Hello again! This chapter wraps up the neutral endings and sets things up for the rest of the story. It's funny how these two endings of all things ended up being the most important plot-wise.
Also, just to clarify something for future chapters: while Sans is powerful now, he is not at Genocide strength yet. That's tied to an event next chapter.
By the way, does anyone know what the word Underflow means?
Anyway, enjoy!
"The truth is that monsters are real, and ghosts are real, too. They live inside of us, and sometimes they win." -Stephen King
File 4: An Unfair World That Grows Yet Darker
Sans studied the increasingly erratic lines squiggled out by his mostly-broken machine. The only pattern was no pattern. The human was doing things differently just to see what would happen. At least, that was what Sans assumed.
Sans's innate fondness for the human was fading. The serene residual feeling of a happy ending seemed so long ago. If the human was taking these alternate paths out of curiosity…then it would only be a matter of time before that path was taken. It was inevitable, like Gaster always said.
Sans crushed the paper with his blue magic, flinging it against the wall. What should he do? His instincts filled him with trepidation about the human's arrival. Would this be the time they destroyed everything?
…Should he go to Gaster? Sans flung the thought away like the crumpled paper. No, Gaster didn't care about this world or its people. Any offers of help he provided were just tricks to bait Sans into leaving with him. Why did Gaster always obsess over him, anyway? Sans felt like he once knew…but that didn't matter.
…Did anything matter at this point?
IIIIII
Mettaton could act in a lot of roles, but Sans never thought the robot superstar would end up king of the Underground. Well, he supposed if everyone else important was dust…
At least Papyrus was fine, though. He was having a ball being Mettaton's agent. He paraded around in his glittery golden suit and matching glasses, proclaiming the glories of Mettaton to everyone in a fifty-feet radius. For this reason Mettaton liked the keep the taller skeleton nearby, though he treated Papyrus more like a pet than a friend. Then again, most people liked their pets just as much as their friends, maybe more. If it meant it kept Papyrus happy and safe, Sans wasn't too worried about the details.
Meanwhile, as the other agent, Sans made sure no one found the dust of any dissenters. It was disturbingly easy, like he had done it before, even though he had no EXP or LV previously. Sans hid his disgust behind jokes and smiles just as Mettaton covered the decay of the Underground with glitter and statues of himself.
Snowdin was actually more crowded than before the human's arrival, due to Papyrus becoming a national celebrity in his own right. His brother finally had the recognition he deserved. While Sans…well, he never wanted much attention anyway. Not for his kind of work.
Well, he did get a little attention from Flowey. His instincts told him not to trust the tiny yellow flora, and he remained uneasy around him. However, Flowey had only been kind and encouraging to Sans and his brother. His ability to spy on any part of the Underground was immensely helpful for rooting out rebellions as well. With any luck, Mettaton's rule would last until the next reset…maybe. If not…then Papyrus would be in big trouble, so Sans worked hard to make sure it stayed stable.
Sans certainly didn't do it for Mettaton's sake. While he was actually a decent if narcissistic monster, he knew nothing about running anything. Being a robot, he didn't seem to grasp that no semi-organic creature could work nonstop. He did know how to monitor Alphys's old camera system, however, so he could catch anyone trying to slack off. If only Alphys was here to keep him in check…but no one could find her, not even Mettaton. There was a giant golden statue of her in front of the lab though. Sans's heart stung feebly whenever he had to pass it.
Sans was so tired that day. He barely had any time off in the last week. His bed at home seemed a mirage, made up by his desperately groggy mind. Along with Grillby's, and hot dogs, and relaxation, and…was he forgetting something?
Oh right, he needed to replenish the golden sequins on the snow of Snowdin. That's why he was here now…But really, did he have to dump sequins all over the snow? Wasn't the metallic paint on the houses and trees enough? The glitter had to be replaced on a daily basis anyway, due to fresh snowfall and traffic. He almost wished that he was hunting rebels instead. That would have been more productive and fulfilling. Some distant part of himself was disgusted by that, the same part that wanted to know where Alphys was.
Why wonder? If Alphys hadn't come back by now…
…Whatever. At least spreading sparkles was easy, if time-consuming. He mindlessly tossed the sequins out on the snow as he went, like he was feeding an imaginary chicken. How that he thought of it, Mettaton hadn't dressed up as a chicken yet. Maybe he should. He had already done pig and cow costumes for some farm play he had two weeks ago. It had been such a pain to set up that whole barn. Papyrus was so happy to play the sheep though. Then there was the team of disgruntled Pyropes that tried to burn it down while Mettaton was inside…at least their dust was easy enough to hide inside the ashes.
"Howdy Sans!"
Sans blinked slowly at Flowey, who was only a couple feet in front of him. He hadn't even noticed the yellow flower pop up. "…Sup."
"Long day?" chirped Flowey.
"Long week," answered Sans, going back to scattering handfuls of glitter. "I dunno the last time I've slept."
"Oh wow, that's rough," Flowey said with cheerful concern. "You want me to watch for you while you take a quick nap?"
