#Gaster might show up in later ACTS

[spotaus]

Hi guys, this is usually what a doodle page ends up looking like <3 (oh, and @ancha-aus thought you might like this! Not writing but certainly fuel to my fire lol-)

This one is New Age filled!!! (Close-ups abd Lore beneath the cut!)

1) Night and Cross!

Night is actually very clingy once he's a teen. He doesn't usually realize it, but around the castle he'll snake to be closer to his Knights so long as there's no one he needs to keep his composure infront of is nearby. Cross is the one who's not used to physical touch (when it's not Ink ofc) so Night in his personal bubble makes his heart melt but also scares tf out of him <3

2) Error and Night's Meeting!

Error was carrying his whole life on his back and trying not to get arrested for unintentional property damage at this point, so when he saw the chance to get back at his brother and prove he was strong enough? Yeah, he got that on chance instantly. And was VERY smug when Nightmare chose him. (Also, Error is wearing gloves, so less Haphephobia)

3) Dream and Blue designs!

I think these are good tentative designs! Dream probably has a more regal fit, but he likes to play up that rugged exile look- He's inspired by Archers, while Blue takes on that classic Knightly-vibe. Their equipment is mostly stolen from Night's troops or brought with them from Blue's home kingdom.

Also, Dream is approx Killer's height at this point, shorter than Cross and *much* shorter than Apple!Nightmare. (Hc that Skeletons tend to be tinier in stature thanks to weird monster beauty standards. Horror and Geno's fam are outliers.)

4) Horror and Dust designs!

Horror is naturally a very *large* monster. He's very malnourished when Nightmare meets him, but by the time he's a Knight Nightmare has made sure that's no longer the case. He actually loves comfy, simple clothes, but to play up the whole 'strong mysterious' bit he wears a more barbaric Knight's garb. He doesn't mind acting scary, it's more fun that way :]. Dust is very very small, and envies horror sometimes for his size, but his tiny stature let's him control his body and move a lot quicker. He's very much based on a rogue, and usually covers the lower part of his face w/ a black cloth, and the upper part w/ his hood or mask. Dust only removes both to bathe, eat, or relax in a safe location. (Ignore that I can't draw the stupid gaster blaster lmao-)

These last two were space-fillers, but Cross and his Borzoi (Windmill, otherwise known as Milly (Killer named her-)) and really bad first wips of Ccino! I think Ccino was a chubby, happy toddler, but lost a lot of 'weight' (bone mass? Magic?) due to stress and pressure and bad eating habits. So it isn't until a while after the Coronation that he starts to relax abd feel safe enough to eat normal meals (Nightmare used to guilt him into eating snacks together, but as his boss (and younger brother) he can encourage it more often). By the time Killer shows he's still not quite healthy, but he's better. As more weight is lifted off his shoulders, the better he is. (That 'beauty' most people saw was a more stereotypical slimness, but Killer never stopped seeing Ccino as beautiful-) I think he never looked traditionally underweight, so no one noticed, and it was only much later that Night processed it. (And maybe it's why Dream hardly recognized him later on-)

[somehhuuuhh]

Me rambling my oc (Austin, Ice, flame) :D

I feel bad because they just show up one day on my blog without explaining who they are or what they do....my bad ( ..)

I gonna put it under a cut cuz it's going to be long and Idk if anybody cares about ocs which make me sad :(

Doodles of them :D

Kay, so like they go around and capture some glitches that infect other aus before it gets corrupt. They are all kinda bad at their job, but like they have nothing else to do, so why not?

They are just a silly billy group trying there best

Important facts about them

Austin is blind and mute

Austin is always smiles kinda like og sans

Ice helps Austin to somewhat see by being around Austin, Austin energy, movement, CHECK, LV, HP, and DEF

Flame and Austin are connected where he knows what Austin wants to say, but Austin can't speak so Flame says it for him which makes him the voice

So basically Flame is Austin voice and Ice is Austin eyes

Ice and Flame is with him 24/7 and they aren't forced to be with him but like they share the same soul and for some reason the soul is with Austin. So like if Austin dies they die soooooo yea they kinda forced to stay with him

Austin, Ice, and Flame share the same hp, soul, and lv

Austin likes to wear dresses :D

Facts about them

🌟 ABOUT 🌟

Name: Austin

Age: ?

Species: skeleton

Pronouns: any pronouns

Sexuality: ✨️bi✨️ and genderqueer

Personality: He is a comfortable and cozy guy. He likes to help people and just a kind guy, but he can get mad. He his an outgoing guy and doesn't really have anxiety. He is just really curious sometimes

Likes: he's boyfriend, pillows, gaming, drawing, spiders

Dislikes: fish, horror movies, wearing jeans

🌟 SKILLS 🌟

He was gaster blasters

Blue attacks

Bones attack

Teleport

He can take on of his body part off if he wants to

He can make force field around him or other people

Weapons: he will have a classic bone, but in the bottom, it's sharp and broken

Weaknesses: really strong people he is strong with his powers, but he isn't really strong when it comes to his non-existence muscle

🌟 OTHER 🌟

Height: 5’6 might change it later

AU or Place of Residence: he lives I'm my nowhere void

Background: I was bored and wanted a comfort character so I looked at my old art and oc. It was either them or another oc so I picked Austin, Ice, and Flame. I was kinda lazy to make their backstory so I didn't make one because I was making another au and it takes a lot of energy to make it good. So now they exist and like to help me manage the multiverse by fixing glitches.

💫RANDOM FACTS ABOUT HIM💫

He his blind and mute

Ice help him to see (kinda)

Flame help him to talk (kinda)

He always smiles

Ice and Flame is with him 24/7

He, Ice, and Flame share the same hp, soul, and lv

He's just a comfort character

Don't say anything mean to him because he will cry in blood

He doesn't know how to flirt that good

🌟 ABOUT 🌟

Name: Ice

Age: ?

Species: ghost angel?

Pronouns:he/they

Sexuality: aromantic

Personality: He is shy and not really outgoing compared to Austin and Flame. They kinda overreact sometimes. He always wants to come up with plans. He just wants to protect his friends and family

Likes: planning stuff, hugs, animals, flying

Dislikes: scary movies, scary people, surprises, when things don't go as planned

🌟 SKILLS 🌟

Hobbies: planning stuff and protecting the multiverse with Austin and Flame

He can heal other people

His tears can cause damage to other people and to soil objects

His halo can act like a portal (he can just throw his halo and it can be turned into a portal)

Can summon sharp spare, ice crystal

They can summon Ice barrier

He can make snow or ice, people or objects and control It (Let's say he made a Ice giant and control it with his hands)

He can make a mist (he will create a mist so they can escape or something)

Weapons: he doesn't have one he just uses his powers

Strengths: when he feels calm, when he get pats, planning

Weaknesses: when he freaks out, when his plan doesn't work, when he gets panic attacks

🌟 OTHER 🌟

Height: 30cm

AU or Place of Residence:in my nowhere void

💫RANDOM FACTS ABOUT HIM💫

He helps Austin to somewhat see by being around Austin, Austin energy, movement, CHECK, LV, HP, and DEF

He isn't forced to be around Austin or Flame and it that he feels safe around them and love them as friends so much

He like to hide around Austin hoodie when get scared

Can't go through solid objects

Can't fly without his wings

They stutters

He has anxiety

🌟 ABOUT 🌟

Name: Flame

Age: ?

Species: ghost demon?

Pronouns: he/they

Sexuality: straight

Personality: He is outgoing and chaotic. He is a bit weird to Ice and Austin but does care about and think about as family. He is very impatient, so he gets annoyed when Ice is trying to say something when he stutters

Likes: spicy food, watermelon, bugs, going to Outertale

Dislikes: everything he doesn't like 👍

🌟 SKILLS 🌟

Hobbies: He protects the multiverse with Austin and Ice

He can make his horns and tail even sharper

Can summon fire

Can destroy things by touching but they kinda have to use a lot of energy where there is barely left and it takes awhile for all the energy comes back (when he use it takes his energy, he kinda acts like he is drunk)

He's tail can pick up a lot of heavy things and can stretch

Can go through solid objects

He's flames can show memories or what once there

He can make a fire wall (its wall, but it is made out of fire)

Weapons: none he just use his powers

Weaknesses: cute stuff, dresses, losing

🌟 OTHER 🌟

Height:31cm

AU or Place of Residence: in my nowhere void

💫RANDOM FACTS ABOUT HIM💫

He and Austin are connected where he knows what Austin wants to say, but Austin can't speak, so Flame says it for him, which makes him the voice

He can speak in any language

He can tell if someone is okay or not

He's pretty fast when he fly

He's a bit jealous that there isn't another him in the multiverse

Oh and Austin has BF :3

Like of course he does he have rizzzzzzzzzzzzzz

So his boyfriend is Iso ✨️ by @cxffee-undxrtale and if you want to more about him just ask his creator.

But yeah they pretty cute together tbh. So here's some facts about them being the most adorable couple ever

Iso is rude to people, but they are soft with Austin

This isn't really a toxic relationship. This is more a wholesome one, and of course, there are still some problems

Austin will be the one to ask Iso to a date after getting some courage to ask him out

Iso gets easily flustered when Austin flirts with him even though it is super cheesy

Their ship name is Aso

Austin doesn't get a lot of things when it comes to love, we doesn't even know what it dlif means (he is too innocent), and Iso doesn't know to romantic as well.

Austin will give Iso a bunch of gifts and usually gets help by Flame and Ice

It's hard for Austin to date someone because he is blind and mute, and Ice and Flame is with him 24/7 so he is happy that he is dating Iso

They met when Iso was in an au while Austin was there for one of their missions and Iso was probably there because he was beating up people in that au

Iso doesn't mind Flame and Ice being around them while they are together

The restaurant that they go to for a date will be Olive Garden :D

Flame hates being the 3rd wheel, but Ice doesn't mind being the 4th wheel if Austin is happy

Some little comics of them

For this comic Austin doesn't like when Flame says bad words so yea. It was fine little comic to draw cuz I was board

Ummm...

:( ... --- -- . - .... .. -. --. ... / .-- .-. --- -. --.

[miasudare]

Zamn

Name: Error

Au Age: 37 OG Age: The start of time - a billion years

Gender: Male (he/him)

PE teacher at Underhigh

Error - Before safe spot

He was one of the few first Sanses in the multiverse. After the Dreamtale War, he become close with Nightmare. Him and Nightmare fought with Ink and Dream for a long time. That was until he met with Gaster. For over 7 millenias he was looking for a real purpose in the multiverse. And Gaster showed him a way.

Error - Safe Spot:2000's

In 2001 (15), at high school, Error met with Nightmare and they were bffs. He was a troublesome student since him and Nightmare were chotic together. They smoked in the bathrooms aand stuff. Nightmare usually warned him but he was to energetic. His teachers were done with him. In his free time he either stole stuff, read comics with Nightmare on the roof or got mad at Ink. In 2002, he bought some stuff from a girl named Petal. After a while they become close. In 2004 (18) him and Petal experienced 'stuff'. When he learnd she was pregnant with twins he was hella scared.

On March 5th 2005 (using Gradient's official birthday for the sake of logic) Gradient and PaperJam was born. She didn't go to university to look after them while Error was going to Delta-University to become a teacher. Error was so inpatient to get to home those days.

In late 2005's Error proposed to her. Since they had some financial problems from the twins, they had to marry after they were born.

On June 20th 2007 (I couldn't find any info on his b-day so I just went with his characteristics and made up) Cil was born. He now had 3 beautiful children and a beautiful wife.

In 2009 he started to work at Underhigh.

Error - Safe Spot:2010's

In 2017 (31) they got divorced. It just didn't work out. It was starting to affect their kids and they had to put a stop. Petal got Gradient and he got PJ. Cil's custody was shared.

In 2019, him and Ink started to get close

Error - Safe Spot:Present

In 2020 Error and Ink got married. Ink moved in to Error's house with Palette. He never neglected Palette and he never acted like Palette wasn't his kid.

Working at Underhigh he was known for being the most inpatient person in the school. He has no tolerance to his class. Especially the ones who kick the fking volleyball ball. He cares about his students but a sore throat isn't gonna stop him from putting PJ against them in dodge ball. He might not say it often but he is proud of his children.

I got tired I color the text later IG

☆He works for them.

☆He used to be a dealer in Highschool.

☆He usually talks with Gradient on phone. Gradient still sends him Father's day presents and he keeps them in his room.

☆He is usually worried about PJ. Back in his days people got away with everything but will PJ get away with everything?

☆He is more patient towards Cil.

[hyacinthmonster]

Name ideas:

ReplacedEcho

UnderEcho

UnderIdentity

ReplaceTale 

EchoedReality

EchoedIdentityTale

EchoedIdentity

EchoIdentity  

Might make a poll for the name later

Apologies I didn't really proof read this Prologue.

Like to note this goes from summary to the story kinda abruptly so bare with it at first please. (OOC at first does have an actual reason behind it. Then It all, well just read if your curious.)

(This is a bit of a mess but I think it's good/fun.)

_________________________________________

Premise is that Frisk stole Sans's place after getting bored of playing the hero and wishing to have what he had. They pretty much just messed with the coding and inner workings of their univers with no clue what they where doing in order to achieve this.

 -----

By doing this it would have killed sans, Frisk wanted him to be erased in order for them to cleanly change the world. Chara was who Frisk wanted to take their place. 

Chara used what strength they had to save sans, but it wasn't enough. Gaster (in this world a father figure of sorts bur sans is not his biological son, Papyrus and Sans were taken in by him due to them being the last of their kind.) decided to help, however things didn't go completely to plan fusing the two together. In the end Sans was saved by them, taking the human's place, as a result his body is kinda a mix of a skeleton and a human. His soul now coated in a thin layer of glass like determination keeping him safe and giving him the "save and load" abilities for their world. 

At first he is in disbelief not fully getting what's going on, then he gets to snowdin (no encounter with Frisk or Papyrus like Chara thought.). He sees his brother with Frisk and then slowly things start to sink in as he talks to him, Papyrus not recognizing him and not remembering him at all claiming Frisk is his sibling and always has been. He begs for his brother to believe him, then anyone to believe him. Alphys seems to take note but nothing more, after all they've all known Frisk for years. Undying only got more aggressive the more he tried to convince her. Asgore apologised to him but he could believe him after all Frisk had been his keeper of the judgement hall for a long time. Flowy was nowhere to be seen throughout everything at first. His first time through the underground was a horrible experience. 

Somehow his soul appeared to work as a makeshift human one now Alphys being the one to learn this through her magic camera in the bush and telling undying about it not thinking due to her fascination with a monster having a soul similar to a human's. Alphys may not believe Sans but she does root for him like she did Frisk when Frisk was the "MC". He doesn't kill Asgore however flowey shows up and does it telling sans he needed to play Frisk's game if he ever hoped to have his life back again, telling him it's just a phase their going through, they'd give his life back after they had their fill, "They'll never get their fill if you don't play the game. You have to adapt to this, whether you like it or not, nothing will move forward properly if you don't! Just ask Chara!". Chaster(Chara/Gaster) tells him that Flowey isn't really wrong, requesting he plays along with Frisk's fun so they can figure something out. That they're determined to figure it out for him to get back home and back to normal.

He learned through them that time would restart no matter the outcome, that was why Frisk always came back, an unknown magic is at play against everyone until it decides to go away on its own whenever that will be.

His second time he didn't do much for a while, he just went through the same beginning only experiencing what Frisk did, with Flowey doing his act this time. He stayed with Toriel for a while. She treated him like he was her own son. He was weirded out at first since he did have a crush on her before the mess, but now he could only look at her with the wish he had known his own mother. He wondered if his own mother would have been like this, all he remembers is a music box that he lost in Waterfall when he was younger. He stayed with her for a long time before deciding to leave. He was ready to face this head on, at least that's what he told himself. He tried to be okay and not attack Frisk when they said his lines, he tried to be okay when talking to Papyrus as he friendly treated him like a stranger. He broke down quite a few times hiding from everyone. Sometimes he'd refuse to move for hours as he slowly accepted the harsh truth of everything. As he went through he experienced things similar to what Frisk had and eventually made it to Asgore again and after a fight he was killed by Flowey. Sans continued and played the game as the pacifist route.

 However the fourth turned out different when the reset happened, the colours were much more saturated and gold accents were everywhere. Not to mention the flowers he fell on were echo flowers. Frisk taking his place altered their world and after three resets in his place, the roles had finally solidified.

