Fixing Everything

Chapter 21: Fixing Everything

The true nature of the human soul is as fickle as it is elusive.

Curiously, unlike monster's souls, human souls are incredibly powerful and have a peculiar tendency to persist a while after death instead of dissipating completely. Humans leave their bodies behind entirely instead of turning to dust, and some believe that it is this inconsistency between the body and soul which causes their metaphysical identity to linger. It is also unknown precisely where human souls go when they pass, as no known reliable record exists of a human soul returning, however there are a great deal of human religions based on such similar theories -

Sans's mind felt like it was melting. He chewed quietly on the tip of a pen as he ran his phalanges down the pages. He powered through the books and assorted documents regardless, trying to commit everything he could to memory.

Asgore has instructed me to continue research on the containedsouls. I'm worried. After Mettaton I thought that things would be so different. I guess I was right, in a way. Hypothetically, if it were possible to create a new soul from scratch, it wouldn't be such a big deal. Everybody is counting on me now. I can't give up. I don't even know if I can do this. I can't -

unable to be properly developed. Humans lack the capacity toconnect on the level of monsters. Perhaps it is because they do not require either magic or love and compassion in order to continue existing. They truly are terrifying creatures. If they still retained even the most basic of magical capabilities, perhaps there is hope that humans could someday once again bond as monsters do-

Sans blinked.

He paused, reading and then rereading the highlighted sentences several more times.

Terrifying creatures.

Human souls are incredibly powerful.

Lack the capacity to connect on the level of monsters.

Bond as monsters do.

Oh. Oh no. Ohh, no.

"… Ohhh, shit- "

"Sans?"

Sans slammed the decrepit books shut, sweating buckets as he swiveled on his stool. He propped his chin up instantly on his workbench, turning casually to Papyrus who stood in the doorway of the shed behind the house.

"What's up, bro?" Sans tried to sound as nonchalant as he could, in spite of the fact that he felt as if he were going to be ill. He felt suddenly clammy and weak, and had to force himself to sit straight on the borrowed barstool in front of his bench. He calmly shuffled the papers together and stacked them atop the books, covering them without looking away. "You need somethin'?"

"I was just letting you know that it's almost time for your sentry shift," Papyrus blinked. "Are you alright? You don't… look so good."

"Yeah, of course," Sans hopped down from the stool, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Everything is fine. Just peachy."

"Are you sure?" Papyrus entered the shed tentatively, fiddling his gloved fingers together. "You've got that look again."

"What look?" Sans had to resist the urge to flinch. "I'm-I'm just not used to bein' up this early is all," Sans lied quickly. "C'mon, bro. You know me. Never have been an early bird."

"Fair enough…" Papyrus seemed at least somewhat satisfied with the answer. "I can't say I'm not surprised, though. What are you even doing in here at this hour?"

Sans took in a deep, shaky breath and let out a quiet sigh.

"I'm, uh…" he started lamely. "Studying."

"… For what?" Papyrus blinked again.

"I just thought, y'know… maybe, since-since Frisk is living here now, that I'd try to… pick up the slack? A little? Alphys is always swamped with work, so I just thought that I'd, uh, pick up another job… at the lab."

Papyrus didn't answer.

He didn't blink.

He didn't even breathe.

Sans shifted beneath his gaze for what felt like hours, sweat sticking to him like glue.

"That's fantastic news!" Papyrus belted suddenly, swooping inward and scooping Sans up in his arms, who let out a surprised yelp. "Oh my god, Sans! This is great ! Effort! You're putting in actual effort !"

"C'mon, bro," Sans slapped his shoulders weakly with the palm of his hands, grinning. "You don't have to sound so skel-shocked."

"I'm just…" Papyrus gently placed him on the ground, wiping his eye sockets. "I'm just… I'm so proud of you, Sans."

"It's-it's really not a big deal-" Sans started awkwardly, rubbing his colored cheeks. Guilt was scratching at the inside of his ribs, but it wasn't like it was entirely untrue. "I'm probably just gonna have to slack off twice as hard now."

