CHAPTER NINETEEN: He Made a Promise

Elsewhere, in a familiar room;

Gaster, our Gaster, throws himself at the door. again, it doesn't move, and his body connects with a ringing pain that reverberates through whatever's left of him that can feel pain at this point. there isn't much. Everything that can be is aching, screaming, but Doctor Gaster doesn't care.

Pain means nothing to him.

He's felt worse.

He staggers back up, and tries again.

THWAM!

And again.

THWAM!

This was all he could think of- all he could think to do. But he has to keep trying. He made a promise to his son. They had really, truly spoken. Over a strained, patchy connection not meant for him, but they had spoken. Gaster- he was remembered. His sons- or at least one of them, remembers him.

He was grieved.

And he is trying to get me back, even now, I'm sure of it. Sans, papyrus…I'm going to get back to you, even if it kills me. his determination flares up, and he smashes himself into the door with readoubled force, feeling the pain but ignoring it. He promised he would get back.

No. Matter. What.

Even if he has to do this a billion times, a trillion times, for a hairline crack…? It will be worth it.

To see my brilliant sonshines again.

again he feels pain lance through him. Again, he ignores it.

to see them smile, to hear them laugh…

His hands claw at the doors edges as he slams into it again, trying to scrape it open as more pain floods in.

To be there for them.

To see them through everything.

His soul pounds with indescribable pain as he staggers up again, his face set stoically with a glint of steel in his eyes, his mouth set in a straight line.

I will earn the right to be their father.

he smashes his shoulder into the gray wood yet again, barely flinching as he pours everything that's left of him into forcing his freedom.

I will earn the right to hope.

he pushes harder against the door, hands ripping at the edges, pain shooting up the fragile bones in his tearing fingers.

I will earn the right to live.

He draws back to smash into it again, determination pounding through his soul as he fixes his gaze on the door.

I will earn my right to be SAVED.

He charges.

And with that, Doctor Gaster stumbles through an open door.


Mmm…huh? Where…

Where…am…am I home…?

Oh yeah, I'm home…jeeze, what happened…?

sans gives a groan, sitting up groggily on the old green couch, trying to draw the line between dream and reality. Alternative versions of himself, the Riverperson, a SAVE load, the memories of Chara…

His father.

He presses the (for lack of a better term) palms of his hands to his eye sockets and groans again, this time louder. His skull is pounding, his eye sockets feeling like he's shoved them full of needles as he tries to rub away the pain of three days of magical overdrive, not to mention the explosion of power he used trying to kill the Riverperson while in that nostalgic haze.

well, that bit wasn't a dream, that's for sure…

he blinks a few times and looks around, a little disoriented. He's still on the green couch, a thick blanket thrown over his legs and several out-of-place pillows surrounding him in a sort of nest, but otherwise everything looks the same. Even the rock is still sitting where it always is, covered in sprinkles. It almost feels strange being back in his own house after sleeping in the lab the past few days- intentionally and unintentionally. sans closes his eyes and stretches, unneeded, but still one of his few waking up rituals. There's a cacophony of clicking vertebrae, and he smiles slightly. Paps hates when he-

Then, he feels something crash into him with the force of a freight train, and he falls backwards on the couch with a surprised 'OOF-!' just managing to catch Bell in his arms as she barrels into him.

"SANS!"

The child yells, her arms around his midsection in a furious hug, sans blinking in shock before breaking out into surprised laughter.

"pfft- jeez kiddo, you must've really missed me, huh?"

He says through his surprise and amusement at the child's behavior. Bell only squeezes him tighter, giggling happily. Sans smiles, glad to be met with the human's usual affection, instead of the barrage of questions he's probably just gonna get from paps instead, knowing him to be secretly a huge worrier. Then, as if on cue, his brother barrels in, screaming at top volume as usual.

"SAAAAANNNSSSS!"

And suddenly Sans is buried under a happy pile of bones, his brother still drawing out the last 's' in Sans's name into a gleeful squeal, squeezing both him and the human tightly. Sans coughs at the impact, trying to pull himself free of the tangle of limbs, failing and ending up half in, half out of the rugby-style hug pile, his arms hanging limply as Sans resigns himself to being hugged to death.

a noble end, heheh…though, this might be a bit too close for comfort heh- oof, yeah, that's a bit tight…

Sans shrugs to himself. no matter. Right now, his brother has imprisoned him to the couch, the human as his willing accomplice.

"jeeze, y'all are acting as if I've been out for days,"

Sans jokes lightly, but senses his brother's mood faltering slightly, and the human clutching him tighter.…there's the bad news. He had almost thought he'd get a full three minutes without some. Sighing, sans asks in a deadpan voice, because he honestly isn't surprised in the least considering all that's happened;

"...I've been out for days, haven't I."

His brother, still engaged in the rugby-tackle hug, nods directly into sans's midsection, which is now more than slightly squished. sans glances over at the calendar and notes that the exact number would be three days straight, apparently. Well, guess that makes up for the stress factor from the other three he spent in the lab… Sans sighs and pats his brother's skull affectionately, not too worried. After all, he feels a bit more ready to tackle the whole alternate uni-

oh by all the stars, other me.

He's been stuck. In alphys lab.

for three days.

I'm an idiot.

Alphys wouldn't have gone out to find me- she'd be too nervous since snowdrake's here, and she wouldn't leave the other me alone anyway- and I don't blame her. I wouldn't have the courage to leave an alternative version of alphys alone in the lab, and what with all that equipme-

Sans suddenly sits up straight, or as straight as he can when both his brother and the human are flopped all over him, realizing suddenly;

Dad's been stuck with no news for THREE DAYS.

Sans winces as he imagines his father going practically insane trying to figure out what has happened to him, pacing back and forth in some empty void, imagining hundreds of terrible scenarios. Knowing Alphys, she probably wouldn't have managed to fix the equipment without him, at least not the responding part…she's better at building than repairing, and what with those modifications he made…He still can't believe that those symbols and emojis typed out through a patchy connection really meant…

Meant his dad is alive.

Goddess, what do I do? I- I have to do somethin', don't I? But that machine- it ain't working anytime soon, and if dads in the void for fricks sake, I can't exactly time-travel there…and, I guess there are no more resets to break, so that things basically useless…God, dad is alive…he's been alive this whole time. How is he still sane…? And how do I tell…But paps- he deserves to know.

He- he deserves to know the truth.

But how can I tell him, when I'm not sure we're ever gonna be able to save him…not yet, not until I have something figured out at least…I need to talk to Alph. i need my notes, i need to get to the lab- But pap's…he isn't gonna just let me go…

Yeesh, how'm I getting out of this?

Sans's thoughts are interrupted by the voice of Bell, who begins to chatter gleefully, her head popping out from under papyrus's arm.

"Sans! We made cookies for you last night! For when you woke up- I'll go get them!"

