Warnings- dancetale AU, mentions of death and injury.

You woke up to your entire body hurting. You couldn't remember what had happened, not for the life of you. You remember going to New York, to audition to be in the New York Ballet… you stepped out of your taxi and…

You looked up and saw a small light, hundreds of feet in the air. You were sitting on a pile of yellow flowers, and while the aroma was quite pleasing, you had no idea how you ended up here. It was obvious you had fallen, but how? Were you dead?

"Howdy!" A friendly voice said. You spun around, but all you saw was a single yellow flower sticking out of the ground. You go to walk around it, but the voice stopped you again. "Where ya think you're going, friend?"

"Who's there?" You asked, seemingly to no one.

"Down here silly!" The voice said again. You glanced down at the flower, and are surprised to see a smiling face where the pollen should have been. "I'm Flowey, Flowey the flower!" It said, smiling at you.

"H-hello?" You told it, not sure how to feel about a talking flower.

"Oh would you look at that!" The flower said. "You're already dressed to go! How wonderful."

You look to see what you were wearing. Pink tights, a plain black leotard and ballet slippers. You felt a pang of guilt for wearing your dance shoes outside of the studio, but it didn't seem you had any options.

"Dressed for what?" You asked, still unsure of how to feel.

"For the Underground, of course!" The flower stuck his tongue out at you, making you feel even sillier.

"Um…" You stammered, not knowing what to say.

"Here, I'll give you a tutorial! Dance, human! Dance!" He cackled as his face transformed from a smile to a horrifying grimace. You barely managed to dodge the white bullets, your years of training making it easy to jump and spin out of the way.

"How horrible!" A voice said. Suddenly, Flowey was blown away by a small flame. Looking to your right, you saw a large goat monster. She reminded you of your old dance teacher, with a pair of glasses and a light pink cardigan.

"Oh my child… how awful!" She said, leading you back to her house. On the way she explained the way the Underground worked.

Along with puzzles, each monster had his or her own style of dance, and the only way to get past them was to fight or earn their respect through your own skill. You thought it was odd, dancing to solve conflicts, but you'd rather dance than fight.

Your stay with the goat monster – Toriel you learned was her name – was amazing. She taught you technique that even you had never seen before. She danced with you, spinning you around in a classic three step waltz, and really showed you the finer points of ballroom dancing. It was the most fun you had ever had dancing, because there was no pressure to be perfect. It was just for fun, something you hadn't experienced since you were young. It was perfect, and you wished it would never end…

But it was too good to be true. You told her about your dream to dance in the professional ballet, and she seemed to remember something of her own.

With a deep sigh, she led you to a set of large stone doors. She seemed reluctant, and started tearing up. She hummed a faint tune, soft and sweet. It was the same song you had been dancing to the whole time you were with her. The melody settled over your mind, running through your thoughts so you wouldn't forget them – forget Toriel.

"Past these doors lies the rest of the Underground. If you choose to leave the Ruins, I cannot guarantee you can return. These doors cannot be opened from the outside. I… while I do not want you to leave, I do want you to be able to achieve your dreams… unlike so many of us monsters. We cannot do what we dream of, being trapped under this mountain. Go, and live your dream for me." Toriel said, tears soaking into the soft fur of her cheek.

She embraced you tightly, as if this was the last time she would see you alive. The thought made your heart plummet, but you knew she was right. You needed to go and find your way home, so you could finally live your dream.

As you walked through the doors, you heard another sob before it was swept away with the chilled wind. The doors clicked shut, much more quietly than two large stone doors should have been able too.

Steeling your nerves, you realized something strange. While there was snow on the ground and the air had a definite chill, you weren't getting cold. Your slippers weren't getting wet and you couldn't see your breath.

While it was startling, you reasoned with yourself that it was just monster magic. You carefully made your way thought the snow, being careful to step over the large fallen branch that was in the way. You saw a small bridge up ahead, but the railing went across the middle rather than along the sides. As you got closer, you saw the poles of the railing were so far apart you could easily walk through without having to turn your shoulder at all.

Just as you were about to step onto the bridge, you felt your muscle tense up. You were frozen, and your heart started hammering painfully.

"Turn around… and shake… my hand." A deep voice said behind you, painfully slow. You had no control over your movement as you spun around and stuck your hand out. The figure was shrouded by shadows. All you could see was a single iris, blue and seemingly on fire.

Their hand reached out towards yours and you saw bone fingers. Just as your heart was about to explode from fear, they stepped into the light. They actually weren't scary at all, you realized.

He was shorter than you, just barely. Despite being a straight up skeleton, he had soft white lights in his eye sockets and a big friendly grin stretched across his face. He took your hand and the area was filled with a farting sound. You looked at him, shocked, before snickering. His grin widened even more at the faint sound of your laughter.

