Chapter twelve:
"Do you mind if I ask how you got scarred?" Toriel inquires to Sans hoping that she's not prying too much.
"A dog monster." Sans responds to her and his racing mind can't focus on one thing yet. "I had to leave my post because of the memories."
"Oh." Toriel realizes that this is where his fear of dogs came from. She supposes that she should have connected the dots on that. "I'm terribly sorry."
"It's okay. It's not your fault." Sans assures her glad to see her relax at hearing this.
"So you two know each other." Papyrus brings up rather curious about it all. He glances to Sans then Toriel as both turn to look to him.
"Yeah. We had secret conversations on each side of the ruins door." Sans explains to his brother who listens to him. "A lot of the time itd be us sharing jokes. Though we also actually talked about whatever came up." He sees his brother nod his head in understanding. "We kept it a secret because we felt it was the right call. And for her privacy too. No need for random monsters trying to see if she's really there."
"Well that is reasonable." Papyrus agrees with that. "If monsters knew a lady monster was talking through the door, there'd be tons of them there every day. So it's fine that you two kept it secret." He turns to look to where they are going as the others also do so.
They pause as Frisk does so in the wishing room. They see her really take it all in for a few moments.
"Frisk?" Sans begins in which Frisk turns to him. "What are the stars like on the surface?"
"Well I suppose they're not too different from what you see." Frisk tells him as they begin walking again, knowing they need to get to Asgores castle. She doesn't notice Sans checking her for any strange magic signals. "They're not all bright though." She misses Sans for a brief moment tensing at finding strange magic. "They also make patterns that change depending on when you view them."
Sans nods his head. "It'll be interesting to be able to study them." He admits and he lets Toriel talk with Frisk. He has a prototype for a small gun to take parts of magic he wants. He created it awhile back in worry that a very need ability becomes lost in death. He isn't sure if what Frisk has in herself really belongs to Flowey or not. He also has this dilemma to solve of if he should go through with it. He finds something from the corner of his eye grab his attention. He turns only to spot Flowey staring at him.
Flowey gives a nod telling him to do it.
Sans turns away looking down. He ponders if he really should just do it. He could help a monster who could instantly fix his fear. He just isn't really sure that he can trust Flowey. He's never seen him before and has no idea if he is trying to con him into getting power. He clenched his teeth as he can't decide on this.
They arrive at the hotlands lab and keep going onward.
Sans spots familiar movement in the dark area. He glances to the others. "There's something I want to grab. You guys go on ahead."
"Are you sure Sans?" Papyrus inquires gaining a look from Frisk, who thinks he should have just agreed.
"Yeah. I can teleport straight to you if I want." Sans tries to assure them in which Papyrus gives the okay. He watches them head off then heads to where he saw the movement. His hand is grabbed and he's lead further into the darkness. He's glad he made sure that the others were on their way. He is taken to a spot in a slightly different part where they're alone, and can see each other. He finds himself staring right at Flowey who lets him go.
"Aren't you going to do what I asked you to?" Flowey inquires staring right at Sans. "You do want to make your pain go away. Don't you? If it's trust issues I give you my promise that I'll do my end of it. I will stop the attack on you. You can be free remember? If I don't keep it you can pluck my petals off. Though I have no worry about keeping my word."
Sans glances away. As much as he thinks the idea could be a stupid move, the reminder of what he could get rewarded with is tempting.
"So? What is it going to be? Are you going to help me or not?" Flowey pushes causing Sans to look at him.
Sans tries to come up with an answer before sighing. "I'll look into it. I want to run a quick test first." He turns and makes sure the item he needs is in his inventory. He finds out he'll have to teleport back to his lab to get it. He teleports before Flowey can push him further. He grabs the device then teleports to the castle. He waits for a bit in the judgement hall looking at the device.
It's a handheld ray gun styled device with a screen on the handle.
Sans thinks about if he did use this on Frisk. He hasn't tested it yet and it could be harmful, on top of a possible break of her trust. He would have to lie about why he wants to gather the magic. He doesn't feel comfortable doing this without her knowing it's coming. He just doesn't want to hurt her and an untested prototype certainly can. He finds himself weighing the pros and cons, long enough that he hears them coming towards the judgement hall. He turns to the direction of the entrance. He's going to have to do his best to approach this carefully.
