No POV
Error takes shape again elsewhere, finding a chain around his neck and locking him to a wall. But he feels incomplete. He checks his soul, seeing that his shard is missing half of itself. So his soul is even smaller. He doesn't realize that his other piece took shape as Geno, locked in another cell.
They both glance around, seeing rows of cells stacking up endlessly and filled with alternate versions of them. Human, bitty, demon, angel, swap, daycare, lamia, nerd&jock, etc. You name it, that version is there. Error sees only other Errors and Geno sees only other versions of him. Each were in cells chained to the wall by the wrist, ankle, neck, and tail, wherever they could. They were stuck in another lab and trafficking scheme of Shattered's. Within seconds, they started getting tested on, but then there was a ding, indicating a purchase, and a single name appeared on the glass cell doors.
FATE PURCHASED A GENO.
Error's soul sinks, realizing that things are going Fate's way, and he imagines the pain that it will cause Reaper. Reaper will see Geno again and who knows how things will go. And he will be powerless to do anything. Then he groans in pain as the wound from the arrow makes it known again.
Geno gets freed from the cell, and transported to a random AU as the chain fades from his neck. He glances around in confusion, having never been outside the Save Screen or white space shortly before becoming Error. His wound still burns in his chest and glitches cover his eye. He has no idea what happened and why he is missing his red scarf.
"Find your way home." is the only order Fate gave him.
Home? Where could that be? Where is home for him? He can hardly recognize where he currently is.
He wanders around, cautious almost as much as he was curious. Then a thought strikes him: He can see Reaper again! Hold his sweet baby Goth again! Then his thoughts are full of concern. He needs to get help and an explanation about what just happened. Why he misses part of his soul and where he just was locked up. Perhaps that bizarre place could be stopped if he exposes it.
Shino finds him after coding her way through the barrier. She was trying to track Error/Papa down by locating his soul, but found Geno instead. Luckily Error and Reaper told her stories about the past or else she would've been confused why he was located instead. She only grows more concerned about what might've been done to him.
"Are you...Are you lost? Are you looking for someone?"She asks, unsure where to begin and explain things.
Geno pauses, considering his options...This girl may not know where Reaper is, but perhaps her son. He doubts such a young girl knows Death. She looks too healthy to encounter him.
"Yes, I'm looking for my son...His name is Goth. Have you seen a baby anywhere?"He asks, worried on how he went from holding Goth one moment to being locked up without him.
"Oh...A baby? What was the last thing that you remember?"She asks
"Holding him in my arms in this white empty space...Then a hand on my head...Then nothing."He says
"Oh...Yeah, a lot of time has passed....Goth's my oldest brother."She says
Oldest brother? So they're siblings? This is my baby's sister? Reaper....had more kids?
"R-Really? Where have you been living?"He asks
"With our dad, Reaper. I can take you home. My name is Shino. You'll be safe there."She says, opening a portal and offering her hand to him.
He hesitates, then takes her hand. He hesitantly follows her through with a nod. He glances around at the cozy living room that surrounds him now. Pillows cover the couch and puppets or dolls are scattered everywhere with different yarn projects on the table. Books are piled beside balls of yarn and the TV rests silently with the remote waiting to be used. A pair of red glasses rest on the TV stand and a mug of coffee rests abandoned on a coaster. Pictures hang on the walls filled with three kids individually or together, other with the kids and Reaper and a glitch he has never seen before...Yet somehow feels familiar...He recognizes Goth in the pictures and is shocked that he grew so much. How much has he missed? How long have they been apart? Did he get knocked out in one of those tests that he forgot how long he was stuck there for?
"Shino? Shino where are you? Your brothers are asleep so you have to go to sleep."Reaper calls
Geno gasps in shock, never expecting to hear his voice again, and sees him come down the stairs. Reaper hears him and glances over, dropping his bedtime book. His soul sinks at the sight of Geno as numerous questions run wild in his head. What happened to him? Did Error get forced to become Geno again? Is he okay? What did Shattered do to him?
