Chapter 8: Skelebros

When we crossed the small bridge, Sans paused and looked around. The only thing in this clearing was a desk with a snow-covered roof, like a small watch station, and a odd lamp-looking item sitting just in front of it. He glanced at me and pointed to the large lamp. "Hide behind that lamp," he said, giving me a little push toward it.

I hesitated. "W-wouldn't that be a better idea?" I asked, pointing to the station.

He shook his head and gave me another push. "No, trust me. This'll work. Come on, quick, before he sees ya!"

After a brief pause, I let out a breath. "Alright." Quickly, I jogged over to the lamp and crouched down behind it. Surprisingly, it hid my body perfectly. I hoped it would be enough cover.

I heard what must have been Sans's brother dash through the snow and skid to a halt maybe five yards from my lamp, and I tensed.

"Sup, bro?" I heard Sans greet him.

The second skeleton, Papyrus, spoke in a higher, more intense voice. "You know what's 'sup', brother!" I could tell he was trying to sound more authoritative, just by the way he enunciated his words and put an edge to his voice. "It's been eight days," Papyrus continued, "and you still haven't recalibrated your puzzles! You just hang around outside your station all day! What on earth are you even doing?"

I heard Sans chuckle. "I've been staring at this lamp." I held my breath at his mentioning it. "It's really cool. You wanna look?"

"Urg! No!" Papyrus growled. I sighed in relief. "I don't have time for that! What if a human passes through here!? I need to be ready! I must be the one to capture a human! Then, I, The Great Papyrus, will get all the things I utterly deserve! Respect, recognition! I will finally be able to join the royal guard! People will even ask to be my… friend? I will bathe in a shower of kisses every morning! It would be amazing, Sans!"

"Heh," Sans replied. "Maybe this lamp will help you."

Cold sweat rolled down my neck. I was really starting to think Sans was intentionally trying to get me caught.

"Sans! You are not helping!" Papyrus said through gritted teeth. I heard him stamp his foot impatiently. "You lazybones! All you do all day is sit and boondoggle! You just sit here, lazing about. You don't care about any of this, do you? Are you ever even productive at your station at all?"

"Nah, bro, don't worry," Sans replied casually. "There's nothin' to worry about. I've gotten a ton of work done. A skele-ton."

I held back a snicker at the bad pun.

Papyrus moaned. "Ngh, I swear, those puns of yours get worse every day."

Sans chuckled. "Aww, c'mon, you're smiling."

"I am and I hate it!" Papyrus growled. He let out a hefty sigh and I heard his boot crunch through the snow. "I just don't understand why someone as great as me has to do so much just to get some recognition!"

Sans smirked. "Wow, sounds like you're really working yourself… down to the bone."

Papyrus moaned as his brother laughed. "Ugh… Fine, I will attend to my puzzles." I heard him shift in position. "And as for your work? Put a little more… backbone into it!" He broke out in his own laughter. "Nyehehehehe!" With that, I heard his heavy footsteps run off down the path he had come from, until they faded completely.

"Heh heh," Sans chuckled to himself as he walked over to the lamp I was hiding behind. He put a hand in his pocket and held the other one out to help me up, that toothy grin still covering his face. "C'mon, he left. You can come out now."

I took his hand, which was whoopie cushion-free this time, and hoisted myself to my feet. "Thanks," I told him.

"No prob," he responded. "But you should probably get moving. He might come back. And if he does…" The skeleton winked. "you'll have to sit through more of my hilarious jokes."

I smiled and giggled a little. "Haha, yeah, you're right." I began walking down the path Papyrus had gone down. "Thanks for covering for me."

The skeleton smiled a little wider. "Yeah, sure. Good luck, kid."

I started down the path, and was just about to explore the new area…

"Hey, actually…"

I turned back around and found Sans still looking at me, hands in his pockets.

"I hate to bother ya, but can you do me a favor?"

I was hesitant, but then nodded slowly. "What is it?"

Sans glanced at the ground, but his grin never left his face. "Cool. So, I've been thinkin'... My bro's been a bit down lately. Ya see, he's never seen a real human before. And, y'know, seeing you might just make his day." He saw my skeptical expression and raised a hand slightly. "And don't worry, he's not dangerous… even if he tries to be sometimes." He blinked and shot me a wider, pleading smile. "Ya think you could show up to him at some point?"

I paused. I barely even knew Sans, yet he was asking me a favor like this. I considered saying no, since Papyrus didn't seem to be the kind of monster who'd just let someone like me go. But… through the smaller skeleton's calm expression, I could make out a deep hint of sincerity and care, and that's what swayed my decision. I took a breath and let it out. "Yeah, sure."

