Dust without LOVE

by Opuntie

Summary:

It wasn't Floweys first Timeline like this and is probably not his last either. But something didn't feel right.

Something was of.

...

Next round he will try something new.

Notes:

Hi, so this is my first fanfiction ever made. Be warned that I didn't know what fanfictions are until about two year ago and I still don't know if I get if right. I just so happend to wake up at 1am a while ago and have this idea for one. It took me forever to finish this first chapter and I still think it needs addeting but if I don't upload it now I probably never will.

Chapter 1: Something is odd

She Is running.

Running without any other goal than to escape.

Her breathing is fast and way too painful but she is still trying to get faster.

She needs to get out of here. Fast!

As long as she can remember, she had never had to run like this before.

Her muscles ace, the felling in her legs are nearly gone and every breath she takes stings like the air is made of acid gas.

Despite that it doesn't even feels like breathing helps anything against the pain. Her panic is preventing her own lungs to work properly.

But she can't stop.

She can't stop now.

Not now whit it chasing after her.

If she slows down now, it will kill her.

It will kill her for sure.

Without mercy and without proper reason.

It said it itself and even without the prediction she would have known it. Known it by the glare it addressed to her and it's sick horrid smile.

It was believable.

And she believed.

After all, it had all ready emptied waterfalls and if Undyne wasn't able to stop it, she for sure won't be able to do it.

At least not trough pure body strength.

So all she can do is run.

Run for her own sheer survival.

She needs to escape the laboratory.

It wasn't supposed to find her down here.

Not here where all her secrets are buried and no one despite her has access.

She came down her whit the intention to get herself more time to detect what was causing all of this unexplained deaths that had occured whithin the passed month and find some way to stop it.

 

Monsters had turned to dust without any trade to what or who was the cause.

In the beginning people thought of it as some short of a new unknown sickness that spread within waterfalls and was the cause for the suddenly dying population. It was terrifying to think about such an fast spreading illness capable of turning healthy monsters within seconds into lifeless piles of dust. Without any clue to its source or any known cure. Everyone near the infected area lived in fear of getting infected or loosing another loved one.

And their fear wasn't without reason.

Each day more monsters turned to dust.

Nobody was capable to tell what had happened to them. There were no symptoms, no seemingly plausible reason for them to die. Just this unknown force of deadly terror hovering over everyone.

Some people even tried to save themself by barkading within their homes. In hope the sickness couldn't reach them when they avoided contact.

At first it looked like they where right. For the first vew days none of those who stayed at home died. It seemed like it worked. Until at some point nobody was willingly to leave their home.

Expect of course Undyne.

She was the last one brave enough to get outside. Due to her duty and also to encourage everyone not to lose hope to some silly sickness. She patrolled day after day trough the abandoned catacombs of whaterfalls. Convinced no disease could ever harm her. Traveled from door to door to checking if everyone was alright, in between collecting the dust of monters. Other ones idiotic enough to leave their homes. Bringing it to Alphys in hope she could find the cause of the sudden deaths and develop some medicine ore something else to help the remaining small Volk of waterfalls. Alphys couldn't find any evidence for sickness nor any possibility to stop it. Then one day Undyne stopped to show up. Vanished, just like all of the other's.

Whit no one in whaterfalls daring to leave their homes, people also started to dust within their own houses.

First of the ones which lived alone, later one whole households.

Still no one was able to detect why.

Contacting just meat a dead end. No phone calls where answered. No contact via Undernet.

Just deadly silence.

Neighbors brave enough to go over and search for friends or family found dust. And then as waterfalls were emptied it started in snowdin.

Slowly but steady.

After about tree days Papyrus, who had kind of adopted Undynes role and encouraged traumatised monsters to keep up hope and helped Alphys researches for its surce, after Undyne wasn't any longer there to keep him out of it, found something new.

Something that helped to detect some evidence behind all of this.

He found a pile of mucous dust.

Mucous dust and a bundle of echo flowers repeating Undynes war cry over and over again.

Her cry and some undetectable other noises could be or could not be the faded and to often carried and repeated noise of a desperately fought battle.

Could Undyne battle an disease?

No.

Could she battle a murderer?

Definitely.

Alphys was both, relieved and horrified, that it wasn't an unknown disease.

A month of fruitless research and on and on going frustration of her inability to save someone, anyone as if she hadn't allready messed up enough, had driven her into sheer hopelessness.

The things in her basement were prove that she wasn't good enough.

And now when she was the last hope of saving the remaining monsters she had failed again.

Failed Undyne.

She had given up on finding an medicine against an disease she couldn't even detect. It was too mutch responsibility for her to burden.

And now there was Papyrus.

Papyrus talking about Echoflowers repeating Undynes fight against... something.

Not a disease but something.

Something able to avoid being seen by any camera or bystanders, being able to fake the spreading structure of an epidemic, able to win against Undyne.

Something even more horrifying than any normal murderer but just an simple sycophant.

No monster could possibly be able to do such horrible thing.

But if it wasn't an infection or disease or anything like that there was still something Alphys could try.

Something.

Anything.

Papyrus left Alphys again due to finish his patrol. Convicted Alphys had regained some hope and the will to continue her work.

He left and after some time she went to the elevator, not knowing that this would be the last time she would see him.

 

Down here where multiple machineries and control panels for nearly every puzzle and trap within the underground.

There needed to be a way to use this arsenal to defeat the jet unknown death spread, or at least to slow it down so some of the monsters in still populated areas could get some were save before it also reaches them.

She was certain it wouldn't be much easier to find something to defeat an unknown enemy than an unknown disease but it was something.

And she needed to do something.

People where counting on her.

Still hopefull she could help them.

Depending and counting on her success.

It was her last chance to do something useful even when she allready suspected herself to fail again she owned them to at least try her best.

What she didn't expect was to find her secret lap completely abandoned. Of course no one was supposed to be here without her knowledge, that was the point of an secret lab. No one expect for those who were supposed to stay here.

The Amalgamates were always down here even when they where experts in staying unnoticed until they expose themselves, mostly trough jump scaring Alphys.

They never ignored her arrival.

They always showed themselves within the first vew rooms she entered and, after scaring her half to death, always wanted to play, have some food or just enjoy her presence.

They never stayed hidden for this long.

The all comprehensive silence never was anything she liked down here and with the absence of those she expected to be greeted by it just feelt so mutch more wrong.

As she entered the room whit the extractor it greeted her.

Awaiting in midst a pile of dust.

 

-

--

-

 

It wasn't Floweys first run like this and it for sure it wasn't his last one either.

This time he had tried something out, again.

Another way to murder everyone. He had tried to play the deaths unnoticed by anyone.

See what would happen if he stayed unnoticed, when nobody knew what was killing their friends and families.

How would they react?

How would they be able to fight back?

It was hilarious to see how after one suspected it, everyone just simply adapted to the mindless idea of an jet unknown disease.

Jeah, of course an disease.

Monsters weren't really jused to them so this was the easiest explanation.

His sibling also died due of one of one of those 'diseases'.

What was monster kinds deal with sickness?

Did they really think this was the most plausible way for everyone to die?

...

Of course it was.

Monsters could barely imagine someone cruel enough to kill someone, or someome so ignorant to do it to themselve.

They never considered anyone to be that evil.

But it had happen.

And again and again and again and again and again and again and no one ever dared to consider anyone guilty until it was to late.

...

It only made it more interesting when he killed them.

They always were good to complete denial considering what he did until it was to late, or try pointless chats to convincr him to do better.

But regardless of his targets actions, he won't stop.

For that, the trilling feeling when his LV increased and their reactions were way too good.

After all LV was somehow the last things he had left.

It was last thing he could truly and clearly feel.

It was nothing connected to his formal self.

He had only experienced it as Flowey and so it was stil somehow new.

No lasting connection to stupid being alive.

It was the last thing that gave him real excitement and he was convinced that it would definitely save him from his own boredom no matter the circumstances.

It was like pasta, regardless how you make it it always tastes good and you can always experiment with the sauce and find new possibilities for its taste. It's the same core but in different flavours. And he enjoyed the wide pallet of his differencing genocide rounds.

This one had gotten pretty good this far.

Nobody had suspected any short of violence for over a month by now and he was amused and a little bit shocked how smooth everything had worked out.

For sure Undyne had been pretty thought to kill and after he had teased her by relieving his further plans and picking on Papyrus and Alphys she only got more pissed of.

He had driven her to the point where she got even stronger and just startet to melt instand of dying still trying to defeat him.

It was kind of pathetic at the end but fighting her always made an good entertainment and so he let her kill him a view times just so he could refight her a little bit longer.

At some point she got to predictable and even her disbelieving glare and rage when he dogged every single of her attacks lost its comedy aspects.

So he let it slide.

He finished her and moved on.

More interested in the further developments.

It had continued like the weeks before.

He killed without being spotted.

Without monsters leaving their home he just had to find ways to get inside.

Enjoying the stupidity of monster kind and gaining LV like always.

His next real highlight was as Papyrus spotted Undynes remains.

It was interesting to watch how his expression slowly chanced from pure confusion to real horror. As he started to realize what he had just found in connection with the strange noises from the Ecoflowers.

Papyrus always tried to maintain his positive attitude but at some point even he wasn't able to stay joyful.

Observing how his positive, still hoping expression final dropped into shock and horror always made Floweys runs a bit more amusing. It was like cheese on top of the pasta, with was one reason why he liked to follow the agile skeleton.

When he didn't had anything better to do he just followed him in hope to catch the moments when he failed.

Papyrus always believed in the best in people, it was funny to show him how wrong he was.

As the Skeleton went to Alphys lab Flowey was a bit disappointed.

Of course it was the next plausible thing to tell the Lizard his discovery but sometimes he tried to solve the problems himself and Flowey hot a good deal playing with him.

Obviously not this round, so Flowey just had to wait for him.

...

To come out of the lab again.

...

He couldn't access the upper floors but he could access the basement were it was connected to the earth. He would spend the time waiting down there. Listening when he could hear the upper door again and experimenting with the, due to determination, nearly immortal Amalgamates. 

The DT-extractor looked useful.

 

-

--

-

 

It was in the corridor connecting waterfalls and snowdin.

Flowey considered this would be the best place for his little game with the skeleton.

No cameras, no echoflowers, no witness and the best of all; his dust would easily be spotted should his brother search for him.

The flower ploped out of the ground in front of the skeleton and right away startled him out of his skin.

Flowey giggled at the confused stare directed at him.

In this timeline, Papyrus didn't know Flowey existed until now. It made it easier to stay undercover when no one knew of your existence. Especially not Papyrus who was way smarter than most people gave him credit for.

You get to hear a lot more interesting thinks when people think you are light-headed.

Like mostly Flowey talked first, to see if his opponent had something interesting to say but it was mostly just the same things like bevor.

After about half an hour of Papyrus talking; nice to meet you, where do you come from, do you feel alright, what do you do in such an deserted area in such dangerous times; and so on, Flowey decided to interrupted. He allready knew similar phrases from previous timelines and didn't necessary want to spend over an hour for repeated stuff. 

He decided it was his turn to talk, to announce his actions and plans like he did with Undyne.  

Of course Papyrus wasn't about to get furious and try kill him right away, like Undyne did. He would try to talk him out of it but Flowey knew from experience that, after he had talked long enough and triggered the right things, his opponent would at least fight back as soon as he attacked.

He tried some different dialogues before he decided he had enough talking and wanted to fight the walking bone of good will. 

It was funny at the begin like always.

Papyrus really tried to fight back in this round and gave a great deal of EXP in the end.

 But after just a few repeats it started to get annoying how Floweys opponent constantly tried to convince him a better person even when he got him to fight.

Regardless how he tried the bonehead wouldn't stop talking. This toy just wouldn't give him the excitement he hoped for like Undine did.

Papyrus was more fun in other circumstances.

In the end, he just killed him without responding to his talking. 

And again.

And again, and again and again and again.

The felling of his rising LV making up for the annoyance the talks had caused and creating adrenaline. 

It was like in the most other of his rounds where he gained so mutch LV that it started to overhead him. 

It was something especial exciting.

But something was wrong.

Sometimes in this run, and also occasional in previous rounds, this rushing feeling of strength and power felt of. 

Not that it truly had changed.

Not that.

It just felt different.

Dull maybe?

Or allof?

Not that this was worrying Flowey.

He wasn't capable to truly worry thanks to some special circumstances. 

It was just a bit... unsettling.

That was all.

He hadn't had felt anything truly real in a long time and the thought that gaining LV could also loose its appeal wasn't funny at all.

There wasn't anything he hated more than boredom.

Boredom was the key to insanity and he didn't quite appreciate the thought of getting insane.

Despite everything he had already lost, his sanity was something he wasn't ready to give up. 

At least not yet.

It was his own privilege and goal to keep his mind clear.

Despite everything he at least wanted to know what he did.

Even after multiple people in multiple timelines already had called him mad, he wasn't insane.

Just bored.

And he needed some Form of entertainment. 

Always some new entertainment. 

He couldn't risk his last save escape to get trivial and fade, like so mutch else already had faded by now.

After all, this wasn't his first genocidal round in this row and even with different circumstances, the longer he keeps this time line going, its flavor grew more and more predictable and fade.

Flowey realized that indeed he already was bored.

That wasn't good.

He really should get himself some new way to gain his entertainment.

The best would be some kind of way not including LV.

Prohibition, to spare what was left for more critical circumstances.

Flowey had an idea he wanted to try.

Toying with the Amalgamates had inspired him.

But for now he needed to spend the small Lissard a visit, he couldn't let her out and after his game started to get speeded up. He should take care of her before she got creative.

 

He wanted to finish this round quickly before starting his new one.

Chapter 2: Finish what you start

Summary:

Flowey wants to finish his round before resetting but some things just won't play along.

Notes:

This chapter was fast to write. It only took me about a week to finish it, in contrast to the two months I needed for the first one.
I hope it turned out well.

Flowey didn't know that the Lissard could run like that.

It was hilarious and somehow shocking.

He really hadn't expected his target would react and flee just like that.

The flower had placed himself in the center of the once Amalgamates, right below the DT-extractor.

There he had waited patiently for his target to come by and finally spot him. Listening he followed the steady taps of feets on tiled floor. First searching and steady, then more and more cautious.

Of course the Lissard would somehow grew suspicious.

She always was more suspicious and observingly about her surroundings than most others.

Well, even when she already noticed something was different, she couldn't predict what he had prepared for her.

After all even he had thought, until recently, that these things were immortal and the half dusted half gooped pile he was sitting in wasn't exactly an calming sight.

So why not let the yellow Lissard build up some dread beforehand. It couldn't hurt his fun. In contrary, it would only add up to what he had already prepared.

As the footsteps grew louder, he turned his head in its direction an displayed one of his wonderful disturbing smiles.

They always helped for extra god reactions.

He observed as Alphys entered the room and immediately froze in shock.

Oh, how he loved that expression on her.

As he went to announce his personal and general plans for her, like he did with his previous targets, the small creature suddenly spun around and startled out of the room.

Flowey was baffled. He never had gotten such an spontaneous and headless reaction from her before. It was hilarious.

He had expected, and gotten, other monsters to react like that, but the doctor mostly though of better plans than simply running away. They both knew she couldn't possibly succeed in such an headless and unpracticed stand.

Starring after her Flowey realized that he had started to giggle.

This was one of the reasons he won't let any good rund go to waste.

Sometimes he got some of the best reactions from people he expected it the least.

His giggling grew louder and more unregulated until it had developed into downright maniac laughter.

He realised that he should probably get the Lissard before she disappeared. She was really god in hiding and he doesn't exactly wanted to search the whole underground after her.

He disconnected himself from the ground and cashed after her. Using his vines for grip at the ceiling and swinging himself forward. It was an more effective and faster way to move than crawling over the ground as long as he wasn't inside it. He had gotten this idea another timeline while watching some anime with Alphys. The people in the show sometimes used similar tactics to reach high targets. It had been coming in handy to reach disconnected places.

On his way hunting after the reptile, he made as much noise as possible. She should know he was after her. Destroying screens and deconnecting ceiling tiles on his way. Not at all carrying to stop his laughter.

It was rare enough to get surprised and have a real laugh. The startled squeak, in the room in front of him, assured him that he wasn't to late to reach his target in time before she exited the laboratory. 

The Lizard wouldn't be able to escape him.

He was able to catch up with her in the room filled with beds.

She was nearly at the opposite side near the door, about to exit the room she just entered.

Ready to get into the lobby and escape through the elevator.

This game of fetch amused Flowey somehow and he wouldn't be disappointed to continue it a bit longer as long as it stayed down here.

But bevor he left his pray of the hook, he at least wanted to finish his explanation.

She should know what he had done bevor she died just like her friends.

It would be the best to cut up her way and tell it her down here were no one was to interfere. If he let her up there they could get interfered and he would need to kill her without the proper knowledge.

But it was part of this round to tell his prays what had, and was about to happened, if not only to see their individual reactions. Also to give her the chance to escape in last second, like in nearly every of her shows, right before killing her properly.

He shouldn't forget to cut her way of bevor she was gone completely and explain.

He grabbed one of the beds next to him and tossed it right in the Lizards way.

It wasn't that the beds where especial light or anything, but through LV gained strength added with enough momentum helped him to send them fly across the room anyway.

The bed collapsed to the wall right in front of the door and cut of Alphy's escape route.

She was already to close to the door to even try and dodge the flying furniture at her current speed. One side of the beds frame struck her at the head and brought her to also collapse to the ground.

That wasn't really a problem it would just mean that it would need less time to finish her off.

Also he should be a bit more careful while playing with her. After all, the Dino wasn't one of the strongest.

Flowey carefully wrapped one vine around her and lifted her off the ground.

Looks like she had still some hand full of health points left, that was good.

He slowly approached her his outcast vine holding her firmly in place.

She didn't even try to struggle.

To afraid and a confused from the hit on the head to actually do anything.

She just starred at him with wide scarred eyes.

He chuckled and continued his little tale he had to interrupt before due to fleeing audience.

Carefully watching which emotion would show itself at her face. How would she react?

To his disappointed it wasn't anything new he got to see. It was the same horrified expression he had already seen a hundred timelines.

His disappointment must have been shown on his face because the Lizards stare turned into an more confused one.

"What?! Why are you looking at me like that?"

This expression really annoyed him.

"W-w-why a-are y-y-y-you d-d-d-doing the-this?!"

What was that for a question?

He didn't expect her to ask such a stupid question.

Did she really think there was any reason behind all of this?

This question was unnecessary there wasn't any reason she would understand.

He decided to try and answer her question.

Maybe something funny would come out of this.

"Why am I doing this? What silly question of you. I'm doing it for the same reason everyone is doing anything. I have nothing better to do. So, why not as well do this?"

"P-p-p-plase, st-st-st-stop."

She screamed desperately.

Not so mutch left for her to completely give up it seemed.

"No, no, no. My dearest doctor Alphys. This is not how we play this game. Has no one ever teach you to finish what you start? I have started this round with the way I choose to explore and so I will continue this path until I know what it's end will be."

He hoped this round wouldn't end the annoying way like his last one had.

Alphys confused glare already unsettled him.

What right had she to question his decisions like that.

She was just one of his toys and as such, she should at least be a little bit less inquisitive.

The conversation had turned to something he didn't like very much.

He should better end her right now and finish the round already.

But he had hoped to get a little bit more fun with the doctor.

 Maybe he should try to ...

Suddenly pain shoot through his vine and he lost his grip on Alphys.

She had used his momentary distraction to cut right trough his vine and darted, over the mound of once a bed, out of the room.

When did she pic up that scalpel?!

Had she had it with her this whole time?

Flowey couldn't belive it.

THIS was unexpected.

Looks like he still got his game of fetch. 

Despite the pain in his vine Flowey giggled again.

He was used to pain and this turn of events wasn't bad.

Her resistenz definitely wasn't a common trait.

Especially not in timelines like this, after nearly everything giving her hold is gone.

But it happened sometimes and sometimes it could get a bit more interesting.

He followed her trough the door into the corridor leading to the room with the main elevator.

Around the corner into said room and there she was.

Standing right in front of the elevator.

That was problematic.

He hadn't wasted his time with deactivating it beforehand.

If the reptile escaped him now it could mean trouble.

Chasing her down here was great. He could enjoy to seek her if she managed to hide somewhere and cashing her if not.

Playing with her like a cat with its pray, like Flowey plays with his friends.

But if she escaped into the underground, thinks could get unnecessarily complicated.

Flowey had had it often enough. She simply disappeared as soon as he lost sight of her. Hiding in one of her countless hideaways below the mountain.

It wouldn't be a god idea to let her escape if he wanted to stay in control over the length of his round.

The Lizard was already inside the elevator and by the time he reached it the doors went shut.

A relived Reptile inside.

Well, she shouldn't think she was saved from him.

Not when she just canceled his plans for her.

The elevator took of right in front of him. Flowey digged himself in the dirt behind an broken tile.

He could also chase her above ground if necessary.

More space for his vines anyway.

He dugged his had out of one of the loose tiles behind the giant monitor and watched the Lizard exiting the lift and panic-stricken looking left and right.

Obviously unsure how to continue.

The core would be way safer than waterfalls. But risking all the innocent people in an still untouched area without guaranteed safety, lost to the habit, to seek support and peace in the damp.

Of course this decision was everything but wise.

This area was empty and offered partly the best circumstances for plants down here.

But again, rational thinking process lost to pure survival instinct and old habits.

He snickered.

It wouldn't have mattered which path she chose, he won't let her get too far, but seeing her acting so desperate surely was something.

She rushed trough the doors and Flowey abandoned his spying spot to follow her outside the lap.

To the little crosswalk right in front of it.

Plotting his plans for further entertainment filled him with determination.

He dug his head out of the ground right behind her back.

Ready to wrap her up in his vines as soon as she left the path, deciding to get intelligent again and heading upwards or down to the boat.

Whatever she choose, she wouldn't be able to escape.

If something went wrong he could just get back to this point and be prepared.

But she didn't.

Instead heading forward another person.

...

Of course! Trashbag would choose this time to be at his station!

Smiley trashbag, right in time to ruin everything he had achieved so fahr, like always!

What ever, it was near the end of this round anyway.

Sans hadn't spotted him yet he had still a chance to get away unnoticed by him and finish this run, playing along as the unknown disease everyone feared until no one was left to fear him.

But if short skeleton found out anything, this round would most likely be ruined instantly and by the way Alphys expression got a little bit less haunted and slightly hopefull he knew this was about to happen.

Why was trashbag here of all places in the underground?

Shouldn't he be, I don't know; searching for his brother?

"S-s-s-san-n-ns! H-h-h-h-h-elp-p-p m-m-me!"

Oh god, Lizards stutter had gotten bad.

Reasonable.

"alphys? what's going on? where is papyrus?"

Welp, too late.

Skeledude already noticed something was odd.

No achievement by Alphys haunted and distressed appearance but still unpleasant.

Wait, he didn't know where his pasta loving brother is?

He should have stumbled over his very remains on his way here.

Last Flowey checked, the river person was asked not to transfer people between areas as long as the disease wasn't discovered. Especially not in already infected ones.

Did trashbag come here without noticing the new dust or did he do some of his annoying tricks?

"P-p-p-p-pap-p-p-pyr-r-rus? I-i-i-isn-n-n't-t-t-t-t h-h-h-h-he b-b-b-bac-k y-y-y-y-ye-e-e-t-t-t-t? "

Welp, time to interfere. Bevor she revealed everything.

When he wasn't about to get a clean ending, he at least wanted the chance to deal with Alphys before trashbag ruined everything.

... again.

Time to wrap her up.

Observing as Sans expression petrified and his attention moved forward the dead area of once waterfalls. As if his brother would appear there.

Flowey would love to tell him what happened to his beloved brother later.

Bonehead obviously hadn't noticed anything.

What a shame.

Anyway, Flowey took his chance and attacked the lizard lady bevor she elaborated any important informations.

