Hey Everyone!

Interference in bold, puns and memories in italics, magic is underlined.

-text- indicates either texts, or mental "talking".

All Undertale stuff owned by Toby Fox, else me or a reference.

Bratty and Catty have a back and forth and in between conversation that leaves you dizzy, but ends with you and your friend wearing gorgeous new duds.

Papyrus

THE GREAT PAPYRUS, MASTER SPAGHETTI CHEF, GLARED AT THE DISMAL REMAINS BEFORE HIM. PERHAPS COOKING WHEN HE WAS SO...DISTRACTED HAD BEEN A LESS THAN PERFECT DECISION. HE RALLIED, HOWEVER - A SETBACK LIKE THIS MEANT NOTHING TO HIM!

ON FURTHER CONSIDERATION, HE, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, DECIDED THAT THE MOST STRATEGIC AND EFFECTIVE USE OF HIS TIME WOULD BE TO RETRIEVE FOOD FROM ONE OF HIS BROTHER'S FAVORITE RESTRAUNTS, AND SAVE THE WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE THAT WAS HIS SPAGHETTI FOR WHEN SANS WOULD HAVE MORE ENERGY WITH WHICH TO APPRECIATE IT. AS MUCH AS HE DISLIKED THE GREASE AT GRILLBY'S...HE HAD TO CONCEDE THAT HIS BROTHER SEEMED TO ENJOY THE FOOD THERE. FOR SANS, THE GREAT PAPYRUS WOULD MAKE THIS SACRIFICE. HE SET HIS TOMATO-STAINED APRON ON ITS HOOK BY THE PANTRY DOOR, AND SET OUT.

Papyrus (later)

HE RETURNED, LEAKING BAG IN HAND, TO A RATHER...UNSETTLING SIGHT. HIS BROTHER WAS LEANING AGAINST THE FRONT DOOR, SHADOWS UNDER HIS SOCKETS DEEPENING IN THE TWILIGHT GLOOM. HE APPEARED TO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP STANDING UP, AND THE BLANKET CLUTCHED AROUND HIS SHOULDERS HAD SLID HALFWAY TO THE GROUND.

"SANS!" HIS BROTHER STARTED AWAKE, HALF THE BLANKET SLIPPING FROM BETWEEN HIS PHALANGES, "BROTHER, WHY ARE YOU OUT OF BED?"

"hey bro, didn't expect you back so soon."

PAPYRUS FROWNED, "SANS, I ONLY LEFT THE HOUSE FOR AN HOUR, AND ALREADY YOU ARE PUSHING YOURSELF TOO HARD. GO BACK INSIDE THIS INSTANT!"

SANS SHRUGGED, "sorry, bro, gotta check something first."

HIS BROTHER TOOK A SHAKY STEP TOWARDS THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE. HIS LEG GAVE WAY UNDERNEATH HIM, AND HE BEGAN TO FALL. OF COURSE, THE GREAT PAPYRUS WAS PREPARED FOR THIS, AND EASILY CAUGHT HIS BROTHER WITH HIS FAMOUS SPECIAL ATTACK.

"BROTHER, I MUST INSIST THAT YOU COME INSIDE! SEE, I HAVE EVEN BROUGHT YOU SOME OF THE GREASE-SOAKED POTATOES FROM GRILLBY'S! SURELY WHATEVER IT IS YOU WERE TRYING TO DO CAN WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE LESS WOBBLY?"

SANS LOOKED...CONFLICTED. TWO URGES SEEMED TO BE FIGHTING FOR CONTROL - THE URGE TO CHECK WHATEVER IT WAS, AND THE URGE TO BE LAZY AND EAT GREASY FOOD. PAPYRUS WAITED. SANS SIGHED.

"thanks, bro, but i really need to check up on this. i...i'll eat once i've had a look, kay? it won't even take a minute - i just need to get down into the basement."

THE GREAT PAPYRUS SIGHED, "FINE. BUT I AM CARRYING YOU, AND WE ARE COMING BACK UP THE MINUTE YOU HAVE FINISHED THIS 'CHECK'."

SANS EYES SPARKLED, "thanks, bro, you're the best."

