CW: Blood, violence, harsh language, Character death
Chapter 36
Ultimatum
When he and Corbel split ways, he put on a front, one he hoped would be comforting, so that the last thing Corbel saw wouldn't be the uneasiness he felt in his gut. He knew splitting up was a bad idea, but he also knew that they would be able to cover more ground if they did split up. On top of that, he also knew that stealth missions were better carried out solo.
True to his word, Sans sent messages to Corbel when he found a good spot to do so. Corbel always responded immediately, which worried Sans a bit. Where the heck was he that he was able to send immediate responses? But despite himself, every time a new message came in, Sans couldn't help but smile. It meant that Corbel was safe.
He kept getting reminders from Corbel to stay safe and nearly constant reminders of love. As much as it made Sans miss him, it kept a constant and genuine smile on his face as he continued. Sans kept thinking about how he wanted nothing more than to finish this mission so he could get back to Corbel and thank him personally for working so hard.
For now, he still had that mission to complete, so he kept onward, searching around for any sign of the humans. When he'd first fallen into the Underground, he'd headed this way as well, in search of the Gaster family. The whole time, he'd been trying to keep to the shadows, even though, he knew that everyone only saw him as a Skeleton, it was a new concept to him and he still felt the need to hide.
In short, in order to find this human, he needed to retrace his steps.
With that mentality, going back to that mind frame, Sans pressed onward. Back then, what were his priorities? He had been looking for shelter. He had been looking for food. He had been looking for anything that looked like a town where he might be able find any or all of those things.
Of course, he knew where those things were now, but then, he had been traveling on blind faith.
The majority of Hotland was like a huge maze, much like the Underground as whole. When it was being forged, the monsters set it up in a way that if a human were to try to follow them, the layout would confuse them and they would become lost. Even the construction of Gaster's CORE followed this idea and the entire structure could be changed with just a few keystrokes.
Even now, years, decades, lifetimes later, it was still an effective strategy. Though he knew the tricks and secrets now, Sans couldn't help but be amazed and a bit overwhelmed by how much really went into this. No wonder he'd been wandering around lost for so long.
As he continued, he noticed that there were still a few people out and about, so when he saw them, he felt it a little safer to come out in the open. Blending in with them would be a much better idea anyway. Civilians made the best camouflage.
And the best source of information.
"Is it really okay to be out like this? Wasn't there a human sighting?
"I heard they were spotted in Waterfall. The Royal Guard is there now, combing the area."
"No. Waterfall was cleared last I heard. Seems they're on the way to the Capital."
"The Capital!? What could they possibly want!?"
"Well, isn't it obvious? They weren't satisfied with just Asriel. They wanna complete the set. And they'll take down anyone in their way!"
"Then they're on a rampage!? A killing spree!? Why hasn't the Guard taken them down yet!?"
"Oh they've tried. Word is, they've been mowing down Guardsmen left and right."
"But if they're headed toward the Capital, don't they have to come through here!? The only way to get there is through here, isn't it!?"
"That means we're sitting ducks if we stay here! We should get going!"
"But is it even safe to go to work right now . . . ? What if they've already reached the office!?"
"Aw geez . . . I knew I should've called out today . . ."
"At a time like this, I'm sure they'd understand. With a killer human on the loose, it shouldn't matter if you're a little late to work!"
"Y- yeah. You're right. But is going home a safe option either. There's just no telling!"
"Either way, we should probably get inside somewhere!"
Sans ducked out of the conversation then, having collected the info he needed. If he wanted to find this human, the best place to wait would be right here.
He did take refuge nearby in an inconspicuous space to wait for them. While he waited, he sent a message to Corbel, letting him know what was going on.
Luck was definitely on their side. Not only had Corbel been able to dodge the Guard so far, but he'd even been able to locate one of the humans! A girl named Aiko. Apparently, she'd been following behind the Guard to find her identical twin brother, Prox.
Sans hummed at that. Identical twins, huh? A brother and sister pair . . . ? Not very common at all . . . Okay.
Corbel was even able to provide a description of Prox, including what he'd been wearing and the items he carried. Well, that was gonna make things a little easier when he came along. He knew his name and what to look out for.
Still, Sans needed to wait for him to come along. The plan was to locate and collect both humans and escort them back home to hide until they could plan their next move. No, it wasn't the most foolproof or even the most solid plan, but it was all they had. Corbel had done his part well, now Sans needed to do his.
. . . And Aiko was refusing to follow Corbel home until they found Prox. Great . . . A stubborn one. Corbel promised to keep to the shadows and stay out of sight until they caught up. They were headed to Hotland and they would be at the border soon.
Sans didn't have to wait much longer after that. He heard the panting before he saw the human approach. They tried, but they weren't very good at being stealthy.
But soon, he was able to see the green shirt and denim shorts of the person Corbel described, his short brown hair was messy and matted and had long since fallen out of the style he'd originally planned for it.
He held his heavy looking cast iron pan out in front of him, gripping the handle with both hands while his eyes darted all around, looking for any oncoming enemies. So far, it looked like he'd been able to avoid confrontation. Sans hadn't scanned the boy before, so he had no real way of telling if he'd gained any LV, but even though his apron was stained by some cooking related mess or another, it had no sign of dust. None of what he had bore any signs of dust. That was a good sign.
For a moment, after scanning the area, the boy lowered the frying pan and looked out toward the entrance to the next area: an air vent puzzle room designed specifically to slow his progress. If he started that puzzle now, there was no doubt that the Guard would catch up. And this really was the only way forward, then, this was where Sans needed to step in.
With that in mind, Sans stood and made his appearance, stepping out of his hiding place with his hands in his pockets and his signature smile in place. As non-threatening as possible.
