From War to Science {UNDERTALE}

Discoveries

The night passed without much incident. They chatted, Gaster's quick, disjointed speech contrasting with Asgore's slow and easy tone. Gaster was dumbfounded (well, more than usual) at all that being a king entailed. Asgore was appalled at the monsters' distrust of skeletons; his goal was to have a kingdom that welcomed all.

"Before my coronation, I wanted to welcome all species into our kingdom," he explained as Gaster listened curiously. The king gave a bitter laugh as he played with a seed he'd found. "Even humans, though obviously that's...not in the plan now." He shook his head. "I was foolish. I—it's strange. I never really understood that I'd be king. I mean, I knew that I'd get the crown, but...I don't know. I didn't acknowledge it until it really happened." He sighed as he pushed the seed into the ground, then gave a little chuckle. "I really wanted to be a gardener. Something where I could use my hands and make things instead of passing laws and retreating into a mountain." He looked up at Gaster. "What did you want to do? Back on the surface?"

Gaster blinked. He looked down at his hands, thinking, then shook his head. "I do not know. It was...strange, in my family. We...well, we did not co-communicate well, as I am sure you can imagine. So...we mainly fo-focused on pr-proveeding..." He grimaced; that didn't sound right. "...for ourselves." He thought for another moment, then let out a small, rough laugh. "One of my...er, sister, I think is the word? My sister, she want to be a...she, er, she want to..." He motioned the word, thinking back to the grammar book. "Dance! That is the word! And we all ask—" He started to motion the question, but the curious look on Asgore's face reminded him that he couldn't understand. "Er, we all ask, 'Freesia, how will you be see? You do not speak Arial!' And...and she say..." He chuckled before signing and speaking, "She say, 'I will not need to! My hands and my feet dance, so I will be best!'"

Gaster laughed again, but the sound became strangled as he felt his throat constrict. He swallowed hard as he felt the bottom of his sockets grow wet. He quickly covered his mouth and shut his eyes. "I-I am sorry."

Asgore remained silent, but Gaster was aware of a large paw suddenly squeezing his shoulder. The motion was sympathetic; well, of course it was.

They'd all lost so much in that last battle.

The silence stretched, and Gaster took a few deep breaths to steady himself. Asgore drew his hand back.

"If...if you need to talk..."

Gaster shook his head sharply, sockets shutting tighter. He couldn't. Not now. He wasn't ready. Maybe he'd never be ready.

Finally, he pulled his hand away and let out one last breath.

"I...I think I will sleep," he finally said, voice wavering slightly. He looked up at Asgore, who nodded.

"We probably need it," he said, then laid down. He peeked over his shoulder. "Good night, Gaster."

"Good night."

Gaster laid back on the ground, staring up at the crystals overhead. He sighed as he shut his eyes.

Maybe one day he could think about his family without breaking down.

~

It took a while, but Gaster was eventually able to drift into a troubled sleep. All too soon, though, he was jolted awake as a loud cry echoed through the little cavern. Before his sockets were fully open, Gaster was sitting up, holding out his hands for an attack.