The Castle . . .
"Here you go, wife," Asriel insisted as he gave her another burger. "Anything else?"
"No, this is fine," Frisk said. Asriel was annoying. It was obvious everything he was doing was part of an ACT. "Don't have to have your arm wrapped around me for me to eat. Where am I sleeping?"
"Oh. Mother and father have been arranging room," he said as he took his arms off from around her. "The castle has changed quite a bit. It's amazing. It's because of you real advancement and cultural exchange could happen."
"Okay, yeah." Frisk tried to be polite, but at the same time, she didn't just want to lay back and pretend everything was going fine and she'd be a perfect wife. She took another bite of her hamburger. He ordered it from the outside. Apparently imported food was cheap because everyone bought imported food. Getting food from Underground was supposed to be ritzier, and he would do that for her another night.
Uh huh. She almost finished her burger. Her soul and hunger feeling somewhat better with food, she desperately needed rest. Her soul needed rest, it went through too much. But, the food was good.
"Frisk?" Asriel placed his paw on hers. Then, moved it away slightly as he discovered all the ketchup on it. "Napkin?"
"At the end," Frisk said as she sucked on her fingers. "One more." She reached for one more burger. "No use cleaning up until it's all done." She took a big bite of her burger, spilling some catsup on her dress. "Oops." She shrugged and took another bite. It was drenched in blood anyhow from her used to be fatal wound.
"Don't worry, we are getting more clothes for you tomorrow," Asriel insisted. He tried to hold her hand again. "Anyhow, I wanted to see how you were? You lost precious people tonight. Death is very hard. Are you okay?"
Frisk stopped eating a moment. "I loved my Aunt Ida and my cousin Maxie. I even had some feelings for my Uncle Gaster. He made Aunt Ida happy. It's hard to believe he did that. It's hard to believe they are all gone." She got a little choked up and her eyes became watery. "I've lost many people over the years. I just keep moving. I cry, but I keep moving." She took another bite of her burger and felt his arms wrap around her again. "You're gonna get catsup all over your wardrobe."
"I don't care about that," Asriel insisted. "I'm sorry for all your pain."
"Yeah, well, just don't share it," she said a little sharper than she meant. "What happened above the surface fourteen years ago is my business. Nobody else should know it, Asriel."
"Of course. Sorry. I'm just very bonded with you." He laid his head on top of hers. "We share the same soul you know."
More like he stole half the power of her soul. She looked upwards at his head resting on hers. Goats were big. "I thought monsters took forever to grow up. We were kids at the same time."
"Oh? Yes," Asriel said, rocking her back and forth. "I was, but after so many years a change happens, just like with humans. I grew up, even as a flower." He patted her hair. "I'm glad we grew up at the same time. We'll be so happy."
Patting her hair? "You sure about that?" She took her messy hand with catsup, and pulled his hand away from her hair. She'd rather have catsup in her hair than his hand. "Humans don't live long."
"Oh? Oh, don't worry about that," Asriel said, letting go of her again. "You've been infused, wife. You'll live as long as me, and I will live thousands of years."
"Thousands of years?" Frisk looked at her fingers, sucked on them, and changed her mind. Thousands of years. "Looks like one more burger." She reached for it, but Asriel stopped her.
"You've had four burgers tonight, Frisk," Asriel said.
"My soul took a lot of damage tonight," Frisk reminded him.
"I've got a better idea? Momma made butterscotch pie, just for you," he smiled. "After that, we can go to bed."
"Butterscotch pie sounds good." Real good. Frisk would save room for that. Normally, she could eat one burger, but with a damaged soul, food was more than a source of nourishment for the body, it became nourishment for the soul. And damn, was her soul ever damaged tonight.
She got up and headed away, looking for Toriel and the fabled Butterscotch pie. She couldn't taste it that well as a child, many things to the actual touch being numbed. But butterscotch pie was definitely soul food. It would heal her at least three times faster than a burger. "Toriel?"
"Frisk, hello." Toriel was absolutely beaming to see her. "How are you doing with Asriel?"
"I heard about pie," Frisk said not wanting to dwell on that. Just pie.
"Yes, I have made pie for you. Follow me." Toriel led Frisk into the new kitchen area. "Was your burgers good?"
"I need about eight," Frisk said honestly. "Hopefully the pie will help the rest, and then I can get some rest for a full restore."
