Two Worlds, Two Souls

Chapter 41: Being Determined

Angel's Point of View:

Papyrus was quiet… too quiet for my liking.

I watched on from the kitchen as Papyrus seemed to be wallowing in on himself while he watched the front door for Sans, waiting for his brother to suddenly appear out of thin air like he normally did. The moments ticked by as he didn't and Papyrus' cries were muffled by his scarf as he tried to hide them from me and Frisk.

Sans had been gone for five days. We were worried sick. We'd called Undyne when he hadn't come back from Grillby's after the first twenty-four hours, but she was stumped and unable to help due to the robberies that had increased in the last few months. Two in the last couple of days.

Papyrus had run out every day, checking every corner of Snowdin in order to find him. Frisk had decided to accompany him while I took on the difficult job of waiting at home for him to return, in case Papyrus and Frisk raced by him.

All of us were worried. Sans was absent minded part of the time, but never to this degree. As every day passed that we didn't see him, Papyrus seemed to sink further into himself and his depression. I couldn't ask for help from one of his only friends, Undyne, due to her being busy, but she tried to call and message him often to give him hope.

It had finally gotten to the point where I was done waiting.

I set aside my brushes to hurried upstairs to grab my cloak and gloves. With them secured over my body, I hurried down the stairs to settle myself before Papyrus, my hood down so he could see my face. He stared blankly ahead as if I wasn't even there.

"Papy?" I gently tapped his face and that caused the skeleton to notice me. I existed. Tears escaped his sockets in a rare moment of fear and sadness while he let his head fall onto my shoulder, grief overcoming him.

"It's okay Papy…" My sister was quick to his side, trying to comfort him. It was all she knew how to do in the last few days while he searched tirelessly for his brother. "He'll come home…"

"I'm going to go out and search for him." I patted the skeleton's bare skull and pushed him back a little bit, even as his orange tears leaked onto my cloak in their desperation. "Can you be brave and wait here in case he comes home?"

"B-b-but-"

"Papyrus, you're exhausted." I shook my head at the soon to be adult. "Please, stay home and rest, sleep down here on the couch if you'd like, but I'm going to take a turn looking for him. Perhaps I can see him better if I use my magic to travel around with."

"A-angel…" His voice was so broken from all the crying he'd done. "I-I want m-my br-brother…"

"I know." Quickly hugging him to me, I held him close for a few moments before pulling back. "I might be able to see him better, or maybe see him using his magic with the lights off. I'll search all night if I have too."

Not trusting his words, Papyrus slowly nodded to me, allowing himself to sink back into the couch with Frisk while he watched the door in desperation. I glanced at the skeleton for a few seconds longer before I pulled the dark hood over my head and moved toward the door, eager to start my search and try to find my friend.

Later That Evening:

It had been hours since I began and still no sign of Sans.

Using my magic to my advantage, I climbed the sides of buildings, using my chains to hold me up and to them while looking about the dark streets for any signs of Sans or perhaps the use of his magic. It always seemed to flare in a blue glow that could be seen from so far away that it really made me wish he'd use it already.

The uneasiness grew in my chest as time passed. I hardly saw anyone on the streets passing, but the few that did were no one other than the watchmen who were keeping an eye out on the banks in the area. Snowdin had been one of the few places that hadn't been hit when it came to the robberies, which was surprising with how lax it was in security until these events took place.

The quiet night was rudely shattered by the howls of the pack. The watchmen sprang into action as the lights in the bank flew on and they dove inside. The thief must have finally decided to hit it. I watched on from the distance, but the bank was hardly my priority other than finding Sans. I cast my gaze out and around the town to see if I could find any clue before I finally found something.

A blue glow off at the edge of town.

Using my magic, I flung my body toward it.

The benefit of having chairs for magic was how heavy and easily they cut through the air, making traveling at blinding speeds possible while others struggled to keep up. The chains around my limbs and torso propelled me forward while smaller ones that coated my skin like a chainmail protected me in the instance that I ran into anything.

The woods held the blue glow against the trees. I was able to follow it to within twenty feet before I landed in tree above to look for that glow again. I'd lost sight of it, but that was the closest hint I had to Sans in nearly a week. I had to find him…

If not only to make he's safe, but for Papyrus' well being…

Laughter then stopped me, drawing my attention to a small clearing just a short ways ahead. I carefully lowered myself to the ground and withdrew my chains to hide any noise as I closed in on the group. Males from what I could hear, thought they didn't sound too old, perhaps around my age?

Looking through the needles of a bush as I approached them, I was surprised by what I could see. In the light there stood Sans, the very skeleton I was looking for. In his hands were a decent sized black bag that seemed to hold the attention of everyone in the group. Though his hood was up over his head and I couldn't see his sockets, but he was laughing.

