AN Well I got this idea when I was listening to various songs, and maybe partially blaming MatPat as well... Either way my brain cooked this up and forced me to start writing it and then the idea held me hostage until I finished it typing. This is most likely going to stay a one shot. There are small chances for drabbles, added from different perspectives or maybe a interesting scene that follows. So enjoy this AU world where Gaster ended up laying the groundwork so his king wish for peace.

Inspiration for a part of this story:

Undyne the Undying – Undertale parody animation - (Unusualbox)

EDIT Thank you for the reviews, and as suggested I will break up the story in chapters for a easier read.

This is Gaster story.

"Erased from existence. That was the fate they presumed befallen upon him. Truthfully they were not wrong, they simply were not right either. That was only half of the story. Erased and rewritten. That was the whole story.

White shards, nearly shining on their own. That was the last and first memory he possessed.

It came in a flash, shattering into thousands of white shards about to scatter, but they refused. The sea of red determination drowned his vision.

He knew there was something important with the heart shapes he kept drawing, he must have been asked about them. Pointing to a green one as proof, he assumed he was working on that one when he gave an answer, maybe it was the first time it came to him. In the end he doesnt remember anything that lead to it, never had. He only had the proof of red splatters over the old paper with a green heart and white flipped hearts, before his first memory starts.

A flash of the broken glass bottle raised high up, it white shards shining in the light of the room, he refused. The sea of red drowned his vision. He was determined, he refused to scatter. He refused to yield.

Next memories in chronological order he possessed came from a hospital. The people fussing around him. So typical, one little thing blows up in his face and they do not leave him alone. They all worry too much about him. Not bothering to open his eyes, feeling too tired for such a feat he spoke aloud that he was fine... Though he wondered in what bed he was laying. He felt so small in it. How truly peculiar...

The following memories were all over only the fact they all played out in the same place helping him put a time period to them. Sometimes he was positive he was a prisoner of war, warning them that majesty will not stand for it. In others he was asking about his dad. Pleading with the nurses that his dad wasnt a bad man. That he believed that everyone can be good. That he must have done something really wrong to make his dad angry to hurt him. He would try to explain to the nurses that he was a monster, so which human wouldnt hurt him. That made the nurses angry, but they didnt hit him for it.

Before he was let out the hospital into his foster home, he learned to not say all the things on his mind aloud. Especially not to call himself a monster, even if that felt like a fact to him regardless of which type of memory he experienced. The therapist a gentle and kind woman had always those sad eyes when looking at him. She reminded him of a dear friend and white fur... She helped him a lot to make the difference between his fantasy world he made up to protect himself from his dad abuse and the real world. He played along, then he started believing it.

The scars above his one eye and under the other would forever stay a reminder of his first memory. But they were no longer alone, he had a lot of happy memories with his new family. New mom and new dad were were truly happy to give him New Home...no. A Newer Home, yes... He was a genius and they supported him in his curiosity and studies. Everything was so easy to learn, it felt nearly like he was reminding himself of things he already knew.

He was fourteen and way ahead in everything science related, but horrible falling in the department of language and communication skills. Socialization should help, it was decided without his input. Dont talk with you hands, use your words, finish your sentences. All those things were told to him as he was driven to his first halloween party. He would have much rather spend the night tinkering and making all the electrical apparatus around the house more energy efficient. Resources were limited, or not so much but it was still greener to do it.

Children in costumes, even he was put into one. As he showed zero interest in playing dress up, his father picked his outfit out. He was wearing a doctor costume... He admitted he liked the white coat. He looked cool in it, and of course he would be the greatest around. Still there was a somewhat older kid dressed in a poor skeleton outfit that drawn his gaze. He was talking to a girl in a pink queen outfit.

"...sorry, but its boning me death!" A pun. He stepped closer to them.

"Dave, that was horrible, are you even trying?" He stepped closer, again.

"Fine, it was bad, but I am bone tired today." The boy responded and the girl rolled her eyes, she was about to leave. She stopped when she noticed him staring at them. The next words that came out his mount were the clearest spoken words in years.

"Tibia honest, he tickled my funny bone." The girl narrowed her eyes and raising her finger in an i will explain to you fashion.

"Its 'to be' honest, not tibi or whatever you said there. " He blinked at the young girl, once more speaking confident and with patients and to the complete shock of his parents absolutely clear.

"In human anatomy the tibia is the second largest bone next to the femur. As in other vertebrates the tibia is one of two bones in the lower leg, the other being the fibula, and is a component of the knee and ankle joints. Hence the pun of 'to be' being replaced with tibia as it fits the skeleton pun theme."

Both kids blinked and the boy grinned at him. "That was cleaver, whats your name? I am Dave, dressed as skeleton!"

"Dr. Gaster." He said those words alluding to his costume. Yet as he said them the familiarity was mind numbing. He said them countless of times, he heard them countless of times. It wasnt because of his name. It was the familiarity of the title accompanying the name. Belonging together... Why would that be like that? It didnt make sense and yet it did. It was the start of his self questioning. When you love solving puzzles and then suddenly realize that you are a puzzle yourself... well you try to solve yourself.

He was sixteen sitting in front of the mirror in his bedroom. back leaning against the foot of the bed. How often did he went through his life trying to hunt down his earliest memories, trying to figure it all out. Replaying all things that didnt make sense. Trying to pinpoint the moments his beliefs didnt match up with things around him. His childhood drawings all neatly sorted in a box. They helped quite a bit, but it wasnt enough. He didnt know what puzzle pieces he was searching for, so he didnt know where to search.

