Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It hadn't started off with a bang, in fact they had started with the whisper, and it had come over time. Over observation. After so many battles with Ink he had become tired of the same routine. The star sanses had become too predictable, but so did his ‘allies’. The constant battle between the Star sanses and the ‘dark’ ones became so monotone. He couldn't stand to be around either anymore, it was always the same thing over and over and over. And with his boredom he began to notice little things here and there.  He realized how as the Destroyer, he tended to create quite a few things; more things than he realized he even knew how to create. Sewing sure, Knitting, definitely, but painting? He didn't remember learning how to but he knew it. In his attempt to stave of his boredom came the opportunity to paint, to draw, to create. But most of all it started when he would observe Ink and realize he knew when the Creator would make a mistake. He would see the other make new worlds and he was aware if something was wrong in the world; if they were hungry, scared, hopeless, or wrong. And it felt so inherently wrong , like a sacred rule was being broken. It churned his insides, these worlds never lasted long after creation, it was a mercy for them to have death instead of prolonged suffering. Not to mention the pain he would feel when the other made new worlds and the annoyance and familiarity when he felt a new creation, or rather copy. It had been a long while since Ink made something truly original. He knew the feeling even if it hadn't come with pain in the past,and then he started to remember it. It was with his comments here or there of when he observed Inks mistakes that prompted a change in the Antivoid voices.

does he remember?

how could he ?

he shouldn't, not yet?

do you remember?

‘Remember?’

‘What did I forget?’

But his questions would be met with silence.

He knew he was forgetting something though, that feeling of missing something every time he visited Outertale only confirmed it.

Those were the triggers, but the main catalyst was a simple mistake, a misunderstanding, a new AU moments after creation. Ink had become lax and felt his creations where safe from him after he stopped caring for the balance, he was more interested in his forgotten thoughts after all. The new AU was unaware of its creator, even though the copy undertale san knew it had one. So when he landed intent to destroy at least a few new ones to prolong the total destruction of balance, so he could find his answers, the copy sans, exactly like the original, asked one question with a lazy smile and a nervous eye glint.

“Creator?”

However, it wasn't just the question that was the catalyst but rather his automatic familiar response that caused his memories to resurface.

“Yes”

He had been the original defective creator. He had gone against fate and lost. He had lost his freedom, his abilities, his friends, his home, his life, because he had gone against fate.

He was the first, the original. He had created the first few AUs, the originals and then some. Undertale, Swap, others, and most of all Outertale, his most prized creation. He would go to great lengths to keep his creations happy, always creating a balance and most of all peace. But fate was unsatisfied with his creations, they were never enough. It would give him ideas. It wanted AUs filled with horror, starvation, death, struggles, genocide, it wanted everything that he painstakingly tried to avoid in every AU he created. So he refused. He didn't want to hurt his creations. He loved them too much.

It was then that Fate realized their mistake, their mistake of giving their creator a soul, to give him feelings, and the power to refuse their puppeteer. Their creator had a glitch in his code, they had made an error in his creation; so they fixed it.

They wiped the slate completely clean, well almost, and threw their creator to the newly made Void,  where they forced a change within the creators soul, corrupting completely, until all that was left was a glitching forgotten mistake. And while their mistake was getting fixed, they decided to use one of his old creations as the new Creator. He had left it unfinished as he had rebelled around its creation, but it was no matter, after all a soulless creation would fix their mistake and make a lovely new puppet.

So Ink, the soulless new creator, the last true original creation. He remade the originals, remade outertale, and followed Fate’s wishes for horror and death. He continued to create and create until the time came for the emergence of the First Destroyer to keep the balance he had always valued in creation.

And now with his memories returned Error cried as he realized everything he had created had been destroyed. And with his new role in destruction, all the suffering he had caused, he felt despair. He truly had lost everything to Fate. 

But everything made sense now. Why he always felt as if the ‘originals’ weren't really the originals. Why he always felt kinship to the rejected Sans. Why he always felt happier in Outertale. And why he always felt an immense pain and sadness when he truly observed how wrong his multiverse had become. It was a desolate feeling, a very hopeless feeling.

So with his revelation, came a new decision. Predictable, considering his previous decisions as creator. So he did what he did best and defied Fate once more.

His real home was lost, and with it all his friends. Now he saw no real reason to protect the multiverse anymore. As creator he had held the balance all on his own, Ink should be able to do it as well. And if he couldn't, then it would be his last ‘fuck you’ to Fate.

So with a farewell to his friends and a warning to his decision, he locked himself inside the Void.

Creating paintings and drawings of his past, awaiting for the end to finally come, his only company the voices which had started sounding strangely -

Familiar.

Chapter Text

It didn't take long for the voices to realise Error fully remembered who he once was.

He remembers...

Yes!

Finally.

About time.

You do not know how long we've waited for this!

Error ignored them in favor of keeping his attention on the large canvas painting he was making of the star constellations he remembered from his own Outertale. Nostalgia washing over him. Surprisingly, Ink had never been able to recreate the his star constellations in any of his outertale universes. In retrospect, it explained why he would always be interested in looking at the stars before destroying whatever copy he was in. It also explained his irrational anger when he was never able to find what he looked for. He had been subconsciously looking for his star constellations.

He’s ignoring us.

Yes, I doubt we missed this Fell.

He's making your sky!

So he is.

Hey Fa - creator, do you remember our voices?

At this Error paused. They called him Creator.

“Remember your voices?”

Oh.

He doesn't.

Its okay if you don't!

He’s only had two days of remembrance.

I’m sure you'll remember us soon… Father.

He twitched vague memories of old friends passing through his mind.

OUTER!

Not yet!

We talked about this!

I figured I’d speed up the process.

“Father?”

‘Outer?’

We agreed to wait for him!

No, you all talked about it and assumed I agreed.

Well it's not like we can take it back now.

Agreed, maybe it will help.

Error snickered, “Did I have kids while I was the creator?”

He was met with silence.

Error blanched at the thought, “W-Wait did I have kids?!?!”

The idea itself was nearly making Error want to crash and reboot.

In a sense…

It's what we’ve always called you.

You never told us otherwise so…

We where one of your first creations, so yes, you did have ‘kids’.

He contemplated the answer for a bit, looking at his painting without actually looking. “So what, are you guys ghosts or something? Did Fate fuck up in erasing you guys?”

We fell into the core in our AUs, somehow we all ended up here.

They didn't fuck up per se…

They just conveniently forgot we were here.

We were here for a long time before you ended up here.

“So… why’d you help Fate in making me miserable if you were my brats? … Was I that much of a horrible Father?” Error muttered the last line with a sad chuckle. ‘Great even my own brats hate me… Wait, is it me or did their story sound a lot like the Gasters Inky makes?’

NO! That's not it at all!

We never said any of those things! You where the best Father we could ever hope for!

That Bitch twisted our words! She silenced our true words!

We were too weak to fight them, they used their magic to influence us.

We couldn't talk to you without her messing with our words.

“So what's with the sudden change?”

You changed. You remembered.

You stopped destroying.

You noticed what we’ve always hoped you’d notice!

And now with AUs destroying on their own, the balance is finally tipping back to where it should be.

And somehow that allowed us some power. We have a theory but… that's for another time.

Yes, we’d rather you remember yourself first.

“Huh, I'm surprised Inky hasn't tried to come find me yet if so much destruction is going on.”

Distorted hissing was heard all around the void.

With more power in our possession we’re keeping them ALL OUT.

We locked them out. We are the void now . We control this space of the multiverse.

How else are you supposed to remember if they keep bugging you?

Now we can finally protect you ourselves, Father .

The more he heard the term ‘father’ the more he felt sure that he knew the voices.

“Tell me, would you guys, by any chance, be Gasters?”

Various tones of excitement filled the void after Error finished his question.

(Elsewhere, Destiny was a flustered mess when they saw what Love did. They couldn’t believe they had forgotten about Error’s ‘sons’. Welp at least Love picked up the slack, now to convince Luck and Karma to help… on second thought maybe not Karma, their form of justice always tended to be double sided at times.)

Elsewhere in the Multiverse

“What are we going to do now Nightmare? With Error gone were not going to survive for very long…” A small figure with a very large knife asked a lump of black mass.

Said mass had been lying limply on their bed eversince the one person who could match him in power decided, for some unknown reason he refused to explain, to finally give up on the multiverse and doomed them all.

“What can we do? With him gone, we’ll all be dead by the end of this month or the next, depends on the squids’ creativity rate really. And nothing we do can stop Ink, it's not like we can destroy worlds. Sure we could dust everyone in the AUs but it won't destroy the space it takes up, nor make it disappear.” Another skeleton answered for the silent mass, said skeleton looked rather morose, and was suspiciously covered in dust.

“Yeah we already tried the dusting thing,” another voice answered down the hall heading toward the room apparently everyone was congregating at, “Dust, Horror, and I tried that on a couple of AUs that had been super close together, even with them all dead nothing we did stopped the kid from restarting the run”

“Nightmare… maybe you can convince Error to come back? Or at least take us with him?” Cross said as he stared down at the unmoving mass.

“Give it up Cross, he’s already tried that. Somehow he locked us out. All of us. We even resorted to asking that virus, while we were out, even he couldn't open up a portal to there.” Horor said as he came up, munching on a sandwich.

“How can you eat at a time like this!?! We are going to be fucking erased if we don't get Error back!” Cross yelled agitated at the fact that their supposed great leader was too depressed (the king of negativity himself !) to even answer any of his questions and the rest of his teammates were taking the thought of imminent doom so calmly.

“I dunno, since I doubt anyone of us will even be able to reach Error and he as sure doesn't seem like he's going to come back or change his mind. I figured, why waste the little time i have left worrying about how to stay alive, when i can just enjoy the time i have actually have left  alive?” Horror said as he continued to much on his food.

“Thats some really wise words there friend. So! Not to ruin the mood or anything, but anyone wanna play a game of cards, ya know, while we still can?” Killer said as he finally popped into the room, cards in hand.

The words of yes and sure sounded around the room, all except the depressed mass on the bed answered.

“Hey Nightmare, you're not gonna join us?”

“Leave the poor guy alone Dust, our grand leader is a bit heartbroken at the moment that his ‘future queen’ locked him out and basically skipped town and also doomed everyone.” Killer said as he shuffled the card deck.

“Heartbroken?” Cross said in surprise.

“I swear Cross don't you know anything?! With how much Nightmare obsessed about getting Error to join, you'd think you’d notice that he obviously liked the destroyer. I mean come on, he couldn't go for more than a few hours without mentioning Error within a conversation. I swear, where have you been?” Dust said as he looked through his cards, internally groaning at the horrible card he’d been given. ‘Maybe i can bluff my way to victory?’

“Leave the kid alone, at least he actually minded his own business.” Horror said as he examined his cards, smirking internal, he'd already won the game.

Cross glanced at their leader, things he’d witnessed in the past suddenly making sense.

“So, if they had gotten together, who’d be our mom, Error or Nightmare?” Cross said with a thoughtful smile, internally giggling, as the previously catatonic mass twitched.

“Definitely Nightmare” they all unanimously said, all grinning as they realised Cross’ plan, ‘Getting a rise out of Nightmare.’

Error would have definitely been the mom, was everyone's actual opinion, of course, as they saw a lone blue eye glare from within the writhing mass, they figured they could at least lie about it this one time.

And it worked.

Well...dodging tar like tentacles from a, no longer depressed Nightmare, kinda counted as a victory. The card game was abandoned on the ground as the gang started their fun version of ‘rough housing’.

Horror was right, if the world was doomed already then why not spend the remaining time they had left having fun with their dysfunctional family?

Oh, maybe they should invite the Charas.

Near the middle of the multiverse, 3 months later

“Ink we’ve tried everything no one can find Error or get into the void. If Error’s responsible for the recent destruction of the worlds, I dont think wallowing in your room angry is going to help anyone.” Dream said annoyed, as he watched the ‘all powerful’ creator, huddling under his bed sheets. A quick glance of the room showed it was messier than usual, pencils, papers, markers, and half finished drawings littered the floor.

Honestly sometimes he felt like the older one when he was around Ink.

“You know the least we could do is evacuate some of the sanses to here or at least call a meeting so we could maybe prepare an ambush or something... anything other than just sitting on our asses would be good!” Dream said, as he prepared to throw a discarded pillow at the lump on the bed.

‘Thump’

“Ow, Dreaaam. Agh you don't get it! I thought we had finally come to a truce or something, he hadn't even destroyed any AUs for a long while; he didnt even join in on the fights the dark sanses would start! I thought we had finally gotten through to him or at least maybe he lost interest. I was considering letting him join the alliance! And now suddenly he's destroying so many at once, of course i’m angry Dream!” Ink said as he ripped the blankets off of him, looking more sad than angry.

Dream rolled his eyes, Ink was being dramatic as usual.

“This is Error were talking about, you really thought he changed all of a sudden?” He said with a bone brow raised, ‘honestly this was Error they were talking about, the fricken destroyer for fucks sake.’

“Well no, but i was really enjoying the freedom of creativity without destruction suddenly happening to everything i create…”

‘Yep that sounds like Ink alright’

“Look how about you call a meeting and we can figure something out, maybe we can even go along with that previous plan we had thought up.” He said as he side stepped some of the mess on the floor, “Maybe even clean up all this mess while we wait for them to arrive…”

“You mean the jail thing for Error?” Ink said, completely ignoring Dreams last suggestion, he was a sans, he was completely and utterly comfortable with the mess.

“Yep, we’ll have to find him first though, and as far as I know, he hasn't visited his usual hants in the last three months since we lost the ability to open a portal to the void… So we’ll probably have to think of something to lure him out…” Dream said as he started picking this up here and there, unable to stand the mess any longer.

“Hey haven't you noticed that Error tends to come out every time one of Nightmare’s gang or Nightmare himself gets captured by us? What if we captured all of them, think that’d be enough to make come out of hiding?” Ink said with a sly smile, eye lights changing with the excitement of a new idea. A new idea that could possibly lead to finding the one glitch that had been occupying everyone’s mind lately.

“That's a great idea Ink! Let’s go call the meeting, maybe everyone will be willing to help!” Dream said in excitement, finally glad that he had gotten his leader happy.

‘Now if only i could get him to clean up his room.’

Chapter Text

It was dark and peaceful, not a soul stirred as even the early birds could be found asleep.

Or rather it was peaceful, until a loud obnoxious ringing awoke one of the two occupants of a certain household.

Swap Sans, or rather Blueberry as most called him awoke with a jolt. Slightly half asleep he meandered his way to the phone, for once actually acting like the ‘original’ sans. He yawned cutely, before picking up the transdimensional phone Ink had installed within most AU’s when Error had gone silent. Ink had worried that Error had been planning something big so he had installed phones that could reach across dimensions to call him should Error be seen. Personally, he thought Ink was overreacting. Though maybe he wasn't reacting enough now that he knew the multiverse was going to be destroyed because one of his best friends, the only one that didn't coddle him, had locked himself away, in what he thought was sadness, and wouldn't even let him visit him!

“Ah, Hello, this is the SwapTale brothers residence, who may I ask is calling at - 4 am?” Blue said in a slightly cheery yet irritated voice.

“Blue! Its Dream sorry for calling so early I always forget that some AU’s run at a completely different time schedule than the doodle sphere.”Said Dream in a harried voice.

“Mweh he he, It's quite alright my friend, I was due for waking up in an hour or so anyways to get some early training and to make some breakfast for Pappy and I, this way I can at least get an even earlier start on things, so whats up?”

“Well here's the thing, Ink came up with a plan to finally lure Error out and capture him for once and for all! So I was calling to tell you that the meeting is going to be later today at around 5 in the afternoon at the doodle sphere!”

Blue’s once relaxed stance tensed up.

“Hmm…  ahh, oh will you look at the time looks like I gotta go bye!”

“Wait Blue are you com-” The phone receiver clanged loudly as he hung up.

Blue stood still quietly before swearing up and down under his breath as he returned to his room.

Pausing on his way quickly to cut the phone line, not wanting Dream to call back and possibly disturb his brother’s sleep. He had, after all, come home late from muffets. It wasn’t at all, because he wanted to keep Pappy from knowing about the real Star Sans meeting, no not at all.

Honestly he truly and honestly felt, as if all the star sanses where complete and utter idiots. Dream being the biggest and Ink being the worst jackass in the multiverse as not only was he always trying to hurt his dear friend Error, but was going to get the multiverse killed if he didn't show some restraint. Honestly he had tried to warn the others and Dream about Ink’s recklessness and Error’s true role but no one had believed him.He hated being seen as the most ‘cutest, innocent, sans’ they never took him seriously because of this, also the main reason he loved being Error’s friend. They had actually thought he was ‘suffering’ from a type of stockholm syndrome from the few weeks Error had kidnapped him as he had been seeing Error in a ‘good light’ and Ink in a bad one. Some even believed he had been brainwashed. They were all complete and utter idiots.

After getting ready and stuffing some snacks in his inventory, he burst into his brother’s room, screaming a quick comment to his half awake and startled brother.

“MWEH HE HE! PAPPY IM GOING TO A STARS MEETING I'LL BE HOME LATE OR TOMORROW. FOODS IN THE FRIDGE GOTTA GO BYE!” Blue screamed, leaving the, already falling back to sleep brother behind as he opened up a portal with his hammer.

However, the portal did not in fact lead to the doodle sphere but rather lead to a dark and gloomy forgotten Au, with a large castle in the background. Then again being seen as the ‘Innocent Sans’ had its perks as no one would ever suspect he was actually here if they did come looking for him.

He happily skipped down the road that lead straight to the castle, quickly announcing his name before one of the Nightmare gang mistook him for an intruder.

“MWEH HE HE! HEY NIGHTY I CAME TO VISIT!!! AND I HAVE SNACKS!”

Happily Blue slammed the large door open, having a key of his own, that he may or may not have pilfered from one of the other occupants the last time he came for a visit.

“Hey this is the first time I don't get a welcome party trying to kill me or trying to instantly steal the snacks I bring! I… are you guys playing twister?

ELSEWHERE (3 months prior to Ink’s planning) if your keeping track of the times I've established, you’ll understand.

“My own little brats” Error said fondly, ignoring the grumbles and denials of his description.

He finished his painting, feeling content as he recognized the familiar stars.

“I’ll be honest, I never thought of myself as father material, let alone the type to have four kids” He couldn’t help but chuckle to himself still feeling shocked at having kids, yet - as he grabbed toward his chest - in his soul he knew, they were indeed his sons; and he had missed them.

“Tell me about yourselves. I still can’t remember much about you guys, other than there being four or five of you, what are your names, your interests, tell me everything.”

“… should we?”

“Might as well he’ll remember either way, this will just speed things up.”

“There's a lot to remember, but you are partially correct there are four of us.

Originally you created Eidolon and Synthesis your first ‘generals’.”

“Generals?”

Yes, Fate wanted subjects for you to rule over, to govern, to play with, you where their entertainment, their creation, their puppet. Or at least that's what they wanted for you. But you never did really do what they wanted. At least not always. Do you remember that castle they made you do?

“Yes and no, I clearly remember not wanting it. The cold silence of a large and empty kingdom never appealed to me. I think I was even considering making myself a little cottage and leaving the castle there to appease Fate. ”

“Yes well, Fate wanted subjects but you wanted a family, so you made a compromise. You created us with the thought of war, with the thought of needing champions should a battle ever arise and so you made yourself a pair of twins, Synthesis and I, your first sons, I was your Scientist and Synthesis your strategist. Then -”

“But something was missing, I loved my two babybones but there was always a pull in my soul” Error looked up at the endless void, gaze lost in his memories, a small smile formed on his face as he spoke “So when you, Eidolon, and Synthesis were a year old, I made Cadmar and Starlight” Tears had gathered in his sockets, he remembered his sons creation!

“... yes and you raised us and helped us reach our fullest potential. I, Cadmar the fierce excelled in strength like no other! ”

“And like a true counterpart, with Cadmar’s brute strength to balance him out I excelled in healing magic.”

“Starlight and I were mainly the support team, Cadmar and Eidolon where the ones with offensive magic. Eidolon and I suspect the reason for this is because your magic centers on balance so, with the creation of two beings at once, if one mainly uses healing magic then our counterparts use offensive magic-”

Error quirked a smile remembering on all the ‘scientific’ expeditions Eidolon and Synthesis would go on as young skeletons in the name of ‘science’...Though of course each one had their own quirks and preferences, Eidolon liked discovering and documenting above all while Synthesis liked seeing what could and should not go together /internally he cringed as he remembered quite a couple of towers getting destroyed because his second born had decided to ‘try something new’/

“Don't forget the brute strength for Cadmar!”

“It is not brutish! I am majestic in the art of battle-”

“You used to lift and suplex the boulders around the kingdom as part of your training! I know! I was there trying to keep you from breaking your spine! And half of the time I either got roped into your training or had to heal fractures on your body that you caused with your idiocy!”