He noticed his clothes were darker, his jacket was shorter even at his sleeves, his undershirt was a dark grey woven turtleneck, his shorts replaced by black leggings with silver chains, and mucky brown fluffy boots, the fluff being the same off white as his old slippers. He had a bandage on his right cheek and woven dark grey gloves. He also took note his left hand had the number "3" on its back. He worried Frisk had broken the timeline more than they meant, he became horrified the more questions went through his mind. "What if things can't be fixed now?" "What if this means the world will be like this forever?" "What if this means I can never have my old life back?" "What will happen to Papyrus?, To Toriel? To Alphys? Undying? Asgore?" "What will happen to everyone?" "Does it even matter anymore?" "If Frisk gets bored of being in my place then what?! What will happen to my brother! my friends…" Vigorously shaking his head he unexpectedly made himself light headed almost falling over had he not been standing by the wall. "Well I guess that's one way to quiet my mind…" Vision spinning, the small space in the cave was silent, not even a sound of a bird overhead. Sans looked back to where he had "fell". His eyes softly glowed trailing each shade of blue, noticing a small amount of dewdrops on each petel up to the silver light that gave away the amount of dust in the area it graced. His eyes dulled as he leered upon the gaping aperture in the ceiling. Small bits of rock and debris like dirt trailed down the walls, the sounds echoing in the room chasing down as they fell to the flowers bouncing on some of the leaves onto the gravel floor. The outside looked as though it was coated in crystals, the glittering darkness framed by the dashes of green leaves that seemed just as dewy as the flowers down below. It seemed almost hazed like a scene from a fairytale, Sans couldn't help but smile upon the surface's appearance, mist was trying to seep down into the cave disappearing before it got even halfway. The world felt bleak and dark yet the blazing light from the moon seemed to be enough to almost mock the sun. Sans couldn't help but feel determined to at least see what had changed in his old home. He felt himself beginning to move forward despite his mess. It had been a few minutes just him staring at the stars he longed to reach before he realised he heard a soft melody, a metallic bell, a chime from a thin strip of metal hitting an assortment of spinning bumps. The echo flowers played a tune he thought he had lost. Closing his glimmering eyes and taking in as much air as he could into his nonexistent lungs he softly brushed his finger tips off the rough jagged wall and dragged his hand down his face. He started to where his first encounter was destined to take place. 

"This is the first chapter of something new, I wish I could say that as a good and beautiful thing but I don't have the heart to make this seem better than it actually is." Sans glanced at Chara's hovering form as they approached the room Flowey was presumably waiting for them. "Hey…?" His footsteps halted as he chose to be patient, hesitant on continuing before hearing a reply. "Something wrong? I thought you had a burst of determination back there." He let out a soft airy grunt. His gaze dulled, rolling up and away from them afterwards he fully turned to them giving all his focus to Chara who was watching him with big vibrant blood red eyes intensely staring into his. "Be honest with me. Do you actually think there's a way to turn things back to normal?" They turned their head to the shadowed room just forward of their path. "I mean, there's always a possibility."Air gently whistled through his nose. The light that made his eyes clear almost completely faded, a lowered brow causing his eyes to appear sharper than they were. His mouth pressed into a subtle but firm frown.  "Okay okay… I get it…" Chara waved their hands in front of them eyes going everywhere but his. "I uh, hate to say it but it's probably not possible to fix it now." They crossed their arms looking down. "Maybe before but… things changed last reset, our world's become something new and… I don't know… I, I don't even know if Flowey will recognize us this time around." His gaze softened light slightly returning upon hearing them beginning to tremble and crack. Frown turning into a more relaxed shape and his brow tilting more outwards once seeing their glossed over eyes. "Hey bud, even if he does forget ya we can always try to jog his memories. I mean, we're most likely going to have plenty of thyme to help him forget-you-not." The corners of their mouth twitched, a muffled sound kicking their throat. "Thistle all end up fine… somehow. So just be-leaf me and try to have some of that poppy determination your soul's bleeding with." Chara leaned forward, slightly shaking as serotonin filled hiccups left them. "Your ranunculus sans…" Pushing onto their left knee they lift their torso up, wiping their eyes and looking with a large smile across their face. "I dread the day you lose that jokester side of you." Turning their upper body to the path ahead of them. "Though I'm sure you'd at least keep doing silly shiz like letting people balance hotcats on your head." With a quick dry chuckle Sans slid his foot across the rocky path creating a scraping sound before he pushed down upon it, lifting his other foot to steadily and silently place down. The two went back to their new journey. 

[Messy Prologue: end]

[galaxy-otter]

Self Insert Handplates BittyBones Story- ACT ONE- Paranoia...?

You sat up in bed, cringing as the sunlight flashed your eyes. You checked the clock, 'Ten? Early rising I guess.' Yes, ten was early on your days off, or any other day in fact. You rolled out of bed and put on your favorite black tee shirt. The print on it was the grim reaper riding a cat. You slipped on a gray sweatshirt over it and decided to wear some gray sweatpants. The sweatpants got caught under your shoes every once in a while, so you wore them as pajamas since you didn't see yourself growing anytime soon. You took a peak at your phone, only to see no missed calls, no messages, and no voicemails. You weren't the most sociable of people, so that didn't bother you very much. You creaked open the door and walked down the hallway into the kitchen. You started to make breakfast when you heard something fall. You didn't want to burn your eggs, so you brushed it off as your ears just playing tricks on you.

Sitting down to eat, you couldn't help but get a gut feeling that something, or someone, was watching you. You looked around to see no one. "It's just your head being all wonky from just waking up, Y/N. Don't be dumb," you mummbled as you dug into your eggs. Unlike your dad, you actually put butter and salt in the pan while cooking eggs, so the eggs had more flavor.

Placing the plate in the sink, so turned on the faucet to drown out the alarm signs in your head. "Maybe I should investigate or something." You turned off the faucet and walked into the guest bedroom that you had made into an office since you knew you weren't going to have guests anytime soon. You slowly pushed the door open to see nothing out of the ordinary. Well, except for the dollar store vase you had bought a while back, now shattered on the soft carpet floor. You didn't really care as much as you thought you would, since you didn't really LIKE the vase anyway. You got out of the vaccume, along with some gloves to pick up the bigger shards of glass. As you started picking up the glass, someone moved out of the corner of your eye. You jerked your head up and looked around, then sighed. You smacked the side of your head a few times. 'That's it, I'm getting a mouse trap.'

Once you finished cleaning up the mess, you sat at your desk. It wasn't the best of the best, but as long as you could work, you were content. You decided on a live mouse trap so you could release the critters after you caught them. You only got one, since they were like $20 a piece. You sat back and sighed, again. You were starting to get paranoid with all this 'mice' stuff. Sure, you liked small rodents, and would break down seeing one die. You didn't want one in your walls, though. 'How would they eat? Or drink?' You drowned out your thoughts with Cavetown music. That always helps, right? Music for brain earplugs, whatever that means. You giggled to yourself as you sat on your sofa. But of course, right when you sit down, your phone rings. You groan and look at the screen.

...Jessica?

Your best friend of ten years. You do almost everything together. 'Isn't Sunday the busiest day of the week for the company? The company she works for is always the most crowded on Sundays because a lot more people are off on this day, including you. You picked up the phone, "Hello?"

"Oh my goodness, she's alive!" Jessica shouted, you could practically see her pumping her fist up into the air.

You sigh, loud enough for her to hear, "Yes, I'm alive. What do you need, Jessie?"

"Wow, doesn't sound like it!" She laughed, then continued, "Just checking in on you. Making sure your alive and all that."

"Yeah, don't worry about little 'ol me, Jessie. I'm not goin' anywhere." You pulled out the 'lazy' accent you use.

"Alright, that's all I wanted to say! Bye Y/N, love you! 'Blows kiss.'"

"Did you just say 'blows kiss' out loud?"

"Nooooo?"

You sighed, you tend to do that a lot, but laughed afterward, "Love you to, Jessie."

You hung up, switching back to Cavetown blasting into your ears. God, you can't wait until that mousetrap gets here.

(POV Change)- Brother's POV-

1-s woke up to something extremely bright shining into his eyesockets. It wasn't the beams of the lab either. He looked around. Everything was so BIG! He clutched tighter to his brother's ribcage, then started to shiver. Where were they? Most importantly, were they OUTSIDE? This felt like outside, but... not the right kind of outside.

His brother woke up a few minutes after he did. His brother was just as suprised as 1-s.

Brother's voice snapped him out of his trance, "BROTHER, WHERE ARE WE?"

"i don't know bro... i don't know."

"DO YOU THINK... THIS IS OUTSIDE?" Suddenly, Brother stood up and walked around the object they woke up on. "WHAT IS THIS?!" He pointed to a big, glass object next to where they woke up.

1-s walked around it a few times, tapping it lightly, "i'm, uh, not really sure bro. maybe it's a test thing." He retracted his hand from the object, "this might be a test, hold on." He slowly pushed it off of the tall place, letting it fall on the soft stuff on the ground. Bespite it being soft, the object shattered, causing the Brothers to cover their non exsistent ears. 1-s huffed a little bit, then sat down, placing his hands on his legs. His Brother followed him, doing the same thing.

"DO YOU THINK WE PASSED THE TEST?"

"maybe? god, nothing seems right in this place." 1-s looked around once more, then stared at his hands. "i don't like this place, it's too confusing." Brother nodded, seeming to agree.

"DO YOU SMELL THAT, BROTHER?"

He did, it smelt... good, really good." 1-s searched the place for the smell, but it came from a diffent room. "can we leave? for all we know it could be another test."

"MAYBE? I'M... NOT SURE. 'sigh' I'M GOING TO LEAVE."

2-p walked over to the windowsill and grabbed onto the curtain. "UH... HOW DO WE GET DOWN?" 2-p looked over at 1-s, hoping to get an answer.

"uhhh, grab onto it and slide down? hang on." 1-s grabbed onto the curtain and jumped off of the platform, sliding down from it. He landed on the soft floor and brushed himself off.

"WOW! LET ME TRY!" 2-p copied 1-s, succeeding. "OH WOW! THIS FLOOR IS REALLY SOFT! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS?!"

"not... exactly sure what it is bro."

While they were admiring the soft padding they landed on, they heard the door creak open. Both of the Brothers halted until 1-s whispered, "hide!" 1-s grabbed his Brother by the collar of his gown and hid behind the curtain. Not very creative, but it was the closest thing near them. Someone walked in and stared at the now broken object. They didn't really move at all for about 2 whole minutes. Although it was only two minutes, it felt like a century. Eventually, they left, but came back with a few things. They put a string in the wall and the machine whirred to life. That startled 1-s, badly. He was now shaking violently, as was his Brother. The machine wasn't on for long, but the sound reminded him of... you know what lets NOT think about that right now. They ended up picking up the bigger pieces up by hand. Was this part of the test? Who even IS that person? While they had their back turned, they ended up running across the room, catching the attention of the person they were running from. They jerked their head up, causing both of the brothers to tense up. They REALLY didn't really wanna be seen by them. They were just so... so... BIG! Bigger than other people they've seen. Not that there were really a lot of people they've met. They've really only seen Him, but he doesn't really count to them.

Once they left, the Brothers sagged their shoulders, letting out a breath they didn't know they were holding. "god, who WAS that? why were they so... so..."

"BIG?"

"yea..."

...

....

.....

The silence kept growing. That tended to happen everywhere they went, didn't it? 1-s sighed and slid his hand across the soft ground.

"SHOULD WE FIND SOMEWHERE TO SLEEP?"

"yea, sleep sounds good right now." Sure, it was the middle of the day, but THEY didn't know that, did they?

Let me know what you guys think! ACT TWO should be out soon. Enjoy ACT ONE of the story that has not been titled yet! :)

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

Soo... It's that time... A N G S T. Can't get enough of that angst. S/O comes back to a universe where S/O didn't exist because S/O ended up the same way as Gaster who got erased and whatnot, so when S/O finally meets the skellies and even though S/O was preparing themselves before meeting the skellies, they break down, crying, and explained their story about it.

Undertale Sans - Oh shit, what the hell is he supposed to do now??? Sans knew something was off with you since you were looking at him weirdly, but he just thought you were some kind of anti-monster, he didn't expect this. He is patting your shoulder, trying his best to not panic since he can't remember anything you said and he hates the feeling so much. He will obviously not let you here and bring you to his home and then send Papyrus comfort you while he is calling his actual dad for the first time in the six years since he came back from the Void to ask him what the fuck he is supposed to do. It's out of his juridiction for once. He feels terrible because he can see you're looking for comfort from HIM but he is so uncomfortable right now. He's going to need some time to warm up.

Undertale Papyrus - All he sees is a very distressed human and Papyrus doesn't think twice and hug them. He doesn't understand anything that's happening, but it's pretty obvious you know him and he can't just ignore it. Like Sans, he brings you home, and ask his brother what the hell is the Void and why did he forget someone who obviously knows him so well. That's only there, out of nowhere, that Sans tells Papyrus that their dad actually disappeared like that and die but that's ok because he is back now. What a rollercoaster. Papyrus just learned he had a dad, he died and then he undied all at once. And that everything happened six years ago and that Sans forbid his dad to get near. Papyrus has : a headache. He is so done with everything right now, but that human is more important and they can talk argue about this later, just call him. All the time Gaster spent finding a solution, Papyrus stayed close from the human, comforting them and learning to know them again.

Underswap Sans - He is a police officer, he just thinks you're doing a transfer on him because something put you in shock state. He calls an ambulance and leaves you there, very troubled about the all thing since you tried to convince him by giving proofs only him knows. When you showed up later at his house, he is now clearly freaking out. Why are you following him? Why do you want? Are you spying on his family? It's stressing him out. He doesn't like that and he wants you to let him alone. Then Honey is alerted by all the screaming, and when S/O begs him to help, Honey lost his composure. Blue really doesn't like the expression on his face and ask Honey what's wrong. Honey just said they are probably saying the truth. Blue freaks out even more. He finally invite you inside, and the three of you try to think of what to do. Because neither of them remembers you, even if Honey noticed there was a hole in the diary he is writing in since he came to the Surface. Maybe with Undyne help, you could try to give at least Blue his memory.

Underswap Papyrus - Everyone is looking at him in the street, wondering why a young human is crying, hugging a skeleton with so much desperation. He's pretty sure some people are recording too. He feels so uncomfortable. Is it a prank? He is so shy he can't even find words to help, he's just standing there, looking at the people around, heavy breathing. And when he just can't take it anymore? He teleports away, leaving S/O there, and he goes to hide in his wardrobe so he doesn't have to deal with this. Of course, S/O comes, and Blue is even more confused and let them in, and S/O immediately comes to check the wardrobe. Well shit. After that, Honey will act like above, finally accepting it might be real and finally trying to understand.

Underfell Sans - "listen pal, you got the wrong skeleton. 'have no idea the shit ya're talking about. now leave my fucking lawn or i'm calling the cops." He doesn't want to deal with that. That weird human is clearly trying to trick him into being some sentimental shit and he doesn't want to be one so piss off. He will completely ignore S/O fisting the door of his house to keep doing his business. Eventually, S/O fall asleep in front of the door, and Red freaked out and poked them with a stick to make sure they weren't dead. S/O took a chance and force their way into the house. Now Red has a human in his home, telling him they got married, and he just wants to take a nap, so ok, you're his wife, whatever, he doesn't give a fuck as long you don't enter in his room. He's going to take a nap. Thank god, Edge comes home some time later and asked, confused, who they are and why they are in his house. Surprisingly, he will actually believe S/O's strory, because that's sort of impossible to invent all of it? He drags Red out of his room to help. Red is sad when he realise it was not all a dream and sighs loudly. He calls Alphys reluctantely, still calling you "ya stupid crazy human" until he realise all of this is true and freaks out even more.

Underfell Papyrus - A random human is touching him, screaming incoherent things at his face and he wants to leave. He suddenly pushes the human on the ground and runs at full speed in the other direction. He feels so ashamed. Him, the terrible captain Papyrus of Snowdin, running away like a coward from a human just because they are touching him with their weird fleshy fingers. If Undyne saw that, he would be humiliated for a lifetime. But the situation is just too spooky for him, that human won't leave him alone and he is actually... SCARED. Though, this time, the human can hit his house's door for a long time because no one will open, and Red might even attack if they insist too much. S/O will have to find help elsewhere.

