AN: Well, here we are, another post and another update. Another chapter and another step closer to the end. The way I see this going, there are maybe three more chapters after this.
Of course, I want to say thank you to everyone! I say it every time and I KNOW you're sick of it by now, but really: Thank you all so much! I appreciate and love every single one of you!
I'm excited about these next few chapters and I'm eager to get them to you. So, even though there are other updates *inserts obligatory plug for Surpassing Origins now on Kindle for $9.99* I won't go into detail on those updates and instead get straight to the good stuff.
As my friends who know me will tell you, I absolutely love music and the Undertale OST has completely taken over my life! Sometimes, my love for music and my love for writing clash and lyrics are born. Throughout this chapter are my original lyrics for one of my favorite tracks of the soundtrack. Feel free to take a listen on YouTube if you need an idea of what this sounds like.
Without further ado . . . Chapter 15
Chapter 15
"It's Raining Somewhere Else"
"come with me and i'll tell you a little secret
'bout a fool who had the nerve to try
in the end, it all came to nothin'
and his words were only lies"
"Seven. That's everyone, right? Good. Now, all together . . ."
". . . Oh, Woah . . . I wasn't expecting that!"
"Completely unrecognizable. Amazing!"
"A skeleton . . . ? Where'd the rest of him go?"
"Don't forget the smile. He thinks he's so damn funny. Someone should've told him that his face was gonna stick that way . . . Oh! But before you do, here. Put this in his mouth."
"'Sans the Skeleton' . . . Did you know what he'd turn into?"
"'Sans'? Why that?"
"Don't worry about it. Are we just about ready, then?"
"We're taking him to the mountain? Burl . . . don't you think this is a little overkill?"
"Heh-heh, not at all. This way, he can never threaten anyone again."
"Right . . . then, let's get going."
Finally, it seemed as if Sans' fit subsided, leaving the examination room in almost absolute silence. One by one, the assistants began to stir and take in the aftermath of . . . whatever it was that just happened.
When they looked around, they found the room in shambles. Equipment was toppled over and broken, the glass leading to the observation room was cracked and the magic monitoring machine seemed to have completely short-circuited as it lay on its side, absolutely dark as trace amounts of electricity danced through the shattered screen.
They pulled themselves up to their feet, taking time to catch their breath and regain their senses.
At the end of their surveys, each of their gazes turned to the source of the mayhem that caused the room to be in the state it was.
Sans was laying immobile on the examination table. All traces of his magic had died down and he was left panting and struggling to settle. His expression was still pained, and he remained unconscious, but he was no longer using his magic. Maybe with a little time, he could even rest peacefully.
The last to stir was the doctor. Gaster tried to keep the blast contained to minimize damages and to protect his staff. He did, however, underestimate just how powerful the sheer force was going to be. It was enough to shatter the force field, destroy most of the room, and upend his entire team.
At least they seemed to be alright. They were all standing. That was a good sign.
Gaster tried to clear his throat, supporting himself on his hand as he surveyed the damage from a seated position. The instant he attempted to clear his throat, he sparked up a fit of coughing that seemed to start from somewhere low in his chest . . . where his lungs would be if he had any.
Just when he thought the coughing would subside, another round was triggered and he had to turn his head away. Through it all, he tried to ignore the concerned looks of his assistants as they debated whether or not to step in and offer help.
"Nevermind me!" Gaster instructed, during a moment he had been able to draw in a decent breath, "Run diagnostics on the equipment that is still operational. Make note of what was destroyed. Do a self evaluation. Is everyone . . ." Gaster began coughing once again, and failed in his attempts to suppress it, "Is . . . everyone alright?"
Again, Gaster had to fight to keep the coughing from taking over. He turned away and tried again to clear his throat.
"Sir, perhaps we should have you evaluated." Maltez began a bit sheepishly, "That cough sounds nasty. Maybe you should . . ."
"Nevermind me!" Gaster repeated through a voice that sounded like gravel. "We need this room operational again as soon as possible! *Ahem* . . . In the meantime Sans can . . . *a-heh-hehmmmm* . . . pardon . . . Sans can . . . just leave Sans to me."
"Sir . . . ?"
"Yes, Ruddard. What is it?"
"Um, your arm, sir . . . and . . . and your face."
Gaster halted for a moment and looked downward toward the arm Ruddard indicated. From the crook of his elbow down his forearm to his wrist, was a coating of fresh dust.
And apparently, there was something wrong with his face as well . . . For a moment, Gaster reached upward toward where there was a dull ache and brushed his cheek under his left eye with his thumb, noting the sharp surface of the shallow nick there. Of course . . .
"No matter." Gaster answered, pushing it all aside and brushing off the dust from his sleeve, "Heal yourselves and get to work on those diagnostics. Quickly. I expect a full report before you leave."
Apprehensively, the assistants obliged, many giving him a long look before continuing with their work.
"Yes sir." They all answered.
Cold . . .
His fingers twitched, perhaps in hope that it would get blood to flood through them again- to warm him again. Everything was so cold.
Cold . . .
. . . and dark . . .
It was a chore to even open his eyes.
Couldn't he just stay asleep? Never wake up again? It certainly seemed like the easiest route and the most tempting. After all, it wasn't as if anyone would be looking for him. Classes didn't start for another week or so and he had nowhere else to be. He could just . . . stay here.
No . . . He had to . . . he had to keep moving. He still had something he needed to do. His letter . . .
Time to go. Time to get up.
Ughhh . . . His head . . . It felt so heavy. Why was it so heavy?
Why did it hurt so much to move?
Why was it so cold?
And why was it damp . . . ?
The boy groaned and frowned as he opened his eyes, glaring toward the point where the sun should have been glaring back at him through his window.
But there was no sun there to greet him. There was only the darkness.
What the . . . ?
It took a minute to focus through the dark and get an idea of where he was.
He wasn't in bed . . . ? Had he fallen asleep somewhere? Outside? Wait . . . No . . .
Above him, instead of the sun, there was the pale glow of the moon. And a few stars through the rocky opening of the . . . cave . . . ?
Cave!?
The boy shot up to a sitting position as more memories began to flood back to him.
The fight! The forest! The magic! The others!
Burl!
He must have passed out! But what happened after that!? Where the hell was he!? How did he end up . . .
This place . . . looked like a cave of some sort. But if that was the case, where was the mouth?
Was the only exit . . . up there? That opening way up there!?
Wait . . . that meant . . . Was he UNDERGROUND!?
Underground at EBOTT!?
No
No . . . no . . .
No!
No!
NO!
NO! NONONO!
"Hey!" He called, standing completely and shouting upward. He knew it was a long shot, but there was that sliver of hope that just maybe someone would be passing by. Maybe someone would hear him. Just maybe someone would help.
"Hey there! Is . . . is anyone up there!? Someone!?"
Of course, he wasn't expecting much. Not at night and not from underground and not when there was no one who would be looking. It was like he had been saying to himself before, like he'd been telling himself for years.
He had no one. There was no one. And the few people who actually did care enough to search for him were mad at him. They had no reason to be out here.
His calls became frantic as his eyes darted around for any other alternative- any other way out. There had to be a way! Classes started in a few days! He had to get back!
"HELLO!? PLEASE! IS ANYONE THERE!?"
His breaths were shallow as he considered what this meant and what he should do.
It was the middle of the night. Of course there wouldn't be anyone around who could hear him.
He forced himself to take longer breaths in an attempt to calm down.
"It's okay." He said to himself, fighting the urge to start pacing. Even if he wanted to move, however, he would have been limited with all of these flowers in the way. They were so thick . . . did these flowers break his fall when he . . .
How did he end up here anyway? Did he fall? Was he pushed? How long was he out? Did Burl throw him down here when he passed out?
That asshole . . .
