Underfallen

[pudding]

As they drew closer to the post, Frisk let their hand slip from Papyrus's and ran around the post. Running their hand over the strange post Papyrus had built, they frowned slightly then moved around one side and sat down, now holding a toy train in their hands. Running it across the ground, they hummed to themselves, playing around quietly while waiting for Papyrus to finish with his job.

Sans, meanwhile, watched Frisk carefully before turning his gaze to Papyrus. Even though he seemed very focused on the road in front of him, Frisk was currently sitting behind him. This was good enough. He had decided it last night while looking for his scattered timeline. He had no way of getting home. His timeline was, effectively, gone. And if he was going to be staying here, he was going to be staying here. He couldn't risk being RESET over.

So, in the end, it would come down to this again.

"Hey kid," He whispered, walking around behind the post and holding out his hand. "Want some answers? Let's have a chat." Thankfully, this kid didn't seem to understand that another version of their friend could be so different. Reaching up, Frisk took the outstretched hand. Smiling, Sans lead them both behind the sentry post and, immediately, they vanished from sight.

[shadow_claw]

Boots crunching in the snow, Papyrus stuck his hands in his pockets. The goat woman had given up quite easily. Obviously she was intimidated by his formidable appearance! Though, the cell phone she had been clutching was...concerning. The lats thing he wanted was retaliation by more than one foe. If that was the case, however...he would be ready.

 

The forest was longer than it seemed, but familiar nonetheless. Which made him wonder...how had he ended up in the Ruins to start with? Sans mentioned it once, but nobody lived there! Except...for that woman. She looked remarkably similar to king Asgore except...friendly? No wonder he had left her! What kind of fool would do something out of the goodness of their hearts? Not him, certainly! Of course not!

Edited November 20, 2015 by shadow_claw

[pudding]

Frisk stared as they suddenly appeared in the dense forest outside of Snowdin. Having strayed from the path and likely not in an area most would look, it was likely Sans had chosen this spot with secrecy in mind. Almost immediately, their hand was released as Sans walked a few steps forward, his back turned to them. His hands returned to his pockets and he sighed, going silent for a few moments. Frisk, seeing nothing immediately wrong, simply tilted their head to the side and watched.

".....Kid," Sans said, keeping his back turned to the human. There was a slight moment of hesitation before he steeled his nerves and pulled one hand from his pocket. Closing his eyes, he focused and then suddenly stuck his arm out to the side, his fingers clenched in a tight fist. Immediately, Frisk's entire body turned blue. A heart, their soul, pounded in the center of their being before they were dragged across the snow by Sans. Powder flew up in various directions before Frisk struggled to stand, the weight of the blue attacks weighing them down considerably and making it hard to move. "Let's just get this over with," Sans said as he turned around, one of his eyes closed. The other was glowing as if someone had set something ablaze within his eye socket. Eyes wide, Frisk jumped away as several dozen bones flew in the direction they had just been standing, sinking into the snow.

[shadow_claw]

It was then that Sans awoke. Not knowing anything was wrong, he lazily slid out of bed, shrugged his coat on, and stuck his feet inside his slippers. He was probably late for sentry duty. Which didn't really matter, since he always slacked off the way it was. He was smart enough to know that Frisk would be the last human to fall into the underground. There wasn't much work involved there, if his job was to look for humans.

 

---

 

He...heard someone. Yes! A voice that was far too familiar to be ignored. For a moment, Papyrus stood still, listening at a not-so-distant voice. No...that was Sans! It had to be! The younger of the two brothers picked up the pace, nearly sprinting towards the commotion. That was his brother! Papyrus continued to run, slowing only once he reached a clearing. In fact, he stopped dead. Before him was a sight...he couldn't explain. Sans didn't fight! He...he was too weak! But there he was, fighting the-the child?! Startled, Papyrus took a step backwards from the scene. He didn't understand. This was his brother, this was Sans. But Sans couldn't hold his own in a fight against anyone!

[pudding]

Going for an all out attack almost immediately, Sans moved his hand swiftly in various directions, dragging the child across the snow, smashing them into trees nearby and finally tossing them up into the air as various bones flew into the air. So when the human fell back down to the earth and took only a few moments for them to slowly climb to their feet, bruised and battered but still filled with DETERMINATION. Sans's smile twisted into a frown as he dug his hands back into his pockets.

