Glitch Family

by Hermes187

Gradient is the son of two of the most famous monsters in the multiverse, but that fact is the complete opposite of the supposed blessing that perhaps some might believe it to be. Feeling the weight of the consequences of the actions from two monsters that failed in their duties as guardians, Gradient tries to find meaning in the life of someone born through an accident like him.

Introduction

Gradient is the son of two of the most famous monsters in the multiverse, but that fact is the complete opposite of the supposed blessing that perhaps some might believe it to be.

Feeling the weight of the consequences of the actions from two monsters that failed in their duties as guardians, Gradient tries to find meaning in the life of someone born through an accident like him.

In addition to the countless alternate universes scattered throughout the multiverse, there are also certain pocket dimensions that had become the dwelling place of some individuals called Out-Codes. Some of these dimensions being like the Save Screen which eventually became the dwelling place of a victim of countless genocidal routes or the Omega Timeline which in turn was inhabited by other victims of similar fates. But among all these peculiar places, the most famous would be the Anti-Void, and the main reason for this would be the one who live in such a place devoid of life.

But something that few are aware of would be the fact that besides Error, there was another individual residing in this dimension, although his location was different from the AU's destroyer. This monster spent most of his time isolated from everything and everyone living in his own little world, such behavior was represented as a timid and insecure nature, the result of bad experiences in his past.

The unwanted child born from the magical mixture of two monsters that could not be more opposite, the one who came to be known as Gradient, was currently lying on his stomach while drawing on his tablet using a digital pen. As he finished his work, a look of disgust from the author of the drawing himself appraised him, moments before deleting his newly created work.

There may be those with a line of thought that makes them believe that an individual spawned from two powerful monsters like the destroyer and the protector of AU's would naturally inherit the greatest characteristics of both, these being the ability to destroy alternate universes from Error and the artistic ability from Ink, but the reality was quite different.

In terms of appearance, Gradient was much more similar to Error, and this got him into several tricky situations where he was mistaken for or at least related to the destroyer. As a result, the hatred that many humans and monsters have for the glitch was passed on to his unwanted son, thus forcing him to fight for survival by actions that he himself did not commit. And in these chaotic moments, he discovered that unlike the destroyer, he was not an excellent fighter, and although he is not necessarily helpless in the presence of danger, he still never achieved great things in combat, always choosing to flee. This coupled with his peaceful nature that didn't appreciate conflict, always hampered him and earned him several injuries, although these are healed automatically over time due to his body being of a glitch just like Error's. And that was the one trait Gradient appreciated to have inherited from the destroyer.

However, what was worse was the other side of his family, as this one came with expectations. Gradient did not inherit Error's violent impulses, but in compensation he had always enjoyed and appreciated art like Ink and because of this he spent much of his time creating drawings of new AU's he knew, appreciating and creating art was something that was written into his code and was not something he had control over and could change, but there was a certain problem. Gradient had difficulty even drawing a circle, and even after many, many attempts to improve his skills, they were still mediocre at best, especially when compared to Ink. A fact that was emphasized over and over again by those who evaluated his work.

Hearing the same comparisons so often and often being insulted for not being as good as expected, taking into account that he was the son of the greatest artist in the multiverse, eventually an inferiority complex emerged.

Therefore, Gradient felt like someone unoriginal who was not as skilled or talented as his parents in their respective specializations, and these two in the first place are not really the best individuals to be responsible for a child. Ink was fascinated when he spotted the birth of the strange monster amidst the magic ink and strings, soon the protector of the AU's decided to take care of the newborn child and for a while, Gradient really was happy to have someone by his side. During this time the artist made it a point to travel with him through the multiverse and introduce him to the vastness that the multiverse was proving to be. But, as was usual on Ink's part, he eventually lost interest and forgot about him only to find something new to entertain himself with. As for Error, it rebooted the moment it saw him born, and when the glitch came back to him, his reaction was simply to disappear through a portal without saying a single word.

Being abandoned by his parents, often compared to one of them and being criticized for it while being attacked for being the other's son, regardless of the fact that he was not the one who took countless lives, eventually resulted in Gradient choosing to isolate himself in a place where no one could easily find or hurt him, the Anti-Void.

During his time in this empty dimension, the monster who was born in an accident tried several times to improve his work, but even though there was a clear progression in his abilities, due to his inferiority complex and his acquired perfectionism, Gradient never believed that his creations were good enough, and as a result he would delete them a few moments after they were made, and then repeat the same process of creating and deleting again countless times. This affected Gradient's lonely mind to the point of almost driving him insane.

However, one day the young glitch demonstrated a more determined behavior than usual, because in addition to tirelessly practicing the act of drawing, Gradient also traveled to certain AU's frequently in order to seek inspiration. And in one of these trips he found himself in StorySwap, where more specifically an unusual event was taking place in the city of Snowdin at a moment in the timeline of this universe before the human fell in the underground. The event consisted of an exhibition of the monsters' artwork, ranging from simple drawings to sculptural works.

Although Gradient tends to avoid places with large crowds, his desire to expose his creations to others in his desperate quest for acceptance sometimes overcame his shyness and insecurity, and with this in mind the young glitch infiltrated the festival. Although he was not someone from the area, due to the crowdedness of the event that attracted individuals from elsewhere in the underground, Gradient managed to go unnoticed.

As he walked through the streets of the city, his curious red eyes could not hide his excitement at the works scattered everywhere. Among groups of monsters laughing, sampling the local delicacies and having a good time in general, there was also a wide variety of stands built specifically to present the main purpose of the festival.

Looking more closely, it was possible to notice some monsters on their stands that received more attention such as Napstablook, who at this AU was playing Monster Kid role. His drawings were basically doodles made with a small pencil that he held in his mouth due to his lack of arms, whether the attention was generated because of the drawings themselves or the cuteness of the child, that was something Gradient could not tell. Besides the little ghost there were also others who managed to attract a considerable amount of attention, however the one who stood out the most was the human Chara, the one who would be responsible for acting as the Papyrus in this world. Through ice and snow sculptures added to her outgoing personality, if there were any prize for the winner of this festival, Chara would surely be the person qualified to win.

Spotting one of the empty stands, Gradient took courage and positioned his works so that they would be available to the public. As he waited to be noticed, his fear and inferior complex constantly attacked his mind, making him fear rejection and criticism as had happened countless times in the past.

During the time he was waiting, he noticed other participants in the event showing excitement and pride as they presented their respective works, behavior that would be the opposite of his expression as he observed his own creations in front of himself, since in his eyes they were full of imperfections. Gradually a feeling of envy at the way his vision worked compared to others began to emerge.

In the midst of his reveries, someone noticed him and approached unnoticed.

- Did you do that? - With his thoughts interrupted, Gradient focused on the voice of the one in front of him, immediately because of the red horns it was possible to recognize this monster as Nacarat Jester, one of the citizens living in Snowdin. - The asteroids amidst the starry sky are beautiful, is that what the sky looks like on the surface?

