In another universe, far from the Riverperson and their song, Papyrus taps buttons furiously, the frantic clicks almost in sync with his father's programming, as they both work on overdrive to fix this stupid stars-dammned macine-! He runs algorithm after algorithm, calculations racing in his skull as he works. It's structurally sound now, all they have to do is program this last bit of- There's a loud whirring sound. Papyrus slams his fists down on the console, but not in frustration this time.
In satisfaction.
"finally…"
Comes the exasperated but relieved whisper from across the room, as his father turns around with an excited expression. They've done it. In his fathers words; finally. They've been working for days, trying again and again to fix- or more like build again from scratch- the machine in their attic. It was originally intended to free their timeline from the resets, but it kind of…half exploded once it did its job. At least it actually did its job though, even if it was at a certain cost…Anyway, the two skeletons have repaired and repurposed it, turning it into a, er…
Well, basically a trans-reality battering ram of determination and elbow grease. It won't be pretty, it won't be safe, and it most certainly will not do its work by following any known universal laws, but it's all they've got.
"Papyrus, are you positive this will, well, hit its target?"
His father asks, running a few simulations, his triumphant expression faltering, his large blue rimmed glasses shimmering in the light of the monitors.
"It better work. I ain't waitin any longer anyway."
Papyrus responds, refusing to meet his fathers gaze as he skillfully avoids answering the question. His father rubs the bridge of his nose (or rather the bit of cartilage that would be a nose) in that worried way that papyrus had always missed, and looks up through his round glasses, speaking with a concerned edge to his voice.
"You know full well what I mean. I dont- I dont want two sons galavanting through time and space. I know firsthand how…unpleasant that can be, and…"
Papyrus looks at his father as he trails off, who only a few weeks ago returned to reality, and still wakes up in the middle of the night to check if the brothers are still there. This must be unimaginably terrifying for him, even if he's covering it up with technical talk.
"Dad, listen. Sans is incredible. If anyone can actually 'gallivant' in his situation, it'd be him. But I have to try, ya know? I can't just wait here for the universe to- to spit him up or something. I told you about the universe that…y'know, intersected with ours…"
Papyrus sighs.
"…if he's really there…I've gotta get blue out."
Papyrus says, unintentionally using his nickname for sans, which prompts a sad chuckle from his father as he looks down.
"...'blue?' is that…heh, just- just be careful papyrus. I don't want to lose my sons a second time."
He says, smiling sadly at papyrus in a way that makes the tall skeleton want to clutch his soul. All he wants is to take his father with him- if only for the extra peace of mind for them both, and the backup would be appreciated. But… there has to be someone to bring him back.
"You won't, dad, I'll be fine. Just take care of the kid, and keep an eye-socket on the machine, ok? I should only be gone a couple hours, tops."
Papyrus says, trying to mean it. He knows that the world of the strange, backwards sans is far from friendly, but he's a tough monster, so hell be okay, but…he's just worried that blue might not still be…Oh for ****s sake papyrus, keep it together! He's fine.
He has to be. His father seems to accept the reassurance, but he still steps forward, slightly above eye level with his son. Still just by a few inches, but-
"Please, papyrus, just…be careful, promise me you will be careful."
His father says, his arms wrapped around his son with a death grip that means papyrus is not going anywhere till he promises. Heh…his father always was the huggy type…
"Y-yeah, dad. I- …I promise I'll be careful."
Papyrus says, and feels his father relax, pulling back. They both straighten, and his father gives a sigh of relief. He knows how seriously papyrus takes promises, and he knows papyrus has not failed to keep one yet. He gives his son a noticeably more genuine smile, and hands him the kit they assembled for the trip.
"You do know this might break all of reality, right?"
His father says, in an attempt at a joke, his eyelights glittering as his worries recede slightly. Papyrus gives him a deadpan look.
"Well, reality can suck it up."
His father laughs, a sound papyrus has heard more and more as his father comes to terms with being out of the void, and which he can't help smiling at. But, he has to get going.
"Well…good luck, papyrus. I will be here i- when you return."
Papyrus pretends not to hear the start of an 'if'.
