Classic's POV
A few hours earlier
"Where did you get that gun of yours anyway?" Outer asked as he lay on a grassy area in OuterTale. "Well Sci had it on his table and I just couldn't help myself, okay?" I replied, putting it back into my pocket. "It's not that big anyway, it can be easily concealed," I added, halfheartedly punching Outer's shoulder. He rolled his eyes at my antics. "I am still shocked that you managed to get me to remember. I thought Fate permanently sealed my memories." "I thought so too," I mumbled, looking up at the glittering diamonds in the sky. "But it's just the beginning. There are hundreds of thousands of other AU's that need to regain their memories so my success is just the beginning."
"Hey," Outer said happily. "At least its a start. With Fate's reign, I thought it would've been more permanent." I chuckled half-heartedly. "It's crazy to think that Sci's prototype anesthetic was able to get passed that memory block Fate put up." Outer's happy expression turned more monotone when he noticed my neutral expression. "Bro, what's wrong?" He asked me, looking worried. I sighed and looked down into the Void. "I am just worried that if Fate realizes that they are about to lose their hold on this multiverse, that Error will never be able to see his adopted brother again."
Outer's expression hardened. "Error's brother is more unpredictable than Error. Not to mention that said brother is notorious for evading both Fate and Void. Error will see him one day." "If he remembers," was my pathetic reply. Fate wanted a monster who didn't have any ties that could hold them down. They got more than they bargained for. "What's the game plan?" Outer asked, changing the subject. I shrugged. "It's whatever Error does. Fate pissed of their sibling's Time and Karma so the outcome is unknown right now." "Is it in our favor?" Outer finally asked after a moment of silence.
I grinned. "At this point, it's whatever they want." Outer shot me a disbelieving look before rolling his eyes. "I never get a straight answer out of you. Who are they?" Ignoring him, I stood up. "Put your AU on lockdown. If shit hits the fan, at least you'll be safe. A lot of Sanses are doing it to protect their AU's so wherever Error and Ink will fight is limited." "Do you know where they are?" Outer asked, trying to get more answers. I grinned, opening a portal back home. "I have a vague idea," I replied, disappearing before he could press me further. Time to put my universe under lockdown.
Error's POV
I never thought I would see the day were Ink would finally lose ground. A tower can only be built so tall after all, and I am determined to knock him down. "GOOD LUCK OUT THERE," Nightmare grumbled, looking at me with pride. "THIS IS GAME OVER, FOR EITHER SIDE." I smiled softly at him. "TiLl the end?" "TILL THE END," he confirmed. Killer and Dream watched from afar, the others to busy with the chocolate fiasco to wish me good luck. Neither Dream or Killer seemed interested in wishing me farewell so I started to create a portal to Ink's last known location, the remains of InkTale. However, I was interrupted by the ever increasing enigma I have come to meet, Classic.
"Hang on," he told me, appearing out of a portal. "Catch," he said, tossing a small looking pistol. I caught it and examined it. "It has three shots left, shoot Ink with one and it'll give you some breathing room if things get too heated. You and Ink are major gods, so all its going to do is make him dizzy and sluggish for five minutes." "OkAy?" I replied, not understanding what he was trying to say. 'Shooting Ink with that would also knock Sketch's power down,' I heard Static add. I shrugged and pocketed it. "I'll keep this in mind, thanks Classic." "Good luck," he replied, teleporting away.
I could tell Nightmare didn't know what to do with the enigma either so he just brushed it off. "YOU SHOULD PROBABLY GET GOING. WE DON'T KNOW WHERE INK IS," he warned. I nodded and created a portal and lept through it, determined to find Ink before his lackeys recovered.
Third Person POV
Ink stood facing the Void in a copy cat of OuterTale. He too appreciated the stars and open sky, but unlike Error, he was not allowed in the original OuterTale at the moment. Outer blocked him out. Why? Ink didn't know, but he had bigger things to worry about. A voice in his head was becoming clearer every minute and he couldn't feel his body at times. What was happening?
