ShelterTale

ShelterTale Part 7

"Guh. Uhh." Gaster held his head and slowly lowered himself to the floor. Sans put down his notes and coffee and knelt at his side.

"another headache? they're happening every other day now."

"I'm fine. It isn't a bad one." After a minute passed, Gaster felt he was alright to stand and dusted off his lab coat. "What were we just doing?"

"we were about to test the Hope Device with some controlled magical shocks. the last nine tests were flawless, so if this one goes well too, we'll be ready to test it with a live monster wearing it. heh, besides me, of course."

"Yes, of course. Alright, begin the experiment."

"sure thing, pops."

Sans pressed a button on a little laser-like device (sort of like a mini Gaster Blaster) and it shot out a ray of magic. The ray hit a little ring-like ornament and a health bar appeared over it, decreasing steadily before automatically recovering after the laser shut off.

"perfect again. we're ready for practical use tests now."

"Let's start right away," Gaster said excitedly. "I'll wear it while you shoot the laser."

"dad, i know you have plenty of HP, but that still makes me a little nervous."

"It will be fine. The laser is too weak to really hurt me even if the Hope Device fails."

"alright, but don't keep quiet if it hurts at all. i'll shut it off right away."

"Of course." Gaster opened the hinge on the device and hooked it around one of his ribs, then held his hand in front of the laser. "Go ahead, Sans."

"okie dokie."

The laser hit him, but the king didn't feel it at all. He could see the Hope Device's HP bar appear above his own, depleting in its stead. The laser shut off and the Hope Brace recovered its missing HP in a few seconds.

"It works!" he exclaimed. "It really works!"

"NYEH HEH! WE DIB IT!" Little Papyrus celebrated from his high chair, covered in spaghettios. He didn't have any idea what they'd done, but his input raised the mood regardless.

"alright, fantastic," Sans winked. "we've managed to create an artificial second health bar. now the real question is if having artificial HP will make me any more energetic."

"There's only one way to answer that question," the king said, removing the Hope Device and passing it to Sans. The first prince clipped it to his sternum where it wouldn't shake around much and tried to feel things out. "huh. y'know, it's hard to tell."

"I couldn't feel much difference either," Gaster admitted. "Perhaps if you wear it for a few days, you'll notice a change in your overall energy levels."

"yeah, that's what i'm gonna do. hope it works."