Chapter 5

The Man Who Speaks in Hands

*HEY! I'M BACK YEAH! Did you really think I was just going to stop writing this story? Hah, no way hozay! I'm going to write this all the way through if it takes me a hundred years and kills me. So don't worry. There will always be more. Until the story finishes anyways.

*Now, I know I haven't published in a while, but there are reasons. Three to be exact. The first is that I had things to do over summer and there were some technical difficulties. No need to elaborate. The second is that school has started up and now I'm going to be publishing on weekends mostly. The third is that I needed to work ahead on the rough copy because the actual story was going to catch up and that would slow me a lot anyways later on.

*So, here's chapter five. Yeah, it''s a bit short but the next one will be a lot longer. I'm sorry for any errors in the grammar or such. I'm one person so it's not going to be perfect. Don't forget that feedback is always appreciated.

Sans studied his surroundings. Being as lazy as he was, he couldn't have cared less about where his imagination brought him. All he wanted to do was nothing. Unfortunately, dreaming required doing something. He preferred a dreamless sleep. The lab wasn't too bad a choice. He could sit in one of those fancy office chairs and stare up into the ceiling without being bothered. Or he could watch over the various scientific equipment spread out along the surfaces of stainless steel counters. He wouldn't mind a bit of science fiction, but who the hell would read in this dim, spooky lighting. Bad for your eye sockets.

Why must labs always have that strong smell of clean about them? He wondered as he wandered through the endless expanse. He actually had his own secret lab, but he rarely used it. He quit all that science stuff a long time ago. And for good reason. The last experiment went horribly wrong. It was foolish. He should have warned-

No, he argued, scolding himself for thinking such stupid thoughts. I cannot be thinking about stuff like that. That was a long time ago and the present is very different than the past. Maybe I should have tried harder to convince him. Put some more "backbone" into it as Papyrus would say. But that won't change the facts of the matter.

Silently, he walked upon the tile floor in his pink slippers. Hands in his hoody he turned his head from side to side like a owl. Just more equipment gleaming in the creepy lighting.

Nothing? I swore I just saw-. He's cut off when a murky blob passed over the left wall. In seconds it receded back into the dark corners of the room. It frightened him not the least. Honestly, it was getting kind of boring. The question he wanted answered was, who's the shadowy guy? Probably G. Determination and the Void can really screw up your physical appearance.

Cautious step by cautious step he made his way over to the wall. How curious. At first, it looked slightly stained. Like somebody mixed the wrong chemicals or something and it exploded. But on closer inspection that was not the case.

It was in fact blood, human blood, and it spelled in great crimson letters, "All I gave you was mercy." Welp, that sure brought back a bunch of bad memories he didn't need right now. Or ever for that matter. He wasn't fond of having salt rubbed into his wounds. Fuck that demon child.

Another shadow, leaping across the ceiling behind him in a blur of darkness. His left eye flickered to life with a blue orb of concentrated magical energy. He scanned over the room for any sign of him. But he was gone, too fast even for even his own speed to match. He sighed and moved on.

Something tingled on the back of his neck, a cold feeling as he walked away from the message. Oh no, he thinks as he flipped around to catch a glance of a fleeing figure. It was just too fast to catch though. If he chased it he would tire himself out and that would be a bad thing. That's what it wanted. Weakened prey was easy prey.

Breathing heavily he continued on, coming face to face with another wall. His magic tickled at the end of his fingers, ready to jump out at any moment he deemed necessary. This message read, "Why did you give up?"

"You know the reason I gave up G," mumbled Sans. He didn't feel the need to tell the wacko scientist why he did what he did. Gaster knew the answer. Hearing it from him must make him feel better or something he guessed.

He spared one last glance at the haunting letters. The words still sent chills down his spine. They shouldn't be there. They especially shouldn't be written in blood. That was a bad sign.

The gentle pattering of his slippers against the floor were barely audible. He walked down the extent of the lab, trying to ignore the leaping dark as it shifted along the walls. He was doing his best to keep a calm mind set, but the nightmare was beginning to get to him. As if dealing with timeline mumbo jumbo wasn't enough.

"I have learned so much Sans," came a ghostly voice from afar.

Sans snapped around, his eye literally throbbing with anticipation. Another shadow darted across the room, this one moving slower like a lurking spectre. It disappeared no different than before. It was as if it had never existed, no proof whatsoever that it was there. Managing a shaky breath, he looked up and saw another message reading, "It will all come together."

