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ichiwashername-o · 5 months

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What Are Friends For Ch. 25

An Undertale fanfiction.

Written by ichiwashername-o

Summary: With seemingly no other option, do they dare call upon the aid of the terrible Dr. Gaster?

Rating: Viewer discretion advised. Contains swearing, trauma, and psychological horror

Cast: Undyne, Papyrus, Sans, W.D. Gaster, and others

Chapter 1

AO3

Chapter 25: Holding on to Hope

In the tense air of the lab, ambient noise droned in the background. The time machine whirled with a mechanical hum as it slowly powered down, a steady incessant beeping could be heard from the control panels, and the lights above hissed with a steady fluorescent drone.

They were the only sounds in the lab for a brief moment as an unsettling epiphany fell upon the residents.

“What?” Undyne demanded tersely. Her back was still killing her, even with Papyrus continuing to give her little bursts of healing magic. Eventually she smacked his hand away, furious that Papyrus was even speaking that thing’s name. “The hell do you mean ‘ask Gaster for help?!’”

Papyrus continued to look at her, unflinching. “Dr. Gaster offered to help us fix things, and he sincerely wants to help make things right. I think we should accept his offer.”

“But you said he was dead!” Undyne protested. “Are you saying he’s still alive?!”

“Y-yes?” Papyrus said unsurely. “It’s hard to explain, he’s not really alive, or dead, he’s sort of . . . stuck in limbo, I guess?”

“That doesn’t make any sense!” Undyne continued to fume. “And even if he were still around somehow, I’ll never accept the help from that creep!”

“But he’s changed! I spoke to him myself! He seemed really sorry about everything that happened, and he wants to help fix things–!”

“Papyrus, listen to yourself!” Undyne roared. “This is the same guy who’s responsible for all of this to begin with! He’s the reason you’re the way you are! He’s the reason you went totally berserk! He’s the REAL reason why that kid got killed! And you want to go to him for help?!”

Papyrus let out a defeated sigh. Here he was, having the same argument he had with Sans, now repeating yet again with Undyne. Here he was, stuck arguing in circles with someone who was just as stubborn as he was.

Undyne would never relent, he realized. Just like Sans wouldn’t.

Flowey had been unusually silent through all this, mostly focused on the machine, but his gaze seemed to be much further away. “Dr. Gaster is still alive?” he asked quietly.

Papyrus turned back to the flower. “Sort of,” he said. “Like I said, it’s hard to describe, but it seems he’s stuck somewhere beyond time and space? Or . . . scattered, I think he said.”

“Good, then leave him there,” Undyne snarled.

That’s just what Sans said, Papyrus thought glumly.

Flowey didn’t say anything for a long time. His expression was hard to read, but he looked . . . stunned?

“Then we’re all in agreement,” Sans said. “Going to Dr. Gaster isn’t an option. We need to figure this out ourselves.”

“And what are our other options?!” Papyrus all but exploded. “Throwing all we had at the time machine didn’t work! Flowey can’t do it, we can’t do it, what other options are there?!”

“We just need to think a little harder, maybe there’s another path we haven’t explored–” Sans argued, before he was cut off again by Papyrus.

“But this is just what Dr. Gaster said! We can’t go back in time, we have to go outside of time–!”

“You can’t trust that guy! How could you?! After everything he did to you?!” Undyne roared.

“But if you guys would just listen to him yourselves–!”

“If I ever see or hear from that asshole again, he’ll get a face full of my spears!”

Soon, all three of them were in a circle, shouting furiously at each other. All three of them–Sans, Papyrus, and Undyne–proved to be incredibly stubborn in their stance. Even if it was two-on-one, Papyrus refused to concede ground, begging them to just give Gaster a chance. But Sans and Undyne refused to humor that notion.

Alphys, in the meantime, had retreated to a corner of the lab, curling in on herself. She hated to see her friends argue. And she didn’t know what to do, either! The whole idea of Gaster still being around baffled her, and even more baffling still was Papyrus’s claim that Gaster was stuck in some sort of limbo. She didn’t know what to make of it, but she knew she hated seeing her friends like this; all at each other’s throats and yelling without listening.

She remembered seeing Gaster’s hidden labs, she remembered the jail cells with claw marks all over the walls and the doors ripped off hinges. She remembered the room filled with the ruined remains of Gaster’s machines, his reports, al his heinous work reduced to ash–

She also remembered seeing Papyrus as that–that thing. That monstrous, terrible, cruel thing that was not him. And she knew all too well of Papyrus’s desperate desire to go back and undo that one terrible, horrible thing.

She knew his desperation to make things right all too well–

And she remembered her own mistakes. She remembered her own terrible, horrible mistakes that she would do anything to take back . . .

She knew Gaster’s desperation to make things right–

If Papyrus was telling the truth . . .

“He wants to fix this!”

If Gaster really felt that way . . .

“He doesn’t want to be forgiven!”

If it were her . . .

“ENOUGH!!!”

Now all fell silent as all turned to stare, quite shocked, at the meek reptilian scientists. Even Alphys seemed surprised she could be so loud and authoritative! She shrunk back down, abashed.

“S-s-sorry . . . that was . . . louder than I meant,” she muttered. But she straightened. She didn’t want to lose her nerve now! “But . . . Papyrus, do you really, and I mean really believe that Dr. Gaster was telling the truth?”

“Yes.” There was no hesitation in his voice. “When I saw him, he looked absolutely miserable. The place he’s stuck in–it sounds awful. He told me it was like living every moment in time a thousand times over, and he sounded . . . really, really sad.”

Sans and Undyne were clearly not buying it, but to their credit, they kept quiet as Papyrus went on.

“He said he had an eternity to think about everything he’s done. And he regrets everything. He told me he knows what he did was unforgivable, and he doesn’t want to be forgiven. He just wants to do this because it’s right. He just wants to make it right.”

Alphys nodded slowly. “I think . . . I think I know what that’s like,” she said slowly. “I know what it’s like to do something really bad, and wanting to take it all back and do it all over . . .”

“I bet you do, Doc,” Flowey taunted, but even he didn’t look like his heart was in it.

“I think we should at least hear him out. He deserves that, doesn’t he?” Alphys pleaded. “I mean, if it were me . . . I think I’d at least want people to listen to me before they rejected me outright.”

There was another long pause as glances were exchanged. It was hard for Undyne to even think about it, but even she knew that their options were severely limited.

“This could all be a trap,” she warned.

“And what would the end goal be?” Papyrus asked. “He gets us, and then what?”

“I don’t know! Kill you for some sort of sick twisted vengeance plot?” Undyne said.

“I really don’t think so.”

“Well, even if it’s not a trap, how do we even find the guy?!”

“I’m not entirely sure,” Papyrus confessed. “He appeared to me in a dream, and I was in Waterfall, and found this door.”

“Waterfall?! Where?!” Undyne demanded. The thought of that monster lurking around on her home turf made her hair stand on end.

“I don’t know! I was just . . . wandering around, I didn’t really know where I was going!”

“Great, that really helps narrow it down,” she scowled.

“But I don’t think that door is . . . permanent?” Papyrus suggested. “I think if we just go looking for it, we’ll find him.”

“So we just wander around Waterfall and hope to find a random door somewhere?” Undyne asked skeptically.

“I guess?”

Wow. This plan had about as much substance as a snow poff. She let out a beleaguered sigh.

“I still don’t buy any of this,” she scowled.

“I know. But we should at least talk to him. Hear him out for yourself. And then–if you really don’t like his plan, and you really think he’s dangerous–then we’ll try something else,” Papyrus reasoned. “But he deserves a chance to explain himself.”

He deserves the chance for his face to meet my FIST, Undyne thought furiously, but wisely kept that thought to herself.

“So I guess we’ll all scout out Waterfall, and if we see the door, we’ll call each other, let them know where it is, and meet up?” Papyrus went on. “We’ve all got each other’s cell phone numbers, so we’ll only be a quick call away. Oh, um, Flowey, do you have a phone–?”

“Does it look like I have a phone, you numbskull?!” he asked. “No, forget it. I’ll find the door first! Me and the Doc got unfinished business! Just you wait!”

He paused.

“So . . . what exactly is this door supposed to look like?”

Papyrus laughed to himself. “It’s just a plain silver door with a round handle. Nothing too special about it.”

“Thanks, dummy! I’ll see you losers later! After I find Gaster myself! Hee hee hee!” And Flowey disappeared from sight, vanishing back into whatever cracks he crawled out of.

