Fading Ink

Chapter 17

Dust sifted through Error's fingers, and as it did, the white door behind Ink blew to pieces. Blueberry yelped, throwing his arms up in front of his face, and Ink gave a pained gasp, curling in on himself.

When it was over, Ink looked up, staring at Error with frayed hope in his eyes.

"E-Error, can you get us to the Void?"

Error frowned.

"what wOuld that accOmplish?"

Ink rolled his eyes, straightening up and floating closer to Error, his face still ghosted with pain.

"If we can get into the Void, we could find out what's going on. Maybe find a way to fix this."

"that makEs sEnsE." Blueberry spoke, his gaze unfocused on Ink.

"Okay, finE, but why dO i havE tO dO it?" Error complained, wiping his dusty hand on his jacket.

"Because you're the only one here who knows the Void's code."

Error didn't answer.

To transport them both to the Void, they'd have to be touching him.

Just the very thought of that scared him.

He was sure he could trust himself to handle teleporting with Blueberry.

With Ink, he wasn't too sure.

"... dO i havE tO?" He whined.

"ERRoR, comE on! stop acting LikE a kid."

It was after that statement that Error gave Blueberry an annoyed glance.

"if YoU'RE giving mE a look, i can't sEE it." Blueberry added on cheerfully, holding out his hand.

Reluctantly, Error took it.

Sighing, he then turned to Ink, who appeared to be lost in thought.

"ink? wE'RE gOing."

As Ink looked up, Error held out a shaking hand for Ink to take.

Slowly, like he knew how much this scared him, Ink carefully placed his hand in Error's.

Immediately, they disappeared from the Doodle Sphere.

...

Something was wrong.

Error could feel something blocking their way, his grip on Blueberry's hand slipping. Before he could fix it, they crashed right into the block, tumbling to the snowy ground of another universe.

Error lifted his face from the cold and then, remembering that Ink's hand was still in his, promptly ripped his away.

Ink pulled his face out of the snow and stared at Error.

"What happened?"

His mind went blank.

"i... i'm nOt suRE."

"W-wait, where's Blue?" Ink stood up and whirled around, looking in every direction. Too late, Error realized Blueberry was gone.

Ink sighed and gave up his search.

"So where are we now?"

Error shrugged.

"undERfEll."

~~~~

Ink watched Error calmly stand up, his thoughts beginning to mount in panic.

"Underfell?! Which one?!"

Error started walking away, and Ink was forced to run after him to keep up.

"thE fiRst."

Ink stayed quiet after that.

They were in the very first alternate universe.

He couldn't imagine what Error thought of this place.

"Error?" Ink asked suddenly, a thought coming to him.

"yEah, what?"

"Why exactly do you hate the AU's?"

Error's expression tightened.

"i'm nOt gOing tO tEll yOu. and dOn't ask again."

Ink's curiosity was piqued, and despite Error's warning, he opened his mouth again.

"But-"

"i said dOn't ask again." Error snapped, turning to Ink with a furious look in his eyes, before turning back and walking faster than before. Ink had to struggle to keep up.

"Sorry."

He couldn't think of anything else to say.

So they walked in silence.

Ink had never really wondered about Error until now.

It was kind of disappointing, to be honest.

He wanted to know what happened, who Error was before...

So lost in thought, Ink ran into the arm Error had thrown out in front of him. As Ink expected, Error recoiled, but he'd hesitated. Maybe he really was getting over that fear.

Looking beyond them, a vast valley lay below, pocketing the town of Snowdin. As they watched, all the residents scattered and into view stormed Underfell Papyrus.

Even from up on the edge of the cliff, they could hear him shouting his brother's name.

When nothing moved for a good minute or so, he appeared to give up and disappeared into his house.

With a sudden start, Ink realized how close they were standing to the edge.

"Did you stop me from going over?"

Error sighed and rolled his eyes.

"stOp tRying tO makE mE lOOk likE a gOOd guy."

Ink huffed in amusement.

"Well, you're helping me."

Error stayed silent.

"Even if you don't want to admit you're doing some good, I don't care. Thank you."

Error looked down at the snow, kicking some over the ledge of rock.

"y-yEah. nO pROblEm."