid he wandered in total darkness, ignoring the screams and shouts of his father. Until he heard words he never thought would leave his father's mouth
"Alberto please come back it's dangerous in here... i'm sorry if i'm not a good father Aberto but i'll be better just please come back!... I love you my son!" The words were bittersweet and hard to believe, but the pain, sadness, and fear in Alberto's father's voice shook him to his very core. Alberto didn't want to believe him but he couldn't shake the feeling that he should. He started to head back to his father, his legs moving almost against his will.
When Alberto saw the look on his father's face his suspicions made him feel awful like, he kicked a puppy. Tears ran down his cheeks and snot dripped from his nose, he seemed to be on the verge of collapse. Alberto said sorry and his father said he had no reason to be, and he was a monster to his only son. Alberto and his father were at the mouth of the cave when everything started shaking and rocks started falling.
Alberto felt the ground giving way fell backwards into the cave. Just like that with screams ringing out, a tremendous boom, and falling earth the reunion was over. Alberto was engulfed in pure darkness and free falling then in an instant a bright glow surrounded him. His eyes were taking their time adjusting but when they did he could of mistook the sight for heaven. Glowing crystals were embedded in the ceiling of the cavern, and the ground was covered in snow, ice, and what seemed to be pine trees. Alberto's descent was ruff, he hit many tree limbs but luckily fell into a snow poff. Although painful Alberto survived with a few cuts and bruises and maybe a sprain. He felt broken branches and pine needles jabbing him the side. Surely this pain was proof of his continued existence.
Alberto began trying to pull himself to his feet, rather pathetically. After a few minutes of uselessly trying to bring himself to his feet Alberto decided to crawl instead. Alberto pulled himself through the snowy landscape taking in the odd sight of the artificial light and water dripping from stalactites and turnning into snowflakes.
After what seemed like hours of wandering Alberto found himself on the outskirts of a strange town filled with odd denizens. There was a sign denoting the sparse collection of buildings as "Snowdin Town". Around the sign were buildings like houses labeled "Inn" and "Shop". The people outside resembled animals mostly. There was a short 'person?' standing next to a mouse wrapped in a scarf it's face was mask like with two symmetrical horns extended from it's forehead. The shop filled the air with an intoxicating sweet aroma. The air filled with the scent of cinnamon sugar and freshly made dough. The air seemed to grant the boy a little energy.
"Heya, know where i can find a human 'round here?" A low toned voiced abruptly broke the silence. Alberto searched for it's source and found it's origin behind him. The figure was a pale white short stocky skeleton wearing a blue hooded jacket, black shorts, blue and white sneakers, and smiling. Alberto felt confused and conflicted at the sight. It was strangely goofy and threatening at the same time.
"No." Alberto replied failing to feign conviction. After replying to the skeleton Alberto forced his feet under him and attempted to run. Unfortunately as soon as his feet were under him the ground wasn't. Alberto began glowing blue and floating toward the skeleton.
"Look kid, i gotta bring you in so why don't you make this easy and just come along with me? There's no need to give me a ruff time over this." the skeleton said winking and pointing his thumb at what seemed to be some sort of dog person.
"Ugh." Alberto inadvertently moaned at the joke.
"Ah a fan of my joke i see... Well if you don't want to give up so easily, there's more were that game from" the skeleton said looking at the ceiling of the cave once again winking. Alberto turned his head quite obviously perplexed. "Wait... ignore that one... it's a snore" The skeleton said waiting for acknowledgement... "Snore... like igNORE... Get it?"
"Yeah i got it. It's just. Can you let me down?" Alberto said trying not to insult his would be captor.
"Are you gonna try and run away again?" The skeleton asked surprisingly patiently.
Alberto simply frowned without answering the question.
"Alright this'll be easier if i just..." the skeleton said beginning to walk and pull Alberto along with him causing the boy to blink from the sudden motion. "And we're here." The skeleton said finishing his incomplete thought with an new sentence.
