AN: Hey everyone, here's chapter two of Charcoal Feathers! I really hope you like it. I really miss hearing what you guys think so, if you can spare a moment out of your day, please leave a comment. It really helps.
Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own Undertale. That honor belongs to Toby Fox.
The elder skelebro watched from the sidelines as his brother took his final journey, following alongside him as the younger monster traveled back to their former home amongst the snow-covered fields of the Underground. Even after entering the afterlife, he and the others had discovered that they were able to travel back over the threshold to keep the promise they had made to Sans. Papyrus had been relieved to learn this for, though their new world was beautiful, it just wasn't home without his brother. Glancing behind them, Pap noticed that the others had arrived as well. They must have realized it would only be a matter of time before Sans would cross over to join them. They'd taken turns staying with him over the years, an unseen yet constant presence, watching over him and doing their best to shield his dreams from the nightmares that haunted him every night. It hadn't been enough though. Even with their combined efforts, Sans' soul had lost the spark needed for him to continue living. He'd held on long enough to see his promise through but they knew he could no longer keep the fading at bay. He was falling down.
As they watched the comedian settle near his old sentry station, they gathered around, sadness reflected in their eyes as their friend's soul flickered in and out of existence before their eyes. Papyrus stepped forward as his sibling shivered, raising his pure white wings in an effort to block the frigid wind. He couldn't tell if it worked or not as Sans continued to tremble in the cold, night air. It wouldn't be long now. With one final breath, the short skeleton's soul flickered once more before shattering as his body turned to dust. None of the gathered monsters cried, however, for even though they were saddened that their friend's life had been cut short, it meant that they could once again be together without death coming between them.
"Sans?" Papyrus questioned softly, taking a step towards where the other skeleton had once sat. "Brother, it's time to wake up."
There, lying upon the hill his dust had scattered upon, was the spirit of the youngest skelebro. He was seemingly asleep and as Pap bent down beside him he lazily opened one eye, smiling up at the brother he hadn't seen in so many years.
"There you are." The elder skeleton said fondly as he moved to pull the other to his feet.
"Heya, bro," Sans replied, his ever-present grin the most genuine it's been since before the loops. "Guess I was dead tired, huh?"
"THIS IS NO TIME TO MAKE JOKES, BROTHER! YOU JUST DIED!" Papyrus admonished, though he pulled the smaller monster into a bone-crushing embrace as the others chuckled.
It had been far too long since they'd heard the younger monster's witty commentary. He'd had to behave more professionally while he'd been acting as king so there had been a distinct lack of puns during the years he'd been ruling.
"Sans... it is good to see you again," Toriel spoke, stepping forward once his brother had released his hold. "I am so sorry for what my child put you through."
"I would like to apologize as well." Asgore declared, stepping up to stand beside his wife. "You were left with a heavy burden and I know it has not been easy on you. Please, can you ever forgive us for placing it upon your shoulders?"
"Don't worry about it, King Fluffybuns." Sans winked, chuckling under his breath. "None of this was your guys' fault."
"That's not true, punk!" Undyne called, her words were harsh but her face showed nothing but respect as she pushed her way to the front of the crowd. "If I hadn't gotten killed I could have been there to help you. I should have trained harder!"
"I sh...should have worked more on Mettaton's d... defenses and also shouldn't h...have let myself get caught o...off guard," Alphys added, blushing slightly in embarrassment.
"I suppose I shouldn't have been such a showboat," Metta admitted, rubbing the back of his head as he looked to the side. "If I'd have been so distracted with my performance I might have been able to avoid the human's attack."
The hoodie-clad skeleton couldn't believe what he was hearing. With every word his friends spoke he felt his temper rise higher until it finally exploded.
"Don't say that!" Sans shouted, not even noticing the new pair of wings he was sporting as they fluffed up in agitation. "None of you did a single thing wrong! It was that brat's fault, not yours, and I never want to hear you blaming yourselves again."
"But..." Frisk began, only to be cut off before she could say any more.
"That goes double for you, kiddo." He declared, crouching down to pull the small child into his arms. "You're the one who got their body hijacked by a vengeful spirit. It's not your fault they went on a murderous rampage. You really came through when it mattered most and that's what counts."
through this all, Asriel had remained a silent figure in the background. Now, though, he spoke up... voice filled with awe.
"Hey, look, it's time!" He exclaimed, staring at something behind the gathered monsters.
They all turned to look and, sure enough, a swirling vortex of golden light had appeared in the air just beyond the rise of the hill. No matter how many times they saw it, it was still a remarkable sight.
