An Undertale story

Chapter 5

Sans was nervous. All the chairs in the 'meeting room' were occupied by his friends and family. Curious and worried eyes were focused on him. He didn't want to be the one who was going to destroy their hopes, but someone had to do it. Sadly it was his turn. Frisk was the only one who knew what was going to happen and they give him a reassuring smile. Sans was sitting on his brother's legs, squeezed in his strong arms. He was grateful for this. It gave him courage. Ever since he returned, Papyrus hadn't left him for a moment, no doubt noticing his fear and agitation. Pap had always been an observant monster, more than people give him credit for. Sans swallowed. He really hoped it was all a bad dream. Heh. As if he was so lucky. Asgore cleared his throat, "Well, Sans. Now that we're all here, tell us your mission report. Did you find what you were looking for?" There, it was time. "Yes, your majesty. Unfortunately, I was right. Humans are planning something much worse than this." His tone was flat, emotionless. Eyes low and pained. "What do you mean? We are trapped here and half starved, for fuck sake! What could be worse?" interrupted Undyne, smacking her fist on the table. Her patience with that whole situation was running out. "I'm going to explain it Undyne, if you let me talk." Sans replied. "As I was saying, I infiltrated the enemy base this morning to try to clear up some doubts I had. In particular about the explosive. It was too much to bring down just the two entrances." "W-well, m-maybe they're k-keeping them in reserve for t-the next attacks." shyly suggested Alphys. "There was another thing that worried me." Sans continued, "A comment from Grillby during the last meeting. The thing he said 'bout the tanks. That's exactly what they want to do. Humans have piled explosives all over the Underground. Tomorrow morning they will leave the mountain and open fire with the cannons. A chain reaction will trigger the explosives. Also there is the Core to take into account. Even though Alphys turned it off before running away, the magma is still there. Humans don't know this, but the explosions will likely cause a volcanic eruption that could also destroy Ebott-city. And we are in the middle of it all." At the end of his speech, Sans did not have the courage to look anyone in the eye. A tense silence had fallen in the room. They were all shocked by what they had just learned. Horror and fear alternated on their features, as they tried to understand that terrible truth. For several minutes, no one could find anything to say. Even Undyne was too lost in her thought to find some colourful epithet to insult the humans with. "So what do we do now?" the soft voice was that of Frisk. Everyone turned to them. 'We can't give up so easily. We need a plan.' their signed. Determination flared in their eyes. "MAYBE IF WE TELL THE HUMANS THAT THEIR CITY IS ALSO IN DANGER, THEY WILL CHANGE THEIR MIND." suggested Papyrus hopefully. "It won't work, bro. They'll think we made it up to save our lives. And even if they believed us, they would find other ways to kill us all. 'm sorry." Sans replied sadly. "WELL, WE COULD TRY ALL THE SAME." he insisted. "Indeed. Even if I share Sans's pessimism, we can still try." Asgore intervened gravely. He sighed, "At this point everything is better than waiting and doing nothing." "Yes, but the main problem remains. What do we do if they don't listen to us?" Undyne replied. "Mmh mhh ... we can kidnap one of the commanders and leave him hanging upside down in one of my cobwebs until they take us seriously." Muffet chuckled. "I don't think that's the best way of action, dear." scolded Toriel. "I know! We could dig a tunnel out of the mountain!" Undyne broke in, raising her arms triumphantly. "Mount Ebott is surrounded by tanks, Undyne. And we don't have time for that. We have a maximum of twenty four hours before ... ka-boom." Sans contradicted her. "W-well, m-maybe we could t-try building some s-sort of scaffolding on t-the walls of the c-cave. You k-know, to p-prevent the ceiling from f-falling ... B-but it wouldn't s-stop the explosions." suggested Alphys. "Heck yea! We can do that! We will make it so robust that nothing will pass through it." The Captain supported the idea. "Well, that's more or less a plan." the King agreed. "But it's still only a temporary solution. We would need a miracle to overcome this situation. Or a way to become invisible and disappear from under the nose of humans. Wa ah ah!" Gerson chuckled, hands resting on the grip of his war hammer. An idea struck Sans. It