*Blue*
Floating in that formless space somewhere between awake and dreaming he opened his eyes to the darkness and sighed in relief. Here there was no pain, no suffering, only an endless sea of serenity. Staring down at himself he knew that he was in a pretty bad way. Only monsters close to the point of breaking down from soul-crushing hopelessness ended up in that void between the living and the dead. But Sans had been there before. He knew that sooner or later he was going to have to face his pain if he wanted to get out of that place and make it back to Papyrus.
The thought of his brother made his body itch to get up and run, run as fast and as far as he was able, until he could find a way to ditch the tyrant holding him hostage. Though staying in the void would be good for his soul and his health he wasn't sure how long he could stay that way until the purple bastard found a way to forcibly wake him up and enact more tortures. For the time being he supposed he should just cherish the time he had to himself and the lack of worries.
Time didn't seem to pass in that place between the world of dreams and reality, though he felt that it hadn't been long since he'd fallen into that state. Trying his best not to think too much he embraced the warmth that somehow permeated the void and floated along. Slowly his body began to feel whole again, much to his relief. Though he was certain his mind would be in tatters when he finally returned. It would take time for him to get back to where he'd been with the two, separate, sets of memories. By now the tyrant Papyrus was probably scoffing at his weakness, even if that weakness had been his doing. If Sans had been given full command over his magic he could have easily made Chillby back off. Throbbing in his soul made him wince slightly. Remembering what had happened before he passed was painful in a way that dimmed his soul.
Something outside of the space brushed against him, rough yet comforting. Shivering as strong, raw, emotion swept over him Sans couldn't help but wonder what was happening while he slept. Would he wake to find himself strapped back in a chair, waiting for the torture to begin anew?
Holding himself together as best he could he turned inward. There was no way he could view the memories in an order of his choosing so he had to grit his teeth and experience everything as it had happened. Luckily the void was dark and soothing, making it hard for one to become too stressed or excited. Watching the memories with a critical eye he was able to come to terms with what had just happened. It was a long, slow, process but he knew that he could not stay trapped in this purgatory for too long. Papyrus was probably worried sick about him back home, though a portion of his mind feared he'd been given up for lost. Grudgingly he had to admit that the red version of himself was a far better match for Papyrus. He was just as loyal as Sans but worked far harder for Papyrus's approval. The only downfall he could see being that Red was just as messed up as his brother. He could see from the memories forced into his head that the red version was just as into incest as his tyrant brother. Or at least, that was the way the memories had been spun. There was no real way to verify if they were real or if they were delusions created by Purpyrus.
Remembering his name for the purple tyrant he snickered to himself, his soul a little lighter for the thought.
Sensing that his body was about as healed as it was going to be, him being a 1hp monster and all, he turned to his inner thoughts memories. It took less effort than he thought to sort them back to where they were before his little breakdown but he chalked that up to how long he'd had to practice organizing the different personas he'd created for himself.
Over time he started to feel as though the void of blackness surrounding him was no longer safe. Time might not move for him in the void but Sans was getting antsy. It had to be more than a day since he'd passed out in Papyrus's bed. Looking deep into himself he made sure that he was fully healed and that his mind was as intact as he could make it before he closed his eyes and allowed himself to come back to the real world.
*Purple*
Sitting in his favourite reading chair next to his bed the self proclaimed Grand Master sighed. Eyes trained on the still form, his shoulders drooping in dismay, he wondered just how long Sans was going to stay unconscious. There was no way he could ask someone for help, not that anyone would even if he did threaten them. Anyone who knew healing magic used it for themselves and maybe for a family member they favored or an ally they needed kept alive. In this world of ruthlessness and depravity there was no one the Skeleton brothers could lean on. At least, no one that wouldn't want to take far more than they gave or use their weakness against them. Once they had someone who could have been considered a stalwart companion, if not a paternal figure. But something had happened to him so many years ago that his memory of the monster were fuzzy. He couldn't even recall the monster's face, let alone his name. All he could remember was a soft, intelligent, voice that had guided them from the time they were very small. He'd never been sure if the monster actually was their father, or if they were even brothers, but Sans never questioned it so he didn't bring it up.
It was only after their father vanished that things got really bad. Apparently few had known of their existence and as the sons, by blood or otherwise, of the most powerful monster in the underground they had been kept safe from the harshness of their world. Even Asgore had feared their father and left him to his magical experiments. Oh how things had changed.
They had been chased down and beaten by Asgore's guards. Alone and driven from the capitol he had protected his smaller brother as best he could, all while trying to avoid anyone that looked remotely like they would harm them. He learned quickly it was the friendly seeming ones he had to watch out for.