He smiled wide. "Thanks, kid." Turning around, he looked at me over his shoulder and put up a hand as a sort of half-wave. "I'll be up ahead. See ya." He began walking in the direction I had first come from.

I figured he just had to do something over there, so I continued walking into the next area. Suddenly, I had a thought. Maybe Sans could tell me where to go to get home. "Hey," I called after him as I turned around. "Could you-"

The skeleton was gone.

I blinked in confusion, looking around for where he could have gone, but there didn't seem to be anywhere. It was like he'd completely vanished. A bit uneasy, I slowly turned back around and entered the next clearing. I tried to make myself believe that this was a normal thing for monsters.

The trees here were much shorter, and a cold breeze swept over them, raising goosebumps on my skin. I began to trudge forward through the snow. However cold it was, I was extremely glad nothing worse had happened yet. I had been so scared that once I exited that door, I would be attacked left and right, and I would have regretted my decision. Instead, the first monster I met didn't want to hurt me, but help me. I still felt hopeful that I could get home. Kindness seemed to be working in my favor.

I heard nearby voices, and I snapped out of my thoughts. I found that I had been looking intently at the ground as I walked, and when I now looked up, the two skeletons were standing in the middle of the path before me. This was the first true look I had gotten of Papyrus. He was almost two times Sans's height, and had a wider jaw which made his head taller-looking, as opposed to his brother's round skull. A long, tattered red scarf was wrapped around his neck, which flowed gently in the slight breeze. His rib cage was encased in a white improvised armor-looking chest plate. Red gloves covered his hands, although I assumed he didn't need them for warmth (I wasn't quite sure… Was that how skeletons worked?).

I had no idea whatsoever as to how Sans had gotten here so fast, but I ignored the fact. Papyrus was potentially a threat, and I was focused on my own safety. The two were having a conversation and weren't looking my way, and it didn't seem like they'd noticed me. I had a chance of getting away… But I remembered what Sans had asked me to do, and I let out a sigh. I hesitated, then kicked some snow as loudly as I was able.

Papyrus was the one speaking. "So, as I was saying about Undyne…" He stopped short as he whipped around to look at where the sound had come from. When his gaze landed on me, his eye sockets widened in surprise. "S-sans! Is that… a human!?"

Sans turned to look at me lazily. I saw his eyes glance to the side, and the grin on his face shifted wider. "Nah, I think that's a rock."

All three of us stared at the small stone that was sitting just at the edge of the path, only a few feet away from me. I chuckled.

"Oh…" Papyrus said in defeat.

There was a long pause. Sans and I blinked at each other.

"Hey, what's that next to the rock?" Sans said, nudging his taller brother.

Papyrus looked at me, and the shock returned to his face. "Oh my god!" He bent down and covered his mouth with his red glove. "Is that a human…?" he whispered to Sans.

The shorter skeleton rolled his eyes. "Yes," he whispered back.

Papyrus shot back upright, a huge grin plastered across his teeth. "OH MY GOD!" He almost squealed in excitement. "Sans, this is it! I… Undyne will… I-I'll be so popular!" He focused on me again and cleared the childish excitement from my view. He cleared his throat(?). "Ehem! Human! You will not pass here! I, The Great Papyrus, will stop you!" He put his fists to his hips in a triumphant pose. "I will then capture you! You will be delivered straight to the capital! Then… Then!" He paused. "I-I'm not sure what comes next."

I glanced at Sans, and he glanced back, amused.

"Anyways!" Papyrus returned to his confident voice. "Continue… only if you dare! Nyeheheheh!" With a final laugh, he ran away down the path behind Sans. I saw him kick his heels together in excitement just before he rounded a bend.

I slowly walked down the path to stop beside the smaller skeleton. We watched the empty pathway where Papyrus had disappeared down for a moment.

"Welp, that went well." He nudged me with his elbow, and I could feel the had bone beneath the blue fabric. "Hey, don't sweat it, kid. Nothin's gonna happen. I told ya, he's harmless. And if you're still nervous about it…" He winked, which still surprised me. "I'll keep an eyesocket out for ya."

I chuckled. "Uh, okay. T-thanks." I paused. It was funny, but I noticed when Papyrus had tried to "threaten" me, he had seemed so excited about seeing me, just like Sans had suspected would be the case. There was certainly more to the taller skeleton than I had thought at first. "You know… you're right. He didn't seem so bad."

Sans's big grin returned. "Heh, see? Once ya get to know him better, he's a super nice guy." He closed his eyes and sighed. "Ey, thanks for goin' along with this. It's really makin' him happy."

"Sure," I said with a smile.

Without warning, he began walking down the path after Papyrus. "You're a real nice kid… for a human." He chuckled and waved a hand. "See ya up ahead."

I followed soon after, but the skeleton had vanished after he turned the bend.