Chapter 11: Fallen

He is shocked. Since the first human child passed away there was never any need for tears only apathy yet when she dies it hits him hard.

Tears fall down his cheeks. He wishes the human would use their power to go back in time just so he can save her in time.

His heart beats erratically. Only when she is gone can he admit that he might have returned her feelings but it's all in the past.

Her soul will slowly turn into dust. It's a rather painful death for a boss monster and he doesn't wish that kind of pain on anyone.

He gets to his feet maybe if he tells Aster, his father can create an antidote. If he asks that human maybe she'll comply.

Would he remember how to make the antidote in time to save her though? There was still some memories that remained intact through every reset.

He knew humans had the ability to go back in time. Sans had suspected it at one point but there had been no evidence that Chara had the ability. Even now he still had no evidence proving that humans could do so but he had a feeling it was true. It was almost an instinctive thought that was pushed to the back of his mind.

It's when he's heading back to Snowdin that he spots a familiar white skeleton wearing a white lab coat heading inside Grillby's.

'Aster?'

He follows his father into the pub and notices Asgore sitting at the front table on one of the bar stools.

"Hey!"

Asgore looks around for the person they're talking to.

"Hey! I'm talking to you," he grumbles darkly before he forcibly turns Asgore around.

The king's eyes widen as he takes in the skeleton.

"Aster? You look a little pale, are you alright?" Asgore asked.

"I guess you think you're really clever, don't you?"

The atmosphere grew very chilly. Something was very wrong.

"What are you talking about?"

Asgore looked very confused.

"How can you be so selfish? You've taken everything away from me after I slaved hours serving you."

"Are you alright? If I did something wrong..."

"SHUDDAP!"

Sans sees he has conjured an orange fireball in his right hand. He sees Aster punch Asgore through the chest. His hand going right through Asgore's body.

Asgore is pale green his eyes frozen in horror.

His body instantly crumbles to dust.

Aster chuckles with mad glee.

"That's what you get for crossing me."

He turns and his eyes widen at the appearance of Sans.

"It's nice to see you again, you little brat. Can you stop me now or are you too boneless?"

He walks out the door bumping intentionally into Sans.

'What was that?' Sans thought.

Asgore couldn't really be dead could he? Maybe this was just a horrible nightmare.

"Oh my g-d, did you see that? The royal scientist just killed the king."

"Did you see his face though? Don't you think he was a little creepy."

The air felt suffocating and suddenly Sans felt he had to leave. Surely his father hadn't killed the king. He never left his lab for anything unless it was a specific request from the king.

There was no way the king had requested for Aster though. Didn't the king usually take a day off?

He runs quickly to his father's lab in Hotland.

"Hey Sans," a raspy old voice comes from behind him.

Sans turns and sees Gerson calling out to him.

"Come by and see me later when you have some time. I want to talk to you."

The brisk run takes a toll on him. He's panting heavily clutching on to his chest before he's coughing harshly.

There's a pain in his larynx and deeper into his chest.

Sans distantly wonders how it feels to die.

When he comes home, he knocks intently on the door to his father's lab.

"Dad?"

His father opens the door. Sans immediately notices that he doesn't look as pale as he did in Grillby's.

"Hey Sans, why do you look so glum?"

Sans chuckles. He feels a little relieved that his father is calling him by his name. This other Aster that he met in the pub didn't even acknowledge his existence almost like he loathed his own son.

"Are you feeling alright? You look a little pale," He said softly.

"I'm fine."

Sans walks to the kid's room. He's in time to hear his mother's series of coughs. He gazes at the child with hallow eyes.

"What's going on?" He asked.

Stephanie's eyes widen in fear. This is the first time his eyes are accompanied by this deep intimidating voice. It causes chills to creep up her spine.

"Sans, what's the big idea? Can't you see the human is still trying to recover?" Arial snapped.

"Mom, the queen is dead."

She gasps, her hands reaching up to cover her mouth.

