Ch. 9: Unexpected Changes
Gaster had already picked up a few dozen signs by the time the scan finished.
The king seemed surprised by Gaster's quick pace and sharp memory. Gaster was able to repeat most of what he had learned with little need for pause or prompting. He even gave the king a small smile, it was genuine even if it was not easy to make. He had rarely had a reason to smile before but the king's company made him want to.
The doctor gathered up his papers and printouts from the displays before approaching the king. "Sir we are running short on time, we must move on to the next room."
The king gave a nod before glancing at Gaster, "are you going to remove the sensors first Drake?"
The doctor was already heading for the door. "No, they will need to be in place for the remaining scans and we are already behind schedule."
The smile slipped from Gaster's face, they had finished in the monitoring room much faster than he had thought they would. The doctor had skipped most of the usual measurements so now there was a lot more time left for tests than he had hoped for. His gaze fell and he began to tremble a little more, now that he wasn't distracted the deep ache of his still recovering bones crept back into his awareness. He had hoped the king wouldn't make him do any more tests.
The king noticed the shift in Gaster's frame, "it's alright young one, you are doing very well." The king held his hand out but Gaster stared at it without moving more than his trembling made him. The king's face grew concerned as he knelt down next to the exam table, bringing him eye to eye with Gaster. He gently rested his large hand on Gaster's shoulder, "are you alright young one? What's wrong?"
Gaster tensed slightly at the contact, his dimmed eye-lights shifting to meet the king's searching gaze. Hesitantly he brought his hand up and held it in front of himself for a moment before he timidly signed, 'no, please.' He didn't know the word for test yet, after a second he signed again, 'no doctor, please.'
"I won't let the doctor hurt you young one." The king's voice grew gentle. "Whatever he has planned for you to do, I won't let him hurt you. I promised nothing bad will happen, remember?" The king gave a reassuring smile as he gave Gaster's shoulder a gentle squeeze. Gaster looked into the king's eyes for a moment before he gave a small nod. The king held out his hand and Gaster slowly placed his own in it.
The group traveled through the halls at the slow pace that Gaster was able to set until they arrived at the physical testing room, the doctor's obviously growing impatience becoming more visible along the way. The guards once again waited in the hall while the doctor, the king and the skeleton entered the room.
The doctor immediately began altering the settings on the treadmill while Gaster eyed it unhappily. He disliked most of the tests but he held a special hate for the treadmill. The doctor moved over to the nearby monitor screen, "come." He didn't look away from the machine as he spoke.
Gaster looked up pleadingly at the king one last time. The king gave Gaster a look of understanding as he squeezed his hand. "It's alright young one, just do what you are able to and take it easy. I will be right here." Gaster let out a small sigh as moved to the machine and reluctantly stepped up onto it.
"Faster." He had barely started moving before the doctor spoke, he picked up his pace from a shuffle to a walk. Already he could feel his body protest the increased movement, his sore joints stiffening and his breathing growing quick. "Faster." He obeyed before he could stop himself, conditioned to follow the doctor's orders quickly during tests knowing that the alternative was even more painful. He stumbled, barely catching himself before he slowed down again. "I said faster." Gaster had to force himself not to automatically obey the doctor's order.
"Drake, there is no need to push him." The king's voice was not quite commanding, but it was firm. "He will do what he can and you will ask no more of him."
The doctor's tone turned frustrated, "I need data from the subject while it is under stress, I cannot get accurate readings if you coddle it."
Gaster continued to walk, his breathing was starting to grow ragged and he could feel his soul beat irregularly in his rib-cage.
The king flicked his ear, "he is already under stress, there is no need to push him to his limit."
"The edge of ability is where the most useful data is." The doctor shifted back a little when the king narrowed his eyes. "I'm only trying to do my job," the doctor turned stiffly back to the screen.
Gaster stumbled again, slowing even more. "That is enough young one, you can stop." The king caught him as he slipped off the treadmill, gently lowering him to sit on the floor. Gaster stiffened some at the unexpected catch but he was still grateful for it, he worked to catch his breath as the king supported him. The doctor gave the king a sour look but said nothing more.
The doctor had Gaster do a few more tests using some very small weights along with various stretches and range of motion tests. Gaster didn't mind these as much and with the king hovering over the doctor's shoulder he wasn't pushed as far as he usually was. Light as the tests were compared to what he was normally forced to do, they still drained Gaster's energy fast.
"We must hurry if we are to complete the last measurements before the day is out." The doctor was already striding toward the door as he spoke.