Sans stares at her blankly, not processing what she said, still half in his much bleaker thoughts. His brother…baking? Bell just grins at him excitedly, wriggling out of the pile of blankets and pillows, and running to the kitchen with great excitement. Papyrus doesn't seem to notice, and Sans keeps patting his brother's skull as he watches with bewilderment, a series of banging and crashing sounds coming from the kitchen. welp, he ain't leavin' any time soon…He swears internally, as his brother remains with a death grip around him, determined to keep him here. It might be another three days before he's allowed off this couch, heh…He sighs, letting go of any frustration. Bell's just a kid, and papyrus is just a big kid. They've obviously missed him- the least he can do is stick around a bit anyway- this gives him time to think over it all. He needs to let his mind catch up with him, let that dusty, siencey part of his brain boot up. And hey, he might stumble on a solution if he just focuses on something else for a bit…

Then, Bell emerges, proudly carrying a rattling tray of dubious looking cookies above her head, clambering back up onto the pile of pillows and right on top of papyrus's gangly form, perching on top of his battle body with the tray on her lap.

"Tryonetryonetryonetryone!"

She giggles excitedly, sounding hyper enough that she might've had a few herself, promptly shoving one of the dubious tray bakes into sans's mouth, bouncing with excitement. Sans, a bit overwhelmed, blinks at her before slowly chewing, something he now knows how to do, after an incident involving a bag of patato chups and quite a lot of technically impossible choking.

*tastes like oatmeal and marshmallows

He sits there for a moment, staring at the half-cookie on his hands, his eye sockets wide. Damn, this kid can cook…! Where'd she learn to make stuff like this?

*tastes…a little like home.

Then, he smiles at the bouncing little human, winking at her as he grins.

"Amazin' as always, kiddo."


Gaster blinks.

he turns, looking behind him at the open door. What…just happened…? Then, his eyelights dart around, taking in the…darkness? Around him. What is this place? It isn't Waterfall, that much he can tell. He is standing on something, so this isn't the void either…he straightens, looking around properly as his hands float by his sides. As far as the eye can see, there is a… fuzzy darkness, speckled with random objects, parts of walls, chairs, socks, half a tree…bits and pieces of reality, all of it gray and fractured. He blinks, slightly overwhelmed by the sudden rush of visual input, unused to it, but shakes his skull slightly to clear his head.

Curious. this…is not what I expected. the water sounds stopped after the save load, so what happened during that save that would…?

this place, it feels…incomplete.

I guess that makes sense.

I, myself, am also incomplete…

Something about this place…calls to him. But not him. It's more as if the darkness calls to the scars in his face, the holes in his hands, the cracks in his soul…Suddenly, he feels something in his hand begin to tingle, and he looks down at it, slightly panicked. He sees the shimmering cloth wrapped around it…glitch? That is the closest word he can think of- There are white blocks forming around the band of blue, and with a feeling of horror, Gaster realizes it's turning gray.

He can't let it turn gray.

He can't lose color, not again, never again-! Panicked, he rips it off his hand, returning it to the gray room with a powerful throw and watching in relief as its color deepens to the shimmering, rich blues of waterfall, crumpled against the back wall of the gray room.

Thank goddess…

Gaster looks out at the field of gray objects and pieces of places worriedly. What is this place? What are those…things doing here? And why does the door lead here? Why…Just…just why everything? In some strange way, the questions calm him. He is a scientist after all, questions are his business…

Well…i must go about answering them somehow… he snorts, smirking to himself. Need to earn my paycheck.

With slight hesitation at leaving the cloth, Gaster begins to hesitantly glide through the forest of glitching rock pillars and other random objects, occasionally stopping to inspect one, but otherwise just glancing around in quiet confusion. It's not what he'd hoped, but…

At least this is something.

he makes sure to glide in a straight line, so he will know the way back to his room if he needs to. But he doubts he will, after all, there is nothing there… well, apart from the cloth…that is important to him. Yes, he must be able to return to see the cloth, considering it is the only color he possesses.

he can't forget color…

he stops, his gaze caught by something. Is that…? He glides over to a small, fluffy ball. Gaster watches it drift lazily, apparently unaffected by any kind of gravity, like most things in this…fuzzy void. It's a lighter shade of gray than everything else- almost white, which is why it caught his metaphorical eye, a slight variation in the mostly unremarkable jumble of half pieces and junk.

And like all scientists when faced with a variation, he tests it.

Cautiously, he pokes it with one floating hand, curiosity winning over apprehension. It feels soft, like fur…he'd forgotten what that felt like. Then, suddenly, It…wriggles? two ears pop up from one end, then a tail from the other, and soon Gaster is looking into the goofy, smiling face of…

Is that a pomeranian?

Gaster blinks.

The dog blinks back.

Then, it moves, kicking its stubby legs as it spins in a slow circle, a shiny ball appearing in its mouth from seemingly nowhere as it slowly drifts back around in the non-air of the fuzzy void, chewing happily. Gaster just stares, dumbfounded. Suddenly, the impossible dog spits the ball out, and it shoots straight into gaster's wide eye and rattles in his skull as he jolts and shakes his head wildly.

The dog…laughs?

Gaster retrieves the ball from inside his skull and just stares at the offending canine, annoyed and confused and irritated all in the same unimpressed expression. Why is there a dog in the void? This makes absolutely no se- The dog yapps at him, and Gaster jerks back a little, surprised, then cautiously opens his mouth to speak- the dog immediately sticks one paw in his open jaw with a toothy canine grin, its tongue lolling happily. Gaster glares at the dog once again, its paw firmly lodged in his jaw, and summons his hands, signing at the offending canine:

'you are still quite impossible- in more ways than one these days, it seems.'

The dog just laughs. It winks at him, and Gaster frustratedly prods it in the stomach to make sure it is 'real'. Why and how is there a dog here? Can living things come into this…fuzzy void? Well, he did, he supposes. But he wasn't exactly…living at the time. The dog barks at him, its goofy face lighting up as it chomps down hard on his hand. Gaster yelps, pulling his hand back and shaking it wildly, the dog coming with it and barking, though slightly muffled by its death grip on his hand. Gaster gives a growl of frustration, and looks around for a solution. He spots a relatively intact glitching fridge nearby, and opens it, shoving the dog inside and unsummoning his hand with a pop of magical energy, quickly slamming the door shut and jamming it with a bone.

he gives a sigh of relief, jabbing a finger at the now vibrating fridge and internally telling it while rubbing his still sore jaw;

I will be back for you later, little enigma.

He continues on, shaking his head and wondering at the Annoying dog, still feeling the sting of its tiny teeth on his hand. That dog… his dog. He frowns, remembering the day he found it in the snow. It had not been a helpless puppy as one might expect- in fact, it had been stuffing itself on leftovers behind grillbys bar and practically full grown when he found it. Since it had no owner, and seemed to be a surface dog, (which he knew sans and papyrus would find facinating) he had brought it back for his sons. Gaster smiles sadly- so not even a dog, a living thing, could escape being erased along with every other trace of gasters existence…after all, how else would he explain it looking exactly the same as it did on the day he fell? Shaking his head slightly, he glides on, the fuzzy void silent and calm as it stretches on around him. It would be peaceful, had he not been trapped in silence for so long. Now, it only seems lonely to him, remembering the sound of water through the door, and his friend from beyond it. The stranger with their twisty, winding voice in what was only barely not a font.