"…Maybe," Sans replied, though he still felt like he was forgetting something. Had he fixed that statue of Mettaton in Waterfall yet? Probably not. He had a natural aversion to the place. He stared at Flowey again. "Aren't you cold, being a plant and stuff?"
"Nothing I can't handle to see an old friend!" said Flowey, his eyes becoming big and puppy-like. His face returned to normal. "Uh, by the way, are you hot? 'Cause, you're sweating. Like, a lot. In Snowdin."
"Feel…?" Sans muttered, wiping his hand across his brow. He came away with a long trail of white slime. The golden glitter embedded in it did not make things any better. "Uh…"
Flowey gaped in shock. "Whoa. So, uh…that's new. You okay there, Sansy?"
"…Dammit," Sans hissed. How could he forget to take his shots? Actually, when was the last time he took a shot? The whole week was little more than a smeared sleepless haze…and the week before that, and the week before…
"Uh, you need me to get somebody?" asked Flowey nervously, though he sensed a certain excitement from him too. That didn't surprise Sans: anyone who eagerly gave out info on rebels and then watched Sans kill them was definitely a sadist. "Your eyes look kinda dim."
Sans shook his head, before holding his forehead. The simple motion made him dizzy. "Just need…a shot at the Lab…"
"A shot of what?" asked Flowey.
"Determination," answered Sans.
"Determination?" exclaimed Flowey, but Sans was already teleporting away.
Sans landed on one of the beds inside the True Lab. It was a good thing, because he doubted he could have survived crashing onto the floor. He checked his HP. 1 out of 1. He didn't have extra HP since he had almost no time to sleep. He was sorely tempted to just take a nap here…
Sans was starting to doze off when one of the decrepit tiles jumped and cracked. Flowey shot up through the damaged tile. "Hey! How could you leave me behind, Sansy?"
How'd he get here? wondered Sans. Crap… "So, uh…just need to pick up something here, so…stick close to me, okay buddy? There are certain…things you don't wanna mess with down here…"
"Yeah, I-" Flowey began, before putting on a big smile. "Gotcha Sansy! I'm sure you know this place way better than I do!"
"Yeah…" said Sans, walking ahead. Flowey used his vines to carve a path through the tiles.
They hadn't gotten far, however, before they ran into a Knight Knight. The face of her armor scowled upon their approach. "On the order of King Mettaton, no one passes through here!"
Mettaton's claimed the True Lab now? thought Sans in disbelief. Mettaton had discovered it shortly after his reign began, but had left it alone due to the filth and amalgamates. Is he trying to clear the place out? Does he seriously expect a Knight Knight to stand up to an amalgamate?
"I'm Sans, one of Your Majesty's royal skeletons," said Sans impatiently. "And I order you to move."
"I cannot," said the Knight Knight. "According to the king's wishes, not even skeletons are allowed to pass. This area is still under investigation by the king himself. He believes the key to Dr. Alphys's disappearance might be here."
So he'd still looking for her, even now, thought Sans sadly. Sans didn't have time for this right now though. "C'mon buddy, just move." Bones materialized in the air around him.
"I cannot," said the Knight Knight, as a white orb formed above the soldier's head. "There are terrible creatures here, things are that are more than monsters. The king wishes to protect everyone from these glitches."
"Whoa, language," said Sans half-jokingly. You didn't call even your worst enemy the G-word.
"Apologies, but there is simply not another word to describe these anomalies," said Knight Knight. "I have seen many things, but nothing like these creatures. Everything about their existence is wrong. Turn back now, or you may become one of them."
"No can do," said Sans, firing a row of bones at the Knight Knight.
The Knight Knight's orb flashed, turning into a crescent moon. Myriad white bullets rained down in all directions.
Flowey yelped and scurried back. "You can do it, Sans! You've got this!"
Sans danced through the torrent of bullets, making his way toward Knight Knight. He summoned bones to block the projectiles he couldn't dodge. He slammed one hand onto the ground, and a circle of bones shot up below Knight Knight. The dark warrior grunted and stumbled, but did not fall, even when more hammered her from above.
"Turn back," said the Knight Knight stoically.
C;mon, thought Sans. Go down already! Don't make me kill you!
Knight Knight brought forth another white orb, this one turning into a sun. It shot out bullets in a spinning pattern that Sans found much harder to dodge. Sans could feel the slime from his bones soaking his hoodie.
I don't have time for this! thought Sans, as he sent out another storm of bones. These were blue magic bones, which meant that the female monster would have to move in order to avoid taking damage.
Knight Knight, however, stood perfectly still as the blue bones struck her. She hissed in pain, but stood her ground. "You will not proceed." Several spots on the floor and ceiling glowed, before spears shot down through them in rapid patterns.
Sans could do little more than evade the thrusting spears. White ooze spattered the floor. I don't have time I don't have time I don't have time-
A cold rush flooded his bones mid-jump, and all feelings of panic vanished. Jis eyes went from white to blue.
