The Weight of Rest
The cold wind whipped against him as UltSans sat on the back of the floating blaster, soaring through the night sky. The city lights glowed faintly in the distance, a scattered constellation of artificial life beneath them.
For a while, he said nothing.
His mind still lingered on the ruins of Ravencroft, on what he might have left behind.
Abyss moved closer, its form slithering beside him, its red-veined mass shifting like living smoke.
Then, it spoke.
Abyss:"Listen. Your determination is too focused, too frustrating. I know you refuse to sleep, but there's no reason to stay awake after destroying the Institute. Nothing is making you nervous anymore."
UltSans' sockets flickered slightly, but his expression remained unreadable.
He exhaled slowly before answering.
UltSans:"...But the curiosity of what could have been there... The 'what-ifs.' What if I missed something? What if there was something I didn't see?..."
His voice was low, thoughtful.
Then, his eyes narrowed slightly.
UltSans:"And even if I did want to sleep, in open field? Yeah, no. I could try on the blaster, but I'd probably fall, and let's be real—that's not gonna end well."
Abyss tilted its head, watching him.
UltSans:"Even if I can heal myself, I need my hands free. If I hit the ground and can't move, then I'm stuck. Can't heal myself, can't do anything."
His fingers drummed against the blaster's horn.
UltSans:"So no. I'm not sleeping in open field."
Abyss shifted, then drifted right in front of UltSans' face, hovering inches away.
The blaster continued gliding forward, but neither of them looked away.
Abyss:"Then let's make a deal."
UltSans raised a brow, unimpressed.
Abyss:"You sleep. I cover you."
UltSans blinked.
Abyss:"I saw it in your memories. No matter how much—or how little—you sleep, your energy comes from Determination. You don't recover like a normal human. It's not just stamina. It's exhaustion."
It hesitated for a second before continuing.
Abyss:"Your body can recover much faster than anything human. So sleep a while. Rest. Then continue."
UltSans sighed, his fingers tightening slightly.
For a few moments, he didn't respond.
Then, the blaster slowed.
Finally, it stopped.
He sat there in silence for a moment, looking around before tilting his head slightly.
In the distance, beyond the stretching roads and scattered trees, he saw the outskirts of a city.
He turned to look at Abyss, his expression half-annoyed, half-defeated.
UltSans:"Alright. I don't know what's with you wanting me to sleep so bad, but fine. I'll give you your damn wish."
He lifted his right hand lazily, motioning for Abyss to return.
UltSans:"Get inside. I'll do everything."
Abyss didn't argue.
It simply moved back inside, vanishing into him once more.
UltSans then lifted his right arm, his fingers flicking outward.
A tiny portal opened beside him. Without hesitation, he reached inside.
For a few seconds, his hand disappeared into the void.
Then—
He pulled it back, the portal closing behind him.
Now, clutched in his grip, were thick wads of bills.
He glanced at them briefly before stuffing them into his coat.
Landing in the City
With a simple tilt of his wrist, the blaster shifted forward, moving toward the city.
As he descended, the air around him hummed, the world growing brighter as neon signs flickered below.
Finally, he dismissed the blaster—
And dropped.
Before he could even hit the ground, his body vanished, dissolving into a swirl of red particles and glitching effects.[1]
A second later, he reappeared on the street.
Without wasting a moment, UltSans shoved his hands into his coat pockets and started walking.
He had no real plan. No real care for where he ended up.
All he needed was somewhere to sleep.
He passed a few locals, their expressions flickering with brief confusion at his sudden appearance.
Not that he cared.
Spotting a random man standing near a streetlight, UltSans casually approached.
UltSans:"Yo. Closest hotel?"[2]
The man blinked, slightly caught off guard.
Man:"Uhh... Well, depends. You looking for something cheap, or—"
UltSans cut him off.
UltSans:"Closest. Doesn't matter how expensive. Just the closest one."
The man hesitated before pointing down the street.
Man:"There's a place two blocks down, right by the main road. Pretty high-end, though."
UltSans:"Perfect."
Without another word, he turned and started walking.
No hesitation.
No concern for cost.
Just pure, tired indifference.
Tonight, sleep wasn't a choice.
It was a necessity.
UltSans walked through the city streets, his footsteps slow, unhurried, but deliberate. The neon lights above cast a faint artificial glow, and in their presence, his pupils flickered from blue to green, shifting as they adapted to the brightness around him.
He didn't look around. Didn't admire the city. Didn't care about the people passing by.
