#rcdacted

The spider has been laid to rest for the time being. Her head rests gently along a pillow while the others desperately race against the clock to save the HUMAN. The Spider was able to send a final warning to the Doctor in order to save him the stress. 

There was nothing she could do. It took every bit of energy out of her in order to pause for just long enough for Asriel to see the strands of determination converging outward to a point.  

“I mean.. you’re crazy-- technically we all are.”

“Technically there is no one being alive that can judge whether or not we are truly sane or insane. As sanity is something predetermined by society.”

“...In the end, most opinions are meaningless. Unless you decide to give them the meaning of your acknowledgment. “ 

SANS (BZ):  Sans' eye lights move up again, to watch Gaster and his diagrams as he  goes. There is no real response from him during all of this. At least,  until the end that is. The skeleton grunts as he pushes himself up  more and smiles again faintly.

 There is real warmth in it. Rare as it typically was, he appreciated  what his father was doing. But the weight of his own sins was now  coming down upon his back. Like it or not, this was his perceived  doing. And he would have to deal with the consequences of it in his  own way.

 It was very much his way of coping. His own grieving process. There is  a chuckle as he struggles to rise. He had to do that first. Stand on  his own two feet again. Accept the gravitas of his situation. So he  does.

 * i like it, i do. not giving up. that's been my thing for a while now  believe it or not. --least, as far as temptation and stuff goes  anyway.

 * can't really say i'm the most productive guy around when it comes to  my melancholy. but i'll give it a try.

 * let's identify what's ailing me.

SANS (BZ):  The skeleton pushes his weight off of the tree, lurching forward into  a steady walking pace. His right hand moves into his jacket pocket to  rest comfortably as his other lifts a single digit up. He begins to  list them off, one by one carefully.

 * the anomaly's taken my home from me by completely wiping the slate  clean. this is on top of all the other problems.

 * keno reviles us, now collectively. so even if her memories were  restored, it's kind of a blessing in disguise. i'd love to redeem  myself somehow. but let's be realistic.

 * she's got a much better heart than either of us, and less time for  it to have hardened. a creature of habit, not logic.

 * i feel like with what i did to frisk, there's no coming back from  that. best i can hope for is a messy break up. heh heh.

 * then there's the kid themselves. that's not frisk. they're probably  gone. a new flowey's also taken the place of the old. beyond you and  papyrus? i'm completely alone again.

DOCTOR GASTER: The Doctor waited, sitting by the tree still, watching Sans even as he walked away.

 His presence would GLITCH from existence again, now walking besides  the skeleton.

 "A messy breakup seems to be what you received. For... Keno? She will  be used against you, against the dragon, regardless of whether or not  she knows her involvement.

 Personal feelings aside, giving her an idea of what may well decide to  hunt her down, and 'rebooting' her may be worth the screaming. I would  offer to delete some of the memories, but that would ruin the point.  She wanted her mind to be her own.

 Even to this point, I would respect that wish. It's still 'her,' after  all."

 He pauses, one hand folding behind his back, the other checking his  wrist, as if looking at a watch.

 "I could have the code returned to her in under two hours, if I can  get her to cooperate. Twice that to force the backup. Being realistic,  that gives you another support other than your brother, and the  estranged father whose every action you are stressed to judge and  scrutinize. For your sake too, I believe that to be a more preferable  solution.

 ...And, Sans.  They've taken away the home I was trying so hard to return to, too. I  don't think we can get it back, but we CAN do everything in our power  to ensure that this one isn't taken away from us."

 Gaster's arm folds behind him, joining the first.  "The more time we spend here, the closer the child grows to Papyrus,  and the closer they grow to your guard post. A pacifist thus far, so  with luck they'll give up for a while after he concusses them for the  first time and locks them up in the shed."

SANS (BZ):  Sans remains silent at this. Mulling over his options. What Gaster has  told him he could do. A seemingly simple solution. But he himself  stated the obvious. Keno was her own Monster. And he would take full  responsibility for what had happened. No matter how grim that fate  would be.

 If he rebuilt his life, it would be on his own terms. Not constantly  at the mercy of fate or greater powers. It was the mantle he chose to  wear after the Dragon. One he would continue to wear out of nothing  else, spite.

 * this is how i chose to persevere.

 * keno's memories come back of their own accord, or they don't at all.  i imagine some part of her is still void bound, right..?

DOCTOR GASTER:  "No. That is the issue."  "She is completely back to her default."

SANS (BZ):  * then. i'll continue doing what i have to do. if she doesn't want to  find the truth again, or it fails to be out there.. that's that.  that's my choice. leave her be.

 * i didn't want this for her from the very beginning.

 * game over, old man. was a good run.

DOCTOR GASTER:  The Doctor frowns, listening to Sans' resolve, his statements.  He could respect them, no matter his own feelings.

 "I see. There is always the chance that the cycle will repeat. Or it  has adapted to include such... anomalous, events into its greater  breadth."

 "...Remember, Sans. The 'game' is not over until your bones are dust,  and even then. Kehehe... If nothing else, I'm 'unliving proof' of  that, yes?"

SANS (BZ):  * i'll embrace a different kind of hope for now, i think. mind giving  me a bit? just to kind of. process all of this? i'm gonna go to  grillby's. didn't get the chance to do that when i said i would  earlier.

 The skeleton's grin is more wistful as his arms rise out of his jacket  pockets to complete an almost iconic shrug. One that didn't ever  really present itself in any timeline unless met in the gravest  extreme. He continues to head onward. DOCTOR GASTER: The Doctor watches Sans, and allows a sigh to leak from him.  "...Of course, Sans.  If you need anything, I'll have you in my peripherals.  I should check on Muffet, too.  It's all falling apart."

 Gaster pauses momentarily before speaking again.  "Sans, I'll leave periodic notes in your lab, behind the house. If  anything worthwhile comes up, You'll be one of the first to know.

 ...For what it's worth, we're all each other has now. You and Papyrus  are the only things giving me a reason to continue, and if I can find  anything out there to offer reciprocation for you two?

 Then so be it."

SANS (BZ):

 * it means a lot more to me than i let on, you know.

 * thanks.

 Truthfully, Sans had forgotten how to show proper gratitude over the  many years. His responses were nearly automatic, half the time. Not  this one. Not this time. There was too much bubbling near the surface.

 That was a potentially bad thing, but better than total apathy one  could muse. A gentle wave is offered to the air in front of him. He  doesn't stop his retreat.

DOCTOR GASTER:  The elder skeleton bows to no one in particular, fading from  existence.

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.

KENO:

  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?"

SANS (BZ):

 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."

(I was QUARANTINED by The Doctor and had my beautiful corruption so HARSHLY torn from me.) 

(I almost ate Cal, but Cookie, the Spider, restrained me.) 

(I got free, and Neoma, the little angel she is, gave me some extra chances.)