His crew must have carried him here and tossed him into the mountain like trash. How could they!? And so many of them were mages too! Why would they do something like that to another mage? Why was it that not a single one of them spoke out against what was happening? Wasn't that the whole reason Burl had confronted him in the first place? Because he had used his magic on another person? How was what those mages did any different? Did Burl bribe them? Threaten them? Were they all afraid of him?
Or was it because every single one of those people somehow saw him as something less than human? Was it really so easy to cast him aside? To conveniently "forget" what they were doing? To turn their backs on something so unjust and just let it happen. To contribute to the injustice?
What had he done to deserve this? How could he have avoided it? Not attack Surl that night on the hill? Eh, maybe . . .
If this is what finally taking a stand against years of torment got him . . . maybe it would have been better just to endure.
He would wait until morning. Maybe he would have better luck of someone hearing him then. Maybe hikers would be up early.
But he would have to wait and see.
'here we are another day and another reason,
another lie and another excuse.
i tried and tried. tried to make a difference
can you tell me what's the use?'
"Hey, Sans.
"So, I guess, it's been about a week now since all of that mess with the human. So much has happened since then. I guess I'm the one who needs to fill you in. I don't know if you can hear me, but . . . no, I know you can hear me . . . I just don't know how much of what I'm saying you can actually comprehend . . . well, that's wrong too. I don't know how much of what I say will actually stick. Or if you'll remember any of this.
"Anyway. Since that night. Gaine has been suspended for killing the human before it was time. Of course, he's not happy about that at all. I mean, who could blame him? I'm sure you weren't too thrilled when you were suspended.
"But aside from that, I guess you gave the others some trouble that night- lashing out the way you did . . . I- kinda missed that part . . . the doctor says we shouldn't even be in here with you in case it happens again, at least not alone. That's why Ruddard's here too. He's keeping an eye out to make sure nothing goes wrong. Do you want to say something, Ruddard?"
"Um, no thanks. You go on ahead, Baelin."
Baelin giggled slightly at the nervous and awkward tone in Ruddard's voice.
"Alright then." She continued.
"Well, the doctor has been busy. I swear, it's like he never sleeps. He's been trying to figure a way to understand you more thoroughly. You are very strange, you know that? And the doctor is determined to figure you out.
". . . you know . . . I'm really worried about him to be honest. He's been showing some signs of . . . well I don't know, insomnia, mania, restlessness. He tells us not to worry, and for the most part, we try not to mention it, especially around him . . . but the truth to the matter is . . . the doctor is sick. It looks like he's both literally and figuratively falling apart. He's been coughing up dust, Sans . . . that can't be good. And his hands are looking worse every day. He wears gloves to try to hide it, but he's even starting to have trouble holding a pen anymore. He uses magic for his dictation more often, but even his magic hands are starting to fail him . . . maybe he should start making voice recordings of his notes. But . . . I don't know how to bring that up to him.
"If you were here, though, I'm sure he'd listen. I'm sure you could find a way to help him. Whether or not he wants to admit it, he needs it. He needs that second voice to keep him balanced. And until now, that voice has always been you. Even before I started here, before any of the rest of us started here, you were that one who questioned and challenged Gaster and kept that fire burning under him, while at the same time, you were also his tether. You were always that voice that told him to slow down every once in a while- to think things through before going forward. And now that he doesn't have you, he doesn't have that tether . . . and it's worrisome to watch.
"He has Alphys focusing all of her effort into the machine. I think he meant for the human to be the first to try it. To extract the substance from her soul perhaps even without killing her. He wanted to see if it was a fuel that was limited or if a living specimen could continuously produce it. In a soul of a deceased human, the supply is definitely limited, but when the host is still alive . . .
"Honestly, the whole thing is starting to frighten me. This is all starting to sound extremely dark and . . . I don't like where it's heading. That's why we need you back, Sans. You need to be the one to tell the doctor to stop . . . he listens to you. Though . . . even that might be different now . . . He's seen your soul. He knows you have a human soul . . . and now, I'm afraid that he might use that machine on you instead. But if you're here, if you wake up, you can tell him! You can answer his questions and there won't be a reason to use the machine on you at all! Maybe if we knew more about you, we wouldn't need to do any of this. If we knew before, maybe this could have been avoided."
"Baelin."
"Oh, it looks like I have to go, but before I do, I just wanted to let you know . . .
"I stand by what I said before, Sans. Monster, human, somewhere in between, you're still one of us. I've worked with you for years. If that doesn't show who you are as a person, I don't know what would. I might not know what you are, but I do know you, Sans. You're my friend. And I just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten that.
"Alright. The lunch hour is over. I've gotta get back to work. I hope you're feeling better soon, okay?"
He had been calling for about an hour. But still, there was no response. It seemed as if there really was no one who wanted to venture up the mountain . . . and with all of the lore surrounding this place, he didn't really blame them. But still, someone had to be around somewhere who would hear him calling.
His voice was starting to go hoarse and his throat was scratchy, but he couldn't stop. There could be someone out there! Someone had to hear him and they would be able to help him out!
It was going to be okay. He was going to be okay.
Another hour and still no one came. No one answered.
The boy leaned against the rock wall of the cavern to catch his breath and regain his composure. He was starting to get a little dizzy with all of the air and energy he was using. He needed to rest just for a second before he continued.
The sun was fully out now and the fog and chill of the morning was starting to burn away. Another morning to another day. There had to be someone out!
He continued to call, hoping that someone would hear him and care enough to stop by.
Please.
Let someone hear him.
Let someone come.
He kept calling with that hope burning in the back of his mind.
There was a sharp pain in his stomach he only noticed after he decided to take another break. There was the dull muscle ache that accompanied it as well. The stabbing pain, he recognized as hunger . . . he had no food with him and the only thing he'd eaten was the ketchup from that packet the day before. The other pain had to have come from Burl and the others when they beat him. It was uncomfortable to be sure, but he would live.
At the moment, he was more concerned with getting out of this hole in the ground.
He kept calling! He hoped and prayed that luck would finally be on his side. Even hours later, it seemed that no one could hear him. Or was it that they did hear him and they chose to leave him. Or were people so afraid of the mountain that they avoided it at all costs.
That hope from before was starting to ebb away at the corners. That was it then, no one was coming. He was going to die in this hole and no one was going to—"
"Hello . . . ? Is someone there?"
A voice! After almost the entire day of yelling for someone, finally! A response! The voice sounded female . . . older?
"Yes!" The boy cried in a worn and scratchy voice. His heart was pounding and his eyes grew wide in excitement. Someone actually came! He was going to get out!
"Yes! I'm here! Oh, thank God you're here!"
"Oh my, so it wasn't just the wind! Um . . . hello? Yes, where are you?"
The boy was ecstatic! He stood as tall as he could, cupping his hands to make the sound travel farther. He was going to get out of here! He wasn't going to die in this hole after all!
"I'm here! In the hole! Please, I fell in and I can't get out!"
The halls were quiet and the majority of the assistants had gone home for the night.
Now would be the best time. No sidelong glances and no unneeded questions.
Approaching the examination room, Gaster slowed his steps, deciding to continue with caution.
Lowering his arms and his clipboard, Gaster pushed through to enter the examination room and the sleeping form within.
"Sans . . . ?"
As expected, there was no answer. Sans continued to sleep undisturbed in the "hospital" bed they'd brought in for him.
The same as before.
The same as every day since that day.
"Good evening, Sans . . ."
Gaster approached the bed, laying his clipboard on the nightstand beside him before pulling a chair up to Sans' bedside and settling in to speak to the sleeping Skeleton . . . or whatever he was.
"Where do I begin . . . ?"
Over the past week, Gaster felt as if he may have said just about everything he could to Sans in the hopes that it would be enough to wake him. Status reports, updates on what happened to the human girl, how the others were doing. He was nearly out of information.
Well almost.