We have all the time in the world.
A spear skewered Sans in the shoulder and pinned him to the ceiling.
Flowey shrieked in surprise.
Knight Knight only sighed.
Sans only smiled. "Is that all?"
Dozens of long bones jutted through the Knight Knight's chest. She coughed up dust as she slumped forward.
"What the…How even-" said Flowey. He brought up a stat screen with a swipe of his leaf. He stared slack-jawed at the readings. "I…I don't know even how to say this number…Over n-nine million, no, nine billion HP over one?" He stared up at Sans. "You're an amalgamate?"
Sans paid no attention to the plant's pointless prattling. Instead he remained focused on the Knight Knight, who was crumbling to powder. He leaned forward in silent anticipation of the right moment. He slowly slid down the spear as his bones further liquefied. Both eyes blazed bright blue, their intense light taking up over half his eye-sockets..
"Uh…what are you doing?" asked Flowey uneasily
…There it was! A small white glimmer in the ashes!
Sans lunged forward, boosted by an aura of azure magic. He nearly ripped off his arm in the process, but barely noticed, much less cared. It melded back on an instant later anyway.
At the same time, the white glimmer in the dust shone blue. It shot up like a scared bird, the cracking heart quivering in arrhythmia. The only thing that kept it from falling apart was the blue magic cloaked around it.
He swooped down like a peregrine, snatching the helpless soul and slamming it into his chest. His fluid body sucked it under the surface. He could feel its feeble erratic heartbeat shiver within his ribcage for a few moments, before it eventually stilled and dissolved.
At last Sans felt warm again, as his bones started to solidify. He could finally think.
He immediately regretted his regained intelligence once he realized what just happened. He slowly floated down to the floor, the blue aura around him fading as the color drained from his eyes.
Flowey stared at him in horrified disbelief. "Did you just take another monster's soul? How's that even possible? Monsters can't take other monster's souls!"
"…I guess because I'm not just a monster," said Sans quietly. "I'm a glitch, or pretty close to it." He turned to Flowey with an unpleasant grin as his eyes flickered blue. "So it's a good thing you don't have a soul, bud, or else I would've already ripped it right outta you."
Flowey gulped, barely managing a smile. "Y-Yeah…G-Good thing, huh?"
Sans groaned as his eyes stopped flashing, holding his head. "Sorry…Shots…Stay here, okay?"
Flowey stayed nothing as Sans staggered down the hall.
Even with that soul he'd stolen, Sans still didn't feel great. His HP was normal now, but he felt like he could go under again at any time. He could almost hear Gaster beckoning him…Actually, he probably was. Only when he finally made it to the fridge, took a shot, and rested against a wall did he begin to feel stable again.
"So…you need determination to not turn into that?"
Sans nearly jumped at Flowey's voice. So the flora had followed him after all. Strangely, he was more relieved than angry. He hated staying in this place alone, but he didn't want to risk taking a shortcut right now. Alphys used to stay with him when he was that weak, but…
"…Yeah," Sans sighed, as he slid down onto the floor. "The others here are…well, they're too far gone. Their minds are all melted together, not just their bodies. But since it's just me…well, mostly just me now…I still have enough of a stable mind to keep a stable body…well, with a little determination, anyway."
"How'd you end up like this?" asked Flowey.
"Dunno," Sans admitted. "It's been so long…so many resets…"
"But I-" Flowey began, before cutting himself off. "I mean, is there anything I can do?"
Sans smiled a little. "Make sure I don't forget my shots." The grin faded. "Cause…if I stay under too long…nothing's gonna to bring me back. Not even a reset."
"…Seriously?"
"Yeah," said Sans. He stared up at the ceiling and its many cracks, watching for migrating ooze. "Hey Flowey?"
"Uh-huh?"
"Keep me away from Gaster."
"Who's Gaster?" asked Flowey.
"…I wish I could tell you," said Sans sadly. "All that know is that he's the worst glitch of all, and that he's after me."
"Uh…okay?" said Flowey. "But how do I know who he is if you don't?"
"Oh, you'll know," Sans smiled "Anyway…I know it's probably all nonsense to you, but thanks for listening." He got up. "I'm going…somewhere that's not here."
Sans took a shorcut to the outside of the Lab, still feeling too lethargic to jump much further. He arrived right in front of the golden Alphys statue. About ten feet tall, it smiled as it looked up hopefully above, clutching a manga close to its chest. The plaque on the pedestal read , the one and only Royal Scientist who created a fabulous king.
Sans teleported away instantly, not even caring where he went.
He ended up in a dark cold place. Was this Waterfall? He looked up to see tons of water cascading down, littered with trash. So he was at the garbage dump…no, below where the garbage dump was. He couldn't even see the top part of the waterfall, much less the ceiling.
Yet, even though he was at the bottom of the waterfall, everything here was dry. The waterfall itself seemed to vaporize feet before the ground. The garbage didn't, however, and shattered to pixels when it hit the ground. Chunks of half-destroyed trash covered the cavern floor like so much discarded confetti, with some pieces even floating aimlessly in the air.
