"Uh.. I-'m.. I'm just passing by. I can understand this looks suspicious!" Palette excused himself. He gripped Broomie, pulling it off the post.
"I'm Palette, Palette roller! I'm actually Ink's son. I'm trying to get to Sciencetale so I can find a crown for my other dad Dream!" Palette stared at sans nervously. He didn't want to break eye contact and make sans suspicious that he was lying. Well... not that Palette hadn't lied throughout this entire adventure, lying seems to be a trend with him. Sans intimidated him though, who knew a stumpy skeleton could frighten him so.
Sans sighed, his pupils returning.
"Yeah, you look like-... wait did you say you're the son of Ink and.. and Dream?" His expression flashed to confusion. Palette nodded, pointing to his star eyed pupils.
"Yeah, their magic fused. Although, my dad Ink has like.. a billion other kids. He always gets me confused with them." He shrugged. Sans blinked twice, before exhaling sharply.
"I've learnt not to question Ink and those AUs. They work off different logic than... normal logic." Sans scratched his neck.
"How do I know that you aren't working with that... error me or that... genocide survivor me?" He asked, leaning over his guard post.
"Well, uh... I guess you just gotta believe me? I mean... I don't look like trouble, do I?"
"Neither did Geno." Sans sighed. He sat up, pulling something from underneath his post. It was a bottle of ketchup, it clinked with his teeth as he gulped a drink.
"Alright Roller, what did you need?" Sans closed his eyes, laying his head against his hand. A brush of wind came by, pushing Sans's hoodie against his back.
"I'm trying to get to Sciencetale." He reiterated eagerly. Sans took a moment to enjoy the silence, he didn't really appreciate the AUs being tossed back into his life. But as long as he personally wasn't going to be pulled into this, he wouldn't mind hearing out what this strange teenager wanted.
"Sci, huh? Y'know, I've gotta ask. Why Sciencetale?" Sans asked, tilting his head.
"We're basically the same person, any specific reason why I can't help you and you can get out of my hair quicker considering I don't have any?" Sans's low voice was smooth. His blank smile never ceasing.
"Well, Uh... What do you know about my dad? Dream, at least. I don't know much about the AUs because... I wasn't ever really allowed to explore them outside of the few my dad did let me" Sans took another gulp, thinking for a moment.
"Now that you mention it. I guess I dunno a lot about Dream so I can't help yah too much, there. It sure would be a nightmare to deal with his constant energy though." Sans joked. Palette giggled, not fully understanding it but appreciating the attempt nonetheless. Some more wind blew against the two.
"I do know that he is the Guardian of positivity."
"Everyone knows that." Palette sighed. This guy was no help. Sans lazily shrugged, he couldn't be bothered being of actual help.
"Well. Why aren't you allowed to explore the AUs? You don't have reality ripping powers that can destroy the next four timelines?" Sans questioned suspiciously, Palette laughed lightly.
"Oh man I wish. I don't think any of us have that power to be honest. I guess the closest would be PJ? Considering he's both Ink and Error's son, but he can't destroy an AU permanentl-"
"Woah woah hold on!" Sans raised a hand, silencing the young teenager.
"I thought you said Ink and Dream were your parents. Are you saying Ink and Error of all people have a kid!?" Sans couldn't help but laugh a little at the thought. Error?... And Ink? Didn't those two despise each other? In fact.. Wasn't Ink ace?
"Yeah well. Ink has a lot of kids. There is my older brother PJ, he's the oldest... oh wait no. Gradient is the oldest. Then there's PJ, no.. No. There is gradient, blue screen, PJ... then there is me... My younger brother Blueprint, Stain, then there is Scissors and Smudge and... how many more?" Palette muttered, counting on his fingers. Sans blinked.
".. Isn't your dad asexual?" Palette nodded.
"Don't worry. Majority of us were formed through accidental chaotic creation magic. So you can blame him." Palette smiled, shrugging. Sans laughed a little more.
"Wow. For an ace, he sure knows how to mix his paint." Palette nodded. Yeah. Ink... never really took responsibility with all the kids that were formed. They were all usually dumped onto the other twelve damn kids to raise.
"Anyways. Sciencetale." Sans reminded Palette. The young teen nodded again, they kept getting sidetracked.
"Well... I think I know a way of helping you across. But, considering you've already made a mess..." Sans began irritability "that's gonna be harder. I can't just explain your sudden vanishment to Papyrus." He shrugged, making up a word.
"A mess? How?" Palette wiped some more snowfall off his shoulders.
"Well, I'm not entirely sure how it works... but I don't want that gltichy one coming down to destroy everything I know because one little mishap occurred." Classic shuddered at the thought of his world collapsing just because some teenager crashed here.
"Can't you just fly off on that broomstick you got there?"
"I can't. I've tried to make it get up but Broomie's not wanting to."
"Broomie. Right." Sans fell silent again. As they did, the sound of frantic crunching of snow was heard. Papyrus approached them rapidly.
"Brother! I returned the human to their guardian!"
"... Cool, paps."
"Young Palette! Did you learn about the whereabouts of your parents!"
"... What?"
"Uh, sure did Mr Papyrus!" Palette nodded, lying. Sans gave Palette a funny look. He knew that Papyrus knew of the AUs as well... perhaps Palette didn't want to frighten him.
"Brilliant! Come along, you can help me recalibrate my puzzles and you may rest with us for the night!" Papyrus smiled, Sans's expression tightened uncomfortably.
"But don't you think his uh... parents will be worried about him?" Sans smirked a little. Papyrus was jogging on the spot, keeping his body pumping.
