Me: Well, first I have to say...Sorry for the long wait.
Shamir: No need to apologize, my friend. I'm sure your readers will understand.
Me: I truly hope so, Shamir. *sweatdrops*
Shamir: This is that...epilogue thing you were talking about?
Me: Yes, this is it. But, before we start, I want to let you know that scene breaks between parantheses like this, [The Golden Forest, a long time ago...], mark flashbacks.
Shamir: Anything else?
Me: Yes, at the end of this. But let's not spoil it... Let's start it, shall we?
Both: Epilogue...START!
Forward to a Better Future...?
a.k.a
Altershifted Drabbles Epilogue
Dust.
It was all that Zeus Asgore could see before his calm, blue eyes, as he stood in the doorframe of his home. Yet, in the midst of the brown, glittering cloud, he could see a shadow in the shape of a small man, still standing — and the Supreme Deity called out the wind to his help — only to notice that the forest, which majestically adorned these lands, was completely gone, and the man was now revealed to be a skeleton wearing a strange cloth on him.
Zeus Asgore also heard a low groan, and noticed that Narcissus was hopelessly trapped under a giant boulder, which made the large goat monster smile in relief. "It was about time someone took out that hypocrite." He then approached the still standing skeleton, yet he couldn't even properly introduce himself, for the brave monster fell in the Deity's arms.
"He is weakened, a lot of his magic is almost gone..." the goat monster thought as he carried him inside the large temple, which also served as his home. "Fortunately, I still have enough ingredients to create the Nectar Tonic. It will help him regain the lost magical energy, if he can take it."
The temple wasn't very decorated, despite its' outward magnificent appearance — there were a few oriental rugs adorned with various models, and two statues representing the two most important monsters in Zeus Asgore's life — Ancient Toriel and Half-Deity Asriel, the latter being their long lost son. The goat monster gently dusted his toga and started preparing the Nectar Tonic, with secret ingredients that he never revealed to anyone, while the stranger who laid on one of his rugs was starting to wake up.
Sans's eyesockets were open, and noticed the ceiling above him that was a pure white, like the fur of Ancient Toriel. He also felt very weak, unable to move, with a dampening pain going through his skull — and let out a groan as he placed one of his hands to his head — all while blinking for a few moments to adjust to his surroundings. To his farmost left, there was a large, white-furred monster, wearing a white toga adorned with some golden pattern he couldn't discern, and a laurel crown similar to Hermesans' one — it seemed like the monster had some horns, yet distinctively larger than Ancient Toriel's — and their overall demeanor was one of peace, as if concerned with something.
"Ah, already awake, stranger?" the monster's voice bellowed. "Please wait for a moment, I'll give you something to recover your strength."
"nngh..." Sans let out a second groan of pain, "wh-where am i?"
"This is my temple," the monster said, "I am Zeus Asgore, the Supreme Deity of the Underground."
"heh," the scientist skeleton chuckled for a moment, while still holding his skull, "i'm sans, sans the scientist. i'm from —"
"You are not from our lands, I know that," Zeus Asgore smiled as he turned towards the skeleton. "Hermesans already informed me of this."
"oh." Sans said. "that guy who looks like you, but it's more like me. anyway, know how can i get home?"
"First, you must drink this," the large goat monster said. "It's my special Nectar Tonic. It recovers one's magical energy."
"thanks." Sans nodded as he chugged down the small vial given to him, and in a matter of minutes, he was already feeling better. "i could use some of that when i'm down, in my timeline."
"Unfortunately, only I know the recipe. And I cannot pass it down to a metic..." Zeus Asgore sighed as his eyes were trailing back to the statue of Half-Deity Asriel, "...but only to a descendant of mine."
"say..." Sans said as he rose from the ancient sofa, "how are you and toriel going in here?"
The deity-like goat monster looked like he was caught off-guard by the question, and placed a paw over his SOUL, his eyes seemingly watering up. "...Not exactly well. She's very distant, and I...I..."
"you're not like my timeline's tori and asgore, so...you know," the scientist skeleton grinned as he arranged his lab coat, "going home can be stalled for a while. your relationship needs to be fixed."
"Would you do this?" the goat monster looked with curiosity at Sans. "This seems a little odd for —"
"i'm not exactly an expert in relationships," Sans said as he lifted one of his hands, "but i'm willing to do this for a friend."
"A...friend? You'd go so far as to consider me —" Zeus Asgore's eyes widened at the casual demeanor of the skeleton.
" 'course i'd consider you a friend."
(Meanwhile, in the Altershift Universe...)
Shamir was quite concerned over Alphys's state, as for the past few days, the small lizard did nothing else but tinker with the machine. It seemed like Sans' prolonged absence made her even more reclusive, and he often found himself talking alone — all while the jaguar was willing to give her a paw of help — until Shamir couldn't take it anymore, something that Undyne noticed as well.
