A/N: In the world it's Write of be Written off.

I am not dead. I assure you that I've been contending with various things that have prevented me from delivering my daily dabblings into digital depiction. A good bit of apprehension at not being able to deliver a satisfying bit of prose was a big part of that. The other bit was that I was dead tired from doing my little bit for Nov 7th. I realize that a week is a terribly long time but I hope to catch up. That's why I pulled out all the stops and wrote my pants off with this larger than normal chapter.

We've got a lot of catching up to so onwards to 50K we go!


Steven didn't have to be told. He knew what or whom he was looking at. It was fairly obvious. A tall almost lanky version of Sans stood before them with a goofy grin. Unlike Sans' informal attire with only a passing admittance of a uniform, this skeleton bore more strikingly military features. He was decked out in armor. It was a full plate and mail! A red slightly tattered cape hung from his back and there were a few medals pinned to this chest or in this case welded. One of said medals bore the symbol from Toriel's dress another reminder to Steven that he hadn't addressed the issue with Toriel.

Nevertheless the tall skeleton was talking and Steven was spacing out looking at its armor.

"SO WHAT BRINGS YOU TO SNOWDIN TOWN?" He chirped as he inspected them. "YOU TWO DON'T LOOK THE SORT TO HAVE RELATIVES HERE. TOURISTS PERHAPS OR MAYBE YOU HEARD OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND WANTED AN AUTOGRAPH!"

Reaching to his waist the skeleton swiped a pen from some unseen pouch and brandished it. "FEAR NOT! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS ALWAYS READY TO PLEASE HIS ADMIRERS!"

"Oh dear, no." Toriel cut him off and Steven was glad for that. The skeleton looked poised to sign their foreheads from the way he was moving. "We're here to see Dr. Gaster. It'd be ever no so nice of you to lead us to his home… the storm has left us greatly diminished."

"AH! HOW INCONSIDERATE OF ME. FEAR NOT, I WILL HAVE YOU THERE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT!" The Skeleton turned down the path and held up a single finger as he dramatically pointed straight ahead, "COME THE GOOD DOCTOR AWAITS!"

Steven jovially concluded that Papyrus was a little kid in a big albeit bony'er body. It warmed him to see some so similar to him. Although he did see how some of his own antics were a bit over the top now that he was on the receiving end of them… but he shrugged it off. He was just being who he was and most people appreciated that. He might get into trouble but he always tried his best to make it better. The Gems taught him that and he wasn't about to let them down.

Speaking of the gems, Steven thought back on that message from Connie. He'd meant to reply to her but the signal had apparently only been strong enough for him to receive a message. He'd tried to send one back as soon as he had time while Toriel had been making preparations but… it hadn't done him any good.

Of course the phone that Toriel had given him was old and didn't do text messages and the technology didn't reach outside the Underground. So in the end Connie's message had to be left unanswered by Steven… at least until he could reach the surface and get a proper signal.

"Hey Tori?" She looked down to him and his questioning tone, "What's that mark on your dress mean?"

Toriel didn't look to her dress but her face was a flurry of expressions. Despite her inhuman features it certainly looked like she was having quite the time formulating a decent enough answer. She kept look at him as if to check something. Her brow rose with this as she kept walking behind Papyrus. Eventually she seemed to slump a bit before turning to Steven once more,

"Well, it's known as the Delta Rune." She paused as if searching for something more to say. She seemed to find it as she continued a moment later, "It's a kind of religion for us in the underground, or maybe a long standing belief might be more appropriate to say."

"So… like a tradition?" Toriel light up as she pointed at him in affirmation and excitement,

"Yes yes, exactly that." She fixed her face to something more placid when she realized she was on the verge of bouncing around like a child. "Well it's related to what I told you about Asgore absorbing human souls."

"Related? You mean they're the same thing? I'm a bit confused..." Toriel shook her head at his question.

"They are most certainly not the same thing." she huffed at the idea, "Asgore has twisted the Delta Rune's meaning to be something perverse and totally inappropriate to it's original meaning."

