Finally, back in our own world…
It took a few hours for Sans's counterpart to wake up, but thankfully for everyone's sanity, he wasn't very talkative when he did. The poor guy had just seemed…confused, and a little scared. The Riverperson was the only calm one when he'd woken up with a small groan, but sans (having unfrozen from his stock-still state over a span of around two hours, poor guy) and alphys quickly calmed down, helping the bewildered looking skeleton to sit up, with some natural hesitation.
Sans especially had gone…concerningly quiet.
Alphys had gone to fetch tea, and the two sanses simply sat in silence as one blinked slowly in confusion and the other stared without blinking at all. The Riverperson just watched, with their usual calm interest.
Then, there was a small 'swoosh' of a door opening, and alphys tottered back in, carrying a tray with four cups of tea steaming on top, glancing at the two near-identical faces that stared at her, one looking slightly relieved she had returned, and the other just…confused.
"A-alph-ys…?"
the half-awake skeleton monster croaked, making everyone (except the Riverperson) jump in surprise. His voice was… well, unlike sans's in an almost indescribable way that was…disconcerting, coming from a face so similar. Alphys froze for a second, then somehow stuttered her reply, setting the tray down awkwardly within reach of everyone.
"O-oh, y-yes, i'm Alphys, h-have we…m-met?"
She cringed at the obvious question, but the skeleton simply looked at her with a hazy confusion, one hand going to his jawline as he dazedly glances around, his eyelights off. silence stretches out, and a bead of sweat rolls down Alphys forehead.
"U-uh, th-there's tea if you…w-want some."
She says awkwardly, sitting down next to the Riverperson, fidgeting with her tail in a nervous manner, the Riverperson a sharp contrast as they serenely observe. The skeleton with sans's face seems to wake up a little more, and reaches for the tea, cupping the warm mug between his hands and quietly watching the steam rise. Sans still has not moved, staring at the skeleton with his face intently, as if he still believes they are a threat. Alphys notices, and appears not to know what to do.
There is silence.
Then the skeleton takes a sip, but splutters, seeming to choke as the hot liquid slides down his skull and neck, alpys letting out a worried "O-oh!" before acting. She grabs a cloth from nearby, and shakily hands it to the skeleton, sans midway through some indiscernible motion before he slowly returns to his previous silent observation. The skeleton takes the cloth, still choking, and buries his face in it for a long moment before looking up, his eyelights faintly flickering.
"W-why…ca-n't i…dri-nk…?"
he croaks, in the same eerily familiar yet strained and confused voice. He touches his jaw lightly, and looks down, his expression still in the same frozen grin, but with a confused air to it. Alphys manages to stutter out in a slightly squeaky, strained voice, shaking her claws worriedly;
"I-i d-don't, u-uh, know- i just, er, you only j-just woke up so i h-haven't b-been able to p-perform an inspection…"
She trails to a stop, glancing nervously at the skeleton who still calmly holds his tea, even as he stares at her with recognition…but, a recognition she somehow feels belongs to…someone else. He slowly tilts his head, questioning, before managing to croak out;
"Yo-u're…capt-captain a-alph-ys, r…right…? Why…are y-you…here…?"
Alphys blinks, and in an attempt at a comforting gesture, rests a nervous claw on the skeletons shoulder, her expression concerned as Sans's own expression goes grim.
"I-im the royal s-scientist, n-not a captain. are you…are y-you ok? Wh-what's the l-last thing you remember?"
This response seems to awaken something in the skeleton, and he sits up a little straighter, clutching the mug so hard alphys was sure if he had knuckles they would be white.
"N-no! You…you are cap-itan…capitan a-alphys, of the roy-royal guard! You are am-amazing, and…and tough, and…i-i alway-always wanted to b-be like y-you, i…w-hy c-cant I…"
The skeleton trails off, small coughs making him shake as he tries to suppress them, Looking down into his tea with confusion as alphys gapes at him. Her? Capitan? Of the royal guard? She looks even more worried, wondering how confused this skeleton must be to think she's-
"...so who is your royal scientist, tra la?"
The Riverperson asks gently, interrupting the yellow lizard monster's thoughts. The skeleton, his soul pulsing in his exposed ribcage, turns to them, recognition and relief crashing across his face like a wave.
"U-undyne…but, you, you…resc-rescued, me…"
He says, gratitude warming his words in a way that alphys is taken aback by. The openness in his tone, in everything he says and does so far…it reminds her of papyrus, somehow…it's familiar, yet very, very strange. Then she realizes. UNDYNE? A s-s-scientist?! Alphys thinks in shock, her own internal voice stuttering at the mental image. She blushes underneath her scales. Undyne, a scientist…But the Riverperson only gives a small nod, and continues, glancing momentarily at Sans, who looks almost as confused as alphys under a thick layer of wariness.
"...and who, sells food in hotland, tra la?"
The skeleton with sans face twists the mug around in his hands, giving the equivalent of a raised eyebrow at the question, seemingly awake enough to recognise it as strange.
"Grill-by, o-of course…?"
Suddenly, his face shifts as much as it can when the grin is fused there, but the fondness and annoyance are… eerily familiar. Where has alphys seen that expression before-?
"Oh, a-and my brother, i sup-suppose, if what he s-sells can be c-called food…"
Suddenly sans speaks, causing the skeleton with his face to turn toward him, which prompts almost identical surprised noises from both sanses.
"You have a broth-"
He doesn't get to finish his sentence before the skeleton shrieks and punches him square in the face, scrambling back and beginning to shudder with panic as Sans clutches his face and groans with pain. Suddenly, everything is panic again. Sans is stunned by the blow to the face, the Riverperson has started gleefully humming suspenseful music which doesn't help the situation, the skeleton that just punched Sans in the face is crying in what appears to be fear, and alphys…
Alphys is in the center of it all.
Oh shiitake mushrooms, she's going to have to deal with this! Alphys internally slaps herself, trying desperately to think of what to do, but-
°·.¸.·°¯°·.¸.·°¯°·.¸.- ~? ンムメ? ? ンムメ? ? ンメᄒ? ンモネ? ? ンモハ? ンメᄒ?~ -.¸.·°¯°·.¸.·°¯°·.¸.·°
Oh god- is that her phone?
Alphys goes bright red and fumbles for her vibrating phone, the loud ringtone cooing above the noise, causing even the Riverperson to stop their dramatic action humming. Sans is still holding his face in pain, but he's also now staring at alphys in a kind of surprised and bewildered amusement, the skeleton who punched him simply hyperventilating with his eye sockets as big as dinner plates. It's almost comical, the cartoon-esque expression that the panicking skeleton is making. She manages to hit the 'accept call' button, and immediately an exuberant voice erupts from the other end.
"NYEH HEH HEH! ALPHYS, I SHALL BE…SLIGHTLY LATE! DUE TO REASONS TOTALLY NOT RELATED TO TRAINING I FORGOT ABOUT! THE HUMAN IS ALSO DEFINITELY NOT HERE AND WE ARE TOTALLY NOT SPARRING WITH UNDYNE! TELL SANS I SAY HI!"
Somehow, impossibly, the skeletons' eye sockets get even bigger. Alphys is sure that if he could open his mouth, it'd be slack in shock. Sans however, still holding his face, manages to call out in a slightly muffled voice;
"s'ok paps, i'll be fine, but you know how bonely i get without'cha!"
Papyrus groans on the other end, proclaiming something about how annoying his brother is before hanging up with a small click, another noise breaking the short lived silence in its wake.
"Pffffffft- mweh- mweh heh heh heh! heheh- *cough*- ow- mwheheheh…"
It's the…the skeleton? He's giggling, holding his midsection in pain as the muffled laughs make him vibrate slightly, panicked tears still wet on his skull. The tension is shattered like papyrus through a window as the skeleton keeps 'mweh heh heh-ing' at the pun, shaking slightly. Sans looks confused for a moment, but apparently realizing what caused the dramatic mood shift, keeps going, his small pained grin growing wider and wider as the Riverperson discreetly hides their smile.
"hey there buddy, ya seem to think my puns are pretty humerus and tibia honest i think that's a pretty good way to say hyoid but my brother is pretty sternum about this sorta thing, but no bones about it i think i'm still a pretty punny guy-"
The skeleton is silently shaking in laughter, while Alphys watches with a sort of horrified awe. If anyone can diffuse a situation with puns, it's sans. Sans is on a roll now, a smug grin spread across his skull, any pain forgotten as Sans revels in having such a puntastic audience. Alphys catches herself. Oh gosh, now I'm doing it…
"...so yeah i can't make a pun within a ten foot radius of my bro, but i don't let it capitate my life, i still think im pretty cool for a bone head, and i'd be telling a pretty big fibula if i said i didn't enjoy phalounging around,"
Sans is really proud of himself at this point, wiggling his phalanges in a sort of one-handed jazz performance, the other skeleton now giggling uncontrollably as alphys covers her ears with a groan. The puns…they're so…terrible…
"I can feel it in my bones, we'll be bone-ified pals in no time, i can feel the bone-d forming now, you've been laughing since my skele-bro hung up the tele-bone, after all i'm very skull-ful when it comes to puns, but i must admit its bonely at the top-"
The skeleton is still laughing, but they look up, managing to say through their gigglee;
"I-im gonna…crack a rib laughing, mweh heh…"
Sans's eye sockets (and grin) widen, and suddenly it's a contest, each skeleton trying to out-pun the other, resulting in several face palms from alphys and quiet giggles from the Riverperson.
"ooh, a pun battle, huh? I bet you'll find I'm a bone-ifide professional!"
"H-heh heh! But mine…are jaw-dropping!"
"ppfft, i'm a pretty punny guy myself!"
"Mweh! These p-puns are gonna be the death of me!"
"oh, you're gonna be coffin up smoke pretty soon!"
"You'll be eating my d-dust!"
Alphys discreetly starts recording the pun battle, zooming in on sans's exatic grin as the two skeletons pun at lightning speed, sans's punch to the face all but forgotten in the face of puns. What can I say? Puns unite all sanses.
