Chapter 5: Fragments

"It's crazy how much this gas has affected you already." She said as she held her hand against his, his hand being four times the size of hers. "Yeah, I know." He chuckled. "We should get you back to the lab, maybe you can help us get the cure now that you're filled with gas!" She realized how that sounded once she noticed his expression darken. "I don't want to be some lab rat." He huffs, "I've already been that once before, never again." She sighs and nods, understanding. "I just miss you, everybody does." Sans' large hands then come up and cup her cheek. "Look, Ari, I don't know how much this gas has affected me already. I believe in you and Alphys to find the cure, and…" He sighs before continuing, "If I don't make it, promise me you'll take care of Papyrus, he needs someone." Tears streamed down Arianna's face as she refused to take in the fact Sans could lose himself, and she shook her head. "You won't die, and you will be ok." She says assertively, not wanting to believe it. "Ari please, just promise me." He pleaded. She locked eyes with him, then nodded sadly. "I promise." The beep of her oxygen monitor beeped, and she went to check it. "I'm almost out of oxygen, I've got to go." She started to walk away, but before she could even blink an eye, she was trapped under a giant hand. She let out a yelp of pain, looking up to see Fightale glaring down at her, grinning so wide it looked like his jaw could snap.

She heard Sans growl out as he lunged for Fightale, but Fightale dodged the attack and threw Arianna at Sans. Sans caught her, but his bony hands still hurt her, knocking the wind from her lungs. She wheezed as she was dropped to the ground, her eyes teary. She checked her oxygen meter, it was at 10 percent. She began to run as Fightale went for Sans, yanking him by the eye sockets and shoving him against a wall. She began to sprint, trying to escape from the situation and make it back to the lab before it was too late. She looked back to see Sans getting his skull smashed, and she choked on her tears. "I'm so sorry" She whispered out, feeling regret for leaving.

Once arriving at the lab, she stumbled into the front doors, fatigued from running so long. She took off her hefty tank then flopped on the couch before hearing someone approach her. "D-did you save King Asgore?" Papyrus quavered. Arianna just looked at him, her eyes filled with sadness. She took the camera off of her shirt, and set it aside. Papyrus picked it up to observe it. "Does this have the footage of what happened?" "Yeah, but you don't need to watch it, Papyrus." She warned. Papyrus sat the camera back down and sighed, before finally asking the question that had been on his mind. "Did you see my brothers? Are they alright?" Arianna glances over at Papyrus, and lets out a breath. "I take it back, you're old enough to watch the footage." She stands up, her back in pain, then goes towards the computer, plugging in the USB from the camera. It starts from the beginning, Papyrus watches intently. When he sees Asgore get killed, he gasps, and seems shocked, but that isn't what affected him most. When he saw Fightale, Arianna could physically see how distraught Papyrus was, tears trickling down his skull. By the time Sans came on the screen, with how disfigured he was, Papyrus was sobbing. Arianna turned off the footage and hugged Papyrus. "I'm sorry, but don't worry, we can still fix this." "How are we going to fix this? My brothers are gone, and monsters are dying! Stop treating me like some 5 year old child!" He shouted, lashing out from the amount of pain he felt. Arianna stared at him in shock, not knowing what else to do or say. Papyrus took deep breaths and apologized, feeling bad for expressing his feelings as he did. Papyrus wipes his skull then looks back at the screen. The paused image showed Sans and Fightale fighting, Sans skull cracking as it hit the nearby tree. "I just want them back…" Arianna nods. "Me too, Papyrus, me too." "So, that's what they have become?" Alphys adds to the conversation, coming around the corner. Arianna turns around and nods. "Yeah, but are you close to getting a cure?" Arianna asked with hope, but it was lost when Alphys shook her head. "No, I don't think that the waterfall's water and the monster magic I had in store are enough." "Isn't there more we could do?" Arianna asks expectantly. Alphys just sighs, not knowing how to respond, especially when she knew she couldn't give the answer everyone wanted to hear. "I d-don't know, alright? I just know we are all missing somebody, and it's all on me and it's very stressful." Arianna puts a hand on her shoulder and smiles. "We are with you every step of the way, alright?" Alphys nods and turns off the computer.

"Now, we should get to sleep, it's late" Arianna and Papyrus nod, heading to the room full of beds. Arianna crawls into one of the beds. However, she notices Papyrus staring down at a book in his hands. She walks over to his bed and sits down. She sees the book was "Fluffy Bunny", the book Sans always read to him before bed. She takes it from his hands, and smiles at him. "You want me to read it to you?" Papyrus looks at her solemnly and nods. "Please." Papyrus then lays down in the bed and she covers him up like you would a child, pulling a chair over from the corner of the room to the bed. "Alright, here we go." She smiles down at him. Papyrus seemed calmed in this moment, although she could never replace Sans, it was still giving him comfort. She began reading the story, checking every now and again to see if he was asleep. As she reached the last chapter, Papyrus was asleep. She simpered as she looked down at him, then closed the book, stuffing it under his pillow for safe keeping.

