Dread was like ice on his bones. "Like you'll ever have the chance," Sans bluffed, praying to whatever would listen that this wasn't going where he thought it was going.

" i'm sUre I'LL gEt The cHancE FaR sooNEr THan YOu thiNk." Gaster's attention went beyond the edge of the surface Sans was strapped to. "plAce THem In THeir CAPSule. I'Ll TAkE tHE bRoTher."

"NO!" Sans struggled against his bonds but it did little more than cause the bonds to rub painfully against his bones.

A second examination table of sorts was brought into his line of sight, soon followed by Papyrus being led by several tendrils. Sans stared. It was strange. Papyrus looked composed, determined even, but there was a slight tremor in Papyrus's fists and his sockets were a bit too wide. As brave as Papyrus was, Sans knew he was just as scared. Gaster moved over to the lanker skeleton and strapped him in as Sans tried to get free. "Papyrus! Gaster, so help me, if you do anything to harm him– "

"ScREam yOurSELF hoArsE IF you WiSh, Sans. nO OnE cAN hEar yoU aNd it iS ALl ratHeR aMuSiNG To me."

Gaster moved away from Papyrus. Sans jerked against his bonds again, pupils trained on his brother. "Papyrus. Pap. Look at me." He gained a wide socket gaze void of emotion. It chilled Sans down to the bone. "Everything's going to be ok. We'll be ok."

Iridescent blue tears welded up in Papyrus's sockets the same blue as Papyrus's Patient soul. Sans felt his own soul clench in his chest at seeing them again but he watched as those tears stayed in those sockets. What had Gaster done to get Papyrus so willing to do as he was told? Why wasn't Papyrus fighting back? Crying? Screaming? Anything!

"YOu shOuLDn't mAkE pRomiSeS you caN't keeP, Sans," Gaster chastised as those iridescent tears were blinked away. Sans glared at Gaster only to have his soul drop. Gaster had a human Bravery soul in a canister between two tendrils. "AfTEr alL, YOU ArE faR too UNstabLE FoR me To eXpERiMeNt ON. yOuR BrOtHeR tUrned Out far MORe stable iN that EFFeCT." Gaster turned his attention briefly to Papyrus. "NOw IT iS tImE tO SEE HOW fAr we can puSh the Limits OF SuBjeCt oNE's FOrM." Gaster's grin turned psychotic as he focused on Sans. "shaLl wE See how much mAgIc hE cAN HOlD BefORE hE BeCoMes BrITtle LIkE You, SUbjECT Two?"

Sans jerked against his bonds, panic suddenly overriding anything that would have kept him safe. "You can't! Papyrus has already gone through a trait shift. You force him to do another and you'll kill him!"

He wasn't where this information was coming from or how he knew it was accurate, but the pleased look on Gaster's face only confirmed what he knew: Gaster already knew this.

"IT WOulD sEEm tHAT YOU HaVeN't Lost alL oF THe InfoRMATION I HAVe GiVEN YOu oVer the YeArs. You aRe CoRrECT. if i FOrcE PaPYrUs to TAkE On bRAvErY, thEN hE Will die. But, If HE TAkeS IT ON HiMSeLf, well," Gaster's grin only grew, "THAT IS SimPlY a bONuS To whAt i wiLL BE DoINg tO Him."

Sans, for all his intelligence, was suddenly at a loss. "I don't understand," he finally voiced, frowning. He knew his brother was staring at him, could feel the gaze on his skull, but he couldn't pull his attention away from the monster before him. "If you are not trying to get Papyrus's trait to shift, then why use Bravery magic?"

Gaster chuckled and Sans flinched from the noise. "SImPlY Put, braveRY IS OranGE mAgic hIGhlY COnCEnTrAtEd. WheRE yOu anD Subject oNe Share bLue MagIc duE to the Two blUe trAItS YoU bOtH house, ORAnGE MAgIc AnD Blue MaGic aRe tHe mOst InTeREsTinG Of cOnFlIcTinG mAgICs ThaT ResOnATe tOgether. IF tHe ADDiTIoN oF foreiGn ORaNge MaGic DoEsN't KiLL sUBJeCt ONe, then THIs will hAVe beEN a SUCCeSS. If It Does, ThEn I HavE yoU TO TEST On AS WElL, DESpiTe YOUR fRAgiLe staTE. twO SouLS THAt havE goNE throUgh a trait SHIfT bEinG IntROduceD tO New MagiC." Sans shuddered as a sound rolled through his skull that he refused to name. "ThE resUlTS shouLD Be faScINAtIng. WIlL yOU take on bravery in anotheR tRAIt SHIFt? OR wILL you shifT INTO PeRSeverAnce oR sOMEtHIng eLsE? WiLL The OrAnGE mAGIC simPLy TeaR yOu APaRT dEpENdInG On youR TRAit? The amOuNT Of posSIBiliTiEs is EndlesS!"'

