Chapter Five: Merciless Controller
Unbeknownst to Sans and Papyrus, Blueberry watched the entire argument unfold from the window. It wasn't like he had anything better to do or anyone to talk to, afterall. He was shocked to see the brothers yelling in the kitchen and Papyrus slamming a serving spoon into the sink as he turned his back. It reminded him of an argument he had with his own brother about cooking tacos. Usually his brother was relaxed about the topic. However there had been one time that Blueberry left the stove on HIGH for too long and caused his taco sauce to splatter and make a mess of the stove - it had also stunk to high heavens too on account Blueberry burned the pot. His brother was livid! He exploded on Blueberry, yelling about how he was tired of cleaning "Failed Taco Expiriments by Sans the Skeleton" and that he had no business in the kitchen. Blueberry was highly offended and proceeded to go off about how his brother has no business sitting up in the living room smoking and that he was tired of picking up "nasty cigarette butts left by Papyrus the Lazypants" from the floor. They didn't talk for an entire day after that. Even worse was that this had been during a Pacifist Route, so Chara had come over for dinner. Instead of dinner, they got to witness the siblings yelling for a whole twenty minutes before his brother slammed his room door and Blueberry was angrily scraping ruined taco sauce into the trash.
Seeing Frisk look over at the kitchen with a baffled expression as Sans hollered at his brother made Blueberry wonder if something went wrong in the kitchen and Sans was mad about it. Maybe Sans was like Blueberry's brother and had to clean any messes Papyrus left in the kitchen? It sure seemed based on how quickly Papyrus ran to the kitchen that he was just as enthusiastic about cooking as Blueberry was. Maybe they could share tips?!
...If Sans ever lets them meet...
A rush of cold air came across Blueberry's bones, causing him to shiver. The sun was starting to set now. Sans must've been too irritated to bother to let him back in. Kind of made Blueberry remember how he had been so upset that day he and his brother argued that he didn't let their dog in for the entire night.
The only thing was that unlike a dog, Blueberry had little to keep warm with other than his already cold armor and bandana. His clothes were still wet from laying in the snow earlier and were now just making him colder. He stifled a cough as he looked in the window, seeing Papyrus coming out of the kitchen with a pot. Frisk looked up eagerly. He could see Papyrus talking gently to the human before scooping up some speghetti from the pot and putting it on a plate, handing it to Frisk afterwards.
That was all Blueberry could see before feeling a harsh kick to the head. Due to cold and likely being sick as a result, his vision immediately began to blur as he caught a glimpse of his assiliant.
*DiD yOu ThInK I wOuLd Be DuMb EnOuGh To StAy AwAy jUsT bEcAuSe tHiS iS tHe OrIgINaL tImElInE? ThErE's No OnE tO sEe Me. I tHaNk tHaT sPiNeLeSs ChIlD fOr ThAt. I'm GoInG tO tAkE yOu OuT bEfOrE yOu mEsS tHiNgS uP fUrThEr...
"Mess things up?! What...are you even...?" Blueberry asked weakly. He could feel cables coiling around his arms and legs. Somehow they felt even colder than the winter air.
Error pulled Blueberry harshly away from the house. Best not alert the other one of Blueberry's existance.
*YoU aLrEaDy RuInEd ThIs TiMeLiNe. AmAziNg. I dIdN't ThInK aNy GlItCh cOuLd Do sIgNiFiCaNt DaMaGe In HoUrS. YoU rEaLlY aRe a SaNs, ArEn'T yOu?
"How have I ruined things?" Blueberry choked through his sheer pain and fear. "What happened due to me...?"
*YoU'vE tRiGgErEd EvEnTs To HaPpEn ThAt ShOuLd NoT. SoMeThInG aBoUt YoU...I sEnSe hAs ChAnGeD tHe WaY OrIgINaL SaNs Is TaKiNg ThIs RuN...
"That had to be Frisk's doing! N-not mine..?"
