I absolutely love these designs and the kooky stinky (/very affectionate) art style its WONDERFUL. Dogteeth looks like an actual dog w his head shape and his flopped ear and the way his claws dont seem to retract (?), n Carrionstar looks like a vulture w her markings n coloration…. just wanted to say that i admire how detailed you can make it even w how simplistic it looks <3
HEHEHEHE OMG yesss theyre stinky so smelly im glad you get it :3c THANK YOU IM GLAD YOU LIKE MY DRAWING STYLE i iiiii yes i usually like to draw more simple designs or whatever but try to make them expressive etc idk i just draw like this (real) IM GLAD YOU ENJOY IT !!!!!! YAYYY ❤️❤️❤️
ALSO WOOYES i based Carrionstar's markings and what not on vultures slightly : ) AND .
Dogteeth is actually a dog! It's true. Yep hi everyone she's a dog!! it's true. stinky. i WILL elaborate WHY shes here but the fact she's a dog is not a spoiler. dogy. heheh so happy u noticed how her claws dont retract.. and her bigass mouth
Keep the Season Merry and Bright... and Safe for Fluffy and Fido
Lake Norman Humane is an independent, no-kill animal rescue in Mooresville, NC (north of Charlotte, exit 36 off I-77). See all our wonderful, adoptable animals at LakeNormanHumane.org
Kid nodded, and watched Goop vanish before he could get another word out.
… “Cranky guy,” Gaster said, peppy.
--
Goop would be gone for a few long minutes before teleporting back and handing down a slip of paper to Gaster.
“When you make the machine put that in and it will take you to all the worlds near your own. If you stumble on one where a version of you isn’t, it’s probably yours.”
--
Gaster took it, looking it over. “...so do I just keep putting this in over and over?”
--
“Pretty much.” Goop shrugged, “That’s how we did it.” He looked at Kid.
--
Kid wasn’t sure if Goop was talking about hunting for his soul or finding his children or some other world he wasn’t sure of, but he nodded all the same, and Gaster’s face looked a little more reassured for it.
“Thank you!”
--
“No problem.” Goop said, smiling a little.
Trying to smile.
Despite how silly this world seemed he felt tired.
--
Kid nodded. Glanced between Goop and Gaster.
“You get to bed. We’ll talk more tomorrow and help you start building the ship.”
Gaster nodded, just happy to have more talking happen tomorrow. He lay down on a dog bed and a huge number of mutts followed him.
Kid turned to Goop.
“...wanna walk back to the ship? Or teleport?”
It was up to him.
--
“We can walk.” Goop said, offering a hand to help Kid stand up.
--
Kid took the hand, bade goodnight to Gaster once more, and walked out with Goop.
“...how are you doing?”
--
Goop didn’t completely answer the question.
“... This is real, right? I haven’t gone insane? Have we both gone insane?”
--
“...yes,” Kid said, voice very serious. “This is extremely real. And very furry. We may still both be insane, but I’m sensing souls in all of those dogs so I’m overall pretty sure it’s real.”
He paused.
“...hey. Let’s teleport to Snowdin and see what Grillby looks like as a dog.”
--
Goop smiled a little more genuine and reached out to take his double’s hand before teleporting them outside of Grillby’s.
--
Kid smiled back, taking his hand and looking around as they landed.
Grillby’s bar was still there, though it was much shorter and had an arched open door like the lab.
The inside was the same brightly-lit, warm restaurant as usual, though filled with pillows.
--
“I guess it doesn’t really matter if anyone sees us?” Goop asked, turning to enter the bar.
--
“They seem pretty welcoming. Unless you want to practice your goo-dog form,” Kid said, grinning a little.
At the front of the bar behind a short bar was a short, fluffy, fiery chowchow with glasses perched on his nose.
--
“I have the blaster form from that one world I could do, but that’s not exactly the same.” Goop said, pausing to look down at Grillby.
“... He’s so fluffy.” He whispered and looked at Kid.
--
“That is the spiffiest dog I’ve ever seen,” Kid whispered back, grinning widely, noticing a bowtie around the dog’s collar beneath the flames.
--
“Do you think Sans and Papyrus live here or were they back with Dogster? I couldn’t tell.”
--
“I couldn’t tell either. It seemed like Gaster didn’t know Sans and Papyrus at all? They might live here. Want to ask around or look for them?”
--
Goop blinked and then turned to the nearest dog in the bar.
“Any idea where Sans and Papyrus are?”
--
The bloodhound’s droopy eyes looked up.
“Bwarp,” they said, turning their head to point out to the left, down the street.
--
“Thanks.” Goop said, petting the dog’s head before looking at Kid, laughing, and then walking out.
--
Kid laughed too, following him.
“This place isn’t so bad!”
The lights on their kid’s house were shaped like dog biscuits and Sans’ mailbox was full of well-chewed letters.
--
“I wonder what they look like as dogs that aren’t made of bones.” Goop said, approaching the… dogflap.
He looked around before ringing the doorbell, which was a squeaky toy built into the wood.
--
“They will be the most beautiful dogs in the whole underground,” Kid said with a very straight face.
There was the sound of scampering, unclipped nails on hard wood floors and a deep bark as a head popped through the dogflap.
“BOWH?” Papyrus the greyhound said to the strangers.
--
Goop looked at Papyrus, then at Kid.
“He’s so skinny.” He whispered, then looked down at the dog.
“Hi! Can we come in?”
--
Kid was fighting very hard to bite back his grin, nodding at Goop’s words.
