Reborn As A Dust Sans [Ashe]

by DeadEnDead

Summary:

After drowning as a human, Ashe reawakens as a DustTale variant of Sans. With his ghost Papy helping keep him from falling into suicide a second time, Ashe slowly learns he can have fun, and what's more fun than fucking with the Star Sanses who have totally mistaken him for the 'evil' Dust Sans?

Edit: Story is still ongoing!!!

Notes:

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Chapter 1: Reborn

Ashe's POV

You remembered darkness. You remembered pain. You remembered the breath that escaped from your lungs as water engulfed your aching body. The gentle bubbles of oxygen as they floated away.

You remembered seeing the beauty of rolling blue skies before you plummeted into the watery depths below, only able to watch helplessly as that sight was consumed by the harsh blue ocean, drifting to a blackness as you sunk deeper and deeper into the abyss.

The emotions that had gripped you then were so strong that they hurt, the sorrow and loneliness and anguish so deep that it drowned out any fear even in the face of death. This had been an intentional end your suffering, a final act of desperation, and there was relief knowing that the pain of living could not follow through in death.

As your life slowly faded away into the nothingness, slipping through your grasp like grains of sand, the only thing you wished was that you did not have to be alone in your final moments. That if there was a life after this, you would not have to endure it all on your own like you had this one. You couldn’t bare to live this life, but if there was a god, you hoped they would be merciful for once and let you have peace.

Death came quickly. It was empty. Quiet. All consuming.

But then you awoke once again, when you knew you should not have been capable of doing so.

You choked on a pained gasp, desperate for air even though you were no longer beneath the waves. You could still feel the rush of water all around you, taste the salty sea as it choked you, feel the agony of breathlessness all over again. Everything felt so wrong, wrong, wrong!

You knew you died. It was a fact. You didn’t just pass out, no, you were absolutely certain that you had died when you threw yourself into the ocean. So why were you suddenly awake, still feeling the echoes of pain? Why did your eyes open to the dull grey ceiling, and why could you hear the gentle falling of snow beyond these bland walls, and why could you feel the softness of blankets draped over your body? Why??

Not knowing when you had even sat yourself up, you threw the blankets off your body, your legs feeling too sensitive to the sensation right now. Gazing down to your trembling hands only caused the consuming overwhelm of emotions to worsen. It was an impossible sight that you were met with ; instead of flesh and muscle and skin, your gaze settled on hands that were entirely skeletal in nature.

Carpus to metacarpus to phalanges, each bone interconnected smoothly together, no flesh or sinew to guide your movement. Your fingers were pointed and sharp, the tips stained black as though smudged with charcoal, the chips adorning them looking much like the type of nicks you would get from a sharp blade.

Panic continuing to rise, you shoved the dusty sleeves of your faded blue hoody up your elbows to expose the rest of your arms. You could identify the bones, the radius and ulna, each with cracks and gashes from a fight since passed, just as skeletal as your hands had been, just as clearly yours.

Even moving the hoodie from your chest revealed a skeletal ribcage, a dull little inverted heart glowing gently from behind the sternum. It was your soul, you realised, a tiny little thing with a deep crack running down the centre as though it threatened to snap in half at the slightest touch.

You couldn’t bear the sight. You shoved the hood down and tried to hide away your skeletal hands from your vision, squeezing your eyes closed so tight that it stung. This wasn’t your body. You weren’t meant to be a skeleton! You were meant to be human! Not that it mattered, you were meant to be dead! You wanted to be dead!

Breath strangled in your throat, your hands reactively shot up to your throat in desperation, tears building in your sockets and streaming down your face in silent terror. Pointed phalanges brushed against sensitive vertebrae, the foreign sensations terrifying and unnatural. There was no warmth to your bones, no softness like flesh, and the guttural sound that escaped you sounded like a dying animal.

You could hear your own bones as they begun to rattle against eachother from your intense trembling, making you all too aware of being in a body that did not feel like your own. You found yourself on the ground instead of on the bed, on your hands and knees, throwing up a vile black substance that made your mouth and throat burn. You didn’t even have a throat!

You threw up again, sobbing, barely able to breathe, desperate for this nightmare reality to melt away into something less unfamiliar and terrifying. But every passing moment made it devastatingly clear that this was reality, and a reality that you would be forced to endure and adjust to.

Why? Why, why, why?  All you wanted was an end to your suffering, and now a peaceful death had been robbed from you. You couldn’t do this, not alone, not again! Fear and anguish took hold of your very soul and you clawed at yourself, feeling the sensation of blood or whatever this body bled as your claws cut into your bone.

“BROTHER? ARE YOU OKAY?” A familiar voice called out, their voice like echoes of the wind, a low rasp that made them seem ghostly and ethereal. You didn't recognise it, yet you did, and it was confusing. Why did everything have to be so damn confusing?

Your gaze immediately tore from the charcoal-vomit stained floors and towards the person who had spoke. It was a skeleton, or more specifically, the floating grey skull of one. They had deep black sockets, their tattered scarf and gloves a deep black in color. Why was he so familiar?

The shock of seeing this phantom stranger was enough to tear you from your panic, even if only partially. You were left frozen, no longer clawing at yourself, but struggling to process the reality before you. You knew that face. You knew that person, even if you had never met them in your entire life.

“Pa....p....y..?” you managed to choked out.

“OF COURSE ITS THE GREAT PAPYRUS! YOU DIDN’T FORGET YOUR SUPER COOL BROTHER, DID YOU?” He let out with a sort of nervous sounsinf chuckle, gaze washing over you as though he took in your broken, distressed state. “NYEH... YOU DON’T SEEM SO OKAY... WHAT’S WRONG, BROTHER? HOW DO I HELP YOU?”

If he was Papyrus, and he was referring to you as his brother, did that make you the Sans? Or at least, the Sans of this world? And why did he look like a strange monochrome version of phantom papyrus, the variant that haunted DustTale Sans?

No, no, no, no! This- this couldn’t be real! This couldn’t possibly real!

Chapter 2: Brotherly Ghost

Ashe's POV

You sobbed even harder, covering your face with your hands as you did so. Learning you had apparently taken over the life of a supposedly fictional character after having drowned to death was not doing anything to help calm your distress. Everything was just too much.

“BROTHER, PLEASE, CALM DOWN... FOCUS ON YOUR BREATHING, ALRIGHT? I’M HERE. IN AND OUT. BREATHE. I’M HERE. STARS, PLEASE JUST TRY TO BREATHE...”

His ghostly form moved towards you, arms wrapping around your trembling body. Whilst he didn’t phase through you like he probably should have, his touch was so faint you could barely register it. It was more like a cold echo of touch, like an intense memory brought to life, yet you could still feel his intent through it.

He cared for you. He cared so much it made you cry even more. And even if he was a mere spectre, a ghost of a being long dead, his presence was enough to help you feel more stable, to make you feel less alone in your distress. You clung to his words in desperation. You couldn’t be alone, not anymore.

“Do..nt.... go.... pl..eas..e...” you managed to choke out in a whimper. Even your voice was different now, it was deeper and quieter, and using it was physically painful for you. The cringe that it caused was both from the discomfort of how it felt, and the discomfort in knowing you sounded different to how you should.

“SHHH....I’M NOT GOING ANYWHERE, I PROMISE. JUST KEEP BREATHING...” He stayed with you, never abandoning you with how long it was taking you to calm. He just waited with you, soothing you with gentle words, that look of concern never leaving his face.

“I.... dro....wn..ed?” you choked out, unable to get the images of water to leave your mind. There was water, so much water, and you couldn’t breath, it was cold, couldn’t breathe, can’t breath, cant--

“SANS, YOU DIDNT DROWN, YOU HAVEN’T EVEN BEEN NEAR WATER. WAS IT A BAD DREAM? ARE YOU OKAY?” He soothed out, still so gentle. When you could not bring yourself to form a response, he seemed to light up with an idea. “IF TALKING IS HARD RIGHT NOW, YOU COULD TALK IN HANDS!”

His words lingered in your mind as you attempted to process exactly what he had meant by it. Was he referring to sign language? You didn’t recall having ever learned sign language, but somehow, you had a feeling you would be able to use it if you were to try.

You let out a shuddered breath, bringing your hands to your face and experimentally flexing your fingers. As disturbing as it had initially been to see your fingers as fleshless bone, somehow, it was beginning to feel more natural to you. It was as though the initial overwhelming shock of waking up as a skeleton was wearing away. Or maybe you were just so tired out you couldn’t bring yourself to care anymore. Dissociation was a hell of a coping mechanism.

‘Talking hurts really bad,’ you finally signed out, your movements slow and deliberate. You could not stop the trembling, but it seemed that this ghostly Papyrus could still interpret without difficulty.

“THATS OKAY! WE CAN SIGN AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE! I CAN TALK ENOUGH FOR THE BOTH OF US! NYEH HEH!”

He seemed so gentle and sweet. But you couldn’t lie to him, even if through omission. You needed to talk about what happened. You needed to tell him that you weren’t Sans, that you weren’t his brother, that you were supposed to be dead. He deserved to know the truth, regardless of how frightening it was to admit.

‘I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m not Sans. I was human? I remember dying. I remember drowning. I couldn’t handle the pain so I drowned myself. Now am I here? How am I alive? Why?’

Several emotions seemed to cross the other’s features at your confession. There was confusion, and shock, and uncertainty, yet never anger or judgement. “...YOU WERE ASLEEP FOR A LONG TIME. I DO NOT KNOW IF YOU HAD A BAD DREAM OR IF YOU REALLY ARE SOMEHOW SUDDENLY SOMEBODY ELSE, BUT EVEN IF YOU ARE, YOU ARE STILL MY BROTHER AND I CARE ABOUT YOU.”

His answer was surprising. You had expected anger, or disbelief, or denial, or something bad. You expected him to yell, or say he was disappointed, or just abandon you without a word. Yet... he still cared?

‘Really?’ you responded, tears streaming down your sockets as you formed the word, unable to say anything more than that.

“ALWAYS. I KNOW YOU’RE SCARED, BUT I AM HERE FOR YOU...”

He really did love you, you could feel it. He didn’t hate you, he didn’t blame you. He loved you. He wanted you to be okay. You couldn’t remember a time anybody had cared for you before.

“BROTHER, I KNOW YOU WOULDN’T JOKE ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS, SO IF... YOU DONT WANT ME TO CALL YOU SANS ANYMORE, I COULD CALL YOU SOMETHING ELSE?”

You nodded quickly to that. You wouldn’t feel right using Sans as a name knowing you were not the person who truly owned it. And if the multiverse existed as you remembered, then you would need a unique name anyway, as you couldn’t go around being called Sans when so many different Sanses existed.

You were finally calmer, but the exhaustion made your head fuzzy. It was hard to come up with names now. ‘Can you help me decide?’

“OF COURSE! NYEH HEH! THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL FIND THE BEST NAME EVER!”

‘Thankyou,’ you signed. You really were thankful though. He had comforted you through your distress, promised not to leave you even after you admitted to not being his brother. And... honestly... you already felt very attached to him. As though he really were your brother. Was it possible the memories and feelings of this body were bleeding into your own?

“HMM. HOW ABOUT DUST?” he suggested after a long moment of thought. “BECAUSE YOU’RE ALL DUSTY!”

You shook your head. It did seem like this was likely to be a DustTale route of some sort, especially considering your Papyrus was a phantom and you were definitely covered in monster dust, you did not want to use a name that was potentially being used already.

“...WHAT ABOUT POWDER, THEN? OR... SOOT? ASH? PARTICLE?”

‘How about A-S-H-E?’ you suggested. You liked that the suggestions were all still easily recognisable, but Ashe seemed more gentle, somehow, and you liked that. It made you feel more like you.

“ASHE! NYEH HEH! THE COOLEST NAME FOR THE COOLEST BROTHER!”

Chapter 3: Gloves

Ashe's POV

Seeing your skeletal hands did not elicit the same amount of panic it initially had caused you, but it was still uncomfortable. It made you feel a little disconnected from your body.

It might have just been something you would have to get used to, but maybe you could find a way to make the changes a little easier to endure. After all, signing was your main method of communication, so it wasn't like you could just keep them in your pockets.

'Papy, do I own any gloves?' You signed slowly and deliberately. 'Seeing my hands kind of makes me uncomfortable.'

The spirit tilted his head as he listened to your words. "I DON'T THINK SO, BROTHER... BUT UNDYNE MIGHT! I'M SURE SHE WON'T MIND YOU HAVING HERS!"

You couldn't help but feel a mixture of shock and confusion at his wording. 'She won't mind? Does that mean she is still alive?'

"NO, BROTHER, ITS JUST US NOW. BUT!! I'M SURE SHE WOULDN'T MIND IF SHE WAS STILL HERE! NYEH HEH HEH!"

You felt the small amount of hope you had dash away when he explained. Just like you had suspected, everybody else must have been dust. You were the only living survivor of an underground driven to violence. Not even Papyrus had been spared, since he was a spirit. He... he was so sweet. He deserved better than to die.

"DON'T CRY, BROTHER! YOU DID WHAT YOU HAD TO SO THAT THE MEAN HUMAN COULD BE STOPPED. AND IT... WASN'T REALLY YOU ANYWAY. THAT WAS PREVIOUS SANS. YOU'RE ASHE. SO ITS NOT YOUR FAULT," he comforted.

Raising a hand to wipe the tears you had not even notice begun falling, you gave a feeble nod. You still felt a little guilty, but he was right. You couldn't blame yourself for what the previous owner of this body had done.

And... well, honestly, you couldn't really blame the Sans you replaced either. He had clearly been through hell and resorted to the only thing he thought could end the cycle of suffering. There was no use dwelling on the past anyway. This was a fresh start. A new beginning. And this time, you had a wonderful brother to help you along. You had Papy.

"LETS GO FIND YOU THOSE GLOVES!" He enthused with a cheerful grin. You gave a small smile in return, nodding as you pulled yourself to your feet to begin your adventure.

You looked around at the underground curiously as you walked, the grey hood of your jacket gently covering your skull. The quietness was comforting despite its eeriness. Somehow, it was easy to ignore the dust in the air, to block out the piles of dust that lay stagnant on the ground as you walked.

As it turns out, Undyne did own a pair of gloves, just shoved in the back of a draw filled with eyepatches. The ones you picked up were black and fingerless, meaning the sharp tips of your claws were still visible for all to see, but they were enough to make your hands less disturbing to look like.

'Thanks Papy!' You signed with a grin after. 'You're the best!'

His grin widened at that. "NYEH HEH HEH! OF COURSE I AM! I AM THE GRE-" he paused for a moment. "I AM THE SPOOKY PAPYRUS NOW, NYEH HEH!"

You couldn't help but giggle at his proclamation. 'The spookiest!'

"SO WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO NOW, BROTHER?"

'Could we go explore together?' you signed happily.

"GASP! THAT IS A WONDERFUL IDEA! I COULD SHOW YOU MY AMAZING PUZZLES AND TRAPS! THEY ARE A BIT DEADLIER THAN WHEN I SET THEM UP MYSELF, BUT THEY'RE STILL COOL!"

With how enthusiastic he sounded, you were keen to learn more about his puzzles. It sounded like it would be a fun way to bond a little more anyway, so you gave a cheerful nod. 'Sure Papy, that sounds like fun.'

"WOWIE, YOU'RE SO MUCH LESS MEAN AND LAZY THAN PREVIOUS SANS USED TO BE!" He beamed, already beginning to float in the direction in which he wished to guide you.

You stopped walking at that exclamation. The old Sans had been mean to his brother? But... Papy seemed so sweet and caring. You couldn't possibly imagine trying to hurt his feelings.

"...ARE YOU OKAY, ASHE? YOU STOPPED WALKING SUDDENLY. YOU'RE NOT GONNA FALL ASLEEP STANDING, ARE YOU?"

You shook your head to confirm you did not plan on falling asleep. 'What was your relationship like with the old Sans?'

"PREVIOUS SANS COULD BE VERY HURTFUL WITH HIS WORDS. I THINK ALL THE RESETS STARTED MAKING HIM ANGRY. I... DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE HIM HAPPY AND HE WOULD ALWAYS YELL AT ME. Sometimes I Thought He Hated Me...."

'I'm sorry, Papy. I don't remember any of it, but you deserve an apology. You... you've been so sweet to me. I don't think I'd be able to handle living without you. You deserve better.'

"I FORGIVE YOU! IT WAS PREVIOUS SANS' FAULT ANYWAY, NOT YOURS!" he said all to quickly. He seemed like the type of person to forgive no matter what. "AND DON'T WORRY! NYEH HEH! THE SPOOKY PAPYRUS WILL ALWAYS BE HERE FOR YOU!"

'I'll be here for you too,' you responded, eager to make sure that he knew he mattered to you. If the previous Sans failed to be a good brother to him, then you had to be better.

"OH! THAT REMINDS ME! IT HAS BEEN THREE YEARS, ELEVEN MONTHS AND SIX DAYS SINCE THE LAST RESET! I KEPT COUNT EVEN WHEN YOU WERE ASLEEP!"

It took you a few long moments to process that sudden new information. It being almost four years since the last reset meant the kid wasn't going to come back, were they? There would be no resets. No chance to fix the underground.

But there would also be no genocides. And you wouldn't have to pretend to be Sans to everyone else. You could just be yourself. Maybe... maybe you could find a way to leave your world and explore the multiverse? And Papy could come with you too!

Wait. How long were you asleep? He had mentioned it a few times now and it didn't seem like he was talking about a normal kind of going-to-bed sleep.

'Papy... how long was I sleeping? Did something happen?'

"YOU WERE ASLEEP FOR NINE DAYS... THE UNDERGROUND IS VERY OLD AND IS FALLING APART. SOMETIMES PARTS OF THE 'ROOF' FALL DOWN SUDDENLY, ITS BEEN GETTING A LOT WORSE SINCE THE CORE SHUT DOWN NINE MONTHS AGO. DID YOU NOTICE THE CRACKS IN YOUR SKULL? YOU WERE HURT BY ONE OF THE ROCKS THAT FELL..."

Cracks? You pulled down your hood for a moment, hand gently brushing against the smooth bone of your skull. It was definitely more than just cracks. What you felt was more like a windscreen when a rock shatters it. There wasn't a hole persay, but the cracks were like a deep webbing, bad enough that even a light blow to the same area would probably cause it to completely collapse in on itself.

"YOU SHOULDN'T TOUCH IT, BROTHER. YOU MIGHT MAKE IT WORSE."

Pulling your hand away at his request, you decided that it was probably best to keep your grey hood up so the injury wouldn't be so obvious to others. Maybe it would be a good idea to look for some monster candy and see if it would heal it, though you had a feeling you had been asleep too long for the wound to be able to heal any further.

'Thankyou for telling me, Papy. Lets go look at those puzzles you mentioned...'

Chapter 4: Traps

Ashe's POV

You stayed close behind Papy as he guided you to the traps he was so keen to share, watching as his tattered black scarf twisted and flowed in the air behind him. Impulsively, you reached out to touch the fabric, feeling mildly disappointed as your fingers phased through the fabric.

Paps noticed immediately and chuckled, but didn't complain. You ended up raising your fingers to your own scarf, of which you assumed used to belong to Papy. It was covered in dust and a greyish-red color. So why was ghost Papy's black instead? Did it mean something?

“NYEH HEH! THIS IS THE FIRST TRA—WAIT, DON’T STEP THERE!” Papy shouted, but unfortunately, his warning was moments too late.

The moment your foot made contact with the fresh fallen snow, you felt the movement of something shifting beneath you. You quickly threw yourself backwards in hopes to avoid whatever mechanism had been triggered, body moving entirely on instinct.

An array of sharp pointed branches shot from the ground all around you, and there was a split moment of fear at the realisation you were not outside of the range for it to skewer you. Without even meaning to, magic instantly built within your body, buzzing and warm, teleporting you onto the branches of the looming tree above.

You were in a crouched position now, clinging to the bough with a grip tight enough your claws left grooves in the bark, staring down at the now activated trap with a startled expression.

“WOWEE, THAT WAS CLOSE!” Papy let out as he floated over to you, looking over you as though to check for injuries. “ARE YOU OKAY?”

‘I'm okay, just startled,’ you signed after taking a few moments to catch your breath. You weren’t injured at all, having managed to move in the mere seconds of delay it took for the trap to fully engage. ‘Did I just teleport?’

“YES! YOU TOOK A ‘SHORTCUT’,” he explained with a grin. “NYEH... YOU CAN DO LOTS OF KINDS OF MAGIC, BUT YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL, BROTHER. THERE’S NO FOOD LEFT IN THE UNDERGROUND SO YOU NEED TO CONSERVE YOUR MAGIC AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.”

Low food seemed to be just another one of many issues in this underground. Was it part of the reason your body felt so tired and achy? Had it been so long since you had eaten a meal that your body was struggling not to cannibalise its own magic to survive?

‘The trap was very well hidden. Don't worry though, I will be mroe cateful from now on,’ you signed as you finally allowed yourself to relax. With the initial shock gone, you found yourself curious on how it operated.

You jumped carefully from the tree, making sure to avoid the danger, and looked at the mechanisms that made the spike trap function. You ended up resetting the trap, maybe it would catch a wild animal you could eat? Or maybe it would end up being entirely useless, but it was still something to keep you entertained. Traps were more fun than you had expected.

You spent some a few hours with the ghostly Papyrus as he showed you the numerous puzzles and traps throughout the underground, most of which were still fully functional. You had no memory of placing them, but now you knew what to look for, you found them easy to spot.

Papy complimented how observant you were a few times whilst you both explored – you had even found a few traps that he had completely forgotten about. It was really fun seeing how unique, albeit deadly, each one was. You weren’t sure you could recreate them, but knew you would have no trouble avoiding traps from strangers in the future.

Eventually, you made your way to waterfall, having been tired out from exploring. It was rather peaceful here with the gentle sound of water and the dull illumination of the space. It was calm in the melancholy sort of way, though maybe that was just due to the dust still lingering in the air.

You moved to the cliffs that towered throughout this region, staring intensely at the abyss that lay beyond its edge. The height was enough that the ground further down was difficult for you to make out, and you took a step closer, unable to tear your gaze from the drop.

Would you die if you fell from this height? What would your dust look like at the bottom, would it become a pile like everyone else or would it scatter upon impact? You didn’t even notice your body leaning forward slightly, eyelights hazy. If you fell, would it even matter? Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. It’d be quicker than drowning, and--

“BROTHER, I THINK I SHOULD MOVE AWAY FROM THE EDGE...” Papy’s concerned voice snapped you away from your darkening thoughts.

You stared at him for a moment, processing his words. When had you gotten so close to the edge of the cliff? How long had you spent there, completely lost in your mind like that? Would you have let yourself fall had he not interrupted you?

“...A-ASHE, I’M REALLY WORRIED. PLEASE MOVE AWAY FROM THE EDGE? PLEASE?” He sounded so pleading, his voice quivering slightly. It sounded so wrong to hear such a confident person sound so uncertain and afraid.

You gave a small nod and moved away from the cliff.  “Sor...ry...” you managed to choke out, using your voice instead of signing for once. You hadn’t intended to make him so worried, though part of you felt warm that he cared so much and so openly.

“ITS OKAY, BROTHER, I’M JUST... VERY WORRIED. DO YOU... WANT TO HURT YOURSELF?”

The silence that came from that question lingered. You couldn’t lie to the one person who cared for you unconditionally and say it wasn’t tempting to hurt yourself, but at the same time, it was a topic that was too painful for you to really discuss. You were still constantly thinking of suicide, even if more passively instead of actively now.

“...I KNOW THINGS ARE HARD, BUT THEY WILL GET BETTER,” he encouraged. “NYEH... HOW ABOUT WE FIND SOMEPLACE NICE TO REST? I DON’T NORMALLY ENCOURAGE LAZINESS, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE OKAY JUST THIS ONCE.”

‘If we go home, could you maybe tell me a story?’

“OH! WELL... USUALLY YOU TELL ME STORIES... BUT WORRY NOT! THE SPOOKY PAPYRUS IS UP FOR THE CHALLENGE! NYEH HEH!" He gave a wide grin. "I'LL READ YOU FLUFFY BUNNY! THAT ONE IS MY FAVORITE!”

Chapter 5: Stars

Ashe's POV

You moved through the forest at a rather casual pace, momentarily stopping at random intervals to look at bugs hidden in the foliage or dull brown mushrooms growing in fallen logs. You tried not to disturb anything you came across, instead trying to keep any evidence of your movements hidden.

In theory, could you live of bugs, or would that not be enough to sustain a skeleton? And what kind of mushrooms were they, could they be edible? Not that you would be willing to eat them anyway, but it was a curious thought to you. It kept you occupied whilst headed home.

"...ASHE, SOMEONE IS HERE," your brother let out in a voice that displayed both excitement and concern.

You frowned at that, immediately considering your options. The underground was empty, so if there were newcomers, they must have been multiverse travellers... which likely meant either the Nightmare Gang, the Destroyer, or the Star Sanses. Or somebody entirely different, but you hoped whoever it was, you would at least know of they were safe to be around or not.

The first two would be bad for obvious reasons. The latter though... would the Star Sanses be able to help you leave this dismal place? You weren't causing any trouble, so there was no reason to assume they would hurt you. Still, though, you felt the need to be careful, to learn more about the situation before exposing yourself.

With a practiced ease, you climbed into the closest tree to ensure you would not be spotted, then turned to Papy with a determined expression. 'Papy, can you find whoever it is and describe them to me? I don't know if they'll be a potential friend or a threat.'

"OF COURSE, BROTHER! WILL YOU BE HIDING IN THE TREES?" You nodded to his question. "STAY SAFE!" With that, Papy disappeared into the forest in search of whoever he had sensed.

In the silence that followed, you moved from tree to tree, staying deathly silent as you did so in order to avoid drawing any attention to yourself. You always chose higher branches, but sturdy ones that could still hold your weight, since it would be hard to see you even if they looked up whilst directly beneath.

Papyrus floated back, his expression seeming less excited and more concerned. You wondered if that meant the intruder was hostile, though you couldn't be sure. 'You okay, Papy?'

"THERE ARE THREE STRANGE SKELETONS," he explained. "THEY ALL LOOK A BIT LIKE YOU, BUT DIFFERENT. ONE IS SHORT WITH A BLUE BANDANNA, ONE HAS BROWN OVERALLS AND A GIANT PAINTBTUSH, AND THE OTHER WEARS LOTS OF YELLOW."

You nodded, instantly recognising the descriptions as being the Star Sanses. That meant they were probably here to help, or maybe they were even here by accident. Still, you didn't want to be too trusting, so you planned to spy on them a little and figure out their plans just to make sure it was safe to approach them.

'They're the Star Sanses. I'm not sure if they will help us or not. How far are they?'

"THEY ARE GETTING CLOSE," he said simply. "IF WE WAIT HERE, THEY SHOULD COME BY IN LIKE FIVE MINUTES FROM THAT DIRECTION." He pointed when mentioning the direction, which was sort of to your left.

'I'll wait for them. Its better to be cautious just in case.'

After a solid ten minutes of waiting perched in the branches, the three figures came into view. You kept your breathing calm and relaxed, trying not to allow yourself to outwardly feel anything too much. You knew that the positivity guardian was an empath, so you wanted to be careful, though you were a little uncertain if you could stop yourself being immediately identified by emotions alone.

Dream wore an outfit that consisted of black, gold and white. His magic bbow was already in his hands, drawn and prepared to shoot at any moments notice, making you wary of leaving your spot. His gold orbs glowed intensely, magic at his fingertips already formed into a teal colored arrow.

Ink held his paintbrush in his hands. It was strange seeing him without a grin. His expression was very focused, orbs scrutinising every thing around him, though there seemed to be bubbling excitement and determination there as well.

Blue looked just as tense as the other two, though had no weapon in his hands. Not that it mattered, since you could feel his magic in the air, ready to summon attacks when called upon.

It was as though they were all waiting for unseen threat to emerge from the shadows and ambush them, as though they were fully prepared for an intense fight to begin the moment they let their guard down. Though perhaps it was because they seemed to have recently come from a fight. They were covered in wounds, parts of their clothes ripped, but mostly okay.

It was not a comforting sight, but you swallowed down your anxiety in favor for continuing to observe.

Did their battle readiness mean they were here looking for one of the so-called threats to the multiverse? If Dream was here, did that mean they were looking for Nightmare? They... weren't here for you, were they? You hadn't done anything to draw attention to your au, at least, not to your knowledge.

As they continued to move through the forest, you followed, the trees keeping you from being spotted. You listened carefully, trying to pick up on any conversation that might pertain to their goal.

"...should have come sooner," Dream said. You didn't quite pick up on the earlier parts it the conversation, but it seemed like they had been talking for a little while now.

"Nightmare probably sensed it when you did and got here before us. Its been like three hours, Error was probably distracting us on purpose..." Ink let out with a sigh. He was starting to look like he was getting bored.

"MAYBE INK IS RIGHT... IT DOES SEEM AWFULLY EMPTY HERE, DREAM. MAYBE WE SHOULD HEAD BACK?"

"No, there's definitely somebody in this AU. Its like... their aura is muffled or something." Dream explained. That was interesting – your aura was muffled to them? That was probably the reason why you had not been found instantly.

"...Muffled?" Ink echoed curiously.

"Yeah. Like something is blocking me from sensing it fully."

"YOU MEAN LIKE NIGHTMARE?"

"I really can't tell, Blue," he let out. "Just stay cautious."

You shifted onto the next tree, still watching. You wanted to talk to them, but were a bit worried they might assume you a threat with how tense they all were. Maybe you should just drop down from the tree and try to talk to them? Or maybe you should wait a little longer and see if they relax a bit? Or maybe you should—

Body reacting before your mind could process what happened, you threw yourself from the tree to avoid being impaled by a glowing teal arrow. Did Dream just shoot at you!? You didn't even do anything! You didn't provoke him, or try to attack, you were just watching!!

"Dust! What are you doing in this AU!? Did Nightmare send you!?"

 

Chapter 6: Fight

Ashe's POV

Did they just call you Dust!? That was definitely an issue. You knew already that you looked like him, but what else could they have expected when coming here? This timeline was clearly a DustTale variant, so it was only natural that you would look like a, well, dust Sans. Shouldn’t they have been expecting that? Were they expecting this to be a different kind of au, maybe?

Feeling exposed, you teleported onto a branch of the same tree, hoping that putting in distance but keeping in sight would be enough to deter them from immediately attacking. However, that plan backfired, as an arrow flew where your skull had been just moments prior, causing you to fall. You landed crouching and unharmed, but feeling a little disheartened.

Seeing as staying on trees was clearly not an option anymore, you attempted to raise your hands in hopes to sign a response ; you intended to explain that you weren’t Dust, but rather, a different variant named Ashe, but the moment you raised your hands, they seemed to think you were readying to attack them and immediately launched into action.

“We won’t let you mess up this Au! Er, well, not any more than it has been!” Ink shouted as he summoned a wall of ink to throw you backwards.

Rude. This au wasn’t even 'messed up'. It was meant to be like this... wasn’t it? You didn’t somehow mistake what kind of timeline this was meant to be, right? Sure, there were a few differences, like Papy being monochrome and his eyes being all leaky, but other than that, it seemed pretty typical for a DustTale. Was he just assuming, or was there actually something wrong with your timeline that you just didn't know about?

You needed to stop getting distracted. This was just a misunderstanding, surely you could explain-ooor you could get struck through the shoulder by an arrow you didn't quite avoid. Ouch. That was... a fuck ton of intent. Intent to kill, specifically, too. It didn't take too much from your HP thankfully, but it did hurt quite a lot. You immediately ripped it out and threw it into the tree. 

"MWEH HEH HEH! WE’LL STOP YOU!” Blue shouted as a multitude of glowing bones shot through the air, of which you had to practically throw yourself to the side to dodge.

This was already going terribly and the fight had barely begun. You were absolutely not prepared to fight anyone! Especially not the Star Sanses! If they just gave you a chance to sign, this misunderstanding could have been easily cleared up! Curse your inability to physically talk!

"Why do you even work with Nightmare? Whatever he promised you isn't worth it!" Dream shouted. "Face it! He doesn't care about you! He's a liar and a manipulator!"

The three had a lot more stamina than you did. You were already slightly dizzy, overexerting yourself by dodging a nrw attack every few seconds, not given even a moments of grace. They worked well together, and you might have complimented their teamwork if it weren’t literally being used against you.

Deciding it would probably be better to run, you turned and begun to do just that. You dodged several attacks and attempted to pass Blue, only to feel a hand instantly drag you back by your hood, throwing you back in the middle of the three.

“No! You can’t just escape without answering our questions!” Ink yelled, summoning chains with his paint. They were tight, a dripping black substance that didn’t quite have a chance to solidify before you acted. You summoned a bone attack to break yourself free. 

Did they even see how your magic sparked and spluttered? How you were so weak from injury and hunger that you could barely even summon an attack? They did seem rather tired, and if they just got here after fighting Error like their conversation had suggested, maybe they were too exhausted to notice?

Just give up, Dust!" Dream shouted. He got real close to you for a moment as he dodged one of your attacks, so close you almost felt his breath, and you heard him say in a low whisper, "I will bring you to justice for all you've done." 

You leapt back at that. Justice? For what you'd done? Well, if it wasn't obvious before that Dust had done something awful, it was certainly clear now.

You continued to dodge various attacks. Arrows, ink, magic bones and other sorts of attacks, all aimed towards you. There was no chance for you to sign, and escape didn’t seem like an option when being outnumbered like this, so you  looked to Papy pleadingly, trying to see if he had any ideas on what to do.

“ASHE, THEY’RE CLEARLY NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO SIGN, AND THEY WONT LET YOU RUN AWAY. YOU SHOULD DUST THEM BEFORE THEY HURT YOU MORE!”  He shouted to you as you dodged yet another attack. “JUST STAB THEM REALLY HARD! I BELIEVE IN YOUUUU!”

You frowned, hoping to convey your disappointment in his answer solely through your expression. Even if these skeletons were slightly terrifying in their insistence to hurt you, you knew they were good people and you didn’t want to hurt them. Paps didn’t seem to quite understand that. “STAB STAB STAB, BROTHER, YOU CAN DO IT!”

Another unimpressed stare.

“IF YOU DONT WANT TO DUST THEM YOURSELF, YOU COULD LET ONE OF YOUR TRAPS DO IT? YOU JUST HAVE TO LURE THEM TO ONE, YOU SAW HOW THEY WORK EARLIER!”

Another stare, just as intense. 

“FINE, FINE, I GET IT, YOU DON’T WANT TO HURT THEM. BUT, BROTHER, YOUR MAGIC IS GETTING DANGEROUSLY LOW. YOU CANT DODGE FOREVER...”

He had a point, but your thoughts were interrupted by the pain of an arrow striking your shoulder. You whimpered as you tried to pluck it from your bone, only for another two and a face full of paint to take its place.

“BROTHER!” Papy screeched as you fell back.

The paint left you momentarily blinded, your cries of pain silent as you tried to claw the substance away from your face.  The lack of vision was terrifying. It was dark and it made you remember drowning all over again, made you remember what it was like to die all alone.

The ink burned! Hot, hot, hot, it burned like acid, eating at your bone, burning, burning! The substance was in your mouth now too, bitter and burning even without having summoned an ecto tongue, and it hurt so bad! Why? Why did they feel the need to hurt you like this? You didn't do anything wrong! You didn't deserve this!

"Pa..py.... hel...p...!” you managed to choke out, sobbing as you clawed at your face, stumbling hard into one of the tree.

You wanted to be somewhere safe! Not here! Anywhere but here! It hurt so bad! With your rising distress, you felt your magic building up. It was cold and buzzing, surrounding you, and you could feel Papyrus' magic too somehow, both part of you and separate, merging together.

And then, there was a sudden silence, and your consciousness was failing you. You felt the dirt as your head hit the ground, but everything slipped away, and you were cast into a dreamless slumber.

You didn't even know that yours and Papy's combined magic had teleported you into a completely new universe.

Chapter 7: OuterTale

Outers POV

It had been a relatively peaceful day in the original copy of OuterTale. This particular timeline rarely ever had issues with genocide runs, and didn’t really reset much in general, allowing the inhabitants to go about their days in relative peace.

Outer was quite aware that the destroyer would frequently visit his au. He had seen the glitched sans sitting by the cliffs, peacefully gazing towards the star strewn skies, or even knitting various creations, too many times to count. There was an unspoken agreement between the two, a sort of ‘don’t bother me and I won’t bother you’ type of arrangement, and over time, he had come to almost enjoy the other’s silent presence.

He never bothered contacting the Star Sanses. After all, the destroyer had never once caused any damage to this place, and had even actively protected it on a few occasions where visiting outcodes were acting unreasonably, making it clear – at least to him - that this place was under his protection.

And how ironic that was. The god of destruction, protecting an au. It seemed like such an unlikely thing, but then again, really, life was already filled with unlikely things. Like a child that could reset time. Or their homicidal ghost friend. Or even the alternate timelines in general. It was all too tiring for him to try to think about.

One thing he did notice was that there were never even attacks by the Bad Sanses here. Outer certainly heard about them from the seemingly constant Council Meetings, where the judges of the aus would gather to discuss apparent threats to the multiverse. Or argue, mostly. There was always far too much arguing there.

Still, Outer had always told wondered if maybe the destroyer kept the Bad Sanses away from this little starry paradise. Nobody knew if Error worked with Nightmare or not, but there were always suspicions of it. Regardless, Outertale just... wasn’t a place that seemed to attract anything truly bad. It was always peaceful and silent, even when the rest of the multiverse seemed to be facing disaster after disaster.

Perhaps that was why Outer was so unconcerned when he felt the sudden gathering of magic forming nearby, the telltale sign of a teleportation between timelines. Within moments, an intruder appeared, though oddly, they weren’t even standing. It was nobody he had ever met personally, but they perfectly fit everything he had been told about the sans called Dust.

He observed at first, form a distance, gauging whether or not it would risk his safety to dare tread closer. He wouldn’t get involved if he didn’t need to, just watch for any signs of violence. He didn’t even plan to ask questions. Safer not to know, he figured. But he’d step in if they caused any problems.

The dust variant was laying unconsciously in the snow. There was red ink all over their face, two teal arrows lodged into their shoulder, wounds from a recent fight littering their body. Blood seeped into the snow around them, staining it a dusty crimson.

The stranger had a long black scarf. Or rather, it had been black, but the darkness seemed to drain from it quickly, leaving the more grey-red scarf. It were as though it had momentarily stored onto a dark magic, only to fade when it was used up when bringing the stranger to this au. How strange.

For just a moment, he swore he saw the floating figure of a Papyrus, a black scarf billowing in the wind, bleeding sockets and a twisted grin, but the image lingered only moments before fading. Perhaps it had never truly been there to begin with, but the memory of its empty eyes gazing threateningly at him burned into his mind, making him wary. He’d have nightmares from that, he was sure of it.

Realising there was no obvious threat, Outer ventured to the stranger. They were clearly in need of medical attention, though he suspected they mainly passed out from magic exhaustion, as he could feel how dangerously low their magic was. Though the arrows and ink must not have been comfortable anyway.

“Ehhh... This is gonna be a pain,” he grumbled to himself, grimacing at the blood and dust. “I’m not stupid enough to let one of Nightmare’s die in my au. Let’s get ya healed and sent off before ya draw any unwanted attention.”

Whilst Outer didn’t really consider himself neutral, his actions usually put him somewhere sort of morally grey. He cared more about the safety of his au and papyrus than he did of anything else. So, he would help the person he assumed to be Dust despite his reputation, solely out of self preservation.

If one of Nightmares close allies died in this au, he could only imagine the hell that the king of negativity would reign here in retaliation. So, he planned to heal the stranger, get them to leave the moment they were strong enough, then give a vague alert to the star sanses that Dust was spotted in his timeline (though he would withhold any information on having helped them).

Using his blue magic, he lifted the stranger from snow, then teleported the two of them to the safety of his home. He could only hope that Papyrus would not come home during the time that ‘Dust’ would remain there.

He shuddered at the continued feeling of being watched. That horrifying floating papyrus head wasn’t real, right? He cringed at the thought. “Uhhh... If there really is a terrifying undead ghost Papyrus floating around here, I, uh, ain’t gonna hurt your friend, so, uh, please don’t, like, stab me from the afterlife or something,” he told the air.

Of course, he was only met with silence. He doubted what he saw was even real, but he was still strangely unnerved.

“...Great. Now I’m talking to myself,” he grumbled. Today was not a good day. Oh, how he wished he could just be asleep at his sentry, dreaming of his beloved condiments. “Guess I should get the med kit and get working.”

Chapter 8: Healing

Ashe's POV

It took you a while to fully awaken. Your magic replenished quickly as your mouth was gently pried open and candies forced between your teeth. Monster candy, you realised distantly, though you weren’t quite conscious enough to wonder who was giving it to you.

The deep heaviness that had settled on your bones slowly became lighter, any pain from your injuries instantly disappearing into a numbness and then nothingness as though you had never been hurt innthe first place.

A warm but sopping wet cloth was pressed to your skull. Whoever was using it wasn't the most gentle, seemingly scrubbing something away from around your sockets, but you were still deep enough in sleep that it didn't bother you. You lulled in between cold slumber and vague consciousness, content to remain asleep.

That was, until, they started scrubbing the inside of your sockets.

You let out a quiet groan as your hand shot up, trying to push the stranger away. What they were doing didn’t hurt much despite the sensitive area, they were clearly being much more gentle there, but it was incredibly uncomfortable, making you want to gag in disgust.

“C’mon, bud, ya gotta let me clean that gross paint lookin' stuff from your sockets if you wanna be able to see again,” an unfamiliar voice grumbled from the darkness.

Instantly your adrenaline rose and you were forced to completely awaken, now fully realising there was a stranger close to you whilst you were vulnerable. What if he hurt you? Well, they probably would have done that already, but still! You didn’t want a stranger touching you! Especially not while you couldn't see!

You pushed back harder, attempting to summon your eyelights to see but finding your vision to shadowy and faded for you to be able to see beyond vague shapes and colors. You couldn't tell what you were looking at.

“Bud, stop freakin’ out, I ain’t gonna hurt ya,” he retorted. He sounded... tired. He didn’t seem annoyed. If anything, he seemed stressed, like he didn’t really want to be anywhere near you.

“BROTHER, STOP BEING STUBBORN. THIS WEIRD SPACE SANS HAS BEEN HELPING YOU FOR THE PAST HOUR. YOU CAN STAB HIM LATER, BUT FOR NOW, JUST LET HIM HELP YOU,” the familiar voice of your ghostly sibling scolded you.

With your brother’s contribution on the subject, you relaxed a little, no longer feeling quite so alert. If Papy thought he was safe and wasn’t recommending the immediate stab-stab-stab treatment, then it was probably okay to trust him for now. You were certain that Papy wouldn’t misguide you.

“Glad ya calmed down,” the stranger sighed. “Unsummon ya eyelights, eye gotta clean a little bit more. What even is this stuff? Promise I’m tryna be gentle...”

You cringed a little but reluctantly allowed him to continue assaulting your sockets with the cloth. You hated this. It was so gross. You could feel Papy nearby though, a ghostly hand on yours, gentle and comforting, helping to distract you. As disgustingly unpleasant cleaning your sockets had been, you did have to admit that your sockets were feeling far better when they finally pulled away.

“There ya go. See? S’all good, bud. Ya can summon your eyelights now if you wanna.”

Your eyelights flickered at first, hazy with the disorientation of having just woken up, but quickly regained focus. In front of you was a vaguely familiar skeleton. OuterTale, you recalled, which made sense, considering Papy had taken to calling him ‘Space Sans’.

He snickered slightly at your staring. “I must be a sight for sore eyes, eh?” he let out.  Despite your unease, his pun managed to earn a small giggle from you, and a displeased groan from ghost Papy. It definitely helped you to feel more at ease with him.

Realising that your hood was no longer covering your skull, you quickly moved it back up, not feeling comfortable knowing that the head injury would be soo easily visible to those around you. The way his eyes shifted to the injury for a moment and then immediately away made it clear he had seen it, but he chose not to say anything, thankfully.

“So... Dust. As much as I like having guests, you should probably get goin, yeah?” he begun. His tone was calm and disinterested, but you could hear undertones of anxiety leaking through, wariness flashing across his features for a moment before being hidden by a mask of apathy. “This ain’t exactly neutral ground, so, uh, might wanna head off before the Star Sanses show up. I didn't call 'em, but uh.... yeah."

You sighed, realising that you were once again being mistaken for Dust sans. Did you really look that much alike? Weren’t there any clear distinguishing features, like height or something? That was definitely starting to seem like an ongoing issue, but maybe you could find a solution to that later on.

‘I’m sorry for the confusion, mister, but I’m not Dust. My name is A-S-H-E,’ you signed out to him, hoping to communicate that he didn’t have to be so wary of you. ‘Thankyou for helping me, though.’

“Uhhh.... sorry, bud, eye dunno how ta read sign,” he explained, scratching his neck awkwardly. “I gotta hand it to ya though, ya do make a good case for learnin’ it.”

Oh. You didn’t even think to consider that sign language may not be universal for the monsters you might encounter. Well, that would definitely make communication difficult. Maybe you should find a notebook to carry around as a backup for situations like this one.

Since he didn’t seem to be keen on attacking you despite thinking you were Dust, you decided not to waste what little words you could speak trying to explain. Instead, you considered how he had mentioned this was not a neutral au... did thst mean that neutral ones did exist, though? Just somewhere else?

If everybody was going to assume you were Dust, it was better to stick to neutral places so you wouldn’t be attacked for merely existing. This OuterTale sans clearly didn’t want you to linger anyway, and you certainly didn’t want to be stuck fighting the Star Sanses again, so even if you weren't sure how you actually got here, you figured it was besr not to stick arouns too long.

“Whe..re....  is...  n...eu...tral....?” you choked out. Apparently healing candy did nothing to help your throat. Well, maybe not nothing, since it hurt less, but talking wasn't any easier.

“Uhhh, a lot of the Underswaps are neutral, just not the original one cuz of the Papyrus. The OG underfell is, which is kinda weird but ehh, whatever. Then there’s FarmTale, MarketTale and uhhhh that one au with the fish? Oh, and FluffyTale.”

The fish au? That was... strangely specific yet extremely undescriptive. Still, you got the answers you were seeking. “Tha....nks...” you let out, dissolving into a coughing fit. You had barely spoken at all, yet you were already overdoing it. Oops.

“Eh. Sure thing, bud. Honestly just glad ya haven’t tried ta stab me.”

You sighed. Papy was the stab-happy one, not you. But that was a problem for future you to deal with.

Chapter 9: Magic

Ashes POV

Still facing Outer, you chose to made a gesture with your hands, trying to nonverbally communicate through what was essentially an unwilling game of charades. The other raised a brow at first, taking in your movements with an expression of confusion, only to quickly flash with a hint of understanding.

“Oh, ya want somethin to write on?” He hummed, to which you nodded in confirmation. “Eh... I’ll go see if I have an old notebook or somethin’... But ya gotta stay here, yeah? Don’t go messin’ with the stuff in my room.”

Your thumbs up must have been enough to reassure him that you would stay put as he quickly disappeared in what you could only assume to be a shortcut, leaving you seated on the bed with only your phantom sibling as company.

Not that you could complain, though. This was the perfect opportunity to speak to Papy without having to worry about being judged for talking somebody you were sure was invisible to everybody else.

“SEE, BROTHER! I TOLD YOU THAT HE WOULD HELP YOU!” Papyrus exclaimed, grinning widely.

‘Papy, how did we get here? I don’t remember what happened after Ink flung paint into my sockets,’ you signed thoughtfully, still trying to see if you could dredge up any further details from your blurred memories.

“YOUR MAGIC WAS VERY DAMAGED AND UNSTABLE DUE TO YOUR INJURY, SO THE ADDED PANIC MADE IT KIND OF BLEED OUT? I WAS ABLE TO USE IT TO TELEPORT US TO SAFETY.”

Whilst you appreciated the explanation, you found it only increasing your confusion even further. He was able to use your own magic, but... wouldn’t teleporting through different timelines take a very large amount of energy? How would he have had enough to take you here, when your magic had been so deficient at the time?

‘I don’t really understand...’ you confessed, hoping he would be willing to explain it in more detail.

“HM. WELL, BROTHER. LET ME ASK YOU THIS. CAN YOU FEEL MY MAGIC RIGHT NOW? HOW ITS KIND OF MERGED TOGETHER WITH YOURS?’

You took a moment to consider his words. Now that you thought about it, you realised that he was right. There was the gentle buzzing warmth of his magic that surrounded you, seeping into your own, interweaving and combining until it was impossible to discern what magic belonged to you and what belonged to him.

‘...I do. But what happened? It wasn’t like this before!’

“YOUR HEAD WOUND ALSO AFFECTED YOUR MAGIC DIRECTLY AND MADE A SORT OF HOLE. BECAUSE OF THAT, YOUR MAGIC WAS SEEPING OUT AND LATCHED ONTO ME, REACTIVATING MY MAGIC TO TRY AND SORT OF... PLUG THE LEAK?” He begun to explain. “OUR MAGIC IS NOW PERMANENTLY A SINGLE COMBINED STREAM.”

That was beginning to make more sense to you. ‘So if our magic is merged together, what does that mean? Is it dangerous?’

“HM. YES AND NO. YOUR MAGIC MUCH MORE STABLE NOW, YOU HAVE TWICE AS MUCH AS YOU USED TO. YOU’LL PROBABLY HAVE TO BURN OFF EXCESS MAGIC, OTHERWISE IT MIGHT HARM YOUR BODY... ON THE PLUS SIDE, IT SEMS I CAN STORE SOME MYSELF, EVEN IF ONLY A SMALLER AMOUNT. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?”

You nodded. ‘You seem to know a lot about magic.’

“NYEH HEH HEH! OF COURSE! THE SPOOKY PAPYRUS IS VERY SMART!”

You let out a soft giggle, nodding in agreement with his declaration. ‘Oh! Since you teleported us here, do you think you could do it again?’

“I THINK SO! I BET I COULD EVEN TAKE YOU SPECIFIC PLACES INSTEAD OF RANDOM! BUT I DO THINK I WOULD NEED SOME PRACTICE FIRST....”

‘Is it like shortcutting?’

“NOPE! ITS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT... HM. I CAN’T THINK OF A WAY TO EXPLAIN IT,” he let out with furrowed brows. Then, suddenly, his orbs became less cheerful, expression shifting. “OUTER IS WATCHING YOU FROM THE HALLWAY.”

You gave a minute nod, then turning to the hall in which he had gestured towards. He probably had not been there for long, but you were fairly sure he had seen at least part of your conversation. Would he believe you if you told him you were talking to your dead brother? Or would he think you were insane?

You waved at Outer and he came in. “Uhhh. Sorry. It looked like you were having a very... intense... discussion with the wall there,” he let out.

“NYEH! I AM NOT A WALL!” Papy immediately retorted, aghast at the comment.

You turned back to the floating skull. When he wasn’t talking to you directly, he was usually by your side, though you always had to gaze upwards a little since he was higher. ‘Papy, he can’t see you, remember? I’m sure he’s not trying to be mean.’

“NYEH... I STILL THINK YOU SHOULD STAB HIM FOR BEING RUDE.”

You gave an unimpressed stare to that, crossing your arms. ‘Outer has been nice enough to help. We are not stabbing him!’

“...FINE. BUT IF HE HURTS YOU, I EXPECT YOU TO STAB EXTRA HARD.”

You rolled your eyes, then turned back to Outer, not having meant to have ignored him like that.

“Uhhhh.... Is the, uh, wall, done talkin back, orr...?” Outer interrupted, sweat dripping down his face as though he were finding the situation incredibly uncomfortable. He wasn’t scared of you, was he? You might have to be more mindful of talking to ghost Papy with company, then.

You simply nodded at his question, casting a soft grin in hopes to reassure him that you weren’t offended at his question. “Er... good, then,” he let out, taking a moment to clear his nonexistent throat. “I found ya this old notebookand a few pens. Keep ‘em if ya want.”