- Huh? No, no, this is space actually, I made this drawing based on the landscape of another AU, Outertale more specifically. - Although Error and the young glitch don't have the best father and son relationship, still Gradient still knew a few things about Error such as his favorite place to rest. Because of this he visited this universe with the intention of meeting the destroyer, but although this didn't happen he at least made sure to create a drawing of the sky from that place. This made him understand why his father liked to visit OuterTale so much.

- AU? Outertale? What is this? - Noticing the confused expression Jester made upon hearing his explanation, Gradient mentally scolded himself as he remembered that not everyone were familiar with the concept of the multiverse.

- I mean, yes, it is a sky, just different from the one on the surface. - His answer generated another confused expression from Jester that only caused Gradient to mentally slap his forehead. Because he spend most of his time alone in the Anti-Void, communication was not his specialty.

- Ha, you're a strange fellow, but I like your style, even more so considering that you seem to be quite young. By the way you're a new face around here, I guess you're not from around here right?

- Yes, I'm actually from a more isolated part of the underground, you probably don't know me. But I have these others, if you are interested. - With a certain impatience in his voice to change the subject, the young glitch presented him with his other works that soon began to attract more attention.

In time, other monsters appeared nearby and began to notice him more. Although he felt intimidated at first, mainly because he was not used to being the center of attention, at least in a positive way, little by little Gradient was managing to feel a little more secure with himself. His work was being recognized, a large amount of time stuck alone in the Anti-Void practicing without rest that almost drove him crazy was finally paying off. Perhaps for the first time in his life, the son of the guardian and destroyer of AU's smiled genuinely.

- Isn't that Sans, King brother and guardian of the ruins? - Questioned one of the bear-like monsters in the crowd as he pointed his finger at an Ink drawing.

- No, pay attention to his clothes, he is that skeleton that visited us once. What was his name again? - Asked Faun, a monster whose appearance resembled a deer.

- His name is Ink. - A new voice broke out in the crowd as a guy entered the conversation. - Or AU protector as some call him, he's a very eccentric guy, we spent some time together as he showed me some very interesting places. - As he observed who was talking, Gradient shrank a little as he tried to hide part of his face with his hood. In front of him was Asriel, the one responsible for playing the role of Sans in this universe, so if there was anyone who could recognize him, it would be him. - You... aren't you Ink's son? - As Asriel moved closer to the bench, it was possible to recognize the familiar face that reminded him of the destroyer, quickly making the association with the famous unwanted child between Error and the artist.

Gradient paled at finally having his identity revealed, since this was his greatest fear. In the past when he was traveling with Ink and discovering more about the multiverse, he was introduced or at least mentioned a few times by the guardian to everyone he knew, especially to the judges from each AU, Asriel being no exception. Soon, brutal scenes of entire groups chasing him in an attempt to assassinate him due to his relationship with Error flooded his mind.

- N-No, you must be confusing me with someone else. - Whispered Gradient in a way that only Asriel could heard, his own voice betraying him thanks to his fear. Then, in a futile attempt to hide with his hood, it was easy for someone like Asriel who knew his history to recognize the signs of annoyance and fear in his gaze.

- Anyway sorry to bother you, enjoy the rest of the festival. - Followed by this sentence, Asriel simply shrugged as he walked away from the stand, leaving a confused Gradient behind.

Although the StorySwap judge had heard about Error and his actions, he never actually faced him directly since his world never became a target of the destroyer, but if there was ever any chance of his home and friends being threatened by the glitch, he would not hesitate to remove such a threat. And when he recognized the son of the destroyer right in front of him in the middle of his own city, his first thought automatically was simply to make sure that he posed no danger, and the best method to do this would be to eliminate him. However, when focusing on the small, frightened red eyes, Asriel could not identify any trace of malice, evil or any hostile intent, only a slight dread that made the young glitch no different from a frightened child.

Faced with such a scene, Asriel remembered the eccentric Ink, a skeleton who could not keep the focus of the conversation on a single topic for more than a minute and who kept babbling on about things he had no idea what they were about, and this glitch in front of him was also his child. So if Gradient was in any way similar to the artist, coupled with his adopted sister Chara's belief that everyone can be a better person, he really had nothing to fear. And with this in mind, he decided to bet on Gradient's innocence and just left him alone, believing it was the best choice to make.

But Gradient didn't know what was going on in Asriel's mind, so he just watched the sight of his back disappearing into the sea of monsters that Snowdin's city had become. His relief, however, lasted only a brief moment as the chatter around him increased frantically. As he paid closer attention, it was easy to notice the judgmental looks since they now had a reference to compare them to.

- Ink's son? So you have decided to follow your father's footsteps. When he visited us he spent hours drawing and painting just about everyone, saying that he had never seen a Swap version of Storyshift... whatever that means. - Faun remarked as his eyes continued to evaluate the drawings on the bench, but this time with a different gleam in his eye. - But if we compare it to him, yours are nothing special, you still have to work hard to be as good as him.

- I thought you were good, but Ink's works are much better.

- You must be glad that your father is not here to see this.

- It must be embarrassing, right? If I were you, I wouldn't even have the courage to show it to anyone.

One voice after another, judgments, comparisons, and even some insults were uttered by the crowd. While on the one hand Gradient was physically attacked because one of his parents was an assassin of multiversal proportions, on the other hand he was emotionally attacked because of the high expectations everyone had on him.

Situations like this had occurred in the past, so they were not surprising to Gradient, but that didn't mean that the trial hurt any less, just that he was more used to the pain. After a while the crowd lost interest and began to disperse, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

After silently collecting his works and sending them to the Anti-Void through a small portal, the young glitch was getting ready to leave this AU while mentally repressing himself for even having had the idea to come here. With each step he took to return, a load of negative feelings grew heavier and heavier. Comments that he had heard all his life were played over and over again in his head, as if his conscience made a point of reminding him how miserable and alone he was and how pathetic was his constant search for acceptance.

Countless emotions enveloped Gradient's soul at the moment, such as sadness for apparently not being loved by anyone. Inferiority for not being able to compare himself to his parents in any aspect. Loneliness for never having had someone who truly sought his company. Disappointment at not being good enough no matter how hard he tried. With all these emotions pulsing in his chest, the glitch's footsteps stopped in the snow, and with a downcast gaze that slowly turned to the city he had just left, a new feeling arose... fury. Fury at being the son of two incompetent monsters in parental matters. Fury at being criticized and even suffering assassination attempts for reasons in which he has no guilt and no control. Fury at suffering unfair comparisons. As well as fury at not being able to possess passion for what he does compared to other artists due to his inferiority complex. And with these thoughts of victimization, he made a decision.

Turning around in his stride, Gradient walked back into Snowdin with a look filled with determination never seen before on his face. The first thing that came into his line of sight was a small group of random monsters that before they had a chance to react, a beam of light hit them and immediately annihilated them.

With a Blaster floating above his head, Gradient soon became the focus of everyone's attention as cries of astonishment and fear spread. Now sporting a smile that was completely contradictory to his normally timid and insecure expression, the young glitch shifted his focus to the stands where one of the sources of his hatred lay, and proceeded to attack with the intent of destroying them. With ignorance and fury guiding his actions, art and artists began to disappear one after the other as well as anyone who tried to stop him.