'He's here,' the voice whispered, sounding angelic yet demonic at the same time. Ink was nervous, but he took out his brush anyway. He turned around to see someone who he never thought he would see again. Even though his nightmare became reality, and his eye was permanently damaged, Ink could not help but blame himself at times. But not now, not when Error stood in front of him.
Ink could sense change. The tall lanky skeleton for once seemed unharmed in any way. The scars of the past were hidden by his unnatural black bones, yet Ink could still vividly see every single one of them. Are they bleeding? No. It's just his imagination again. His eyes held eternal sadness, but they were calm. Ink has never seen them calm before. In a frenzy yes. In pain yes. But he's never seen them calm. Not even when star gazing in OuterTale. Blue tear tracks seemed to glow with an ethereal glow... Strange. Ink's never seen them as tear tracks before. Only stripes of power.
A beautiful navy blue scarf billowed in the gentle breeze around Error's neck. To Ink, it was a masterpiece. There were no stitches anywhere. It was as if a solid color animated itself into a scarf. It's unnatural. It's beautiful. His jacket, which hid his navy blue shirt, was a different story, however. The same navy blue stitches that created his scarf could be seen covering the black fabric. It was a mess. It was chaotic. But to Ink, it was another form of art. It definitely brought Error's character out.
His red pants took Ink by surprise because they matched the red surrounding Error's pupils. With the same blue stitches, it also reminded him of Error's jacket, except maybe blood stains would be easier to hide than on the black and blue canvas of his other clothes. His sneakers were a mix of all the previous colors. The front part and the tongue of the sneaker were black, with the remaining back colored that red eye color. The soles were colored that beautiful navy blue color and the laces were yellow, tying up all the colors. This is an art piece.
This isn't the first time Error changed his wardrobe, but it's the first time Ink could examine it in fine detail without worrying for his life. The amount of time put into the design had Ink slightly baffled since he never thought that Error would have this creative ability. It didn't help when Ink realized that the blue stitches and blue fabric were actually Error's strings. No wonder his scarf is so smooth. Its infused with magic.
While Ink took the time to study Error, Error took the time to study Ink. Error noticed two things. The first thing is Ink looks physically and mentally exhausted. The second thing and the most notable thing was his skull. His left eye had cracks surrounding it. Now when Error brutally attacked Ink in the Dreamscape, he didn't think the injuries were going to be this severe when he woke up. It almost made him feel guilty. Almost. Sometimes Ink's blue circle pupil flickered and changed to a green shape before flickering back to the blue circle. Static knew what it was immediately.
'That's Sketch,' Static muttered, growing increasingly uneasy. 'How can you tell?' I asked. 'His eye.' Static replied, refusing to answer any more questions. He was saving up his energy for the main event. With Ink's physical and mental abilities showing signs of weakness, Error knew Ink didn't have much more time before Sketch took full control, permanently. Error smiled politely, wondering how trashed this copycat of OuterTale would be after all of this.
"HellO," Error started, his voice smooth with little glitching in it. That took Ink by surprise. He wasn't even sure if this was the same skeleton at this point, but he knew it was Error. He can recognize a victim. "Error?" Ink asked tentatively, almost wanting to poke him to check if he was real. "The oNe and onLy desTroyer. I sEe you'vE been taKing care of the mUltiverse in my abSence," Error replied, sarcasm covering each and every word. Ink flinched slightly at his cold tone.
"I don't know whos been destroying Error," Ink warily said, trying to placate the destroyer. "All I know is that when you died, everything went to shit." "Everything wEnt to shit?!" Error replied, sounding angry. "HalF of the mUltiverse hAs beEn coRrupted! And how lOng have I beEn gone? A month? A year? Hell if I kNow!" Error growled, his voice raising the angrier he got. "I'm chIlling in a mUltiverse that is peacEful and than Nightmare aPpeaRs out of noWhere with Dream tellIng me yOu've fuCked eveRything up!"