Horrortale Sans and Papyrus - Oak looks at you, waiting at the door with hope in your eyes, still crying, and he feels so bad, because he feels like he forgot something important again, but this time it actually has consequences for real. But then he turns towards his brother and sees he is confused too, and so he is confused too. If Willow doesn't know who is that human, then he doesn't too, right??? Then why the hell are they here? When S/O realise he is just going to lock the door, they scream they know they ate humans, which immediately caught their attention. Oak became immediately defensive, thinking they try to gain something from them by threatening them, which was not what you was expecting. Willow is more calm and then ask again to explain what is your story. You do it again, giving lots of details only them know, and now they are clearly uncomfortable. Willow will eventually let them in, and will make a few call to try to help. Oak is just sitting at the opposite part of the couch, growling at them every time they try to get close from him. He's not touching the stuff, and you are clearly here because Willow said so. He's not happy with that. You will pretty much have to do everything again with them, since they don't have a scientist anymore. Though, you befriended them once, it can't be that complicated to do it again.

Swapfell Sans and Papyrus - So, what you're telling him is that you come from his past, knows a lot of things about him, that you die, and now you're back. He smiles. Then he throws salt at your head and slams the door. Not in his house demon/ghost/weird satanic shit. He's not buying your crap, and you can't go into his house since he didn't invite you so leave. You enter by a window. Nox is locking himself in the bathrooms and calls Rus for help, screaming there's a ghost inside the house and that they won't leave him alone and that he better take care of it quickly or he's coming to destroy his ass (when the ghost is gone). Rus is confused when he finds only a human standing there. They are so relieved when they see them. All Nox can hear is the voice of his brother and then a dying chicken noise. He is even more terrified. "... Rus? Are you dead? ... Rus? Please answer it's not funny." Ok, so, you hug Rus. He had a hundred rubber chicken in his jacket. You two will need two hours to convince Nox that Rus is not dead, and two more to convince to come out. After that, you tried to explain again what happened and they decide to finally go see Undyne so she can translate the fuck you're saying in a understandable English. Because they are both too stupid to understand what the hell you're saying about the Void and people disappearing from existence. Nox is still convinced you are a ghost, though, ok, you're not translucide so it may be fine. Though he's still not trusting you.

[ahyacinthblossom]

So... about the Titans (chapter 2 spoilers)

Aight I already did a whole text post about Gaster so I wanna talk about the Titans now and their significance in the story. I think it goes without saying that these beings are going to serve as major enemies later on, maybe even the final bosses of the game. First off, let’s discuss some popular theories that have been thrown around by various people. 1. The Titans are just “adults” and the Roaring is just cleaning up the area where the Dark Fountains are located and removing all the inhabitants to whatever place they came from. How does this make any sense at all??? The Titans being just adult Lightners would make no sense, as the Darkners viewed ALL Lightners as gods to serve. Not just the adults but all of them. This theory is not one that can be easily backed up by much. Plus, Kris opening up a fountain in their bedroom would have inadvertently caused the Roaring if this were true, as it’s likely Toriel and other adults from the Light World will be joining the adventures in the Dark World in the next chapter. I think that Kris may end up jumpstarting the Roaring somehow, just not in THAT way. 2. Ralsei is a titan. Ok, I gotta be honest, this one might be true. Ralsei does say that he takes shape from the Fountain, which lines up with the way he describes the Titans. This could be furthered by the fact that the eye symbols we see on the main titan in the vision of the Roaring are the same ones that exist on the cliff walls in Ralsei’s Dark World. This could be the body of a deceased Titan, maybe from a previous Roaring that Ralsei somehow survived. If he himself was indeed a Titan, it wouldn’t really make sense for him to be worried about the Roaring, you’d think he’d be excited if he was truly one of them. But, maybe he is in fact a Titan who rebelled against his mission and stopped the previous Roaring from occurring by sealing the main Titan in his Dark World. Or, maybe he was merely a survivor, a Darkner who’s family was murdered by the Titans. In any case, I’m not one to immediately jump to the “Ralsei is evil” theory but I think it’s possible he could be a Titan. Maybe. 3. My personal theory (and Gaster’s possible connection with and plan for the Titans) So, the eyes on the cliffs in the Dark World are probably connected to the Titans. I think that entire area might be the corpse of one of the Titans. Maybe a sleeping one and not a dead one, who knows. In any case, I think the reason Gaster’s involved in all of this is purely to find a new body for himself. He’s been trapped between existence and non-existence, simultaneously existing in and outside of both Deltarune and Undertale’s stories at the same time. He was shattered across time and space, and he’s probably looking for a temporary vessel until he can achieve his grand plan, finding a new, stronger body for himself. I brought up in my last big text post that I think he might want to assemble himself as a Titan or maybe possess one, which honestly might be a stretch but eh. He’s fighting for control over Kris to use them as a way of opening Fountains and bring about the Roaring. We, the player, are fighting over control with Gaster. Now, it’s been implied that we’re not the good guy in this scenario either. In fact it’s heavily implied that we are the Angel that needs to be banished according to the Prophecy. It’s easy to assume that when Kris takes out their soul and is limping around, that it’s THEM in control of their body. Just Kris, no one else. But I think that’s not the case, I think when they move like that and open Fountains, it’s Gaster controlling them. It’s an elaborate game of chess, except in this case we’re fighting over the same exact piece. The Knight. Dark vs Light. It’s the struggle of chaos vs order, but when both extremes overtake the other, it causes the balance to be disrupted. The times we see Kris acting outside any influence from us or Gaster are times like when they yell after the fight with Spamton. They are obviously showing strong emotions whenever puppets or strings are brought up, hinting at the fact they are aware of the struggle that is happening around them.  The Roaring is the triumph of the Dark World over the Light World. It’s the opposite of what will happen with the Angel’s Heaven, which is probably something we, the player, would bring about if we had total control over Kris. Ralsei brings up both sides of the prophecy, but he didn’t tell us everything in one story, leading many to believe he’s hiding stuff from us. I don’t think this is necessarily the case. He MAY be aware of the player controlling Kris, but I don’t think his intentions are evil. I do think there will be more than one ending to this, either the Darkness prevails and we get the Roaring, or the Angel’s Heaven prevails and we have to engage in some fight against the Heroes of Light. Either way, it’s gonna be one hell of a climactic showdown, and Gaster is probably going to play some role in it no matter what happens. Honestly I just wrote all this because I want the final boss to be a giant twisted multi-armed Gaster titan.

[foxjevilwild]

Deltarune Chapter 2, Just finished and here are some thoughts:

Ralsei isn't a Darkner, but he's not able to exist in the Lightner World.

Darkners are reinterpretations, reimaginings, and dreams of things that exist in the Lightner World. They turn to stone in other Fountains (the concept solidifies and becomes unchanging) or they turn into mundane objects (like cards and junk) because outside of the theme of their own recontextualization they don't exist. The Dark is a form of exegis, a way of recreating the 'game' world.

This raises the question: Why can they exist in Ralsei's fountain? What is his fountain reinterpreting? -- My theory is his fountain is aware of and a recontextualization of the Game "Undertale 2" - so anything within the game, including the reinterpretations it creates, can persist there.

Each fountain, each Chapter is just the same game being retold, replayed again - because the world is still Undertale and is just presenting itself with the same themes, the same structure, and the same 'choices' like Pacifist/Genocide because it is expected to - because it was originally built to before the changes.

Whatever Kris is, whatever is using the fountains is doing so to keep the Lightner world from progressing forward. We the player have a game menu, interactions, choices - all of that in the Lightner world - but the plot in the Lightner world is allowed to progress according to its script only with minimal change. The times we would be interacting with and changing the plot, we're always pulled into the Dark Worlds - to solve a crisis that repeats, always with the same outcomes.

The only one telling us we have to close the fountain, and the only one telling us the world will end if we don't - is Ralsei.

Most of the more powerful characters in the game...like Jevil, Seam, and now Spamton - are aware of their realities being rewritten and of what happened in the time of ROARING that Ralsei promised would happen if the Dark takes over. All of these characters are outliers who couldn't be fully rewritten - whatever process is keeping the world stagnant and reset has failed on them.

Jevil is in an infinite loop, and the Dark has him quarantined.

Seam was torn apart and recompiled.

Spamton seems to be two beings, corrupted as one copied over the other. He's the Spambot from the Lightner world, and the Car Salesman from the Dark - and as a program, as either form, he's aware of his STRINGS - the lines of code that bind him to the Game.

These are things that happen when a program fails to execute, or glitches out.

All of these 'error' characters seem aware of 'Chaos', and of existing before the current iteration of their game loop.

I think Ralsei is still Asriel -- I think he's still the Asriel that was Flowey, actually. I think he or someone inadvertently helping him (like Gaster) - has rewritten the actual Undertale 2 into the world of 'Deltarune' (anagrams as a theme, remixing existing components) - a world where Asriel is away for college and not trapped forever in the Dark. A world where everyone loves and remembers him fondly - waiting for his return at the end of the week for the Festival.

Asriel is supposed to be the older brother, but Ralsei seems to be the same age as Asriel had 'died' in Undertale - the same child we see in the field of flowers. Does an older version of Asriel actually exist? I think Ralsei, or possibly someone else, has created a story where he gets to keep a looping world where his death and Flowey never happened - but maybe he can't return at the end of the 7 days?

De-termination. Undoing Death. Maybe the process here is incomplete or corruptible?

I think whatever is modifying the world - they used the 'Dark' to rewrite the world and reinterpret its components, to Re-Determine what's going to happen. I think every time a Player/SOUL shows up to affect their choices on the world and progress the plot, they sideline them with the worlds created in the Dark as a sort of treadmill, to keep them from playing the game that originally existed in the Lightner World and actually 'completing' the 7 day story.

We're told repeatedly by the metastructure of the game, and by presumably GASTER at the Survey_Program opening - that choices don't matter in this world. Every time we are given one, it's either discarded immediately, or affects nothing permanent in the Light World - only the Dark.

I think this is our antagonist, convincing us that the SOUL can't have an affect on the outcome because they don't want it to - they want this reality to continue, for the Dark to consume the world at the end, and for their reality to rewrite itself again so as to draw energy from it, from all the SOULS that run through the program/universe when they play the game again.

I presume it may be Gaster (or whoever narrated the Survey Program, but we're pretty sure that's Gaster, right?) as the 'behind the curtain villain' - I think Ralsei/Asriel may be playing into this loop or helping them, not realizing what's really happening or now unwilling to stop it after the first rewrite - because they don't want to be alone in the dark anymore like they were at the end of Undertale. I think Ralsei is sincere in his desire to close the other fountains, but I think he's unaware that the force creating them wants the ROARING to happen.

I think Kris, once it was determined he was the Vessel, was modified in the 'bunker' to be pliable, to be able to remove the SOUL. It's either the character of Kris (who, if you act out of character or pick dialogues that are kind, is called out by other characters for being different after the player takes over) - or whatever is controlling that vessel other than the Player/SOUL, that is creating the Dark Fountains and sidelining the progression and keeping the SOUL from modifying anything in the Lightner world. I think this process traumatized the real Kris, the character he was before we step in - because it seems clear from other characters he is terrified of that bunker.

A bunker which is a mystery to every character in the town so far.

By his character, I believe there is a second SOUL inside Kris, or something very similar (possibly an artificial version of a SOUL) that is the source of the Roaring Knight. It may also be that he was rewritten to be 'controlled' in this way - hence the underlying personality being so quiet, reclusive, and traumatized/repressed.

My guess is the titles here, like Knight, and Roaring, are phonetic plays on what is actually happening. Kris is the Knight, or the Night - periods of time when the SOUL can be sidelined and whatever our antagonist is can affect change and create the fountains. I think the Roaring is the Rearranging or Reordering, maybe? I'm not as certain on that one.

What Ralsei describes as the Roaring is an opening of too many fountains - the light world enveloped in total Darkness (full reinterpretation or system collapse) - and the emerging of TITANS from these fountains that devastate the world, shaped by their own fountains - leaving the Lightners alone in darkness and solidifying the darkners. I think the ROARING is a form of program crash, or total rewrite.

I think Ralsei may be disingenuous here - he doesn't want too many fountains to open - but he will never close his own. I think he is aware of what was before Deltarune, since he knows about the ROARING - and is trying this time to keep his favorable world going maybe?

It's hard to tell if he's working with or against the Roaring Knight (or their controller) - I think he wants to keep his world of friends and heroism, his Role-Reinterpretation from Undertale 2. I think he sincerely wants to close the other fountains, because the result he describes is what he had originally as Asriel, and Asriel could not have a role in Undertale 2 without this rewrite - as Asriel Dreemur he would've been Lost eternally in an endless night...

I love this interpretation because it plays into the nature of Dreamer/Dreemur (the Dark is the dream of the world that could be, and he is it's Prince), the nature of sequels in general (what we want and expect as an audience vs what would be organic to the characters), and a sort of meta-text about what an artist can do with a sequel (you can reinterpret, but not by much, never in a way that is unrecognizable and thus enchained to the original).

Undertale was a game with characters aware they were in a game.

Deltarune is a game so far where it seems characters are aware they are in a sequel.

Phenomenal, Mr. Fox!

--

This is a bit rambling but I had a lot I wanted to write down and it's super late. I might revise this later.

--

[dodo-begone]

ALRIGHTY! LOYAL HERE COMING IN WITH THE CIRCUS HAHAHA

Btw, I’m like 90% sure that I fell asleep while writing so it just stops. Like, there’s no ending/summary/whatever word I’m looking for but can’t think of at the moment and my bird is currently chewing on my phone case oh my god can she please stop—

__________________

I believe the concept of yanderes ft. a isekai-d reader has been mentioned by Shepard and her anons, tho it’s been mainly for Origins SMP. So, I come to you with ideas for the Dream SMP because that’s all I’m familiar with HAHAH—

Also, I apologize in advance because this thing is borderline an essay with how long it is. I’m so sorry—

For example *cue dramatic lighting and a cheesy flashback monologue thingie* oh my god I think I’m losing it, I’m so tired

Y/n and their younger sibling, Frisk, had just finished up another press conference regarding Monsters being back on the surface. All seems to be going well until the ground beneath their feet vanishes and they fall unconscious a few moments later. When they awaken, they notice they’re surrounded by humans—wait they aren’t all humans, what the fuck, since when are there hybrids? They knew everyone from the underground—by name, no less—and had never heard of any currently living hybrids. Only of ones from before the war. Besides, Monsters have been on the surface for a month at most, so there is no way for... oh boy, their head is spinning.

After some very...tense...introductions (“Hi, I never saw you guys Underground, nor have I heard of you, no offense. So, uh, which monsters are you guys related to?” “OI, I’LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT TUBBO IS NOT A MONSTER!”) they come to the realization that y/n is most definitely not from this world, or even this universe. Y/n’s adamant refusal to fight the “real monsters” that roam this land (“I did not spend countless timelines weeks putting my life on the line to befriend every monster, break the barrier that trapped them Underground, and defend them against my own god forsaken race just to turn my back on them.”) was a pretty big sign, after all. That, along with species of monsters that the SMP members have never heard of and how y/n talked about Souls as if they were a tangible thing.

It’s a rocky start before any sort of friendship is formed: y/n, wanting to be cautious, (and also not having Sans there to CHECK for them) decides to ask everyone what their LV is. It’s risky, and they had no way to prove if anyone is (or isn’t) telling the truth, but it was worth a shot. “Our levels?” A small goat hybrid asked, his head slightly tilting to the side. Everyone assumes that y/n is talking about enchantment levels. “I’m at 26! Ranboo, you’re at 30, right?” “I’m at 37 now, actually.” “Well, I’M at 58. Clearly I’m the superior one here. A real big man, a very manly man, aren’t I?” And a few others pipe in. Color drains from y/n’s face and they take a few steps back, hands shaking as their eyes dart between each person in the room and the exit. ‘How many lives have they each taken to make their LOVE so high? Why do they seem so proud of it?’ Yeah... that was an interesting experience.