"Actually, Sans, I need your help. Perhaps you can yet assist me. You see, I am facing a conundrum and I cannot decide how to proceed. That is where I need you."
Gaster let out a long breath and decided to start from the top. Talking Sans through his entire thought process.
"From the very beginning, when I first saw you out in the CORE, I knew I was treading dangerous waters. But it had been so long since I had seen another Skeleton, that I just threw caution to the wind and I had to help you. Even now, I'm glad I did.
"Since day one, you have always been a conflict of interests. Even by just existing. Having another Skeleton around was so much of a distraction for me. I probably should never have taken you home or hired you on as my apprentice. Even though I knew there would be a risk, there was just something about you that I could not turn away.
"As I suspected, I began to grow attached to you. You have always been observant and you have always acted quickly. You've been a real asset to this place and everyone here . . . and to me. Whether you are monster or human . . . there is no denying the things you've done to benefit this establishment.
"And I can honestly say that without you, I would not be here now. I'm sure it is no longer a secret that . . . I haven't much time left. I've been suffering with this affliction ever since I was a boy and for a while, I thought we had found a cure. However, since all of this work with the souls . . . well, let's just leave it with saying that if I plan to see these monsters to the surface in my lifetime, I have to do it soon.
"But thanks to you, my time has been extended. That calcium bicarbonate experiment from those early days has been instrumental to my survival. Mixing that with the soul essence from the humans has not only extended my life, but has given me the drive, the motivation and the stamina to continue my work . . . I do fear, however that even that has reached its limit as far as where I stand. I've only prolonged the inevitable. I'm reaching my end, Sans, but even so I'm glad and grateful that I got the chance to know you.
"You are more than just my colleague and apprentice. Over these past years, you have become so much more important than that, you became a source of companionship . . . and of joy. You helped to bring back a part of me that I thought I'd lost . . . ever since I lost my dear Nyala and my son, Corbel . . . I was convinced that I never would find it again, and I was content to spend the rest of my days here on my own . . . that is, until you came.
"I didn't know how much I missed the company and the interaction until you appeared. I had become accustomed to working, eating, sleeping, functioning alone. But now, I can't imagine going back to those days. Not after all of this.
"So, you see, you have me at a bit of a crossroads. I've come to a point where I need to make an impossible decision. I know what I have to do. I know what my assignment is. I know what is expected of me. And I know what the king said. I have my orders. I have my duty and responsibility to all monsters to think about.
"But, how can I possibly move forward knowing everything I do now? Do I continue with the project and potentially benefit the entire monster race . . . at the expense of your soul? Or do I spare you and keep your secret, purely for my own selfish benefit, and doom the others to remain trapped here even longer?
". . . My duty, first and foremost, should be to my people. I should be focusing on what will benefit them. You are not my people, Sans . . . and if you were anyone else- just another human . . . this would not be such a taxing decision.
"You could be the key to ending our imprisonment and breaking the barrier once and for all.
"However, it does require access to your soul . . .
"I wish there was another alternative. But without another living human, without the female, I'm left with few other options. I just hope you understand and that you will forgive me . . ."
Gaster let out a long breath, thinking over his words and his options for the thousandth time in his head. Maybe just once more out loud would help him come to a conclusion.
". . . The fact that I am even considering the moral consequences of continuing speaks volumes. If you were just another fallen human, I would most likely not even hesitate. You would be strapped into the machine as we speak and you would be just another test subject. I would not have cared in the slightest what happened to you. Only that you were well enough to continue the tests and that your soul could be harvested at the end of it all . . .
"But the fact is, I do care about you, very deeply in fact. And the fact that these feelings were stirred because of a human is astounding to me. I never would have thought that . . . you . . .
"I believe I have mentioned to you once before that I considered you to be like a son to me, Sans. I would be lying to you and to myself if I said that some of those feelings . . . many of those feelings weren't responsible for where we are now. I've let my own attachment get in the way of my judgment and my job.
". . . And I'm so glad that it has."
"D-DR. GASTER. PLEASE COME TO SUB-BASEMENT 3. TH-THERE'S SOMETHING WITH THE MACHINE YOU SH-SHOULD REALLY SEE."
Gaster had to sit up from where he had been leaning over Sans' unconscious form. His hand had been absently stroking the top of his apprentice's skull as he touched his forehead to the other's and he quietly spoke to him.
Upon hearing the overhead page, however, Gaster stood once again and grabbed his clipboard before crossing the room. He hesitated as he reached the door again.
"Until tomorrow, then . . . son."
Then Gaster left, closing the door softly behind him.
Sans continued to sleep, unresponsive and unmoving.
Whether he was aware of the doctor's gestures or his words remained to be seen.
"day by day, minutes turn into hours, but still,
it's still the same, still the same old scene:
another night and another smile,
but can you tell me what it means?"
It was nearly nightfall again when someone showed up.
". . . And you said it was around here that you heard the voice, ma'am?"
"Yes, yes. It was a young man. He said he fell into the mountain yesterday and he's been calling for help ever since."
The other voice hesitated at the story. "A voice from inside the mountain? And you said he was trying to get out?"
"Yes, officer. He couldn't have been any older than my grandson. He sounded like he needed help."
Again, the other voice hesitated, "Ma'am, I'm gonna need you to stand behind me. In fact, stay right here while I check it out."
"Of course," The woman replied, "Please help him."
The boy kept his eyes up. He was tired and he felt somehow weaker than normal. But if this guy could help him out, then he could rest back at home in his dorm room.
"Hey." The other voice called, "Anyone there?"
"Yeah, man! Down here! I'm here! Please tell me you brought some rope!"
As the boy focused upward, he was finally able to see the silhouette of the other person over the lip of the hole. He peered over the edge and seemed to be squinting, turning his head to better see the trapped person. As a last effort, he pulled out his flashlight. After all, the sun was setting and it was pretty dark in that hole.
"Hello! Can you move down there!? Can you come into the light?"
"Yeah, hang on."
The boy got to his feet and followed the beam of the flashlight, stepping into it and shielding his eyes as he tried to see the face of the guy who was gonna get him out.
Immediately, however the other person gasped, nearly dropping his flashlight as he scrambled to move away from the hole.
"Holy shiiiiiiii . . . it's a monster! Like an actual monster! I thought they were . . . you were just a myth! Monsters don't exist."
"Hey!" The boy called, "That's pretty rude there, buddy! I mean, no, I might not be the best looking guy on the planet, and I might need a shower, but 'monster' might be a bit harsh, don't'cha think?"
But the other was too busy muttering to himself to listen to the boy. He kept saying that he couldn't believe that there was a real actual monster right there in the hole and that it was trying to get out. He even told the lady, the one who called him over, to get as far away from the hole and the mountain as possible. He called into his radio for backup, telling whoever was on the other line that there was a monster sighted and that he needed assistance. After a bit of convincing and assurance that it was not a prank, someone acknowledged with a "10-4" giving their ETA and instructions not to let the monster out of his sights.
All the while, the boy protested adamantly that he was not a monster! That he was human and that he was thrown into the mountain after he lost a fight. That he was trapped and that he needed to get out.
"Yeah, right." The other finally responded, stowing his radio away, "Kind of a ballsy move if you ask me. You just come out and scream for help, hoping someone will come? Kind of a poor attempt to escape."
"Oh come on!" The boy groaned, "This can't be happening! Look, I've told you everything I can! I don't know how I got down here. I just woke up here and I can't get out! But I guarantee you, I'm human! I'm human! I'm a student at the University! Look me up there! My name is Sans!"
Immediately, the boy stopped, frozen. His eyes widened even more as he drew in a breath. That didn't just come from his mouth, did it!?
"No! No, my name is Sans! No! Not 'Sans', SANS! My... Name... Is... SAAANNS! SSAAAAANNS! Damn it! Sans the Skeleton!"