Meditation.

The next logical step, for when the outside sources were lacking turn to the souls.

Slowly he breathed, turning back the clock to when he was only three years old. He imagined himself drawing on the floor. Imagined drawing those heart shapes. He took a deep breath holding the mental image and then he tried to let go of the control. This was the hardest step. He tended to be so determined to make it, that it turned to be impossible to move. Tensing up and losing the image completely.

Today was different, last night he talked to a pensioned nurse who took care of him when he was in hospital. After some charming and careful listening to her troubles she told him how he behaved back then. He was confused. Sounding like a grown man filled with self hate at times, and sometimes like a lost child he was.

Inside his mind he sat down on the floor beside the young self who was drawing.

"...I am a monster." He spoke the words fast like he was ripping off a band aid, and instantly Gaster was filled with guilt. His parents would be hurt to hear him say those things about himself, his friends would tell him he wasnt. Everyone would tell him not to hate himself, not to look down at himself like that... The nurse told him he was saying those words as a young child often, again and again until he didnt. Back then he didnt feel guilty, they resonated like a fact. So he repeated them again, and again, and again. Just like he would repeat the numbers of pi when bored.

The child beside him looked up at him and he stopped mid word.

Silence settled.

The older one too scared to do anything to ruin the moment.

The young one smirking with a knowing gaze. A look in the eyes that was so much older than anything the older saw. The child picked a brush and pushed it into the bucket with white color. They were crayons before. The kid opened his hand in a silent demand for his own. So Gaster obligated.

The kid was drawing slowly on his skin, and with nothing else to do he questioned. "What do the hearts mean?"

What he didnt await was a answer from the child. "You know."

True, he did...once?
"I fear I forgot it then."

"Souls."

"Ah, its a metaphor I see."

The kid meet his curious gaze with his own. Giving him a look that said better dont be a idiot, then any words ever could. He moved his hand signalizing his confusion about those being literal souls. The kid looked back down to his work.

"Thats how they look."

"Soul... It is at best a concept. Believing every being possessing one, but there was never proof for it."

His other hand was taken to be drawn on. "Just need the right type of spectrograph."

"Seeing a soul... fine. Then why are some on the head and some are filled with color."

"Duh, Human souls point down in most cases, and monster souls point up." The child explained pointing to the white point up soul. "Love, mercy, and compassion compose a monster's soul. Thats why they are white." The child moved away from the older self and grinned. Gaster had so many question and he was aware that logically this wasnt giving him anything but... in the same part of his brain that was governed by logic and facts he was being told those were well known facts. Like the numbers of pi.

His vision blurred around the edges and he felt himself starting to tense up. He will lose this moment. He looked down at what the kid had drawn on the back of his hands and his breath hitched. Skeletal hands following his own bones, each hand having a gaping black hole in the middle.

The world fall apart, his mind was racing, his breathing labored, he was in pain. No he was melting the bones were melting. Word pain wasnt exactly covering it any longer.

"...you are anything but fine! the dosage was too high. we are losing you! you will melt...i..."

He knew that voice well. It was too hard to look up from his melting hands, how intruding the edges of what melted has started to dust. He should be more worried, maybe fearful, but he only felt disappointed. It will fail. Failure.

"DTE." He knew that voice as well.

"what? no... you are right. go prepare it, it may work... come on use some of that stuff in you and stay here. we are going to..." He was sure he nodded, understanding the idea, it could work. There was still hope. He wore black slacks, his mind noted as he was placed to lay down. He knew the process was about to become more painful, he weakly chuckled. That word was really fast losing all its meaning ... White shattered into pieces... but they refused... Red drowned his very being.

"Son!" He breathed in like he spent days without oxygen. His foster mother was bowed over him. Her face knitted with worry.

He blinked, wasnt he just in the labs? His confusion must have shown on his face as she answered him.

"I came home from shopping and heard you screaming. You were on the floor shaking and spawning... Son what happened?" Her voice all but desperate.

"'m fine."

He spoke on instincts raising his hand to assist with the meaning and suddenly finding the sight of it extremely surprising. It had skin and were those muscles under the skin atop of his bones. He flexed the fingers experimentally.

It looked so human.

Why was that surprising, again?

He blinked a few more times, realizing he toned out his mother. "Sorry, I think I had a nightmare. " His fingers trailed up the outgrown scar from his youngest days. Somehow he awaited to feel the edges of the bone, not the scarred skin. How illogical...The scars, a courtesy of his biological father cracking his skull open with a bottle and many kicks. The motion didnt went unnoticed by his mother.

"Gaster, my son maybe ... maybe its time to put your childhood behind you and move on. We never could hide anything from you and...and I thought being honest and letting you find the truth out was for the best... " He stared at her not moving a muscle. She collected her resolve, and Gaster could have sworn for the briefest of moments he saw the gently green become tinted with determined red.

"But what enough is enough. If this is affecting you like this. Then its time to stop. Please, for our sake at the very least."

He nodded, it was not enough.

"Promise me you will stop." He winced he only wanted to make promises he was sure he could keep. He was not in a state of mind to properly function. He couldnt explain what he was actually trying to do with out worrying her further by saying he was a monster. Yet, he just received a puzzle piece, his last memory. He was positive all of that was real...somehow he knew it. No amount of imagination could come up with that amount of pain, having your own soul break and splinter apart. Yourself falling apart inside your own creation...Own creation? He had to write that prasher down as well.

