He met Frisk again no more than five minutes later. After reveling in the satisfaction of seeing them slip all the way across the ice patch no less than three times, he caught their attention and started into his warning. For a moment, he thought Frisk might interrupt him to point out how positively unhelpful the blue stop sign analogy was, but they remained silent. He watched them out of the corner of his eye, scrutinizing their every move, especially as they encountered other monsters.

They left him standing by the ice patch, but backtracked along the path multiple times, passing by him and not returning for a few minutes. Each time, a small wave of heat passed over the clearing. Perhaps heat wasn't the right word… it was more of an energy… a magic. They're creating save points, he realized. The save points, he recalled, were another thing he had never asked about, or, at least, had never received an answer about. But he decided that it could wait until they were back on the surface. Once, as they passed, Sans checked their stats, and was taken aback by their striking lack of HP, but didn't think about it much once relief flooded him; the kid's EXP was still 0.

It occurred to him that he was angry with them, or, rather, with their luck. He had finally made up his mind, and decided that he was definitely getting a worse deal out of this whole resetting business. Frisk got to wash away their sins, got to go back and fix their mistakes or regrets; he got to relive moments that he could never change - got to experience the world according to their whims and wishes. He was their experiment. They were all just playthings in the hands of a child - a child with powers greater than they are ready for. A child with powers that could be used sparingly for the good of everyone but were only being used for their selfish entertainment. There was no denying that they liked the Underground, but maybe not for the reasons everyone thought.

He recalled that, once, he had tried to reason with them, but his words were lost on a revenge-bent ghost of the past. He recalled that, once, he had asked them if what they had to do was really so important, but his words were lost on a child oblivious to what the culmination of their quest would be. He recalled that both times, he had mentioned friends, laughs, food, and drink, but none of that mattered to the child. They were fascinated with the Underground because it was their world. They were in control; they were a monarch in a kingdom where they could do no evil because any evil could be wiped from the minds of their loyal subjects in a heartbeat.

Each time they proceeded to where Papyrus was waiting, Sans would take a shortcut to join them. But, several times, they simply walked into the clearing and walked back out, forcing him to retake his position by the ice patch. Are they playing with me? What possible reason could they have for going back and forth so much?

It was not until he saw them scooping a handful of shining coins into their pockets that he realized they were basically scamming the monsters of the Underground. Each time they encountered one and spared its life, it would leave behind a small reward of gold. What the hell is wrong with this kid? They're going out of their way to get in fights, only to end them with kindness… for money? This seems like a lot of effort for being greedy…

After the third encounter with an icecap-wearing monster, Sans had had enough. He reached out, snagging the kid's sweater as they hurried past. "Hey, kid, what are ya savin' up for?"

Frisk looked only the slightest bit guilty at the prospect of being found out, and shifted their treasure in order to pull their hands free of their pockets. They signed quickly and kept their hands close to them, and Sans had to wonder if this was their equivalent of mumbling.

"What was that, kiddo?"

I really like cinnamon bunnies, they signed, only slightly more visible than last time.

"So you're just taking advantage of innocent monsters to get your fix? You're really getting into the local culture, huh? Do you ever leave coins for them?"

I, they paused, shifting from foot to foot. I never thought to.

"Do you know why they do?"

Frisk shook their head, and Sans sighed. Taking advantage of a custom without even understanding it? Geez, this kid really is messed up.

"Monsters don't get into fights often… sometimes encounters are accidental and all, but most fights were just that: fights. We stopped killing each other a long time ago - no fight is a fight to the death amongst us these days - but, uh, some still like to fight, and it was an idea that just sort of spread: the loser gives the winner some sort of prize or token."

That sounds awful! Isn't that encouraging fights?

"Based on what you've been up to, I'd say it does nothing but encourage fights. But based on how everyone else treats each other, the answer is no. Monsters aren't that, hmm... greedy, I suppose. We mostly just share and sorta help each other out. It's, uh, pretty rare for someone to be going hungry or anything, whether they've got money or not."

Frisk flinched at the word 'greedy', and hurried to their defense. I don't mean to be taking from them… it's just that I need to keep myself alive… You said monsters help each other out, so does it matter if I get their money?

