The Stage is Set

A Crow to a Flock pt.1

Lmao, a new arc now. Btw, I almost got into a car accident almost every day of this week trying to get to/from work. Silly! The only day was today. My fault was putting on my blinker as I was trying to switch lanes. :'] Enough about me! Let's get to the good stuff- the STORY!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reaper flaps his wings with all the strength he can. He holds one of his scythes in his talons gripping it tightly. He won't lose his weapon here, not when he may need it to protect his brothers. His bag is thankfully still against his back as he flies after the blob. He should try not to do as many tricks as he usually does. After that first flip, the full weight hit his back and hurt. He follows it deeper into the DoodleSphere. Something twists in his soul. The sharp knife of guilt stabs him again before ripping down his sternum. Have the others been here all this time? Had he missed them the many times he'd flown around looking for them here? He shakes his head to get rid of the misplaced guilt. No, something would've changed if that was the case. Ink's connected to the DoodleSphere in a way no one understands. So he chases after the blob as it leads him back to his home.

To his brothers.

The blob no longer speaks to him, only looking back at him as if making sure he is still following. He nods as he continues to follow it. It leads him higher, to where the AU islands float. Where Ink had taught them all can be used to either enter an AU or locate the Sans. One needs Ink to do the second function or else the others would've been found long before it was even a month. Either way, he passes by the different islands, passing their doors as he focuses on the blob. They've passed the area that Ink has told them is "safe" a while ago. He notes that all their rivers of color are flowing as they always have been. Good. He openly stares as they pass by another UnderSwap island.

It's old... It's broken. He's sure it wouldn't hold his weight if he were to land on it. The strings holding it together do little to inspire confidence. He stops to stare at it. It crumbles, and there is no river of color coming from it. It should've been scrapped. Why hasn't Ink torn down this AU if it is already dead? Why hasn't Error? Then again, it is hidden extremely well... Does Error not know about this one? If so, why would Ink hide it away? He blinks, that can't be right... Why is there paint flowing from the door? It isn't a lot, but it was dry not even a moment before. Something must be wrong, something or someone that belonged behind this door must be the cause. He looks over his shoulder to find the blob waiting for him. Yet it stares at the island too. It's locked onto it as if it sees nothing else. Globs of paint roll down its face as if it is crying. It looks heartbroken, yet so angry. Reaper moves away from the island.

"I'm sorry." The blob tears its attention away from the island to face Reaper. "I didn't mean to stop. Please, let's keep going."

The blob nods before turning around to keep leading Reaper away from that damaged island. When they come home, Reaper will have Ink scrap that island, AU. Keeping it is only hurting him. If Reaper isn't allowed to hurt himself, neither should Ink. His mouth thins as they continue the journey past all the doors and islands. He watches as the blob stops, landing on a paper-white island. He lands on the island too before studying it. The paint that flows from this one is white, something that he knows Ink doesn't carry. Something that he never liked to hold onto.

Reaper studies the ground. There is no texture, no shadows. It's as blank as a fresh sheet of paper. All the decorations that make the island distinguishable are merely sketches. They have guidelines, and rough chicken sketch outlines. Faded pencil lines as if someone tried erasing the guidelines. There is no sound from the rushing paint. The only way he knows it's running down the waterfall is the black pencil lines that give the impression of running water. He grimaces, he assumes this is Ink's own AU door. He doesn't know what to think. So he doesn't.

He won't make assumptions without hearing it from his brother's mouth first.

Reaper turns to the blob, squaring his shoulders. "Where do we go from here?"

The blob shakes its head with a sad smile. "Not we, you."

"What?" Reaper feels his soul drop to the grass far below them. He gives a disbelieving smile, "W-what do you mean by that?"

The blob turns to the door, gripping the doorknob tightly before twisting it to the left. The door creaks open into a hallway of doors, the lack of light and color is a stark difference to the DoodleSphere. Reaper steps forward in disbelief, he's so close to the others now. Why is he so scared? He turns to the blob to find it staring at him with tears.

Reaper gasps, "You're melting!" He flutters his wings to move him closer to the blob.

The blob nods slightly, leaning into Reaper's hands. "Yes. I need to make this portal. I was needed to get you here." Its skull drips, covering Reaper's hands with thick black ink. "I am no longer needed. I will make sure you reach the others and then rejoin the ink."

Reaper wants to deny it, wants the blob to stay with them, with him. Yet he knows this wasn't meant to last. So he takes a deep breath, "Okay. Take me to the others."