The little bundle that he passed into your hands was a simplistic notepad with lined pages, there being enough room that it should last you a decent amount of time. It had a sort of leather case to it though, one you could slip off if you wanted a new notepad, the cover having a beautiful echo flower and vine engravings.

It was far more beautiful than you had expected. It seemed rather old, yet well cared for despite the lack of writings in it. It looked like it would have been quite expensive. It seemed far too pretty to simply be giving away. Why wouldn’t he keep it? Or the leather case part, at the very least?

He picked up on your questioning gaze and sighed. “It, uh... belonged to th’ old royal scientist. Found it in storage collectin’ dust. Guess he didn’t get around ta using it.”

“...BROTHER, WHOEVER THIS OLD ROYAL SCIENTIST PERSON WAS, OUTER CLEARLY DOESN’T LIKE THEM. JUST TAKE THE NOTEBOOK. BESIDES, YOU CLEARLY LIKE IT’.”

You nodded, feeling more comfortable accepting it now that you had Papy's reassurance. It really was beautiful, you would be sure to treasure it. After all, this was your first gift in this life – well, aside from Undyne’s gloves, if that even counted as one.

Using the pens he had also passed along, you decided to write a short note to Outer. ‘Thankyou for helping, and for the lovely notebook, Mr Outer.’

“Uh, sure,” he responded casually after taking a moment to read it.

You then stood up from your bed, as you had been seated until this point, and turned to ghost Papy, signing instead of using the notebook. You definitely preferred signing to writing, the pad would be mostly for emergencies or trying to remember things.

‘Papy, do you think you could take us to a new timeline? I’m not sure if you could get to the neutral aus that Outer mentioned, but maybe we can try anyway?'

Papyrus gave a cheerful, albeit mischievous, grin. “OF COURSE!”

Then, like before, you felt the buildup of magic all around you. It took only a few moments, just barely long enough for you to wave goodbye to the space themed skeleton. The scarf around your neck seemed to blacken with saturated magic, and moments later, you were in a completely different timeline.

Chapter 10: FarmTale

Notes:

There will absolutelt be chickens and cows in the near future (≧∇≦)

Ashe's POV

This timeline was definitely different to what you had expected upon arriving. You were fully prepared to be in another version of the underground, but you instead found yourself standing in what was clearly a region that was clearly on the surface. There were blue skies high above you, filled with fluffy white clouds, and the sun was shining brightly.

This place appeared to be primarily farmlands. You could see the rolling stretches of green, where horses wandered about and cows lazily munched on the grass. There were also large areas with crops, from fields of wheat adorned with eerie scarecrows, to various sections with vegetables such as pumpkins and watermelon.

Not too far from where you were standing was a decent sized house, the dull brown wood reminding you a little of your home back in Snowdin. You felt excited at the prospect of learning more about this place. Exploring was just so much fun!

Blinking rapidly for a moment whilst your eyes adjusted to the change in light, you turned to Papy with a sudden realisation. ‘Oh, I completely forgot to tell Outer that I’m not Dust... I hope that doesn’t cause any problems in the future.’

“WELL, IF A PROBLEM DOES OCCUR, I’M SURE YOU COULD FIND A SOLUTION. PREFERABLY ONE THAT INCLUDES STABBING.”

The snort of laughter that escaped you was met only by his sharp toothed grin. ‘You’re really stab-happy, huh? Maybe I should start calling you Stabby Papy,’ you signed with a playful grin.

“NYEH HEH HEH! THE STABBIEST!” He declared, posing dramatically to emphasise his point. You couldn’t smiling, which seemed to make him smile even more.

‘So where are we? Nothing looks familiar. We aren’t even underground anymore...’

“WE ARE IN.. UHHH.... A NEW TIMELINE! YES! I TOTALLY KNOW WHICH ONE! YEP!”

Papy was clearly a little flustered at not knowing the location. ‘Its okay if you don’t know, Papy, I’m sure we can just ask somebody here,’ you managed to sign out with a giggle.

“I’M NOT SURE IF IT HELPS, BUT I WAS AIMING FOR THE ONE OUTER CALLED FARMTALE.”

‘Well, it does seem very farm-y here, so maybe it worked,’ you reasoned. ‘We should probably find the local Sans and Papyrus so they know we are here. Wouldn't want to be attacked for tresspassing...’ The ghost of your brother gave a hum of agreement, and the two of you begun to traverse your way to the wooden house in hopes that there might be people there you could speak to.

In the end, you barely took even five whole steps before a loud booming voice called out to you from the porch, a stranger quickly leaping over the small fence and making their way to you with an enthusiastic grin. You recognised them instantly as a Papyrus type.

“HELLO, FRIEN’ DUST! ARE YER HERE WITH HORROR AN’ THE OTHERS?” The skeleton wore a large wide-brimmed hat, bones having been bleached an intense white from working so often in the sun. He wore denim overalls with patches sewn in where you assumed they had been worn down, a checkered button up underneath with sleeves that were haphazardly rolled up.

‘Good morning! Do you know how to sign?’ You motioned once he was close enough that he would be able to see without difficulty. He watched you carefully, squinting a little as though he couldn’t see well, so you made sure to sign slowly for him.

“OH! I CAN'T SIGN VERY WELL, BUT I CAN INTERPRET YER JUS’ FINE! DID SOMETHIN’ HAPPEN TO YER VOICE?”

You shook your head. ‘I’m sorry for the confusion, but my name is Ashe, not Dust. I’m just a traveller exploring the different universes. What should I call you?’

“OH! I AM SORRY FER MISTAKIN YA, NEW FRIEN’ ASHE! I JUS’ GO BY CROP, AN’ YER IN FARMTALE #201!”

‘It’s nice to meet you, Mr Crop!’ you signed with a smile.

“NICE MEETING YA TOO, NEW FRIEN’ ASHE!” He exclaimed, already having enveloped your hand with his own as he begun to enthusiastically lead you away. “COME MEET MY BROTHER, FARM! YER GONNA LOVE ‘IM!”

You made no effort to escape his grip, instead stifling giggles as you were dragged along by the excitable giant, clearly having fun. Just as the two of you went to bypass the back of the little house and head to the barn, you turned back, noticing a sleeping skeleton on a rocking chair of the back porch.

Crop followed your gaze with a curious expression, only to stop running along when he recognised this brother. “SAAANS! WHAT ARE YER DOING SLEEPIN’ STILL? YER MEANT TO BE COLLECTING TH’ EGGS!”

“Heh. Sorry bro. Guess I’m just-“

“SANS, NO-“ Crop attempted to interrupt, but it seemed to be for nought as Farm continued what was obviously about to be a joke or pun of dome sort.

“-Eggcelent at procrastinating!”

“NYEH! YER PUNS ARE TERRIBLE!” Crop practically wailed in disappointment, releasing his grip on your hand to sort of throw his arms in the air.

“Sorry bro, I shouldn’t egg ya on like that,” he continued, making you snicker silently.

“BROTHER! NO MORE! YER GOIN’ TA TAINT OUR GUEST!”

“...Guest?” he drawled out, peaking through half lidded sockets to take in your appearance. He barely kept his eyes open longer than a few seconds, clearly having no concerns about seeing an alternate version of him standing by his sibling. “Oh, Howdy Dust. Yer needin’ somethin?”

You had to resist the urge to facepalm. It was beginning to become a little upsetting that nobody seemed to view you as, well, you. Thankfully, Crop seemed to notice your discomfort and immediately corrected his brother.

“FARM! THIS ISN’ YER FRIEND DUST, THIS IS A SANS CALLED ASHE! HE’S HERE TA EXPLORE!”

That seemed to get Farm’s attention. Whilst he still had that same laid back attitude and lazy posture, his eyelights moved to you with more focus to them, fixating as though trying to discern something.

You could feel his magic wash over you in an attempted CHECK, but whatever he saw seemed to confuse him, expression contorting slightly. “Huh. Weird,” he mumbled quietly to himself, then shrugged. “So, what can we do fer ya, Ashe? We don’ usually get many trav’llers.”

‘I was told that this timeline was neutral and was hoping to ask permission to stay for a few days so I can explore a little, and maybe practice my magic if there’s an empty area I could do that. I don’t think I would be welcome most places due to looking so much like Dust.’

Sans gave a bit of a shrug. “So long as ya don’t cause trouble by damagin’ crops or wastin’ food or somethin, I don’ mind yer stayin’ if my bro don’ mind it. Jus’ keep in mind tha’ if yer cause trouble, it isn’ gonna end well for ya.”

You nodded, not at all minding the subtle threat, and turned to Crop to make sure that he was still alright with you staying.

“I WOULD LOVE FER YA TO STAY, ASHE! LUNCH ISN’ FER A FEW HOURS, AN’ I HAVE TA GO ‘ROUND AN’ DO SOME CHORES, BUT WE CAN DO SOME PUZZLES LATER AFTER! DO YER WANT TA HELP OUT ON TH’ FARM OR DO YER WANT TA DO YER OWN THING FER NOW?”

‘I would love to help!’ you signed enthusiastically, earning you a chuckle from both versions of Papyrus and an ever so slightly suspicious look from Farm. ‘What do you want me to do?’

“HM. WELL, IF MY LAZYBONES BROTHER WON’T DO HIS CHORES, I SUPPOSE YOU COUL’  COLLECT EGGS FROM TH’ CHICKENS, AN THEN I’LL SHOW YER HOW TA MILK OL’ BETTY AN’ LOUISE!”

‘That sounds like fun!’ you agreed, eager to meet the animals and help the brothers out

“I WILL BE RIGHT BACK! JUS’ HAVE TA GET YER ONE OF TH’ SPARE HATS FER SUN PROTECTION!” Crop declared with a grin, quickly disappearing into the house before you had a chance to respond.

Chapter 11: Friends

Ashe's POV

You didn’t mind having been left alone with Farm when his brother retreated into the little house in search of a hat for you. The sans variant definitely lived up to his lazy title, not moving from his position on the creaky rocking chair, his gaze upon you seeming rather sleepy.

There was the familiar feeling of a CHECK washing over you, a second time it seemed, though for whatever reason, Papy glared at him from your side as though he were personally offended by the action. You gave him a warning look when he went to speak, already knowing your brother well enough that he was going to suggest you stab Farm, and Papy simply rolled his eyes.

“...What’s up with yer check?” Farm said softly.

You tilted your head in confusion, not quite understanding what it was he has been asking. ‘What do you mean?’

“Eh. Nevermind,” he said with a casual shrug. “Anyway. Jus’ a word of advice. Ya seem like a nice fella n’ all, but if yer plannin ta try an’ hurt my bro, yer gonna be in for a real bad time,” he let out in a low voice.

You simply nodded, unbothered by the threat. ‘I promise I have no intention of harming you or your brother. The only time I would fight would be to protect myself or those I care about,’ you tried to reassure.

Strangely, you could feel the weight of your words when you promised, as though your words were eliciting magic. Was that the power of the judge? Did you have a judge? What would happen if you were to break a promise? You had no intention of doing that, so you decided to ignore that train of thought for now.

“Alright,” he let out in response to your promise. He seemed a lot more reassured by your words. “So why are yer really here? Surely it ain’t just ta explore?” he asked, although his tone seemed far more curious than it did accusing.

‘I really do just want to see new places and meet new people. The multiverse is a big place, and I want to visit as many worlds as I can, even if only briefly.’

He stared at you for a long moment, and briefly, you wondered if perhaps he was trying to determine if you were lying, likely even using his own judge to be certain of your honesty. He must have been satisfied though as he relaxed, the small amount of tension in his shoulders disappearing.

“Well, yer an interesting one, Ashe. I trust ya. As long as yer don mean harm, yer welcome ta stay as long as ya like. Even got a spare room if ya need it.”

‘Thankyou, Mr Farm, I really appreciate it.’

“Ya can just call me Farm, no need fer that fancy ‘mister’ stuff,” he chuckled.

The both of you turned to the sound of thumping footsteps and the door slamming open. Now equipped with an obnoxiously large straw hat, Crop bounded his way over to you, grinning. “HERE YER GO! TA KEEP TH SUN OFF YER SKULL!”

You signed a quick ‘Thankyou Mr Crop’ and took the hat from his outstretched hands, placing it gently atop your head. The contact of your hat against the skull wound blossomed a pain intense enough your eyes watered. Was the wound really so bad that even a hat worsened it?

“OH, IS IT UNCOMFORTABLE? JUST USE YER HOOD THEN, NEW FRIEND ASHE, YA DON HAVE TA WEAR IT IF YA DON WANT TA,” he chimed out, already taking the hat back before you could even consider arguing.

‘Sorry Mr Crop,’ you signed apologetically, adjusting your hood after a moment. He didn’t know about the wound, and you didn’t really plan to share it, but you still felt bad.

“NO NEED TA BE SORRY FER DISLIKIN SOMETHING! NOW, ONTO TH CHICK’NS!” he then turned to Farm with a glare that seemed more playful than frustrated. “AND YER GONNA HELP, FARM, YA CAN’T JUST SLEEP ALL DAY!”

Farm chuckled and followed the both of you to the barn, looking half asleep as he did so.

“BROTHER, THAT FARM SANS TRIED TO CHECK US. ARE YOU NOT UPSET AT IT?” Ghost Papy asked. You merely shook your head slightly, not wanting to be seen as unstable for communicating to somebody nobody else could see. “SO YOU DON’T PLAN TO STAB THEM?”

‘Papy, no, you don’t stab friends!’

“NYEH?” Crop let out questioningly, causing you to internally sigh.

‘Sorry! No! Not you, Mr Crop! I was talking to my brother!’ You begun to explain. ‘He tends to be pretty talkative, but most people can’t see him because he is a ghost.’

He seemed a bit confused, at first, but then nodded. “OH! I SEE! WELL, HELLO GHOST PAPYRUS, WHEREVER YOU ARE!” He let out, looking around the room distantly. Farm was looking awfully confused, but didn’t contribute to the discussion.

“NYEH HEH HEH! HELLO TO YOU TOO—WAIT, HE CAN’T HEAR ME, CAN HE?”

You giggled. ‘No, Papy, he can’t hear you, but I’m sure he appreciates you saying hello,’ you signed, then turned to Crop. ‘Papy says hello.’

“YER BROTHER MUST LIKE YER A LOT IF HIS GHOST IS STAYIN WITH YA STILL! I HOPE HE DOESN GET JELOUS OF ME HANGING OUT WITH YA!”

“WHY WOULD I GET JEALOUS? I LOVE MY BROTHER HAVING SOME FRIENDS! STARS KNOWS YOU NEED TO BE MORE SOCIAL, ASHE.”

You blushed a bit at the qccusation of not being social. ‘Ghost Papy says that he’s not jealous because he thinks I need more friends.’

“THEN YER BROTHER IS A GOOD ONE!”

“...What happened to yer bro ta make him a ghost?” You stopped walking for a moment, hesitating a little. “Did ya kill everyone in yer underground like Dust did?”

You nodded. ‘I don’t really remember it, but I think I thought it was the only way to stop the endless cycle of suffering. I have made a lot of mistakes, but I’m learning from them and doing what I can to be a better person.'

Farm nodded. “I s’pose sometimes good folk do bad things. Ya definitely don seem so bad...”

“YA DON HAVE TA WORRY, FRIEN' ASHE. I KNOW YER CAPABLE OF GOOD THINGS IF YER TRY. I BELIEVE IN YA!”

Farm sort of shuffled a bit and nodded. “I believe in ya too, fer what its worth.”

Chapter 12: Chickens

Ashe's POV

The conversation dwindled into a comfortable silence as you entered the barn.

With a gentle guidance from Crop, you were able to help by refilling the food and water for the chickens. Farm even disappeared for a few minutes, only to return with fresh veggie scraps to feed the little feathered beasts – apparently they were leftovers from the soup that was currently being slowcooked for a shared lunch.

Unsurprisingly, Farm spend the entire time sharing various puns, mostly egg or chicken themed ones. You giggled at every single one, whilst both Crop and Papy groaned and complained at the never ending jokes.

You collected a total of twenty-seven eggs. You had expected the chickens to be unhappy with you taken them from the various nests, but they didn’t really seem to mind. Maybe they were just used to it.

You found quickly that you absolutely adored the chickens. They were just so cute! And no matter where you walked, they would crowd around your feet, clucking and chirping eagerly for your attention. There were probably twenty chickens in total. Most of them were various browns and beiges, but a few of them were more black in color. Their feathers were so soft too, making you want to pet every single one.

One of them, of which Crop called Old Marnie, kept leaping from the hay bails and other high places. She was one of the brown ones with a speckling of white feathers. The entire time you collected eggs, she was fluttering her wings and continually trying to get into your arms.

After having fallen onto your coccyx twice from being startled by the over eager chicken, you ended up carrying her in your arms with a wide grin. You did wonder how she managed to get on top of the barn’s rafters though, considering she couldn’t fly.

Chicken Marnie looked awfully smug the entire time, and when Farm went to take her thinking she was bothering you, she pecked at him until he swore (earning him a short scolding from Crop for his crude language). You didn’t mind the feathery company, and after voicing that, Crop gave a chuckle and left her be.

You didn’t end up milking the cows like you had planned. Instead, you played with the chickens, finding them to be rather adorable. Ghost Papy to be enjoying them too, floating around them with his usual sharp toothed grin. They even seemed to react to him a little, although maybe them shuffling away from him was just coincidence. Regardless, Papy was just as entertained as you were, and you found it a nice little bonding moment.

Crop chuckled. “THEY SEEM TA LIKE YA, ASHE. MARNIE THERE TENDS TA BE REAL TEMP'RAMENTAL, BUT I SHE WON’T EVEN LET YA PUT ‘ER DOWN FER FIVE MINUTES, SO YER MUST BE HER FAV’RITE!” he let out with a tone that clearly showed how amused he was at the scene unfolding.

You ended up sitting by the half-asleep Farm, the chickens all trying to clamber into your lap, held back only by Marnie possessively clucking at them. ‘They’re all so soft! And cute! And friendly!’

“HAVE YER EVER HAD YER OWN CHICK’NS?”

‘My underground didn’t have any animals,’ you confessed. ‘If I ever settled down somewhere though, I think I would love to own chickens like these ones. Papy seems to love them too.’

“I’D BE HAPPY TO TEACH YER HOW TA LOOK AFTER ‘EM IF YA DO,” he offered kindly. “I’VE GOT TA GO CHECK A FEW THINGS. YER GONNA STAY HERE FER NOW?”

You nodded. ‘I’d like to stay with them for a bit longer. Besides, I think Farm fell asleep, so I should probably watch him.’

“WELL, I’M GLAD YER HAVIN’ FUN, FRIEN’ ASHE. I’LL GRAB YOU AN’ FARM SOME SNACKS N’ FRESH LEMONADE. DON BE AFRAID TA WAKE ‘IM IF YER NEED SOMETHIN’, HE SLEEPS TOO MUCH ANYHOW.”

‘I’ll keep that in mind,’ you signed, only to suddenly shout out when Marnie attempted to shove herself underneath your shirt. Her little head stuck out from the neckline.

“FEEL FREE TA SHOVE HER OFF IF SHE’S ANNOYIN’ YA. TH’ CHICK’NS ARE PRETTY RESILIENT, SO YA DON HAVE TA WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT HURTIN’ THEM.”

You giggled and nodded. ‘I’m fine, she’s actually pretty comfy against my chest.’

Crop nodded and left, leaving you a giggling mess as three chickens fought for a place in your lap. You had no idea what you had done to make them so interested in you, but you were having a great time.

You looked over to Farm. He seemed to be relatively comfortable laying in the hay, but one of the chickens kept trying to sit on his face. Every time he shoved them off, they would climb right back, causing you to snort with laughter.

“Get oofffff...” Farm grumbled after removing the chicken for what must have been the seventh time in a row. When she yet again climbed onto his face, he sat up with a groan, and the chicken instead sat atop his skull much like a hat.

‘She seems to like you,’ you signed.

He rolled his eyes, slowly picking hay off himself. “She’s just in a fowl mood,” he let out with a lazy grin, clearly back to the puns. “I dunno feather or not yer noticed, but ya got a chick'n in yer shirt.”

‘Yep! I didn’t realise chickens could be so sassy. I like her, though.’

“I LIKE THESE CHICKEN CREATURES. ASHE, ASK WHAT THIS ONE’S NAME IS! AND THIS ONE! OH, AND THIS ONE!” Ghost papy declared suddenly.

You giggled at his demands. ‘Papy really wants to know the names for all the chickens.’

Farm grinned. He pointed to each chicken and shared their name, some of them being rather funny such as the beige one he had apparently named ‘Egg Junior’ and her identical sister ‘Chicken Burger’. He seemed real proud of those names as well.

Chapter 13: Farm

Notes:

Horror is in the next chapter c;

Farm's POV

FarmTale timelines were known to lean towards neutrality. They welcomed any and all travellers regardless of reputation, though they had no issues in driving out those who chose to cause trouble. After all, every world had a judge, and the judge would always protect the place they called home.

It seemed that most people found these timelines to be ‘boring’ since all they were really known for was, well, farming. It more often than not just attracted people wanting to be simply left alone. They weren’t seen as worth allying with, and even though the original FarmTale was invited to council meetings, they never bothered attending.

This particular timeline, FarmTale #201, was a little different to others though. When Nightmare had taken Horror into his care, the king had sought an alliance to ensure that the starving skeleton – and his home – would never have to endure hunger again. It was partnership he deemed as absolutely necessary.

Nightmare’s threats of violence and attempt to force this world into submission were entirely unnecessary. The moment Crop and Farm had met Horror and learned how his world bad been consumed by famine, leaving the underground’s inhabitants desperate and violent, the farm brothers had already made their decision to help in any way they could.

The allyship was intended only as a way to distribute food and similar resources, but slowly developed into something more like a friendship. They weren’t close, not really, but they were definitely friendly towards one another, and FarmTale was definitely considered very loyal to Nightmare.

Crop and Farm were eager to share their wealth of knowledge, teaching Nightmare and his little family about farming. The two even helped establish plenty of fruits and vegetables back at the castle, and gifted them several chickens (which Killer seemed to adore), allowing them to be self reliant when it came to food.

Their peaceful timeline simply became a safe space for the group to relax and mess about. They could play with the animals here or simply visit for the fun of it. Sugar – Horror’s brother – was often here as well, and was practically best friends with Crop, the two Papyrus types acting like brothers more than anything. He’d passed a few years ago from illness, though, and Horror started visiting more frequently, though on his own.

This particular day had been quiet though. Farm had initially been unconcerned at the additional presence in his timeline, knowing his home was protected by Nightmare, but he did feel a healthy amount of suspicion towards the Dust look-alike. It was only natural for him to be cautious and guarded, orbs never leaving the dusty skeleton, waiting for any sign of danger.

It didn’t help that their CHECK came up only as ‘ERROR: can’t check two people at once’ even though Ashe was seemingly alone. It was strange, but he would let it go and simply observe. In the end, it didn’t take long to figure out Ashe was harmless, perhaps even trustworth6.

Ashe was very honest. Whilst some questions clearly made them uncomfortable, such as asking about their underground and supposed ghost sibling, they were still willing to answer.

Farm wasn't actually sure if the ghost sibling was real, or perhaps a hallucination or delusion, and the mention of stabbing had him a little concerned, but Ashe seemed to be discouraging it, so maybe it wasn't something he needed to be worried about.

Farm smiled as Ashe’s excitable nature. The other was excitedly playing with the various chickens, each one crowding around them and demanding their attention. The laughter that filled the air was so quiet, yet he could hear the genuine joy and happiness, feel it radiating through intent the other probably was not even aware they were emitting.

Ashe was so gentle towards the animals, too. They moved slowly as to not startle them, and made sure they were comfortable with his petting, showing clear care and compassion. Farm doubted they realised, but the chickens were actually fully trained as companion animals, and the fact they were so friendly towards Ashe meant the skele was probably not doing so well mentally.

Curiously, their eyelights would sort of flicker strangely as though they were attempting to form stars but couldn’t quite manage to do so. It was adorable, but also a little concerning. Just how depressed did they have to be for their eyes to refuse forming stars, even at this level of joy?

He also wondered how old they were. They were clearly an adult, but they had this sort of childlike innocence to them, something he would have never expected from somebody with such high LV. How were they just so... soft? What happened to make them so different from Dust?

Farm was certain, by this point, that Ashe was not a threat. He did not feel any need to tell Nightmare of the strange dust type giggling in the barn. But he was curious, and decided to text Horror about them.

 

TEXT CHAT

FARM: Thought yer shoul know tha we got a visitor in our timeline

HORROR: who

FARM: Jus sum dusttale vari callin themself Ashe. Know em?

HORROR: no

r u safe

FARM: Yup

Theyre pretty harmless so ya don neet ta send someone

HORROR: what r they doing

FARM: Playin with th chickns n helpin out my bro wit chores n stuff

[IMAGE ATTACHED]

HORROR: be there in 5

FARM: Ya really don have ta, but if yer gonna pop by, please don bring Killer, don want im stealing th cows again

HORROR: ok

 

Farm chuckled at the messages, sticking his phone back into the pocket of his checkered red and white top. Horror always seemed to prefer in person communication, keeping his messages very short and simple as though he struggled to use technology (and he probably did).

Now, Farm just had to decide whether or not he would tell Ashe that that Horror would be visiting, or leave it as a surprise. Ashe did seem far too interested in the chickens, and he wasn’t particularly keen on disrupting their fun.

Maybe he would just let it play out, he thought with a grin. Ashe didn’t seem like the type to attach somebody unprovoked, and he knew that Horror was typically the same. And this was neutral ground, technically, since the allyship with Nightmare was kept hidden form the multiverse, so hopefully the two would be more keen to simply get along.

Chapter 14: Horror

Ashe's POV 

You were sitting with all of the chickens when a new presence entered the barn. Led by the hens Mother Clucker and Eggbert (both named by Farm, of course), several chickens scattered towards the stranger, demandingly pecking at his feet with the expectation of being held.

The new skeleton was easily identifiable as Horror to you. His stature was quite large for a Sans, teeth and hands looking rather sharp and deadly. He reminded you of a bear somewhat, deadly yet strangely huggable.

The larger skeleton stared at you with his single red orb, expression doing nothing to indicate his thoughts or feelings upon seeing you. He stayed only a few meters form you, ignoring a greeting from Farm to watch you, possibly waiting for your reaction.

Your gaze silently shifted to the large gaping hole in his skull, deepening the longer that you stared at it. Perhaps it was disrespectful for you to fixate on his wound like this, but you were not doing it to be cruel or judgemental, instead finding a sense of comfort and sameness due to the damaged state of your own skull.

You must have been staring for too long because agitation built in their expression, along with something you thought might be disappointment. Taking in a deep breath, you moved your hand towards your grey hood, pulling down the fabric after a long moment of hesitation.

All agitation instantly drained from the other when he saw your own skull, instead replaced with surprise, and then, understanding. He knew why you were staring now.

“....Like... me...” He spoke slowly, his voice sounding low and gravelly. “...How?”

You brought your hands up to sign a response. Horror seemed to be slow with communicating, so you made sure to be slow as well, hoping it would be easier for him to interpret. ‘Ghost Papy says a rock fell. Our underground was falling apart. I don’t really remember anything from before it hit me.’ Well, that was more because you weren’t originally this Sans, but it wasn’t technically a lie. You didn’t really remember your human life anymore. Just your death.

The giant was silent for a long moment, and just as you started to wonder if maybe he couldn’t understand sign, he gave a slow nod. “Does it... hurt?”

You hesitated to answer. You wanted to deny being in pain, to say that you were fine, but then your orbs shifted to his wound for a moment, and you realised he would understand. So you were honest. ‘It always hurts. Some days are worse, and anything other than my hood touching it is really painful. But I’m okay enough,’ you finally settled on.

“NYEH... I DO WISH YOU HAD TOLD ME IT STILL HURT, ASHE,” The spirit of your brother let out. You turned to give him an apologetic expression, but then back to Horror, more focused on talking to him than your brother.

Since he was the first to ask, you figured it wouldn’t be crossing any unsaid boundaries to ask the same question in return. ‘Does yours hurt?’

“It doesn’t hurt... Used to... not anymore.” He let out carefully. His gaze never left you, even as one of the chickens attempted to leap at him for his attention. “Why... are you... here?”

‘I was driven from my home by The Star Sanses. They thought I was Dust and attacked me,’ you confessed. ‘Papy can take us to new timelines, so we decided to visit new places to explore and learn about them.’

He seemed satisfied with your answer. His single red orb looked over you again, this time more narrowed and focused. You weren’t sure what he was trying to figure out, but he must have been upset as his expression suddenly shifted into a grimace.

Horror meandered over to you and suddenly lifted you bridal style into his massive arms, causing you to let out a startled squeak. “You are.... very underweight,” he declared, much to your increasing confusion. It was probably true, but why did he care?

He was already walking to the house before you could think of a response. His magic radiated SAFE-CONCERN-DONTSTARVE, making you relax in his grip, even resting your head against his chest.

“I SEE YER GETTIN’ ALONG,” Crop let out amusedly as you were carried past him and through the front door. “IF YER LOOKIN’ FER SOMETHIN’ TA EAT, SOUP IS IN TH’ SLOWCOOKER, AN’ WE ALWAYS ‘AVE PLENTY OF LEFTOVERS FOR YA, BIG FELLA.”

Oh. Was he carrying you because he wanted you to eat? You did remember he had come from an underground ravaged by famine, so perhaps it was triggering seeing others not eating enough. Not that you could complain, considering your own underground had also run out of food – you wouldn’t say no to a meal if it were offered to you.

You were dropped onto the large sofa, given a simple command of “Stay” as the gentle giant retreated into the kitchen. Not even a full minute later, he re-emerged with a large bowl of soup, shoving it into your hands with insistence. “Eat.”

You nodded. He seemed to have forgotten a spoon for you to eat with, so you simply tipped the bowl a little and ate the aromatic stew that way. You couldn’t identify exactly what you were eating, but you could tell that they were various types of vegetables.

You tried to eat slowly, not wanting to rush yourself, your body apparently decided otherwise, and the soup was gone within minutes. Horror watched you intently the entire time, only relaxing when your bowl was completely emptied. “...Good,” he muttered, expression softening.

‘Thankyou,’ you signed with a small smile.

"Will get... more." The giant said as pat your shoulder and collected your bowl. He probably would have pat your skull had there not been the wound, but the action was still comforting to you regardless.

Despite being somewhat frightening visually, Horror was so much more gentle than you would have ever expected. You were a stranger and yet here he was, insisting you were fed simply because he realised you were underweight. You felt strangely safe around him, soul warmed by his firm caring.

There was a sudden snapping of magic, as though something were setting into place. Horror instantly froze, seemingly having felt it as well, shrunk eyelight looking at you in surprise. “....You just... bonded with me...?”

Chapter 15: Surprise Sibling

Horror's POV

Horror had seen the photo Farm texted. The skeleton had seemingly not noticed they were being photographed, and the angle was a little strange, but it was clear they were having fun. They were covered in hay and feathers, several hens in their lap, one adorably poking her head out of their shirt.

He wasn’t sure why he was expecting it to be different, but they were pretty much the same in person. He observed for a few minutes from afar. They had a gentle but genuine smile, not minding how overly affectionate the feathery creatures were acting towards them, even letting out the occasional soft giggle. 

When Horror moved close enough though, they turned their attention to him, and Horror waited for their reaction. Those that recognised him as one of Nightmare’s usually either fled in terror or lashed out with violence. Somehow, Horror knew the other recognised him, and yet, they showed no fear.

The staring was a little annoying at first, but he understood when the smaller removed their hood. It wasn’t that Ashe was judging, but rather, that they recognised the two shared similar wounds. It was like the other, for the first time ever, was seeing somebody who was like them. And Horror could understand that perfectly.

As he interacted with the other, he could easily identify some clear differences between Ashe, and the Dust he had grown to care for as family. It wasn’t surprising that others might confuse the two, but Horror would probably never mistake either of them as the other.

The first thing he noticed was how tattered the scarf adorning their neck had been. It seemed far more disintegrated than Dust's ever was, but there were clear signs of mending, attempts to fix it where it had begun to fall apart. The color had also faded a little, making it seem much more used.

Ashe also had sharper teeth and the tips of their blackened phalanges were sharpened to a point. It reminded him of the changes he himself had endured when the core shut down in his old world, although the skeleton didn’t seem to have grown in size at all. In fact, they were probably even a tiny bit shorter than Dust.

He frowned. From what little he could see of Ashe’s bones, they were clearly greyed from malnutrition. They looked fragile and thin, possibly the reason their skull had broken in the way it had. It hurt his soul to see them in such rough condition, so clearly starved and neglected. Worse, Farm and Crop probably didn’t even realise it.

Horror wasn’t the best with communication, but he hoped Ashe would recognise his concern when he lifted them into his arms. Stars, they were far too light for their size, this wasn’t right at all. They must have been starved for long enough their literal bone density had decreased.

He almost stopped walking when Ashe practically snuggled into his chest, seemingly enjoying his arms around them. He didn’t mind, of course. He was always the most physically affectionate out of the little family, preferring actions over anything else to express his care. He was just surprised.

After placing them onto the couch, he retrieved a large bowl of soup from the slow cooker. It didn’t matter if he burned his hands a little in his rush, the Dust look-alike was starving and needed food, and Horror would not let them go another minute hungry if he could help it.

He watched carefully as they ate. The food absorbed much faster than he had expected, signifying a higher amount if magic than usual. That was a good sign, at least.

Horror instantly froze up when he felt the bond snapping into place. A sibling bond, he realised, and a surprisingly strong one at that. It had taken so suddenly he hadn’t even had a chance to reject it, though he probably wouldn’t have done so anyway. 

“....You just... bonded with me!?” he let out in shock, not having expected such a thing to ever occur. All bonds required consent from both sides to form, even only at a subconscious level, but their shared reactions made it clear that neither had actively intended for this to happen.

It were as though Ashe had been desperately reaching out for connection, and the moment it found any amount of acceptance from Horror, it latched onto it. And when it snapped into place, he could tell that removing it would be dangerous to the other, that it might make them literally Fall Down.

Stars, he hoped Nightmare wouldn’t be upset at this. Horror had bonded with a complete stranger, one that he knew so little about! Then again, Nightmare did have a habit of adopting the ‘damaged’ or otherwise rejected skeletons into his home, so maybe Ashe would fit right in?

‘What is a bond?’ The smaller signed slowly. They... didn’t know? That should have been common knowledge for all monsters! It was one of the first things monster children learned from their parents, so did that mean Ashe never had any?

“Your magic... reached out to mine.... and formed... a sibling... bond,” he begun to explain. “It means that... your soul... considers me a... brother now... and mine has... accepted it.”

There was a long moment of silence. Horror could see the various emotions crossing Ashe’s face – confusion, uncertainty, hesitance, quickly building into acceptance, relief and excitement. ‘So you are our brother now?’

“Yes,” Horror confirmed. “...Our?”

‘My injury made my magic really unstable, so it connected to my brother to stabilise it,’ the smaller explained. ‘Ghost Papy says the bond applies to him as well, but that its kind of faint.’

Horror took a moment to feel his own magic, the various bonds that had tethered to his very being. Nightmares was the first he recognised, a parental bond, but there were also sibling bonds with Dust, Killer and Cross.

Surely enough, when he reached out to the newly formed bond with Ashe, he could feel a sort of subtle dual connection, as though the bond with Ashe was actually two bonds with them.

Did that mean Ashe’s spirit sibling was real, and not a hallucination? Well. That was a surprise. Horror had gained two siblings, and one was a ghost. That would be... interesting to explain.

He was pulled from his thoughts when the smaller skeleton signed once again. It was something Nightmare had taught him a long time ago since Dust would go nonverbal at times, though Horror himself couldn’t sign with his clumsy hands. 

‘Ghost Papy likes you. He’s not upset at the bond. He keeps calling you Surprise Spikey Sibling.’

Horror chuckled at that, a deep laughter that reverberated through his chest. It was cute that Ashe seemed so keen to comfort him, as though they thought they were in trouble. He’d been zoning out, not angry. “I’m glad that... he doesn't... hate me. Dust’s phantom... hates everyone... but he's a... hallucination... not real.”

Notes:

Horror: *bonds with Ashe*
Nightmare: ...How!? You were gone for less than FIVE MINUTES!

Chapter 16: Purr

Ashe's POV

The gentle giant took your bowl and retreated into the kitchen once more, leaving you a moment with the ghostly sibling who was still beaming in pride at having a new member to the family. It made your soul warm seeing him so cheerful.

"BROTHER! I APPROVE OF OUR SPIKEY SURPRISE SIBLING! HE'S EVEN FEEDING YOU ACTUAL FOOD! ANYBODY WHO FEEDS YOU IS SURELY TRUSTWORTHY!"

You giggled silently at his enthusiasm. 'I didn't know I would form a bond with him, but I... I'm honestly glad that I did. He makes me feel safe,’ you let out sheepishly, pulling up your scarf to hide the slight blush on your skull.

He grinned, sockets leaking profusely. "NYEH HEH! WOULD HOPE SO! IF HE DOESN'T TREAT YOU WELL, I'LL FIND A WAY TO STAB HIM MYSELF!"

You giggled again. ‘You don't need to do that, Papy, I trust Mr Horror.'

When the gentle giant returned, he was holding two large bowls filled with the same soup he had so kindly given to you just moments prior. One for himself, you assumed, immediately finding yourself Feeling reassured that he was not going without.

Unexpectedly, he put them both down onto the table, then lifted you up so you were sitting in his lap. His grip was gentle but firm, one arm over your torso whilst the other tilted his own bowl to his mouth. It was done within moments, though you weren’t really surprised. 

It did answer your question about cutlery though – he didn’t use any himself, so he probably just didn’t think to get you some earlier. Not that you minded, you just weren’t quite used to eating without cutlery. Or... well, eating at all, considering how long you had gone hungry.

You let your gaze fall to the second bowl sitting on the table, which Horror didn’t seem to be planning to eat. Did... he get you more, then? Was it okay for you to eat that bowl too? You looked to the bowl, and then back to him, silently questioning if you were allowed to have more. After all, you didn’t want to eat if it ended up being for somebody else, but you were admittedly still hungry. 

Horror caught onto your unasked question easily and pushed the bowl closer to you, nodding as though to say it were okay. That he’d meant it for you. With only a slight bit of hesitation, you dove into the second bowl, the tasty soup disappearing quickly. 

"Slow down... Don't choke," He chuckled. He waited a few moments before he continued speaking, now seeming to be more satisfied with your pace as you had taken his request seriously and slowed down. "How long has... it been since... you had... a full meal? Not rations... or something small.. but a full meal."

Your uncertainty was clear by the way you hesitated to answer. How long had it been? You couldn’t remember that far back, so you turned to your ghostly sibling with a questioning gaze, hopeful he might have an answer for you. ‘Papy?’

“NYEH! THAT IS A... GOOD QUESTION. HMMM. YOU SPENT A TOTAL OF THREE YEARS, ELEVEN MONTHS AND ONE WEEK ALONE IN THE UNDERGROUND. SINCE A LOT OF THE FOOD WAS TAINTED, YOUR LAST FULL MEAL WAS PROBABLY THE BURGER AT THE EMPTY GRILLBYS TWO YEARS, THREE MONTHS, TWO WEEKS AND TWO DAYS AGO-“

‘Papy, sorry to interrupt, but do you mind rounding from now on? As much as I appreciate your accuracy, its a little time consuming telling me down to the day...’

“OF COURSE, BROTHER!” He agreed, clearly not offended by your request. “SO IT HAS BEEN...TWO YEARS THREE MONTHS SINCE THE LAST FULL MEAL, THEN ONE YEAR TWO MONTHS SINCE YOUR LAST RATION, AND... UGH.. NINE MONTHS SINCE YOU RESORTED TO EATING DUST. WHICH WAS... gross... BUT NECESSARY.”

'Thanks Papy,’ you signed, then turned back to Horror. You always tried to make it a point of facing who you were talking to. ‘Papy says that it’s been a little over two years since the last full meal, then nine months since we ran out altogether.’

The glowing red orb of his eye light seemed to go fuzzy and fizzle out for a moment, body tensing at the confession of how long it had been. He was clearly concerned for you. “That is... much too long... I should have guessed... when you were relying... on your brother... to tell you how... long it had been.”

You shifted uncomfortably, not really knowing what to say. Thankfully, you didn’t seem to need to say anything, because the gentle giant pulled you closely to his chest, practically engulfing your small body in a hug.
You froze up a little at first, not having expected the sudden embrace, but slowly melted into his arms, feeling warmth and safety. His intent lulled you into a comfort, PROTECT-SAFE-MINE, and so you snuggled into him a little, allowing yourself to remain comfortable in his arms.

He just felt so safe and warm and—was he purring? That took you a little off guard for a moment. You didn’t know that skeletons could purr, but Horror was certainly proving it a possibility.

Could you purr too? Your soul fluttered in your chest, startling you for a moment, but you relaxed. So purring came from the soul, you realised, as your soul gave a weak purr in return to Horror. He grinned, clearly happy at that.

“You won’t have... to go hungry... ever again, little bro.... I will make... sure of it.”

You tired to sign a response, but with him not letting go of you, you couldn’t exactly use your hands. Instead, you let out a small hum of acknowledgement, feeling your sockets beginning to close. Maybe you could just... have a little nap? Surely he wouldn’t mind...

Soon, you felt your conscious begin to fade, but the warmth remained. You felt yourself being lifted up, held in the arms of the gentle giant as he carried you someplace. You heard vague talking, but didn’t recognise who was speaking and were too sleepy to remember anything that was said.

And then you felt a bed like surface beneath you, and everything completely slipped away into a comfortable sleep.

Notes:

Horror: How long since you last ate?
Ashe: Uhhh few years but its fine---
Horror: *having flashbacks of being starved and desperately trying to feed Ashe more food*
Ghost Paps: ....This seems normal.

Chapter 17: Cross

Notes:

Age will be confirmed next chapter when Ashe awakes up since everybody keeps aksing xD

Horror's POV 
Horror was a very affectionate kind of skeleton, showing his care through actions since words often failed him. He hadn't exactly intended for the smaller skeleton to fall asleep in his arms, but seeing them so comfortable, so at peace, made him grin. It... reminded him of Sugar. Of the early years, long before the famine.

He stayed there like that for a while, just holding Ashe, content with how much the other seemed to trust him. When Farm quietly walked into the room, he almost growled, pulling Ashe closer to protect them, only to calm when he recognised who it was.

"Looks like ya got yer hands full," Farm let out with a grin. His voice was hushed, clearly not wanting to wake Ashe from their slumber. Horror only gave a grunt of acknowledgement. "Do yer plan ta spend th' night here? We still got Sug's old room if ya want ta rest there."

Horror shook his head. "No," he begun in his usual rumbling tone. "I still need to.. get back to... Nightmare and the others. They'll get... worried if I'm gone... for too long. And I.. probably still have... that mission later."

Farm nodded, shifting his gaze from Horror to the other for a moment. "What about yer friend there?"

The gentle giant frowned, deep in thought for a long moment. "They'll...." He seemed to struggle with his words for a moment. Farm simply waited patiently, knowing rushing him would online make it more difficult. "...come back... with me."

"Alrigh'. How 'bout I grab yer some of th' leftovers ta take home? Need ta know yer still eatin' okay." Any time that Horror visited, he always went home with various containers full of homemade food. Sugar had been the one to start it, refusing to let his brother leave without knowing for certain he had food. Even with him gone, Farm and Crop still made sure to continue to sort of tradition Sugar had created.

"....Ashe seemed to... really like your... stew from the... slowcooker," he let out, gaze momentarily shifting to the two empty bowls still sitting in front of him. Part of him was tempted to snack on the bowls themselves, but if Erroe was always getting scolded for eating things like cutlery and plates, Horror knew he probably would be too.

"I'll grab yer a few containers full," Farm responded as he disappeared into the kitchen. Horror wasn't typically the type to request specific foods, he would eat anything without meat, so Farm was more than happy to oblige.

With the soup all packaged up, Farm put the containers into a simple bag for ease of transport, and brought it to Horror. In the bag was some extra snacks there too, like the cookies Crop had made the night prior, some slightly suspicious looking spaghetti (Crop always seemed to have trouble cooking pasta for some odd reason), and plenty of soup and stew.

There was a sudden buzzing of energy, and Horror stood in anticipation, still holding Ashe to his chest although mostly hiding them with his jacket. Farm recognised the magic and simply wandered off to the couch to sleep, unconcerned.

A tear through reality signified the arrival of Cross, his sword quite literally tearing through code to form a portal for him to step through. The monochrome soldier looked to Horror, and upon seeing him holding the Dust look-alike in his arms, gave an expression of interest. "...Looks kind of like Dust. A new friend of yours?" he asked curiously.

Horror grunted, eyeing as Cross picked up the bag Farm had left them seeing as Horror's arms were occupied with the smaller sleeping skele.

"Not in the mood to talk?" Cross then asked, and the nod from the other told Cross all he needed to know. "Right. That's okay. If they're coming back with us, you should probably keep them in your room. Nightmare has a mission for us both. Killer is staying but he's, er, kind of manic."

"...Why?" Horror asked, referring specifically to the part about Killer's mania. It wasn't uncommon for the tar faced skeleton to get hyperactive or manic, but it was usually only pointed out if he was being a nuisance or if something new had happened.

"He managed to sneak in two more cats before Nightmare could tell him off," Cross sighed. The negative guardian had a clear distain of cats, so Killer wasn't meant to bring them home, yet the tar faced skeleton always ended up with more somehow.

"Oh." Horror let out simply. He looked down to Ashe. Would they like cats? Or would they hate them like Nightmare seemed to? He hoped that it would be the former, since it would be a good way for them to bond with Killer, but he supposed Ashe would probably get along with them regardless. They were family now, after all, and Nightmare's little group valued that more than anything.

Cross gestured for the duo of skeletons to step through the portal. His tears through reality were ideal when exploring or trying to remain more subtle, as unlike Nightmare's portals, it would not immediately alert Dream or the other Star Sanses. It was one of the ways they kept this timeline unknown.

Returned to the empty halls of the castle, Cross left pretty quickly. "I'll tell Nightmare you'll be a few minutes," he said before walking off. The other simply nodded.

Horror carried Ashe to his bedroom. It was a surprisingly clean space, although perhaps that was simply due to how little it was used. Horror had a habit of sleeping on the couch or pretty much anywhere other than a bed.

He placed the sleeping skeleton onto the darkly coloted mattress and gently covered them with a blanket, then left for the throne room so he could prepare for his mission. He ws still smiling as he did so. He looked forward to returning once the mission was over, to introducing Ashe to everyone else. He just hoped they would like the smaller dust variant as much as he did.

Notes:

Farm: Huh. Horror seems awfully attached to that new skele. At least he isn't being overprotective like he used to be with Sugar.
Horror: *growling at Cross in the other room*
Farm: ...Nevermind.

--
Killer: Look! More kitties!
Nightmare: Why can't you be more like Horror? He never brings in strays!
Horror: ...About that--

Chapter 18: Castle

Notes:

Chapter ended up longer than expected, so no age mention yet. But it does come up later while Ashe talks to Dust.

Ashe’s POV 

Sleep was dreamless but comfortable. When you finally awoke, you felt a little more energetic and refreshed, although you would definitely need to get more rest later as you were still a little bit sleepy. With a soft yawn, you sat yourself up on the bed, letting the blankets crumple around your legs. Ghost Papy floated nearby, watching, although seemed to be giving you a few minutes to wake up properly, which you were thankful for. 

The room that you were in was very spacious and looked rather fancy. The white ceiling had intricately patterned carvings, the walls decorated with a slightly glossy black brocade wallpaper, the furniture all vintage queen anne in style. It reminded you of the architecture found in cathedrals, all pretty and detailed.

You turned to Papy and gave him a wave of greeting, signifying you were awake enough to talk. He grinned enthusiastically and waved back. “HELLO BROTHER! YOU WERE ASLEEP FOR 83 MINUTES. HOW ARE YOU FEELING?”

‘I feel okay. Sleep was good, but I’m still a bit tired,’ you signed out. You were a little slower with the gestures due to having just woken up. ‘Where are we? This doesn’t look like FarmTale. Its really pretty here.’

“HM. I DO NOT KNOW, I DIDN’T WANT TO LEAVE YOU ALONE TO EXPLORE. SPIKEY SIBLING HORROR AND A WEIRD PENGUIN SANS BROUGHT YOU HERE BUT IT SOUNDED LIKE THEY HAD TO LEAVE RIGHT AFTER,” he explained. Did that mean he had stayed by your side the entire time you were sleep, watching over you so you would remain safe? He really was the coolest brother. “I DON’T THINK ANYONE ELSE KNOWS YOU ARE HERE, SO YOU SHOULD PROBABLY STAY IN THIS ROOM UNTIL SPIKEY SSIBLNG HORROR COMES BACK.”

You considered his words for a moment, but shook your head, disagreeing with his suggestion. ‘I think it should be okay to explore. I doubt Mr Horror would have brought us here if it wasn’t safe,’ you responded with a small smile.

Ghost Papy sighed. “I STILL THINK WE SHOULD STAY, BUT I HAVE A FEELING YOU ARE GOING TO BE STUBBORN. HM. IN THAT CASE, I’LL STAY CLOSE BY SO I CAN TELEPORT US AWAY IF WE NEED TO ESCAPE! JUST, PLEASE TRY TO STAY SAFE.”

‘That sounds like a good plan, Papy,’ you responded with a slight hum. ‘I’ll try to stay safe. My magic feels stronger now that its connected to yours, so I can protect myself better than against those other skeletons we met,’ you tried to reassure.

“ALRIGHT...” he let out, but still seemed a little uncertain. “I JUST DON’T WANT YOU TO GET HURT AGAIN, BROTHER. I REALLY CARE ABOUT YOU.”

You pouted, walking over to his spirit and giving it a hug. To anybody else, you would have seemed as though you were just hugging the air, but you didn’t care. Your brother needed some affection and you were going to give it to him. Ghost Papy smiled and wrapped his arms around you in response, his floating black scarf curling around you as though it too were hugging you.

‘I’ll be okay. Besides, I have the coolest ghostly brother ever looking out for me!’ You encouraged.

The other seemed to immediately perk up with the praise, grinning with a close eyed smile. “NYEH HEH HEH! OF COURSE THE SPOOKY PAPYYRUS WILL KEEP YOU SAFE!” he chuckled cheerfully. He planted a kiss on your skull, causing you to giggle a little.

‘Lets go explore for a bit. I won’t go too far, we can just come back here if something bad happens,’ you let out, to which he nodded in agreement, clearly liking you had a bit of a plan you could fall back on. You then walked to the door, opening it only a crack to peer at whatever lurked beyond. Satisfied nobody was lingering just outside guarding your room, you opened it further and slipped out into the hall.

It was surprisingly well lit for a place with such dark colored decorations. There were lots of blacks and rich purples, though there were also silver accents and a few other occasional colors. You hummed quietly as you passed through various doors. They seemed like they would probably be bedrooms, and you weren’t rude enough to intrude on their personal space like that.

Papy, on the other hand, would enter each room before you passed it. You had a feeling he was checking if there were people inside, that it was his way of looking out for your safety, as he wasn’t ever gone for more than a minute and kept saying “EMPTY” when he returned. You were glad he was staying close by, as this place was a little eerie all on your own, especially with how unfamiliar it was.

As the hall ended and you reached a corner, you turned, only to accidentally walk into a skeleton. Startled, you quickly stepped back, feeling rather embarrassed at having walked into him so carelessly. ‘Sorry Mister,’ you signed politely, talking a moment to look over the other in hopes to see if you could recognise them.

He was definitely a Sans type. He was a fair bit taller than you were, which seemed to be pretty standard at this point (just how short were you?), but it was his clothing that gave away his identity. He wore a somewhat faded blue jacket with a grey hood, a long red scarf around his neck. He was covered in a familiar glistening white powder, which you knew to be Monster dust. 

