It turns out to get anywhere in this town without running into a river is to just go straight. It's frustrating. I love giving people wrong directions to get somewhere. Oh well. Maybe there's somewhere else that's really confusing. And with booby traps!

We walk through town until we eventually come upon a large house. Chara floats up to the door, gleeful. "This is it! Knock!"

~What is it?~ I ask, looking at the blue door. ~Weren't we going to see some skeletons?~

"This is where the skeletons live, you idiot." They reply harshly. "You need to knock on the door to see them."

I look at the door blankly. Aren't skeletons dead? How can they live in a house if they're dead? I sigh. Whatever the child says. I go up to the door and knock on it, then take a step back. This child better know what they're doing. I'm surprised when, almost immediately, a tiny skeleton wearing an orange jumpsuit opens the door, laughing gleefully. I take a step back and eye it suspiciously. That's not a dead child. How is it alive?

"HELLO STRANGER!" They exclaim, really excited. I wince at how loud they're being. How could something so tiny produce so much noise?

"who is it papyrus?" Another voice calls from inside the house, this one more relaxed. Could that be a skeleton as well? I peer around the door frame, curious, but my question is soon answered as another skeleton comes around the door, this one a bit bigger and wearing a blue jacket that's way too big. He looks up and meets my gaze, and that's when I notice how small they both are, especially the one in orange. Could they be just kids?

As if they're hearing my thoughts, Chara floats up next to me. "Aren't they just adorable!?" They exclaim, putting their hands to their cheeks. Their red eyes shine, and I feel a sudden rush of jealousy towards the skeletons. I am the one helping this child, giving in to all their strange and tedious requests. It is only I who should be able to make their eyes shine like that.

My presence must have darkened as I stared at the young skeletons, because the one in the blue jacket loses his easy smile and protectively grabs the one in orange's arm. The sudden movement snaps me out of it, and I shake my head. I notice Chara is looking at me strangely, the light in their eyes now dim. ~What?~ I ask them.

They tilt their head towards the skeletons. "Aren't you going to say hello?"

Oh. I look back at the skeletons, noticing again the protective stance the one wearing the blue jacket has. He must be the older one. ~Hello.~ I say solemnly. Chara rolls their eyes at my seriousness.

"hello." The older one replies stiffly. "what do you want?"

~Only to meet you.~ I respond. ~I mean no harm to you or your brother right now.~

Clearly picking up on my wording, the older skeleton gently lets go of his brother's arm, but he doesn't relax. It actually is kind of cute how protective he's being, but I shove those feelings aside, determined to not let the child win this one. I am here to meet these.. kids? I suppose they are just kids. Not to swayed by how cute the child thinks they are.

The younger skeleton, Papyrus, I'm assuming, looks back at his brother with wide eyes. "LET'S INVITE THEM IN!" His brother looks at him for a couple seconds, still with a firm gaze, but then he must see something in those eyes, because then he relents. It reminds me of when I first met Chara. There was just something in their eyes...

"alright bro." He says reluctantly, replacing his firm gaze with one of nonchalance. He eyes me warily. "come on in." He steps away from the door, letting me enter. Papyrus shrieks with glee and rushes inside.

After sharing a look of with Chara, who is clearly excited to be going inside the skeletons' house, I follow the young skeleton inside. Inside, there is a couch along the wall, facing a TV, which Papyrus is happily jumping up and down by. Left of that are stairs leading to an upstairs, and in front of me is a doorway which I believe leads to a kitchen. I hear the door shut, and turn to see the older skeleton casually place his hands in his pockets and lean against the doorframe, blocking me from leaving.

~I never caught your name.~ I tell him.

He shrugs. "i never told you."

Hearing that from his place beside the couch, Papyrus gasps. "BROTHER! YOU MUST NOT BE SO RUDE TO THIS STRANGER! THEY ARE NOW OUR GUEST!"