Steven had always kind of wondered what it would've been like to have had parents. He was also very curious as to how two adults acted together in a romantic relationship. Hollywood, the Maheswaran's, his Mom's home videos, his dad and the Gems had all given him a vague idea of what it was supposed to be like. He knew that his mom and dad were almost like best buddies from the videos but that was all before he had been born! He could never fully understand what it would've been like…

But he now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he'd most probably have wet himself in terror at the prospect of living under the same roof as his mom and dad at the same time.

Toriel looked ready to tear Asgore's throat out with her teeth. Granted, the woman probably could with chompers like hers. All fire and vehemence boiling off of her. He's seen her before at the picnic but to see her flip over something like a religion was something else. Steven also made a mental note not to tangle with Christians… or anyone with a religious affiliation.

"Tori, are you going to be okay?" Steven asked when he was sure she wasn't going to reply "at him" rather than to him. She nodded,

"It's just a really important thing to us and having Asgore make it something entirely else is just hurtful." she fiddled with her claws for a bit before explaining, "The Delta Rune represents our hope of escaping the underground. It's really. EXCUSE ME! PAPYRUS! MAY WE STOP FOR A MOMENT?" The skeleton obliged and with great gusto marched on back to the two of them.

"CERTAINLY! WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO FETCH YOU ANYTHING, YOUR HIGHNESS?" Toriel waved him off and Papyrus proceeded to chat up a dog-person manning a road stand. With that out of the way Toriel gestured to herself and thus the Delta Rune on her dress.

"Now then Steven, please direct your attention to the little triangles situated beneath the circle." Steven did so, oddly reminded of Pearl in her teacher mode. "Those little triangles symbolize the people of the underground. Some variations of the Delta rune arrange these shapes into a sort of altar or as a loose 'w' shape with a line through it. This one, which is the commonly accepted rune, arranges them clustered together with two pointing downwards and one point upwards in a sort of pyramid."

"Asgore…" She growled out in irritation, "Did this to put a position for himself in the Rune. He's represented by the top most triangle and is supposed to be supported by the other two representing his people. Ugh, what a horrid desecration and exploitation of our culture."

"Tori, I don't know anything about this but maybe you shouldn't be so hard on Asgore." Steven started with a mountain of trepidation weighing on him. Toriel whirled on him and he did his best to keep the ball rolling, "He must have this reasons for doing all of this. I don't think he really wants to hurt anyone and it's like that alien character in the movie always says:

The needs of the few must outweigh the needs of the many." Steven held up his hand in a three pronged gesture and a flat naked palm. Toriel didn't know what to make of it but the words struck home for her,

"That's true… but we shouldn't take it from children." Toriel interjected. Steven's eyes went to the floor as the idea of it only being children having their souls taken filled him with dread.

"Is, Is it only children that fall into the underground? You haven't seen any adults here?" Toriel shook her head mournfully,

"It's only been children, over the years I've blocked off most routes leading to Asgore. Most of Old Home's citizens know to direct humans my way… but some still receive news from New Home and there's been a growing campaign to smuggle humans into New Home by any means." Steven grimaced at the possibility of being snatched up off the street. Maybe that could've happened if he hadn't revealed himself as a Gem alongside being human.

It was unsettling but it wasn't as if Toriel had witnessed any children been taken this way. She was the queen of old home and the underground after all. One does not simply pull a fast one on a mother hand, and she's already proven herself a magical powerhouse. It'd be tantamount of suicide to tussle with the likes of Toriel Dreemurr.

"Anyways the angel above those triangles," She paused before elaborating and rewording what she meant to say, "at least we refer to it as an angel, The earliest records of it unanimously call it the angel as well. A lot of people have their own interpretations but I prefer to stick to what the records say to be accurate."

"Angel… So, like those angels in those Christmas carols?" Steven hazarded a guess. He'd always wondered what angels were. Given the Gems and their spotty or non-existent understanding of human culture that little bit of social programming hadn't reached Steven. His dad had explained it a bit but Steven never really got the full idea of what an angel was. What it a good thing like all those carols meant? Then why were there games where there were angels of death or authoritarian guys with wings?

