Me: I'm a little shaken up.
Shamir: You okay, buddy? You don't look so good.
Me: This is a special drabble...
Undyne: ...Revolving around insecurities.
Me: Yes, Undyne. I was inspired by three songs.
Shamir: I can't wait to see this.
Me: Also, I want to credit the author of Anamnesis comic, GolzyBlazey, as Sans' memory is inspired from there.
Drabble... Start!
MONSTERS' FLAWS
Extra Drabble VI
It was a quiet day in the Underground...
That day, Undyne let the Guard take a pause, as she decided that they were spending far too much time training - while her father was right about a Guard's vigilance, she was right on another thing. That they also need time to themselves, the fish monster thought as she smiled after ten good laps around the training grounds, as Sans looked at her, smiling and drinking a bottle of ketchup he kept hidden in his right inner pocket. He then called Papyrus and let him know he would be at home shortly, as he needed to sleep for a while - he also trained with Undyne in order to keep his defenses up, to be stronger, as his father said.
"DAD WANTED ME TO TELL YOU THAT YOU HAVE TO BE STRONGER. THAT NOT ALL THE TIMES WILL BE GOOD." the skeleton remembered Papyrus's words as he looked at Undyne, who was now smiling and waving at him, sweat beading on her forehead. "BUT DESPITE THIS, YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE FRIENDS BY YOUR SIDE..." his brother's words kept coming as he chugged some more ketchup. The fish monster huffed a little as she dressed herself in a somewhat modern attire, with a white T-shirt, a black jacket, black pants and black boots and caught her hair in a beautiful red ponytail, and walked out of the Royal Guard's training grounds, waving goodbye to Sans.
The skeleton started monologuing for a little moment, as he took in the peaceful surrounding, "i can't believe just how close i was to seeing dad again. despite every damn experiment he pulled me through...even the one with his determination pills." Sans clenched his fists a little at this as the reminder of that memory coursed through his soul.
(Memory: Sans)
"dad? dad, are you alright?" a young Sans asked his father, Dr. Gaster, who barely returned from a long shift at the CORE. "come on, dad, tell me what is wrong!"
Seeing that the older skeleton would not reply, he turned back for a moment towards his toddler brother, and gingerly told him to wait here for Sans, while the small skeleton monster could do nothing but say "Sa-!" as he couldn't yet pronounce his brother's name.
Sans ran to the living room, where Gaster was watching TV, and was surprised to see his son barging in on such short notice. Nonetheless, the tall skeleton invited Sans to take place next to him, as he started apologizing for being so late once more, and that he didn't have any time to spend with him and his brother - he also began telling him about a project he was working on.
"...Determination pills. King Asgore asked me to do something so monster souls can resist a little longer in battle."
"why would you do any of this? i mean...experimenting on monsters like this?" Sans's eyesockets widened in shock.
"I actually..." Gaster sighed as he shut off the TV, "didn't get anyone to enroll in the experiment."
"that's why you stay so long every night?" the young skeleton's pinpricks shifted their gaze towards the living room's door. "why can't you ever be there for us?! do you have any idea-"
"Sans..." the tall scientist rose from the couch, "Let's discuss this over dinner, shall we?"
The scientist prepared a bowl of spaghetti for each of them, and both stood at the large kitchen table, sometimes exchanging gazes, but Sans didn't look like he was interested in eating too much. He was too upset at his father for leaving them alone each night, for making him take care of everything, treating him like a servant, like a subject...
"you're always treating me like a subject of your experiments! have you ever thought asking me-" Sans stopped for a moment, as the entire kitchen turned dark. "d-dad?..."
Gaster shot an array of bones towards his son, knocking him off the chair, and forcing Sans to cower in fear, in one of the kitchen's corners. "dad, p-please..."
"Coward...as always." the scientist gritted through his teeth. "I believe you will improve if you'll get one of the Determination pills. The concentration isn't that high, it won't make you melt."
"why would i-" the young skeleton hissed, "even want to do this?"
"Because you'll be able to protect everyone you love by doing this." Gaster said, with a stern expression.
(Present)
"for what is worth, i think he was right..." Sans exhaled as he warped out of the grounds, straight in front of his home, catching the scent of spaghetti in the air. "just in time, paps made his famous spaghetti. i hope this time they won't make me turn my stomach over...what am i even sayin'? i don't have one." the small statured skeleton thought as he entered the house and dashed for the kitchen, a little hungry after all the tiring day he spent with the Guard. Papyrus looked at him with curiosity, as he set the table and served the hot pasta for both, sitting at the table without saying a word as his brother gently poured some ketchup over them, but it was obvious that something was bothering Sans.
