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HeirOfFire

Fenristhemoonraiser

Neven98

Grayscale1227

chocolate-cake

Note : I'm really sorry for late update!

Keeper of The Underground, Dreamer of The Sky

CHAPTER TWO

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"I'm scared if I stay, I'll keep looking back and never look forward."
― Katie McGarry, Pushing the Limits

For days, Sans had been staring past ahead the quaint town, past the forest to gaze about the stretch of the snow caped mountain with its name akin to the neighbouring village. He'd chill around with Papyrus occasionally but, of course, his mind was elsewhere - miles and miles toward Mount Ebott. Despite Pap's naivety and usual cheeriness, he couldn't help himself but slowly gaining notices toward his older brother's changes. It didn't look at all like a good change for poor Papyrus. If skeletons would have eyebrows, he'd been long gone with a concerned line that followed his suspicious stare from his eye sockets.

"Sans, are you alright?"

Poor Papyrus. He tried. He really tried his best effort to catch up with Sans, but his brother wasn't really being helpful these days - not that his laid back attitude did most good back when they were underground beneath.

"Yeah Pap, I'm fine," was his only somber response, on which the taller skeleton regarded as dissatisfying. Sans responded the piercing gaze with a shrug and only proceed to watch the telly. To be honest, he was fine. Desperate, clueless and lost alright - but completely fine enough to function as a normal living.

Pap lowered his eyesockets, clearly disappointed with the lack of progress they were having for the past two weeks now. There was something wrong, he could feel it with the tension too thick in the air, but he wasn't able to grasp it.

"Well, you could talk to me anytime!" He resumed with an instill confidence that had always been a trademark, "I am the Great Papyrus after all!"

There was a small grin on his face, but nothing more than that.

Another couple of days went by with the same routine, yet Sans wasn't getting any better. To say the least, he was getting more thoughtful these days. Not a lift of his spirits. No pranks and jokes and puns. Not even Pap could help; with the banters with his friends, not even when Pap sacrificed his self-proclaimed standards to go to Grillby's (and Undyne wasn't exactly pleased about it, but Pap insisted with his common charms, that she would have to follow him in the Make Sans Better operation). Still, it was of no better. Sans was, as if, buried deep in the ocean of his thoughts, surrounded with the memories of his dear, lost friend.

So, Papyrus - a stubborn lad he was - tried other things. Sleeping together, no progress. Groceries, same either. Cooking classes with Undyne - yet even with the chaos the duo made, nothing could stir the lad from his depressed state.

It was until one night, the situation took an unexpected turn of events. The tall skeleton was awoken to a slam of a door just beside him. He instantly knew who it was, obviously, since the occupants of the household were Sans and his own self. Cautiously, he exited his room to find out two things he wondered if he could call it surprising. First, Sans was gone - only Lord knows where he went. And the next point was, it was 3AM in he morning still brimming of stars illuminating the darkness, and the main door was left creaking to and fro by the gentle breeze. What on earth was he supposed to do in the middle of the slumbering hours? Papyrus was, by all means, curious.

But this was Sans, his older brother. Often in the Underground, he'd disappear in odd hours too. Papyrus shrugged the problem as no big deal, leaving his brother unattended.

Well, poor Pap. . . Maybe he shouldn't had been that ignorant.

When morning came, Sans was nowhere to be found in Ebott village.

Was it wise to return?

It wouldn't be that long, Sans dimly reassured himself. It would only take a couple of days, and no more past that. Yet, a couple of days were enough to inflict chaos to his friends and he meant no trouble actually. Sans only wanted to clear his thoughts, confirming that Frisk already returned home.

A puff of air clouded to the surroundings, the skeleton's mind full of conflict. Who would ever thought a monster - the community who desired nothing more than the surface - would still linger within the Underground that remained as memories? All for the sake of a human. He confirmed that he was the only one, that everyone else including Pap and even Toriel deemed that she had a home to return.

Yet, in his own perspective, it seemed illogical. Like, there was a lack of explanation if that was supposed to be the reality of the situation. Strangely, others seemed rather comfortable with that particular idea, Sans remained reluctant.

It was just a feeling. A feeling of deep remorse, a pulling in his chest that invited him to Mount Ebott once again. Early in the morning, he fled from his house just to find himself on the peak, hollow sockets staring straight to the dark pit. Humans sure are diligent, having to climb it without any sorts of mobility magic to make it easier. Whilst Sans only took a matter of seconds to make his way on top. Teleportation, surely the art of transportation.

"Welp," he shrugged, "It's now or never. . ."

Within seconds, Sans was engulfed into the dark abyss. He teleported his own self to the ground below, his shoes (Pap bought him a new one instead of those horrible bedroom slippers) touching the golden flowers beneath.

Except that, Sans noticed, the golden flowers were not as fresh as he could have remembered. Perhaps, it was because of the lack of care that made the flowers wilt. But the petals curled and withered and danced from a distant breeze seemed morose than untended, as if singing the parting song of someone's death. Maybe they were affected by Asriel's complete disappearance? Sans thought. But his chest hurts more, and he knew it wasn't about Asriel.

And then, he heard laughter.

Perhaps, it was just a distant echo.

Perhaps, it was something more.

But there was one thing Sans was certain of, that the sound of tinkling laughter - the genuine feel to the voice - belonged to no one else but Frisk.

TO BE CONTINUED

Mozu : Um, Happy Aidil Fitri for the Muslims~! Another test this Wednesday. . . My life is too busy. . . /cries