"Need there be more Drake? He is already exhausted." Gaster leaned against the king's arm, very aware of the contact but unable to muster the strength to stand upright on his own.
The doctor slowed, "it is necessary to collect all readings consecutively, otherwise we will have to start over again."
The king sighed, "very well." He glanced down at the weary skeleton. "Are you able to keep going young one? I won't force you to but I would hate for you to have to go through this again."
Gaster very much did want to stop but he also didn't want what he'd already done to have been for nothing. Though the tests hadn't been as harsh as usual he was still in greater pain than normal from the day before and was already beginning to feel the strain of adding to it. He glanced up at the king and slowly nodded, if he was lucky the doctor would continue going easy on him with the king watching. The king frowned slightly while looking down at Gaster, then he reached down and easily scooped up the tired skeleton into his arms.
Gaster instantly went ridged as the king carried him toward the door, the sudden hold making him panic before he realized what was going on. He forced himself to breath and to calm down in slow increments until he was only tense instead of limb-locked stiff. The king strode easily down the hall while carrying him, the hold was gentle but also protective. Gaster tried to slow the quick beating of his soul as the king smiled warmly down at him.
They quickly arrived at the magic testing range, the doctor leading them over to the target area. The king eyed the doctor as he set up recording devices. "I don't know how much more he can do Drake, you will not push him to the point of danger."
The doctor waved his hand dismissively, "using magic is less taxing on it than physical activity. Since only a portion of the energy used in magical attacks is channeled through the body it puts much less strain on the subject."
The king gave a slightly displeased hum as he looked down at the clearly worn out skeleton in his arms. "Does he need to stand on his own for these tests?"
The doctor sighed as he continued setting up, "do what you will. I don't care as long as it is able to manifest attacks."
The king carried Gaster over to the line on the floor that marked the summoning area. He knelt down and positioned Gaster in his lap so that he would have a good view of the target. Gaster looked up cautiously at the king as he settled into position. "If you don't mind young one I would like you to stay sitting, I don't want you to push yourself any more than you have to." Gaster gave the king a timid nod, he was still tense but he wasn't as uncomfortable in the king's hold as he had expected to be. Beyond that he wasn't sure if he could stand for very long even if he was leaning against the king for support.
"Begin." Gaster turned to the target, raising his hand he focused his magic as cyan light filled his eye-sockets. He summoned a bone from the floor and sent it forward, summoning another after the first hit it's mark. Using his magic was much easier for him than any of the physical tests had ever been. One at a time he summoned white bones and sent them at the target.
"Blue." At the doctor's command he switched to light blue bones. These ones were a little smaller than his others, they took more energy to cast so he didn't try to make them as large as his regular attacks. He summoned a few more single attacks. "White."
He switched back to a white bone. "Blue." He switched again. "White." The doctor had him switch back every other attack, then the doctor started having him switch in different patterns. Gaster kept going and soon even the comparatively easy use of magic started to weigh on him.
He suddenly felt like he had no energy left and it was as if a weight had been dropped on his mind as he felt himself begin to faint. Panicking he struggled to remain conscious, dropping his attack he grasped for the king's hand as he tried to stay conscious. Gaster was used to fainting but the sudden loss of energy rattled him, the memory of nearly falling down permanently was still fresh in his mind. He took deep breaths as the shadows at the edge of his vision slowly began to fade.
"That's enough young one." The king pulled Gaster into a gentle embrace. "That's enough, you've done very well." Gaster stiffened but didn't pull away, after a moment he began to relax as he looked up into the king's concerned eyes and he felt his dwindling energy start to return. "He cannot do any more tests today Drake." The king began to delicately remove the sensors from Gaster's bones.
The doctor gave a grunt as he looked over his readings. "I suppose that will have to do." He came over to collect the sensors from the floor, once they were all placed into their container the doctor pulled a syringe from his pocket. Gaster stiffened slightly at the sight of it, he knew he needed it but he didn't want the doctor so close to his soul. "It should be placed on the floor for the application of the supplement." Gaster's grip on the king's hand tightened.
The king gently lowered Gaster to the floor but didn't force him to release his hand. When the doctor didn't move the king spoke. "You may go ahead Drake."
The doctor frowned at the king. "That is inadvisable, the subject's body will seize from the influx of energy and if you are too close you will take damage."
"I will be fine Drake." The king's voice was calm but also resolute, he would not be argued out of this. The doctor's frown deepened as he stared at the king. After a moment he leaned down to pull Gaster's gown aside and he reached the syringe into Gaster's rib-cage.