"Well… I suppose." From the lack of recognition on Toriel's face, Stevens suspected that Christmas wasn't a thing down in the Underground. To him that was tantamount of blasphemy, religiously and secularly… and LIFE-ulary/ously! Let it never be said that Steven isn't firm in his beliefs good readers. He politely and maturely stowed the idea away in some imaginary outbox in his mental office,

and then proceeded to pout at the idea that they didn't celebrate in the Underground.

"The angel is thought to be the way we as a people will come to escape the underground and return to the surface! It's such a romantic idea I get a bit flustered just thinking about it." Steven couldn't really see it because it was dark but beneath her fur Toriel really was flush with emotions. She did swoon a bit which Steven laughed at. It was all so comically exaggerated like from one of his saturday morning cartoons that didn't involve profuse secretions from one's lacrimal ducts.

"It sounds really cool Tori, I hope Mr. Angel comes down soon cause I think everyone back home would love to see you guys!" Steven assured with a big grin. Sure some of them would unlikely give the people of Beach City pause, and in Ronaldo's case a heartache and a nervous breakdown or nerd-gasm, but on the whole Steven couldn't think of anything cooler than these guys meeting HIS guys.

And no, he wasn't actually thinking of his toys.

"AH GOOD! I HAVE RETURNED AT JUST THE RIGHT MOMENT!" Papyrus remarked as he returned to them with a table… with a full spread of hot drinks, some cakes and a tea set. Stevens eyes bugged out and went wide at the strange sight but as the table was set down before them, he threw it all off and leapt at the mugs, yes plural, of hot chocolate and began sipping, carefully! "PLEASE ACCEPT THIS SMALL GESTURE FROM THE SNOWDIN ROYAL GUARDSMEN!"

"Oh, my!" Toriel squeaked at the offering, "Well, thank you very much. But... " She studied the road aroudn them and the vendors, "Wherever did you find a table out here?"

"THE GREAT BROTHER OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS WAS PASSING BY AND JUST HAPPENED TO HAVE ONE SUCH TABLE! IT WASN'T NECESSARY FOR I WOULD'VE HOSTED EVERYTHING ON MY BACK OTHERWISE!" The boisterous skeleton swiped an unclaimed mug off the table and tossed it skyward. In a feat of flexibility that astounded and positively unnerved both travelers Papyrus bent over backwards and flexed his rib cage so that the armor covering his torso bent and folded into a flat solid mass. The Mug clattered but landed miraculously without incident on his osteoblasted abs.

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Belted out Steven as he excitedly hurried over to the table that was Papyrus. Toriel grimaced and tried to stop him,

"Oh, careful! You'll spill or slip or…" Steven was already at a standstill as her words slipped out. He was struck by the skeleton's control of his body. So much so that he set the mug down on Papyrus and tried to mimic him as best as he could. Oh how he huffed and puffed and held his breath to get his pudgy frame to assume the position of "table."

"AH! NOW YOU SEE THE TRIALS EVEN I HAD TO GO THROUGH TO HAVE SUCH PROWESS! EXCELLENT! PRACTICE PRACTICE AND YOU WILL HAVE IT!" As if to punctuate his statement Papyrus proceeded to assume an upright stance with the armor plants flexing once again to accommodate the mugs on his chest. Steven watched this with an unearthly fascination as Papyrus handed him his mug.

"Wow…" Stars were dancing in the young gem's eyes as he watched the bone man move. Toriel was right by his side with a hand out to help him up but the little man never let his eyes off the spectacle of ossification and kinesiology.

"OH" Papyrus bade him, "SO YOU WISH TO BE A ROYAL GUARD AS WELL!"

"Ah, no Papyrus. He's just amazed that you can move like that." Steven nodded alongside Toriel's statement. The skele-man grinned to himself which was quite the feat given that his features tended to make him do so regardless. Nevertheless he'd broken the rules of how bones move, why stop at the chest cavity when the plates of the skull lie in wait for such physics bending ministrations.

But such a Bone-anza would have to wait… They had a doctor to see!


Down the path and across the bridge, which Papyrus assured them was safe, they finally reached the bright and cheery Snowdin town. Steven was struck by a few things in the mess of buildings.