Remembering the voice of 'Blue'…

What a strange skeleton, from across space and time, thrown asunder like he was, but not trapped. It almost seems unfair…but still, he is glad no one else was confined to his fate. He sighs, and glides onwards, passing a clumsily knitted sweater that says 'super mom.' Somehow, he feels like he's seen it before, but he brushes the feeling aside, continuing on with a…

"Terrifies me…"

He stops abruptly, his working eye going wide with shock. What was that? Who was that? An echo flower? Gaster blinks, eye wide and soul pounding from the unexpected shock. That could be it, If a fridge and a dog ended up here, why not one of those? Still, it is strange, it didn't…sound like an echo….He mentally marks where he is- facing the same direction of the pool table's legs, (the large glitched table frozen in place beside him, also unaffected by gravity) and starts towards the noise, gliding quickly as he follows the faint whispers.

"at least I have myself to talk to…"

There, a bit to the left, that's where it's coming from, but what is it saying? If it's an echo flower, then this is one long echo!

"some don't have any themselves left…"

Gaster glides around a half-wall, and sees…

a monster?

He stops in his tracks, staring in shock as the whole world screeches to a halt around him.

If his eye are to be trusted, (which at this point he is not sure of) there is indeed another monster- but…gray, like everything else.

Another…monster…? A living, breathing, monster? Someone like me…?

They…appear to be a reptilian monster that seems to be without arms, their outline sharp against the empty, fuzzy black that stretches out before them. long spikes run up their back, right to their head, holes cut in their lighter gray lab coat for the spikes to slip through, their dull scales a light ash gray with faint blotches of a darker gray around the eyes. They sit facing away from him, on the remains of a small dock, glitched water lapping at the posts in a warped sound Gaster remembers. This dock, it's in Waterfall, one of the places he would pass on his way back from work…or it was in Waterfall, he supposes.

Now it's here, in this godforsaken place.

But who is this?

Why are they here?

How are they here?

Are they really…real…?

Gaster can barely believe it. Someone. A person. A real person, another lost soul, just like him, torn asunder from reality….But how is this possible? No others shared his fate, he knows that, nobody else fell…right…? No one else could have, when the core started to destabilize, he had immediately ordered evacuation of every wing, he saw to it himself that everyone was safe before he went to try and contain the explosion, there's no way that they- then, on the back of their head he suddenly spots a plug socket, two dark holes burned through the gray scales, and suddenly a distant memory comes back to him…

He is walking down a long hall with the armless monster, the other monster's tail dragging on the ground as Gaster talks to him in a worried tone, signing as he does.

Are you sure you want to try this, archemedies? You really don't have to do this.

It'll be fine, Gaster. No need to worry about me.

The monster looks up at him, his scales a gentle, calm yellowish orange, his large white eyes unreadable as he assures him.

Tests have been done, and by you. There is no one I trust more.

The monster smiles at him wryly, the good natured gesture reaching from ear to ear, if he had them. His teeth are small, sharp and white, his scales not dull, but unreflective.

Well, yes, but you are very aware that this in itself is a test? you could…well, there are other volunteers, archemedies!

The monster just looks at him in that quiet way, before answering him with a faraway look in his opalescent eyes, his reptilian face unreadable.

You are the royal scientist. If you feel so strongly, I won't hold it against you if you stop me. But if this works, I will see the multiverse in all its glory…

the monster trails off, staring into the distance.

How can I not want that? You know me, gaster...I love the beauty of chaos and order in conflict, and what could be more chaotic than the multiverse itself?

They have reached the end of the hall, standing by a door marked with a professional looking sign, but with paper taped over its original text, now reading as 'timeline experiment 32' in a scrawling font.

Alright, archemedies. Alright. You win. But please, friend…

Gaster puts one hand on the armless shoulder of the reptilian monster.

be careful.

Gaster jolts out of the memory, and he remembers now. How could he ever have forgotten? His eyesockets widen, as he feels memories rearrange. So many memories. He and this armless monster, running new theories by eachother, or stubbornly working on some problem until one in the morning, or celebrating a huge breakthrough…

…he was one of his very closest friends.

Gasters mind suddenly shudders, as he feels a huge chunk of his memories suddenly rearrange-

Every single moment from the beginning of his career, the beginning of his first year at college even, is thrown for a loop as he silently stares into space, stunned as memories shift and change and warp- This monster…They'd known each other for years. they'd studied together at the beginning of college, possibly the worst roommate combination of all time- the monster who can only speak in sign and the monster with no hands- and yet both desperate for some conversation while they worked, both studying the same topics, both in the same unsteady boat…they'd gotten on like a house on fire, and once actually did set a shed on fire- one of many bad ideas they'd somehow survived executing. They'd worked together for so long after that, too…How did he forget? How could so much time be rearranged? If he'd forgotten him, his very closest friend for many years…

Who else could he had forgotten?

How many people could have volunteered for an experiment, been caught in the aftermath of one, or simply tripped and fallen into the core- He could have known hundreds of people, then simply…forgotten. How many of his memories could be…Questions rise, then fade, as gaster blinks, realizing he has stood here silently for what seems like hours, his thoughts roiling.

None of that matters.

He remembers him now, Gaster remembers his old, old friend. That's all that really matters anymore. And he's really here, this loyal reptilian monster is here- lost, just like he is. Once again, they are in the same unsteady boat…how terribly fitting…Gaster remembers the crushing loneliness of the void, how he turned his mind inward to avoid losing it, sleeping for incalculable hours to avoid the darkness by escaping into his dreams, his consciousness coiling further away into his own soul...But no longer.

Now, there's someone.

Slowly, he sends his hands to tap on the monster's shoulder, causing them to jolt, every muscle going tense. Almost immediately they whip around in surprise and fear, shock written in every feature of his round reptilian face as dark water laps calmly against the grayed out dock in lazy ripples from nowhere. And as they stare at each other, Gaster realizes that it really is him. Archemedies.

he smiles at the familiar reptilian face.

The first face he has seen in thirteen years….

Carefully, he begins to sign, his hands shaking slightly as Archemedies stares up at him in shock and fear and desperate hope he recognises from his own emotions, his own desperate hope that he had felt barely moments ago when he had first seen his friend in so long. That he still feels, even now.

'Hello, old friend.'

He signs, carefully and precisely, trying his hardest not to cry with relief- he's not alone, he doesn't have to be alone…he won't have to face all this, bear all this crushing darkness, alone. The monster blinks at him for a long, long moment, and then asks in a quiet voice, disbelief and shock evident on his face as he trembles;

"G-Gaster…?"

Gaster gives a shaky smile, gently nodding at the grayed out monster by way of his answer. Then, the monster Archemedies takes a single step forward, his mouth slightly open as he stares into Gaster's familiar- if now a little older- face. He stares at him for a long moment, gaze flicking from scar to scar, to the broken look in gasters eyes.

"You…you can't be…be real…"

He whispers, staring still, his large white eyes shimmering as he quivers there, his unusually long tail swishing across the dock wood. Gaster gives a slightly choked chuckle, stray tears threatening to fall despite himself as his mind flashes to countless days he spent alone, floating in the void…he'd never thought he'd see another face again. he had given up entirely on ever being free…But now, that's over. He has found a very old friend, in this prison between worlds.

