Dysfunction to Refunction

Chapter 24

   [To make up for the last chapter being short, I put extra effort in this one! Enjoy!]
   
    [Edit: This is the better, revised version!]
   
      In another part of the universe...
   
    A skeleton in a black hoodie, sweater and shorts walks through a nearly empty path through Snowdin. The other monsters either hid or ran at the sight of him and his misshapen soul, which pulsed and glowed with crimson malice. They all knew the dangers of this skeleton but they never expected it...
   
    One moment, Sans was lazy and fun loving... Then the human came and died... And the massacre began.
   
    Unknown to the people, Sans had done this thousands of times before. Each time different from the last. Again and again and again and again until he could see every single outcome. He'd anticipate everything, and nothing could stop him.
   
    And it would continue that way until a curious thing happened. Something new.... And Sans wanted to see it.
   
    With a lopsided grin, he followed the strange feeling and ended up in Hotland. He didn't often visit from how annoyingly hot it was. He hated it when his clothes dampened with excess sweat from his efforts to move around in this section of the Underground.
   
    Soft hissing could be heard when his sneakers touch the dry rocky path from the heat. A crunching to the rhythm of his steps dully echoed in the cavern.
   
    A color catches his empty sockets. He glances toward it and find a peculiar sight. Another skeleton. One that looked nearly identical to him besides their outfit and size.
   
    The look-alike seemed to be looking around as if a tourist in a new land. Sans took one more step before stopping.
   
    Then, in a low voice...
   
    "Heya...." He spoke, deep and almost melodiously.
   
    The colorful skeleton turned as if suddenly yelled at, startled, before smiling brightly.
   
    "Hi! You must be the Sans Dream was talking about!"
   
    Sans quirked a brow, a socket lowering in confusion.
   
    "Dream? Who's that?"
   
    Ink laughs.
   
    "Well, that doesn't really matter- oh, you look miserable!"
   
    Sans was really starting to realize that this newcomer was... Nonsensical. They didn't have a proper speech pattern. Basic conversational etiquette. Like a stream of consciousness coming out of their mouth...
   
    He assessed their interaction and already found a few key predictions: He was talking to an ignorant, easily distracted, childish, and vapid man child.
   
    He hadn't met someone like that in quite a while since he killed Monster Kid.
   
    "Dunno what you mean, I'm doing great."
   
    Ink blinks, his face frozen in that smile of his, tilting his head. Eyes fixed, uncomprehending.
   
    "Oh. Really?"
   
    "Yup."
   
   "You sure?"
   
    "Pretty sure."
   
    Sans fidgeted with his knife in his pocket, t had become a habit as of late, as the newcomer pouted in disappointment.
   
    "You said your name was Ink?"
   
    "Yeah! I'm the guardian of all creations!"
   
    Now this was interesting. Creations?
   
    "What do you mean?"
   
    "I mean, you must know about the multiple worlds theory, right?"
   
    Yes, he had studied it briefly in the past when he still worked in the lab... Did that mean...? No, surely not. They could have just been a surviving skeleton from the war that... Oh, who was he kidding. There had never been another surviving skeleton in any timeline.
   
    "Yeah, I have.. it was just that: a theory."
      
    The guardian snorts and pulled out his novelty weapon: his Paint Brush.
   
    "Yeah, right. You think THIS is a theory?"
   
    He whipped his brush through the air, created painted windows into other worlds. The broken soul peered into them with a poker face, never betraying his true feeling on the matter.
   
    "....... Oh. It's real, huh?"
   
    Well, now he was hooked. He didn't need to be restrained to his boring world anymore, yeah? If he could get in some of the other worlds, he can have some more fun...
   
    "Of course! I'll show you all of the coolest ones! Oh, but what should I call you? There's, like, a billion Sanses out there."
   
    Sans remembered a brief memory many resets ago, when him and Chara were in Judgment Hall. He had been beaten and came inches from having his vertebre sliced off.
   
    "What's the matter? You're not as fun anymore, Sans. You used to be so good at this."
   
    Back then, he would give them a disgusted scowl, suppressing the urge to spit in their face. He'd done it before. He still felt aches in his ribs...
   
    "Sorry to disappoint you." He groused, coughing.
   
    They'd smile devilishly.
   
    "That's okay. We can do something more fun...."
   
    Chara grins darkly.
   
    "... Killer."
   
    That was one of the worst- best timelines of his past.