- even though they have been reassured multiple times that the monsters of this world are nothing like the ones from their home, y/n still refuses to kill a single one, as I had mentioned earlier. They also refuse to kill animals. It takes a couple tries at explaining LV or LOVE—Level Of ViolencE—along with EXP—EXecution Points—but eventually everyone is on the same page

- Y/n is hesitant to bring out their SOUL when asked. First off, though they’re now friends with those from the Underground, they can’t help but be reminded of every spear, knife, bone, petal, gaster blaster, and fireball that has been aimed at them with the intent to kill whenever their SOUL was drawn into an encounter back then. Second of all, showing your SOUL is something you do with those you trust with your life—after all, you’re literally putting your lifeline out on display when you do so. There are so many different ways that the SMP members can see it

- Perhaps a monster appears

- Eggpire or Dream attack

- Someone forces y/n into an encounter because everyone is too curious to just let this opportunity slip by

- When y/n discovers that the people of this land have more than one life, they’re confused. There is no way that all of these people have SOULS of Determination, and there’d definitely be some issues if people kept rewinding time to their last save point. Besides, only one Determination SOUL—the strongest one—should be able to respawn. Then again, they only know what Frisk had explained to them. They were never able to see the save stars that Frisk would interact with in the different sections of the Underground. So they only have so much to go off of.

- Battle for them is completely different. Despite being in a different world, the mechanics from their world still apply. They can FIGHT, ACT, use an ITEM or show MERCY.

- They use Frisk’s tactic and flirt their way out of a fight or two. They never understood why Frisk did it until now... ‘I mean, I...wow. That was actually effective.’ They’re impressed.

- Oh no, maybe that wasn’t the best idea...they might have some yanderes after them bc of it...

- They probably have accidentally called Philza ‘Asgore’ and Tubbo ‘Asriel’ because both hybrids remind her of the two males from her world. Similar personalities AND Tubbo is a goat hybrid. The poor child is going to be so confused

- If Tubbo’s a yandere oh boy it’s going to be so easy for him. Y/n will probably be constantly at his side and telling him stories about the first fallen child and how they were adopted by the royal family, who are goat monsters! And just explaining the history of the underground and how important the goat family is. Talks about Asriel a lot as well. Probably makes him butterscotch cinnamon pie and tries to recreate golden flower tea to share with him as well. Or, they do that and he’s not yandere and it’s just wholesome.

- If we follow the headcanons that some fans have made, perhaps Frisk (and/or y/n) gave up half of their SOUL to give to either (or both) Chara or Asriel so they’d have another chance at life

- Not only does y/n refuse to kill, which leaves them vulnerable, they also only have half a SOUL, which means they’re incredibly weak. Someone needs to protect them, someone needs to keep them safe, someone needs to—

- Y/n is incredibly agile thanks to all the battles they’ve faced Underground. With their SOUL always out in the open during an encounter and the fact that they refuse to harm anyone, it’s required. I’m imagining them moving like a dancer, using jumps and spins to help them avoid any weapons swung at them.

- This is gonna be annoying for any yandere that wishes to lock y/n up. Even if they won’t physically hurt someone, they WILL put up a fight and make it as hard as they possibly can to be dragged into isolation or imprisonment

- When it comes to who goes yandere, I believe what color of SOUL y/n has (their personality, in summary) would play a big role. Here’s a few of my ideas, feel free to move people around or add to it, I’m really tired and can’t think of many characters LOL

- Red (determination): Wilbur, Technoblade

- Orange (bravery): Technoblade, Dream, Tommy

- Yellow (justice): Sam, Technoblade

- Green (kindness): the kids of the server, Fundy, and Ghostbur

- Cyan (patience): Ranboo, Ghostbur, Karl

- Dark blue (integrity): Tubbo, Philza, Sam

- Purple (perseverance): Dream—this man would love to see how long it would take for your perseverance to run out. I wouldn’t be surprised if your perseverance is the only reason he’s interested.

__________________

From what I saw of the end of what I wrote, it is DEFINITELY cut short. At least I mentioned every SOUL type lolol.

Also, I found a whole other note that’s a continuation of this concept but for y/n being from another game what the hell was I doing—

Expect that to come in another ask once I eat dinner

Sorry i took so long to answer!! I kept getting distracted!

That stuff is so pog man!!!! Puffy might be called “Toriel” once in a while because mom energy and she sheep,,, close to goat!

Gosh all the flirting will bring in so many yanderes or make ppl like “yo wtf??” And there’s a very small amount that are inbetween.

OKAY BUT WITH THE MONSTER STUFF ON THE DSMP- they’d keep the monsters in their house. They’d give them food and everything. Some def become very friendly and will defend. Haha giant spider go prrrrrr

I’d write more but there is so much amazing stuff I don’t think I could add to some of them anyways!!! Plus my mind is just racing other places rn haha

[inkdemon-whore]

What was the moment that made Gaster realize he was in love with Hope?

I was gonna draw this, and I might later, but I think it was little things over time

Stuff like figuring out/knowing how he likes his coffee, finding out his taste in music and playing it inconspicuously, so on and so forth. I've said it before, but gaster keeps to himself, so a simple [ACT] can be a bit frustrating to figure out, cuz he doesn't give much of a hint to what "gets to him"

But I like to think one of the moments is when hope and gaster aren't even really together, but gaster over hears a conversation, like some random monster heckling hope

? : a human in the underground? How disgusting! Isn't it enough that you have the surface!? You humans cast a spell to keep us all down here ya know?! We can't even get past the barrier! And now you're coming here??? Gah!! Always taking our homes and pushing us into holes!

H: I don't want to be here either.

? : What!?!? Then why are you?

H: got pushed in a hole.

? : Ha! That's rich! So why don't you leave?

H: humans cast a spell, and I can't get past the barrier.

? : HA! Sweet sweet irony!

H: yeah, we're in the same boat.

? : HA! No we're not! We're in the same coffee shop!

H: -they chuckle- we're at the same table

The two share a laugh, before the monster gets flustered, realising they're gettin buddy buddy with each other and leaves

The entire time gaster's just quietly listening in, and even though he already had plans to find a way to destroy the barrier, hearing that hope can't pass through it either ramps up the importance of it in his mind, worried they're home sick and what not

It's likely sometime after this is when he actually realizes he's in love, but the more I think about it, I wonder if hopes affection is more up in the air

This feels like a more positive parallel to chara and asriel (not them as a romantic ship, but just the relation in general), with a monster seemingly putting out more work, meanwhile the human is a bit more aloof or ambiguous, though still showing signs of care

Idk, maybe that's not the best way for the ship to go, but I like the idea of them being similar yet distinctly different

[mythicaldemigoddess-of-deltarune]

Red Soul: Is Asriel’S Soul, With Chara’s Essence Theory

I had just watched a theory on Youtube, and it all makes sense.

if it’s true that the Player’s Red Soul, is transported from the Undertale Timeline

over to the Deltarune Timeline, it would also mean that the Asriel and Chara from the Undertale Timeline, were transferred over there as well.

Asgore might be innocent and never killed any of the human children,

because when we go down to the basement that has the coffins,

all but the coffin that has a picture of the red soul on it, is open.

meaning when we the Player/Frisk was fighting Flowey (who had transformed into Asriel II, and had not just the monster souls and the other human souls, but also the Red Soul....) we have the Red Soul that should of ended up in that coffin and could of ended up opening up, but the body isn’t in the coffin because we have the body that was originally in the coffin.

it is possible that the Soul is part of Chara, I believe that the red heart shape we see in the room we have to press that button to turn on the power for the elevator, could possibly be Chara...?

while watching the theory video on Youtube, and seeing a clip that shows the very end of chapter 1...

I started to realize that the Red Soul that acts as our soul,

is really a fused soul of Asriel and Chara,

and Flowey is just made up of Asriel’s essence, his dust/memories but not his soul.

when we meet Chara, we are really meeting them inside a black space that is in Frisk’s Mind, and it is where we fight the Hyper God of Death Asriel.

if we look closely when Kris pulls out the Red Soul,

for a brief moment it becomes white.

when the Red Soul and the other souls (both humans and monsters)

are absorbed into Flowey, he not only absorbs a Human’s Red Soul,

he is also absorbing the True Asriel’s Soul, which was transformed into a Human/Monster Soul Hybrid, the reason why the Red Soul can transform into a Yellow Soul and become a upside down soul, is because Asriel is that Soul too.

Flowey has Asriel’s essence, but he is not truly Asriel, it’s like when someone becomes confused thinking that a memory they remember is one of their past lives, but really it was the soul they had fragmented from, that past life belongs to their soul parent.

let’s think about whenever we get killed/a game over in the game,

each time we die in the game, the red soul breaks into pieces.

what other soul does that...?

a Monster Soul, it is possible that the Red Soul might not even be Chara,

but their essence that had attached it’s self on Chara’s Favorite thing,

which happens to be Asriel, so this might mean that what appears to be a red soul powering the generator in the true lab (and the button on it that we have to press in order to leave and go to face Asgore...)

just like a monster, a human has a essence as well but it is in their human soul.

and when Asriel absorbed Chara’s Soul into his body,

it not only split the control, but also caused some of Chara’s Essence to end up in Asriel, and when they returned back home...

the two souls ended up going into Chara’s Body (which would then later be called Frisk)

when Chara was returning to their body, they also pulled Asriel’s soul in with them, leaving a soulless body of Asriel that ended up turning to dust, and that dust hitting the flowerbed.

it is possible Chara’s Soul was rejected out of their body, and the one who ended up taking them away was Wingdings Gaster, before the King and Queen saw what happen, and Gaster might not know that Asriel was still in the human body of Chara.

it is possible that Asriel went into a coma in Chara’s Body,

and it took a few years for him to wake up, and we the Player are the ones who end up waking him up, why would one of the choices on the phone that Toriel gave us in Undertale, to call her Mom...? 

the Player’s Soul is still technically Asriel, and who is co-controlling Frisk

with the Player who is viewing things from the dimension we live.

we can think of Frisk as a reincarnation of the original Asriel from Undertale,

in all AUs and Timelines made my fans, this wouldn’t be the case,

because Frisk wouldn’t be Asriel, but the Frisk in the Timelines and Alternate Universes, are all Frisks we the fans created.

we either make them normally born on the surface, and be either a boy, girl, agender, nonbinary or even bigender.

and before they went by “Frisk” they had a birth name that will either be a boy or girl or gender neutral name.

“Frisk” was most likely a alias that Asriel made up to not freakout his other self,

who believed they were the real Asriel but were only partly him, because of the memories in the dust that got on the flowers, Flowey ended up with Asriel’s memories.

plus it is possible that Ralsei is really Flowey from a Geno-Timeline from Undertale, who found out they weren’t truly Asriel because only having his memories/dust essence.

and I will agree with the video I watched, that the blue print we see in both Undertale and Deltarune, are one in the same.

but it could be possible that there was a Timeline before Deltarune and Undertale, that we can call the Original Timeline.

and Undertale & Deltarune, were cleaved apart, the home that Sans says he can never get back to, might not be the Deltarune World that we play next after Undertale.

it might be a timeline that was a mix of both Undertale and Deltarune,

but something happen to cause it to break and cleave apart.

it also had some traits of Deltarune and Undertale.

Sans knows this, and the world that it might be could turn out to be a Timeline of Steven Universe, we know that Steven (the original one)

had went back in time multiple times and brought all versions of himself into another Timeline, when Steven left his original timeline, it caused a butterfly effect, causing it to break on itself, and since it was the first timeline that the original Steven left, his timeline was the first to start to destroy itself.

it is possible that all the Stevens didn’t simply die, they might of ended up returning to their own timelines in a form of a “Reset”

but this might not be for all Stevens, and when Original Steven returned to his timeline, it was glitching and breaking itself....

but then the Reset happen, that was the Power that originally belonged to Steven (who would later become Sans)

we the fans might think that the reason why Steven’s shirt changed from blue (in the Steven Universe Movie) to a black (Steven Universe Future) shirt,

is because he just decided to change his shirt, but what if it turns out that the Steven in Steven Universe Future, is really the Original who had first used the Reset.

but both Stevens (from the Movie and Future series) share a seemingly similar timeline, but only the one in the black shirt ends up as Sans.

because of the multiple resets that the Player/Frisk/Asriel does,

it causes a butterfly effect, causing different timelines of Genocide, Neutral and Pacifist Timelines to form.

even if we do Reset, those Timelines will still exist, but are copies of the timeline before it is reset to the start of the game.

the new timeline in Steven Universe, and the New Steven lives in and is the version that didn’t die like the other versions of himself (but they might of only seemingly died, but returned to their timelines.)

he ends up transforming into a Giant Monster, but he was wearing a blue shirt, unlike the other Steven who wears a black shirt.

in one timeline Steven never became Sans, this would be the Blue Shirt Steven we see in the Movie, which shares a seemingly similar timeline with the other Steven that would become Sans.

Steven could end up becoming Sans in different ways,

either gets resurrected by magic that is from his gem and the magic in the underground, or in his final moments when he fell into the underground,

his age started to flux and he became a baby, and Gaster and his wife,

find the human baby, then Mr & Mrs Wingdings ends up taking a fragment of their own souls and place into the now baby steven, and brought him back to life, but not only did it bring him back to life...it also changes him,

from being a Gem-Human Hybrid, but to a Gem/Human/Monster Hybrid.

but it also caused Baby Steven to transform into a Baby Skeleton Monster,

and also causing him to become Gaster and his wife’s biological son.

when Steven is brought back to life, he loses his memories of his past

and he is then renamed “Sans”

which might of been Gaster’s doing, when he finds Steven’s Drivers License

and it having his full name in it, which is Steven Quartz Universe.

which he took parts of the letters in first, middle and last name...

and came up  the name Sans for his new son.

I believe that Sans would regain his memories after his baby brother is born.

part of Sans’s Soul would still be a Gem’s Manifestation Consciousness of Light, while still being part of a Human Soul, and now a Monster Soul.

but he no longer had his Gem on him, even if parts of his soul is a Gem.

the moment Steven was reborn as Sans, the Gem detached itself and Pink-Steven reformed out of the Gem.

at some point Sans remembers that when he misused the power of time travel, when he was Steven, he also remembers that in his final moments and what he told the new Steven, as well as thinking he had died for good, but then waking up to a broken and glitching timeline that was slowly destroying itself.

but then Sans, when he was Steven, did the first Reset and would be the version that would end up going to Mount Ebott and end up falling into the underground and getting seriously injured and causing him to have his age fluctuate until his very last moments when the last form he takes was when he was a Baby, and then he would be found by his new family, who would take pity on the baby human and give the two fragments of their souls to him and causing him to transform into a Baby Sans and becoming their biological son

and transforming him from a Gem/Human Hybrid to a Gem/Human/Monster Hybrid.

Sans lives in peace with with his new family, and even had a close bond to his new mother, who he loved more than his original Mom Rose/Pink.

but like most Sans and Papyrus’s Mothers, they end up losing her.

at some point Sans will discover that he power of Reset he had lost before,

was given to Chara, but it would then end up being used by Flowey who has both Determination and Asriel’s Essence.

Frisk has both the Prince Asriel’s Soul and Chara’s Essence,

and Flowey ends up not being able to use the Reset.

in one timeline, Sans went through a lot of Geno-Runs, Frisk causing non-stop misery and deaths, and would find that it has become too dangerous.

so he takes himself, his brother and any other survivors (or bubble the souls of the monsters that Frisk has killed, before they vanish.)

and move them all to the Deltarune Timeline.

the Timeline where the New-Steven lives and is still Steven and never became a Sans.

this would mean that there are two Stevens in the same timeline, but only one of them is now a Gem/Human/Monster Hybrid because of being brought back to life/reborn as Mr Wingdings Gaster & Mrs Wingdings [Redacted]

and would end up having a little brother named Papyrus.

Sans might of also brought with him, the Red Soul/Asriel,

and he ends up finding out about the Knight controlling Kris,

and decides to have the Red Soul use Kris as a vessel,

to not only stop the Knight’s control over Kris during the day,

but also to try to make Kris Happy.

 a version of Flowey from that same Timeline that Sans left,

might be Ralsei, which would explain why when he falls in battle, the only thing that is shown is his clothes, while Kris and Susie’s bodies are still visible.

the Asriel in the Deltarune Timeline, is a version of Asriel that didn’t end up having their soul changed, or hop from one Human Body (Chara) to another Human Body (Kris)...

we the Player who is helping the original Asriel (from Undertale)

are co-controlling the Vessel that use to be Chara’s Body, that Original Asriel would rename it and himself as Frisk, which would be a shared name for himself and the Player that wakes him up from his coma.

the Player that wakes him up from the coma, is us.

all the Players who play Undertale, end up waking up Asriel’s Soul

which happens to be in Frisk (Chara’s Body)

after watching the theory video I watched, I believe now that the Red Soul

that we see during a fight with the Monsters we face, might really be the Original Prince Asriel’s Soul but Chara’s Essence had changed it.

