My Greatest Experiment (Skelebros' Origin Story)

Entry 29/30

December 20, 2005

~Gaster~

...I apologize for not writing sooner. The mark of a good scientist includes (but is certainly not limited to) punctuality in the form of record keeping, and yet I've somehow managed to let it slide unnoticed.

(Sigh.) However, I suppose I have a legitimate excuse to explain my absence. After the unfortunate events that transpired in November, things in the lab have grown increasingly... difficult. With Marlin gone, I'm missing my head engineer. Not only has progress on the T5 slowed to a halt, but the core has been malfunctioning due to untimely and improper maintenance—as have the DT Extractor and Magic Testing machines. I've been trying my best to hold things together, but the longer Marlin's gone, the more I'm coming to realize how essential he was to the team. I need him, and I need him here.

But after that stunt he pulled, that's not an option. His behavior was extremely childish and reckless, and his little prank could have ended far worse than it did, under the circumstances. Sans only has 1 HP. In a way, he was lucky to have gotten it stuck in his eyesocket—it might have saved his life. If the camera had impacted his skull instead... well... Marlin would be facing much more serious consequences than just probation from the lab team.

Speaking of Sans, extensive testing has revealed that no significant damage was done as a result of the accident. His right eye may no longer be capable of glowing, but his Maiga output and control have not suffered as a result. In fact, his control has greatly improved over the last few months—through my instruction, he's quickly become a master of magic in his own right. He tires easily, but it's not really of much consequence at this stage. With attacks like his, no fight would last long enough to surpass his stamina. In fact, if he continues to improve at this rate, he will likely become an invaluable asset to the king. Perhaps the goal of breaking the barrier isn't so far-fetched after all. If I can create more like him...

No. No, what am I saying? My first attempt almost killed me. Making more... or even just another like him... There's no guarantee that I'd even survive. And I have not even begun to consider the moral questions that are involved in an experiment like the one I've started. Sans is not a tool, nor should I or anyone else ever treat him like one. And if they were to use him in such a way... well... they may just become the test subject of one of my more risky experiments.

But speaking of Sans, he's been a little bit... off recently. Or maybe 'off' isn't the right word. He seems... down. Depressed, even. His lessons with me and the others have become less frequent due to his apparent lack of interest (he's taken to skipping them whenever possible), and what work he does do is of unacceptable quality. And then, he's been showing near distain for things that he used to enjoy. He sneers at me whenever I ask if he wants a magic lesson, and has started to refuse to help me with my experiments, where he was overexcited for them before. In fact... I've been seeing less and less of him recently. He has taken to shutting himself into his room for extended periods of time, only leaving it for necessary runs to the lab's kitchen or bathroom.

It... has me worried.

If this is some early form of chronic depression, I need to start thinking about treatment methods. However, it is entirely possible that this is an isolated incident. If that's the case, then I need to correct this issue before it's exacerbated. ...I'm afraid that it has something to do with Marlin's absence. The solution to the problem would then be—if this change in attitude really is connected to Marlin—very simple. However, since I am unwilling to end his probation until at least February...