I always knew Mem was good at making costumes, but I never knew she could get better. My last Halloween was when I was 12, and I was a pirate. Mem did the best job making the toy parrot that latched on to my shoulder. That was the fun part. I looked like Jack Skele-bro!
I didn't know what Papyrus would be, but as soon as I saw him in his costume I knew. He looked like a royal guardsman!
I watched him pose in the mirror while Mem pinned his scarf to the chest plate of the costume.
"Papyrus, love, stay still!" Mem almost never got mad, but she was right now. Her orange eyes stayed vibrant, but her right one kept flickering blue. Her affection for her son kept her from lashing out.
Papyrus shifted impatiently on his feet but let Mem fix up his outfit.
"Have you asked Miss Toriel if you can pass through her home to get to Snowdin?" Mem asked me without trailing her gaze away from her second son.
"no, not yet," I admitted. "should i go do that now?"
"That'd be helpful, yes." She nodded. I smiled at my mother and left the house, ignoring Pap's whiny complaints. The road to Miss Toriel's was smooth like all the other paths trailing around the Ruins. I could never compare it to other tracks because these are the only roads I've ever known.
On the way to Tori's house I noticed Jasper and Mettaton floating by, pink against pink. They were almost identical, but Jasper was much thinner than her son. Mettaton smiled at me. "Ello, Sans!"
"heya. where you getting back from?"
"We were just checking up on Toriel," Jasper replied in her soft, honeyed voice. Her eyes were filled with worry.
"is... is she doing okay?" I asked, fretting a bit after seeing the frightened look on Jasper's face.
The mother ghost sighed. "She's doing the best she can..." She glanced at Mettaton, who didn't seem to have a firm grasp on what was going on. I didn't even know.
What was going on?
"i'll see you later, j," I said at last, and waved my farewell. Mettaton and Jasper floated off.
As soon as I neared Toriel's house, the stench of sickness engulfed me like a tide. I instantly gagged, rearing back a couple of steps. I could hear wheezing that came from inside the house. I was about to walk off when Toriel came out of her home, her milky white fur matted and her purple eyes carrying the weary burden of exhaustion. Her young son, Asriel, peeked out from behind her violet dress. The fur on his cheeks were stained with tears.
"Yes?" Toriel demanded. The usual peaceful and loving goat monster was stressed, causing her to be impatient. "What is it?"
"n- nothing..," I stammered, feeling intimidated under Tori's harsh lilac gaze. "just.. came to say yo..."
"We can't talk right now, Sans," she said sternly. "Some other time."
I nodded, catching the hint. She wasn't up for conversation. I turned back and strolled back towards the house.
The party was the least of my worries.
Something was wrong.
Terribly wrong.