"Are you playing this game with me too?" He asked as the human simply stood their. No counter attack. No words. Just mercy. The smile returned, his sharp teeth sliding together easily in a tight grin. "Heh....fine. I'll just keep going." Bones began to rise out of the snow and move around in various directions, forcing the human to dodge around them and jump over them to avoid being hit. But of the two of them, only Frisk noticed that there was another skeleton in the clearing. But they didn't say anything, instead focusing on dodging the bones that were hurled at them.

[shadow_claw]

'Too'? What did...What did Sans mean by that? Papyrus took a step further away, both startled and confused. Did Sans...kill the child? The human whose SOUL disappeared? Had...had Sans taken their SOUL?

"S-Sans?" To his own surprise, he was stammering. Never had he seen his brother so...so angry. And it scared him. It really did. Papyrus stared fearfully at the scene before him, his fists clenched into tight balls. From the viewpoint he was at it was easy for him to see another rapidly approaching figure. One who looked familiarly like...

"I knew I couldn't trust you." A-another Sans? How was that possible? This copy looked exactly the same, and even had the same glowing eye. It was only when the Sans Papyrus knew turned blue himself did the skeleton act.

"SANS!

[pudding]

Sans held out his hand, sending a line of bones forward. Snow flew up in various directions as the line of bones rose and fell at gradual intervals. However, before they could reach Frisk, a very familiar voice reached his ears that caused Sans to quickly turn, the bones veering off course and striking a tree instead.

"Papyrus?" Sans asked in shock, his glowing eye dimming down to a measly red flicker. What was he doing here? Had he seen his attempts to kill the human? But his attention wasn't kept there for long the other Sans made himself known. Suddenly enveloped by blue, he felt s heavy weight on his soul that dragged him down to one knee.

No.

He couldn't let this happen.

Not when he was so close.

The burning red in one eye flared back up as he sent another line of bones out towards the human, trying to finish them off. If they managed to hit and the human died, they would be forced to retreat to their last SAVE file. Everything would reset and Sans could fight them all anew until finally they realized the hopelessness of the situation and gave up.

[shadow_claw]

Sans's attack would have likely killed Frisk. If, that was, that another had intervened. One form of magic met another, and for a moment, time stood still. It was painful, being entirely conscious but unable to move. Nothing was moving. And then, a crack appeared in the world. Like glass, thin lines spread upon the moment of contact, pieces of the reality falling away. A terrible static filled the room, enveloping the blue Skeleton's senses. Had he been able, he would have fallen unconscious. But he couldn't move. The blackness that met him, however, still reached him.

 

"ThIS...WHere hAVe I-We..." A tall, thin figure maintained form for only a few moments. It looked about, their appearance hauntingly familiar. A skeleton in a lab coat, terribly frightened and confused. Quickly did their form begin to implode upon itself. A proper skull split, revealing the pure, yawning void. Chunks disappeared and scattered throughout their body, as if he were an existential glitch. Sans staggered backwards, the blue in his eye only growing more intense.

"D-Dad?"

That sad gaze turned to one skeleton, then the next. Their expression flickered wildly and a dark liquid poured from the openings in their face.

"H-HeLP mE..."

[pudding]

While the other Sans was able to at least speak, he was left feeling like his breath had been punched out of him. Dropping down to both knees as soon as they were able to move, Sans stared at the figure that he called father as the glitching figure turned and looked at him. As soon as the gaze met his own, Sans jerked his gaze away, staring at the ground as the red flames leapt to new heights, threatening to consume half of his face. A low whine escaped the skeleton as he dug his fingers into the snow, trying to avoid making eye contact with his father. This was... This had to just be another nightmare. There was no way that could actually be his father.

[shadow_claw]

And just like that, what initially appeared to be a monster collapsed into a puddle of slush. Whatever they had been trying to say came out as static and that weird dial-up noise. True to the family, Papyrus was the first to turn and run. He didn't know why...but seeing this thing made him horribly uncomfortable. It was enough to make him turn tail and flee. Eventually, whatever pleas fell silent, and the light dimmed from the tortured creature's eyes. Sans was the first to rush forward, trying to scoop up the sludge as it spread around.

"I-I can fix this. I-I can help you. Dad? DAD!" Sans's wild, glowing gaze rested on Frisk. Never before had he visibly been so upset. "Call Alphys! She-she'll know what to do!"

[pudding]

Frisk took out their phone immediately, dialling Alphys's number. Before the call even finished dialing, they knelt down next to Sans and pushed the snow around the ooze in a ring, trying to keep the remnants of the creature from sliding across the ground. They didn't have any jars on them. Frowning, Frisk looked up, phone nestled on their shoulder and looked around before settling their gaze on Sans. The other Sans.

