Worked to the Bone

"SANS!"

The front door opened with no grace to speak of, and bounced loudly off the wall. A bony hand caught it, then swung it strongly so it would close behind its owner. The red cape resting atop the green jacket fluttered slightly as the tall skeleton marched through the house.

"SANS!"

"s'up?"

Papyrus wheeled round to see his brother watching television.

"AH, I DIDN'T HAVE TO WAKE YOU A THIRD TIME. GOOD."

"where'd you go anyway, pap?"

"I TOLD YOU AFTER I WOKE YOU THE SECOND TIME, I WAS DOING THE QUEEN A FAVOUR."

"oh yeah, a school run."

"INDEED. PUNCTUATLITY IS AN IMPORTANT VIRTUE TO INSTILL IN YOUNG MINDS! AND SPEAKING OF WHICH, SHOULDN'T YOU BE HEADED TO WORK SOON?"

"eh, i got someone to cover. lunchtime'll do it."

The fixed grin seemed diminished. "HONESTLY, YOU ARE SUCH A... A..."

"lazybones?"

His eye sockets narrowed. "WELL, YES! AND UNLIKE YOU, I HAVE EARNED A DAY OFF BY WORKING HARD AND ARRANGING IT IN ADVANCE. YES, TODAY SHALL BE AN IMPORTANT DAY OF RELAXATION SO THAT I DON'T GET OVERSTRESSED."

"you're learning, bro. that's pretty cool."

"INDEED! I SHALL HAVE THE PERFECT WORK-LIFE BALANCE, AND SET A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR MY FRIENDS. THE TOY SHOP SHALL HAVE TO DO WITHOUT MY PUZZLE DESIGNS FOR A DAY."

"ain't it three days? it's friday you know, it's bad to toy with 'em like that."

"OH SANS. I SHOULD BE UPSET, BUT I AM ALREADY TOO RELAXED. EXACTLY AS PLANNED!"

With an air of triumph, Papyrus took off his jacket to reveal an equally green t-shirt, carefully rested the jacket on the back of the sofa, and allowed himself to flop down next to his brother.

"SO, WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING?"

"eh, old mettaton stuff."

"OOH, THIS WAS HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE WITH A HUMAN ENTERTAINER! I LOVED THAT EPISODE."

"huh, i read that guy was a has-been. thought reaching out to monsters would give his career a leg-up. hey pap, what's that?"

Sans pointed past Papyrus to a sheet of folded up paper now resting beneath his jacket.

"AH. UNLESS I'M MISTAKEN THAT SHOULD BE A SCHOOL TIMETABLE."

"huh. thinkin' of taking sixth grade again?"

"GET SERIOUS, SANS! I WAS SPEAKING TO FRISK ABOUT WHAT CLASSES THEY HAD TODAY, AND THEY GAVE ME THEIR TIMETABLE TO PERUSE. I MUST HAVE FORGOTTEN TO RETURN IT TO THEM. I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE KING AT ONCE!"

"ain't he at a conference or somethin'? hard to goat your way in there over something the kid probably doesn't need right now."

"HMM. YOU'RE CORRECT. STILL, I SHOULD CHECK THE SCHEDULE ISN'T TOO COMPLICATED TO MEMORISE IN CASE THEY NEED A REMINDER."

He unfolded the paper.

"LET ME SEE. MATHS TO START. THEN GYM. I WONDER IF THEY STILL PLAY DODGEBALL, FRISK WOULD BE GOOD AT THAT. THEN MUSIC AFTER LUNCH, AND FINALLY SCIENCE CLASS WITH-"

Papyrus froze completely still. A chill had seized the core of his bones.

"hey papyrus, you okay?"

"I HAVE TO CALL PROFESSOR MADJICK. NOW!"

Fumbling in his jacket for a moment he extracted a phone, and jabbed in a long number in a second. It rang for a full minute before reaching voicemail.

