Chapter Text
“Courier! I need you up front! Take out what you can, be careful! Pap I need you behind Courier! Ice wolf you’re with Courier!” Salt shouted, eyelights roving over the wave of monsters they were fending off. Courier nor anyone else questioned his orders, falling into place in order to defend against the monsters sent by Muffet to invade their home. They hadn’t been expecting an attack on their home so soon, it hadn’t even been a week since the last time! What was going through that damned spider's head?! They both had suffered heavy losses last time.
Salt stood back away from the actual fighting, summoning up bone attacks from under the attacking monster’s feet from afar. This battle was going badly, especially with less than a week for everyone to recover. A sharp scream rang out and Salt turned scowling as he sought out the source of the scream, where was it coming from and who was it?
A moment later a weight dropped down on top of Salt crushing him into the snow, and for one insane moment he thought Muffet was launching bodies at him.
Immediately he threw the other off, snarling viciously. What the fuck or rather who the fuck had fallen on him in the middle of a fucking turf war?! Salt was up in an instant whirling on the poor monster who'd landed on him only to stop and stare.
This monster looked almost exactly like him, but so much taller. He had lavender eyelights and three vertical scars over his left socket. He was in dented obsidian armor with blue boots, gloves and a bandana. Okay, either he had hit his head really fucking hard or he was seeing shit again. Hard to tell which one it was these days.
"Okay, I don't know what the fuck this is about but I do not have time for it. I see you have armor, which means you know how to fight. So go fight, close, mid or long range is up to you." Salt ordered dragging the monster to his feet by his arm and shoving him forward towards the others who were still fighting despite the scream.
"Wait- what!?" The other him demanded as he was quite literally pushed into battle. "How dare you!"
"Shut up! We're in the middle of a fucking turf war! Neither of us have time for this!" Salt snarled swiftly striking the taller version of himself across the face followed by another shove. "MOVE IT!"
The other skeleton snarled furiously but as we was pushed towards the ongoing battle he quickly summoned an pale purple whip with a bone handle snapping it at a charging alligator monster, the whip wrapping around their throat.
Satisfied with this Salt turned his attention elsewhere, shouting out orders to those in the fray. Dubbing the skeleton who'd fallen on him 'asshole' for the time being until he got his name. Another scream rang out as yet another skeleton crashed into him.
This skeleton was nearly identical to his brother but sharp teeth, claws with golden eyelights a golden tooth and a single scar over his right socket. The tall Papyrus impersonator stared down at him in confusion.
A muffled scream of outrage came from Salt as yet again he threw a skeleton off of himself glaring at the new monster. He took a deep calming breath, it didn't work. Yet another skeleton monster had fallen on his head, he was about to say something only to hear another scream. This time he looked up, just in time for them to land on him again. Followed by more screams as more skeleton monsters fell down, one landing on his brother and a few into the snow. Salt struggled out from under the third monster that day to fall on him.
Salt snarled as he was once again slammed face first into the snow. When he shoved the figure off of him it was yet another him! Baby blue eyes, same colored bandana as the first monster and - was that fake armor? Salt was ready to outright scream at anyone and everything right now.
"You!" He snarled at the other monster in what looked like fake armor. "Get over there! Now!" He could tell by looking at him that he wasn't a fighter. Now he turned his attention to the other monster who had fallen on him.
His brother had picked himself back up and was helping a smaller skeleton monster up, quickly pulling him over to Salt and calling to the other varying skeleton monsters now around them. But he left them with his brother to resume fighting with Courier.
"Okay, who among you bastards fights?" Salt demanded impatiently, looking over the group. Every single skeleton monster looked like him or his brother, questions bubbled up but there was no time for that now.
"I have no interest in your battle." Edge scoffed before crossing his arms. Sans stepped forward to help and Edge growled yanking the other back to his side by his red collar.
"Oh? You don't do you?" Salt snarled stepping forward, summoning a long black bone into his hand before using it to pole vault into the air. Slapping Edge across the face with the back of his hand.
"Well either you fight or get the fuck back, I don't have time to babysit you assholes!"
Edge’s eyelights shrank and he stumbled slightly from the strike, he snarled summoning a bone attack of his own ready to fight the smaller.
"Stop!" Sans hissed grabbing Edge's wrist, giving a hard tug. "Let's just help him. . . He's a Sans..."
Salt snarled right back giving Edge the meanest of looks, possibly rivaling the skeleton's own. He flipped Edge off turning to the rest of them.
"Anyone else gonna fucking object?! I don't have time for this shit and neither do any of you! Anyone who isn't going to fight go stand by the blue one! Close combat up front with my bro, long range behind me, midrange with me." Salt barked out at them, summoning a wave of black bones that he sent past the first skeleton who landed on him to knock out some of the monsters before he got overwhelmed.