"I said no one goes hungry, not everyone goes happy."

I- I'm sorry, but, you said it's customary. How do I let them be the winner and give them the reward? Every encounter always tells me I won…

"I'm not asking you to give back. No matter what weird method you used to get it, the gold's yours now. Just don't, y'know, go out of your way to get into fights anymore, capiche?"

Sorry, Sans.

"You say that an awful lot. Prove it."

With that, he walked off, skirting the ice patch and disappearing from the kid's view. Once he came to the puzzle, he tried to take a shortcut to the other side, but instead ended up in the very middle, earning him a very disgruntled Papyrus once he turned around.

"SANS! I AM GLAD YOU ARE TAKING AN INTEREST IN PUZZLES, BUT COULD YOU KEEP OFF OF THEM WHILE I AM TRYING TO TEST THEM?!"

"Sorry, bro. Dunno what happened there. I'm just feeling bone-tired all of a sudden."

"SANS!"

"So, what is this and how do I get out of here?"

"YOU ARE LAZY, SO I SUSPECT YOU WILL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO IT WITH MINIMAL EFFORT. IF YOU ARE FEELING UP TO THE CHALLENGE, I COULD TURN THE PUZZLE BACK ON… BUT I AM NOT SURE HOW POWERFUL THE ELECTRICITY IS, NOR HOW MUCH IT WOULD HURT YOU, SO I THINK I SHALL HOLD OFF ON SUCH DANGEROUS PUZZLES FOR NOW."

"Geez, Pap, I'm not that fragile."

"JUST GET OFF THE PUZZLE, SANS, THE HUMAN COULD BE ARRIVING ANY MOMENT."

"The familiar human?" he prompted as he shuffled across the puzzle, unsure of what response he was hoping for.

"YES… NO… I'M NOT SURE. OBVIOUSLY I WOULD REMEMBER CAPTURING A HUMAN, BUT... REALLY THOUGH! THAT HUMAN! DO I KNOW THAT PERSON?"

Sans shifted his eyes from side to side. If Papyrus remembered, he didn't remember much, seeing as he could barely grasp the familiarity of Frisk. "Do you not know.. who you know?"

"PBPBPPBPT! OF COURSE I KNOW WHO I KNOW! I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU KNOW I KNOW WHO I KNOW AS MUCH AS I KNOW I KNOW WHO I KNOW! … YOU KNOW?"

Sans blinked. He didn't even know how to comprehend, much less respond to, what his brother had said. Instead, he noticed his own striking lack of energy. All that keeping up with Frisk had worn him out… he wasn't sure if he could even use his magic at the moment. Were they… tiring me out? Are they planning to attack us and they wanted to make me useless? What the hell is this kid up to?

He didn't have much time to dwell on the terror that gripped him, as Papyrus exclaimed, "OH-HO, SPEAK OF THE DEVIL!"

Frisk stood on the other side of the puzzle, looking as though they might vaguely remember this. They played along and followed Papyrus' directions, not bothering to forewarn him that they might need to be the one holding the orb. Considering my failures in preserving the timelines' integrity, maybe I'm not one to be judging about keeping mouths shut. He had to admit, anyway, that it was pretty funny to see Papyrus get shocked, and it was an old comfort that he would immediately blame Sans for his troubles.

Papyrus marched proudly through the puzzle, leaving heavy footprints in the packed snow. Sans had to hold back a laugh, as Papyrus seemed completely oblivious to the path, even as he watched the human walk through it. Then again, though, maybe he wasn't. If there was one thing Sans knew about his brother, it was that he didn't particularly like to cause harm to anyone. It was, after all, why Undyne had done everything in her power to wean him away from his Royal Guard dreams. But, if there was one other thing he knew about his brother, it was that he did not let go of wishes so easily.

After Papyrus had left with the promise of a difficult puzzle on Sans' part, dropping a stone of guilt into his soul, he turned to Frisk.