Pupyrus’ face lit up and he gave a nod with his tongue lolling out, vanishing back through the dogflap with a flick of his tail, expecting them to follow.
--
Goop stepped on in through the dogflap and looked around the house to see dog beds and squeaky toys and piles of shredded socks.
He didn’t question where they might have gotten socks.
“Is Sans home?”
--
Papyrus gave another confirming bob, using his long nose to point to the couch as he trotted through the house on dainty toes, trying to paw the socks out of sight, cleaning up for their guests.
On the couch was a small, pale lump.
A Retro Mop.
“murph,” Sans said in his sleep.
--
Goop slowly gasped and pointed down at Sans while looking at Kid.
It seems he was a little less overwhelmed with the strangeness of this world now and able to actually enjoy it.
--
“Pet him,” Kid whispered, grinning at Goop’s reaction just as much as the sight of a tiny, fuzzy Sans on the couch.
Any world that made Goop make that face was automatically the best world. No questions. Best world.
--
Goop reached out to pet him even though he couldn’t feel it.
--
“whhuu!” Sans said, jumping awake and looking up at who was petting him with wide-eyes.
Oh. Another weird two-legged Gaster.
He burbled and rolled onto his back.
--
Goop flinched back, eye wide and looked at Kid.
Hesitantly reached out to rub Sans’ belly.
--
Kid nodded encouragingly.
Sans wiggled as he was rubbed, a sloppy grin on his face.
--
Goop stopped a moment later just so he could point and look at Kid. “Pet him and tell me what he feels like! Is he squishy? He looks squishy.”
--
Kid laughed, but quickly moved over, Sans happily letting the other one pet him instead, not minding how it might’ve been kind of weird to have how you felt while being petted described.
Kid was still grinning as he started to talk.
“Uh--not really squishy, I can feel bones, but the skin is very move-y and loose. The fur is bristley. He’s very warm and I can feel his chest shaking when he breathes. Not in a bad way, just--moving a lot. He’s very soft.”
He was still grinning.
--
Goop watched Kid pet him as he described how he felt, that giving him more pleasure than actually doing it himself.
“Where’s Papyrus? Do the same thing with Papyrus.” He looked around.
--
Kid looked around, finding Pupyrus walking out of the kitchen a moment later with a bowl of kibble balanced on his head.
He looked confused, cocking his head.
“Can I pet you and tell my friend about it?” he asked.
...Papyrus was pleased to oblige.
--
“He looks so boney.” Goop said, looking down at him. “... Really fitting, honestly.”
--
“Pet Sans in my absence, though,” Kid said, moving over and helping Pupyrus set the bowl down, giving Goop room to pet Sans again before Pupyrus pressed his face into Kid’s hands.
“He is very bony. Not as soft as Sans, it’s just bone. Not as warm but not nearly as much loose skin. It doesn’t move much when I touch it. Just very sturdy.”
--
Goop switched with Kid, going back to petting Sans. He nodded at Kid’s description. “Sounds like Pap.”
--
Kid grinned. “Yeah. ...he’s soft between the bones. There’s give. Still just a tight-strung dog.”
--
“I wonder how they’re brothers if…” Goop said, trailing off.
--
“...I hope that’s not a rude question here?” Kid said, looking down, but neither Sans nor Papyrus seemed to notice.
--
Goop looked between them but then just shrugged, content with not getting an answer.
--
They just set down with the dogs and continued to pet them happily.
--
After awhile of silence he looked at Kid again.
“... Not the worst way to spend three days.”
--
Kid nodded.
“...let’s ask if we can take pictures to show our kids back home.”
He was pretty sure Goop’s kids had never been in a world like this.
--
“Good idea.” Goop smiled and pulled out his tablet, getting Sans’ attention.
“Say cheese?”
--
“Blel?” Sans said, blinking eyes open and his tongue falling out.
--
He took a picture. “Beautiful.”
Goop handed it over to Kid to get a picture of Papyrus.
--
Kid took it and held it up.
“Ready, Papyrus?”
Papyrus looked up from his lap with big, brown eyes. Another photo.
“...they are the best.”
--
“Our kids have competition for being the cutest. Or maybe every Sans and Papyrus in the universe are just all tied?” Goop grinned.
--
Sans made a vaguely upset noise.
“I think that one is offended he could be tied.”
Papyrus made a similar noise.
“Oh dear.”
--
“Sorry pups, you can’t get between a dad and his kids.” Goop grinned, “Is your dad Gaster, by the way?”
--
Pupyrus cocked his head curiously.
Sans just let out a fart.
--
Goop started laughing so hard he rolled off the couch.
--
Sans looked rather pleased with himself, looking at Gaster upside down with his tongue lolling out.
Kidster quickly changed the tablet to recording mode while Papyrus looked reproachful.
--
Goop just… laid on the floor and laughed.
He laughed and laughed before rolling over and wiping the void from his eyes.
“He-... h-he farted!”
He kept laughing.
Goop didn’t even know the last time he had heard that noise.
--
Kid was grinning along, trying and failing to stifle his own laughter in favor of recording Goop’s; getting some shots of Sans’ smug dog face--even before Sans launching himself off the couch and onto Goop, following him around and poking at him, barking.
--
Goop didn’t seem to notice he was jumped on, but did look over at Sans as he nosed him and barked.
He wiped at his eyes and tried to calm himself.
--
Never one to be left out, Papyrus sprung away from Kidster and also landed on Goop, paws over his chest and enthusiastically licking Goop’s face.
--
“Ah! Ah, no! You’re going to eat some of me!” Goop flailed and tried to get him to stop.
