April 15th, 2021: Earth

Napstablook poked their head through the window of Jennifer's room, glancing into the corner where the girl was currently painting. Though, they couldn't see what from where they were. "...Hey, Jennifer," they greeted quietly.

The girl squeaked and fumbled, knocking over the painting and whirling around, scrabbling to hide it.

"Oh! Napstablook! I didn't… um… hear you!"

"Oh...sorry…! You okay?"

"Y-yes…" She scooted back, her hands reaching behind her in a further attempt to conceal what she had been working on. "Um… what do you want?"

They tilted their head in light confusion. "Oh um...I thought we could um...just talk? About last night...and any other concerns you might have…"

Jennifer stiffened and looked away, her long brown hair obscuring her face.

"It's fine…"

"No...no it isn't, Jennifer. Please? Here, we don't...even have to-anything… we can just…

"Lay on the floor and feel like garbage?"

The Human girl turned to them, scrunching up her button nose in confusion.

"What?"

"It's...family tradition," Napstablook explained. "It's...kinda the closest thing we ghosts do to sleep. And it's really calming…"

"Why garbage?"

"Um...well, it puts everything into perspective and just how big everything is and how little...the rest of it is...um...oh, I'm sorry, I'm not good at explaining. It kinda makes more sense to just...do…?"

"You're not really selling it, Napstablook."

There was just the hint of a smile tugging at her lips though.

"Oh...sorry...um...just...try it if you want?"

"Maybe call it something different next time…" Jennifer still hesitated, seeming to debate her options.

"Sorry...we've just...always...called it that?" They drifted near the floor, tilting their form as they looked to her.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"It's always worked before."

Jennifer huffed. She turned a little, tilting to the side to reach out to her bed and snagging a blanket. It was a light blue, with white flowers embroidered on it. She placed it behind her, covering her project before standing, then went to lay down on the bed.

"Let's get this over with then…"

Napstablook settled themself on the very edge, and at the foot of the bed, and simply stared up at the ceiling, as if studying it.

She followed their gaze, staring upwards and folding her hands across her chest. At first, nothing happened, but slowly-something else started to fade into view. A black vortex dotted with stars and lights of varying sizes and color.

"Wh-what?" Jennifer gasped, making to jerk up.

"Shh," Napstablook soothed, a calming wave washing over her. "It's just an aura."

The girl slowly settled, staring at the magic in awe.

"...do you like it…?" the ghost eventually asked.

"It's… beautiful…"

"Oh...thanks…" For a while, the ghost didn't say anything, just letting the calming aura do its work.

"So…" they finally started. "Wanna talk...about anything at all?"

"I…" Her gaze was fixed above and she was almost… in a trance.

"It can be whatever you want, but I...know there's been...concerns."

"I just… don't know," Jennifer mumbled hazily. "Secrets scare me…"

"...why's that…?"

"Nearly lost our family… almost lost friends…"

"...what kind of secret was it? ...if you don't mind my asking…"

"Dad and Overwatch, my friends lying about me, Mom and Grandpa…"

"I mean...to be fair, your father was kinda in over his head...though...I can't um...speak for the other ones."

"Secrets are bad… they always hurt."

"Some secrets are meant to protect because of that reason though…"

"Don't want to be hurt with you," she mumbled. "Want to trust you."

"I don't lie, Jennifer," the ghost assured gently. "And...when I don't say anything, it's because I truly believe it's better that you don't know about it. I would never purposely hurt you with secrets, but...you're always free to ask… Most of the time, I'm not going to realize that it's...bothering anyone. I'm...not the best at social cues…"

"Are you sure?"

"Well...it never hurts to ask me, Jennifer? I don't know what secrets can hurt, because...that's all perspective. I mean, if I had a secret that I stole a cookie jar as a kid...it might not mean anything to me, but it could mean a lot to...the person who had the cookie jar?

"...so...compromise? If there's something bothering you, tell me. And...I'll answer to the best of my ability? I...can understand why you don't like secrets, so...I think we could at least do that?"

Jennifer was silent for a few moments, watching the magic play out above her. Then slowly, tentatively, she nodded.

"I… think so…"

"Then...is there anything you want to bring up now?"

"Pretty lights."

"...maybe not then." Napstablook stared up at the vortex around them, glad to have at least come to terms and an agreement. They didn't want to hurt her-but there were simply some things that were better left alone.

