Maybe we're only halfway helpless

[sansational]

They'd put something in the walls to keep him from taking a shortcut out of here.

Of course, that was only one possible explanation for his current predicament. He had no idea where he was, for a start, and if you had no idea where you were then it was much harder to know where to go. That, and he needed at least a little energy for a hop - more, for a hop long enough to take him out of this undoubtedly-big facility. They were making sure he stayed low on that. 

There were a lot of possible reasons to keep him from being able to take a shortcut out of this nightmare...including one that Sans was absolutely not letting himself consider.

Sometimes he still had the energy to laugh at the mess he'd found himself in, though. A scientist becoming a science experiment. He was...pretty sure that counted as irony. Maybe. He'd never cared enough to look up the exact definition before, and no one here cared enough to correct him if it wasn't that.

He could still manage to be a little charming, to the scientists who didn't seem to actively enjoy leaving him a disoriented and in pain mess. Enough to make sure that food kept coming, occasionally getting to sleep a little longer, and similar such small mercies. But one thing he hadn't been able to get anything of was news - not about where he was, what was happening outside, or even how much time had passed. That, more than anything, was driving Sans slowly mad. People must have noticed he was gone. Were any of them even close to guessing why?

...probably not. Things had been going so well, up until now. 

Sans finally did get the chance for answers one day (though it might have been night for all he knew). Unfortunately, it happened to take the worst possible form. 

He'd tensed for another round of tests when they dropped the forcefield around his cell, but instead, the two scientists outside just tossed a small bundle inside, before hastily raising the field again and leaving. Sans had absolutely no idea what to make of this until the strange bundle stirred...and then even he couldn't remain in denial that long.

"oh, boy."

His voice is very quiet, and a little hoarse, and...what does he even say, at a time like this? Long time, no see just seems so very tacky, even for him. 

Comments

[dustless]

Bright light. Too much. They slam their hands over their eyes and let the world blur together until it's something they understand.

Light...lights. Smooth pressing on their side--floor. Frisk squirms until their face is pressed against it instead, blocking out the worst of the lights, keeping them anchored down.

Voice. Not harsh, not cold. Voice...

Frisk's heart leaps into their throat.

"...Sans?" they whisper into the floor.

[sansational]

voice. A familiar voice. One he really had started to give up hope on ever, ever hearing again...

"...frisk?"

Crossing the distance from his cot to the kid seems to take an infuriating eternity, but he gets there in the end. It doesn't help that it's so hard to stay on his feet. He normally needs this time to sleep. But this is...this is important. This is so much more important.

He settles on his hands and knees in front of them, bending his head a little to try and get a look at their face. "you..." What does he even say to this? "you really shouldn't be here." Something hideously obvious, apparently.

But what is a human doing in here with him?

[dustless]

Black eye. Bruises all over, actually. They'd tried to be civil with Frisk, at the very least, but they'd tried to escape, and the men taking them hadn't liked that, not at all. Especially not after the sixth time.

There's been more than that, but they don't remember them well. There was a prickle at the back of their neck--a needle, after...being moved from one vehicle to another, maybe. Maybe.

"Tell those...assholes that," they mumble, turning so they can see him a little bit.

[sansational]

It doesn't take him long to realize that they look like a mess, and not just because they're here. When he fully takes in the details of those bruises, Sans is surprised to feel a rush of something hot and sick in his soul. It takes him a second to remember that it's anger.

His second impulse is to laugh, a little hysterically - an impulse he just barely manages to swallow down. Because the thought that pops into his skull is that Toriel is gonna kill someone for this. But of course, Toriel would have to find them first.

"i'd love to," he answers instead, his tone wry. And since they don't look like they're up for getting up yet, Sans lays himself down on the floor instead, so they can at least look at each other a little more easily. Not that there's anything good to see. He has to move gingerly, and lay on his side. Bone doesn't bruise the same as skin does, but he's pretty well bruised up. He's forgotten what it feels like to feel anything else, when he's in here.

"...did they say anything to you?"

