((A massive HUNK of a chapter.))

Classic had snapped back into place, terrified as he was taken somewhere he didn't recognize, Destiny retreating from the forefront of his mind as he watched the psychotic alternate throw himself at- was that a skeletal dragon? It's skull somewhat resembled a Blaster, but beyond that it seemed to be a dragon of sorts, eyelights blazing red-orange as it wailed.

The beast stood in the middle of a wreck, broken and melted metal scattered around it as it flared its boney wings, membranes glowing a fierce orange. It leapt over a wave of strange, twisting bone attacks as it flapped higher to avoid a random missile firing from a figure flying in the air.

"Who are you?"
"GAH-" Classic yelped, falling to the side at the sudden voice beside him, spotting a very unhappy ghost with hot pink highlights there.
"Geez, don't startle me like that." He muttered, standing back up while regarding the fight. The strange dragon had been lifted up by blue magic and slammed into the ground, letting out a piercing, mournful shriek.

"Again, you never really answered my question." The ghost sighed, voice eerily familiar.
"That's fair, I guess.." He took in the pink tuft of pseudo-hair and eyes before huffing and holding out his hand. "Sa- Classic. I keep forgetting I'm called that now. Heh."

The ghost raised an eyebrow, but lifted a nub to meet the offered hand. "MV Mettaton. I know I don't look like much yet, but my body was destroyed a few minutes ago."
"Ah. Neato." He peered back at the battle, wincing as freakishly flexible bone attacks rose out of the ground and forced the creature down in a cage, roaring all the while as if in pain.
"It sounds injured."

"I honestly don't care." The ghost muttered. Classic glanced at him. He scowled. "It's responsible for the entirely uncalled for destruction of my body! It could be weeks before it's rebuilt again! We hadn't even completed the other prototypes yet."

The dragon battled against the tightening restraints, screaming as if in agony. Now both of them cringed. "What is that guy doing?"
"Killing it, I imagine."
"He's what?"
"It came in and attacked us, Insy is going to kill it."

Classic stiffened, bewildered as he peered back at the screeching beast, watching it thrash and shed tears. It.. looked so miserable, with a wild desperation in it's oddly nonthreatening face. It didn't have even half the sharp points and edges of a normal Blaster.

"Okay, this definitely isn't right." He decided aloud, marching forward.
"If you want to subdue it on your own, be my guest. Good luck dealing with a pissed off Insans!"
He waved off the ghost, thinking.

ዘoԝ сɑη ェ ⅾᥱɑІ ԝiʈɦ ʈɦiઽ ɑηⅾ ηoʈ 𝗄iІІ ʈɦiઽ 𝗉oo𝗋 ʈɦiηց? He asked Destiny as he approached, cringing as it let out a strangled cry beneath the cage of noodly bone attacks.
ყơų ƈąŋ ɧơƖɖ ıɬ ıŋ ℘Ɩąƈɛ. ყơų ɧą۷ɛ ɱơཞɛ ɬɧąŋ ɛŋơųɠɧ ʂɬཞɛŋɠɬɧ ɬơ ɖơ ʂơ.

He blinked, having not thought of that.
"Okay then, anything goes." He muttered before throwing out his arm.

What he didn't account for was the sudden lightning storm that sprung up all around them from the empty white sky as the dragon was dragged over the ground to his feet, bone cage falling apart.

Instead of trying to get back up, it slumped down, letting out a long sigh as the bolts all faded, the world shaking with thunder.
Classic just crouched down by its jaw, completely caught off guard.

When the thunder faded, everything was silent, as if the world was holding its breath. Classic slowly stood back up, muted by the rising confusion.
He blinked at the figures standing around in bewilderment and shrugged, glancing back at the visibly depressed dragonic beast.

"What's goin' on here?" He asked no one in particular.
"Why aren't you possessed anymore?" Insans scowled at him, arms crossed moodily. Classic paused, not expecting that before he shook his skull and sighed. "I don't know, she just dipped. I don't really care, either. But what is this place? Why am I here?" He strode forward, if just to put a little distance between himself and the previously violent creature.

"I'm actually wondering that myself." An angry, slightly older version of Alphys snipped while dragging an unusual human towards a wall of bent metal to prop them up on it.

"He was there! And possessed! So I made him help!" Insans defended somewhat childishly, pouting at the lizard. The ghost wasn't far behind, scowling at a pink hunk of twisted metal.
"What are we going to do about my body now?"
"I have a few prototypes nearly finished, you'll be fine!"
"I was worried they were destroyed too!" The ghost fired back.
"Only some scrapped ideas!"

"Can I leave now?" Classic spoke up, unamused by the argument.
"No! I want another vine!" Insans snapped, swirling eyelights flashing red.
"Why are you worried about some vine?!" The Alphys demanded before Classic could fully process the sentence.

Iƚ ιʂ ყσυɾ ƈԋσιƈҽ. A familiar voice pulsed in his mind as he watched the developing argument about a vine matching some echo flowers for a room that wasn't important in the current situation.
He felt his slight faith in the Multiverse dropping by the second before he sighed explosively.

With a strange sensation, another glowing cerulean plant formed around his arm as he approached, unwrapping itself as he all but tossed it at the still stranger.
"Are ya happy now?"

Insans blinked three times, slowly noticing the vine and lighting up. "See!" He faced the others ecstatically. "It's perfect!"
The lizard was facepalming in exasperation as the human nearby started to wake.

All conversation abruptly halted as the beast nearby groaned, curling in on itself. Classic peered at it and its mournful behavior.
𝘞ɦɑʈ iઽ ցoiηց oη ԝiʈɦ 𝘺oս? He pondered quietly, studying the faintly orange tears as it hid behind its own wings.
A Pαρყɾυʂ. Oɳҽ σϝ ƚԋҽ υɳιʋҽɾʂҽʂ αϝϝҽƈƚҽԃ Ⴆყ ƚԋҽ ԃιʂαρρҽαɾαɳƈҽʂ, ɾҽʂιԃҽɳƚ Sαɳʂ ɱιʂʂιɳɠ. Destiny explained automatically.
He felt cold as the facts spoke for themselves.
𝘖ɦ..

He peered at the destruction around himself, the twisted heaps of metal and scattered plaster. As the conversation behind him resumed in hushed, aggravated tones, he found his feet carrying him over to the limp beast.
"You've lost someone close to you, haven't you?"

Its sockets were suddenly blown wide, and it was clearly staring at him, but with what emotion, he couldn't tell. Classic grimaced in sympathy.
"Look, I.. I get it. I get it. But destroying other people's things isn't going to bring anybody back. Okay? It just makes you feel worse."
The other looked away, a hint of guilt in the empty sockets.

Slowly, weak orange lights guttered to life, pointedly staring at the stark white ground. Jaws parted and the beast spoke in an older, unmistakable tongue.
"I miss him. I miss him so much, and so many others are losing their brothers with no reason why. I want my brother back, and Ink has done nothing. Nothing.."

Classic winced and sat down, sighing. "With all due respect, I wouldn't rely on him to hold my drink at a party, let alone look for somebody. I wouldn't count on him to do anything. But.. if it's any consolation, I have sources that say everyone that's been disappearing should be fine. They just can't go back."
"Why?"
He hesitated. "Because.. it's outside of the Multiverse."
The other finally sat up, staring at him.