Sans glanced at Papyrus as Gaster's attention moved elsewhere. Papyrus was watching him, expression set into something he had yet to see on his brother post-coma. Sans forced himself to relax and nodded. He hoped it translated to what he had intended: they would work together to get out of this alive.

The nod he received in return was short, brisk, and seemed to acknowledge and agree with his unspoken statement. Even as their focus was returned to Gaster as the thing turned to face them once more, Sans couldn't help but worry that Papyrus was going to do this on his own, though. Despite everything, Papyrus was a Royal Guard here and, while there wasn't much in the way of crime, they were still trained to handle situations that civilians were not and Sans – for all intents and purposes – was still a civilian.

He hoped that whatever training Papyrus had gone through had been enough to keep them both alive and persevering through these hard times.

Sans screamed himself hoarse over the next few hours. While Gaster took to working on Papyrus first, even Papyrus's strong will could not keep the lankier skeleton from screaming in agony as Gaster started injecting him with Bravery. Phantom memories of going through a similar process with a concoction that burned through his system and made it feel like his bones would melt only made him scream more.

He had fought and struggled, unable to do anything as his younger brother was tortured for some sicko's pleasure leaving his bones chaffed and tender. The helplessness of living through resets he could not alter returned with a vengeance and by the time Gaster threw them into a small, dark room with no windows, he was equally as exhausted as Papyrus was.

Each movement only jostled injuries he had inflicted on himself. He dragged himself over to Papyrus, careful fingers skirting over puncture marks and cracks till he was able to smooth his hand over Papyrus's skull. He was already unconscious, which was both reassuring and worrisome but Sans didn't dare wake his brother. Shifting so that he could rest Papyrus's head on his lap, he carefully pulled his soul from his chest to illuminate the space.

It was extremely difficult to even coax his soul out in the first place. His entire being was aware that this was not a safe place to be doing such things but Sans needed to see and he feared summoning any actual magic would do more harm than good. The inverted heart eventually formed just outside his ribcage and showed that even his ribs had not made it through the day without being rubbed raw by his thrashing. He flinched away from dark, wet streak on his shirt, knowing all too well what color it would be once they were brought into proper lighting again.

For whatever reason, he bled like a human did. Whether or not he already knew that was a moot point. The evidence was seeping into his shirt and dripping down his arms. A glance towards Papyrus's injuries gave the same result. Though there wasn't much in the way of "blood" from them, there was still enough of the substance escaping to color Papyrus's bones in the dark color illuminated by Sans's soul.

Before he used up all he had left in the way of magical energy, he took a look around the barren room. Their injuries mattered little when they were given nothing to tend to them with. The room was nothing more than a space with no windows. The door was sealed so well that not even a sliver of light escaped from where the door was supposed to be. The low light of his soul did nothing in the way of actually outlining the door from the wall it was situated within.

With a sigh, he let his soul disappear, feeling its weight return to the center of his being. There was no sign they were being watched, there was no way to know how the door even worked, and Sans was far too tired to try and figure out how to get them out. So, he situated himself around Papyrus and settled in for the most uncomfortable sleep of his life.

Morning seemed to arrive too early as the door was yanked open and tendrils yanked them both out of the room.

There was no distinction between hours, minutes, or days, and Gaster seemed able to work without food or rest, tossing Sans and Papyrus in what Sans had come to calling The Room at arbitrary times. The day that followed their first night had been painful. The bonds wrapped around raw bone making Sans hiss and twitch. It kept him from acting out except in moments that seemed so dire. The second time they were tossed into The Room, Sans had the energy to actually try and get them out.

He couldn't remember if he had been successful or not.

What could have been days or hours of this nonsense had led to Sans feeling beyond exhausted. It wasn't till what he deemed their seventh day that he realized they weren't being fed. It explained why Papyrus was unconscious more often than not in the last few experiments, let alone when they were in The Room. Sans wished he could talk to Papyrus, give the other some form of comfort while they were both awake but even Sans was unconscious by the time they were locked, wrists, ankles, and torso constantly raw from the bindings on his table with no food to replenish his strength or magic.