Leaving their friend for a moment, they moved to the skeleton's side. When he looked up, they quickly explained they needed a jar. Looking absolutely terrified for a moment, Sans hesitated then stood up and vanished. Hopefully off to find something to hold the ooze in. Now all they needed was for Alphys to answer her phone.

[shadow_claw]

There were a few ribs until Alphys picked up. When she did, it sounded like she was in the middle of eating. "Frisk? Do you need help with something?" Alphys wa shears choking on the other line once the situation was explained. Although she knew very little about what the child was trying to say, she quickly understood why her help was needed. "I-I'l...I-I'm coming right over! Where are you?"

 

---

 

Sans was quick to react to Frisk's idea, his hands flickering a ghostly blue as he used his own magic. A pit was formed in the ground, and the shattered remains of the monster slowly trickled into it. There...they would be safe that way. That meant they could wait until Alphys arrived.

[pudding]

Based on the snow and trees, it looked as though they were outside of Snowdin, though Frisk wasn't entirely sure. Explaining this, they frowned then quickly hung up, moving to Sans side. Resting a hand on his shoulder, they smiled softly then looked around. The other one hadn't returned yet. Surely it didn't take this long to find a jar. Oh well, that was fine. He was going to show up again eventually.

 

----

 

Sans trembled slightly as he sat in his workshop. As far as he could tell, it was as close as possible he could get to being back in his own world in that it had the least amount of differences between the two. Even if it wasn't quite as covered with dust as his version of the workshop, it still felt better than the house or anywhere else. So he had stumbled inside and, after a short though, crawled under the sheet that covered the broken machine. The lights remained off and the sheet helped isolate him so he could think. That wasn't right. Even if it was Gaster, it wasn't his Gaster.

Right?

[shadow_claw]

When Alphys arrived, she was sprinting. Of course, she had been sprinting for quite some time, and it showed. Sweat beaded on the woman's face and body, making her scales shine in the daylight. Behind her she carried a wagon, where a barrel-like container was strapped into the back. Frisk did not know this, but it used to store DETERMINATION. It no longer had a need for that, obviously. Heaving from all the effort it took to run all the way over, she wheezed out a sentence before leaning against the barrel. Sans was the one to clean it all up, watching with burning eyes as he lifted and dumped the mass of goo into the barrel. A soft gurgle escaped the mass, as if trying to thank them. And as his work was done...Sans, too, vanished. Alphys stared wordlessly at Frisk, her eyes flickering to the contained being anxiously.

[pudding]

Frisk stepped away as Alphys arrived. Standing off to one side as the ooze was poured into the barrel, they frowned as Sans disappeared as well, leaving them with Alphys and the strange ooze. And absolutely no explanation. Well, there was nothing they could do. He was already gone at this point. Looking over at Alphys, Frisk puffed out their cheeks then shrugged and pointed towards the path nearby. They should probably return to Snowdin and go home. Sans still needed to explain and at least he would eventually have to go home, right?

[shadow_claw]

Alphys was still for a short while, puffing as she caught her breath. Monsters may not work like humans but she was still 'out of shape' in monster standards. Maybe it was her diet of nothing but cup ramen. That and she was always sitting. Upon catching her breath however, she nodded and began to walk. "I...didn't think this possible." She admitted as they walked. Her anxious gaze flickered to the child, her worries clear on her face. "I was only an intern when Gaster...when the incident happened. We thought he was gone forever."

[pudding]

Frisk walked alongside Alphys as they moved closer to the path and, eventually, began to approach Snowdin. Looking up at the scientist, they offered up a confused expression. Gaster? It wasn't a name they knew well or possibly at all. And Sans had called them dad. Previously, they hadn't even known Sans had a dad. Then why was it the other Sans ran off? And who was the Papyrus that had been there for only a few seconds? There were just too many questions they didn't know how to answer. Looking up at Alphys, they tilted their head to the side and waited for an explanation.

[shadow_claw]

"Gaster was...the Royal Scientist before me." The reptile began carefully, each word clearly rehearsed. "And Sans's...father? I guess that's what they were. I won't get into the deep details, but...Gaster fell into the core. You...you've been in the lab. You know what it's like. It's never been all that..." She glanced away, her face flushing in embarrassment. "...safe. And he fell. he didn't even have a soul left behind. We all-I mean-I thought he was erased from time. Not many remember him. Just those there at the incident..." She shook her head quickly, clearly flustered. she'd already said too much to such a small child. They didn't need to hear her rant about her own guilt. After all, Alphys was supposed to be supervising. It...didn't end up that way.