"Hey, thanks… my brother seems like he's having fun. By the way, did you see that weird outfit he's wearing? We made that a few weeks ago for a costume party." Truthfully, he barely remembered this. While memories from the previous timeline and memories from the time before the resets vyed for a space in his brain, he only got instinctual feelings about the things he was meant to say. How these feelings could arise when he could hardly keep his head on straight was beyond him, but it made the timelines easier, he supposed. Presently, he couldn't remember when the costume party actually was, or why it was thrown, or even who hosted it.

"He hasn't worn anything else since…" he continued, shrugging as he spouted words that no longer felt his own. "Keeps calling it his 'battle body'. Man. Isn't my brother cool?" It was a silly thing to ask, seeing as Frisk obviously knew Papyrus and had, without a doubt, declared how cool he was on many occasions, but he asked anyway, if for no reason other than it felt wrong not to.

Frisk didn't reply; keeping their eyes down, they slinked past him. He reappeared near Dogamy and Dogaressa's stations, and leaned against a tree. As he watched them run around, bouncing up to the nice cream vendor and pushing the snowball around, he was troubled by a nagging thought. The thought, like most, was not a particularly good or bad thought, but rather one that ignites curiosity instead of satiating it. What would happen if I called Undyne? He figured it probably wasn't the best idea, since, if the kid was telling the truth, they'd be out of here soon. Considering they had a surefire storyline that got them to the surface, it probably wasn't the best idea to be messing with it.

But, then again, they had that surefire way, and could always go back to it. That was the hidden beauty of the resets… they could try out anything they wanted, and it had no consequences. Or, at least, almost no consequences. Just as he was ready to dial Undyne's number and, well, do his job for once, Frisk came close. He nearly dropped the phone, startled by their sudden presence. Geez, guess that snowball tax isn't really doing much. They weren't even preoccupied for five minutes.

"Uh, I've been thinking about selling treats too," he blurted, eyeing the Nice Cream in their pocket. "Want some… fried snow? It's just 5G."

They shook their head, looking far less than amused. Sheesh, kid. Why'd you want to come back here if you're just gonna nip the jokes at the bud? They don't look too happy… why would they do this? No matter his opinions of the child, he didn't voice them aloud. "You're right," he said instead. "I should charge way more than that."

After a brief moment of slightly prolonged eye contact, Frisk turned away, waddling off through the snow. Sans had to admit, he was a little hurt that they rejected him so fast. From what he could remember, they usually got to at least 50G before rejecting him. He glanced at the phone in his hand again, remembering what he had been ready to do, and then shoved it back in his pocket. It was too unlike him to care so much about his job, and, as of now, he certainly didn't have a real reason to break his promise. Even if he tried his best to never make them, the ones he did make, he tried to keep with his life.

Hopping over to the next clearing and throwing a word search on the ground, he watched Frisk circle back around out of sight. He sighed and prepared himself for another round of teleportation tag, but ultimately decided against it. I said I'd trust 'em. If I won't even let them out of my sight for a few minutes, I'm really terrible at this whole trusting thing.

He heard the distant bark of Lesser Dog, a high pitched yip, more than anything else, and glanced up to find a pair of ears visible over a section of trees. At least they're making someone happy, he conceded. Turning toward a noise behind him, he saw Papyrus marching up toward him.

"AH, SANS, YOU HAVE FINISHED CALIBRATING YOUR PUZZLE, I HOPE? I THINK THE HUMAN IS NEAR! WE MUST IMPRESS THEM WITH OUR PUZZLE PROWESS!"

"I thought we were capturing them."

"WE ARE, BUT WE SHOULD MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION WHILE DOING SO. CAPTURING A HAPPY HUMAN WOULD BESTOW GREATNESS UPON ME… AND BY EXTENSION YOU, I THINK."

"Oh, okay."

"SHOW A LITTLE MORE ENTHUSIASM, SANS! WE WILL BE HEROES… I THINK. I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I GIVE THEM TO UNDYNE. DO YOU KNOW?"

"Uhh… no… no clue at all." Could he really tell Papyrus what needed to happen in order for a human to be of any use to them?

"FAIR ENOUGH. I SHOULD ASK UNDYNE AT THE NEXT GUARD MEETING HOW WE WILL BE THO-."