Firstly, the Underground did celebrate Christmas! That was something that had been on his mind as they walked to town and to see the horrendously large coniferous tree standing in the center of the village was quite reassuring to him. He wasn't like Toriel and would've been able to explain all of what a Christmas was. He'd just do what he did with the Gems for Birthdays… which was a disaster which even he had to admit to given that he almost aged himself to death. Talk about a mild-life crisis!

Secondly, the town was something out of one of his books on how Abraham Lincoln lived. There were nothing but log cabins standing amidst tall coniferous trees. There were a few modern conveniences such as mailboxes, cafes and a library in sight. Thankfully he hadn't seen an outhouse or at least he hadn't thought he'd seen anything resembling one. A few of the storage sheds here were suspect until he could get a whiff of them himself. Camping with Greg had solidified Steven's love of the porcelain throne by several orders of magnitude. Poor kid could hold it in for a while in the wait for the loo.

Thirdly, Papyrus was now holding him in what looked like a cage of bones.

"HUMAN! HOW CRAFTY OF YOU!" Papyrus belted out as he consolidated the cage with magic, "TO HIDE WITH THE QUEEN! VERY CRAFY OF YOU BUT NOT ENOUGH TO FOOL THE GREAT PAPYRUS!"

The bones themselves weren't too scary. It was the ever shrinking space between them. Sure Papyrus had made the cage bars too spread out to be off any use but after that little consolidation Steven could clearly see that he'd touch one. From what he could tell magic tended to not agree with him, if the magic of those X-pellets from Flowey were any indication. He scurred back away from them as he searched in vain for some way out. His eyes landed on Toriel, "Tori…"

"Papyrus, please, I order you to let him go at once!" protested the lady. "As Queen Toriel Dreemurr I order you to cease and desist this!"

That last bit made the royal guard falter for a moment. "BUT…. KING ASGORE…"

"yo papyrus." greeted Sans as he sauntered up to them with a take out bag labeled "Grillby's eats" on it, "what'cha up to bro?"

"AH SANS! I WAS JUST APPREHENDING A HUMAN CHILD! ANOTHER TO MY NAME AS A MATTER OF FACT!" Papyrus remarked, "BUT…"

"oh ho, so this is what a human looks like." Sans feigned ignorance as he faked an inspection of Steven, who was looking fairly confused, "are they supposed to look this freaked out bro?"

Papyrus blinked and looked over his brother at Steven. His empty sockets confirmed exactly what his brother had pointed out. Steven was curled up as tight as he could away from the bones that made up his prison. He looked quite heartbroken. To Steven he'd just lost a friend that he'd really liked. The back-breaking feats and the goofy antics felt so much like his own he thought he'd found a partner in crime. Sort of like with Amethyst back home but more goofy and closer to his own. In a way it reminded him of when he'd "cloned" himself by going back in time.

The guard grit his teeth at the decision, "BUT… I… I SWORE…"

"bro, just look at the bigger picture. you could be the escort to her highness over here. betcha asgore'll promote you again for bringing her home,eh?" Sans winked to Steven. The boy got it as he watched the lazier sibling work his routine on his more driven counterpart.

Papyrus brightened at this. "OF COURSE! EXCELLENT SUGGESTION SANS! I WILL BE SURE TO REPORT YOUR BRILLIANCE WHEN HER HIGHNESS IS REUNITED WITH KING ASGORE!" Toriel looked so betrayed at that moment. Steven could only imagine just how she felt. It reminded him of when Garnet had wigged out over Pearl using her to become Sardonyx to feel better for her own personal gain. Except this time it was all hurt and none of the bitter rage that Garnet let loose that day.

"alright, but don'tcha think asgore'll be all that happy if you tee off toriel over here with freaking out her human pal?" Sans looked to Toriel, "wage you'd get PUN-ished pretty fierce for a stunt like that."

The queen took a deep breath as she got it. Consoling done Sans shifted all of his focus back on his brother. Papyrus looked downright shaken at the idea of disappointing Asgore. A sense of dread seemed to come from his terrified features in the eyes of Steven. Then that feeling passed and Papyrus righted himself with his characteristic charm. With a snap the cage dissolved around Steven and the boy collapsed into a pile of relief.

