(Author's Note: This chapter is only to show what happened when Ink died. I'll introduce a new character just to show the consequences.)
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Ink, still seething with frustration, fell to the ground, not due to exhaustion but as an act of complaint.
"Ugh!"
Core materialized next to him, concern etched on their features. "How are you, Ink?" they inquired.
Ink grunted dismissively, not bothering to meet Core's gaze. "I'm totally fine."
"Are you sure?"
Ink stood up abruptly, pointing an accusatory finger at Core. "Of course not! That computer reject first killed me, then ruined my work! Do you know how hard it is for me to draw an AU?!"
"It takes you a minute at most..." Core pointed out.
"Uhm... Still doesn't change the fact that it's annoying to do!" Ink raised his arms in exasperation. "Not only are there infinite of them, but with my death, all of them crashed or glitched out!"
"Mhm."
"Now, go away before I slam you into the Imaginary Plane. Scram and let me work." Ink gathered art tools, fresh papers, and delved into redrawing AUs with determined focus.
"What happened to you, Ink..." Core muttered under their breath.
"I can hear you!" Ink exclaimed without looking up from his work.
"Not the point... You've changed... Somehow you're more expressive, but more of a sociopath... Like... You are lost in your emotions."
"..." Ink remained silent, steadfastly continuing his creative endeavors.
"Either way, now I need to help the remaining AUs that are affected by your death. Have a great day." Core disappeared.
"Such a hassle..." Ink grumbled, his artistic sanctuary providing a temporary respite from the swirling chaos around him.
There is an AU, pretty far from Ink, which he didn't notice. Not like he cared. It was blank.
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In the aftermath of Ink's death, the AU known as "Something Wrong with StorySwap" experienced a peculiar shift. Before Ink's demise, the narrative unfolded smoothly, with Frisk, a laid-back resident, leading a relatively tranquil existence.
Frisk, with a carefree demeanor, navigated through the AU's various timelines. Their experiences were unusual, marked by resets, confrontations with a genocidal child, and the persistent ebb and flow of timelines. This genocidal child would swing between ruthless massacres and sudden acts of mercy, leaving Frisk bewildered by their unpredictable behavior.
While Frisk maintained a laid-back attitude, their keen observation allowed them to notice the subtle abnormalities in their AU. The once stable narrative began to unravel, introducing an element of uncertainty and disorder. As the fabric of their reality started to fray, Frisk couldn't help but feel a growing sense of disquiet.
Yet, despite the upheaval in the AU, Frisk remained committed to their chill persona, only rousing themselves to confront the genocidal child in instances where harm was inflicted. The cycles of resetting and respawning, fueled by DETERMINATION and their soul trait, became a constant in Frisk's existence, a reflection of the tumultuous changes brought about by the fallout of Ink's demise.
Frisk's initial unease escalated as the anomalies in "Something Wrong with StorySwap" grew more bizarre and unsettling. The incongruities intensified, with doors perching atop trees and landscapes undergoing surreal exchanges. The usual order of the AU seemed to be eroding, replaced by a disconcerting chaos that defied explanation.
Confronting the genocidal child yielded no answers. The erratic behavior of the place persisted, and Frisk found themselves grappling with an enigma that transcended the usual twists of their adventurous existence. Attempts to reset the timeline proved futile; the once-reliable mechanism now betrayed Frisk, refusing to restore the stability that had been lost.
The changes within the AU took a dark turn. Strange occurrences morphed into eerie phenomena, and the once-familiar elements became distorted and nightmarish. Frisk's efforts to understand and rectify the situation proved fruitless, and a pervasive sense of isolation settled in as the very fabric of the AU unraveled.
In a final, disconcerting twist, the entire AU seemed to collapse, leaving Frisk alone in a featureless white expanse. The once-vibrant reality had been replaced by an empty void, a stark reflection of the profound disruption wrought by the aftermath of Ink's death. Now, Frisk stood as the solitary witness to the haunting transformation of their once-beloved AU.
Frisk, usually resilient and accustomed to the ebb and flow of timelines, found themselves grappling with an entirely new form of despair. The erasure of "Something Wrong with StorySwap" took a toll on their typically strong-minded nature. The accustomed resets and the return of familiar faces had given them a sense of stability, a reassurance that no matter the challenges, everything would eventually revert to its initial state.
However, witnessing the complete dissolution of their AU shattered that sense of security. The cries of their family and friends echoed in their mind, the haunting sounds of glitched despair that reverberated in the empty white expanse. The knife they once used as a weapon now became a symbol of their frustration, thrown aimlessly into the abyss of the void.
