This was a chance. A once in a lifetime, luck of the draw, chance. Sans didn't dare miss it. He'd worked too hard for it. But if he could show his stuff to the Dr. Gaster, then maybe he could finally give Papyrus the life that he deserved. Sans couldn't keep doing these odd end jobs to barely scrape up enough to keep a roof over their heads and food in his baby bro's belly. But with the Royal Scientist on the market for a new assistant, that could change. He could get more money, give his toddler brother an education. Everyone in town said he was smart enough. Sans got ready in the best he could find, his cleanest blue jacket and work jeans, and the only pair of boots he'd been able to afford. Papyrus was always excited to go to the inn and play with the bunnies. Somewhere, he could be safe and protected while Sans was working. Then, once he dropped Paps off, he made a beeline for the Riverperson's boat to get to the doc's labs in Hotland. Sans was determined to win this title, no matter what it took... for Papyrus.

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It was crowded and stifling in the Labs. Maybe people came for the position. Many people were already working there, checking over data and watching over controlled experiments. Of course, they weren't Dr. Gaster, but still, it was cool. Sans was already intrigued. He hoped he could intrigue the doctor to make things easier. He had a lot of competition, and things were already looking bleak. "Get out of my sight! I don't want to see you in my labs again!" Sans flinched on instinct. That must have been him. As much as Sans respected Dr. Gaster for his work, he also knew the doctor to be notoriously short with monsters. That would not deter him. Dr. Gaster strode up to them, as tall and imposing as the first time Sans had seen him on TV. He scowled at the group before him and started to root out the competition immediately. "You, you, and you out. If you can not take the heat, this is no job for you. You and you have already tried and failed. We are not trying again. You look like you are about to collapse on the floor and die. It's not good in a work environment like this." Then the doctor turned his gaze to Sans.

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Sans froze as the Royal Scientist's sockets widened in apparent shock. Then his scowl deepened. "What are you, ten? You are far too young. Leave." Dissmissed like that? Was that really it? Was he doomed to live a life of poverty? What about Papyrus? Sans stood up, hesitantly. He wasn't a child, though. Papyrus needed better. He couldn't give up! "eighteen. i'm eighteen, actually. and i'm not leaving until i at least get a chance to prove myself." Sans found himself saying. Dr. Gaster's cold, purple gaze immediately rounded back to Sans' defiant blue gaze as he set his jaw to something more determined. Gaster crossed the distance in a few easy strides, magic hands summoning to grab at Sans. "Then I will throw you out myself." Sans smirked. It was a challenge. He could handle this. He was a master of his sensory magic by now. Sans dodged past the grabbing hands with ease and took off running, a grin breaking across his face as the doctor shouted. He was gonna have to catch him if he wanted to throw him out.

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Sans twisted and turned down the labryth of halls, knowing full well Gaster could be around any corner, around any bend. The Royal Scientist should know his lab better than a meager commoner like him, after all. So where could he have possibly been? He certainly wasn't chasing him anymore. "Shit, shit, shit! We need to stabilize this quickly before the doctor has our heads!" Sans barely thought as he turned to the room that was cracked open. "No, we need to stabilize this before the whole fucking lab explodes!" The second voice chimed in as Sans shut and locked the door behind him. He doubted it would stop the doctor for long, but it gave him time. "what's in it?" The scientists jumped and looked at Sans. "You're- You're not authorized to be here- it's dangerous!" The other scientist snapped their fingers. "Dr. Kalm, time crunch!" Sometimes he hated his cursed height. "what's in it?" Sans repeated himself. "Carbon and nitrogen, why?" Sans started to remove his jacket. "you've made a live bomb, as you said. and i'm gonna help you stabilize it." Azidoazide azide. Sans read about it and how dangerous it was. But he could do this.

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It took a lot of convincing and slow work, not to set off the bomb, but with the addition of hydrogen, the carbon was able to split off to make carbon dioxide and the addition of bromine to the nitrogen ended up crystalizing it into a solid. "Stars, that was close... hey, great job, kid. You have a real talent for chem -" Dr. Kalm's mouth snapped shut as Sans felt a firm hand on his shoulder. "I am sick of your games, boy." Dr. Gaster growled, as cold and imposing as ever. "And I will be seeing you two in my office." Sans met the doctor's glare with one of his own before he was dragged out and towards the front door. "I do hope we never meet again. You have wasted too much of my time today." Gaster hissed as Sans was shoved out. Sans glared hard at the door before a smile broke across his face. He may not have impressed Gaster, but at least he did something good today. Whether Gaster knew or not. He would find a way to make a better life for Papyrus yet. He had to before he got taken away.