Papyrus shrugged, none too worried about Flowey’s threatening promise. “I really don’t think he’ll find Gaster unless Gaster wants Flowey to find him. Besides, why would Flowey be so interested in finding Gaster, anyway? Come on.”

They all shuffled out of the basement lab and back out into the crisp frigid landscape of Snowdin. Between the four of them hung a very awkward, very tense energy. No one said much of anything to each other, not when they exited the lab, and not on the boat ride over to Waterfall. A short while later, they arrived at their destination, where they all stepped off and planned where to go next.

“Alright, you punks, I’m the one with the home field advantage, so I’ll be tackling the northern caverns,” Undyne said, jerking a thumb at her chest. “Those are the trickiest to navigate with the most waterways, so I’ll take that. Alphys, you head straight west and scope out the caves closest to Hotland since those are the safest to navigate . . . and also the hottest. Sans, Paps, you go south. It’ll split so one of you heads southwest while the other heads southeast. Any questions?”

A silent exchange of looks indicated none, and they all went their separate ways, parting on uneasy terms. Papyrus and Sans headed south in silence, the tension between the brothers an incessant electric buzz.

“You really don’t believe this is going to work, do you?” Sans finally asked after a while.

“I don’t know,” Papyrus admitted. “But it seems like our best chance, doesn’t it?”

Sans didn’t like anything about this. They had no real guarantee this would work, not to mention if Gaster’s intentions were as pure as Papyrus claimed them to be.

But the worst part was if this actually did work, and then Sans would be indebted to the bastard.

He tried not to think about it. First they had to find him. A selfish part of him hoped they wouldn’t.

On the other side of the region, Undyne was storming through the caverns, her boots echoing like thunder with every step. Unlike Sans, she was on her own quest to find this Gaster, if only to beat the ever-loving shit out of him! Gaster was the cause of all of this mess, so he needed to pay for it!

But Waterfall was a labyrinth. Its waters were treacherous to many foolhardy monsters that thought they could best them. Undyne knew numerous stories of monsters who were swept away by the river’s currents, never to be seen again. They were stories her parents told her when she was only a guppy, and she thought them to be nothing more than cautionary tales to keep her from wandering too far. Until one day she was one of those foolhardy monsters with more pride than sense and found herself whisked away by one of the many raging underwater currents. It was sheer dumb luck her father had been right there and had pulled her out just before she could be lost for good.

She learned a very valuable lesson that day. And today she would impart a similar lesson upon Gaster.

Trick was finding him first.

She started with the caverns close to her home that she was intimately familiar with. She could navigate these tunnels blindfolded and find herself home, just on the sounds of the rushing rivers and distant waterfalls alone. After a thorough search of those, she went further and further outward, past the shop and past the cavern full of blue echo flowers and past the caverns that were absolute pitch-black save for the glow crystals that were scattered along the path. On she went, her eye ever vigilant for an out-of-place door.

She searched for what must have been a couple hours before she decided to check in on her friends. Opening up her cell phone, she created a group chat for her, Alphys, Sans, and Papyrus.

Any luck? She texted.

Nope, Sans said.

Nothing yet! Papyrus responded.

Not yet, Alphys replied.

Undyne frowned, biting her lip. Darn, ok, keep at it, we’ll find it soon.

And don’t go in before we all get there! Papyrus added quickly. I don’t think the door sticks around very long when you open it, so don’t go in alone!

Wouldn’t dream of facing Gaster by myself! Alphys responded, adding a spooky ghost emoji to her message.

What makes you say that? Undyne asked.

Just guessing from the last time I met him, Papyrus said. But there’s a lot I don’t know. So best we tread carefully, right?

With that, she kept looking. But searching Waterfall was incredibly time-consuming because of all the tunnels, and if that door could be anywhere, that meant it could be on any of the dozens and dozens and dozens of cavernous walls.

They could search for weeks and never find it! Undyne had no idea if they could even cover all of Waterfall in their lifetimes, it was that big! But she was hardly deterred. If anything, that just made her search faster, because she was going to find this Gaster, dammit! She was going to find him and give him a piece of her mind!

The hours ticked by, and every so often people would chime in through text messages. Nothing yet. Keep searching. We’ll find it soon.

But soon it grew late, and Alphys had to pause to grab some dinner. Undyne didn’t hold that against her. No one could work all day without a break! She’d be awful if she demanded that of her friend.

I’m sorry but I’m starving >_< Alphys texted. I’ll go grab some noodles and keep going.

Don’t push yourself too hard, Undyne urged. If you need a break, go ahead and take it. Just make sure you remember where you left off, alright?

What about you? You ok?

Doing great, Undyne replied, pushing aside her own nagging hunger. I’ll keep going and keep you guys updated. What about Sans and Papyrus?

Hangin’ in there, Sans said.

I too am going to keep searching! We’re so close! I can feel it! Papyrus chimed in at almost the same time. I’ll search all night if I have to!

Hey, no one push themselves too hard, Undyne said, trying to swallow through her own hypocrisy. Because she too had no intention of stopping, hunger and sleep be damned. Take breaks and grab something to eat. Gaster’s not going anywhere.

Well. That was blatantly untrue. They didn’t even know if the door was even here or not. But all they could do was keep hoping and keep looking.

She kept going. It was hard to keep track of time, especially in these less-explored tunnels that had almost nothing to offer in terms of light or glow-crystals. It was easy to lose yourself in there, and Undyne knew she had to remain vigilant before she got hopelessly lost.

But she had to keep looking! She had to find Gaster!

She had to find him!

Was she really hoping that Gaster was right? Was she hoping that he could really fix everything? Or was she burning for vengeance that badly?

Both, she decided. It was both. She wanted to kick his ass and then she wanted him to fix everything. This was all his fault, after all.

With that resolution burning in her mind, she kept pushing, onwards and forwards.

She had no idea how late it was. The texts between the four grew less frequent. Had they stopped for the day to rest? Papyrus certainly wouldn’t. She knew the skeleton could go days without sleeping if he really pushed himself, even if she tried insisting on him getting some rest. And neither would she stop. Not yet. She needed to find Gaster.

But the caverns seemed endless. Even now they spilled before her like a never-ending serpent, dark and foreboding with no light to guide her, no sign to mark her way, no path to tell her which way was forward or which way was back.

Undyne was a stubborn monster, but at this point, even she felt doubt creeping in.

Gaster wouldn’t be found unless he wanted to be found.

Was that true? How would Gaster even know? Ugh, this was all too complicated! She just needed that stupid door to show up already! Then they could all get this over with!

But if Papyrus was right and Gaster refused to let himself be found, then he was just being a dick and toying with her by not showing up!

Undyne kept pushing on until she reached a dead end. Scowling, she turned around back to the last fork, marking the dead end with an X on the tunnel wall. She went down the other path, only to find that too ended in a dead end.

She paused, backtracked, and marked that tunnel with an X, backing out even further to the next last fork in the path.

Undyne traveled perhaps only a quarter mile or so before the tunnel just . . . stopped. There was nothing but a rock wall in front of her.

Another dead end?! No way! She CAME this way! She would have heard and felt a rock slide! And the rock would be loose! But this wall was solid!

Ok, calm down, Undyne, you’re just tired, you must have missed something, she reasoned. Just turn around, keep your hand on the wall, and find your way out.

Taking a deep breath, keeping her left hand on the slick wet cavern walls, she once again turned around and followed the path back out. Yeah. It was just dark in here. Easy to miss a tunnel opening if you weren’t paying attention.

Eventually, she came across another branching tunnel, unmarked. She breathed a sigh of relief. See? There you go, now just follow it out–

But she hadn’t even gone more than a hundred feet down before that too revealed a solid stone wall.

Undyne felt her heart begin to race.

No. No, this wasn’t possible, there had to be a way out, just don’t panic.

She backed out, marked the tunnel, kept going–

And ran into a tunnel, marked with an X. Her X.

No–

She kept going, finding another tunnel marked with an X–

Where did I come from?!

Another tunnel, another dead end–

Where was the way out?!

Another X, another dead end–

What was happening?!

The walls of the cavern were closing in–

Let me out!

Undyne spun. Behind her was a marked tunnel. In front of her, a crushing wall of solid stone.

LET ME OUT!

All around her, tunnels that lead nowhere. All around her, she saw that X. Dead end. The walls were closing in. Crushing, suffocating her.

