Long time no see, suckers~
Here ya go! Enjoy~
TW: Death, abandonment
Masterpost
Chapter 4 (and no more(?))
~o0o~
Iro couldn’t find any motivation in Papyrus’ eyes.
She lowered her swords, taking a break from the fight. Unlike the previous days they had trained together, Paps was only defending, not really giving it much thought, as if his head was elsewhere.
Undye had continued to train them against their will. They both mutually hated her and did their best to practice without her. However, she provided a unique sense of combat they couldn’t get anywhere else, so they didn’t protest.
It would be helpful to them one day.
“Come on, brother.” Iro narrowed her eyes, bonking him in the head with a bone. “You’ve barely tried today.”
“Not right now, sis,” Papyrus gently pushed the bone away, staring at the ground before following the path with his eyes. “I’m not in the mood.”
Iro didn’t like that answer. “The enemy isn’t going to spare you just because you’re in a sour mood.”
“I know what Undye said, I just…” his eyes soften. “I have the feeling something is horribly wrong.”
Iro loved her brother, and she knew something wrong usually followed whenever he had a bad feeling. She envied his skill. “Come on, right now? Can we deal with it later?”
Papyrus sighed, his brain turning with trying to decide what to do. “I suppose you’re right, and we can’t do anything about it. Let’s just deal with it once it comes to us.”
“About time,” Iro sighed, swirling her swords again.
When Iro dodged Papyrus’ attacks, she spotted King Asgore along the path her brother was looking before. “I see you’ve been practicing!” He called, rushing to join them.
Both of the skeletons stopped what they were doing and bowed in respect. “Greetings, King Asgore.” They said in unison.
King Asgore gave a lazy nod back. “You’re working hard. It’s clear both of you have incredible talent with the sword and hammer,” he smiled as he looked toward Papyrus and the big hammer he swung. “I wish to offer both of you a chance to join the royal guard and be the sole protectors of the prophesied humans that’ll show up.”
“Really?!” Papyrus’ eyes gleamed, his dream coming true before his eyes. “That’s wonderful! Yes, I happily accept!”
Iro recalled how her father instructed her not to believe in prophecies such as the fall of the six humans who were supposed to set them free. Although she knew they existed and that they might come, nothing ever ends like it is predicted, and she had to be ready for that. “What does this all entail?”
“You will join me in the castle and be paid your fair wage to protect me and the inhabitants there. Oftentimes, I will have you track Toriel and her pathetic rebellion. You will even get to use your fighting skills occasionally.”
Papyrus’ smile faded when he heard the details. “Oh, with all due respect, sir, I wish to stay with my father. He’s helped us tremendously, and I shan’t leave him at least without proper notice.”
Iro wasn’t expecting the particular look that Asgore gave. “Well, yes, perhaps it would be best to…” he trailed off. “Ask him first. Why don’t we go do that now?”
Why was he so eager about this now? “Sir,” Iro stepped forward. “Let us finish our training, and then we may head back with you. We have a certain protocol we must meet for Soldier Undye,” her tone unwillingly snapped at mentioning her name. “I’m sure Gaster will be able to work out the details with you.”
“I’m sure he will have no issue with you staying with me,” Asgore smiled. “It will be necessary for the great and honorable tasks.”
Papyrus started to look nervous. “But Undye-”
“Cannot do anything unless I command her to do so. She is part of the royal guard, too, after all.” Asgore turned and walked along the path he came. “Come, that is an order.”
Iro held in an annoyed sigh as she packed her swords behind her and shuffled after the king, Papyrus close behind. She tried to keep herself warm through Snowdin, but her neck constantly shivered.
“Why are you shaking?” Papyrus asked, leaning towards her as they followed the king out of earshot.
“It’s… cold…” Iro clenched her gloves, rubbing her bones.
“I told you to bring that extra coat-”
“Yeah, I know, you were right, okay?” Iro glanced away, sprinting to catch up with both of them again.
Paps gave a low chuckle before he unwrapped the long light blue scarf from his neck. “Here, my scarf can help keep you warm.” He smiled, gently placing it on Iro’s head.
It was too big for her, trailing on the snow and covering most of her face. Iro had to peak through with her fingers to see where she was going.
Papyrus had to stop laughing before stopping Iro and adjusting the scarf. “Here,” he wrapped a part of it around the upper half of her head to keep her warm and give her access to see.
Not even Iro could understand what she said, and it came out as one big mumble.
“Hey, you’ll grow into it!” Papyrus’ smile lit up the sky. “We are out of light blue cloth, but once I get the chance, I’ll make you your very own scarf!”
Iro’s head felt lighter as she smiled at him. “Thanks, Paps. I love you.”
Papyrus rubbed her head as he uttered the words back. His face continued to radiate with glee as the town came into sight. Iro loved being in a good mood and was glad whatever worried him previously had escaped his mind.
She would do everything in her power to make sure Papyrus was happy.
* * *
Asgore eventually led them to the castle, showing them their rooms and the area where they would be staying. Both of the skeletons couldn’t deny that it was spectacular. The walls and ceiling were aligned with gems and valuables the children had never seen before. Even the floors were sprinkled with shades of gold and silver. Every room was expansive and comprehensive, and there were more food options than Iro could count on her hands, a change from the three meals she usually ate at home.
Each room she and Papyrus would stay in was more prominent than their house combined. Her bed was humongous, and there was a desk, a dresser, and many other things Iro couldn’t quite identify. She felt she wouldn’t have time to enjoy sich an expansive room, but she couldn’t deny the bed was more comfortable than hers in her own home.
