A Tale of Consequences
Reset?
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Chapter 13
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Something shifted. Sans didn't so much open his eyes—he wasn't sure he actually had any—but he did start paying attention again. Same dark void. Same riot of color—
Wait.
He pushed himself up, out of what had been a patch of indistinct flowers. Yellow was still there, prominent against the black back drop, but instead of a smattering of green to hint at leaves and stems, the blooms now seemed to be floating. Almost like the bridge flowers in waterfall. Floating on—
Sans raised a hand, eyeing the red liquid looking substance clinging to the white fingers. He shook them to try and flick it off, but it clung stubbornly. Sinking into white and tinting it the slightest bit pink.
He couldn't feel it, not really. But he knew it would be sticky. He knew it would be viscous. His mind tried to fill in the details, but it just ended up the same fake there but not there feeling.
"You might want to lay off the determination kiddo, you're kinda flooding the place." He wasn't sure exactly where they were. The kid would be the same shade of red as...nearly everything at this point. He wasn't sure if it mattered. Since he was still here, the kid hadn't let the rest of his soul crumble away into oblivion. That meant they had to be here somewhere.
Not going to lie, he'd been kinda hoping for the oblivion part.
"No."
Their soul pulsed violently. It shivered through his—not body. Form? Manifestation?
Hell if he could find the right word. This entire place was probably just a representation his mind created in order to handle the sheer fact that he didn't exist anymore. Physically anyway. As a soul...well...that was debatable on whether you considered existence as being suspended in limbo while half your soul tried to dust itself, and the other just wanted to be done with all of this.
"It won't work, kid." Sans drew his knees up to his chest, two islands of white now breaking the red sea. The motion disturbed a few of the flowers, sending them spinning, skimming the surface. The two indistinct orange and black labels shimmered in the edge of his vision. He didn't reach for either one. He'd just get another error message. "I told you. Those things have been keepings the souls together for decades. All this effort and energy is going to waste."
Probably even longer than that. He remembered seeing the cool inviting glow of the cyan soul the few times he'd been allowed in his father's workshop as a kid. So they'd be even older than—
His father.
Everything stuttered to a stop.
He was just waiting for it. For the static. But the void was only silent.
He wasn't really allowed to speculate on what that could mean, because oily hands reaching out, tugging at his—their souls.
And then, they were elsewhere.
Snow. blinding snow.
Loose feathers surrounded them. An icy blue dissolving to dust. Giggles. It was that damn flower again.
And then it was gone again. Leaving him chilled to the bone. The kid's grief hung over their weird little water garden like a fog.
"...recognized it?"
He wasn't sure how he knew, but the kid nodded. "...snowy"
...Of course. After the sentries, it would likely be the teens.
He didn't have time to worry about Ga—him right now.
"I—have to stop it sans. Somehow—if I can stay determined—"
But it refused.
Standing firm in the face of despair, even as their HP ticked down into the decimals—
Why won't you just let me WIN
That definitely wasn't his memory.
Shards pulling back together against the force of another's will. Small body pushing forward, reaching for the spark of good buried deep within those stolen souls—
"Kid—That worked as a human because you had a body. You could still do what you needed to.What good is keeping our soul together when we can't do anything with it?" He waved an arm to indicate the mess of color and void. "This is all we have."
It was a simple solution really.
And he knew they didn't like it.
"...I can't...just give up like that…"
"I don't like it either kiddo. But what can we do? All this determination is just...water without a way to use it." Just ripples in the pond. Sans waved his hand through the faded buttons, knowing they'd scatter into nothingness the moment he came close. "We're a little low on options."
*Reload failed.
He'd already known. Trying again and again wasn't going to change that.
He looked up to find the kid standing just a ways away. They were a blotch of red amongst red, yellow and black, but even so, they seemed more defined than anything else. The pulse of their soul increased in volume, a constant hum slightly off beat from his own.
"sans…I can't. If I go—you—"
They didn't need to say it. The knowledge yawned between them like a pit.