"Make terrible jokes all you like, I know effort when I see it!" Papyrus patted his shoulder, beaming. "This calls for celebratory breakfast spaghetti!"

"Is it any different from regular breakfast spaghetti?"

"Yes. Celebratory breakfast spaghetti has significantly more confetti."

"So it's confetti spaghetti?"

"Not necessarily-"

"Just don't forgetti the confetti for the breakfasti celebratti spaghetti."

"OH MY GOD, SANS."

Sans trudged through the snow, ice trickling in through his slippers as they walked. Frisk bounced gleefully from snowbank to snowbank, making little hop! hop! noises as they went. Sans couldn't help but grin a bit wider at the display, shaking his head a little and adjusting the worn old book tucked under his arm. The velvet horns atop their jacket flopped wildly with every jump, and it was a testament to Papyrus's stitching skills that they hadn't fallen off yet as he was expecting to happen at any moment. They had barely let go of that silly costume since the moment Papyrus had given it to them.

"Keep practicin'," Sans chuckled as they approached his wooden sentry station. "You could make a long jump athlete at this rate."

"I don't wanna be an athlete," Frisks stuck out their tongue a little, bouncing down from the snowbank to land next to him. "I'm a bunny today."

"Might have the wrong ears for a bunny…" Sans plucked the velvet horns on their hood between his phalanges. "More like a Gyftrot."

"I can't be a bunny rabbit?" they frowned a little, their brows furrowing.

"You can be anything you wanna be, kiddo. I like you plenty as you are, though."

Frisk beamed up at him toothily as they took his hand, marching wholeheartedly through the snow. That mysteriously warm little tingling had returned to his chest, but he brushed it off in favor of returning to his thoughts. There was so much work to be done, and he wasn't even certain of where to start. That tiny hope remained though, that niggling little voice in the back of his head that reminded him that he could always be wrong, that he might not really be in over his head, that all he needed to do was check…

He let out a quiet sigh through his nostril bones, dropping the book under the backside of his sentry station next to the chair as he released Frisk's hand and ruffled their hair. There were some things that he simply couldn't ask of them, though. That much was apparent. Besides, what if they declined? What was he supposed to do then? He pushed that thought away as well, digging in his pocket for a moment before drawing out a small paper bag and holding it out to the child.

"… What's this?" Frisk asked after a moment, taking it and peeking inside.

"Positive reinforcement?" Sans shrugged as they pulled out the cinnamon bunny. "I'm gonna be, uh, busy for a bit. Can I trust you to stay here for a while?"

"I guess…" they responded with a bit of a frown. "How long will you be gone?"

"I'm just gonna see if an old friend is around," he said simply. "And then I'll be right back. Okay, kiddo? Nothing to worry about, I promise. Just don't go wandering off this time. Alright?"

Frisk nodded once before tearing into the sugary treat. He couldn't say that he was particularly surprised, they'd hardly touched their 'celebratory spaghetti'. The ferocity with which they devoured the treat with the pleased expression on their face was nothing short of adorable. It was probably far better than the spaghetti anyway. Perhaps that was why Papyrus had been acting so strangely as he left. Sans shrugged it off and patted them on the head again as they clambered up onto the seat behind the sentry station before tucking his hands into his pockets and setting off at a brisk pace. They would be fine for a little while, hopefully. Just in case, he sent out a magical pulse to see if he could sense any other monsters. Frisk's soul burned brightly beside him, but he couldn't find a single soul around aside from them. That was fine. Everything would be fine. They would be alright on their own for a little bit.

It only took a few minutes of walking to reach his destination, but he didn't mind. He could have easily just taken a shortcut, but he needed the time to clear his mind. He stared up at the massive stone door with the worn old royal insignia painted across it, letting out another sigh. Sans started to knock before sticking his hand back in his jacket. He rifled in his inner pocket for a few moments before digging out a dog biscuit and lit it, taking in a deep breath as he sank down with his back against the door. He sat there for a while, keeping mental note of the time. Maybe this time she would actually be there. He waited until the effects began to kick in and his trembling hands finally began to stop shaking as he stared up at the stony ceiling, clouded by snow.

