The Time Before (Undertale)

45 ~ Twisted Time

By the time Sans was twenty four and Papyrus ten, the younger of the two was an entire foot taller than the elder. Sans didn't really mind, because now he could get Papyrus to give him piggyback rides. He did this as frequently as he could, under the pretense that he was helping Papyrus get stronger.

Because that was another thing. Papyrus had heard about the Royal Guard, and that had become his main goal. He wanted to be a member of the Royal Guard.

Sans said he was sure that, as soon as Papyrus was old enough to enter, there was no doubt that he would be accepted.

In the meantime, Papyrus convinced Gaster to start teaching him how to use Magic. Gaster had readily agreed- after all, he had started teaching Sans when Sans was only about five- granted, he had been more intent on the whole 'weapon' thing, then, but ten was a good age to learn how to use Magic.

So one Saturday afternoon, the trio headed out into Snowdin Forest.

Gaster and Sans didn't expect to be there long. They both had experience in learning to use Magic, both knew that it wasn't just an instant thing.

Papyrus, though, had high hopes-- and just as high expectations-- for himself.

When they got out into the woods, Gaster demonstrated a few attacks for Papyrus, and gave him the same basic "you have to figure it out yourself" spiel he had given Sans all those years ago. And then Papyrus tried to use Magic. Gaster said he did well for his first time, but he didn't manage to summon more than a few fizzling sparkles of Magic.

And then Gaster turned to Sans. "Hey, Sans. D'you remember when we used to spar all the time?"

"yeah."

"That was fun. We should do that again."

Sans snorted. "are you kidding, dings? i could beat you easily."

"You never beat me before."

"we haven't sparred like that since i was, like, thirteen. i've gotten stronger since then."

Gaster's grin widened, just a bit. "Prove it."

"i don't-" Sans happened to glance at Papyrus. His brother had a sort of excited, pleading look in his eyes. Sans sighed. "... alright, fine. let's make this quick."

He trudged over to stand about ten feet from Gaster.

"Ready?" Gaster asked.

"yep."

Then, with a shout, Gaster sent a flurry of attacks at Sans.

By now Sans had gotten quite used to his awareness of space, and avoided the attacks with ease, retaliating with three bone-shaped attacks. With all his training as Judge, even only half-trying as he was, two attacks hit Gaster square in the chest, and the third clipped his shoulder. And, still, even half-trying, with no real desire to hurt Gaster, Sans saw that altogether, he did about twenty HP of damage.

Then the pair of them were lunging at each other, bone-shaped weapons in hand. Sans wielded his like a sword, and Gaster alternated between one long bone used like a staff, and two shorter bones, one in either hand, like shortswords.

They tussled for a few seconds before Sans struck a powerful blow that shattered Gaster's weapon. As Gaster was still reeling back, shaking the shards of his attack from his hands, Sans lunged forward, slamming a shoulder into Gaster's chest. The taller skeleton stumbled back, and fell. Sans immediately had a foot on Gaster's chest, attack resting lightly against Gaster's collarbone.

Gaster let out a huff. "If we could go back, say, sixty, seventy years..." He shook his head as Sans got off him and helped him up. "I tell you, Sans. I was a heck of a lot stronger in the war. Peace has made me weak!"