God of Balance

Chapter Seven

     "Are you ready to give up yet?", Nightmare asks, but the venom has left his voice.

Alloy's let his head drop to face the ground. Blood is dripping from the cracks all around his left eye socket. He's obviously defeated. That's why all the bad guys are confused when Alloy stars to giggle. The Monster starts to laugh quietly to himself. Then he looks up. That expressions sends a chill down Nightmare's spin.

"yOu dIrTy aBomINaTioS". Alloy looks completely unhinged as he staggers to his feet. His voice sounds like a broken tape recorder. When did his strings turn blue? Alloy reaches up to his eyes and pulls them down with both hands. "LEt's pLaY".

The strings fly out with deadly accuracy. Alloy's movements are suddenly steady and sure. He hasn't ever shown aggression like this. None of the others get a chance to to move or run. The strings wrap around each one of them tight enough to hurt. Alloy pulls down. They're all flung up into the air where they dangle helplessly.

"DIsgUstIng gLiTcheS liKe yoU deseRve to Be eRasEd", Alloy screams at them. His right eye is bright as his other leaks blood. Nightmare only knows one Monster who talks like that, and only one who can string others up like puppets.

"ERROR!", Nightmare shouts down at him.

Alloy pauses. He simply freezes in place while looking up at the dangling skeletons.

"Error!? Is that you?", Dusts asks hopefully after hearing his boss say it.

     Alloy's strings snap. He drops them all after hearing that name again. Nightmare manages to land somewhat gracefully, and he rushes over to Alloy. The smaller Monster is staring at his hands. He reaches one up to touch the cracks on his left socket.

"Are you okay, Error? When I found out that emotionless freak had taken you from the Anti-void, I never thought that he would do this", Nightmare huffs.

"I-....... inK........ I thInk yOu nkoCked him ouT", Error replies slowly. His head is all foggy, and his eye hurts, but Error is used to dealing with pain. Where is he again?

"That's awesome! So you're able to fight off Ink now? He was walking around and using you to feel emotions. Even called himself Alloy!", Dust growls just thinking about what Ink had done.

"AllOy?", Error repeats. When he says the name, a whole swarm of memories and emotions hit him like a brick to the face. Error remembers getting dusted, and he remembers feeling guilty enough to cry. Alloy! Where has Alloy gone? Error hates to admit that he suddenly feels lost. He hasn't been himself lately. Since Ink doesn't have the pain tolerance that he does, Ink got knocked unconscious when Nightmare cracked the left side of his skull. Error was left alone, bleeding on the ground. He didn't quite know what was happening after gaining full control of Alloy's body. What he did know is that someone had hurt him, badly, and so he lashed out to defend Alloy. Error might have killed someone if Nightmare hadn't stopped him. Error comes out of his haze after he realizes that someone is talking to him.

      "-and I don't know who 'Alloy' is, but do you know how we can separate you from Ink? Could I just rip your soul outta him? I can leave you in the Anti-void to reform after that", Nightmare is saying.

"NO", Error's voice comes out as a shrill ring when he shouts. He had grabbed onto Nightmare's arm when he spoke, but quickly pulls back when error messages appear all over his body. He doesn't like being touched.

Nightmare knows that Error has just been kept as a prisoner in one of the worst ways imaginable, but Error's reaction raises a few red flags. Something is wrong. They were all expecting Error to be eager to get out of Ink's grasp.

     "iT's noT Ink", Error tries to explain what he's felt, but he doesn't have the words, "AlLoy isn't InK".

"What do you mean, Error?", Cross asks, baffled.

"Alloy iS..... bOth of Us? NeIther oF us?". Error isn't sure if he's explaining it right.

"Error? Do you..... Do you want to be separated from Ink?", Nightmare slowly asks. The other bad guys snap their heads around to look at their boss in shock. They're even more horrified when Error shakes his head.

     "You want this!?", Killer exclaims. He had been released from the purple strings after Error had calmed down.

      "Alloy doEsn't hAve My mEmories or InK's, bUt wE have eachOther's. It's so sTrange. I hAve meMories from bOth peRspecTives of eAch tIme we've fOughT", Error brings a hand back up to gently touch the cracked side of his skull again, "Alloy DoeSn't know what iT's lIke to wAlk arOund with enOugh iNjurIes to kill a nOrmal Monster. Alloy doesn't cOnsTantly doUbt his oWn emotIons".

"Are you sure that Ink isn't messing with your head? If this is really what you want.....". Dust doesn't know what to say.

"I can'T eXplain it aLL noW, buT I will. SOon", Error says, "But once iNk waKes up, anD Alloy cOmes back, I neEd yOu to cRash me. Ink needs tO eXplAin this to DrEam". None of the bad guys like that. Crashing Error almost certainly means one of them has to touch him. They've all respected Error's space before.

"We'll do what you ask, Error. Only for you, not Ink", Nightmare quickly adds the second part.

"Do you want me to bandage up your skull? I might be able to find some healing items in the house", Cross offers.

"No, I'Ve goT it", Error refuses. The others watch in mild curiosity as he pulls more strings down from his eyes. Error struggles to copy Alloy's abilities. It's harder without Ink. Eventually, the strings turn from blue to a sickly green. It's not as good as Error would've liked, but he's dealt with worse. Error carefully wraps his strings around his left eye until nearly half his face is covered. Horror snorts. He thinks it looks funny.

Earlier, Nightmare had thrown Alloy though a portal into his sealed off world. They had been fighting on the front lawn all this time. The six of them eventually turn to go inside. There's not much left to do. Error is done talking about it. He doesn't feel right after getting used to seeing with Alloy's mismatched eyes. The others try to joke with Error just like old times, but he doesn't say much. He's distant. Nightmare isn't surprised when Error excuses himself to his room for the night. Something is changing, and Nightmare isn't sure yet if it's a good change.