Sans is sitting on the cold lab floor, working through calculations with alphys in a low voice, trying to get through all the necessary physical checks before midnight. Sans actually wants to get some sleep for at least one night this week. He's already opened and closed his jaw repeatedly, Had his first dental examination, spoken without 'merging' his jaw, Blinked both eyes on and off, Gone through a myriad of sight tests, summoned thirty two thousand bones before getting tired, and gone through a full cognitive test.
Needless to say, he's exhausted.
His brother and the human went home ages ago, at much protest, but Papyrus eventually gave into his brothers nagging and Bell's muffled yawning- the human had tried her best to stay awake, but inevitably failed, ending up falling asleep on jalapeño. Sans actually has to spend the night at the lab, so alphys can one: safely monitor him while he's not knocked out, and two: so that if anything more changes, they'll be ready.
Alphys was quite nervous when papyrus left, but had calmed down some once his brother had promised to be back before morning to help. Sans himself feels a strange sense of apprehension at staying all night in the dark, echoing lab, but the lights are still on for now, and he can deal with that later. As such, the situation has finally settled down, making way for the much needed medical examinations, which are nearly over...Or at least, it had settled down, and they were nearly done with the tests, at least before the Riverperson kicked open the door with a large crashing noise.
What, did you actually expect it to stay peaceful?
Heh, not in this timeline.
The raucous sound sends the gaze of everyone in the room to lock on the Riverpersons calm face, shadows curling like flames from their scalp as they stride in. Their calm demeanor is admirable, considering they just kicked in a door as if they were the mother****ing FBI. Sans immediately staggers to his feet, at the protests of alphys, and stares wide-eyed at the monster who stands calmly in the center of the lab's lower floor, staring up with an unreadable expression, a tangle of fabric held in their arms.
They speak, shouting up to the shocked, tired skeleton and the shocked, tired lizard.
"Tra la la…I see the feined face of the foreign friend is faring better than he. Alphys, I require your services. this skeleton is sickened by a sickness not known."
They then glance at the two confused faces (three if you count jalapeño, who rests in a corner boredly) before speaking once more, tilting their shadowed head to the side slightly.
"…the door would not respond to touch or speak, and nor could I spy another, and as such I opened it…other ways, tra la."
The faces continue to stare. The Riverperson tilts their head to the other side, then seems to realize, jolting a little as they remember that they had previously hidden their face. Troublesome, troublesome… introductions apparently must be repeated.
"I am the Riverperson. I have been… awoken, by this… small skeleton, and he requires assistance that I cannot give."
they speak…somewhat less twistedly, but in an older manner that both must be easier for them to speak in and makes up for the stress-induced lack of creative flair. With their last words, they seem to flicker up onto the higher platform where sans and alphys are, causing surprised exclamations from all of them, as the Riverperson suddenly flickers into existence before the two monsters while still holding the bundle. Alphys starts back in shock, stumbling a little as she squeaks out;
"Y-you're a shadow e-elemental! I thought they- I mean, they- they went missing years ago, W-wait, what s-skeleto-"
Sans too responds to the sudden appearance of the near-stranger, retreating a couple steps in confusion with a small 'irk!' Of surprise. so…this is what the Riverperson looks like…? he expected…well, he doesn't know, a ghost in a cloak or something. but that's not the focus right now. At alphys words, the Riverperson pulls at the tangled cloak to reveal-
Oh my ****ing god.
Sans stares in shock as he looks into his own face, staying completely still for about two seconds before the figure moves. the skeleton with his face shifts, and mumbles just loud enough for sans to hear;
"…Chara…?"
Sans goes completely stiff for a fraction of a second. He stares into his own face, as the universe buckles and relents, some unseen binding snapping as the memories burst through for just long enough. Just long enough. Timelines weakened by a certain melted skeletons trip into incomprehensiblity, memories from another break through. then, his arm shoots up, ablaze with magic as something triggers within him, the skeleton gathering his now overpowering strength-
"BBBBWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"
his eye- no, eyes, flare a brilliant blue as he fires a Gaster blaster, more appearing and firing with every second that passes, the Riverperson dodging out of the way with a flicker of alarmed darkness. Sans's eyes are blazing now, a crown of fire settling around his skull as blue flames engulf him, his panic just as fierce. The Riverperson shouts something, but it's lost among alphys' panicked shouts and the barrage of bones raining from the heavens, and Sans is completely lost anyway.