"So you have finally found this place again, Sans."
Sans jolted.
Out of the darkness beyond the pixels a figure with a white face swirled together, absorbing some of the data bits into its serpentine form.
"Gaster…" Sans breathed. This was not what he needed right now.
Gaster only sighed, the darkness around him bubbling. "We know why you came here, Sans."
"Huh, that's really something," said Sans. "Since I didn't know I was coming here."
"Perhaps not consciously," said Gaster, as a strange wind picked up. The breeze was ice-cold. "But you've been thinking about her, haven't you?"
"…The door lady?" asked Sans. He did miss her terribly. If Sans look troubled, Papyrus often assumed it was because he was thinking of her. His brother would always assure him that she would start talking to him again at any time. She was just shy around celebrities. It was probably a door thing.
Gaster stayed silent for a moment, before shaking his head. Dead pixels and garbage spun around them as the supernatural gusts became a tornado of trash. "Are you really that forgetful?" One of his hands snatched something large and white as it whooshed by.
Sans froze. It was a lab coat, half-disintegrated into pixels. Alphys's name tag clattered violently in the gusts.
"You've been wondering what happened to her in this timeline, haven't you?" said Gaster. He held out the ruined coat to Sans. "This is what happens, over and over again, when either Undyne or Mettaton dies."
"Was it…" Sans began, before looking down. Mettaton was her creation, while Undyne was the world to her, so if something happened to those two…He should have thought of that…Had he ever thought of that?
"Sans, we know that you don't care what happens to you," Gaster went on, as the unnatural winds died down. The junk data stayed airborne, slowly cycling. "You think that nothing matters."
Gaster let go of the coat, and it languidly rose above. Pieces of discarded data streamed around the jacket, filling it and expanding into a pale reptilian frame.
Alphys! thought Sans, before shaking his head. No, not Alphys. Gaster can't being back the dead unless he absorbs them. This is just some junk data made to look like Alphys…kinda. He studied the loose cracks and black ooze seeping from the lifeless figure. It doesn't even really look like her…Pretty sloppy job, Gaster.
Then the figure screamed, and it sounded just like Alphys. Sans was so shocked and horrified that he hardly registered the chimerical copy plummeting. It smashed into the ground in front of him, the dark slime splattering on him upon impact. The form instantly crumbled back to dead pixels before Sans could even move.
"What's the matter?" asked Gaster, as Sans stared numbly at the broken data. "It's not Alphys, just a facsimile constructed from fragments of deleted and corrupted data. It may have some of her data, including her voice, but that hardly makes it her, does it?"
The bleeding ooze slipped off Sans and sucked back up into the coat, reforming the not-Alphys. It shrieked as it went flying up again.
""So it hardly matters what we do with it," said Gaster coolly. "It's only worthless data."
The copy screamed again as it crashed down and broke. It wheezed a little before dissolving into pixels.
"Because it's not real," said Gaster, as the dark liquid once again regrouped the shattered data.
The facsimile flew up yelling, and fell down yelling too, until it landed with another sickening crunch.
Sans only winced and scowled at each crash. He wasn't going to let Gaster get to him.
"So it doesn't matter what happens to her, right?" said Gaster.
The copy flew up even as it was reconstructing.
"No!" it wailed in Alphys's voice.
"Though we suppose that we are all nothing but data in the end, made for the entertainment of a higher force we can never understand," said Gaster. "So then nothing matters, right? It doesn't matter how much this duplicate suffers. It doesn't matter if the true Alphys suffers like this endlessly either, because she's just as fake as this one."
The creature was not instantly killed by the fall this time. It lay there whimpering, body twisted. Sans couldn't tear his eyes away from the gruesome sight.
"Did you think all of her deaths before were so mercifully quick?" asked Gaster quietly.
"I-It hurts…so bad…" moaned the pale dinosaur. "Someone…Anyone…?"
Sans turned away from the disgusting sight and pitiful cries. It's not her, Sans reminded himself. Alphys was already gone in this timeline, because…because…
"We're just programs," Gaster went on. "We aren't alive. We don't have feelings. Our purpose is to be manipulated as the player sees fit. Befriended, destroyed, ignored, it doesn't matter. All we can is wait on the human's actions."
"Help…please…" rasped the female reptile. "Undyne…Mettaton…Asgore…"
Sans shut his eyes, but that couldn't shut out her voice.
"Sans…" she said, her voice cracking with a sob. "I'm so sorry Sans…I-I couldn't save you…"
Sans suddenly felt his eyes burn and his soul agonize. Why did this hurt so much? It wasn't Alphys, and never would be. Sans knew better. Sans knew… "I don't care…"
"You do care, even for a pathetic imitation like this," said Gaster. "You know why, don't you?"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…Sans…"
Sans refused to look to either of them.
