Monsters In The Forest

"FRISK!" You exclaim loudly, looking around the area for your little human sibling. "FRIIISK!" You continue to call, carefully traversing through the bushes, tall trees surrounding you. You huff as leaves fell from the trees above you, making you look up to see the shiny zeraora using the trees to avoid the bushes on the forest floor. "ZORO, CAN YOU PLEASE GO AHEAD AND FIND OUR ADVENTUROUS LITTLE SIBLING?" You ask your dear friend.

"Zera!" Zoro grunted, jumping off of the branch he had been on towards another branch, no doubt following his nose and your plea. You smile as you watch him go, without much else choice, you stay put and wait for Zoro to find where Frisk went this time. You should've paid better attention to where they went, you hadn't exactly heard where they were going since you'd been busy with the newly established Galvantula nest in this section of the forest.

Rai was finally settling down, his eggs had hatched and now they had two new joltiks to keep track off.

Breeding pokemon in real life was definitely different compared to breeding normal animals or back in the games. It was a good thing you and your brother were somewhat familiar with raising animals- you both spent plenty of time of your childhood in your grandparent's farm which was pretty old fashioned, your grandfather and mother were adamant on you both helping out when you could.

However breeding and raising horses and other farm animals were obviously far different from breeding and raising pokemon. 

Still, it gave you a good idea on what to do exactly and gave you some experience. 

You sigh, rolling your somewhat sore shoulders. Ah, you shouldn't have delayed some of the tasks you had this morning, you should have done them yesterday... but then again yesterday had been hectic, what with Yvonne making a fuss with your brother.

Speaking of him, you hope that he comes back from the village soon. You'd really like to taste some of Maryanne's pastries by now, and to know which berries she would like for next week. You had a really good harvest this month, you think you have enough of these season's berries to start cultivating the next month's berry batch just a bit early.

"Wooo..."

You blink as you hear the soft growl of a very familiar pokemon, you glance over and smile as you see Zacian, brother to Zamazenta and fellow Warrior Pokemon, emerge from the bushes. Zacian was in its base form, the Rust Sword hung around its neck and hidden beneath thick blue fur. "ZACI." You greet warmly, happy to see the proud warrior pokemon- Zacian was such a dedicated pokemon. He was one of the pokemon that would regularly patrol the mountain, keeping the peace and making sure that there would be no outsiders from beyond the thicket. 

You wait until the giant blue canine pokemon came to your side before reaching out to pat Zaci's head and snout. "EVERYTHING GOING WELL HM? ZENTA SHOULD BE WAITING AT THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN, HAVE YOU SEEN HIM YET?" You question, scratching behind Zaci's ear. The Legendary huffed, growling softly in appreciation and nodded. "THAT'S GOOD. I'VE JUST FINISHED CHECKING RAI AND HIS NEST, HIS JOLTIKS ARE ALL HEALTHY AND HE'S RATHER CALM. FRISK HAS WANDERED OFF, AGAIN, SO I SENT ZORO TO FIND HER." 

Zaci snorted, nudging your side slightly with his snout, tail wagging behind him. "I KNOW YOU CAN FIND HER, BUT I ALREADY SENT ZORO TO FIND HER. BESIDES, YOU SHOULD BE TAKING A BREAK NOW- DON'T THINK I DIDN'T NOTICE THE FACT YOUR BOWL WASN'T EMPTY. WHEN WE FIND FRISK WE ARE GOING BACK HOME FOR LUNCH AND YOU ARE JOINING US FOR IT." You tell him sternly making him whine. Zaci was a loyal pokemon, all of your pokemon were but by hell was he a hardworking one.

He tended to skip meals just to patrol around the mountain, he took the safety of everyone very seriously. 

Unfortunately he wasn't the only one to do that. You mean, it's great that he and the others took the safety of everyone on the mountain seriously but still, you wish they could at least remember to eat more often. It wasn't as if you were short on food, not anymore at least.

You sigh but pause as the bushes rustle from nearby, "Zerao!" It was Zoro. 