"...I promise I will stop doing this." He spoke concentrating on the meditation. Promising he would not do meditation again. He would give up one tool, he will just build or create another way to figure out the mystery that he is. Somewhere in the look he was given he knew his foster mother was aware he spinned the words. Still she accepted them as good enough.

The following two days he wasnt left alone. He allowed them to pumpere him and give him love, thankful for their care. In the third night he found himself alone in the kitchen. There was something that bothered him. The holes he saw in the skeleton hands. The lack of bones would make it impossible to move some of his fingers. So finding out how he could move his fingers was the most logical way to obtain proof that he wasnt mad... He needed tangible proof. Proof other people would be able to see.

A knife found its way in his hand, and briefly he wondered if he should simple cut his hand open so he could inspect his hand bones.

Maybe...

He could be careful...

He knew his hands were claim enough for operation...

Then he laughed dropping the knife back into the sink. The laugh sounding like an echo in his ears. How utterly stupid that idea was. He was a genius, he would simply build a x-ray scanner to inspect his bone structure and if push comes to shove, he could with a needle size instrument take a probe of his bone. Would hurt but it would run a lot less risk of losing his precious hand motorics.

The following weeks he was doing what he could do best, researching. Looking up all he could find about souls, x-rays and spectrograph machines. He made a x-ray for science fair, he won the first prize. That was irrelevant, what was relevant is that it showed two circular ...something exactly where the holes were supposed to be. Instead there was, bone replacement? Imitations? More research will be needed. So far he could tell that there was scar tissue and something see through filling up the missing bone structure. This material allowed for his hands to perfectly work.

He pulled a girl from his class in a empty classroom.

She looked at him curiously as he activated his scanner.

He put his both hands under it.

The moment of truth. If she wasnt seeing this... then he was trap in hallutions, and being very, very ill.

He was so scared, he wanted to sleep.

He felt determined as he asked the girl what was she seeing.

Maria from his class could see it too.

He was not mad.

He was not hallucinating.

He wasnt mentally unstable.

He spun a lie about his childhood. Blaming the wounds on his biological father. She believed him.
That raised his spirit, with renewed vigor he poured himself into researching souls. Half a year passed and he didnt made any progress, it wasnt helping that he had to pick a uni as well and keep up with social interaction so he would not worry his foster parents.

His birthday rolled in and he had to attend his own party. That was the last thing he wanted to do. Still he obligated and made sure he was a pleasant company to be around. Though he was passive.

The club they were in was not too loud, the drinks were on the strong side and few friends that were sitting around him were more or less involved into gossiping. Thought he found the information useless he couldnt not file it away for potential use later on.

"Gas did your cat die? You are staring off into the far lands."

"Oh no, I was just trying to wrap my head around why would Lynda ever go back with him? "

And he derailed the attention away from himself. He was quite pleased with himself. Except he didnt account for Dave to smirk and bring it full circle back to him. "Gas, you should know that birthday are good for you."

There was the dramatic pause, the pause Dave copied from his own way of telling jokes and puns. He was a good pun student. He tilted his head in a questioning way, knowing he was biting the hook but unable to resist.

"Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest!" Dave concluded not hitting the best delivery but it was still enough to make Gaster burst out laughing, that was a good one. His mind settling back into the now.

"Well now that the birthday kid joined us with his mind beside granting us his physical presence its presents time!" Maria clapped winking and giving him a poorly wrapped something that was soft. He opened it and found a orange turtleneck sweater.

"To add some color to your black and white wardrobe." The color filled him with warmth. He could have sworn someone loved this shade of orange, he took a deep breath. This was not the place or the time. "I wear purple as well." He attempted to defend himself.
"Owning one purple scarf doesnt fit the bill." Maria answered as if she was awaiting that defense. "I could help you put it on." She winked at him.

"T-thank you." He said and the pleased expression on Maria face told him that his face must be red, she was more than happy. Next came a book filled with puns, a box with some tools that was going to be useful. Last was Dave.

"What you didnt assist in the pun book?" Gaster questioned his friend on the other side of the table.

"Well I recommended it but I stumbled over something. I know you. So I searched for the most obscure book that you may not got a chance to read yet. Guess what, I found it. My grandpa made me clean out his attic while he was talking about his childhood mountain on which he played. You know how he gets all nostalgic." Dave pulled an old hardcover book out his backpack. It picked his interest.

"Either way, this is it. So happy birthday to you gasball." Gaster tentatively received the book in his hands. A book about myths, not exactly what he hopped for with that build up. Of course Dave couldnt possible know him, he didnt know himself for that matter. Still he had hoped... It started because of Dave, every day he hoped maybe his friend would do something to give him another puzzle piece. He didnt.

"Great job Dave now he will be MIA for the rest of the evening." Maria complained as he scanned the indexes page. He would check it only, he wanted to actually dance with her, she was such a nice person to him. Maybe even do something normal like get a birthday kiss... His train of thoughts just collided with the side of a mountain. An world shattering explosion accompanying it.

His eyes became glued to three words. Mount Ebott myth. It was messily two pages long. And probably the least important story in the whole book. To him it meant too many things. He could feel emotion bubble up too many to handle. Yet, fingers claim and precise opened the page with the myth and read it slowly. Methodically. Word for word, memorising everything it gave. It didnt matter where he was anymore, it didnt matter who was around him. Only what mattered were the words.

A war. Flashes of dust, blood and a tall figures back, taller and bigger than him. There was a cape. Sealed underground. Home, New Home. Legends say that those who climb the mountain never return. Souls.

