The Door to the RUINS has Opened.
DOCTOR GASTER:
 * I'm already coming up with an alibi, Sans.
 * How would you like to go about this?
 The spectral consciousness turned his attention back towards the
 bakeneko, frowning as they left her behind.
 The feline lets out a huff, and just turns to return home.
 * One of Flames disgusting drunkards... I'll need to talk to him about
 keeping them out of the woods....
SANS (BZ):
 Sans doesn't immediately respond to Gaster's inquiry. In fact, much of
 the return trip is made in complete silence. The skeleton is moving
 much more sluggishly than usual. It was a familiar sensation, this
 despair.
 It was almost comfortable. Abruptly, he begins chuckling. Genuine
 giggling.
 From there, it devolves into outright laughter. Just off the main path
 to town near the tree line, Sans throws back his head and cups his
 skull with a palm and roars with amusement.
DOCTOR GASTER:
 Sans would feel Gaster's concern only grow as he started to laugh.
 "...Sans." He began, speaking audibly, now that no one was there.
 "Going to skip that question - you're obviously not okay.
 What's going through that head, son?"
SANS (BZ):
 The other skeleton is laughing himself to -tears.- He can't breathe,
 but then again he had no need to. Carefully, he raises a hand palm
 flat in a stopping motion. Rotating it slightly as his other cups at
 his ribs. It takes him a few more moments but a response is returned.
 * i did this! this is the anomaly's response to messing with the kid
 like i did. and i deserve every bit of it. i abandoned frisk.
 *  i screwed my relationship into another corner, in failing to
 protect keno. and now? the slate's been wiped clean. i'm alone again.
 * i even miss flowey! that's why i'm laughing right now. i miss the
 -weed-, i'm so absorbed in this. can you believe that?
 Obviously, not a good sign. The grief had come so full circle it was
 being embraced openly.
 * what is the actual difference now, between me and the dragon? is it
 my blatant refusal to do what logically feels like the sound thing?
DOCTOR GASTER:
 The laughter is - quite frankly - terrifying.
 Gaster just looks at his son, before joining him in slightly
 chuckling.
 "Well, the actual difference right now is that you're not creating
 fakes so you can relive everything. The difference is that you have
 some choices ahead of you. To do things better than your predecessor,
 no?"
 Fake. That word, unwittingly or not, was now being cemented in Sans'
 mind by his own father. The laughter slowly fades away, replaced by
 object despair. The skeleton goes to slump against a nearby tree at
 this. He wasn't willing to support his own weight anymore.
 His forearms rest upon his knees, which were lazily tucked against him
 haphazardly after he finished sliding to the ground.
 * poor choice of words, y'know. i'm one of those 'fakes' doomed to
 relive whatever hell he's gone through. i'm not even the first.
 * i've seen it. glimpses, here and there. what he's done. it's like
 i'm in a box, and i can hear muffled sounds. see silhouettes against
 the wall. and periodically the wall just. vanishes. i get all of it at
 once. repress most of it.
* rinse, repeat. maybe i'm doomed too. maybe this is the beginning of
 the end for this timeline as well.
DOCTOR GASTER:
 The Doctor realized what had been done.
 He immediately stiffened in regret.
 "...Apologies.
 I... won't try to backpedal on what I just said. To try and cover that
 up. You don't deserve that."
 There is a sigh that reverberates all around him.
 "And. I don't believe that, to be perfectly honest."
SANS (BZ):
 * c’mon, let’s face it. clinging to hope is what made the dragon what he is, you know. that and an unhealthy dash of desperation.
 * no. i think the only real difference between me and him at this
 point, is i know when i'm licked. that's the price of happiness for
 me.
DOCTOR GASTER:
 "No. Unlike them, unlike //him//, you have access to outside
 forces. I know I can't solve it all in a manner of moments.
I'm... - well, I'd LIKE to call myself a monster still - but I'm not
 infallible. I know. I'm sorry that I'm not the best father that you
 and Papyrus deserve.
 ...But like hell if I won't try everything I can to help you two. You
 deserve it, after everything you've all gone through."
 "And, I don't ask you to //cling// to hope."
 "I expect you to look at your options and determine when the fight is
 over, Sans."
DOCTOR GASTER:
 "And in the same vein, to be able to determine when there is still a
 fight to be waged."
