"Seven."
Undyne towered above them on the edge of the cliff face, her stance tall and rigid, ready for battle. A battle she only held off out of a sense of duty.
A duty to tell, explain, the monologue Sans knew she practiced every morning. The story all Monsters knew. Their tragedy. Their hope. Their salvation.
"Seven human souls, and King Asgore will become a god."
The Demon glared up at her, their expression unwavering, the only betrayal of their emotions the pressing of their lips.
"Six." Undyne continued. Six- "That's how many we have collected thus far." Undyne turned towards them. "Understand?" She now demanded. "Through your seventh and final soul, this world will be transformed."
The red eyes narrowed, lips pressed even tighter.
"First, however, as is customary for those who make it this far... I shall tell you the tragic tale of our people." And Sans wondered how far Undyne would go... "It all started, long ago..." Before she broke and jumped back into the heat of it. Too impatient, too self-assured, too determ- "No, you know what?" Oh okay, he- "SCREW IT!" The Demon was getting into a defensive position, their jaw set, their fists raised, already knowing how all this would go. "WHY SHOULD I TELL YOU THAT STORY WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT TO DIE?! NGAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
The helmet was off and Undyne's hair was flowing freely behind her, as vibrant and red as the eyes glaring up at her.
"YOU!" Undyne hollered down. Her composure was gone, all tradition and form. "You're standing in the way of everybody's hopes and dreams!" And Sans couldn't help but watch her with genuine interest as she spoke. He didn't know her half as well as Papyrus did, but he couldn't deny her passion, her resolve, how inspiring it would be to anybody else other than him, someone who afforded to give a damn- "Alphy's history books made me think humans were cool.. with their giant robots and flowery swordswomen."
Wait- What-?
"BUT YOU?" Undyne continued to rage. "You're just a coward! Hiding behind that kid so you could run away from me again!"
The reminder of how Sans had been used as well stung and distracted Sans from his bewildered confusion and amusement- She was right.
Manipulative. Coward.
"And! AND!..." Undyne seemed genuinely flustered, unable to form her words. "... and something's been bothering me, too."
Her face grew more serious, her brow furrowing.
"The whole time I was chasing after you... I felt something... Strange." Sans froze. "The echoes of something warm, something..." No... No, she couldn't be implying that she- "Something like 'I miss being friends with you'." But she was! She was implying she felt something about the kid- about the RESETs! Wh- How? What did that mean?
Sans stared at Undyne, trying to wrap his skull around it, but quickly he glanced to The Demon down below. He expected them to be unfazed by this, taking it as a grain of salt, something they had heard before, but to Sans' surprise, The red eyes... also looked alarmed, surprised. It was just gone in a moment as they did their best to hide it while Undyne continued.
"BUT THAT'S RIDICULOUS! I WOULD NEVER GET CHUMMY WITH A COWARD LIKE YOU!" Undyne raged. "You must have been mind-controlling me! Manipulating people to make them like you..." Undyne was shaking, you could even hear it in her voice. Red eyes were lowering and there was a grimace that just would not be hidden. And Sans could tell- Those actions had not been their own-
They were thinking about Frisk again.
"What a Grade- A FREAK!"
The red eyes snapped upwards again, fierce anger returning, a fire blazing.
Heh... For all their unpredictability, there was one thing that never changed. An insult to Frisk was the gravest of sins. Sans could only imagine that was how Undyne's words were being taken. But the anger... got the better of them, as always.
"Would you rather I just kill everyone instead?" They shouted, taunting- It was definitely NOT the right thing to say to the warrior who already wanted their head... or to Sans who they knew was listening.. Already knowing what they did-
"I'd rather you'd just die!" Undyne shouted back. "It would be more valuable to everyone!"
Red eyes blinked and took a step back as they grit their teeth, some pain flashing inside them.
And Sans had thought it. He'd wished them dead multiple times over now. He had even-
"you can be angry all ya want. i killed ya. sorry not sorry."
Sans pushed that thought away and focused on the present. What was actually happening and not on something that hasn't even happened anymore. But Sans had thought it. Felt it. He has felt everything Undyne was bursting at the top of her lungs. Manipulative. Coward. Liar. Murderer. LiarLiarLiar- He hasn't believed a single thing they've said this entire time. But... But that look on their face just now...
"That's right, human! Your continued existence is a crime! Your life is all that stands between us and our freedom!"
And that was the expression of someone who believed every word of it.
And their words from just a minute ago crept up again-
But Sans won't admit to the uncomfortable feeling he has. It's just another forgotten and now meaningless memory.
"Now enough! For everyone's hopes! For everyone's dreams! And for my own freaking dignity! I, UNDYNE, will knock you down!"