'It's funny. That is what I thought upon seeing you.'

He signs, smiling sadly as the reptilian monster begins to shake, taking another unsteady step forward. his voice trembles uncharacteristically as he speaks, as if to himself, wavering slightly where he stands.

"no…it's not real…It's never real, they always disappear…m-must just be dreaming of home again…"

He whispers, trembling, clearly as broken and unstable as gaster himself was- before the voice behind the door. It's oddly symbolic- archemedies always was the (slightly) more reckless, and yet now he is the reluctant one. Gaster wipes his eye sockets with one hand, barely believing this himself, and glides forwards to the monster who shakes before him, stepping back slightly in turn.

'No, you are not dreaming, you idiot. I'm here, Arch, it's just me…though I am sorry we should meet this way.'

He signs, and smiles sadly. Archemedies just quivers, staring at him, his long sharp spines quivering as his gaze flicks about as though searching for an answer.

"Y-you…i don't get it, i can't be…you cant be…"

He mutters, shaking in fear and disbelief, as gaster looks down at him sadly. There's a broken, terrified look in archemedies eyes, a monster he once would have thought was unbreakable. Then, silently, gaster comforts his old friend the only way he still knows how- sinking down to his height, archemedies still shaking with terrified uncertainty as gaster gives him that same tired smile. Then in the space between worlds- after so much suffering- the battered skeleton leans into him, by way of an unarmed hug.

Archemedies immediately goes tense on contact, freezing in place, just shaking in shock as gaster rests his weight gently against him, neither of them having arms to properly complete the gesture- but it's enough. It's real enough, painful enough, to force both monsters into finally accepting that they've found one another. After so long alone, two very old, very weary friends have found each other in the worst of places. And so Gaster stays there, shaking slightly himself even as he tries to keep from breaking down. Another monster, after thirteen years…he never thought this would happen, he was so sure he would never see a face again…

But for once, he is so happy to be proved wrong.

There is complete silence for a moment as Archemedies shakes, his opalescent eyes wide and shining. then, he leans back into his friend, almost collapsing as he whispers in disbelief, both monsters shaking slightly;

"Oh…oh god, it's really you…I can't believe…"

Gaster smiles, shaking a little himself. He doesn't think he's ever been so happy to see his friend.

"You…you're actually real…"

The other monster whispers, trembling with a kind of mental fragility gaster knows well. They stay that way for a long time, both having lost and been forgotten for longer than they thought they knew, both barely believing they are seeing another and being seen. It's hard to believe such things, when you have been stuck without change so long. Then, they draw back, the two old friends facing each other as they have not for a very long time. Archemedies is the first to speak, his voice still a little shaky- but his mind, slightly sounder.

"H-How have you come here? Don't tell me you…you can't have suffered my fate?!"

He asks, body still shaking, panic rising. Gaster shakes his head quickly, Archemedies immediately relaxing slightly. Then he smiles somewhat sadly, his hands beginning to sign once more.

'No, no. I suffered a fate of my own foolishness, my own mistakes…Not the carelessness of others, as you did, Arch.'

Gaster signs sadly. It's his fault he's here…he let him in, so he is the one to blame. he watches as Archemedies processes this, studies his face, squints hard, then shakes his own round head, the reptilian monster replying in a shaking voice that still carries its familiar stubbornness;

"Do not blame yourself for my idiocy, you old bat. I…I 'yearned to see' the 'beauty of all reality'...how utterly foolish of me. no living thing is meant to witness that. As a consequence, I was erased…no part of that was your fault."

Archemedies replies, a little of his familiar fire returning. Gaster just looks around at the fuzzy void, and sighs, sadly, hands beginning to sign again.

'I was the one who let you in, when I could have stopped you. Your fate was my fault. I should have stopped you. I should have done something…'

Archemedies only shakes his head harder, spines clicking, that familiar stubbornness showing itself once again, a little more of his personality returning.

"I was the one who decided to do it! I volunteered, and you tried to talk me out of it- but I did not listen. I thought I would see the glory of the universe in an unfinished machine…"

He looks around him sadly.

"...now I only 'yearn' for freedom…"

Gaster is silent for a moment. All he wants is freedom, too...but not the same kind as he used to, not the same kind as every monster yearns for. Forget seeing the sun or the sky…all he wants is to see the twinkling lights of snowdin, just one more time. Even if he is to die here, He just wants to see his son's smiles again…But maybe, with Archemedies to help him, with another monster, another mind set to the problem, some comfort in this bleak place…Maybe freedom is a little bit closer…?

'To be honest, I can barely believe I am talking to you… I have been trapped in darkness so long, Archemedies- and to think, we would meet again like this.'

He signs, his hands signing the other monster's name as simply arch, as he always has. His nickname, and conveniently something gaster can already say in sign. The other monster just looks up at him with that same unreadable expression Gaster now remembers seeing many times, and replies in a voice heavy with sadness.

"I too, have been lost for…I no longer know how long. Gaster, I am so…so happy to see you, yet so sorry you are here. now we are both trapped in this…dark, cluttered hellhole."

Gaster just smiles sadly, and points to the scars on his skull before signing;

'Arch, I'm simply glad I am not alone. These scars, these cracks…they come from a time where I was nowhere. There was just…nothing, Archemedies. Endless blackness, endless loneliness…'

he taps his skull.

'But the pain has faded now, and I am glad to be here, to be anywhere. I am glad to be at least trapped with someone, Archemedies. This place…it is far preferable to the nothing I spent so long trapped in. And now, neither of us have to be alone.'

Archemedies smiles at him, tiredly, dryly, but it's still a smile.

"You always were the optimist."

Gaster smiles, and straightens up, noticing Archemedies white eyes widen slightly as the reptilian monster notices his state, the darkness Gaster now calls a body.

"Ah…you seem to…have become one with the cloaks you were always prone to, I see."

Gaster gives a small, humorless laugh, and lets himself bleed into the darkness, just a little. His form appears to warble and shift, dripping upwards in small droplets of pure shadow as Archemedies stares with wide eyes, before he takes a deep breath in and pulls himself back together.

'It doesn't bother me anymore. I have grown…used to it,'

He lies. Then, Gaster suddenly has an idea- and he smiles warmly at his old friend, whose tail is swishing slowly across the darkened ground.

'…How long has it been since you have seen color?'

Archemedies blinks, surprised at the sudden and unrelated question.

"…I don't know…? Five years, maybe? You would know better than I…"

Gaster internally flinches. It has certainly been a lot longer, but this is not the time or place for that. He begins to sign, letting himself be exited by his idea;

'I told you that, once, I was nowhere. I spent an innumerable time there, but before I came here, I was trapped somewhere else.'

He signs, looking down at his old friend, gray and weary, who returns his gaze steadily, as he always has, through all of Gaster's newly rearranged memories.

'I came to this place from a room. A room of gray, but, at one point I could hear water on the other side. There are stories to be told, things to be explained, but first… '

He smiles at Archemedies, who's opalescent eyes are wide as he processes this, his spines tingling excitedly.