"Gas!" He jumped staring at his two friends, the others already left. "We know you are a bookworm, but seriously, you are reading for the last hour that thing like its a bible or something. Cant be that good."

"What can I say it gave my imagination wings." Gaster chuckled hugging the book and sweater close to his chest. As if he would lose them if he dare to let go of it. He was barely hanging onto the present. He didnt want to worry anyone. They insisted to walk him home and he let them. Good nights were spoken and he left to his room telling his foster mom that he was bone tired.

The door closed behind him and he dropped on the bed. A puzzle piece. He got a puzzle piece. A big one from the feel of it. His hands were shaking and tears were falling down his didnt understand why. Why was his chest hurting? Keeping his promise and not even attempting to meditate on the flashes he had. He was tempted really bad. He took out a notebook.

Opening it he was meet with the scribbles of hands and objects, his secret language. He said he made it up, it felt like he didnt. He said it was a dairy, it was holding some of the hints he collected since he was starting to question. The rest was in the two older notebooks he filled with theories upon speculation.

On each page there was the sentences, I am a monster. Sometimes it was on the top sometimes in the middle or written on the margins. He wrote it first thing on the new page. Then he stopped he wasnt all too sure where to start with this piece. His emotions made a barrel roll, he felt sick.

He scribbled the name of the mountain down.
Wrong starting point. Snow, water, lava. Home. Prisson. Defeat. Hope... He was viciously striking the name out. A bit later he will come back to it. He needed a less confusing starting point.

So he started to describe the figure with the cape he saw. That was a much better on his mind. He respected him, adored him, and followed his lead. He had a great deal of trust towards him. Were he friends with him? Yes, good ones. They are friends.

Gaster raised his pen looking at the last three words. The tense he wrote was present not past. He wondered if he could find the name of his friend out. He was a monster like him, he knew him for so long. He suffered so much. He made his job to make him laugh. A fool for his king. He was a king?

Then something broke apart and feeling the scream crawling up his neck, Gaster throw himself into the pillow. Pressing it as hard as he could against his face. The screams were absorbed, his body gave up, his mind slipping away into dreamland.

He was so tired.

It was such a beautiful day. The sun was shining and he was sleeping on the soft grass, eyes occasionally opening to see the never ending blue above him. A shadow fall upon him, a boy around his age was blocking his view to the sky.

"I decided." The boy announced. " Once I am king, I want you to be my royal scientist so stop being lazy and learn all the science there is."

"Well prince I am the great W.D. I already know everything. So I will stay napping for now."

"If I find something you dont know, would you then put some effort in then?"

"Sure, but you will not find anything."

"Is that a promise?"

"Fine. I the great and amazing is promising to you my short prince, that if you find one thing I do not know, that I will not only put effort but I will become the epitome of energetic! Now let me nap, I am bone tired."

The smile of his friend told him that maybe his nap will be cut short, very soon. He didnt mind it.

"We are surrendering!"

He looked up from his wall of bones. Summoned to block a volley of fire arrows aimed at them. There was dust everywhere. Blood splattered like lonely flowers across the barren field. Not a single body laying. They lost. They were too weak in the end. Would they now die? Or would they be granted even the smallest of mercy. Limping he stood beside his majesty to his full height, what ever fate is to befall their race he will not let him be alone in carrying the burden.

That was a promise.

The last time he saw the sky it was heavy and grey, a thunder the last goodbye given to them.

Purple hallway and a foot tapping against the floor. The feeling of being caught red handed. "Whose idea was the big spike puzzle?" The voice boomed, and he looked up sheepishly. "It safety precaution because it will not be easily passed by potential humans coming after..." He knew he was a tad paranoid, but one couldnt blame him.

"Try guessing how many came complaining about getting hurt because of it." The disappointing look was directed at him. It run directly through his soul like a spear.

"I will put the solution in the room beside it?" He offered slightly unsure and the disappointment changed into a approving smile.

"Excellent do that!"

Water, water was everywhere. So much annoying water, stupid slippery sloop. Idiotic sprained ankle. A hand patter on his head while he was carried around like a bag. He huffed. Just because he was light and barely weighted anything compared to some others, didnt mean he should be carried around. He could walk perfectly fine even if his ankle hurt a bit. This was hurting his pride a lot more.

"Oh! I know! I will call this place Waterfall." He said while standing in front of a waterfall.

"Why are we allowing you to name staff again?"

"Because I am king and its in my job description. Or are you saying that this isnt a waterfall?"

He opened his mouth to debate that one couldnt name a whole place because it had one thing in. He closed it again, it was a waterfall. How would you even debate that.

He was too excited to drink his tea. The flowers around him smelled nicely, but did nothing to slow him down. His hands waving around as he was trying to get his point across.

"Gaster, please breath. "

"Yes, yes. Fine. Not matter. Breaking the barrier!"
A heavy hand was put on top of his head as if to ground him in place. It worked as his hands stopped waving around, and he wasnt jumping in his seat any longer.

"I understood you the first ten times. There is a real hope to break the barrier. Our kind may see the sky in their lifetime again." He nodded as the king spoke, wanting to offer a plan of research for it. But before he could get a word out the king kept speaking.

"Make it your secondary job. Your first priority is to help us with what we need now. Invent something that would bring energy to every corner of Underground. Understood?"

"Yes, of course. You are right the research may last a long time. Focus."

Halls upon hallways of laboratory. Two pair of steps following him. He knew the sound of the steps so well. It felt natural to have them there. They rythm so different but somehow perfectly matching with the sound of his own steps. There were holes in his hands. A report about his findings held tightly by those hands. It was worrying. Dark. Darker. Yet darker.