was risky, but what wasn't in those days. If he didn't do anything they were all already condemned. "Wait. I could have an idea ...", "Well, what are you waiting for? A written invitation? Tell us already!" burst out Undyne. "I have my shortcuts, remember? I can make ourselves 'disappear from under their noses'," replied the short skeleton. Everyone watched him silently for a while. "YOU CAN'T, SANS! WE ARE TOO MANY FOR YOU ALONE. YOU WOULD GET TIRED IMMEDIATELY!" Papyrus frowned. "B-besides, I t-thought your s-shortcuts only worked in p-places you've already s-seen. T-the f-farthest we've been is on t-the slopes of M-mount Ebott. I-it wouldn't do any g-good." Alphys intervened, worried. "Yeah, yeah. You are both right. But for the first problem, we have no other solution. While for the second, yes. Technically I have never been anywhere else. But I 'saw' the landscape from the top of the mountain and I remember it. It's quite dangerous, but I can try. Like I said, we have no other choice." "I won't let you, Sans." The ex-queen intervened, "I saw how you came back after each rescue mission. You were exhausted. You are exhausted now! Striving so hard is not good for the soul. And with your one HP you could even lose your life!" Worry was thick in her tone. "I know, your majesty. I'm not trying to blow my life away, but if I don't, we'll all die anyway. I can't let it happen when I have the power to prevent it." Sans replied calmly, his gaze fixed on those of his friend. He would have willingly risked his life to save the people he cared about. Toriel looked at him and saw his courage and devotion. Nobody could make him change his mind. She had to surrender and give her consent. Sans felt the arms around him tighten a little. Sadness gripped at his soul. He didn't want to make his little brother worry, but he didn't want to see him dead either. Not again. Never again. Sans placed his hands on Papyrus's much larger ones and squeezed them gently. The decision had been made. There was no going back. So they started discussing how to proceed for the better. "First we need to make sure your method works, Sans." established the King. Sans nodded "I can try immediately. "already he was standing up. "Stop where you are!" commanded the ex-queen, "I won't let you go alone. You need someone good at healing, in case something goes wrong. I come with you, no openings for discussions. The first shortcut will be more difficult without knowing where to go. I am a Boss Monster. It's safer." She stepped near her friend and gently enveloped one of his hand in hers. Sans didn't fight it. He was grateful to not be left alone. On the contrary, Asgore fears spiked. Even after everything, he still loved Toriel and didn't like to know her in danger. But he also knew he didn't have any right to stop her. So, with his anxiety clear in his eyes, he stepped aside. On the same line was Papyrus. He and Frisk had offered themself to be the ones to deliver the message of the Core to the humans, and therefore they could not go with him. But now he wasn't sure he wanted to stay anymore. What if Sans needed him? What if something went wrong? He wanted to be there for him! But before he could speak, Sans noticed his expression and immediately understood the problem. He let go of Toriel's hand and went up to him. He raised his arms in a silent invitation for a hug. Papyrus didn't have it repeated twice and effortlessly lifted the little skeleton into a tight hug. "I CAN COME WITH YOU ..." Papyrus murmured pleadingly. Sans sighed. "You know you'll be of much more help here, Pap. I'll be fine. I have Tori and her powerful healing magic. I can't be in better paws. "Sans reassured. Papyrus was not entirely convinced." But ... but what if you feel lonely? ... " he tried to insist. Doing his puppy eyes too. Sans smiled sadly. "... Pap, you know me. Of course I'll miss you. But we both need to do everything we can in the little time we have left. So ... What it is that you should do right now?" It was Papyrus' turn to sigh. "... STAY HERE AND HELP EXPLAIN THE SITUATION TO THE HUMANS." "And help everyone prepare for the evacuation in case it doesn't work. You'll do a wanderfull work, I'm sure." Sans added, encouragingly rubbing a hand on the shoulders of his little brother. Papyrus finally gave in and let him go. Sans joined Toriel again, casting her a grateful look for waiting patiently for him. She replied with a sweet smile. "Welph. We're ready. Keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle." he joked, grabbing her fuffly paw and squeezing it tight. He was trying to