Sans stared at the vortex, uncertainty clouding his renewed soul as he glanced around. None of the others seemed worried, in fact, they all looked rather peaceful.
"Heh, anyone know what that thing is?" He asked, still slightly concerned.
All he got were smiles in return and it made him even more apprehensive than he already was. A second later, his older bro stepped forward and took hold of his hand, pulling him in the direction of the light.
"Come brother, let us go!" He called excitedly as he glanced over his shoulder at the shorter being.
Then, with a powerful thrust of his wings, Papyrus lifted off into the air. Sans stared at him for a moment before realizing that his hand was still being held by the other monster.
"Uh, Pap?" He called, pulling his hand back in hope of freeing himself before he was dragged off the ground by his enthusiastic sibling.
"Just flap your wings in time with mine. It is easy!" The other declared as he lowered himself a bit so he could demonstrate.
Shifting his weight, Sans took a peek at his back. Sure enough, there was a pair of wings sticking through twin slots in his signature hoodie. They were smaller than his bros but looked just as strong, Taking an experimental flap, the comedian found that the wings responded as if he'd had them all his life rather than the few minutes it had been since he'd fallen down. Even so, he wouldn't call flying easy! He nearly crashed straight to the ground as he tried to take off and, in the end, it was only with the combined help of both Papyrus and Mettaton that he even managed to make it up to the portal thing. When his wild flailing had proven too much for his bro to handle alone, they'd each taken hold of one of his arms in order to better steady his attempt at flight. It had been humiliating, making him feel like a baby bones. As the trio hovered in the air, waiting for the others to join them, Toriel swooped over with Frisk held in her arms.
"Do not worry, Sans." She said upon seeing the blue flush overtaking his expression. "It is harder for some to learn than for others. You should have seen how many times Undyne crashed before she got the hang of her wings."
That earned a quiet chuckle from Sans and a sullen glare from the former captain before the stocky skeleton cocked his head in confusion.
"What's with the kid?" He asked, reaching out in an attempt to run his hand through Frisk's hair, though he couldn't get close enough to do so. "You feeling okay, buddy?"
"I'm fine." The human child said, voice quiet as she hid her face in her adoptive mother's fur.
The former queen smiled fondly as she shifted the little girl in her arms, turning her so that Sans was able to see the small pair of wings sitting upon her back.
"There is nothing to worry about, my friend." She revealed, running a soothing hand over her kid's back. "Frisk's wings are small and get tired rather easily so she prefers to be carried most of the time. Asriel is the same, you'll find."
Sure enough, Asgore approached with the rest of the group, his son nestled against his chest with a pair of small wings folded against the child's back.
"Are we ready?" He asked his beloved, gaining a nod in return. "Then let's be on our way."
Sans watched as one by one his friends flew through the vortex. When it came time for him, Papyrus, and Mettaton to follow the others he couldn't help but close his eyes as fear coursed through his entire being. The light engulfed him and, for a moment, the skeleton could have sworn he was back in the Judgment Hall. If not for his brother tightening his hold in reassurance, he wasn't sure whether he would have made it through without having a panic attack.
Within minutes, Sans felt his slippered feet touch down on something soft and slightly spongy. He realized why it felt like that as soon as he opened his eyes. He was standing on what appeared to be a cloud, though it looked much the same as the snow they'd been surrounded by moments before. His breath caught in his throat as he glanced around, eyes widened in utter shock. Everywhere he looked, the light shone bright and welcoming. There was no one around to disturb the tranquil peace of this land and yet it didn't feel lonely. There were trees growing out of the clouds and a river running nearby. In the distance, he could just make out the tops of buildings as well as a tall mountain peak. It was stunning.
"Wh...where are we?" He asked, voice nearly a whisper as he took in the splendor before them.
Once again, it was Toriel who answered.
"You could call this place by many names. Heaven, Paradise, Eden..." She informed, smiling softly at the friend they'd waited so long for. "But we just call it Home."
The others gathered 'round and Sans couldn't help the tears that began to stream from his sockets as he took in the sight of his friends surrounding him.
"Home..." He said, turning his face to the sun as his eyes closed, smiling through the tears that continued to stream down his face. "I like the sound of that."
-XXX-XXX-XXX-
Sans was lead towards the buildings and was surprised to find copies of the homes they'd lived in Underground, though these were right next to each other rather than being separated by great distances as they were before. It was nice. He'd been dreading the moment when they'd have to say goodbye once more. Sans didn't want to let any of these monsters, or the human, out of his sight for as long as possible so he was glad to know that they were now neighbors. The others seemed to feel the same way for they followed as Pap lead them all into the skeleton's house.
