Prologue 1: 1986
The first time I jumped timelines, I thought I made a world up to protect my mind and soul from the pain of fighting the winter soldier.
I remember two hydra agents dragging me down a long, dank hall that led to the dark cell they kept me in. I cried for my father and brothers, I begged for them not to put me in the cell, I swore I would do as they asked, but my cries and pleas fell on deaf ears. As I weakly attempted to slow the agents down we were brought closer to the solid metal door that hid the dark, cold room that was my cell. They opened the door and then threw me in, my body twisted as I tried to keep upright, only to fall, I felt my scapula crack as I landed on the cold, damp concrete floor, I quickly got to my feet and tried to reach the doors as they closed it, but the small cracks on my right tibia and fibula grew and made me fall to my patella as soon as I put weight on my right leg.
Once the door closed and locked, I crawled to one of the back corners and broke down translucent cyan tears ran down my cheeks and splashed onto the floor. I yelled for someone to help me, to make the pain to away. After a few hours of my wailing, the two agents, that had put me in the cell, threw the door open, one stalked up to where I was curled up and grabbed my left ankle then dragged me to the center of the room, he threw my ankle to the ground as the other agent placed his right boot on my sternum causing a cracking sound when he applied some weight, as the one who dragged me stomped on my left tarsals shattering it causing a scream of pain to wrench its way from my throat. As the last sound of the scream left me , my bones became warm and fuzzy, before my vision turned black, followed by a quick sense of vertigo then nothing.
I don't know how long I was out but the next thing I remembered was waking up covered in snow. Even though I'm a skeleton I knew staying there was a death sentence, and I need to find shelter. By some miracle I was able to crawl in two feet of thick snow to a nearby tree. By the time I got to the tree my phlanges had started to shake from the cold, I was able to grab onto the rough bark and used it to pull me to my feet. Once there I decided to look at the damage done to my legs, which wasn't hard to see given that the pants I was wearing for going on fours years at that point, the legs were ripped a year into my stay with hydra and now were so torn and frayed that it looked like I got into a fight with a lawnmower, now they were soaked to the bone. I could see the deep crack that went diagonally down both my right tibia and fibula, as well as a bruise on both patellas.
I then pulled what at best could be called a shirt, at worst a torn up rag, so I could see the damage done to my chest, there was a crack that went across my sternum, and over a few of my ribs on both sides. After taking stock of my wounds I looked around me to see if I could find some form of shelter. Nothing but trees and snow for as far as the eye could see, it was when I looked behind me that I saw a trail of well packed snow. *well better than freezing, that path has to lead somewhere.* I thought to myself
I took a deep breath to steel myself for the pain that was bound to happen when I started walking. I took a step with my left leg not knowing that my tarsals were shattered. As I started to put my weight on my left foot, a white hot pain ran up my leg causing me to crumble to the ground, as I tried to get my breathing under control, I started to push my body into a sitting position, causing my tangled translucent cyan hair to fall into my face.
When I was able to breath again, I decided to crawl and see if I could either find shelter or someone who could help me. I don't know how long it took me to crawl to the path, but I finally found myself taking a breather in the middle of the path, after all that crawling. I looked around after my break figuring out what my next move would be, I saw that the only choice I had was to go forward, across a small wooden bridge. Once I crossed the bridge I crawled a little bit more when I found a clearing with a wooden stand in it, with the last of my strength I pulled myself to the stand, after I pulling myself behind the stand I saw a shelf like table that made a cubby hole under it, I crawled into the cubby hole and looked around it finding a full bottle of honey, my stomach growled upon seeing it. I grabbed the bottle and thought back to the last time I ate and couldn't remember, so I downed the whole bottle before I curled up on my side and brought my patellas to my chest, I then fell into a dreamless sleep.
When I next woke it was to a hand grabbing on to my tibia and fibula accidentally putting pressure on the crack in them, waking me with a start. Not fully awake I forgot I wasn't at the base anymore, I kicked the person who had me, forcing myself against the wall of the hole from the force I used , hitting my cracked scapula in the process causing me to scream.
"Whoa , easy kid we're not gonna hurt ya." A scratchy voice said when I stopped screaming curling in on myself even more from the pain.
A small gloved hand barley touched my tarsal, causing me to flinch.l into myself even more. "OH! THE MAGNIFICENT LIL SANS IS SORRY IF I HURT YOU NEW FRIEND." A soft but loud voice said.
When I opened my eyesockets I was greeted to the site of two skeletons kneeling in front of me , the one directly in front of me was wearing an oversized Orange hoodie with tan cargo shorts and orange sneakers. The other skeleton who was standing slightly behind and to the right of the first skeleton was my size and looked to be my age, this one was wearing a grey t-shirt, with a blue bandana around his neck, light blue pads on his shoulders, with blue gloves and boots.