"AH! DID YOU FIND THEM?" Zoro nodded his confirmation at you then nodded his greeting at Zaci who nodded back, he waved a white paw towards his direction. "WONDERFUL! NOW JUST WHERE DID THEY HEAD OFF TO..."

With that, you follow after Zoro towards wherever Frisk was, Zaci following closely besides you.

It didn't take that long thankfully and you ended up in a familiar open plain, you sigh as you see the pile of white, grey and black. "AH. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN." 

"Baaa." 

*Cleat!

Frisk waves happily among the fluffy herd of wooloo and the two adult dubwools, they were gladly hugging a particularly small and fluffy wooloo which 'baa'd' cutely in their arms. Rune napping on top one of the bigger wooloos in the herd. 

"FRISK! HERE YOU ARE, I REALLY SHOULD HAVE SUSPECTED YOU WOULD HAVE GONE HERE. NEXT TIME SAY SOMETHING BEFORE YOU GO! I WAS WONDERING WHERE YOU WANT AFTER I CHECKED RAI AND HIS JOLTIKS!" You scold them as you came closer to the herd, you can't help the smile on your face as the younger more energetic wooloo come to your legs. Baalthama, one of the dubwools, yourshiny dubwool came close to you as well. "HELLO BAALTHAMA." 

Baalthama nudged your hand and you indulge her, petting her head right between her horns. She made a noise of satisfaction, nodding at both Zoro and Zaci. 

*Sorry Cleat, but I just had to see Baalthama and Gompers' herd!

Frisk laughed, snuggling the baby wooloo in her arms. Gompers, the dubwool that originally belonged to your brother, was lazily snoozing on Frisk's lap- his head was at least. He had opened his eyes to see you, Zoro and Zaci come but after confirming it was just you, he went back to sleep. 

*They've almost completely got their wool back!

With summer and spring ending, it was a good thing that Baalthama and Gompers' wool was growing back again. With the temperature dropping as the months went by, they'd need at least six weeks worth of wool grown to comfortably go through winter. Plus, you had plenty of wool for yourself and the others thanks to them.

Pokemon sheep wool was so much softer and different than normal sheep's wool. Wooloo and Dubwool wool were particularly soft, they'd make great blankets and winter clothing. 

"THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR." You smile, patting down the newly grown wool on Baalthama's body, she puffed her chest out and 'baa'd' proudly. "YES, YOUR COAT IS COMING ALONG GREATLY BAALTHAMA." You walk over to Frisk and groan as you decide to sit beside your adopted sibling, happily accepting Baalthama's head on your lap. Zoro and Zaci join you, Zoro jumping on top of Baalthama and sitting comfortably while Zaci situated himself behind you and Frisk. 

Baalthama ignored Zoro and merely closed her eyes. "AH, WE CAN SIT AROUND FOR A BIT MORE BEFORE WE LEAVE FOR HOME. CREST SHOULD BE COMING BACK SOON." You hum, chuckling softly as you reach over to pat Zoro's fur, the mythical pokemon purred his thanks. 

*Okay. What pastries do you think he got from Maryanne?

"WELL HE'LL DEFINITELY BE GETTING HIS CHESTO BREAD, MAYBE SOME PECHA ROLLS AND ORAN BUNS... I HOPE MARYANNE PUT THOSE KEE BERRIES TO USE, SO THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING MADE OF KEE BERRIES WHEN HE COMES BACK." You said thoughtfully, wiggling your fingers at the baby wooloo who playfully tried to nip them. "AT ANY CASE, WE MUST MERELY WAIT AND SEE."

*I guess. But I can't wait till we harvest the Ganlon berries! You and Maryanne make the best pastries with those berries.

Frisk leaned on your shoulder, smiling brightly at you and making you laugh. "MARYANNE AND I ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN MAKE GOOD PASTRIES WITH GANLON BERRIES FRISK." You remind them with a roll of your sockets. "BUT I'LL BE SURE TO MAKE SOME GANLON MUFFINS AFTER WE HARVEST THE GANLON BERRIES." 

They beamed, gently putting the young wooloo on the ground, much to its disappointment, before hugging your side. 

*You're the best big brother ever.