"I'm Sans. Sans the skeleton." He said, retracting his hand. "So you're a human, huh? That's hilarious." His chuckled deeply, his laugh causing you to relax a little. You told him your name, not sure how to feel around this strange being. He was wearing long, baggy pants, a baggy jacket and a hat with a pair of sneakers. He reminded you of those hip hop dancers you saw during those street dance competitions.

"Heh, well I'm too lazy for a dance off right now, but if you come across my Bro you better get ready kid. He's a dancing fanatic! Actually, I think that's him up ahead." Sans said, glancing over your shoulder. You heard a loud voice echo through the area. "Come on, follow me. There's this conveniently shaped lamp up ahead that I think you'd love."

"Nyeh heh heh!" Papyrus crowed, striking a pose. He wore tight black pants and a flowing white shirt. "Are you ready human?"

You nodded and plastered your 'performance smile' on your face. He struck another pose, this time he had one hand above his head and the other across his chest. Music began to play in the clearing, its fast guitar strumming kicking up a frantic beat.

Papyrus' dancing was a lot of sharp movements and snaps. You tried copying his motions, but you were too used to the regimented ballet form to be able to do it properly. He stomped in time and gave a flourish, looking to you expectantly.

You panicked a little, but your muscle memory kicked in. You kept with the fast beat of his music and did what you did best. You took his movements and turned them into something that was your own. His sharp movements were turned into something more elegant, his stomps turned into light touches of toes.

The skeleton joined in, taking your hand and spinning you around. Your bodies moved perfectly in time with the music, Papyrus helping you swing your hips the right way. He spun you this way and that, twisting you under his arm and twirling you back into his chest. Finally, you spun away and did a grandé jeté leap, landing in a perfect fifth position.

Papyrus watched in awe as you stuck the landing and grinned. As the music faded away, you could hear yourself panting at the effort it took to complete the challenge.

The skeleton came up to you, towering a good two feet above you. He knelt in front of you and handed you a red rose with a grand flourish.

"I, The Great Papyrus, am great enough to admit defeat! As a token of your victory, I shall give you this trophy!" He said with grandeur. You took the rose with a smile and wrapped your arms around his neck. "Oh my! Human! You are panting! Come, come rest at my home."

You followed him, letting the cold air dry your forehead. It was surprisingly normal in his house, and you saw Sans leaning up against the wall, grinning casually.

"Oh hey there bro." He dipped the brim of his cap down to you. "And human. You both look danced out."

"That we are brother! The human was a respectable adversary! Maybe even to your own caliber!" Papyrus exclaimed loudly. Sans blushed as you shot him an interested look.

"You dance too Sans?" You asked, which was a little redundant. All monsters danced, the only difference being the genre.

"Yeah but I'm not that good." He gave a sheepish smile when Papyrus threw something at his head. You saw the fork stick into the wall with fear and concern, but to Sans it appeared to be a normal day in the skeleton household.

"He is just being shy!" Papyrus exclaimed. "Sans is one of the best dancers I know! He doesn't think so though, because he's the only one to dance in that style." He said matter-of-factly.

"What do you mean the only one?" You asked, wanting to know more about the monster culture. Papyrus seemed more than happy to explain. He sat you down on the couch while Sans went into the kitchen and started clinking things around.

"There are four distinct sections of the Underground. Snowdin, Waterfall, Hotlands and the Capital. Each area has a specific type of dace that we do – kind of like different cultures. Each sections assigns a 'Master' of the area. That monster is the one that is most adept at the particular dance style." Papyrus puffed a little, a large smile on his face. "Of course, I have been the Snowdin Master for eight years in a row! No one can match the Great Papyrus's stamina, skills and excitement!"

"So each area has a special kind of dance, and that's what everyone does in that area?" You asked, trying to clarify. Papyrus nodded enthusiastically.

"Snowdin has been known for its fast tempos. Some call it "Salsa" but there really are no specific terms because every monster has their own take of the dance. Waterfall is more about footwork and kicks and the like. Hotlands is definitely Jazz, which had several styles. The Capital is much more formal, ballroom and waltzing and such."

"That's…" You were speechless. "That's amazing." You breathed. You could feel your eyes shining at the prospect of seeing all the different dances. Sans came back with some food and chucked at the look on your face.

"Here kid. Eat up and rest a while. It's gonna be tiring once you leave Snowdin." He handed you the plate and ruffled your head. You smile and take the plate, feeling at home with these two strange monsters.

You ran away, your slippers making it hard to run on the dock. Undyne was chasing after you with no hesitation. You felt a glowing spear rip through your tights. The thin fabric tore and left a huge hole on your thigh.

You were cornered. There was nowhere left to run. Turning to face the woman, you felt your face pale. Undyne really was a force to be reckoned with. Close to six feet of muscle and teeth and determination. When she cornered you, you were instantly drawn into an encounter.

She instantly started attacking, something you weren't used to. Most of the monsters were more interested in dancing and sharing stories. Only a handful actually fought.