--
Papyrus sat back, whining unhappily that he wasn’t allowed to join in the fun.
--
“No licking! I need my face. Poking is fine though.”
--
Papyrus perked up.
With his pokey, tiny paws, Papyrus tapped on Goop’s face.
--
He didn’t seem to mind it.
--
Papyrus left doggy footprints on Goop’s face.
Sans joined in a minute later.
Kid was shaking with repressed laughter.
--
He let them for awhile before waving them off. “Wait, wait!”
Goop took Kid’s earlier suggestion, spending a few moments to form himself into a very black silhouette that looked more like a wolf than a dog, the only detail being two tiny white pinpricks for eyes.
“I can dog too!”
--
Papyrus eyes lit up and he began to bounce around, eager for someone his own size to play with for once, instead of making him worry about squishing Sans.
Kid continued filming them, grinning.
--
“Okay but I don’t really know what I’m doing yet, so be easy on me.” Goop said, standing up.
--
Papyrus immediately bumped into him.
--
Goop stumbled a little, looking drunk with how he tried to control his legs.
He bumped him back.
--
Papyrus was immensely pleased and immediately set about teaching Goop how to walk properly.
--
Goop would get the hang of it eventually, even after many trips and stumbles.
--
When Goop was finally getting the hang of it, Papyrus would return to horseplay, cheerfully trying to wrestle Goop.
--
Goop would do his best to play back, but this wasn’t his forte and he hadn’t even really done it before.
But he tried at least.
--
Papyrus was happy to play however it went.
Fairly soon someone had broken out the bouncy balls and they were bringing them up to Sans to fling against the wall with his magic.
It was an excellent game, Papyrus happily trading off turns with Goop for who got to catch the ball each time, or competing with him to catch it first.
--
Papyrus always won.
Goop hadn’t formed a mouth, it was a little too complicated for a shape he wasn’t completely comfortable with.
After that he stopped and waved the the pups off to settle beside Kid, looking a little tired.
--
“Want to sleep here, or in the ship?” Kid said, looking down at Goop, wrapping magic around his soul, the tablet long put away.
Maybe Goop had already slept a while earlier, but that didn’t mean he might not have been tired from shape-shifting and this whole world.
He was pretty sure Sans wouldn’t mind another pair on the couch.
--
“In the ship.” Goop said, needing to relax after spending so much time in a shape he didn’t recognize, in a shape that took a lot more effort to move around.
“We can come back though.”
--
Kid grinned, nodding.
“Yeah, sounds good.”
He waved goodbye to the kids and offered his hand out to Goop to help him walk back outside before they teleported.
--
Goop reformed into his usual shape, waving to the kids before stepping outside with Kid and teleporting them back into the machine. Only once they were inside and the door was shut did he melt onto the ground and let out a sigh.
“That was tiring.”
--
“You enjoyed it,” Kid said, settling down next to him, hand out if Goop wanted to hold onto it.
--
A tendril reached out to do just that. “Yeah.” He said, smile in his voice.
“Didn’t want to turn into a dog and join us?” Goop laughed, “Or is that a little too far for you?”
--
“Nah,” Kid said, grinning, “I think I’ll stick to recording you all having fun so I can show your kids later.”
--
“Seeing their dad as a dog?” Goop laughed, “That’ll weird ‘em out.”
--
“Not seeing themselves as dogs?” Kid asked, still grinning.
--
“They might just see them as dogs rather than them as dogs.” Goop said, “But I could be wrong.”
--
“We should get a picture of your dog double, too,” Kid said. “Warm them up to the idea.”
--
“Oh yeah, we should. How long has it been anyway? Think they’re still asleep?”
--
“Yeah, probably. We should wait until morning I think, to be safe.”
--
“Alright. You tired at all?”
--
“Not as much as you. I’ll keep guard tonight. Even though I think there are a hundred fuzzy puppies outside who would also gladly guard us.”
--
Goop made a confirming sort of noise since he was incapable of nodding at the moment and went quiet before speaking up again a moment later.
“This is by far the weirdest world we’ve ever been to.”
--
“But, best world?” Kid asked, looking for confirmation.
--
“... I guess it is so far, yeah.” Goop laughed.
--
Kid laughed too.
“We’re marking down these coordinates for future reference, then.”
--
“You think if there’s an all dog world there’s something like… an all chicken world?”
--
“I sincerely hope there is an all-chicken world,” Kid said extremely seriously. “But if we come across an all-crocodile world, we’re leaving immediately.”
--
“I’ve never seen a crocodile. They look goofy.”
He only had children’s books to really compare.
--
“I had a friend growing up who was some sort of crocodile monster,” Kid said. With his childhood definition of ‘friend,’ crocodiles probably didn’t like him much, either. “They’re very pointy.”
--
“Yeah? They look like rubber to me.”
--
“You just said you’d never seen one.”
--
“I’ve seen them in books.” Goop scoffed.
--
“Okay but you know books aren’t like reality, right?”
--
“... We’re in a world full of dogs. I beg to differ.”
--
“...how is that like a book?”
Had they read very different books?
--
“... Fantasy book? Worlds full of weird shit? Fiction?” Goop said.
--
“Well, yeah, but I’ve never seen a fantasy book with a world of just dogs,” Kid said. “Besides, people would probably say it’s too unrealistic. Who would have built the houses if they didn’t have thumbs?”
--
There was a long, long pause.
“... Who did build these houses if they don’t have thumbs?”
--
Kid gave him a flat look. “Goop. I have an answer for you. But you’re not going to like it.”