"CURSES! THE PROFESSOR MUST HAVE IT ON SILENT DURING SCHOOL HOURS. NOW I CAN'T SEND A WARNING!"

"warning? about what?"

"THE PROFESSOR WAS IN THE TOY SHOP THE OTHER DAY, TALKING TO TSUSAN ABOUT WHAT THEY PLANNED TO TEACH. I JUST REALISED WHAT THAT MEANS! IF THAT SCIENCE CLASS GOES AHEAD AS PLANNED..."

"what?"

Papyrus didn't answer. He had sprang to his feet and was pacing furiously. He couldn't just barge in and demand the lesson be cancelled. That would disrupt the school in general and the Queen would be angry. Warning Frisk might work, but students were supposed to deposit their phones in their lockers so not to use them in class, and Papyrus wasn't sure Frisk would check it at lunchtime. Even though he sent a message just in case, it would be irresponsible to assume it would work. Papyrus could only conclude one thing: He had to assume the class would happen. And that meant...

"SANS! RELAXATION IS CANCELLED FOR TODAY! I SHALL HAVE TO CLEAN UP THE IMPENDING MESS!"

"what, will the school blow up? madjick gonna try and recreate the core?"

"NOTHING LIKE THAT. BUT THE HARM IT STANDS TO CAUSE... I REFUSE TO STAND BY AND SEE IT GO UNADDRESSED!"

"bro, seriously, what's-"

"THERE'S NO TIME! I MUST PREPARE. PLEASE TRUST ME, BROTHER."

Sans regarded him for a long time. Then he shrugged.

"okay. not like i can stop you when you got a bone to pick. i'm sure you know what to do. good luck."

His grin was most pronounced. "THANKS, SANS. NOW, TO THE STORE. I NEED INGREDIENTS!"

****

Sans had finally left for work when Papyrus returned with what he needed. This suited him perfectly. Sans might have been useful in handing him what he needed, but the incessant wordplay would just distract him from his objective, and he didn't want to do this again. Time was of the essence.

He read and re-read the recipe, written down in the most formal handwriting he had ever seen. Papyrus greatly approved of it. And he began to follow the instructions. He felt nervous trying to make it, as it differed greatly from spaghetti. And yet despite the reason he had begun this, part of him enjoyed the challenge. He found himself toying with improvising the recipe somewhat, to add his own flourishes as he would with every other meal he cooked. But he forced himself to ponder what was at stake. This wasn't about him, he couldn't let it become so.

While the oven did its work, Papyrus gathered everything else he thought he might need. Books, equipment, additional supplies. All of it vanished into his phone. Even some things from Sans' room, replaced with a hastily scribbled apology he left inside the whirlwind. Just as he was double checking his phone's inventory, the oven timer dinged, and he dashed downstairs again. Regarding the results of his efforts for a moment, he felt satisfied. It certainly looked like how the recipe described. He opened the oven and carefully shunted it straight into his phone. It would stay warm until he needed it.

If he hurried, he could be in position at the school just as recess finished. There he could wait until it was possible to act. If he was incredibly lucky he might make contact with a teacher and pass on a note. But once again he didn't want to rely on that. He hoped for the best, but he was prepared for the worst. Seizing his jacket and carefully placing his phone in a secure pocket, he set off.

****

The weather was good today. Papyrus still hadn't gotten used to the sensation of the sun on his bones. He supposed the closest thing would have been standing in Hotlands, but this warmth was a lot more comfortable and a lot less searing. Despite the urgency of his mission, he yielded to the temptation of enjoying a brisk walk rather than running at top speed. After all, he had plenty of time.

A faint wobbly shuffle caught his attention. He stopped his march and turned around.

"HELLO, MIKE."

The Moldsmal wobbled.

"VERY GOOD! I AM HEADING TO THE SCHOOL WITH AN IMPORTANT TASK."

Mike's whole body slanted to one side.

"WHAT KIND OF FAVOUR?"