She spun around again–

LET ME OUT!!!

A door.

Undyne stopped. Her heart hammered in her chest, her breath so ragged and hoarse she could hear it echo. But everything was still. Everything stopped.

Before her was a door. Simple, silver, unremarkable with a plain round handle. A door in the middle of nowhere.

And in her heart of hearts, she knew this was it. This was it.

Gaster was here.

She reached out towards the door. Papyrus’s warning was all but forgotten as her palm clenched around the smooth cold handle and turned–

The door swung inwards on silent hinges. Inside was nothing but a room of pure sightless black. A void of incomprehensible darkness.

She stepped inside.

The door slammed shut behind her.

Spinning reflexively, she could see absolutely nothing in the black, as if she were suddenly struck blind. But slowly, the room faded into focus. It was just as unremarkable as the door, perhaps fifteen feet by fifteen feet, bare and plain and square with grey walls. And behind her, she could see no door–

She could see no door anywhere.

"Y͈ou w͙e̜re ̯no̳t̻̫̭ t̖̠h͇e ̠̞one ͚͈͖I̘ w̥a̳s̳̤͍ ̘e̱x͉̲p̙̙̮ẹ͖c͙t̘i̳ng͔͖.̦"̲̞͚

Undyne jumped, spinning back around. Before her stood–loomed?--a nightmarish sight. A tall, thin figure, black as night and made from the thickest tar, coalesced in front of her, the edges of his form blurred and static, as if fading in and out of existence. A white skeletal face greeted her, with cracks that split the skull-like visage nearly in half. White clawed hands floated before him, the palms with perfectly circular holes cut through them.

And Undyne had no doubt in her mind that this monster standing before her was none other than Dr. Gaster.

He gazed at her, his eye sockets empty and placid. "V͎̪ͅe͓͍r̮͈̻y well,̰̪̹ ̼̣t͕̠his͍̖̖ ̥̗wi̬̣̠ll ͕h͚a͉ve t̰͖o ͙̟̮d͓̣o̬ ̻̰f̼o͚̲̙r̭ ̺̯̦n̳̭̥o̱͙w-̰-"

Undyne summoned a dozen spears at her side, and in one swift decisive motion, she hurled them against the figure. The spears struck true, sinking deep into the figure. The figure lurched backwards, letting out a grunt of surprise, his eye sockets widening at the sudden attack.

But Undyne was just getting started. Sprinting forward with one spear in her hand, she charged, driving her weapon straight through the abomination’s chest. Again he jerked backwards from the impact, a spark of pain flashing in his eyes as Undyne saw her blow land. She ripped out her spear, causing that black inky tar-like substance to splatter across the ground. Gaster stuttered, struggling to remain upright.

Undyne brought down a torrential rain of spears, pinning him to the ground.

Gaster fell awkwardly, his form more liquid than solid as he reformed, pulling himself back together with a static hiss. He continued to glare at Undyne, unblinking.

"̞͉N̠̗͇o͈w͔̣͔, ̯̮C̮ap̮̠t͚̹a̭in͓̪̱,͔ ͕̥ḭ͎f ̘̤̩y̼̩̦ou͓̮'̗͍r͖̭e qui̪t͕e sa̹͚ti̟̞sf̪i̟ed--̺̬̝"̳

But she wasn’t! Not by a long shot! All the pain Papyrus was forced to endure! All the misery! She swore to bring it all down on him a hundredfold!

More spears pummeled him, striking through his form. Undyne lashed out, again and again, hitting him over and over and over and over–!

Again and again he would just reform, retake his shape, standing up from the goopy puddle on the ground into the nightmare tar-monster he was now!

But Gaster’s patience for Undyne’s fury was reaching his limit. She charged forward, ready for another strike, before Gaster’s hand clamped like a vice around her arm, stopping her dead. He leaned forward, those haunting eye sockets narrowing.

"̖Ha̱̹v̩̯e ̟͖̦yo͉͓u̬͔ f̣͍̙inis̮͙̱h̘̠̼ed ͔y̲et̠̥?"̠̫ͅ he snapped tersely.

“DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE TALK TO ME LIKE YOU GET IT!” Undyne roared furiously. “God, you’re just standing there like a sick freak! Do you even feel ANY of this?!”

“͙͔Y̧̙̼͎̼̞ͨ͌ͥ̃ͫ̓ͅE̯̘͇̼S͉̪!̦̰̟̟̩̿̈́̓̍̽͞!͂̽ͣ!͔̜ͩͩ”̥͇̖̫̲̯

His voice was a deafening static roar, as if spoken through a speaker through a terrible feedback scream. Undyne crashed to her knees, slamming her hands over her ears.

“̂̄̌ͧ̇̚͜Î̏̇̇͏ ̣͓͕̠̥͙̬̏̐͗̇̍͌͒F̙͕̘̰͙͒̒ͫ͌ͣĖ͈̹̚E̼̻ͥ͆L̘͕̯̩̪͉̆͆̽̽͆̚ ̵͕͋EV͍͍ͦ̇Ȩ͈̭͉̥̑̆̔̆R̲̀͐ͅY͈̱͍̞̙̫̙T̸̝̤̟ͥ̋͒H͚̞͇͕̺̟IN̸͔ͭǴ!”͈͙̩̳̼̋ͣͦ̇̀

Undyne felt tears prick her eyes. The noise was coming from inside her head! So loud and so deafening she thought her skull would split!But slowly the screaming faded away, and her eye cracked open, seeing the furious, and pained expression of the twisted Doctor Gaster.

"Ḭ ̳f̙e̙̣el̪̣ ̞̩̖. . ͓ͅ.͚̩ ̫̤ev̳̦̹erythin̥̙g̰.̘͓ T̬̗̯h̫̘e̦re ̜̰̪ḭs͖̞ no ̞̫̯re̹p̯rḭ͎̺e̙̤v̹e. ̤̟ͅT͔̘̩here ͓̟is͇̥ ̱̫̲no͕ end̤͖."̮̯

“Yeah, well, maybe this is what you deserve, you asshole,” Undyne seethed, pushing herself back up to her feet. “After everything you’ve done to Papyrus and Sans–!”

"D̝i̼̤̱d ̦͉̝yoṷ̱̜ com̳̮͚e̜̘̘ ͍̙he͔̫r̫e t̟̭o̘͉ le̻ͅct͉u̹r̤e me͍͇͚, or ͇̞̖did̗̩ ̼͔̘y͈̼o̖̝u ͕c̳̜o͖me ̟̮̠he̺ṛ̫̳e͍ ̹t̻̮o ͙̳͙ass̫i̫ș̹t̗̪̹ y̖͖ou͚r ͈̪̹f̹̞ͅri͈̺͎e͙n̜d̤̠s?"̩ Gaster challenged. "͎̩͉I̫̗ ̹h̠̤av͓e͉̣ ̜̥͕no̱ ̹̟̼n̫eẹḓ͖̪ f̭or ̜̝wo͕͉ṛ̗ds̗, ̮͇s̺o i͕f͎͔ ̫̩̤that̜̻͚'̫̮ͅs ̠̦a̜̪̫l̰̣l ͍y̪͍o̱̺u͓̥̦ offe͖̜r,͙͉ ̝̜you̬̪̬ ma͇̗̜y ̲̬l̟͚ea̗ve.̫̪

Undyne could hear the unmistakable sound of a door opening behind her, but she did not turn to look. She kept her one remaining eye focused solely on Gaster.

“You don’t get to escape justice so easily! You think you can just pop up and make everything better and we’re all just going to forget and forgive and live happily ever after?! You don’t get to do that!”

Gaster remained silent.

“WELL?!”

"͎̞͈Wh͚̹at c̫̜an ̤I̗͙̖ ͉̻͔pọs̳s̥ib͚l̳̰͉y̝ ͙̙ͅs̝͇ay ̥to͙̖̣ ̟y̙̟ou th͎͔a̱̬̬t̠̺ ̼̼̞w̳͍o̯u͎̻̤ld͎̠̲ ̗̞̦cha̗̠͖ṇge̟̗̖ your ͉̘m̘̱i̼̰nd?"̰̺ͅ Gaster simply asked. "̪͖Y̙ou'͈͎v̝e̮͉̹ al̗̟r̲̠e̲̩a̭̗d̮̭y ma̲͎̯de͚͚ ̺̣u̞p̝ ͓̻your ̥m̭ind ͕a͈̥bout m͍e. T̥̠ͅh͈̳̼ere ̘̺i͔̗s̘̣ ̹no͖̪ u̮s̟̖e ̼̝i̘͇͓n ̣̯͍s̤̩par̜͕͓i͖n͓̳g a̼ny ̞m̲̥ore w̰ords ̮t̬o ̯͙̖so̞̜̩me̥o̥̲̼ne͓̥ ̤ͅwh̭̞o̗͉̯ ̩͖ref̯̠ͅu̠͖ṣ͇es ̣ṯ̱̬o̖͇ ̮̦͚l̝͍̮is͇̭̜t͍en.ͅ

“The least you can do is start apologizing!”