However, a part of her liked the smaller house better. It was more communal, and it reassured her that she was never too far away from her dad. Everyone was with each other all the time, versus the impending isolation that hovered in the castle walls.
Papyrus on the other hand seemed ecstatic. He was running down the halls shouting with joy. He barely stopped himself from colliding into Undye on the stairs as he did so, but he completely ignored that factor. “I’m a royal guard! I’m a royal guard!” He rejoiced, bouncing up and down.
Iro and Undye exchanged a mutual glare as they passed each other on the stairs. It was clear they hated each other, but now that they shared the same occupation under the king, there wasn’t much that could be done.
It would distract both of them from the real threat.
“This is amazing, Iro!” Papyrus ran up to her and grabbed her hands. “Wait until we tell father about this!”
“I-” Iro paused, holding her tongue. “...I’m sure he will be very happy and proud for us…”
She didn’t like lying to her brother, but she didn’t want to ruin the joy on his face. Iro recalled the disagreements Asgore and Gaster had, how they didn’t always get along… It bothered her, but she wasn’t one to get involved in that, as that was adult talk. Besides, perhaps Gaster would be proud of them, and she would’ve destroyed her brother’s joy over nothing by telling him the truth.
“Come on! Let’s go tell him!” He started to lead her through the halls.
They didn’t get very far before Asgore asked them how they liked the castle. He urged them to sign the contract to join the royal guard before they left, but Papyrus - to Iro’s surprise - refused.
“Hey, we shouldn’t sign anything just yet because we must discuss this wonderful opportunity with our father!” He gleamed. “I want him to be a part of this too!”
“Rest assured that you two are old enough and strong enough to make this decision on your own, without your father’s input.” Asgore insisted, handing the contract to Iro.
Iro simply dropped it to the floor. “Forgive me, sire, but I prefer the word ‘guidance’ be used with our father, as he has been nothing but kind to us and we will require his input before proceeding.” Proceeding. Huh, that’s the big word I learned a few days ago.
Asgore sighed in annoyance, picking up the contract and setting them on a nearby table. His narrow eyes and long beard didn’t help with his sour look. “The contracts will be here when you change your mind, they will always be open to such talented monsters like yourself.”
When we change our mind? What happened to if?
Papyrus nodded in thanks and dragged Iro off before she could object.
Iro couldn’t tell Papyrus what was racing through their head as they headed home. She couldn’t even formulate words. Asgore’s tone was one she’d normally lean towards trusting, and obeying, because he was the king after all.
But a part of her didn’t think it was a good idea.
“Not to worry about whatever you’re thinking about,” Papyrus smiled. “Dad will help it make sense, dad will fix it! He will know what to do!”
Gaster always knew what to do.
Iro wanted nothing more than a hug from him at the moment. It had been a long day, and she wanted to feel her father’s comfort.
A smile covered her face as they approached their small home in Snowdin, having traveled a long way through Hotland. Iro gave Papyrus back his scarf as he opened the door.
Their souls stopped beating when they were greeted with disaster.
Couches were burned and half of it was missing. Almost all of their windows were cracked if not shattered. Belongings were thrown across the floor, and everything in sight was broken.
Papyrus panicked. “DAD?!” He screamed, running into the house.
Iro took a more cautious approach, avoiding all the sharp objects exposed on the floor. “Father?!”
There was no reply.
The only things that were untouched were the children’s rooms and their belongings. Everything else was torn apart from the aftermath of a battle. Despite the skeleton’s crying out for their father, searching endlessly for hours, there was no sign of Gaster. It was as if he vanished out of thin air.
Iro felt tears running down her face, unable to control the sobs escaping her throat. Who would do this? What did we ever do?
I’m gonna kill them…
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Papyrus’ hands pressed against his face in stressed. “Maybe he’s at the lab. Maybe he’s okay and it was just our house destroyed.”
Deep down, Iro couldn’t get herself to believe that.
“Father?!” He shouted one more time before tears fell down his own face. “...We have to try the lab, we have to…” He couldn’t finish before he dashed out the door.
Iro would’ve immediately followed if the gleam of something familiar didn’t catch her eye. Through her tears, she spotted her father’s research notebook. It was torn and burned.
He never leaves that unintended… He always carried it with him to the lab.
Just as she feared, it wasn’t long before Alphys came running toward them to break the news to them.
Gaster was gone.
* * *
“Such unfortunate circumstances happen, but you and your brother have my condolences.”
Iro couldn’t look Asgore in the eyes, she couldn’t even look straight and see things clearly with how much water escaped her eye sockets. Her heart wrenched with pain, and she couldn’t escape its claws. She wanted to wake up from this nightmare. She wanted to run into her father’s arms and cry. But according to Alphys’ reports, he was attacked, and he was killed…
I’m going to avenge his death…
Papyrus insisted that he couldn’t be dead, as he saw no dust remains in the house upon inspection, but it didn’t take much to break Papyrus’ spirit as well, because the simple fact was that his father was gone.
No matter what anyone did, they couldn’t comfort the children. They signed Asgore’s contracts with solemn faces, as they no longer had a choice. They barely ate, they barely slept, and the only person they wished to talk to was Alphys. They wanted answers.
But she couldn’t give them any.
Asgore suggested that they started training immediately to get their minds off of their grief. But it didn’t help.
Nothing helped.
Paps couldn’t get over the fact that he could be killed, or just leave, or whatever happened.
And Iro would never forgive herself that she wasn’t there to help.
