True Infinity

Confusion seethed in Infinite's mind as he tried to recall the events leading up to his loss of consciousness. He looked back at the skeleton, who had been asleep but now seemed to have awakened. Repeating his words with a sharper edge, Infinite demanded, "Where am I, and who exactly are you? I suggest you better not attempt to lie to me."

Sans looked momentarily surprised at the jackal's forceful tone. "Not a very nice thing to say to the guy who helped put your soul back together, pal."

Infinite's eyes narrowed in confusion. "My soul? What are you talking about? Are you saying you tampered with the essence of my being?"

His voice was laced with anger, the implications sparking a dangerous edge in his tone. Sensing the rising tension, Sans raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Look, bud, I get that you're upset about having your soul messed with, especially without your say-so. But we didn't have much of a choice—you were on the verge of death. We couldn't just leave you there to dust."

Infinite's irritation didn't fully dissipate, but he managed to calm down slightly as he processed Sans's words. Dust? What does he mean by that? he wondered but dismissed the thought. There were more pressing matters. He needed to leave and get his bearings—he had no intention of being beholden to anyone again.

Attempting to teleport away, Infinite was met with a sharp pain in his chest, causing him to nearly collapse. Sans quickly moved to steady him, his expression shifting to concern. "Whoa, bud, that ain't a good idea. You're in no state to be using magic—like, at all."

Infinite growled, swatting Sans's hand away with a look of disdain. "Don't touch me."

Sans frowned slightly, his thoughts turning inward. What the heck is this guy's problem? Serious trust issues with this one.

Infinite exhaled slowly, realizing that anger wouldn't get him the answers he needed. Normally, he'd just rip the information from the skeleton's mind, but with his powers currently unavailable, he opted for a different approach. "Exactly how long have I been out? And how long until I'm able to use my 'magic' again?"

Sans raised a bone brow at the sudden shift in demeanor before offering a slight grin. "Not sure, tibia honest. Who knows? Maybe you'll be stuck with my humerus jokes forever."

Infinite's confusion deepened as he tried to make sense of the puns, his hand clenching in frustration at the lack of a direct answer. "Are you going to answer my question seriously, or are you just going to keep joking around?"

Sans maintained his casual smile as he responded, "Well since you asked so nicely, I'll give Al a call to check on you and see how you're doing. After that, well, who knows—depends on what she finds."

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He left Infinite alone for a moment, raising his phone to his face and dialing Alphys.

"Sans? Why are you calling me right now?" Alphys's voice crackled through the speaker.

"The guy I've been looking after just woke up, and let me tell you, he's not exactly Mr. Friendly. Looked like he wanted to break every bone in my body, and that was with that mask covering his face."

"Oh, so it's a he, then? That's concerning, but if he's awake, I'll need to run some check-ups to ensure everything's okay. He hasn't tried using his magic yet, has he? He mustn't until he's fully healed."

"Sorta. He tried, but I stopped him before he could hurt himself. Didn't seem to like me touching him much, though."

"I see. I'll be there shortly. See you soon."

"See ya."

Meanwhile, Infinite fumed, hating how vulnerable he felt. More troubling was the Phantom Ruby embedded in his chest. He could tell it wasn't a mere replica but the genuine article. How it had reattached itself to him in this strange universe was a mystery, but one he intended to solve. Then, he would use this world for everything it was worth to exact his revenge.

Sans returned to the living room to find Infinite rubbing the gem on his chest. The sight of it made Sans uneasy; the gem exuded an odd sensation that didn't sit right with him.

"Anyway, I'm back. Al's on her way to give you a check-up, see how you're doing, and how long it'll take for you to fully recover. In the meantime, is there anything you need?"

Infinite's gaze was steady. "For now, no. But your name—I would know it."

Sans chuckled softly. "Right, how could I forget? Name's Sans. Sans the Skeleton. And you?"

"Infinite."

"Infinite? Interesting name, but hey, I'm not one to judge. Usually, that is."

Infinite remained silent, his expression unreadable. The silence grew, making Sans slightly uncomfortable.

"So, my bro found you collapsed during one of his jogs. Care to explain how that happened?"

"No."

"Okay... So, any family or friends I should call to let them know you're okay?"

"No."

"Oookaay... What's the deal with that gem in your chest? I've been getting a weird feeling from it."

"That's none of your concern. Stop asking questions."

