I woke up in a weird place. It was not the anti-void, it was not Nightmare's place, nor was it the Star-Sanses' place. I found myself in some kind of container, shaped like one of Ink's vials but big enough to hit the ceiling. I found countless wires on me, which startled me to find that I didn't dust yet. My error and glitch signs weren't as persistant, possibly because the container was filled with some liquid that must be slowing them. I found some strange clothes on me as well as a patch on an eye.
I had some orange shirt on with heavily bandaged with dangling sleeves. I could see my spine just below the bottom of the shirt. There were orange pants as well, bandaged too. It was as if I was wearing a bandaged prisoner outfit. I still had my slippers but I was so confused. The wires were everywhere, coming from the ceiling of the container. The liquid somehow wasn't drowning me or something. Where am I? What's going on? How am I here? Why am I not dead? Where's Ink? Is he okay? What happened?
(first time drawing error, made this myself for this chapter)
I press my face against the edge of the glassy container and look around. Outside this container was a room-like space. A door was at the edge. There was a table that had my clothes, glasses and phone. The walls were grey. I saw my phone light up and took note that my scarf wasn't. I moved around the container, checking for anyone and looking for exits. Once finding no exits or anyone around, I try to teleport. Fail. I try to use my magic to get strings. Fail. Blue magic like a normal sans though was a success. I used it to look at my phone. It was a call attempt from Dust. I accepted it with my magic.
"Heya dude. Ho-"Dust begins but I cut him off
"DuSt! WhAt'S gOiNg on? WhErE aRe y0u aNd InK anD eVeRyOne? ArE y0u aLl OkAy? EXPLAIN!"I shout
"We're all at Ink's place. Dream is happier than ever that you left. Blue's trying to calm Ink down. He came back, crying about how you disappeared and probably turned into me. He's crying as if that's a bad thing while hugging your scarf and the puppets. Rude. What's wrong with becoming me? Nobody can really understand what he's saying. So how are you doing then?"Dust says
"DudE! NiGhtMaRe sEnT CroSs t0 kIlL InK tO gEt mE baCk iN tHaT StUpId gAnG! BuT CroSs aTtACKed mE iNstEaD! I neArLy DiEd! He pRoBaBLy tHiNkS I tUrNed to DuST! DoN't lEt InK oR BluE oUt oF yOuR sIgHt!"I snap
"Oh shoot! Dang, that's bad. Ok, I will, bud. But where are you?"Dust says
"I....I...doN't kNow."I admit
I hear footsteps
"Someone'S comInG. GoTtA Go."I say, then hang up and put the phone back where it was.
The door creaks open. In walks a hooded figure. They reach out a gloved hand and wave. Holes in the glove showed me their fingers, proving them to be skeletal. I dive back in the container.
"Where's Ink Sans?"The figure asks in a harsh tone
"As iF I'd tEll y0u!"I snap
"I just saved your life. You have to."The figure states, banging a fist on the glass, making small cracks
"ThAt's nOt hoW iT woRks dUde. Y0u dOn't kiDNap soMEOne wHen tHey'Re wEak, maKiNg thEir fRieNds thiNk theY'RE dEad, aNd dEmand stUff frOm tHe peRson y0u 'saVed.' I kNOw fRoM ExPeRiEnCE. It'S a No!" I deny, remembering when I took Blue before we were friends
"Fine. Then come out and face the consequences."the figure says
The figure opens the container and the liquid pulls me out. I crash on the ground. I look up at the figure and they begin to kick and slash at me. I dodge some by rolling from side to side, my feet too weak to let me stand. It didn't help that my error signs were blinding me as well.
After what felt like hours of the figure beating me up as I dodge or teleport, something keeping my abilities to attack non-existant.
"I'Ll nEvEr tElL y0u wHErE InK iS, I hAtE yA! YoU'Re gETtinG NoWHerE!"I growl
"Fine, maybe later you'll be willing to talk." the figure says, then leaves me in the room
My phone rang again. I use my magic after trying to summon strings or teleport, failing again. It was Dust. I accept.
"H.....HeY DuSt. FoUnD oUt I waS tAkEn bY s0mEoNE wHo rEalLy WaNTs Ink. AnD thEy ARen'T NiCE wHEn tHEy dOn'T g-g-G-gET THEir wAy."I tell him
"Oh shoot. Okay, so while Dream was having a celebration, I talked with Ink and Blue. I didn't tell Ink how you got hurt so he doesn't get his stupid self in danger. I did tell them you were taken though. I brought the phone with them to Science Sans and we managed to track your location. Just stay with us, ok? We're coming."Dust explains
"InKy aIn'T sTuPid! Be cArEfUl, tHis DuDe sEeMs DaNGeROuslY dEtErMIneD on GETtinG InK. Don'T lET yOu gUys gEt hUrT."I say, weakly standing and putting my glasses on.