Classic didn't meet his gaze, sighing.
"The Multiverse is collapsing. People are getting yanked into a place outside of everything and it prevents them from finding a way back. Eventually everything we know will be gone and we'll be somewhere we don't know. It's. Well it's kinda scary, but I think it's a better place than here."

"Are you describing death?" The other asked suspiciously, a hint of wariness in his tone.
"What? No!" He faced the larger one before pausing.
"Though I guess I can see where it sounds like that.. but no. I'm dead serious here."

The other squinted, then slowly pushed himself to his taloned feet, stumbling slightly as he towered over the still seated Classic. The others all snapped their attention towards the dragonic skeleton, wary. He peered at them, wings slumping as a great sigh whooshed from his nasal cavity.

He turned and started walking away with a slight limp. Classic stared in amazement, ducking to avoid the low hanging sweeping edge of a tail.
Teleporting to the side on his feet, he started to follow.
"Where are you going?"

The other regarded him in faint surprise as he jogged to keep up with the slow but wide stride.
"I.. I don't know. I don't know what to do. I want my brother back. I.. failed everyone. I can't find him." His skull hung low.

"Hey, that's not true at all. You couldn't have known what happened. It's just bad luck. Why would-" He jumped as his phone abruptly blared, the other flinching away. He smiled apologetically as he fumbled with the device, wincing at the caller ID.
"Hang on." He held up a phalange before answering.

"SANS?! YOU ALIVE?? WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU BUT THESE WEIRDOS AREN'T EXACTLY HELPFUL!" Undyne's voice hollered through.
"Hey we're trying, okay?"
"You're a kid! No offense!" Undyne hollered back.
"He's a powerful kid at least!" Outer defended in the background.

"No, I'm fine guys. I'm fine, I'll be back as soon.. as soon as I'm out of here? It was just someone looking for some missing family and wigging out." He explained somewhat frantically.
"Wait, you're fine? Insy kidnapped you though!" TK shouted.
"Bruh if ya stuck just think of da Omega and go through a door." Epic spoke up close to the phone.
"Wait what?" Undyne questioned.

"Oh, are you new to the multiverse?" The beastial skeleton queried in surprise. Classic shrugged. "I.. guess you could say that, sure."
Glancing around nervously, he sat down. "I could help you find your friends. It is the least I can do." He gestured to the side with a wing, a swirling orange portal flaring into existence, its center pulling back to reveal a crosswalk.
"Oh."

"What? You're still okay? We're still looking, uh, sorta anyway!"
"We can just make that Destiny teleport him back if you miss him so much!" Flowey shouted in the background as Classic stiffened, the dragon skeleton walking through the portal and picking him up with his tail.

He remained stiff even as his feet were set back on the pavement, shocked at what just happened.
"Wait for me one moment, will you? I would prefer to change out of this unwieldy form." His current seemingly self-designated companion explained.
"Uh. Sure. You go do that." He mumbled, still in shock, Undyne asking unheard questions from the phone.

Classic glanced back through the fading portal, catching a glimpse of Insans waving as the other three figures stood and stared, surrounded by the wreckage of their home in a white void. He felt a pang of guilt for leaving them without a home.

...Dσ ყσυ ƈԋσσʂҽ ƚσ ɾҽƚυɾɳ ƚԋҽιɾ ɯσɾʅԃ ƚσ ƚԋҽ ɯαყ ƚԋҽყ ԋαԃ Ⴆυιʅƚ ιƚ? Destiny whispered.
ェ сɑη ⅾo ʈɦɑʈ?! He nearly stuttered aloud in disbelief.
Sԋσυʅԃ ყσυ ʂσ ƈԋσσʂҽ, I ԋαʋҽ ƚԋҽ ʂƚɾҽɳɠƚԋ ƚσ υɳԃσ ɯԋαƚ ԋαʂ Ⴆҽҽɳ ԃσɳҽ.

He paused. ..Ɍiցɦʈ. Ƴoս iηⅴᥱηʈᥱⅾ Ɍᥱઽᥱʈ.
Taking a deep breath, he nodded to himself, glancing back the way his current companion had gone, hearing morbid cracks in the alleyway.

Very suddenly, he had to lean on the wall from the wave of vertigo, dropping his phone with a slight gasp as an image appeared behind his sockets.
He could see the wreckage as though he were still there, hovering behind the human's shoulder as they regarded the mess in exasperation.

"A fucking dragon came in and did this?" They questioned irritably, summoning a red holographic keyboard and typing away before a wave of blue pulsed around the place. The group froze, and Classic slid down to the ground, gripping his skull.

The human was backing away now, seeing something that soon became visible to himself, glowing blue tendrils reaching out and making contact with all the scattered debris, shining brighter with each piece touched.
In the end, it became too bright to see, everything awash in deep, oceanic blue.

As suddenly as he had started seeing all of this, the scene erupted in silver, glaring and metallic before it faded, revealing now intact structures, a familiar robot seated and powered down, the ghost staring with sparkling eyes as the human and lizard monster stood at the ready, clearly expecting danger.

The sight was somewhat amusing and he found himself snorting.
𝘞ɦɑʈ ⅾo ェ Іoo𝗄 Іi𝗄ᥱ ェ'm ցoηηɑ ⅾo, ɑʈʈɑс𝗄? He couldn't help but ask, amused.
"We've learned to be cautious." The alternate of Alphys answered drily.
Classic felt a chill.

The scene abruptly vanished from his mind and he felt a cool electricity settle over him.
"...What?" He whispered softly.
Wαʂ ιƚ ɳσƚ ყσυɾ ƈԋσιƈҽ ƚσ ʂρҽαƙ? Destiny asked innocently.

Dragging a hand over his face with a scraping noise, Classic groaned.
ェ ⅾiⅾη'ʈ ᥱⅴᥱη 𝗄ηoԝ 𝘺oս сoսІⅾ ⅾo ʈɦɑʈ, ᑲսⅾⅾ𝘺. ዘoԝ 'ᑲoսʈ ʈɦiઽ; f𝗋om ηoԝ oη, if ェ ⅾoη'ʈ ઽ𝗉ᥱсifiсɑІІ𝘺 ɑઽ𝗄 𝘺oս, ⅾoη'ʈ ⅾo ઽomᥱʈɦiηց fo𝗋 mᥱ, o𝗄ɑ𝘺? ⋃ηІᥱઽઽ iʈ'ઽ ɑη ᥱmᥱ𝗋ցᥱηс𝘺, ʈɦᥱη fiηᥱ, ᑲսʈ ェ ⅾoη'ʈ ʈɦiη𝗄 ʈɦᥱ𝗋ᥱ'ІІ ᑲᥱ oηᥱ ԝɦᥱ𝗋ᥱ ʈɦɑʈ'ઽ ηᥱсᥱઽઽɑ𝗋𝘺. 𝐶ɑη 𝘺oս ⅾo ʈɦɑʈ?

