Chapter Nine

Chilling Revelations and a Shadow From the Past

"You're annoyingly slow for a human." Flowey shouted out to his temporary follower as he lead her somewhere safe, he tried to make small talk along the way but the human only responds with a grunt and chattering teeth. "Not much of a talker are ya?" Grumbling the flower led the cold human to the worn down shack that she and the other human decided to shelter within. He began to wonder if all of this was worth trying to gain her trust. Within an hour the pair made it to a clearing. Ann perked up once she caught sight of the shack and let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you Flowey." The small monster was taken aback by her words he wasn't expecting her to thank him, before he could respond she dashed towards the building leaving him alone. Deciding that is was time for him to leave he burrowed in to the dirt underneath the white fluffy snow tunneling his way back to safety in the ruins, on his way he couldn't help think about the best way to crush the hopes and dreams of the new comers. He has to be careful to not let them find out his true intentions, he is unsure of what they are capable of and how much knowledge of the underground they posses. He reemerged from the ground back into his favorite spot near the only entrance to the underground and began to talk to himself.

"Baahhh, they're just a couple of stupid humans; there's no need for little old me to get worked up over them. Frisk on the other hand could pose a threat to my plans." He continued to scheme out loud not realizing that he is being watched from the shadows.

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Outside the shack

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Ann reached the side of the small building desperately wanting to get inside, the first thing she'll do is change from of her soaked and torn clothes before sitting by the fire to bring feeling back to her frozen limbs. As she rounded the corner she saw Papyrus leave the building, she was about to call out for him but someone nearby piped up.

"hey papyrus!" Recognizing the low carefree voice dread began to overcome her; instinctually she pressed her back against the wall hiding from the skeletons. She placed her hand over the bloody hole in her clothes where her fatal injury used to be.

"SANS!" She flinched as Papyrus calls out the name of her attacker. As the two conversed amongst each other the worst scenarios invaded her imagination.

(What if Sans and Papyrus decided to attack her brother, would Papyrus even do that? She knows he is a good person in game, but what is he like in real life? Does Sans know that they're staying here? If so how did he even find this place, Chara said that it was safe.) She started to hyperventilate as spots started to fill her vision, before things got worse Papyrus brought her back to reality. "YOU KNOW WHAT NEVERMIND, WE BETTER HEAD HOME AND GET OUT OF THIS STORM. WE'LL TALK THERE." Hearing this Ann peeked around the corner in time to see Papyrus pick his brother up and walk away. She couldn't hear Sans response as they made their way into the woods. Once they're out of sight she sprinted for the door barging inside startling the others, they watched as she slammed the door behind her before taking a couple steps back staring at the old wooden door. Before she could say a word a small body tackled her.

"You made it back; we were starting to get worried." Relief filled Frisk as she tightly hugs the taller girls' waist getting her own clothes wet in the process, after embracing her for a few moments she removed herself from the older girl before taking her hand into her own noticing it's as cold as an ice cube.

"You're freezing; we need to get you warmed up before you get sick or worse." Frisk drags her over to the fire forcing her to sit on a pile of blankets she took from the top bunk and placed a safe distance away from the roaring flames. As Frisk gave her a cup of pine tea, Zack removed himself from his spot on the bottom bunk and bopped Ann lightly on the head.

"You're the biggest danger prone dummy I know." Satisfied with her punishment he made his way back to the bed as she took a sip of her warm drink.

"I apologize; I must've walked a little too far from the shack and got lost. Luck fully I was able to make it back on my own." She decided it was best to keep her interaction with Flowey a secret, knowing that they would began to freak out, due to her knocking on deaths door not too long ago. Zach pulled a blanket over his shoulders letting relief wash over him as he began interrogating his sister.

"Were you talking to Papyrus outside, we heard him talking with someone after he left." Not sure how to tell the others what she saw Ann took a gulp of her tea allowing the warm liquid sooth her sore throat. While the two talked Frisk made her way over to Anns' backpack that's resting next to the door, hoping to find some dry clothes for her, while she rummaged through the torn and bloodied bag she listened to the siblings' talk.

"I was going to let him know that I was there, but someone else caught his attention." Chara sat up from her hiding spot on the top bunk and inserted herself into the conversation.

"Did you see who he was talking to?" Ann thought over the consequences of not telling them the truth before deciding that this is information that they need to know; with a shaky breath she uttered one word.

"Sans." Instantly the whole room went silent as everyone processed the information, the only noise in the room is the crackling of the fire and the wind howling at the window begging to be let in. Frisk was the first to compose herself and break the silence.

