UnderEdge : An Undertale AU

Chapter 8 : Sans.

It was really cold. As I made my way through the forest, the forest was so deep that I could hear echoes of my own steps coming back to me whenever I stopped. I had first thought someone was following me, but there was nothing behind or around me. Though there were numerous trees, a good part of them had been reduced to stumps. Others had marks of claws and other sharp things, like the Ruins' walls. I missed the comforting presence of Hapstablook.

As I asked to myself if I had made the good choice by leaving Home, I instinctively jumped over a branch that was on the ground. I kept making a few steps, but I then heard a loud "Crack" behind me. I turned back, and saw nothing but the branch in pieces, as if someone had stepped over it. Someone's hiding. Where ?! 

I started walking faster, and that's when I heard them. Louder footsteps behind me, trying to keep up with me. I sprinted, hopping to be able to lose them off, but the path was a straight line, hard to lose the track of someone like this. I looked behind me, trying to see if I had won some distance, or at least the face of my pursuer... and ended up violently bumping into something. I fell on the ground, and lost consciousness for a couple of seconds.

As I got back up, I saw what had knocked me out. It was a large iron gate that blocked the way. My way. I touched my head, and felt a huge bump. Looking at the metal spikes here and there, it was honestly a miracle I hadn't been more hurt. I brushed snow off my clothes and tried to open the gate, without success. Either because the doors were too heavy, or just locked, I couldn't figure out a way to pass it. Go around it ? The trees had been cleverly ordered to form an impassable wall. Climb it and jump over ? The sharp ends of the poles at the top dissuaded me from trying. I was completely trapped. I sat down, back against the gate. "Please, don't let me die like this..."

"Well, ya tried lookin under the doormat ?"

I turned around in direction. Behind the gate was... a skeleton. Pale orange pupils, wearing a dark half-ripped leather jacket with small spikes on the shoulder-pads, bandages around his right arm and tight fabric pants. 

"Well ?" he asked.

"Who... are you ?"

"Oh !"

His smile widened, revealing a set of shark-like, small but sharp teeth. He passed his hand through the gate, and offered it to me. It had sharp metallic claws attached at the tips of its fingers.

"Sans. Skeleton. What about you ?"

I hesitated, then shaked his hand. The claw extensions grabbed it and left small red marks on the back of my hand.

"Frisk. Human."

"I had noticed."

We both stayed silent. It took me a moment to realize he was done talking.

"Uh... Could you open the gate ?"

"What makes you think I can ?"

"Uh..."

I pointed at the key on a small chain attached to his neck. He looked at it, then at me.

"...Good answer."

"So, you can open it ?"

"Well, yeah, but why should I ?"

"What ?!"

"Lemme explain. When humans come around, I am forced to spy on them and try to capture 'em, and it's a snore and a bore. I've got better things to do."

"Please ! You've got nothing to win leaving me like that !" I cried.

"That depends. Could you do something for me in return ?"

"Anything."

"If you say so. Alright, we have a deal."

He grabbed the key and put it in the lock. After a few seconds, the gate was opened. He pulled one of the door, and bowed to invite me to pass.

"If Milady would..."

I crossed the gate and he closed it behind me. Taking a closer look at him, I saw he was actually shorter than me, but the compensated spiked boots he was wearing put him at a clear 5'6".

"Thanks."

"No problemo."

"So what am I supposed to do for you ?" I asked.

"Well, it's nothing big..."

He got closer to my face, and his hand gently grabbed my hip. He smiled.

"...Nothin too fancy."

Intending to explain him my point of view and my opinion on this proposition, I sent my foot right between his legs. I ignore what I touched, but he let out a huge scream and fell on his knees. I thought it would be better to give him some space, and ran away as fast as I could. 

But only a few seconds later, my soul appeared in front of me, this time with a blue color. I suddenly felt myself being pulled backwards, and was sent in the snow. As I tried to get up, I saw Sans in front of me. He grabbed me by the neck, and lifted me off the ground like it was no deal for him.

"You bitch... You should thank me now. I'll make your journey of suffering much shorter."

He opened his other hand, and a broken bone appeared in it. He slowly began approaching the sharp shattered side at my throat. The bits began piercing my skin, letting a small stream of blood out. I closed my eyes, preparing for the pain...

"SSSSSSSAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNSSSSSSSS !!!!!!!!!!!!!"

A loud scream resonated through the forest. We heard leaves vibrate and birds fly away. The bone stopped, and disappeared. I looked at Sans. He looked surprised, and his pupils had disappeared, leaving him with creepy empty orbits.

"...oh fuck."