Neon Tears

Prologue

404 stirred in his sleep rising from the depths to feel the pulse and thrum of the Multiverse in his bones.  Something had changed, he drifted listening to the codes whispers waiting for the lullaby Nightmare used to sooth him into deep sleep whenever this happened. Time passed and Nightmare didn't come.  404 reached out to the codes where was, dad with his stories and lullaby?  The codes whispered new stories to him of ambush and battle of a balancer shattered a final time and seeking eternal rest.  Of a love that would not die.  Of Nightmare following Error refusing to let him go alone.

He sunk back into the depths of a now troubled sleep, rising to the edge of waking to listen each time a quake shook the Multiverse.  He suspected he would have to wake soon if there was anyone left who could lift the seal.  404 was sure Inky had not meant to make him so attuned to the Multiverse.  He just wanted him to hear voices and have weaker versions of Error's magic.

When the new tree of feeling was planted he rested easier then the whispers from the anti-void spoke of a promise made on powerful magic and a deal made.  He would wake soon.  He considered what was planned for him as he sunk once more into the depths and found he approved soon he would never be alone again.

-Unstable verse Garden of Slumber-

Fresh stood over the mound of leaves and flowering vines that hid the body of his soon to be host, the knee high crystal marker with his name making it look all to like an old grave.  He glanced around counting markers and shook his head.  Scratch that it was a graveyard full of the undying.  Well almost while looking around he has found a marker that was half embedded in a tree that was carved with stars and the name Rêver that one held no life.

The Glory of Love floated in the air and Fresh took out his cell looking around to make sure no one heard the sentimental ringtone, not that it mattered he would never experience what the song promised. "Yo!  What up ma diggity dog!"

"Hello, Fresh, we are reaDy when you are."  Fresh dropped the pretense when he heard Cobalt.  "Come on through then."  He closed his phone looking again at the resting place Error had made for those who couldn't die then glanced to an empty space with his name on it.  Error had once told him there was a place waiting if he ever got too tired to keep going.  How tired was his glitchy bru to have chosen the VOID?

A cobalt blue portal opened and he turned to face it in time to see Cobalt drag Inky through by his scarf followed by Don G.  He let his blank shades slide down so they could see his sockets. "Ya sure bout this bru?"

Cobalt pulled out a knife and started cutting away the vines to reveal a crystal pod with a skeleton with black tear marks, blue teeth, blue and black phalanges.  "I am sure tHat it needs to happen. I am also sure that beinG willing to do this does not maKe me a good person."

"Why exactly am I here." Inky folded his arms pouting.

"Because you ungRateful brat to ensUre those resTing here lasting peace Nightmare aNd Error made three part seaLs.  It takes a glitCh, a skill, and the apology oF someone who has wrOnged them to unseal and waKe those resting here."  Cobalt turns a glare on Inky. "We haven't wroNged him yet so that lEaves you Mr. I will maKe someone just to torTure and experimeNt on."

Inky flinched and tried to back away only to have Don G grab the back of his shirt.  "You mentioned a skill, what skill?" Don G looked down at 404 in his crystals pod.  Noting the thin delicate bones that indicated youth for all he was tall this Sans was little more than a half grown kid.

"Music boTh Nightmare and Error loVed music. Nightmare onCe told me that every memBer of the team haD to learn an instruMent because music helPs heal the SOUL."  Cobalt rested a hand on the crystal marker and concentrated it soon started to glitch and fizz until a crystal lyre took its place. Picking it up he got strings from his pocket stringing and tuning it with long practice.  "The markers forM to the instrument you knOw."