Slowly, Destiny seemed to understand.
Dσ ყσυ ɯιʂԋ ɱҽ ƚσ ɳσ ʅσɳɠҽɾ ʂԋιҽʅԃ ყσυ?
𝘖ɦ ηo, ェ Іi𝗄ᥱ ʈɦɑʈ 𝗉ᥱ𝗋𝗄, ʈɦɑη𝗄 𝘺oս. 𝛵ɦɑʈ сɑη ઽʈɑ𝘺. ẞսʈ 𝗋ɑηⅾom ʈɦiηցઽ ηoʈ 𝗉ᥱ𝗋ʈɑiηiηց ʈo m𝘺 ઽɑfᥱʈ𝘺, ェ'ⅾ Іi𝗄ᥱ ʈo ᑲᥱ 𝗃սઽʈ, ηoʈ ɦɑ𝗉𝗉ᥱη. ェ ⅾoη'ʈ ԝɑηʈ m𝘺 ʈɦoսցɦʈઽ ᑲ𝗋oɑⅾсɑઽʈᥱⅾ.
I αρσʅσɠιȥҽ. I ԃιԃ ɳσƚ υɳԃҽɾʂƚαɳԃ.

Standing, Classic noticed his phone on the ground, wincing at the missed calls. He wasn't sure when he'd even ended the first one.
ェʈ'ઽ fiηᥱ. ᥨiʈʈІᥱ miઽʈɑ𝗄ᥱઽ ɦɑ𝗉𝗉ᥱη. 𝘞ᥱ 𝗄ηoԝ ᑲᥱʈʈᥱ𝗋 ηoԝ, ɑʈ Іᥱɑઽʈ, ઽo ェ'm 𝗋oІІiηց ԝiʈɦ ʈɦɑʈ.

She seemed to accept that answer, falling silent to watch as a skull popped around the corner, looking worried. He blinked, seeing what looked like Papyrus, if his brother had a slight snout and sharp teeth and horn nubs.

Stepping fully around the corner, he could now see the other stood on digitigrade bare feet and had a long, elegant tail swishing behind him.
The version of Papyrus beamed at him, but the smile didn't reach his sockets, striding over.

"Hello again! I'm glad you stayed! I look forward to helping you back home!"
"Uh. Thanks." He replied dully, his mind not fully caught up yet.
"I'm not sure how you'd be able to help, but-"
"Why, there's a digital map, my friend! And signs all over the city! This place is designed to help those unfamiliar with it, as newcomers are always arriving. In fact, it's more of a small country at this rate! So let's find the nearest waypoint station, shall we?"

"Oh. That's.. actually really helpful. Thanks." He was pleasantly surprised as the other guided him down the sparsely populated crosswalk, the street more moderately trafficked, many of the cars passing by unlike any he'd seen before.

"Do you have a name for when you leave your universe?" His guide asked.
He shrugged. "Everyone calls me Classic. Never got the chance to pick one myself. Probably would've been Punz anyway." He snorted.

The other stopped walking, prompting him to stop as well.
"..Are you okay?" He hesitantly asked, worried the other was in shock.
He snapped out of it, shaking his skull.
"Oh no, I'm only surprised! I was met with the same fate, for my brother stole the cooler nickname before me! I am Papster! It's nice to properly meet you without my.. unacceptable behavior getting in the way!"

Classic frowned, the pair walking in silence for several paces before he responded.
"It's not unacceptable to be scared of losing your only family. You just let your emotions get the best of you. Happens to everyone. At least the damage is taken care of now."

Papster blinked at him.
"Taken care of? I left those poor outcodes in a mess. I need to return and pay back those awful damages, it really was unreasonable of me to-"
"No, it's fine. They obviously wanted to be left alone. I took care of that, it's fine."
The tall animalistic skeleton peered at him curiously.
"Can I ask how?"

He snorted in spite of himself, snapping his phalanges with a volatile spark as he replied.
"I actually have friends in higher places. So to speak."
"That is rather odd.." Papster frowned thoughtfully before lighting up at the kiosk ahead.

He all but dragged Classic after him to what looked almost like a bus station in the middle of the broad crosswalk, lit up with maps and a screen inside.

"Would it be too much to ask if your friends know what district they are in now?" He asked eagerly.
"..Sure?" He sent off a confused text, ignoring the bombardment of unanswered messages he had flooding his notifications already.

As he waited for a reply, Papster did a dramatic wave to the map displayed on the screen.
"See this here? We are in District J, Section 34. All of the Omega is labeled like this, even though residents normally make up their own names- I mean, who likes regular singular letters every day? I personally hear most call this place Jollylolly, and that is much more fun!"

By then, he got a relatively short text saying that Outer had borrowed the device to tell-
"Says here they're in Denvermill 58." He told Papster, who lit up, tail lashing as he turned and typed on the pop-up keyboard on the screen.

The taller engaged, Classic looked on in intrigue, watching as a digital map was plotted out, specific things indicated along the path.
"Do you have anyone more familiar with the Multiverse or Omega Timeline? Or would you rather we meet your friends where they are?"
"You asking me to do more work than I hafta?" He fired back, much to the other's disappointment.
He then sent off another text, grinning at Papster's aggravated sigh.

At that, his tall companion strode off down the street with a grumble.
"Hey, where are you going?" Classic called after him. The Papyrus alternate waved dismissively. "Your friends can set up a meeting as we walk. I'm in no mood for jokesters today!"
"Aw, what about punsters?" He suggested, jogging to catch up as the familiar behavior emboldened him.

Papster groaned, his tail whipping about. "Not the puns!"
"Please, my puns are top-tier!" He defended, grinning. Papster gave him a dry look.
"Obviously not." He decided.

With a smirk, Classic shrugged. "I guess you're gonna hafta be ready for a shocking experience, then."
A wink later and the taller yelped as he was shocked, quickly figuring it out.
"That was terrible!"
"I'm shocked. Most people are jumping at that one. One might even say I'm destined to be loaded with The classics all day." He held back a wince, feeling that one fall flat.

"Your puns lack the spine to make anyone laugh!" Papster surprised him by saying that, a grin slowly spreading over his face.
"Oh, you think so?" He challenged. "You think I put backbone into these? Nah, that's a skeleton of work. I'd rather take the low hanging fruit on the pun department, tibia honest."
The other practically screamed.
"All you Sanses are the same and it's awful!"

At this point, Classic was laughing into his hand, not expecting to find that reply so funny. Papster scowled at him, his clawed foot tapping repeatedly in a semblance of stomping.

After a few minutes of them just standing around, one fuming as the other helplessly cackled, Classic eventually calmed back down, restraining himself to quiet wheezes as he checked his phone.
"O-okay buddy, you really- you really got me there. You got me with that one. That was funny." He breathed, still grinning as he read the message.

"So they decided, uh, this apparently real popular place called Cat-puccinos Cat-fe? At.. hold on, how big are all these districts?" He suddenly turned a little more serious upon studying the map sent to him.

"Each one is measured about the size of an Ebott. There's faster transport than walking around if you're worried about that." Papster explained, ever the helpful aide.
"Uh.. yeah, let's take a bus or something. I didn't expect these distances."

"Oh, no one ever does! But worry not, for there is a station just ahead! And.. we will miss the next J to P train if we don't hurry! Come with me, new friend, I'll get us there in time!"
With that, Classic was swept off his feet and carried down the street at high speed.