"Sounds good." Toriel cut her a piece of pie. "Nothing like dessert for the soul. Here you go." She turned around and gestured to a large table. "Go ahead and sit there."
"Thanks," Frisk said. "Thank you for the pie too." She had a feeling she was being a little ungrateful. Her soul needs were getting put above her respecting needs. "Do you want to sit with me?"
"Of course," Toriel said. "What about Asriel?"
What about him? "He can take a break and go to bed if he's tired," Frisk said as she sat down. Oooh, hopefully this helped. She took her first bite. Perfect. She looked toward Toriel. "So. The Underground has really changed."
"Yes. It's good to see you remember so much more," Toriel said. "It has. You wouldn't think considering we aren't exactly free-free that we could be free. But? We have anything we want imported into us. Monsters get together and share the twenty passes we have every day at the convenient locations on the outside, and there are even authorization passes for an undisclosed amount of time for anywhere in the world. Only two, but still so important. We've learned so much from even those amenities. Including the politics of humans too." Toriel sighed. "You have a very . . . creative race."
"Mischievous and tricky," Frisk said as she finished off her pie. Oh wow, that helped a lot. "I better get some sleep."
"Okay. Come, I will show you to your room." Toriel led her down a new hallway. She opened the door to a nice double bed. With Asriel standing beside it. "Good night."
Good what? Frisk looked at the double bed, then back at Toriel. "Huh?"
"Oh. You know, you are human. Things might be a little different for you with this marriage," Toriel said.
"Yah," Frisk agreed.
"Okay. Well, you're married. So, you should sleep beside each other. However, you don't have to feel any need to do anything else until you're ready. Whether it's two days, two months, or twenty years." Toriel shrugged. "Think of Asriel as your cuddle buddy 'til then."
Cuddle buddy. The hell they trying to pull against me? "So, I am supposed to be Sans' cuddle buddy too?" Frisk asked. Everything was supposed to be even. "Do I get a say so about any of this?"
"Well. Rules are rules, dear," Toriel said. "Don't worry, Asriel would never hurt you."
Uh huh. "Can Alphys sleep with us too?" Frisk asked. "Or can we all sleep in the lab?"
"Frisk." Asriel approached her. "It's okay, wife, I would never hurt you."
"Is there some kind of law that says you have to keep calling me that too?" Frisk looked toward Toriel. Any help at all? This ACT from him is getting annoying.
No. Just smiling away.
"No, Frisk," Asriel answered her. "That's just affection a husband gives to his wife. Just like you could be calling me husband. Either that, or a nickname."
Nickname huh? "Okay. Fine." Sleeping in the same bed. Wife over and over. Yeah, she had a nickname for him. She crawled into bed, changing her ACT again to see if it improved results. So far, she went from polite, to mildly polite, and now she was moving into annoying. "Just be good, Goat boy."
Asriel looked toward his mother. "I think my wife is cranky? We better get to bed. I will see you in the morning, momma."
"Yes. Yes you will," Toriel said hugging him deeply. "Yes you will, Asriel, and so many hundreds of years after that."
"You don't have to-" Oh great, he closed the door. Frisk sighed. Okay. She just had to go to sleep.
"Wife?" Asriel said as he came to bed. "Come here, dear." She felt him putting his arms around her and dragging her over. "We cuddle, remember?"
"Not really my thing, Goat boy," Frisk answered.
"Does that . . . really have to be my nickname?" Asriel asked. "I can be dear, darling, honey, husband."
"I prefer Goat boy," Frisk said, her whole body uncomfortable with the situation.
"Rules are just rules. It's okay." Asriel tried to hold her tenderly. "I know this is all sudden for you. It's a blessing in disguise though. I'll make sure no one ever hurts you again, Frisk. I promise."
"Is Gloria alive?" Frisk still wondered about that. "Does anyone know anything about her?"
"Um? I don't know who she is," Asriel confessed. "We'll find out later. Let's just try and get some sleep. Before we sleep, do you want to nuzzle?"
Heck no. "I'm tired," Frisk settled on. "No nuzzle, thanks, Goat boy." She closed her eyes, trying to drop a very big hint to him nothing was happening with her.
"Can you please change that?" Asriel asked. "It's kind of awkward. My sister used to call me that."
