Can't You Listen?

Chapter 16

Error managed to escape Ink and was hiding in his home. It was welcoming this time. He felt warm inside and far more...happier. Hopeful? Whatever it was, he, for once, felt ready for tomorrow. 

He made a hammock and laid in it. His arm was used as a pillow and he stared into the endless above. With a sigh, he accessed the codes and tried to figure out what exactly was going on. Did he make another mistake? Was it because Ink held regret? Maybe it was because Ink somehow leaked memories of past lives. It would make better sense than nothing. 

His concern was who Ink was now. Ink has memories of a few past lives, so what are Ink's thoughts about this? His best guess is he accidentally made a glitch in the system, wouldn't be the first time. 

Once, Error caused a glitch that made him go way way back in time. Now, looking back on it, he was glad he did. He met Geno and quickly bonded. Ink once made a mistake as well, allowing a parasite to breach through and attach itself onto a sans. Error still can't figure out how.

Well, this time, Ink has a soul which means emotions. Error doesn't know if this is a good or a bad thing yet. He can at least have a conversation with him before he has about 5 mood swings in a minute.

That leaves the question of what to do. Kill Ink, help Ink, get killed by Ink, do his job as his death is plotted by Ink, or study this Ink? Decisions decisions. 

Error chose to ask Fate for their opinion on the matter. They are the almighty one who watches everything half the time. 

"Yo Fate, what's going on? Everything is so different." He yawned out his question. Busy day he's had, with all this weirdness happening.

Silence. 

More silence. 

Not entirely. There's that constant sound in the back of his head. 

Sile-"Yes, Error?" Ah finally, the voice of Fate answered his calls.

"What should I do? Ink is weirder than before"

"Weirder? He seems normal to me...or is it because he has a new soul?"

"That too. But why does he? Never before has he had one...right?"

Fate doesn't answer for a second. He got worried, thinking they left him.

"When I saw what happened before the Multiverse gave away, I used what he was expressing and jammed it all into a soul I've been experimenting with. It seems to be going well so far. Please don't kill him."

"Fine, but what do I do knowing what I do will make him upset?" Error closed his eyes and imagined Ink. A short, wild skeleton who loves to draw. 

"Doesn't he feel familiar to you? The way he hugged you and spoke? Like, perhaps, an old friend?"

Error thought long and hard about what they meant. There were many friends he made over time. Some were past enemies, some new enemies. But who does Ink remind him of?

All Inks are weird and have one thought process. Yet, there was this one Ink at the beginning who just didn't feel up to fighting.

He was more understanding and aware of what he was doing. Error at the time was upset at everything and just simply did his job, no breaks, or socializing. 

"What's...happening to me?" Arms wrapped around him as he screamed.

Error groaned as he was reminded of something he wanted to so badly forget. It was like a dream that you remember for years, but have no use for. Yet, it was a painful memory. 

"God dang it Ink! Making me work harder to make sure you're happy" He got out and opened a portal to where Ink was before. He wasn't there. 

He tried Ink's place next, and there he was, gazing up at the Au from before. "Hey, Ink. I have a question" Ah, it seems he is a bit nervous. 

"Ya- wait where have you been?! You just left me!"

"Not important. Anyway, does number 7 ring any bells?"

Ink froze mid-step and thought about all the connections 7 has. 7 was such an odd number, why specifically that number? 

Ink shook his head. Error summoned some strings and hung Ink upside down. "Does this?" 

Nope.

How about stabbing him? Error summoned a nice sharp bone, ready for gently stabbing someone as gently as possible. Right as the glitchy bone was centimeters away from piercing Ink's skull, it stopped and hovered there. 

Ink blinked and asked what he was doing. Error said he was reenacting an old war. Not a lie, no, it was the truth. This was how one Ink got a gaping hole through an eye socket.

"Error, what does 7 mean to you? Why is it so important?" Ink asked as the strings promptly dropped him. He landed with a thump. The bone was dispelled.

"7 is my favorite number is all..." What a shame, seems Ink doesn't know anything relating to that number. 

"Then did you have to pretend to attack me?"

"Felt like it."

"You are such a child"

"Last I check yes I am. Now, what are your plans for this world?"

"I wanna see the limits."

"I wanna see it grow!"

"...I wanna see all the different possibilities"

"I wanna see how it ends!"

"...and I wanna know if you're with me on this"

"Promise you'll help me?"

"Ink, I hate making promises, I really do. So I can't promise you this, and I never will." Not again, Error thought, not again will he fall for it.

Error walked through his portal and closed it. The white welcomed him once more. He sat on his hammock and closed his eyes. He was so done with always guessing around like some idiot. 

He's always walking on eggshells to make sure he doesn't die sooner than later. He's tried every single thing he can think of. Heck, he's jumped in the void, dragged Ink with him once, locked Ink away, and even tried locking his soul away. Nothing works! Nothing!

The closest he's gotten was when he wasn't known by anyone, not even Geno or Fresh. 

The phenomenon was called "The Glitch". Funny, how Error, a glitch, created such an event. How he failed, you may ask? He got distracted and the Au collapsed on him. Do you know how painful it was? No, no you don't. Neither does Error. The pain didn't even have time to be registered before he was gone. The Glitch was no more, for about a month anyway. 

Before Error realized it, he was drifting off.

When he opened his eyes, he saw his hand grasping bright, dusty blue strings. He cried.