His eyes are burning, but he isn't behind them.
He's remembering, remembering something even he forgot, wanted to forget, was blessed to forget…Images flash in his mind.
A different human, the first human to ever fall-
A smile, bleeding darkness-
His brother, dust in the wind as the demon cackles-
Chara. Death, dust, pain-
Genocide.
The skeleton with his face, his voice, he said that name, he said it like it was the name of a friend. And any friend of that demon should be burning in hell.
Sans fires more and more, the lab flashing to the judgment hall and back, as he remembers.
He remembers, but doesn't understand. He doesn't understand. These memories- they dont- his mind almost rejects them, like they arent meant to exist- the universe itself tries to spare him from this torture, but magical muscle memory has taken over, his body going through the same old song and dance of megalovania without him as memories cloud his mind.
More bones erupt from the floor, tearing through the tile as the Riverpeson dodges again, then again and again as hundreds, or perhaps even thousands of bones rain and shoot and crawl from every direction, sans never even stopping for a single turn- his mind gone, and a routine burned into his memory by so many genocides taking over. By now, this fight is instinct, the patterns burned into his mind like a scorch mark, ignored and unused until that version of him, that mirror image, spoke that name.
He doesn't even know he's in the lab, anymore.
Everything is red and gold, red and gold as he throws everything in him out and in the open, his very soul seaming to pound and scream as power he should not expend pours from him in waves of pure unbridled fury.
He doesn't see the shadowy figure ducking and weaving.
He doesn't see the shaking yellow form, hiding behind a chair.
He doesn't see the flickering electric lights.
He sees frisk- or is it chara? face pouring black blood, laughing and laughing as a knife flashes.
He sees golden pillars rising above him, stained red and black by the blood of the demon.
He sees towering windows letting in light that pours and glints off the knife hurtling towards him-
Then, the Riverperson screams above the noise, above the memories, louder than they have ever been, in a tone more commanding than even asgore can muster-
"HALT NOW SON OF GASTER, OR I WILL MAKE YOU!"
And at those words, two things happen very, very fast.
Shadows begin to coil from underneath the thick boots of the Riverperson, wrapping and winding into shapeless pillars of darkness, which hiss and writhe at their command as the shadow elemental stares with a steel-forged glint in their white eyes.
Sans suddenly stops in his tracks, his attacks falling away as he stares in dumbfounded shock, the Riverpersons' impossible words echoing in his skull as everything in him falters, the memories falling away as his whole world seems to crack.
There is complete, dead, tense silence.
Son of gaster. Son of gaster. Son of gaster. Son of gaster-
Slowly, the Riverperson relaxes, one arm still supporting the unconscious skeleton wrapped in their cloak. They assess sans's frozen expression with cautious curiosity, then seem to realize something with an imperceivable widening of their white eyes. They open their mouth, but deciding against it, close it again. This is not the time to tell the son of the gray friend that his kin lives. This is the time to save the foreign friend. They turn, seeming for all the world unbothered, and address the shocked, quivering and downright terrified alphys hiding behind a chair nearby.
"Amazing alphys, I need your assistance, tra la. The skeleton grows only worse with times tick, tra la la…."
Alphys blinks, and manages to stutter out, staring at sans, who is frozen, surrounded by the attacks now seeming to disintegrate into thin air;
"Y-y-you broke him!"
The Riverperson sighs.
"Probable outcome. But worth the risk for live and damages saved and prevent, you agree?"
Their words are all in the wrong tenses, but Alphys, still terrified, manages to snap herself out of it, cautiously coming out from behind the chair with a terrified glance at sans.
"I- i d-don't know w-what happened…I-ive never seen him f-fight l-like that…"
She looks over the carnage of bones and blasters, with sans still completely frozen in the middle.
"Th-that…that skeleton m-mumbled s-something, i- i…what d-did he say that would…"
The Riverperson replies with a hint of sadness as they shift the still unconscious skeleton monster in their arms.
"A name, and name alone…calling out, for…for Chara, as if to call for a friend most close, tra la."
Alphys looks deeply shocked, staring at the limp mirror image of Sans in the Riverpersons arms.
