Jake lifted his monitor at the sound of the door creaking open. Toriel was standing in the doorway, a dish of some sort in her hands. He started to rise when she quickly held a finger to her mouth.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBlNANm4eS
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2bgi9hCpl
"Shh!"754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhMB7cBp9h
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWt5GvXdZRf
Jake settled down and watched as the Bossun woman approached the sleeping form of Frisk and carefully laid the dish on the floor beside her bed. Jake scanned the object on the dish and identified it as some sort of confection due to the high level of sugars.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkuKMp8SA4
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRD6TqKrhd
Toriel patted Jake on the head before leaving the room silently. Jake remained active, however. Something about the room resonated with the memory files tucked away in his memory. It was a fairly large room, complete with a wardrobe full of clothes, plenty of toys, and a surprisingly number of shoes in different sizes, but there was something else that seemed to stick in Jake's data-banks.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqHnbyxpQF
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUvhIUFbXc
He remembered another room, one with a young boy and a little girl. No matter how much they squabbled, the boy always went over to the girl's bed at night and made sure she was tucked in properly. He called her 'sister', and she in turn called him 'brother'.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQNJv7wpVX
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmfOetpGV8
Brother ... the term seemed important somehow, but Jake's processes couldn't identify why. As the minutes passed, he felt a sudden compulsion to locate the boy; perhaps he could help Jake make some sense of the data.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyX4XKH7nXy
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8RO374UFr
Jake looked at Frisk. The little girl was sound asleep, her small face peaceful. The goat-woman named Toriel had treated her with kindness that could only be described as motherly. She would keep the little girl safe. While Jake's authority subroutines demanded he stay with her in hopes of finding Glen, his current master, he nevertheless found himself standing up and approaching the door. The old data-files were useful, telling him exactly how to open the door with his front paws without making much noise.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SgmGYq40T
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWZDdNEYoH
He walked through the tidy house softly, ultimately finding Toriel asleep in a chair beside the hearth. He started to activate a fire suppression system to prevent her from injuring herself, only to realize the fire itself was not actually burning; it was merely pleasantly warm, and caused no damage to the log it sat upon.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8Q8SHMEta
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAulInP0G8B
Jake considered waking up Toriel to let her know of his departure, but ultimately decided against it. He still couldn't access any kind of verbal communication, and visual communication would take time. He wanted to be gone before Frisk woke up ... before either of them could wake up. He wasn't part of their story.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWjTGEWEt3
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XSMQR8zQC
Jake froze, that final stream of data confusing him. Their story? What did that mean? How did he know he wasn't a part of it? He tried to compute some sort of satisfactory answer, but ultimately came up with nothing. Not even the memory data gave him an answer.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj061cOUll5
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRs27FQI7z
Shaking his head, he turned around and left Toriel asleep by the fire. Going back wasn't an option, as his scans determined there were no exits that way. Fortunately, he'd already scanned the house and discovered the central staircase led to an underground corridor.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIRiwDwITS
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91zsnx1jPb
Jake walked down the corridor slowly, scanning the air for particulates in hopes of determining where the corridor might lead. The readings didn't match any location he'd visited recently, but he continued (doggedly ... heh heh) scanning.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijt2Fq5cV8
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAp4BEZs9KE
He paused. Where had that thought come from? Finding no answer, he continued walking. The corridor was quite long, eventually turning ninety degrees to the left toward a small chamber with a large door.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwq2eygmiwV
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vrIfevWd3
Scans of the area indicated a definite drop in temperature, as well as particulates indicating vegetative life, namely pine trees or some similar conifer. He hurried to the door and pushed against it with all his might. To his surprise, they opened quite easily. He staggered through, only to stop inches away from a familiar slipper.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHVOizgweD
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdT0SkRkjK
It appeared to be the bio-form known as Sans; the bone structure and the face matched Jake's files on the skeleton, but the colors were wrong. The bones and clothes were black, the sweater beneath the coat was red, and the face looked so strange, Jake was certain the circuits that translated visual data for him were glitching.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03K6zCNQdB
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFygcrbM5Zn
The skeleton who looked like Sans stared at Jake, the larger of his red eyes bearing two irises around a tiny black pupil, the outer yellow and the inner as blue as the real Sans's coat.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OIBrlilyZ
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DqDXi7ot2