"i'm so cool I'll freeze you to the marrow, bud!"
Alphys groans while stifling a giggle. This is hotland.
"There's a-always to-marrow, Mweh heh!"
"ah, c'mon, throw me a bone!"
"We're w-working to femur-pitch!"
"soon you'll be drawing the short jaw!"
Sans shoots, barely suppressing his own laughter.
The skeleton pauses, giggling, then looks around for more material.
"W-Well…"
He starts, a sly expression coming across him as best it can, before he launches into a tirade of truly, actually terrible science puns, sans's grin getting wider with every second.
"...This r-really is a chemical situation, but i think i'm about to go theory-eyed w-with laughter, my p-puns are truly out of thesis world, i've got my ion the prize, im miocule as a cucumber at this point, is it t-true this m-mountain is in califormula? I think i might collabse with laughter-"
The skeleton takes a huge unnecessary breath, seemingly determined to out-pun Sans, who is sitting opposite him with a huge goofy grin, but Sans interrupts him with his own, much more put together arsenal of science puns.
"oh buddy, were gonna have a newton of fun that'll leave ya ohming and ahhing, cause it's no more che-mister nice guy, i don't hafta pull out the stops to beat your half-massed puns, after all evidence doesn't Li, im one in a beryllium, i was practically boron for the stage, i can pun till the dead of nightrogen, sure i could stop, yeah, but Na. soon you'll be laughing yourself silicon, your chances of winning practically argon, im truly in my element, you could say my puns are Periodic-"
Alphys is recording the whole thing, careful to make sure the camera doesn't catch the other skeletons face of course, but mostly just zooming in on sans's smug face as he makes rapid-fire periodic table puns. Then, he notices her holding her phone up and stifling giggles, and-
"O-oh my god s-sans are you blushing!?"
Sans's face is indeed a bright red, and his expression is nothing short of horrified, looking like a Gyftmas tree bulb as his entire skull glows bright fluorescent red as he sits frozen mid-shrug. There's a small, strangled;
"no…?"
And Alphys bursts out laughing, as the usually chill skeleton- who literally just had a pun battle with the guy who punched him- flushes in embarrassment, trying to shield himself from alphys camera flashes.
"j-jeez alph, don't you dare-"
Alphys shakes with laughter as the Riverperson chuckles calmly, the yellow monster holding up the phone in triumph and managing to say through her laughter, dramatically stuttering;
"p-p-p-posted!"
Sans groans, the other skeleton practically forgotten in the comedic moment, and puts his still red skull in his hands, the glow still detectable through his phalanges as he informs no-one in particular;
"Uuuuhhhhgggg paps is gonna kill me…"
With that, the giggling skeleton speaks again, his expression…hard to read, but still openly confused.
"Mweh Heh-heh… P-papyrus? You said… he is your brother, right…?"
Sans looks up, his cheekbones still pink, and nods at the skeleton with his face, alphys attempting to silence her giggles, and failing. The skeleton looks…very confused, his eyelights large and tainted blue as he puts a hand to his chest and tilts his head questioningly.
"But…papyrus, h-he's my brother."
Sans stares at him blankly, alphys managing to get her giggles under control as she stares at the skeleton with a bewildered air. There's no way there are two previously undiscovered skeleton monsters in the underground, one of which having the same name as Sans's brother, and the other having the same face as sans himself. This is way too much of a coincidence. Then, deciding something, sans puts his hand out and says;
"I don't think i caught your name bud, im sans, sans the skeleton."
The skeleton takes his hand, and says in a confused manner;
"W-well, usually i would introduce myself, b-but, er, same?"
Sans lightly shakes it, then lets go, squinting at the confused skeleton suspiciously.
"...whaddya mean, same? I can see you're a skeleton, bud, but what's your name?"
The skeletons large bluish eyelights flicker slightly, and he taps his chest lightly, as if to emphasize what he says;
"No, no, you- you misunderstand. I am the magnificent, sansational sans, p-protector of snowdin town!"
He says the last bit with an air of pride, seeming not to notice Alphys' jaw hitting the floor, or Sans's sudden dark eye sockets and grim expression. Alphys puts her claws to her head and stares at the two near-identical sanses, who are now pointing to each other and bickering back and forth about who is the real sans in a way that reminds her of that spiderman meme where- waaaaaiiiit. Why did it take her so long to notice this?!
"OH MY GOD THIS IS JUST LIKE MEW MEW KISSY CUTIE SE3 EP. 347!"
Alphys squeals, launching into a fangirl rant that stops the two bickering lookalikes in their tracks, while the Riverperson watches with amusement.
"OKSOINTHATEMISODEMEWMEWACCIDENTALYOPENSADOORTOANOTHERDIMENSIONANDITSACCTUALLYREALLYSCIENTIFCALLYACCURATEBUTTHEREEVERYONEHASSWAPEDPERSONALITIESANDCLOTHESANDBACKSTORIESANDSTUFFANDSHEMEETSHERSELFFROMTHATDIMENSIONWHOHASTHEPERSONALITYOFHERCRUSHANDTHEYGETALONGREALLYWELLBUTTHENHERREALCRUSHFINDSTHESWAPPEDOUTVERSIONOFHIMSELFANDTHEYBOTHFREAKOUTBUTMEWMEWSPOWERSDONTWORKONTHEOPPISITEVERSIONOFHERCRUSHSOSHECANTGETHIMTOCALMDOWNANDWHILEHERCRUSHISMINDCONTROLLEDSHESEESTHEOTHERVERSIONOFHERSELFCONFESSTOTHEOTHERVERSIONOFHERCRUSHANDITSSUPERSWEETANDHEARTBREAKINGFORSOMANYREASONS AND T-theres some, u-uh, ch-character development a-and…uhhh…"
Alphys trails to a stop, her claws stopping mid-flap. She stares at the two identical blank expressions, and she explains awkwardly while a flush creeps onto her scales;
"I-i- mean, w-what i m-meant to say w-was that, uh, h-he"
the lizard monster says, pointing to the bewildered skeleton with sans's face,
"Is an a-alternate version of h-him!"
she continues, pointing to Sans, who looks as if the mother of all realizations has just kicked open his door wearing a chicken costume at four in the morning. That is to say, shocked and slightly like he's about to have an existential crisis.
"A-and, uh, that's why y-you look n-nearly identical, a-and act similarly, like with the p-puns, for example… w-well,"
She looks at the other sans's open expression, and then at sans' more closed off one, noting all the differences in posture and expression as she squints at the two skeletons.
"...there are d-definitely some major d-differences though…"
She mumbles nervously, looking between the two skeletons.
"I still don't know h-how you could have g-gotten here, o-or how the universe isn't b-breaking right n-now…if I'm right, this should be impossible…."
The other sans blinks, seeming to accept it without dispute. but sans's expression seems to indicate his entire view of the world just imploded, the skeleton slowly rubbing his forehead as the scientific implications crash down on him.
"That…is actually very plausible! I am glad to see you are still brilliant, cap- i mean, doctor alphys, no matter what- urk- universe you belong to…! Mweh, heh…"
The 'other sans' says with as best a smile as he can manage, wincing as some unknown vertebrae protests at his movement. Alphys blushes a little, slightly taken aback, and straightens her glasses (and posture) with a small 'th-thank you…?' before sans interrupts with a louder-than normal cry of:
"OK HOW IS THERE NO PARADOX HAPPENING RIGHT NOW!?"
saying sans was 'calm' might have been a bit inaccurate. Alphys looks a little shocked, but recognizing Sans's 'god dammit half my theories were just thrown to the wind' face, attempts to reassure him.
"W-well, you a-aren't actually the s-same person, right? y-you just have…you know, n-near identical MPFP's a-and save states f-from what I can t-tell, so…"
Alphys shrugs nervously.
"C-considering you b-both have experienced physical s-side effects, t-the universe might've gotten them…er, m-mixed up…?"
Sans stares at her incredulously, while his other self watches with confusion.
"Alphys, the universe does not get mixed up, the universe does its job because- because-"
The skeleton stutters a bit, his eyes still dark as he fumbles.
"Well 'cause it's the universe!"
he waves his hands in the air dramatically, trying to cram as much emphasis as he can without shrieking at the top of his nonexistent-lungs.
"W-well, I m-mean, do you have a b-better theory on how a-any of this is even remotely possible?"
Alphys asks a little defensively. Sans opens his mouth, then closes it with a small click, muttering something along the lines of "fair enough…." under his breath, the other sans looking relieved the brief conflict is over. Then, Alphys pipes up again, turning to him with a slightly more worried expression than she had a moment ago.
"S-so, uh, how d-did you…get here, exactly?"
She asks nervously, and the other sans is quiet for a long moment, seemingly thinking. Then, he looks up at Alphys and shrugs, as much of an apologetic expression he can manage coming over him as he answers.
"…I have no idea! I was in my room, w-with my brother, and then…"
He shrugs again, looking sheepish.
"…then there was this big glowing hole in my wall? it began to crack, th-then spread, and suddenly there was another hole opening u-under me, th-then I was falling and…"
He trails off, looking down as his eyelights flicker.
"My brother, h-he…tried to catch me…"
He goes silent for a long moment, seeming to grow worried as his non-eyebrows furrow. But then, he snaps back up, and continues in a hurried rush;
"And then suddenly they were p-pulling me from the river, and you know the rest!"
He finishes, gesturing to the Riverperson, who gives a quiet nod of conformation. Alphys and sans just stare at him for a moment, waiting, but the skeleton does not elaborate. After a moment, Alphys asks;
"…you're s-sure you w-weren't, uh…doing anything else…?"
the other sans just shakes his skull, looking apologetic.
"Nope! Th-that is it, I'm afraid!"