'In this room, I have something blue. Something that still has some Color in it!'

he signs, watching as his old friends' eyes widen in shock with a knowing smile- he knows what new meaning that word can take on when you have not seen it in years.

"You have something with…color…?"

Gaster nods, his dark cloak-like body bobbing slightly as he smiles a little wider, happy to be helping someone else find comfort in this darkness.

'A little piece of reality, you could say.'

Archemedies slowly looks around at the dock, which Gaster has the feeling he hasn't left in a while, a thoughtful, if troubled, expression on his face, as his tail coils up.

"...I could…"

Archemedies starts, then trails off, and Gaster nods his head. How could he have ever forgotten his friend? they were like brothers, once, thick as thieves as…someone used to say. He never knew about his sons, did he? No, he was lost long before they were born…Gaster will have to tell him later, he would be so surprised…he smirks, imagining his reaction. He himself never thought of himself as the fatherly type until sans was born, he can't imagine how archemedies will react…

'I could take you there now if you'd like.'

Archemedies looks up at him, and gives him that same smile, if a little wearier. His teeth are still small, sharp and a pure white, unchanged in this void.

"...then let us go, old friend. We have…a lot to talk about."

And so, they go.

Gaster glides alongside his friend, and they begin to talk. Slowly at first, but it seems both of them were desperate for communication, the conversation speeding up as they walked, each monster sharing and comparing experiences. Gaster signs are little rusty at first- he has not needed to in quite some while, but still, Archemedies understands. The reptilian monster seems almost dazed, pausing for long moments as if unused to speech…since, well, he is. Gaster simply glides along, and remembers. He remembers every excruciating detail about the experiment Archemedies was involved in. an experiment regarding the timeline, where he would in theory, be exposed to all of the multiverse- every single timeline in existence- all at once.

Ambitious, and dangerous.

his mind would have been used like a conduit, the unique ability of the mind to intake information as raw experience instead of predetermined data would be exploited and the knowledge would have been removed and stored as soon as it was gained, with only faint, processable echoes left behind.

Also ambitious, also dangerous.

…But something went wrong. The reptilian monster describes how, for one moment, he saw all of reality, a winding whirling mass of timelines coiling into infinity, endless and terrible- but he admits that he had felt it had…rejected him. Denied him. Then, he was here, alone, afraid, and with two holes seared into his scales.

They pass the pool table in silence.

Then, his expression grim, Gaster describes how he had forgotten his friend, how his existence seemed to be erased until the moment Gaster saw him. How so many years of his life were flawlessly rearranged to run without his friend, how where buzzing experiments once stood only empty rooms remained... He tells him how now, looking back, everything in those fading double-memories seems so obviously wrong…and in turn how he himself suffered the same fate.

'...the core, the machine I had only begun to plan back then? I ran a trial experiment, and…It…failed. Well, it worked too well. Timelines converged and shattered, the universe hissing and spitting and jumping like an angry cat, and I…'

Gasters hands falter.

'...I fell in.'

Archemedies looks up at him, his expression unreadable, as always.

"...You…you fell into the core experiment…while it was running?"

Gaster looks away and nods, swallowing. He doesn't like to relive that memory. The burning, terrible pain, tearing at his soul, ripping his mind apart…it haunts him, just like his sons screaming face, the hand reaching for him...

"...that is a far more painful fate than mine, old friend…"

Gaster sighs, and his hands start up again, as he attempts to be cheerful, smiling tiredly.

'You will never believe what i found on my way.'

Archemedies looks up at him questioningly.

"You found something…? Was it that flower? It still has a scent, you know…it comforted me. My own piece of reality…"

Gaster blinks, startled, looking around for it before shrugging and signing with a smirk;

'No, not a flower. Close, but keep guessing.'

Archemedies tilts his head, thinking.

"Hmmm…the sweater?"

Gaster shakes his head, smiling wider. They've already passed that.

'No. That's less close.'

Archemedies is silent for a long moment, and Gaster spies the fridge, slowing down.

"...well, I give up. What did you find?"

Gaster looks down at his friend, and signs, his expression completely deadpan and serious;

'a dog.'

Archemedies stares up at him, uncomprehending.

"...a…dog…?"

Gaster grins, and glides over to the fridge, motioning for Archemedies to follow him, the gray monster approaching with a questioning expression. Gaster waits for his friend to catch up, then he carefully opens the fridge door, yelping in pain as tiny jaws clamp down on his hand. Archemedies stares, dumbfounded, his mouth open in shock as Gaster swears in wingdings.

"I…well, that, certainly is something…"

Gaster finally shakes the offending canine, and it falls to the dark ground, apparently no longer immune to gravity. Archemedies crouches slightly, making clicking sounds with his tongue and watching the dog in a kind of bewildered awe, his pure white eyes following the ecstatic canine. It takes notice of him, and yaps over, running circles around the gray monster, and slowly, Archemedies runs his tail over its fur. It stops, and begins to lick the startled reptilian monsters face, prompting a surprised chuckle from the weary monster.

'Well, he certainly seems to like you.'

Archemedies blinks at Gaster, and asks slightly questioningly, tilting his head as the dog races about wildly.

"He…?"

Gaster smiles sheepishly, shrugging as he signs.

'I know that dog. He lived in snowdin, I don't know who owned him…he's a regular surface dog, I think. I never knew they were so long lived, but my sons named-'

Archemedies chokes on nothing, staring up at gaster incredulously. Oh, right, he didn't know about that. well, he should, he deserves to. Had he not disappeared, he probably would have ended up babysitting those two! He should have been at the wedding, come to think…It's a shame he'll never meet her…Slowly, Gaster finishes his sentence, smiling sheepishly as his old friend stares incredulously.

'...named him Toby. Are you alright?'

Archemedies simply stares at him, his jaw slack.

"...s-someone married you? And you had kids?"

Gaster snorts, smiling as he remembers. It was almost a disaster, considering half the guests got the wrong address, and then there was that family feud fiasco- god, that was weird. And sans…he was such a mischievous infant, as was papyrus, and it only got worse when he learned to walk… but it was rewarding. He misses them so much…

'Yes, but that… is a story for another time.'

Archemedies shakes his head, smiling incredulously.

"…we have a lot to talk about. But I agree, we should not linger in one place too long…"

Gaster looks down at the wildly racing dog, and grabs it by the scruff with one hand, Letter-signing with the other.

'Do We Bring Him?'

Archemedies shakes his head, patting the small dog on the head with his tail before tossing the ball in the direction of his dock, Gaster letting the dog go running off to get it, it's stubby legs pumping wildly.

"It seems to be doing alright. We will find it if we want it, or it will find us."

Gaster smiles, watching the dog bound off.

'Well, I hope so. He's annoying, but I don't want him to get lost here.'

Archemedies shakes his head as he turns.

"He won't. This place- it's small, once you get used to it."

There is silence, and the two walk- and glide- on. Gaster knows that Archemedies is itching to ask him about his family, but knows he won't. His friend is too eager to see color again to sit down and listen to such a long story. But, after a while, Archemedies speaks.

"So, are you…still the royal scientist? You never said."

Gaster chuckles, shrugging.