"̙̞Wou̗ḽ̙d ̠̟̹t̞̙ḥ̫ͅat͉̞ ̮̠̠he̤̲l͖p?"̭̮

No, Undyne wanted to reply in a furious tone, but she realized she had just proved his point. There was nothing Gaster could say that would make her change her mind about him, so Gaster simply refused to waste any breath or energy doing just that. Seeing this brief moment of epiphany, Gaster continued.

“̜̣Hate ͕̹͓me ͎̤all ͓͇y̯̜ou wi̝sh,̜͙̗ b͓̞u̯t̹ ̮̹m̥y̝͙̦ ̩̖̘offe͓͉r̜ ̖s͙t̻̦̬a͇̰nd̯̣̻s.̘͙̦ ̟I̙̺ ̳̯c͕a̲̝̠n ̼he̖lp͉̳ͅ S̤̹͔a̘ns ̞̹ḁnd̩̳̺ ̭̖P̠̳͙ap͓y̯r̞u͚͖s̬. I͚ ̞̟c̪ḁ͚̖n̰̩ ̼b̼̼̮r͓i̘̙ng͇͕͎ t͔hem̻̞ͅ ̱̳̩ba͕̝̱c͙̬k͖͕ ͍i̩ͅn̦ͅ ti̟̺͓me̱͍ to͉̮̘ t̯hḙͅ ̪͎̼mo̯̞̭me̞n̩̮t̺͕ w̮ḫ̮ḙ̦̗r̖̘e̙̜̞ t̼hḛ͖ ͎human̳̘̯ ̞̙̱i̩̝͓s͚ ̠̜̝k̟i̝l͇l̳͎̳ed ͅa̮̼nd pr͍eve̲̙͙n̼͓̞t ̗͙iṯ f̖rom͕͇͈ ha͖̪̯pp̦̼en̻̯iͅng̰.̼̦ ͚̺I͖ c̘̦an̫ ̺̻̖ḅ̯͔r͓̬ing͇ t̲̮he̬ t̼̖i̞͍m̻̳̝e͉̭͕l͉ine͓̺ͅ ba̯̬c͙k͉͚ ͉t͖o̬̙̲ n̞͍̫o̺̳ͅr͍͔m̜̼al͕͙.͇”͇̤̪

“And how do you plan to do that?” Undyne scowled.

“Fir̠̣͖st͔͖,̙̯ Ḭ͓ ̭͚n̹̮e̱ͅed ̹̩̺Sa̭͚̞ns̜͚ ̖̤̱an̩̖d̻ ̩̣P͉̩ap̱͓yru̖̯s h͕e͕r͙͍ͅe͔͕̟ ̭w̝it̰̘̙h͓͖ ̩͕̬m͙ḛ̥.̣ ̥̦̫S͖̜a̱̼n̞̣͇s͔̜ has a cḛ͈r̯̘tain̙ ̩͕͉.̤͕ . ̜̝̱.͎̝͇ a̹̮ḅ̱̝il͔i̙͕t͕̺y ͍̭͈t͇̝hͅat ̝͉al̩̹̹l͎̩ͅo̠̩ws̖ h͍ḭm̱ to̯̟ tṛa̠͚͓vers̮̺e͎ ̹̼̜ac͚ro̳̞s̤s ̘șp̙̬̞a̠̹c̱e.̤͙ ͉I̤ ḁ̬ͅm ̳̠ͅhe͕̱̱re, b̟̣̫e̙̠̞yo̪n̫̪̠d ͖̦t̝im̮͚̥e̝͚̭.͕̼̬ W̺ith̦̪̦ ̱us̯͚̲ ͙̮͓w̱or̮̪k̮̤͓i̯̱ng in̗̫̲ ̙̖̥t̩͙a͈̪̱n̮͙dem, w̝e̼̺̠ ̟can͔ ̰͕t̙r͇ave̖͙l ̺̱t̲͎o̬ whe̝̦̳r̤̼eve̙r ̱͚̙a͍nd͇̙̰ w͉h̰enever̭ ̲͎we ̼d̺͍eṣ͉i͓͖̦re.̠͖”

“You want them here in this room so you can continue to torment them, is that it?” Undyne accused, brandishing a spear in his face. Gaster didn’t even blink.

“Yo͉͓̘u c͍͓̘aṉ c̯o̪̘̤nti̻n̩͇u̺̲e̺ to ̲̗̞s̥̰ta̞̮̤n̼̻ͅḓ ̯͓th̞̹er̝̠e͚ an̟͍̜d ̠spou̘̻t̫ b̼ͅasel͕eș̤͔s͖ a̼cc͚̹̯us̜͈͎at͉i̥o̤n̠̫s.͉̠ ͙̙͎Y͔o͔u̩͉̬ ̜͍c̬͓̤an ̹̠s̠ͅtand̞ ̹t̘here̠̺ ͇̪̪a̼͇̲nd r̩a̟̰̖i̹̺n ̘do͍̻͎w͇͎̭n̘ ͉̥̰all ̤͖y̬͚̬o̜̦̹ur̠̙̙ ̖might u̖̲͚po̭͔̻n̪ m̫e̞.̹̣̝ ͓̳Y͓̰o̰u c͚͈̖a̹n ͍r͍̺i͕p ̠̫͓m̻͚̞e ͚͇to p͇͉ͅie̲̮̙c̖̭̭e̫͖̹s͇̺ ͚̳̠o͓ve̘r an̰̯d̯̫̣ ͕̙o͈̝ͅv̬ẹr̤̫͎ ̹͉͙ag̣ai̳̯̪n.̠ B̝̖ut̠͖ ͍̭n̩̤o̺̝ne ͇̥̹of͉̣̥ ̞̟͙t̝̟h̝̹os͓͓e t͙h̥ing͈s ar̼̳e͕͈ ̬͎g̠o̤ịn̦g͕̦ t̖o ̭̺̰hel̮̦͇p ͍̳ͅPa̹pyr̯u̻̜̮s͙̳̭, a̤̖r̯̤̣e ͎̣th̻͚̦e̻y͚̜?”͉

Undyne stood there, fuming, fists clenched.

“P̫erhap̮͖s ̲y̪ͅo̱u̲ c͕̝͉aͅn ̮d̦̙o̲̜͍ ̳̟s̹o̻meth̪ing̲ ͖͇͎muc̠̥h̻ m͕͍or̜͚e produ̜͈̲c̦̰t̠ͅi̜v̦̝e t͓h͓̣̦a̺n̤̲̙ st̻̫̺a̠n̮̠̻d͈̤ ̯̭̫h̖͎̖ḛ͔̟r͙͇̖e ̪͉̗a̱͚nd ̘̙͔thr̟o̬̱͎w ̤̭y͓̠o͙u̙̮r̤ c̖hil͇d̬ͅish͓ ̰t̮̭e͕͙̦mp͈̞̟e͙̻̺r ̮ṭ̦a̭n̰͚t̥ru͎̦͎ms. ̥G̼̘o̱͈ f͉͈ind S̭̖a̺̟n͚ṣ ̥̥a͔n̖̝d̥̠̳ Pa͎p̲yr͍u̙͍̺s ̪̮an͚d ̖b͙͚rin̦̘̩g ̥th̞͕e̦m̖̼̙ t͚̥o ͔m̠̻̪e. I͓ w̱̹i͎͕̥l͓͎l̰͔ ̝̪be͉͈ ͈w̖̳̱a̭̖͙it͚̳i̩̮n̞g̮̞ͅ.͇̜”͉͉͖

“Ok, first of all, fuck you, you pretentious douche bag!” Undyne roared, pointing a finger at Gaster. “‘Childish temper tantrum’ my ass! You tortured my best friend and did horrible things to him! How exactly would you react if someone did to Grillby what you did to Papyrus?!”