He was perfectly still.

"WELL, I SUPPOSE I CAN DO THAT, I SHOULD HAVE TIME."

Twenty minutes later, Mike was resting in Papyrus' arms, waiting in line at the cinema. Papyrus felt a stab of annoyance. Mike had undersold how long the line would be, but it was still true that he had plenty of time. After another five minutes they reached the front of the line, and the bored looking cashier gave their unusual appearance no more than a second glance.

"GOOD AFTERNOON. MY FRIEND HERE TOLD ME YOU COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HIM EARLIER. I WOULD LIKE TO BUY ONE TICKET FOR 'VETO 2: SEPARATION OF POWERS'."

She eyed the lump of jelly in his arms, which seemed to wiggle in agreement.

"Sir," she droned, "are you aware this movie contains content that may not be suitable for a minor?"

"BUT MOLDSMALLS DON'T MINE, THAT IS USUALLY OVERSEEN BY AARON!"

"No sir, I mean for children."

With a loud "Blorp", a Monster ID card now rested on top of Mike. Papyrus carefully took it and handed it to the cashier. She examined it carefully, trying not to let goop fall on her desk.

"Well this seems to be in order." A few clicks on her computer and the ticket printed out, which she rested on top of Mike along with his ID. "Enjoy the movie, sir."

Mike wiggled with excitement and leapt out of Papyrus' arms, shuffling towards the concession stand. Remembering his own responsibilities Papyrus set off, not aware that Mike was about to run into a similar problem when trying to ask for popcorn.

****

Continuing his steady march, Papyrus decided it may be prudent to take a shortcut. Fortunately one presented itself just as he thought of it. He turned right into an alley. A few minutes later he emerged on the far side into another street, despite the fact there had been a tall chain fence blocking the alley which he hadn't climbed. Ah yes, this was better. He could still get there in good time and possibly devise a solution to prevent the trouble he foresaw. If it came down to it however, he felt ready to handle what happened.

"Hey there Papyrus!"

"GREETINGS!"

"Afternoon!"

"HELLO, TSUSAN!"

"Hey, watch where you're-"

"OOF!"

He had been so busy waving to passers-by across the street he hadn't noticed what was in front of him. He collided with something not as tall as him, and a loud thud filled the area.

"OH! I'M SO SORRY!"

His erstwhile victim was rubbing his head as he sat upright. The brown cat brushed dirt off his uniform and scowled at the oddly shaped box.

"That's comin' outta my paycheck if anything's broken, buddy."

He didn't sound particularly angry about it. Like he was resigned to something like this happening anyway.

"I'M SO SORRY," repeated Papyrus, "CAN I ASSIST YOU IN ANY WAY?"

The cat stroked his chin, thinking.

"Well, I got a few more boxes to load onto that truck there. If you wouldn't mind..."

"SAY NO MORE!"

He followed the cat into the building, and saw there were actually three dozen boxes, all in that inconvenient shape.

"THESE ARE RATHER PECULIAR. WHAT'S IN THEM?"

"Top secret MTT Burger™ Product. More'n my life's worth to tell you."

"I HAVE TO SAY I ADMIRE HOW YOU PRONOUNCED '™'! HOW'D YOU LEARN THAT?"

The cat had a vacant look on his face, accompanied by hollow looking eyes. "...practice."

Upon bringing the first box to the truck, Papyrus pondered over the fact it was already nearly full. Maybe one or two more would fit. But how would the others get transported? And as he looked at it, he realised the shape of the box meant there was a lot of wasted space. If the cat had been more careful in thinking how to arrange them...

It had seized him. This was a puzzle to solve.

"Uh, buddy...?"

He had emerged from the building to see several boxes stacked outside the truck.

"Hey, what're you-"

"DO NOT FRET, THE GREAT PAPYRUS SHALL SOLVE THIS CONUNDRUM!"

"But... You don't have to..."