"Okay, kid. I got it! Your name is Sans. And apparently, you're not human, you're a Skeleton."
"No! No, I'm not! I'm human! I'm HUMAN! My name is Sans the Skeleton! Sans! Damn it! What the Hell is wrong with me!"
"Sounds to me like you've got a bit of an identity crisis on your hands there, Sans."
"Don't call me that!" The boy cried in frustration, "That's not my name! My name is Sans the Skeleton! Sans . . . s-sans . . . it's Sans!"
No . . . why couldn't he say his own name!? Why did it come out as . . . that!?
His frustration at its peak, the boy let out a deep growl, turning sharply to punch the wall beside him.
When he did, there was an odd sensation coupled with an even odder sound.
A clacking of what sounded to be a group of drum sticks hitting the wall, tapping loudly against the stone surface. The sound reverberated through the cavern.
Not only that, but the feeling when he punched the wall. It didn't hurt. In fact, it didn't feel as if there was any resistance or any nerves at all between him and the wall.
What the . . .
The boy looked at his hand. It looked the same as ever. The same curves and lines of his palms, the same fingernails that he would bite if he was nervous or anxious. He decided to test something. He touched his thumbs to each of his fingertips.
Nothing. No padding, no texture, no warmth. And then . . .
*click* . . . *click-click*
"Hey, whatever your name is! Did you hurt yourself punching the wall? Did you fracture a bone or something?"
"Bone . . . ?" The boy muttered, flexing his fingers.
"Yes, bones. The stuff Skeletons are made of? Wow, kid. Did you hit your head or something?"
"But . . . they're not bones. I can see my . . . my hands. See!?" The boy lifted both hands to show to the other who was peering in on him and doubtless making copious assumptions about him. He showed the other both of his palms so he could see just how not-skeletal they were."
"If you say so, kid." Was his response. "You know, why don't you take it easy for a bit. It's gonna be a little while before backup gets here. Heh, I can't wait to hear what story you've got for this, Sans."
The boy cried out again- generally, all around, and to no one in particular.
There was something very wrong going on! Why could he see his hands, but no one else could? Why couldn't he say his own name? How did he end up here in this hole when he was supposed to be back on campus getting ready for classes.
He leaned against the wall, sinking down slowly as he clenched and unclenched his hands.
"My name is . . . Sans." He said quietly, more to himself. "Saaannnss."
Maybe another approach.
"S. IiiaaaAA . . . S. I-Aaa. NnnN. S. Damn it! Damn it all! DAMN IT!"
The boy fell to sit in the corner of the cavern, fighting with himself to say his name so he could prove he wasn't a monster.
"Sans . . . Sans . . . my name is . . ."
"S-Sans . . . ?"
Alphys slowly entered the room, taking the seat at her friend's bedside. There still hadn't been any response from him and time just kept passing by . . . She knew some of the others have already come in to talk to Sans, but she had been so busy with her work that she hadn't had the opportunity until now.
But . . . what to say? What could she possibly tell him that hasn't been told before.
May as well start talking . . . maybe she would be able to think of something to say as she spoke.
"Well . . . Everything has been going very slowly since you fell and since Gaine was suspended. I've been busy on the machine and that leaves only Maltez, Baelin, and Ruddard while Gaster works with the purple soul. They are extremely short-handed . . . considering two of them don't have arms."
Sans remained silent and unconscious.
"I thought that was pretty funny. I'm sure you would have too if you were awake.
"But what I'm trying to say is that you are sorely missed here in the lab. It just hasn't been the same without you.
"Well, I wanted to let you know s-some of the other things going on here too. P-particularly about Papyrus. I know you would be worried about him.
"Just so you know, Papyrus is actually doing p-pretty-pretty well considering everything that's happened. At first, He was in the holding cell, mainly for the c-comfort of the others. After all, they didn't know Papyrus was here . . . and after what they told me . . . about what happened to Kit . . . it's no wonder you kept Papyrus a secret from them. And why you never told me that he was one of Gaster's projects. You let me believe he was another Skeleton, that he was your brother so I wouldn't treat him differently . . . I understand.
"I don't blame you for it. I know you had your reasons . . . I know you have your reasons for all of it . . . I just . . . wish I knew what they were.
"I went to go talk to him actually. Papyrus. I went to see him after that night you fell. I wanted to ask him about Kit and about why the others were so afraid of him . . . b-but I couldn't. He was so upset about what happened and about you. He wanted so badly to come and see you, but until we can find a solution to the transference of energy. Until we can figure out how he absorbs your HP or how to stop him from doing it, Gaster says it's best that he doesn't come to see you yet.
"He was released from the holding cell about two days after that night. And since then, he's been in his room.
"For the moment, he's stopped going to training. He says he wants to be here in case he's cleared to go see you or in case you wake up. He worries so much about you, Sans. He really does love you.
"I don't care what the others say. I don't think Papyrus could hurt anyone. He's just not the type . . . even if he didn't have a soul before, I can feel it. Papyrus wouldn't do something like that.
"Anyway. The last thing I wanted to say . . . I-is actually the hardest thing to tell you . . .
" . . . I-I've finished construction on the- on the machine . . . it is f-fully operational now. Gaster has already inspected it and he says he's ready for- for test runs . . .
"It will be the p-purple soul first. He will have to be exceedingly c-careful not to destroy the soul . . . but- but even so . . .
"I kn-know how much she meant to you, Sans. She must have been very important to cause this much of a- of a stir in you. I've n-never heard of you being so upset before, b-but it d-does make sense. She must have been your friend, right? You must have known her personally. I don't know who she was to you or how close the two of you were, but you must have cared a lot for her . . .
"That's why I thought you would want to know what becomes of her soul. I will be assisting Gaster. If it gets too dangerous or if it looks like the soul will be c-compromised, I promise to stop the experiments. I won't let anything bad happen to your friend's . . . to-to Ava's soul.
"If those experiments are successful, however . . . I am afraid of what will happen next. I know Gaster is hurting for results and he has burning questions about the nature of the common thread. And to get those answers . . . I'm afraid he may turn to you.
"If you don't wake up soon . . . I'm afraid he m-may continue without your consent. Gaster has always been one to g-get results even if the means are qu-questionable . . . but you don't need me to tell you that. J-just know that if things continue the way they are, you'll be the next one slated for the . . . for the machine.
"I hope it doesn't come to that and that you'll be awake b-before it gets to that point.
". . . but if it does . . .
"I hope you'll be okay . . ."
"all this time, it's neverendin'
and i try, i try to set it right.
but when the night rolls in, i toss and turn.
i can't recover from this fight."
There were more voices, more footsteps approaching, but the boy didn't dare to look up. He knew what they would see.
"Woah, you weren't kidding, it really is a monster!"
"But he swears that he isn't."
"Really? With a face like that?"
The boy pulled his knees against his chest, hugging them and turning his face away . . . Just as he suspected.
"Yeah, he says he's a student at the University." That first officer came in, "But here's the thing! He seemed genuinely disturbed by his own bones. He says he can't even see them- that they look like hands. And he's been trying to tell me his name so we can check the list of registered students, but he's frustrated by the answer. He can't say anything else. He can't even spell it out . . . like his body won't allow him to."
The boy raised his head again slightly, shifting just his eyes to look up at the men above him. Maybe that officer actually understood. Maybe he actually believed him.
"Oh really?" Asked another officer, taking another step toward the edge of the hole. "Hey, down there. Skeleton."
The boy scoffed, knowing it would be pointless to argue. "What do you want?" He answered bitterly.
"You say you're human, right?
"I am human."
"How would you like the chance to prove it?"
The boy hesitated, lifting his head even more, scowling upward at the men. There was something very strange about the way they approached the subject. It seemed a bit off.
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
The officer sent down a bit of a smile.
"You're familiar with the story of this mountain, aren't you?"
"Who isn't?"
