The Time Before (Undertale)

56 ~ Smiley Trashbag

"PAPYRUS?!"

Sans was running through Waterfall.

Several hours ago, Papyrus had left for his "training" session with Undyne. Normally, he would have been back about two hours ago. Normally, he called if he was going to be back later than twenty minutes beyond the usual time. Normally, normally, normally--...

Normally, Sans wouldn't have found his brother's scarf lying on the ground, halfway in the water.

So he ran, screaming through the caves, calling for his brother.

There was this sound. An eerie laugh. Sometimes, he thought he saw a flash of yellow-gold and green in his peripheral vision.

"PAPYRUS!" He called again. "PAPYRUS, PLEASE!"

And there was that laugh, so twisted and cruel, tearing into his skull, actually physically breaking his skull, green, thorny--

Wow, do you really have that little HP?

Sickening snap, sound of bone splintering--

You're so weak!

No energy left to fight, body to broken to fight--

And here I was, thinking you were actually hiding something with your fake grin and careless attitude.

That laughter. So painful.

But you're really just a smiley trashbag!

Breaking everything.

I mean, come on! Even your idiot brother put up more of a fight than this!

Pap-- pap-py-rus--

Papyrus?! Yeah, he's dead! I killed him!

P-pap--

I killed him, Sans! Just like that, his dust all across the Underground!

C-can-t-- p-pr-rom-mised-- --p-pa-p--!!

It was so easy, too! He's such an idiot. Because in this world, it's kill or be killed, Sans!

N-no-- can't--

Sans!

P-ap-yr-u-s--

Sans, wake up!

... P-a-p--...

SANS!

Sobbing and writhing and how it hurts, breaking the promise again--

Sans, listen to me!

Had let go, let go of Papyrus, broken the promise, letting him--

Sans, it's okay, you're safe!

--die again, couldn't-- had to go back-- couldn't--

Sans, calm down! It's okay, you're okay, you're safe."