"Heya, kiddo." He greeted, "That particular puzzle's kind of a doozy. You sure you wanna go in there?"
As expected, the boy was immediately on edge, gripping his frying pan tightly in both hands as he turned his attention and his stance toward Sans.
"St-stay back!" The boy demanded, "You stay away from me you . . . You m-monster!"
"The name's Sans. Sans the Skeleton. And seriously, kid, you need to chill. I'm not gonna hurt you, okay? If anything, you'd probably take me out first. So, how about we put the frying pan away and we just talk for a sec?"
"And-and w-why should I believe y-you?"
"Because I only wanna help. And the longer we waste time here, the more opportunity we give the Royal Guard to find you. So, not trying to rush you or anything, but we really need to get going."
"A-and your proof?"
Sans sighed. "Okay, fine. I'll name drop. I know where to find Aiko. They're with a buddy of mine. And once we meet up with them, we can get you somewhere safe where you can lay low for a while."
The boy hesitated, meeting Sans' eyes with suspicion, expecting him to make a sneak attack at any second. But the longer he looked, the looser the grip on his frying pan got, until it hung low at his side.
It was then that Sans extended his hand to shake. The boy reached out as well, his hand trembling.
"My name is Prox."
"I know. My buddy told me that too."
"Is that so? What else did he tell you?"
"Not a whole lot." Sans shrugged, "He told me what you'd be wearing so I could find you more easily. Heh, as if 'human' wasn't enough to set you apart. Um . . . You and Aiko are identical twins. They came down looking for you when you fell and they're still looking for you now. That's about it."
"So, everything."
"Eh," Sans shrugged once again, tilting his outstretched hand from side to side. "Just the important things that pertained to the mission. Now, wha'd'ya say we get the Hell outta here?"
Finally, after another moment or two of speculation, Prox accepted Sans' hand and they shook on it.
From then on, it was mission mode once again. He had Prox and Corbel had Aiko. All they needed to do was regroup. They could meet at home. Sans dug out his phone and began composing his text.
"Alrighty. Let me just update Corbel and we'll be on our way."
"MISSION ACCOMP-"
It was as he was in the middle of typing that he heard the approach of metal clanking.
His eyes shot up from his text and he drew in a sharp breath.
"Shit . . ." He hissed, looking back over toward his hidden spot. Maybe they could hide out while the Guard passed, but they'd have to be quick.
"Okay, we need to hide, right now!" Sans instructed in a whisper, "They're coming!"
Sans turned again, shoving his phone in his pocket as he directed Prox back to his hiding space.
"Go! Go, before they-"
"Well done, citizen." Said a voice from behind them. You've done well to detain the human. Now step aside and get to safety. We'll take it from here."
"No no no . . ." Sans breathed, his mind reeling through every possible scenario. There had to be some way they could still get out of this. Some way they could still get to Aiko and Corbel.
"Run!" He instructed urgently once again, never raising his voice beyond that biting whisper, "Hurry and get out of here. Find Aiko and Corbel! I'll catch up."
Prox hesitated for the slightest moment before turning on his heels and making a break for it, his hands tight on his cast iron pan once again.
"Oh no!" Sans cried out, "Slippery human kid got away from me."
"You've done your part, citizen. Stand down. Let us catch the human. Stay inside until the all clear."
"Wait!" Sans called, following after the Guardsman. Maybe he could try to give Prox as much time as possible, "You're not really gonna kill him, are you?"
"Those are our orders."
"But-but what about the royal family? They adopted human kids before, didn't they? Why not again?"
"It's not our place to question the King's decisions. Now, out of the way! The human is getting away."
"But is it really okay to just kill this kid? They didn't do anything wrong! Are you really okay with that?"
"That's enough out of you!" The Guardsman ordered in a stern voice. With a heavy hand, they shoved Sans out of the way so he landed heavily on his back.
At the same time, a cry rang out from somewhere nearby.
"Prox!"
Sans sprang back up to his feet and turned toward the direction of the cry.
"Wait!" The Guardsman shouted after him, "Stay back!"
Sans ignored the direct order and charged forward. He did not come this far to lose Prox now!
He rushed onward, in the direction Prox ran, the undeniable sounds of battle showing him the way.
He called on his magic then, preparing for anything he could encounter. Until he could catch up, he could only guess at what could be happening. So he continued with the worst case scenario in mind.
When he arrived, he found Prox down on one knee, gripping his arm tightly with one hand while the other hung limp at his side. The pan was discarded on the floor, useless.
In front of Prox was another heavily armored Guardsman wearing sharp clawed gauntlets. They stood on the offensive, ready for anything the dangerous human could do.
Sans rushed forward, only stopping when he was between Prox and the Guardsman.
"Wait!" He shouted, trying to break the tension in the fight, "Hold on there!"
From behind, the first Guardsman clamored to a stop as well, slightly out of breath.
"For the last time. Stand down, citizen, or we will have no choice but to attack you along with the human!"
"Fine by me!" Sans answered, dropping all pretenses and maintaining a fighting stance. "This kid doesn't deserve what you're trying to do to him! He doesn't deserve to die! He's lost and he's scared and you're gonna kill him for that!? How does that make any sense!?"
The Guardsman from behind summoned their weapon, a long whip and held it out in front of him. His helmet tilted upward as he addressed their colleague.
"Do you wanna tell him, or should I?"
The second Guardsman extended their hand toward the first and nodded, inviting him to continue.
The first Guard nodded, "I'm sure you already know that there were two humans spotted today in the Underground. But you might not have heard that there have been several fatalities reported since the first sighting. So far, the count is up to five. If we don't stop these humans here and now, there's no telling how far this killing spree will spread.