His words fell on deaf ear-holes. Deciding to stand back and enjoy the show of Papyrus carefully rotating and stacking as tightly as possible, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it up.

"NYEH-HA!" cried Papyrus half an hour later. "BEHOLD! THE ORGANISATION OF BOXES IS MUCH MORE EFFICIENT! NOW YOU CAN FIT THE REST OF YOUR SUPPLIES IN A SINGLE TRUCK!"

He stood proudly before the cat, who was eyeing the now half-empty truck with mild interest.

"That's real nice of you, pal. But I was trying to tell you. Those other boxes ain't goin' on this truck."

"I- THEY AREN'T?!"

"Yup." he took a long drag. "This truck's going to MTT Burger™ over on Main Street. A second truck's gonna take the rest over to the brand new MTT Burger™ in Dethre."

"NYAH! I'VE WASTED TIME! EXCUSE ME!"

He leapt down from the truck and jogged away. The cat took another look at the truck, and for a moment the idea of loading the remaining boxes into this truck to save the money of hiring a second one sprang into his head. He dismissed it, seeing how the likely reward would be to wear the mascot costume again. The fur on his back still hadn't recovered.

****

Papyrus was furious with himself. A single question or a moment's pause could have saved him so much time. Still, as he was now jogging he should still arrive at the school before science class. Even if he couldn't thwart it, being present at the scene would be most beneficial. He just had to concentrate and-

"Hey, Pap!"

"UNDYNE! GREETINGS!"

"Can I jog with ya?"

"IF YOU CAN KEEP UP!"

He didn't see how having a companion accompany him would delay his quest. As if in response to his challenge, she was alongside him almost instantly, razor sharp teeth in a grin.

"You just getting your exercise out of the way, or you goin' somewhere in particular?"

"I'M HEADED TO THE SCHOOL. YOU SEE-"

A phone beeped.

"Oh, hang on. Gotta check this."

Undyne pulled out her phone and started reading a text message. Her grin vanished.

"NGYAH!"

"WHAT'S WRONG?"

"This stupid bakery is welching on my order! It's Alph's birthday next week and I wanted to get her a cake, but they can't get the icing they need to draw the picture of Mew Mew! Dammit!"

"THAT'S UNFORTUNATE. HEY, WHY DON'T YOU BAKE HER A CAKE?"

"Well, I thought of that, but I'm not too hot on desserts. Turn left here."

"OKAY. WELL PERHAPS WE CAN PRACTICE TOGETHER? I'M FREE ON SUNDAY."

"I dunno, I was gonna take her hiking in the forest that day. And maybe sprinting. Oh, left again."

They discussed birthday plans for a while, neither feeling particularly winded by their exertion. Undyne politely turned down Papyrus' offer to bake a cake on his own. Papyrus in turn tried to ask Undyne what she was getting Alphys, so he didn't go and get the same thing, but she wanted to keep it a surprise. She wouldn't say it out loud, but Papyrus suspected it was some sort of exercise equipment. Perhaps he should avail of a boxset of those cartoons.

"...AND EVEN IF YOU CAN'T GET THE CAKE YOU WANT, I'M SURE IT WON'T MATTER. YOU'RE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS SHE'LL LIKE WHATEVER YOU DO!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks for the tip about the restaurant!"

"IT WAS MY PLEASURE!"

"Okay, two minute break, then we turn round and head back!"

"GOOD, I-" Papyrus suddenly looked around him. "WHAT THE HECK? WHERE'S THE SCHOOL?!"

They were on the outskirts of town. Only a few houses were here. Nothing that looked remotely educational.

Undyne's eye bulged. "Oh, crap, I forgot! I just took you on my normal jogging route!"

"NYAH!!!"

Without another word, he spun round and sprinted back into town, frantically checking the time on his phone. Undyne decided to take his advice about trying the Spider Bakery, unaware of the high price she'd pay for such a short notice commission.