Fear replaced by confusion, Sans scratched his skull. Gaster always liked being cryptic. Even his font was one of mysterious symbols. He really needed to talk to Frisk about all this. He was starting to become worried about them already. They really needed to be careful. He had an idea, a starting point... But it couldn't be possible. Hell, there weren't supposed to be messages in this dream. Not this one. Could it be Chara? He prayed it wasn't, but the blood and words fit their profile all too well.

Shaking his head he moved on, eye scanning the room for any suspicious activity.

The lab eventually constricted into a long hallway of grey metal, the dull material dark as ever. Shadows danced along the walls of the corridor and whispers seem to come from every corner. He wanted to stop and turn back. But he couldn't. The unrelenting force of progress pushed him forwards. There was no time to waste. He needed answers. And Gaster had to know something. The knowledge he possessed was almost god-like at this point.

At the end of the hall, Sans came up to a door. Nothing about it was special. It was just a plain grey door with a ordinary handle. Sans knew what lay on the other side though. Every nightmare here always led to him opening the door to find Gaster. What he said and did varied. Sometimes he was happy, sometimes he was mad. Sometimes he would kill him. So yeah, it often ended on a bad note. If he was lucky, he wouldn't be dished a bad time. He doubted it would be good this time around though.

"No use just staring at it," He grumbled, grieving the events to come. Beyond the door came the faint scent of chemicals and burning flesh. Sans slowly brought his hand down onto the door handle. The distance between the two seemed infinite, but when he finally felt the cold metal on his bony hand he took a deep breath. "Here goes nothin."

He opened the door with a light push and walked into the great void beyond, the door closing behind him on its own. It didn't startle him the least, for he had gone through this sequence of events countless times. The door did more than close. In fact, it simply faded away, preventing any chance of running away. No turning back now.

Anticipation tingled his bones as he laid eyes on the central figure of the room, working away at some kind of experiment. Squinting his eye sockets he could make out a figure in a dark suit who was illuminated by an intense red glow from several vials filled with a substance that could only be Determination.

"Yes, yes," mumbled the former Royal Scientist as he went about his work, rapidly scrawling notes. "Just as I predicted. If everything goes as planned the Barrier will be taken apart quite easily. And myself..." He paused. "Well, let's just say I'll be ever more so powerful than before."

"Don't be so shy," whispered a voice into Sans's ear. He immediately snapped his neck to the side, but only darkness served to respond. He hated to admit it, but the voice right. He had to go in and speak with him if he wished to get answers. Despite hating every aspect of that idea, he had to do it. He began the slow walk towards Gaster one step at a time as the monster rambled on. In the background a eerie piano melody played, the sound emphasizing Gaster's presence.

"Pre-emptive calculations are inadequate for the next scenario," said Gaster unaware of Sans's approach. "I must set new parameters to achieve desirable results."

Sans took a deep breath. It was weird that he remembered the genocide timeline fight with Chara better than the days spent with Gaster in the True Labs. It was as if his death had taken everyone's memories about him and his experiments with him into the Void. Until now that is. And he honestly had no clue as to why he could remember these things. Gaster probably had the answers but he wouldn't share them unless his life depended on it.

"Heya G," introduced Sans, doing his best to be normal and not terrified out of his soul. The scientist turned around slowly to face his former assistant. His face was half melted, hollow eyes deep and lopsided bottomless pits. And those abnormally smooth cracks that ran up from one eye and down the other; ugh, it should not have been possible.

Sans ignored the creep factor and continued talking. "You know your gonna have a bad time if you keep playing with that substance, right?"

Gaster, shaking violently, got up and slammed a unattached hand down onto the table. The table splintered in two upon impact, the glowing red energy of Determination flying across the area in globs. He flickered like a hologram, his very being struggling to remain real. He seemed not the least bit surprised.

"Sans..." Rasped Gaster in an ancient, worn voice of aged wisdom. "I want to be whole again. No, I MUST be whole again. It is not a matter of if, but rather of when."

Sans scratched his neck nervously. "You see," Sans said, trying his best to play innocent. "That's a bit of problem. I've tried to bring you back on my own so many times I've lost count. But it ain't gonna work. Ever. Your just a dream anyways."

Gaster moved his melted mouth into a weak expression of disapproval. "Hmmm… It seems that laziness has caught up to you. I can still remember back to when we worked together side by side. You were always so willing to assist me. It's sad to see a bright mind like yours go to waste." There was a threatening bitterness coating the last few words.