Papyrus gives a relieved look as he spots Sans after they get into the judgement hall.
Frisk subtly uses the save star while they're distracted.
"What did you grab dear brother?" Papyrus slightly exams the object in his brothers hands.
"A device. I wanted to know more about a magic sense I got from Frisk." Sans tells them and Frisk blinks at this.
"I have magic?" Frisk wonders if Sans actually saw her use a save star. She had found out she could use them while in the ruins. So she figured she could at least go back to that point. She did feel different waking up underground, like something different was inside of her after all.
"If what I sensed from you is right." Sans responds to her then is approached by Frisk.
"Scan me. I wanna know." Frisk tells him in which Sans nods his head and does the scan.
Sans tries to ignore the eyes on his back as he knows that it is Flowey. He checks out the results as those present wait for him to share the results. "There is indeed magic." He tells them. "It seems foreign. I can take it out without hurting you if you want."
Frisk pauses for a moment in thought then shakes her head. "Maybe later. But right now I don't mind it. I might even keep it. Having some magic sounds pretty cool."
"Well okay." Sans puts the device in his inventory.
"What in the world is this!?" As Flowey approaches everyone there turns to look to him. He is glaring at them clearly enraged. He turns to Sans. "You promised to get the magic she stole from me! No matter what you had to do. I offered you the best thing you could ever want in return."
Frisk glares at Sans who is glaring at Flowey.
"I did not make any sort of promise to you!" Sans protests angrily at Flowey. "I did not even agree to anything with you." He adds in which Flowey hisses at him.
"Lets not fight." Papyrus tries to settle Sans and Flowey down. He believes his brother and trusts what he says.
With everyone distracted by the sudden appearance of Flowey, Frisk gently puts her brother down.
Frisk takes a knife out of her pocket that she'd been hiding. She then lunges at Sans tackling him to the ground. "I should have known!" She shouts at him as now the attention is on her and Sans. "I should have known you weren't actually as kind as you seemed! You planned to use me!" She swings the knife at Sans though luckily only scratches his cheek, causing only a little blood.
Sans is terrified by the sudden attack from the human. He shuts his eyes finding himself with the attack that scarred him in the first place.
Toriel and Papyrus are hurrying to try to get Frisk off of Sans.
"All you monsters are the same." Frisk snarls at Sans swinging her knife again, but this time Papyrus catches her arm stopping her. She turns to glare at Papyrus as Toriel helps to pull her off of the terrified skeleton.
"Frisk please calm down! The flower is lying! Sans never agreed to hurt you! Didn't you see? He was willing to let you keep the magic he found in you!" Papyrus pleads with Frisk only for her to shake him and Toriel off of her.
Frisk turns to them glaring. "I don't need you. I don't need any of you. I read a book at Toriels place. I'll find a monster soul and cross through the barrier with my brother. I will take any that I can get my hands on! I'm a better fighter than you may think." She grabs her brothers soul and races off towards where Asgore and the others are. She knows that she had saved and if needed will go back to it, if she is correct that she can.
Papyrus falls to his knees next to his brother and pulls him close. He can feel how bad his brother is shaking. "It's okay Sans. I'm here." He uses gentle healing magic to heal the scratch that Frisk left on him. He gently rocks his brother keeping him close.
"I'll head on ahead and try to help in stopping her." Toriel lets Papyrus know in which he turns to her. "I am worried about Sans though I am worried about him, I can see that you got this handled."
Papyrus gives her a confirmation nod so Toriel hurries after Frisk. He turns back to his brother and shines his soul in an attempt to comfort him, as well as bring him back to reality.
Sans cracks open his working eye sensing his brothers magic. He glances up and sees his brother glance to him.
"Sans?" Papyrus questions hopeful as he slightly perks up while watching his brother. He stares at his brother pleading and hoping that Sans is in reality.
Sans blinks then slightly glances around before his eye opens fully as he remembers. He shifts to sit up and though he stays close, Papyrus lets him do so.