"Good. Good. Okay, hear me out. What I'm proposing here is a sort of a trade-off."
The boy frowned even more, "You're not gonna ask me to kill someone, are you? 'Cause if so, you can just forget it!"
The officer actually let out a bit of a laugh. "No! No, nothing like that. Look here. There have been a string of random earthquakes happening around here recently and no one knows what's causing them. I'm saying that if it's got something to do with the monsters under the mountain, you could find out about it and fill us in, yeah? None of us can do it, because, well, we're human.
"If you want to prove you're on our side, you can go and check it out. You look like a monster, you can blend in, find out what's going on, and report back. If you do that, I think we can find a way to help you out. Sound like a plan?"
The boy slowly raised his head and pulled himself to his feet.
"How do I know you'll still be here when I get back?"
"So distrusting. Look, kid, we need this info and we're not about to pass up an opportunity like this. But, that look on your face says that you're not gonna take me on my word alone."
The boy glared back at the officers, letting his expression speak for him.
"Fine. Here, kid. Take this with you." The man grinned, unhooking a thing from his belt. With a bit of a flourish, he tosses down his cell phone. Thinking quickly, the boy rushed to meet it, attempting to catch the falling device. He did not take into consideration the change in his hands . . . he didn't see it. But when it fell, instead of catching and gripping onto the phone like he had planned, upon catching it, the device slipped through his tractionless fingers and fell to the flower bed beneath him.
The man above him burst out into laughter when the boy dropped the phone, but at the irritated look from the boy, he sobered down for a second, before continuing.
"Hey, look. I'm sorry I laughed. That's my cell phone there, okay? I want you to take it with you. Use it to get in touch with us when you've found out what's been going on. If you like, you can also consider it collateral. I'll be expecting you to bring it back, okay?"
Ducking down to fish through the flowers and search for the phone, the boy gave a low hum. He looked up once he had it, waving it up above his head so the other could see it.
Without saying a word, the boy turned to explore beyond the exit of the cavern. Until now, he had been hoping someone would come with help. He knew better than to stay too far from the entrance. But he had a mission.
"Oh! Hey, kid! Wait up!"
"Yeah?" The boy answered, stopping, but not turning around.
"Two days. Okay? Give us a call in two days with a status update. We'll get a team here and find a way to get you out of there, deal?"
"Deal."
With that, the boy continued into the mountain, shoving the cell phone into his pocket as he walked.
"people around, they carry on
and say it's gonna change
but i know. . .
. . . i know . . ."
"Brother . . .
"You have been sleeping for an awfully long time. It has been almost two weeks now and everyone is getting worried about you.
"I have been worried about you too. So many people have come to see you . . . and I haven't been able to until now. Miss Alphys has been keeping me informed on your recovery, though! Or . . . your lack of recovery . . .
"But I'm glad that I can finally come in and see you now! It feels like it's been forever, doesn't it? And the only reason I can come now is because Doctor Gaster gave me a pair of thick gloves so I wouldn't accidentally hurt you. They're even my favorite color, see?"
Papyrus held out his hands so show Sans the bright red-orange gloves. Of course Sans didn't see them, but Papyrus was so excited about them and what they meant that he didn't care.
"Doctor Gaster says that I can't take your HP now with these so I can come and sit with you. I think he hopes that me being nearby will help you get better. And if that's true then I won't leave until you are."
And so Papyrus sat, watching over Sans. There still didn't seem to be any change in him whatsoever . . . but Papyrus was determined to stay with his brother. Hours passed and soon, so did an entire night. Still, Papyrus was vigilant and tireless. Sans still wasn't awake, so Papyrus couldn't rest. He didn't want to.
In the quiet of the room, however, Papyrus had plenty of time to think. When he did, however, his eager air from before began to dissipate. What if, after all of his waiting, Sans never woke up? What if he never got better? What if he was only waiting around for Sans to die?
No. He couldn't think like that. He couldn't let what Gaster said get the better of him.
He wondered if Sans knew.
"Hey . . . Sans . . . ?" He began again in a more solemn tone, "You know . . . Doctor Gaster says that if you aren't awake by now . . . it is only because you don't want to wake up. He says that you have chosen to give up rather than to come back. . .
"He's frustrated. I think everyone is at least a little bit . . .
". . . But still . . . there's a part of me that wonders if he's right. Is that what happened, brother? Do you want to sleep forever and never wake up?
"I can't say I get it . . . Seems lazy if you ask me. Even if it hurts to move, getting up is better than doing nothing. And the more you move, the easier it gets to get up if you fall down.
"I don't know if you understand what I mean . . . I'm trying . . . I just- I want you to wake up. I want you to get better because you have so much more to do . . . and there are so many people here who want you to get better too. If not for me, then, do it for them."
That was only the basic gist of what Papyrus wanted to say and it didn't come out well at all. It sounded disjointed and confusing even in his own head.
Man, why couldn't Sans speak wingdings!? That would make this so much easier! Sans had been studying for a while with his help as well as Dr. Gaster's but all of that study was mainly written. Spoken wingdings was a different story altogether.
But still Papyrus had to try.
He went silent for another hour or so, deciding exactly what it was he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it. Then, he had to translate it using everything he'd learned.
"Doctor Gaster thinks you have given up." He began again, keeping that same solemn tone, "And from the look of it. I think he may be right. It must seem easier to push it all aside and choose not to try anymore. And I know you're sad, brother. You have lost so much even though you tried your best and you fought so hard. Your friend was killed in front of you even though you tried to protect her. Perhaps you blame yourself for that too.
"After all of that . . . if you did want to give up. If you choose to die instead of trying anymore . . . I do understand. Perhaps you think that there's nothing you can do to make it better. That your usefulness is at its end. That anything you do won't matter and it would be better if you were no longer around. That you would be worth more to us if you were to die . . . and so you're choosing to end it yourself. You're letting yourself slip away . . . because it would be the easiest way to do some good!"
Papyrus' solemn tone took on more and more emotion as he spoke, all the way until the last line, where he nearly choked. But he couldn't stop. He still had so much more to say.
"It . . . must be nice to be able to make that decision for yourself. It must be nice to be able to choose when you die. Not everyone gets to make that choice, you know. And if I'm being honest, I envy you a little because of it. If I had that kind of power, I think I might have used it. I would have used it to live.
"But, I never got that choice. And there are so many who never got the choice. Those who died early, those who were killed, those who died before their time. I'm sure they would have used that power to live too. And you . . . you hold that power in your hands and you're choosing not to live . . . ? It makes no sense to me.
"I was lucky, though. I was given another chance. And so are you. You're being given another chance. You have been healed, you have been taken care of. You have had friends and . . . well I like to think . . . family come in and keep you company.
"So . . . you can't give up now! Not when so many people are still counting on you!
"People like us . . . like we . . . People like you and I . . . have a responsibility . . . a duty to the others. To those who are living and to those who died too soon. We have a responsibility to keep living- for them and for us. We have to keep doing our best. For that one thing.
"Oh . . . I never told you about the 'one thing', did I?
"Well, in the Guard, they say that there's always one thing. There's always that one thing that's worth holding onto- that's worth fighting for. Even if you lose everything, even when it looks like it's all lost. There's always that one thing you hold above all other things. The thing worth fighting for.
"The thing worth dying for.
"The thing worth living for!
"I'm sure you have that one thing too, Sans. It might be hard to find right now, but . . . that's why I'm here! I'll help you find it! I'll help you find your one thing, and I'll help you protect it! I'll help you find a thousand 'one things' so just in case you lose one, there will always be another 'one thing' to keep you going!
"But I can't help you if you're not here . . .
"But . . . still . . . I can't tell you how to choose. I can't tell you how to use your power.
"I can only tell you how I would use it . . . And I can tell you what I want.
"I want for you to get better.
"I want for you to live.
"Because you're my 'one thing'."