Ink grew defensive. "I fucked everything up? Look at you! You're the one who destroys everything I make and for what? For fun?!" Error whirled on him like a storm. "YoU tHINk I fucKed evErythinG uP! EveRYthinG has a liMIt Ink! I haVe a lIMit, yOU havE a lImIt. This enTirE mULtiveRse hAs a LimIt! EvEry tIMe yOU crEate sOmeTHing, I hAd to gEt ofF of mY soRry aSs aNd liSTen tO nOnexIStent vOices to mAkE suRE thE othEr EXistIng AU's dIdn't die dUe to bEing tOo clOSe to eAch Other!" Error snarled, his glitching getting worse due to his anger. For once Ink didn't have an answer.
"ThInk baCk," Error said in a more gentle tone. "WheN you fIrst appEared in exIstence, did you heAr someThing? DiD you heAr someone?" Ink hesitated before diving deep into his memories, ignoring the ever nagging voice in his head. He dug around deeper and deeper until he stumbled across a weird memory. He could hear a voice. A warning. But it was a whisper and he barely could hear it now.
"Ink, my child. Whatever you do, don't go over this Multiverse's limit. It could cause the destruction of this Multiverse."
If only he could have heard it sooner. "Error... I-" Ink was interrupted by a migraine. He dropped his brush and clutched his head. Error swiftly backed away, not liking how unpredictable the situation has become. 'You are mine!' The voice snarled ripping the control from Ink. Ink lost conscious for a few seconds before he reawoke as a ghost-like entity, watching him and Error as if he were a spectator. "Error!" Ink tried, but Error could not hear him. He was in a different plane of existence.
"Hahahahahaha! Its time for a reckoning!" Sketch laughed maniacally, picking up the fallen paint brush, coating it in red paint. Error was quick to respond, summoning blue strings from his tear tracks. He got into a defensive position, waiting for the viper to strike. "Oh Static," Sketch said in a sadistic tone. "You should have joined me when you had the chance." And with that, Sketch struck.
Error barely managed to dodge the red paint that was headed his way. 'Do you want to hear the good news or bad news first?' Static asked as if Error wasn't fighting an insane version of Ink. Dodging more paint and sending glitched gaster blasters towards Sketch, Error didn't really have time to reply. 'Good news it is then,' Static muttered. 'The good news is that Ink can be brought back to control if we administer at least two of the anesthetics and it will tire Sketch at the same time. The bad news is that Sketch is a master dodger and planner. He won't let you shoot him unless you tire him out first or you take him by surprise.'
'How do we take him by surprise?' Error asked, using his strings to snag Sketch's foot and send him flying into a cliff. 'He probably studied your techniques through Ink, and he knows mine. So we must combine our attacks together.' Sketch stood up from the rubble and used purple paint to try and hold Error in place but Error dodged it. 'How do we do that?' Error asked, grabbing Sketch's scarf and using it to throw him to the ground.
'Well... I don't know. You're the one who's creative. You come up with something!' Static replied, sounding annoyed. So much for that help. "Okay okay time out," Sketch growled, his hands up high were Error could see them. Error reluctantly lowered his hands, but he didn't unsummon his string. "You aren't taking me seriously and I'm not taking you seriously either." "WhAt are you getTing at?" Error growled clenching his fists causing his strings to taut. "Come at me, with everything you got." "Well..." Error started, slowly combining his strings and Static's magic together. "VerY well."
And with that Error struck. Sketch was expecting to get thrown again, but he wasn't expecting the feeling of being burned. Error, sensing an opportunity, used his strings to pull Sketch closer to him. He took out the small gun and shot Sketch's good eye to get to his magic since Ink's body didn't have a soul. Crying out in pain, Sketch created red paint out of thin air and coated Error's strings in it, easily snapping the strings. He backed away and covered his good eye with one hand, his brush in the other.
Error raised the gun, preparing to shoot Sketch's other eye. 'Hold on,' he heard Static growl. Error reluctantly lowered his weapon, watching Sketch lower his brush in confusion. 'What? Why?' Error asked. Error could feel Static shake his head. 'You have to wait for Sketch to recover. Once the magic is settled, you can hit him with a second dose. Like Classic said, this stuff will only last on you guys for five minutes to try to injure him so you'll have an easier time next time. Your ability to surprise him again won't come so easily.'