Blueberry trailed off. He suddenly couldn't find his voice. His throat just tightened up at any attempts to speak. Flashbacks of Grillby's and the conversation in Sans's room flashed through his mind. Did those things cause an unexpected change?
"...Right...?"
*NoRmAlLy, SaNs WoUlD hAvE tAkEn ThInGs WiThOuT a WoRd. He CeRtAiNlY wOuLd NoT hAvE cAuSeD a ScEnE lIkE tHaT. YoU bEiNg So MuCh LiKe HiS brOtHeR MuSt hAvE SoMeThInG tO dO wItH it.
Just like Sans's brother huh? Blueberry was told as much. And Sans himself was just like his own brother. Did that have to do with how Ink made his universe?
*I'm NoT gOiNg tO jUsT lEt tHiS kEeP oN. ThIs iS sUpPoSeD tO bE tHe pErFeCt tImElInE. I wOn'T hAvE a lItTlE gLiTcH rUiN iT. If I rEmOvE yOu nOw, tHe dAmAgEs sHoUlD bE mInImAl. ThEy wIlL mAkE uP aNd eVeRyThINg wILl pLaY aS a NoRmAl NeuTrAl RoUtE. ThE hUmAn wOn'T bE sAtIsFiEd. ThEy'Ll RESET lIkE a gOoD hUmAn yEt aGaIn.
Blueberry's eyes widened at Error's words.
"So you want these RESETS to continue?!"
*Of cOuRsE. AnD tHeY wIlL aS lOnG aS tHe hUmAn kEePs gEtTiNg tHe sAmE rEsUlTs. ThEy hOpE tOo mUcH tHaT sOmEtHiNg nEw cAn hApPeN. As lOnG aS tHaT nEvEr hApPeNs, tHe cYcLe wIlL cOnTiNuE. ThEy'Re tOo DETERMINED nOt tO kEeP RESETTING.
"But what about everyone else?!" Blueberry demanded as he struggled in the cables now. "What about Sans?! He remembers every RESET doesn't he?!"
*SaNs? CoUlDn'T cArE lEsS aBoUt tHaT pIlE oF bOnEs. He iS wHy tHiNgS eVeN aRe lIkE tHiS. WiSh a RESET cOuLd mAkE iT sO hE nEvEr eXiStEd - tHeN mAyBe mY eXiStAnCe wOuLd'Ve bEeN a bEtTeR oNe. MaYbE I'd sTiLl bE cApAbLe oF cArInG...mAyBe...
"What do you mean be capable of caring?!" Blueberry demanded answers. "What does Sans have to do with your existance anyway?! You aren't from an AU like I am are you?!"
*I'm gOiNg tO kIlL yOu nOw, sO I wIlL aT lEaSt eDuCaTe yOu...I sUpPoSe.
Error tightened the grip of his cables. Blueberry coughed against the strain. Seemed Error wanted to make sure he wasn't going to take this chance to run. Either way, Blueberry had no intention to do so. He wanted to understand Error's reasonings for acting how he was. Could he truly not help it?
*I aM nOt fRoM aN AU. ThIs iS tEcHnIcAlLy mY hOmE. ThOuGh I'd hArDlY cAlL iT tHaT nOw. It'S bEeN yEaRs uPoN yEaRs sInCe I'vE bEeN hErE. It'S nOt lIkE aNyOnE wOuLd rEcOgNiZe mE. ThE oNlY oNe wHo dId...tHe oNe wHo cReAtEd mE...
Blueberry could see error messages clouding Error's eyes again.
*#.D. 64$73R...
The name came out as glitches. Somehow Blueberry didn't think these glitches were natural ones Error made either. It was as if some other entity didn't want anyone to distinguish the name. Like the name wasn't supposed to exist anymore...
*...wAs wRiTtEn oUt oF tHe tImElInE lOnG aGo. OnE tHiNg tHaT iDiOt InK hElPeD dO rIgHt. JuSt wIsH iT hAdN't hApPeNeD iN fRoNt oF hIs sOnS. MaY nOt lIkE SaNs bUt nO oNe dEsErVeS tO eNd uP aLoNe. GoOd tHiNg tHeY fOuNd AsGoRe aNd GrIlLbY...