Undyne could see Gaster stiffen and one of his eyes twitch, and with a grim sense of satisfaction, she knew she hit a nerve.

“And second! I don’t know how the fuck I even found you!!!” Undyne continued, throwing her hands up in frustration. “I was just wandering around! And then I got lost! And all the tunnels became dead ends and I was trapped in a cave with no way out and then here you are! So explain that one to me!”

Gaster frowned, thinking. “Hm.̹͎̪ ̠͓̭M̞̱y̠ exis͍t͔enc͕͎̖e̫͇ ̜a͍̬͚p̻p͈͖̗e͕̝a̬̬r͚s̜ t͙̤͎o͖̼ be so͚̣̟ ̠a̞̙̙t ̣͎odͅd̲s ̠wi̺̣t̜̙̱h r̪e̦al̖i̼̪͚ty̦͎͕ t͕͉haț̱̗ ͓̜͕r̞̞e̻a̘̤lity̯̙̯ ͓͉d͙̼̦eg̪r̘ad̤e̲̠s iṇ ̦͇m͚̱y̳͖ ̰pre̺̦s͍͍en̹ͅc̤͖e͙̘.̣̥̰”

“What?” Undyne snapped with a click of her teeth.

“̺͕̯I̜͎̙n̬͎͕ ͓̦s͇̪imple̥̞̳s̞͕̼t̟ ̟̮t͓̮̠e̪̬̩rm̘̱͖s̩? A ̫̭̰g̙͇̟li̯t̖̻cḫ̝.̗͕ ̼Wh̺̦̫e͎̥ͅn̲̺ y̙̜̦ou̩͙̜ exi̹͎t̳, ̖̣͎th͙̙e͍̟̹ w͔orl̯̘͇d̲ w̪̥ͅil̻͖ḽ ̲͎b̻̪e ͍̥b̦̗ac͕͖̤k̳̦ ̲̺ͅth͖̘e̲̼ ̬̣̬way͈ ̗it̮̭ ̺̤̣is sup̹̻pose̗̜d̲̳ t̠o ̭̣̼b̖̻͉e͉.̗̲̜” ̙

He pointed back behind Undyne, where the door had reappeared. “B̝͙ut ̙͕̮go͈. ͖F͖͚in̰d͎͇̼ t̙̱̰hem̪. B̺r͖i̮͙ng̤ ̩ͅth̳̦̰e̙̹m̗ h͈̣̼ere͈̳. ̦̖L͇̪̰e̫͇t̜̞ ṱ̖̰ḫ͕e̗̞m̹̝ ̘k̖̰n͈̭͉ow ̦I will ̤̭̜h̝e̲̖̩l͙p ̦̪t̪̙̘hem̱ m̩a̼k̻͔̣e it͓͚̤ ̦̬ͅri̩͖g̤̦ht̥̟.

Undyne finally glanced behind her, back to the door. She hesitated.

“I still don’t trust you.”

"I ̠am ̬͎̼a̜̯w̭̝a̗̪̭r̞̤e͎̲͉."

“And if they go back in time, I want to go, too!” Undyne added. She paused, her anger fading as she remembered it wasn’t just Gaster who was responsible. If it weren’t for her . . . “It’s–it’s my fault this happened, too. I made Papyrus . . . it’s my fault.”

Gaster looked on, his expression calm and without judgment. He slowly nodded.

"̪̝͎V̘e͖̤ry̘̰̹ ̺w̬̗e̥̙l̲l̹͍͖."̜

And with one last look over her shoulder, Undyne went to the door, and stepped out.

She was back in Waterfall, back to somewhere much more familiar to her. She jumped in realization; she was actually really close to her home!

What the hell! How did she get here?! This was definitely not where she entered the door!

She shook her head. Man, what the fuck was going on with that guy?

But she had a promise to keep. She took out her cell phone and dialed Papyrus, knowing he would pick up the quickest. Her phone rang only once before she heard him answer.

“Hey, Undyne! What’s up!”

“I found it,” she said, still trying to make sense of . . . everything that just happened.

“YOU DID?! That’s wonderful! I’ll be right over as soon as I can!”

“Meet me by my house, I’ll show you from there,” she said, but she wasn’t sure if Papyrus heard that last bit. He was probably already sprinting full-tilt over here. She turned around to see the door was–

Gone.

She balked.

FUCK!!! The door was gone! IT WAS RIGHT HERE A SECOND AGO! Where did it go?!

“That asshole!” Undyne swore, racing back home. She knew it! She knew it was too good to be true! Gaster made a promise then backed out like a coward! Well, this proved it, didn’t it? Gaster couldn’t be trusted!

Poor Papyrus was going to be so heartbroken–

She arrived at her house just moments before Papyrus came screaming around the corner, Sans slung haphazardly over his shoulder. The shorter skeleton looked quite miffed at the arrangement, but it’s not like Sans was incapable of stopping Papyrus if he disapproved that much.

Papyrus raced up to Undyne, letting Sans off and lowering him to his feet. “We’re here! We got here as fast as we could! Where did you say the door was?”

Undyne sucked in a breath. “Paps, I just saw it down this tunnel, but when I went to call you, I turned around and it was gone. But I swear it was right there–!”

“It is right there,” Sans said, pointing behind her.

Undyne spun around for what felt like the billionth time today. And right behind her house, on the far wall of the cavern, was a familiar silver door.

“Okay, what the FUCK!” Undyne screamed in frustrated rage. “First it’s over there and then it’s not and now it’s here–! God! You stupid skeletons and your physics-defying bullshit!”

Papyrus and Sans slowly approached, apprehension clear as day on both of them. Papyrus was excited to see the door once again, but he knew of his brother’s reservation. He knew this would be the most difficult thing for Sans to see Gaster face-to-face after so long.

Papyrus reached out and gripped his brother’s hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

“We’ll do this together, ok?” he said.

Sans only nodded, numb. He never thought he’d ever see the doctor again. And now that monster was the only one who could possibly help them.

Taking a big breath, he reached forward, opened the door, and stepped inside.

Undyne was right behind them, stepping through before the door had a chance to slam closed behind the skeleton brothers.

The room was exactly like how Undyne remembered it, except there wasn’t that brief moment of black before the room came into view. It was just a room, a plain simple small room. And in the middle of it was Gaster, waiting for them.

"̟Y̘̟ou̮͖ hav͙e ͖͔̳arri͕͙ve͈̞̳d͈̤."̙̝ he said. “̟̠A̯ft͉̙̟er s͕o lo͕̮n͓͖͕g, ̫y̩o̫̞͚u͎̹̩ ̗are̠̭͉ fin̙̩̼al̘ly̤ ḥ̻̬ere.”̖͈

“Yeah, and not by choice,” Sans said. Already he felt his anger begin to build. How could he stand here and not remember every single horrible thing he experienced under the doc’s cruel hand? He hated Gaster. He could barely stand to be in the same room as him.

But for his brother’s sake, he would swallow that anger.

“We̯͇ ne͇̱ͅe̠d ͅn̹o̦t re̮̼mi̻̦nis̲̖c̹̠e̮̠͖ ̠abou̗̣͉t ͈̬p̲as̲t̹͉̞ sins̞,̩” Gaster said. “͔I̺t is̥ ̞a ̳̭wașt̩e o͇͙ͅf ̪̜ḅ̣r̲̗̜ea̳̰͉t͈͇ͅh͍ ̭͓̯t̖̹o ḽ̖̝a̯̜̰m͚en̪t̥̹ ̝͎my̘ r̖eg̘͓r̝e̳ͅts̘̰̠ to̼̪ͅ you.”͓

Papyrus glanced down at Sans, who remained quiet.

“̜͉W̗e̪̱ w̖i̫͙ll ̱add̫̩̳r̖es̥s̩ ̣͕th̘e h̬ͅe̜a̘r͍͕t͈ o̻f ̹t̻h̖e̗̮ ̖̯̹ma͖͇t̟̳t̻͔er̺̘̭: ͚ͅt̮h͓͎̲e̲ ̘huma̫n̳.̬̺̻ W̩̲e̲ ̱n͚̘eeḏ̳̥ to̪͍ ̱̜en͕s̰u̠͙r̜̰e ̜t͖̺h͍̗eir ̞su̫ͅr̜��̹ṿiva̱l ̯̘̩b̠̲̹y̬ a͓̮̥n̗̙y̼̯̫ m̭͙̻e͈̪̤a͎ns͉̥̝ ̖̦n͖̯e͚̘ce̪s̲̞͖s̭a̻r̠y̦͓͕.̹̩̣ Or̪̳ a̻͖͔t̩̞͓ le͍ast̯,͎̙ the ̰̣su̺ṟ̭vi̱̟̲va̦l̟̪ ̜͚͓of t̺h̩e̼ir so̭̤ul̪̝̞.”