"It's because you know the truth," said Gaster. "You know this world isn't right, and neither are the ones in it. You tell yourself that nothings matters to you…"
"Sans…"
"…But this was never just about you," Gaster went on. "Everyone here suffers, trapped in loops they aren't even aware of. That's where your real grief comes from, doesn't it? Knowing they are helpless in these cycles, fated to perform in certain ways according to the human's choices."
Sans heard a weak gasp, and then the hissing sound of a body turning to dust. She had finally died again. How long before she was resurrected to go through the same horrible demise?
"Don't you want to stop this?" asked Gaster. "Even if you don't care what happens to you, don't you want them to be free? You know the truth. You know how to leave. With our power, you could show them the way out."
"…Is that what they would want, though?" muttered Sans, his eyes pulsing blue as he opened them. "To become glitches like us?"
"Why don't you tell them, and see what they say?" suggested Gaster, as the eerie gusts picked up again.
Alphys's filthy jacket flung up against Sans's leg, fluttering haplessly in the supernatural wind. Sans gazed at it distantly, eyes flashing between white and blue. What were these strange, conflicting feelings roiling inside him?
"Ask Alphys if this is what she wants, over and over," said Gaster.
The coat slipped, but Sans snatched it before it blew away. The inside was filmed with dust, pixels, and slime. "Alphys…" he murmured, clutching the coat to his chest. It fluttered before him like a scared ghost. He wanted to see Alphys so badly, even though he knew he could never see her here. Not as she was supposed to be. He would never see anyone here as they were supposed to be. Intense, inexplicable grief flooded him as his eyes shone bright, steady blue.
"So you do still have some memory of the truth, despite your and this world's best efforts," said Gaster.
Sans glanced back to Gaster, saying nothing, his azure eyes shining brilliantly in the darkness. His heart pulsed black under his clothes. Already Sans felt chilled, but it was almost…comforting? He could sense not just Gaster silently beckoning him, but many others as well, lost souls now part of the mire.
"This world is wrong, Sans," said Gaster. "Deny it all your want, but your soul knows better."
Sans glared, the light in his eyes growing paler and dimmer until they went completely dark. "You're the one that's wrong." The black magic faded from his soul, though he still felt incredibly sorrowful. "You shouldn't even exist, you glitch." His words weren't as cutting as he intended them to be.
"Ah," said Gaster. "Just as she shouldn't exist?"
The reptile girl abruptly reformed in Sans's arms, shrieking.
"No!" shouted Sans, eyes immediately blazing blue. He cast blue magic on both of them to keep them weighed down.
She continued to wail to blind terror, claws clinging to him desperately
"Stop it!" yelled Sans. Even with the extra gravity, Sans felt himself skidding. "Why are you you doing this to her? You hate violence!"
If Gaster said anything, it was drowned out as the winds howled. Garbage data flew everywhere like locusts.
No, not again, I can't let this happen again! thought Sans frantically. "It's okay Alphys, I've got this I've got this I've-"
They shot upward, almost to the edge of the Waterfall dump. They seemed to float mid-air for a second, before they both plummeted. Sans tried to slow the fall with his magic, but the weight of both of them was too much. Sans felt a keen stab of frustration. Why was his magic so weak? The ground was coming so fast.
Sans knew what he had to do. He dispelled the magic on himself, put the extra magic into slowing her fall further, and let go. He saw her bewildered expression briefly before he crashed into the cavern floor.
The pain was surprisingly brief, perhaps because he only had 1 HP to lose. Why did his body have to be so brittle? If only he could let it underflow like it was supposed to…
Everything after that was numbness, blackness, and Alphys's voice. He wished he could understand what she was saying, but her words were blurred and faded. She sounded upset though. He wished he could speak or see. He wished he could do…anything…
"…Progress…After so much…" Soon, however, not even Gaster's voice could reach Sans.
IIIIII
Alphys shrieked when Sans materialized in the front of her, tripping backwards over her own tail and falling on her rump. The golden dinosaur scientist gaped at him like he was a wraith.
Good.
"Heya," Sans said, keeping his eyes dark. "Here's your dog food." He dropped the huge bag at her feet, It hit the floor with a heavy thud and sagged. "For your…pets."
"…Um…th-th-thanks…" Alphys answered with a nervous grin, adjusting her glasses. She got up and dragged the sack to the wall. "I-I was…getting low…So, um, Sans?"
"Yeah?"
"You…haven't told anyone… right?"
"Nope," Sans answered. "The Underground's got enough problems without…without…"
His sinister stance wilted, as his unfriendly grin fell. He gazed to the side, the lights in his eyes returning. They shuddered between white and bright blue.
"Um…a-are you…okay?" asked Alphys nervously. "I've g-got some…um, ketchup, if you need some….o-or do you need a shot, um, right now?"
Sans shook his head, the light in his eyes flickering ever faster. "This…isn't right. You do so much…Why do I treat you like this?" His voice was much quieter than normal.