****

Papyrus was beginning to feel anxious. He was even farther from the school than he had been when he started, and time was running out. The lesson had surely already begun, so his slim chance to avert the trouble was already spent. But even now he might be able to limit the consequences if he hurried. It pained him, but he merely waved at anybody who called a greeting to him. He could not stop to speak to them unless it was absolutely necessary.

As he sprinted through a street flooded by a burst water pipe without being impeded, the anxiety lessened. He was making good time in spite of everything, so with a bit of luck he could-

"...help..."

He halted instantly. The voice was so plaintive he couldn't ignore it. Turning to face the alley he had been in the middle of passing he sought its owner. He spotted him at once. A human man with dishevelled hair and a pale, clammy appearance. His clothes were thin and filthy. His breathing was ragged as he leaned against the wall, trying to steady himself.

"...help..."

"DO NOT WORRY. I CAN HELP YOU."

Before the man could register his appearance, Papyrus had a tight grip on his shoulder and upper chest, trying to steady him and lead him away from the wall. It was easier than he thought, the man wasn't about to collapse. He did not look healthy at all, even Papyrus' limited experience could tell. His face was marked by patches of poorly shaved stubble, and the whites of his eyes were actually yellow.

"CAN I TAKE YOU ANYWHERE? PERHAPS ARRANGE A TAXI TO YOUR HOUSE?"

"...need... fix..."

"IS SOMETHING BROKEN? IS IT THAT WATCH ON YOUR WRIST? OR IS IT ONE OF THE TWO IN YOUR POCKET?"

The man suddenly struggled to disentangle himself from Papyrus. When he stood it was quite steady, though the effort clearly showed on his face.

"Give me your phone."

"YOU NEED TO MAKE A CALL TO SOMEONE? WELL IF YOU TELL ME THE NUMBER I CAN DIAL IT."

"No. Give it to me. And your wallet too."

"WHY WOULD I...?"

It dawned on Papyrus what he was dealing with.

"SIR, I'M SURE YOU ARE A NICE PERSON, BUT I CANNOT JUST HAND MY THINGS OVER TO A STRANGER. MY PHONE IN PARTICULAR HAS ITEMS I NEED TO GIVE TO A FRIEND-"

"I don't care!" yelled the man. "I need my fix! I need money for it! Give it now!"

There was a flash of steel. The man had taken out a knife and was now pointing it at Papyrus. There was a dark brownish stain on it.

"SIR! THERE IS NO NEED FOR THREATS, THE GREAT PAPYRUS CAN-"

"Shut up!"

Papyrus took a large step back as the knife slashed through the air. It returned to its starting position, ready for another strike.

"This is your fault, Boney! Should have just listened! Now gimme what I want you son of a-"

PING.

The man suddenly collapsed to the ground, and the knife accompanied him a split second later. He struggled to get to his feet, but it was no good. Papyrus knelt down, took the knife and threw it away.

"I AM SORRY, HUMAN, I WAS AFRAID YOU WERE GOING TO HURT SOMEBODY. CLEARLY YOU ARE NOT WELL."

"Shut... up... need it... need it bad..."

Even through the faint blue shimmer now wrapping around the man, Papyrus could see his face grow even paler. Concerned the effort he was exerting would do more damage, he released him. The man sprang to his feet in surprise, but before he could do anything he began to topple forward, and Papyrus caught him.

"YOU ARE EVEN MORE ILL THAN I THOUGHT! COME, I SHALL TAKE YOU TO DOCTOR DRAKE. PERHAPS HE SHALL BE ABLE TO TEND TO YOUR AFFLICTION."

"...don't need... your pity... just want... the pain... gone..."

"IT IS NOT PITY, IT IS CONCERN! THE GOOD DOCTOR CAN HELP WITH YOUR PAIN."

"No... nobody can... too late... too much... don't deserve..."

