The walk was not pleasant. Everyone was gone, and there was monster dust scattered everywhere, dashing his hopes that the human had felt instant remorse after killing him, and given up their murderous ways.
Papyrus made it to the bridge, and found Undyne's armor; scattered among the dust. His hand trembled as he knelt, and reached out towards it, but he couldn't bring himself to touch the helmet. He felt sick to his stomach, and he didn't even have one! Technically speaking, that was.
So this was what the human had meant. Surely he was grateful to be spared; but he hated the thought of being the one selected when it meant that another monster, like Undyne, could have been spared instead. He could do nothing about it now, however, and perhaps the human had shown some wisdom in the end. If the GREAT PAPYRUS could not fix this, then… well, of course he could fix it!
He only let himself stay there for a few seconds more. Even though he was going to fix it, his friend had still been reduced to a pile of dust for the moment, and that hurt too much to just ignore. He had to keep going, so he tried not to think about the cooking lessons, and the noogies, and… he had to stop… too late. A tear escaped, and he wiped it away. "I'LL FIX IT." The promise didn't sound quiet as confident as he would have preferred, or as forceful as she would have insisted. But perhaps she would have understood, given the circumstances.
He forced himself to continue on, wishing that Sans could have just stayed put, for once. He needed someone to assure him that this nightmare was truly something that could be fixed, and no one could cheer him up quite like Sans could. But HOW did his lazy brother stand the long walks to all his different stations? Ugh… he wasn't waiting in front of the bridge to Hotland either! That must mean that he was at his last station. Oh well, at least the elevator was close.
His spirits lifted as he punched in R2. Sans had a fourth station around there somewhere, and he had to be at that one. His brother really could be quite clever about such things when he wanted to, and he'd be able to help him think of a plan. Together, they would fix everything, and make it right. He just had to find Sans, and then they'd put the human's mess right, somehow.
He found the fourth station, which, to his dismay, housed enough condiments to double as a hotdog stand. Even worse, under the circumstances, it was empty, too. This was the only other station Sans had. Which meant that… he smacked himself in the face. He hadn't checked Sans's room, or his workshop out back! His brother could be holed up in either of those places, completely oblivious to everything else. In fact, that was perfect, because if that were the case, it was likely that Sans hadn't seen what had happened yet. He wouldn't have had to be sad about the human killing him, or worry about living without THE GREAT PAPYRUS at all!
He gave a sigh of relief. Of course that's what had happened. How silly of him! Being killed and sent back to find the monsters that hadn't escaped Snowdin must've really messed with his head. Sans wouldn't have gone to work if he had an excuse to be lazy! Even if he was locked in his room grieving a death that wasn't permament, all would be well as soon as he knocked on the door.
Well, now that he'd sorted that out, he'd just take the river person's boat back to Snowdin, and find his brother. But first… while he was here, someone should probably check on the king. With Undyne and the royal guard down, it was practically his duty!
Yes, he would check on the king, first, and then assure him that everything would be just fine, because THE GREAT PAPYRUS would work on it non-stop until everything was fixed. It felt good to be helping, and it made him smile to remember that, with all that science fiction talk, his brother might actually know how to help already! The human had been able to save him, and perhaps they could save everyone else just as easily!
He strutted along, focusing on all of the positives of this, admittedly horrible situation, and tried to ignore all of the dust he'd seen on his walk here. If there was a way to save him, there must be a way to bring the rest of them back. There just had to be. This couldn't be the end.
He turned the corner, and made his was across a long, tiled floor. His steps faltered as he caught signs of yet another fight of some kind, that had caused more damage than all the others. The piles of bone attacks blurred out as his eyes latched onto an all too familiar blue hoodie, and a black pair of shorts with a white stripe on each side. One slipper stuck out from the pile.
He approached cautiously, trying to figure out why there was a pile of Sans's laundry in a hallway in the palace. Because, he refused to even think… that simply couldn't be dust…
His arm trembled as he picked up the hoodie, dust falling to the floor with his red scarf. "No..."
Sans was safe, back at home. He was too lazy to fight a human. His defense was too low. He… he was too, Sans, to be… to be…
He buried his face in the hoodie that he'd just washed that morning, trying to ignore the jagged, stained slash through it. He'd NEVER have thought that the human could mess up THIS badly…
Sans had always been able to annoy just about everyone, and he'd enjoyed doing it. But no one had ever been able to hold it against him. Not really. He was just a quiet, unambitious, pun-loving monster who had seemed to be able to get along with anyone. How could anyone have hurt him?
Why had they even been able to? What was his brother thinking? Going up against the human that had killed the Great Papyrus, and Undyne? What… why had… he'd never meant to inspire Sans THIS much!
He didn't think he'd ever be able to move again. It was one thing to look for Sans through everything that was happening, but to find him like this…
"S-STOP! YOU CAN STILL FIX THIS. YOU HAVE TO." Finding a strength even he didn't know that he had, he clutched the hoodie, and slowly stood up. He hesitated a moment longer before sliding it on. It comforted him to have something that made him think of his brother wrapped around him as continued on his way. The grief in his heart started to mix with panic. He was back, but now Sans was gone, and there would still be no more puns, no more bedtime stories, no more socks on the floor…
And no plans to fix ANY of this.
It would just be him, and the king, and… what if they weren't enough? What if THE GREAT PAPYRUS, should somehow fail? What would happen to his brother, and Undyne, and all of the monsters that were probably sitting in the void, alone, right now? Even the human didn't deserve that fate!
He couldn't afford to think like that. Of COURSE he'd take this hoodie off again, someday. Because it belonged to his brother, and Sans would need it back. He… couldn't stay gone. Not forever.
He stumbled into the throne room, and froze in disbelief at the sight in front of him.
Was there NO ONE left?!