"Ah, good you are here. I have to show you this Asg-"

Names.

His eyes opened when a rush of all the names hit him. All came in one single moment. The sun was shining through his window. The bed sheets were wrapped around him. He stared at the sky and white clouds he could see from his window. He was on the surface? How? Did he break the barrier? His last idea was a failure, or was it not?

If they are on the surface then maybe he could go back to sleep. Closing his eyes, he moved his hair out the way and froze. Hair.

He fall promptly out the bed as he tried to energetically jump out of it, sheets wrapped around. It was noon.

He was seventeen.

"I cannot believe I wasted seventeen years! "

He was sure the barrier was not yet broken, if it was all news would be talking about monsters. Which meant they may think him dead. Asgore may even forbid the experiment to be repeated. And... what was he trying to do again?... They needed humans to break the barrier. He looked down on himself.

He looked human.

Was he human?

Was that his experiment?

If his soul was human as well, then its was a success the only problem would be the period it took him to remember and... why was he outside the barrier? Did his soul transferred to a child? No. His biological father hated him and was afraid of him because he was a monster since birth. That was a fact. That was the reason he tried to kill him. You kill monsters...

He groaned.

Focus.

He needed a focus. He wasted so many years having a happy go lucky life, while his friends and family were still trapped under mount Ebott. He had to return. So he could continue to run test and break the thing once and for all...Clear on his action he stood up and picked the bag he packed ahead of time for his uni. He will have to say goodbye to his foster parents and thank them for raising him and being so kind. For humans they were good people.

He shouldnt leave his friends without a word either. Even if their number he could count on one hand. The orange sweeter was placed in his bag. He would gift it to him. The book and notebook joining the clothing item in the bag. He needs another apology gift. Maybe a deluxe bottle of ... of... He slowed down. His memory didnt return fully.

He poked his mind, gaping holes of void stared back at him. Sins of another lifetime crawled up his back. Bandages and coffins. The bag dropped out his hands... What was he doing?! Seven souls. Thats how many they needed. He...didnt remember how many they have collected. Just that it was a really long time since the last child fall in the underground. So at the very least they had one.

He was in a unique position, regardless if he was a human or not. He was a monster outside the barrier. He could collect the souls and then with them return home. He would have to just make sure and kill six more humans.

No, no, no.

He needed to first build the containers for the human souls, only then he could collect them.

He vaguely remembered how the blueprints looked. He had to hope his muscle memory, hehe, would assist him in building it... Only problem he would need a workshop. The uni had a workshop for his students to use.

He was eager to go to uni. His parents happy about his new found enthusiasm. He felt guilty. His eagerness coming from a morally unacceptable plan. He was planning to kill. He knew he fought for his life in the war... Yet in his memory he couldnt remember a single human dying. Hurting yes. Broken arms or legs. Bleeding... Not a single corpse. Maybe it he was forgetting it, he sure had holes... He knew the higher the LV the easier it gets...

Was his LV... one...?

He sat his bag on his new bed, his roommate already chatting about the subjects they would take. A economy student, he was in the engineering so he could get the greatest amount of time in the workshops. It looked so unimportant the babble the human was producing. He had the fate of a whole race on his shoulders a race who didnt get to leave underground for centuries. And here in front of him a human greatest worry was if he will get in the social communication class.

It wasnt fair.

They didnt even remember monsters properly any longer. Creatures of great violence and fear, that what they thought they were. He never could watch dinosauria movies as a kid. Now he stuck to comedy and romance, unable to watch anything with fantasy or horror elements. Anything that hid a monster in the shadows made him feel insulted on the behalf of his race. Even if he couldnt say it aloud.

He needed to be free to help, he needed to behave as what it is deemed normal. He couldnt risk to get locked up. Exactly this line of thinking lead him to humor his roommate and get to know him better. Having a social circle was a human behaviour they valued a lot.

The weeks ticked by and he slept less and less, more and more of the night he spend obtaining materials from a local dump. A familiar action of going through human trash. He even got a few memories from it. He waited for the holidays before he moved his plans to the next stage, less people less chance to get in trouble.

He build a gun, that was easy. Humans had an unhealthy obsession to make weapons that kill better, faster or more. He had to research them. When he realized the amount of imagination they possessed he felt ill for two days. To his roommate he said he got the flu. What they were ready and willing to do to each other, said enough. No wonder the monsters lost. They didnt think the right way. If the war was today...

But it wasnt, and what ifs were from no use to him now. He build one container, that was harder. He had to build several things from scratch. He noticed how much things he needed costed. So he build the barest minimum.

It was the night he choose to perform his test. He couldnt risk anything not working when he tries to collect a human soul. A stray dog was idly lying on a towel he laid out beforehand. It followed him with easy, even coming close to him when he offered to pet it...Gaster believed luring a dog to him when his attentions were to kill him would be much harder. Yet the mutt didnt show the smallest bit of fear when he spotted the human. It even came up to him.

He would shot, put the soul in the container and observe. If everything is in working order, he will move to finding a human... He was still debating if he should go for a homeless person or maybe try going after a criminal and do a good deed with this as well, but the collecting would be slower in that case. As well, a lot more riskier on him. A child would be the simplest solution, thougth... but they had parents...and he kept on seeing his own foster parents faces in distress and heart broken.

Parents crying and screaming their pain out for their two lost children...

Definatly not a child.