Ah. That bundle of sorrow. He could say a lot about it from talking to some of his friends, but clearly the man was in no fit state to listen to him. For now, action would suffice. Sure enough as he set off for the hospital the man fell unconscious in his arms.

Doctor Drake was able to stabilise the man's alarmingly erratic vital signs with magic, but it was a stopgap measure. Whatever he'd been doing to himself, it caused severe imbalances that Papyrus didn't pretend to understand, and magic would be too slow at putting them right. Two of the Doctor's human colleagues came in to take blood tests and prepare IV feeds to correct these imbalances. They had trouble finding a suitable vein as his arms were a patchwork of scars.

As he watched the man sweating profusely, wrists twitching against the restraints they had attached to him, Papyrus felt sad about whatever had led the man down this path. He had heard stories from humans about some who were written off as a "lost cause". He didn't believe that anyone was truly lost, but he could appreciate the difficulties in reaching someone so troubled. So he scribbled a note wishing the man a speedy recovery and left it on his bedside cabinet. A nurse would probably read it to him.

Satisfied the man was in the best possible care, Papyrus checked the time. With a jolt, he realised school had already ended. In helping a new friend he was late for helping an old one. Cursing the impossible choices life sometimes inflicted on him, he dashed out of the clinic and nearly bowled over a Whimsum with a bent wing on his way to the school. He was in such a hurry he only called back an apology instead of stopping. He also passed two human police officers, who had been summoned to the hospital to interview the new patient.

****

Hurrying along, taking another shortcut over a tall wall, he finally saw the school in sight. However there were no sign of children. Papyrus' heart sank. He had been too late to contain the damage. This would make his task harder.

Looking around anxiously for a sign of life, his chest tingled as he eyed the figure sitting on the steps. It was Frisk. Quite alone, and obviously fretting. This was both bad and good. It gave him a good idea of what had happened in class, and it was just as unpleasant as he feared. However the fact that Frisk was here gave him a clear picture of what to do.

Frisk seemed to sense his presence. Or perhaps just hear his footsteps. They looked up, and although they were still worried, a small smile spread on their face at the sight of him as he advanced. They stared at each other. Papyrus nodded warmly.

And then he turned around and hurried back down the street.

****

Half an hour later he was leaving the gravelled path that led towards the forest, and instead climbing up the hill adjacent to it. Despite its steep angle his pace was steady as he sensed he was getting closer.

The hill had a good view from the top. He had taken Sans on a brotherly picnic here once, his time split between admiring the view and admonishing Sans for not passing the sandwiches. From one side you could see the whole town. From the other you could see the forest, the lake beyond it and, in the distance, Mount Ebott. The top was a wide plateau, and there was a single sturdy tree growing in the center.

And there, in the shade of that tree, sat his quarry. He was facing the side containing Mount Ebott. Definitely a sign of a poor mood, not looking at where all his friends lived. Pausing briefly, he quietly tapped out a message on his phone and sent it. Hoping he wasn't too late, he walked towards him.

"THERE YOU ARE!"

The figure turned sharply at the voice cracking the silence, his ears flopping at the unexpected movement.

"P-Papyrus?! What are you doing here?"

"I HAD HOPED TO SEE YOU AT THE SCHOOL, SIRE. UNFORTUNATELY I GOT HELD UP."

Asriel's face frowned. "Did Frisk tell you? I know I left in a hurry but I asked them not to pry-"

"DO NOT WORRY, THEY HAVE SAID NOTHING. I CAME HERE OF MY OWN ACCORD!"

"You haven't talked to them? How did you know I was here?"

"IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND YOUR FRIENDS, PRINCE! THIS HILL IS HARD TO REACH, SO IT'S UNLIKELY YOU WOULD BE DISTURBED. THE TREE PROVIDES SOME SHELTER SHOULD THE WEATHER TURN FOUL. YOU HAVE BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF TOWN, COUNTRYSIDE AND SKY, WHATEVER YOU FEEL LIKE. AND OF COURSE THERE ARE NO FLOWERS. IT WAS NOT CERTAIN YOU'D BE HERE, BUT IT THE FIRST PLACE TO LOOK."

