Depths in Despair; Megalosomnia
Deep Down Deep Part 2/2
Things don't pan out for the Good doctor the way he had hoped. And under a mountain of work, it's no wonder a Slate fell by the wayside.
Fun is what he would have had…. Had he the chance to.
Not long after she succumbed to his control, he brought her back to the lab and got her initially checked in. He took a few spare moments to check over her memories… Merely out of curiosity, to determine how long she evaded him. And found that what was going on in her head was far more concerning than he initially thought. If the voices that spoke to her weren’t signs something was off about this woman, her memories certainly would have told him. It was as if swiss cheese had a love child with patchwork. Many memories of things that he’d not believe were he not able to observe them in her mind. And so, so many significant gaps. Troublingly so. Memories of her life on the surface were rare, and far more frequent were memories that… Held familiar faces, and yet so foreign. Even those were addled with holes and gaps. It seemed that Sonia hadn’t been underground long, and her time wandering through it before meeting him was the most clear any of her memories were.
He’d dealt with subjects that had portions of their life locked away in their memories, as a result of traumas they had endured in life. It was always a case of finding what helped pull them forward, finding a key to that lock. This…? There were no locks to hide memories, there were no closed doors to memories too harsh to remember.
Just complete sizable absences and gaping holes where memories should have been. Nothing to tether one memory to another. As perplexing as it was to analyze and assess, he was interrupted by Alphys.
Something else demanded his attention more, which required he leave the new human to Cecilia to process further. Cecilia could handle it, after all. The blasted CORE. Another failure in sector B28-21. Always sector B28… If it wasn’t one problem there, it was another.
Of course, being part of the CORE that distorted atoms to radiate ambient magic throughout the underground? Made it one of the primary necessities to keep running.
If so much as one sector went down, it could throw the whole CORE out of balance and cause a catastrophic meltdown. If it wasn’t such a boon to have in the first place, he’d happily track down the person who designed it, and throttle them.
If anyone even remembered WHO designed the thing…
His last foray of frustrations towards the CORE’s creator, and desire to seek them out? Left him without any answers, and a week worth of time wasted for it.
Still, he wasted no time…
– … Because there was never any time to waste. Once the CORE was sorted out, which took him four days to narrow down and solve, due to juggling what other pressing issues he was presented with, there was another issue.
And another after that.
And another after that.
Resources distribution.
Five hours, two cups of coffee. One tasting flavorful and robust, the second tasting quite obviously as though the assistant who brought it to him reheated it in the microwave. He’d have words for them later.
Tracking movements and changes in the underground.
Two more births in Snowdin, fortunate news. A Falling Down in Waterfall, another lost to dwindling HoPe. Three moving from Hotland to Capitol.
Seven hours, six cups of coffee.
The first tasted so weak that Baggs questioned if he was drinking water and not coffee. The following three were of more serviceable quality. The remaining two tasted like tar, and were it not an invigorating tar, he’d have refused it. And Baggs made the decision that Casey was no longer allowed to bring him coffee after discovering he was responsible for preparing the last two. Bright as the man might be, he’s better suited to helping study the barrier than preparing coffee.
Keeping systems in check, ensuring security detail is up to par.
Two new humans were caught and transported to the lab. Cecilia reported that the two were significantly xenophobic, and hostile. Thus would be housed on Floor 18, Block 10. Block 10 was designated for more aggressive and dangerous humans, to be studied on how to rehabilitate or utilize even aggressive members of the species.
Twelve hours (until interruption). Sixteen cups of coffee.
The first five, typical. With a far more bitter flavor at the fifth. Noted.
The sixth. It took him twenty minutes to try his first sip, so focused on his work that he hadn’t taken a sip until then.
It felt like a heady jolt of energy flooded his body, the notes of the clearly fresh brew rising up, as if to sing to his senses. And the warmth as it melted into his magic thrived in his body, relaxing him far more than a cup of coffee typically did.
He’d not seen who brought it, but he did make note of the sound of their walking. It did sound different from the usual assistants who brought him his coffee, but he didn’t think it important at the time.
Perhaps one of the other scientists decided to brew him something nice. It couldn’t have been Alphys, as it had the lacking anxiety he could always taste in coffee prepared by her.
No matter, the identity of the one who made this would be revealed in the next cup, he was certain.
And disappointed with each proceeding cup brought to him over the hours.