"Things have changed since you left," said Sans. He was used to his former master's rambling. Gaster usually did this because it helped him think things through. He needed to be wary however; the former Royal Scientist was a slippery man. Not only was he a genius, but his power was beyond that of any monster in the world. His power dwarfed that of Sans. He usually had easy time choosing between Chara and Gaster as his worst nightmare. Truth was, they were both scary in their own way. But at least Gaster may have had a shred of humanity left inside. Chara on the other hand was a hopeless cause.

"You still betrayed me," said Gaster. "You promised me, yet you broke it without hesitation." The figure glitches and teleports in a flash of grey light. Faster than even Sans could respond the monster was hanging over his shoulder, no sign of breathing detectable.

Sans shrugged the amorphous poltergeist away lightly and turned to face him, a dark feeling coating him just from Gaster's mere touch. He wasn't going to trust the scientist to not stab him in the back. Especially not here.

"It was suicidal," argued Sans for the thousandth time. He gestured a outstretched hand at him. "Look at what happened to you. I just wanted you to be safe."

Gaster slithered forward in a shadowy blur, leaning over him with a hunched back. He glared down on him, floating hands kept close by his sides. He glitches, the blaring sound of static itching Sans's ears. He did his best to remain calm, but that was becoming increasingly difficult to do.

"Yes," admitted Gaster with a sincere nod. "I may have been a bit short-sighted in my overall plan. But I have learned so much, oh, so much indeed. I understand now the true meaning of this reality. Why some can create SAVE files and others cannot. My knowledge exceeds yours by several magnitudes." He circled Sans as a shark would swim around its prey.

"But your stuck between the timelines now so you can't share that knowledge." Sans grinned, taunting a response out of the scientist. Probably a dumb idea.

"I know," whispered Gaster. "I want to be whole again. To see so much, but do so little is an intolerable existence. This loneliness I suffer is beyond crippling; rather, it is purely devastating." He sighed. "With the Barrier destroyed I see your world clearer than ever before. I'm so close, yet I cannot reach what I see. But people are beginning to remember me. Especially you Sans. If you knew the truth you would certainly forgive me."

Sans shrugged. "Sorry G, I can't really free ya. I don't trust you enough to wander about our timeline. That trust was broken when you ended up here."

"I just need something to give me an adequate amount of determination so I may have a sustainable form in your world." He twiddled his skeletal thumbs impatiently. "It's a shame you gave up on returning me so soon after that incident. The machine would have worked despite your, uh… Personal interests." He smiled. "Or you could just give me their soul."

Sans eye sockets immediately thinned. "I would never, ever so much as think of doing that and you know it G."

Gaster's eyes spark to life as grey pupils form in his hollow eye sockets. The scientist may not have looked like it, but he was frustrated. His patience back when he was whole were infinite. But time and eager anticipation for opportunity seemed to have worn that patience down greatly.

"This is your last chance," said the former Royal Scientist coldly. "If you do not help me achieve my goals, I may be forced to put matters into my own hands and make choices I would preferably leave unanswered." He glitches. "I'm tired of being shattered across this bland realm between space and time. I'll escape through any means necessary."

The room fell awfully quiet as Gaster awaited his assistant's response. Sans was aware that things were going to go south from here so he had to be ready. This dream was all different though. The scientist was serious this time and he knew what had to be done. He had to say no. If he did that however, he would have to defend Frisk from two beings beyond his timeline. Not a preferable situation.

But what if he helped him and he killed Frisk anyways? If he returned, he would be nearly unstoppable. He could kill everyone if he pleased. Who knew what kind of madness could have infected him over all the years stuck in the Void. It was too risky. Best he was left here by himself.

Sans took a deep breath. "No. As long as your stuck here, nothing in our timeline will go wrong. If you get out you'll just destroy us with some sick experiment."

Gaster shook his head sadly. "Most unfortunate you say that. You always liked doing things the hard way, didn't you?" His left eye flashed to life with a holy flame of blue and his right blazed orange with hellfire. "I guess you never do give second chances. I thought you would care more about the people so close to you in your timeline."

Sans felt the words hit home hard, the ruthless accusations Frisk uttered in their rage. That feeling was soon replaced by a weightless feeling of telekinesis. It's almost relaxing, that was until the scientist began knocking him against the floor at a rate his own power couldn't even manage. Gaster let go and flung him across the empty plain of nothingness, his momentum sliding him across the cold darkness upon impact.