"The important thing is not letting everyone else end up that way. I'd probably be just fine after a reset anyway."
He could feel the lie in the words. Just as he knew the kid wasn't buying it. They could probably feel the cracks in his soul better than he could.
If they drained this weird water-garden, would they find a bed of broken glass? A mess of shards haphazardly fused together through sheer will?
"...do you really think they'd stop?"
Sans didn't say anything. He wasn't used to them actually answering. He couldn't see their face. But he didn't need to.
"...i-if I go… they will win. There'd be no one to— I-if we let them have their ending…"
This is my story now.
"...what then?"
"Hope a true reset fixes things?"
"Hope they even let me reset?"
"Hopethey let us keep it?"
"...sounds familiar. Doesn't it?" He hadn't meant to say pain that shot through his—their soul was proof enough that it hit the mark. Sans sighed. "Sorry, I'm just being a pessimistic bag of bones."
And what did his opinion matter anyway? His dust had already been scattered back in the ruins.
"...sans…"
The kid took a step forward. He shrugged and turned away.
"...I won't leave you behind either." They hesitated, and then nodded firmly. "I promise."
Heh.
I THINK THEY JUST DIDN'T WANT TO GO ALONE.
"Ok kid. I get it." They shared the same broken soul. He could feel their conviction. They knew how he felt about promises. And he knew how they were about the saving people thing. Man. They were both such a mess. "Just do me a favor and lay off the reload thing for now. We'll figure something else out. We just need to get out of this jar, yeah? Then you can probably do your thing and flip us back to the beginning."
How exactly, he didn't know. His pessimism nagged at him, but he tried to relegate it to the furthest corner of his mind.
"You know, I think this is the first time we've properly talked since becoming—uh—roommates." He held out a hand, "I'm Sans. Sans the Skeleton."
Their embarrassment was almost tangible. A small hand shyly settled in his. "Frisk."
Frisk, huh.
"I dunno. I kinda like kiddo."
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"WOOOOWIE. HOTLAND IS SO...DIFFERENT!" Papyrus' head swiveled back and forth. Back the way they came was cool and dark and blue. The path onward was a bright orange and so hot Papyrus could almost feel his pores weeping—and he didn't even have pores! He could almost literally see where the rock itself changed shade! "NOT EVEN SNOWDIN TO WATERFALL IS SO—SO—EXTREME!"
"DUDE!" The dragon child bounced on his shoulder, "I've never been to Hotland but I'm just a kid! I figured someone as cool as you had to have been all OVER the place!"
Papyrus spared a moment to just bask in the sparkle of someone else finally seeing how utterly amazing he was, before he raised a gloved hand with a violent flourish.
"OF COURSE THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAS BEEN TO HOTLAND BEFORE. I SHALL HAVE YOU KNOW I'VE TRAVELED FAR AND WIDE TO MASTER THE INTRICATE AND COMPLICATED ART OF PUZZLE CRAFTING!" Papyrus huffed, "BUT I NORMALLY TAKE THE RIVERBOAT WHEN COMING THIS FAR. I'VE NEVER WALKED THE ENTIRE WAY. THE ATMOSPHERE CHANGE IS MUCH MORE STRIKING IN PERSON!"
"Oh dude—that's so totally AWESOME. You must have been EVERYWHERE!" The kid didn't so much as missing a beat, "I can't count the number of times I've tried to take the riverboat to try and see Undyne train! The river person refuses to stop for any of the kids in Snowdin since my parents caught me skipping school. I think they yelled at them. It just ain't fair yo."
"YOUR PARENTS ARE ONLY LOOKING OUT FOR YOU, SMALL LIZARD." Papyrus nodded, deciding that he'd taken sufficient time to admire the marvelous phenomenon. He took a step and started moving again, noting how easily the child adjusted his balance to Papyrus' long strides despite not having any hands. Or arms for that matter. He definitely had quite the sense of balance! "YOUR GENERAL EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT FOR A YOUNG MONSTER! YOU MUST GIVE IT YOUR ALL! WHETHER YOU BECOME A GUARD OR A BRILLIANT SPAGHETTIORE, A GOOD FOUNDATION IN MAGIC IS ESSENTIAL, AND THE BEST WAY TO LEARN THE BASICS IS FROM A TEACHER!"