"You're invited to guard meetings? You're not actually in the guard," he pointed out, not paying attention to the part of Papyrus' sentence he had interrupted.

"I GO TO GUARD MEETINGS. GREATNESS NEEDS NO INVITATION."

Yikes, another thing he'd probably need to apologize to Undyne for. Or not. Every time the kid came through, it didn't seem like she really liked him, or even… knew who he was. He was just 'Papyrus' brother' every time she mentioned him. Does she even know my name? Why would she have forgotten? And when? It's not like we were strangers before.

"Hey, Paps, do you remember how we used to hang out with U-"

He hadn't stopped talking - not quite. But his words had slowed to the pace of a snail who would surely lose in Thundersnail. The end of Papyrus' scarf no longer rippled in the breeze, but stayed lifted off his back, twitching ever so slightly and ever so slowly.

What are they-

This one was small, but even the smallest of cracks can break a window.

The crunch of snow came from his right, and he turned to find Frisk looking even more scared than before. Blinking, he took in his surroundings. He was back in front of the ice patch, and the kid was standing before him, eyes wide and lip trembling. Logically, when confronted by a child on the brink of tears, one doesn't snap or growl, but this was a very illogical time, and so that is exactly what Sans did.

"What the hell was that for?"

They startled at his language, and he mentally cursed himself. They're still just a kid. They've got some heavy shit weighing on their mind. Just be civilized for a second.

I - I can't do it, Sans. I failed; I… The rest of their words were lost in a flurry of trembling hands, and he reached out to calm them, trying not to react to their flinch.

"Woah, kiddo, calm down. What are you talking about?"

I killed Lesser Dog, Sans! I was just petting and petting them and there was just this feeling of rage. It came out of nowhere, Sans. I was happy and having fun and then I just… It felt like I had to. There was this voice, Sans. Right before I did it, the voice screamed in my head, "Enough!" I couldn't stop myself, Sans, I couldn't!

Tracks of tears were running down their face, already crystallizing in the bitter cold. If Sans knew Frisk - and he was pretty sure he did… somewhat - he knew that they could never be so emotional during a lie. If there was one thing he had learned from his life, it was how to tell a lie, and the kid had always been terrible at it. "Hey, kid, it's okay… well, it's not, but just, uh… stop crying, maybe?"

Sans, they're back and I can't stop them. How are we going to get to the surface? What if I reset and kill everyone? What if I-

"Kid, you did it before, and you can do it again. We're counting on you to, and, y'know, you don't want to let us down, right?"

It's been so long, Sans. I don't know if I remember how. I'm out of practice in blocking them, and after the time on the surface, they just sort of faded into the background. But now they're back and I don't know what to do.

"Well, for starters, you could rethink answering my question. How did this even happen in the first place?"

They took a deep breath, shuddering in the chilled air. I - I erased the world.

Okay, so maybe not the answer he was expecting. Frozen with shock and confusion, he didn't even reply, instead opting to stare blankly at the kid.

They weren't in my head the first time. It was only after I came back and… killed everyone. They offered me a way out of what I did. They offered to help me erase the world. But it wasn't an offer, Sans. They wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. So I did it. And everything went black and I was scared and I just wanted to see you or Papyrus or anyone because it was dark and I was so alone.

They mocked me. They questioned me. But in the end they made a real offer: the world for my soul. I couldn't just leave you all to rot in whatever twisted end that was - I couldn't, Sans. And now they're here… they're a part of me. My soul belongs to them.

"Wow, kid, that's, uh.. I don't even know what to say about that. I mean… wow."

I know it's a lot, Sans, but you're really not being any help here.

"Okay, okay, fair enough. Um, so there's no way to get rid of them, then. I mean, selling your soul is kind of a huge deal. So I guess you'll just have to re-learn your blocking techniques or… whatever you call them."

That could take a long time, Sans!

"Not like anybody but me'll remember it. And there doesn't seem to be another option here, does there?"

Will you help me? You can keep an eye on me, right? You can stop me before I do anything bad?