With that, Error pocketed his gun and charged at Sketch. Sketch held his brush to try and create a barrier between them to no avail. He was, at this point, seeing three of everything and it was hindering him more than he expected. Error grabbed Ink's brush and managed to wrestle it out of Sketch's hands. Error held the brush over his knee and broke it in half before chucking the pieces into the Void. Sketch snarled and punched Error, causing him to stagger back a few steps.
Ink yelled out of rage and he tried to punch Error to with no luck. He was pissed. Creating a brush like that again would take months with little to no breaks in between. When Error broke his original brush, Ink managed to find the pieces and he mended it in less than a day, although the process was painful. Now those same pieces were in the Void. Ink took a few deep breaths to try and calm himself down. He's trying to cripple Sketch Ink reminded himself over and over again. Soon, Ink was back in a state where he could think rationally. I'll kill Error later, Ink decided. But right now, I need a way to get control back.
Error was expecting the punch so he managed to dodge the worst of the blow. He kicked at Sketch's chest in retaliation, but Sketch caught Error's foot and he pulled him to the ground. Sketch than proceded to jump on his chest, cracking a few of Error's ribs. Error gritted his teeth and threw Sketch off. He landed on his shoulder and Error could hear a crack. 'I think he cracked his clavicle,' Static muttered, startling Error a little. Sure enough, when Sketch stood up, Error noticed bone marrow seeping out of the cracks in Sketch's left clavicle.
Sketch tried to use his turn to heal, but Error didn't give him a chance. There's a huge advantage that Error has that Sketch never thought about until now. Error is used to fighting with broken bones. He's used to pain. 'It's been five minutes,' Error heard Static say. Error grinned and summoned his strings. This time they were a darker blue color. Sketch tried to dodge, but Error's strings had a different plan. Error grinned and lifted his arms and threw Sketch into the air before slamming him back into the ground again.
Sketch cried out in pain and gripped his shoulder, leaving his eyes vulnerable. Error took the shot and he was once again successful. This is when Sketch gave up on doing things rationally. Ignoring the pain in his left arm, he lifted his right hand and created ink out of thin air and covered his arm in it. Clenching his fist, the ink formed into a sharp blade. He used it to cut himself out of the strings.
Error created some more firey strings and shot them at the approaching skeleton. Sketch slashed through them as if they were made out of butter. He went to stab Error but Error dodged. Changing tactics, Sketch swung at Errors right hand and managed to give Error a shallow cut. Error cried out in surprise and dropped the gun he was holding since the ink was infused with red paint. In an open wound, it was really painful, even for Error. Sketch wasted no time and shot Error's soul.
Error felt dizzy, he saw three of everything, and he was tired. But not yet. Error, using Static's guidance, charged. Sketch's eyes widened in surprise and he raised the gun up to shoot Error again but to no avail. The cartridge was empty. Error ran into Sketch and they both went tumbling into the Void.
Ink's eyes widened in surprise as he ran to the edge. He saw nothing but an eternal black void. He hesitated. Either he could live here as a ghost and watch everyone die from his mistakes or he could try to regain control of his body and escape the Void with Error. The choice was obvious. Ink took a few steps back and dived into the Void, chasing after his last salvation.
-----
"Hey Cipher!" Chipher looked up to see his younger adopted brother, ysasb. Chipher put his needle and thread down and he gave his brother a look. "I'm a bit busy ysasb," he replied and went back to knitting. "I know, I know, you're always busy bro, but there's a problem." Cipher looked up again to see ysasb completely serious. He sighed and stood up, leaving his needle and thread alone. "What's the problem?" Cipher asked ysasb. He shrugged. "I'm not completely sure," ysasb started. "But Dream wanted me to tell you that another Sans appeared in his AU."
Cipher's eyes widened in surprise. "Another one of Void's refugees?" "Dream doesn't know," ysasb replied, opening a portal. "But he wants you to check him out since apparently, he has amnesia." Shrugging, Cipher followed ysasb through the portal. When they entered DreamTale, Cipher immediately noticed the new Sans. He was shorter than other Sanses and that was saying something. He looked artistic with the paint smudge on his cheek. He also had vials of paint or ink stashed on his sash. His head jerked up when he noticed Cipher and ysasb. His blue circle and yellow star pupils changed to a red exclamation mark and a green question mark before fading back to his original pupils.
ysasb, being better with living beings than Cipher, held his hands up were the artistic skeleton could see them. "Hey, we aren't going to hurt you. My names ysasb. What's yours?" The artistic skeleton flinched slightly before looking down at the ground. "I- I don't re-remember," he stuttered hugging himself tighter, trying to make himself smaller. ysasb looked sad and even Cipher and Dream lost their wariness. He was just a kid.
