A/N: Wow, three weeks, huh? Bit of a slow chapter, but hey. Had to put up something.
He's just… leaning on the doorway. Solid blue eye, arms in hoodie pockets, or whatever they're called. Hood is up, threatening grin...
...My God you look badass. In an emo sorta way.
Well, first things first.
Extend hand. Introduce.
"James. James Lee."
...Hey, look. Much as I like holding my arm out for an extended period of time, it'd be great if- ah, there we go.
"Sans. Sans the skeleton." Tentative… no, not strong enough. Distrustful, that's it.
It's dim, but his eye still has a bit of a glow to it. At least he's reaching out.
Clasp.
Unclasp.
Settle back.
…
...Keep staring, then?
Okay, that's intense. Do you ever blink?
Avert gaze. Because eye contact. Yeesh.
It's like meeting someone's parents for the first time. Awkward, tense, and judgmental, all in one.
...Argh.
I have no idea what to say. As if meeting someone who you've obsessed over isn't enough, he's almost killed me. Multiple freaking times.
...I mean, hey, at least it's a decent conversation starter. 'Yeah, me and my bud here, you wouldn't believe how we met…
Focus. Calm down, just-
Oh, thanks for breaking the silence, Sans.
"I talked to the Froggit, and he said some…interesting things." Still guarded. "It'd be nice to hear your version- and for you to explain this."
What's...oh. Photo of the skele-fam. Nice to know it didn't fall down.
...This is gonna be a long conversation, isn't it?
So.
Much.
Explanation.
Ugh.
I feel like I've been here for hours…probably have been, now that I think about it.
I need a drink. Any drink.
After we sat down, I told him just about everything. My home, the connections of our worlds, etc… for the most part, he was silent. Smiling creepily.
And then we got to Gaster.
When THAT particular can of worms was opened- including my as of now unknown part in the genocide run- he got all fired up, demanding to know more. He didn't know what the hell had happened to Gaster, except that the scientist-and his father, I asked- had disappeared years ago, presumed dead. And when he learned about Gaster's whole stuck-in-the-void deal, he just kinda...started brooding. His eyes faded a bit. His smile... I don't even know. Smile-frowns are a thing, I guess.
Sigh. I was kinda expecting him to know already, but hey. Just another way the game's messing with me.
...Who am I kidding? Gaster's not technically even canon. Pretty much everything about him is fan-based.
In any case, now I gotta deal with a non-speaking skeleton, who's just staring down at the floor, thinking about… who knows? Might not be thinking at all, thanks to the shock factor.
...God, I'm exhausted. Seriously, at this point I should just type up copies of my backstory. If I have to say the same thing over and over again every time I meet someone new, I'm gonna go insane.
Check on Sans… yep, still thinking.
I'll leave him to it. This moment seems a bit too personal for me to get involved, and I gotta check on Glenn. See if he still has his SOUL after watching the filth.
Get up and go. Stand up, hand on knob, twist kn-
"Where ya goin?"
Oh. Skeleton is alive after all.
Turn head. Answer.
"I figured… you might not want me around for awhile. So you could think."
...Hey, a smile. A weak one, but a real, non-freaky smile.
"Thanks, but I'm good. Just a little worn out."
…
Oh no.
COME ON!
He had every chance to make that into a pun! WHY DID HE NOT MAKE THAT INTO A PUN?!
...Other than the fact that his brother's dead. More of a 'lone survivor' vibe than comedian. I gotta be more careful with remembering this stuff. Genocide route. Not Pacifist. Genocide. Not happy-go-lucky, 'I'm gonna make friends and have a great time!'. Just death, despair, depression, and hopelessness...
...That was morbid. Doom, meet Gloom.
Oh, he's still talking. Kinda weary voice.
"So let me get this straight."
Hm?
"You talked to Gaster, and found out that he pulled you in to help."
Nod and answer.
"Yup. Though he didn't say how I could do anything."
You know, considering that Chara's way, WAY above me on the LV scale.
An eye roll and a causal wave in response.
"Yeah, sounds like him. All mysterious and shady. Anyway. He said that you… did all of this?"
Gulp. Careful, now.
"Umm… yeah. Although I had no idea that I was doing it… and I still don't how it happened. I mean, I didn't walk around killing face-to-face, I just… played the game."
Surprisingly, he didn't kill me when I told him that little bit of info back in my long-ass explanation. Gaster's endorsement goes a long way, I guess.