"Are you sure it was him and not someone from the village?" Exhausted Ann nodded confirming their fears. Zach stood allowing the blanket to fall to the floor revealing his hands tightly clenched at his sides before making his way over to the window to peer outside.

"What was he doing here, did he notice you?" He spoke lowly so that if anyone was outside they couldn't hear him. Soaked and freezing Ann decided it was time to change removing herself from the now damp blankets, Frisk walked over to her side holding out the clothes she retrieved from the bag; Ann gratefully accepted them before turning to her brother.

"I don't think so; he called out to Papyrus as soon as he walked out the door and I quickly hid behind the shack." Frisk Decided to join Chara who has been quietly listening from the top bunk and turned her back to the others telling Chara to do the same. Ann asks her brother to not turn around until she said so explaining to him that she is going to change, she looked at the items in her hands, Frisk handed her a dark purple turtle neck, a long black skirt and some black leggings all items seems to be slightly worn which was still a lot better than the ones she's wearing at the moment. While she got dressed she continued the conversation.

"I think we are ok for tonight, I watched Papyrus carry him home." Once she was done, she sat at the table with her brother as he told her the plan he and Frisk were discussing before she returned.

"I think that we should stay here for the night and get some rest, then in the morning we should try to make our way to Snowdin. From there we can sneak past the skeletons house and make a bee line for Waterfall." Ann knew that it's a good idea but she could see a few problems with the plan that needed to be addressed.

"That sounds like a good idea but we have no way of knowing where the skeleton brothers would be and we run the chance of bumping in to one of them, we have a fifty, fifty chance of it being Sans. Right now we have no way of defending ourselves against him" As Ann voiced her concerns Zach pulled a container filled with some soup that sat next to fire to be heated it up for dinner before pouring it into the cups that they have used to drink the tea out of. Frisk refused her share telling them that Papyrus has fed her some spaghetti earlier and that she was still full. As the siblings ate Frisk pointed something out that the others forgot about.

"The biggest problem with that plan is that we wouldn't be returning to the ruins like we promised Tori. Honestly I think we should return to the ruins tomorrow and pay her a visit and explain everything that has happened today, perhaps she could give us some advice about how to get to Waterfall without having to go through Snowdin and maybe she has an idea about what happened with you two when Sans attacked you with his blasters." Frisk lays down covering herself with the musty sheet as she spoke. "I don't think you were able to block the blasts with just your soul power Zach, you're ability is healing not protection. But for some reason as you helped your sister a small barrier surrounded you two just in time to shield you from the attack and allowing you guys to escape." She let out a tired yawn as her eyes began to close. "I don't know it just doesn't add up to me." The three continued planning out the day tomorrow, Shortly after it got dark outside by unknown means, Frisk fell asleep shortly followed by the others, leaving Chara the only one awake in the small building to keep an eye out for any trouble.

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Papyrus' POV

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As Papyrus closed the wooden door he heard is brother call out to him from behind, he looked in his direction as Sans made his way closer to him, at the same time he saw out of the corner of his eye the human girl hide behind the wall. Fearing for her safety he decided to get Sans away from this place before he realized that he wasn't the only one there.

"SANS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE; YOU SHOULDN'T BE WANDERING AROUND THE WOODS IN A STORM LIKE THIS. IT'S TOO DANGEROUS FOR YOU, WHAT IF YOU GOT LOST OR WORSE HURT!" He didn't give his brother time to respond. "YOU KNOW WHAT NEVERMIND, WE BETTER HEAD BACK TO TOWN IT'S GETTING LATE!" Papyrus wrapped his right arm around Sans waist to carry him home so that he doesn't have a chance to notice the human. He carefully made his way through the forest with his brother held tightly to his side.

"soo….what were you doing at that worn down place paps?" Sans looked up at him with a questioning look waiting for a response. Papyrus thought long and hard to find a way to keep Sans from finding out that the humans are taking shelter there without lying to him.

"THAT OLD HOUSE IS WHERE I GO TO THINK OVER THE THINGS THAT BOTHER ME WITHOUT ANY INTERRUPTIONS!" Realizing that is all he will get from Papyrus right now Sans relaxed in his arms and waited till they got home. As Snowdin came in to sight Papyrus gently let go of Sans, allowing him to walk to the house on his own two feet. Once in the house Papyrus made his way to the kitchen to make himself his favorite tea, he always drinks Peppermint tea before bead after one of the children in town told him that it would make him popular with the other monsters. Sans slowly made his way in taking a seat at the small wooden table placed in the center of the room, watching Papyrus place a kettle of water on the small stove.

"paps, i would like to have a talk with you." Papyrus took his seat across from his brother as he thought over what needs to be discussed first, there is so many questions that he needs answers to but he doesn't know where to start, but apparently Sans does. "i'm truly sorry papyrus, i had no idea that you knew about all of the other timelines, and if i did i would have come to you sooner." Papyrus let his shoulders sag.