Toriel rushed to him as Sans patted his brother, "you done good pap. you done good."

"THANKS SANS." Puffed out Papyrus as he eased the strain of the moment off of him, "YOU DON'T THINK SHE'LL…"

"pap, relax. does she look like the sort to remember that?" Papyrus looked as Steven was set on his feet after a bit of motherly examination and attention. It was that exact moment that Toriel shot Papyrus a dirty look. It was the sort of bone chilling glare that hinted at dark clouds, stormy seas, harsh winds and the roar of an oncoming tempest. And thus dread took to Papyrus' countenance…

"yo, i just got from talking to my old man. he says to come on down, he's apparently been expecting you. how don't ask me my father gaster's talks tend to require me to 'Gather my wits Faster.'" Steven frowned at the word joke but Toriel seemed to appreciate it from the polite chuckle it earned. Sans was a bit nonplussed but brushed it off, "eh, they can't all be winners."


The Gaster family residence was a simple affair. It was just another log cabin amidst all the rest. The only real differences were the high-tech equipment jutting from the roof and the prodigious space next to the house which Steven took to be a sort of parking lot from the wheel grooves in the dirt. The parking lot itself was empty of snow and bare dirt could be seen without trouble.

"WELCOME YOUR HIGHNESS TO OUR HUMBLE ABODE!" "yeah make yourselves comfy." Bade the brothers as they held the door opened and reverentially bowed to Toriel and Steven who gratefully hurried into the warm home. That was the first impression they got of the house, it was warm and inviting.

But that wasn't to say that it was just that from a thermodynamic perspective. The two story home had a charming appeal all it's own. Abstract art hung in frames on the wall alongside photos of whom they believed was Dr. Gaster and his sons. The pictures themselves varied and seemed to show the two skeletons growing older with time. Aside from the pictorial memorabilia there were a few certificates from institutions on the walls as well.

The furniture was also tasteful in that it duly attempted to dissipate the rich browns of the home. You had cream colored couches, white tables and cherry red carpets to offset the color scheme a bit. A few dashes of sky blue could be found in the flower vases and appliances here and there. Shelves with their colorful books seemed to rule the walls where there weren't photos and they held no shortage of intellectual stimulation.

"Well then, if you've had enough of my decor," Started the eloquent doctor, "Might I ask that you set yourselves? I understand that the trek from Old Home isn't too kind this time of day."

The good doctor was slim but well shaped. To Toriel and Steven he looked like some sort of missing link between the bones of Sans and Papyrus. Not too tall but definitely tall enough. None too lean but rounded enough to give the impression of fullness of his form. His face was a neat and strikingly handsome oval with a more human feel to them. There was none of the large cartoony features of his sons there, just business.

He was even dressed in a suit with a skinny tie. Sans had told them he'd been expecting them after all.

"Come come, you needn't gawk from the door." he shifted over a bit on the couch he was seated on before patting it invitingly,

The duo obliged and behind them came the brothers who went about tidying themselves before entering. The duo followed suit, not wishing to look like a bunch of uncivilized baboons in a guest's home. Steven because he felt the watchful presence of Pearl on him from somewhere and Toriel because she was a queen and this was sort of her schtick.

"There's no need to be so formal and rigid. We have much to speak of and not a whole lot of time. I do believe we are late as it is." the crisp clap of a pocketwatch sounded before Dr. Gaster put it away, "Mm, yes… but not tryingly so."

Steven and Toriel sat down on a couch next to Gaster's at long last. The good doctor gave them a moment to get themselves comfortable before he initiated the conversation,

"Nice and comfy," he noted with a smile, "now Ms. Dreemurr, I do believe you have questions I am to answer."

"Ever to the point Dr. Gaster." Toriel mused before she began, "Gaster, how many human souls has Asgore acquired up to now?"

Gaster didn't hesitate so much as look at Toriel more closely, "Ms. Dreemurr, You have your answer already."

