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Alphys’s hands trembled as she looked down at the letter in her hands. She re-read it, though it shook so badly she could only catch a few of the phrases.
… to inform you that you have been selected… apprentice to the Royal Scientist… welcome you to the Core… signed, Dr. W.D. Gaster
Scrawled below that was a signature so indecipherable that Alphys thought it might be in another language. She’d already read the letter enough times to memorize it on her trip from the quiet edges of the underground to the capital. Everything of value that she owned was packed tightly in the sack on her back. She’d been thrilled when she received the news that she’d been accepted to the position. Her father, who’d expected her to take over the family bug-hunting business, was… less enthusiastic.
Alphys folded the letter up and tucked it back into her pocket, trying not to think about the awful things her father had shouted as she’d packed. This was what she wanted to do. She loved science. She’d thought her parent would at least be happy for her. She’d thought wrongly, it seemed.
“Tra la la. We’re here.” Alphys stepped off the boat carefully and turned to thank the river person for the ride. “Tra la la. Puns make good friends.”
“Thank y- wait, what?”
But they were already gone.
Alphys blinked a few times at the suddenly empty space in the river. “That was… weird.” Well. No time like the present to move on, right? The CORE loomed in the distance, and, beyond that, the Capital. It looked different from the way it had when she’d been a little girl living here. Weren’t places supposed to look smaller as you grew up? To Alphys, the Capital looked bigger than ever even though it was so far off. The CORE looked more than big, it looked terrifying. “This is what you wanted,” she reminded herself. “You were chosen for this once-in-a-lifetime apprenticeship, Alphy. Pull yourself together!” Still, it took her another couple of minutes to gather the courage to start walking.
With each step she took, her nervousness began to give way to excitement. She was really here! She was really going to meet the Doctor Gaster, creator of the CORE. She was going to be his student! Alphys found it easier to straighten her shoulders and walk proudly toward the structure. She wasn’t even really sure it could be considered a building. It looked more like a compound, or a maze, pieces fitting together like an elaborate puzzle. The design was a marvel; Alphys wondered if she would be allowed to explore it in its entirety, learn what made it tick.
Inside, it seemed like the paths did indeed branch of in a mazelike pattern. There was an elevator with a sign next to it that - thankfully - turned out to be a directory of sorts. “... maybe this can tell me where the lab is?”
Alphys took a closer look at it and reflexively scrunched her nose. According to this directory, the lab… existed in three different places simultaneously.
“That can’t be right,” she murmured.
“yeah, it’s not. the lab is on the left.”
Alphys squeaked , turning toward the sudden voice beside her. The skeleton that had spoken - at least, she hoped it was him that had spoken - grinned sheepishly. “Sorry, didn’t mean to rattle your bones.”
She couldn’t help the snort that came out. The skeleton grinned a little more genuinely in response. “S’okay,” she said weakly. Then, a little more confidently, “On a scale of one to ten, that was only about a five, tibi-honest.” He chuckled. He seemed nice enough, Alphys supposed. “Say, you wouldn’t, uh, mind helping me, would you?”
He shrugged. “Depends on what it is, I guess.”
That was… fair. “I’m looking for Dr. Gaster. I’m here about the, uh, apprenticeship?” She reached into her pocket and gestured a little with the letter. The smile fell from the skeleton’s face almost immediately and Alphys backpedaled fast. “I-I- I mean, don’t worry about it! I’m s-sure I’ll find him eventually!”
The skeleton rubbed a hand over his face. “eh, don’t worry. i can take you right to his office. hes probably there right now.” He smiled at her again, though this one definitely looked fake. “... could have sworn he said he was only taking on one apprentice though.”
“What was that?”
“nothing.” Funny. Alphys definitely thought that sounded like a Something. Had… had he been expecting the apprenticeship? “follow me.”
She did.
The skeleton led her through so many hallways, Alphys was sure she’d never memorize them all. At one point, she was pretty sure they’d passed through the same hallway twice. She wanted to ask the skeleton if he really knew where he was going, but she didn’t want to be rude. She strangely felt like she could trust him. Even if it did seem like he was just leading her around in circles.
Eventually, they came to a stop outside a door that was labeled “Dr. W.D. Gaster, Royal Scientist.”
