Ink was shaken. Cross didn't answer him. Instead, the other turned his head back down to Nightmare. He continued to heal him, remaining silent. He turned to Dust, who twitched, muttering to himself as he held his head. "Dust!"
The skeleton snapped open his eyes, transfixing him with the glow. He was trembling. "Where's Killer?" Ink asked again. Dust stared at him with an almost expressionless look before slowly speaking.
"He's dead." The crazed skeleton answered. "None of us could stop it. It was so fast." He trailed off and finally curled into a ball against the side of the couch. He pulled his hood over his face. "None of us could stop it."
Ink had frozen up. He turned his gaze to the mirror. Reaper stared back at him. His eyes were dull and he raised his hand. Something appeared in it and Ink felt chills shake his spine. He had Killer's target-shaped SOUL in his hands, but it had been sliced in half. He had reaped him.
"E-Error, Geno, can you get Nightmare and everyone into bedrooms or something??" Ink's voice was shaking. He knelt next to Dream, who's aura was still weak. He heard Geno beginning to instruct people. He watched as Dust picked up Horror with his magic and managed to follow Error.
They all disappeared down the hall, leaving Ink alone with Dream and the Reaper. Ink stood up, meeting Reaper's gaze. "I made the right choice by doing nothing... right?" He asked shakily, breaking the silence. He moved around the side of the couch and approached the mirror.
Reaper stared at him for a moment before lowering his gaze. "Do you believe you made the right choice, Ink?" He asked. His scythe tapped the inside of the mirror restlessly. Ink felt his bones lock up.
"They'll all be free, won't they? They no longer have someone threatening them. They'll no longer go to prison and be locked up." Ink's voice was quiet. "They won't be experimented on." No doubt they would've been.
Error and Cross would've gotten the worst of it, seeing as they had been formerly dead. Reaper nodded. "Dream's lover suffered the consequences." Reaper stated. Ink felt another cold chill go through his bones.
"Would it have changed if I tried to stop anything? I thought doing nothing would be the best course of action. It isn't my business..." Ink was trying to protest now. Defend his actions. He trailed off. "Will he come back? As a spirit or something?" He asked quietly.
Reaper's doubtful look gave him a pit in his chest. Reaper sighed. The tapping became more agitated. "When someone is meant to be a ghost, their SOUL is unable to be reaped." Reaper held up his hand again. "I'm afraid this wasn't the case for Killer."
Ink was dismayed. Dream would be heartbroken. "I thought he loved Dream." He said, rubbing one of his arms. Reaper blinked.
"There's no doubt that he loved Dream, Ink. The problem was himself. Killer was not a good monster. Monsters like him, who have done the things that he has, they don't usually get second chances." Reaper lowered his hand and the broken SOUL faded.
Ink stared at him. "Everyone else will be okay though. They'll be free and unharmed. If I had done something, they would've been taken." Ink said firmly. Reaper stared at him through the glass.
"Are you trying to convince me? Or convince yourself?" Reaper asked after a moment. The questions shook Ink to the core and he found himself unable to speak, let alone answer. Reaper was quiet for a moment. "You may have to convince someone else."
There was a shuffling noise and Ink whipped around. Dream's teary golden eyes met him from the couch. Ink froze up. He'd never seen that look on Dream. He could even properly identify it now, having experienced it firsthand.
Betrayal. Dream felt betrayed and it was Ink's fault. Ink gulped. "Dream-"
"Did you know that he would die, Ink?" Dream's voice was just barely controlled. Dream was still trying to see the good. It didn't seem to be working well for him. Ink shook his head.
"I knew SOMEONE would die. I didn't know it would be Killer." Ink said quickly. The first tear ran down Dream's face. "Dream! Listen! I didn't know what to do!! It wasn't my business, so I just didn't interfere!!" Dream's gaze moved past him.
"You..." He whispered. Ink turned as Reaper drifted out behind him, still inside the mirror.
"Greetings, Dream. I am the Reaper. I'm the one who told Ink what would happen. Today, all of your friends would've been exposed and taken to prison. They would've been either locked up or experimented on and it is unlikely you would've ever seen them again." His scythe tapped harder, cracking the mirror a little.