Thankful the attack was merely a demonstration and failed to do any damage to his one hit-point, he got up in a disorientated daze. How hard the fight was going to be was the first thought that came to his mind.

He placed his hand to his skull. Holy crap, he's sure strong. And he practically owns this place. I'm at a severe disadvantage. With this in mind he prayed he would soon wake up. He needed to escape the Void. If this place even was the Void.

Gaster summoned a pack of Gaster Blasters around him already charging. These ones are different however, firing small beams of condensed energy that deflect randomly of the nothingness.

Sans was familiar with instant death upon the first attack. This was new however. The Gaster Blasters were not normal, default model he personally used.

Sans ducked under one beam and teleported into the air above as the beams crossed and bounded about below. In seconds the lasers fade away.

Sans went in for the attack, teleporting above the scientist. He readied a salvo of bones and released them, only to have them deflected by a shield of Wing Ding symbols.

"Your struggle is futile," rambled the scientist as he launched another precise beam of energy. Sans teleported just in time to avoid the deadly beam. Now flanking the scientist he summoned his own Gaster Blaster and fired a normal, wide beam of magical energy. The scientist avoids it easily, simply disappearing before the attack even reached him. This fight really did seem hopeless.

"Using my own technology against me," said Gaster amused. "That's sad. I can see you still use the old variation. Unlike you, I've put my skills to use and have made a few improvements to my designs." A large Gaster Blaster was summoned in front of the crooked smile now dominating Gaster's white face.

The Gaster Blaster revealed its true power as a hoard of white comets came rushing out of its mouth. They immediately lock on and seek Sans who knew not what to think of this scenario. This technology was beyond his grasp. Gaster had more time on his hands than he thought, and that time was used with outstanding efficiency.

Sans counters by sending a flight of bones, hoping the sheer mass of projectiles would be enough to stop the assault.

Gaster was already prepared and the melted smile spoke of this. He clenched one of his floating hands and in mere seconds the entire wave of bones shattered across the void in useless fragments. It was clear he wasn't even trying. It served to be a terrifying example of his power.

"Fool," muttered Gaster. "You'll never understand the truth."

This is it, thought Sans as the ghastly comets zoom in on his location. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. I can't dodge these. It's clear I can't beat him. I should just give up now and spare the workout. Only one last hope remained.

Wake up, wake up, please just- His thoughts were cut off by a large explosion of energy that blew his hoody behind him like a cape. His eyes snapped open to see the attack gone.

"What the-" His throat dried and squealed to a halt as he observed a figure in a green sweater with scarlet eyes walk out before him with malicious grace.

"Chara," he whispered. If Sans was afraid of Gaster, Chara downright petrified him. Gaster seemed to fare no better. Finally, something relatable.

"Finally," said Chara coldly. "I've found you two. Let's just say there was quite the racket."

"Not you!" Screeched Gaster, panicked expressions evident through his facial deformities. He looked at Sans desperately. "Sans! You must leave now! We will continue this another time." With those final words he dissipated into the darkness, leaving Sans to fend for himself.

"That slippery bastard," growled Chara. She smiled cruelly at Sans. "I guess you'll have to do for now."

Wake up, wake up, wake up damn it! He closed his eyes and concentrated with all his might. I really need to get out of here! On top of all his panic, his analytical side couldn't help but wonder how Chara managed to find their way into this wretched place.

No! No! He scolded himself. It's all just a dream. A dream without meaning. Nothing else.

"Sans," came a voice from nowhere. "It's all just a bad dream! Wake up!"

Sans woke up to the feeling of being pushed. His eyes cracked open. Over him stood his brother Papyrus with his welcoming smile.

He glanced out his window. It was early morning, but the sun was still illuminating the Surface. Another day in this new world.

"Pa...Papyrus," said Sans groggily. "Why are you up so early?"

"I WAS JUST MAKING SPAGHETTI!" He said in his loud, joyful voice. "I WANTED YOU TO TRY SOME OF IT!"

Sans blinked heavily, still struggling to believe what just happened was really just a dream. "Yeah. That's, uh, good bro. Why don't you get it ready? I'll be down in like five minutes tops."

"GOOD IDEA BROTHER!" Said Papyrus. "BUT DON'T TAKE TOO LONG! YOUR MEAL WILL GET COLD!" Not bothering to hear his brothers response he dashed out the door to ready the morning meal.

"At least the house didn't burn down," he grumbled, getting out of his bed to begin his morning routine.

Sans had no clue about what the hell was even going on anymore.