UnderCorrupt

39 ~ A Bit of Help

Sans stood just outside the cell, trying to stay still.

Waiting for instructions. From Chara.

Behind him, he could hear Gaster groaning as he woke up. He wasn't too horribly injured, but there was no way he was doing any more fighting.

Chara didn't speak for a long time. They stood there, seemingly very deeply absorbed in the task of digging dirt out from under their fingernails with the tip of their black knife.

Sans knew better than to say anything. Knew that the Corrupt lord would speak when they were good and ready to speak. Knew that asking questions unprompted would very well get him, or his family, killed.

So he stood there, and waited.

Gaster calmed down, fully awake. Sans could hear the quiet murmur of Papyrus's voice as he explained to Gaster what had happened in the last ten minutes.

Eventually, Chara did speak.

"Sans."

He looked at them.

"Sans, I want you to do something. I want you to do what I made you to do."

"You didn't make him," Gaster spat, "I did."

Chara gave him a dark look. Their expression relaxed after a moment, though, and they shrugged. "Fair enough. Sans, I want you to do what I modified you to do. If you do, then I won't hurt your family."

"will you let them go?" Sans asked quietly.

Chara frowned. "Don't push your luck, Sans. It's a really stupid thing to do."

Sans looked to the floor. "sorry."

Chara waved his apology off. "Do you want to know what I'd like you to do?"

Sans hesitated a moment, then sighed. "... no. but i guess i have to if i'm going to do it."

Chara smiled slightly. "So, I will tell you, then. I want you to, firstly, go destroy the Pure base in Waterfall."

Sans waited a moment. "... is- ...is that all...?"

Chara nodded. "For now."

"Don't, Sans. Don't do it."

Sans glanced over his shoulder at Gaster. He was sitting up, leaning against the back wall of the cell. Papyrus was sitting next to him, looking a bit scared.

Gaster looked furious.

Chara walked over to the glass wall of the cell. "You do realize that if he doesn't do it, then I'm going to-"

"please. please don't hurt them."

Chara rounded on Sans, a wicked gleam in their strangely suddenly dark eyes. "I'm not hurting them, Sans. You are. If you don't do what I tell you to, you'll be making me hurt them. And you brought them here. You brought your brother straight to me, and your dad came because of that. This is your fault."

"D O   N O T   P U T   T H E   B L A M E   F O R   T H I S  O N   M Y   S O N ." Chara turned back to Gaster, who was struggling to his feet. "This is   N O T   his fault. The blame rests squarely on your shoulders, Chara. You are the one who made him bring Papyrus. You are the one who Corrupted him. You are the one who controls the Corruption." Gaster was on his feet, now, and standing right at the glass wall. "So do not for even just one second try to guilt Sans into doing anything."

Chara's eyes were completely black, now, and they gazed coolly at Gaster. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you wanted to die." They grinned. "I've half a mind to kill you now, except for the fact that if I kill you, I have just a little less leverage over Sans. Still, I can't let your insubordination go unpunished-"