The Stage is Set

An interlude

Whoops, getting close to the end, I'm trying to put more "end credits" scenes after every big arc. I forgot to do it for the last chapter, but this one is a bit longer than the others, so here we go.

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"Woah," Sci grips the table as it shakes, staring at the walls around him. He watches as a few things scattered around them, specifically the things Ink had made Medic, start to melt. "That can't be good." He adjusts his glasses, waiting for the tremors to calm down.

Medic adjusts his stance from where he stands. "Those quakes have been getting worse this past week." He checks that none of the IV lines and monitors came out. He looks down at Dust, "Are you doing alright? I'm so sorry, we had to get that line in."

Dust looks up at Medic with tears in his sockets. He's so stressed and frazzled that he reaches and squeezes Medic's hand. His hand then moves to trace the IV line back to his soul. With all the throwing up and months living only on creation magic from Ink; he's weak. He closes his sockets, knowing that Medic will just let him rest. That he's safe and can get the help he needs to heal. Medic nods, moving to cover Dust's skull again with his hood.

Medic looks over at Horror and Fell. "Fell, hurry and hook Leo and Sage before starting an IV for both. Leo's is in the cabinet behind the counter, and page Toriel." He moves over to where Green is, moving quickly to help finish hooking them up onto a line full of concentrated green magic. "Hey there bud, I know this is going to hurt for a moment, but I gotta get this in you. Can you," Green summons their soul, "Thank you. We'll try to speed this up so you two can unfuse in a bit."

Sci huffs, grabbing Outer and Classic. He nods them towards a portal he cut not too long ago. "You two, go to my lab. Try to pinpoint where that one came from." Classic nods as he gathers up his coat and grabs his own glasses. "The last one came from UnderSwap, and before that was DreamTale. Go. Start looking for it, and let me know what you find. I'll be right behind you."

Outer nods, kissing Sci on the cheekbone before running after Classic. Sci looks back down at the table he was leaning on. He pulls his hand away to examine the liquid on his hand. Paint? Isn't that what Ink used to make this table? What if- A scream cuts him off from Sage as she tries to fight Fell. That's his queue to get out and back to the lab. He rushes through the portal with a nod to Medic as he leaves. He's got a lead to test. Hopefully, following these quakes will lead them to the others that are still missing.

Fell tries to shush Sage, "I know hun, I know. It's alright. I ain't gonna do anythin' to hurt ya." He dodges a fist to his socket, "Hun, I know you don't like 'em, but I gotta get this in ya, it will help ya. It's gonna heal ya. Ya too weak to go runnin' around- ack!" Fell covers his nasal ridge, ignoring the blood that comes from the cavity. Sage always had a mean right hook. "Horror, I need ya to hold her."

"I don't-"

Fell shakes his skull, "No, don't restrain her or hold her down. Just hold her in ya arms." Horror moves onto the bed to do so. "Thank ya," Fell finally gets the IV line in her arm. While the soul would be better to jumpstart on healing, he knows that it's a touchy subject with Sage. So her ecto will have to do. Fell wipes the blood on his sleeve before turning to Horror, "Well, that's all done. All we gotta do is wait and replenish the bags later when they empty."

Horror nods, looking over at the bed with Dust in it. "Void below, they're all in terrible states." Fell nods as he looks at Sage with worry, "It makes me wonder what happened to them."

Medic sighs as he leans against a spare bed while adjusting his glasses. "I'm not sure." He looks back at Fell and Horror, "Whatever it was, something was keeping them alive, healing them, but not properly." He points to a healing fracture on Dust's tibia, "Whatever healed it didn't heal it correctly. It's just holding the bone in place and together." Horror's eye pip shrinks in worry, "It's gonna have to be excreted eventually." Medic nods over at Sol who is curled around Leo, "And him? I have no idea who or where he comes from. I got no documentation, no file, nothing."

Fell blinks in surprise. He looks over at Sol before it sinks in, "No way." Everyone turns to him as he takes a step back from Leo and Sol, "I thought he was dead. Leo said that he was dead." He looks back at Medic, "That's Leo's dead fiance."

Medic stiffens before hurrying over to his desk, "Not so dead now." He reaches for the phone, "Paging Dr. Gaster, Paging Dr. Gaster. Report to the trauma clinic ASAP. Code white."

Horror looks at him in confusion, "What's-"

"Code white?!" Fell looks horrified, "Soul trauma?! Medic, is this-"

"We have to be safe." Medic slumps into his chair. "Toriel is also on the way too. We'll have her check Leo, who knows what this long away from his territory has done to his cycle. Fell," Fell straightens out, "After a coffee break, you're checking Sage. Whatever happened for her to have that reaction is not good. Check... Well, check for any trauma that might've happened."

Horror stills, looking at Medic with worry, "No, you don't think..."

Medic grimaces, "I don't know, and I hope it isn't what I think it is."

Horror's glare at where the portal used to be darkens with fury. "I hope Lust beats their ass for whatever happened."

Fell snorts, "Me too." He leans against Sage's bed, "Fuck, I'm just glad that he took that med kit. Hopefully, that will help the others, wherever they are."