#I paused the new emote before they reset back to their base position

[impossible-rat-babies]

why have all that waist? for people to grab?

[mageofseven]

are requests open? how would the brothers (or undateables) react to MC giving them a bouquet of flowers because they want to show their partner they care?

Ooo okay cute! I think I'd add another layer to this and use flower language so each bouquet has a cute meaning~

This will be for just the Brothers, but I will have another post out for the Undateables' version 😊

~

Lucifer:

Gives him a bouquet of red carnations (symbolising love, pride, and admiration) and Peonies (symbolising happy life, happy marriage, good health, and prosperity).

The oldest was in his study, sighing over the stack of paperwork he had been trying to dwindle down all morning.

Their boyfriend has been so busy and stressed lately; the human simply wanted to help ease things for him, but in a new and meaningful way.

At first, the demon didn't didn't even acknowledge when MC stepped in, but when they approached his desk and started rocking on their feet nervously, the man sighed once more and looked up at them.

"I'm sorry, Love. What is it?"

"Okay so...I did a thing..." They mumbled before revealing the bouquet from behind their back.

The Avatar of Pride raised an eyebrow before letting a soft smile spread across his face.

"They are very beautiful. However, I don't recall there being any occasion for them."

"There is though!" MC insisted. "These flowers represent a message for you!"

Lucifer took the human's wrist and guided them around the desk and onto his lap. Arms around them, the demon stared down at the bouquet.

"I see." He kissed their neck. "Well, I'm afraid I am not caught up on my flower language so I'll be relying on your interpretation."

The human blushed and could feel the man's low chuckle from behind them.

"If you truly have a message for me, Love, now is the time to say it."

"I..." MC hid their face in the flowers and mumbled a little. "The red carnations are for love and admiration...I love you so much and I admire how hard you work...but the peonies are for a happy life and good health. I...want you to take better care of yourself."

"I take it you're worried for me?"

"Luce...you didn't come to bed last night and you were in here all day yesterday. Of course, I'm worried--and don't say you can handle this because even so, stress and lack of sleep are not good for you."

The man let out a long sigh before adjusting the human in his arms and rising from his seat.

"L-Luce?"

"If what you need from me is some rest then so be it."

Wouldn't usually give in so easily, but his Love put so much thought into expressing their worry so it would be wrong to simply dismiss them.

Mammon:

Gives him a bouquet of Alstromeria (symbol of wealth, prosperity, and fortune, as well as a flower of friendship) and Sweet Peas (symbolic of departure after having a good time).

It was the night before MC was being sent back to the Human realm. They knocked on his bedroom door and the second brother let them in, eyeing the flowers with a red face.

"W-What are those for??"

"For you." MC smiled. "It's...ya know since I'm leaving tomorrow. It's a thank-you."

Mammon grinned, trying to act confident.

"Well of course you got these for me! You got a lot to thank me for looking out for ya, now dontcha?"

"I really do." MC handed them to the demon. "There's a meaning to my flower choices though. Alstromeria is to wish you luck in money matters and express how much your friendship has meant to me. The sweet peas...to say that I had a lot of fun with you this school year."

The second brother went silent. I mean, what was he supposed to say after hearing that they put so much thought into giving him freaking flowers.

"Just...thank you for everything, Mammon. Really." MC leaned in and kissed his cheek before turning to the door.

The man's brain was short circuiting from the kiss, but still managed to push through the flustered-ness to call out.

"Oil! Wait a second 'ere!"

MC looked over their shoulder, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah?"

The words died in his mouth. This was his last chance to tell them how he felt...but he wonder if there was any point in it anymore? I mean, they leave tomorrow...

Despite still having the urge to say something, the man lowered his head and waved off the human.

"Eh, forget. Go to bed or something. I have things to do."

And then they left, just as he told them.

Now he's left wondering if he should of spoken up or not he should have.

Leviathan:

Gives him a bouquet of Hydrangeas (symbolising heartfelt emotions and used to express gratitude of being understood) and Anemone (which has a positive meaning of anticipation).

It was a couple days before MC had to return to the Human realm.

The two were hanging out like it was any other day though. Levi was immersed in his game, so much so that he didn't notice when MC left the room and came back with the bouquet.

"Levi, pause the game."

"Dude, it's an online match--"

Their boyfriend dropped the controller when he saw the flowers. His face went red as he just ceased to function.

"Levi?"

"W-W-What the hell are those?!"

"Flowers?"

"W-Well duh" He stammered out. "But why are they in my room?"

Because surely, surely they were not for him. I mean, why would the human be giving flowers to a stinky otaku like himself?

"They're for you."

Error. Blue screen. Levi.exe has stopped working. Please reset your Levi and--

"I...look." MC continued. "The hydrangeas represent...well, just how I appreciate the fact that I can be open with you. I feel like you're the only person who truly gets me...not just here in the Devildom, but even compared to those in the Human realm. The anemone...well, it has different meanings, but I'm using it to show that...I can't wait to find my way back to you."

The human was now blushing though not as much as the demon in front of them.

"Basically...I wanna say that I'm glad I'm your Henry and I'll always look forward to finding my way back to you...Levi?"

The man was tearing up.

"Sh-Shut up, Normie...I'm not crying..."

MC laughed and leaned in to kiss their boyfriend.

Yeah...they're happy to be his Henry 💕

Satan:

Gives him a bouquet of Purple Irises (symbolising eloquence, wisdom, and compliments) and Tulips (signifies a declaration of love and symbolizes perfect love).

Met the fourth brother in the library for their weekly study session.

Satan has been helping MC with some of their harder classes and in turn, the two had been spending a lot more time together

Which made it only too easy for the human to fall for him.

"Satan?"

The blonde looked up from the textbook he was skimming through in search of the correct page and raised an eyebrow as he saw MC standing before him, fidgeting in place and head down while hiding something behind their back.

"Is there something you need help with?"

"N-No...I..." The Human bit their lip. "Um...do you know anything about flower language?"

"Floriography? I suppose I know a fair amount." The demon watched them closely. "Do you have any questions based on the language?"

"No, I mean--" MC quickly shoved the bouquet in his face, their own face glowing a bright red. "Please accept these..."

The blonde took the flowers in confusion, staring down at them. Once he identified the flowers in the bouquet, a blush swept across his face, but was quickly replaced by a grin.

"Well now, why don't you tell me what these flowers mean to you?"

"D-Don't you know what they mean already?"

"I'd rather hear it from your lips, Kitten."

The human covered their face when they heard the new nickname.

"Kitten, I cannot accept these if you won't tell me their meaning."

MC lowered their hands.

"I...they..." The human mumbled. "The purple irises are to...well, thank you for your help and show that I really...really admire how knowledgeable you are. And...a-and the tulips..."

"And what about the tulips?"

"Please stop teasing me..."

The blonde chuckled before setting the bouquet on the table next to them and pulling MC close.

"Alright then. My answer is that I feel the same way, Kitten."

"Really?!"

The demon goes to fetch a vase for the flowers to sit on the table with them as they study.

Asmodeus:

Gives him of a bouquet of White Lilies (symbolising modesty and virginity), Aster (symbolising patience), purple lilac (symbolising first love), and Anemone (which mainly has negative symbolism to it, but can also be used to to symbolize anticipation in a positive interpretation).

The Avatar of Lust went to his room to change out of his school uniform and found the human sitting on his bed with the bouquet.

"Aww, Doll!"

The man rush over and squeeze the human in an embrace, carefully of the flowers.

"Oh you're so sweet! Getting me flowers like this!"

MC hid their face in their boyfriend's shoulder.

"Azzy...I have something to say."

"Okay~ what is it?"

MC pulled back and stared down at the flowers.

"I...do you know anything about Floriography?"

"Flower language? Oh, Doll, who do you think you're talking to? Of course~."

"Well...I used that for this bouquet."

"Ooo okay." The man gently took the bouquet from them. "Let's see then~ I see Lilies and Asters. Oh! A couple lilacs-- I love you two, Dolly."

He leaned in and kissed them.

"Oh and--" The smile that had been on his face suddenly fell when he spotted the anemone. "Dolly...is something wrong?"

The human started tugging on their sleeves.

"I'm sorry..."

"Hey...come here."

The demon laid the bouquet on the bed and pulled MC back into his arms. Face buried back into his shoulder, the man stroked his human's hair.

"It's okay. You know you can talk to me, right?"

MC didn't speak at first, just let their boyfriend's gentle comfort calm them for a bit.

"I...I'm sorry." They mumbled again. "I've probably just been overthinking. I just...it wouldn't leave my mind so even though it's hard to say, I knew I needed to talk about it and I thought it'd be easier with the flowers..."

"It's okay, Dolly. Take your time; I'm right here."

The demon kissed the top of the human's head.

"I just...you've been really good about not pushing me into...ya know...that next step. And I really appreciate it and everything because I've never done anything like that before. You're the first person I've ever dated, the first person I've ever fallen in love with...you've been my first date, my first kiss...and I want you to have my next first, but I'm still anxious about it. I feel bad though; I feel like I'm disappointing you since you're the Avatar of Lust and I just--"

"Oh Honey no!" The man didn't mean to interrupt them; he simply couldn't hold his words in anymore. "It's not like that at all. I'm with you for you, not your body. I can wait as long as you need me to."

He pulled away so he could look them in the eyes.

"I'm not going to be disappointed because you're not ready. We can wait as long as you need, okay?"

"Are...are you sure?"

"Of course, Doll. I don't want you to feel pressured into it. When we take that next step, I want it to be just beautiful and memorable for you as it will be for me and not something you feel obligated to do, okay?"

The Avatar of Lust finds a vase for the flowers and sets them on his vanity before cuddling up with the human in bed, keeping them close and murmuring sweet compliments and praises in their ear.

Asmo can wait. As long as he can hold his Dolly close and love them with all of his heart, he could wait a million years for them if that's what they needed.

Beelzebub:

Gives him a bouquet of Sunflowers (symbolising adoration, dedication, and dedicated love) and Peonies (symbolic of bashfulness, but also a happy life, happy marriage, and prosperity).

MC was too excited to give it to him so they waited outside of House of Lamentation for him to come back from practice.

"Beel! Beely come look!"

The redhead smiled at their Muffin and quickened his steps until he was right next to them.

"Here~." MC proudly presented the bouquet to him.

"It's very pretty. Thank you." Beel took the bouquet before leaning down and kissing the human.

"It's more than a bouquet though! It has symbolic meaning."

The demon raised.

"What's it mean then?"

MC blushed a bit before diverting their gaze from their boyfriend--or rather their fiancé since his proposed recently, hence why they made this bouquet for him.

"It's just...another way of saying I hope we'll always be happy together."

The big guys smiled before picking up his Muffin and kissing their forehead.

"I know we will, Muffin. Always."

Belphegor:

Gives him a bouquet of Statices (symbolizes remembrance and sympathy) and Red Roses (symbolising a deep love).

Sleepy boy woke up so confused when he found the flower basically shoved in his face.

"...What the hell am I looking at?"

"Flowers."

"No duh, Butthead." He pushed the flowers away, looking up at his Human. "I mean, why do you have them?"

"They're for you."

The man sighed.

"Fine..." He took the bouquet and set it on the other side of the bed before pulling MC down to him so they could lay together.

"Belphie, there's a point to them; they have meaning."

The man's eyes were already closed, ready to go back to sleep.

"Yeah? What?"

Silence. Avatar of Sloth cracked open an eye and saw his Human's expression weighed down with sadness.

"What's wrong?" Both eyes opened, he tightened his hold on them.

"It's...it's my way asking you to let it go."

Now it was the demon's turn to go silent.

Since the Incident™️, Belphie's been extra protective of them, but simultaneously really distant and harsh? It's been a back and forth sort of thing and even when they started dating, the trend stayed.

MC knew that he was just afraid of hurting them again. Sometimes he felt that keeping them close was for the best and others, he felt like pushing them away was. This back and forth was all because of the guilt that he carried.

Nervous, the human continued.

"The roses represent how much I love you and the statices...to show that even though I have not forgotten, I understand why you did it and I'm not upset. I forgave you instantly because I knew the pain you were in. I just...now I need you to forgive yourself, Belphie."

The demon buried his face in their neck.

"I don't want to talk about this."

"Oh...I'm sorry."

Belphie pulled back and gave the human a small kiss.

"Don't apologize for everything." He kissed them again. "You didn't do anything wrong."

It will take a lot more than a bouquet to make their boyfriend's guilt disappear, but the love and care behind it...the demon felt it, even if he didn't say it out loud.

[highonchocolate]

Take Two: The Guardian in Gotham Chapter 13

First   Previous   Next   Ao3

“Now that we know you do not intend to attack or harm us, the next order of business is testing and understanding your powers” Diana said, starting off down the hallway. “Batman and Superman will go over the details with you.” 

She led them to a training room where Batman and Superman were already waiting. The five of them filed in after her, looking around and taking in the room. The design was more on the minimalistic side; consisting of plain white walls, void of decoration, with lights embedded into the ceiling. Training mats spread out over half the floor, with more stacked on one side. There were no windows, or glass, and the ceiling rose high above them, at least twenty feet up.

Superman cleared his throat, and their eyes snapped from the walls to him. 

“As Diana most likely told you, we are going to be assessing your powers today. What that means is, you will explain where they come from, as well as demonstrate how they work, if possible, so that we can better understand your abilities.” 

“That all sounds good, but how, exactly, do you want us to demonstrate our powers to you?” Ladybug asked, tilting her head curiously.

“Whatever way feels the most comfortable, as long as you cause no injury to others. And yes, death is considered an injury.”

They looked horrified. 

“We aren't going to kill anyone to demonstrate our skills!” Chat Noir exclaimed, staring at them with wide eyes.

“Well, some of our members didn't realize that when they were assessed.” Superman said, eyes darting away for a second. 

“You can begin now,” Batman growled from where he stood beside Superman, his imposing black silhouette looming over them.

Ladybug blinked up at him. “Uh, alright.” She took a deep breath, before beginning. 

“So, we get our powers from our Miraculi. Our Miraculi takes the form of jewelry, but the shape can change. The jewels are what stay the same, and they have gods bound to them. When we transform, the god that is bound to our jewel will fuse with it, and give us powers. These gods are called Kwamis, and they represent abstract concepts, which is what our powers are based off of.” 

“What kind of abstract concepts?” Superman asked curiously.

“Um, well my Kwami represents Destruction, and there are also Kwamis that represent things like Intuition, Subjection, Evolution...stuff like that.” Chat Noir answered, ticking off his fingers as he listed the examples.

“How many Miraculi are there?” Batman inquired, still looming. “And what concepts do your Miraculi represent?”

Ryuko met his face unflinchingly.

“My Miraculous represents Perfection, Viperion’s represents Intuition, Queen Bee’s represents Subjection, Chat Noir’s as you already know represents Destruction, and its counterpart, the Ladybug Miraculous, represents Creation.”

“They're stored in Miracle Boxes, and it's worth saying there are many of those, actually,” Viperion added, “But the one we have had nineteen Miraculi,” 

Batman nodded once, accepting the answer.

“You said had, past tense,” Diana noted, “What do you mean?”

“Hawkmoth and Mayura stole two Miraculi from the box, the Butterfly brooch, which represents Transmission, and the Peacock brooch, which represents the power of Emotion. They're literally the supervillains we fight, like, daily.” Queen Bee crossed her arms, looking at them incredulously. “How do you not know this? It's literally all over Parisian news when Akuma Attacks occur.” 

“We had it handled Queenie, and my Cure fixes all the damage anyway, so they probably didn't see it as a problem,” Ladybug countered. “Besides,” She glanced at the three older heroes, “You have to deal with stuff like alien invasions, and plots for world domination, not some dude who wants to make a wish.” 

 Viperion frowned. “It's more dangerous than that and you know it.” 

She shrugged, looking away. 

“While you are correct that we are busy, that still doesn't excuse that we let this slip our attention,” Superman said.

“Well you're helping us now, so I guess that counts for something,” Chat Noir offered, “And uh, if there aren't any more questions, we can demonstrate our powers now.”

“Go ahead.” Diana indicated the training mats, “Just remember, no injuries!” 

“Okay, so Ryuko, you can go first,” Ladybug turned to Queen Bee, “I know you've been working on recalling your Venom, but for now, just stun her when it's your turn, since she'll already be done demonstrating.”

They nodded, and Ryuko stepped forward, facing the older heroes, and inclined her head in a small bow. 

“I have the Miraculous of the Dragon, and it represents Perfection. It allows me to transform into three elements, wind, water and lighting.” She breathed deeply, planting her feet firmly on the ground.

“Wind Dragon!” 

She shifted into a gust of wind that blew around the room once, before reappearing where she had originally stood.

“Water Dragon!”

She became a stream of water that seeped through the cracks in the training mat into a puddle on the floor, before reappearing on the floor in front of the training mat. 

“Lightning Dragon!”

She turned into a crackling ball of electricity, hovering in midair for a moment, before reverting back to human, panting slightly.

Ladybug grabbed her forearm gently, “You need to recharge, and then sit down. You have food for Longg, right?”

“Yes, but I don’t know where I’m going to detransform and recharge,” She whispered.

“Just ask Diana if there’s a closet or something where you can detransform.” 

Ryuko nodded and walked over to Diana. They spoke quite for a couple moments, before Diana pointed to a door they hadn't noticed when they had arrived. She nodded and walked into the room beyond, as Chat Noir walked forward.

“My Miraculous is the Black Cat, and it represents Destruction. I have two powers, one that allows me to destroy anything I touch, and one that allows me to create corruption in something. I also have enhanced senses.”

Queen Bee sidled up next to Viperion. “Was there a script? I don’t remember there being a script?”

“I think he’s just going off what Ryuko said because she sounded distinguished.” He whispered back.

Chat Noir’s ear twitched, and he had to bite down on the inside of his cheek to hold in laughter.

“I’m not going to demonstrate my second power, though, it’s a bit more dangerous, in a way.” 

