Chapter 4 – Just a Theory
Author's note: Sorry for the delay, I know I said last time that I update weekly. Unfortunately, I'm at a busy part of my semester and I've been writing paper after paper. I haven't had the time to work on this as much as I want. But I hope to get back to updating weekly as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience!
For all my work, all I, Dr. Alphys the Royal Scientist, had just a single unproven theory on the fallen monsters regarding its pathology. Worse, it was a deduction that a child probably could've made themselves. After all; there was no way that the monsters who had fallen could last as long as they had without magic. Somewhere, somehow... there had to be magic present in the souls of the monsters who had fallen. Perhaps my tools just weren't sensitive enough to pick it up... or maybe I was just wrong. I'd have to run more tests or figure out a more sensitive test for magic. But… I was pretty safe in saying that the monsters who had fallen had some source of magic in their soul.
In humans, the soul is the birthplace and storage of determination. Though my information is limited on how and where this 'determination' is produced, some humans possess more for one reason or another. From my studies, (and some help from Sans), we discovered that humans with high concentrations of determination can alter the timelines. Furthermore, the human with the most determination is the one who obtains the power to jump backwards or entirely rewind the timeline. …Though we aren't currently certain which human possess this ability, I digress, this is a problem for another day.
Some monsters possess determination, though the number remains very few and the amount they possess is very small… Curiously, monsters that possess determination seem to have colour in their souls, distinguishing them from others. As Sans has a coloured soul, it became clear to me that determination wasn't a factor that could prevent this falling which was much different than my findings in the Underground. When administering determination to fallen monsters in the Underground before they turned to dust, they awoke and returned to normal for a time…. Then, if determination isn't keeping the monsters alive, there must be something else. Magic.
To understand my line of thinking, one must understand the role of the soul in monster biology. The soul of a monster works much the same way that the heart does in a human; instead of blood, the soul circulates magic through a system of pathways in the monster body to give it form. As a monster ages, these pathways become burned out through the burdens of life; feelings once strong leading to a need for rest or a peace with the lived life. When this occurs, the magic transmitted by the soul eventually stops entirely and the monster falls; similar to the situation we were facing in New Home presently. Only, with the monsters who fell in the Underground… their body eventually crumbles into dust due to the lack of magic to sustain form. This was the end of the cycle of life for all monsters, as one who lives must one day die.
…Since none of the monsters who had fallen had turned to dust as of yet, there was still hope for a cure. Something was sustaining them or they would eventually turn to dust. And as long as their bodies remain… it is possible that their minds may still be active. With this line of thinking, I drew up blueprints for a machine that might be able to transport a monster into the mind of another. If we are able to enter the mind of a monster that had fallen, we might be able to gain some insight into what is causing the monsters to fall. But… that was just a theory.
With a sigh I went over the blueprints yet another time. Part of me wanted to just crumple them up; after all, the chances of the machine working or providing any information whatsoever were slim to none. Plus, with me being the one to build it… something would probably go wrong anyway. After all, I had a track record of failures… what's one more to the pile? I'll never truly be forgiven for my failures and they will weigh me down until the day I die. I was never meant to find peace and acceptance... was I? I was beginning to wonder more and more… maybe it would just be better if I fell too. I'm never going to be able to find a cure. The monsters misplaced their trust by choosing me to be their saviour. At least if I fell… then maybe a real saviour could step up and figure out a cure.
…A knock on the door of my workshop broke me out of my negative line of thought. At least if I was still here, I may as well continue to do my best. "Y-Yes? C-Come in." I stuttered, hopping off of my stool and walking to the door. A whimsun which I recognized as a member of my evening staff poked its head in cautiously. "A mail carrier just delivered this… it's addressed to you. He said it was priority mail so I brought it here quickly…" It explained sheepishly, extending a very official looking envelope which I accepted. "T-Thanks!" But by the time I got the words out, the monster was gone. With a wry smile I wondered if the whimsun was more awkward than I was; it was practically a feat all things considered.