"Six, yes…" She bit her lip anxiously at the number,

"I'm very sorry Ms. Dreemurr. You tried your very best to shelter them." Gaster shook his head, "and to answer the next question. Yes, Steven's soul will be the last needed for him to gather enough power to shatter the barrier."

"But… I'm part Gem. Does that count for something?" Steven ventured as he saw Toriel grow more and more crestfallen. Gaster nodded with a warm smile,

"It counts for everything my boy!" Gaster exclaimed, "What better person than a half-gem human to bridge the gap between Gems, Humans and the Underfolk! I'd say it's poetic but it's all been ordained already."

"Huh?" Steven said. Sans was snickering the corner as he mouthed 'gather my wits faster.'

"Your family is on their way Steven. I'm a very perceptive individual and I can 'feel' them coming." Gaster tapped at his noggin which let out a hollow tone at his movements. "At the rate they're going, they'll reach the barrier as fast as you will as long as you continue on your way."

"Oh, that's good! I'll just wait for them here then." Gaster wrinkled his nose at Steven,

"Dear me, do you think that would be for the best?" Steven sat up at the tone Gaster's voice took for it filled him with dread. "Good I have your attention now."

"I've heard word that there's been a Gem incursion in Old Home recently. Intelligence suggests it was some shirtless human with a bit of chub." Steven scowled at the remark as he felt at himself. He was not fat, he was well rounded like everyone wants to be.

"Now why would a sweet young lad such as yourself start throwing around your powers so blatantly as to cause a stir enough that I can hear about it from Snowdin,a veritable world removed, hm?" Steven guiltly thought back to that moment and what he'd been feeling. He could remember how he felt about these creatures and how they looked like Gem mutants. THey were monsters to him, fit to be feared and rightly destroyed or repelled.

"Would your beloved family take kindly to the Underfolk?" Steven grimaced as he realized the singular truth of the Gems entering the Underground.

It'd be the Extermination war all over again. Eons of honing their abilities would've doubtlessly made the Crystal Gems better at slaughtering these people. Steven didn't want that. He wanted to take some of these people back to Beach City to show just how cool some of they were and to help them out. Sure he didn't know how he was going to do that but he'd cross that bridge when it comes.

"Yes, quite the intelligent young man we have here." Gaster gave him a thumbs up as he looked to his elder son, "Papyrus, I trust our guest room is ready."

"BUT OF COURSE FATHER! I TIDY IT AT DAWN AND DUSK!" Gaster nodded his approval at which Papyrus beamed at,

"I do believe it's time that our good travellers rest before we continue this. I believe that we've exchanged enough words for now. You'll be more fit to word your inquiries in the morn." Gaster stood and bowed to them, "Besides, My sweet Papyrus needs his bedtime story."

"OH BOY!" That certainly got Papyrus sprinting for his room. Gaster lightly chuckled his rambunctious son. Toriel seemed to brighten somewhat at the sight of Gaster's expression. Steven did the same but he was looking at Papyrus instead. He wondered how his dad was now. Greg would read to him before bed just as Gaster was about to. He hoped that the Gems weren't bringing him along, he didn't want his dad going through "crazy magic stuff" to get to him as his dad put it.

"Hi ho, hi ho, It's off to bed you go." Gaster bid them and, with a swift point and thumb, had Sans show them to their room.

"sure thing, pops."


I think I've gotten a good idea of how to write the current roster of main characters. Sleep deprivation does strange things to a man's noggin.

Gaster's about to be my saving grace in this fic. I'm going to milk him for all he's worth! Such a good character that needs to be explored more. I thought to give his sons' and himself a bit of "impossibility" to mimic their behaviors in-game. Things a character shouldn't normally do. I hope you enjoy those little quirks as things progress.

I apologize to all of my readers. I didn't intend to do this but again, I was so slammed with fatigue that if I wrote anything I'd have just vomited thoughts on the page without grace or forethought. Nanowrimo is about that sort of business... but I'm a bit vain and would love to count myself a storyteller. I can't very well do that if I couldn't story craft on the fly now can I?

Also how's my attempts at humor working for you guys. My material's horridly dry given my science background but I really hope Osteoblasted and Bone-anza were to your liking.

Day 14

Word Count 21417 total (4712 today)