<[RĒBØØT]>

[45]

"So...you're wondering if I participated in the interception. Well...I did not. I didn't have the resolve to join that group." Dr. Gaster said along the way.
Jay doubted he was lying, but with the reason behind his resolve made him curious as to what he did next long ago.
"When the humans went through the portal, King Asgore ordered every monster, including me, to kill them and collect their souls. When I heard what had to be done...I refused firmly, saying that I was not capable of bringing down a human and only apt of research. So they went without me as I stayed in the Lab. When they proudly returned with the human souls, I didn't feel the same as them. I felt the opposite. After they absorbed their traits, I was offered to absorb the traits of the souls as well. I refused the offer to either absorb the traits or research them, but I did accept to build containers that would preserve the souls. Instead I tried researching alternatives to breaking the barrier without the use of the souls...with no luck. Until you came along." Dr. Gaster explained along the way.
"What was your other reason behind not accepting to research the souls that were acquired?" Jay asked.
"I didn't want my kids to think of me as one who would take a life for research. And I didn't want them to become soldiers either. So I swore myself that I would do my best to keep them away from the monsters that killed the humans. Well, Papyrus was and still is enthusiastic about becoming part of the royal guard. Though...I see that he has grown to be more kinder than violent. Sans is...well...doing his job as a sentry while sleeping. Sometimes I wish I would have spent more time with them in the past. All in all, I feel like I am keeping my promise." Dr. Gaster said to Jay.
"Which is...?" he said.
"That I would give my sons a bright future in the surface, without taking any lives to break the barrier first." Dr. Gaster answered.
When they reached the Lab, Dr. Gaster stopped at the entrance of the building.
"I feel like you should choose. You can leave if it suits you most, now that we have a base of what the machine must conjure in order to work and break the barrier." Dr. Gaster said to Jay as he looked back at him.
After everything that Dr. Gaster told and did for him...Jay came back to his original decision. "There is no need to. I'll still help you." Jay said a moment later before he stepped in and headed to where the barrier neutralizer was. Once there, he connected his hand on the computer and some wires on his shoulder ports as he activated the machine to idle. Dr. Gaster went to Jay to stand besides him.
"Well...alright. But..." the scientist gaster skeleton began when Jay told him his reason he was helping:
"I, too, made a promise to someone in the Underground: that they'll get see what the surface is like." Jay said to Dr. Gaster as he looked at him with a smile. Jay was referring to Radio and Telephone, the two dutch dragons that were so eager to see the outside world once the barrier was broken.
Dr. Gaster looked surprised, then smiled. "Well then, let's continue working." he said as helped setting up the program on the computer.
—————————————————————————————
The orange trait still had to adapt to his frame before moving on with the sky-blue one, so there was time to spare before they start testing. As they made the final adjustments, Jay had a worrying feeling about something. It was that feeling that there was someone dangerous was missing from a long time. It was Flowey the flower that hasn't shown up in a long time. Whatever he was planning, Jay had a bad feeling about it and the urge to tell someone.
"I've been meaning to ask...does Papyrus have another friend other than Sans and Undyne?" Jay asked as he checked the calibration of the barrier neutralizer's onboard monitors.
"Those that you mentioned are the only ones. Is there someone else he has been speaking to?" Dr. Gaster replied as he was typing procedure codes in the computer.
"Yes. It is a talking flower, whose name is Flowey. This seems like out of the blue, but he's real, even though no one has ever seen or made contact with him other than Papyrus. And...very dangerous." Jay said as he looked at the gaster skeleton.
This caught Dr. Gaster's attention as he looked up to where Jay was standing. "Dangerous in what way?" Dr. Gaster said in a perturbed way.
"Papyrus says that Flowey tells him advices and predictions that come true. I don't know anything else since Papyrus didn't tell any more information about him, but what I do know is that he isn't trustworthy. When I first came here, he greeted me like he knew I was new in the Underground. And when he offered me his "gift" he insisted until he attacked me when I refused. Another thing is that he told me about what happened eight years ago. Until that meeting, he hasn't come close to me except for observing from hidden places. I don't know what that creepy flower is planning to do, but I'm sure it's not good when he mentioned "fun" in his little talk about my core." Jay explained to Dr. Gaster after Alphys came over to them so he could hear what was going on.
"Let me check the surveillance cameras all around the Underground. Let's see if he's shown up somewhere." Dr. Gaster said as he turned around and headed to the desk computers next to the mainframe. Jay followed him there.
The scientist gaster skeleton began going over every location in his screen, but there was no sign of Flowey.
"Let me rewind to yesterday and the days before..." Dr. Gaster said as he began searching through the videos. When it seemed like there was no sign of it, Jay caught a glimpse of something yellow in the corner of one screen. "There! I think that's him." Jay said as he pointed to the screen that belonged to one of the cameras in Snowdin. This one showed Flowey hiding in a corner, poking his head a bit to spy on Papyrus who was making his spaghetti outside the house. "I don't understand. How did I not notice him?" Dr. Gaster muttered. "He's very good at hiding in a creepy manner." Jay said.
"I will have to warn Papyrus telling him to stop further contact with that flower." Dr. Gaster began as he was about to take out the phone on his lab coat when Jay heard a beeping noise in his head.
[1ST ADAPTATION COMPLETE]
[SECOND ELEMENT ADAPTATION WILL FINISH IN: 20:00 MIN]
"I think my Adaptive System has just finished installing the orange trait. Now the sky-blue is the only one left to be—" Jay began as he read what was in his eye lenses when suddenly his body began to hurt. It felt like an entire weight of boulders getting placed on top. Also, the core began to glow as it began to hurt in his chest. So much that Jay began to collapse to his knees while clutching his chest with his hand.
"Jay! Are you alright!? What's wrong!!??" Dr. Gaster said as he brusquely sat up from his chair and kneeled down to try and help Jay up.
"I....I don't...know. Argh!... It...it hurts...!" Jay groaned as the pain continued.
"Alphys!! Help me get him to the table!! Quick!!!" Dr. Gaster called out as he helped Jay up, Alphys coming over to them as soon as possible to aid them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What happened? Is he okay??" Dr. Alphys asked frantically. "I don't now! Something is wrong inside him! Quick, let's see what's causing this!" Dr. Gaster said as he set the table to lean over and place Jay on it with the help of Alphys. Both began to try and connect wires on his chest ports and went over to the computers in hopes of finding out what was causing the pain in Jay.
Before one of them had the chance to press the scan key, there was a knock on the entrance doors of the Lab.
"EXCUSE ME, GENTLEMEN! MAY WE COME IN? WE ARE HERE TO INTERVIEW OUR CONTESTANT FOR A SMALL WHILE! WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT FOR OUR SHORT DOCUMENTARY!" a robotic voice was heard from the other side of the door. That voice was Mettaton's, and it sounded like he has come for his "show" again.