"OH MY G-D! What happened?"

"She was sick. The human made her sick."

"I'm not sick," Stephanie snapped.

She couldn't be sick. If she was sick she would die. This virus they had been exposed to would inevitably kill them but it was too fast. There was so many things she wanted to do. She wanted to explore the world with her uncle but now she might not even do that.

Stephanie hoped that ignoring it would make it go away. Now it only seemed too real.

"You are and unless we can acquire an antidote everyone is gonna turn to dust."

"Dust?"

"It's death for monsters."

Her heart hammered quickly in her chest, her throat tight.

"Stop it, Sans. That's enough. You're making the human upset."

"Do you know the lives at stake?" Sans asked.

"I know that. It doesn't make it right for you to snap at the human though," Arial said.

"What do you know about this illness?"

"I-I-"

Sans lunged for her, pulling on the collar of her shirt.

"You either tell me or I'll let the king kill you himself."

"Sans, knock it off."

"I don't know. Everyone who is sick dies. Some die within minutes. My uncle says that people sometimes get the madness minutes before they die. It causes them to go on a violent rampage."

"What? Sans, listen. Human, did you say that humans who are exposed to this disease turn violent?"

Stephanie nodded.

"Could it be safe to assume that a monster can be affected in the same way?"

"You mean I spread the virus? I thought viruses only can travel through blood but you don't have blood."

Sans frowned.

"It's possible that the virus attacks proponents that make up the building bones of magic."

'Meaning that the element responsible for magic is also present in humans and the virus may in fact be targeting the source of the magic which is in the soul though it makes no sense that a human soul can possess magic without being comprised of it.'

"Do you think it's possible to make an antidote?" Arial asked.

"Yes," He said. "It isn't a problem. You should check on dad. He's been in the lab nearly all day."

Arial glanced at Sans with narrow eyes before she got up to leave the room. Only when she was gone did Sans speak.

"Sorry about before," he said. "Look kid, I know we've got on the wrong foot but I have something to ask you."

"Alright."

"There is a chance that I'll die before I create the antidote. If that happens I want you to use your ability to go back in time to fix it."

"I-What are you talking about?" Stephanie asked.

"As humans you seem to have the ability to go back in time to make different decisions to influence the outcome of the events. I'm sure if you wish hard enough the same will also happen to you."

"What if I don't succeed?"

"You'll succeed. You have nothing more to lose other than your life and that's already been doomed from the start."

"How far would I go back? It would mean nothing if the same thing happens again."

"There is the chance that some memories will slide into the next timeline," Sans said. "I have memories of the previous timeline. It is possible I could change history."

"What if it don't work?"

"As long as you try it'll work."

Stephanie took a deep breath.

"I'm counting on you, kid."

'Everyone's counting on you. I might not make it in time, but there will be a timeline where we will succeed.'

He leaves her to her thoughts before heading out.

"Where are you going so late in the evening?" Arial asked.

"I'm heading to Gerson's place don't worry I'll be back before dinner," Sans said.

"Can you pick up Papyrus from school?"

"Alright."

Before Sans picks up Papyrus from school however he stops by Gerson's house. Knocking intently on the door, Gerson eagerly answers. His eyes widen at the sight of Sans.

"Sans, you're here."

"You look surprised."

Sans is dreading what he's going to hear.

"To be honest I was a little worried that you wouldn't make it," he said. "There's been news that your father has assassinated the king."

Sans is silent. His father couldn't have possibly done something like that could he?

"Sans are you listening to me, kid. Snap out it," He said shaking the skeleton senseless. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"It's nothing," he said. His father couldn't have possibly been that cruel could he?

Suddenly he falls to his knees and bursts into a coughing fit.

"Sans what's the matter?"

Sans sighs.

"We have larger things to worry about. If I don't do something every monster will die unless I can make an antidote in time."

"You mean you're sick?"

Sans nods.