You tried dancing, tried showing her you meant no harm. She hesitated but continued her assault. Her spear hit your side, your blood soaking your leotard. The sudden pain caused you to stumble, and there as suddenly a spear sticking out of your chest.

You gave a horrified gasp before everything went black.

"…hey!" I familiar voice was calling to you. Sitting up, you blinked and rubbed your head. You were back in Snowdin, in front of the Inn. Sans was crouching next to you, looking concerned. He put out a hand to help you up.

"H-hey Sans." You said shakily. He grimaced and started walking with you.

"Undyne I'm guessing?" he said. You nodded and he grimaced again. "You know what? I'm feeling kind of hungry. You wanna come get some food with me?"

"Um, sure." You responded, not expecting an offer for a lunch date. Sans let you to a bar next to his house called 'Grillby's'. He led you right up to the bar, and you had never seen the skeleton so at ease. Not even at his own house, you realized.

"Hey Grillbz." Sans greeted with a lazy wave. The fire monster behind the counter crackled warmly. You giggled to yourself a little at the fire pun you made to yourself. Sans just looked at you oddly but didn't question it. Looking through the menu, you order the same this Sans did, a burger and fries.

"Thanks for inviting me to lunch Sans." You said. He just shrugged and grinned.

"Eh, I figured you could use a break after what you just went through." The lights in his eyes disappeared completely, startling you. "Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about something. Undyne is… well Undyne is an enigma. Waterfall is known for its traditional dancing. Humans call it 'Irish' but us Monsters don't quite get the name.

"So anyway, Undyne was a star when she was a kid. Was the best dancer in all of Waterfall. She was destined to be the Master of Waterfall since she was a child. One day, she had a terrible accident. She couldn't do those fancy hops and jumps she was so proud of. It destroyed her, not being able to dance anymore. Asgore, the king, saw that without that, Undyne had nothing to live for. Instead of appointing her the dance Master, he trained her in combat. She completed that training with flying colors too, of course. She was made the first official member of the Guard. Because of her, any monster that cannot dance has the opportunity to do something with their lives."

"That's awful…" You said, horrified. You could never imagine your life if you couldn't do what you loved.

"That's why she's going so hard on ya." Sans said quietly. "She's jealous that you can dance and she can't. Don't take it to heart though. I've known that monster for most of her life, and she's actually pretty cool. Just…" The food came, distracting you momentarily. "Go easy on her kid."

Lunch with Sans was actually a lot of fun. He made some awful puns, but the food was amazing. All too soon, however, you were back on your way to fight Undyne. The thought of facing her spears again made your heart quicken, but you knew you needed to face her in order to make it some and reach your dream.

"I am not going to go easy on – wait… this seems familiar somehow." Undyne looked confused for a split second before grinning again and started to charge.

"WAIT!" You yelled, getting an idea on how both of you could get through this. Undyne paused, shocked that you yelled at her. "I have a proposition for you Undyne. I know why you're doing this, and I want to help."

"What are you talking about?" She growled. You had to keep yourself from flinching at the tone of her voice.

"I know that you were hurt, and can't do jumps anymore. Well, I have an idea." You said quickly, wanting to get her attention before she decided to attack again.

"Go on…" She said stiffly, her spears disappearing.

"I-it's something I learned at school." You said, preparing yourself for a performance. "It's called lyrical dance. It's a lot of symbolic movements rather than definite, regimented steps. I… I think you could have a lot of fun with it." You were so nervous. One wrong word and you were sure she would stab you through the heart again.

"Symbolic movement?" She asked skeptically.

"Yeah! Say the music has a swell. You could do a lot with your arms and upper body. When the music gets soft you do soft moves. When the music picks up you get more energetic. You tell a story rather than just dance." You could feel your palms sweat under her intense stare. Undyne glared at you for a few more seconds, and you were sure you were as good as dead.

Suddenly, she bursts out laughing, her throaty cackling echoing loudly through the cave. She wiped a tear from her good eyes and grinned down at you.

"You're not so bad kid." She said, her armor magically disappearing. Honestly, it wasn't the most shocking thing you've seen on your adventure so far. "Yeah, I was hurt pretty badly when I was younger, but I managed to recover. Between you and me, I faked being extra hurt for a long time. I never really liked dancing, especially the Waterfall kind. It just… never fit me.

"When the king started training me in combat, I finally found something I was good at that I actually liked doing! He caught on pretty soon though. I thought he was going to kick me out for lying about it, but he was actually really understanding! He told me I could keep working with the Guard and they would find another Master for Waterfall." She said with a grin. "The fact that you were willing to make up an entirely new genre for me really says something about you, punk."

"Well, it's not made up-" You tried to explain, but you realized it was a lost cause trying to correct her. "I-I'm happy that you found what you loved to do." And you really were. Not everyone gets the chance to find what they're good at. Undyne somehow grinned wider and messed your hair up with her fist.

"Since we're here, you might as well show me what you got!" She said loudly. She definitely reminded you of Papyrus. You took a deep breath and performed your audition routine, making sure every step was flawless.