"Can I see one of your vials?" ysasb asked. The kid hesitantly choose the green filled one and tossed it to ysasb. Once he caught it, he opened it and took a whiff. "Interesting," he muttered, closing the lid and tossing it to Dream who handed it back to the kid. "What's so interesting?" Cipher asked, curiously. "It's not paint, its ink," ysasb replied. He turned back to the kid. "Well, I think I know what your name is." "What is it?" The kid asked, his curiosity overriding his fear.
"Your name is Ink."
---
Cipher didn't like how close ysasb was getting to the kid. He was hoping the kid would be able to remember his AU and want to recreate it and live their peacefully but it looks like he's about as stuck as himself and ysasb first were when they came here. "Why the long face?" Cipher heard Nightmare ask. Cipher huffed at his dark friend's question. "That kid reeks of Fate." "Don't we all?" Nightmare joked, putting down his journal to listen to Cipher rant. "I know we all smell like Fate but he just reeks of it. My instincts find it suspicious. What if Fate found us and sent him to spy on us?"
"Calm down," Nightmare grumbled. "First of all, Ink went through both me and Dream and we both can confirm that he is not lying. Secondly, he's three feet tall and he doesn't even know what magic is. Thirdly, he has amnesia. If he is a spy, he certainly doesn't remember it now does he?" Cipher sighed at Nightmare's logic. "I suppose you're right, but because I am one of Void's blessed, I don't like that he reeks of Fate's magic."
"Maybe his family was Anti-Fate and they were damned to the Void because of it." "That's actually not a bad idea," Cipher grumbled, not liking how Nightmare was so good at taking apart his rants and showing him both sides of the arguments. Nightmare grinned and started to walk back over to the Tree of Emotions. "I'm going to read, I'll talk to you later." "Later!" Cipher called back and he made his way over to Dream, ysasb, and Ink. ysasb managed to chip away Ink's wariness and the two of them were playing tag.
Chipher joined Dream, who was smiling at the pair's antics. "Isn't this cute?" Dream asked, turning his head to look at him. "You did the exact same thing to ysasb when he first came here. It looks like he's following in your footsteps." Cipher laughed at that. "I suppose he is, isn't he?" Cipher replied, smiling at how gentle his younger brother was being towards Ink. "What are you going to do with Ink?" Dream asked, his tone more serious than before." Cipher shrugged. "The kid reeks of Fate's magic, but it looks like I am going to have to take care of him since both him and ysasb already bonding. It would be cruel to split them apart."
"It would," Dream agreed. Smiling, he stretched and started to walk towards the tree. "I'm going to join my brother, I'll see you around Cipher." I waved back and started to walk over to ysasb and Ink. "Hey kiddos, we're going home," I called out. ysasb eyes widened in surprise before he broke out into a grin. "It looks you get to live with us," he told Ink who became starry eyed at this but they turned back to normal once he realized that I would also be living with them.
Seeing his growing anxiety, I knelt to his level and let him approach me. "Hey," I whispered softly, resting my hand on his scrawny shoulder. "I promise I won't hurt you intentionally if you don't hurt me and my family. Can you promise me that?" Ink cocked his head curiously. "I promise," he replied.
---
One year later
It's been over a year, and Ink's grown on Cipher more than he would ever care to admit. Sometimes ysasb would catch the two playing tag or playing some other game that tested Ink's capabilities. Of course, Cipher would never admit it but ysasb has lived with Cipher for so long that he could tell he was lying. Meanwhile, Ink admired Cipher as the father figure he never had although Cipher acted more like an older brother. Ink looked up to Cipher for guidance and to ysasb for fun. On Ink's first anniversary, he got presents from his older brothers.