If someone was going to tell trashbag anything than at least he himself.

It was still part of this round to tell the people what he had done himself.

Alphys really shouldn't always let her guard down like this just by the presence of some extended friends of her. She relied to mutch on the strength of others protecting her. If she wanted to survive fore once, feeling save just by spotting someone trustworthy wasn't the answer.

Her panicked scream, as he picked her off the ground and tossed her down again, gained short skeletons attention.

He turned around to stare at the plant.

To late.

Flower just gained a bit more experience points.

"Howdy, trashbag. Sorry but you are a little bit to little late to help her right now. You should have been a little bit more active in actually protecting her if she even asks you so nicely. Don't you think?"

Flowey started the conversation.

Maybe if he distracted him long enough he could find a way to beat him this time.

Maybe even the same way that just worked with Alphys if he just distracted him well enough?

Avoiding bones and co. was a bit hard when you are unable to jump.

"what are you?"

Nice.

Dead glare from dead men.

This round was drastically shorted, no question asked.

Bonehead definitely wouldn't let him proceed without trouble and if Flowey went back Alphys would just get the chance to spill everything.

Nothing gained.

This timeline was trash by now anyway, why not play with it for as long as it was still possible before resetting everything.

"What? Not even a 'who' but instead a 'what'? That's heartless old pal. Even for you"

"i don't know you."

Maybe aiming for his feet would work better.

As long as it stayed unnoticed he had the chance to win with a nice surprise attack and could even finish the round.

"Aww, come on buddy. I'm the so-called 'disease' bonehead. Nearly everyone knows me by now like Aaron, Tommie, Syren, Doggo, Undyne, Temmie, Monsterkid, Whosua, Bob and fore sure Alphys by now and of course Papyrus."

His vines, that slowly approached trashbags feet from behind were almost there just a little bit further.

Fast attacks had never worked before, hopefully, a sneaky one could.

"the most of the monsters you named are dead by now..."

" 'The most' ?"

Well that you name a violent start.

So mutch to the surprise attack at his side.

Now Flowey was the one avoiding attacks bevor he even got his turn.

Bones appeared everywhere and he needed to maneuver his stem thought the small spaces in between to dodge the onrushing waves.

If his genocidal runs were like pasta, an annoyed Sans was the missing flatware.

You could continue your task anyway but it would get messy.

And he hated it to get messy.

Which was one reason he avoided to get caught by him for as long as possible.

Sometimes an hard task, when he decided to befriend Papyrus for example,  but otherwise manageable.

The blasters where easier to dodge. As long as they weren't aimed directly at the ground he could always just dug into it and won't get hurt.

They weren't like the bones which also reached underground.

Also, he couldn't be turned blue in the same extent like others, thanks to missing the anchor point for this, which helped him to prevent being thrown across the room.

However, in the end, it still wasn't enough to help him win against smiley trashbag.

His stem got strained again and again. Or an laser would fire at the ground where he was hiding, instead of the place his head was milliseconds ago, like it should.

The next time he got hit, by a normally harmless bone, Flowey had finally enough.

Feeling his LV turned against him was horrible and hurt in multiple ways.

This fight was frustrating.

His plan was corrupted.

"You know what screw it! This isn't worth it. Playing along with you guys and pretending to be an disease isn't worth to be shredded by an trashbag like you!"

Flowey had been beaten up by this trashbag often enough.

This was enough!

No more carma for him.

Looks like this was finally the end of this round.

"See you next round idiot."

And with that, his last remaining HP faded.

 

-

- -

-

 

Sans awoke with an uneasy feeling in the back of his mind.

Notes:

I will try to uphold my writing speed and upload new chapters in an steady rhythm.

Chapter 3: Awakening

Summary:

Flowey awakes.

Notes:

At first I didn't know how to start the new one and then things simply happen.
Enjoy.

Flowey awoke midst the flowers of the throne room. 

How he hated this place. 

It always reminded him at such unpleasant thinks and when he wanted to start thinks over again he was forced to return to this place.

Every reset this patch remembered him. 

Somehow, it always felt the same, returning here. 

Like the first time, when he still believed the king could help him somehow. 

So long ago but never happened. 

Alone. 

Abandoned.

Lost.

But he wasn't the same anymore. 

He was different now. 

He wasn't such a fool anymore. 

He knew that he couldn't rely on anyone. 

Nobody could help him. 

Nobody needed to help him. 

He could help himself. 

He wasn't attached to anyone anymore. 

He was free. 

He could do whatever he wanted.

He was able to do whatever awoke his interest.  

And he wanted to try new stuff. 

Flowey considered to start with the royal leader, but that could speed things up or trigger chances so drastically they would drag his plan in the wrong direction. 

Maybe he would try that in one of the next rounds, it looked interesting. 

But not in this one. 

This time, he wanted a slow start. 

Look how it worked out basically and let greater changes for the next rounds.

His previous rounds were all more or less a bit rushed. Killing the king at the start, truly, always promised interesting rounds but also affected and changed the whole underground at once. Flowey didn't need another one of the 'new monarch' rounds right now. 

He wanted this one to start a bit simpler, his chosen methods would get complicated enough. 

If you try a new kind of pasta, start with a simple sauce to test how it works out and let space for further additions.

He would wait for the royal scientist to pic the living flower up.

 ... 

Or better, stage her to come and take him with her.

Who knows how often the small Lizard visited the throne room. It had never been his interest to wait and see at which point in time each and every monster had an audience with the king.

 ... An idea for a more desperate round and definitely desperately bored flower. 

He had an idea and more or less also a plan for this run. So he would wait. 

Wait for someone to come along and get said person to inform the scientist about this strange living flower. 

This strange living flower that just so happened to appear after she gave her flowery experiment up.

It should work out. She would take him into her lap.

Befriend her and the others to give this turn a nice, family friendly start bevor slowly, unnoticed playing from their very middle. Take part in their live meanwhile it happens.

Not any longer something unknown, external instead a 'friend'. He had wasted enough timelines truly befriending everyone and wouldn't repeat the same mistakes again but it would be nice to hang out with someone again. Killing everyone was tiresome after enough repeats.

Hopefully, he could play the act. It would be unpleasant to be nice for a long time to just drop the friendly facade because it didn't work. He will decide if it worth it when the time has come for now he needed to get someone's attention to start playing his role of an innocent confused living.

Flowey stayed where he was, waiting for someone to arrive. After all, plants couldn't move, right? 

Later, as Asgore entered the room, he remained inconspicuous between all the other flowers. The king sometimes spoke to the flowers while watering them.

This time, one of them actually responded. 

The king's face showed blank confusion as he couldn't find the source of the voice while looking around, searching for another monster. 

Flowey giggled silently. 

"Down here big guy."

The king still looked confused as he followed the voice just to stare down at the flowers he just watered. 

One of them stared back.

They starred at each other for quite a while.

Flower smirking and the king's eyes widening in bewilderment. 

"Howdy, small one! Forgive me but may I ask who you are? I have never seen someone like you before. "

"You say you have never seen a yellow flower ever before? Even when you stand right in the middle of a whole room filled with it? And forgive me, but you came quite prepared for these flowers depending on what I have seen."

"Ho, Ho. No that isn't exactly what I was getting at. You are right, I have seen plenty of golden flowers before. I should have meant how I could help such a flowery person."

Good, he was kind enough to respect his refuse of proper introduction.

It was neat to have a normal conversation again. His audience didn't even scud this time. 

"I'm a flowery person indeed. But I have no desire in which you could help me. You must see I just awoke here a few hours ago and can't even tell you who or where I am."

There, have your stupid explanation why Flowey won't introduce himself, now get the Lizard. 

"That for sure is something serious."

The king went silent.

Looks like the important part of the conversation was finally approaching.

It was everything but nice to play helpless but it was the best way to manipulate people to do whatever you want. Sure, he could just do whatever needed to be done as good as everyone else if not better. But that wouldn't fit within the role he wanted to expose in this timeline. Which was the role a successful test subject that Alphys had intended to create.

These flower vessels wouldn't have had any own character or mind until given one. Flowey definitely didn't intend helping Alphys to create these vessels ever again. The first time had creeped him out enough. It still haunted him, even trough all these timelines and genocides.

Flowey didn't need, want, to imitate them perfectly. It should be enough to pretend that he had his roots somewhere there. 

It didn't matter now, the flower just needed to get to his first tool, somehow. The fluffy king just stood there, addressing him with a concerned look. Flowey asked himself if he would finally consider questioning Alphys or if he needed some hints before he got the right idea. 

Finally, the king spoke up again asking if he truly didn't know where or who he was. Flowey assured him that it was true and pressed on if he didn't know something himself.

Pretending to not know something or right about denying the truth had become easier over the times and was an often used tool by now, the most people believed everything he said.

Some more pointless chatting followed. About what could be done and countless tries to bring his memory back, the king had somewhen simply started to assume that the 'flower monster' must have lost its memory. If the little monster didn't know what it obviously didn't know it was at him to help somehow. Still, at this point, he ran out of ideas. 

"You are right. I don't think that I can help you with your current situation but that doesn't mean I will stop trying. That just means that we need other options and I think I might know someone who could know better than me how to help you."

Thank goodness, this idiot finally accepted that he couldn't help. This conversation had turned out way longer than Flowey had feared and he was slowly losing his nerve.

It was humiliating to act so auxiliary and it definitely didn't help that the big, trashy, furry ball of good will, first of endlessly tried to help him all by himself and didn't even get any of the hints the plant threw at him.

Floweys question if he had gotten any presents lately was simply answered with yes and a list of small gifts connected with person and occasion, but no realization or even remembering that Alphys had gifted him his flowers back at some point after experimenting with them. It seemed like it had been too long since his transfer back to the garden until his appearance for the monarch to connect these two events.

Anyway, the king was finally talking with someone over the phone and when the Lizard would finally arrive, he could at least start his game and this farce wasn't totally pointless and unnecessary.

The flower got affirmed, like some stupid lost brat, that someone was on his way that could most certainly help him. 

Finally.

Flowey would get finally rid of this stupid old man. He only needed to outlast some more stupid small talk and a cup of warm water. Looks like tee would be cannibalism.

 

Five minutes later and Flowey could sense someone approaching. 

Wow, that was fast for the lizard. 

"Hey, Asgore! So where is the small brat that needs my help?"

Hold on a second, that definitively wasn't the Lizard!

Are you kidding me?!!

 

-

-- 

-

 

Alphys had answered her ringing phone quite hectic after she had napped of over her work and the sound had startled her awake.

Undyne talked about some lost monster the king had found this morning and Alphys just nodded along and agreed to her suggestion to bring it over. It sounded like she wasn't getting anywhere with her research. She didn't know exactly what Undyne was searching for but agreed to help her anyway.

Alphys turned the phone off again and sank back into her chair. She was still sleep drunken. An uneasy feeling stuck to her like she just had a really bad dream. One of these which disappeared in the second of awakening, only to let this vague but possessing feeling behind. It wasn't anything she should worry about, she had often this kind of dreams after all.

But still...

Normally, after awakening from such a dream, she was afraid to continue sleeping. Afraid to meet the disturbing, melted and corrupted faces and the full power of raw negative feelings of the dream. But this time, despite the uneasy feeling the dream had left her, she had the urge to get back to sleep. 

Forget the bad feeling.

Forget the bad memories. 

Forget the real nightmare in her basement. 

She shouldn't let herself go back to sleep again. Undyne was on her way so she could help with something. 

That would hopefully distract her. Ever since she met the warrior in the garbage dump she felt better about herself. Undyne had shown her so many wonderful things and always filled her live with so much more. Alphys would never miss anny opportunity to help Undyne.

No, not only Undyne she was willing to help everyone that needed her.

It was the least she had to do after everything she had done. 

 

Undyne appeared shortly after, carrying a pissed of Flowey that already regretted to not simply have killed that idiotic king and stupid of everyone else and seriously considered to reset in favour of another genocide.

Without any playing around or ever talking. 

The fish has dragged him trough the whole core and hotland asking every monster they meet if they know him. As if he was some stupid celebrity everyone should have heard of.

Naturally, nobody had known him expect that some of the workers from snowdin or waterfalls that traveled trough looked a bit uneasy at the sight of him. Ha, stupid idiots! Didn't even know what they are afraid of. 

But they should and they would. 

Just wait a little bit longer.

Well, at least he had finally arrived by the Lizards place and could preliminary get rid of the overactive fish.

What a blessing. 

Alphys had opened them her door aimed with a cool bottle of water for Undyne. Undyne entered the lap while emptying the offered bottle within seconds and started a brief explanation of the current situation after a really awkward introduction between Dr. Alphys and nameless, memoryless never before seen flower that simply appeared in the kings garden just this morning.

Alphy had already gone ghostly white just after the neat introduction and Flowey knew that Undyne could have sparred her nice explanation about nobody knowing anything about him and so on. The doctor had already drawn the connection.

Undyne continued talking even after the situation was clear, suggesting where to find someone who would knew something and so on.

"I-I m-might know something a-about him..."

"What?!" 

The flower and the fish shouted out at the same time. The fish, utterly confused by the fact that her socially awkward and introvert friend knew someone no one else seemed to knew. The flower for the fact that there was an answer at all. He had expected her to keep silent for as long as possible. She had no choice but to come up with the truth sooner or later.

Knowing that it was pure coincidence that the king hadn't thought about her experiments yet. That and the fact that the doctor wasn't anyone to let someone struggle with something she could easily help with. 

But to speak up so directly? 

It would mean to bring her experiments into the conversation what was something Alphys normally avoided if possible. Was her confidence really that much better when the fish was around? 

In the end, it didn't really matter, when the Lizard was confident enough to speak about that stuff it would only mean that he had less speaking to do.

"Y-yes. You r-remember t-that time, U-Undyne, w-when I a-asked the king for m-monsters who h-had f-f-fallen d-d-down and shortly after r-requested to take some f-flowers from his g-g-garden?"

"Uhm, yes for sure. I do but, what has that to do with our little buddy here?" 

"I-I-It is so... 

y-you see... 

I-I-I... 

You k-know I have b-been searching for a way out of h-here. A-A-A way that req-quires n-no m-more human s-souls. I-i-instead u-u-using those of m-m-monsters who h-had fallen. Asgore gave me p-permission a-a-a-nd asked the underground for v-volunteers. 

Y-You see the v-volunteers c-came and I needed some form of v-vessel for them after they... .

A-After all we are not strong enough to persists once we l-lost our body. 

I-I thought maybe if I could make some kind of c-connection, I could transfer their souls to s-something else to stabilize them, u-until I found out h-how to use t-their power. 

S-Some vessel without magic. We c-cannot absorb each other s-so I thought about Asgors flowers. They are one of the rare living things down here d-despite our selves. Expect the mind of course. I-I tried to connect them b-b-but I f-f-failed.

Y-You a-all k-know that. I returned the flowers to Asgore a-and and and..."

She went silent and Undyne didn't dare to interfere. Flowey wouldn't. He played nice this time and to interrupt her would be rude. Also, it was amusing to see the Lizard struggle at her little story like that after she had tricked him this last timeline and ruined everything. 

"I-I-It c-could be t-that one of the flowers I experimented with, I-I'm not sure but m-maybe he had become alive? M-Maybe due to a-all of the c-c-connecting I tried to create, he m-might has developed a soul on his own?"

Not quite correct, but near enough. At least it would give him am excuse to be alive if someone asked.

"Are you telling me that you somehow made him?!"

Thanks for yelling Undyne and yes that was about what she just said. No need to deafen the flower.

"I-It could be the case. But t-to know for sure, I would need to test s-som-mething." 

She looked down at the floor. 

"E-Even if my suggestion is right and my failed experiments created him somehow. I have failed in everything I was supposed to do."

"Speaking of the experiments. Alphys didn't you announce that you have brought the fallen ones back to live? I wouldn't call that a failure. You are a live savor! Creator? What ever! What you have done is awesome and this stupid barrier can wait for another human! Don't stress your self about that"

Alphys looked a bit better but not less stressed. Undyne was good at getting Alphys out of her self blame but she wouldn't miss to ask about the remain of the volunteers.

It was part of her job to keep everyone save and Alphys hadn't told anyone why she refused to send them back. Nobody knew about the Amalgamates. If Undyne asked now there would be no way for the doctor to talk herself out again. Undyne would insist to at least see them, after all, they hadn't seen anyone besides Alphys since they came here. It had happened in one if the earlier timelines. Undyne would be shocked and insist Alphys to bring them back to their Families with her support.

To stop hiding her mistakes had helped the doctor in the long run but that wasn't in Floweys interest. She should keep her little dirty secrets until he decided it was time to release it.

"So, what happened next? If my kind was intended to absorb the souls but Alphys brought the others somehow back to live and created me. What am I supposed to do then?" 

Answering him would hopefully prevent Undyne from asking the right questions. Alphys looked nervously. Obviously unsure if she was instructed to answer the question or let Undyne make that decision. Flowey wasn't really interested who would answer, as long as the topic was changed. 

"Well, I don't know how you see it but I suggest you stay with your mommy until you know what you want to do yourself." 

What was that for a stupid answer? And why this smug smirking?

"I don't get you. What 'mommy' are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the blushing one over there. As far as I understood she made you somehow and that means she is your mom."

Notes:

It was a struggle to write this chapter because at first I had no idea how exactly the new round should start or to witch extend I wanted to write conversations, if at all. Also the personalities of the characters are mostly what I remember and experienced them to be with won't be perfectly canon because I don't know every little detiail possible, beside of my memory being a mess.
Anyway I'm already having fun midst the next chapter with will be posted at the 7th.

Chapter 4: Soulpasta

Summary:

Undyne appears and unplaned things happen.

Notes:

When you realise that your horrible planed sorry starts to get more and more fluffy because you have to much fun.

This was stupid. 

This was so, so stupid. 

Undyne had somehow declared Alphys as some kind of his mom and left. A smug, excited grin grown to her face.

She went to report her progress to Asgore and wanted to be back later in the day. 

Now he was finally free of the agitated fish. If only for a few hours. 

The dino was just standing in her hallway. Clueless what to do. Obviously unable to comprehend with the situation, holding the flowerpot Undyne had stuffed into her hands.

"So, about this test?"

"R-Right the test." 

She muttered. Awoken out of her stiffness she abandoned her place in the hallway and carried him to her desktop. Where she automatically switched into business mode.

"I-I s-should probably explain t-to you what I'm g-going to do. You s-see, if you r-really are one of the f-flowers I experimented w-with, your b-body should c-contain some of the s-substance with which I tried to connect the souls with the flowers. D-Determination to be exactly. It s-should be e-enough to be detected when w-we scan your s-soul. N-Normally monster don't h-have it so if there is s-some, it would be enough evidence t-to proof that... t-that I-I m-m-made y-you... s-somehow. "

Splendid, sure go on, scan his soul it will definitely work. 

He starred in her troubled, visibly forced smile.

"Then... go on."

 

"T-That i-isn't right. That i-is i-impossible." 

Alphys starred at her display. 

"What's wrong Doc.?"

She looked up at him. Confusion, fear and worry visible fighting for the leading emotion.

"M-My readings must be wrong ... . T-There is no way that's a-accurate." 

Maybe your readings would be more accurate if you wouldn't combine everything imaginable within your freaking phone like it was the most normal thing. He hadn't heard about it being normal to have a practical phone-sized hypercomputer equipped with scan function for almost everything that can be scanned, multidimensional backpack, call as well as text functions and beside more unimportant stuff the worst of all: a jarring alarm clock. 

But that wasn't the point, was it? 

Even if she had differential machinery to measure, she still wouldn't be able to find something that wasn't there, right?

"Y-your s-soul. I c-can't s-scan it. The o-only thing I can d-detect is that t-there indeed i-is determination within y-you. But n-no readings a-about how m-mutch exactly. Not e-even a-any of your stats c-can be shown. L-Look, i-it only shows error. F-For some r-reason it c-can't be p-processed."

Well, it could be processed if the multidimensional tools would be shut down for a second. But that would kinda spoil his game. 

Truly, yes, his stats looked weird, but that was for the better. Little flowers shouldn't be LV 1 as well as LV 48.

As Alphys tried to update the program anew, it only started bugging until the processing error was shown again. 

"Well, so much about the soul. What do you think could that possible indicate?"

"W-We c-can s-say for sure that you have DT. S-So at least w-we k-know that y-you aren't a n-normal monster. R-Regarding the rest... m-maybe your s-soul is simply to u-unstable to be measured? I-I m-mean, I have n-never b-before meet s-someone who w-was ... made. A-At l-least not the u-unusual way like y-you where. I-t will n-need t-time to m-make a stable s-soul a-all by yourself." 

Ha! Sure. As if Flowey would ever even have the chance to achieve one. Good one. 

"Are you certain about that? I don't feel unstable. Sure your mobile phone is enough to read someone's soul?" 

The idea with the unstable soul wasn't bad but he wouldn't be able to hold it.

If the run lasted long enough, it would become suspicious when nothing stabilized or changed. He could also get into trouble with other soul related stuff.

"N-Not really. O-Otherwise there w-wouldn't be a-any b-better explanation for this r-readings. ... Expect the d-determination, the r-readings are at the u-utmost similar to s-soulless objects b-but, that w-wouldn't b-be possible. Determination is to unable to live on its own a-and m-monster souls c-can't a-absorb it. Witch c-concludes that y-you m-must have developed some k-kind of s-soul that's capable to c-cooperate with DT but n-needs time to stabilize. W-What e-else c-could you be?"

Never mind. 

Unstable soul sounds good!

He for sure wasn't something like the last remaining memories of a long-dead someone who didn't know what was best for him.

"Do we need to tell Undyne about all that? I do not want to worry her." 

Or anyone to know for that matter. People were to snoopy for their own good. 

"W-We have to, I-I think. Something l-like this has n-never happened before and I h-have no idea h-how it will a-affect you. A-A-Also I n-need to r-report to the king. Undyne is a-already reporting him that m-my experiments c-could h-have s-something to do with y-you a-and they both will want to know updates ... a-and to be honest, Undyne can get a bit r-raw. I don't w-want her to accidentally d-dust you." 

As if she could.

Even if, it wouldn't be that much of a problem. Still, maintaining his progress was better. 

"But do we need to tell them about the stats? You looked a bit unnerved and I don't want everyone to be too wary around me." Not in the beginning.

"W-We c-could stay by the fact that your s-soul is still to w-weak. That would a-also explain w-why I can't sense, let alone check it without my s-scanner. The s-stats are u-unusual a-and w-when you feel uncomfortable about it I won't t-tell a-anyone. ... Trust me I know the f-fear of t-telling something, y-you simply don't know the o-outcome "

Heh, the stupid Lizard really bought that he was uncomfortable about it. 

As if he cared what these ignorant, insignificant morons felt about him. In the long term, it didn't count and when they started to behave he would correct them.

"Thank you."

 

Undyne was back around dinner. Carrying bags filled with grocery and declared to make supper for everyone. She announced that she brought a friend who would help her cooking because otherwise, they would miss their important daily lesson. 

Didn't they have anything better to do? Potential advantage was, the faster Flowey befriended everyone the sooner he could start his games. 

 

Alphys wasn't exactly happy over the spontaneous group cooking at her place. Neither that there was someone she never met before involved, what would rise the total amount of unexpected and uninvited, never before seen guests for the day to a total of two, what was about her normal amount of regular visitors within months, but ... she couldn't be mad at Undyne. 

Undyne always wanted her best.

She tried to drag her out into society and help to open up a bit. 

Looks like she tried now to bring people into the lab after Alphys resisted to leave it. 

Maybe she could even have fun? 

The person Undyne had brought over turned out to be a tall, positive natured skeleton with the same amount of energy like the warrior. Alphys was suddenly really thankful that her kitchen was fireproof. 

Undyne introduced Papyrus who greeted enthusiastically like always. Expect, a strange, reserved expression that had flickered over his face the moment he saw the flower, but fast vanished. 

Alphys undertook it to lead them into her kitchen. 

