Lost Soul

Chapter Eight

"Stay still!"

"WHy is iT so cOld?"

Error squirms when Soul dabs more black paint onto the blue streaks under his eyes. The marks are almost completely covered up. Error still can't believe that he was talked into this ridiculous idea. It's still almost impossible to convince Soul to leave whatever AU he appears in. Today, Error is accompanied by a Flowertale Sans in his late teens. Soul is blinded in one eye by the light blue flowers growing out of his eye socket. A few more flowers peek above the collar of his shirt. The two of them are locked in the Flowertale Sans's room. Soul works carefully with a popsicle stick to apply an even coat of black paint.

"ThiS is stuPid. It'll neVer work," Error gowls again.

"Of course it will! There are all kinds of monsters in the Multiverse. You'll fit right in! Nobody will recognize you," Soul insists. Now that he's done painting over Error's blue tears, he moves on to a paint that's an odd mixture of pink and orange. Soul paints a few whirls of color onto the sides of Error's skull.

Only half an hour ago, Error made the mistake of mentioning the Omega Timeline in an attempt to get Soul out of Flowertale. The Omega Timeline is the one place Soul knows nothing about. His burning curiosity is enough to convince him to go. The only problem is that Error can't set foot there. The entirety of the AU, and Ink, would try to murder him for it since half the residents are there because of Error. Soul was not deterred by the problem, nor the reminder of how many people Error's killed. Error himself tries not to Soul notice how much he's really dreading stepping into the Omniverse. While it's true he's never been there, painful memories are attached to the place.

Error is wearing a completely different outfit. In a gray hoodie and faded jeans, none of his red bones are showing. A pair of black gloves hide his vibrant hands. Dark green sneakers replace comfy slippers. Now with the added paint on his skull, Error is indeed almost unrecognizable. He could easily be mistaken as the resident of some obscure AU. However, the scars and chips all over his body remain, as well as the sour scowl on Error's face.

The glitches are also a problem. Error could never stop them completely, but he can control them to some extent. If Error forces the glitches to appear around his feet and ankles, it can be played off as some sort of particle effect from when he walks. A few Sanses out there have something similar. Error can keep it under control as long as he isn't too worked up.

"I'm done! It looks amazing, so no one will figure it out." Soul quickly removes all the paints off the bed.

"SuRe. And whaT's YouR plan for wheN Ink comEs to murdEr my asS?"

"Yes, a plan. I definitely have a plan," Soul says, busy arranging the paints. "We just have to come up with a name for you."

Error's disgust is almost visible in the air. "I'm noT letTing you caLl me someThing dumb." 

"Glitchy?"

Error glares.

"Pixel?"

Error's glare darkens.

"Okay, okay! Just give me a minute," Soul pauses, thinking. "How about Browser? Since we're both seeing the Omega Timline for the first time?"

"You'Re terrible aT thIs. Just cAll me Sans. PlenTy stiLl cling to thAt name."

Even though it's a horrible idea that has the potential to kill them both, Error opens up a portal with Soul excitedly bouncing at his side. He wasn't sure where they would end up in the AU since Error's never been there before. Still, he wasn't expecting what looks like the middle of town. Soul shows no hesitation and grabs Error's hand before pulling them both through. Error almost yanks away on reflex, but his attention is quickly preoccupied with the much bigger threat.