--
Goop waited.
--
“Goop.” Kid leaned in close. “It’s magic.”
--
Goop quickly reformed and sat up without moving his arms, then reached out to grab Kid by the shoulders and pulled him close.
“No.”
--
Kid was pulled close, their faces almost touching.
“Do you have a better explanation?”
--
“We’re asking Dogster first thing in the morning who built these houses because no.”
Fuck magic being an explanation.
--
Kid just laughed, but he nodded.
“Go the fuck to sleep, Goop.”
--
Goop let go of Kid and lay back down, staring up at the roof of the machine.
“I’m too angry to sleep now.”
--
“Okay,” Kid said, handing him the tablet. “Watch videos of yourself as a dog until you’re tired again.”
--
Goop took the tablet and promptly dropped it onto his face without turning it on.
--
“Or that,” Kid said, curling up. “Goodnight.”
--
“There is nothing good about this night. You have ruined it.”
“Ruined it.”
--
“Not my fault. You’re the one who asked the question. You should probably keep thinking up other questions, like… who makes the kibble? Are there dog factories? How can they sew cushions without fingers?”
--
Goop raised his hands in the air and yelled in frustration. “Aaaaa͡aa̷aáA͏̶̷AAÁ͘A͝A͏A͝A͞͏̀A͘͏̕̕A̶̶̸͝H̛͟H́͟͡Ḩ̷̵̧҉Ḩ̵̧͜H̵̡̡͡͡H͢H̢͘!̛͘”
--
Kidster cackled.
“This is also why I told you to not think about it when you asked about Sans and Paps being such different dogs!”
--
Goop kept yelling, reaching down to smack the tablet into his face.
--
“Don’t break your tablet! We have dog pictures on there!”
--
“My head is way too squishy to break this thing.” Goop said, lifting it up to show the dent it had made, then pushing it back into place.
--
“You might drop it through your head and crack it on the floor, though.”
--
Goop scoffed and put it back inside his chest.
--
“Goodnight,” Kid said again, still curled up.
--
“Night.” Goop said back, laying there for a few moments before he pulled himself up and moved to sit beside his friend.
--
Kid didn’t really fall asleep, but he did lie there and rest a while.
--
Goop did much the same. His head leaned forward a little and his body went a bit stiff, eye closing while they rested.
It was nice to hold a form he recognized again.
--
Even if they didn’t fully fall asleep, they both definitely needed the rest, laying there for a while.
The next morning they would return to the lab, helping the bipedal Gaster start on his transport and ask the dog Gaster how buildings were made.
To which they got the response, (translated by bipedal Gaster), “I don’t know, I’m not an architect.”
--
Goop would be sure to get a picture of Dogster for his kids and when they weren’t helping out the only other biped in the world they were with Sans and Papyrus playing with them. It was tiring keeping a form he wasn’t sure how to work, but by the end of their stay he had a solid grasp on how to run on four legs and committed the new shape to memory.
All in all, it was a nice, fun world to be in.
When it was time to go they wished the other Gaster luck and made their way back to the machine, punching in the coordinates for the next world before making the jump.
--
They were considerably more calm, pushing the buttons to get them to the next world. Though they were certain the next world wouldn’t be as pleasant as this one had been, it had still put them in a good mindset going-out.
They weren’t as tense as they had been coming into the dog world.
The machine buzzed as it took off, slipping through the void and emerging easily, but once it was on the other side--
They were shoved onto the floor and suddenly weightless as something threw them away and sent them plummeting.
For some people, autumn means getting ready to hibernate for the winter, but for dog lovers it means fall activities to do with your dog.
Dawn Celapino | Aug 31st 2017
Have you ever thought of doing outdoor activities with your dog that would not only be fun but require you and your dog to work together? This creates a great bonding experience and also provides a physical and mental challenge! Let’s explore a few fall activities to do with your dog:
Hiking With Your Dog
Equipment needed: Harness and 6-foot non-retractable leash that gives you control over your dog in case of other animals or obstacles on the trail; hiking pack with collapsible bowl, water bottle, treats, snacks, poop bags and small first-aid kit.
Quick tips: First, check that the trail is dog friendly. Some national parks and state parks do not have dog-friendly trails. Ensure the terrain is safe for dogs. If your dog is only used to a walk around the block, a 5-mile hill climb may be too much at first. You don’t want rocky terrain that will tear up Fido’s feet. How’s the weather? Many hiking trails can get rather hot, so pick a cooler day and time of day. Will there be shade? Take plenty of water and a bowl.
Stand-up Paddle-boarding (SUP) With Your Dog
Equipment needed: Harness and 6-foot non-retractable leash so your dog doesn’t swim away; stand-up paddle-board; personal flotation device for dog; waterproof phone case so you can take your cell phone safely; sunscreen (human and dog safe); hat.
Quick tips: Get Fido used to the SUP on flat ground first. Use treats and positive reinforcement. Then start out in shallow water, and only go out for a short paddle the first few times so Fido will get used to the sensation of the board and water. Never take your dog on a SUP without a personal flotation device. Even if Fido is a great swimmer, the jacket will have a handle on the top to help get him back on the SUP in case he jumps off.
Boot Camp With Your Dog
Equipment needed: 6-foot non-retractable leash; harness, as it is easier on the neck than using a leash and collar; front harnesses recommended for heavy pullers; bottle of water. Some classes recommend a yoga mat or towel.