A floor at the elevator panel between her main room and the washroom beside countless other stops her elevator apparently connected. 

"P-Please, d-don't u-use the e-elevator on your o-own. I-I don't w-want you t-to g-get l-lost." 

Or find something she wants to keep hidden. 

The chatter went over unimportant topics as they unpacked the ingredients and prepared the cooking area.

"So punks, did you find something interesting while I was gone?"

As expected. 

"Y-You mean a-about his origin?"

Undyne nodded eagerly to know.

"Y-Yes, we d-did. I-It looks like our theory was c-correct. B-But his soul still s-seems extremely f-fragile so, please Undyne, be c-careful."

"What theory is Dr. Alphys talking about?"

"Oh right. Do you remember the crazy stuff I mentioned happening this morning. About the monster, nobody had ever seen before. It looks like the theory Alphys had, to speak he is an unintended result of her experiments, was correct and she somehow made cyber live alias flower boy over here. Pretty cool right?"

So much to only the necessary minimum of people to know.

"Wowie, that's awesome!" 

Oh yes, that was 'pretty cool' and the dino had even more 'awesome' stuff buried in her basement. 

Joy. 

Papyrus beamed at the uncomfortable feeling Alphys standing half behind an, somehow proud, fish. The Lizard obviously didn't want to talk about her research. 

"So, do we want to start cooking now or not." 

Flowey had enough of this pointless nick nack. He wanted to finally make the spaghetti. 

After all, we hadn't had any absurd pasta reference this chapter. 

His last timeline were he had made some was way too long ago to be healthy... maybe just long enough to miss it.

"You want to join squirt? That's awesome! We should all make this meal together, right Alphys? There is no better way to make new friends than to burn something... cook something." 

Exactly fish stick. Burn the place down! 

The opportunity to cook together with the goofs filled him with determination. 

"D-Don't w-worry U-Undyne, my k-kitchen is fireproof." 

Wow, that sounded motivated. The little Lizard was obviously already at the end of her nerves and they hadn't even started yet.

"Don't worry! I, the great Papyrus, will carefully watch out that no fire will harm his new found friends nor their seedy flat!"

"Thanks, Pap! Anyway, Alphys I hereby engage you to boil this unworthy noodles into the ground. Be confident, you already have plenty of practice so trust me, you don't need my help. Meanwhile, Papyrus and I arrange the special sauce I wanted to show you today and you flowery boy will... you will be your fire watch since you have no arms. You will take care of the most important task! Watch over us all and prevent us of our deceitful most dangerous enemy, the fiery force of evil." 

Thanks for the annoying kid's job, to sit in the corner to not be in the way, stupid fish. 

The lesson started and Flowey was forced to watch as the doubled idiots started to smash the poor innocent fruits into something horrible. Meanwhile, Alphys boiled her noodles like every other normal being would, mainly standing beside the pot and waiting. Papyrus was chatting happily, it sounded like he and Alphys finally noticed that they already know each other via undernet. Boneboy and fish scraped the not any longer definable paste of the kitchen into a pan and started to downright burn it. 

Flowey sat close beside the stove top, curiously watching what crimes the fish did to the once food. 

It looked pretty dead...

and burnt...

it got consumed by fire, 

too fast and way to violent. 

 

-

 

"Less heat."

"Oh, come on squirt."

"It's already scorched, Undyne. Lower the heat."

"Ok, ok. When you insist."

"Yes."

 

"Whoalla! I need to confess that it doesn't look as cold as I expected, even when I wasn't allowed to use the full potential of the stove."

That's not how roasting works idiot.

"Wowie, it looks good Undyne. Another success for the great Papyrus and bravest Undyne. We have victorious fought this violent battle together with our new friends; gentle Dr. Alphys and the fearless fire watch: flowerpot boy."

Well, your stupid battle against food had at least only demanded one victim this time. 

"I-It d-doesn't look bad?"

Don't deny the truth Lizard.

"This isn't edible."

It was food abuse. 

"What do you mean, squirt? Are you saying it isn't edible as in it is to good to be consumed?"

"Definitely not. It isn't edible as in; when you dare to consume it your system would swear revenge in the worst way possible for what crime you have committed against it."

Alphys and Papyrus retreated silently to the side lines.

"Are you telling me it's bad?!"

"No! I'm saying it is worse than bad! I won't even dare to touch it so bad is it."

"That's enough! I don't belive that such an squirt like you is better than me!"

"No? Belive me fishlady I'm way better than you!"

"Is that a challenge?"

"Yes! Yes it is a challenge! Papyrus be my arms!"

The outstanding contest against the fish stick filled him with determination. 

"Considering, that the noodles Alphys made are the only thing that didn't turn out poisonous, or worse, and seem ok to eat, we will take them as the foundation. Undyne and I, will each make our best sauce possible witch will then be judged by Alphys and Papyrus. I trust you guys that you will be honest with that and when I win you need to confess that you aren't as good of an cook like you tell yourself, Undyne."

"Don't be so confident small one! I won't loose against someone who is depending on a part of the jury to do their work."

You say that again and Flowey will show you how depending he is!

"Well, you are the one who will lose against a kid without limps. Papyrus let's start wit the onions! And no don't smash them, use the knife and cut, like a normal person, would you." 

The duel started with Undyne pulverizing half her ingredients meanwhile Papyrus was more ore less forced to have a real coking lesson for once.

It was strange, like mostly, to tell Papyrus what he had to do and watch out that he didn't fall into the destruktiv stile Undyne had thought him. Flowey would prefer to do it himself but his actual ability status, beside flower stuff, was talking. Papyrus and Flowey were a bit uneasy as it was but after some time went on Papyrus seemed to gain fun in this "peaceful" frying style and even Flowey had found fun in this indirect method of watching and explaining.  

It was definitely better than just watching. 

Alphys also had gotten interested in their doing and now watched them observant seemingly interested. Flowey already felt victorious as their food, in contrast to Undynes, started to smell good while hers made ... interesting stuff.

"Y-You know, you two/three, t-this is really i-interesting to watch. L-Like in one of Mettatons shows. B-but better. Actually, gripping and less ... posed." 

Of course it was. This self called star didn't even know what good entertainment was when it was stuffed right into his face. Flowey had been tired of the annoying calculator within four timeliness. 

Even Jerry somehow made five.

"Indeed, you really are good at explaining, flowery friend. This sauce really smells nice. I could even imagine that Mettaton might be willing to let you visit one of his cooking shows if you asked him. Wouldn't that be such an honour. Nyeh Heh Heh Heh" 

A honour for whom?

"Watch out Papyrus. Please, don't let it get burnt in the last phase, we still need to add the tomatoes before it is finished."

"Jea, don't distract our little squirt with your flatteries. He will only get the expression he could actually succeed against me. Don't give him false hope."

Undyne grumbled from her kitchen side. Two awfully innocent pasta plates already drowned in her deadly liquid.

Who was the one having false hope here. 

He directed the skeleton to prepare the two plates and add some fresh basil on top. Then it was time for the tasting. 

Alphys was the first one to speak. 

"T-That is an d-difficult d-decision. Undynes has an really intensive t-taste as well as a strange substance. It also lacks in bits and pieces b-but not every sauce needs them, r-right?."

See, fish stick, your stuff is gross. 

"His s-sauce on the o-other hand has a nice amount of shredded vegetables and tastes r-really nice, o-otherwise it's pretty boring." 

Wait for what?

"It t-tastes like you e-expect it to taste."

Wasn't that the point of food? 

Taste like it looks? 

"I need to agree with doctor Alphys. It lacks in an significant amount of surprise that Undynes has. Truthfully hers looks gross" " Hey!" " and I wouldn't dare to try it if I didn't already know what she is capable of. In the end, it doesn't even taste really good or bad, it just didn't taste like you expect it and that makes you want to try it yourself. His feels unfinished, even when it appears complete. That is why I vote for Undyne." 

"M-Me too. I-It's r-really is good, but it simply d-didn't overwhelm me l-like Undynes a-and I, a-actually, I r-really like the taste o-of hers."

What was wrong with these dorks. They appreciated an plate of potential poisonous stuff over his perfectly fine meal. And what we're they talking about unfinished? That was stupid and the fish could at least stop smirking so self pleased. Winning just because it was something unexpected didn't count. 

She shouldn't assume he would give up this easy.

"Let me try this."

Undyne laughed and passed him a plate to eat. 

Oh my god, this stuff was... somewhat sweat?! 

Pasta sauce wasn't supposed to taste like that. It was a crime, but not an entirely unpleasant crime. No, it was gross! 

But, not bad. 

What the hell had she done? She had used the same ingredients like he had, hadn't she?

What was the sweet part?! 

It wasn't even an complete sweetest. Just a subtle undertone that perfectly fitted within the rest. He had often made spaghetti with Papyrus as well as with her but it hadn never tasted like that.

"How?"

Now she really laughed.

"Since you challenged me so desperately I couldn't hold back could I? Listen little squirt what you are lacking in is passion. Don't look at me like that I saw that you had your fun but you can't tell me that your heart was there."

 

Notes:

I wanted to write/read about a cooking Flowey for a very long time and was exited to finally make the scene. It got out of hand.
Half of it was not planned at all and the other one different. I especially didn't intend it to get metaphorically. I just wanted that Flowey passionable made spaghetti but then Undyne interfered with my plans.

Chapter 5: Basements

Summary:

Flowey doesn't really likes it to wait without distracting himself.

Notes:

Yay, I managed to get back to my originally planned path, at the end. I'm not sure how it happens that I get so distracted by fluffy possibilities while writing.
Anyways, enjoy.

Hanging out with them was... Ok.  

It was strange to interact with them as friends again, he hadn't had that in a very long time. He was unsure if he liked it, he couldn't deny that it was a funny evening but this friendliness felt wrong after what had happened in the last timelines.

It was a setup, he couldn't enjoy it as real. 

After he and Undyne had their little duel in Alphys kitchen, why ever she needed such a big one when she mainly ate nothing but junk food, they all tried to eat as much pasta as possible to reduce the leftovers to a minimum. It was a miscarry, with three different sauces they decided to boil more noodles to balance the two components. They ended up with a ridiculous amount of sink, even more, pasta than anyone could possibly eat as well as an immobile fangirl duo which was insisting to watch the newest episode of an anime show.

Papyrus excused himself to go home to look after his brother. Taking some of the leftovers with him as dinner for said brother. 

Back in Alphys main room, they settled themselves on two bean bag chairs, brand crazy cellphone pocket, in front of the giant monitor. 

"I h-hope you like the a-anime. It's a great one. E-Even when you probably won't know w-what's going on. W-We will watch the newest episode and I doubt you have seen the others beforehand and - "

Well practically he knows the whole thing including upcoming plot twists and differences to the manga, but after all, he has never seen anything similar to movies or comics before, right? He only exist since a couple of hours, when should he have time to watch the whole thing?

"Of course he will like it! The squid has no other choice than to love it as well. It's a great show! No way he won't insist on watching the whole thing after seeing one of its crazy episodes in the middle."

He remembered that the newest episode would be trashy.

"Heh, now you got me curious. Come on Doctor show me what you two are so excited about."

-

"What was that?! Was that a filer episode? Come on I had hopes!"

"A-Actually, I-I think it could have added some character to h-him a-and it was p-probably intended to be this trashy?"

"Who cares! We didn't even get a god shot of the main cast. How should he get a god start with that? It was kind of funny, of course, but nobody likes this character! Nobody would want to watch the show after seeing this character for twenty minutes. You know squid, normally the show is better than that. I mean, the character is meant to be unbearable. I didn't expect that they would dare to make a second episode around him."

Well, the show wasn't one to take itself to serious and this episode was good at summarising the crappy humor of the show if nothing else.

"Don't worry Undyne, I'm sure they had their reasons for this nonsense. That won't prevent me to watch it anyway. They can't stop me by making bad episodes!" 

Undyne beamed. 

"Fuhuhuhu! You know what squirt, you're all right. A bit rude but at least you have courage. It takes grit to want risking watching something that dared to be so annoying. Not to mention the guts you demonstrated to challenge me earlier!"

They went on about some other nonsense and even started the show properly. Watching the first two episodes before the fish decided she needed to get home before it got too late.

"Call me if you punks need anything."

And with that, she was gone.

"S-So, do you want to continue watching?"

Well, Actually, yes. But now was not the time. There were other things to do first.

"Sure. But, maybe later. It has already gotten pretty late and I still have a bunch of questions burning on my 'soul'."

"T-That was a reference to the show, wasn't it?"

Partly. 

" Heh heh, yes. I would really like to watch it later but for now, I suggest we go to sleep. You look really tired and I'm afraid I want to ask you some unpleasant questions... . Don't be afraid or anything. I can see how it already eats you up right now and it is not in my intention to make it worse or anything. I just want to help. After all, some of that stuff created me and maybe I can assist in solving the mess."

She didn't look in the slightest happy anymore but nodded anyway.

"Y-You're probably r-right..."

She considered something for a moment before speaking up again. 

"W-Where do you want to sleep? I, I don't know if you need to sleep as a flower b-but you aren't r-really a flower anymore, s-so you will have to rest. I think."

"Not sure... just set me on the table. That should be fine. Flowers probably don't need to lay down to sleep. The flowerpot should be enough. Now go to sleep, we will deal with the rest tomorrow."

"O-Ok."

 

-

 - - 

-

 

Alphys hadn't slept well. By the time she finally managed to drift off, these horrible, just all too familiar dreams haunted her.

She laid awake for the majority of the rest of the night. Considering if the flower could actually help her like he offered. He wouldn't spill out her secret. The subtle distraction earlier, before Undyne could ask more about the time being of the Amalgamates whereabouts, noticing her distress, had shown that he wouldn't simply expose her. But, she still didn't knew anything about him. Sure, he probably didn't knew very much himself. But, he acted to experienced to truly have a blank memory. He had shown extreme self-assurance in challenging Undyne and even when you could pass it as heat of the moment that didn't explain his ability to make food. That was something to learn, but he obviously hadn't had the time to do so. Did he? And his manners where so self-charged, when polite. Where did his attitude come from? It didn't make sense to develop this amount of personality in such a short frame of time when former there was nothing. 

It didn't get she was curious. 

Alphys stood up and glanced over the edge down to where the flower sat. It seemed like he really was fast asleep. Looked kinda weird with his head bouncing up and down in his breathing, but ... also cute. Like a little child trying not to fall asleep in class. Alphys went back to her bed. Like Undyne said, he was kind of her kid maybe she should be a bit more trusting. He shouldn't knew mutch about the world just now and it was up to get to show him. A small desire to protect this small creature bubbling up in her chest. Warming her up at the thought of the possibility that she might have made something right. Even when unintended. 

She should try to get a little bit more sleep before morning.

Her mind had started to drift off into more pleasant thoughts and she closed her eyes to follow. 

Wait... how do flowers... breath...?

 

-

  - -  

-

 

Flowey was awake bevor Alphys. 

What a surprise. 

Thankfully, he was settled right next to her computer so he could skip time playing video games, a bit messing around and some stalking his favorite via Alphys undernet. He had already refreshed his knowledge of the actual time being last night shortly after Alphys went to bed. It didn't take long and he was fast to went to sleep. 

Of course, Papyrus immediately noticed that Alphys account was on his blog and wasted no time greeting. It gave Flowey quite a turn. He didn't want to be noticed using the computer. In a useless attempt to cover his crime he pushed the off bottom. 

Well, that went smooth.

Thankfully it seemed like Alphys finally begun to wake up. Quite grumbles and rustle told the story of a pretty tired fossil. 

"God morning Dr. Alphys."

He shouted. A startled squeak was the first response followed by a to muffled answer to understand. Looks like she needed some pushing to the start her day. 

"Say, do you want some breakfast? I can prepare some for us. If you want."

"You don't have arms."

Oh, right. No limps, no moving around. He tended to forget that part. Yesterday had already been a close call but thankfully he had remembered that fact just in time and following declared the bony hands to be his for the duel. 

The Dino finally abandoned her bed an slowly made her way to his desk. Thank the moving stairs, otherwise, it would have taken ridiculously long.

"I'm going to prepare some breakfast a-after s-showering. Do you prefer anything?"

"Not really. I will eat what you eat."

"Alright..."

And away she shuffled.

Back at the task at hand, time stunning.

 

As Alphys returned, carrying two nice bowls of cereals, she found her desk covered under layers of folded paper pieces. None of them resembling any notable object.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm making paper boats. Can't you see that?"

The flower huffed.

Looks like he was a bit frustrated with his inability to fold a boat. The next failed attempt was shredded within the air. Cute. The photo was immediately taken and send to Undyne. 

"Hey! What was that? Don't just make pictures of me!"

She didn't intend to provoke him but... he reminded her way to mutch of Tsunderplane at that moment. 

Alphys suppressed a chuckle. Maybe Undyne was right and she really should try to meet more people. Her phone rung with a message. 

  \What is he doing?\

  /Trying to fold paper boats. He's a bit frustrated./

  \Omg! Cute! \ But ... how? He has no arms.\

Alphys starred at her screen while realizing what she overlooked. The flower had no hands. How was he able to fold paper? 

Looking up she watched him trying to bring another paper in wished forms. She watched as two small vines peaked out of his pot. Carefully folding the paper. That wasn't exactly something she had expected but it neither seemed to far away. He was a talking flower, vines as arms seemed reasonable. 

-

Flowey was a bit frustrated. First, he slipped on undernet in forgetting that the hyperactive bone was able to see who was on his blog and now he couldn't even remember how to make a prober paper boat. The paper had been laying around and he had the urge to make some again, but he couldn't. Had his little genocidal rounds really been that long that he started do dismiss small things and even forgot irrelevant basics like how to fold a boat? 

Next, he would forget to hide his vines.

Wait... 

Whatever. 

Being able to use his 'hands' was in any case better than playing totally physically dependent. He just shouldn't start moving around outside his pot or he could drop the act completely. He wasn't going to reset just because of some small accidents. Dying still hurts pretty mutch, no thank you.

"S-So you have... arms?"

Alphys spoke up, sitting down and putting two bowls of cereal between them on the desk. 

Jup, she had noticed. 

Her desk was covered in misused paper there wasn't really any place to overlook it.

"Looks like it. Do you know how to fold a paper boat?"

"Y-Yes, I do. H-Here let me show you. ... I'm surprised you know what that is. It seems you have overheard a lot while Undyne showed you around yesterday?"

Best excuses are the given one.

"Yes. There was a lot of interesting stuff."

They went over practicing while eating their cereals.

Wanting to fold the perfect boat filled him with determination. 

"Speaking of yesterday ... This people Undyne talked about ... What did she mean by 'bringing them back to live'? ... That, It isn't possible to bring someone back who is already dead. ... Is it?"

He asked holding up a neatly folded boat. 

Behind his boat, he could see her flinch while stopping in folding her fourth boat. Quietly, carefully avoiding look at him, she admitted.

"I-It is impossible ... "

"Then ... what did she refer to, by saying that?"

She didn't answer. 

"You said that you somehow tried to connect me to them. To save their souls ... But you also said that it didn't work out. That you somehow created me but otherwise failed. What happened to them? When they live why are you so worked up over it?"

It was silent. He knew that she didn't want to answer but he had also given her time since yesterday to prepare for it and there wasn't really a good way for her to avoid his question. He would have to stay with her for the time being and she couldn't keep her secret workplace from him forever. Especially not when he once was a part of it. He waited but she was too afraid to answer. Anxiety was written on her pale face.

"You know, you can trust me. I barely know anyone beside you and even when I wouldn't have any reason to tell anyone about anything you don't want me to. I'm your creation and because I'm somehow also a part of it I want to help you. Please let me help you."

It had been a good morning for her, despite the usual lack of proper sleep, but this questions his interest in her darkest fears. She had known that it would sooner or later come to that. He had pointed it out yesterday and if not him someone else would have started pushing in other ways than just letters or phone calls. 

But she didn't want to. 

She didn't want to reveal anything of it.

She was afraid. 

Afraid of so much. 

How would they react? Undyne would be disgusted of her. Would anyone be able to ever forgive her? She couldn't forgive herself so nobody else should. What would they do to her? What would they do to them? How long could they last in their current form? When would they finally fall? What should she do?

The flower repeated his plead and Alphys was snapped out of her down spiraling thoughts. 

"... I-I d-do n-not h-have a c-choice. D-Do I? Y-You w-will insist o-on k-knowing... t-t-to h-help m-me? R-Regardless o-of w-what I'm s-saying ... ?"

Flowey nodded. 

"F-Fine, p-please, p-promise you w-won't hate m-me."

He promised. 

"T-Then, I-I w-will s-show y-you..."

 

Entering the true lab wasn't necessary the nicest thing to do. It always smelled like old medicine and stale air.

On their way down, in the elevator followed by the true lap hallway, the Lizard had complemented her tale about nearly dead monsters and determination. She explained what exactly she did to them and the flowers, including the details she had left out yesterday.

Flowey pretended to pay attention, presenting the picture of an interested listener. He had already heard this storys a hundred times and wasn't really interested how she would wrap it up in this timeline but he shouldn't miss what she left out.

One thing she left out were the video tapes. They hadn't exactly anything to do with the Amalgamates but still were something she couldn't have known about for too long.

He appreciated her traid to not release this truth even when it wasn't hers to burden, she respected the fact that it was someone's secret and not to be spilled. She was pretty honest about everything concerning the Amalgamates and even told him about the failed attempts to transfer their souls to the vessels after they all had melted together, to at least get back to her original plan. Her attempts of transferring got horribly wrong and her only relive was that nobody died when it failed, instead the morphed mass reclaimed property and the Amalgamation reconstructed itself like nothing happened. 

"... I-I h-have s-stopped t-trying t-to give them their o-old forms b-back, ... i-it just ..., n-nothing w-will w-work ... I-I'm s-so a-afraid o-of d-doing s-something w-wrong and ... a-and a-accidentally k-kill t-them...."

She sobbed. 

He was silent for a few moments like he had been the first time he found out her secrets. Back then he had been horrified, now he simply waited for the right moment to speak. 

"That, that's horrible. You had to burden all of this on your own for so long? I-I understand that your intentions were only the best, but still... . What you have done to them, it is just ... the most horrible thing I could imagine. Knowing why you didn't want to tell anyone ... I think that was the right decision. To tell nobody about it. I will help you where ever I can like I said. But ... we can't know how anyone else would react to this. After all, I hadn't known anyone down here and have no emotional relation, but other people like Undyne and Papyrus had known them. I won't bet they wouldn't hate you after that. You can be confident that I won't judge you but..."

"I k-know t-t-that e-everyone w-will h-hate m-me so... t-t-thank y-you... f-for not h-hating m-me."

It was silent for a couple of minutes as Alphys tried to steady herself. 

"W-We s-should p-probably e-examine y-you f-first. I-I d-don't k-know w-what e-else I-I c-can d-do f-for t-t-them r-right now b-but m-maybe y-your e-existence c-can g-give u-us n-new o-opportunities?"

"Sounds good. I'm also interested in how I work."

"O-Ok. F-First o-of, I w-wanted t-to s-see i-if s-some s-sort of c-connection e-exists. A-Also I n-need t-to f-find o-out i-if s-some o-of t-their m-memories or c-characteristics have t-transferred t-to you. Y-You s-seem to know an l-lot for s-someone s-seemingly n-not o-older t-than a day. It n-needs to come from s-somewhere."

On this part he was pretty sure there was no one else involved in his mind. One dead person was more than enough. He didn't need half snowdin in there as well.

 

Notes:

The next chapter will be similar to the first two again, which means that it won't be so happy anymore.
On other note, if anyone noticed any grammar issues feel free to tell me. I'm not so good in language and it would really help me.
If someone had any wishes or ideas for me to include into my story, I have a sketchy plan with lots of space for spontan input.
Hope you liked it so far and I will be back in then days ... maybe sooner for editing.

Chapter 6: dust and despair

Summary:

A lot of trust. (In the wrong person.)

