Book 1: The First Fallen Human

Waiting Game

Error sighed as he sat at the very bottom of the Doodle Sphere. Ink had been called away by Core. He briefly wondered what it was they were talking about. Error sighed before blinking and starting to weave strings together with his fingers. He blinked and lifted his head, realizing something.

He raised a glitched hand and opened up a small, pixelated window. "Bl-B-Blue?" He called into the white space beyond the pixels. It was quiet at first before Blue's face appeared in the little opening. The skeleton seemed thrilled to see him and Error sighed in relief.

"Error!" He said cheerfully. "How's everything going?"

"A-A-A-All is well... f-f-for now..." Error stated quietly. He noticed Blue looking around and watched as the other skeleton's brow furrowed. "Wha-W-What's wrong?"

"Where's Ink?" Blue asked, seeming confused as to why the paint-covered skeleton wasn't with Error. Error nodded.

"H-H-He was called away by C-C-Core." He explained. Blue seemed to understand before giving a huge grin and nodding. He blinked and asked why Error had called. Error blinked calmly at him. "J-J-Just checking in on y-y-you." He said. Blue seemed touched before giving another smile. Error played with his strings a bit more before thinking of something and looking up at Blue. "O-O-On the ceiling, th-th-there are dolls. You may pl-pl-play with them if you wish." Error said, tipping his head.

Blue immediately seemed to perk up. "Really?!" He cried. Error nodded and Blue squealed. "Thank you, Error! Goodbye!" And like that, Blue was gone. Error sighed and nodded, closing the pixelated window. He sat for a moment before looking down at his strings and deciding what he wanted to do.

Slowly, the strings began to weave together as he worked. Error lifted it, revealing it to be the basis of another doll. His strings drifted, almost gracefully, towards it. They weave themselves in and out of the doll, forming layers of clothes and bone. Error tipped his head, a light blush on his cheeks.

It was Ink. The doll formed him perfectly, down to the giant brush he always carried on his back. Error smiled to himself as he added the minor details. Like the paint splatter that always took up Ink's cheek. His vials in perfect order on his sash. Even his scarf. Error sighed as he added that stupid grin the other always had on his face.

Finally, Error paused at his eyes. What would he put for Ink's eyes? They were always changing. After a moment, Error decided one of the eyes should most definitely be a star. His strings darted in and formed the yellow iris before spiraling out into the black eye socket. Okay, one eye was done.

Error tipped his head at the other, unsure of what to do. None of the other shapes were really as present as the star-shaped iris. Error blushed a bit again and his strings moved in once more, much slower this time. The strings were much more uncertain. They formed a pink heart, before spiraling out into the eye socket. Error sighed and raised his hand, allowing the doll to drift down to him as the strings released it.

"Glitchy...?" Ink's voice startled Error and he dropped the doll as everything went black. Once he'd rebooted, he turned to Ink, ready to snap. He stopped as he saw Ink holding the doll, an array of bright, colored blush on his face. Error felt his own face heat up as Ink studied the doll. Finally, Ink turned it back over and reached a hand up towards one of his eyes. "Is that one really always a star? You seemed really sure about that."

Error froze. How long had Ink been standing there?! He wanted to die. Error turned away. "F-F-For the most part..." He grumbled, covering his face. He watched through his fingers as Ink's blush seemed to deepen. Ink blinked and looked up at Error. Error stopped for a moment. One of Ink's eyes was indeed a star, but the other was exactly the heart he'd put on the doll. Error felt his own blush deepen. "L-L-Look, I was bored!! W-W-We don't h-h-have to talk about it!!" Error snapped.

Ink seemed taken back for a moment before looking down at the doll. "Are you going to take it?" His voice was quiet and Error scowled, blushing.

"N-N-No!" He snapped again. He blinked as Ink nodded and tucked the doll into one of his side pouches. He shut it and Ink grinned. Error sighed shakily and covered his face. This was absolutely humiliating. He heard Ink approaching him and looked up. He jumped as Ink suddenly leaned in and clacked his teeth to Error's.

Everything went black again as Error had to reboot. When he came to, Ink was floating up through the Doodle Sphere. "Hey!" Error yelled, his eye sockets wide. What the hell had that been?! Ink didn't turn to look at him all the way, but Error could make out bright rainbow blush on the other's cheek. He quickly shot up after the other.

"I know where Scooter is." Ink's voice stopped Error and Error froze. Ink had found her? "Core found her." Oh, that made much more sense. Why were they going so high? Error's eyes widened as they reached the very top of the dome. Ink gestured to a golden paper that made up the center of the Dome. It was curling in on itself. Error was wide-eyed as he stared at it.

"U-U-U-Undertale?" Error sputtered out. Why would Scooter go back there? Wasn't that where she'd died in the first place?

"It was INKredibly clever of her!" Ink snorted at his own pun before shaking it off and turning to Error. "She figured out it would be incredibly difficult for me to track her if she wasn't in an actual AU!" His face became serious. "But the problem is, she can't exist in Undertale. Everything she does, sends a ripple effect everywhere else. So we have to get her out of there!"

Ink whipped the brush off his back and opened the portal to the main game. He turned to Error, grinning. "Ready, Glitchy?"

Error huffed, a bit of yellow blush on his face before sighing and nodding. "Ready, Squid."