Dust. Specifically, the Dust variant everybody was mistaking you for. But, how? You had some pretty noticeable differences. His skeletal hands were normal, not blackened claws. His teeth were blunt instead of pointed. And his demeanour was completely different to yours, seeming much more cold and closed off. Sure, your clothes were practically identical, but you were a little disappointed people couldn’t seem to tell you apart. Maybe DustTale's were rare?

“...Who are you?” he let out with a slight growl, orbs narrowed and fixed on you. You could feel his magic in the air, tense and ready to fight, but he made no move yet, probably waiting to see what you would do.

Chapter 19: Dust

Ashe's POV
You didn’t let the other's intimidating appearance frighten you. ‘Hello! I’m Ashe. Mr Horror brought me here, I fell asleep while we were in FarmTale,’ you explained. ‘Are you Mr Dust? It’s very nice to meet you!’

Dust seemed a little taken aback by how warm and friendly you were, seemingly having fully expected for a fight to break out the moment he acknowledged you. He was silent for a long moment before his magic finally subsided, seemingly deciding you were not a threat.

“Right...” he grumbled, though didn’t really bother to introduce himself. You had a feeling he wasn’t typically the most social with strangers. “I suppose yer wouldn’t be able ta get here unless somebody took ya here. What's yer relation ta Horror, though? He isn’t typically th’ type ta make friends..."

‘Mr Horror is our big brother now,’ you let out with a smile. You were actually quite happy to finally share that with somebody, to announce to the world you had a new sibling.

Dust didn’t seem very convinced, eyeing you with suspicion and distrust. You supposed you understood the hesitance to believe. Just as the other went to speak, Papy appeared from the corner you had emerged from. 

“GASP! BROTHER, HE LOOKS JUST LIKE YOU! NYEH!” Papy exclaimed loudly, clapping his hands together. “IS HE A FRIEND OF SPIKEY SIBLING HORROR? OH! IS HE OUR BROTHER TOO NOW? I WONDER IF HE HAS A STABBY GHOST PAPY OF HIS OWN!"

Dust's eyelights immediately landed on the spirit upon hearing his loud voice, expression morphed to one of shock and confusion. It was clear he could see the floating spirit of your brother. Could he see your brother because you were both from a variation of DustTale? You watched his reaction carefully, unsure of whether it was a good or a bad thing that Dust could see him.

Papy clearly realised he was seen as well, instantly delighted that he had a new friend to interact with. If he had eyelights, you were sure they would have been shaped like stars right now with how excited his expression was. “OH! CAN YOU SEE ME? HELLO OTHER BROTHER!” He exclaimed, waving extremely enthusiastically. 

You frowned, not quite sharing the enthusiasm. Instead, you were concerned. You remembered how Dust’s phantom was apparently a hallucination, so seeing your actual spirit brother could have been upsetting – triggering, even - for the other. You might not have known Dust yet, but you already cared about him. ‘Papy, I know you’re excited somebody can see you, but I think he’s overwhelmed,’ you signed to your over-enthusiastic sibling.

“HM. YOU SEEM TO BE RIGHT, BROTHER. MAYBE I SHOULD LEAVE—”

“N-no! No, I, er, I’m fine,” Dust quickly choked out, taking a few moments to steady his breath. He wasn't all that convincing, though he did seem to be calming down a little. Maybe he just needed time to adjust.

‘Are you sure, Mr Dust? You don’t look so good...’

“Yeah, just..” he cringed at himself, shaking his head as though to dispel whatever line of thought he had been stuck with. “I’m fine, kid, just wasn’t expectin’ it.” You nodded. He probably knew himself best, though you hoped he wasn’t pushing himself for your sake.

“BUT WHERE IS YOUR BROTHER?” Ghost Papy asked. You cringed a little internally. Your brother definitely lacked subtlty.

“He, uh... he’s dead. Dead-dead, not like you. Used ta hallucinate him though. He, uh... was real nasty,” he admitted.

“OH... I AM SORRY YOUR HALLUCINATION PAPYRUS WAS NOT KIND TO YOU,” he let out empathetically. “I AM CLAIMING YOU AS OUR BROTHER NOW. YOU HAVE BEEN SURPRISE ADOPTED.”

Dust choked at the sudden explanation, and just as you moved forward to help, he dissolved into a fit of laughter.

You giggled a little as well. You weren't upset at the delcaration, but weren't sure how Dust would feel. His hysterical laughing was a tad concerning for you. ‘Papy, I’m not sure that’s how it works—’

“OF COURSE IT DOES! SPIKEY SIBLING HORROR SURPRISE ADOPTED YOU, SO I’M SURPRISE ADOPTING DUST!”

"Its, uh, its fine, I don’t... mind it,” Dusty let out, seeming rather flustered. Before you could press, he quickly changed the subject, clearly not wanting to talk more on it right this very moment. “So, uh, how old are ya, kid?” 

You hesitated, not actually sure of the answer. It wasn’t exactly something you had thought about until now. ‘Papy, do you know? I still don’t remember much before I hurt my head...’

“YOU ARE 219 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AND 28 DAYS OLD. YOUR BIRTHDAY IS IN TWO DAYS,” he answered for you.

‘How old would that make me in human years?’ you then asked. You were curious to know what the difference was like when converted.

“NEARLY 22!”

Dusty tilted his head, seemingly deep in thought. “Is that including the resets?” he asked after a moment.

Papyrus nodded rapidly. “YES! ALTHOUGH MY BROTHER WASN’T VERY SPECIFIC WITH HOW MUCH TIME PASSED BETWEEN RESETS, SO IT COULD BE A LITTLE BUT INACCURATE. THEY’RE DEFINITELY OUT OF STRIPES, THOUGH!”

You hummed a little, briefly wondering about your life as a human. How old had you been when you died? You had a feeling you were somewhere between fifteen and twenty five, but that was awfully nonspecific. Maybe you matched your current age? Adults could still have childlike qualities, after all.

“Then why are they so... er...” he trailed offz clearly having difficulty articulating his words. He was probablt trying notnto offend you, you realised.

"CHILDLIKE? ASHE BEHAVES A BIT... DIFFERENT... DUE TO THE HEAD INJURY, I THINK. THEY’RE DEFINITELY NOT LIKE HOW THEY USED TO BE, BUT THATS OKAY BECAUSE I LOVE THEM NO MATTER WHAT!”

‘I’m also Autistic, if that matters,’ you responded, though a little nervous at the confession. Ghost Papy probably hadn’t known about that, but he didn’t seem bothered by new information.

Dust nodded. “Ah. I am too. Sometimes I forget how differently neurodivergence can present from person to person,” he mumbled. You were thankful the three of you seemed to be getting along.

Notes:

Dust: *exists*
Ghost Papy: Surprise! You have been adopted against your will!
Nightmare: ...I thought I was the only one who did surprise adoptions

----
Ashe: Woah! You're so tall! And cool! Lets be friends!
Dust: ...I must protect the smoll bean

Chapter 20: Dusty

Ashe’s POV

‘How come you and Mr Horror know how to interpret sign?’ you asked. It was a somewhat impulsive question - Outer had not been able to understand you, so it clearly wasn’t just inherent knowledge for the different Sans variants, leading you to become curious as to how he and Horror had come to learn it.

Dust gave a sort of casual shrug. “Nightmare made us learn it ages back. I, uh… I go inta verbal shutdown sometimes, an’ signin’ has been pretty helpful,” he explained, his voice seeming just a little bit shy in the admittance.

You nodded to his answer, thinking for a moment. ‘Does that mean all of you know how to sign? Nightmare too?’

“Yup. Horror ‘as a bit of trouble tryin’ ta sign, though. And Kill will literally sign at th’ speed o’ light, gets real proud of it too, the bastard,” he chuckled. It seemed like the insult was more meant as playful than it was serious, reminding you of a sibling rivalry. Then again, maybe that's exactly what it was for them.

“WOWEE! THAT’S DEFINITELY GOOD, I’M GLAD YOU WILL ALL BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE PROPERLY. RUDE SPACE SANS WAS TERRIBLE AT IT!”

“Space sans..?” Dust repeated. Barely a second past before recognition flashed across his features and he let out a low chuckle. “I guess ya mean Outer. When did ya meet him?”

‘Just after the Stars attacked me. Mr Outer helped me get better, but he thought I was you the entire time and seemed to really just want me to leave. Is… is he a friend of yours?”

“Eh… Not really,” he let out. “He ain’t an enemy, though, either. He’s neutral, I guess?” he paused suddenly, a chime coming from his pocket. He pulled the device out and answered what you assumed to be a phone call. “...Rory? Th’ fuck ya callin for? …Yeah, Ashe’s chill or whateves, already met ‘im… Uhh, no idea, lemme ask–” he turned to you. “Have ya eaten yet?”

‘I’m not hungry–’

“NYEH! THEY HAVEN’T EATEN SINCE WE WERE WITH SPIKY SIBLING HORROR YESTERDAY!” Ghost Papy interrupted, causing your cheeks to flush a little with embarrassment.

Dust acknowledged the two of you with a simple nod, speaking to his phone once again“...That’s a no from the lil dude, but I can make ‘im somethin… No, I aint gonna burn down the kitchen, I know how ta use th’ microwave, I’m not Killer,” he snorted, the comment leaving you to wonder if burning down kitchens was a common issue. “Anyway, is tha’ all ya callin fer? …’Kay, bye.”

You politely waited as he finished up on the phone, curious of what the conversation entailed. It didn’t sound like much was really said. Was Horror really just calling to make sure you had eaten? That thought filled you with warmth. And judging by ghost Papy’s proud expression, he must have been happy about it as well.

‘Everything okay?’ you signed, mostly because you weren’t sure what else to say to keep the conversation going.

“Yup. He an’ the others ain’t gonna be back fer a few hours still, they’re makin some sorta alliance with a new au or some shit, so its just us ‘n Kills ‘ere,” he explained. “Lets get ya fed, yeah? Don’t want Rory freakin’ out ‘bout ya not eatin’.”

You nodded in confirmation, following along to the kitchen. It was a bit longer of a walk than you expected it to be, giving you some time to really take in the gothic way in which the halls were decorated. Deep purple walls covered in brocade patternings, old paintings, this place looked like a castle you might see in a horror film.

Ghost Papy seemed content you were no longer alone and left to explore. It was the first time you had been separated since your reincarnation, and you couldn’t help but feel a little bit anxious about it, making sure to keep close to Dust so that you wouldn’t be alone, not that he minded. You didn’t… have separation anxiety. At least, that was what you tried to reassure yourself.

When you arrived in the kitchen, Dust turned to face you once more. “Where did Paps go?”

‘Exploring, I think,’ you signed in explanation. ‘I think he has been wanting to for a while, but he didn’t want me to be left alone because he was worried it wouldn’t be safe. He’ll probably be back soon.’

He simply nodded. “Makes sense I suppose...” Dust let out as he opened the fridge. It was decently stocked, the majority being containers full of what looked like a diverse range of leftover meals. “Pick whatever ya like. Rory likes ta portion everythin’, so there’s always stuff in ‘ere if ya want somethin. Just don’t go messin’ with anythin’ labelled, especially if it’s Noots’ stuff.”

You nodded, gazing at all the meals. You weren’t all that hungry, still feeling rather full from the stew you had when you met Horror even if it was a while ago now. ‘Is there something smaller I could have?’

Dust shrugged. “How ‘bout some snacks?” he suggested. “We coil’ watch a movie ‘till Kills is ready ta socialise with us.”

‘What kind of movie?’ you inquired.

“Any one ya like,” he let out, grabbing some candies and guiding you to the couch.

The couch was massive, but then again, so was the television. You got the feeling that this place was well used despite being rather clean. Despite the dvd’s lining the walls, the first thing Dust did when he turned the television on was switch it to a movie streaming services that you didn’t recognise. He tossed you the remote with a curious expression.

You went to choose a horror film, but just as you did, ghost Papy returned, seemingly having finished his exploration. “OH! ARE WE WATCHING A MOVIE?”

‘Yes! Mr Dust let me choose and I thought this one looked good,’ you signed enthusiastically. 'Its a horror movie, and the app says it has really good reviews!'

His expression fell a bit. “THAT’S… GREAT! THE SPOOKY PAPYRUS IS NOT SCARED OF HORROR FILMS! NOPE! NOT ME…” He let out, but it was clear the opposite was true. You couldn’t help but feel bad - you didn’t want to put on something that would scare him!

“How ‘bout ya pick horror comedy? Shoul’ be light enough Paps won’t freak out,” Dust suggested in a whisper to you, and you nodded. It didn’t take long to pick out a new movie, and the three of you got comfortable as the screen lit up with its first scene.

Chapter 21: War

Ashe's POV

The two of you ended up snuggled together half-asleep on the couch by the time the film reached the credits. Dust was... a lot clingier than you expected, practically holding you to his chest, expression peaceful as he drifted off. You weren't one to complain, though. You ended up playing the sequel to the movie, watching with a bit less interest than before. Admittedly, you were a little restless, especially with Dust just laying there asleep. He was so quiet he almost seemed dead!

By the time the second movie reached the credits, you were incredibly bored. Part of you wondered if Horror would be back soon. You wanted to meet everybody else! Dust was nice, and Horror was too, and this little family you were forming was one that made you feel just a little more hopeful for the future.

Thankfully, your silent pleas for something to do were answered when a tar-faced skeleton emerged from the corridor, grin wide as he looked right towards you and Dust.

"Woaaah, when did Dust Bunny get a twin?" he called out, amused. It startled you, for am moment, but he hardly seemed like he was going to attack or something. "Fuckin' 'ell, you're practically a tiny-him!"

You giggled at the exclamation. It was the first time you felt like being compared to Dust was intended as a compliment, and you found yourself enjoying Killer's playful tone. 'I'm Ashe! Mr Horror adopted me, then Ghost Papy adopted Mr Dust. I think you're my brother now by default,' you explained cheerfully.

"Really?" he let out, seemingly curious. He twirled a knife in his hand as he came closer, grabbing the half-eaten bag of crisps from the sofa and stuffing them into his mouth casually. "Ya need some help, squirt? Dust Bunny can get real clingy in his sleep," he grinned.

You gave a nod of confirmation. 'Yes please!'

The instant look of mischief that crossed his expression made you question if agreeing to his offer really was a good idea. Before you had a chance to ask what he was planning, he leaned in real close to Dust's face and screamed out, "DUST! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

Dust immediately tried to leap up into a standing position, only to pull you both to the ground due to your tangled limbs. He swore, rather loudly too, then quickly got back to his feet, expression highly alert and magic flaring in preparation for an unseen threat.

Killer burst into an immediate fit of laughter, loud and hysterical. He was laughing so hard he had to hold onto the back of the sofa, struggling to regain his breath.

"The fuck was tha' fer!?" Dust finally shouted back as the reality of the situation finally set in, voice already agitated.

"Your fuckin' face! Snrrk!" he managed to choke out, still laughing.

As bad as you felt at him being the subject of Killer's prank, you did admittedly find it a little bit funny, unable to hold back little giggles of your own. It had just been so unexpected, and it certainly startled you a little as well, but Dust definitely had a lot stronger of a reaction than you did.

"Fuckin' asshole," Dust muttered as he calmed down. By the time he turned to acknowledge you, he still looked a little pissed, but his expression considerably softened when his eyelights met yours. "Yer okay?"

Before you could respond, Killer practically dragged you into his arms to smoosh his face against yours. You giggled, trying to push him away, but it was half hearted, so it didn't really work. You gave a thumbs up to indicate you were fine, though, still grinning.

"Your mini-you is fuckin' adorable," Killer snickered. "When were ya gonna tell me that you an' Roror had a kid? Didn't know ya swing that way!"

Dust's face instantly filled with blush, expression twisting to a scowl. "They ain't my kid!" he let out, clearly embarrassed at such an exclamation.

Killer immediately spoke, loud to make sure that he would get the first word in. "Then I'm claimin' him!"

You felt a little bit overwhelmed, but were having a good fine. 'I'm okay with this,' you signed, snickering a little. 'I'm sure Killer can be totally responsible and not at all a troublemaker.' Sarcasm didn't convey well in what little sign you knew, but your expression and the little mischievous wink to Killer should have made it obvious regardless.

"See! Lil' squirt has fuckin class," he snorted.

"There is absolutely no fackin' way yer even know how ta define responsible, let alone be it," Dust scoffed to his tar faced companion, but he had a slight grin. It was clear the bickering was meant playfully, so you weren't at all worried about accidentally encouraging it.

'So is Mr Killer my dad now?' you questioned

This time, it was Killer's face to turn bright with blush, clearly not having thought through what he had said before. He recovered quickly though. "Nah, more like the fun uncle!" he chuckled. "Dusty can be your lame aunty or somethin'."

To that, Dust threw a pillow at Killer, landing right in the other's face so hard that Killer literally fell to the ground. 

"Oh you're fuckin' on!" Killer yelled out, immediately launching the pillow back at him with just as much force.

You giggled, picking up one of the pillows from the sofa. 'I wanna play too!'

"Yer on my team then–" Dust began, only for Killer to suddenly swoop in and lift you in his arms with a dramatic 'yoink!' sound effect. Being smaller definitely felt like an advantage right now, especially with the rising amount of cushions pummelling through the air.

"Rude!" Dust shouted as he dodged a pillow,

You took a moment to pile pillows into your arms, grinning the entire time. Killer mostly carried you so could throw pillows whilst he made sure the both of you weren't hit, at one point even managing to lose Dust and ambush him together by jumping off a cabinet.

The three of you must have played for an hour, running about the house. At one point, you even dramatically betrayed Killer to join Dust's side, only for both of them to team up on you, leading to you running around the manor giggling loudly.

It was only when Killer punted a pillow and accidentally hit a vase that the two froze up, ceramic scattering across the floor. "Dibs not the one to tell Nightmare!!" Killer immediately yelled out.

"Fuck."

Chapter 22: Bonding

Ashe's POV

You giggled at the dramatics of Killer’s reaction to the broken vase, but found yourself looking towards the pieces with a curious thought. Unlike glass, it had been ceramic, and instead of being tiny little shards, they were mostly larger pieces. You didn’t remember having ever repaired anything - really, at this point, all memory of your previous life as a human seemed to have completely faded - but it didn’t look like it would be too difficult.

‘I bet I could put it back together!’ you signed enthusiastically.

“NYEH HEH HEH! I, THE SPOOKIEST AND STABBIEST PAPYRUS, WILL HELP! I AM THE MASTER OF PUZZLES!” your brother exclaimed with just as much energy.

“You really think so, squirt?” Killer mused, entertained by the idea. You nodded vigorously. “Then I’ll help you grab all the pieces. Don’t want you to get cut or something,” he let out with a smile.

Dust cast him a suspicious glance. “Did ya hit yer head or somethin’? You hate cleanin’...”

Killer laughed at that, shaking his head. “I gotta be a good uncle! Right, squirt?” he let out innocently. If he had eyelashes, you were sure he would be batting them.

‘Yep! And like Papy said, it could be like a puzzle! He’s really good at those,' you signed with a hum. 'And if it doesn’t work, that’s okay, at least we gave it a try!’

Killer tilted his head. “So, do you like, actually see your bro? Did you kill him like Dust Bunny did with his?”

“Killer,” Dust let out in a slightly scolding tone.

“What? I was just asking!” Killer defended, not at all recognising the insensitivity of his question. In all honesty, you didn’t really notice either. It seemed like a normal thing to ask and it didn’t bother you to discuss it.

You shook your head at the two, smiling. ‘I don’t mind talking about it,’ you let out with a hum. ‘Ghost Papy is always with me. I think I killed him, but I don’t really remember. Dust can see him too! Papy is friendly, just… super stabby.’

“NYEH! I FORGOT TO TELL YOU TO STAB THE STABBY DRIPPY ONE FOR SCARING YOU…”

Dust snickered at that, earning a questioning look from Killer. “What? Ghost dude say something funny?”

‘I can’t tell if he’s laughing because Papy wanted me to stab you for startling us earlier, or if its because he called you ‘the stabby drippy one’,’ you signed honestly.

“P-ppfft—The stabby drippy one!?” Killer managed to let out in a dramatic bark of laughter. He stood laughing for a full three minutes before he was finally able to calm enough to speak. “Just wait till he sees Sir Nootsalot! Bet he'll end up with a fuckin amazing nickname, he’s the goopiest fucker out there!” He continued, still laughing heartily.

You giggled at that nickname. It seemed like Nightmare had a lot of nicknames, but you wondered if any of them were actually said when the guardian was around, or just when he was absent. Maybe you’d ask Nightmare when you got the chance to meet him.

“Oi Paps, what are yer gonna call me? Ya seem ta love makin’ nicknames,” Dust asked, clearly curious now that it was the subject of conversation.

“OTHER BROTHER, OBVIOUSLY. THEN HORROR IS SPIKEY SIBLING, AND THE WEIRD PENGUIN SANS HE WAS WITH EARLIER IS WEIRD PENGUIN SANS.”

You translated Papyrus’ exclamation for Killer as he spoke, earning laughter from both of the murderous Sanses. Killer was the next one to speak. “Penguin Sans!? That, snrrk, would’ve been Cross. Please call him that to his face, though, that’s fuckin gold,” he let out as he patted you on the back in approval.

"Much better than Criss-cross," Dust agreed.

You smiled and nodded. ‘I think everybody is going to end up with fun nicknames. Uhm… can I give you both nicknames too? I kinda want to call you Uncle Dusty and Uncle Kills…’

“Call me whatever yer feel like,” Dust grinned. “Glad I’m an uncle now an’ not an aunt,” he added with a snicker.

“Pfft, nah, you'll always be Aunty Dust to me," Killer joked. 

You gave the most innocent gaze you could muster. 'If you're my uncle, and Dust is my aunty, doesn't that mean you are both dating?'

"Pffft. Ya got me there," Killer let out, hands raised in mocking surrender. "We ain't in that kinda relationship though," he explained.

"Yeah. We are all siblings, aside from Noots. He's more like a father to us," Dust explained t oyou.

"More like a mom, really," Killer snickered, only to be playfully hit in the back of the head. "What? He totally is though with all that mother henning!"

Dust rolled his eyes but didn't disagree with the comment.

You smiled. 'I understand! I was just being silly when I said that though. Sorry if I overstepped a boundary or something...'

"No harm done," Dust let out with a casual shrug. "Jokin' don't always translate ta sign. Better ta let ya know just in case."

"Yup!" Killer grinned. "Also, you can totally call me your uncle. Its gonna be so fun fuckin' with the star shits," he chuckled.

You tilted your head. 'Honestly, if either of you were the aunt, I think it'd be you, Kills!' you signed, earning laughter from Dust and a look of surprise from Killer.

"What! Why!?" He exclaimed, definitely a bit of playful dramaticism.

'Because you're like the crazy wine aunt who gets away with doing all sorts of mischef!'

"He's right, ya know," Dust agreed, putting his hand up so you could give him a high-five.

"Snnrrk, honestly, that's fine," Killer finally agreed as he crouched down to better get to your height. He cupped the sides of your skull and squished your cheeks with that same mischievous grin he always seemed to have. “Noots is gonna fuckin love ya. Your like a lil fuckin marshmallow!”

You pouted a little at the nickname, which only made him laugh.

“GASP! KILLER, YOU ARE RIGHT, HE IS LIKE A MARSHMALLOW! NYEH HEH!!”

‘I’m not a marshmallow,’ you tried to sign, but it was difficult with Killer smooshing your cheeks like you were a kid. ‘I don’t even like marshmallows that much, they’re too sweet!’ You turned to Dust, hoping he would defend you.

“An adorable, dusty lil’ marshmallow,” Dusty agreed, causing you to pout. What a betrayal!

‘You three are meanies,’ you signed, completely playfully. They all just grinned at you, clearly amused. ‘Anyway, can somebody please get some glue? I want to try glueing the vase back together!’

“Sure thing, kiddo,” Dust let out, disappearing in what you were pretty sure was a shortcut.

Both you and Killer finished gathering the pieces and took them to the kitchen dining table to work on putting it together. It was quite a beautiful vase, a midnight black with intricate drawings painted in gold and purple, something that looked rather expensive.

You sorted the pieces, first, making sure you knew where each one went and how it fit together so you wouldn’t make any mistakes. Killer mostly watched, and if he was bothered by your occasional mumble to Papy for help, he didn’t complain.

Dust and Killer both helped you with the actual glueing by holding things into place for you. It was definitely a team effort, Papy helping to direct you and your new-found uncles trying best to piss eachother off whilst not ruining your progress.

After the third attempt, everything as glued together! …Unfortunately, somehow, Killer and Dust both ended up with their hands glued to the vase.

“How th’ fuck?” Dust grunted as he tried to pull his hands away, only for the entire vase to shift with him. Killer giggled. “Kills, what did yer do!?”

“Nothing!” he swore with another snicker.

It took almost twenty minutes to get the two un-stuck, and a bit of reassembling the vase, but it was looking good as new. Sort of.

“...I’m sure Noots won’t notice,” Killer let out optimistically.

“Not ta burst yer bubble, but the glue dried pink. How is he not going ta notice? Actually, where the fuck did ya even get pink glue from!?"

 

Chapter 23: Call

Killer's POV

The mischievous skeleton had certainly not been expecting to meet the smaller version of Dust, let alone become so quickly attached to them. They just had such a cheerful and endearing personality, showing no sign of fear or distrust towards the murderous skeletons of the manor. Did they not know their reputation, or did Ashe simply not care?

Of course, being a dust variant, and one with features that vaguely resembled a horror - or maybe even a fell - it wasn't a total surprise they would get along with darker sanses… but their personality was just so sweet and innocent.

“Ya know, squirt, I definitely didn't expect to like you so much,” he let out with a playful grin.

‘You're pretty fun too, aunty Kills,’ Ashe giggled cheerfully.

Killer definitely identified as male, but he couldn't help but beam with pride at the nickname. Besides, he was keen to see how the Star Sanes would react - it was sure to cause a lot of confusion, and Killer had no intention of ever clearing it up. He could already imagine the goody-two-shoes Dream panicking trying to figure out why he was being called aunty!

A buzz from his mobile alerted him of an incoming call, and he pulled the device from his pocket with a grin. An unknown number. “Sorry, Ashe, gotta take this. It might be NootyNoot,” he apologised.

Ashe just nodded, not at all bothered by the interruption.

“Welcome to Sansy-Sues Roadkill Cafe, straight from your fender, juicy and tender,” Killer let out with a snort of laughter when he picked up the call. He was always a menace when called, but it helped filter out the occasional calls he got from Sanses with the wrong number.

He watched as Ashe's expression perked with intrigue and confusion from across the room, merely giving a thumbs up to the small skele to indicate this was totally a normal way to answer the phone.

Killer audibly heard the person at the other end of the line grunt, though, much less impressed with his antics than Ashe was. “Killer, now is not the time,” the familiar voice of Cross let out.

“So you're calling for an order to go, then?” Killer pressed, clearly not at all taking the phone call seriously. He tossed his blade in the air, catching it with ease, barely paying attention to Cross as he did so.

“Look, we - shit, one sec-” the phone went silent for a moment. There was the sound of something striking a tree before Cross spoke again. “Look, we need backup, can you and Dust get here?”

“Shit, is it bad?” Killer responded, his full attention now on the phone. His posture became visibly panicked. “Can you or Nighty open a portal for us?”

Another thunk, something cracking, and the line was silent.

“Cross? Cross, what the fuck is happening over there!? Cross!”

He heard muffled voices, then yelling, and then somebody spoke. “Killer. I am unable to portal. Cross is unconscious. Can you get here?”

“S-Shit! I could - I could call Error to get us there? But he doesn't–”

“Do it. Call in a favour if you must.”

The skeleton paled as the phone went dead. “Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck!” If Nightmare was suggesting calling in a favour, then the situation must have been very serious. 

“The fuck yer swearin fer?” Dust demanded, expression mildly annoyed, clearly not having heard the conversation that had taken place.

“Boss needs backup but can't get us there!”

“Shit, can ya call Error?”

“We both know that he never picks up!” Killer retorted, sounding even more panicked.

“BOTH OF YOU STOP TALKING AND LISTEN TO ASHE!” A loud voice interrupted the silence, demanding both of their attention.

Dust looked unbothered, but Killer, on the other hand, was a mixture of shock and slight horror. “Who the fuck…?” he begun, eyelights condensed to mere pinpricks at the sight of the floating Papyrus head with terribly sharp teeth and terrifying leaking eyes.

Ashe shook his head. ‘We can talk about Papy later-’ the small skeleton interjected, but was interrupted before they could get to what they wanted to say

“THAT is your Papyrus!? Wait, how can I even see him!?”

“SHUSH!” Ghost Papy interjected, and Killer did just that, finally giving Ashe a chance to talk.

‘Papy and I are pretty sure we can teleport us there, we just have to know where to go,’ the small skeleton explained quickly.

Dust clearly wanted to question how that was possible, but Killer quickly nodded, knowing that now was not the time to question things. Their team mates, their family, needed help. “Do it,” he confirmed simply. “UnderFell#997.”

‘Is the underground okay? Or do you need the surface?’

“Snowdin if possible,” Killer quickly let out. Ihe wasn't sure exactly where Nightmare, Cross and Horror were, but he figured it would be easy enough to find out from Snowdin. After all, that always seemed to be where the fights ended up happening.

Ashe reached out his hands to both Dust and Killer. The two understood the silent action fairly easily, grasping the little skele's hands in their own, their grip tight as they waited for something - anything - to happen.

Ashe turned to Papy, and Papy floated close by, hand on the shorter's shoulder. “OFF WE GO! NYEH HEH HEH!”

There was a static noise, the pop and crackle of magic. It sounded distorted, like two power sources trying to snuff eachother out, but before anyone could ask if it was normal, everything was engulfed in momentary white. 

When it subsided, they were standing in the middle of a battlefield. Positive arrows and ink was strewn against the trees, the ground, the snow, but so were familiar attacks in red - the Sans and Papyrus of this world were obviously involved in the battle.

Ashe looked a little unsettled by the scene. Probably not used to fighting like this, Killer noted - he would be sure to cover for Ashe as much as possible, since he didn't know how well they could fight.

“Dammit! The rest of them are here too!” Ink shouted, only to become confused when his eyelights moved from Dust to Ashe. “Wait, why are there two Dusts!?”

The spirit of Ghost Papyrus was floating by Ashe's side, hollow eyes peering icily at the star sanses. If the momentarily horrified expression of Ink was anything to go by, he could see Papy too. “NYEH! ITS THE RUDE PAINTY ONE AGAIN! ASHE, STAB HIM FIRST! STAB, STAB, STABBITY, STAB!!”  

Ashe let out a slight nod then turned to the tar faced skeleton with an awfully innocent expression. Killer couldn't help but be proud of how decieving it was. ‘Aunty Killer, do you have a spare knife?’

“Sure do, squirt,” Killer responded with a sinister grin, tossing a glowing red one to his companion.

“Aunty Killer!?!?” Both Ink and Dream yelled out in surprise.

Chapter 24: Battle

Ashe's POV

“Oh my stars, have we been misgendering you!?” Dream called out. Why did he seem so... panicked?

“Dreamboat! Focus! They're the bad guys, remember!?” Ink interjected, clearly not as worried as Dream was. 

“But that doesn't mean we have to be rude an–” Dream was cut off by an attack by Killer, who was clearly much more eager to just get into the fight. Considering how freaked out he had seemed earlier, you suspected that fighting helped him to relieve his stress.

An axe flew through the air and almost beheaded Ink, to which the painter grinned and tried to swipe at the other. Well, it was clear where Horror was. He looked... rough.

There was so much magic and dust in the air.

You tugged at Dust’s arm, grabbing his attention before he could head off. ‘Where are Nightmare and Cross? Shouldn't they be here too?’

He frowned and spoke quietly, avoiding attacks as he did so. “Not sure, but Horror is ‘ere, so we jus’ need ta hold out fer now,” he explained. “Boss was ‘ere for the Chara, so he migh’ still be busy with tha’. Just… stay out of th’ way fer now. Don' figh' unless yer have ta, we got this.”

You nodded, watching as he disappeared into the fight. Papy stayed with you, watching carefully, occasionally telling you move to go if the fight was getting too close to you. You were thankful to have him watching your back, though where he failed to, the others were careful not to let anything hit you.

The fight went on for a while and you were getting anxious. With a sudden idea, you turned to your sibling. ‘Papy! Remember that movie we watched with Uncle Dusty?’ you signed, and he gave a quick nod of confirmation. ‘That scene where the ghost possessed the random human… Do you think you could try doing that?’

“I CAN CERTAINLY TRY! BUT WHICH ONE? I don’t want to possess our family…” He shouted, voice trailing at the end.

You pointed directly towards the Fell Papyrus, of who scowled at you and attempted to skewer you with a barrage of bones. Killer quickly stepped in, pushing you out of the way and earning the attention of the edgier skeleton, though he was struggling a bit with the attention of both Fells.

“THE UGLY ME IT IS, THEN!” Papy announced, glaring at the variant. Although he didn’t say it, you could tell he was pissed for having tried to hurt you.

You watched as he floated over to the Papyrus, then faded out from view. There was a long moment of silence, and you wondered if anything was happening. Did it work? Why wasn’t the Fell Papyrus moving?

Killer withdrew a little at the strangeness, turning to you with a look as if to ask what was happening. ‘Papy’s trying to possess him so he can fight with us!’ you explained. ‘He hasn’t tried that before though so, uhm, be careful?’

“Got it,” he confirmed, and the both of you watched cautiously as the Fell’s eyelights extinguished. A black liquid cascaded down his face, body making sickening cracks as it moved.

“WOWEE! I GET TO STAB PEOPLE MYSELF!” the distorted voice shouted excitedly, earning looks of horror and confusion from the people you were fighting against. The voice sounded all sorts of wrong, choked and garbled, black spilling from pointed teeth like drool. "THE STABBIEST PAPYRUS IS GOING ON A STABBING MARATHON! NYEH HEH HEH! PREPARE TO BE STABBED!"

Fell Papyrus - no, Ghost Papy whilst possessing Fell Papyrus - begun to summon magic and attack, seeming mostly preoccupied with the brother of his vessel. The Fell Sans completely abandoned the fight in favour of his brother, desperately trying to get through to his brother. He fought in a way that made it clear he was terrified to hurt the Papyrus, but Ghost Papy had no hesitation, fighting with full force. It was a losing battle for the Sans.

You had mostly blended into the background, trying to figure out what else to do. NYou already knew from experience that you were not experienced enough to battle these people, but you hated the feeling of being so helpless, of not knowing how to assist those you cared about. Nightmare and Cross still hadn’t appeared, either, leaving you deeply concerned. Were they okay?

Nausea welled in your chest. It had been there since the teleport to this timeline, along with a dull pain in your soul that you were trying to ignore, but you were feeling worse and worse as the fight progressed. It was a good thing that nobody was paying you much attention, as you were pretty sure you would end up being dusted if somebody was more focused on trying to fight you.

Black began to stream down your face. You suddenly felt suffocated, bile rising in your throat. You threw up. It was black spoilt magic, and you were suddenly so much more aware of how low your magic felt. But… you weren’t using your magic? Why did you feel so exhausted?

“How curious. You share sibling bonds with several of my subordinates,” a dark voice called from beside you.

You turned to the voice with slightly hazy vision, prepared to try and stab him with the knife that Killer had given you, only for a black tendril to immediately catch your wrist, holding you but not disarming you. In all honesty, it had been entirely reactive - you wouldn’t have tried had you not been startled.

“Tsk, there is no need for that,” the blackened goop-covered skeleton scolded as several other tentacles quickly shot into the air. They seemed to be protecting you from stray attacks, though it was clear he was still in an ongoing fight against Dream since positivity arrows kept soaring in the air in your direction. He must have been quite attentive to fend off attacks whilst talking to you.

You took a moment to take in his appearance. Nightmare, the king of negativity, somebody far more powerful than you. You didn’t struggle in his hold, didn’t try to stab him a second time. You knew the others considered him a parental figure, but you couldn’t help the terror that filled you at his cold and calculative gaze. You knew he could dust you if he wanted to, that you stood no chance against him.

His cyan orb narrowed at you. “Your brother needs to abandon his host. Pulling from a shared magic pool when it is already so depleted is straining you - you cannot maintain this any longer. Have him stop before it kills you,” he commanded, finally removing his tendrils from you.

His tone was cold. Authoritative. It left no room for argument. Yet, logically, he must have cared at least somewhat. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have warned you at all.

‘Can you… tell him? Can’t…’ You managed to sign out with shaky hands, only to throw up again. Signing was just too difficult whilst you were in this state.

The shadowed form of Nightmare disappeared. Moments later, Ghost Papy was floating over to you yelling apologies, hands on your arms to help steady you. “THE TERRIFYING SHADOW THING SAID THAT POSSESSING THAT UGLY VERSION OF ME FOR TOO LONG WAS HURTING YOU! ARE YOU OKAY? WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?” he let out frantically.

‘Am okay… need…’ you paused, taking a moment to throw up. Papy was clearly very concerned about you, expression still panicked. “Ngh…” you choked out, almost collapsing as it all caught up to you. Why was there two of everything?

Before you could hit the ground, Horror was by your side, scooping you up. “Nightmare… Said you… needed some.. Help. Are you… okay?”

You couldn’t respond. You were just so tired. His expression contorted to concern as you stayed silent.

“Horror! Is that Ashe? Are they okay?” Killer called out mid-fight against Ink. It… didn’t look like it was going very well for Killer, he was dodging more than landing hits, but it seemed he was just meant as a temporary distraction.

“Boss said… We’re retreating…” Horror let out. “He has… Cross so… We just need… Dust.”

“On it!” Killer let out, immediately disappearing to grab Dust from their intense fight against Blue. The moment everybody was together, Nightmare appeared, formed a portal, and snatched everyone through, leaving none of his allies behind. Horror was still carrying you, grip protective and warm. You were safe now. At least, safe from the Star Sanses, who you were pretty sure were left in quite a rough position by the time you had all escaped.

Nightmare looked at his subordinates with a firm gaze. You couldn’t tell if he was amused or pissed, and it was… a little bit terrifying. “So which one of you are going to tell me about the little extra you brought along?”

 

Chapter 25: Mine

Nightmare's POV

It wasn't difficult to tell that his subordinates had come with an unexplained extra. He wasn't pleased that they had brought this fragile looking skeleton to the middle of the battlefield. They had a hood covering their skull, but he could see the wound in moments where they moved, see the way they were slower and less coordinated than the others. Why bring something so fragile to a fight that usually lead to bystanders being pulverised to dust?

Ashe, he overheard them refer to the smaller skeleton as, was a variant that was only two thirds the height of Dust. Though they didn't contribute directly in the fight much, it was clear what side they were associated with, especially with Killer and Dust (and even Horror on occasion) carefully keeping the attention of the Stars and Fell nuisances away from the little skeleton,

Being the guardian of negativity, he could certainly feel the emotions of his teammates, even if Dream seemed completely oblivious to it. There was so much brotherly love from his team, so much adoration. This new skeleton was not just some random ally. No, they were family.

Ashe had sibling bonds with Horror, Dust and Killer. Almost his entire gang, fully intent on claiming this skeleton as part of their family. Each bond was reciprocated, too. Strong. Healthy.

How curious, though, that they were a Horror-adjacent Dust variant. Ink had never made a duplicate of worlds like Something New and DustTale, so it seemed strange to him. He would have to have Error investigate later - after all, some alternate universes formed naturally, so it may not have been created by Ink. He was curious, though, if their uniquities made them an original, or if they were technically a copy. If the former, Error would be displeased they were involved in the fights for the balance.

Nightmare frowned. It wasn't just the little dust variant, he realised, for they had a spirit attached to them. A Papyrus, he realised, when said spirit possessed the fell variant and joined in on the fight. Still sloppy and vastly inexperienced, but the distressed emotional state of the fell sans meant that the two were mostly balanced in their fight. Definitely an original, then, as Dust's papyrus had been nothing more than a guilt-induced hallucination.

When Nightmare revealed himself to Ashe, he was not surprised by their reaction. Fear, overwhelm, anxiety. He let himself bask in the negativity, consuming it, allowing it to strengthen him. He was pleased that they didn't seem to be trying to fight him, simply waiting for him to act first. Such a smart little skeleton, knowing not to fight something far stronger than them.Truthfully, he didn't want to frighten Ashe. He had been struck by several positivity arrows whilst protecting Cross earlier in the fight and it had left him more vulnerable than he was used to. He would have portalled them out, but he had to finish making the deal with the local Chara - he just needed the backup to support Horror since Cross had gotten ambushed.

This little sans may have been important to those he considered his, so he didn't harm them, just scared them a little. He needed that little boost of negativity.

He frowned when he recognised how sickly they looked. Did they even notice how their eyelights flickered from the rapid depletion? How they were struggling to stand, how their breaths were coming out so heavily? It reminded him of Cross when the soldier would overwork himself (such a workaholic).

He commanded them to tell his sibling to cease. He figured clear, concise directions would be more effective whilst they were in this state. But when faced with sign language, he realised it would simply be quicker to deal with it himself than rely on a variant who was so sick they could barely communicate.

So Nightmare acted. He used his tendrils to completely dust the Fell papyrus,. The ghost Papyrus was left in their place, looking a little disorientated at first. Nightmare turned to address the spirit. Oh, how their terror fuelled him further. "Return to your sibling. Possessing this vermin has left their magic depleted to a dangerous degree. Do not do this again unless your shared magic is both plentiful and stable, or you will kill them."

That was all he needed to say for the Papyrus to immediately flee to Ashe. Good, he mused quietly to himself. It was always better when people listened instead of starting pointless arguments.

By the time they reached the safety of Dreamtale, Nightmare already knew a little more about Ashe and how much his little family had grown to adore them. Everybody's emotional states were... very telling. Ashe especially. There was such an expanse of grief, of sorrow and longing, yet the presence of his little family created so much joy in the little skeleton. How curious, that they were so attached to what belonged to him.

"So which one of you are going to tell me about the little extra you brought along?"

Anxiety demanded. He could feel the collective anxiety of the group instantly rise. Hesitation, uncertainty, even protectiveness. They all even stepped forwards slightly as though ready to jump to their defence if Nightmare were to lash out, not that he would.

His cyan eye settled on Ashe. Watching. Assessing his reaction. After all, Ashe was a new variable, and he wanted to know what they would say. Would they be polite? Agitated? Would they bail at the first sign of danger? First impressions were important.

"Eheh... Well, Boss, we uh..." Killer began, only turn to Dust as though asking for help in explaining.

"Er...." Dust fumbled, also struggling to vocalise. "Well–"

"Mine," Horror declared simply, pulling Ashe a little closer in an unspoken show of protectiveness. Well. Horror certainly contributed, though not in the most helpful way. Still, Nightmare was amused.

Interestingly, it was Ashe who ended up responding. 'Big brother Horror and I met at Farmtale, and then I got to meet Uncle Dusty and Auntie Kills, and now I get to meet you and Mr Penguin!' The small skeleton signed out with a nervous smile. Several snickers erupted from Killer, and he felt strong embarrassment from Cross (who, at this point, had been given enough healing candy to be awake again). 'I guess that means I'm surprise adopting you as my parent now?'

There was a... very long silence. The collective anxiety of everybody rose.

Nightmare grinned. It was time to stop teasing his group, he decided. He had made them anxious enough - he wouldn't punish them further for their foolishness, though he would probably scold them later for bringing an injured, untrained skeleton into a fight against gods like Dream and Ink.

"Well then, Ashe," he said simply. "Welcome to the family."

 

Notes:

For those commenting that Ashe bonds a little too quickly with certain characters, that is intentional and will make more sense in the upcoming chapters.

Chapter 26: Nom

Ashe’s POV

You let out a soft breath of relief when Nightmare said his welcome to you. ‘Thankyou Mr Nightmare,’ you signed politely, already feeling a little relieved. If Nightmare was okay with you, then everything would be okay.

“How polite,” he hummed, tendrils gliding in the air idly. “However, there is no need for such formalities here. Please, just call me Nightmare.”

You tilted your head, suddenly reminded of the various nicknames Killer had referred to him as. Feeling slightly mischievous, you gave the most innocent smile you could muster. ‘Can I call you Noots like Aunty Killer does?’

You were surprised with how delighted Killer was with you basically outing him. He was snickering, rather loudly too, but raised his hands placatingly and let out a "Not my fault, boss, Dust was doing it too!"

The sigh that came from nightmare reminded you muchly of an exhausted parent after dealing with the antics of their children for much too long. “...I would prefer it if you did not,” he said after rubbing his temple. 

You simply nodded to his request, already trying to think of a decent nickname you could call him by. You were sure you could come up with an idea he would be more keen on. Maybe Nighty would be a bit better? Or... Hm. Mommare seemed like it'd be a fun way to tease him, like you were teasing Killer with the aunty title, but you weren't sure he would appreciate that. You only called Killer aunty as a joke.

A tendril snaked around you, pulling you with a firm grip so you were in the air, but it was gentle and clearly had no hostile intent. It was sudden enough you were startled from your thoughts.

He looked to the others before they could speak. “Relax, you lot. I will not bring them any harm. Ashe and I simply have some… matters to discuss. You are all dismissed,” he let out.

Horror pretty much immediately started moving to the kitchen, followed closely behind by Killer... and then by Cross, who you had a feeling was joining for damage control with how mischievous Killer’s grin was starting to look. Speaking of, Cross still looked a little roughed up from the battle, but he seemed pretty alright now. 

Nightmare looked to you, briefly, and seeing you were rather content in his tendrils, begun to walk down the twisting hallways without bothering to let you down. You giggled as he did so, thoroughly entertained with his goopy tendrils.  You stared at them. The black oozing substance, cool but comfortable to the touch, and a sudden thought came to mind. 

Don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it–

Oops.

Nightmare stopped immediately in his tracks and gave you a look. Whelp, he clearly noticed what you did. “...Stars, did you just lick me??” he let out in an exasperated sigh. You could only give a sheepish grin. “For the love of Nim, do not go trying to lick random things,” he scolded, teal orb narrowing at you. “My corruption is poison when consumed - did you swallow any?” he continued with a frown.

“OH NO! POISON IS VERY BAD! ASHE, ARE YOU OKAY? DO YOU FEEL FAINT? WHAT ABOUT NAUSEOUS? DO YOU NEED A SICK BAG? SHOULD YOU LAY DOWN?” Ghost Papy rambled worriedly to you, not even stopping to let you respond. “OH MY STARS, WHAT DO I DO? NYEH! THIS IS TERRIBLE!’”

You were pretty sure you heard Nightmare sigh and mumble something along the lines of “best not to risk their health,” but were too distracted trying to calm your sibling.

‘Papy, I’m fine, it just tasted kinda weird. Like, hm. Apples and… charcoal or something. I’m fine though. Papy? Papy!’  nYou frowned. Not knowing how else to get his attention, you clapped loudly, which seemed to work. ‘I’m fine, Papy, you don’t need to freak out,’ you insisted.

“NYEH… I WAS WORRIED, ASHE. MAYBE DON’T TRY TO EAT THE TERRIFYING SQUID CREATURE AGAIN?”

You snickered. ‘Squid? Is that because of the one eye and the tendrils?’

“YES! AND THE GOOP, OF COURSE! EXCEPT… I DON’T THINK SQUIDS ARE POISONOUS. HM. THIS IS A DILEMMA…ARE OCTOPUSES POISONOUS? OCTOPODES? OCTOPI..? WAIT, WHAT IS THE PLURAL AGAIN..?”

‘I’m not sure, Papy,’ you sighed noncommittally. ‘But I kinda want to lick Killer’s tear stuff too now. And maybe that meanie Ink just to annoy him. I wonder if his different paints have different tastes?’

“NYEH! YOU ARE TERRIBLE, BROTHER!”

You barely noticed when Nightmare had sat you on a chair in his office, too distracted with talking to Papy, but your attention was certainly drawn back when Nightmare begun pressing three little yellow pills in your hand, along with a glass of water. ‘What are these?’

“I had Sci develop these to counteract the effects of my corruption. You are, admittedly, not the first person to have licked me. I can't count the number of times Killer has tried biting me just to be a nuisance... These will prevent any adverse reactions, and should help you gain an immunity to it, but do not make this a habit,” he explained. You were pretty sure he was scolding you. “In addition, don’t think I did not see what you signed to your sibling a moment ago. Please, for the love of Nim, do not lick Killer’s tears OR Ink’s paint. You WILL end up making yourself sick.”

You pouted at that. He probably had a good point, but that seemed like the boring option. ‘Are they poisonous too?’ you pried, taking a moment to swallow the pills with water. You might have been a tiny bit nauseous now, but you had no intention of admitting that.

He sighed. “You are as troublesome as Killer,” he muttered, seemingly to himself. “Killer’s tears are made of liquified HATE. It is not poisonous, but it will cause dizziness and confusion. In addition to that, the majority of the paints Ink uses when fighting against us are acid. I assume I do not need to explain to you why it is bad to try to consume acid, yes?”

That caused you to sigh a little, but you nodded in acknowledgment. So no licking Killer’s face, or Ink’s paint. How disappointing. Best to know now rather than find out the hard way, you supposed. Maybe the knowledge would be useful to you eventually. Actually…

‘Is the stuff that ghost Papy’s eyes leak also liquid HATE? And is it the same as the stuff that the fell Papyrus started leaking when Papy possessed him?’

Nightmare seemed to take a moment to contemplate that. “I have not encountered any variation of your brother that was not mere hallucination, so I am unsure. DO NOT use that as a reason to test it.”

You nodded. Maybe you could-

“ASHE, NO, I KNOW THAT EXPRESSION. WHEN DID STABBING PEOPLE BECOME LICKING THEM INSTEAD?” he scolded lightly.

‘You’re both no fun,’ you signed half-jokingly.

Chapter 27: Planning

Notes:

Rewritten!!

An: This chapter has recently been rewritten in an attempt to make Dream's personality more cohesive. I think I went a little too subtle with the first version of this chapter

------

Dream’s POV

Dream replayed the memories of his recent encounter with the Bad Sanses, his bubbling frustration veiled by his positivity. These battles always felt so pointless - why parade around in such childish battles, pushing back the Bad Sanses, just for them to reappear another day and cause destruction all over again? 

It was a never ending cycle. Ink would create, Error would destroy, Nightmare would spread misery and negativity. Any attempts to negotiate would be left with mocking, and nothing the Stars did ever seemed to be enough to defeat them once and for all.

Blue seemed utterly convinced that everybody deserved a chance, that even the worst of the worst could be redeemed if just given the chance to. Ink, at least, was on the same page as Dream; the only way to stop a threat, was to end it permanently. 

That was only right, Dream thought. Those who threatened the peace and positivity of the multiverse deserved to be brought to justice. Those who killed, or spread suffering, or did awful things, did not deserve chances - they'd just be wasted.

Dream huffed as he recalled the day. There were a few things that had struck him as unusual in this fight, things that differed from the usual monotony.

Why was Nightmare talking to Chara? He had never seen that happen before, though it was possible that timing had prevented this from being prior knowledge. But whh Chara of all people?

No matter how much Dream tried to reason it, only one line of thought lingered. Did that mean Nightmare was responsible for all of the Chara's turning against Frisk? For the countless genocide routes? 

Those thoughts made him feel sick. How many had died at the hands of his brother? How many lives had been ruined? Timelines turned to blood and dust?

He never did forgive Nightmare for turning on him, but every day the two continued to fight, the less he believed there was really anything left of his brother. Maybe it wasn't even the real Nightmare who took the apple, maybe he was long gone before that.

Dream knew that his own magic was growing stronger. Positivity constantly flowed in every part of his body, his arrows causing far more damage than they ever used to. They could even split entire trees if he put his full power into it, whereas before, they'd only stick into the wood and dissipate.

It wasn't just a change in intent. No, the multiverse had grown more positive, and as a result, Dream was growing stronger. But that didn't mean he could underestimate his enemies.