Seventh, from the same pot, but not prepared and delivered by the same hands as the one before. He could tell by the intentions that bled into the brew. The assistant who delivered it unintentionally let their emotions seep in and altered the feeling within the coffee he drank.
Not the same. Not bad, but nowhere near as good as the prior mug.
The assistant, a young whimsun monster named Fen, had panicked over his expression of disappointment… But, he reassured them and sent them on their way. The eighth, to the thirteenth, much the same. Decent, but disappointing by comparison. Fortunately a fresh pot was brewed by the tenth.
Fourteenth cup of coffee, Baggs nearly spat it out. And demanded to know who prepared it, to find he was 13 minutes late to fuss at the one who concocted the nightmare that barely resembled coffee.
Fifteenth cup. Cecilia, It was fucking Cecilia.
Not the one who brewed bliss in a mug, but the one who concocted terrors unknown into a coffee.
He had the good fortune to be done sending out a U-mail to ‘recommend’ a security plan for Waterfall, when the fresh cup was placed down, ready for him to take his first sip of it. And nearly spat it out again, placed the cup down roughly, and turned towards the offender. Reddish hair, tied in a bun, eye bags that rivaled his own hidden beneath reading glasses, and a look that held more contempt for humankind than any Monster was capable of. And she was human.Perhaps humans simply don’t know how to not brew a cup of coffee that tastes like every agitation in their present mind.
“Cecilia, what is this supposed to be?” Perhaps his tone was far less reserved than usual, but he did imbibe something foul that masqueraded as coffee. The woman just looked at him flatly. Her response was equally as dead in tone as her gaze. “Coffee, sir.” She retorted, Baggs was no stranger to her sass. Usually it made days entertaining.
Those days were not ones he was served bad coffee. “My dear, did you even try a cup of that? That is death in a mug.” Baggs fussed.
Cecilia looked at the cup, and then at Baggs. Her expression was perplexed. He pried at her mind, to determine whether or not she realized she almost poisoned him. Only to find that she was genuinely confused. “... You mean that coffee isn’t supposed to taste like shit?” An exasperated sigh, and a shake of his head. “Cecilia, you are henceforth banned from preparing or bringing anyone coffee. That tastes so bitter, I’d dare not have another monster drink it, lest they dust on contact.” “Fine by me, sir.” Cecilia responded, before placing some papers on his already tall workload of information to analyze. “What is–” “The information regarding the new ones.” Cecilia sighed, before turning to walk away.
Baggs gave pause for a moment. New… Ah, right. Humans. “Oh, uh. Sir? There’s been a mag-lock failure on Floor 17, Block 8.” Baggs sputtered, shooting the woman a glare. “And you thought to mention this in passing, why?!” he blurted out.
Cecilia stared at him, before offering a shrug. “The one contained there is a non-issue. She’s not going to cause anyone problems.” If he didn’t trust Cecilia’s judgment when it came to her fellow humans, he’d have far more words for her.
But for her to make such a statement? Meant that the human contained in such a cell was likely terrified of her, and would make a whimsun look brave.
“Ugh… I’ll send a U-mail to request immediate work on it.” Baggs scoffed. “Don’t you mean E-mail?” The red-head looked at him, with a sly smirk on her face. Baggs certainly didn’t have the time nor desire to get into this with her again. “You’re dismissed, Cecilia.” “Understood, sir.” Cecilia smirked, before she absconded.
Likely to do her damn job and oversee Floor 16-18. And fortunately not to unleash terrors unbeknownst to monsterkind by trying to fix someone a drink. And it was imperative that he have that Mag-lock issue sorted out. Were a human to get out, and find a way out of the labs? It would be absolute chaos.
–
With another 11 U-Mails sent out, two specifically to make demands regarding the mag-lock, and one to Asgore as an update on matters that he wanted to know about. Another cup was brought to Baggs.
He had noted the click of heels upon the floor, and the cup being set down. With a heavy sigh, he took a drink of the fresh brew as the clicking of heels started again towards the door. The invigoration, the warmth– “WAIT!” Baggs nearly shot up as he called out… And spilled some of the blessed brew on himself in the process. He could mourn spilled bliss later. Barely catching a glimpse of the taller woman before casting his gaze downward at the spill on his labcoat in frustration. “M-Master!!” The clicks sped towards him, before the owner of them dropped to her knees. As a kerchief was very hastily applied by gentle hands to soak up as much of the spilled coffee. “Master, are you alright? Oh s-stars, you didn’t get burned, did you?? I’m so sorry…!” The woman’s voice was wrought with anxiety.