“That’s simple enough. Just keep Papyrus from turning,” Undyne spoke up. “All you need to do is–” She took a breath. “You just need to make sure you stop me from getting to Papyrus before the kid does.”

“Th̙͖̣a͖͕͖t͍͎ͅ is̜ ̣̱̠one̜̲ ̞so̥͙lu͍tion͖,”̭̙ Gaster conceded with a nod. “An͖o̼t̯̱͓he͎̝r͕͉ ̱so̘͇̬l̳̹u̫̬ti̤o̦n̬ ̺̰͎would ̜̼be̞̠̘ t͉o̹̣̞ ̰k͚̟il̬̞͔ḻ͈ ̰͙ͅt̜h͙̻̰e͚̗m͈ b̰ef̰or̪ẹ̱͕ e͚n̩͉c̩͇̞ou͙nterḭͅng͕͕ Papyr͍̺us.”͙͔

“What?! No!” Papyrus protested. “We can’t kill them! We shouldn’t be killing anyone!”

Gaster turned and only gave a sad, mournful smile to the tall skeleton. “You̼r͓̫ i̜̣̗n͙t̹ent͓̥io̱͚ns ̥̯̜ar̝e̮̼ p̦̫̥ure͔,̼ ̣̱̼b̫u̘t̳͈̠ ͇y͈͈o̥u̮ mu̥st ͔̳r̙̣ea̪̪ͅl̠̺ize̻͈̘ ̮͎̩tha̹̤t̜͈͍ death ̝i͍̟͎s͍̼̥ b̠̱u̦t ͈̹͉an̗̯ ̠͚͇in̲̤̰c̼̪̞on̲v̬en̪i̮̮̲e͙̟̣nc̼̰e̩ ̝f̲̼̼or ̩̼the͙̙ ͚̪͉hụma̮̻̠n.̪̱̻ ̼͚͕T͍͈̲hẹy wil̳̝l̝̫̬ d͖͔ie͓, y͉e̖̩͚s, b͖̣̪ut s̬̱o͕̼ ̯̱gr̮e̱at ͚̜is͎ țhei̜͕r̙ d̳͍e̠ter͚͎̘m̬i̻̮na͕tio̺͍̩n ̳̺t̹̹ͅh̟͇̫a̗̹t ṭ͇̩hey w̮̯͎i̩l̮̗l̳͎ ͍̪̖be̺͚ born̜̲͉ a̝̯̝n̰͖͕e̯w ̯̭an͇d ri̦s̤̖̬e a͖̝̼s if̱͙͎ ͕not̼ͅh̞ing̠͉ had ha̟̰̪pp̰͎en̖͔edͅ.͍̤̬”

“Well–! Maybe that’s true, but we still shouldn’t kill them! Just stop them from killing! And then it’ll be ok!” Papyrus said.

Again Gaster smiled that same mournful smile, even laughing quietly to himself. “P̺̟e̺̬r͙h͕̜a̭ps͙͕̠.̥̺̞ P̟͔erhạ͎ps ̦w̭̬̹e̬ c͈͔͍an ̲̩tr͖͍͖y̪͍͔.̺̦̺ But͇͈ ͖̘͉w͚e m̺ṷs̻t ̝̯͚co̙̟ͅn̖t͖̬̻em̻p̹̹l͉at̜͍͚e͓̮̯ ̥̱̦a̦̝ͅll̩̝ ͚̰̭po͍͍̺t̘̹e̫nt͙i̳̩a��l ̤out͍c̰̗om̬es.͓͈̯ O̞ur͔ h͎̬and͔ ͙̜m̗͇̩a̞͓y̪ ͕be̥ f̮or̭ce̯̹ͅd.͔ An͚̩d̜ ̣͇w̯e̞͓ ̙̜m̼us͇͓ṯ̠ be̯ ̣̱ͅre̯̤a̗dy.͎̮”

Gaster’s gaze fell on Undyne, and she felt herself shrink away. She knew what he was trying to tell her: if death was only temporary, if the kid really had the power to redo things over and over, would she be willing to do the unspeakable to Papyrus?

Would she be willing–would she be able to kill Papyrus to prevent something truly horrific from happening to him?

She steeled her heart and soul. She had to. For him.

“So what do we do now?” she asked.

Gaster turned his head skyward. “̲͔̪N͚̖ow̺͈ ̪we s̭͇t͙̦͈ep̲̬̝ be̳y̼̙o̥n̬͙̞ḏ̺̫,̳̖̭ he said. “̖B̖ey̰̘ond͔ ̤̼͖tị͙me.͙̫̣ B̙̳ey͇̥̖on̗d ̗̼̳s͈͓p̝͔̙ace.̮͙ ̬Th̗̭̦e̞̰r̝̮e, ̹̘̻we̜̱ ̣̭f͈̝low ͉fre̤̪̗e͇ly̝̯ an̦d͈̩͔ g̯͍o wh̩̗erev̹er we̳̬ ̯͇̹m̦̪̳a̯̹͚y͚̻̮.”

“Ok, see, that’s one thing I don’t get,” Sans suddenly interjected. “So if you had this power to go beyond time and space and go wherever you wanted, then what kept you here? Why couldn’t you just go into the past and do whatever you wanted?”

“̰͉͓It ̲̲̝i̹̻̦s ̰s͕imp͉̥͉le,̹̙̞”͎͇ Gaster said calmly. “T̼h̳̻̠e̜ jo͎urney w̥̲oṳld ̞d̮̺̘ḛ̪̹s̯͙̙troy̪ͅ ̭mḙ̭.̯”

“What?!” Papyrus and Undyne exclaimed in unison.

“And it’d kill us, too?!” Sans protested angrily.

“No̘, n̩ot̼ ̳͓yo̹u,̻̠”̩̜ Gaster assured hurriedly. “͉̗Y̱ou̞̭̜ ̖are w̙̼ho̝̯lẹ̮.̩̼ Yo̲͖ͅu a͔̫͓r͔̟͎e͖͉ ̹̝c̺̫o̦̩̣mp͇̪̬l̞ete.̙̤̮ ͔I ̻a̮̰ͅm̹̩ ̰̱̜s̥c̥atter̼e̦͓̻d̙̖ͅ.͉̼ ̤̲F̺͉ͅr̻a̹̲̱gm͙͔̻ḙ̬nt̥̖̖e͔̖d. ̰̩I̻̱ ̘̱̲a̻̱m͙͔ͅ ̳̠no̰̰t͔͉ . ͚̳.̜ ̯̬͍.̣̗̤ ̪̮here̳̬.͚̭̲ ̯̟̫I ̳̱a͚̺m̪̫ ̳̗.͇ .̠̟͉ .͚̼̮ ̥̖a̠̺ll̪. ̖E̳̪̤very͕w̹͕he̥̩r͕̥̬e͎̲͔. T̮o͉ ̹̼̫s̻̰t̬̠̮e̲̳̱p͖ bey̻̤̩on̮̺ͅḍ wo̠ul̘̮d̳ s̰̮c̺̝̤a̘̬tte͓͕r ͖͓me̮̹̪ ͇̬̞fu͖̝rt͎̞ͅhe͔̣r̻͍.͚͖ T͕̝̬o͈ ̺̖̩s͕̩̥t͔e̘p ̖b͔eyon͔̘͙d̝̞ ̱̬. ̣̳.͇̬ ̦̖. ̖͎w͕̖o̠͕ṵ̙͔l̪̥̳d̥̘ ̙͎deͅst͉ro͉̞ͅy̮ mẹ̞̰ ̞̱͖c̠o͎mple̺͕͖te̱̠ly.̖”

There was a stunned silence as all eyes fell on Gaster.

And he just . . . smiled.

