EndTale - Galactic (revising w.i.p. - check desc for update notes)

Chapter 7: Gallery

The shrill screaming.

It was what I remembered most vividly. The poor child, they were sitting alone in the darkness, hugging their legs tight, body rocking. They had been screaming out in pained confusion. It felt as if they had experienced a great loss, but couldn't remember what it was.

I had taken a few mindful steps towards the kid, moving to reach a hand out and touch them on their shoulder. Before I could even lay a finger on them, their breath hitched.

"Who- WHO'S THERE?"

I pulled my hand back towards myself. "I-I'm just another k-kid, like you. A-Are you okay?" I hoped that sharing I was similar in age would comfort them. Gaster didn't tell me this soul was so young...

The kid was no longer screaming, but was instead frozen in shock, like a deer in the headlights. They slowly turned their head to face me, their weary, light blue eyes, shimmering with fresh tears. "P-Please don't hurt me..." Their whole body was shaking.

"Why would I-" In that moment, I could feel the same fear of monsters that they had when they looked at me, but I couldn't understand why. I did my best to ignore it, coming up with a response that clarified just the type of situation the two of us were now in. "No, I could never hurt a part of myself, kid. Now could I?" I cracked a gentle smile, offering a hand to help them up.

Their cautious air dissipated fairly quickly. Feeling a certain safety, the kid trustingly reached out and grabbed my hand.

I pulled them up firmly, feeling a profound wave of relief rush over them. That's when I got to have my first good look at them. The youngster was wearing a unisex black T- shirt, a tie-dye scarf composed of many different shades of splotchy blues, and a pair of grey jeans with a black leather belt. Their hazel hair was mostly slicked back, but a small shark fin of a cowlick poked up in the center of their scalp. They didn't look any older than thirteen.

"Hey fellow kid, I'm Sans." I gave them a wide, fang-flashing smile.

They timidly returned my smile with their own. "Hey... I'm Gallery. But you can just call me Gal, if you want. It's easier to say, and sounds cooler." Their blue eyes sparkled faintly, some confidence showing. "How... how old are you? You're saying I'm a fellow kid? Are you around twelve years too?"

I widened my smile, sockets smiling as well. "Oh really? I almost guessed your age right, heheh." I gave them a wink. "You're older than me. I'm just ten. Human kids sure age quickly." My cheery expression drooped a bit as I noticed the tears still staining their cheeks.

"Huh... aging differently..." It looked like they wanted to point out that I was a skeleton, but refrained.

Skeleton monsters age, kid. Just like the skeletons humans have that grow with them. Only we grow slower since magic bodies live much longer. "Well, Imma ask you a question, but you don't have to answer it if you don't wanna-" I lifted a hand and wiped away one of Gallery's tears. "What's your gender, Gal? I don't want to guess and be wrong."

"Oh... I'm a boy." He gave me a timid, warm smile.

"Nice, that's two times the guys in the same consciousness then, heh."

"I-"

"Gallery's a pretty unique name to give your son. Your parents picked well!" I winked encouragingly.

He blushed with... embarrassment? Or was it that he felt complimented?

Then, I felt a small knot of melancholy pass into his soul. "I uh- don't know where I am. I don't remember how I got here, at all." I looked at him thoughtfully. "And... I feel like I'm missing a major part of myself. Like a huge piece of my soul has been ripped from me." He held a hand to his chest. I felt his overwhelming confusion.