His mind shifted to the new Sans he had seen. Smaller than a regular Sans, pointer than Dust, dustier than Horror. Almost like a strange amalgamation of the two. The pointed teeth, the claws, the tattered black scarf, all clear signs he was from a bad au. They usually weren't worth the effort, in Dream's opinion - he only bothered with Blue because underswap was so saturated with positivity.

Was this newcomer a DustTale variant? HorrorTale? The longer Dream contemplated the differences, the more his mind drifted to a third option - a new AU. Their resemblance to Dust was uncanny, but that didn't mean they were a copy. If they were new to this multiversal battle, then maybe he could coax them into changing sides. 

If he could just get into Ashe's head, he was sure he could combine them to turn on Nightmare. He just needed time. After all, positivity manipulation was a tool he was more than proficient at. He even had Cross under his grasp, once, but the soldier was ungrateful and betrayed him for Nightmare. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

…There was whatever happened with the Fell Papyrus. He had not seen it, just having a few glances amidst the battle, so he wasn't quite sure exactly what had happened. It looked like they had been… corrupted? Taken over, maybe? He saw the skeleton becoming black and twisted, like a horrifying nightmare come to life.

That must have been Nightmare, he concluded. Nightmare was a strong adversiary, and if Dream was getting stronger, Nightmare must have been too. It was a bitter realization. Dream was going to have to start taking more drastic measures - this war had gone on for far too long, and he was growing impatient. Nightmare wouldn't last forever, Dream would make sure of that.

“YOU OKAY, FRIEND?” Blue let out, clear concern in his voice. There was a faint chamomile scent in the air, one that always seemed present when Blue was around, and Dream had to contain a cringe. He wasn't a fan of the floral scents, they were too feminine, though Blue always denied ever having purfume or the like.

“Of course I am,” Dream let out with a warm smile, more hollow than he had meant to. “I was just thinking about that new sans who was at the fight earlier,” he continued when he realised Blue did not seem convinced at his dismissal of the question.

“OH! I DID SEE THAT, THOUGH I WAS KIND OF FOCUSED ON FIGHTING DUST…”

Dream turned to Ink, frowning. The creator was already working on a new AU despite only having just gotten back. Had he gone behind Dream's back and created something without his knowledge? Ink knew that no negative AUs were allowed now, that they had to be positive so rhey wouldn't stregthen Nightmare.

Whilst Dream could see this new AU seemed to be based of… Strawberries and fruits?… the positive guardian was still somewhat suspicious. Perhaps he and Ink would need a private discussion later.

“Hey Ink…” the positive guardian let out in a soft voice, prompting the artist to cease his frantic scribbling and get more involved in the conversation. “There’s only one version of Dusttale, isn’t there?”

Ink merely let out a distracted “Yup,” in confirmation as he continued his work, much to Dream's displeasure.

“Then how come there was a second one when we fought last?” He questioned, tone threatening to unveil his anger.

“WERE THEY A DUSTTALE TYPE THOUGH? I DIDN’T SEE THEM LONG BUT I KIND OF THOUGHT THEY WERE FROM A HORRORTALE…:” Blue interjected. “INK, DID YOU SEE THE NEW SANS?”

“New sans?” Ink let out confusedly, looking back with eyelights in the shape of question marks. Then, recognition seemed to flood through him, and he became more energetic. “Oh! Right! I remember! They were the one that called Killer ‘aunty’ and got dreambot super distracted!”

Dream frowned, a light blush dusting his features. “Hey! It was a valid question, I don’t want to misgender anyone,” he pouted. Something about forcing those words out felt like plastic. “But that’s not the point. Where did this new dust lookalike come from if there is only one DustTale? Did you make another copy and forget about it?”

Ink frowned, his eyelights cycling through various symbols and shapes. “I don’t think so,” he let out, looking a little distant for a moment. “But I don’t make all the timelines. Some just kind of pop up on their own"

Dream doubted that.

"MAYBE IT WAS A COMPLETELY NEW ONE? LIKE, AN ORIGINAL WE JUST HAVEN’T SEEN YET?”

Dream didn't argue. "They also seemed more positive than usual for somebody working for my brother. Do you think this is a recent arrangement?”

Ink shrugged. “No idea, but I bet they’d be easier to kidnap if they’re new! We just have to create a diversion to separate them from Nighty–”

“Ugh, not that childish nickname–”

“--And we can interrogate them for information!” Ink finished enthusiastically, clearly proud of the idea he had come up with.

A sigh and Dream relented, rubbing his eyes as though he had a headache. “Maybe we could use your new AU to lure them?”

Ink's expression faltered. “We both know that only Ruru comes to the new ones,” he let out sadly. “Though I guess Nighty does help Ruru sometimes. Hm… I guess maybe that’s a good idea after all, Dream,” the god let out distractedly.

“Obviously,” Dream said somewhat under his breath.

Blue tilted his head. “ARE WE SURE THEY ARE ACTUALLY BAD THOUGH? I DIDN’T REALLY SEE THEM FIGHT…”

Dream looked to the swap variant for a moment, their uncertain expression. They could be a little naive at times, the guardian thought to himself. How many times did Blue have to be beat by the Bad Sanses before he realised not everyone was worth saving? Maybe the guardian would never understand Blue.

“Well, if they aren’t bad, then surely they’ll answer our questions!” Ink exclaimed. “And if they are bad, we can, uh, stop them doing bad things!”

Dream nodded. “Its worth a try. Now, lets talk about our plan in more detail in case things go wrong…”

Chapter 28: Chilling

Ashe’s POV

The conversation with Nightmare went on for a while longer. He mostly explained his role in the balance so there was no chance for you to misunderstand. He also told you a lot of rules associated with living at the manor, and rules to follow when out and about. Most of it was obvious stuff like not sharing the base location with anybody, or to be careful of who you trust.

After that, he led you to the living room and left to do his own thing. You overheard him mutter something about reading, so you guessed he was off to find a book to sit down with.

Pretty much immediately upon seeing you, Horror eagerly shoved a dish into your hands. It was dino nuggets! Probably too many to eat on your own, but they were DINO shaped, so you were definitely going to give it a try. You giggled when you noticed that Horror had even drawn a little smiley face with the sauce.

“How are… you doing… lil lambchop?” he said softly, watching you intensely as you began to eat. 

You grinned at him, deciding to sign in between bites. ‘I’m doing okay. Nightmare made me take these really gross tablets though when I licked his corruption.’

To that, his red orb narrowed. “Did Dust… end up feeding… you when I was… gone for the… mission?” He seemed worried. Had he thought you tried licking Nightmare because you were hungry? You didn’t mean to worry the gentle giant. 

‘ Yeah, Dusty and I watched movies for a while and we both had some snacks,’ you confirmed. 

He seemed satisfied with your answer and plonked down on the left side of the sofa, his larger stature causing the couch to dip. Wait, when did he have the time to grab his own plate of food?

‘Speaking of, where is everyone? I thought they would be out here too. Is it just us?’

“Killer is–”

Almost as if on cue, Killer threw himself onto the spare side of the sofa, smiling up at you with empty sockets. The couch was large enough to fit a lot of people, though Killer seemed to be hogging all of the remaining space, laying in a position that left you giggling.  

Horror rolled his eyes at the antics, clearly quite used to them. “Well Killere.. Is here now… But I think… Cross is taking… a shower… and Dust is… uh…”

“Dust is being all edgy and dramatic by hiding in the other room,” he practically shouted, making it clear he wanted Dust to hear his comment about him.

Said skeleton swore loudly, shouting just as loudly from the other room. “Go fuck yerself Kills, I wasn’ bein’ edgy, I was tryin’ ta find where ya hid th’ damned remote!” he called back.

Killer snickered and leant in to you. “Look at the roof,” he said simply.

You looked directly up to the ceiling. There, held in place with several layers of duct tape, was the tv remote, a spare tv remote, and somebody’s wallet.  When you turned back to Killer, he made a motion to stay quiet, so you smiled and nodded, silently agreeing not to spoil the prank.

“Aaaanyway, how did the conversation with the big boss go?” 

Horror quite literally growled when Killer stole a nugget from your plate, but when you giggled, he huffed instead. “Killer, you literally… just ate… a few minutes ago,” he scolded

‘It’s fine, Horror. There’s kind of too many here for me anyway. Is it okay if I share with him? I don’t want to waste any…’

He eyed the plate, then turned his gaze to you, and then the plate again. Slowly, gave a hesitant nod. “You don’t have to… eat everything that… you’re given. You’re still… pretty small though… so make sure to eat… whenever you are hungry… and don’t miss meals. I will… hunt you down… if you miss dinner… or post-mission snacks.”

‘I’ll try not to miss them, then!’ you reassured with an enthusiastic grin. Apparently that was not the right thing to say, though.

He frowned. “You won’t…  miss them,” he corrected firmly.

Killer snorted. “Yeah, he’ll literally drag you to the dinner table if ya miss it,” the tar-faced skeleton agreed, taking another nugget from your plate. “Most of us ate while you were chatting with Nootynoot since that was technically a mission. I’m betting Rory here is gonna go hunt him down once you’re done eating,” he chuckled.

You turned to look at Horror, hoping for confirmation. His slightly awkward grin made it clear that Killer wasn’t exaggerating. Maybe you would eat just a tiny bit slower, then, so he’d stay a little longer. You wanted to hang out more.

“So! Ya didn’t tell us how it went with Goopsalot!” He grinned. You were starting to wonder just how many nicknames he had for the guardian at this point.

‘I think it went okay. He told me a whole lot of rules about the manor and whatnot. Some of them were a bit weird though,’ you admitted.

“Weird?” Horror echoed, tilting his head at you.

‘Nightmare said that Cows are forbidden from this AU? And then went about, like, twenty different ways of wording it?

“Snrrk, that’s cuz Cross is terrified of them,” Killer let out.

“Killer keeps… stealing the cows from.. Farm to… prank Cross. If you see… a cow in the… hallways then… it's probably one of his,” Horror elaborated. “And the different… wording is because… Killer keeps finding… loopholes. The rule about… no loopholes… didn’t end up… working.”

“Damn right!” he cheered, clearly proud of himself. “Were there any other weird rules though? I’m kinda curious, its been aaaages since we had somebody new join the crew – oh, hey, that rhymed!” Horror snorted at that. ‘I was also wondering what Knife Monopoly is,’ you let out with a slight mischievous grin. ‘Nightmare wouldn’t tell me, but I maaaay have found a loophole so we can play it…’

Chapter 29: Games

Ashe's POV

“Dust bunny! Get in here!” Killer called out.

Dust emerged from the other room. You couldn’t help but notice the small hint of glitter on his phalanges, but if anybody else noticed, they said nothing. You decided to keep quiet on that little tidbit of information - if Killer was taping stuff to the ceiling, then it made sense Dust might be up to pranks of his own.

“What do yer want?” he grunted.

‘Knife monopoly,’ you signed with a wide grn. ‘I think aunty Killer wants you here while explaining the rules.’

With Killer still taking up the majority of the couch space, Dust glared. “Move yer legs.”

“Nope!” Killer snickered.

“Move. Yer. Fuckin’. Legs,” Dust tried again.

Killer poked out his tongue instead, making no effort to move. With the other clearly not willing to move out of the way, Dust sighed and sat himself down on top of kIller’s legs. “Hey!” Killer shouted.

“Told yer to fuckin’ move and ya didn’t. Deal wit’ it,” he grunted.

Killer just poked his tongue out again. His attention then turned back to you. “So! In normal knife monopoly, every time you buy a house, you balance a knife on a shelf above you. Then, when somebody lands on your property, prior to paying you, they get the chance to jump up and down in hopes the knife stabs ya! If you do get stabbed, you lose that property and all the houses on it!”

‘You said ‘normal’ knife monopoly... Does that mean you play differently?’

Dust snorted. “We got extra rules tah make it harder,” he explained.

“Yeah! If you draw a chance car and there’s a knife doodled on it in sharpie, that means ya get to throw a knife at whoever you want. If you roll doubles, expect to dodge, ‘cuz everybody at the table has to throw a knife at ya.”

“I would tell ya there’s no intent in th’ knife throwin’, but it tends tah get real outta control, especially since Killcat cheats n’ shit,” Dust elaborated. “An’ we don’t jump up n’ down ta try n’ make the knives fall, we throw somethin’ at the shelf.”

Killer snickered. “It's not cheating if you don’t know what I’m doing to cheat,” he retorted. “If ya do manage to figure it out, though, feel free to throw a knife!”

“Also the… chance cards… are mostly… dares instead… like pranking Cross… with Cows… or what… Dust did… to Killer’s shower… ten minutes ago.”

“Wait, what did he do to my shower?” Killer exclaimed

“Nothin’,” Dust let out, but his crooked grin suggested that was a complete lie. Did he glitterbomb Killer’s shower? The idea of the tar-faced skeleton covered in glitter sounded fun. “Anyway, th’ biggest rule is tha’ yer can’t let Nightmare figure out we’re playin’.”

“We also don’t always let Crossy play cuz he’s a snitch,” Killer added. “Usually gotta bribe him with something. Error’s really good at playing, though, so if ever he joins, pray he isn’t mad or you’re gonna have a really rough time.”

“Is it safe… for lil lambchop… to play though?” Horror let out, frowning deeply.

“Pffft, fuck no,” Killer snorted. “Knife monopoly isn’t meant to be safe, Rory. That’s the whole point!”

“But they don’t… train with us… so we don’t know… how well they can… dodge attacks… or how much… health they have,” he elaborated.

“I think you’re underestimating them, Rory,” Killer grinned.

Dust gave a sly grin at that. “They’re ‘verse was close ta mine, so I’m guessin’ their stats are close ta how mine used ta be. Ain’t the greatest, but ‘nough ta fuck around with knives.”

‘Can you check me? It’d be quicker than reading it all out,’ you signed.

“Er… It comes up as ‘can’t check two people at once’?” Killer let out, and the expressions of the others signified it was probably the same for them too.

“THAT’S BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CHECK EITHER OF US UNLESS YOU HAVE THE CONSENT OF BOTH OF US!” he exclaimed. “AND SINCE I DIDN’T KNOW YOU WERE THE ONES CHECKING US, I REACTIVELY DECLINED IT!”

Killer fell off the couch, clearly startled by the sudden re-emergence of your ghostly sibling. “Fuck!!” he screeched, throwing a glowing red knife through the air purely on reflex. Thankfully, it just went straight through the spirit, landing in the wall behind him.

“LANGUAGE!” Papy scolded, and you couldn’t help but wonder if he had even noticed the knife with how little he reacted to it. Was language really more important than avoiding being stabbed? You sighed when you realised the answer was probably a yes.

“Where th’ fuck did yer even come from!?” Dust let out, also looking a little startled.

Horror was the only one who seemed completely unphased, instead taking a moment to pat your skull as though he was worried you might have been startled. Which, you hadn't been, but you enjoyed the affection.

“I CAME FROM THE CHICKENS OUTSIDE!" he exclaimed as though the answer were obvious. "SPEAKING OF, THE BROWN ONE WITH SPOTS IS REALLY ANGRY. WHY IS HE SO ANGRY?”

"She," Horror snorted in correction. “That one is called… Knife JR… because she managed… to steal a knife… and run around with it… for an hour… before Nightmare… managed to confiscate… it from her.”

If your brother had eyelights, you were sure they would be sparkling. “NYEH HEH! SO SHE’S A STAB CHICKEN? I NEED TO FIND A WAY TO BEFRIEND HER!” he exclaimed, posing dramatically so his black scarf would float behind him.

‘Papy, are you comfortable with letting the check go through? I don’t mind the people here knowing our STATs,’ you signed to him.

“SURE! ALSO, I’M GOING BY SPOOKY NOW! YOU SAID THERE ARE OTHER PAPYRUS’ OUT THERE AND I DON’T WANT TO SHARE A NAME, ESPECIALLY IF THEY’RE ANYTHING LIKE THE UGLY PAPYRUS I HAD TO POSSESS.”

You giggled at that. ‘That’s fine by me! You’re my brother no matter what name you go by. Spooky is a cute name anyway, I like it,’ you signed with a hum. Turning to the others, you gave a small nod, indicating they were now free to CHECK you.

-----

NAME : Ashe

LV : 17

ATTK : 450

DEF : 700

HP: 700/500 [EFF: Magi-bonded]

*Not even Death can separate them from Spooky

*Waiting for the right moment to introduce the idea of Knife Tag

-----

NAME : Spooky

LV : 0

ATTK : 0 [Or 0.75 of ATTK of possessed]

DEF : 0 [Or 0.75 of DEF of possessed]

HP: -200/0 [EFF: Magi-bonded]

*Not even Death can separate him from Ashe

*Scared of the angry chicken outside, but determined to make friends with her

 

 

Chapter 30: Chatting

Ashe's POV

You happened to look at your own check when the others did, smiling at the little tidbit that mentioned death could not separate you from your brother. Briefly, you were reminded of your death, your wish to not be alone - it seemed that wish had been granted. Not only did you have Spooky, but now you had Nightmare and the gang as well.

You had barely even noticed the strange HP stats both you and your brother had, but it certainly caught your attention when the others pointed it out to you.

"How do yer have 700/500HP!?" Dust exclaimed, baffled.

"And how the fuck does Spooky have negative!?" Killer then added (earning him a scolding for his language and a whack upside the skull by Spooky, who was apparently corporeal enough to do that).

You stifled a snicker at Spooky's antics before answering. 'Oh, uhm... I don't know? I haven't really checked my stats before now...'

"NYEH! ASHE HAS AN EXTRA 200 HP BECAUSE THEY GET TO HAVE MINE!" he exclaimed. You weren't sure how he knew that. "MINE WENT INTO THE NEGATIVE WHEN I DIED."

"But even ignorin' th' extra two hundred, how is yer HP so high? "

'What do you mean?'

"Most o' th' Sans Types only 'ave 1HP," Dust clarified.

"Yup. Everyone here has around 500HP because we exceeded the max LV once we left our universe. Like, Dust Bunny has 38LV, and I'm on 41LV, so our HP went up a lot due to that," Killer explained. "Its super surprising that you'd have HP like ours, though I guess it'll probably help against Sparkles and Splotchy."

You were pretty sure Sparkles and Splotchy were meant to refer to Dream and Ink. Maybe you'd call them that when you saw them next.

"IF IT HELPS, ASHE'S HP WENT REALLY HIGH ALL OF A SUDDEN AFTER THE COMA!"

"The what!?" Both Dust and Killer exclaimed. Horror contributed with a much quieter "...Coma?" at the same time.

"Why is everybody yelling in here?" Cross let out in a grumble, clearly having been drawn by the commotion. His posture was sort of stiff and formal.

"Spooky just casually revealed that Ashe was in a literal coma!"

"Uh... Who's Spooky?" the soldier inquired slowly,

"Ya gotta catch up, Criss-Cross," Killer retorted teasingly, making a vague gesture in the direction your brother was floating at. Cross' orbs narrowed when he saw the spirit.

'Spooky is my brother. He's a spirit and can occasionally possess people,' you explained, deciding to take mercy on the tired-looking soldier instead of leaving him in the dark.

"ONLY OTHER MES, I THINK," Papyrus added. "I MAY HAVE ALSO TRIED TO POSSESS A CHICKEN... IT DID NOT WORK."

Cross seemed a little more hesitant at that knowledge. "Just.. don't try to possess any of us," the soldier requested uncomfortbaly.

Spooky pouted at that. "I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW, ONLY GOOD THINGS HAPPEN WHEN I POSSESS PEOPLE!" he declared confidently.

Several chuckles emanate from the room. Cross, on the other hand, did not seem so impressed. "Why does 'Spooky' look so... er..."

"NYEH HEH HEH! I SEE YOU RECOGNISE MY AMAZING LOOKS!" Spooky exclaimed, clearly misinterpreting. "THE AMAZING ASHE DESERVES NOTHING BUT THE GREATEST, AND THE GREATEST IS MEEEE!"

You snorted at that. 'Calm down, Spooky,' you managed to sign between giggles. He was squishing your face in his dark gloved hands, unbothered by your attempts to swat him away.

"Back to the coma thing, what happened?" Killer redirected.

'Spooky says I was asleep for nine days after a bunch of rocks fell and damaged my skull. I don't really remember anything from before then,' you confessed. 'I'm okay now though. Big Bro Horror gave me lots of food. Also Outer gave me a healing candy that one time I passed out in his AU.'

"Okay, you have got to tell us how that happened!" killer exclaimed, creeping closer to you on the couch.

'Well... Not long after I woke up back home, the Stars showed up and attacked me because they thought I was Dust. Spooky managed to get us someplace else. Speaking of, uhm, if you see Outer, please let him know I said thankyou, and that the injured skeleton he helped was me, not Dust. He didn't understand when I tried to sign that.'

"Sounds like... you have had... quite the... adventure," Horror let out.

"Might 'ave ta get yer a new outfit if everyone keeps thinkin' yer me," Dust then added on thoughtfully.

"Maybe something... a little warmer... since it gets... pretty cold here?"

Cross tilted his head. "It doesn't get cold–"

"Oh, shush, Crisscross Applesauce, we all know you're weird and don't feel temperature," Killer snorted rudely. The soldier just rolled his eyes at that. At least all of the banter was friendly.

With Killer distracted, you decided to lean in closer to him. Now was the perfect chance!

"Whatcha doin?" he questioned, seemingly having caught on to your mischievousness, but only gave a sly grin, seemingly letting you do whatever you wanted to.

A black tendril pulled you away before you could enact your plan. No! You almost had a chance to lick him! How rude!

"As I said before, you are NOT to go licking Killer's goop," he scolded, holding you upside down. You were pretty sure it was meant to be a punishment, but you were having fun being lifted in the air. What had drawn him out here, anyway? He wasn't with you all a few minutes ago...

Killer snickered, only to be dramatically lifted upside down by a different tendril of Nightmare's It clearly wouldn't have hurt, though the skeleton did let out a dramatic "Ow!" despite that.

"Your bad habits are rubbing off on the hellspawn you adopted," Nightmare said to Killer with a sigh, using his free hand to rub his temple as though he had a headache from your shenanigans.

Hellspawn? You sort of liked that nickname.

"But they were already like that!" Killer tried to argue, to which the guardian rolled his eyes.

Well, if you couldn't lick Killer, you were just going to take a chunk out of the tentacle holding you. Like before, it tasted like burnt apples.

"For Nim's sake, you two are going to be the death of me," he sighed out immediately.

Looking up with a grin, you realised Killer had done the exact same thing as you, causing both of you to burst into a fit of giggles.

Chapter 31: Whistle

Notes:

Whyyyy is it so hard to name these chapterssss ;T Honestly, I am tempted to start just putting random words there

Ashe’s POV

Nightmare put you back down onto the couch, sighing as he did so. “Ashe. I neglected to ask prior, but is signing your only form of communication?”

You have a so-so gesture. ‘I can sometimes manage a few words, but it hurts a lot. Having my HP healed hasn’t made a difference,’ you explained to him. ‘I think forcing it would just make it worse.'

“Sounds like yer migh’ be nonverbal,” Dust explained. “I get inta what Nigh’mare calls 'verbal shutdown'. Ain’t th’ same, but I c’n relate to yer.” Nightmare nodded at that, seemingly pleased that Dust had spoken up.

‘I didn’t know there was a difference?” you let out curiously, hoping for a little more clarification on what the terms meant.

“Verbal shutdown is when speaking individuals become unable to speak for some period of time. That could be due to overwhelm, anxiety, or other reasons. Nonverbal, however, is used in the disabled community by those who are not able to speak at all,” Nightmare explained gently.

‘Oh, that makes sense,’ you nodded. ‘Is there a reason you’re asking though, or just curious?’

“The former. As you are not able to speak, it may present an issue if you are in a situation where you cannot sign but need our attention. As such, I would like you to keep this with you at all times.”

Nightmare passed to you a necklace that had a single charm on it. It looked like a whistle, engraved with swirling patterns, though the way it buzzed against your fingertips made you wonder if it was magic in some way. ‘It makes my fingers tingly. Is it magic?’

“The tingling means it is compatible with your magic,” he began to explain. “It is not quite a whistle, but the function is similar. If you push a small amount of your magic through it, it will send that magic outward in a subtle pulse. Whilst others can, in theory, pick up on it, it is unlikely they will notice that pulse of magic unless they are bonded to you. It will allow you a non-verbal way to 'call out' if you are in danger, but keep in mind the range is much like an actual whistle, so we would only be able to hear it if in the same sort of area.”

‘Thankyou,’ you signed gratefully, putting it around your neck. It was pretty.

“Nightmare… Now that you’re done… with whatever... You were doing… please… go eat,” Horror let out, sounding more pleading than he did demanding.

“Very well,” he let out placatingly. “Ashe. Come along with me to the kitchen so we may speak further.”

You nodded, following closely along. ‘What else do you want to talk about?’

“I will be assigning Killer to be your partner for the time being. I do not expect you to fight with us, but as we uphold the darker side of the balance, you may become a target to others. It is a non-negotiable that you know how to protect yourself.”

You nodded. His explanation did make sense. ‘How come you want Killer to partner with me? Wouldn’t Dust make more sense since I’m from a dusttale or something similar?’

“Dust primarily uses magic based attacks. Whilst useful, magic will not always be available to you, especially as you share with your sibling. Killer’s techniques are primarily close combat based and do not necessarily require magic,” he explained. He paused for a moment. “That, and he can be quite the distraction, meaning he can get attention away from you if you become overwhelmed.”

You couldn’t help but giggle quietly at the way he described Killer. A ‘distraction’. He was probably right with his assessment, but it was just so casual and blunt.

Nightmare paid no mind to your amusement, using his tendrils to make himself a cup of coffee. It seemed he liked to drink it bitter and black. You cringed a little at just how much of the coffee powder he used - stars, that would be gross to drink.

“I do not doubt you have some fighting ability with such high LV, but the Stars are a threat not to be taken lightly. Once I have a better understanding of where your skills are at, you will be trained by a mix of everybody in both individual and team settings.”

You nodded. ‘That sounds like a good idea. I, uhm, didn’t fight last time because I was trying to figure out where you and Cross were. I thought it would be better to observe than just jump in without a strategy.’

“Hm. In that case, I believe you would benefit from training with Cross. He is quite the strategist, whereas Horror reacts on instinct and Killer mostly on impulse. You seem to be the observant kind, which is certainly beneficial. Although… Cross does tend to be more of a solo-fighter, and you will need to work alongside your phantom papyrus… Perhaps you will simply need to develop a style of your own.”

‘He goes by Spooky now’ you corrected, to which he nodded in acknowledgment. ‘What about you though? Will you be training me as well?’

Nightmare gave a dark grin at that, but said nothing. You had a feeling that meant if you did spar against him, the conditions of that would probably be a surprise. After consuming some of his coffee, he continued to speak. “We will be helping Error tomorrow with distracting the Stars so a few AUs can be destroyed. Would you be willing to join us? I do not want to overwhelm you by getting you involved too quickly, but you seem less overwhelmed than I had anticipated.”

‘I’ll come along,’ you signed cheerfully. ‘Also, are you going to eat? I feel like Horror wouldn’t be happy if all you end up having is a bunch of coffee..’

Nightmare chuckled, using his tendrils to pull a tray from the oven. It seemed like these were the remaining nuggets, left on low heat so they would still be nice and hot when finally gotten to. “I will be eating in the living room with Horror in a moment. In the meantime, I would suggest you ask one of the others to show you to the spare room next to Horror’s. You have had a long day, and I can taste your exhaustion. Go rest.”

You tilted your head at that. ‘What does exhaustion taste like?’

Nightmare chuckled. “It tastes like chamomile, as strange as that may sound.”

Satisfied with the answer, you left from the kitchen in search of somebody to take you to your room like Nightmare had suggested. 

 

Chapter 32: Pranks (Moo?)

Ashe’s POV

Other than Horror, who you knew was waiting for Nightmare, the living room was empty by the time you went back. You felt yourself deflate a little at that, but just as you did, Spooky floated back over to you with a cheerful grin. “BROTHER! DID YOUR TALK WITH TALL AND GOOPY GO OKAY?”

You snorted at the description of Nightmare. ‘It was fine, Spooky,’ you let out. ‘Do you think you could help me find our room? Nightmare said it was the spare beside Horrors, I don't know if that was the room I woke up in earlier or not,’ you signed politely.

“OF COURSE!” your sibling exclaimed without a moment of hesitation. “THE DOORS HAVE LITTLE NAMES CARVED INTO THEM, SO IT SHOULD BE EASY FOR SOMEBODY AS GREAT AS ME TO FIND YOURS! NYEH HEH HEHHH!”

With that, Spooky went floating down various hallways, leading you to where the rooms were situated. He was right, you realised - each door had a name carved into it, aside from one. Yours, instead, had your name written crudely in what looked like sharpie.

Your room was located next to horrors, with Dust’s just after it. Across was Killer and Cross (Where was Nightmare’s room? The one at the end of the hall, maybe?). Just as you went to enter your room, you heard an awfully suspicious sound come from Killer’s room. Was that… mooing?

Curiosity getting the better of you, you went over to investigate. You motioned for Spooky to stay quiet. He complied, but looked extremely curious.

You knocked - firm enough he wouldn’t ignore you, quiet enough it was somewhat subtle. YThere was shuffling on the other side, like somebody was desperately trying to hide something, and when the door finally opened, Killer sort of squeezed through the smallest gap he could manage, quickly closing the door behind him. It was extremely obvious he was hiding something.

“Uhhhh… hi?” He let out, clearly trying to play it cool. From his expression, he had been expecting somebody else, but relaxed a little when he realised it was just you.

‘Is there a cow in your room?’ You signed immediately.

“...No?” He let out in response. It sounded more like a question than an answer, causing you to snort. He was terrible at feigning innocence. It didn’t help that there was a muffled moo as though the cow itself were trying to prove him wrong.

Seeing you didn't fall for it in the slightest, he peered down the hallway in both directions - checking for anybody else - then leaned in to whisper. “Okay, I maaaay have ‘borrowed’ ol’ Betsy from Farmer,” he confessed with a sly grin. 

You grinned mischievously. ‘I bet Nighty wouldn't be happy you're pranking Cross,’ you let out.

His grin didn't drop for a moment. “Tell ya what. If you don’t rat me out, I'll get you five chocolate bars at the next supply run,” he offered.

You weren't seriously planning to spoil the prank, you were just being silly. ‘And if I don't like chocolate?’

“Liar, everybody likes chocolate,” he snorted. He probably knew you were bluffing. “Besides, Crossy and Error are both obsessed with them, so you could always use use it a bribe~”

With a cheeky grin, you signed a quick ‘Deal.’

“I knew you'd be fun to have around,” he smiled, pulling you into the room.

The next twenty minutes were spent luring the fully grown Besty into Cross’ room with various cow-friendly snacks. It wasn't too difficult to get her in there, aside from the fact she kept trying to lick your face, causing you to giggle and snicker every few seconds.

With her finally in the room, and the door closed, Killer guided you to the room you were staying. “Now, if ya hear screaming tonight, we didn't do it” he winked. 

You paused for a moment, a sudden thought coming to mind. ‘Pranking him like this isn’t, like, mean, is it?’

“Nahhh. Crossy is scared of cows, but its not bad enough to traumatise him or something,” he reassured. “None of our pranks are malicious, even if we wind each other up sometimes. We’re assholes, but we do care ‘bout eachother. Promise.”

‘Alright, I just wanted to make sure…’ you trailed off. Killer seemed confident it was all in good fun, and unless that was proven otherwise, you would trust him on that. You then gestured to your door. ‘This is my room, by the way,’ you explained. 

“Oh, so you're staying next to Horror? Makes sense. Think this used to be Glitchface's room before he made that big net hammock thing in the roof of library,” he mused. He then squinted at the door itself. “Man, Dusty’s handwriting is shit. Did he seriously just use a sharpie?”

‘Looks like it,’ you signed. So that was Dust’s handwriting, then. ‘Who do you mean by Glitchface, by the way? That doesn't sound like a nickname for Nightmare…’

“Nahhh, its Error. He’s all glitchy and shit,” he snorted. “Not really part of the fam yet, but Noots is definitely trying. More like an ally we're tryna forcibly adopt.”

‘Is it working?’ you signed to the ‘forcibly adopt’ part.

He have a so-so gesture. “Kinda hard to tell with that guy, he’s a total grump,” he chuckled.

You nodded, letting the words sink in. ‘He's the one we are helping tomorrow, right? I’m pretty sure Nightmare mentioned it.’

“Sure is. Gotta keep the star shits distracted,” he confirmed. “Speaking of tomorrow, I maaay have found some glitter bombs Fresh left behind from like a year ago. I'll sneak ya some tomorrow. Just don’t use them on NightyNoots, he gets real pissed when his goop gets glittery and might yeet ya - leave it to me instead, yeah?”

“I APPROVE OF YOUR TARY SIBLING, ASHE. HE HAS ALL THE RIGHT PRIORITIES!”

You both snorted at the sudden exclamation from your ghostly counterpart. “Didn't even know you were there,” Killer admitted. “Gonna keep the cow prank a secret too?”

“WHAT COW? I DON'T KNOW OF ANY COW. JUST CHICKENS. YES. LOTS OF CHICKENS.” Well, it was clear Spooky was still a terrible liar, but at least he was having fun.

“Snrrrk, if ya say so, bud,” Killer managed to get out. “Anyway. Get some rest, squirt.”

You nodded and gave a short wave, disappearing into the bedroom that had been designated to you.

Chapter 33: Puppet

Ashe’s POV

Inside your room was fairly comfortable. There were no personal decorations, yet it didn’t feel empty or bare. 

“SO THIS IS OUR ROOM NOW?” Spooky exclaimed as he floated through the door. “IT IS VERY BLAND…. NYEH HEH HEH! WE WILL HAVE TO DECORATE IT!”

You chuckled and nodded. ‘Maybe later, Spooky. I think I need to get some sleep,’ you signed. ‘Do you need to sleep too? Or do ghosts not need it?’

“I DO NOT NEED TO SLEEP, SO I WILL STAY GUARD FOR YOU! …OR, UHM…”

You tilted your head at his hesitance. ‘If there’s something else you want to do, you can, Spooky. You don’t need to watch over me constantly. I just, uhm, wouldn’t want you to go too far away.’

“THEN IN THAT CASE, I WANT TO GO PLAY WITH THE CHICKENS!” he declared, grinning enthusiastically.”BUT! I WILL CHECK IN ON YOU EVERY HOUR EXACTLY!”

‘You don't have to–’ you began, but he was already speaking once again.

“NONSENSE! YOU ARE MY AMAZING SIBLING AND I WILL MAKE SURE YOU ARE SAFE AND HAPPY AND HAVING NO BAD DREAMS AT ALL EVER!”

Letting out a giggle, you nodded to his exclamation. ‘If you say so, Spooky,’ you settled on. It was clear Spooky felt that this was important, that you weren’t going to change his mind, so it was better to simply let him do what he wanted to. Besides, you… were thankful he was so willing to come by, to make sure you were okay. ‘ Ninight, Spooky.’

“GOODNIGHT ASHE! I WILL RETURN IN 60 MINUTES! NYEH HEH HEH!”

He floated through one of the walls, leaving you alone.  You subconsciously rose a hand to the scarf still adorning your neck, the fabric making you feel like Spooky was still with you even if he was off searching for the chickens he seemed so obsessed with.

You climbed into the bed and burrowed into the blankets, enjoying the warmth. It was comfortable. Pleasant. Safe. Yet, the longer you lay there in bed, the more something felt… off. Not in a bad way, but in the sort of way you just couldn’t stop thinking about.

When Papy floated back in, you let out a grunt. Had it really been an hour of just laying here? Maybe you should look around. If something was here, you wouldn’t find it by doing nothing. 

“WOWEE, YOU’RE STILL AWAKE?” Spooky inquired.

‘Yeah. Uhm, somethings bothering me. I think I can feel, like, somebody else’s magic or something? Do you feel that too?’

“HMMM… I DON’T THINK SO. MAYBE YOU’RE JUST EXTRA SENSITIVE TO MAGIC! YOU DO HAVE A LOT OF IT NOW.”

‘I’m going to look around.’ It took a few minutes, but you were eventually led to the little drawers by the bed. The bottom seemed stuck, at first, but you managed to sort of jiggle it open, almost falling when it suddenly became loose. 

“ARE YOU ALRIGHT? IF THE DRAW HURT YOU, THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD TRY STABBING IT FOR BEING RUDE,” Spooky let out, clearly concerned.

You huffed. ‘I’m fine, Spooky, it was just really stuck,’ you explained.

“I STILL THINK YOU SHOULD STAB IT.”

‘How would I even stab a draw?’ you chuckled, then turned your attention to whatever was hidden inside. It seemed it was mostly random pieces of glowing string, each dull with a magic that somehow reminded you of static.

You pulled it out carefully, and it stung a little, but not much.Was this left behind by Error? Why was it just shoved into a draw, forgotten? Beneath it, at the very bottom, was something more solid. You picked the little thing up in your hands. It was a cute puppet, made by crochet, and… 

Huh. Was it meant to be you? It didn’t quite look like Dust, despite the similarities. No, the details seemed more consistent with you . But if you never met Error, how would he have made a puppet based on you? And why just leave it here, abandoned?

You shoved it into your pocket, not sure what to think but wanting to keep it close. Something about the magic in the thread buzzed with a comforting energy. With that little mystery solved, you decided it was a good idea to go back to bed. Thankfully, this time, you fell asleep with ease, lulled with the comfort of the little crochet puppet.

It was three hours later that you woke to a sudden loud shriek, realising that Cross must have found his little prank. You sat up, tired, planning to go make sure everything was okay, only to find Killer was hiding in your room. 

‘Killer?’ you signed cautiously.

“Snrrk, shhhhh, they don’t know I’m in here,” he whispered, desperately trying to contain his laughter.

“You’ll find that is not the case, Killer,” a dark voice called from the shadows. In an instant, a tendril shot from the dark, quickly lifting Killer upside-down in the air. 

“Hiya Boss!” he let out with a sly grin. He knew he was in trouble but clearly did not care.

“I do hope you know you’re going to be cleaning dishes for the next month for that little act,” Nightmare scolded, then turned to you briefly with a sigh. “ Apologies for the intrusion. It seems Killer here managed to sneak in a cow from FarmerTale and sneak it into Cross’ room,” he explained.

He looked at you, narrowed teal orb, and for a moment, you wondered if you were about to get into trouble. Did he know you had helped? You had a sneaking suspicion he did. Instead of getting mad, though, he gave a long sigh and looked back to Killer with a glare.

“When I said bonding activities are good for the team, I did not mean pranking. As I am sure this was your idea, Ashe will be let off with a mere warning just this once. You, on the other hand, are coming with me.” He then paused, still with his attention on the tar faced skeleton. “And don’t think I didn’t notice the vase you broke earlier. Pink glue is hardly an effective way to hide that.”

And just like that, the two disappeared into the shadows, leaving you dumbfounded. You had barely even woken up, and already, Killer had snuck into your room, got caught by Nightmare, and got dragged away for his prank.

“WELL, I, FOR ONE, THINK THAT WENT WELL.”

‘...I’m going back to bed. I’m too tired to process whatever that just was.’

Chapter 34: Mission

Ashe’s POV

The morning went by quickly. There was a minor argument between Killer and Dust about whether pancakes or waffles were better, which led to Horror looking surprisingly relieved when you ended up having a bit of waffles and pancakes instead of encouraging their antics. Why choose when you could have both?

Other than that, breakfast had gone relatively smoothly. You all had some time to prepare, but were pretty much ready to go by late morning, all gathered in the living room in preparation for what was soon to come.

“Are you all prepared for today's distraction mission? We will need to occupy the Star Sans’ attention for at least two hours, so if there is anything else you need to do, this is your final chance.”

“NYEH! I ACTUALLY HAD A QUESTION,” your sibling let out. Nightmare rose a brow, to which Spooky seemed to take as a sign to continue speaking. “I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO POSSESS ANOTHER PAPYRUS TYPE. IT WAS FUN TO STABBITY STAB! BUT, ER, LAST TIME, YOU SAID THAT IT WAS BURNING OUT OUR SHARED MAGIC…”

“As Ashe has had appropriate healing and rest, and their HP has recovered, it should not be so dangerous. However, until you better understand your own limits, only possess others if it is absolutely necessary. Today is not the time to experiment - you can do that when sparring in the safety of this domain.”

‘Speaking of, this place doesn't seem like a normal timeline. It was easy enough to teleport out of, but I get the feeling we won't be able to get back here without help,’ you signed, realising it might later become an issue if not addressed.

“I typically portal us home, so that will not be an issue. Cross is also capable of inter-timeline travel and can bring you here if needs be,” he explained. “Is that all?”

There was silence at that. It seemed the others were pretty used to these missions, so they didn't really have any questions, or even really anything to add (though Killer had a sly smirk you were pretty sure meant he had the glitter bombs ready to go).

Nightmare's orb narrowed at you. “There is something else you wish to ask,” he let out, tendrils shifting idly in the air. “Do so.” 

A simple command, but not so easy to comply to. ‘If… we're just meant to be a distraction, I don't necessarily have to… kill, do I?’ you signed out rather slowly, uncertain of yourself. Would he be angry at you?

“Awhhh, but killing is the best part!” Killer exclaimed, earning an eye-roll from Dust.

“That is fine. Cross does not kill either. Though I admit it is… surprising… that you would be reluctant to do so, considering your LV.”

You hesitated, uncertain how to answer. ‘I'd probably kill if I had to defend myself or my family, but I don't think I would be willing to kill unprovoked. And I wouldn't attack, like, kids, or defenceless people? I don't know, I didn't really expect to have to think about morality like this,’ you signed truthfully, cringing at the thought. ‘I can help distract though. And I'll obviously defend myself if I get attacked, I don't plan to die.’

“That is fine. If you decide you no longer wish to be involved in fighting alongside us, we can find another role more suitable,” he reassured. "Quite frankly, a lookout is just as useful to us, especially when the entire multiverse is our enemy."

“Yup. Applesauce here doesn't like to kill either. Some fuckin honour Code or something, I dunno. Point is that you'll be fiiiine,” Killer reassured. "I'll kill enough for both of us!"

Cross looked mildly annoyed at Killer, casting him a scolding glare before turning back to you more neutral. “If you don't want to kill, I'd suggest focusing on the Stars like I do. They're decent enough fighters that you won't kill them even if they get injured,” thr soldier reassured.

“And if you… dont want to… kill, then… you could… make sure that… we don't get… surprised by… somebody new… joining the fight,” Horror agreed. "Or you.. could get some... supplies while... everybody is distracted... with us."

Dust nodded along with what everyone said, and whilst he didn't directly contribute, you got the feeling he was agreeing. It seemed they all were okay with the possibility you wouldn't want to kill.

“We will be attacking an underswap timeline variant. Expect retaliation, even if the monsters are typically pacifist in nature,” Nightmare said finally to the group. His magic began to form a portal, ready for you all to slip in and cause havoc. “Do not die, or I'll find a way to throttle you from the afterlife.” Despite the clear threat, you could tell he cared.

You giggled at that. ‘Just don't throttle Spooky, please!’ You signed half jokingly.

The negative guardian's grin perked at that. “Can't promise I won't,” he let out with a toothy grin.

Killer looked surprised. “Fuck yeah, ya got Boss to make a joke! He never does that!”

Nightmare rolled his eyes. “Time to go, you lot. And remember - we're aiming to draw this fight out as long as we can so Error can destroy uninterrupted. As much as I hate to say it, Killer, your… obnoxious mocking and constant dilly-dallying will be useful for once. Don't screw it up.”

Just as Killer went to speak up, planning to say something snarky if his expression was anything to go by, Nightmare quite literally threw him into the portal with a tendril. Everybody else took that as a sign to head through.

You and Nightmare were the last to leave. Just before you went through, his expression became softer and he put a tendril on your shoulder reassuringly. “You will be fine. Have your brother come to me if you get too overwhelmed. There is no shame if you need to go home earlier.”

Nodding at his reassurance, the two of you entered through the portal, ready to cause some chaos. Even if the chaos you were planning was closer to arsonism and glitter-bombing than murder.

Chapter 35: Burn

Ashe's POV

After giving you a handful of glitter bombs, Killer immediately began to kill the nearby monsters, laughing maniacally as dust and magic filled the air. Since you were both meant to be teamed up, you stayed close by, but he was the only one out of the both of you who was actually killing anybody. Dust and Horror seemed to be slaughtering with ease too, though Nightmare mostly watched and Cross stayed nearby.

It was admittedly a little scary, watching the people you trusted so casually taking the lives of others. They weren’t just killing, but enjoying it as well. It seemed that even if your body’s previous owner was used to death, had even racked up high LV, you just…couldn’t do the same. You wouldn’t, couldn’t, kill like they could.

You tried not to let your mind wander, but you couldn’t help but think about how terrifying it would be if they ever turned on you. But… they wouldn’t do that, would they? They bonded with you. They cared for you. Still, you couldn’t help that your anxiety was spiking a little.

But you didn’t really like seeing people hurting, people dying. Knowing that this was all necessary for the balance did help to lessen the weight of it. You trusted your little family as well - if they thought this was the best way to do things, you would put your faith in them. You just had to get used to it, you supposed.

Killer seemed to notice your change in mood and guided you somewhere a little more private, not that you really noticed until things were quiet. “Ya seem kinda shaken up. You good?” he asked, resting a hand on your shoulder for reassurance. It was a little odd seeing the laid back skeleton look so genuinely concerned.

Spooky piped up. “BROTHER, DO YOU WANT TO GO HOME? WE DON’T HAVE TO BE HERE. WE CAN HELP IN OTHER WAYS, JUST LIKE NIGHTMARE SAID!”

You shook your head. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t think it would bother me this much. Last time was different because it wasn’t really killing, just fighting, and I…’

“Nah, don’t apologise, I get it,” Killer hummed. “Are you sure you don’t want to go home? I’m sure Criss-Cross can take ya?”

This mission may have made you a little uncertain, but you knew for sure that you wanted to stay. That you wanted to help. ‘I want to stay, but I don’t think I can kill unless I absolutely have to…’

“‘S fine, kiddo. Like we all said before, you don’t have to kill. How about we focus on causing some lighter chaos? I bet those glitter bombs I gave you will be handy once the Stars get here,” he suggested with a sly grin.

You could handle that. The idea of everybody being covered head-to-toe in glitter was amusing. Thankfully, the moment of comfort Killer brought you was enough to bring back your determination. ‘Think you can get Nightmare all glittery too?’

“Pffft, already two steps ahead of ya. He’s gonna be bright pink by the end of the mission,” he promised confidently. “I’m gonna try and get Dust too since he managed to get me with a prank last night,” he declared.

"NYEH HEH HEHHH! I BET WE CAN GLITTER NIGHTMARE BACK AT HOME IF YOU DON'T GET A CHANCE TO!" Spooky grinned, clearly sharing your interest in making everybody sparkle. You snickered at the plan.

'How about we make a bet on who will glitter the most people?' You suggested.

"Oh, you're on, Ashe!" He declared. 'I'm so gonna glitter more people than you! Just you wait n' see!"

You snickered. He didn’t know it, but you were absolutely going to find a way to glitter bomb him later, even if it meant glitter bombing yourself. After all, if he was going to help make everybody sparkly, then he was going to have to deal with some sparkles of his own! Just… not yet, it’d spoil the surprise for everybody else.

“Damn, those stars are taking their time. We gotta ramp up the chaos,” Killer let out suddenly. He was right - the group had been in the timeline for at least fifteen minutes, and the star sanses still hadn’t arrived.

‘I have an idea,’ you signed. Killing wasn’t comfortable for you, but chaos… Well, a little fire could certainly cause a lot of chaos without necessarily leaving casualties. And if somebody burned to death, you had plausible deniability! …Sort of!

“What kinda idea?” the tarry-faced skeleton mused as you crouched down, your hands buzzing with magic. He was watching with an expression of curiosity and interest, twirling a summoned red blade in his hands. Though his attention was on you, he was still keeping aware of your surroundings, ensuring neither of you would be caught off guard.

You couldn’t multitask signing with what you were doing, so you decided to just do it - he would see soon enough, if it worked. You carefully sparked your magic right by one of the wooden houses nearby, hot and buzzing, and you grinned. Quickly, a spark became a flame, and a flame became a raging fire, the house set alight within an instant.

Despite the cold, the flames moved quickly, spreading to each of the nearby houses and polluting the skies with thick grey smoke. ‘Turns out the houses here are awfully flammable,’ you signed with a mischievous grin. ‘That chaotic enough?’

Killer snorted. “Didn’t take ya for an arsonist,” he let out, gently patting your skull. Distantly, you realised the wound didn’t really hurt anymore and were thankful for that. 

'Should've brought marshmallows,' you joked, earning a laugh of clear approval.

“You're a fucking riot," Killer snorted. "If you keep burning stuff, I’ll watch your back, yeah?" 

You nodded, already moving to the next set of houses, giggling the entire way. Turns out burning this was a hell of a lot more fun than you would ever have expected. Like before, the houses lit up in an instant, only this time, a sudden shouting immediately caused you to turn around.

“Stars above, you’ve resorted to burning things now!?” the yellow-themed skeleton shouted, expression a mix of emotions.

Ink was the next to speak. "Stop what you're doing! You WON'T damage this timeline any further!!"

It seemed the stars had finally arrived, just in time to witness another house suddenly engulf in intense fire.

 

Chapter 36: Chaos

Ashe's POV

“Its the Star Shits!” Killer grinned as he summoned several red glowing knives. With how loudly he had exclaimed it, you were pretty sure it was done in part to get the others’ attention - it seemed the Stars had teleported right to you and Kills/

“THAT’S RUDE,” Blue grumbled as he readied what looked to be a giant warhammer. Could your magic make constructs like that? Maybe you would experiment a little bit later on.

Nightmare emerged from the shadows in an instant, pointed tendrils lashing out at the trio. It seemed he was mainly targeting Ink, this time - did that mean Ink was the strongest of the opposing team? You would have to keep that in mind, you weren’t at Nightmare’s level of skill, so if he was actively forcing the painter to fight him, then it was probably best you stay away from Ink and focus on the others.

“Stop with this senseless violence!” Ink demanded, not that anybody was going to listen. He was thrown into a tree by a tendril, but quickly recovered, slashing Nightmare with his paint.

“Oh, poor, fool, you’re clearly outnumbered. Why don’t you run along, little creator~ We both know you’re too pathetic to stop this au from falling,” Nightmare moicked.

“Brother! I know you’re still in there! Just let me help you!” Dream shouted. 

“Wow, you really are an idiot,” Killer snorted, almost managing to strike Dream with a particularly sharp attack. It looked like Nightmare and Dust were focusing on Ink, whilst Horror and Cross were focused on Blue, which left Dream to you and Killer - though you had a feeling it might be a little difficult keeping his attention, considering he seemed keen to fight his sibling. “Are ya really that useless?”

“Killer! Cut it out!” the guardian growled angrily. It seemed Kills’ taunts were working. The two of you attacking him was also forcing him to abandon his desire to fight Nightmare, to face both of you instead.

“Awh, is wittle dweamy weamy gonna cwy?”Kills continued to mock.

You summoned your own bone attacks, now having a plentiful pool of mana to draw from. Kliler seemed to pull back a little as you did so, giving you the chance to take over and fight the other without too much interference. It seemed like he was interested in seeing how you’d go - after all, if he got too involved, you would both probably overpower Dream far too quickly.

As it turned out, fighting like this was exhilarating. You were filled with adrenaline, magic pulsing through your body as you formed each attack. This wasn’t something you had expected to be so thrilling, yet it was, and you were certainly enjoying your little battle against an enemy who was capable of defending themself.

This was a distraction mission, you reminded yourself. You couldn’t wear him - or yourself- out too quickly if you wanted to keep things going. Stars, he was strong, though. How the hell were you keeping up with him? It was difficult as hell, but far less impossible than you thought. He was a guardian, yet you seemed to be on a similar skill level! Everything just seemed to be instinct for you!

By this point, the stars had pretty much been separated from one another, so you didn’t have to worry about them teaming up on eachother. They probably weren’t used to having to fight so many enemies at once, not that you were going to help them with that.