April 21st, 2021: Earth

Grillby propelled himself over a fallen tree, avoiding a puddle in the dirt as his shoes sank into the damp earth, but that didn't slow him down. His fire casted light on the darkening forest as he ran in the late evening, his flames trailing due to his speed, refusing to slow as he chased after a Human, flashes of blue and white playing along his form.

Though the most frightening part was the white scowl on his face as he caught sight of a familiar, ragged orange scarf.

Sans and Vigil ran on either side of him. Vigil kept to the ground due to the thickness of the trees. The Shifter let loose a volley of yellow blasts from his tail, trying to hit the running Human.

"You cannot outrun us, Red-eye!" he shouted defiantly, putting on an extra burst of speed. "We're coming for you!"

The blasts seemed to slow, and the Human sped up, taking a sharp turn. Grillby slid as he went to follow, smoke wisping off him due to scattered waterdrops hitting his form. He was stone silent, but only in voice as his fire crackled and snapped with his rage.

He pulled one sleeve all the way back, ignoring the light sprinkle of rain in the dying light as he readied an attack. The Human dived out of sight again, Grillby turned- before abruptly trying to stop. "Time-!" he called out as the colors faded off him as he went gray and motionless in mid slide.

Vigil kept running, not understanding the danger until he was caught in it, freezing the moment he completely passed through the bubble. Sans heard the warning, his sockets narrowing and teleported forward so he stood in front of Grillby and Vigil…

Only to freeze up under the Red-eye's influence, his stance wide and his sockets closed.

Up ahead, the Red-eye leaned against a tree, breathing heavily, steadily catching his breath, his eyes narrowing as he looked back at the frozen Monsters. He wiped sweat off his marred face-disliking the chill of the night against his exposed skin.

"Nice try," he muttered as he kept his gaze on the frozen Monsters. "But unless you drag another Red Eye here, you're not stopping me." And even then…

"Honestly, you Monsters are just as bad as that old man. So reliant on your magic, but, when that's of no use to you, you're nothing. The real laugh is that even if you brought Humans of my kind...there's only two, and the old man can't put a fight. And…" A low chuckle escaped him.

"It's actually a shame that you didn't bring that poor child to try and counter me with their allies. None of their powers amount to anything within here. Time consumes all."

His red eyes held the only vibrant color in his bubble of gray, where time had stilled. "A part of me wishes you had brought that sniffling child along." His fingers played on the ragged tail of the scarf he wore around his neck. "I could have finished off strangling them with this oh so precious treasure of theirs." He gave a snort. "So clingy and sentimental. How they haven't fallen apart is beyond me."

The man turned away. "Oh well, opportunities shall be provided."

If he hadn't been on the run, he would have contemplated killing the three just to keep them off his trail, but he had to reserve his energy until he was somewhere safe. He turned, starting to head deeper into the forest.

"So, stopping time, huh?" came a casual, if gravelly voice from behind him. "Neat trick buddy. But you're not the only one who can do that."

The man turned around in surprise, his gaze falling on the skeleton Monster… who was no longer greyed out by the magic. A Monster who was… resistant? He frowned. No matter-even if it came down to a fight…

"Still moving over there? How quaint, the last Monsters to manage that had to rely on some extra soul power."

The skeleton's sockets had opened, and they were currently empty, though pinpricks of light were beginning to fade in.

"You're really kind of a freak, aren't you?" he stated quietly, his gaze piercing the Human. "Must be nice, lording your power over everyone, knowing that no one can touch you… that you'll always win in the end."

The Red Eye's gaze sharpened as he focused on him. "Doesn't help your case, does it?"

"Maybe not," Sans allowed, taking a small step forward. "But it's not the first time I've knocked down an unbeatable opponent. Still, I'm gonna give you a chance to surrender. Hand over the scarf, and submit yourself."

The man watched him intently. "Really? Hand over some scrap cloth?"

"Well, we're not letting you go, obviously." Sans declared, his hands sinking deep into his pockets. "But this is your last chance to come out of this alive."

"Unless you fancy some hand to hand combat, I suggest you stand down," the Red Eye replied.

The skeleton sighed, then removed his hands from his pockets.

"You know," he said conversationally, his left eye beginning to glow. "I hear that Red Eyes are the most powerful magic users on your side, but they can only use time magic. So let me try an experiment hmm? What happens when you come across someone who's immune to that power?"

The man's gaze hardened. "This isn't the first time I've met someone immune to it," he assured.

"Come at me then."

The Human huffed, eyes narrowed. He didn't want to spend too much time on this-but Monsters were fragile. Even if this Monster could lash out-his magical attacks would freeze the moment they appeared.

