It takes a few days, but eventually, you deem it safe to go near the lab- or, at least, as safe as it normally is. So, one Saturday morning, you decide to head over and say hi to Gaster and whoever else might be there, and ask if Gaster managed to figure out what happened.

You come to the lab just as Gaster kicks open the main doors, followed closely behind by Sans, Papyrus, and Alphys. When you ask where he's going, he doesn't respond. In fact, he hardly seems to notice you- he's got that purposeful look in his eyes, and he's striding along at a speed that you- and, evidently, Alphys- are having a hard time keeping up with.

Then Gaster stops in the True Lab parking lot, standing at the edge of the sidewalk. For a moment, he just stands there. Then he turns around, looking at the group of you, with an expression somewhere between befuddlement and dismay. You all wait for him to explain.

"... I don't have a car," he says with a hint of disbelief in his voice, almost like he forgot.

For a moment, everyone is silent. That was far from what you were expecting, though you suppose you should've learned by now to expect unexpected things from Gaster.

After another second or two, Papyrus speaks up. "We can take my car!"

The Royal Scientist's expression shifts into something more amused. "Only if I can drive."

Now Papyrus looks dismayed, and maybe a little horrified, too. "Last time you drove, you almost crashed! Eight times! In a twenty minute drive!"

"But I didn't crash, so-"

"You were going fifty two miles per hour over the speed limit!"

You desperately try, and fail, to stifle the sudden burst of snickering that overcomes you, and you hear Alphys murmur "oh my Annoying Dog, Doctor."

Gaster just shrugs, amused. "But I still didn't crash! In fact, I think I'm rather good at not doing that."

"what," Sans interjects, chuckling, "good at not not crashing? because that's a double negative.which means you're good at crashing."

Now Gaster crosses his arms over his chest, assuming a contemptuous pose, nose upturned. "I can crash a car if I want to. But I'm also good at not crashing cars when I don't want to."

You decide now is a good time for you to speak up. "Gaster, do you even have a driver's license?"

"Pfffft," he's grinning again, and he makes a dismissive gesture. "Frisk, people who don't exist don't need driver's licenses to drive."

"But I thought we've already established that you only mostly don't exist, but do still exist a tiny bit."

He gestures dismissively again. "Details, details. No need to get into the nuances of the stuff, Frisk. It's hardly runic science."

Papyrus is getting that look on his face you've seen so often when Sans cracks a pun. "Because our lives aren't worth getting into the nuances of the stuff?!"

Gaster grins at him. "Of course they are! Which is why I didn't crash the car last time I drove."

Papyrus throws his hands in the air with a frustrated "NYEH!"

You look up at Gaster and frown. "Can't you just... teleport us to... wherever it is we're going?"

"Well, I mean, I could..."

"But?"

"But trying to do that with five people, we run the risk of me accidentally dropping someone literally in the middle of nowhere, where they'd be erased from existence."

"W-wait," Alphys says. "F-five people?"

"Yep. Me, you, Sans, Papyrus, and Frisk. Unless math has changed in horrendous amounts in the last few seconds, I'm pretty sure that adds up to five."

You give Gaster a look, seeing where Alphys is going with this. "But I thought you didn't exist."

"Frisk! We just went over this! I exist a little bit!"

"But I thought you said-"

"The manipulation of time and space to move the molecules of lifting beings from one location to another without damaging, rearranging, or losing any of said molecules is something far more complicated than runic sciences, and thus very much worth getting into the nuances of."

Sans leans forward to you. "basically, kiddo, he's saying no teleportation."

You frown thoughtfully and turn to Sans. "So what about you? Can't you just... lead us through a shortcut or something?"

He just shrugs. "same problem, more or less. but, uh, you'd only get lost outside space. not space and time."

"S-so that's why we decided t-to drive." Alphys adds.

"And we're wasting a ton of time here!" Gaster replies. "So let's hurry up and get going!"

"But I'm driving." Papyrus says firmly. "Not you."

"I am too driving!"

"No you're not! I'm not going to give you the keys! You'll kill us all! And break the laws of the road!"

"Well-" Gaster frowns like an indignant child- "well maybe I won't let you get in the driver's seat! So there!"

"What? Dad-! No!"

But it's too late. Gaster is already sprinting towards Papyrus's car, laughing maniacally.

Papyrus whips his car keys out of his inventory and hits the lock button just as Gaster yanks on the car door.

"Oh, come on!" Gaster shouts over his shoulder. "That's immature!"

You laugh outright. "You're being pretty immature, too, you know."

Despite not having lips, Gaster somehow manages to blow a raspberry at you, and then suddenly, he's inside the car, reclining in the driver's seat.

"What? H-how?"

He laughs loud enough for you to hear it through the car, if a bit muffled. Then he rolls down the window. "Teleportation, remember? Now, then, Papyrus." He looks to his younger son. "Be a good child and give your father the car keys."

Papyrus looks horrified. "Dad! No! I won't let you break the law! Again!"

"Oh, come on. It's not like I don't already do that all the time anyway!"

Everyone is aghast.

Gaster's expression turns scornful, and he points at his sons. "Don't pretend like you two don't know what I'm talking about! You're both technically my illegal genetic experiments!"

Papyrus still looks annoyed, and Sans just slaps a hand against his face, groaning. "da-ad..." He sighs. "here's an idea: why don't you just let me drive?"

It seems no one has an argument against that, and you decide to not get into the nuances of whether or not Sans has a driver's license. So Papyrus gives Sans the keys and Gaster gets out of the driver's seat, and you all pile in.

§

A/N

Honestly I had no idea this chapter was going to happen. I had a plan, but Gaster wanted to have some fun, I guess, so what I had planned will have to happen next chapter, I guess.

Also, completely unrelated, but for any of you out there that play Minecraft, I suggest you look at the mod "The Betweenlands." (I believe it's available on CurseForge.) My brother showed it to me a little while ago, and it's pretty awesome this far. Especially if you like darker, creepier aesthetics. (But really, I'm only telling you all this because I wanted to share this music)

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it! Comments and votes are my Favorite Things, and every notification I get makes my day!