((Hey everyone! It's been a few weeks, so I figured I'd sit down, crack my knuckles and put out another chapter. With every one, we draw ever closer to the end, and I just want to say how amazing you've all been with your support for both me as well as this story. I'm grateful to you all, and I hope the care I've taken while crafting this story will show just how much.
So, without further ado.....
The song for this chapter is so important. While writing this, I found that the words simply flowed freely from my hands while the music wistfully sang to my soul and gave it the words needed to make this chapter what it is. I hope while you listen as you read, it's presence in the background will only enrich the experience and allow you to feel what I did. If you also pay close attention, it applies to way more than one or two characters. ;)
Artist: Jason Walker
Song: What If I Told You
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QLbxK29A9Y (Best if placed on repeat before you begin.)
I also have yet to proofread, but wanted to get this out to you. You've been advised. ♡ For everyone reading, drop me a comment letting me know your thoughts. I'm very eager to read them and see how the unfolding events are effecting your view of what's going on. ^^
And as always, I love you all from the bottom of my heart, and I truly hope you enjoy!))
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength.....
.....While loving someone deeply gives you courage." ~ Lao Tzu
When they stepped through what was the door that lead in and out of his garage, Sans turned a curious eye toward Gaster, who gave a hopeful grin and proceeded to walk past him. Shaking his head, he followed; hearing footfalls crunching in the snow and knew that Strife was falling into step behind him. Well, if it hadn't been that, the exclaimed "Holy Shit!" that came from her, followed by violent teeth chattering the very instant the portal took them from Stormcity and dropped them into Snowdin would've been a dead giveaway. Sans snorted a laugh, causing Strife to narrow a jaundiced eye on him. "At least I have an ass to freeze off." she sniffed; nose in the air as she stormed past him. He stifled his laughter while trailing behind her as she followed the fast paced Gaster, who was apparently walking with purpose as his long strides had his confused followers nearly jogging to keep up.
"So, where we headed anyway, G?" Sans asked, noticing the direction he was leading them in and frowning in confusion. Gaster merely shook his head, pointing forward; a clear sign that he wasn't going to get any answers until his old mentor was good and ready to give them. He also noticed that the elf next to him was growing just as wary as he was when they both spotted the door to the Ruins that loomed in the distance. Maybe Sans had missed some clue about Frisk, and Gaster was going to show them? Or had she been taken there? With that train of thought rising into his mind, his steps picked up pace even more so until he was sprinting. If they were going into the Ruins, Sans knew they'd be needing his key. Racing past both of his companions, he reached the giant metal door and dug his hands in his pockets; feeling only emptiness aside from the few balls of lint that occupied the spaces. One hand came out only to rise up and slap the palm of it into his forehead.
"I'm such a dumbass. How the hell could I have lost that damned key?! We're gonna have to go look for it if you wanna get inside, 'cuz it's literally the only one." both palms then came up and scrubbed his face. "Asgore is gonna have my ass for this. He gave me that key after I swore I wouldn't lose it, and now....." his voice trailed off when he saw Gaster signing, telling him not to worry before he slipped his own hand into a breast pocket to retrieve a small silver object. Sans eyed first the key, then the skeleton holding it before his gaze dropped to watch Gaster unlock the door and pull it open. Waiting to hear the sound of rusted hinges groan, he was shocked once more when the only thing heard was the snow as it was pushed aside by the bottom of the giant, swinging object. Small balls of light ran the length of the long hallway extending out before them, and Gaster made a point to gesture for the both of them to make their way inside. After they'd all entered, Sans was beginning to grow more and more suspicious when Gaster once more took the lead and continued to guide them toward an unknown destination.
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....
One Sans had never been inside.
A soft click echoed back to him as the door was unlocked, then opened. Gesturing for the two to proceed inside before him, Sans did so, but was definitely hesitant. The room was pitch black, save for tiny lights that spread over a vast space. There were many different colors too. Some blinking, others wavering between extremely bright and fairly dim while the rest pretty much stayed the same. "Uhhhh.... G? What's goin' on? Why'd you bring us here? " Then Sans heard a switch being flicked and the lights came on, leaving his mouth open in sheer awe and confusion. "What the-........" was the only thing he could say, and saw his own surprised exasperation mirrored on Strife's face while she too took it all in. All around them were different types of machines. Some with computers sitting beside them, others with tools and even devices for experimentation strewn about the desks and tables dotting the space. It was most definitely a laboratory, but how long had it been here? And just what exactly was he doing in here that had to do with Frisk?