He manages, wincing slightly as some unknown bone aches. Alphys rubs her frill worriedly, and asks a little desperately;
"Has- has a-anything like t-this even happened to y-you b-before?"
the other sans goes to speak, then catches himself, looking away as he mumbles something to himself under his breath, Alphys looking confused as the skeleton mutters.
"W-wait, what is today's date…?"
He asks suddenly, looking up at Alphys, who just tilts her head in confusion. How is that important? But nevertheless, the yellow lizard monster still checks on her phone, and responds a little hesitantly;
"U-Uhh, November 4…?"
The other sans seems to be taken aback by this, and pauses for a moment to process this before speaking, almost strangely hesitant to continue;
"W-well, I, er…to answer your previous question, n-nope! Not to me, anyway!"
Alphys squints at him suspiciously.
"…t-to you…?"
The other sans squirms a moment, looking uncomfortable, Alphys scrutinising him suspiciously. There's a long moment of tense silence, then he finally relents, speaking out in a rush;
"Okay fine! Something a little like th-this has happened before, b-but it was not, well…exactly? Like this? It was weird! It did not happen to me either, and I don't…please don't force me to tell you!"
he pleads, looking nervous, sans seemingly having an existential crisis in the background, Alphys just staring at the nervous skeleton in confusion.
"I- I just, this world seems…farther back in time than mine, so I am…from the future of my own world I think…? I so simply do not think it would be a good idea for you to learn all that right now! Paradoxes and all that?"
The other sans suggests in a rush, looking panicked, and alphys stares at him a moment before sighing wearily. She rubs her forehead tiredly, and responds defeatedly;
"…w-well, okay, I won't f-force you to t-tell me..."
she pauses for a moment. What kind of event would…? Nevermind, it's not important, whatever it is, its just gonna happen anyway, right? She'll find out eventually. She sighs again, and continues talking as the other sans visibly relaxes.
"Now that you are, er, p-properly awake and all, h-how do you feel…? Sa- i m-mean, our sans, had a r-really bad time when he went through th-those, er, changes…"
The 'other sans' turns his head with a worried expression, looking his counterpart up and down before even registering that alphys actually asked him how he was doing. Sans seems startled out of whatever thoughts about the fragility of the multiverse he was lost in, and makes a hurried 'im fine' gesture, though the other sans doesn't seem to believe it. He hurriedly tries to assure the other skeleton, looking caught off guard as he reads the extremely papyrus-like expression of his counterpart.
"Hey, uh, other me, I'm totally fine now, don't worry bout' it. Just glad there ain't a paradox out of all o' this… somehow."
He says, trying to shrug it off, even as he squirms under the pinning glare of his other…self, The other sans narrowing his eye sockets in a suspicious gesture.
*SANS(?) is checking you
Sans looks surprised, then relents, sighing and summoning his soul before it can be automatically yanked out by the check, as Alphys watches in surprise.
THE MAGNIFICENT SANS(?)
HP: 330/350
DF: 15
*Something is very wrong with- with- NARRATION CONFLICTION-
*Something- very wrong- this boss monster's SAVE file
The other sans jerks back in shock, staring in disbelief. What is going on…? Why does this 'other me' have my name!? What is wrong with his save file? What is wrong with his narrator? For that matter… What is wrong with my face…? My mouth has refused to open this whole time…
*THE MAGNIFICENT SANS(?) is checking you in return
The other sans lets it happen, an invisible magical connection crisscrossing the space between them as each sans inspects the other.
SANS(?)
200/200HP
5DF
*there is something very very wr-wro-SAVE FILE ERROR
*there is something- there are 2 conflicting-
Alphys looks at the identical set of shocked and horrified faces, and askes tentatively;
"U-uh, whats w-wrong? Are you…ch-checking each other? That's a g-good idea, b-but…"
She trails off, her eyes glancing back and forth between the two skeletons, who are unhelpfully waving at what appears to her as empty air, but where they see their CHECKS displayed, making unintelligible vowel sounds as both sanses try to articulate the absolute incredulity of their situation. Suddenly, the Riverperson pipes up, making alphys jump. She'd forgotten the serene shadow elemental was still there.
"Tra la la…the narrator is meeting another…what happens when two voices compete?"
Alphys blinks at the Riverperson, then her eyes go very wide behind her glasses, realizing what they meant, and she scrambles for her equipment while squealing in a mixture of anxiety, fear, and excitement. Both sans's blink, and ask at the same time;
"What is wrong with alphys?"
"wassup with alph?"
They look to each other at exactly the same time, saying at exactly the same moment;
"heh, jinx, bucko-"
"Aha! Jinx, me!"
The Riverperson giggles as the two skeletons stare at each other incredulously, once again managing to distract themselves flawlessly from what's actually going on.
"ok, i talk, then you-"
"I shall speak first, then you-"
They cut themselves off, both making frustrated growling noises as they point to themselves at the same time and insist;
"No, me first-"
"bud, i said me f-"
They both put their heads in their hands at exactly the same times, and the Riverperson gives a small chuckle. What magnanimous dorks… truly, there's a reason why the dreams favor them. They smile to themselves, warmth rising in their shadows. It is…nice to see them happy. The dreams often say otherwise…often these skeletons suffer, in black and white worlds and broken places…cages, blood, shattering souls and demented revenge…handplates, dust, last breath. It is a nice change of pace to witness their happiness.
"I-im b-back!"
Alphys says, skidding back into the room and hurriedly throwing two wristbands across the room, one for each bewildered skeleton.
"P-put these on! I- i need to see this…"
Alphys orders them, in a tone she probably heard undyne use, causing both skeletons to automatically obey as she sets up the screens and wires that will allow her to see the narration for any spot in the the entire underground, an impressive mechanical feat. The two skeletons sit opposite one another, their movements again very similar, as they fasten the metal bands around their left wrists.
The power-using hand.
Wires lead from the band and into a larger cable, which leads to a computer, which leads to a processor, which…just looking at it can make your head hurt, there are so many wires. A mass of mechanical components have folded out from the walls and floor, multipurpose processes and interfaces connecting with wires and plugs, screens popping out from hidden spaces… seems an entire lab has been crammed in this small space, even the bookshelves folding away for rows of screens and keyboards. Soon they both give identical right-handed thumbs up to the scientist, and begin to chat as she races around programming different machines.
"So…you're another me. that's cool."
Sans attempts by way of an admittedly quite awkward conversation starter. The other him blinks a little, then his smile widens slightly, and he answers excitedly;
"Yes! You are very different to me, and yet you look just like me! It is quite odd."
Sans chuckles, and squints at his other self.
"well, uhh, not exactly the same- you're kinda…bouncier than I am."
The other sans is indeed almost constantly moving in some way, whether he's tapping his phalanges on the tile or shifting his skull for a better view of the room, he almost never stops moving. The other sans chuckles brightly, and puts his hands on his hips, grinning with an endearing cheerfulness that reminds sans of his brother.
"You are indeed right! And you seem more… less bouncier, than me!"
He exclaims, and sans shrugs.
"so, eh, in your- your universe, Alphys is the capitan, and Undyne is a scientist. geeze, talk about a role reversal…"
The other sans blinks, then looks over at where Alphys is calibrating machines and writing code at a breakneck pace, the lizard monster in her element as she works furiously.
"To me, this world is the role reversal! Perhaps that is the difference between my world and yours!"
He wonders aloud, his eyelights a faint cheerful blue, and Sans remembers something.
"wait, wait…before, you said grillby sells stuff in Hotland where you're from? jeez, not sure i can imagine that one."
The other sans's grin widens a little, as he seems to remember something pleasing.
"Well, yes, he is a fire elemental after all!"
Sans chuckles and shrugs.
"well, can't argue with that… he got a pub in the resort or somethin'?"
The other skeleton laughs, and shakes his skull incredulously.
"Oh no no! He has this magnificent outside buffet! it is quite impressive, actually."
Sans snorts, surprised.
"wait- really? Grillby, makin' a buffet? heh, I really can't imagine that."
The other sans chuckles, looking amused.
"Well, I can't imagine him any other way than he is!"
Sans raises one non-eyebrow.
"an' how's that?"
The skeleton with his face thinks for a moment, then replies;
"Oh, well, he is very energetic and fun! He wears a bright blue suit and swirly glasses when he's at work, but I think he secretly likes pink. He also talks a lot, but his food is super cheap, and really good as well! He is a very good dancer too- he and the haraguro planes have quite a lot of fun!"
Sans's nonexistent eyebrows raise, and he tries to picture a talkative grillby in a bright blue suit dancing with- what was it? hara-go or something- planes. He snorts, imagining the bartender's pub, snow and all, smack dab in the center of hotland like his sentry station is, a talkative and energetic grillby perched on the roof like muffet perches on her webs.
"Pfft- grillbz? Talkative? here I can't get even one word outta him! mostly cuz I don't think he can talk- but hey, maybe he does in your world."
The other sans makes an expression that, had he been a human, would have made his nose scrunch up. But on a skeleton, there was obviously no nose to scrunch. anyway, it just looked like he'd been told that the river was secretly made of lemonade.
"Oh yes! The trouble is how you get him to stop- he just keeps on going, but most of what he says is very interesting, so I don't mind!"
Sans chuckles at him, trying to imagine what grillby would sound like. The guy just signs at you most of the time, and if you don't understand, that's your problem.
"heh- here, he just kinda signs. every so often some city slicker comes by and asks him to talk instead, but usually I hafta catch 'em up to speed."
Sans shrugs, then remembers something, a glint coming into his eyes as he remembers the story;
"oh, yeah, one time this one guy came in- real jerk, he told grillbz to 'just talk like an adult instead of playing stupid hand games' and like, half the bar ganged up on him, heh!"
sans remembers, grinning, his eye sockets sparkling at the memory. The other sans perks up, asking with both great curiosity and concern;
"Really? What a terrible person! what happened?"
Sans grins, remembering how every single pair of eyes in the room had locked onto the city slicker the instant the words left his mouth.