"Found Papa...Sorta..."Shino says
"R-Reaper?"Geno says
Reaper quickly pushes his concerns away to focus on helping in the moment. He has to deal with the current situation regardless of his questions.
"Are you alright, Gen? You look really shaken up."He asks
Geno runs to him, hugging him tightly.
0I missed you...My mind is so blurry...Why does this feel familiar but also doesn't?"
Reaper smiles slightly. Perhaps he lived in Error still and was vaguely able to see everything, experience everything, and the joy of their family. Then he sees Geno get stern again, looking over at Shino.
"Shino, you heard your dad. Thank you for bringing me here but it's time you get to bed."He says
Yep, this is the Geno he knew.
Shino nods, going to bed with the hopes of making more progress tomorrow.
"Reaper...What happened? It's all so blurry...The last thing I remember is getting into a white space and Goth was a baby...Then it's foggy and unclear..."Geno says
"That's a long story, my dear. From my understanding, Fate made you into a different person to entertain themselves and Gaster kept me too busy with work and threats against you. Your new self was wonderful at raising Goth and we reunited. You even took in two more kids, including Shino. The other is a son named Raven. Goth has a good boyfriend and you are considered the grandpa to a little girl because you cared for her dad, Horror. Again, it's a lot to explain. What happened to you?"Reaper says
"Is that who I see in the pictures? The new me?"He asks
Reaper nods.
"Could that explain why I'm missing half my soul?"He asks
"What?"
Geno shows his soul and Reaper sees that it's lacking half its size.
"I woke up in a cell chained to a wall...No exit but a glass wall leading to a hallway. There were others that looked like me...Other versions of me are also trapped. I...got bought by Fate and left in a random area until Shino found me. Wherever that was...is probably where my other soul piece..the new me is..."Geno says, bowing his head as it all sinks in.
Reaper kisses him on the head gently.
"It'll be okay Gen. Fate won't touch you anymore. You're safe now and I'm glad that you got out safely. I'll take things from here."He tells Geno
"O-Ok.."Geno hides in his scarf as his face burns up.
The first bit of affection that he has felt from Reaper in years...His thoughts are racing...
"Reaper...Regardless of what happens or which version of me ends up staying....we'll stay together, right? You won't leave, right? We can finally be happy together?"He asks
Reaper frowns, seeing that Geno is already considering the end result. He always did. And his questions only put more bitterness into this bittersweet moment.
"Yes, we will. I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart. We'll be happy together. I plan to make you very happy very soon."He tells Geno
Geno smiles, placing a hand on Reaper's cheek, seeing his face burn up. He smiles at the sight.
"I always love how easy it is to get a reaction out of you."He says, kissing Reaper gently. Then Geno remembers one last detail...
"In the cell are live cameras and the ceiling opens for tests to be randomly done to me or anyone in the cells...Uggh, my head..."He says, feeling his head as the tests start to take effect.
Reaper scoops him up, carrying him to bed. Reaper takes care of him as the experiments take effect. He bandages Geno's extra wounds, unable of course to heal his giant bleeding chest scar. Two wings grow from his back and his legs fuse into a long tail. He curls up in bed more, feeling like his entire body is breaking and remaking itself. He was in too much pain to leave the bed but smiled, happy to see Reaper again. He was also happy to see the kids, proud of the boy that Goth grew into. The three would come in, trying to help take care of him.
Goth and Shino used the new info to start hacking into Shattered's streams, tracking it back to where he recorded them. Shattered is stuck still with the voices, unaware of what's happening. Lovespoon often sits outside his trap, staring him down with a frown. Sometimes she tightens the plant around him when she thinks he isn't in enough pain to pay for hurting her grandpa. She knows he can't hear her and won't give answers, just that he's yelling about being trapped. She knows the voices may torment him enough.
But she's still confident that they'll get her grandpa back one day. Error will be safe soon....Right?
TBC