When their eyes met, Sans noted the hesitation in Gaster's. Read the sorrow and guilt so clearly on his face, he may as well have soaked himself in it. What was causing those feelings within him was the question, and he was thoroughly terrified of any answers headed his way. "Alright, G. You know damn well I ain't patient when it comes to shit like this, so just spill it." Gaster's index finger rose, asking him to wait while the skeleton removed his cape and placed it over a nearby chair. He then took a few steps over to one of his machines, grabbed a remote control and pressed a button. A small box that'd been carefully hidden behind the bunched fabric at his neck lit up in response and the quiet sounds of white noise began emanating from it. Intrigued, Sans leaned back against a free piece of wall and folded his arms over his chest; eager to see where this was going. Next, he pulled two wires, so thin they were nearly invisible and attached them to two small circular band-aid looking things that were stuck to the temples of his skull. Sans hadn't noticed them before due to the fedora. To his surprise, Strife walked over next to him and leaned against the same wall, not saying a word. She too watched with the same level of intrigue. Finally, after several impatient moments, Gaster began to move his mouth, forming silent words.... only now, they weren't silent at all.
"What do you think of this nifty little gadget?" came a tinny sounding voice that flowed from the little box at his neck while the words were formed from his mouth. It was a sort of unnatural sounding voice, in that it sounded more like something that would come from a robot or computer, but the inflections with which the sentences and words were conveyed were far too organic to be robotic. Overall, the whole thing, while an astounding accomplishment in it's own right, was still very disconcerting. It also stunned both Strife and Sans enough that they were both shocked into an uncomfortably long, awkward silence. Sans was the first to finally reply.
"That's so badass, G! How'd you come up with somethin' like that?!" his exclaimed comment was quickly followed by Strife's. "Is the voice coming from that little box thingy around your throat...... er..... I mean... where your throat should be?" her eyes then lowered. "Sorry, no offense." she amended. "None taken." Gaster quickly said to try and ease the conversation back into something more comfortable. His attention reverted back toward Sans before he finally answered.
"I knew there would come a time when I would need the ability to speak with more than just my hands; so roughly five years ago, I began working on this. I call it the Vocalizer. It's linked to this computer here." he said, pointing toward the laptop sitting on a table next to him. "The electronic pulses from the specific brainwaves for speech patterns are captured and conducted through these wires into this little box. Then, it sends a signal to the computer program I created, which was specifically designed for this project. The program scans the brainwaves, meticulously piecing them together until they inevitably form the intended sounds. The program scans these sounds, subsequently connecting them with the words that are as close a match as possible before sending those words back into this device at my throat. Finally, the small audio speaker within projects the sound patterns fed from the laptop and viola! I'm able to speak!"
"What'd you call it again, G?" Sans said moments later, to which Gaster turned and replied "The Vocalizer!" Sans grin grew as he then retorted "Y'know, y'really shoulda' called it a Bluetooth." Gaster's expression changed, looking more confused by the second when he finally replied "Now why on Earth would I call it such a thing? The only thing those devices are good for is allowing someone to talk han-...." the immediate glare that followed upon the abrupt halting of his words was so comical, Strife had to turn around to keep from bursting with laughter. Sans on the other hand only egged the other skeleton on. "What was that, G? I don't quite think I heard ya'. They allow people t'do what now?" Despite the scowl deepening upon Gaster's face, Sans spied the twitch at the corner of his mouth when he finally finished with a "Hilarious as always, Sans." and abruptly turned on his heels to walk toward the opposite side of the room. A splutter sounded from behind them both, causing Sans to turn just in time for Strife to bend over and burst into guffaws. It was the first time Sans had ever heard her laugh like that, so his smile softened at finally being able to see something of the softer side he knew she kept hidden from the world. Her snorts between giggles made Gaster lose his own battle against such contagious mirth, finally dropping the bravado with peels of laughter that now left Sans chuckling to himself.
