(I was watching/listening to this while writing the chapter)
Reaper's POV
I enter the save screen after escaping Palette. I look around. There's the broken vial laying on the ground. Across the wall is a bunch of AUs listed across it with the details of each one listed. He chose to go. Chose to drink it. Chose to leave to another timeline. Because of me. I bow my head. I hear a portal open. Stupidly, I turn and look, hoping Geno had come back here for some reason. Nope. Palette came.
"Reaper! What are you-Oh. I see you found the vial and how he found the AU he went to. Or one in how many there are."He says
"I...I'm sorry. I want to find him. I want to bring him back. I want to make it up to him. Let him know how sorry I am and that I do care for him."I tell him
"Then give him space. He needs a break. He needs to calm down and get himself back before you take him back. Plus, he may not want to come back after all that you did. He may still think you're a liar if you do it now. Plus, accepting the facts is the first step to making it up to him. It shows care. And you know how songs or sayings go. If you love him, you let him go."He says
"Then what do I do in the meantime?"I ask
"I dunno. Get yourself off the top of the jerk list, maybe? Nobody is happy with you and if you're gonna get anything done, you'll need them on your side. It'll take time, but it'll happen. Raven did it, Goth did it, so can you."Palette says
Then, he leaves. I stay in the anti-void, thinking. I process the facts. Everyone is on Geno's side. I did wrong. If I make it up to Geno...It'll be like making it up to everyone in one go! I smile at that. Now, how do I get that done?
(Author's message:That's not how it works Reaper. That's like going to the boss level while at level 1 in a game and not taking out the other enemies)
Another idea hits me. I check the works in here and kinda do a history-like search or check the recent actions. I find a single AU. A human type. I read the details. There are no monsters so I'd stick out like a sore thumb. But then I see part of the vial survived and had the chemical in it. I read the note on it. It lasts until the consumer or user gets hurt or wants it to end. Simple enough. I take it and make a portal to the AU. I go through and make sure there wasn't a trace of me left behind, knowing how angry everyone may be at me not following directions.
A few weeks later, Geno's POV
"You ready, Geno?"Ink asks
I nod.
"Then let's go!"She says
We march out of town on a little trail. We talk and enjoy ourselves, seeing lovely sights around us as we go. We made each other laugh. Things have been great. I've left behind all the pain and stress. I still secretly check on Goth, Raven and Shino. We admire the nature in the trees that surround us and soon reach an orchard. I get a ladder and Ink holds it against a tree. We begin to do apple-picking. We spoke to the farmers of the orchard and they allowed it. We talked happily as we work, me picking apples while Ink caught them in a basket. I soon get brave and climb into the tree.
Suddenly, I feel a vibe that I haven't felt in a while. I freeze. It was familiar. It also feels like I'm being watched.
"Geno? You okay?"Ink says
I do not answer. The vibe was gloomy, dark, strong but also so friendly. Is it? No, he couldn't have. I made sure there were other places to look. Why here of all AUs?
"Geno?"She calls
My grip on the branch shakes.
"Do you need help?"She asks
The vibe gets stronger. Someone's coming. I lose my grip of the branch and fall off.
"Geno!"Ink yells
I didn't hit the ground. Instead, I hit some kind of fabric like a net or blanket. The blanket lowers and I get off it. I look around me. There stood a boy, patting the wrinkles out of the blanket I landed on and looking at me worriedly.
"You okay?"He asks
The vibes were coming from him. Then again, he just saved me from falling. Others do that.
"Y-Yes, thank you."I say, smiling friendly at him
"I like your smile."He says
I thoght that was a bit random or odd, but people at the orchard often compliment each other. Plus he could just be looking to chat.
"Oh! Thank you, em..."I say, realizing I don't know them
"Reaper."He says
"Reaper, got it. It's nice to meet you. I guess I spaced out while picking apples too much."I say
"Heh, well nothing wrong with that. Besies, I bet you have plenty of apples to keep those pesky expensive doctors away."He jokes
I laugh. He had a point and a way to lighten the mood.
"Ya, I guess so..."I say
Just like...No, Geno..This may just be this AU's Reaper. Don't be stupid
I look at him again. The vibe is very strong. I get to my feet. He watches nervously, his face reddening a bit. He certainly looks like a Reaper. But that is to be expected with AUs.
"Your laugh is wonderful"He says
That reminded me of something the Reaper I know said. It was back in the save screen void. He was talking with me and trying to get close to me. He was failing. Miserably. So, he made a bet.
"I bet your laugh is wonderful. "He says
"It isn't anything. It's just like any other Sans."I told him
This was before I left the save screen or really, my AU at all.
"Oh come on! I bet if you laugh, I can prove you wrong!"He says
"I don't laugh."I say
"I bet if I can get you to laugh, I will."He says
"What are you willing to wager?"I ask
"If I win, I get to be your friend and go from there. If I lose, I'll leave you alone."He replies
I agreed to it. He won that bet after days of puns and jokes. That's where and when our official friendship began. But that's far into the past now. I gotta focus on now.