Sans shot a look over his shoulder, first at the Guardsman and then at Prox. Prox's eyes were wide in shock. He shook his head furiously when he met Sans' eyes.
"I-I haven't killed anybody! I swear! I swear I haven't! Th-there's no way that I'd-"
"And of course we're just supposed to take it on good faith that that's true!? How are we supposed to believe you when there's no proof?"
"And do we have proof that this kid is the culprit?"
"A-Aiko wouldn't k-kill anyone either! H-she isn't like that! I swear, we're innocent!"
"Well someone killed those five people! And someone's gonna have to answer for those deaths! Five people dead all in the same day as when the humans show up? There's no WAY that's a coincidence!"
Sans wore a deep frown, his mind still reeling as he tried to find some way to get Aiko and Prox out of this!
"Okay. Okay, you're right! But we can't just go around killing kids without proof! Isn't that exactly what happened to Asriel! Isn't that exactly what the humans did when they saw him!? If we kill them now, like this, then we're no better than they are!"
"Like I said, we have our orders and we will not disobey the orders of our king! The humans will die and we will collect their souls. Though, we do not wish to involve citizens in this fight, we will not hesitate to strike you down if you refuse to stand down this instant. Any further attempts to stop us will be considered an act of the highest treason. You will be labeled a traitor and an enemy of the crown. Do you accept these terms?"
"Shit." Sans grumbled to himself. He had no other options. Everything he'd been fighting for. Everything he'd built since arriving in the Underground . . . He was about to lose it all unless he stepped aside and let the guards kill Prox.
"If you prefer, we will wait to dispatch the human until after you've cleared the area."
Again, Sans looked around. Both Guardsman were ready for a fight. And Prox seemed absolutely shaken by the news. He was trembling and stammering over his words as he pleaded for his life, insisting that he did nothing wrong. As he begged, large tears streamed endlessly down his cheeks and onto the floor before him.
Seeing him and hearing his cries ripped Sans back to reality. There was no way he could leave the kid alone during something like this, even if it did mean blowing his cover and losing everything.
Sans stood firmly, that magic boiling hot within him.
"It's okay, Prox. I'm not gonna let them kill you!" He looked back up to the first Guard. "If it means I'll be labeled a traitor, then so be it! I'll be a full-blown traitor if it means I can save the life of a child who did nothing wrong!"
"Fine then, have it your way, traitor!"
Both guards resumed their offensive stances and Sans positioned himself in a way that he could fight them both while protecting Prox. Prox, not to be made a victim, took his cast iron frying pan in his non-dominant hand. It wasn't as efficient, but at least he wouldn't be completely useless.
The first attack came from that first Guardsman, his whip reeling back and flying at the pair of them at top speeds. In response, Sans lifted his hands, calling on his blue magic to catch the end of the whip and pull it down to the ground where he pinned it in place.
At the same time, an attack from behind came in. The Guard with the clawed gauntlets attacked as well. From his spot, Prox lifted the frying pan to use as a shield, trying to angle it in a way that he would block the attacks as they came in. His attacker was fast and Prox struggled a bit to block every single attack, but he was able to hold his own against the guard.
The guard with the whip pulled and struggled against Sans, having trouble releasing his weapon from the magic.
"Look. I don't want to fight you." Sans admitted, "I don't want to fight anyone, but I can't let you kill this kid. If we have to, we can take him into custody until we can prove whether or not he's responsible for any of the five deaths. He should be innocent until proven guilty after all, right? What good is killing him now?"
The guard, clearly becoming annoyed with the conversation as well as the fight, huffed as he attempted to free his whip.
"You keep talking as if you know for certain. But the truth is, you don't. You choose to have such blind faith in the minute possibility that this single creature is innocent, instead of years upon years of definitive proof that these humans are empty, murderous, kill mongering psychopaths who nearly wiped all of us into extinction! You're willing to risk your life and your freedom gambling on this with odds that are clearly stacked against you!"
"Yeah! Yeah, I am!" Sans protested, "Because I can feel it in this kid. No, it's not much as far as the proof department goes, but I do know that even if he did kill those people, taking another life isn't the end-all-say-all solution!"
"It would mean we gain another Soul and it would bring us that much closer to our goal of seven!"
"He has a Soul right now. Just as he is! And he can use that Soul while he's still alive! No one said the humans had to be dead in order to use their Souls! From what I've seen, Prox is a good kid. If we asked him, I'm sure he'd help us without a need to rip the Soul from his body!"
Behind him, Prox let out another cry. The clawed Guardsman relentlessly swiped at him with a constant onslaught of attacks. Each one connected with the frying pan and was blocked. However, with every connection, Prox's strength was diminishing. He was having trouble keeping the pan lifted and he hadn't had the chance to go on the offensive.
Sans took a step back to meet Prox again, whipping his attention over his shoulder for a moment to focus on the other guard. Aiming his hand in that direction, Sans caught the guard's Soul within his magic and pulsed his control over it, sending the guard flying backward with a push of his own power.
He caught the attacker off-guard and he flew, leaving Prox to fall panting to his knees.
But Sans wasn't finished yet. He grabbed the Soul of the one he'd been talking to as well, and did the same, sending him flying backward, weapon and all, to clear the space enough for them to escape.
He reached down to grab Prox by the arm.
"C'mon, kiddo. We gotta get moving now if we stand a chance to meeting with Aiko and Cor . . ." Sans cut himself off, realizing that if he said anything more, he'd be incriminating Corbel as well. Right now, his involvement in this was unknown. He couldn't tie him up in it as well! "We gotta go!"
Prox looked around, trying to get a handle on where he was and how to get back. He looked back at Sans for a moment before darting off in the direction he felt was correct. Sans was a few steps behind.
They could still make it out. They could still make it to safety. They just needed to shake these guards first.