"B-but why…they've-been d-dead for…f-for years, how would he- a-and why does he look so much l-like…"
The Riverperson looks down at the quivering, confused lizard monster, and tries to muster some empathy. They aren't naturally empathetic, but being seen…makes it slightly easier, somehow. They crouch, still holding the unconscious skeleton, as sans stands frozen nearby. They come on eye level with alphys, and make eye contact with the shaking monster.
"Alphys, I do not know much of his origin, just a fracture come to fruition. Regardless, he needs you. You are this skeleton's sole salvation- and I trust you with him. He is my…my friend, as are you."
With that, they seem drained of some energy, as coherence always costs them strength. They slowly set the near mirror-image of Sans on the lab floor, and look into Alphys quivering face, even as her eyes flick from the frozen sans to his counterpart before her.
"...please, alphys."
The yellow lizard monster looks up, and blinks, drops of sweat rolling off her scales as she twisted her claws.
"I-i d-don't know, i-it seems l-like i've o-only m-made things w-worse…"
The small lizard monster gives a weary sigh, and attempts to square her shoulders.
"B-but i'll try."
Then, she takes a deep breath, glances at Sans apologetically, (for he is still standing there, shellshocked) and cautiously begins to inspect the unconscious skeleton, meekly asking for help to move him to the pad nearby, that the still frozen sans had been on less than 15 minutes ago.
Meanwhile, sans slowly, slowly sits down.
Oh stars. Oh stars oh stars oh stars oh stars oh stars stars stars STARS-
He rests his skull in his hands, quivering with confusion and pain he thought was long buried. Pain he thought he had drowned in years of knowing that nobody else felt, grief he buried in denial, memories he thought he had forced himself to forget.
Son of gaster, son of gaster, son of gaster- how, how did they? How? I don't- how?!
Memories flashed by him, but this time, they are happier. Painfully happier.
His dad.
In the kitchen, failing at cooking, Papy attempting to help with disastrous results,
In his lab, sipping coffee and giving sans a tired smile, papy drawing on spare paper,
Playing with them when they were still in stripes, wrapped in a blanket and chasing them around the house, laughing,
Reading to a very young papy, sans almost asleep but barely, barely staying awake till the end, watching him leave with a soft click,
Teaching sans to summon his first attacks, papyrus right by him, imitating his older brother as he gives praise and caution alike,
Coming home from the lab, looking exhausted, the brothers bringing him coffee with huge grins,
…falling, screaming, into the core as sans sees darkness creep across his vision…
Then, he feels a hand rest on his shoulder.
"Tra la la…You look almost as bad as the counterpart you attacked, sansational sans."
Sans looks up, pulled out of the memories harshly by the touch, immediately asking;
'How? Nobody- not even- how did you-"
But the Riverperson interrupts him, their face shifting to an almost grave expression, uncharacteristic for their usually calm or indifferent attitude.
"Tra la la…You will be hurt, very deeply, by the answer, sansational sans."
Sans looks at them blankly, still half in a memory as his eye sockets meet their gaze. His expression hardens, and he waves down at himself, torn wires still tangled in his ribcage, his soul shaking and vibrating as he stands amongst the carnage.
"You really think I can be hurt more at this point?"
He growls, locking eye contact with the shadow elemental beside him. The Riverperson sighs heavily, ignoring alphys' various pretend surprised noises from somewhere behind them, even though the shy lizard monster is obviously listening. The Riverperson speaks softly, so alphys cannot hear.
"…Giving in. But do not rumor that I do not warn, tra la."
Sans tilts his head, expression weary, but shows that he is listening. The Riverperson gives one last small sigh, speaking almost under their breath, in a defeated tone;
"It's because he told me himself, tra la la."
Sans jerks back as though struck, a million thoughts running through his skull as his mind races. he is completely still, staring in shock at the Riverperson, who looks back at him with a calm, unwavering gaze that almost makes him believe for a moment- That can't be true. It's impossible. He is dead and gone and grieved by only him, this can't be the truth, it just can't be-
There. That's the explanation.
It isn't true.
His expression goes dark, and he glares at the Riverperson with an icy ferocity.
