NovaTale

Chapter 21 - Part 1: The Truth Within The Lies

The silence, which used to calm him down and allow him to think, now felt eerie and only served to raise his hackles. Why the hell would they be in the Ruins of all places?  Even Strife hadn't made a peep since they'd entered, and that was saying something. The dim light that spilled through the halls didn't seem to calm his nerves at all either. Instead, every hint of movement within the shadows caused him to ball his fists and hope they'd be through this area as soon as possible. There was something about all of this that gave him a really bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Like his impending doom was right around one of these corners, simply waiting to spring forth and attack. 

When they finally rounded the bend and the large, thankfully empty, staircase into view, the sigh of relief that escaped from both himself as well as Strife made Gaster turn and shoot them both an incredulous look. Trying to play it off and look cool, Sans cleared his throat and attempted to adopt his best lazy grin while both arms folded over his chest and leaned into the wall. "What?! I was only doin' it to make Strife feel better about being scared!" Now, they were both staring at him incredulously. 

"Fine! Believe whatever you want!" was Sans' response, which came out a little too exasperated for the nonchalance he was trying so desperately to pull off. He knew neither of them were buying it, but it was his pride on the line now. He simply kept walking, even though he had no idea where he was supposed to be going, but turning around would allow them to see that they were right.....

.....and he wasn't about to give them the satisfaction. Strife especially.   

When he reached the stairwell that extended upward toward the landing of the foyer, which would inevitably take them into the main floor of the house that Toriel and Asgore used to frequent while visiting people closer to the area of Snowdin, Sans let out an uneasy breath and did his best to try and block out all the memories that now inundated his mind. Frisk; bleeding and broken, reaching up for him before disappearing into a billowing cloud of dust. Frisk again, her pleading eyes begging him for a forgiveness she didn't at all understand, and one he hadn't been willing to give; her soul extended toward him as a sort of peace offering...... 

He ran up the stairs, gulping down stale air as he went until his last step took him into the house itself. When he glanced back down over his shoulder, Sans was distantly aware that Gaster and Strife were also running; however, they did so to catch up to him. And so he waited, turning once they both reached the landing with him and headed toward the front door.... only, instead of them continuing to follow suit, Sans felt a bony hand as it reached out and gripped his shoulder; a silent signal to turn and face him. "What? D'you need to go first or somethin'?" Sans asked, watching his old mentor's reaction with wary eyes. Gaster nodded, but instead of walking around him to lead them out the front door, he headed the other way and began down a hallway Sans rarely frequented. They first passed what used to be Asriel's old room, and Sans grew even more suspicious when the older skeleton stopped in front of Toriel and Asgore's room and reached into his pocket for something. The dim hallway light glinted off of another small silver object, which Sans assumed to be another key. 

"This place gives me the creeps..." muttered Strife, causing Sans to jump, whipping around in an effort to cover it up before he looked at her. She'd been so quiet after they'd entered the Ruins, especially within this house, he'd nearly forgotten she'd taken up walking in his shadow. Her arms were wrapped around herself as if to hug her own chest; a familiar gesture he remembered seeing Frisk do from time to time while they were anywhere within the vicinity of Snowdin. Only hers had been due to the cold.... Right now, however, he knew it was no longer the cold that had her teeth chattering. He extended a supportive hand and placed it on her shoulder. "Don't worry. If the boogie man jumps outta the shadows with a taste for fishy elven women, I got your back." he said with a grin. That she didn't hit him was a genuine surprise to Sans. Instead, she glared from beneath her lashes and shoved her way past him. "He's leaving us behind, dumbass." was the last thing she said before Sans turned to see that Gaster hadn't entered the door he'd assumed, but was instead standing in front of the door at the very end of the hall....