Once Upon A Story

There Was No Buttercup

Error woke up with a jolt and sat up looking around his bedroom to see an exhausting Nightmare beside him. Although Error did not need sleep as sleep deprive can't kill him, he did feel better. He felt ten times better than usual. He stretched and rubbed his eye sockets. He rubbed Nightmares skull who smiled and sat up.

Nightmare gave Error a calm smile after hiding the book behind him, no way was he letting the others know Error had another hobby. A writer, a narrative writer. A book that told a story about his life, and he picked a weak animal at that. Nightmare didn't need anything more to worry the skeletons wandering about the castle. He looked towards the dresser as he had before, but now it seems naked without a storybook. The half melted candle and well-cared-for flower just seemed to not be enough to cover it. It's chipped wood seemed to be old and dead. He made a mental note to get Error a new dresser, that is, if he survived the ambush planned for him.

"So, what happened while I was out?" Error asked stand up though his body protested. His body seemed to have healed cuts and bruises, Nightmare sighed relieved, his magic did some good.

Error took a water bottle out of his closet and took it over to his flower, his Cosmo. He saw two more sprouting. He gave it a couple sips of water and smiled softly. This was his flower, he found this flower in Gardnertale, though he had planned to destroy the AU, he was fascinated by the flowers. The Sans there (Buttercup) didn't see a problem with Error coming there. Error didn't harm this place, and so he needed not to call Ink. Error would spend most of his free time there as Outer (Outertale Sans) would spy on Error so Outertale was not as safe as it used to be.

Error would sit for hours listening to Buttercup telling about all the different flowers he'd planted, he wanted to plant, the legends about the flowers, and so thats when the Cosmo came. A singular Cosmo would grow in Buttercups garden every year and Error would stare at it for hours. Before leaving and telling Buttercup he liked it.

One day, upon going to there, Error noticed the Cosmo was gone. He heard a fake cough from behind and whipped his head around. It was Buttercup. He had a medium sized planting pot with a red bow around it and the Cosmo. His Cosmo. "I have a book with it if you want to learn to take care of it." He said. Error took the plant with shaking hands, and minded to not touch Buttercups hands. "Thank you, but why give something to me?" Error asked to only get a chuckle. Buttercup took a small book out of pocket labeled 'Cosmo'. He sighed and fixated his straw hat. "You often tend to stare at it, not to mention one grows every year, I'm sure you'd take care of it." Buttercup stated. He gave Error the book and walked away to get some weeds out of his garden. Error didn't move, he didn't know what to do.

Error sighed having realized he closed his eye sockets. He remembered telling Buttercup he'd take wonderful care of it. However, Buttercup died a year ago. The Frisk (Daisy) of that universe poisoned him and used Chara (Rose) as a scapegoat. Buttercup left every flower handbook, every seed packet, every flower pot, and every Cosmo that ever grew in his garden to Error. Error knew how Buttercup wanted his garden, and knew how to take care of it better than the Papyrus (Plum) of that Universe did. Error shook his head and put the water bottle back in the closet.

"Well, Ink plans on ambushing you, and using a formula to break your soul. In all honesty, I don't think you should go, do you know what Blue had done just to keep you safe," Nightmare stated. Error nodded his head unable to speak. Often times he would have invited Blue to hang out with him in Gardenertale or Outertale only to have him pass out from exhaustion. Blue needed sleep and, though Error hated to admit it, he would let Blue cuddle with him if needed. If it kept Blue safe then he'd do it, one friend he had that didn't choose sides for the greater good, he picked sides because he believed in the right choice.

Error felt a ping in his soul. Ink created another AU. "Don't go, please, Error." Nightmare pleaded. Error opened a portal and said, "I don't have a choice, tell Blue that I love him if I don't get back in time to say so."

Error stepped through the portal to see that this AU was desolated and, to his dismay, no flowers. Between him and Blue, Flowerfell and Gardentale were his favorite AUs to make flower crowns in.

"Error!"

Error turned around the see his enemy. Error was infamous for wondering into AUs with no other motive then to destroy it. He showed no emotion, if anything, he looked unamused by Inks antics. Ink seemed to look pride filled.

Error thought that was a new one, it was usually determination that filled Ink.

Ink pointed his paintbrush at his enemy Error. He knew Error as he was: evil and merciless. Now, that didn't mean Ink despised Error but if he wanted to save his beloved creations he'd have to make sacrifices. If getting rid of Error got the deed done then that was that. "Error, I give you one more chance, please stop destroying my AUs, side with me." Ink purposed. Error looked down at the paintbrush pointed to his chest and smiled resting his elbow on it. He rested his head in his hand. "Oh, my sweet little squid, if I could I would, but I can't so no." Error said, looking into Inks strange eye lights. Ink had rainbow dust on his face, was Error flirting with him? "Are you flirting with me?" He asked. He, however, didn't let his guard down. Error blinked, confused. "What's flirting?" He asked. Ink felt his face flush. He looked like a pack of skittles. He felt a slight bit of pity for Error, he was innocent. Ink mentally shook his head and cleared his throat. He changed the subject.

"Well, since you chose to not take my side, I have no other choice. ATTACK!" (when typing 'side' I spelt it wrong and it came out as 'throat'. My mind went straight to Error shaking Ink by the neck) Ink yelled. A billion portals opened and a billion Sans' and Papyrus' stepped out and didn't waste time with setting up attacks. Error felt like his book was becoming a reality. Even if he had written the book only a couple months ago. He felt fear rising in his soul. If there was one thing he feared the most, it was nightmares coming true.

He closed his eyes tightly frozen in place. The sound of Gaster Blasters firing up made his knees feel weak. He took a deep breath, it felt like everything was moving in slow motion. The lasers were fired but seemed to be frozen.

He relaxed himself before telling a story.

"Once upon a time, there was a Gardener named Buttercup..."

The lasers started moving again and he knew the worst was to come.