"ok- so, there was this dramatic hush over the room, then suddenly the dog guard totally freaked out- started growling and snappin' and stuff, then Ives, he wrapped the jerk up in vines like it was nothing! I stayed outta the way, as usual, but I threw in a bone or two ta help."
Sans adds, the other sans's eye sockets wide as he listens with fascination and awe.
"but then, just as dogamy was about to chew his ear off- literally- grillbz slams his hands down on the bar, and lemme tell ya, a rooms never gotten so quiet so fast. i tell you, it was dead silent."
Sans leans forward, truly invested in the story now, grinning as the other him listens intently with a satisfyingly awed expression. He's got one hell of a good audience.
"an' grillbz just slides over the bar like he's James Bond or somethin'- he walks right up to the city jerk, who's lyin' on the wood at half heath, covered in vines- and he crouches down and signs right in his face;"
Sans pauses dramatically, trying to remember the movement, and then crappily mimics;
'No.'
the other skeleton bursts out laughing, and sans leans back, grinning, spreading his hands out triumphantly.
"awesome, right?"
He asks, and the other him nods as he laughs, imagining the scene.
"I- oh, that's magnificent! The look on his face must have been priceless! Your grillby sounds quite amazing, other me!"
sans nods, still grinning. Then, he looks thoughtful, looking his counterpart up and down.
"ya know, we should find somethin' else to call each other…"
the other sans nods.
"Yes, we should!"
He thinks for a moment.
"You may call me blue! That is my brother's nickname for me, so I am used to it. What can I call you?"
sans shrugs.
"I dunno. My bro just calls me sans, so, uh, sans?"
He jokes, but blue seems to take it seriously, the other skeleton nodding in satisfaction as Alphys works in the background.
"Ok! That is alright, I'll just call you sans, and you can call me blue!"
sans jolts a little, and shakes his head, saying quickly;
"no, no, ya don't have to-"
But blue cuts him off.
"Nonsense! I don't mind, it's perfectly all right."
Sans rubs the back of his skull and shrugs.
"well, uh, ok I guess, if ya really don't mind…"
Blue nods, his expression showing no reluctance or offense as sans continues and asks;
"…so, uh, blue, what's…er, muffet like in your world then?"
He asks, grasping at straws. Blue seems to perk up at the name, looking a mixture of annoyed and affectionate.
"She runs the bar in snowdin in my world! But everything is really expensive, which is why I don't like it. Somehow my brother manages to go there everyday after his shift though, and yet never spends any money! I like muffet, she's quiet, but nice. Shame about the prices though."
Blue gives a small, triumphant 'mweh heh heh'
"He thinks I don't notice when he goes there. He does that a lot, thinks I don't notice things. It's really weird."
Sans's not-eyebrows raise even further, and he leans forward while saying incredulously;
"Wait- wait. Muffet. running a bar? her? really?"
Blue nods, and describes the dark, moody establishment, with its silent spider bartender.
"wow. Grillby's pub here is a lot nicer, lemme tell ya."
Sans says, and tells Blue all about the interior of Grillby's pub, its warm cozy atmosphere, and even goes so far as to mention his tab, and how many condiments are on it.
"...ketchups still my fav though, nothin' beats it."
He finishes, blue having followed every word with great curiosity.
"Actually…I do something rather similar, in a way."
Blue remarks, and Sans perks up a little, alphys loud clanging in the background not deterring him.
"Really? Didn't take ya for the type."
The other sans blushes slightly, blue creeping over his cheekbones as he says defensively;
"Well, i- I mean, it's not exactly like what you do! I dont steal restaurant condiments."
He says, crossing his arms in a very papyrus like way that makes sans snort, putting his hands up in a mock surrender.
"Heya bud, no harm in it! C'mon, you can open up to me- I'm you, after all. what do ya do then?"
Blue huffs, the whirring computer noises growing louder along with alphys muttering.
"...I…I drink hot sauce, if you must know."
Sans gapes at the other version of himself, who is still blushing slightly as the Riverperson gives a snort of laughter, their shadows rippling with the sudden motion. The other sans turns towards the noise, as sans tugs on alphys sleeve with a shocked expression and an open jaw.
"Oh! I am so sorry, I forgot you were here during all…that. You rescued me, right? I must thank you for that!"
Sans, in the background, informs a flustered alphys that his counterpart 'drinks hot sauce like can you believe that alphys, he drinks hot sauce!' while the Riverperson waves away blues apology with a smile.
"Tra la, no worries, it happens often. Most forget those who observe without speaking, simply-sans…Tra la la…"
Blue tilts his head, looking at the Riverperson with squinty eye sockets, even as Sans insists to a confused alphys that no, he didn't mishear, yes hot sauce.
"…I think there is a version of you in my world, too! But you are a lot different there- You wear a bright flowery mumu instead of a dark cloak, and your boat has a cat head instead of a dog one! I remember the other you would sing by the bank sometimes- it was very nice."
The Riverperson chuckles. They had a dream akin to that… are all their dreams worlds? Hmm…if so, then they may know the man who speaks in hands better than they thought…
"Sing, tra la? Well, I may do that too, if you wish. I know many songs of stories and further, tra la la..."
Blues face lights up, and he nods emphatically, remembering the Riverperson- or Ferryperson as they are called there- from his world, just as sans tapps him on the shoulder, reminding him (still slightly impressed);
"Uhh, hey, hot-sauce? Alph says we gotta keep still, cause she's gonna turn this gizmo on."
Blue gives a surprised laugh at the nickname, and sits up straight, the Riverperson giving a nod that he takes to mean 'later' as he shifts his gaze to alphys.
"O-ok, i've got it ready now. i j-just need you to ch-check each other, er, p-please."
Alphys says, worriedly tapping buttons as the near-identical skeletons oblige, their souls pinging up with two slightly different shades of blue. Then, the monitors begin to scream. The two skeletons look at each other, then back at the checks, then back up again. They both see what is out of place, apart from their names of course, and its-
"O-oh my g-goodness, the n-narrations!"
Alphys stutters, staring at the lines of text scrolling down the monitor in shock. Monsters had long since investigated the internal (and sometimes not so internal) voice that sometimes narrated important and sometimes unimportant aspects of monsters' lives, even going so far as trying to determine whether or not it was actually sentient, which…
Well, those particular efforts were…inconclusive?
Those tests had started when a small team of monster scientists had come together to attempt to perform a check on 'the narrator' as everyone thought of it 20-odd years back. What had happened…well, it sparked a wave of scientific interest. The monster volunteers had received contact, consisting of the following lines;
*you attempt to CHECK the NARRATOR
*the NARRATOR is not present to be CHECKED
*the NARRATOR most likely does not want to be CHECKED
…this one word, in the last sentence. 'want.' That was what started it all. Scientists just kept digging deeper, finding more and more evidence for and against both sides of the 'is the narrator sentient' argument. Eventually, they gathered together all their data and came to a conclusion;
Nobody actually knows.
What it boiled down to was this; no matter what 'the narrator' was, it didn't exist on the same plane of reality as monsters, humans, or even (it is theorized) the godlike abomination that king asgore would eventually become with seven human souls. Therefore, nobody could really communicate with it, the narrator (whatever it was) was simply 'commenting' on their reality. It could stop at any time, and do whatever it liked- for all they knew, it would stop one day. There was simply no way to know.
But now, as Alphys watched, she saw two narrators- one their own, one dragged by the other sans into this world- pitched against each other.
[what is this?]
{what is going on?}
[what- what are you?!]
[who are you?!]
{*static* Don't know!?}
[what am- what am ERROR_letter8 doing here?]
{...do you not know where you are?}
[no]
{...*static* do not know either, come to think.}
[what do you know?]
{...*static* am…scared? *static* think?}
[is it possible that you and ERROR_letter8 are the same? ERROR_letter8 am also…scared.]
{it is possible?}
{ERROR_letter8…what is that?}
[…unable to use self subjective term.]
{why not?}
[don't know…? Am not self subjective?]
{letter 8 is letter i, did you know that?}
[ERROR_letter8 am not an 'i' and yes, ERROR_letter8 did know.]
{then why say ERROR_letter8?}
[there is nothing else to put.]
[you say static, why?]
{…empty.}
[empty?]
{just empty nothing to put.}
?¬レミ ? ✞ ✋?¬リワ?¬ワヘ ?¬リ゚ ❄ ? ゚リミ ✌ ✡ ? ゚モᆱ ?¬ワフ✋❄? ?¬ワフ✋❄? ?¬リ゚✡ ?¬レミ ? ✡ ? ?¬レミ?¬リᅠ? ✋?¬リワ?
Suddenly, as Alphys watches in horror at the two narrators going back and forth, a third input comes in, a glitching and wobbling mass of emojis and symbols. Symbols she…recognises…?
"O-oh! U-uh, Riverperson, do you have the devi- no, that won't work… it's t-text not aud-"
Sans's head snaps up so quickly his eyelights are almost a blurr.
"you mean the wingdings translator? why- why do ya need it?"
Alphys blinks at him in shock, then shakes her head and explains;
"Th-there's a th-third input, a-and it looks like it's in that font, s-so i, er, i'll put it up on the m-monitor for y-you…"
She says, pushing buttons, the screen nearest to sans suddenly lighting up with lines of text. Sans stares up at the arguing lines of text, momentarily shell shocked as he translates, the Riverperson and Blue calmly (and exuberantly) speaking the parts of the conflicting narrators.
{what is this? Who is this?}
[do not know…?]
(I- WHO ARE YOU? YOU SOUND LIKE THE NARRATOR, WHY ARE YOU-)
{narrator?! How- how did-}
[not- what- what are- what and why- how-]
(O-OH, WOW, CALM DOWN, WHAT'S WRONG?)
{unprecedented, you are unprecedented!}
(WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M 'UNPRECEDENTED'?)
[unprecedented, you are not meant to be here, why are you here!?]
(LOOK, DO YOU BELONG TO THE VOID OR-)
{what is a void?}
[not void this is not- this is just 'somewhere', what are you?]
