One of the frail bones in Sans' lower arm is snapped clean in half when the dog squeezes too hard. The wound starts to gush blood immediately. Sans does scream this time, clawing at the dog's grip with his other hand. The tears finally escape and run down his cheeks as fire burns up his arm. The dog lifts him off the ground by his injured arm and growls in Sans's face.

"Don't come back to Snowdin. I'll kill you!" they snarl. The dog then tosses Sans onto the ground. He lays there, curled into a ball, as the three stronger monsters leave.

Why? Sans did what they wanted, so why would they do that? He curls around his broken arm and tries to muffle his sobbing hiccups. It hurts worse than any bruise he's ever gotten. The pain is worse than when he got the crack on his cheek. An injury like this is a death sentence for a weak monster like him.

It's not fair! Why does Sans have to suffer just for trying to live? He's so, so tired of this struggle. Every day leads to the same fight. Sans can't take the constant fear anymore. He's finally been pushed over the edge, and he doesn't have the will or strength to get up. It might just be easier to die here, after all. Sorry, Papyrus.

If this were a pacifist fun, Frisk would leave the ruins and find Sans injured and afraid. She would sacrifice a healing item to partially repair his arm, and the two of them would go through the underground together. This is not a pacifist run. Sans pulls his knees closer to his chest, staring listlessly out at the snow. There's no point trying to fight his fate if he's meant to die. There's nothing he can do to stop it. Sans can feel his HOPE dissipating. He lays in the snow for several minutes with these thoughts.

Abruptly, Sans snaps his eyes fully open. Fate. That reminds him of something. Something very important. Sans isn't this Sans. Fate. He remembers playing a skeleton with two gold teeth and a harsh attitude. He remembers dozens of other faces gathered in the same place. All of them were actively changing their fates. This Little Horror Sans' story is supposed to end him here until the next reset. He'll die again, and again, and again in various awful ways without remembering the resets. Is Sans really okay with that?

The Little Horror's determination is gone, but Sans finds that he's not done yet. Slowly and painfully, he sits up. He's never tried to defy his fate before. The paths are supposed to be set in stone. The unknowing-ness of it all terrifies Sans. He's never made his own decision before, and yet, knowing that others are doing it gives him strength.

Sans doesn't want to be in this horrible AU anymore. He doesn't want this Little Horror to be in this AU after Sans is gone. He wants out, and knows that it can be done. Sans also knows that he can't do it by himself. That extra ability that Red has is not accessible by a copy. He has to find help.

Beyond the magic abilities of his hosts, Sans has very little power. Why should he without a body of his own? Sans can't ever remember using his own magic before, but in this moment, he recognizes exactly what he has to do. Sans leans against a tree for support and tries to focus on the part of him that's not connected to this AU. The pain makes it hard to focus.

The magic that's usually tightly coiled in his soul starts to unravel. Sans' own magic can't attack or heal. Instead, he can send it in a wave through the AU's codes, and then beyond it. If he can remember them, Sans can find anyone he needs to. He knows this even though it's the first time he's used this power. Sans sends his magic to find someone that he knows will help. In hazy flashes, Sans remembers another skeleton with sad eyes who looked at him and saw through the form he was wearing. No one has ever recognized him before.

Far, far into the Multiverse, Sans feels his magic delicately wrap around another magic source before dissipating. He waits in anticipation for something to happen. As sure as Sans was moments ago, doubt creeps in. Is this really the right thing to do? Is it okay to defy the Little Horror's Fate? Before Sans can second guess himself any further, a wave of magic enters the AU and, in a sense, bounces and reflects off of his own soul. It's a response to the same sort of "ping" Sans had just sent out. He's coming.

Sans doesn't have to wait long. A dark and glitching portal fills the air with static as it forms. Out steps a tall skeleton with black bones. Even though Sans called out to him, it takes his fractured memory a moment to remember the other's name.

Error looks around the clearing in confusion. He's not quite sure why he came. Error was in the middle of destroying an AU, and dropped everyone to follow the magic source that called out to him for help. Error will never ignore someone who calls for help. His own cries were ignored during his time in the Antivoid. Error is just confused to have someone call to him, the Destroyer of Worlds. When Error spots the small skeleton, propped against a tree and staring at him with big eye lights, he's struck by a sense of familiarity.

"whO arE YOu?" Error asks again. It's the same question he asked of the Undertale Sans that fell into the void.

Sans doesn't answer right away. He doesn't have a name of his own. It's never been a problem until now. But Error knows that Sans isn't this Little Horror. Error can see, and answered when Sans called to him. "Call me......." he starts quietly, "..... My name is Soul." It's fitting enough.

