PERCY

Percy's head began to hurt as he searched for a way out of the Labyrinth. He wished he had Annabeth with him; she was always better at navigating dangerous places. She would also have been better company than silence. As he walked, he tried to stay calm. He'd been in the Labyrinth before, but this time he was alone. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, which made his trek a little easier. Eventually, he started going in random directions. He didn't care where the maze led him. He just wanted out.

After several left turns, Percy finally found an opening. He had reached the light at the end of the tunnel! He ran toward the exit and came out at the top of what seemed like a volcano. His eyes had to adjust to the brightness; he must have spent the night in the Labyrinth. A huge crater stretched off to his right. He was surrounded by trees, which Percy found strange considering volcanoes couldn't support vegetation.

He walked to the crater, where there was a sign that read:

WELCOME TO THE TOP OF

MT. EBOTT

TAKE A PICTURE,

IT'LL LAST LONGER!

No wonder there were trees everywhere – this wasn't a volcano. He remembered the news article Paul had mentioned the morning before.

"Let me just… back away from this gigantic hole," he muttered to himself.

He found a trail that led to the bottom of the mountain and started to follow it down when he heard voices hissing from the other side of the crater.

"Keep a lookout for the sssson of Possseidon. If he getss away, the bosss will have usss skinned!"

Percy looked back and saw two dracaenas coming out of the Labyrinth entrance.

You've got to be kidding me, he thought.

He used the trees as cover, so the dracaenas didn't see him as he made his way closer to them. He noticed that they were holding a type of weapon he had never seen before. It resembled a spear, with a long staff that had a silver blade in the shape of a semi-circle at the top. The blade was dripping a purple-ish liquid onto the ground that the snake-ladies made a point not to step in. He uncapped Riptide.

Sarcastically, to himself, he whispered, "This is going to be fun."

"Alright," the first dracaena said, "do you realize what could happen if we really do capture the Jackssson boy?" She seemed to be the one in charge. She stood taller than the other and spoke with a little more confidence. "We could become famouss!"

"Yeah," the second one replied." "We'd get all of the attention! And the food…"

Her voice trailed off as she stared into space, lost in the thought of whatever kind of food snake-people ate.

"Never mind the food. We'd become more popular than the king himsssself."

"Ooh, really?"

"Yesss, sisster. And that'sss why you can't messs thiss up. I can't passs up thiss kind of recognition, esspecially when our asssignment comes from the king!"

The second dracaena pouted. "But I've never done anything wrong on a misssion."

"That'sss becausse you never do anything." The second dracaena looked offended that her sister would say such a thing, but she continued. "And that'ss how it'ss going to ssstay. Got it?"

"Fine."

Once Percy got close enough to strike, he lunged at the closest of the two monsters. The second dracaena crumpled to dust.

The first snake-lady shrieked, "You killed my ssister!" She pointed her weapon at him. "I hope you've sssaid all of your goodbyesss."

She stabbed at him and he jumped out of the way just in time.

"Don't you realized what this weapon can do?" she asked as she lunged at him again. "The blade is enchanted to produce a poison that slowly drains its victim's power until, eventually, they die."

Percy knew he couldn't play defense forever but saw no opportunities to attack.

"One touch from this blade is sure to kill you, no matter how hard you fight back." The dracaena laughter, dropping her guard. There was finally an opening.

Percy ran her through with Riptide and her weapon clattered to the ground.

"You may have bessted me, sson of Possseidon," she said as she faded into dust, "But you haven't won yet."

He watched until all that was left of her was a pile of dust. Immediately, however, that pile of dust began to reform.

"Wait a minute," Percy said to no one in particular. "If you're already reforming, then…"

He turned around as the second dracaena brought down her weapon on his shoulder. He immediately felt himself grow weaker. It was as if his life was draining out of him. He stumbled, dropping Riptide.

"That wass for ssstabbing me!" she screamed.

How did she reform so quickly, Percy wondered? First the myrmekes, now the dracaenas. Usually, when he killed monsters, they stayed dead at least long enough for him to escape. Something, or someone, was bringing them back.

Percy fell to his knees as the poison took over his body. He could barely breathe. The dracaena pushed him to his side and rolled him to the edge of the crater.

"No," Percy pleaded. "Please." He wasn't sure if he could handle even the thought of falling down another hole in the ground – much less actually living through it again.

"You showed my sister no mercy." She stared coldly into his eyes. "This is to avenge her death!"

She pushed him over the edge, laughing as he fell deeper and deeper into the darkness.

SANS

"Okay, okay. Knock-knock," Sans smiled.

"Who is there?"

"Goat."

"Goat who?"

"Man, I've goat to get some better knock-knock jokes!"

The woman on the other side of the door howled with laughter. Sans was glad to finally have some company in this stupid forest. He had been waiting for days, with no sign of any humans. Even Frisk hadn't reset and gone on another murderous rampage. He wasn't really sure what he expected, though. He had seen the boy in a dream. He probably didn't even exist.

"That was a good one," she said as a she continued to giggle.

Sans sat right outside the door, sharing knock-knock jokes with his favorite person (besides Papyrus, of course). He had been waiting for today just so he could remember what it felt like to genuinely smile again. Even though he didn't even know her name, he loved to hear her laugh. He could probably listen to her tell jokes for hours without getting bored.

"Knock-knock," she said.

"Who's there?"

"Little old lady."

Sans had to chuckle. He knew this one. "Little old lady who?"

"Oh my, I didn't know you could yodel!"

He laughed louder than he had all day. Even though he had heard her tell that one a million times, he always liked that one. He always liked hearing her say it. It reminded him of the first time they heard each other.

Sans tried not to acknowledge it, but he may or may not have developed a crush on this woman. He knew it was impractical, considering he had never seen her before, and he probably never would. He only knew her voice. However, he also knew that no one could tell jokes like she did. He wished that, maybe one day, she would open the door separating them. Then, maybe….

"Ya' know," Sans told her, "I really wish we could open this door." He smiled. "I want to see the face behind all of these knock-knock jokes."

"And I so desperately want to see the master of all of these puns," she replied.

"Then why don't we? Why haven't we…" Sans couldn't find the words.

The woman sighed. "You know why I can't let you see me. If you knew who I am…"

"The whole kingdom would come and find you." Sans leaned against the door and slid down to sit in the snow. "I know. I just wish things were different."

"As do I."

They were silent, both waiting for the other to speak first.

Finally, the woman said, "Knock-knock."

Half-heartedly, Sans answered. "Who's there?"

"Toriel."

He was confused for a moment until he realized what she had just said. "But… I thought…"

"First names never hurt anyone. I'm sure there are several 'Toriels' out there."

"Well, I bet none of the other Toriels' laughs are as amazing as yours." Sans smiled. Then he realized what he had just said. His eye turned blue with embarrassment and he desperately tried to change the subject. "M-my name's Sans, by the way," he said quickly. "Let's talk about that."

He hit himself on the forehead exclaiming, "Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

Toriel laughed again. "It is time for me to go check the Ruins. Thank you for such a wonderful morning, Sans."

Sans was glad that he was only a skeleton because he would've been as red as a tomato if he weren't.

"Uh, thanks to you, too," he managed. He buried his face in his hands.

He was alone now, but he didn't mind. He would rather worry about humans than embarrass himself like that again.

"Sans," he said to himself, "you're an idiot."

Even though he was cursing himself, he continued to smile. He just couldn't stop. He went back to his post, eagerly awaiting the next time he and Toriel would sit and share knock-knock jokes.