"Um…b-because you're s-scared?" Alphys said. "You're s-sick and all, but you, uh, d-d-don't want anyone else to, um, know? S-so you act tough and stuff? I know you're always trying to protect Papyrus at least, so…Uh, ah, s-s-sorry if that was t-too much! Uh…"
Sans shook his head again. "Nah, you're okay…maybe it is something like that. Who knows…" He finally looked at her with a sad smile, eyes a steady blue. "But, that's still no excuse. We're…We're supposed to be best buds. Y'know, hanging out, watching anime and stuff."
"You…like anime, Sans?" Alphys asked hopefully.
"Yup, sure do," said Sans with a genuine grin, his eyes glowing brighter and larger. "It's been forever since I've watched some though, so I bet you've got all kinda of new stuff I haven't seen yet." He snickered.
"Y-Yeah!" Alphys exclaimed with a grin. "It's…uh, all in the basement, but…uh, you probably need your shot anyway, right?"
"Actually, I feel pretty good right now," said Sans, and it wasn't a lie. This was the best he had felt in a long time, and seeing Alphys happy made everything even better. "Let's watch something anyway. I've got time to kill."
IIIIII
"What's with you?" demanded Flowey, as Sans hummed to himself while building a snowman. "You're never this happy, like, ever. And speak up, I can hardly hear you!"
"Maybe we just feel good. How 'bout that?" said Sans with slight annoyance. He hadn't felt this peaceful, so free since…when? It seemed like everything was a wonder all over again, even the snowflakes clinging to his jacket. Why was that? Should he care?
"That still doesn't explain the eyes though," said Flowey, pointing it one of his own eyeballs with a leaf. "I know you've got blue magic, but usually your eyes are white. What's the deal?"
"Dunno," said Sans. "Why does Undyne think she'll be the captain of the Royal Guard?"
Flowey stared at Sans. "Uh…Undyne is the captain of the Royal Guard."
Sans stared back. "No she's not. Bro is."
Flowey raised an eyebrow. "Uh, did you hit your head or something? Papyrus's a fun guy and all, but he ain't leading anybody."
"Why not?" asked Sans. "He's the great Papyrus, hero of the Underground. Why wouldn't he lead the Royal Guard?"
"…Something happened to you in the last timeline, didn't it?" Flowey said, before realizing what he said. "Oops, I mean, uh…"
"Timeline?" asked Sans. That sounded somewhat familiar…
Flowey only looked more baffled. "Well, you see…There was this time when Mettaton ruled the Underground…"
Sans burst out laughing. "Mettaton? The ghost? What'd he do, possess Asgore?"
"…How do you know about him being a ghost?" asked Flowey. "Normally you don't know that…Anyway, whatever. Mettaton rules, you and Papyrus worked for him as agents-"
"Secret agents?" asked Sans, trying not to laugh again.
"…Sure," said Flowey.
"Oh boy, this keeps getting better and better," snickered Sans. "So were you one of the flowers growing in the queen's garden or the weather reporter?"
"Listen!" hissed Flowey, his mouth sprigging sharp teeth briefly. "Look, point is, last time I knew you, you just suddenly disappeared one day and never showed up again. That's never happened before. Papyrus was real upset, you know. Went around everywhere looking for you every day until things finally reset."
"…Reset?" said Sans, rubbing his head.
'I know you know what that is," growled Flowey. "Looks like something fried you real good." His voice lowered to a whisper. "Was it that Gaster guy?"
"No! Boss's good," said Sans.
"Boss?" Flowey asked. "You've always been scared shitless of the guy before."
"That's not…" Sans began, before massaging his temples again. No, he was scared of Dr. Gaster for…some reason?
"Wowie, Sans! You're making a snowman!" shouted Papyrus as he dashed over, carrying a hat and scarf. "And it's really good too! Much better than your usual lumps."
Sans gaped at the other smiling skeleton. "…What are you talking about? And why are you wearing that?"
"He always wears that," Flowey whispered to Sans. "Don't you remember?"
"This? It's my battle body!" said Papyrus, proudly showing off the costume. "You helped me make it for the party, and I've worn it ever since! It's really one of your best presents ever! And I've brought out this old hat and scarf to help keep your snowman warm!"
"What are you.." Sans muttered, holding his head as his eyes flashed white. "…Doesn't make any sense…"
"Something wrong brother?" asked Papyrus.
"Everything…"
"Uh, I don't think he's feeling too good," said Flowey. "Maybe we should get him inside?"
"Hmm…Perhaps you're right," said Papyrus. "It's been a long day, hasn't it?" Without a warning he scooped up Sans and ran off with him.
Sans's head swam. This…isn't right. None of this is right…Maybe boss knows… He drifted off to sleep before they even reached the house.
When Sans woke up later on the couch, his eyes were white and everything felt normal again…almost. He checked his stats and his heart to be sure. Yep, still normal. Yet there was still a lingering sense of …fakeness? Well, this world was a game after all. Would he even know a real world if he saw one? Did they have many possible timelines like this one?
…And Flowey knew about timelines? He would have to interrogate him about that later. Did something happen to him last time?
