An Undertale Oneshot. I really should be updating my other stories. I'm working on it! Really! Disclaimer: I don not own Undertale in any way shape of form, for I am not the brilliant mind behind it.

The colors of Dust

Fell quietly entered the lab room, his shoes only making soft tapping noises. He could be even more silent but he knew that his friend never liked to be surprised like him. They had an understanding between the two of them. Which was rather surprising considering how different the two of them were. But he guessed it came with the territory of being Judges of their respective timelines as it seemed others were in a similar situations. There was simply no escaping tragedy, shenanigans of bullshit that the universe threw their way.

The lab, which you couldn't really consider to be a normal lab because that would be really fucking stupid, was filled with work stations decorated in the most diverse, outlandish and ridiculous ways. Next to the fact that each station had a name plate which announced from which universe it's users were, they were decorated ('marked', his mind whispered.) in such a fashion that you instantly knew to whom it belonged to, because really, only Classic had a fortress/stash of ketchup, only Fell himself had his Papyrus's traps laid traps around his, Death had placed bones and corpses and jars of dead things ('dead enemies', Death had said. 'bullshit, you mean victims.' Fell rebutted. Death only smirked.) and only Science had a station that actually looked like a professional lab station.

Science's station wasn't particularly neat, nor was it the disaster that seemed to follow every other Sans due to laziness (due to having given up, what was the point of cleaning up when it doesn't matter). It was covered in notebooks, ordeners, markers, pens and sticky notes. Research covered pages and pages of paper. And in the middle of it all sat Science Sans.

His form clad in his signature lab coat and glasses, he was looking at a screen that covered part of the wall in his station. While watching the screen he jotted down notes and was mumbled things to himself. His eyes were glued to what was on screen and had been for the past few weeks. The screen could show scenes of the present and past of universes. But not the future, never that.

This was also the reason however as to why Fell felt like why Science needed and intervention. Science wasn't like him, who lazied his way through research or took small breaks. Nope, when he got obsessed with something he simply did not let go. He would sink his fangs into it and continue to try and figure out all it's secrets, the who's, why's and what's of a problem. It was sort of really fucking cute. But only a little. Or not….

He knew Science had heard him walk in, but the other skeleton didn't acknowledge him. He knew that the scientist was waiting for him to make a move, to do something or say something. Fell knew that it was due to awkwardness. The other would not initiate contact until the other made clear as to why he was here. Though they were friends, small talk wasn't their strong suit and would only make them both uncomfortable. But he had come here for a reason and he wasn't going to run off now simply because he was chicken. If boss ever found out that he had been beating around the bush like this than he would have been in for one hell of a beating.

So he walked over to the working station and sat down next to the other skeleton and joined him in watching, feeling the other tense slightly before relaxing. They watched the figure on screen, Science with a neutral face while Fell pulled a slight grimace.

That timeline was terrible, even by his standards. The death and destruction in that world impacted him even more, because he knew that that timeline had been much better and happier then Underfell once upon a time. At least until IT had happened. The way the situation over there had spiraled out of control, in such a spectacular and quite frankly disturbing fashion, was a morbid reminder of how many timelines could have and probably have ended up. He hadn't even considered it a possibility until they had suddenly met that particular judge.

He shifted in his seat slightly before gathering the courage to finally say something. "Hey Science, could you tell me if you finally fucking found what the hell you're looking for in that shit hole of universe? The others and me are really fucking curious as to why you seem to be obsessed with it." His voice was loud and deep, though scratchy due to screaming a lot in the past. And when he spoke it always sounded sarcastic, but you could a hear a tint of anxiety in it. It was due to years of watching over his shoulder in order to survive in his world and his Papyrus being an asshole.

Science sighed and closed his eye sockets for a moment. He then shifted and turned of the screen, making the horrible scenery disappear. "I guess I have been acting rather anti-social for a while now, haven't I?" he mumbled to himself as he shifted through his papers. "No shit" Fell said, his face displaying the message of are you fucking kidding me, you fucker.

Science shot him a small glare at that, his face blushing slightly which made Fell smirk. Thank you, magic. "Very well. I shall tell you then about what I have been theorizing." And with that he stood up and walked out the exit, leaving Fell to scramble after him.

"Oi you fucking nerd, wait the hell up for me!" he raged. Science just chuckled and continued to walk on. They exited the laboratory and walked through a maze of corridors with doors to various destinations and people behind them. After a long walk, ridiculously long in fact, they finally reached their intended place to be. Science's room.

The room itself was ridiculously nerdy and homey, as formulas, research papers and picture of family and friends covered the walls and the lone desk. It was very different from Fell's room, but it was for the better. Fell plopped down on the bed, which was really fucking comfortable, and left Science to take the swivel chair. Science was sitting in the chair in a rather professional fashion, but it looked a little ridiculous due to his small statue. It was obvious that the chair was only there for his personal comfort as it was big enough for him to fall asleep in and the padding was very, very soft.