Sans couldn't help but feel a twinge of irritation at Infinite's stand-offish demeanor. Deciding to pass the time, he teleported briefly, reappearing with a book in hand. This startled Infinite, though he quickly masked his surprise. 'So, he can teleport. Interesting, but nothing impressive,' Infinite thought to himself.

Sans settled into a chair by the couch, snickering occasionally as he read, much to Infinite's growing annoyance. Before long, a knock was heard at the door, followed by the entrance of a yellow, anthropomorphic lizard carrying a small tablet.

Alphys approached Infinite cautiously, his low growl making her uneasy. She felt a nervous sweat form under his sharp gaze, but she steeled herself, determined to conduct the necessary tests.

As she used her tablet to perform scans on Infinite's body, he watched the diminutive scientist closely. She seemed harmless enough—just another small creature relying on her intellect rather than strength, unlike the skeleton, who likely had a few tricks up his sleeve. To Infinite, she was no threat.

The scans were completed, revealing that Infinite's soul had healed faster than expected, though there were a few anomalies in his body that she would need to examine further. Most concerning, however, were the strange readings coming from the gem in his chest. As Alphys moved closer to scan the gem more thoroughly, Infinite's hand shot out, gripping her arm tightly. He began to squeeze.

"What do you think you're doing, Doctor?" he snarled.

Alphys winced, her voice trembling. "W-what? Please, let go. T-that hurts."

"Were you trying to tamper with the gem in my chest?" Infinite's voice was cold, a dangerous edge to it.

"I-I was just trying to scan it, to see the effects it has on your soul and body. I didn't mean any harm, I'm sorry."

Infinite's grip tightened slightly. "You didn't mean any harm? You have some gall saying that when you tried to meddle with the one thing keeping me alive."

Seeing this, Sans intervened, his voice taking on a serious tone. "Hey, let her go. Now."

Infinite's eyes narrowed. "Or what?"

Sans's usual laid-back demeanor vanished, his eyelights dimming ominously. "Because if ya don't… you're gonna have a bad time."

A faint, unsettling sense of danger washed over Infinite, causing him to hesitate. Finally, he released Alphys's arm. "Fine, have it your way. But don't touch it again. Understood?"

Alphys nodded quickly, rubbing her throbbing arm. She hadn't realized how important the gem was to him; if she had, she would never have tried to touch it.

"I-I'm going to head to the lab and input this data into the central computer," Alphys stammered, still shaken.

Infinite watched her, a flicker of amusement crossing his features at her obvious fear. Good—maybe now she would learn to mind her own business.

"I'm coming with ya, Al," Sans said, his tone more relaxed but still firm. "Need to cool down a bit. Plus, I'm curious about what you found. Don't worry about Infinite—I doubt he's going anywhere."

"Awfully bold of you to assume that," Infinite muttered.

"Am I wrong?"

Infinite grumbled in response but said nothing more. Sans took Alphys's hand, her trembling lessening at the gesture, and they both teleported away, leaving Infinite alone.

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Sans and Alphys reappeared in her lab, a space filled with various high-tech equipment. The centerpiece was a massive supercomputer with multiple monitors. Alphys quickly connected her tablet to the computer, allowing it to process the data she had gathered.

"You weren't kidding about him not being friendly," Alphys remarked as she worked. "I know some monsters can be protective of their souls, but that seemed… extreme."

"You're telling me," Sans replied, leaning against a console. "Didn't expect him to react like that. That gem must be really important to him. Probably best if no one messes with it from now on. Still, though, a gem keeping someone alive? Seems a bit far-fetched, don't ya think?"

"Maybe, but there are a lot of things we did together in the True Lab that I still find hard to believe," Alphys said, her voice tinged with the weight of old memories.

"Really digging up old memories? C'mon, Al, don't do that to me. You know I don't like thinking about that stuff."

"I know, Sans, but being in a place like this… it brings up a lot. You never did tell me what happened in the CORE all those years ago."

Sans fell silent, his expression darkening. That particular memory was one he preferred to keep buried.

The computer beeped as the results appeared on one of the monitors. Alphys's eyes widened as she read the data. Sans hummed as he looked at it. "Interesting… I've never seen a monster with this much physical matter or that any could even have that much, to begin with."