To him, this was just another place. Another night.
The only thing that mattered was getting to the hotel.
The hotel lobby was quiet, elegant in design, its warm lighting giving an air of exclusivity. UltSans didn't look around, didn't admire the polished marble floors, the chandeliers, or the well-dressed guests.
None of it mattered.
He approached the front desk, his expression blank, his pupils shifting from green to blue as he stepped into the slightly dimmer lighting.
The receptionist, a polite and composed woman, glanced up as he arrived.
She barely reacted to his casual attire—years of working in high-end hospitality had trained her to handle all kinds of guests. Still, something about him… felt different.
Not threatening.
Not dangerous.
Just off.
She put on her best professional smile.
Receptionist:"Good evening, sir. Welcome to the Starlight Grand Hotel. Do you have a reservation?"
UltSans let out a small sigh, tilting his head slightly, as if debating whether answering was even worth the effort.
Then—he simply lifted his right hand, reaching into his coat pocket.
His fingers brushed against the thick wads of bills he had taken earlier. Without much thought, he pulled them out and began counting.
He wasn't rushed.
Didn't care to be.
UltSans:"Just gimme whatever room's available."
The receptionist's brows twitched slightly.
It wasn't the amount of money that surprised her—this was a high-end hotel, after all—but rather his complete lack of concern.
No questions about the price.
No questions about the room quality.
No hesitations.
She quickly recovered, offering a polite, practiced smile.
Receptionist:"Of course, sir. Will you be needing any additional services?"
UltSans gave a careless shrug.
UltSans:"Breakfast. Whatever you got. Doesn't matter how expensive."
She blinked, momentarily caught off guard.
Most guests at least asked about what was offered, or pretended to look at the menu.
He didn't.
He didn't even care.
She tapped a few things into her computer, her tone never faltering.
Receptionist:"Understood. Your total for the night, including breakfast service, comes to—"
Before she could finish, UltSans simply dropped all the wads of bills onto the counter.
A careless thump echoed as the stack landed.
UltSans:"Keep the change, as a tip. To take care of your cutie face, or to buy any dress you want."
The receptionist froze.
For a brief second, her professional composure cracked.
Her eyes widened slightly, and the hint of pink dusted her cheeks. It wasn't the compliment itself—it was the way he said it.
No teasing.
No flirtation.
Just… matter-of-fact.
As if he was stating something as simple as the weather.
After a short moment, she blinked a few times, then quickly nodded, recovering her composure like a seasoned professional.
Receptionist:"Certainly, sir. Your room is on the 21st floor. Here is your keycard."
UltSans took it without reaction, tucking it into his coat pocket.
As he turned to leave, he glanced back briefly.
UltSans:"Good night."
Then, without another word, he walked off.
The receptionist exhaled softly, pressing a hand to her chest before shaking her head slightly.
Receptionist:"Have a good night too, sir."
And just like that, he was gone.
The elevator ride was silent.
As he stepped into the hallway, the lights dimmed slightly, recognizing the late hour.
His room was exactly what he expected.
Spacious. Luxurious. Pointless.
A massive bed with freshly pressed sheets, a panoramic view of the city skyline, a minibar stocked with ridiculously expensive liquor.
UltSans ignored all of it.
He didn't care.
Closing the door behind him, he tossed the keycard onto the nearby dresser and walked toward the window.
For a brief moment, he stared out at the city lights.
Then, with a tired sigh, he sat on the edge of the bed, his posture slouched.
Abyss remained silent inside him, not speaking, not moving.
The exhaustion he had been denying was finally catching up to him.
His pupils flickered, shifting from green back to blue as the room's dim lighting affected his vision.
Finally—
He let himself fall backward, collapsing onto the mattress with a soft thud.
His eyes remained half-open for a while, his mind still restless.
But sleep was inevitable.
And tonight—for once—he wouldn't fight it.
Tomorrow Would Come Either Way.
[1] His shortcut. A teleport to avoid fall damage.
Explanation: He saw the street, and simply teleported to be there, and that was enough to unlock the shortcut.
Requirements: Knowing where the destination is. The path to travel and reach destination is irrelevant and unnecessary.
[2] A near impossible interaction, but yet, happened by the huge indifference he has over humans.
He never says "Yo", nor act so indifferent, but the bother of Abyss to sleep, and the wonders about the Institute, made him struggle with himself, and just have a huge indifference over humans, as he knows he can kill any human with extreme ease, even without trying.