"Ink!" Cipher called, gaining the young artist's attention immediately. He was painting in his room, which was filled with pencils and brushes and paper scattered all around the floor. "Coming!" Ink replied, teleporting out of his room and into the living room. Cipher was standing there as regal as ever and then there was ysasb who was leaning against the wall, being lazy. "What do you guys need?" Ink asked, trying to be polite. Cipher smiled, amused.
"Well," Cipher started, using his magic to make a present appear in Ink's arms. "Happy birthday Ink." Ink's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't even know today was his first year anniversary. He carefully tore the blue paper to reveal a beautiful tanned colored scarf. He grinned. Cipher always wore his blue scarf and he noticed that Ink always admired it so Cipher decided to knit Ink his own. "Its infused with magic so it will grow with you and it can't be destroyed," Cipher added, watching Ink try it on. It shrunk down to his size and Ink twirled in delight.
"My turn," ysasb said and he handed Ink a paintbrush. Ink carefully took it and he almost dropped it when it expanded into an oversized one. "This will be your weapon like my chains and Cipher's strings." Ink held it up and examined it. "Are you going to give it a name?" ysasb asked curiously. Ink thought long and hard before he finally came up with one. "Broomy!" Ink exclaimed. Cipher and ysasb burst out laughing. "That's a great name!" Cipher exclaimed as ysasb picked Ink up.
"We are going to start your training now that you've settled down," Cipher added. Ink's pupils lit up in excitement. After learning that Cipher was the protector of this multiverse along with ysasb, he wanted to join them. He would strive to be just as good as them and protect everyone here from the evils of Fate, just like Cipher promised and ysasb promised after him.
---
Five years later
It's been over five years. Ink stood at his max height of 5'2 and it brought him eternal joy that he was two inches taller than ysasb, although he was a dwarf compared to Cipher, who stood at a height of 6'5. Over the years, Ink learned from the different Sanses to control his magic but it was him and it was him alone who discovered that he could create paint and paint animals and monsters to life. He did have to swear to Cipher and everyone that he would not create worlds for fun. He instead helped the process of recreating worlds for the refugees of Fate's abuse.
His best friend and his best teacher, Dream, finally gave the go ahead to Cipher. Now Ink would help Cipher and ysasb keep the balance. Destroy foreign corrupted out codes. Capture and interrogate possible spies. It was a dream come true, but it was also a rude awakening for him to find out that not everyone is as good natured as he is. Ink unstrapped Broomy from his back and grew defensive when the corrupted code lunged at Cipher.
Cipher created blue strings from his fingers and wrapped them around the code. Ink seeing his chance summoned red paint onto Broomy and slashed it across the code, causing it to disintegrate into tiny 1's and 0's. Ink flinched, not expecting Cipher to rest his hand on Ink's shoulder. "It won't be easier than this," Cipher started. "And it will never feel rewarding until you think about how many lives we protect from these corrupted out codes, how many families are still together. Never forget your morals Ink." With that, Cipher went searching out for more with Ink on his tail.
---
Seven years later
It's gone to hell and Cipher felt helpless. Fate managed to get in. For decades, Cipher has protected the monsters from Fate and it all came down to one out code getting passed Dream and Nightmare's natural lie detectors by using magic to fuck everything up. A spy. Cipher was on the ground with a broken pelvis preventing him from getting to his feet. His brother, ysasb had dusted already, defending Ink and him. Ink was heartbroken, but he was mostly angry.
"You assholes! You killed him!" Using red paint, he cut through Fate's army, decimating them and creating ink monsters to fight for him from the spilled paint. Dream was shooting arrows, standing over Cipher but he was about to be overwhelmed. Nightmare and his friends were fighting somewhere on the bloody battlefield but so many deaths had occurred that Cipher didn't know if they were dead or not. The lack of hope was affecting Dream and Cipher knew they wouldn't last much longer.
Ink was like an animal. His canines glistened from the bright light of Fate's portals and his clothes were speckled with dust and blood. He wasn't tiring and that was giving a lot of monsters hope which was giving Dream more strength. "Sci!" Dream yelled, gaining the scientist's attention. He quickly ran over and began to heal Cipher. Soon, Cipher was on his feet, feeling invigorated. After a quick thank you to Dream and Sci, he ran over to Ink.
