Error did not go looking for Soul in the next reset, nor the one after that. Soul lost track after that. The memories trickled away like sand through his fingers, and he forgot that he even had his own name, nevermind the dark-boned god.

All Sans knew was the sun on his back and the wind whistling through his feathers. The Underground has no real sun, but Sans has been told that if he flies close enough to the lava rocks in hotland, the feeling comes close. There's no wind in their prison, either, only dead air rushing past Sans' wings.

The younger monsters have no idea of what it's like to fly without the risk of hitting rock. They've never known the open sky. It's hard to miss a feeling he's never experienced, but Sans dreams of fluffy clouds and playful rainstorms that the elders speak of. One day, he prays that his younger brother will get to fly among the stars in the night sky.

Lost in thought, Sans' powerful wings still. The dead air is difficult to glide on. By the time Sans snaps back to attention, he's feet away from smacking into the wall of the large cavern. He yelps and covers his face. A burst of magic plucks him from the sky as he shortcuts on instinct. The magic disorients him, and Sans finds himself plummeting down a hole with rock on either side. The space is barely enough for him to spread his wings. The Underground is full of wide spaces and narrow, twisting passages that only the best fliers dare use.

The challenge does not scare Sans. He grins as he continues to free fall, wings tucked in tight. The tunnel gives way to a circular space filled with holes that lead to even more confusing passageways. Echo flowers grow in the looser soil and light the way. Sans has been flying through this labyrinth for his entire life. He knows exactly which one to take. He pulls out of his dive and angles his wings just so to shoot into the next tunnel. This space is even narrower than the last. Sans has to pull his wings closer to himself or risk shattering them on the rocks. It's exhausting work, but challenging. The tunnel curves and bends slightly in places, giving Sans barely enough room to maneuver.

The gloom is abruptly pushed back as the light of a larger cave greets Sans. He shoots out of the tunnel near the ceiling and once again lets himself fall. The air here is colder, but it comes as a relief with how hard Sans has worked his wings this morning. Snow that never melts is covering the cave floor like a blanket. Before he can fall too far, Sans opens up his wings and circles the small forest lazily. He's meant to patrol for humans for most of the day, but what human would ever try to come down here? To a prison?

A shiver runs down Sans' spine. A human is going to fall today. The certainty of it unsettles Sans. He has no idea where the thought came from. No longer enjoying his lazy pace, Sans turns to the cavern wall and lands. The ledge is narrow, but long enough to spread his wings and easily take off. This spot also has a nice view of the only path cutting through the forest. Why would the monsters build many roads when the sky is their true domain? Sans is too nervous now to sit and stares down at the path. A dark feeling of dread strangles him, but he has no clue why.

A tentative pressure alights against Sans' chest. He mistakes it for a slight draft coming from some fissure in the rock at first. When the pressure comes again, stronger and seemingly more sure of itself, Sans flinches. He looks around the area but sees nothing. It's not fear that made him jump, but surprise. The magic pressure hitting and bouncing back off his soul is somehow familiar. The dread that Sans had been feeling moments ago fades. Not quite sure what he's doing, Sans gathers up a wisp of magic. This magic seems....... different from what he uses for shortcuts or bones. He can't remember using it before. In an invisible wave, Sans lets that magic lose to spread out far beyond this cavern. An answering burst comes back almost immediately.

Accompanied by the sound of static, a distortion appears in the air. It crackles and twists as it grows. The array of dark colors clash and fight with one another. Wings tucked in tight, Sans can't take his eyes off the strange anomaly. The glitching portal grows larger and larger. A portal? Where did that come from?

Sure enough, another monster steps out of the portal and immediately locks eyes with Sans. Birdtale. Error thought his senses were fooling him when he sensed Soul in this AU copy. The Sans across from him grins lazily at Error without recognition. The blue flying goggles and dark, feathered wings are nothing like the Little Horror Error had encountered before. And yet, this Sans looks at him without fear.

"Nice of you to drop by, stranger," Sans smiles, "What brings you all the way out here? Being so far from Snowdin, there's not much air traffic." Sans seems to completely ignore the fact that Error doesn't have wings. All monsters have wings. The AU's code tells him so, and that's what Sans believes.

"wE've meT beFore, Soul," Error says bluntly. He's not even sure why he came.

"I think that I'd remember such an interesting guy as you-" Sans starts, but quickly stops. His lazy smile drops. Error can practically see the gears grinding against each other in this Sans' head. Soul really can't escape the influence of other's memories. Error assumed the other was bluffing about the intensity of it. Sans stares for a full minute before he gains some clarity. His smile returns, but infinitely more genuine.