Notes:

And so here it comes. I'm finally at the point were things really get started.

"You should have said something!"

Undyne shouted at him.

It was a rather impressive roaring but this wasn't the first time this week that she did so. In fact, it wasn't even the first time that day witch which kind of muffled the impressive effect it had at the start. Everyone was affected by what Alphys had done and now it was left to him to sort things out. 

Flowey had spent the last few months living with Alphys in her lap. It was one of his longest run since he had started to gain LV and at one point it occurred to him that his rounds were somehow equivalent shorter the more LV he had had.

Strange.

Anyways, he had spent his time by coming upon monsters and making friends through the whole Kingdom as well as helping Alphys with her research. The Doctor wouldn't join him in meeting new faces instead continued to isolate herself from the world in fear of her sins. Undyne still didn't appreciate her isolation and hated it to be unable to help her. The fact that her little dino seemed like she didn't trust her enough to just tell her what was eating get up was frustrating, but at least now she had someone who lived with her that she could always talk to, he also helped her with her super important work what helped to calm her nerves and worry a bit. Undyne trusted the flower to help her best friend. If Alphys wasn't ready to talk to her, she at least had someone else to do so. Alphys seemed to trust him and she liked him as well, most monsters did by now. 

In the beginning, most of the monsters he met were cautious around him, but as time went on, most monsters started to like this little chopsy creature. He accompanied mostly either Undyne or Papyrus on their daily patrols through the underground. Hanging around and having funny conversations with everyone who was in for a chat. 

It didn't take long until he had made a huge amount of friends and acquaintances. 

Alphys had made him his own undernet account the same evening that she noticed that he had used hers and Papyrus had offered him to use one of his skateboards so he could move around a bit on his own. 

Flowey had made a great amount of friends within short time. The fact that he already knew nearly everything about them might have helped a bit. He was relatively open to speak about nearly everything people were interested in and he himself seemed to be interested in everything people were willing to speak about.

The information that the royal scientist had somehow created a living and thinking creature out of a simple lifeless flower had spread through the underground within days and people had wanted to meet said flower, who was apparently very happy about the attention and eager to meet every single monster. Some of them were interested to know how Alphys had managed to create a new form of monster, created a living flower. The fact that it was mainly an accident didn't really matter to anyone. Fact was that it lived, which meant that she indeed had the ability to do the things nobody else could, which strengthened their belief she could do the things that people counted on her to do. Questions about the remaining of the volunteers got viral again and dreaded to suffocate the already mentally unstable reptile. Even through she paraphrased answers as vague as possible and tried to avoid circumstances where people might ask all together it wasn't possible to hide her discomfort from everybody. Especially her closer friends, mostly Undyne, stated to notice her strong reluctance concerning questions about her work and started to worry.

After things started to overhead her, Alphys pleaded Flowey to tell them something so they would finally stop asking. She couldn't take the pressure any longer, to be responsible for people's life or death and have to lie to everybody else about it. 

She just wanted it all to stop. 

He convinced her that she couldn't abandon her work now. He promised her that he would find a solution they would stop asking and so he decided to tell them the half-truth that the cure of the fallen down that had happened a while ago sadly has only been temporarily and they currently dwell in an extremely unstable interim state that made it impossible to predict what would happen if Alphys let anybody to them. That was enough for most monsters to stop asking, instead, the most were disappointed and shocked about the revelation. Some demanded to know why Alphys hasn't told them earlier that there had been a relapse but otherwise the most stayed quiet. They all knew that they wouldn't have been able to do what she had done. Still, they were disappointed that she kept the relapse a secret for so long. 

She pretended that she had planned to tell them about it but instead stayed in hope for too long that they would recover fast so nobody needed to worry. 

Her promise to soon find a solution ti everyone was hollow like it was despair. 

She wasn't ready to tell anyone the full expanse of her failure and instead of admitting she might have failed everyone she continued to lie, convincing she could find a solution. Acting as if the relapse was only a temporary problem and as if there was no death tread hanging over her work. Of course in their current form, it was impossible for them to die but either it was a form to truly live with. 

It was her responsibility to make them normal again.  

To heal them.

She couldn't handle to let anyone down again. 

Flowey had made sure she couldn't. 

While working with her, he made sure that she knew he was there to help her and he was the only one she could ever trust with the truth. Meanwhile, beside the influence and pressure from outside, he constantly reminded her that it was, in some way and another, irreversible her fault all of this had happened. 

He didn't directly point it out. 

That would be too obvious.

It was more that he left subtle hints laying around.

Like an abandoned family photo one of the patients had once brought with them. He had found it under one of the beds. Or a well-timed discovery that less determination might have prevented them from melting into each other, or injections over a longer period might have given their souls the needed time to adjust. Little things that fret on her self esteem and dragged her deeper into her depression. 

He himself stayed in innocence, friendly if a bit cynic, always there to help and promote her research. Apparently even trying to help her with her mental problems when she had one of her breakdowns that accumulated under all her growing pressure and threaded to down her.

It was a hypocritical game on his side and it worked.   

Nobody would have guessed that the little flower was capable to push someone deeper and deeper into depression, unnoticed by anyone until it was too late to get them out again. 

 

Alphys had spent more and more time alone in her laboratory, Flowey still insisted to help her but with all the friends he had made she felt bad to demand more of his time than absolutely necessary. They agreed that he shouldn't spend every day with her at work and if he did so then not longer than a couple of hours per day. He didn't seem to be happy about it but there was no reason for him to be always down here. They had found out a lot about how he worked and there was still more to detect but with his fundamental nature and health discovered there wasn't much left they needed to test in the moment. He seemed healthy for his strange existence and without the fear that he would drop dead he didn't need her to constant observation. With no lasting connections between him and the amalgamates there wasn't much left which demanded his present and she decided he should spend more time with his friends than at her laboratory. She felt bad about it but sometimes when he wasn't there she started to feel a bit better. If was as if his sheer presence somehow reminded her of her sins. It was now her priority to heal the poor monsters in her custody and if she failed with that ... she didn't think he could help her with what would happen if she failed again. 

By now it felt like an eternity that monsters were truthfully interested in using the souls of their own kind to break the barrier, now they hoped that Alphys would find a way to save the fallen downs. 

While working on many different theories on how they could undo what had happened they had stumbled over one possibility for multiple times. There had been others they had considered more than once but there always seemed to be something wrong. This special one appeared in nearly every constellation and didn't include the deathly dread itself, it seemed more like a necessary step to do. It appeared easy, simply undoing what had happened, by reducing their determination level. 

First Alphys had been scared that would kill them but after some more research and calibrations, she decided it was worth to at least try it. They hadn't had found any other way to do it without the direct result being death or any other negative longterm consequences. When her calibrations where right, a slow and small reducing should reduce the risk to a minimum that the souls would be destabilised and instantly shatter like most of the other methods would lead to. Instead, it would give them the time to adjust to the lover level again as well as the chance to prepare to get into their old forms again. 

A small voice in the back of her mind tried to convince her to stop again, what if they had been connected for too long by now and it wasn't possible to disconnect them anymore, what if this time she would irretrievable kill them? Maybe she should just stop as long as she still had the chance to do so and show that she was a failure. She choose to ignore the haunting thoughts. She couldn't let anyone down again. It was her last chance to make up to them again. To show the world and herself that, eventually, she really was worth the trust they put into her. 

She couldn't back out now. Her little creation had tried to help her so desperately to undo her horrible crime that she didn't dare to voice her doubts and drown his hopes. 

It will probably work out just fine. 

They had worked so long on it. 

This time she couldn't fail again. 

This time, it had to work. 

It didn't. 

The first one within the extractor didn't last long. It only took a couple of minutes, enough to extract a quarter of the originally planned amount, before it started to backlash. Cramps shoot through the test subjects while it wanted to part apart and compromise on itself at the same time. They immediately stopped the process and removed the amalgamate. 

Thankfully, as soon as they had removed it from the extractor, it stopped the morphed process but on the other hand, it froze in an immobile state and didn't react to any of them anymore.

For the first days, nothing happened. It stayed like it was, unmoving. Alphys watched it every day to see if something changed abs to be there if needed. She didn't dare to leave it alone even for a second after what had happened. Distress and caution overshadowing her every action. Terrified of what could happen she didn't even dare to sleep anymore. Too much could happen when she wasn't there. She couldn't clearly say what would happen but nothing then less she feared the worst. That backlash had been violently. Afterwards, the soul stats had shown none or unreasonable readings. That couldn't be any good sign.

After about a week in with it did nothing but stay where it was, unmoving like a piece of furniture, something happend. Flowey wasn't there at the time, he was away hanging out with Undyne and Alphys was alone. She hasn't slept or left her basement in days and was ready to give up on everything. Was it really worth it? She already had messed up everything so why was she still trying? But something had changed within the last hour. 

It finally started to move again. Slowly cautiously, as if it had never moved before. Maybe there was still hope.

She was just about to update her readings again as she heard it. 

A voice. 

Clear and sound. 

The amalgamate had turned forward her. The face of one of the monsters had materialized itself into the abominations front. Shaped uncharacteristically clear compared to the rest of its body. Confusion wrote in its face it stated to her. Asking what had happened, pleading for help. Pleading her to explain what was going on, where she was, what it was. 

And then the abomination simply stoved into a cloud of dust. 

There was nothing Alphys had left to do. 

There was nothing left she could do.

She had waited for nothing. 

It was gone and she was left with a mountain of dust. The resolve of her work. 

Nothing but dust.

Dust and despair. 

That was the moment she gave up. 

If she really wasn't good enough to help even a single person then what reason had she to perish. 

The underground would be better without her. 

 

 

It was up to Flowey to discover another failed experiment and notice that Alphys was nowhere to be found.

Nobody expect Undyne and himself had seen her since months. 

It was unlikely that anybody would notice her absence anytime soon. Undyne had agreed to let the doctor in peace when she needed it. The warrior didn't want to pressure the Lizard if she wanted to be alone. She trusted that her friend would tell her when she was needed. 

Now it was his pleasure to reveal the occurred events.

That nobody would ever recover and Alphys was nowhere to be found. 

He decided that it would be gentle to tell her friends the bad news first. He arrived at the burning remainings of Undynes house. Seemed like they had just finished their cooking lesson for the day. 

They both sensed that something was wrong at his arrival. It hasn't been long since he had left them and normally wouldn't be back until the next day.  

They settled down so he could tell them what was going on. He displayed a breakdown and told them everything they needed to know.  

Starting by the point of what he and Alphys had actually been doing this last couple of months over her increasing self-destructive mentality to their recent discoveries and finally the dust in the lap and her absence.

Both of his friends were shocked. Naturally, it wasn't an easy topic to hear about and especially Undyne seemed shattered.

It was horrible to learn what had happened without her knowledge. She always wanted to be there for the little nerd but now she was supposed to be too late? She wouldn't accept that. 

Papyrus seemed similar conflicted. Oddly, for a second Flowey had the impression that he had caught a funny look on his expression. What was that?

Undyne demanded they would search after her. Alphys couldn't possibly have done what he thought she had. 

The captain of the royal guard would never allow it. 

The flower didn't knew her for as long as she did.

They would most certainly find her somehow slacking off.  

Maybe Alphys only made a break? 

After all what took place and get constant pressure, what else would anyone do expect to take a vacation?

Right! Take a special vacation.  

Flowey needed to suppress his giggles at the thought of hers and his differencing definitions of 'special vacations', at least one of them would be right. 

They split into two parties after calling her phone only greeted a dead end. She wasn't the one to answer anyway. Social media wasn't helpful either. She hadn't been there since regret had overtaken her life. 

Flowey leaded the skeleton back into the basements and Undyne went to all places Alphys liked or visited often. They needed multiple hours to search through the whole lap and by the time they were through the last room it had become evening. Meeting Undyne again was saddening. 

They hadn't found her, she neither. The last thing they could do was to expand their search through the whole underground. 

To no avail. 

Nobody had seen her. 

They couldn't find her. 

Later that night, hours after they had started searching, they returned to the dumps. Papyrus wasn't willing to let Undyne alone when it was unclear were Alphys went. Flowey had adapted himself to his arm a while ago, the traveling through the kingdom was simply faster this way. Also, it gave him an excuse to overhear everything that's said. 

They couldn't find her anywhere.

...

"You know this was the place I met her for the first time ... . She ... She was about to do something stupid ... And I thought ... I had helped her out of it."

The words sounded dry and hurt while she spoke.

Her vision started to get blurry and she didn't know what to do with these squeezing emotions boiling within her chest.

"Pathetic, aren't I? I couldn't really save anyone. I couldn't even save the girl I love from ... herself? ... I ... I couldn't even ... I couldn't tell her that I ... that I love her."

 

Notes:

In finally in the process to write what this whole idea is about and already have trouble deciding how to continue. Things won't exactly work out like I thought when I had this idea at 1am. It just wouldn't be possible with some characters. So, the plan can't be as drastic as original planned. Still I will stay as close as possible.
Ps.: I have no idea how to how to write the aftermath. Should probably have considered at least some consequences beforehand. Well, that's why I try to write one chapter in advance. It gives me time for things like writing blockades.
Next one like always on the 7th.

Chapter 7: What's not to be found

Summary:

Searching after what is not there.

Notes:

I had an completely different title for this chapter but in the end it just wouldn't fit anymore.
You know, because my writing got distracted again and now there a neither dogs nor death. Maybe next time.
Welp, enjoy yourself.

"belief me or not, but I didn't plant on getting another couch guest besides Undyne." 

"Be'leaf' me or not, I didn't 'plant' on it either."

Flowey had snapped back at the unnecessary comment he had gotten the night Papyrus brought him to the brothers house. 

Stupid trash bag had looked quite surprised at his countered puns bevor erupting into laughter. That had been shortly before Papyrus explained his brother why they had gotten so late and brought the flower with them. 

Meanwhile, the flower realized that out of all things this puns had been the first things he had exclaimed with Sans in this timeline.

... great.

Truth has been told, he might have been avoiding him and it might have had become a bit obvious. But seriously who would enjoy it to stick around his murderer. 

Ok, Undyne had killed him as well but at least her last one hadn't been intentional. Holding a grunt against those who killed him didn't made much sense in his circumstances. 

But fair or accidentally killing and constantly frustrating downright slaughtering were two completely different pairs of shoes.  

What kinda excused that his first exchange of words were, beside out of all things being stupid plant puns, an outright lie. 

Maybe not completely. To be grammatical, he truly hadn't planted anything. 

So technically he hadn't lied back then. 

But that didn't really matter right now. What mattered was the fact that he was at the not coming mercy of the trashbags puns since nearly a month by now. 

The worst, skelepun wasn't alone. 

Undyne was there as well. 

Subtle trying to kill him. 

She had moved in right before he did. Her house burnt down like it did every now and then and like usually she was going to stay until it was renovated. It hadn't made any real progress in a while. Recently there had been more important things to do for her. 

Like pointless running around.

Papyrus had offered him to stay as well that night and he had no reason to refuse, besides he had planned it all along. 

Two unpleasant roommates should be durable, at least until his next step. 

Nobody would normally favor it to return to a place where one once lived with a friend who most likely committed suicide. 

To tell the truth, he wasn't really affected by what had happened. 

It was just a game after all. More was it delightful to see how well his plan had worked out. He was great at imitating how he would have reacted if he cared. Most monsters had given him their sincere compassion and he was a perfect grieving individual. Which concluded that returning to said place would be more than unifiting not to say creepy.

He wouldn't be concerned and sometimes he preferred it over his annoying roommates but it would seriously damage the facade he had build up. 

Refusing Papyrus offer and return to the empty lap, stage of loneliness and desperation, would be the most awkward thing too. It would rise unneeded questions as well as avoidable detachment between him and his next targets. 

It was favorable to stay with the brothers and Undyne. 

Undyne like usually occupied the couch.

With the living room was taken there was no other sparing room the new guest could use for his stay like Papyrus as a good host would have preferred. He for sure wouldn't let him stay in the kitchen or bathroom, that weren't proper rooms for guests. 

Neither of the skeletons seemed to be comfortable with him staying in their rooms either.

It got to the point were even Undyne made a sarcastic pun about him being rootless within the new ground. 

They shared the living room ever since.

Papyrus had complained about her being affected by sans bad humor disease like he was expected to complain.

Even though he was glad she had joined into the conversation, she had withdrawn herself from mostly all casual activities. Instead of focusing on finding out what exactly had happened to the missing scientist. 

The flower had been the last one who had seen the scientist and Undyne just couldn't give up to hope that she might find the Lizard somewhere. 

That she would magically appear out of nowhere. 

There was no inch of the underground she hadn't checked at least twice by now.

Nearly everyone witnessing her shared the same thought. 

The underground wasn't really big. 

There wasn't really a place anyone could go to and not be found again. 

Not for as long as he could return again. 

 

The warrior left every morning to her duty, patrolling through the underground and returned only after she had added more and more rounds to her shifts until she couldn't walk any longer. Often late at night, after another failed attempt to find what was not to be found. 

Mostly hours since her shift would normally be over, determined to continue the next morning.

Determined to find her.

Or anything that would give her reassurance. 

Anything. 

Something.

Something that would tell her that everyone was wrong. That Alphys hadn't done what they believed, what she believed herself. 

She couldn't accept it. 

She didn't want to accept it. 

The flower had been supposed to watch over her and what had he done?

Nothing! 

Nothing to help her! 

Nothing to help her help her! 

This idiot had done what she in her blinding fear had asked him to do. Acted like everything had been alright. Like she hadn't needed their support. Needed their help. Needed their friendship. 

Their trust. 

It was frustrating but Undyne wasn't someone to give up. The underground needed her and as long as there was a small chance, nobody could stop her. They could still be wrong. Nobody had real evidence.  

Nobody had any proof so nobody could call her wrong.  

At least nobody had told her something like that. 

The majority hoped her effort would turn out that she was right in her continuance.

That Alphys wasn't gone. 

Nobody wanted to live with the thought that they had pressured the little Dino to the point that she had seen no escape, despite doing something horrible to herself. The knowledge that she hadn't dared to speak freely about it made most of them feel guilty. In the end, they hadn't really regarded her emotional state. 

They just had wanted her to succeed.

After pressing for years for updates, gaining then didn't stop what had become habit, they changed to encouraging her to finally get finished. Nobody had thought about negative consequences of their hassle. 

In the end, she just wasn't able to do what they expected from her. 

Almost everybody felt at least somewhat guilty for it. 

Almost everybody expect the one who actually did it. 

Flowey didn't spare Alphys disappearance any second thoughts. Why should he. He knew exactly what she had done, had accomplished what he wanted since the beginning and now he had the time to concentrate on his next steps. 

He somewhat had become responsible to reimmigrate the remaining amalgamates. Which included to visit a lot of people.

He was friends with most of them and there were a lot of more intimidate talking than it would normally be. Beside his work, he got to hear the unavoidable condolences as well as their fears and worries of a future without the scientist. 

That was useful. 

Monsters really meant what they said and when they said they were sorry for what had happened, it is their honest meaning and if they announce worry what might happen without the royal scientist, or blame themselves that they shouldn't have written those pressing letters it also comes from their honest souls. 

He would try to calm them down if someone got to worked up over it. 

Of course. 

It was part of his duty to appease and make sure everyone adapted well. 

But if they interpreted his innocent appeasements in a blaming or depressing matter he couldn't help it. He tried and said that it was okay and there wasn't anything that could be done anymore anyway. Nobody could blame him to be tactless. In contrary he was the most grieving of them all, expect Undyne, and wished as much as anyone else there would be some way to undo it. 

But there wasn't. 

Alphys was gone. 

Everyone needed to accept that. 

Or not, it wouldn't harm him if they didn't.

By now he rarely left snowdin. The majority of the patients lived here and he was the only one who had worked long enough with them to gain proper knowledge how to thread them properly. 

He was the one people asked if they needed advice. 

He readjusted them back into society now after they had merged together. 

Between visiting and checking on his patients there was rarely time to leave the small village. 

If he wanted to talk with friends from waterfalls or hotland he needed to use the undernet. 

He had brought a laptop with him, as he moved to the brothers and it had turned out that the best place for him to stay was the table so he had space for his stuff. 

He was put right beside the pet rock like some stupid piece of furniture. 

It wasn't even a talkative one. 

Just a solid silent rock. 

Boring. 

The place had its own benefits. It wasn't too cold or windy like it was at the windows and he had enough place for books and his laptop also the place offered him a great view over the room. 

Monotony of the dull surroundings wouldn't become a problem either. They all left the house in the morning to get to their daily habits and duties. Which made returning in the evening felling similar to returning to his old room after school.

...

Anyways.

In the evenings they all gathered onto the couch together. 

The fish stick the bone head and him. Usually, he was forced to sit in between them until Papyrus had finished the dishes bevor they started some movies.

Waiting wouldn't be be too bad if he wouldn't have to sit through countless plant puns one the one and deadly silence on the other side. The shorter skeleton tried to lift the occasional oppression the best way he knew, puns. 

Mostly to no avail. Undyne wasn't always ready to appreciate his plump humor, or anything else not related to her search, and normally preferred to stare at the only other person in the room that at least wasn't a living image of dead, Flowey. 

It was like she tried to freeze him with her glances or at least seriously considered to make a nice tea out of his dried leaves. 

He had the serious suspicion that at some point she had started to sickly enjoy it to provoke this depressing atmosphere every now and then. 

He desperately tried to avoid to cross her gaze. Direct eye contact just made it worse and it was like she could murder every slightly enjoyable atmosphere within a room with her stares alone if she had enough motivation. 

Thankfully Papyrus normally choose to use his brother's bad behavior as an excuse to abandon the dishes and join them in the living room. 

He had always already finished long bevor and patiently waited for the best situation to interfere. He always hoped they could have a nice evening regardless his presence but no one showed any real effort to do so.  

The skeletons started their usual shenanigans as soon as he sat down. Lifting the flowerpot onto his lap. This time without trying to bring Undyne to join in like they had underachieving had in the past but neither then less hoping she would. At least would show her that she wasn't alone and had friends who wouldn't change and always be there to support her if nothing else. 

Meanwhile, the flower started to ask himself if he already had holes from her intense stares. 

Undyne seemed deep in thoughts today, despite her effort to achieve the ability to visually riddling someone, so did she really need to continue it? 

She tried to cover it but it was obvious. He wasn't in her favor. 

Despite her daily search, she knew, since the day he had told them that Alphys went missing, that it was too late. 

She had accepted fate the same night they had lost her. But that wasn't fair! Fate shouldn't be so cruel. 

This shouldn't be how things played out! There had always been a good thing in everything. 

There was nothing good in losing her. 

So she must be wrong, there needed to be something she overlooked. She had started to constantly convince herself there was still hope. 

That she wasn't too late. 

She wouldn't give up, there was still a chance, right?

At least as long as she continued. 

As long as she didn't stop, she didn't need to accept.

But in the evenings when she was forced to rest, the denial started to crumble. 

When she rested she remembered all the times Alphys showed that she still was captured in her mind. That she hadn't been over with what Undyne had prevented her to do all this time ago. 

The time they meet at the dump. 

The time she had stood there, doing nothing but stare in the endless abyss below her feet. 

That day, Undyne had dragged her away from the ledge and made her a friend, secretly even more.

The warrior had thought it was ok again. 

But it wasn't and she was still filled with dread.  

There had been times where she could have done something. Where she had been needed. Where she had had the chance to save but simply didn't see. 

 

She didn't know why and especially didn't want it to be like that but still, she couldn't stop blaming the flower for what had happened. 

He shouldn't be blamed. 

It had been a problem long before he existed and even when he acted strange sometimes, he was their friend. 

But still ... 

He had been with her this whole time, he had promised her to keep an eye out for her, he had helped her to come up with a plan to confess and then ... Then it was too late and he hadn't even given her a hint that she were needed. Why. 

"Why didn't you say anything?"

She muttered. The room was silenced instantly. The attention shifted to her and so she continued. 

