Static filled the air and, honestly, Goth was so done with everything that he just sort of ignored it, even if it was hard. The glitchy sound as background was giving him a headache, but surprisingly it didn't feel weird. He was sure it should have been annoying but he wasn't about to complain.
Looking at the black skeleton thing that has been following him this whole time, he was confused. Yeah, the snark got tiring real fast, but for a failed reaping this situation didn't add up to him at all. With Chaos in Reapertale, it corrupted the soul of their Chara and she gained some power over death that she shouldn't have. It was a nightmare dealing with her, but it was because he knew the full history between that Chara and his dad that he just felt... lost.
Reaper and Chara weren't connected, not like he and this skeleton were anyways. In fact, half the problems caused were because Reaper couldn't find Chara quickly enough, there wasn't a deep link. So why couldn't this skeleton and himself be apart?
They had tried, oh gods they had, it just hurt so darn much that it wasn't worth it. Goth was secretly grateful that they stopped trying to force themselves to be apart because it caused him to glitch. That was always uncomfortable and borderline painful.
The monster with that darned soul fragment he tried to reap was glitching too, constantly in fact, but it was because of the error signs that covered him. Good things was that when Goth glitched, it seemed to spark the other's curiosity enough to override common sense and be near him. Bad things was, he was bombarded with snarky commentary and questions he either didn't have an answer to or were just sensitive topics.
Like the topic of his glitch status, his death touch, Reapertale or Palette.
Not like the black skeleton seemed to care much about how Goth felt about something before trying to butt in to put his own two cents.
“Okay, first, some ground rules” said Goth sternly. “When I'm with Palette or dad, please be silent. I don't need anyone giving me weird looks because I'm talking to thin air. I may be able to bullshit about everyone except those two.”
Error snorted. “And why do ya think I'm gonna listen to ya'? I don't funking care, glitch boi.”
Glitch boi? He may look like a kid but he sure wasn't, darn it! He was a teen! So what if he was a bit little? So was every other Sans out there in existence... Or most of them anyways, but the point stands!
“Ugh, why didn't I ask dad for help with the reaping!”
“Pf, look kid, let me tell you something and I ain't gonna repeat myself twice, so listen closely, 'kay?” Goth said nothing in response, the tension between the two rising to a deafening echo of static and uneasiness. “I die, when I say I die.”
“But that's not how it works!” yelled Goth in indignation. So the guy was a bit determined, okay, that didn't give him the right to disrespect his family's duty that way.
“I didn't say ya had to be happy with it, it's how it is” Goth sputtered, trying to defense himself or to rebute that claim, even he wasn't sure. “But given that you're a glicth and I am too, didn't ya think that's where our problem comes from?”
Silence... And then.
“OMG, HOW DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT?!”
“So, yeah, there's a possible explanation for it there, happy?” The black boned skeleton just rolled his eye-lights in mock irritation.
“Not really, no.”
The other just gave him a deadpan and Goth flushed, embarrassed. He wasn't the best at social clues in a good day, but rethoric questions were something he just wasn't used to. As a deity in Reapertale, the mortals asked the most simple questions sometimes and expected an answer, it was an impulse at this point even if their contact was limited at best.
“So, what should I call you? I mean, we're connected right now, so may as well get to know each other?” It was getting awkward not giving this other person a name for Goth, even if it was only in his thoughts.
“You don't even answer most of my questions.”
Touché, black dude. Wait, was that racist or not? They were skeletons, not humans, this wasn't something he should be expected to know!
“If you're not going to answer how about I give you a name?” the other skeleton just shrugged. It seemed like he was saying something along the lines of 'whatever kiddo' so he blurted it out. “How about Error? Because of your glitches and-”
“No.”
Goth gulped. Yeah, maybe it wasn't the nicest name he could have picked out for this stranger but that was harsh. It wasn't his fault names in the Multiverse were weird, there was even a kid named Plum, like c'mon.
The black skeleton was giving him a glare, very intimidating indeed.
“Do you even know who that name belongs to?” Goth shook his head as if saying no. “That name belongs to the Destroyer of Worlds kid, and there are ears everywhere. Someone is bound to eavesdrop on our conversations at some point. Do you really want to be connected to that guy?”
So, yeah, there was that.
___________________________________________
In the end, Goth ended calling the other Glitch. It was a bit weird, given that glitch was used to people like himself as an adjective sometimes, but apparently better than Error. He just couldn't believe he almost named this guy like the nemesis of Palette's dad. Mr. Glitch said he didn't want to be involved in that mess and he believed him, but why was Mr. Error so bad? Yes, his title was the Destroyer, but his dad's title was The End as in, the End of All things. Reaper was not a bad guy, Goth would know, so why was it different with the other skeleton?
Oh, the irony.
The truth was, for the now nicknamed Glitch, the black boned skeleton had his memory kind of scrambled at the moment, but there was something he knew for certain. He was the Error, Destroyer of AUs and anyone related to him or his name would be in danger. Usually he wouldn't care about this kid at all, but given how his soul piece was attached to the other's, he wasn't fond of the idea of knowing what happened if this abomination calling himself Goth got hurt. Would it hurt him too? Would he take the damage instead? Would he glitch out of existence?
Yeah, better not to find out. Not yet, at least.
Besides, Fate had to be screaming in rage in some part of the Deity's realm, that was enough for him at the moment. Take that, b*tch.
___________________________________________
In the Deity's realm, Fate was indeed screaming in rage. Destiny just watched it all go down with a smirk, oh how did they love seeing their sibling in distress.
Choice, the youngest and only Deity that could go against those two, was trying to pretend their siblings didn't exist. It didn't work.
___________________________________________
The sky in Outertale was as breath-taking as ever. Yet, Ink couldn't truly enjoy it at the moment. The search for Error had been fruitless thus far and he wasn't sure what he should do next. For the first time in his existence, Ink remembered what it was to be alone. Sure, he had Dream and Palette now, but the two were so distant with him sometimes that he honestly forgets sometimes. Ink didn't consider them to be that close, not like he and Error were no matter the glitch's protests.
Error was such a tsundere.
With the black skeleton, Ink felt accomplished, felt like a part of him that had been missing was found, such a exhilarating feeling that didn't depend on his vials for once. It used to scare him, but now he misses it fiercely.
The two of them shared a special connection and Ink was determined to find Error.
He would find him, no matter what.
Even if he had to level the whole Multiverse in his search.
___________________________________________
Unknown to Ink, the very same Palette was in that AU waiting for his best friend Goth. He had some conflicted feelings on him lately. He hadn't been able to contact the other in those three months and, with only Ink for company, it got him thinking.
Sometimes, he would be able to create a particular cute flower that he thought Goth would enjoy and was expecting him to be at his side for it, just to stop in his tracks. He enjoyed Goth's company, he knew that, they were best friends!
So, why was it so harsh being apart? Before knowing Goth, Palette used to pass the time with his half-brothers Paperjam and Gradient.
They were created because of a powerful clash of magic between Error and Ink while in a fight. Error didn't want anything to do with them, even if he sometimes helped them out. Ink, his dad, had even forgotten about their existence at some point. No wonder PJ was such an as*hole.
The point being, even if he couldn't contact them back then when the three of them were very close, he was somewhat sad. But with Goth it just got ten times worse. He was having teenager angst and given that Dream was one of his parents, Palette's own positive aura should prevent that!
And now that he finally got to see Goth again, Palette was getting nervous. He felt little butterflies flapping all at once in his non-existent stomach and there was that floaty feeling again.
Gosh, he and Goth were such good friends.