Quick tips: Find a class that has a good reputation for working with the dogs as well as people. Are there going to be other dogs there, or is it a regular boot camp class that just a few people bring their dogs to? You want to find one in which the exercises will mentally and physically tire out the dog. Is the class appropriate for your dog? For example, having a Bulldog run and do jumps is not usually recommended; Doga Yoga may be a better option in that case. These are just a few ideas that you can try with your pup. Work up to any new fitness routine with your dog just as you would yourself. Ease him into the new activity slowly. And don’t forget to have fun!
See full original article at http://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/fall-activities-to-do-with-your-dog?utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=Dogster%20Full%20List&utm_campaign=
It was disconcerting to see Goop like that, but Kid knew he needed it, and just tried to help make his friend comfortable. Once Goop was asleep for sure, he pulled out the phone and put it on silent before texting Alphys.
‘Hey. We’re in the world for a little. Any news?’
--
A greeting came quickly after.
‘Hey!!! ^__^ How are things!? Good news here! No prototype but I think I might have an idea? :D’
--
‘Things are fine. Just stopping in to catch a nap for a few hours. What’s your idea? (This is Kid, by the way)’
--
The phone proceeded to explode with text messages, all a bit on the rambling side with plenty of emotes and exclamation points. They had mentioned using magic to feel instead, which was what she was going to try and had been studying a lot of magic books to get a grasp on it and might have figured out how to use magic as a conductor through something like a thermometer to give the illusion of feeling what the equipment was reading. It was still on paper and nothing was concrete, but it was something.
--
Kid bore the tide as best he could, trying to keep up and once or twice managing to send a text asking for clarification.
Mostly, though, he was relieved.
Alphy sounded really confident she could do something with this.
--
Only once the lengthy explanation was finished did she repeat her earlier question.
‘So how are things going?? Is he doing okay??’
--
It took Kid a long minute to realize he wasn’t reading about the new theory anymore.
‘Things are okay. Just wanted to rest up while the going was good in case we got stuck in a crazy world next (knowing our luck.) Goop is okay. Something spooked him in the last world so he’s just trying to rest up and hopefully he’ll be feeling better soon, but that’s the worst of it.’
--
‘Oh no! u_u Did he tell you what happened?’
--
‘No, he’s being private. We did talk a little bit though, and I think it helped some’
--
‘Ok! Well tell him I’m here if he ever wants to talk too, okay? n_n;;’
--
Kid grinned at the message.
‘Will do. You’re a great friend, Alphys :) ‘
‘(Did I do the face right?)’
--
‘Yes that’s a good start! ^_^ I’ll teach you more if you want sometime? Gaster didn’t seem to ever really want to learn them but I don’t think he really gets into the whole social texting thing. ^_^;;
How are you doing too anyway?’
--
‘Goop is bitter and stuck in his ways. Teach me faces so I can send them to him through morse code and watch him get frustrated.’
--
Alphys was very happy to have someone new to teach emoticons to. She ran through all of them she could think of, giving descriptions of what they meant for each one.
There were a lot.
She was happy to ramble on and on and on about them, even giving a few internet history lessons with a few on their origins.
--
Oh goodness.
Well… Gaster was happy that she was confident and excited about emoticons?
He made a mental note of a few that were interesting and finally sent off a text saying he should probably go, as he had to take a nap too, but it was good to talk with her and he was glad she was doing well.
--
Alphys gave him a long-winded goodbye and wished them both well.
Goop was still fast asleep even when the conversation had finished. He didn’t often get to relax in his own world and in a form he didn’t have to concentrate on keeping up. The emotions from the day had left him pretty rough around the edges too, which only made him more exhausted.
--
Kid didn’t wake him. He had a feeling that pitstops like these might be a good thing to make fairly regularly, at this rate, especially now that they were running into more and more upsetting, dangerous worlds, and… worlds like the last two, which weren’t so dangerous but…
Well. Anything that made Goop break down like that wasn’t exactly easy to deal with, all the same.
So Kid just sat beside him, waiting patiently for him to wake on his own.
--
All in all Goop would sleep for a good six hours, far more than he usually did. When he woke the puddle would twitch violently before swirling around, an opening peeking out to see where he was and what was going on around him.
--
Kid startled a little at the sudden, violent twitching, looking down at Goop. “You okay??”
--
The soul shifted to look at Kid. Despite his lack of any facial expression the void around him seemed tense somehow.
“Y̢eah.͠ ̶Į'm͠ ͠fi͠n̛e.̛” He said a little too quickly.
--
“That was very convincing,” Kid said, “What’s wrong?”
--
The tension melted a little more.
“... H̨a̸d͢ ́a̢ ̷dre͡am̡ ͏abo͢ut my c͡h͏il̢dhǫo̢d. ͡W͏o͢k̨e u͢p wi͞th͝ ev̶e͡ry҉t̨hi̛n͟g d̡a̵r͜k an͞d nǫt h͜a͟v͞i̴ng...͡” Goop trailed off, voice growing quiet. He didn’t finish the sentence, but it was clear where it was going.
Not having a body.
“G̨ot ̶s͡t͜a̢r͘tled ̛is ̢a̡lļ.̧”
--
Kid nodded, relaxing a little again as Goop became less tense.
“...ah. Yeah, that… that’d be a pretty startling difference.”
--
Goop was silent for a few moments.
“S̴o̧ h͢o͏w̶ ̷lon͜g͜ w͟as̴ ̵I ͢a̶sl̛ee͞p?̕”
--
“..about six hours,” Kid said, glancing around the room a moment before answering. “You were really tired.”