Grateful for the distraction, I sat back down at my workbench and examined the envelope. I hadn't expected the delivery and it looked too official to be just a regular letter. On the front it stated in plain text: 'To: Alphys, From: Asgore' with the address of my lab and the address of the location Asgore was staying near the human government. Hesitantly, I opened the envelope with one claw. If it was from Asgore, I was certain that it couldn't be good news. The contents seemed to be documentation printed on thick paper. Flattening them out on my desk, I adjusted my glasses with one hand and began to read… All it took was the title for me to recoil in horror. 'Documentation for Release of Research Safeguards and Monster Experimentation'.
I wanted to cry. With this, he was… He wanted me to… My vision blurred at the thought. I'd never been restricted to begin with in my experimentation. Coming to the surface added another level of complexity to my research but… still… The king was giving me the go ahead to take extreme measures. He wanted me to solve this no matter what it took. And he was putting himself on the line to do so. With this, they couldn't blame me… But he was putting too much trust in me. I could… hurt someone! In fact, with this… I'd have to… An ideal subject immediately sprung to mind, which only increased my disgust in myself. If the machine worked, I wouldn't have to but… How could he expect me to…
"Hey, Alphys! You in here?" I heard Undyne call and quickly shoved the documents into a nearby folder. It was all the time I had before the door slammed open again. "Just stopped by to see how you were, you have vis-" She stopped abruptly as she noticed my stunned expression. My clawed hands were still probably shaking; I hadn't gotten over the shock of what I'd just seen. But it was better she didn't know. "You look like you've seen a ghost. And I haven't seen Napstablook around." She looked concerned, walking over to my desk. She looked as though she expected a response. But I didn't have one to give. "U-Um… it's nothing? Who…?" I prompted, finding my voice after a moment's hesitation. My day was getting more exciting by the second, and I wasn't really the type of monster who enjoyed that.
"You wouldn't believe it if I told you, come on! You're going to be so surprised." A grin stretched across her face as she grabbed my hand, forcibly pulling me along with her. I was just grateful she hadn't pressed any further; I wasn't ready to have that conversation with anybody yet. I just hoped it wouldn't come to that.
"Papyrus, is there not humans in New Home?" Toriel asked me as we waited for Alphys near the fallen ward. In our journey through New Home to the lab, we hadn't encountered a single human, but that wasn't unusual, especially given the quarantine. What was unusual was the volume of monsters coming in to ask about the cure. Undyne had ushered us in quickly when we arrived, as she had moved to the clinic to ward off monsters demanding answers about the cure after the news of Sans falling. She couldn't believe that the queen was here, as she'd vanished soon after the final confrontation with the human. "WELL… NOT MANY, NO. THEY DID QUARANTINE US TODAY, AFTER ALL BUT EVEN STILL… THEY ALWAYS SEEMED WARY OF US, BUT I DON'T GET WHY! MONSTERS ARE NOTHING BUT KIND!" I explained, as it truly baffled me too that there were always so few humans around.
Even before the monsters began falling, humans had kept their distance. Monsters had been much more interested in integrating than the humans ever had been. Unfortunately, if Toriel had expected to see humans she would find herself disappointed. Nowadays, both groups kept their distance and it would only get worse with the quarantine. "That's truly a shame." She seemed as disappointed as I was. It felt as though we were the only two monsters who wished that we could mix with the humans. After all, both groups had so much to teach each other. And what human wouldn't want a bullet pattern birthday card?
"Oh! Greetings, Dr. Alphys!" Toriel greeted warmly as Alphys and Undyne approached. Alphys looked no better than when I'd seen her earlier, exhausted as ever, and she didn't seem surprised as she noticed the queen. "H-Hi…" She greeted meekly, shuffling awkwardly as Undyne pulled her over. "Told you! Can you believe that the Queen is standing in your lab?" Undyne exclaimed excitedly to a shy Alphys. Toriel, on the other hand, let out a good-natured chuckle. "I'm not the Queen any longer, I left that behind when I left Asgore. But thank you! You may call me Toriel, instead." She explained with a bright smile that seemed to enrapture all three of us. She was just… so amazing! So cool and I'm a good judge of cool!