"K, stay safe Error."Dust says, then hangs up
I reach for my clothes to find them torn worse than I am now. They were in scraps. Jeez, whoever that was needs to chill, seriously. I toss the shreds into a can in the corner of the room. I try to summon a Gaster Blaster, yet fail. I try to summon my strings to support myself, but I only managed little strings the size of a yo-yo's. Jeez, what was in that liquid? I use the wall to get around to the door, limping the way and my wounds open. I open the door, surprised to find it unlocked. Clearly this was an amateur when it comes to traps.
But, something told me to stay in the room. Many things actually. My condition and strong pains. The possibility of falling for a trap or encountering the figure. Dust said they're tracking my phone for my location, meaning they'll come here to find me. That means it's safe here, as safe as it could get. I sigh and sit down, the phone in my hand weakly. I stare at the ceiling, feeling my wounds grow painful. I didn't want to look at what the figure did, fearing the sight I'd see.
I thought instead on who the figure could be and why would they want Ink, let alone take me of all people to get answers, even though Ink was with me when they most likely took me. What did they want with Ink? Why do they want him? Who are they? Why now? Are they an addition to the gang? So many questions....
I heard a banging noise and speedy footsteps, multiple rhythms meaning there were more than one coming. I hoped it was my friends and not possibly the figure or their allies. I heard the footsteps stop.
"I'm doomed...."I mutter
Suddenly, the door was kicked open and some skeleton ran in. A skeleton I knew and loved. Ink. He wore a belt of vials, the sweater around his waist just below the belt, sneakers, shorts, a four or five-coloured shirt with long sleeves, and a scarf. The shirt was a dark cyanish color, black, yellow, blue, and red. Then I noticed the scarf was....MINE! At least, the one Ink made me. I saw their signature ink blob on their face as well as the brush tucked in the sweater with the puppets.
"Error?"Ink yells, looking around the room frantically.
"RiGhT....h-h-HerE, I-I-InKy!"I reply to his yell, trying to move
That's when I realized the injuries and decided to look down. The bandaged clothes were torn with slash marks or holes, revealing parts of my rib cage. I quickly cover the holes with my arms weakly, feeling my face light up.
Ink turns around. I could see his face was a rainbow and his eyeholes were filled with tears the moment he saw me. He reaches up and grips the scarf, as if shocked or frightened to actually find me. I gave him a nervous smile.
"Error!"Ink cried, running over and hugging me.
(Made this drawing myself)
"H-HeY InKy...."I say
He held me tight and I could feel him cry and tremble.
"You're real....You're really here. I'm so glad you're here a-a-a-and...."Ink cries
I grip him tight. I look around to make sure the figure wasn't around. I lean forward and kiss his forehead. I'm just so glad he's okay! Wait...WHO LET HIM COME IN HERE ALONE? What if the figure was here instead of me? He could've...Ugh, another time, Error, another time.
"I'm gLad yOu'Re oKaY, InKy. ThE pERs0n SEEmeD rEaLLy dAnGeROus...I wAs ScAReD ThEy'D cOmE aNd GEt yA."I say
"Can you move?"Ink asks
I try to move my arm but fail, it hurt very badly at the attempt. I already knew I couldn't move my legs, meaning no walking.
"SeEmS I cAn'T. PlUs, tHeY pUt Me iN sOme cOntAiNeR wItH a LiQUid tHaT bLocKs mY aTtACks."I say, then try and fail to summon anything and teleport
Ink then leans back and gazed at me. He narrows his eyes, then sighs. He takes the scarf off and lays it on the ground. I didn't even realize until now how big and long it was. It was like a giant picnic blanket(or any blanket). I was confused on what he was doing.
Ink then scoops me up and lays me on the scarf. He then rolls me up in the scarf and I felt like I was in some kind of cozy blanket/scarf burrito. I was surprised. He picks me up and carries me over his shoulder in this burrito.
"I'm getting ya outta here before the jerk comes. Plus, you need to be healed ASAP."Ink says, walking out of the room
Outside was Blue and Dust, guarding both sides of the doorway. They look and smile when they see Ink and I. Dust seems really injured and Blue explains that they ran into a slight issue while Ink was getting me, but they scared them off. Blue was holding Dust to support him.