"I think I can make the antidote but it won't be enough to save everyone. It wouldn't matter though if someone had the ability to change everything. There might be a chance that this won't happen maybe I'll have some memory of everything that's happened."

Gerson looked at Sans with an eye raised.

"What are you dabbling on about?" He asked.

"Y'know I have a theory. I can't prove it to you of course but humans have the ability to travel through time."

Gerson turns away. Sans notices that the tortoise doesn't meet his eyes.

"Interesting theory," Gerson said. "I've finished a book not too long ago. It might be useful for your little project. I've read that the boxes littered around the towns and villages aren't effected by time travel in theory."

"I guess it's worth a shot."

Gerson chuckled mirthlessly.

"I thought it might be useful to you."

Sans gets to his feet.

"Well, I must be going. I can afford to be late picking up my lil' brother."

"Be careful alright."

Sans heads towards the school. Papyrus is already outside waiting for him.

"SANS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" He asked. "WHERE'S MOTHER?"

"She's busy."

Another episode of coughs wracked Sans' body. Papyrus saw his body flicker in and out of his vision.

"SANS ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Papyrus asked, his eyebrows knit in concern.

He reached for his brother's shoulder.

"I'm fine," Sans snapped. "Don't touch me."

"ALRIGHT GROUCHYBONES," Papyrus said, his jaw bent into a frown.

The two walked a fair distance from each other though Papyrus didn't notice his brother avoided his gaze.

When they finally arrive at the lab however everything is quiet.

Sans knocks on the door to his father's room.

"Dad, can I borrow a syringe?"

"Certainly," he said opening the door and handing his son a syringe. "What are you going to use it for?"

"It's for a blood sample." He said.

Aster closed the door.

"MOM?" Papyrus called out. Sans' eyes darted towards the bedroom where the child was staying at.

"Papyrus... is... that... you?" she inquires weakly.

"MOM, WHAT'S WRONG?"

Sans runs into the room. The white in his eyes is small. Stephanie thinks it's the first time she's seen this expression. He looks shocked by the sight.

He stares into her glassy eyes. It's not an expression that is associated with a skeleton. His mother however was never born a skeleton. She was half revenant and half skeleton. A revenant's body was mostly comprised of black magic and the bones outside the body acted more like a skin.

Skeleton monsters however had the lowest life span of all the monsters in the underground due to the accessibility of their soul easily seen through layers of bones. Any attack could easily shatter their soul. The souls of revenants however were buried beneath the dark magic that made up their bodies.

He'd never told Papyrus that. His brother retained most of his mother's skeletal body where as Sans had retained his father's. Unlike his mother, Aster was a revenant with very little similarities to a skeleton monster. The tiny white specks in their eyes was the source of a revenant's emotions.

Arial chuckled.

"I'm sorry you had to see me like this," She said.

Sans walks up to the human's bedside.

"I need to borrow your arm, kid."

"DON'T SAY THAT. MONSTERS ONLY SAY THAT WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO PASS AWAY," Papyrus snapped.

Stephanie offered her arm to Sans.

"This is going to hurt but it's the only way," Sans said.

Stephanie winces as Sans pokes her arm with the needle.

"Papyrus, can you comfort her?" Sans asked.

Papyrus walks next to the human and strokes up her arm.

Blood fills the syringe. After that Sans pockets the syringe.

"You don't have to look at it that way if it makes you feel better. Just imagine I'm going to heaven or something. I heard it's warm up there. At least that's what the humans claim."

Sans sees her hands begin to dissolve into dust.

"Let's go. You shouldn't see this," He said leading Papyrus out of the room.

Stephanie is left to see Arial fade to dust.

Once Sans leaves the room with his brother. He knocks on the door of his father's room.

"Dad?"

"Sans is that you? Come in."

Sans brings Papyrus inside unsure whether he should leave his brother while he's alone. He sees Aster hovering over his lab equipment testing some volatile fluids.

Something is very disheartening and quiet about the atmosphere. It's very unsettling.