"Thanks, dad. Don't worry, I'll be back. before ya know it even! with an extra passenger this time."
Papyrus says, climbing the steps to enter the large metal tangle of pipes, pack in hand. His father looks up at him from the activation desk, and gives a small nod. An unspoken agreement.
'I'll be back.'
Then, papyrus enters the closet-like chamber at the heart of the machine, which holds only enough space for two average sized people, max. Or in this case, one tall lanky skeleton and one small squished one. He arranges himself as comfortably as possible, holding the pack to his chest as he pushes the button that will let his father know to start the machine.
He closes his eyes, and prays.
Meanwhile, in yet another alternate world;
"SANS! GET UP, YOU LAZY PILE OF BONES! GET TO YOUR STATION BEFORE UNDYNE KILLS US BOTH, YOU USELESS LAYABOUT!"
Sans opens his eyes wearily.
Right on ****ing time. He really just keeps goin with that routine of his…
With a crack of vertebrae, he sits up groggily, grasping for his discarded shirt, his eye sockets really only half open at this point as he groggily gets himself into it. Damn, where's the…? He searches around, eye sockets still not properly open as he feels around the mess in his room.
Oh, finally.
His hand meets the fur ruff of his favorite jacket, draped over a lamp that's lying knocked over on his floor. the one he annoyingly was not wearing during- During my 'absence' that boss nearly ****in' killed me over…He thinks with annoyance, shrugging the article on, feeling the fur rub against the back of his skull in a way boss says is annoying, but he loves.
Speakin' of boss…
"SANS YOU LAZY WASTE OF FOOD! GET DOWN HERE BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT NOT DUSTING YOU!"
Sans gets up grumpily, yawning dramatically in a way he knows boss can hear, his sharp teeth making a 'knife-against-knife' sound as he snaps them together.
"SAAAANS! I SAID GET DOWN HERE!"
He sighs, this time quietly so his now irate older brother can't hear, and opens the door to his room, trying to suppress a smirk as he abruptly remembers the 'other version' of his brother. It was hilarious, seeing his brother's face on- on that 'lazy pile of bones'. But, he's glad to be back.
…well, kind of-
He shuts that thought down. It doesn't matter what some weak version of him said, his world- this world, is far better. He can do whatever he wants, to whoever he wants. Except his brother that is, but why would he anyway? His brother is pretty much the only reason he's still alive.
Which is why you're scared to go anywhere without him.
A little voice in the back of his mind says, its tone mocking. He ignores it.
He's downstairs now, and boss has been laying out the plan for the day, sans having expertly tuned out by now. It's always the same. He goes to his sentry post. His brother goes and recalibrates the death traps disguised as 'puzzles' he's still describing in unneeded detail. sans knows the drill by now. Though, since that fiasco with the weakling universe, the kid hasn't appeared… Are the resets actually over? …Not that they've been going that long anyway.
"-SO GET GOING ALREADY! I'M NOT GOING TO WALK YOU THERE, SANS!"
He winces internally at the last words. But he doesn't show it. Showing it means he's weak.
"Sure, sure boss. I'll try not ta' fall asleep on the way, ya know how bon- uh, boring it gets."
He says, almost saying 'bonely' before catching himself. His brother- his boss, does not like puns. How could he have nearly forgotten that…? His older brother narrows his eye sockets at the now sweating sans, but after making a small 'hurmph' noise, he exits the house, sans following behind him silently as their boots crunch through the deep snow, eyes both terrified and malicious following their every step.
Geeze, he almost made a pun in front of boss. How tired is he?
He pauses his train of thought to snap his sharp teeth at a child who was staring at him. They yelp a little, earning a cuff across the cheek from their parent, the little brat then attempting to growl at him with their tiny teeth bared. For some reason, it isn't all that rewarding today. The little buggers are learning. But anyway, he still scolds himself for his near slip up with boss. That could've gone very badly.
A recent memory suddenly pops up in his skull.