He tucked in his legs in alarm, a tail wrapped tightly around his spine as the other bounded through the growing crowd on all fours, even resorting to leaping off walls as he zoomed.
This was an unexpected development, and frankly, he didn't feel all that secure.

He hesitantly craned his skull to the front, watching as the alternate of his brother raced along effortlessly, surprisingly elegant as he leapt onto an overhang and from there to a roof, now galloping from building to building, even faster than before.

In just a few minutes' time, he was slowing to a stop on a curved metal roof, dropping to the ground and standing straight, setting Classic down on slightly unsteady feet.
"...Whoa."

"Oh I'm sorry, was that too sudden? I'm used to carrying my brother like that. I should have asked." Papster apologized.
"It.. it's fine. Just. Wasn't expecting that. You run on all fours?"

"Only when I need to be really fast!" He explained with a smile.
"Well uh. It's definitely fast. Don't we need tickets for a train?"
"We do! And worry not, for I've decided to pay! It's the least I can do!" He started towards the entrance, forcing Classic to jog after he processed the sentence.

"Wait- I- uh. You sure?"
"Positively." The taller replied, heading directly for one of the many booths containing some sort of computer. Classic glanced around at the small crowd on the other side of the turnstiles, a little shocked at the sheer number of monsters just casually coexisting with what few humans were there.

A moment later, he blinked as Papster pressed a small, oval disc into his hand, guiding him to the turnstiles. "I thought there'd be tickets." He noted rather dumbly as he copied the other, sliding it across a scanner and heading down the steps.
"Oh yes, humans do that." Papster recalled, one hand raised thoughtfully.
"I'm not all too sure as to why ours is different, only that it was related to efficiency and renewability." He answered honestly.

They strode out onto the platform, walking through sections as all kinds of monsters milled about, just waiting for the train, talking, chatting. He could see the strange, cylindrical structure extending from the tunnel, almost like a thick, plastic shielding the tracks from anyone who might fall. It looked shockingly thick, sealed around the strange, closed doors.

"I've never seen tracks like this before." He pointed out the black rectangles bordered by a set of rails. Papster looked with him.
"I believe it's because the train floats. I know for sure that there's no air in the tunnel so that it may move faster, but the rails I believe are what make it hover!"

He hummed in appreciation. "I get the concept behind that, but I'd never thought such a train would be built.. anywhere. I think it hovers on magnets- those I know exist, but to put it in a vacuum to reduce air friction? I wonder how fast this thing is." He noticed a shape sliding out of the darkness of the tunnel, completely without a sound.

Classic couldn't have been quieter, the cone nose passing into the other end and stopping, strange tubes extending from the doors and connecting to the train with a muted whirr of hydraulics, a moment later opening up to reveal a connective chamber sealed so as to prevent air from getting in the tunnel, a metal walkway extending from the train itself into the platform.

He had never been so fascinated by public transportation in his life, sliding the disc over the reader and ducking into the room along with about five others- one of which was his current companion- the alternate of his brother smiling at his own wonder.

Classic slid into one of the seat compartments, shocked at the width of and care put into the train, the seats cushioned, the fabric cool and smooth with the sheen of waterproofing, yet they maintained texture instead of a plastic smoothness. The literal booth had a curtain and a fold-out table under the window, and to his amazement, two small beds rolled out from under the seats to fill the floorspace, another two capable of unlatching from the ceiling to hang down on chains.
"Is all of this actually necessary?" He questioned in amazement, pausing to watch the window as the train began to move.

"I have no idea." Papster admitted, sitting across from him. "But I cannot imagine having to travel so far across Omega to need to sleep overnight!"
Staring out the window at the blur of movement, he mumbled. "..Me neither."

After a minute of silence, he looked away and asked. "How many stops do we have until we reach- uh." He pulled out his phone to check what the name was again when a beep distracted him. There was a device on the wall, attached surprisingly low to the ground. It projected onto the curtain, D-58 estimated ten minutes, three stops. An automated voice repeated the same.

"Only ten minutes for three different stops?" Classic asked, sockets wide. "No wonder there are so few getting on!"
"The stops are longer than the time spent traveling to them." Papster admitted.
"It's amazing." He breathed, glancing back out the window as lights flashed outside, glimpses of machinery and even a few figures amidst the metal.

When the train began to slow with just a hum, and a faint jolt forward, Classic stood to peer out the curtain, the door beeping pleasantly a few seconds before it opened. A hydra exited the cabin, her heads weaving around each other, two nodding at the glowing pink water elemental boarding.

Leaning back, he propped up the foldout table and pulled out his phone. "Do you mind if I make a call?"
"Do you need privacy?" Papster indicated outside the booth.
"Nah, I wanted to include ya! It'd be unfair not to."
The taller leaned forward in intrigue, blinking.
Setting his device on the table with a glint in his eyelights, he pressed the call button with flair.

A few seconds later, and it picked up.
"Dude why aren't you responding to our messages?" Undyne's voice came through, mildly frustrated.
"Sorry, I've just been distracted. You'll never believe what kind of train I'm on right now." He shook his skull.
"Also, hello! I'm guiding Classic through the Omega back to you!" Papster proclaimed proudly.

"What the-" Undyne cut short on the other side as she addressed someone.
"Ssorry, we couldn't under- we couldn't understand that. We have some- someone who does, though!" Alphys finally spoke up.
"That's quite alright, it's fairly normal. I usually sign anyways!" Papster nodded to himself, Classic deciding to translate for his companion as he propped up his phone against the wall and turned it on to video call.

In a moment, the others realized and switched over as well, Frisk waving from the bottom as Alphys held it out and gasped.
"Oh! You're! Um- P-Papyrus a-al-al-alternate!"
He signed then, leaning to be more in frame.
*I go by Papster, thank you!*
"Oh! That's actually- that's really cute I dunno why-" She snorted as Undyne gawked.

"Is that a dragon face?!"
*Yes.*
"That's freaking awesome!" She hollered, throwing her arms as Flowey strained to look at the phone from his place in Frisk's arms.
"Why does he have a dragon face?" The flower questioned in frustration.

The train was slowing again as he chuckled, signing.
*In my world, some monsters are related to dragons. Me and my brother appear more closely related than others in our universe.*
"You're actually related to them?!" They could hear Epic chuckling in the background as she hollered.

"He can turn into one, too." Classic added with a grin. Undyne ducked out of frame, letting out a breathy cackle of amazement in an effort not to scream before her face was in the phone.
"I gotta see this."

Papster winced. *It's not pretty.* He signed quickly.
"Please! I've dreamed of seeing a dragon- I never thought I'd meet one!"
Pausing with his hands raised, he eventually gave in.
*How about this: when we exit the train I will change again, and we can meet while I am all dragoned. Then I will change back because it is really quite large and I won't be able to fit in the cafe.*

She was nodding along the entire time, someone wrenching the phone away from her so the others could see about halfway through.
"I can deal with that."

"How long is that train gonna take? We're almost at the cat place thing." Flowey asked, annoyed.
"Good question." Classic noted as he regarded the device on the wall. Papster reached across without a word and pressed his disc to it, waiting briefly before it beeped and displayed on the curtain again, D-58 estimated three minutes, one stop.
"Now that's neato."