For the next few moments, the only scene that could be seen was a crowd of people trying futilely to escape the attacks of the now crazed Gradient. As the deaths piled up, the frustration along with the fears and insecurities began to fade and give way to elation and satisfaction added to a feeling of freedom never before felt, but that was certainly being enjoyed now because for the first time in his life, Gradient was giving in into his violent impulses in his code that he inherited from Error. At least until the instant when his fit of rage was interrupted by a familiar voice.

- The destroyer son... of course. I seem to have lost the bet. - Asriel's voice resounded through the place not with a tone of anger, but of disappointment. At least until the body of Chara crushed by the rubble came into his eyes' view. - You are no different from that destroyer, killing everything and everyone out of pure selfishness with no regard for anyone.

Following his words, a star-shaped magic attack was summoned and fired at the young glitch who barely managed to dodge it in time. As his body fell into the snow, his mind finally seemed to return to reality when he finally understood what was happening. In front of him was the judge of this AU, someone who did not fear his opponent unlike the other monsters as well as someone with the power to actually kill him.

With this realization, the courage gathered earlier drained away and his cowardly nature finally returned as his conscience was cleared and struck with his recent actions. Any attempt at dialogue would result in failure, so Gradient quickly tried to open a portal to escape this place. But when it opened, an Asriel brandishing a summoned sword as well as more star attacks that left small craters in the ground prevented him from escaping.

- You can't just kill the one I love and run away. Face the consequences of your actions. - With the image of Chara's crushed body still in his mind and a tone of voice as cold as a grave, Asriel continued to charge forward with his attacks without any thought of sparing his enemy.

For a while Gradient tried to push himself and fight his enemy, but when members of the royal guard appeared and joined Asriel in his onslaught, panic ensued as his injuries slowly increased. Soon, Gradient who was never an outstanding fighter began to flee through the forest behind the city while summoning his own attacks to buy time, but his attempt to increase the distance between himself and his pursuers failed as more attacks hit him and slowed his speed. Due to fear and inexperience the thought of using a teleportation away from there didn't even cross his mind, until an idea struck him.

Having more of Error inside himself than Ink, Gradient was also capable of manipulating the codes of an AU to the point of destroying it, although he never actually did that, but considering his situation, he couldn't afford the choice. In an act of pure instinct and desperation, a new Blaster appeared and was fired at Asriel and the royal guard with the intent of creating an opening, soon after a small portal opened next to the glitch and without a second thought, his hand went through the portal composed of codes and crushed it. It was a first-time action, but strangely enough it felt familiar, as if he had done it on numerous occasions in the past.

The effect was immediate, a tremor spread throughout the entire underground and in the distance it was possible to see the landscape being replaced by a terrible endless void. But contrary to his expectations, the destruction paused after a few moments resulting in numerous glitches appearing in the surroundings, but the AU itself still persisted.

- What have you done? - Asriel shouted as he attacked with one of his swords, a blow that wounded Gradient in the skull.

With the sharp blow he received, his body already weak from the other injuries, fell on the ground as the snow softened his fall. Still confused as to why his attempt to destroy this world didn't work, Gradient felt his strength leaving him while part of him had already given up on surviving. Because if he was not wanted by anyone, and also possessed no talents and aspects that would justify his existence, perhaps death really is the best outcome for an unwanted accident like him. Therefore, Gradient gave in to exhaustion and closed his eyes while waiting for the coup de grace. But this one never came.

- Look at this mess! Codes jumping left and right aimlessly and the human's soul was not even captured! This is a job half done! You are a terrible destroyer! - Unaccustomed to hearing a glitchy voice other than his own, Gradient slowly opened his eyes. As his vision cleared, he couldn't believe what was in his line of sight.

- You... I should know that you two are working together. - Blinded by rage at having his world destroyed, Asriel, unlike the members of the royal guard behind him who were paralysed due to fear and confusion at what was happening, eventually advanced towards the destroyer in an attempt to stab him with his swords.

- Another anomaly that doesn't know its place, but that's okay, moments like this are also part of my job. - And with a mock grin, Error launched his strings towards his opponent.

Initially Asriel managed to avoid the destroyer's annoying magic as well as bone attacks, but the StorySwap judge did not fail to notice that his opponent seemed to be just toying with him. However, the sight of a much easier target was spotted lying on the ground not far from him, and with hatred in his gaze, Asriel launched his star-shaped attack at Gradient.

But before the attack could reach its destination, a portal to a random AU appeared just above the young glitch acting as a shield when the stars pierced through it. Initially Asriel believed that Gradient just used his own magic to defend himself, so he was already preparing for another onslaught when a voice clearly embedded with anger caught his attention.

- Don't touch my things! - Followed by his shout, a Gaster Blaster was fired towards Asriel, who, although managed to dodge it, ended up being caught by his enemy's strings due to the fact that they were shot from a blind spot. - I was just going to give you a quick and painless death, but since you have decided to break the property of others, then I will play with you a little.

Gradient didn't know whether to be grateful that he was protected by his father or upset by the way he was being referred to, but his thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Asriel's soul being controlled by Error's main weapons to attack his own allies. Suddenly the royal guard, still confused by everything that was happening, had to fight for their lives against their own companion, who was shouting curses at the destroyer, who in turn was only laughing at the misfortune and suffering of others. Living up to his reputation, the puppet master had fun with his new toys until he got bored and then decided to end the show.

The fight only lasted a few short moments, when Asriel finished eliminating the last of his targets, he was impaled alive by a scarlet bone that rose from the ground, thus making the dust that his body had become join the many others who died on this fateful day.

- Still not up? Have you always been this weak? - Using the strings that intertwined themselves on Gradient's body, the young glitch was lifted and thrown through a portal created that took him to the Anti-Void. Once on the other side, Gradient slowly stood up as he tried his best to ignore the pain of his injuries. - Take a good look kid, this is how an AU is destroyed.

Following this sentence, Errro repeated the same act that his son performed earlier, but once the destruction started happening again in the AU, it didn't stop and decimated it completely. When the glitch went through the portal and closed it, he looked in a disapproving tone at the one he had just saved.

- You need to completely destroy the source code of a universe if you want to end it, not just a fraction of the standard code, and never forget to capture the soul of determination that can reset the timeline. Maybe that damned child will do it and then I'll have to clean up your mess again. - This time as he looked more carefully at his son's injuries, Error continued. - And most importantly... don't start a fight you can't win, know your limits.

Absorbing everything he heard, Gradient needed some time to understand what just had happened. Error, the AU's destroyer that he had practically only seen once in his life, the same monster that had abandoned him, magically has appeared in a moment of need and saved his life.

- How... how did you know that I... - Gradient fell silent when Error interrupted him.