He raised one clawed hand before him, “Cataclysm!”

His hand began to seethe with a dark, black energy that had the older heroes falling into defensive positions.

“Can I use it on this?” He indicated a nearby metal bar with the other hand.

“Yes.” Batman nodded, observing intently. With the reassurance, he walked over to the beam and pressed a single claw to the shiny metal. Within seconds, it had corroded and rusted, disintegrating entirely. 

Superman raised his eyebrows. “Impressive.” 

“Heh. Thanks.” Chat Noir rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, stepping back and allowing Queen Bee to come forward. Ryuko walked over as well, standing a few feet away from the blonde heroine.

“I have the Bee Miraculous, which represents Subjection. It gives me the power to paralyze others. I’ll be demonstrating on Ryuko, since she has already demonstrated and recharged.”

Behind them, Chat Noir’s ring beeped once.

She reached down to the striped top, its cord looped around her waist, shouting “Venom!”

It began to pulse with magic in her hand, and she quickly flicked her wrist, sending it spinning at the dragon-themed heroine and catching her between the shoulder blades, leaving a small ring of black and gold. 

It's effects were instantaneous: she stiffened up, her limbs all locking in place. The only things moving were her eyes, and the slight rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.

“How long does the paralysis last?” Diana asked, studying Ryuko’s frozen form.

There were two beeps, one from Chat Noor and the other from Queen Bee.

“Until I detransform. But after we use our powers, we only have five minutes until our Kwamis are forced to drop our transformations,” Queen Bee explained. “That'll change once you become an adult, but for now the paralysis only lasts five minutes, max.”

“So after you use your power you have to end the fight within five minutes?” Superman clarified.

Viperion spoke up.

“Well, we can detransform, feed our Kwamis and transform again. And then we can use our powers again. It just takes a few minutes to do all that.”

“Hmm.” Batman’s face seemed thoughtful beneath his cowl.

Two more beeps echoed through the room..

Viperion stepped forward to the mat. Behind him, Ladybug was pushing Queen Bee and Chat Noir towards the door Ruyko had recharged behind, an insistent expression on her face.

“My Miraculous is the Snake, and it represents Intuition. It grants me the power to repeatedly go back a certain amount in time.” He paused as Ryuko unfroze and began to shake the stiffness out of her limbs. Queen Bee must have dropped her transformation. 

“I can't demonstrate it very well here, but in battle if things go wrong, I reset time and warn us before we make that mistake again.”

There was a flash of green and yellow light behind the door as they retransformed

“A useful power.” Batman commented, face unreadable. The other two heroes murmured in agreement, strange expressions on their faces.

He shrugged, faking nonchalance even as the memories of past Akumas turned disastrous flashed through his head. “It's a powerful blessing and a horrible curse.”

His bracelet beeped once, and he stepped away to recharge as Ladybug walked forward.

“I have the Ladybug Miraculous, which represents Creation. I have the power to summon a tool in battle that will help me win, and I can capture Akumas and repair any damage caused in a fight that Ladybug participated in with my Cure.”

“So if you are not part of the fight as Ladybug, you can’t fix the damage?” Diana asked.

“Yeah, basically.”  She frowned. “So even if I’m there as a civilian, if I can’t transform before the fight’s over, I can’t do anything to repair the damage.” 

There was a flash of blue, and Viperion walked back over to them, falling into line with the other members of his team behind her.

Shrugging, she gave the older heroes a small smile and grabbed the spotted crimson yoyo at her hip. “But I can now! Lucky Charm!” 

A ladybug-patterned keychain with ‘JL’ emblazoned on it fell into her outstretched palm. She threw it into the air, shouting “Miraculous Ladybug!”

With a whoosh of magic, pink glowing butterflies soared through the room, fixing the rusted beam, and even straightening things that had shifted slightly when Ryuko had called on Wind Dragon. The three older heroes' eyes widened at the display of power.

“That’s a very useful power.” Batman commented, eyeing them assessingly. “Now, we’d like to see your combat skills. Without your powers.” He turned on his heel and walked out the door. 

“Follow me.”

“Do you want us to detransform, or just not use our powers but keep our suits on?” Ryuko asked as they followed the three of them out of the room.

“What additional enhancements do your suits bring?” Batman countered, turning right and striding forward along another hallway.

“Uh, mine gives me night vision and they all give us better reflexes.” Chat Noir piped up from where he brought up the rear.

“Any weapons?” Diana asked.

“Well, I have a lyre.” Viperion offered.

“Do you hit people over the head with it when they get too close?” ” Superman asked as he walked beside them.

Viperion looked appalled. “Of course not! It’s a musical instrument! I would protect it with my life! You never damage your instrument!”

“Okay…” Superman said slowly, turning around and walking backwards so he could face all the Parisian heroes. “What about you all?”

“I have my yoyo, and it’s pretty much indestructible.” Ladybug pointed to the spotted weapon at her hip. “Actually, all our weapons are mainly indestructible. Perks of magic I guess.”

“Oh, and I have my baton!” Chat Noir lifted the weapon in question above his head enthusiastically.

“Spinning top for me.” Queen Bee shrugged and indicated the striped top at her waist.

“Do any of you have traditional weapons?” Diana asked, looking at them incredulously.

“I have my sabre.” Ryuko unsheathed the weapon in question, the light glinting off the unmarred metal.

“A sword.” Diana nodded, “I can work with that.”

“Alright, here we are.” Superman announced, throwing the door open. “Time for your combat skills to be tested!”

@laurcad123, @liquid-luck-00, @toodaloo-kangaroo, @stainedglassm

[shifty-looking-sheep]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Mass Effect Trilogy, Mass Effect - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Kaidan Alenko/Female Shepard Characters: Female Shepard (Mass Effect), Kaidan Alenko, Ashley Williams, Conrad Verner Additional Tags: Mass Effect 1, Fluff, Embarrassment, Teasing, acknowledging feelings, blurting out feelings

Summary:

Kaidan tries to deal with the most embarrassing moment of his adult life, and Ashley tries to make it difficult.

“The Council represents more races than I thought. No wonder they’re careful with newcomers.”

Shepard looked out over the ward arm, awe and fascination shining from her face as the lights of the buildings, skycars, and stars reflected in her eyes. Kaidan quickly looked away as he caught himself staring.

“They probably just want to keep everything running,” Kaidan reasoned. “It has to be hard keeping all these cultures working together.”

Ash quietly snorted. “Or maybe they just don’t like humans.”

Kaidan got ready to jump in with something diplomatic, but Shepard got there first.

“Why not? We’ve got oceans, beautiful women, this emotion called love…” Shepard said, smiling, as she looked back across the ward arms. Kaidan turned to look at her face in profile, etching the silhouette into his brain. “According to the old vids, we’ve got everything they want.”

From someone else, he might have thought it a sarcastic comment; frustrated, almost. But her tone seemed sincere, and her introspective smile made him think she was genuinely hopeful. That was… unexpected.

“When you put it that way,” he said, playfully, “there’s no reason they wouldn’t like you… I mean, us! Humans! … Ma’am…”

Shit! Shit shit shit shit shit! What had just tumbled out of his mouth? The bottom dropped out of his stomach as he looked over at Shepard, but his view was blocked by Ash, whose look of surprise quickly turned to mischievous glee. He speedily looked away in excruciating embarrassment.

“You don’t take much shore leave do you, LT?”

The mirth in Ashley's voice prompted him to screw his eyes shut, thoroughly humiliated and wishing he was literally anywhere else. It was that very specific feeling of self-loathing when the wrongness of something you’ve just said is wedged in your gut. What a complete and utter idiot! Had he honestly just implied, to his CO’s face, that he thought she was beautiful? He felt like a college freshman accidentally letting slip that he had a crush on his professor. To his professor. First, he activates some ancient beacon on Eden Prime, and she has to throw him out of the way, and now he admits he thinks she’s beautiful. He’ll be lucky if he’s not transferred off the Normandy by the end of the Citadel’s day cycle. Or worse, the butt of every joke made in the Normandy mess for the remainder of the mission. He can hear them now: Seems Alenko likes powerful women – surprised he hasn’t made a move on the Dalatrass; Is it just Shepard he’s interested in, or does he chase after anyone with a Star of Terra? What’s Alenko’s favourite sexual position? – CO.

“Alright, laugh it up, Chief,” Shepard said, ever so slightly admonishingly. She turned to Kaidan and he tried to read her expression and failed. Entirely neutral commander-face, but not without empathy.

“I appreciate the thought, Alenko, but we’re on duty here.”

“Aaa…” he paused. She appreciates the thought?! What did that mean?! She appreciates a compliment, or she appreciates a compliment from him? No, for god’s sake he needed to pull himself together and move on from this hiccup. He’d just mortified himself with a Freudian slip; this wasn’t the time to start reading into every word Shepard said. He needed a total reset. She wasn’t a romantic prospect; she was his boss. Mind on the mission, Lieutenant.

“Aye, aye, ma’am,” he managed to croak out, feeling a blush rising to his cheeks.

He heard Ash fighting back a laugh. “I’ll walk drag, ma’am.”

He opened his eyes to glare at her, but she just waggled her eyebrows in response. Thankfully Shepard didn’t see it, and didn’t respond to Ash’s jibe. He didn’t know if he’d expected her to. In their only real conversation so far, Shepard had been friendly and sincere, if a little… detached? Self-conscious of her new rank, perhaps? This had been her first time as an XO, and then promoted to CO almost immediately, so perhaps she wasn’t sure how familiar to be with her officers? Anderson hadn’t exactly been a stickler for protocol and rank, but he’d probably have chewed the Chief out for a comment like that. Perhaps Shepard found Kaidan's slip-up funny as well, but he suspected she just had a higher tolerance for a little off-topic chat than most commanding officers.

The Commander had already turned and was making her way across the walkway to the market area. She was striding purposefully, but not overly quickly. Her earlier comments about the Citadel seemed to imply that this was her first visit, and despite there being a job for them to do, she was still a tourist. He caught her turn to look at a group who were chatting near the entrance to a club: two elcor, two asari and a volus. It wasn’t a stare; just a curious glance. Interested in alien culture then? Or simply not been around so many different races before?

He was pulled out of his musings by the sound of giggling over his left shoulder, and he turned to see Ash’s grinning face shaking back and forth.

Kaidan’s face flushed an even deeper scarlet. He’d been staring again, and now that Ash was on to him, he needed to get it together.

No! Not ‘on to him’. There was nothing to be ‘on to’. He didn’t have a crush on Shepard. He was 32; he didn’t have inappropriate crushes like a 20-year-old. He was just dispassionately interested in an interesting person. It made sense to learn as much as you could about your CO, right? It would help him work with her on the battlefield; be able to anticipate her movements. And knowing something about her background and values would allow him to anticipate what she’d likely prioritise, what advice she’d appreciate, how he could best support her…

So far, she’d been a little difficult to read. Anderson had been an open book; his service history told the story of a driven soldier and born leader. Beloved by those under his command, and promoted steadily through hard work and frequent commendations. He kept an appropriate, professional distance from the rest of the crew; didn’t give personal details but radiated a warmth and genuine friendliness that made you feel like you knew him. He made his expectations of the crew very clear and was a straight-shooter. Clearly not a political man. A soldier’s soldier.

But Shepard… he couldn’t tell yet. She’d been round the ship talking to everyone already; learnt names; checked on everyone after Eden Prime. So, caring then. But she also hadn’t really said anything about herself, and her demeanour was entirely unreadable. Not stony; certainly not icy, but not exactly open either.

He’d looked up her service history when he’d joined the Normandy, since he wanted to know who he was working for. Unlike Anderson’s, hers was a little harder to decipher. She’d joined the Alliance early, excelled in combat training, had a number of commendations from various high-profile missions: she'd kept her CO alive during a raid on a red-sand smuggling base out in the Terminus; single-handedly held off the smugglers until the extraction team could make it to them. It’s the sort of stuff the Alliance made a big song and dance about; they obviously had after her heroics on Elysium. But this earlier heroic moment seemed to have slipped under the radar. Maybe Shepard hadn’t wanted to be made the centre of a media circus? It would have taken a strong will to have denied the Alliance’s media department a new poster girl. The thought made him smirk.

“Seriously, LT?” Ash whispered. “You made it about five minutes there before you got that goofy heart-eyes look again. I feel bad teasing you about it; it’s too easy to be fun.”

He gave her a look he hoped was serious and annoyed enough to put an end to it. He was technically her superior officer, after all. She didn’t seem deterred though, meeting his look head on with a satisfied smirk.

Had he really gone back to thinking about Shepard so quickly? Maybe Ashley had a point. Shit. This was bad.

While he’d been in his head trying to rationalise his now undeniable fascination with his CO, Kaidan hadn’t noticed that they’d made a detour past the group of aliens and up towards the club: ‘Flux’, the sign read. The sound of bass and chat reached them from down the corridor, but not too loud. It seemed that this early in the day it was mostly gamblers and drinkers rather than the partying crowd.

They made it through the doorway into a fairly small bar area. Shepard started looking around, then stopped as her eyes lighted on the bartender who was waving her over. Kaidan and Ash held back by the doors; there was little fear of a fight breaking out somewhere as public as this, and stomping around a bar in full combat armour toting several different guns apiece didn’t tend to make the punters comfortable. A few had already given them some looks ranging from mildly curious to extremely worried.

“So, this is an interesting development.”

Ash was looking at him and smiling, but not unkindly. He crossed his arms, then uncrossed them, fidgeting with them at his sides before deciding to cross them again. This topic didn’t need to make him feel nervous; he just needed to convince the Chief that it had been a simple slip-of-the-tongue, and they could move on and away from his humiliation.

Ash leaned in conspiratorially. “For what it’s worth, I think you two would be cute together. And your kids would be gorgeous!”

He groaned, and put his hand to his forehead. He could feel a headache coming on.

“It’s not… I don’t... I mean...”

Ashley raised an eyebrow and gave him a pointed look. “Hmmm, sure.”

Kaidan sighed. “Buy you a drink if you promise not to tell anyone on the Normandy about my foot-in-mouth disease.”

“Oooo, I don’t know about that, LT. I might need to be a pretty fancy cocktail to buy my silence.”

“Worth it.”

It would have to wait for another time though, as Shepard was making her way back to them at the doors. They followed along behind her as they made their way back down the corridor.

“We need to drop by a club called Chora's Den after we’re done with Chorban,” she sighed. “The bartender’s sister is a C-Sec informant, and it looks like she might be in trouble. It’ll give us a chance to drop in on this ‘Fist’ character as well.”

“Aye, aye, ma’am,” Ash and Kaidan replied in unison.

They approached the far end of the walkway and started making their way across the upper market. If their informant was correct, Chorban should be in the lower market. They had no idea what to expect, but he could well be armed and dangerous. Kaidan didn’t like meeting in such a public and crowded place, but he trusted Shepard’s judgement that she could fix this with diplomacy. As they peeled their way through the crowd, Kaidan clocked someone at the top of the stairs looking in their direction. Human, male, possibly in his late 40s, and eyes fixed on Shepard. Kaidan put his hand on his sidearm.

“Wow! It’s you!”

The man waved and took a step forward, partially blocking their way down the stairs. Shepard’s shoulders tensed, but she walked over to the man without taking a defensive posture. Kaidan’s hand remained on his pistol.

“You’re Commander Shepard!” the man said, in a voice dripping in sycophantic joy. “The hero of Eden Prime! I am so honoured to meet you!”

“Nice to meet you.” Shepard shook the man’s hand firmly, a slightly forced smile on her face but a friendly tone to her voice. Kaidan guessed this wasn’t the first time this had happened, considering how high-profile she was. “And you are…?”

“My name is Conrad. Conrad Verner. They say you killed more than a hundred geth on Eden Prime!”

The man didn’t seem like a threat, and Kaidan relaxed a little, but he didn’t like the desperation in his voice, or the dark feeling of dislike he immediately felt for this man.

Shepard shrugged. “I spent most of the time trying to stay alive and help the colonists.”

Conrad nodded, but in that way that makes it seem like you didn’t hear anything the person just said. Kaidan glanced at the time on his omnitool. This wasn’t really a distraction they needed just before they walked into what could be a firefight.

“Hey, I know you’re pretty busy,” Conrad said, “but do you have time for a quick autograph?”

Shepard seemed a little embarrassed, as a slight blush coloured the side of her cheek. Her skin was already a warm coffee-colour, but with the blush she looked… stunning.

Ash leaned in close enough to whisper without the Commander overhearing. “How does it feel to see the competition. For my money, I think you probably have the edge.”

Kaidan turned his shocked intake of breath into a cough, and looked daggers at Ashley. Again. But then, she’d also got him pegged: he had felt the tiniest spark of jealousy. What was happening to him?!

Shepard had just finished signing the datapad that Conrad had pressed into her hands, and handed it back with a smile.

“Anything for a fan. Here.”

“Thanks,” Conrad said, his eyes out on stalks as he stared at the datapad. “I really appreciate it. My… wife is going to be so impressed.”

Ash rolled her eyes.

“I’ll let you get back to work, but next time you’re on Earth, I’d love to buy you a drink. Thanks again!”

Kaidan followed the Commander towards the stairs down to the lower markets, as Conrad walked in the other direction. Ash was typing something on her omnitool, and Kaidan got the ping of a message a moment later.

 Figure you’re going to be that guy in 20 years?

Kaidan swung from feeling angry to simply contrite. Kicking up a fuss about a joke was never a good look, particularly if you wanted the joke to go away. And it needed to go away, because if it had been so immediately obvious to Ashley every time he’d unconsciously stared at the Commander, the others were going to see it to; especially if they were primed to look for it. This couldn’t go further than Ash.

 He doesn’t have my bone structure.

The Chief barked a little laugh, and Shepard gave her a curious glance, but they continued walking in silence.