Negative emotions overwhelmed Frisk, an onslaught of grief and helplessness that seemed insurmountable for their young psyche. The isolation in the featureless white realm only intensified their despair, the absence of any familiar landmarks or friendly faces amplifying the weight of their solitude.
Attempts to escape through sleep proved futile, the white expanse persisting as a constant reminder of the void left by the lost AU. The fountain of negativity seemed unending, a relentless stream that threatened to consume Frisk's resilience and optimism. In the midst of this cosmic emptiness, they grappled with emotions far beyond their years, a fragile soul navigating the harsh aftermath of an AU's demise.
And this fountain of negativity... Attracted a very malevolent entity. A bad one. And they were confronting Frisk right now.
"Oh... Look at what do we have here... Basically another stupid negative farm..." Nightmare laughed darkly, while just watching the sixteen year old.
When Frisk noticed him, their only emotions were: fear.
Normally, before fighting, they would try to reason, and if it comes to fighting, they wouldn't want to fight directly. But Nightmare was something else...
Nightmare seemingly had an aura of pure negativity, the more Frisk comes close to it, more negative emotions and flashbacks of his brother started resurfacing.
So the moment Nightmare finished his mocking words, Frisk brought out their kitchen knife, but with DETERMINATION infused in it, making it turn a strong red, and slashed. The slash left an arc so fast that it would be comparable to a laser, a photon, a ray of light. After it seemingly hit its target, it made up a cloud of red dust so big that it would be comparable to a mountain.
"Oh... You're one of those aren't you?" Hearing Nightmare's voice would be a terrible thing in this scenario. How did he survive, or dodge that?
Nightmare's swift movement placed him behind Frisk, his voice whispering unsettling words over their shoulders.
"You seem troubled... Is something wrong?" Nightmare inquired, an air of feigned concern laced in his words. As Frisk attempted to break free, Nightmare released his grasp, effortlessly evading the retaliatory slash from the glowing knife.
"Who are you?!" Frisk demanded, frustration and anxiety coloring their voice.
"I don't see a reason why I should tell you, little thing... You already might have an idea. I know you are REALLY smart. I might be some sort of embodiment of despair perhaps? Or false hope? You decide!" Nightmare's response held a cryptic ambiguity, leaving Frisk in the dark about the true nature of their malevolent visitor.
The white void seemed to stretch infinitely around them, the only constants being Frisk, their knife, and the enigmatic Nightmare who reveled in the sea of negativity that surrounded the once-thriving AU.
Frisk tried to reset on more time. And it surprisingly worked. Nightmare was in the first place where they met, and asked the same things.
But after finishing, he grabbed them by the neck with one of his tentacles, holding them up and making them choke.
"You thought you got me there, didn't you? Didn't you love the last fleeing moments of hope? I hope I crushed them, ehehe..."
What Nightmare actually did, was to go back to the exact place where they first met, and recite again the same words. Frisk thought that their reset worked, but it didn't; it's just Nightmare giving them false hope.
"What do you want?!" Asked Frisk, struggling from the tentacle.
"Oh, nothing much... Just working for me..."
"AS IF-" Frisk was interrupted.
"Oh, too bad, I just knew a way to restore your AU back."
Nightmare's words hung in the air, injecting a spark of desperate curiosity into Frisk's mind.
"What did you say?" Frisk's voice wavered between skepticism and a glimmer of hope.
"Oh, indeed! I can guide you to restore your precious AU," Nightmare sneered, enjoying the mix of emotions playing across Frisk's face.
Frisk hesitated, torn between the desire to save their home and the suspicion that Nightmare was playing yet another cruel trick.
"Give in to despair, or take a chance... What will it be?" Nightmare chuckled, relishing the inner turmoil of the tormented soul in their grasp.
"Just to let you know... If you don't bring your AU back, I bet that your friends would hate you if they were alive..."
"Huh?!"
" 'Why didn't you save us?!' they would scream out... 'Why did you leave me dead?! You could have restored the AU but you didn't!' Oh, your brother.... 'I hate you!' your best friends..."
Frisk's grip tightened on their knife, a surge of determination overcoming the fear planted by Nightmare's words.
They tried at least.
"I won't let you manipulate me! If there's a way to save my AU, I'll find it without your twisted games," Frisk retorted, defiance flashing in their eyes.
Nightmare's grin widened, relishing the challenge.
"Such a spirit! Well then, let's see how long that determination lasts in this sea of despair."
Nightmare then brought Frisk closer to his eyes, and said, "Too bad you didn't have a choice. I decided that the moment you attacked me."