Plus, it'd be rude to attack someone you just saved from certain death after trying to kill him multiple times and almost causing said death…I think. All in all, he's not exactly happy with me, but at least we have an understanding.
In that we don't understand anything.
Oh, you're getting up, too?
"Well kid, I still don't get how you play into this. The only one I've seen who's actually walking around out there killing is Frisk… though I guess it's Chara possessing Frisk, from what you said. Either way, the kid looks nothing like you."
Well that's news. Gaster said that Chara escaped... I guess she took Frisk's body, then.
God, I wish Gaster had given me the details. I mean, come on, how could-
Oh, he's ranting. By all means! I'll save mine for later.
"So… he knows all the answers, eh? And didn't even bother to share em?" Bitter voice, almost a growl, at that. Wow, really going all out, isn't he? Glowing eye again, closed fist, clenched teeth...
Heh. Heheh.
EVEN HIS OWN SON THINKS HE SHOULD HAVE HELPED OUT MORE! HAH! TAKE THAT, GASTER! HAH! HAH! AHAHAHAH- and yeah, I'm getting way too much enjoyment from this, aren't I?
Shoot. The stares are back on.
Um…
Raise arm, cough into elbow.
Lower arm.
Reestablish sanity.
"Yeah I guess he didn't. But he'll contact me again soon. Somehow."
Strange glance from Sans. Oh come on, don't judge me. You were going on about him too.
"Alright. In that case, we gotta get you and Glenn back to the others."
… Argh. This'll be interesting. And by interesting I mean I hate that place. Seriously, try playing through the True Lab for the first time at night with no lights on, headphones in. Freaking creepy.
Hm. A question.
"Glenn said something about Chara being in Hotland. Anywhere near the Lab?"
A shrug.
"Can't tell. She took out the cameras. We've set up some motion sensors, like the one near the trap you fell into. The last one to activate -other than yours- was close to the MTT Hotel. But then again, that was awhile ago."
Well, that sucks.
"So then… she could literally be standing outside the Lab right now?"
A pondering. Then-
"I doubt it. We shut down all of the elevators way before she even set foot to Hotland. It took her long enough to make it the Hotel, and backtracking's even worse."
...Impressive. They got it all planned out, huh?
Though to take so many measure for one human… gosh. No wonder Sans freaked when he first saw me. Overkill is the name of the game.
Back to reality. What's he...
A key. He pulled out a key.
The key.
THE KEY.
"I'm gonna be awhile. Gotta report back, tell everyone it's all good, pick up some things...check out the rest of the place, if ya want."
You're talking. Stop talking. Give us the preciousssss. Weeee waaants it... Weeee neeeeeds it...
A toss and a catch. Cold metal.
YES! GLORY BE! WORKSHOP, HERE-
"Oh right, one more thing." No, no more talking! I entered this room HOURS ago to try to find the damn key to open the damn lab, and damn it if I'm going to wait any longer!
"Get rid of the knives. If the others monsters see 'em, they'll freak."
Ah. Good point.
"Righto."
Then again…
"Mind if I give them to you for awhile? I might need em later."
A pause. A troubled glance. Come on Sans, I spent like a week looking for these.
"Sure. For now."
Solid.
Take knife from jacket sleeve, take knife from pocket, take knife from other sleeve, take knife from belt… switchblades, pocketknives, kitchen knife…
"The hell, kid?"
What's with the shocked expression? Why would-
Oh. Right.
I might look the teensyest bit psychotic right now. Eheh.
Explain?
"Just in case. We found a bunch of these, and they were the best weapons around, so we... took em all?"
Please don't kill me.
"...Alright, I can understand that one. But why the hell are they...everywhere?"
Eheh. Also explain.
"I was… staying prepared?"
Hah. As if.
In reality, it just felt really cool.
Come on! There's always this one character with the hidden knife, and then they-
...I have now realized that:
a. This was a stupid idea. And-
b. I need a life.
...Let's just go with being prepared, eh?
Oh good, he went with it. Pick up knives, here you go, and...hm?
"That's all of them?" Are you doubting me, Sans? I'll have you know, I-
...
I…
Damn. Curse my self-inflicted guilt tripping.
"...Nah, one more."
Pull out of inner jacket pocket. Place on teetering pile… please don't cut yourself. That would be so, so terrible, and- huh. Blue flash. Knives are gone.
...You know, with what all the crazy shit that's been going around, I'm not even gonna bother being shocked. Go on, try me! Just TRY to make me internally shout yet again!