"Th-three minutes?" Alphys stuttered. "You're rreally close, then!"
"Actually, two stops have passed already. This train is magnetic and in a vacuum sealed tunnel. I'm not even joking."
There was a dramatic gasp from the lizard as her eyes twinkled.
"A hyperloop? A-a real, actual hyperloop? I've always wanted to see one!!"
"It has booths instead of seats." He added, grinning.

"A train with b-booths? Like a- um- re- er- restaurant?"
"Kinda. I mean, there's privacy curtains, there's even four beds! In just this one!" He tugged out the one beneath the seats on his side, lifting the phone with blue magic so they could see.
There were sounds of intrigue before he returned the objects to their previous locations, still beaming. "It's like a perfectly advanced world."

He paused when he noticed the distant look in Papster's sockets.
"Are you okay there, buddy?" It felt strange addressing someone who looked so much like his own brother so.. distantly.
"I'm alright." Papster replied in Wingdings. "It's just that my brother was of the same opinion. I miss him."

He felt guilty then for chatting as he had when the other was struggling so much. He set the phone flat on the table with little more than a glance, ignoring the questions pouring from it as he reached across and held one of those clawed, gloved hands.
"I know you're worried about your brother, not knowing where he is and all. I know I would be too in your position. But you just have to hold on; you'll see him again soon."

For a moment they both stared at each other, then Papster wrapped him in a tight hug, not even flinching at the ensuing shock. They stayed like that for a good minute, the train slowing to a stop and the device on the wall beeping.
"You have arrived at your stop, please collect all of your belongings and have a nice day or night."

The alternate of his brother released him with tears in his sockets, allowing Classic to put his phone away.
"Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me."
"It's the right thing to do." He shrugged, looking away.
"Besides, you look so much like my bro it hurts. I can't stand seeing you upset."

Papster smiled softly while getting up, Classic following as they got off the train, entering a station much like the one they had left, but on the walls were the labels D-58 instead of J-34. It made him slightly curious as to how the city/country/world was plotted and the paths the trains took through it.

They dropped their discs into slots on the turnstiles and exited the subway. The sun was on its way down for the day and the air held the scent of various foods, shops lining the streets that consisted of mostly sidewalks.

"Are we close?" He asked, turning to see Papster with his hand shielding his sockets and squinting into the crowds. Then he pointed. Classic turned to peer after him, staring for a second before he caught a glimpse of red hair above some heads- and skulls- before he recognized a purple hood as well. Epic was surprisingly tall.

He started heading over, waving his companion to join him as he walked at an uncharacteristically high speed for himself.
Undyne was the first to spot him, gesticulating in his direction as the others took notice, lighting up.
Classic froze as the fish lady charged at him, grinning ferociously. He almost decided to teleport away before she wrapped him in a crushing embrace.

"By the way, don't fucking disappear on us like that again." She warned.
"I literally had no control over that. I was kidnapped." He winced, gritting his teeth. She let him go as the rest of the group arrived, clustered around each other.
"Where's- uh, dragon Papyrus?" Undyne then asked.
Pausing, he glanced over his shoulder, puzzled.
"I don't know, he was right behind me."

The answer made itself known when a large skull emerged from an alley back by the subway, turning to peer at them as the few monsters on the sidewalk immediately veered around as if this were a usual occurrence.
Given the strangeness of the Multiverse, it was likely that nothing could really phase these folks.

Undyne, however, was positively radiant with excitement, grabbing her girlfriend with a startled squeak and charging towards the skeletal dragon.
Everyone else decided to follow at a more relaxed pace, Frisk staying close to Classic despite Flowey's obvious contempt. The plant didn't waste too much time sneering though, instead staring up at Papster with awe.

The bone dragon had one leg lifted, talons curled underneath in uncertainty as Undyne just fawned over him, firing off question after question without even pausing for an answer. He regarded the Sanses in a silent plea, but Classic shrugged helplessly as the others either chuckled or scoffed.

After a minute, he seemed to have had enough.
"May I change back now?" He addressed the skeletons nervously.
"I mean it's your choice." Classic shrugged, ignoring the strange pulse in his being and the spark zapping off his skull as he replied.

"So is it just a Trashbag thing to understand that garbled hissing?" Flowey asked then as Papster ducked away from Undyne.
The others regarded him.
"It's called Wingdings and it's not shared outside our kind often." The previously forgotten TK explained with a slight frown.

"It sounds like garbage." The flower scoffed, looking away.
"That's incredibly rude of you." Razz narrowed his sockets.
"It's not my fault you speak a dumb sounding language! It sounds like a broken radio!" He argued as Frisk cringed, looking like they would rather be anywhere but there.

"Someone ought to knock your sickening attitude down a peg or two before you get killed." Black warned, scowling.
"Why don't you hiss that at me, then?" Flowey mocked, imitating bits and pieces of Papster's words in a sickening mimicry.
There was a low growl from Black, deep enough to be felt more than heard. "Watch your mouth before I sew it shut."

The entire time, Classic had been squinting, but it was at this moment that he suddenly reached out and tapped a petal. A normally harmless reaction became painful when light flashed with a harmonic buzz and Flowey shrieked as the petal was left scorched, part of it having burned away.

Frisk's eyes were wide open, taking a step back in alarm. Classic glanced between his phalange and the plant as Undyne and Alphys hurried over.
"Y'know, that wasn't supposed to be that harsh." He noted.
"Oh so you meant to do that?!" Flowey snarled.

"It was well deserved." Razz commented appreciatively.
"Oh I can show you something that deserves-"
"Be quiet." Classic stated flatly, and in bewilderment, Flowey did, blinking.
"What just happened?" Undyne asked, setting Alphys back on her feet as they arrived.

"He shocked me!" Flowey exclaimed, twisting in his pot to show off the blackened petal and soot over his face. Classic held up his hands.
"It was meant to be a light shock. Just a slight underestimate."
"Slight?!" The plant faced him again.
A volt danced between his phalanges as he regarded Flowey cautiously. "Do you want me to try again?"
Flinching away, Flowey's scowl deepened. "No."
Dropping the hand, he smiled faintly. "Good."

"So you can really control that?" Alphys asked curiously. He shrugged, he held up his hand again so that a tendril of electricity could flicker around his phalanges. "For the most part." He answered, the zapping vanishing.

"Have you considered sparring to see what you can do now?" TK asked with a tilt of the skull. Classic leaned back in alarm.
"I don't really do sparring. Not to mention this could accidentally kill someone." He thought back to the accidental summoning of a brief lightning storm, glad that the others had not been there when it happened.

However, the one who had been there was hesitantly walking up, adjusting his scarf.
TK burst into a wide smile, cyan eyelights somehow shimmering.
"You could spar with me!"

"Whoa." He stepped back, hands out. "You're literally a child. That wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be-" He simply didn't finish the sentence as a wave of images flickered through his mind, incredibly brief yet oh so telling of vast quantities of time and undone time. He saw magic he couldn't comprehend flowing from a grey and blue entity into a glowing, orange-yellow box inscribed with runes. Worlds warping as it glowed red, vivid red Souls dripping out of a glowing river amid a floating sea.

