Apparently, I forgot to post last week and I'm so so sorry.

Though, I have an appartment now :) With toilets! (Really, it's something important) I'm still at home (because I still have things to do here), but I should move in next month. I'm really reeeeeaaaaaalllly happy, 'cause it's rather nice and it's not far from the university (which means no metro for little me! And little me hates being underground in crowded trains, and would rather be soaked than go in there).

Chapter XXXI

Morning's suprises

'Good morning everyone,' the headmistress's voice claims. 'Please, find your seat before we distribute you your subject. We remind you: no pencil cases on your desks, no calculators, and student cards face up in the corner.'

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As if a calculator would help in soul science… They could even let the students take the exam with their books, even that wouldn't help them to cheat. Soul science is nothing without a thorough understanding of the very making of a soul, which cannot possibly be explained on paper — it has to be felt. There should be no paper exams for such a domain, only real manipulation of souls — only such a thing would actually allow students to prove their skills.

There is only one tiny, almost forgettable problem: it's illegal.

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'Ouch, rough morning Doc.'

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Gaster moans an answer to his colleague — unless it is a greeting so unintelligible it doesn't sound like one anymore. He doesn't feel like putting more effort into it, not that it matters anyway — he has other things, more important ones, to think about. So he buries his head in his arms, eyes closed, hoping the other monster will catch the clue.

His colleague, Jeyel, gives him a pat on the back — pretending not to see Gaster isn't in the mood for that. He leans on the table, a malicious smile on his face — the only part of his body which isn't water.

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'Too tired for small talk? Don't want to know the results of the last simulations?' Jeyel stands up, mimicking adjusting a yet non existent bow with a now content smile. 'Because, I must say, they're beyond our expectations.'

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Gaster bats an eye open — he regrets it now that he can see Jeyel's eyes sparkling. However, as much as he would rather like to go back to his half asleep internal monologue, he cannot deny he is indeed interested. After all, he left early the previous day, before the results came out. Besides, he would have way enough time to think during the four hours exam he was supposed to watch, so a quick report couldn't possibly hurt?

With a nod, Gaster gives Jeyel the sign he is waiting for. The water elemental's smile grows bigger, similar to the one of a child in front of whom a whole box of candies has been opened.

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'I knew you would want to hear me out!' he exclaims before looking at the clock. 'The thing is…' His voices drops as he checks something on the papers on the table. 'Time is running out.'

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Jeyel lets out a laugh, much to Gaster's despair. If he isn't going to tell him news, what's the point? Unless he keeps a full bottle of aspirin, that is — Gaster's growing headache is definitely not going away without some.

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'Our baby scientists here…' Jeyel continues, his smile fading but sparkles still in his eyes, 'I think I see fear. My guess is... They wouldn't be against a pep talk,' — He puts on a charming expression as he turns toward the university's headmistress — 'right miss?'

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She almost freezes, her hands ready to open the sealed envelope of the subjects. Her widened eyes soon narrows into a more irritated expression, as she doesn't even look at Jeyel to answer him.

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'For the love of Asgore, Jeyel, please stop.'

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However, as she eventually breaks the seal, her eyes stop on an empty chair. One that should not be empty.

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'One of them is missing?'

'For such an important exam?' Jeyel says. 'Well, damn.'

'Jeyel, please.' The headmistress's grab the list of students supposed to attend, checking each and every name until finding the one to which she can't link a face 'Alphys Triceri?'

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Immediately, Gaster is pulled from his half asleep state, eyes glowing and mind alert.

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'Alphys?'

Jeyel stares at him for a whole second, before recalling why the name sounds so familiar. 'Eh Gaster? Isn't that her?' — He waits for Gaster to look in his direction to continue — 'Your future trainee?'

'If you say anything related to her degree,' Gaster starts, his eyes glowing of a menacing purple, 'I make you clean the lab alone for a month.'

'Uh… No? I was going to say we can wait until thirty.'

.

The envelope in her hands, but the subjects still inside it, the headmistress addresses a soft look at Gaster. Her stern expression lets place to a more gentle one — after all, her goal is to help all the university's students. Monster kind doesn't have the luxury to have hundreds of scholars, so they might as well cherish the ones they have. Not all of them would become researchers in the end, but one of them could be holding the key to free them all.

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'You do care about her a lot, Gaster.'

'She is promising. I wouldn't want her to fail because we started without her.' Gaster glances at the door, hoping for Alphys to show up. A nervous and trembling Alphys, who would apologize way too much. An Alphys he would probably have to calm down, but for her he was willing to take the time. However, there is no Alphys at the door — and there isn't even a phone call to reassure him. 'It's not like her to be late...'

'Well, we can't wait forever,' the headmistress says, 'but I suppose thirty minutes isn't too much.'

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She has barely finished her sentence when Alphys rushes into the exam room, cheeks red as much from the effort than from shame. She tries to catch her breath, but her words are still cut by sharp and erratic breathes as she mutters an apology.