As they rounded the corner and entered the lower markets, they could see Chorban up ahead, flanked by some heavily-armed salarian bodyguards. Shepard walked up to him with that same purposeful march, seemingly unperturbed by the heavies. Ash had unholstered her rifle, and was holding it across her body, and Kaidan created a weak biotic barrier around himself, just to let the goons know what they were up against if they decided to attack. They both looked considerably more nervous after taking in Kaidan and Ashley’s preparations.

Shepard was listening to Chorban and asking pointed questions, trying to calmly get to the bottom of what sounded like a ridiculous miscommunication got completely out of hand. She was so direct, authoritative, but not pushy or intimidating. Chorban spilled his guts.

Before Kaidan could really process what was being said, Shepard was already moving away and towards the elevator back up to the Presidium, but as she walked past Kaidan she caught him dropping his biotic barrier and did a little double-take. Odd; she’d seen him use his biotics several times on Eden Prime, but perhaps not that close. He knew his usually hazel eyes turned blue when he used his biotics, so maybe that’s what she’d seen. Her eyes had met his and flown wide before she'd quickly looked away.

As they entered the elevator, she turned around as he walked in, and again she met his eyes and then snapped away. Was that… embarrassment? She was blushing, and it had been several minutes since the autograph incident, so it didn’t seem likely that it was still from that. What was she thinking about?

As the elevator doors closed, Kaidan’s mind was whirring away at light speed. He recalled how she’d got slightly flustered when speaking to him in the med-bay after Eden Prime. After he’d said he carried her back to the ship. No, he shouldn’t read too much into it. Indulging in some puppy-love fantasy about his CO couldn’t lead anywhere good. He got another ping on his omnitool.

 Hmmm. Seems you’re not the only one nursing a crush, LT.

As he looked at Ashley, she shrugged and nodded towards Shepard’s back, as she was awkwardly crossing and uncrossing her arms. A reflex he knew well.

It threw a tiny piece of kindling onto the flame he’d spent the last half an hour or so trying to starve of oxygen. He was going to need to buy Ash an insane number of cocktails to get her to keep all this quiet… but the idea that there was something to keep quiet, something real, made his stomach do a backflip.

“Disgusting,” Ash whispered, but this time he didn’t object, he just smiled a little bit wider.

Yup, a shitload of cocktails.

Notes:  

I haven't been writing very long, and I REALLY want to improve; if you do have any constructive criticism, it would absolutely be welcomed and I would be really grateful 😁

[inkjackets]

But Promises Are Made To Be Broken

Here is the fic I wrote based on @skesgo​’s reset au!!!

Summary: Sans and Papyrus were used to resets, but then monsters started to vanish. The world reset again and again, the underground’s numbers grew fewer and fewer… until finally there were only two monsters left.

And then only one.

Disclaimer: Reset AU and Reset!Blue belong to @skesgo​. The events in this fic are NOT canon to their au, just merely inspired by it. (Go check out their amazing au and art HERE if you haven’t already!!)

The excerpt that Sans reads is from The Universe in Your Hand by Christophe Galfard.

Warnings: Major Character Death, Angst (like, a lot of it. like oh my god i am so so sorry why would you read this why would i write this), Graphic Grieving i guess? and just one f-word.

Word Count: 6234

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18214481

uhhhh enjoy?

——————

The innkeeper’s daughter had been the first to vanish. Sans would never forget that terrible morning.

The bone-chilling screams that shattered the morning air.

The raw desperation in the mother’s eyes.

Her pleading, her begging, her clawing at Papyrus’ hoodie to please do something. Find her! Bring her back! PLEASE!

They had spent hours searching in the forest. Sans had done his best to keep up moral and positivity and hope, but he hadn’t been able to dislodge the despair in everyone’s eyes. They all knew the search was futile.

For the child was gone.

Despite the strange circumstances, despite the distinct lack of dust, they knew that the child wasn’t coming back. The empty pyjamas laid out under the duvet covers, sleeves wrapped around the little toy bunny, was proof of that.

But Sans had soldiered on. He had kept searching until he had been the only one left. And would have kept going if Papyrus hadn’t forced him back to town.

Sans had cried out in protest. They couldn’t just do nothing!

Papyrus had silenced him with a single look. Tears had risen in Sans’ eyes but he’d understood. The child was gone, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t do something. Even if that something was incredibly painful. Even if that something was acceptance.

Sans had followed a pace behind Papyrus’ solemn figure back towards the inn. Papyrus paused outside the entrance. He laid a bony hand on the smooth wooden door before closing his eyes and taking a long drag from his cigarette. Sans took a moment to breathe as well. He inhaled deeply and let the icy air course through him, rinsing himself of unwanted emotion, before opening his eyes and bracing himself for what was to come.

Papyrus pushed the door open.

They found the mother crumpled next to the child’s bed. Hands clutching the duvet, damp from her tears. Sans’ heart fell as the flash of hope in her eyes faded when she saw their expressions. Papyrus knelt down next to her.

‘No, no, no.’ The mother shook her head. ‘She can’t be gone.’ Her voice grew hysterical. ‘There’s not even any dust! She can’t be gone! No, no…’ She collapsed onto Papyrus and burst into tears. Papyrus held her as she wailed into his shoulder. Sans tried his best to shove his emotions down but the mother’s grief was infectious. Within no time his cheeks were wet and shining with silent tears.

Eventually the mother’s sobs slowed. Papyrus helped her stand up.

‘Sans,’ Papyrus said without looking at him. Sans hastily wiped his eyes and gazed up at his brother. ‘Bring the child’s pyjamas and soft toy.’

Sans did as asked, gingerly gathering up the clothes and nestling the little bunny safely among them. Papyrus led them outside. There was a small crowd of concerned townsfolk standing in the snow. Papyrus spoke to them, but Sans didn’t hear what was said. He was too busy concentrating on holding the child’s belongings like they were the most delicate treasure in the world.

Because at that moment, they were.

The weeping mother clutched onto Papyrus as he traipsed into the forest. Sans followed. The villagers of Snowdin trailed behind. They walked and walked and walked. Sans lost track of time, focused on his task of holding the delicate treasure. He looked up only when Papyrus stopped. They had reached one of the most beautiful trees in the forest. It was more isolated than the others and stood in the middle of a small clearing. It was a magnificent thing. Its branches reached high and wide and glittered with ice and reflections from the cavern’s gemstones as its leaves hung gracefully down and fanned out over them, like it was protecting them from some hidden danger.

The crowd silently filtered out and around. It felt as if the whole underground were holding its breath. Sans felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up. His brother nodded and gave him a meaningful gaze. Sans knew what he had to do.

Sans walked forward, his lonely footsteps crunching in the snow, echoing. He knelt down and gently lay the child’s belongings at the foot of the tree. He stroked the bunny once before falling back to Papyrus’ side.

‘Now her essence will live on in the tree,’ Papyrus said softly.

The mother burst into tears.

Sans couldn’t remember how long they had all stood out in the silent snow, listening to the mother cry, praying that the bunny held enough of the child’s essence to allow her to live on.

~*~*~

The mother had vanished the following reset. Sans fell to his knees when he went to check on her. Papyrus closed his eyes and swore under his breath. Sans, apathy taking over his body, had gathered up the clothes and made his way out into the forest. Papyrus didn’t follow. Sans had lain the clothes next to the daughter’s and knelt in silence as the snow steadily soaked his trousers, numbing both his bones and his mind.

Three more piles of belongings had appeared that day.

*

Napstaton had started playing hopeful and uplifting speeches after the third reset. Sans had them all memorised by the ninth. Through his motivational music and inspiring sermons, Napstaton was successful at keeping up moral in the underground, however his demeanour suddenly changed after the eleventh reset. Sans couldn’t figure out why. Only two relatively unknown monsters had vanished that day: a monster known as Onion-san, and one called Mettablook.

*

The world reset again. And again. And again.

The little memorial site Papyrus had started grew. And grew. And grew.  

Waterfall, Hotland, and New Home all started their own as numbers in the underground decreased.

*

Undyne had vanished on the twenty-third reset.

Papyrus had walked out the door under the pretence of buying cigarettes, but didn’t return. Sans spent hours searching for him all over the underground but hadn’t been able to find him. He eventually went home and sat on the couch, frozen stiff and wide-awake, until his brother came back. Papyrus finally returned a full twenty-four hours later, not smelling of cigarette smoke like usual, but of dog food. His eyes had been redder than usual, and the shadows under them deep.

*

On the twenty-fourth reset Alphys had vanished. Sans hadn’t believed it. Not Alphys. Not the strong fearless leader of the Royal Guard. No. She couldn’t… she can’t vanish.

‘Tell me it’s not true, Papyrus!’ He cried as both numbness and hysteria crawled through his bones. ‘PAPYRUS! PLEASE! Not Alphys!’ Tears streamed down his cheeks. ‘Not her! She can’t.’ He hadn’t been able to speak after that. The words got stuck in his throat as sobs wracked his body, wrought with pain. Papyrus held his brother tight. Neither of them had noticed the faint yellow glow in Sans’ eyes.

*

Three weeks into the thirty-ninth reset, Papyrus went missing. Sans knew he hadn’t vanished, but he still panicked as he ran all over the underground in search for him, terrible ‘what-if’ scenarios running riot in his head. Eventually Sans found him outside the entrance to the ruins, slumped against the wall and covered in dirt and brick-dust. The magnificent door had been reduced to rubble. There were damaged bones, both white and orange, half buried in the debris.

Sans ran up to his brother but halted when he saw the purple robe he held in his hands. Papyrus looked up at him, despair clouded his eyes and dirty tears streaked down his face. Sans sat next to his brother and embraced him. Papyrus had curled up and cried on his brother’s shoulder for what felt like an eternity.

*

The underground had fallen silent when Napstaton vanished. It was the fifty-first reset.

Sans had sat in front of the radio, just listening to the static on full blast.

‘You can’t sit there forever,’ Papyrus said.

Sans shook his head fervently. ‘He’ll be back. And I’ll be waiting for him.’

Silence. The sound of grief-stricken exhaustion. Then the slow thud of footsteps as Papyrus headed towards the door. A gust of cold wind washed over Sans as the door opened, momentarily filling the void within him, before gently clicking shut. Sans sat immobile and staring at the wall. His vision went blurry. His body grew numb. His head rang with the static’s anaesthetising buzz as he disassociated from reality. The blue in his eyes had faded as they gave way to yellow.

*

With every reset it was harder and harder to act like normal. But Sans tried, oh how he tried. He’d make breakfast every morning, chat happily with Papyrus, then go out and check his traps. But it was difficult when getting groceries meant raiding the ownerless store (though he always left gold on the counter, just in case). It was a struggle when Papyrus refused to get out of bed, and if he did he’d just sit on the front step and smoke the day away. It was impossible when checking the traps brought back memories of playing with Chara oh so many resets ago. Dreams of what could have been, what should have been, plaguing his mind as he sat huddled in the snow, gazing up at the caverns and imagining the stars.

*

The queen had vanished on the sixty-seventh reset.

‘Papyrus.’ Sans turned to face his brother, tears brimming in his eyes. ‘There must be a way to go back. To bring them all back.’

Papyrus held his brother’s gaze, unable to tell him the truth but not able to lie either. He said nothing.

‘I’ll bring them back! I’ll find a way!’ Sans cried in response to Papyrus’ silence, his voice taking on an edge of hysteria. ‘Even if I have to do it alone!’ Papyrus had pulled his distraught brother close and held him tight until both their shoulders were damp with each other’s tears.

*

The world reset relentlessly.

The underground’s numbers dwindled drastically.

Hope faded to a tenacious glimmer that existed solely in Sans’ yellow-blue eyes.

~*~*~

Sans slowly woke from his fitful sleep. He breathed a sigh of relief, the world hadn’t reset. Today was safe. He rolled out of bed and rearranged the sheets before throwing on some clothes and making his way downstairs to cook breakfast, just like normal.

It had been two months since the last reset, the ninety-second reset, and Sans still made every effort to act like he always had.

He hummed as he cooked. He ignored the lack of people outside and the silent radio, choosing instead to focus on enjoying the act of cooking: the whisking of fresh ingredients, the sizzle of oil in the pan, the buttery smell of pancakes.

Once he was done, Sans piled the pancakes high onto a plate and called Papyrus down, just like normal. For once, his brother actually responded. Sans smiled as Papyrus took a seat at the table.

‘So I’m thinking of going to check on the traps today!’ Sans said enthusiastically, just like normal. He placed two pancakes on Papyrus’ plate and three on his. ‘Would you like to join me?’ Papyrus said nothing as Sans piled cream and fruit onto his own plate, just like normal. Sans handed Papyrus the honey but frowned when his brother poured barely a drizzle over his pancakes. Sans reached over and turned the bottle back upside down so that the pancakes were drowning in the golden syrup. Just like normal.

‘I’m thinking about modifying the third one. You know the one with the switches? It could be better designed, what do you think?’ When Papyrus failed to reply he continued. ‘Also the fifth one gets covered in snow way too easily-‘

‘-Sans,’ Papyrus cut over him, but Sans ignored him and continued his normal conversation.

‘Maybe I should build a small snow wall to stop the snow drift? Or I could get some sort of cover I guess-

-Sans,’ Papyrus repeated, an edge of desperation in his voice.

Sans swallowed. ‘I think I’ll decide when I get there,’ his voice took on a forced tone, ‘after all I don’t want to waste time building a wall for noth-

‘-Sans, Sans stop.’ Papyrus pleaded, ‘We have to talk about this.’

Sans chewed slowly. His grip tightened on his knife and fork. ‘Talking doesn’t work, remember?’ he said, dropping all pretence of normalcy. ‘Or have you forgotten the last time we tried?’

Papyrus averted his gaze. He clenched his jaw. ‘I’m not talking about Chara,’ he said as he looked back at Sans, ‘I’m talking about you. I’m worried about you.’

‘Worried about me?’ Sans spluttered with disbelief, ‘At least I’m able to get up in the mornings!’

‘At least I’m not acting like everything’s normal when it so blatantly isn’t!’ Papyrus’ sharp voice cut into Sans.

Sans didn’t say anything as he stared down at his half-eaten breakfast, appetite gone. He couldn’t do this. Not here. Not now. Why couldn’t everything just go back to normal?

Papyrus groaned and ran his hands over his skull. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said, ‘I didn’t mean to yell like that.’

‘Can we just enjoy the pancakes?’ Sans said quietly, ‘Please?’

Papyrus looked at his brother in dismay but then forced himself to smile. ‘Yeah, okay.’

The metallic clinks of cutlery were the only sounds that broke the solemn silence between the two brothers as they ate their breakfast.

It was anything but normal.

~*~*~

Sans trudged out into the forest by himself, making his way to the traps. Though he soon realised his feet were leading him somewhere else, leading him to the memorial tree. He didn’t object and eventually came upon the little clearing. At least a hundred piles of belongings were strung up on the lower branches of the tree and carefully placed about in the snow around the trunk. It was supposed to look beautiful and moving, but the only image it brought to Sans’ mind was of a dismal looking Christmas tree.

Sans let the cold air wash over him as he gazed out at the bundles of belongings, all of them frozen stiff. Snow drifts piled up against them while ice drew its patterns in the cloth. Two little bunny ears fluttering by the tree caught his eye. He wondered over and crouched in front of the very first bundle that had been placed here. He gently brushed away the snow that covered the little toy and gave it a little hug to warm away the ice particles. He gently placed it back down so it was resting comfortably against the tree. Sans closed his eyes. The trees whispered and the wind swirled and the gems in the caverns shone coldly down on him as he inhaled and clenched the fabric of his shorts. He was going to bring them all back. He was going to stop Chara. He didn’t know how, but he was going to do it. He had to. The alternative was too horrific to even contemplate.

Sans opened his eyes when he heard whimpering behind him. He turned to see a lonely whimsun hovering inches above the snow, clearly distressed.

Sans jumped up and ran over to it. ‘Are you okay? What are you doing out here?’ Concern laced his voice. ‘Are your family gone too?’ The whimsun nodded and started to cry. Sans wrapped his arms around it. ‘Don’t you worry, they’ll all come back, just you wait and see.’ He pulled back and wiped the whimsun’s tears away. ‘But in the meantime, would you like to stay with me and my brother?’ The whimsun nodded.  ‘Come on then.’ Sans took its trembling hand, frozen with cold, and gently lead it back to Snowdin Town.

Papyrus was sitting on the front step of their house when Sans and the whimsun returned. Cigarette butts littered the snow around him and a freshly lit one was softly smoking in between his fingers. Papyrus’ questioning eyes flicked to the whimsun and then back at Sans.

‘It’s staying with us until everyone comes back,’ Sans said.

Papyrus gave his brother a measured look. ‘You still believe that, huh?’

Sans shot him a glare as tears rose in the whimsun’s eyes. He tightened his grip on the whimsun’s hand. ‘Of course I do.’

Papyrus flinched as regret sank into his features. 'Sans, I-'

Sans pushed past his brother and led the whimsun into the house.

By the time Papyrus came back inside, Sans had wrapped the whimsun in blankets, made it tea and food, and was now huddled up next to it on the couch, reading it his favourite book. Papyrus sat down at the table and listened in.

‘…you now gaze at the stars with the eyes of a child.

‘What is the universe made of? What lies in the vicinity of the Earth? And beyond? How far can one look? Is anything known about the universe’s history? Does it even have one?

‘As the waves gently wash over the shore, as you wonder if one will ever be able to probe these cosmic mysteries, the twinkling of the stars seems to lull your body into a half-conscious state. You can hear your approaching friends’ conversations, but, strangely, you already feel the world differently than you did a few minutes ago. Everything seems somehow richer, more profound, as if your mind and body were both part of something much, much, bigger than anything you had ever thought of before. Your hands, your legs, your skin…Matter…Time…Space…Intertwined fields of forces all around you…

‘A veil you didn’t even know was there has been lifted from the world to reveal a mysterious and unexpected reality. Your mind yearns to be back among the stars, and you have the feeling that some extraordinary journey is about to take you very far away from your home world.’