Gaster breathed in sharply as he felt the needle enter his soul. His grip on the king's hand tightened further as he spasmed, his body flailed back against the floor. It didn't last long and he was quickly left panting as the energy seeped into his bones. He hesitantly glanced up at the king, fearful that he may have hurt them. He was even more fearful that the king would be upset with him.
The king appeared unhurt as he gazed down at Gaster with saddened eyes. "It's alright young one, it's alright." The king scooped Gaster up as he stood, gently holding him to his chest. Though Gaster now had more energy he still felt very worn, he tensed but didn't protest to the king carrying him. "Drake you need to make this a priority. I won't have this child put through unnecessary torture."
The doctor paused in gathering his papers with a sigh, "if you insist sir."
"I do." The king flicked his ear, "do you need anything else from me today?"
"No sir, nothing more for now."
The king walked out of the room with Gaster in his arms, leaving the doctor behind. The king's guard followed as they moved through the halls, shadowing them silently but for the clanking of armor. After a short while Gaster realized they weren't heading in the direction of his room. He began tracking their movements in his mind as they went but the king was heading to a part of the lab that he had never been to before.
The king stopped in front of a door, gently he lowered Gaster to his feet before turning the handle and opening it. "This is your new room." The king smiled as he gestured for Gaster to enter. Gaster slowly stepped inside, barely able to comprehend what he was seeing. The room was the same shades of white and grey as the rest of the lab but it felt much more inviting. The king followed him in, gesturing to the right side of the room as he spoke, "that is your bed, with your own blanket and pillow." The king signed as he went, showing Gaster what was in the room.
There was a small table next to the bed with stout cloth-shaded lamp and at the far end of the bed there was a bookshelf along the same wall. Gaster hesitantly ran his fingers over the colorful thin-spined books, looking back up at the king as he did so. "Once you know your signs well enough I will teach you how to read and write."
The king continued to the other side of the room, there was a dresser and a toy chest against the left wall. Toward the back of the room was a dividing wall that extended from the right and ended halfway across the floor. On the closer side of the small wall was a simple desk with drawers and a straight backed chair. The king led him around the dividing wall, on the left side where it was still visible from beyond the wall there was a sink with a small cupboard underneath it. On the wall above the sink was a rectangular mirror that was a little too high for him to see into. To the right where it was hidden by the wall was a glass walled floor shower. The king showed him how the water worked in both the sink and the shower, then he pointed out a small step stool next to the sink.
Gaster pulled the step stool out and positioned it in front of the sink, when he stepped up he was tall enough to look into the mirror. His breath quickened and he blinked a few times, he had caught glimpses his reflection warped and distorted across medical tools but he had never seen it clearly before. His features were mostly plain and smooth except for the thin fractures in his skull that stuck out starkly against his bone white complexion. He turned his head slightly as he blinked his eye-sockets and moved his jaw to watch the skeleton in the mirror mimic him. He could see signs of weariness in his features but overall he looked much more . . . young than he thought he would. He hesitantly reached a hand up to trace the thin hairline cracks on his face, somehow they were more prominent than he had imagined. They sometimes itched but they had never hurt him, though they looked like they should.
Gaster turned to the king who had been watching him with a slightly saddened expression. Gaster looked down and fiddled with his hands for a moment before he hesitantly brought his gaze back up to the king. He pointed at the cracks, 'why?'
The king sighed and closed his eyes for a moment before he looked at Gaster again, "that question has a complicated answer young one. I will tell you but I don't have enough time to explain all of it to you today and I don't want to leave you with half of an answer. I'm sorry but it will have to wait until next time."
Gaster frowned slightly as he looked down at his hands again before giving a small nod, when he looked back up the king was gesturing for him to follow. The king led him over to the dresser, pointing out a large wicker basket that sat next to it. "This is for your clothes after you are finished with wearing them, when they are dirty and need to be washed you put them in here." The king opened a drawer in the dresser and started pulling out several pieces of clothing. The king held them up in front of Gaster one at a time until he found ones that appeared to match the skeleton's size best. He ended up handing over a plain grey shirt and some dark blue sweat pants. Gaster took the clothes and stared at them in bewilderment, not entirely sure what to do with them. Gaster looked back up at the king who seemed to be caught between warm amusement and sad understanding.
"It's alright young one, I will help you with those." The king knelt down and took the clothes from Gaster, setting them aside the king gently motioned for him to turn around. Gaster did so slowly, unsure of what the king was doing. He stiffened slightly as he felt the king start to undo the ties at the back of his gown. "There are only a few of these clothes that are in your size but now that I know what will fit you I will be able to bring more later."