- Coincidence, a big coincidence. I was nearby when I felt the codes of an AU being affected, it's not easy to find someone besides me who could accomplish such a feat so I got curious and checked it out. And who would have thought it would be you, if Ink knew that one of his creations destroyed the garbage he insists on protecting, I wonder what he would say. - With an amused look on his face as he imagined such a scene, Error snapped his fingers and suddenly they were in another region of the Anti-Void, the same one where Gradient normally resided and where his Tablet was. - Grab your stuff, we're going... - But this time it was Gradient who interrupted him, the difference being that he did it by yelling.

- Coincidence? And you still make fun of this? I could have died! I...

- You've been stuck here for too long to the point you've become really spoiled, today may have been a nightmare for you, but for me it was just something routine. This bubble you have chosen to isolate yourself in may be a safe place deprived of violence, but out there, in the big sewer this multiverse is becoming with so much garbage everywhere, people die all the time. Get used to it.

After Error's harsh words, an extremely uncomfortable silence arose between the two as Gradient tried and failed to hold back the tears from falling.

- Gradient I...

- Shut up! Go away! I don't want you here! - A quick bone attack was formed and fired towards Error, an attack that was easily avoided as he teleported to avoid being hit.

Knowing that his words would no longer reach him, Error then departed through a portal, thus leaving Gradient alone in this empty dimension where the only sound available at the moment was the weeping and wailing of an emotionally wounded and psychologically fragile monster.

However, not long afterwards a new portal opens where an unknown figure walks through it in a movement that gave the impression that it had been kicked all the way through.

- Did you really need to do that? You mess up and I have to fix it later? - His tone of voice had a clear tone of indignation, but soon after the portal closed this individual recovered his posture and slowly approached Gradient. - I didn't want our meeting to be like this, but anyway. This crazy family will have one more member now. - The young glitch's eyes were still a little misty from the tears, but he was quick to wipe them away and take a closer look at the unwanted guest in his dwelling. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recognize him, although there was a slight sense of familiarity. - Aren't you going to say anything? You finally meet your little brother and your reaction is just to stand there looking at me with those frightened eyes?

Despite the serene expression and calm tone of voice, it was still possible to notice a small smug smile, this and the fact that there was no sign of hostility in the newcomer's posture helped Gradient to calm down a bit and pay more attention to his unwanted guest, especially since he had called him brother. Judging by its physical appearance, it was possible to tell that this monster had a body basically made of ink, the same magical material as one of his parents. And it was at this moment that Gradient made the connection.

- Brother? Are you... also Ink's son? - Although Gradient was curious about the one whose face was in front of him, he still continued to analyze him. You could still notice his gaze wary of any suspicious movements.

- I am glad you understood quickly, I learned that before me there was someone else who was also born through an... accident. - The expression of this unusual visitor for a moment became somber as he pronounced the last word of his sentence. But this only lasted for a brief moment before his expression, so calm it resembled indifference, appeared again. - My name is Paper Jam, yours is Gradient, right? I know this is very sudden, but I am your little brother. - And then Paper held out his hand as a way of greeting his brother, which Gradient was a little hesitant before accepting.

- You said accident, so you also appeared...

- Amidst the magic of those two, yes. I don't know how it was in your case, but they were in the middle of a fight when it happened. - Although Paper Jam noticed the bruises on his brother's body, he chose to ignore this detail for the time being and walked forward leisurely until he decided to sit down on the floor of this dimension and placed the tablet on his lap as he began to inspect the device. - This conversation will probably take a while, you should sit down too.

Looking incredulously at his supposed little brother who was already acting like he owned the place, Gradient tried to hide his annoyance at doing what was proposed and settled down next to his sibling.

- Earlier... you were yelling at Error? - Mainly because of recent events, the young glitch was definitely not comfortable with the fact that someone was invading his privacy and going through his belongings. But because this unusual fellow was his brother, Gradient tried to contain his insecurity as much as possible. - Did he send you here?

- Yes, but he didn't really explain what happened, he just show up out of nowhere shouting a few curses and threats. So I would appreciate it if you could explain to me exactly what happened. - With agile movements, Paper Jam watched with curious eyes the images on the screen until something caught his attention. - Do you like manga?

Blushing a bit with embarrassment, Gradient had even forgotten that on his tablet was stored not only his drawings, but also one of his hobbies. As he lost himself in the fantasy that such stories could provide him, reading them presented him with entertainment to forget his problems. But he believed that it was embarrassing to read such stories because he also considered them childish, so he preferred to keep them secret.

- Yes, once in a while. - Not wanting to dwell on something he would like to keep to himself, Gradient soon changed the subject. - About what happened earlier, well...

As the story went on, Paper Jam listened silently without his eyes leaving the screen from the device on his hands. Although a disapproving expression could sometimes be seen on his face, the younger of the pair quickly returned to a neutral expression as he waited for his brother to finish narrating what happened.

At the end, PJ let out a long sigh before putting the tablet aside and turning his full attention to Gradient. Suddenly, the injuries he spotted earlier made sense now.

- That stupid glitch, I know he doesn't exactly see us as his children, but still... I'll have to ask Blueberror to lecture him later, Ink may be in charge of the beating. - A small evil smile formed on Paper as he anticipated such an outcome.

- Wait, who is Blueberror? And do you keep in touch with Ink? - The surprises his little brother was showing were piling up faster than Gradient could keep up. - You'd better start from the beginning, because it seems that our lives have been quite different until now.

- I will try to summarize as comprehensively as possible... I was basically born in the middle of a war. - Gradient's mouth opened quickly for a moment to comment on this, but he decided to shut up when he remembered that he himself was born in a similar or even identical situation to this one. - Initially Ink showed me the multiverse and became obsessed with having me as an assistant in his work after learning that our magic is similar. While Error after deciding not to kill me on the spot...probably because Blueberror stopped him, he then wanted me to destroy along with him. Basically this pair of sociopath and psychopath respectively speaking that we have as parents, wanted to dictate how I would live my life by trying to push their ideals on me. Let's just say that this didn't work for two reasons, the first reason being that I definitely refused to follow in the footsteps of those two when I noticed how self-destructive they were, and the second reason would be because of Blueberror who acted as the voice of reason. He is like an uncle, for lack of a better word to define this crazy family, and although he is by no means someone you could call a sane person, he is at least the most stable of the three.

- Right... but this Blueberror, to be someone close to the protector of AU's and the destroyer, he must be someone important. Why have I never heard of him?

- He's not necessarily someone important, just... how can I put it? Someone who became part of their life from a certain point on. - Noticing the thoughtful look on his brother's face, Paper Jam decided to tell his origin. - Originally he was an Underswap Sans named Blue, but after being kidnapped by Error and being trapped in the Anti-Void for a long time, his code was corrupted and he became a glitch. A version from another timeline of Underswap who was the sole survivor of a genocidal route was taken to the Blueberror timeline, and began living there as if he were the original Sans from that world. Without a place to return to, he moved in with Error and eventually Ink came into his life as well. I was not born at this time so I don't know all the details, but basically these three started traveling together to the point that Ink created an island in the Doodle Sphere that acted as a meeting place for them. I lived on this place until not too long ago.