It was snowing outside, and Gaster snapped out of his unseeing gazing when he felt a wet tongue lick his fingers. The animal noticed his distress. He couldnt allow himself to get attached, he ushered the animal back and took the gun pointing it towards the dog.

Thinking about the wellbeing of all monsters, filled him with determination. It was a small price to pay for their freedom.

The dog stared at him. It had pale blue eyes.

Five minutes later he put a blindfold on the dog.

He pointed the gun towards the dog again.

He needed to do this.

Monster kind needed him to do this. He couldnt fail them. Asgor needed him to do this, he told him all humans that fall had to die. The two needed him to do it...

A voice he knew well, loudly and sadly said that there must be a different way. A way where one doesnt do a level of violence. He was determined. He was a genius, if there isnt one, why not invent one? He was determined, he wouldnt disappoint. A shot echoed in the room. Seconds later the dog was wincing in fear curled up against the door.

He missed.

He missed a point blank shot by a mile.

He wasnt strong enough.

His chest hurt. No... his soul hurt. He sensed his soul for the first time since he became like this. He didnt realize how much he was logging to feel his soul. Now that the feeling was there it hurt so unbearingly much. He screamed throwing the self build weapon against the window. Taking a sick satisfaction of seeing shards fly everywhere.

More.

He wanted to see more.

Disappointment. Anger. Rage. Hate. Unfairness. Uselessness.

Failure.

Failure.

Failure.

Gaster blinked, the feeling in his chest was gone, hidden away even from him. He was on the floor, lazily he observed around himself. The workshop was a mess. A ton of things were broken, he used the chair to slam things into pieces. The tables were flipped over and a table leg was resting in his hand. It had blood going down it, from where his finger were wrapped around it.

It rolled out his hand. He felt tired. He curled more into himself on the floor. His hands and arms bleed from various scratches and cuts.

The dog was unharmed.

The dog was staring at him.

Probably thinking that he was mad.

Maybe he was and nothing about this was real. All being a figment of his imagination. How crazy must he be to think monsters are a real thing. He may be just a really sick human searching affirmation in coincidences.

He closed his eyes. But if it was real then... he noticed during his rage that he was missing something pretty big... He couldnt believe he forgot about it. He didnt felt any magic. His magic wasnt flowing.

Without magic what was the state of his soul? To be in such pain ... intriguing, was he still hurt from The Last Memory. If he carried the damage over he should be dead. With magic it would heal, human food didnt have magic in it. Humans were not made out of magic either. So their presence would heal him either. The air may not even have magic, more test were needed to be sure. But without magic the damage could not be repaired, could it?...

The dog licked his fingers. He jumped a bit surprised.
"You are sparing me?"

He raised his hand and petted the stray. Accepting the mercy.
"Something is wrong with my soul."

The dog blinked.

"I felt the determination effects, and the backlash of not using it when I focused it. I lacked intent to bear it."

The dog made a soft whine and moved closer to him in search of warm... because an animal couldnt be trying to comfort him.

"I guess, I need to apologise to everyone. I will have to let them wait a bit longer. I first need to make a scanner."

The dog was now settled against him, absorbing the mindless pets he was giving the animal. His free hand moving around in lazy and tired motions.

"I need money... Stealing would get me in trouble so... a job. A good paid job."

Soon he started cleaning his mess.

Gaster found it absolutely fascinating that the only damage he didnt manage to fix or replace was the broken window. And that he blamed it on clumsiness and tiredness...and was believed. Somehow the trouble he awaited avoided him. The teacher liked him a lot, because he was always so active and nice on his classes. The socializing thing was quite useful and paying off. He counted it as a small blessing.

The blessing didnt last longer than a day. The gun he made was on the table of the shared kitchen when he left his bedroom in search for morning foods. His roommate playing with it, one finger trailing the muzzle. "Morning Gaster. Slept well?" He searched for it till late night, the stray keeping him company, when he couldnt find it he hoped it was simply lost.

And even if it was found by some stranger he was thinking there was no way to trace him back to him, right?

He was thinking wrong.

"Morning." He said shortly, he had no idea how to behave. What actions would lead to the most favorable outcome?

"You know, weapons arent allowed on campus."

His roommate looked up and there was a look in his eyes. It bordered on disgust but as well...intrigued? Curiosity? That couldnt be right. He wished he could check him. As he stayed silent the human sighed heavily.

"I will not even ask why you tried to kill a dog, or what was that temper tantrum you throw afterwards. Never thought you had it in you... But where did you got this thing? I am sure the police would love to question you on who sold you this... gun."

"No one." His hands moved but their motion was not understand by his roommate who looked up from inspecting the weapon. Clarification was wanted.

"No one sold it to me. I made it."

"You?"

Gaster nodded.

"You just like that made a gun. And you are saying it like you made pizza or something."

It was his turn to sigh. "I am pretty sure I said I am a genius during the first few days of rooming together. It shouldnt come as a surprise. It wasnt a difficult thing to make that. The x-ray scanner for science fair was more complicated."

It was a fact, and it made him feel determined. It was time to act.

He needed money.

His roommate was into economics because he dreamed of heaps of money and luxury. Surely the human wouldnt mind giving some of it to him, especially if he helped him get rich in the first place?... It would be... Yes, it would be like a little donation for helping monster kind. How hard could it be pushing one human to the top of their world?

He never liked doing things half heartedly.

"I am a inventor."