"I guueeeeess…" Papyrus paused to give the kid a look. He definitely suddenly looked sullen. That just wouldn't do.
"WHAT IS THE MATTER?"
"I—just never really got school y'know?" The little monster shifted uncomfortably, and then suddenly brightened, "YO! Check out that AWESOME armor over there! They GOTTA be in the guard. HEY! When you get into the guard d'ya think YOU'D get armor like that?! Not that your armor isn't cool, but just imagine totally REAL totally awesome magical armor!"
The dragon child didn't let Papyrus follow up with it because he leapt down off his shoulder, tripping and rolling and faceplanting into the warm orange stone ground.
"SMALL CHILD! ARE YOU HURT—? FEAR NOT, FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL—"
"I'm good!" And...then he was back on his feet as if nothing happened, "Just—give me a sec—I wanna go talk to the guards yo! I've never met those two before!"
And off he went, sprinting toward the two imposing dark-steel armored guards that blocked one of the three paths further into Hotland. Curious, Papyrus followed with equal gusto. He always loved meeting new guards! Especially since he'd be a part of their group one day! He admired their armor, at the sleek cat-like ears on the left and the insect-like helm on the right. What would his armor be like? As much as he loved his battle-body, once he officially joined the guard he would likely get issued a uniform! Doggo was the only one who never bothered to wear his—even Dogamy and Dogeressa had matching suits of darksteel armor under their cloaks.
"—and don't you get super HOT in all that armor? Issit heavy? We have guards back home but it's suuuuper cold. Is this a normal posting for ya? D'ya ever see Undyn—"
The cat-knight pushed their way between the kid and the other guard, who continued to stand quietly, uncomfortably rubbing their glove. "Look kid, you shouldn't be hanging around here. This road's blocked on the captain's order—"
"GASP! UNDYNE IS HERE?! WHERE!?"
Papyrus strode up behind the child and plucked him into the air by his shirt again, interrupting the excited hopping as the boy sucked in a breath preparing another excited wave of babble.
The cat-like knight turned her attention at Papyrus' approach, sighing loudly, "Is this kid yours?"
Papyrus gave them—her?—a winning smile as he plucked the little lizard from the ground once more. Well. every smile of his won some sort of an award, but this was an extra charming one.
"WE ARE TRAVELING TOGETHER FOR THE MOMENT—I HUMBLY APOLOGISE FOR MY LITTLE FRIEND! HE COULD HARDLY CONTAIN HIS ADMIRATION AND NEEDED TO RUSH OVER TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON SUCH WELL CRAFTED AND MAINTAINED ARMOR!"
"YEAH!" The kid squeaked, "It's pretty awesome but you said UNDY—"
"The captain's busy."
"WE ACTUALLY DO NEED TO SEE HER!" Papyrus interrupted, "PERHAPS YOU HAVE HEARD OF ME! I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS, LEAD SENTRY ASSIGNED TO SNOWDIN TOWN, AND IN TRAINING UNDER UNDYNE HERSELF! THERE WAS AN INCIDENT, AND WE TRIED TO REACH HER BY PHONE, BUT SHE WASN'T PICKING UP! THIS BRAVE LIZARDCHILD HELPFULLY GUIDED ME THROUGH WATERFALL AND FROM WATERFALL TO HOTLAND WHEN WE DISCOVERED SHE WAS NOT AT HOME!"
The knight's head turned, going from the beaming monster child back to Papyrus and then back again.
