Not To Be Dramatic, I'd Rather Go Back To Homicide

3. The Fallen

Dream is a highly respected monster among those who are conscious of the Multiverse. Why wouldn't he be? He is a powerful Spirit, I've seen him hold his own in a FIGHT easy enough. Even the Fell variants look up to him. I don't blame them Dream was optimistic and level-headed, able to decisions that benefitted both sides even in seemingly hopeless situations.

Dream had always been an optimistic monster, but in the few times I've seen him after the concordat his light has dimmed. Don't get me wrong, Dream is still leaps and bounds more positive than any monster I know, he still brightens a room and fixes problems. I will admit I've even called on him once during the initial 'make sure Error doesn't kill people while he assimilates to his new life' phase. He is a reliable Spirit.

So for him to come for help... that isn't something I was expecting. Or wanted, Ink and I just got back, can I get a break? Ink's excited and worried face says otherwise. Whatever Dream needs, we're doing. I blow air out my nose cavity (it's not breathing, I'm a skeleton I don't have lungs, I'm just copying universal signs of boredom and distaste out of habit) as Ink tosses the stalagmite behind them and beams at Dream.

    "What is it!? Who died!?"

    "Wh- no, no-one has died. Well, yes, people have died but for the situation-" Dream's brow-ridges furrow, "stop being so excited."

I hear Ink's soft disappointed scoff and they visibly become more disinterested. I had to swallow a laugh and Dream gave me a half-hearted frown. Dream's main ability is to sense and provide emotions, mostly of the happy kind. That's how, as far as I know, Dream survives, travels and makes easy allies.

Ink, though the emotionless douche they are, is no exception. Even though Ink's face looks zoned-out they are still paying close attention to Dream's words as he talks about a grouping of AUs that have suddenly fallen. From everything I've seen Dream is one of the only beings Ink has some respect for. They treat everyone else the same, not disrespectfully but not politely either, except for Dream. Something probably happened to make this bond, but that's too much hassle to look into, Ink is a secretive monster. And I'm not a very motivated one.

    "Sooo- seven AUs have fallen in succession? Are you sure the only warning was a surge of violence and deep seeded fear?"

Fallen AUs are naturally altered original universes (UnderTale) that produce a new AU, they appear due to different circumstances. A tear in the coding, an outside influence (Ink is the main cause of these AUs), a rapid and increasing succession of 'off-script' actions (that's how UnderLust was formed), even certain environmental values in the timelines being changed to the point it effects the people. UnderFell was the first fallen AU, obviously, and their monster inhabitants are self-aware enough to write down the strange history they've experienced. It helped Ink create a fairly good idea on the formation of more extreme AUs and which ones to tell me about so I can 'deal with them,' even when we weren't allied.

There hasn't been a Fallen AU since... whenever EchoTale was made... 600 years ago? 650 years? It's been a long time regardless. These AUs are born once every few centuries so one appearing now isn't strange, it's the fact that there was a chain of them all at once. One makes sense, seven does not.

Sceptical and tired I step up onto the freshly waxed dais. Dream grips his staff and fiddles with golden sun brooch holding his cape together.

    "Yes, I- I am not sure but somehow- they just... one by one they appeared. Before I knew it, seven AUs were twisted beyond repair, not just Fallen Ink," Dream's yellow eyelights blazed in an unfamiliar emotion to both myself and Ink, utter despair. The young Spirit tore his eyes from Ink to me, it made me super uncomfortable, "Error, three of those AUs collapsed and two are so unstable that they may cease to exist any day. I fear for the inhabitants who are still alive but I fear more for those who were taken."