In spite of the Prince's foul mood, Papyrus was pleased to see a brief look of impressed surprise on his face.

"And why are you here? You gonna tell Mom and Dad where I am?"

"GOODNESS, NO! THAT WOULD BE MOST RUDE. I'VE TOLD FRISK THAT I AM WITH YOU, BUT NOTHING MORE. THEY'LL BE SATISFIED AS LONG AS THEY KNOW YOU ARE SAFE. WHICH YOU ARE, SINCE I'M HERE!"

Asriel appraised him a moment, then looked down at his knees wrapped in his arms. "And why did you want to see me?"

"WHY, WHAT HAPPENED IN SCIENCE CLASS OF COURSE!"

Asriel sighed in resignation. Papyrus noted a track of matted damp fur on his cheeks. "And how do you know?"

"PROFESSOR MADJICK MENTIONED WHAT THEY WERE TEACHING THE OTHER DAY. WHEN I FORGOT TO RETURN FRISK'S TIMETABLE I REALISED WHO WOULD BE TAUGHT IT."

This didn't garner much of a reaction. "It's stupid. I'm being stupid."

Papyrus looked affronted. "THERE IS NOTHING STUPID ABOUT BEING UPSET BY FLOWERS!"

The young monster gave another sigh. "You know, it's not that it was flowers. It's not even that it was THOSE flowers. I see them about town, and they normally don't bother me. But Madjick going on and on about it for a whole hour... I couldn't help but remember when I was... when I did..."

Papyrus took a chance and gently sat down beside him. It was a good sign that Asriel didn't try to push him away. Madjick had picked two types of flowers to discuss their various properties, and it was terrible luck they had picked the two that Asriel was already deeply familiar with.

"AND THEN... THEY TALKED ABOUT THE BUTTERCUPS?"

Asriel was past surprise. He was starting to tear up again. "Yeah. Talking about how poisonous they could be and that made me think of... of..."

Papyrus didn't know why buttercups upset him like that. He had noticed once when he was watching the children of the King and Queen, and Frisk had made him swear never to ask. And on this occasion he felt he should exceed that oath.

"PLEASE DON'T TALK ABOUT IT IF IT UPSETS YOU."

It didn't look like Asriel could speak at the moment in any case, but he nodded in gratitude.

"I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU, I HOPE IT CHEERS YOU UP!"

Asriel grunted in acknowledgement, which was permission enough. Seizing his phone, Papyrus took out what he had made. The Prince's head turned at the sudden smell.

"Is that..."

"YOUR MOTHER'S SIGNATURE PIE! I MADE IT MYSELF!"

Papyrus recognised that look. Sans wore it sometimes.

"DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT! I MAY LIKE TO EXPERIMENT WITH MY OWN RECIPES, BUT I UNDERSTAND WHEN IT'S BEST TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS PRECISELY. I OBEYED EVERY STEP THE QUEEN WROTE DOWN!"

Taking out a knife, a fork and a plate from his phone, he carved a slice from the pie and set it down before Asriel. He looked at it cautiously.

"I'm not hungry."

"DON'T EAT IT RIGHT NOW ON MY ACCOUNT. JUST WHEN YOU'RE READY."

Asriel looked up at him properly.

"I've been thinking about him. Me, even. I couldn't help myself. I know what Frisk said and Mom and Dad said and everyone said but I'm just remembering what I did and it goes round and round in my head and the worst part of it is... I still think some of it was funny, in a twisted way."

"WELL, YOU WERE ALWAYS FUNNY WHEN WE WERE IN SNOWDIN TOGETHER, I CAN UNDERSTAND."