Well, it was confirmed. The voice that guided me was Chara. "I'll think about it. Let's just go to sleep and don't squeeze too tight." She felt him adjust her like clothing over the top of him while his head laid on top of hers.
"For now, I really don't mind your size," Asriel chuckled. "It makes you easy to curl up with wife. By the way? You don't have to be so fussy with me. I know humans take longer to warm up to each other than monsters, and fussiness is a trait of rebellion to it. But, I told you a long time ago. Do you remember? Right after you told me your real name?" He gave her a little squeeze. "I said 'I wish I could tell you how everyone feels about you. Papyrus, Sans, Undyne, Alphys, Toriel. Monsters are weird. Even though they barely know you-"
"It feels like they all really love you," Frisk finished for him. She remembered that.
"You'll come around. I know you will." Asriel said. "Until then, I'll hold my heart open only for you. After all." He took a small sigh. "We have thousands of years together, my darling Princess." He gave her one more small squeeze.
And she farted. "Sorry but I told you not to do that. I had like four burgers and a butterscotch pie. I'm explosive."
" . . . um?" Asriel looked at her strangely. "Humans are odd creatures. Okay. I can get used to that. No problem, but you kind of stink."
Frisk shrugged. "Even darling Princesses aren't perfect." She watched him back off a little. "No more cuddle?"
"Legally, yes, but let's give it a five minute break?" Asriel asked. "Maybe ten minutes?"
----------------------
7:49 AM
"I don't believe this," Sans muttered to Papyrus as he stared ahead. "They aren't taking me serious at all." Damn. They were really going to try that way with him? "Good thing I showed up early. Undyne?"
Undyne was over by the corner. At least she was being loyal. She marched over to the queen in his defense.
Sans cracked his knuckles. While Frisk had been gone that night, he wasn't kicking back and being lazy. He studied throughout the night, went to bed for only a few hours, and got up at 5:00 to study some more.
"I believe it's a good thing we studied," Papyrus said as he watched Undyne continue speaking to royalty. "They are trying to use our lack of knowledge against us."
Well, that wasn't happening. There's no way that human was going to be stuck like that. He could tell from her expression, she was already feeling less like herself. She lost two important people yesterday, got taken from her home, gained two monster husbands, and went through who knows what kind of awkwardness with Asriel. Sans watched Undyne come back over. "Well?"
"They said you were blowing things out of proportion," Undyne answered him while she rolled her eyes. "I say take it and burn it as a statement."
"Welp? Didn't want it to come down to this." Sans looked Papyrus. "You called it, Pap, they are going to try it." Fine.
He would perform his own ACT.
7:53 AM
"This is absolutely ridiculous," Asriel protested to his mother. "That was nowhere near twenty-four hours."
He was protesting? Frisk had to be carried. Carried bridal style, in a white dress, to a meeting between Asriel and Sans. If anyone should get to protest, it should be her.
"I know, but an exchange at nine o' clock every night at the Castle won't work as well as a fresh business start," Toriel told him. "You know that business conducts at nine, including Sans and Papyrus' guarding."
"But she's human, she needs to be nowhere near that surface area. Someone might come after her," Asriel protested.
"Sans and Papyrus are very good sentries," his father reminded him. "They will know how to handle it. Now at eight o' clock, hand her over and this will be the designated time to do this each day."
"It's ridiculous." Asriel tapped his foot. "We should be working on establishing our profiles to the human lawyer." He held Frisk up higher against him. "You better be careful with her, Smiley Idiot," he yelled to Sans.
"Asriel," his mother scolded.
"Watch out for her, Sans, I mean it," Asriel said, giving a mean glare with a warning.
So far, neither Sans nor Papyrus said a word.
Time just ticked by.
"I will see you at this time tomorrow," Asriel said lovingly to Frisk. "I cherished all the time we spent together."
"Not all of it," she reminded him.
"Most of it," Asriel corrected himself. "Don't worry. Before you become Princess, we will get you all worked out."
"I am worked out," Frisk insisted. "What you see is what you get, Goat boy."
"You're fussy again." Asriel laid his head next to hers.
Of course she was fussy. Normally Frisk wasn't half as bad, but geez. Her life changed dramatically in two days and he kept expecting her to fall in love with him with his constant ACT.
"Can I have a nuzzle before you go?" Asriel asked, his ACTing still in full swing.