Dream was definitely a skilled fighter. They dodged your attacks with ease, but you got closer to him and he was forced to switch from his bow to a glowing yellow staff to defend himself. He was just as good at close combat as he was from a distance, but so were you, and with Killer’s contributions, you were doing very well.

At some point, you cast a glance to Killer (who was giving you a thumbs up whilst dodging various attacks). His expression seemed to be conveying a simple message, one of which you immediately understood by his mischievous grin.

Without a moment of hesitation, you pulled a glitter bomb out from your inventory and threw it right at Dream. His eyes widened in horror, only to become suddenly filled with confusion when it exploded into colour. He must have thought it was a real bomb, making his startled expression so much more hilarious to you.

“Snrrk, that was some good fuckin aim!” Killer let out as he doubled over in laughter.

“Was that… was that a glitter bomb!?” he exclaimed, eyelights wide as his body sparkled bright pink.

‘GET GLITTERED!’ you signed enthusiastically in response, not letting your guard down and sending through more attacks. It seemed like your magic mixed with slime of the glitter in the air, making your bone constructs looking far more shimmery than they typically were.

You continued to fight, but couldn’t help the snickers that kept escaping you. Your opponent was just so glittery! He looked ridiculous!

Dream was getting tired, clearly, to the point Killer was barely contributing. You cast him a glance, barely managing to sign ‘Glitter’ and ‘Nightmare’ between attacks. In the distance, Nightmare was distracted fighting Ink, and the two were so preoccupied with their battle you knew that this would be a perfect chance for Killer to glitter bomb them both. With that, the mischievous skeleton saluted you, disappearing into the trees.

You heard Nightmare roar out Killer’s name minutes later, and when you turned, four skeletons were glittering pink and purple. Ink, Nightmare, Killer, and Dust. All of them looked furious with Killer, and Killer didn’t look even the slightest bit sorry.

Giggling, you lifted another glitter bomb into your hand and prepared to throw it, but before you could even pull your arm back, there was a loud POFF. The little ball instantly exploded into bright magenta glitter, filling your sockets with shimmering colour. Your vision was swimming in pink. 

Immediately staggering back, you clawed at your sockets, trying desperately to remove the sticky glitter, no longer focused on the fight in any capacity. The glitter bomb wasn’t meant to blow up in your face! It was just meant to make the other team annoyingly sparkly!

You were pretty much helpless. Your sockets were so filled with glitter that you couldn’t see enough to avoid any potential attacks, and you certainly couldn’t sign to your teammates if you were busy trying to claw it off your face. You had even breathed some of it in, making you choke and splutter.

A set of hands firmly grasped your shoulders, and you went to shove them away, but you faltered at the buzzing warmth of their aura. It was so gentle and comforting that you were left both startled and uncertain. You let out a slight noise of confusion. That was Dream’s voice, wasn’t it? Why was he trying to calm you? Why was he promising to help? Why… did you want to believe him? 

Before you could register that another voice had joined in, you were pulled through what felt like a portal. It was cold and wet, like paint, nothing like Nightmare's magic.  Your panic rose, but a gentle voice cut through your distress with such warmth you were forced to listen. “Sleep,” was all they said.

Your body obeyed instantly.

Chapter 37: Inky

Notes:

AN: A big thankyou to everybody who frequently comments on my stories, regardless of the platform c; I appreciate all of them, even if I don't always have the energy to respond. This chapter is a sneaky little thankyou to some I've noticed comment fairly regularly - I hope you enjoy!

Dream’s POV

Dream could not help the sigh of relief that had escaped from him the moment the shorter skeleton fell into a deep magic-induced sleep, mildly surprised that they had been so susceptible to it in the first place. He had thought that the other would have more of a resistance, especially as they had been hanging around his negative-inclined brother, but reflecting back, he did notice how Ashe had seemed more sensitive to his calming aura.

The failed CHECK that came directly after was not reassuring, especially as he did not know Ashe’s name still, but he supposed that was a problem that could be solved easily enough once the other was awake again. Right now, it was more important to get them back to base before Nightmare and the others noticed their missing teammate.

Part of him wondered if Nightmare would even care about his missing crew member, but Dream tried to push that thought aside. He wanted to believe Nightmare wouldn’t be so cruel to abandon the skeleton just because they got captured.

Since Ink was able to slip away from the battle unnoticed due to Killer’s antics with the glitter bombs, the star trio were able to get home with relative ease. They had been fighting for a full two and a half hours, but time always flew by during those battles. They were in their homebase in the Doodlesphere in no time at all, bodies aching from how long the fight had gone for.

“STARS, ITS GOING TO TAKE FOREVER TO GET THIS GLITTER OUT OF MY BATTLE ARMOUR,” Blue groaned loudly. When the chubby skeleton took off a boot and tipped it upside down, his point was proven rather comically by the pile of glitter that formed directly beneath it.

“At least you didn’t get it all in your mouth like I did!” Ink exclaimed, his face almost as pink as Ashe’s was. “I swear Killer was waiting for me to talk when he threw it! I swallowed so much!”

“WAS IT REALLY THAT BAD FOR YOU? YOU LITERALLY DRINK PAINT…” Blue asked with a curious expression.

“Well, no, it tasted surprisingly fine, but that’s not the point! Killer was so smug about it!” he exclaimed dramatically. Blue snorted with laughter at that.

“At least we managed to grab the newer skeleton,” Dream let out, always trying to keep positive. He had a warm cloth in his hands and was trying to carefully remove the glitter from Ashe’s face and sockets, concerned it might have some adverse effects if it was left there too long.

“I’M SURPRISED YOU MANAGED TO KNOCK THEM OUT,” Blue let out, looking over the unconscious skeleton curiously. "WHAT DID YOU EVEN DO?"

“Dreamboat used his fancy dreamy magic stuff!”

Dream rolled his eyes at that. “I’m honestly surprised it even worked. The rest of the gang have been around Nightmare so much that they’re immune to it, but I guess this one is new enough that it doesn't apply to them. Speaking of, does anybody even know their name? It's getting exhausting calling them Not-Dust in my head…”

“Well, the creators are being weirdly quiet, but they did say their name is Ash!” he paused for a moment, eyelights shifting as though listening to some unseen force. “Wait, no, Asher? Ashy? Ohhhh! Ashe!” he exclaimed confidently. 

Dream cringed a little. “I’m still not convinced these ‘creators’ you keep talking about aren’t just hallucinations,” he muttered.

“That’s okay, Dreamy. You’re not a vessel for creation like I am, so I don’t expect you to understand,” he hummed. “But also they’re, like, wayyy protective of Ashe. More than normal.  This one creator, ChocolateCoss133, literally just recommended arson? Actually, so did Springtrap10064… Now that I think of it, a lot of them seem keen on the whole arson-thing, we should probably hide anything flammable when Ashe wakes up–”

“Ink…” Dream tried, but it seemed Ink was too focused on his ramble at this stage to answer.

“--Then there’s TheGalaxyDaycare, who called you a ‘motherfucker’- wait, hey, that’s rude! Don’t be rude to my friends!” he interrupted himself, pouting at the sky as though it were the cause of his displeasure.

“JUST LET HIM RAMBLE, DREAM, YOU KNOW HE GETS LIKE THIS WHEN HE’S STRESSED. I THINK IT'S A COPING MECHANISM AT THIS POINT,” blue whispered loudly.

“--HidingInSky has gone a bit quiet but I’m sure they’ll pop back up. And then there's EmbraceTheDeep - oooh, I wanna visit their multiverse, that looks like fun, I wonder if that Quill guy exists here too—”

“He’s going to be at that for ages, isn’t he?” Dream let out with a mildly concerned frown.

“PROBABLY.” Blue sighed. “ANYWAY, HOW LONG IS THIS SKELETON - ER, ASHE, IF INK WAS RIGHT - GOING TO BE ASLEEP FOR?”

“A few hours, I think? I… haven't really had to use it in forever, so I'm not entirely sure,” he admitted sheepishly. “There’s a good chance they’ll just sleep through the night.”

“DO YOU THINK WE'LL HAVE TO TIE THEM UP? OR CAN WE JUST PUT THEM IN A LOCKED ROOM?”

“I think using a magic suppressor should be enough. They wouldn’t be able to fight against all three of us, and even if they did, its not like they can get out of the Doodlesphere unless Ink allows it.”

“TRUE,” Blue agreed easily. “INK? INNNK? WE NEED TO MOVE ASHE TO THAT LOCKED ROOM SO THEY DON’T WANDER OFF WHEN THEY WAKE UP, CAN YOU HELP?”

Ink, finally pulled away from his ramble - to Dream's utter confusion had somehow turned into a ramble about a car's extended warranty - turned to the others with a bright grin. “Sure can!” Waiting for no further encouragement or explanation, the painter lifted Ashe into his arms, guided to the spare room by his two friends. “Woah, this guy is super light. Do you think Nightmare starves them or something?”

“I would certainly hope not,” Dream huffed. “If they haven’t had proper access to food, we’ll have to make sure they have it here.”

“Oo, what if they’re a cannibal like Horror–”

Dream deadpanned at Ink, arms folded over his chest. “Ink. What did I tell you about rumours?”

“Uhhh…” the artist trailed off. He put Ashe down onto the bed, then pulled down the scarf from around his neck. It was clear he did not remember the previous conversations on the topic, but the note on his scarf would serve as a reminder. He mumbled out loud as he read. “..’Don’t spread or encourage rumours, or Dream will be upset due to something something ethics, something something emotion’.”

“...DID YOU SERIOUSLY WRITE IT DOWN LIKE THAT?” Blue asked with an amused grin. 

“Yep!” Ink exclaimed, almost seeming proud despite the judgement cast in his direction.

Dream sighed at that, face palming. “Ink, you’re impossible,” he grumbled unhappily.

“Huh?” he let out, tilting his head in confusion. “Whatdya mean, Dreamboat?”

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, INK," Blue reassured. "THE REASON WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT RUMOURS IS BECAUSE WE ARE ALL VERY IMPORTANT TO THE MULTIVERSE. IF SOMEBODY HEARS US SAY SOMETHING UNTRUE, THEY'LL PROBABLY BELIEVE IT. IT'S KIND OF LIKE WE HAVE UNINTENTIONALLY LIED TO THEM? IT'S NOT FAIR TO THEM, OR TO THE PERSON WHO HAS RUMOURS SPREAD ABOUT THEM," he tried to clarify.

“Ohhh…” Ink let out. “But, uh, how do we know Horror isn't a cannibal?”

“THAT'S SORT OF THE POINT. WE DON’T KNOW, SO WE SHOULDN’T MAKE GUESSES,” the mortal continued.

"...Anyway, I'm going to go make sure that AU we fought in doesn't need some help with cleaning up the damage. Ink, please don't overwork yourself making new AUs. Blue, make sure you eat and do all that... mortal stuff... that you need to do."

"SURE," Blue agreed noncommittally. Dream didn't bother to point it out.

Chapter 38: Stars

Notes:

ASDHSJADHK my favorite writer (Philippaki) commented on this story, and I am ecstatic (⁀ᗢ⁀) I genuinely adore their stories so much, it makes me extremely happy that they like my writing! I can't help happy-stimming, hehe

Ashe's POV

You awoke from your dreamless slumber somewhat displeased, the memories of the battle (and consequent glitter-bomb failure) still fresh within your mind. Just how long had you been out for? And why did you even pass out in the first place?

Thankfully, you were alone in the room you were in, aside from the slightly transparent form of Spooky floating nearby. It made you feel a little safer knowing you at least had a few moments of privacy to share with your sibling.

Like usual, he gave you a few minutes to process before trying to talk with you. The first thing you realised was how your magic felt sort of… muffled. It was like there was something blocking full access to it, and that was an incredibly uncomfortable feeling. What was causing that? And what the heck was on your throat?

Your hand rose to your neck, where a blinking metal collar sat snugly against bone. You could feel the way it was leaching your magic, the way it was attempting to restrict your ability to use it. It didn’t seem to be working completely, most likely due to your shared mana pool with Spooky, but it meant you had significantly less to use.

That wasn’t good. You could probably summon a few attacks, but not portal away to another timeline to escape this place. Any attacks you did form would most likely be limited as well, not enough for a full on battle. That meant you would have to be careful - getting into a fight whilst it was on would be dangerous, so you would have to play it safe.

The next thing you noticed was that all the injuries you had sustained from the fight seemed to have been healed. It was confusing. This wasn’t home, so the Star Sanses had taken you somewhere - but why would they heal you? Why would they let you sleep on a bed and not some dingey old cell or something? They could have killed you, yet here you were, alive and healed. Did that mean they wanted something from you?

You shuddered. Stars, you already missed Nightmare and the others. Would they be angry at you for getting yourself caught? Disappointed? Would they abandon you? You could still feel your soulbonds, but they felt so muffled and distant. Did that mean they didn’t want you anymore? Or was the collar making them hard to sense? Your sibling bond to Spooky was still easy to sense, but that only raised more questions.

Spooky rested a gloved hand on your shoulder, which was enough to stop you spiralling. As long as he was by your side, it would be okay. You gave him a thankful nod, unable to bring yourself to smile at the gesture. He stayed patient, still, waiting to be sure you were ready to talk.

Taking in a deep breath, you started to sign. ‘Thankyou Spooky… What happened? Where are we?’

“THE BANANA SANS MADE YOU FALL ASLEEP WITH HIS MAGIC AND TOOK YOU HERE,” Spooky explained, expression filled with concern. “I HAVE CONFIRMED THAT I CAN ONLY POSSESS THE SKELETONS THAT ARE PAPYRUSES. I TRIED REALLY HARD TO POSSESS THE CUTE ONE AND IT JUST WOULDN’T WORK! SO, UHM, WE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT… STUCK… RIGHT NOW…”

‘It’s okay, please don’t blame yourself,’ you tried to reassure. ‘I’m just glad you’re still here. I… I’m honestly scared. I don’t know what's going to happen and I don’t want you to leave…’

“I WOULD NEVER LEAVE YOU, ASHE. YOU’RE MY FAVOURITE BROTHER AND I WILL STAB ANYBODY WHO MAKES YOU THINK OTHERWISE!” he declared.

You smiled a little at that. He sure had a funny way of comforting you. ‘I appreciate that.’ you responded. ‘Are you okay, by the way? You’re a lot more transparent than before, is that a bad thing?’

“NYEH HEH! THE GREAT SPOOKY IS ALWAYS OKAY!” He exclaimed, taking a moment to pat your skull with his ghostly gloved hands. “I’M SEE-THROUGH BECAUSE I AM STAYING INVISIBLE TO EVERYBODY EXCEPT YOU! THAT’S BECAUSE I, UHM… I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO HIDE UNTIL YOU WERE UP.”

‘That makes sense. Stay hidden for now, okay? We have to get back to Nightmare, but it might take some time. I don’t want anyone to try and separate us or something. Plus, you being a secret might help plan an escape later.’

“ALRIGHT! I DON’T TRUST THESE WEIRD ‘STAR’ SANSES, BUT THEY HAVEN’T TRIED TO HURT YOU. THE BLUE ONE EVEN HEALED YOU WHILE YOU WERE ASLEEP, SO MAYBE IT WON’T BE SO BAD?”

‘I really hope so, Spooky…’

You were startled from your thoughts when a sudden knock resounded from the door, which opened to reveal the brother of Nightmare. You frowned - Dream hadn’t given you a chance to decline him coming into the room, so your privacy was clearly going to be an issue here. You hated this place already.

Dream gave a short wave of greeting. “I could tell by your changed emotional state that you just woke and, uh, thought I would come ask a few questions..? Is that okay?” he let out gently.

You could feel the warmth of his aura affecting you, the way it smothered your anxieties and concerns, and it was kind of unpleasant in its pleasantness. If Spooky hadn’t put his hand onto your shoulder in reassurance, you might have zoned out completely. ‘I don’t really have a choice, do I?’ you signed somewhat numbly.

“I was—” Dream didn’t get a chance to finish whatever he was saying before a much more energetic voice spoke over him.

“Dreamy! They’re awake!? Lemme come in too!” Ink shouted as he quite literally pushed past his friend, entering the room with an ecstatic smile. There were still traces of glitter on him, to which you almost snickered quietly upon noticing.

“Ink, I told you to wait for a little bit so we don’t overwhelm—” Dream tried to scold, but was interrupted almost immediately.

“It’ll be fiiiine! Besides, it's too late now, so I might as well just let me tag along!” the artist exclaimed much to Dream’s chagrin.

“I am sorry about him, he’s…. Well, he’s his own brand of weird,” Dream sighed. “I would say you get used to it, but I don’t think that's possible with Ink. Anyway, did you sleep okay? How are you feeling?”

You hesitated. They were being weirdly non-hostile and you weren’t completely sure how to feel about that. Weren’t you supposed to be their enemy? Shouldn’t they be strapping you down and interrogating you or something?

Chapter 39: Creator

Ashe's POV

You shifted uncomfortably, not really sure of what to say. There was such a deep fear in your chest, even with that positive aura trying to smother it. These people had hurt you and them being so friendly now didn't change that. If anything, it almost felt as though you were being gaslit.

These were the same ones that hurt you, right? The same ones that attacked you, threw acid at you, almost killed you? You were sure that these were the same people. That wasn't what you were questioning. It was just that seeing them like this was just so conflicting. 

Dream was speaking so quiet and gentle. Ink didn't have those red target-shaped eyelights. They both seemed like normal people. Even in battle when you fought to keep them distracted, they... they didn't seem so normal like they did now. 

You didn't want to talk to them. If you gave them the silent treatment, would they go away and leave you alone? Or would they stop pretending to be nice and lash out?

Just as the silence was starting to linger, Ink’s eyelights suddenly shifted to exclamation points as though he just figured out something major. He gasped, then immediately threw up black ink to the wooden floors, wiping it from his mouth as he practically vibrated with excitement. “I figured it out what's been bothering me! You’re a creator!” he exclaimed.

Dream gave Ink a wary expression. “A creator? Like… the voices you say make you create stuff?”

“Yes!" He backpedaled. "Well, maybe, I’m not sure if they were one of the ones who guided me exactly, but  they are definitely a creator!” The term was unfamiliar to you, but it didn’t exactly feel incorrect, so you didn’t correct him. Maybe he meant the whole dying as a human and ending up a Sans thing, you weren't too sure. “Wait, if you’re a creator, why would you hang out with Nightmare of all people!? He’s evil!” 

Still trembling slightly, you couldn’t help but snap a little at Ink. Maybe you were being defensive, but this was all getting to be too much. ‘You literally tried to kill me for no reasonI!

“That was before I knew you were a creator!” he tried to excuse. “And again, why him!? You should be on our side!”

‘Unlike you, he and his group didn’t try to murder me within seconds of meeting me! Your acid-ink-stuff almost killed me!’ you signed quickly, trying not to cry at the memory of how much pain it had caused for you. If Outer hadn’t come to your rescue that day, you probably would have dusted.

“But I didn’t even use that one in the battle toda– oh…” he paused mid sentence, expression dropping. “...You were the one in that empty timeline, weren’t you?” 

You tried your best to convey ‘well duh’ with your expression.

“Well, it's not my fault we mistook you for Dust! You look reaaaaally similar! I was, like, way overdosed on red paint, too, so its not like I meant to do that much damage!” he tried to explain. “Plus, your LV is way too high! Only evil people have high LV! You’re a creator, you’re not allowed to be evil!”

“Wait, Ink, what do you mean? Mistook him for Dust..?” Dream interjected, clearly not following the conversation.

‘Your group showed up in my timeline a little while black and attacked me for looking like Dust,’ you explained to the positivity guardian. ‘I hadn't even met Nightmare and everyone else yet. You three were the first Sanses - er, Sansi? - that I got to meet, and you tried to murder me.’

“I mean, we weren’t trying to kill you–”

‘You almost DUSTED me! And - and now you’ve taken me from my family, cut off my magic, and you’re acting like you are somehow the good ones in all of this!’

Dream was the next to speak. “Look, I promise neither of us have any intention of hurting you. We just want to ask a few questions, that's all."

‘You do realise we are enemies now, right? There is no reason I’d want to answer whatever questions you have. I trust Nightmare and the others, and you're not going to trick me into betraying them."

“Listen. You’re caught up with some terrible people right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t change. That you can’t do the right thing,” Dream reasoned to you. “Everybody deserves a chance. That includes you.”

‘You haven’t even apologised,’ you signed with teary sockets. ‘You almost killed me, and even after realising, all you can think of to say is that I can do better.’

“The fact you’re listening to what I have to say instead of immediately trying to kill me proves you aren’t evil like Nightmare’s gang. If we tried this with any of the others, I can guarantee they’d be trying to throttle me and screaming profanities the entire time, but you’re calm.”

‘There’s literally a magic suppressor strapped to my throat,’ you sniffled. It didn't feel like he was really listening to you and it was making you feel worse. ‘I’m outnumbered and can’t use my magic, attacking you like that would just get me dusted. Being logical doesn’t mean I’m any less likely to fight you the moment I think I have a chance, just that I don't have a deathwish.’

“We don’t have to be enemies, Ashe,” he soothed. “Your timeline was like Dust’s, right? What your Frisk put you through was terrible, and while I don't agree with what you did, I understand it. But you don’t have to suffer anymore. You don’t have to work for Nightmare or do the terrible things he tells you to. You can be free.”

You shuddered at the mention of Frisk despite not actually remembering them. He was clearly trying to appeal to you, but considering he had so little understanding of your situation, it wasn’t really getting through to you. For being related to Nightmare, the two really were so drastically different. 

“You’re safe here. Nightmare can’t hurt you anymore. You won’t ever have to go back to him again, I promise,” the guardian continued.

Notes:

This isn't quite the route I planned regarding the Star Sanses, but I'm committed to it now xD

Chapter 40: Clouded

Notes:

Thankyou to everybody who responded to my authors note chapter with kindness and reassurance. I feel like the community here on A03 is a lot nicer than the other platforms I am part of, and it has definitely helped me feel a little better about things. I think I’m going to just update here for a little while.

Regarding update frequency, don’t worry about me burning myself out. I am disabled and pretty much housebound, meaning I have a lot of time to myself. I also fixate on writing and end up writing a lot in one sitting because I am enjoying it. That’s part of why I don’t have a schedule - I post as soon as I have finished the chapter.

If I continue to write whilst attempting to take a break, its because I'm literally stuck inside and need a distraction. I live on the second floor and the elevator is broken at the moment. I use a wheelchair so I can't even walk my dog due to it needing maintenance :T

This chapter was already mostly done though so I figured I should upload it now instead of waiting.

Ashe’s POV

They thought that Nightmare was hurting you? You couldn't help but feel a little upset that they would suggest such a thing. ‘What makes you think he was hurting me?’

“Because that's what Nightmare does ,” Ink piped up.

“And if my brother hasn’t hurt you, for some reason, then he’s manipulating you,” Dream retorted with a bit of a sneer. It was obvious he did not like Nightmare in the slightest. “Nightmare… he doesn’t care about people. He doesn’t care about you. His only goal is to spread chaos and destruction, to become more powerful, by any means necessary. He doesn’t care who he hurts to reach that goal, and you’re no exception to that.”

You knew he was lying. He had to be. Nightmare had treated you with kindness and respect, welcomed you into his chaotic little family without question. When you licked his goop, for example, he wasn’t even that mad! He mostly seemed worried, making sure you had medication to counteract any negative effects. He wouldn’t hurt you, he cared.

But… then again, he hadn’t bonded with you, had he? You only had bonds with Horror, Dust and Killer. Bonds that felt barely present, like they were distant or muffled. You didn’t know enough about soulbonds to know what that meant. What if it really was a lie? What if Nightmare was tricking you after all? What if –

“ASHE, YOU’RE SPIRALLING. THE BANANA SANS MIGHT BE VERY CONVINCING, BUT I DON’T THINK YOU SHOULD TRUST HIM. HE’S FREAKING YOU OUT AND DOESN’T SEEM TO CARE...”

You didn’t look to Spooky when he spoke, but you calmed yourself a little, making sure to take a few deep breaths. You were glad he never revealed himself - if he did so now, you suspected it would only end up in an argument. Him being invisible meant he could make sure you were okay without being spoken over or disregarded.

As much as Dream’s aura weight on you, you tried to ignore it. ‘What do you even want with me? It’s clear you don’t plan to let me go home. What will you do when you realise I won’t swap sides? Kill me?’

“Stars above, no, I don’t think that’s necessary,” Dream said rather quickly. “I don’t know what Nightmare told you we do, but we aren’t like that. We aren’t the ones that kill.”

“Well, I’ve always said we should kill Error. He’s killed millions by destroying AUs and can’t be reasoned with–”

“Ink, you’re not helping,” the guardian hissed in a whisper.

“Well, we’re meant to be honest, right? That’s one of those ethics-y thingies that Blue taught me. I’m absolutely trying to kill Error, just like you’re trying to kill your goopy brother. You kinda give me mixed signals Dreamy and it gets really confusin–”

“Again, you’re not helping, Ink. Just be quiet and let me do this,” Dream interjected once more, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"WE'RE GONNA HAVE A TALK AS SOON AS THEY GO AWAY. I'M STARTING TO FEEL LIKE BANANA SANS IS MORE OF A GROSS LEMON," Spooky let out whilst Dream was somewhat distracted with Ink.

“Look, Ashe, how about we just ask a few simple questions that aren’t about the gang? I know you’re still loyal to Nightmare, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a simple conversation, right?”

You hesitated at that. ‘Fine. But if I don’t like a question, I’m not going to answer it,’ you finally caved. You just wanted this conversation to be done with. Maybe if you gave him some answers, ones that wouldn’t put your family in danger, then Dream would finally leave you alone.

He smiled at that, clearly pleased with your decision. “Now, my first question. Your name is Ashe, right? Ink said he thought that was it, but I want to make sure.” He asked. An easy question, thankfully. You opted to nod to confirm this time.  “I’m sure it’d be nicer under different circumstances, but it's nice to meet you, Ashe. Can I ask how long you have been out of your original AU?”

Ink interjected this time. “He’s a creator, so technically he doesn’t have one-”

Dream grunted. “Ink, I have no idea what exactly you think a creator is, but if you can’t just shut up, I’ll drag you out of the room so I can do this alone,” he snapped. It seemed his patience wasn’t as infinite as it seemed.

“Sorry,” Ink mumbled, quieter this time. He had the expression of a kicked puppy. “Sometimes I feel like Blue is the nice one…” he added in a whisper so quiet you had a feeling Dream didn’t even pick up on it.

 Dream then turned back to you. “Well?”

‘...Not very long, I guess.’

“Then its no wonder my brother got to you,” he said bluntly. “DId you even get to see the rest of the multiverse before Nightmare got to you, Ashe? Did you get a chance to experience how beautiful the different AUs can be, how each world is worth cherishing? Or did he snatch you up before you had a chance to discover how everything works in the multiverse, taking you to whatever horrible Au he has his base in and telling you his twisted version of everything?”

You went to interject but faltered. Truthfully, you had only seen a small handful of aus, most of which you didn’t even spend that long in. Everything was still rather new to you, even if it didn’t really feel like it anymore. You hated that Dream was right - you hadn’t gotten to experience much at all, though that was partly his fault.

“See, Nightmare’s manipulative like that. You’ve barely left your au and he already has you brainwashed into liking him . He’s probably only taken you to very specific worlds, ones that suit the idea he wants you to have of him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s never even taken you out anywhere aside from when he goes causing chaos.”

‘The balance–”

“There is no balance, Ashe. Thats just a convenient lie that Nightmare uses to justify what he is doing. All this terror and pain and destruction, he does it because he enjoys it. This whole balance spiel is just so he can try and victimise himself and seem like he’s in the right.”

You didn’t know what to say to that. Nightmare had been very convincing when he sat you down and explained the different balances, how they worked in the multiverse. There was positivity and negativity, creation and destruction, and life and death. You turned to Ink, and for the briefest moment, you were sure he wanted to disagree with Dream, but stayed quiet. Spooky was uncharacteristically quiet at that, too.

Dream sighed at your silence. “Look, I’m just telling you to think about things. You seem really misguided, Ashe. I just want to help.”

‘I don’t trust you.’

“That’s okay. These sorts of things take time,” he reassured. He was making you all confused, and you weren’t sure what to believe anymore. Why couldn’t he just be trying to kill you or something? At least then it’d be astoundingly obvious he wasn’t good! But instead, he was being all gentle and soothing, saying things that clouded your mind when mixed with that aura. “Just give us a chance to earn your trust. We really do want the best for you.”

Notes:

The Stars aren't looking so great, are they? And Dream seems a little short with Ink. I wonder what's truly going on behind the scenes. Are they genuinely bad people, or just severely misguided? : D

Chapter 41: Spooky

Ashe’s POV

You watched as Dream sauntered from the room, the suffocating feel of his ambient magic receding as he disappeared into the hallway. Without that warm fuzzy aura, your bones felt unbearably cold, not even the warmth of your jacket enough to stop the way your bones clattered. Or… were they clattering because you were distressed? You weren’t sure. You weren’t sure of anything anymore.

Ink lingered in the room momentarily, expression looking rather conflicted. He looked at his scarf, which you now noticed was covered mostly in beautiful cursive writing (though the very end notes seemed more like chicken scratch), then looked at you, and then the scarf again, muttering under his breath. He was silent for almost a full three minutes before he finally spoke to you.

“So, uhhh…” he trailed off awkwardly. “Sorry about attacking you and stuff. Blue says it's important to say sorry if you do something bad, he’s been teaching me all those moral thingies. I write them all down on my scarf so I don’t forget! Er, my handwriting is hard to read, but, uh, that’s not the point,” he rambled breathlessly. “I, uh, don’t reaaaally think I messed up, but Blue says if I’m not sure, then I should probably apologise anyway just in case! So, uh. Yeah. Sorry!”

The artist fled from the room before you had a chance to respond or even process his words. The apology had definitely felt sort of clunky and awkward, but at the same time, it seemed genuine. Like he really did want to apologise, just didn't quite grasp the why or the how.

It felt as though all the pressure to stay together disappeared the moment Ink left the room. You didn’t have to pretend to be okay, not that it was really working anyway. You could take time to process things, to cry, and—

Ink returned barely a minute later. “Door! Right! I should close that! Blue would be so proud that I remembered!” he exclaimed, seemingly to himself. His face lit up in a multicolor blush when he saw you, seemingly embarrassed, as though he hadn't meant to say voice his thoughts. “Er. You didn’t hear that!” he shouted much too loud, slamming the door shut. You heard a muffled “Sorry!” from the other side, then footsteps as the other ran.

Spooky stared at the door for a long moment, glaring as though making sure it would not be reopened. Finally, he turned back to you, expression far softer. “...NOW THAT WE ARE ALONE, I THINK WE SHOULD TALK,” Spooky piped up once the door was closed.

‘I don’t want to talk, Spooky, I’m really overwhelmed…’ you signed out miserably. You just wanted to curl into the bed and disappear entirely. To sleep and never wake up again.

You didn’t know what to think about the situation. Dream's manipulative gentle tone, the way he phrased things as if he genuinely pretended to cared about you, the warmth of his overbearing aura, it all made you question your own sense of reality and further unravelled your mental health.

You knew what Dream was saying was wrong, but why was it wrong? Exactly what about it was making you so uncomfortable? What if he was right and you were just overdefensive? You didn’t want to listen to him, but what if that reluctance was just a sign you were wrong about it all?

If you couldn't articulate a reason to yourself, did that mean your concerns weren't valid?

You felt so small and helpless in that moment. If somebody was lying to you, would you even know? Could you really even trust your own opinion on anything, or would you just end up messing things up over and over until everybody inevitably abandoned you and you ended up all alone just like your past life?

“HM. WELL, I UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T WANT TO TALK, AND I UNDERSTAND WHY, BUT WE’RE GOING TO TALK ANYWAY BECAUSE ITS REALLY IMPORTANT. YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT THE WAY THAT ROTTEN LEMON WAS TREATING YOU WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT OKAY.”

‘What… do you mean?’ you responded somewhat hesitantly. You hadn't… quite expected for him to share your opinion. If anything, you thought he might even agree with Dream, or at least, have some doubts about Nightmare and the gang.

“LEMONFACE WAS COMPLETELY IGNORING YOUR FEELINGS AND MAKING YOU FEEL TERRIBLE! HE WAS MAKING ALL THESE ASSUMPTIONS, AND TALKING OVER YOU, AND NOT LETTING YOU SPEAK AND, JUST, GAHHH! HE WASN’T EVEN NICE TO THE SPLOTCHY IDIOT AND THEY’RE MEANT TO BE FRIENDS!” He exclaimed, sounding more and more frustrated as he spoke.

You could tell he was angry. But… he wasn't angry at you, and that was so much more of a relief than you were willing to admit. You could feel the BROTHERLY LOVE/CARE/PROTECTIVE intent flooding through your bond. You could feel the way he still cared about you. And more than anything, you still trusted him more than you did anybody else.

You lingered on his words. ‘But… what if he’s right? About Nightmare, about…’

‘LEMONFACE CAN USE ALL THE PRETTY WORDS HE WANTS, BUT IT DOESN’T CHANGE THE FACT HE WAS WRONG,” he retorted. “AND I THINK HIS AURA WAS MAKING YOU ALL CONFUSED. I DON'T REALLY FEEL IT THAT MUCH, BUT YOU'RE MORE SENSITIVE TO MAGIC, SO DOING THAT IS SUPER UNFAIR! AND PROBABLY MANIPULATIVE! I BET NIGHTY CAN AFFECT EMOTIONS TOO, BUT HE NEVER DID THAT LIKE LEMONFACE WAS!”

He… had a point. At no point during your interactions with Nightmare did it feel as though he were using his aura to manipulate you, to coerce you. If anything, reflecting back, you felt his aura even less than everybody elses. Could he have been repressing it for that very reason? So you wouldn't be coerced, not even accidentally?

‘Spooky… I don't want to be here. I want to go home. But where even is home for us? Will the others even want us anymore?’

“OF COURSE THEY WILL! I BET EVERYONE IS SUPER WORRIED. THEY'RE FAMILY, REMEMBER? WE HAVE THE BONDS TO PROVE IT!” he exclaimed, not even the slightest hint of hesitance or uncertainty. He was confident in his claim, confident that the others cares, like nothing would convince him otherwise.

‘But they're so faint… what if they hate us? What if they hate me? I got us captured!’

“NYEH. BROTHER. IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT YOU GOT CAUGHT. SOMETIMES BAD THINGS JUST HAPPEN. AND IF THEY DIDN'T WANT US ANYMORE, THEY'D JUST BREAK THE BONDS!”

‘Break the bonds? That’s… possible?’

“DID YOU NOT KNOW? BONDS CAN BE BROKEN IF THEY'RE NOT WANTED! OR IF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BONDED HATE EACHOTHER SUDDENLY OR SOMETHING!” He exclaimed. “ITS VERY PAINFUL SO YOU'D KNOW RIGHT AWAY.

‘So… they still want me as a sibling?’

“YOU ARE THE COOLEST SIBLING EVER, OF COURSE THEY WOULD WANT YOU! THE BONDS ARE JUST FAINT, SO WE'RE PROBABLY TOO FAR AWAY OR SOMETHING. ITS, UHM, DEFINITELY A BIT WEIRD, BUT THEY’RE STILL THERE, SO THEY OBVIOUSLY STILL CARE.”

Chapter 42: Gang

Cross’ POV

The monochrome soldier did not have much of an opinion of Ashe, and certainly had no attachment to them. It was not that he did not like the smaller skeleton, just that he had not interacted enough with them to really form any. Being raised by somebody as awful as X-Gaster had left him slow to trust others, and Ashe was no exception to that.

Still, the monochrome soldier recognised how much of an impact Ashe’s apparent kidnapping had on his little family. He saw the way Killer paced back and forth, unable to remain still for even a moment. He saw the way Dust slipped into complete verbal shutdown, not even using his signs to communicate, leaving him far quieter than he normally was. He saw how Horror looked, well, barely present; the gentle giant was unnaturally still aside from the occasional twitch, his single red eyelight bloated with worry.

Most importantly, he could see how even Nightmare was affected. Though the guardian had a carefully neutral expression, the way his tendrils writhed in the shadows like snakes ready to strike at the slightest movement made it clear his internal experience was nothing calm.

If even the guardian of negativity himself cared for Ashe this much, then, Cross supposed, he had to care as well. He couldn’t afford not to, even if his instincts told him he should be indifferent to everyone and everything. 

“Why the fuck are we just standing around here!? We should go back!” Killer shouted, his external soul shifting into worryingly unstable shapes.

“And do what, exactly, Killer?” Nightmare reasoned. Cross could tell the darker being was trying to absorb what negativity he could from the group, to help them calm, but doing so too much would only make things worse.

“Obviously, we should fuck shit up until they give Ashe back! The star sluts deserve to suffer for taking our brother away!” Killer exclaimed, the tar of his face dripping thickly down his skull. Killer was certainly one of the more expressive of the group at times/

“Lashing out with needless destruction will benefit nobody,” Nightmare interjected coolly. 

The monochrome guard looked towards him with a thoughtful gaze. To him, it was clear Nightmare had some sort of plan, some sort of strategy - the negative guardian always did. But with everybody so on edge, the other was clearly trying to stop the situation escalating.

It was better to come up with a plan whilst calm, then act impulsively and potentially make things even worse.

“We can’t just fuck around and do nothing!” Killer hissed, and Dust let out a sort of noise that Cross interpreted as agreement. 

To that, Nightmare’s tendrils reached out, holding each of his boys closer to him. Cross was a little confused on why he was also included, but had to admit the soothing touch of those shadowy appendages helped make him feel calm and secure. There was so much thick intent, SAFE-BREATHE-PROTECT flooding their senses.

Nightmare was an entity far stronger than any of them, a literal god. If anybody could calm a group of unstable murderers, it made sense it would be him.

“Breathe. We will get Ashe back,” he reassured. “I will contact Ashe directly through the Dreamscape the moment they are next asleep. This will give us a better understanding of the situation and thus allow us to determine the most appropriate course of action.”

“What’s there to understand!? They’ve been kidnapped! We need to force them to give Ashe back to us!” Killer yelled once more, squirming in the tendrils.

“And what, pray tell, do you think Ashe is doing in this moment? What approach have they taken with their captors?” the shadowed being reasoned, teal orb narrowed. “Have they lashed out and made themself seem unstable and unable to be reasoned with, like Killer would? Have they refused to speak, eat, or drink in a form of nonviolent protest, like Cross would? Or, perhaps, would they pretend they were forced to our side in order to aid their escape?”

Cross supposed the explanation made sense. If Ashe reacted violently and lashed out, to a point it seemed the Stars wouldn’t get through to them, it was probably more likely they would be locked up someplace to be interrogated more harshly. But if Ashe were more cooperative, or even just passive, the circumstances could be vastly different.

The soldier raised his hand for a moment, a habit he had never unlearned to indicate he wished to speak. Once given permission, he did just that. “From what I have observed, Ashe seems to be relatively docile. Whilst they may not be the same towards our enemy, I think it is unlikely they will be violent,” Cross explained. “And if they’re not violent, Dream might try to manipulate them like he did with me.”

Nightmare nodded to that. “That is a reasonable prediction and certainly poses a considerable concern,” he agreed. “How are your soulbonds at this time? Are they still there?”

“Yes! No! I don’t fucking know!” Killer cried out, his anger and frustration slowly turning to hopelessness.

“...The bonds are… present but… they’re distant… blocked, maybe?” Horror vocalised slowly. “Little moments of… distress keep… coming through…”

“Distress? I’ll gut that fucking–”

“Killer,” Nightmare said firmly. It was not a scolding, but rather, an attempt to ground the other in their emotional state. “I understand you are all very concerned for Ashe. Whilst they may be in enemy hands, just keep in mind that Dream and the idiot painter won’t kill them. We will get them back, but we need to find out more before we act or we risk putting them further into danger.”

Nightmare then looked to Horror in particular. Whatever he was sensing clearly displeased him.

“...Whatever you are thinking of, Horror, its clouding your judgement. Do not act on anger.” he squinted at the group. “As I cannot trust you all to go on missions at this time, you are to stay here at the manor until further notice.”

“What!? Boss!”

“My decision is final,” Nightmare commanded sternly. “In the meantime, I will attempt to contact Error. If Ashe is being kept in the Doodlesphere, he may be able to break through that defence.”

“Why would glitchface even care? We all know he’s a fucking psycho–”

“SuCh NoIsY AbOmInAtIoNs,” a static voice called darkly from a newly formed portal behind the group. Cross felt his marrow run cold, recognising it instantly as the god of destruction. “I cAn AsSuRe YoU ThAt yOuR LiTtLe CrEaToR fRiEnD iS FiNe. ThEy WiLl fInD ThEiR WaY To Us, i WiLl MaKe SuRe Of iT. FoR NoW, DoN’t bE A mOrOn - LiStEn tO tHe GoOpY AbOmOnAtiOn Or I wIlL MaKe yOu.”

Chapter 43: Error

Errors POV

The destroyer felt no hurt when he arrived to Nightmare’s manor just in time to be insulted by Killer. If anything, he had grown apathetic to such things, having been accosted and insulted for so much of his life that it hardly bothered him. Still, seeing the way Killer froze up at his arrival brought a slight sense of satisfaction to the god, a sly smirk crossing his features.

“Greetings, Error. Your arrival was… unexpected,” Nightmare let out in greeting.

Error scoffed, letting out a disgruntled “WhAtEvEr” in response.

To him, Nightmare was an enigma - something that, even after all these centuries, he did not understand. He could not grasp why Nightmare kept these abominations by his side, or the way the other treated him with such respect. He didn’t understand why the other was so insistent on allyship, on pointless things like self care and family bonds.

Why was it only the famed guardian of negativity could peer past Error’s emotional defences, and not only saw the deep well of suffering that blossomed within him, but actively try to lessen it? To help Error? Not even Dream was that kind, the other purposefully using their aura just to mess with his mental state, yet Dream was somehow the ‘good’ one, and Nightmare the ‘evil’.

With his arrival now clear to all in the room, he immediately pulled up several windows of code, numbers scrolling by at a pace too quick for any regular monster to even have the slightest chance of reading. Of course, Error was no regular monster.

He didn’t… really need to be here for this in person, but he wasn’t about to openly admit to wanting to be here. He wasn’t going to admit to being terrified at the prospect of a Creator existing within this multiverse, or how desperate he was for connection, or how he’d been considering throwing himself to the void.

The sudden appearance of Ashe had actually been what stopped him. The voices that once tormented him became silent, no longer tormenting him with their cruel words and constant demands. He was free of them. It was only hours later, scrounging through countless code, that he figured out why.

Killer interrupted his thoughts, though, breaking the silence with an idiotic question. “Sssso what'd ya mean by Ashe being a Creator? You saying he's like paint bitch?”

Error soffed at that. “DoNt bE sO FuCkInG RiDicUlOuS. ThE SqUiD iS a PrOtEcToR, nOt CrEaToR,” the glitched being let out dismissively. “AsHe iS a CrEaToR. iF tHeY’rE wItH tHe StAr AbOmInAtIoNs, ThEn ThEy’Re SaFe - SqUiD Is An iDiOt, bUt hEs NoT DuMb eNoUgH tO nOt NoTiCe WhAt AsHe Is,” he explained.

Nightmare's orbs narrowed. He seemed to be the only one of the gang to understand what a Creator was, the potential implications. “And you are certain he is a Creator?”

Error actually paused at that, orbs meeting that singular teal one. Did the other truly not know? “I dOnT MaKe mIsTaKeS,” the glitch finally settled on, orbs narrowed.

“I still don't get what the fuck a Creator is!” Killer yelled, throwing his arms up in exasperation. “Stop being all cryptic and shit and just explain what the fuck is going on!”

“I, uh, would also appreciate an explanation,” Cross added somewhat nervously, attention shifting towards his boss.

“...Creators do not typically exist within our multiverse. They are an outside force that influences the way our stories unfold, choosing whether or not the aus flourish or fall.”

“The fuck does that mean? Are you saying Ashe is a god or some shit?” Killer let out a sarcastic remark, frustrated that he was no closer to understanding what was happening. It amused Error greatly just how correct the remark was, even if Killer did not realise it.

“...To condense the situation to its most simple form, yes, Ashe would most certainly be considered a god if they are a Creator,” Nightmare finally conceded, earning several looks of shock and bafflement. “They are an entity of… unknowable power. They could have the power to manipulate reality itself, or they could hold no power above a regular Sans, and nobody would know any better.”

Killer grinned madly. “Our new brother is a god! Fuck yeah!” he cheered.

Nightmare rolled his eyes, wrapping Killer with a tendril and throwing the tar-faced skeleton across the room. There was a loud thump as they crashed hard into the wall, but Killer quickly returned with that same crazed smile, like a cat that knew it had done something wrong but didn’t care it was caught.

Error’s expression contorted. “HoW tHe hElL DiD yOu tHrEe AbOmINaTiOnS bOnD WiTh A cReAtOR?” he grumbled. Nightmare was an idiot if he thought he could hide that information from Error - though, admittedly, Ashe’s codes were absolute mess, so much so that it was near impossible for even him to interpret.

“Manipulate… reality? Like… X-Gaster?” Cross let out, voice barely above a whisper. His fists were closed, trembling, skull cast down to obscure his features.

“Strictly considering the ability of the overwrite and the influence X-gaster had… A Creator would be even  worse.  However, I can say with certainty that Ashe is not sinister or cruel. They are more of a threat to themself than they are to any of us.”

“Ashe is not… bad. Ashe is… they are… Ashe is… good,” Horror spoke up, frowning as he tried to collect his thoughts. “They care… about us. Wouldn’t… be like him…” An attempt to both defend Ashe, and comfort Cross, it seemed.

“Wait, so, is Spooky a Creator too?”

“SpOoKy?” Error scoffed. “nO. hE’S jUsT AnOtHeR aBoMiNAtIo.”

“Why exactly did you come here, Error? We certainly had not the time to contact you. What are your motivations? What do you plan to do?”

Error tensed up at that, code stilling as he went stagnant. Clearly he had not anticipated being asked his intentions so straightup like this. He didn’t have any excuse prepared, and without thinking, he blurted out the first thing he thought.

He cringed at the truthfulness in his voice, the weight of his words.

“i'M gOiNg tO dUsT tHeM.”

Chapter 44: Blue

Ashe's POV

You were tired. The emotional drain of your interaction with Dream had left you physically exhausted, and though you were now left with some amount of privacy, you didn't feel safe enough to sleep. Crying was one thing, but no matter how exhausted you were, you did not want to risk the vulnerability that came with being unconscious.

Spooky was less than thrilled about that and made his opinion rather clear. "--BUT I CAN WATCH OVER YOU AND MAKE SURE NOTHING HAPPENS! YOU'RE CLEARLY EXHAUSTED, AND SLEEPING WILL HELP THAT!"

'I can't risk it, Spooky. Besides, we need to come up with a plan to get back to Nightmare,' you reasoned. It warmed you that your brother was so concerned on your behalf, but this wasn't the time for self care. You had to make a plan and get out of here, and you couldn't do that if you weren't awake. 'I don't want to burn through whatever little time we have in private by pointless things like sleeping. I can sleep once we are safe.'

"BUT SLEEPING IS NOT USELESS! IT IS VERY IMPORTANT! CAN'T YOU JUST LAY DOWN FOR AN HOUR OR TWO? I'LL EVEN MAKE SURE TO WAKE YOU UP, IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO GET YOU TO REST..."

You shook your head. 'I appreciate you looking out for me, but I just.. Even if I wanted to sleep, I don't feel safe enough to do so. I'm going to look around, but if we can't find anything, maybe then I'll try? I want to see if we can find a way to pry this collar off.'  You couldn't meet his eyelights as you signed, a small amount of guilt sitting in your chest at refusing his request. 'I think  have enough magic to summon a bone, but I'd rather conserve it just in case. I don't know if we'll recover magic with the suppressor, so if the bone doesn't work, it'd just be a wasted effort.'

"ABSOLUTELY DO NOT TRY AND PRY IT OFF! WHAT IF MESSING WITH IT MAKES IT EXPLODE?"

'I... didn't think that was possible? This thing could EXPLODE?'  you responded quickly, now beginning to panic a little bit. Just how bad was this suppression collar? Would removing it kill you? 

"W-WELL, IT MIGHT NOT, I DON'T REALLY KNOW, BUT, UM, WE SHOULD BE CAREFUL JUST IN CASE! I WOULD BE VERY SAD IF YOU BLEW UP. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT ALLOWED TO DIE, ASHE! I MEAN, BEING A GHOST IS REALLY FUN, BUT YOU SHOULD STAY ALIVE FOR AS LONG AS YOU CAN!" He declared firmly.

'I, er, don't want to blow up, don't worry,' you signed with slightly awkward hands. 'But what should we do? Do you think there's like a code or something to take it off? If we can remove it, we'd probably be able to portal home.'

"I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO TRICK INKY SKELETON TO TAKE IT OFF! HE SEEMS LIKE AN IDIOT SO I BET IT WOULDN'T BE HARD! WE JUST, UH, SHOULD STAY FAAAAR AWAY FROM ROTTEN LEMONFACE, HE'D PROBABLY CATCH ON AND THEM BE ALL AWFUL AGAIN."

You nodded at that.

When a soft knock resounded from the door, you turned, expecting somebody to barge in, but it remained silent. You tilted your head, waiting. 'Somebody knocked, didn't they?'  you signed after a moment, and Spooky nodded vigorously.

"MAYBE THEY'RE BEING POLITE AND LETTING YOU ANSWER ON YOUR OWN TIME!" he suggested. "I COULD GO CHECK WHO IT IS, IF YOU WANT?"

You shook your head. This was a good distraction from the previous conversation. Maybe you could get some answers from whoever was on the other side?

Hesitantly gripping the handle, you opened the oak wood door, surprised to see the short skeleton with the blue bandanna standing there with a warm smile and a plate full of... something. Stars, that looked worse than what fragmented memories you had of Spooky's spaghetti before the whole possession thing.

"Hi There! I Am The Magnificent Blue! Not BlueBerry, Not Berry, Just Blue!" He introduced cheerfully. He was fairly loud, though not quite as bad as your brother, which was a pleasant change. 

You were a little confused as to why he seemed so insistent on making sure you knew his name was Blue specifically and not those other variations. Did others get mixed up often or something? Being confused for Dust so often, you understood how  exhausting it was to be seen as somebody else. You would have to make sure not to get mixed up.

"Dream Said To Stay Away From You Because You Have Been Really Violent Since You Got Here, But He And Ink Always Forget Non-Gods Need Stuff Like Food And Whatnot, So, Uh, I Brought Tacos!" he continued.

You stared. 'Dream called me violent?' you let out confusedly. You hadn't done a thing to be violent since you had gotten here - if anything, you had been perfectly docile.

"It's Okay! Even If You Are, I Think Everybody Deserves A Chance To Be Better. Besides, He... Kind Of Said You Would Attack Me As Soon As You Saw Me, And You Haven't Done That, So, Uh, Maybe He Was Just Being Overprotective Or Something!"

You were sceptical of that. So far, everything you had seen of Dream left you with a sour impression of him. If he was really as manipulative as Spooky suggested, though, did that mean Blue and Ink were being manipulated by him? Or... were they both the same, just better at hiding it?

'I don't fight unless provoked or to defend myself,' you signed somewhat reluctantly, uncertain if you should be telling that to your apparent enemy. 'My LV hasn't gone up since I left my underground and I have no plans to make it get higher.'

"Oh! Well, That's, Um, Good! So... Tacos?" He let out, pressing the plate insistently towards you. You accepted it, trying not to cringe at how... unique... they looked.

"WOWIE! IT'S SO SPARKLY! AND PRETTY! YOU SHOULD TAKE IT, ASHE, I BET IT TASTES GREAT!" your brother contributed from your side.

Blue startled at the additional voice, eyelights gazing towards Spooky with a mix of surprise and excitement. "Oh! Hello, Floating Papyrus! I Didn't See You There! Are You Ashe's Brother?"