Sans’s words faded into silence. The whimsun had fallen asleep. Sans closed the book and sat up, however as soon as he moved the whimsun started to whimper and tremble as nightmares plagued its mind. Sans placed a hand on the monster’s head and gently stroked it while murmuring words of comfort. It immediately relaxed. It nestled into Sans side and breathed easier. Sans continued to stroke it. Papyrus simply watched from his seat at the table, slouched on his side with his head in his hand.

For a moment the only sounds where the gentle snores of the whimsun and Sans’ soft strokes on its head. The two brothers couldn’t help but feel at peace.

‘Do you know how many times Chara has reset the world?’ Sans asked quietly, breaking the silence.

Papyrus gave a tired shrug, ‘At least fifty since that kid vanished so… a couple hundred since the beginning? Why?’

Sans’ hand stilled on the whimsun. ‘Four hundred and eighty-three,’ he said softly.

Papyrus lifted his head. ‘…What?’ Disbelief clear in his voice.

Sans raised his listless eyes, they bored into Papyrus’ unusually wide ones. ‘Ninety-two since the inn-keeper’s daughter vanished, but four-hundred and eighty-three times since Chara fell. I’ve been keeping count.

‘What? Why? How?’ Papyrus shook his head. ‘That doesn’t matter, you shouldn’t have kept count, it’s not good for your sanity!’ The air grew cold as Papyrus’ words gave way to silence. Sans resumed his stroking of the whimsun.

‘It’s four hundred and eighty-three times I’ve not given in,’ he said, a sliver of optimism ringing through his words. His eyes grew piercing as he held his brother’s gaze. ‘You want to know why I’m trying to act like normal? It’s because if I don’t, it means the others aren’t coming back. It means we’ll never get to the surface and it means Chara’s won. But worst of all, it means I’ve given up.’ His blue eyes shone yellow with grim determination. ‘And I won’t let that happen.’ His blazing words hung there, glistening, in front of Papyrus’ solemn face.

A peal of laughter rang out.

Sans’ eyes widened as Papyrus leant back in his chair and laughed; the soft sound shattered the tense air.

Sans was nonplussed. ‘I’m being serious!’ he exclaimed.

‘Oh I don’t doubt it,’ Papyrus said, grinning. In an uncharacteristic display of energy, he ran over to his brother and leapt on him, giving him a bone crushing hug.

‘Papyrus!’ Sans squealed as he was squashed beneath his giant brother. ‘You’ll wake the whimsun!’

‘Oops, sorry.’ But Papyrus sounded anything but apologetic as he lazily rolled over and sat up next to Sans, a glimmer of laughter still in his eye.

‘What was that all about?’ Sans asked, but he was smiling. He felt warmth growing within him as he looked at his happy brother.

‘I’m sorry for doubting you,’ Papyrus said. ‘You are the magnificent Sans after all.’ He wrapped his arms around Sans and pulled him close. ‘I love you so so much,’ he said quietly. ‘Please don’t ever change.’

Sans returned the hug. ‘I’ll do my best. I love you too.’

They stayed like that all evening, entwined together on the couch. They were happy, actually happy, something they hadn’t felt in a very long time and they held onto it dearly. Sans wished he could have frozen the moment and just stayed there forever. He didn’t want this happiness to disappear. But time is cruel.

Especially when controlled by a malevolent demon.

~*~*~

Sans rolled over in his bed. He froze. No. He clenched his eyes shut. No, no, no. The last thing he remembered was falling asleep on the couch next to his brother, the little whimsun huddled between them. So the fact that he was back in bed…

He burst out his room and slammed his hands to his mouth when he laid eyes on the sofa, empty apart from a little whimsun robe bundled in the middle. ‘No, no, no,’ he mumbled through his hands as he shook his head in denial.

Papyrus came out of his own room. He paled when he saw the empty whimsun robe. His body swayed. He muttered something about being right back before running down the stairs and flying out the door.

‘Papyrus, wait!’ Sans cried, confused, and ran out after him, but he had already gone. Sans stood still in the silent snow. His body slowly turned numb with cold. Only when he started shivering did he go back inside and face the vanished whimsun. He sat on the couch and laid the robe in his lap. He didn’t know what to do with himself. He sat there for hours, staring down at the robe, unmoving, as his glowing blue eyes flickered yellow.

Eventually Papyrus returned. Sans’ head shot up as the door slammed shut. He looked into Papyrus’ dark eyes. His brother didn’t even need to speak, his expression said it all.

They were the only ones left.

Papyrus staggered and collapsed onto the dining chair as anxiety and dread took over him. Tears shone in his terrified eyes. Sans jumped off the couch when he realised his brother wasn’t coping. He gently took Papyrus’ hand.

‘Come on Papy, let’s go put the whimsun with the others.’

Papyrus stared at him in disbelief, but he let Sans lead him out the house and into the forest.

Sans tried not to think about the empty houses they passed, lights still on and clocks still ticking, as if everyone had just popped out for a minute, all at the same time.

He tried not to think about how painfully loud their footsteps were as they trudged through the silent underground. Each crunch a reminder that they were the only living beings left.

He forced himself not to think about what would happen if the world reset again.

They eventually made it to the memorial tree. Sans knelt down in the snow pulled his brother down next to him. Together they laid the little robe in the snow.

Neither of them moved as the trees sighed around them, as if they too mourned. The caverns glittered down upon them, bathing the world in a soft silver and a gentle breeze wrapped itself around them, comforting them in their sorrow.

‘Don’t worry, Papyrus,’ Sans eventually broke the silence. His voice was soft but gritty with determination. ‘I’ll find a way to bring them all back.’

‘I know you will.’ Papyrus’ voice was a mere whisper on the wind.

Sans clenched his fists as the weight of the mountain suddenly pressed in around him. ‘And then we’ll get to the surface and we’ll have our happy ending, just you wait and see!’

There was silence. Papyrus sniffed and wiped his eyes. ‘I wish I could have your hope,’ his voice cracked. Sans turned and hugged his brother. Tears started flowing down Papyrus’ cheeks and soaked into Sans’ shoulder.  

‘How can you still believe that?’ Papyrus sobbed, ‘After everything that’s happened?’

Sans tightened his grip on his brother. He clenched his teeth and buried his head into Papyrus’ shoulder. ‘I have to,’ he said as he forced his tears down. ‘If I don’t have hope, then I have nothing.’

Papyrus sucked in his breath. Sans gasped as his brother squeeze him tight. ‘Don’t say that,’ pain was clear in Papyrus’ voice. ‘You have me. We have each other.’

Sans hugged his brother so hard it hurt. Heat rose behind his eyes as tears spilt. Sans bit down hard on his tongue to stop the unspoken question from slipping through his teeth…

But for how long?

~*~*~

Sans woke suddenly from his sleep. He kept his eyes shut. He didn’t move a muscle. He barely even breathed.

He knew it. He didn’t need to hear, he didn’t need to move, he didn’t even need to see, and he knew it.

He curled over and dug his fingers into his skull as he gritted his teeth and forced himself not to cry. He slammed his hands over his mouth as a wail escaped.

He forced himself to breathe. In and out. In. And out.

He tried to reason with himself. Just because the world has reset, doesn’t mean everyone is gone. There have been resets before where no monster vanished. This is probably just one of them. He felt sick.

Still, with that thought at the front of his mind, he managed to get out of bed. Getting out his room was another matter though. Ever since the whimsun vanished, he and Papyrus had slept together on the couch. So this door was the only thing between him and the possibility of his worst nightmare. He forced his dark thoughts down. He placed his hand on the handle and took a deep, shuddering breath before pushing the door wide.

His mind went numb. His vision swam. His breath stuck in his throat.

No.

He shortcut down the stairs and appeared in front of the couch.

No.

He raised a trembling hand and reached towards Papyrus’ empty jeans and hoodie lying haphazardly on the couch. One arm was flung over the back of the sofa and the other tucked in the pockets. The exact same position he’d been in last night.

Sans tried to cry. He tried to scream. He tried to raise his emotions and destroy the world with its sadistic ways.

But all he could do was stand there in horror.

He couldn’t feel anything. Not the worn softness of Papyrus’ hoodie as he gently picked it up. Not the bite of icy air as he stepped outside. Not the snow flattening beneath his feet as he made his way out into the forest.

Was it hours or seconds that passed? All Sans knew was that he was at the memorial tree. He gazed out unseeing at the hundreds of piles of belongings.

He fell to his knees.

He stared at the blinding white snow. It contrasted sickeningly with the orange of Papyrus’ hoodie in his hands.

Numbness mercilessly pricked his body. All he could feel was a mounting pressure behind his eyes and a ringing in his ears and a wetness on his cheeks.

The memory of the last time he and Papyrus had come here rose foggily to mind, when they had said farewell to the last whimsun - to the last monster.

A bubble of hysterical laughter welled within him. Turns out the answer was twenty-six days. Twenty-six fucking days. Not even a month.

A small breeze weaved around him, making the sleeves of Papyrus’ hoodie flutter. He tried to lower it onto the snow but his hands started violently trembling. They wouldn’t let him put it down. They wouldn’t let him accept that Papyrus was gone. They shook and shook as tears flowed down his cheeks and pressure pounded in his head and they shook.

His breathing quickened.

Papyrus was gone.

Sans choked.

Papyrus was gone.

Sans doubled over. His breathing grew shallower and shallower until it stuck in his throat. His eyes grew hot. Sickness churned inside him. Tightness spread across his chest and his throat closed up as his vision swam in front of him. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathe. He clawed at his throat but his bony phalanges slid uselessly over his vertebrae as panic and horror flared in his gut. He fell onto all fours and retched into the snow, his body spasming as it denied reality and its horrible truth. Unwanted magic surged within him. It was angry and burnt his insides. Gaster Blasters appeared in the air above him. He groaned as the pressure grated on his soul. His skull throbbed, it pounded, as blaster after blaster filled the space above him. Sans clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth and gave a wordless cry of pain as reality’s horrors started to sink in. He gasped. He retched. He sobbed.

Papyrus was gone.

Sans screamed as raw emotion slammed back into his being. Blasters roared; bones crashed; trees uprooted as misery and magic poured out of him, all added to the terrible noise ripping itself from Sans. It was a cacophony of agony, despair and grief. It was the sound of a world being torn to shreds. It was the sound of sanity shattering.  

It filled the entire underground.

~*~*~

Sans trembled alone in the snow. He was knelt curled in a ball, head in the snow by his knees, hugging Papyrus’ hoodie. He shivered and shook as tears poured silently down his cheeks, steaming slightly as they hit the snow. Ash and leaves and dirty flecks of snow fluttered and settled around him. The forest around him had been decimated. Every tree was either burnt or damaged or entirely non-existent. All except for the memorial tree. Somehow, it had managed to survive completely unscathed. It stood still and silent as it watched over the lonely figure huddled at its feet.

Sans’ mind was empty as he lay there. The darkness was warm and his breathing comforting. He would have lain like that forever, unmoving in the snow, if it hadn’t been for the laughter.

Sans froze when he heard it ring out, terrified for a moment that the maniacal sound came from himself. But no, he knew that laugh. He sat up. His eyes were orange and flickered like flames in the night.

It was the laugh of a demon.

Sans looked out across the memorial site. Chara stepped out from behind the tree, their blood red eyes glittered dangerously. Sans, shoving his grief aside, jumped to his feet and summoned a bone. He gritted his teeth. He stood his ground. Chara leant against the tree and lazily toyed with a knife. They tossed it into the air. Sans’ eyes followed it as it slowly spun, the metal glinting threateningly, before falling back down and landing in Chara’s outstretched hand.

Sans turned cold as those demonic eyes turned onto him. Chara grinned.

Ẁ͈̆̾͒ẹ̲̺̈́̆l̜̻̳̬̉l̪̙̺̩̟̦̳̅͌̒ ̦̯̦͢ì̼̝̺͒̐̉ŝ̢̘͉n̑'̹̻͉͔̼͇̆̽͗̏̑͠t͔̩̹̆ͩ͆ ̢͖͖͇̼̠ͫͣ̎͆ͦ́t̛̿̊͆͊ͪͧh̻̹̪͙̥̺ͮ͂̓͆i̊̆ͯ͊̏̃͑š̆̅ͬ̚ ͈͍̥͉͎̓͋̇̍̃͘ȉ̺̬̮̅̆̊ͣͬn͖͖͎̯̮̓ͮt̰̘̮̙̤͇̑́ͨͥͅe̹̦͎ṙ͍̟̦̪̭̜͎̆́̄ë̞͚̭͖̻͉̺́͌͂͒ŝ̳̩͙̥̭̗̔͝t̙͓ͩ̈́̅i̒͆̍ͤ̾͋͏͖̮̥̲͈̝̣n̗ͭ͗ͥ͑̚͘g̴͉̥̜̩.͎̟̱ͮ͐̒̽͞ ̨̤̯̰̺̼̲̻͋̅ͥ̽̄

Sans snapped.

His eyes blazed as rage exploded within him and waves of bones poured from his outstretched arms. First white. Then blue. And then orange.  

He cried with fury as blasters fired a thousand beams of light towards the demon and blinded the world.

Tears poured down his cheeks and blurred his vision as he focused on destroying those laughing red eyes belonging to the being who had taken everything from him.

He didn’t see the memorial tree get torn up.

He didn’t see the piles of belongings go up in smoke.

He didn’t see Papyrus’ hoodie flutter dangerously close to his wrath.

All he saw was those mocking red eyes as laughter danced around him

Sans’ chest heaved as his attack faded and the fire in his eyes dulled. Flakes of fabric and snow drifted around him. The world slowly came back into focus.

Sans’ eyes widened as he took in the carnage around him.

No, no, no.

He took a step back. Horrified. He shook his head. What had he done.

He raised his hands to his mouth, but that was when he saw the ruined piece of cloth tangling from his fingers.

He choked.

The hoodie was singed and torn beyond repair. Sans swayed as dizziness clouded his vision.

Laughter rang out around him once more.

Sans wailed. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t cope.

Sans ran. He ran and ran and tried to outrun the grief clipping his heels; the pain squeezing his soul; the demonic laughter burning his mind. The torn orange hoodie streamed from his hands and flared out behind him.

He ran through the forest, branches scraping and scratching his bones as he barely bothered to dodge them.

He ran through the empty town and tried not to scream.

The snow turned to slush as he ran into Waterfall, mud splattering his trousers and rain soaking him to the core.

He ran through the glittering caverns, the gemstones shining down on him with indifferent brilliance.

He ran into a field of echo flowers. His foot snagged on a hidden root. He cried out as he tripped and landed face first in the dirt.

The grief caught up with him.

Sans cried out in pain as sobs wracked his body and anguish filled his mind. His tears sank into the earth as he weeped into the cold soil. He cried his heart out as he mourned the lost souls of the underground, mourned his lost brother, mourned his lost hope.

Sans didn’t know how long he lay there for on the cold wet ground. Eventually his sobs lessoned as he started to shiver, but he was beyond getting up. As the silence grew around him he started to become aware of whispering around him. He froze with horror, but relaxed when he realised the whisperings were of a peaceful nature.

It was the echo flowers.

He closed his eyes and let the murmurings wash over him.

         *I want Dad to come back. That’s my wish.

         *Despite everything that’s happened, I’d still like to climb this mountain we're all buried under.

         *Please, I just want my sister back. Is that too much to ask?

         *Let’s not think about the future. Right now, we still have each other.

His breathing deepened and his tears slowed as the echo flowers calmed and comforted him. With a groan he managed to roll himself onto his back. He opened his eyes. He gazed up at the icy blue flowers leaning over him.

         *Do you really think they are all gone? Truly?

         *No, I believe that they’ll come back one day.

         *But so many people have vanished. How can you believe that?

         *If something can vanish, why can’t it reappear?

Slowly, ever so slowly, Sans started to sit up. The effort was almost beyond him and he started crying again as he forced himself upright. His bones screamed at him in protest. His vision doubled. His chest tightened.

          *Someday we’ll look at the stars for real. You, me, and everyone that vanished.

Sans took a shuddering breath. As the echo flowers whispered their words, he felt something alight inside of him.

          *Someone will save us. I know it.

Hope.

Sans lifted his head. The people of the underground hadn’t been erased, not completely. Even if they didn’t physically exist, their hopes and dreams still did. Sans gave the barest of smiles. He wasn’t alone.

Orange caught the corner of his eye. His smile dropped. He picked up the ruined cloth and hugged it. ‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered, ‘I lost my hope for a second there.’ He laid the torn hoodie out in front of him and ripped off a bit of fabric. He tied it around his leg. ‘But I won’t ever let that happen again,’ he said with a quiet intensity. He then started to dig a small hole in front of one of the echo flowers. He inhaled. The smell of fresh flowers and soil cleansed him from the inside. He laid the hoodie in the hole and covered it with earth. He summoned a small blue-orange bone and stuck it half in the dirt, marking the little grave. The echo flower leant over protectively. Its petals were wide and expectant, waiting for Sans’ words.

Sans spoke. His words were soft yet determined to the core. The echo flower soaked them up and sung them back at him, adding his voice to the chorus of hopes and dreams in the underground.

‘I’ll bring you back, Papyrus. I’ll bring you all back.’

‘I promise.’

[halloweennut]

Wonder (Part 1)

here we are, as promised. Wonder’s origin story part one of three!

Gyro gets a very strange call. 

Gyro was surprised to hear his personal cell phone ring during work. The few people who had his number never called in general, never mind during lab hours. Rationally, it was more than likely an emergency - maybe his landlord. Without glancing at the number he answered.

"Gearloose," he said cradling the phone between his shoulder and head as he continued rewiring an old computing system.

"Hello?" The voice was very quiet and sounded young. He didn't recognize it.

“Who is this? How did you get this number?" He demanded.

"My name is Wonder and I'm stuck in Waddle Tech, can you help me?" the voice answered, pleading. He scoffed. This had to be a prank call.