"No." That was obvious.
"Mm. Okay."
The heeeeeellll? Frisk's eyes lit up as she felt Asriel kissing her.
"No, Asriel!" Toriel scolded him. "That's not proper either, you don't nuzzle or kiss without permission."
"Oh?" Asriel looked back down at Frisk. "I'm sorry. Can I kiss you goodbye?"
"Hell no!" Frisk yelled at him, choosing a whole new ACT she knew had to get results! Mad. She grabbed the new prince's crown off his head and plummeted it over his head further, past his ears, down over the front of his eyes. Gaw, she just wanted to get out and run! She was trying not to kick her legs.
"Kissing is an even bigger deal than nuzzling," King Asgore said to his son as he helped him fix his crown again.
"Oh." Asriel shrugged, with an extremely mad Frisk still in his arms. "I didn't know that. Why? It's just pressing lips together. Not like I got in the mouth."
"It's still a thing like nuzzling," Toriel reminded him.
"Sorry. I still have a lot to learn." He looked down at Frisk. "I won't do that without permission again, wife."
"You better not," she warned him.
Both Sans and Papyrus loyally stayed still. And quiet.
As it turned 7:59 Sans moved forward, as well as Asriel. There was a red line down the center that had been repainted. The exchange line hadn't been used in a thousand years. Asriel looked down toward Sans. "You sure you can grip her?"
Sans still didn't say anything.
Asriel bent down slightly and pushed his arms more outward. Sans accepted Frisk in his arms. Strange. She went from Asriel's furry body to feeling Sans' bare bone. Surprisingly, it was smoother than she thought it'd be. Most of her body was pressed against his jean jacket and odd shirt. He wore a different one that day, but once again the jacket covered it. Not a word more was spoken until Sans reached Papyrus. "Here, Bro, you know the drill."
A second lifting? Why was Papyrus now holding her in his arms?
Then, she heard a loud sound in front of her, and saw . . . Asriel lied out on the ground?
Sans watched as Toriel came to check on her son, but she couldn't blame him. Neither could King Asgore. They could offer glares but not much else.
"He's new to everything, Sans," Toriel said in Asriel's defense. "This is new to everyone!"
"You don't show affection or touch in any inappropriate way a shared wife, in front of her other husband, during an exchange," Sans yelled at her. "You stay silent and immobile for five minutes. Not to mention no clothes, jewelry, or food from the other husband during the exchange. Undyne even came over and warned you about the dress. Shoulda taught him that, Tori!"
"You do not speak to the queen in that manner!" King Asgore warned him. "This is new to everyone, no one knows what to expect."
"Expect me to follow all the rules," Sans said firmly. "If I'd a just let any of that slip by, it could have been confirmation that I didn't care to keep my wife. Right?"
"We would not have taken Frisk away from you," King Asgore said. "She is your wife."
"That's right. Don't forget it," Sans warned him.
"We didn't," Toriel said sharply to him. "It's just your instinct. You would never take a wife and you know it."
"Don't put words in my mouth, please." Sans turned and went back to his brother. Honestly, that couldn't have gone more pleasant? How hard was it to say 'make sure you don't do anything with the wife in the exchange, dear?' or how hard was it to listen about the dress? He had every right, even above royalty, to knock out Asriel. If he didn't, they could have countered his affection status to Frisk. He knew Toriel and Asgore already wanted Frisk for Asriel.
Sans moved back over to Papyrus, scooping up Frisk again, and walking her over to Toriel and Asgore. Boy, their power was practically glowing in anger. Didn't think I'd pull that, did you? Think I'd just let you take the human for your boy, huh? Frisk deserved her freedom too. "Now. Like Undyne asked nicely before? Get my wife ready correctly, Majesty?" He handed Frisk to Asgore.
He could see it in Frisk's expression. She was getting tired of being luggage.
"Asriel will be fine. Come Toriel," Asgore said as he took Frisk inside with her.
Sans walked back toward Papyrus and Undyne, in the corner. He saw a thumbs up from her, and a wink from his brother. He wasn't often that bold. Didn't have to be. Heck, Toriel probably didn't think he could be bold against anything but humans considering his soul level.
Asriel was starting to stir. It was time to find out if his hypothesis was right about the prince. "What the heck?" He marched over to Sans. "Who do you think you are, hitting me? Do you have any idea how much power I have?!"