"Yeah... I guess ..." He interrupted the human. The determination curled around his soul. He moved closer, his stance radiating confident. He knew he looked like he was owning the world right about now. He leaned against the table with one hand. The other moving his hair out his eyes, the fingers brushing over the scar. He was doing it for them.

"How about we two strike a deal, that will turn your life around. You are smart you can see a business opportunity when it lives with you, right?"

He had the human full attention now.

"I am listening."

"Seeing you are my friend Jeremy, how about you sell things I come up with."That wasnt stated as a question. " Innovation is a profitable thing when you have my friendship."

"And then when you have your brand all set up, you will step on me." Jeremy spoke smirking amused at the idea of being ...betrayed? That was not his intention at all.

"You misunderstood. I dont want my name anywhere. I dont want the credit. " That created a shock, and a opening. Publicity was really not his thing. Constantly being watched, being asked millions of questions and awaited to always give a satisfying answer in both package and contents... not his thing. He much rather preferred to be in the shadow of men bigger than himself. He smiled in earnest at the pun.

"Do you know how much you would lose on patents alone? If you make something great your name could end up in history books. Dont you want to be remembered?"

Time to go for the finale.

"I am not interested in fame. I dont want my name anywhere. What I am interested in is the money. A portion of what you earn so I can work and invent in peace, even you can make even more money of it." He wanted to leave it at that but he kept on talking. The words slipping from his lips in a warning tone and nearly out of his control. "Of course if you ever think of betraying me, selling me out and the like... Someone else's company may be less stupid."

By this point he moved to lean into his roommate face. His hand reaching out and taking the gun. At least he tried to take it. Jeremy hand shot out and gripped his wrist. Holding him in place. There was a strong intent coming in waves off him. Was he too aggressive in his choose of words? He felt caught. He felt trapped.

"Your offer sounds quite amazing. I assume accepting your idea of a deal would also mean I keep my lips shut at what I see or hear, right?"

"I will make it lucrative for you to do so."

" My dads friend is in the military and..."

"I will not make any weapons. I was thinking more along the lines products for the masses. "

Both skipped to leave their room that day. The stray lurked close by watching the door from which Gaster would have to leave from. The two students spending the time to go through all the what ifs there existed. Jeremy was testing and pushing on what he could make and as long as it wasnt weapons Gaster mostly answered with yes. He created an environment friendly power plant from pieces found in a dump. He was sure he could make shiny trinkets. Jeremy wasnt yet aware what goldmine he hit by simple being in the right place at the right time to see him in a moment of weakness.

A week later with barely an hour of sleep Gaster delivered on his first promise. A prototype with blueprints included, all written out clearly for any idiot to be able to follow them and rebuild it. That writing and explanations took him longer than building the damn thing. Jeremy was speechless.

Gaster slept the next two days.

It became a routine to him to feed the stray who showed him mercy after what he tried to do. The snow started to melt away and he wasnt sure what he should do next. Day after day passed and he barely saw his roommate. He wasnt allowed any longer extended hours in the workshop. He read everything he was interested from the library. He was running low on things to do.

Sitting on the bench he allowed the wind to caress his skin. Simple taking in the world and light around him. A guilty pleasure while they were trapped. No money no progress, no money no travel, no money no real research. It was frustrating how much this world relied on it.

If he didnt know better he would put up an asymptote that the surface magic was money.

The stray appeared and he smiled at him. Two puppies tagged after the stray and he tilted his head his fingers moving in a question. The stray was walking slower and with more trouble. As if he was in pain. It came up to the bench and Gaster found himself petting him. The puppies keeping their distance for the moment. The old stray tried to climb onto the bench and seeing him nearly falling on himself Gaster pulled him up and let his head rest in his lap.

"What happened to you? You dont look all that good."

The dog was enjoying the pats.

"Who are your two friends you brought over to introduce to me?"

The dog movements slowed down, his tail stilled. Gaster felt a nuzzle from the animal before its pale blue eyes glazed over, gaining a glass gray tint, his own eyes opening wide in shock. No. It couldnt...

A soul flattered up from the animal, small and beautiful. In the single moment it existed out its body it pale blue color, just like his eyes before, was beckoning him. He never noticed when did he raise his hand to have his fingers touch it. A small surge of magic flowed along his bones from the tip of his fingers, across his arm and elbow, to his shoulder and along his rib cage reaching directly into his soul. The pain ebbed away briefly before it returned the barest hint weaker than before. The sensation of his own soul slipping away from his consciousness once more.

He understood.

He was crying.

He hugged the body of the now lifeless stray close. His tears falling onto the still warm fur. The puppies approached giving small yelps of question.

To think he was only a hand twitch away from killing such a patient soul. To think the stray possessed just the smallest drop of magic, enough to see souls around him. To know that the stray came to him in his last moment to use that magic with intent to help heal him. No wonder the stray keep returning to him, it could see he was a monster, and how hurt his soul truly was. It was a far cry of enough to fix anything but it helped.

It filled him with de-No!...It filled him with hope.

He was not awaiting this, but he had two kids to take care of... again. He chuckled sadly as he lowered his hand carefully and allowed the puppies to sniff him.

After a trip to the vet station, and vet shop he was faced with the hardest decision in years. What to name them?

"... Do you think it would be too on the nose if I called you blaster one and blaster two?" He asked the puppies who were busy playing with a tug toy. His other naming idea was to name them after people he knew in the underground. Calling them Asgore and Tori, was amusing all on its own, but it felt off... if he had to name goats, maybe? It would be funny, but disrespectful.