The skeletons quickly shuffled into positions, Red gritting his teeth falling back to blue, giving him an unimpressed look. Slim quickly joined his brother looking relieved as he spotted him, and Edge went to the front lines. Sans whined sharply at their separation but he moved to long distance, Stretch shifted looking unsure and Papyrus froze.
Salt turned his attention to the two remaining skeletons looking them over with a critical eyelight.
"If you're not going to fight get the fuck back and stay out of the way!" Salt ordered before turning back to the fight currently happening around them. He then stormed off, giving orders for rearranging monsters into better battle formations. The small monster's deep voice booming through the din of battle.
Papyrus joined mid range and Stretch fell back with Blue and Red.
***
It was nearly half an hour before the fight ended, the opposing monsters retreating with heavy losses. To avoid panicking the locals the group of ten skeletons had relocated to the forest. The group of skeletons stared at each other at all the different versions of themselves, sizing each other up.
"Okay, I don't care who. Someone, explain what the hell, is going on." Salt demanded standing across from the eight skeletons. The skeletons exchanged looks warily, Razz crossing his arms and glaring at Salt, Slim fidgeting, Edge scowling, and the other skeleton’s looking around warily. Stretch sighed, shoving his hands in his hoodie pockets.
"Well, we’re you and your brother from alternate universes." Stretch began to explain. Salt listened in silence as Stretch briefly and simply explained the multiverse theory. Salt’s brother would ask the occasional question while Courier was fascinated by it all. To think that there were other versions of the skeletons brothers and themself.
Edge looked irritated, Sans was eyeing Salt and Toffee silently, while the other skeletons shifted and glanced around at each other silently. Sans hadn’t expected to send them to this strange world, but it hadn’t really been his fault, not with Gaster interfering. He certainly didn’t expect to meet three new versions of himself and his brother and an alternate older version of the kid.
“Sans! This is your fault!” Edge scoffed turning to glare at Sans. “We were supposed to go back to your useless universe, now we’re in this one. I admit it's more entertaining than yours, but it's not where we were supposed to go!”
“Your Gaster fixed it! If anything it’s his fault, or the one that ate him! It’s not my fault!” Sans scoffed and crossed his arms.
“You met him too?” Blue asked quietly with a shudder.
“Guess we know who the four he was having for dessert are.” Razz huffed looking unimpressed.
“Wait, what?” Sans demanded frowning.
“Well someone has to pay for this.” Edge growled in irritation. Razz’s eyelights fell on Blue, his displeased look deepening. Blue’s eyelights shifted away from Razz looking at the snow with sudden interest. Slim meanwhile was staring at Courier as if they had murdered his beloved pet.
“Are you three really Sanses?” Blue asked interrupting the sudden silence with a frown looking up and eyeing Sans, Red, and Salt. They looked so much different and shorter than he and Razz. Especially the angry one. He was so very small, and his scar was bigger than any of the other skeleton’s, a hole in his mandible that seemed to crack up to his left socket. The left eyelight hazy, seemingly slightly damaged. Salt gave a deep, long suffering sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nasal passage in frustration.
“Yes, my name is Sans, just like every, other, fucking, look, alike, here.” Salt breathed out grinding his teeth as he did his best to remain calm.
“He’s like Red.” Sans said looking Salt over. “But actually threatening.” Sans snickered at his sharper alternative.
“Hey!” Red snarled and Edge snorted.
“Shut up.” Edge huffed tugging on the red collar around Sans’s cervical vertebrae. Sans huffed and Red blinked and frowned in confusion. Was Boss defending him from his stupid weird mate?
“So, what am I supposed to do with you fuckers anyways?” Salt sighed looking up at them all with his arms crossed.
“Well something went horribly wrong. We need to get back to our universe!” Blue said with a frown and looked to his brother. “What went wrong?”
“ You fucked up.” Razz spat furiously glaring at Blue with rage. Blue took a hesitant step back, giving Razz a nervous smile. Perhaps grabbing Razz’s arm as they were about to be teleported to another dimension had not been the brightest thing to do.
“Look, I don't care who fucked up, the fuck do I do with all of you?” Salt snarled at them losing his last shred of patience.
“Kill that one, I don’t trust him.” Razz motioned towards Edge. “As for the rest, I don’t care. Mutt! You’re going to build a machine to take us home and away from this dump! And no stowaways this time.”
Slim sighed softly and Edge snarled. “Who the fuck do you think you are, princess?” Edge demanded. Salt dropped his skull into his hands, stars give him strength so he didn't murder them all.
“What did you say to me!? How dare you!” Razz snarled eyelights flashing magenta.
“I didn’t realize you were deaf as well as annoying and narcissistic. I said-”
“Okay! I think that's enough!” Toffee, Salt’s brother, spoke up raising his hands in a placating manner frowning at everyone.
