Fading Ink

Chapter 15

Even as Ink and Error started arguing, Blueberry couldn't help but smile.

The argument wasn't even anything serious, more along the lines of-

'hey why am I abomination number two?'

'bEcausE yOu'RE a dimwit, that's why'

-and similar friendly insults.

And that was the thing.

It made Blueberry grin excitedly, because finally, finally, they were getting along!

... To a point.

And then, Blueberry had to refocus, because they had suddenly stopped talking, and just seemed to be staring at each other.

"Error?"

"yEah?"

Ink seemed to fidget.

"Did you... Did you ever have a puppet of me?"

"nO." Error hadn't hesitated in his answer. It didn't seem to be a touchy subject to him, but Blueberry knew him better than that.

"BUt YoU did, didn't YoU? i REmEmBER. YoU nEvER took him down to show mE, BUt i REmEmBER." He burst out impulsively, keeping his blurred gaze on where Error was.

Error said nothing, and seemed to do nothing either, but a small scrape of bone against bone proved otherwise. Clenching his fist, perhaps?

"i REmEmBER sEEing it, onE timE whEn YoU lEft. thERE wasn't much ELsE to LOOk at BUt thE cEiLing, and thERE it was. i REmEmBER wondERing to mYsELf whY YoU nEvER showEd it to mE."

"bluEbERRy, shut up."

The voice was quiet, but harsh, and it got its point across. Blueberry shut his mouth, silently berating himself for ruining the moment, because now, all that filled the air was tension and very awkward silence.

"E-Error, it's okay-" Ink tried to assure him, but Error stood abruptly, making him stop talking.

"nO, it's nOt. that puppEt was nEvER mEant tO exist."

Ringing silence fell over the corridor once more, and even though he hadn't thought to before, Blueberry cursed his newfound blindness. He couldn't see clearly what was going on, and when they stayed still like this, he didn't know what either of them were feeling.

As the silence dragged on, Blueberry allowed himself to think back, and then, his eyes widened in realization. He could feel the small crack on his face twinge in slight pain as he did this, and thankfully, no more corrosive magic leaked out.

"ERRoR, didn't YoU say bEfoRE that this UnivERsE was dYing?"

Ink jumped to his feet, mumbling quietly to himself. Blueberry attempted to stand, and managed to do so successfully, though he had to take an extra moment to balance himself so he didn't topple over and make the small crack in his skull any worse.

Ink chose this moment to speak.

"If we're going to leave, it needs to be now. I can feel it. Undertone's about to collapse."

~~~~

As Ink spoke, he reached out and rested a hand on Blueberry's shoulder. He immediately looked relieved, his sightless eyes darting vaguely over him.

Error watched this with mild interest.

"whEn wERE yOu gOing tO tEll mE hE was blind?"

"Error, now is not the time." Ink avoided eye contact, but kept his head up confidently, returning his gaze to Blueberry.

"tEchnicaLLY, i'm partiaLLY bLind." Blueberry jumped in helpfully, staring in Error's direction.

Out of the corner of his eye, Error shrugged.

"dOEs it mattER?"

Blueberry didn't look like he took offense to this, so Ink focused on their previous objective.

"Guys, we really should leave before it's too late."

"Okay, ink, whERE dO yOu suggEst wE gO?" Error asked boredly, and Ink wondered again why Error hadn't left them behind yet. And he'd referred to all three of them as 'we'.

But he did present a good question. Where in the multiverse could they go that could give them answers, that would give them safety?

And then he realized.

But would it be wise?

He had stayed hidden there for as long as he could remember. It was his refuge, made for him, and him alone.

Only the few he let enter could enter.

But on the off chance that they did manage to find answers, and save everything, did he really want to give up his only hiding spot in the multiverse to Error?

And then, he thought of them.

The shattered universes, and whatever was destroying them.

It was their only chance.

He'd give it up for them.

"My domain."

Error stared at him in disbelief. Blueberry glanced over at him, and up close, Ink noticed how faded his eyelights looked.

"REally?"

Ink met Error's incredulous gaze.

"Yep. The Doodle Sphere."

Error grinned.

"timE tO sEE whERE yOu'vE bEEn hiding all this timE."

Ink sighed slightly to himself.

"I suppose it is."