Chapter 25: Stanley and Tommy
Early the next morning, Aster took Skelesus up to the king's castle.
"Skelesus, stay here and be a good boy alright?"
The skeletal horse remained outside the castle as Dr Aster stepped inside.
Asgore was watering the golden flowers in his throne room.
"Your majesty."
He turned and looked surprised to see Aster there.
"Wing Ding, what are you doing here?"
"There's a matter that I want to look into. I need information on a monster by the name of Blah."
"There's no need. This monster happens to be a part of the Underground newspaper. He works with his assistant, Tootie at the Delta Office. Did you need to talk to him?"
"Yeah."
"Usually he's busy scouring the underground for news. You might want to try talking to his assistant."
"His assistant? Let me guess he's at the office?"
"She."
"Oh lovely," Aster said. "Where's their office?"
Asgore gave him directions.
"So it's in Hotland. Good."
He headed to the elevator.
"You can use the elevator but it's hard to get to the city by foot. It's probably best if you brought your horse."
"Oh good idea."
With that Aster headed back to where his horse was and boarded it riding it back to Waterfall. Eventually he arrived outside the Delta Office parking his horse before heading inside.
Behind the desk inside was a blue monster with four fingers. The fingernails on her hands were all painted a ruby red color.
"Can I help you?"
"Yes, I needed to speak with Blah but I heard you were available to speak with."
"What can I do for you?"
"Blah is your boss right? I heard he made a report on the local meat factory."
"Yes, what about it?"
"I can't let you do that."
"Oh? Why?"
"I can't tell you that."
"Then I don't see why we can't."
"If you don't-"
"Is that a threat?"
"No."
"Ah rats. If it were a threat I would have been lookin' forward to kickin' your ass with my finger arts."
Blah marched in spotting Dr Aster talking with Tootie.
"Tootie, did someone wish to see me?"
Dr Aster whirled around to see Blah standing behind him. He was a green monster with one leg and a big face with a mouth with sharp teeth.
"Yes."
"You are the royal scientist, yes?"
"You made a report on the meat factory did you not?"
"I did, what's it to you?"
"Why?"
"I've been investigating the disappearances of monsters who have mysterious vanished from the underground."
"You mean like fallen down?"
"No, there's no traces of these monsters' existance at all. My leads lead me straight to that factory so I did a little investigating. I know all about that operation going on in there."
"Do you? Then you also know about the monsters then?"
"Of course."
"You know what will happen if you report this."
"Reactions range from panic to regicide but it's a risk I'm willing to take."
"What about the reputation of the owner's son?"
"He was involved in it was he not?"
"No, I've been told the killing had stopped once his father had died."
"Interesting so there's more to it then. You seem to know an awful lot about this."
"I merely asked about it."
"You're also trying to help the king break the monster free from the underground. I've heard all about your experiments with the fallen humans."
"Yes."
"Well I have a theory the only real way this is going to be solved is releasing the monsters from the underground. There is a connection between the hunger of the underground and the monsters who disappeared. So I'm asking if you would hire me as an assistant on the side."
"I have conditions. Leave Mr Clam out of your story."
"I'm not going to write the story until this matter has been completely investigated."
Nothing had really changed much at the skeleton's household, Sans still would catch Arial sulking in the bathroom. It was getting out of hand.
"Mom, you in there?"
"Yeah."
"How long have you been in there?"
"I don't know."
"SHE'S BEEN IN THERE ALL AFTERNOON. IS SHE UPSET ABOUT SOMETHING."
"Mom hurry up. I need to take a shower."
Sans waited for three hours until he finally headed in the lab.
He had come in just as Alphys was putting the last vial away.
"You looked bored. Want to make a volcano explode?"
Alphys held her hand up. Sans smiled.
"W-wait you don't mean those exploding mountains in the human books do you?"
Alphys' eyes widened.
"Y-you can't be serious."
"Ha, did you really believe that. I was just boning around."
Alphys huffed, before she glared at him.
"Well I bet I can make a volcano and even make it explode," she said before she grinned smugly, her hands at her hips.
"Really? I'd like to see you try."
Sans worked at the table behind her as she made her baking soda volcano.
When Alphys was done, she wiped the sweat from her face.
"Are you finished yet?"
Suddenly Alphys heard a muffled snort.
She turned and saw Sans hovering over his desk. She peered over at what he was doing but saw the skeleton was sleeping.
Alphys grumbled.
"The nerve."
Then her eyes widened at the sight of his creation.
It was done so perfectly not like the tape she had used on her volcano to keep it from leaking.
He even had time to nap while she was toiling.
"Unbelievable."
Sans jolted awake.
"You've finished already?" Alphys huffed.
He shrugged.
"So what's the deal between you and my father?" Sans asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I didn't think I'd have to spell it out for you. You're crushing on him right?"
"What?!"
"If that is the reason you come here everyday. You and me are not going to be the best of friends."
"I-I don't have a crush on him," Alphys spat.
"Typical."
Alphys felt her face heat up.
"Do you think I'd be that cheap to go for a married man?"
The skeleton's silence was confirmation that he indeed thought so. Thinking about it though there was no way for Alphys to prove otherwise.
She sighed.
"I've always looked up to Dr Aster since I was a little girl when I was teased and when I was feeling depressed. He was a legend at school, known as the 'Gaster Master'. You know the story don't you?"