"EVEN BETTER THAN CREST?" You question with amusement.

Frisk pouts.

*When it comes to baking, you're the best big brother. We both know that Crest is the best big brother in other stuff.

You can't help but snort- it was a snort of fond agreement. You weren't going to disagree. Your brother did his best for the both of you, even before when it was just the two of you, he had tried his very best. He wasn't perfect, but you don't want him to be- he was doing his very best and that was enough even if sometimes his very best wasn't actually enough. For you and Frisk, Crest was the best big brother nonetheless."FAIR." 

*I can't wait for him to come back. He promised to let me help him with grooming today.

You chuckle and reach over to ruffle Frisk's head, smiling warmly. "THAT SOUNDS LOVELY FRISK. I'M SURE YOU'LL BOTH HAVE FUN WITH THAT. AND MAKE SURE TO PILE UP THE LEFTOVER FUR OR FLUFF LIKE USUAL."

*Will do!

It was peaceful in the field, the two of you along with the pokemon enjoying the peace and resting for a while.

You sigh softly, however before you could even do or say anything about heading back home, Zaci suddenly stood up. Body tense and good ear flicking. "ZACI?" Zoro followed afterwards, hopping off of Baalthama and looking in the direction where Zaci was looking at. "ZORO? WHAT'S WRONG?" 

"Grr...." 

You frown at the tense growl that Zaci- no, Zacian lets out. The Warrior Pokemon suddenly breaks out into a run, Zoro about to follow but stopped when Zacian howled and disappeared into the bushes. "ZACI!" Abruptly, you and Frisk stand, concerned and disturbed by the sudden departure of the legendary pokemon, Baalthama and Gompers standing with you and herding together their young. Rune had long woken up and hopped unto Frisk's shoulder, fur bristling in worry. 

*Something must have happened.

"SOMEONE MUST HAVE PASSED THE THICKET SOMEHOW." You conclude with a grimace as you realize that the direction that Zacian had taken off to headed towards the thorn wall that separated your mountain from the outside world. 

It was rare that someone would be able to get by the wall- it was a thing of magical marvel. A combination of pokemon used to erect a magical thicket barrier wall that enclosed the base forest and the mountain from the rest of the world. It went the same for the rock walls of the beach, the ocean was much trickier but the border for it was firmly set after five years.

The walls were to keep you all in and safe and everyone else out. Unfortunately it wasn't impenetrable though, merely extremely difficult to achieve. 

Over the years there'd been people who managed to get past the thicket wall, but it was always dealt with accordingly. No one managed to get past the forest and right up towards the mountain however.

The forest... 

Your sockets widen, "Oh No, Yvonne."

*Yvonne? What abou- 

Frisk's eyes widen as well and suddenly the both of you are running towards the base of the mountain, only to be interfered by Zoro who quickly stopped their descent. "ZORO, STEP ASIDE! WE HAVE TO GET TO THE THICKET!" 

"Zeraora! Zera, ra, ora!" Zoro argued back, firmly standing his ground and giving you a firm stare. 

"YVONNE AND HER CLUTCH MIGHT BE IN DANGER! IT DOESN'T MATTER IF ZAMAZENTA AND ZACIAN ARE THERE, WE STILL HAVE TO CHECK ON HER. YOU KNOW HOW PROTECTIVE SHE IS, IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO EVEN ONE OF HER EGGS SHE'LL GO BERSERK! WE HAVE TO GET DOWN THERE!" 

*We don't know if Crest is back yet to calm her, even after the intruder is dealt with Zenta and Zaci can't calm her down like Crest and Cleat can!

Zoro faltered and that was all you needed.

You just hoped that everything was alright and that your brother was back from the village now.

"oh wow..." Sci breathed once he and the others arrived to the edge of the thicket. 

Even before entering the forest, the wall seemed to be humongous but now that they were actually within the forest and right before the bottom of the wall- it was ginormous. They seemed infinitesimally small compared to the wall, it had to be meters high up. "well, we're certainly in the thick of 'et." Comic punned, though he seemed just as breathless at the sight of the wall of thick twisting thorns that left no gap for anyone to get through. 