He could clearly remember seeing his youngest pair resting next to each other after their training sessions, Cadmar would be asleep against a tree, while Starlight would use his brothers lap as a pillow. They where always so much more well behaved compared to his eldest. Fondly he remembered all the nights he would find Starlight awake in the highest tower mapping out the star constellations he was so fascinated with or just plain enjoying the view; and like his younger twin, Cadmar too would be found in the middle of the nights taking ‘walks’ around the kingdom, periodically checking on his siblings; he had always been very protective, taking his ‘warrior’ role so seriously, especially with, at the time, a problem he had been having with Fate.

He frowned, maybe if he had just submitted to Fate they never would have taken away all he loved… but at the same time he couldn't stand the thought of causing suffering to his creations all for the enjoyment of his previous master.

‘No, even if I had to go through it all again I would still do it.’

Finally the shouting from around the void snapped him back to the present.

He couldn't help but chuckle as the heard the four voices fight and struggle to talk over each other, each pair in their own conversation.

‘This sounds so familiar, even if i can't remember specific instances.'

“Hey brats, weren't you supposed to be explaining things to your poor amnesiac father?”

“Ah yes where was I… right! Fate. They were still unhappy, they had gotten their generals but you still had no subjects. So you -

“Made each of you a gift. Sure the kingdom would be lonely without my troublemakers but, by then you for where more than capable of handling other kingdoms, to watch over them not as their kings but as the balance that kept even the ruler of the Tale in place. Undertale for Eidolon, Swaptale for Synthesis, Underfell for Cadmar, and my masterpiece, the city in the stars, Outertale for Starlight.”

“Right, no favoritism at all Father, also must you keep interrupting?”

“Err... right sorry... Wait! I dotted upon each one of you equally! I can't help that the city I most enjoyed making ended up being under my-” at that Error’s eye lights flickered out, his easygoing smile faltering.

“Babybone’s jurisdiction…”

“Father?”

“Are you alright?”

“What's wrong!?”

“What did you remember?”

That's right, when Fate attacked he had been in the middle of creating.

Error looked up at the void, face showing shock and horror.

“I was right... there were, no are five of you, Starlight isn't the youngest anymore.” Tears started to overflow his sockets remembering how he had not been able to finish his creation before he was rudely ripped away from his world. He had wanted it to be a surprise for his kids but he never got to tell them. They had a baby brother.

“My youngest is Ink.”

"͑̓ͬͬ̇W̵͌͒̐ͭ̕H̴̽ͣ̆͐A̡̛͂̂̈́̕Ţ̵̃̌́̈́ͪ͘!̛̌͊̔̊̌͛?̶̈͗̅̏̅ͤ̽͢"̀

Their question was not answered for a long high pitched beep sounded in the air. To the brothers’ surprise and dismay their father had begun to reboot.

“Damnit now is not the time Father!”

“He hasn't done this in so long.”

“How long do you think he will take?”

“Considering the shock, I’d say we’d be lucky if it was only a month.”

“A month?!”

“Yes, don’t you remember? That … friend of his tried to make a move on him and he came back here in surprise, he rebooted and it took him 3 weeks. He has just found out that the tool of his tormentor is …̩͡ ̗͉͕o̡̙̟̩͓͖̘͙ṳ̗ŗ̩͖̫̰̫̠̱ ̨͇b̩̤̮̟̫͎̬͢r͔͠o̵̳̱̳̬̤̣t͏͍͉͔̪͔̮h̺͖̦͜e͍͔͔r͉ , his son. It’s probably going to be a awhile before he comes to.”

“So now what?”

“Now? Why brothers what an idiotic question. Now, of course we, wait and plot for our youngest brother’s demise. Because the second we get out of here, the second  I get out of here,

there

will

be

D̤̯͉̝̗͘U҉̟̥ͅS̳̹̪͍͚ͅT͖̫ͅ

Chapter Text

    “So! Thank you for coming to this, last minute meeting!” Dream said cheerily as he mentally cursed out the creator for making him call a meeting, but promptly disappearing to who knows where. Leaving him to deal with his irritable and worried mirror images.

“See Ink decided that the only way we're going to be able to make Error come out of hiding is to make him come out himself. So-”

“And how do you suppose we do that?”

“He hasn’t been seen in months!”

“Worlds keep getting destroyed and only now you’re making your move, and it's to capture Error!”

“We should get rid of him once and for all!”

“A-hah- well you see-”

“Enough!” Ink grunted as he came through the large double doors looking winded.

“It’s simple really all we have to do is lure him out, and before you ask how, we use his allies as bait.

Silence surrounded the meeting room. Not because of what Ink had said but rather because of his disheveled look.

“... Ink are you late because of…” Dream started, being unable to finish his sentence.

“Haha, it looks like you just came from a fucking booty call mate!” A red schemed sans said loudly. Wolf whistles followed his statement from the other sans’. Along with a few glares from the more reserved counterparts toward their rowdier copy images.

A full rainbow bloomed across Ink's face, eyes turning red.

“NO!!! I look like this because I had to create a new wing in the doodle sphere specifically to hold prisoners and block out their powers in a span of maybe 10 to 15 minutes! I was not doing -that! We're getting off topic!

“Now does anyone have a plan on how to locate Nightmare’s castle and who wants to go with us. Our main priority is to capture Nightmare, kill the others if they get too rowdy; but if you can I’d rather we keep as many alive as we can, sort of an incentive to drag Error back. And once we do, we lock them and Error away in that wing to rot, and then- we’ll finally have a peaceful multiverse… Just like f̵͘͜͝a̛t҉̸̵̵͞ę̀͘͠ has always wanted for us ” Ink ended with a whisper and an eerie smile, eye lights still red.

In retrospect, Ink never understood why he had mentioned the last sentence after his little speech but his attention span never had been big and he had more pressing matters to focus on rather than his completely random word choice.

Though as Dream was the closest, he was the only one who heard the glitchiness in Ink’s voice. Concerned, he couldn't help but feel uneasy as he looked into Inks red eyelights that glinted in a cold light for a few seconds.

Dream felt his sins crawl down his back as he looked into them, for an actual second he feared his creator and best friend.

“Dream? Hey, Dream are you listening?” Ink said, suddenly much closer to Dream’s face.

“I-um what? Sorry, sorry what did you uh-say?” Dream said as his previously ashen face filled with a bloom of light yellow tint on his cheeks, uncomfortable with the closeness as Ink had zero sense of personal space and for getting caught staring.

“I asked, where is Blue. I thought I said to invite him.” Ink said with a curious look, “He’s usually here for all the meetings.”

“I called but he seemed … busy.”  Dream said in a light voice and looking a bit to the side, still shaken by what he had imagined.

‘It was odd though as soon as I mentioned the reason for the meeting… no, as soon as I mentioned Error, he clammed up and basically hung up.’

Of course, Dream didn't mention this because of two reasons. 1. He was still unsettled around his best friend and creator. And 2. Because he was really good friends with the blueberry sans and he just knew that whatever reason he had for not coming to the meeting, would be completely innocent.

“No matter the planning can continue without him, I want the gang captured by the end of today.”

“Okay Ink!”

“Hey, this is the first time I don't get a welcome party trying to kill me or trying to instantly steal the snacks I bring! I…” Blue was both irritated and amused as he saw the scene in front of him.

“... are you guys playing twister?”

The first thing he saw when he entered the room was the area, where the couches and table usually resided, covered in a colorful plastic placed center in the room. And around the plastic where the couches, the table was nowhere to be found.

On the couch was Nightmare with a sadistic smile on his face as he spun the color wheel. Dust was sitting morose next to him on the couch. Killer, Cross, and Horror were tangled up on the floor all clearly struggling to stay up over the twister dots. All turned in surprise at Blue’s incredulous voice, due to the surprise Horror, who was on top of Killer and Cross, accidentally lost his balance thus causing all three to fall.

Killer groaned in annoyance, muffled under the two others, “Nooo I was so close to finally winning!!!!!”

Blue felt ready to explode.

“So the multiverse is coming to an explosive end, Error is nowhere to be found, most likely locked away in the void by himself , and you guys are playing ?!” Blue said with a fake cheery voice as he brought out his star hammer from his inventory.

“Wow calm down Blue! We’re just enjoying the time we have left together before we die!” Cross yelped as he tried to crawl away from the tangle of limbs he was in.

“Besides we already tried to enter the void multiple times, somehow he locked us out. We’ve tried everything nothing we do works” Killer said, partially muffled under the bodies of his teammates.

Blue had an annoyed pout on his face, cheeks adorably puffing.

“Hmm, I guess that makes sense… ”

“Come on Blueberry, join the fun. I need someone around that isn't a complete idiot.” Nightmare said as he shoved Dust away from behind his back, who had hidden behind him when Blue took out his hammer.

Blueberry’s pout turned into a smirk, “Okay, get ready to get crushed !” he said as his eyes turned to stars. Coincidentally, any of the ones in the group that had been tense because of Blue’s threat instantly relaxed all thinking one thought, ‘aww how cute.’

“So… you mentioned snacks?” Horror asked as he lazed on top of his still struggling teammates. Dust visibly perked up at the mention of food.

“GET OFF!!” Killer and Cross yelled.

For once Error felt as if all the missing puzzle pieces of his memories had finally been found and put in their right place. So with the reboot done, he finally came to, feeling peace in his once turmoil-filled soul to match with the peace and silence of the void.

Or rather, it would have been peace if the voices - or rather his ‘sons’ - would stop arguing. He focused once more on his surroundings, heading for his knitting supplies. He was intent on creating the old clothes he used to wear. He loved his current clothes but now that he had time for himself he found he would rather have his old ones. Of course with a few… added features of his own.

You have to listen to reason!

But 'reason' is boring! That's more up your aisle!

What are you guys fighting about again?

Something about Synthesis wanting to try out a ‘theory’ of his.

And that would be…?

Trying to make a hole in the void!

…

Why are you the strategist again among the four of us?

Because I have the mental capacity for it.

A sigh was heard in the background, “Something tells me you don’t have much of an impulse control brat.”

Father!

Sounded 3 voices, the fourth, specifically Synthesis, was more focused on his project. In the three months, their father had been practically comatose the brothers could feel their power grow as time passed and finally he felt as if he could test out the theory they had thought up. Or rather, he thought up, while his three brothers tried to convince him otherwise.

Nope! Which is why I am going to test this now before any of you guys can stop me!

Wait! No, don’t-!

A ~Riiiip~ sound reverberated around the void.

Did he… actually literally rip the void!?

And with that Error felt a blip of relief in his soul. The constant pain and wrongness of having copies all around the multiverse lessened. And instantly he recognized the feel of serenity that came with the knowledge of thousands of copies having been destroyed. And the creation of a new one.

Brother?!

Synthesis!

Error frowned. He could feel it, the new AU was not a swap tale.

“Stop screaming Cadmar I’m right here, my plan didn’t work.”

Now that the forced creator and destroyer had his memories back, he could actually imagine his second eldest, Synthesis, with a pouting lip right at this moment.

“You idiot you could have died! What would I have done without my other half!”

“Aww, Eidolon you do care!”

“Shut up! I’m still mad at your recklessness and disregard for your own safety when it comes to your wellbeing! What did we talk about safety first before starting any experiment?!

“Wait, guys... Starlight isn’t speaking…. Where the heck is Starlight?!”

“Oh then my plan did work! … just with the wrong subject, I wonder why did Starlight escape first and not us? Is it because his world was the last to be erased? Or is it because of his larger magic supply. So many variables…

“The idiot actually did it! Chaotic impulse driven idiot he may be but he did it! … OH no, he ACTUALLY DID IT. STARLIGHT!”

“Yes, but how did I do it exactly? Let me make a rip in the void again… mhh no that wouldn't work I don't have enough power anymore... ”

“That doesn't matter! What about Starlight! He’s out there! ALONE! W̲E̛͎̞̟̫ ̭̰͢D̙̱O̴̩̖̮̟N̦̼’͍̲̜̼̙̩̻͡T̨̪͎͖ ̡͙͚E͇̬̥̞̼V̰̤̦͖͙̜Ẹ͚̻͈̲̀N̸̮ ̡̦̬̼̗̜̘̭Ḱ͉͓̰̮̞N̯͇͈Ọ̤̗̤̖̣͎W͙̺͉̻ ̶̣͔͔̳̪͍̞I̧͚̰̗̠͕̝F̞̪̯ ͕̤͈̹S͡YN͍̼̰͙̠TH͕̤̤͇̭Ḙ̡̯͖̼̟͕S̹̣̭̪I͖̲̦̰̭͡S̷͙͇̝̖͚ ͈̠͖͚͔̫̞́K̸͓̱̱̣͕̪̺I͖̩̜͈͡L͔̰̭͎̻͈̤L͕̯E͚̼͟Ḍ͙̀ H͎͉̩̻̦I̩͕̳͕͔̜̙M̟͙̗̩̭͕͢ ̥͚̬̯O͙̰̝̺̕ͅR̮̞͇̦̲̣͎ ͇̣͎̕N͇̝O̩͈T̹͉͍͎̼͢!͎͍̕  Dimensional travels are not as easy as the movies make it look like!”

“Oh for balance sake, take a chill pill Eidolon! You are starting to have that glitchy creepy voice again!”

“To heck with the chill pill! Starlight, our baby brother, My other half is out there! ALONE AND POSSIBLY D͓͕̫̗Y̩͇̱̲̹̫͍I̘̲͕̻̖̱͜N̶̤̘̪̖G̹̜͔̀!̧͓̼͔̬͙!”

“Aaand now Cadmar’s doing it too… great. Why did you guys develop that creepy glitchy voice?”

Ý̷̗̤͙̹̲̐̌̏Ǫ̜̙̰̅͆͐̎̔ͪ̑Ṳ͈ ̝ͣͥ̍H̠̖̠̐ͨ̊̚A͉͚ͤ̍ͬ̃̿ͪV̙̗͉̣̈̊͑ͥ͋̓̃͟E̘ͨ̐ͬ̐ͮ͗͆ ̸͉̠̤͚͌̚Ĩ̩͉̩̻̼̍͡T̯̹͉̮͇̟̃̽̎͊̏̍ ͇̘͚̖̥̪͈̽͑̏͟Ṱ̸͎Ō̙̱̰͐͠O͙̎ͥ͌͑̊̏̌!͓͎̳̼͖͎̎̔ͣ̂͢!͍̣͕̆ͦͦ͐̊͟ͅ

“You all have it, you either got it from me or the void. Also, relax, he’s alive, I can still feel Starlight’s soul. It looks like his kingdom came back the second the void ripped, so don't worry he’ll come to get us out soon.” Error said with a smile.

He unconsciously started weaving the threads that came out from his eyes. He had enough of these shabby clothes that he was wearing. Now that he had regained some of his memories he has to admit that his current clothing did make him looked like a hobo.

Not that his fashion sense when he was still the balance keeper was anything to be proud of. His color scheme used to be black and white to represent Yin and Yang; really cliche now that he thought of it… but now he knew better.

Error smiled. The feeling of the new AU soothing the pain he usually felt due to the copy AUs Ink made.

Though now that he thought about it, it was not a ‘new’ AU but rather a reborn one.

Outertale came back.

His Outertale.

Which could only mean, his Multiverse was coming back.

A surge of Determination filled his soul, there was no way he would lose his world again, even if he had to go up against Fate again, he would fight for what was his. There was no way he would go down without a fight.

Y̟̺̞̤͔̟̼͡o̗̯͇̦̝̖͢u̝̙͇̝͔ ҉͉a̻̜r̶̬̗̜͍̘e̢ ̘̗͓͕͡f̝̦i͈̰ḽ̦̮͉͙̺ͅl̲̭̫͚̺̥e͙̟̺̝d͖̪͍͔ ̩̤͙̱̳̠wi̴̹̝t҉̘͎̺̳̠ḫ̳͕͚̹̱̟.̤͉͚͖͕.̻̘̼̪̭.̞̯̺̀.̜̹̘̙̠͕͔ ͖̬͈̣̞DE̹̼͙̞̰̫͙ŢE̵̱̤̞̟̲R̪̻͙̞͈̖̬M̞̘͙̬̦̱I̟̖N͕͎̬͉̪̻A͈̮͠Ṱ̵̙̮͔̣Ḭ͎͔̩͍̻͉͜O̱̘͈̥N͕̭̞͉̠͖̪.̴̹̳͇̘̼͔

-Meanwhile, codes glitched and started to appear. Most if not all the codes originated from one single code which centered on one specific individual - Ink. For he was the last connection to the original multiverse. The connection that Synthesis had originally used to unintentionally send Starlight back. How unfortunate that for the original multiverse to reappear the copy would have to disappear. For the balance needed restoration, and with the originals, back in place, massive destruction would be its precedent for the restoration.-

-Destiny watched in contentment as parts of the doodle sphere began to slowly disintegrate without Ink’s notice, or more specifically without Fate’s. They watched content and satisfied as they noticed that Ink’s once extremely powerful magic seemed to almost be waning with the appearance of the restored AU. Love smiled on the side, happy with their contributions for their friend’s chosen. Now all they had to do was focus on keeping Karma distracted from their meddling form of ‘Justice’ if only they had managed to get Luck’s help; unfortunately, they already had a chosen in mind for themselves and had no intention on wasting their powers on anyone else… that is, for now. Love smirked to themselves, after all ‘all's fair in love and war’. -

Chapter Text

“Well that's 10 to none, do you guys really wanna keep playing? Cuz I’m game!” Blue said cheerily as he stood over the crumpled figures of Killer and Cross; Horror and Dust having lost long ago. Both figures sat amused next to their leader, who starred on in boredom.

“Though no offense, but unless Nighty decides to join I really don't think you guys have a chance…” Blue said with an impish smile.

“My tendrils are too much of an advantage, I’d crush you.” Nightmare drawled in response, bored as hell, eyes clearly zoned out.

Twister had stopped being amusing 5 games ago, the constant groans of failure getting repetitive. In truth, his mind was on more important matters, on the one who he loved and consequently the one who would cause his death, and the one who basically started the catalyst of where he is now, his own brother.

‘I wonder what he’s up to...Maybe I should -’

“OH!! IS THAT A CHALLENGE I HEAR?!?!” Blue said as he grinned impishly; body already vibrating with energy.

Nightmare blinked, eyes focusing on his lighthearted counterpart who was currently dragging the crumpled forms of Killer and Cross off the twister set up; his own smirk forming, “So it seems.”

“BUT!!! To make it more of a challenge you can’t use this form!” Blue said as he excitedly pointed to Nightmare’s droopy features.

“And why would I give up my advantage?”

“Because you'd use your tendrils to either tickle or throw me off balance; I know how you play Nighty” Blue drawled, brow bone lifting, daring Nightmare to defy him.

Chuckles were heard coming from Nightmare as the black goop seemed to melt into his shadow.

Before them stood the uncorrupted form of Nightmare, “Satisfied?”

“Yes!”

Unfortunately for the group, with Nightmare’s ‘powered down’ form he was completely unaware of the fact that some intruders had entered the realm he had claimed. The only other person who was capable of also feeling the intrusion, as Nightmare had given Error complete access to his realm as a sign of trust when they had first started working together, was currently locked away in self reclusion with his sons.

In the void, Error twitched as he felt the intrusion. He frowned thoughtfully, ‘ Surly Nighty has it under control… right?”

“Are you absolutely certain this is the place?”Ink asked as he looked up at the dark castle he recognized from past fights. ‘It certainly looks like it… Dream’s brother is cliche.’

“With so many areas getting destroyed no one would have noticed this little dimension, I popped in for a quick look and the area looked like a match how their previous hideout looked like… ” A copy of the Original Sans said as his eyelights looked at the castle nervously. The original Sans was safely in the doodle sphere preparing the cages where they would house their soon to be hostages.

“You didn't bother checking? What if we're wasting our time?” An underfell Sans grumbled. It was a well-known fact that Error had managed mess with the code enough to the point where it made the small universe pop out in different areas after every time the star sanses found them.

“WEll, I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE GETTING DUSTED IF THIS WAS THE AREA! Beside’s not like anyone else made any progress in searching the last areas their hideout had been”

“Tch, fine you've made your point, let's go,” Red said as he opened up a portal, Dream and a few other Sans crossing over.

“So what’s the plan Ink?” Dream said as he came to his creator, his bow and arrows at the ready.

“Duh, we storm the castle!” He yelled as he ran to the large castle doors, making a quick swipe with his brush with green ink to dissolve the castle doors.

"Storm the WHAT?! THAT'S NOT A SANE PLAN!" Dream screamed after Ink, who promptly ignored the saner sans.

“Capture the- wait Blue?!” Ink screamed as he came to a screeching halt not believing his eyes.

The sight that had the light sans all stunned was blue struggling to stay upright as an uncorrupted Nightmare easily covered the smaller body. Both over a twister platform.

Nightmare and Blue both quickly looked at the destroyed opening. Nightmare quickly focused on his astonished brother, while Blue looked over the crowd, subconsciously thinking maybe he shouldn’t have skipped out on the latest meeting as he met the red angry eye lights of Ink.

“Well… shit.” Blue said as he shoved Nightmare off toward the scrambling figures of Cross, Dust, Horror, and Killer as they brought out their weapons. He easily brought out his Hammer.

“And I was just about to win too,” Blue said as he smirked.

“Ha, you wish blueberry” Nightmare said as he allowed the black goop stored in his shadow to crawl up his body, the horrified gasp of his brother only mildly distracting. 