Eventually they made their way to Snowdin and broke into an unoccupied house for their sleep cycle. When he woke there were monsters combing the house, whispering nasty things to each other about what they would do to the kids when they were found. Scared for his life and the life of his brother he tried to hide Sans as best he could. Whimpering and still confused from an injury to his skull Sans caught the attention of the monsters and they were quickly taken captive.
The things they said they were going to do to them filled him with rage. A rage that only burned fiercer and darker as they dragged his brother out from his hiding place and pressed his face into the ground, leering at them. Shuddering at the memory he felt his magic stirring in response, an echo of the disgust and revulsion he'd felt back then.
Silence fell when, after one monster made a suggestive grab at Sans, the monster holding his brother collapsed to the floor dead. Sticking out of his chest was a jagged white bone, formed by magic, that disappeared just as soon as it had appeared. For a moment no-one moved in that space, as if moving would break some sort of spell. Turning to the brothers in a rage the monsters hefted their own weapons, but it was too late. Papyrus had broken through the barrier between himself and his magic. Nothing could stop him from using his powers now. Like the breaking of a dam the magic flowed from him like an extension of his will, killing everyone that had dared to threaten them.
When it was over he'd raced to his brother and checked to see if he was alright. At first he hesitated, worried that the dust staining his bones would repulse and scare Sans. But the fear of rejection was quickly swept away as his brother leapt into his arms, crying and thanking him for protecting them. Seeing his brother so broken, hurt, and sad awoke something inside of him. A fierce protectiveness that he had even to this day.
Rather than the protectiveness dimming with age it had only morphed as they grew older. Twisted by the cruel acts he had to perform in order to protect them both. At first he'd assumed his protectiveness was the reason he disliked seeing Sans around other monsters, knowing that a smiling face and kind word weren't always what they seemed to be on the surface. But as they grew older he began to realize the aching in his soul whenever Sans was with someone else had taken on a different feeling entirely from his protective nature.
The first time he'd caught Sans pleasuring himself in his room when he thought Papyrus was out learning to be a Guard had been the final straw. The match thrown on a pile of dry sticks already covered in flammable material. A shudder ran through his body at the treasured memory. One he would often reminisce over when Sans was off working.
Looking over his entwined fingers he saw Sans begin to stir and perked up immediately. Slowly, as if it pained him, Sans opened his eyes and groaned at the stiffness in his bones. Turning he spied Papyrus staring at him and stopped, eyes wide and body still, as if he expected something to set Papyrus off.
Licking the back of his teeth as he pondered how to break the now awkward silence he finally sighed and let his body relax into the chair, giving off an aura of inaction and peace.
"I am glad you have finally decided to rejoin the world of the living. It has been three days." Startled, possibly at how long he'd been asleep, Sans turned to stare at the wall ahead of him quietly.
"Well then. I am sure you are in need of some nourishment." Stated Papyrus as he slapped his hands on the armrest of the chair and stood, prompting Sans to flinch and turn to look at him so fast his neck cracked. Wincing slightly at the sound Papyrus walked to the door, trying to keep his voice light and filled with levity.
"Don't get up from the bed until after you've eaten, you won't have much strength yet. I'll return in a moment." Leaving the room with the door open he hopped over the railing and landed in front of the kitchen. It didn't take him long to heat up some soup he'd made earlier and put together a tray. Walking back up the stairs he felt Sans pushing against the magic still embedded in his soul and cringed internally. That was something he was going to have to discuss with the other monster as soon as he was a little less disoriented.
"Do not make a mess, this is my room after all." Cusing inwardly as his inability to say anything nicely he set the tray on Sans's lap and sat in the chair again, picking up a book so he wouldn't stare while Sans ate. For a time he heard nothing, no movement and no sound. But after a while he could heard the spoon being dipped into the bowl and he began to relax. The book he was reading really was fascinating after all so he had no problem falling into it.
"M-master?" Spoken just above a whisper the word caught his attention and he turned to look at the other skeleton with a sigh.
"You need not call me that any longer Sans. Nor do you need to call me Boss. It is painfully clear to me now that you are not my brother." The soft way it was spoken made Sans look skeptical, as if he were expecting a trap. Smart monster.
"So what? Is this some sort of test? Or have you just gotten bored of me?" The rage building in the smaller monster made Papyrus freeze. It was a good thing he'd decided to talk with Sans before he undid the magic holding his soul. Holding up his hands in a placating manner, one he'd seen other monsters use, he hoped to stall any outbursts until he was finished speaking.