“̟H̞̩o̜n̟̪e̠stl͉̩y̭?̖ I̖ ̦l͚͎ͅo͉̥o̗̭̝k͇ ̥f͍̝o̪͙̬r͎̰̩wạ͍rd̪̹͇ to͈̯ ṯh̜̣̭e̦̙̫ re̥̙͓p̙̬ͅr̟iḛ̼v̞e̟͈̗.”̰

“You’re serious,” Papyrus said breathlessly. “You really mean it? Taking us back in time will kill you?”

“͓ͅM̰͍̖os͍t ̥͙li̫ke̼̙̰ly. ͕̩̝It ̠w̺̝ͅoul̟̜̭d̪̞ t͉͍̥e͖̤a̖̻͇r my͉̲̙ a̖l͕͚͔re̫a̦dy f͎̱l̩͍ee̲̣t̤in͇͕g ͓͖c͈͉o͖͈͖nscͅi̥̦͙en̼̗̱ce to p͖͚ie͍̟̩ces.̞ ̳B̖utͅ ̖ͅI ̗kn̗̝̮o͙͙w th̗̱is, and̠ ̘a͚̰cc̭̝ep͇͖̼t ̫ͅthis̮̤.”

“So . . . why haven’t you done yourself in by now?” Sans asked slowly.

“A ͓̥p͚̠ͅa̹͔̻r̝̣t͚̩ ̙̹o̳͇f͓͉ me̜̯–a ̪s̤t͈̝̤ubb̙o̭͚̫r̪̖n̯̜̳,͇̩̪ ͖̭pri͈͈d͇eful p̞̞a͉͈ͅrt͚̗̞ ̫of̦̳ ̞m͈e–w̦a̭̼s͎̘ ͎̪̺a͕fr͔a̬̜i̠̯̬d͉̮͍ to̯̲̞ ̫d̥ḭ͉e̤̭. E͙͎̞v̦̤̫e̱̮n i͕n the͇͉͎ st̥at̫e̞̦ I͙̘ͅ ͎̝͉a̻̯̬m̲ i̮̤ͅn͈̜̱ ͎now̤. ̳̗S̲̟͚o͍̮͓ ̺̦I̦̺͇ held̮ o̜̘u̞t ̜̫̰i̭̥n ̭͓s̩̙o̜me ̩͈͚v̻̙͍ain,̣ ̭͕̗d̟̺̟es̺pe̜̜ͅr̙̳a͎̪t̤e̙̤ ̣̤ho͔p̫̫̠e ̟̭̞I͔̼ co̟͇͉u̺̮͓l̠d̜̦ b̮͓͍e s̜a͚ved̳͖.͕”

He looked back up at them, his expression twisting to a pleading, desperate visage.

“But ț͙̗hi͖͚s ͓̯exis͚tenc̥e̪̠͎ ͕̜̫i͕̙s ͖̺no̟̟ṭ̠̳hi̬ṉ̦̲g ͕w̥̤͓o͉̱ͅrth͙̳ͅ ̙̳l̮i̻̫̜v͇in͎̠̝g.ͅ Ḭ̠ͅ wish f̳or͉ it͍͙̮ a͍l̫ͅl ̙̱͔t̞͍o ͓͔̠end.͈̣̻ ̳͈̳So̖͈ p̩ͅl̦̰eas̩̥̮e.͉͎ G̘r̬̹a͕n͕̘t̮ ̻͙̩me̹̰̙ ̬̼th̪͇ͅi̟̳s ͕̜o͍̠ne la̭̱̼s̗̩̮t ͇m̳͕ercy͚̰. L͔͚̭et my ̺̻̞e̝̙̰xi͖s̫t̼e̩n̳̮c̮̲̥e͉ enḓ͙̲. An̜̜̻d͖̲ m̪͙ay̗͓̺ m͔y la̻st m͖̭omen̝̗͕ts be ̜̗̖in̰͎ s͍͖͔erv̱̰̥ic͚͚̙e̫͓ to̗̜ ̥a gr̭͕͈e̩at͍e̱̯͉r͚ ͇̳͎g̖̞̠ood. Y̦͔̜oṵ͈̤ ͖̘nee̹̼͔d̫ ͖̹n͔ot do̲̲̬ ̲͈t͍̱̬h̬̗i̭s f̞ͅọṟ ̗m͕̪e.͖͚͇ ̺̙̰Do ͇̤̬i̲̝̖t̬̰ f͉͙̼or͙̲ ̪̰y͙̳o̟͖ṵ̳ͅr̫̼s̭ẹlv̟̙̰es̤. Yo̘͇u ̘̤a̗l͖l͔ deserve ͉͇̻a h͉̮ͅappy̠ ̫en͖̯di͉n̮̞̱g͇. J̱̰̪u̹̩̘st̠ l͙͎̠et̟͕ ̥͔͔m̥̞͚e̯̮̳ ̜͓. ̪.̥ . e̯nd.̝̼ ̙̞Pl̩̼e̻a̯͚s̫e̺.̫̖”

Papyrus turned to the others. He was afraid that their own anger would blind them to Gaster’s suffering. But how could they not see how miserable he was? This place Gaster found himself in? This existence? It was agony.

Papyrus’s heart ached for the poor, wretched monster.

Undyne let out a slow, reluctant breath. “We are not doing this for you,” she snarled. “We’re not doing this because you deserve mercy. We’re doing this because Papyrus doesn’t deserve what happened to him! So it’s the least you can do to fix it!”

Gaster bowed his head, awash with gratitude. “Tẖan͈̬k̤̘̖ ̲̗̺y̲̪o̟u.̲̲”

Now all turned to Sans, who had remained mostly silent during this whole confrontation. But he was too wrapped up in his own emotions, too busy battling his own rage to even think about speaking. But here Gaster was, funnily offering him a solution to two problems he faced.

He could undo Papyrus’s past, and he could make sure Gaster was gone for good. Two birds, one stone.

A lazy sack of bones like him knew a good deal when he saw one.

He shrugged.

“Alright. Let’s do this.”

Papyrus pumped his fist excitedly. “Yes! I knew you’d see reason! I guess the only question left is, how exactly do we do this?”

“R̥et̤̲u̜r̭̦͚n͎ ͙̜̥t͙̬o ̮̰̼y͎͉o̜ur lab ̯̠̹and ͔͇u̲̤s̮e the̼ t̘i̘̟me mac͙h͎i̘̲̙ne̞,̤̟” Gaster instructed. “G͈o ba̹̘c̳̰k̞̠ ̭̟ͅa͔̯s ̗̼ͅf͕͔ar ͉as you͚͙ ͇c͉̜a̝n.̻̱ Ẉ̤̟h̼en̪ ͕͎͙yo̻u h̹͎a̩ve re̜̠͓a̗̖che͍͚d a̲s ̖f̳̭aṛ̠̻ ̩͔as͔̬ ỵ̖̳ou ̖̮̜c̣a̞̮n͓̹ g̱o,̞̮ ̮I̲ will̬͇ ̖be̼ ̜͙ther̹͈̙e͖͉͇ t͖o̗̤̺ ̪brea͕k th͖r̖o̥̝͉ṵg̦̺̫h̺̮.”

“Except last time we tried that, I almost got my entire back singed off!” Undyne growled. “You got a better plan that doesn’t involve leaping to our deaths?”

“I̲̙ ̦̹̙will n͈͍͈o͕̘t le͔̰t ṭ̲͔ha͇t̥͕̳ ̪̘ha̰̯͓p͍p̯e̗̰ͅn̳. You̝̮̫ wị͈̭ll ̗̲̰b̳e ̝s͈̯͎af͇͙e.̫ͅ”

The last thing Undyne felt around this creep was safe. This all still felt like one big elaborate plan just to catch Papyrus and Sans in some convoluted “Eff you” plot. But for Papyrus’s sake, she’d persevere.

“Fine. Let’s go back to your place. I guess we’ll see you soon?” Undyne said.

Gaster simply dipped his head, and vanished from the room. The door appeared in front of them, and Undyne rushed to it, eager to get the hell out of there.

When she opened up the door, she found she was right outside Papyrus and Sans’s house.

“Ok, what the fuck,” she sighed. She was starting to grow numb to all this time-travel, teleporting bullshit. “I really hate that guy.”

“He seems eager to get this over with,” Sans commented nonchalantly, guiding them both around the back and down into the basement. “No time to waste, huh?”

“That guy has all the time in the world to waste!” Undyne said. “I still don’t like this! I still don’t trust this! We’re supposed to just trust him to swoop in and save us?!”