He blinked back to the present with the child holding him despite being so small. The others helped him up while asking so many questions about what just happened.
One in particular from the child stuck out to him.
"Did you see something you can't understand?"

"Yes?" It was phrased like a question.
"Yes to what?" Undyne asked, worried.
"Kid." He answered, rubbing his skull in bewilderment.
Tԋҽ Vσιƈҽ σϝ Tιɱҽ ιʂ ԃҽƈҽιʋιɳɠ, Sαɳʂ. Tԋιʂ ιʂ ɳσ ყσυƚԋ. Destiny murmured.
ェ ցսᥱઽઽ ઽo?? He had no idea how to respond.

Classic finally paid attention to the others, raising his hands defensively. "I was just slapped with some weird.. images from Destiny I guess. I don't know what it was about, either."
"That was it?" Undyne asked before a light glinted in her eye.
"Was it like a vision of the future or a flashback type of thing?"
"I don't even know how to begin to describe whatever it was, alright? I'd just appreciate if it didn't happen again." He glared to the side to get his point across, and he sensed acknowledgement from within.

A tug on his sleeve caught his attention, revealing Frisk with Flowey's pot balanced on their head, currently nonverbal as they signed.
*What does it feel like?*
"What, having a passenger in my skull?"
The human nodded, holding the still fuming plant stable.

"I'm kind-ki-k- I'm kinda curious too." Alphys spoke up.
Classic shrugged, at some point having started heading towards the cafe after Razz and Black.
The others followed almost impulsively.
"I dunno where to even begin on that subject."
"Do you actually feel awake most of the time?" Undyne suggested, one brow quirked upwards.

With a world-weary sigh, he nodded. "It's the worst part. How can I achieve World's Best Napper if I can't sleep?"
"Are you fu- freaking kidding me." She switched words quickly upon remembering the child present.
"Oh thank stars, I'm not the only one sick of it." Razz was relieved.

Epic, TK and even the Outer shot him a glare, shortly followed by almost everyone else.
"What? If this is about my behavior earlier, I was negatively influenced!"
"You were a complete and incorrigible ass earlier, Razz." Black stated drily.
Undyne coughed awkwardly, indicating Frisk, who was silent.

"Oh there's no doubt they already know these words! If not, they should learn already." He scoffed.
"Ohhh, Toriel would h-h-hate you." Alphys giggled nervously.
"Let her hate me." He waved dismissively, a cat suddenly rubbing along his legs and purring.

"Wait, this place has cats." Undyne realized they were inside.
"It's honestly so underrated." Outer explained, a black longhair with white spots like stars leaping into his arms and purring intensely. "Hi, Starry." He cooed. Suddenly, Epic tensed slightly. "Bruh, yer not allergic, are ya?" He asked Frisk.
They shook their head, crouching to pet the shocking large and well built white and grey cat with purple eyes.
"Eyyy, es Stronk." Epic grinned.

"Do you want a snack? The coffee here is unlike anywhere else." Black offered, gesturing to the rest of the quiet restaurant.
"But do they have ketchup?" Classic pondered with mirth in his gaze.
"Asking the real questions here." Outer nodded sagely.

"I keep a wide array of condiments and the like on hand for your types, yes." A voice called softly from behind the counter near the back.
They drifted away from the doors then, finding yet another skeleton taking kitty-themed cookies off a tray and arranging them inside the empty display. A wonderful chocolate and coffee smell exuded from the area, and he flashed them a tired smile.

"Hey, Ccino. How's it been?" Outer asked.
"Quiet day." The other replied, teleporting the tray off with a distant clang as it landed somewhere in the kitchen behind him, clasping his hands together and leaning on the counter pleasantly. "What can I get you folks?"

"I'll have an Irish with a shot of expresso." Razz announced casually. Ccino gave him a questioning look, but made no comment as he typed it up, looking at the rest.
"Turkish medium." Black crossed his arms.
"Mazagran." Epic grinned devilishly.
"I'll have the usual." Outer peeped.
"Extra sauce?"
"Yeah."

"Uh.. hold on, I've never been to a coffee shop before." Undyne admitted, squinting at the menu display hanging behind Ccino.
"That's alright, I can wait." He smiled kindly, noticing Alphys straining to see over the rather large display case.

"Here." The cashier spoke, flicking his hand. A pair of steps rolled out from underneath the display, locking into place.
"O-oh! Thanks!" Alphys stared at them while stepping up, Undyne beaming at her girlfriend's happiness.
Ccino also slid a laminated sheet over the counter. "We also have these."
"Oh! Tha- thank! Uh-heh. Thank you." She scrunched up in embarrassment as she scrabbled with the menu.

She stepped down and held it so Frisk could see too, Undyne pointing excitedly at one item in particular. Frisk just shrugged and pointed to the display at some fudge brownies.
"We'll have the double wide affocato?" Undyne pronounced hesitantly, Alphys offering the menu back.

"Thank you." Ccino nodded as he took the sheet and floated it back to the tray near the end of the counter, regarding Classic.
"Huh. I'm not much of a coffee guy..." His gaze drifted to another section of menu. "..or tea.... Eh, why not. Nitro looks fun. What about you?" He faced the silent Papster, who wrung his hands in surprise at being remembered.
"Is your Rainbow Swirl a white tea?"
"Yes it is. Not many ask for it, though."
"Can I have a medium of that?"
"Of course."

Ccino started ringing them up. "Would any of you folks like to pay individually or cover the full cost? I don't accept tabs."
Undyne and Frisk glanced at the suddenly nervous Classic.
"Uh oh."
"I'll pay for my gal here and those two." Undyne then stated, indicating her Sans and Frisk while pulling out her wallet.

"Alright." He continued typing, a receipt printing out on a tiny slip of paper that he tore away with a flick and drifted to the fish lady, who blinked at the price before sighing. "Thought that nitro thing would be expensive as heck."
"It's really just a sparkling coffee." Ccino explained distractedly as money exchanged.

"..But with nitrogen instead of carbon?" Classic asked, curious as Razz and Black paid for their orders. "Yep." Ccino chirped without looking at him, floating over the slips as Papster stepped forth to pay.

Epic pointed them to a booth and the swaps led them away, Papster awkwardly following.
*I'm sorry if I'm intruding.* He apologized while they sat.
"What? No! You're cool!" Undyne immediately said, shocked at the very.. Un-Papyrus-like behavior.

"We want you here." Classic assured with an easy smile, kicking back in a chair to the table closest to their booth, Epic returning to sit across from him, floating Frisk's brownie over. The child lightened slightly, pinching off a piece and offering it to the indifferent Flowey.

"Your Turkish, Black!" Ccino called, sliding it over the counter. "Thank you!" Black called from the booth, floating the white mug over with blue magic and taking an excited whiff of the dark liquid.
"I didn't know there were so many kinds of not frappe coffees." Undyne noted, looking over.

"That's the beauty of Ccino's. That and the cats. You'll not find anything like it anywhere else." Black pointed out proudly.
"I prefer da cats." Epic added dismissively, the positively ripped grey and white feline leaning on his chair leg and sniffing his pocket curiously. The previously sleeping pup stuck it's head out and hesitantly sniffed back.