“I'm sure everyone is very tired and has had a very long day, I don't think fighting amongst ourselves will solve anything. But, what are you all going to do? And what do we even call you? We can't all be Sans and Papyrus.” Toffee spoke evenly, glancing from one skeleton to another. Salt silently thanked his brother for handling them at this time, lest he kill them all.
"Well… we’ve all been traveling together for a little bit.” Papyrus said gesturing to Sans then the Underfell brothers. “We’ve been calling angry me Edge, and then his brother, Red. Sans and I haven’t any nicknames.” Papyrus glanced away.
“Alright, and what about you four?” Toffee asked motioning to the Underswap and Swapfell skeletons.
“This is Raspberry-” Stretch began only to be cut off by Razz.
“I WILL FUCKING BREAK YOUR CERVICAL VERTEBRAE, ASHTRAY.”
“But if you don’t want him to screech like a banshee Razz will do. And that's his brother Slim. They’ve been calling me Stretch. I don’t fucking know why. And this is Blueberry, or Blue.” Stretch said taking out a cigarette and lighting it up. Slim hummed appreciatively digging for his own pack. As soon as Stretch lit it a sharp breeze passed and it was gone, ripped from his hand by some unseen force.
Stretch blinked, looked down at his empty hand then over at Slim looking confused. Slim paused in his own movements before, slowly putting his pack back inside his jacket safely from the invisible cigarette thief.
“Where the hell did my cigarette go?” Stretch demanded.
“How many times do I have to threaten your life to make you stop smoking those disgusting things around me Cancer Stick?” Razz demanded.
“So...has anyone else noticed that Razz is a mini Edge and Slim is like a tall Red or is it just me?” Sans asked with a frown. Edge and Razz both immediately squawked at him, their words turning to gibberish as they both screeched. Both Red and Slim frowned at each other, crossing their arms, glaring at each other's golden tooth.
“I don't think that's very important right now.” Toffee sighed softly giving them a patient smile while Salt glared at them . “I, suppose we should decide nicknames as well?”
“Probably a good idea.” Stretch said lighting another cigarette, only for the same thing to happen again.
“Are you doing this!?” Stretch demanded glaring at Razz.
“No, but i’m enjoying it~” Razz smirked.
“Can we get this over with? I still have shit to do.” Salt sighed at them.
“Your name should be Salt. Because you’re so salty.” Slim said with a smirk, Razz scoffed rolling his eyelights.
“No puns!”
“...A Sans that doesn’t like puns?” Sans frowned at Razz, that was seriously weird.
“You mean you do like puns?”Blue frowned at Sans as if Sans had grown another skull.
“I am not salty.” Salt grumbled.
“If you’re not Salty, Razz is a delight.” Stretch huffed.
“How dare you!” Razz growled. “I am a fucking delight!”
“Compared to what, Gaster?” Stretch frowned and Razz snarled. Blue tried not to look at either one of them, taking sudden interest in his boots.
“I can and will break your skull in Stretch, and I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.” Salt informed Stretch.
“See? Salty.” Slim nodded at Salt.
“Oh stars, there’s two of them.” Stretch groaned staring at Salt then Razz. Was every Sans besides his brother threatening? “You two at least, better be pleasant.” Stretch gestured to Sans and Red who both shrugged.
“Fuck you!” Salt snarled flipping Slim off.
Edge eyed Salt suspiciously, and he tugged Sans closer by his collar. Razz and Salt both seemed dangerous and Sans and Red had such low HP. “Ow- hey! Why!?” Sans whined.
“So, what do we call you?” Slim hummed eyeing Toffee over.
“I, I don't know?” Toffee frowned looking down. “And, I apologize for my brother, because he's not going to.”
“What about Toffee? It’s sweet and salty. ‘Sides he looks pretty Tof.” Red suggested. Edge groaned at the pun followed by Papyrus, Blue and Razz. Sans, Stretch, and Slim snickered, even Salt did.
“I guess that's fine?” Toffee shrugged slightly, ignoring the pun for now. “Well. That's settled but, What do we do now?”
“I’m not sure.” Papyrus sighed looking at the snow thoughtfully.
“We’ll just fix their machine.” Stretch said with a shrug.
“And how long is that going to take?” Razz demanded.
“I don’t know pocket edgelord, I haven’t seen it yet.” Stretch snapped.
“Wait, machine? What machine?” Salt asked with a frown.
“You do have a machine, right?” Sans demanded, raising a brow bone he took a step forward only for Edge to pull him back. Sans frowned squinting at the taller.
“We don't have any machines?”
“Well, shit.” Red groaned. “We’re fuckin’ screwed.”
“Only machines I know of are in Waterfall. But I doubt that's what you're looking for.” Toffee said.