"I forgive you Sans, I can never stay angry at you for too long, and you are my only brother after all." He kept his voice low as to not disturb any of their sleeping neighbors, hearing this Sans relaxed a little.

"But even though I forgive you I feel that I have the right for you to tell me everything that you know about what is happening right now, I want the truth not half truths or even bits of the truth. I want to know everything that has happened to cause three humans to fall in to the underground instead of just Frisk, I know that you have something to do with it." The tea kettle began to whistle alerting them that the water was ready, Papyrus removed himself from his seat to finish making his drink, he placed his ceramic basket ball shaped cup on the table before making his way over to the fridge pulling out a bottle of alcohol infused ketchup knowing that his brother prefers this stuff in situations like this. He handed the bottle to Sans who thanked him before sitting down himself. Sans took a sip of his drink before giving his brother a curious look.

"how do you know that there are three humans down here?" Papyrus took a sip of his tea before placing back down to let it steep a little longer. He braced himself for any outburst from Sans when he tells him the truth.

"I have met them Sans; did you know that they are terrified of you?" He continued with a hint of admiration in his voice. "But even though they're scared of you one of them is willing to give his own life to save his sister and Frisk from you. I don't know all of the details but what I do know is that you almost killed one of them. And I greatly disapprove of you recent actions." Sans sat in silence, he suspected that Papyrus has found them but he had no idea that they told him what has transpired.

"So the boy is willing to take responsibility for everyone's suffering that they have caused?" Papyrus hated the way his brother spoke while his empty eye sockets stared passed him as if he was getting ready to attack. He knew that this wasn't right and decided to try to change his attitude towards the humans.

"SANS! I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO CAUSE ANY MORE HARM TO THOSE TWO!" Papyrus knocked over his chair as he stood with rage, causing Sans to stare at him with shock, he has never seen his brother this angry before, much less towards him. Papyrus took a moment to calm himself down with a deep breath, before picking up his chair and taking a seat. "I cannot believe that you, my own brother would take such vile acts against another living being into consideration. Yes Zach has informed me that he's willing to lose his own life not only to protect the others but to also atone for everything he has done to us, and I will NOT allow you anywhere near them if you are determined to continue down this path." Orange tears began to form as Papyrus spoke with a crackling voice.

"I know that you are better than that Sans, all I ask of you is to give them a second chance." Sans finished his drink in one gulp, he knows what has to be done but he doesn't like upsetting his brother, he took a moment to build up the courage to tell his brother what needs to be said. Papyrus stared at him impatiently waiting for a response.

"listen papyrus, i have already given them more second chances than you realize. they don't deserve to continue to exist anymore; if i allow them to go free then they will continue to destroy everything we hold dear, only to bring it all back to do it again. i will not give up everything i have worked so hard for and let this chance to end this nightmare to pass me by. there is nothing that you can say to change my mind." Sans stood with no emotion as tears flowed down papyrus' cheek bones.

"i'm sorry paps." As the last word left his mouth Sans used a shortcut leaving Papyrus in the now empty home.

"Sans, I don't understand, what changed you?" Papyrus sat in complete shock for the rest of the night, attempting to come up with an explanation for Sans behavior. After many quiet hours of fruitless contemplation the small cuckoo clock that hangs on the wall sang, informing him that the time is now five in the morning. Deciding that it was time to stop sitting around alone with his own thoughts, Papyrus left the house and made his way over to Grillbys, hoping that the bar keep could give him some sound advice.

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Sans POV

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"i'm sorry paps." Sans fled from his home teleporting to a well hidden spot in Waterfall that only he knew about, the only way for anyone other than himself to reach this place is for them to take the bridge flowers on the other side and place them in a specific location in the river and cross over. He paced in front of the old bench he brought over from the dump many years ago, trying to subdue the guilt that fills his soul as he recalls the way Papyrus looked at him with disbelief and sadness before he left like a coward, but he had to push back the urge to make things right with his brother. He has to stand his ground right now, and then once this is all over he will try to talk things out with Papyrus. Frustrated he threw his arms in the air before making his way over to a small hidey hole he made in the wall behind the bench, pulling out a small blanket and pillow he placed there for times like this. He lies on the bench deciding to try to get some sleep, then in the morning he will confront the humans and end this quickly before Papyrus decided to try and stop him. After many restless minutes he finally fell asleep unaware of the dark figure observing him from under the water's surface in front of him.

"I'm disappointed in you Sans." The figure whispered to the sleeping skeleton before taking its leave.