"That's because they can't," Alphys muttered in shock. "These readings… they can't be right. Monsters usually have much more ethereal matter than physical. An almost 60/40 percent ratio in favor of physical matter? That's unheard of. Even Undyne only has a bit over 10 percent physical matter."

Sans rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Who's to say the same rules apply to him? Or that he's even a monster at all?"

"What exactly are you implying, Sans?" Alphys asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Just that Infinite showed up out of nowhere. No one's ever seen him before, and his soul and body are… well, strange. He's also been pretty tight-lipped about himself. And, I did detect a faint spatio-temporal anomaly a while back. It was so minor I didn't think much of it at the time, but maybe… just maybe, that was him."

"You mean he might be from another universe? But Sans, that's just a theory—an unproven one at that!"

"Hey, I never said that. Just giving an example is all. He might be, or he might not. Who knows?"

Alphys sighed. "As for how long it'll take for his soul to fully recover, I'd say about two to three days. After that, I'm not really sure what we'll do."

Sans shrugged nonchalantly. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, it ain't our problem. Anyway, time to head back. Good luck, Al."

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Sans reappeared in the living room only to find Infinite fast asleep. He chuckled softly. "Heh, even Mr. Edgelord needs his beauty rest, huh?"

But before the words fully left his mouth, Infinite jolted awake, instantly on high alert. Sans couldn't help but flinch at the sudden movement. Man, this guy is wound tighter than a drum.

Infinite growled, his voice low and threatening. "Do not do that. I won't allow you to take advantage of me, got it?"

Sans was taken aback by the response. Take advantage? What kind of baggage is this guy carrying to say something like that? But he wisely kept his thoughts to himself.

"Look, if you need to sleep, just go ahead. But I can tell you don't trust me, so I'll leave you to it and do my own thing for a while." Sans yawned, stretching lazily. "Actually, you know what? I think I'm going to bed too. Funny—back in the Underground, I'd be sleeping all the time, but ever since we got to the Surface, sleep just doesn't have the same appeal. Anyway, G'night, Infinite." With that, Sans teleported away, leaving Infinite to his exhaustion.

The next day, Sans awoke to find Infinite staring at him with an intense gaze. "So, how long?" Infinite demanded.

Sans blinked, still groggy. "How long what, exactly?"

"Don't play dumb with me, skeleton. How long until I've fully recovered?"

"About two days."

Infinite grunted in response. "Fine. I can wait that long."

"Want to do any—"

"No."

"Fine, suit yourself," Sans replied, unbothered. "Well, I'll be gone most of the day anyway—I've got a gig. Don't get too excited without me, 'kay?"

With that, Sans disappeared once again. Infinite scowled at the skeleton's laid-back attitude but dismissed it as unimportant.

As the hours dragged on, Infinite began to go stir-crazy. He hated this inactivity, hated the vulnerability that came with it. The Phantom Ruby—the real Phantom Ruby—was now connected to him, not some worthless copy. Yet in his current state, he was powerless to use it. He needed to get out. He needed his revenge. He needed—

"Oh, hello, new friend!" A cheerful voice interrupted his thoughts. "I see my brother left you all alone. Honestly, Sans can be far too careless at times."

"I am not your friend," Infinite snapped, his tone icy.

"O-oh, of course," Papyrus stammered, undeterred by Infinite's hostility. "But just because we aren't friends now doesn't mean we can't become friends later!"

Infinite was taken aback, then began to laugh—a harsh, mocking sound. The sheer naivety of Papyrus's response was absurd. How ridiculous, he thought. To think such innocence could exist in anyone is so pitiful it's laughable.

Papyrus, however, was confused. Normally, he'd be happy to make someone laugh, but this laughter didn't feel very nice.

Infinite sighed, dismissing Papyrus as no threat—a fool, harmless and irrelevant. He willed himself to sleep, seeking an escape from the monotony. Another day passed uneventfully.

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Infinite sighed. Just one more day, and he'd regain his lost power. Then, his vengeance could truly begin. Before he could dwell on it any longer, however, Sans appeared abruptly before him.

"Okay, time to go," Sans announced.

"What?" Infinite replied, confused.

"Me and you are going to Grillby's. Paps told me he felt your soul's distress when he got home. Keeping you cooped up here isn't doing you any favors, so I'm going to help you unwind a little before you do something we'll both regret."

