When Sans woke up in his room later that night, Papyrus told him that all the extra people were gone. The lab is much quieter now. The Monster was still tired, but his magic wasn't humming so low anymore. Sans was scared that he wouldn't be able to stop it in time. He didn't even get to see what tried to manifest. Whatever it was, Santos looked like he was happy with him.

     "What do you wanna do? Have you ever drawn people before? There were a lot weird outfits earlier", Sans asks, already pulling out a workbook to draw in.

     "No, sorry. There's already someone coming to get you", Papyrus says, disappointed, "Doctors like to watch their patients. They were just waiting for you to wake up, I think".

     "Oh.....", Sans frowns. He doesn't like going back and forth between testing and sleeping without any time to play with his brother. Sans tries to stay awake most days, but it's hard. The Monster turns to look at the door when it opens. Doctor Alister walks in with a magic injection just like always.

"Hello, Sans. Did you sleep well? Are you feeling ok? You used up a lot of magic this morning", Alister asks, walking forward and kneeling in front of the Monster to give it the injections.

"Yes, I feel fine. Did I do okay?". It feels weird to talk when there's also a needle in his soul.

    "I think you scared quite a few of the guests. We're just waiting to hear some confirmation, but it's looking like you'll be the one sent to the Underground after all", Alister tells him. His voice doesn't sound happy. "Gaster's waiting for us in the office".

     The two of them leave the room and walk down the hall. To Sans, the office still feels like it's being invaded. He misses the writing lessons and Doctor Murphy laughing at his jokes. Gaster stands up when Alister walks in with the Monster. Sans has never seen the two of them work together. Their shifts don't usually overlap. Slight tension fills the air whenever they're alone together.

"Alister. Did you give it the magic injections?", Doctor Gaster ask.

"Yes, of course I did. He seems stable enough. No cracks have formed in the soul after the demonstration today", Alister replies. He's annoyed that Gaster has to even ask about the injections.

Gaster nods expressionlessly to his coworker. "Come here, Sans. Hold out your arm". The Monster does as he's told, and Gaster pushes up his sleeve. Sans's forearm is made of two thin bones just like a human skeleton, despite the lack of muscle. Doctor Gaster takes it's arm and clips a small device onto one of the bones. The black ring clicks into place without any obvious way to unlock it again. A small light flickers green on the side. It's so small and snug to the bone that is doesn't move on Sans's arm. "This is a tracking device. It will let us track your progression, even with miles of rock above your head", Gaster continues, "I am the only one who can take it off, so you shouldn't even try. Your bone will break before the tracker does".

     Sans pulls his sleeve back down when Gaster lets go. The tracker feels strange, but it's not that different from the rest of his clothes. It only itches slightly. He'll get used to it. If Gaster says that he can't take it off, then that's just how it will be.

     "I still think that this is all moving too fast. It's hardly eight weeks old. There's still so much that I could teach him; there's so much that he should learn". Doctor Alister stares at the spot on Sans's arm where the tracker would be.

     "There is also many things that it does not need to know. You've done an adequate job teaching it proper diction. It's purpose, however, does not lie in literature. Delaying this much longer gives the public more time to learn of the Monster's existence", Gaster says, sensing the other's hesitation.

"I still have a hard time knowing that so many investors are working to keep this a secret. The President of the whole country is even hiding this project", Alister sighs in unease. He usually doesn't express his doubts so freely, but he feels that Gaster needs to hear it.

"You'd be surprised by how many secrets are out there". Gaster doesn't get the point.

Throughout the conversation, Sans has been listening. What's really caught his attention is his own age. He's only eight weeks old? Papyrus says he's seven years old. That seems strange to Sans. Pappy calls him big brother, and that means he should be older. The Monster tugs on Alister's coat to get his attention. "How old am I? Is it really only eight weeks?".

"Well, technically, yes. You first gained consciousness 57 days ago. That's eight weeks and a day". Alister is a little caught off guard by the question.

"Physically, you're twelve or thirteen, if a little small", Doctor Gaster picks up, "Your body has not grown at all since I introduced the artificial soul into it. It may be incapable of growing, in fact, though your coordination has improved. Your mind has developed much more. Mentally, you're ten or eleven. My notes placed you with a much younger mentality during the first week of testing".

     Sans is more confused after the explanation. So he's not older, but he is? He'll have to ask Papyrus about it later. Pappy's words always make sense. He doesn't talk in circles like the doctors do.

     "Well, one thing he definitely still needs to know is how to give himself an injection. The state of the Underground is unknown. Monsters may attack him straight away after they see his soul, or just for being a skeleton", Alister continues his earlier point. He thinks Sans still needs months of preparation before it's sent to the Underground.

     "We can agree on something, for once. Sans, bring out your soul", Gaster tells the Monter, turning around and picking up an empty syringe.

      In the beginning, the doctors had to tug out Sans's soul with a thin cord. He can do it on his own now after so much practice with his magic. "The needle's empty", Sans states the obvious, confused. He doesn't usually get injections in the office. Still, the Monster lays one hand on his chest before slowly pulling away. The fragile soul follows out and rests slightly above his skeletal hand. The upside down heart's two halves pulse gently in unison with their two colors. The soul is an intimate piece of any living thing. Monster souls are the only ones that can be displayed outside the body while the host is still living. Some would call the hybrid soul beautiful. Others wouldn't be able to see past the Monster's permanent smile.

     "In the Underground, there will be no one to give you your injections. You'll have to do it on your own", Gaster explains.

     "Inject..... myself......" Sans stares at the needle like it's about to crack his skull open. His eye lights flicker out with a shiver of trepidation until Alister starts talking.

"It's not that complicated. The biggest thing to remember is to always sink the needle into the Monster half of your soul. It has a high concentration of magic, and can repair the hole. The human half won't react well to pure magic if it hasn't gone through the Monster half first", Doctor Alister sinks to one knee to point to the various halves as he explains.

"You can't inject it quickly, either", Gaster says. He kneels down on Sans's other side with the needle. Him and Alister exchange an unreadable look before he continues. Distantly Sans think they look like they're competing. "Here, you hold it between your index and middle finger like this". Gaster adjust the Monster's fingers. "This one is empty, and you never push down with an empty needle, but next you would use your thumb to push the plunger down. Count to three. Slowly. The needle should not be empty before you're done counting".

     "I already gave you today's dose, but another one won't hurt after how much magic you used up earlier. Here, take it. Make sure to hold it correctly. You could hurt someone if they get pierced by mistake", Doctor Alister chides the Monster when it holds the full needle with a closed fist.

     "Do I have to?", Sans mumbles. He adjust his grip nervously and lets his thump rest on the plunger.

     "Do you want to die a day into the Underground?", Alister asks back.

     "No......".

     Gaster guides the Monster's hand until the needle is lined up with his soul. Sans hesitates to bring the tip closer, but both the doctors are staring at him. Sans looks away just before he feels the prick. It's just as uncomfortable as always, but this time, Sans has control. He gently presses down the plunger until the needle is empty.