"Couldn't you have just used the riverboat…? Look kids—" Papyrus raised a hand to protest he was NOT a kid thank you, and it wasn't HIS fault the boat wasn't running today. But the guard sighed before he could even get properly started. "I don't get paid enough for this. Look, just know the captain WILL throw you out if you turn out to be wasting her time. We're on watch for flowers, and you clearly aren't one."
Flowers? What did that have to do with anything? Why would you need to watch for flowers? Papyrus decided to ask, but then the guard finished and he forgot all about it when she stepped aside and waved a darksteel glove behind them.
"She's in the Royal Scientist's lab. Down that way. She's been in a sour mood all day, so be prepared to duck."
"OH THANK YOU SO MUCH MS GUARD LADY! WE'LL BE ON OUR WAY THEN!"
"YEAH! THANK YOU LADY!"
They were heading down the path without much further ado. The guard's gaze lingered before she returned to her post.
"04…"
"What?"
"...thank you."
"I didn't do anything. You really should stand up for yourself."
"..."
They fell into an uncomfortable silence.
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...warmth.
The scent of cinnamon filled the air.
"D'ya wanna buy somethi—"
They choked on a cloud of dust.
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Melodic snores drifted from downstairs.
A tiny curious face.
"Oh hello, welcome to Snowed Inn—"
A child's wailing.
X-x-x
Light.
The creak of pages turning.
"Yes, yes, we know the sign is missp—"
The readers didn't notice until it was too late.
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"I'm so SORRY Darlings, I thought you two were fans with how enraptured you seemed at my presence! One as FABULOUS as myself can't be too careful. I do get followed occasionally."
Papyrus nodded vigorously, his jaw almost felt like it was clattering with the force of the gesture. It was—it was METTATON. Of all people! "OF COURSE! SUCH THINGS ARE THE BURDENS OF POPULARITY."
"Very well said, darling! You seem the type to just GET it, if you know what I mean~" The robot wheeled away from the entrance, the door sliding shut behind them with a faint fwip and whirr of machinery. Papyrus followed, half giddy, half stunned. He was—this was METTATON. The most POPULAR monster in ALL of the UNDERGROUND.
Everything he'd ever wanted to be! Acknowledged! Followed! Popular!
What the heck was he doing here?
"Looking out for an old friend of mine, darling. Why else would I be in a place as drab as this?" Mettaton gestured with a flourish, "Surely you've read my autobiography—remind me later and I can even get you a signed copy—but the brilliant Dr. Alphys was the one to create this lovely body of mine! Of course I'd keep an eye on her despite her poor taste in interior decor—I keep telling her that this shade of grey is just so boring. Could you imagine it darlings? This entire place filled with COLOR—"
The robot suddenly threw out an arm, blocking the way as a curious dragon child tried to duck around him to peer up a humming escalator, "No, no, little one! The good doctor isn't feeling well, we can't have you barging in on her! Papy, darling—you did say your name was Papyrus right?—be a dear and keep a hold of the little scamp while I go fetch the captain—"
"I've already heard you, Mettaton. Your dumbass voice carries even when you aren't showing off." Papyrus immediately snapped his head up. The upper floor was a loft-space, so above the railing was visible from below. Undyne's silhouette was harsh against the bright ceiling lights—but it didn't look quite right. Why was she still in her ar—
"OHMIGOD ITS UNDYNE HI!"
"It's the curse of being a broadcaster, I'm afraid. We just get into the habit of projecting even when not on the set. Careful there little one," A white-gloved hand snagged the child off the floor when he tripped over his own feet in an excited rush, handing him back to Papyrus deftly. The entertainer then wheeled toward the escalator, pausing at the foot, "Have there been any significant changes since this morning?"
"None."
"That's a shame—my offer is still open—I can send for the best healers money can buy the moment you give the word. Healers and miracle workers—perhaps even a medium or two if necessary."
"NO." The force of the growl rattled Papyrus' bones. He couldn't see Undyne's face from here, but he could imagine it. And it wasn't pleasant.