"I've heard of it. Apparently while his father was still king, Asgore was going to school. Most of the kids teased him. Many thought he couldn't reign in his father's footsteps. Asgore was really into my father's experiments so he convinced him to join the science club. Some kids sabotaged a potion he was working on but my father was able to fix it."
Alphys chuckled.
"I heard he also managed to ruin their potions as well. The rumour that the potions exploded in their face and that's how he got his nickname. He showed me that even nerds can be cool. He's why I've always aspired to be a scientist. I wanted to give everyone hope even it's only a little."
"Sans, I'm finished with my shower," Arial called out.
She came outside dressed in a pink bathrobe.
"Bout time."
Before Alphys could say another word, Sans ran for the bathroom.
"I'm sorry bout before I was jealous. It was uncalled for."
"L-look I understand if I were you I would have acted the same way."
"Its funny, you're not the first one I've been jealous of. It's weird but I kind of envy my husband's relationship with the king. Sometimes I think he understands Wing Ding even more than I do. Sometimes it makes me feel inferior to him."
"Say Alphys, ever had a boyfriend?"
Alphys felt her cheeks heat up.
"No though I do have a tiny crush on someone."
"Who?" Arial asked, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Uh...er well."
"Well spill."
"Fine but if you tell them you won't hear the end of it."
She whispered in Arial's ear.
Arial's eyes alit with surprise.
"Really? I'm rooting for you. I heard they're single so you might have a chance. The two of you would be so cute together. Want me to help you to confess?"
"No, I couldn't possibly," Alphys said.
"Well I would mind helping if you wanted advice."
"I'll keep that in mind."
One evening Arial had told Suzy to fetch Aster from his lab. She was the only one besides Sans who was persuasive enough to convince him to leave the comfort of his lab.
Sans however was busy in his room upstairs and Arial didn't want to disturb him.
Suzy knocked on the door.
"Doctor?"
"Yes, what is it Suzy?"
"Can you come downstairs for a minute?"
Aster opened the door and followed her downstairs.
"Oh Wing Ding there you are. Can you do me a favour?" Arial asked. "I was planning a meeting with a friend today but I have to go to Papyrus' school. He's doing a little play for a talent show."
"Oh I see."
"So will you go?"
"Yes."
" Ok, the reservation should be under Stanley. Bring Suzy with you. She could use the entertainment."
Arial waved bye before heading out with Papyrus.
Aster sighed.
"So I can bring my dolls?"
Aster chuckled.
"Why not?"
The two headed to Waterfall to pick up Skelesus in the stables before heading to a fancy building in Hotland.
Inside the building, Aster talked with a monster behind the front desk. It looked like a paper monster folded into a star.
"And you are?"
"I am W.D Aster. I was told that the reservation name is under Stanley.
The monster rummaged through lists in their book before finding the name.
"Oh they're seated at the table in the back."
Aster and Suzy walked to the back of the restaurant. Two orange humanoid monsters were already seated.
"Excuse me, who are you? We were expected to see Ms Aster."
"She couldn't make it. I'm her husband, Wing Ding and this is the family friend, Suzy."
"Have a seat."
The two sat across from them.
"We were just talking about how Tommy can't get a decent job with a rich man's salary. Quite pathetic really."
Aster glanced at the monster sitting next to him.
"I'll have you know it's not as easy as you make it out to be, Stanley," said Tommy.
Stanley snorted.
"At least I can afford a proper dinner. You on the other hand are living off of a poor man's wages."
Aster cringed.
"So do any of you play with dolls?" Suzy asked.
"Not really."
"Well I make my own," she said showing her basket of toys. "This is Splinter, Edge, Stretch and Error. I left G at home."
Splinter was a skeleton puppet with a crack in it's skull and a blood thirsty grin on it's face. It held an axe behind it's back and in the other hand it had a sewn dismembered head.
"That's a little creepy," Stanley said, stroking his chin.
"See if you were looking for an assistant you could have just asked around."
"What do you two do for a living?" Aster asked.
"Well my brother is a food critic. When he's a work I stay home. He's the one who brings all the money," Tommy said.
"Reluctantly I might add."
"He gets bored really easily though. You can tell because he always acts a little snarky."
"I am very productive. Just because I'm always studying scientific formulas and quantum physics does not mean that I'm bored."
"Really? So you're into that kind of work?" Aster asked.
"I did studies on it," Tommy said.
"I see. What a small world."
Sometime later in the evening the two returned home. Arial was sitting on the couch beside Papyrus.
"So how did it go?" Arial asked.
"Well I got a new assistant."
"I think I creeped them out," Suzy said.
"What happened? You weren't rude to them were you?" she asked.
"Of course not. What kind of person do you take me for?"
"She didn't do anything, dear," Aster said.
"Yeah, I just showed them my dolls."
"DOLLS?" Papyrus asked.
Suzy showed him her basket of dolls.
Arial took one out.
She cried out and nearly dropped it in horror.
"What's the matter, honey?" Aster asked picking up the doll.
"I can see why they might have been a little freaked out. You are aware one of your 'dolls' looks very demented with the way they're holding that axe," Arial said.
"Well they are realistic interpretations of people."
"How many people do you know?" Arial asked.
Suzy chuckled.
"Too many."