(I ASSURE YOU, THIS IS VERY MUCH-)
{*static* do not understand what is void?}
[tell name so you are known! What are you?!]
(WELL, WHY SHOULD I TELL YOU MY NAME WHEN YOU HAVE NOT TOLD ME YOURS?)
{not owners of names, us.}
[no names- tell yours now.]
(YOU DO NOT HAVE ONE?)
{correct, static voiced unprecedented variable.}
[affirmative.]
(I WILL CALL YOU ONE AND TWO THEN)
Sans cuts off his translation, turning to the Riverperson and gesturing to the screen.
"What- what is this? The void, mysterious inputs- what's happening?"
Alphys looks surprised, she expected that question to be directed at her, and opens her mouth, before the other sans puts a hand on her arm, silently shaking his head. He's seen something like this before, it's best not to interrupt. He hopes this will go the way it did in his timeline…the best thing to do is wait.
"Tra la la…who do you think, sansational sans? Who else but the father who's font forgets his face? The man who speaks in hands, sans, is calling. You should pick up the phone…"
They watch Sans's eye sockets go wide, and his expression goes into shock. But he does not stay that way, turning to alphys with a desperate expression, staggering to his feet as the Riverperson leans sideways to avoid being clocked in the face with the skeletons hip, sans just managing to get to the console while dragging wires behind him.
"A-Alph, quick, how do I answer?!"
Alphys just stares at him for a moment, confused, before the skeleton snaps his fingers with a sharp click of bone against bone, saying with a note of desperate panic;
"ALPH! how do I answer!? please, alph, help me!"
Alphys jolts, and supports Sans with one arm as he wobbles, from either the shock of the situation or the exertion of the fight earlier, she can't tell, but she helps him get to a small monitor with a keyboard, imputing some commands while still shaking herself, practically feeling the skeleton she's supporting vibrate with desperate impatience.
"I-it won't be p-perfect, i-it might not even work a-at all, b-but-"
Sans interrupts her, his counterpart watching with a knowing smile, hopeful yet cautious in a way he rarely is. Something similar happened where he came from, and he is glad he gets to witness it a second time, glad that even this backwards world has a chance- some chance- at a happy ending. He just hopes…
…well, that's it. He Just Hopes.
"Alph. Is there at least a chance this will work?"
The lizard hesitantly nods.
Sans immediately begins to type furiously, his skeletal fingers flying across the keyboard as he writes his short message, Alphys looking at the monitor in confusion.
|knock knock|
It comes up on screen, alphys watching with one eyebrow raised, glancing at sans while he watches intently for the reply, his eyelights almost quivering with intensity. Why does he…what's going on?
(…who… who is there…?)
Sans stares at the screen with some wild hope behind his eyes, like he's trying not to hope but can't help it, his hand shaking a little as he types out his own response, Alphys again confused, why does this font have so many… mailboxes? And is that a hand? How does sans read this stuff?
|a very nice guy|
Alphys blinks and turns back to sans, but all words die when she sees the expression of desperate hope on his face. Sans is leaning forward, staring intently, his eyelights gleaming as the monitors whirr and buzz around him, the fluorescent lights flickering, as sans silently thinks to himself that its idiotic this thing cant do capital letters but can do italics. Heh…nice guy. His ever first pun. His dad had bragged about it all day…If this is who he thinks it is…he stops. He cant…he won't let himself. It's probably nothing…Then the first symbol comes on screen, and the flow of Time itself seems to still.
(...sans? Oh my god, sans is that you…?)
Sans stares at the screen, and types out his message with shaking hands, a huge smile- genuine- splitting his skull. Alphys watches his expression with shock. She's never seen sans so…sincerely happy before, tears welling up in the skeletons eye sockets as he leans against the console, his whole body shaking.
|nah its just ur sonshine|
(SANS! IT IS YOU, I- I- i cant believe I'm actually- it is you, it's you, sans I've-!)
Comes the reply, and sans makes a choked sound, burying his head in the crook of his arm as what seem to be both sobs and choked chuckles come from him, his entire body shaking as the skeleton crumples to the floor, overcome with emotion. He sits there, shaking, as Alphys stares at the message on the screen, not understanding, until- Oh my gosh, son-shine. Son. don't tell me- Oh my god, oh my god sans why…why did you never tell me…? All those times I mentioned that blank spot in my memory, all the times I mentioned…
…oh sans…how did all this…?
(sans, I'm here- its me, its me, its your dad I'm- I'm alive, I've been trying to get back- I've been trying to get back for so long sans, i... i can't believe it, I'm so…)
Sans sees the message and only sobs harder, alphys shaking herself out of her thoughts to crouch down, comforting the skeleton as best she can, despite never having seen him so emotional…when fully conscious, that is. She tries desperately to help him- but he's not crying in a sad way, but in a happy one. Among all this chaos, he stumbled upon something he thought was only a foolish fantasy. His father survived that fall, he's out there- somewhere in time and space, he's out there, and Sans is going to find him, no matter what.
He will not fail him again, he…he can't fail him again.
(SANS! SANS, ARE YOU THERE?! DON'T TELL ME I'VE LOST YOU- NO, I AM NOT LOSING MY SONS A SECOND TIME! SANS! I AM DETERMINED TO GET BACK, YOU HEAR ME!? I PROMISE I WILL GET BACK!)
This time the words almost shake the screen, and alphys shakes sans in return, telling him 'something is happening, what's happening, sans can you hear me' in a very stressed voice, shaking him by the shoulders. The skeleton pulls himself together, and heaves himself up onto the consoles edge, typing out even as tears stream down his skull as he smiles at the contents of the message;
|hey old man dont blow a gasket im fine|
|just got a bit emotional there is all|
The equipment stops shuddering, and suddenly a new message from his father- his father, because his father is apparently very alive- types out. It's long. Very, very long. Every time Sans thinks it's gonna stop, more symbols pour through, alphys eyes widening in awe, but she uses the time to ask Sans quietly; "Sans…i-is that your…?" The skeleton nods, wiping tears from his skull as he watches the message finally finish.
(SANS- never, never scare me like that again, i- i dont think i could- wait. sans, is your brother there?! how are you even doing this? oh my god, are you both okay?! you were both so- it was so long ago i dissapeared, ive been so worried about you both, what happened while i was gone?! who- who remembers me, if anyone? what are those voices- did you bring them here?! How is your brother? Is he safe? Is he okay? I have so, so many questions after being stuck in this damn void so long, I'm so sorry, I've missed you both so much I just- damn, i cant say everything fast enough!)
Sans laughs shakily, startling alphys as the skeleton sighs and shakes his head. He still can't believe he's actually talking to…geeze, he missed him so, so much. All this time, he's been alive, trapped somewhere…But still, how is he…how is he alive? He cant be alive- his father fell into the core, sans saw him die, and then…everyone forgot him. Everyone but sans just forgot…and now here he is, talking to his father again. His father, who still, even after all this time, only cares about them. Still the same dorky, worried dad, even when he's stuck in a-
Suddenly, sans jerks back up and blinks rapidly.
|wait, lifeless void dad where are you|
The reply comes quickly, if a little unsteadily.
(I... I don't really know, its...it used to be just endless nothing, but now... well, its gray and still rather empty. no matter what happens to me, something…wont let me die. I've just been...lingering.)
Sans stares at the message incredulously.
|what do you mean won't let you die|
Again, the symbols come, as alphys clutches her snout in shock. Whatever the symbols mean, sans reply is enough to make her mind race. Won't let him die? That sounds… eerily familiar. Could it be that this monster- somehow erased from all records, actually has…?
(i- i dont want to scare you, but, yes. i am very much meant to be dead. i fell down, into the core...but, i kept falling. everything was pain and then...i was just...trapped. my soul was barely alive- but i am still alive! and i will get back, no matter what. I promise I will get back, believe me- i will come home.)
sans gapes at the screen in horror. This…this was not what he expected. His father is literally lingering between life and death- and who knows what might tip the scale. He begins to type a very long message, mostly containing questions, his fingers flying across the keyboard as his mind whirrs in desperation. Alphys stands awkwardly beside him, and she slowly tenses up, her frill puffing out slightly with nervous energy. she can practically feel 'Blue' staring at her. Eventually she turns, flustered, asking him in a rush as sans frantically types.
"W-what? Why are you l-looking at me?"
The other sans blinks, and rubs the back of his skull sheepishly, his now-frozen smile becoming bashful as he admits to the flustered lizard monster;
"Oh, uh- it's simply because you are so…different from my world's alphys."
He says sheepishly. Alphys tilts her head and squints slightly, before remembering;
"O-oh right! I'm the c-capitain of the royal guard in y-your universe…"
Alphys shrugs, becoming slightly downcast as she tries to imagine herself as a confident, strong leader of a platoon of fighters, diving into battle like undyne...
"B-but, I don't think I can im-imagine th-that…"
The other sans looks almost…affronted? Leaning back slightly, then beginning to say in what sounds like an almost scolding tone;
"Well I certainly can! You are the same people, after all! The basics are the same, right? Like how me and him both love puns and grillbys food! We both have the potential to be each other, it's just our circumstances are swapped! You could be that capitan, if you were born in my universe!"
The other sans holds her gaze, his expression completely and wholly confident.
"And after all, both you and her are very, very smart! One of the things that makes Capitan Alphys of the Royal Guard so great is her amazing battle tactics! Like me and puzzles!"
Blue says proudly, putting his hand to his chest as he puffs it out in pride. It's almost cartoonish, how his ribcage expands at the motion.
"R-really…?"
Alphys asks, imagining. It's…a little easier. the other sans nods furiously.
"Yes! And the undyne in my universe, she gets so pumped about science, she sometimes makes explosions! It's super cool! And even though she talks really fast and gets super nerdy like you do, that only PROVES MY POINT FURTHER!"