'I was. But after I…well, you know, I suppose I have been replaced by now. A monster named Alphys, maybe, since you were missing…But it doesn't really matter.'

He glances down at his friend, who walks beside him, his gaze steady as always. He won't mention Alphys was an intern. That might raise…questions. Gaster has already done the math, and his friend has been gone a very long time. He tries to cheer him up, beginning to sign;

'After all, we are both equals now. We are both-'

The other monster cuts him off, smiling a little, having expected this and predicted the joke.

"Dis-armed?"

Gaster laughs, a sound still rather old from disuse, as he glides beside his old friend, through the forest of gray half-parts and forgotten things. Archemedies looks up at him, his pure white eyes glowing faintly, and smiles. That sound reminded him of a time before his imprisonment. Of a happier time. A time when two monsters would drink coffee and come up with jokes together, side by side, long ago. He had almost forgotten.

"Knock knock."

He says quietly, and Gaster looks down at him, a little surprised. After a moment he smiles and replies:

'Who is there?'

Archemedies smiles tiredly in return and says;

"Dishes."

Gaster blinks. He doesn't know this one.

'Dishes who?'

Archemedies smiles internally, knowing the reaction his old friend will have.

"Dishes a very bad joke."

Gaster snorts, and begins shaking with laughter, the sound ringing out in the silent static of this place between places, the two monsters shattered through time somehow finding a way to be cheerful, even here. For the first time, the sound of happiness rings out in the broken world that they stand in. Gaster keeps laughing, and Archemedies joins him, his own quiet laughter joining gasters as they glide on.

Soon, they come to the end of the field of shattered reality, and step into the open plain of darkness that is broken solely by the gray door, the only outlier to the field of forgotten things. Then Gaster stops, and waves a hand at the door that stands before them, still slightly ajar. He smiles at his old friend, and slips through, Archemedies following behind him, pushing the door open with his head as he enters, and closing it behind them with his tail, a small click coming from the unseen clasp.

The reptilian monster glances around the gray room, thinking that being trapped in such a featureless place would be worse than the field of broken pieces he himself was trapped in... At least there, he had pieces of reality for comfort, something different or new, if he cared to search for it…

but suddenly, the gray and weary monster, lost without color for more years than he knows, feels something settle around his neck. He looks down, and sees the shimmering blue cloth draped around his armless shoulders, bright and shining and colourful in a way that he'd forgotten. Gaster signs only two words.

'as promised.'

and so, two monsters rest in the room between realities, and yet outside them all. One, weary and gray, remembering colour with a shaky smile, opalescent tears running down his scales. The other, watching with an unsteady smile of his own, barely believing that now, he might not be alone.

Barely believing that maybe, just maybe, he won't have to do it alone anymore.


And somewhere else, things are far from lonely.

Sans and papyrus sit together on the old green couch, the mess of blanket and pillows still there as the brothers talk, bell watching the MTTV with interest as mettaton poses glamorously. She's begun to love the glamorous, glittery confidence of the robot. The cookies lie nearby, still faintly warm, most of them eaten by sans. Papyrus had one, then declared after staring at it in awe that it was too good to eat. bell is sort of concerned that her mediocre cooking gains such emphatic reactions from monsters- what did they eat before she got here?

Behind her on the couch, Papyrus is asking questions as quick as Sans can answer them, the older of the brothers replying seamlessly as Papyrus bombards him with question after worried question.

"ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE OK?"

"positive."

"YOUR JAW DOESN'T HURT?"

"nope. not one bit."

"AND YOU'RE SURE YOU WON'T FALL ASLEEP AGAIN?"

"yup. I'm sure, paps."

"AND YOU AREN'T HUNGRY?"

"I mean, I wouldn't mind some grillb-"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"

The two brothers go back and forth like that for a while, Bell only half listening. She's just happy that Sans is okay. She was so worried that somehow- what she did to him, it had…broken him somehow. She's still not sure what she really did…it seemed good, though. Not- not witchcraft, whatever that is, and…in this place, magic is normal, so what happened then…

It won't happen ever again.

she's just glad she didn't hurt him. She doesn't want to hurt anyone. Mettaton is now interviewing one of her own employees, some guy named Benson who looks like a cat. He doesn't seem to want to be there. Bell sorta wants to hug him, he looks so unhappy…Then, papyrus asks a question that sans can't seem to answer straight away.

"WAIT- SANS, WHY DO YOU STILL LOOK LIKE YOURSELF? LAST TIME, ALL YOU COULD SAY WAS 'I DUNNO' SO YOU HAD BETTER GIVE ME A REAL ANSWER NOW!"

There's silence for a minute. Then, sans sighs, and pats his brother on the skull with a small click-click before saying tiredly, bell watching with interest;

"...alright paps. You want the truth?"

Papyrus gives a frustrated 'NYES!' And nods furiously, bell now sitting up by the base of the couch to watch. This seems important, and she doesn't wanna miss it. Sans abruptly shrugs and grins, his pretend weariness vanishing as he exclaims with a true grin:

"Turns out, there is another me, bro."

papyrus just stares at him, sans grinning sheepishly. Bell's mouth is open in an O of surprise, her gaze darting from one brother to the other, mettaton posing on the MTTV in the background, throwing glitter around the tired looking employee.

*smells like uncertainty and bones.

Bell wrinkles her nose, why is the narrator so obsessed with smells lately? suddenly, papyrus throws up his arms and yells- Because his brother is the only one he ever yells at- with an incredulous expression, glaring at his brother with wide eye sockets;

"CARE TO ELABORATE?!"

sans just grins wider, shrugging again and closing his eye sockets in an infuriating 'i dunno' face, as papyrus rubs the bridge of his nose (or what would be a nose) with one gloved hand, mumbling about 'sciency types' under his breath in an unusually quiet voice. Bell tugs on sans's leg and asks him in an awed tone, her eyes wide and shining as she imagines the possibilities;

"Really? There's another you? Another sans?"

Sans winks at her, replying as easily as if she'd just asked if he likes to drink ketchup- which she knows he does for some reason- ruffling her hair with one ungloved hand.

"eeyup. He's over at the lab, real scream. The Riverperson brought him in la- or, well, three nights ago I guess."

Papyrus looks up and squints at his brother, bell practically starry-eyed as she imagines two sanses goofing around the lab, making puns with identical grins and driving papyrus up the wall. That would be so cool.

"BROTHER? ARE YOU…SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?"

sans winks at his brother, making finger guns at the lankier skeleton.

"Nah, you know me bro, I'm just too humerus-"

Papyrus cuts him off, whacking him over the head with a pillow as Bell giggles at the joke, sans grinning through a shower of feathers, apparently very pleased with himself.

"SAAAANNNNSSS! BE SERIOUS! IS THERE ACTUALLY ANOTHER YOU? I CAN ONLY HANDLE SO MANY PUNS!"

Sans just grins, reaching for his phone and pulling up Alphys' undernet page, snorting at the blushing picture of himself, then pulling up the video from the shared folder he has with the nervous lizard, which is mostly full of anime and memes, respectively.