Outer snorted as a black and white cat with red and white heterochromia hopped in his lap and shoved it's head into his hands. "Okay, okay, Moo-Moo."
"Your mazagran." Ccino returned, this time floating the glass to Epic, who wrapped his hand around it with a nod.

"What is a mazagran? I've never heard of it before." Undyne asked. "I didn't see it on the menu either."
"It has rum in it, so it's under alcoholics." Black explained.
"Also lemon!" Epic added as if that were an important distinction.

Undyne's face soured. "Alcohol in coffee? That's just gross!"
"Depends on what you're blending." Razz pointed out, smiling faintly as Ccino waved to him, drifting his drink across the cafe. It was topped with whipped cream and a thin biscuit of some kind stuck in. "A mazagran has rum and lemon added to it while mine, an Irish, has whiskey and cream. What you seem to be thinking is putting beer in coffee, and that is cheap and disgusting."

"I thought rum was only for pirates." Undyne stated in surprise, glancing at Epic has he started laughing. "What?"
"It's jus' ironic!" The purple cloaked one wheezed, wiping his sockets before explaining.
"Pirate introduced me to rum!"

"There's s-ss-someone named Pirate?" Alphys asked.
"It's all nicknames relevant to the differences 'tween AU's." Outer pointed out as Ccino rolled out his drink with a mountain of whipped cream, dusted with ground coffee powder, bits of chocolate cookie and drizzled in chocolate sauce. It looked sickeningly sweet.
Outer then regarded Undyne pointedly. "You can guess what's special about Pirate."

"There's literally a universe of pirates?" She asked in bewilderment.
"They were locked to an island and portion of the sea rather than Underground." Razz explained boredly, sipping his beverage.
"Nitro and Rainbow Swirl!" Ccino announced two at once.

Papster lit up and stood, grabbing his while Classic floated his over, nodding before he gave it a taste. He abruptly spluttered as his eyelights flashed brilliantly and then a bolt of electricity shot down the straw and the glass shattered, spraying fizzy coffee, ice cubes and shards of glass around. Everyone yelped or flinched away.

"What just happened?" Ccino teleported in from the kitchen, alarmed.
"I uh." Classic glanced between the table dripping with spilled coffee and his now stained clothes.
"It just exploded?" Undyne phrased it like a question. "Like it was cool and all, but what just happened?" She repeated Ccino's question.
"Beats me, I was just surprised at how sharp it was before it just blew up in my face..." He scratched his skull.

"Huh. That's obviously not supposed to happen. Hey Choccy?" He called over his shoulder.
"I'm pinned between two cats." A small voice hollered from the sectioned-off room for the felines. "Please?" Ccino turned to face the area.
"Okay, okay, Dark's getting mad anyway."

A tiny skeleton appeared on the table then, completely covered in what looked like a thick brown sludge, concealing their right socket while in the other blinked a latte colored eyelight. Four weird tendrils stuck out from his spine like thick, oddly placed tails.
"Are you okay?" Alphys asked in surprise, still shocked at the diminutive size of the skeleton.

"I'm a Bitty." Choco sighed while regarding the mess, Ccino thanking him and vanishing back into the kitchen.
"Sorry!" Alphys squeaked while hiding behind her girlfriend.
"We've never heard of one, sorry." Undyne explained in a subdued tone.

"There's an odd universe out there were essentially tiny versions of many monsters throughout the Multiverse and even unique versions are.. sold as something close to a pet or a house helper." Black explained in a low voice that dropped even further the more he talked, growling slightly.

"Many adopt them or outright kidnap them out of horrible situations they're found in there. The Omega has recovery clinics and safe houses for them all over the place." Outer added on as the glass shards floated up.
Undyne and Alphys looked positively horrified at the implications of those statements.

Suddenly, a flash of blue blinded everyone, the sound of tinkling glass echoing in the seconds after as they all blinked away the spots.
On the table stood the unbroken glass filled with ice cubes and bubbles, froth sitting on top.
"What..?" Choco pointed at it, flabbergasted.

"Wait, can you fix broken things now?" Undyne's eye lit up excitedly.
"I can't!" Choco cried, thinking the question was at him.
"I guess it's a thing now." Classic replied, studying the glass with intrigue.
"Oh that was you?"
"It definitely makes things easier." He nodded to the bitty.

Choco harrumphed, weird tail goop things waving. "I get you've probably had a weird experience recently with new powers but try to warn people next time you try them out!"
"Hey, I was about to. It just happened too suddenly." He defended.
The bitty shook his skull and leapt off the table, landing with a grunt and walking away- though slowly given his tiny size.

"Do you like, talk with Destiny? In your.. skull?" Undyne asked him.
Looking between the drink and his friend, he awkwardly answered. "Yes?"
"Is it a running commentary or..?"
"You know we have deities too, right?" Outer asked.
"Yeah but they aren't doing all the freaky crap Destiny is." She pointed out.
"...Fair enough." Outer conceded, sipping his diabetes in a cup.

Papster coughed then, drawing their attention.
*What is all of this talk of Destiny and deities?* He signed for everyone to understand.
"You have to promise not to talk about it just whenever. Here is safe, but you never know when the wrong person might be listening elsewhere." Classic warned.
"Alright."

"So basically the Multiverse is collapsing." Outer started off.
"I have already been told that." He nodded.
"Yeah, I told him that. His brother's vanished."
"..Oh. I'm sorry."

With a pause, Classic faced Papster seriously, an attitude Undyne and Alphys had never really seen before.
"Y'know when I said I had friends in high places?"
"Of course he would call it that." Razz grumbled. Classic shot him a look, and it was then that Ccino came back, this time walking around the counter.

Everyone paused as he glanced at the now vanished stains and repaired glass.
"I suppose I should thank someone for this?"
"Nah, it was my fault. Kinda." Classic shook his skull.

"Well." He slid over a wide bowl with two spoons filled with ice cream on a brownie steeped in espresso, cookie crumble sprinkled over a little kitty face drawn in caramel.
"Oh! It's so cute!" Alphys exclaimed in surprise, Undyne
"I'm sorry it took so long, a certain someone around here keeps taking off with the caramel and I had to get more out from the back." He chuckled softly.
"Anyway, I'll leave you to your important conversation now." He patted the booth and headed for the counter again.

"Wait, how'd you know?" Flowey blurted for the first time in a while. Ccino glanced over his shoulder, a mischievous glint in his frappuccino eyelights. "We're all Judges here, Flowey. We can read a room." With that, he hurried back into the kitchen.
"Uh.. okay." Undyne turned back to her seat, glancing at the others. Outer was avoiding her gaze as Classic let out a faint sigh.

"As I was saying." "He is not a concern with overhearing, is he?" Papster indicated the now absent Ccino. With a pause and a strange sense of power, Classic shook his skull. "He's fine. But as I was saying: friends in high places. I'm basically referring to deities, which are apparently a step above gods but without physical bodies to call their own. They're insubstantial. You're following?"
Papster nodded.

