The soft humming of still active equipment swept across the cold and stiff air, the smell of potato chisps lingering from the recent bags of food that the scientist had given the ld experiments within her true laboratory.

She was short, to the point where her beloved girlfriend, Undyne, had to get to her knees to be at her level, not that either of them minded. Their love wasn't focused on looks, but their personalities, which would lead to a strong relationship which would probably end with with a loving married gay couple and perhaps even a child.

But, putting aside the fantasies the scientist totally did not indulge in every night before she went to bed, she was focusing on overcoming her past mistakes. By helping move out the amalgamates move out for good, she was finally putting her stress of work and mistakes in the past. 

It was time to move onto a new life on the surface, with her girlfriend Alphys. If Toriel could overcome her hatred and grow to love King Asgore once more, than she could once and for all close the door to her self hatred for good, literally and figuratively.

Because once she closed the door to her old lab, they would never be used again.

The part the three were working in was a section of her true lab she didn't really go into much, the part where Flowey had first been 'created.' 

"Alphys?" Undyne asked.

Her red hair flipped over her eye patch covered eye as her strong blue scaled arms held up a stack of papers, her yellow eye glancing curiously at her as her sharped teeth smiled softly.

"O-Oh, yeah?" The short yellow lizard like monster questioned, her clawed hands trembling as she adjusted her glasses.

"Why do you have some files labeled W.D Gaster?" The fish lady questioned her.

"What?"

Now Papyrus had walked in, with his tall skeleton body with a long head and large eye sockets. He was wearing a new outfit he had discovered on the surface, since hunting for humans was no longer required, made up of an orange shirt and blue shorts with ragged edges, that made him feel "Super duper like a cool dude" in his own words.

"What does that stand for?" Papyrus asked, leaning over Undyne's shoulder to glance at the file on top.

"I-I don't ever remember having a file on that," Alphys said, dropping the blanket that she had been holding.

She approached the two as Undyne set down the whole stack onto the table, spreading the files out over the cold surface.

"Then let's read them!" Undyne roared, grabbing the top one.

"I-I agree, I should at least glance o-over them," Alphys said.

The three pulled up chairs and sat down, intrigued by the items on the table. Alphys always had interesting experiments, even if some of them threatened lives, it was still a story to hear.

And that's when they opened up the first file.

'My name is Doctor W.D Gaster, today is the first day at work with my new employees. I am documenting this because I want to see which one will be my successor.'

"Ay, it's your old mentor!" Undyne said, "What was he like? Was he like Asgore?"

"I bet he was great, if he decided that you would be the next Royal Scientist!" Papyrus said.

Alphys stared down in confusion at the first paragraph in the first file, her breath catching in her throat.

She never had a person who was Royal Scientist before her.

And so she told the others exactly that.

"Asgore asked me to be the Royal Scientist, there was no one before me," Alphys said, "He said i was the first... I don't remember anyone named that."

"Are you sure?" Undyne asked.

"Yeah, pretty sure," Alphys said.

"Well, that is a font, like Sans and I..." Papyrus pointed out, "I've actually seen Sans use it before."

"You have?" The two lovers asked, turning around.

"Well, yes, but it was one moment where he was making a pun," Papyrus said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I-I should keep reading, if this does deal with some scientist before me, and I've never noticed this in my years I've b-been here," Alphys said.

"Heck yeah, a mystery!" Undyne said.

And so they continued onwards through the text.

'Well, the two who work personally with me seem very promising. They both really like science and they both are eager to learn more, which is very promising. The first is Alphys-'

"That's you!" Papyrus said to the female.

"So I must've m-met this man I don't know, and even worked underneath him..." Alphys muttered.

"Not even the faintest memory?" Undyne asked.

"No," Alphys said.

"Huh."

'She loves anime, she talks constantly about it, which I don't mind. But she does have low self esteem, which I do want to help her with, but I don't think I'm the best suited to help her. However, her fellow coworker may be the stable stand that she, and I, need. Sans-'

"No way!" Undyne said.

"Sans was never a scientist!" Papyrus said, "That lazy sack of bones would never work hard enough to be a scientist of your level!"

"I... I..." Alphys trailed off hopelessly.

She had always wondered how Sans somehow knew her name.

"Alphys?" Undyne asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"This doesn't make sense, but it somehow does!" Alphys said, "When I first met Sans, he actually somehow knew my name and personality before I even told him it. And when I asked him to help take some stuff from the dump to my lab, he knew the way even though I didn't tell him.I think there's something deeper going on."