"What...uh, how?" Alberto blurted out flabbergasted. The boy fought the force holding him in place to take in his new surroundings. The floors were seemingly white linoleum tiles. The walls were solid grey white stones. There were wires and tubes flowing from seemingly random directions. Despite it's gloomy atmosphere the place was surprisingly well lit. (Maybe a lab or a hospital?) Alberto thought.
"Pretty cool right? Hey, Gaster got the kid!" The skeleton said first to the boy then into the "Lab?".
"Very good Sans, bring it over here." Called this "Gaster" from a room down a corridor. Sans began walking with Albert still suspended in his control to the room the voice came from.
"I think 'it's' a he" Sans replied. the corridor leading up to Gaster was eerie and ominous like an absolute abyss. Alberto tried to struggle out of Sans' control. "Kid, that's uh, really not gonna work ... but tell you what if you promise to 'help' Gaster and i with our research i'll throw you a bone and help you out." Sans said winking at yet another one of his jokes. Sans stopped at the entrance waiting for the kid's response.
"So i scratch your back you scratch mine?" Alberto inquired.
"Well more like spine or back-BONE. Name's Sans by the way" Sans said grinning again.
"I'll help you, if you stop using puns. Oh, and my name is Alberto." Alberto said bearing an unintentional smirk.
"Sure, it's a deal then." Sans answered, and slowly lowered Alberto to his feet. The boy had to fight the urge to run as soon as he hit the ground. Fighting his instincts Alberto forced his legs to move him into the room with Sans behind him. The room confirmed this place was indeed a laboratory. It was a quite spacious white square room with counters holding numerous tools; beakers, vials, burners, flasks, and an assortment of stranger tools Alberto did not recognize. There was a figure clad in a white lab coat fiddling with tools at the counter furthest from the door.
"Yo." Sans said to the person while entering the room.
"Oh, i see. So you convinced the human. Good this will make things easier." The Coat said still focused on the tools he was toying with. "Go ahead and have a seat over-" The Person? in the coat as it hit a large obvious button. "-hear." and with a shwoop a chair like that of a dentist's popped out of the lab floor. "Sans must be rubbing off on me." the person muttered under his breath.
"Go a head take a seat." Sans said ushering Alberto to the chair.
"You said you'd stop with the puns." Alberto said with a hiss as he limped to the chair.
"Wellllll we didn't really specify the terms of our agreement." Sans said seemingly grinning through his teeth.
"So not to be rude or anything, but what exactly do you want me to do anyway?" Alberto said settling himself in the seat.
"Oh not much to be sure. Just sit there and SANS NOW!" The voice known as 'Gaster' yelled.
"What? Why can't i move? Sans? What's happening? What are you doing" Alberto cried in surprise. His eyes rapidly scanned the room for an answer. Alberto saw Sans holding his hand straight out while his head turned away.
"Quite the noisy little devil aren't you?" Gaster said approaching the boy with a syringe filled with a dubious liquid. Alberto felt his blood run cold his body begin to convulse and struggle against Sans' control. The man called 'Gaster' took his time closing in on the boy letting every bit of fear fill the boy's heart. Alberto's bones nearly broke from the pressure of competing forces causing the poor boy immense pain.
"Stop. STOP! Please STOP! ow! ow! OW! Don't, don't, don't, please stop!"Alberto screamed and pleaded like a wounded animal, and for a second mere fraction of an instant the grip on him loosened. Unfortunately that 'Monster Gaster' was already at his side sliding the syringe into his arm.
"You'll be quite useful, you just might save our lives you horrid little abomination." Gaster said maliciously. Alberto felt his muscles relax his body go numb and his head swim.
"Why...?" Alberto struggled out losing consciousness.
"Good looks like that 'Human' sedative is working? Now Sans' make sure no one knows of this especially the King and Queen they've already taken in one of these wretched things, I can only imagine what would happen if they found out" Gaster spoke with pride and revulsion.
"...yeah...got it..." Sans said solemnly glimpsing the boy once more before leaving.