"I KNOW, BROTHER," HE SCOOPED THE FAR TOO SMALL FORM OF HIS BROTHER INTO HIS ARMS, "LET US GET THIS OVER WITH."

Asriel

"Lock the door Frisk, please? I don't think I can take much more of this."

I throw myself into the mass of pillows on the bed. They fail to muffle the sound of the latch clicking, but golly if that isn't more of a relief than I thought it would be.

"What's up, Flower-fur?" The bed rocks. I roll onto my back, flinging my arm flat to reach closer to her. She squeezes my paw in her hands.

"Just...they're...kids! I was a kid, and I...everytime I look at them I remember what Flowey put them through, what I put them through, and...and they act like it's nothing!"

She spreads my palm flat, one finger tracing the lines of my palm, "So? They've had a long time to forgive you, longer than me and Mom and Uncle Sans and everyone. We forgave you, we'll keep forgiving you until you get it through those long fluffy ears of yours that you deserve forgiving. Just cause they're kids doesn't mean they can't see the truth. I could see it back when you were still a flower - why wouldn't they?"

My face feels wet...oh, I'm crying again, aren't I? "But-"

"Look, Flower-fur. They like you - I like you. They actually got my sister to play with them - a feat almost as impressive as me making friends with Undyne, and considerably less hard on the furniture. I know you won't be letting go of this anytime soon - but you don't need to beat yourself up so much!"

Finger guns deployed. Golly, I'm getting a certified Frisk Pep Talk, aren't I?

"You're the most goat-geous monster around. Why wouldn't they wanna play with you? You actually cried when Pers gave you that sketch - they know there's no way you're ever going to hurt them again. It's kinda weird that they only showed up now, and it's kinda hard sharing Mom with the two of them - I can't imagine how much it hurts for you. You watched her take them in back when you were stuck as a flower. She loved them...she still does. But she loves you too - I love you too...and I think they're starting to as well. They weren't replacing you - they're just as much your siblings as Silver is mine...just like THEY were. So-"

Familiar sounds filled the air, a kinda jazzy tune that swang. I sat up, fishing for my phone, as did Frisk. My screen was dark - Sans must be calling her. She tilts her head at me, and I shrug. The pep talk has been interrupted, might as well see why, especially since Sans HATES calling people on the phone. Texting, yes, all the time even. Calling? Worse than pulling teeth...okay, blocking out that image now, I did not need to remember that. Gross.

"Uncle Sans, what's up?"

My ears twitch at how much static is in the background of the call. Where is he, Underground? That basement of his? The Arctic Circle?

"hey kiddo, um," his voice sounds really weird...is it higher? He must be somewhere strange, "there's a bit of a problem. i code tell you, but...it, um, might come as a shock."

"Sans, did you break Paps' computer again?"

"no, it's fine, it's-"

"HUMAN! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT AN 'ANOMALY CONTAINMENT BREACH' IS! MY BROTHER'S EXPLANATION WAS A BIT...NOT HELPFUL...HUMAN?"

Frisk squeaked and dropped the phone the moment Papyrus said the words, "Hey, Frisk, breathe with me. Come on, flirt-master, breathe. They aren't here, they're all the way back at college, kay? It's probably just one of the mice again. Please, Frisk, look at me. Can you look at me? Good, good. Just breathe. Okay...can you tell me what color shirt I'm wearing, Frisk?"

Her eyes flicked down, wobbling a little, then back to my face, "B-b-blue?"

I smile, "Yep. Good one. Okay, next question. How many pillows are there?"

She looks around. I can hear her heart beat beginning to slow. Her fingers twitch, "A lot. More than ten."

My smile gets wider, "True. Where do you even get them all? Okay, moving on. Um...how many Mew Mew Kissy Cutie figurines has Alphys left on your desk?"

She smiles wanly, "Eight - all five of the team members from the first season, the boyfriend, the chibi robot, and her favorite villain who flirts almost as much as I do."

Her heart rate has slowed to non-imminent death levels. I relax, "Here's to hoping this year's gift isn't another repeat."

She winks at me - that's my girl, "I don't know, Pers probably wouldn't mind getting his own set. I think she got him hooked."