The Demon took another step back and raised their hand out to the side. They hesitated, staring at what appeared to be an empty space for a moment in apprehension.
"Stay Determined-"
Sans watched as the red eyes closed, their muscles tensed, a howling wind played with their hair, and when the red eyes opened again... They turned back towards Undyne and crouched once more defensively.
"Hit me with your best shot, Fish!" They shouted up at her. Undyne sneered.
"That's it then. No more running away!" Undyne summoned a spear and threw herself down. "HERE I COME!" The bright red Soul arose out of their chest. "En guarde!"
The Red Soul turned Green.
"As long as you're green you can't escape!" Undyne declared as they checked her stats. "Unless you learn to face danger head-on... You won't last a SECOND against ME!"
The shield formed in front of the Soul and red eyes narrowed, fully ready to fight.
And in the end, they were honestly a lot better than Sans had anticipated. They manipulated the shield like they manipulated everything else, with ease. Their hands flicked left and right, shifting back as they blocked the spears raining down upon them.
"Is that all you've got?!" They shouted.
They were several minutes in and while Undyne was sweating she hadn't hit the kid all that much, despite her best efforts. Sans could see that it was frustrating her... He could also see that little red eyes down there was purposely feeding into Undyne's anger in order to stoke their own. It was a risky action. Undyne's attacks were growing faster and more difficult with every failed hit, but though it was risky... like they had said... anger was their strength.. It was fueling their own determination, and more importantly, their speed.
It was also wearing Undyne out faster... which is what Sans assumed they wanted. The question was... who would get worn out first..
"Even if you could beat me.. No human has EVER made it past Asgore." They dodged her attack once again, but not her words. Sans could hear the grunt of anger escaping them as red eyes stared Undyne down.
And it was... revealing...
Sans was starting to notice another pattern.
If you didn't want an angry demon, you didn't insult Frisk. But... you also didn't bring up Asgore... Or maybe more specifically-
"Honestly, killing you now is an act of mercy...!" The resolve in the red eyes strengthened. They seemed to agree... But who did they see it as a mercy for?
Undyne flipped her spear impatiently.
"SO STOP BEING SO RESILIENT!" She raged as she threw her attacks. "What are humans even made out of?! Anyone else would be DEAD by now!"
"Determination!" The Demon shouted back as they jumped out of the way from the attack that would have made them Green again.
"Alphys did tell me humans were determined..." Undyne admitted. "Now I see what she meant by that.." Undyne threw her attack yet again and grunted as it missed. Again. "But I'm determined, too. Determined to end this RIGHT NOW!" The Demon had just enough time to land and look up at Undyne who was raging yet again after a close miss. "RIGHT NOW!"
"Ah!" They staggered back as they were struck considerably for the first time. Welp. Their luck couldn't last forever.
"RIGHT... NOW!" They had barely recovered in time to doge the new spears rising up from the ground, hissing in pain as they moved. "Ha... Ha..."
Undyne then shouted and drew her finger across her throat as she smiled menacingly, despite her panting. And yet... The Demon was still managing-
"NGAAHH! DIE ALREADY, YOU LITTLE BRAT!"
The demon landed and looked up at Undyne as they caught their breath. Their expression was angry, still determined, but then... it was seeping out of them.
"Honestly... I don't really want to fight you."
Sans saw Undyne's face fill with surprise. It was a strange shift in tactics, Sans noted. They had done nothing but taunt the warrior before.
"It's just... I can't afford to die."
Undyne frowned at their statement.
"WELL TOO BAD!" She shouted forcefully, reading her next attack.
[Spare]
"NNNNGAAH! I'LL NEVER TAKE MERCY FROM THE LIKES OF YOU!"
The Demon screamed as they were struck with a spear. Sans could tell their HP was getting on the low side, and they seemed to be thinking the same thing as their turn came up. They settled down, swallowing dryly as stood straight and reached for their inventory. But then... they paused... staring at their inventory... the gears still turning, thinking... And then...
They pulled out Papyrus' spaghetti.
"W-What?" Undyne staggered, watching the little demon eat it. Sans immediately know that this had been a bad idea. The worst idea. What were they thinking- Undyne was in a state of pure, burning rage. "UGH! YOU MANIPULATIVE LITTLE- I SEE THROUGH- I'LL KILL YOU!"
Undyne picked up the nearest boulder. It was easy, as if it was weightless, and in seconds she was throwing it down with all her might. And the human- demon-
There was a gasp as they watched the boulder race towards them. And there was no way- No dodging that- No way their little shield could protect them from that. They clutched the plate of spaghetti, the terror etched onto their face, unmistakably-
There was a horrible screeching sound-
"kid!"
