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Frisk stood before the grey tiled platform as Papyrus explained the instructions to the next puzzle.
"WHEN I PULL THIS SWITCH, THE TILES WILL BEGIN TO CHANGE COLOR!" he said. "EACH COLOR HAS A DIFFERENT FUNCTION!"
Frisk tried to pay attention while Papyrus described the functions of each individual color. They ended up zoning out at the sheer complexity of the instructions.
"NYEH HEH HEH! GET READY!" Papyrus said at the end of his speech. He reached towards the switch and pulled the lever down. The grey tiles switched between different bright and clashing colors. They moved faster than Frisk could process, and they blended together into one mesh in their eyes. Frisk looked up at Sans and Papyrus, whose bodies had become fuzzy blobs in the distance. Frisk's head pounded with pins and needles and their breathing grew shallow.
The tiles stopped moving and they formed into a neat pink path with a red border. Papyrus stood appalled in embarrassment. Frisk could easily cross the path with no issue! Before Papyrus could escape with a shred of his dignity intact, Sans tugged his scarf.
"hey paps?" he asked. “what's up with the kid?”
Frisk stood on the other side of the maze frozen and trembling. Their body swayed slightly and they stared straight ahead with half lidded eyes and a slack jaw.
"HUMAN?"
Frisk blinked. When they opened their eyes, they found themselves staring at a white ceiling. They lay on a lumpy green couch with a blanket draped over their body. Sans sat on the floor next to them lightly dabbing their head with a cool wet cloth. Papyrus paced around the couch with a scrunched up face and wrung his hands together. A throbbing pain built up in Frisk's skull and body. Tears formed behind their eyes. Their mouth stung and filled with a metallic taste.
"YOU'RE AWAKE!" Papyrus shouted.
Frisk winced at the sudden noise. The tears spilled out of their eyes and they drew shaky breaths.
"lower your voice a bit," Sans whispered. "their head probably hurts after all that."
"HUMAN!" Papyrus attempted to speak quieter. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?"
Frisk gazed at Papyrus with furrowed brows, almost as though they had never seen the skeleton in their life.
"AS SOON AS I TURNED ON THE PUZZLE, YOU FAINTED AND STARTED SHAKING ON THE GROUND!" Papyrus said. "YOU DON'T REMEMBER THAT?"
"yeah, it looked like you were possessed," Sans added.
"SANS! DON'T BE RUDE!"
With great effort, Frisk turned their head towards each of the skeletons as they spoke. They tried to form a response in their mouth, but none came. All they could muster was a pained whimper.
“oh man,” Sans said. “i don't think they can talk.”
Upon hearing this, Frisk's face scrunched up and they let out weak sobs. They tried to control their emotions and stop their tears, but to no avail.
"woah, why don't you sit up?" Sans placed his hands on Frisk's shoulders and helped them lean against the couch. He sat next to them and gently rubbed their back. As they attempted to steady their breathing, some liquid spilled from their mouth.
"UM, HUMAN? WHAT IS THAT ON YOUR FACE?"
Sans looked over at them and his smile faltered slightly. "uh, can you get some paper towels, paps?"
Frisk rubbed their lips and saw blood smeared against their fingertips. Papyrus gave Frisk a towel, and they spit out more blood into it. They must have bitten their tongue earlier.
"I'M SO SORRY, HUMAN!" Papyrus said while tearing up. "I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU AN EASIER PUZZLE!"
They tried to respond, but blood splattered from their mouth instead of words. Sans ripped off another paper towel and wiped their face for them.
"I ALWAYS KNEW THAT I WAS A PUZZLE-MAKING AFICIONADO, BUT I WAS UNAWARE OF THE HARM IT MIGHT CAUSE! I USUALLY HAVE GREAT CONTROL OVER MY STRENGTH AND POWER, BUT TODAY... I FAILED."
"aw paps, go a lil easy on yourself," Sans said, still rubbing Frisk's back. "you didn't know this would happen."
"BUT SANS, THIS WAS A MASSIVE OVERSIGHT ON MY PART! IT CAUSED THE HUMAN IMMENSE PAIN! THIS IS WHY I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, MUST ALTER AND ACCOMMODATE MY PUZZLES TO MAKE THEM LESS HARMFUL. THOSE WOULD BE THE HONORABLE ACTIONS OF A TRUE ROYAL GUARDSMAN!"
"i think that's a great idea," Sans winked. "after all, it wouldn't hurt to shake things up a bit."
"OH MY GOD, SANS! YOU INSENSITIVE BONEHEAD!" Papyrus scolded. "THE HUMAN JUST EXPERIENCED A SEVERE MEDICAL EMERGENCY, AND YOU MAKE LIGHT OF IT WITH AWFUL PUNS!"
"come on, paps, it's got 'em smiling."
Frisk indeed had a tiny smile on their face. It briefly distracted them from the sharp pain coursing through their body.
"I SUPPOSE YOU'RE RIGHT..."
Frisk mustered a deep and shaky inhale to attempt to speak. "I forgive you, Papyrus," they whispered, words slightly slurred.
"WOWIE! YOU CAN TALK AGAIN!" Papyrus beamed. "DOES THIS MEAN YOU ARE READY TO RESUME YOUR ADVENTURE?"
Frisk shook their head and slumped further back into the couch.
"you tired, kid?"
Frisk leaned against Sans's head and closed their eyes in response.
"heh, okay." Sans stood up and gently guided Frisk's body to lie back down on the couch. Papyrus pulled the blanket across their body.
"howzabout you get some rest?" Sans said as he adjusted Frisk's hair out of their face. "then, when you wake up, you'll be ready to seize the day."
"SAAAAAAANS!!!!" Papyrus dragged Sans out of the room by his hood. His impish giggles quieted as he got further from the room.
Frisk's body still ached and their vision blurred. They mentally scolded themselves for being so careless earlier. However, they knew that as long as Sans and Papyrus were watching over them, they would be safe. Everyone and their mother was trying to hurt them in the underground, but for now, they would be alright. With that, they settled into a more comfortable position and drifted off to a deep sleep.