"SouL", Error repeats, scanning the other. He's wary of some kind of trap after so many years in his line of work. Error takes in Soul's ruined arm and the cracks on his ankle. If this is some sort of trap, it's the worst plan yet. Error relaxes a tad and steps closer. "wHy....... You'Re diffErent," Error eventually says. He's having a hard time putting his feelings into words. Soul's presence doesn't fit this AU, yet his appearance and most of his code matches.

"....... Yes." Soul's not sure how to start. He's never had to explain his situation to anyone before. It's hard enough just to keep himself present and not slip into the Little Horror's character. "Everyday, I am someone different," Soul finally says. He tries to wipe the tears off his face in embarrassment. "I don't know when it started, and it's hard to remember what happened yesterday."

This is a difficult concept to grasp. Error tries to understand, suddenly remembering the Undertale Sans. It was Soul. And Soul called Error by a title that's been forgotten for centuries. There was a time long ago when monsters didn't tremble at Error's name. Could Soul really be from that age? He's not afraid of Error, and called for the god's help, just like those monsters used to do. Error is curious to figure out this mystery. More than that, Error feels an obligation to do what his old title once stood for. "WhAt do yoU neeD me foR? wHat caN I help witH?"

Soul looks back up at Error, overwhelmed by his gratefulness. He starts to cry again without meaning to. All this stress is too much for a young monster to take. "I don't wanna be here," Soul sniffles, trying to speak clearly. "Will you destroy my AU? This isn't- I can't be here anymore. No one should be here." Just minutes ago, Sans was ready to die. He still feels it coming in an unsettling fog. It's so, so hard to differentiate himself from the Little Horror.

Error can't hide his look of surprise. No one has ever asked him to destroy their AU. Even if Soul isn't actually part of this world, he seems to understand and feel the weight of what he's asking. Error is still unsure of why he has such an interest. Destroying this awful AU would save him some time. This, he will happily do. What Erorr doesn't quite understand is why he chooses to make a quick detour. "CaN yoU stand?" he asks flatly.

A little startled, Soul looks back up at the other through tears. "Maybe?" he sniffles. Soul uses the tree to stand, but any weight on his fractured ankle is impossible for him to manage. He might have been able to bear it if only he were a little older. Soul's arm is also continuing to bleed. He's in pretty bad shape.

Sighing a little in annoyance, Error drags a hand across his face. Vibrant strings follow his fingers. In a smooth motion, Error uses these strings to grab Soul. The smaller monster gasps in surprise, but he doesn't fight or get scared.

"SuRe, I'll deStroy tHis AU. Saves mE the trouBle of finDing another," Error shrugs, "but I'll drop yOu off iN the OmeGa TimeLine first." He's no longer weary of a trap, and for some reason, the idea of letting Soul go down with the AU bothers him. He's already made it out of the void once after Undertale, but Error doesn't feel like testing Soul's resilience.

"What's the Omega Timeline?" Soul asks. He's starting to calm down from his crying fit, but his injuries still ache. The strings wrapped around his soul tickle.

"It'S ruN by soMe glitChed out frIsk. If you're inSide wHen youR AU fInisHes collApsing, you won't gO dowN wiTh it."

"I.... don't have to die?" Soul asks, teary sockets wide open in surprise. The Little Horror is fully willing to die to make the pain stop. Soul's mind keeps mixing with their's, and he's already forgotten that he'd live through it regardless.

"nO." Error uses his strings to pull Soul into a portal that he's summoned. He pauses for a moment and sets him down rather carefully on the other side. Why does he feel such consideration for this strange monster? "CorE wilL finD you quicK enough. She'lL take yoU to a heaLer." Without another word, Error starts to turn away and close the portal.

"Wait!" Soul shouts, reaching out. Error, surprisingly, stops. "Will you come find me again? When I'm in another AU?" Soul is a little embarrassed to ask. "I'll forget you if you don't remind me, and..... I don't want to do that." His throat is starting to hurt from all the talking. No one in Snowdin is looking for a conversation with a weak monster like him. Soul's existence is lonely sometimes. It happens when he remembers how disconnected he actually is from his temporary life. Error is the first person to ever know of it.

Error gives Soul a bewildered look. The only people who ever want him around are the other 'villians' of the Multiverse. Even then, those relationships started as mutual protection. Why would someone so peaceful like Soul want his company? Error doesn't like making promises. As far as he can remember, Error has only ever made one promise in his centuries of existence. It hurts to break that promise, even after all this time. Error shys away from another such commitment, but Soul's existence intrigues him.

".......... I'll think about it," Error mutters blandly. He glances one last time at the small, injured Skelton monster before snapping the portal closed.