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'So- Good morning, I… I'm so-sorry for… I mean, I apo-apologize for- for my late-' Her confused mumbling is cut short by a small skeleton running inside the room. 'No, Papyrus!'

'Dad!'

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Papyrus jumps into his father's arms without hesitation — or, rather, jumps at his father's arms without giving Gaster enough time to grasp the situation and even less to catch him. As for Alphys, she is mortified: not only did she fails to show up on time, but she also showed up with a child she is almost sure no one knew Gaster had.

A child who just ran right at his father, while calling him "dad".

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If she had to pick a moment to erase, one single moment in her entire life, it would be exactly this one. Not when she tripped and fell with her plate back in middle school. Not when she decided to try to burn magic and managed to put a water bottle on fire instead. Not even when she broke down in front of all her class because she was too intimidated to think of an answer. No, it would be the exact moment when she felt Papyrus's sweater brush against her hand. The moment she realized what was happening, and when the only thing she could think was "please kill me".

And now, with Gaster looking at her with round eyes, she is certain it is an option worth considering.

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'Sorry!' she exclaims. Realizing all eyes are turned toward her as she speaks, she feels warmth in her cheeks. She cringes even more than before, muttering an explanation she isn't sure Gaster can hear. 'He- He didn't want-want to st-stay with S-Sans…'

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Gaster exchanges a look with the headmistress, hoping for her to give him her consent. She frowns, staring at Papyrus with her lips pinched. The child straightens in return, trying to offer her his most charming smile — or what he thinks is his most charming smile, missing tooth included. Her stern expression breaks into a smile, and Gaster can swear he hears her giggle, as she shakes her head and turns toward him: she isn't opposed to letting Papyrus stay.

Immediately, Gaster puts his hands on his son's shoulders, bringing him closer by the same occasion. Papyrus cannot hide his joy, almost bouncing in place — after all, he wants nothing more than a father who cares for him, and he had feared Gaster wouldn't want him because of what happened the previous day.

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'It's okay, Alphys,' Gaster says. 'Papyrus will be staying with me for the exam, good as gold.' He kneels to be at his son's height. 'Right, Papyrus?'

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The child nods, his smile even wider than before, and looks at Alphys with pride. He doesn't see how his father's colleague is staring at him — or perhaps he simply doesn't care. However, Gaster is very well aware of Jeyel's wincing. He knows where this is going… And no, he is definitely not in the mood to offer the water elemental an explanation as for why he never heard of Papyrus before.

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'Wait… You have a son?'

'Yes, Jeyel.' Gaster sighs, more loudly than he would have liked, and tries his best to ignore Jeyel. 'Alphys? Get ready for the exam, we'll start in a few minutes.'

'Th-Thank you, Dr. Gaster.'

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Without being asked twice, Alphys flees to her desk, hoping to disappear behind the other students — students who are still looking at her rather insistently, unfortunately. The headmistress looks at her as she goes, her eyes softening into an expression of benevolence as she turns around to get the subjects out of their enveloppe.

In the meantime, Gaster gets a chair for Papyrus to sits on. Once the little skeleton has taken his place next to his father, happily taking a few colored pencils out of his pockets, Gaster asks the question which has been bothering him.

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'Now, Papyrus… Why wouldn't you stay with…' He hesitates, for he isn't sure he should use those words. However, he figures out it would be a situation way easier to explain, especially to Jeyel — indeed, he has never seen him settle for an half baked explanation, and it sure won't start now. 'Your brother?'

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The silent lasts a mere second, yet it feels like forever. Gaster waits — not for Papyrus's answer though. He knows it won't be what he hears first. Instead, his eyes are firmly locked on Jeyel, trying to pick the first hints of him speaking. And there they are — his eyes widen, then narrow as he frowns, and sparkles. A thin line appears on his white pebble-like face, as it does every time he is about to open his mouth. Eventually, out of sheer excitation and astonishment, Jeyel speaks.

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'Wait… You have two sons?'

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It is for the best, Gaster keeps repeating to himself. It will be easier to think of a lie this way, he hopes. Nevertheless, the presence of a child — his own child — is probably the only thing which keeps him from cursing Jeyel.

Also, he really does need some aspirin, and perhaps four or five mugs of coffee.

F*ck you Jeyel

F*ck you and your rhymes .

.

Anyway, when I wrote 'when the only thing she could think was "please kill me"', I definitely meant 'when Aplys went "oh sh*t"', but I remembered I was trying to be polite.

Also... Alphys is turning out to be way more important than she was supposed to be, which makes me feel bad for what happens next...

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One last thing, I go on vacation Saturday and I won't be back before the end of the month (yay, long vacation! All hail socialism! No really, five weeks a year is pretty nice for working people). Because of that, I can't garantee you there will be another chapter before I'm back. I may not have the time to write it, but it's mostly that I don't know if I'll have internet there...

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Bye bye!

(And have a nice holiday)