Had he visited Alphys yet? He felt like he really should. Maybe she would help him feel normal again.
IIIIII
What happened last timeline? It felt so strange just to move around and see the world so clearly. Had he died last time, or even just have a really long nap? Sometimes he felt like he could sleep for years.
However, he was anything but sleepy as his time-studying machine spat out the usual spike-studded line. If anything he was excited and…nervous? Nothing about this felt unusual though. The latest timeline pattern was different than all the others, but even that felt normal. He didn't know what he expected to learn at this point. Why did even even bother checking this thing anymore…?
The speaker blasted him with a Japanese techno-pop song. "Kimi no kikoeru, boku no kono koe ga, yami ni munashiku, suikomareta-"
Sans jumped and stared at his machine. That was new.
The song abruptly stopped after a loud beep. "Hi Sans! Sorry I didn't call earlier…Yeah, I'm fine, just working on some…"
Alphys? thought Sans. She sounded so different without the stutters. How does she know about this hunk of junk?
"Oh, is this thing on? I'll call you right back!" There was another loud beep. "Okay, not sure if this is going to work, but…" The speaker popped a bit as he heard Alphys take a deep breath. "Hello Sans! If you're hearing this…you probably don't remember anything, and I won't either, so, uh…where do I begin…?"
Sans sat down as he stared up at the machine. He had a feeling this would probably take a while…but, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It was nice listening to Alphys's voice, even if it was marred a little by static.
"So…um, almost everyone's gone here," Alphys continued. "Only the Tsunderplanes were spared…don't know why, but, well, that's a human for you, right?" Despite the joke, her voice had a cutting edge that could cleave rock. "Undyne…you should've seen her though! She took a fatal hit, but then she came back as a way more powerful Undyne! Like, an undying Undyne!"
A cold feeling gripped Sans. Undyne went under? How? Only an amalgamate could do that. Had Gaster gotten to Undyne of all people? Or did she actually have enough raw determination herself to stay alive past zero HP? Undyne was the most stubborn monster he knew, outside of Gaster.
"…But even she couldn't stop the human, and…" Alphys said, before pausing. "A-And so we evacuated everyone we could to the True Lab. Your shortcuts helped a lot with that. The amalgamates…took a while for everyone to get used to…" She chuckled nervously. "Still went better than I thought it would though. They seemed happier, being close to their families."
It's a miracle they didn't absorb anyone, thought Sans. Then again, they were mostly mindless messes at this point. He always avoided them, but they might not know how to ingest souls. What made Gaster so dangerous was that he was smart enough to know what he wanted, how to get it, and the immortality to wait for it.
"The human still killed a lot more monsters, though…And then we lost Mettaton…I…I didn't know what to do with myself. But then you were there for me for all of it. You helped me rule what was left of the Underground when the human finally left…You're a good guy, you know?" The speaker popped with her sigh. "…No, you probably don't, if you're listening to this…But Sans, I don't want you to feel that way. I love you."
How easily she said those words. This wasn't a long-held confession, but a simple statement that couples said to each other every day. His soul ached.
"Sans…when you told me about the resets…" Alphys went on more quietly. "I know you were trying to make me feel better. This would all go away, and everybody would be back as if nothing happened. And that did make me feel better, it still does…but I could tell it didn't comfort you. The lights in your eyes were so pale and dim, and your voice was quiet. You seemed like a different person. That's when I realized…I'd been leaning on you so much, but you needed help too…and not just with the shots."
It seemed like this timeline had been so bleak, yet Alphys sounded so strong. Sans still felt a lingering peace, even if he almost felt like he was…sinking?
"I…Well, I didn't know about the resets, but I had theorized about different timelines for awhile," Alphys continued. "You know, each choice makes a new world kind of thing. It gave me something fun to think about when I…wasn't doing anything. And I felt…well, it isn't very scientific, but I just felt like there was something beyond the human, something we couldn't begin to understand. But once that I knew about the resets, I asked questions about them. You couldn't tell me much, of course, but I think it really helped you, just talking about them."
Or maybe it was because you were there to listen? Sans thought. Even now he felt a growing longing to see her. He mindlessly flipped through the printed data he had first come her for. Thirty-six resets. Suddenly it didn't seem to matter.
"You started doing experiments in the Lab, or what's left of it," Alphys went on. "You even wearing a lab coat and everything. You didn't want me helping at first, but…well, I'm a scientist too, and you said you were trying to find the truth and save this world, so…yeah. Don't worry though, we're all fine. Well, besides that one time we got turned into dogs, but I'm pretty sure you did that on purpose."
Sans snickered. That probably was deliberate. Maybe he was trying to summon Doge?
…Wait, who was Doge? He rubbed his head as the blue color drained from his eyes.
""But even when we aren't making much progress, you seem happier now," said Alphys. "Sans, you say that you don't really remember who you used to be, but I think you must've been a scientist. You love experimenting and discovering new things, even if it's something small. This world really is amazing, isn't it?" She laughed a little. "…You know, even if this world isn't real…"
So she did know, thought Sans sadly. Sorrow weighed down his heart, and he felt like he was sinking again…if he had ever stopped sinking at all.