It's from just a few days ago- He was arguing with that weak, grinning idiot version of him, and had just called him a 'smiley bone-bag' When the little ****er just erupts in laughter. He remembers staring at him blankly while he calmed down, before the other-him explained;
"YOU MADE A JOKE! BONE-BAG, RIGHT? A PUN! I DIDN'T KNOW YOU MADE THOSE!"
the smiling idiot didn't even seem to be offended, didn't defend himself, and instead;
"THAT WAS A MAGNIFICENT JOKE! GREAT JOB! DO YOU KNOW ANY MORE?"
sans's eyes go dark for a split second.
'Great job'
No sarcasm in it. Sincere. He didn't know that phrase was actually used that way. To him, in this world, a 'compliment' was simply a way of saying someone is good in some way, but meaning the opposite. Misdirection. Just another type of insult…has anyone ever told him good job before…? He shakes his head slightly, his near-constant anger flaring up again.
What an absolute idiot.
Meanwhile, in heck knows where;
Papyrus can practically feel his bones rattling as the machine does its work. Save states…dangerous to mess with, but they can be used in incredible ways if used properly. Jeeze, I better have done this right…In this case, his save state will be used like a needle, piercing the fabric of the universe in question, provided it is already fragile. Which it should be, according to his calculations.
Which it has to be.
Otherwise, well…What happens when a needle hits a rock? Suddenly, papyrus feels a sickening jolt, his soul pinging up as he automatically prepares to fight.
There is a sudden force pressing down on him, his soul pounding as the g-force hits him, gravity trying to pull him in every direction as the machine whirls through a layer of reality where there is only force, and not mass. Sort of like an outer shell… He distracts himself by thinking, trying to force his bones to stay together as invisible strings seem to pull him apart with every second.
Then, mercifully, it is over.
He whirls through another, thankfully more stable layer of existence, and his bones click back into alignment with a small cacophony of cracks. Ouch…that hurts. Interesting phenomena, though…The scientific side of him thinks, the other, larger side cracking open a soda with a sharp hiss, tired as usual. Suddenly, the machine hits something, and papyrus can briefly hear voices from outside. Has he landed? Something hits the machine with a pulse of magical energy, and gauge needles spin as the machine absorbs it with a crackle. An incomprehensible font in a myriad of colors shrieks from outside, a second rougher voice retorting sharply, and yet another magical blow hits the machine. Something about ink- what universe is he in? Suddenly, there's a glitched voice from outside, swearing colorfully, and the machine is back in motion, spinning away through space time once again. Papyrus clings to the metal, and chuckles, thinking; Guess I'm not the only one traveling through timelines after all…
His thoughts are interrupted by a sudden-
CRASH!
…
…
…..
When his eye sockets open, Papyrus is in…a not very dignified position. His skull is squished against the floor of the small space, his knees crammed against the wall, the pack dangling from one foot as the tall skeleton gives an annoyed groan, pushing himself up and eventually managing to twist himself around.
"That…was supremely un-cool."
He mumbles to himself, laughing at his own joke as he rubs his face. After a moment, he cautiously looks out the small peep-hole in the door of the contraption.
He sees someone looking back.
"GAH!"
papyrus cries, falling backwards with a heavy thump, his cargo shorts not doing much to cushion the landing. The machine is apparently not very soundproof, and he hears a muffled voice from outside, a voice he recognises.
"what the hell?!"
Oh thank the stars, right on target.
Papyrus gets up, for once happy to hear the grumpy voice of the alternate version of blue, 'red' as papyrus had started to think of him. the mean, snappish little guy had gone ballistic when papyrus actually called him that though. Papyrus takes a deep breath, (unneeded, because skeletons don't breathe) and kicks the machine door open with a loud BANG that causes the smaller skeleton outside to leap back in shock. Smoke rolls out from the open door way, and sans's eye sockets narrow as he tries to see who-
"Oh, haha, heya Red."
NOT THIS DUMB**** AGAIN
Sans immediately tenses up, staring at the version of his brother that's stepping out of the smoking machine. The taller skeleton shakes himself, then nonchalantly closes the door behind him, as if the machine WEREN'T ON TOP OF HIS GODDAMN SENTRY STATION. Or…what was left of his sentry station.