They continued running, even with the cry of the guard behind them shouting for them to stop. Surely they would be in pursuit momentarily.
"Keep going, Prox!" Sans shouted, "Don't look back. It'll only slow you down. We gotta get to Waterfall and meet with the others!"
They continued onward until they were near the lab where they were met with a literal roadblock in their way. A line of heavily armored guards stood shoulder to shoulder to meet them.
"Shit!" Sans cried out, halting completely. Prox gasped, stopping in his tracks as well.
"S-Sans . . . ?" he stuttered, "What do we do now . . .?"
Sans stared back at the wall of guards, completely speechless. Those Guardsmen from before must have called for backup! They must have told them the direction they were heading and arranged for the others to come intercept. This could only mean one thing.
"It's the end of the road." He finally replied after several long silent moments. His voice was soft and empty, devoid of hope, "This is it. Our final stand."
He looked for a moment toward Prox. His one good arm was already tired from fighting and carrying the heavy frying pan. His dominant arm was still limp at his side. He wouldn't be able to fight well at all. And Sans . . . All he had was his blue magic.
Behind them, they could hear the clanking sounds of the other two guards catching up, blocking their way back. They were cut off from both sides.
With his eyes wide and black, Sans' now-trembling fingers reached for his phone. He was told to call in the event of an emergency and if anything was an emergency, this would be it.
But even as he thought about going for the phone, Sans couldn't. If he called Corbel . . . if he brought him here . . . if he was found out as well . . . if he brought Aiko. It would mean the end of everything. He couldn't do that. He couldn't put him in that kind of turmoil.
They'd have to do this on their own . . .
"You ready, kid?" He muttered to his side. He could hear Prox, draw and release several quick breaths as if trying to will himself not to hyperventilate.
The boy raised the pan once again. "Y-y-yeah."
It all happened so quickly. It felt more like a blur.
There was no talk. No negotiations. No pleading.
As soon as Sans took a single step forward, in an attempt to place himself in front of Prox, the attacks flew in. Arrows, spears, slices from magic swords with extended reaches, all looking to take them down in an instant.
Instinctively, Sans raised a "barrier" of sorts, a field of blue surrounded him and Prox. He'd used this once against Undyne and it worked well then. Now, it was time to push it to the limit.
As each attack came in and hit the barrier, it was encompassed in that blue magic and spun around so each one was facing another direction. Still, Sans was not fighting to harm or to kill. He didn't want to attack the guards at all. He redirected each arrow and each spear somewhere else completely, so they wouldn't make contact with anyone.
Still, more attacks relentlessly hit the barrier, wearing it down. And with each attack that hit, more of it was whittled away as Sans used it to redirect the weapons. He tried to reinforce the shield, but the attacks came fast. Faster than he could rebuild. At this rate, they would be taken down in no time. He had to go on the offense.
There was a loud twanging sound from somewhere beside him as one of the arrows breached the barrier. Prox swung his pan as if it were a baseball bat and deflected the arrow. The arrow left a huge dent in the pot, but it was not enough to pierce it.
"Good going, Prox!" Sans nodded, "Keep it up, bud!"
Prox nodded back, readying his stance once again.
Another wave and even more of the shield was worn away as Sans caught more weapons. These weapons, however, he turned back toward the wielders and he opened fire, sending the arrows and spears and bullets and anything else that had been thrown at them. Of course, the guards were ready and they dodged and blocked all of the incoming attacks so they did minimal damage.
With an even wider reach of power, Sans extended his arms and fingers to encompass as many people as he could, taking their Souls and gripping them tightly in his magic. Several Guardsmen gripped at their chests and some were brought to their knees. Using that leverage, Sans did what he could to press the guards into the ground and immobilize them. He wasn't able to get everyone and he wouldn't be able to hold them for long, but it gave them a breath of time while he still tried to formulate a plan.
Sans was surprised out of his thoughts by an echoing thud. He could feel it in his own Soul as his barrier was battered from the outside. Someone rammed into the wall, trying to breach it by force. The two guards from before flanked them now at the outer walls of the barrier. Those whom Sans wasn't able to subdue followed suit. Soon, they were surrounded.
"Not good . . . not good." Sans muttered to himself.
With a quick breath as he gathered his strength, Sans expelled his magic outward, trying to expand the barrier and push the guards back. At the same time, he pushed forward on those he had a hold on and they were forcibly knocked backward.
The barrier flickered.
"No . . ." Sans breathed, "Not already. Not now."
There was a bit of dark laughter from the outside of the barrier. It caught Sans' attention right away and his heart stalled for just a moment.
With only a gesture, the guard signaled to the others to attack the barrier directly and mercilessly. Sans leaned over his knees, trying to catch his breath. It was more magic than he'd had to use in a long time and he was out of practice. But still, there was Prox. He had to protect the kid. Get him out of this somehow so he could meet with his twin again.
"Sans?" Prox called, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, kiddo." Sans huffed, forcing himself to stand tall once again. "Worry about yourself. I need you to cover me if anything gets through, okay? I'm gonna try to clear a path. Once it's open. Make a run for it. Go back to Waterfall, go find Aiko, okay? And my friend might be able to heal you too."
Prox nodded, raising his dented pan once again.
All around there were thuds and reverberations as attack after attack hit the barrier, causing it to flicker more and more. It wouldn't be much longer before they broke through completely. They had to act quickly.
Once again, Sans raised his hands, stretching his arms outward to try and encompass the remaining guards in his magic grip. It wasn't nearly as strong of an attack as the last one had been, but he'd been able to grab a few more and send them back a few feet away from the barrier.
Once again, he had to pause to catch his breath. There was no denying he was running out of power and energy.