By their side, Orion and Captain grimaced at the pun. "THAT WAS AWFUL." Orion told the alternate version of his brother while Chara snorted.

"That was pretty bad Comic." They agreed with a smirk.

They snickered when their dearest friend and Prince Asriel smacked their shoulder, "You're laughing though." He couldn't help but point out to his human advisor. 

"I am but even I have to admit that was pretty bad." 

Asriel smiled and shook his head.

Comic watched the both of them with a small smile, it had been weird to see the Prince himself all grown up like this- and with another human. The First Human to fall to the Underground. His Toriel and Asgore would definitely be tearing up at the sight of their two children so grown up... However, they weren't the children that he knew. Or rather, child.

The skeleton sighed and looked back at the wall, so far he hadn't seen Frisk anywhere. He had no idea where the kid was, or if they were even alive- Chara had been dead long before Frisk had showed up and yet in this universe they were well alive with Asriel. So maybe Frisk hadn't been born yet... Or maybe they were in the village, who knows.

But it didn't do well for him to dwell on this topic, he and his alternate yet younger self had a wall to look at after all.

"IT IS A WONDER THAT WE HAD NOT HEARD OF THIS SOONER. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY STRONG MAGIC THAT CREATED AND REINFORCED THIS WALL TO THE POINT OF WHAT IT IS NOW." Captain said thoughtfully as he stepped towards the wall, reaching out to lay a protected hand on the surface, he stopped however and narrowed his eye sockets. He wasn't the only one to do so, everyone there could feel the slight thrum of magic and power that seemed to briefly pulse from the wall. When Captain put his hand away, the thrum disappeared.

"interesting, it seems reactive to anyone coming near to the wall." Sci murmured as he went to stand beside the older alternate version of his brother. He briefly glanced at him then back at the wall.

Wasn't it just weird to stand besides someone you clearly knew but was ultimately different in a lot of ways? Science had felt conflicted but ultimately proud over the Papyrus of this universe, and admittedly a bit worried but this Papyrus wasn't his babybones brother. He was all grown up, mature and powerful. A Captain of the Royal Guard, right underneath Undyne herself! That was quite a feat, and Science had long since the proof of Captain being capable of handling himself. 

Paps had been star-struck at both him and the other older yet different versions of himself, though the closest variation that he could possibly become was Comic's brother Pyrus. And that still delighted him beyond belief. 

In contrast, Sci felt more than conflicted at his 'older' self. Comic was... well, at first he had thought the other had given up on science but that hadn't been the case. Comic was an older, more exhausted version of himself. Something had happened, and that something hadn't happened to him yet. Comic avoided the topic, but promised that one day, he might just tell Sci. Or not.

Either way, Science was rather concerned for him and for himself and what the future may happen to him.

"Are we safe standing this close to it?" Asriel questioned, he and Chara coming to stand besides Captain. 

"WE ARE NOT SURE, BUT JUST TO BE SAFE YOUR HIGHNESS, PLEASE STEP AWAY AT A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE THICKET." Captain said to his Prince, urging him to move from his side and away from the wall. Asriel sighed and was about to say something in turn when Sci unknowingly interrupted him.

"we should be safe, it would have tried to do something the moment we got this close to it. it only reacted when pa-ahem, when captain tried to touch the wall. and i'm not sensing anything subtle from it aside it." Sci told them, eye sockets closed though it was clear he was trying to sense the magic coming from the wall. Comic was doing the same, together they opened their eyes, "but that's just from regular sensing." 

"WHICH IS WHY WE'VE BROUGHT THE VARIOUS MAGIC SENSING EQUIPMENT THAT SIR GASTER HAS PROVIDED US!" Orion declared with gusto, he was right. Gaster had provided them with plenty of useful equipment that would help them in their endeavor to find out more about the forest, the wall, the mountain- everything they could. 

Seeing Gaster once more after so many years... Comic and a few other skeletons were certainly surprised to see him for a lot of reason with a lot of varying reasons. It took a lot of time for them to get used to the fact that Gaster was around, and to not consciously avoid him.