[dustless]

"Determination," they mutter. Answer as well as some sort of encouragement. That careful movement doesn't speak of Sans' usual laziness, though they're not sure what hurt looks like properly on a skeleton.

Frisk inhales, spits out more of an answer. "Got a lot of it." They were supposed to help them study it. They took one look at the uniforms and thought, whatever it was for, it probably wouldn't be good. And when they tried to ask, well, that was when they were just scooped up and carried off.

"What's...you...what happened?"

[sansational]

"...heh. well, i knew that much." Despite everything, that one word does provide a little bit of encouragement - at least when it's Frisk saying it. His smile briefly becomes something a little more genuine and a little less habit, before he grows more sober again. "i just didn't think you were the only one. not up here."

Wishful thinking, it seems. He grimaces at their question, drumming his fingers on the tile floor as he tries to think of how to explain. He tries to remember if he ever told Frisk about his HP situation. It's...getting harder to keep track.

"you know how i sometimes help alphys out at the lab? well, apparently a guy who was visiting was kind of a jerk and told the guys back at his lab some stuff about me. and they were jerks and, uh...not in the mood to take 'no' for an answer. and i'm basically a snowpoff. so it was...pretty embarrassingly easy for them to grab me."

He shrugs. That's about as much as he's been able to piece together about the situation.

"you got any idea where we are? as in, map-wise?"

[dustless]

"I dunno. I guess it's easier to look at, or something." They roll over onto their back and put their hands over their eyes. Too much light.

"They don't take 'no' for answers from anybody, sorry. Was wondering where you were." Assholes.

"No. They knocked me out on the way. More than one time, maybe, I don't know. Sorry," they say again.

[dr_awesome]

Watts has not had his coffee today. Therefore, getting kidnapped is about 17% more than he can handle, and he is 117% not prepared for this.

He didn't exactly make it easy for them. He put up enough of a fight when they dragged him off, yelled and screamed and said plenty of inappropriate things about the kidnappers' mothers until they'd finally gotten the chloroform-soaked rag over his mouth.

And now he's just a woozy mess, curled in on himself, stuck somewhere stuffy and dark. There's a rather painful collision with some sort of surface, and then that darkness is replaced by harsh light, and ow, he is not prepared for that.

"Ah, fuck, my eyes..."

He swears under his breath a few more times before he realizes someone's watching, and so he blinks and tries to get his vision to focus. What he sees isn't exactly comforting. He swears again.

[sansational]

It's definitely a human. An older human, too. The question, of course, is what is it doing here? Sans could understand why he was here, much as he hated it. They were trying to research temporal distortion, and he was the most useful candidate for that who still happened to exist. But a human? If they wanted to research something like determination, surely they didn't have to kidnap anyone, did they?

All these questions swirl round his skull...and Sans knows he's in no position to deal with them right now. So he simply sighs, and eases his way off his cot to better regard the human. Neil, meanwhile, will see that he's currently sharing his cell with a skeleton - short, but proportioned like an adult, and rattling faintly as he moves. His eyesockets almost seem to be empty - it will take a bit of staring to make out the dim pinpricks of light there.

"yeah." He manages a faint but genuine smile. "customer service around here's not the greatest. what are you in for?"

[dr_awesome]

At least Sans has that understanding. Watts has no idea why he's been kidnapped. It'd make sense if it was protesters, but he doesn't think they're organized enough to pull off something like this. And he may be an asshole, but has he really made this big of an enemy?

He tries to push himself off the ground, as he wheezes for air. His breath rattles in his ribcage, but at least his vision isn't spotty anymore. He can see a very technologically advanced force-field, a plain cot that whoever threw him in here wasn't nice enough to toss him on, plain white walls... and against another wall, another cot, one that's holding a skeleton...

A skeleton that's talking to him? Watts gapes at the scene, rubs at his eyes.

"God, they must have drugged me pretty bad. You look like a skeleton right now, buddy. Tell me they actually feed us here..."

The question about what he's in for remains unanswered. If he knew, he'd tell him.