Your soul sunk in your chest at that. Spooky hadn't revealed himself, so why could Blue see him?

"OH NO, BROTHER, THE CUTE BLUE ONE CAN SEE ME! WHAT DO I DO?" he let out in what you were pretty sure was an extremely poor attempt at whispering. 

 

Chapter 45: Bluebells

Ashe’s POV

‘It’s fine, Spooky,’ you let out. You weren’t exactly pleased the other now knew you had a ghostly sibling by your side, but you had to make do with it now. You ushered Blue into the room, and he complied, seemingly okay with being alone with you despite the apparent warning he had been given.

“So His Name Is Spooky, Then?” he let out curiously.

‘Yeah. He doesn’t like to be called Papyrus anymore. Um. Please don’t tell Dream about him. He’s not a threat or anything like that…’ you explained to Blue.

It was a little bit of a fib/ Spooky could definitely be a threat - you had seen that firsthand when he possessed that Fell Papyrus a bit ago - but you hoped that him being perceived as harmless would make the other less likely to tell everybody he was here with you. You still wanted to keep his presence a secret, if at all possible.

“Er… If The Other’s Don’t Know He’s Here…” the other let out uncertainly, clearly not wanting to agree to your request. His face suddenly flushed blue though, words setting in as he turned back to your brother. “Wait, Did You Just Call Me Cute!?”

“YEP! YOU’RE TINY LIKE ASHE! PLUS, YOU HEALED MY BROTHER WHEN HE WAS UNCONSCIOUS EVEN THOUGH THAT ROTTEN LEMON TOLD YOU NOT TO!”

You frowned at what you had heard. Dream didn’t want you to be healed? Spooky had left out that little tidbit earlier.Stars, this whole situation was a mess. Why were the ‘good’ guys so… not good?

“I, Er, You Saw That?” the words tumbled from Blue’s mouth awkwardly, seemingly surprised that the other knew about that.

“NYEH HEH HEH! THE AMAZING SPOOKY IS VERY GOOD AT HIDING!” he exclaimed, posing dramatically. “HOW DID YOU SPOT ME THOUGH? YOU SHOULDN’T BE ABLE TO SEE ME AT ALL!”

“I’m Not Meant To See You?” he questioned. "Why Not?"

‘Spooky is a ghost. Normally only I can see him, unless he chooses to reveal himself,’  you explained. 'I know he probably looks pretty scary, but he helps look after me. He just wants me to be safe...'

"I Can Understand That. I, Er... Have A... Friend... Who Lots Of People Are Scared Of, But If People Just Stopped To Get To Know Him, They'd See He's Just A Grump. He Loves Knitting And Watching-- Er, A Show! Yep! Uh..." he stumbled on his words. It was clear he was trying to preserve the identity of whoever he was talking about, thus some of the vagueness. "My Point Is, Even The Scariest, Most Awful People, Can Still Have Good Inside Them."

“...I LIKE YOU, BLUE-BUT-NOT-BLUEBERRY-OR-BERRY!”

You were ashamed to admit that you snorted at Spooky’s new nickname for the skeleton. ‘Just call him Blue, Spooky. Calling him ‘not Blueberry or Berry’ is pretty much indirectly calling him both still.’

“OH. I SEE. IN THAT CASE, I LIKE YOU, BLUE! I WOULD SURPRISE ADOPT YOU IF YOUR FRIENDS WEREN’T SO HORRIBLE.”

“I, Er, Appreciate That,” Blue let out in response. “But What Do You Mean By Horrible? Ink And Dream Aren’t Bad-”

“LEMONFACE IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE! SPLOTCHY IS KIND OF DUMB, BUT AT LEAST HE’S NOT MEAN LIKE THAT ROTTEN LEMON IS!”

“You Don’t Like Dream? Like, specifically Dream?” Blue responded, seeming genuinely confused. “I Understand Maybe Ink, But, Um, I’m Just Surprised, Is All. Everybody Normally Likes Dream The Most Out Of Us Star Sanses...”

You curled in on yourself slightly, unsurprised Blue would come to the guardian’s defence. Dream’s aura probably made it easy to sway others’ perception of him. Just remembering the hot feeling of it, suffocating, gripping you –

“ASHE, YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN. FOCUS ON YOUR BREATHING BEFORE YOU END UP SPIRALLING AGAIN,” Spooky reassured, floating closer so he could hold you in a gentle hug.

“Stars, I Didn’t Mean To Trigger A Panic Attack. Would It Be Better If I Left? I Don't Want To Make Things Worse…”

You shook your head, but stayed in SPooky’s embrace, slowly steading your breathing. “I THINK ASHE WANTS YOU TO STAY. THEY JUST… NEED A FEW MINUTES.”

“Do They Have Panic Attacks A Lot?’ the other let out softly, expression both concerned and sympathetic.

“WELL, THEY HAD THEM A LOT BEFORE HORROR AND EVERYBODY ELSE STARTED LOOKING AFTER THEM. BEING HERE HAS BEEN WORSENING THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, THOUGH,” Spooky explained.

His grip on you was warm. It was grounding. You could feel the suppression collar around your throat buzzing, itching like the crawling of ants, and as unpleasant as it was, it helped to keep you calm, to keep you focused on the present.

You took in a deep breath before finally trying to articulate your thoughts. ‘...I really don’t like how his aura messes with me. And, uhm, his words get really confusing, and, uhm….” you trailed off, realising you didn’t really know how to vocalise your feelings properly. 'Does he treat you nicely? He didn’t seem to treat Ink very well.’

“Of Course He Treats Me–” he paused for the smallest moment, the tiniest flicker of hesitation. “...Fine. He Treats Me Fine. I Think He’s Just Stressed," he said unconvincingly. "And, Uh, Being A God Means He Doesn’t Understand That Us Mortals Are Different.”

Was he trying to reassure you, or himself? It sort of felt like the latter. Maybe you could convince Blue to be on your side...

“I’m Sure He Just Wants To Help. Maybe You Should Talk To Him?” he suggested, clearly trying to reassure and comfort you. He wasn’t outright dismissing your feelings, but it was clear he loved his friend and didn’t want to talk poorly of them.

“ABSOLUTELY NOT. THE LAST TIME THEY ‘TALKED’, LEMONFACE JUST SPOKE OVER ASHE THE ENTIRE TIME! HE DIDN’T LISTEN AT ALL!” your sibling ranted angrily, grip on you tighter. Protective, much like the intent that was flooding your bond.

Blue backpedalled a bit. “I Don’t Really Understand, But I Won’t Push It If It Makes You Uncomfortable,” you let out, hands raised in surrender. “You’re Honestly A Lot Different Than I Was Expecting. I’ll… Talk To Dream And Try To Convince Him To Leave You Alone. Just Let Me Know If You Need Anything Else, Okay? You Might Not Be On Our Side, But I Want To Make Your Stay As Comfortable As Possible.”

 

Chapter 46: Miss

Ashe’s POV

‘I… appreciate that,’ you responded. Blue seemed nice, and reminded of Spooky’s near-adoption of the smaller skeleton, you found yourself wondering what it would be like to have him as a sibling. Would Blue get along with the others in your little family? 'I know this is unrelated, but, uh, are you normally so quiet when you talk? I'm sure you were louder before...'

"Oh! Well, Er, I'm Not... Supposed To Be Up Here, So I'm Trying Not To Be Too Noisy," he admitted with a slightly awkward chuckle. "And I'm Mostly Just That Loud Because Everybody Expects Me To Be. This, Uh, Is How I Prefer To Talk, But Dream Says Its Bad For Our Appearance If I'm Not. Er. Swap-Like Enough."

'That's... sort of weird,' you told the skeleton. 'You should do what is comfortable for you. Ignore what others think.'

"Well, Its Sort Of.. Complicated. Um, I'm Not Sure If You Have Heard, But Error Sort Of Accidentally Kidnapped Me Once. The Council Is A Bit Paranoid Because Of It, And It Doesn't Help That Ink Thinks I've Been Replaced For Some Reason. Its Why He Keeps Calling Me Blueberry, He's Convinced I Used To Be Called Berry, But Dream Says Its Just His Bad Memory," he admitted.

'Oh. That does sound sort of complicated. So you're trying to keep up an appearance so people don't think you're an imposter?'

"Yep. I Don't Mind Too Much Though."

“BROTHER, YOU SHOULD EAT THE SUPER FANCY SPARKLY LOOKING TACOS. YOU KNOW HORROR WOULD BE VERY UPSET IF YOU SKIPPED MEALS WHEN YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO,” Spooky encouraged.

“Oh? That’s The Skeleton With The Ho– Er, The One With The Axe, Right?” Blue questioned. You had a feeling he was initially going to ask about the hole in Horror’s skull. His eyes flicked over to your own skull wound for the tiniest moment, but no judgement crossed his features.

‘Yeah. He makes sure everybody gets something to eat, and that nothing ever goes to waste,’ you explained, warmed by the memories of your first sibling.

“If You Don’t Mind Me Asking, Have You Been Eating Okay? I Don’t Mean To Comment On Your Weight Or Anything, I’m Just A Little Concerned.” It was an innocent question, one that came from a place of concern, but you still found it uncomfortable.

Not wanting to answer, you instead shoved the taco into your mouth. It would be rude to respond whilst eating, so it gave you an excuse to potentially avoid the question.

You were fully expecting it to be disgusting. Everything you saw made it seem like it would be - the way the shell looked sort of soggy, the literal shimmering glitter, the meat that looked dry, the strange purple sauce… but your expectations were shattered. Despite its appearance, it was somehow absolutely delicious

Spooky chuckled as you ate, then answered Blue’s question. “OUR UNDERGROUND RAN OUT OF FOOD, SO ASHE’S ONLY BEEN ABLE TO EAT RECENTLY. THEY’RE ACTUALLY A LOT MORE HEALTHY THAN BEFORE!” Spooky spoke up with a proud grin. “THEY’RE A BIT, UH, SHY TALKING ABOUT IT TO NON-FAMILY THOUGH. “

“Oh, That’s Terrible! I’ll Make Sure Ashe Has Plenty Of Food While They’re Here. If I Forget, Please Don’t Hesitate To Remind Me! The Magnificant Blue Will Make Sure You Don’t Go Without!!”

“NYEH! WHAT ABOUT SPAGHETTI? I COULD SHOW YOU THE GREATEST RECIPE! IT'S CRUNCHY AND SOFT AND WET AND DRY ALL AT ONCE! IT'S GREAT!”

“Er, I’m Not Sure Spaghetti Is Meant To Be Like That, But I’d Be Happy To Give It A Try!” Blue chuckled, then turned his attention back to you. “Wowie! You Sure Liked Them! Did You Want Me To Bring You Back Some More?”

You gave a small nod. ‘They honestly don’t look it, but they taste really good.’ You were a little shy in that admittance. You didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but you always felt constructive criticism was better than feigning perfection.

“They Don’t Look Good?” he echoed, but he didn’t seem upset. “Huh. I Guess That Explains Some Of The Weird Looks I Get When I Offer To Make Food,” he hummed. “I’m Glad You Liked It, Though! I’ll Work On What It Looks Like, Mweh Heh Heh!”

Blue left the room with the plate, but before he disappeared into the hall, he turned back. “By The Way, What Are Your Pronouns? Everybody Has Been Inconsistent With Them, So I Just Wanted To Check.”

‘I honestly don’t really care,’ you shrugged. ‘Mostly everybody sticks to neutral or masculine. Just go with whatever is easiest, I suppose.’

“Alright! Mine Are He/Him, By The Way. What About You?” He trailed off, looking at your phantom sibling.

“NYE HEH HEH! THE GREAT SPOOKY GOES BY ANY PRONOUNS!” he declared.

“Ooo! We’re doing pronouns!?” Ink exclaimed as he practically lept into the room, clearly excited. Where did he even come from? He certainly wasn't there a second ago. “Well, we aren't in the middle of a fight this time, so I wanna share mine too! I like all of them! They all just sound so cool! Though the feminine ones make me feel pretty. I’d stick to those if I was allowed to!” he beamed, grin so cheerful that you had almost missed the words entirely.

‘What do you mean ‘allowed’ to?’ you signed almost immediately, expression concerned. ‘If you want to use different pronouns, you absolutely can. The people who truly care about you will support you regardless.’

Ink sort of froze up at that as though you had said something shocking and unexpected. “So I can… I can use she/her?” The words were repeated slowly - hesitant - as though Ink were expecting it to be a trick.

‘Of course!’

“I’m Not Sure Why You Thought You Weren’t Allowed To, Ink, But You Can Absolutely Use Any Pronouns That You Want. I’ll Make Sure To Use She/Her For You From Now On! We Should Go Tell Dream–”

“No!” Ink shouted quickly, only to instantly recoil, clearly not having meant to be so loud. “I-I mean, uh, we don’t… need to? it's not that I'm hiding it! Not... completely! I, uh! Just! Um!" the words were rambled quick and nervous.

“I’m Sure Dream Would Understand–”

‘If you’re not comfortable with telling him, then thats okay. You don’t owe anybody an explanation or anything,’ you explained. Blue seemed to fall silent, watching as you signed. 'Do you want us to use she/her for you?

"I... would like that," he - no, she - admitted bashfully.

"Then We Both Will!"

You decided to playfully test it a bit. 'I'll use whatever terms you like, Miss Ink.'

Ink's eyelights suddenly lit with excitement and she threw up, still grinning as she wiped the dark ink from her mouth. "Oh stars I really like being called that!!" She yelled. "Lets go shopping! I wanna try on skirts and dresses! Because! Um! I can do that now! And! Uh! You’re a Creator! I bet you could help me pick the best skirts and dresses!”

“Wait! Ink, you’re not meant to take Ashe out of the doodlesphe—”

His voice cut off as you and Ink were submerged in her paint portals.

Notes:

Yep! So ink is transfem in this multiverse! Next chapter will have some alone time with Ink so we can get more of her perspective on everything :D

Chapter 47: Omega Timeline

Ink’s POV

Excitement buzzed throughout Ink’s entire being, so much so that she would have thought she was overdosing on yellow if it weren’t for the fact the vial still sat half-full on her sash. The moment she emerged from the portal with Ashe by her side, she began to run, dragging the other along by their hand as she bounded through the streets in search of the quaint little boutique she had always wanted to visit.

Spooky floated by their side, but Ink paid the spirit no mind. She had been able to see them this entire time, but something deep within his non-existent soul screamed at her to not let Dream know they existed, to keep the funny little spirit a secret, so she did, for now at least. It was easier to pretend it didn’t exist than to come up with an excuse if she was caught talking to them.

When the artist finally slowed down, she returned her attention back to the smaller skeleton. ‘Where are we?’ Ashe slowly signed, looking warily at their change in surroundings.

They looked a tad disorientated. Ink was hyper aware of the emotional state of others, a sort of trauma response from having to de-escalate arguments with Dream, but her soullessness made it difficult for her to actually understand the emotions and react appropriately, which was why she often came across as inconsiderate or rude. She knew the other was uncomfortable, just… not how to help.

“Welcome to The Omega Timeline!” she exclaimed, wiggling her phalanges as though she had made a dramatic reveal.

‘The Omega Timeline? What’s that?’ Ashe responded, earning a highly dramatic gasp from Ink

“HM. I HAVEN’T HEARD OF IT EITHER. I WOULD BE CURIOUS WHAT THE WET PAINTY ONE HAS TO SAY,” Spooky let out. 

Ink was careful to wait until Spooky was finished talking, to not talk over them, but to still feign ignorance. “You don’t know!?” she exclaimed, eyelights sparkling. “This is one of the most well known places in the entire multiverse! Everybody who lives here are outcodes! They were either born like that, or their AU was destroyed by Error, or something else happened, so this is their home now,” she explained.

Ashe nodded to the explanation, expression curious with the desire to learn more. It seemed strange to Ink that a Creator would know so little, but she didn’t mind - it meant she could share her knowledge and teach them! Nobody ever trusted her to explain things, so this was a pleasant change.

Ink had quite a good reputation here, of course, being one of the main defenders of the worlds targeted by Error and Nightmare. Even though her soullessness was public knowledge, the majority cared more about her actions than her state of being, so those who were suspicious of her were at least polite enough to never say so out loud.

Ashe, on the other hand, earned a different type of attention. Glances of suspicion, distrust, confusion. It wasn’t all that surprising - Ashe did still look an awful lot like Dust, but since the smaller was clearly a guest of Ink’s, the residents of this place weren’t so sure what to think. Ink made sure to give her ‘terrifying smile’ (as Blue called it) to deter some of the more judgemental gazes cast Ashe’s way.

‘Then why are we here? I work with Nightmare. That seems like a… conflict of interests or something?’ the shorter asked.

“I trust you! Creators wouldn’t… well, maybe I know less about you than I thought I did, but you seem nice, so I’m not worried! And! Well! Um! DressesAndSkirtsAndStuff!” Ink blurted out, flustered. She was naturally boisterous and confident, but even with the other by her side, she was nervous about trying on such feminine things. “This place has heaps of different stores for multiverse travellers! It’s to help with the uhhh, economy? Or whatever Blue called it? So it's got a giant shopping district! Which! We are going to! Right now!”

‘Multiverse travellers? So could my… could my family visit?’

“Oh, um…” Ink trailed off. She still wasn’t sure why Ashe considered the other a family and tried to hide the small amount of hurt she felt.

When Ashe came to this multiverse, the voices of all other creators faded away. There were no more demands to create new worlds, no screaming at her for taking breaks, no expectations to work until she was so exhausted she couldn't see straight. There was just silence.

It was terrifying to go from so much to nothing at all. She loved the voices. They made her feel loved. Special, even. When they left, she was terrified she had done something wrong, that they had abandoned her because she messed up, and Dream was just… so angry when she tried to bring it up, calling her delusional and attention-seeking. Blue was the only comfort he received.

But the longer she spent away from them, from both the voices of the other creations AND from Dream, the more she realised that maybe, just maybe, things hadn't been as perfect as she had assumed. She had been... a little bit blind to some of the things going on. Maybe she shouldn't have been dismissing all those little things that had been bothering her this whole time. If somebody as nice as Ashe had faith in the bad Sanses, then there must have been a reason for that, right?

…What was she thinking about again?

“HMPH. I BET ROTTEN LEMONFACE WOULD NEVER LET OUR FAMILY VISIT,” Spooky pouted, brows furrowed in annoyance. 

Oh! Right! They were talking about the Omega Timeline and whether it would allow the nightmare gang to visit! Ink would have thanked the spirit if she weren’t still pretending she didn’t see him.

“Um, so, the Omega Timeline isn’t open to everyone, exactly, just whoever Core Frisk thinks is safe. Dream doesn’t get to decide who gets to visit,” she responded, missing the look that Ashe and Spooky shared. She hadn’t realised how she directly responded to Spooky’s comment. “Actually, now that I think about it, I stopped coming here because Dream said we were both banned? I totally forgot about that. But, er, clearly I’m not anymore, so, I dunno what was up with that.”Ashe signed something that Ink didn’t quite see, but Spooky gave a firm nod at it.

“INKY SPLOTCH SKELETON! IT HAS COME TO OUR ATTENTION YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEE AND HEAR ME. IF YOU CAN, PLEASE CONFIRM!”

Ink paused for a moment. “Nope,” she grinned, staring Spooky right in the sockets. She wasn’t being obtuse or dumb - she was just messing with the spirit, a tiny form of petty revenge for being so mean to her friend. Well, Dream probably deserved it, but that wasn’t the point.

“HUH? BUT YOU LITERALLY JUST RESPONDED TO ME! AND YOU WERE LOOKING RIGHT AT ME!”

Ink averted her gaze.”No idea what you’re talking about~”

“BUT! YOU JUST DID IT AGAIN! YOU RESPONDED TO ME!”  he screeched. “BROTHER, YOU HEARD HER RESPOND TO ME, RIGHT? RIGHT!?”

Ashe snorted. ‘I think she’s just messing with you, Spooky,’ the smaller signed.

Ink felt her chest flutter. She . Hearing the other using her pronouns just made her feel so warm and happy. It was like a dream come true, a dream she had spent so long trying to push away. The happiness she felt now was more genuine than the constant yellow Dream forced upon him. For the first time in centuries, she was truly happy, not just the plastic artificial kind she had grown used to.

Chapter 48: Pomegranate

Ashe's POV

You snorted as Spooky dissolved into a flustered mess at having been semi-acknowledged.

"Oh! Ashe! This way! Quick!" Ink launched into action, dragging you alongside her as she booked it. You dis nothing to fight her grip, but almost tripped at her sudden insistence. "This! Here! This super cute little store has the most adorable dresses, and skirts, and, just, gah!" the artist rambled, gesturing to a relatively small looking building.

The building itself was a mix of plum purple and deep maroons, creating an environment that felt almost regal in nature. Far too formal for a general store, probably the type of place you buy custom fitted outfits from.

It certainly looked expensive. The mannequins displayed in the window showcasing designs that surely would have cost a fortune to purchase, they looked so elaborate and gorgeous. There were a mix of styles, but they all felt similar, like they were all designed by the same person.

Ink's confidence seemed to falter. "Uhm... maybe we should... do this later?" she murmured, clearly intimidated.

You could see the longing in her eyes, the way she really did want to try things on. She just needed a little encouragement. You had more than enough patience for the both of you. 'Its okay, Ink, I'm here with you,' you encouraged. 'I think I want to look at some dresses too anyway,' you signed to her with a reassuring smile.

"Really? You do?" she let out. Though her tone was questioning, you could hear the relief in her voice.

Truthfully, you didn't really want a dress that much. It wasn't that you disliked them, just that they weren't really something you considered your style. But if you trying them on with her would help her feel more confident, you were perfectly happy to do so. Besides, trying stuff together sounded like fun.

'I do! Do you think you could help me find something pretty? Maybe if you show me what you like, it'll help me figure out what I like,' you suggested. Maybe a lil sneaky, asking her preferences, but it clearly worked because her confidence returned tenfold.

Without waiting another moment, she tightly gripped your hand in hers, pulling you into the pretty little store and heading straight for the dresses with clear excitement. You chuckled as she went through various sections, momentarily left behind.

"Good Afternoon, Dear. Do Either Of You Need Assistance?" a sans variant in militaresque attire let out as they approached the two of you. Ink didn't really seem to notice, too busy looking st clothes, though this stranger's attention seemed more fixed on you in particular.

There was something about their voice that screamed authority. They didn't need to threaten folk to behave, because their mere existence demanded it. Somehow, you were sure even Killer would behave around this variant. Scary.

You shuddered under their gaze, but gave a smile. 'Ink wants to get some clothing, but is really nervous about it. I'm just here for encouragement,' you explained, not outright saying that Ink was after feminine clothes in particular.

"I See. I Am Pomegranate, I Come From A FellSwap-Gold World And Am The Designer Of These Pieces. A Pleasure To Meet Your Acquaintance."

'Ashe,' you introduced politely. 'Um, we might be here for a while, this is her first time picking things out.'

"Very Well Then I'll Be Closing The Store Temporary To Give You Both Some Privacy. Do Let Me Know If You Need Anything, Dear."

'Is that okay? Wouldn't you lose customers?' you responded with uncertainty.

Pomegranate simply chuckled. "This Is Nothing At All. I Owe Ink Many Thanks For Aiding My Au When It Fell. The Least I Can Do Is Let Her Explore In Peace," they hummed. "Do Pick Out An Outfit For Yourself, Too, If You Like. Any Friend Of Ink, Is A Friend Of Mine. That, And That Dust-Covered Hoody Is Horrendous."

You nodded, watching for a moment as they left from the aisle, hands still clasped behind their back. They seemed very formal and polite, and a little bit terrifying, but not necessarily in a bad way. Maybe you would get a chance to get to know them more someday.

Once you met back up with Ink, you realised she had paused at a particular outfit. It was a vintage styled dress covered in sunflower patterns. Her phalanges were trembling, like she was afraid even touching it would get her into trouble, and when her gaze hesitantly reached yours, you gave her a reassuring smile. 'That one is really cute! Do you want to try it on?'

She hesitated. "N-no! Yes? I don't know!" she stuttered out, shoving it into your hands as though she were burned by it. "You try it! ...Please."

You chuckled. She clearly didn't quite have the confidence to try on a dress herself yet, but maybe she would feel more comfortable if it felt like a group activity. 'Sure,' you signed, to which she looked surprised. Had she really expected you to be mad? 'But you should try the next one, okay? You'd look really pretty.'

You disappeared into the change room, dress in hand. You cringed as you took off your hoodie, the pale blue still covered in the remnants of monster dust. It was uncomfortable to look at now. You hadn't really thought about it before now, but it just didn't feel like you. Had it ever? Or was it just a reminder of a skeleton who's identity you had stolen away through accidental possession?

Sighing, you placed your own clothes down and carefully put on the dress. It fit nicely over your bones but was definitely the wrong size - it wouldn't have fit you or Ink, so she must have just grabbed the first one she saw from the rack without checking.

"WOWEE, BROTHER. THAT LOOKS... ER.... CUTE, BUT UHM, WAY TOO BIG FOR YOU. YOU PROBABLY NEED LIKE TWO SIZES SMALLER," he encouraged.

'It's okay, Spooky. I'm just trying stuff on to make Ink more comfortable,' you signed quickly before trying to readjust part of the dress to fit better.

"...YOU DO KNOW INK IS STILL OUR ENEMY, YES?"

You shrugged. 'Consider it a temporary truce?' you signed uncertainly. 'I know I could escape now, but I want to make sure she has support. Dream doesn't... seem like he's a very good friend. And Blue is clearly trying, but, um.. I just think its a good idea to get to know Ink better.'

"I GUESS THAT MAKES SENSE. SHE'S NOT AS BAD AS I THOUGHT SHE WOULD BE, ADMITTEDLY. STILL KIND OF ANNOYING BUT, UH, IN AN AFFECTIONATE WAY? LIKE KILLER IS."

You snorted at that, then made a vague gesture before slipping out of the change room to show Ink the dress. She had been waiting long enough to see your outfit.

Chapter 49: Friends?

Notes:

I will be taking a little break from writing. I have been struggling with my mental health, along with being rather burnt out, so I need to take a little bit of a step back from writing for the time being. I'll probably still work on my projects on Tumblr somewhat, though that site stresses me out a bit as I feel like there's no interaction, I'm just talking to a void.

Anyway. Enjoy a little bit more of fluff with Ink <3

Ashe's POV

The moment Ink saw you in the sunflower dress she had picked out, her face lit up in multicolor blush. "Wow! That's... that's really pretty! But also way too big for you. Um. Let's look at more dresses!" she let out, pulling you into one of the aisles. She didn't even give you a chance to redress, instead pulling you from aisle to aisle, excitedly grabbing at fabrics. You were just thankful it fit well enough it wasn't sliding down or anything.

It wasn't long before you realised Ink was drawn to specific types of clothing. She seemed to like things that draped long, like robes and dresses, yet neither quite caught her attention. She always went for things that were colourful, too, more colourful than her current outfit. She refused to even look at anything with too much white.

"Oh! Ashe! Ashe! These outfits match!" she exclaimed, grabbing two outfits. "HereYouGoBye!" she blurted out, thrusting the clothes at you and disappearing into a change room with a dress so quick you couldn't help but chuckle.

You looked to the clothes that you now held in your hands. They absolutely did not match what Ink ran off with in any way you could see. They were made of different fabrics, had different colors, the styles not anywhere near similar. You tilted your head. Maybe she knew they didn't match, but just wanted to see you try it on? The eagerness in her expression suggested that might be right. It was kind of sweet, that she thought about you even though you were only really here for her sake.

The outfit Ink had given to you was a hooded poncho with a gradient going from grey to black. It had embroidered stars, reminding you of a gentle night sky. There was a matching black sweater and pants. The starry parts of it reminded you of Nightmare. You found yourself smiling at that. Your black scarf even fit in perfectly... though, now that you were looking at it, wasn't it grey-red before? It was fully black right now. How long had it been like that?

Maybe you'd ask to keep this one, you thought to yourself. Pomegranate did say you could get an outfit. Unlike everything else, this one didn't have any label, so you weren't sure how much it might cost. That made you a little anxious. Had Ink taken it off, maybe?

"YOU SEEM TO LIKE THAT ONE, BROTHER! WILL YOU KEEP IT?"

You hesitated. 'I don't have money, but if Pomegranate still thinks its okay for us to have an outfit, I think I will. Its comfy and looks really nice.'

"ON THE POSITIVE SIDE OF THINGS, AT LEAST YOU WOULDN'T BE MISTAKEN FOR DUST ANYMORE!" he grinned cheerfully. "THE STARS ALSO REMIND ME OF NIGHTMARE. YOU KNOW, NIGHT. MARE. NIGHT?"

You chuckled. 'Yeah, I get it,' you signed. 'Lets go show Ink. She's trying something on too, I want to see what it looks like.'

When you left the room to find Ink, you saw the outfit she had chosen and smiled. It was a beautiful kimono. Whilst the base of it was a sky blue, the patterns were in every colour imaginable, creating a beautiful rainbow aesthetic to it. She had her vials attached to the sash around her waist, paintbrush on her back, and the whole outfit just looked gorgeous put together.

Ink looked at her reflection, eyelights wavering as tears built in her eyes. She stared, hands trembling, silent. You moved to her side and took her hand into yours, and she turned to face you, a soft smile on her features. "I-its.... It's so pretty," she whispered. It was clearly a vulnerable moment for her.

'/You're/ pretty,' you corrected gently.

Tears streamed down her face. "I think... I think I'm gonna get this one! And, um, maybe a couple of others in the same style!" she declared, quickly wiping her sockets. "I'm not crying! I just, er, drank too much blue!"

The blue vial in her sash was untouched.

'It's okay to cry. You're happy, Ink. Sometimes people cry when they're really happy.'

She gave you a thankful smile. "I'm gonna go pay for these! Also your outfit too! As a, um, thanks!" she exclaimed, already pulling you to where Pomegranate was waiting at the register. "And Blue didn't tell me to do that this time! I, uhm. I want to buy it for you. As a thanks. So. Um."

You chuckled at his continued shyness. 'I appreciate it, Ink. Pomegranate did say I could have an outfit though, so maybe you could help me pick out some pins for my scarf instead? Honestly, the outfit you picked is gorgeous, its more than enough. I adore it.'

She grinned and immediately picked out several pins. After that, she paid for everything and the two of you begun to move towards the exist (but only after Pomegranate made it clear he was going to burn your old clothes, minus the scarf you refused to let go of. You were okay with that, even if Spooky seemed a bit offended).

"Here you go! Um! Hope you like them!" Ink exclaimed as she shoved the pins into your hands.

One had a common symbol in sign language - probably a good idea, now that you thought about it, since you couldn't speak - then a pin with a symbol of the moon, the same you were sure you'd seen somewhere in Nightmare's castle, and a pin with a flower that matched the ones on Ink's kimono. It was really sweet of her - she clearly put thought into choosing them. 'Thankyou, Ink. You're a good person.'

She paused at that. "Do you really think so?" She let out, uncertain. You nodded. "Then... why do you hang out with the Bad Sanses?" her voice was quieter at that, expression thoughtful yet confused. "I... really want to understand, but I don't get it."

'..They're good people, too, Ink. Good people who are stuck doing bad things for a balance they never wanted to be part of.'

She was quiet for a moment. "Dream says the balance isn't real, but... what do you think?"

'I don't know,' you admitted. 'But I trust Nightmare. I don't think he would do all those things if he didn't believe in a balance. He plans things out carefully - I am certain he could do a whole lot worse if he wanted to, but he chooses not to do that,' you thought aloud. 

"If... if there really is a balance, and Nightmare and Error are keeping it... does that make us the bad guys?" she asked. She clearly meant Dream, Blue and herself when she said 'us'.

'...Sometimes good people do bad things,' you settled on after a moment. 'You're not bad, Ink. Not on purpose. But... maybe its time to reflect. What do /you/ think? What do /you/ want?'

"That's... a good question, I guess," She let out softly. "I've been noticing things. Things that don't... feel right. If I tell Dream, he says I'm being an overdramatic idiot. If I tell Blue, he comforts me, but I know he doesn't believe me..." she begun to ramble. 

' Right now, it feels like you're living in the shadow of Dream instead of just being yourself. But you don't have to do that. To change for the sake of others. You are beautiful just the way you are, Ink.'

Ink sighed at that. "I want... to go back to the Doodlesphere. To... Dream..." she admitted quietly. "I think its time I talk to him. About everything. Properly. And if he doesn't want to listen, maybe its time I leave the Star Sanses and do things on my own. I just... hope Blueberry will understand..."

'Maybe leave Blue a letter, then. That way if things go badly with Dream, Blue at least gets a chance to know your perspective,' you suggested.

"It'll be safer for you if, uh, I don't take you back. You seemed really blue and purple, but I want you to be yellow. Um. Is there a safe AU I can leave you in? You don't look like Dust anymore, so it'll be safe wherever. Probably. Hopefully."

"WHAT ABOUT THE COLLAR?" Spooky demanded, arms crossed over his chest. He was less trusting of the artist, you realised, though he did have a good point. If Ink was letting you go, then would she be willing to get rid of the magic supressor?

"I.... Can't take that off," Ink admitted with a frown. "Its tied to Dream's magic signature since he set it up. But, um, Sci or someone could probably figure it out!" She grinned. "For now, I'll drop you off wherever you think is safest. Er, not anywhere near Nightmare though, I don't want to fight him in my pretty kimono."

Chapter 50: AN: Fanart!!

A big thankyou to everybody who has made fanart for my stories!! I am immensely appreciative of every contribution! If you have any arts that you would like to share, feel free to let me know as I adore seeing what you all come up with! This chapter will be updated whenever this story receives a new fanart, so you may see it in your notifications on occasion c:

 

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Ashe by @taterthepotato on Tumblr!

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Ashe by @taterthepotato on Tumblr!

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Spooky possessing a random Papyrus and Ashe, by Takura!

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Ashe by @Devilteanothere on Twitter!

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Ashe and Spooky by @Devilteanothere on Twitter!

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Ashe and Spooky by _devilish_phoenix_lex_ on Discord!

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Ashe by themagnificentluan on Discord!

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Ashe and Spooky by themagnificentluan on Discord!

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Ashe and a piggy by dreamily0375 on Discord!


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Edit: Please feel free to let me know if you have a different social media etc you would like to be credited with and I'll update this <3

Chapter 51: Codes

Notes:

I am still not coping very well. This is a really rough time of year for me so I've admittedly been pretty suicidal. I have been trying to use my writing and my art as a way to get through it - I've even been working on my tumblr ask blog (@AskWormySans). The distraction helps, though its getting to a point I might need to look into crisis options.

Error’s POV

With Error’s goals to dust Ashe made clear, the temperature of the room dropped. The intent in the air was so strong it would have crippled any typical monster, but Error was a god, so he merely flared his own intent in response to the raised agitation, a threat answered with a threat.

Nightmare’s tendrils writhed, sharp and deadly, but made no move yet to attack. “You want to dust him?” the dark guardian echoed, likely asking for clarification.

“DuH,” Error answered, and  the moment that confirmation left his mouth, the three bonded of Nightmare’s crew launched themselves forwards with killing intent. Dust, Horror and Killer were clearly unable to restrain themselves from wanting to murder the destroyer for saying such a thing. They were instantaneously wrapped in tendrils so tight they were incapable of moving, causing Error to blink rapidly. He had not expected such a sudden escalation, not realising how his lack of explanation could be perceived.

“Enough,” Nightmare hissed at his little group of abominations, and whilst the hostility did not dissipate, it seemed the dark guardian’s words were met with compliance. Still, he did not release his crew, tendrils looking a little tighter than usual around Horror in particular.

That was a surprise. Error had never really seen Horror display such unfettered rage, crimson eyelight so engorged that it looked ready to pop. His teeth were even sunk into the tendril, piercing the gooey flesh, but Nightmare made no indication that it hurt. How the hell had Ashe gotten so close to these abominations in such a short amount of time? It was a good thing he liked Ashe, or else this could have been a real problem. Error did not doubt they would murder anybody who even looked at the little creator wrong.

Error frowned. He had no real intention of explaining the intricate reasoning for what he needed to do, but it was clear that if he did not, he may lose the only allyship he had in this damned multiverse. He couldn’t risk making an enemy of Nightmare and his gang. Not... because of strategy or whatever. But because they were the most tolerable abominations he had ever met. (He still hesitated to admit he wanted to be part of their weird little family.)

“Bioss! Why the fuck are you restraining us!? That fucker wants to hurt Ashe—” Killer retorted in complaint, the liquid hate of his sockets streaming down his face with such an intensity that it was getting all over his clothes and the floor. The way his exposed soul wobbled and deformed as a sign he might escalate if the situation were not handled quickly. 

“Quiet. I have the situation handled,” an increasingly agitated Nightmare commanded.

Killer went to retort, but a tendril covered his mouth, a clear attempt to keep him quiet for the time being. He looked incredibly pissed off by that, though his struggles were futile. As expected, really, Nightmare was quite a strong entity, even with how... disbalanced... the emotional state of the mutliverse was. Error would have to bring that up soon, there were some... concerns... about whatever the fuck Dream was trying to do. 

The guardian then turned back to the destroyer. “Tell me, Error. You’ve made it clear you are aware of several bonds in place with Ashe. What makes you think we would let you kill them?”

Error gave a huff. “I DiDn’T SaY I wOuLd KiLl tHeM. I sAiD i WaS GoInG To dUsT ThEM,” he corrected as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“There’s no fucking difference, you psychoti–” Killer growled out. There was a knife in one of Nightmare’s tendrils. How the hell did he manage that whilst so thoroughly restrained?

Killer was quite literally thrown through the castle window in an instant, the glass shattering as the skeleton flew through it. He yelled as he plummeted several stories down, but Error knew that the other would be fine. Nightmare didn’t do this often, but it certainly was not the first time Killer had been thrown from a window for not listening, and it probably wouldn’t be the last either. It probably hurt like a bitch, but at least it’d stop Killer entering the next soul stage.

“FuCkInG MoRoN, ObViOuSLY ThErE’s a DiFfErEnCe,” Error grumbled angrily, abandoning his coding windows as errors threatened to overtake his vision. He didn’t have time for this. He had to hurry up and track down Ashe, not stand here talking with these abominations! His glitches were acting up because of his emotional state becoming more turbulent. Error was never known for his patience.

“Clarify,” Nightmare demanded, an additional tendril snaking around Horror. Were they really that bothered? What a fucking pain.

Error threw his arms up dramatically. “I nEeD To AccEsS ThEiR FUcKiNG cOdEs BeFOre a CerTaIn MulTIverSe TrAveLLing AsShoLE shOWs Up!” he yelled out, frustrated.

Nightmare’s face crinkled in disgust. “You mean to say you believe having a Creator here will draw the attention of that swap Dream variant? How… troublesome.”

Understatement of the fucking century. That multiverse hopping abomination was such a damned pain to deal with. Even with all the countless firewalls surrounding this multiverse, that gold freak always managed to worm his way past them as though they were nothing. It was infuriating! Especially when the smug asshole even repaired the code after his intrusion like it was nothing!

Error had no idea why they were so obsessed with Nightmare (or why they seemed particularly agitated by Dream), but the destroyer was certain that having Ashe here would complicate things even further.

Whatever god existed had absolutely fucked up when they made that psychotic destroyer-dream variant. And what kind of nonsense fucking name was ‘Aurum’? Pompus fucking asshole bitch—

“Error,” Nightmare scolded, earning a huff in response. It wasn’t Error’s fault that thinking of that prick pissed him the hell off.

“cONsIDerInG hOw ClOSe yOu lOt arE to tHis CreAtOR, ItS oNlY a MaTTeR oF TimE bEfoRe tHat ObsSeSseD goLD BitCh tRieS to TakE TheM,” he scoffed. “AnD ThEiR CoDe is UtTErLy FucKEd! It DoeSn’T LiSt aNYwhErE aS PoiNt Of OriGin, So tHaT FucKeR COuLD TaKE theM AnD BiNd theM tO hIS MuLTiVerSe - dO YoU kNoW hoW FuCKinG HarD ThAT WoUlD bE To UnDO?”

“But why would that require Ashe dust? You are leaving out major details.”

“ThEre Is nO fUCkIng WaY I cAn AcCeSs ThEIr CoDEs UnLeSs thEiR CuRRenT vEsSeL DuSTs. ItS NOt lIKe thEY’lL dIE oR soMEthInG, thEy’D JuST REseT liKe Me anD InK BiTch.”

The various expressions of confusion and shock made it clear that this was not common knowledge amongst the group. That… probably explained their more violent reactions. Had they really thought Error was going to just up and kill one of their own? He wasn’t that much of a moron! At least, not anymore. He’d stopped trying to murder the gang a few centuries back.

“..YoU DiDN’t KnOW thAt?”

Nightmare deadpanned. “I believe it is quite obvious that it is news to us,” he let out rather blandly. “Your emotional state suggests you are not lying. However…” the dark guardian stepped close, mouth parting in a terrifying grin. “If you are lying, I will make sure your every living moment is a living nightmare. I will take pleasure in tearing you apart over and over, in–”

Error scoffed. “NoT To iNtErRupT yoUR DrAmTic fucKiNG SpEAcH, bUT TiMe iS FuCKiNG ShoRt aND i DoNT hAvE TiMe foR ThESe TheAtrICs. LeT mE FUckInG TraCk AsHe beFoRE ThEIr cOdEs DeSTabiLiSe AnD KiLl ThEm PerMaNeNtlY."

"The state of their codes is at risk of killing them!? Why did you not START with that!?"

 

Chapter 52: ScienceTale

Kimono!Ink, Spooky and Ashe by PumpkinPeddler on ArtFight I adore this so much hehe <3 !

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Ashe's POV

Ink tilted her head as her multicolor eyelights shifted through various shapes. "So have you decided where you wanna go? I can pretty much portal you anywhere you like!" she hummed, clearly eager to get moving. "Orrr you could stay here in the Omega Timeline? I bet you could make lots of new friends here! Er, so long as you don't mention the whole arsonism and befriending Nightmare part!"

Spooky snickered at how casually the guardian was announcing that. You definitely did not plan to stay here - you were already getting enough stares, and Ink practically shouting yoru allegiances was probably going to get you into trouble the moment she left.

Your first instinct was Farmtale, specifically the one you had been to already. They were neutral territory, with an unannounced alliance with Nightmare, so you would be able to get home far easier if you were left there. You had no doubt Farm and Crop would have a way to contact the gang, and Ink didn't know their association, making it perfect.

But... the collar left you hesitant. You were uncertain of how it worked. Nightmare's castle was meant to be a secret - what if this thing doubled as a tracker? You couldn't risk leading Dream to the gang. You couldn't ask Ink, either, since she might lie in favorr of gaining an advantage on Nightmare.

Speaking of, that led to another issue. Ink said that Dream was the one who set it up... would Nightmare's magic - being sort of opposite in nature - react with it? You didn't want to admit it, but Spooky's earlier suggestion that the collar could blow up still lingered in your mind.

You had to get rid of this suppressor, even if that meant being away from your family a little longer. You just hoped they wouldn't be too upset.

'Um... that Sci you mentioned. Can you tell me a bit more about them?'

"Sure can!" Ink exclaimed. "He's a scientist who works on all sorts of stuff! I, uh, have no idea what kinda stuff, since I don't really listen when he rambles - science is just so boooring - but he's super smart!"

That certainly wasn't quite as detailedas you were hoping. 'Is he associated with the Star Sanses then?'

"Nope! He's totally neutral! He doesn't know that I know, but I know, and now you know that I know that he doesn't know that I know!!" she continued with a proud grin. "Glad you decided though. See ya later, Ashe!" he exclaimed.

'But I didn't pick–' your attempt to sign was cut short as a portal was formed directly beneath you. You were engulfed in its inky blackness instantly, just barely catching a glimpse of Ink's cheerful wave as you plummeted downwards.

Wherever he made his portal to, led to you quite literally falling from the ceiling and onto cold tile flooring. It didn't hurt, thankfully, but you were left momentarily in shock.

"Gah!" a startled voice exclaimed, a tallish skeleton staggering back and dropping a porcelain white mug to the ground.

You took a moment to look over him as he stared at you. He wore a long white laboratory coat over the top of a dull blue sweater, a lanyard sat around his neck with what you assumed was either identification or a keycard. He had thick rimmed glasses that kept sliding down his face, and every time he readjusted them, they began to fall once again.

"I don't know who you are, but stars above, tell Ink to let you use the door next time!" he scolded, hand placed dramatically over his chest. "You just about gave me a soul attack!"

A simple flick of his hand led to the broken shards of porcelain being encased in a blue glow, of which were discarded into a nearby trashcan. That... seemed handy. Maybe you could learn to do that.

'Sorry for startling you. Ink sort of... portalled me without any warning. Where even am I..?' you signed in response. He didn't seem to see Spooky, so you decided not to draw attention to your ghostly sibling.

His flustered expression softened at your signs. "So I'm not the only one he does that to?" he mumbled, shaking his head. Well, at least you now knew it was common for Ink to randomly portal people. Hopefully that would not be a problem for future you.

'She', you corrected entirely by reflex. Ink did seem fine with others knowing of her identity so long as it wasn't specifically Dream, so hopefully it was okay that you had corrected the other.

He gave you a confused expression. "Huh?"

'Um... Ink goes by she/her now,' you explained.

"Oh, okay," he responded with a casual shrug. "Anyway, let me help you up. I'm Sci, and you are in Sciencetale."

You took his hand thankfully and were pulled to your feet. Now standing, you realised that Sci was actually a lot taller than you had anticipated. Not that it really mattered, but he just made you feel very short.

Maybe you could invest in platform boots just to spite all these tall people you kept meeting...

'Oh! I'm Ashe, its nice to meet you,' you introduced politely. 'Ink said that you might be able to help me get this off?'

He eyed your suppression collar, thoughtful. "Suppression collar? I suppose I might be able to help, depending on how it was constructed. Looks like a mix of titanium and something else from here, I'd have to take a closer look," he hummed. "I should probably let Red know you're here first, though-"

You felt a teleport behind you and instantly took a step away to gain some distance, earning a somewhat impressed look from the red skeleton who had appeared so suddenly.

Sci rubbed his phalanges over his face. "You could've waited for me to come back, Red," he muttered.

"Nahh. Wanted ta see who's visiting ya," he retorted. His glowing red orbs hadn't left you for even a single moment since he appeared. "Gotta judge for myself. Can't let my bonded be free xp, ya know," he chuckled, sending a slightly flirtatious glance to the other.

The comment of being bonded seemed half joking, but Sci's face lit up in a blush, so perhaps it the two were closer than you had initially come to assume. "...I need more coffee to deal with this," the scientist muttered, deadpan.

"Snrk, it ain't coffee if it's three quarts vodka, Sci," the new skeleton snickered.

He simply rolled his eyes. "No dusting anyone in my lab, you two. I'll be back in a few," he sighed as he begun to walk down the hall.

Red gave you a wide toothy grin. "Sound like we got some time to chat, pal--"

And, as if on cue, Sci called out from the other side of the room. "And no threatening guests while I'm gone, Red! I know what you're like!"

 

Chapter 53: Red

Ashe’s POV

Red’s face lit into an embarrassed blush at the way Sci called him out for what he was doing, momentarily spluttering. You found the interaction both amusing and... familiar.

Stars, you missed everyone. Were they really waiting for you, like Spooky said they would be? You desperately hoped that was true. You just wanted to go home. To eat Horrors fancy cooking, to play pranks with Killer, to relax with Dust, to get to know Cross and Nightmare more.

As nice as it was exploring the different universes, you were terribly homesick. You needed stability, somewhere you could rest for a while, not to be flung from au to au with no way home. You hated that your magic was robbed from you. You hated that you hadn't felt truly safe since leaving Nightmare. You hated how confusing everything was. It was starting to get to you.

‘You don't need to worry about me, I'm not here to cause trouble, I’m just trying to get home,’ you signed to Red. Your hands were shaky as you did so, and you had to quickly wipe away some tears threatening to build in your sockets at the memory of your bonds. His expression noticeably softened. ‘I’m Ashe, by the way. Sci called you Red?’

He gave a slow nod, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his black hoodie. “Yup. I’m Red. Unless Edge sent ya, in which case I’m somebody else,” he let out with a playful grin.

‘Edge?’ you inquired, not recognising the name.

“Yeah, my older bro. He’s the coolest, but he’s a fuckin’ pain sometimes. Been texting every ten minutes to see if I’ve eaten and all that kinda shit. Yer would think he's my ma or some shit,” he chortled. “What’s yer verse, by the way?”

‘My what?’

“Yer verse,” he repeated. When you still did not understand, he gave you a confused expression. “The name of the place yer came from? Like how I’m from Underfell? And Sci is from Sciencetale?”

‘Oh, sorry, I understand now. I don’t actually know the name of where I’m from. I think it's a dusttale, but people have suggested it could be crossed with horrortale? All I really know for sure is that everyone is dead, there hasn’t been a reset in years, and there's no food anywhere. Its... its not home for me anymore. I don't plan to go back, even if I figure out its name.'

He looked at you in momentary surprise. “Yer from a dusttale? I guess yer eyelights are right for it, but yer aesthetic is pretty damn different,” he mused curiously. 

You felt your face heat up a little. It was nice, not being immediately assumed as Dust. In fact, the other seemed surprised that you were a dusttale variant at all - Ink had done a really good job at picking out an outfit. 

Red seemed amused. “Did ya know that you broadcast yer intent all the fuckin time?”

You tilted your head. ‘I do?’  You knew that intent was how magic worked. It was, like, your intentions, sort of? You understood it, but that didn't mean you knew how to articulate what it was.

"Yup," he chuckled. "S' probably why I know I can trust ya fer now."

You let his words linger in your mind for a moment. Was that why you found it so easy to befriend others? ‘Should I… find a way to stop that? I don’t want to unintentionally manipulate people or something…’

He snorted. “Nah, it ain’t manipulative or whatever, yer can’t lie with intent. It makes yer super easy to read ya. I know fer a fact yer pretty genuine,” he clarified. “How the fuck did ya get a supression collar, anyway? Were ya messing with a mafia timeline? I dunno you well, but ya seem way too soft ta get into that kinda shit.”

‘A mafia timeline?’

“Mafiatale, mafiashift, mobswap, that type'a shit. Pretty sure those things are illegal as fuck in pretty much every timeline. Er, its illegal in those ones, too, but they're known fer being less than legal with the shit they do.”

You frowned. If it was illegal, why did Dream put it on you? How did he even have access tk it in the first place? ‘..If its banned in so many places, should I be worried? Is it doing damage?’

He gave a shrug. “Dunno. They can fuck with ya magic and ya code, but I s'pose it depends on the type. Whatever you got looks like the nasty shit though. What kinda shit did ya get into?”

You didn't want to reveal your association with Nightmare without knowing for certain it was safe to do so, or mention that it was the Stars who had kidnapped you since you knew they had a good reputation. Coming up with an answer that was both truthful, but vague enough to not get you into more trouble, was too mentally taxing right now. 

“...YOU KNOW YOU CAN JUST, DENY TO ANSWER, RIGHT? YOU DON’T NEED AN ANSWER FOR EVERY QUESTION YOU ARE ASKED," your phantom sibling let out. Red did not react to him, so like usual, he was invisible to the strangers you had come to meet.

Spooky had a point. With your ghostly sibling’s words in mind, you signed a simple answer. ‘It’s kind of complicated, and, um, I would really rather not talk about it right now. The person who did this seems to care a lot about appearances and stuff, so you’re probably not in any danger, if that’s your concern.’

Red blinked rapidly at that, seemingly confused at something. “As the OG fell, I get don't-fuck-with privileges, so anybody who tries is in for a bad fucking time,” he explained. “I was more askin’ so I know if I gotta fuck someone up on yer behalf.”

That was certainly not the answer you were expecting. Wasn’t he just about to threaten you earlier? ‘I don’t understand..’

