Sans' POV:

I checked in on Frisk, who was sleeping, trying to dream way the pain. We had given her painkillers, but only she knew if they were working or not.

Slowly and quietly closing the door, I turn back to the stairs, looking the other Sans dead in the eye. He had been quiet the entire morning, even after Papyrus and I got a little angry.

I walk down the stairs in a slow, intimidating manner, hoping that he would either crack or realize that I would not take no for an answer.

"Who was that?" I ask for the tenth time this hour.

Nothing. His star pupils star at the ground, avoiding my gaze. I walk closer to him, sitting on the couch beside him.

"I don't care that you didn't tell us before since shit hadn't hit the fan. But now, it has, and I need some answers. For Frisk's safety, and even for your safety." I try to keep my tone indifferent, but it was difficult when I was speaking of Frisk's safety.

I hear him inhale and then sigh, closing his eye sockets. He stays still for a few more seconds before opening his eyes and looking over to me.

"His name is Nightmare. He... visited my home with someone named Error. That's how I ended up here. Nightmare is... hunting down people, but, who specifically, I'm... not sure yet. He's trying to gain authority over the multiverse, and he's doing that by eliminating other powerful people."

I just nod, not sure of how to respond. What the hell was a multiverse? And what did this guy want with Frisk? She was stuck down here, just as the rest of us. She was as powerless as the rest of us... if not more due to her being a human."

Now it's his turn to nod slowly. I shift a little bit, uncomfortable being around this stranger. Generally, I was uncomfortable around strangers in the Underground. It was trained into me and everyone else down here that if you didn't know the person well, you don't trust them.

I was especially uncomfortable around him since he had brought unusual trouble with him. Unusual since he was talking about things like the multiverse, and people named Error and Nightmare. I wasn't sure if I trusted him, at least, not yet.

"Why did this Error guy take you away from your home?"

Sans tenses up, sitting up straighter and inhaling a short breath before replying to me slowly. "Well, uh... I think it's because... I was nice to him. When he showed up the first time at my home, I wasn't really scared... I was mostly just worried. He seemed so mad and so sad. He just... I could tell he just needed a friend. I decided that I would be his friend. I understood what it meant to be misunderstood by peers, and I would not do that same thing to him. After a few visits, he concluded that I wanted to be with him. He took me into his universe, which was just a vast, endless, blank space. He kept me there for... I don't even know how long at this point. I only escaped when Ink, one of the protectors of the universe, came in and tried to stop Error. Instead, he just got upset. I got out since Ink opened a portal into what he thought was my universe. He must've been distracted considering he was fighting. Now, I'm here."

There is a long pause before I ask, "Ink is the one who's trying to fix this mess?"

Sans nods.

I look over to him, seeing that he was tense. Awkwardly I reach out and pat him on the shoulder, trying to let him know that it was okay. "It's okay, man, really. You couldn't have known that Nightmare was going to come after Frisk. Hell, if you did, you would have warned us."

He nods quickly, "Of course, I would have. I don't want anyone else to get hurt."

Frisk's POV:

I can hear chatter downstairs as I open my eyes, quietly groaning as I realize that I was awake, and still aching from being thrown against the wall.

Attempting to listen in on the conversation downstairs, I still myself and focus on the mumbled voices.

"I don't want anyone to get hurt." I get panicked, standing up, regretting that decisions but stumbling over to the door.

I open it a crack, afraid of what I may see, but having a wave of relief wash over me as I see Sans and... other Sans, talking together. I exhale as I open the door fully, yawning as I walk down the stairs, using the railing to my advantage.

"Morning," They both said at the same time, making me giggle a little bit.

"Morning," I reply, rubbing my eyes and looking around. "Where's Papyrus?"

"He had an emergency call at work. Something about a monster acting out or somethin' like that. Typical Underground shenanigans." His tone was brushing it off, but the pit of my stomach told me that it might have been something involving that stranger last night... But I had no way to know, not until Papyrus got back. Besides, it wasn't the first time a monster down here had attacked me and threatened me.