He still didn't understand why Gaster had him strapped to a table and not simply left in the dark room to brood while Papyrus was experimented on. After all, Sans had given up trying to figure out a way to free them both. Neither of them ever got enough of a break to regain their strength.

From time to time, the human Sans had mistaken for Frisk and, later, Chara, would come in at seemingly random moments. Sometimes they would help, sometimes they would watch. However, this time seemed different. When the child entered, they were pulling along a tv, wires dragging on the floor to someplace out of sight. Gaster stopped in the middle of some experiment on Papyrus. Whatever this one was, it seemed relatively painless. Papyrus had slept through its entirety, only to stir at Gaster's rousing.

"AW. good. seT iT UP tHeRe."

Sans frowned, noting how Papyrus just stared at the ceiling. "What's all this, G?" he inquired, watching as tendrils reached out and messed with something out of sight.

"A giFT, Of sorTS. I fELT iT ImpoRTAnt tO knOcK DoWN YoUR HoPe A feW MORE pEGS So tHaT YOu doN't gEt aNY IdeAs."

Sans wasn't sure how sane Gaster was any more if he was presuming correctly what the monster was talking about. "What kind of ideas?"

"oh, AnY pErtaINiNg To tHe CHanCE oF bEing RESCUEd OR BEinG AblE tO esCApE ON Your oWn. HONestlY, YOu could taKE YoUR PICk. iT WIll be RaTheR oBvIOus HERE iN A momenT."

His soul dropped a bit at that as he forced out a chuckle. Damn, he hadn't realized he had been holding out a bit of hope for that. "Heh, didn't know you had a funny bone, G. That almost sounded real."

There was no reaction to his words and Sans wasn't overly surprised.

"hmm. WELL, I gUESs yOU CAN TelL me HoW FUNnY the JOke iS WheN yOU SEE thE punChlInE. The feeD shOUld Be in pLacE AnD LIVE." The tv clicked on, buzzing as static filled the screen briefly. Sans spared his brother a glance as they waited for the image to clear, grateful to see Papyrus was awake and watching, even if it looked like he was about ready to pass out again. He hoped with all his being that Gaster was at least feeding Papyrus through all this. The image cleared, revealing a familiar room with a familiar figure in the bed. "AW. goOd. we hapPEn to Be EaRLy."

"Early for what?" he asked, gaze locked on the redhead lying in the bed. The only thing that kept him from thinking the other was dead was the slight rise and fall of the blanket over Alex's chest.

There was movement at the edge of the screen and Sans realized he was viewing the room from the nightstand. It was an awkward angle but it gave him clear view of Alex and anyone that moved to be beside the human. Toriel was the first to enter the feed, though her attention wasn't on Alex.

"Thank you, Doctor," she said to someone off screen. There was more movement as Sans took in Alphys, Undyne, and Asgore all gathering closer, though the way things were situated, Asgore was just a guess. He didn't know anyone else with such a large shadow.

There was movement from the bed and Alex's eyes opened. The gaze was unfocused and exhausted but the expression changed quickly as Alex turned his gaze to those around him. Sans felt a small smile creep onto his face as Alex squinted at them. Someone needed to hand him his glasses. "What...how long have I been out?"

Alphys was the one to pass Alex his glasses as the human sat up, most of his head leaving frame only to leave his scruffy jaw in sight.

"Three days," Toriel supplied, giving Sans a proper count of days. It would seem Gaster had no issue messing with their internal clocks.

"Did Papyrus find Sans?"

Sans perked up at that, though Gaster's slight shifting at the edge of his vision suddenly had him concerned for his partner's health.

Toriel frowned, asking, "Who are Papyrus and Sans?"

With how often his magic felt like ice on his bones, one would think he would have gotten used to the sensation, but it send a chill down his spine and made him flinch from his raw bones being jostled against the straps that had caused the injuries in the first place.

He wished he could see Alex's face. Instead, all he saw was Alex hunched torso, his arms hanging loosely to pool in his lap, jaw line static in frame. There was a beat, something that Sans couldn't read even as he noticed both Undyne and who he assumed was Asgore tensed at the edge of the screen. A soft smile curled Alex's lips but without seeing the rest of the human's face, Sans couldn't read it. "Aw. Sorry. Guess my dream is sticking with me far more than I would have liked."