"When is this dated?" Undyne asked.

"Before Asgore asked me to be the scientist..." Alphys said.

"And do you remember what Sans used to be during this time?" Undyne asked Papyrus.

"Oh, uh, no, actually, he was away most of the days before he suddenly started staying home again," Papyrus said, "I don't remember his job, at all."

"I think something happened that erased everyone's memories, which would explain everything," Undyne said.

"That... That actually sounds pretty right," Alphys said, "If we keep reading through these, we may find the answer."

"Wowie, Undyne, you sound like a scientist!" Papyrus said.

"I know one too well!" Undyne said, elbowing her girlfriend.

'-Sans is the person who tries to make everyone smile. He's really nice and confident, and he compliments everyone he sees. I think he's just trying to make life underground easier for monsters, since a lot of us are falling down. He told me he liked my coat. But today, Alphys spilled soda over my coat and started crying, and I tried calming her down, but it wasn't working until Sans showed up and distracted her from it. I think he's going to end up holding this place together. With my crazy outbursts, and with Alphys' anxiety, I think he's going to have his work cut out for him.'

'Day 2. Sans and Alphys both work great with me. They both show incredible smarts, and both are just very promising. With their minds, we'll work great together.'

'Day 3. No changes, they both are doing very well. Alphys is starting to grow more familiar with the place and Sans is proving to be really fun to be near.'

'Day 4. Everything is going very well, I've decided to keep both of them around after what I've seen. But I don't think I'll want to choose just one of them to be the next Royal Scientist, they're both really great.'

'Day 5. Today is Friday, so I let Sans go home early to go and pick up his younger brother. He talks about this Papyrus very much, I'd love to meet him one day.'

"Sans talked about me a lot!" Papyrus gushed.

'Day 16. I bumped into Sans in a store, and I helped him go shopping. I usually don't spend time outside of work with my co workers, but I'm pleased to say that I wouldn't mind accompanying him again.'

'Day 18. We've decided to investigate a way to extract determination, so we're starting research today.'

"I guess it wasn't my original idea..." Alphys muttered.

'Day 22. We've ran into a problem. In order to build this machine, we'll need a large power source in order to power this machine. So, we're going to build a large power source for the whole underground. We can use the natural resources, Alphys found the perfect place where we could build it.'

'Day 35. We've finished out the blueprints and we're starting to bring in the materials and workers to make it. This shows promise.'

'Day 41. Alphys was out today with the flu, so it was just Sans and I. He forgot his lunch today at home, so I offered to give him half of my lunch. We've bonded quite a lot. Sans is actually quite cute, I wouldn't mind having a relationship with him.'

"Sans? In a relationship?" Papyrus asked, "He's turned down everyone who asks him, he wouldn't say yes."

"But, what if he did because of this instance?" Alphys asked him.

'Day 43. The core is starting to be built, we've spent a lot of our day in hotland today to guide the production. I know it may distract us from work a little bit, but I think I should ask Sans to go on a date with me. I don't know if he feels that way towards me, but I do very much enjoy being with Sans, so I hope for a positive response.'

'Day 44. Well, I asked today, then had a mental breakdown right after I had asked because I thought he may say that he hated me. Sans had to comfort me, and he said he'd love to. That was embarrassing, but I'm glad that he said yes.'

'Day 46. Production of the core has been going well, and Sans and I went out for dinner after work. It was very pleasant, and he said he wouldn't mind doing it again. Neither would I.'

"Aw, they're falling in love!" Alphys gushed.

"But if none of us remember Gaster, I don't think this will end well," Undyne pointed out.

'Day 52. Everything has been going well. Alphys, Sans, and I are working on the core, Sans and I have been going out on dates, and I think we connected quite well. Everything is great.'

'Day 63. Something happened. Sans was helping somebody install a railing and he slipped, he fell into the core. But we all rushed down an managed to drag him out, but he's really beaten up. He's at a hospital right now. I feel as if it's my fault.'

Everyone was quiet as they stared at this specific paragraph.

"Maybe that's why he quit..." Undyne said, "One of the Royal Guard members had an accident at their post and quit because of it, this may be the reason."

"That would make sense," Papyrus said, "I actually do remember Sans going to a hospital for a period of time, but I don't remember why."

"Guess we found out," Alphys said.