I believe in the Deltarune Timeline, all monsters and humans’s souls

all have different colors, and Monsters Souls do persist just like the Humans Souls.

the difference in that timeline, is that most of Half of the Human Race were locked away in the Underground.

the rest of the Humans that weren’t forced Underground by the Monsters,

end up moving to Beach City and other places.

The Monsters and the remaining Humans in Deltarune,

end up cutting themselves from each other.

there are many different theories, and only some will turn out to be true.

but while Frisk in the Fanon, has become their own person with their own Red Soul.....the Canon Frisk, might turn out to be Chara’s Body with Asriel’s Soul.

and when we wake them up from their coma, we share control with not just Asriel but also the Essence of Chara.

but not everyone has to agree about that, but I’m starting to believe that the Red Soul might really be Asriel but with Chara’s Essence attached to it.            

[the-river-person]

Mistral Sans is now Community Shared

To echo the words of @undertaleauoc, Mistral is "open for use" without the need to request permission from the creator (me) though I’d like to be tagged and credited still. Mistral Formerly named: Sans Age: 10 to the power of 100 years (technically a little more than that by now, but the number is so huge that it's no longer relevant.) Gender: Male Appearance: Appears much like Classic Sans, except for the silvery-white crystalline formations growing all over his body. These can get quite large if he hasn’t removed them in a while, and are often quite sharp to anyone with flesh instead of bone. He makes an effort to keep the Kenón from growing up over his head and face, or from completely encasing his body, but it's difficult to keep up with since it grows faster whenever he happens to be in the Void itself. He wears a long brown overcoat, gloves, and long black trousers, mostly in effort to hide the Kenón as much as possible or keep the sharp points from cutting people by accident. He also keeps a red bandana around his neck, something given to him by Papyrus. His eyes never went back to their original state after the Void-Sickness. Instead of dark hollows with a white iris, they seem to be a pale grey, like a well of deep nothingness. Backstory: Mistral’s Universe is based upon the question “What would happen if the Human just never stopped the Resets, but went on forever?” And the resulting Tale that followed was one of mindless repetitions for time out of mind as the Human would Reset in order to prevent the Underground from being destroyed. Eventually the human, who was no longer human, stopped when Sans suggested a different means to preserve their Universe without killing. This Underground has a deep history of worship and lore that surrounds their Angel, and Sans played the role of Judge, a historical job where someone representing the Angel’s Justice would be called upon to make an absolute Judgement upon anyone or anything. The King called upon him to bring his judgement upon the entire Underground for their part in everything. Formerly a scientist under his Uncle Gaster, he helped come up with the “Solution” which the entire Underground was inoculated with to help them remember beyond Resets. He himself was a victim of the Void poisoning like that which affected Gaster’s Followers and was only saved from being wiped to a blank slate by Gaster’s efforts. A fragment of Kenón (Void-stone) and determination was placed in his soul, causing the crystals to spread from it. In later years as the Underground thrived despite the Resets, he pushed himself to get another degree, this time in psychology, and eventually became a practicing therapist/psychologist (as well as the Underground’s willing delivery boy. He liked being able to see and talk to people all the time, and get to know things.) Upon the destruction of his Universe he was thrown into the Void with his Uncle Gaster, where they were rescued by the mysterious River Person. They met with Ink!Sans who explained the Multiverse and gave them the means to travel it. Now they travel from Universe to Universe, or sometimes wander the Void itself, or the Anti-Void. Gaster (now named Majuscule) is searching for his children, and Sans (now named Mistral) is helping while searching for the Ship his brother escaped with and whatever survivors of his people there might still be. Personality: Mistral is old. Though he was in a mindless forgetful repetitive state for much of the Resets, and has few memories of his own childhood beyond what Papyrus reminded him of, he is significantly mentally older than most of the other Monsters from his Universe. The determination in his soul (along with the Kenón) makes him very strong willed and much more powerful than he was before. It also gives him a minor energy boost. His years as a scientist specializing in studies of the Soul and Physics, as well as his later degree in psychology and practice as a therapist, make him a fairly discerning person who is easily approachable and can talk about a number of different subjects with ease. Despite his actions during the Genocide Routes, he is a much more mentally stable person (possibly one of the most stable Sanses out there from what I see) and is very much a pacifist, refusing violence altogether and choosing to let his words and mind guide him out of trouble, or his teleportation to let him escape danger. Because of his refusal to consider physical violence, even in his own defense, his skill in using fighting magic has atrophied. He can no longer summon the blasters at all, and his bone attacks are weaker. His teleportation on the other hand is much stronger and he can do it more often without tiring too much. The other effects of his refusal to fight means that he must proactively avoid confrontation whenever possible. Mistral uses his knowledge of how people think and act to guide his interactions with others, putting even Monsters from the Fell Universes at ease with well timed and thought out humorous comments, as well as just generally being willing to listen and try to see from the point of view of other people. He can tell puns, but they usually sound a bit forced, like he memorized them somewhere and was just waiting for a point to use them. Very rarely he’ll come up with the perfect one on the spot and be absolutely thrilled with himself. More often he uses dry humor, throwaway lines, or Hyperbole.

His willingness to try and defuse the tension caused by aggressive Monsters he’s dealing with can sometimes backfire on him and serves to make the Monster even angrier and more violent. Mistral will then flee, not wanting to fight them, but often marking himself as guilty or suspicious in the process when this happens with an authority figure who has confronted him for his presence.

The Kenón crystal growing all over his body tends to freak people out as well, which is why he hides it as much as he can beneath the overcoat, gloves, and bandana.

Like all skeletons of his Universe, Mistral has a great knowledge of fonts and writing systems, punctuation marks, ciphers, and typography. It is a very important subject to them as it very closely ties with how they see themselves, their identity as a person. This may be rather strange to skeletons from other Universes who do not share this background. A similar problem comes when skeletons from other Universes find out how strongly he and the Monsters of his world believe in the mythical Angel of Mount Ebbot and often pray to them or swear by them (or use “Angel” as a swear).

He’s also very interested in the concept of Identity and how it can change over time or be altered by events in your life, and how names connect to the concept of identity.

Can I use Mistral in my comic/story/animation/etc?: Sure. He’s a wandering type character, so it's likely he’ll show up in countless Universes and places all over while searching for his brother and his missing cousins. Sometimes he’ll be with Gaster and sometimes not.

One thing to note is that his story will have a continuation, so if in your story you detail events that involve him beyond just a brief meeting, chat, or background character… Just be aware that it's probably not going to be canon to the story I’m planning for him (though if we take other Multiverses into account it could be canon elsewhere).

I would like to insist that you tag and credit me on his use (Credit is good. Tagging me makes it so I can come see your wonderful creations).

Can I ship Mistral with this other character/characters?: Yeah, why not?. Canonically he’s aesexual and only very passingly interested in the idea of romantic relationships. But sure, ship him with whoever you like. Just know that it's not canon to this Multiverse.

While I would still like to be tagged in stuff that involves him. I know I can’t stop nsfw art/writing and other things of that nature from happening, much as I might like to. But be warned, If I see it or am tagged with that, or am sent asks of that... I will block you. Fontcest, Incest ships, child ships, or smut in general will all get you blocked instantly.

Canon height and weight: 4-5 feet high (same as Classic Sans). Weight was trickier. He’s a skeleton. A human skeleton is only about 15% of your body weight. So classic is probably somewhere around 16 or so pounds. But Mistral is covered by continually growing crystalline structures of Kenón. Since the crystal is heavy but spread out and somewhat kept under control, it probably only doubles his weight, making him 32 pounds.

Canon strength: Mistral isn’t a fighter. His attacks are weak because his desire to actually fight is nonexistent, even if he has to defend himself or others. But his actual physical strength, as opposed to his magical attacks, sees a significant increase to that of your normal Sans. The Kenón crystals actually increase his defense by making his bones stronger and more crack resistant, and his self healing is well equipped to deal with most breaks, though they’re still quite painful.

He also has increased endurance for longer physical or magical activities so long as combat or confrontation isn’t part of it.

Since he weighs more, he can’t jump as high as a Sans who weighs less (not that it's a huge difference. He’s only 32 pounds. Plus his strength can mostly make up for it by pushing himself off harder when jumping.)

Is it okay if I draw him with another gender, age, height, or sexuality?: Go for it. Have fun. Tag and credit me. But remember that it’s not canon to THIS Multiverse that I’m working in.

Canon Birthday?: September 16th (though he hasn’t celebrated in a LONG time. He probably doesn’t remember his last actual birthday party. Papyrus might though…)

Font?: Used to be Comic Sans. But now it's Mistral (upper and lowercase).

Original AU: Aeontale by

a_river_is_a_liminal_space

(or the-river-person. basically… me)

Can I send Asks for more details if I need or want them?: Yes. My askbox is open. I’ll answer what I can. I’ve put everything I can think of on here, but inevitably there’s always something missed in things like this. So ask away.

[theninjamouse]

Ocean on Fire Phantom of the Opera AU Master List (To be added to as I see fit)

Strap in, this is gonna get long. Big thanks to @thaylepo for indulging me and sending many brilliant ideas. 

This is a basic rundown and ideas that would happen at some point in the story. Obviously some things could change or be added but I’ve just got to get this down before I go nuts

Shore and Grillby were childhood friends.

Shore is the child of a wealthy business man, taught from childhood that the arts are to be treasured and appreciated

However, while she may learn instruments and dance and music, she is to take over the family business, not run away to star in the opera like she wants

Grillby's father (he has parents in this au) was a famous violinist who often was called by Shore's father to perform for parties. He wound up teaching Shore fundamentals of music

Little Grillby was a shy flame. Always trailed along behind his father, clutching his tailcoats

Shore saw the tiny elemental and decided instantly: I'm going to be his BEST FRIEND

Queue stuttering, hesitant Grillby being dragged around the manor, getting into all sorts of trouble and adventures. He's a lot more hardy than Shore is, so he rather often found himself acting as a sort of guard dog. He was utterly distraught when Shore fell and broke her arm. Shore teased him about crying because she couldn’t stand to see him so upset

They also learn music together from Grillby's father. First time Shore hears Grillby sing, she grabs his face and screams with delight until the poor little guy is fully bright blue with blushing

Then Grillby's father dies. A family friend takes Grillby away to one of the opera houses to work. Grillby and Shore are 13 and 10 at this point and have spent the last 6 years together. Shore makes Grillby promise to keep singing, to keep the spark of his father alive through music. He promises

They both wait until they are out of sight of the other to cry

Grillby cries every night for the first 3 months in the opera house. As a monster, he is bullied by many of the other students. He mourns his father's passing and he misses Shore to a near unbearable level. The only comfort he has is when he sings quietly to himself in those few moments when he is alone doing his chores

Then he hears a voice, a soft and gentle voice that asks him why such a bright flame weeps. He runs away in fear and hides in his bed

But the voice asks him again and again. 'Why does such a bright flame weep?' Slowly, over the course of a year, Grillby tells the voice his story

The voice says he is the Phantom of the opera house. Grillby thinks he sounds rather young to be a Phantom

The Phantom replies that Grillby is rather young to have such a lovely voice. He offers to teach Grillby. The fire monster agrees upon hearing the Phantom's beautiful and haunting voice

After all, he did promise

15 years pass. Shore has taken over her family business and is finally able to offer herself as a patron to an opera house that has shown remarkable growth over the years, becoming well known in the arts circles

Partially thanks to the star of the show, a humanoid robot named Mettaton. Most of the monsters we know work the show behind the scenes, so having a monster in the lead is a new leap in gaining treatment that is more fair for monster kind as performers

But Mettaton is also a diva. The day Shore arrives with new managers, he throws his tantrum and quits after a rather suspicious accident.

Shore only has eyes for the fire elemental standing frozen with the rest of the crew. She suggests letting him take the lead role. Promising that she knows he can sing.

Grillby is so quiet most assumed he couldn't even talk so naturally protests break out and Shore maybe uses her power as a patron to insist. 'He promised me,' is all she says, looking right at him

So he sings and everyone is stunned at the strength and grace of his voice. The managers instantly whisk him away to prepare for the show

After the show, Shore goes to his new dressing room and they fall into each other's arms. They speak of times past, of the loneliness of being apart. But when Shore says that she wants to take him out to celebrate, he hesitates. The Phantom will not be happy if he leaves, he knows this

But he agrees and she leaves to let him change

Enter in The Phantom. Showing himself for the first time, a figure in black wearing a simple white mask over his face. White hands punched through the palms. Grillby is enchanted, dazed and follows The Phantom into the tunnels under the opera house

*Music of the Night noises*

Grillby has a bit of a Crisis because he genuinely cares about Phantom and they became very close friends as much as teacher and student but this is kind of odd?? A little frightening?

Phantom sees this, backpedals real hard but hides it and sends Grillby back upstairs before falling into bed and screaming into his pillow

When Shore finds Grillby vaguely wandering back into the theater, she goes, uh??? What happened?? Were you kidnapped? I kind of stayed up all night looking for you??

Grillby, still a little in shock because what the heck just happened "Kind of?"

Now that won't STAND

Shore starts digging to find out everything she can about this opera ghost, keeping a close eye on Grillby. There is no gaslighting here folks like in versions of the story that to this day drive me crazy

As Shore digs, accidents start happening. Loose floorboards, unlatched equipment, a falling sandbag or two. Shore catches on pretty quickly what’s happening when she catches just a flash of shadow more than once right before or after these little ‘incidents’ 

Finally plants herself down in the middle of the stage and calls for the Phantom to show his face. It takes a while then she sees a shadow just barely move. He’s up in the rafters, crouched like some kind of bat

“What is your freaking deal?” 

“Why are you trying to take what’s mine?” 

“Yours? He belongs to himself you dingbat”

That makes him laugh for reasons Shore doesn’t get

Conversation happens, a lot of dodging questions, shifting blame. Phantom is oddly charming. For being an attempted murdering/kidnapping jerk

“Are you the one who keeps trying to kill me? The sandbag dropped on my head, the broken trapdoor, the spiders in my hat??”

“Oh my God, I’m not responsible for every little thing that goes wrong in this place. It’s an old building, accidents do happen. 

“The sandbag was me though.”

Grillby materializes just to smack him in the head for that

And so it goes, Grillby and Shore trying to reconnect, Grillby trying to maintain a level of friendship (and maybe more?) with Phantom and Phantom attempting various levels of accidents to get Shore to leave the theater

Until one day he finds Shore on the stage. She’s singing to an empty theater. She’s not...good exactly but...rather unpracticed. He’s startled enough that he stops his evil giggling and untwisting of the hidden trapdoor in the stage to listen. 

He comes up silently, creeping on the edges just out of sight. When he speaks, Shore shrieks and nearly falls off the stage anyway. Her blushing does a weird thing to his Soul. Like a sort of flip flopping squeeze. 

“Well, if you’re going to think yourself worthy of my Flame, you’d better have a voice to match. Let me hear you sing again.”  

Many ‘threat’ filled lessons later-

“Hmm. Maybe there’s hope for you after all” 

“Maybe there’s more to you than a creepy stalker personality.” 

Past the Point of No Return scene happens at some point. I don’t make the rules

Also Phantom and Shore have a sword fight that maybe starts out as anger fueled but rather quickly changes to a pent up Feelings kind of deal

Grillby’s concern is quick to fade and he watches the two idiots dance around each other, wondering why exactly they don’t see how much they actually do like each other. 

It’s also at this moment he realizes fully that he loves them both

“Well shoot, I love these two morons and they love each other but won’t admit it. This is going to be very ‘fun’ to sort out”

Eventually, Shore asks for Phantom’s name. 

“My name...died with the person I was long ago.” 

“Maybe it’s time you reclaim it.” 

His name is Wing Dings Gaster and for countless years he was held by the Void. He doesn’t fully remember how he escaped, nor what he looked like before. All he knows is that his face is broken with terrible cracks and skeletal in only the vaguest sense with a body that ebbs and flows with darkness. When he first stumbled back into the light after the darkness of the Void, people screamed and ran from him. Or worse, they chased him, calling him an omen of death. So he retreated down below the theater and resigned himself to always be a watcher and made a mask to cover his face. 