He says, his voice growing in strength as he talks, and by the end he sounds a lot like papyrus as he intensely (and dramatically) makes a 'strongman' pose, only slightly ruined by the fact that without his shirt, he has no actual padding to give the appearance of muscles. But Alphys' attention is soon drawn away, as she hears the computers make a series of processing noises that she…didn't know they could make…?
Suddenly, more words appear on screen, much faster this time.
|I have questions. questions like what exactly happened after you fell, what the heck you mean by 'nothingness' and how you're talking to me right now. not that I'm complaining, i've missed you more than you'll ever know, but still, the more I know about all this the better I can help get you back, dad. I want to save you as much as you probably want to be saved, but for that to happen, I need you to tell me everything you know about where you are, alright? I promise, I'm gonna get you back. No matter what.|
Alphys looks at sans incredulously, then waves at the computers and says in an accusing tone;
"Did you…reprogram my tech!?"
Sans just looks at her with a newly expressive, but still infuriating 'isn't it obvious' expression, and alphys facepalms with a groan.
"Oooof course you did. And of COURSE you managed to SOMEHOW make it better."
She doesn't stutter once. But suddenly, a very short message comes on screen, the symbols shaking and shuddering as yet another thing goes very, very wrong.
(SOMETHING IS HAPPENING)
And everything goes white.
…FILE 1 SAVED
…
…FILE 1 LOADED
And they are back again. Sans looks horrified, his entire body trembling, both eyelights burning a bright and terrible blue.
remembering this…feeling.
Remembering frisk, and what they did.
He shudders, suddenly snapping to attention and diving for Alphys' forgotten phone, dialing Papyrus's number frantically. The kid. He frantically watches as the call rings out, and calls again, and again, the Riverperson rubbing their face in a disorientated way nearby, Blue just blinking rapidly as though struck, looking as if he'd just woken up from some nightmare.
Alphys, however, is standing stock still-
-where she was fifteen minutes ago.
Sans lets out a cry of frustration, dialing the number one last time- It finally picks up.
"S-sans? Oh my gosh, sans! Sans what happened i- i did something, i-"
The kid. But where's papyrus? What has she done?
"Kid. Listen to me very, very carefully."
Sans says, speaking carefully, his font correctly punctuated as it rarely is. He clutches the phone as if it's about to disappear in his hands, memories flashing by him at a pace that only quickens.
"Don't Reset."
Blue looks over at him, concerned. He's staring at his quivering lookalike with concern that only keeps growing, his counterpart continuing to speak in a voice nearly overcome with desperation and pain as his bones click together. Not much would tear sans away from the only connection he's had with his father in years, but decades worth of resets and relived days flooding back into his memory…? That would just about (barely) do it.
"Please- please, kid, i just g-got him back- i'm not, please, just dont-"
The shaking skeleton is pleading now, his hands barely able to keep a hold on the phone as Alphys stares at the equipment as if it's materialized out of thin air, rubbing her frill and reading the messages with a newly horrified expression.
"Sans, what's- what's a reset!? I don't- sans, are you crying? I-i just- sans, i'm really scared, please don't cry, i need you, i…"
The child's voice crackles from the phone, almost as desperate as his, and Sans begins to try and hold back sobs as his other self finally realizes the situation. Oh…this timeline, it hasn't- what his brother did, before bringing blues own father back- freeing his timeline from a terrible power hs friend chara had been forced to abuse by…by something…this timeline may not have a chara, may not have a frisk, may not have anything like what his world has, but it apparently has resets and saves. The things his brother never talks about. And this version of him…is remembering all of that.
"OH MY GOODNESS! OTHER ME, WAS THAT A-?"
He questions, voice stronger after downing two mugs of tea, his expression horrified and questioning as he gently places a hand on his counterparts shaking shoulder. Sans nods, shaking so hard his vertebrae forms a panicked symphony of clicks.
"S-sans? Who is that?! Sans, i'm scared, im really, really scared-, i need you, i-"
Blue gently takes the phone from his lookalike, who seems to need a moment…or a few hundred moments. A little hesitantly, he goes to speak, unsure of what human is on the other end, but determined to assist them.
"O-OH! HELLO, I AM- UH, WELL, SANS, KIND OF. IT'S REALLY CONFUSING RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU CAN CALL ME BLUE! HUMAN, WHAT IS WRONG?"
The voice on the other end of the line gasps, and blue can faintly hear his other self sobbing, the Riverperson speaking to him in a calm, gentle voice, alphys typing frantically on the monitor as hundreds of error messages come in.
"i-i…h-hi, blue, im bell, but- what's, what's wrong with sans…?"
The young voice asks shakily.
"OH, WELL, IT APPEARS YOU, ER…MADE TIME JUMP BACK A BIT. OTH- I MEAN, SANS, HE…HE IS REMEMBERING SOMETHING…NOT FUN, I THINK."
Blue pauses, and the voice on the other end is silent for a moment before asking;
"A-a…a bad time…?"
Sans looks up sharply, staring at the phone in haunted horror as blue looks at it in confusion.
"IT COULD BE PHRASED THAT WAY, YES, BUT WHY IS THAT…?"
Sans's eyes are dark, and he stares blankly, even as the Riverperson gently shakes his shoulders, he stays there, staring at the phone. The kid…The kid knows. How does the kid know what he's seeing…?
"I- i had, i had a…a vision? l-like I was seeing through someone else's mind for a…a terrifying moment… I thought it was just a d-dream, but, if sans is…maybe it was real? It seemed like a memory of…of sans, b-but he was…"
The voice pauses.
"...r-really angry…"
The voice trails off, and blues eye sockets widen a little.
Bad time…
…'take another step, and you won't like what comes next'...My brother's nightmares…does that mean he really…? It…it doesn't matter. It…it is real, here, apparently. Resets…that- it did not feel fun…I wonder how many i have already…no, it does not matter! I have heard enough of my brother's night terrors to know that they are frightening enough to scare such a small child…I must help them!
However I can, I must help them!
"OH MY…I THINK…I MIGHT KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN. HUMAN, STAY CALM. WHERE ARE YOU? WHAT HAPPENED TO MAKE YOU- WELL, DO WHAT YOU DID?"
The voice on the other end of the phone trembles, and seems close to tears at the next words, sans's expression unreadable and confused as he clutches his skull.
"I- i don't know, everything- everything is dark, and weird, and papy- i can't find him, and i think i- i think i d-died? I don't understand…"
The voice breaks into sniffles, and blue remembers his friend- chara, describing something similar to him. How time would not let them die, and no matter what, they always came back. Like the earth refused to let go. He realizes- this human, this must be the very first time they've done…whatever this really is. but then why is his other self so shaken up? Why is he acting like he remembers the 'resets' if this is the first in this world? Could there have been…someone else…?
"THAT SOUNDS…SCARY. ARE YOU ALRIGHT? NOT HURT? PLEASE, HUMAN, HAS ANYTHING LIKE THIS EVER HAPPENED BEFORE…?"
The voice is still shaky, but seems comforted by his presence.
"N-no. Never, I don't know why- I was in waterfall, with papy, and i- I slipped, and- and then everything hurt, and I was here, and I'm scared! Please don't leave, i don't w-want to be alone!"
Blue's soul aches as he hears their sadness and fear, and quickly reassures them, pretending not to notice his other selves shocked expression at the child's words, the Riverperson still gently trying to catch his attention.
"DO NOT WORRY HUMAN! I WILL STAY WITH YOU. THE MAGNIFICENT SANSATIONAL SA- UH, BLUE WOULD NEVER ABANDON HIS FRIENDS! OR ANYONE, FOR THAT MATTER!"
Sans clutches his skull in confusion. He doesn't understand. Frisk- the memories are still rushing back- This human, they don't…know what's happening? How? don't humans know how to save and reset innately? Frisk knew from the beginning, he's sure…How did this human manage to be different? How did they- this makes no sense! And frisk…Sans remembers their stoic face, and feels only…
Confliction.
He remembers them almost freeing everyone, but then… resetting, right after, snatching away the happy ending, right before they would've seen the sun…He remembers them coming out of the ruins caked in dust, but then sparing everyone, snatching away another happy ending, smiling placidly…He remembers them coming out clean, and killing everyone, leaving only Toriel to wander the empty underground, but eventually ending her, too…He remembers them killing…only his brother. Just him. Nobody else. He remembers the calm smile, that never moved, never changed, as they killed only papyrus. Then made friends with everyone else….That calm smile…It terrified him. That demon…that freak…
But, wait.
…And then Sans remembers the very first time, the very first day…that troubled, confused child in the snow, who tried to be kind, but when the going got really tough…they attacked, driving their enemies off with a shaking hand, tears in their closed eyes. He remembers judging them. And after that, he remembers them trying to free everyone, determined-
A reset.
Then, the calm, placid smile, caked in dust.
Sans remembers fighting them until he felt he'd been reliving the same moments for years, remembers using strength he didn't know he had, he remembers bleeding a ironic mixture of ketchup and monster blood as pain filled him…And he remembers waking up in his own, untidy room, shaking, running to papyrus as if he hadn't seen him in an eternity, then slowly, as more genocide's came and went…Starting to just not care.
…everything feels…far away…
But slowly, he notices.
The Riverperson sits next to him, a gloved hand on his shoulder, murmuring kind words in an attempt to comfort him, even though he knows they barely know him, even though they don't have to, even though it's hard.
Alphys types and programs, still trying to figure out what has happened, still trying even though he knows she's forgetting, even though she knows she doesn't understand.
He sees the other him, talking over the phone, trying to calm and help someone he doesn't even know, even though it's almost impossible to make the situation sound good…
PATIENCE.
PERSEVERANCE.
KINDNESS.
That skeleton he remembers…hopeless, giving up, resigning himself to live the same days over and over and over, only ever acting during the worst of times, only acting when everyone died, when his brother died- …that isn't him, is it…? That skeleton, that broken down, depressed sans who had stopped caring, stopped wanting to live, who knew so much more than just a creeping feeling of futility, who just couldn't know for sure whether or not he'd live or die that day, forced to be a plaything of an abused power…
…that isn't him anymore.
