Pov: #1611625 alias: 'PAPYRUS'

I have been horribly swamped with work recently. Terribly busy. Absolutely slaving over both my work and my... "life". As anyone would notice busy is never a good thing. Always preceeded by a word such as "horrendously" or "terribly", and always used as a way to get out of anything which would make one more busy. For example: "No, I cannot participate in company board game night, I'm busy getting these five different building plans mapped out and marked, and it's already going to take me until two am" or "No, brother I can't eat lunch right now, I'm busy with these blueprints, and if you continue bothering me with your concerns for my well-being I shall be skipping dinner as well just to spite you." All in all, busy is the absolute worst thing anyone could possibly be.

Perhaps, however, I am being a bit unjust. It is just a word after all. The definition is what I have a problem with. If busy and it's synonyms meant something akin to 'delicous sandwiches for lunch' or perhaps 'convincing Sans to play the extremely complex fantasy based game you found in the dumpster because you have a day off agent work and he has medical leave' (I have managed to get him rather attached to the game. It's too bad we are both too... Busy... Ugh... To ever play it) or even 'four am walk without being interrupted by a STUPID FLOWER for once' I believe most people would find it much more enjoyable. I know I would. Sweet Asgore I could go for a sandwich right about now.

I stared at the ever growing pile of work in front of me and sighed. It wasn't THAT much really, I suppose I was just being a bit of a poor sport about it. Usually, paperwork didn't bother me, however I have been distracted by near crippling worry as of late. The suspension of my sibling's weaponry, I regretfully must admit, has affected more than it probably should. His physical attack was rising steadily, the fact that he was already athletic assisted with this greatly, after all he was STRONG he was just rusty when it came to throwing punches. At long last, I picked up my pen, noting the final two security cameras that I had been staring at for the past while, and rolling up the now completed map so I could bring it to Gerson first thing tomorrow. I decided to take a break for a while, it was clear that I wasn't getting work done either way, and all trying seemed to do was make me frustrated. I got up from my chair, and decided to hunt down my brother. Alphys was still refusing to allow him to do any normal missions (which was just fine by me), instead sending him off to complete random errands so he would stay out of her scales. He had been far worse a week ago of course, and after being sent off to clean the agency's restrooms for about the fifth time, he would often just accept the tasks he was given at the beginning of the day, not bothering her for more. This did however, stuck him in a sour mood most of the time, and often I would catch him grumbling at home pacing back and forth in the living room (I'm a bit surprised that he hasn't worn a track into the carpet by now). Musings aside, since he clearly wasn't home that only left a few places where he should be, two places where he would likely be, and a handful of locations that were only sort-of likely.

Luckily I didn't have to look very far, as he walked right through the front door with a massive grin on his face. "Hello, Papyrus!" He chirped in a worryingly joyous tone before he walked passed me, dropping a small, five petaled, white and yellow flower next to the pet rock.

I stared at it. Was that why he was so happy? A flower? I decided that no, that wasn't it. It was just a plant after all. Unless of course the king's love for the things was rubbing off on him. Did he get it from the king? He was talking with the two royals an awful lot recently. There were only a few places someone could get flowers in the underground, and almost all of those places just had echo flowers. These, clearly, were not those. "Hello, brother," I replied still trying to figure out what my sibling's good mood was all about. I decided that being direct would be the best way to go "Where did you get that flower?"

"I signed up for a show at the resort, the Ficuses are blooming. You should go see them."

I froze. He couldn't have. SHE couldn't have. Sans only did comedy shows for two reasons. Either due to a special occasion or holiday so that he wasn't expected to go to the company party, or because he was about to go on a mission. "What's the occasion?" I asked. I must have forgotten something. Alphys wouldn't have just dropped him something out of the blue, would she? I hoped she wouldn't. He still needed to brush up on his right armed block! He was still rusty when it came to kicking a gun out of someone's hand!

"I got an assignment," he said excitedly, still absolutely beaming, "It's going to be a pretty wild one too. Fourteen? I think it was fourteen. Flower members. They were going to steal the-"

My soul sunk "They are going to attempt to steal the Artifact during the semi-annual ball. Yes, I know the one." I finished. This was bad. This was really really REALLY bad. The chances of him walking into that situation without anything to defend himself besides his own two fists and walking out again at all were close to none.

"Yeah, that would be the one," he confirmed, "Mettaton was nice enough to give me a slot before the ball since I haven't been doing anything at the resort recently. I'm going to head over tomorrow, rest and prepare the day after, then go in the day of the ball. I was going to attempt to get a slot the day of the ball, but Alphys said she needed me as close to the Artifact as I could get, so I'm heading in as a partygoer instead."

"Not as your alias, I hope."

"Of course not."

I sighed. He was so excited. So genuinely full of elation at the idea of returning to the field. Emotions like that were a rarity when it came to my brother. I was quite sure this was the happiest I had seen him (even though something in me insisted that I'd seen him happier), and of course it would be over something like this. "Are you going to be okay? Without weapons, I mean."

His brow furrowed. Smile dissapearing in favor of an Express of deep thought. "I'm not sure," he admitted, "If I do die out there though, trying to help people. Then I think it would be better than dying at home not doing anything. Being dead and remembered is way better than being alive and forgotten, you know?"

I nodded, ignoring the sense of deja vu the statement gave me. It made some sense. Sort of. I decided not to mention that his alias technically WOULD be known for having done nothing.

In response to this, my brother nodded. Giving me a friendly thump on the back before heading upstairs. Likely to get some things ready for the mission ahead of time. I personally didn't understand why he never waited until the actual preparation day he would always leave himself. I suppose that was just how he was. I remained downstairs for a while. Why was I looking for my brother again? Oh. Right. Fantasy game. I stared up at the closed door of Sans' room. He may have escaped the realm of magic this time. But NEXT TIME (if there was one) NEXT TIME MY ATTEMPTS AT A FAMILY GAME NIGHT WOULD SUCCEED.

I assured myself that there definitely would be a next time, then retired to my bedroom so that I could stare at my work some more and allow my self reassurances to fail me yet again, leaving me with a constant feeling of dread...

...

...

This was going to be a very long couple of days.