“Ugh my head” he groaned, in the distance, he could hear an incessant beeping to his right. Under him, he felt the obvious softness of a bed.

‘Wait, felt?’

“Is he waking up!” and excitable voice was heard, his question sounding more like a statement.

“Seems so bro.”

‘Those voices, I know them…”

“...kids?” Starlight rasped, throat unbearably parched now that he tried to speak, his eyelights finally focusing on the two figures on either side of his bed. His own Sans and Papyrus, his children, his little nightlight and nebula.

“By the void, I thought I’d lost you both!” Starlight struggled to get up from his reclined position. Clearly, his body was unused to movement if he struggled this much just to hug his kids.

“Woah relax dad, seems coming back from wherever you were hurt you more than it did to the rest of us all. Though none of us can remember what happened… ” Nightlight said, pushing his dad back to the reclined position.

“How am I even back? Last I knew my brothers were talking with Father and I...DAMMIT SYNTHESIS!!!

“WHAT’D UNCLE DO?” Nebula said as he moved to get his father some water.

“He was his usual idiot self, that's what.”

(In the void, Synthesis got the urge to sneeze which was incredibly odd considering he was a disembodied voice)

“ Tell me kids, hows our outertale?”

“Its looks fine no ones unaccounted for… there's just one thing. The bridges that led to our Uncles’ and Grandfather’s world fade out before reaching any of their worlds. We’ve tried sending messages to our cousins and Grandpa but nothing goes through. We don’t know what's going on. What's worse is, when we stand at the end of the bridge we can see some clusters of other universes far in the distance. They… they weren't there last I remember and they don't feel right.”

“Feel?” This was odd to Starlight, as far as he knew worlds didn't have a ‘feel’. Internally he was grateful that no one seemed to remember the battle against fate his father had fought. ‘ They should remember though, my universe was the last one to get erased after all.”

“DEFINITELY NOT OUR GRANDFATHER’S CREATION.” Nebula stated.

“Dad, what’s going on? Last we remember Grandfather was telling us to return home with a message to the royals to prepare for battle!”

Starlight internally grimaces knowing his kids' innocence might be in danger if he told them the truth behind the new worlds, and their grandfather’s and cousin’s disappearance. Considering the danger the other worlds posed, he had no choice. It was either tell them about his… l̵̹̦̊͌̀̂ȋ̴̗̹̰͋̉̎t̶͓̪̻̺͒̑̈t̷̢̲͋̄ḷ̸̰̓̓e̸̙̝̮͓͝ ̷̜̜̠̂̕͝b̷̯̗̀͠ͅŗ̴̺̝̺̒͋̏̉͜ŏ̷̡͎̤̤̹̽͛t̵͙͋̽̂͜͝h̸͎̜̜̿̇͝ė̷̜͌̈́r̸̬͝ ‘and wow doesn't that leave a bad taste in my mouth at even thinking that that idiot is related to me’
Or risk having them get caught unawares. He sighed knowing there wasn't even a choice to make if it meant ensuring his universe’s and especially his sons’ safety.

“Nebula gather the Royals, the Captain of the Royal Guard, and the Royal Scientist. Then I’ll explain everything.”

“ON IT FATHER!” Nebula said as he ran out.

“... couldn’t we have just called them?” Nightlight mumbled as he moved to close the door his excitable brother had left wide open.

“Nightlight, I have something else you need to do for me. Bring me the machine you were working on to bring me back. Teleport it here if you have to, we are getting your uncles out and preparing for war.

Error paced across the empty space of the void, finally wearing some new clothes. A dark blue hoodie and black sweatpants his new attire, for now, a second more formal set was in the works but laying abandoned on the void’s floor for now.

“What's troubling you father?”

“You’ve been pacing up and down for the last two hours, and quite frankly I’m getting dizzy and nauseous. I didn't even know I could get nauseous without a tangible stomach!”

“Shut up Synthesis! Father is clearly worried about something and your incessant whining isn't going to help anyone!”

“Well, what crawled up your tailbone and die-”

“Shut up! Neither of you arguing is going to help Father!”

The two younger brothers were silenced for a few seconds before the arguing started again, this time including the oldest.

Error paid them no mind, as he continued thinking, worried for his old allies.
The years of practice of ignoring his arguing children clearly showed.  Try as he might, he couldn't ignore the intrusion he’d felt enter Nightmare’s realm. Worse even, he knew he’d felt Blue’s presence enter the realm a few hours before then and had never felt him leave. It’d been pure l̵̖̖̝̝͋̒ủ̶͔̺̐̕ĉ̴̲̳̯̠̲͌̽k̸̜̏͜͝ in the past when he’d visited that kept him from getting caught, always managing to leave to the universe before any major fights if he got caught now though… He touched his chest where his soul resided beneath his scarred bones, pulsing evenly with concern.

‘ Worrying about them won’t help… maybe I should help them?’

He glanced up at the empty voice where he could hear the voices of his children echo, all the while frowning slightly, ‘No by now fate should have noticed Starlight’s universe, I finally have my family back and have a chance of getting my multiverse back, I can't risk it. Not even for… ’ memories crossed his mind, instances where him and the gang would laze around and hang, not bothering the star sanses for the day, the happy times when Blue could get away from his overprotective brother and brought with him his glitter tacos which surprisingly tasted pretty good, the times when he knew he could count on them to have his back, when he would save them and them vice versa, the instances where he would beat the shit out of them when they would do stupid stuff that nearly got them dusted, and the times Nightmare would poison him / he always knew it was because Nightmare wanted him to be immune, the times he would wish for death because he would steal some poisoned foods from the fell universes being the reason for Nightmare’s ‘tough love’/ and he’d retaliate by covering the goopy San’s favored food in sickeningly sweet honey for the stomach ache he’d received. Nightmare never was a sweet tooth kind of guy, so his revenge was perfect.

Error chuckled, remembering the angered screams he’d heard once the other had found his revenge, easily escaping into another world before the other could retaliate. Only returning hours later with a peace offering to the other. The cycle repeating every few days so he wouldn’t lose his immunity, Nightmare was such a mother hen sometimes.  

Internally he grimaced, not for pain because, in reality, all he felt was more relief, no he grimaced because he knew more worlds were exploding out of existence. How long would it take for the explosions to reach his allies, his friends, the only ones that accepted him when no one else would. He sighed coming to a resolution, ‘I’m such a sap, I should be focusing on battle plans to keep history from repeating once fate retaliates, not focusing on them. If it comes down to choosing between them and my kids… ’ Error felt a twinge of pain in his soul. He ignored his last train of thought, he didn't want to ever know the answer to that question. ‘ I’m probably worrying over nothing, the multiverse is large, as long as they stay towards the outer reaches they should be safe for a while… Maybe… Maybe I can even rescue them before everything disappears. By then I should have my old powers and universe back so going into Ink’s multiverse and taking them should be possible! ’

“Kids, how long do you think Starlight will take to get you guys out?”

‘Probably not long, he has his kids back so his Nightlight should be able to get a machine up and ready to get us out soon since no doubt there are residues on Starlight from his time in the void. If his kid is smart, which he is, he’ll probably use that connection to find us and get us out.’ Eldion replied, thinking of his own children. As much as those insane brats drove him crazy he still missed them.

“Wait…. kids?” Error asked as he slightly glitched. Memories of pranks and chaos crossed his mind as he could almost hear the screams and laughs of multiple young children.

“...Did you not remember them… ? Cadmar’s voiced asked hesitantly

“Congrats Dad! You're a Grandpa of eight brats! Four of them being insane brats!” Synthesis yelled loudly.

“In case you don't remember, the insane title belongs to Eldion and Synthesis’ kids as my kids are perfect sweet little baby bones and Starlights’ are very well behaved and polite”

“I… I remember, I guess there are some things that even my last reboot couldn't make me remember.” Error said as he rubbed at a slightly glitching area near his temple. “ And if I remember correctly, I’m pretty sure Eldion and Synthesis made me babysit his brats because they couldn't handle their little devil spawns, which by the was is perfect K̵̗̖͑̈́͝a̷͓̋͂r̶͔̎ṁ̵̤͍ạ̵̀for all the shit you guys made me deal with while you guys were growing up!” Error said as he fondly chuckled remembering the first time his eldest twins had come to him harried and tired, looking completely disheveled as they asked/begged/ for his help.

“In my defense-

“QUIET!” Cadmar ordered as he felt a tug in his soul, he smiled knowing what this meant. “It would seem baby brother has figured things out a lot faster than we thought. Soon, father, you may return to your kingdom.”

There was an audible pop in the void as Error felt another rush of relief, feeling his underfell universe come back to existence.

“Well looks like we won’t have to wait long now”

“You messed with my chosen’s future!” A golden figure screamed at another lighter pink schemed entity.

“Of course I did, how else was I going to get you to help Destiny and I put Fate in their place? With you on our side, we’ll get to keep Karma out of the way and even have a bit more luck on our side!” Love said as they stared at the irate golden figure in front of them.

“Besides this way your little Blue warrior will get to have a chance of love and appreciation in his future now, rather than just being incredibly lucky in some situations.” Love said with a light wave of their hand, watching over her chosen’s crew getting locked away.

“He would have gotten lucky later on in life either way! The only thing you did was speed up his future and cause him more trouble!” Luck screamed as they saw their chosen get locked in a cell with Love’s chosen.

“Karma was going to notice sooner or later once some of Fate’s creatures got their comeuppance, and would have eventually noticed the small traces of us we had woven into Destiny’s chosen. Her chosen… unfortunately has racked up a lot of unfavorable Karma points due to Fate’s meddling in his beginning. And as we all know their form of ‘Justice’ is a double-edged sword for everyone involved. Destiney knew this and wanted your help… I just ensured we got your help now that your warrior is involved with my chosen. You can’t blame me for wanting safety from Karma, you and I know very well you would have done the same. In fact, you did. Remember when you called in that small favor Destiny owed you when your Warrior was in danger of being corrupted? Of course, you do.” Love said as they smirked, their plan has worked out perfectly.

“... where’s Destiny I want to give them a piece of my mind for giving you so much free reign.”

“Ha! Do you think Destiny can hold me back? Only Fate could by intertwining others strings together as they saw fit without my input! And now that they’ll soon fall from grace, I’m not holding back any longer. Besides there's no need to get mad at Destiny they were busy making sure her chosen’s children were free from Fate’s magic once they returned. As it is she’s watching over them while the rest all return. They didn't know I planted a manipulated Blue’s friendly love toward Eclipse to the point where he went against your luck magic and had him stay with my chosen and his friends. Now his destiny is intertwined with my chosen’s for now, and well… I look forward to working with you, Luck.

Luck gritted their teeth knowing there was nothing they could do for now.

Chapter Text

It was oddly disconcerting how easily they had been defeated. Typically Nightmare could hold his own in a battle against multiple enemies, but his soul just wasn't in it. Mind plagued by what-ifs,  ‘what was even the point if it was all going to end? What was the point without him? ’

The second he fell, the rest soon followed. Until the blueberry was the last left and surrendered, knowing he was outnumbered, though with how many bodies lay in pain around his small figure, he was not outmatched. 

Nightmare smirked, remembering how dismissive and patronizing the others were to the blue warrior. He and his group were once like them, but after he earned Error’s respect, and wasn't that a shock to everyone, he soon realized there was more to him than what was easily seen. Of course, watching him battle and practice against Error and, while still outmatched, hold his own against him for much longer than most, earned their respect and slight fear from the rest of his mismatched family. With him being essentially outcasted and disrespected by the other Sanses, it didn't take long for them all to accept him as one of their own, it helped that he seemed so keen on befriending them all, and feeding them all “friendship tacos.” Horror and Dust had loved that in particular, what with their endless pits for stomachs. 

Now, as he sat in the same cell with the blueberry, and the rest of his group in the surrounding cells, he felt a glimmer of worry as he realized he could not access his magic. Horror and Dust were in the cell to their immediate left while Killer and Cross were to their right. In front of all 3 cells was one large cell full of restraints clearly meant to stop any movement of whoever was unfortunate enough to be locked in there. He shuddered in horror as he realized, the one member missing from their group was most likely meant for that cell.

“Is everyone alright?” Nightmare said as he sighed, suspicion arising as he glared at the offending cell in front of him, likely already knowing why they were captured and not dusted.

“Dust is still knocked out, but I’m fine, we’re both covered in a couple of bruises. Won't take more than a couple of days for it to disappear.” Horror said to his left.

“Cross and I are fine, but he’s currently moping in the corner of his cell as they took away his sword” Killer said to his right, he could barely see him lean against the bars of his cell, “Though I don't know why cuz all of our weapons got taken and you don't see me moping around,” Killer grumbled in irritation, he missed his knives. 

Nightmare sighed, feeling a migraine starting to arise as he struggled to keep up his magically maintained corrupted for. He did not want to be vulnerable in his enemy's base. 

“So, what do we do now, Nighty?” Blue said as he munched on a friendship taco he had gotten from his inventory.

‘His magical inventory.’

Nightmare stared in disbelief, “Where did you get that?”

“My inventory. Why? Want one?” Blue spoke as he munched on a taco, reaching into his inventory and popping out another taco offering it to his still surprised cellmate.

‘What the f-’

“....These cells are magically resistant...I can barely keep this form up! Cross can’t even teleport his sword to him, or he wouldn't be moping, Dust is passed out because he used too much magic in the last fight and is probably having a hard time regenerating it, how can you access your inventory?!” Nightmare said as he stalked closer to his blue counterpart, eyelights jumping all over his form as if he could find the answer to the mystery with his eyes.

Distantly they all heard a door clang with force.

“Hide that!” Nightmare hissed, as he turned to face the bars, his larger goopy form hiding his friend who scrambled to hide the evidence of his eating and the extra taco, once again popping it back into his inventory. 

Blue quirked a brow bone as he heard Nightmare growl, once he was sure any evidence of his eating was gone from his face and clothes, he peaked to the right of Nightmares form, seeing his two teammates of the star sans group and more than likely former friends.

The red-eyed glare of an angry Ink and the downcast form of Dream made him flinch. He always knew that if his friendship with the outcasted sans were ever found out, this would happen, but knowing and experiencing it were two distinctly different feelings. The apparent betrayal on both their forms made the slight guilt he felt in his gut twist. Still, he knew if, given a chance to choose between his two friend groups, his loyalty would be to Error and coincidently to Nightmare and his group. The only ones to treat him as an actually capable person rather than a glorified mascot and cute pet. He’d tried to get them to understand, to get them to listen, but they never did. 

“So tell us Blue, how long have you been consorting with the enemy?” Ink said in a barely leveled voice, clearly struggling to keep his emotions in check.

“He doesn't have to answer to you.” Nightmare growled, his stance both protective and aggressive. 

“It's fine, Nighty.” Blue said with a deep breath, sidestepping the protective form of his friend and walking slightly closer to the bars, he knew neither had their weapons on them; therefore, they weren't really much of a threat. 

“If you must know, I have been their friend a couple of months after Error released me of his own free will, I have been his friend, since nearly a week into my ‘captivity’ ” Blue said with his hands, highlighting the quotation marks he felt was needed, having stopped seeing his captivity as something against his will and more as an extended sleepover within the week he started seeing Error as his friend. Blue frowned as began to unintentionally rub over his soul, remembering the odd hazy feeling he had felt the longer he stayed in the void.

“So we were right. You where brainwashed!” Ink yelled as he grabbed the bars in frustration.

“No! When will you get that I am their friends of my own free will!” Blue screamed, snapped out of his thoughts as he got closer to the enraged form of Ink, he would have gotten closer if Nightmare hadn’t grabbed his shoulder, he clearly didn't trust Ink or Dream to not hurt him in light of his betrayal. 

“How could you be their friend when you know they hurt others? It goes against your morals Blue-” Dream said with sad eyelights, which every once in awhile glanced at his brother.

“My morals?" Blue softly said, eye lights cold and furious. "How would you even know what they were if all you guys ever cared about was using me as a ‘cute mascot’? You guys never once caring about my opinions or gave me the respect I deserve as a person! Despite my proving it time and time again that I am also a valued member of our team! But did that matter to you, did that matter to anyone?!  NO!   It didn’t .” 

“Blue-” Dream voiced softly, taking the opportunity to speak as blue took a breath.

“ I am not done speaking.” Blue hissed as he glared venomously at his once friend, for once not caring as the other flinched, fully engulfed by his anger. “Not even my own brother, who has known me since birth and is fully aware of my achievements, is willing to give me the respect I deserve as a person, and both of you are fully aware of how much I hate that. So no, it really shouldn't be a surprise to either of you that I prefer the company of Error and his friends when they do respect me. And give more than two shits about what I think!” Blue said with cold eyelights, straightening up as his anger turned cold with fury as he remembered all the times he was disrespected by his so-called friends and family. Blues body trembled with residue anger as he tried to control himself, lest he resort to more...  violent methods.

Nightmare chuckled as he drew the little warrior closer for comfort and to show his solidarity, fully aware of the anger, hurt, and sadness the other felt.

And if he smirked towards their stupid creator as he did that, well he sure as hell wouldn't deny it.

The group would have continued their discussion further if they all had not heard and felt a massive explosion. The doodle sphere rocked a bit as a result of the force of the blast. 

All the occupants in the cell wing knew what that explosion meant, multiple universes had been erased in a blast.

Widened eyelights stared at each other, while one pair changed shape in excitement. 

“I knew this plan would make him come out!”Ink said as he ran to the exit heading for his weapons to fight the only one he knew was capable of such destruction. Completely dismissing two facts, his friend had just essentially betrayed him, and millions had just died in the explosion he showed excitement for.

The outcasts, and his last teammate where speechless as they noticed the blatant uncaring nature of the creator.

“Damn, I knew he was soulless but never to this extent. Does he even care about all the monsters that just died in that explosion, or does he only care about fighting Error?” Nightmare wondered, staring at the aghast form of his shocked brother.

“He... he doesn't have a soul, it's not his fault. He’s not capable of such emotions, but I know he cares.” Dream said as he glared at his brother, the need to defend his friend and creator outweighing his shock.

“Does he now, a bit hypocritical of you if you ask me. Here you are, willing to believe in someone who has no soul that he can ‘care’ when you didn't even try to believe in me. Are you really certain he cares, baby bro? Because he sure didn't care about what I had to endure in our universe, feared and shamed for who I was, and couldn't control. Yet outcasted when I decided to fight against his control, by my own brother.” Nightmare spoke as he stared into the eyelights of his brother, letting the waning hold of his corrupted form drop, smirking at the gasp his brother let escape.

“See this? The normal form that I was able to gain with Error’s help. He showed me how to control the immense power I hold, he helped me, helped me when no one else could-no, when no one else would. All the while, your teammate would rather sweep me and my ‘problem’ under the rug, make me the enemy, when he was the one who made me this way,” Nightmare said, sweeping his arms out, smiling at his brother a pitying smile. 

“H-he didn't, you chose this! You ate the apple! And I… I didn’t notice you were suffering until it was too late. I was too lost in my ego to help you… I let you down. I’m sorry, so so sor-” Dream sobbed, eyes tearing up, grabbing the bars between him and his brother for support. He cut himself off as he felt his brother's hand on top of one of his own on the bars, the soft-touch surprising him. Looking up, he was shocked silent at the bleak and sad look his brother’s eyelights held, the faint smile full of care the most surprising of all.

“You always were such a cry baby, little brother. Ah… I thought that, too, for a while, blamed you for what I had become, blamed myself for my choice, but… he showed me the truth. Error showed me our universe’s code, it was all written there... I was to be hated, you were to be loved, that I would go mad with anger and loneliness. Eating the apple, trying to kill you, and everyone else in our world was inevitable. In the end, you would have had to kill me, and you would have succeeded. Becoming the sole protector of the apple tree and hero of our world. But when the time came to kill you, dear brother... I couldn’t.” Nightmare stopped to swallow his suddenly dry mouth, he found himself chuckling softly as he looked into his brother’s soft shocked yellow lights, “ I rebelled against the code, and instead I turned my anger to the tree and destroyed what I had thought had come between us. But in reality, the one responsible for our current relationship is not me, or you, but rather your darling Ink. ” Nightmare said, finally bringing himself to look and back away from his brother. He still cared for him, but they both had chosen their sides long ago, centuries could not so easily be forgotten. Looking past his brother to the cell before him, full of restraints, he couldn't help the anger crawling up his soul as he hardened his will.

“You had better hope that wasn't actually Error out there, but rather the multiverses growing too close, because if I find Error gets dragged here and gets tied up in that horrible cell… I’ll find a way out of here even if it kills me, to free him. And I will never forgive you for locking up the  lo - I- I mean, my friend.” Nightmare glared, coughing slightly at his slip, looking away, a full-on dark blush blooming on his face. 

There was silence as Dream and Blue stared at the blushing Nightmare, one amused and the other agast.

“L-Love?! You're in love?! WITH ERROR?!” Dream stuttered utterly floored by all his recent discoveries. 

“So what if I am!” Nightmare yelled, voice slightly higher pitch as he spun on his heel and layed down on the cot in their cell facing away from Blue and his brother. 