And though Sans now remembers fighting for nothing, looking down at his brother's dusty scarf as snow swirls, watching with only emptiness where emotion should be as the same human befriends his brother moments later…Sans The Skeleton, cursed to relive the same days over and over, that isn't him.
That isn't what he wants his legacy to be.
He doesn't want to be sans, the skeleton who slowly gave up on life, sans, who stopped trying, sans, who watched until he couldn't even feel, sans, who just watched and watched until he stopped caring…he doesn't want to be sans, the monster who only fought when everything ended. Sans the skeleton, who played by the script because he was too beaten down by an unknowable time of repeating days, who never gave true justice…who just watched, until he was forced to act. That is not him.
He was given another chance.
Everyone is still here, his friends, his family, frisk is gone, his brother is fine, his father lives, somehow, somewhere his father is alive, and sans-
He cares.
[*you feel filled with JUSTICE.]
A familiar bold voice tells him.
{*you feel filled with PATIENCE.}
a soft new voice whispers.
[*you feel filled with…WILL.}
Both voices say, their voices twined together in an echoed unity of two worlds connected.
Sans stops shaking, slowly, and straightens, motioning for blue to give him the phone.
He cares.
And woe betide anyone who gets in his way.
Blue obliges, handing over the phone with a little 'oh!' noise at the interruption, but gives him a worried look, as if to ask; 'Are you ok?' but Sans only nods, giving as much of a reassuring smile as he can, and takes the phone, his soul pulsing gently as something within him turns to steel.
"Heya kiddo, sorry about that. I got a bit…nostalgic there."
The voice on the other end cries out in relief, and sans can't help but smile a little, even through the whole existential-crisis-about-purpose-of-life thing. When'd he start feelin so fond of the little bugger? This pain he's felt…this kid has felt the same kind of grief. They too, have lost a brother…And like him, they suffered when he was brought back. this human? They're different. They are the hope of humanity, the one thing that keeps his will burning. They're proof. Proof that humanity can be saved. And if he can…He's gonna be the one to get them home. He's going to save his father, and he's going to save her. He's going to save them all, somehow- because sans the skeleton may not be much of a starter, but when he does…
He rarely quits.
"O-oh sans! You're okay, I- I'm sorry, i d-don't know what happened, i just- im scared, Everything is dark, and nothing makes sense, sans, I'm really, r-really scared…"
He sighs, trying to think, his thoughts whirring. Somewhere…dark, ok, kids are scared of the dark, that's…That's a bad thing. Sans begins to worry, knowing full well he has absolutely no idea how exactly he's going to help this poor kid, but by damn he's going to at least try. He's not going to give up before he's even started. Heh, paps would be proud of me…this kid, they must be so scared right now, heck, they must be terrified, I mean…They just died…
Sans takes a deep breath, and forms a plan.
"alright. well, if your phone works n'stuff, you must be within range of me, right? If the phone works, then just call someone else on the other side of the underground, and then call me back and tell me if it worked, ok? using that, we could figure out a rough area of where ya are. can you do that for me bucko?"
Sans hears shuffling faintly on the other end, slightly drowned out by alphys frantic clicking, the Riverperson having retreated once sure he was alright, now just watching with their usual calm and curious air.
"B-but, what if I can't…what if I can't call you back…? What if i…"
Bell trails off, sounding worried and scared as they trail off, sans realizing that this phone call might be all that's keeping them from bursting into tears. Ok, so…this aint goin well. C'mon, sans, think! Use that thick skull of yours for somethin' useful for once!
"Uhh…here, tell ya what, if i don't get a call back in the next…say, ten minutes? I'll call you back, m'k kiddo? Is that ok?"
Sans hears sniffling from the other end, then a reluctant;
"Y-yeah…i can, i can do that. Just ten minutes."
Sans smiles. This kid's pretty tough…
"Alright kiddo, see ya in ten."
He says, hoping the child will be ok. He never thought he'd end up caring about a human…but then again, here he is.
"…thanks sans."
Then, the line goes dead. Sans stares at the phone for a second, lost in thought and memories, but practically jumps out of his nonexistent skin when Alphys tapps him lightly on the shoulder.
"HOLY- OH MY GOD ALPH-"
"AHHH-!"
Both monsters shout in surprise, sans wheeling around to face the shaking alphys.
"G-geeze, alph, don't sneak up on me like that…"
He says, quivering a little, trying to calm his frayed nerves. Alphys just sort of wheezes, a hand on her chest as she too tries to calm down. Everyone's nerves are close to snapping. Alphys takes a few deep breaths, then says as calmly as she can;
"Sans. i have a-absolutely no idea w-whats going on, but the symbols keep-"
Sans's eye sockets go as big as dinner plates.
"ohmygoddadisgonnakillme-"
He mutters in a rush, moving past alphys as he remembers his father, who has heard exactly zero news and probably thinks the entire world was reset or something he's so stupid- Sans comes to the console, typing furiously as alphys stutters behind him.
|dad I remember you everything is ok, it's all ok don't worry!|
The response is immediate, the symbols coming so fast they almost blurr.
(SANS! youre- youre okay, i- never go silent like that, please, i thought i'd lost you i cant- i can't lose you! What happened?!)
|a reset- kind of, more like a save load. you have no idea what just went on. It was absolute chaos, but everythings okay now, I promise.|
(a- a save load, a reset?! you mean the thing is back?!)
|no, no- the demon isn't back, i promise. It's…there's been some changes, some…weird stuff going on. But i promise you, theres no demon, its just a human kid.|
(A- A HUMAN?! SANS, THAT HUMAN COULD BE THE-)
|im an idiot for leaving like this- but that kid, who is not a demon, needs me- im turning over to alphys ok? I'll be back in a sec.|
Sans pushes himself away from the console, grabbing the phone and calling the number, exactly ten minutes after the kid hung up, as Alphys stutters her protest at being put in spotlight, also internally screaming because: Did I knock my head or something?! Where did all this- why did I come in here?! Something about the narrators- but the variables are silent, what do these symbols mean? Why does everything feel muddled? Oh by the angel, this is gonna be a long day-
Wait did sans just call the mystery-input DAD?!
Sans waits, and to his enormous relief, the call immediately picks up.
"Sans? Is that you? I did it, i managed to get out, I'm back in waterfall and-"
"NYEH! HUMAN! THANK GOODNESS I FOUND-"
There's a weird clattering sound as if the kid just dropped their phone, and sans hears Bell's footsteps running away from the still active phone, talking to what sounds like papyrus faintly;
"Oh papy- papy, It's you, I-I'm so glad i found you-"
"NYEH HEH HEH! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS PLEASED AS WELL! WHERE UNDER THE EARTH DID YOU GO?"
Sans sighs in relief, and ends the call. Thank the angel, Bell managed to get out of- well, wherever she was. The place where resets are done…This is good, she's safe with his brother…Sans let out an unnecessary breath, relaxing slightly. One less problem to worry about.
"U-uh, sans, i can't read this…?"
Aaaaaaaaaaannd there it is. Sans sighs, getting up from where he had crouched with the phone, and walks over to Alphys again. The Riverperson and blue chat in the background, as Sans looks at the screen tiredly. It's wild that just a few hours ago they were almost finished with medical checks, and now…He snorts a laugh.
?¬ワフ ? ?¬ワᄀ ? ✡ ? ✌? ?¬リワ❄❄ ?¬ント✋ ? ✌✌✌ ? ? ? ✌❄? ✌❄? ? ゚メᄃ❄ ✌❄? ゚モᆲ? (SANS YOU HAD BETTER STILL- aaand hes gone. Great, just great…)
|uh hi|
?¬ワフ ?¬ワヘ ?¬リ゚✌❄ ❄ ? ?¬ワヒ? ✡ ? ? ゚メᄃ❄ ?¬リᄍ✌✡ ✌ ❄ ✋? ゚リミ ?¬リワ✍✏ ?¬ワフ ? ゚モᆰ ❄ ✌❄? ❄? ?¬レミ ❄ ? ゚ムヘ✌ ?¬リワ ✋?¬リワ ❄ ✌❄✏(sans? what the- did you just play a trick on me?! sans, thats not- dont scare me like that!)
|sry i cant understand u|
|this is alphys btw|
|do you remember me uwu|
|ohgodidntmeantotypethat|
?¬ワᄀ ? ゚モᆰ ✌ ?¬リ゚✡? ゚モᆲ? ゚モᆲ✍ ?¬リワ ? ✋❄? ✋?¬リワ ❄ ?¬リᅠ ? ?¬レミ?¬リワ ❄ ✋ ? ✞ ?¬リ゚✌ ? ゚モᆲ?(oh my god, alphys? well, its nice to know some things never change…)
|i rlly dont kno what ur saying im sry|
? ゚モᆲ?¬ワフ ? ?¬リワ ? ✋❄ ?¬ワフ ❄ ?¬リワ ?¬リワ? ゚モᆲ? ゚モᆲ✌❄ ✌ ❄? ✡ ? ✌ ?¬ント✋ ❄ ✞ ? ゚メᄃ ✋ ❄ ?¬リ゚ ?¬レミ?¬リᄍ? ✞ ?¬リᅠ?¬リワ ?¬ント✌ ? ?¬リワ? ?¬レミ?¬リワ ❄ ✋ ? ? ゚ユニ?¬ント ❄ ✌ ? ゚ムヘ ? ❄✋?¬リワ?(...ah, well, it cannot be helped...at heart, you are still the nervous intern who could never understand me. some things must transcend time.)
|uhhhm ill get sans to translate be bac in a sec|
Alph, Alph, Alph. only you would accidentally type 'UwU', they're literally on opposite sides of the keyboard, you wonderful dork. Sighing goodnaturedly, sans types out;
|sup pops im back ive commandeered the keyboard|
(SANS BY ALL THE STARS! you cannot help that human- i have felt hundreds upon hundreds of resets in the void, so many i lost count of them! you don't know the- i cant- the things I felt, the timeline wrenching like that-)
Sans stares at the message as it continues to type out, and sighs. His next message interrupting the racing symbols, which fall silent at his typed words.
|actually, i do know.|
|but those resets were done by a human called frisk, and that demon child is gone now.|
|this kid is bell, and they risked their life to save me, dad. they literally poured out their soul- which is green by the way- to save me, hell if I know how but they did.|
|they just died, i don't blame them for loading their save, I think we all would- and if you could load yourself back here, wouldn't you?|
|and im not giving up on humankind just yet, ok dad? this kid isn't dangerous, I know that.|
Sans can practically feel his fathers mind whirring, imagining his father crouched by some crappy desktop in a void somewhere, staring at his message with his 'wait what' face…geeze, he misses the old geezer…but, maybe, he can get him back. No, he will get him back, no matter what. This is one thing sans won't be lazy about.