He chuckled. “Ink clearly has ya under her protection. I kinda thought yer might be trouble when ya first dropped in, but I’m quickly realising yer just a bean. Yer kinda like a Swap sans, just… less hyper and much higher in LV.”

‘You think I’m like Blue?’

To that, he hesitated. “Maybe how Blue used ta be. Haven’t talked ta him since the gyftmas party a few years back, but I've seen 'im around and he seems real fuckin overworked. And underfed. And underappreciated,” he huffed, clearly displeased by his observations. “I ought ta yell at Dream n’ Ink fer being so fuckin’ thoughtless.”

You hadn’t meant to, but you did flinch when the other mentioned Dream. 

You knew Red had noticed by the way he sort of paused for a tiny moment, by the way his demeanour seemed to change. “Yer scared o’ Dream,” he let out. He was closer, words quiet as though he were saying something utterly taboo. 

Maybe… maybe it was. 

“I don’t like ‘im either. We Fells know a liar, and 'e ain’t the slightest bit genuine. Everything 'bout him seems fake as hell, and that aura blinds anyone from questioning the shit he does. Just, er. Try not ta let folk know yer opinion of him, yeah? Might get ya into trouble. He’s got a real tight grip on most of the council."

You were a little surprised by the warning the other was giving to you. It was sort of validating, knowing that you weren't the only person who thought something wasn't... right.. about the positive guardian.

"I’ve, uh… noticed anyone who speaks out tends ta get targeted by the Destroyer. Dunno if the two work together or what, but, just. Be careful, yeah? An' don't tell Sci. He's a sweethear', but fuckin' oblivious to that kinda shit.”

You gave a small nod.

 

Chapter 54: Sci

Notes:

I have been having difficulty getting A03 to load properly lately :/ If I haven't updated in a whilw, I would suggest checking my Quotev to see if there are any updates there.

Ashe’s POV

Sci walked in before you had a chance to ask Red to clarify what he meant by others being targeted by the destroyer. You decided to file that information away for later, turning to the scientist with a tilted head.

“Huh. You two are getting along better than I though,” he muttered. In his left hand was a porcelain mug with the text ‘#1 nerd’, probably a prank gift of sorts, and you could smell the clear scent of vodka. You cringed a little.

“Eh. They ain't that bad,” Red shrugged casually. 

‘Can you please look at the collar now? I don't mean to rush you, I just…’

“Yeah, I'll have a look at it. Take a seat on here-” he gestured to a sort of examination bench - “so I can take a closer look without having to bend to your height.”

Said bench was a little tall for you. You heard Red chuckle, and felt magic being used to help you upwards, making it easier to get up. Why was it so high anyway? You signed a quick thankyou to Red once you were seated comfortably.

Sci looked over some papers, sat down on a chair with wheels, then rolled over to you. “Just tilt your head back for me so I can take a closer look,” he directed. You complied. “I'm going to be moving close and touching the collar a lot. Just speak up if you are uncomfortable or need a break or something.”

Only after you nodded did he begin to look it over. He carefully slid his fingers over the cool metal of the collar, seemingly searching for something on its surface, only to frown and mutter something about a lack of release buttons. 

When he did not find what he was looking for,  he tried lightly tapping various places, then leaned in close, using a torch against the surface, seemingly looking for any deformities or markings in the metal. 

You had to close your eyes to not become dizzied by the invasion of your space. The moments passed by unbearably slowly, and you flinched a few times, but Sci never touched you directly, just the collar itself.

“Hmm… on a surface level examination, I don't see any clear way to remove it. Are you okay with me using my scanners to get more information?” He asked. You nodded. “...You look awfully uncomfortable. We can take a break, if you need.”

You shook your head, a little too overwhelmed to sign right now, charcoal phalanges playing with the tattered edge of your black scarf. It was helping to keep you grounded. As overstimulated as you were, you wanted to get this done. 

“..Alright. I'll be using the scanner now. Just stay stay still for a moment.”

You kept your gaze fixated on the scarf. A brief smile turned the corner of your mouth when you noticed the enamel pins Ink had gifted you. You really did like them a lot.

From your very first interactions with Ink, you would have thought she was the leader of the star sanses. After being kidnapped, though, you were fairly sure Dream was the one pulling the strings. Could you get Ink and Blue away from Dream someday? You did like them both. 

Was that just wishful thinking though? Dream was scary and manipulative. You didn't want to deal with him again, yet… you felt the need to help your friends. Would they even listen if you tried to talk about it?

You were pulled from your thoughts as a small device in Sci's hand let out a series of high pitched beeps. The little LED screen was lit up with text in a language made of strange little pictures, so you couldn't identify a single word of it, though Sci clearly could by the various expressions that crossed his features.

‘Did… you find something bad?’ You signed nervously at his silence.

“Huh? Oh, no, its just finished scanning,” he explained. He kept reading then gave a heavy sigh. “Sciencetale has made a lot of technological advancements, both as a result of its isolation from humanity and the influx of outcode interaction, but this is… admittedly too far outside of my area of expertise,” the scientist let out.

You felt your soul sink at those words. Did that mean he could not help you?

“If it were a normal suppression collar, I would likely be able to dismantle it with some time, but this uses a fell-world ownership collar its base. I have no idea how to safely approach those.”

Your mouth was dry. You couldn't even formulare a response.

“A fell verse? Fuckin’ ell, that ain’t good. Ya think its from a mafiafell, maybe?” Red piped up from the side. You hadn’t heard of that au before, but judging based on name alone, it sounded like a place best avoided.

“It could be. Despite being carbon fibre and steel, the actual construction of it is more consistent with an amateur engineer,” Sci continued with a grimace. 

“Soo… black market shit?”

“That would be a likely scenario,” he confirmed. “I’m sorry, Ashe, but I don’t think there is anything I can do. Since this was a handmade construction, the usual failsafe methods aren’t able to be used - whoever made this didn’t intend for it to come off unless you were dust,” he explained apologetically. 

You tried to force down the rising panic, but your crestfallen expression was obvious to everybody in the room. ‘Is there anyone else you know who might be able to help? If it came from a mafiafell verse, do you think maybe one of them could help?’

Red was the next to respond to that question. “They don’t do shit without compensation. Unless ya got a fuck ton of G, they probably won’t do shit for ya and even if they do, they’re known for trying ta fuck you over still.”

‘...Could I borrow some G?’

Red snorted. “Fuck no, but ya got guts for asking.”

A soft beeping from the scanner Sci had used earlier drew the scientists attention away from you and Red. Adjusting his glasses, he gave the device a thorough read, then muttered a quiet, “Oh, that’s surprising…”

‘What’s surprising?’ you signed, but he hadn’t looked up.

Red threw a paper plane at Sci, startling the scientist. “Ashe was askin’ ya something, ya big nerd,” he chortled.

Sci looked at you finally, and you signed the question a second time. He looked thoughtful in response. “It was just a tertiary scan. I think I've figured out a solution, but I'm not certain,” he explained. “Excuse me for just a moment while I make a call.”

Chapter 55: Important AN

Hello everybody!

I am writing this update to let you know that I will most likely be putting my account on hiatus. I am unsure of when, or if, I will return back to writing - I am working on new projects now, such as avatar and world creation for VR Chat, and I've also finally found a place with people who make me feel loved and supported.

I do still enjoy writing, but updates may take a significant amount of time, or may not happen at all. I'm not sure yet? I guess if an update happens, it happens. It won't be anywhere near as frequent as before if it does.

Thankyou all for being there and reading through what I write ♡

Chapter 56: Authors Note

Hi everyone.

With everything that is happening in the US, I have decided to go back to writing here on A03. I know that I have found comfort in reading stories when things were stressful: I am hoping that my stories can bring you that same comfort.

This is a terribly frightening time, and my heart goes out to everybody in America right now. Please look after one another. Check in on friends and family. Come up with plans for if you need to get out, create an emergency kit if you have the resources to do so. Do what you can to keep safe.

Above all, remember that you are loved.

I'll be working on chapter updates in the evening. It might be a little slow to start, but I'm hopeful for regular updates.

Chapter 57: Not So Thoughtless

AN: Sorry for taking so long with this update! I haven't been sleeping well, and some other things have been occupying my attention. I'll be updating this work and a few others, maybe once a week if I can manage it. Hope you are all looking after yourselves!

____

Ink’s POV

Ashe was safe for now. Ink had sent the small skeleton to ScienceTale - well, the actual name was ScientifiTale, but nobody but her seemed to really notice that little tidbit despite the vast differences between the two places. In fact, ScienceTale was an umbrella term at this point, just referring to any Undertale world variant with a more comprehensive understanding of technology and similar sciences. It disappointed her that even its own residents called it ScienceTale, but she knew it was fruitless to correct it.

Whilst her original plan was to confront Dream directly, to ask him all of the things that had been bothering her and convince him to give a proper answer for it all, she didn’t feel confident enough to do so. 

When did it become like this? Unable to talk to her own teammates, so often dismissed that she stopped asking things altogether? How long had it been since she even just had a normal conversation with the others, or sat down for a meal? Had it always been like this and she just didn't remember..?

The events of the day had left Ink in a much more thoughtful mood than she typically was. With her impulsive nature, it wasn’t often she let herself simply sit in the quiet, reflecting on the past and all the events that led to where she was now. She hated the silence, but right now, it was something she needed. Without the screaming creators, she could think for once. She didn't have to busy herself to block them out.

Truthfully, much of her memory was a blur. She didn’t remember how she came to exist, or even the centuries that came after, just fragments of the in-between. She knew of the constant fights against Error and the Nightmare Gang, but unless she wrote down details in her scarf for later, every fight kind of blurred together, to the point she often couldn’t quite remember whether she had won or lost to the other god.

She let her hands run over the smooth fabric of her kimono, a solemn expression tugging at her face. The patterns were just so beautiful, and somehow, the embroidery reminded her of Error. She knew he could probably create some beautiful things if he ever tried to, but doubted the destroyer would want to do anything more than break things apart. It just didn’t seem to be in his nature, just like destroying wasn’t in hers. 

She wondered why things had to be like that. Always fighting, always defending, always asking the same question; why? Why fight, why destroy, why do all these horrible things when you could simply sit in peace and enjoy what has been created?

Was this the will of the Creators? She always thought that Error and the Nightmare Gang were created as villains, to form a story for those above to enjoy, but wouldn’t they have gotten tired by such a thing? Over a millenia of trying to kill one another, neither side victorious, and what was even the point of it all? Just to repeat it over in a loop?

But the other Creators were gone now. It was just Ashe, and it hardly seemed like the little skeleton would want this war to wage endlessly. They were quiet, polite, far kinder than she would have ever expected from somebody hanging out with the Bad Sanses. 

...Did that mean she was misunderstanding something? If a creator was choosing the other side over hers, did that mean she was on the wrong side?

Her hands moved to her scarf, the golden cursive writing so far back that she had to remove it entirely to be able to see it. She always wondered where those notes came from - her own writing was, admittedly, more like chicken scratch. But the writing here was cursive, the gold ink almost shimmering in the light.

 'Sometimes your greatest enemies are not the ones you fight, but the ones that sit by your side posing as an ally, deceiving you the entire way. When your mind is finally clear, seek the tree. The apples have rot long ago.'

She... didn't know what that meant. Whenever she tried to remember, she had a blurred memory of gold wings, the feeling of warmth, but nothing else. When she tried to show Dream, once, ages ago, the other had tried to erase it from her scarf, saying it was probably just a mistake. 

She knew something had been wrong for a long time now, but it was only now dawning on her that she needed to seek an answer. And she needed to do it soon.

The falling of worlds had a terrible effect on her ; when a timeline fell, code would burn into her bones, leaving a blackened swirling pattern of digits. Her clothing hid it well, but so much of her body was tainted with the black now that it was getting difficult for her to hide. And, strangely, it was never the worlds lost when fighting Error, but worlds that seemed to just... disappear. The code would shine gold, then blacken, leaving a permanent reminder of places she was unable to save.

...She couldn’t talk to Dream. Not yet, not without having properly collected her own thoughts. He could be so very dismissive and, well, maybe she was procrastinating just a little bit. She knew she could theoretically talk to Blueberry – or whatever their name was - but she had been uncomfortable with the swap for a while.

Nothing was wrong with him, it just… wasn’t the same skeleton she knew. She was sure he was replaced, because this swap was so much more forgiving and strategic and understanding, whereas the old was just hyperactive and impulsive. No matter how many times Dream denied it, Ink knew better. It was written in the small skeleton’s very code, differences too strong for them to be one in the same.

At first, she thought the note might mean him. An enemy disguised as a friend.. but he was so kind, and it just. Didn't seem right.

She obviously couldn’t talk to Error, or Nightmare, or even Nightmare’s gang, but… perhaps there was somebody she could talk to. Somebody who was close to them, who knew more about them than the average multiverse traveller, and Ink knew just who that person was.

Forming a portal for herself out of her inky black paint, she slipped through, reappearing at a more distant part of the Omega Timeline. This area was for those from rougher timelines, usually sent here for their own protection, but there was a particular household she had in mind.

Walking up the few short steps to the front door, she knocked loudly against the wood, waiting to hear movement from inside. At first, there was nothing, just silence, and she faltered, beginning to consider if it was a good idea to do this. What if he lied to her? What if he tried to confuse her more, to make things harder to figure out?

But… Blue always said it was important to listen to both sides of the story. And, well, she had never really done that. She had been so sure that she was right, that Dream was too, that she never considered that she was the one at fault. 

The door opened with a creek, revealing a tall Papyrus who sat in a wheelchair, knitted blanket over his legs (or, rather, lack of).

“Hey Sugar,” Ink let out softly, eyelights settling on the Horrortale variant with determination. “That offer you made a few years back… is it still open?”

 

Chapter 58: Rotten Apples

Ashes PoV

Left alone with the fell skeleton once more, you found yourself inundated with the anxiety of not knowing what the future held. Would Sci have an answer for removing the collar that itched on your throat? If he couldn't help, then what would you do? Where would you go? 

You missed Horror and the others…

“Hey. Dontcha look so glum,” Red let out somewhat nervously, shifting his weight as though uncertain on how to approach the situation. “I'm sure we can figure somethin’ out. And if Sci ain't able tah, I'll help yer as best I can, ‘kay?”

You looked to the skeleton with uncertainty, but his expression seemed to promise that he would not leave the situation unfixed. You weren't really sure what was motivating him, but maybe you didn't need to know that to trust him.

Pulling your hands away from fidgeting with your poncho, you slowly begun to sign. ‘...Who do you think Sci is calling?’ 

Red gave a casual shrug, shoving his hands into the pockets of his shorts. “Dunno. Sci tenda ta be pretty neutral n’ shit, coul’ be anyone,” he let out. “Fuck, ‘e could be callin’ Fresh for all I know.” Hs visibly shuddered at that.

‘Is something wrong with Fresh?’

“...He's just freaky,” he shrugged, seeming to try and play off the comment as something that wasn't serious. “Er. How bout I get yer some water or somethin’ ta drink? Bet ya haven't had a chance ta just sit n’ chill fer a while,” he redirected.

You nodded. The labs were definitely quite warm, to the point you wondered how Red walked around in a fur-lined leather jacket, and Sci with a sweater and labcoat. They must have been used to the heat.

“Sci has a big ol’ water filter ‘round ‘ere somewhere. Gimme like five an’ I'll be back with some for ya.”

“I'M GOING TO GO WITH HIM. I WANT TO MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T PUT ANYTHING IN YOUR DRINK, I DO NOT TRUST THIS SANS YET,” Spooky contributed. You didn't think Red would actually do anything, but gave a small nod. Maybe this was just his way of keeping you safe.

With that, the two left the room. You might have been the only one here who knew about Spooky, but you did see how Red looked around at times as though paranoid of being watched. Maybe Spooky couldn't fully hide his presence from everybody.

It was only after he was gone that you realised his magic had a scent to it. It was kind of sweet, like cranberries maybe. It reminded you of Blue, though you'd describe his more as mulberries. 

You absentmindedly scratched at the metal on your throat. Did everybody's magic had a scent? You wondered what yours would smell like to others.

It was only a few minutes later that the sound of movement caught your attention. You moved your eyes awa from the wall expecting to see Red, only to pale when you saw who was standing at the doorframe.

You recognised that sickeningly sweet aura anywhere.

“There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you,” Dream hummed out. "I was beginning to think I would have to search the entire multiverse to find you! Imagine my surprise when Sci gave me a call!"

Though his smile never dropped for even a second, the sweetness in his voice seemed all too forced, and you could see the anger in his eyes. 

You felt your soul sink in your chest. Sci had called him here? Did…did that mean Sci was sided with Dream? Was Red sided with him too? 

You were on your feet in a matter of seconds, backing away from the golden skeleton. It didn't take long for your back to hit a wall of machinery, leaving you with nowhere to turn to.

His expression soured at your actions, at your refusal to do what he wanted, but quickly turned back to that smile when Sci entered the room momentarily.

 “Thanks for coming, Dream. I don't know who would have made such an awful device, but it looks like you should be able to remove it with your magic,” Sci hummed tiredly, eyes never moving from the paperwork in his handsedlI'll leave you two be, I am much overdue for a rest. I'm practically a dead man walking at this rate…” he concluded with a yawn.

“Oh, I'm sure we won't need you. Go get some rest. Besides, Ashe and I need to have a little chat,” the guardian let out. His grin may as well have been a mask with how fake it was.

Something about his aura felt twisted. Opressive. It was positive, but in a way that made your bones itch. You wanted nothing more than to run, but you were frozen wherr you stood, not even able to turn to Sci.

“Alright. You know how to reach me if you need me,” Sci let out, all too oblivious to your panic.

You gave a pleading expression to the scientist, but he had already left, never having even noticed that something was terirbly wrong.

Now it was just you and Dream.

You felt sick. You thought you had finally been freed from the guardian, that you might be able to get rid of this awful collar and finally get home, but here you were, face to face with Dream once more.

Dream's smile fell the moment you were both alone. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. I'm very disappointed in you, Ashe,” the golden skeleton let out lowly. “Running away when I so graciously offered you a chance to be better? And putting all those silly ideas into Ink's head? You really have been such a nuisance.”

You felt your soul sink further at his words. 

“What, you didn't think somebody would tell me what happened in the Omega timeline?" He scoffed. "Ink is soulless. He can't be trans, or whatever nonsense you tricked him into believing, because he's not even a real person,” the other let out.

‘You're wrong! Ink is a person just as much as anybody else-’ you begun to sign, only for his hands to forcibly clasp over yours to physically prevent you from signing.

You felt like your voice was stolen away from you. Dream was making it clear that your words didn't matter, that nothing you would say would have any effect.

With his body now so close to you, it suddenly dawned on you what his magic smelled like. Beneath the sweetness of positivity, there was the clear scent of decay. Of rotting apples.

“I gave you a chance, Ashe, but you threw it away. I can't risk overloading this universe until it breaks--” what did that even mean? “--so I guess this is where you and the fell you had spy on our little conversation have a ‘little accident,’” he whispered close to your ear.

Before you could react to what was happening or ask what Dream had meant, gold magic formed at your feet. As you fell through the golden portal, you heard the startled swearing of Red immediately after; it seemed you had both been thrown into a portal to endless black.

You couldn't even cry out as you fell.

Chapter 59: Void

AN: The tropical cyclone is meant to hit in the morning. We haven't had one in fifty years, so there's been a lot of panic buying and whatnot. Its only a category two and I should be safe from the floods etc. My chronic pain ahs been pretty bad lately though, which has made it difficult getting through each day. It looks like updates will probably be every month or two, not weekly like I had been wanting :T

_____

Red’s POV

The Fell skeleton was an expert at moving around undetected, and at eavesdropping on conversations without being noticed. They were skills that were absolutely necessary to his survival in a kill-or-be-killed timeline, and thus, ones that he had learned to develop even as a young child. Whilst not usually needed outside of his home, there were a few occasions they still came in useful.

He had admittedly missed the first part of the conversation, having genuinely gone to collect water for Ashe, but he had heard enough to know that Dream had exposed himself as something far from the perfect image he presented to the public. No, Dream was twisted, and the mention of overloading timelines instantly made him realise that Dream was the one behind certain timelines suddenly disappearing - not Error, like the Council tried to have him believe.

It seemed he had forgotten Dream’s aura-sensing capabilities though, and it was only when the gold portal emerged beneath his feet that he realised he had been caught.Swearing loudly, he reactively tried to grasp anything around him, to slow his descent into the black, but there was nothing to grab, nothing to stop him from falling into the void below.

It didn’t take him long to notice Ashe falling only seconds later, a slightly slower descent than his own, but still falling nonetheless. The two skeletons plummeted down into an infinite black, a place that Red was all too familiar with from his research into the core, from his experience with shortcuts.

This was The Void.

“Fuckin’ fuck, fuck, fuck!” Red let out in a yell, gritting his teeth and immediately flaring his magic in retaliation. He was running entirely off panic, not knowing if anything he was about to try would work but not having enough time to think things through. Instinct had stopped him getting killed in the past, and it was all he could rely on now too.

His gravity manipulation was enough to pull Ashe towards him, so the two could hold eachother as they fell. If he were to do anything, he had to make sure Ashe was with him, as he certainly wasn’t going to leave the odd little sans-type behind. If they were going to escape, it would be together,

Red’s magic sparked and fizzled when he tried to teleport them, like fire being drowned by water, and every attempt that came seemed worse than the last. His LV-filled magic was like a lighter sparking uselessly in the wind, the red leaving literal sparkes in the air as they fell.

He tried to teleport over and over, to get them to anywhere other than here, but it felt as though the void was pulling them further into it, like the inky blackness had already grasped them both and refused to let go.

Still, Red had to try something, anything. Everybody knew how dangerous the void was, that it literally pulled you apart by your very code, but Red wasn’t willing to go down so easily. He wasn’t going to die, not today, not like this, Dream be damned!

Ashe’s bones were warm against him, which allowed some reprieve from the icy coldness all around them, helped him to keep grounded. He’d have to check later if the other had a fever, it wasn’t normal for skeletons to be so physically warm to the tough, but right now certainly was not the time for such things.

“Fuck! My magic ain’t workin!” he yelled to Ashe, his voice barely audible over the roaring wind all around them. It almost sounded as though the wind itself were made of whispers, overlapping and impossible to make out, as though every bit of void around them was alive.

He knew that Ashe couldn’t teleport them out, either, since the other still had a magic restrictor preventing them from using any of their magic. It was certainly a bad situation, and Red was beginning to wonder if it was too late for an escape.

A tug on his jacket had him look down to Ashe, who was still held to his chest. The skeleton pointed to the blackness and signed a single world. ‘Gaster.’

Red let out an involuntary shiver. Each timeline had its own Gaster, and each Gaster had fallen into the void, forever scattered between time and space. They were a mysterious figure that typically only Sans types remembered, but those memories were less than pleasant for most.

But why was Ashe pointing? There was nothing in the blackness around them, yet Ashe’s expression was stern, insistent.

“What are ya tryin’ ta tell me, kid? I ain’t seein’ nothin’,” he half-yelled over the roaring whispers.

‘Gaster is offering his timeline as sanctuary. Can’t you see him?’ Ashe signed quickly, some of the words not quite coming through but enough that Red was able to discern most of it. ‘Try to shortcut to MafiaFell. He and the other Gaster’s are offering their magic to boost yours.’

“I ain’t got a clue what yer meanin’ by that, but it ain’t gonna hurt ta try,” Red grumbled as he tried to use his magic once again. Mafiafell, he repeated in his mind over and over, not actually sure if that would influence anything he did. After all, he did not know how to teleport through timelines, having only been able to get to Sci through either borrowed gadgets or help from a hyperactive Ink.

Unlike before, his magic seemed to stabilise, no longer dissolving into the blackness. His reserves were suddenly overflowing, his ability to shortcut suddenly sparking to life. Whatever Ashe did - or the Gasters, he supposed - was working.

Red barely had a chance to express his surprise before the both of them were thrown into the freezing cold of another timeline, the icy snow cushioning their fall but not enough to prevent Red letting out a groan of discomfort.

They were free from the void, but that didn’t mean this place was safe. There was no way in hell Red would trust his own Gaster, so he was certainly cautious of this apparently helpful Gaster getting them here, but even if it were a trap, this was certainly better than the Void.

 

Chapter 60: MafiaFell

Ashe's POV

You weren't really sure how long the two of you had been falling into the void for, just that when you finally landed in the snow with Red's arms still wrapped around you, you were both left winded.

It didn't take much for you to realise that Red had shielded you from the worst of the fall, leaving him groaning as he pulled himself into a sitting position. He guided you to be seated as well, taking a moment to examine you for any injuries as you struggled to catch your breath.

Everything had been so sudden. In this moment of quietness, all the emotions that hadn't had a chance to be processed came flooding through you, grief and fear and overwhelm all clouding your senses.

Dream had tried to kill you. He had tried to kill Red. He had tried to throw you both into the void, where not even your dust would ever be seen. Had it worked, nobody would have ever even known what had happened to either of you.

Your soul sunk within your chest, bones trembling lightly. Somehow, the threat that Dream posed felt more real now. It was no longer just words intended to make you question your entire sense of reality, no longer that manipulative aura to force you to listen when you desperately wanted to block him out. 

Dream was dangerous.

You swallowed hard, looking around to find Spooky. You needed him to be there with you, staying by your side and reassuring you that everything would be alright. You needed him to remind you that you weren't alone, that he cared. But… He wasn't here.

You curled in on yourself. You didn't want to be alone! Spooky was everything to you, and you didn't want to be without him for even a moment. Throughout your entire lifeline as a Sans, you had never been separated from your sibling. Sure, he would wander off, but he was always close by, and he always came to you when you needed him.

Red picked up on your distress almost instantly, moving closer and gently pulling you to his chest. Your bones trembled, tears streaming down your skull, but he just held you, gentle yet firm, his cranberry smell of intent flowing all around you with SAFE-CALM-PROTECTED. 

“Yer alrigh’, Ashe, jus’ breathe, will ya?” He soothed, one hand gently patting your back. It was rhythmic, grounding almost.

You tried to focus on your breathing, to stop the hiccups and calm, but it wasn't working. ‘S-spooky isn't here, he's not here, he's supposed to be here–’ you signed frantically.

“Ashe,” he began again, gently pressing his hands to your skull to make you look at him, to focus. “Breathe. Jus’ follow me. In ‘n out. In n’ out… thats righ’... in n’ out…”

The two of you stayed like that for a little while, you struggling to match his calmer breathing but slowly becoming less distressed the longer you did so. Red was patient, calm, never rushing you.

“...Who were ya meanin’ by Spooky?” He asked as you finally begun to calm.

‘My brother's ghost. He follows me everywhere but he's not here…’ your hands were still shaky, but the signs weren't as frantic as before.

“...Then he's probably with Sci, righ'?” Red reasoned. 

You felt as if your mind went blank for a moment. It was a logical conclusion - if Spooky was with you when you were at the labs, then it would make sense he would still be there if he wasn't with you now. 

‘I'm sorry I didn't tell you about him. I wanted to make sure you were both safe and–’

“Nah, yer fine,” he let out with a lopsided grin. “I think I coul’ feel ‘im following me around. Seemed harmless enough though so I didn't think it worth mentionin’ anythin’,” he admitted.

You nodded, still focusing on your breathing as you fidgeted with the various buttons on your scarf. ‘...Will sci be mad?’

“Pffft, nah, dont yer worry about Sci. That dork won't hurt yer bro or anythin' by the way, he's more likely tah try ‘n talk ‘is ear off ‘bout his weird science theories,” he continued to soothe. 

You nodded, still taking deep breaths to try and stay calm. Red using logic helped to quiet the anxious thoughts.

“I know its hard bein’ away from ya bro. Its gonna be alrigh’, though. It ain't forever, jus’ fer now,” he grinned. “And ya got me, so yer aint alone, alrigh?”

You gave another little nod. Your hand absentmindedly brushed over the cold metal of the whistle that had been hidden beneath your scarf. You had a feeling that somehow the gaster who helped you was drawn to it even though you hadn't used it. 

Or was it possible that you had managed to do so subconsciously? Nightmare did explain how it relied on magic, so it wasn't unreasonable to think so. Maybe it'd be useful here too?

‘...Are we in MafiaFell?’ you asked after the silence began to linger. You were calm now, so Red had given you a little more space, but he still stayed close to you.

Red took a moment to stretch, joints letting out soft pops as he did so. “Probably, looks like the outskirts 'a town,” he confirmed. “We shoul’ assume it MafiaFell ‘til we see somethin’ that suggests otherwise. Better safe than tah fuck up,” he huffed.

You don't think that's how the saying was supposed to go, but you agree despite that. Its best to be cautious just in case.

“Dream probably thinks we're dead, so its best tah keep a low profile. Th' local Sans might be willin' tah help with yer collar. But yer gonna have ta take my lead with stuff,” he explained.

You don't necessarily agree, but you wanted to better understand what he had meant by taking his lead with things. ‘What do you mean?'

“Since yer a Dusty variant, yer not gonna be familiar with how shit ‘ere works. I ain't from a mob timeline, but I sure as fuck know how Fellverses work,” he let out.

You found yourself reminded of the fight you had in Underfell, where you burned down some of the houses. You hadn't had much of a chance to see how it differed from your own timeline. Less dusty, obviously, but you had a feeling there was a lot more you didn't know.

“If yer aint enough of an asshole, yer gonna get taken advantage of, but if yer too much of an asshole, yer gonna get yerself dusted. An since this is a mafiafell, everybody is bound tah be inta shady shit, and is gonna assume we are too.”

You supposed that made sense.

“This place aint safe if yer haven't grown up with this shit. My Bro and I got real good at it - its, er, psychology? Matching body language, but not overdoin’ it, n’ being real careful with wording, shit like that. I might have ta make shit up, or be an absolute prick, but its ta blend in an’ keep us safe. I am going ta keep yer safe, okay? Yer just need ta trust me.”

‘I trust you’, you signed, and you did. Red had done so much to try and protect you, both falling in the void and when you got out. 

“Then lets find a place to rest fer now. Bet there's a shitty motel ‘ere somewhere,” he chuckled. “Then we can talk more ‘bout a plan on what ta do next.”

Chapter 61: Sugar

Ink's POV

Although Ink always portrayed herself as having boundless confidence, she couldn't help the uncertainty that bubbled in her chest. 

It had been years now since Dream had insisted upon Sugar's ‘rescue’.

They had learned of the skeleton staying in a FarmTale timeline, one they guessed was unaware of Sugar's association with Horror and thus Nightmare. The two Star Sanses took Sugar whilst the skeleton was rather ill, having snuck into the timeline at the dead of night. 

Dream's sleep magic had come useful then, and even though Ink had never felt right about taking Sugar away from where he was clearly happy, Dream's talk of manipulation and brainwashing had made Ink go along with the plan despite not really wanting to do so.

Sugar’s past history of starvation  had made his bones very brittle and prone to breaking. It was an accident on Dream's part that had broken the tall skeletons legs, or at least, Ink had hoped it was that, not wanting to consider the possibility that it had been intentional.

The dust left behind hadn't been the initial plan. The Farmtale brothers that Sugar had simply dusted from illness when they stumbled across the pile of glittering grey. 

Now faced with Sugar once more, Ink had expected Sugar to be bitter, to be full of resentment. Much to her shock, the other was warm and inviting, smiling gently at her.

“LETS TALK INSIDE,” Sugar let out as he ushered Ink into his house.

The house that Sugar was living in was quaint. A small little place, only really suitable for a single person to live in, but holding everything a person would need.

Ink wasn't fully certain of what to expect, but she was almost startled at how bare this place was. There were no decorations, no photos, nothing that showed this place was anything more than a temporary refuge.

What happened to all of the things Ink had gifted to the other? She distinctly remembered using her paint to make all sorts of decorations… Did Sugar not like them? Or had… Or had Dream lied about passing them along to him..?

She forced that thought from her mind, taking the seat that was gestured for her to sit in. It was in the little kitchenette type area, just a small table to fit the owner and a single guest.

“I KNOW WE DID NOT LEAVE ON GOOD TERMS. I STILL DON'T THINK TAKING ME HERE WAS RIGHT, BUT I KNOW YOU MEANT WELL,” Sugar began, somewhat leading the conversation.

Ink was thankful to not be the first to speak. “...I still don't really understand why you wanted to stay with Horror so badly,” she let out.

“I KNOW YOU HAVE YOUR… PROBLEMS… WITH MY BROTHER AND HIS FRIENDS,” Sugar let out, not allowing for the silence to linger for too long. His hands brushed passed several labelled jars upon the counter before settling on one labelled ‘coffee’, the whistle of the kettle signifying the water ready for using.

“Why wouldn't I have a problem with them? You know what Nightmare does-”

“I DO,” Sugar interjected calmly. “BUT, INK, I DON'T THINK YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT HE'S DOING.”

“That's not–” Ink yelled out in response, entirely ready to argue with the other like she had when they first met, but she forced herself to stop.

Ink had been so sure of everything that she never really listened when things opposed her view. She had been too defensive, too stubborn, too caught up with what she thought was an indisputable truth.

She had to think of Ashe. The smaller skeleton clearly had faith in Nightmare and the gang, and knowing how sweet Ashe was, she wanted to at least understand why.

She swallowed her words, frowning at the floor in the momentary silence. She had never truly gotten a satisfying answer as to why Nightmare and his gang did what they did. She had to take that chance now, and she wouldn't let her stubbornness dissuade her from figuring out the truth.

Sugar remained silent, watching the subtle expressions Ink made as she sorted through her thoughts. He would give her as much time as she needed; truthfully, he hadn't expected her to ever be willing to talk, yet here she was, trying to be open to what he had to say.

He couldn't help but wonder what had changed for Ink to be here now.

“I'm… sorry,” Ink finally let out.

“...FOR WHAT ITS WORTH, I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE SO DEFENSIVE,” Sugar responded as she heaped sugar into the second cup. He liked his coffees bitter and black, but knew Ink's drinks were usually more sugar than anything else. “YOU'VE BELIEVED THINGS TO BE A CERTAIN WAY FOR AS LONG AS YOU HAVE BEEN ALIVE. IT CAN BE… SCARY… WHEN THAT VIEW IS CHALLENGED.”

Sugar passed over the steaming porcelain cup to the artist, then moved his wheelchair so the two would be facing opposite of eachother at the little circular table. 

“I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO BELIEVE EVERYTHING I HAVE TO SAY. YOU SHOULD FORM YOUR OWN THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS,” he explained. “BUT IF YOU NEVER LISTEN TO OTHERS, NEVER QUESTION YOUR OWN BELIEFS, THEN THE TRUTH CAN BECOME OBSCURED.”

Ink hadn't expected the other to be so reasonable. Part of her thought this might end up in a screaming match, or that it would go nowhere at all. But… Sugar seemed like he understood. She didn't know how to feel about that.

Sugar finally sat at the table, a dark coffee close to him and the other - milk and probably half a cup of sugar - to Ink. She found her hands holding onto the ceramic gently, comforted by its warmth. Taking a sip to calm her nerves, she was surprised it was so accurate to her tastes. How did Sugar know how he liked coffee, when Dream hadn't figured it out even after centuries of being friends?

“...How come you stayed in HorrorTale for all those years? How come you supported your brother, even when he became one of Nightmare's crew?” Ink let out softly, her gaze shifting to her cup. “I want to understand.”

Chapter 62: Realisations

AN: April fools! You get a double update with Ink and Sugar instead of a trick <3 

--------

Ink's POV 

Ink listened to the other carefully, careful not to spill her warm drink in the occassional sips she took.

“I STAYED IN HORRORTALE BECAUSE IT'S MY HOME. IT MIGHT NOT BE AS… NICE… AS OTHER TIMELINES, BUT IT WAS GETTING BETTER.”

Her expression contorted from confusion to curiosity. “Better? What do you mean by that?” 

“WE STARTED PLANTING CROPS WITH HELP FROM FARMTALE. WE GOT WEEKLY FOOD HAMPERS FROM NEIGHBORING TIMELINE. EVEN MAFIATALE STARTED TO HELP MAKE SURE NOBODY WAS FIGHTING ANYMORE, EVEN IF THEY WERE A BIT STRICT AT FIRST,” Sugar explained, taking a sip of his coffee. “SOMETIMES THINGS TAKE WORK TO BE BETTER, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN ITS NOT WORTH DOING.”

Ink hadn't known any of that before. She had spent her life focusing on the good timelines, on places that were happy and stable, mostly because Dream insisted that anything negative or ‘bad’ couldn't be fixed and wasn't worth their time.

But… HorrorTale was getting better? Ink didn't even know that was a possibility. Even without Ink intervening, HorrorTale was getting access to sustainable sources of food, hampers, and help to stop fights. They had managed all this, and Ink had never even noticed. It was… Eye opening.

Had Ink been focusing on the wrong timelines all along? She frowned at that thought, hands trembling lightly in frustration. Why had she been wasting so much time in ‘positive’ timelines making sure everybody's frivolous wants were met, when places like HorrorTale desperately needed the help? What other places had she been neglecting, places where she could make a real difference?

“...How did that all that happen?” Ink finally asked. “HorrorTale doesn't have the resources to talk to other timelines…”

“NIGHTMARE.”

It was a simple answer, but one that confused her even further. “Why would Nightmare do that? I don't understand. The star sanses should have been helping, and I know now we failed at that, but… Nightmare? Why?”

“I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN TOLD ABOUT THE BALANCE DURING FIGHTS,” Sugar let out. Ink had to stop herself from physically recoiling. “BUT HAS ANYBODY EXPLAINED IT TO YOU PROPERLY?”

Ink hesitated, then shook her head. It was a concept that had been brought up time and time again during the fights, yet one that Dream always shut down without hesitation. But… Dream wasn't here. It was just Ink and Sugar.

“SO THE EMOTION BALANCE. THINK OF IT THIS WAY. IF THERE WAS ONLY POSITIVE EMOTIONS, THAT WOULD SEEM LIKE A GOOD THING, RIGHT?”

“Right,” She confirmed, though her skepticism was clear. Still, she reigned in her doubts and stayed as open minded as she could.

“NOW THINK OF IT THIS WAY. IF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED, WOULD YOU WANT TO FEEL POSITIVE?”

Ink hesitated. She wasn't really sure how to answer that. “I… Guess not?”

“LETS SAY SOMEBODY HURT YOU. IF THEY FELT HAPPY INSTEAD OF APOLOGETIC OR GUILTY, WHAT WOULD MAKE THEM WANT TO STOP? AND IF YOU WERE HURT, BUT COULD ONLY FEEL HAPPY, WOULD YOU EVEN TRY TO PROTECT YOURSELF?”

Framing each example in such a clear yet simple way, her mind started making other connections too. If positive emotions were the only good ones, then why did she still use her negative paints? Colors like purple and cyan and white? Why did it feel so wrong if she purposefully tried to use the wrong paints?

That was not something that she had ever considered before. 

“NEGATIVE EMOTIONS AREN'T ALWAYS BAD. SOMETIMES THEY'RE THERE TO TELL US WE DID SOMETHING WRONG,” he continued. “SOMETIMES THEY ARE THERE TO KEEP US SAFE. IF YOU WEREN'T SCARED OF PAIN, YOU MIGHT IGNORE SOMETHING DANGEROUS AND GET HURT. IF YOU DIDN'T FEEL GUILT, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW TO APOLOGISE FOR SOMETHING YOU'VE DONE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?”

It did. It made so much sense that Ink regretted not listening earlier on. How could she have been so misguided?

Dream had spent so long convincing Ink day after day that the balance didn't exist, that it was just the excuse of a sadistic murderer to keep causing pain. He always insisted that positivity was inherently good, and negativity inherently bad….

But with it broken down like this, Ink understood it from a new perspective. Even with Ink's complicated understanding of the emotional spectrum, she was beginning to realise things weren't so black and white. There was no bad emotion or good emotion, just emotions that matched the circumstances.

“So… If there is this balance that needs to be kept why does Nightmare cause so much destruction?”

“THE ISSUE IS THAT THERE'S TOO MUCH POSITIVITY IN GOOD TIMELINES. THEY BECOME COMPLACENT STOP PRIORITISING NEEDS OVER WANTS. NIGHTMARE MAKES DESTRUCTION IN THOSE TIMELINES TO TRY AND FORCE IT TO REBALANCE.”

That seemed like a logical explanation to her. With how often Dream went out to spread positivity, it made sense Nightmare would have to do a lot more to make up for the balance shift. It… Also explained why Nightmare did a lot less whenever Dream was too injured from a fight to visit other timelines. And why Nightmare never actually took over timelines despite clearly having the power to absolutely mess them up far worse.

“THEN THE BAD TIMELINES ARE TOO NEGATIVE. YOU PROBABLY DON'T SEE IT, BUT NIGHTMARE GOES TO THEM AND TRIES TO HELP. HE CAN'T MAKE POSITIVITY LIKE DREAM CAN, BUT HE CAN HELP GIVE PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS SO WE CAN FIND OUR OWN HAPPINESS.”

“Like… HorrorTale?” Ink let out, although she ready knew the answer.

“LIKE HORRORTALE,” He confirmed.

There was a long silence after that with Ink contemplating deeply. Her thoughts were a spiraling mess. She was conflicted, feeling thankful she finally understood but feeling guilty she hadn't listened much sooner. Could all of this have been resolved had she just been more open minded?

No, she realised. There was another piece to all this; Dream.

“...Why does Dream say there is no balance? He has been pretty intent on killing Nightmare for as far back as I can remember. But… wouldn't killing Nightmare make the balance really hard to maintain?”

Sugar hesitated. “DREAM… ISN'T AS NICE AS HE SEEMS,” he let out, voice quieter. “MY LEGS DIDN'T DUST BECAUSE THEY WERE BRITTLE. DREAM DUSTED THEM ON PURPOSE TO MAKE HORROR THINK I WAS DEAD.”

Ink choked on the sip she had taken of her sugar-coffee, clearly startled by the admission of the other. “He what? Are you - are you sure it wasn't an accident? He wouldn't …” she trailed off. The truth was, she wasn't as surprised as she felt she should have been. She could… she could imagine Dream doing worse. Maybe he had done worse.

“DREAM WAS FRUSTRATED THAT HORRORTALE WAS GETTING HELP INSTEAD OF BEING IGNORED. HE WANTED TO GET BACK AT HORROR BECAUSE HE DIDN'T THINK MY BROTHER'S TIMELINE DESERVED TO GET BETTER.”

Ink had fallen silent. She was learnihg so much from a single conversation, and although she needed to know, some tiny part of her wished it weren't all so hevay in her chest.

“THAT'S PART OF WHY HE WAS BANNED FROM THE OMEGA TIMELINE,” he continued after giving spme time for the information to sink in. “HE ALSO TREATED CORE VERY POORLY. HE PUT WAY TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON THEM - THEY'RE STILL JUST A KID - AND WHEN THEY STARTED STRUGGLING UNDER THE PRESSURE OF IT ALL, DREAM BLAMED THEM INSTEAD OF HELPING.”

“Wait, Dream said we were both banned. He always said it was my fault, but wouldn't tell me what I did wrong…”

“THEN HE LIED,” Sugar let out, voice firm. “DREAM WAS THE ONLY ONE BANNED. THE COUNCIL IS ALSO SEMI-BANNED UNTIL THE OMEGA TIMELINE OFFICIALS CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO TALK TO THEM. ER, THE OFFICIALS WERE MADE SO CORE CAN JUST BE A NORMAL KID, THEY'RE MOSTLY PAPYRUSES WHO HAVE WANTED TO BE MORE INVOLVED.”

Stars, this was all so much to take in. “What about Error?”

“I… DON'T KNOW AS MUCH A OUT HIM,” Sugar admitted. “NIGHTMARE SAYS YOU AND ERROR HAVE A BALANCE, BUT I THINK YOU'D HAVE TO ASK ERROR YOURSELF.”

She wasn't so sure about talking to Error. As far as she knew, he was batshit insane, but then again, maybe there was more to it.

“I… I'm going to talk to Nightmare. It seems like I have been wrong about a lot of things… Would he even let me without trying to kill me? I mean, I have been trying to kill him for centuries, so I'm not sure I'd trust me either,” she rambled out.

“NIGHTMARE IS VERY REASONABLE. IF YOU TELL HIM YOU WANT TO TALK, I'M SURE HE WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE,” Sugar let out.

“Oh! That… reminds me. I have a really old note from somebody. It says to meet them at the tree when my mind is clear and - well, it mentioned apples, so I think it might mean DreamTale?” she explained, removing her scarf to reread the cursive gold. “Do you think this was left by Nightmare..?”

Sugar took a moment to look over the text, phalanges gently brushing against the fine cursive. “IT LOOKS A BIT LIKE HOW HE WRITES, BUT THE GOLD COLORING DOESN'T SEEM LIKE SOMETHING HE'D USE,” the papyrus type admitted. “IT ALSO LOOKS PRETTY OLD, SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'D FIND ANYTHING THERE. EXCEPT MAYBE NIGHTMARE, I SUPPOSE.”

“Oh…” Ink let out, somewhat disappointed. He wasn't sure who else could have possibly written it down. “Well, I guess that still works out. I need to talk to Nightmare. I don't… I don't know how I'll face Dream after all this. I can't believe I trusted him so blindly…”

“WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES,” Sugar comforted.

“Speaking of, I… When I talk to Nightmare, I'll tell him you are alive and safe. I'll help you get home. Just, er… the Omega Timeline seems like the safest place until then. But I promise I'll get you home. I guess our 'rescue' was really just kidnapping...”

“I BELIEVE YOU, INK,” Sugar hummed with a smile. “YOU'VE ALWAYS MEANT WELL. IT TAKES A LOT TO ADMIT YOU WERE WRONG.”

Ink smiled. “Stay safe while I'm gone, Sugar," she let out, slipping through a new portal as she ventured to her next destination: Dreamtale.

Chapter 63: Proof

Sci’s POV

‘I'm so sorry, Sci.’

Those words lingered in Sci's mind.

‘I tried to save them, but I was too late. They - they fell into The Core…’

Sci frowned. As much as he feigned understanding Dream's dismay, the moment the guardian left from the laboratory, Sci immediately went to examine his machinery.

As much as Sci wanted to trust Dream, there was a sick feeling that sat within his soul. He knew that things didn't add up the moment the other told his story of what happened, that it couldn't have possibly been a simple accident.

Sci and his timeline had been exposed to the greater multiverse very early in its years. Being one of the first alternate universes to exist, it had seen the more excitable years of Ink, when the protector had been so very curious and not at all careful with the information she had shared.

He knew the fate of the Gaster's long before his own royal scientist had fallen into The Core to be scattered amongst time and space. Armed with that knowledge, he had made some significant modifications to their version of The Core to prevent such a disaster from ever occuring.

There were several alarm systems that would activate if anybody was in danger. There was an emergency teleportation field that would take anything that fell to safety. There were so many different safety measures that had been put into place, so that if one were to fail, countless others would take its place.

This was not something he shared with Dream, or really anybody at all. When his Gaster retired with no threat to his safety, helping to look after the still-babybones Papyrus, Sci feared that he would be seen as paranoid.

Sci typed into the monitor, clicking past various reports to check the status of The Core. Not a single safeguard had been triggered. Either this was sabotage, which seemed more than unlikely, or…. Or Dream was lying.

“All the failsafe measures are still in place. Not even the basic alarm was tripped,” he murmured to himself as he readjusted his glasses, reading over graphs and code and obscure writings. 

His totally-coffee-not-vodka had been abandoned on a pile of scattered paperwork, but for once, he felt completely sober. Everything he was reading was leading to the same conclusion.

Not only that, but one of the devices intended to monitor magic output had detected a very large spike of magic - an amount he knew was typical for portal creation. The timing lined up perfectly with when Sci had left Dream and Ashe alone.

He looked up to the camera hidden in this room. He examined the footage from them so rarely that he had almost forgotten they has even existed. Maybe it was overkill, having all these things in place, but when you are awake for countless days without sleep, the paranoia can become pretty intense. And right now, he was thankful for that.

Sci went over to the camera and started pulling it down. It had a closed circuit system, meaning it didn't connect to the internet and thus was harder to mess with. The footage only lasted 48 hours before automatically erasing, but that was more than enough time to capture what happened.

The footage showed everything. There was no denying it, especially when all the other evidence proved it couldn't have possibly been falsified. 

“Dream… Dream was the one who opened up the void,” he murmured in disbelief. “Even without audio, its clear what happened… fuck…”

The sound of something falling and shattering caused the scientist to turn around quickly, his laboratory coat almost getting caught as he did so.

“NYEH! THAT ROTTEN LEMON TRIED TO KILL ASHE AND EDGY SANS!” Spooky exclaimed, throwing his gloved hands into the air dramatically. “HOW DARE HE SEPARATE ME FROM MY BROTHER!? ASHE NEEDS ME! HMPH.”

“Fuck, how drunk am I?” Sci let out as he stared at the other, orbs narrowing as he tried to figure out who this ghastly skeleton was and how long they had been there. They did refer to Ashe as their brother, so had the papyrus type been here the whole time?

“DRUNK? THAT MUST HAVE BEEN WHY YOUR COFFEE WAS DISGUSTING,” the spirit rambled. “WHICH I BROKE. THE CUP, I MEAN. BY ACCIDENT. BLAME THE ROTTEN LEMON, HE DESERVES IT.”

Sci looked briefly over to the broken remnants of his mug, cringing at how many pages beneath it had become soaked. Though the current situation took priority, he did quickly try to rescue the drenched papers. “Rotten lemon? Wait, do you mean Dream..?”

“OBVIOUSLY!” The Papyrus type responded.

Despite the horrific appearance of the other, their magic smelt of dark oak, reminding him of a cozy campfire roasting marshmallows in its warmth. It was a weird mix of scary yet comforting.

“Did you… see what happened?”

“ROTTEN LEMONFACE MADE A PORTAL TO THE VOID UNDER EDGY SANS AND ASHE,” they reiterated. “HE WAS DEFINITELY TRYING TO KILL THEM. BUT!! MY BOND WITH ASHE ISN'T BROKEN! SO HE FAILED! BUT ALSO I NEED HELP FINDING HIM…”

Sci paused at that. He hadn't even thought to check his partner-bond with Red, but checking it now, it was very clearly unbroken. Faint, though, indicating quite a lot of physical distance between the two.

“Red's bond is intact too. There's a good chance they're together,” he sighed, pinching the bridge of where his nose would be. “Dammit. I should've listened to Red when he first said Dream wasn't trustworthy.”

Spooky's face visibly lit up at that news. “THEY'RE TOGETHER? WHERE, THOUGH?”

“I don't know, but I am certain Red will find a way to contact me as soon as he is able. He can be very resourceful,” he let out. “In the meantime…”

He stared at Spooky for a few moments. Their vocal distrust of Dream made it clear they were an ally, but just how far could he trust the strange phantom? Something in his gut told him they were safe.

Sci moved towards the monitor with the data he had collected from Ashe's magic represser. Traces had matched with Dream's magic, though if Dream was actually the enemy, that probably meant he was the one to put it there.

He grinned. “If there's one thing Red taught me, it was that if somebody proves to be an enemy, fight dirty.”

“YOU'RE GOING TO COVER YOURSELF IN DIRT THEN FIGHT??” Spooky questioned, clearly not understanding the phrase.

“Huh? No, what I mean is; I have a sample of Dream's magic. That means I can work on something to nullify it.”

“SO YOU CAN MAKE HIM POWERLESS?”

“More or less,” Sci confirmed. “You in?”

“ABSOLUTELY.”

 

Chapter 64: Intent

Ashe’s POV

The two of you walked through the winding footpaths of the city. This place was populated with humans and monsters alike, their attire consisting of 1940s aesthetics.

Wearing your starry poncho, with a skeleton in mostly black leather, you felt like the two of you were very out of place here. Neither of you blended in, and that was especially clear by the constant eyes that seemed to follow your every step.

Worse, every moment you spent without Spooky meant you were worried about him. Red said he was probably back at the lab, but what if Spooky fell into the void too? What if he didn't manage to escape like you and Red had? Would you even know?