"It's an Error burrito! Wowie! Wait, that gives me an idea!"Blue says
"Blue...What are you planning?"Dust asks weak and suspiciously
Blue summons a blanket and next thing I knew, Dust was also being carried but in a taco style blanket by Blue. Blue seemed proud of himself while Dust wasn't so keen on the idea, despite his bright face.
"Blue, I'm fine. Besides, I'm supposed to be guarding you!"Dust states
"You lie too much. I, the Magnificent Sans, do not need to be guarded. I will be in the royal guard of my AU one day after all. Plus, that wouldn't work for a Star Sans, known to be AU guards or protectors. Besides, you're in no condition to fight, bud, therefore, I shall protect you!"Blue says
While he was talking, I saw the figure at the edge of a hall, peeking and watching us. They raise a Gaster Blaster beside them and prepare to blast it. Dust, Blue and Ink were busy talking and planning to notice. I had to protect them. Now. Come on, please work....I try to summon a Gaster Blaster or bone wall to defend them but only get a bone fence, hardly long or high enough to defend any of us. By now, the figure's Gaster Blaster was ready to fire.
"LO0k 0Ut!"I yell
Ink, Blue and Dust's attention was caught quickly. Dust sees the Gaster Blaster and summons his own. The two blast and the figure's one broke, so we were safe for the time being. Blue and Ink ran while carrying Dust and I. We watched for the figure but they disappear from our sights. I smirk as we get toward an exit. But then something went wrong and I felt myself go flying through the air and hit a wall. I look over, feeling the scarf hold me tight.A bone attack held me to the wall, probably what sent me flying.
"INK!"Blue and Dust yell
I look to see Ink being lifted by the arm by the figure, his brush in half on the ground by three bone attacks. Ink still didn't give up though, he kept swinging punches and kicks at the figure. Blue and Dust were trying to get through a bone wall around Ink and the figure. I tried to pull the bone attack out of the wall
"So, you're Ink Sans?"The figure asks
"Yes, I am. Now let me go, jerk!"Ink snaps
"Jerk, how am I a jerk?"The figure says, confusion in their tone
"You hurt my friends and kidnapped one when they were weakest. Then ya hurt them more and what you're doing is making it worse. Now, like I said....."Ink says, grabbing and twisting the figure's arm
Ink then kicked the figure in the stomach, being lowered to the ground.
"Let. Me. GO!"Ink yells, flipping the figure by the twisted arm, causing them to release him.
The figure was out cold now, not moving. Ink dusts his hands off with a few claps as if he just took out the trash or did a simple task
That was amazing. I watched Ink start to climb over the bone wall, but the figure grabs him by the collar and pulls him close.
"No, you're staying with me. Ink, you belong with me. Like any other AU."The figure says
"What makes you say that?"Ink asks
The figure lowers their hood to reveal that they were a Paprus. Their eyeholes had a star and x eye light. They had a serious expression on and nothing else could really be told besides their eye-lights and head structure being the same as a Papyrus'. Ink seemed shocked and was still struggling.
"Brother, it's me, Ink Papyrus. Stay with me and it'll be great."the Papyrus says
"No! I found a home! I'm not staying with someone who attacked those I love! You'll have to change and fix your mistakes if you even think of me doing that! Now put me down!"Ink states
The Papyrus tightens their grip and slams Ink against the bone wall.
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that."Ink! Papyrus claims
By now, I got the bone attack out and was aiming at them. I saw Ink struggle in his grip as he raised a fist at Ink. It was worth a shot. I wasn't gonna let my Inky get hurt. I threw the bone attack and it hit him. He drops Ink and quickly appeared in front of me, his cloak gone now.
(not mine)
"I should've finished you off instead. Guess I really did pity you since I am a Papyrus and you're a Sans. But you're a mistake of a Sans! You're so destructive. You don't even have a Paps."Ink! Papyrus says
"Him? Destructive? Even HE hasn't gone this far!"Dust snaps
"Well, maybe if I stop him now, he never will get to that point."Ink! Papyrus says, lifting me up by the collar
Some paint hit Ink! Papyrus, some I knew well. Or at least Cross did. Ink!Pap scoffed at the paint attack, unaware to the abillities. He said that Ink was being foolish. Ink snaps and the paint turns to chains, catching him off guard and dropping me.
"Heh, you shouldn't count your chickens before they hatch. Also, you never mess with my friends, or speak to them like that. Especially Error! Not even if you're my bro!"Ink snaps
Ink ran over and picks me up, then ran to Blue and Dust. He told them how much time we have and that we should go. I manage to open a portal and we dart through. We land on the couch and were startled by what we find at the bottom of the stairs.
"Dream you hypocrite!"Blue snaps