Chap 17 – Nothing

A laugh came from the human that lasted a few seconds before he replied.

- Hell, I guess you could say that. But with that I'm sure you're new around here. - Retracting his hand, but moving even closer, a very familiar sadistic smile appeared on the face of the human version of Killer. - Allow me to welcome you here.

Out of shock, Killer let his guard down when a stranger came so close to him, and his mistake cost him dearly. For from one of the pockets from the human's blouse, a knife emerged, and faster than he could react from this distance, an identical version of his knife was driven hard into his skull, killing him on the spot. Everything became dark as his limp body fell to the ground.

But after an unknown amount of time passed, his eyes opened and in front of him the human Killer was just staring at him with a mocked smile. No further action needed to be said or thought, with one agile leap his body was standing in front of his attacker and this time it was his turn to strike. Without hesitation a stab to the stomach, followed by two to the chest and one to the neck were delivered, resulting in a dead human on the ground.

Contrary to his expectations, the rest of those present did not react in the way he expected. Horror continued to cut down the tree without paying attention to anything around him, the Sans with a wreath on his head and Ccino continued to stare at the ground with their looks of defeat. The only one to show a slight reaction was the female version of his boss, who clapped her hands on her forehead with an irritated look.

- You are skilled with this thing. - Said the supposed corpse that was already getting up without any wounds on its body, thus scaring Killer. - Too bad we can't use magic here, otherwise I would love to have a fight with you.

Before Killer could even shout in indignation about what the hell was going on, the same sound that attracted him to this place came again when Horror finally cut the tree and it fell to the ground causing a slight tremor and a loud noise. But without any explanations, the same tree that had just been cut down, simply fell back into place as if nothing had happened, and without further ado, Horror cut it down again without saying a single word.

- What did we talk about you beating up newbies? - Shouted the pink Nightmare as his tentacles grabbed the human and mercilessly threw him to the ground and to other nearby trees. A scene that was interesting to be observed from a different angle by Killer.

- I never have any fun here, and if he's anything like me I'm sure he must have enjoyed it too. - With his injuries recovering to the naked eye, the human version of Killer simply stood up and cleaned his clothes as if until recently a compound fracture had not occurred in his arm and legs.

- Not only that, I heard that you literally kicked people you didn't like out of this safe zone and ended up giving the amalgamate a free meal.

- That is a slur against my person, it was a simple push.

"Is this how others feel when they see me arguing with the boss?" - Thought Killer as he resisted the temptation to simply stab everyone on the spot.

- I apologize for this idiot, sometimes he acts without thinking. I'm sure you must have several questions, my job here is precisely to help people like you, so feel free to ask any questions you wish. - Despite being pink and female, this Nightmare had an identical face to his boss. So Killer was quite surprised to discover that this face was capable of displaying a gentle and welcoming smile.

Propping his head up with one of his hands, Killer needed a moment to reorganize his thoughts. For different versions of certain monsters that are called out-codes should not exist, but since this was not his multiverse, that rule seemed not to apply.

- What is this place and who are you? - Without taking his eyes off the human version of himself in case of another attack, Killer asked.

- You are in Zero Infinity, the space between multiverses, if you have accepted the idea that there are alternate universes, then it shouldn't be hard for you to believe that there are also alternate multiverses, and if you are here then it means that your multiverse no longer exists. Sorry, I know this may be hard to accept, but as I said I am here to help you through this process until you find a new purpose. As for who we are, we are like you, lost souls who also lose their homes... although some are so lost that there is nothing else we can do. - Said Nightmare as she looked at Horror who again felled the tree, only for it to return to its original location and the process to be repeated. - This is what we call a bot, someone who has lost all hope and has been stuck in the same rut for too long... this has become his destiny, to become an empty shell destined to spend the rest of eternity doing the same thing forever.

- Why would anyone cut down trees in a place like this in the first place? - Ask Killer, even more confused than before.

- Why would we do anything? - For the first time Sans from FlowerFell decided to say something.

- Who cares? Maybe he just likes it, was bored, or maybe there is a super deep story behind it that we will never know. Either way now he is just a reference point that we use to find ourselves. - Said the human counterpart of Killer in a mocked tone.

- This place, Zero Infinity, has a twisted sense of humor, the other fate for those who lose hope of everything but aren't so lucky to find a safe zone like this is to become a statue in the darkness out there. - Explained the pink version of Nightmare.