Aster looked up from what he was doing noticing Papyrus there for the first time.

"Sans, what's Papyrus doing down here?" he asked. "You know it's dangerous for a boy like him."

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him."

At his station, Sans takes out the syringe full of blood and pushes some out on a petrie dish. There's a microscope next to him. He places the petrie dish under the microscope.

Glancing at it under the microscope Sans casts a tiny ball of flame on his fingers and moves it close to the blood.

The blood bizarrely moves closer to the flame.

"I knew it."

"SO WHAT ARE YOU DOING SANS?"

Sans explained the virus to Papyrus.

"I figure with some magic I might be able to conjure some kind of virus eating bacteria that can eat up the virus. I've worked with human blood before and I've been able to analyse some of the bacteria that grows on their dead body. I think the virus is pretty strong though so maybe a kind of magical layer might be enough to distract it."

Once Sans finishes his work, Papyrus marvels at it's green tinge.

"YOU'RE FINISHED?" Papyrus asked.

"Yes, at least in theory."

Suddenly Sans was overcome by a series of coughs.

"Sans are you alright over there?" Aster asked.

"I'm fine." He said. Sans tugs on his brother's pants.

"Papyrus, can you do me a favor?" Sans whispers softly. "There are boxes scattered around here that are different from regular boxes. Can you place the vial into one of them?"

Papyrus looked as though he were going to refuse but there was something in his brother's voice that sounded final.

"WHY? WHAT'S THE MATTER? YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DIE TOO ARE YOU?"

"I'm fine. I just don't think I'll make it all the way. I'll be fine as long as I'm off my feet. Whatever happens to me don't tell dad, no matter what."

Papyrus frowned but nodded. He left leaving Sans by himself.

Sans got to his feet and headed out of his father's room back to the child's room.

"So you made the antidote?" Stephanie asked.

"Yeah."

"Do you still want me to return?"

"How do you think my brother will feel when I'm gone? Do you think he'll be able to cope with losing two of his family members?"

His words aren't laced with sarcasm but it doesn't make it any less sad. He's asking her a genuine question.

"Your brother. He's a little young isn't he?"

"Yes."

"If I had a sister, I wouldn't want her to feel sad either."

"I see then the answer is obvious."

"Do you want me to do it now?"

"No, I'll wait until my brother returns."

It's when Papyrus returns that Sans turns to dust. The last thing Sans sees is tears and he proposes he isn't going to make his brother sad anymore.

Many timelines flow by, each time the antidote fails. Sometimes everyone makes it a little longer but inevitably they all die.

When she opens her eyes again after another failed timeline, Toriel is standing at the entrance of ruins looking very happy.

"Oh my, you poor child. You must have been so scared. Are you alright?"

Stephanie cries before she embraces her.

Toriel rubs circles on her back.

"You look like you've just seen a ghost. Come along dear."

She holds out her hand which Stephanie eagerly holds on to. Every time she goes back, she's always felt so lonely. She's always ashamed when Toriel dies yet despite the fact she wants to avoid her, Toriel always welcomes her and Stephanie can't say no.

"I had this feeling that there would be a child that would drop down in the ruins but I never expected it to be true," She said. Toriel introduces her to the monsters in the ruins. She tries not to get too close in case she gives them her ailment.

Eventually Stephanie is outside her home. She decides to stay a little longer this time. Sans could wait to try out the antidote. Every timeline he tries to antidote and they are not any closer to discovering the cure.

Her ailment is the only thing that isn't reversed when she travels to the past. She feels like she's growing mad.

Toriel shows her to her new room. She always gives Stephanie that room next door to her bedroom. It's the only constant throughout the timelines.

Stephanie collapses on the bed for a tiny nap. She awakes from a fitful sleep. Toriel is sitting on a chair at her bedside like a guardian angel.

The next morning Stephanie heads to the living room only to see Toriel dressed in a white apron covered in paint. Her brush runs over the canvas that is hung on a wooden easel.

