The Time Before (Undertale)

11 ~ Into the World (or at least the lab.)

Sans ducked as a barrage of attacks hurtled towards him, only just hitting the ground in time to avoid being hit. Then lunging back to his feet, he summoned two Blasters, one in front of and one behind his opponent.

Gaster responded by summoning two of his own Blasters, the Magic of Sans' Blasters funneling straight into their mouths. "Come on, Sans. I told you that wouldn't work yesterday, and it still won't work toda-urk!"

Sans cheered as the bone he had summoned behind Gaster hit the taller skeleton square in the ribs. His victory was cut short, though, when  Gaster set up a ring of bones around him, each rocketing towards him in quick succession. Sans ducked again, but Gaster was suddenly grabbing onto the collar of his shirt with a summoned hand, hauling him back upwards.

Sans struggled free with no time to spare, only just lunging away from Gaster's vicious attack.

As he sprung again to his feet, Sans reached for his Magic, trying to do what he had been practicing for months-- Blue Magic. He reached out with the Magic, feeling for Gaster's Soul, before giving it a tug.

Sans saw Gaster twitch slightly- not really fully under the affects of Blue Magic, but definitely feeling something.

And then Sans was running up towards Gaster, a bone in hand like a sword. He leaped forward, swinging with all his might.

Gaster, in turn, summoned a longer bone, and used it like a staff, blocking Sans' swing. The pair of them tussled for a moment, locked together in combat.

For a moment, it looked like Sans might actually overpower Gaster, but then Gaster shoved back with his bone staff, sending Sans sprawling.

With a vicious grin, Gaster strode over to Sans, setting a foot on his chest and the end of his attack on Sans' collarbone.

"I win."

Sans just huffed. "yeah, well, you're also a lot stronger than i am."

"Indeed. That is the purpose of these daily sparring matches, however. You only get stronger by fighting someone stronger than you." Gaster stepped back, dismissing his attack and offering Sans a hand up. Sans accepted the help up, simultaneously wiping a bit of sweat from his brow with his sleeve.

"if only i could get the blue magic down."

"You'll get it."

"but i've been working on it for almost a year! you said i should be able to get it in four or five weeks."

"Sans. It requires patience."

Sans just sighed.

As the pair of them walked out of the weapons testing room, Gaster began to speak again. "So. Twelfth birthday's tomorrow."

"uh huh." Sans nodded, a little curious where this was going. Gaster had never really made a habit of celebrating birthdays or anything, and it was unlike him to start that now.

"I have to work in the upper floors. We're testing one of the new CORE prototypes."

"oh. cool. let me know how it goes."

"Or, you know, I was thinking you could come with me, see for yourself."

Sans stopped dead in his tracks. Gaster took half a step before turning around to look at Sans and laugh.

"you're kidding."

"No. D'you wanna come?"

Slowly, Sans grinned. "yes. yes i do."