[pudding]

Frisk nodded knowingly, sorting that information away for later. So why was it that Sans had run off? Had he been afraid for some reason? Or just did not want to see his father? None of those really made sense. They'd need to ask him when they saw him next. But until then, perhaps Papyrus would know what to do. The actual Papyrus, not the odd one they had seen for only a few moments.

 

---

 

He couldn't do it now. Sitting alone in the dark, under the sheet that hid the machine from sight and now himself as well, Sans found himself crying. Tears began to drip down his face as he dug his face into his knees, trying to hide himself even further. As if the workshop and the sheet weren't enough already.

 

[shadow_claw]

Alphys frowned slightly as Frisk continued to walk past the skeletons' house, watching as they led the way out of Snowdin. Every once in a while, she glanced back at the barrel's contents, each time expecting it to have vanished. But it was there. She was unsure as to whether or not she should be worried about that fact. Gaster...if she could really call this thing Gaster, was here to stay. But a figure in the distance soon revealed Frisk's motives. Alphys stopped dead, her anxieties appearing once more. NONONO! They couldn't tell Papyrus! This would ruin him! "F-Frisk?" She stammered, suddenly looking away. "I-I don't think that's a good idea..."

[pudding]

Frisk paused as Alphys suddenly stopped, turning to look back at the worried scientist. More than just worried, Alphys looked downright frazzled. Peering at the barrel, Frisk frowned slightly. But if this was Sans's father, it was Papyrus's dad too, right? They were brothers, after all. So why not show him his own father? But at Alphys's concern, Frisk stopped and looked up at the concerned lizard. "Why?" They asked, glancing at the form of Papyrus standing by his post in the distance.

[shadow_claw]

Scuffing one tie against the ground, Alphys's eyes remained on the ground. "Well...Nobody but those there remember..." She began carefully. But a noise behind her made the scientist turn. A pair of hands gripped the side of the barrel, while its contents struggled to sit up. It made excited-albeit awful-noises at the notion of seeing Papyrus. Clearly startled by this, Alphys dropped the wagon handle and began to apologize. She was really a nervous wreck! Almost everything seemed to fluster her. "I-I...I just don't think h-he'll take it well!" She stammered.

[pudding]

Frisk turned to look towards the barrel as it began to make noises. Frowning, the human walked over and looked at it before turning to look back at Alphys. She seemed really concerned about this. Sighing, Frisk rested their hand on the side of the barrel and looked at Papyrus before picking up the wagon's handle and starting to pull it around. "Sans," They replied, looking up at Alphys. They weren't going to give up on showing Gaster to Papyrus but having Sans there to explain would be better. There were two of them, right? They had to be able to find at least one to explain everything to Papyrus.

Even if it meant taking the other one and putting him in Sans's clothes just to avoid having to explain timelines. That might complicate things much. But if they were looking for Sans, the best place to check would be the house. He probably just returned there.

[shadow_claw]

Calming somewhat at this, the monster turned to Frisk. Sans...was likely a better idea. After all, he had already met Gaster and...he had been there. "Okay.." She gently took one of Gaster's hands, lowering it back into the barrel. The mass gurgled in protest, but did nothing else otherwise. But... "Where is he?" That skeleton...really knew how to leave at the WORST possible time.

 

---

 

A soft shuffle of noise, and Sans was squeezed under the desk in the shed. He sat there, on his side, heaving quiet sobs. All the guilt he'd pushed away for so long just slapped him in the face. and although he wasn't really one for running away, this...was too much. He couldn't take this head-on. It was only then, once he began to calm down, did he realize someone else was sobbing as well.

[pudding]

He had pulled his hood up, over his head. It wasn't something Sans often found himself doing but this situation required him to close himself off more than usual. So the hood went up and shaking fingers tugged at the strings, tightening it until only a small amount of his face was visible. But this too was hidden very quickly as he moved his hands to cover his eyes and buried his head in between his knees. His shoulders shook as his sobs quieted down gradually to silent tears. And then, a small whisper.

"It's my fault."

 

----

 

"Home?" Frisk replied, though they weren't really certain if that was right. There was a reasonable chance Sans wasn't there but if that was the case, they'd just have to find him. And if they didn't find either of the two, Frisk was just going to have to explain it to Papyrus themselves, right? It wasn't the worst thing to possibly happen. So they moved on, trudging through the snow on their way back to Papyrus's and Sans's house.