"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" he said after the laughter began to fade and silence once again filled the room. "No, I suppose not. However...." now, Gaster was once more appearing pensive, the guilt returning within his gaze. It all put Sans on edge and immediately made him nervous about the reasons that'd really brought them here. "When I've told you all there is to say.... Well... at least for now, that is, I believe you'll understand exactly why I'm having a hard time allowing myself the privilege of laughter."
"Okay, G... Now you're scarin' the shit outta me. Stop talkin' in riddles and just tell me what the hell's going on." Appearing hesitant, Gaster nodded and began speaking. "As I'm sure you're already aware by now that there are pieces of your life that seem to be.... missing within your memories, and some that don't seem to align with others, there is a reason for this... One I will explain soon, but not before I tell you of things you must know first." Gaster then turned his back, seeming to have trouble looking Sans in the eye as he paused a moment, slowly inhaled and then began again after a long exhale. "Sans, long before Frisk ever entered your life, your Soul was not the orange you've come to recognize as your own." At this, Sans started, feeling as though he'd been slapped across the face. "Wait... no. That ain't right! My Soul's always been or-...." but he trailed off, trying to recall memories of his past. Within the memories that'd resurfaced since Frisk's most recent appearance, Sans had never paid enough attention to that one tiny detail...... "Okay, now you really got a'lot of explainin' ta'do, G. Did you-...."
"Just let me finish!" Gaster exclaimed as he whirled around and stared at Sans; utterly shame faced. Sans did as requested, but only to get the answers his mind was so desperately searching for. "Everything I did, I did for your own good. To protect you from the despair I knew would consume you should any trace of what happened remain within your memories. I am not proud of it, but I do not regret it either. I also do not regret planting entirely false memories in the minds of everyone else within the underground either. I have powers far exceeding that which is prudently safe for any one being to possess, and while I have always tried shy away from all things inherently diabolical, this was a necessary evil. Had I done my job well enough from the beginning, nothing like this would have ever happened. However, I failed you all, and have spent the entire time since attempting to find a way to fix it."
Without another word, Gaster raised a hand with a small remote and, with the push of a large button, a piece of the wall slid up to reveal a hidden door. Walking toward it, the elegant skeleton silently signaled for his two companions to follow. They did so without question, moving silently through a dimly lit corridor that was much like the one they'd walked through upon entering the Ruins. The only difference was the look of the walls. This tunnel had clearly been dug without care for appearances. Jagged pieces of rock jutted out here and there while dirt rained down in thin showers every now and then from the ceiling. Just as Sans was beginning to become impatient, yet another door came into view upon turning a sharp corner. Extracting yet another key from, this time, a chain he apparently kept around his neck that was previously concealed by his clothing. Bending slightly, the key slid into the lock and the door opened shortly after. However, for what Sans saw next as they passed through the doorway, he could've never prepared himself. "Is that the...." he began, to which Gaster finished. "Yes. It is, in fact, the tunnel that inevitably lead to where the barrier had once been."
Sans, not feeling very comfortable with this knowledge, took a few steps back. "But... this chamber was supposedly lost! Asgore said so himself after he destroyed it when it killed Asr....." he paused, folding his hands over his chest. "But that's all a buch of bullshit too, isn't it? Cuz that's probably not even how Asriel died, and it was you who wanted us all to think we couldn't reach the damn thing even if we wanted to. So you brainwashed us all into believin' that it was gone so we wouldn't go snoopin' around and discover you doing all your 'mad scientist' shit here. Am I right, G?" A single nod from Gaster confirmed what Sans had surmised. "So if that's not what happened, then why dont'cha tell us what did."
He honestly couldn't fathom how he'd gone so long under a guise of false memories, and wasn't too keen on trusting the skeleton before him now any farther than he could throw him... But one thing was definitely certain. If it was revealed that Gaster had hurt Frisk in any way, and that was a reason for this whole cover up......
.........he wouldn't be leaving this room alive.