"Error!" Soul shouts happily, wings quivering in excitement, "Hey, how have you been? What were you up to yesterday?" Soul is under the impression that it's only been a couple days since they last met. His dramatic shift from quiet and apathetic to upbeat is off putting to Error.

"......... DeatrOying," Error says flatly. What is he supposed to say? Why did he come here again? Error finds himself unreasonably curious about this monster.

"Oh, that makes sense," Soul hums, not alarmed by Error's words. Soul's eyes stray back to the trail below the cliff. He turns fully away from Error to get a better look.

"whAt arE you loOking at?" Error grumbles. He's a little annoyed at being ignored so abruptly.

".......A human is going to fall today," Soul mumbles. He continues to stare down at the path.

"So? ThEre's a huMan in eveRy AU," Error shrugs. He doesn't see the relevance when neither of them are actually part of the AU.

Soul has never had anyone to discuss the resets with. Usually, he can forget about them and enjoy the good parts of that day's world. "The human is going to kill my brother." Soul's voice cracks at the end, and Error is reminded of the other's strange condition. It's difficult to tell what part of him is Soul and what part is this Birdtale Sans.

"ThAt's noT you'rE brothEr," Error states bluntly.

Soul flinches. He turns to look at Error, and he seems to regain a bit of clarity. "Today he is," Soul says, becoming more embarrassed, "Uh, sorry. Sometimes it's hard to tell what I feel. Since I'm in this AU, I feel everything and do everything that this Sans should. Today, Papyrus is my brother. And that human is going to kill him."

The distress in Soul's voice makes Error slightly more empathetic. "Well, maYbe it'll be a paSsive ruN?"

Soul shakes his head. "If it's not a completely peaceful AU, then it's always a genocide route when I'm here."

"tHen why don'T yoU do sometHing abOUt it?" Error raises an eyebrow. His tone is rather rude, but Soul doesn't seem to notice or care.

"....... I'm not supposed to change my fate," Soul says quietly.

Soul's choice of words make Error stiffen. Could Soul know more than he's letting on? As far as Error knows, only two beings in the multiverse are supposed to know about Fate, including himself. "iF you haVe the cHancE to cHange it, you sHouLd," Error replies bluntly, "dIDn't yOU alrEady change fATE in LitTle HorROrtale?"

"I did?" Soul turns to look at Error, clearly confused. He doesn't remember all the details of their first encounter.

"IdiOt," Error spits out. Once again, the insult rolls right off Soul's shoulders. He somehow understands that cold anger and annoyance is Error's default setting.

Movement below catches the twos' attention. Just like Soul predicted, a human is walking down the forest road. A fine, white powder brushes off their clothes as they walk. Soul whimpers quietly at the sight. Just once, he'd like to be wrong.

"I have to go", Soul tells the other quietly before slipping off the ledge. Error watches in disbelief as Soul willing marches to his death. In the end, it might be a good thing that Soul can hardly remember what happened yesterday. Endless genocides tend to drive Sanses crazy. It's only the relieving pacifist that separates AUs like Birdtale from Dusttale. As Soul's wings carry him down to the ground, his expression shifts into something calm and oblivious. When he lands in the path, Sans gives the human a lazy smile.

"Human, you're a long way from home, aren't you? Don't you know how to greet a new pal?" Sans repeats the dialogue that's expected of him, and holds out his hand. He meets the human's eyes without any alarm. The human is smirking at him. A shiver of cold runs down Sans's spine. He knows those cold eyes. The human slowly entends their dust covered hand to take Sans's. Movement from the corner of his eye makes Sans turn his head slightly. Error is still watching. Sans turns back to the human, seeing nothing but their LOVE. Soul doesn't want to touch them. He jerks his hand back and raises the other as magic blazes in his right eye. A cage of blue bones, thick enough to kill the human if they try to pass through, springs from the ground and entraps the true monster. Soul pants slightly and stares at the cage in shock. That wasn't part of the script.

"wHy do yoU get tO Fight fATE when HE couLdn't, iN thE enD?" Error mutters from behind Soul. He teleported down to the path once the human wouldn't be able to see him.

"What?" Soul asks, still flustered. He couldn't quite make out Error's mutterings.

Error doesn't repeat himself. "wHat do yOU wanT to dO now? i'M not wasTing mY time ofF in thE middLe of a forEst". Error doesn't know why he wants to hear Soul's opinion on the matter. He'd much rather be in Outertale than Birdtale.

Soul slowly turns to look at Error. He's never had the chance to do what he wants. Soul has to think for a moment before he comes up with anything.

"I want some Nicecream."