When he reached his brother, he joined the massacre. With their backs facing each other, they murdered everyone brutally. Ink using his different paints to kill soldiers or heal himself and Cipher with his strings, manipulating Fate's soldiers to turn on each other. As soon as the tides started to turn into their favor, it all came crashing down. Fate's champion, Destiny flew down from the heavens and joined in on the fun. Cipher growled at him and tried to call Oblivion, Void's champion, but he got no reply.
Cursing the champion, Chipher called on his powers and magic reserves to challenge Destiny. He used his strings to grab Destiny's wings. With a loud snap and an agonizing roar that silenced the entire battlefield, he broke Destiny's wings. Destiny whirled upon his attacker and Cipher meet him head on. The armies respectfully stopped fighting to watch the spectacle. A champion of Fate vs a protector of a multiverse that no one but its inhabitants cares about.
Ink knew that his older brother, Cipher would already know how this was going to end. They would die, but maybe, just maybe, they could leave their mark on Fate's pride and ysasb wouldn't want them to just sit down and die. Ink leaned against Broomy and watched Cipher gain the upper hand. He watched as Cipher used tricks that even he didn't know existed. He watched in shock as Destiny dropped his duel swords in defeat. He watched Cipher snap Destiny's neck. The champion would reform, but it will take years before he would open his eyes again.
---
Ink was on the ground, bone marrow leaking out of his mouth. His soul was practically in pieces. He was dying and Cipher knew it. Fate took them by surprise by joining the battlefield. Everyone was dead except for them and one other. The original, with a giant gash on his chest, was bleeding out on the ground, refusing to die. Ink grabbed Cipher's hand and squeezed it. "I'm sorry Cipher. I'll see you on the other side," was all he managed to say. He coughed up more bone marrow before ceasing movement but he didn't dust. Cipher was to grief stricken to care. He cried into Ink's chest, wishing this was a horrible dream. He only stirred when he heard Classic dust. The multiverse would die, and he would die with it.
Cipher lifted his head when he heard footsteps approaching him. Fate, a genderless being that was entirely made out of light dimmed so Cipher could see them. They wanted Cipher to witness his punisher. Cipher narrowed his eyes, but he was too fatigued and depressed to care and lost his glare. "You have disobeyed the laws of Fate. You tried to change your destiny. You will be punished," Fate hissed waving their hand causing Cipher to disappear. They then turned to Ink's lifeless body.
"My poor creation," Fate muttered, picking Ink's body up, cradling him gently. "You grew attached and you lost your memory. I will give you the life you have always wanted once I reset this multiverse and no one will hold you down ever again." Fate recreated a part of InkTale and placed Ink in there to wake, but he would be different. He would no longer be Ink, protector of the multiverse. No disappointing title like that would be given to him. He would be Ink, the God of Creativity. Fate picked up Ink's paintbrush and examined it. They noticed an inscription near the bristles. To Ink, From ysasb and Cipher. That wouldn't do. Fate carefully burnt it away, until it only said To Ink. That way Ink could discover his name and his purpose. Fate than left the brush next to the fallen protector and moved on to Cipher.
Cipher was pacing in the white void he arrived in. He already felt himself going crazy since there never ending silence and his guilt. He let ysasb and Ink die. It was all his fault. "Cipher," Fate called causing him to stop and turn to the cursed primordial. "What do you want?" Cipher snarled trying to summon his strings but to no avail. "I am here to deal out your punishment," Fate replied sadistically. Cipher grew quiet, fear encasing his soul.
"You will wake up with no memory of your past. You will go insane here. You will become the very thing you used to hunt down and kill. You will become a corrupted out code. Your friends will hate you and try to kill you. The ones who stick by you will become corrupted killers and they will be hunted down by the rest of the multiverse. You will no longer be known as Cipher, protector, and founder of this multiverse. You will be known as Error, the God of Destruction and the Destroyer of the multiverse." Cipher yelled in anger. He charged at Fate and punched them but once his fist hit their body, he drew it back from the pain and held it gingerly. Fate cackled and disappeared, leaving Cipher on his knees, holding his slowly darkening glitching hand.