"So there is some good in you...you don't fully hate Sans, do you?" Blueberry picked up on the hint of positivity.
*He iS tEcHnIcAlLy fAmIlY. FaMiLy bY aRtIfIcIaL cReAtIoN bUt sTilL fAmIlY. I'lL gLaDlY cOnTiNuE tO tOrMeNt hIm wItH RESETS. BuT kIlL hIm? I'm nOt tHaT lOw. UnLiKe mY cReAtOr I wOn'T jUsT eXtErMiNaTe mY fAmiLy...ArTiFiCiAl oR nOt...bEcAuSe tHeY dIdN't tUrN oUt hOw I wAnTeD. ThOuGh iF gIvEn tHe cHaNcE I'd gLaDlY RESET tHiNgS tO tHe bEgInNiNg sO wHo wAs fAmIlY cOuLd bE dIfFeReNt. MaYbE iF I wAs gIvEn tHe mAgIc oF a MoRe sTaBlE mOnStEr iNsTeAd oF hIs...I mIgHt hAvE bEeN dIfFeReNt...
"You're an artificial lifeform too...yet you want to kill all of the artificial lifeforms Ink made in the AUs..." Blueberry glared at Error. "You're a wierdo! Who does that?"
*RePhRaSe: GLITCHES. YoU hAvE nO iDeA oF tHe cOnsEqUeNcEs oF yOuR eXiStAnCe, dO yOu?! EvErY AU InK aDdS jUsT clOgS aNd sTrAiNs tHe wHoLe mUlTiVeRsE. EvErY oNe oF yOu GlItChEs tHaT aPpEaRs mEaNs mOrE iNsTaBiLiTy oN nOt oNlY hIs DoOdLeVeRsE bUt tHe AnTi-VoId aS wElL. AlWaYs wArNeD InK tO qUiT mAkInG tHeM. If yOu wAnT tO bLaMe sOmEoNe fOr wHaT's aBoUt tO hApPeN tO yOu, lItTlE gLiTcH, bLaMe InK fOr iGnOrInG mE aNd dRiViNg tHiNgS tO tHiS.
Before Blueberry could get another word out, the cables around his bones tightened. He could barely breathe let alone get any more words out. So this was it, huh? This was how the Magnificant Sans was going to dust. Never to prove to Alphys he isn't a weenie. Never to prove to his brother that his days of work to be in the Royal Gaurd were not a waste. Never to truly apologize to Sans or to make him happy...
*AnYwAy, wHiLe tHiS hAs bEeN a nIcE cHaT, I rEaLlY mUsT gEt bAcK. InK iS pRoBaBlY bUsTiNg a gAsKeT iN hIs pRiSiOn. AnD I dId sAy I mIgHt bRiNg hIm a fRiEnD...
Error summoned a sharp looking red bone. Blueberry struggled to summon his own bones but the cables were draining his energy. He couldn't even summon a Blue Attack and he could forger trying to get a Gaster Blaster out here.
*I'lL mAkE tHiS qUiCk. I hOpE yOu'Re eXcItEd tO sEe yOur bRoThEr!
Blueberry heard a loud fwooshing sound as he braced for impact, expecting his last bit of HP to be drained in this blow...
"Blue!"
Blueberry heard splattering. He almost screamed at the scene before him.
There, with a bone through his chest, was Sans. He must have heard the yelling and came to check on Blueberry. Blueberry, however, couldn't make a sound. Any attempt to speak just came out as a squeak. His SOUL was pounding in his chest, his hands were shaking.
...Once again someone else took a hit intended for him.
...Once again, someone else was dusting when it should have been him.
...Once again, he could do nothing to stop it!
*ThIs...wAs uNeXpEcTeD, I'lL gIvE iT tHaT. NoW I'm gOiNg tO rEaLlY hAvE tO mAkE sUrE tHaT cHiLd RESETS. CaN't hAvE yOu sTaYiNg dUsTeD fOrEvEr, bRoThEr!