He was alone for years until he heard young Grillby crying in a corner and sat as close as he dared. It took a while for him to gain the courage to speak to the elemental

Given the fluid nature of his body, it’s easy for him to change his voice to sing. It’s the only part of himself that he can see as holding any worth. 

Grillby was his only source of socialization and he’s terrified of losing him, which makes Phantom a tad bit clingy with some pretty severe separation anxiety 

Phantom is a sad, sad boy who needs a lot of hugs and therapy

Shore is kind to him despite it all (and despite the irritation at the ‘death threats’) 

Phantom finally admits that she was never in any actual danger because he might be a messed up guy but he’s not a murderer. He might have even nudged her out of the way with blue magic a few times to make sure she wasn’t hurt.

Eventually Phantom realizes he no longer wants her to leave. He wants to stand with her and Grillby. He wants to be a better monster but he doesn’t know how to do that so kind of retreats into his lair 

Grillby and Shore have to track him down. And queue the heart to heart, the great Crying Session, the Unmasking or whatever you wanna call it

And they all live an OT3 happy ending, the end

[keelywolfe]

FIC: Beneath an Aurora Sky ch. 21

Summary: The South Pole Station is equipped for research and Edge has always made sure things run smoothly for the inhabitants. His charges are meant to follow his rules and regulations, and in turn, he makes sure they survive in the arctic temperatures. It takes plenty of hard work and determination and Edge, along with his crew, can handle both.

He wasn’t counting on one of the newest researchers. He wasn’t expecting Rus.

Tags: Spicyhoney, First Time, Arctic AU, Hurt/Comfort

~~*~~

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four

Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten | Chapter Eleven | Chapter Twelve

Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17

Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20

~~*~~

Read Chapter 21 on AO3

or

Read it here!

~~*~~

Before Edge and Rus even got to the entrance of the main building, he could hear Rus shivering, bones rattling even through his heavy clothes from being too long outside. Edge quickened his stride, boots crunching on the hardpacked snow as he pulled Rus along behind him into the outer vestibule, out of the cold. His teeth were chattering so loudly he couldn’t speak, but Edge didn’t wait for him to force any words past the clatter. He stripped off his own gloves, tossing them carelessly aside to start on Rus’s gear. The zipper stuck halfway down on his heavy coat, nearly frozen closed and Edge yanked it loose.

Clumsy, gloved hands tried to interfere with his own in feeble protest, Rus chattering out, “h-here, i c-c-an help.”

“Hold still,” Edge commanded, impatiently batting them aside. “Getting you warm is more important than your dignity right now.” He was already biting back foul curses that Rus might mistake as meant for him but were entirely for himself. He should have forced Rus inside earlier instead of allowing his turmoil over what was happening to override his sense. None of this would matter if they failed at basic safety protocols.

Rus’s hands fell away reluctantly. He let Edge strip off his outer gear, obediently standing on one foot and then the other so that Edge could pull off his boots. Edge stripped off the socks, ignoring Rus’s startled complaint as he thoroughly checked his toes. They were icy against his warmer hands, but they showed no sign of frostbite, the bones their normal ivory without any darkened patches or worse. He switched to his hands, pulling off Rus’s gloves to check his fingers as well. Again, his bones were chilled but there was no real damage.

Their outer clothing was carelessly strewn around them and the melting snow from their boots left spreading puddles on the rugs that would earn anyone else a stern reprimand. Edge ignored it all, yanking open the bright orange lid of one of the emergency bins that were stationed on both sides of the door. Tucked in with the first aid equipment and flares were several heavy wool blankets. Edge shook one out and wrapped it around Rus’s shoulders, enveloping him in the scratchy folds as he rubbed his arms and back briskly. Slowly, the teeth chattering eased down to the occasional shudder, Rus burrowing into the blanket until only the top of his head showed, his eye lights bright as he peered out through the gap.

“thanks, b-boss,” Rus said ruefully. He held up a hand, watching his own fingers as he waggled them stiffly. “if i wreck anything on the bod, i won’t get my deposit back.”

“Hush, fool,” Edge said. At first, he was only exasperated with his inability to keep back a smile, Rus did not need any encouragement to take reckless risks. He sobered quickly, reminded of what Rus’s brother said about him being made. Nothing more than a key for a very specific lock. With some effort, Edge schooled his expression into something sterner. “Kitchen, now,” he ordered, and Rus nodded sheepishly, letting Edge help him to his feet. As much as he would have preferred to scoop Rus up and carry him, there were the other researchers to consider. Some propriety was to be expected, encouraged, he couldn’t simply…the moment Rus stumbled, Edge abandoned the pretense and swept him up in his arms, walking swiftly towards the galley. He couldn’t regret it as Rus laid his skull against Edge’s chest with a quiet sigh, automatically tightening his hold. Abruptly, he didn’t care what anyone else thought of it. However this might play out, his time of being able to hold Rus in his arms was soon ending. He was going to take every opportunity he could.

Edge pushed his way through the dining room door and headed directly into the kitchen where Bonnie was stirring a pot at the stove with the makings for tonight’s dinner neatly laid out on the countertop next to her. There was door indicator light in one corner that flashed as they came in and Bonnie turned to look at them, her expression of mild irritation shifting to concern as she saw Rus. She began signing immediately, a fluttering swathe of concern and questions as she bustled over to where Edge was settling Rus into a nearby chair.

“No, he’s fine,” Edge replied, signing swiftly before Rus managed to form a single word with his trembling hands. “He only needs a hot drink and a chance to warm up.”

She nodded and quickly poured a cup of hot water from the kettle on the back of the stove, adding a tea bag. Bonnie kept signing as she worked, a furious flurry of scolding and worry in between slamming a heavy pot on an empty burner. Edge only let her rant, holding Rus’s hands between his own to help warm them. She took a container from the refrigerator that Edge knew contained her special broth, her own recipe for wayward scientists who needed warming.

When Rus tried to clumsily reply, he quickly found himself with a steaming mug shoved pointedly into his hands. She gestured at it sternly and he gave her a meek nod, sipping at the tea with a grimace. “guess i don’t deserve any honey today, huh.”

Edge let him take another presumably bitter sip, his pretty face twisting into a grimace, before retrieving the honey jar himself. He held it out of reach as Rus reached for it eagerly, instead spooning a healthy dollop into his cup.

Behind him, Bonnie huffed, and he glanced over to see her signing, smugly, Spoiled.

He turned to face her, his back to Rus as he signed discreetly, He deserves a little spoiling. After the confrontation earlier with Toriel and Gaster, they all did and he would have to make sure that Undyne and Red got their share later.

“please, go ahead and trash talk about me,” Rus said behind him, “i’ll just sit here and pretend i don’t notice. alone. rejected.”

He didn’t sign and a mouth without lips did not lend itself to lipreading, but Bonnie’s expression still softened as her good eye flicked to him. He looked smaller bundled up in his oversized blanket and the aura of pathos around him would have been obvious were they blind and deaf.

Bonnie made a rough, fussing sort of sound and turned back to the stove where the rich scent of broth was starting to rise. She had plenty of experience tending to foolish researchers that spent too much time outside while wrapped up in their work and knew well how to handle them. He could certainly trust Rus in her care and Edge ignored the clamoring urge in his soul to not let Rus out of his sight again. He pressed a light kiss to the top of his skull, felt Rus go still beneath the touch.

“Stay here,” Edge said softly, “and get warmed up. I’ll be right back.”

Rus was already trying to stand, his blanket sagging from his shoulders. “but—”

“No buts. Stay here,” Edge stressed. “You need to get your core temperature up, that’s an order.” He tucked the blanket back around Rus. It was true, but it was also a handy excuse. It might be best that he spoke to Alphys alone first to voice his suspicions. The last thing they needed was for him to pull another disappearing act, especially without any outdoor gear on. He brushed his fingertips against Rus’s cheekbone, relieved to note he already seemed much warmer, and said, “I won’t be gone long.”

Rus reluctantly nodded and Edge left him to Bonnie’s somewhat tender mercies and headed for the lab.

It was no surprise to find Alphys waiting for him. For once, her ever present headphones were off and there was no perky anime episode playing on a nearby screen, an anomaly in a monitor bank that was only showing the local cameras. She was sitting in her office chair, her clawed hands clasped loosely in her lap and she looked up when Edge walked in, her eyes anxious behind her glasses. She opened her mouth and Edge shook his head, mouthing, “Not here.”

He jerked his head towards the door and she nodded, following as he led the way back out. Then it was a question of where to go. His own rooms were compromised, Rus had been in them several times, and he couldn’t trust any of the common areas. He settled for a little used storage room, unlocking it to herd Alphys inside where the two of them were surrounded by towering shelves of neatly labeled boxes.

Alphys shivered, wrapping her arms around her torso. She preferred a higher temperature than most of the station was kept at and storage rooms were not well heated.

“I h-heard everything in the rec room,” she said without preamble. “Everything th-the queen and Rus’s brother said.”

“Good,” Edge said approvingly, “so we don’t need to dance around the terms of Toriel’s promise.” Adding in a little soul damage from breaking a magic binding was not the icing he wanted slathered on this particular cake. Useful as well, that at least one of them weren’t bound by its terms. “So you know that he was looking for information on the Core.”

She nodded, “I-it is possible that he found the plans in the old royal scientists notes. I m-made my own when Asgore p-promoted me, b-but the old notes were still in the Hotland lab.” She hung her head, “I d-didn’t think to t-take them with me when we l-l-left.”

“Understandable,” Edge said gently. “Why would you if they weren’t needed? But they’ve been in our world for two years and he conveniently found what he was looking for only a few weeks after Rus came here. That’s one hell of a coincidence, don’t you think?”

She nodded unhappily. Tears were standing out in her eyes as she struggled to ask, “Rus w-was in the lab with me a b-bunch of times. D-do you think th-that, d-do you th-think, y-you, th-that he--?”

A fine mist of spittle sprayed as she labored with words that refused to come, and while Edge would normally never interrupt her, he couldn’t bear to force her to keep trying.

“I don’t, or at least I don’t think he was aware if it was him.” Edge lowered his voice, “If we have a security leak, we need to find it. The Core information isn’t the only thing I’m concerned about.” Alphys’s experiments were meant for bettering their own home and perhaps eventually the world, but if it came to that, it was her right to the achievement and no other.

“My p-private research folders are locked down, b-but, there’s a few things on the main servers.” A determined glint shown in her watery eyes, “I’m on i-it.”

“Good. If you can find Red, get him to help.” Alphys was an excellent engineer, but Red was the real hacker on their team. If they’d somehow been infiltrated, he’d find it and if she didn’t find him, then Edge would. His brother had secrets of his own and Edge’s willingness to allow it was coming to an end.

He’d always known Red worked briefly with the royal scientist before Alphys and that there had been a falling out of some sort about it, enough that Red abandoned his PhD to work as a lowly sentry rather than return to the labs. It wasn’t until they’d come to surface that Red dusted off his original career path and even now, he tended to avoid Alphys’s lab, preferring to meet with her anywhere else.

That much Edge knew. What he didn’t know was how Red was so familiar with the portal machine Gaster mentioned or how he knew they needed Rus to use it. From his brother’s sickly reaction to the mere mention of it, it would not be a pleasant conversation. But it was a necessary one, they needed answers and he’d rather have them from Red than risk making more promises to Toriel.

Alphys set out back to the lab at a hasty waddle and Edge turned towards the kitchen, intending to check on Rus again. Before he could take a single step, the sound that carried through the hallways froze him in his tracks. A high-pitched scream, broken and garbled but the terror was undeniable. He didn’t think, running towards the kitchen and pushing roughly past anyone who came out, ignoring their confused, fearful questions of ‘what was that?’

He pushed open the dining room door with enough force to make it bang against the opposite wall, slowing at the kitchen door as he looked through the narrow window at the scene inside.

Gaster was standing in the doorway nearly blocking Edge’s view, but he could see Bonnie over his shoulder, the mad, reddened tint to her glare as she brandished a chef’s knife in his direction. Held behind her was Rus, backed into a corner and he could see the panic on his face, his mouth moving with words that Bonnie couldn’t hear.

Gaster’s hands moved, signing, and whatever he said was very much the wrong thing. Bonnie let out another unearthly cry and shook her head, her scarred ears tousling around her shoulders, and the shrill pain and fear in that shriek needing no explanation. Something was horribly wrong and there was no time to guess at what, this situation needed defused before someone ended up a pile of dust.

Cautiously, Edge pushed open the door and stepped inside, keeping both hands raised and clearly visible. The knife point flashed in his direction and Bonnie’s wild glare gave no indication that she recognized him.

“Easy,” Edge soothed. He stepped in front of Gaster, careful to keep out of range of that knife as he signed slowly and precisely. “Bonnie, it’s me, Edge. Easy, now, you know I would never hurt you or Rus, don’t you? You know me.”

Some glimmer of sanity seeped back into her unscarred eye. She blinked slowly, the tip of the knife wavering as she lowered it.

Only to jerk back up as Gaster blustered out indignantly, “As if I’d hurt my own brother! This is ridiculous!”

“Shut up,” Edge said, never changing his gentle, easy tone. “Unless you’d like to add some extra holes to the ones you already have.”

He heard the sharp click of teeth closing together behind him and tried again, his gaze never leaving the gleaming metal of the knife as he stepped closer. Rus kept perfectly still behind her, letting Edge talk her down. “Bonnie. Come on, put the knife down. You’re safe here, he’s safe. Didn’t I promise you that when we came here? That I would protect us all, that this would be a safe place for us. Haven’t I always kept my promises?”

She nodded slowly. Tears were running from her good eye, the scarred one only staring out, milky white and sightless. The knife began lowering again and Edge reached for it slowly, telegraphing every move. Only for two of Gaster’s hand constructs that were hanging in the air to swiftly move, reaching for Rus where he was still crammed into the corner behind Bonnie.

Rus cried out, too late, “no, dings, don’t!”

With a raw, ragged cry, Bonnie lashed out, slashing through one of the hands. It dissipated with a puff of purple magic even as Gaster yelped aloud, staggering back against the door as Bonnie tried to lunge past Edge.

He caught hold of her around the waist with one arm, yanking her off balance. The two of them toppled to the floor, Bonnie shrieking and ungainly, and Edge prayed silently that his evenings sparring with Undyne helped keep his skills honed enough for this. He stopped thinking then, on autopilot as years of training took control. He twisted enough to bring his knee down sharply on her wrist, forcing Bonnie to release the knife. She shrieked and tried to hold on, but he was relentless, the bones under his knee close to snapping as it finally fell from her fingers. It clattering to the tile and Edge batted it away, sending it spinning underneath one of the countertops as he caught hold of her wrists, yanking both her hands up between her shoulder blades and pinning her to the floor. Even that didn’t stop her, she heaved and fought under him, teeth gnashing and nearly throwing him off as she struggled to crawl at Gaster, who’d backed into a corner to watch foolishly with wide, fearful sockets instead of taking the chance to escape out the door.

Then Rus darted in between them, falling to his knees in front of Bonnie as he signed frantically. “stop! please!” Rus pleaded. Tears were streaming from his sockets, pale orange stains against white bone. “he’s my brother, it’s all right!”

Bonnie’s struggles slowed, but instead of being reassured, her expression dissolved into horror, staring at Rus with a gaze that was half-wounded, half-scarred emptiness. She began to fight again, this time not to get to Gaster, but a frantic struggle to get away. Edge let her go before she could hurt herself and she scrambled to her feet, casting a last terrified look at Rus and Gaster before fleeing into the pantry, the door slamming behind her.

Rus sagged down and covered his face with shaking hands, tears leaking out from beneath. Gaster came out from his corner and knelt by his brother, sliding an arm around his slim, shaking shoulders as he quietly sobbed. Edge resisted the urge to push him away and take his place.

“What in blazes was that all about?” Gaster huffed. Over his shoulder, two disembodied hands signed furiously, “I came in for a simple cup of coffee and she attacked me! Do you regularly employ psychotics?”

Rus’s head jerked up and wiping at his tear-stained face impatiently as he pulled away from his brother with a scowl. “fucking hell, dings, it’s not like that!”

“Watch your language!”

Edge nearly offered an entire barrage of language for this bastard to deal with. Before he could, a voice spoke up from the doorway.