"That's quite alright, dear," Toriel encouraged, reaching over and patting Alex's shoulder. The human didn't flinch. Sans wondered if that was an act. "You get some more rest and I'll bring you dinner. Do stay in bed. Your injuries won't heal if you strain yourself."

Alex laid back, nodding as everyone shuffled out. Those green eyes flickered over to the nightstand and Sans felt as if Alex was looking right at him for the briefest of moments before the human moved and did something above the camera. "Never seen this kind of flower before. Wonder where they got it from."

The feed was cut, or stopped, and the child pulled the tv away as Gaster turned to the brothers, the expression on the mask like face pleased. Sans glared at it.

"ComE now, SANs," Gaster practically purred, a tendril reaching over and curling against his cheek to cup it. He turned his head away even as the tendril followed, keeping contact. "tHeRE IS No NEed FOR Such aN EXPRessION. I wIlL makE SUrE yOU liVe A loNG, fruiTfUl LIFE, evEn If YOur friEndS No LONgER RemEmbEr YOU."

"You have a hand in their lack of memory," he accused, not relenting up on his glare even as exhaustion made it hard. "And Alex seeming to remember us upon waking up makes you uncomfortable." The sharp grin was easy. "Worried there might be a nick in your plan, there, G?"

Gaster bristled at that, though he bubbled more than bristled in Sans's opinion. Gaster was suddenly upon him, the black mass that was Gaster pressing into Sans making the stout skeleton squirm against his bonds.

"do NOt tEst mE, SUbjeCt two. I wilL glAdly ShifT FrOM expERImeNTiNG On SUbJecT oNe to SeE JUSt hoW MUCh MaGIc yOU Can ExPEnD BEForE you DUST yOURselF WitH no mOre maGIc tO REMAin WHolE." Papyrus thrashed weakly against his own bonds. Sans could hear the commotion but whatever Papyrus had tried to shout was garbled. "i CAn mAKe it So that SUBJect OnE wOuLD bE UnABlE To Be A FUNCtIoNING mEMbER Of SOcieTy aGaiN, lEt AlOnE Let HIm LivE. mAYBE I'lL See HOw FaR i can PUsh HiM with DetermInatIon, aS i HAd OncE wIth YOU."

"Don't you dare," Sans growled.

Gaster chuckled. "aS iF ThERe iS anyThING You CAN do SHOuLD i CHoose tO DO so." The mass moved away and Sans squinted against the sharp light of the lab space. He quickly looked over to Papyrus to see the other glaring at Gaster, his mouth covered by a thick tendril. Gaster moved towards Papyrus, the tendril keeping Papyrus from speaking stroking the skeleton's cheek. "dO YOU knoW HOW EnTERTAInING it Is tO waTch yOU WhIttle aWaY IntO NOThing?" He looked to Sans, the mask almost on its side as it faced him. "you CERtaiNlY hAVE LASTeD FAR LONgEr than I hAD antIciPATeD WiTHOUt FOOd Or magIc." He stepped away, looking to Papyrus as he moved. "MAybE i WILL FEEd the botH Of YOu sOon to KeeP You gOing." Sans jerked against his bonds when that mask like face turned back to him, grinning far larger than he cared to notice, pissed. "Or NOt."

The round of experiments started up again and Sans lost track of time; Sans was not left out of the torture which probably didn't help. Where his brother was subjected to trait magic infusions, Sans was forced to use magic in ways that were not normal, let alone safe for his magic level. At least Gaster had followed through with his words and started to feed them, if what they were given could even be considered food anymore. The food was in such horrible state that Sans's body rejected it as soon as he had consumed it no matter how much hunger gnawed at his soul. He got so little from the food that it only kept him from Falling Down.

Somehow, thankfully, Papyrus was able to eat the food without the severe consequences Sans was subjected to. The longer they went with food, the stronger Papyrus became and he was able to stay awake longer than Sans. Sans stopped trying to eat after four consecutive meals where he couldn't even get a bite down without his body rejecting it instantly.

If only Sans could just keep some of it down, then maybe they could get out together.

After what could only be perceived as a week later, Sans hit the floor hard as he was tossed into their holding cell of a room. Papyrus was at his side before the door even closed but even as they both had clearly heard the crack, the door slammed shut, swallowing them in darkness.

He hissed between clenched teeth as pain laced up into his shoulder and down into his hand. Even without looking, he knew his humerus was broken and it sent his magic in a frenzy as it tried to scrape together any remaining magic to keep him from losing his arm.