"Everything's just as I remember..." Sans trailed off with a huffed laugh as he noticed the sock, along with the trailing notes, over by the wall.
"Of course it is!" The taller skelebro proclaimed. "These houses were made from our memories. There was nothing here at first but we were able to make them using our magic. The clouds responded to our thoughts and shaped themselves... it was all rather amazing, brother!"
"Sounds like it." The jokester agreed, voice barely louder than a whisper. "Wish I could have been there to see."
His friends shared a look as he began to climb the stairs before taking seats around the living room, leaving Sans to curiously make his way towards his room with the other skeleton trailing close behind. Upon opening his door the ketchup-lover was greeted by an unexpected sight. There was nothing there. No bed, no treadmill, no dresser, not even his beloved trombone... just an empty room.
"I figured you would like to make up your own room," Pap said softly, wrapping his arm around his younger brother's shoulders as he steered him inside. "I knew you would want to see how things work here for yourself, after all, you always were into that sciency stuff."
Gazing up at the taller monster, Sans was met by the most loving look he'd had directed at him since the day he'd lost his entire world. It nearly brought renewed tears to his eyes though he caught himself in the nick of time, pasting a wide smile on his face instead.
"Thanks, bro," He replied, already deciding what he'd do with his room. "How does this all work?"
"All you do is imagine what you want it to look like while channeling your magic and the clouds will mold themselves to fit the image in your head." The scarf-wearing monster declared, enthusiastically. "I'm not sure why they react to our magic, Alphys hasn't been able to figure that out, it's just the way things work here. Go ahead, give it a shot!"
Taking a moment to get a clear picture in his head, Sans summoned his power and let it do what it wished. He was slightly wary about this. Unrestrained magic has a tendency to go out of control and with how powerful his magic is it could cause a lot of damage if that were to happen. Nothing adverse occurred, though. No, as he watched, the clouds began to glow a pale blue before shifting into the shapes he wanted. A simple bed now occupied the corner near the window with a familiar treadmill taking up the center of the room. On the opposite side of the room from the bed was a dresser, a lamp placed securely upon it. A trash tornado spun in the corner of the room, making a spectacle of itself, and socks littered the floor. It looked exactly like his old room back in Snowdin, the only addition was a large, empty picture frame that hung from the wall in clear view no matter where you stood in the room.
"I... well... I thought we could all take a picture together." He explained, feeling the curiosity radiating off his bro in waves though he didn't dare meet the older monster's gaze in fear that his emotions would overwhelm him.
"That way, I won't wake up and think this is all a dream. I'll know it's real every time I see our portrait hanging on the wall." Though Sans hadn't said it aloud, the former sentry could easily hear the hidden message within his brother's words.
Papyrus watched him, a saddened expression on his face though he hid it before Sans could see. He'd seen how affected the other skeleton had been by their deaths. Back when time kept resetting, Sans had known that it was only a matter of time before he'd see them again. Even if his brother felt that sharp pain in his soul every time he was forced to watch them die, he had known that it wasn't the end... not for good at least. That all changed when Sans had realized the only way to break the loops for good would be to use Frisk and Chara's combined soul to break the barrier. Without the determination that her soul provided, there were no more resets. His beloved brother had been forced to choose the fate of the Underground over the fates of his friends, even as his heart broke into a million pieces. Papy could see the toll that decision had taken on Sans' soul. Even now, there were fine lines etched into it where old cracks used to be. The elder skeleton didn't know if those scars would ever truly fade.
"THAT'S A MARVELOUS IDEA, BROTHER!" Papyrus exclaimed enthusiastically, bringing himself back to the matter at hand. "LET'S GO TAKE ONE RIGHT NOW!"
Grabbing the smaller monster, he gently pulled him downstairs and into the company of the others before he could so much as disagree. Everyone present halted in their activities to stare at the duo, questioning expressions on their faces as Sans blushed blue and hid his face within the collar of his hoodie.
"My brother has come up with a wonderful idea," Pap announced, only continuing once he was certain that everyone was paying attention. "Sans has suggested we all take a photo together to commemorate our reunion."
Here he gave the others a meaningful look, discretely gesturing to the way Sans' eyes still appeared slightly haunted. He knew they understood as their expressions gained a more tender look to them. They had made a pact over the years that they'd look after the younger monster. They promised each other that when the time came for Sans to join them, that they would do everything in their power to lessen the pain and guilt he kept within his soul. They also knew that Sans wouldn't outright ask for help, they'd have to figure things out for themselves. This was one such time.