“matter of fact, we do.” They all turned in unison to the door to see Red standing there, hands tucked into his pockets, his sunglasses on and his knit cap carefully in place. His grin was humorless and cold, sharpened teeth gleaming in the glare of the overhead lights. “want another demonstration?”

Gaster returned his furious glare with one of his own, chin stiffly lifted, “Why, I never!”

Red’s grin only widened. “glad i could pop your cherry, then.”

“That’s enough!” Edge snapped.

“yeah, it is. ‘scuse me.” Red strolled past them all where they were still on the floor, sidestepping around them as casual as a day in the park. Him treading on Gaster’s hand was definitely deliberate and Edge didn’t mind it at all. Red buttonhooked into the pantry, yanking the door shut behind him, and that left the three of them sitting together on the kitchen floor.

The sudden hiss of a pot boiling over broke the painful silence. Edge stood, nearly staggering over to the stove to turn off the burner and drop a lid on the pot. Perhaps Bonnie would be able to salvage whatever it was. Once she salvaged herself, that was.

He turned back to Rus and Gaster, their matching pale faces, and was torn. He needed to check on Red and Bonnie, but leaving Rus alone with Gaster felt wrong, brother or not.

One corner of Rus’s mouth quirked up, a resigned smile and he jerked his head towards the pantry door. “go on, i’ll stay right here.”

Gaster said nothing, only grunted as Rus jammed an elbow into his side before signing reluctantly, “I’ll go back to my assigned room. With my coffee, thank you very much.”

Good enough. Edge nodded curtly and went to the pantry door, hearing Rus sighing behind him, “bro, you have the world’s shittiest timing—"

The pantry was darker than the kitchen, only a single bare bulb lighting the room. The walls were lined with shelves of canned goods, jarred sauces and homemade jellies, industrial-sized bags of flour, pasta, and beans. In the furthest corner, Bonnie lay curled up on the floor, her sides heaving as she shuddered. Next to her, Red was sitting cross-legged, signing to her as he spoke, each gesture slow and soothing.

“it ain’t the same guy, buns.” Red told her. “i’m tellin’ ya, it ain’t.”

She shifted enough to stab an accusing finger at Red. The fur on her face was matted and wet.

“nah, i ain’t bullshitting you,” Red said, “i’m telling it straight, it ain’t him. i get it, gave me a helluva jolt too when i laid eyes on ‘im, but he ain’t old enough, not even close. that guy ain’t more’n a few years older than the fashion victim, it can’t be him.” He reached out and settled a sharp-fingered hand on her shoulder, giving her a little shake before drawing back to sign again. “he’s dead, buns, dead and dust, long gone for years now. yeah?” He waited, endlessly patient, until she slowly nodded. “he can’t hurt us anymore, get me? can’t hurt anyone at all.”

Edge watched in disbelieving silence as Bonnie unfurled from the corner and crawled over to Red, nearly collapsing against him with a sob. She buried her face into his shoulder, smearing his jacket with all the fluids that came with her agonized weeping and Red only held her. He glanced at Edge, utterly unconcerned as though this were a weekly event and not the first moment he’d ever seen Bonnie and Red set aside their endless antagonisms of each other in an embrace.

“What the hell was that all about?” Edge asked in a furious whisper.

“not now, little brother,” Red said absently. He ran a hand down Bonnie’s head, smoothing the ruffled fur on her ears down.

Not good enough, not by far, not when his chef abandoning her duties for attempted murder. “I want an explanation.”

“and you’ll get one,” Red said, testiness creeping into his voice. “we’ll get to it, but there’s more important shit goin’ on right now. for starters, go get that gap-faced fucker out of the kitchen and keep him out until it’s time for him to get back on the chopper. he can eat in his room and if he don’t like it, he can fucking starve. she don’t need to be seeing his ugly mug again.”

On that they could agree. Edge nodded curtly and spun on his heel, ready to escort their guest back to his borrowed quarters and this time, he’d ensure he stayed there.

Gaster is dead, Red told him once. A different Gaster, one from this world. Gaster is dead, long live Gaster, Edge thought sourly as he headed out to deal with this version of a person he’d never met.

tbc

[graigoo]

Jivin’ Bones (Chapter Two)

Summary: The above world isn’t what Sans thought it would be, not that he had ever given it much thought. With all his old friends busy living their own lives, even Papyrus away from home more often than not— Sans is left to entertain himself. Bored, he turns back to the Underground. To the broken machine hidden in the back of his workshop. In the process of fixing it, the machine malfunctions and sends Sans into an alternate world.

Thrust into a harsher reality, Sans must survive long enough to find a way back home… while being pursued by a version of himself that’s all too interested to know who the new skeleton in town is.

Inspired/Influenced by Sooner or Later You’re Gonna be Mine

Pairing: Bara!Mobfell Sans/Sans

Warnings: Mature, Graphic Violence, Sexual Content

                                                Chapter Two

Pop.

Sans blinked once, twice, looking from the empty bar stool to his own held out hand.

Had that little… no, not possible. It was a well-known fact that Sans was the only monster in all of the world who could teleport. It was a powerful ability that required a lot of magic, more than some puny, calcium deficient looking skeleton could pull off.

The ability couldn’t be called rare, because that implied there were others who had it. Teleportation was a one-of-a-kind type of power that had monsters jumping at their own shadows and turning to look down every dark alley they passed. Just out of fear that the most mobile of the Gaster brothers would be there. The terror he had painstakingly crafted for years around the use of such an ability was a point of pride for Sans.

But if not teleportation, what other explanation could there be for the loud, familiar pop sound followed by the sudden disappearance of the runt? Unless the runt had turned to dust right in front of him out of sheer terror after learning just who he’d been insulting, but as there was no dust on the bar stool; Sans couldn’t think of another explanation.

And sans any other explanation, he would have to accept the most obvious one available to him, for the time being. Could be teleportation was a skeletal ability. There wasn’t a large enough population of them to really know. Only three- now four.

But if the runt had teleported, that would mean….

Why, of all the disrespectful, insolent, downright rude—That little daisy had run out on him!

Sans’ open hand clenched into a fist, the bones pressed together tightly as he shook with barely contained fury.

“That little…” Glaring at where the stranger had been sitting, Sans slammed his fist onto the counter, cracking it. “Grilby, get your flamin’ ass out here!” He shouted, anger burning hot in his chest.

Just wait until he catches that grifter, Sans will show him what comes of taking one of the Gaster brothers for a sucker. He’ll bend those slender fingers back until he hears them snap, and he won’t stop until that daisy apologizes proper for his rude behavior. He’ll—

“You called?” Grilby said loftily, interrupting Sans’ angry internal tirade and acting like a man who’s done no wrong. The flame monster looked around the bar, from the bar stool, to Sans, to the door. A slight smile spreading across the man’s face as he noticed the lack of miniature skeleton in the room.

“Who the fuck else?” Sans snapped. His language always deteriorated with his mood, and right now he was in a real fucking bad one. Called before the sun could even rise about some strange skeleton, only to show up and have the stranger act all uppity and disappear like he had that right. And now this trash was smiling at Sans like he was the one who messed up.

If only Grilby could read a fucking room.

“You lost him,” the flame monster announced, eyes slight in that taunting way.

Sans responded by reaching across the counter, grabbing Grilby by the front of his cheap jacket, and pulling him half way over it to glare directly into the flame monster’s face. He’s not about to be disrespected twice in one night. Especially not by some do-nothing bar keep.

“Might lose somethin’ else if you don’t watch your fuckin’ tone.” Sans threatened

“You can’t kill me, big brother’s orders.” The flame monster smirked at him. But Grilby wasn’t as effective at coming off unthreatened as the little skeleton had, Sans noted. He could see the purple flames losing their brightness, he could see the shadow of fear darkening those lilac eyes. Grilby shook slightly in Sans’ grip, his breathing was shallow and uneven from poorly concealed panic.

Not that he blamed the flame monster. In all honesty, they both knew Sans had killed for less than a little back talk. Just like they both knew, Gaster’s orders be damned, he’d kill Grilby if he pushed the familiar attitude too far. Sans didn’t tolerate flipmouths well on the best of days, and today was not turning out to be a good fucking day.

It was reassuring though, to see that after the disappearing stint that runt had pulled, he hadn’t actually lost his terrifying touch. That little daisy’s nonchalance had simply been a fluke. The knowledge did wonders for Sans’ temper.

His grip on the other’s jacket loosened, but he didn’t let go. His expression shifted from murderous to calculating. Both threatening in their own, unique ways. Grilby might have gotten the point; that he couldn’t talk to Sans like they were anything close to equals. But Sans still needed to hammer that nail in deeper. Maybe splinter the wood in the process, it all depended on how well Grilby understood the deal that was about to be made.

And if it came across as Sans taking his anger at the little daisy out on Grilby, then he had that right too.

He lowered the other monster just enough that his feet touched the ground. Enough that Sans once again towered over him, eyes glowing bright as he regarded the smaller monster with a calm he didn’t feel. The thinnest wisp of red magic beginning to leak out of his left eye-socket.

Grilby gulped and Sans smiled at the sound.  

“How’d you like to lose another bar?” He asked casually, like he hadn’t been a hair’s breath away from ending the flame monster’s life. Sans could let Grilby go now, but even the bravest of monsters lost their bravado when Sans was so close. And no one had ever called Grilby brave. The other’s flame belying just how slimy he really was.

“You… you wouldn’t!” Grilby shouted like a man afraid to raise his voice. “Where else would I go? Wh- where else would you get your mustard?”

Oh, bad move. Trying for sympathy, trying to make it out that Sans needed him in any way. Like he wasn’t some disposable piece of trash that was only spared the compactor because Gaster had taken some small ounce of pity on him. When would he learn things weren’t the same as they were ten years ago? Sans had moved up and on from the days where Grilby could be considered anywhere within the realm of his equal.

“Not my problem,” Sans said. “My problem is your attitude, talkin’ to me anyway you want.”

“No- no I… I didn’t mean—” Grilby began, only for Sans to cut him off with a shake of his head.

“Was losin’ one bar not enough? Gettin’ kicked outta Fell?” They were rhetorical questions, but Grilby still not getting the point, answered anyway.

“It was one mistake!” Grilby began heatedly, like he was about to start up that long dead argument. Like he didn’t already know Sans hated repeating himself.

“Don’t,” Sans warned. “You got off better than ya deserved.” Considering Grilby was still alive, Sans wasn’t wrong. Not that he ever was anyway, at least where trash like Grilby was concerned.

Sans was already thinking about how easy it would be. The bar was old, fire resistant by the same magic that allowed the flame monster to wear clothes. Course a fire would have been a dull way to do it. Fire’s take everything out quick and clean. Good for taking out competition or doing in the businesses that refused to pay their bills, but not when the intention was for the recipient to really suffer. Fires were just so impersonal, a bat or crowbar, however…

Yeah, yeah… even if their conversation went exactly the way Sans wanted, he might send some of his boys back in Fell City down to Snowdin anyway. Have them smash the place up real good. Might actually do Grilby some good. Remind him just low down in the pecking order he was. That the shitty old bar he clung to was a fucking privilege given to him by the Gaster brothers. And they could take it way just as easily as they had his bar back in Fell City.

Grilby has been skating on thin ice for the past three months, and he’s burning through it fast.

“Ya see, my bro only said I couldn’t kill ya, he didn’t say nothin’ about your bar…” Sans trailed off, the amusement he derived from tormenting Grilby slowly starting to creep into his voice. “… Unless ya were to apologize for disrespectin’ me and lettin’ that little daisy go.”

And there it was. If his brothers were to find out about his first meeting with the new skeleton, it wouldn’t be Sans taking the fall for him escaping. Wasn’t really his fault, anyway. Grilby should have known to drug the bastard’s drink.  

“Bu… but I…” Grilby’s gaze darted around the bar, taking in all he had left in the world. A dirty bar with no patrons. It was more than most had these days.

Grilby looked down at where Sans had his jacket gripped, voice soft as he finally said, “I’m sorry.”

Sans grunted.

“… Sir,” Grilby added dispiritedly.

Sans grinned and released his hold on Grilby’s jacket. “That wasn’t so hard, now was it?” He mocked, condescension dripping off every word, chuckling when the flame monster stumbled back from the abrupt release, hitting and rattling the alcohol bottles on his back shelf.

“I was startin’ to think that runt’s bad manners had rubbed off on ya,” Sans continued conversationally.

Grilby didn’t say anything as he straightened his jacket and dusted off his shoulders. Instead the flame monster watched Sans through trepid eyes. Finally, not answering Sans’ rhetorical remarks.

Reaching behind his vest and into his left breast pocket for a cigar, Sans nodded approvingly. Lesson learned; it was back to business. The mark of a professional was being able to turn down the heat after a successful negotiation. Threats would become meaningless if after the desired results were achieved, he went and carried out the threat anyway.  

“Did you know he could teleport?” Sans asked.

“He can teleport?” Grilby simply parroted back, voice still full of that wonderful tamed quality. “That would explain why I didn’t notice him coming into town…”

“So, you didn’t see nothin’ until he walked into this shit hole like it was open for business?” Sans asked, eyes carefully observing the other monster for any signs of deception… or disrespect.

“It is open for business—” Grilby started defensively.

Sans snorted, “course it is, course it is.”

“I… I mean, yes, I didn’t see anything until he was already at the counter,” Grilby said, sounding just the right level of submissive.

Sans reached around to his back pocket to grab a lighter. “And what did the guy want? Couldn’t be your company.”

Grilby sniffed, affronted by Sans’ intentional jab, but too shaken from earlier confrontation to quip back. Good, looked like Sans had hammered that nail in deep. He couldn’t have the guy thinking they were pals just because he made Sans’ favorite drink. Just because, back before Sans’ name meant something, he and Grilby might have been…

Frowning at finding no lighter, Sans checked his other back pocket. Nothing there either. Seemed that in his haste, he had forgotten his lighter back home. Not that the rush could be blamed, after all a skeleton monster was a rare thing.

Though rare as they were, he still hadn’t expected to walk in and see that choice piece of calico seated at the bar looking like he’d just been waiting for Sans to show up and liven up his morning. The strange skeleton had been about as small as a monster could be, looked real fragile too. Not like the usual straggler types Sans came across. The runt had looked so queer in those ugly shorts and slippers that Sans hadn’t known what to make of him. Still, the puns shouldn’t have caught him off guard the way they did. Though, more off putting had been his own reaction to them.

Looking back on it, Sans should have just yanked the little fucker to him and teleported them both back to his place.

“… He did ask for ketchup, if that’s of any interest to you,” Grilby said as he began to shakily put the bottles that had been knocked around back into place.

“Ketchup?” Sans raised an eye-socket, looking down at the half-empty bottle on the counter. It was on its side, having fallen over either when he hit the counter or pulled Grilby over it. He chuckled and reached for it. Such a fruity drink.

“He really is a fruit cake,” Sans said while inspecting the bottle, giving it a little shake.

The bottle should still have some of the runt’s scent on it, meaning he could pass it over to some of Fell’s finest bent cops for inspection. Half of them being dogs, it would be the easiest way of tracking him, not that Sans wouldn’t put some of his own leg work in. Even with Grilby set up to take the fall, if either of his brothers discovered the runt first, there was a chance he'd let something slip. And if his brothers found out Sans had not only been told about a skeleton monster none of them knew, but had also let said skeleton monster escape…

Sans shook his head to lodge the gruesome visualizations from his imagination. Best not to think too deeply about it. He and his brothers had been on… non-too-hostile terms for some time now, and he didn’t want anything to jeopardize that- certainly not some runt of a monster who ought to consider himself lucky should Sans decide not to feed him to the dogs after catching him. Small thing that he was, not like there’d be much to chew on.

Sighing, Sans decided he should finish his business at the bar before his anger could begin fizzling inside him again, a low heat but ready to boil over at any moment, as it was ought to do.

“Ey, gimme a light,” He ordered Grilby with a sadistic smile.

The flame monster’s thin lips tilted down into a hesitant frown, but he knew better than to tell the skeleton no. Without a word, Grilby stepped forward and leaned across the counter, trembling slightly as he blew purple fire onto the tip of Sans’ cigar, lighting it up. Heh, looked like Grilby still remembered the last lesson Sans had taught him.

“Appreciate it,” he said smoothly, bringing the cigar to his mouth and holding it there between his clenched teeth. Sans was a Mafioso, sure, but he still had manners- when they were warranted. It’s what separated he and his brothers from the general criminal population of Fell City. And other, smaller skeletons, apparently.

