"Why was Sans at the Core with you?" Alphys' entire form is startlingly strong. Solid in a way the anxious young scientist rarely brings herself up to be.
Asgore's eyes twitch to Zero. His eyes, tiny flicking grey lights within the depth of his helmet, are the only thing that move. And yet still, nothing can be garnered from them.
One of the monitors behind him momentarily seems to loose its connection, spitting quite grey and static, distorting the image of the human souls of the army approaching, for less than a second.
Then it's back like nothing happened.
The room feels cold, and something smells like cigarette smoke.
It brings a solemn sense of nostalgia, but a heavy feeling in his chest as well... like dread.
"The same reason I did, I presume," Zero finally answers. Twisting on his toes, his steel-toed boots scraping on the floor as he looks over toward the entrance, toward a series of panels and lights, still humming.
It feels like he's caught in a memory.
"He came to the Core because it was seconds away from exploding... and we worked to make it, ya know... not."
There's a small pause.
"So... " Undyne asks slowly, "you and do Sans know each other."
It's not technically a question. A statement looking for confirmation.
He doesn't have to answer it... But it's not like he had to answer any of them. He's not being threatened. Just asked.
This is an exercise in trust, after all. And this feels like a precipice.
Zero gives a stiff chuckle; it sounds more like he's trying not to fall.
"It would be hard not to know 'im," Zero says with a shrug.
"He basically created me."
"What do you mean?" Frisk asks. Their eyes are wide and curious; a look they'd all gotten quite used to during their traipse across the underground... but one that they seemed to have lost in recent days.
"You using your question?" Zero asks cooly, not even really twisting to look toward them. Still and steady.
Without a second thought, Frisk nods.
Zero hums.
He clasps his hands behind his back, posture straight, silhouetted in the burning glow of the monitors behind him. Asgore feels his breath catch.
It's a familiar scene. A familiar monster, standing there.
A flash brings memories- the wave of a clean-pressed lab-coat, a skeletal hand holding a purple-inked pen, rolls of blueprints and schematics. A friend in a bright world filled with excitement and motion, muttering gibberish tech-words that mesh with static.
Then-
The sun is bright in the sky, they're in the castle serving tea.
Asriel bounces in his booster-seat, he's just a baby; his yellow bib is smeared with snail goo from the pie.
A skeletal hand cleans the smears off the baby's fur with a napkin. Asriel fusses, and tries to eat it.
Toriel laughs from the kitchen where she's cleaning up, the sound is sweet and warm; filled with love. The world smells like cinnamon and mint and butterscotch, and-
Asgore momentarily feels like his mind has been swallowed by a fog. He blinks and lifts a hand to rub at his eyes. It clears.
"I..." Zero pauses. Asgore grips his forehead, wincing as it aches.
Curse these migraines.
He tries to just focus on Zero, on what's in front of him.
But all he can smell is cigarette smoke, and at the edge of it- mint.
His heart aches, and for the life of him, he cannot remember why.
"Just at the beginning of the Great War, both my parents were drafted," Zero explains solemnly. Asgore looks around, watches as the other take it in, it's a story that Asgore already knows, of course; but one he will listen to anyway. If only to ground his aching soul.
"This was during the first few waves, where humans were at their strongest..." Zero's voice, a low rumble, trails off.
A chill rolls through the room.
Yes, Asgore already knows, and yet he can still feel it. The knowledge that dawns like the sun to a blood red sky.
After all, even someone basic knowledge of Monster History would know what it meant.
The first waves of the war, Monsters had yet to figure out how to effectively fight back, and without enough time to properly train the recruits for what they were up against...
Were the most deadly.
"So, probably not that shockingly; I was orphaned." Zero folds his arms, as if he could physically block the empathy and sadness that grew from those around him. Distance himself from any emotion; even his own.
"After a few years, and a lot of running from overflowing orphanage, to overfilled civilian encampments... I met the royal scientist."
"Dr. Alphys's predecessor," he says.
Zero shifts again, he looks down.
"He... The royal scientist at the time... helped me. He trained me." Zero flexes his hand. A tingle rolls up Asgore's spine.
"He gave me new purpose," Zero continues, he looks up, toward Undyne.
"Being in the guard gave me something to push toward, it gave me a way to have an income, a roof over my head. Gave me Hope."
Undyne nods; she understands the feeling.
But it's obvious she's still taking everything in, still processing.
"And being friends with the Royal scientist and his team, with King Asgore... gave me a family."
Asgore smiles, the warmth in his chest offsets his headache a bit.
"I don't get it," Undyne says bluntly, "how does that explain why Sans was there with you at the Core?"
It's vaguely obvious that she does understand, she just can't believe it. Refuses too, maybe.
People will do a lot to retain their world-view, to retain what they think of people.
People will do a lot to stay sane.
Zero doesn't speak, just letting out a low sigh...
"Sans-" Alphys speaks up, and suddenly all eyes are on her.
She swallows tightly. "S-Sans was..." Alphys swallows tightly, she looks at Zero.
Zero nods.
Undyne still looks unsure, shifting.
And Asgore really can't blame her. Sans has put up quite the front.
If he hadn't been already in the know, it would seem like quite the leap in logic for the apathetic jokester of Snowdin town, had once been...
"The first royal scientist," Alphys completes.
—Zero doesn't nod, he doesn't move.
He doesn't agree with her, and therefore, he isn't the one lying.
He can feel a shadow leaning over his shoulder, watching, waiting. Knowing the lie, but knowing just as well it's necessity.
...Right?—
--------------
So ik it was kinda melancholy, but the scene with Gaster and Baby Asriel was just SO CUTE so i had to draw it :)
(Full un-cropped version on my Tumblr, @ Ninathenope)