A very… upsetting laugh that didn't even sound like his own voice.

Beside him stood two others that seemed more roguish in appearance then I was used to seeing. The first was a snake like being who I could see had some arms, but they were tiny on his person. They barely moved as he happily swayed to and fro, looking at the bag that Sans seemed to be carrying. I couldn't see any legs on him, the male opting to wear a long baggy shirt that his arms just fit through so that I could see the pale fingers.

The second male was just the opposite in appearance. He resembled more horse like features and seemed to be an incredible amount of brawn on him. His hoof like hands were crossed and a sickening smirk settled upon his long face as he looked to see the bag's contents.

"Nice job Sly. We got another one with this dude." The snake slithered out to Sans. "I still can't believe how we got lucky enough to find this crazy monster at Grillby's of all places."

"Yeah," the horse chimed in. "Who knew that they're lazy regular would actually be someone strong,can fuckin' teleport, and is the damn judge? He know fuckin' everything! We don't even have to worry about being caught using this guy's knowledge!"

The… judge…?

As curios as I was about Sans, getting him free was more important than asking him about his apparent other job.

Though I would have questions at a later date…

"While that may be true fellas, we still need to be careful." This 'Sly' person chuckled in Sans' body, though it turned a bit more painful as I watched him hold his head. "This guy is the most determined son of a bitch we've used so far. Keeps seeing flashes of his family and a couple of humans that made their way into the underground that he cares about. He's been fighting me tooth and nail since I got him, I don't know how much longer I can hold him without a break."

The horse made a swinging notion, as if he was holding a blunt object to hit with. "Can't we just 'pop' him over the head and knock him out until you get your break, Boss?"

"This guy is too powerful for that. We'll need to be a lot more careful. I need to think, and this asshole isn't helping me…"

They were controlling him… that's why Sans hadn't returned after that trip to Grillby's…

They were using Sans' knowledge of the underground and his ability to teleport to get this Sly person and his cronies around the underground. They were the bank thieves that everyone was struggling with…

I couldn't stop it then, the rage that built up inside my being. Sans had been controlled this entire time. He had been kidnapped and his abilities and knowledge used against his will to assist those lowlifes to do thievery. I could only imagine the anger and the pain he was going through…

And Papyrus… oh he must have been so worried about him…

I couldn't help the gritting of my teeth, biting down on my lip enough to draw blood in my rage. My finger nails dug into my palm, I couldn't stop it, even as it stung.

I wasn't much of a fighter, but this was unacceptable…

"Hold it Boss," the snake male hissed as he slithered around them and slowly approached me in the bush. "I smell… blood?"

Startled cries reached my ears as my magic raced out from me and wrapped around their feet, yanking them up into the air. Rising from the bush, I slowly approached the three startled males that hung around in the air until they noticed me.

"It's that human this guy cares about!" Sly spoke in Sans' voice, which irritated me even more.

I snarled at them, seeing the red haze in my vision as my eyes glowed behind my hood. "Give… him… back…"

"Shit!" his two goonies cried as they struggled to get ahold of each other. "Sly! Get us out of here!"

"Get over here you idiots!" Sly attempted to reach out to them, quickly fumbling as he grabbed onto their clothes rather than any of their limbs before they were surrounded in blue. My chains locked onto them, and for some damn reason, I was teleported with them.

We suddenly appeared within a cave that was entirely cut off from any crystals of light, only a lonely fire sat in the middle of the room, combined with all their riches that these idiots had acquired. A lone body sat by the fire that seemed to be sleeping. It appeared to be a large mouse of some kind, and I could only assume that it was Sly's body that rested there while he controlled Sans.

"What the hell, man!" All of them looked startled as they landed. "Did we lose her?"

I didn't give them a chance to think as my chains yanked them back to me. All three of them looked at me in utter fear as I hissed at them. My arm shot forward before I could stop myself and grabbed the front of Sans' shirt, staining it with some blood in my anger.

"Give him back!"

"I thought we lost her?!" the horse cried out as he struggled to break the chain that clasped around his leg.

"It's this skeleton!" Sly struggled as he tried to move away from me. I could see his eyes more perfectly now. They were glowing a lavender in color, looking like full eyes, which only those who knew Sans well would know that was wrong. I couldn't suppress the angry growl before I saw the lights flicker in his eyes, turning more dot like and pure white. Sans' true eye was appearing.

Sans was trying to take back control.

"H-he's more determined than ever now that she's here! H-he brought h-her with u-us! I-I can't- I-I'm losing him-!"