"all around, there are folks who got it worse than me,
but they live their lives, 'cause it's what they do.
how can i stand around complainin'
when for them, it's rainin' too?"
Two days came and left in a hurry and during that time, the boy searched every bit of the Underground he could in order to find information for his exchange. He'd learned so much about it in such a short amount of time and just about all of it was usable information.
"Turns out, it's freakin' out the locals too." The boy reported, speaking into the receiver of the phone. He'd found the perfect way to hold the device so that it wouldn't slip through his fingers as he tried to speak.
He stayed near the edge of the dump as he spoke. He found that it was the easiest place to get a decent signal.
"Yeah, but it's all because of some doctor guy. Goes by Gaster. Wingdings or some mess. But what he's working on is nothing short of incredible! He's trying to create a renewable energy source by converting the natural thermal energy of a specific area of this place. And from what I hear, he's nearly got it perfect. If he's successful, he will be able to provide power to the entire monster community! I don't know how he's gonna do it, it's completely beyond me, but just the fact that he's done something to this level is amazing! Anyway, there are still some kinks to the conversion unit and that's what's causing all the earthquakes. If he gets it all squared away and functional, it shouldn't be an issue for very long."
"Wow, kid." Said the voice on the other end of the phone. "I gotta say, you really came through for us! Well done! Now, come on back. That team's here so we can get you out. With any luck, we'll be able to find out what happened to you and why you look like a monster, but for right now, let's just get you taken care of, okay?"
"Heh, sounds good to me!" The boy sighed, relieved and excited. Not only had be been able to learn so much about how this Underground world worked, but he was finally going to be able to go home! He was finally going to get out and sleep in an actual bed and eat . . . well, he still had no food in his dorm, but maybe he could get something decent before he passed out for the next three days.
"Alright then," the voice on the line chuckled, "We'll see you soon, kid."
"Sure thing." The boy answered before hanging up and heading back out of the dump in search of the path he took to get here in the first place.
He was tired and he was hungry, but with this new rush of adrenaline and excitement, he found it in him to continue for just a little bit longer. Long enough to get out of here!
He traveled back down the roads, mainly keeping to the edges and shadows to avoid meeting or making a lasting connection with anyone. The quicker he could make it through the maze, the better.
It took almost three hours, but eventually, he did make it back to his hole. As he approached, he noticed laughter coming from the surface.
"And you're sure you don't need it back? That seems like a waste to me."
"Nah, It's a cheap little burner thing. I'll cancel it in the morning anyway."
"Man, where is he? I want to see the look on his dumb gullible little face!"
That made the boy hesitate immediately. Wait a minute . . . that didn't make any sense . . . weren't those the same officers from the other day? The ones who struck the deal with him? The ones who just told him to hurry back so they could save him from this place?
"Man, whatever! We're running out of daylight. Let's just blast the place and get it over with! The result will be the same: One less entrance for people to fall in and one less escape point for those monster freaks! Just plug it so we can go home!"
Wait! No! They couldn't! They made a deal! He'd held up his end of the bargain! He wasn't about to let them off without holding theirs up too! They gave their word! They were going to help him escape if he gave them the information they wanted!
The boy rushed to the opening of the cavern and called up to the men, making sure his seething tone reached up to them.
"Hey! Asswipes! Down here!"
"Ah, look who it is!" One of the men cheered, breaking away from his laughter to peer down into the hole, "It's our little songbird! Hey, thanks for the information, Skeleton! Can't thank you enough! Really!"
"You feel like telling me just what the hell you're doing!? We had a deal! What about our agreement!?"
The laughter resumed, this time more prominent and more enthusiastic than before.
"Aww man! Did you really think we would help a Skeleton break out of the Underground just on your word that you're human!? Wow, you really are thick-skulled!"
The others roared with laughter at the terrible joke.
"I fail to see just how this is funny!"
"Are you kidding!?" Said another one of the men on the surface, "Everything about this is friggin' hilarious! You really must be a whole separate level of stupid, kid! But yeah, thanks for goin' in and getting' us that info!"
As they spoke, the boy's rage began to boil over once again. How could they flat out lie to him like that!? How could they laugh about it like that right in front of him. Right at him!?
How could they!?
The boy gripped at the cell phone in his pocket and threw it as hard as he could to the side of the cavern, shattering it into several pieces.
"We had a deal!" The boy raged, using his blue magic to encase the phone pieces and levitate them around him. With a harsh gesture, he sent the phone fragments up toward the opening of the hole and the laughing men. He had been refraining from using his magic in an attempt to seem as human as possible, but now, all bets were off! He wanted to shut them up! He wanted to show them that they chose to double cross the wrong person! "You said you'd get me out!"
As the phone fragments hurtled upward, the men flinched for a second before realizing they weren't in any real danger. The fragments reached the mouth of the cave before colliding with the invisible barrier there and causing the phone to plummet back down to the ground where the boy stood.
"Ha! Nice try, monster!" One cackled. "How about you try this instead!"
With a soft click, several stones along the upper ring of the mouth began to beep and within seconds, the beep is nearly a constant hum.
Wait, these men had been talking about "blasting this place"! Is that what all that was!? Were those the explosives!?
There was barely enough time to duck, much less to take cover before the entire Earth shook all around him! Instinctively, the boy threw his hands above him to block the falling debris and save himself from being crushed for as long as he could, his blue magic working like a shield and taking the brunt of the damage.
But that blue magic couldn't last forever and it soon gave in as the boy tried to step away from the mouth and take refuge further into the cavern. He couldn't hold it off! He couldn't shield himself and he couldn't make it to the arch leading into the next room!
The rocks and debris fell unceremoniously over the boy and he let out a cry as they toppled over him. He curled up as tightly as he could to reduce the damage as all hope for escape tumbled in on him and blocked the exit in a massive cave-in.
-still in the cave-
"Hello!? Hello!? Hello, is there anyone over here!?"
The voice rang like an alarm and even though the boy was fighting off a splitting headache and a more disorienting ringing in his ears, he could still hear the call. Someone who was looking for survivors of the cave-in.
The boy tried to shift, but he was pinned underneath boulders and rocks. He had nearly been able to save himself and the fact that he was still alive was a surprise even to him.
He tried to answer, calling back to the voice meekly and through a scratchy and dust-filled throat. All the while, he tried to use his magic to move the boulders from over him. Slowly, but surely, he was getting them to shift, but they were so heavy, he could barely cause a rumble.
The one calling seemed to hesitate. Did they hear his voice!? Were they coming to help?
"Hello? Who's there!? Are you hurt?"
The boy called again, explaining his situation as best he could.
During the explanation, the voice made its way over to where the boy struggled to free himself.
"Hey, save your strength, kid!" The voice insisted, "Those rocks are too heavy to move. I've sent some flies to go get a friend of mine. You'll have to tunnel beneath the rocks to get out. Just wait for my friend, okay?"
The boy stopped struggling, "Ugh . . . I don't feel so good."
"Well, of course you don't!" The voice answered, "You just had a mountain fall on you! Just sit tight for now, okay! We'll get you out of there in just a second."
The boy hesitated for a moment, "H-how do I know you will?"
"Wait, what?" The other voice asked.
"The last time someone said that to me, I ended up here. How do I know you're really here to help?"
"Oh . . . well, I assure you, I'm a Frog of my word!"
"Frog . . ."
"Well, yeah. Us Froggits are pretty much all over the place here."
"Is your friend a Froggit too?" The boy asked, "No offense, but I've never really known frogs to be the digging type. How is your friend going to— aah!"
As the boy was speaking, there was a shift from beneath him. What the . . . ?
A section of the ground gave way and the top of a carrot popped its way up. Its . . . eyes . . . looked the boy up and down as if trying to size him up.
"Well, Frogs don't really dig." The carrot answered, "But us Roots are kinda pros. Hang on, kid . . . I gotta make this hole a little bigger for you."