"Hello my child."

"What are you doing?"

"Painting. Do you love to paint? I had a feeling that you might. The library in Home has plenty of books on it so I thought I'd try it myself. Do you wanna try?"

Her father also painted. How could she have possibly have known that if she hadn't told her?

'Is she taunting me? Is she blaming me for what happened to her?'

"NO!"

There are tears in the corners of her eyes. She feels her chest constrict.

"Child, are you alright?" Toriel asked stepping closer to Stephanie.

"Knock it off. Stay away from me!" She snapped.

Stephanie wanted to stay because Toriel made her feel cherished. She didn't want to remember her sickness, she didn't want to have to leave even if it meant Toriel getting sick. Toriel made her feel loved but now even that was gone.

Stephanie heads to bed. It's a fitful sleep. She hates it here. At least on the surface she has people who love her there. On the surface she has a clean bed, a new set of clothes and a bathroom.

"No," She said with a frown. "The bed is uncomfortable."

"I made some cider and some pie. I saved you a piece."

Stephanie frowned before she turned her nose up at it.

"I don't like this place. I want to go home."

"Are you alright?" Toriel asked reaching for the human's shoulder.

She flinched.

"Quit being so nice to me. I know you don't mean it," Stephanie snapped.

"Alright," Toriel said softly.

Every day she was in the underground, Toriel had dropped by her room and Stephanie ignored her.

She anticipated the day that Toriel would leave.

'One day she'll give up on me. It's probably better she do it now before she dies.'

One day however Toriel didn't appear. It was a little unnerving not to hear the tiny creak of her door opening as she came inside.

'I guess she's gone. Well, it's better this way.'

Stephanie removed the covers and headed downstairs. Her shoulders slouched.

She was torn. A part of her had wanted to leave but a part of her felt guilty.

'If I leave now she will die all alone.'

When she's just about to leave she hears a frantic voice calling her.

"Oh good, I found you. I was worried you might have gotten a little lost."

Stephanie turns and her eyes widen in surprise.

Toriel is panting heavily. There is sweat beading down her head and Stephanie sees her smiling sheepishly at her.

"I know it was reckless to do something like this but I wanted to surprise you."

"How did y-?"

Stephanie felt tears falling down her cheeks.

"Did I upset you? I'm sorry my child."

Stephanie runs to her arms and hugs her.

"Are you alright?" Toriel asked. Her voice is warm and soothing.

She wants to tell her everything.

"You don't have to say anything. It must have been so painful."

Stephanie pulls away. Tears fall from the corners of her eyes.

"You die."

Toriel frowns.

"Why? How?"

"I'm sick and you become sick because of me. I'm so sorry."

"Oh, I was wondering why you always seemed so sad," She said. "You must have been so scared, so frightened."

Stephanie sees her tears.

"How can you still like me, after everything that I did?"

"How can anyone hate you after you apologised. Come along dear, I have to show you your surprise."

Stephanie is stunned at the sight of the cake on the table.

"You look surprised. Isn't today your birthday?"

"How did y-?"

"I had this dream and I just had this feeling. It's like the same feeling I had with the paint. I can't explain it."

As Stephanie eats a slice of cake, Toriel frowns.

"Are you sure that you're sick? You don't look sick."

"It takes a while."

"It's contagious so how do I know if I have it?" Toriel asked.

Stephanie tells her everything she's learned through every timeline.

"So one day you'll forget everything that has happened? How terrible."

The frown on Toriel's face drifts away and there's a hopeful smile on her face.

"How about we make it as memorable as possible then?"

Stephanie chuckled. Days passed by and eventually the love that had been freely given slowly faded away from her memories. She grew more hostile and more paranoid.

Everything had faded away until it was no longer a memory. Toriel was now a monster set on killing her just like all the other monsters she encountered.

She snuck out in the middle of the night and headed downstairs outside the door that would possibly lead her outside.