Blue giggled as he noted the dark blush on Nightmare's face from where he could see him. It was after all the first time he had bluntly stated his attraction for the glitchy god. Not that it wasn't apparent to all who actually paid attention. Of course, the object of Nightmare’s affections had been rather obtuse in the months leading up to his disappearance, not that he was entirely to blame, Nightmare was an absolute horrible flirt.

Blue had even offered him his dating manual, but did the skeleton agree and use the book? No, he didn't, refusing to ‘stoop so low.’

“W-wait ignoring the fact that you’re in love with the destroyer of worlds, what did you mean by the multiverses touching and exploding?! No, wait, answer me this first! What do you mean it was written in the code?! I would never kill you! Nightmare!” Dream said body taut with panic as things started making sense. Distinctly remember the time his brother came close to stabbing him with one of his tendrils but missed him by a fraction, the hesitance and pain on his face had made him believe his brother could be saved. It was their first fight they had had before Nightmare went and destroyed the tree they were meant to guard before he killed their world.

“It’s exactly as he said, Ink chose that fate for both of you, just as he chose the horrible fate, Cross, Dust, Horror, and I have suffered. We didn't choose any of them. The horror didn't choose for his AU to be hungry, Dust didn't choose to go insane and kill everyone, Cross didn't want his soul fucked with, and I didn't really choose to be a killer, even if it is a great namesake.” Killer said, smirking from his cell at the slight pun, ignoring the annoyed sound Blue made and staring at the still sad Cross, knowing full well he could feel the lighter San’s stare.

“But I would never-” Dream said, ready to defend himself. He doubted even the code could get him to kill Nightmare.

“Despite you not wanting to; eventually, you would have killed him. I would know, I tried holding off on killing everyone in my ‘tale’ before I succumbed to my code. We all did. You where boned the second the code came into play. Nightmare was just the strongest one of us to go against it and actually win against his code, probably why Ink made you his second in command since you’re the one meant to kill him.” Dust said, having woken up when the lighter Sans entered but preferring to stay ‘asleep’ to see how everything played out. The strangled noise of surprise from Horror was just a pleasant addition. 

“You know it's true, Dream,” Blue said as he stared as his old teammate, able to tell he was having a mental breakdown.

“NO! It can’t be… he’s my friend he would have told me! He- He wouldn't!” He screamed, not fully believing his words. Turmoil swirling in his gut. “Why… why didn't you tell me the second you found out about the code Nightmare?!” Dream said, latching onto the anger he felt instead of the rest of the confusing feelings he had.

“Would you have believed me if I told you? After so much time of eating Ink’s bullshit? You honestly think you would have believed me?” Nightmare questioned as he glared at his brother over his shoulder from where he lay on the cot, daring him to object when the other stayed silent, he scoffed. “I thought so… course us having fought so many times before I found out didn't help either. So I saved myself the grief and kept my mouth shut." Nightmare said as he looked away from his brother, eyes closed as he tried to focus his magic on sensing a particular skeleton. The one he would be able to detect anywhere if he tried.

“He’s manipulative, does what he sees fit to reach his goals. Even if he has to step on others to get what he wants. He may not have a soul to help him decide what is right or wrong, but he is at least capable of thinking logically. And logically, he really shouldn't have kept your world’s code secret from you if he truly thought of you as ‘friends.’ Not to mention, with his flawed thinking, he has far too much power for anything good to come of it.” Blue said as he frowned, mind on his missing friend.

“And now? Why tell me now?” Dream asked, a lost expression on his face. Surely they were lying. His gut told him otherwise.

“The multiverse is getting destroyed because of Ink’s recklessness, because of his inability to hold himself back. There’s no point in hiding my affiliation with them, just as there’s no point for Nightmare to keep everything secret anymore. And now that we’re in the doodle sphere, we are worryingly close to the explosions, and it won’t be long now till we get caught up in one of them... and get erased.” Blue said with a frown.

“What? How would Ink being creative destroy-” the confusion evident in Dream’s voice.

“Because Error is gone, and he’s never coming back!” Nightmare screamed, curling in on himself, leaving silence in his wake.

“... he was in charge of keeping the balance, keeping multiverses from touching, from exploding. He stopped going against Ink a while ago, and Ink just kept…” Blue stopped unable to continue.

“He kept creating. More and more now that he had no opposition.” Dream continued with a look of horror, finally understanding. 

“So now you know why I didn’t really bother fighting back because there is no chance in hell I would have let you capture any of us while I still breathed...and why we were playing games before you guys found us. We are royaly and utterly fucked because Error finally gave up on this godforsaken multiverse and left everyone to die.” Nightmare bluntly said. Everyone hearing his hidden words, Left us to die.

Soon they could hear the fast fading footsteps of Dream as he ran out of the cellblock. No one cared enough to call him back.

Nightmare closed his eyes, focusing on his magic, feeling the slight blip as his castle hideout transported itself far away from the explosions to a corner virtually on the opposite side of where the explosions were happening. His eyelights widened in response. Typically the hideout would only change places when he willed it to or every few months. Considering it had already changed recently, there was only one other option and the only other person with that ability...

‘Maybe he didn't leave us to die.’

Ink left his teammate and the rest of the misfits behind as he raced towards the destruction, sure his last real teammate would follow soon. Smile set on his face as he felt satisfaction, knowing his plan had worked.

But to his utter surprise, instead of finding the glitchy skeleton, he expected he was greeted with a vast expanse of white, far greater than he had expected. His eyelights shrunk as he took in what must have once held hundreds of his creations were now erased, completely unsettled with the vast expanse of white. Too blank, too white, so EMPTY. His breath began to rattle as his bones shook. He never could handle vast regions of white, but this felt different.

T̸̟̋̅h̶͇̓í̷̜̲s̶̹͓̉ ̶͙̞̆í̷̩̯s̴̩͑̔n̷̳̗͊̎ť̷̘̱ ̸͚̌̈́ṣ̸̨͆ư̷̩̔p̸̬̑́p̴̙̩͝ó̵̧̕s̸̘͋͌e̷̜͐d̸̦͛ͅ ̸͖͂̽ẗ̷̳͠ȏ̸̦̤̆ ̴͚̝͊̄ȟ̴͉̼ȃ̸̲̖p̴̯̑̇p̵̠͆ẹ̶̲̉n̷͓͘!̵̲̖̿͋

He thought as his panic began to subside into anger.

After the slight panic, he finally noticed a sense of wrongness in the distance, looking toward it, he realized he recognized the strange magic. It had a sense of Error, but it was… different. Looking toward where he felt the strange magic, he realized there were two universes left within the great white expanse.

As he flew closer, he felt a sharp pain in his head, eye lights blurring slightly in shock. Hissing in pain, he rubbed at his eyes, never noticing his eye sockets had become tinged with red. Ink became irritated as the pain left, never seeing how irrational his thoughts were as he blamed the bout of pain on the strange new universes.

And he knew they were different because the power that the AU’s where tinged in did not belong to him.

Flying closer, he realized the two were connected by a wooden bridge, with two other bridges going out to form an almost circular shape. It was clear to Ink it would take at least two or three more Au’s to join together, however for that to happen, hundredths of his multiverses would have to be erased. He frowned to himself, as much as he wanted to hate the two new Au’s he couldn't help but admire the ingenuity he could somewhat see from his high vantage point. Instantly he got ideas for future creations he could base on the two foreign AU’s.

“Maybe I could explore before-” Ink’s musings were cut off as he gave a yelp in pain.

The sharp pain returned and went as it caused his skull to ache. 

‘Maybe- no, it has to be the magic surrounding these Au’s causing these headaches.’  Ink thought as he hovered over the bridge separating the two Au’s.

‘An outertale and underfell? Why would they be connected?’

He would have flown closer to the outertale, had he not been struck down, landing hard on the bridge, by very offense, very potent magic. He whirled around to face the enemy, an underfell gaster. With no marks around his fisted glowing hands, bare of any circular cuts. 

‘His magic feels strong.’

“I see my brother’s calculations where off, you came a lot faster than we expected.” The rough-looking gaster spoke, clearly looking down at Ink. Normally he would have been irritated if he hadn't been focused on his thoughts.

‘ Maybe this gaster hasn't made Sans and Papyrus yet? Wait, did he say brother? Gasters don't have-’

“Cadmar, we’ve talked about this, no taunting the enemies until they are eviscerated, or else you’ll just give them openings.” A smooth light voice spoke right behind Ink.

‘I didn't even hear him!’  Ink thought as he whirled his brush around him, forcing the two gasters to jump away from him, lest they be hit with the burning red paint he chose. The red paint sizzling on the wooden bridge as droplets landed on it.

“My, my so aggressive~” The outertale gaster taunted, the malicious grin twisting the gaster’s face, only made worse by the cracks near his right eye socket. “So-” 

“Our bridge!” The underfell one screamed, falling to his knees as he inspected the burns, trying and failing to clean the burn.

The outertale gaster merely sighed in irritation at the abysmal focus his brother had, forcing the need to facepalm down, his brother always cared more about keeping things in tip-top shape and order.

“Who are you both? Better yet, who created your Au’s?” Ink said as he floated away from the two, wanting neither of them in his blind spot, slightly irritated at the lack of care the underfell one showed toward him.

‘Either he’s overconfident, or actually has the power to back up his disrespect.’  Ink thought scowling slightly.

“Hear that brother? The brat is already demanding answers without introducing himself! You know it’s quite rude to ask for another’s name without giving your own first.” The outertale taunted, his glare betraying his calm facade.

Ink squawked at the comment, “Brat?! I'll have you know I am-”

“Truly no manners in this one, but what can we do? Oh, I have a great idea, Starlight,” the Underfell sneered, ignoring the sputtering Ink at his interruption, as a reddish-orange glow surrounded his armored covered body, causing him to float like Ink, “We could beat them into him!” He roared flying at Ink.

“Crap!” Ink screamed, barely lifting his brush to block the incoming fist to his face.  ‘He’s faster than I thought!’

However, before either could make contact again, another explosion rocked them all, far more extensive than the last. 

“Well, that was fast.” The underfell one said as he backed away near his brother, eyes on the scene behind Ink

Ink whirled around as he felt the presence of two other Au’s behind him, a swap tale, and an undertale.

“How...?” Ink didn't get to finish his thought as a kick flung him forward to the area between the finally connected universes. The four bridges expanding inward between all four universes did not escape his notice. 

‘Another AU?’

Then it occurred to him that kick hadn’t felt like the underfell’s magic.

“Looks like the rest of our siblings are back, ready for the family reunion? Little brother?” The outertale sneered as he glared at Ink, dark purple energy surrounded him. The underfell gaster nowhere to be found.

“What?” Ink croaked as he held up his brush in defense. Slightly backing away, finally realizing, to his horror, that these gasters might actually be on par with him and the missing Error.

“Oh, here they come.” The outertale gaster said as he glanced behind Ink. 

Only after he said, that did Ink realize he could feel three strong magical signals behind him, rapidly approaching. He could easily recognize the underfell’s. Ink’s eye sockets widened as he made a smart tactical decision, flying upwards away from the soon to be four extremely strong gasters, he opening a portal to his doodle sphere and retreating from the battle.

‘If they are as strong as I think they are, I’m going to need help!’

(Sometime before Ink’s blunder)

“Alright brats, I doubt it's going to take long for your brothers to get you, especially if Cadmar’s kids work to get you both out too. I have to go.” Error said as he donned his new clothes similar to the royal attire he used to wear.

“You can’t! Not until we’re all there to help you!”

“You haven't even recovered your full power yet!”

“I’ve survived on just my destroyer half for this long, I can last a while longer. Besides, they’re friendly, and I have to make sure they’re safe.” Error said as he focused his magic, looking for the magic signatures he had come to know as his friends. He hadn’t stopped worrying since he felt the intrusion in Nightmare’s base. 

“I don't care if they are friendly, I care about you being safe!”

“We can't lose you again! We-”

Synthesis was cut off as they hear his father’s quick intake and growl.

“Father? What’s-”

Error didn’t answer as he opened up a new portal, the gloomy castle visible in the distance. Only gritting his teeth a bit at the resistance he felt from his sons’ magic.

You shouldn't be able to do that! We closed off the void!

“Yes, and I am unlocking it. I’ll see you, boys, soon.” Error replied as he opened another portal, lines of code being the only thing showed, forcefully he changed the void to how it once was before he remembered.

“No! Wait-”

Entering, he quickly closed the portal cutting off his eldest question. Looking around, he forced the Au to teleport, the abandoned kingdom closer to the area of danger than he cared for.

Walking toward the destroyed entrance and messy common room, Error growled in annoyance, as he stared at the dried random colors around the room and the shiny arrows strewn about. Then to his surprise, one of the walls of the common room held a message, written in drying red paint

‘We have them.’

Error growled as he felt his brow bone tick in annoyance,  ‘of fucking course they would get captured now of all times.  Then his soul gave a lurch as he broke into a cold sweat, with both Starlight and Cadmar working on getting Eidolon and Synthesis out, the resulting explosion of returning two Au’s at once would be massive. Massive enough that it could possibly reach the doodle sphere, the place where his friends were more than likely being held.

So Error did the only thing he could and focused on opening a portal to the Doodle sphere, wincing at realizing that if his kids ever realized he intending on going directly to the enemy's base without backup… they would be furious. 

To his surprise, the portal didn't open, despite the number of times he tried to access the doodle sphere.

Error growled as he realized what was going on. Ink, the annoying bastard he was, had probably gotten some science sans to code the doodle sphere. Smart of him to actually think of keeping him from teleporting there. 

‘Nighty’s brother probably gave him the idea…’

Error paused musing as he focused his magic, ‘maybe I shouldn't be cursing at my kid so much… 

‘Probably to force me into getting close from the outside and get myself ambushed’  Internally, he smirked, chuckling at the poor strategy the idio- his son attempted to use.  That's going to take some getting used to...‘

Then again, no one knows they aren't dealing with a god of destruction anymore but rather a god of creation as well. Forcing his soul into using his creation magic, Error winced, feeling a slight burn from the power his soul was no longer familiar with. He opened up a portal with a snap of his fingers. Error rubbed the area around his soul,  'looks like I'm going to need some practice with it.' 

Entering the new portal, Error paused in surprise as he saw the chaos-filled doodle sphere. Destruction, Nightmare’s goop, and strangely remanents of what he thought was blue’s glitter tacos littered the area mixed in with dust he was sure used to be monsters. 

‘... what the fuck did I miss?’ He thought wide-eyed at the chaos. The specific kind of chaos of death and stupidity he had only ever seen from his kids and this team.

Error frowned, as he flicked at some goop left splattered on a couch ‘couldn’t have been more than a few minutes ago if this is still tangible.’

Error felt his worry turn to regret.

 ‘I should have taken them with me when I left!’

‘No, not even that would have worked if the explosions reached their original… heh, guess I was just being selfish and trying to spare myself the grief…’

Looking around, it was easy to tell where precisely the chaos started. A corridor that seemed cold and void of magic, door, and part of the wall totally blown from its hinges. 

‘Then again if they had come with me… those three months would have been enough to change them, corrupt them… and I’d never forgiven myself if I did that to them.’

Uncomfortable, but unwilling to at least check the area for his friends, he walked towards the magicless place, flinching as the part of his magic he had become so accustomed to became muted, leaving him with only the meager bits of creator magic he currently had.

‘Where the hell are my idiots?’

Everyone could hear the fast footsteps of Dream as he ran out of the cellblock. No one cared enough to call him back.

“Now that he’s gone tell me Blue, can you summon your hammer?” Nightmare asked focused as he detected Error’s magical signature in their base.

“Yeah! It's really easy. Look!” Blue yelled as he lifted his arm up high and called for his hammer. 

A few seconds passed as Nightmare stared at his small friend unimpressed.

“Is something wro-”

The hammer promptly came crashing through the wall. Nightmare stared surprised at the hammer’s presence as he belatedly realized Killer or Cross had screamed. Looking toward the wall separating them, he could see a hole in the wall leading to not only Killer and Cross’ cell, but far outside their imprisonment. Belatedly he realized Killer’s ashen face was extremely close to the hole.

‘That's… not good’ Nightmare realized as he heard a commotion from outside their corridor. 

“Blue, break us out. Now.” Nightmare demanded as he struggled to bring out his goopy form.

“With pleasure!” Blue chirped as he promptly smashed through bars holding them captive.

Nightmare watched rather impressed with the small one’s strength, he knew he was competent after watching him fight over time, but watching him cause so much destruction easily always left him sort of surprised. To think the light Sans’ had let such a strong warrior waste away as a mascot, honestly, they were quite stupid. If they ever managed to survive the explosions, he’d be sure to find out the full range of the small one’s powers, because to use magic in a magical resistant area where even he felt powerless in, was an advantage he would not let go to waste.

After all, a bad guy always had to have an ace up his sleeve. And he was sure blue would be their ace to victory.

A few minutes later, Nightmare took back his thoughts and instead internally cursed the tiny warrior, no not warrior, the tiny sadist.

He also learned never to insult the tiny sadist’s cooking as it would not only result in him going insane but would also lead to the surprising usage of his taco’s in ending the life of many others.

He did not need to know that the tacos could be used in such a way to end another’s life.

He was almost sure Dust and Horror had gone green in the face as they saw one of their favorite foods used in such a manner. Though with the way Killer looked at some taco remains covered in dust... he did not like the way his face held such a considering gaze. 

‘That’s it. I am surrounded by dimwits and sadists,’ Nightmare thought as he battled against numerous skeletons, barely even giving them a glance as he struck them down with his tendrils, turning his opponents to dust. 

‘We could have escaped semi unnoticed, but nooo, Blue had to strike down the entire wall instead of letting Killer pick the lock on the door like a sensible person escaping! Then again, with the racket he made with his hammer getting out unnoticed probably would have been near to impossible anyway.’ He thought irritated, easily defeating other skeletons with barely a thought.

“I’m surprised your beloved leaders left you all so defenseless.” He hissed to a red Sans decapitating him quickly with the tendril he had around his neck.

“You all should have known better than to believe we wouldn't be able to escape.” Nightmare said aloud. Watching was the large group of skeletons hesitated on getting closer, nearly half of their numbers killed by the rouge group.

“Blue, get us out of here, preferably to our base.” Nightmare said as he took a gamble, feeling uneasy and excitement, the excitement of meeting the one he had missed immensely for the past three months. 

He had learned early on from the second they had exited the magicless corridor that he could not open a portal out, he doubted the rest of his group could either, however, Blue whose strange magic puzzled him to no end, probably could. It helped that he doubted Ink had thought to protect the doodle sphere from his ex-teammate and actually get something done so soon after his betrayal. But if he were wrong, they’d have to fight their way out. Despite their ease, he knew they were tiring, their time in the cells had not been kind to their magic, and he doubted Blue could keep up for too long as he saw him puffing out in exertion, eyes bright. Clearly, he had a lot of fight left in him, but for how long? And if Ink were to return before they could get out? They wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Sure thing! To the base! Aaaaaaand, that's not the base…” Blue said in surprise as he opened up a portal showing pure endless white.

“It's the void!!!” Cross exclaimed in excitement, as he quickly ran toward the portal. Excited to meet the other parental figure of their group again after so long. 

“Wait, he’s not-” Nightmare sighed in exasperation as he watched the last of his group bar him enter the portal.

“It’s like babysitting children, sociopathic, sadistic, violent, idiotic, children.” Feeling movement near him, he quickly glanced at the suddenly emboldened enemies. Thus he promptly entered the portal. 

As Blue entered the void, he was startled at the sudden screams.

That’s not father Synthesis!

But I specifically focused on his magic!

“What is going on? Where’s Error?” Blue voiced as he looked confused, befuddled at the fact that he could not find the owners to the voices he heard. This situation reminded him of Error.

Suddenly he became nervous as he recalled all the instances he remembered Error mentioning voices in the void. He had never heard them when he stayed there in the past, but maybe Error hadn’t been hallucinating from loneliness as he had first thought.

“H -hey, you guys heard the voices too, right?” Blue asked as he shrunk on himself quickly hiding near the most imposing one of their group, Nightmare, who had just appeared through the void portal looking harried. 

“Yep.” Horror answered, ashen as he held his axe in front of him and Dust. Distantly, he thought that was cute and wondered when the other skeleton had gotten his axe, but was more concerned about the bodiless voices he now knew everyone heard.

Blue considered going back through the portal, but it closed on its own accord without him willing it too. 

He felt dread.

Fighting? He could deal with it.

Killing? Sure, why not?.

Maiming and beating? Definitely, if it was for a good cause or as an attempt to defend his cooking. 

But things like ghosts were not something he could handle so easily. 

It took him years to get used to Happstablook, and he grew up with the little ghost for Asgore’s sake!

Oh. That’s strange, father’s little group of friends… including the darker half, one came through the portal meant for father.

Nightmare looked around in suspicion, realizing the strange voice probably meant him. The whole group stayed tense.

Really? Truly nothing escapes you.

Yes, yes, thank you- Hey!

Focus on the problem at hand!

“Why are we here? Better yet, where is Error?” Nightmare questioned, losing patience the longer the voices bickered, distinctly remembering all the times Error had complained to him about the voices and all the horrible things they said to him. Then again, the disappearance of Error’s magic he just felt probably affected his patience. 