"Now darling, can you handle this?" You were exhausted. Mettaton was definitely a force to be reckoned with. While jazz tended to be close to ballet in form, Mettaton's jazz was so much faster than you were used to.

His feet moved at a thousand miles per second, going from a turn to a piqué to an attitude in eight counts. Honestly, he was one of the best dancers you've seen. The energy, the passion… it almost rivaled your own.

He started a new challenge combination. Step right, immediately into an attitude as you turned. He did a trick step, switching his weight from his right foot to his let so he could do a layout.

You copied his challenge perfectly, adding your own flare to it, pointing your toes and doing the turn with a relevé rather than a flat foot. You gracefully copied the trick step and did a perfect layout, holding your core so tightly you didn't even shake a little.

Mettaton took a step back, letting you show your challenge combination. Boré, changement, chassé, pas de bourrée. A simple combination really. It was something you learned back in your Ballet 3 class as a child, but you were running low on energy.

The robot was able to copy you with ease, adding extra hip and sass to each movement. He must have seen what state you were in, because he paused.

"We can't have a true dance battle on LIVE TELEVISION with one competitor unable to dance! That would simply kill ratings! We will have an intermission." He clapped his hands twice and suddenly the lights went dim.

He walked over and handed you a water bottle and a towel. You accepted gratefully and drank half of it on three gulps.

"You're doing quite marvelously out there darling! Where did you learn to move like that?" He didn't sound winded in the slightest, but you guessed that's what you got when you were a robot. You wiped your mouth and regulated your breathing, just like you were taught.

"I've been dancing my whole life actually. I started when I was three years old." You said proudly. His eyes widened in shock.

"My, my, my! That's quite impressive! The only thing that's more impressive is how easily you beat my challenges." Mettaton said with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"Well, I took a few years of jazz when I was a teenager. I've found that the moves and the movements are similar to ballet. I … well I actually liked jazz better than ballet." You said with a smile. "I liked the fast paced music and movements a lot more than the methodical ballet moves. But there's no New York City Jazz." You laughed, but Mettaton didn't seem to understand the joke. He chuckled lightly though, and took a step back.

"Well, darling, ready to go again?" He asked, clapping his hands to turn the lights back on without waiting your response. You felt the energy return to your legs as the music started up again. With a grin and a pose, Mettaton started the challenges up again.

His next combination was even longer and more difficult than any of the previous ones. You made the smallest mistake – you landed on your right foot instead of your left – and a bomb exploded next to you.

You barely dodged the explosion, only to walk into another one, and another one. You were completely thrown of the beat of the song. Mettaton clapped and the explosions stopped. He came over with a wide grin.

"Darling, you couldn't possibly believe after what you told me I would go easy on you! Now, whenever you mess up, a bomb goes off! How exciting! There's no way the entire Undergound won't be watching after this!" He laughed like an anime character – probably something Alphys programed in during development.

You swallowed thickly and felt your fear skyrocket. Dancing and explosives? You took a deep breath and tried again, making sure to land every step perfectly. You didn't set off another bomb during that challenge.

You decided to up the difficulty in the next round. You gave it your all, using the most difficult combinations from your audition routine. You could see Mettaton's eyes widen as he watched your moves and felt a sense of pride.

He started the combinations with extra finesse, letting his hips swing, doing double instead of single turns. He was too cocky, and missed a step. A bomb went off to his left, causing his arm to be blown off.

You let out a cry of horror at the sight of the metal limb flying away, but he simply gave a tight laugh and posed again.

"Something like this can't keep me from impressing the masses!" He tried again, only to make another mistake. His right arm was blown off too, causing him to falter and fall to his knee. "W-who needs arms with legs like these?" He asked, pain obviously lacing his voice.

"Mettaton…" You said softly. You dropped your pose and rushed over to him. "I c-can call Alphys… or s-something." You rambled, afraid something bad would happen if he wasn't fixed soon. You rushed around, collecting the arms and the wire pieces that came loose during the explosions.

"Why are you helping me?" He asked softly. It scared you how quiet he was being.

"Because we're friends, and I can't let a friend suffer." You were frantically dialing Alphys' number. As soon as she picked up, you were babbling.

"I-I'll be there a-as soon as I c-c-can." She said and hung up quickly. You sat next to Mettaton and did what you could to help him. It was obvious he was in pain, but you did your best.

"Thank you, darling, for staying and helping me…" He said quietly. You placed your hand on his leg in a comforting manner and smiled at him.

"No problem Mettaton. I had to make sure you'd be okay. You can't dance without your arms after all." You smiled at him. Alphys finally appears, frantically fluttering around the robot, her claw delicately prodding wires and carefully picking up the metal limbs.

"Thanks f-f-for calling me. M-mettaton would h-h-have been t-toast if h-he had kept g-g-going the way he w-was." Alphys said to you, smiling shyly.