Papyrus keeps his arms around his brother who is still a little unsteady.
Sans looks around himself and sees no one else. He turns back to his brother looking at his face. "W-What happened?" He inquires his eye questioning at his brother for the events after he was attacked.
"Well. Frisk attacked you. But I'm sure you already knew that. Anyways. After we got her off of you she turned on us. None of us got hurt though, and I had already healed your scratch from her. She went off ahead. Planning to do whatever she has to in order to get her and her brother out. She clearly wants to make no human ever come back to the mountain to ruin our chances of ever getting out. But what matters to me is that you're still here. With me."
Sans can't help a smile at the gentle words added at the end. His frown turns down to serious and he turns to look to where Frisk had to have gone. He turns back to his brother upon feeling his grip tighten without hurting him. "Brother?"
"I don't want you to go Sans." Papyrus informs his brother who blinks at this. "I can't risk losing you. Not again." He finds himself unable to stop the tears that begin to appear at his eyes. He lets one fall only for it to be, slightly shakily and gently, wiped away. He smiles softly and slightly leans into his brothers shaking hand. "I love you brother. And I want you to be able to stay with me. I dont want to possible lose you again if she attacks you again..." He keeps himself quiet about the last part he had wanted to add.
Like when I almost lost you because of Dogermy.
Papyrus doesn't want to bring up the memories again for Sans. Especially not after what had just happened. He had gotten him back to reality and he doesn't want to have him lost in the memory again. He looks away his eyes falling to half open, as his mind flashes when he first saw Sans in the hospital. He was so worried, anxious and fearful that he'd lose the last family member he had. He wanted to turn back time so Sans would never have to be there. He just knew that he was helpless and had to accept it. He instead just hoped for his brother to get better soon, and to be okay.
"Frisk is just confused and scared." Sans tries to reason with his brother. He does understand his brothers concern, though he feels as though they need to help her. "I'll be extra careful. We just need to try to calm her down."
"Sans..."
Sans blinks as his name is a little hesitantly said. He notices that Papyrus refuses to look at him. He almost swears Papyrus is trying to just convince himself that something is false. "Yeah, Bro?"
Papyrus takes a breath and closes his eyes keeping his head down. "Did you make an agreement with that flower?"
Sans should have known this was coming. He knows Papyrus has a good idea that he is telling the truth, he just wants that little bit of confirmation. He also wonders if this is something to distract him from helping. "No. I didn't." He explains and glances away after saying that. "I did talk to him. He came to me." He sighs softly and closes his eye. "He said Frisk accidentally stole his magic when she fell into the underground. Magic... That could turn back time..." His words cause Papyrus to let his eyes move to look to him. "He said that if I would do it then he would use his ability. Go back and stop the attack from happening. All because I was a scientist. He thought I'd be his best chance at getting the stolen magic back." He doesn't notice Papyrus fully turning to him sympathetically. "It was tempting. I just wasn't sure about it." He opens his eye half way. "I never actually agreed to anything. He bugged me to do it. So I wanted to confirm that she had magic. I just don't actually know if it's Floweys or not. He did have details about the magic. So..." He trails off as he comes to realize something.
"What is it?"
"If what Flowey said is right. Frisk has the ability to go back in time. To a point that she wants to. So if she does try to kill one of the others only to be killed. Well then she could reset by going back in time. She could keep trying until she gets her way. Unless she is stopped in a way where she won't go back."
Papyrus turns worriedly in the direction Frisk went.
"We have to go after her. We have to warn them." Sans gently grips his brothers clothes in an attempt to plead with him. "Before it just becomes a cycle of violence."
Papyrus closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He picks up his brother as he himself stands up. He opens his eyes once he's standing holding Sans bridal style. "I suppose you're right Sans. Plus if the magic somehow, unlikely, isn't Floweys then if he gets his hands on it... Who knows what he'll do. Especially since hr seems to think you betrayed him." He quickly takes off in the direction of the throne room. He listens for the sounds of fighting as he goes to guide him to it.
"Thanks bro." Sans turns ready to help his brother where he can.
