"A-and there's been no trouble with the band?" Alphys had been talking to me through the phone.

I slid my jacket down over my shoulder, tapping the band that I now wore behind my sweater, "No, there've been no magic outbreaks recently. I actually almost forgot about-"

"SANS!" Papyrus stormed into the kitchen, holding a sock in front of me, "WHY ARE YOU LEAVING YOUR LAUNDRY EVERYWHERE?!"

"God, can you stop yelling?" I brought the phone away from my ear, rubbing the other with a mittened hand.

"I'LL STOP YELLING WHEN YOU CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF!"

"Alright. Jesus." I took the sock from him, looking it over, "Wait... Why were you in my room?!"

"Well someone has to clean it." He folded his arms over his chest, looking me straight in the eyes, "And you're getting fat! It doesn't surprise me, since all you do is boondoggle!"

"Excuse me?!" I sneered, "I've done a lot, lately!"

"Oh, really?" Chara had been leaning against the wall, watching me with a maniacal grin, "Because all it ever looks like your doing is being a suicidal idiot screaming into air."

"Can everyone just shut the fuck up!" I shouted, backing away once I saw to look of hurt on Papyrus's face. I returned to the phone, "Do you mind if I stop by, later?"

"N-not at all." She stammered her response.

"Aight. See ya, later." I hung up the phone, noticing the how my "brother" kept averting eye contact, "Pap, I-"

"Forget it." His tone was cold as he turned over his shoulder, leaving the room, "If you're not going to care, why should I?"

I watched him leave, unable to make myself stop him.

"Wanna LOAD?" The demon asked of me, staring at the exit with arms folded.

"I haven't SAVEd in a week." I groaned, watching the exit with what felt like dead eyes.

"So?"

"So, I'm not redoing a whole week."

"You'll have to redo more than just a week, eventually." They gave me a dry laugh, their back sliding down the wall, "And hey, maybe when that happens, Wings might not avoid you as often."

I just stared at the door out of the house, clicking my tongue as I remained deep in thought, "I can't depend on the band forever, can I?"

"Not if you want to learn the full extent of your magic." They pat their small hands against the tile floor, a sad expression against their face, "But..." They looked up at me before forcing their eyes away, "Never mind."

I let out a hesitant sigh, crouching down in front of them, "I can't believe I'm asking this, but what's wrong?"

"It's nothing." They brought their knees up to their chest, burying their face in their arms. I guess they are still human.

"Doesn't look like nothing." I sat on my rear, putting my hands on my knees as I began to lean forward, "Hard weak? Not accepting the pain threats, still? I'm not boring you yet, am I?"

"No, you're surprisingly entertaining." They lifted their head up about two inches, looking me in the eyes, "You... wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"Have you ever just... wanted to rip someone from the inside out?" They used their hands to express their emotions, their words calm and collective as if this were pillow talk.

I sat on the thought, a few jerks coming to mind.

"I'll take that as a yes." An empty laugh, "That feeling that you're experiencing? Monsters can't enjoy that hate. It's not in their biology... It's the same with power. Humans are the only species with magic that can experience corruption." They broke eye contact with me, "I... never wanted to kill monsters... But I'm only human. Hell, the fifth soul was able to bring the entire Underground to the surface... He killed mother to do so, but it seemed like a worthy sacrifice." They managed to hold back a choked sob, "I hadn't seen the sun in years, and I forced him to reset. I forced him to let me take control, and I killed everyone."

"And why are you telling me this?" I sighed, tapping my fingers, "It doesn't matter what you originally wanted. You killed, some probably more than once. Crying about it doesn't justify anything, even if no one remembers."

"No one has ever bested me." They laughed, insanity dripping off their tongue, "Br... Sans. Control corrupts, and you haven't let me have an inch." They looked me in the eyes, beads of red seeing through me, "You're not going to gain any LV anytime soon. Your HP. Your EXP. I know you will only keep those stagnant. If anything, those will only decrease." Their eyes slowly changed, gaping sockets replacing the beady red as black ooze fell down their cheeks, "You'll die one day. You'll still hold onto all that damn DETERMINATION, but you're the kind that could give up the second they want to."

{Sans.} Gaster stood at the threshold, hands in front of him, {Aster's... asked that I apologize to you for Wednesday night.} As he spoke, he moved his hands in small motions.

"Well, keep using sign language when you talk to me." I laughed at the situation, "It really helps me understand what your saying. And next time, let Aster be the person that normal people hear. At least he knows english."

{You're making it hard to be nice.}

"Well soooo sorry, Mister Douche." I began to sneer, sarcasm pouring from my lips, "I'm not the one who got their panties in a twist over a simple question. I would've respected if he said no."

{And I appreciate that, but you don't understand the situa-}

"Fine then. Explain to me? What don't I understand?" I stood back up, dusting myself off.

His attention drifted elsewhere, as if waiting for something.

"So many years, and it still bothers him?" Chara spoke in a quiet tone, watching the 'man' in front of us.

I felt my eyebrows furrow as I watched the child.

"Aster was abandoned as a child." They pulled their legs closer to their body, "His parents thought his magic was too strong. They didn't want to risk their lives for the sake of their child. That's why we were 'friends.' We understood each others' pain."

"I..." I stopped, looking back up to Gaster, "I'm sorry."

He watched me with blank eyes, studying me, {Why did you climb Ebott, if I may ask?}

"..." I looked down toward the ground, biting down on my lip, "I... lost... she..." I couldn't find my words, "I had a younger sister... we're about thirteen years apart. She was hearing impaired. I had to take care of her... and..." I nearly choke, the smell of oxidizing blood reoccurring within my subconscious. "It was my fault... I was never really a good big brother. She was learning sign language, coming up to me every once in a while with what was new, and I just brushed her off in order to work on my studies... I mean, who does that? Just completely shut their younger sibling that they're practically raising because their lazy-ass mother can't get off the fucking couch to provide for her children."

{... Sorry I asked?}

I lifted my mask up, wiping my face with the sleeve of my jacket, "Every good story derives from tragedy." I said in one, easy breath, returning my mask to its original place.

{Would you like to be left alone?}

"No." I answered, probably a little too quickly, "I mean... It's your house. Don't abandon a room for my sake."

He let out a hesitant sigh, approaching me with his hand outstretched. I took it, realizing how stupid that was when the metal walls of the side room to the royal laboratory came into view.

"Why are we here?" I looked around, trying not to think of my own death sentence, last I was in here.

{Aster suggested this.} He growled quietly under his breath, leaning against the west wall and holding his head, {Do you... understand how a battle works?}

"If what I've read is right-"

{Reading it is different from experience.} He folded his arms, splitting into two, {Do you want to, or should I?} He looked over to his shorter half, a small grin against his face.

Aster watched me with some sort of intent, eyes glowing an eerie purple as he held his right hand in front of him. It illuminated the already well-lit room.

{Alright, then.} He pushed himself away from the wall, walking toward the doorway out, {Good luck, you two.} He gave the two of us a backwards before disappearing.

A blue heart appeared in front of me, a small window next to it.

Sans: HP 20/20

"Well, this oughta be a great learning experience." I gave off an unconfident laugh.

I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be.