And what would Dream tell Sci? He was a convincing liar, and part of you was scared Dream will have turned Sci against you both the moment you were gone from the lab. Would Red blame you for whatever lies Dream might have told his partner?

Red tilted his head, expression sympathetic. “Ya still worried about yer bro?”

You nodded to his question, not wanting to meet his gaze. ‘I'm worried about a lot of things right now…’

“Yeah, guess it must be kinda scary for ya,” he soothed. “I got yer back though. An’ once I knick us a phone, I'll let Sci know what's up, okay?”

‘Okay…’ you confirmed, though not as confident as you would have liked.

“Now, I don't mean ta be rude, but yer broardcastin’ yer intent everywhere. Ya gotta reign it in, its gonna draw attention an’ tha’ could be bad here.”

You found yourself pausing at that. This hadn't been the first time he mentioned your intent being particularly strong, but it wasn't something you knew how to control. Just being aware of it wasn't enough to give you the skills to influence it.

‘I don't… Know how to control it…’ You confessed. It was times like this you wished you could speak - signing meant that anybody who could interpret would know what you were saying, as opposed to hushed voices you'd need to be physically close to hear.

Red tilted his head. “Nobody taught ya?” He pressed, and you shook your head to confirm nobody had. “Alrigh’, uh. Lemme try somethin’,” he begun to say.

‘...Now? Wouldn't that also draw attention?’

Red shrugged. “Dunno. But yer intent is more of an issue than us standin’ here lookin’ like weirdos,” he let out half jokingly.

Gently, he held both of your hands in his. You weren't sure what he was doing, and that was clear by your expression, but you trusted him enough to go along with whatever he was doing.

“Close yer sockets. What can ya feel?”

His hands were closer to your wrists than your hands, which you had a feeling was so you could still sign without much difficulty. His grip was very light, too, so you could pull away whenever you needed to ‘speak’.

‘...Cold hands?’

Red snorted. “Nah, like… Do yer feel my magic?”

‘Sort of? Is it the, um,’ you faltered, trying to find the right words to describe it. ‘Thrumming?’ You settled on finally.

“Yup. Now, focus on it,” he continued. “What does it make yer think of? Coul’ be words, experiences, anythin’ tha’ comes ta mind.”

You stayed silent for a moment, still following him along with his little exercise. ‘...Warm? The type of warm a fireplace makes. Uhm, cozy, I guess? You feel safe? I'm… not sure what else I'm meant to be feeling…’

“Nah, you got it. Thats my intent,” he confirmed with a smile. “I'm tryna broadcast WARMTH-SAFETY-COMFORT to ya.”

‘Oh, I already know how to read intent. I just don't know how to affect my own,’ you explained.

Red nodded to that, not seeming at all upset that the first part had sort of been a waste. “Well, tha’ just makes it easier fer th’ next step,” he explained with a grin. “Yer feelin's are kinda like intent. Its different for everyone, but I imagine ‘em as colors. When I want ta let everyone see the colors, I imagine it like a cloud tha’ anyone can interact with. When I don't want ta have anyone feel it, I imagine the colors in a big ol’ box, n’ only my bro can open it.”

That sort of made sense. You struggled at times with metaphors, but Red's explanation was detailed enough you could try and follow along.

At first, you imagined your emotions as colors, like he had said. To follow his metaphor, you imagined all the colors being put into a box. You imagined the box having a lock, and the people you trusted as having a key to be able to see inside.

The longer you focused, the less sure you were that it was working. How could you tell? Was there some sort of identifier–

It felt like something shifted. You weren’t sure how to explain it, what words could describe it, but instinctually, you knew your magic was less ‘open’ now.

“There ya go,” Red grinned. “Yer intent is much more subtle now. Might have ta practice a lil, but yer good for now.”

You nodded to that, following closely as Red begun to walk once more. There were definitely less people watching now, despite how little either of you blended in here. ‘Thankyou for talking me through it.’

“No problemo,” he chuckled. “I had ta teach my bro too. Got real confusing, he hates when anyone tells ‘im what ta do, but we got there in the end. Had ta bribe ‘im with snacks.”

‘I thought your brother was the older one?’ You let out curiously. If Edge was the older one, why did Red have to do the teaching? Wouldn't it be the other way around?

“Yup. Most of th’ Fell timelines are opposite, though. I'm from th’ first Underfell, but it has its… Quirks. A few of th’ original timelines 'ave ended up sorta glitchy? Details change n’ stuff don't make a whole lotta sense. Me bein’ younger is one of em - it don't make a lick o’ sense, but Edge likes ta be seen as older, so I just go with it.”

‘Oh… that seems kind of bad. The glitching, I mean. What do you think is causing it?’

“Dunno,” he said, shrugging. “Ink tried ta cut a few originals off so tha’ Error isn't able ta destroy ‘em, but… I kinda wonder if tha’ just made it worse...” he let out.

Chapter 65: Crowds

An: Sorry for the delay! Been dealing with a lot of things lately. My doggo is due to go in for surgery on Monday, so I've been sorting stuff out like insurance preapproval and having to fix med-mixups by the vets. Also been arranging appointments for other stuff, and been pretty high-pain lately, so it has been very busy and exhausting.

Also! I am now in my first ever relationship, and we had our one month anniversary recently ♡ So not everything has been bad, just fairly overwhelming.

Updates will probably be sparse for a bit longer, but hopefully once everything is sorted, I can update more regularly.

Thankyou all for being so patient!

—-

Ashe’s POV

The conversation fell into silence, Red's comment playing in your mind as you tried to conceptualise what he had meant. How exactly could an AU be cut off? Was it like cutting away an infected limb, to isolate it from the healthy?

But that would be the equivalent of leaving it to decay, not fixing the issue. So what did Ink do, exactly? And what was her thinking process when she did it?

Something deep within your soul churned. It didn't seem right at all, the idea of separating a universe from the others. If there was a problem, it needed to be fixed, not left to rot.

You shuddered.

Maybe that wasn't exactly what was meant, but it was the only way you could conceptualise it.

You let your gaze wander as you walked, mind occupied as it recalled all the recent happenings. It was still daylight, the streets only semi occupied with monsters. Many wore coats and hats, making the crowd blend in a multitude of colors.

Shifting your attention back to Red, you found yourself noticing more than you had initially picked up on. He was visibly relaxed, hands in pockets and back slouched. His pace was normal, neither faster nor slower than the others in the crowds, and he kept his head down, avoiding drawing attention.

But you noticed something else. The rapid movements of his eyelights as he absorbed every detail in your shared surroundings, the twitching of his fingertips holding magic ready to be used at any moment, each step he took as silent as an owl. His posture, although laid back on first glance, looked more like a carefully crafted act, and you could see how tense he was just by letting your gaze linger longer on him.

You got the feeling he was high on alert, looking for dangers at every corner. Yet, despite that, initial observation would make him seem calm and laid back.

You faltered. He wasn't being deceptive, not really, but it made you wonder how many people you had misread the body language of. What other things had you missed?

A boney hand gripped yours suddenly, phalanges cold like ice compared to your warmth, and you flinched, only to relax when you realised it was Red. His expression flashed with worry for a single fleeting moment, before settling back to that neutral mask. You couldn't tell what he was thinking, and it made you nervous.

“...Stay close,” Red mumbled so quietly that you would not have heard it had your hearing not been exceptional, the crimson of his eyelights seeming deeper. Had he noticed something you did not?

With a curt nod of acknowledgement, you moved closer to his side, though you were already quite close. You probably looked like partners being affectionate, the way you huddled to his side.

Your other hand slipped to the fabric of your poncho, fingers running over the smooth tassels that adorned the bottom. A grounding exercise, not that you would have recognised it. Fidgeting with the fabric made you feel more present, stopped your mind from drifting too far.

Or maybe it was something else that was making your thoughts slip away. You were so hot, burning, and your mind was becoming sort of spacey.

After a few minutes, the curve of Red's mouth fell into a grimace. The two of you had taken various twists and turns along the streets by this point, most of which you zoned out for, but the increased pace had you stumbling over your feet somewhat and thus more aware of something happening.

As the two of you slipped past a narrow alleyway, Red suddenly moved a hand to your waist and the other over your mouth, the buzzing of magic ringing through your bones as the two of you shortcut in the seconds that passed.

The void was all consuming, cold, but only for the single second it took to pass through it. It was strange, how the infinite void seemed to cool your boiling bones, and part of you wished you had never left its icy embrace.

Confusion flashed across your features, but seeing Red moving a hand to his mouth to indicate you needed to be silent, you realised that now was not the time to talk.

A quick glance at your surroundings, and you realised you were on the roof of a nearby building. Red had skillfully ducked into an alley just to whisk you away the moment you were both out of sight. Did… that mean somebody was following you both?

From below, there was the sound of footsteps, murmuring, something metal being hit hard. You peaked from your hidden spot above, only really seeing various figures in tan suits. None of them looked familiar, but the matching aesthetic made you wonder if this was one of the ‘mobs’. This was MobFell, or something similar - it was getting kind of hard to think, and your legs were struggling to keep you upright.

Only once all of the men slipped back into the crowds did Red heave a sigh of relief. “...We're drawin’ too much attention,” he sighed, expression soured. “Sorry ‘bout scarin’ yer. Had ta act quick,” he added in apology.

You gave a small nod. ‘Do you have any idea why they were following us?’

“Nothin’ good,” he muttered bitterly. “Wish we ‘ad some better info fer this place. I'm thinkin’ finding a place tah rest might not be such a good idea.”

Your shoulders slumped. Moving around so much without a break was exhausting, and your body ached for rest, but if Red said it wasn't a good idea, you would put up with it for as long as you could.

Red's expression softened at you, and before you could ask if something was wrong, he had a hand placed on your forehead. “...Yer burning up real bad,” he sighed. “Pro'ly a fever.” He guided you to a seated position. “You need ta rest, yer in no condition ta be walkin’ around,” he explained.

Did you really have a fever? Was that why your neck burned, your bones painful with heat? You weren't sure what fevers were like for skeletons, but you… Didn't feel like it was this. But maybe Red knew best.

‘What do we do?’

“It should be safe up ‘ere. I'll knick us a phone, get in touch with Sci…” He seemed to be thinking as he spoke. “Sci can help figure out yer fever situation, an’ get us clearer info fer this au,” he continued with somewhat hesitance.

He didn't want to leave you on your own, did he? It was obvious by how conflicted he looked. But maybe staying with him would just burden him, make it more difficult to get things done.

‘...I'll be fine here. Your plan sounds good,’ you signed.

Red looked at you for a long moment, seemingly battling internally as to what decision to make, but let out a sigh and nodded. “I'll be as quick as I can, promise,” he reiterated, firm. “I'll be quick, ten mins max, alrigh’? You jus’ sit here n’ rest fer now.”

A short nod of acknowledgement, and Red disappeared into his shortcut, leaving you alone on the rooftop.

With Red gone, you layed on the surface of the roof, letting your head rest against the corregated metal. You were so tired. Surely you could just close your eyes for a few moments. The fatigue was really setting in now, and you knew you wouldn't be able to stay upright even if you wanted to.

Your orbs fluttered closed, breathing shallow.

Just rest for a few... short.... moments....

Chapter 66: Mafia

AN: Hope the dialogue here isn't too confusing! I tried to use some real mafia terminology to emphasise that this group is mob-based.

----

Rifle's POV

The tall skeleton squished the butt of his burnt-out cigarette into the base of his shoe, the smell of smoke strong on his breath. Whilst the Papyrus type would never drink, believing alcohol to be an unhealthy burden on the body, he couldn't deny how cigarettes had become somewhat of a crutch for him, keeping him calm when everything went to hell and back.

He used to get mad at his brother for his drinking habits, but that was when he was younger. He had been far more dilligent with things like appearing proper, but now swears fell from his mouth rather easily.

The two weren't young adults anymore - if anything, they were in the skeleton equivalent of their late forties, making Sin and Rifle both well and truly in their adult years. Frisk had already long passed away of old age, but the skeleton pair had a hound by the same name, a way to honor the once-child who had helped guide them down a better path.

The suit that Rifle wore looked as perfect as it did the day he had it tailored for him. The black and red fabric was almost entirely free from wrinkles, any bullet holes meticulously sewn so that the damage was impossible to see even with a keen eye. Muffet was good at that sort of thing when she wasn't busy in her illicit ‘tea’ business.

On the other hand, Sin's suit wasn't quite as perfect. The creases were more prominent even with drycleaning, and there was the undeniable scent of copper and metal which lingered no matter what he wore. 

Rifle crouched down at the stranger sleeping feverishly on the roof. His gloved phalanges twitched towards his open pack of cigarettes, that ever growing need to satisfy his need for a hit of nicotine, but decided against it. Instead, the hand stayed near his weapon, ready to draw it if interrupted at any point.

“Whadda yer thinkin?” Muttered the shorter of the two skeletons, his deep crimson orbs glowing faintly from the recent shortcut.

“Doubt They Would Be A Goodfella,” Rifle let out. It was an observation that would normally be more difficult, but the lack of fancy suit was a dead giveaway. Not to mention the fact only three skeletons lived in this au, making the aditional two quite the concern; it had become quite the talk in such a short amount of time.

Sin nodded in agreement. “That's for sure. No idiot would show up in this district without packing heavy,” he huffed, red smoke escaping his teeth from the woodsy scented cigar cradled in his jaw. “Not to mention books are closed. Might as well be looking to get whacked.”

Rifle gave a half nod of agreeance. This was an AU that knew well of the others, a place nobody interacted with. Their rules and social expectations were different; disrespect was not tolerated, nor was breaking the carefully crafted rules set by the various mafia families.

It was strange, seeing a smaller damaged skeleton like Ashe in such a place. They had also heard talk of another skeleton, seen them panickedly leave, but they would follow up on that shortly.

“Thinkin of giving them a shakedown?” Sin let out with a shark toothed grin, eye glowing with the anticipation of magic usage.

“Not Exactly.” Rifle's orbs narrowed, tar-stained phalanges brushing against Ashe's forehead. “Not Dusting” he confirmed, expression tight. ”Real Bad Fever Though. Might Be Best To Bring Them To The Don.”

“Not the consigliere?” Sin retorted with a cocky smile.

“I Am The Consigliere, Dumbass,” Rifle let out with a grunt. He had held the position for many years now, and was proud of it, considering it his greatest achievement. His brother just liked to tease him when they were alone, an inside joke of sorts.

“Right, right,” he snorted. “But you seriously think Its worth going to Don for this? He doesn't give a shit unless it breaks a rule.”

Rifle readjusted where his hand was placed, gesturing to the gleaming metal around Ashe's neck. There was a careful avoidance of touching the device directly, but even at a distance, Rifle could feel its heat.

“Fuck. Yeah, that'll certainly get ya cement shoes,” Sin scoffed in distain as his gaze fell directly to the device.

Collars like this were firmly against the rules set by this Au. It didn't matter what group you associated with - or even if you were an outsider - anybody who would create, let alone place, the owner of such a device would quickly become the hunted in a place like this.

“Take Him Back Home. I'll Deal With The Other One.”

Sin tilted his head, the tophat of his skull dipping slightly as he did so. “Can do. Think you will need any backup?”

“No,” Rifle grinned confidently. “I May Not Be Able To Shortcut, But I Have My Own Tricks.”

Rifle moved away to allow Sin to lift Ashe, and the other did so with a huff. “Fuckin hell, skeletons should not get this hot,” he muttered, cringing. “What are they doing, burning their magic?”

Rifle gestured to the metal device still sat on the smaller. “I'd Be More Surprised If They Weren't. That Collar Isn't Light Shit,” he explained.

“...You think we're lookin at some sorta trafficking then?”

Rifle's expression became sympathetic for just a small moment before hidden behind that perfect facade. “That's What I Intend To Find out,” he let out firmly. “Whether Or Not I Come Back With A Living Skeleton, Or A Pile Of Dust, Will Be Your Answer.”

Sin grinned at that. “Don't be long. You know Don gets grouchy when we aren't home for dinner, that giatric bastard,” he chuckled. It wasn't a real insult - everybody in the family made fun of the Don's age, even the Don himself. Rifle just gave a dismissive wave to that.

As Sin teleported away in a haze of red, still holding Ashe, Rifle pulled out a fresh cigarette from his pack, lighting it with a grin. The smoke wafted through the air as he exhaled, magic buzzing at his fingertips. Tonight would certainly be interesting, he thought idly to himself.

Chapter 67: Fever

 

AN : Just a short chapter this time! Ashe's magic is literally burning itself out due to the magic restrictor - it'll be explained a bit more in future chapters, but I wanted to add some clarification now as some folk were worried the fever was inferring something else ^^' I do not write sexual content, so no need to worry about that sort of thing!

_____

Ashe's POV

You had been feeling off for some time now. You didn't recognise it at first, the way the collar sat warm upon your neck whilst the rest of your body heated up, but the burning had grown in such intensity that it was impossible to miss now.

This wasn't a fever. Your magic being blocked from use meant that your abnormal magic capacity was being stretched well beyond its limit with no way to use up the excess.

Unable to burn the excess through normal ways, your magic was beginning to attack itself, to burn itself out. But you wwre a skeleton - a monster - and that meant your physical body was made up of magic. That meant your body was burning itself out. If it continued at this rate, you would surely dust.

The heat felt unbearable, like being held down in boiling water. Your body tried desperately - and failed - to regulate its temperature, the collar restricting further and further, preventing you from even forming sweat as a subconscious way to cool you off.

You could feel the way parts of your body seemed to crumble away when you were touched, like dust coming off something incredibly old. It seemed as thoigh the integrity of your body was failing.

Maybe that was one thing the pain eas good for. You couldn't be scared of dying, of crumbling to dust, if you were too busy crying from how agonising every passing moment was.

There were hands holding you, carrying you, icy in comparison to your burning fever. Was that Red, coming to take you someplace safer?

You couldn't tell if your sockets were open or not, just that it was impossible to ignite your eyelights. The intent all around you was strong, but with your senses so blurred, you could barely feel the protectiveness drowning your surroundings, just the pressing weight of your own pain.

Had it been minutes? Hours? Days? Every moment blurred together into an incomprehensible mess of awakeness and sleep, and it was impossible to tell the passing of time. You couldn't speak, couldn't think, only cry at the pain, sockets dry despite how tear-filled they should have been.

Every thought you had floating away within the instant they were formed. The pain was too much to simply sleep off, but it was also too much to stay awake, leaving you in a limbo between the two states.

You found little relief in the icy shadows that held onto your body in the dreamside, weak limbs clinging desperately to what little reprieve they could find.

“Found…. Where…?...”

The words sounded as though they were underwater. Deep, gentle, but lost to your physical state.

“Seriously ill…. Fever… ...ear me?...”

It was just so very hot. Your body burned, your soul burned… Your magic burned? Yes. Your magic was burning. Burning. Hot…

“Ashe… ...to ..ocus… Can you… wher…”

The voice was familiar, but you couldn't place it, not in this state. It may as well have been a complete stranger talking to you.

“...ere, Ash…. …reathe….”

You couldn't tell if the cries of pain were coming from you, but if you had any sense, you would know they were. Tendrils rested against your face, cool against your boiling bones, soothing, holding you close. They were gentle, sapping away a small amount of the discomfort.

“Where… you… …she..?”

The voice continued, but it was so very distant, barely registering in your feverish mind. It sounded more desperate this time, not that you could really tell.

You wanted Spooky. Where was he? You couldn't think. Memories and thoughts and reality were all a mess for you. Was Spooky still with Sci? You remembered something about Sci.

“Sci? Are yo… ith Sci?” 

Had you said Sci out loud? Signed it? You didn't know. Maybe it didn't matter. It was just so hot. So very hot. 

Were you dying?

The dream was slipping away. Or was this reality, and you were slipping into a dream?

There was something cool all around your body. You could feel the little chunks of ice, the coldness of the water, the way your clothes hadn't even been removed, making them soggy and heavy, but your face never went under, no matter how much you yearned for that tiny bit of relief the icewater gave you.

Were those hands on your throat? No, not your throat, they were on the collar. There were voices, too, but you couldn't make any of them out. Was that Red? Why did he talk all strange?

Was he talking to himself? Or was that more than one voice?

Hands continued to move. There was sound of metal scraping against metal. Desperate voices. More scraping.

Then something broke.

The heat that had tormented you melted away in an instant. Your bones were free from its molten agony, finally able to find reprieve in the apparent icebath you had been put into. You could feel your magic, interconnected with Spooky’s, no longer spiralling out of control.

The collar. It was finally broken.

Voices, murmurs. You couldn't make anything out anymore. Maybe that was okay. 

You fell into dreamlessness. You were just so very exhausted. You weren't sure what the hands were pressing into your mouth, but you got the feeling it was probably painkillers when some of the residual aching also begun to disappear.

As everything faded, you heard a new voice in the blackness. It sounded like Dream, but at the same time, far older. And instead of that impossibly cheery tone, it seemed almost... melancholy.

"Its unavoidable now. The dream must end, and so to must the dreamers within it."

…it wasn't Dream at all. At least, not the Dream you knew.

Chapter 68: Dreamscape

AN : I am pretty sick lol. Also my birthday is this Tuesday, I'm looking forwards to spending time with a few friends for it :3

---

Nightmares POV

It was very rare for Nightmare to outwardly show negative emotions. Being the guardian of negativity meant that he had to be careful with how and when those sorts of emotions slipped through ; as a guardian of emotion, his magic would amplify it, thus in turn increasing negativity in those around him.

It was not that he didn't ever get frustrated, or that he hid his emotions away; no, he had learned much healthier ways to cope through the centuries. It just meant he was very careful, always actively aware of how his aura could influence others so that he would not do so unintentionally.

The dreamscape, however, was different. He had a lot more control here than he did in the physical realm, and thousands of years of experience made him extremely proficient in dream manipulation. It also wouldn't become a nightmare unless he actively chose to influence it that way, so he could afford to be more open in this place.

But despite being able to reach Ashe through the Dreamscape, it seemed there was yet another obstacle to their communication. To have full lucidity and control in the dreamscape, the dreamer had to be fully asleep. Not half-asleep, or whatever feverish state of sleep that Ashe seemed to be in.

Tendrils unfurled from the darkness, carefully wrapping around the frail skeleton and pulling them close to him.  

“It seems I have finally found you. Where are you, Ashe?”

Despite the little skeleton shivering so loud his bones rattled, their actual temperature was extremely hot. There was something so very wrong, and it frustrated Nightmare that the answers were so close in grasp but slipped away so quickly.

“...You are seriously ill. Heavy fever, disorientation, slipping from conscious to unconscious constantly…” he muttered, more so to himself.

Then he saw the collar.

The tendril that touched the metal device instantly burned and shrivelled like a dead plant, a clear sign that its operation had at least some part to do with positivity. 

He grit his teeth, anger threatening to bubble over. This device was something that should never be used. It did not stop the production of magic, but rather, stopped it from being used. That meant the magic would continue to build up until it could no longer be sustained, then burn itself out.

It had originally been developed in a particularly dark timeline as a way to stop the human mages from lashing out. But that was the issue - collars like this were meant for mages, humans who had magic… Not a monster made of magic.

For a monster, these collars were deadly. They were painful, and inevitably lead to dust.

“Ashe. I know this is difficult, but I need you to focus. Can you tell me where are you right now?” Nightmare pressed. 

The collar was a physical device, something that could not simply be removed in the Dreamscape. He had to get rid of it in person, but where was Ashe? The fact Nightmare could finally reach them meant they weren't in the doodlesphere with Dream and Ink, but that didn't mean the skeleton was safe. The collar was proof of that.

Ashe’s response was a slight groan and to bury their face into the coolness od the tendrils, heavy breathing as their magic continued to burn.

“Where, Ashe…?” He pressed, only to instruct the smaller To “Breathe,” when they fell into a coughing fit.

Nightmare couldn't blame Ashe for the poor cooperation. He could tell they were trying to make sense of things, trying so hard to be lucid. He had no doubt that being pulled constantly between unconscious and conscious would be incredibly disorientating, that his own voice could have been muddled and lost due to it, but Nightmare was not the type to give up so easily.

“Where are you, Ashe?” He pressed once more, tentacles writhing as the dreamscape became clouded. It seemed their time was coming to and end, much sooner than Nightmare would have liked for it to.

Nightmare watched carefully as Ashe's skeletal hands moved. They were sluggishly, uncoordinated, difficult to interpret. Nightmare was used to communicating to a sleep-deprived or even drunk Dust in sign on occassion.

But even with that experience, it was near impossible to determine what Ashe was talking about. They seemed like random words with no connection, and Nightmare couldn't even be sure if they were the words Ashe intended to sign.

His eye narrowed when Ashe begun to spell something. It was most often names that required individual letters, and since there was a more limited number to choose from, Nightmare could interpret this one word easier.

“Sci?” He questioned, head slightly tilted. It wasn't the answer he expected, not even close, but perhaps it would lead him in the right direction. “Are you with Sci?”

Had Ashe meant the original Sci? It had been quite some time since Nightmare had engaged with the scientist, and though he wouldn't call the other an ally, they weren't really an enemy either. 

It didn't seem like a likely place for Ashe to end up, but that didn't mean going there wouldn't be worth the trouble. Ashe had to have learned the name from somewhere, after all - maybe Sci would have some answers.

The dream was fading now, and it was fading fast. Somebody else's magic was interfering with his own, pushing away at the darkness and thus pushing Nightmare away too.

Nightmare was evicted from the Dreamscape, something that he had never experienced before. He knew it could not be Dreams doing - the positive guardian almost never slept, and didn't seem to have any real control when it came to the Dreamscape. Did that mean Aurum was now involved?

He let out a displeased “Tsk…”, fingers drumming against his desk.

His companions looked at him expectantly. They had insisted on being in the same room while the guardian went to the dreamscape, each eager for news on their sibling. Cross was the only one who did not hover nearby, instead having been restocking the emergecy bag for in case they needed it.

Error huffed and released Killer from a cocoon of strings now the guardian was awake, earning a questioning glance from the darker guardian and a noncommital “He WouLnD’t ShUt Up FoR TwO DaMn SeCoNdS,” as a defence from the destroyer.

Killer was the first to speak, not even bothered by the fact he had been tied up. “How were they? Are they okay?”

“Has the… lil lambchop… eaten yet..?” Horror added in contribution, anxiety clear.

Nightmare kept his face a careful neutral, not wanting to distress his boys further. He had to be careful how he communicated what he had discovered, but he couldn't afford hiding anything either.

“Ashe seems to be quite sick. As such, our communication was… hampered,” he began to explain. “I do not believe they are currently with Dream and Ink. They did mention Sci, however, so that will be our next visit.”

“You mean we are going to ScienceTale?” Killer responded, clearly eager to find his sibling.

“ItS ScIEnTiFiTaLe, DiPsHiT–”

“Fuck you Error–”

“Enough with the bickering,” Nightmare interjected firmly. The two fell into a reluctant silence. “We will be going to ScientifiTale–”

“What's the… Difference…?” Horror interjected. To him, the words were practically the same, so knowing what was different about them would help if something came up later.

“ScienceTale is… The past of Undertale? Before Gaster fell. ScientifiTale is more specific to technological advancements in the Underground, such as having a heavily modified CORE, though their Gaster is also still alive, just. Very much retired.” Nightmare clarified. “...Do I have that correct?” he then asked Error, knowing the other had easier access to the ‘stories' of every universe.

The destroyer scoffed “SoMeThInG lIkE ThAt,” he grumbled. “I’vE TrAcKed SoMe oF AsHe’s JanKy AsS cOdE tHeRe So ItS WoRtH cHeCkInG. IlL AbDuCt CrOsS ReAl QuIcK--"

-said skeleton was dropped through a static-y portsl from the ceiling of the room, looking flustered like he had not expected to be teleported so susdenly, and Killer yelled out a loud "Fuck!" When crosses bag landed on his head--

"---AnD wE sHoUlD HaVe EveRyThInG NoW."

"...Thankyou, Error," Nightmare sighed, already used to the chaos od the group. "In future, please warn Cross before teleporting him so suddenly."

"FiNe."

"Hey, what about him dropping the bag on me?!" Killer questioned. Nightmare let out a hint of a smirk, but didn't answer. 

Chapter 69: Rifle

Rifle’s POV
Rifle took a moment to clean his weapon with a handkerchief. His specialty was rifles, thus his namesake. High power, high velocity, and perfect for long range engagements. 

The one downside was that they were loud as hell. Due to that, they were hardly stealthy in such a populated area of Ebott City - but that's what made them perfect. They were used to send a message.

Like everybody in his little mob family, he always had other options to fall back on. A trusty revolver in the belt of his pants, some blades strapped to his calf, even a little vial with cyanide for when the situation called for it.

The mob of this timeline wasn't as lawless and cruel as one would expect. They had very strict rules they abided by, and only ever targeted other players in the field, never children and never the innocent. They were very much ‘an eye for an eye,’ a motto they lived by.

Children were protected, but things were kind of ‘anything goes’ once you were an adult. The main no-nos included any form of sexual assault and child abuse, both of which were pretty much a death sentence.

The mafia that Rifle and Scope were part of also had a habit of adopting the less fortunate in their ranks. They offered protection to the vulnerable, and their territory was well looked after. They did, however, have a hand in weaponry, drugs and alcohol (the latter of which was also illegal in these types of timelines). Not completely ethical, but not without mercy where it was deserved either.

That was why Rifle was so invested in the little skeleton traveller they had found. They were clearly at risk with that collar, making them somebody they'd typically adopt into their ranks, or at least offer protection to. The  real question was whether or not the other Red was the abuser who caused it to happen, or somebody trying to help.

It didn't take long before the unknown skeleton that Rifle had seen earlier returned to the roof. The shortcut Red had used left the air feeling like static, a subtle scent of cranberries bleeding through. This was the same one Rifle was waiting for, the magic signature confirmed it.

Rifle couldn't help the sly grin, amused that Red had teleported facing the wrong direction. He examined the other momentarily, gathering any information he could before beginning the confrontation.

In Red’s left hand was a mobile phone. The bright pink charms making it clear it had been stolen. Rifle could also smell the distinct healing candies common to the north district, and though he didn't see them, he knew Red still had them. Those were expensive - likely also stolen.

“Seems ya lost somethin’,” Rifle hummed finally.

Startled by the sudden voice, Red turned immediately to face the mafioso, expression filled with shock and panic. Was he panicked because his friend was missing, or because he was separated from his victm? The answer would be clear soon enough.

“You and I are goin’ to ‘ave a good ol’ chat,” Rifle said with a grin. His words were borderline mocking, a silent remark of ‘I have what you're looking for, and you are going to do what I say if you want it back’.

“I don't ‘ave any fuckin gold,” Red retorted immediately. 

Rifle let out a hearty bout of laughter. It seemed the skeleton had wrongly assumed they were getting robbed, but such a petty crime was beneath him. Not to mention that Red clearly didn't have any money.

“Clearly,” the mafioso retorted. It wasn't intended to be insulting, but it was quite clear they weren't in the same financial bracket.

Red practically balked. “I ain't homeless either, ya dick!” he retorted. His aura flared, a clear attempt at intimidation, but Rifle was hardly affected by such a thing.

“Didn't say ya were,” Rifle grinned. Stars, this was more enjoyable than he had expected. “Yer obviously underdressed n’ underprepared. Kinda typical fer yer sorta verse, always assuming we're more fell than mafia,” he explained. 

This plaxe had known about the multiverse for a few years now, thanks to some… external help. It gave them the chance to make allies, form relationships to nearby verses, but also meant they were aware of some of the other happenings throughout the multiverse.

Red shoved the phone into his pocket, seemingly having just realised it was still there. “Where's Ashe?”

“Yer little friend is safe,” Rifle confirmed. If the other wanted to get straight to the point, then he would too. “I only got one question fer ya.”

He quickly moved the gun, Aiming it directly at Red. At this close distance, he wouldn't be able to shortcut without having his chest blown apart. It was an effective form of intimidation.

“I'm mighty curious how they got tha’ collar. Care to explain?"

It wasn't a question, not really. Rifle wanted an explanation, and if he didn't get it the peaceful way, he would not hesitate to bring violence into the equation.

Red kept his hands raised in surrender, unmoving. “You wouldn't believe me,” he let out.

Rifle let out a ‘tsk’, his gloved finger hovering over the trigger. “Try me. Yer can't say anythin’ I haven’ heard before.”

Red looked as though he were bracing himself. As though he were about to unveil some terrible truth, something mindblowing.

 “...Dream is actually a manipulative asshole and stuck the collar on Ashe. Also tried to kill both of us,” he sort of rambled. "Been trying to get the damn thing off Ashe, but fuck knows where Dream got it, I haven't figured out how to get it off.”

A long moment passed before Rifle spoke again. “Nah, we knew Dream was a rotten apple. I believe ya.” He lowered his gun, satisfied with the answer he had been given. “Sounds like yer both need some help."

Red looked as though he were utterly flabbergasted. “Wait, you believe me just like that? I thought the other verses always sided with Dream?”

“Not ‘round here,” he let out simply, fingers inching towards his cigarettes. Stars, he needed one if he was going to deal with this. "Don ain't gonna be happy Dream is causin’ a nuisance again."

"Again?" Red echoed, but Rifle wasn't going to give him an explanation. It simply wasn't his business.

“Good chat. I'll take yer to yer friend,” Rifle let out, finally lighting a cigarette. The first puff was always bliss. “We ‘ave a ride downstairs. The others are dealing with removing th’ collar as we speak."

Chapter 70: Aurum

Notes:

AN: Just a note to say that Aurum is a SwapDream of sorts! He had more apples than his Nightmare, but followed a different story, so he's not justice-crazed etc. You will learn a bit more about him later ^^

Aurums POV
It was not difficult for Aurum to establish a safe place in this multiverse, a place in which he could freely pass through without drawing attention. He had quite the lofty sum of gold currency to utilise, and even without the use of emotional manipulation inherent to being a guardian, he was able to negotiate with ease.

He had, after all, nothing to lose, when his home multiverse had already fallen into oblivion. Money was pointless in his immortality - he had no need to eat, to drink, to sleep ; engaging with those things simply helped him remain sane.

Summoned by a call from the MafiaFell world was not something he had expected, but it was not unwelcome. The predicament was explained quite clearly- a strange little skeleton (whose CHECK read as Ashe) had been burdened by a restriction collar too complicated for even the residents of this timeline to properly disassemble.

The dream-type emerged from a swirling portal of glimmering gold. His clothes were formal, aesthetic leaning towards blacks adorned with gold. The crown that sat atop his head was damaged, although beautiful even within its state.

Attached to his back were large wings, folded carefully to reduce the amount of space he occupied. Each feather had a beautiful golden hue and a scattered star-like pattern, casting an ethereal golden glow. There were charms, too, adornments of sun symbology in gold, a motif that was present in many aspects of his outfit.

While one eye was vibrant gold, like the sun, the other held a deep scratch that rendered its eyelight unable to ignite. That was, to say, Aurum was half blind as a result of being struck many years in the past.

“It would seem my presence was requested,” Aurum hummed out as he emerged. His tone was always warm, but never quite cheerful. There was a melancholy that never left his eyes, his soul, always bleeding through with every interaction.

Aurum's expression never seemed to shift away from a carefully masked neutral, making him impossible to read, his actions calculated and precise. It was how he had kept hidden for almost five years, the amount of time in which he had been navigating this multiverse. 

“Good to have ya,” Sin hummed from his position. He was in a spacious bathroom, sat on a little stool by the tub. A cart that was usually used for food now sat with all sorts of tools, everything from screwdrivers to magi scramblers.

Inside the tub was a fully-clothed skeleton, as well as water and ice. It had been the only way to lower Ashe's temperature, but even with it, Sin had to move fast to remove the collar.

The tiled floor was wet with small puddles, causing Aurum's boots to make a slight squeal with every step. Certainly not a typical area to meet up, but the angel knew that it was necessary in such a situation.

“This collar ‘as been a real doozy,” Sin sighed, wiping sweat off his brow. He'd only been working on it for twenty minutes, but it seemed like it was just impossible to remove. “Wait, where's yer brother? Still with Berry?”

Aurum nodded. “Berry is still adjusting to his… current form. Looking after little Umbra has seemed to raise his spirits,” he confessed. He then took one look at the metal tools that were being used upon the collar, eyes narrowing. “You're going to activate the inbuilt killswitch if you keep hacking at that with your tools,” he warned.

Sin moved his hands back from Ashe's collar immediately at Aurum's words, alarm evident in his eyes. “Ya sure Don?”

Aurum grunted at the name. This timeline may have considered him their Don, but he didn't really consider himself that. He was just a guest in this multiverse, one that had long overstayed welcome. No amount of convincing had worked to deter the residents here from calling him Don.

“Absolutely certain,” Aurum confirmed. He had seen these types of devices before, knew how they worked.

Aurum moved to crouch by the tub, his various trinkets and jewels bumped into one another, creating soft tinking sounds that followed his every movement. Hardly stealthy, but that had been an intentional choice.

“Wait, how do yer even know ‘bout the collar? Yer seen one before?” Sin asked. He had known nearly nothing about Aurum's home multiverse, and Aurum could feel the curiosity blooming in the other.

“My multiverse used them, and similar iterations, quite often,” he let out in a quieter voice, tone bordering melancholy. “These are the very ones I warned you about.”

“I can tell yer fer sure if it didn't come from ‘round‘ere,” he responded. 

“No, the craftsmanship is rather clear. Your rat of a guardian seems to have personally modified it from an old ownership collar,” he huffed. “To think he saw the state of my multiverse and thought it was a good idea to make one of these accursed things… such a fool.”

“Damn, didn't know th’ rotten apple saw yer ‘verse,” he huffed, watching as Aurum begun to examine the device.

“This requires a magic signature to both place and remove,” he began. “I would hazard a guess Dream himself set it up.”

Aurum pressed his hands onto the device. It unclicked instantly, remnants of gold magic seeping into the air. 

“It seems my magic is similar enough, even with multiversal differences,” he said, picking up the deactivated device and crushing it within his hands. Satisfied the device was now in ruins, he turned back to Ashe. “I'll need to take the extra magic they're holding onto from both Dream and the collar. It will help them adjust to more normal levels.”

“Gotcha,” Sin responded, still watching.

Aurum's wings seemed to almost glimmer in the light, the absorption of additional magic growing a handful of new feathers. They seemed darker than the others, though, closer to copper.

“...Taking in his magic has tainted my wings,” he let out. He cringed at the thought of this multiverse's Dream having anything to do with him. His golden claws reached out and tore each new feather, crushing them in his grip as they crumpled to dust. 

The few ashen feathers - a result of Ashe's magic - were left untouched. He had nothing against Ashe. The color would return to normal with time.

“I suppose I should confirm there are no lasting effects by accessing their code...."

Aurum wasn't just a guardian of positivity. He was also a destroyer, which allowed him to access codes and all the secrets they held. He was glad the Dream of this multiverse wasn't given a dual role, considering how poorly they did with just one.

Aurum raised his hands, several floating screens forming. Each he could interpret with ease, but to others, they looked like a confusing mess of numbers and words.

“What are yer doin?”

“Accessing code,” the angel said simply. “How curious. It would seem this multiverse is attempting to bypass the current Dream by giving Ashe the role of positivity guardian. It has already deemed Dream himself incapable of his duties and found the next suitable alternative - even going as far as to completely stabilise Ashe's code.”

“Wouldnt tha’ be a good thing? Replacin’ th’ rotten apple?” Sin pressed, taking a long swig of alcohol.

“In theory, yes. But in practice…” He closed the screens. “The role cannot fully transfer until Dream is dead.”

Aurum's head suddenly perked up as though suddenly realising something, expression distant.”It seems The Protector has accepted my invitation. Do treat the little Creator well - this multiverse and its observers are quite fond of him.”

And just like that, the golden skeleton was gone, only the scent of fresh cinnamon left in his wake.

It was moments later that Rifle arrived with Red.

Chapter 71: Royal Flush

Ashe's POV
By the time you finally awoke, you could barely remember anything of your dream aside from vague images. Part of you knew that you had dreamt something important, but you just couldn't seem to remember what, leaving you slightly flustered.

You didn't realise you were wearing clothes that weren't your own until you noticed yours folded carefully, sat on a nearby dresser. You moved towards them, noting how they smelt faintly of flowers. They must have been recently washed.

Absentmindedly, your hand moved to your neck, only to realise the collar that had been there for so long was now absent. It was odd, how your neck felt so exposed without it. How naked it felt without the scarf.

There was a bathroom connected to the room, so you carried the clothes into there, feeling more comfortable to have that little lock while you changed. You slipped back into your own clothing quickly, not hesitating to waste any time.

The scarf felt so much more comfortable on your neck without the collar interfering. You weren't sure how you felt about its color having completely faded though - your scarf had no more red to it, instead looking as though it always had been greyish black. Maybe washing it had drained what little color it had left.

Now wearing the poncho you adored, you put the dirty clothes into a pile. They weren't yours, so you wanted to be polite, folding them instead of just tossing them to the ground.

Taking a deep breath, you swung open the door, gazing into the empty hallway. This place definitely had an older aesthetic, but you kind of liked it. It felt lively in its own way, and you knew the building probably had an interesting history to it.

You heard voices not far from you, and begun to make your way to them. You were nervous, but something told you that this place was safe. Maybe it was just because the magic supressor was no longer in place, but you could just… feel everybody's aura. No, not their aura, their emotions.

Calm. Protective. Confident. Welcoming.

Taking a deep breath, you entered the room. There was a table in the center, cards and poker chips in various piles. Four chairs were around it, one being empty but holding a jacket, meaning somebody was probably sat there at some point.

“Royal flush!” The taller Papyrus-like skeleton suddenly exclaimed, slamming down his cards triumphantly. You jumped at the suddenness of it. You didn't really know how to play poker, but you did notice all the cards were aces.

“Damn. Ya got me,” the shorter Sans-like one chuckled, breathing in his lit cigar. His relaxed gaze shifted to where you stood, lazy grin never leaving. His aura shifted to slight concern, but remained friendly and welcoming.  “Hiya toots. Feelin better?”

You weren't sure what to make of these newer skeletons. Both wore expensive looking suits, and you could see the guns on their belts, not at all hidden. Were these the Sans and Papyrus native to this timeline? That'd make them… mobfell? FellMafia? You couldn't quite recall, but either way, you wanted to be careful.

‘Um… yes?’ You signed cautiously.

He squinted, like he was trying to better see your hands. “Huh. Yer sign language ain't the same as ours. Pretty similar though, thinknI can get what yer sayin',” he said after a long moment. “Name's Sin. This’ my brother–”

“Rifle,” he introduced simply, tipping his fedora politely. You thought the gesture was sweet.

“--an’ our Don ain't here right now, so yer stuck with us ‘til he gets back.”

Your gaze shifted to the third chair, where Red sat with his head lulled to the side. It seemed as though he had fallen asleep mid-game, and instead of moving away and doing something else, they had put a pile of cards onto his skull and continued their game.

You frowned. What was that black marking on his face? It looked an awful lot like sharpie moustache… Wait. All of them had sharpie moustaches. Did you miss something? You felt like you missed something.

Sin seemed to follow your gaze, momentarily looking and Red before turning back to you. “He's fine, real bad a’ polker though,” he grinned, flicking the ash of his cigarette.

Well, at least Red was a heavy sleeper. You knew for a fact you would have woken up if these types of antics were happening around you.

“Don't worry, th’ marker will wash off. Lost a bet ta Greater Doggo n’ Reds broke as hell, so we improvised wit’ pranks instead. Speakin’ of, he shoul’ be back with chow soon.”

You nodded in acknowledgement, a mischievous thought coming to mind.

Rifle leaned forward on the table they were playing with cards on, a sharpie twirling in his fingers as his orbs locked with yours. “...Wanna draw on Red too?”

Oh stars, Rifle read you immediately as the tiny prankster you were. With only a grin of confirmation, you took the marker and removed the cap, already knowing just what you were going to draw.

First, you gave Red some very dramatic eyebrows. He didn't stir even in his sleep, so you decided to keep going, careful not to wake the sleeping skeleton.

Realising his hood was down, exposing the entirety of his skull, you decided to move behind him, doodling little flowers. Nothing too complicated or fancy, just generic flowers, which you thought were a perfect Contrast to Red's more ‘tough’ personality.

Sin watched on with silent encouragement, even giving you a thumbs up at your little artworks.

Rifle had a hand held up with his phone, clearly taking photos as you drew on your friend. When you were finally finished, Rifle ushered Sin and you closer, raising the phone to take a selfie of the four of you. Each of you smiled.

Once finished, he texted the photo to somebody, then shoved his pocket away.

Almost as if on cue, the door opened, revealing Greater Doggo. He carried several bags that smelled of chinese, the aroma causing you to realise just how hungry you were. Just how long had it been since you ate last, anyway? 

Chapter 72: Authors note

Hello! Apologies for the non-chapter, I had a question and thought it best to ask on my more popular fic.

I was wondering, for those of you that write, is there something I should be doing to prevent AI froms scraping all of my works? All of my writings are completely original. I write them in google docs, then post them to here, quotev and wattpad once each chapter is finished.

Also, I have been writing a Reborn As Dream story, which has a fair few chapters posted. I suggest reading that while you're still waiting for this story to update, since its likely to be a little while until the next chapies are done.

Chapter 73: DreamTale

Notes:

AN: I am going to take a bit of a break from this story, as I'm not quite sure where to go with it and want more of a plan before I continue with updates. In the meantime, I will continue updating the Reborn As Dream story c:

Also, I think I'm going to lock my stories so only people with accounts can access them. I did want to keep them freely accessible to those who don't have one, but feel like it might be safer considering the state of AI and the internet at the moment. I'll sort that in a couple of days, so if you don't have an account yet, I would suggest making one!!

Ink's POV

Ink wasn't exactly sure what to expect when she made her way to Dreamtale. There was no way some stranger who wrote a note on her scarf would come here, yet she came anyway. 

Her confidence wavered in uncertainty, eyelights shifting constantly as she took everything in. The last time she remembered being in this place was the day that she met Dream.

Back then, the skies were stained red, ash forever falling from the sky like snow. The village was nothing more than fallen chunks of concrete, the grass brown and dead, even the soil itself had become blackened.

She remembered Dream. He had been a mere statue at the time, lifeless like everything else in this place. When her cautious phalanges made contact with the cold stone, it crumpled away, releasing Dream and leaving only dust as evidence there was ever stone at all.

She remembered Dream's awakening clearly. He was drowning in rage and grief and betrayal, and Ink held him in her arms, uncertain of how to help but wanting to be there for the strange skeleton. She remembered his aura back then, hot, suffocating, but her soul state meant she could handle it, so she did so without complaint.

But now was… Different.

It seemed that in the absence of interference, this place had evolved from a place scorched and dead, to a place that now teemed with life. The skies were an endless rolling of blue, clouds drifting by aimlessly.

Whatever remnants of the village still stood were overtaken completely by a forest, their boughs reaching high into the sky. Flowers and berries grew completely wild. The grass had grown to at least to the height of her waist, and as she stopped to observe, she saw a small family of deer in the distance.

Ink took it all in with astonishment, momentarily distracted as a flurry of butterflies came to greet her before wandering off in search of nectar.

Her gaze shifted, eventually settling on the place in which Dream had once been imprisoned as a statue. Despite the beautiful flora and fauna all around, this area was completely dead.

Ink moved towards the patch of blackened soil, uncertain as to why nature seemed incapable of healing this one place. No animals dared near it, and Ink could feel the way the air shifted as she came closer, uncomfortable at the heaviness.

She hesitantly stood onto the dead soil, looking warily for any clue, any secret it may hold, but found nothing. This area was simply dead.

“It seems you have finally come,” a voice called out from behind her.

A vague recognition of the voice left Ink panicked, quickly twirling to face its owner, brush tight within her grasp as though half expecting she might have to defend herself. But when her orbs met the other's, her expression contorted to one of confusion.

“You're not Dream,” she said, relaxing her posture. “But… you also are?”

The other sighed, a golden flawed hand raised to his face in what looked to be a face palm. “It seems you do not remember,” he let out, disappointed.

Ink had to shove down the guilt trying to rise in her chest. “I'm sorry, but I don't, “ she confirmed, head tilted curiously at the newcomer.

All of his gold and jewels glistened in the light, lightly chiming every time a breeze brushed past them both. Ink knew for sure this was not one of her creations, yet she found the same beauty within him.

“Then I suppose I must reintroduce myself,” he hummed. He gave a deep bow, various gems and jewellery chinking together at the moment. “I am Aurum,” he let out.

“Aurum…” Ink repeated. Why was that name so familiar? Why couldn't she remember?

“I am a Dream from a multiverse now gone. You offered me a place here many years ago, although that was long before your Dream began to cloud your mind with his aura.”

Ink's expression shifted, different emotions bleeding through in an instant. “Dream has been… clouding… my mind?” Ink let out. She didn't want to believe those words, but something deep inside already knew it to be true.

“He's been quite the nuisance,” Aurum let out with a click of his tongue, golden wings shifting in the sunlight. The way they glittered was beautiful. “But his time will soon come to an end, I am sure.”

Ink froze up at that, panic racing in her chest. “What? Wait, what does that mean?” she practically stumbled over her own words.

A lizard skittered its way over Ink's foot, dashing into the undergrowth, momentarily distracting her from her own panic. Aurum moved a hand to cover his mouth to hide his amusement, not that Ink noticed.

“Ink. You are the Protector. Surely you feel how the multiverse yearns for stability,” he hummed in explanation.

“Y-yes, but… I don't…” Ink trailed, hands moving to her head. 

How was she meant to accept that somebody she loved as family for so long was not the person they had pretended to be? That they had lied for so long, even hurting others, and she had never seen it?

“Do you not feel the way the multiverse is shifting? It seems your little Creator was chosen to replace Dream,” Aurum pressed. “Its only a matter of time before his influence fails, and when that time comes, he will dust under the weight of his own sins.”

“But… Dream, he…” Ink murmured, tears building in her sockets. She collapsed to her knees, brush falling to her side. “Was this all my fault? For not noticing sooner?”

Aurum moved to sit by Ink, a wing shielding her from the sunlight but careful not to make any physical contact with her. “Whilst I am adverse to touch, I am… Sympathetic,” he murmured gently. “You do share some part in the blame, but you are not entirely at fault. You have only ever wanted what you thought was best for this multiverse..”

Ink knew he was right, but it didn't lessen the weight on her chest. “...What do I do?”

“I think it is time you talk to your negative guardian,” Aurum responded. It was a simple answer, but one that Ink dreaded. “A single conversation will not repair the damage that has been done, but it is, at least, a start.”

Ink let out an exhausted breath. “What about Ashe? If they become the new guardian, I… wouldn't know how to help them. I'm not even sure if they're still with Sci, or...”

“They are safe,” he let out with a warm smile on his face. He looked as though he were remembering somebody he was fond of, the way he seemed so peaceful. “I can help to guide Ashe, and will step in where I see fit. However, I would suggest withholding my contributions for now."

Ink recoiled at that. "Why?" She questioned.

Aurum looked surprised for a moment, but decided to answer with no offence taken at her suspicion."I, ahem, may have tried forcibly adopting Nightmare in my earlier years of mania.  I can assure you that has passed, though he may hold discontent."

“You tried to adopt Nightmare…?” Ink said, confused.

Aurum chuckled. “Indeed,” he confirmed. “But that is a story for another time.”

“Right,” Ink let out, nodding. “How do I reach out to Nightmare though? I… kind of thought he'd be the one I was meeting.”

Aurum shifted his wing, glittering gold magic forming a portal. “All you had to do was ask,” he teased.

Ink took a deep breath, dusting the dirt from her clothes before moving towards the portal. She hesitated before passing through, taking a moment to look back to Aurum. “Um. Thanks for talking. And uh… helping me get to Nightmare.”

“Consider it a debt paid,” he hummed. Ink didn't know what debt he meant, but thought it best to ask another time. She slipped into the portal without another word, practicing breathing as she mentally prepared for whatever disaster of an encounter was about to occur.