-oh buddy, we're gonna have a newton of fun I'll leave ya ohming and ahhing, cause it's no more che-mister nice guy bucko- 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 since i was practically boron for the stage, after all, 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-

papyrus watches in horror. Bell scrambles up onto papyrus's lap and begins to giggle madly, watching two near-identical sanses on screen, one punning as fast as light, the other shaking with hysterical laughter, 'mweh heh hehing' while clutching his sides. papyrus blinks, his brain short-circuiting between having a cataclysmic breakdown over the puns, or having a cataclysmic breakdown over the fact that there are two sanses.

He decides on both.

"SANS! WHO IS THAT?! AND SO HELP ME IF YOU DON'T MUTE THAT RIGHT NOW-"

sans grins and turns up the volume.

"SANS I SWEAR-"

the volume goes up.

"SAAAANS!"

Full volume.

"THATS IT!"

Suddenly, papyrus picks sans up under one arm, standing up with a shower of pillows and feathers, sans letting out a disgruntled 'Oof!' Papyrus soon grabs bell too, holding her under the other arm while proclaiming;

"WE ARE GOING TO THE LAB RIGHT NOW, BROTHER, TO SEE IF YOU ARE TELLING THE TRUTH! WE SHALL BE THERE VERY SOON, SINCE THE GREAT AND MAGNIFICENT PAPYRUS IS FASTER THAN LIGHT ITSELF!"

Sans splutters in surprise, bell just giggling and clambering up onto papyrus's shoulders, having learned to roll with whatever the large yet gentle skeleton decides to do, and excited by the prospect of another ride. Sans's foot is still caught on a blanket, and he's desperately trying to remove it even as papyrus kicks open the door and races through the snow. The tall skeleton leaps through snow drifts as bell squeals with laughter, sans clawing at the fluffy blanket still miraculously snared on his foot with several shaky protests, which his brother skilfully ignores with barely a blink in his direction. a purple rabbit monster watches the two skeletons disappear into the distance with an affectionate chuckle, folding her arms outside her shop as snow gently swirls.

Never a boring moment…


Meanwhile, in another universe;

The child is huddled in the lap of the unfamiliar skeleton, shaking with fear. Everything is different, nothing makes sense- parents turning to dust, a monster with the face of a murderer protecting them, and then the machine, and the smoke, and flying through the air and being caught and the chair and the noise and- They start to shudder harder.

"Oh- dear, young one, it's alright."

The child looks up, gazing through tears at the skeleton who gazes down at them worriedly, his eyelights glowing from behind large, blue rimmed glasses. He's nothing like anything the child has ever seen. And they are terrified.

"You are safe now, a-alright…?"

the child sniffles and blinks, not understanding. One of the most important things they were ever told was that they would never be safe, unless they were strong… Not even their parents were strong- not strong enough to defeat such a terrifying skeleton, and neither are they.

And when this skeleton realizes they are weak…

They'll die, just like their parents.

The child begins to sob again, grabbing onto the skeleton and waiting for their end, which they know will come. Gaster only looks down at them with concern, the child clutching his midsection with a death grip, as he sits on the old blue couch. He's been here for a while- the child simply shuddering in his arms as papyrus and Red do… whatever it is that they're doing, in the kitchen. He's concerned. Concerned and scared, for this child that knows nothing but pain…

"Young one…I'm not going to hurt you, you know that, right…?"

He asks, gently patting the shaking child's back, covered by only a dark black and red striped sweater, as distant noises of things breaking echo from the kitchen.

"N-no…not, n-not safe…never- n-never safe…"

The child suddenly mutters into him, still shaky from sobbing, their tiny paws clinging tight to his sweater vest. It's the first time he's heard them speak, or even seen them respond, and he feels both relieved and further concerned.

"W-what do you mean…'not safe'? I will make sure no one harms you, alright?"

Gaster tries to comfort them, shifting their weight in his arms, but the child just whimpers.

"N-no, not safe…never, never ever safe…"

The child clings to him tighter, trembling, their tiny claws digging into his ribs in a way that makes Gaster wince.

"J-just…just d-do it already…"

Gaster is confused, and raises one hand, settling it in between the child's long pitch-black ears, in an attempt to calm the shaking young monster.

"Do…do what…? Child, please, I know you are hurt and scared but- but I'm not going to kill you! You are only a child! You are to be protected, not…"

Gaster gently activates his healing magic, running the calming glow through the child's beaten, quivering young soul, and feeling his own glow in response.

"…not harmed…you are only young, you have done nothing to deserve what has happened…"

He soothes, trying to comfort them while suppressing his own sharp stutters. the child's quaking….recedes, slightly. Their ears twitch, and the child's grip loosens, just a little.

"Everything will be okay now, young one. I promise…"

The young monster begins to cry again, but they are sobs of sadness, not fear. The small child cries into him, and Gaster keeps slowly running healing magic through them. There is nothing left he can heal with this level of magic, but the child still relaxes with every wave of green.

"hush…it will be alright, you're safe, it will be okay…"

He says, because he is unsure of what else to say. He's unfortunately picked up Asgore's habit of calling kids 'young one', at least when he's stressed, but at the very least it seems to be calming the child down…Then, there comes a small hiccup, and soon the child is shaking with small 'hic!'s, and despite himself, Gaster chuckles. He didn't mean to, but he feels the child stiffen at the sound. Their fear rekindled.

What does that sound mean?

They think, terrified.

Am I about to die?

They begin to squeeze, again their claws dig into Gaster's ribs, and he winces, but keeps sending calming pluses of green magic through the child's soul.

"Oh- sorry, did I startle you?"

He asks, trying to be comforting, and the child stiffens again, but slowly the tension seems to falter, then fade, as more sobs hit, too tired to be wary any longer. They just hiccup and cry, Gaster slightly worried that soon they're going to run out of water to form tears… If they become dehydrated, that would only complicate things further… Gaster sighs worriedly, and hesitantly asks them, attempting to be gentle;

"Are…are you thirsty? Do you need water?"

The child only quivers, and does not answer. If papyrus is to be believed, they have been crying since he found them, hours and hours ago. They definitely need water. Gaster looks around nervously, and spots an abandoned glass of water nearby, left on a side table and forgotten likely hours before.

Oh thank goddess.

For once, papyrus's forgetfulness is useful. He summons a hand, straining to keep up the healing magic and control the hand at the same time, but he manages, as he always seems to. Almost immediately after he offers it, the child grabs hold, gulping down the water with their muzzle basically crammed to the bottom, their dark fur wet with tears. There come distant crashing noises from the kitchen, and Gaster briefly glances in that direction, but deciding against moving. the child takes priority right now. Gaster watches with concern as they furiously gulp down the water as if someone is going to steal it from them. his child seems so desperate… He's no psychologist, but he knows that it will take a lot of persistence to build trust with this small one…Familial bonds might have been their only bonds in that hellish place, and well…

…they have no more dust relations.

The child finishes, promptly grabbing hold of him again, but the sobs have stemmed into sniffles, and Gaster feels slightly comforted by the lack of sobbing. Then, there comes a hesitant mumble from the face that's buried in Gaster's brown sweater vest, their voice weak and shaky, but no longer as fearful.

"h-hungry…?"