Stars, he should know her name, shouldn’t he? Especially with how wonderfully she addresses him… And perhaps stroked his ego just right.
“I– No, I’m fine. I merely wanted to–” Auburn brown hair, tied in a bun. Large glasses. Green eyes. Pale complexion.
“Sonia?”
“I– Y-Yes master?” She halted her fretting over his wellbeing to look up at him.
The human he brought in nearly a week ago. He didn’t immediately recognize her, she looked so different in formal attire. A white coat cinched tightly around her, accentuating her curves. A simple black pencil skirt, sheer pantyhose with black stockings on top. And a pair of white pumps.
Baggs found himself immediately remembering that he sorely needed to alleviate stress–
A rough clearing of his throat was necessary, business before pleasure, he reminded himself.
He still had to thoroughly examine her and ensure she wasn’t a risk, by… Ensuring she was loyal, before she was permitted to walk around the labs. Baggs kept his tone gentle, remembering how skittish the woman was when he had first met. Given that he hadn’t had the chance to fully condition her, it’s entirely likely she’d be just as nervous. “Aehm… How, did you get out?” Baggs softly queried.
Sonia bit her lip, and looked away meekly. “Um… I… A-Asked very nicely…?” “Mmm hmm…” His tone was that of disbelief. She began fidgeting with her hands. “O-Okay so um… There was an issue with my door… It uh… Doesn’t close like everyone else's…” Ah, so this was the person who had been designated to that cell. With such a timid disposition, it’s no wonder Cecilia let it slide. “But..! It made it so I could actually help out, a-and help out Ms. Cecilia! She’s scary a-at first, but she’s a good person. She even helped me get new clothes on my second day here..!” Sonia explained, a warm smile on her face.
That solved that mystery. Did Cecilia dress her that way on purpose, just to fuck with him?
“I see… And the coffee?” Sonia lit up with excitement, he could feel it from her. “Oh! Yes! See um… E-Earlier in the day there was some fuss regarding the coffee maker making a weird noise.. So I thoroughly cleaned it, checked it to e-ensure that there was nothing loose or damaged… Aaaand brewed a fresh batch, to test it~! Suffice to say, problem solved!” She beamed with pride, satisfied with her small victory.
That sort of satisfaction and fulfillment certainly explains how that earlier cup wound up so potent.
“A-and, well… Since I got to fix it, I… Wanted to deliver a cup specially for you…” Her voice shrunk so much, as she idly twirled a strand of her hair and averted her gaze.
Oh. Oh.How curious.
“Well, I HAD meant this cup, but it is nice to know that you’re the one who brought me coffee earlier.”
“Oh… This time? um! Ms. Cecilia requested a fresh batch of coffee. Something about you b-being in an awful mood! So I… Well. I wanted to make sure I made the best cup I could, to… Well, bring a little sunshine into your day?” Sonia looked up at him, with such a gentle and hopeful look.
“Well, then I personally shall–” It looked as though something clicked in her head, and the woman was back into an anxious rambling mess. “M-Master, am I in trouble? I k-know I’m not supposed to be out b-but I only wanted to help– I m-mean it’s OKAY if I’m in trouble, I promise I can handle it if I need to be p-punished. I d-don’t mean to tell you what to do, but if I’ve personally upset you, I–” “Sonia.” “Y-Yes Master.” A simple word, and the human woman fell quiet, wincing her eyes shut as she lowered her head.
Baggs cleared his throat. “While you are not in trouble for this, there are questions I have regarding… Well…” Baggs trailed off. Where to even start? It was a significant security risk for a human he personally hadn’t cleared to be running around. Gentle or not. Furthermore, being permitted to bring him coffee that they could have theoretically and literally tainted is something that can’t be overlooked...
“Well… I suppose those questions are more for Cecilia…” Baggs mused out loud, frowning.
“Then… What questions do you have for me, Master?” Sonia asked, tilting her head in confusion. The one that was confusing the moment she started talking to him.
Her apparent loyalty. “I… You seem so… Eager to call me ‘Master’.. And yet I’ve not asked you to. It piqued my curiosity.”