"Do you need any help?" You asked, eager to help Mettaton. Alphys just shook her head and waved you off.

"I'm f-fine. It's actually e-easier working a-alone… Besides, don't you have someone to meet up with?" she asked, as if she knew something you didn't. You looked at her, confused, but she just turned around and carried Mettaton's spare parts.

"Thank you Darling." Mettaton paused behind Alphys. "Be careful out there… not everyone will be as sweet as you… and they'll try to take advantage of you." He said, completely serious. You just nod and smile faintly at him as he walked away.

"Once you go through that door, you'll be facing the king." Sans' voice was deep and menacing. "I'm here as… a judge of sorts. I'm supposed to look back at all the things you did, all the monster you talked to, and the dances you danced, and judge you as a person." His hands were shoved deep in his pockets, eye sockets dark. The brim of his hat covered his face in a menacing shadow.

"Sans, what are you talking about?" You asked, scared. You had never seen Sans like this before, and it was honestly freaking you out.

"I mean, let's hope you didn't do anything wrong." A single blue iris burst to life, lighting up his face, making the ridges of his face sharper and more intense. Suddenly, your soul was brought out, the small heart floating towards Sans' outstretched hands.

He took your soul gently and brought it up to his face. His grin dropped and your soul was suddenly surrounded by blue fire. It didn't hurt but it was shocking to say the least. It was like he was searching for something, but his smile softened as the soul floated back into your chest. He sighed and stepped aside.

"Good job kid. You really are the most innocent being in the Underground." He said, jokingly sarcastic. "Just… be careful in there. Asgore is strong. Stronger than Undyne by a thousand times. And he isn't the dancing kind of monster either. He's going to fight, and it's going to be tough. You gotta stay determined, alright kid?" Sans said, almost pleadingly.

You felt yourself tearing up, his concern making you want to turn around and never face the monster king. Instead, you threw yourself at him, wrapping your arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. He seemed shocked, but hesitantly hugged you back.

"Thank you Sans… and if I don't see you again, thank Papyrus and everyone for me? You all helped me get to this point." You smiled at him, but his return smile seemed too tense to be completely real.

"Good luck kid…" And he was gone. Your hands dropped down as the last hint of blue magic faded from the area. You turned and face the door at the end of the hall, steeling your nerves for the final battle.

"I do not want to fight you, child, but I will do what I must to save my people." Asgore said heavily. He destroyed your mercy option, leaving you no choice but to act or fight. Out of desperation, you attacked, but you barely did ten damage to the king's almost infinite health.

Asgore struck, destroying half of your meager health in one blow. You fell to one knee, feeling yourself start to shake. He looked as remorseful as you, but that didn't stop him from attacking. You only managed to dodge another two attacks before he struck again. He left you with three health.

You tried acting, but he wasn't listening. It was like he had tuned off all moral thinking. He was in fight mode, and nothing was going to get past him. You dodged again, rolling and jamming your ankle painfully.

You let out a cry of pain, causing Asgore to hesitate, but it wasn't enough. His weapon pierced you through the chest, causing blood to trickle from your lips. You saw his face fall slightly as your vision went black.

You were back in the judgment hall, the light filtering softly through the amber windows. Sans was standing there again, his grin the farthest thing from easy going.

"Hey kid. You look like you've seen a ghost." He said with a tight smile." Asgore isn't going to be an easy battle… but you look like you already learned that."

"Sans…" You said, not sure what to say. Before you could say anything, Sans spoke again.

"But hey, it's not like you already fought him or anything." He said with a wink. You grimace but didn't correct him. "Be careful in there kid."

You felt your hands start to shake at the thought of facing the monster king again. You went to move past Sans, towards the final door. At the last second, you fell into him, letting him catch you. You were shaking too hard to walk.

"It's okay kid. Just breathe. You're strong, remember that. Look at all you've done so far on this adventure. You got this… there's nothing to be afraid of." He whispered into your ear, his deep voice calming you down greatly.

Your shaking stopped as he slowly helped you stand. You wiped your face and looked him in the eye sockets.

"Thanks Sans…" You said. He just waved you off and moved to lean up against a pillar.

"You go have fun kid. I'll just be here taking a nap." He said, sliding down to the ground and instantly falling asleep. You smiled at him and went into the throne room.

Asgore went through the same speech, asking if you were ready, really ready, to fight. He offered you a final chance to finish what you needed to. You saw his kind face flash, your memory showing the vicious face from the last fight, causing you to panic.

Blindly, you rushed out of the throne room, the scent of golden flowers disappearing as you went through the door. You let yourself take a deep breath after the door closed, only to hold it when you heard music.

Looking towards the middle of the room, you saw Sans standing dead center, hands in his pockets and hood up. His sneakered foot tapped the tiles in time with the music that seemed to come out of everywhere and no were at the same time.