I am IMMUNE, you hear!? IMMUNE!
…
Wow.
Guess mind reading is just a Gaster thing, since you aren't blasting me to pieces right now.
"Welp, be back soon." Take your time, take your time.
A snap, another blue flash, and he's gone.
IMMUNE.
…Man, teleporting must be fun. Think of all the possibilities.
…
...sigh.
...I could've kept a knife. Odds are that SOMEONE'S gonna try and kill me again soon, and I'd like to at least present a threat… Ah, well.
I have the key to the Workshop. Finally…
I get that this is a sensitive situation. But there's no harm in indulging myself in a bit of harmless curiosity, is there? Feeding my inner fandom is how I cope.
Right, time to go...
Time to go… damn it.
Time to go downstairs.
...Oh, get over it. It can't be worse than everyone crying out for my blood.
Yes. Yes it can.
Brace. Exit Sans's room, look down, hey! Movie's over, end credits, hallelujah! Also, wow, we talked for quite a bit.
...Sooner or later I'm gonna need a bathroom. But not now. The Workshop awaits!
Head downstairs, walk over to Glenn. Heh. Asleep on the couch. Just a pale blob of white on a green sofa… I feel like that'd be a great joke somehow.
It's been a rough day. I'll leave him to it.
Go outside. Nice weather. Cold, but not numbingly so. It's refreshing. Soft light- where the heck does that come from, anyway?- Soft light, white snow, cool wind… perfect.
...Too bad I'm the only one around to enjoy it, eh?
Walk behind the house, look around… yep, Locked metal door. Hm. Rusty.
Anticipation.
Insert key, and…
Here we are.
Walk in- wow. Place is bigger than I remember. Tables everywhere, equipment scattered… geez, how much space does one guy need?
...unless it wasn't just Gaster/Sans. Maybe… just mayb- Strange Machine in corner! Aaaayyyyyyyyy!
Rush over. Grab curtain. YESYESYESYESYES-
And now, the moment you'll all been waiting for! The one, the only-
Swish and flick! Gaze upon-
...Hold up, this is from Earthbound.
...Oh God no, Sans is NOT NESS. NO WAY IN HELL IS SANS NESS. SCREW YOU, GAME THEORY!
...Wait. This is the other one, the what-cha-ma-call-it… Right, the IRD. The Phase Distorter that everyone was talking about was made in the shape of , sorta just like a head. This is a giant upright capsule, with a bunch of pipes and a shattered glass center… the Instant Revitalizing Device.
...
I swear I'm not trash.
...sigh, who am I kidding? I love Earthbound to pieces.
Anyway, this thing's basically the save point, minus the save. Heals any wound, restores all HP…makes sense for anyone, Sans or Gaster, to be working on it.
Hm. Possibilities. Definitely busted, though, so not gonna be doing stuff with it anytime soon.
About face!
Head for counter. On top, diagrams with Wingdings. Dang… wish I knew how to translate, but even I'm not that obsessed.
How I regret my decision.
Open drawers… wow, messy. Jumbled inside, more graphs, charts, blueprints…
Badge? Huh, Gaster's name and pic. He looks… a lot happier.
Oh, scrapbook!
A decent human- no, anyone with any semblance of decency would leave Sans's personal items be. He probably never meant for me to see this, and he has a right to his privacy.
…
Yeah, so much for that.
Put book on counter, flip it open-
Pictures of Sans, pictures of humans, pictures of…
…
So that's what they look like.
Asgore. Toriel. Papyrus. Undyne. Alphys. Frisk, too.
...looks like they're having fun.
...
...Alphys is alive. Asgore might be. And Frisk/Chara, definitely.
But the others…
…
I should go.
…
…
...
I'm sorry.
A/N: And that's that.
Reasons for delay:
-Writer's block- I came up with five different drafts before this.
-School- Cause teachers just love cramming stuff in before break.
-Mental stuff- Meh. Had to get some things straightened out.
-Way too many video games- ...I can't really say anything about this.
-Way too many books- Sort of a good reason?
-Homestuck.
So that's my list of excuses. That being said, I DID put a lot of time into this chapter. It was 30 pages long before, for crying out loud.
Then I realized that was stupid, so as always, I cut it in two. At the very least, it means that the next chapter should be up soon.
Again, thank you for your patience. And rest assured, I'm not abandoning this fic anytime soon.
Another Note: Shout out to bubblegumreba for the editing. Check out Stuck in the underground, which is coming along quite nicely.