"Or, someone would die, but the rest of your friends would continue to be free. Ink did not know who would die. Whether he interfered or not did not give a clear outcome. I am sorry for your loss, Dream Joku." Reaper dipped his head, seeming apologetic.
Dream stared at both of them and Ink couldn't even look him in the eye. "And he's not coming back?" Dream's voice held the last wavering shred of hope. Reaper stared at him and Ink could visibly see it be taken from Dream.
"I'm afraid not." Reaper's voice was quiet. Dream shook for a moment, his face unchanging.
"Dream-" Ink began. He was stopped as Dream shakily held up a hand.
"I'm going to a bedroom. I just want to be by myself. Please don't let anyone speak to me." Dream stood up and without another word, moved down the opposite hallway from everyone else. Ink stared after him in dismay.
Slowly, but surely, he felt it after a few moments. Dream's positive aura became dampened as something else overshadowed it. Ink gulped as he felt tears begin to well in his own eyes. The effect that Dream's aura had on him.
Sadness, pain and grief had swallowed the normally warm, happy feeling that Dream had. Ink closed his eyes and forced the first translucent tears down his cheeks. He heard a soft noise and correctly assumed that Reaper had vanished. He stood there for a few moments.
"I-I-I-Ink?" Error's voice sounded. He hadn't heard him, but Ink didn't jump either. He was numb. Error's hands were suddenly felt on his shoulders. He wouldn't look at him. Error's fizzling finally died down enough and they could hear the faint sobs coming from the hallway.
————————————
Ink looked up at him slowly and Error faltered as he saw Ink's eyes. The colors were pulsing, starting to fade. "N-N-N-No, Ink, c'mon. D-D-Don't." Error reached up and stroked his cheek, wiping away his tears.
Ink was trying to shut off his emotions. Get rid of his vials effects early. Ink stared at him. His eyes had become dark blue, one a raindrop and the other a circle. "But Error, it hurts so bad." Ink's voice was barely a whisper.
Error glanced down the hallway he'd heard sobbing. He could only assume that was Dream. He knew only Dream and Nightmare had strong enough of an aura to make Ink really feel something. Error reached out and hugged Ink to him. "It hurts..." Ink whispered out again.
"I kn-kn-know, but you'll b-b-b-be okay..." Error tried to assure him. Ink's hands crept up and he hugged Error back shakily, trying to bury his face in his chest.
"It's not me I'm scared for, Error." Ink whispered. Error stared down at him before his body fizzled in understanding. He looked back down towards the hallway. He had never really liked Dream, but he didn't hate him either. He could at least tolerate his presence.
Usually, Dream would have such a happy feeling peaking off of him that was so powerful, it gave Error headaches. But he couldn't feel it at all. There was no hint of positivity anywhere. He knew why Ink was scared.
What if Dream was never the same? The thought made Error uncomfortable. There would be nothing to balance out the negativity that usually leaked off of Nightmare. Error turned his attention back to Ink.
"Pl-Pl-Please don't cry, I-I-Ink." He said quietly. Ink only seemed to become more distraught, leaning his head against Error. His body was shaking.
"I can't help it! I'm not trying to!" He whimpered. Error let out a quiet sigh, his body glitching wildly.
"J-J-Just let it out then..." He mumbled. Ink broke immediately, collapsing against Error as he broke down, sobbing.
"Error, I hate it! It hurts! It hurts so fucking much!!" Ink wailed. Error felt his glitched SOUL shake and he hugged Ink closer instinctively. He wasn't sure what to do other than to just let Ink cry.
————————————
Cross sat next to Nightmare on the bed. The other was still unconscious, though his wounds were healed. His tentacles were slowly growing themselves back. Little by little.
Cross put his head in his hands. What were they going to do?? Holy fuck. He glanced over at Chara, who seemed just as agitated, pacing around and pulling at their hair.
He heard a shuffling noise and turned to look back as Nightmare blinked his bright blue eye open.