…But we had purpose in being here, and we were getting off track. "DR. ALPHYS, TORIEL WISHES TO-" A gasp of shock from Toriel cut me off. Three heads whipped in her direction. "Ms. Alphys! You look as though you haven't slept a wink in days!" She grabbed the pie from my hands abruptly, walking over to Alphys and shoving the container into her hands. I couldn't help the feeling of loss that snuck its way into me at the sight of emptiness in my gloved hands. "Oh dear, let's get you cleaned up. A lady cannot forget to take care of herself, even when working for others!" Toriel insisted as she pushed Alphys along aimlessly back into the lab, effectively stealing her away from Undyne. Both of us watched in bafflement, and I couldn't help my jaw as it dropped. "Well. That happened." Undyne stated, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. "THE PIE…. NYOO HOO HOO!" A single tear made its way down my skull.
A piercing ringing from Undyne's phone broke the awkward silence. Popping my jaw back in place, I watched as she answered. "Hello?...What? Are you kidding me? 01, is 02 there with you?...You're telling me WHAT? DO YOU REALIZE YOU TWO ARE THE ONLY ROYAL GUARD MEMBERS THERE? DEAL WITH THE SITUATION. NO- DON'T JOIN IN! HEY! I'M TALKING TO YOU!" With a click and a resigned groan she hung up, facing me with a grim expression. "We need to get to the border, now. He's back." And without giving me a single chance to respond, she walked over to me and slung me over one shoulder as if I weighed nothing. If I wasn't so horrified, I'd probably be impressed.
"NYEH? UNDYNE! Y-YOU CAN'T DO THIS! I KNOW I'M CHARMING AND ALL BUT I THINK IT'S BETTER IF WE REMAIN PLATONIC!" I shouted protests as she dashed straight out the door toward the border at record speed. "You're such a BONEHEAD! I'm GETTING MARRIED, REMEMBER? AND THIS IS NECESSARY! YOU'RE TOO SLOW, AND WE NEED TO BE THERE NOW! TOUGHEN UP, NYUAAAGH!" With a war cry that would put many to shame, she increased her pace. Though I didn't have a stomach, I was beginning to feel nauseous as the scenery raced by. "NYOOO…" I groaned, pulling my scarf up over my eyesockets as it flapped viciously in the air current produced by her speed.
When we arrived at the border, Undyne unceremoniously dropped me on the ground in the middle of the crowd that had gathered before stomping out further herself. Unlike the crowd that had gathered earlier, this one seemed more…frenzied. And colourful. They stood on the sides of the road as if they were waiting for something. I stood up, walking out into the road to investigate further. RG-01 and RG-02 stood on the very edge, shouting and holding signs much different than the ones I saw earlier. A handful of glitter went up into the air. Could it be…?
Without warning, the sterile white gate blocking the road between the monsters and humans swung open, revealing a crowd of humans on the other side that was just as frenzied, if not as colourful, and parted similarly to the monsters. Down the middle of the road, a bright pink float with some figures on it slowly made its way towards us. Was that…? "Hey! Stop blocking the way!" A rough pair of arms pulled me from the middle of the road into the crowd gathered on one side. "NYEH? HEY! WHAT'S GOING ON?" I demanded, fuming as I turned to find the monster who had so rudely displaced me, the almost-a-royal-guard-hero-of-the-underground-protector!
Unfortunately, the culprit had mysteriously vanished, the nearby monsters completely ignoring me as a crescendo of cheering erupted. Turning to see what had stirred up the monsters, my non-existent heart jumped with shock at the appearance of Mettaton EX nearing on the pink float. My gloved hands unconsciously made their way to my cheekbones with excitement as I let out a scream, joining in with the crowd. I couldn't believe it; another opportunity to see the sexy rectangle in the metal! I hadn't gotten the chance to speak to him before given the seriousness of the situation, but if he was back I might get the chance! I never missed a single episode of his show! He was my idol, and the great Papyrus was… hopelessly unworthy to speak with the greatness of MTT! But I could still try!