“This machine would have belonged to you.” Sans said at the same time Stretch said;
“This machine would belong to your brother.” Sans frowned and stared at Stretch who frowned back. Sans eyed the other’s orange hoodie, and Blue’s battle body as Stretch seemed to eye Sans’s blue hoodie and Papyrus’s battle body. Both frowned at the strange differences.
“What ...is with you four?” Sans frowned at Blue, Razz, Stretch and Slim. They were so strange, so opposite. As if personalities had been switched.
“Could ask you the same thing.” Stretch grumbled.
“Neither of us own a machine of any kind.” Salt informed them. “I don't even know what you're talking about.”
"This is bad.” Red groaned. “We’re gonna have ta build the fuckin’ thing from scratch! I don’t suppose anyone happened to bring along the damn blueprints?”
“Nope.” Slim said popping the P.
“Where did this supposed machine we're supposed to have even come from anyways?” Salt demanded frowning as his eyelights flicked from one skeleton to another.
“The labs.” Stretch said shortly and Sans nodded. Red looked down and Slim sighed.
“Labs? What labs?” Toffee asked curiously.
“You don’t have labs here? The hell kinda universe is this?” Red demanded.
“Well, ours obviously. But, clearly there are some differences? I could explain, I guess. As long as everyone shuts up.” Salt mused looking highly unamused by the whole situation.
The skeletons grumbled, but fell silent, Edge pulling Sans even closer. Sans whined as he was dragged against the taller looking up at Edge curiously. Edge didn’t look down at him, but kept his eyelights trained on Slim, Razz, and Salt.
“Alright, well first, I don't remember how long ago but when the barrier went up the humans killed the King and Queen.” Salt began crossing his arms as he recalled the day with a slight shudder.
“No shit?” Red frowned, that would surely cause some serious changes. Sans frowned, Stretch looked thoughtful, and Slim looked jealous.
Slim hated Queen Toriel, lucky bastards.
“There was a mutiny amongst the adults right afterwards, Dogamy and Gerson took us kids away from it as quickly as he could. I think nearly all of the adults died back then.” Salt continued shifting from one foot to another.
“That’s terrible.” Blue said softly with a concerned look.
“Explains why there’d be no labs or - wait you were around before the barrier went up?” Stretch asked.
“That is weird.” Red agreed.
“I think I was ten, my bro was eight. It was a long time ago.” Salt murmured shaking his head. “Yeah we were there. Weren't you guys?”
“Hell no that was like thousands of years ago!” Red said shaking his head.
“I’m only 132 man.” Slim said with a shrug, sliding his hands in his pockets.
“How the fuck are we different ages if we’re the same monsters?” Edge demanded.
“Then I guess that makes you all baby bones.” Salt snickered at them.
A series of arguments rang out from the eight skeletons, insisting they were not babybones.
“You're all kids to us, that's all there is to it. You act like kids too.” Salt sighed looking tired.
“Excuse you! I’m Captain of the Royal Guard!” Edge scoffed at the same time,
“Excuse you, I’m Captain of the Queen’s Guard, you peasant.” Razz growled.
“Well, that doesn't exist here. And if you want to pull rank, I outrank you all.” Salt huffed at them. Razz and Edge both scoffed and Slim chuckled looking amused.
“Oh and what are you then?” Razz demanded.
“I don't have a title, don't need one. But I run things here in the Tundra.” Salt explained
“Tundra?” Stretch asked curiously.
“Yes, where we are now Stretch.” Toffee further explained. “From the caverns where we came to the underground to Waterfall is the Tundra.”
“Sounds kind of wild.” Slim hummed.
“Where’s the village?” Blue frowned.
“Village? You mean the tunnels?” Toffee asked.
“Tunnels?” Razz demanded looking personally offended.
“Yes, tunnels.”
“You don't live in houses?” Sans asked with a frown.
“The fire elementals would just burn them down.” Toffee informed.
“Stars, and I thought Underfell was bad.” Papyrus sighed.
“Hey!” Edge scoffed. “Underfell isn’t bad.”
“It’s literally hell.” Sans said rolling his eyelights at Edge and Edge made an offended noise.
“Nah, he’s right. Our universe blows, but I think this one’s worse.” Red snickered.
“Alright so I guess you're all stuck here, I guess we better lay the ground rules.” Salt mused. Razz bristeled and narrowed his sockets at Salt.
“Fuck this, we’re leaving.” Razz said and Slim blinked.
“Huh?” Slim said giving his brother a look of disbelief. They didn’t know this universe. He wanted to stay with the natives, not wander out into the ‘tundra’ as they so called it.