"Enough to get your old form back?" Sans shrugged. "Not much else. Hey, you did ask me to do the math when you changed."
Asriel pointed at him. "You hit royalty."
"Relation of any kind, including royalty, within a husband competition must be neglected for the sake of being bias," Papyrus recited from memory of the book.
Frisk was soon returned in her old blood-stained dress being carried from Toriel, handed to Asriel, and finally handed with much less grace to Sans.
Sans brought her all the way to his side of the line, and they kept walking this time passed Papyrus. Frisk watched from the corner as Undyne and Alphys emerged walking with Papyrus and Sans.
"Whoah, that got heavy." Alphys looked back. "I think they are gone, Sans."
"Good." Sans stood Frisk up. No doubt she wanted to be able to walk on her own. "Sorry about that, Frisk. Certain rules they were bending."
"Bend the wrong rules, Asriel could claim complete husbandry," Undyne said in a warning tone.
"Yeah. And now?" Sans winced and grabbed his hand, he didn't have to act cool anymore. "Asriel's got one hard head!" He moved his hand around. "I'm not used to actual physical fighting."
"You shouldn't be," Papyrus said. "You're a nice monster."
Sans continued to wave his bony hand. "Anyhow, Frisk, sorry about that. Really not that possessive or bad. Gotta ACT. You know how it goes."
"Been doing that a long time myself. No problem," Frisk said. "As long as you don't-"
"Nuh-uh!" Undyne immediately clapped her hand over Frisk's mouth. "You really need to learn the rules. I bet no one taught you them from that display. Heck, Sans and Papyrus had to study them themselves ever since you've been gone."
"I just know being handed over every twenty four hours," Frisk said when her mouth was released. "There's more to it than that?"
"Well, yes. You see, you are going to have two different lives, but they aren't supposed to mingle together," Alphys said. "You can't tell Sans what you do with Asriel, nor the other way around."
"You also can't take anything from one to the other. No clothes, no food, no gifts, nothing," Undyne added. "That's why you're in that blood-stained dress again." She gave Frisk her brightest fish smile, bordering on creepy for the poor human. "If Sans had accepted you in that, he could have lost due to negligence."
"No one really knows exactly if it was on purpose, or if Toriel and Asgore were just wanting to keep it loose and informal," Alphys said. "But, um? Really shouldn't take chances there."
"Got it." Frisk nodded her head.
"Yeah, well? Marriage takes like . . . a lot," Sans said, getting the most of his 'owies' out. "And I don't really got everything perfectly perfect for it. But, you're gonna have to make do with the minimum requirement."
"Yeah and any complaining will gift you Prince Asriel," Papyrus noted. "Or kiss and tell for Mettaton. As wonderful as he is, ummm . . . he could reach them and get you gifted. Not personally trying, just media attention."
"Oh, man." Frisk sighed. "Okay. Anything else? What if he's brought to the castle or something? Completely refuse, right?" She heard a funny chuckle from Sans. Familiar chuckle.
"Isn't that what your best at?" Sans asked her. "Now, that's far enough. Okay, Frisk. So, your first twenty four hours Underground haven't smacked of a good time, but it's still better than last time, right?"
Ha ha. "Some?" Frisk had no idea on that.
"Hey?" Undyne helped her. "You can't really judge fighting and running through the mountain compared to being married with two monsters. They are both hella scary, and I'd rather do the first."
"Eh, like I said, some," Frisk repeated. "Did you find out about Gloria?"
"Hospital," Sans said. "She's not in primo condition, I'll admit it, but she's still doing decently according to her med records."
"Really?" Frisk asked. "How did you find out about her med records?"
Heh. Silly human. "Sans is just a little bit better than you think, that's all."
"Oh, I almost forgot," Alphys said toward Frisk. "You can't tell Sans what you do with Asriel, or the other way around, but you can tell Undyne and I," Alphys said.
"Yep, complete girl talk," Undyne said. "From there, we'll be able to nail anything they could be doing that's not right, and we can tell between them."
The human looked really relieved about that one. "Good. It sounds like it shouldn't be too hard to break away from this marriage."
"Uh? Not exactly?" Sans said. "Royalty are gonna be the final say. So if their son messed up, it's not so big, but if I mess up? Goodbye poor human."