"It was a stupid idea of you to wait until she had finished her work." 

Flowey raised what appeared to be a brow. 

"What?"

"I should have helped her when I was needed! Even if she didn't thought I would at that time. You knew I would have, so why didn't you?" 

Did she seriously want to start that again? Right now? 

Normally she would wait until a really bad mood before accusing him and then stomp off to her madness. 

"Well, of course I did but-"

"But still you didn't say anything! Why?"

He had been so startled by her sudden outburst that he needed a moment to collect himself and figure out a fitting response. 

She wanted a serious respond this time. 

Not just working off some frustration. 

Well, shit. 

"Because ... Because I didn't want to worry you. Alphys seemed ok and I doubted she would have let anyone in. Not after... . Especially not you. I-I hoped my support would be enough. I hoped I could help all of you to a better future. But ... I failed."

The skeletons seemed to have swallowed their tongues, shrunken down to silent bystanders who didn't dare to interfere. The stupid puns that had been floating through the room minutes ago strapped by cold reality. 

"Why not me?"

"S-She cared so much what you would think about her. So, so much. She already was afraid just talking to you and always worried you would dislike her. I knew that your emotions were mutual but I didn't knew how strong yours really were. If they would perish. She couldn't have handled it to be rejected by you and I couldn't predict if you would. We both were afraid. And now that I know you wouldn't have changed your feelings, I knew this had been the biggest mistake I ever made. I feared it could destroy your love, now I know it destroyed so much more. I ... "

It was time to stop. 

Undyne was already shaking again and there was no need for him to continue. 

"... I'm sorry."

He finished.

"I-I don't want to be here. I ... I wanted to be with her ... I-"

"there, there Undyne. there is nothing you could have done better ... let's ... let's go to grillbyz."

Trash bag interfered, surprisingly subtle. 

She nodded and both of them left the house only five minutes later. 

Did trash bag seriously need to sabotage him again? 

Papyrus seemed perfectly fine with them gone, they were probably going to be drunk when they came back, which irritated Flowey. 

"You seem confused?"

Papyrus noticed of course. 

"I have questions." 

Flowey stated.

"Well. Then why not ask them. The great Papyrus won't deny you any answer."

Suspicious, but Flowey didn't feel like holding back on his questions. 

"Why are you letting them get drunk? And why didn't you go with them? Isn't she, before your brothers, still your best friend? Why is he consoling her and not you? I never got the impression he was someone to console anything. And why are you acting so strange lately? It's almost as if..." 

Realization stroke him as the skeletons smile got smug at his last statements. 

"Wait. You wanted then gone. Do you want to talk to me about something they shouldn't know?"

Papyrus nodded. 

-

  - - 

-

"... You know ... You know ... it's strange. ... I feel like ... I knew him? ... longer than just a couple of months ... and I ... I hate him! ... somehow ... But he is my friend? ... I shouldn't hate him! ... he did nothing wrong... Not really ... at least ... I don't think he did so ... but ... still ... Am I wired?"

"nah. there's n'tng wr'ng whit ya. ya 'now it's the seede with me. i don't celery know him like you guys and he hasn't tried to befriend me like he did with all the others ... which is a relive ..."

"He didn't try befriending you?"

"n,t really ..."

Sans shrugged.

"Did you notice ... he still hasn't decided for a name ... Everyone just calls him ... flower ... or squirt or- or ... whatever and he ... he seems completely ok with it ? ... like it doesn't matter how he is called. ... If he had a name or not ... They all have their own names how to call him ..."

"maybee he just forpot to pick one."

"Hmpf! ... Maybe he just didn't tell us."

"that reminds me ... papy mentioned him as flowey a while ago ... like he slipped something ... he corrected himself afterwards ... heh, flowey, flowey the flower ... sounds fitting to me ..."

"If he doesn't have one himself, ... he should use Pays. ... It really fits!" 

"that's what i said. papy didn't seem ok with it ... said should never mention again ... heh ... here i am mentioning it again ..."

"Criminal."

"are you going to arrest me now?"

 

Later that night a skeleton was arrested in his own bedroom by a drunken fish who keep guard in front of the locked door.

Questions from other occupants only got answered that he was, indeed, arrested but no evidence why. His fishy sentry was fast to sleep off, leaning against his door while vehemently refusing to abandon her guard. 

Notes:

I don't think that I now how Undyne would react in such an situation but I hope it wasn't to off of her character. Besides, I had about three different dialogues between Flowey and Papyrus but they all would have majorly influenced how the next chapters would go. Couldn't decide witch story to use, instead I deleted them all.
But hey, I wrote a drunk talk despite never have drunken and usually avoiding drunk undertale characters. It was surprisingly funny.
Also the chapter had gotten to long but I don't want to cut anymore out just to get my round word count. So screw my concept of 3000 words, it takes way to long to cut it down to this number anyway, I should drop that.

Chapter 8: Walking around

Summary:

Flowery and a friend walk around the underground.

Notes:

I noticed that there are a cuble of words I like to use and need to be wary not to use them in every sentence ...
Anyways hope you guys like what I'm doing here. I'm officially not sure how long it will get anymore.
Distraction keeps happening.

The next morning was fast to arrive. 

Undyne woke up, utterly confused to where she was and even more to why she was there. 

"You came home drunk last night don't you remember." 

Flowey and Papyrus sat beside her on the floor Trying to help her readjusting to her surroundings, while the sleep slowly, very slowly, let go of her mind. 

"That might seems about reasonable little squirt but it still doesn't explain why I'm sleeping in front of Sans door." 

She snapped at Flowey. Well, at least she talked to him this morning. 

"You feel asleep adamant to guard him, Undyne. For some reason, you talked about having arrested him. But you didn't want to tell us why. It seems like my masterous plan worked and you two had had a funny time at Grillbys. Nyehehehe! ... also lots of drinks."

Papyrus tried to help out. 

"Huh? Arresting him? Sounds strange. Anyways, thanks Paps!"

Yes, it indeed sounded strange. Flowey was mildly interested in what had happened. Returning and listening sadly wouldn't work, for once he had had to do other thinks in that time period, secondly it wasn't worth dying for it. He could find other ways to know what they had talked about, if needed.

"Nice that we have settled that. Now, Papyrus could you please bring me back down? You know I can't exactly 'walk' down the stairs."

She was awake now and Flowey didn't want to spend his whole day in front of Sans door.

"Right, flowery friend. Let me just help Undyne get up as well so we can all go down and enjoy some wonderful friendship breakfast. Afterwards we all will head towards our individual wonderful day at work!"

Papyrus's companions grumbled at that, which made the skeleton frown as he leaded them down to the ground floor.  

"Seriously you two, sometimes you act like kindergarteners. Little friend you as well need to go working today. Seriously it shouldn't be that bad! Your work mostly consists meeting people that like you. Sometimes you act as if it's the most boring thing to do. And Undyne! Yes, he is also your friend! Don't act as if he isn't. We both know you better than that. Now get on the table and behave yourself I need to prepare breakfast!"

No use arguing, they both were used to obey him. Not only because he was their host and they were his guests, but also because nobody dared to refuse his motherly demands. He was naturally pretty good at keeping up order as well as watching out for good behaviour and had only furthermore improved by now managing three people instead of one.

They both sat in awkward silence at the table while Papyrus started to prepare breakfast for everyone, including Sans who still hadn't shown up.

"So ... why was the little squirt upstairs anyway?"

Wow, Undyne started a conversation. That was new these days. Drunk talk with the trash bag seemed to have actually done something. But, did she seriously just address Papyrus instead of Flowey himself, who by the way just sat a cupple of decimeters away from her and was also not making breakfast in the moment. 

"I was borrowing some books from Papyrus, Undyne."

He wasn't going to let anyone answer for him and for sure wouldn't play any of her stupid ignoring games. If she wanted to blame him for what had happened then she could do that. She was in the right but she didn't knew that and shouldn't get to know it either and the best way to dissolve a contra productive intuition was to prove it wrong. 

Which needed them to talk. Even if she didn't want they would become friends again! 

Two out of four occupants in this household were working forward it and the last one didn't care. 

"You seriously borrowed one of his silly milly baby books? I didn't expect you to be interested in Fluffy Buns and Co. Seriously."

Don't she dare to underestimate the potency of books. It might already be an improvement that she didn't ignore him and he wanted their relationship to get better but don't she dare. 

"I didn't borrow Fluffy Buns. The book has benefits in its own that's for sure but my interests weren't so much into interpreting cute characters into philosophical masterminds this time. I preferred to borrow some of his quiz books for once. You know, these stuff filled with numbers and riddles that people need to think to find an solution to."

"Yea yea, what ever."

Papyrus appeared, just in time to prevent any of them from snapping or worse start sulking, loaded with flatware. 

"Undyne could you please get Sans down here? I finished breakfast. Flowery friend would you please help me set the table."

His house guests still couldn't get along for longer periods of time but the great skeleton knew that with enough time and space everyone could work out their problems. But better not risk fried vegetables at breakfast. The thunder line was short these times. 

"Sure I can go get him but ... doesn't he normally come down on his own when we start eating?"

"Yes he does but ... . You have looked him in his room last night and well ... you still have the key. Nyeh? "

The embarrassed look on her face as she stormed off to release the sleeping skeleton was priceless. Even more so as she hurried down seconds later, fruitless due to lack of skeleton, right after Sans had wandered out off the kitchen. 

"Seems like you 'shortcut' her attempt to wake you up."

Flowey greeted the newcomer. Gaining him one laughing and one frowning skeleton as well as a pricing deadly glare that wouldn't let go of him any time soon. Welp, so much to his improvement. 

 

Undyne and Papyrus were the first two to head to work followed by Flowey, who had to be picked up by Monsterkid, his skateboard was useless within the snow, and last Sans. 

Monster kid loved exploring and so he didn't mind to deliver the flower trough the neighborhood. They usually talked about small thinks in the short walk between houses and the kid was amazed by his story's and knowledge about all kind of thinks. It was an adorable picture seeing the armless lizard balancing the flower on its head and gleefully babbling about life and mystery. 

Adults adored them. 

And while Flowey talked to the dog family MK spend his time rolling around in the snow with greater dog. 

Afterward they visited the shop lady who wanted to know how to serve costumers like Endogeny. The kid gained three cinnamon buns, one of them originally intend for Flowey but darn, this kid outright absorbed sweets.

"Hey, speedy!"

Flowery had something to address. 

"What's up dude?"

Monger kid chuckled as they walled out of the store. 

"Ready for a real walk?"

The kid nodded in excitement. 

"My next step is the castle. You know to make my report and stuff. Y'a mind giving me a rid there as well?"

He asked.

" 'course dude! The castle is like the most coolest building and the walk there is also really exciting. 'sides you can finally finish that scary tale about the deserting caverns you started last time."

 Heh 'tale', 'course.

"Are you sure your parents ok with that?"

"With me walking you to the capital or you telling me scary stuff?"

"Both?"

Silence. 

Then the kid scrambled:

" 'course they are!".

...

Good enough for him!

-

 - -

 -  

"Woha that was mean of the demon! He shouldn't have made all this people ill. Glad the sentry was able to stop him!"

"Agree."

The flower was a bit tired of talking at this point. It had taken until they reached hotlands to complete his tale.

"Say. Do you think the demon would have stopped by himself? I mean there was no reason for him to do this stuff."

That was an interesting question. Would he have stopped? Probably not. He wasn't the kind of guy to waste any good time line. But the demon?

"Eventually. If he would have gotten bored enough. Then maybe."

"Pfuahah. It's your own story! You should know what could happen! Make something up! ... Nah don't actually make something else up. I prefer this ending how it is and I know how your alternative endings are ... They suck!"

The kid laughed. 

"Yeah, yeah, pick on the flower."

He just wasn't so good at making stuff up anymore, like he had been in the past. Now he was better at analysing and reporting stuff ... indirectly reporting stuff. He wouldn't tell the kids that someone actually tried that stuff he 'made up'.

Anyways the kid continued giggling for a while until they started debating about how to make up a good alternative ending. 

"... so and you are trying to tell me that that demon had actually just wanted to make friends and they should go on an adventure to find an antidote. To heal all the people he coursed. Which makes him harmless as well?"

" 'course dude what else has he left to do? When all the people he talks to get sick he should find something to heal this people."

"Well, I don't know but wasn't he originally supposed to be evil?"

"Not anymore! He has talked to so many people, which made them sick. He obviously wanted to find a friend. Now you have a new story to tell!"

This little squirt sometimes remembered him just a bit to much of Papyrus. Why were all this monsters so stubborn positive all the time. It didn't exactly made his plan any easier. Well, that was the challenge. 

Anyway, regarding this small ball of energy, he was at a lost how to involve him into his plan. An idea would come, eventually, for right now he dealt with smaller puppies. 

"Hey! Isn't that Undyne over there?"

Huh? Indeed, it was. Maybe that would give him an opportunity to do stuff. 

The Lizard below him was practically bumming in excitement at the sight of the heroine. Egar to talk, but not wanting to be rude. 

"Yea it is. If you want we can go over an talk to her. I'm not in a rush, if it doesn't takes to long."

Aaaaand they were storming of towards her.

What was she doing here anyway? 

As they approached her, Undyne noticed them of course. How not, with that bouncing kid shouting at her. He witnessed a tired smile, at the picture of the excited kid, that crunched up at the sight of him. 

Thank you very much, yeah he kinda deserved it, but he hadn't even really started yet. There were more things in progress that she should know about first to be really pissed of about him.

Or, no, better not. That would become painful. 

"Hey! Hey! Undyne! What are you doing here? Are you on patrol? Don't you hate hotlands? Are you heading to the capital? Can I come with you? I'm also heading forwards the capital you know?"

The kids was practically bouncing around her now. 

"Woha, squirt! Slow down. What are you doing here?"

"Heading towards the capital!"

"Yes, yes. You said that. I mean: what are you doing here all by yourself? Hotlands can be dangerous for a kid on its own."

"I'm not alone. My friend is with me."

"I can see that."

Undyne grumbled. Not appreciating the flowers presence with the kid. It gave her a bad feeling seeing these two together. Yes, seeing the kid helping his best friend out and balancing him on his head around the neighborhood was an unfair adorable sight. But this wasn't snowdin. This was hotlands. One wrong step of the Lizard and they both were gone. Not to speak of the chills she got thinking about the flower being unattended around someone. There was no evidence he would do something, in contrary, but ... the last time hadn't ended well. 

What was she thinking. He had never done anything wrong. Why did she hate him? Was she getting paranoid about the flower?

Anyways the child shouldn't be here. 

"Kid, you need to tell me if your parents know that you two are here. Otherwise you need to go back immediately."

The kid looked caught like she thought. They often wandered off, exploring, leaving their worried patents behind. 

"Thought so. Come brats, I'm bringing you to the ferry."

"But, but, I need to bring him to the capital so he can make his reports."

"Hey! Don't drag me into this. I asked if your parents were ok with that. You lied to me!"

Coward. To think that she once thought he had guts. What a miss. A bit to blaming was he too, it was just a kid. Of course it would lie if it otherwise meant to stay behind. 

"I will bring him to the capital for you, brat. ... You will stay back in snowdin and patrol the village for me. Take good care of it until I come back. I count on you partner!"

The kids was practically beaming whit anticipation by that new task, not willing to let down their great hero and looking forward to their great quest. The flower, on the other hand, gave her a knowing look, one smug brow raised. 

Looks like not everyone was fooled by her. At least the kid was excited.

 

Monster kid had joyfully talked the whole walk to the boat. She had picked them on her shoulders after the second time they had fallen over their own feets. Resulting in the brat only getting more exited. She sat the kid down into the boat and commanded them to stay on their post in snowdin bevor she headed back to her own task.  

"You know, you could at least have tried to make something useful up for the kid. He admires you and would certainly have excitedly made his homework if you had told him so. Now he is going to stand outside in the snow the whole day."

"Shut up, Flowey."

She wasn't in the mood to talk.

Focusing on her work, not thinking about anything else. It was already way in the afternoon and hotlands wasn't the best place for her to patrol. Even when she managed the temperature by now it was still a struggle to stay hydrated.

Better get this over with fast and continue her search within waterfalls. 

She needed to check the dumps again. Maybe the capital and core ass well when she was once there. 

"Where did you got that name?"

Huh?

"What name?"

The flower in her hand looked up to her. 

"Flowey. You just called me Flowey. Where did you got that from?"

The flower sounded wary for some reason. Strange, it was just a name. 

"... Not sure, it was simply in my head I guess."

She answered truthfully. She really want sure were she had got that name from. It just fitted. 

The flower nodded thoughtfully. Considering something bevor speaking up again. 

"We really should talk about some thinks."

She really wasn't in the mood for that.

"I don't know what we should talk about."

She really wasn't in the mood. 

"Yes you do. This whole thing with were you are ignore me and always this hurting glares. I know you are blaming me for what happened and I don't judge you for it. I would probably do the same if I was you. But, this had to stop! I want us to be friends again, Undyne."

"Oh, you do? Then why? Why is she dead?"

They both flinched at her outburst. She hasn't admitted her death since that night. Pretending to live her denial.  

She watched as the flower shrunk back into his pot, not daring to speak back. 

"I knew it. You are to much of a coward to be seriously considered anyone's friend. You only want to be everyone's friends so you are save. It doesn't interest you in the slightest if they are safe as well." 

This was wrong. It wasn't fair to blame him for everything that had happened but, it felt so right. So right, she was disgusted by herself. 

"I-I'm sorry." 

His small voice peeped out of the pot. 

God damit, he was only a child, wasn't he.

"I know you are ..."

She sighed. This really was stupid. 

 

They continued their walk in silence. None of them interested to speak again. 

 

Notes:

This story is already getting longer than planned and I don't think that it will end anytime soon. I hope that I'm able to keep it interesting.
But, I'm having fun and I think that will prevent it from getting boring.
Also, I was worried if I would be able to finish this chapter in time because I got distracted by a crossover I wanted to write as well. Now I managed both and am pretty proud of myself.
The crossover will be updated at the beginning of next month were I might not be able to write and instand need a backup plan.

Chapter 9: Tea and bad news

Summary:

Reporting to the king reveals bad news on both sides.

Notes:

Heya! I hope this chapter is good to read. Writing was fun but rereading it was bad, I hope I fixed the strange sentence structure and Co..

It was dark by the time Undyne and Flowey arrived back in snowdin.

Reporting to Asgore had turned into tea time, like no one had not expected.

Undyne hadn't planned to be included in the tea drinking session as well, instead, she wanted to continue her patrol after delivering her little companion.

She wasn't too happy as the king invited her to join them. But, who was she to deny an invitation from the ruler of her Kingdom. She would have to patrol the remaining areas after Flowey had made his report. It would be reasonable that she made hers as well. She wasn't really prepared to make her report, she originally had still few days left, but when she once was here it made sense do it as well and not waste everyone's time returning later in the week to do a job she could make right now. Asgore wasn't too strict about formalities, that wasn't the problem. The thing was that now, there was no time to break her report gently. The underground wasn't doing too well and the king already was so eaten up by everything that had happened. 

On the other side, it was probably the same with her, if not worse. He should be able to stand what she had to report it was nothing they couldn't fix and he might find a solution, he had been able to do it as long as she remembered.  

The flower started his report and she wasn't sure if she wanted to hear what this last month had brought for him. He described how the Amalgamates tried to adapt to society and how monsters did their best to include them. But there were a lot of difficulties he wasn't sure how to solve. 

Furthermore, he expounded how Snowdrakes state had decreased since the last time he checked on him. The small bird's dad hadn't taken it well that his wife had been part of the amalgamation that died and had followed her within a week. He hadn't wanted to leave his son behind but his soul had simply lost all his strength until finally he fell as well. The kid temporally stayed with the bunny family. They would happily have adopted the child but a bird was difficult to be raised by bunnies so he would move into his older cousin at the end of the month. Losing both of his parents within a week had left its damage on the young soul. The flower wanted to be optimistic but he couldn't tell if he wouldn't follow his parents as well. His last hope was that Chilldrake would be able to help him to move on but it was still a few weeks until he would be ready to take him in and there was no guarantee he would be able to properly take care of him in his own young age. The shop lady had announced she would always be there to help the birds, so at least they knew where to get help if they needed it. 

Flowey ended that he was sorry that he couldn't do more and regretted that it had to come to this. 

King Asgore was fast to comfort him and as soon as the flower stopped blaming itself they started discussing some ways to help his people. In the end none of them really had an idea what else could be done other than maybe him visiting snowdin. They didn't know if the Amalgamates could or should adapt faster but all agreed they would eventually. The king was worried about the small bird but as nearly a stranger couldn't do much more as ask about his whereabouts. Flowey promised he would try his best, the flower was closer to the bird, who bevor everything else needed his friends right now.

After their conversation died down Undyne was to report. She recited of some anxiety within the population. It wasn't too strong, mostly some monsters starting to feel claustrophobic. But there had been cases where monsters were unsure why they still hoped. They feared their kind was dammed to rot within this catacombs and asked what the point of waiting was. She couldn't explain herself where this dark thoughts suddenly came from but one thing was clear. It wasn't something they should ignore and it has gotten more. They needed to find out what leaded to this melancholy to prevent that from happening. Monsters couldn't survive without hope. 

She also told him, that two of her guardians hadn't showed up recently, probably skipping a few days of work, and that she considered to recalibrate the patrolling schedule until they returned and maybe kick them out if they didn't have a good explanation why they were missing.

She ended her report, a bit frustrated about what to do when monsters lost hope and guardians skipped their duty. They considered some circumstances that could have lead to the current events but couldn't find a convincing way how to prevent it from happening. The most promising was to give monster kid a goal, opportunities to live for, but that was nothing different from what they did since decades. What now that it wouldn't work anymore? Distract them or confront the problem?

Eventually, they left the King behind in his lonely castle, wishing they had found a solution to everything. But something like that doesn't exist. There is no singular solution for their problems, maybe there was a way to make things better again but Undyne, as well as the King, didn't had one right now and the third one didn't want one. Flowey was satisfied with his work so far.  

They finished Undynes patrolling round in less time than she would have preferred but there wasn't anything meaningful left to do for any of them.

 

Back in snowdin, a small figure ran out of the shadows towards the just returning duo. Shaking from snout to tail but with an omnipresent proud grin plastered on its face. 

"Oh no ... He really stayed outside this whole time."

Undyne whispered with slight horror in her voice.

"Told you so."

The flower mocked.

The half-frozen kid came to a halt in front of them, trying to speak. 

"R-r-rep-p-port-t-t. E-e-ever-r-rith-th-ing's-s-s l-l-lik-ke u-u-u-u-us-s-s-s-sua-a-a-a-al..."

The kid jittered, furthermore fighting to continue its report but utterly failing, way to frozen to bring out any more words. Still, he tried, the plastered grin not even wavering at his failing attempts to speak. At least someone had been happy to do his job today.  

They developed the frozen reptile to its parents at home where Undyne was frankly busy apologizing that she hadn't considered that outcome when she gave the little squirt the order to patrol snowdin. The parents were surprisingly understanding. They knew how often their kid got into trouble and were glad it had been only the snow and not a streaming river or broiling pool of lava. His mother got outright in a steam of talkativeness. Similar excited talking to Undyne like her son did. 

"He was so proud when he came home to tell us that he had gotten an order from his Idole, the fearless heroine Undyne. You are his role model you need to know. He barely waited for me to wrap him in a blanked bevor he headed outside again. He seemed to have lost it otherwise he would still have it and wouldn't be so frozen right now. You need to know, he always does things like that. You just gave him a boost of motivation to do something comparable safe this time. It's definitely not your fault he had caught a cold. No need apologizing my dear."

Monster kids mom rushed. Not stopping in the tracks to get her kid warmed up.

"Oh. Uhm. Thanks? I guess."

Undyne stammered, visible flattered by the nice woman's praising of her person. 

"I didn't lose my blanked. Jerry took it and didn't want to give it back. Also, I'm not sick."

