Broken Bones (Undertale)

Escape

Sans had to remember how to breathe after seeing the soul. How was this possible? Why was it kept from him? So many questions began circling around in his head, but he had no time for that. There was still one more problem that he had to address.

What was he going to do with it?

The possibilities were endless but he couldn't do anything with the human. Human souls could not be mixed. He still had the syringes of determination back at home, and maybe he could put that into the human, but this soul...it would only be able to be mixed with a monster soul, or it would have some other purpose.

Sans gently took the tube from its stand, the light softly flickering. He hesitantly pulled backwards and looked around. Nothing seemed to be going off...there was no alarm...nothing too important to worry about...he was safe.

He turned, now heading towards where the human would be. As soon as he looked up to start walking, he was stopped by the orb looming over him.

"Why are you taking it?" It questioned.

"...It may be able to help, or I can do something with it..." Sans replied, his tone laced with suspicion.

"I didn't say you could take it. Put it back." The orb was stern.

Sans was perplexed. He had just found a manufactured soul of determination and he was being told not to take it? Why? There had to be a logical reason.

"You brought me here, and I'm supposed to not take it? This soul could change everything. It could-"

"Do you want to really test fate like that? I'm showing you where it is. Telling you where you can find it if need be. Put. It. Back."

"If I don't?" Sans challenged, having a small glint of determination in his sockets.

"I cannot do anything to harm you. But you will harm yourself."

The skeleton didn't understand what he was being told. With an ignorance that could only be rivalled with that of an old man who was too set in his ways, Sans trudged on ahead. He didn't akcnowledge the orb's pleas, and kept a steady pace to where he knew the human would be.

An inaudible sigh fell from the orb. It danced slightly before vanishing, murmuring to no-one in particular.

"Sans...you were such a gifted scientist...what happened?"

~*~

Sans held the tube in front of the human. It stared at the soul, their own coming out to compare. They visibly fell sad when they realised they had let fear consume them, but that only made them more afraid. Without a word, Sans placed the tube inside of his jacket pocket. It poked out a little, but it wasn't close to falling out.

The human stared at their soul for a few moments, gazing at what it had become. It wasn't red any more. It wasn't what it used to be. It wasn't...right.

Sans let out a small sigh. The soul wouldn't get any better at this rate, but, he did notice a small red hue forming in the middle of the soul that the human clearly didn't see. It was a sign that things were going to get better...he hoped.

After a moment of silence, he took the human's hand, lifting them up. Sans supposed that now would be a better time than any to explain their situation.

He braced himself, "No exit, kiddo. We're gonna hafta-"

"We can make an exit. You have that weird shortcut."

Sans blinked. He didn't expect the human to suddenly come out like that. It must have been that small hue of determination he saw earlier. It had to be.

"I...I don't know, kiddo. I might not be able to do something like that in my state. I'd hafta...teleport us all the way up. I might make it to Grillby's, but...I might not. You definitely would, though."

"..." The human paused. Sans could see the look of pure befuddlement on their face. All he could do was sympathise. Sans was just as confused as they were, and there seemed to be no other solution as to how they would escape from this place.

"You could just to do it to above ground."

Sans shook his head. He knew exactly what was above here, and he knew that it would instantly kill the both of them. "Unless you wanna end up melting in a pool of lava, I'd say that that is off the table."

The human protested, "Where we fell. You can get us back there, can't you?"

Sans hadn't thought of that.

With a small hum of pensiveness, he nodded. That might actually work. He would suffer a few cracks, sure, but a move like that shouldn't dust him. It wasn't too high up...

"That seems like a good idea...we can deal with whatever happens there."
"Maybe we can find an exit."

"Oh, I'm coutning on it."

Sans took the human's hand, slowly turning on his heel as he let out a shaky sigh. He wasn't really prepared for this, but he would have to be if he wanted to get out of here. But then what? When they escaped this cave, he had the plan of restoring the human's determination but there was nothing to do after that.

He walked at a steady pace, this thoughts racing in his head as he dodged bits of rubble like before, guiding the human away. He didn't want a reset like before, as everything would just be the way it was. There was nothing left for him, or for the surviving monsters in the Underground.

His mind was completely blank for answers. Once the human had their determination back, it was ultimately their choice on what they wanted to do. May it be to reset and start anew, or to simply carry on and try and break the barrier, he didn't know. He wanted it to be the latter...Sans didn't think he could handle another reset again.

"Up there."

The human broke him out of his thoughtful spell. Sans looked up, and sure enough, there was the hole they fell through. It was a larger gap than he had originally thought, but he knew he could make it. At least, he had to try.

Sans knelt down, making sure the human was secure as they climbed onto his back.

"This is it, kid. You ready?"

"Mhm."

Sans closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself before he used his magic. Before he used it though, he could feel cracks opening in his palms and arms.

All he could think about was how these cracks could kill him. He hoped they didn't.