There were yet more direct attacks on the barrier and each hit sent a residual shock through Sans' body to the point that it nearly knocked him over completely. Piece by piece, the barrier began to disintegrate and left open holes.
Prox tightened his grip on the pan as Sans fell to his hands and knees. He'd been fighting so hard since the beginning, using up all of his magic and energy just to keep them protected. It was Prox's turn to defend him and he was gonna give it his all.
Almost immediately, the barrier was breached. A single arrow shot in through one of the holes right toward them. Prox raised his pan and swung at it. It wasn't a completely accurate swing considering he only had one usable arm, but he was able to deflect the arrow with little difficulty.
When more projectiles began to make their way through, Prox, admittedly, had a hard time guarding, but for the ones he missed, Sans had been there to catch the individual weapons with his magic and he dropped them to the floor in front of them. It seemed as if he didn't have the magic or the strength to send them flying back.
There was a slight break in the fighting when the barrier came down completely. Both Sans and Prox braced themselves, expecting a full-on rush of guards, including those Sans had previously knocked backward. They had since recovered and rejoined their comrades, filling out their ranks once again.
This wasn't looking good at all.
Sans fought again to stand, taking long slow breaths to help him calm himself and recenter his focus. He swayed the slightest bit, but he took his stance all the same.
One last try. This was all he had left. He'd clear this path for Prox to get away, even if it meant he'd have nothing left for himself.
Sans let whatever energy he had left flow into his hands as he focused on the crowd before him. He knew he had to work quickly. The guards were closing in. Even though he had Prox at his back, he couldn't rely on him to fend off every attack from that direction. He had to end this in one move. This one move he'd only ever used once in desperation.
He raised his hands and aimed forward toward the straightest shot to Waterfall. He had to make it as powerful as possible . . . He just hoped that it didn't . . . No, either way, Prox had to get away to find his twin and Corbel, even if it meant . . . Eliminating the guards in his way.
As soon as he thought that, the magic gathering in his hands began to burn furiously, giving him the strength and Determination he needed to do this. The magic flashed from a bright blue to a burning yellow, to a blinding white.
It was at that same time that the guards seemed to catch up. He could hear Prox fighting against scratching claws and a slashing sword! It was now or never!
Sans focused all of the energy he'd gathered and was just about ready to release it when he heard a pained cry from the boy behind him and he felt him drop to his knees on the ground. At the same time, something wrapped firmly around Sans' neck. Sharp claws raked across his back as well, lurching him forward, tightening the restraint on his neck and restricting his airway. He couldn't cry out even if he wanted to.
The attack he'd been gathering fizzled out before it could be fired, unused and inaccessible.
The wielder of the whip pulled back on his weapon, bringing Sans down hard to the ground. From there, he was completely overtaken, held down and restrained. To avoid strangulation, the first guard released the whip and, instead, used it to wrap Sans' hands behind his back to prevent him from moving or using his magic anymore. Sans coughed and gasped, trying to catch his breath once again once he was able to breathe.
From the corner of his field of vision, he watched as Prox was roughly snatched up by his injured arm and forced to stand, drawing out another pained cry.
"Let him go!" Sans' raspy voice tried to call out between gasps. "Let him go! He didn't do anything! Please! He doesn't deserve this!"
Prox struggled to get away, even as the frying pan was pried from his fingers and his good arm was twisted behind his back. There was quite a gathering circling around the boy now as if they were trying to block his every path of escape. He was surrounded on all sides. And the one person who had been fighting for him, his one hope, was being restrained, unable to help, no matter how hard he tried. And he was still trying, fighting and pleading as fervently as ever. He still wasn't giving up.
So Prox couldn't give up either. He continued to fight. Lashing out and attempting to kick his captors as hard as he could. He struggled to get away. He even tried to bite anyone who got close. Of course, through all of the armor, it didn't do too much good, but that didn't stop him from fighting back.
Someone reached out and grabbed the boy by his hair, yanking his head backward and exposing his neck.
"No!" Sans cried, " Don't! Restrain him! Detain him! Hold him prisoner! Something! But don't kill him!"
"Do something with that one!" Called another guard. The leader of the pack it seemed.
Instantly, the ones restraining Sans took him and forced him to his other side so he was facing away from the scene. They pressed his face into the ground to prevent him from looking in that direction.
But in spite of everything they did, Sans could still hear everything. He could hear when that leader stepped forward to be positioned right in front of Prox and he could hear the fear in Prox's voice when he stared at the person in front of him. He could hear how much Prox was fighting with himself to remain in control of his emotions.
He could hear the metal scraping when the leader unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Prox.
He could hear the cold tones of his voice as he spoke.
"Human." He began, "For your crimes against Monsterkind. In the name of our king, Asgore Dreemurr, we claim your Soul and sentence you to death."
"C-Crimes . . . ?" Prox asked, a slight whimper in his voice even as he tried to stand brave, "I haven't committed any crimes. I haven't done anything but try to go home. If I'm going to die . . . if you're going to kill me for just wanting to go home, then you really are just like the monsters in all of the stories."
"That's right, human. And these are the monsters who will reclaim the world."
It happened immediately after. The sounds Sans had been dreading. The sounds of flesh being penetrated by cold steel. The cries and screams of a child who could still feel everything, the subsequent attacks that were only inflicted in an attempt to bring him down faster. Because none of them knew the most efficient way to kill a human, it was an extremely sloppy job and Prox had to suffer through several attempts at ending his life.
"Someone just end it!" He cried out, begging for Prox's end to finally come, "Someone, please! Stab him in the heart! Shoot him in the head! SOMETHING! Go for the vitals! Just end it already!"
Someone finally put the boy out of his misery. A single gunshot went off, and finally, the heavy thud of his body. His screams and his cries died with him. It was finally over.