"Dad? Are you —" the fish monster looked at the tired jaguar, who was yawning. "Did you spend another night working alongside Alphys? I swear, you're slowly taking Sans' place with that."
"Sorry, Undyne. I really wish to get her to open up, but it looks like she is in a complete, er, robotic mode sort of. I mean, she ignores even the simplest of questions I might address." the jaguar's blue eyes were betraying his concern.
"Maybe she thinks you wouldn't understand what she feels," Undyne huffed as she folded her arms, "though I don't get it why she'd think like that. You're like, the best father and all-time moral support for both of us, and I'm positive you'd listen very carefully to what she has to say."
The jaguar sighed, and approved her words with a slight nod. "Perhaps you can get her to open up?"
"I dunno," the fish monster averted Shamir's gaze for a moment, "we're in an on-and-off sibling bond. I don't always understand all that nerdy stuff, and she disapproves of my rash decisions."
"On the latter, I can't help but think it's something I inadvertently —" Shamir said, before being cut off by the sound of an open door.
Papyrus was standing in the doorframe, eyeing the two with a hint of sadness and anger, and then, realising the futility of his internal battle — something both warriors seemed to be aware of — he closed the door and took a seat on the couch, next to Shamir. Undyne flashed a smile at the skeleton, who was dressed in a rather casual attire, like a T-shirt that said "Cool Star!" and a pair of long, black pants.
"HI THERE, SHAMIR, UNDYNE..." the skeleton said with an absent voice. "I—"
"What's with the long face, Pap?" Undyne said as she tackled Papyrus, the latter forcing himself to smile. "You look like you need something..."
Shamir was awkwardly looking at the two, trying to contain his laughter, and then excused himself by saying he needed to drink some tea — which wasn't exactly a lie, as his throat was a little parched — but he was also aware that he had to give the two some solitude. "Oh dear,...I do trust that Papyrus isn't that depressed as Sans. I wonder where my friend is..."
All while a pair of eyes was scrutinizing the Dreemurr Residence with hatred, their voice glitching as they left out a cackle...
"THEIR DESPAIR IS GROWING...HOW LONG WILL IT BE UNTIL PAPYRUS CRACKS?"
(Ancienttale Universe)
Ancient Toriel and Hermesans were chatting as they walked towards the temple of Zeus Asgore, and while the former was not entirely pleased with the idea of seeing the Supreme Deity, the latter was quite casual about it — Hermesans smiled gleefully as he noticed Narcissus under that rock, still groaning and protesting to be helped. All while Zeus Asgore was walking impatiently in circles, and Sans slightly laughed at the pent up tension within the large goat monster.
"c'mon, zeus asgore. ya gotta start from somewhere, and you hafta make her proud of you."
"But, stranger, I —" Zeus Asgore started to say, before being interrupted by Sans' lifted hand.
"first off, call me sans the scientist, okay? i heard you call hermesans just 'sans', so figured i could clear your head. anyway...i'm sure you'll handle it just fine."
The Supreme Deity didn't seem too convinced, until he noticed Ancient Toriel standing in the doorframe, Hermesans behind her, slightly grinning. Though his eyes were all on Toriel, as the beautiful rays of the sun dawned upon her, and he felt his heartbeat increase with each moment his gaze lingered.
"completely bewitched," both Sanses were thinking as they picked up the subtlety of their emotions — for Toriel herself was busy studying the goat monster before her, — yet it seemed like she was going through a battle of wits.
"me and the metic are going to have a little chat," Hermesans broke the silence as he waved towards Sans, " — with your permission, your highnesses."
"Eh?" Asgore blinked for a moment, "Of course, Sans, please do make the metic feel comfortable among us, until he gets home."
"will do." Hermesans nodded before vanishing with Sans in a flick of white light.
The air suddenly felt heavier between the two goat monsters, who avoided looking at one another as if there was nothing else to be said, nothing else to be done. Or perhaps there was — and both were quite aware of it — something that made Asgore hope for a chance at reconciling with her. It has been a long time since he was again alone with her...
"W-would you like a cup of tea?" Zeus Asgore stuttered for a moment, as if his emotions were slowly, but surely, stirring within him. "No, no, don't ruin this moment too!" he chided himself, placing a paw over his heart that threatened to leave his chest.
Toriel hesitated for a moment, before replying, "Of course, Asgore."
Both goat monsters stood at a table that Zeus Asgore always kept two chairs around, and after a few rustles of togas and uncomfortable shifting, they were able to look in each others' eyes, the calm blue meeting fiery red. Toriel's mind was usually at peace, but right now, caught off guard by his gaze, she felt a little confused and somewhat...blushing?
