I'm not one of you <Frans>

CHAPTER 42: A Void

Location: Unknown
Time: Unknown
The darkness obscures my thoughts. I can't think. I can't breathe.
Where am I? Who am I? How did I get here?

Fluttering my eyes open, I could see just an endless field of darkness that loomed above me. The world seemed to echo every breath I took, as a sign I was still alive. My eye sockets were large and hollow, and I tried to summon my purple eye for a small amount of light. I had not grown accustomed to the darkness quite yet. However, my magic didn't seem like it was working at the moment.

My senses were immediately alert, knowing my only line of defense was taken away from me. Out of habit, I checked to see if I had the power of the RESET, to see if I had died in a battle, however, no avail. Right. Frisk had taken it with her overpowered determination.

I still said nothing, as to because there was no one around to talk to. It seemed like the endless darkness continued forever, as if I were in an empty void of a realm. A puddle seemed to stretch on for miles, and it gleamed with a small bit of light that reflected off of the water by an unknown light source. My slippers didn't get wet, however, with each step I took inside the half-an-inch deep water. They only seemed to be dry. Even my ankles didn't feel the supposed liquid that remained on the ground.

I could tell it was in fact real, due to the ripples that bounced and leapt off of my steps in order to create a rhythmic flow in between the stagnant streams.

The water didn't seem to go anywhere, nor did it come from a source. It just felt like it had always been there. I reached down to touch it with the tips of my fingers, only to feel nothing as my skeletal fingertips were met with a rocky surface, rather than the cool liquid I had expected. I grew even more confused. "Where... am I?" I asked myself aloud, almost covering my ears to the loud echo that ringed inside of my head. The slightest noise seemed to make the loudest echo, I didn't understand why I spoke to make the noises that whispered inside of my mind louder.

"SANS." A familiar voice called from behind me. It had felt as if I hadn't heard that voice in a very long time, not only that— but it felt as if no one had even talked to me in such a long time. My soul yearned for this type of social interaction— a void in my soul that can never be filled. "YOU KNOW WHY I AM HERE." His voice sounded serious, much more different that I could remember it being. Had he always been this serious? When was the last time I had heard this voice?

"Papyrus?" I called, wincing at the loud noice of my own voice, as if I were inside my own mind. "Papyrus? Is that you?" I asked again, ignoring the pain I felt when talking. I looked around frantically as the name sounded more and more familiar. My brother! My little brother! I could see only darkness.

"YOU ARE ABOUT TO DIE." Papyrus says. Where was his voice coming from? Where was he? "YOU ARE ABOUT TO DIE BECAUSE OF YOUR ACTIONS. BECAUSE OF THIS HUMAN YOU CARED TO PROTECT." Papyrus said, growling at the term human as if it were poisonous. "EVERYTHING IS IS JEOPARDY." He said.

"What do you mean?" I asked, looking around even more. Where was he? I needed to see him. "Papyrus. Where are you?" I asked, trying to summon my magic yet again, but once again, failing. It only seemed to fade into the darkness of the void that surrounded me. It seemed to be only pulling me in further the more I struggled to get free—

Like quicksand, almost.

"I WILL GIVE YOU ONLY ONE LAST WARNING TO STAY AWAY FROM THIS HUMAN." Papyrus said, narrowing his eyes. "OR THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES." He said. His voice seemed to be everywhere, yet nowhere. Almost as if he were nothing in itself, if that could make even the slightest bit of sense to an outside onlooker.

"What do you mean I'm dying?" I asked, perplexed. He wasn't answering my questions, which was odd of him. He always answered my questions, no matter how stupid. "Answer me! What is going on??" I pushed forward, but still, it only seemed to be like an automated message that was prerecorded.

"THE ROCKS ARE KILLING YOU." Papyrus said, seeming closer than before. I turned around, thinking someone was behind me, but only blackness was there. It was stressing me out, not knowing— not seeing. "I CAN LEND YOU MY STRENGTH." He said, as a light seems to appear behind me.

"P—...!" I held my breath, as I knew he was behind me now.

Looking into the reflection of the water substance, I turned around swiftly, looking at the tall figure my brother was. He stood greatly with his battle-body and his red scarf. There was only something about his eyes that seemed different to me. "I CAN ALLOW YOU TO LIVE. TO HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE." He said, grinning quite sinisterly. "ALL YOU HAVE TO DO, IS ACCEPT MY CONDITIONS."

I had felt a connection with him, as if I had been close for a long time now. Not the family as I knew it. More of a manifestation of me, as if I were staring into the reflection of my wants and plans. I felt as if I needed to near him with caution, yet, I wanted him back where he belonged. With me.

It's almost as if my magic was projecting him

"What are those conditions?" I asked. "I though we were partners." I said, rather hurt. It was obvious I was regaining my sense of reality throughout the mere days I've known Frisk. Could he sense that? He's been watching The whole thing— hasn't he?

"YOU CANNOT GET ATTACHED TO HER, SANS." Papyrus said, growling. "FEELINGS LEAD TO WEAKNESS. SHE IS THE ONE THAT WILL DRIVE YOU INSANE." He said. "STAY WITH ME, STAY SANE AND SAFE." He said, holding out his arms. "COME WITH ME! ALLOW ME TO LEND YOU MY STRENGTH TO LIVE FOR ANOTHER DAY!" He said, rather joyously.

The room seemed to falter, almost as if light began to peak through the cracks in the void. A voice was calling my name.

"SANS! HURRY! YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME!" Papyrus said. My soul ached to be with my little brother, and I took a step forward towards him, as the crack in the ceiling became a rip— a tear in the void. Light filled the room as Papyrus yelled in vain. "SANS! GET BACK HERE!" He screamed, surprising me.

"You're..." I said, stopping, looking at him as if he were a stranger.

"You're not my brother."