[sansational]

Even Sans can tell that that wheeze is worrying. He half-reaches out, as though to offer any sort of support, but pulls his hand back sharply when Neil looks up to stare at him. And...when Neil keeps staring. He actually finds himself fidgeting a bit on the spot, growing more and more anxious, until the human speaks again. And then, when he does, the sheer disbelief in Neil's tone is enough to make Sans laugh a little.

"they probably did drug you pretty bad. and i guess you could call what they toss in here 'food'. and, uh..." Here he shrugs expansively, and finds himself offering a somewhat shaky smile. "i'm kind of always a skeleton? if that helps, or anything."

He wonders if this human has ever seen a monster before. They haven't managed to spread that far on the surface yet, and skeletons are still fairly rare. Maybe he just didn't expect to be sharing a cell with one.

"the name's sans."

[dr_awesome]

Okay, well. The skeleton is laughing. Probably a good sign that he's not going to die or something for insulting his cellmate. Now that he's starting to focus more, he's pretty sure this guy actually is a skeleton. No hallucination should be this detailed.

His smile is also shaky, but at least he's smiling.

"Oh, okay. You're, uh, one of the monsters, right? The ones who showed up from underground? I've seen a few of you around, but no skeletons. Usually you're at least skin and bones, so."

He coughs into one arm.

"Watts. Neil Watts. I'd say to call me 'Dr. Watts,' but I'm pretty sure these guys don't care what kind of qualifications I have. Do you... know why we're here?"

Or where they are? Or even who is doing this? Anything would be great...

[sansational]

"usually we are, yeah. but what can i say? i'm a pretty lazy guy." He winks, to show he's kidding. Well, mostly kidding.

Either way, Neil's persistent coughing drains a lot of the humor out of this mess of a situation. Maybe they started experimenting on this poor guy early.

"i'd call you 'dr. watts' anyway. but, uh, that wouldn't exactly be a compliment coming from me, these days." He's come to have a very low opinion of doctors in general.

As for why they're here...Sans casts a glance at the door and sighs. "i know why i'm here. i'm the new lab rat. i don't know about you, man. hopefully it's not that."

[dr_awesome]

"Hey, 99% of my day is coffee breaks, and even I had time for skin," he protests before realizing this is not the time for jokes. It's usually his coping mechanism... but his coughing is getting bad. He digs in his pockets, and... shit.

"Those assholes took my meds. I guess that's a hint I might be in the same situation as you. Unless they're just keeping me here until I kick the bucket..."

Neither option is appealing, and Watts has to take a moment to breathe deeply, massaging his eyes under his glasses.

"Damnit..."

[sansational]

Sans looks downright alarmed, at that. "meds?" This human is already sick? And they threw him in here?

Yeah, that...bodes even less well than this situation appeared to be on the surface.

"damn." He scratches anxiously at his skull, looking at Neil with what sympathy he can still muster. He wants to say that he doubts they're keeping Neil in here just for the sake of letting him die. That seems like a waste. Then again, part of the most fascinating aspects of determination only come into play upon death. So all he can really say is: "i'm...god, i'm really sorry about this. i mean..." He gestures at the cell's other cot. "you've probably got a few hours, if you want to catch your breath." If he can catch his breath.

[dr_awesome]

At Sans' shock, Watts attempts to wave a hand dismissively, but he quickly realizes that with the situation they're stick in, he can't really act like nothing's wrong. He's going to find out sooner or later. And if his pills are gone, the scientists must already know too.

"Just painkillers. I mean, I would really like one right now, but I'll be fine without for a couple days." He shrugs, trying to at least lessen some of the concerns. Yes, his chest is tight, and it's not making his anxiety over being trapped in here any easier to deal with, but he should survive until those assholes give it back. Or just... kill him off for whatever weird experiments they're going to do.

"I'll be fine. But, uh, what should I expect in a few hours?" He shakes his head. "And you shouldn't apologize. You're stuck here too, so. Not your fault."

[sansational]

Painkillers. Sans actually snorts bitterly. "you and me both, pal." He's come close to the point of being willing to actually kill for some painkillers. "but apparently, they mess with the doseage of whatever they give us." It's probably a case of us, now, if they're similarly depriving Neil.