"No, neither. I have only come to realize that I have gone about this in entirely the wrong way. No matter what I say or do it will not change the fact that you are not my Sans, and I needed time to cope with that. This world is not an easy one, nor is it a nice one. The closest a monster here can come to saying thank you or apologizing it to promise an alliance or a truce. The closest we come to love is raw lust. Anger, hatred, and suspicion are forefront in the minds of everyone here, not just myself. It has been a long time since I have felt fear, guilt, and anguish; let alone accepted them as emotions I could still feel." Sans stared at him, angry but listening.
"So you took out all your anger and hatred out on me. Gee, Thanks." The sarcastic way he spoke made Papyrus grip the chair beneath him.
"I figured you would not be able to understand. The world you come from is far more bright and hopeful than ours, where it is safest in the darkness. I want to make up for how I have treated you, make amends." Shrugging his shoulders he looked away from Sans, showing that he trusted the other's self control. If Sans attacked him now he would not retaliate with magic but by pinning him to the ground, something defensive but still proving his power.
"You want me to forgive you? After all you've done to not only me but to your brother?" Papyrus let some of his inner inner turmoil show on his face. If anyone else had seen the emotions he was now letting Sans see it would have undermined everything he'd been working toward. But this Sans was not his Sans and was far more intelligent.
"If you swear not to use your powers against me I will take my magic from around your soul." Speaking evenly Papyrus turned back to Sans with an earnest expression. Sans contemplated his words carefully, knowing that this Papyrus was far stronger than his brother. Eventually he nodded.
"Fine, I won't attack you." Papyrus had explained enough about the underground and how it worked to him that Papyrus was sure he knew there was no gaining outside help. If Sans looked even a little weaker than another monster they would tear him to shreds. Luckily this one was more alike to himself than to Red.
Reaching out his hand he called the power back from Sans's soul, the tendrils slowly receding into the spike and the spike dissolving into a thin line of magic as it returned to it's master.
"What are you going to do now?" Sans asked him, eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"I am going to tell you my plan, and hopefully you will listen until the end."
*Black*
Watching the yellow scientist, Alphys her name was, work on the machine that would break a hole between worlds he frowned. Floating in the space between meant it took a lot of energy to interact within a fully established dimension. Even the one where he had originated, in a manner of speaking. Skimming along her conscious thoughts he understood what she was trying to accomplish but her methods were all wrong. It was possible to traverse the worlds and in some dimensions he had met others who had the ability to shift from one to another, though he would prefer to avoid them since most were not in their right minds. If she could figure out that one had to displace something in order to pass through without damaging the very fabric of multiple realities it would be fine. Either that or she'd have to create a machine that could copy Sans's abilities, power them further, and then use it to slide through the cracks without disturbing what was already in place. In any case so far her project was very destructive in nature and could not be left alone. Unfortunately no matter what he had tried she was far too focused and flighty in personality for him to use her.
Concentrating on the web of life-force that connected all monsters, an ability he had gained as the entity guarding the Mirrorverse, he found the Sans that did not belong and focused in on him. It seemed he had fallen asleep on the couch at the shared home of Sans and Papyrus. Keeping his emotions in check he appeared beside the sleeping skeleton and placed a hand above his prone form. The magic he was about to perform would drain him quite a bit, but this was important.
Watching the red souled skeleton squirm and frown under his hand he tried to soothe him as best he could. This wouldn't work if Sans rejected the suggestion. He wanted to ignite the passion and jealousy inside of the smaller skeleton in order to incite a rebellion. To sabotage the machine Alphys was creating and maybe, if the suggestion worked well enough, make it seem like the machine would never work. Hopefully Alphys would then turn to a new theory and by that time Sans would have been discovered. He knew that the displaces Sans had spoken with his counterpart, and they they both knew only one Sans could exist in a verse at one time without repercussions.
Though he wanted both of these pseudo-sons of his to be happy he had responsibilities above and beyond whatever care he had once held for them. No longer was he a doting father or a scientist.
Taking his hand away, confident that he had implanted the suggestion correctly, he backed away from the prone form and turned, only to stop in as he spied Papyrus staring right at him. He knew the taller skeleton was looking at him since Sans was laying on the couch, and the glowing orange eyes were boring into his own dark orbs. For a moment they stood there, silent, as the very air around them seemed to freeze. But a moment later Papyrus blinked, his eyes returning to normal, and he rubbed at his sockets as if unsure. This time when he looked up it was through him, as if he wasn't even there.
'Sans wasn't my only clever son.' Mumbled the part of himself that still felt like a proud father. Shaking away the thought he watched papyrus pick up Sans and carry him off to his bedroom. Having nothing more to do in that verse he quickly fled to the comforting darkness.