Days slowly passed into months and then years. The wound Cipher earned from attempting to punch Fate grew across his entire body until he was completely covered in glitches. His hands went from white to black with red and yellow fingers. His teeth yellowed and his black eyes grew red. His pupils became multicolored and his tear tracks became a part of his skull. Every day he forgot one thing after another. The day he woke up and forgot ysasb he clawed at his eyes, trying to desperately remember his face at least. His bloody eyes healed after a few hours, Fate not wanting to lose their entertainment just yet. Than Cipher forgot Ink. The adorable, loveable kid with an oversized paintbrush disappeared from his memory just like ysasb did. He soon began to forget everything. His morals, his magic, his emotions. Everything. One day he woke up feeling empty, only hanging onto his name, and that's when Fate struck.
The voices were small at first. Just arguments in the back of his head that kept the once silent Anti-Void lively. Then it grew worse. The arguments would be about him and how worthless he was. Then it was insults. Then it was screams. Sometimes Cipher would cover his skull in a pathetic attempt to shut them up. Whenever he screamed back at them, they would grow louder. When Cipher stopped bothering to fight back, Fate granted him his powers. The pain was so bad that he forgot his name. What was it again?
"WhATs my nAme?"
The voices for once gave him a clear answer. It was Error, and he wasn't supposed to exist. Fair enough. Error agreed with them because if he didn't, they would scream louder. That was how he survived. When he finally figured out how to open a portal, he landed in SpectralTale and talked to Spectral Toriel for days who stayed hidden behind the Ruins doors but when he met Spectral Sans, the voices encouraged him to kill. Used to listening to them, he did it with no hesitation. He regretted it.
He met the new Ink after that and they created a rivalry. Ink tried to kill him and he tried to kill Ink. A never ending cycle of torment. Than Error met Nightmare and his gang, who were good friends of his in the old multiverse but were no more than acquaintances here. Everything changed when he kidnapped Blue. Letting him go was the best thing to do and he realized that even though he has slaughtered millions of people and monsters, he still had some of his morals and emotions.
Fate's mistake was they thought that even though Error was slowly regaining something he lost that he would still be able to be manipulated in the future. The voices became nothing but an annoyance but Ink's creativity was the thing that hurt Error more than words ever could. Because deep down, even though Error lost his memories of Cipher, he still had a brotherly bond with Ink and Ink unknowingly hurt him through it.
Error jumped to escape this pain and he found something. He found another family in the Under!Tale Multiverse and formed a brotherly bond with Radix. He regained his morals and his emotions but his old powers are still unknown. Most of his old memories except for these are still buried and it will be a while before they will return. But for that to happen, Fate has to go, and Error is determined to punish Fate for eternity.
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Error gasped and sat up, rubbing his skull. The symptoms from the anesthetics have long since disappeared. He remained quiet, listening for the signs of croakers or corrupted out code but everything was silent. Error found Ink lying by him, still asleep. After a heated argument between Static, he healed himself and Ink and restored Broomy. Error gently rubbed his thumb against the burnt part of the wood. He wished he could unscramble ysasb but he couldn't. Maybe Ink would remember when he woke up.
When Ink woke up from having the same dream, he noticed two things. First of all, he was no longer transparent and he was in control. Second of all, he was alive in the Void, even though he was a child of Fate. Ink decided to not question it and look for Error. He found him, holding his paintbrush Broomy and rubbing the burnt part gingerly. Ink stood up and managed to reach Error. Error's eyes widened in surprise.
"Oh uH, Ink? I didn't notIce tHat you were awAke-" Ink interrupted Error by hugging him. Error glitched violently for a few seconds before relaxing. He could hear Ink crying. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I broke our promise." Whether Ink actually meant that or if it was because of his ink vials, Error didn't care. He hugged Ink back and for the first time in years, he allowed himself to truly cry.
(6644 Words)
One more chapter... One last fight... Who will prevail?
Who is ysasb? Unscrambling it will give you a name...