And Baggs would love to hear what manner of reasoning she would have for that. After all, he hadn’t really subjected her to the conditioning he’d need to for such loyalty to become second nature.
Sonia blushed, before looking down. “... I felt it.”
Baggs raised his browbone at the statement.
“When you silenced all those voices I… Felt it. Your magic… How it called to me. How it called for me to serve… To obey…” Sonia shivered a bit, her blush deepening.
A wry smirk grew on his face. “And you… Didn’t even try to fight it~?” Sonia looked up at him, with a frustrated pout at his accusation. That was expected.
“After all the good you’ve done me?!”
Her words? Were not. Baggs was taken aback, looking upon the human woman before him. It was possible he looked like a whimsun caught doing, well… Anything, with the expression of sheer shock on his face. “Since the day I woke up, everything has been loud. Everything has been loud for as long as I can remember, for all I can remember…!” Her voice was filled with pain and confusion. “I can breathe, I can think without h-having to worry about being overwhelmed by all the things I’m hearing that make no sense, I can make my own thoughts about whatever I see, without hearing twenty different voices loudly arguing over what choices I make and what things I say…” Sonia carried on, before looking up at him. The tears prickling at her eyes were visible, but it did not make their presence any less surprising to him.
“I’m thankful, Master. And I am happy to help you in any and every way I can. You’ve brought me something I never knew I needed. You brought me peace, Master. I only hope that I can even begin to return the favor.”
Baggs had conditioned many humans. His experiments required both willing and unwilling participants, and spanned many methods. All to further monsterkind’s safety and hopeful co-existence with mankind.
Even Cecilia, who despised her own species, required conditioning to become loyal to him. So he would know that she wouldn’t, couldn’t betray him. To have a human kneel before him on their own full volition, after a mere few hours of his magic several days ago? He’d have never considered it.
And yet, here one was.
Something like this was… Simply put, too good to be true.
And so he peered into her thoughts, there had to be some manner of plot something she was planning–
A memory. So close to the forefront, he could tell she was remembering it fondly.
-
An expanse of dark blues and blacks, splayed overhead, pricks and pins of white in the ceiling.
“... Y’know, before I met you, I… I always kinda took this for granted.”
Her voice, carrying on. Not echoed or reverberating in the room.
Chirps of crickets abound in the grass around her.
Another voice, deeper in tone. Familiar.
“heh… well, you coulda fooled me. you never took our stars for granite.”
Those… Were… Stars??
“Well–” a pause, before she snorted, and giggled. “Nice~... Well, there’s nothing wrong with feeling sedimental about yours. I mean, a dazzling ceiling full of sparkling gems? Kinda rocks~.”
“heh, not bad. but don’t be too rough on yourself. for you? a sight like this was just a stone’s throw for you to see.” the other voice responded.
Seems that Sonia and this other person had a sense of humor…
“Yeah, but you literally had to move– out of – a mountain to see this!” Sonia lightheartedly fussed.
“heh… and you had to fall into a mountain to see things crystal clear.” the other voice responded. “Yeah… Well…” She trailed off. A somber note in her voice. “At this rate, it’s like Sisyphus for you to even enjoy this.”
“... and it doesn’t stop being worth it. trust me, nothin’ peats this”
“Sans…?”
Wait… Had she known even back then that he’d be–
“yeah?”
Sonia looked over at the other person. A skeleton, with a blue hoodie, white t-shirt, and black basketball shorts laid lazily in the grass. His arms folded behind his head.
What….?? That… That looked so much like him, before he…
Sonia stared at him, staying silent for a few moments. “... sheesh, was it that bad?”
“... I promise you. No matter how many times you have to push that boulder back up…? You won’t ever have to do it alone again.”
“hey, now. don’t go promising things you might not be able to keep.” “I won’t promise you then… I’ll pumice you.” A look of surprise, before the both of them devolved into giggles.
“oh man, that was so bad…”
“Look, with a last name like ‘Slate’, you think I’d have to dig for rock jokes? I learned them real early.”
“.... like ‘archeology’ early or?” An exasperated gasp, before she looked over at him.
The skeleton started laughing. “Y.. You! I’m not that old!! I’m 27, going on 28! Not 27 going on 200!!” Sonia fussed. “you sure about that? how long have you been 27 going on 28?” He asked through laughs.
