Story's not dead! Just tired. Here's another chapter for y'all. First chapter of 2023, woo... Have a good rest of the summer, lol. Thanks for sticking around. Someday I will finish the story.
Percy was in the world on the surface just a week after he fought in the battle of the Earth goddess Gaea. He wanted to get some peace and quiet after that crazy mess, so once things had calmed down after the battle, he told his friends that he was going to go and have a nice, long break from life-threatening situations. He went and stayed with his mom for about a week, but at some point, Percy realized that he needed to go somewhere alone so he could think through everything and have a peaceful break.
He told his mom that he needed to borrow the car and that he'd be back in a few hours. He hadn't been lying when he said that to her, but things got a little out of hand, as they always seem to do with demigods like himself.
Percy took the keys after a loving hug from his mother, and then he drove for a little less than an hour to a small mountain range near his house, seeking a quiet place in nature to think. When he arrived at the mountain range, he found himself at the base of a mountain that had been labeled as Mount Ebott. He parked the car and hiked up to the top of the mountain. It was a long hike, but he had walked through worse.
When Percy got to a ledge near the top, he looked down at the amazing view before him. "Wow," he whispered to himself. He meandered around, soaking in the view from all angles. He grinned at the beautiful sights before him. How long this could last, he didn't know, but at that moment he wished he could just be there looking out there forever. Percy sat down in the grass near the ledge, soaking in the sunlight.
Percy sat up with a start. He had fallen asleep! It was dark. The sun likely set hours ago. His mom must be worried sick!
He'd better get home soon. He hurried down the path. Suddenly, his foot caught on the root of a small bush. Percy Jackson fell straight over the bush and into a deep hole leading down into the Underground.
Sans startled him back to the present by repeating his question. "so what are you gonna do next?"
Percy looked back at the skeleton's glaring face. "I just wanted to go out and think. I didn't mean to cause problems."
Sans raised an eyebrow expectantly.
Percy hesitated. "...I think I just want to leave the Underground soon. I've had time to think, and I did what I wanted to, so I'll get out of your space when I can."
Sans closed his eyes. "you can't 'just leave the underground.' we're surrounded by a barrier. for the moment, you're stuck down here, just like the rest of us..."
Since Percy could tell Sans had more to say, he waited. The skeleton turned his back on Percy. "...it's easy to enter the underground, but your options for leaving are limited. for one creature to cross the barrier, they need to have the power of both a human and a monster soul. if someone had seven human souls, they could break the barrier for good, and we'd all be free. if you haven't noticed, monsters have been trying to kill you. frankly, that's because we need your soul."
Percy's breath caught in his throat. Sans continued, looking out towards Snowdin. "we have six, and with just one more we'd be free." His voice was strained with longing.
When he stopped, Percy asked, "Then why haven't you killed me?"
Sans sighed. "i made a promise." He turned around. His eyes looked tired. So, incredibly, tired. "and to be honest, you're not as bad as some, despite your LV."
His eyes hardened. "i know what you did to my brother and me."
Startled, Percy put his hand on Riptide's hilt. There was snow all around.
Sans shook his head. "lighten up, bucko. you're not dead for a reason. as long as you don't ever try any stunts like that again, you can stay here. i can tell the other monsters to leave you be."
Percy looked at him in surprise. "You would do that?"
Sans winked, shrugging. "well, there are three ways this can go: us monsters kill you and use your soul to leave, you kill one of our leaders and use their soul to leave, or we all just get along down here." He raised an eyebrow. "you can't die right now, so if you don't kill anyone, you've got one option left."
A wave of shock passed through Percy. Before he could speak up, Sans interrupted by saying, "yeah, i've just got a sense for these things."
The demigod hesitated, and then said, "I don't think I'd be very welcome if I stayed here."
Sans folded his arms. "and your alternative?"
Percy shook his head. "I told you, I'm not going to kill anyone. I just... I guess I just want to see the barrier for myself."
Sans stared at him for a few moments, considering. Percy waited anxiously. He didn't know what he hoped to do at the barrier, but he did at least want to see it.
"alright." Percy smiled in thanks, relieved he didn't refuse.
"c'mon, bud. i know a shortcut."