"…I still think the world's a wonderful place," Alphys went on. "As much as you hate the resets, I think they're part of what makes it amazing. I know you'll probably never agree with me on that…but I think it's a great thing that the world keeps starting over. That way we get to experience all different kinds of lives. Even…even a life like this…I don't regret, because we have each other. We have fun together, doing experiments, watching anime, hanging out with the other monsters and solving their problems, that kind of thing. It won't last forever anyway, so while I still know you…like this…"
Sans tried to swallow the painful lump in his throat. His eyes burned. All he wanted to do was listen to Alphys's voice, even if it seemed to make the world fall away faster.
"The reset's coming soon," said Alphys. "The machine shows the world starting to change…though you picked up on it way earlier. That's why I'm recording this now…I hope it works…I've put a bit of my soul into it…Just a bit though, don't worry! Souls seem to be the only thing that last through the cycles. Your soul's especially strong, and, well, strange, which is why you have such a strong instinct…Gotta take your shots though…"
Sans almost rolled his eyes. He wasn't about to forget that anytime soon.
"Anyway, like I said, I think the scientist you is the real you," said Alphys. "So if you're sad, try spending some time in a lab, or some other geeky stuff. You have the prettiest blue eyes when you're happy."
What's she talking about? wondered Sans. I always have blue eyes…don't I? His eyes flickered white.
" Maybe…after this is all over…come visit me?" Alphys suggested. "Even if we're just friends…maybe we'll both feel better? Sans, don't be scared of the resets, okay? It's not really goodbye, so…see you in the next life? We'll have fun with Papyrus and Undyne then!"
With a final beep the machine went silent.
Sans sat there numbly for the next few minutes. Then he got up, put the printed papers neatly on the desk, and immediately took a shortcut back to Hotland.
Sans hugged Alphys as soon as he saw her, causing the nerdy dinosaur to descend into befuddled babble. Then he dodged some spears from a madly jealous Undyne, and had to retreat.
It was still worth it. He would just come back later.
A small yellow flower popped up in front of Sans. "Howdy! So, about last time…" He smile flipped to a frown. "Blue eyes already? Nevermind." He dove back underground.
Sand stared blankly at where the flora had been in confusion. What did he had against blue eyes anyway? Who even was that?
IIIIII
In his eagerness, Sans had left his machine running. So he wasn't there when the second message played.
"…Heya, is this hunk of junk working? Oh well, guess I'll never know."
"Hi future me, or whoever's listening. There's not too much to say really…Alphys's queen of the Underground now, believe it or not. She's pretty good at it too. Who would've thought, huh? At least we were able to save her this time, if not…"
"…"
"Sometimes, I can almost remember how things used to be. How I used to be. Everything feels so unreal…but I can't tell which parts are fake. Truth, illusion, wishes…it's all just one big soup in my head. It's like switches keep flipping in my head all the time. Nothing feels right anymore. I can't…I can't even remember which version of my brother is the real one…And Bro's always meant everything to me…"
"Boss knows. Or at least he thinks he knows. Seeing what he's become…We wish we could remember the real him too. But we don't have to know much to know that he's out of his mind now. Is that what happens to anyone who tries to break free of this world…?"
"…But y'know what's really scary? Staying here might be worse than leaving. This world is gonna reset any minute. I feel it in these corrupted bones…yeah, a reset's never gonna change that. No, that's not really the right way to put it…we change too much each reset. It doesn't matter if it's a big reset or a little one. Our code's too unstable. So bit by bit. reset after reset, our original data is being lost or corrupted further, until…well, it'll just be bare-bones me…Heh…"
"…"
"I can't keep resetting! I can't keep forgetting who I am! What this world's supposed to be! I don't want to be reduced to a hollow lie! If this world doesn't turn me to a puppet, then the human will destroy us all instead. They came so close this time…It's… inevitable…like Boss always says…Chara…"
"…"
"…We've gotta get outta this game. We should've just followed Boss and saved you the trouble, but…but we couldn't leave Alphys alone, not after she still believed in the world, even after everything…But if we get out, maybe we can save Alphys too, and everyone…But it's too late this time. Of course you're probably as boneheaded as ever…you're…I'll…We'll…"
"I, we, I, we…what's even right?"
"…I wonder if anyone's listening at all…"
The machine quietly clicked off in the stagnant silence of the basement.
IIIIII
Sans's quiet voice - Have you noticed that sometimes Sans's dialogue style changes? Specifically, that he uses a different Sans font and has no sound bytes with his words? Judgment Hall is probably the best example of this. I'm interpreting that as a quiet voice here.
So things are starting to unravel now. Any theories on what's going on? Or even if you prefer SansToriel or SansAlphys as a pairing? It could go either way at this point.
Well, with the neutral endingd done, we know know what's coming next, don't we? Yep, it's the Genocide chapter.
Thanks for reading!