MK peeped in from over the couch. There he sat enveloped in blankets, feet in a hot water tub and drinking hot tea through a straw. He showed off the most confident face saying that last part, trying to underline that no cold could ever get him. Then he sneezed. 

"I'm going to get my sweetie some tissues. You two can make yourself at home. If you want you can join us for dinner as well. My husband surely wouldn't mind if you stayed longer. He loves telling stories to new people. Maybe our flowery friend could share some with him again. I'm sure Undyne would be interested in some of your stories."

With that, she was gone. Leaving them to her husband who barely had had enough time to nod at her assuming and her kid frowning at his nickname.

Flowey liked it here. MK's dad was an interesting and calm storyteller and his mom an awake and unstoppable bundle of life always there to comfort and chat with everyone about everything. It was a nice atmosphere and even Undyne started to relax in one of the comfy armchairs. It didn't took long and the flower was deep enveloped in a conversation with each of the lizards. Together brewing one of the funniest story's Undyne had ever heard. 

It was good to be here she decided. After all the bad things that had happened within this last month, it was good to know that there were still people that lived their live unattached of their worries. Keeping the hope that she and Asgore tried to hold up in these times of resignation. 

She appreciated and needed this moment to rest. In this cozy atmosphere, she was finally enabled to hash a moment of peace in her storm of worry and grief. Even when it was only a little one, it was more than she had had in weeks. With all that pressure leaving her body by watching the trio in front of her she decided that she truly had been wrong, that should she at least try to trust the flower again. 

 

-

 - -

 -

 

The night had come and gone and by the time she left the skeleton brothers house, Flowey decided that he needed to speak with Papyrus today. They hadn't had had a chance to talk last night.

Monster kid couldn't stay up too long and they hadn't lingered much longer after he was in bed. The kid wouldn't stay there too long, knowing his great heroine was still down in the living room chatting with his parents and frequently peeked through the door. They finally decided to leave but promised to visit again. MK's patents looked forward to that and wished them a good night as they left. 

The skeletons were also just going to bed as they arrived. Sans like usually already asleep with his brother carrying him upstairs. Papyrus greeted them from his place on the stairs and excused them to bed. With their hosts gone Flowey and Undyne hadn't had much left to do and with the warrior still exhausted from her walk trough hotlands the house was quick to fall silent. 

Flowey had time to reconsider everything that had happened this day. He was proud that judging by Undynes and his report his plan was in great progress. Nobody had even considered that maybe his influence could have stimulated this all present melancholy if not desperation.

Subconscious was a great tool to play with.

Also, he had had a great time hanging out at monster kids. The little monster might be about to reach place two in his toy ranking of he just tried enough. But the best part of his day was that he finally got Undyne to trust him again. At least got her to try. One suspicious individual could make more suspicious individuals and he didn't need too many suspicious individuals, if any.

He still needed to find out if her accidental slip earlier had something to do with either her subconscious beginning to wake or someone else influencing.

Particularity someone bonely. 

He thought about a way he could confront the skeleton about it, alone of course. Monster kid was sick and due to his skateboard being useless within snow he needed someone else to carry him. Reasonable he asked the taller skeleton to be his taxi for the day. With that resolving two of his problems in one go.

Of course, Papyrus was eager to help wherever he could and Undyne had nothing against it as well. Resolving in a skeleton and a flower walking around the neighborhood for today. Some people asked about MK and Flowey wad easy to answer the fact that he had gotten a cold. Most wished him a good recovery, some also gave little presents for the sick child and so Papyrus and he finished their round visiting MK's house.

Delivering the sick child cinnamon buns and nice cream as well as best wishes. His mom was touched by the fact that so many people wished a fast recovery for her little baby. It reassured her, that she had done well raising and didn't had to worry about his behavior around others. Flowey held his visit briefly. He had something else to do and due to not appearing rude or uninterested in his best friend being sick he played his card being something like a doctor, at least that what came closest to one in the current lack of a real doctor below the mountain, and ordered the sick individual strict confinement to bed and lots of sleep starting right now. Of course, monster kid didn't want to sleep, instead hanging out with him, but Flowey the doctor was no one to argue with. He left the mourning kid to sleep and Papyrus and he could finally get on their way again. 

It wasn't evening now which meant Papyrus would resume to his work and he definitely wouldn't deny it Floweys wish if he wanted to accompany him. A bit distraction from his own work that from day to day slowly inched toward being depressing. Or from another perspective, was a shining success.

Alone at the puzzles in the woods would be the perfect place to quietly talk to his 'allied'.

Recalibrating the puzzles was the same as every other timeline and so they two worked silently. Catching up as far as still possible for the day. No need to talk about the mechanism if both of them knew them by heart. 

"Hey, Papyrus. Have you ... talked to Undyne? About my name?"

Floweys broke the constructive silence and Papyrus looked up from his tile. 

"N-No, I haven't. I promised you I wouldn't tell anyone about that. I'm here to help you become a better person. Nothing about that has changed."

He truly believed every single thing that Flowey had told him back then. Which meant that Papyrus had said the truth, he really couldn't remember everything. Still, that what he remembered was too much for comfort. 

"Heh, yeah, about that. You said you have a bad feeling when you try to remember what had happened last time. I didn't tell you at our last conversation but the reason you get this bad feeling, it's because ... well, it's because it was ... It was quite similar to what starts to happen right now? ... Not quite ... Anyways I was a coward back then, actually a jerk. I did do nothing to stop it and Undyne ... well, Undyne hated me for what I did. Better, for what I didn't did. I don't want her to remember it. I want us to be friends. I got shocked yesterday, you know? She called me by my real name. That name she hated me with. I don't want her to remember our differences. I don't want her bad memory's to be triggered by such a stupid thing like my name. She, she already suffered so much in this time. ... I don't want to lose her as well. ..."

He ended quietly. Displaying tears at the edges of his eyes. 

Papyrus sat beside him by now. Covering the small flower in his big comforting arms. 

"Don't worry my friend. I won't tell anyone. I know that you try to do good this time. I see that you do good this time! I won't tell anyone that you couldn't do it in a time that no longer exists. ... Let's just hope that next time everything will be fine. Next time everything will work."

Flowey nodded but ... he didn't plan on stopping this round any time soon.

"What about this time? I tried so hard this time. Why can't it last?"

His friend gave him a warm look, filled with so much hope and empathy but also with to much sorrow and grief.   

"Right, Alphys is already gone ... This one can't last if I want everyone to be happy."

The flower admitted, signing in false resignation. 

"I won't see a better future ..."

Papyrus whispered. Hearing this truth out loud changed something within the tiny flower. 

It triggered something. 

Old memories that turned his played dismay into real one. 

"No, you won't ... but ... I will not give up on this timeline, not until there is nothing left I can do. I won't give up on someone I care about, not for one unnecessary reset. Not when it means your memory is lost. Not When it means you will be lost."

They sat there in the snow considering the remainings of the skeletons one and Floweys only temporary timeline. It was cold. 

"Will you miss us?" 

Flowey looked down at his friends question. 

"Every time, every time I went back I missed them. Every memory they had lost, every live they forgot. Every time their mind got cleared I couldn't help but thinking that part of them that knew me, was friend with me, it just ... just died. I don't miss them, I'm grieving."

Once this had been true. Once he had really felt that way. Had thought he could feel that way. Now it was gone. At some point in time, it had snapped. He was empty. Without his own soul, without any empathy to give, without any reason to live expect the fear of death. With nothing left. He couldn't help to feel absolutely nothing for them. Not anymore. Not ever again. They weren't real, lost their meaning with every proceeding restart. 

He might have cried there if he just could. 

Without a soul he was only left to fear when this brief second of understanding was over, the moment he started to rationale again. When he would start hurting his friends again and again without a second thought. Trying to escape the boredom of what was now his world. He knew it wouldn't let itself to long to come out again. He secretly thanked Papyrus to enable his moments like this but feared for his safety. He was dangerous for his stupid plans. Like Alphys had been, too often in different times. Like sans was, that he still avoided him, always seeking a way to get rid of him. Like Papyrus will always be in his trust and truth. 

And then the moment was gone. 

He didn't feel nothing. 

He felt empty.

Again. 

Notes:

So, yeah, some things got cleared. If some stuff doesn't make sense or appears cheap don't hold back to point it out, I won't bite.
Anyways hope you could enjoy it and have a wonderful time.
The next chapter might or might not be posted on the 7th. I start studying next week and don't know if I will be able to hold up my schedule.

Chapter 10: Core

Summary:

Returning home.

Notes:

Next chapter might be next week she said.
Trying to uphold her schedule she said.
So, yeah, university is time intense.
But chapter is out now, enjoy. :)

Flowey and Snowdrake were visiting Monster kid. They sat in a circle on the floor in his bedroom, playing some games the flower wasn't really interested in.
There were other things engaging his mind this time. Like the passing conversation that crowded his head and he just couldn't let go.
His little breakdown hadn't really been an act. How had that happened? He wasn't supposed to be able to feel anything anymore.
He was long time over the point where such a simple thing like a reset affected him. Then, why?

He wasn't sure what to think of it but something was clear. It shouldn't happen again. Not in one of his experimental playthroughs were nothing mattered beside figuring out what was possible.

Phases of placebo regret would only make it miserable and he would have to find yet another path to entertain himself. He didn't want that to happen.

Beside occasional embarrassing moments, he enjoyed himself and that for quite a while by now.

It has been a lot reloads since the last round that had persisted for this amount of time. He didn't want to let that go to waste.

“ -ur turn.”

Monster kid finished a sentence he didn't quite catch. Both of the kids looked at him with an awaiting expression.

Huh, seems like he missed his turn. He rolled the dice made his move and picked up a card.

“Hah! You need to skip the next round!”

MK cheered from over his nonexistent shoulder.

Nosy brat, that was his card and his to read first.

“It’s not like he was enjoying the game anyway. He didn't even pay attention! Else he would have noticed how you moved his figure a few fields back.”

Snowdrake complained, obviously not happy with the flowers lack of attention.

“Oh, come on. Don't tell him! He would only win again. We have no chance to beat him when he plays seriously.”

“Cheating us no fun.” The grumpy bird countered the lizards wailing.

Were these two seriously about to fight over him not paying attention?

...

That would definitely be funny to watch.

“Hehe, it might be that you think cheating is not funny but there is no way you can deny me this!”

And with that, the over ecstatic lizard swung himself at the bird a started tickling him. Who in response exhaled a short started scream before erupting into wild uncontrollable laughter.

“-hahahahahaha- s-stop that! -hahaha- I-I can't breathe -hahahahaha-”

“Oh, yes you do!”

Monster kid responded without mercy, starting to giggle himself.

Then the lights went out and both of them screamed in surprise.

“W-what happened?”

The bird gasped.

“The light went out.”

Flowey stated truthfully.

“We can see that silly,” KM laughed “the question is why. Why did it go out?”

“Probably a power blackout.”

Flowey considered it had something to do with the laboratory being unmanned since over a month. Since Alphys absence no one had volunteered to take over her job at maintaining the core not to speak of becoming the new royal scientist. They hadn't seen them self capable to handle it, didn't understand the subjects itself or outright avoided the place.

“No way! We never had those before! We are connected to the core we can't miss electricity.”

The kid sounded nearly excited about this new opportunity for an adventure. Meanwhile, Snowdrake sounded more than distressed. Whimpering in the darkness without actually speaking a word.

“No one is supervising the core right now. There was probably a short within the system.”

The flower considered loud.

“Maybe it has nothing to do with the core? Perhaps it's just the lightbulb?”

The bird whispered.

“Of course it's just the lightbulb. That explains why the nightstand, as well as the corridor, lost its energy. Also, the street is dark as well, the lanterns also lost power. No, it has to do with the fact that there is no one supervising the core or maintaining the lab. The laboratory is still unmanned so the problem has probably something to do with the aggregate-Ahhh!”

Something poked the flowers head startling him in his speech.

“Wuahahaha! Finally! Now I was able to scare both of you! Call me the master of surprise! Wuahahaha!” Flowey could hear his attacker jumping up and down beside him. Obviously pleased with himself. Even Snowdrake giggled in the dark.

“You are pretty unbalanced right now aren't ya’.”

“Definitely,” the darkness answered the flowers request “bed rest is so boring and I have waited for ages for your guys visit!” it complained furthermore.

“You have only been in bed for about three days, dude.”

The bird chuckled, then he screamed again. The lizard seemed to have continued its haunt.

“I told you to call me the master of surprise!”

It shouted and both of them laughed again.

The flower only sat in his pot and listened into the darkness, at the laughing of the children. Sometimes, it really was a shame that he couldn't feel it, that nothing of this really mattered. But otherwise…

 

The flower returned to the skeletons house after the kid's mother had come home from grocery shopping and discovered that her kid and his visitors hadn't had kept it quiet like she had asked them to. Instead, they had used the unexpected darkness to play ghosthunters in the living room. At some point plundering the sweet section in the kitchen as well as building a secure stronghold out of every pillow within the house. After that, they had barricaded themselves within it and divided their stock. The mother was glad that the kids had taken the sudden darkness well but the fact that their only light sources were candles didn't help her temper as much as the fact that her kid had been supposed to stay in his bed.

“But mom-” monster kid had wailed, ready to argue but his mother was fast to explain to him that he might feel already better but that it didn't necessarily mean that his cold was gone. His nose was still draining like a waterfall and he was fast returned to bed.

Flowey said goodbye to the bird as it had delivered him to the doorstep and had left to head back to the bunnies. It seemed happier than it had been this morning. That was a good sign. Wait no, it wasn't. it was in total contrast to his plan, wasn't it? Well whatever, he had time, all the time he wanted.

He buzzed the doorbell, realized that that was a pointless effort without electricity and knocked instead.

Undyne was the one opening him the door.

“You also ringed didn't you.”

She frowned at him.

“Huh?”

He ‘answered’ slightly confused.

“You ringed, right?”

That definitely wasn't any getting he expected but it was true so he nodded.

“I knew it!” she cheered in her aggressive manner “I told you I'm no way possible the only one!”

Flowey was a bit clueless at who she was addressing with that. Definitely not him, due to him sitting in front of her and her speaking forward the couch.

The couch where the short one was sitting. Urgh.

“that doesn't change the fact that you almost power cut the door as we didn't answer.”

Frowning from all parties except the trashbag who released the pun.

“come on guys. to steamy?”

Great. That promised to become a great night.

 

Somehow they all ended up at Grillbyz. Trashy trash bag had for once succeeded to convince everyone to go there. Despite the puns.

The most catching argument had been that Grillby wasn't deepened on electricity instead of using his own magic to light up his atablismon. Also, the prospect of Sans nagging some other people with his puns and the prospect not to have to eat cold food helped.

It appeared that the whole snowdin town was present. Chatting about current problems while enjoying the magical light.

Of course, the main topic was to figure out what to do about the electricity loss. Most monsters were in understanding that they definitely needed someone to continue Alphys work. At least the parts dealing with the core. All of them somehow agreed that none of them had any idea what they would have to do.

What a bunch of dorks. Of course, no one of them had a clue how the core worked. No one did. It had just worked since the beginning and as long as everyone did their part it never stopped. It would work again as soon as someone returned to fill Alphys place.

They joined the conversation at one of the tables and ordered food by a violet monster without a name tag. Grillbys nice had brought her as backup. She was nice but obviously only a friend who helped out and mainly concentrated to hash a moment to share a joke while the two girls served the customers.

Joining the conversation leded fast to Flowey being suspected to help out with the core and he was fast too deny their hopes. He had only temporary been an assistant in studies and had had absolutely nothing to do with the core itself.

“Sorry, guys. But I have no clue of that kind of stuff. I have looked once into one of Sans science books and can tell you. I have absolutely no idea what it was saying. I'm more the people guy than the science guy. If you put me in there I won't be of any more help than any of you. … Expect, I can show the new one around where to find everything but further than that. Nada. Sorry.” He couldn't help them but maybe someone else could. Someone who was even more into science than he was and maybe

had a past in the core.

Sans had gone suspiciously silent at that, suspecting the flowers intentions and shooting him suspicious glares. Jup, legendary fartmaster, why not add another one to your three to fiveish jobs.

Keep them distracted and you can do everything.

“Yo, Sans. Weren't you Alphys assistant before you became a sentry. You can't tell me you aren't into science anymore, I have seen the 'joke book’.”

Undyne stated. His hints had obviously worked well enough for another person to catch besides the addressed victim itself. Everyone moved in and Sans slightly confused face morphed into one of stone before returning to his usual grin.

“heh, sure put the dude who sleeps at work into the place with the currently most important work for the whole underground. also the places with all the boiling stones and flashing electricity.”

As no one seemed to be interested his sarcasm, alternatively ignored it he continued.

“no, seriously guys. i can't do this.”

“Why not? You won't have to do everything on your own. We are also working there. Your job would only be all this nerdy stuff in the laboratory and beyond that observing that the nothing breaks.”

Someone asked.

“because- … well, i … i was only an assistant i’m not good enough for that job.”

“We didn't have anyone to do it for a month. It can't be worse than that!”

Background actor number two stated. Flowey silently giggled earning him a disapproving glance from Papyrus before he joined in as well.

Sans frowned desperately. It seemed that he couldn't really bring anything against that.

“i won't do it.”

He grumbled into his hoodie. Looking like a sulking child.

“Why not, brother? I'm sure this work won't intimidate the great Papyrus’s shorter brother. You always have your head filled with science. I believe you can do it if you just try! Nyehehehe!”

The betray in Sans eyes at Papyrus oblivious interference was gold worthy.

“you two paps? seriously? ugh, fine i will do it. but jokes on you guys if I blow this whole thing up.”

-

--

-

The next day Flowey accompanied Sans on his way to visit the king. They went there to announce his volunteer to supervise the core and get permission to work within the lab.

The king raised a brow at Sans seriously considered taking yet another job but that's why the flower accompanied the skeleton. He was fast to argue the benefits of Sans in the job and his own incapability to do it instead also the desperation of the people without light. Outlining that they hadn't found anyone else who was ready or even capable to work with the stuff and pointing out that they needed someone right now. It shouldn't stay dark for longer than a day.

After Floweys little speech the king appeared nearly convinced and agreed to their offer. Sans still wasn't satisfied but he already agreed and wouldn't back out now. At an end quote, Asgore pointed out it might be reasonable if he, in order to maintain the core, quit his duty as a sentry. Sans looked staggered, to Floweys delight.

“but we are already missing two guardians. i don't think it's a good idea if i quit now.”

“They are still not back?”

Asgore was surprised by the choice of words. His phrasing of missing sounded way more serious than Undynes skipping.

“no. no one has seen them since they left to patrol about a week ago. undyne looks out for them, of course, and we have an eye open as well but … until now … nothing.”

“That's not good. ... Anyways I don't want you to overwork yourself. Please, confront Undyne this evening. Until then you two can work on the core. It is probably the best to start your new job as soon as possible. I'm sure our friend can show you around the lab and maybe detect the issue. I don't expect you at any of your other posts today and sincerely hope you two can find and fix the problem.”

-

--

-

The Laboratory was dark and empty. Also pretty dusty what would have run a chill down the spine of every living monster.

Sans walked down the long corridors following the flower rolling in front of him. He was way too lazy to carry it anywhere so they had made a quick stop at their home, picking the skateboard, as soon as he realized he wouldn't be allowed to shortcut them down here.

It was oppressive and he asked himself how in the world Alphys had been able to barricade herself down here. For months! No wonder, in the end, she had simply quit everything.

“hey … flower … are you sure we are in the right corridor? don't get me wrong, i remember it being down here, it's just … are you sure the aggregator is in this direction?”

He knew they weren't wrong, he still could vaguely remember the path. It just didn't feel right. Like something was trying to prevent him from going any further.

“Don't be silly. I know where I'm going, it's right within the next room. Shouldn't you still remember it?”

The flower turned his head forwards him in question.

Sans frowned before admitting: “i haven't been here since a long time ago. i left, even before it was finished. some disagreement was the reason but somehow I can neither remember about what it was nor my opponent. it's all a bit fuzzy. … say, has it this whole time looked like this?”

He regarded the dusty walls and floor with a nauseated look.

“You mean like the limbo itself? Well, since I had last been here … yes, it did. Since even before she accidentally created me to be more precise.”

“Damn it!”

“I think since she excluded everyone of her work and refused to let anyone, including the cleaning services in, it had gotten this badly. I don't blame her for not keeping order. She had other things in her mind and to do. It's not pretty but at least it worked.”

With that, the flower vanished through the entrance into the next room. Leaving him behind in the dark to follow.

Entering the hall was nothing like he remembered.

The air was heavy, filled with static droning and the smell of uncatalyzed stale chemicals.

He remembered the clean sterilized room filled with unplugged machinery parts as an overwhelming sight. Illuminated by cold light from the neon lamps above and smelling nothing but new. It had been his very first job, help to calibrate the new investigation that would help to power the core until infinity. At least that was what everyone had hoped.

Now it was dark and he saw nothing. The room was a pitched blackness except for the light shining from the battery powered lantern the flower was carrying in front of him on the board.

They approached the old machinery standing in the center of the room. Relying on their small amount of light and memory of the place they had.

“I don't know how they expect us to repair this junk without proper light.”

The flower complained.

“don't ask me. you were the one volunteering us for this job.”

“I didn't volunteer 'us’. You are the one who took the job. I'm only here to show you around and was kind enough to offer some help. Now let's see if we can detect what's wrong.”

They both examined the control panel from different angles, what was a bit tricky given the light circumstances but manageable. From what they found the main machinery wasn't directly concerned. The droning signified it was still working. Just not right, as if something prevented the upbuilding energy from exiting into the system, blockading it.

By peeking around the machinery he was only greeted by the absence of the floor, or anything else expect the gigantic wires and pipes. Everything was connected to the block of control panel they were orbiting. He leaned further behind the block hoping to catch anything that might be causing the lack of producing energy. Something on its back maybe.

He was thrown out of his thoughts as the light of the lantern suddenly vanished and with it everything else.

He spun around as he felt a presses behind him. Seeing nothing but static that filled his head.

“Woha! Careful there! You could slip and fall over the edge if you're not careful.” The flower warned, standing right behind him. “… Is everything alright? You look kinda distressed.”

Sans swallowed, the static vanished from his head.

“n-yes, just a bit bare at nerves. this place is creepy as heck … you found anything?”

The flower bowed his head to the side as if considering something.

“Don't worry pall, as soon as we have fixed the stuff down here you won't have to return again. It should be enough to use the control panels upstairs as soon as everything works. Oh and yes I found a thing. There's this Gauge on the other side, still working and showing that this thing is is running low on some stuff, apparently empty. Can't tell what it needs but maybe the stuff beside the extractor can help us.”

Didn't the flower just say he didn't know what it needed? The stuff besides the extractor sounded pretty specific to Sans.

Anyways, he wasn't to complain if they might have found the reason why it didn't work. If it promised faster getting out of this place he wasn't complaining about backtracking a few rooms to pick up the liquid as well as some notes on how to use it.

Now, that he remembered the layout he could also shortcut there saving them some time.

He took the light with him and was fast to find the bottle the flower had talked about. He couldn't find any notes and so searched for an office where there might be some. At the end of a hallway, the hadn't traversed with the flower before, he found one where the right notes beside some others in a strange font were stored.

He absently grabbed all of them and returned to the machinery which was still overseen by his companion.

Notes:

This chapter especially took me a while, because I first had to come up with an idea how exactly the core works. Also it's not in my interest to make Sans the new royal scientist I just needed someone in the lap.

I haven't had time to start writing the next chapter, even trough I have ideas, and am afraid it might take even longer because there's a lot of other stuff for my to do.
My schedule practically increased from a relaxed holiday two to a exiting university 8000.

So next chapter will come. I just don't have any idea when to write it. Sorry guys. I really hoped I could make a then days rythm but that illusion is over.

Chapter 11: Liquid

Summary:

Welp, that just didn't happen.