"Ah. Normal 'life's not fair' in the Underground standard fare," Frisk said. "Yip."
"Yep. So, I got to feed you." Sans brought out his bony fingers. "Not a real problem there. I got to dress you in your chosen colors. And everything else we can save for later. I can also be away from you for like three hours, altogether, tops. That means you have to come to work with me and Papyrus."
"But once we teach you how to use your magic," Papyrus added, "you can earn your own paycheck. You won't be able to use it in your other marriage, but you'll be able to use it here."
"Which would be dang helpful if you want a wardrobe bigger than two from me," Sans added. "Or shoes." Frisk looked at her feet. "Yeah. Take it all one step at a time. So, we should get ready for work," Sans noted to Papyrus, then looked back at Frisk. "Uh? Our house is still where it was before in the Underground. Remember where it is?" Papyrus and him stopped.
Frisk stopped too, while Sans held his bony hand out. Him and Papyrus would have to teach her slow and steady, with something to focus on for her human brain to grab a hold of the concept better.
"Stick out your hand, Sister," Papyrus said as he also stuck out his hand. "And imagine what the house looks like."
"Imagine what it looks like." Frisk was staring at her hand with minimal luck. Not even a drop of any magic fell from her hand, which was the highest conductor area.
"That's right. It has been fourteen years," Sans reminded Papyrus. "Here, human, take my hand. When we arrive, remember what it looks like."
Sans and Papyrus Home . . .
Frisk arrived in front of a two story home. She looked around. The environment had certainly changed, but their house felt similar to what she used to imagine. She memorized the look and the colors, not wanting to let Sans down. He was already doing her a big favor staying married to her. Her freedom was in his bony hands.
Her freedom was in the geeky, used to be puzzle maker, all 'Papyrus is cool', charismatically attracting an audience skeleton's bony hands. One that went from someone to trust, someone to fear, and now someone to trust again. Don't mess up. This is just as dangerous as fighting, if not more so Frisk. You're in a world where you don't know all the rules. Play it safe. I don't have the same inner help this time. I need outer help.
She had only been there since last night, but Alphys, Undyne, Sans, Toriel, and Papyrus? All of them. They warmed up to her quickly again. It was so long ago. She thought they were just memories, and yet they all remembered her so fondly. It was odd, but Asriel must have said it best. Although they barely know you, it feels like they already really love you. Was that still the same after all these years?
Oddly. It felt like it.
"You can hang out with Undyne and Alphys for a bit soon here," Sans said as Frisk came in. "Up this way." Sans walked her over to his room. She stood silently. "Yeah, so. This ain't no girls room if you catch my drift. Don't complain." He looked over toward Papyrus.
Papyrus gestured toward him. "She's your wife now, she'll deal with it. Come on." He looked toward Frisk. "Sans is not big on showing others his room. He'd feel more confident if he cleaned it once in awhile," Papyrus added.
Frisk really didn't care at this rate. She watched as Sans opened the door.
Okay. Not what she was expecting. She didn't really know what to expect. There was a bed over in the corner, a double bed? Clearly just moved in or cleaned because it didn't match the rest of the room. There was a self-sustaining tornado trash area. Eh. Felt like his style. She moved in, noticing he was watching her a little spookily with his light guiders. Not that again.
He turned away again. "Alphys lent the bed. All cred goes to her. Uh." He moved toward his drawers. "You got two outfits. Blue's your color 'cause everything else is blue on you. No brainer." He closed the drawer. "That's about all I got. Humans aren't a big thing. I'll get the other human detail wearing things later. So, if you want out of your blood-stained dress 'til the next exchange, now's your shot."
Sans strolled out the door and left the room. Frisk went to the drawer and looked at the fresh clothes. One dress. One shirt. One pants. Having enough of the whole darling and sweet Princess talk, she chose to wear the shirt and pants. She came back out afterward, already feeling a little better.
"Great. Now, hold out your hand," Sans said looking at his. Papyrus did the same thing.
"This might seem ridiculous once you get your power under control," Papyrus added. "But it's truly a life saver. If you are drained from battle and cannot conjure enough magic for an escape, staring at your hand will always give a safe return."
Frisk stared at her hand, and then realized she was back between the castle and where the barrier used to stand. Undyne and Alphys were still there.
"There you go. Go girl talk it up for a couple of hours," Sans said. "See ya."