The other Papyrus looks down, seemingly realizing what he's standing on, then looks up back at sans.
"Eheheh…oops?"
That's it. That is it.
Sans begins to literally vibrate with anger, and soon starts to yell;
"OOPS?! IS THAT ALL YA HAFTA SAY YOU DUMB ****?! I COULDA BEEN IN THAT YOU IDIOT! WHY THE **** ARE YA EVEN HERE?!"
He pants heavily. Papyrus just looks at him with an expression of equal parts amusement and confusion. The taller skeleton then shrugs as if it's obvious why he's here, looking down at the still irate version of his brother.
"Uhh, for blue? My bro? Looks like you but with pretty much the opposite color scheme and general aesthetic? Seein' how much i know you hate him, i'd think you'd be eager to be rid of him."
Sans stares at him as if he's an idiot, which right now, is exactly the impression Sans has of him.
"W-what? That smilin idiot? He aint here of all places, an even if he was itd be boss who has 'im-"
Sans clamps his mouth shut, realizing the mistake he's made. This pun-lovin' idiot cannot meet his brother, no way, no how. A showdown between two papyruses? That'd tear the underground apart! And sans along with it! And if boss does have this guys dopey brother, and he goes and tries to fight him- …boss might kill the smiley bone bag just to watch this idiot suffer.
Why does he feel so uncomfortable with that? That's normal, that's tough. It's this guy's own fault for carin so much about his damn brother…
The other Papyrus stares at him, his eyes seeming darker than usual.
"And where, exactly, would your boss be?"
Sans looks up at the face of this dorky version of his brother, and realizes that he may have misjudged how much of a threat he is. The expression on his face is nothing short of terrifying. Sans gulps, impossibly. He wants to tell him, if only to make him go away, but- Something stops him.
"i aint tellin you. You can't meet 'im."
Papyrus leans forward, at almost a right angle, his skull coming on level with Sans's, the expression on his skull unusually grim. Sans sees his vision flash between this papyrus and his own, memory and reality seeming to merge as he gets a sense of deja vou.
"Oh really now."
Sans holds his ground. Staring directly into the (quite intimidating) face of this version of papyrus, even as the now and the then merge together, memories of the past clashing with reality, his own brothers terrifying form flashing in Sans's mind. He grits his sharp teeth, and sets his gaze as he prepares to fight in response, knowing that if he gets hit even once by this ****, he'll-
"Whoah, woah there buddy, I ain't looking to fight you, calm down."
Papyrus says, stepping back, looking a little confused, the memories bubbling up of this world's papyrus flickering out like a flame dying in his mind.
What the hell just happened?
Sans blinks rapidly, confusion overtaking him for a moment. Why the- why did he just do that? If this bozo had tried to fight him- Sans nearly shudders at the thought. The taller skeleton does not speak, the snow swirling around them as both skeletons hold each other's gaze with confusion, the other papyrus looking at sans in a way that makes him feel… exposed, as though his emotions are laid out bare-
*PAPYRUS is checking you.
Sans jerks back, the fur on his hoodie catching the snow as he feels his soul being scrutinized. He keeps his guard up, the memories of his brother returning and merging with the papyrus that stands before him, as his mind tries to figure out where the danger is. Papyrus, however, is simply…shocked.
SANS
HP: 1/1
DF: 3
*this skeleton cannot tell the difference between friend and foe- not that he has any of the first.
Papyrus then glances at the smaller skeleton, who looks as if he's preparing to blast papyrus to kingdom come, his posture aggressive but his expression betraying some of his fear. Defense…three? Really? And his HP…
…it- he- papyrus didn't even know someone with lower HP than him existed!
Papyrus himself only has 8.5!
When the grumpy skeleton had fallen out of their kitchen ceiling, papyrus had…well, let's just say he might have jumped to a few conclusions a bit too quickly. He had begun to try and fight the swearing, panicked, half asleep mirror image of his brother, but blue had stopped him. Blue had made friends with- well, not friends, but blue was kind to him and the guy had…eventually acted less terrible towards blue than he had towards everyone else. Because papyrus had tried to attack him, the two had never talked much, blue doing enough for the both of them, while papyrus just watched with suspicion. He had managed to send him home after just two days, two stressful days. But now, seeing his HP…It explained a few things.