And just like that, it went quiet. The lights were lost from Sans' sockets and he fell backward in my arms. A wispy ball of light popped out of his mouth and flew over to the sleeping body by the fire. My hold on Sans released and the chain raced to grab the mouse named Sly. With his body bound in my chains, and his cohorts as well, I turned back to face my friend who laid on the ground.

"Angel!" Sans shot up like a bullet, though sweat seemed to line his boney forehead. His eye was glowing a dark blue, hand extended and ready to attack. Though he slowed down once he saw me standing before him. "Jesus Precious… thanks for the sa-"

I dove then at him and into his arms, struggling to hold back the tears that leaked from my eyes.

"You're okay…"

Sans was still under my arms. He awkwardly held me, patting my back while I sobbed in his shoulder. After a few moments, he forced me back to look at him. His eye dimmed in glow and the dots for lights returned. He was more at ease…

"How's Pap?"

I licked my lips in worry. "N-not good…"

"Damn… that bad, huh?" Sans sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Welp… we better take care of these guys. Get back the money and what not ta the banks-oww!"

Sans hissed when he felt over the back of his skull, a particular spot that was hidden by his hood I could see was cracks in his skull where he must have been hit. As he started to move about in his own body again, I could see him flinch when he moved certain limbs or joints. Dark edges began to appear dark under his eye sockets.

His body looked so worn… God… had he been run ragged this entire time?

His entire body shuddered in his moment of weakness. "Okay… Maybe I should take a nap…"

"Here." I quickly moved my body so that Sans I lay down, resting his head on my lap. Sans hardly sad a word as he tried to move his body around as minimally as possible. "Rest Sans, I'll get some help."

"H-how?" He sucked in a deep breath while I watched him move a hand to his side. Without another thought, I placed my hands over his chest to pull out his soul and heal him.

Upon first glance, it was one of the first times I'd seen a monster soul so up close. It was pure white, like all monster souls were. Only humans had colored souls. Though Sans' looked dreadful… multiple cracks were in his soul and it seemed to be withering in on itself. The brightness of it was faded as well. From what training Toriel and Papyrus had given me on souls and healing, the soul was at its brightest when it was filled with magic, so Sans had little to none left at the moment. Also, if it appeared to be withered for whatever reason, that meant that the person with said soul was malnourished or dehydrated.

Perhaps even both…

"After you went missing… Papy got really… depressed…" I sucked in a breath deeply as I tried to hold back any more tears. Sans needed my help, not my pity. "He went out and searched for you every day. We even called Undyne with Papys' phone for any leads, but she had none. She gave us her phone number to keep her updated and to try and keep Papy positive until you came home. I can call her to come get us and the money. You need a healer, and you can't do much in your state. I'm… not very good at healing magic… I can only do so much…"

"Just… don't let Pap see me until I get with a healer, alright?"

"Of course."

Sans tried to relax upon my lap, moving as minimally as possible due to the pain. While he tried to curl into my warmth, I quickly pulled out my phone and dialed Undyne, eager to see if she could help us…

Witch's Note:

And damn! What an amazing chapter! Sans has been found! Angel caught the bad guys, but we're not out of the woods yet! Sans is incredibly low on magic, injured and in need of a lot of TLC. And there has to be an aftermath to this whole event, right?

Of course, there is! I can't wait to see what you all have to guess on those future events!

And now onto our reviewers!

Not A Shy Guy: Ooo! The ideas you're giving me! I would love to confirm or deny them, but where's the fun in that? Also, as for your questions about the jury, and perhaps about Muffet's magic, you will be finding out about that in… roughly three chapters! Hope you can wait that long!

And as for the part about Robert! I have no idea what you're talking about! Mystic Girl didn't say anything about that, right Mystic Girl?

(Mystic Girl's whistling in the background while rolling on the balls of her heels) What? Me? No way! I would never say anything like that, I promise Halloween!

(I narrowed my eyes at her) I'll be holding you to that promise.

ShunGod: (Mystic Girl is giving the worst glare to our lovely reviewer she can.) Can I trust you not to betray me again? If you're on my side, then hell yeah! Let's do this!

(I groan at the two of them running off to prepare their armies again.) God damn it you two! I just got her settled after the last one!

RoseCentury: Good to hear Rose, you better girl! And Mystic Girl is happy you're feeling better, and we both have to say DON'T DO THAT AGAIN!

Guest Reviewer: Thank you so much for the kind words! And thank you for reviewing! We love to hear anyone who's willing to comment on the story and I hope it keeps up with your expectations, as there is a lot more to come!

Whew! What a day! Now we gotta get back to work! I know you guys are excited for the next chapter while I'm currently writing book two! Trying to get as much written before next year. We've got enough chapters to get us all the way to… just about a year from this day! Who would have guessed?

Love you all and see you next week! Don't forget to review!

Halloween Witch