A Shadow of the Past

New Friends

They were back in the Doodlesphere. Ink let go of Dream, who proceeded to fall to his knees and cry his soul out. He had gone through something like this before, and just like last time, he'd been unable to help.

He'd been unable to save his own brother.

He curled up in a ball on the "floor" of the Doodlesphere, and went down a very dark, depressing, and familiar alley on memory lane. Ink watched his friend break down and considered his next words carefully.

"Dream... you did all you could. It isn't like this hasn't happened before, you know. I've made and lost more friends than I can count in a single day thanks to Error, but - and I know I'll sound like a jerk for saying this - you have to learn to get over it and move on. Getting attached gets you hurt, especially when you know it won't last. I should know; Error destroys my creations, new and old, probably without thinking how it affects me. I've... gotten attached to many of the AUs he's destroyed, and it feels like a part of my soul dies with them. It wouldn't surprise me at all if suddenly, one day, I drop dead from Error destroying a hundred AUs, all at once. And I guess for him, with me gone, he'd be able to destroy anything he wanted with no one around to stop him. 'Cept you, of course. Which is why I wonder- why hasn't he killed me, yet? He's had all kinds of opportunities to kill me, and yet, he doesn't. Why? What could he possibly need me alive for?"

Why DID he need Ink alive? Too many times he had Ink in a vulnerable position, enough so, with a well-aimed bone attack, Ink would be dead. And Error certainly had impeccable aim, of that Ink is sure. Maybe so he wouldn't get bored?

Dream wiped the tears from his eyesockets and looked at Ink.

"It wasn't because I was attached, Ink," he hiccuped, his "throat" dry from the tears. "It was because... I've been in this situation before. I told you about Nightmare, right? I couldn't save him, couldn't be there for him, either. I just... stood there... helpless... as he ate those apples, wondering what I did wrong, what I could've done differently to prevent this from happening. It just didn't... make sense."
(Oh, it'll make a lot more Sans-e in the future, just you wait!)

"Yeah, but it wasn't your fault. He's the one who went crazy and destroyed everything - much like a certain other dark-boned skeleton I know - but, the point is, Nightmare made his choice to hurt people and stuff. But, you have the choice to be the opposite. You have the choice to be better than him, and be a great comfort to those he's made suffer. I'm tellin' ya, Dream, you're so much better than this!"

"Thanks, Ink. I-I needed that. And you're right. I am better than this. I should be stronger, more determined! I WILL protect the AUs from him and Error, and you'll help me, right?"

Ink grinned. "Of course! But our next move is to find out what happened to Error. It's not like him to try and destroy an entire AU at once; it would put too much of a strain on him. At least, that's how he acts when I find him after he destroys an AU without killing anyone or even breaking down any objects, first."

"Where do you suggest we look? It's not like he's in the Anti-Void 24/7, and neither of us can find him if he's... wherever Nightmare is."

"I think we should split up.

(lol, Scooby Dooby Doo, where are you?)

That way, we can cover more ground."

"Ok!"

Meanwhile, in the Anti-Void....

Error had told Sans about the multiverse, something that Papyrus had been aware of, but had never told Sans about it. They also discussed Error's role in preventing its actual destruction by deleting some of the... less important ones.