He started dancing, his back still to you. He dropped down and popped back up, feet in second position. He slid his left foot into his right, bringing his arms above his head. He jumped back to second and popped his shoulders in time to the music.

He jumped with his right foot in front and did a low turn going right into an elbow pull. He did his whole dance while facing away from you. His movements were mesmerizing, so sharp and purposeful.

Papyrus was right, it really was nothing like anything in the Underground. It was hip-hop, and although you only took two years of it, a lot of his moves were very familiar to you. The music picked up speed, and Sans' moves became more frantic.

His style switched from more traditional hip-hop to break dancing. He did a one hand hand-stand and kicked his legs up high, ending the move in a spin. Somehow he managed to jump right back up and skid back on his right foot while kicking the left out.

He managed to slow the music down, his dancing slowing as well. He finally stopped, his panting the only sound in the long hallway. You started clapping, beyond impressed with his skills. He spun around and stared at you with a horrified expression.

"W-w-what are y-you-"He stuttered out, taking a step back. You saw his fear and tried giving him a comforting smile to calm him down.

"That was amazing Sans!" You cheered, taking a small step towards him. He chuckled uneasily and wiped some sweat from his forehead.

"It's nothing, um, special…" He said, looking down at his shoes.

"Why don't you ever dance in front of people?" You asked, genuinely curious why he didn't share his talent with others.

"My dancing… doesn't fit in." He said, scuffing his foot on the ground. "I don't really fit in. Skeleton monsters are a rarity, Paps being the only other one now. Pops… fell a long time ago, leaving us alone. He taught me this genre, to preserve the skeleton culture, but he left before he could teach Papyrus." He continued, looking sadder as he talked.

You moved forward, placing a hand on his upper arm in support. He sighed and smiled weakly at you.

"Most monsters don't understand why I have a different style. It… scares them? I don't know why. I guess we're just a species that can't understand change. I just… don't show anyone anymore. At this point they mostly assume I don't dance because I'm too lazy to, and I don't argue with that. It makes things easier." He said with a shrug.

"No!" You squeaked out, startling him. "I mean, you shouldn't let that stop you. From what I just saw, you're absolutely amazing. You shouldn't let a few monsters that don't understand keep you from doing what you love! Besides, if its skeleton culture, and you keep it to yourself, it'll die out completely! And wouldn't that be the worst thing to come out of it?" You continued, taking his hands.

"Heh, you think so kid?" He asked, not sounding convinced in the slightest.

"I saw the way Papyrus looked when he talked about your dancing. He looks up to you Sans. You should let him support you. Him, and Undyne and Grillby and everyone else. I'm sure they would accept you! You shouldn't have to lie to them… you deserve happiness too."

"You're pretty good at this motivational speaking thing." He said with a chuckle. He took a step back, letting his hands fall to his sides. "Maybe you're right… You would fit better as a teacher. Performing is fun an all, but you have real talent… listen kid, the king and his queen had a special song, one they would always dance too. Maybe you could convinced Asgore to go easy on you." He explained, the lights in his eyes seemed to be begging you to stay safe.

"Thank you Sans.' You said with a smile. You gave him another hug, letting him be the one to let go. You never know how badly someone needs a hug. As you pulled away, he shrugged off his jacket and placed in over your shoulders like a cape. He was wearing a large white shirt with a colorful design underneath.

"Remember us kid…" He said, but didn't explain what he meant. As soon as he said that, he disappeared completely, like the first time you talked to him in the judgment hall. A small wisp of blue magic twisted through the air and tickled your nose.

You smiled, feeling more ready to face Asgore than ever before. You turned on your heel and went through the throne room doors again. The scent of golden flowers hit you like a brick wall, making your courage disappear as quickly as it came.

Asgore turned to face you, and you wanted to run, but you needed to make it home. For Toriel, for Papyrus, for Sans and Undyne and Mettaton and everyone else.

You were brought back in front of the barrier, and your mercy option destroyed, just like the first time. You act first, telling Asgore he already killed you once.

Asgore just nodded sadly and attacked. Being a little more prepared, you dodged and managed to keep all your health. Sans' jacket almost flew off your shoulders, so you tied the arms around your neck to keep it in place.

You remembered the tune Toriel hummed throughout your stay with her. Thanks to your ear for music, you remembered it perfectly. You hummed it at first, and the light melody caused Asgore to pause.

Encouraged by his reaction, you began to sing out loud, your voice swelling and moving with the music. You began dancing, just like Toriel taught you. Asgore stopped completely when he realized what you were doing. As if in a trance, he watched you dance and sing.

"Toriel…" he whispered, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. He dropped his weapon, the metal making a horrid sound as it crashed down. Asgore fell to one knee, muttering under his breath. You stopped singing. "Child… I- I cannot excuse my behavior in any way. What I did was… monstrous. While I cannot ask you to forgive me, I can do one thing though." He looked up at you, his soft face back again. "I can offer you a home. Stay with me, I can give you a home, and all the love you could need… we could be a family…" He offered, looking at you with wide, hopeful eyes.