lighten a little the tension that hung heavily over the present. Grunts and irritated sighs confirmed that he had succeeded. "Don't waste time with your horrible jokes, punk!" Undyne warned. But even her scolding lacked his usual strength. "And try to get back all in one piece or I'll have to come to find you and glue you together again. And I don't have time for that!" It was the closest thing to a wish of good luck that could be expected of her. The others also joined in their goodbyes. The interaction between Toriel and the king was particularly tense and formal, despite the efforts of the latter. It was also established that once they returned, (no one dared to think they wouldn't), Sans would next carry Dr. Alphys and some of her medical equipment, which could come in handy in case of injured monsters. Frisk hugged Toriel tightly, while the ex-queen advised them to behave themselves and entrusted the supervision of the kid to Papyrus. When all was said and done Sans announced, "Ok, then. Time to go. Don't freak out if we don't get back right away: we'll do a bit of exploration." Then he focused on the flow of his magic, gathering it and wrapping it around himself and his friend. He closed his eyes and concentrated. With his mind he tried to view the mountain range of which Mt. Ebott was part. He focused on a single mountain, the farthest he remembered, in particular on a single point on it. With great effort he managed to add as much detail as he could. When he decided it was safe enough he let his eyelids rise. His left eye lit with cyan light. His magic permeated the air of the small cavern, ready to burst. Those present watched with bated breath. "COME BACK SOON, BROTHER!" Papyrus yelled at the last moment. Then a flash of cyan and they were gone. Leaving behind only the residual sensations of the magic used.

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For endless minutes everything was black. Two monsters floated in the dark substance that made up the space of the void. The only protection they had was a thin layer of magic that enveloped them. Even after years of experience with his shortcuts, Sans could not shake the chill feeling that emanated from that place. He could only imagine how Toriel felt. At least he was in control of what was going on, while she was completely at the mercy of outside forces. Sans squeezed her paw more tightly, reassuringly. His grip was reciprocated and he returned to focus on his goal. The images of their destination were still clear in his mind. He needed to get ot of there as soon as possible. He didn't want to risk being stuck in there. But it was easier said than done. The place of arrival was very distant and vague and that required far more strength and magic than he had anticipated. He didn't give up and continued, putting more and more magic into opening a passage to the outside. His magical reserves were deep, but he too was beginning to feel tired. With a last effort he finally succeeded in his intent and the two friends were enveloped in sunlight. They were out and they were exactly where they were supposed to go. There was only one problem: Sans had miscalculated in terms of altitude. They had come out three meters above the ground. Sans didn't even have time to react as they found themselves in a free fall. With his 1HP and his exhausted magic, he would surely have been dust. Toriel immediately realized that too. And at the last second she managed to grab the frail skeleton and bring it on top of her, to protect him with her own body. Even so the impact with the ground caused more damage to the smaller of the two, who was thrown off the arms of the goat monster and landed on the stone ground. A thin web of fractures opened on the back of his skull and he groaned in pain. A similar reaction occurred a few meters away, where Toriel had landed. Luckily she had only suffered a few bruises and scratches on her back. In addition to the shock of the impact that ripped the air out of her lungs and made her cough. With difficulty the ex-queen managed to sit up and shook her head to clear her mind. Then she spotted her friend still lying motionless. "Sans! How are you, my friend? Can you hear me?" she asked worriedly, leaning down beside him. "... head hurts ..." he mumbled. Toriel gently raised his limp body on her laps. And she proceeded to examine the cracs. She let out a sigh of relief, "Don't worry, Sans. It's nothing serious. A little green magic and you'll be fine." Her hands already lit with the healing light. But Sans could no longer hear her, already passed out from exhaustion.