Sans stayed curled on the ground, breathing heavily between his own nearly silent cries. He'd failed. He'd failed Prox and he'd failed Aiko and Corbel. Everything had fallen apart. He'd risked everything and now, it was all gone. Shattered to pieces.
He barely noticed when the guards around him began to move. Some went to gather the human's body and deliver it to the capital as requested. Others fetched a Soul container . . . a fuel cell Sans helped to design, and used it to store Prox's Soul so they could deliver it to the lab. Though Sans couldn't bring himself to look, he noticed the green glow everything took on for a while. Prox's Soul had been green . . . that explained a lot.
After a long while, Sans seemed to have gone completely numb. He hadn't even been paying attention to anything the Guardsmen were saying. He didn't care anymore. They were all dispersing and, for a while it seemed like they were going to ditch him there, which he wouldn't have minded. It wasn't like he'd be going anywhere anyway. When one of the guards approached him, however, he blinked, pulling his focus once again to what was being said.
"Undyne has requested assistance. Are you certain you will be able to handle the traitor on your own?"
The guard nodded, but didn't speak.
"Very good. I leave him to you, then. He will be detained until he can be tried. Let him explain his actions to the high court. And to the king."
The first guard saluted. Sans' guard saluted as well. The first guard turned and headed off in the direction of Waterfall.
Soon, it was just the two of them.
The guard took a few steps around Sans, seemingly studying him. Sans gave little reaction.
That laughter sounded off again. The laughter Sans heard during the fight. It sounded so familiar and it immediately made Sans' stomach tie in knots.
"I have to say, I didn't think this would work out so well. Heh, this is a good look for you, Serif." The guard finally spoke. It was the first time he'd said anything this entire time . . . and for good reason.
Sans seemed to come back to life at the sound of his voice. His expression instantly fell into a deep scowl and the fire in his bones seemed to instantly reignite. He began to struggle once again to free himself.
"You!" Sans hissed, "What the Hell are you doing here!?"
The Guard lifted the visor of his helmet to reveal charcoal grey fur. His sharp-toothed smile and golden green eyes were the final nail in the figurative coffin.
"Gaine!" Sans huffed, fighting his restraints even harder.
"Guilty as charged." The Cat smirked, removing the helmet completely and tucking it under his arm.
"What the Hell are you doing impersonating a member of the Royal Guard!? Isn't that illegal or something!?"
"Ha! You wanna talk 'illegal' with me, Serif? Really? As it turns out, I got this little number on loan courtesy of a friend of mine who happens to be in the Guard. But that's not what our issue is here, is it? How about we turn the pointed finger toward you for a moment? You, who have been committing treason by helping humans avoid the law, conspiring to harbor fugitives, assaulting members of the Royal Guard! Using your magic against them in favor of an enemy? There's so much you've done in the past hour alone to put you away for a long long time! Maybe forever! After all, you are a full-blown traitor now, aren't you?"
"So, what if I am? There was no way I was gonna stand by and just let you kill a kid! There's no scenario where I could ever let something like that slide!"
"Even if said child is a ruthless murderer? You would still betray all of us to favor someone who was trying to eliminate everyone in their path?"
"That's not what was happening and you know it! Prox did nothing wrong! He was innocent! And you murdered him!"
"See, what I wanna know is why you care so much about the kid to begin with. It's only a human. What does it matter to you one way or the other if the human lived or died. I swear, it's almost as if you had some . . . personal connection to them or something. What are you hiding, Serif? No more running. No more lies. You're going to tell me right now."
"Yeah, fuckin' right!" Sans spat.
"So you admit you have something to hide."
Sans went silent. Gaine grinned as he looked him over. The defiance, the actions, the face of someone who was guilty. He all but gave himself away.
"Man, look at you. You're an absolute mess! To be honest. I'm kinda surprised you lasted so long in the fight after you used up all your magic. I know how low your HP is and I thought just a few hits from the Guard would take you out. Yet here you are with barely a scratch on you. Oh wait. That's right! I did get you in the back earlier, didn't I? Let's see how that's holding up."
Sans writhed, still trying to get away as Gaine inspected his back from a distance. There wasn't much, but he could see red stains through the gashes of his jacket and shirt.
"Just as I thought. You do bleed, just like they said. Not very common for a Skeleton, is it? Unless . . ."
With a swift motion, Gaine used a boot to lift up the hem of Sans' shirt, not even being bothered to reach out and look himself.
Instinctively, Sans recoiled, curling in on himself to hide what Gaine was trying to see. Of course, in his compromised position, there was little he could do. Against his will and in spite of his protest, his shirt was lifted and his chest was exposed.
A devilish grin spread across Gaine's face. The confirmation, the proof he'd been looking for was right there! Everything!
"A human soul!"
His grin became laughter.
"This is perfect!" He chortled to himself, "This is better than I could've ever imagined! This entire time! This whole time I was right about you! I knew something didn't quite add up with you and this proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt!"
Sans continued to struggle against Gaine, fighting to break free. This whole thing was going so wrong so quickly. Gaine . . . Completely had the upper hand and Sans was in no position or condition to fight back. And to top it off, Gaine knew his secret now and was in the perfect position to do absolutely anything he wanted. With his soul exposed like it was, Gaine could even choose to kill him right then and there.
Sans had no say in the situation whatsoever. He couldn't fight and he couldn't get away. He couldn't even reach his phone and call for backup, not that he wanted to call Corbel and bring him anywhere near this. It would put him in danger as well. No. He couldn't have that. He'd have to find a way out on his own.
"Okay, yes." Sans growled, "I have a human soul. Does that mean you're gonna kill me now? Are you gonna take my soul and add it to the collection? Are you gonna be the hero who takes me down and gets the Underground another soul closer to breaking the barrier?"