“I know we have little reason to trust him, but I do,” Papyrus pleaded earnestly. He reached out his hand to her. “Please. This is our chance. All three of us can do this together! We just have to believe in him! It’ll all work out! I just know it!”

Undyne wished she could be just as bright-eyed and optimistic. But if Papyrus had faith in Gaster . . .

The least she could do was have faith in Papyrus.

She took his hand, exhaling deeply. “Ok. Fuck it. Let’s do it.”

Sans nodded silently, powering up the machine. And Undyne could only imagine the mental turmoil he was going through. He probably had just as much doubt, if not more. But maybe he too was holding on to whatever meager scrap of optimism that Papyrus endlessly exuded.

He needed this to work, too.

Papyrus, seeing his brother’s inner turmoil, took his hand too and gave it a squeeze. He smiled.

“It’ll work,” Papyrus said. “It’s going to work.”

Sans looked up at him. If after everything he’s been through, he could still have that much hope? Then Sans could, too.

He powered on the machine, typed in a few commands, and the machine hummed to life, a rainbow of colors spilling from the opening.

“Here goes nothing,” Sans said, and hand in hand, all three leaped through the time machine together.

The journey was very much like before, minus Flowey’s insufferable presence. The visions and images that flashed before them were also different, seeming to focus all on Sans.

Made sense, they were traveling through his timeline, right?

Undyne tried not to think too hard about it. This science stuff was way over her head.

And just as they were being ripped and pulled through time and space, Undyne could sense them fast approaching another “wall.” She braced herself, clutching Papyrus’s hand tightly–

When suddenly that wall shattered into a million pieces, revealing a gaping black void. Two hands reached out, ripping apart the seam of reality.

And Undyne felt all light and sensation fade as she fell through.

They were engulfed in total darkness. It was an abyssal black that was incomprehensible, and worst still was the sensation of nothing. They felt no air around them, no floor beneath their feet, no sensation of temperature or pressure. It was like they were truly in nothing.

Undyne tried to reach out to grab someone–anyone–but her hands scrambled over empty air. She opened her mouth to shout but her breath was snatched away from her in an instant.

I̱̭͈͂͆̉tͭ̂̄ ̲̣is̤̺̱̏͊̆ aͭ ̪̤̒́mo͓͒s̭̟͒ͭt̮ͦ ̃̌unp͔͒l͇͒e̟̋a̳̠͇ͮ̔ͣs͕̗͖̿̃̃á̻̳͎̿ͥn̗͖̹͋͌ͪt ̯s̺͙̐̔en͇̺̐̂sat͉͇̼i̮̘͚o͓̘ͩͫṇ̜͋̓.̭̇ ̻̥̐͌Bu̫͈̺t̖́ f̲͉̈́̾e̜̟ar ̰̯ͅṇ̓oͨͨ̊t̥͙̎́. I̊ ͮ̄amͧͥ ͑͛her͇͉͂͊ḙ̂. ̃͌

I͕ am̻ͣ ̺͙̆̈́ͭͅE̝VE̟RY̫̼ͭ͒Wͨ̔H͎ERE̤.͗̑

If Gaster was trying to reassure her, it was not working.

She tried to hold onto herself. Feel her own arms and legs, her face, her hair, something, but she could barely even feel her own hands! It’s like she couldn’t even sense where her own body was! And such a deprivation of her senses was starting to drive her crazy!

How could she stand to be in this–this nothing and not totally lose herself! How could she remember herself when there was nothing but her own mind!

. . .

Was this the Hell Gaster was truly trapped in?

S͎ͩa̫n̟͙s͙ͭ,̗ ͇͈͑͑f̺̙͋͑o̫̅c̮͇̫u͖̮s̿̆.̼͙ͅ ̄B͙̱̯r̰͎̈́ͭi̼̠͓̒ͬ̍ng ̼̣͋͋̓ͅus̟̤̣ͧ̈̋ ̯t̪̻o͚̟ S̺̫͑̑nͦͤ͊ow͈̓ḍ̅in̺̆.̹̫ ͔̇Br̖͈͊̾ing͎͓ u͕̤̪ṣ̑ to̰͑ ͍͈th̪̟͚̿̌́at f̦̻ͫ͆a͗͛t͍͒ef̯̪uͅlͯ ̬͙͂̈́d̖ͤaͮy̭̠̯̑ͥ̽.

That’s right. She wasn’t the only one here. She was here with Papyrus and Sans. She just needed to hold on and wait for her friends. Her friends were here, they were right here, they’d all get through this together–

She just had to hold on a little longer–

But when? When was that? What was a moment in a place where time didn’t even exist? An eternity could pass and they wouldn’t even know, or a second could feel like a million years!

She couldn’t think like that! She just had to keep focus and keep thinking about why she was doing this! She was here to help save her friend! And she would endure whatever it took to help him!

And in that moment, she felt something. Something grabbed her arm and began to pull, dragging her forwards–or backwards, it was hard to tell. But she felt herself falling, faster and faster. She could feel wind on her face! She could feel the sting of cold harsh wind whipping at her scales as a sudden blinding flash of light greeted her–!

“Undyne!”

She blinked. She was laying on absolutely freezing ground, so cold it was like she was laying on a bed of knives. She instantly sat up, hugging herself and teeth chattering.

She glanced around, recognizing she was in Snowdin. Sans and Papyrus were at her side, helping her up to her feet.

“Are you ok?” Papyrus asked urgently.

“Y-yeah, doing just fine!” She shook her head, trying to regain her senses. “Ugh, time traveling sucks!” She paused, looking around. “But it worked, right? We’re . . . back?”

“Yeah,” Sans said, giving her a nod. He hardly looked like he believed it himself. “We did it. We’re back.”

She shuddered harder. It didn’t seem real, but here they were.

Papyrus put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off with a toothy smile. “I’m ok! Just f-forgot to bring my coat, is all!” she said, laughing weakly. Damn it, why didn’t she think about bringing something warm to wear?! She shook her head, trying to shake off the cold. She had to remain focused! They had a mission!

But standing behind Sans and Papyrus, to her immense surprise, was Gaster. Gaster was here?! But closer inspection indicated he was in far worse shape than when she saw him before, which was saying something. His form was even more unstable, the edges glitching out more and more, like at any second he’d fall apart into a million pieces. It looked like it was taking all his will and concentration to keep him together as he was now.

She looked questioningly at Sans, who just shook his head. He looked like he was holding his breath for that moment when Gaster would finally fall apart.

“Come on, we need to move,” Sans urged. Needing no further prompting, Undyne followed after Sans, racing into town to where the inevitable confrontation between the human and Papyrus would take place.

Papyrus and Gaster also followed, though Papyrus lagged a step or two. Concerned, Gaster slowed, turning inquisitively towards him.

“Sans told me what I said to you back at the labs,” Papyrus said. “And I want you to know that I mean it.”

Gaster stared.

“I forgive you.”

There was a long pause, and Gaster smiled. He would have laughed if he could, he would have laughed until he cried if it didn’t hurt so much just to exist. But he dipped his head, allowing one last fleeting smile.

“̤͈͔̈̾ͫI ͙ẁ͂i̘̯ͪ͗l̲l̏ ̇̽n̻ͅev̈́̈́ͦer͙̂ und̔er̠͍st̥̲͚̉̀̉a̲̓n̯͍̍͒d̯̈ ̓̂̔y͌ou̪̎,̼̘̈́͋ P̝ȧ̜̲ͩp͐͌̓yr̤̜us͂ͥ,̽̿”̞̫ he said. “̣͕̬A̠nd ̮I h̹̠o̖p̙͎̗e o̤̩̰n͖̬͕e d͈͕̖a͖̙y ̠̤͎you̥̹͚ ̻̲w͓̥̰i͍̫͇l̤̜̱l̜̥̤ f͎̪ͅi̩n̘̖d t̠he͕̼͎ ̺͈̝s̠̥am͓̮e ̤̝pea̲c̜̞e yo͎u ͉̤̗h͓̦ave̫̫ ̻b̭e͉̲e̻n͎̲ ̦̤a̬̰ble̱͎ t̞̼o͎̜ ̲̠giv͉̼e to m͎͖̦e͍.͖”͖̰

They shared one last final moment. And then, they were off, racing to save their timeline.

Racing to save themselves.

#what are friends for #waff #undertale #papyrus #undyne #sans #gaster #dr gaster #dr wd gaster #gaster blaster au #gb au

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