"O-Oh thanks! Hehe...I'm Geno by the way."I say, extending my hand to him
He looks at me, then at my hand. He looked at it like I was handing him a winning lottery ticket.
"G-Geno?"He repeats
"That's my name."I say, moving my hand to hint for him to shake it
He takes my hand and shakes it with both of his.
"P-Pleasure to meet you!"He says
"Geno!"Ink yells
I turn and Ink comes running over. She hugs me.
"Don't ever scare me like that again! I thought you got hurt! Come on, we have enough apples! Let's go before something else happens!"She says, taking me by the hand
"O-Oh! Ok! Bye, Reaper!"I say
"Bye!"He says
Ink drags me away and we carry the apples in baskets. The vibes are gone now and I smile. He was so nice. My mind went to all the good times. I grow distracted by them.
"Oooo! Someone's got a crush!"Ink says teasingly, causing me to snap to reality and look at her in surprise
"N-No I don't! He was just very nice and reminded me of someone I used to know!"I say, feeling my cheeks warm
"Oh really? Who?"She asks
I look at the basket of apples, silent.
"Oh, touchy subject. Sorry. Don't answer that."She says
"O-Ok...."I say
We go home and make some apple pies together. I smile and once again begin to enjoy myself again. The next few weeks I ran into the Reaper guy, becoming more and more often. At first I was a bit on edge, but after some time, I became to enjoy it too. It was nice. It was like playing Where's Waldo trying to figure out where and when he'd show up next. We became friends and began to hang out. It feels nice. It reminds me of my good times with Reaper. Maybe this time we won't fall apart. We'll stick together. This Reaper may be different.
One morning, I woke up and came downstairs to find a pie and some chocolates on the doorstep. There's a note. I pick it up and read it:For my best bud Geno. Enjoy the chocolate. The pie is apple. Fend those doctors off! ^wI ~Reaper
I smile. I pick the chocolates up and pie. I eat the chocolate and it was delicious. I place the apple pie on the counter and hide the note in a pocket. I check the calendar. It's February 14. If Ink found me discovering that, she would've teased so much. She came down and saw the pie. She thought I made it. She got some cereal and then when she ate it, got her art supplies and began to paint in the living room. I decide to join and learn from her.
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A lot of time later....
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Weeks go by. Quicker than I realize. Those days are full of fun and joy, down to the very last minute. Ink tells me soon of an upcoming summer festival and asks me if I'd like to go. I agreed, happy to go anywhere with a friend. Plus it sounded fun. Little did I know what I was signing up for. I let time go past me for a while after that.
One day she comes to my room and knocks on the door. I allow her to enter. She comes in and hands me something neatly folded into my hands.
"What's this?"I ask
"Your outfit for tonight. Tonight's the festival and they only allow formal attire. I made it myself. I'm gonna go get changed, see you downstairs gurl!"She says
Then she leaves, shutting the door behind her. I unfold it and of course it's a dress, classic for a girl to wear at formal events. It's red too. I feel hesitant. What if something happens? What if the chemical wears off and I turn back to a skeleton? A male skeleton? What will explain those embarrassing moments? No. I read the warning. It only wears off if I want it to or get hurt. What could go wrong at a festival? I've kept this secret about myself for this long, I can keep it going. If people can dress up in those giant T-Rex costumes and shop at Walmart when it isn't even October, I can do this. Besides, Ink put so much effort in it. I can't be rude and decline now. I sigh and begin to change. Once done, I look in the mirror. My face heats up. This feels so weird.
I'm ready to get this overwith.
I head downstairs. Ink comes down and we compliment each other before leaving. Ink leads me off to the location of the festival. She says it's at the orchard. We find the trail and stroll down it. The trail was decorated with beautifully lit lanterns lining each side of it, guiding us. We smile and chat. This looked lovely already. Ink sketches this scenery as we go along it, promising to paint it for memories' sake later. I smile and nod. Ink loves these activities but still has limited memory. We chat and I could see the excitment in her eyes.
We reach the orchard and see plenty of people there. Music played, lights were doing tricks as the stars took over the night sky. Snacks or beverages lined some tables. Trees surround us. Tables were empty with chairs to sit at, each table having a candle to dimly light it. Ink wanders off to explore and possibly sketch the scenery or events, knowing her. I look around curiously. Eveyone was so busy having fun. But then I spot Reaper leaning against a tree. He wore a jacket over some fancy shoes, pants and a tux. He has his arms crossed and he looks bored out of his mind at the party. He was also all alone, not a single person acknowledging him. I go over to him cause why not. I feel like it.
"Hey, Reaper!" I say
He turns his head and looks at me. He smiles, his eyes lighting up with a spark.
"Hey, Geno. How are you? I'm surprised you came to this event. Didn't really see you as the formal and dress kind of person."He says
"I'm doing good. I'm surprised to find you here, too. Ink had me come along and I couldn't say no to her. Especially since she worked hard on this dress. But you never gave me the sense of a tuxedo party type."I respond
"Heh, fair enough. Guess we can always surprise each other."He says
"Well, how about we have some fun?"I suggest
"Like what?"He asks
The music plays louder.