"...and i can still be sympathetic." It's almost a relief to know he's still capable of that much.

Meanwhile...well, if Neil can't rest, Neil might as well be able to brace himself. Sans sits himself down on the ground next to his cellmate, and launches into the most cohesive descriptions he can manage of what he's been through for the last long while. He describes being forcibly medicated with a wide variety of combinations of drugs, operated on in ways he hadn't known a monster could be, as well as experimentations and tests that sound closer to torture.

"best i can tell, they're researching 'determination'. monsters aren't supposed to have it, though. " He doesn't directly mention that he's a little bit special in that regard. Or at least, he was. "humans are supposed to have plenty. you just...pretty much never have to use it as far as it can go."

[dr_awesome]

Watts isn't that far gone yet. Or at least, he hopes he won't be too far gone. Though the mention of dosage does sound concerning. What would they want with a sick test subject?

"Do I... want to know what those particular doses do? I'm no stranger to side effects, but uh... fuck I really don't think I'm prepared."

He lets out a laugh that sounds a lot more panicked than he intended. If he goes into withdrawal on top of his usual pain, and then they add new experimental drugs onto that... they really might be aiming to kill him. He tries to breathe, but he doesn't look that much calmer when Sans explains it.

"I uh, I don't think I'm a very determined person. This is... this is really not going to be good, is it?" He feels sick. God, is there somewhere he can vomit?

[sansational]

"even if you did, i couldn't tell you. i don't have all the extra...stuff you do." He gestures at Neil in general, and then wearily rattles his arm as though to drive home the point. There's no way for Sans to know how things like nerves and blood would affect how his cellmate would adjust to whatever they drug him with, besides the fact that it probably won't be good either way.

His frown grows more pronounced at that rather hysteric little laugh. Sans half-reaches out, hesitates, and then properly reaches out with a hand that's only slightly shaking, to rest it on Neil's shoulder.

"probably not. sorry. in the meantime, uh, want a hand getting off the floor?" It's the best he can offer. He wonders vaguely if he might even still be capable of turning this human's soul blue. Neil doesn't look capable of actively resisting.

[dr_awesome]

"Right. Right, you don't. Fuck."

He drags his hands down his face, massages at his temples. He's getting a bad headache, and ha, of course that'd be something he'd notice when his entire world is coming apart at the seams.

He flinches at the touch, but relents when he realizes it's his cellmate, shooting him an apologetic look.

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess... at least getting into that cot would be good." He still feels woozy from whatever they used to knock him out.

[tinyprotector]

This really isn't good. Isn't safe. Isn't healthy for a boy who already gets sick so often and gets scared so easily. When he was taken, he passed out quickly from the panic and fear, and hasn't actually woken up yet.

The sharp collision with the floor is helping, though. The small boy gives a little yelp as he curls in a little tighter, tries to hide from the bright lights. No, just keep your eyes closed. Rin is just trying to wake you up. Just calm down, and forget that nightmare. If you open your eyes, you'll be home...

[sansational]

Wherever home is for this boy, it's very far from here. And whoever's looking for him...well, Sans can hope that they'll have more luck than his friends. But nothing that he's seen here has left him capable of feeling very hopeful.

He's still not sure he wants to wake the child before he has to be woken. He's definitely not sure he's up to dealing with explanations or panic attacks. But eventually, his concern grows enough to rouse Sans up to his feet, if only for the sake of limping over to check on the child.

Yukio can try to hold on to his delusions for a little while longer if he wants to. But the footsteps drawing nearer to him definitely don't sound human. They sound hollow, sharp, and even a little rattling.

Sans starts to speak - but his voice only emerges as a croak, at first. He tries again. "hey, kid. you alive over there?"

[tinyprotector]

He tries to keep clutching onto delusions, onto fragments of a happier life, but he shivers each time he hears those footsteps. They don't sound like Rin's excited stomping or Shiro's purposeful stride. They sound slow and unsure... and definitely abnormal.

He tries to screw his eyes shut when he hears a voice, but even he can't ignore what's being said. He covers his face, muffles a soft sob, and just nods his head.

