The story of Underdrop ~Complete~

Chapter 7

Everyone was at dad's retirement party. Even Mettaton, though he insisted he could not stay long. Even his Majesty showed up to give dad a solemn farewell of sorts. Though I couldn't help noticing that he kept looking at me over the top of his champagne glass, despite the fact that I kept very close to Papyrus. Who was animatedly talking to Mettaton about puzzles while carrying Flowey in a pot he had made. I once again try to slide out from the King's watchful eye and into the house. Doggo was talking to Undyne about how he and Daliah were still puzzling over who had cleaned their yard the other night. I duck my head and try to scoot around them when I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Sans, may I have a word?" Asgore asks.

I gasp and do a quick bow.

"Of course! Where?" I respond.

"Over here is fine" He leads me to the side of the house and leans comfortably on the fence.

He peers down at me and takes another sip of his drink.

"How are you doing Sans? Anything strange I ought to know about?" He asks quietly.

"Uhm... yeah... I'm fine. Nothing strange I guess. Uhm... why?" I ask, eye sockets widening.

He blinks and gives a slow nod of his head before standing up straight and sinking to my eye level.

"If anything strange happens, any weird powers develop, for example, you tell your father immediately, got it, son?" 

"Yeah... got it..." I'm really uncomfortable right now so I edge away and go back to the crowd.

I feel a strange creeping feeling along my neck and whip around. I see nothing at first except for the dark space between the house and the back fence. Suddenly, an eye lights up from the shadows and I jump backward, nearly colliding with Mettaton. A sharp-toothed grin appears under the bright green eye. I open my mouth to yell for someone when the thing puts a finger to its lips. A glint of metal shines from between its fingers as it wags the finger back and forth. The other eye lights up, a bright, shining blue that was all too familiar. The metal thing floated forward and I saw that it was a weapon. Circular with bloodied spikes, it glinted in the dim light. This thing was using blue magic! I yelp in alarm and hurry forward, falling forward as I got close to it. It threw the weapon at me and someone grabbed my shoulder. I whip around faster than I thought possible and saw Grillby.

"What is going on Sans?" He asks quietly.

I see that everyone is looking at me and turn back to the wall. Whatever it was had gone... Unless. I look down at my ribs. There was no sign of the weapon anywhere. It wasn't real? What is going on?!? I get to my feet and glance back at the wall again.

"Uhm... I don't know... There were a couple of Flicker-fires over there and I was chasing them... Yeah." I smile up at him.

He does not look reassured at all but I give him a significant look and he backs away. I go into the house as slowly as I can manage. I break into a run once across the threshold, dash up the stairs, and slam the door of my room. My fingers dig into my skull. What the hell did I just see? *pant* Was it a vision? Precognition? *pant* Am I going insane?  Oh no... *labored breathing* are my night terrors catching up to me in the waking world? Is that even possible?

Gaster's view:

Sans ran away from me... I feel...betrayed for some reason. Why would he run when I reached out to him? Was it somehow my fault? Did I do something to chase my son away? I look around at the people I knew. They were muttering amongst themselves, casting meaningful glances at the door Sans had disappeared through. I raise my glass and catch Toriel's eye.

"Party's over. Help me with clearing everyone out Toriel" I mutter sadly when she approaches.

She nods, understanding and sympathy in her warm eyes. We both work to get the Underground to leave. After Toriel gave a brisk nod and grabbed the pot containing Flowey she too had gone. Papyrus looked at me in confusion.

"I thought parties were supposed to last longer than that?" He asks.

I nod, a lump in my throat currently prohibiting speech and guide him inside. It's amazing how much they've both grown. Once they had passed two years they hit their first growth spurt. A skeleton is considered fully grown when they reach five years. An overwhelming urge is compelling me. I feel a shadow creeping closer. With my hand on Papyrus' shoulder, I lead him up the stairs. We enter Sans' room to find his desk overturned and he's sitting on his bed with a pole, looking ready to attack something. The sound of his heavy breathing is the only sound in the room. I flick my wrist to encompass his soul in blue magic. Sitting him carefully on the bed, Papyrus and myself carefully sit beside him.

"Son... you need to calm down" I gesture to the overturned desk.

Seeing Sans like this snapped me out of my reverie and put my mind into overdrive. I don't know what Sans saw out there, but it had to have been serious. His breathing calms, but the blue flame of his eye light is bright as ever.

"Sans, what did you see?" I ask quietly, leaning closer.

"*huff* D-dad? Can a-anything else use b-blue magic? *huff* Anything at a-all?" He asks shakily.

I draw my head back, sockets widening. What? 

"No Sans. Blue magic is unique to skeletons. Why? What did you see?"

"Dad. Sans is scared." Papyrus leans around me and pulls Sans into a tight hug.

Sans' eye light calms down to normal immediately and he smiles a bit, returning the hug.

"What was it, brother? Another night terror?" Papyrus mumbles quietly.

Sans only nods. Seeming too scared to speak still. I look around the ravaged room. I need to tell them. I need to explain to Sans why he needs to be more careful with his magic. I sigh, mentally preparing myself. It's going t be a long night.