--
He made a whistling noise despite having no lips. Or mouth. “W̶ow.͞ S̀w̸a͟p ̵ti͠m͜e ͠I gu̢es͠ş?̸”
The void started to build up around his soul, arms bracing against the ground as a torso and head started to form.
--
Kid understood making his own voice, but he was kinda curious about that whistle.
“Sure. I won’t need too long. You feeling okay?”
--
“I think so.” Goop said, slowly standing before adding the details of his face and suit. “I’m going to work on something that grampster wanted if that’s alright while you’re sleeping.”
--
Kid nodded, and since he knew Goop was going to be working on something that would be able to distract him, he said, “Okay. And I contacted Alphys. She’s still confident her idea will work but there’s nothing for us to look at right now unless you want to read the details. And she says if you ever want to talk, she’ll be there if you’re having a rough day.”
--
He blinked and looked down at Kid. “Oh. Alright.” Goop managed a bit of a smile, “Did you tell her thanks for me?”
--
“I told her you would probably greately appreciate it,” Kid said, relaxing a bit and managing a smile back. He handed the phone over. “If you want to look.”
The conversation had been about Goop, so he had a right to know.
--
He took the phone. “Okay. Thanks.”
--
Kid nodded. “...Good luck with the favor.”
He curled up in the newly vacant spot.
--
Goop nodded and headed over to start working, grabbing one of the receivers to pull it apart and do what the old Gaster wanted in the time they had while Kid slept.
--
Kid didn’t sleep for very long. He’d had a lot of time to rest at the last world they were in, emotional distress aside.
He slept for about two hours, woke quietly, and slunk over to Goop’s work station without disturbing him.
--
Sometime during those two hours Goop had shed some of his void, setting it aside while he sat on the stool by his workbench, hunched over the communicator still modifying it. He didn’t quite look like Voidkid though, his skull a little more his own shape and his body less trying to simulate clothing and acting more as just a black placeholder to what would have been a bipedal form.
He looked more like a child version of himself than the little shattered clump of souls and didn’t seem to notice Kid wake up and walk over.
--
It was strange and a little uncomfortable to look at Goop and see a child, especially a familiar child, and… Kid decided the best course of action was probably to just not say anything or comment.
He found a place to sit down and let Goop get to a stopping place in his own time.
--
Goop would continue to work for a few moments before he turned to glance back at where Kid had been sleeping only to find that he was sat elsewhere.
He tried to hide his embarrassment and pulled the rest of his void back, quickly forming his regular body again but not doing so too quickly so as to not look as embarrassed as he felt.
--
Kid looked up as the void shifted around. “You don’t have to hurry,” he said.
--
“It’s fine.” Goop said, finishing up what he was doing before shoving the modified communicator into his chest.
“You sleep okay?”
--
Kid nodded, giving Goop a smile. “And you?”
--
“I guess.” Goop said with a lopsided smile and shrug.
He still felt a little embarrassed for being caught testing out being a kid.
“Is there anything we needed before heading off again?”
--
Kid didn’t mention it, and hoped that might soothe some of Goop’s nerves.
“Nothing but letting your kids know you’re alright if you haven’t already. We’re still fully stocked up, otherwise.”
--
“Ah, right.” Goop said, rummaging around for his phone before quickly texting back and forth a few times. He glanced over at Kid.
“You talk to yours?”
--
He shook his head and reached out for the unmodified scanner.
--
Goop handed it over.
--
For a little while, they both hunched over their respective devices, tapping away to their kids and getting caught up on distant news in their family’s lives.
Maybe they were just trying to delay from the nerves of going to the next world, though..
--
Goop caught up with both of his kids before telling them goodbye and putting the phone away for another time. Then he waited until Kid did the same.
--
Kid held onto the scanner, finished his own conversation, and looked up at Goop slowly.
“...so. Think our luck will hold..?”
...could they call the last two worlds lucky? He wanted to. They hadn’t been the sort of nightmare worlds that he remembered from before.
--
“It won’t now that you’ve said something.” Goop said flatly, even though he was joking. “Remember what happened after we got those bracelets?”
--
“Ugh,” Kid said, rubbing his eyes. “...let’s pretend I said nothing, then.”
He wanted to forget that argument, and that double-world, and that fear of Chara killing Goop’s children never existed.
He took a deep breath and tried to still himself, but just the thought of what lay ahead was enough to put him on edge.
--
Goop inhaled deeply and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder before stepping into the machine. “Just gonna make a pitstop to hand this off and then off to the next.”
--
Kid nodded, “It’s finished, then?”
He followed Goop inside and found his spot.
--
“Yeah, wasn’t too hard to put together.” Goop shrugged, closing the door behind him before setting course for the world they had just left and jumping to it.
--
Kid just nodded. “I’m sure he’ll be glad.”
It was early, early morning when they arrived, before even Papyrus was awake. The house lights were dark.
--
Goop didn’t want to wake them.
He… didn’t actually want to talk much either.
He stood outside the back door and pulled out his notebook, scribbling down a note about how it worked and he hoped it was what the Gaster wanted. Then he teleported inside to set it on the kitchen table.
--
No one noticed. No one stirred. The house remained sound asleep, and Kid waited in the machine for his friend, fidgeting nervously.
--
Goop teleported back a moment later and closed the door to the machine. He offered Kid the best smile he could muster.
“We’ll be alright.”
Always the optimist, despite how nervous he was too.
He punched in the coordinates to the next world.
--
Kid nodded and braced himself for the jump.
They landed with a thud of dirt.
There was an explosion of sound outside as soon as they emerged in the other world.