Papyrus's hands were careful but sure, pulling him upright and Sans's sockets fluttered open to discover that the space was illuminated by the orange magic laced with blue magic licking at Papyrus's hands. Sans didn't dare look down at his arm. He was sure that he would faint if he saw the damage.

Papyrus's expression was stoic as he wrapped a hand gingerly around Sans's break. Sans shoved his other hand into his mouth, stifling the scream that had nearly escaped him. The orange and blue magic suddenly flared green and the injury flared before the magic turned orange and he had the strangest sensation that spread from where Papyrus's hand gripped his humerus. He turned wide eyed sockets to the point of contact, watching as waves of orange magic entered him. Despite the change in color, his entire being hummed with pleasure at the feel of Papyrus's magic washing over him. But it wasn't that simple. Papyrus wasn't just wrapping him in magic, he was being given Papyrus's magic. Suddenly all his exhaustion vanished and he felt far more awake than he had in who knew how many days.

The magic spluttered out, casting them into darkness, but Papyrus had yet to move and Sans looked where his brother should be. "Papyrus," he whispered, wary to utter the words much louder in case someone was listening. "What..."

"I can transfer magic without any ill effects. I did it after the first time you were unable to keep the food down by accident," Papyrus responded, his voice equally soft. "I've been practicing while you've been asleep ever since."

Sans reached forward blindly. He found his brother's arms and held on tight. "Papyrus. You shouldn't-you need to keep that magic for yourself. At least with me Gaster won't know any difference."

There was a pause and the way things shifted under his touch, Sans knew Papyrus had moved but didn't know how. Papyrus urged, "I can retain the food and the trait infusions is simply giving me more magic that I care to have. At least this way Gaster can't kill you simply by draining you completely of magic."

Sans's soul went out to his brother. So that statement had bothered Papyrus as others had Sans. He gave his brother's arms an encouraging squeeze. "We'll get out of this, Pap," he promised. "Even if no one is coming for us, we'll get ourselves out. I promise."

Papyrus chuckled and the sound made Sans's soul hurt. When had his brother become so broken? "Shouldn't it be me that is reassuring you? After all, I came to rescue you."

Sans huffed a laugh, tears stinging the back of his sockets. "Didn't know the Great Papyrus was lousy at anything. Guess I was wrong."

The laugh that escaped Papyrus was a choked by a sob. "Yeah," came the strangled reply. "The Great Papyrus is lousy at rescues, it would seem."

Sans reached blindly for Papyrus's face. He found Papyrus's shoulder, then his neck, before he found the side of Papyrus's skull. It was easy to cup the other side from there. He gently pulled Papyrus's head close, pressing their foreheads haphazardly together in the dark. At least he managed to keep them from banging their heads together. "Hey, don't talk like that," he countered. "If you weren't here, I'd already be dead. If nothing else, you've rescued me from the brute force that is Gaster's attention."

This time the laugh was free of any sob and Papyrus wrapped a hand around the back of Sans's skull. "I'm glad I was able to do something after all this."

The lock on the door clicked and Sans smiled bright. "No matter how small," the light from the hallway beyond hurt but it gave his full view of the orange tears tracking down Papyrus's face, "you saved me by just being my brother." Several tendrils shot into the room, ensnaring the both of them. "Don't forget that."

Papyrus beamed at him. "Never."

They were yanked out of the room and through a maze of halls till they were slammed into their respective tables, bound in place. Sans was surprised to find that they were both upright, though. He bristled, suddenly on edge. His gaze settled on the tv. What was going on?

The screen showed static, the sound filling the space till the video feed flickered and cleared, though the motion was rather nauseating. The camera was shifted about and Sans realized the copper brown color at the bottom edge of the screen was from a clay pot. The angle and what he could see clearly spoke of said pot being carried by whoever was walking with Alex. Alex looked drawn, tired, and in a bit of pain. Guilt made Sans recoil. He must have done more damage than he had thought.

He glanced around. Gaster must be somewhere behind them because he couldn't see the mass of goop but Papyrus was within sight. Sans noticed the frown on Papyrus's face as the other continued to watch the screen and Sans turned his own attention back to the screen. There was yet to be any talking so Sans wasn't sure what Papyrus was trying to figure out. Sans mildly wondered where Alex was walking and with who.