Gaster is startled, but realizes that this child could easily not have eaten in days... Those sounds from the kitchen- they'd better be because papyrus and Red are cooking, or there will be trouble. Big. Trouble.

"Of course, child, I- I will get something for you, here, there's most likely something in the kitchen."

He gets up, taking the child with him as he crosses to the kitchen in long strides, the scene within screeching to a halt as he enters, his eyesockets widening at the spectacle. papyrus is buried under a pile of bones, a dog perched on top of the pile of attacks, Red pressed against the wall, one eye glowing a blood red. The attacks clearly belong to him, the dog gazing down from the mountain gravely, papyrus completely buried under it with only one flailing arm sticking out. There are muffled shouts from beneath the mountain of attacks, but Red doesn't seem to hear, staring at the dog in terror.

"Oh dear…you two do know how to make a big mess in a short time…"

With a sigh, Gaster levitates the dog, bringing it to him and holding it in two summoned hands, still supporting the child in his arms. He glances over at red with concern, the sans-like skeleton almost trembling with fear, his eyelights locked on the calm white Pomeranian, seeming absolutely terrified of the small animal. gaster shifts the child to rest in one arm, and sets about clearing away the attacks, motioning for the other skeleton to help him with his free hand, his summoned ones placing the dog in a nearby cupboard with a dog bed inside. Slowly, as he clears away the attacks, the other skeleton begins to help. He doesn't talk, and refuses to meet gasters gaze, but the scientist can feel the relief rolling off his soul.

His soul…it feels a little like sans's, to him.

The core of it- the very very heart of it, that's the same. But such a tough outer shell, threatening and fearful, covered in layers of anger and fear…

His universe must have been truly abysmal.

But why is he scared of such a small animal? No matter, it's not his business…not really. The child whimpers in his arms, and he starts a little, remembering. Perhaps this 'Red' can be useful in getting through to them…?

"A-ah…yes, red. Do you…have any idea why they might be acting thi- in this way? I know they are in shock, but they have barely responded, all they have done is ask for food and tell me that 'they will never be safe.' "

The sans-like skeleton seems surprised, and stares up at him in an odd, calculating way. Like Gaster has just asked him a ridiculous question.

"…oh I dunno, maybe cause this world's all hugs n' sunshine for some reason? They ain't exactly used to that kinda 'oh I'll just feed this random brat' stuff, four-eyes."

Gaster flinches at the harshity of the last two words, and says sharply:

"Do not call me that."

the skeleton that looks like sans stares at him, taken aback by the sudden sharpness.

"Someone's touchy…"

Gaster pins the smaller skeleton with his gaze, saying in a flat, cold voice;

"Call me that again, and I will show you how 'hugs and sunshine' this world can be, Red. You may look like my son, but you will not insult me, or this child."

Red just stares at him, completely taken aback, his eye sockets wide. Who knew a nerd could be that terrifying? The cracks certainly don't help. He can't figure this guy out, is he weak or not?

"U-uh…ok…? Geeze, you're a tad threatenin' for someone responsible for makin' him."

The smaller skeleton says, jabbing a thumb at papyrus, who has given up and most likely fallen asleep under the pile of bones.

"Well…I don't know. Papyrus is quite passionate when he wants to be."

Gaster responds dryly, clearing away some bones with one hand, his tone a little less harsh as he works. Red snorts.

"Suuure he is. An' I'm the queen of England."

Gaster stares at him blankly.

"What is an…England?"

Red stares back, and seems to remember something. He turns away, muttering about 'it's nothin' in a way that concerns Gaster. the child whimpers again, and Gaster starts a little, asking red automatically:

"oh, right, do you have any food? the bones are blocking the fridge…"

Red just stares at him as if he's started pouring pudding out his eyesockets.

"Is…is that somethin you just ask people here?"

Gaster stares back, slightly concerned.

"…uh, yes…? Not strangers, except in an emergency, but otherwise…yes, pretty much?"

Red stands there for a moment, thinking. This world is so…confusing. Are the monsters here weak or not? What kind of cockamainy place is this? Giving away food, bein' all…soft and emotional n' **** and yet some of em having enough power to conquer- but they don't conquer, they just…stand around being weird. He doesn't understand this place, how is everyone here so damn soft and yet still alive?! Gaster just watches the other skeleton, confused. Do people… not ask for help at all in his world? Red is silent, then seems to be hit by some revelation of a thought, glancing from him to the child in his arms and back in wary disbelief, unsummoning some bones with a wave of his hand.

"W-wait…you ain't…you aren't gonna keep this brat are ya!?"

Gaster blinks at him in surprise, uncovering papyrus's knee with a swoop of a hand to dissipate another swathe of attacks.

"Of course I am. They need me, don't they? I am a father, I know how to go about raising a child. I can't just pawn them off on someone else- they are from another universe after all. And besides, they seem to have become attached."

He doesn't stutter once, making direct eye contact with the other skeleton, a steel forged glint in his eyelights, brought there by years of suffering. He knows what being alone feels like…

"I spent innumerable years in a lifeless void- grieving my family. I thought I had lost everyone. That is akin to what this child must be feeling. In other words, I relate."

Red falls silent, staring at him. He seems not to understand, looking Gaster up and down, but anything he might say is interrupted by papyrus sitting up abruptly, the tall skeleton letting out a theatrical gasp.

"God why are you so scared of dogs, Red geeze-!"

the tall skeleton gasps theatrically, putting a hand to his heart (or where his heart should be) dramatically. Red jumps, opening his mouth to retort, but freezing when someone kicks open the door with a raucous battle cry.

"HEY BLUE WASSAP I BROUGHT TACOS FOR-"

in the door, the bulky yellow lizard monster stops in her tracks, a tray of tacos held above her head triumphantly. Papyrus groans, having forgotten all about Alphys weekly battle sessions with blue- and now here she is, at the exact worst time, not knocking, as usual. She's just frozen in the doorway, her scarred yellow scales shining slightly in the light, staring at the hostile-looking version of blue that's staring right back at her incredulously.

There's a tense, weighted silence.

"Wh- blue?! What the heck?! You look totally threatening! JUST like you're from kakegurui!"

She screeches proudly, her frill puffing out slightly on the exuberant 'just,' blood red scales shining from beneath. Red stares at her, taking in the scars that crisscross her scales and rake over one eye, the sharp teeth that are grinning exuberantly at him, and the vest and leggings outfit that provides no armor. No battle armor… scars from lost fights, dorky grin…still a weak, cowardly nerd in this universe then?

"You…you actually watch that ****?"

He snaps back, his sharp teeth snapping together with a knife on knife sound as he glares at the yellow lizard monster, seeing a chance to finally get the upper hand on someone from this confusing world.

Bad idea.

Alphys flinches as though struck, then begins to growl. Actually. Growl. As in the low, feral noise of a predator pinning its prey and preparing to feast, growl. A noise that means death. Suddenly, the tray frisbees across the room with a whizz of metal through air, and smashes into the wall barely an inch above Reds skull, a murderous glint coming into the threatening lizard monsters eyes as taco ingredients rain down around her, flaming red scales suddenly framing her face as her frill expands angrily.

"You. Aint. Blue."

Red, gulps.