“I said we’re leaving.” Razz scowled at Slim. He didn’t trust Salt as far as Blue could throw him, (As Razz was certain he could toss the small skeleton quite far, but Blue was weak as shit), and he figured he could keep his dog safer on his own rather than trusting the tiniest version of himself. He didn’t trust anyone.
“Fine, then get the fuck out.” Salt retorted, he didn’t care what they did. If they wanted to die out here that was their problem for refusing to listen.
“What? But Razz! You don’t know anything about this world! Shouldn’t you two stay?” Blue said wringing his hands together. He didn’t want Razz and Slim to split up from them, into the strange wild terrain.
“No. I don’t know them and I don’t trust them. You shouldn’t either.” Razz huffed at Blue and he frowned at Slim. “Come on, Mutt.”
“But…” Slim said softly, looking torn. Razz had already started walking off and he ran after him to catch up. Blue and Stretch looked at one another, then the rest of the group, before going after the pair.
“Now then, does anyone else want to leave?” Salt asked looking from one skeleton to another, taking a moment to rifle around in his pockets for a small bottle.
“No.” Edge said answering for the other three. Sans and Red had far too low HP to risk the wilds, and Papyrus wasn’t in the greatest mental state. He needed shelter for his group, and these new versions hadn’t attacked them yet, right? He’d trust them enough to be housed, for now.
“What are the rules?” Edge asked looking impatient and unimpressed with this display from the four that left. A stupid move on their part, he was sure. Red and Sans exchanged looks neither speaking up, Papyrus shifted nervously beside his brother gripping his scarf tightly.
“Anyone with low LOVE stays in the tunnels unless they have someone with high LOVE with them, no exceptions . Do not go to Hotlands, don't drink the water, no physical fighting in the tunnels magic or otherwise, no forest exploration until you're shown where traps are set up, And no killing Courier.” Salt explained looking up at Edge and jerking a thumb at the older human. “You might know a thing or two about fighting, I'll give you guys that. But that alone isn't going to keep you alive.”
“The fuck are we supposed to drink?” Edge said with a blink. Although he liked the rule about low LOVE. It’d make his job of keeping everyone safe easier.
“Booze?” Red snickered.
“Melted snow. Unless we have something else sent over by Dyne or Alph.” Salt provided with a sigh, he was done with them all. He took a sip from the small bottle in his hand, calming slightly afterwards.
“Let me make one thing very clear . I owe none of you anything. I don't have to help you, I could dust all of you and no one would notice. If you are going to stay here, you are going to behave. That being said, I've chosen not to do that.” Salt informed the group in an icy tone, he was dead serious and wanted them to know it. His brother looked uneasy but didn't step in despite possibly disagreeing with his choice of words.
Red immediately bristled crimson eyelights landing on Salt and not leaving. He opened his mouth and Edge placed his palm over Red’s mouth, cutting him off. Red blinked in surprise. When Boss wanted him to shut up he usually got choked by his collar, or smacked upside the head. Occasionally punched in the ‘stomach’. Why was Boss acting so weird? It didn’t make sense.
“Now, are we going to have any problems?” Salt asked looking at each of their faces sternly.
“We understand, right?” Papyrus said glancing at his brother before glancing at Red and Edge with concern.
“Anyways, I think we should all go back and rest.”Toffee tried frowning at how nervous Red seemed to be.
“Before I forget, what is everyone’s LOVE?” Salt mused crossing his arms.
“Five...” Papyrus murmured averting his eyelights.
“Eight.” Sans mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Five.” Red said with a shrug.
“None of your fucking business.” Edge snapped.
“If it’s none of my business then I guess you’re a low LOVE.” Salt sighed shaking his head.
Edge snarled his ruby eyelights flashing. “Fourteen.” Edge snapped. Salt smirked, that was too easy.
“Good to know, anyone under six needs someone higher with them when they leave the tunnel. But it doesn’t seem like that’s an issue.” Salt pointed out. “The same goes for low HoPe too.”
Sans huffed at that. No fair. He was high enough LOVE, but his HoPe was shit.
“I’m serious, monsters eat other monsters here, you need to be careful. The lower your love the higher your chances of getting eaten, you’re an easy meal.” Salt explained grimmly.
Papyrus, Sans and Red all look horrified and Edge raised a curious brow bone.
“Anyone under ten needs to tell someone if they’re going anywhere, those above ten can more or less do what they want. Within reason, I already told you the rules.” Salt continued.
Sans hummed thoughtfully. He was high enough LOVE to technically leave the tunnels, but not HoPe, but, Salt hadn’t asked for his HoPe. Maybe he could get some exploring done and learn more about this strange version of the underground?
“You are not leaving those tunnels.” Edge grumbled to Sans who rolled his eyelights.
“You can’t tell me what to do, Edgelord.” Sans grumbled. Edge looking as if he strongly disagreed, tugged on Sans’s collar again.