Behind the door, there was a voice, rising and falling like someone was having a conversation. Alphys listened close to see if there was anyone else, but… huh. Just the one voice.The skeleton knocked on the door.
A pause in the voice, and then that same voice called out a clear “COME IN!”
The door swung open and the skeleton gestured for Alphys to go first. She stepped into the office. As if in contrast to the clinical, mechanical appearance of the rest of the CORE, the office was warm and homey. Rugs covered the hard floor. A child’s drawings hung on the walls around the rich, cluttered desk. There was even a fireplace, lit with what looked like fire magic.
Doctor Gaster paced around in front of a plush-looking couch. He was also a skeleton, but tall and thin where Alphys’s guide was short and squat. The doctor had a phone cupped to his face, and he looked contented as he listened to whomever was on the other end of the line. He moved away from the couch and gestured for Alphys to sit. The other skeleton sat as well.
“OF COURSE, SON.” Gaster’s voice was oddly lilting, with a wobbling cadence, though the strange sound was not unpleasant. “MAKE SURE YOU REMEMBER TO EAT BEFORE YOU GO PRACTICE, YES?” A pause, then “ABSOLUTELY, PAPYRUS. I LOVE YOU TOO.” The doctor chuckled as he hung up the phone. “AH, YOU MUST BE ALPHYS, YES?”
“Yes, Doctor. It-it’s an honor to meet you.”
Gaster flapped his hands. Alphys noted that his hands were longer than she expected, his fingers spindly and thin. “PLEASE, NONE OF THAT. THAT’S TOO FORMAL FOR WORKING TOGETHER, DON’T YOU THINK?” He smiled, tugging a bit at the neck of his sweater. “YOU CAN CALL ME W.D., IF YOU’RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT. GASTER IS PERFECTLY FINE IF YOU’RE NOT.”
Alphys swallowed. “I’ll be h-honest. That may take some g-g-getting used to, Doctor Gaster.”
“THAT’LL DO FOR NOW.” He turned toward them suddenly, abruptly, clasping his hands behind his back. Alphys sat up straighter reflexively; beside her, the other skeleton did the same. “I KNOW YOU’RE PROBABLY ITCHING WITH QUESTIONS BY NOW, SANS.” So that was the other skeleton’s name! Alphys would have felt bad about not asking, but then again, he didn’t ask for her name either. “I’M SURE YOU BOTH KNOW THAT HISTORICALLY THE ROYAL SCIENTIST WILL TAKE ON ONLY ONE APPRENTICE AT A TIME.” That was something Alphys remembered vaguely from her history lessons. It was a tradition that had existed since before monsters were banished from the surface. Gaster continued on. “MY WORK IS NOT SO EASILY PASSED DOWN, HOWEVER, AND THE KING HAS GRANTED ME SPECIAL DISPENSATION FOR TWO APPRENTICES.”
Two apprentices? Alphys looked from the doctor to Sans in confusion, and she was gratified that Sans looked about as confused as she felt.
“two apprentices? what exactly have you been working on, w.d.?”
Alphys flinched on reflex. Hearing THE Doctor Gaster, spoken to so casually… the man was a living legend. He’d almost single-handedly provided lighting and power to the entirety of the underground. The doctor didn’t seem to catch her motion, but Sans did, and he gave her a questioning look.
Gaster tipped his head. “I HAVE A FAIRLY DIVIDED INTEREST BETWEEN THE SPACE/TIME CONTINUUM AND THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE CORE. SANS, I KNOW YOU’VE BEEN STUDYING QUANTUM PHYSICS- DON’T LOOK SO SURPRISED,” Sans really had looked surprised. “I CAN PAY ATTENTION TO SOMETHING OTHER THAN MY EXPERIMENTS.”
“and papyrus,” Sans added.
Gaster nodded, as if this addition was absolutely necessary. “ALPHYS, I’VE READ SOME OF YOUR PAPERS. YOU SEEM PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THE CO-RELATION BETWEEN MAGICAL ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY.”