"Come dance with me!"I cheer, gesturing for him to follow me
I skip over to the dance area but stop when I realize he isn't coming. I go back to find him nervously pacing there, as if debating on wether to go or not. I stand there, watching him pace and not acknowledge me. He said nothing out loud, but with the hand gestures he made, I was intrigued. It actually appeared like he was fighting with himself, arguing. Over a dance at a party. Bruh. You debate over this of all things? He's gotta find better self-argument topics.
"You okay?"I ask
He froze and looks at me.
"Yep."He says
"Ok is not what I just witnessed. Is something wrong? Be honest."I tell him
"Ok....I uh, dunno how to dance."He says
"Seriously? You didn't come because you were debating over that?"I ask
"Y-Yes..."He says
"You could've just told me that you didn't know! Come on! I'll show you!"I say, taking his hand
(*This is Geno's extroverted, happy side ppl*)
I guide him to the dance area. I take both his hands and slowly teach him how to dance. With the basics of course and then the more fun stuff. He caught on quickly. And by that, I mean third time really was the charm with his learning for every.
Single.
Move!
But it was fun to show him. Then, when we finally got the hang of it and were able to dance for real. We danced together and he even improvised some moves. It was fun and interesting to say the least. I smile and we talk as we dance. He makes me laugh so many times because of his silly puns or jokes. And I could finally laugh at them. I feel safe. I feel free. I feel happy. Nothing is holding me back now.
"Your laugh is sweet. I love it."He says
I look at him in surprise, then look away. I feel my face warm, remembering the good times.
"You're too kind, Reaper."I tell him
"What's wrong?"He asks
"Nothing."I say
"Geno..."He says
"Ok, you just remind me of someone I used to know."I say, looking at him
"I d-do? Really? Who?"He says
"Would you think I'm crazy if I say it's a skeleton?"I respond
"No! Course not!"He says
"Ok, well that's who...I don't wanna say anything else. He...was nice like you. He was...special."I tell him
"O-Oh! Okay..."He says
(Reaper panic mode has been engaged.)
A few songs go by and we continue to dance. I feel a stinging in my eye and know what that means. The other chemical that Cross gave me, to hide my wounded eye, has worn off. Meaning it may be falling apart again. Reaper's eyes widen. He must be seeing it do so. The song ends and he breaks away from me. He ends the conversation with his abrupt silence.
"Reaper? Is everything okay?"I ask
"Y-Ya...I j-just gotta go do....something."He says nervously
"My eye is freaking you out, isn't it?"I ask
"N-No!"He says
"You can be honest."I tell him
"Okay, it's because I know the next song is a slow dance song. You know where those go. I just want you to have that kind of dance with someone special, like that special person. It has nothing to do with your eye."He says, nervously rubbing the back of his head.
I look at him in surprise, silent. But he didn't stop there.
"I mean, you may call your eye a flaw, but I think it makes you look lovely, with or without it. Flaw is just an acronym when it comes to you. Feature Looking Amazing & Wonderful. And even if it is a bad thing, who gives a frick? You are such a wonderful person! You are so smart, caring, creative, honest, energetic, protective, witty and sweet that anyone would be lucky to know you! But if they make you uneasy about showing something like that or just see that and decide not to hang around, then frick them! They missed a great oppurtunity to be great with one of the greatest people. A-And-"He explains
I feel my face warm as he spoke. Nobody ever spoke to me of these things. People especially did not call my eye a good thing when they saw it. They did not speak of it like he does. Or about me. Reaper never saw my eye like this, I always had it hidden one way or another. But that didn't stop him from joking about it. This Reaper though. He's so kind. I still had my hair hide the eye, the entire party doesn't need to see it after all. I wrap my arms around him as he begins to stutter, unsure of what else to say. I hug him and smile.
"Thank you, Reaper. You're very kind. You're the best. That was very nice. You can go do whatever you need to, just promise you'll come back before another six songs are played. I enjoy dancing with you."I tell him
He nods. I release him and he runs off. I go to get something to eat. I sit down at a table and eat with Ink. By the time I finished that and talking with her, two songs had passed. I go back to the dancing area and begin to dance on my own. I was enjoying myself. But then the other four songs pass. I'm having fun and I'm not the strict timer, so I let two other songs pass before I begin to wonder. Three passed instead. Total of nine songs. I begin to wonder things. What did he have to do? Is it safe? Is he in trouble? Did he forget? Did he lie to me? Did he even have a thing to do? Or did he just ditch me?
"Hey, Geno."a voice says
I turn, pulling my hair out of my face and smile. My face warms again. See? I was worrying over nothing! He-What the frick? ōmō
"Oh hey! I was beginning to think you ditched me, si-You aren't Reaper."I begin but cut myself off
My face goes pale.
"I'm not, but you're coming with me."They say
"Says who?"I ask, clenching fists
"Says me."They say
Then, I get knocked out cold.
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There we go! That seemed like a good place to stop. I hope you all are enjoying the book and like this chapter. ^w^
Here is a lil drawing I made cause why not.