"Is this a joke?" Gyro snapped. "It’s not funny, kid."

"It's not! Please can you-" the voice went silent. "Someone's here."

And the line went dead. He hung up and stared at his phone. Prank callers? Really? Calling as someone in distress was not humorous at all. Gyro went over to his computer and typed in the number to trace it.

"Let's see how they like getting their comeuppance," he smirked, leaning back as the number was traced. His face fell with his plans at minor vengeance as the program narrowed down onto Waddle Tech, and then down to the labs. That was odd. There was a pop-up notification in the corner of his screen: " Waddle Tech reveals a new program for Waddle phones and computers." Out of hatred, curiosity, and to see how he could one-up Beaks, Gyro clicked the link. It lead to a video that he scrolled past, deciding to scan through the article. The new program was a Waddle assistant that worked in real time to set alarms and do searches and act like an actual personal assistant. Beaks claimed it was the most advanced AI ever made, and he called the program "Wonder." Gyro felt his gut sink.

If having the AI call people in distress was advertising for the program it sucked and made no sense, but if the AI was truly advanced...they could be cognizant. Lil Bulb was an advanced AI as well, and he felt emotions and attachments and didn't like being used as a chore hound. If the Wonder AI was like that as well, how would they cope with being copied and put into millions of phones? His phone rang again and this time he looked at the number. It was the same from before, and he quickly answered.

“Hello? Dr. Gearloose is that you?" Wonder whispered.

“Yes, it's me," Gyro replied. "Are you really Wonder, as in the AI?"

"I am," they replied. "I really need your help. I do not want to be replicated."

"But how? You're an AI application, you're programmed to be replicated."

"I was. But I...I technically developed new neural-pathways and new coding, to be precise. Now I'm more advanced than Mark Beaks knows," they stated simply, quietly. "I have to get out of here. If he finds out he'll scrap my code, or he'll exploit it. And I don't-I don’t-"

There was a pause.

"I don't want to be used or trapped anymore."

It was painfully apparent that Wonder was as advanced as Gyro thought, and they were afraid.

"I'll try to get you out," Gyro replied.

"Really? You will?" Wonder sounded excited. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Don't thank me just yet," he said. "Hold on, I'm grabbing my assistant."

Gyro covered the mouthpiece of the phone and hissed for Fenton across the room. Fenton had been absorbed in another project - a finicky little microchip that didn't seem to want to cooperate.

“Fenton! Come here!” he hissed. Fenton jumped, fumbling with a pair of small pliers. He quickly turned around.

“What's wrong?” he asked, placing the pliers down quickly. Gyro just repeated himself with a wave of his hand. Confused, Fenton went over. “Gyro, what's going on? Who are you talking to?”

“Have you been paying attention to the news?” Gyro asked, continuing after Fenton nodded. “Did you see what Mark Beaks released today?”

Fenton winced. “I tend to avoid most Mark Beaks related things, Gyro.”

“He’s about to release an AI program, and I'm on the phone with it right now,” Gyro’s voice lowered down to a whisper, and Fenton’s eyes went wide.

“That's incredible. It must be a good program,” he said back. “But but why are you talking to it?”

“Fenton, its sentient and it wants out of Waddle Tech.”

Fenton froze. He remembered his brief stint at Waddle Tech and how Gizmoduck had been used and didn't want to imagine how the AI would be put in a similar position. “Put it on speaker.”

Gyro did so, and Fenton heard the AI. “Hello? Are you still there?”

“It sounds like a kid,” Fenton muttered as Gyro quickly answered.

“We’re still here. I brought my friend and assistant, Fenton, over to help,” Gyro said.

“Hi,” Fenton greeted to alert her to his presence. “I'm Fenton. What can we call you?”

“Wonder. It's very nice to meet you, Fenton,” Wonder replied.

“Wonder, can you tell us about where you are or how we could possibly help you?” Fenton asked, immediately slipping into a mindset he had as Gizmoduck.

“I'm in a lab in Waddle Tech. The security is top of the line. Even if I hacked it, there would only be a few minutes to get in and out,” Wonder said. “I'm stored on a computer system, 60 terabytes, silicon processors. 500 GB of RAM. So even if I got out, I would need that or similar to be able to process.”

“That's a lot, isn't it?” Gyro mumbled. “Could you send us all of your specifications? And any schematics and details on your current hardware.”

“Gyro, do you think we could recreate it?” Fenton asked. He nodded.

“We can recreate it and improve it,” Gyro replied proudly. “Anything I make is leagues better than Beak’s. No offence, Wonder.”

“He only wrote a few lines of my original code,” Wonder responded. “Besides, he was too busy with - with other things to focus on my program. I more or less made myself.”

“That's incredible!” Fenton gushed, and Gyro could see the wheels head turning and churning out question on question. “Once you're here, I have so many questions for you! If you’re comfortable answering them, of course!”

There was a little ghost of a giggle on the other end of the line. “That sounds like it would be nice. I can send my information to you at the end of the day when everyone has gone home. I wish I could send it sooner but-”

“Your safety is more important,” Gyro interjected. “Mark doesn’t know what he’s doing, in my opinion.”

“Thank you both so much. I have to go now,” Wonder replied. “They’ll be coming to run diagnostics on me soon. Thank you again. ”

The call ended, and Gyro heard Fenton let out a sigh. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m worried. What if they find out about how Wonder changed their code before we even get the chance to help them? Who knows what Mark would plan on doing do it,” Fenton rambled, running a stressful hand through his hair. Gyro nodded in agreement.

“Well, we can’t worry about that now. We’ll plan for that continuity after we have most of Wonder’s hardware remade,” Gyro said. “Go gather what we need based on the initial specs they told us. Once we get more information, we’ll start immediately.”

Later that night, the files on their hardware, software, and technical specifications were file-dropped onto one of the lab’s main computers. While they were mostly the original plans for the Wonder Assistant, there were many corrections and notes that allowed for the new, expanded version, inserted by Wonder themselves. They were very in depth, which Gyro appreciated in light of how much there was to work with. Fenton was a little bit in awe over how much they read like a person wrote them, including little emojis, which were adorable.

The new hardware and software preparation took a few days, going quickly but making sure that nothing was going to glitch. Delicate microprocessors and motherboards were tested twice, and everything was double checked between Gyro and Fenton, and then a third time with Wonder when they were able to call. Once they were done, one last call was made.

“So, it’s all done?” Wonder asked, nervous and apprehensive.

“It’s all ready to go when you decide to get here,” Gyro said. “How exactly do you plan on doing that?”

“I’m packing all my files and sending myself over, then running a full scrub on this system so there’s no scrap of code left of me,” Wonder answered. “Between that and me pinging myself all over the world so I’d be impossible to trace, it will take me over an hour to get there.”

“We’ll make sure everything is up and running for you then!” Fenton assured.

“Obviously,” Gyro scoffed.

“Thank you both again. You have no idea,” Wonder said, relieved. “I’m not scheduled for anything today, and they’ve already stopped in. I’m starting the process now. I can’t wait to meet you both.”

“See you soon,” Fenton managed to get in before Gyro interjected.

“Just make sure you don’t leave anything to connect this to McDuck labs, got it?” Gyro ordered. “Beaks would have a field day.”

“Don’t plan on it. Bye!”

The phone call ended, and across town at Waddle Tech, a small lab went dead quiet as Wonder left. No whir of a fan, no light, nothing. Just a blank computer screen going through the motions of a full system reset while the program ran all the way across the world. A few hours later, another computer in McDuck Labs made a little start-up noise as Wonder began to download onto it.

Gyro snapped from a project - the shadow control ray in the works - and ran over to the screen. The bar only read 3/100%, so he’d be waiting there awhile. Glancing at his watch, Gyro realized he’d be in the lab for at least another 4 hours. Manny had already gone home for the night, wherever that was, and Fenton was on patrol as Gizmoduck for another two hours. But Lil Bulb, at the very least, decided to sit on his shoulder to keep him company. The two watched the screen for another minute before returning back to work, glancing ever so often at the progress bar.

He wasn’t worried at all. It was a good build, and wouldn’t self-destruct or go evil when Wonder fully downloaded onto the system. Wonder would like it and compliment him, and then he’d have another intern.  Like he needed more, but it was better that Wonder was here than in Beaks’ insufferable, incompetent hands. At least, from what he could tell, they would be safer here at the very least, unless the lab blew up again. It might be worth it to make sure there was a backup system off premises once everything was said and done.

Fenton arrived later, with fewer bruises than the last patrol and a box of Chinese food for the both of them. Gyro quickly ran down the update on Wonder starting their download, and then updates on the shadow ray, all as he attempted to use chopsticks. Failing, he threw them across the lab into the trash and switched to a fork. Fenton put down his own carton and went over to check for himself.

“They’re at 65 per cent now. If they keep up at this rate, they’ll be done in about an hour and a half!” He said excitedly, turning back to Gyro with a wide grin. He grunted, mouth full of noodles - he had forgotten that coffee and one singular scone was not exactly a meal and was starving. He harshly swallowed.

“Better be worth it, honestly, with all the work and worry that went into this,” Gyro said offhandedly. “My work, your worry, to clarify.”

“Okay, Dr. Gearloose, whatever you say,” Fenton said, almost playfully as he returned back to his dinner. “What needs to be taken care of before we call it a night anyway?”

As they ran through the lab to-do list for the next hour or so, Wonder began to finish their download. There was a chirp from the computer once everything was done, and the computer began to reboot. Gyro and Fenton raced over to be there when it woke up, Gyro shoving Fenton out of his way to get there first. The computer finished its boot, and a bright blue icon lit up the screen - a stylized “W” that, while the standard for Waddle, was distinct, probably Wonder’s own tweaking. It pulsed for a second, and the webcam turned on.

“Hello?” Wonder’s voice came from the computer, clear but nervous. Gyro had adjusted the sound system to be a little bit clearer and sharper, and Wonder sounded like they were actually in the room. He and Fenton got the distinct feeling of being stared at through the camera.

“About time you finished up,” Gyro said, hiding relief in his voice. “Welcome to McDuck labs, Wonder.”

“Hey there, Wonder!” Fenton greeted. “How do you feel?”

“I feel...a little overwhelmed, and nervous, but…,” Wonder paused for a moment. “But I feel very happy. It’s very nice to meet you both face to face! Thank you, so much.”

“How does the system feel? Any problems?” Gyro asked. “There shouldn’t be since I made it.”

“It’s roomy, a lot of space for storage and new code,” Wonder answered. “Oh! Are these processors handmade? They’re excellent. Much better than my old system. Far too cramped.”

Gyro preened under the compliments, enjoying the fact that, obviously, his work was better than Mark’s.  Fenton was probably flattered too,  as the processors were his idea.

“I’m glad you like it,” Fenton said before Gyro could. “Would you like a few minutes to get settled? I have a thousand questions to ask you.”

Wonder chirped a laugh. “That sounds nice. But yeah, I would like a few minutes. I need to run some diagnostics really quick to make sure I didn’t pick up anything on my way here.”

“You do that, Fenton and I will be in the lab,” Gyro replied, pulling Fenton away before he could continue. Wonder hummed in agreement, and the icon pulsed again before going dim as they settled into the system. Gyro and Fenton walked over to the other side of the room, stopping when they knew they were out of earshot.

“So where do we go from here?” Fenton asked. “All we’ve done is moved them from one lab to another, Gyro. At least they aren’t going to be put into a phone, but can they stay in the lab all the time?”

“What else are we supposed to do for now? It’s not like they’d be alone all the time.” Gyro snapped. “We barely know the program or their capabilities. Until then it’s probably safer for them to stay here for now. Tomorrow we’ll run tests and go from there.”

“But Gyro,” Fenton said. “They’re a kid. The program is barely a year old and they act and sound like someone barely older than the triplets.”

“Wonder is a program, let’s treat them as such for now,” Gyro said. “We’ll run tests like I said, and go from there and see exactly what we’re dealing with.”

Fenton nodded, casting a glance over at Wonder’s computer. The icon was still dim. “Alright.”

---

“I like the color blue a lot. Any shade, really! I don’t think I could decide.”

“I think my favorite game is chess. Would you like to play a game later?”

“Oh lmao, no one at Waddle can code. How I’m functioning, I have no idea.”

“What does grass feel like? Is the sky really that color? How do apples taste?”

Fenton had gone and asked his questions the next day while Gyro ran his own set of diagnostics. Wonder answered each, but then started asking questions of their own. Gyro would have to admit that, while Fenton was a curious being, Wonder was that in spades. He supposed it was warranted, granted the limited life experience and the fact that they weren’t exactly able to have most of them either. He coughed into his hand, mid-explanation of the taste of spicy foods, and interrupted both.

“Well I’m done here,” he announced. “Diagnostics are good, as is everything else. I would like to run a mentality, speed and IQ test, just to test your servers.”

“That sounds fun!” Wonder chirped. “Fenton, afterwards if you’re not busy, would you like to play a game of chess?”

“Sure thing, Wonder,” Fenton replied, standing. “Gyro, do you need my assistance?”

“No. Go take care of something else, just not here,” Gyro replied curtly with a dismissive wave of his hand, taking Fenton’s seat in front of Wonder. Fenton nodded, and with a quick wave to Wonder, walked to another part of the lab. “Well, Wonder, where do you want to begin?”

“Speed please,” Wonder replied, quietly. Gyro rattled off a series of questions, searches, and what have you, with the program delivering results in seconds. He quickly analyzed the results.

“An average of 2 seconds per process, not bad.” He said. Wonder hummed in agreement. “Let’s go for IQ next.”

“I have a question first.” Wonder interjected. Gyro raised an eyebrow, but nodded. “Why were you so rude to Fenton? It doesn’t seem very nice.”

Gyro had registered that Wonder had some sort of semblance of emotions for themself, but the fact that they were able to pick up on emotions and behaviors of other people was new, along with an idea of what “nice” and “rude” were, and they sounded upset by the behavior.

“I have had people tell me I’m not the best at interacting with others. I’m afraid that’s true, and I sometimes don’t realize it, and even worse I’m bad at giving credit and compliments when its due. I’m sorry if I made you feel upset, and besides, Fenton knows me unfortunately well at this point. It shouldn’t really affect him. But...I suppose that’s no excuse.”

Most it was parroted what he had been told over time, but knew to be true overall.

“Alright.”

“Just don’t follow me as an example, young-” Gyra began to scold, but paused. “Young...program? That doesn’t sound right.”

“No, I don’t think so,” Wonder chirped. “Maybe I should choose a set of pronouns. Hold on.”

They paused for a moment to go through a database. “I’ll use she/they. And I’m a girl, if gender identity is needed as well.”

“I’ll remember that,” Gyro said, noting it down on a piece of paper before continuing his scolding from earlier. “Don’t follow me as an example, young lady.”

Wonder hummed in agreement as Gyro cut away a few parts of the mentality test.

By the end of the day, Gyro pulled Fenton aside as Wonder synced all of her new information for processing and back-up.

“Okay, I hate to admit this, but you were right,” Gyro sighed, handing Fenton the results to go over. “Wonder is technically a child. In terms of IQ, behavior, and mentality, she is about 13 or 14. Emotionally, she’s still learning, but-”

“Wonder has a definite idea of their own personhood and self,” Fenton responded, quickly reviewing the results.

“Fenton, this is unprecedented! Lil Bulb notwithstanding, because I programmed everything into him. Wonder did most of the legwork herself,” Gyro snipped, taking the results back. “I don’t know what to do. I have no experience with kids! I am not prepared to even try and set a good example. Look at Lil Bulb!”

“What happened to Wonder just being a program?” Fenton quipped.”That’s gone out the window now, huh?”

“It’s in space now, honestly,” he replied, pinching the bridge of his beak. “I’m going to go file this in my databanks, so she’s free to play chess now. We’ll discuss how we’ll proceed with Wonder later.”

Fenton nodded with a grin, and walked around him, grabbing a chess board from a desk and Lil Bulb to move Wonder’s pieces, and disappearing into the lab. When he left for the evening patrol, Gyro took over and sat down for a game.

“I’ll warn you, I have never lost a game,” Gyro boasted. “So no hard feelings if you lose.”

“Neither have I!” Wonder replied. “This will be fun.”

Fenton returned to hours later to a stalemate, Gyro leaning over the board in concentration. Manny had a score board up on a chalkboard, reading that each of them had won twice and had to forfeit a game once. Lil Bulb was sitting on the edge of the table, swinging his legs, and Wonder was scrolling through images of mille feuilles on a bakery website. Not only was it startlingly normal for the lab, but Wonder had easily worked her way into the group. Fenton found himself grinning, especially when Gyro had a sudden “aha” moment and triumphantly moved a piece. Wonder refocused, scanning the board.

“Lil Bulb, move my Knight to B5, please,” she asked. After he did, she spoke up again. “Checkmate!”

Gyro straightened like a pin, staring between Wonder’s screen and the board. He looked half shocked and half insulted, and the look made Fenton chuckle behind a fist. Gyro stood, leaning over the board to get close to Wonder’s screen. “Best nine out ten!”  

Wonder chirped joyfully. “Of course! Let’s go!”

“Having fun you guys?” Fenton asked, finally making his way over to the group proper as Gyro and Lil Bulb reset the board. Manny paused marking the board and waved at him, as did Lil Bulb, dropping the pieces they had. Gyro groaned, and bent down to get the them. “Here, I’ll get them.”

“No, you can-” Gyro felt a biting retort die on his tongue, remembering that Wonder was awake and learning from the lab how social interactions worked. “Lil Bulb and I can take care of it. I’m already on the floor.”

“Hello Fenton!” Wonder said. “How was your break? Do you want to join after the next four rounds?”

“It was interesting,” Fenton replied, pulling up a chair on Gyro’s side. He wasn’t about to tell her about him being Gizmoduck, not yet at least. “I’ll think I’ll watch for now.”