My how rude, the half one is.

And to use that á̵͍̞̕c̶̫̀͝č̷̰́u̷̼̅r̵̡̆s̷̨̹̝̲͈̰̔̈̈́́͝e̴͚̰̿̐d̵͕̣̅͆̂́ ̷͈̫̊̽̓͛̃ţ̵͍̙͙͕̈́̇͐̌͂̍i̷̧̭̽̏͒̐t̵̤̜̖̳̕ͅl̸̳͗̅̈́̑ȅ̷̺̩̅̓̍̆͋ for our father.

Blue couldn't help but let out a yelp, as he heard the glitchy voice. It was one thing coming from his close friend, it was another from a scary bodiless voice.

‘Wait, father? Do they mean, Error?!’ Before Blue could focus on the revelation, he heard the voices speak again.

Oh, will you look at that, a copy of my son, though focusing he is… 

Your right. He is similar to father.

My how… i̷̛͉͍̼̿͜ñ̴̝͔͔ț̴͇͍͌͒e̴͕͉̘̗͐͒͌͑̀̅ͅr̴̝͇̈́́̂͘͘ė̷̡̬̘̔ͅs̶̢̟̤͓͜͝ṭ̷̡̬̹̅̿̑͠ỉ̸̞̼̭̜n̸̜̍̊̿̓̓ǧ̵̢͖̩͖̻͘. 

Blue felt a chill down his back, he didn’t know how he knew, but he was sure the voices were looking right at him.

So, due to the immense fear, he could not be blamed for passing out after he let out a whimper of fear. 

Nightmare let out a surprised grunt as he barely managed to catch him with a tendril. 

Ha! looks like he only resembles my little bluebell in sight!

Actually, I’m pretty sure anyone would pass out if you used that tone of voice towards them.

What tone?

You know the one that basically screams, ‘ I want to dissect you so much right now,’ not to mention you mixed in your glitchiness. 

Gasp, I did not!

“Did, did you just say the word ‘gasp’?” Cross asked, confused, and worried as he looked up, deducing that the voices they heard might be coming from up high. It was hard to tell, as the void echoed their voices a lot.

Neither deigned to answer the confused skeleton, as two pops where heard, and the group of confused, terrified, and tense skeletons suddenly felt alone.

The voices had left. 

No one knew how they knew that, but they didn’t doubt that the voices had gone.

“No wonder Error was so messed up if he had to deal with actual voices tormenting him while stuck in the void!” Killer said as he looked around the endless expanse of white.

No one else commented as they dwelled on that revelation, all clearly feeling guilty for not believing their glitchy friend.

Blue stayed passed out, carried in one of Nightmare's tendrils.

Dream’s thoughts were spiraling the longer he thought of his conversation with Nightmare.

His teammate, his friend, his creator had intended, no created a horrible fate between him and his brother. 

And dared to act as his friend! Despite everything, he had done to his happy life!

His relationship with his brother was in ruins!

His Au destroyed!

His life was in shambles all because he had trusted that stupid bastard! 

Dream whimpered in pain as he clutched at his soul, curled up in his bed, far away from the current battle he could care less about. Hell, he might have even been glad that Nightmare and his friends where escaping if it meant Ink would be angered by the result.

His soul gave another jolt of pain as the power he had consumed from the apple battled against his ever-increasing negative feelings.

Even now, he couldn't help it if his soul hurt at the thought of betrayal from the one he had considered his closest friend. He should be feeling righteous anger and hate, not sadness. And definitely not hope.

But as tears streamed down his skull, sobs barely muffled by his blankets, he knew he couldn't help but hold on to the hope that maybe Nightmare had lied, had been wrong.

Or better yet, maybe Error lied to his brother.

Dream recoiled at the thought, knowing the glitch was many things but a liar he was not. His one redeeming feature. A feature he knew his brother valued above all else.

‘Probably why he fell in love with him… that and he is strong as fuck.’

Dream smirked, focusing on his brother to help ease the pain in his soul.

‘Brother did always have a thing for those stronger than him. After eating the apple, he probably didn't have that many viable suitors… Still the god of destruction?’

Dream chuckled, the laugh ending in a sob.

‘Still, he’s probably a better option than my choice… to think the one I was considering as my love was the one who orchestrated the worst possible day of my life…. Ink…’

As Dream wallowed in self-pity, he felt a massive explosion rock the doodle sphere and coincidentally the corridor he lived in.

“Was that Nightmare? Or... ” Dream mumbled eyes widening as he stared at the corner of his room. The darkness in the corner slowly fading to reveal white. The white of the multiverse outside.

‘Or was it Au’s exploding?’

Dream hesitantly walked closer to the fading area, eyes widening as he watched his room slowly fade out. Worse even, he knew there had been more rooms situated past his, where the view of their multiverse expanded on his wall as it continued to dissolve. Instead of the colorful view he had been accustomed to, he was greeted to increasing vast blankness of the multivoid.

Then Dream felt a jolt of surprise in his soul. Someone had just opened a portal into the doodle sphere using creative magic near where Nightmare’s group had once been held.

‘Ink? I need to know!’ Dream thought, running to his friend, hoping as much as he dared, hoping that maybe just maybe his brother was wrong, and he wouldn't find his soul shattered by the only one he had ever dared to love.

“ Science! Are you okay?” Dream yelped, surprised, and concerned as the young science practically smacked right into him. The science sans looked harried and distraught as he tried to catch his breath. The corridor they both stood in silence and nowhere near where Dream knew the portal had opened up in. 

“My-my Au got destroyed. I barely es-escaped” The little sans sobbed as he fell to his knees, tears streaming down his skull. “I couldn't save them! Papy… Everyone!” the sans wailed, curling in on himself.

“Oh, no…” Dream whispered to himself as he ran to the young original science sans, hugging him as he tried to comfort the grieving brother. His maternal instincts in haywire as the skeleton sobbed and whimpered in his arms.

This was terrible. If the explosions had managed to reach the first science sans AU, then it wouldn't take long for them to reach the original undertale. If that happened, then the coding for all the other universes would fall apart. Then a thought came to him.

“Hey science, you can see codes too, right? From other Au’s?” Dream asked as he felt dread and anxiety well up within him.

The young skeleton nodded his head, unable to answer with his sobs.

It pained Dream to ask a favor of the grieving Sans, but he had to know.“Please help me, I need to check something, and I can't do it alone. P-please, help me check my Au’s code.” Dream said as desperation leaked into his voice, causing it to crack midway through. 

Science stopped crying as he looked at Dream, surprised by the desperation in the other's voice and the sight that met him as he carefully looked at the other. ‘He’s been crying.’ Distantly he wondered why he was crying and not with Ink. Everyone in the doodle sphere could tell the yellow sans liked the creator.

“S-sure?” Science said, sniffing as he tried to calm his sobs. If one of the Star sans looked this desperate, it must be severe.

“Good, let's go,” Dream said, face grave as he helped the sans stand, quickly opening a portal to his old AU.

He swallowed, steeling his nerves, it was now or never.

They entered, barely missing the destroyer of worlds as he passed near the front of the corridor Dream and Science once stood in.

To say Error was unnerved would have been putting it lightly, as his eye lights guttered out as he stared at what he could only imagine was meant for him.

‘I get they dont like me but this is too fucking cruel for any living soul!’ Error thought as he stared at the cage filled with restraints and chains. 

‘This is too much, even for a soulless Ink… could they be influencing him?’

“Nope not fucking happening” he growled as he summoned some of his creative magic and forcefully erased the corridor of cells around him.

“Now where to…” Error mused as he walked around the doodle sphere aimlessly as he walked Error tried focusing on the familiar magic of his friends, and to his surprise, he felt them in the void. 

“You have got to be kidding me,” he growled as he opened up another portal directly to the void once more.

In the far reaches of the multiverse, stirred an entity from their deep slumber, feeling the large debts around the multiverse calling their name. Calling for action, for balance, for the swift and merciless justice that is Karma.

They stretched out their senses roaming over the vast expanse of the multiverse, two souls gleaming, filled with unpaid debts. They hesitated feeling their brethren magic all around them both. Especially Fate’s.

‘I leave them alone for a millennium or two, and they go and ruin my perfect balance.’

They hesitated as they felt another’s soul scream in pain, in desperation, asking for retribution. A soul that sung asking for help, for justice. Help they could provide. They couldn't help themselves as they moved closer to the soul.

They knew Luck and Love had chosen their champions. They knew they would try to restrict them from drawing justice, but maybe with the help of the little broken skeleton, he could avoid their meddling. Looking at the little skeleton cry in pain, they realized they could feel one of its brethren owed them a debt as well. 

How strange for once Fate owes them.

Karma ignored them for now in favor of paying attention to their new champion, smiling they infused the soul with their essence, granting them gook karma as they were in need of it in their life. 

Surprised, they watched Love’s string encircling their own champion's soul. How odd that for once, Fate didn't create their famed ‘string of fate’ around their champion but instead let Love have a turn.

‘How… curious.’

Chapter Text

“Now where to…” Error mused as he walked around the doodle sphere aimlessly. As he walked, Error tried focusing on the familiar magic of his friends, and to his surprise, he felt them in the void. 

“Of all the places- you gotta be kidding me,” he growled as he opened up another portal directly to the void.

He barely had a second to register that the void felt emptier when he spotted his idiots. 

Idiots who were about to leave. 

Again.

As he looked through his portal, he could see Nightmare opening up a portal for the group to walk through.

‘Not again!’ Error thought as he imagined the goose chase that would surely follow if he lost them again. They would be capable of that, he knew from the times they’d make him join in on their games. They were fun but damn where they were chaotic.

“Stop!” Error yelled. He used his strings to wrap around his friends, especially Dust, as he was about to cross into the portal, effectively immobilizing them before any could pass through it. At a quick glance he noticed the portal was for Nightmare’s kingdom.

“Error!!!” The group yelled happily /sans the blueberry that was still passed out/and loudly as they stood immobile, the portal closing on itself as whoever opened it released it.

Error had a fleeting feeling that he wouldn't be able to be alone anytime soon, as he stared at his shocked and happy why where they happy friends’ faces.

Before the group could say anymore as they tried to process who was in front of them, Error couldn't help but feel compelled to chastise them, but… he had no right. That wouldn't stop him from eyeing them up and down, considering the chaos they left behind he had figured they were alright, but one never knows what could happen. Or what Ink was capable of under Fate’s influence. 

He was sure Fate had a hand in Ink’s decisions. The chains and restrictions in the corridor he deleted had an eerie resemblance to the dungeons he once possessed in his castle. Dungeons Fate had made him create during his rule.

He decided maybe casual conversation would be best. With his limited social skills cultivated with years in the void, he figured he couldn't go wrong with that at least.

“So… you all managed to get captured in just those, what three months I was gone? I just can't leave you all alone, can I?” Error tried, as an awkward smile spread on his face. An ugly feeling crawled up his soul, and it wasn't just disappointment in his social skills, he already knew they sucked, but he preferred not to think of it. If he did, he didn't know how he’d put himself back together again.

He nearly killed them. 

As he tried to push his own feelings down, he failed to notice the struggling vibrations he felt on his strings due to how the group struggled to escape his strings to either strangle him -Nightmare- or hug him squeeze him to death -everyone else-

“YOU. You fucking asshole! Do you know how fucking worried I was when you locked yourself in here?! How worried we all where?!” Nightmare yelled, finally ripping off the strings around him and charging at Error. His killing intent and anger thoroughly visible as he shot out jagged bones and tried to pierce him through with his tendrils. 

All the while, Blue dangled in one of Nightmare’s tendrils twitching every time Nightmare cursed, Error had yet to notice him. He was far more focused on avoiding the bone attacks and tendrils while thinking of an appropriate response. He had years of experience dodging an angry Nightmare, so it wasn't too hard, especially now that he remembered some of his older skills.

“Well -I - you see-”

Unfortunately, with his returned fighting skills, a skill for social communication did not come. He did not manage to think of a response in the few seconds it took for Nightmare to close in on him. In his defense, he really wasn't trying against his friend, he mainly just wanted to make sure Nightmare didn't impale him again. 

The one time he let Nightmare do that in the past had been the worst week for him. Not due to the injury, which healed within a few days, but more due to the enforced bed rest Nightmare had put upon him. It didn't help that the rest of the brats smothered him in attention, thinking him frail, sure a few ribs fell off, and he had a large hole near his soul, but it wasn't anything Ink or Dream hadn't done before, or worse. The only reason the bed rest hadn't lasted longer was that he managed to escape their attention and run away, destroying a few Au’s as proof for them. Sure it had attracted the lighter San’s attention, but it had proven his point all the same.

Error slightly glitched as Nightmare grabbed his coat by the fistfuls, his mind had been focused on the past, and the sudden touch had surprised him. Sure his reboot might have fixed some of his memories and helped him glitch a lot less, but that didn't mean it fixed his phobia of touching. That was another thing that had been cultivated in his time in the void, another useless quirk. But it definitely helped him separate his past self from his present, it helped what with all the new memories.

Looking into his friend’s enraged eyelights, his heart and mind stuttered to a stop, “Err… s-sorry?”  Error said, he expected the rage, and to a point, considered the relief his friends would probably feel at his presence. Still, he hadn’t expected the watery eyelights he was staring into. And didn't that just make him feel as if he was sucker punched, he made one of his closest friends cry. It didn't help the dark feeling he’d had in his gut for a while now. In fact, it just made it grow.

Before Error could focus more on the fact, Nightmare promptly wrapped his hands around his neck and started strangling him.

"Hrk!" Was all he managed to sound out in his surprise.

 In retrospect, his action of strangling would not have had a single effect on him. They were skeletons, but it was the thought that counted here, and boy was it cathartic, plus it managed to silence Error. Nightmare wasn't sure if he could handle the skeleton saying anything other than his reason for his absence. He feared that if Error said anything else, he might explode in either rage or sadness.

“SORRY!?!? That's all you have to say for yourself after you up and vanished on us, you fucker!? You worried the hell out of us and nearly killed us you absolute motherfuc-” Nightmare yelled, slightly shaking, and fully considering throttling Error more than he was as he tried to calm his racing heart. His fists held on tightly around his neck, afraid if he let go he’d slip through his grip again.

Unfortunately for both of them, neither noticed the movement above their heads until it was too late.

“Language!” A barely awake Blue yelled, swinging his star hammer towards the foul language. A  habit he had developed when he realized asking his brother and the gang to nicely stop their foul language wouldn't work, so he had to resort to more…  drastic measures. The gang had quickly learned some self-preservation in Blue’s presence.

A resounding ‘thunk’ echoed throughout the void as Nightmare was struck in the head. Error had the unfortunate luck of being close to Nightmare’s face, due to the strangulation. Thus, he was struck in the form of a ‘headbutt’ from Nightmare.

Both Error and Nightmare promptly fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, one groaning in pain, and the other passed out.

"Oh...erm...whoops?" Blue said as he finally realized his surroundings and found who he had hit was not his brother who he had been lecturing in his dream about his smoking habit, but actually Nightmare and-

“ERROR!!!!OH, MY STARS!!! IM SORRY!!!” Blue screamed, rushing to the crumpled heap on the floor and promptly crushing said crumpled heap in his arms, or as he called it, ‘hugged’ Error.

“Crap, Blue! Crushing me!” Error hissed only slightly glitching at all the contact he was receiving, he was at least semi-used to contact from the gang. In his distraction with Blue and Nightmare, he loosened the strings. The gang had been waiting for this opportunity.

`Oh no’ Error thought, he couldn't dodge as Blue’s arms were still around him and could only watch in resignation as he saw the tiny hoard of the rest of his friend group charge straight at him. A quick glance at the smirking face of the blueberry only confirmed his suspicion that the imp was holding him in place on purpose.

‘I’ll get you for this!’ He thought as he quickly glared at the starry-eyed look on his friend’s face, a niggling of suspicion slightly arising. 

‘He could feel his creator magic stopping something, fighting something. Well, that's odd.’ 

Before he could think further on the fact, he was promptly glomped in a hug. The force caused him to backtrack a few steps. However, he misjudged Nightmare’s proximity and immediately tripped over his prone body and fell.

“Oof”, Error exclaimed as the rest of his friends promptly glomped him.

Error sighed in resignation as he let his friends’ questions wash over him. Feeling for once content with their touch, it was reassuring. They really were there. His arms tightened around those he could reach. He figured it was Cross and Dust, the hard feel of Cross’ knife was unmistakable and the… well, dust on Dust’s jacket was very notable. 

‘At times he wondered if his friend actually rolled in the dust of his enemies, he’s never seen it, but how did one get so much dust on oneself?’

Then the group hug suddenly tightened. Error glanced as a familiar presence slithered onto his arms, holding his friends. He could see Nightmare’s tendrils curled over their bodies and the rest of the group, bringing them all into a familiar embrace.

“Heey looks like sleeping beauty woke up,”Horror jeered, a smirk on his face, snickers were heard in the group. Quickly a smaller tendril smacked the back of Horror’s head. 

“Shut up, you’re ruining the moment.” Nightmares growled, his face glowed purple, but he didn't care as long as Error couldn’t see.

Error felt like he was missing a joke, but he couldn't care less at the moment with his friends safe in this embrace.

They were safe. He hadn’t killed them. Maybe his dust-covered hands wouldn't get covered, in their dust as well. His soul glitched at the thought. Letting hundreds of copies get deleted were in a way, a mercy for them and the rest of the multiverse but his friends… 

Ȳ̸̹͎̼̳̦͌͛̌̈́͊̈́̑̏̍̈́̕ͅƠ̷̢̡̻͇̐̍͛͂̃͌̋̾̄̚͝Ų̴͕͎̖͉̃̐ ̴̫͉̺̫̹̈́̈́͑̕Ä̵̩̠́̌̄͆̍̅̂͒͆̒̐̊̂̍̈́̈́R̴̡̨͚̯̱̞͇̭̩̖̉̅̎̑̅͜͠E̴̢̖̘̭̲̥͍͓̦͓͕͈̝͗͂͗͗̀̾̓͐̉̐͘̚ͅ ̷̬̯̫̼̮̉̏̽͑̄̈

‘How would they ever forgive him? How could he ever forgive himself?’

“I’m sorry.” Error murmured, trying to crush the feeling of a reboot and completely ignoring their questions. In his defense, they were mainly asking about the ‘voices’ he used to hear in the void, and how he’d locked the void. All the while, he tried to ignore the fact that he almost killed his friends by his decision.  His friends were hugging him with happy smiles and relief in their eyes. Error felt his soul twinge in pain. 

‘Why didn't they resent him?’

‘They could have, no, they would have died.’

He'd been gone for three months, in that time he had been aware of the thousands of destroyed Aus increasing, his friends could have easily been a part of that statistic. 

And yet, here they were hugging, happy, in the void with him. 

F̵̙͐͐͗̾̓̅̔͌̕I̴̧̢̛͍̜̯̞͎̩̦̖̬͍̭͑̿̿̊̈́̔̽͜͜͝͝ͅḺ̴͓̫͕̺̦̠̥͉̞͙͑͆̐̂̐̽͗̽̈́̆̚̕L̸̛̳̠̃̇̔̆͋͋̑̈́̎E̸̼͎̥̲̜͈̳̓̀̑͑͗̈̾̅̈́̽̍͘͘͘D̶̳̗͍̹̯̝̠̮̩̩̠̼͈̈́̂͒͋̃͜ ̸̢̨̪̣͇̦̩͔̟̪̟͚̦͎̹̊̓͊͛̅͐͌͝ͅW̴͇̮̣̹̟͖̠͖̟̱͙̜͇̪̽I̶̡̛̼̺̮̺̘̮̼͌̾͊̎̈̅̌̓̾̄̎̓͊̄̕͘͜T̶͉͚̱̯̠̖̖̙̝̣̿̂̎̐̔̊̉͑̊Ḩ̷͉̼͙̲̤̞͇͕̆̈́̄̅̋͠

Error could no longer block and ignore what his decision had almost done. He didn't have his boys here anymore to distract him with memories of happier times. 

In the beginning, he had been entirely willing to let the multiverse die, no, he wanted it to die. He was done, tired of the resentment he’d received from the multiverse. Tired of how much they fought back when he was just trying to keep the balance, of how they wouldn't understand, of how they were unwilling to listen. He was so tired. 

And then some of his memories returned. And soon, all the anger and resentment he felt towards Fate had clouded his mind. All he wanted was revenge, retribution for his fallen kingdom. If he couldn't have his multiverse, why should Ink? Ink who cared not for his subjects suffering, and only followed Fate’s wishes to a fault. Ink who refused to keep the balance, he so treasured. Ink… who he’d let down. He wanted it all to end. So he was content with spending his last moments alone in the void, and then his sons returned, and he was more than happy remembering the past and talking with his newly discovered sons’. He was content, ignoring the reality of his decision. 