Though, would the little daisy even be in the city? If he didn’t know who Sans was, there was a good chance he didn’t know Fell was exclusively the Gaster brothers’ territory. Not a crime was committed in that city, not a single weed plucked, without the one doing it stopping to consider if it would land them on the wrong side of a magically sharpened bone.

But if not Fell, where would the stranger go? There was nowhere else to go. The Underground wasn’t the populated place it once was. After the barrier had been lifted, the citizens had rushed to the surface, gasping in the new air like fish that had been held out of water. Sans would have considered it pathetic had he not been right there with them. As it was, there wasn’t anywhere to go in the Underground that a little daisy could be safe. They needed a different kind of light than what the Underground could offer.

No, the runt had to be on the surface, in Fell. Teleportation was limited to the amount of magic Sans could use at any given time, and he’d bet all of his ill-gotten green that it was the same for the smaller skeleton. And there was no way such a tiny thing could carry more magic than him. That meant he had to be up top, probably not far from the mountain. Either already in the city or on his way there.

It was convenient timing, the little daisy’s arrival. What with the elder Gaster brother out of town for the foreseeable future; meant Sans got to deal with the new skeleton his way.

Wing Dings was off in Hotland doing who knew what in the labs, which gave Sans and Papyrus free reign of the city to do as they pleased with it, within reason. Of course, neither of them had any particularly big plans for it. The big plans were always left up to Wing Dings, while Sans enjoyed with the smaller problems in the city. Not because he couldn’t. While their older brother was gone, Sans was perfectly happy to leave the majority of control to the city to Papyrus, who reveled in the chance to make the city more into his image.

Which meant that in the few short months that Wing Dings has been gone, at least three new Italian restaurants had opened up.

The only real instructions Wing Dings had left for them was to continue collecting their protection fees, keep the drug and weapon trade running smoothly, make sure the other mafia families didn’t get too curious about their brother’s vacation, and to report back any suspicious behavior should something out of the ordinary happen. Whatever that had meant.

Now Sans was starting to get an idea. If only he hadn’t been so damn patient with the runt. If only the little daisy hadn’t been so damn funny. Practically a ray of sunshine compared to the kind of folks Sans usually interacted with. Times as they were, every milksop and gadfly was walking around looking like gray was a mood. Who could blame Sans for enjoying a bit of color? Everyone had their vices, and shitty jokes just happened to be one of his.

Sans took a drag of his cigar, lazily blowing the dark red smoke out his nasal concha. It curled in the air and Sans watched it through half-open eyes.

He had wanted to take the little daisy’s hand and teleport them to the top of Mount Ebott, just to see his reaction. It was a rare sight to see a monster without at least one nick in him, even rarer to see him looking all soft and innocent, guarded without really knowing what he was trying to keep out. Made everything he did interesting to look at.

Weird clothes, though. The smaller skeleton had been showing a lot of bone, and while he appreciated the view, Sans had to wonder if it had been intentional. Meant to distract enemies, or maybe the guy was just one of those flamboyant types. Then there were those pink slippers. Pink. On a man! Of all the crazy footwear…

Sans sucked in another drag from the cigar, contemplating his next move.

He needed to find the little runt before people started to take notice of him, and not just because of his brothers’ potential retaliation. Folks were going to assume things, and Sans wouldn’t let the Gaster name be associated with a random skeleton out there looking like some trampy bum.

They had a carefully crafted image to uphold, after all.

With that thought, he turned and walked out of the bar, without so much as a goodbye to its owner. The man wasn’t worth the words, and that Sans turned his back to Grilby was a sign of just how inconsequential a threat he considered the other monster to be.

Sans stepped out of the bar with a yawn and flicked the remnants of his cigar into the snow. He would teach that little daisy to think he could walk out on a conversation with Sans C. Gaster… right after a nap. It was too damn early for this shit.

 ~ Fin

AN: So this was a much, much shorter chapter. I'm trying not to have Fell Sans come out and just info dump everything about this world, but rather have it be revealed organically throughout the story. The next chapter will be longer and back to OG Sans' POV and contain more world building. (i know he's technically called classic, but i like calling him the true OG.)

I'm so glad people are interested and thus far enjoying the story. And as always, continued feedback is appreciated, even (constructive) criticism.

1900s Slang:

Sucker – a gullible person Flipmouth – a person as of and pertaining to backtalk; attitude inflection in voice; disrespectful wording Choice piece of calico – a desirable woman (or monster, in this case) Queer – something/someone that is odd, different, strange or non-mainstream Green – money Milksop – a person who is indecisive and lacks courage. Gadfly – an irritating person or thing

[therewasatale]

have a cup of tea

On Ao3.

The room was so saturated with magic that the air was sizzling. It flow through the cables, vibrated around the monitors, and completely filled the three tanks. Each of them contained one, different colored heart, all the three pulsating slowly.

The leader royal scientist put out his cigarette and lit up another one. His hand trembled for a moment as pain flashed into his forehead, but he tried to shake off the waves of pain. They were becoming stronger and more frequent. He focused on the data with his left eye as he put his lighter in the pocket of his worn-out lab coat.

'We were only able to extract a miniscule amount of DT from the three souls. We are sure that DT is more abundant in the souls of infants than adults, however, if the subject… '

The cursor slowly pulsed.

…the subject….the subject…it…It's that damn headache again. I don't have time for this!

Dr.Gaster blew out a breath of frustration and reached for his painkiller.

His phone rang, Lerian sent an SMS based on the display. Gaster read through the message several times, but kept his right eye closed. He had been awake for more than 29 hours and it was taxing on his body, but he couldn’t let that stand in his way. His fingers started dancing on the keyboard again.

'… If the DT in the subject's soul's is not its primary aspect, it can only be found as a cohesive force. The amount needed for this cohesion is miniscule. In comparison to the other parts of the soul, DT is hardly measurable. Still our research has shown that for the soul of a monster even such tiny amount can be suitable for maintaining it for an unknown time, possible forever. '

Not far from his door, three figures stuck their heads together.

"He's not listening to any of us, Neo."

"Well, that’s far from being a new situation, especially these days," the answer was full of sarcasm, but there was also genuine concern, just carefully hidden.

Cigarette smoke rose up.

"Orchid, do you have to smoke even when we are inside?"

"Sorry, when I'm nervous I just have to…"

The three royal scientists looked at each other in silence and just stayed like that for a while.

The first voice, which belonged to an older lizard monster and bearing the name Orchid, took the chance to speak again as he blew out another dose of smoke. He moved his dark blue, scaly tail behind him as he talked.

"As we were talking about, he isn't listening to any of us, so we are forced to turn to the only voice he always hears."

"I feel like some kind of tattletale." Neo, the cat-monster, currently a full-time scientist, scratched his head with the temple of his glasses.

They had to do something; they were in agreement about that.

Their last colleague, a newbie, Alphys, stood nervously placing her weight from one leg to the other. "But-but we have to do it… Dr.Gaster…"

"Yeah, he's starting to overdo things again. We all seen his injury, I think it got worse again. If we don't do something, he'll lose his right eye completely!" Orchid glanced at his colleagues, slowly blowing out a puff of smoke. "The only question is who should go?"

There was a heavy silent which sit down on each of themes shoulder.

"I will, the king trusted me with it anyway." Neo put his thick glasses back on his nose. "You keep an eye on him in case he finally decides to go home."

Orchid snorted a little, putting out the cigarette on the wall and for once ignoring Neo's disapproving look.

"I don't think he will leave; in fact, if you ask me, he hasn't even got up from his desk in hours."

"Mhm," Alphys rubbed his hands together. She fantasized a lot about what it's going to be like working in the lab, but keeping an eye on the lead researcher never came to mind as a possible aspect of her job.

"All right, all right, I won't be long… or more like we won't," Neo hurried away.

When the two of them were alone, Orchid patted the young monster on the shoulder amiably.

"Everything will be okay, Dr.Gaster just have this habit of getting too into his work, and forgetting that there are those who are worried about him. His heart is in the right place, but no matter how big his skull is, he never pays attention to his own well-being."

Alphys smiled slightly. "We really owe a lot to him, the Core was a huge step forward in the monsters' lives here."

"As you say…but I think he's always focused on the next step. He really wants to get us out from here."

"But, if-if he continues like this-"

"Yeah…but everything will be all right, the king always can talk some sense into him."

An hour later, there was a knock on the door of Dr.Gaster's office.

"I'm busy right now."

"What a shame…I've even prepared a special tea."

A voice from the other side of the door immediately woke the scientist up from his work-haze, and almost it almost made him fell out of his chair. It didn't take three seconds and he was already on his feet at the entrance.

"Your Majesty!" Gaster opened the door and looked up at King Dreamure who head a wide smile. "Wha-"

"It's good to see you too, Gaster. I've heard you buried yourself into your work, so I thought I better visit."

"You've heard…" the scientist stepped aside and glanced behind the king down the hall. Three of his colleagues were making sure to look everywhere but at him "so my colleagues have sneaked up on me and furthermore they have bothered you with some nonsense."

"Now-now, they're just worried you might overdo the work, and they haven't, and no, it is not some nonsense." Answered Asgore kindly.

"I'm fine, sir," said the scientist with a small huff.

"Good to know," the king smiled, and put down the small box in his hand, starting to unpack. "In that case, how about we drink a cup of tea? Then I promise I won't bother you anymore."

"I-" but as their eyes met, Gaster knew well he wouldn't be able to get out of it. "All right, as you wish, Your Majesty."

He pulled another chair closer to his desk and made sure to only sit down after the king. The squeaks, vibrations, and clicks that filled the room before all seemed to fade into the background the pleasant smell of peach tea took their place.

"How are you, Gaster?"

"Everything is fine, Your Majesty. The research progress at a rate that could be expected, soon we will be able to extract the determination out of the souls without losing any of it. If that happens we will have some options in our hands to try to break the barrier."

"Commendable." Asgore glanced at the three souls for a moment, but decided not to let the past distract him from the present. "And how are the boys, Sans and Papyrus?"

"They…" Dr.Gaster took the cup and held it in his hands. Thought for a moment as he gazed into the dark, steaming liquid "They're fine too, they're growing nicely. Sans is getting more talkative, Papyrus loves to hide from me all over the house every time I'm home."

"Then you're not getting bored. It's good to hear you're not alone at home." The king smiled warmly, but in the meantime he carefully inspected the skeleton sitting in front of him.

The lead researcher looked just as exhausted as his colleagues had painted him. The dark circles now sat much deeper under his eyes, the sleeves of his lab coat were covered in stains of oil, dust, and coffee. Still, the most worrying thing was the injury running along the right side of his skull.

The crack that stretched all the way to his right eye was not new, but it had gotten worse lately, which filled Asgore with worry.

During the fighting, when survival was the only thing before their eyes. Gaster, teleported far more monsters to safety using his magic than his power would have normally and then a crack appeared on his forehead. It was neither this deep nor so wide then. It all started to get worse during his underground research. The unhealthy lifestyle; minimal or irregular sleep, bad eating habits, plus the constant stress had an increasingly serious impact on his soul and body. No one could really determine what shape his soul was actually in. He refused to show it even to the king.

And the crack just drew deeper and deeper.

"I can assure you, your Majesty, I am fine. I feel like I'm nearing a breakthrough and I don't want to lose my momentum."

"I know you carry the weight of the fate of monsters on your heart, and you have the best of intentions to act like this. I'm just asking you to sometimes think about your own well-being when you do your research." Asgore raised his hand before the monster could answer. "Before you answer we should drink, if the tea cools down, it's all just wasted."

"As you wish." Gaster took a slow sip of his tea. The warmth quickly spread through all his limbs and for a few second the painful tightness in his chest eased. He didn't even notice the feeling before. When did it appear? Maybe it's always been there. "Really delicious."

"I'm glad you like it." However, Asgore didn't touch his cup.

The room began to slowly sway in front of Dr. Gasters eye.

"What…?"

The cup clinked on the floor spilling the remaining tea to the floor.

"What…Asgore..."

The king watched him in silence, an apologetic light glinted in his eyes.

"oh…you gotta be-" the world darkened before Dr.Gaster's eyes, but before he could collapsed to the ground the king caught him and held him safely.

"I'm sorry, Gaster, but I had to act fast and I haven't got any better idea."

His limbs were pleasantly numb, and the throbbing of her eyes were a thing of the past. His hands felt some kind of soft material, but so far his head didn't feel like getting up. His scientist self, however, could not stay asleep very long and tried to discover the reason for him suddenly falling asleep. He was in the middle of his train of thoughts when he heard some nearby voices.

"Why does a skeleton always tells the truth?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"He wants tibia honest."

"Ohoho. I didn't even think about that."

"Nyeee."

"I think your brother likes puzzles more than jokes."

"He's, but I'm just being humerus."

"Nyeeeeehehe!"

"Sans…" Gaster turned his head to the side as he opened his eye.

"Don't bother your brother."

Said young skeleton-monster scratched the back of his neck a bit ashamed. "Sorry, dad."

He and his younger brother sat on the floor between a pair of coloring books and various pencils, in the company of the king, who watched the young monsters with a warm smile.

"Da!" Papyrus toddled to the couch, then raised his arms toward him.

"Hello, Papyrus." Gaster reached out carefully and stroked his son's head. Encouraged by this, the young skeleton struggled up the couch with some help from the king.

"Nyehehehe." He proudly raised his hand in the air and then crawled under the blanket next to his father. The royal scientist noticed that the fabric was blue with a large white bone embroidered on it. So, he was resting under Sans' blanket.

"So, Your Majesty," Gaster's voice sounded more different then when he was in the Lab "would you enlighten me how I got home and on this couch?"

"Well, I-"

"He brought you home!" Sans chuckled at the embarrassed Asgore who slightly blushed.

"Yes?"

"Well, I…" the king gave out a defeated sigh. "Your colleagues have messaged me that you don't move from your office, you don't eat and you don't sleep properly. While you can go or not go wherever you want, but not sleeping has a serious effect on your body. Not to mention that your sons were missing you. By the way I thanked Gerson, that he took care of the boys while you were away. "

"Nye."

"I think I can say that Papyrus agrees with me."

"Nye!"

Asgore's warm chuckle eased Gaster's tension.

"Hm, I see," he carefully placed his bone hand on his younger son's head and smiled faintly as he snuggled closer to him. Even though both of his sons born from his soul, he had no idea where Papyrus inherited his affection and kindness from.

"Thank you. Um, all right maybe I've really needed some time home." Gaster glanced at the king who watched the kids with soft eyes. "You're not staying for dinner, Your Majesty? As an apology for causing much inconvenience."

"There was no inconvenience, don't worry about it."

"But still."

"Nyeh!"

"Stay, let's make some spaghetti!" Sans nodded and climbed up next to his brother.

"Maybe, should we ask our guest abo-" Gaster's words seemed unheard.

"And there will be a lot of ketchup in it!" Sans raised his hands enthusiastically towards the sky.

"Nyehehe!" His younger brother joined him.

"Sans, Papyrus" Gaster snorted softly, but even his sons felt that his gruffness wasn’t really there.

"Come on, come on. Spaghetti sounds great, I haven't eaten in a long time, now that I think about it."

Asgore gave an encouraging look to the scientist.

"Hm, in that case we're making a giant serving of spaghetti, I think we might have everything for it already...or we'll improvise."

"You're good at that, Dad," Sans chuckled and his grin only grow when his father snorted while rubbing his son's skull.

"Okay, but no need to hurry, rest as much as you want. I'll make some tea before we start cooking. I still have a serving of raspberries."

"Raspberry?" The scientist closed his right eye and glared at the king, trying to hide his confusion.

"I'm sorry, over the years I've learned to improvise, too." The king walked toward the kitchen, "and I think I have some ingenuity in me, too."

Gaster also snorted, closing his left eye while called out to Asgore heading into the kitchen.

"The biggest gas-rose turns on a little suddenly," he took a few slow breaths and felt Sans falling asleep beside him as Papyrus wrapped the blanket around his brother and squirmed closer to them.

"The tea can in the cupboard below on the left..." the thought slowly faded to black and with it he himself. He could still feel the weight of his slowly breathing sons on his side, and the pleasant smell of raspberries. However, exhaustion and some quiet peace finally rolled over him. Taking slow deep breaths, he fell asleep.