- That is ... a lot to take in all at once. I mean, if you lived with them, then didn't Error abandon you when he first saw you? Didn't Ink get bored with you after a while and abandon you? Did they really treat you like a son while they simply forgot about me? - Quickly, Gradient stood up as he lost control of his voice at the same time that his emotions started to get messy. The mere thought that he was the one who was abandoned and cast aside almost made him cry again.

Paper Jam quickly noticed his brother's out of control and immediately any appearance of indifference or coldness disappeared from his face and was replaced by concern, then he wrapped the young glitch in his arms. If there was anyone in the multiverse who could sympathize with his plight, it was him.

- You are no longer alone, I can only imagine what you have been through being here all this time with no one. You can cry if it makes you feel better, because sometimes tears are not a sign of weakness, but rather that you have just been strong for too long.

Although it took a few moments, Gradient eventually returned the hug and gave up keeping up appearances as his tears fell, moistening the shoulder of his brother who was supporting his face. After an indefinite period of time that neither cared to notice, their bodies separated and the young glitch whispered a thank you. Once they had both calmed down, they sat back down opposite each at other.

- About what you said earlier, they never really saw me as a son, and probably never will. Erros sees us more as his property, he won't take the responsibility that a father really should, but he also won't let us die because he doesn't like others to touch what is his. An example would be when Ink took me to an AU where basically everything was composed of water, and a body made of ink like mine is not really compatible with such a place, before I practically melted and perished that day due to the fact that that squid forgot this small detail, Error appeared and saved me and assisted me in the recovery process. - Shuddering at the thought as he remembered the horrible experience, Gradient showed surprise as he realized that maybe he was the lucky one to not have lived with the rest of his family for too long. - Ink however, he is definitely not a model father, but almost everything I know I ended up learning because of him, unlike Error who refuses to teach me anything because my magic is not suited for destroying. What I'm saying is that both have their ups and downs, eventually I learned to live in the middle of it all until I had the ability to walk my own path.

- Initially I thought your life had been easy until now, sorry for thinking that. - Picking up his tablet from the floor and bringing it closer to him, Gradient hugged it in an attempt to feel more secure, just as he did at certain times when his confidence failed him. In a way in which he looked for hope in his hard-earned job.

- If there is anyone who needs to apologize in all this, it is not you. - Noticing how frail, small and weak his older brother appeared to be, his thought from earlier where Error was getting a beating was extended so that Ink would also receive some of the pain.

- Living with those two...what's it like?

- Most of the time...it's agonizing. They still fight often, Error on his eternal mission to destroy the alternate universes while Ink is always there to protect them. However, there are also moments of peace between them, and by peace I mean the absence of physical violence, because when it comes to verbal violence... - Happy to change the direction of the conversation to something lighter, Paper Jam narrated an event that occurred once.

In the Doodle Sphere on one particular island, Paper Jam was sitting leaning against a tree while playing with his ink magic between his fingers in an attempt to distract himself from the boredom caused by the argument between his parents. This argument had been going on for a few long minutes and had already turned into shouting from both sides.

- Admit it ink brain, AU's are getting more and more ridiculous! How can you see value in something as useless as this? - Error tapped one of his feet firmly on the floor like a child throwing a tantrum trying to prove his point. Perhaps under normal circumstances his listener would just give in and walk away, but to the glitch's misfortune, the target of his annoyance would not lose in a contest of stubbornness and childishness.

- They are not useless! Each AU is unique and art is a subjective thing, it may not please you, but it certainly pleases others. Sorry if the multiverse doesn't revolve around your will. - Ink ranted to the destroyer the same thing only with different words for a considerable amount of time now. If his battles did not involve physical confrontation, then they always amounted to debates that could vary from minutes to hours, to the extreme displeasure of PJ who was forced to listen to all that.

- Art is subjective? Well then... how subjective does one's mind have to be to create something like Pafriskus? - Crossing his arms and facing the artist with a provocative look, Error challenged Ink to explain the value in the anomalies he was so eager to destroy.

- Well... sometimes in a burst of creativity strange ideas can appear. But that doesn't mean that they are necessarily bad! - For a brief moment the AU guardian's resolve wavered as he remembered this particular monster. But soon his eyes shone again in the shape of two bright stars, his thinking would not be changed so easily.

- And what do you say about Spongetale? - With his patience almost exhausted, Error had to make an effort not to start a battle right there.

- Some creators... have very fertile imaginations, but surely... - Before Ink could finish defending himself, Error interrupted him.

- Thomas Sans... what is your excuse for that? - Each word sounded extremely tired, requiring all the willpower of the destroyer not to reboot right there with such stupid anomalies.

- Okay... maybe the creator responsible for this really had gone a bit over the edge, but... - And once again, his speech was interrupted by Error.

- A bit?

- You are missing the point here, all ideas should be respected and... - And just like a few moments ago, the discussion turned into shouting between guardian and destroyer who could not agree on almost anything.

Eventually both finally got tired of the discussion and left the Doodle Sphere through their respective portals, totally forgetting that there was a third individual there.

Paper Jam was grateful for the peace that silence brought, so he decided that he would take advantage of the absence of his parents, who were acting more like children than he was, and take a nap. But his plans were thwarted when Blueberror came running through a portal, and when his eyes caught sight of only PJ on the island that had become home to this strange family, instantly his troubled mind marked Paper Jam as the target of his newfound stories that he claimed were spectacular and the best thing that had ever happened to him. Something that might be interesting to hear, if it were not for the fact that the glitch swap said the same thing for any unusual event that occurred to him.

Being in a place with the most twisted minds in the multiverse, PJ just sighed deeply as he accepted the fact that this was his life now. Being part of a totally unbalanced family in which he could only hope he wouldn't end up the same way if he ever got his own.

Listening to the account, Gradient couldn't help but chuckle a little at how silly and idiotic it would be to live with these two and often have to witness arguments like that. And due to the fact that this was the first time his brother had seen him laugh, a satisfied smile was formed on his face at finally seeing the young glitch's face abandon the sadness and pain in his gaze, even if only for a brief moment.

- About Blueberror's participation in all of this, he acts more like a younger brother of Error, but who is also the voice of reason in certain situations, both for him and for Ink. Strangely enough those two listen to him in important decisions.

- You said earlier that Error kidnapped you from your AU, and now another Sans has taken his place. He... doesn't hate Error or at least resent him?

- You know, I asked him this once... his answer was simply that the magnificent Sans is above such selfish behavior and that he prefers to focus on what he has now rather than on what he has lost. Strangely enough, he seems happy with his life now.

- This... seems very mature on his part, even more so considering that he is the youngest of the trio and swap versions of Sans are usually more naive.

- Ha don't be fooled, don't think that in this family there is anyone normal. Blueberror possesses a sinister black humor at times and can really act crazy sometimes, his time stuck in the Anti-Void has really affected his behavior. But it is a fact that he is the most stable of the three. - Getting up, Paper Jam created an ink portal on the floor as he stood in front of him. - We can continue this conversation later, now I want to show you the island in the Doodle Sphere.