I wandered into the kitchen to get a glass of water and some food. Specifically, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a tradition I had proudly introduced to the household.

I came out of the kitchen and sat down, curling up on the grey armchair, since the couch was currently taken. I begin eating, the room awkwardly silent. I could almost see the lack of noise around the room.

"Isn't Mettaton recording his show today?" I ask after a few minutes of no one else butting in, not wanting this silence any longer.

Sans nods, "I think he is. He'll probably be reporting on the bull that happened earlier. Maybe we'll get some inside details from the snooping newsman."

Sans... did not like Mettaton. Of course, no brother would like his brother's boyfriend, especially with how overprotective Sans is with him. It's funny how his protective traits showed up when I got here, translating into the previously broken relationship the skelebros had shared.

As the TV slowly picked up the correct channel, Mettaton's voice began to ring clear.

"Thank you, Asgore. It is good to know the process being made in the Kingdom to create a safer Underground. If that can ever happen." He mumbles the last part as he stands up, keeping his overly cheesy smile on as they move their way through Hotlands and towards Snowdin, making their way to their next location as Mettaton reads messages from fans.

I can tell they are approaching the Waterfalls as the environment shifts. Was that where Papyrus had been called? Mettaton wouldn't just avoid that whole story, knowing how much of a drama queen he was.

"I'm sure this isn't news to most of you, but a strange attack happened on a group of monsters passing through Waterfall. Three of them are injured, while the other two are badly injured and were taken to Alphys for treatment."

As the scene comes into full view, I see Papyrus delegating aggressively, as usual. The rest of the guards are running up, taking samples for analyzing later, cleaning up, shooing people away to cause less stress, etc.

Mettaton makes a beeline for Papyrus, asking him, "So, Papyrus, head of the Royal Guard, what series of events caused such a tragedy?"

I could tell by the way Papyrus was looking at the fake news reporter that he was irritated, but the soft spot in his heart for the same man made it so that he couldn't snap. Not at him, at least.

"We're unsure as of now. All we know is that they were all attacked by the same force and that we will catch the force that did this. No matter what it takes. The Royal Guard will not let this criminal go easily."

Mettaton was not even close to done with him, which we continue to witness for the next fifteen minutes as he continues to pester Papyrus, trying to get more information.

"That's all I can tell you as of now. Good day." His irritability was beginning to show through.

He sighs, and then continues on with the story, of course, putting out possibly theories and suspects that they had discussed.

"Looks like nothin' good." Sans comments, turning the volume down.

"It's never good with an emergency call," I reply, and he nods, realizing that I was being accurate.

The other Sans shifts, clearly uncomfortable. I can see a glimmer of something in his eye, something that he wants to discuss, but won't say it out loud.

Not wanting to confront him in front of someone he didn't necessarily trust, I stand up, stretching and going towards the door. "I'm going to run and get some snacks. Sans, do you want to see if you can check into the hotel now?"

He nods, standing up, getting his coat as I get my keys out. "Be right back," I assure my Sans, who nods, trusting me. For some odd reason.

Opening the door, I let Sans go through first, closing the door behind me. We begin walking, myself keeping a sharp eye out for the monsters that had caused chaos a few days ago.

"Papyrus... reminds me of my own brother. He looks like him, too." I turn my head to listen to Sans. "I really miss him. It's been... well, I have no idea how long since I've seen him. He--heh--he always used to double and triple check I had enough layers for work. Even though he was only ever in a thin, orange hoodie. I never thought I would miss his brotherly bothering."

"I'm certain you'll see him again."

"I'm happy you are as I am not." He sighs as he begins looking at the ground.

"Have a little hope," I nudge him gently, "Hope is the only thing that stops tragedies from being depressions."

He smiles a small smile, nodding. "Thanks."

"Of course."