"SANS. IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WISH TO TELL ME?" Papyrus caught Sans off-guard with the question as some ketchup spilled on the table.
"gee, paps, did you really have to startle me like that?" the small scientist skeleton chuckled. "i'm fine, nothin' to worry your skull about."
"SANS, I KNOW WHEN YOU'RE LYING." the tall, dazzling skeleton said as he folded his arms. "PLEASE, QUIT DANCING AROUND THE BONEFIRE AND TELL ME."
"sheesh, bro, that was terrible. but you're getting better with your puns." Sans grinned a little before his smile vanished again.
"JUST...COME CLEAN. I HATE IT WHEN YOU'RE RATTLING MY BONES." Papyrus sighed. "I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING YOU'VE NEVER TOLD ME BEFORE. AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE FACT YOU KILLED PATRICIA."
"okay, okay, you win, bro, you win. i can't say no to that face of yours." Sans shrugged. "here goes nothing."
"I AM ALL EARS." the tall skeleton leaned on the chair, as his eyesockets were on Sans.
"well, you probably don't remember this, because you were small. but dad often used to experiment on me..."
Papyrus' eyesockets widened in shock as he listened to Sans' story, and eventually fell off the chair in astonishment. Of course, he was a toddler at that time, but it felt soul-wrenching just to imagine through what his brother must've gone through, and shook his head in disbelief as he approached Sans, looking at him with some sweat beading on his forehead. He realised now that it was wrong to shout at his brother all the time for being lazy, when in fact he was subjected to such horrible things, and leveled to Sans' stature, pulling him in a hug.
"...e-eh?" the small skeleton's eyesockets widened in shock as he's never seen his brother like this.
"BROTHER...I AM SORRY FOR BEING SUCH A PRICK TO YOU." Papyrus began to say, "I NEVER REALIZED JUST HOW MUCH YOU WERE SUFFERING ON THE INSIDE. ALL THAT POWER...YOU MUST'VE BEEN AFRAID IT COULD POSSIBLY KILL YOU OR ANYONE ELSE AROUND YOU. AND THAT'S WHY YOU ALWAYS CHOSE TO BE ALONE ALL THE TIMES...BUT KNOW, I'LL HAVE YOUR BACK."
(In Waterfall)
While Undyne returned from the Guard training, she noticed that Alphys was crying, and immediately rushed to her sister's side, picking her up. The small lizard was disappointed that she didn't fare better with her electrokinesis, as she wished to do more for the Guard, and for improving their home, but her sister was softly cooing and petting her head as Alphys kept sobbing.
"I-I just fear I-I won't g-get any better w-with this." the lizard said as her claws shook. "D-Dad t-tried to teach m-me how to c-control my electrokinesis, b-but..."
"That's because Dad uses it for battle, unlike you, sis. You use it to make all of your nerdy stuff! Come on, you'll get better at this, trust me." Undyne smiled as she put her sister down. "Just believe in yourself, what did we tell ya? You have two warriors with you, nothing can go wrong if you put your brilliant mind to it!"
"Y-you a-are right, U-Undyne." Alphys smiled back. "Say, why d-don't you play t-the piano? I l-love when you p-play it. Even h-heard Dad h-humming along."
The fish monster's eyes widened as she remembered that Shamir did hum a familiar tune..."NO WAY! Dad loves my music too?! He really is amazing...First he encouraged me, made me see that I can grow better if I'm confident in myself, and now THIS?!"
"He d-did t-that?" Alphys' eyes widened behind the glasses.
"Yeah...he said that he wants to see me growing independent and strong!" Undyne's eyes flashed with determination, "And I bet he thought about you like this too!"
"I-I t-think so." the lizard meekly smiled. "C-come on, I-I want to hear you play."
(Music: Battle Against a True Hero - Short Piano Cover by Bani-chan)
Shamir and Catty were approaching the house, paw in paw, when they heard this music, and the jaguar couldn't resist singing along, making up some lyrics, impressing Catty with how much of a good parent he really seemed to be. "He is truly a good father to the two girls, Undyne told me of how much she wants to be a great leader like him. While Alphys wants to improve with her powers, just like he does. My Fluffytail knows exactly how to raise them." the purple feline thought as she listened to the somewhat baritonal voice of her lover:
She can play the piano, in such an amazing way, oh yes,
She sings for the Underground, make no mistake,
She brings out all of our hopes and dreams...
