The skeleton slept for only a few hours before he woke up again. He must have been thrashing around in his sleep since the blanket is tangled all around him. It's still tired, but not as much as before.

"You really sleep a lot, don't you? It's not healthy to be so lazy!". This time, the skeleton doesn't jump. He knows exactly who it is. He sits up in bed to find the Human body sitting at the end of the bed, swinging his feet. The skeleton can't say anything, so he doesn't.

"You don't talk very much, either, but that's ok!", the boy seems to not want to hurt the skeleton's feelings, "I'll talk for the both of us, for I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, will have no trouble communicating with Sans, my new skeleton friend".

The skeleton knew Papyrus's name, but not his own. Sans? Is that his name? It's as good as any, he decides. Sans moves to sit next Papyrus, pulling the blanket with him over his shoulders again. He feels better when his bones aren't so exposed. The hospital gown doesn't do much to warm him. Papyrus seems different then the other Humans Sans has seen. He's not giving Sans orders or poking at his joints.

"This place is very strange, Sans. At first I though it was a hospital, and you were sick, but I've never been in a hospital with only one patient. I've seen plenty of hospitals to know for sure", Papyrus looks around the room. His eyes are green, but he doesn't seem to have any hair on his head like the rest of the humans. "Do you know where we are, Sans? It's not like any place I've been too". Sans can only shrug in reply. He doesn't really remember anything before he saw Doctor Gaster for the first time. It's all..... blank. Black. Empty like a void.

Papyrus looks up at the door a moment before Sans sees it open. He looks up as Doctor Alister enters the room. Sans looks back to his side, but Papyrus is gone again. He never seems to be around when there are other people.

Doctor Alister doesn't make an attempt to sign as he enters the room. He brings a large vial attacked to a much smaller needle with him. Sans knows what's coming next, but he doesn't try to fight it. For all he knows, it's normal. Alister walks over to the skeleton and pulls the blanket off its shoulders. His lips move, but Sans doesn't understand. Alister is a little gentler when he pushes the skeleton's hospital gown up. There's still a small cord that threads between the skeleton's ribs. Doctor Alister uses it to pull Sans's soul out of his chest. Real Monsters can do it on their own, but the artificial Monster hasn't learned to use magic yet. Sans looks away when the needle is leveled with his soul. The artificial magic injections always feel so uncomfortable. They leave a lasting ache for hours.

Sans expects Alister to leave after the injection, but instead, he motions for the skeleton to stand up. He does so after a moment of hesitation. The scientists leads the way down the hall and to the gym. Sans is worried that he'll have to go back in, but Alister walks past, and he quickly follows. They go to a third room with no lock or keypad. The room is small inside with only two desks against either wall. It's just a small office.

"I don't forgive Gaster for using a Human soul for your body, and I won't let him do it again", Alister knows the skeleton can't understand him without a sign language, but he still feels the need to explain himself, "According to the notes so far, you are not physically or mentally strong enough. Gaster wants to try again. I will not let him. I will make you strong enough". Alister pulls a notebook out of a desk drawer. "But first, a little common sense".

Alister makes Sans sit at the desk as he starts to write. The doctor writes down the entire alphabet to begin. He then takes the skeleton's hand and gently moves Sans's fingers to hold it correctly. Without skin, it slips and slides a little in his grip. Alister has to guide Sans's to copy the first letter, but he does the second on his own. It's slow and sloppy at first, but by the time Sans is on his third set, his letters look like something you'd see in an elementary school. Alister is genuinely surprised that they picked it up so quickly. The Monster might be more intelligent then the others believe.

     Next, Alister finally used sign language. He's pulled up a chair to sit next to the skeleton now. The Doctor signs out 'pencil' and the writes the word on the page. Sans eye's follow the tool as Alister writes, and then jumps when the Doctor offers it over. Sans takes it, looks at the word, and copies it. They do this for a handful of other words as the night progresses. Sans picks up writing much more easily then the tests Doctor Gaster had him do. Exhaustion forgotten, he eagerly copies every word that Alister writes and signs.

     "That's enough. You need sleep", Doctor Alister eventually signs. He hands the note book and pencil over to the Monster. "Practice the letters if you're awake". Sans nods and clutches the notebook to his chest. Alister ignores the fact that the skeleton's smile seems more genuine.

     He leads the artificial Monster back to the observation cell. Sans walks in obediently, sits on the bed, and opens the notebook back up to look at the letters. Alister stands in the doorway for a moment and watches. Making a Monster has always been a means to an end. It's artificial magic, in an artificial soul, to move an artificial body. Still..... that excitement to learn.... that wasn't artificial. The doctor quickly leaves after that thought to document the evening's progress. Sans is only alone for a few moments.

     "Are you learning to write!? I just learned my letters two years ago! I can spell my name and everything!", Papyrus looks over San's shoulder to see the notebook. "Can you write your name yet?". When Sans shakes his head, Papyrus points out the letters to spell the Monster's name, and the his own.

     "What about drawing? Are you any good at drawing?". Sans looks confused at that question. Papyrus scoots up next to him and snatches the pencil out of San's hand. "See? This is how you draw. It's a puppy, see!? I had a dog when Mom and Dad still lived in the same house". The skeleton is amazed by the picture. He's not sure what a dog is, but when Papyrus gives him back the pencil, he draws his own.

     "That looks like a cat. Cats have longer tails then dogs, b-but it is still very good for your first try. If you keep practicing I'm sure you can even be as GREAT of a drawer as me", Papyrus smiles and giggles. Sans doesn't have the lungs or voice to laugh, but his body shakes a little as if he is. The Monster erases part of his drawing to shorten the tail.

The two of them go about drawing and redrawing half a notebook's worth of art. Papyrus even spells some of the names for the animals. Papyrus's voice is the only one he's heard, but it's still helping him to start connecting signs, letters, and sounds together. Sans even tries his best to draw Papyrus in one of the notebook's back pages.

      "You're a lot nicer than my big brother.....", Papyrus yawns, tired after staying up so late. Sans can't physically yawn, but his eye lights flicker as if his eyes were drooping closed. The two boys are laying down on the bed side by side, blanket pulled up. Sans is still holding the notebook in one hand. "My big brother never wanted to play with me. He only stopped being mean when I got sick. Sans? Can you be my new big brother?".

     What happened next could never be explained. Doctor Gaster himself suspected that the artificial soul was too weak to use magic. It would crumble. Sans himself would never be able describe how he first used his magic. What he did know was at that moment, a small pulse resonated from his fragile soul.

     "Yes, Pappy", Sans speaks in a deep baritone voice, "I would love to be your brother".