"There you are." Error!Sans said, "I've been looking for you, doggy."754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtII7wRzy7F
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRlouw8aSL
Jake began to sense subspace anomalies forming around the skeleton. In a flash, memory files clicked into place. This was the creature that attacked Glen, Sans, and Jake in the middle of what Sans called 'a shortcut'. Already the being was causing Jake's sensor data to overload as it has before. Jake shut off everything but his visual and auditory senses to prevent another overload, but not before the word 'ERROR!' appeared again and again in the corrupted data.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJ9hZ80iCI
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHw0jFusTaS
"That's my name." Error!Sans said, grinning all the wider. "Don't wear it out. Oh, that's right; you can't talk."754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FM0D0Z77w
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoET3pGmzw
Jake let out a growl. He hoped it would intimidate Error!Sans, but once again his information files proved incorrect. Error!Sans simply laughed at Jake and shook his head.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rjaF2KxYa
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB19l8KcLIN
"I've destroyed hundreds of timelines, mechamutt ... maybe even thousands. What can I say? It's hard to keep count when you're having so much fun!"754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fIndxJDGj
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRg7q61nLx
Error!Sans thrust a hand at Jake. Blue threads shot through the air, wrapping themselves around Jake's limbs and lifting him from the ground. jake tried to open his back panel to use his interior energy buster, but more thick threads wrapped around his back, preventing the panel from opening. Jake yelped, but there was nothing he could do. The threads were surprisingly strong; even a blast of electricity from this front emitters did nothing.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTyTXhAgX6
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbQBb4FtqC
Error!Sans slowly approached the floating dog until his face was only inches away from Jake's monitor. "What makes you think you have any chance of stopping me from tearing you apart and taking your ..."754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8jQ3m05EH
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpwwlMQMAO
Error!Sans frowned, his corrupted eyes squinting at Jake as though searching for an errant pixil in Jake's monitor. His smile faded, only to be replaced with a look of suspicion.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2Z7kTFgIT
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnofMSYTgS
"It's missing." Error!Sans said slowly, as though not believing what he was saying. "I can see inside you, where your soul should be ... but it's not there. What have you done with it?"754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UvsjB6HGs
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCasnJ7Ved
Jake barked loudly at Error!Sans, still struggling to free himself from the blue threads.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9h0Wx9ay8Y
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnYqQbW3vB
"One of the others." Error!Sans said to himself. "The new abomination ... no, that human woman, the one with the green and gray striped shirt. She must have it. Where is she, dog? Tell me, or I'll tear you apart!"754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23udDkhkNA
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDUaaH6Aei
Jake was at a loss. His weapons were ineffective, his mobility was nonexistent, and the data Error!Sans wanted wasn't in his memory banks. There seemed to be nothing he could do to stop his destruction.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8ofjEOFiB
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DLqH2FIaZ
A stick hit Error!Sans right in the face. It didn't do any visible damage, but the shock of it made Error!Sans release his threads from Jake. Jake landed on all four legs, his back panel sliding open and the blaster attachment rising out. He fired at Error!Sans, but the strange skeleton blinked out of existence only to appear a safe distance away.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhV63XROYC
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGT6nJFR7R
A hand touched Jake's side. Jake turned to see it was little Frisk, her small face a mask of determination.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTD3WYqnAUb
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQa99XqqXDQ
"Little brat!" Error!Sans said with a scowl. He raised his hand, but this time Jake didn't wait for the threads. Barking may not have worked, but Glen had Jake hooked up to her personal database, which included a directory labelled 'Wrhse13' that contained among many strange and bizarre files a single sound file: 'marsden.mp3'.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25FXa9zJcB
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBl5I3OJmW
Jake blasted the file as loud as his speakers could handle. The effect was immediate; as the sound reverberated off the stone walls of the corridor, the look of anger on Error!Sans's face became one of bliss. True tears, separate from the strange teartrail-like markings on Error!Sans's face fell down the skeleton's cheekbones. The blue threads fell to the ground and faded from existence as Error!Sans sank to his knees.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzo3KBdNEs
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzDs0YvuDO
Jake nudged Frisk, only to find her in tears as well, a look of pure happiness on her face. He was still at a loss for what to do when his speakers suddenly gave out under the strain.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Mr7EBVSv1
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEu6Z3K6f8n
The music died with a crackle of static. Jake tensed in anticipation of Error!Sans's resumed attacks, but the strange skeleton simply looked at them for a long moment before saying, "What was I doing?"754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLazAqP14Eo