Now Sans was regarding her with curiosity. Alphys wondered how a skull could emote so clearly. She shifted nervously in place. “I’ve st-studied robotics a little as well, but that’s nothing special.” She wrung her claws together. “I’ve always wondered how the CORE functions, and… the conversion of magical energy through geothermal harnesses… well, it’s something that could maybe be rebuilt at… a smaller scale… and instead of using magma it… could be using-” Alphys stopped herself cold. Here she was, rambling on about her favorite subject, to the man who should probably be credited for the founding of the subject in the first place.
But Gaster looked delighted . “AH, THERE’S THE PASSIONATE SCIENTIST I SAW IN THOSE PAPERS.” He clapped his hands together. “IF IT’S NOT TOO MUCH OF AN INCONVENIENCE, ALPHYS, YOU’LL NEED TO LIVE SOMEWHERE CLOSER TO THE LABS. SANS AND I BOTH LIVE IN THE CAPITAL-”
“w.d. basically lives here,” sans interjected.
“AND THERE ARE EXTRA DORMS HERE, IF YOU’D RATHER LIVE ON SITE. SANS JOKES, BUT HE HAS A ROOM HERE AS WELL.”
Considering the last conversation she’d had with her father, living in the dorms was sounding like her only option. Not that she minded. If she had her own lab, she’d honestly probably just live in it. “The dorms sound like a good idea,” she said softly. “I like being close to my work anyway.”
Damn, Sans was giving her that curious look again. She ignored him, focusing on the doctor. “YOU’VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND I’D LIKE TO GET AN EARLY START TOMORROW.” Gaster turned to the desk and back a few times, as if he couldn’t quite gather his thoughts. “SANS, CAN YOU SHOW ALPHYS TO THE DORMS? SHE PROBABLY DOESN’T KNOW THE LAYOUT OF THE CORE YET.”
“does anyone?” sans asked, but he still stood up and shoved his hands into his pockets. “c’mon, alphys, and be a maze d at my navigating skills.”
Despite herself, Alphys snickered. Gaster beamed, and even Sans looked a little pleased.
Gaster laid a hand on her shoulder as she passed by toward the door. “I THINK YOU’RE GOING TO DO JUST FINE HERE, ALPHYS. WELCOME TO THE FAMILY.”
She was a little weird, this newly-accepted apprentice.
Sans lead Alphys on a much straighter path this time, mostly because he was no longer feeling bitter or jealous of her gaining the apprenticeship. Gaster had said he wasn’t going to play favorites but, even so, Sans had a major leg up in his application, considering he’d been secretly studying Gaster’s own work since he’d been old enough to even vaguely comprehend it. But Alphys… she must’ve had some serious promise, and it had clearly showed when she was talking about her stuff. She seemed a little shy though.
“S-so, you study quantum physics?” Or maybe it was just that she was shy about personal stuff. She seemed like she couldn’t stop bringing up their studies. “I’ve always th-thought it was a valid branch of study, but kinda needlessly complicated. Um.” She stumbled, both over her words and over her own feet. Sans didn’t comment. “Not that it’s not interesting, if you’re into that kind of thing. Which, ah, I guess you are. Um.”
Sans could throw her a bone, he supposed. “i never could get into robotics. too much tech behind it.” He shrugged as he walked. “more of a theory guy myself.”
“I’m basically the opposite,” Alphys said. It was like he’d thrown her a life preserver; the relief in her voice was so obvious it was almost awkward. Or, it would have been, if Sans cared about that sort of thing. “I love working on projects hands-on, but anything beyond applicable theory kinda gets mushy in my head after a while.”
Sans nodded. “yeah, i like doing a whole lot of nothing, so if i can talk circles around a theoretical problem rather than jump in and fix it myself…”
“You like your science to be sans-off?”
The pun caught him off guard and he laughed. She snickered with him. Well, maybe she was a little weird, but at least she had a decent sense of humor. Sans led her to the dorms. The central room was circular, a large living space with a little kitchen and a cozy reading area. It was cluttered but otherwise clean, a feat that Sans attributed to one of the silent workers of the CORE rather than any effort put in by himself or Gaster. Around the walls were rooms with names above the doors. Sans wasn’t surprised to see that one of the rooms already had her name hanging above it.
