KINTSUGITALE SIDEBLOG

This was one of those cases where everything Gaster taught him fell through. Unexplainable, Unresearched. Unknown. Vial and his brother, Beaker, had run test after test to try and figure it out but they always came up with more questions then the ones they had set out to answer. Something had obviously happened to this Sans. Those breaks along his bones… Vial shuddered, thinking about what could have caused that. But amazingly, they were healed with that strange crystal substance that shined with a prismatic sheen when placed under a light. Vial sighed wearily, getting up and beginning to pace back and forth in front of the cot. The cot they had placed him in when they first brought him here, bleeding from only one wound that went directly through his soul, too damaging to have survived. But he survived. Vial could still remember it so clearly. He didn’t think he would ever be able to forget. There had been so much blood. Whatever caused the wound had gone straight through the body of his sternum and his third and fourth ribs, causing compound fractures. It had hit the left side of his soul, causing a four-and-three-quarters hole that went all the way through, puncturing one rib on exit. It must have been caused by some sort of weapon; a sword or a spear, but there was no weapon with his body. Though he could rattle off the specifics of the injury now, when it had happened Vial had done exactly what he feared he would always: He froze. Luckily Beaker was there to shake him out of his panic. Vial stopped, staring at the sleeping Sans on the cot. He had seen so much not just from the Multiverse, but from being a part of one of its top scientific organizations. But nothing like this. Nothing that had left him so… lost. He approached the side of the bed again, examining his patient for what felt like the hundredth time. The Sans breathed evenly in his sleep, eye sockets shut tight. Vial traced his gaze along the fracture that stretched from his right cheek all the way to his temple on the other side. He sighed, speaking to him. “You’re really messing me up, mystery guy.” Vial sat down in a chair next to the cot, continuing to speak his thoughts into empty air. “God, I don’t even know your name. I don’t know if you have someone looking for you. You just… fell here, getting yourself stuck in this strange cryostasis, leaving me with a mystery I for once can’t solve. Kind of an asshole move, eh? Such a lazybones, ha! Haha…” Vial paused, catching his awkward expression in the reflective screen of the vitals monitor. “I’m talking to a comatose patient… What's up with me, man.. I’ve been spending so much damn time here that I think you can hear me…” Vial brought his legs up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them as he did. His eyelights shrunk and stared at the (lifeless looking body) Sans. “Cryostasis Sans, if ya can hear me… at all… please wake up. I dunno how much longer Gaster will let you sit here, taking up a room and supplies. I’m on a time limit to find something to make it worth keeping you alive. I called the Stars to come look at you, but they’re so busy with those new “Chaos” and “Order” outcodes that I have no idea if they even got my message.” Vial took a shaky breath in, holding it for as long as he could to calm his panicked soulbeat. “Please… I don’t want to see someone die. I’m not ready for it.” He stared for a few more moments, the absurdity of his actions filling his head. He got up, and shuffled out of the room. He needed to stop worrying and obsessing over things he couldn’t control or effect. He only hoped The Ones Above were listening. Maybe his inane ramblings counted as enough of a prayer. 

—

He needed to sleep.

He needed to sleep.

He needed to sleep. (There wasn’t anything wrong) Something was damaged. Something hurt. (Not anything it could fix.) It needed to heal. It needed him to sleep. Maybe it could fix it. (It had tried for so long. There were things to do. Powers calling out (Screaming out) for help.) He needed to sleep. (No.) He needed… He needed to… He needed to wake up. — Vial stumbled back down the stairs to the darkened laboratories after remembering his discarded documents that he needed to take upstairs and put on the kitchen counter because Beaker kept forgetting to finish his portion, even though Vial reminded him endlessly! He rounded a corner quickly, almost tripping on his pajama pants and adjusting his lab coat before he saw it. A figure, standing in the darkened hallway. Staring at its reflection in a mirror, barely moving. Clenching its hand around something that hung from a string around its neck. It was him. Cryostasis Sans. Alive. Up. Awake. Vial almost thought he was hallucinating from lack of sleep. But he wasn’t, because nothing that wasn’t real could be this detailed; breathing and hands twitching slightly as it looked at itself. He stepped closer to the Sans, calling out to him. “Y-You’re awake! I- I didn’t expect- Do you require assistance? I’m Vial, and I-” Cryostasis Sans cut him off, staring at Vial with confusion and shock. Silence filled the air, allowing for Vial to draw a few nervous breaths. He finally spoke, quietly like he hadn’t used his voice in forever. He looked right through Vial as he spoke, like he could see through his lab coat and ribs to his soul and shatter it without even initiating a battle. “. . . where am I. why… do you look like me? Vial’s confusion cleared as he realized the universe this one came from must have been incode. He knew nothing about the multiverse. Gosh, Chief was always better at explaining this. He cleared his throat, and hopefully also his nervous stutter. “Well, I’ll start with the easy question. You’re in Sciencetale, specifically our New Home Laboratory division. You appeared in the forests of Snowdin two months ago, and our security system there detected a wounded monster and sent me to go help.” “The second question is a bit more complicated. To put it simply, there are millions of different versions of our world all across the Multiverse. They all have things that are different about them. For instance, I became a scientist full time. Instead of the role of “Judge”, I retain the “Scientist/Medic” role. You certainly look a lot different from most “Sans” variants I see, and if i examine your CHECK-” Vial CHECKed Cryostasis Sans without thinking, before realizing how rude it could be. Too late.