But now, as he held his friends, he couldn't help but hate himself. They would have died, and it would have been on him. Not Fate, not Ink, no all the fault would have been his. Because he continued to rebel. Even now, with his memory back and fully aware of the power Fate had against him. He didn't want to stop, he wanted to fight, he wanted his kingdom, his friends, his power of creation, he wanted it all back. But that was the problem. The problem was he wanted. He should have been satisfied with what little bits of happiness he managed to scrape together. But he wasn’t because even while his memories were gone, his soul knew something was missing. He wanted, but not at the cost of his friends' lives, not at the expense of losing his compassion, his empathy, the main thing that separated him from Fate’s image of a perfect, war-driven creator. A champion made in their own image.

G̴̪̺͓̩͆͐̈́̓͋̉̌̀̐̏̓̊̕Ų̴̨̧̡̞̹͇̘̟͈̝̳̭̞͉̣̗̠̮͚͎͍̣̩͍̭͖̬̪̰͚̭͈̉̈͑͛̀͜Į̸̛̲̭̹̣̥͙͇̬̖̙̮̻̩͎͉͉͉̜̤̟́̄̉͋̑̆̓͋͛̇̾̀̒̒̈́̄͌̎̽͗̋̎̚͜͜͝͠L̴̨̛̛̳̝̼͇̦̳͔̈́͐̔̊̓͆̐̈̂̂̾̄̒͛̓̓̊̅̈́͑͐̆̏͋̾͌̚͝T̴̡̛͚̱̯̰̞͎͖͚͓̱̘̮̰̫̱̈̒̃̊̊̽̃̇́̇̈́̑̉̒͆̿̍̂̕͘͝͝͝

G̴̪̺͓̩͆͐̈́̓͋̉̌̀̐̏̓̊̕Ų̴̨̧̡̞̹͇̘̟͈̝̳̭̞͉̣̗̠̮͚͎͍̣̩͍̭͖̬̪̰͚̭͈̉̈͑͛̀͜Į̸̛̲̭̹̣̥͙͇̬̖̙̮̻̩͎͉͉͉̜̤̟́̄̉͋̑̆̓͋͛̇̾̀̒̒̈́̄͌̎̽͗̋̎̚͜͜͝͠L̴̨̛̛̳̝̼͇̦̳͔̈́͐̔̊̓͆̐̈̂̂̾̄̒͛̓̓̊̅̈́͑͐̆̏͋̾͌̚͝T̴̡̛͚̱̯̰̞͎͖͚͓̱̘̮̰̫̱̈̒̃̊̊̽̃̇́̇̈́̑̉̒͆̿̍̂̕͘͝͝͝G̴̪̺͓̩͆͐̈́̓͋̉̌̀̐̏̓̊̕Ų̴̨̧̡̞̹͇̘̟͈̝̳̭̞͉̣̗̠̮͚͎͍̣̩͍̭͖̬̪̰͚̭͈̉̈͑͛̀͜Į̸̛̲̭̹̣̥͙͇̬̖̙̮̻̩͎͉͉͉̜̤̟́̄̉͋̑̆̓͋͛̇̾̀̒̒̈́̄͌̎̽͗̋̎̚͜͜͝͠L̴̨̛̛̳̝̼͇̦̳͔̈́͐̔̊̓͆̐̈̂̂̾̄̒͛̓̓̊̅̈́͑͐̆̏͋̾͌̚͝T̴̡̛͚̱̯̰̞͎͖͚͓̱̘̮̰̫̱̈̒̃̊̊̽̃̇́̇̈́̑̉̒͆̿̍̂̕͘͝͝͝
G̴̪̺͓̩͆͐̈́̓͋̉̌̀̐̏̓̊̕Ų̴̨̧̡̞̹͇̘̟͈̝̳̭̞͉̣̗̠̮͚͎͍̣̩͍̭͖̬̪̰͚̭͈̉̈͑͛̀͜Į̸̛̲̭̹̣̥͙͇̬̖̙̮̻̩͎͉͉͉̜̤̟́̄̉͋̑̆̓͋͛̇̾̀̒̒̈́̄͌̎̽͗̋̎̚͜͜͝͠L̴̨̛̛̳̝̼͇̦̳͔̈́͐̔̊̓͆̐̈̂̂̾̄̒͛̓̓̊̅̈́͑͐̆̏͋̾͌̚͝T̴̡̛͚̱̯̰̞͎͖͚͓̱̘̮̰̫̱̈̒̃̊̊̽̃̇́̇̈́̑̉̒͆̿̍̂̕͘͝͝͝
G̴̪̺͓̩͆͐̈́̓͋̉̌̀̐̏̓̊̕Ų̴̨̧̡̞̹͇̘̟͈̝̳̭̞͉̣̗̠̮͚͎͍̣̩͍̭͖̬̪̰͚̭͈̉̈͑͛̀͜Į̸̛̲̭̹̣̥͙͇̬̖̙̮̻̩͎͉͉͉̜̤̟́̄̉͋̑̆̓͋͛̇̾̀̒̒̈́̄͌̎̽͗̋̎̚͜͜͝͠L̴̨̛̛̳̝̼͇̦̳͔̈́͐̔̊̓͆̐̈̂̂̾̄̒͛̓̓̊̅̈́͑͐̆̏͋̾͌̚͝T̴̡̛͚̱̯̰̞͎͖͚͓̱̘̮̰̫̱̈̒̃̊̊̽̃̇́̇̈́̑̉̒͆̿̍̂̕͘͝͝͝G̴̪̺͓̩͆͐̈́̓͋̉̌̀̐̏̓̊̕Ų̴̨̧̡̞̹͇̘̟͈̝̳̭̞͉̣̗̠̮͚͎͍̣̩͍̭͖̬̪̰͚̭͈̉̈͑͛̀͜Į̸̛̲̭̹̣̥͙͇̬̖̙̮̻̩͎͉͉͉̜̤̟́̄̉͋̑̆̓͋͛̇̾̀̒̒̈́̄͌̎̽͗̋̎̚͜͜͝͠L̴̨̛̛̳̝̼͇̦̳͔̈́͐̔̊̓͆̐̈̂̂̾̄̒͛̓̓̊̅̈́͑͐̆̏͋̾͌̚͝T̴̡̛͚̱̯̰̞͎͖͚͓̱̘̮̰̫̱̈̒̃̊̊̽̃̇́̇̈́̑̉̒͆̿̍̂̕͘͝͝͝

Error shuddered as he felt tears well up and fall. His friends incessant questioning ended for a brief moment before it all exploded in a cacophony of surprise and worry.

“ERROR?!” Cross shrieked as he flinched away from the group hug, the rest of his friends family scrambling to follow mere seconds after, all afraid they may have done something wrong. They all knew their destroyer did not like touching, but... they had been so relieved, and he hugged them back.

Killer and Horror felt the unmistakable need to murder someone as they stared horrified at their strongest member of their little family, crying his heart out. Did they cause this? Or was it something else? Was it whatever had caused his self imposed isolation. 

Dust was right next to, Blue trying to think of a way to comfort their friend without resorting to hugging. Would punning work in this circumstance? Or would that just make Blue bash him on the head for not reading the situation, right? What could he do?

Cross felt useless in this situation, he was always the one comforted in most cases by Error and, on rare occasions, the others. But now when it came time to help Error, he didn't know what to do.

“Error, what's wrong?” Blue asked after a moment, voice soft as he edged closer. His first instinct was to hug his friend, but considering they had just done that and it ended with his friend crying, he was hesitant.  He had never seen his friend act this way. He’d seen him beaten, poisoned, ostracized by everyone, yet not once had he seemed to ever really care, let alone feel enough pain to shed a tear. Yet now, here in front of him for the very first time, Error was bawling his eyes out, not able to get a single word out as he cried. 

“I-I’m.̶͎̈́.̸̮̌.̸̠̔”. Error started, voice beginning to glitch as his emotions overwhelmed him.

Now that Error was glitching again, the gang belatedly realized that during their whole encounter, their glitchy friend had not been glitching.

Ḯ̴͓͚̊̈̈́̓ ̴̳̙̪̦̝̘̈́͂̃̓͂̓ͅl̴̨̡̳̥̘̫̥̥̕͝ę̷̛͚̱͔̗̱͕͓̙͑͌̚ͅf̴̨̳͓̪͇̤̖̱̺̮͔̂̽́t̷̟͙͔̙̋͑͂̈͠ͅ.̴̧̘̠̮̥̯͓̬̈́͊̒͑͋̉̌͑̋͜ ̷͕͍̺̩͓̗̹̦̞͉̯̳͒̆͆̌̔̆ Ÿ̶̛͕̖̳̖̘̮̫́̈̅̄̿͋̈́̈̉̈́̎̆ͅọ̶̢̱͕̳̺̠̳̙̮̻̘̐̋́́͐̋̂͊u̴̧̼͇͇̪̞͙̇ ̸̢̛̘̟̼̺̳̱̹̫̖̲͔̞̈́̆̒̔̏͘͜͠w̶̼̻̟̦̫͚̅̊̂̒͝ǫ̷̪̭̣̝̦̲̜̈͒͆̐̽͌̈́̉͛̇u̶̲̣̲̪̬͐̽͌̒̑͂̊̇̊̃̿̇͠l̸̖͇̫͚̹͒̑͗͒̈̌͊̾̈́̂͝d̶̢̯͔̤̥̹̳̮̘̹̲̭̉̆̕͜ ̵̠̣̜̟̞̫̳̭͚͎̩͂͊̃̈́͑̿͂͘̕͠ḩ̸͉͖̼̫̝̞͉͈̙̬̃͐ǎ̷̧͔͚̬̱̟ͅv̵̢̛̳̤̙͎͖̖͓̪̠͈̊̏̽͠ḙ̴̞̩̺͒̐̅̂̔̇́̾̋͐̕͠ ̵̧̢͙̭͇̥̝̤͚̥̿̍̓͌̃̽͘d̴̟̤̟̲̠͔͈͈̤̬̪̖̥͈̽͊͗̐̈̔͑̂͠͝ị̸̯͉̣̘̾̇̄̓̕͠ë̴̛͚̠̜́͊̓̉̇̽̆d̷̞̔͐́͑͌͒̇̚!̵̨̳͉͇̫̱̱̖̰̳̯͓͓̻̊̾͑̔͑̈̿͝͝  Į̶̫̱̘̱̱͕̠̭͇̗͔͚̬̹̅͊̌̍'̸̜̭̞̼̈́̌̾͊̅̇̇́́̚m̶͔̲̺̳͚̥̅̈́͐̿͗̾̌̐̃̃̏͋͘͜͠ͅ 
̴̢̡̰̖̟̭̜̘̯͍̮̕ͅš̷̠͎̦̺̥̈́̐͑̚o̷̟̔̓̀̄r̶̞̖̫̖͆͆̉̅͐̑̋̋̍͑̍̄͝͝ȓ̷̛̯̥̩̱̪͛͐̿͘͠ͅy̶̡̢̲͈͉̩̱̤̲͌!

Error managed to get out as error signs popped out around him.

The group was stunned. How do they respond to that? 

“We- I” Blue was for once lost of words, how was he supposed to comfort Error with this when he could barely come to terms with the fact that his friend did indeed almost kill them. It was indirect but, did that even really matter? When their lives had hinged entirely on Error’s decisions, his willingness to continue the balance.

Blue didn't get to come up with an answer as Nightmare hugged their crying friend, who willingly returned the hug. The rest of the group shifted awkwardly, they didn't truly hold any resentment towards Error. However, they didn't precisely deal well with crying. None of them did. The one who did the comforting was usually Error. It was the reason they had all agreed on dubbing him as the ‘mom’ friend.

“We don't care. We care more about the fact that you preferred locking yourself here alone, with insane, psychotic voices rather than talking to us. Sure, yeah, leaving your job of balance would, and still can most certainly kill us. But it hasn't yet, we are still alive, so shut up.” Nightmare said.

The other’s cringed.

Oh. Right.

That's why Error was the mom-friend. 

Now they remembered, this is why Error was the one who did the comforting. Because Nightmare didn't have a single soft word in his body, even when trying to comfort their loved ones. 

“Ȩ̷̳̪͖͈̱̼̒̂͗͊̂̊͛͛̌̄̕͝ͅx̴̢̰̙̻̜̬̄̌̄̉̃̐a̸̳̯̲̯̬͍͂͊̆͋̎̓͗̀̌͘c̷̬͈̲̼̯̺̥̈͌͛̎̅͋͑̑́͜͝͝ͅṯ̸̢̢̡̪̯͕̣͓̙̪͉̋̃̓ļ̸͙͉̮̗̩͎̽̐̿̍͛̓̚y̶̦̻̏͐̕!̸̰̯̫̺̙̰̪̖̣̜̝̘̈́̍̋̈́͛͐̇̒̒͊͑͂̑͠͝ͅ ̴͙̘̠̑I̴̧̛̤͈̯͙͍̟͆͛̈́̔̋͌͗̍ ̵̩̙̺̗͙̄̈́́͆̏̋̅̈́͑̋̇̍̚c̷̡̠̞̫̰̱͎͙͊͋̆̿̌̓̄o̸͖̭̳̹͈̖͇̟̍̈̈́̓̑̔͗̊̈́̎u̴̡̻̱͔̣̗̲̳̪̹̹͊͛͋̇̄̌ͅl̵̘͚̐͝d̷̛̼̜̙̥͂̓͠ ̸̟͋̀͝͝h̶̳͑a̴̧̡̹̺̩͖͚̮͙̍̇͊̊͗̃͘̕v̸̡͍͇͆̒̐͗͊̒̋̋̌͑͝e̴̩̲̺̓̈͝ ̷̫̥̳̜̰̣̗̲͎̤̞̬̯̜̻̈́̇͋̅̔̚ķ̵͖͔̺̼̻̳̖͖̠̘͚͛͒̔i̸̧̪͚̹͚̩̘̩̒̽͜͝͝ļ̶͕̹͖̯͉̤͙̤͈̝͍̬̋̃̉̔̍̔͊̌̑̚l̴̦̞̦̗̫̋̎̈́̈́̀̋e̸̢̺̬̪̼͚̫̣̥͈̥͚̾̆̚ď̷͈̻̭̩̤͎͉̤͛͌̃́͂̋̓̿̋͌̚-̶̧̛͎̻̞̜̤͈̈́̈́͋̃ͅ” 

Nightmare wrapped a tendril around Erro’s mouth, effectively muffling the rest of his sentence.

“We are alive, and we don't hate you.” Nightmare hissed, trying to get the fact through Error’s thick skull, “Hell, I don’t think any of these brats could hate you, and I sure as hell don’t hate you either, dumb as- ah idiot.” Nightmare said as he flinched, glancing at Blue, who had a glint in his eyes, almost daring him to continue. “You left, yeah sure, but you’ve also tried explaining it to them multiple times and not once did they listen, it's not your fault. It's theirs and Ink’s for never trying to change. '' Nightmare paused as he rubbed his friends back glad he could feel the sobs quieting. “Well, more Ink’s fault than the ignorant sheep that follow him.”

Nightmare paused as he heard Error say something, but with the tendril on his face, not a single word could be understood.

“Come again?” Nightmare asked as he removed it.

“Not Ink. It’s not his fault.” Error croaked back, his soul thrummed with relief and guilt. His friends may have forgiven him, but he didn't think he could do so so easily. Not until he was sure his friends were safe, and Nightmare had a point, they weren't out of the woods yet, not as long as their code originated from Ink’s or rather, Fate’s power.

To his surprise, the ones that answered back were not, suddenly much tenser, Nightmare but rather the rest of the brats here with him.

“WHAT?!” Horror and Dust screamed in unison

“HOW IS IT NOT HIS FAULT!” Crossed growled out as his lone red eye light began to shine brighter.

“BUT YOU TRIED TO EXPLAIN! MULTIPLE TIMES, I would know, I've been there sometimes!" Blue hissed in anger and confusion.

“THEY’VE NEVER LISTENED!” Killer hissed.

Error hesitated, they were all correct in a way, but they didn't know about Fate. They didn't realize how manipulative they were. And… they didn't know just how much of a victim Ink was in this situation. 

But, how did one go about explaining their extensive past without them thinking he’d gone off the deep end or worse, assumed Ink had done something to him.

“There’s more to this than you guys realize.” Error mumbled back, backing out of the hug.

“Then explain idiot and stop leaving us in the dark. Or else you’re just going to cause us even more worry.” Nightmare said as he stared at his friend/crush?/love? He wanted to grab him again, hug him, or at least grab on to him, he didn’t want to let him out of his sight ever again.

“Ha! I would, but you'd all think I was insane without proof.” Error said with a self-deprecating smirk.

The group flinched as they were reminded of the two intangible voices they had heard just a few minutes before their friend had arrived.

“I'LL BELIEVE YOU!” Blue said as he ran to hang off one of Error’s arms, grabbing on like a limpet now that Error had stopped crying. Now that he was reminded of the voices, the endless expanse of white no longer felt safe, or as empty. His observant eyes did not miss how Dust, Horror, Killer, and Cross all shuffled closer to the two strongest members of their group.

“We- We’ll be more open-minded to the- ah less easily proven things you say?” Cross said, his statement ending more in a question as he now fully took in his friend’s state.

“I… are you wearing new clothes?” Cross asked as he looked at his friend’s more put together state. Newer versions of his usual clothes.  “Because they look really nice on you!”

‘He doesn't actually look like a hobo now!’

Cross could feel the unimpressed stares on his body from his family. 

“Right, not the situation….”

“So, ignoring Cross, care to explain, Error?” Killer asked as he settled himself next to Nightmare. Ignoring the outraged cry of Cross. The rest followed suit and formed a semi-circle around their friend. 

Error frowned as he glanced at them and then the void.

“No.” Error exclaimed, moving to stand up. Shoving Blue off his arm. 

“What?!”

Error ignored them as he opened up a portal, the other side showing their hideout.

“Not here at least, you’ll just get corrupted if you stay here too long, I’m not risking that.”

“Beside’s now with the void unlocked I’d be best if we-”

Error froze as he felt an immense feeling of relief bloom across his soul, it was the most significant feeling he had had yet. Almost making it easy enough to forget the discomfort he still had in his soul. A large number of Au’s had been erased to make room for his kingdom. The last piece of his old multivere had returned.

His eyelights immediately went out as he felt the codes of his old multiverse settle.

“E-error?” Blue said as he stumbled in place, eyelights hazing as he felt a brief pain in his soul. 

‘What was that?’ Blue thought, mind muddled in pain. No one noticed everyone’s focus was on Error.

There was no response from Error as a loud beep was heard, their friend Error was rebooting.

_Rebooting_

_Recovery in process_

_Original file_m̶͕͔̋̕i̵̠̿s̸̛̤s̷͔̟͐i̸̻̿ṇ̶̤͑̾ġ̷̱̄._

“ ‘Missing’? ” Dust mumbled to himself, surprised by the new words coming from his friend.

Back up file_found

Rebooting in process……….0%

Error became covered in hazy error signs, percentages around his skeletal body appeared.

“Error?!” Cross exclaimed, confused, this had never happened before.

“Why is he rebooting, nothing caused it this time.” Horror wondered, “And why… why is it different?”

Rebooting in process……….20%

Rebooting in process……….28%

Rebooting in process……….35%

“Umm, should we back away… ?” Killer mumbled as he began inching away from his friend and started to drag the dazed Blue and concerned Cross back from Error.

Rebooting in process……….40%

Rebooting in process……….49%

Rebooting in process……….52%

Rebooting in process……….55%

Dust grabbed Horror and also dragged themselves behind Nightmare, if anyone could take a large amount of damage, it was him. 

Rebooting in process……….63%

Rebooting in process……….71%

Rebooting in process……….83%

Rebooting in process……….94%

Nightmare rolled their eyes but readied themselves. It was rare but there had been times when Error had rebooted and had not recognized any of them and usually responded… unfavorably.

Rebooting in process……….100%

Restoration_Complete_

File_Restored_

Welcome back, 

Eclipse,

God of Balance

Son of Fate

Champion of Destiny

‘It seems it's finally begun." Destiny murmured to themselves watching their chosen’s codes reset themselves to the time before Fate had tried to erase him. The final reboot would restore his power and any remaining memories he might have still been missing. Unfortunately, as they watched his codes restore themselves, they could not fully restore his appearance to his former white boned self. His time in the void, it’s effects, could not be entirely erased. Instead, the codes settled themselves around the void’s effects, mixing, joining, and accepting of the new changes.

They would have preferred if Fate’s multiverse had imploded when their chosen returned to themselves but understood that the original multiverse had been much smaller and did not truly need the space the complete destruction of the current one would create. Eclipse had been thorough in their need for balance. Though they still would have preferred it. They understood that Eclipse would have been devastated if his friends died after just reuniting with them, but… so many troubles with Fate could have been avoided….

“Looks like a lot more were left alive than what you originally planned for, ey Destiny?” Karma voiced behind them.

“So, you awoke.” Destiny voiced, their tone bland,  not at all surprised with Karma’s presence, their focus was solely on their chosen codes, they didn't want a mistake to occur.

“Of course, you didn't think I’d stay asleep with all the ruckus you and your… compatriots are doing?

“Funny considering you stayed asleep through Fate’s ‘ruckus’ and their continued collection of karma, but then again surely by now, you understand why we are doing this.”

