Who Says You're the One in Control?

What a Beautiful Day to Go Outside

"Good luck." Asgore muttered as he placed his had strongly on Sans' shoulder.

Sans nodded. "we should be back in a few days." The capital was very close to Mt. Ebott. Sans was sure everything would be fine.

Looking back at the group getting ready behind him, Sans took a deep breath. Today would be the day he finally went to the surface.

He fixed his glasses nervously. It had been a month ago when Alphys realized Sans was squinting. She had found him glasses, and it had solved his headache problem immediately. Sans figured it was due to constantly using code so often. He didn't think anything physical like that would last through the resets, but since seeing in general was more of a magical process for a skeleton, he wasn't really sure.

In his pocket, he held the signed documents from the king signifying Sans and the group to be Royal Ambassadors. There wasn't much the monsters could give in way of peace offerings, seeing as most of the stuff they had was recycled trash. All in all, the convoy could have easily been considered pathetic.

Sans refused to let that get him down. He would have jumped out of his skin when Alphys cleared her throat beside him. "G-good luck." She muttered. She was looking at his shins.

"hey, don't get over excited or anything." Sans laughed.

Alphys was nervous. He was glad Asgore hadn't put her in the convoy. Half because she would probably have been a nervous wreak, and half because if anything bad happened to them, she was an amazing scientist. Sans would have hated for her talent to go to waste.

"Just.... don't die." Alphys pleaded. She looked him straight in the eye sockets. "I don't think I can handle losing two captains."

She was thinking about Undyne again. Sans could see it. Everyone knew the two had been in love, and it had taken Alphys a long time to get to the place where she could talk about it.

Sans hugged her. He didn't think about it, but Alphys always was there for him. It was a really awkward hug, seeing as he had only ever hugged Papyrus on rare occasions. Alphys probably didn't hug people often, either. But they hugged.

"i'll be back in a few days, okay?" Sans assured. He almost added a promise, but caught it just before it slipped past his teeth.

Alphys nodded, and Sans led the group to the next room. Gerson was waiting for them at the exit. He didn't say anything, he just nodded as they passed.

The sun was high above them. It was early afternoon, and the monsters all stared at the sky with wonder. Some cried. Every face held a smile, and every soul brimmed with hope. Even Sans was swept up in the splendor.

The sky was a beautiful shade of blue, with a few wispy white clouds. Bird song was audible above the rustling of leaves the slight breeze kicked up. The scent of wild flowers only added to the absolute perfection of the day.

The monsters took a while to enjoy their first time on the surface. Sans stretched out in the grass, others explored the mountain or collected flowers. Sans had ordered them to meet back here in an hour.

Laying on his back, Sans closed his eyes. The smell of grass and dirt mixed with the fresh air made him drowsy. He focused on the sound of a bee buzzing to his left.

"Get out of my face, you shitty insect!" Sans jumped at the sudden intrusion. Looking around, he saw Flowey shoot the bee down with excellent accuracy.

"what are you doing here?" Sans asked with growing fear. Flowey's angry expression flipped to cheerful as he looked at Sans.

"Watching." The plant giggled. "Today is going to be very interesting, after all."

Sans stood up quickly. "what did you do?"

The smile stuck out its tongue. "Awe. If I told you that, you might try something."

Sans flared his eye. "you better fucking tell me."

Flowey gave a thoughtful hum. "Alright, but only 'cuz I'm your best friend!" He put extra emphasis on the last two words. "I did you a big favor, you know. Coming up here as an ambassador to lead the way. The humans, however, were so mean! Somehow, they got it into their minds that you monsters want vengeance!"

His smile grew wider and more creepy. "That you were going to bring humanity to it's knees!" It grinned its diabolic grin as it continued. "That you were going to give them the same fate they had forced on the monsters so long ago! Hahahahaha!!"

Sans listened in dread as it finished. "Now they're coming to kill you and your friends, and seal the monsters in the underground, forever!!!"

Sans' heart dropped. His dream was taken away once again. He raced into the woods, using his magic to try and find the others. The world was absolutely huge.

BANG! A gunshot went off in the west. He ran towards it, praying no one was hurt. He got there just as a clam monster did. Seven humans with big guns were marching up the mountain. Sans was horrified when he watched as one stepped straight through a pile of dust.

"Sans, what happened?" The clam yelled.

"get back to the cave!" Sans pushed the monster towards the mountain. "where's Heats Flamesman?"

Another shot rang out, and the clam fell. Sans turned back to help the monster, but he was already turning to dust. He ran up towards the cave, joined by the fiery monster.

"Don't ever come back!" The humans yelled behind them. Quieter, one ordered. "Cave 'em in."

Several loud explosions went off above Sans, and the roof started falling. Sans ran faster. He dived into the entryway, and sat, gasping for breath in the dust that followed. He looked around. No one else had made it back. Heats had gotten caught under the rubble.

His gasps turned to sobs. Once again, his hope and dream had been torn away from him. Was this all his future held? Would he spend the rest of his life finding something to hope for, and getting it, just for it to be ripped from his hands by Chara or Flowey?

He sobbed till the dust settled. He kept sobbing. Gerson showed up at some point and sat with him, but Sans took no notice. He had nothing to hope for. He couldn't live a hopeless life, yet he couldn't die either. What was he supposed to do? What was keeping him so god damn determined to live?