Error.404 Has Crashed

Chapter 5 part 2

For Cross, he remembered some time ago when he and XChara would continually fight over control. Error helped them through that time. They were on a sort of schedule now. One was in control, and the other helped the one in control. That's not to say they got along, or that they stuck to the schedule at all, but it was the thought that counted.

For Killer, he remembered that he would still have no emotions if not for Error. It was a tough process, but Error had found a way to get Killer's emotions back. Killer thanked Error silently. He hadn't had any courage to do it before.

For Horror, he remembered how much Error had helped his brother and himself stay alive. Error would, almost weekly, give Horror and his brother enough food for the week. Horror was pretty sure he and his brother would be dead if Error did not help them.

For Dust, he remembered how Error would go with him on his LOVE runs. Dust never knew why. He did enjoy the company. They would occasionally run into Ink or Dream, or both, but they were a pretty good team and were more than capable of holding their own.

They all remembered what Error answered each and every time they asked why he did each of the actions: "wELl, iF wE dOn'T lOok oUt fOr eACh oThEr, thEn whO wIlL?"

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Nightmare knew his crew was depressed, but he also happened to know that they are particularly more vicious when so. After a bit, he made a proposition. "We are going to make them pay for what they did," he said. He could hear a resounding grumble in agreement from the four mourning Sanses.

There was no plan. They were literally going to barge into Inktale, yell at them, maybe fight them, but their numbers were most likely too large for them to take on, and leave. It would be satisfactory, for now.

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Ganz was ready for the meeting. He did not have time to return to his own seat, so he sat next to Blue, which was surprisingly empty.

He had a lot of things to think about. After learning that Ink was soulless, he was unsure about anything he was previously sure of.

"What's wrong?" Blue asked him. Ganz did not expect the small skeleton to actually talk to him, but he answered nonetheless.

"Oh, nothing," Ganz replied. He tried to avoid eye contact with Blue. He did not want to give the news that Ink was soulless to him.

"Is it about, what Error told you?" Blue guessed.

"No, well, kind of," Ganz said. He decided to play Blue's guessing game, to take his mind off things.

"Is it about, hmm, Ink?" Blue guessed again.

"Maybe?" Ganz answered. He said it in a way that obviously meant it was. Blue snickered.

"Is it about the fact that he's soulless?" Blue said, a bit too cheerily. He quickly put his hand in front of his mouth.

"How do you—?" Ganz started.

"What's going on here?" Stretch said, taking his seat on the opposite end of Blue.

"Nothing," Blue said. "I was just talking with Ganz!"

"About what?" Stretch asked. Ganz had never seen Stretch so controlling before.

"Just small talk, like the weather," Blue said.

"Okay," Stretch said, staring at Ganz the entire time. Ganz was getting a bit uncomfortable with it and did not dare move until Stretch turned around.

"Again," Ganz whispered. "How—?"

"Not here," Blue whispered. "Meet me in Outertale tonight."

"Why?"