- Just one more question, Error apparently knew where I was in the Anti-Void and he had mentioned that I should get my things and follow him somewhere. Did you already intend for me to join you? If so, then why did it take you so long to show up? - Also standing up, Gradient stared at his brother waiting for an answer.

- I knew about you because Error mentioned that it was the second time that the birth of something like me happened, but no matter how much I asked, they never told me where you were or why they didn't look for you. That's something you'll have to ask them directly. Now, will you come with me or not? - Holding out his hand, PJ waited for his brother's answer.

Before deciding whether or not to accept, Gradient took a look around him at the Anti-Void, where it was possible to see only the endless white as far as the eye could see no matter where one looked, a sight that had already become customary. Gradient was convinced that in this small prison no one could hurt him, so this dimension became his cage to exclude himself from the rest of the world. A white space where he could do whatever he wanted without worrying about being repressed for any of his actions. But was it really right for someone to even live this way and consider it normal and acceptable?

The young glitch could not recall any positive memories in his life in this place besides small moments of comfort brought by the entertainment of some works he brought here from the outside world. As far as he could remember, Gradient had befriended loneliness and made it a part of his nature, just as he subconsciously accepted the fact that he was inferior to his parents as he constantly repressed himself for not meeting the expectations he created for himself. Slowly Gradient was killing himself by drowning in evils that no one, especially someone as young as he was supposed to possess.

But now there finally came a chance to move on, to finally break free from the bonds his old lifestyle had created and start a blank page in his life, and all he needed to do was grab the hand of the one in front of him.

After picking up his tablet, determination burned in Gradient's eyes as he firmly grasped his brother's outstretched hand.

Then his surroundings turned completely black as the pair plunged into the puddle of ink.

When light returned to illuminate the surrounding scenery, the young glitch found himself in front of a large tree. Attached to it, it was possible to see a large tree house with several rooms scattered among the branches.

Gradient failed to hold back a small laugh as he realized that the meeting place between two of the most powerful beings in the multiverse was similar to a place a kids' club would build. And considering the personalities of both of them and the way they acted, perhaps this really was the most appropriate.

- Since I don't live here anymore, you can have my old room. - Without wasting any time, Paper Jam climbed the stairs, with Gradient following close behind. Quickly the pair arrived at their destination. - Feel free to decorate this place as you wish, it is yours now.

- You mentioned this before, that you had moved to another place. Where do you live now? - Gradient asked as his eyes surveyed the place, although the space was large considering it was a tree house, compared to the vastness of the Anti-Void it was absurdly small. But realizing that all of his belongings literally fit in his hands, the young glitch knew that a large space was the least of his priorities at the moment.

- I didn't mention it until now, but I have my own family. I live with them. - PJ's words were followed by the sound of the tablet hitting the floor as his brother's jaw dropped. After waiting a few moments and noticing that the older of the pair was still paralyzed, Paper Jam gently and slowly brought the palm of his hand up to Gradient chin and closed his brother's open mouth. An action that snapped him back to reality.

- You have a family? You're already a father? I... I'm an uncle? - By thinking that this day couldn't hold any more surprises, Gradient almost lost his balance and fell backwards as he realized how behind in life he was compared to his younger brother. Because unlike Paper Jam, he had never even had a love interest, while Paper already had a whole family.

- Yes, her name is Omni and our child is called MonoChrome. It would be nice if you could meet them someday. - Holding back his laughter at the way his brother reacted, PJ definitely did not imagine that this member of his family could be so naive even though he is the oldest. - But for now, there is someone else you need to see. If you're going to live here, then you'd better get along with him. I'm referring to Ink.

Hearing that he needed to meet with one of his parents, the same one who was responsible, even if indirectly, for his perfectionism that caused him so many problems, caused Gradient's body to freeze for a brief moment. But it didn't take long for him to regain his composure and nod positively, knowing that procrastinating on such a question would only aggravate the problem.

- He is in a deeper part of the island, just follow the path and you will see him. And I warn you in advance that he is with a visitor... somewhat unexpected, but I won't ruin the surprise. While you look for him, I'll go after Error, I have to settle a few things with that damned destroyer. - Snapping his fingers menacingly, a cruel glint appeared in PJ's eyes before he sank into a puddle of ink, leaving Gradient alone in the room.

Picking up his tablet again, the young glitch made the reverse path as he descended the stairs and just as instructed by his brother, followed the trail of the small island he was on until he saw after a few minutes of walking, Ink who surprisingly was drawing something sitting against a tree with Nightmare.

Once again, Gradient was surprised by something he thought it was impossible, since he only saw the King of Nightmares once by pure awareness when he attacked a certain AU where he was. Witnessing such brutality and violence caused by Nightmare and his minions, Gradiente quickly opened a portal and fled that world before he was caught in the crossfire. And as far as he knew, after Error, such an individual should be the highest priority that Ink should have when it comes to protecting the AU's. And yet, here they both were, chatting normally like a pair of friends.

Hugging his tablet for comfort, a gesture Gradient always makes when he is on the defensive, he slowly took steps toward the unusual duo until he was close enough to hear their conversation.

- If I am a squid, and you are an octopus, then why don't we united to dominate the multiverse together? - Such a stupid sentence obviously could only have come from one of the two, and his response was simply a middle finger as well as a grimace of annoyance. But before he could form a proper response, Nightmare noticed who was approaching.

- Looks like you have a guest, a very unexpected one on top of that. You'd better have this conversation alone. - Recognizing who the other was, the King of Nightmares wrapped himself in his own black substance and disappeared, leaving a confused Ink behind.

As Gradient came closer, he could feel his soul beating harder in his chest due to nervousness and insecurity, especially when their gazes met.

Ink jumped up and ran to the young glitch with his star-shaped eyes.

- Wow, I didn't think you would find your way through here one day, it's been a long time since we last saw each other... - At the end of his phrase, the guardian's mouth opened intending to pronounce his son's name, but no words came out. It only took a quick observation to notice that Ink had forgotten the name he wanted to say. Such an action could also be observed by the fact that the artist snapped his fingers repeatedly with one of his eyes closed in a futile action of remembering something.

- Gradient... my name is Gradient. A name you chose by the way. - His voice clearly possessed disappointment, even if he already knew about the guardian's bad memory, he at least hoped that his name would be remembered.

- Yes! Gradient! If you gave me one more minute I would remember. - With the impression that he was talking to a child and he was the oldest in the situation, Gradient was already beginning to regret having agreed to meet with one of his parents. - But what have you been doing all this time? You just disappeared one day! - Walking back to where he was sitting, Ink picked up his small pencil again and continued his drawing while gesturing for Gradient to sit next to him. An action that Gradient hesitantly agreed to.

- Nightmare... why was he here?

- Although not very often, sometimes we meet for a casual conversation. Sometimes he visits me here and sometimes I visit him in his castle.

- Shouldn't he be your enemy? Error I even understand that you can live together, but Nightmare? I can't imagine you two as friends. As far as I know Dream is the one who should be your closest friend, or am I wrong? - Hearing these words, Ink can't help but chuckle softly.