"Um, that's, uh, a lot to ask," he said, scratching the back of his skull. "I'm not just constantly following you… I have jobs, you know."

They didn't even have to speak; their glare implying everything he needed to know. Jobs were apparently not a valid excuse if your break times added up to more time than you were required to work.

"Okay, yeah, I'll watch out for you. Remember what I said: I'll keep an eyesocket out for ya… I've said that, right?"

They gave in and let a small smile creep across their face as they nodded. Thank you, they signed.

"No problem kid. I couldn't just give you the cold shoulder, now could I?"

They simply rolled their eyes and walked away.

The timeline seemed to progress without a hitch, after that. Frisk solved puzzles, Sans messed them up, and Papyrus complained about both of them. Despite what he had said, eventually Sans grew tired of watching the kid's every move, and since he hadn't explicitly promised them, he decided it would do no harm to wander out in the forest for a while. It was as he was walking in a part of forest close to the edge of Snowdin Town that he heard them.

"Mo-om! I just wanna go play with the others!"

"You've been getting in too much trouble lately! I don't want you around other kids; they'll just influence those bad decisions more!"

"That skeleton brought me back once, mom. That's hardly trouble. I promise I'll be good and careful; can I just go?"

"Fine, but remember that the Timekeeper is watching you!"

There was the sound of a door shutting and rapid footsteps approaching, accompanied by a loud, "Whatever!"

The owner of the voice burst through the trees ahead of him, and Sans called out, "Hey, kid."

They turned to look at him and froze for a second. "Aw c'mon! I wasn't even doing anything!"

"You aren't in trouble; I just want to know what you were talking about."

"What? With my mom?"

"Yeah. Who's the 'Timekeeper'?"

"That? That's just some stupid story she told me when I was little. Did your mom never tell you it? 'The Timekeeper is watching you, '" they repeated, their voice an octave higher than before. " 'The Timekeeper knows what you're doing all the time, no matter where you are! You can't hide your choices from the Timekeeper!' Man, it might have scared me when I was five, but it's just a little kid story now."

"But who are they?"

"Man, I dunno! They're just the Timekeeper. Stupid name anyway, if you ask me. Can I go now? My friends are waiting for me."

"Yeah, sure. Thanks," Sans mumbled, waving him away. The Timekeeper… someone who sees your every move and action… weird. Seems like they should be called the spacekeeper, or the consequence giver, or something. But, why have I never heard of this? That kid acted like everyone knew about the Timekeeper… but if that were true, I'd have heard it, whether myself or through Paps. It sounds almost like they gave Karma a different name and made it into a person or something.

Something felt off about the word, like it was foreign to his tongue no matter how many times he said it. "Timekeeper," he muttered again. "What a miserable existence that would be." Of course, it was pretty close to his own existence, he realized. The only difference was that he was full of guesses and inferences, whereas this 'Timekeeper' really knew what was going on. If they were a keeper of time, they could probably see into other timelines, too. If only he could meet them…

If only they existed. Geez, what is wrong with me? Fantasizing about meeting a figment of folklore? I have reached a new low, here and now.

"HUMAN," Papyrus' voice sounded in the distance. "ALLOW ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOME COMPLEX FEELINGS…"

Sans made his way to the tree line, tucking himself into the shadows to watch. He cursed the town's eternal winter for the blizzarding snow that obscured his view, leaving only shadowy forms to play out the scene in front of him. He was unsure of how many times he had watched this, of how many times fear gripped his soul and rendered him useless, but he couldn't just not watch. He had to be there for Papyrus. He had to have Papyrus near. No matter what Frisk chose, he had to be there, whether 'there' was the celebration of a new friend or his brother's last moments.

He could hear Papyrus vocalizing his inner conflict as he tossed bone attacks their way. Sans often wondered what would happen if Papyrus went all out in battle, but he supposed he'd never find out. The closest he had seen was when Undyne and him sparred, but even then, it looked like he was holding back. If only he wasn't so innocent all the time, if only he would just assume the worst once in a while, maybe he'd be a force to be reckoned with instead of a clown for their entertainment.

