Book 1: The First Fallen Human

Hey, Buddy

Fresh blinked as he wandered the Omega Timeline. It was usually quiet. He enjoyed that. He snapped his fingers, hopping up to land on a skateboard as he tucked his hands in his pockets, skating along. He skidded to a stop, kicking the board up as he sensed someone entering the Timeline. He put a huge grin on his face and spun to face whoever it was. "Hey, hey!! How's it hanging, bro-" He stopped as his glasses changed to say IT'S YOU. His smile faltered for a moment as the figure stared at him. He gulped.

Scooter blinked at him. Fresh watched as she lifted her hands and pulled back her hood to reveal the face that had greeted him so far back. He blinked. "S-So..." He started quietly. "I-I see you got a few rad new trinkets!!" He gestured to the chain on her belt. She didn't break eye contact as she nodded. He gulped. He chuckled nervously and his glasses changed to SO UH. "Y-You know I gotta report you to my broski, Ink, right?" He asked. Scooter sighed and nodded once.

"Why...?"

The question was soft and simple. Fresh blinked before rubbing the back of his skull. "Well, listen, Scoot..." She blinked as he used her old nickname. "You got the entirety of the Multiverse looking for you." Scooter seemed unbothered by this. Fresh sighed. "And, I know you don't care, but you gotta think... Reaper's looking for you too." At his name, Fresh was taken back as Scooter visibly twitched. Nothing more than a slight jump of the eyelid. He furrowed his brow. "All good, broski?"

Scooter shook her head. He watched as the grey climbed further down her hair, swallowing the orange that had been climbing up it until it left only the tips orange once again. He shook quietly. Scooter blinked and lifted her head, holding her cheek with a pale hand.

"Why... do they bother?"

Fresh stared at her. He heard all her hopelessness in that statement. She hadn't shown emotion for quite sometime, but it was clear she was absolutely baffled. It made him hurt to see how unimportant she considered herself. "Cuz we care, Scoot." She looked up as he spoke, a single eyebrow slightly lifted. When she spoke, Fresh felt something crack in his chest a bit. He'd never heard her sound so pained.

"Why?"

It seemed like it strained her even to say it. Fresh stared at her before reaching up and pulling off his sunglasses, approaching her. He blinked at her with his glowing eyes and she stared at him. Even though nothing in her face had changed, tears were trickling down from her eyes. He gulped and flinched as she closed her eyes. Something made a sharp cracking sound. He saw her chest glow for a second. She opened her eyes and stared at him with that soft green glint. Her face scrunched up and she lowered her head, sobbing. Her body shook softly. Fresh was shocked and he reached out to her.

"It hurts so much... I-I just want to die..."

Her voice was overwhelmed with pain and desperation. Fresh felt his heart break a bit. He sighed and hugged her, not able to be of much comfort since she was taller than him. That only seemed to make her cry harder.

"I just want to die..."

Scooter repeated the phrase over and over, her voice whispery. She slid down onto her knees and Fresh held her close. He felt his own eyes watering, but he refused to cry. "I'm... so sorry that this happened to you, Scoot." He said softly. She continued to cry. Finally, after a few minutes, she fell silent.

Fresh watched as she seemed to compose herself and stood up. Slowly, her face returned back to its emotionless state and her eyes dulled once again. She glitched for a moment and Fresh blinked, surprised. She tipped her head at him, tears gone. Along with any emotion.

"Geez, Scoot. You're almost as bad as Glitchy...!" He said, giving a weak smile as he tried to lighten her mood. Scooter blinked slowly.

"... Glitchy...?"

Fresh blinked. "Error." Scooter continued to give him a blank look. "Y'know... destroyer of AU's...? Ink-bro's archenemy??" He tipped his head as Scooter shook her head. Fresh blinked as he got an idea. "You haven't met him! If there's one radical black skelly that has even a chance, it's gotta be him!! He's been known to rip Souls right from their bodies!"

A glint of interest showed in Scooter's eyes and Fresh grinned. "You should pay him a visit! I'll tell Inkster where you at!!" Fresh said, nodding. He finger-gunned and a small hole opened up to reveal a slightly off-white space. Slowly, Scooter gave a nod back. She turned and moved away, pulling her hood back on. "Catch ya on the flip side!" Scooter raised a hand in farewell before disappearing.

As she did, Fresh's smile faltered. If anyone could help her die, it had to be Error... right? He gulped, walking back over and putting his shades back on.

He'd helped, right?

...

Why did it feel like he'd just MAJORLY messed up....?