- Most people think so, but Gradient, do you know what my job is?

- Protect the AU's?

- Protect them from what exactly? - Shifting his focus from the drawing to the face of the young glitch beside him, the artist was curious to see the reaction to his answer.

- Well, from Error mainly who wants to destroy them. And from individuals like Nightmare who attack alternate universes with the intent of spreading negativity.

- You are right only in the first part regarding Error, who wants to totally destroy an AU. But you are wrong about Nightmare, at least partially wrong, as is practically everyone else. - Ink was amused to see the confused expression of his listener. And he quickly explained why. - Something that many cannot understand, or at least cannot accept, as is mostly the case with Dream. It is that there are certain AU's that are made to suffer.

- Made to suffer? What are you talking about? Who decided this? - Perhaps his words sounded hypocritical since earlier that day Gradient had killed several innocent people. But still he could not understand or accept the words of the guardian.

- The creators decided, my job as guardian is to protect their creations as well as encourage them to create new stories. If they decided that a universe like Heaventale should be positive, I will protect it from anyone who tries to cause chaos in that place, in cases like this I would actually fight Nightmare. But in a place like Helptale, where the creator responsible for that world wanted such an AU to be composed of negativity, then I will defend it from anyone who wants to help them. In situations like this I would fight Dream who would be going against the natural order of things. - Satisfaction could be seen in Ink's smile as he noticed the understanding in Gradient's face. For some reason he always found it amusing to notice the reactions of others when explaining this aspect of his job. - And this little detail of my function as a guardian is something that not everyone understands or accepts, but that's the way it should be. Nightmare understands this, so he only attacks universes that already have a negative atmosphere, just to increase it, but there is no problem with this since he is not going against the natural order of the AU itself. And when you ignore his actions, he is surprisingly someone pleasant to talk to. Much more than his twin brother, that I can assure you. Also, he at least fights his own battles, unlike the others kings I know. - At the end of his explanation, Ink went back to drawing while letting Gradient absorb everything he heard.

- So... the creators are the real scoundrels in this story?

- I guess you could say so. - With a slight laugh, Ink finally noticed something that has been between Gradient's arms all this time. - And what is that you are holding?

- This? It's what I use for drawing, but you wouldn't want it... - Before Gradient could make any excuse to show his drawings, Ink quickly took the device from his arms and began to fiddle with it.

- Wow, that's really handy, maybe I should get one of those. - Then as he said this, Ink looked at his trusty giant paintbrush nicknamed Broomie resting on the floor beside him. - Just kidding Broomie, no need to be jealous. I would never abandon you, you know that. - The next scene of Ink hugging and kissing a giant paintbrush while pouting as if it were the most important thing in his life, made Gradient only confirm and reiterate the insanity he already knew his father possessed. - Wow, you did all this? You like to draw the AU's scenarios, don't you? They look so beautiful! Which one is your favorite? Do you have a specific source of inspiration? Did you learn to do all this yourself or did someone teach you? Is this what you were doing the whole time you were wandering around?

- Do you like them? But they are not as good, not as perfect as I wanted them to be. - Being overwhelmed by so many questions, Gradient had a small anxiety attack as he shrank away from believing he was that good. Especially since he was not used to praise.

- Nobody can create something perfect since it is impossible to please everybody. Besides, if perfection really existed, there wouldn't be so many AU's in the multiverse. - And with that sentence, Ink remained silent while still viewing the content on his son's tablet.

Upon hearing such a simple yet impactful sentence, the young glitch needed a moment of silence to reflect on it.

His inferiority complex would be one of the most negative aspects of his life, as this trapped him in an endless cycle of creating and deleting his creations, always in search of a non-existent perfection. Any activity or hobby, whether done professionally or for leisure, when it becomes obsessive, can also end up becoming toxic and self-destructive. And this was exactly the path on which Gradient was walking.

Maybe the change in his attitude and behavior would not change so easily and suddenly, but from now on this would be a new beginning full of new opportunities. Time was not necessarily a problem for overcoming his traumas, but there was something in particular that Gradient needed to address immediately.

- I missed you, you know? - Crestfallen, the young glitch said without making eye contact with Ink.

- But weren't you the one who ran away? One day I left you waiting in an AU and when I came back you were gone.

- How long do you think I waited?

- A few hours at most? It is hard to measure time when you are jumping from world to world so often.

- Eleven days Ink... I waited for you alone for eleven days. - This time, their eyes finally met. And even someone as insensitive as the guardian could notice the anguish in the pair of eyes he saw.

- Wow, all this? I probably couldn't have stood still for more than an hour. - Noticing the anger and annoyance in his son, the artist devoid of soul and real feelings knew he was walking in a minefield now. Abandoning his playful tone, Ink began to speak in a more serious and fearless tone. - Gradient, I wish I could give you a guarantee that something like this would never happen again. But if I said that, I would only be deceiving both of us; that is my nature. You are free to stay here as long as you want and ask me for help with anything you need, but I can't be a father figure like you wish.

This time Gradient could sense honesty in the guardian's words. For as long as he could remember, Ink had always been a selfish person who most of the time acted like a jerk in the most diverse situations. And even if the artist used the excuse of his lack of soul and true emotions, this did not lessen the weight that his actions caused.

Parental approval was an easy thing for Paper Jam to shake off, but to his older brother, it was a much more difficult task due to the way his life was designed. And although Gradient tried to become someone stronger and more independent, the small part of him that still sought parental comfort suffered from the loneliness of unrequited parental love.

But if he really wanted to leave this part of himself behind, overcoming this fact was a necessity. Although a small part of him still had hope that one day at least one of his parents would change his behavior regarding how this family functioned.

- Do you like to read manga? I thought you were too old to see this stuff. - Ink sneered as he continued to scroll through the images on the device in his hands.

And with that the small part of him that still had hope for a full reconciliation with the guardian died.

- Excuse me, manga are also a subjective art form for your information. - Quickly Gradient took back his tablet as he stood up and made Ink laugh.

- I know, I know, I'm just kidding. Now I have to go, I still have work to do. - Said the artist as he stroked Gradient's head gently moments before disappearing into a puddle of paint created on the floor.

At the small caress received, Gradient blushed a little from embarrassment as he felt a slight warmth envelop his soul. Only for moments later he smacked his own forehead with the his palm while cursing himself for being an idiot who never learned to let go of this idiotic desire that he knew very well would never work. Suddenly his jealousy at his brother's behavior increased even more.

Remembering Paper Jam, the older of the brothers returned to the tree house in search of him and Error. And to his surprise he returned in time to see PJ and someone he assumed was Blueberror, with a... water spray attacking Error.

- Bad Error! Apologize to him! - Blueberror said as he continued to spray water on the destroyer. And being a glitch himself, he knew better than anyone how much contact with water bothered him.

- And why should I? It's his own fault for being so weak and spoiled. - Defended Error as he tried to block the water uselessly with his hands.

- Bad Error! You have to improve your attitude.