Notes:

Golly, this Chapter had a long time to wait.
Hope it was worth it.
Not knowing/having really any time to write and then inspired rushing through a chapter and all this incoming ideas in three days might not have been the best 'plan'.
Welp, now it's done.
Have fun reading and please tell me if there are strange passages or unfitting words. My handy had some scandalous suggestions for some parts and I'm extremely afraid of not having catched all of them...
Have fun.

He didn't like it. He didn't like it at all.

He didn't like the way the flower was startled by his arrival.

Not how he felt the long-forgotten memory of a pulse radiating from the bottle in his hand. Not how the machinery responded to it. Not the way his companion watched the liquid, perturbed, mocking, before he quickly forced his attention back to the machinery.

The way said machinery perfectly absorbed said liquid. As if in the moment he, under the instructions of the manuals, injected the liquid, it simply vanished. How in conclusion to that, the all present and mind absorbing droning shifted. How the air filling statics intensed and especially not how deep within the control panel the hazy notion of a deep red thing appeared. A thing dangerously remembering him of something he had never wanted to see. Still, he recognized it's formed. Like every monster past second grade would.

They had barricaded them in the caverns above him.

It was official, he hated this place. Was disgusted by it. There was no way he would spend even a second longer down here. But his companion reminded him of their duty.  There were still thinking's to do down here.

As soon as the power was reactivated and the control panel had rebooted they checked and restarted the electricity in the rest of the laboratory. Controlled that everything worked bevor he teleported them up and with that outside again.

It was dangerous, bending space in a place like this. Were the realm in reality, between here and there, was naturally thin but he needed to get out as of there. As fast as he could, no matter what.

He didn't want to image spending any more seconds, not to speak of working down there. How had she handled it?

He didn't question why she had chosen this last and final outcome anymore. The one that had ultimately ended her misery. In contrary, he was impressed, impressed that she had been able to withstand it for this long. He knew himself well enough to know that he wouldn't have been able to bear her burden, not her secrets, not her guilt. She hadn't either, but that was in the past now.

The outcome stayed the same. Now it was his to survey her post, to maintain what was necessary. Just checking the core’s source now and then, what could go wrong.

He had a really bad feeling about his new job.

“You're lucky we didn't forget anything. The way you rushed us we could easily have overlooked something. Glad that y’a don't have to go down, now that everything works again, aren't ya?”

The flower mocked him.

“Oooohh, don't give me that look bonehead. Don't worry. You won't have to spend your whole time here. It's enough to check from the control panels at her desktop now and then, I think. As long as everything works at least.”

Sans was baffled. The flowers mockery was so out of place he didn't knew how to react. How could anyone in their right mind not be overwhelmed by such a threatening place?

The flowers expression wavered under his speechless stare.

“H-hey, come on. You know I'm joking, right? After all, I have some pretty depressing memories of this place. I-I think I'm really bad at handling it.”

The flower explained himselve. Sans wasn't sure if that was the truth but he hadn't had the nerves left to handle with the flowers twisted mind. Furthermore had he no reason to think otherwise so he disregarded it, grabbed the flowers pot and teleported them home.

He had to check if the electricity worked anyways and snowdin was the farthest away. With the worst connection through waterfalls. So if it worked there it would probably work everywhere else as well.

 

-

 

Sans was confused to find Papyrus at home. The tall skeleton should be working. Instead, he was arguing with Undyne, who should also be working. They were both standing right in front of the wide-open front door. Standing just a couple steps outside of their house.

“Uhm, sorry to interrupt you guys but what's going on?”

The short skeleton asked, startling both, his brother and their boss/guest.

“Thanks, lord! Sans, You're finally here! I can't convince your brother to stay out of it. He won't listen!”

Undyne complained loudly and at edge, to which Papyrus surprisingly quiet answered.

“No, Undyne. You can't. I'm also a part of the guard. If only a sentry this is also something I have to deal with. Not only you.”

Undyne was quite for only seconds before continuing her arguing.

Flowey was curious to know what had happened.

“I really don't want to repeat Sans question but, what the heck is going on!?!”, the flower interrupted from his place in the pot. After a moment of silence, he continued  “Is at least the electricity working again if you won't answer anything else?”

Both of the tall figures were quiet. Then Undyne reluctantly answered their question with a question herself.

“You remember the order you gave everyone, Sans.”

“Nobody was allowed near anything electric until I give the ok.” Sans repeated like he had done, over and over again just a couple of hours ago. The electricity of the core was dangerously unpredictable, far too strong at some times nearly nonexistent at others. Nobody had discovered yet how to predict it and they had built giant storages below the cities. Storing and catalyzing the huge electric potential within it, not made for a long-term break within the system.

“We knew everyone had heard about it. The whole guard was informing everyone. We were sure nobody would do anything stupid until the ok was given and the light returned. But … Cooldrake, he has experimented with the lights on the Christmas tree. Wanted to make at least these shine for the kids. … It came as you predicted. After unnoticed running out over a few days, the sudden force of new electricity was too much for the batteries. It came to a lash out.”

This was ridiculous, Flowey had been plotting for almost a week how to finally get rid of these birds and now one of them had more or less killed himself without his help.

Sans on other hand was shocked. Flowey could tell by the loosening grip with which his pot was barely held.

The two in front of then continued. Not noticing the change behind this already grumbling false smile.

“It was my responsibility to warn the people in the town.”

“No, it wasn't only yours, Papyrus! Lesser dog was there as well! You two couldn't have been everywhere!” Undyne was fast to interrupt him. By the look on her face and the finality she spoke, this hadn't been the first time she brought this argument. Flowey was wondering how long the two of them were already fighting at this point, seeing how Papyrus was already preparing his next objection.

They all were interrupted by the shattering his pot gave hitting the ground. If the flower knew one thing, than that he hated this feeling, he hadn't quite catched, when his pot slipped out of the skeletons grip but there was no way to miss the impact. He spun around, ready to complain but stayed silent seeing the short skeleton. Who stood there like an empty vessel, hollow sockets and false smile finally fallen. Then he spoke and Flowey knew that this would be way easier than expected.

“This-, this is my fault. If I hadn't … if I hadn't done it ... or… if I had done it earlier, if I hadn't waited until today … if I ... “

Then his false grin reappeared and he started to babble apologizes into the thin air like a maniac.

“Oh god! Sans!”

Undyne and Papyrus were nearly instantly beside the short one. Trying their best to calm down his panic attack.

“My lord, I'm so sorry, Sans. I hadn't thought about the-”

“Undyne,” Papyrus interrupted her, “ I think it's better if you go. Make your report. I have already cost you enough Time. I can take care of Sans. Please go and take Flowey with you. It's not good if there are too many people around. Not now.”

She did as she was told, picked the two main parts in which the pot was broken of the ground and carried them together with its passenger outside.

 

“I hadn't thought any of them would ever blame themselves for something that was so obviously not their fault.”

Undyne tried to explain herself just outside the house.

“Maybe a tricky childhood,” Flowey suggested. Honestly spoken he didn't knew much about that either. “But isn't it kind of similar to what you are doing with Alphys?” He finished honestly.

“Maybe-no. That doesn't matter. It … , I'm so horrible, I didn't even consider he would care. He never cares. For nothing, except of course Papyrus. But anything outside of his family? ... I didn't gave him enough credit. Not to blame himself for anything. Especially nothing that isn’t even his fault.”

“Maybe that's the reason he doesn't want to care.”

Flowey suggested just as they arrived at the incidents scene.

 

-

--

-

 

The following days went by in silent occupation.

Undyne went her way reporting and regulating everything that happened and followed. How Cooldrakes dust has been removed from the village's center and that the bunnies now wanted to official adopt Snowdrake. How same bird had gotten himself a cold and didn't intend to get better. How it had even gotten to the point he must be delivered into a hospital. A cold wasn't something that could be considered as dangerous but when a monster additionally lost of nearly all of its hope that was nothing to be ignored. They weren't the only case but at this moment they were the worst. Undyne was occupied in her work and wasn't willing to let anyone interfere with her. It was still her job to keep everyone safe and these incidents, her utter failure was unforgivable. She wouldn't let anyone down, not one more. Even though she was drowning in work it didn't stop her from her extra patrol rounds. Even when there was no hope left to find her again, she shouldn't forget about them.

It wasn't normal for some from her guard to vanish like that. Especially not this lovesick couple. They had already planned their marriage for next year and everything, they just had no reason to abandon everything and vanish for more than a month. Next, there was Doggo, he hadn't returned from his watch as well.

Undyne was at the end of her nerves. She didn't want to give into her paranoia but, with monsters vanishing like that, with her guard bit by bit vanishing within the woods. She didn't want to send anyone out there anymore. At least not alone. From now, her guardians and sentry were only allowed to patrol in pairs within the forest. It was difficult to come up with a good work schedule, but not impossible. At least Papyrus seemed happy to always have some company to chat with. Now that sans wasn't in her guard anymore. The tall sentry tried to hide it but she knew that he was affected by the sudden deaths, like everyone else. People had continued to withdraw into depression everywhere within the underground. Not just those whose relatives had fallen down or vanished. This all present melancholy that had yet to disappear, then she hoped it wouldn't get any worse. But it didn't. Monsters were still losing hope and some of them were dangerously close to falling.

Reports about diagnosed claustrophobic or simply unhappiness within their lives in the catacombs were nothing new to her. Not those where what scared her, it where the numbers that did. Had it in the past years only been a couple of monsters so was it now nearly the entire underground.

This lost of the positivity that Asgore had taken so long to build, as if someone was working against it. Losing relatives to their helplessness. Seeing how this imprisonment had led the scientist into unholy experiments and finally desperation and finally with this small loss of power. It had displayed then all at once how truly powerless they were.

Those living near the barrier we the ones who had hoped for freedom the most and were the ones who alarmed the heroine the most. She couldn't save people from their own mind. The past had shown that more than once.

She was glad that at least Papyrus somehow managed to stay positive, despite everything.

He wasn't in denial. Not like she sometimes went when reality got to much for her. No, he never changed his mind that there was something that would save them. That gave her and a lot of other people hope. Someone still believed in faith. Somewhen this all had to be over and a better future would come.

She couldn't even imagine where he took his insurance and confidence from, but she wouldn't do anything to change it. They needed it, now more than ever and she was glad Papyrus was there.

Sans the other hand. He seemed broken. The shock of discovering that him reactivating the core had directly led to someone's death had devastated him. There might have been even more to it but that had been the moment he broke down. Apologizing for things he couldn't control or hadn't done, to people who were forever gone.

The was no way back. No one could undo what had happened. Not Sans, not herself.

No matter how much they wished to do so.

They couldn't.

 

-

--

-

 

“Hey, Flowey.”

He peeked up from yet another puzzle he helped recalibrating.

“What's up Papy?”

It had been about two weeks now since the blackout. Desperation continued to spread like a disease. Steadily increasing as time went on.

Flowey had the quick thought that this run might have some small amount of familiarity with the one before but, … well, at not too much.

Everyone was pretty down about her another form one but, hey at least their electricity was back. It wasn't as if nobody had thought about this possibility. They wouldn't have warned everyone if they hadn't thought about it going wrong. Monsters were just carrying way to much about each other.

Speaking of carrying about each other. Flowey didn't knew why but Sans still hadn't fallen. He had even continued in his new job. Which wasn't too hard since most could be done from the computer and he asked his brother to get the stuff he needed from the lab. Sans himself didn't went near this place. Not for nothing in the world. In fact, he didn't even leave the house anymore. But he wasn't dead, in fact, he kept it similar to Undyne. Drowning himself in work so he wouldn't have time to think. It was impressive how Papyrus managed to keep the people all around him positive, at least a bit more positive than the average would be.

Kind of inconvenient.

“I know you asked me not to but, … couldn't we tell someone about the resets? Not everyone of course. Only Sans and ... maybe Undyne? You know to make them feel better. To know that this won't last forever.”

Flowey was speechless. How could he dare. To suggest telling the trashbag about his ability. For nothing in the world would he risk telling him about it. This run was way too good to be ripped apart by a something like that.

He wouldn't tell anyone and better be it that neither did this idiot.

Ok, listen pal,

“You think telling them that all their suffering, all their trying was pointless? That everything they have worked for and will ever do is pointless. Because regardless of their efforts, all they do will one day simply be reset? Still trapped underground with no way out.”

He wasn't working anymore. None of them was. Flowey needed to make sure he wouldn't let it slip to anyone.

“Isn’t that … that is how you are feeling.”

What? No. That wasn't the topic of this conversation. Rail him back on topic.

“Don't tell them, not now. I will find a way out of here. Not in this run but ... I need to know some thinks. Thinks that can't happen if I don't go through with this. Not, when I start it over now.”

 

-

--

-

 

“You sure you wanna go through with that, Papyrus?”

“Yes, I am, Undyne.”

They stood at the training area just outside Undynes half rebuild house.

He had dragged them here right after they had returned from work. Demanding her to give him some sparring training. It had been ages since the last time and he had explained her that he needed some distraction at the moment. It wasn't like Undyne didn't agree with him. She would be glad to think about something a bit less depressing than falling down for a bit. But there was so much left to do. So many reports and patrols yet to make.

But otherwise, overworking herself wouldn't do any good. He was right. They should do something a bit less demanding for once. Getting their heads free as he had phrased it.

“Very well then, here I come.”

And with that, they started the battle.

Undyne wasn't very concentrated at first. Too many dark thoughts demanding her attention, but over time and with each heavy heartbeat that stroke her pulse into focus, every heavy breath filling her ears, every missed attack that missed his him and frustrated her, the foggy thing occupying hear head lifted just a little more until finally, she was free. Free if her dizziness, free of her dark thoughts and free if the all present pain in her chest.

It was only her and Papyrus. Completely taken in their dance of spears and bones.

Until he didn't move. He didn't move and her attack was flying right at him.

Starting at a point behind her.

Suddenly not paying anymore attention.

Not to her, not to the attack.

But to something else.

Then she screamed at him to watch out.

Notes:

Btw. Sorry for the delay, I was enthusiastically writing this chapter after being highly inspired by a book I read ... then I accidentally deleted it. Without any backup. :'D
Didn't know something like this could be so depressing.
But hey, without my classes about electronics I might not have gotten the idea for the lash out and might have continued stalling around.
I know that a lash out or even being hit by thunder doesn't neccecarry lead to death, way of least electric resistance and stuff. But hey, nobody can tell me exactly how monsters would react to something like that so let me be a horrible person with this fiction. :)

Writing this chapter I feel like I forgot a lot of English vocabulary, and by a lot I mean a lot. Like through the break having reset to 'never read more English than in my textbook' knowledge.

If anyone is interested, the chances for Undyne or Papyrus getting spiked in the sparring were long time not clear. Originally it was my plan for Undyne but that was a bit lame and wouldn't fit so I discarded it but could never really let go of the idea.

Chapter 12: Anomalies

Summary:

Got to long.

Notes:

So, everyone ready to get this cliffhanger eased up?
Well jokes on you guys. Nothing happened. Nothing expect death.

“Oh my god! Undyne, what have you done?”

The flinch with witch the warrior responded to the flowers small voice was more than violently painful. She slowly turned around. Pain, fear and most of all shock, clearly written over her face.

“Why - why hasn't he blocked?”

Her shaking voice broke within her first sentence.

“W-Why h-hasn’t he moved? How - why - what the heck did just happen? Where was his goddamn HP?”

She nearly screamed in a high pitched, panicked voice.

Oh, this was just too wonderful. The proud and reckless warrior so wonderfully devastated and this question … It right about asked to be used as a dagger.

“If I'm not utterly misled, then … Undyne, … y- you just killed your best friend. You killed Papyrus, Undyne!”

The flower answered with an perfectly scattered voice, looking up at her as if he was questioning. Waiting to prove him wrong. But, there was no other answer to that. It was true. She had felt her LV increase. Increasing through the death of her best friend but ... nothing more. All the other starts kept draining. Now even faster that they had before.

“I- I- How? He was perfectly fine. W-We were just sparring. There weren't a-any strong attacks. Why - How did he...”

She chocked on her own words. Tears slowly dripping into the fresh dust in front of her knees.

Oh, Flowey knew a lot of reasons why the skeleton hadn't been able to withstand her.

To list some of them, the all present melancholy also had cost him his fair chare of hope. Also, the message the flower had told him in an now not longer existing reality, right after their exhausting training, could have added it's part as well just so he could send him back to this critical seconds. Mind crowded, distracted and without warning. Flowey had leaned how to make sure people remembered a bit more than just vague ideas trough saves and Papyrus had always been so wonderfully vulnerable for it. Moments after such a skip, the mind an body were still caught in the previous version and needed at least half an or to readapt and that when they were in a good condition. He hadn't had that time, he had been mentally damaged before the Skipp. Whit that all that was left added up and it didn't need any more than a small blow to strike him down.

But there was no way Flowey would tell her about any of that.

“I think it's best if we tell Sans what just happened. He … He has the right to know it first.”

Flowey suggested and plugged underground. He wanted to finish this fast and it was better to not give her the time to question what he was doing there.

The last thing he heard before truly vanishing from her cavern was her cry for him to wait.

 

-

--

-

 

It took Undyne longer than Flowey would have liked to arrive at the brother's house. He hated waiting in the snow but telling the trashbag what had happened was not his to do. After almost an hour, Undyne finally arrived.

Her face was filled with frozen tears and she was clinching to a dust-filled jar in one arm.

So, that was what she was doing. Collecting his reminds. What a sweet thing of her to do. Sans will probably be grateful that he doesn't have to collect his brother off the floor by himself.

“You haven't told him yet?”

She asked with a dry and bitter voice, studying the flowers careless expression.

“No. I couldn't think of the right words and … I don't like to think of what could happen if I mess this up. You know him better than I do.”

Well, he knew that he wouldn't mess up. She would do it and he had passed the time imagining some nice variations of it.

Regardless his inner thoughts, Undyne had nodded at his suggestion and together they entered the house.

Flowey had also spent some time considering where they would find the shorter brother. But to his disappointment there he already was. Standing just behind the door.

Waiting.

In some timelines, one always knew when the other was dead. Sometimes more, sometimes less. This time it seemed like it was a stronger bond then the one before. This connection between the brother's had always crept the flower out. It wasn't reasonable why it was there in the first place let alone that it seemed to accumulate trough saves in an unpredictable manner.

“I-I'm, I'm so- ... so sorry. I-I didn't-”

Undyne started but Sans only shook his head. Silently, as if one more sound could break the world apart, he took the jar from her shaking hands. In the next moment, he was gone, vanished into thin air.

His smile hadn't even cracked for one second. Frozen in place like it had always been.

...

“So… what now? Are we going to search for him or are you ok with him dusting himself out of misery. Considering he hasn't already.”

Flowey broke the icy silence. If he was to blunt with the warrior he could always go back. Rewind time just to see this unique misery in both of their eyes once again. Actually, it might be worth it, but… did he really want to die a second time within one day? Nah … he decided that he would have plenty of time and an infinity of variations to savour in it once again, now that he knew the knit to unlock it.

“You …”,the warrior growled before stopping herself, ” n-no, your p-probably right. First of all, we need to find Sans … now.”

They separated. After waiting in the snow for more than an hour, Flowey wasn't ready to go out there again, only so he could check on the backdoor. He would Undyne make do that instead, her guilt was probably big enough do everything she was asked right now. Why not use that.

He swung himself up to the second floor like he had learned to do a long time ago. Undyne would hardly pay any mind to his new mobility, given the current circumstances and he was right. The warrior left to check on the backside without giving him a second glance.

Now it was his to find smiley trashbag within one of the two rooms. He could already taste the victory in his tongue.

Sorry Undyne, not only have you killed your best friend today but also driven his beloved brother into suicide. Oh and that would only be the top of the iceberg. Without the positive idiot around people will only yet faster start to give up. The flower couldn't suppress the giggle bubbling up at this outlook.

That's what you get for refusing to play along, should have died when you still had the chance to do it without blood on your hands.

But, the trashbag want there. Where was this idiot? Neither in his not in his brothers room could he be found. Had his first attempt to withdraw really been the lab within the basement or had Flowey missed something else. Surly he would at least give them the chance to support him before dusting, right? Damn, Flowey wanted to be there when it happened. He had always managed to be there when his favourites did it. Hidden behind a soggy pile of junk, listening to an old man's last jokes, watching how a lonely dog grieves over the remains of his one love in the depths of the woods until his own misery let's him follow his mate and finally watching how his favourite toy was destroyed by another one which had simply ben to stubborn to accept when it time was up. He wouldn't miss the trashbags misery end. These were all so great little tragedies. It would be a shame to let one of them go to waste.

So, where was this trashbag?!

-

Undyne entered the backdoor to the basement. The numb feeling that had occupied her emotions was still there and she couldn't stop the dark thoughts crowding her head. She didn't want to do this anymore. It was enough but, she had to find Sans. She had to find his brother and make sure that at least he was ok. It was the last thing she had to do. There wasn't anything else she could do now.

Stepping down this dark stairs the knot in her throat only tightened. Step by step her vision got more and more blurry until she knew she was crying again. It was stupid, her tears wouldn't help her now. They couldn't bring him back. Not her, not him. They never helped with anything and now that she hadn't had the benefit of the denial with which she had convinced herself not to cry, they wouldn't stop. They all came at once. From this as well from the previous.

Her foot tripped at the end of the stairs and catching herself from stumbling she ended up knocking over a stack of sheets. Forcing herself out of her dark thoughts she couldn't suppress the confusion by inspecting the small room in front of her.

“What the -”

 

-

--

-

 

-heck, where is Undyne?”

Flowey grumbled after gifting a glance to the clock. It had nearly been an hour since the warrior went to check the back door. An stupid whole hour. What the heck where she doing this long? He wouldn't be so annoyed if it weren't for the fact that he had this crippling pressure of missing his least favourite toys crumbling. He wouldn't miss his moment of revenge. Especially not for awaiting the stupid fish to pic him up.

Sure, he had spend this last hour somehow productive. Shifting through every inch of the brother's rooms. Of course you could also say that that was something stupid to do but in some timelines he had been regarded with … interesting things. Things that could have explained Sans strange behaviour … well, at least to some extent. But no. Everything was clean. They could still be in the lab but judged by the momentary development he doubted that the brothers had repaired it by now. If they had had and with Undyne being down there … . That would have potential to become interesting. But that was probably not the case and Undyne still hadn't returned to him. It was annoying.

He would have to go himself. Screw the snow he was determined to see Sans crumble.

With his decision set in stone he swung himself to the front door ready to freeze himself to death if it was neccecarry to find his trashy target. Yay about to open the door he heard footsteps approaching. Lucky him, with Undyne returning he still had a chance to get to the trashbag without freezing himself. He quickly planted himself back into his neatly fixed pot. Looking at it nearly made it a shame that he had already gotten rid of the big one. Said one had spend so much time and care in fixing the flowers 'favourite’ pot. Anyways he was to near at achieving this rounds goal and had spend so much time in it. He would see the idiot again in some weeks. If everything got according to plan.

Listening to the doorknob being switched he prepared his most worried innocent looking face. Ready to fool everyone who might have found some suspicious little things. Seeing her entering the living room, her face didn't speak of such funny little discoveries. No, it spoke of fear, bewilderment, and disgust. He had seen more interesting emotional mixtures on her face. The thinks she was carrying on the other hand were new.

Damnit, he had actually missed the crumble. He needed have to go back to before it happened and so he told her. Told her everything. Watching as her disgust grew. More and more until it was finally enough and she snapped, piecing him with her spears. That was more than enough to let him go back. Back to the moment he last saved. Back to the moment he … choose to kick the waiting and search the trashbag himself?

Damnit, he had accidentally saved here just a couple of minutes ago, hadn't he. That was too late, that was way too late. He already heard her footsteps again. The trashbag was dust at this point. Darn, he had waited too long with his decision. He missed his chance to see it in this timeline. He missed his moment of revenge.

Flowey was pissed.