I blinked a couple of times running the words the short skeleton said around my head, before I asked. "Friend?"
The short skeleton let out a slightly confused mweh, hehe before stating in what I presume was his normal volume. "YES, FRIEND. YOU KNOW SOMEONE YOU PLAY WITH. DON'T YOU HAVE ONE?" When the last word was said I saw a flash of blue saying a horrid joke involving being punny, followed by an exasperated nyeh, the shorter skeleton Looking at me with his big blue eyelights.
" Not for a long time. " I responded with a sad edge to my voice as I cast my carmine eyelights towards the ground.
"Well what about your parents where are they?" The tall one asked me.
" I never met my mother of I even had one and my father ... My father left me with the people who have me now. " I replied with a hiccup in my voice.
They both looked at me with shocked faces as the little one said with tears in his eyescokets "WHY WOULD YOUR FATHER LEAVE YOU?"
Instead of replying I curled in on myself , causing the crack in my tibia and fibula to open more and start to bleed. The shorter one started to freak out as the tall one's right eye flared orange, as he lifted his right hand and closed it into a fist as if he was grabbing something. A ping like sound was heard in the otherwise quiet clearing, as a small clear upside down heart that was outlined with a dark shade of cayan was pulled from my chest. The shorter skleton's eye lights went from the shape of stars to cracked hearts, while the taller one's eyelights disappeared all together.
"H- hem how are you still alive kid?" The tall one asked
" They told the soldier to attack me till I defended myself, when I just dodged and showed the soldier MERCY they told the soldier to show me none. " I explained with a blase tone, as the tall skeleton pulled me into his arms before he stood holding me bridal style.
"Sans, I need you to run to muffet's and tell her we found a hurt kid." The tall skeleton told the shorter one whom I now knew was named sans .
"OK PAPY, YOU CAN COUNT ON THE MAGNIFICENT LIL SANS!" Sans exclaimed while posing heroically, to the tall skeleton whom I now knew was at least called papy .
We watched as sans disappear into the distance to inform this muffet person.
"Isn't my bro so cool?" Papy asked me
" yes he's the coolest person I've ever met. " I said while giggling.
"Hey kiddo?" Papy asked
" Hmm? " I replied
"I never caught your name. I'm papyrus, but you can call me papy" He stated
" Well you didn't catch my name cause I never threw it, heh heh, I don't remember my real name, and hydra only calls me genocide. " I said with a sad tone.
"Whelp. I'm gonna give you a new name, you're to sweet to be called such a horrid name." He said with conviction and a nod of his head.
We walked the rest of the way in silence only broken by papy telling me names he thought of and me responding with either a shake of my head or a bleh sound. We had just crossed a long wooden bridge that spanned a huge Gulch with pine trees at the bottom and an island with a small cabin in the middle of the river, when we reached the beginning of a quaint town, that had a sign that read welcome to Snowdin. I started giggling when I finished reading the sign.
"What do you find so funny kiddo?" Papy asked with a smirk on his face.
" The town it's called Snowdin. " I said between the fit of laughter I was having
Before papy could join my laughter, sans came running up to us with a spider woman in a black skirt, white button up shirt with a black vest and black mary janes, following close behind him.
"Papyrus! Sans told me that you two found an injured child?" The woman said
" Yeah we did muffet. She said that she got them from a solider. " he responded
"Well, let's bring her back to the bar and we'll check out her injuries." She said with authority as she turned on her heels leading us to a purple brick building with a red neon sign that read muffet's.
"Here we are. Papyrus bring her to the back apartment please while I grab a few things from the storage room. " she said as she pulled the door open and held it for us to walk through.
Once we were through the door, we were standing in a small bar that had dark oak wood floor, with deep red walls with three booths along one wall with a few dark brown almost black in color round tables with rounded corners stools and a redwood bar that went along the back wall with matching built in shelves that held liquor bottles. On the bar was a group of spiders who looked at us and waved to papyrus, three spiders separated from the group and went behind the bar disappearing for a while as papy started to cross the dining room. Before we got to the back door, the spiders had returned this time coming from the ceiling on spider webs each holding a doughnut giving them to papy, sans and me.
By the time we got to the back apartment, muffet had retrieved the supplies she needed.
"OK papyrus, please hand her to me and I'll call you once I've looked her over." She said with her arms open.
Once those words left her mouth, my eye lights disappeared and my phlanges gripped onto papy's hoodie, my bones rattling in fear.
"Um... Muffet are you sure we have to leave?" Papy asked while both he and sans looked at me , concern clouding their features.
"YES! I am sure. I plan on cleaning her up and getting her some decent clothes." She firmly stated as papy and sans blushed .
I was still afraid to let go of papyrus, and tears started to form in the coroner's of my sockets, when sans eyes lit up.