"Oh… I'm sorry everybody…" Napstablook sighed, standing beside Mettaton on the float accompanied by Shyren. With the barrier down, the three abruptly formed a show group and began to tour the surface. "Don't apologize, Blooky! We have the right to remain silent! We're being deported, after all! Ridiculous! Robots can't fall, and neither can ghosts!" He crossed his metallic arms, posing dramatically as the crowd erupted into cheers again. "But you're not being silent, Metta…" Shyren mumbled quietly from the side. Her observation fell on deaf ears as Mettaton began to wave to his fans accompanied with the occasional blown kiss.
As soon as the float made it past the threshold, the gate closed behind it as the humans shouted in dismay behind it. "Sorry, darlings! You're going to have to take it to your government, they deported me!" Mettaton called to his human fans just as the gate shut. He had been extremely well received by the human population, his shows only growing in popularity with the addition of a human audience. He spent time touring the surface, appearing on talkshows, and presenting his journey and his cousin's journey to the world as they toured.
With Mettaton safely back in new home; the monsters became even more excited. After all, Mettaton would be touring in New Home for a while! How could they panic about falling when such a rare opportunity presented itself? After all, with Mettaton touring the surface, he had very little time to return to his roots in New Home. It was a rare but welcome opportunity, and the monsters recognized it. Gifts of flowers and other paraphernalia were thrown at the float as it made its way. "Hello, New Home! I'm happy to be home!" He called to his adoring fans.
As he neared, despite being in the front row, I joined in the cheering as I jumped up and down and waved my arms. "WE LOVE YOU, METTATON!" I called to the star, expecting my shout to be drowned out with the volume of the other monsters nearby. To my surprise, his gaze met mine. The world stopped right then and there. I could feel my eyesockets widen in shock, a burning blush painting my cheekbones. He LOOKED at me! My idol was LOOKING at me! The moment felt as though it lasted minutes, though it was only probably a few second in duration. After a moment of surprise, a well-practiced smile made its way across Mettaton's face. "Why, if it isn't Papyrus! Come here, darling." With no warning, metallic arms extended, tearing me straight from the crowd and setting me down beside Mettaton on the float.
If I wasn't already overwhelmed, I was definitely overwhelmed at where I was standing. Monsters in the crowd would probably kill for the opportunity to be where I was at that moment. Fortunately, I was too shocked by Mettaton to notice the murderous gazes directed at me from the crowd of MTT fans. Napstablook and Shyren looked confused, but seemingly knew better than to question the star himself in his antics. "I-I…" I stuttered, blabbering nonsense as the robot let out a laugh. "How have you been? It's been a while, honey. I heard about your brother, truly a tragedy." One arm slung over my shoulder, pulling me closer to the flamboyant robot as words continued to fail me. Fortunately, he didn't seem to notice my shaking, continuing on as if it were all part of the plan. "But you know when things go wrong? When you hit rock bottom, all you can go is up! As a star, I know this best!" He straightened, keeping his arm around my shoulders as he turned us to address the crowd.
"This here is Papyrus! He's my number one fan. His brother fell down today, aww… He needs some MTT-style cheering up! Let's hear a round of applause for Papyrus: One of the Heroes of the Underground! Raise the roof, darlings!" At Mettaton's behest, the crowd began to cheer just as wildly for me. Respect, admiration… I was so… popular! Was this what it felt like to be a star? I was blown away; everything I'd always wanted was happening right in that moment. In fact, this could be both tbe best and worst day of my life. It was a day that never ended, action packed when I didn't really need it. I was pretty overwhelmed. And this was the last straw; the Great Papyrus could take no more and my vision darkened before I collapsed right in front of everybody.