No one aside from their brothers questions why they avoided Gaster, not even Gaster himself.

That aside, Chara and Captain stood guard as the rest of them set up the equipment and began to try and get information about how and why the wall had formed. And what possibly lied beyond and inside its borders. There were still rumors about those mythical and magically powerful creatures after all, even if they were rumors there was always a sliver of truth in them- something was the cause of the wall and that something possibly hid behind the wall.

Unknown to them, a few particular 'creatures' were watching them from the safety of the trees and the wall. One particular creature was perched and hidden way up the wall, a small quadruped animal, its paws and ears were light green like fresh grass, attached to its next was a red scarf-like petal that grew among its white fur. Its sharp green eyes narrowed down at the skeletons, human and goat monster that were below it and let out a soft, "Min..." Before retreating into the thicket wall.

It had to warn the others, there were more troublesome people at its section of the wall.

It would gather a few others to its section for added assistance should anything happen, unfortunately this action would leave one section temporarily vulnerable and that would cost them greatly.

"paps! paps! paps where are you?!"
"LITTLE PAPS! LITTLE ME WHERE HAVE YOU GONE?!"

Vice had to keep down the swears he wanted to say aloud as he and the others hurriedly walked down the streets in search of a certain young skeleton that had separated from them in the brief moments they had all been distracted. 

They all should have paid more attention to Paps but Vice had been distracted with questioning one of the locals, Cosmic had accompanied and Pyrus was briefly distracted with a stall- In that moment of distraction, Paps managed to slip away from their sights.

Panic had immediately overtook all three skeletons as they realized that their youngest member had disappeared from their sights. They couldn't lose Paps! Not only because he was so young, that was the main driving force to them all but there was also the matter that Paps' older brother would go berserk if they came back to the group without his younger brother. 

Despite Science being a scholarly sort like Vice's father, he was still undeniably a strong skeleton that shouldn't be underestimated. 

"hey have you seen a kid skeleton? around yay high, completely adorable and lost- no? ff- okay, thanks anyway bud." Vice rubbed his face, trying to dissuade the panic that was in himself. He had to keep a calm head, having it muddled with panic and fear would do no one help. Keeping a clear head was the best thing to do in a situation like this. 

But the instinctive protective brother in him was panicking so hard in him- he hasn't felt like this in a very long time, not since his own Papyrus had been a babybones himself and had gotten lost within the woods. At least back then their father had been around to find him easily, but Gaster was back at the castle within the kingdom and Vice wasn't as good at passive magic searching like his father was. 

"I THINK PAPS MAY HAVE TRIED TO RETURN TO THAT BAKERY." Pyrus exclaimed when the three of them gathered together once more, "WE RAN OUT OF THE DELICIOUS PASTRIES JUST RECENTLY, PERHAPS HE WANTED MORE- I SHOULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTENTION, I WOULD HAVE GLADLY ACCOMPANIED HIM BACK TOWARDS THE BAKERY!" His usually tall and proud figure wilting a bit as shame situated itself on his face. 

Papyrus' face, any Papyrus face never suited such emotions like shame. 

Immediately Vice and Cosmic reassured him, "hey come on pyrus- it ain't y'er fault. we should have paid attention too. chin up, we'll find him soon." Cosmic reassured him, nudging his hip and smiling at him. Pyrus sighed, smiling faintly at him, "that's it. c'mon. he's gotta be around here somewhere."

"yeah, he wouldn't wander far, someone's gotta have seen him." 

And someone has much to their relief, and as Pyrus suspected, little Paps had been heading back towards Maryanne's Bakery. Quickly they headed there in hopes to find the current youngest Papyrus before anything could happen. Who knows what could happen to the small monster in the period they'd been separated! Even if it wasn't that long- the paranoia of something utterly horrible happening to the young monster haunted Cosmic and Vice.

Vice especially with how familiar he was with why exactly young monsters were to be so protected among their community.

Young children were vulnerable, crimes that involved them unfortunately weren't exactly unheard of. He's seen his fair share of predicaments that involved children, both human and monsters that ended... badly.