“Technically he can.” Salt snickered at Sans, finally heading back towards their home. “Come on then, it’s going to take a while to get everyone settled. When was the last time anyone ate?”
“Yesterday.” Sans lamented.
“I take it everyone is hungry then?” Salt asked further, coming out of the treeline to what looked like an empty snow field. At least until he kicked some snow out of the way revealing a sheet of wood, grabbing the rope handle Salt yanked it open to open up the tunnel below.
“Oh, that’s very clever!” Papyrus said, dark red eyelights lighting up.
“It looks like a trap.” Red grumbled.
“That would be stupid.” Salt huffed at Red before heading down into the tunnel, waiting for them to follow.
The others followed quietly, Edge looking around taking in their temporary home.
“I really am sorry for my brother’s behavior, he’s just not in a very good mood. You all came at a very bad time, and that’s not your fault but…” Toffee apologized wringing his hands.
“I get it, things seem rough here.” Sans said. It still seemed better than Underfell, well, minus the thing about the cannibals, and the wild tundra- alright it might be worse than Underfell.
“Well, you see, that was the second attack on our home this week. And we haven’t been able to do our supply run yet, so, we’re in a bit of a pinch. But I don’t think Muffet will send anymore monsters for a while, I hope…” Toffee explained further looking down. Courier nodded slightly in agreement with their monster brother, things had been tight lately and Salt was doing his best but it was getting to him.
Papyrus frowned looking thoughtful. “Maybe we could be of some assistance? It seems some of us are experienced in combat.” Papyrus said glancing towards Edge and Sans.
“Maybe, but I just wanted to apologize on his behalf. I don’t know if we’ll be able to get you home again or not, but if I can do something for you please let me know?” Toffee offered with a small smile.
“Thank you, Toffee.” Papyrus said, smiling back.
Motioning for them to follow him, Toffee led everyone though the tunnel, Salt hadn’t waited up it seemed. The smallest Papyrus would lead them to the cavern they used for meals. Various tables in various states of disrepair were arranged inside with mismatched chairs. Salt was in the middle of setting out food for everyone and had yet to spot them.
Both Courier and Toffee sighed in unison, he looked ready to drop at any moment. Papyrus looked at Salt with concern as did Sans and Red, though Red looked away quickly.
“Thank you, Salt.” Papyrus said giving Salt a gentle smile. Salt visibly jumped his sockets going wide with surprise, he shook his head slightly before flipping his hood up over his head.
“Yeah, sorry it’s not much.” Salt sighed passing by the group and heading down a different tunnel, leaving them to Toffee and Courier to deal with.
Everyone began taking seats and Sans smirked before taking a seat in Edge’s lap who choked and flushed. Red stared at Sans in surprise, but he was even more surprised that Edge allowed it. Red took a seat next to Papyrus watching his brother and Sans closely. Soul bond, Fell had said. Weird.
“Oh yes! How old is everyone anyways?” Toffee asked curiously as he took a seat on Slim’s other side while Courier sat beside Red.
“Oh! I am 124, and Sans is 132!” Papyrus said with a smile. Sans grinned and looked at Edge curiously. Edge scoffed.
“I’m 128.” Edge said shortly.
“...136…” Red grumbled.
Courier smiled at the others. “I’m fifteen.”
“Oh! You’re all rather young then! Well, for monsters that is. And one very young human.” Toffee hummed tapping his mandible in thought, he’d already known Courier’s age of course.
“How old are you and Salt?” Papyrus asked Toffee curiously.
“Hmmm…” Toffee crossed his arms frowning in thought, just how long had they been down here? “Does anyone know how long it’s been since the barrier was put in place?”
“About four hundred years.” Red said thoughtfully.
“3999.” Sans corrected.
“Alright...that would make me, four thousand and seven, and my brother is four thousand and nine.” Toffee answered after a bit of math.
“Holy shit.” Red said.
“Don’t be rude.” Edge said. He really didn’t want them getting on these skeleton’s bad side. Red frowned at the light reprimand. What was wrong with Boss? Why was he being so nice ? It was unnerving. The last thing Red remembered before staring at Sans’s and Fell’s ugly mugs was Boss breaking his arm. Boss was acting so weird now. Why? Red had been told that he had dusted… was Boss the cause? Had Boss killed him!? What if he had, and that was why Boss was being so unusually nice?
Sans gave Red a curious look. “You alright? You just got really pale.”
“Fuck off.” Red huffed crossing his arms, glaring at his alternate. Papyrus frowned, giving Red a worried look. Everything was such a mess and they really hadn’t gotten the chance to deal with Red’s memory loss yet.
“Well, at least I know now.” Toffee chuckled softly smiling at the other skeleton monsters. “After everyone has finished eating we’ll find everyone a place to stay.”