You were so tempted, his offering sounded perfect. You could stay in the Underground, stay with your friends… but you remembered the promise you made to Toriel. You took a step back and looked at Asgore with a tearful expression.

"I'm sorry… as much I as would absolutely love to… I made a promise, and I have to keep it." You said, a single tear dripping down your face. Asgore's expression fell, but he didn't push it. He stood, towering over you again and stepping aside.

You passed by him and gave him a smile before placing your hand against the barrier. You felt something – magic or electricity or what, you didn't know – and you were suddenly-

You woke up disoriented. There was loud beeping in your ear and a faint throbbing in your wrist. Your whole neck and back hurt like you were run over by a truck. Opening your eyes, all you saw as white. Looking around, you realized you were in a hospital.

A machine beeped, signaling someone that you were awake. Within second, a nurse came bustling in. She was tall, with a warm smile and silver blonde hair. She came over and checked a machine before turning to you.

"Hello, dear. My name is Tori. I'm your nurse. If you can bear with a few tests, we can get you some food, alright?" She asked, checking her clipboard. You nob numbly, feeling tears building in your eyes. Was it all just a dream?

"W-what happened?" You asked, your throat sore for some reason. You thought maybe it had been because of what had happened in the Underground, but what Nurse Tori said next made your heart skip a beat.

"You were in an accident… You've been in a medically induced coma for three days. It would be best for the doctor to explain the details though." She tapped something and you felt a sharp pain in your wrist. Looking down, you saw there was an IV sticking out of your skin.

Just before you could freak out and rip the IV out, another person came in the room. He was obviously the doctor, just by how he held himself. He was tall, at least six foot four. He had short blonde hair and tired looking eyes. He also had faint scars on his face, one going up over his right eye and one going down under his left.

"Hello! Good to see you awake." He said with a smile. "My name is Doctor Gaster. You had quite the accident… You are quite lucky to be alive." Your heart stopped.

"Will I be okay though? I have to be able to join the New York Ballet. I made a promise to-" You cut yourself off, realizing you would just sound crazy if you told them about your adventures. You felt tears spill over, the reality finally crashing down on you.

None of the friends you made were real. Sans, Papyrus, Undyne… even Mettaton. None of them were real, and they never were real. A sob ripped its way through your chest.

"You will recover. However, we had to do some serious surgery to enable you to be able to walk again." Gaster said with a sad smile, he handed you a tissue, and gave you some space.

"What kind of surgery?" You asked, despite having a sinking feeling that you knew what it was. There was an unnatural stiffness to your neck, as if you were wearing a brace. You tried turning your head to the side, but you found you couldn't move it more than an inch or two in either direction. Cold realization sunk in.

"We had to fuse your neck to your spine. While it saved you, it limits your movement considerably. I'm afraid it would be physically impossible to dance with the New York Ballet… I'm sorry…" Gaster said with genuine remorse.

"No… no, no, no… this can't be happening! I promised Toriel! Papyrus is counting on me to reach my dreams! I can't fail them…" Another sob broke up your words. "I c-can't disappoint them…"

"Who are Toriel and Papyrus?" Gaster asked, not as if asking an insane child about their imaginary friends, but rather like an adult asking another adult about their acquaintances.

"It's a long story…" You said sheepishly. You didn't want him to think you were crazy and send you to a psyc ward.

"We have a little time before your dinner arrives." He said warmly. "May I sit?" He asked, gesturing to the bed. You nod and he sat, the mattress dipping down under his weight.

You told him everything that happened. From waking up in the field of flowers to Flowey, to meeting Toriel. You told him about Snowdin and Waterfall and Hotlands and the capital. About Papyrus and Undyne and Mettaton and how you danced for them. About Sans, how you got him to accept a part of himself that he never wanted to accept.

You told him everything, all the details burned in absolute HD behind your eyelids. You couldn't help cry as you remembered your adventure. It was as if all your friends were dead. They couldn't really be dead, because they were never really there to begin with.

It still hurt though.

Gaster just sat there, not taking notes or psychoanalyzing you in anyway, which made you feel better. When you finished your story, Gaster made a noise in the back of his throat and excused himself, leaving you with your thoughts.

He came back a few moments later, carrying two trays. While hospital food is never good, the food on the tray seemed fairly edible. He sat back down and handed you a tray. He stared eating from the other one, which confused you at first. You realize he must be trying to make you feel more comfortable around him.

"There's something I meant to tell you, before you started telling me about your adventure. When you were brought in, your clothing was completely destroyed. When you were brought into the emergency room, the nurses found a blue jacket covering you. No one knew how it got there, but when the nurses tried removing it, you woke up.

"You said something… "Sans" I believed is what the report said you mumbled. As soon as they replaced the jacket, you fell back unconscious." He said, placing his tray aside. Moving to the other side of the bed, he opened one of the draws and pulled out a familiar blue jacket.