It was why his paranoia and panic was peaking so much right now.

And probably why, after approaching the shop and seeing from afar, he stormed towards the cloaked figure that shoved and loomed over Paps.

He takes the culprit's cloak into his hands, balled up and tugged them forcefully towards him, face set into an furious protective look. "hey! don't fuckin-" He started, righteous and strong. 

Wide sockets filled with fear and shaking eyelights. 

The fury suddenly transforms completely into shock, "what the fuck?" He ends emphatically as the cloak's hood falls and reveals the culprit's species and face.

A very familiar face.

How could it not be familiar when it belonged to his and a few certain other monster faces?

Sans' very own face stared back at him with wide sockets and shaking eyelights filled with fear and panic. 

Vice's mind whirls as he stares into those sockets. How was this possible? There shouldn't be another Sans out in his universe, the machine hadn't been activated recently since it was still being built and modified from the ground up! His father would have told him if there had been another him popping into their world because of it!

He immediately looks over this Sans, taking in the discrete cloak that looked homemade and well maintained. It was a bit hard to see the clothes underneath the cloak but Vice could see the light blue tunic with silver accents that served as the other's shirt. A strange belt wrapped itself around the other's waist, multiple small orbs attached at the leather-looking material of the belt. Baggy dark grey pants covered the other's legs with the ends tucked into sturdy black hunting boots.

Whoever this Sans was, he blended in well with the locals with his clothing, even if his belt was rather strange. A preferred fashion quirk of his? Stars knew that his and his brother's alternates had strange fashion quirks of their own, but he could at least see their reason for it. What reason would there be for an orb belt? They seemed rather decorative... no, maybe they not only looked decorative but maybe there was something else to them.

He would have felt tense if it weren't for the fact he looked back into those sockets that... were still wide, but the eyelights were gone. The fear and panic was still clear in those sockets even as the other's face had long shut down. The other Sans' body had began to limp in his grip and started trembling, chest heaving as he wheezed out his breaths that were getting faster and faster. 

"shit, shit this-" A panic attack. An honest for star's sake panic attack- fuck, now Vice was feeling guilty. "hey, hey hey-" He started gently, forcing himself to relax and slowly release his grip on the other's cloak. "it's okay. look i- fuck, i'm sorry. i didn't mean to be so forceful or sudden. come on buddy, you're okay. i'm not gonna hurt ya." He reassures him.

In his peripheral, he can see Pyrus and Cosmic get to Paps- who looked thankfully okay. Confused and concerned, but ultimately okay. Whatever happened with the shove back then must have been an accident or something because as far as he knew it, no Sans would want to willingly hurt a Papyrus. Be it their own or another Papyrus. This Sans was... Fuck, he was still in the throes of the panic attack, barely responding as his eyelights flickered in and out.

"you're okay. i'm not gonna hurt ya, no one is-" Vice is trying his best even though he wasn't the best in reassuring people, he was mostly successful with his brother for obvious reasons but reassuring an alternate version of himself whom he hasn't met before? And had previously just aggressively manhandled? Yeah, he wasn't that good for assurance. 

Thankfully Cosmic was there with them. After making sure Paps was fine, he was quick to be by Vice's side, grimacing at the panic attack but speaking softly in a gentle voice. Vice had no idea how Cosmic could be so reassuring. There was just something about him that had mostly everyone being able to trust him and just relax around or because of him. It was kind of odd to think that this was his alternate because in comparison, they were kind of completely different monsters... Alternate worlds were just bizarre.

But ultimately interesting and in these cases? Useful.

"c'mon buddy, you're gonna end up passing out here. breathe in and out slowly. follow me, in... out... in... out... that's it... you're in the streets right now bud, in the village of ebott. you're okay, no one's gonna hurt you... no no, it's okay, really no one's gonna hurt you, breathe in... and out... in... out..." Cosmic encouraged him, slowly coaxing him out of his panic attack.

Vice kept close, watching Cosmic help with a sense of relief as unknown Sans' breathing steadied and slowly returned. His eyelights were still gone however so he was still concerned for the other. He had long let go of the other, Cosmic only had a comforting hand on the other's shoulder. All three of them were crouching on the ground, Pyrus and Paps lingering by them wearing similar looks of apprehension and uneasily quiet.