"NYOO HOO HOO," Papyrus' voice filled the air again. "I CAN'T EVEN STOP SOMEONE AS WEAK AS YOU."

But you could. If you just tried, you could. Maybe not everyone deserves to be spared, he thought. But he knew that didn't apply here. There was only one way for them to get to the surface: the kid had to live. If they died, they'd just try again. There was no way to take their soul. And even if trapping them in an endless cycle of death seemed appealing at times, even if he knew getting to the surface wasn't even half the battle for happiness, he couldn't deny everyone else that hope and freedom.

Sighing, he followed Papyrus back to their house, trailing Frisk once again. He holed up in his room, avoiding crossing paths with either of them. As he listened to faraway voices becoming friends, he sank further into his bed, drawing the blankets up around him. He lay there for a while, staring at the wall, and couldn't even be bothered to rouse himself to play some incidental music for Papyrus. The kid had asked him to help them, to watch them, to stop them, but what did it matter? If they made a mistake they could fix it far easier than he could. It wasn't like they needed him at all. He sighed again, slowly. He had given up a long time ago, but every time they reset, he had to act like he cared all over again. It was exhausting, to say the least.

He heard laughter and joyful tones in voices that taunted him from downstairs. Why did they get to be so happy? How could they be so happy? Did their guilt not affect them? Do they think that making friends with them again is more than enough to make up for what they did? Do they not realize that becoming friends again is only what they owe them, not what they can do for them?

"IF YOU'VE FINISHED LOOKING AROUND, WE COULD GO IN AND DO WHATEVER PEOPLE DO WHEN THEY DATE."

I guess it doesn't hurt to see Papyrus kinda happy. Even if he feels inadequate, it's better than the alternative. It's better than seeing him the morning after a long night at Grillby's, and it's better than seeing him dead. Does he even know what he's doing, capturing a human? Does he even care about seeing the surface? He might be the only person I know besides myself who is perfectly content just staying down here. But it'd be easier to want to stay if Frisk was gone.

It was a cruel thought, sure, but it was true. He had seen what the surface was like, and it wasn't a much happier place than the Underground. His life down here had been fine until Frisk came along, trapping them all in this endless cycle. But everyone else still saw the surface as a paradise to escape to - their rightful place that they would reclaim. He couldn't change everyone's minds, so why bother changing anyone's?

"SHALL WE START THE DATE?"

If it made Papyrus happy, he could pretend to be okay, he supposed.

"HUMAN, THERE IS NO NEED TO ENGAGE A FIGHT. THAT IS NOT HOW DATING WORKS. HERE, I HAVE ACQUIRED A DATING RULEBOOK. LET US READ IT."

If it meant he could become friends with Frisk again, he could help move things along, he figured.

"HUMAN, ACCEPT MY MERCY AND LET US HAVE THAT DATE."

"HUMAN?"

"WELL, I CAN'T SAY I EXPECTED THAT. HUMAN LOVE CUSTOMS ARE QUITE… VIOLENT. BUT I KNOW IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOUR TRUE FEELINGS CANNOT BE HIDDEN IN MY PRESENCE. I HOPE THIS OUTCOME DOES NOT DISTRESS YOU TOO GREATLY. MONSTERS ARE NOT ACCUSTOMED TO SUCH ACTS. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT."

Not their fault? What's not- no. No, no, no, no. He leapt out of bed, throwing blankets haphazardly to the floor and bolting out the door. By the time he opened Papyrus' bedroom door, the only thing to greet him was a small child covered in dust and a red scarf.

He felt his left eye flare up, magic crackling through the air, and was ready to summon the blasters when the world slowed again. He and Frisk locked eyes, each one staring the other down with a wild emotion in their gaze. He didn't know what to make of their expression. It was sorrowful and bored at the same time, horrified and apathetic in the same look.

And then he was back in the forest, hearing a distant cry of, "Mo-om!"

This time, he sought the kid out, intercepting them as they turned away from the ice-wolf.

"Really, kid?"

I'm sorry, Sans, but I think this is going to be a long ride.

Somewhere, the split was jagged and long, and a flash of lightning against a sunset sky came to mind.