He didnt settle on the names that day instead going to sleep early. He wanted to start the day early as well. He awaited the puppies to wake him up demanding to be fed. He was awoken early but not by the puppies.

"... You know pets arent allowed on the campus." He opened a eye to see Jeremy with his arms crossed over his chest. He huffed at the human and closed his eyes, he wanted to sleep so he could stay awake for the next few nights.

"Under deal."

He spoke already slipping back into sleep. Clearly expressing his wish for Jeremy to keep his lips thigh and he will get something in return. A piece of paper was tapped roughly over his face and Gaster opened his eyes. It was not paper, it was an envelope. It was dropped on him and he sat up surprising the sleeping puppies from his persona. The two beings rolled off his chest to his lap, dizzy and disoriented.

"What is this?" He questioned the envelope wasnt all that thin.

"You are my genius what do you think." Jeremy smirked, he looked so proud of himself. Gaster simple blinked and slowly opened it. Inside was money, and quite a bit of it actually. He didnt await that it would bring this much from the beginning. "Took me quite a bit to negotiate something with which we can start things up. Soon we will have a company of our own to work from. I recommend you open a bank account, so it would be easier to transfer the money."

He barely kept attention on Jeremy. The puppies needed some food, and he was already planning his next blueprint for Jeremy. Especial attention he put into the planning of how he should spend the money.

"Gaster, you with us?" Fingers snapped in front of his nose. Well maybe he didnt pay him any attention. He looked at him and the man shock his head in a clear I dont understand you fashion.

"Name suggestion?"
"Huh? I am still partial towards blaster one and two."

Jeremy narrowed his eyes.

"For the company name not your flee collectors."

"Oh. For the company."

"Yes, Gaster... You know maybe I should talk to you after you had coffee, do you drink coffee sweet or black?"

There was a grin on his face, he knew the perfect name, if the human was letting him name things than he shall do it, in a appropriated fashion...Something his king would even approve. "A Monster company."

"Ah, I see what you did there." Jeremy chuckled and he was positive the man wasnt getting the actual situation.

"A Monster company because we will be the monsters of industry. I think its a fine name." He picked the kids up and feed them, there was a lot to do in the following days.

He didnt get free until the first days of summer. Another idea of his was chased in, this time a bit smaller. Two more of his projects were on stack, Jeremy attempting to explain how its bad to flood the market. He didnt care.

What he did care about was now in front of his eyes. A backpack on, and a hiking staff in his hand, Blaster Wing and Blaster Ding on long leashes, Gaster felt equipped to face it. He started to walk the trail up the mountain. Memories coming to him of following the same route up, surrounded with humans with murderous intent. Bones cracked and broken, each pained steps allowed a mercy... He felt sad and somber. Around half the way he stopped, the blasters were too tired to go on.

He set up a tent and warmed leftover spaghetti he took on this trip. A collection of letters were sitting in his lap. Each having a name on the front. Two letters were written completely in his language. Those were the heaviest ones. It was hard on him to write them all out. But determination helped him out there. The written word explained what happened with him, how to fix the experiment, if there was another attempt. His plans on working from the outside to break the barrier. As well as offering up to send things the monsters may wish or need from the outside. Ways to figure out a better way of communications. Maybe a two way... Many pages of his letters were apologises for everything.

He was a failure on several levels. Admitting that he couldnt damage his soul with obtaining exp by collecting the souls needed in fear of his soul current unknown state. He knew it was an excuse but at least one person in underground would not hold it against him. The Blasters raised their heads and barked at something.

Someone was there. They run away after hearing the dogs. It was too dangerous for a human to be here. The magic was breathing just under the earth. He staffed the letters in his inner pocket and holding the leashes in one hand run in the direction the motion came from.

He got a glimpse of them before they started running away even faster. He himself was stunted for a few moments. The leashes were straining, but the kid... The kid he just saw... It wasnt them, of course not. But they bared a striking resemblance to them. How very intriguing. "What do you two think?" He asked the dogs, who were tugging on their leashes. Oh, yes he was running after them, he should probably pick that motor function up again, instead of just standing there rooted.

Shaking his head he continued to run after, but he lost them. Looking around he started searching. It took him longer than he hoped but he found a cave. He felt a pull in his chest. He ordered the blasters to sit, letting the leashes go. In case he didnt return they would be free.

He stepped carefully into the cave. He found it. The entrance where they all fall in. The edges were slippery, so he became extra careful. He was so close to Home. Did the kid found this place yet? If they did are they already down there? He couldnt see the bottom. He took a stone and throw it down the hole. He heard a weak sound when it hit the ground.

He was in a unique position, he reminded himself. It wouldnt do to fall down and get trapped again. He came here to let them know, give everyone some hope... maybe his action would lead to sparing the child from having their soul collected.

If not.

It would simply mean one less soul he had to worry about getting.

He moved out the cave in search for a good heavy stone. He spend some time to make sure the letters were attached properly and wouldnt scatter when they fall down in the ruins. Not a single one he wanted to be lost. It started to get dark, a shiver run down his spine. Nearly as the chill in the air wasnt natural. A whisper of lingering intent across centuries. He shock the feeling off and entered the cave.

He walked into a invisible wall nose first. A step into the cave was a invisible wall. A wall that wasnt there ten minutes ago.

How annoyingly fascinating. No amount of pushing let him in. The blasters were whining behind him, something was scaring them. Dropping the letters beside him, he sat in front of the oblivious magic caused wall and closed his eyes. The magic sensation he all but drunk in.

His magic senses were horrible rusted in. It will take more time to...