"Papy, what if while muffet cleans our new friend, you recite a poem or something so she knows that we are still here?" He excitedly said
"Hmmm? Would you be ok with that kiddo? " he asked me.
" O-o-okay. " I said as I let go of him, allowing him to transfer me to muffet.
Once muffet had a good hold of me she turned and walked down a hallway to a purple door and opened it revealing a bathroom with a huge bathtub, that had been filled by another group of spiders.
"OK dearie. Let's get you cleaned up." She softly said as she removed my clothes , and put me in the tub.
"Papy? Sans? Are you still here?" I asked with a slight waver to my voice.
"Sure am kiddo. Just thinking of what to recite? " he responded as muffet had got a washcloth and put a squirt of a sweet smelling soap and started to wash my scapula.
"Oh! I got the perfect thing to recite for you kiddo. It's called The Raven. "He said with a smile in his voice as I heard him pacing the floor.
"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I
pondered weak and weary,
over many a quaint and curious volume of
forgotten lore
"While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there
came a tapping,
as of someone gently rapping, rapping at my
chamber door
" this some visitor, " I muttered, "tapping at my
Chamber door
only this and nothing more." He started reciting as muffet put some shampoo in my cyan hair.
" Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak
December;
and each separate dying ember wrought its
ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;- vainly I had
sought to borrow
from my books surcease of sorrow for
the lost Lenore -
for the rare and radiant maiden whom the
angles named Lenore -
nameless here forever more.
"And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each
purple curtain
thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors,
never felt before;
so that now, to still the beating of my heart, I
stood repeating
" tis some late visitor entreating entrance at my
chamber door; -
this is it and nothing more.
"Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then
no longer,
'sir,' said I 'or madam,truly your forgiveness I
implore;
but the fact is I was napping, and so gently you
came rapping;
and so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my
chamber door,
that I scarce was sure I heard you'- here I
opened wide the door;-
darkness there and nothing more.
"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood
there wondering, fearing,
doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever
dared to dream before;
but the silence was unbroken, and the stillness
Gave no token,
and the only word there spoken was the
whispered word Lenore?
This I whispered and the echo murmured back
the word 'Lenore?' -
merely this and nothing more.
"Back into the chamber turning all my soul
within me burning,
soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder
than before,
' surely,' said I 'surely that is something at my
window lattice;
let me see then, what threat is, and this
mystery explore;
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery
Explore;--
' tis the wind and nothing more!'" Papy finished before taking a breath allowing muffet to rinse my hair ,with the cooling water, before she pulled the plug and drained the tub, before filling it once more with fresh warm water.
"Open here I flung the shutter, when with many
a flirt and fluter,
in there stepped a stately raven of the saintly
days of yore;
not the least obeisance made he; not a minute
Stopped or stayed he;
but with mien of Lord or lady, perched above
my chamber door -
Perched upon the bust of Pallas just above my
Chamber door--
perched and sat, and nothing more.
"Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy
into smiling,
by the grave and stern decorum of the
countenance it wore,'
"though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I
said, 'art sure no craven,
ghastly grin and ancient raven wandering
from the nightly shore -
tell me what thy loudly name is on the nights
plutonian shore.'
Quoth the raven 'nevermore'
" Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear
discourse so painly,
though it's answer little meaning- little
relevancy bore;
for we cannot help agreeing that no living
human being
ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his
chamber door -
bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his
chamber door,
with such a name as 'nevermore'.
"But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust,
spoke only
that one word, as if his soul in that one word he
did out pour.
Nothing farther then he uttered - not a feather
then he fluttered -
till I scarcely more than muttered ' other
friends have flown before -
on the marrow he will leave me, as my hopes
have flown before.'
Then the bird said 'nevermore '
"startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly
spoken,
'doubtless,' said i, 'what it utters is its only
stock and store
caught from some unhappy master whom
unmerciful disaster
followed fast and followed faster till his songs
one burden bore -
till the dirges of his hope that melancholy
burden bore
of never - nevermore.'"
" but the raven still beguiling my fancy into
smiling,
straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of
bird, and bust and door;
then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself
to linking
fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous
bird of yore -
what this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and
ominous bird of yore
ment by croaking 'nevermore .'"
"This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable
expressing
to the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into
My bosom's core;
this and more I sat divining, with my head at
ease reclining
on the cushions velvet lining that the lamp-
light gloated o'er
she shall press, ah, nevermore!
"Then methough, the air grew denser,
perfumed from an unseen censer
swung by seraphim whose foot - falls tinkled on
the tufted floor.
'wretch,' I cried, 'thy God hath lent thee - by
these angels he hath sent thee
respite - respite and nepenthe from thy
memories of Lenore;
quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forgot
this lost Lenore!'
