Can't You Listen?

Chapter 14

       Another dreadful war later and Error stood over Ink. Dust piles are seen everywhere, but neither could bring themselves to look. Who started the war? Ink or Error? Or was it maybe the victims and bystanders? It was no one's fault, just an action made.

       Neither wanted to back down so early. Neither would stop to retreat or end the stupid war. 

      Wars are stupid and nearly pointless.

      Ink stared into Errors for a little while and asked himself 'What was the point?'. Indeed, what was the point? Why send many to their deaths for the sake of only letting others live? Error didn't lose anyone and had little to continue to fight for. He fought for something or someone, and therefore he wouldn't back down. 

       A belief caused many deaths, more than a plague if continued till the hope and life were depleted. He sighed and shifted his gaze elsewhere, too drained to care anymore. To live believing in he could win a war and have many continue to die, or surrender and have lives to spare?

    It was hard to decide.

   For Error, he can live with either choice, but he wouldn't give in to Ink's war. He fights for them, a little himself, and Nightmare's crew.  He had a choice in who lives or dies. The question was, should Ink witness more carnage? Should Ink continue fighting? Should he? 

     A truce would be perfect right about now.

     Ink crumpled to the floor and covered his face with a hand.

   "I can't" He choked out. Error stopped and stared down at him. Ink felt like he was judging him, or accessing the situation. Error is somewhat awkward to this kind of thing. "They will just die and die until...-!" He started to sob.

    Error squatted by him, keeping a good distance away, and rubbed his eye socket tiredly. "what are you goin' on about now?" He muttered.

      Ink sucked in a few breaths and forced out "I sent them all to their deaths! How can I call myself their protector when I can't even save half of them!" 

       "Well...they died fighting-"

    "For nothing! It's all pointless! They'll just continue dying unless one of us falls or quits!" Ink lashes out. His face was uncovered and you could see the tears that flowed like a river down his face. His eyelights were even smaller than usual and trained on Error. 

      Ink glared at Error and his mouth was configured in a mix between a frown and a scowl. Ink wanted to cry, scream, and just release all of his pent-up frustration.

     What good was a war anyway?

     Error shifted uncomfortably in his position and sighed. "It's more than that, isn't it?"

        Ink froze and looked at the person in front of him. He didn't see just a child, but he saw a person who had seen everything at its worst. He sees a person who he's fought for ages without seeing him truly.

         He saw a monster who was tired of everything. 

       Tired of this, the fights, and the dust. But, Ink didn't see the hopelessness in his eyes, just his body. The fatigue showed on his face, the bones cracked to the point where it looked as if splintering. Ink didn't realize that Error was also a living being. 

      A person, animal, or object can only handle so much until they break. And Error is just taking it all without complaint. Or has he complained? 

 Ink ignored all of this.

         Error still saw Ink as an ignorant person who was slowly coming to understand the reason for things. Ink was another child brought up in a world of many colors, Error in nothing. Maybe they could teach each other things? Maybe friends?

       Well, first they have to deal with this...situation. 

    "Just please stop destroying the Au's...They don't deserve this. They have lives, people waiting for them at home, a story! Why must you do this to them!" Ink stood up and waved his arms furiously. Ink was unintentionally rubbing salt in the wound for Error. 

        Error looked away ashamed for his job. His right eye light seemed to gain a little light, but hardly noticeable. He wants nothing more than this war to end. To quit being this person. To stop all this hate.

     "I have my reasons Ink, just like how you have yours. Know that we can't have you constantly acting like a child" Error replied.

         "If I stop then...will you?" Ink asked quietly. Error thought about his reply. He can, but the viruses will keep popping up with all the build-up. He sighed and shrugged. Gotta keep up his role till the end.

    He gave one of his signature sinister grins- god does he hate it -and said simply, with these three words "I love it"  

    He wasn't lying about it being like Ink's, but the wrong part about loving it. He loved doing his service, the connections, and knowing it was for the greater good. Ink took it as he loved to hear the screams of his victims and dust. Error knew this.

      "How could you say that? You are so frustrating, you know that? You never give me a straight answer, leave when we fight, and you always, and I mean always tell me I'm an Ignorant god. Why are you like this?" Error chuckled, but then it grew into full-blown laughter. 

       "Why are you so mad about a few deaths? Isn't this what you wanted? To be a hero?"

  "Being someone who saves others sounds nice"

    "A hero then?"

 "Ya, exactly! A hero that protects everyone!"

 "What good is being a hero when I couldn't even save a single child?"

  "What's this? A confession~?" Error teased.

Ink grabbed Error's jacket and yelled "Shut it, Error! I'm so tired of you always ruining everything! Can't you just leave us alone? No one wants you"

  Sometimes, war is needed to settle differences or settle things.

       Error, no matter how hard he tries,  can't take it to heart- maybe because he doesn't have one. He smiles and says "Sure, let's see how long you last this time. Last time it only took about a week, with only a portion of the amount now. Bye, Ink"

He was let go and he walked through a portal. He made sure to travel to an Au, close it, then go to the Anti-void. Can't have Ink know where he lives, now can he? 

          Error once more sat in the white space with nothing more than puppets to accompany him. He held one in his inner pocket, a very special puppet. It was blank but had a sewed-on smile and beady eyes. 

      He tossed it to the side and grabbed a journal from his strings. He used the string to find the next blank page and started writing.

    "Well, I made him mad at me. He wants me gone, so I'll do just that.  I won't interfere with his work and let them all down. He is an ignorant god." 

     He continued to write parts about his life up to that point. He kept it short and on a single page, just like others. He left the string as a bookmark and closed it. He liked to spend his free time making puppets.

       It wasn't long till everything started to scream in agony, and Error took it like a champ. He kept a neutral face as he laid on the cold floor and tried to sleep. He was hoping to sleep his life away. Fresh and Geno was one of the first to go, sadly. Ink was still kicking, and his friends...well they just accepted it. No one knows the connection between him and the chaos. 

  His life was simple; He destroyed to make way for a new life.