Gaine looked down over Sans, tugging on the whip keeping Sans' hands bound behind his back, forcing him to arch his back if he wanted to minimize his discomfort, and keeping him immobile.
"As satisfying as that might be, no." Gaine explained, "You, my friend, are a special case. We're gonna take a trip to see your old employer! Won't that be fun?"
A look of confusion clouded Sans' expression. "Gaster?" He questioned, "What the Hell would he want with me?"
"Really? You have to ask?" Gaine grinned, "Just wait until the doctor gets a look at you and that soul! I wonder what he's gonna say. What will he do when he finds out that a human infiltrated his lab and worked there for seven years? And not only that, but that same human infiltrate his home and his life. It got close to his wife, and tainted his precious little boy in unforgivable ways. When he's through with you, you'll wish you were dead."
The look on Sans' face was enough to tell Gaine that there was something that was still going straight over his head.
"You mean, he's not . . . ?" Sans questioned. "You're not taking me to Gaster so he can kill me himself?"
"That's right." Gaine exclaimed as if he just remembered, "You quit before he made the announcement! He's been working on a little project recently, one that could change this soul collecting business for good. It's in the beta phase right now so it's not quite ready to be made public just yet. But he's just about ready for a test subject. And I think I know just the volunteer."
"And if I refuse?"
"You don't have a choice either way, Serif. If you don't cooperate, we will show force. You're a prisoner of the Underground now whether you come with me or I turn you over to the Guard. Though, I'd rather things not get violent. So, what if I can convince you to come quietly?"
"Yeah right! Give me one reason."
"I could kill you right here and now."
"Honestly, I was kinda surprised you hadn't already. But it sounds like you need to take me in alive for your beta testing. So . . . Empty threat. Try again."
Gaine's smile spread, "I had a feeling you'd say that, so I've prepared a little something with a friend of mine. I'm willing to strike a deal with you, Serif."
"A deal?"
"Yes. Or, an ultimatum, really. Right now, someone you hold very dear is in a bit of a tricky situation as well. If nothing is done, that person is looking at criminal offenses including, but not limited to, obstruction of justice, harboring a fugitive, treason, and conspiring against the crown."
Sans eyes went wide and his expression opened with worry and fear.
"Corbel . . ."
" That's right! Kid Gaster's looking at a long time behind bars because of you. Right now, he's been taken into custody and is under arrest. You have the power to change that. You can set him free and he'll be able to go home tonight without any criminal charges against him, but only if you agree to come with me to the lab and participate in the doctor's experiments as our prime test subject. The choice is yours, Serif."
Sans went silent as he frowned, thinking it over. How in the world had it come to this!? How did they capture Corbel!? How dare they hold him hostage!? All in an attempt to get to him!?
And how did Gaine know that's what was happening? Who was his 'friend'? How had they been contacting him?
"Prove it." Sans nearly spat.
"Excuse me?"
"Prove that you aren't just making shit up to get under my skin!"
"Your skin, Serif?" Gaine's smirk spread even more.
"What the fuck ever! Let me talk to Corbel!"
"Wow, someone's getting antsy. I see . . . You try to play it off as if you don't believe me, as if trying to call a bluff. But really you're scared out of that skin of yours because you know I'm right!"
"Come up with that all on your own?" Sans retorted, obviously getting irritated. He took a moment to breathe and steady himself once again.
"Gaine . . . I know I'm not in the best position to compromise, but if you let me talk to Corbel, have him confirm what you told me. I'll consider what you said. If he is, in fact, under arrest for treason, then I'll go with you. No other questions asked. I'll surrender. Just let me call him."
Gaine paused for a moment, looking Sans over as if searching for any sign of trickery. After a few long moments, he finally seemed to let up.
"You get one call." He said kneeling down to search Sans' pockets. "Whether you talk to him or not depends on if he picks up. After you talk, you come with me to the lab. Deal?"
"Wait. What if he doesn't pick up?"
"Then, you wasted your call. I'll still make sure you're taken into custody. And who knows? You might just see your boyfriend in prison."
Again, Sans thought it over. "You're saying you'll still take him just because he doesn't pick up the phone?"
"That's not what I said. I said that if you don't come with me, Corbel will be taken into custody. We could skip the theatrics and you come with me right now. Then, I make a call to my friend and Corbel gets to go home and sleep in his own bed tonight."
Sans let out a breath, coming to a decision. When he spoke again, his voice was low and soft. He was in resignation. He'd given up fighting.
"Fine. Phone's in the front pocket on the left. Let me call Corbel. I'll go with you after I talk to him. Even if he doesn't pick up, I'll still go with you. Just . . . Let me say goodbye."
"See, Serif. I knew you were smart." Gaine answered as he fished out Sans' phone and went through his recent activity. "Aww. Look at all these messages. You know, it really looks like he cares a lot about you. Always telling you to be careful and that he loves you. You found a good one in him. Such a shame."
Sans drew in and released another long breath. He could already feel his throat tightening up. This was it . . . The last time he'd be able to talk to Corbel. If he did this right, at least Corbel would be free. He could live with that. He could live with that. He could live with that . . .
As long as Corbel was safe.
"And you have him listed first in your shortcuts? Along with 'Mama Gaster'. This is almost sickly sweet. I never knew you were such a sap." Gaine chuckled a bit to himself, "Well, that was easy enough to find. Now hang on. Seeing as you're a little tied up at the moment, you can't possibly hold the phone yourself now can you? So I'll be right here and I'm gonna put your little conversation on speaker so I can make sure you don't say anything you're not supposed to. Alright. It's showtime."