Around them, the locals and others whispered and watched making Vice cringe as he considered their situation at the moment. Maybe it was better to have gotten this Sans somewhere else more private? However that might've set off the other worse than just being limp, Vice could remember quite grimly on how Axe and Red had reacted violently after an emotional breakdown. The first time Vice had tried to help Red out and get him somewhere private, he'd nearly gotten impaled by a red bone. 

Things had gotten better but still.

They had to be careful, there was no telling on what this Sans could do. 

And Vice knew the other was an alternate version of himself, skeleton monsters were practically unheard of these days aside from him, his brother, his father and now the alternate versions of himself and his brother. And this skeleton looked too much like him and Cosmic to not be an alternate version of them.

But the question still stood, where had he come from? How in the world did they come to this universe without alerting them? 

"feeling better there bud?" Cosmic asked quietly, the other didn't answer. Sockets still empty, "hey, you still there?" Vice was worried that the other actually passed out with his sockets wide eyed- but then the other nodded slightly leading both Cosmic and Vice to sigh in relief. "there we go..."

Vice awkwardly stood up, scratching his cheek with an apologetic look that the other couldn't see with how he was staring down at the ground. "uh, look. sorry about that- didn't mean to send you spiraling there. i just saw that you shoved paps, you didn't mean it right? right. so..." He trailed off, helplessly looking at the still silent Sans and then glancing at Cosmic who could only shrug with a frown. 

The vice captain sighed, about to speak some more only to notice something.

The other Sans was gathering magic. "wh-cosmic get back!" In an instant Cosmic edged back just as the cloaked skeleton's right eye socket flashed, a bright blue eye blazed to life, flaring blue just as his magic spiked- 

He took a shortcut.

Disappearing from his spot on the ground, causing everyone to gasp in shock. Vice on the other hand cursed heavily, "i'm going after him! you and pyrus get paps back either at the inn or towards the others!" He exclaimed to Cosmic with his sockets closed. He wasn't good at passive sensing like his father or like his brother, but he was good enough at sensing just activated magic just fine. 

The other Sans was sloppy in hiding his magic trail, though he couldn't help but note that compared to the usual trail from him and his other alternates, the trail was considerably smaller. 

That didn't matter however as Vice opened his sockets with his own right socket's eyelight flaring with magic.

He followed after him.

You pant against the wall, shakily tugging your hood back over your skull.

That was horrible.

Your identity was discovered and you lost your pastry basket! Your chesto bread! 

You...

You have to get back towards the forest, you have to get home.

You don't have time to stay slump in a random alleyway of the village, it was still somewhat close by to where you have been but you can't really do anything about it, you just had to get home- tell your siblings of the matter and tighten the security around the mountain. You knew this day was coming but you thought you'd be more prepared!

However you had only expected one pair of Sans and Papyrus to come, but now there were obviously other versions out there- Even after five years, you could still remember Outertale Sans as well as Undertale Papyrus. The mini-Papyrus was also telling.

Admittedly you hadn't expect the Outertale Sans and Archaic Sans -you and your brother dubbed this universe as 'Archaic' long ago- to help you with your panic attack and you felt a bit guilty from running away like that but your fear was too great to ignore. You had to get home and get away from them. You had five years of peace without interacting with the 'main characters' of this universe. Your luck might just be running out now.

Gathering your strength, you push against the wall and look around to make sure you were alone before you could even try to run back towards the forest. 

Your sockets widen in horror as before your very eyelights, Archaic Sans blurs into the alleyway. He- followed you?! Shit, shit- "stop-" He shouts at you but you definitely don't listen.

Quickly you take another shortcut. 

You appear in another alleyway and immediately book it from the scene, not even a second later do you hear him running after you, "hey!" 

Get away get away get away get away get away get away-

You run past everyone else, weaving through the villagers as you ran but unfortunately Archaic Sans was still coming after you, closing in on you.

