Fresh New Antivirus

Ch. 53 - The Fate of FGoD

(A/N: everything before now has been edited woo! ... Though I did end up deleting all the beginning and end author notes in exchange (except the warning about the-one-hacker-we-don't-talk-about). That picture of my cat? Poof. The little tidbits showing excitement for a chapter? Gonzo. Oh well - some of them are still on AO3 tho, so they're not totally gone.

Though I didn't edit the Q and A's. So those are still full of mistakes XD

And now we get into the closing arch of this book. It's been a pleasure y'all.

Also ... Error is about to have a bad time T^T)

***

Dream rechecked his phone only to sigh at what he saw - there was still no reply from Fresh. The time difference must be too great. Especially considering Dream was now in the literal newest (and fastest moving) AU.

He looked over the gathering of anxious Sans's across the desolate AU Ink had created. The AU was nothing more than white hilly fields, specifically to cause trouble for Error and his strings he sometimes uses to pull himself around.

All through the process Dream was conflicted and confused. And he wasn't the only one to notice Ink acting a little off. Blue had even asked if they could capture Error and question him instead. Though Ink was quick to deflect how they would never get him to talk.

After a vote that was in the (reluctantly) majority to the plan, Ink was quick to get it started.

Ink didn't even want Dream or Blue fighting up close either, wanting to be the one to end it.

Ink stood waiting for Error in a valley while the Sans's would provide support from their elevated positions behind some cover. Not really understanding why he was doing this himself, but feeling as if he HAD too. He was full of rage.

It had already been a 45 minute wait for the Destroyer to show up and yet Dream couldn't help being distracted by the seemingly sleeping Classic. He showed no nerves about what was about to happen. Just apathetic indifference.

Dream jumped when Classic opened a socket and caught Dream pouting at him.

"sup, sunshine?" Classic asked, smirking lazily.

"O-Oh. Nothing ..." Dream said, shifting and looking away.

Classic hummed, clearly not buying it. "eh. not really my place to say, but it's okay to not be happy about error's fate. but at this point it's inevitable." Classic shrugged, closing his sockets again. "so why think too hard about it?" Classic got comfortable, before adding with the tiniest pinch of bitterness. "you never did before."

Dream flinched at the words. It's true that he never really questioned Error's motives all that much. Ink and Error had been fighting long before Dreamtale ever came into the picture. Maybe Dream had just ... hoped that his friend was in the right, over actually making sure. But Classic was right. With how Ink was acting right now, what was about to happen would happen ... there was no doubt Ink would toss them aside to get what he wanted.

And yet, Dream couldn't shake the guilt.

***

The first thing that greeted Error when he entered the AU was Ink. Though he knew by the flow of the code he was surrounded.

"H-H-H-Hello Ink." Error greeted, as it was only polite. At this point, why bother putting on the crazy front? It was exhausting and Error was tired of it. He glanced around at the hills. "And hello to e-e-e-everyone else as well."

A few of the hiding Sans's peaked out of their hiding places at that, clearly confused at Error's cavalier behavior.

Ink, too, was confused about the registered change from the deranged Destroyer to apathetic glitch. Yet he still took up a stance and seethed, putting such a detail to the side.