I laugh, "Yeah...feeling better now?"

She winces, then nods, "I think so. Better enough to get over there and deal with this," her eyes glint red, "After all, I have the determination."

Asriel (later)

Sans looks majorly nonplussed wrapped in Frisk's hug. I know he's finally gotten used to being shorter than her...but this is a little extreme.

"Uncle Sans...I don't even know how to ask."

He sighs, his face twisting into a scowl as Frisk snuggles him even closer...is it just me, or is his skull more mobile than it used to be?...Okay, Mom seriously deserves an award for discretion. How she kept this a secret is beyond me...especially since Uncle Pappy looks like he's gone totally Sans about this.

"s'a long story kid. i'll tell it to you later," his eyelight...why is he only using one? It's...scary. I've only ever seen him do that when he's dunking someone...usually me. I shiver at the memories.

"Fine. Fine! Don't tell the panicking goat kid, that usually works wonders. Keep me in the dark, I love it like that - oh, wait, no. I tell a lie. Sans, at least tell me you're okay."

He shrugs. Another squeeze.

"tibia honest, i'm...kinda not? but i'm good to get us to the server farm and back...well, two of us. three might be pushing it a bit for a two-way trip."

"SANS I FORBID YOU TO-"

"pap, i know you want me to stay here, but this is important, kay? we need to know what triggered that alarm."

Uncle Pappy looks annoyed and...desperate? Golly, how bad has Sans been? He's never gotten this worried. He looks like he might try tying Sans up to keep him from going. I really hope he doesn't...good. He's given in.

"FINE! BUT I INSIST YOU TAKE THE PRINCE AZZY WITH YOU! AND DO NOT PRETEND YOU ARE FINE IF YOU ARE NOT - AND DO NOT FALL ASLEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR SHORTCUT! AND-"

"kay, bro, i promise. frisk, i know i'm cute, but if i had lungs, i would be suffocating."

Wait, did Pappy just say he might fall asleep IN THE MIDDLE OF A SHORTCUT?! Please, please don't tell me he just said that...I gotta have imagined it...yeah, yeah, he musta said something else. Yeah.

"okay, kid, ready to go?"

"Wait, wha-"

Plink.

Chara

Plink. Such a simple sound, right? The note of a wineglass struck by a finger, mixed with a ruler balanced between two desks. Simple, yet behind it, complexity stretching off into the impossible. An anomaly, a paradox...something which should not exist, yet somehow does. Sound familiar?

Yellow and green stripes lean against scuffed metal, my legs folded underneath me in a way that almost looks painful, although I can assure you it's not. My left hand curls slightly, palm towards my face; the other is tensed, picking at motes of dust in the folds of my skin. Why oh why is dust so...clingy? I mean, even normal dust like this doesn't seem to know when to let well enough alone!

Footsteps echo through the towering monoliths, one set half-stumbling until the other pauses. The solid set continues, perhaps a trifle louder than before. I smile. Poor Sansy, so sad, half dead on your feet. Wonder who you brought with you this time?

"Hey, whoever you are, this place isn't safe. Why don't you come out so we can get you home!"

I chuckle. Azzy, Azzy, Azzy. You have no idea how true that is, how much I want that. My cheeks burn with the force of my smile. There is nothing in the world I want more than for you to take me home.

A figure rounds the corner, blue jersey shirt over loose grey sweats. No shoes...monster, then. Claws poke out of white fur. I raise an eyebrow. Who is this creature, and where is my Azzy?...he's carrying the Trashbag, whoever he is. Bleh. I thought for sure it was going to be...Azzy?

Crap, that's Azzy, isn't it? Since when is he allowed to be taller than me? I never agreed to that - calm down Chara, stick with the plan. Just because he's a little older than you expected doesn't mean he isn't still your crybaby little brother.

"Hey there, Azzy, what took you so long? Smiley Trashbag take a wrong turn? I hope you brought chocolate, I really do. Hey, don't give me that face. No one left a cell phone in here, that stupid beeper thingy was the only way I could call. Oh, no, don't cry. Please? Come on, Azzy, please stop crying, I didn't mean it, please!"