Remembering the various figures made of stone as Chara led his way, Killer remembered the version of his boss that he saw. The idea that someone capable of mastering negative feelings had been defeated by them was not accepted by Killer, because for him his boss was not someone weak like these supposed alternative versions of him.

- You speak of this place as if it were a living consciousness.

- Maybe it is, there are still many mysteries about this place, like why we can't use magic, for example. Is there anything else you would like to ask?

- Chara... a child brought me here, but I have never seen a Chara like that. His soul was out of his body and he pushed away... that thing. What the fuck is that thing by the way?

- Looks like you met up with our giant amalgamate friend, you should consider yourself lucky since most can't find a Pathlighter in time and then become that thing's afternoon snack. - Playing with his knife by throwing it in the air and trying to balance it with only one finger, the human showed that even his habits were the same as his monster counterpart, much to his dismay.

- Pathlighter?

- That's what we call those who have chosen to dedicate their lives to saving others like you who are lost in darkness as their multiverse is destroyed. Zero Infinity turns the glow of their souls into a weapon to be used against that aberration and a hope for the lost and abandoned, but the price is the deprivation of their emotions. Being the version of a Sans victim of various genocidal routes, I know you must find it hard to believe that Chara would be able to sacrifice himself for others, but as you can see. - Pointing at the human and himself, Nightmare continued. - With so many multiverses around it shouldn't be impossible to find a Chara with these characteristics. - At the end of his speech, the tree fell once again and as expected, it was regenerated soon after.

- What the fuck is going on with this fucking tree? By the way... - Causing a cut on his hand that soon regenerated, Killer then asked. - Why is no damage permanent?

- The same state we were in when we came here is the state we are doomed to stay in forever, so here in Zero Infinity we are immortal. We can become something different, but we can explain that to you later, just know that your only other options are mental death by becoming a bot, or physical death by becoming stone or food for that thing out there.

- I can't even enjoy the pleasure of killing someone here? This place is definitely hell.

- At least you still have your head in one piece. - Commented Ccino as he rubbed his hand over the wound on his skull that could cause him to be mistaken for a Horror. Because he had already arrived here with this injury, it would not heal.

- Any more questions? - Not wanting Ccino to focus on his old memories, Nightmare tried to change the subject.

- Why am I here? Why doesn't my multiverse exist anymore? I was supposed to be in paradise now! Everything was perfect! If it wasn't for him everything would be perfect! - Finally giving in to his anger, Killer began to scream in indignation. To be in an unknown place with strange people when his dream was finally achieved caused a great revolt in him.

- Define him. - Said the only human in the group.

- He... disappeared as fast as he appeared, I don't know exactly what he did, I only know that he shouted something before destroying my multiverse. It was something like "You failed to...". - Pausing, Killer was trying to remember the words said by that strange being.

- "Meet the expectations placed upon you." - Completed Ccino, finally shifting his gaze from the cat in his arms to someone else. - You look like a scared little dog that got lost from its master. Funny, the Killer from my multiverse died with that same lost look in his eyes. Screaming for help that never came from a master who didn't care about him.

With the silence that followed, the tension in the place increased with the provocation coming from Ccino. Once the sound of the tree falling once again came, synchronized with this moment Killer threw the knife into the face of his target, a target that only maintained his look of defeat and showed no sign of wanting to avoid the blow. Although it was not possible to die in Zero Infinity, the pain was still real.

But to the mad Sans' displeasure, his weapon was caught in the air by a pink tentacle.

- You two, I'm not going to say empty words by saying I know how you feel, because, each of us has different stories. But what I do know is that we are in the same boat now, and since we can't die and we are not in the judgment room, there is no reason for us to kill each other. - Gently the knife was returned to its owner, which again surprised Killer at how different this Nightmare acted sometimes compared to his boss. - From what you say, your multiverse has had an encounter with Nothing.

- Nothing? What do you mean Nothing?

- Nothing is his name.

- That thing is called Nothing? Who the hell would have a name like that?

- What was left of his multiverse once he finished his work?

- Nothing...

- Well, that's what he does, he goes from multiverse to multiverse, and when he's done with his work, that's what's left, nothing. It's a name that suits him I would say.

- You know, there is something that has been bothering me for a while.

- Say, as I said, I'm here to help you.

- Why are you pink?

- I ate a strawberry instead of an apple.

- Is that all?

- That's all.

- But isn't strawberry red?

- What do you want me to do? I don't make the rules, pal, it just happened.

- I want to blow this place up.