It didn't take more than a moment for Sans to arrive back where he'd encountered the child for the first time. As anticipated, they weren't there. Which was, mildly annoying. Though, he wagered the kid, and the flower hadn't gotten far.

Vanishing, and appearing along the path towards Snowdinn, he wagered that he hadn't really been gone that long. So, they'd probably be a show up, around where he was. Halfway, to the two sentry stations. One of which was meant to be his own, well, it was Papyrus's, but he manned it. Though, giving out information had gotten stale pretty quickly.

Refocusing, he was pleased at least that his suspicions were confirmed, when he noted the presence of the human running along from the distance. Sighing some, he was pleased that it had gone smoothly thus far. Pluse they had a decent dialogue before, so hopefully the convincing stage of things wouldn't be terrible. Moving to take a step, he heard a familiar hum.

"Sans?" Papyrus groaned. "I thought I asked you to start recalibrating your puzzles?"

"uhhh." The shorter skeleton turning to see his brother, looking at him. "yup I was...finishing a little patrol. then headin to do that." He assured, asking. "thought you were doin your own rounds?"

"I was, but I got a call from Undyne. She wanted to talk to you, but you didn't answer your phone." Papyrus noted, asking. "Did you lose it again?"

"no way, it uh, had vacation days." Sans said, prompting a growl from his brother. "you should see the post-cards. amazing."

"Ugh, why do I bother." Papyrus sighed. "Fine, I'll just relay the information for her. As I was saying, about Undyne-"

The sound of footsteps brought the conversation to a halt. Suddenly things were feeling a lot less smooth, and stellar. Steady steps slowing, ending. The pair turning, getting a look at the figure facing them. Chara standing, wearing a rather serious expression, despite appearing somewhat distressed at the prospect before her.

Flowey peaked over the shoulder of the human, and muttered. "Oh no..."

"Sans...is that a human?" Papyrus asked, utterly stunned.

He didn't respond right away, he was too busy cursing his own bad luck. That and noticing the look Toriels daughter was giving him. It was...quite the glare. He wasn't sure...what he'd done to earn it. Outside of botching this. True he'd wanted them to meet before. But that was primarily, because he knew it'd end badly. Sans regretted that now, noting that he had to think quickly.

"actually, I think that's a rock." He suggested, giving a nervous chuckle.

The tension in the air was briefly evaporated. Replaced with a mutual confusion from all other parties. Papyrus gave his brother a look of genuine concern, and confusion. Briefly placing a hand on his head, seeming to be checking his temperature. The taller skeleton sighing some, while moving past his sibling.

"Human." The tall skeleton began, the world flashing red and black. "Your incursion into this realm shall not persist. And you shall not pass this area. I the Great Papyrus, will capture you. Surrender now, and be brought to-"

"hey boss, hang on a second." Sans moved in-between the two.

Chara gave him a curious look. Wondering what his aim was. His brother staring in a mixture of annoyance, and concern.

"Sans, please move. You're in the way of the fight." Papyrus requested, adding. "And, you're not even facing the human. You should never leave your back exposed. Pretty sure that was lesson one from Undyne, no?"

Well, he'd gotten himself into another situation. He was...entirely uncertain about how to prevent this fight. At least, at first. Then a genius idea entered his mind.

"well, uh, c'mon, boss. you don't wanna fight them now, right?" Sans suggested.

"The human is right there, Sans. Why would I not?" Papyrus inquired, the question appearing rhetorical.

"and waste the puzzles you've been workin on for so long?" The shorter skeleton asked. "I mean, sure, you could capture em now...but then you'd have done all that work for nothin."

The taller skeleton went to argue but paused. "That is...actually an excellent point." He let out a tired sigh. "Very well-" The color returned to the world. "Human-" He aimed a finger at her. "as is the ancient custom among monster kind-"

Chara pointed right back, smiling some. "You're going to challenge me to a series of puzzles, with increasing difficulty, and complexity. To see who bests who, in a test of wit, and skill."

"You're familiar with the concept?" Papyrus asked. "Do humans have puzzles as well?"

"Not really. But my Mom taught me all about them." Her eyes turning to Sans, briefly glowing with hostile intentions.

Sans noticed this and felt...unnerved for some reason. "well hey. just means you don't have to explain the concept. right bro?"