"'m sorry..." he didn't mean to worry anyone else, didn't mean to get stuck here. He starts to wipe his eyes and turn to look... at his fellow prisoner. At a moving skeleton.

He bites his tongue to stop himself from screaming, but his quivering gives him away.

[macaboney]

When Papyrus asked to see his brother, this isn't what he was expecting.

He hadn't been told much about what his brother was up to. Just that he was 'very busy' at the lab and 'didn't have time' to come home. Ridiculous, really. Sans always had time for Papyrus. That was the only constant in their days. No matter what strange experiments Sans was starting, and no matter how much training Papyrus was doing with Undyne, they always had time for each other.

Of course, questioning it had just gotten him here. Bundled up, told to be quiet or he wouldn't get to see his brother. He was moved, blinded through different hallways, and eventually, he struggled enough that they just carried him and tossed him into the cell.

He groans, rubbing his head and trying to pull himself off the ground to give those scientists a scolding about how they were treating a guest, when a familiar voice gets his attention. He looks up, and though his smile is weak, it's genuine.

"Sans! There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you!"

[sansational]

Sans, meanwhile, is staring back at the taller skeleton like he can't believe his eyesockets. He's not sure he can - or if he wants to. This could be a dream, or the worst possible nightmare.

He struggles to his feet and hastens over to the other monster as quickly as he can, reaching out to try and prove to himself that his brother is real.

"papyrus...?"

It is Papyrus, it must be. It's the one person Sans has been hoping more than anyone to see again, and the one person he hoped more than anything that he would never see here.

Sans has been very busy, as of late. And it's been for all the wrong reasons. He'd known, or at least had hoped, that Papyrus wouldn't leave it at that. Now he's sorry for ever hoping.

"what..." His voice wavers. Sans draws in a shuddering breath and tries again, even if all he can manage to say is the eminently idiotic: "what are you doing here?"

[macaboney]

His brother is very much real. Sans' hand touches Papyrus' shoulder just as the taller skeleton manages to get up into a proper sitting position, and at the sound of his brother calling his name, he laughs gently.

"Of course it's me! Did you really think you could stay cooped up at work all this time without a scolding from yours truly?"

Papyrus is proud of his brother for working hard, but even he knows there has to be a limit. He has to come home sometime. If he doesn't get to, then... then what he's working on is taking over his entire life, and that's not good.

The more he looks around the cell, the more certain he is that whatever Sans was working on falls into that category.

"So I came to find you to drag you out of that office! Though I... must say, I didn't expect you to be working in a room like this."

[notsogrimreaper]

If anyone's used to being trapped in a lab, it's Ryoji. So much so that he doesn't fight when he's brought back in. He was completely expecting this. Humans... and monsters, it seemed... weren't very good at letting things go.

He desperately wishes he wasn't still alive. Perhaps it was his questions as to why he had been brought back that convinced him to toss him into the cell. He doesn't react with much pain or shock, just untangles himself from the fabric, and then looks over to see a skeleton occupying the cell.

...Interesting. Death with a classic representation of death. He doesn't know what the scientists are trying to accomplish with this, but he isn't sure he likes it.

"Hello?" The skeleton can speak, correct?

[sansational]

The skeleton is curled up in a far corner of the cell, watching Ryoji with wary, dim eyelights and his knees drawn up to his ribcage. He'd thought they were coming for him, when the door opened. This is...unexpected, to say the least.

The human, on the other hand, doesn't look terribly alarmed at all. Sans isn't sure if that's a good sign, or a bad one.

Either way, he sees no harm in offering a cautious "hey" of his own. He even lifts a hand to offer a tiny wave.

[notsogrimreaper]

Ryoji just pulls his knees up to his own chest, watching curiously. It's true that he doesn't seem very alarmed, but only because he's lost so much hope that he doesn't see the point in being horrified. If this is going to happen to him, then fine... he deserves it.

...Whatever this other creature is, though, it doesn't deserve this at all. He sighs softly.

"I'm sorry I intruded. Apparently I'm being kept here for now." Until they think of what to do with him.