Edge gave Toffee a nod to show that he was listening.
“I assume everyone would prefer to share a room with their brother?” Toffee asked glancing over the other skeletons uncertainly.
Edge and Sans both glanced at each other, Sans raising a suggestive brow bone. Edge scoffed and glanced away, red magic dusting his cheekbones. Red raised a curious brow bone. It was so strange to see his brother blush. None of this made any fucking sense even with memory loss!
“That’s fine.” Papyrus agreed easily, smiling at his brother while Red held back a groan. He’d rather sleep in a snowpoff than in the same room as Boss. What if he accidentally woke him up? Nevermind he’d have to deal with Boss’s brutal wake up calls which were bad enough when he could lock his damn door. Now he’d be in the same room as him. Fuck.
The remainder of their meal went well enough, a few rude comments from Red and Sans, Papyrus scolding them, while Edge and Toffee just shook their heads at them.
“If everyone is ready we can start finding everyone a place to rest while they're here.” Toffee told them as he began collecting up the plates.
The skeletons nodded following Toffee’s lead. The smallest Papyrus would bring the group though the tunnels, first stopping at Courier’s room.
“We'll see you in the morning. Good night. Courier.” Toffee bid them goodnight with a warm smile before he and Courier exchanged a hug. “Get plenty of rest, I think San-erm, Salt...is going to have you setting traps tomorrow.”
Courier gave a short sigh and nodded. Sans, Edge, and Papyrus all looked unnerved by the hug between the older version of Frisk and Toffee while Red averted his eyelights.
“I know it's not your favorite, but he doesn't expect you to set the magic based ones.” Toffee assured Courier giving their shoulder a squeeze before departing, rejoining the others.
“You two seem close?” Sans said raising a brow bone. “Don’t you know humans can’t be trusted?”
“I do, but Courier is no such human, they are family.” Toffee told Sans firmly, Courier had told him of their life before falling down here. Humans had not been kind to them, either.
Sans looked away. There was a time he felt like his own human had been family, before the endless tirade of resets and murder. Now he didn’t know what to think. Chara had been real this whole time, and Gaster. Was Frisk to blame at all? Red sighed deeply and both Edge and Papyrus seemed lost in thought.
“Makes sense.” Sans said softly, looking back at Toffee.
First he found a room for Sans and Papyrus a little ways down the hall from Courier’s room, next was Red and Edge across from them. Each pair of brothers was given the usual furs to sleep on.
Toffee wished everyone a good night and gave instructions on where his room was if they needed anything in the night.
***
“This sucks.” Stretch grumbled, flicking ash from his cigarette into the snow. They had been walking for what felt like forever looking for some kind of shelter, but all they found so far was flat tundra or trees.
“You didn’t have to come. No one invited you Ashtray.” Razz scoffed.
“Didn’t dissuade me either.” Stretch pointed out. Razz scoffed rolling his eyelights.
“It’s starting to get dark? Maybe we should make some kind of shelter? Or- or go back?” Blue suggested. Razz came to a stop his eyelights shrinking and he turned to glare at Blue.
“I don’t need suggestions from the idiot who landed us all here!” Razz growled. Blue sighed wringing his hands together.
“It- I didn’t mean to get us here I just...I didn’t want you two, to leave.” Blue said softly.
“It’s okay, bro.” Stretch said quickly.
“Oh is it? Do you speak for all of us Cancer Stick?” Razz scoffed. “I wasn’t aware.” Razz looked to Slim. “He speaks for us now.”
“...Does that mean I should listen to his orders then?” Slim asked ‘innocently’. Stretch snorted and Blue grinned, impressed by Slim’s bravery. Usually Slim wouldn’t dare say anything that might rile Razz up, but now he knew for certain Razz cared about him. So why not have a little fun? Just a little?
“No!” Razz growled.
“Sorry I don’t listen to you, I listen to Stretch now.” Slim teased.
Razz snarled furiously eyelights shifting to magenta. Slim took a hesitant step back. Perhaps he had pushed his brother a little too far.
“ Come here.” Razz growled. Slim did not like the tone of his brother’s voice. Oh no, fuck no, nope. Slim turned and ran and Razz snarled, chasing his mutt, hot on his heels. “Get back here!”
Slim cursed, running faster than either Stretch or Blue had ever seen him move. He was in so much trouble.
“Guys wait!” Blue called and he began running after them. Stretch sighed, lazily shortcutting along, following the three running skeletons. “Stars, Razzalicious, calm down, he was just joking!” Stretch scoffed making sure that he was out of Razz’s immediate reach as he said so.
As they were running a roar rang out and the ground began to shake under them making the four stop to find its source. A massive lion monster was tearing across the snow after them, mouth frothing and smeared with, dust? It’s eyes wild and trained on them as it barreled close, suddenly they had a lot more to worry about than Razz’s lacking sense of humor.