Howling.
--
Fuck.
Goop looked at Kid with a wide eye before heading for the door, hand hovering on the handle.
He flung it open, ready for a fight.
--
Dogs.
They’d been caught off guard and were bounding away from the machine in a rush, fleeing--fleeing towards what looked like the horizon of Hotland.
Deep pits of magma dotted the dark landscape, and a skeleton-shaped body lay, trampled in the dust, coughing and wheezing.
He was alive.
--
Against what was probably his better judgement Goop rushed forward to the skeleton. “Hey! You alright?”
--
Kid followed him a step or two behind, head up and eyes wide, scanning the horizon for more attackers.
The skeleton groaned, looking a little battered but able to sit up on his own, despite the dusty pawprints on his clothes and face.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine…”
He froze very suddenly after speaking and turned to look up at Goop with wide, shocked eyes.
“...what the fuck.”
--
Goop blinked, then looked around nervously and retracted his hand.
“... Uhhh….”
--
The skeleton snatched the hand, feeling over it, and then felt all the rest of the way up Goop’s arm until he reached the face. And then he felt over Goop’s face, like he wasn’t sure it was real under his hands.
“UH,” Kid agreed.
--
Goop rippled and quickly yanked his arm away, almost pooling into a puddle before reforming behind Kid and shuddering.
“What the hell, man!?”
--
Kid spread his arms out protectively in front of Goop, scowling at the stranger despite his usual instincts.
“Sorry!!” The skeleton said, standing on two legs now and not appearing hurt, holding his hands up. As he looked them over, it was clear his shock had changed. Now he just looked ecstatic. “I mean, no, it’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you! I got ahead of myself, I’m sorry. I’m from another world, too!!”
--
Goop was still rippling and uneasy, for once not being ashamed of hiding behind Kid. He didn’t like being touched like that, especially not by a Gaster he didn’t even know.
“Y- wait what?” He asked, hunched down to peer over Kid’s shoulder even though he was taller.
--
Kid figured it was better to let Goop do the talking right now.
He was fairly lost.
The skeleton in front of them still looked ecstatic, though.
A little off-balance, but ecstatic.
“Yes! You are too, right? I haven’t met another monster like us in so long, you can’t even--achoo!--it’s been so, so weird and lonely, and I only really understand Gaster, and he never takes anything seriously, so I’m just! Here? But now there’s other people!!”
--
Goop glanced at Kid again before finally standing his full height.
“... Okay I’m really lost right now and this is usually the other way around.”
--
The skeleton deflated a little, looking a bit desperate, but didn’t know what to say either, shrugging helplessly at Goop.
“I’m not from here, I--” he sneezed again, “--ugh. ...I’m from another world and y...ou know what, fuck it, let’s just go to the lab.”
He turned promptly and started trotting towards the faint outline of the lab in the distance, right where it always was, clearly expecting Goop and Kid to follow.
--
Goop eyed Kid before leaning into the machine and pulling out the chip, then quickly starting the scanner before following.
--
Kid shugged helplessly, shaking his head, but followed a moment later.
The lab didn’t have a door out front like it usually would.
It had a small, arch-like entryway that Gaster had to duck down to enter through. Kid had to do much the same.
The inside of the lab smelled like dog.
There were chew toys, bones, and ripped stuffed animals everywhere, and Gaster was talking rapidly with a good sized, long-haired black dog with dark gums and a tightly curled tail.
The dog looked at them, panting excitedly.
“This is Gaster,” Gaster said.
The dog yipped. Gaster ‘ughed’ and wiped his nasal cavity again.
--
Goop stared at everything in the lab.
Stared at Gaster.
Then at Gaster…?
“... What.”
It wasn’t even a question.
--
“I told you,” Gaster said, gaze flat an unamused. “I’m not from this world! This is Gaster! Somehow??”
The… Gaster-dog yipped happily and rolled over.
Gaster sighed and rubbed his belly. “Yes you’re a good boy. Such a good boy. Oh my goodness.”
The back leg was going.
Kid stared.
--
Goop thrust his hands out towards Dogster. “What.”
He thrust his hands out towards the bones and toys. “What.”
He thrust his hands out towards the arch-shaped door. “WHAT.”
--
“Yes. They are dogs. Yes. I know. It’s adorable.”
As Dogster enjoyed his belly rub, a few more dogs poked their heads out of nowhere and trotted in through the doors, happily shoving up against Gaster in jealousy.
Gaster wordlessly started to scratch as many heads as he possibly could with only two hands.
“Please help me. I’m the only thing with hands in a world filled with dogs.”
--
“Okay, okay, hold on.” Goop covered his face and took a breath before gesturing down to Gaster.
“In this world everyone is… a dog…?”
--
“Everyone,” Gaster said, eyes wide and a little fuzzy around the edges. “It is the best and worst thing I’ve ever experienced.”
He promptly started violently sneezing, but kept diligently petting the small hoard of dogs around him.
--
“... You’re allergic? Are you kidding me?” Goop gestured outwardly.
--
“I’m allergic,” he confirmed, nodding, sneezing again and scratching a dog’s ears. “I ran out of medicine the first week. I’m--chsodasldfjkg--kind of used to it by now, I guess?”
Kid just stared at him.
...then, he got down and started petting the dogs, too.
--
Goop still didn’t join in. He had never had pets before. Well, chickens, but still.
“Okay, how did you get here?” He asked.