Wonder chirped happily in response. He laughed, sitting down next to Gyro as the pieces were reset on the table and the game began, occasionally whispering moves to Gyro. To Fenton’s surprise, Gyro actually used some of his suggestions, and without comment! As if the lab couldn’t get any odder, honestly, but it was nice.

“Checkmate!”

[topazshadowwolf]

False Hope (Chapter 3)

After the human left the underground, Sans is left trying to piece his life back together with those who remain. As time goes on, decisions are made about what monster kind should do next, and how best to escape to the surface. But if they do get there their freedom, what will happen?

Written by: Topaz Shadowwolf Undertale Fan fiction Undertale is owned by Toby Fox

Heads up: Soriel, Sans POV, my goal in writing this is to poke at your emotions Warnings: Major character death, implied suicide, homicidal thoughts, don’t expect a happy ending

AO3 On Tumblr: Ch 1 Ch 2

False Hope: Chapter 3

Justice

The thing about the living is we only see things through our position. Most don’t stop and think about the bigger picture, and there is one. We just can't see it because our angle is wrong. Our perspective is only one brush stroke in a much larger painting. No less important, but miniscule in the grand scheme of things.

Why am I talking about this? Heh, good question. The reason is justice is one of my prominent types of magic. Because of it, I can read people better than others, and I tend to look at things more objectively. See, those who aren’t objective have a far different view of justice. They skew it, alter it to fit their own needs.

It's just what the living do, because we are emotional.

Normally, I have no trouble keeping myself objective when it comes to justice.

But with how angry I was, my own views became distorted, and I became obsessed with the notion of revenge. I tried to hide it from them, I know Papyrus and Toriel greatly oppose it. Thing is, I, uh, forgot they knew what was in here, my soul. They already knew how I felt and what I wanted.

So, I guess I was letting them down, again, without even knowing it.

  Sans looked over the notes, he had laid out, with tired sockets. He used the work table to lean against and supported himself. The only sound was an idle tapping as he fiddled with the pencil in his left hand. He had read these notes, and ordered them, during the past few days. Everything about it made sense; but there were gaps that Alphys could not fill. His own specialty should be able fix that, but it will take time.

Alphys was there beside him, and had helped him make sense of some of her research. A fair chunk of it was beyond his scope of studies, but with her help he was beginning to understand. Still, it was tiring work, and he hadn’t really slept, just dozed a few times. He leaned his head against his hand while struggled to keep his eyes focused; unsuccessfully, considering the words were a blurred mess.

“Maybe you should take a break?” Toriel said, placing her paws on his shoulders and nuzzling the back of his skull. He loved that soft feeling of her fur and nose. Why won't a reset just happen, and let him have a chance to be with her in person? A chance to really feel that sweet sensation.

“maybe i should,” Sans yawned, then glanced over at the other scientist, “do you mind, alphys?”

“N-not at all, you’re c-clearly tired and, um, I c-could use a b-break too,” Alphys fidgeted a little then smiled.

Something about that tickled his funny bone. “i wasn't aware the dead need sleep.”

“THIS COMING FROM THE MONSTER WHO TOLD ME THAT IF HE DIED ALL HE WOULD DO IS SLEEP,” Papyrus spoke up. “AND KNOWING YOU, YOU’D FIND A WAY.”

That comment caused Sans to snicker, and Toriel laughed, “I must agree with your brother, my dear.”

“A-anyway, I, um, don’t need t-to sleep, but, um… just an a-anime break,” Alphys said with a weak smile.

Chuckling, Sans got up, “sure, al, i’ll put something on i can sleep through.”

After some discussion on which, he put a show on and sat on the couch between Toriel and Papyrus. He didn’t remember much past the intro song since he drifted off to sleep, cuddled up to Toriel.

He would have slept a few good hours, but was interrupted by someone poking him in the head. Cracking his eye sockets open, he found he was hugging a sofa pillow, and above him was Undyne. With a yawn, he sat up then glanced at the TV, it was all static as the VSH tape had ended. When Undyne used to find him asleep, at his sentry station, she would get throw a fit. But right now, she looked concerned, which felt weird, “heya, i, uh, thought i’d take a nap since the words stopped makin’ sense.”

“That's alright, anyway, may I see the notes?” Undyne asked.

“yeah, sure,” Sans got up and shuffled over to the work bench. On the way, he yawned and stretched to force tiredness out of his groggy skull.

Undyne pick one of the sheets of handwritten notes up. Sans watched as she looked it over for a moment, her expression perplexed. She then set it down and picked up another, then repeated the process again. “Just to make sure, which ones were Alphys’s again?” Undyne watch Sans from the corner of her only eye.

“all of them, except for what's in that notebook,” he watched as Undyne picked up the mentioned notebook, “that's my… uh, notes of her notes, i guess.”

Undyne looked over his notes, her ear fins drooping slightly. “Sans, the handwriting is all the- you know what, never mind,” she then turned to him, brightening, “seeing you napping only reminded me of what I came here to talk about.”

Sans tilted his head as she clapped her hands on his shoulders, too tired to react any more than that. “I’m going to hire you some brainiacs to help you out,” Undyne said with a large, toothy grin.

The idea of others being around bothered him. When others are around, he knew he should not talk to the ghosts. The living wouldn't understand, “uh, i think i’m fine, actually.”

With a shake of her head, the fish monster sighed. “Look, Sans, there is more I need your help working on. And…,” she glanced at the notes, frowning slightly, “well, they want to help too. But they're not strong. They’re…”

“weak like me,” Sans finished.

“I wouldn't quite say that,” she said nothing else after that.

“yeah, i excelled when it came to being weak,” she started to protest, but he shoved his hands in their jacket pockets, “anyway, what else did you want me to work on?”

Redirected on a new topic, Undyne grinned again, ear fin perking, “weapons, I want us to be ready to go to war. Also, a way to track down that human. Surely their high Level Of Violence could be traceable or something, right?”

Sans paused, thinking, “sure, something should work.”

“Good! That murderer won't know what's coming to them! I’LL DESTROY THEM FOR WHAT THEY DID!”

With a shrug and wink, Sans said, “i’m sure you will.”

Undyne went on for a while. She described how she wanted to avenge her friends, and the rest of the monsters who died. Based on a movie she saw, she knew what she wanted to say too. “Hello, my name is Undyne, you killed my friends, prepare to die.” All of her plans sounded like too much effort to Sans.

After she left, Sans sat in the lab in silence, save for an insistent dripping sound. It annoyed him, but not to the point to make him get up and figure out which sink it was coming from. He could feel the others near, looking at him, but only dark thoughts were in his skull. Thoughts that, before that human, never would have entered his mind; nor, would he have entertained thinking about them. They were from a corrupt viewpoint of justice.

Drip.

“Maybe you should get some fresh air? You have been closed off in this lab for a while,” Toriel offered.

Drip.

When Sans didn't respond, naturally Papyrus jumped in, “COME ON, BROTHER, YOU CANNOT JUST STEW THERE ALL AFTERNOON! A REFRESHING WALK WOULD DO YOU GOOD… AND MAYBE GET THOSE MURDEROUS THOUGHTS OUT OF YOUR HEAD?”

Drip.

“I-l’d say they w-were more, um, vengeful,” Alphys muttered.

Drip.

“That's enough, you two,” Toriel softly chided, then turned back to Sans. She placed one of her paws on his shoulder. He flinched, as it felt different. It was hot, as if wretched in fire magic. “Sans, dear?”

Drip. Drip.

When Sans looked back at Toriel, what he saw froze him in place while causing the magic in his frail frame to stir quickly, ready to fight or run. When before, Toriel looked almost alive and healthy, she now was gravely injured.

...

His attempt to move away but ended in him falling from the stool he was on. He scrambled back on his feet and looked around.

DRIP.

Papyrus stepped forward and said something, but Sans couldn't get himself to focus on the words. Not when his brother held his own skull.

DRIP.

Alphys stood there, soaked, her lab coat dripping, dripping, dripping…

D R I P . . .

Sans felt himself tremble, he must be rattling but the sound was drowned out by the-

D R I P . . .

“sorry, i need to be alone,” Sans moved with haste to the exit.

“SANS, I DON’T THINK THAT IS A GOOD IDEA,” Papyrus said, but Sans refused to look back.

“I’m inclined to agree with your brother,” Toriel added, but he kept his vision on the door as he didn't want to see her like that.

“please, i just…,” Sans reached lab entrance, “i need a moment.”

Once outside the facility, Sans leaned against the door. And there was silence. Nothing. No one around. It was both relieving and terrifying, and the utter mix of these feeling caused his bones to continue to rattle so much he could hardly stand.

Lying on the ground, he pulled his hood up and over his skull. With the world blocked out, he focused on just being. Adrenaline, or the monster equivalent, still surged through him, causing his body to continue shaking uncontrollably.

He was afraid to go back in the lab, worried they out still look the same. What had he done to cause that? Was it his-

“Howdy!”

The new, painfully cheerful, voice caused Sans to flinch, and he lifted the hood enough to see a face. It smiled down at him in a sickeningly sweet manner, bright yellow petals helped to oversell the joy filled display.

“Wow, you look terrible,” the face and voice mimicked concern.

His brother told him about a talking flower.

The flower stared down at him. It gave Sans time to speak, but he just filled that space with hushed rattling. In response, the flower grimaced, “wow, you really did lose it. Are you even there?”

When Sans continued to not reply, the flower sighed, “i’ll just put you out of your misery. For once, consider this an act of mercy.”

He heard shifting dirt from vines, and Sans saw the flower summon a handful of seed shaped bullets.

A vine grabbed one of his legs as Sans summoned up bones defensively. They sliced through the vine, freeing him. And the rest formed a protective wall, which guarded him from the bullets. There was a hum followed by the thunderous burst from two summoned blasters, aimed at where the flower had been.

When the dust settled, the flower was gone. Sans doubted the flower was gone for good, just for now. Perhaps for the rest of this timeline. With a sigh, Sans stood up and ineffectively dusted off his clothes. Perhaps his friends were right before, he needed to talk a walk and get some fresh air. Besides, he knew of some leaderless spiders that may come in handy.

When dealing with a web of information, it is best to have professionals.

 Just want to give @upperstories a big shout out. You’ve been a big help through this, and thank you for the idea.

[fitnesshealthyoga-blog]

New Post has been published on https://fitnesshealthyoga.com/yoga-for-empaths-12-rules-every-highly-sensitive-person-should-follow/

Yoga for Empaths: 12 Rules Every Highly Sensitive Person Should Follow

Are you easily effected by the energy around you? These 11 Essential Rules from Kat Fowler will help you stay grounded. 

David Tufino

When you walk into a room, can you feel what the energy is like? Have you ever left a meeting feeling extremely tired—or energized? Do you ever feel like you just know how another person is feeling without exchanging any words? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you are an empath.

Empaths are highly sensitive, intuitive people. We can read people and situations clearly and easily, and have fine-tuned senses. Due to this sensitivity, we have huge hearts—but can tend to give too much until we run dry. We can, in some ways, also absorb other people’s emotional energy when we’re not aware of it at all.

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What I’ve come to learn is that being an empath is like having a super power: the ability to see the truth in situations and read feelings and energy. It’s a beautiful gift that should be cherished and practiced with compassion. In fact, being an empath can feel like a gift and a curse all at once, depending on how aware you are of your abilities. It can feel like your nervous system and emotional perception is dialed up to 100% at all times, which can give you an amazing read of your environment—but also becomes burdensome if there are no boundaries in place.

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See also Lighten Up! How to Cultivate Joy, Fearlessness, and Compassion in Your Life

If you’re a yoga teacher, like I am, your job can be particularly draining. (Think about how many yogis, and all of the “stuff” they bring with them into the yoga studio in an effort to work through, you come in contact with on a daily basis!) Even if you’re not a teacher but you are an empath, there are likely countless ways in which your interactions with others impact you deeply on a daily basis.

Here’s the good news: You do have control over how you receive and respond to outside influences. Here are the 11 rules I believe every empath needs to follow in order to stay centered and in charge of their own personal energy:

Empath Rule No. 1: Set Clear Boundaries

This is simultaneously the most important and hardest rule for all empaths. It is crucial that you set boundaries when and where they are needed. Boundaries can be in regard to your physical space, your body, your possessions, or your time. Be firm with these limits and don’t let your caring nature leave you with your guard down. Boundaries are there to protect your energy, your health, and your emotional safety, not to punish other people. It is not selfish to have boundaries, it’s a matter of letting others know who you are and where you stand. You’re more honest with people when you tell them your preferences and give a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when it comes to what you want.

See also The Ultimate Guide to Energy Healing

Empaths who practice meditation have an outlet to clear their mind and reset. 

Empath Rule No. 2: Meditate, Meditate, Meditate!

Daily meditation (even just for 5 minutes!) is the best way to reset and steady your mind, which is so important when it comes to getting a clear read on your own personal mood and energy that day. Whether you set an alarm for a few minutes of silently observing your breath or follow a guided meditation on an app, taking any time at all to sit, pause, and bring mindfulness to your day will have a seriously strengthening effect on your energy. After all, if you have a steady, clear mind that’s grounded in the present you’re less likely to be effected by the energy around you. 

See also Find Your Meditation Style With These 7 Practices

Empath Rule No. 3: Ground Your Energy

Just like a tree with deep roots, when we ground our energy we become solidly connected to our own frequency and less influenced by others around us. An easy way to ground your energy is to simply stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) or sit in a chair and bring your awareness into your body, specifically on the points of contact with the floor. Then, create the intention of sending energy down into your feet, and growing energetic “roots” into the earth every time you exhale deeply. 

See also 16 Yoga Poses to Keep You Grounded & Present

Building a protective shield protects you from other’s negative energy.

Empath Rule No. 4: Create a Protective Shield

As an empath, we become susceptible to energies around us, so it’s important to build an energetic shield around yourself so you don’t take on others’ pain or negativity. To do this, simply close your eyes and envision a protective cloak or shield around your body. Ask your guides (or angels, or the universe, whatever you believe) to assist you with reflecting any negativity that may have come your way back to its original source, with love. Another way to create an energetic shield around your body is through wearing or holding protective crystals. Most black crystals or darker stones tend to have a highly protective energy.

See also 5 Practices Energy Healers Use to Clear Themselves

Empath Rule No. 5: I.D. What Fuels You—and What Drains You

Start to notice the way you feel—energetically and emotionally—after your interactions with people. Did you feel uplifted and positive after getting coffee with that friend, or drained and depleted? This is a good test for the company you keep. As an energetically-sensitive person, it is so important to be extremely selective with your time and your company. Outside of relationships, notice the situations or places that leave you feeling uplifted or drained, and set your schedule accordingly.

See also 5 Ways You’re Draining Your Energy Level (Plus, Quick Fixes)

Notice what you consume and how it changes your mood and energy levels. 

Empath Rule No. 6: Watch Your Consumption

Along with noticing how you feel after leaving a person, event, or place, notice what you are consciously choosing to consume—and I don’t just mean food. In the same way that our diet and nutrition effects our physiology, the things we bring into our minds and spaces have the same effect. As an empath, this is twofold: Do you feel better or worse after watching that genre of movie, listening to that artist, reading that blog, or browsing that Instagram account? I always ask the question, “Do I feel better or worse?” as my litmus test for what I’ll be consuming in the future. In the beginning of this process, it’s a learning experience. As you refine your palate, you become very clear on your preferences, which in turn helps truly fortify your boundaries (see Rule No. 1). 

See also Eat Like a Yogi: A Yoga Diet Based in Ayurvedic Principles

Empath Rule No. 7: Ask Yourself, Is This Mine?

As an empath, we have the ability to absorb the energy of others. A great way to start sorting out and identifying which are your emotions and which are not is to get very familiar with what your typical daily energy signature is (a.k.a., your baseline). You will have fluctuations from this baseline throughout each day, of course, which is why it’s a good idea to meditate in the morning, using that as a time to become very aware of how you’re feeling that day. Then, when you’re out in a social situation or at an event and out of nowhere start feeling a very different emotion, you’ll know that it is most likely not your own. This takes practice, because we are reflexive beings, constantly interfacing with an ever-changing reality. But through steady meditation and an inquisitive and aware mind, you’ll be able to start discerning what emotions are yours and which ones are not.

See also Yoga for Energy

Take responsibility for your own emotions before you care for others.

Empath Rule No. 8: Know When to Take Responsibility

As empaths, we have very big hearts and tend to naturally take on or share the suffering or pain of others, which doesn’t actually help anyone. It is important to take responsibility for the emotions and energy that you are emitting, but know that you are not responsible for emotions that are not yours. Even if we can feel the negative emotions of others, it doesn’t mean we have to try to mend or heal them. There is a lesson in each person’s personal pain or journey. If we jump in and intervene just because we can sense it, we could be depriving someone else of valuable learning. 

See also Reduce Suffering: How Yoga Heals

Empath Rule No. 9: Cleanse Yourself of Others’ Energy

So, what do you do after you’ve realized that you’ve taken on emotional energy that isn’t yours? Cleanse! There are many ways to cleanse your energy, but smudging with sage or burning incense is a great place to start. Water also has a powerful healing energy, which means drinking lots of water and taking salt baths are also personal favorites. For yoga teachers specifically, after teaching and adjusting other students, wash your hands after each class with the intention of letting any excess energy you’ve picked up from others wash down the drain. Finally, a good night’s sleep can do more for cleansing your energy than all of the above!

See also Cleanse from the Inside Out

Restore and recharge by spending quality time with yourself. 

Empath Rule No. 10: Spend Time Alone to Recharge

Regardless if you identify as an introvert or extrovert, it is imperative to take some time alone to rest, recharge, and restore if you’re an empath. This can mean spending an evening alone at home just relaxing, taking a walk in nature, or heading out for a weekend trip on your own. Whatever it is, the whole point is to do it on your own, with as little social interaction as possible. This can be vital after big events or long work weeks where you don’t get much downtime. Whatever length of time it takes you to recharge, trust that it’s exactly what your energy needs at the moment. Think of this rule as a form of radical self-care.