Next round would have to be it then. Such a wasted opportunity.

He greeted Undyne with the same worried false face he had prepared previously. He couldn't have his little treat? Ok, stupid things happen. He had every chance to retry it next time. He wouldn't reset a timeline because of Sans. Not again. Never again.

Each of them continued the rest of the day in their own silence. Undyne preparing a report for the evening and Flowey following his usual tracks through the underground. Nowadays Monsterkid wasn't as talkative as they used to be and Flowey was glad for the break of pretending. They arrived at the hospital, his temporary stop for the day and the flower instructed the lizard to wait outside for him. He had some arrangements to do and didn't want the kid to be around.

Visiting the sick bird Flowey realised that he had waited long enough with him and so he found the right words to end his last remaining emotional life string. Watching the small bird crumble. It was only a small satisfaction compared to what his main thread would have given him, but it was something. He continued on. Doing his usual play of pretending. Play nice and affected. It was ridiculous how easily everyone trusted him beside everything he had done.

But … nobody knew. No one had even a hint of suspicion against him. No one expect those who were already dead and maybe Undyne. He really had done a good job with this round. He should be proud of himself.

The afternoon passed in silence and as the evening approached he send the kid home to make some arrangements by himself.

By the time he went back to the brotherles home, Undyne was already preparing herself to go to the king.

“ You are really going to get through with this.”

He stated vacuous. Watching her as she put on her shoes.

“ I have to. “

She grimly stated before vanishing into the cold, frosting evening. She wouldn't find anyone at the castle. He had already been there and the king had been fragile. Oh so fragile. No waste of possibilities anymore. The king hadn't had any place in this story of his. Regardless who would become the next one it wouldn't change much anymore. He decided to spend the rest of the night on the undernet. Chatting with soon to be dead friends and seeking for hints that somebody already found out about the gone monarch. Nothing. No one had figured it yet. Only chats that suddenly died after getting a bit to depressing. Nothing new. There weren't enough left to always figure out recent events within seconds like there once had been. He would have to wait for Undyne to return. Then he would see a nice impact his newest achievement had on people. Speaking of her, the warrior was a really nice toy within this round. Regardless everything that had happened she was still there, somewhat functioning in this broken world. He was excited for her return.

But Undyne didn't come back. Not later that night, not the following day. It was strange.

Had he, on top of Sans, also missed her last moments of misery? That was possible but not likely. She had withstood so much and was at her last but she wouldn't give up now. Not after everything. Maybe because of everything but not before she knew the underground was safe again. Maybe he should check on her. She might as well still be at the castle and supervise the assumption of leadership to the next poor soul that dared to take it.

That would be funny to observe. Actually even observing her reaction to the dusty throne room would have been gold worthy. The longer he thought about him the less he understood why he hadn't accompanied her.

It would have been great.

Full of misery and despair.

The perfect drama.

Well, no better time than the past. He would find her and, after a neat little fight, reset. She had become his first choice regarding these small little things. Easy to manipulate and fast to shred.

Well, it would still be painful. But if she already was gone it would only become boring. She had lasted this long she could as well stay until the bitter end.

After a while, he decided to go after her.

On his way trough snowdin to the ferry, he noted how quiet everything had become. No people casualty standing around, no kids playing in the snow and no laughing like it was used to be.

It was silent.

Nothing but comprehensive silence.

Flowey shuddered. God damnit, wasn't that what he had wanted to achieve? Get yourself together. It wouldn't be to much longer anyway. He was nearly there. He just needed to get to the end of this game. Make the underground completely empty. It was just a game. It was nothing with consequences. It had nothing to do with him. He just had to continue. Just a bit more. Just achieve this stupid goal and he could start over again. Nothing he hadn't done before.

 

“Trallala, sometimes the choices we make don't matter but to us. Trallala.”

...

He hated the river person.

 

The castle was empty. No one there but him. He had shouted for someone. Even pretended he was in danger and needed assistance. In an especially desperate moment cried put for help. But, nobody came.

That was stupid. Had it actually been this many already? He had lost count a while back. It had been hard to say if someone was gone, at least via undernet. They could as well just have locked out and prevented the unavoidable. Also he had talked to monster kid just yesterday, hadn't he? Where was everyone? There were still some monsters at the core and in Hotland, but not many more. Maybe Undyne had returned to her home in waterfalls, if not he would go back and check in snowdin.

He passed the statute that had originally stranded in front of the core. Once, not too many years ago. Now damaged and broken.

It was decided if he couldn't find Undyne within the next days it was the robot who had to go down next. His desperately exhilarating and altogether pathetic TV show couldn't even save the self-declared, oblivious star from the mental hell trip the flower had prepared for him. Poor Blooky, all his friends and family were gone just because he was too vain to give even a single shit about anyone despite himself.

The robot had been easy. Undyne still hadn't showed up and instead of forcing a reset he had decided to do it the next round. So much about his determination. Setting goals and then delaying them like a chicken. What ever, the robot had been down within two days. It seemed like he had done some thoughts on the topic beforehand. The flower had almost been impressed with his understanding. Almost, he was still extremely annoying. All this glamour and shiny fame. Just humiliating for everyone in their right mind.

He was down and with him, it only took the flower another week to get rid of his crowd of equality oblivious fans. And then the rest of the underground.

Now he was alone.

He had done it.

Managed another round.

Accomplished his goal.

Not landed even a single hit within this time.

Welp, time to start over again.

There was only one last thing for him to do.

 

Undyne had returned within that past week. Not explaining where she had gone. Instead taking over the lead and trying to receive everyone who was left. Trying and failing. Now it was time for her to make him reset. Make him reset or fall as well. It didn't matter that mutch anymore. It was over already.

 

He entered the empty corridor bevor the throne room. Stopping his tracks on the skateboard. The room wasn't empty. Someone was standing right there, midst the golden light flooded the room.

Flowey couldn't suppress his giggling nor the upbuilding laughter roaring from his small voice.

This was just to perfect. He had thought he had missed his crumbling and now here he was here. Right in front of him. Delivered in the perfect occasion to fight. Delivered for his revenge.

“Ohoho, Golly, you certainly are something! And I thought you were already gone. That's certainly going to be -

 

--

-

--

 

- hell?”

The curse was out before she even realized it. The auto pilot she had been working on until this moment was gone and all that was left was devastated bewilderment. After leaving the flower behind to look for Sans by herself, this was none of the things she had expected to find.

The whole basements was filled with printed or handwritten papers. Granted, it wasn't a big room but still, tons over tons of paper sheets. Mostly filled with endless lines of calculation, diagrams or indistinguishable graphics and some with endless lines of text, printed as well as written. Covering the floor and stacking up at the walls and furniture.

There was a big contrition in the bag corner. Half covered under an old blanked and in front of it was Sans. Holding the dust filled jar in both of his hands before opening a hatch at the machinery's side and carefully putting it into it. Cautiously avoiding to touch the other jar which was already standing inside, before slowly turning towards her.

The relive mirrored in his expression at the sight of her was nothing that would have fitted this obscure situation in any kind of way. Neither his following sentence.

“Oh, thank goodness, Undyne. It's only you.”

Her bewilderment was only increasing by his honest relive that swung within his voice.

“You- What- Who was that? What's going on Sans?”

She croaked. Damn, she would never make it over the day if it was going to continue it like that. She couldn't even speak like a normal person anymore, not to speak of feeling like one and damn, punning in your own mind? She really was at an end.

Sans shifted his attention back to the machinery's hatch before, with a deep sigh, turning back to her.

“Good, I will explain you. I think … I think it won't make mutch of a difference anyway. Not anymore.”

He collected some of the pairs lying around before stepping over to her.

It didn't took Sans to mutch time to explain everything to her. Still she had to return later that day, after the flower was gone, to listen to the full story he had to tell. But for now that was enough, she listened. She wouldn't question things until later and for now eager to accept everything he had to offer. After all, hadn't this idea of time traveling been something she had wished for since a while by now. It was only hard to accept why the flower should be the one in charge as well as causing all of that trouble. Hadn't he been the one trying to make everyone feel better? But, yes, it was true. All of this had more or less started with him appearing within the underground and … then there were Alphys notes as well. There was no way she would miss this shaking handwriting on some of the cryptic papers. They were mostly printings with only a few notes in her shaking hand writing. Undyne couldn't tell what language the prints could be written in. They were only lines of small pictures, why should anyone print junk like that. Not until Sans explained to her that this was simply another computer font. Printed in t way, it would be harder to translate it back but save enough to keep the data without fearing that someone could easily sneak a read. He had spend most of his time, after he had found them in Alphys lab, translating and piecing together the missing pieces. From the notes, it was clear that Alphys had been more than afraid, not only of the obvious thinks but also something, someone else. She described how she researched the paradox anomalies within her own lab. That some thinks simply couldn't fit together or shouldn't be right and finally how she found out about the time skipping.

Stage through was, that she never mentioned who was causing them even through it was clear from her notes that she knew exactly who and how. She never threw with rocks. She hadn't seen herself in a position to judge and she never dared to confront anyone about anything. It took them Papyrus notes to prove the identity. He hadn't collected evidence like Alphys and now his brother did. They were manuals and simply kept notes documenting things over more than this realm of time. He hadn't needed the prove, hadn't needed the evidence to figure out what was going on. His only intention had been to keep track of it. Nothing more, nothing less. Without the changes in his friends behaviour he would have stopped it a long time ago. But with his friend changing to the worst he continued documenting. To document when would become better and to warn himself should be find the notes to not make the same mistakes twice.

There were a lot of notes and Sans told her that not in every timeline his brother got to remember his hidden collection. Sans mostly found them but couldn't always convince Papyrus to look at them, his brother not wanting to know what happened in an irrelevant not anymore existing existence. Why should he? It wouldn't change much and Sans had to agree most of the times. It was irrelevant and his brother's machinery where they collected their notes in.

Sans own stack of notes was rather small trough. He obviously never changed through a reset, only agreeing and adding to entries Papyrus had already made. ‘Couldn’t convince.‘ was a common pattern for Sans notes. The one where Papyrus refused to read any of his own or his brother's entries.

It had been in a lot of timelines and it had been in this one.

The last note had been written half an hour from them.

It was Papyrus apologizing.

Notes:

Dam dam dammmm. Ah, and yes. Have some cliche golden hallway stuff. Gonna have some fun within the next chapter.

Chapter 13: Time lag

Summary:

Last.

Notes:

Sorry for being late, again, but therefore I have prepared an ending fur you guys that you'll hate.
Enjoy. =}

 

-fun. How did you do it? How did you convince Undyne to play along? Whose dust was that? Don't tell me that was actually yours. … no response? And that hateful glaring stare … it IS yours.? Golly, you're even more messed up than I thought!”

The skeleton didn't react in the slightest to the flowers mockery. It just stood there. Watching. Listening.

The flower didn't like this silence.

The silence remembered him of the times he tried to withstand his curiosity. Totally isolating himself in hope this way he could prevent himself from hurting anyone.

…

Hehe, yup, that had totally worked.

…

He wanted his opponent to react and so he continued with his monologue.

“ … Hehe, seems like I overlooked something there. It really is a pain, that this thing doesn't play along with the resets, isn't it? So many bad memories for you and so much more unnecessary work for me. Can't we finally agree, that there is no point in you guys repairing it over and over again? I will just destroy it again and again. … Granted, I hadn't given you enough credit to have already repaired it. The times fly by when you have fun, you know. And golly, I had my fun this last couple of rounds. “

Nothing. Just this nerve-wracking starring.

“ … But who am I telling this. You probably already know everything about that from your sweet, silly, useless notes the both of you stockpile within that trash can. … You know, both of you have tried to prevent me from destroying it multiple times. To no avail of course. It has always ended up more or less broken. Broken and useless just like your silly brother. … The one that's dead, you know? Your stupid brother who's best friend killed him two weeks ago. … Still nothing? … Come on! You know it's rude to ignore someone who is talking!”

Just this starring.

Worst of all was that Flowey knew he was judged.

This trashbag had no right to judge him! At least the flower did something. Unlike this lazy bunch of bones who never did anything. Granted, the stuff he did wasn't really the nicest. But there were no consequences, so what mattered it? He only tried- He only had- … he ...

…

He really didn't like this silence.

What did the trashbag try to achieve through this starring contest anyways? He had enough. He was determined to show this idiot who was in control.

“Sooooo… You think you are in any position to judge me, don't you? Granted, I might just have slipped some useful information but, no damage where nothing is gained right? Seriously for what do you want to judge me? For a messed up past? For a timeline that no longer exists? Or for a figment that might not even ever have happened? Whatever it is you are in no position to judge. I'm everyone's friend. Didn't you forget that? I'm everyone's friend who everyone trust's. Yea yea, granted. Everyone is dead by now but, isn't that sad for me? All of my friends are dead. I'm all alone. Don't you feel even the slightest bit of pity for me? … Little old me, all alone in this cavern. … No? Nothing? There is nothing to judge me for in this world. You have nothing to gain from stopping me here.”

Silence.

This was getting ridiculous. The skeleton just wouldn't show the hint of a reaction. Nothing, nada, none. Absolute silence. … Maybe this Sans was just illusion of his overly bored mind? Maybe it wasn't. He decided it would be useless to continue trying to break his opponent's patience via provocative talking. Even when it wasn't an illusion. The Sans he knew had the ability to be determined to do nothing. Even when the decision to do so was threatening his life. Oh and yes it had already been threaded by it, even cost him the very same a couple of times. Good old memories. Some of the funniest and unnecessary deaths he had ever seen.

Welp, enough time thinking about the past. Now it was time to trash the trashbag.

Slowly pushing himself forward, the wheels of his vehicle squeaked uncharacteristically loud within the empty hallway. As if every pillar was there to reflect the hollow sound his tracks made. Golden light filling his vision as he left the shadows behind and approached his final opponent. Overlaying the cold of the caverns with the tentative warmth the last shine of a pre-winter evenings sun offered.

It was disconcerting how sharp his senses got in expectation of a first slash.

But no one came.

None until he stopped only a few inches in front of the skeleton and heard a distant familiar voice.

“You can't keep this up forever.”

It wasn't the skeletons but it also wasn't not the skeletons voice.

“All these times you reset.

Over and over again.

You can't keep playing us forever.

One time something has to persist.

What will you do then?

What will you do when you get tired of this endless circling spiel?

Will you change back?

Will you change back to the person you once were?

Do you still think that you can change?

Granted, I don't think that anymore.

You’re to fare gone.”

The flower smirked. As if this trashbag was telling him anything he didn't already knew.

“You're right, I can't judge you for anything you haven't done. The only thing you have done is this world is to talk and talking is nothing you aren't allowed to do. You're allowed to talk and manipulate, as sad as it is.

I can only ask you to stop.”

Seeing as the skeleton wasn't about to attack, the flower lowered it's gaze down at the golden pattern of the hall's floor before answering.

“There is nothing to be stopped. All of this is meaningless, as you already know and … hehe … like you just said I'm too far gone.”

“Still you don't have to continue this loop. All I'm asking you to do is to not interfere, not kill and not to reset. I'm sure we-, Papyrus would still be happy to be your friend. Even if it means nothing to you he really cares about everyone. You wouldn't have to stay alone, you wouldn't have to be afraid of what the future might bring. You wouldn't have to change…, just try not to hurt anyone. Papyrus wouldn't give up on you as a friend. He won't let you alone. …

I know it can be scary sometimes. But, maybe, a future can bring us some hope. Even if you-”

Flowey has enough of it. Vines arises from the cracks within the tiles, aiming at the spot the smiley trashbag stood.

“As if you had any idea, how it feels like to feel nothing! Trapped with a power that's hell and heaven at once. Without purpose. How everything-, how everyone suddenly loses all meaning. How everything that's left is this restless urge to find something persistent, something complete something that hasn't lost all of its value. Something that's never going to be gone, that never loses its importance. That will never let you leave it behind.”

The smiley trashbag was gone.

Not dusted just gone.

Probably writing one of his stupid notes for his next self. As if it would gain him anything. The flower wouldn't let the machinery stay intact if he didn't want them to know nor would he miss to destruct it a second time. But, that didn't seemed important right now. He was on his way to the last standing knight. Temporary Queen of the underground.

At least he wouldn't miss her destruction.

 

-

--

-

 

“Greetings, flower. … So, Sans really did as he said. He can't fight someone who doesn't have LV.”

“That's a stupid policy of him.”

Undyne nodded in agreement.

“Yes, that might be true. Still, what did you expect us to do? Would fighting, no, killing you really have stopped anything?”

Flowey pretended to be seriously considering the question before returning to his cracked smile and a low growling giggling.

“No. It wouldn't. Golly, the two of you really did give up this time, didn't you? I'm a bit disappointed in you Undyne”

The temporary Queen just shrugged.

“What can we do?”

The flower just starred at her response. This was … rather disappointing.

“… Welp, that's it I guess. … Care to help me resetting? I'm gonna bring everything back but, well you know, I kinda need help with that.”

Now she looked at him with more disgust in her face than Flowey had seen in her this whole timeline. She silently stood up and started walking forward the tribe rooms door.

“Hey hey hey wait! I can't just die on my own. I need your help with that.”

“No! No, you don't. You have manipulated me enough in this round. There are ways for you to do it, ALONE, and you won't make me the murderer of an entity that hadn't killed another soul. Not again! Not when this tragedy is almost over.”

Flower watched her pass by him and aiming forwards the door.

“Welp, see you soon 'friend’. Maybe next time this won't be a farce.”

With that, she left the room.

…

This was … weird. So much more weird than anything he had achieved so far. How had she- how had Undyne out of all people managed to stay this calm facing him with his true intentions. Had she forgotten who he had manipulated into suicide? Who had died because of his existence?!

Truly, he hadn't killed anyone directly. Still, Alphys, Mettaton, everyone was dead. Papyrus blood was on her hands! How did she-? What had these two been doing while he thought them dead. She and the skeleton. What kind of entry's had they been reading? He had made sure to get rid of the important ones a few periods of times ago. This … was confusing.

He was still curious why she had acted like that, but something drew him forwards the barrier. He could still figure out what it had been, that had gotten her so strange, within the next timeline. When he good rid of unwanted time manipulating machinery and even less appreciated notes. Reading this timelines entry surely would be something interesting.

 

Arriving at the barrier he once again in a long time noted just how dead this place was. Still, he wanted to stay at home for a bit. Not seeing anything else right now, he had enough of this timeline.

There he sat, watching the long fading memories of stars he could somewhat remember through the white-black mist of pulsing energy. As he decided it was time to reset, he touched it just like had seen others do it, a long time ago. The jolt of radiating old deadly magic, that had and will further keep them all imprisoned under this long-forgotten mountain, shoot through his unwanted form and destroyed whatever it had been keeping him alive. This hadn't been the first time he had used the barrier to die but still. It was just the wrong way to do it. Regardless, he had decided to do it. After existence and not existence in an endless void of black but also not black, time went back and he awoke once again. In a bed of seemingly never withering, disgustingly sweet smelling flowers.

 

-

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Undyne had stormed out of the throne room and into the golden hallway. Her speed ever so picking up. It was infuriating how dull she had become. Indurating how little hate she had felt towards that little weed. Just disgust and … pity? Urgh, Sans really had talked her into something there. ‘ don't fight. ‘, ‘ it's just what he wants ‘ , ‘ we can't change what he is doing as long as we do what he expects us to do. ‘, ‘ he’s just an overpowered and bored sociopath’ and stuff like that. He right he was. Better get this over with and start anew.

She wouldn't miss the memories so much was clear.

“Congratulations, you really did it. You resisted your anger and was able to stay calm in the face of fear. You resisted your hate and did not fight. … I'm glad you didn't.”

Undyne nearly jumped out of her skin as the short skeleton had suddenly appeared right in front of her. Dissolving the spear she had summoned out of reflex, she let out a deep sigh.

“Seriously, Sans, I know your suicidal but scaring me like this is not a good way to celebrate this plays end. I could have stabbed you and god knows how long this flower will take to reset. I don't want to have to wait for the world's end knowing this time I really messed up.”

Sans chuckled.

“Yea, you could say; I would have a couple of bones to pick with you as soon as we're back.”

“That was bad and you know it.”

“Tibia honest, I do. Welp is the last thing we can do but to wait.”

Undyne looked away and towards the windows. The orange glow that had filled the hallway just moments ago already shifting forwards a deep red and slowly turning into a dimmer purple.

“It's getting night already.”

Undyne noted absently.

“It hasn't really been that long of a day for us to be honest. Despite knowing all of what had happened previously, all these notes, we couldn't find a way to stop it, expect pleads.”

“at least we found something we could do.”

Sans started equally absently. Following her gaze to the window. It was silent expect Undynes small snickers.

“Hearing you comforting me? Pfuahaha, Papy will never believe me, that that was something that happened.”

“hey don't push the skeleton of the cliff we can still pretend nothing had happened.”

Undyne flinched at the mention of a cliff and sans shut up seeing as his joke didn't do good now.

“i’m sorry … are you … are you sure you still wanna know what had happened here in the next timeline?”

She struggled, obviously debating with herself Benoit coming to an agreement with herself.

“No, I know I don't wanna know what had happened here, not in the next time. Not when I can just forget everything. But, so do you and still. You almost always find the notes. You don't have a choice and when it comes to it I wanna know it as well. When it comes to it, I have to remember.”

Sans nodded and once again they say in silence.

 

After a while, Undyne got nervous.

“So, uh, Sans, how long does it the flower usually take to reset? After something like this I mean. How- how long do we still have to wait?”

He didn't respond.

“Sans?”

“i- i don't know. the notes don't say anything about something like that. just that he usually resets as soon as he thinks the timeline is finished, or he gets really bored…”

“Shouldn't both of that be the case by now?”

Silence.

“there is nothing left for him to do.”

“And we are here. There is no one else left he could ‘play’ with. … It has been hours and he still hasn't left the throne room.”

 

They finally found the remainings of the flower right at the barrier. No sign of life. No way another plant could have easily grown there. No doubt who it was.

“... How long does it-, how long does it need to-, to activate a reset. ... Sans, how long does the timeline persist after its bearer is dead?”

Undyne fearful voice echoed in strange ways the way the barrier reflected and twisted all things only to be silenced by the skeletons cracking widowed response.

“i- i don't know. i'm sorry Undyne. i don't know. i don't know i don't know i-”

Undyne cursed and Sans simply slid down to the ground. Not feeling strong enough to hold his own body anymore.

Not feeling strong enough to continue anymore.

Not feeling strong enough.

Not feeling.

Dying.

Undyne watched as now finally her last remaining friend started to crumble as well.

Feeling cold and empty.

Left behind in this endless cavern she had nothing left but to wait.

Wait and think.

Wait.

Wait in the darkness.

Wait in the night.

Wait for death.

Wait for the reset.

Notes:

Sorry Undyne I didn't mean to … well, I didn't mean to turture you that much. You just lived to long.

But at the side note: IT'S FINISHED!!!
MY FIRST EVER FINISHED STORY and god, I'm proud!
And sleepdriven. Wrote the last ⅔ in one rush instead of sleeping. Welp, that was fun and probably a bad idea.
But I'm inspired for more! (As soon as university gives me my live back.)

So, I'm open to a little input for my next fiction. (Yup,I already have another idea (since a few months actually)). While writing this final chapter. I got inspired for a plot I could add. But I'm not sure if it would be a good idea so … I'm gonna ask you guys. Especially VioletElementPaws since they wrote so many nice comments and right about amazed me that someone actually kept track of my work. Your an awesome person, (even if I don't really know you) and you made me happy just by giving feedback.
...
Anyways, here's my question: should my next story play in more or less direct result to this one (like part two of a series?) or should I keep it as an isolated one? (expect for some hints of course because I feel the need to make insiders)

Notes:

Anyway, I hope someone enjoyed this stuff and it wasn't a total waste of everyone's time. Feel free to comment suggestions and critics. I have an vage idea for the story and lot of space for ideas.