'Day 65. Sans woke up, but something is off. I was visiting him when he woke up, but he woke up screaming and crying before passing out again. The doctors also said his H.P and attack dropped significantly. They're at a max of 0.5, this isn't good. If I had been more careful, he wouldn't have dropped in.'

'Day 66. Sans is still kicking and crying when he wakes up, the doctors have to tie his feet to the bed so he won't hurt himself. Since Sans was the one taking care of Papyrus, I offered to take care of him while Sans was immobilized. Sans has a nice house in Snowdin.'I wish he'd get better.'

"I don't remember any of this," Papyrus said, "The Great Papyrus should be able to remember everything, but I don't."

"Neither do I," Alphys said.

'Day 68. Sans has stopped kicking now, thankfully. Papyrus isn't doing that well, he's very worried about Sans, even more than me. Sans is his only family, so that is understandable. Sans still won't wake up without crying though. I wish I knew how to help Sans.'

'Day 69. The core is halfway built now, and Sans finally woke up without repercussions. But when I asked him if he was okay, he just said he was tired and stared at the wall blankly. What happened to Sans when he fell in the core?'

'Day 70. Sans hasn't been released from the hospital, today they're testing on him to see a guideline of where his mental and physical state is. I'll ask them about it tomorrow after I visit Sans and drop Papyrus at school. He's a lovely child, I just wish we had met under better circumstances.'

"This Gaster likes me!" Papyrus said, "But why would Sans not tell me about all of this?"

"The real question is why we don't remember all of this," Alphys said.

'Day 71. Sans' HP and Attack have risen, but now they won't go above 1, no matter how hard the doctors try. Even extra sleep, which should bring someone above their maximum HP, doesn't work on him. Not to mention that his mental state is very unstable now, the doctors said sometimes he'll just start crying. He's constantly on the verge of falling down, too. I don't know what to do.'

"O-Oh no..." Alphys said.

'Day 79. Sans is being released from the hospital tomorrow. He has to start seeing a therapist and I have to live with him to make sure he doesn't do anything dramatic to himself, I don't mind helping Sans. Papyrus said that I could have the couch.'

'Day 80. Sans has bags under his eyes and seems so... dull. I haven't seen him smile at all today. He started crying as he slept, so I had to come into his room and comfort him.'

'Day 87. It's been a week, and nothing has been improving. I've started sleeping with Sans since he cries every night, and when I picked him up from his therapy session, she said that Sans was no where near stable, and he needed to find a steady rock to focus himself on, like a new hobby. He refuses to go near the lab again.'

"This explains why Sans doesn't like going to the core that much," Papyrus said.

"What do you mean?" Undyne asked.

"Sans has always refused to go to the core, but I never knew why," The tall skeleton answered.

'Day 73. I found a solution. It looks like puns are helping him have a better outlook to life. He says them constantly, but comedy helps distract him from whatever makes him cry all of those times, so I think it's just something that helps him feel alive.'

"Is... Is that why he says those outrageous puns constantly...?" Papyrus asked quietly, "I never knew..."

"None of us knew..." Alphys said.

'Day 74. I've spent a lot of time researching about the core, and I've discovered something. Because of the large power surge from the core, it can cause any object that falls into it to become distorted throughout space and time because of the massive power collection there, pure raw power like this can rip apart something's existence itself. Sans should've been completely destroyed when he fell in, no wonder he's so weak and unstable now. He's seen things that he should've never seen, his body was practically ripped apart.'

"Oh... my..." Undyne was speechless, much like the others in the room.

'Day 75. I've realized something. Because of the accident, Sans somehow can warp space. I don't know how, and I don't know why, but falling into the core allows for Sans to warp the universe around him. He's more emotionally stable now too, which I'm very happy about.'

"That explains why he gets to places quickly," Papyrus said.

'Day 80. I think there's one way to help Sans fully, I need to understand what he's going through. If he survived, I think I might, but still, I may not. Sans is still weak and on the verge of falling down. It was my fault that Sans fell in, I should know what he had to suffer through. But... if I fail, my existence will be wiped permentally. No one will remember me, or the events I cause. But for Sans, I'm willing to take that risk.'

And that was the last note.

Somewhere in waterfall, a short skeleton was sitting against a grey door in silence, staring down at his lap as he twiddled with his fingers.

"Dings, I... I hope I see you again..." Sans whispered, setting his hand down to his side.

And for a moment, he could feel something cold, like a hand, resting on top of his.