“Do the rest know you planned on having their champions killed as well?”

Destiny smiled at that, “I’m sure they were aware, as I am sure they have… other things planned than what they have told me. We are allied against Fate, but we can hardly be considered friends.” Their eyes glowed a cold purple light, only barely holding back a laugh. 

Them being friends? A laughable thought. Now that Love was free, nothing else would interest them, and Luck would never want a friendship after they forced them into cooperation.

“And where are your allies?”

“If I am correct, Love is out there fixing the mistakes they believe Fate’s strings have caused in so many love lives. Their belief in the strength of their champion is admirable, seeing as they left him alone." Destiny mused, " and Luck… is probably trying to keep their champion alive, messing and watching his codes as I watch mine. After all, with their world gone, there isn't much keeping their code stable. Though their champion’s lives matter not to me, they are still Fate’s creations, after all.”

“You are as cruel as I remember.”

Destiny laughed at that, a sharp smile forming on their ethereal purple shaded form.

“No, I am simply aware of what I want, of my goals, and if it takes every single creation of theirs to die, then it must be done. And besides,  Fate has managed to surpass me, in even cruelty. After Void’s death, you gifted the multiverse to them because they alone were willing to help you against them, you expected them to be… fair. But you and I both know, they were everything but that. If you want, I can show you some of the Au’s they’ve created?” Destiny ended in a singsong voice. 

“You tried and have succeeded in killing innocent creatures. And in case you forgot, I asked you for help against void long before I asked Fate, and you said no.” Karma growled, refusing to fall for their antagonism. 

Destiny blinked, owlishly, “And why should I have cared? It had nothing to do with me.” They said, smile sharp and bloodthirsty. “ Besides all destroyed were created by Fate, an action against Fate, a move done to get back at Fate, therefore, no bad Karma for me, or the others for that matter, especially since their chosen are still alive and allied, against Fate’s child, or rather puppet. Aaaand the actions were done by our champions, not us, as they have every right for retribution. Besides, even if I had killed their chosens, the small karma would still have been nothing compared to what Fate has racked up.”

“....”

“So, will you still try to take action against my champion? You know they were not at fault.” Destiny voiced, fully ready to call upon their allies for help. Their chosen's involvement absolved each other from any Karmatic retribution. Still, they never could be sure what Karma’s punishment would affect, much less who.

“I will not, but neither were the millions of creatures you erased.” Karma hissed still angered at all the voices of mercy they could feel echoing in the multiverse.

Destiny scoffed, “They were mindless sheep and bystanders. That alone makes them guilty, and you know that.”

“And the ones who were unaware of the happenings of the multiverse, of Ink or Err-”

“That is not his name! And they were mercy killings! They would never have survived with how new their codes were and how close they were to the others around them! The multiverse is vast, and yet under Fate’s rule, it was filled up. In case you haven't noticed, the explosions and erasures are all centered, or rather where centered, on the most packed areas. Let’s face it, you have no stand against my champion or my allies, the only one you have a point against is Fate. You have taken far too long to make a stand against them. Instead, you preferred to sleep and ignore the shifts of balance until you could no longer ignore it, when we started making a ‘ruckus’. So now, either go against Fate with us or let us continue doing the job you should have done long ago.

“I owe them a favor,” Karma voiced, clearly hesitating.

“You paid their assistance with the multiverse and their power, that should have been enough.” 

Glitched words:

YOU

ARE 

FILLED WITH

GUILT

I left. You would have died! I’m sorry!

Exactly! I could have killed-

missing

Chapter Text

The day started off like any other.  Well in a way, it started off better for him than most days. Sans wasn’t here to drag him off to work, Blue was off having fun with his Star friends. While he got to laze about and work off his hangover, maybe even go back to Muffet’s bar later. Normally he would have worried if Sans was off in another AU, but he’d talked to the main Star leaders, they promised, and not only that they agreed with him. After everything that happened, they wouldn't let Sans be in any danger, it wouldn't do any good if he caught the attention of anyone else like the Destroyer.

So Honey, or as he truly preferred, Papyrus, could relax, maybe do things he’d been meaning to. The kid had stopped showing up around three months ago, he didn't know if they were staying in the ruins longer than usual or if they’d even started the run but he didn't really care. The next run was supposed to be a genocide run so he didn't care if they postponed it indefinitely. If it meant not seeing his brother get his head cut off he was all for it.

‘San’s bleeding heart always led him to his death. He just couldn't stand it, but that's what he was here for. Without him, Papyrus feared for what would come of Sans, he was just so weak-hearted. So weak-willed, too afraid to do what was necessary, too nice. Sans raised him all alone so this way he could repay him for that, by protecting him and keeping him as innocent as he could. It’s the least he could do for his big bro.’

Maybe… maybe he should go have a talk with the royal guard Alphys, he hasn’t heard her filling his brother’s head with thoughts of being in the royal guard again, but a reminder couldn’t hurt. Really, who could think that Blue, his Sans, was fit to be part of the Royal Guards? He’d die immediately. Blue could not even defend himself against a genocidal human even after many resets. Blue had too much of a bleeding heart, he was too forgiving, too nice, too much of a fool.  

‘What kind of monster would welcome a murdering human with open arms, what kind of sane monster would befriend a destroyer of the universes?’

Maybe… maybe he’d pay a visit to Undyne first before Alphys, to show her proof that he was truly serious the last time. 

Papyrus shrugged on his hoodie, pulled out a smoke, and teleported to hotland.

If I’m lucky they’ll both be together and make this easier for me instead of tracking them down one by one. 

“Paps! We’ve told you already, I won’t let him in the Royal Guard so stop harassing Undyne already!” Alphys growled, hiding her beloved behind her. After last time, she wasn't letting the shit bag of bones near her. She didn't want to hear her screams again, the screams still echoed in her mind even now after so long. She’d underestimated him last time, there was no way she was doing it again.

“Look I just wanted to make sure you didn't forget, it has been a while, and I know how persistent Sans’ can be, I just don't want you to…  forget our promise,” Papyrus said as he smoked, a smirk visible. “For Undyne's sake, I figured a reminder d’ya both some good,” he said, as he slouched against some furniture. He’d been lucky and caught the two watching that mew mew kissy shit they liked to watch. 

“W-w-we won’t! Pro-promise!” Undyne popped up behind Alphys, never looking at Papyrus in the face, afraid if she did, she’d see his horrid glowing orange eye light again. 

“Good, looks like we don't need another demonstration, ey Undyne ?” Paps chuckled as he heard her ‘eep’.

“AAaaargh, you bloody bastard!” Alphys screamed as she threw her ax. 

It did nothing but pierce the furniture that was behind Papyrus as he teleported to the left out of the way.

“Fucking coward” She hissed, fuming. What good did her rank do her if she couldn't even protect her beloved? 

“What, did you expect me to stand still? I may be lazy as hell but I don’t have a deathwish.” Paps replied, raising a brow bone in response. 

“He’s going to hate you y' know, when all is said a-and done,” Undyne replied, behind Alphys. She gasped as she realized what she’d said aloud. 

“What was that?” Papyrus’ voice had gone cold, but even more worrisome, the question had come from behind her. He’d teleported when he’d heard her response.

“H-h-hate, he’s, he's going to hate you!” Undyne screamed bravely as she backed up onto Alphys feeling secure as her beloved brandished another ax.

“And how could he do that? He doesn’t have a hateful bone in his body!” Papyrus snickered.

“You're smothering him. I know you don't want to recognize it but he has a lot of potentials, and you’re smothering him . He’s not stupid and he isn't a little kid! And he’s so smart, and you’re treating him like a baby bones!”Alphys growled a protective arm curled around Undyne, watching Papyrus carefully for any sudden movements. 

“Tch, you don’t know what you're talking about, I know my brother the best, and I know he’s smart, but I’m not about to let you or anyone else put him in danger. I’ll protect him and keep him safe, even if it’s from himself.” Papyrus growled back.

Alphys sighed and glanced at Undyne who looked back and frowned but nodded her head. There was no reasoning with Papyrus, not now at least.

“Alright, alright now, will you leave? Undyne and I were in the middle of a da- Undyne!” Alphys screamed as she grabbed a hold of her beloved’s arm as her body suddenly dropped, the floor beneath her an empty white that was slowly expanding. Alphys quickly jumped away as soon as she pulled Undyne onto her arms.

“What the hell is this fucking shit!” Alphys screamed, staring in surprise and horror at the expanding white.

“I-I don't know I’ve never seen anything like-I, Alph I don't feel so g-good” Undyne replied, voice slightly glitched out, form somewhat hazy.

“Undyne!” Alphys screamed, her palms glowed green, clearly trying to heal her.

“Fuck not that bastard again” Papyrus growled as he teleported away to his home, leaving the panicked couple behind. 

 Papyrus landed on the banister, the Star phone in front of him. 

“Fuck, pick up, pick up, pick up,” Papyrus muttered as he held the phone to his skull, sweat beading down his body. 

“Damn it! Why isn't there a dial tone!” He growled, he bent down and examined the wires on the phone, searching in case something got disconnected. 

His eye lights guttered out as he stared at the cut wires hidden behind the little table the phone rested on.

“Wh-what?” Papyrus whispered to himself quietly as he held the cut wires in his trembling hands.

‘Did Blue… cut this?’ 

Undyne’s words rang through his head, ‘ hate ? ’

“No never, maybe he got mad at the Stars and didn’t want them calling? But then he’d be home by now… ” Papyrus murmured to himself, deaf to the screams happening outside his house. The ever-expanding whiteness had reached Snowdin.

“But, no one else has access… no one else knows about this phone!” Papyrus growled, sweat forming on his brows as he tried to explain away the obvious.

“No one-” Papyrus felt his soul jump to his throat as he felt one of his knees loose purchase on the surface of his wooden floor.

He scrambled to his feet as he stared at the encroaching blankness; in his denial, he had failed to notice how the white had eaten away at his home from the direction of the waterfall. 

Papyrus felt himself tear up as he saw the wall behind himself crumble away to white. 

He fell to his knees as he saw what should have been a scene of snow-covered homes but instead he stared into desolate white blankness.

‘Blue, where are you?’

‘Blue…’

Papyrus felt his orange-tinged tears fall down his face as his form trembled. His soul pulsed asking for help. Yearning for the protective feel he felt when he was around his older brother.

Papyrus trembled as his soul pulsed in fear and called for help. Called for his Sans' presence.

But,

No one answered.

He stood shakily, backing away from the white, and teleported to the door that led to the ruins, banging his fist on the door, asking for entrance. Mind returning to the scene he’d left behind in Undyne’s place. 

Papyrus sobbed as he realized, two things, he was going to die, and he was going to die alone .

And then a voice interrupted his sobs, but it wasn't the kind voice he’d expected when he came to the ruins.

“You should be quiet Papyrus, Father’s just gone to have a nap.” A voice answered slightly muffled through the door.

“Chara!” Papyrus gasped, “Chara open the door please, something's happening and-”

“Shut the fuck up you poor excuse sack of shit. I just said Father went to take a nap !” The voice hissed back.

Papyrus’ eyelights shrank as he realized who’d just spoken.

“F-Frisk?” he croaked back.

“Yeah, you sack of shit, took ya long enough.” Frisk sassed back

“Frisk, everything is disappearing. I think the destroyer is back and I can’t reach any of the Star S-”

“God your pathetic” Frisk hissed annoyed already with the conversation, “Where is that brother of yours, anyway? I much prefer talking to that little sunshine than you.” 

“What does... He’s not here, he’s off in another Au and I can't reach the Star Sanses!” Papyrus stressed, glancing back he shrank against the door, the whiteness had gotten closer.

“Hmm, so you’ll be dying alone then?” Frisk giggled back.  “Serves you right with how awful you treat him.”

“Why the hell do you all say-”

“Oh? So others pointed it out too? Maybe you should take the hint, you piece of shit. No one wants a shitty brother like you. Whatever, I’m done talking to you, since our Au is going to die in a bit I might as well get a few more sleepy cuddles from dear Father. Have fun dying alone~” Frisk gleefully chirped as they ran back to their Father. 

All the genocidal Frisks and Chara’s had taken over their counterparts' bodies, whether it was their turn or not. They had all collectively decided that since their Duncle Error was not going to return and their death was imminent, they figured they deserved some cuddles with their Fathers and Mothers instead of always being forced to kill them when their counterparts decided they were bored with a peaceful route and instead chose genocide. 

While Frisk cuddled up to their sleepy goat dad, Papyrus was having an existential crisis. 

‘Surely they're all wrong… right?”

‘He’d done it all out of love, he loved Sans, and Sans loved him back!

‘San’s still loved him…. Right?’

Papyrus felt his sins crawl down his spine as his heart pulsed one last time crying out for his brother before the white finally consumed him and he ceased to exist.

“Finally! Oh, I missed my last two senses, I've been deprived of touch and taste for so looong! Kids! Think Muffet is open yet? Get me a double chai latte with extra whip cream and three extra shots of espresso and two chocolate chip muffins!” Synthesis asked his kids excitedly from the hospital bed he was currently confined to as he recovered his strength. Though he briefly paused as his eyes fell upon the fashion monstrosity that belonged to his youngest child. ‘What is he wearing?!’

Emphasis on being confined, as the second he had regained consciousness he had screamed out in joy and tried to run out of the hospital to Muffet’s. As a result, his weak limbs could not support him and he passed out once more when he hit the floor. His two children witnessed this all happening and got out the extra strength magic repressing cuffs their grandfather had gifted them and confined their father to the medical bed.

Bluebell and Carnation sighed as they instead served their father a calming tea with honey and a warm sugar-free muffin they had gotten him from Muffet’s. 

“Kids!” Synthesis cried fake tears of sadness as his kids ignored his request. 

“Just drink the tea dad before you pass out again, the honey has healing properties, we specifically asked Queen Toriel for it when we saw you pass out on yourself.” Bluebell sighed as they grinned tiredly at their Father, their smile tight with worry.

“Not to mention the Queen said not to let you drink anything caffeine or sugar-filled seeing as the last time we gave you your monster drink you nearly exploded our bridge to Gramps and caused tremors throughout our kingdom,” Carnation replied as they brought out a hard candy to munch on.

“Aww kids, see the thing is.” Synthesis chirped, hands reaching up to touch a crack on his face he’d received from all the years fighting against the void’s confines, searching for an escape, “We’re going to be getting ready for war soon, and I need all the energy I can get right now,” Synthesis replied, an air of seriousness that rarely touched the second-born son of Eclipse, an air which ended as quickly as it had begun as he continued, “There’s no time for dilly-dallying so untie me !”

Bluebell paused, soul, beginning to speed up as it pulsed in worry. “War? With who? Is it Fa-”

“Well in that case it looks like you need to drink this fast!” Carnation replied as they held up a travel-sized liter Synthesis was sure was filled with tea.

Bluebell eyed the drink with a contemplative face. 

Carnation turned to him with a grin.

“The funnel?” Bluebell asked with a smirk.

“The funnel,” Carnation replied, as they both broke out into a slightly maniacal grin.

“W-what?! No Kids!” Synthesis rattled in worry. ‘Oh dear, now I remember why I always tried to run to Muffet’s for healing items when I get hurt. My children are monsters!

“Take these infernal cuffs off of me this instant!” Eidolon screamed at his two children as he tried to twist out of the restraints his grandfather had gifted his kids. He clearly remembered destroying them with some acid his brother had made but apparently he had not gotten to all of them.

“Nah, If we let you go we know you'll just run to Grillby’s for a bottle of that lovely scotch you like so much and right now the King says ya gotta drink this tea.” Comic replied as he pointed to the tea his brother held.

“It’s got healing properties in the honey!” Cyperus replied, “And there is no way we are releasing you until you have drunk the whole liter the king so graciously prepared for us after we found you passed out on your way to Grillbys .” Cyperus ground out, voice ending in an angry hiss.

Eidolon paused as he assessed his situation, an angry Cyperus was not something to be trifled with.

He growled in frustration, “We don’t have time for this, I’ll drink the damn tea but call your Uncles, we’re on the brink of war .”

Comic and Cyperus paused in surprise, not at the war comment because they had suspected as much from overhearing some calls their father had with their uncles and grandfather, but at the fact that their dad was willing to drink the tea. Usually, they had to get out the funnel. An idea they had borrowed from their cousins.

“Alright dad, lemme call them, bro untie a hand. He needs to drink all the tea.”

Neither got to do their task as they saw their uncle Cadmar burst into the hospital room.

“Uncle!” Cyperus cried out in joy. Both nephews hurried to hug him. 

Eidolon harrumphed as he saw his children hug his brother, “Glad to know, I am appreciated .” Neither of the three other occupants of the room acknowledged his comment. 

‘Where is my hug?’ Eidolon glared at the cuffs confining his wrists to the bedrail, rattling them to no avail, they were his father’s creation and there was nothing short of Synthesis strongest acid that would destroy them. And the acid had taken hours to melt them. 

“Brats, hello! Welcome back! I need your father, there’s an intruder and Starlight is currently alone with him.” Cadmar explained as he went to untie his eldest brother, he was stopped as Cyperus jumped in his way.

“Brat!”

“Not until he drinks the tea! He needs to heal!” Cyperus replied, standing his ground.

“Relax bro, I know how to solve this, we’ll just use the funnel! It will be much faster!” Comic replied in glee as he brought out the item from his item storage. 

“Cadmar no! Untie me! Help!” Eidolon cried as he doubled his efforts to escape. 

Cadmar paused as he looked between the maniacal grins of his nephews and his eldest brother and wisely backed down and away. 

“Good luck brother, catch up to Synthesis and I when you're done! We will be dealing with…” Cadmar paused as he glanced at his nephews. Both of their eyelights and attention were trained on him. In any other situation, he might have been warier. “...An inky situation.”

Eidolon paused in his struggles, rage filling his features. “Like hell, you’re doing this without me!”

“Bye brother, catch up soon!” Cadmar gleefully replied as he flew to his second eldest brother. Ignoring the slight sounds of gurgles and muffled screams he left behind. He shivered, and it wasn’t due to the weather. Internally, he was truly grateful for his own sons where nothing like the evil creatures he'd left behind. He loved his nephews, he truly did, but every time they showed their true nature, ‘ a trait he was sure they'd inherited from their fathers’, he was immensely glad for his sons.

Cadmar hesitated a bit in his flight as he neared Synthesis’ world, he could feel Synthesis’ magic going erratic. 

‘Was he under attack?!”

He hurried to his brother’s location expecting him to be in a dangerous situation but was instead met with a chaotic one. 

Bursting through a wall, he was met with the sight of Bluebell holding a funnel and Carnation spilling a container of what looked like tea down his brother’s throat. 

‘Well…  I guess this is a form of attack…’

“You both are definitely related to your cousins.”

“Hello to you too uncle! And of course, we are! Which cousins are we talking about?” Bluebell replied without missing a beat.

Cadmar sighed, “Eidolon’s. Is he done yet?”

“Almost done aaandd… there!” Bluebell replied as he removed the funnel from his father's mouth. 

Synthesis sputtered weakly, “Brother… SAVE ME!” He ended in a raspy yell. Carnation happily unlocked the magic cuffs now that he deemed his father sufficiently healed.

Synthesis did not waste a second as he vaulted off the bed and away from his children.

“If you’re done with the theatrics our Inky problem is currently with our baby brother” Cadmar glared at the groveling skeleton. 

“Oh, why didn't you just say so from the beginning?” Synthesis questioned as he stood up and dusted off his clothes. 

“Children go get Eidolon’s babies, and then go with…” Synthesis trailed off, looking at his sibling.

“Starlight’s kids are the ones hosting the get-together.”

“Brilliant! I’ll be back soon! Maybe prepare an urn, because there's going to be some du~ust!” Synthesis said cheerily as he ran out, excited.

Both siblings gave no reaction, far too used to their father’s antics. “Goodbye, uncle! Take care of our idiot father!” Both siblings called out together, well aware of how creepy they sounded. 

“Hey!” Synthesis squawked with indignation. 

“Of course nephews! Let’s go Syn.” Cadmare replied never missing a beat as he grabbed hold of his brother’s lab coat and pulled him out of the hole in the wall.

Both flew off towards their younger brother.

“My my, won't be long now for father’s kingdom to return, will the children focus on that or are we going to let it return on its own?” Synthesis wondered as he eyed his own kingdom’s bridge that led to their father’s, currently nonexistent, kingdom.

“The latter, they say it won’t be long now” Cadmar responded, eyes forward, the thought of leaving his younger brother with the traitor left a foul taste in his mouth but it had to be done.

“... So where’s Eidolon? I’d imagine we both returned together considering starlight’s kids had your children’s machine to work with as well, thus doubling the power.” Synthesis questioned as he eyed the unmarred face of his younger brother while he touched the cracks near his eye sockets. 

‘Is this the result of my more supportive based magic forced too far? Or is his composition simply more resilient? Variables, variables. Will the other two have these marks as well?’

“Receiving your earlier tor-treatment” Cadmar coughed, fixing his mistake.

Synthesis narrowed his sockets at his brother, ignoring the odd feel of his cracked area stretching and bending with his facial expression, “You were going to say torture weren’t you.”