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxs2VovPq97
Jake waited cautiously as Error!Sans looked around in confusion. After a few moments, he shook his skull and said, "I-I gotta go ..."754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡignafkE1PF
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZnAvM0OmV
With that, Error!Sans was gone. Jake waited a few moments before deciding that he would likely not return for a little while.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGPfJMNZlh
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFvQLSydFB
Hearing a sniffle, Jake turned to see Frisk rubbing her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater. Jake sat on his hind-quarters and put a paw on her shoulders.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7tmDj8nuT
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOTs66iOij
"I'm all right." She signed to him. "What happened? The black skeleton was shooting something at us, and then ... I can't remember."754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUbOSw09Ug
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZ6cZjaobt
Jake considered his options for response for several moments before tilting his head forty-five degrees and displaying his 'puzzled' face.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEL8zgSfm57
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkiXQ8GDeOT
Frisk giggled and rubbed his head. "Silly doggy! Come on; we really shouldn't be here. Mom will get mad."754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRQEynTlQ4
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuT0HsPrjl
Frisk turned back to the door that led to Toriel's house, only to find the doors closed. There were no handles on their side, and Jake discovered that pushing them had no effect. Whether through magic or mechanics, the doorway was apparently one way only.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdTZqj6MaC
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogpmWMMuUx
All trace of happiness left Frisk's face. She tried again and again, banging her fists on the door in desperation to no avail. She even tried calling Toriel's cellphone; while Frisk could not speak, she and Toriel had figured out some simple tapping rhythms that gave her some basic communication: yes, no, help, that sort of thing. Unfortunately (and quite strangely), the phone-line picked up to the sound of another dog barking inquisitively. Jake tried to bark in reply, but found his speakers still non-functional.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNoukc6Xge
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUk5tHKcQE
"It's no good." Said a voice that made Jake growl immediately. "It's a one-way door. Even your dog's blaster won't make a dent. You're stuck out here!"754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh2qgz9XneE
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIp2LhFCq2o
Flowey was back, having emerged from the small mound of dirt in the middle of the room. Jake moved in front of Frisk and growled, but Flowey lifted his petals in supplication.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdL7m0IVmPm
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPVpmTC7VE
"Oh, don't mind me; I've learned my lesson ... but have you?" Flowey asked, looking at Frisk. "I've been watching you, making friends with the froggits and the whimsuns, buying donuts from the spiders ... you think you're real clever, aren't you? Befriending all the monsters? Ha! Don't you realize in this world, it's kill or be killed? Well, you'd better realize it soon; you'll soon be out of the Ruins, where the rest of the Underground is waiting to kill you and steal your soul!"754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqeRcR0Ypj
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsZoUVehDu
Frisk trembled as the little flower let out a high-pitched evil laugh. "Good luck, Frisk! You're going to need it where you're going!"754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsBcYnsj2o
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RCDAAJluP
Flowey laughed again. Jake lunged at the flower, but it dove beneath the dirt and was gone in seconds.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBau9hAX9u
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYEEwqb73T
Hearing a sniffle, Jake turned to see Frisk crying. He walked over to her and gave her another pat on the back. As she looked at him with tear-stained eyes, Jake again felt the strange resonance with the data files, this time producing an image; another face, that of the boy who lived in the room with his sister. He was crying too.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhasjQ075zm
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsPJvdjgOa
Jake's programming told him that he belonged to Glen Adams Soleil, and if not to her, then to some person named Finn Cresste. In that moment, however, he realized his programming allowed for him to name other owners, should the need arise. Looking at the little girl's face, Jake knew the need had arisen.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIqkPNYz6R
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgy4CayvSxu
"New user accepted." Crackled an automated voice from Jake's speakers as his self-repair systems patched them back together. "Frisk is recognized as the owner of this unit."754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOXbBqdd46
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQPyhg7yVJ
Frisk put a finger on her chest, a look of surprise on her face as she pointed it at Jake. Letting out an affirmative bark, Jake nudged Frisk's side. She looked confused until he did it again, crouching down on his legs. Realization in her eyes, she smiled and climbed on Jake's back.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9fzBlHzcC
754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgczcQjpyP
With another bark, Jake ran down the corridor, Frisk giggling as she held him tightly. Toriel would come looking for her sooner or later, and until that time, Jake would keep his little master safe. After all, now it was his story too.754Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7L2SLZ7Gdc