"guest, huh?" He replies nonchalantly. His gaze moves back to me, his eyes narrowing slightly. "fine. my name's sans. sans the skeleton." He nods towards his brother. "that's papyrus."

"HELLO!"

I chuckle. ~Hello.~

Sans's gaze meets mine. "what's your name?" He asks.

~My name?~ I reply. ~I don't have one.~

"no name? that's weird."

I narrow my eyes at Sans. ~Not as weird as two kids living alone in a huge house.~

His eyes go dark momentarily, but then they come back. It's a little unnerving actually. I like it. He shrugs. "weirdness is relative, i guess."

~Yes.~ I reply, staring at him. ~I agree.~

The younger skeleton runs over to me, grabbing my arm. "COME SEE THE HOUSE, STRANGER!" He exclaims, smiling brightly.

I'm too shocked over the fact that he could grab my arm to do anything else, so I follow him as he leads me around the house. "THIS IS OUR TRASHCAN. FEEL FREE TO VISIT IT ANYTIME." I look down at what he's referring to, and sure enough, it's a trashcan. Why would I want to visit a trashcan? Before I can ask, however, I am quickly dragged upstairs to another room.

This little skeleton is stronger than he looks. He pulls me into the room. "THIS IS MY ROOM!" I look around, noticing the racecar bed and pirate flag on the wall. It seems nice, I guess. I do wonder why he has a pirate flag though. I am about to ask, when again, I am dragged out of the room. At the other end of the hallway is another door. Papyrus drags me towards it, but then there's a brief flash of blue light, and Sans is suddenly there, leaning against the doorframe.

"where're you going bro?" He asks casually.

Papyrus puffs up indignantly. "JUST TO SHOW THE STRANGER YOUR ROOM, BROTHER. YOU DON'T NEED TO BE RUDE!"

"how am I being rude? i'm just leaning here, resting my bones" He winks at his brother.

"AUGGH BROTHER, WHY MUST YOU MAKE PUNS IN FRONT OF THE STRANGER?" Papyrus makes an exasperated face, turning to me. "IT SEEMS YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE MY BROTHER'S ROOM."

~It seems so.~ I agree, watching Sans with bemused interest. What could be in his room that is so important that I couldn't see? I turn my attention back to Papyrus. ~It is fine. I've seen enough of your house, I do not need to see more.~

Papyrus frowns momentarily, but then his smile brightens again. "THEN, AS THE TOUR OF THE HOUSE IS DONE, WOULD YOU LIKE SOME SPAGHETTI? IT IS MADE BY THE GREAT PAPYRUS!"

The Great Papyrus? I chuckle. ~I am sorry, Papyrus, but I do not eat.~ At least not spaghetti. Though he probably doesn't want to know that.

"since there's nothing else for you to do then, why are you still stickin' around?" Sans asks, still leaning against his doorframe.

I turn to him. Chara is floating next to him. I meet their gaze. ~I'm not sure.~ I answer. Why was I still here? I look at Papyrus. I'll admit it, the kids are cute.. but I don't see the reason for coming here.

Chara rolls their eyes. "You don't understand the point of anything." They tell me. They cast their red eyes towards the door. "I guess we should just go then. There's more for you to learn, anyways."

More to learn!? Haven't I learned enough? I sigh, and meet Sans's gaze. ~You're right. Farewell.~ I turn to leave, but then a bony hand grabs my arm. I look back at Papyrus, who now has tears in his eyes.

"But you just got here." He says sadly, in a normal volume.

I'm shocked at the change, but my expression remains blank. I pull my arm away from his grasp. ~Yes. And now I must go.~ What is this I'm feeling? Sadness? It can't be. Maybe I'm just angry at the small skeleton. I need to leave. I turn away again.

"Will you ever come back?" I hear him ask.

I sigh. ~I suppose you'll just have to have hope.~ I say, without looking at him. ~Farewell.~ I go down the stairs and let myself out.