Before Infinite could protest, Sans grabbed his hand, and they teleported away. When Infinite opened his eyes, he found himself inside a relatively vintage bar, filled with both humans and monsters. The bartender, to his surprise, appeared to be made of literal fire.

Sans grinned, sliding onto a stool at the bar. "Welcome to Grillby's, Infinite. Say hello to the owner and namesake, Grillby."

"I'm not interested in being—"

"Hey, Grillb, two burgers, and fries, please," Sans interrupted. "And make the one for this guy here the special order."

Infinite gritted his teeth in anger at being ignored, but Grillby simply nodded and went to prepare the dishes. When the food arrived, Sans quickly dug into his burger, washing it down with a bottle of ketchup.

Infinite, on the other hand, looked annoyed with everything. "What? Not gonna eat, buddy?" Sans asked between bites.

"I am not hungry," Infinite lied.

"Now it ain't very N-Ice to lie, BUD-ddy. Ya haven't eaten in over a week. There's no way you're not hungry."

Infinite growled, irritated by both the puns and the persistent questioning. In the end, though, he couldn't deny his hunger. Lifting his mask just enough to expose his mouth, he began to eat. As he did, he noticed the food was slightly spicy, but he didn't mind. Before long, he had devoured everything on his plate.

Sans, still on his first bite, nearly dropped his burger in shock. "Ain't that spicy?"

"Not really," Infinite replied, nonchalant.

"Seriously? Hey, Grillb, you gave him the special order, didn't ya?" Sans asked. Grillby nodded.

Infinite smirked. "So, you tried to prank me by making my food exceedingly spicy? Unfortunately for you, my spice tolerance is practically legendary. But if you try to trick me again, I'll force that very same food down whatever approximation for a throat you have."

Sans gulped nervously. "Uhh, noted."

Before Infinite could savor Sans's fleeting fear, a drunk human stumbled over to him. "Welsh, ain't youze a hot shot? Got ol' funny bone all nervouz-like."

Infinite wrinkled his nose in disgust at the stench of alcohol. "Leave me alone. You smell revolting."

"Aw, don't be like that, hot stuff," the human slurred, swaying on his feet. "I ain't normally the type to be hittin' on a furry, but you don't look half bad."

Before Infinite could respond, the human's hand wandered somewhere it most certainly shouldn't have. Infinite's fury erupted as his gloved claws lashed out, raking across the drunkard's chest.

The human yelped in pain as several small cuts appeared, dripping blood. Sans's eyelights went dark with shock, while the other monsters in the bar began to shiver, both physically and spiritually, under the intense bloodlust emanating from Infinite.

"HOW DARE YOU ATTEMPT TO TOUCH ME LIKE THAT! YOU'RE LUCKY I DON'T JUST KILL YOU RIGHT NOW!"

"Infinite, stop," Sans commanded.

"IN FACT, WHY DON'T I DO THAT RIGHT NOW?"

"Infinite, that's enough. Let it go."

Infinite raised his hand, claws outstretched. "DIE!"

"☜︎☠︎⚐︎🕆︎☝︎☟︎," Sans intoned.

Infinite's eyes widened as all color drained from the world, everything freezing in place. But none of that mattered—every instinct in his body and soul screamed at him to run.

Sans was staring directly at him, one eye pitch black while the other flashed between light blue and yellow. Infinite could feel the raw energy pouring off Sans in waves. Did he stop time? But that's—how could he be this powerful? As he was now, there was no way he could beat Sans, not without the Phantom Ruby's power.

"Just stop, Infinite," Sans urged, his voice calm but firm. "I understand you're angry, and you've got every right to be. But killing the guy over this ain't the right call, even if he might deserve it. I get that everyone's got their reasons for doing what they do, but I'm not sure yours are the best."

"What are you—"

"Your LV. I can pretend I didn't see that. But if you kill that guy, justified or not, I'm gonna have to do my job. And trust me... you don't want that."

Infinite had a feeling Sans wasn't talking about his job as a comedian. "Fine, have it your way. But don't expect me to show this kind of restraint again."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Time resumed, and Grillby swiftly moved to remove the drunken human from the restaurant without burning him.

Sans sighed deeply. "Honestly, what a day. Here I thought this little trip would be relaxing. Figured it'd be the complete opposite. Anyway, Infinite, I think it's time we head—grk!"

Sans suddenly collapsed, gripping his head in pain. Something, or someone, had just ripped a massive hole in space-time.