"For her, for her, I'd give anything..." Asgore was thinking, as he kept studying her, and then looked away, for he could've given in to his emotions too quickly. He then sipped from his tea, and smiled a little, trying to defuse the ever-growing tension.
"So, how are you...feeling?" his soft, baritonal voice broke through the silence, but he couldn't help a thought, "What a blasted way to begin such a conversation..."
"I am alright, Asgore," Toriel said as she sipped from her own tea, and gently brushed her robes, "why do you ask?"
But she knew he was an expert at avoiding the subject at paw, and smiled as a thought came up in her mind, "Is it because you're willing to dance around the true matter that's on our minds right now?"
He knew that she was not fooled by his naive question, and let out a long sigh before placing the cup back on the table. "It's all or nothing now, Asgore..." the larger goat monster thought as he cleared his throat, and began speaking once more.
"Tori..." he said, a little hesitant, "Do you still hate me?"
"Wh—"
Her eyes were wide, obviously surprised by the fact he decided to not waste any time in dealing with what was pressuring them both. She then gently placed back the cup on the table and briefly smiled, before looking at him with a mix of pity and tenderness. "No going back this time..."
"No, Asgore. I —"
He drew closer to her, his breathing a little funny, stopping every word that might've come from Toriel. It was almost like time itself stopped for them, and then she felt something pressing against her lips.
He was kissing her.
And that brought back to surface some ancient memories, days — and nights — when their love was so ardent that it threatened to burn everything around to a crisp, while their children were embarrassed by the public display of their affection. She still didn't know what exactly happened to Chara, and Asriel's fate was still enveloped in mystery, but above all else she knew that Asgore would always be by her side.
But one day, they didn't feel so certain of their relationship — the ever-growing uncertainty over the decisions Asgore proclaimed, in a fit of anger as he didn't know what happened to their children — and she had abandoned him for a long time, letting him carry the burden as time after time, children would come in, leave the Ruined Palestra, and then either die at the vines of Narcissus, or at the paws of Asgore himself.
Yet, she oddly recalled a day when Hermesans was crystal clear that Asgore did not wish to harm any of the children that have come through...
[The Golden Forest, a long time ago...]
"ya know, your ladyship, he never did actually kill any of the children." Hermesans blurted out as he was nonchalantly eating a chicken wing. "dunno what happened with them afterwards, though. but he had no blood on his paws, and yet —"
"Yet what, Sans?" Toriel asked, as she gently sipped some tea.
"yet sometimes, he looks like he's slowly losing it, but i keep hearing him talk whenever i'm near the temple."
"All alone? Whatever would he say?" the goat monster's eyes widened in curiosity.
"he'd say that he didn't want to lose you, to fail you...and that he loves you, but he's aware that there's nothing he could do that would turn you back. he said, and i quote, Tori abandoned me within reason, though how else would I be giving monsters hope?"
[Back to Present]
"Why is this memory coming back to me right now?" Toriel thought, as she gently pushed him away, leaving Asgore in a confused state.
"Tori —?" he thought as he retreated back to his seat, his expression betraying the utter confusion and sadness that he felt deep within his heart. "Perhaps it's not the right time for such affectionate moments —"
But he didn't notice that Toriel was having second thoughts about resenting him, for she was feeling a multitude of emotions, like denial, shock, and eventually love — the latter was much more obvious than she wanted to — because she came to some terms about Asgore's attempts in freeing Monsterkind from this torment.
"Gorey, —" she began to say, her voice so small, as if not willing to tread on such sensitive grounds. "I don't want to think this is some pathetic attempt at trying to get back where we were, but..."
"Tori," he replied, almost hurt, "I w-wouldn't dream of getting your forgiveness. I understand i-if you're not yet ready, o-or if you wish to move on —"
She then placed a paw over his muzzle, silencing him as she looked at him with her fiery eyes, "You silly goat, who said that I want anyone else than you?"
Somewhere else, two Sanses were discussing a matter of importance, as one was happily twirling his golden caduceus, while the other was busy making sure he could explain properly this long absence. And that he would certainly make sure that the machine would stay broken, no matter what — let's just say i got lucky with being sent here, — Sans thought for a moment before the other skeleton dressed in a toga cleared his throat.
"so, uh, metic." Hermesans said, smiling. "ya think your plan worked?"
"pretty pawsitive it did work. tori looked quite distraught when i first saw her, and now, seein' asgore, it made a lot of sense." Sans the scientist said as he clicked his fingers. "anyway, do you know what happened to chara and asriel?"
"only heard rumors, honestly," Hermesans's grin faded as he played with his caduceus, "because i've never truly seen half-deity asriel. but —"
"but you've seen chara, didn't you?" Sans the scientist's eyes suddenly flared up. "did they —"
"she. chara was a girl, and yes, she did commit atrocities in this timeline."