When the last tie was undone the gown came loose and started to slip off Gaster's frame, he caught it before it could fall all of the way off. He slowly turned back to face the king, still clutching it to his chest. The king gestured for Gaster to give it to him but he shook his head and didn't let it go. The king gave him a sympathetic look. "That's alright young one, you can hold onto it." It wasn't that Gaster was embarrassed about showing what was underneath it, there really wasn't that much to see. It was just that without it he felt vulnerable, it wasn't exactly armor but it was the only protection he'd ever had. Besides that, the doctor had only ever removed his gown before they went to the surgery room. He felt his soul shudder at the thought.
The king held up the sweat pants and indicated for Gaster to step into them, Gaster eyed the garment for a moment before moving to do so. He was forced to grab the king's shoulder with one hand to keep his balance as he tried to maneuver his feet into the holes. Gaster looked up at the king timidly but the king only smiled at him. The king gently slid the pants up and positioned them on Gaster's hip bones so that when he tied the string securely at the front they didn't slide off.
The king then had Gaster hold his arms up one at a time as he slid the shirt onto them. Gaster still clung to the gown as the king pushed the shirt over his head. There was a moment where Gaster had to fight down panic as he struggled with the garment before he was able to pull his head though. Once the shirt was all the way on he looked down at the new clothes that he was now wearing. They hung loosely from his body, though like the gown they seemed to be naturally repelled by his magic to form around him at a greater volume than his bones required. He poked at the shirt just below his rib-cage, it easily bowed into the space with no bones but then automatically shifted back out when he removed his hand.
He looked up to find the king smiling at him with amusement, he ducked his head slightly though he still held the king's gaze. "I'm afraid there are not any striped shirts here that will fit you, you are just a little too big for the ones that I have. I will have to try to find some in the proper size later." The king's smile tugged down a little. "Unfortunately you will still have to wear the gown while the doctor is working with you but otherwise I hope that wearing these during your free time will make you feel more comfortable."
Gaster looked down at the gown that he still held in his hands, the clothes he was wearing now felt strange but they also felt like far better protection than the gown ever had. After a moment he slowly lifted the gown over the wicker basket and let it drop in, he looked at the king to see the amused smile return. He found that he liked it when the king smiled.
There came a soft knock at the door. The king tilted his head slightly toward it and sighed before turning back to Gaster. "I'm sorry but I must be going now young one." He paused for a moment before he reached out and gave Gaster's shoulder a gentle squeeze, Gaster still stiffened out of reflex but almost immediately relaxed again. The king smiled encouragingly down at him, "I will be back again tomorrow. I'm sorry about what happened today, I did not realize the doctor would have you push yourself so hard. You should have been given more time to rest before he had you do those tests. I will have to talk to him to make sure what he has planned for you next will not be so demanding."
The king looked around the room for a moment, "this was one of the spare resting rooms that the assistants use, I have brought what I thought you would need but if you feel like you need something more just let me know." Gaster looked up at the king uncertainly but the king still smiled down at him. "This is your room now young one, all of this belongs to you."
Gaster's gaze shifted to take in the room and the many things in it. He was already feeling so overwhelmed by everything, but this? Being given things that belonged to him, he felt almost startled by the thought of it. He hesitated a moment, looking down at his hands. This was so much more than he could have thought possible, than he had dared to hope for.
It was too much, it just wasn't possible for this much good to happen. He found that he was holding his breath, he felt like he was waiting for the floor to fall away beneath him. He looked up into the king's face, searching for a catch, a lie, anything. But all he saw was that genuine, warm smile.
The king saw his uncertainty. "Young one I'm sorry that you have to stay here, if I could I . . . " The king's smile tugged down slightly as he sighed, "I'm sorry that this is all I can do for you."
Gaster was overwhelmed by what he had already been given and the king thought that it was not enough? He straightened a little as he looked back at the king in disbelief. How was it that the king could care so much? Gaster took a deep breath as he tentatively reached out and placed his hand on the king's shoulder to give it a small squeeze. He looked into the king's eyes and he gave the best smile he could manage, 'thank you.'
The king smiled even more warmly back at him, "you are welcome young one." The king gave Gaster's shoulder another gentle squeeze, "I will see you tomorrow." The king stood, he gathered up the pile of extra clothes as he moved toward the door.
As the king left he turned to give Gaster one last smile. Gaster gave the king a barely hesitant, 'goodbye.'