Arianna then left the room and closed the door to it. She went to the main lab, seeing Alphys looking at the cameras. "Are you seeing something, Alph?" She questions. Alphys takes a minute to respond, but finally nods. "I think I have an idea of how to get this cure faster." "And how is that?" "I think if we could get a hold of one of the monsters that is affected by the gas, w-we could get some direct magic and then reverse the effects of the gas!" She smiles, stuttering slightly as she speaks. It was usual for her to stutter due to how fast she speaks. "Well, what monster are you going to go and get?" Alphys' eyes seemed to sadden. "Undyne always said she would help me if I needed it, I am sure she would still want that." Arianna nods, understanding what she is saying. "I'm sure she would too." Alphys pulled back up the cameras then showed Arianna where Undyne was at the time. It seemed Undyne still remembered her home. She was currently in her home, ransacking it as if she were looking for something. Alphys sighs out then turns off the computer, looking at Arianna. "Do you care to help me?" "Of course I don't mind helping! You aren't in this alone you know?" Alphys smiles appreciatively, then hugs her. "Thank you." Arianna nods and hugs her back, then pulls away. "I will begin to create the equipment needed, then I will get back to you." "Alright." Arianna then went to the microwave and fixed some instant noodles for everyone, putting it in separate bowls. She put it on a large tray then carried it downstairs into the containment room. "Here is some food, everyone!" She smiles brightly, giving the monsters hope as they all rushed for the food. As they walked by and grabbed a bowl, they all thanked her and then went to eat.

Once all the monsters had a bowl, Arianna then went back upstairs. "Arianna! Turns out I have some equipment already!" "Really, why would you just have that?" Arianna asked, and Alphys just nervously chuckled. "I-I'm not too sure about that." Uncertainty fills Arianna, but she shrugs, not wanting to pry too far into something that isn't her business. "Is your oxygen tank filled?" "Yeah, it is" "Alright, then me and you can switch out every now and again, to make sure we don't get too sick from the gas poisoning." Arianna doesn't like the idea of cross-contaminating germs but nods anyway. "I'm going to bed, you should too." Arianna adds before heading to the bedroom. "Goodnight" Alphys smiles and waves before heading to her room. Arianna went and climbed into one of the beds then covered up, knowing she was in for a lot the next day. Not long after she fell asleep, she felt herself lift up. As she looked around, she noticed she was inside of a black room. "Where am I?" She asks herself, just for the room to echo it out to her as if it could hear her very thoughts. Unnerved, she stood up hastily as she glanced around her. "Hello? Who's there?" Suddenly, a little girl seemed to appear in sight, seeming to be drawing something as she hummed a familiar tune. Arianna stepped closer, her footsteps loud as they echoed behind her. When she got up to the little one, her eyes widened as she noticed who it was. The little girl looked back at her, smiling. "Do you like my artwork? I tried very hard." Arianna was in shock, this little girl was a younger version of her. Reluctantly, she nods, not knowing what else to do. The drawing was of her, and two other forms, they seemed like two other little children, and they were holding hands. Arianna then took a deep breath. "Who are those beside you?" "Oh, those are my friends!" The younger Arianna smiled before looking behind her, where there was an echo flower path and the flowers glowed a bright blue. The younger then began running and giggling, leaving the picture behind.

"Wait!" Arianna called out, not wanting the other to get hurt. She began to run after herself, stopping once she saw a ledge. The juvenile Arianna then smiled back at her before stepping aside, pieces of shattered glass laying on the ground. "You know you can't block everything out like you do, just enjoy life the way it is now." Arianna looked at the small child in confusion, before bending down to pick up the pieces that seemed to be playing a memory, like they were on videotape. One shard showed Arianna when she was about ten years old, she had been drawing a picture of Sans. Another showed her when she had to protect her biological brother from her own parents. Her parents were fighting hard, and Arianna ran to the main bedroom and hid away from them, not wanting her brother to be scared. The final one showed Arianna leaving her little brother to move foster homes, the final goodbye. They held onto each other like they would never see one another again, crying. Arianna felt tears well up in her eyes, but then a tiny hand touched her shoulder. "Here is the last one." She handed a picture Arianna had redrew over the years, it was of her, Sans, Fightale, and her little brother, Preston. "Why are you showing me this?" Arianna huffed out, not wanting to remember a whole lot since it hurt to remember the past, the things she couldn't go back to. "Because, you need to be reminded of why you are here, what you've been through to make it to where you are." Arianna looked over her shoulder at the little girl, not understanding. "You are not meant to be alone, older me, you are meant to aid people, be around others to provide them light, just like the echo flowers did to guide you here." She attested. "But all I have done is lose people." "No you haven't, you still have so many people Arianna, and you are still going to save those you think are gone, whether you believe it or not." The younger then smiled and hugged her older self, causing Arianna to tear up. "Well, I'll take that into mind, thanks." The little Arianna nods and simpers. "Of course, and always remember…" The black void seemed to light up with different colors as words of affirmation started pouring through to break the silence. "You are enough, you can do this, you are capable of great things." Among this was many more, and Arianna just smiled, looking over to see that her juvenile self had disappeared.