Papyrus knew he had made a mistake. Asriel stiffened and shuffled back slightly. He must have reminded him of something he did to one of those other Papyruses he had told him about. It would be best to address the problem directly. Asriel beat him to it.

"I just think... I keep questioning whether I should have..."

Papyrus sat next to him again, and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"I SHALL BE HONEST, ASRIEL. WHAT YOU TOLD ME. EVERYTHING YOU DID. IT WAS... VERY SERIOUS. YOU HURT A LOT OF PEOPLE. EVEN OTHER MES. I'M SURE THEY'D AGREE WITH THAT IF I ASKED THEM."

Asriel gave a shuddering breath, and nodded. He hadn't broadcast what he did to everyone, but Papyrus was one of the few who received a confession, out of remorse for deceiving him.

"SO I MUST ASK YOU AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. EVER SINCE YOU DECIDED TO STOP BEING A FLOWER, HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO DO THOSE THINGS AGAIN?"

The fuzzy face screwed up in thought.

"I'm scared. I'm scared that one day I'll want to. Because he's a part of me. But no, the thought of it makes me sick."

"EXCELLENT!" cried Papyrus in triumph, "THEN YOU REMAIN ON THE PATH OF BECOMING A BETTER PERSON! CONTINUE TO NOT DO A VIOLENCE AND YOU SHALL HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR!"

"You... you think I can complete the journey?"

"HMM... I AM NOT SURE SUCH A PATH REALLY 'ENDS' IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE. BUT THE GREAT PAPYRUS BELIEVES IF ANYONE CAN, YOU CAN!"

He looked up at Papyrus for a couple of minutes. And finally he smiled a little.

"Can... can you give me some space? I just need to think about what you've said."

"OF COURSE. I SHALL BE ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE TREE. YOU SHALL NOT HEAR A PEEP FROM ME."

And with that he marched to the town-facing side and sat down. He always beat Sans when they played the quiet game as children, and he relished the challenge. Taking out a pen and paper, he started writing down ideas for puzzles. He didn't get very far, as his mind drifted to everything he had done that day. Mike's movie, The Cat's boxes, advice for Undyne, help for the sick man, and now being a friend to Asriel. He had helped a lot of people, and felt pleased for it. In fact his satisfaction was actually relaxing, maybe more relaxing than television would have been. Perhaps when he got home he should locate a proper Get Well Soon card for his new friend.

It was maybe an hour before he heard anything.

"Hey, Pap?"

"YES?"

"Um, thanks for the pie. It's not quite like Mom's, but it's really nice."

"NYEH HEH HEH!!!"

He leapt to his feet and rounded the tree again, seeing the crumb-laden plate at Asriel's feet.

"I HAVE SOMETHING ELSE WE CAN DO IF YOU ARE NOT YET READY TO GO HOME!"

Grabbing his phone again, he pulled out a few books, handing one to Asriel. He barely had time to register all the stars on the cover before something heavy clunked down beside him.

"I HAVE BORROWED MY BROTHER'S REALLY COOL TELESCOPE! WHEN THE SUN SETS WE CAN LOOK AT THE STARS IF YOU WISH. DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR PARENTS, I KNOW FRISK WILL TELL THEM YOU'RE SAFE."

The Prince's face brightening up had made the trials of the day worth it.

"NOW, I SHOULD TEST AND SEE IF THIS WORKS. OTHERWISE WE WOULD BE WAITING FOR NOTHING!"

Carefully fiddling with knobs, Papyrus lowered the telescope to look not at the sky, but the landscape before them.

"WOWIE! I CAN SEE THE ENTRANCE TO THE UNDERGROUND ON MOUNT EBOTT! IT WORKS!"

"Really?!"

"YES!" he said, lifting his head up. "WELL, EITHER THAT OR THERE'S A BLACK SPOT ON THE LENS."

Asriel snorted, then started laughing. Papyrus was delighted to have cheered him up. It wasn't until they got home much later that he realised it was because his right eye socket was covered in red ink.