The boulder crashed down hard, and the kid- demon- the red-
Sans' outstretched fingers were shaking, the magic racing through him and then cutting off drastically as he collapsed.
And the kid-
The Soul was turning from Blue to Red again as Sans' magic let go of them. They were picking themself up, shaking just as much as he was, seeming just as dizzy and disoriented. The boulder, colliding right where they had been two seconds ago, rolled a bit as they tried hard to catch their breath. The plate of spaghetti was scattered all over the ground in front of them. Lost when Sans had yanked them forward to safety-
"WHAT?!" Or at least, into less immediate danger. Undyne was red in the face and Sans himself was growing paler than normal as his mind tried to figure out what had happened exactly. He hadn't... That hadn't been- planned- Not like when he had been forced to save them and MK. This- It- But it had just felt too familiar. The boulder rushing toward them, it was all too familiar. It was-
Red- The human- demon! They had enough of themself gathered mentally again to register that they didn't have time to stand there any longer. To gather the rest of themself up. And immediately, they were up on their feet, staggering a bit as they rushed forward, past Undyne, running for their life.
[Flee]
"HEY! GET BACK HERE!" Undyne shouted, but then she quickly turned towards the darkness. "SANS WHAT THE HELL?!"
Sans jumped.
Oh shit!
"uh..." Sans' voice cracked uncertainly, but there was no hiding he was there. Not now. Not anymore. Any questions she might have had when he'd saved them before- saved MK! before.. They were gone. Sans coughed. "sorry, if- if i'd known you were there i wouldn't have b-budded in." He could see she wanted to punch him, but knew she also had no time to waste in going after the kid- demon! "but hey, don't we need the soul intact?" Sans argued as she stormed off.
"I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!"
Shit.
Sans tried to shortcut, to keep up with the duo, but he didn't know what direction they were headed. Only the general idea- Hotland.
Sans arrived at his station, shaking still, and exhausted. but still too shaken to even think about sleeping-
And Sans watched as the human- demon! The demon! Red Eyes! Demon! The Demon raced past him without so much as a glance and ended up skidding across the last half of the bridge and rolled in the hot dust of the other side.
And Undyne- She was hot on their heels- literally. She was even more red-faced, hyperventilating as she saw him standing there.
"YOU JUST- LET THEM!" She panted.
"I thought you didn't want me to interfere anymore." Sans offered nervously. She was so done with him. So, so done. She screamed at the top of her lungs, but left him, racing towards the bridge.
But she...
She didn't...
She didn't make it.
Undyne staggered and took quick, gulping breaths.
"Armor.. so.. hot..." She was the one shaking now.. "But I can't... give up..."
Sans jumped as Undyne collapsed face first onto the ground.
Shit!
He took two steps before remembering he could teleport. He was across the bridge in a second, but as he got there, he stopped...
The Demon was already at the water cooler... filling two glasses of water as they continued to catch their breath. Sans stood frozen, sure they would take off now, taking advantage of the fact they knew he would have to help Undyne, that he couldn't possibly leave her like this but of course they were sick enough they could do just that-
But no... No. Instead.. They were heading back over to Undyne. What were they-?
They answered his question, at least... the most basic sense of his question, as they poured a cup of water onto the distressed fish's face.
In any other moment, Sans would have laughed, reasoned it made sense. She was a fish outta water, after all...
But right then..
This seemed like the last possible thing they would or should do, but then it hits him. Ah. Right. Of course. They wouldn't.
It's Frisk...
... Frisk..
As the last of the water poured out, Undyne was beginning to stir. The Demon was taking a sip of their own water when the warrior was finally conscious. Sans took a step back farther into the shadows, ready for the Fight to restart and also not ready to be shouted at for doing nothing again, at least not yet-
But nothing... is exactly what happened.
Nothing.
Undyne lay there, tense, prepared, and yet... surprised... Her single eyes was wide as she watched them, uncomprehending.
The Demon lowered their glass and offered Undyne a shaky, unconvincing smile. They were still catching their breath, but trying to hide it. Again, unconvincingly.
"Wow." They managed. "That was so intense!" There was a soft chuckle. "My heart hasn't raced like that in forever!"
Sans' gaze narrowed, clinging to the one thing that made sense in all of this.
They were trying to work their way under Undyne's scales through praise. They clearly did not know the woman as well as they thought if they thought that was going to work... But the red eyes were opening wide in apparent excitement as they looked down at her as they managed to choke out one last thing- "That was so cool!"
They were coughing to the side and taking more short sips of water when they could. Undyne was lifting herself up, only to freeze and ready herself to attack as her opponent lifted their own hand and reached into their inventory again, and then... They are holding it out for Undyne to take...
It's one of those chocolate Nice Creams...