“feel free to poke around the common areas. any food in the kitchen without someone’s name on it is free game.” He gestured toward what had been designated as her room. “so, yeah, looks like w.d. got you all set up already.” She winced again when he spoke. What bugged her so much about him calling Gaster by W.D.? “if you wanna go check out the labs before the doc gets up, which i doubt you’ll be able to considering he’ll fall asleep in them, just remember that the labs are to the left.”
“Got it.” Sans grabbed her wrist before she could walk toward her room. He wasn’t sure he’d made it clear to her, and even if he didn’t feel like putting effort into explaining he certainly didn't want her getting lost and accidentally wandering into the CORE’s inner workings. “S-Sans?”
“no matter which direction you’re coming from, the labs are always on the left. did you notice we took the right path toward the office? and then right again to come here? if you go left, you’ll end up in the labs instead.” She blinked. “dont ask me how it works, it’s all a lot of theory that even i need the doc to explain to me.”
She tugged her arm out of his grip and he let her. “O-Okay?” She offered what looked like a placating smile. Or maybe she was aiming for hey-I’m-not-mad-you’re-acting-like-an-ass. “I’m not big on theory anyway. Just, go left for the labs… and right for everything else?”
“yeah.”
He waited until she had headed into her new room, and then back turned around and went right out the door of the dorms. Gaster was probably still in his office. It usually took him a few minutes to collect himself before he could move on to something else unless it was a new project.
Sans didn’t even bother knocking before he stepped in.
Gaster was standing exactly where he’d been standing when they’d left, hovering near his desk and staring at the fireplace. Gaster had said it was a useless extravagance, but it soothed him and so it could stay. He ended up staring into the flames a lot, when he was thinking. He didn’t turn to look at the door when Sans stepped in. “I KNEW YOU’D BE BACK BY TONIGHT.”
Sans offered a noncommittal “hm.”
Gaster did tip his head a bit to look at Sans, then, his mouth curling up in a sly smile. “I TOLD YOU THAT I WASN’T GOING TO PLAY FAVORITES WHEN I PICKED AN APPRENTICE.”
Sans snorted. “you just changed a centuries-long precedent with the kings permission.”
Gaster turned back toward the fire. “MY STUDIES ARE VARIED ENOUGH THAT IT WOULD BE SAFEST TO SPLIT THEM BETWEEN TWO STUDENTS. AFTER ALL, YOU HAVE NO INTEREST IN ELECTROMAGICAL CONVERSION. AND THE BLASTERS ALONE WOULD STRAIN YOUR BODY TO THE MAXIMUM BOUNDARIES OF YOUR MAGIC WITHOUT ADDING TECHNICAL STUDIES TO YOUR PLATE.”
“you’re saying that like i should understand it.” Sans did understand it, though, from his covert studies. Gaster had been working on some seriously experimental magic. It tied into slipspace theory enough so that Sans had read all he could on that, too.
Gaster gave him a Look.
Sans raised his hands defensively. “alright, alright, you know me well enough.” He put his hands back into his pockets and toed the corner of a rug with his slipper. “i’m heading home for the night. somebody’s gotta read papyrus his bedtime story.”
It didn’t come out accusing only because Sans truly enjoyed taking care of his brother, but there was still enough of an edge to it that Gaster stiffened. “SON…”
Sans sighed. “nah, don’t worry about it. i’m just tired, is all. might’ve scared the new girl too. i’ll just… go home and get some sleep.”
“SON.” Gaster moved like he might embrace Sans, but instead settled for a hand on his shoulder. Sans appreciated the restraint. He got a little touchy when he was tired, and usually only Papyrus could get away unscathed. “I LOVE YOU, MY SON. YOU KNOW THIS.”
Sans very pointedly did not sigh. “i know. i’m really just tired. i just need a good night’s sleep. i promise.” He reached up and squeezed Gaster’s hand. “i love you too.”
Gaster seemed almost… surprised, at Sans’s words. Had he really gotten that distant recently? He’d been throwing himself into his studies, but just because he didn’t declare it from the rooftops every time they spoke didn’t mean he didn’t love his father. He made a mental note to bring it up more often.
Sans stopped in the doorway on his way out. He turned back- for what purpose, he wasn’t sure- but Gaster had already turned his attention toward something else. He hunched over his desk, flipping through some stack of notes.
Quietly, Sans left.