Alex came to a stop, staring at something. When the person carrying the potted camera realized he was no longer walking with them, the person stopped and turned, looking back and giving the brothers a clear view of Alex standing in the middle of the walkway staring at what Sans realized was his lab. Caution tape had been crossed over the closed door, a hazard note taped to the center of the door and, if Sans was reading Alex's profile right, Alex hadn't forgotten about them.

"Alex?"

It was Toriel carrying the pot and Alex looked to her, his gaze above the potted camera. He offered her a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Sorry." He looked back at the door. "Couldn't help but think how much of a shame it is that such a volatile accident had happened in this particular lab. I happened to like this one." He started to approach Toriel. "Feels like I lost a partner, ya know?"

"I'm sorry," Toriel apologized even as Sans's soul sang. Alex was faking all of this. He would be looking for them. He ignored the voice in the back of his head that sounded too much like Gaster accusing him of false hope. "I don't understand."

Alex's smile was tired, sad. "That's alright, Tori. May have something to do with that weird dream I had a few days ago. I think it's bleeding into my other dreams and making me think a bit too much in theoretic and philosophical areas of life."

"Will talking help?" Toriel offered.

Alex shrugged as they started walking again. "Probably not but I'll get about to finding someone to chat with. Thank you, though, Tori."

"Any time, Alex."

The feed ended as Gaster came oozing into view from between the brothers. Sans flexed his hands, his raw bones not quite as tender thanks to the magic Papyrus had given him. He glowered, doing his best to suppress any hint of what he was hoping he had seen. "Yeah, yeah, no one's coming for us. You've already made that very clear, what, a week ago? Come on, G. What else are you gaining from showing this to us?"

Sans flinched from the chuckle that rang sharply in his skull. "dO You knOW THe SIgNiFicanCe OF THat CameRa, SuBjECT twO?"

Sans grew uneasy as he shook his skull no. "Am I suppose to?"

Gaster turned his attention to Papyrus. "subJecT oNE?"

Sans looked at his brother, confused. Papyrus's expression was closed off but Sans suddenly had the sinking feeling he had missed something.

Papyrus's words only confirmed this.

"You have eyes everywhere."

"VErY gOod, SuBJECT one. AND DO you kNOw whAt tHaT meAns fOR YOu AND sUbJeCT TWO?"

Papyrus closed his sockets briefly and Sans felt like screaming as Papyrus looked Gaster in the eye. "It means that you know that I can transfer magic and that Sans and I are going to do our best to escape."

"exACtLy." Sans stared at Papyrus in disbelief. Why did he spill it? They didn't actually know if Gaster knew! Why would he- "I am rather IMpREsseD, SUbject ONE. i expEcTeD thaT dECiSIoN TO Be So mUCh HardeR FoR yOU TO mAKe."

"What decision?" Sans croaked, his gaze not leaving Papyrus.

"gO AheAD, subjEct ONE. telL HIm."

Papyrus didn't meet his gaze as he stated, "Should I have lied, I would have watched you suffer a torturing and then separated. Telling the truth means that I take half of your torturing."

Sans's gaze snapped to Gaster. "What about the separating?" he demanded. "He didn't say anything about the separating."

Gaster laughed. "as if I WoULD aLloW YOU TWo to be In THE samE roOm For exTeNdeD PeRiodS oF tiME kNowInG THaT SUbJect one hAS FinallY dIsCOVEreD hOW tO TRANsfEr MAgic. i haVe No NeED tO Risk YOu TWo EScaPING." The grin sent his way sent a shudder of fear down Sans's spine. "i cAn't HAVe you teaChiNg sUbJECt ONe Any of YOuR TrIcks, caN i?"

Sans gave a barked laugh even as a sense of betrayal tangled itself inside his soul. "Oh please. As if any trick I know Pap hasn't already figured out." He gave Gaster a vicious grin. "You just want to make it harder for us to get out."

Gaster did the equivalent of a shrug as tendrils started to weave their way between Sans's bones. He shuddered in disgust. Hadn't he already vowed to avoid such situations? "pErHAps." There was a sickening snap and Sans screamed. Gaster's face hovered over his as Sans panted against the pain racing up his leg. He tried not to think about the tendrils weaving their way among his ribs. "oR PERhApS i Am USinG it aS AN EXcusE TO SEE HoW wEll you HEal wiThOUT SUBJeCT one TO ComE to your AiD."

There were several snaps and cracks and Sans screamed himself hoarse as his entire chest erupted in pain.