Things like…
Like why he had been confused, scared even, when blue tried to help him up. why he'd acted as if he'd never seen healing magic before when blue tried to help him, his eyelights pinpricks. why he'd ran immediately, and hidden from everyone with his magic flared until blue had found him hours later. Like why he had always defended himself, even from Blues emphatic compliments, his encouragement, his offers of help, returning only hostility and confusion. Why it had taken three hours for him to agree to sleep on the couch instead of outside, where blue had found him. Why he'd refused to sleep until he had literally collapsed, his eye socket glowing faintly even as he lay under a mountain of blankets blue had thrown over him, twitching at every sound. Why he had almost blasted blue into oblivion when he'd woken him the next morning, his eye glowing blood red. Why he refused food for hours, until blue finally convinced him that nothing in the kitchen was poison.
Why he had met everything, no matter what, first and foremost, with mistrust.
After all, if his world really was the way he said it was, who could someone like him afford to trust…? How long had it been since this…this sorry excuse for a threat had actually felt safe…? Papyrus can feel an overwhelming sense of pity, but he shoves it aside. He can't afford this, he needs to find his brother, but still in the back of his mind a voice whispers;
This technically is your brother.
Meanwhile, 'Red' was slowly growing more confused as the taller skeleton stood in silence, thinking.
Red has no idea what was going on in that dopey skull.
What had he seen? Why had he stopped? He didn't understand. Usually, he would just think the tall skeleton was weak, and what he had seen during his 48 hour absence certainly attested to that, but… Something about how he held himself was…different, than last time. He was…damn, what was different? Something had come over this 'other' version of papyrus, and sans felt…Well, he didn't trust it, but what else was new? This guy could kill him at any time! He obviously knew about sans's abysmal HP, so why- why wasn't this idiot trying to kill him? Sans knew he'd been pretty rough with this guy's oh-so-precious brother, so… why was he just standing there like a-
"Alright, i think i got you just about figured out."
The papyrus says suddenly, causing Red to jolt back in surprise.
"wh-what the- whaddya mean 'figured out'?"
He asks suspiciously, but the papyrus seems unbothered, shoving his hands in his orange pockets with a shrug.
"Well, I figured out enough that I can guess your 'boss' is yer brother."
Reds eye sockets widen, snow swirling between the two skeletons as a silence stretches out. Red feels a sense of dread creep over him, but he pushes it aside. Why should he care what happens to the lil' blue idiot?
"You'll be ripped ta lil smilein shreds."
Red says, his eye sockets narrowing, breaking the silence. Does this idiot not know any basic rules of self preservation? The annoying papyrus laughs, his orange hoodie caked in snow.
"Aww, i didn't know you cared~"
The infuriating skeleton coos, and Red flares with anger, a red glint flickering in his eye as his emotions flare up too sharply for him to smash the spark down like he usually does. His boss doesn't like him flaunting his power.
"I. DONT. GIVE. A. ****. WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU."
He forcefully growls, his eye sockets going dark in the most intimidating expression he can muster. The papyrus only laughs again, and shrugs.
"Welp, if that's the case, i guess i'll be off…after all,"
The annoying taller skeleton winks.
"I've got a really nice field of puzzles to solve."
And disappears with a flash of orange glow. Red keeps standing there, shocked, snow gathering in his hood as he stares at the spot the alternate papyrus had just stood.
Well, that's one thing his brother can't do.
Shaking his skull, he begins to mutter grumpily to himself, inspecting the mass of wires and metal that have crushed his station, and his mustard bottles. Then, he freezes in place.
"Pfffftttt- keheh–hehheheheheh-"
Despite himself, the small skeleton begins to laugh, realizing the pun, even if he is angry with himself as he does so. He tries to stop, but keeps shaking with laughter anyway. Geeze- seein someone with his bro's face make a pun? That just makes it funnier.
Sans almost feels bad that he's gonna die.