"I'm sure they won't mind that their son will be filled with some of my delectable cooking! Come along, to restore your energy!" Papyrus pumped his legs forward. He ran with such energy and spunk that Palette couldn't help but try and mimic him.
Before long, Palette realized that sans had stayed behind. He looked back.
"Uh? Mr Papyrus, what about Sans?" He asked, Broomie leaving a trail in the snow. He was struggling to copy Papyrus's silly walk with such a heavy brush.
"Nyeh? Oh! That lazybones will catch up shortly, I'm sure of it." He spoke coolly. Palette didn't respond as he followed Papyrus back through 'Snowdin'.
Snowdon had such happy vibes to it. Lights lined up along the building he crash landed behind. It was a shop, apparently. His eyes fell to the Inn beside it. The citizens of Snowdin hustled and bustled through the snow, the wind not bothering them.
Palette had no idea how wind was occurring in the underground. But, it probably had something to do with magic..
Some people stared at the younger skeleton. Obviously he looked out of place. A third skeleton? Papyrus had mentioned there were only two. So.. He probably sticks out like a sore thumb. A few waved to the great Papyrus as they passed a more house.
The wooden, Christmas aesthetic of the town brought a soothing sense of relaxation onto the teenager. He could've sworn that there were jingle bells in the air.
Palette continued to heave the heavy brush behind Papyrus until they got to an extremely large house, in fact, it was so large that it stood out from the rest of the other houses which were one story.
It's dark oak walls and pine door was complemented by the two letterboxes besides it. One being well empty and the other having all sorts of spam mail and letters barely being stuffed in.
"Come along, young Palette! Allow my cooking to replenish your strength! I imagine that brush would be quite the challenge to carry." Papyrus smiled, holding the door open for him. Palette smiled back, shaking some snow off his white boots.
After walking inside, Palette took in the surroundings. It was a warm, quaint home. Sans laid on the couch lazily, not asleep but not fully awake either. Palette blinked. Wasn't... wasn't Sans still at his post? They had left him behind!
"Of course you used your shortcut." Papyrus muttered, unimpressed. Sans didn't respond other than raising his arm, giving a thumbs up.
"Anyways Palette. You take a seat on the couch besides my older bro, you two can keep talking while I prepare you some refreshing pasta!" Papyrus nodded as he walked into the large arc leading into the kitchen.
The flooring was soft, Palette immediately heard clambering in the kitchen. He quickly pulled Broomie to the couch, sitting it on his lap as he sat besides Sans.
"Do you know how to get from AU to AU?" Sans asked, opening an eye. Palette shook his head.
"I got here by my brother's magic. I'm not entirely sure how he does it. He can only visualize AUs that he can see..."
Sans smiled, that's where Palette's brother must've gotten confused. The classic AU is apart of the original timeline which went from
Sciencetale
Undertale
Geno-tale
Error-tale.
All the four AUs were connected together as one massive timeline. So, that brother must've sent him to the AU closest to sciencetale.
"Lucky for you, I can help you get to Sci." Sans smiled. Palette's eyes lit up hopefully, he scrambled to his knees and practically lit up through room with his grin.
"Really!?" He asked. Sans nodded again.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not that good at travelling AUs myself. But, if it's in the timeline, I can technically do it." He shrugged. Palette leapt up joyfully, pumping his hand in the air.
"Yes yes yes! Thank you so much, sir! You're doing me a massive favor!" Palette cheered. Sans gestured for Palette to lower his volume.
"No need for the sir, you'll make me feel old. Just call me Sans. But I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this because the sooner you leave, the less chance my friends and family are in danger." The adults reiterated, the skeleton smoothing a hand into the air. Palette calmed himself, nodding.
"Right. That's fair. Super sorry, Mr Sans."
"No need for the Mr either. Just sans is fine." Sans hoisted himself off the couch with a puff, he took one look at the stairs.
He considered his options for a moment, glancing over at the teenager and the large paint brush. He sighed in a frustrated manner.
"You won't be able to carry that thing upstairs without help, can you?" Palette replied with a shake of the head. Sans nodded, he took the brim of Palette's hat.
With a blink, they were at the top of the stairs. Palette looked around, seeing faint blue magic fade from around them.
"Woah! What?" He glanced around. Sans raised an eye.
"Teleportation? Every sans can do it."
Palette sighed, shaking his head.
"I'm not considered a Sans."
Before Palette could question him any further, the skeleton in front of him brought the hand which gripped his hat and snapped his finger, suddenly flames licked at the bottom of his door.
"I can teleport to any AU in the timeline with this."
"Did you just start a fire in your own room!?" Palette gasped, a little nervous to walk in.
"Nope. That's just indicating the magic is working." Sans opened it, inside there was a dark void. Palette gulped, his grip on Broomie tightening.
"Walk in and you'll be at the front door of my pal Science. He'll help you with what you want. Information was it? Just tell him Classic sent yah and he'll help." Sans pat Palette on the shoulder.
The young teen listened to the clambering down stairs, feeling guilt that he would be leaving Papyrus in the blue just like he left his family.
"Kid, I'll explain everything to him. Don't worry." Sans could sense Palette's guilt. He nodded, not wanting to over stay his welcome.
"How do I know this will take me straight to Sciencetale?" Palette tilted his head. Sans shrugged.
"Not entirely sure how it works m'self. But, it usually does. Just reiterate where you wanna go and it'll take you there."
Palette sighed.
He thanked Sans for his help, telling him that his help would not go unappreciated. Sans shrugged, before teleporting back downstairs and onto the couch.
As Palette stepped into the void, he dropped.