He handed it to you, and you could barely hold it in your shaking fingers. It was real… the fabric rough against your touch. You brought it up to your face and inhaled. Almost choking on the tears that built up at the nostalgia of the scent.

You brought it up to your cheek and snuggled your face into the fabric, letting yourself remember, not bothering to question how. You missed the doctor's knowing glance.

A slip of paper fell from the pocket. It was small, as if someone had ripped a piece of notebook paper in half. The writing was oddly squat, like an annoying font on a Word document.

Teaching would best suit your skills. Remember us, because we'll remember you.

There was no signature, but you knew exactly who had written the note. You held the note up to your chest and cried, a smile on your face the whole time.

"And a one, and a two, and a three." You counted as the girls danced down the studio. You were old now, almost sixty years have passed since your incident in the Underground. You were devastated, that's for certain, but what Sans told you reminded you of your passion.

It wasn't performing solely. It was dancing as an art. It took a while to get through rehabilitation and therapy and recovery, and it took years to save up enough to buy your studio, but in the end it was all worth it. Underground Dance Studio, run and owned by you.

You sat on your stool, watching the new generation of dancers learn and hone their skills. Sixty years since the accident, and forty-five years molding young minds.

Sans was right. Teaching definitely suited you better. You smiled to yourself as you tried to picture the condescending face he would make at you if you told him he was right. Though a lifetime had passed, the memories of the Underground were as vivid as the day you woke up in that hospital room.

One of the little girls came up to you. This was the five year old class, where they learned ballet and started learning the basics of jazz. When you opened your studio, you included all the dances you learned from your friends, and taught the children the way your friends taught you. That was one reason your studio was so popular. You had the most unique forms of dance in the world.

You turned to look at the child, wincing at the stiffness in your neck and the soreness of your hip. The years had not been kind.

"Miss? Why do you always wear that jacket?" She asked, her short hair in wild pigtails. You looked down at the worn jacket, the elbows worn almost completely through and more than a few stiches held it together. You had taken better care of it than yourself over the years.

"A very dear friend gave it to me. It gave me the courage I needed to recover from an accident and open my studio. It is my most prized possession." You said fondly. The little girl looked at the threadbare jacket with complete wonder in her eyes. "Now, back in line dear. We're learning something new today."

As she ran back to her spot, you heard a voice echo through your mind.

Don't forget us.

You just smiled and shook your head a little. You could never forget them.

The darkness was suffocating. You couldn't remember how you got there, nor where you were at all. You looked down and thought your heart was going to give out.

You held your hands out, looking at the smooth skin with awe and fear. The wrinkles, the scars, the marks… all gone. You looked around, realizing your neck wasn't stiff at all.

You looked at what you were wearing, pink tights and a black leotard. You heard a sound in front of you and looked up. The darkness started fading, showing a familiar scene. Snow, lights, a group of people.

"Welcome back human!"
"Took your time punk!"

"Welcome home child."

You took slow steps towards the group. Papyrus, Undyne, Asgore. Everyone was there. You walked right into their arms, too overwhelmed to speak.

"It's good to see you again." Sans said, smiling warmly. "Glad to see you followed my advice. You really helped those kids. You passed your talent on to other generations… now you can come home. We've been waiting for you."
"Wait, does that mean-?" You realized.

"Yeah, you finished your time with the humans, and now it's our time to love you." Sans said, gently punching you in the arm.

You were home.

Dancetale! This is actually the story (Kind of) of my own dance teacher. She was destined to dance in New York but was in an accident. They had to fuse her neck to her spine, destroying that dream. Instead, she opened her own studio and to this day is still doing what she loves. She turns ninety this year, and is going for hip replacement surgery next month. Better believe that isn't slowing her down in the slightest.

I'm so glad there was so much feedback for this chapter already! I didn't know dancetale was such a popular AU! I wish I could have written out the dance scenes a little better, but even though I've been dancing for sixteen years, I barely know any actual terms. Also, it's easy to just write the names down. It's nigh impossible to write them out so someone reading could picture the movements at all… so I'm sorry if the dance scenes seem… fake?

This is definitely the longest chapter (Over 8k words!) and I don't think there will be any as long as this for a while, but the chapters will definitely be coming out a little faster because my spring break started today!

I took a few liberties with the AU. I don't know everything about it, other than Mettaton being jazz, Papyrus being latin and Sans being hip hop. I worked with the dance genres I know best to make it seem like I know what I'm talking about.

This really doesn't follow the average format, but overall is does kind of. The reader cannot dance, and therefore is heartbroken. Sans' advice gave them the courage to keep going to do what they loved to do for the rest of their lives. I think it's pretty hurt/comfort.

If you have any questions about chapters – like if something happened that I didn't explain or plot points I never actually tied up, questions about life, etc don't hesitate to message me! If you need advice or just want to talk, I'm here.

I think that's about it for now.

Until next time!

~Starlight