Quoth the raven 'nevermore '
"Prophet!' said i 'thing of evil! - Prophet still, if
bird or devil! -
whether tempter sent, or weather tempest
tossed thee here ashore,
desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land
enchanted -
on this home by horror haunted - tell me truly,
I implore -
is there - is there balm in gilead? - tell me - tell
me I implore!'
Quoth the raven 'nevermore. "He stated as muffet finished rinsing my hair with the now cool water, and once again pulled the plug draining the tub, and then wrapping me in a warm fuzzy towel, drying me off.
Then two spiders climbed from the ceiling, and landed on my clavicle, the spiders then started to spin a web on to me making a fabric like web, as papy started to recite the poem once more.
"Prophet!' Said I 'thing of evil! - Prophet still, if
bird or devil!
By that heaven that bends above us - by that
God we both adore -
tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the
distant aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels
name Lenore -
clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the
angels name Lenore!'
Quoth the raven 'nevermore .'
"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend!'
I shrieked, upstarting -
'get thee back into the tempest and the nights
plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that like thy
Soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust
above my door!
Take thy beak from our my heart, and take thy form
from off my door!'
Quoth the raven 'nevermore.'
"And the raven never flitting, still is sitting, still
is sitting
on the pallid bust of pallas just above my
chamber door;
and his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's
that is dreaming,
and the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws
his shadow on the floor;
and my soul from our that shadow that lies
floating on the floor
shall be lifted nevermore. " papy finished as buffet, once again carrying me bridal style, walked out the bathroom and into the living room where papyrus and sans were waiting.
The two spiders that spin my clothes made a 3/4sleeved dress with the bottom stopping just past my patella, the skirt flared out in a bell like style. It was lavender in color starting in a pastel lavender at my clavicle and darkening to black as it goes down the length of the dress. There was a silver ribbon that went around my lliac crest and ended in a bow at my spine.
She placed me on a dark maroon red chase, and softly said, "ok, dearie. I'm now going to heal your scapula and sternum." As her hands started to glow in a soft emerald green as she began to heal me.
" Hey papy? " I softly asked
"Yeah, kiddo ." He responded
" I really liked that poem,. " I said
Papyrus started humming in agreement with me when he snaps his fingers,
"That's it! We'll call you raven." He said
" Raven. " I said to myself testing it out.
"I like it! It's perfect." I said with happiness in my voice as my eye lights turn into stars.
" RAVEN? THAT IS A PERFECT NAME PAPY! " sans said as muffet went to check if there was any more wounds on me.
"Oh, dear! We seem to have a slight problem!" Muffet stated in shock
"What's wrong muffet?" Papy asked with a worried tone in his voice.
" I don't know how any of us missed this, but the poor dears left tarsal is completely shattered. " she started to say as both papyrus and sans interrupted her.
"What!?" They yelled as they ran to me to see if muffet was right.
" See? Did either of you see this or did she tell you?"She askedI
"NO, WE DID NOT SEE THIS, PAPY DID SHE SAY ANYTHING TO YOU? " sans asked
"No sans." He responded
" Dearie, can you tell me what happened, I can't seem to heal it. " she said scrunching her brows in a worried frown.
"The agents did it, I - I was crying after they threw me into my cell, and I guess it was annoying to them, so they gave me a reason to cry, that's how my sternum got cracked." I whispered with my eye lights cast downward.
All of them had a look of worry on their faces.
"due to them intending to shatter your tarsals , I... I can't heal it, but we can let it heal naturally with a brace." Muffet mumbled to herself loud enough for us to hear her.
" How long should It be braced, muffet? " papy asked
"Two weeks, if she is anything like you two." Muffet said as she placed a pillow under my tarsals and started to brace it with her hands.
Sans and papyrus looked around to see if they could find anything to use for a brace. After looking for a few minutes , sans eyes lit up, as he reached behind his neck and untied the knot of his bandana, before handing it to mufet.
"WILL THIS WORK MUFFET? " he asked
"yes , that should do nicely. " she replied as she slowly put it around my heel and tightly wrapped it before tying it in a tight knot.
Once she was done, papyrus picked me back up and started to leave with sans trailing behind him as we left muffet's apartment. They then brought me to their house and placed me on their couch. The next two weeks both sans and papyrus took care of me, be it bringing me food or ice for my tarsal, it was the first time in a long time that I was shown compassion, I ended up giving them nicknames as well, sans was now blueberry, and papyrus was now stretch. I was happy, and so naively thought that I would never see hydra again. Oh how wrong I was, it was on what would've been the night of the third week, i was engulfed in a white light. When I was able to see again, I saw that I was back in my dark cell. That night I cried till I had no tears left, wondering if I would see blueberry and stretch, ever again.