"As you can see," The Frog began once again, "My friend is a Vegitoid. He'll have you out in no time!"
The boy let out a deep breath, feeling a slight sense of relief. "Thank you."
Within ten minutes, the Vegitoid was able to dig a tunnel big enough for the boy to safely crawl through and escape the fallen cave debris. When the boy pulled himself up from the hole, he remained seated on the ground as he brushed off the dirt and dust from his clothing.
"Well, now that that's taken care of, we can get down to business." The Froggit began again, "We've been sent to scout this area for the cause of the cave in and report back. Any info you may have would be greatly appreciated."
The boy caught his breath, taking a long look at the massive pile of rocks that he'd just escaped. There was no way he would have been able to move all of that on his own.
"Yeah . . ." He began bitterly, "I can tell you exactly what happened."
He told them about the humans and how they set up explosives at the top of the entrance that had been right there. The moment he mentioned 'humans' the Frog and the Carrot let out a groan.
"Of course it was the humans." They nodded, "We should have known. And they saw you and immediately decided to blow up one of our skylights. Rude."
"Tell me about it." Said the Carrot-looking monster . . . or was he a turnip . . . ? "So, Skele-kid. Were you the only one here during the cave-in? Is there anyone else in there who needs to be rescued?"
The boy shook his head. A massive mistake as the splitting headache reminded him of its existence. And not only that, but just about everything else was in pain as well. He supposed that was to be expected after that explosion and after having been buried alive.
"No," he reiterated, halting his movements and instead opting to stay as still as possible, "I was the only one."
"Well, that's a relief." The Froggit croaked, "In that case, you should get on home. You're safe now, okay?"
The boy hesitated at that. How was he supposed to get home now . . . ? Where could he possibly go? He knew next nothing about this Underground world except the info he'd gathered and after the reaction these two monsters had, he couldn't just go around telling people he was a human. He had to find another way out. He had to figure out what the heck he was gonna do now.
"Yeah . . . home . . . okay." The boy said quietly, more to himself than to the others as he tried to pull himself to his feet. Immediately, however, everything around him began to spin and the boy stumbled, trying to catch his footing, when he reached out for the wall, he nearly missed and he fell forward to his knees.
"Hey, hey! Kid, are you okay!?"
The boy groaned again, trying to focus past the swirling cave walls. "Oh, y-yeah . . ." He muttered, slightly embarrassed by the trip, "Yeah. I'm fine. I just got off to a rocky start is all."
His attempt to lighten the mood went completely unrealized.
"Was . . . was that a joke?"
The boy let out a faint chuckle, "Obviously, not a very good one. I guess you could also say that at this point, I've hit rock bottom."
"Well, you can't be too hurt if you've got it in you to make jokes like that." The Frog snickered, "C'mere, let me take a look at you real quick."
The boy steadied himself and took the few steps toward the Froggit, willing himself to stay standing.
"Now, hold still. I'm just gonna CHECK you real quick. I won't attack."
Right away, the air surrounding them shifted and became tense. It even seemed as if the colors dulled a little . . . or maybe that was part of the boy's lasting delirium.
A fight had been initiated.
But true to his word, the Froggit did not attack and instead focused directly on the boy.
"Oh, my. Well, I'll give you this. You sure put on a tough front . . . um . . . Sans, was it?"
"Is that the name my stats say?" The boy groaned darkly. Damn it, even his stats have been altered . . . what the hell did Burl do to him?"
"Um, yeah. Why? Is that not right? What's your full font type, Skele-kid? What'd your parents saddle you with?"
"My parents . . . heh, don't got those. As far as my 'font type' . . . ?" The boy shrugged, "And why do you keep calling me Skele-kid?"
"Oh you poor thing." The Vegitoid jumped in, "Sorry to hear about your parents. You still seem so young. And you must have hit your head pretty hard if you don't remember your font type. Let's see if we can't help you out with that."
"Well, you definitely lack the flair and flourish of a serif font." Said the Froggit in a very matter-of-fact tone . . . so it wasn't supposed to be offensive . . . the boy guessed. "If that's the case, that part's easy. Sans Serif. But which one? There are so many fonts that are Sans Serif . . ."
"Well, you do seem to be of the smaller more curvative Skeletons." The Vegitoid added.
"See many Skeletons, do you?" The boy asked, having very mixed feelings about being analyzed by these complete strangers. Why would they just assume all of this about him? How the heck was he supposed to respond to it all?
"Hmm. Not anymore." The Froggit answered, "Skeletons are actually pretty scarce now. Anyway, you're dressed like you're the more easy going type font. And with a smile like that . . . and your joke-telling. Would you be a comic?"
"Well, that's what my friends always used to say. I was your regular class clown."
"Well, that's it then! 'Comic Sans Serif'! Why don't you try it out? Try saying it, see how it feels."
The boy frowned . . . which apparently, the two monsters couldn't see. All they saw was the smile . . . another element to Burle's curse, no doubt. He knew what was going to happen when he tried to call himself something, when he tried to say his name.
Oh well. Worth a shot.
"Heya." The boy greeted, "The name's Comic Sans Serif."
Right away, the boy halted once again . . . well that was different. He could actually say this one! And beyond that, somehow . . . this did actually fit . . .
"We have a winner!" Said the Froggit, "Now, all that's left is to get you out of the HP danger zone. You only have one right now, and I can't actually heal."
"I can . . . a little." answered the Vegitoid, "Just be sure to eat your greens, and you'll be fine."
Moments later, the ground between them seemed to sprout and two glowing green carrots popped up out of the ground.
"There you go." Said the Vegitoid, looking rather proud of itself. "They should heal about one HP each, but that's the best I can do."
The boy lowered himself into a squatting position as he reached out for the glowing vegetables. What the heck with these monsters!? Why were they being so nice and helpful toward him? They saved him, made sure he was okay, gave him a perfectly good monster name and fed him glowing health-raising veggies?
That's more than any human would have done.
"Thank you." The boy said, touching one of the carrots with the tips of his fingers. Upon contact, the vegetable sent a warm soothing feeling all throughout his body and the boy instantly noted a difference in the swirliness of the cave. His headache was starting to ebb away as well.
He took the second one in his hands, feeling the same effect.
When the boy stood, he noticed right away that his balance was more stable. It wasn't perfect and he felt as if he could still fall if he wasn't careful enough, but at least he didn't feel as if he would end every step with a faceplant.
"There you go!" The Froggit smiled with a little nod. "Much better. Now you can go on ahead . . . I know you said your parents were . . . no longer around, but if you were looking for a familiar face . . . perhaps Dr. Gaster will be able to help you. Not only that, but I'm sure he could heal you too!"
"Dr. Gaster . . . He's the one who built that huge machine in the Hotlands, isn't he? How do I get there?"
"Wow, Skele-kid. You really did hit your head hard, didn't you?"
The boy raised his hand and scratched at the back of his . . . skull with a bit of a faint chuckle. "Eh, I guess I did."
"Just head East, kid. You can't miss it."
"East . . ." The boy mused as he stepped out of the cavern and toward the right direction, "I think I got it. Hey. Thanks again bud . . . and well 'bud'."
"See you around, Comic Sans!" The Vegitoid called back with a bit of a smile at the bad plant pun.
-in Hotland-
It felt as if he'd been walking for at least a full day, maybe a day and night. It was hard to tell in this place with no sun or moon to tell the time. How did these monsters do it?
Or maybe he was being impatient. He thought he would have reached Hotland by now.
So far, he'd been able to travel relatively unnoticed. He kept to the sidelines and shadows of each new area, not wanting to draw attention to himself or answer a barrage of questions to which he knew none of the answers.
He made his way through like this until the could feel a significant increase of temperature. He had to be close!