"I only want to try and help her—you know that. This is a most unusual situation—"
"She didn't even want ME down there! This isn't something she'd want ANYONE involved in. I'm not even sure they could help her anyway! You've seen—"
The metal railing crunched in her trembling fingers. The dragon child whistled appreciatively.
"It—isn't right. I've already sent for Asgore. He'll have the final say."
A metallic whir of a sigh. "If you insist, darling. I suppose the king is the highest authority on this...mystery project of hers. I do wish I could do something to help. I don't like seeing my cherished friend like...this."
"You aren't the only one. Now get your robotic ass up here already! I ain't leaving her alone."
"I'll have you know it's a perfectly respectable chassis built by our mutual friend! Being the magnanimous star I am, I shall forgive your slight and succeed the spotlight to you while you entertain your guests."
"Just get to reading before she gets restless again."
"Very well—the same—ah—history books as last time I assume? Ta-ta, darlings. It was a pleasure to meet you, but the duty of a star never rests!"
Once the slow-moving escalator carried the dramatically waving robot to the landing, Papyrus saw Undyne's armored shoulders slump into a sigh. Then she backed away from the edge. She didn't appear at the opening where Mettaton had vanished, and for a moment Papyrus was at a loss for what to do. Should he go up to meet her? But Mettaton had specifically told the small lizard to not go up the stairs. Honestly by all rights Undyne should be coming down—
Heavy foot falls. Fast. Metal clanging against tile—
And then with a powerful grunt Undyne vaulted over the railing, dropping in a crunch of metal and tile. The lizard child wriggled and cheered, drawing the guard's attention. Her eyes flicked to the yellow drake swinging in Papyrus' red-gloved grip, the corners of her mouth twitching and peeling back her frown to show a glint of her wild grin.
And then it was gone again, swallowed up by ...something else. Something Papyrus had never seen on the energetic guardswoman who taught him the sacred art of making pasta through the techniques based on FIERY PASSION and EXTREME VIOLENCE.
Papyrus couldn't even describe it. It was just so foreign.
"Look, Pap, if you came ALL THIS WAY just because I canceled the cooking lesson—"
"OF COURSE THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE COOKING LESSON!" Papyrus interrupted, thoroughly scandalized. Did she truly think he was so thoughtless to be upset over that?
"Then why the BLAZES are you here?" Undyne roared back.
"I'M HERE BECAUSE—BECAUSE—" How to put this… "BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T ANSWERING YOUR PHONE! EVENTS IN SNOWDIN REQUIRED REPORTING AND I HAD NO PROPER MEANS TO REPORT THEM! I WAS DOING MY DUE DILIGENCE IN FOLLOWING UP! A PROPER GUARD—"
"You aren't a guard yet Papyrus." The growl was like a knife being twisted beneath his ribcage. He flinched, and her yellowed eyes suddenly widened. Her tense posture slumped, "Shit—sorry Pap. That wasn't fair. It's just been a helluva night. You wouldn't have come all this way for nothing. What happened in Snowdin?"
"OH—YES—UH—" HE. THE GREAT PAPYRUS. Had been flustered. Impossible. This could not stand. "REMEMBER THE CASE I CALLED YOU ABOUT YESTERDAY?"
"Mmm." She rubbed her head thoughtfully, eyes narrowing in thought, "It was a kid right? Did they ever turn up?"
"UNFORTUNATELY NOT. NEITHER THE DOGS NOR I COULD FIND ANY TRACES OF JERRY—"
"Jerry?" The lizard child piped up again, "Like the guy everyone tries to ditch Jerry?"
"WHAT? OH. YES. THAT JERRY. HIS MOTHER IS WORRIED SICK, AND EVEN HIS FRIENDS WERE STARTING TO GET CONCERNED—"
"Oh man that must be serious then! Snow Drake and Ice Capp act tough but everyone knows they keep an eye on him. Not that they'd ever tell you that, yo. If you ask me, they always move slow enough for Jerry to catch up with them eventually—"
"K—iiid." Undyne's hiss caught the kid's attention and held it. He stared up at the guardswoman with shining eyes. "Yes—omigod—Undyne?"