"Heh heh heh, that's a real sick joke, bucko. Don't lie to me. He's dead. Dead and gone."
the Riverperson tilts their head slightly, all traces of apprehension gone. They have committed to revealing this secret now, and persist with the same calm tone;
"But, sansational sans, I can prove what my words wind, tra la."
sans basically spat his next words, contempt dripping from his voice in thick streams.
"oh can you now."
The Riverperson barely misses a beat.
"you and your younger brother once attempted to make coffee for him on a late working night, succeeding at the cost of your dignity. Regardless, you succeeded in making coffee, which brought the smile you were hoping for to your fathers face once you gave it."
They breathe heavily from the exertion of speaking coherently all in one go, but it is worth it for the look on Sans's face as he stares at them in shock.
"Y-you, how…? I don't, I…."
Sans stutters, the starts of sentences tumbling from his unlocked jaw as he gapes open mouthed in shock for probably the first time in his life. But the Riverperson sees his mind racing and interrupts his thoughts, pressing harder.
"He likes his coffee black, with honey, you and your brother dumped almost the whole bottle, tra la la."
Sans just continues spluttering, and the Riverperson persists still, driving the final blow.
"Tra la la…he won't shut up about you two, you seem to be all he-"
sans interrupts, cutting them off with a choked, disbelieving 'stop' that makes them fall silent. They place one gloved hand on sans's shaking shoulder, and wind:
"He told me to tell you he is proud of you, tra la la."
Sans shakes, and screws his eyes shut, pressing his hands to his closed eye sockets and trying to stop as he shudders, not believing, not wanting to- reopened grief running through him as he shakes. The Riverperson sits there, as Sans shudders, their gloved hand still resting on his shoulder. They themselves know no grief, but they can guess at the mind of this skeleton that quivers under their touch. He does not want to hope, for fear of hurt. then, the shudders recede slightly, and a choked voice comes weakly from the face still hidden in his hands;
"…w-where…?"
the Riverperson replies gently, tilting their head as sans shakes, his bones clicking.
"Waterfall, through locked door and shattered soul- I am not sure how, tra la la… But we spoke, correct. Could take you, when day shows her face once more…"
Sans looks up at the Riverpersons face- new to him, yet the voice familiar. He can even remember his father exchanging hellos with them, once long ago. A river ride, when he was young…sans almost wants to smile at the memory of his father falling over the side. But now, they might be his only hope of getting answers.
All he has to do is wait, and he'll get answers.
He can wait.
…he's good at waiting…
He gets up, shaking, and to the Riverpersons rare surprise, He manages to limp over to where Alphys is, silently sitting and staring into the familiar face of his mirror image. The other sans- who lies unconscious- barely moves, his soul beating weakly within his ribcage as his gray river-drenched shirt lies discarded nearby. Sans himself does not move, even at alphys's cautious questions that prompt no answers.
*he seems troubled…
The Riverperson chuckles to themselves. Always so helpful in stating the obvious, the narrator is. Still. They have a lot to think about.…they have not had so much to think about in a long, long time. They quietly set themselves down at a respectful distance from the now focused alphys, watching with passive curiosity as readings are taken and calculations done, soul stability and save compatibility…
This poor nervous monster has been through a lot.
They watch, as the unconscious skeleton monster's chest rises and falls slowly, almost peaceful, even as Alphys becomes more worried with each minute, muttering under her breath worriedly, and sans stares blankly. But the Riverperson makes no attempt to listen. They wonder, how will the son of the friend who's font forgets his face react?
How will his father react to him?
Were they wrong to tell him during the middle of an entirely different fiasco, overwhelming him further…? They look over at the silent skeleton monster, and watch his thoughts race behind his dark eyes. No, they were right. Such shock gave him the chance to be still, and think, as they are doing. He will bury this information, until he wants to believe it. They have done the right thing.
Still…what will transpire? How will they free the father whose font forgets his face?
That will remain to be seen.
They begin to hum a soft tune, causing alphys to halt for a moment, but she soon continues with only a nervous glance in the Riverpersons direction. The doctor is used to the Riverpersons unpredictable behavior, and doesn't have the energy to try and ask them to stop. After all, they are friends, in a way…Sans does not react. He can't hear them. He's lost in his own mind, his own desperate attempts to understand what has, will, and is happening. He's always been good at doing nothing…
The Riverperson continues to hum, unbothered, as always.
a soft song of rain falling, somewhere else…
