Misery Loves Company

Ink The Stub

By the time you come out of the building, your boys are by your side, all of you covered in marrow and dust. Though most of it belongs to no one on your team, some injuries were inevitable, luckily they weren’t too serious.

You did as you vowed, Ink’s arms and legs strewn around outside, at the moment, he laid in front of you with blank eyelights, tears streaming down his face. You laugh at the image and gesture to Killer who wips out a digital camara, “we’ll hang it up in the throne room!!” you exclaim, your grin wide and menacing, making Red whimper in Dust’s hold.

You turn your attention to him, “don’t worry red, you too will get a prize, one befitting of a traitor of your calibar” you tease before turning back to Ink, “but first-” you start, “i have trash to take care of”, you cackle at the lack of emotion on his face, “geuss he ran out of paint, what a shame” you joke, lifting his shirt to reveal his black and white designed bones.

“what beautiful artwork” you say with an appreciative tone, and you pull a bone away from his ribcage with a harsh snap that has even a few of your boys flinching in fear, you take particular joy in the dread that pours from Red in delectable waves. You continue to snap and pull until there are twenty-four ribs on the ground beside you, you grin as you watch black marrow pour from the base of each wounded rib.

“wow, i’m surprised you're still awake, all of your ribs have been torn from your body” you say, and you weren’t lying, you were impressed. Ink stayed silent and simply stared at you as his body trembled with what was probably aftershocks of pain, because while he has no emotions, he can still feel physically.

“honestly, i’m impressed, i wonder if your underlings can withstand the same amount of pain you can” you hum, more to yourself than anyone but loud enough that everyone around you could hear it very clearly. You could feel faint horrfication from your softer group members, “i had a treaty with underfell, y’know?” you inquire, casting a glance to Red who is frozen in shock and fear.

“i wouldn’t hurt them, and would in fact even help them, and in return, they kept one of my many bases a secret and provided support when available-” you pause, returning to Ink’s stare, “but now that it’s broken by their side, i can do anything i wish;  torture them, rule them, imprison them, starve them-”, Horror’s fear spikes and you feel slightly guilty, “i won’t though, because i try to be merciful, death will be but a simple and merciful punishment” you say, standing straight from your crouched position.

“cross-” you call out, your usual righthand man guarding your brother, “grab me a change of clothes, these are ripped” you command. You note how Cross freezes before looking at your ripped clothing that covers none of your upper body and what is below your kneecaps, he flushes bright purple but tears through the code with his sword in order to open a portal.

You can’t help but sigh, feeling a little exasperated and mentally tired from the amount of activity in these past three days, yup, three days since you’d been captured by Ink and his goons. You think you might scold your members for taking their sweet time in coming to get you.

You drag your hand down your face, “dust, take red to our dungeons, i’ll decide his punishment later” you say, opening a portal for him. He simply nods and does as told being the quietest out of the bunch. You throw Ink to the side and pick up his heavy brush, it almost stuns you how heavy it is and you wonder how he swings it around so freely.

With another snap it’s broken, the golden clasp falling from the hilt, you throw each piece in separate directions. “horror, please direct the chefs to prepare dinner, and scoundrel, prepare the medical room” you order, leaving little room for arugement as you create portals for them as well. You don’t wait long for Cross, him being one of your fastest members, “thank you, come on” you say, opening a portal to the medbay.

It’s not exactly packed full when you enter, but it’s not empty either, about five or six beds being occupied. You groan. Half in pain and half in exasperation.

More work...