He was the fucking vice captain of the damned Royal Guard of course he could keep up with you-

You don't want to keep using your shortcuts, but you do not want to get caught- 

The road disappears from underneath you and is replaced with the sturdy shingles of a rooftop, you don't waste time and head towards the forest. You don't have to look back to know that Archaic Sans was following after you much to ever increasing dread. You jump off one roof and appear on another roof further away, breathing heavily as you sprint across the roof, jumping to a closer one- you had to say, in the five years you've spent in this universe. Your parkour skills had skyrocketed. 

It came handy in situations like these.

Not that you fucking like these situations.

"stop! please just- fucking- wait!" It's so unfair that he doesn't seem as exhausted as you are- you just got over a panic attack, used up all of your safe shortcuts, and are currently parkouring at top speed towards the forest all the while trying not to get back into a fucking attack. You're so fucking stressed and this was all just so unfair-

You have to skid to a stop as he suddenly shortcuts right in front of you. Fuck- "please just- stars damn it-" He curses when you force yourself to shortcut unto another rooftop- so close to the forest-

You're gasping for breath, a familiar sensation of pain coming from your chest. You're struggling to keep on both legs, you want to lay down so badly and rest but then he just appears before you again. Both of you stranded on a rooftop, well, you were stranded on a rooftop. You couldn't go anywhere else right now, not with another shortcut. 

You're at your limit. And you don't have any useful berries or potions on you right now. All you could rely on were your pokemon strapped to your belt. You can always trust them but... 

Fucking DAMMIT.

You dip into your exhausted magic reserves and grab enough to form a long pristine blue bone weapon in your hands, wincing as the pain flared in your chest.

"h-hey, are you okay? shit, you don't look so good there." Archaic Sans seems so concerned, and honestly you're almost tempted to just give in.  

Almost.

You weren't going anywhere with him, not without going home first. "woah there friend. we don't have to do anything violent here." Sans warned you, hands up like he was surrendering. You give him a self-deprecating smile.

"that depends, you really gonna let me go without a problem?" The hesitance in his face is enough for you, you grip your bone and drop into a ready stance, by instinct or by decision, Sans does the same. 

You just- had to do something and then book it to the forest. You're so close. 

You could try forcing another shortcut, but doing that would damage your SOUL again and your siblings hated you forcing shortcuts or forcing yourself past your exhausted magic reserves. 

You could reach for your belt and let out one of your pokemon, but Sans was skilled and he probably won't let you do that if he perceived you going for your pokeballs as a threat. And even then, you hated involving your pokemon in battles like these. You and your brother have spent years protecting your pokemon, trying to hide the fact they even existed with not-so-successful results.

But you never wanted the existence of pokeballs to become known, that the decorative looking-balls attached to your belt could be used to capture and store pokemon. There had already been plenty of attempts of your pokemon being captured by others over the years. Either by other means or by egg-stealing. 

Even now, you were hesitant to consider getting your friends out right now. Not against one of the most powerful monsters to exist. 

Unfortunately, it looks like you might just have to... Which you hate so damn much.

It's a tense silent moment on the roof, the lull of the village becomes nonexistent between the two of you as you both consider the situation carefully, planning out your first movement or trying to predict the other's movement instead.

...

SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

The sound is loud and grating, even from the rooftop and away from the source that came from the forest. From beyond the wall.

You and Sans wince, but immediately you gasp as you recognize the enraged shriek that came from and you pale. "yvonne." You ignore Sans' look and focus your gaze at the forest.

Something large and loud flies over the thicket wall, quickly heading towards the village.

SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

An enraged Noivern, screams across the sky. Sound coming from her sharp jaw and large, teardrop shaped years that resembled loudspeakers. 

"no no- yvonne what are you doing-" It clicks, something must have happened to her clutch. 

That was a maternal type rage that Yvonne was showing, someone must have been able to steal one or more of her eggs.

Of all the times to happen-

You whirl to Archaic Sans, "teleport us to wherever yvonne lands!" 

He falters in place, dumbfounded as you march towards him and grab his arm. "what?"

"just do it!"

Nothing else mattered right now.

Yvonne and her future baby/babies needed help.