"Very well." Papyrus began. "Proceed at your own risk. And prepare yourself, for trials both dangerous, and complex, human." The tall skeleton turned, causing the scarf to swing in the wind some. "We shall be waiting up ahead." He motioned. "Come Sans, we have work to do."

"uh, yeah, be right there." The shorter skeleton remarked.

Sans watched his brother go, letting out a tired sigh. He almost couldn't believe that worked. Turning, he found the human near him, swinging a fist his way. His eye flashed, as he teleported some distance back. Suddenly he felt less pleased with things, and a bit more confused.

"don't you know it's rude to randomly attack someone?" Sans asked.

Flowey seemed bewildered. "C-chara, what are you doing?"

Chara glared at Sans. "He's trying to get us killed." She noted, recalling the last few times. "Aren't you?"

Sans shrugged. "kid, I'm tryin to help you out." He assured. "not hurt you."

"Don't you lie to me, you smiley trashbag." Her tone full of malevolence. "You're trying to lure us into traps, to get us killed." She pointed and spoke. "You literally just told your brother to go prepare them."

"just, listen for a sec, okay?" She rushed, and swung at him, but he teleported. "that's all just to keep him distracted for-" She swung again, missing, as he huffed. "I just got done talking to your mom, ya little brat." Chara hesitated on that note. "she asked me to come bring you home."

Flowey asked. "You know Toriel?"

"we're pals, but it's not important." He sighed. "I just got my brother to not attack ya, right?" He asked. "now, why would I do that, if I was tryin to hurt ya?"

"To lower our guard." Chara suggested, as she scanned him over. "The man on the phone said she was in Waterfall."

"man on the phone?" Sans hummed and suggested. "tell ya what, why don't ya call her, eh?" He offered. "in hindsight, I shoulda suggested she call you, but uh...didn't think about that."

"I tried. She didn't answer!" The girl replied, getting increasingly angry. "Probably because of you, right?"

The skeleton had no idea what caused the shift in attitude. Trying to think of anyone in waterfall who'd have known anything about what was going on. Or, maybe it was just some prank caller? Regardless, the aggression was annoying him a little bit.

Flowey noticed and suggested. "Let's uh...just give it a shot, okay?" She glared at the flower. "Hey, I'm not sayin he's telling the truth, but...it's just a phone call, right?"

Her posture was full of anxiety, but her hostile pose lowered all the same. Digging out the phone, she attempted to call Toriel. Sans heard it ringing, and ringing, and then...nothing. Nobody answered, and he swore internally that things were going badly so quickly. However, the kid tried again, and yet...nobody answered.

When it was slid back into her pocket, she suggested something. "You can teleport right?"

"yeah?" He half asked back.

"If you really know her. Why don't you go teleport to her, and bring her here to tell me herself?" Chara suggested. "Or, give her your phone, hmm?"

Sans noted it was a good idea, however. "problem with that kiddo. I can't teleport more than just me. it's uh, it's not how it works. and I lost my phone this mornin. sort of a dumb story, but-"

"That's very convenient." She noted. "How exactly did you intend to bring me back then?"

"a wonderful new sport called walking." Sans said flatly. "figured we'd put on our lamber-feeties, and stroll that way. or hell, just have you go that way, while I distract Paps."

"Not...a...chance." Chara hissed back. "I'm not gonna go wander off, and let you chase after her."

"kid I don't know what the f-...I ain't gotta ask." He warned. "let's just go that way, and you'll see I'm right, alright?"

She recalled his blue attack. Flowey was looking less and less convinced of proceedings. Laughing nervously while nudging her.

Flowey whispered. "Chara...I uh...don't think we can beat this guy." He noted. "We can't even hit him, not that...we should. That'd probably be worst."

Chara responded, but to Sans. "The man on the phone said you were chasing her. And that they saw her in Waterfall. So, that's where I'm going."

Sans squinted. "and who is this man on the phone?" He asked. "you're just listening to some stranger?"

"And you aren't?" She retorted.

Flowey commented. "I mean, I do know him."

"And you've been terrified of him, since you saw him." Chara said rather openly. "You're actively whispering, afraid of this dude. It's pretty obvious he's a bad guy."

"I didn't...say that." Flowey scanned the skeleton.

"Then why are you scared of him?" She asked, demandingly.

Sans for his part, appeared to be done with this. It had become very obvious to him, that nothing was going to happen, unless he made it happen. Her soul appeared before her, flashing for a moment. It became a dark blue color. He then started walking. Leaving her dragging against the snow, much to her protest.