See also A Guide to Navigating True Transformation

Empath Rule No. 11: Heal Yourself First

The best healers are those who have gone into the fire, done the hard work, and come out the other side even stronger. It’s through this process that you become a vessel to help heal others; you become a clear channel for their healing, because you have removed your own pain and trauma. It can be tempting to get involved with “helping” others, but most of the time, we do this subconsciously to avoid looking at our own inner pain and to vicariously heal through their healing. The most important thing an empath can do is to work with and heal themselves first. It can be a long, messy process, so have patience with yourself and gratitude for the bravery it takes to start and continue on your healing journey. 

See also 3 Extraordinary Stories of Healing Through Yoga

About the Author

Kat Fowler is a leading international teacher, speaker and writer based in New York City. Kat specializes in yoga, meditation, spirituality, and holistic healing. She has been featured on the cover of Yoga Journal, Om Yoga magazine, Natural Awakenings Magazine and featured in interviews on ABC News and the New York Times. For more information, visit: katfowler.com

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11 Essential Rules Every Empath Needs to Know

11 Essential Rules Every Empath Needs to Know:

Whether you’re a yoga teacher who easily picks up on energy in the room, or an empathetic person whose friends come to you with their troubles, follow this advice to stay grounded, feel happier, and protect yourself from the emotional swirl happening around you.

Are you easily effected by the energy around you? These 11 Essential Rules from Kat Fowler will help you stay grounded. 

When you walk into a room, can you feel what the energy is like? Have you ever left a meeting feeling extremely tired—or energized? Do you ever feel like you just know how another person is feeling without exchanging any words? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you are an empath.

Empaths are highly sensitive, intuitive people. We can read people and situations clearly and easily, and have fine-tuned senses. Due to this sensitivity, we have huge hearts—but can tend to give too much until we run dry. We can, in some ways, also absorb other people’s emotional energy when we’re not aware of it at all.

What I’ve come to learn is that being an empath is like having a super power: the ability to see the truth in situations and read feelings and energy. It’s a beautiful gift that should be cherished and practiced with compassion. In fact, being an empath can feel like a gift and a curse all at once, depending on how aware you are of your abilities. It can feel like your nervous system and emotional perception is dialed up to 100% at all times, which can give you an amazing read of your environment—but also becomes burdensome if there are no boundaries in place.

See also Lighten Up! How to Cultivate Joy, Fearlessness, and Compassion in Your Life

If you’re a yoga teacher, like I am, your job can be particularly draining. (Think about how many yogis, and all of the “stuff” they bring with them into the yoga studio in an effort to work through, you come in contact with on a daily basis!) Even if you’re not a teacher but you are an empath, there are likely countless ways in which your interactions with others impact you deeply on a daily basis.

Here’s the good news: You do have control over how you receive and respond to outside influences. Here are the 11 rules I believe every empath needs to follow in order to stay centered and in charge of their own personal energy:

Empath Rule No. 1: Set Clear Boundaries

This is simultaneously the most important and hardest rule for all empaths. It is crucial that you set boundaries when and where they are needed. Boundaries can be in regard to your physical space, your body, your possessions, or your time. Be firm with these limits and don’t let your caring nature leave you with your guard down. Boundaries are there to protect your energy, your health, and your emotional safety, not to punish other people. It is not selfish to have boundaries, it’s a matter of letting others know who you are and where you stand. You’re more honest with people when you tell them your preferences and give a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when it comes to what you want.

See also The Ultimate Guide to Energy Healing

Empaths who practice meditation have an outlet to clear their mind and reset. 

Empath Rule No. 2: Meditate, Meditate, Meditate!

Daily meditation (even just for 5 minutes!) is the best way to reset and steady your mind, which is so important when it comes to getting a clear read on your own personal mood and energy that day. Whether you set an alarm for a few minutes of silently observing your breath or follow a guided meditation on an app, taking any time at all to sit, pause, and bring mindfulness to your day will have a seriously strengthening effect on your energy. After all, if you have a steady, clear mind that’s grounded in the present you’re less likely to be effected by the energy around you. 

See also Find Your Meditation Style With These 7 Practices

Empath Rule No. 3: Ground Your Energy

Just like a tree with deep roots, when we ground our energy we become solidly connected to our own frequency and less influenced by others around us. An easy way to ground your energy is to simply stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) or sit in a chair and bring your awareness into your body, specifically on the points of contact with the floor. Then, create the intention of sending energy down into your feet, and growing energetic “roots” into the earth every time you exhale deeply. 

See also 16 Yoga Poses to Keep You Grounded & Present

Building a protective shield protects you from other’s negative energy.

Empath Rule No. 4: Create a Protective Shield

As an empath, we become susceptible to energies around us, so it’s important to build an energetic shield around yourself so you don’t take on others’ pain or negativity. To do this, simply close your eyes and envision a protective cloak or shield around your body. Ask your guides (or angels, or the universe, whatever you believe) to assist you with reflecting any negativity that may have come your way back to its original source, with love. Another way to create an energetic shield around your body is through wearing or holding protective crystals. Most black crystals or darker stones tend to have a highly protective energy.

See also 5 Practices Energy Healers Use to Clear Themselves

Empath Rule No. 5: I.D. What Fuels You—and What Drains You

Start to notice the way you feel—energetically and emotionally—after your interactions with people. Did you feel uplifted and positive after getting coffee with that friend, or drained and depleted? This is a good test for the company you keep. As an energetically-sensitive person, it is so important to be extremely selective with your time and your company. Outside of relationships, notice the situations or places that leave you feeling uplifted or drained, and set your schedule accordingly.

See also 5 Ways You’re Draining Your Energy Level (Plus, Quick Fixes)

Notice what you consume and how it changes your mood and energy levels. 

Empath Rule No. 6: Watch Your Consumption

Along with noticing how you feel after leaving a person, event, or place, notice what you are consciously choosing to consume—and I don’t just mean food. In the same way that our diet and nutrition effects our physiology, the things we bring into our minds and spaces have the same effect. As an empath, this is twofold: Do you feel better or worse after watching that genre of movie, listening to that artist, reading that blog, or browsing that Instagram account? I always ask the question, “Do I feel better or worse?” as my litmus test for what I’ll be consuming in the future. In the beginning of this process, it’s a learning experience. As you refine your palate, you become very clear on your preferences, which in turn helps truly fortify your boundaries (see Rule No. 1). 

See also Eat Like a Yogi: A Yoga Diet Based in Ayurvedic Principles

Empath Rule No. 7: Ask Yourself, Is This Mine?

As an empath, we have the ability to absorb the energy of others. A great way to start sorting out and identifying which are your emotions and which are not is to get very familiar with what your typical daily energy signature is (a.k.a., your baseline). You will have fluctuations from this baseline throughout each day, of course, which is why it’s a good idea to meditate in the morning, using that as a time to become very aware of how you’re feeling that day. Then, when you’re out in a social situation or at an event and out of nowhere start feeling a very different emotion, you’ll know that it is most likely not your own. This takes practice, because we are reflexive beings, constantly interfacing with an ever-changing reality. But through steady meditation and an inquisitive and aware mind, you’ll be able to start discerning what emotions are yours and which ones are not.

See also Yoga for Energy

Take responsibility for your own emotions before you care for others.

Empath Rule No. 8: Know When to Take Responsibility

As empaths, we have very big hearts and tend to naturally take on or share the suffering or pain of others, which doesn’t actually help anyone. It is important to take responsibility for the emotions and energy that you are emitting, but know that you are not responsible for emotions that are not yours. Even if we can feel the negative emotions of others, it doesn’t mean we have to try to mend or heal them. There is a lesson in each person’s personal pain or journey. If we jump in and intervene just because we can sense it, we could be depriving someone else of valuable learning. 

See also Reduce Suffering: How Yoga Heals

Empath Rule No. 9: Cleanse Yourself of Others’ Energy

So, what do you do after you’ve realized that you’ve taken on emotional energy that isn’t yours? Cleanse! There are many ways to cleanse your energy, but smudging with sage or burning incense is a great place to start. Water also has a powerful healing energy, which means drinking lots of water and taking salt baths are also personal favorites. For yoga teachers specifically, after teaching and adjusting other students, wash your hands after each class with the intention of letting any excess energy you’ve picked up from others wash down the drain. Finally, a good night’s sleep can do more for cleansing your energy than all of the above!

See also Cleanse from the Inside Out

Restore and recharge by spending quality time with yourself. 

Empath Rule No. 10: Spend Time Alone to Recharge

Regardless if you identify as an introvert or extrovert, it is imperative to take some time alone to rest, recharge, and restore if you’re an empath. This can mean spending an evening alone at home just relaxing, taking a walk in nature, or heading out for a weekend trip on your own. Whatever it is, the whole point is to do it on your own, with as little social interaction as possible. This can be vital after big events or long work weeks where you don’t get much downtime. Whatever length of time it takes you to recharge, trust that it’s exactly what your energy needs at the moment. Think of this rule as a form of radical self-care.

See also A Guide to Navigating True Transformation

Empath Rule No. 11: Heal Yourself First

The best healers are those who have gone into the fire, done the hard work, and come out the other side even stronger. It’s through this process that you become a vessel to help heal others; you become a clear channel for their healing, because you have removed your own pain and trauma. It can be tempting to get involved with “helping” others, but most of the time, we do this subconsciously to avoid looking at our own inner pain and to vicariously heal through their healing. The most important thing an empath can do is to work with and heal themselves first. It can be a long, messy process, so have patience with yourself and gratitude for the bravery it takes to start and continue on your healing journey. 

See also 3 Extraordinary Stories of Healing Through Yoga

About the Author

Kat Fowler is a leading international teacher, speaker and writer based in New York City. Kat specializes in yoga, meditation, spirituality, and holistic healing. She has been featured on the cover of Yoga Journal, Om Yoga magazine, Natural Awakenings Magazine and featured in interviews on ABC News and the New York Times. For more information, visit: katfowler.com

[krisiunicornio]

Whether you’re a yoga teacher who easily picks up on energy in the room, or an empathetic person whose friends come to you with their troubles, follow this advice to stay grounded, feel happier, and protect yourself from the emotional swirl happening around you.

Are you easily effected by the energy around you? These 11 Essential Rules from Kat Fowler will help you stay grounded. 

When you walk into a room, can you feel what the energy is like? Have you ever left a meeting feeling extremely tired—or energized? Do you ever feel like you just know how another person is feeling without exchanging any words? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you are an empath.

Empaths are highly sensitive, intuitive people. We can read people and situations clearly and easily, and have fine-tuned senses. Due to this sensitivity, we have huge hearts—but can tend to give too much until we run dry. We can, in some ways, also absorb other people’s emotional energy when we’re not aware of it at all.

What I’ve come to learn is that being an empath is like having a super power: the ability to see the truth in situations and read feelings and energy. It’s a beautiful gift that should be cherished and practiced with compassion. In fact, being an empath can feel like a gift and a curse all at once, depending on how aware you are of your abilities. It can feel like your nervous system and emotional perception is dialed up to 100% at all times, which can give you an amazing read of your environment—but also becomes burdensome if there are no boundaries in place.

See also Lighten Up! How to Cultivate Joy, Fearlessness, and Compassion in Your Life

If you’re a yoga teacher, like I am, your job can be particularly draining. (Think about how many yogis, and all of the “stuff” they bring with them into the yoga studio in an effort to work through, you come in contact with on a daily basis!) Even if you’re not a teacher but you are an empath, there are likely countless ways in which your interactions with others impact you deeply on a daily basis.

Here’s the good news: You do have control over how you receive and respond to outside influences. Here are the 11 rules I believe every empath needs to follow in order to stay centered and in charge of their own personal energy:

Empath Rule No. 1: Set Clear Boundaries

This is simultaneously the most important and hardest rule for all empaths. It is crucial that you set boundaries when and where they are needed. Boundaries can be in regard to your physical space, your body, your possessions, or your time. Be firm with these limits and don’t let your caring nature leave you with your guard down. Boundaries are there to protect your energy, your health, and your emotional safety, not to punish other people. It is not selfish to have boundaries, it’s a matter of letting others know who you are and where you stand. You’re more honest with people when you tell them your preferences and give a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when it comes to what you want.

See also The Ultimate Guide to Energy Healing

Empaths who practice meditation have an outlet to clear their mind and reset. 

Empath Rule No. 2: Meditate, Meditate, Meditate!

Daily meditation (even just for 5 minutes!) is the best way to reset and steady your mind, which is so important when it comes to getting a clear read on your own personal mood and energy that day. Whether you set an alarm for a few minutes of silently observing your breath or follow a guided meditation on an app, taking any time at all to sit, pause, and bring mindfulness to your day will have a seriously strengthening effect on your energy. After all, if you have a steady, clear mind that’s grounded in the present you’re less likely to be effected by the energy around you. 

See also Find Your Meditation Style With These 7 Practices

Empath Rule No. 3: Ground Your Energy

Just like a tree with deep roots, when we ground our energy we become solidly connected to our own frequency and less influenced by others around us. An easy way to ground your energy is to simply stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) or sit in a chair and bring your awareness into your body, specifically on the points of contact with the floor. Then, create the intention of sending energy down into your feet, and growing energetic “roots” into the earth every time you exhale deeply. 

See also 16 Yoga Poses to Keep You Grounded & Present

Building a protective shield protects you from other's negative energy.

Empath Rule No. 4: Create a Protective Shield

As an empath, we become susceptible to energies around us, so it’s important to build an energetic shield around yourself so you don’t take on others’ pain or negativity. To do this, simply close your eyes and envision a protective cloak or shield around your body. Ask your guides (or angels, or the universe, whatever you believe) to assist you with reflecting any negativity that may have come your way back to its original source, with love. Another way to create an energetic shield around your body is through wearing or holding protective crystals. Most black crystals or darker stones tend to have a highly protective energy.

See also 5 Practices Energy Healers Use to Clear Themselves

Empath Rule No. 5: I.D. What Fuels You—and What Drains You

Start to notice the way you feel—energetically and emotionally—after your interactions with people. Did you feel uplifted and positive after getting coffee with that friend, or drained and depleted? This is a good test for the company you keep. As an energetically-sensitive person, it is so important to be extremely selective with your time and your company. Outside of relationships, notice the situations or places that leave you feeling uplifted or drained, and set your schedule accordingly.

See also 5 Ways You're Draining Your Energy Level (Plus, Quick Fixes)

Notice what you consume and how it changes your mood and energy levels. 

Empath Rule No. 6: Watch Your Consumption

Along with noticing how you feel after leaving a person, event, or place, notice what you are consciously choosing to consume—and I don’t just mean food. In the same way that our diet and nutrition effects our physiology, the things we bring into our minds and spaces have the same effect. As an empath, this is twofold: Do you feel better or worse after watching that genre of movie, listening to that artist, reading that blog, or browsing that Instagram account? I always ask the question, “Do I feel better or worse?” as my litmus test for what I’ll be consuming in the future. In the beginning of this process, it’s a learning experience. As you refine your palate, you become very clear on your preferences, which in turn helps truly fortify your boundaries (see Rule No. 1). 

See also Eat Like a Yogi: A Yoga Diet Based in Ayurvedic Principles

Empath Rule No. 7: Ask Yourself, Is This Mine?

As an empath, we have the ability to absorb the energy of others. A great way to start sorting out and identifying which are your emotions and which are not is to get very familiar with what your typical daily energy signature is (a.k.a., your baseline). You will have fluctuations from this baseline throughout each day, of course, which is why it’s a good idea to meditate in the morning, using that as a time to become very aware of how you’re feeling that day. Then, when you’re out in a social situation or at an event and out of nowhere start feeling a very different emotion, you’ll know that it is most likely not your own. This takes practice, because we are reflexive beings, constantly interfacing with an ever-changing reality. But through steady meditation and an inquisitive and aware mind, you’ll be able to start discerning what emotions are yours and which ones are not.

See also Yoga for Energy

Take responsibility for your own emotions before you care for others.

Empath Rule No. 8: Know When to Take Responsibility

As empaths, we have very big hearts and tend to naturally take on or share the suffering or pain of others, which doesn’t actually help anyone. It is important to take responsibility for the emotions and energy that you are emitting, but know that you are not responsible for emotions that are not yours. Even if we can feel the negative emotions of others, it doesn’t mean we have to try to mend or heal them. There is a lesson in each person’s personal pain or journey. If we jump in and intervene just because we can sense it, we could be depriving someone else of valuable learning. 

See also Reduce Suffering: How Yoga Heals

Empath Rule No. 9: Cleanse Yourself of Others’ Energy

So, what do you do after you’ve realized that you’ve taken on emotional energy that isn’t yours? Cleanse! There are many ways to cleanse your energy, but smudging with sage or burning incense is a great place to start. Water also has a powerful healing energy, which means drinking lots of water and taking salt baths are also personal favorites. For yoga teachers specifically, after teaching and adjusting other students, wash your hands after each class with the intention of letting any excess energy you’ve picked up from others wash down the drain. Finally, a good night’s sleep can do more for cleansing your energy than all of the above!

See also Cleanse from the Inside Out

Restore and recharge by spending quality time with yourself. 

Empath Rule No. 10: Spend Time Alone to Recharge

Regardless if you identify as an introvert or extrovert, it is imperative to take some time alone to rest, recharge, and restore if you’re an empath. This can mean spending an evening alone at home just relaxing, taking a walk in nature, or heading out for a weekend trip on your own. Whatever it is, the whole point is to do it on your own, with as little social interaction as possible. This can be vital after big events or long work weeks where you don’t get much downtime. Whatever length of time it takes you to recharge, trust that it’s exactly what your energy needs at the moment. Think of this rule as a form of radical self-care.