"Yea! Let's take a picture." Frisk cheered, rushing over to launch herself into the shorter skeleton's arms.
Sans barely managed to catch the child in time before she sent both of them careening to the floor. He smiled, nestling the ten-year-old against his side as the others all took their place, being extra careful not to hurt the girl's wings as he wrapped her in a hug. He was just about to look around for a camera when one levitated in front of them, surrounded by his bro's familiar magic. So, with that taken care of, Sans let a warm smile grace his features as the shutter clicked into place. Moments later they somehow had a fully developed picture in the exact size of his frame.
"Thank you guys, this really means a lot to me." He admitted, staring fondly at the picture held securely in his hands now that he'd set Frisk back on the floor.
"Not a problem, Darling," Mettaton spoke from where he'd flung a robotic arm around Papyrus' shoulders. "I will always pose for a camera."
That earned a quiet chuckle before Sans let out a yawn. Man, dying had sure worn him out.
"I think we'd best be getting to bed," Tori spoke, casting a tender look to where her children had also begun to yawn. "It's been a hectic day for all of us and I'm sure we'll want an early start in the morning so that we can catch up with Sans properly."
"Sounds good, I think I'm gonna turn in for the night," Sans admitted, feeling overwhelmed by everything that had happened. "It's been great to see you all again though."
Every monster present smiled widely at the skeleton's words and Frisk raced forward once more to place a gentle kiss on her best friend's cheek. She'd missed him so much these past years and she wanted to start making up for all the pain she'd caused him. He'd told her it wasn't her fault and, now, she finally has the chance to return the favor.
Sans watched as the others filed out of the house until the only other monster present was his brother. Glancing at Pap, he couldn't help but feel his soul twinge with a familiar ache. It had been so long since that horrible day and now he was finally reunited with the one who meant the most to him. It brought about a sense of relief yet at the same time opened old wounds.
"Brother? Are you alright?" Papyrus' voice snapped him back to reality and he glanced up to see the other skeleton's concerned face. "You've been zoning out for a while now, is there something the matter?"
He shook his head, forcing a reluctant smile onto his face as he winked. "Nah, I'm just bone-weary. Better head to bed before I fall asleep on my feet."
The former sentry hid the wince that tried to make it through his mask at that statement. Phantom pains from the cut that stretched across his ribs and sternum flaring up at the unintentional mention of his numerous deaths. Pap looked doubtful for a few seconds more before a warm smile graced his features.
"Alright, Sans," The tall monster agreed, stepping forward to wrap his sibling in another embrace, his large wings moving to encircle them both. "Remember, I am right down the hall if you need me."
"Okay," He said, burying his face in his bro's sternum to take in his scent.
He knew that might be considered creepy but at the moment he didn't care. He had his friends and, more importantly, his brother back... that was all that mattered.
Papyrus stepped back, a loving smile directed towards his younger brother until the other skeleton was out of sight. Only then did he let it fall. It would take time for Sans to adjust to being around them again, he knew that, and he only hoped that he could help his sibling deal with the trauma he'd faced when he'd been alive. They had a long road ahead of them, that was for certain, but he knew that with their friends at their side things would work out for the best... at least, that's what he hoped.
Sans made his way upstairs, he couldn't help but think back on everything that had happened in the last few hours. It was so much to take in. Hopefully, he'd be able to make his hidden lab out of these weird clouds and begin to study this place further. For instance; what were these clouds, how did they support an ecosystem, why were there no other dead monsters here other than his friends, and what's with the wings? There was a lot he wanted to know about this new world he'd found himself thrust into but he supposed that could wait for another time. Right now he only wanted to enjoy having his family back. It didn't matter if they weren't all related by blood, what they'd endured together was enough to bond them as one... at least in his eyes that is.
Entering his room, the pun-lover let out a weary sigh before moving over to where the frame hung on the wall and carefully inserting the picture into its rightful place. Taking in everyone's smiling faces, Sans felt the weight on his soul ease slightly. They were here! Together! He'd never have to lose them again!
"That's what's best about this whole being dead thing..." He said to himself as he pulled off his hoodie, getting it caught momentarily on his new appendages, before hanging it over the handle of the treadmill. "Not having to worry about being separated by something like death."
The short skeleton then slid his feet out of his slippers and climbed into bed, sinking into the soft comfort that the clouds provided. Feeling secure in these familiar surroundings, his mind slowly began to drift away into the peaceful oblivion of sleep.
AN: I think I'm gonna move the update day to Saturday starting next week. If I remember that is. Anyways, let me know what you think! Thanks for reading :)