Sans didn't know who he was fighting in this… dream? There was a flash of gold, bare feet, and long curly hair somewhere between brown and red that nearly reached the ground. He felt like he was fighting them… him?... for years, but it might have only been hours.

Suddenly, six souls surrounded him. Five of them were monsters, although he couldn't make out their bodies beside him. The last was human… for a given value of human. The body looked like one, anyway, although details were scarce. This soul seemed to lead his defense, and he felt himself cry out when he saw it take the blow that would have cut his fragile soul in half. The soul seemed to take it without damage, though.

Whatever they were fighting seemed angry with his rescuers. It sent a wave of attacks their way, but a familiar wave of bones cut it off. Frustrated, the enemy chose to retreat, leaving the rest of them behind.

Sans woke up from the dream with a start, sitting up fast and bonking skulls with another. He opened his eye sockets, fought down a wave of vertigo at the monovision that he still couldn't deal with, and let his eye light summon. There was his brother, Papyrus, the monster that he would recognize anywhere. Papyrus smiled at him, and he couldn't help but smile back. He'd gotten used to the flexibility in his skull faster than he'd gotten used to his vision.

"AH, BROTHER! YOU'VE AWAKENED! PERHAPS YOU WOULD LIKE SOME CHICKEN BROTH? OR BEEF BROTH? I DON'T THINK HER MAJESTY HAS ANY VEGETABLE BROTH AT THE MOMENT. DOES SHE, SILVER?"

Sans turned his head. The child who was now the same size he was blinked at him, her eyes a blurr. "...No. Azriel gave it to Courier when she brought her son to play with everyone and she mentioned their fridge had died. I still don't understand what a fridge is. How is it any different from a pantry?"

Sans smiled. "electricity, kiddo. pantries use shade to keep stuff cool. fridges use electricity to keep it even colder."

Silver turned to him, blinked a bit in her pet silence, then nodded. "Ah… okay."

Silence spread through the room like melted butter over toast. It was contained by the walls of a room that, when he looked around to figure out what it was, seemed to be one of the many bedrooms in Tori's house. He turned to his brother and asked, "um, bro? why am i here? i mean… why aren't i in my room at our house?"

Papyrus gulped, sadness in his eyes. "SANS… YOU HAVE BEEN ASLEEP FOR DAYS. IT WAS ONLY BECAUSE SILVER HAD THE IDEA TO… WELL," sweat beaded down his skull, "SHE DID SOMETHING WITH YOUR SOUL? I AGREED TO HELP, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SO LONG, BUT I PULLED YOUR SOUL OUT AND SHE PUT IT INTO HERS FOR A BIT? I HAD TO HELP HER. SHE SAID YOU WERE FIGHTING SOMETHING. WE CHASED IT OFF, THOUGH! THEN SHE PUT YOUR SOUL BACK, AND YOU WOKE UP!"

Sans blinked. That matched his dream, but- "kid, do you remember what we were fighting?"

Silver shook her head. "...Consolas says it was some kind of god-like being, but he can't be sure. It might have just been a Boss Monster like Mom… Sorry."

Sans sighed. "that's okay, kiddo. you did a lot. why don't you go tell your mom that i'd like to talk with her and get something to eat." The kid nodded, got up, and left, leaving him alone with Papyrus. He turned to his brother and asked, "hey, bro? do you think you could do some research for me?"

Papyrus sprang to attention, grinning like mad. He loved helping his brother as much as he loved the gentle people at the Librarby. "YES, BROTHER!"

"could you look up the tricksters for me? i don't think you'll find a lot, but even a few names or something would help. i've got one you can go on if you want. it's… actually, i'd rather write it down than say it. it's rude to talk about someone who's listening."

Chara didn't feel completely guilty for using their Save Point to make sure they caught Papyrus before he left the house. The other mages in the house (and Azriel, maybe) would probably be panicking, but this was important. Besides, there were now billions of humans with the potential to be doing this. They wouldn't instantly suspect Chara. Hopefully.

"Hey, Papyrus!" They called out. He stopped walking at full speed with those long legs of his and turned to face them. "I've got a favor to ask! You know, like friends do sometimes?"

Papyrus hesitated for a moment before grinning wide. He was always ecstatic to do anything friendship related. They didn't really understand the appeal, but they knew how to make use of it. "YES, OH STRIPED-SHIRT HUMAN WHO IS MY FRIEND? WHAT IS IT?"

Chara grinned. Bingo. "Oh, it's nothing the Great Papyrus can't handle. I was just wondering… you know those puzzles you said you'd set up in front of the house? I was kinda wondering what they'd really look like. I know you used to make lots of puzzles in the Underground. Do you think you could make, like, a ring of puzzles around the house? It would be so cool to get to do them every day again!"

The taller skeleton's eye sockets popped out two googly eyes that wobbled like those weird joke glasses. It was definitely magic, and also definitely creepy. Ew.

"I WOULD LOVE TO, STRIPED-SHIRT HUMAN! IT IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA! I HAVE A TASK FROM MY BROTHER TO COMPLETE FIRST, BUT IT SHOULD NOT TAKE MORE THAN THE AFTERNOON. I WILL BE GLAD TO PROTECT THE HOUSE WITH A PROPER RING OF PUZZLES AFTER THAT! IS THAT ACCEPTABLE?"

Chara nodded, grinning cunningly from ear to ear. "Why, yes, Papyrus. That would be perfect," They paused, thinking his statement through at lightning speed. "May I ask what this task is?"

Papyrus grinned. "AFTER THE TINY HUMAN AND I WORKED TOGETHER TO WAKE HIM UP, HE ASKED ME TO RESEARCH THE TRICKSTERS FOR HIM! HE EVEN GAVE ME A NAME TO START WITH. I BELIEVE IT IS PRONOUNCED, "NIMARON"?"

The reborn mage froze, a frown flashing across their face. "Oh. Well, I wish you luck in your search, then."

They waved goodbye to him and headed for the room Sans had been bedded down in. If he knew that name… they had to know how much he knew. It didn't matter how many LOADs it took, they were going to get it out of him. Of that they were sure.