The ridiculous scene of the destroyer being treated like a grumpy cat was interrupted when Paper Jam noticed his brother approaching and with a gesture, walked away dragging Blueberror who was now waving at Gradient with a silly smile on his face. Not long afterwards the two glitchs were left alone.

After they both stared at each other for a few seconds, no one knew exactly how to break the uncomfortable silence. Until Error decided to speak first.

- Your injuries... are they better? - His voice was low as a whisper, but someone perceptive would notice the legitimate concern in his tone.

- Huh? Ha yes... the glitches help healing. I'm used to them so I don't even notice when the pain is healed anymore. - Error answered with a low and indecipherable noise, as if he was complaining about something. Which prompted Gradient to ask next. - Earlier... you knew where I was in the Anti-Void... why didn't you come to see me before? - And again a silence fell over the father and son duo, in which the older of the two looked at the horizon of the Doodle Sphere, fighting the temptation to simply open a portal and run away. - You at least interacted with Paper Jam sometimes, so why didn't you ever come to see me?

- It's complicated, Gradient.

- So help me understand. - As he looked at his firstborn, Error could see the absence of the anger he believed existed in those red eyes.

- As you already know, you were created through an accident. My job is to destroy the anomalies, the mistakes of creation that should never have existed... so when I saw one of these born in front of me... and it had traces of my own code in it, I froze Gradient, I didn't know what to do. - Knowing that his next words could hurt his offspring, but also knowing that the situation was already bad, Error then decided not to be lenient. - I wanted to turn you into a pile of dust the moment I first saw you, but for some reason I couldn't do it. Some part of me was in conflict with my ideas of destruction, and because I couldn't decide what to do, I ran away.

- Well, that explains the scene of you staring at me for several minutes like an unresponsive idiot and then disappearing without saying a word. - To the destroyer's astonishment, Gradient accepted this fact more easily than he would have believed possible.

- As for your brother... well when he was born the same way as you, my reaction was not much different. The difference was that Blueberror interfered this time, if he had been there when you were born, your life up to now might not have been so different from PJ's. - A rare smile was born and quickly died on the destroyer's face when he remembered how much influence the glitch swap had in his life. A gesture that did not go unnoticed.

- Blueberror... tell me more about him. He seems to be someone important to you.

Walking to the bottom of the tree, Error quickly used his strings to form a swing supported by the branches above. After the destroyer had made two accents and settled into one of them, Gradient followed suit and sat down next to the glitch while waiting for his response.

- He was nothing more than a toy at first, something to relieve my boredom. But after a foolish attempt to manipulate me into escaping the Anti-Void, I abandoned him for a long, long time. When I returned... well he was no longer himself. - Gaining momentum with his feet, Error began to sway slowly as he continued his dialogue. - Many things happened after that, he became a plague that wouldn't leave my side practically, but with time came acceptance, his presence was also unexpectedly a comfort in difficult times. - Closing his eyes as he remembered something intimate from the past, Error went on to explain a doubt that was hanging over his son's head. - By the way, if you are still wondering why I didn't visit you even after I accepted your younger brother... the answer would simply be fear.

- Fear of rejection?

- No, you are not so important that I fear your rejection, don't give yourself too much credit, kid. Would it be fear of how I would react, would I still have the impulse to take your life or at least accept your existence? I opted for the easier choice which was to simply pretend you didn't exist.

- Considering the present... what would be the answer? - Error kept swaying for a while before answering, thus increasing the tension with the prolonged silence.

- I saved you earlier, didn't I?

- But that was not out of kindness. - His words sounded cold and cruel, without an ounce of gratitude for having his life rescued.

- At least you're smart, so at this part at least you pulled more on me than that inky brain. You are right Gradient, I just didn't want someone to touch my stuff, since at the end of the day you still have part of me in you.

- To Ink I am something to kill boredom, and to you I am an object similar to what someone would keep on a bookshelf in a bizarre collection... got it. - Rising from his seat, the young glitch stretched a bit before stopping in front of the destroyer and facing him. But not in anger, but in serenity.

- What do you understand?

- That you two are the worst parents in the multiverse that anyone could ever have. I'm done living in your shadow, so fuck you both. - His words were followed by a middle finger towards the destroyer.

- Look who's all grown up, finally got some balls, kid? Now you look like someone who can be considered my offspring. - Also rising from the swing seat and laughing as he amused himself at the provocative words, Error came face to face with Gradient in a defiant manner. - But don't get too cocky, I can always change my mind and eliminate you.

- Not on my watch! - A whistling sound was sounded on the small island just behind the big tree where the two glitchs were gathered. From some bushes, Blueberror ran out with a bucket of cold water in hand towards the destroyer.

Noticing that his entire conversation was overheard and that a maniac now had him as his target, Error was quick to open a portal to some random location. But to his misfortune, his pursuer had the same ability to travel between space and time. Soon the two crazy monsters disappeared from sight leaving no trace behind the ridiculous scene that was just played out.

Being finally alone now, Gradient once again climbed the steps of the tree house and walked to his room. Snuggling down to make himself more comfortable, he could finally stop to take a closer look at everything that had happened over the past few hours, as well as laugh to himself at the craziness he had witnessed and would surely still witness from now on.

In this family of glitches, there was one more member now.

Notes

As I usually always like to do, below are the inspirations that gave me the idea to write this:

First would be TheGrinningKitten, whether its fanfics or its drawings, there is a lot of good content there. There are several drawings from a series called Inky and the Glitches that gave me the general idea for this story, I recommend it to anyone who is interested. This can be found both on his Twitter and Tumblr while the fanfics are on the archiveofourown site.

This video also gave me the idea to start writing this. This channel called Paper SU also has other great short undertale videos for those who are interested. For some reason my favorite one is lust sans :v

watch?v=e4ED-4XD6i4

I would have posted this fanfic about a week ago if it wasn't for a game called OMORI... honestly I think everyone who likes undertale would also like this game, although I wouldn't recommend it for the more sensitive people. I almost had to make an appointment to see a psychologist after finishing it T.T

This game is fairly new as of the date I'm posting this, but I don't doubt that it has the potential to become as popular as undertale someday. For those curious, here is the game trailer below:

watch?v=erzgjfU271g

Also, my next fanfic will not be a one-shot like I've been doing lately, it will probably be about the same length or maybe even bigger than "A New Creator". But for the first time it will not be about undertale, but about another game that unfortunately not many people know, but that I like a lot.

For those who like my fanfics I hope you will follow this new story once I start posting it :v (and no, I have no idea when I will start posting it, but it will probably take a while because it will be the hardest story I've ever written so far).

About the conversation between Error and Ink.

For those who don't know what Spongetale is as I mentioned earlier, you can see below that the undertale fandom has no limits and maybe Error is not so wrong in wanting to destroy everything:

watch?v=ngxoVz85kL4

And if you don't know what Pafriskus is... I will ruin your day:

watch?v=vV-x-89xrGw

Before you ask, I refuse to post here what Thomas Sans is, search at your own risk if you didn't know what it is.

Honestly... I should be paid considering all the advertising I did here T.T