“You know that’s a loaded question! How am I supposed to keep track of how old I am if things keep RESETTING?” …!! She… Knew about that? Nevermind, she’s experienced that??
“heh, now you know why i took so long the first time you asked me, ‘sans, how old are you?’.” “Hmph!” Sonia fussed, before rolling over and pinning her hands on each side of the ground next to the skeleton’s head.
He… didn’t even flinch?
“oh, wouldja look at that. ‘view got even better.” the lazy smile tugged up more, as did his eyesockets.
“If I’m ancient Egyptian artifacts, then you’re dinosaur bones, you dork!” Sonia huffed. “... like… cretaceous period or triassic period? the difference there is pretty jurassic.” he gave a wink.
“... I mean it though… As long as I can be there for you? I will be. As long as I’m alive, you won’t have to face this eternal hell alone. I promise.” A firm sense of confidence and determination.
A soft sigh escaped the skeleton, as he looked up at her.
“... thank you, sonia… you… don’t know how much that means to me…”
“Master??”
“Master, are you alright???” -
“Master! Please, speak to me…!!”
Baggs gasped as he snapped back to reality. Stars, that memory was so vivid, it practically pulled him in… And left him with more questions than answers.
“Oh thank goodness. M-Master, you zoned out there for a moment… I was worried! D.. Did I offend you? Or… Oh stars, um… Listen, I… I don’t know what happened? B-But I’m here for you.” Sonia offered, her tears overflowing.
When did his vision get so blurry?
Was he…. How was he going to explain that one? “I… You’re fine, my dear. I was… Simply moved to tears by your display of such… Such inspiring loyalty.”
It wasn’t a complete lie.
“Oh… I.. Oh gosh, I… I didn’t think it was that special, but…” Sonia averted her gaze, shrinking a bit. “More special than you know…” Baggs gave pause, to compose himself.
“Now, you are not in trouble. However, there are procedures for handling new humans, as I’m sure you’re aware. To ensure that you’re in good health, and that you’re properly documented as safe to roam.”
Sonia blushed a bit. “O-Oh! Gosh… I’m so sorry… I-It’s been awhile, and I didn’t mean to skip any sort of line… I’m sorry.” She looked sheepishly guilty.
“No no, you’re fine. I’m the one who must conduct these procedures personally, and there were many things that came up of critical importance, and… Admittedly your processing fell by the wayside. But, rest assured. I’ll handle that as soon as I am able to.” Baggs explained, watching how her gaze fixed onto him as he spoke.
Fascinating. “Oh! So… I think I understand now. Thank you, Master. Shall I return to my cell and um… Remain there until further orders?” Sonia queried. He did need time to think about the new information he obtained from her. The surface… Somehow, someway, she had seen someone like him, with his name, on the surface… And they spoke of the RESETs…
“Yes, I think that would be perfect. Worry not, it won’t be much longer, pet.”
The last word slipped so easily from his mouth, he furrowed his brow as he realized what he said by mistake.
But he did not miss the squeak she made, or how her lip quivered and her flush deepened at that single three letter word.
Oh.
Well then. That explained her eagerness to call him such a title. “I… Y-Y-Yes, Master. I’ll be patient. I um, I hope you e-enjoy the coffee. I-If you ever need any when I’m able to roam, you n-need only say the words…” Sonia shakily stood up. With a coffee as resplendent as she prepares? Stars… The amount of work he could get done with ease…
“Oh, rest assured. I won’t hesitate to call upon you if I’m in need of a cup.” The warm smile and light giggle that escaped her was like sunshine. “You are dismissed.” Baggs calmly waved his hand. A simple nod, and he could hear Sonia’s heels clicking with vigor. “Don’t run in those, you’ll break your ankles.” He swiftly chided.
“Y-Yes, Master!”
And with that, his new pet– subject left.
Baggs sighed, there was certainly going to be much to study with her, he could tell. He returned to his chair, to finish what information he needed to dispense with the remaining U-mails. As he took a sip of his coffee, feeling that warmth and invigoration flood his body, he pondered a whirlwind of new questions and information to mull over.
Frankly, he’d been quite lucky that it was her cell that had the mag-lock failure. Had it remained in tact, he might not be blessed with such a reprieve from the usual, much less comforted from the catastrophe that was Cecilia’s coffee.
Upon consideration, added another question to the pile;
What sort of emotions did she feel when she made this coffee?