"Mind waiting over there kid?" She gestured sharply, but pointedly away from them. The child wriggled, but then deflated as Papyrus set him gently on the floor, "Awwww…okay. This sucks yo…"
Once he was out of earshot, Undyne turned back to Papyrus, "Okay. So the kid's still missing. Any leads?"
"WELL. NO. NOT REALLY. THE ONLY MONSTER WHO MIGHT HAVE SEEN HIM WAS THE NICE CREAM GUY, BUT I CAN'T SEEM TO FIND HIM EITHER. I'M AFRAID I'VE COVERED EVERY INCH OF THE TOWN AND THE OUTSKIRTS AND STILL NOTHING."
"That sucks. But if even the dogs can't find the trail there isn't much we can do. There's a reason we have curfew during storm season, damnit! I'll need to have a one on one talk with the other delinquents. We can't have them just wandering out of town like that. It's dangerous."
Papyrus nodded along vigorously.
"YO! PAPYRUS! LOOK! YOUR HOUSE IS ON TV!"
What!? TV? Where? He turned to try and follow the kid's voice, but Undyne's barked "Quiet kid!" got him back on track. "Was that it?"
"YE—NO! SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED THIS MORNING! WE HAD A CAVE IN ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF SNOWDIN, NEAR MY BROTHER'S STATION. IT WAS LOUD ENOUGH TO HEAR IN TOWN, AND DOGERESSA REPORTED IT SMELLED OF MAGIC. WHETHER OF NATURAL CAUSES OR NOT, WE THOUGHT IT BEST TO REPORT A POTENTIAL INSTABILITY IN THE CAVERN WALLS. YOU WEREN'T ANSWERING YOUR PHONE, SO THE GREAT PAPYRUS TOOK THE TIME TO BRING YOU THE NEWS PERSONALLY!"
"...goddamn it. First the snow storms, and now this? This is nerd stuff and Al—damn it. I'll—I'll forward the news to the right people. Thanks Pap."
"Yooo guys."
"UNDYNE." Papyrus hesitated, and then pressed on, asking the question that had been nagging him the entire conversation. The darkness lingering under her eyes. The distraction. The tone of her voice. The glaring lack of EXCLAMATION points, and above all, ENERGY. "DID YOU GET ANY SLEEP LAST NIGHT?"
"I—"
"GUYS!"
"I said to shut up kid!"
"There's smoke yo!"
That got both of their attention. The little lizard was hopping up and down in front of a large monitor, and on that monitor was—
"OH THAT'S MY HOUSE!" He turned to Undyne, "WHY IS MY HOUSE ON THE TV?"
She shrugged. "Alphys has access to the underground's security network. KID you shouldn't be touching anything!"
"I didn't yo! I swear! I don't even have hands! The light just started blinking, and the monitor came on—"
"Undyne? Darling?" Mettaton's strong voice drifted down from the loft above, "Something set off an alarm up here. She keeps trying to pull herself to the computer—ssshh. Calm down darling. Calm down. It's okay. Don't cry Alphys darling—do you think you could handle it? I've got my, er, hands full at the morning."
"BUT WHY WOULD IT BE MY HOUSE?"
"Just look dude! There's smoke drifting in from the left! I wonder how you could change the angle—"
"Don't touch ANYTHING kid—"
Everything dissolved into chaos. Meanwhile the plume of smoke began to thicken.
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A/N: Sorry for the delay! Papyrus and MK weren't supposed to get quite as much spotlight as they did. So I cut this chapter in half. Good news is, this means the next chapter is already over half done! Huzzah!
Feel free to ask questions if you have any! Or drop any speculation~
And yes. I'm deliberately being vague about Alphys. Thank you for reading! :}
(also the new story icon is by the lovely shikoire / shikoireart on tumblr! A full sized image can be found on my fic blog katreal-fic.)