"wh—" Sans paused, "the chara of my timeline is long gone, but as far as i know from my tori and asgore, he was gone because humans attacked. "
"you're sure that your chara wouldn't have done anything wrong?" Hermesans deadpanned.
"no, i'm not. but i'm willing to give the kid some credit."
"well, about getting you back home...you just need to let asgore cast a special spell that turns you back in the right time."
"this will be so cool."
After a good long while, the two skeletons returned to the large temple, only for them to hear joyful laughters and the sounds of protesting from Toriel, but not in a bad way. In fact, she seemed to enjoy it — Gorey, please, you're tickling me! — and the two Sanses shared a hearty laughter themselves, thinking about how well this must've gone.
"ahem," Hermesans interrupted the joyful couple, "we have returned. i trust everything is cool?"
"Yes, Sans, we're cool," Toriel gently smiled as she clasped her paws. "But we have to send the metic back to their original home, don't we?"
"Of course, Tori," Zeus Asgore said as he nodded. "Sans the Scientist, is it? Come forth, please. What is the name of your home?"
"uh, it's altershift," Sans said as he scratched his head. "wait, i have to ask. how come toriel has green fire?"
"Well... this is because I do not adopt to use force anymore. My fire is mostly used for healing." Toriel said smiling. "Now, I trust that you don't have any other questions, do you?"
"heh. at least you and zeus asgore are back, this would please my friend shamir. he's very fond of you two in my universe, he's your adopted son. i hope someone brings half-deity asriel back for you as well."
The two goat monsters exchanged one look that gave way to the same thought in their mind, that one hope Asriel would be back one day to them, and then Asgore began muttering something in a strange language, his eyes narrowed in focus, while his paws were glowing with the force of the blue fire that was covering them.
The last thing Sans could hear was a "Thank you" before being teleported back in his timeline, hitting the snow with force.
(Altershift Universe)
Shamir left the Dreemurr Residence, leaving Undyne and Papyrus alone to bide their time, and his mind was now focused on Alphys's depression. "It's all up to me, whether she likes it or not. I am her father, and I cannot let her fall in the abyss she willingly creates for herself." the jaguar thought as he clenched one of his paws, and accidentally bumped into Ribras, who was doing some shopping for Rasha. The lion, who was his friend since they were young felines, noticed that Shamir was deeply concerned — and tired — about something, and asked him to go to Grillby's.
"Fine, Ribras," the jaguar weakly smiled. "We'll go to Grillby's. Maybe you can tell me how's Rasha?"
"Sure, Shamir." the lion nodded as he carried his groceries. "Perhaps you can also tell me how you're faring with your discoveries."
"Heh," Shamir briefly smiled, "It's a long but pleasant story."
The two feline monsters entered Grillby's place, and it didn't surprise them to see Lesser Cat and Greater Cat hanging around, as well as various monsters that enjoyed Grillby's food. Shamir couldn't help remember that this was Sans' favorite place, and it felt a little empty without his usual comedic pranks he'd pull on the customers. Ribras placed safely his groceries, while Shamir ordered the usual drink with a flick of his paw, something that Grillby nodded to.
"So..." Shamir said, "how's she? Last time I heard rumors you might be on a way to family."
"She's indeed carrying our child," Ribras laughed. "And...honestly, I thought maybe you and Catty could be the godparents."
"We? I—" the jaguar sweatdropped, "Are you sure you want to choose us?"
"Sure, you're my best friend, Shamir." the lion said as he took a sip of their usual drink — which was similar to human beer — and smiled. "After all, we've seen a lot of things together, so who to choose if not you?"
"I feel very honored that you chose us, but I also have to ask Catty later."
Out of a sudden, the bar's door opened, and the monster in the doorframe was now getting full, undisclosed attention. Ribras patted Shamir's left shoulder, making the jaguar look with both shock and joy at the monster standing there.
"Sans...?" Shamir said at first, before getting up from the table and reached out to the small skeleton who grinned weakly. The jaguar wished he could greet his old friend in a better way, but Alphys' condition during his absence was overpowering Shamir's emotions. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA THROUGH WHAT YOU'VE PUT ALPHYS DURING YOUR ABSENCE?!"
"welp —" Sans's grin vanished as Shamir's red glare was now threatening to burn him to a crisp, "i didn't mean to disappear. look, i can explain —"
"You'd better explain it all to me, now." the jaguar folded his arms, leaving no room for other arguments.
"okay. let's get out of here, shall we?"
A/N: Oh my God. Looks like this is going to be split into two parts as well.
All I can say is...no way!
Shamir: Least the second part won't be that long, yes?
Me: I hope so, yes...See you until the next part of the epilogue!