That's why Frisk was helpless in his grasp.

The skeleton just waited, watching him, letting him take the first move. And with a surprising burst of speed-faster than he should have-the Human lunged forward.

Even as he ran, his soul was suddenly exposed. Sans gestured and it turned blue, and he was flung violently through the air. Unable to stop his trajectory, he slammed into a wall of bones, angled to pierce him as he was thrown into them, one sinking deep into his side.

"Interesting," Sans observed, now standing on the lower branches of a tree just above the Red-eye. "It would seem that you become an ordinary Human. While I?

"I am still the Judge."

The Red Eye's pupils dilated into pin pricks as pain drove through him. The Red Eye was trained to fight-but not against this-this Monster's magic was still working!

And a small part of him told him to run.

He had no time to though, as gravity shifted and he was suddenly flung upwards, smashing into a heavy branch with a grunt and an ominous cracking sound. Then he was flung away again, landing in a heap in the mud, with Sans appearing before him again.

"How does it feel to be knocked down a peg?" the skeleton growled. "Suddenly, you're not such a big deal, are you?"

The man trembled in agony, struggling to simply get on hands and knees shuddering with each breath he took-his world suddenly turned upside-down with him having no say on what was happening.

"It's a little late now, but here's a tip." A row of spike-like bones burst from the ground, and the Red-eye let out a cry of pain as they impaled him, before disappearing as quickly as they had come.

"There will always be someone stronger than you," Sans informed the bleeding Human that had collapsed on the ground. "Someone tougher, faster… meaner. Than you will ever be. The moment you forget that," Massive dog-skulls appeared behind Sans's head, energy charging in their mouths.

"Is the moment you die."

The human stared at their maws as cold dread ran through him, his death right before his eyes.

The skulls charged to the point of brilliance and then…

And then they faded away.

Sans watched the Human coldly, studying him closely.

"No," he said at last. "Your life isn't mine to take."

He snapped his fingers, and the grey bubble around them dissipated, freeing the two trapped Monsters.

Grillby staggered, still trying to stop, before suddenly whipping his head to them. "Sans!" he called already hurrying over, knowing that time had moved around without him. Vigil hurried after him, as soon as he regained his own balance from the sudden loss of momentum.

Sans flicked his gaze up to them, before returning it to the broken Human.

"We won." he said simply. "Turns out, this guy wasn't nearly as powerful as he thought he was." He looked up again, his gaze resting on Grillby.

"You guys have suffered the most because of him." Sans stepped away. "I leave his judgement to you."

Grillby was quiet for several moments, before giving a slow nod. "Thank you," he stated simply, turning to the Human with a silent invitation for the others to back away if they so chose.

The elemental had no mercy this night as raindrops fell down around them. His form hissing when they met his flames.

Both Sans and Vigil ensured they were out of his way, but both watched, Sans with his hands in his pockets, Vigil with his arms folded across his chest. Neither looked away, not even once.

The elemental glared down. "I'm usually a patient and tolerable man," he said as he closed the distance, crouching down before the Human. "It takes a lot to get me angry, but you certainly went out of your way." His flames crackled and he grabbed the man roughly, jerking him onto his knees, a scowl of white flames showing clearly.

"Your organization left my niece to die on the streets. You drained my wife of her magic, beaten while she was defenseless. You nearly cost us the life of our daughter-kidnapped and tormented our other children...and those are just the crimes directly linked to me."

Fire began to dance off the elemental's arms, leaping onto the man's clothing. The Red Eye cringed, feeling the heat.

"I offer you no mercy."

The flames swarmed the man, screams of agony swiftly following suit. "And one last thing," the elemental growled. He grabbed the scarf that was unharmed amongst the flames. "I don't think this belongs to you." He drew it off the burning man, unphased as the human reached forward in his suffering while the elemental neatly folded it.

Vigil was nodding his agreement, the light behind his visor shining brightly as he watched. Sans gave no outward indication of his emotional state, but was now watching Grillby more closely than the man whose screams echoed throughout the forest.

The screams eventually stopped, the fire dying away...and in that moment, the elemental's light dimmed dramatically, as if all the energy fueling him had stopped as he held tight to the scarf.

It was done. He could rest easy now.

"He deserved everything he got," Vigil intoned, glaring at the charred corpse.

"We're done here," Sans said quietly, turning away. "Come on guys… let's go home."

"...let's," the elemental agreed, the voice quiet as dull flames danced in the rain.