Fell was interrupted from his musings when Science starts talking. "As you know I have been observing this particular universe for some time now, ever since out encounter with it's rather unstable judge" he began. "Unstable is an understatement. Just admit that the guy is a straight up lunatic." Fell said annoyed at Science's beating around the bush.

"Ah well, yes, but I noticed something peculiar about Dust. You see, his eyes are in a constant state of glowing. Which means that he is constantly in touch with his power sources and he seems to have a weird connection to his magic," He started,"However his eyes seem to be in a constant state of two colors. Unlike Classic and Smoke, who switch between Patience/Integrity/Justice and Bravery/Justice respectively, Dust's right eye is a constant red of Determination and his left shines Integrity and Determination at once."

Science shot Fell an apologetic smile. "It would seem that seeing any monster with magic of Determination has difficulties coping with insanity. The Underfell Universe included. Sorry." Fell just shrugged, it was true after all. The Underfell Universe was a hell hole and you had to be very Determined and slightly insane to survive it.

"I believe that the eye with the cross between Integrity and Determination means that Dust is insane, but unable to cope with it. His Integrity shows how he genuinely believes that his actions are right. Horribly misguided, but his mind has deteriorated so much that he will never see sense. It truly is insanity that began with good intentions. His mind thus tortures him by allowing him to see the ghost of his Papyrus, who has been corrupted by his death at his brothers hand."Science said but Fell broke him off.

"Wait hold up, you fucking believe in the weird ghost thingy that apparently follows him around? Wasn't that his insanity speaking?" He asked with a weirded out look on his face. Science looked at him with uttermost seriousness. "Fell, I don't just believe in it. I have SEEN it." he told him with a shudder.

Fell was very surprised at this. "..Wait you're serious? That thing is real?" He asked disturbed, hoping that Science was joking. Science only nodded in silence. Fell was confused and uncertain about this and suddenly became very silent. "….what does it look like?" he asked with a small voice.

Science seemed hesitant to describe it, but did it anyway. "It was a ghost of sorts. It's body existed mainly of Papyrus's scarf and gloves that flutter around his head like a ghostly tail. It swirled close around Dust, whispering things. Nice things, mean things. He encouraged Dust to kill more monsters, twisting Dust's mind even more. It looked almost exactly like Pasta, Classic's Papyrus, but you know, Evil….it was very disturbing."Science shuddered and Fell was hit by a wave of sympathy. He most definitely would never want to see Dust's Papyrus ghost. Pasta had grown on him and he would never wish for him to be in such a state.

"The reason why I was so obsessed with it is because, well, it technically it is one of my possible futures. In how many timelines did we end up like that? Did they all have the same reason? Is it still possible for us, the judges aware of the multiverse, to end up like him?" Science started rambling, and suddenly Fell realized what he meant. Science was right, was it still possible for him to end like that? He'd like to think that, no, he would not end up like that because he was though, damn it, and he wasn't weak like that to succumb to THAT kind of insanity.

….But he knew that the possibility was there. Nothing of the future was set in stone. He could suddenly split up from the main Underfell timeline, isolated from the friends and acquaintances he's made in the other timelines that won't try to kill him the moment he showed any kind of weakness. The ones that were genuinely nice and cared for other, not corrupted by the cruel world.

And he wanted to say to Science that it wouldn't happen, that they were fucking sound of mind (for most part) and that they were strong enough to not succumb. He, Science and the others who were aware would be fine…...but he knew that wasn't true. This was the goddamn multiverse, he was sure that by now an infinite number of more timelines filled with judges who met the same fate as Dust.

So instead of saying that they would be alright, he said "…..I don't know." And he left it at that. There was nothing more he really could say and they both knew it. This was far out of their league.

Suddenly Science's door was slammed open and a ball of blue came in, bringing a feeling of optimism and happiness with him. "Science! Fell! What are you doing here all holed up? You should be with the others in the common room! Come, mwehehe! I have made taco's for you guys! I will even allow you to use all the ketchup and mustard you desire!" His voice resounded in the small room. His adorableness was radiating off of him. It really was no wonder why his Papyrus, Smoke, was so protective of him….though they both know that Blueberry has a pretty dark side. He wasn't as naïve as he pretended to be, but they could never prove it. Smoke knew it too but he preferred to ignore it and let the rest struggle, knowing that his brother would never do something to him.

And thus Blueberry, Underswap Sans, pulled Fell and Science out of the room and to the common room, chatting excitedly all the way.

Fell and Science looked at each other and both let out an awkward smile. Yes, they didn't know if they would be alright., but for now, they were and they would damn well enjoy it.

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