Sans remarked. "you'll thank me for this later kid. let's go."

Chara let out a sound of protest and demanded. "L-let me go!"

The skeleton starting her in the direction of the ruins. However, her mind didn't go to that possibility. Instead, she imagined they were being dragged back to the pit. The phantom feeling, that pain surging into her. Her fingers digging into the snow, trying to slow the process of being dragged there.

Flowey tried to speak up. "S-sans, stop!" He demanded. "E-even if you're tellin the truth-"

Sans sighed tiredly, motioning. A bone ripped across the straps of the backpack, leading to him falling onto the ground. The Flower shaking some, while straightening up. Giving a glance over at them, as he noticed something.

Tears rolled from her eyes. Anger built to an extreme. Desperation, an unwillingness to just let herself die. To let her mom get hurt. Faint bits of purple shined through the blued soul. Her hand reaching out, and-

Chara cast Intangible.

Slipping from his grasp, her soul flowed back to her. Sans blinked, in surprise. Turning, in time to see something coming at him.

Chara cast S-Butterfly.

5 magical Butterfly like bullets surging at him. He vanished, avoiding one, and then another. They appeared to be seeking him. He didn't see another monster around. So who-

"Chara wait!" Flowey called out.

Sans turned, seeing the human. Eyes shining with a brilliant purple color. Magic? He managed to vanish away, moments before the hit impacted. Putting a nice bit of distance between the two. He scanned her over.

Sans used Check.

|Chara? - ATK 9 DEF 6|

|Looks just like the original|

|Wouldn't you say Sans?|

Seeing the check prompted a feeling of alarm in the Skeleton. Alongside an impulse to action, that he only barely resisted. Hand raised, nearly summoning something...hazardous. Stopping himself from trying to blast the prompt, by reminding himself why he as there.

Leaving him to look over the kid, who had a look of earnest fear, mixed with what was clearly a motivated anger. The moment of hesitation ended, when she charged at him again. He dodged once more, eyes darkening.

"well, that's unfortunate." He muttered, vanishing from the area. The fight ending, as color returned to the area.

Looking around for where he might have gone. However, he just...appeared to be gone. After a moment, she staggered, and fell, panting, sweating. Her heart was racing so fast. She was...very, very positive that her attempt would result in her dying.

"Chara, are you alright?" Flowey asked. "What were you trying to do?"

"Scare him off." She let out a breath, while getting back up. "Like uhm, remember you said, if we have to fight, just rough em up?"

The flower had dragged the bag over with himself still in it. "Yeah, I...remember. Granted, in his case...well, you may avoid that tactic." He sighed in relief. "It's a good thing he didn't attack back. He's a scary guy, you know?"

Chara stepped over to the flower, in the broken backpack. "I figured he was." She shrugged. "Given that he killed us twice already."

"W-wait, he's the one who killed us?" Flowey seemed confused. "That doesn't sound like...well, I wouldn't expect it usually."

"Then why are you scared of him?" She demanded.

"W-well it's uh, ugh." He reluctantly admitted. "I dunno...he didn't used to be so...well, him. Anxiety educing and dangerous, sure. But not...murderous, usually."

"You're going to have to explain how you know these people." Chara said, adding. "Because not knowing, can get us killed...right?"

"Y-yeah, yeah...I know." Flowey frowned some. "I'll...explain it when we're not at risk of death. Honestly...I think Papyrus is safer than his brother anyways."

"The guy who strolled up to kill us?" She asked, sounding aggressive still.

"Capture. Papyrus may look scary...but, he's a pretty nice guy. He just tries to act tough." He assured her.

She frowned, while picking up the damaged backpack. "I...I have doubts about that."

Reluctantly, she was once more carrying the flower. "Hey, I have an idea."

Flowey extended his vines, using them to wrap around her arms, like the old backpack straps. Getting himself secured once more. While offering a friendly smile. She hadn't considered the idea. Her heart rate finally slowing down. Helping her feel...significantly calmer.

"Thanks, and, sorry for being...uhm being mad. I just, don't trust him." She stated. "The guy on the phone said he was after her."

"Yeah, I...understand." Flowey sighed. "But we should be careful with strangers...all of em, right?" He noted ."Let's be careful, about both, okay?"

"Okay." She agreed.