Gesturing vaguely, he continued. "They really like being physical, but due to one particularly corrupt deity of great power named Fate, there's been all these problems in the Multiverse for eons. As it is, their way of interacting with physical things is basically hijacking a person's body with.. sort of permission. And once they do, they're stuck. And they're using that to basically ride people getting sucked into the Void into the place the Multiverse is collapsing into. They can't cross over on their own. If they don't pick someone to play host, they'll die with the Multiverse. That's Destiny. Deity, she's got me. It's been.. weird, for lack of a better term."
"I.. see."

"I hope so, because it gets tiring to explain after a while." Classic sighed, cautiously sipping his nitro and only grimacing slightly. "I could get used to that." He muttered while setting it down.

Epic just casually offered his straw. Classic gave him a look, glancing between him and the drink.
"Try it."
"Eeehhh.. no thanks."
Shrugging, Epic returned it to himself, sipping.

"So.. from what I gather.." Papster began, the others perking up.
"There are beings above gods that are intangible like ghosts, and they are connected to the Multiverse in a way we are not, leading to them compensating by inhabiting monsters, you being one of them? Is this correct?"
"Nailed it, there."
"Why is there a corrupt one?" He asked.

"No one knows, not even other deities. They're just hoping to keep this escape plan a secret from Fate until it's too late and Fate dies with the Multiverse while they live on and protect the new world." Outer explained.

"Why is Destiny the weird one?"
"She.. has absolutely no experience dealing with people, hasn't interacted with the... mortal plane? In eons? There's been more than a couple misunderstandings already." Outer chuckled.
"She means well, that much is obvious, but she just makes mistakes?"

"I'm stuck with her, too." Classic chuckled drily. "It's been wild. A shocking misadventure and a half."
"I don't know about you, but this has been sick." Undyne waved her spoon at them. "We find out that the Multiverse theory is real and we can travel universes, and there's a lot of people that do and there's a world where people from all over this Multiverse live together? And someone I know gets insane powers from a deity inhabiting his body? Anime is real and this is proof."

Papster nodded thoughtfully, agreeing with her as Classic buried his face into his arms on the table and groaned.
"Worst of all is she's expecting cool stuff from me." He jabbed in the fish lady's direction.
"Because you can do it!"
Classic just bemoaned into his sleeves.
*Gentle encouragement works best.* Papster signed to her while Classic wasn't looking. She considered this seriously.

"It'd be smort ta test what ya can do though, bruh." Epic pointed out. "And I'm pretty stronk."
"He's right about that." Outer added.
"I know.." Classic mumbled before sitting up and downing half the glass and freezing, bending over and setting the glass back on the table with some force as his eyelights winked out.
"That was like.. not even carbonated, that's literally filled with nitrogen." Outer stated in horror.

An enormously loud belch erupted from Classic as he nearly fell out of the chair with a groan.
"I forgot-" He wheezed, hands on his kneecaps as both Frisk and Undyne burst out cackling, Alphys giggling obscenely, Flowey laughing genuinely at the unexpected moment, his voice higher and softer than usual.
Classic scowled, though good-naturedly at the humor.

Epic offered the last half of his mazagran, and Classic shrugged and chugged it, coughing wildly as he slammed it down.
"It's surprisingly sweet?" He questioned in shock.
"Rum." Epic pointed out.

"Hol- hold on." Undyne gasped, recovering her breath. "Have you ever even tried alcohol before?"
"Undyne, I'm a regular at Grillby's." He replied drily.
"You drink ketchup." She fired back.
He paused, then relented.
"... Several kinds. Pretty strong ones too. Never again after the firewhiskey, though."

"You have firewhiskey?" Both Razz and Black asked simultaneously.
He blinked, leaning on the table. "Like, in our universe?"
"Yes. We've only known Red's Grillby had that. It's strong stuff. The side effects are difficult to deal with, though." Black explained.
"Huh."

"I-I-I mean, it makes sense." Alphys pointed out, thinking. "In your wo- in your worlds, everyone's pers-per-personalities! Everyone's personalities are sw-switched around i-i-in comparison to ours, so your Grillby p-probably never even became a bartender."

"You're exactly right. Ours is a mercenary of sorts. For a bartender in Snowdin, we have our Muffets. We don't have firewhiskey, but spider cider. It's quite strong itself, but is usually backed with sparkling water or something else carbonated." Black elaborated.

"That is sooo fascinating." Alphys whispered before shoving a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.
"Ah." A thick voice said dully, everyone glancing at Papster in surprise before following their gaze to Classic, who had faint sparks flickering on his skull.
"What?" He asked, eyelights unusually small.

"Have you ever had coffee before?" Alphys managed to say without stuttering.
He shrugged. "It's been more than a few years. Always just straight black though. I've gotten used to ketchup since then." He chuckled, phalanges drumming on the table with a slight flash every time they touched the wood.

"So it's safe to say dat ya haven't tried it with Destiny juicin' things up." Epic concluded hesitantly. Classic stared at him blankly for a moment, then lifted his hand to see the slight sparks.
"Oh. That's probably not good." He noted.

"I-I mean. Do you feel weird?" Alphys asked.
He shrugged, leaning an arm on the table as he faced the booth.
"Eh. I hadn't considered consequences like this, but I remembered a buzz from my coffee days. Now that I think about it, I never felt it like this."

"So you just have a lot of energy to burn off now." Undyne grinned devilishly.
"Not happening." He warned.
She huffed, crossing her arms.
"Sans, you worked under me as a sentry for years, and I never once got you to spar. Now you're literally supercharged! What are you waiting for?!" She gestured irritably.

"Wait, not even once? Dang. Not even I could avoid mine for that long." Outer was impressed.
"Okay, we're breaking that record today." Undyne spoke decidedly, stepping out of the booth.
"I'd rather you didn't."
"Too bad." She glared. "This has gone on stupidly long enough."

"You know what? She's right." Razz agreed, downing the last of his Irish coffee and setting it down hard. Black pushed his already empty mug away and stood, Forcing Outer to stand and get out of the way on that side of the booth as the pair got out. Classic was getting increasingly nervous as Epic stood.
"You're not seriously thinking about trying this. Not all of you."

"I'm against this decision." Outer pointed out, glancing around anxiously.
"I'm against it too." Flowey said curtly, surprising everyone.
"Why?" Undyne asked. "I thought you wanted to see someone kick his nonexistent butt."
Staring hard at Classic, he spoke flatly.
"You'll see if you try."
"Th-that's not ominous at all.." Alphys muttered, having yet to get up. Frisk pushed her slightly and she finally got out of the booth.

"We'll see you later, Ccino!" Black called out as the group crowded around the now very tense skeleton.
"Thank you, I hope you all have a nice day! See you soon!" Ccino's voice rang out from somewhere in the back.

Grimacing, Classic gripped the nitro coffee. "There's no getting out of it this time, is there." He was strangely accepting.
"Nope." Undyne had her arms crossed.
Eyelights drifting to the glass, he sighed.
"To hell with it." He chugged it as if the first time had taught him nothing, then the nearly thunderous burp followed immediately.

"I'm doomed."
"You're not doomed, Classic." Outer rolled his eyelights.
Classic only chuckled drily.
He was having a rather thorough discussion in the privacy of his own mind with the other being that now shared it.