No One is Happy with This (Undertale)

24 ~ Is This Progress?

Of course things would go wrong.

It's the beginning of October. A weekend. While Sans and Alphys are working on the machine, you, Papyrus, and Undyne are sitting on the floor, working on designs for your own projects- Halloween costumes.

Last year, when you introduced the concept to the monsters, they were enamored with the idea. After all, who wouldn't want to go knocking on doors and getting free candy?

... Although, Sans took the trick-or-treat thing a little too far. You had stressed that trick-or-treating was for kids, not adults like Sans (although, admittedly, you don't know his age) but Sans still insisted on going. And whenever anyone questioned his legibility, he pranked them.

In all honesty, it was ridiculous to watch, and Sans seemed to be having a great time, so everyone just let it slide.

Regardless, you're looking forward to this Halloween.

After a few hours, Sans turns to you. "alright, kiddo. go save while we power this thing up."

You nod, and run to your SAVE point.

And then you're running back into the basement. As soon as you're in, Alphys slaps a hand down on the power button. Sans is standing in the middle of the room, between the control panel and the machine, a fire extinguisher in his hands. Better safe than sorry, he's told you.

But you notice... He's not in the exact center of the room. He's standing slightly to the left. Like, if someone were to stand at his right, they'd be in the center of the room.

Like, you take a wild guess, the Royal Scientist.

The thought of returning the Royal Scientist to stand in his spot beside Sans fills you with Determination.

And then the machine powers up.

For half a second, everything is okay.

Then, suddenly, there's a sound like something tearing, like the very fabric of reality tearing. And you feel something pulling you forward, forward to that black hole, that black gaping nothingness, infinite nothingness--

You have the wit to grab hold of Undyne, who's braced herself against the wall. Undyne is sheltered behind the control panel, and Papyrus is behind you and Undyne.

Sans stands in the middle of the room. He's standing with his feet braced against the ground, his jacket flapping against the force of the wind, papers and blueprints and other odds and ends flying past him, into the howling Void. You get the feeling that he was holding something, but his hands are empty.

So is his face. His face is just blank.

He's paralyzed, you realize. Paralyzed with fear.

You kinda are too, you realize. You can't do anything. Your heart pounding in your chest. Your arms wrapped tightly around Undyne's arm, hands gripping hers. Your muscles locked up, paralyzed. Gripping Undyne.

Over the roar of the wind you just hear Undyne. Shouting.

SHUT IT DOWN, ALPHYS!! SHUT IT DOWN!!

You look at Sans. The fear on his face as he stares into the Void. As the gaping blackness stares back, screaming, pulling, tugging, reaching for him, dragging him forward.

I c-can't get it!! It's not turning off!!

Sans' knee buckles. He lurches forward. Slams into the ground, slides across the tile floor, towards the machine.

Something in you snaps, and only an instant before Sans hits that black wall of nothing, you hit your RESET button.

And then you're back at your SAVE point, racing into the room. Hardly before you can utter a cry, Alphys has already hit the start button.

The same exact thing happens. Sans' blank stare into the darkness, then the fear.

Then he's on the floor, his hands slapping uselessly at the tile floor, attempting to find purchase without success, panic in his eyes.

You RESET.

But it happens again. And again. And again.

The next time, you're screaming as you fling open the basement door.

"DON'T START THE MACHINE!!! DON'T START IT, DON'T!"

Luckily, Alphys hears you. She quickly steps back from the control panel.

Sans, meanwhile, standing in the middle of the room, slumps to the floor.

Papyrus is immediately at his side. You're only a little slower in your approach. Mainly because your toe catches on one of the spots where there's no tile on the floor.

Which is silly. You've been working around those spots for months now. Those spots where it looks like the tile was torn up from the floor, the cold concrete beneath.

It's a little strange. Sans is so particular about his workshop. He keeps it neat, clean, any hazards taken care of. But here are these potholes in the floor--

They've been wiped from existence. You saw the black hole. Saw thing flying into it. It tore up tiles, and those spots of tile never existed.

If Sans had fallen in before you reset...

You shake your head and hurry over to where Sans is slumped, Papyrus hugging him.

Sans' expression is a haunted one, and he doesn't even acknowledge you as you sit down next to him, opposite Papyrus. You can hear the younger brother murmuring quietly to Sans that everything's okay.

You don't want to hurt Sans, but you can't help it. "Is-... Is that what happened to the Royal Scientist, Sans?"

He still doesn't look at you. Just gives a single, barely perceptible nod.

He's scared. So, so scared. And losing HOPE, you can tell.

So you have to get him to stay determined, then.

"Well, then, that's a good thing! 'Cuz no one got sucked in, and we're all still here, and we're past that point! We've proven we can reach the Void, so now we just have to find a way to reach it safely! We're doing good, Sans!"

Slowly, slowly, he looks at you. "... do..." His voice is so quiet. "... do you really think so?"

You just nod confidently.

Gradually, he takes on a slightly more hopeful expression.

Then you hear a shout from Alphys. "Sans? D-Dr. Gaster is texting again!"

§

A/N

Heya, guys. Sorry for the slow updates. They're probably gonna be a little slow in coming for a while.

I'm watching Doctor Who.

Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it! Comments and votes are my Favorite Things, and every notification I get makes my day!