Make them all true...
And now I'll tell you something...
Why do I feel so proud of her, when she sings!
Because she inspires me all along,
Because she believes in you and I
Because she defends us all, even when it's dire!
Because I love her,
And she's my daughter...
(Music End)
"Heheh, Shamir...you do sing nice." Catty muffled a laughter, but the jaguar silenced her for a moment.
"She plays the piano ever so often." Shamir said, "And it's a pleasure to catch her playing the instrument..." he then cleared his throat, "As for my singing...I guess I can say thank you, dearest."
"Shamir...are you okay?" the purple feline noticed the jaguar's aloof expression as he knocked on the door.
"Why wouldn't I be, eh? I'm okay, don't worry." Shamir tried to laugh it off, but Catty was determined to find out what really troubled him.
"Look at me, Dreemurr!" the purple feline hissed, "I know you're hiding something from me. So spit it out, right now!"
"Hi...ya?" Undyne and Alphys looked at the two felines with perplexed faces. "Are you two okay? You look like you're about to burn one another to a crisp."
"We're fine." both Shamir and Catty replied as they walked in, still eyeing one another.
Undyne shrugged as she went upstairs in her room, inviting Alphys to watch some anime on the UnderNet, while the two felines were sitting in the living room on the large couch Shamir slept on sometimes. The jaguar avoided her eyes as he didn't want to give in to what he really felt, but the purple cat wasn't having any of that - she pushed him to lay down on the couch as she was above him, a predatory and determined gaze in her green eyes - and Shamir found himself in a very, very, very embarassing situation with her looking at him like that."Thank goodness neither Alphys nor Undyne are here..."
"Start talking, Dreemurr!" Catty ordered as she dug her claws in his shoulders, making him jolt a little from the pain.
"F-Fine, fine..." the jaguar gave up as she kept her claws in his shoulders, "I'm just w-worried about my r-role as a h-hero."
"That's all? Psh, you're really insecure about that, you know...I-I mean, not that I'm not insecure myself." Catty laughed a little as her black hair covered a bit of her face.
"Wait, what? Why are you laughing about that?" Shamir looked at the feline as he gently touched her hair.
Catty then whispers into his ear, Heartache, heartache, heart was gold, all it had you instant cold... and lightly kissed him on his muzzle. "I think you're a hero, my Fluffytail. You do everything you can to make things right..."
"Let's talk about your insecurity, then..." Shamir laughed a little as he looked at her, "The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed, but when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell...You don't know you're beautiful."
"You shameless flatterer..." Catty murred as she kissed him on the lips once more.
Undyne and Alphys were silently laughing as they heard the conversation, and carefully crept back upstairs, wondering who was the more insecure one in their relationship, while Alphys admitted to her sister that she and Sans had that talk some while ago. They laughed as Undyne shared on the UnderNet..
"MY DAD IS AN AWESOME HERO, BUT HE IS ALSO VERY INSECURE..."
"You don't th-think he'll get mad?" Alphys thought as she saw Undyne's status. "I-If he f-finds out...!"
"He will probably be mad for ten minutes then laugh at it." the fish monster shrugged. "Anyway, all this talk about insecurities definitely made him open up to her...n-not saying that I haven't been talking to her myself."
"E-Eh?" the lizard monster's eyes widened, "You and C-Catty talked?"
"Well, duh, yeah. It's something you can't help me with right now...And tomorrow I'll visit Lady Toriel." Undyne said as she shut off her computer.
"Oh, okay, 'Dine. Anyway, just letting you know I have your back, sister." Alphys said as her glasses shone a little.
"Gee, thanks Alphy!" the fish monster said as she hugged her sister. "Guess we'll support each other through dire times, yeah?"
"Y-yeah!" Alphys nodded strongly.
Entry number...?
I've lost count of these, but writing in the journal does help.
Catty thought she isn't beautiful...what the golly is wrong with her and Undyne?
I promised them both I'll help if they need a jaguar's paw.
Undyne told me she'll visit Mom tomorrow.
I wonder what Sans is doing, I haven't talked to him lately.
Hopefully, he is bonding a lot more with Papyrus.
He definitely needs it.
(?)
"SMILEY TRASHBAG...YOU'LL BE LIVING YOUR WORST NIGHTMARES...AGAIN AND AGAIN...AND AGAIN!"