"… Knock knock," he said after a few minutes, rapping his knuckles against the door without standing.

… But nobody came.

Sans sighed yet again, closing his eyes and focusing instead on smoking. He had to do something to still his nerves. Maybe this time would be different. Maybe this time someone would actually answer.

He doubted it. The prickling loneliness began to claw its way into his chest yet again, familiar and unwanted, but he couldn't manage to push it off. He just wanted someone to talk to. Even if it was just lame knock knock jokes, he really couldn't care less. Just someone to talk to. Someone that would understand. Someone that would listen. Someone that would care.

Stars knew he couldn't bring himself to care much anymore.

Sans took in another long drag and blew out a smoke ring.

Come on. Please. Please, just give me this.

"Knock, knock…" he said again, although he couldn't really bring himself to speak very loudly. He had just started to flick away the dog biscuit into the snow and began to stand when, finally, at long last, he heard a soft, quiet reply.

"Who's there?"

Sans's soul bounced in his chest at the sound of her voice, and he gleefully replied with a growing grin.

"Snow."

"Snow who?"

"Snow problem for you, but I'm getting hypothermia out here."

He heard the light titter of laughter just behind the door, and he allowed himself to relax a little.

"Only joking, you know," he added quietly, closing his eyes. "You know. Skeleton and all. Cold just goes right through me."

"I find that rather humerous," the woman replied. "Good to know you've still got a funny bone."

"All of my bones are funny," he grinned. "Too bad I can't say the same for everybody. How've you been, by the way?"

"It has been… quiet," she responded softly, so lowly that he almost

didn't hear. "I'm sorry that I could not arrive for a few days. I have been… rather preoccupied."

They fell silent after a while, swapping knock knock jokes for a few minutes. The silence nagged at him and he let out another sigh, thinking.

"Hey," he said eventually. "Are you… are you alright, miss?"

"Whatever do you mean?" the woman asked, though her tone was shaking.

"Just, y'know…" Sans frowned a little, crossing his arms and readjusting in his position against the door. "You seem a little outta sorts today. You alright?"

"I am… fine," she replied after a moment. She didn't sound fine. Her voice was a little hoarse and scratchy, and it made him supremely uncomfortable to think of the mystery woman being miserable.

"… So," Sans started after a while, sticking his hands back in his pockets and taking a deep breath, his mind made up. "You know that human that you wanted me to watch out for?"

He could almost feel her bristle behind the door.

"You have been keeping an eye out for them, have you not?"

"I guess you could say that," he shrugged to no one. "They're, uh, actually living with me an' Paps now."

"Have-have they… mentioned me? At all?"

When Sans failed to answer, he heard her let out a heavy sigh.

"I… suspected-" she started before clearing her throat. "Are they well?"

"Yeah. The kid's doin' alright," Sans answered quietly. "Likes to wander off a little bit too much, but they're a good kid."

"Thank you," he heard her barely above a whisper. "For… for caring for them."

"Ayy, don't even worry 'bout it," he shrugged again. "I'm happy to. They're practically part of the fam-fam… ily…"

He closed his eyes slowly, letting out a long, slow breath.

Family.

My kid.

Family.

Part of the family.

Oh fuck.

… I'm gonna fix this, babybones. I swear to god. I'll fix this.

I'm gonna fix everything.

"Shh, come on, now. You aren't going to start crying again, are you?"

Frisk sniffled miserably, pulling at the vines wrapped tightly around their wrists as they knelt in the snow.

"P-please, Flowey…" Frisk insisted, forcibly kneeling before the plant that just stared blankly back up at them. "Just-just listen… !"

"Just listen, just listen!" he spat mockingly. "God, you really are an annoyance. Do you really even believe a single word that you're saying?"

"Flowey, please-"

"Not that listening to you grovel isn't fascinating and all," Flowey inspected the tip of a vine protruding from the earth as if it were his fingernails, his tone bored. "But I'm kind of on a tight schedule, so let's just get to the point."