--
Kid hadn’t had pets before either, but…
Well… they just looked so happy when they got their ears scratched?? How could he say ‘no’ when Gaster only had two hands and there were so many waiting? So even if it was a little weird when he ended up petting Dogster, he dealt with it.
“Well, I opened a door in my lab one day,” Gaster said.
--
“... And when you stepped through you ended up here?” Goop finished, expression falling slightly.
--
Gaster nodded, being licked in the face by a curly-haired sandy dog.
“Yes! And I haven’t been able to find a way back at all! Gaster’s been helping me, but it’s a little out of his expertise.
Dogster lifted a paw and put it on Kid’s shoulder.
“Oh my god he has little white toes on the underside,” Kid whispered.
--
Goop looked at the crowd of dogs, still way too many to be pet by only four hands, and sighed.
“One second.”
He turned and teleported back to the ship, coming back a moment later with his extra void and sat down, using the tendrils to pet the dogs.
“Is your world not that bad then? You wanna get back?”
--
“Hm?” the other said, not appearing at all bothered by the extra void tendrils. “Well, I-I’d like more scintillating conversation back, yes.”
--
“What’s your world like?” Goop asked, hoping to maybe narrow it down to a quadrant at the very least.
--
“U-um, well, there’s normal monsters around. W-we only really have one or so dogs like this, I think? I’ve only ever seen one little white one, other than the canine units. And the, uh, the places are all the same, but we have actual names for them instead of scent markers; Hotland, Snowdin, Waterfall--um…”
He seemed a little at a loss, only knowing his world was quite different and not fully sure what the other was looking for.
--
“Above ground? Below ground? After or before the war? During the war? How many humans have fallen down? Do you have kids?” Goop asked.
--
“Below Mt. Ebott, and, er, yes, the war with humans is long over, really dreadful thing that was; I haven’t heard of any fallen humans? And no, of course not, I was far too busy for that sort of thing.”
--
“How long have you been trapped underground? Were you born before or after monsters were sealed?”
--
“Um, I think we’re going on about a thousand years now?” Gaster said, tapping his jaw, not minding he’d just scratched a dog with it and he was allergic. There was no escape at this point. He’d long accepted he would be sneezing forever unless he could leave. “And I was born a bit before. Don’t remember much. Mostly just grumpy back then.”
One of the dogs wiggled onto his lap, tongue lolling out happily.
--
Gaster nodded and pulled out his notebook, flipping to a few pages and then to a clean page and writing something down, trying to narrow down the coordinates a little, although it was still like throwing a needle into a haystack and hoping to find it later.
“How far have you gotten to getting back home?”
--
“Not far,” Gaster said, scratching a dog’s neck. “I don’t really have any idea where to start.”
--
Goop glanced at Kid, “... Well. You’ve got us for three days and I can build a time machine, so… maybe the quickest way would be to figure out your soul frequency and give you the blueprints?”
--
Kid nodded, shrugging.
It seemed like a sound plan to him.
“What good would a time machine do, though?” Gaster asked, confused. “I-I mean, thank you for your help, but--”
“Oh, uh, it’s a bad time machine,” Kid said. “But it goes through dimensions very well!”
--
“‘Time machine’ sounds better than ‘interdimensional traveling ship’.” Goop said, flipping through to a few new pages so he could start writing the blueprints to his machine for the other Gaster.
--
“That doesn’t say anything about how reassuring it is, that says something about your naming abilities.”
All the same, he stayed beside the other Gaster, helping him pet dogs and ignoring the incessant sneezing. “How long have you been here?”
“Uhhhh a couple months at least,” Gaster said, rubbing his nasal cavity again.
--
Goop looked up at Kid and narrowed his eye. “Shhhh.”
--
“Look, I’m just saying. You and Asgore share at least one thing in common, and it’s probably your naming abilities.”
--
“I don’t even name anything though. That isn’t even a name. It’s just what it does.” Goop argued.
--
“But it’s not a time machine?” Kid said, rolling his eyes. “It’s a dimensional transport.”
--
“Yeah but I didn’t know I would be going to different dimensions when I first started calling it that. I thought I would just be jumping around in time.”
--
“But that’s not calling it what it is.”
--
Goop threw his pen at him. “Shut the fuck up I’m trying to write.”
--
Kid grinned and caught the pen, throwing it back.
“Yeah, yeah.”
--
The pen stuck into his shoulder, pulling inside before reappearing in his hand. He rolled his eyes at Kid and started to write again.
--
Kid sat with Gaster, talking with him some and trying to give him some of the conversation he’d… mentioned being denied.
It helped pass the time while Goop wrote.
--
It would take a long time for Goop to write the blueprints for the machine, turning from page to page and scribbling away, ripping a few off and flipping them back and forth.
He wouldn’t finish until that night.
--
Gaster didn’t seem to mind, having long lost any sense of time outside of the times the dogs tended to do things.
They brought out food later into the night, tails-wagging and looking very cheerful. Kid didn’t ask where the food came from, but Gaster ate it quite happily. Dogster fell asleep with his head on his bipedal double’s lap a while later.
--
When the blueprints were finished he stacked them together neatly and handed them over to the other Gaster. “Okay, there’s the blueprints for the-” He paused and looked Kid dead in the eyes. “-dimensional transport.”
--
Kidster gave a quiet applause.
--
“Shithead.” Goop said, but was smiling all the same.
--
“I am showing you my earnest support,” Kidster said.
--
“Thanks dear.”
--
“Anything to boost your ego, darling.”
--
After a moment Goop sighed and rubbed his face before standing. “Alright. I’m heading back to the machine to get his soul frequency. I’ll be right back.”
