Branches On A Tree

Calling the Big Guns

It took a while, but Undyne eventually had a soda to drink. Her whole face wrinkled up with disgust and her shoulders tensed their way up to her ears.
The group looted what they could from the vending machines to bring with them. Alphys longingly glanced the soda cans in her arms, but she determinately shook her head when Undyne offered her some.
The fish monster perked up remarkably after restoring some energy, and the rest of the way back to the lab was eventless and calm. However, they were all still very much on edge and ready for action, much concerned for each other's safety. Especially Undyne, though with replenished energy was still not completely restored to her usual self. Proper rest was in order.

Finally back outside the laboratory, they called Toriel on the phone, and she opened the door to let them inside. She did so in silence, greeting them with a face creased with worry that clearly spoke for itself. Papyrus immediately picked up on it, and a sting of concern spread like a jolt of electricity from his soul through his entire body.

"WHAT'S WRONG?" he asked, taking a step closer to the old queen. "DID SOMETHING HAPPEN TO SANS??"

Toriel sighed, her posture dropping noticeably. Her face relaxed and a gentle smile replaced the previous expression, but the faux calmness did not fool Papyrus. Not this time.

"WHAT'S WRONG?" the tall skeleton repeated his question even louder than before, his eyes burning with concern.

Toriel exhaled, deflating her posture even more. "I don't know, dear..." she confessed mumbling softly, and gently clasped her hands in front of herself. "It seems like he... Well, first of all he woke up earlier. Frisk spoke to him."

"HE DID?? BUT THAT'S GREAT NEWS, ISN'T IT?" Papyrus exclaimed loudly, his clenched hands flying up to his chest with excitement, almost not letting Toriel finish her sentence before he reacted. In this situation, he had to grasp every ounce of hope that he could get.

"Yes, but you see... he was very confused. He didn't recognize Frisk, or me. I fear that he might suffer from some form of memory loss."

A few moments of silence passed. Undyne eyed Papyrus nervously, before turning to Alphys for assurance.

Papyrus wasn't sure how to respond. He could no longer control his hands; they were shaking in an odd trembling rhythm as he contemplated the old queen's words.

"Are you s-sure??" Alphys nasal voice asked and the yellow lizard stepped forward, her clawed hand fumbled with her glasses in an inelegant manner. She tried to look up towards Toriel, but her look faltered nervously.

"I am," Toriel replied, her face creased once more.

Papyrus glanced at Alphys intensely, as if she had a solution to this complication, but she looked no less worried than Toriel. That only meant one thing! The most obvious solution of all! He shook his head and straightened his spine, determined to make his hands stop shaking.

"I'M GONNA TALK TO HIM THEN! SURELY HE'S GOT TO REMEMBER HIS OWN BROTHER, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S ME," Papyrus felt a flutter of hope, slightly reassured by his own words and walked up to the elevator, leaving everyone else behind.

"Dear, he's sleeping again," Toriel called after him but made no effort to either stop him or follow. "And Frisk is sleeping too, they've been so worried."

"THAT'S OKAY," Papyrus replied. "I WON'T WAKE THEM UP."

-

Toriel sighed again and tiredly rubbed her head. Her anxious demeanor was already rubbing off on Alphys, the scientist's mind suddenly cluttered with thoughts of things she could have done to prevent this from happening. Her face wrinkled into a stake grimace as overthinking caught her in its grasp. She should have listened to Undyne when she told her to stay behind, maybe this could all have been avoidable? Maybe if she had been quicker, or picked a different kind of medicine, or-