Phoenix

Chapter 4 - Encounter

Dr. Gaster was apparently the 'scientist' kind of doctor. Not the medical kind.

That's kind of unfortunate, given Geno's condition.

He wondered how his family was. Well, he basically always did- he'd been gone for too long. This place was weird, and he just... appeared here after a close encounter with death. One of many, but something always prevented it.

He was glad! His constant refusal to die let him live a little longer, year after year, until he'd reached fifteen years of age. To be honest, he didn't think he'd be alive by now. Fresh never failed to tell Geno that he would survive the constant episodes and flare-ups and hospital visits, despite how smart he was... But for now, he needed to know how to get back.

Dr. Gaster said this place was called 'Hotland,' which is pretty on the nose, to Geno- but he'd never heard of a place like this.

They had nice conversations about their own lives and what the world was like, but it seemed like they came from different ones. Geno never heard of a war, and there wasn't a Mount Ebbot, as far as he could tell. Unless you're counting that one preschool Error and Fresh went to, there wasn't anything relating to 'Ebbot'. Dr. Gaster compared the way the two lived and excitedly brought up the multiverse theory. Geno listened to (well- read) his rambles. Fresh was the one who was always interested in science-y things... his brothers must be so worried... Geno had been in Hotland for a week! What would the doctors have told his mom? Did Error and Fresh know he was missing? Did they think he was dead or kidnapped?

Geno usually kept an open mind, but... if the multiverse theory was true, then his brothers could be universes away. An entire planet is enough, but with a multiverse?!

He didn't want to believe it. Not if it meant he was farther away from his brothers than just a magical barrier and a couple hundred miles. He wouldn't be able to survive for that long- he didn't have his meds... but this place was strange. He felt stronger here- just a little, but still stronger. Enough so that he was even able to walk with Dr. Gaster's help.

Geno decided to learn what he could. He'd continue his education- albeit, in a very different environment- and help out around the house. He wasn't going to be a lazy bones! Dr. Gaster took him in, and he was going to repay him any way he could in the state he was in. At times, he looked over a small skeleton named Papyrus, who admired Geno's glitches and scarf a lot.

He frequently proclaimed, "I'm going to have a cape just like this!" and would promptly nuzzle his face in the cloth. It was adorable.

Geno wondered how he'd get home- he couldn't fathom being unable to see his family. Momma, Ms. Comyet and Uncle Asy... Error, Fresh, Sugar, Sour, Ink, Decans... They're still at home, right? What if they were pulled somewhere else like Geno was?! Who knows if the multiverse theory is true, and if it is... how many universes are there?! How would he find Error and Fresh anyways- even one universe is huge!

...but no matter what, he'd find them. He'd return to wherever he used to be in the universe- or multiverse- and reunite with his family. He was determined to do so!

Error was tired of the voices bothering him. Sheesh, why can't they just disappear? It would be convenient. Especially since he was trying to watch Undernovela and they kept talking over the dialogue. Rude.

"Destroy," they say. "Check the codes," they say. "Something's wrong with that one AU where you, Geno, and Fresh are brothers," they say. Can't they see Error doesn't give a shit? He just wants to enjoy a nice, spanish, entertaining AU without the horrifying idea that he could be brothers with that parasite. That, and eat popcorn in his blue beanbag chair. The balance is fine, anyways. Ink just needs to create more- this damned multiverse is really empty, and Error's tendency to go into bouts of insanity-filled genocidal murder sprees from time to time didn't exactly help.

Well, it was the anti-void's fault. And the voices. And whatever the hell it was that kept whispering in his nonexistent ear canal. It was out of Error's hands, really.

The multiverse could collapse into itself like a stomach without food, and that's not exactly beneficial in Error's quest to someday exist in peace, quiet, war, and Undernovela.

...he was getting so bored, though.

What if he visited that weird AU with the Mini-Glitch?

We were just telling you to check it out, you idiot!

yeah bozo

guys don't be mean to the bean :(

Error groaned loudly in exasperation. Multiple voices mimicked his voice, pretending to make glitches and stuttering the sounds they made while a few voices tried to stop the others' mockery, which just made the noise worse.

HAA-A-AA-AAA—A-

hey stop it

stop wh-what-at-at-at? h-h-hahaha

EE-R–ERROR40-404PAGENOTFF-F-F-FOUND-

ERROR, YOU'RE GETTING GLITCHIER. CALM DOWN.

"How can I calm down when you all WOn'T ShUT UP?!?!"

A few voices went quiet, while others tried to make as much noise as they could.

Error's eyesight went staticky, barely letting him see the outline of the characters he was watching. Shit, he couldn't even hear them.

Error decided to drop into that universe everyone was talking about right now- the voices seemed to die down when he was out of the Anti-Void. Too eager to see the show. See ya, suckers!

He closed the window to Undernovela and fell through a portal made under his feet, landing softly in front of a hospital. Plenty of people were bustling around, but they didn't seem to give any notice. Sure, he got a few stares, but that was normal. Weird, though. Was no one scared of him?

Error looked around, spotting an alleyway and teleporting into it to check the code.

Scanning the lines, he spotted a malfunction. Great. Another glitchy universe. It seemed to directly affect the storyline, so it might be able to corrupt the world. Ugh, and mini-glitch was part of said storyline?

He glanced up at the sky.

What if you kidnapped someone? That would be fun.

And take care of them? Have to talk to them and stuff? No thanks. Error shook his head and glared at all the people outside the alley. Glitches, all of them.

But no one needs food, water, anything in the Anti-Void! You don't NEED to talk to them. Maybe they'll be like Blue! We liked him, right?

Blue? Swaptale (or whatever that universe is called) Sans? That guy was infuriating enough.

Geez. Maybe you should take someone who isn't as annoying, hehe.

Error briefly stopped people-watching to roll his eyes. Why would he abduct anyone? Boredom? Please. That's only a problem if the voices talk during Undernovela.

Ah. Wait. They do.

Maybe it'd be fun. Take someone.

A sudden blur of neon colors caught Error's eye, and a pink haired lady walked after it- hand in hand with a kid with a red hoodie. The kid looked into the alleyway with blue tears streaming down his cheeks, and Error looked back.

Maybe this time, take someone like... you.