Exchange Student

6

-Ink's POV-

This room stuffs my nose up.

I had found a cute little teeny tiny notepad in a random jacket in some box.

So small I can keep it in my pocket. How lucky am I that it was blank? I've started filling the first few pages with things I've seen, or at least remember.

That includes the high school, the trees, the sky, the floating stones, that one guy, the cabin, and Error.

It's kinda like a diary.

Throughout all the time I've been in here, I've coughed and sneezed about a hundred times.

At first, I thought I would wake up Error, but at this point he could sleep through a hurricane if he wanted too.

Error is still sleeping silently in his bed. Dream came up earlier and we talked for a while, I think.

I pull my scarf close to my face, so Dream had left to make breakfast.. and told me to make sure Error wakes up.

Huh. Well I should probably get to that.

"Hey Ruru!" I call over to him. Error doesn't even stir. I stare at him for a minute before putting my notebook and pen in my pocket.

"Error. Errorrr?"

Is he dead?

I stand up from the uncomfortable, old, springy bed. The floor is cold.

"Error. WAKEUP WAKEUP WAKEUP!"
I say shaking Error's shoulder hard but not hard enough to hurt him.

I barely dodge his hand that comes flying towards my face. "Go away."

While chuckling, I sit on the bed with him.

Error stares at me with an unreadable expression. Probably anger or pure annoyance.

Only he doesn't say anything and continues to lay there. I don't think he slept well.

I feel like I'm sitting on something. I pull out a small notebook.

Right, I had found it in a jacket pocket in one of the boxes.

A short, gentle knock is what makes Error's head pop up.

Error groans and sits up on his knees.

Dream opens the door after a short click of the door unlocking.

"Good morning. I hope you all slept well. Breakfast is done." Dream said with a smile.

I stand up and walk over to Dream. Error doesn't move.

After a moment Error just waves us away.
"I'll be down in a short moment." He says not making eye contact.

Dream looks at me obviously worried so I just shrug and move past him to go downstairs.

In a few seconds Dream was behind me.

This little cabin was really nice. There were things that could make it look even better though.

I plop down in a chair and cross out the past instructions to make room for new ones I need to remember on my scarf.

Dream sets fluffy pancakes down next to me and another plate where Error will probably sit when he decides to come down.

"How are you doing, Ink?" Dream asks sitting down next to me.

The kitchen is warm and smells like oranges.

"I'm doing great." I tell him with a smile.
I start cutting up my pancake with the edge of my fork and pop them into my mouth.

They tasted really good.

"Is your friend okay?"

I wonder if this recipe could be recreated.

"Ink?"

I lift my head up to meet.. what's his names eyes.

"What did you say? What's your name again?" I ask.

"I'm Dream? Remember? I asked if Error was okay." Dream explained frowning.

"Oh Error? Beats me. He's probably sleeping."
I shrug, observing the colors of the kitchen.

"But he was just awake?" Dream mumbled looking a tad bit uncomfortable.

"Ink, stop irritating people."

A voice came come behind me.

I turn around and smile at Error.

"Hi Ruru!" I wave at him happily.

"Hello Error. Please. Come sit down." Dream says motioning to the plate next to me.

Error comes over but he doesn't sit. No, he stands there with his plate refusing to sit.

Dream did sound a little demanding. That probably pissed Error off.

"I just want to know what we are supposed to do so I can get the hell out of here." Error says getting straight to the point.

Dream hesitates for a moment before giving up. "There's a balance between positive and negative. It's what separates happy from sad and bad from good."

I set down my fork so I can focus. Error has the same idea as he's slid into a chair and is now listening intensely.

"So many, many, many years ago, those two sides were made into children. To properly control that balance. But uhm, things didn't go as the gods planned. Dream paused for a moment and stared at his hands.

"Long story short, the negative child disappeared after a.. tragic turn of advents. That child never returned offsetting the whole worlds balance."

Error and I sat in silence for a good moment.

"Your job is to reunite the two back into one."
Dream finished.

"Great. Now we need to find two children." Error stated clearly angrier. He didn't understand very well.

"Well you already found one." Dream smiles sheepishly. "I've grown since then. It's become normal to have you teenagers sent to me to fix.. our mistakes I guess.."

Error sets his head down on the table.

"So we are searching for your brother?" I ask ignoring my pancakes completely now.

Dream nods slowly. "It's been so long. We had an accident and I.. I just really miss him."

That's not very helpful. But it's an improvement. I glance over to Error and see he's sitting up again.

We don't have much time. There's no time to just sit around.

"Do you know where your brother could be?" I ask, hoping to wrap this up and be on my way.

"No. But I have an idea. I can't leave this hill. I don't know why but I'm bound here. I suspect it's the same with my brother only somewhere else."

Error finally starts eating.

"There's a castle. Over the valley. I've heard from travelers they are not friendly but, they claim they have seen the men inside wearing necklaces with the same design on my brothers crown." Dream says standing up.

With a wave of his hand, a paper flys out of a shelf. Dream catches it then hands it to Error and points to something on it.

"That's the design. I know it by heart." Dream finishes still standing.

Error passes me the picture. His hands are gorgeous. The picture is of a purple clothed, black haired boy.

"He looks a little different since that photo was taken." Dream says.

Quickly, I pull out my notebook and scribble down just the design of his crown.

"You must have just missed it on your way here. It's located deep within the trees." Dream says sketching out a short map in my notebook.

Error took my plate and quickly ate the leftovers before standing up to wash his plate and mine.

Maybe he's just as eager to start this adventure as I am.