Frisk was slammed hard into the ground. They whimpered when they were dragged back up into a kneeling position, another vine wrapping its way around their neck and forcing them to tilt their head up to meet the flower's gaze.

"This?" Flowey said calmly as if he were discussing the weather. "This is just the beginning, you little idiot. You should have listened to me when you had the chance. Everything is wrong, it's all wrong, and it's that damned skeleton's fault. I'm giving you a chance to fix the mistakes, you understand?"

Frisk didn't respond. Flowey tightened the vine around their neck significantly, causing them to struggle and try to pull at it futilely.

"Can't you understand that I'm doing what's right? " he continued in a seething tone, vines squeezing so tightly that Frisk stopped breathing at several points. "I'm the one doing all the hard work here. I'm the one pushing all the pieces into place. I'm the one who's supposed to inherit this world, and the more time you waste fucking around- " he swung them into the ground face first again before yanking them up, dirt and snow and blood on their face. "-the longer I have to wait to deal with all of you living trash heaps."

When Frisk didn't respond he moved as if to hit them again, watching as they flinched before lowering the appendage and tutting.

"We just have to get things back on track," Flowey said matter of factly. "But don't you worry your pretty little empty head about that, Frisk. Your old pal Flowey is going to get things worked out for you.

And this time, you're actually going to listen properly . You got that?"

Again, Frisk didn't reply. Flowey responded by constricting the vine around their throat, causing them to choke, their eyes widening as they gasped uselessly for air. He released them after a few moments, leaving them coughing and hacking, grasping uselessly at the snow.

"Obviously," Flowey said cheerfully as he used his vines to lift Frisk's head up to look at him, and he gently brushed the tears from their face as he did so. "We're going to have to take more drastic measures. Shh, there there, my little monarch. Don't cry, now. I'm not going to hurt you."

Frisk looked at him hopefully, sniffling and wiping their eyes.

"I'll hurt Papyrus."

Frisk froze.

"Mm-hmm, that get your attention?" Flowey perked up a little, leering at them. "Not right away. I'll pick off the stragglers first. When monsters go missing, you'll be the only one to know that it's all your fault. Hurting you isn't getting us anywhere, since apparently next to nothing gets through that thick head of yours. You're going to do what I say, when I say it, or, well."

He plucked a single flower from the frozen ground, holding it in his vines in front of Frisk. Then he wrapped a vine tightly around the stem and violently ripped the top off, sending petals dancing into the snow.

"Pop goes the skell~y."

Frisk let out a single sob, holding their hands over their eyes and sinking into themselves.

"Shhh, now now, don't start that again!" Flowey chirruped happily, bouncing a little on his stem. "Just take what we talked about into consideration, that's all I'm asking, friend . And if you don't, well. Think about it for a minute. You know how much Sans loves his brother. That useless sack of bones can't live without him. So if he were to come back to find Papyrus's dust all over the floor, do you know what would happen?"

Frisk opened their mouth to speak, but Flowey spoke over them.

"Why, he'd want to RESET, of course!" Flowey grinned at them. "And you know he would. You think he's mean? You think he's bad now? You think he's messed up? Tee hee. You've got no clue. You have no idea what a real monster is like."

Frisk deflated, their cheeks a cherry red as they looked away, silent tears beginning anew. Flowey patted them softly on the head, causing them to flinch. He chuckled at that, burrowing into the ground and leaving them holding their bruised arms over their chest, snowflakes silently falling around them.

"Oh !" he popped back up, causing them to jump. "Just a friendly reminder," he plucked another flower from the icy ground and held it in front of them in one of his vines. Then he grinned and slowly began to rip it apart, tossing the remains at their knees. "Of what will happen if you tell anybody. Wouldn't want any of your friends to go missing, hmm? Ah, who am I kidding. You have no friends. Let's keep in touch. See you later!"

Flowey grinned to himself as he burrowed away a short distance, watching as Sans slowly trundled back down the path in the woods.

He was going to fix this.

He was going to fix the timeline.

He was going to fix everything .