And there! That huge machine there! That must have been the thing Dr. Gaster had been working on! The CORE! Even here, it was amazing to see. That giant thing over there was supposed to supply the entire monster community with power, using nothing but thermal energy.
The thought was incredible.
Well, he could get a closer look and look for Dr. Gaster at the same time, couldn't he?
But the temperature in the CORE was even worse than it was in the rest of Hotland . . . he supposed he should have seen it coming.
He stumbled forward, gripping at the walls. The little bit of HP he had was starting to drain away . . . maybe coming here before being healed was a mistake. No, no maybe about it. It was a terrible idea. He was still tired and he was still hungry. He hadn't eaten now in about three days. Unless . . . did those glowing carrots count? But he hadn't eaten those so much as he just . . . absorbed them. He didn't have anywhere to sleep, and he didn't want to just find a corner to sleep in . . . too open. And he didn't have any money on him . . . so he couldn't pay for anything even if he found it.
The short answer was, he was screwed.
And to top it off, he'd managed to get himself lost . . . he swore up and down that he'd seen this exact corridor at least four times now . . .
Man, if he could just get out of this heated labyrinth he could find some place to rest for a bit before he continued his search for Dr. Gaster.
There was a bit of a loud noise, and the boy stumbled forward. Wait, that was him making that noise, wasn't it?
How'd he end up on his knees?
Why couldn't he see three feet in front of him? Why in the world was everything so swirly again!?
This place was taking a higher toll on him than he thought.
He fought to pull himself to his feet once again and try forward. He had to at least find the exit and get the hell out of this place!
Again, the sound resonated through the corridors as he fell to his knees.
This time, there was a response. Another voice! Another person! Maybe he knew the way out!
He was threatening to call the Royal Guard.
"Hey, woah there, buddy." The boy called out, "Just . . . just hang on a sec. There's no need to get all . . . hotheaded over this!"
The boy could see him now. A tall thin monster who seemed like maybe he could have been a Skeleton too beyond the swirl in the boy's vision. Is that what the Froggit and the Vegitoid meant when they said the doctor may be able to help if he wanted to see a familiar face?
Well, it was a nice gesture, anyway.
Wait, why was he getting darker? And just around the edges. Everything was steadily getting darker.
The boy fell again, this time, completely to the ground.
In response, the taller monster immediately dropped the things he had been carrying and rushed to support him.
"Hey! Hey, there!" The monster called almost frantically, taking the boy by the shoulders and sitting him up. He sounded genuinely concerned about him. "Stay with me!"
The monster's voice was deep, but smooth. Strong but not harsh. His grip was firm, but careful as he held the boy up. And though the sheer power emanating from the monster was undeniable, it was calm and controlled.
Though the boy was at the mercy of this complete stranger, he wasn't afraid.
The boy chuckled with an empty sound, "Well, if you're askin' . . . How could I possibly say no?"
"My name is Dr. W.D. Gaster." The monster addressed the boy, "I'm not going to hurt you, but to help, I need to know more about you. Please, tell me your name."
"Heh, whatever. Guess it wouldn't hurt to answer." The boy laughed tiredly. Funny how it was trying to give someone his name that landed him in this situation to begin with. He already knew what was going to come out if he said anything even close to the truth. But there was that one loophole. Eh, may as well give it a shot. What was that name the Froggit and the Vegitoid gave him? It sounded so much better than 'Sans the Skeleton'.
"The name's Comic Sans Serif." The boy answered, ". . . Call me . . . Sans."
The taller monster hummed slightly, shifting and adjusting his grip on the boy, helping him to stand. Right away, it was obvious that the boy's strength was completely drained and he could barely remain standing, much less walk any further.
"Well, Mr. Serif." The monster said as he helped the boy onto his back so he could carry him, "We can't leave you out here. Let's get you out of this heat."
The boy was taken aback at the monster's kindness and as he carried him away from the CORE toward the large building in the distance, the boy relaxed into his back, almost instantly falling asleep.
"here we are, another day and another reason.
another lie that i tell myself.
just push aside all the bad times and pretend
it's raining somewhere else."
Papyrus continued to keep watch over Sans day and night even when the halls were quiet and the lights were dim. He didn't feel tired or sleepy in the slightest and the only thing that mattered was that Sans could sleep and that Sans was comfortable.
He asked Doctor Gaster several times to remove the straps keeping Sans' hands and feet tied to the bed, but the doctor insisted that it was for the safety of those who were in the room with him.
So that's how it stayed, with Sans strapped to the bed; a prisoner in his recovery, and there didn't seem to be any sign that he would wake at all.
Until somewhere between the hours of 2:00 and 6:00 AM twelve days into it all, there was a twitch of the finger and a deep groan coming from the form in the bed.
When Papyrus looked again, he saw Sans' face contorted into a frown. His breathing had changed as well, different from that of a sleeping person. His fists tightened and grabbed into his sheets .
Was he having another nightmare?
Sans turned his face away but did not open his eyes. He took a deep breath and tried to move. He tried to turn his body and curl in on himself, but because he was still fastened down to the bed as if he would lash out at any given moment, it was impossible. Instead, he held fast to the blanket, making tight fists at his sides.
Everything hit hard and all at once. The voices, the stories, the confessions.
Baelin . . . Alphys . . . Gaster . . .
. . . Papyrus.
"Brother?" Papyrus called, "Are you awake? Did you come back!?"
Sans let out his long breath as a string of choked sobs. He tried to remain relatively silent, still failing in his attempts to turn his face away. Before he could stop himself, Sans was crying heavily and his restraint was lost. He fought to catch a breath as he cried openly into the room, but every time he could catch a breath, the sobs became heavier.
It all hurt so much, his aching body being the least of his worries. His soul was tight and heavy, his voice was pained, his mind was reeling, every part of him, every level of his existence was in anguish. It hurt so badly. And the more he thought, the more it all settled in. He cried out loud, letting it all out, the pain and the frustration and his anger toward himself and for the situation.
He cried for Ava.
He couldn't keep it in and this was the only way to let it out.
But it wasn't just the pain. It was so much more than that! It was hearing all those who came to see him while he was recovering. It was listening to what they had to say. It was knowing that even through all of this mess; even when they found out what he was, they were still at his side. It was finally knowing that he did, in fact, belong. That he did finally belong somewhere, anywhere.
And it wasn't on the surface at all. The humans . . . They never understood. They never cared. They beat him, shunned him, cursed him and threw him away. These monsters . . . ever since, he first fell into the Underground, these monsters had taken him in and they made him feel wanted.
It was like Papyrus was saying. He had friends here. People who believed in him, who mattered to him and to whom he mattered. He was not alone. He had a responsibility to them.
Here, he was in good company with those who would share in his bad jokes. Every one of them . . . they were all worth living for.
But the weight of it all was nearly unbearable! There was so much all at once and it hurt!
Papyrus' hands tightened as well as if willing himself to keep his own composure. His brother was in pain and there was nothing he could do to help. It was like that night all over again. He was useless when it came to Sans. And this was an enemy he could not fight off for him.
Just listening to him, Papyrus could feel himself falling apart as well. He could feel it resonating in his own soul and for a moment, Sans' pain was his.
He realized that the best thing he could possibly do was to leave him for the moment. Let him be alone.
"I-I will . . ." Papyrus struggled to say, "I will return for you, Sans. For now, I'll leave, but I will come back for you!"
Sans didn't answer, but continued in his cries.
As Papyrus stood and crossed the room to leave, he raised a gloved hand and wiped at his eyes, the raw emotion absolutely overwhelming him. For a moment, he looked back to the large mirror on the wall, knowing that it was the window to the observation room where Gaster was surely watching and monitoring.
Papyrus shook his head, trying to signal the doctor to leave Sans be for a little while longer before he came for him. Let him get this out.
Moments later, Papyrus left as well and Sans continued to cry alone as his soul all but shattered.