"I really don't want to fight..." They said again... sadly.
Undyne's confused expression transformed as she bared her teeth and slapped the Nice Cream away. It fell onto the ground, barely avoiding the sad fate of falling into the lava below the bridge. The red eyes followed it for a second, but then they were looking back down at Undyne who was wordlessly struggling to her feet. Yet, they didn't rise to defend themself...
Undnye towered over them again, despite the shaking her stance was deadly. The red eyes hardened and stared unflinchingly. And the two of them stared.. The moment was tense, the air turning darkly before finally... Undyne turned her head slightly away.
"Tsh." Undyne spat as she turned away and began to storm off. As much as she could, at least...
And Sans... was frozen. Happy he didn't have to carry her home but at the same time... He still did not understand... He's still... reeling...
And once Undyne was out of sight, it very quickly became evident that... The Demon was still reeling, too...
They tried to collect the Nice Cream up from the ground, but now Sans could see them shaking... They couldn't keep their grip. The Nice Cream fell with a soft thud beside them and this time they left it there, not even trying to pick it up as they gave into the shakes that were working through their small, crouched body. Crouched. Shaking- Sans stepped out from the shadows and through a shortcut, right there beside them. The Demon jumped, a sharp gasp escaping them as they did, and they finally took up that protective stance-
But-
"woah." Sans lifted his hands up, trying to show them he wasn't planning anything. Not this time, not right now. He wasn't looking for a fight here though he understood why they thought that. The last time he'd saved them, less than an hour ago, he'd exploded. He'd been used, taken advantage of, and maybe he should again. He'd given them what they wanted. Again. But this... This felt...
This felt different.
"I didn't-" Their voice is weak, breaking as they gave out a small laugh. It doesn't take long for that laugh to reveal itself for what it was- Their last defense from falling apart... And it fails. They fall.
They buried their face in their hands, the base of their palms pressed into their eyes as they tried hard not to cry.
"I didn't mean to. I didn't mean... I'm sorry, Frisk- I'm sorry."
Sans felt something inside him falling as well. Sinking heavy into the pit of where his stomach would be.
"I didn't mean..."
It had felt... like living a memory... acting it out, a forceful reaction even though he couldn't remember-
"I-"
Sans slowly knelt down beside them and hesitantly... put a hand on their back. They didn't even jump this time... maybe too far broken at the moment, or maybe just like when Undyne had been shouting at them...
Maybe if he killed them right then, this time they would stay-
But...
But..
"just this once..." Sans said slowly.. "i'll believe ya."
Whatever happened to Frisk..
They hadn't meant to do it.
They broke out into full sobs now, crying into their hands.
Sans pulled his hand away from them and stuffed them into his pockets. The cold metal of the locket made him jump and as he moved his fingers away from it, he felt the worn, torn picture too. He turned his head away from the crying being next to him..
He shouldn't have done that.
He really, really, should not have done that...
It's minutes, a good half hour really, before the h- The Demon successfully picked up the Nice Cream this time, put it away, and stood up. Their tears now only sniffles and they made their way back to the water cooler, taking a cup. Another. They look like hell.
Appropriate.
Tired and hell.
He once again wonders just how much sleep they got last night.
They've worked their way through several cups and then stayed there in silence for a moment...
"I was trying something different..." They said finally, as if.. they hadn't just been crying their eyes out. As if nothing had happened between them. Sans was grateful. It meant he too could try that. Nothing had happened. He had not given them an emotional inch to take a mile... "It'd worked with Pap... but that was Pap."
Yes, give him something else to refuel his hatred.
"... I was so stupid..." They said softly.
"can't argue with you there." Sans said, trying to sound nonchalant.
The Demon began to walk, still staggering a bit in their walk before they came to another stop and lifted their hand. Their expression is still tired, drained... There is no silent chant this time as they SAVED.
They lowered their hand.
"... Don't worry." They said suddenly and Sans' narrowed his eye sockets suspiciously. "... I know you didn't save me for me..." Sans was tense.. "But.. thanks.."
"... sure." As soon as he said it, he was immediately chastising himself again.
They began their journey again and Sans stood still, hands in tight fists inside his pockets. They stopped and turned back towards him.
"Are you... coming with me?" They asked. Sans glared at them. "It's just... You've been watching me more closely than usual." They explained.
Yeah, and look at what good that had done him-
"You might as well get something out of it."
Sans was... uncertain and tilted his head a bit.
"what do you mean by that?" Sans asked. A shadow of a smile finally returned to their face, a mischievous gleam in those red eyes.
"You like Mettaton's shows, don't you?"
"well.. yeah."
"I can't stand him."
"yeeeah...?"
"Well... don't you want a front row seat?"