* SANS / “Cryostasis Sans” - [REDACTED] ATK  [REDACTED] DEF. ROLE: ???? * (It doesn’t trust you enough.) * Just wants to understand how he’s alive. * No longer “The easiest enemy.” * You feel like you’re going to have a strange time. Cryostasis Sans was way too long of a nickname, Vial thought. Maybe just “Cryo” for the future. Vial hadn’t even realized Cryo was looking awfully upset over his comment on him not looking like other Sanses. He squeaked a quiet “Sorry” before continuing while awkwardly staring at the wall. “Well, if you don’t know anything about the Multiverse then it's a mystery how you just appeared here..” Vial trailed off, leaving the question for Cryo to answer. Cryo huffed, turning to face Vial and crossing his arms. Despite his stand-offish attitude at first, it was pretty clear he was scared by the situation. “I don’t know how I ended up here. And I certainly don’t know how to get back, or else I would have done it already.” Vial furrowed his brows. Cryo looked away from Vial, his left eye twitching and flickering with what looked like a continuation of the cracks on his face. Vial lowered his voice, trying to seem comforting. Maybe provide Cryo with some sort of support. He looked so close to breaking… what could have caused those cracks..? “Well, you could always stay here for a while.. I’ll call the Stars in the morning, they’ll be able to help.. You should really rest- “ Cryo snapped at him, suddenly raising his voice. He waved his arms around like he could physically reject Vial’s suggestion. “NO! I don’t want to-” He cursed under his breath, shaking his head. “Can’t you just call these ‘Stars’ right now!?” Vial stepped back away from Cryo. His thoughts scrambled to answer. “Well, The Stars are really only three people… So if something can wait until morning, we should let them rest as much as we can- They do a lot for the multiverse.” Cryo glared for a few more moments, before bringing his arms up and hugging his shoulders. He looked down, his expression cycling through grief, anger, confusion, and sadness before fading into a seemingly empty and apathetic face. He shrugged and nodded, fiddling with his hands before shoving them into his pockets. Vial shot Cryo with a bit of a concerned look, but the latter was staring down at the shiny floor, refusing to look at his almost-doppelganger. “Well, if you would follow me, I can bring you up to the housing floor where I stay.. You can have some time to yourself in the guest room..” The atmosphere quickly became awkward as they walked, with Cryo not saying anything and walking slightly behind Vial the entire time. Vial began to ramble once they got in the elevator, not knowing what else to do.

“Yeah, I know you must be thinking that it’s weird that I live in a laboratory-hospital-facility-place, but I certainly don’t stay down there- I have an apartment with me and Beaker, and Chief- Also known as Gaster- He’s our dad, basically. Alphys stays over sometimes, but she has her own apartment-”

Cryo speaks finally, interrupting Vial.

“Beaker’s your brother, isn't he? Why aren’t you calling him by his real name.”

Vial goes quiet, the tone of Cryo’s voice putting him off a bit.

“Well, since there are so many people who look similar and have the same name, it can get confusing. So most people give themselves another name, and usually keep their original one as their middle name. I’m Vial (Sans) Wingdings, and my brother is Beaker (Papyrus) Wingdings! Does that make… sense?”

Vial looked back over at Cryo, who was shaking and staring blankly at the metal in front of him; his distorted expression staring back at him with that cracked eye socket. Realization sparks through Vial, and he immediately feels guilty.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry.. I- I’m sorry for your loss. A lot of other Sans variants have lost their brothers too-”

“He’s not dead. He’s just lost. Once I get back home I can find him.”

Vial paused, opened his mouth to say something, but there weren’t words.

He’s lying. I can see it on his face. Is he lying to me, or to himself? Does he even know he’s lying?

Vial finally responded, no longer rambling on. That had really killed his urge to conversate.

“Ah, I understand. I apologize.”

The rest of the elevator ride was silent, with Vial mulling over what Cryo had said. With a cheery ding that didn’t fit the situation, the door slid open to a small room with a front door. It was engraved with a plaque that read; “Wingdings Residence. 🕈︎✋︎☠︎☝︎👎︎✋︎☠︎☝︎💧︎ ☼︎☜︎💧︎✋︎👎︎☜︎☠︎👍︎☜︎📬︎” 

Vial fished his keys out of his pockets, unlocking the door and allowing Cryo to step through. There was a welcome mat with an illustration of an Annoying Dog.

The apartment was a bit off-putting in the dark, with its lack of windows, but Vial turned on the lights and it softened up the space a bit. It was very much akin to the normal “Sans and Papyrus’s House” Layout, other than the colors being reversed and doors next to the kitchen and where the bone portrait should be.

“Well, this is it. The guest room is that door by the kitchen, there’s a bed and a small bathroom, so feel free to make yourself at home, and if you need anything my room-”

Vial was interrupted by the sound of Beaker’s voice and a door opening, seeing his confused brother peering over the baluster of the second level of the house.

“VIAL, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING UP SO LATE? AND WHOS YOUR-”

Cryo darted away to the guest room, shutting the door hard behind himself. Beaker’s face fell.

“FRIEND. WAS IT SOMETHING I SAID?”

Vial sighed, shaking his head before grinning at Beaker.

“He’s just intimidated to see such a cool scientist like you, don’t worry.” Beaker beamed, nodding in agreement.

“NOW, WE MUST BE OFF TO BED! IT’S TOO LATE TO BE UP, WE NEED TO KEEP A STRICT SCHEDULE!”

Vial chuckled and nodded, shutting off the lights again as Beaker went back to his room. He went upstairs to his room, and shut the door.