Gaine pressed the first button down, activating the shortcut and commanding the phone to call Corbel. He stayed near to Sans so he could hear the conversation and Sans could talk at a normal volume.
The phone rang several times. Normally, it only took twice before he answered. Right away, Sans thought that something must've been terribly wrong. More rings sounded and still there was no answer. Sans' heart began to thunder. He had to pick up. Corbel had to pick up. He needed to say goodbye . . . He needed to talk to him one last time!
Just when Sans was afraid that the call was going to go to voicemail, it connected and after a little rustling, a voice came in.
"S-Sans . . . Sans, where are you? Sans, please tell me you're okay!"
Sans nearly choked at the sound of Corbel's voice. He was so frantic. His voice was so tight. He was afraid, and it wasn't just the concerned kind of afraid. Something had rattled him to his core.
Sans adjusted his head so he could speak more easily while Gaine held the phone.
"Hey . . . Hey, Daydreamer. Calm down. I'm okay. Everything's okay."
"You're lying!" Corbel accused, his voice pinching. "Tell me what's going on! Where are you!?"
Sans sighed, "I'm in Hotland. Not too far from the lab. H-hey, I found Prox. I'll bet his twin will be happy to hear that."
"Aiko's dead, Sans." Corbel said plainly and curtly.
Sans lowered his head. The finality and absolution in Corbel's voice made the grave reality of their situation sink in Sans' gut like a sack full of stones.
". . . shit . . ." He muttered. Both of them dead . . . After all of this . . . After everything they did, after the care they took to save those kids . . . they still failed. Not only did they fail, but they lost so much more in the end.
"Y-yeah . . . So is Prox . . ."
"He's dead too!? Damn it, all! Sans, you have to run! You have to get out of there! This whole thing, it's a trap! Run! Just whatever you do, don't go home and don't go to Waterfall! Undyne and Gaine! They played us! They wanted this to happen! They're working together to try and kill you! Sans . . . Th-they-they know! They know. About you. About everything! So, promise me that no matter what you hear or what they tell you, don't go for it! Don't let them catch you! A-and-and stay away from me, okay!? Don't come for me no matter what you hear!"
Sans drew in and released several breaths.
"Yeeeeeaaaah . . ." Sans began, his voice cracking as well as he fought to retain his composure, "About that . . . I'm not gonna have much of a say in that, I'm afraid."
"W-what!? Sans! What happened?"
"I, uh . . . Kinda ran into Gaine and . . ."
"Sans!"
"Corbel, please. It's gonna be okay, okay?" Again, his voice cracked, his emotion bubbling to the surface. "We've . . . come to an agreement. If I go with Gaine, they'll let you off the hook. No arrest. No warrant. No treason. You'll be free."
"But you won't be! Sans! They're gonna kill you!"
"Not right away. I'll be-"
"Oops!" Gaine said in an obvious loud interjection. He turned off the speaker mode to talk directly to Corbel, bringing the phone to the side of his own head.
"Hey, Kid Gaster. Put Undyne on."
"Gaine!" Corbel cried, "Gaine! Let Sans go! Don't you hurt him! Don't you dare hurt him or I'll-"
"Or you'll what? I'd love to see what you think you could do."
Corbel silenced for a moment.
"That's what I thought. Now, put Undyne on."
"Do what they say, Corbel!" Sans called from his lowered position, "It'll be okay! Just do what they say! I'll be fine! I promise! I . . . I love you! I love you, Daydreamer!"
"Sans!" Corbel cried into Gaine's ear, hoping that Sans would be able to hear him through the receiver, "Sans! I love you too! I love you so much! I'll find some way to get to you, okay!? I'll get you out! Just hang tight, okay!"
Gaine groaned in frustration.
"Hey! Put Undyne on now!"
Sans' voice rang out once again, this time in pain, as Gaine landed a swift kick to Sans' chest. Sans gasped harshly and a string of equally harsh coughs followed shortly afterward.
It worked. The sounds got Corbel's immediate attention.
"O-Okay! Okay, fine! Fine! Here she is! Just leave him alone!"
On his end of the conversation, Corbel ripped the phone away from the cruel sounds of Sans' suffering, and held it out toward Undyne. His eyes were closed tightly as he tried to keep from shedding any more tears.
Undyne raised the phone.
"Aldrin. What've you got?"
"Serif has agreed to the terms. I'm taking him to the lab now to await processing. He should be ready for the machine within the next day or so."
"And the other one?" She asked, though it was obvious she meant Corbel.
"That's up to you." Gaine answered, "Though, I told Serif that we'd let him off. If he's gonna try to stage a rescue, you might want to put him under house arrest just to keep him in line."
Undyne stole another look toward Corbel. The Skeleton, handcuffed to her side, was slowly sinking to the ground, covering his face with his free hand as his shoulders shuddered.
"That might be a good idea." She sighed, "Once cleanup gets here, I'm gonna take him back home."
"Hey." Gaine pushed, picking up on something Undyne never meant to drop, "You're not backing out on me, are you? Remember, you agreed to this. And everything is going exactly to plan."
"I know." Undyne sighed, "I know. I just. I didn't think that it would feel like this."
"Look, I'm sorry about Kid Gaster. Just give him some time. He'll come around."
"Yeah, I know. It's waiting for that time that's gonna be tough. I've never seen him like this before. He's completely broken. I mean, I've seen him broken before, but . . . I dunno. This is different."
"Then you need to be there for him. Help him come back to his senses. Pick the pieces up and help put them back together. Get your friend back. That's what you wanted, right?"
"Yeah. Yeah, you're right. That's the plan, after all."
"Don't worry, Undyne. This is for the better. It'll all turn out fine."
"Yeah." She answered, hanging up seconds later. She looked to her side where Corbel continued to sob into his arm, "It'd better."