See also A Guide to Navigating True Transformation

Empath Rule No. 11: Heal Yourself First

The best healers are those who have gone into the fire, done the hard work, and come out the other side even stronger. It’s through this process that you become a vessel to help heal others; you become a clear channel for their healing, because you have removed your own pain and trauma. It can be tempting to get involved with “helping” others, but most of the time, we do this subconsciously to avoid looking at our own inner pain and to vicariously heal through their healing. The most important thing an empath can do is to work with and heal themselves first. It can be a long, messy process, so have patience with yourself and gratitude for the bravery it takes to start and continue on your healing journey. 

See also 3 Extraordinary Stories of Healing Through Yoga

About the Author

Kat Fowler is a leading international teacher, speaker and writer based in New York City. Kat specializes in yoga, meditation, spirituality, and holistic healing. She has been featured on the cover of Yoga Journal, Om Yoga magazine, Natural Awakenings Magazine and featured in interviews on ABC News and the New York Times. For more information, visit: katfowler.com

[remedialmassage]

11 Essential Rules Every Empath Needs to Know

Whether you’re a yoga teacher who easily picks up on energy in the room, or an empathetic person whose friends come to you with their troubles, follow this advice to stay grounded, feel happier, and protect yourself from the emotional swirl happening around you.

Are you easily effected by the energy around you? These 11 Essential Rules from Kat Fowler will help you stay grounded. 

When you walk into a room, can you feel what the energy is like? Have you ever left a meeting feeling extremely tired—or energized? Do you ever feel like you just know how another person is feeling without exchanging any words? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you are an empath.

Empaths are highly sensitive, intuitive people. We can read people and situations clearly and easily, and have fine-tuned senses. Due to this sensitivity, we have huge hearts—but can tend to give too much until we run dry. We can, in some ways, also absorb other people’s emotional energy when we’re not aware of it at all.

What I’ve come to learn is that being an empath is like having a super power: the ability to see the truth in situations and read feelings and energy. It’s a beautiful gift that should be cherished and practiced with compassion. In fact, being an empath can feel like a gift and a curse all at once, depending on how aware you are of your abilities. It can feel like your nervous system and emotional perception is dialed up to 100% at all times, which can give you an amazing read of your environment—but also becomes burdensome if there are no boundaries in place.

See also Lighten Up! How to Cultivate Joy, Fearlessness, and Compassion in Your Life

If you’re a yoga teacher, like I am, your job can be particularly draining. (Think about how many yogis, and all of the “stuff” they bring with them into the yoga studio in an effort to work through, you come in contact with on a daily basis!) Even if you’re not a teacher but you are an empath, there are likely countless ways in which your interactions with others impact you deeply on a daily basis.

Here’s the good news: You do have control over how you receive and respond to outside influences. Here are the 11 rules I believe every empath needs to follow in order to stay centered and in charge of their own personal energy:

Empath Rule No. 1: Set Clear Boundaries

This is simultaneously the most important and hardest rule for all empaths. It is crucial that you set boundaries when and where they are needed. Boundaries can be in regard to your physical space, your body, your possessions, or your time. Be firm with these limits and don’t let your caring nature leave you with your guard down. Boundaries are there to protect your energy, your health, and your emotional safety, not to punish other people. It is not selfish to have boundaries, it’s a matter of letting others know who you are and where you stand. You’re more honest with people when you tell them your preferences and give a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when it comes to what you want.

See also The Ultimate Guide to Energy Healing

Empaths who practice meditation have an outlet to clear their mind and reset. 

Empath Rule No. 2: Meditate, Meditate, Meditate!

Daily meditation (even just for 5 minutes!) is the best way to reset and steady your mind, which is so important when it comes to getting a clear read on your own personal mood and energy that day. Whether you set an alarm for a few minutes of silently observing your breath or follow a guided meditation on an app, taking any time at all to sit, pause, and bring mindfulness to your day will have a seriously strengthening effect on your energy. After all, if you have a steady, clear mind that’s grounded in the present you’re less likely to be effected by the energy around you. 

See also Find Your Meditation Style With These 7 Practices

Empath Rule No. 3: Ground Your Energy

Just like a tree with deep roots, when we ground our energy we become solidly connected to our own frequency and less influenced by others around us. An easy way to ground your energy is to simply stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) or sit in a chair and bring your awareness into your body, specifically on the points of contact with the floor. Then, create the intention of sending energy down into your feet, and growing energetic “roots” into the earth every time you exhale deeply. 

See also 16 Yoga Poses to Keep You Grounded & Present

Building a protective shield protects you from other's negative energy.

Empath Rule No. 4: Create a Protective Shield

As an empath, we become susceptible to energies around us, so it’s important to build an energetic shield around yourself so you don’t take on others’ pain or negativity. To do this, simply close your eyes and envision a protective cloak or shield around your body. Ask your guides (or angels, or the universe, whatever you believe) to assist you with reflecting any negativity that may have come your way back to its original source, with love. Another way to create an energetic shield around your body is through wearing or holding protective crystals. Most black crystals or darker stones tend to have a highly protective energy.

See also 5 Practices Energy Healers Use to Clear Themselves

Empath Rule No. 5: I.D. What Fuels You—and What Drains You

Start to notice the way you feel—energetically and emotionally—after your interactions with people. Did you feel uplifted and positive after getting coffee with that friend, or drained and depleted? This is a good test for the company you keep. As an energetically-sensitive person, it is so important to be extremely selective with your time and your company. Outside of relationships, notice the situations or places that leave you feeling uplifted or drained, and set your schedule accordingly.

See also 5 Ways You're Draining Your Energy Level (Plus, Quick Fixes)

Notice what you consume and how it changes your mood and energy levels. 

Empath Rule No. 6: Watch Your Consumption

Along with noticing how you feel after leaving a person, event, or place, notice what you are consciously choosing to consume—and I don’t just mean food. In the same way that our diet and nutrition effects our physiology, the things we bring into our minds and spaces have the same effect. As an empath, this is twofold: Do you feel better or worse after watching that genre of movie, listening to that artist, reading that blog, or browsing that Instagram account? I always ask the question, “Do I feel better or worse?” as my litmus test for what I’ll be consuming in the future. In the beginning of this process, it’s a learning experience. As you refine your palate, you become very clear on your preferences, which in turn helps truly fortify your boundaries (see Rule No. 1). 

See also Eat Like a Yogi: A Yoga Diet Based in Ayurvedic Principles

Empath Rule No. 7: Ask Yourself, Is This Mine?

As an empath, we have the ability to absorb the energy of others. A great way to start sorting out and identifying which are your emotions and which are not is to get very familiar with what your typical daily energy signature is (a.k.a., your baseline). You will have fluctuations from this baseline throughout each day, of course, which is why it’s a good idea to meditate in the morning, using that as a time to become very aware of how you’re feeling that day. Then, when you’re out in a social situation or at an event and out of nowhere start feeling a very different emotion, you’ll know that it is most likely not your own. This takes practice, because we are reflexive beings, constantly interfacing with an ever-changing reality. But through steady meditation and an inquisitive and aware mind, you’ll be able to start discerning what emotions are yours and which ones are not.

See also Yoga for Energy

Take responsibility for your own emotions before you care for others.

Empath Rule No. 8: Know When to Take Responsibility

As empaths, we have very big hearts and tend to naturally take on or share the suffering or pain of others, which doesn’t actually help anyone. It is important to take responsibility for the emotions and energy that you are emitting, but know that you are not responsible for emotions that are not yours. Even if we can feel the negative emotions of others, it doesn’t mean we have to try to mend or heal them. There is a lesson in each person’s personal pain or journey. If we jump in and intervene just because we can sense it, we could be depriving someone else of valuable learning. 

See also Reduce Suffering: How Yoga Heals

Empath Rule No. 9: Cleanse Yourself of Others’ Energy

So, what do you do after you’ve realized that you’ve taken on emotional energy that isn’t yours? Cleanse! There are many ways to cleanse your energy, but smudging with sage or burning incense is a great place to start. Water also has a powerful healing energy, which means drinking lots of water and taking salt baths are also personal favorites. For yoga teachers specifically, after teaching and adjusting other students, wash your hands after each class with the intention of letting any excess energy you’ve picked up from others wash down the drain. Finally, a good night’s sleep can do more for cleansing your energy than all of the above!

See also Cleanse from the Inside Out

Restore and recharge by spending quality time with yourself. 

Empath Rule No. 10: Spend Time Alone to Recharge

Regardless if you identify as an introvert or extrovert, it is imperative to take some time alone to rest, recharge, and restore if you’re an empath. This can mean spending an evening alone at home just relaxing, taking a walk in nature, or heading out for a weekend trip on your own. Whatever it is, the whole point is to do it on your own, with as little social interaction as possible. This can be vital after big events or long work weeks where you don’t get much downtime. Whatever length of time it takes you to recharge, trust that it’s exactly what your energy needs at the moment. Think of this rule as a form of radical self-care.

See also A Guide to Navigating True Transformation

Empath Rule No. 11: Heal Yourself First

The best healers are those who have gone into the fire, done the hard work, and come out the other side even stronger. It’s through this process that you become a vessel to help heal others; you become a clear channel for their healing, because you have removed your own pain and trauma. It can be tempting to get involved with “helping” others, but most of the time, we do this subconsciously to avoid looking at our own inner pain and to vicariously heal through their healing. The most important thing an empath can do is to work with and heal themselves first. It can be a long, messy process, so have patience with yourself and gratitude for the bravery it takes to start and continue on your healing journey. 

See also 3 Extraordinary Stories of Healing Through Yoga

About the Author

Kat Fowler is a leading international teacher, speaker and writer based in New York City. Kat specializes in yoga, meditation, spirituality, and holistic healing. She has been featured on the cover of Yoga Journal, Om Yoga magazine, Natural Awakenings Magazine and featured in interviews on ABC News and the New York Times. For more information, visit: katfowler.com

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11 Essential Rules Every Empath Needs to Know

Whether you’re a yoga teacher who easily picks up on energy in the room, or an empathetic person whose friends come to you with their troubles, follow this advice to stay grounded, feel happier, and protect yourself from the emotional swirl happening around you.

Are you easily effected by the energy around you? These 11 Essential Rules from Kat Fowler will help you stay grounded. 

When you walk into a room, can you feel what the energy is like? Have you ever left a meeting feeling extremely tired—or energized? Do you ever feel like you just know how another person is feeling without exchanging any words? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you are an empath.

Empaths are highly sensitive, intuitive people. We can read people and situations clearly and easily, and have fine-tuned senses. Due to this sensitivity, we have huge hearts—but can tend to give too much until we run dry. We can, in some ways, also absorb other people’s emotional energy when we’re not aware of it at all.

What I’ve come to learn is that being an empath is like having a super power: the ability to see the truth in situations and read feelings and energy. It’s a beautiful gift that should be cherished and practiced with compassion. In fact, being an empath can feel like a gift and a curse all at once, depending on how aware you are of your abilities. It can feel like your nervous system and emotional perception is dialed up to 100% at all times, which can give you an amazing read of your environment—but also becomes burdensome if there are no boundaries in place.

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If you’re a yoga teacher, like I am, your job can be particularly draining. (Think about how many yogis, and all of the “stuff” they bring with them into the yoga studio in an effort to work through, you come in contact with on a daily basis!) Even if you’re not a teacher but you are an empath, there are likely countless ways in which your interactions with others impact you deeply on a daily basis.

Here’s the good news: You do have control over how you receive and respond to outside influences. Here are the 11 rules I believe every empath needs to follow in order to stay centered and in charge of their own personal energy:

Empath Rule No. 1: Set Clear Boundaries

This is simultaneously the most important and hardest rule for all empaths. It is crucial that you set boundaries when and where they are needed. Boundaries can be in regard to your physical space, your body, your possessions, or your time. Be firm with these limits and don’t let your caring nature leave you with your guard down. Boundaries are there to protect your energy, your health, and your emotional safety, not to punish other people. It is not selfish to have boundaries, it’s a matter of letting others know who you are and where you stand. You’re more honest with people when you tell them your preferences and give a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when it comes to what you want.

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Empaths who practice meditation have an outlet to clear their mind and reset. 

Empath Rule No. 2: Meditate, Meditate, Meditate!

Daily meditation (even just for 5 minutes!) is the best way to reset and steady your mind, which is so important when it comes to getting a clear read on your own personal mood and energy that day. Whether you set an alarm for a few minutes of silently observing your breath or follow a guided meditation on an app, taking any time at all to sit, pause, and bring mindfulness to your day will have a seriously strengthening effect on your energy. After all, if you have a steady, clear mind that’s grounded in the present you’re less likely to be effected by the energy around you. 

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Empath Rule No. 3: Ground Your Energy

Just like a tree with deep roots, when we ground our energy we become solidly connected to our own frequency and less influenced by others around us. An easy way to ground your energy is to simply stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) or sit in a chair and bring your awareness into your body, specifically on the points of contact with the floor. Then, create the intention of sending energy down into your feet, and growing energetic “roots” into the earth every time you exhale deeply. 

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Building a protective shield protects you from other's negative energy.

Empath Rule No. 4: Create a Protective Shield

As an empath, we become susceptible to energies around us, so it’s important to build an energetic shield around yourself so you don’t take on others’ pain or negativity. To do this, simply close your eyes and envision a protective cloak or shield around your body. Ask your guides (or angels, or the universe, whatever you believe) to assist you with reflecting any negativity that may have come your way back to its original source, with love. Another way to create an energetic shield around your body is through wearing or holding protective crystals. Most black crystals or darker stones tend to have a highly protective energy.

See also 5 Practices Energy Healers Use to Clear Themselves

Empath Rule No. 5: I.D. What Fuels You—and What Drains You

Start to notice the way you feel—energetically and emotionally—after your interactions with people. Did you feel uplifted and positive after getting coffee with that friend, or drained and depleted? This is a good test for the company you keep. As an energetically-sensitive person, it is so important to be extremely selective with your time and your company. Outside of relationships, notice the situations or places that leave you feeling uplifted or drained, and set your schedule accordingly.

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Notice what you consume and how it changes your mood and energy levels. 

Empath Rule No. 6: Watch Your Consumption

Along with noticing how you feel after leaving a person, event, or place, notice what you are consciously choosing to consume—and I don’t just mean food. In the same way that our diet and nutrition effects our physiology, the things we bring into our minds and spaces have the same effect. As an empath, this is twofold: Do you feel better or worse after watching that genre of movie, listening to that artist, reading that blog, or browsing that Instagram account? I always ask the question, “Do I feel better or worse?” as my litmus test for what I’ll be consuming in the future. In the beginning of this process, it’s a learning experience. As you refine your palate, you become very clear on your preferences, which in turn helps truly fortify your boundaries (see Rule No. 1). 

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Empath Rule No. 7: Ask Yourself, Is This Mine?

As an empath, we have the ability to absorb the energy of others. A great way to start sorting out and identifying which are your emotions and which are not is to get very familiar with what your typical daily energy signature is (a.k.a., your baseline). You will have fluctuations from this baseline throughout each day, of course, which is why it’s a good idea to meditate in the morning, using that as a time to become very aware of how you’re feeling that day. Then, when you’re out in a social situation or at an event and out of nowhere start feeling a very different emotion, you’ll know that it is most likely not your own. This takes practice, because we are reflexive beings, constantly interfacing with an ever-changing reality. But through steady meditation and an inquisitive and aware mind, you’ll be able to start discerning what emotions are yours and which ones are not.

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Take responsibility for your own emotions before you care for others.

Empath Rule No. 8: Know When to Take Responsibility

As empaths, we have very big hearts and tend to naturally take on or share the suffering or pain of others, which doesn’t actually help anyone. It is important to take responsibility for the emotions and energy that you are emitting, but know that you are not responsible for emotions that are not yours. Even if we can feel the negative emotions of others, it doesn’t mean we have to try to mend or heal them. There is a lesson in each person’s personal pain or journey. If we jump in and intervene just because we can sense it, we could be depriving someone else of valuable learning. 

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Empath Rule No. 9: Cleanse Yourself of Others’ Energy

So, what do you do after you’ve realized that you’ve taken on emotional energy that isn’t yours? Cleanse! There are many ways to cleanse your energy, but smudging with sage or burning incense is a great place to start. Water also has a powerful healing energy, which means drinking lots of water and taking salt baths are also personal favorites. For yoga teachers specifically, after teaching and adjusting other students, wash your hands after each class with the intention of letting any excess energy you’ve picked up from others wash down the drain. Finally, a good night’s sleep can do more for cleansing your energy than all of the above!

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Restore and recharge by spending quality time with yourself. 

Empath Rule No. 10: Spend Time Alone to Recharge

Regardless if you identify as an introvert or extrovert, it is imperative to take some time alone to rest, recharge, and restore if you’re an empath. This can mean spending an evening alone at home just relaxing, taking a walk in nature, or heading out for a weekend trip on your own. Whatever it is, the whole point is to do it on your own, with as little social interaction as possible. This can be vital after big events or long work weeks where you don’t get much downtime. Whatever length of time it takes you to recharge, trust that it’s exactly what your energy needs at the moment. Think of this rule as a form of radical self-care.

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Empath Rule No. 11: Heal Yourself First

The best healers are those who have gone into the fire, done the hard work, and come out the other side even stronger. It’s through this process that you become a vessel to help heal others; you become a clear channel for their healing, because you have removed your own pain and trauma. It can be tempting to get involved with “helping” others, but most of the time, we do this subconsciously to avoid looking at our own inner pain and to vicariously heal through their healing. The most important thing an empath can do is to work with and heal themselves first. It can be a long, messy process, so have patience with yourself and gratitude for the bravery it takes to start and continue on your healing journey. 

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About the Author

Kat Fowler is a leading international teacher, speaker and writer based in New York City. Kat specializes in yoga, meditation, spirituality, and holistic healing. She has been featured on the cover of Yoga Journal, Om Yoga magazine, Natural Awakenings Magazine and featured in interviews on ABC News and the New York Times. For more information, visit: katfowler.com