Razz cursed summoning a wave of bone attacks, but the lion just barreled through them as if they were nothing.
“I-Is it fallen?” Slim demanded. Razz cursed.
“We need to run. Now. ” Razz snarled. He was not going to be able to take this thing out easily, he could already tell, and he needed to protect his brother his dog, and dumb and dumber.
Blue, Stretch, Slim, and Razz began running, the monster snarling and howling, charging full throttle at them. It was gaining on them already, swiping at Stretch who was at the back of the pack. Claws just barely missed snagging his hoodie, a yowl left the monster as the ground suddenly gave out from under it. Falling down into a deep pit, impaled on sharpened tree branches. It struggled for a time yowling in it’s last pained moments, the spikes coated in dust and dried monster blood. The pit was nearly a quarter full of dust, and soon the lion’s joined it. Blood quickly freezing to the frozen wood as the wind picked up with a howl and snow began to fall around them.
“O-Oh my stars.” Blue said in horror. He had seen the human dust monsters, more times than he could count, but this, this was brutal. Plus all those memories of monsters dusting were memories that had been hidden, it was like watching a movie not experiencing it. Blue gagged, looking away.
“Why the fuck did it have dust on its mouth?” Razz demanded looking unnerved.
“I need a smoke.” Stretch groaned covering his face.
“You’ve been smoking all day!” Razz snarled.
“Not that kind of smoke.” Stretch huffed and Blue would have scolded him if not for what they had just witnessed.
“Me too.” Slim agreed.
“What- why was he- what was wrong with that monster and why are there...why are there traps like this!?” Blue said softly.
“To kill things like it.” Razz said with a frown. “Why didn’t those assholes warn us!?”
“They said it was dangerous.” Stretch said digging through his hoodie, pulling out a baggie, with finely made joints.
Blue frowned at the bag as Stretch pulled out a joint for himself and Slim. “Papyrus!”
“Whaaat?” Stretch all but whined. “I nearly died! Let me have this!”
“You did not!” Razz scoffed. “That shit smells, and you’re not giving my dog it.”
“It might attract another one of those violent monsters guys. We need to be quiet, and non smelly?” Blue suggested giving the joints a dirty look. Stretch sighed and Slim whimpered, asd Stretch put them away, because, sadly, Blue had a point. But later, he and Slim would indulge, Stretch silently promised himself.
“We need shelter.” Blue said quietly. They should have stayed with the others. Why did Razz have to be so stubborn?
Razz frowned looking thoughtful. “We could dig a tunnel in the snow…” Razz said and he shuddered. He couldn’t believe he was suggesting such an idea. “Or hide and spend the night in the trees.”
“I vote trees, they can’t reach us there. Even if they could fly, they’re too thick.” Blue suggested looking around, and Papy couldn’t smoke there.
“I agree.” Razz said. He refused to sleep in a hovel anyway.
“Guess we’ll have to shortcut up.” Stretch sighed. This ruined his plans to smoke later. Dammit.
Stretch grasped Blue and shortcut them up to a tree with wide branches, so they wouldn’t fall. Slim followed bringing Razz who looked very much like the three of them had made him go out here with them.
“I suppose this will do.” Razz said giving a long suffering sigh.
“We should try to find the others tomorrow. Safety in numbers and all that. I trust them more than scary woods with violent feral monsters.” Stretch grumbled.
“Ugh.” Razz scoffed. “Someone needs to keep watch while we sleep, Blue.” Razz said.
“We should take turns.” Blue said with a frown, though he agreed they would definitely need to keep watch incase there were more of those monsters, which, there must be, judging by how full of dust the pit was.
“Your turn is first then.” Razz grumbled.
“Fine.” Blue huffed. Razz rolled his eyelights and hummed, walking towards the trunk itself, sitting on the branch so his back was against the tree trunk, giving him a more sturdy spot to sleep.
Razz reached forward, catching his brother’s arm and he pulled him forward, towards himself. Razz wasn’t going to have his dog falling off the tree like the clumsy oaf he was in the middle of the night in his sleep. “Lay down.” Razz snapped.
Slim whined, unsure what his brother was up to. Was he going to be punished? What was Razz doing-
“Lay down I said!” Razz snapped manhandling Slim down, so his head was in Razz’s lap and the length of his body was mostly between Razz’s legs. Razz huffed, was that so hard? This way the idiot wouldn’t be unable to roll off the branch and fall.
Blue smiled at the display. Razz tried so hard to pretend he didn’t care about Slim, but it was so obvious that he did care. Blue turned to look at his brother, only to find that Stretch was already asleep, lying face down against the branch, drooling with his hood parly covering the back of his skull. Blue sighed deeply, stars his brother was so undignified sometimes.