Cadmar snickered in response. That alone was enough of an answer for him.

“I’m giving your children a funnel after this.” He huffed brow bone ticking in annoyance.

Cadmar cackled, “Please. My children are angels.”

“They are the same as you and Starlight were when we were children! They are evil, conniving, and far too sneaky!”

Cadmar snorted, “Let me rephrase, they are angels to me and my AU. ”

‘Well mostly…’ He thought, his mirth dying down a bit. The fearful reactions his royal rulers showed towards his angels was worrying, but at least they promptly listened to his kids when they gave out orders. ‘I wonder what they did, last I saw everyone had been so dismissive of them. Sure it was a problem he intended to work on but for them to change their attitude so much…’

“That being said, I’m surprised you didn't blow a casquet considering what little Carnation was wearing. He almost looks like how father looked before he got his memories back, like a disheveled mess.” Cadmar mentioned idly as he noticed their eldest sibling’s magical signature closing in at a fast rate. 

“Oh no, I’m furious! He looks so-so Horrifying! An abomination! Those clothes must be burned and thrown into oblivion! Even the void will spit out such atrocious fashion sense!! I am the epitome of fashion! Why did my children grow up like that?! Answer me, brother?!"

“Maybe it has to do with your penchant for creating colorful abominations that tend to explode/burn/ or dissolve things” Eidolon stated as he brought up the rear, looking a tad exhausted as he caught up to his siblings. He had a hand gingerly rubbing his throat.

Cadmar snorted, “Good timing as always brother, there would have been nothing left for you to dust if you got there after us, that is, if Starlight has even left us anything.”

“Excuse me but what?! Yes, I create colorful experiments but never abominations? You haven't even seen that baggy dirty pull over he has! And I swear if I find a single packet of smokes on him like the fakes, I am grounding him for at least a century!” Synthesis replied glaring at his older /by a few milliseconds!/ brother.

‘No cracks on his face either, if Starlight is like me it probably has to do with our supportive based magic being used towards a more forceful approach. The years they had spent fighting against the void’s hold had most likely not been kind to Starlight either. But if he has no cracks… oh the variables… ’

Eidolon cooly glanced at his counterpart and merely mentioned three words, “The west wing.”

Synthesis choked and his magic briefly sputtered in shock, “You promised never to bring that up!”

Cadmar stared at the two in confusion, “I’d ask but I don't really want to know.” He replied trying to hurry his flying up. His brother’s magic was furious and flaring, clearly, he was putting up a fight.

“It’s truly an interesting story brother dear, see Synthesis here, when he was young, he-” Eidolon started but was cut off by a screeching yellow blur.

“SHUT UP!”Synthesis screamed as he tackled Eidolon.

“GAH! Get off of me you heathen!” Eidolon screamed shoving the form of his brother off. 

“I’ll tell about journal #64 if you do! I have a perfect eidetic memory, in fact, I can recite it word for word , right here right now!” Synthesis threatened standing still as he threatened his brother.

“ HOW DARE YOU!” Eidolon raged.

Cadmar sighed as he left the squabbling twins in his dust, using his full power, ignoring their sputtering cries as they tried to catch up. He was the general created to lead his father’s armies to victory, there was no way they would be able to catch up. 

With his increased speed, he noticed in the far distance the lone figure of his brother, magic furiously whipping around him, first before either of his siblings. Considering he neither saw a happy (or sadistical) smile on his brother’s face or the traitor, with a sinking feeling in his soul, he knew what had happened. 

“Star-”

“He escaped.” Starlight hissed, glaring at an area above him.

“Let me guess, he opened a portal” Eidolon replied, catching up first. His form and clothes were disheveled, whether it be from attacking Synthesis or forcing himself to catch up to Cadmar, no one really cared. 

“That’s not much of a guess, it’s a pretty obvious observation, brother.” Synthesis shot back, still stewing in anger. ‘How dare he mention that dark event of his childhood, he would rather forget it ever happened!’

Eidolon growled, tensing his stance. And then he pounced. Synthesis went down with a yowl, grappling with his brother.

Cadmare sighed as he gazed at his two plummeting brothers in the great expanse of white where his father’s kingdom should have stood.

“If he can still open a portal then Father has yet to regain his powers fully,” Cadmar muttered.

“So what, should we erase a couple of these fake existences?” Starlight growled, mouth widening into a wide grin, eyelights glinting a murky lavender, waving his arm at the cluttered existences in the far distance.

Cadmar sighed in irritation, “As much as I would love to, and trust me I really would. We should instead prepare our worlds for a fight, with our king out of commission until enough worlds explode, and with the traitor’s escape, we are woefully unprepared. Not to mention he’ll probably return with an army of fakes...” Cadmar sighed in irritation, if not for that, he would have gladly erased more existences. 

“Right not to mention the little problem you currently have right now with your king. What the hell did Cuprite and Carnelian do to the poor monster that has him so frightened of us, well them?” Starlight sighed, glaring mulishly at the Au’s in the distance.

“I don’t even want to know, all I do know is that he probably deserved it. Our kids are much like us when we were children.” Cadmar muttered as he started to fly to his kingdom. He breathed in deep and sighed, not ready to deal with the headache that would soon follow. God how he wanted some tea.

Starlight chuckled in sympathy, “I’m glad the people of my kingdom behaved, I would hate for my children to punish them if they are anything like us. But at least look at some silver lining here, Father is safe in the Void waiting for us to bring him back!” He said ending in a cheery voice. 

“I know my children have been missing Father a lot!” Starlight smiled as he eyed his nearby world. Despite knowing that a fight loomed near, and the fear of having to face Fate in the future he felt happy knowing his world, his children, and his father were currently safe. At least he was happy until Synthesis opened his big mouth.

“Oh, right we forgot to mention! Father left the void a while back! We tried to reverse portal him to us but it didn't work, we got a blueberry instead, still not sure why though!” Synthesis said as he held their elder brother in a headlock, though that didn't last long as Eidolon managed to jab his elbow successfully into Synthesis' side, freeing himself. 

However, both paused in their fight as they felt two ominous auras near them.

Both looked to their younger brother’s forms, feeling their souls freeze. 

Both Cadmare and Starlight stared down at them with eerie glows in their eyes, the anger apparent in their voices.

“ Only now you think to inform us of this?!” Cadmar growled, his fists glowing ominously dark red.

“For all, we know he could be hurt, dying in a ditch somewhere!” Starlight hissed, hands forming into familiar shapes that Synthesis instantly recognized as a magically inclined twin. 

There were reason’s Eidolon and Synthesis were known as the most chaotic children Error ever created and Cadmar and Starlight the perfect pair. It was because despite their combined intellect they never could quite figure out how to act innocent. Oh but Cadmar and Starlight had mastered that skill to a T, ever since they were children. To make matters worse, not once have they come close to being caught, they would know, they tried catching them in the acts but they never could. And as they saw their siblings looming over them in anger, they couldn't help but think one collective thought. 

‘If they murder us they will get away with it’

And then the next situation that happened proved luck was on their side as they heard an almost ‘ fwish ’ sound reverberate around them as magic seemed to swirl around the four siblings, their fight momentarily paused. It seemed as if the world was at a brief standstill before they heard thousands of explosions taking place far away from them. Soon any of the closest Au’s left near them had exploded and disappeared, only a few distant specks proved the existence of other Au’s. However all around them, there was only the vast expanse of white they remembered so well.

And with their disappearance, the magic swirling around them made sense, as they all came to the same conclusion.

They were proven correct as bit by bit they saw their Father’s kingdom materialized before their very eyes. The kingdom showed obvious signs of destruction and chaos. Almost like a battle scene. 

And it made sense, considering their father had made his last stand here against the deity that had created him. He made his last stand after witnessing his children’s kingdoms be erased one by one until he had lost everything. 

But now with his kingdom back, their father, their king, was finally strong enough to make another stand, and this time, they would win.

Silence reigned in the desolate wasteland Dream once called home. He felt like crying but his eyelights refused to water, he had already cried enough for his lost home, now he just wanted answers. 

“So what exactly are we doing here?” Science asked as he glanced around the dead earth and the large decaying tree stump Dream stood in front of. It was a known taboo for all San’s and counterpart Papyrus’ that the destroyed Au was off-limits. A taboo born out of respect. Out of respect and fear . No one wanted to know how Dream, let alone Nightmare, would react if someone disturbed the remnants of their destroyed home. 

“The codes… there is apparently a sequence all Au’s follow, a fate of sorts. Apparently, it holds the reason for…” Dream paused at this, if he said Nightmare had sent him to look and they found something incriminating, no one would believe him. They’d assume Nightmare had planted it. It was no secret he was friends with the Destroyer. One of the few who could change, rewrite and destroy codes .

“Or rather, I want to see if Nightmare’s situation can be reversed somehow? Maybe my Au isn't a lost cause?” Dream replied it wasn't a complete lie. They were questions he had wondered in the past, but they weren't the questions the codes would answer right now. 

He glanced at the earth and the fallen trunk of his world’s tree. It had once stood proud and large in the past full of luscious leaves and gleaming golden and black apples, now all that was left was the dried up trunk and branches, and… what was that?

There, gleaming half-hidden under dirt and decaying leaves, was a shining black .

“Oh, so that's why you needed me.” Science murmured, rubbing his tearstained sockets, as he raised a hand and called for his magic. It was known around the universe that the glitch and the nightmare could open the codes and read them, but few could mess with the codes. The only one with that power belonged to the glitch. Science, on the other hand, was part of the few who could only read them. He glanced at his golden leader wondering what he was doing as he kneeled by the broken tree trunk. Science focused on his task, it wouldn’t do him any good if he dwelled on his thoughts. 

‘Paps…’

“The codes are open. Would you like me to read them or would you rather read them yourself ?” Science asked curiously as he watched the other jump as if he had forgotten his presence. But he ignored it as he glanced around the wasteland, shuddering at the destruction. ‘This area probably brings back bad memories . ’  

“I can’t read the codes. I never learned, my brother was the one proficient in decoding their patterns.” Dream murmured, hands clenched as he tried to will away the trembles. The item in his hot bar burned in his mind. ‘What am I doing?’

“That's fine, my phone can decode them for you and you can read them from it. Codes are actually something of interest for me so rather than spend hours decoding them manually in my mind, I programmed my phone to read them!” Science answered back feeling slightly happier as he watched his leader perk up in interest. At least he still had his keepsakes in his phone.

‘I’m alone’

“I’ll… I’ll stand over there while you read.” Science said as he handed his leader the device, whose eye lights were fully focused on the constantly running codes. His eyelights blurred as he remembered their screams. 

‘They’re all dead...’

Dream hummed in reply, eyelights fully focused on the phones, and the words that appeared as he held it in front of the coded portal Science had opened.

It wasn't long before his world’s story started unfurling before his eyes, his world’s intended fate . 

It was odd. It was strange. And it was disturbing how much he had missed while his brother suffered at the hands of the people they protected. 

‘I really left him all alone’ Dream thought blankly as he stared at the words of his life’s and his brother’s life being typed out across the phone screen. 

He remembered this. 

He’d lived this.

And he’d been so ignorant .

His soul felt cold as he realized his brother had felt so alone to the point of breaking. To the point of actually feeling the pull of his own apple, weakened by the treatment of their people. And he’d missed it.   He’d been blinded by his own happiness that he failed to see what was wrong. His brother had reached out for help so many times but he’d always dismissed it, no, he failed to see it. Failed to see how the people he was protecting dismissed his only family as if he were scum. 

He ground his teeth, the growl crawling up his throat. ‘They’d hurt him. And I was their friend?! I mourned their death, and yet they caused Nighty so much pain’. His fingers twitched, trying so hard not to crush the device in his hands. His soul blazed with fury. And the item in his hot bar burned. ‘What was one little bite? He would bet if he’d done it then he could have...No!’

Dream grimaced, holding his head. ‘What am I thinking?!’

He wasn't an idiot; he could be naive but he wasn’t stupid. He knew what kind of pull the dark apples had on others; especially when their emotional spectrum was more on despair than hope. It was the same pull his light apples had on others. There was a reason he and Nightmare were tasked with protecting the apples, but there was also a reason why each one had a specific apple type to protect. Because they were only resistant to the pull of their own apples unless of course they were weakened.  

“I should throw it away…” Dream murmured as he scanned the rest of the lines, pausing the device at something he didn't recognize . It described a scene that didn’t happen.

‘He wasn't lying.’ Dream realized as he read the next few lines he didn't recognize. Of the next few lines that differed from the reality, he had lived. Of the lines that depicted their intended fate. Where Nightmare impaled him instead of destroying the tree. Where he then mercilessly killed Nightmare afterward.  But more importantly, at the familiar scribbled signature he’d seen so often when he basically worked as Ink’s secretary. There at the end of the sequence, detailing the end of his AU was Ink’s fucking signature . 

His eyelights guttered out, as he held in his sobs. His soul singing, his soul screaming. He’d been helping out his brother’s would-be murderer. 

“No” Dream gasped as he grabbed at his chest, “ He’s the one who would have made me a murderer.” He could physically feel his soul crack. 

The black apple in his hot bar pulsed . 

He could feel the power of the yellow apple he’d consumed so many years ago fight against the temptation. 

‘Oh, how he wanted to sink his teeth into it, what he wouldn’t give to make Ink feel what he was feeling now. All it takes would be just one bit-’

“No!” Dream cried as he grabbed at his head.

‘Just one bite, he hurt me. He lied to me’

‘Lied to me, with this, I could get justice.’

“Yes, he lied to me...” Dream growled to himself as he grabbed into his hot bar, tears falling down his face as he stared into out into nothingness.

“Just one bite.” Dream murmured as he stared at the gleaming apple, voice cracking. He would have bitten it if a thought hadn’t come to him. 

‘He deserves his karma, but I don’t need this power to get my justice. Not now. ’ 

‘ At least... not yet.’ Dream thought as he glared at the apple, the temptation to throw it away, to burn it was there, but so was the thought of eating it. 

Dream growled in frustration as he shoved the apple back in his hot bar. 

He scanned his surroundings, the scene of destruction and chaos only bringing him cold fury rather than the sadness and melancholy he had become so accustomed to. 

“Science! Let’s get out of here. I don’t want to spend another minute her-Science?”  Dream hesitantly asked, staring at the red-eyed figure in front of him. Unnerved at how intensely the figure watched him. He just knew that wasn’t science anymore. It’s response just confirmed it. 

“Oh, is that what this puppet is called.” It giggled staring at Dream curiously. “Now…’ It growled, scowling as it’s fake smile fell away, stalking towards him “Who do you belong to? Or rather… who stole you away from me !”

Science’s eye lights guttered out as he reached the fallen tree. Tears fell freely as he faced away from his leader.

‘He’s gone’

Science grimaced as a pain flared behind his eyes and his soul. 

‘All because of that g̵̔ͅl̷̪͆̽̿͐̚͘̕i̷͙̺̦͍͚̣͔͊̿̃͒̾ţ̴̱͉͔̚͜c̵̢̱̮̥̥͔̗͎͂̿̆̔͌̽̅̕h̴̟̱͎̫̜̩͔͖̽́́̇̈͝͝͝! My brother, my friends, my world. It’s all gone! ’ Science thought, covering his mouth to muffle his sobs. He didn’t want to bother his leader, he looked so busy. So, desperate. 

Science muffled his cry as his head and soul flared in pain. His skull felt like it was cracking apart but his soul… it burned like something was constricting it. He quickly pulled it out, gasping in pain and surprise at the red strings hanging around it.

“What-ah!” Science yelped, as he felt the strings tighten. 

‘My such sadness and anger, how cute.”

“Who are you?” Science ground out as gripped his head. The pain mounting in his head and his soul. ' I should call Dream!’ 

‘Me? I’m your Fate. Now be a good puppet and GIVE UP!’

Science choked on a scream as his soul cracked and his mind went blank, his eye lights glitching and fading as his body went limp staring at nothing. And his last thought faded to nothing. 

‘Looks like I get to join you after all brother…”

“Well, that was easier than expected.” It murmured as it stood, looking around. 

“Ah this broken world, the one where he broke away from me. If I’m here then…” It muttered as it looked around, quickly finding who he wanted. 

‘What a perfect addition, perfect against the mistake’s friend. Pain for them means pain for him!’ It gleefully thought.  

‘But what is it holding...is that’ It grinned widely as it’s red eyelights focused on the item. 

‘A black apple, now that’s just ironic… well I guess I can hold off controlling him, I wonder what choice he will make… ’

However, its sadistic smile fell away as it felt the strings around the golden one’s soul fall disintegrating away. No sooner had he felt the connection break did he see the golden skeleton put away the apple.

‘Oh?’

“Now…’ It growled, scowling as it’s fake smile fell away, stalking towards him “Who do you belong to? Or rather… who stole you away from me !”

“E-Excuse me?” Dream cried confused as he hastily backed away from the creature. It was for naught as the creature extended its hand in his direction and crimson strings shot out. He barely managed to dodge away thanks to the years of fighting against Error. The dust rising from the ground the strings had struck made him think of all the times he’d seen Error strike down multiple enemies at once.

“But! That’s Error’s attack!” Dream spluttered as he summoned his bow and arrows, training his first shot at the creature. ‘Science had only ever known bone attacks and 

To Dream’s surprise, it started giggling ignoring his weapon and the threat altogether.  

 “Oh right, that’s the name my darling pet gave that mistake! Or rather, did I? Or was it another pet?” It mused, tilting its head in thought, “Hm we- I , can’t remember really, too many consciousnesses all at once.” 

“Wha-No stop distracting me, now get out of Science!” Dream cried, pulling the arrow taught as he fired at the creature’s leg. 

 It merely stood as the arrow pierced his leg not once flinching. 

“My how heartless, this is still your friend’s body.” It said as it stalked closer, extending both arms as more strings flew towards Dream. 

Dream cursed as he turned and ran, he was at a disadvantage with his choice of weapon but his one advantage was that he knew the area, so he ran towards the remnants of his once glorious castle. 

“So heartless, in fact, you remind me of two certain entities. Now would it be my friend turned traitor or the other heartless bitch.” It called running leasierly after Dream, with a wide smile, “No matter, the chase will be half the fun, the other will be crushing whoever stole my puppet!” It shrieked as their strings continued aiming towards his body, it was only pure luck and experience did he manage to avoid it for as long as he did.

But eventually, before even reaching his castle’s gates, did his luck run out as a red string pierced his right leg. 

“Ah!” Dream screamed as crashed to the ground, the giggling closing in as it sauntered towards him, a sadistic smile on his friend’s face distorting it from what he was so familiar with. 

“Now let’s find out who your benefactor is.” It purred, manipulating the strings around them to shoot toward’s Dream’s chest. 

Dream panicked, and shot another arrow at the creature’s chest, forgetting in his panic that it was his friend’s body. 

“HA! Your power’s too weak- ghk !” It cut off as it clutched at Its chest, strings dissipating as it struggled to stand. 

“Oh,” It growled as red blood began to leak from Its mouth, “I know that power.”

Dream stared on horrified as he realized he hadn’t hesitated once to aim and shoot at his friend. 

“Karma! That traitorous bitch!” It hissed as it collapsed to it’s knees. 

“Watch yourself Karma, now I know you’re back.” It growled, glaring at Dream. 

“What are you even babbling about?!” Dream cried as he ran towards the fallen figure, desperate to heal his friend’s body. 

To his surprise, his healing did nothing as the fallen figure started cackling, “Oh what a sweet creation you were. Too bad their meddling seems to have removed your hesitation. I wonder what else their power will affect. Well, at least it’s a worse fate for you than being my puppet.” It giggled as it reached towards his chest and summoned out Science’s soul. Dream froze as he stared at the grey arrow piercing the string covered soul. 

‘But my arrows are yellow…’ Dream thought, gasping at the horrid sight before him, internally horrified at the strings gripping the cracked form of his friend’s soul. 

“Enjoy your guilt, golden one.” It giggled as it grabbed towards the arrow and finished stabbing the soul straight through. Fate had no need for a crippled puppet. 

“No!” Dream cried, grabbing at the quickly disintegrating arm.

Dream screamed in remorse as he grabbed at the dust. His soul hurt. He could feel his LOVE rising. He wasn’t meant for this. The apple he ate usually didn't let him feel his sadness too strongly but for once he could. And he couldn't handle it. He killed his friend. He killed Science. 

And

It

Was

All

His

FAULT.

 - Fate giggled staring at the golden one. Their trial run at possession had gone great. Sure the puppet had resisted more than they expected but with the large explosions going on in the background they knew of a particular puppet who would be especially weakened. Finally, their perfect vessel was ready, sure it came at the cost of its power returning to the mistake but considering how their first battle had gone, they had no doubt they would succeed again. 

“Oh Eclipse, I can’t wait for the fun I’ll have and the pain you’ll feel.” Fate cooed moving to the one creation they would always be able to pinpoint. No matter where it went. 

Glitched text: 

glitch

Chapter Text

This is the discord link for the server dedicated to my Error fics like this one, the drabble series that will be coming, and the College AU I have in the works. This announcement will be up for like two days maybe and then ill erase it. The link will be added to the chapter endnotes.

https://discord.gg/5ucSHn5YyS