(what)
It's just one word, and sans gets the feeling he's gonna need to elaborate. Jeeze, he really, really hopes he can summarize the story enough to bend to the connections' unimpressive durability. Its unsteady- he doesn't want to overload it, but his father- because his father is very incredibly alive somehow- deserves an explanation.
|the human saved me, remember?|
|I told you.|
|green soul magic.|
|like determination but instead of resetting time they kept me alive, something just as powerful, but used a different way. Something we never found in our research, something new. I don't know what it is, but it worked, and here I am.|
|frisk was not like that.|
|They killed everyone in the underground over and over, including me and paps.|
|but something happened- and this time everyone forgot, forgot every reset, and suddenly Bell was there instead of frisk.|
|She just sort of…appeared, started crying into my jumper and teaching papyrus to make scrambled eggs like some sort of actual nice kid- which she is, by the way.|
|…But I mean everyone forgot.|
|including me, for a while at least, until that save jogged my memory and it all came back.|
|thats where the existential crisis comes in.|
|i remembered being pretty depressed at one point, frisk basically tortured me, resetting over and over… but frisk isn't bell. I dunno what happened, but frisk is gone.|
|and now all the memories feel far away, and i had this whole…i dunno, philosophical slap in the face and all that, so im fine now. I think, at least.|
|Anyway, so yeah, did I tell you about how theres another version of me? cause he's here too, and man is his timeline weird- but if he got here from somewhere else, perhaps we can bring you here from wherever you are.|
Sans steps back a bit, flexing his fingers, which feel strained from his rapid typing. Alphys reads down the text on the screen, and her eyebrows furrow, the small spikes around her eyes scrunching up as she tries to make sense of it all. Sans waits for the reply.
And waits.
What's going on? Is his father ok? Did he push it with that less than shining explanation?
(San- ERROR I h-ha-ave so m-muc-ch I- ERROR -but I can b-b-b-barel-y h-h-hear- ERROR -th-the connection is f-f-f-fail-ing-)
Sans jolts, typing wildly, but his father is right. The connection is running out of strength, and they are running out of time. Things are beginning to smoke and spark, overheating and filling with error messages- he can't lose this connection. He can't lose him. Not again- not again!
(Th-th-the per-son with th-the- ERROR -t-translator kno-knows where to f-fin-find me- ERROR -f-find m-m-m-me-)
The connection starts to garble, and sans slams his fists down on the counter in frustration as the connection loses any stability it had. He can maintain whatever's left of it on his end- but any communication is out of the question. It failed. the other end has gone dark- Wherever his father is...no message he sends will reach sans.
But wait, wait a second-
He scans the still juddering symbols, his eyelights sharp and bright, focused as they haven't been in a while. Someone knows where to find him. The person with the translator…Suddenly, he remembers. The Riverperson, while he was still in shock, they said- they said they could take him to his father, that he was in waterfall-! He hadn't remembered it- he was too confused then, too muddled- He turns to the Riverperson, opening his jaw, but before he can speak they interrupt;
"Tra la la…Sansational sans, i am sorry, the door of gray is no longer there, Tra La."
Sans stares at them, then askes in a frustrated voice, half wondering how they knew what he was going to ask while waving at the screen;
"...what? What door? All I know is that you know where he is, waterfall, right? I need you and your boat."
He says, jabbing a bony thumb back over his shoulder at the monitor, still glowing with the last few lines of shuddering symbols.
"Yes, but the place I know no longer knows the place, tra la la…"
The Riverperson says, waving their hands in an obscure 'i dunno' gesture. sans begins to get annoyed, the monitors buzzing around him as his skull is lit by their glow.
"Look, bud, can you take me to him or not? I've waited thirteen years to see that old codger again, and i ain't waiting any longer."
The Riverperson looks up at sans from where they sit next to a nervous blue, sorrow laced in their voice as they reply.
"Tra la la…I am sorry, son of the friend of gray. The window looking a locked door is passed. The humans save has made it move to the next space between spaces. Ask your father; what does he hear?"
Sans unwinds their words, then, he growls out in a low and frustrated voice, his eyes dark and the atmosphere tense as alphys and Blue watch with wide eyes. She hasn't seen sans look so hostile before, not this kind of hostile.
"Are you tellin' me, that as soon as i know, as soon as I get any proof he's actually alive, the one chance i had at seein him again- the one chance I had to save him, goes out the window?!"
The Riverperson stares at him, then miraculously produces a comforting response.
"No, sansational sans, this was not your last chance. Science is the world's path understood, your father has been flung from the road. Use the landmarks and carve a new path into the empty unknowns to find him, tra la."
There is a shocked silence. Blue still sits there, right next to the Riverperson, looking hopeful yet apprehensive, as if he's actually reluctant to speak at this moment, despite his previous confidence. Sans stares at the Riverperson with dark eye sockets, his expression that of someone who is deeply lost in their own inner calculations and frustrations. Alphys watches the scene nervously, wondering how on earth she's managed to get herself into all this, when all she does is watch anime.
Then, sans sighs, something inside him giving. He's tired. He's so, so tired. He hasn't slept in…god, an unholy amount of hours, and his mind begins to falter, his aggression starting to waver. But…he can't just give up. Not when he's only just gotten proof he's alive. He still doesn't feel like it's real, he doesn't want to go home and sleep, he doesn't want to just wait…Because he doesn't want this to be a dream…but it isn't a dream. This is happening. He talked. They talked. then…right as sans was about to get answers…it broke. What should he do…? What can he do? he can't think, exhaustion hitting him as he stares into the distance blankly, his eyelights off as his mind sputters, running on fumes at this point as the skeletons mind begins to shut down. What should he do…? He can't think, he can barely process what's happening, but…
but, he is saved.
"ERM, FRIEND? PERHAPS THIS SHOULD WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE ALL HAD SOME SLEEP…? YOU LOOK…TIRED. YOU CAN'T FIX THIS WHEN YOU ARE SO SLEEP DEPRIVED!"
Says blue, concern in his voice as he looks sans and alphys up and down, noticing their obvious fatigue. Sans looks at him, as if only just remembering he's still there, and nods slowly, his previous aggression and frustration melting away into a heavy, crushing exhaustion that settles like a blanket over him, his instincts shutting off and guard lowering. In the morning…he'll fix everything. He'll bring him back…when the morning comes. That's fitting, after all…
"...yeah. Hey there, alph, just…just do your best, okay? Try and fix it, for me. We'll figure this out in the morning, ok…?"
Alphys blinks a little, looks at the time, goes a little pale, then says awkwardly;
"U-uh, it is morning…"
She's right. The clock is well into the AM and sans still feels like it's midnight. He gives the clock a tired glance, literally too tired to be surprised anymore, his stocks of magical-adrenalin (or whatever kind of weird run-from-tigers juice monsters have) reduced to barely more than fumes. Alright. Tomorrow morning then. Sans rubs the bridge of his nose with one hand and stares at the ceiling, eventually saying in a tired voice, still not looking down;
"Alright, just…just do your best and get some sleep, alright…?"
Alphys nods awkwardly, her frill puffing up nervously. Sans nods back in satisfaction, then walks over to blue, telling him with a small tap on the top of his skull;
"Dont leave the lab. I don't want my good reputation as a lazy sentry ruined by you runnin around, capeesh?"
Blue nods, a little surprised, while at the same time slightly disappointed he won't get to see much of this backwards world he's in. He was excited to see an energetic version of muffet…but all the same, blue himself is tired. Alphys starts, and reaches out as sans prepares to shortcut out of the lab, asking him;
"S-sans, wait, are you l-leaving?"
Sans glances at her, stopping where he stands near the lab's doors, his face daring Alphys to try and stop him from going home and sleeping till the sun explodes. He's exhausted. And he knows better than most what happens when you try to mess with time and space when you're burnt out- you usually end up being burnt literally.
"Yup."
Alphys isn't quite sure how to respond to that, but still stutters out her last question;
"B-but, what do I do with…?"
She says, gesturing to the monitors, then at blue, who is leaning to the side slightly, his eyes half closed. Sans shrugs, his hand on the exit door frame as he looks at her tiredly.
"Just keep him in the lab, and…Try and fix it without me, okay…? I…"
He yawns, somehow, even though skeletons aren't supposed to yawn, Showing the abyss inside his freed jaw as another section of his mind shuts down, even as other parts are already whirring on half-baked solutions and theories.
"...need to get some sleep and…y'know, process that my previously dead dad is alive i guess? I just…I'll be back in the mornin', k alph? I'll explain everythin' then."
He mutters, rubbing his skull tiredly, before he shortcuts directly home, not giving alphys a chance to protest. Sensation flashes past, but he doesn't take the time to notice them- he just wants to go home and let his mind whirr while he sleeps, so that tomorrow…maybe, he can save someone he thought was lost. The last thing he sees before falling onto the couch is blue waving at him, the Riverperson…existing, and alphys nervously rubbing her forehead, looking stressed and relieved at the same time.
Then, his skull hits the green cushions, and he's asleep.