"Brother...?" Sans got out. "What...are you even talking about? We...haven't even met!"
Blueberry could see blood dripping from Sans's mouth.
Wait. Monsters weren't supposed to bleed, right? They didn't have blood. They ran on magic only. Magic that turned to dust when they died. Then what is that stuff? It's too dark to be ketchup. Too red to be barbeque sauce. Something told Blueberry that it wasn't sauce. It was life liquid. But what?
Error faked a hurt expression as he stood in front of them. In midst of the failed killing of Blueberry, the cables around Blueberry had loosened, though only slightly. Blueberry still couldn't escape its grip if he tried. Not that he would with Sans wounded. He wouldn't leave unless Sans could leave as well.
*I cAn'T bElIeVe yOu fOrGoT aBoUt lItTlE oLd mE, SaNs. YoUr oWn bRoThEr. ArTiFiCiAl, yEs, bUt sTiLl yOuR bRoThEr. WhY sHoUlD I bE sUrPrIsEd? MaNy fOrGoT mE. I aM a mIsTaKe. I aM ERROR.
A flashblack of Sans's time in Alphys's True Lab went through his mind at that moment. All those books. Books that were supposedly her research, yet the titles were not in her handwriting. Alphys came up with the explainatiin that someone else must've written the journal entries for her or that they were her mother's research or something like that. Sans knew that these were just fantastical explainations used to cover the fact that Alphys didn't know who did the research. She was a terrible liar.
Sans nosed around in those books. Less often since the RESETS, granted, but still even now, fairly often. He remembered a certain file wedged in these books. A file simply named ERROR.
An artificial attempt at replicating 5A-NS's ability to contain and safely use not only DT, but PT and JS magic. Unfourtunately, the lifeform's magical signature was unstable. It has been dubbed a failure. Until I can dispose of it, it will remain in containment.
Sans fondly remembered reading that passage before feeling the file get swiped away and not by Alphys either. Heck of a time it was for the king to come and find them unannounced. Asgore claimed that he happened to push the wrong button on the elevator but for some reason, Sans felt like he purposely came.
The king was not pleased to see that file. He ordered Alphys down there and demanded an immediate inspection of the area. That was when he found out...about them...
After that day, Alphys told Sans that he wasn't welcome at the CORE and if he needed to contact her that he should call. If a face to face chat was needed, Sans was to have Alphys come to him not vice versa. He fondly remembered Alphys adding rather angrily onto that: "NO shortcuts either!".
Didn't stop Sans from coming when Alphys was asleep but it did stop the two from talking on a friend to friend basis for several months. Recently Alphys gave in and allowed Sans to do small things with her like help with Mattaton or watch a season of anime with her (which Sans either slept or joked the whole time during) but their friendship never fully mended since then...
The person standing before them now was the very failed creation that wacky file was talking about...
...But a brother...?
Sans's parents were dead. At least that was what hazy memories told him.
All of this was too confusing. It made Sans's skull hurt even more than it was already hurting due to the loss of his natural DT. DT. That was what the liquid was called, Sans remembered. Someone told him that...some...time back...
"Sans!" Blueberry yelled, seeing the skeleton slump, his eyes closed. "Classic Me! SANS!"
*HoW dOeS iT fEeL tO bE pOwErLeSs? To bE uNaBlE tO dO aNyThInG eXcEpT wAtCh aS yEt aNoThEr pErSoN dIeS jUsT tO dElAy yOuR dEaTh a fEw sEcOnDs mOrE? HoW dOeS iT fEeL kNoWiNg yOu aRe nOt tHe oNe iN cOnTrOl? AnD tHaT yOu NEVER WERE?
Blueberry could see Error's eyes flashing red and yellow as he laughed unontrollably at their suffering. Laughed uncontrollably at their pain, their despair. What good person did this?! What reason was there for this?! What was the motive?!
These questioned screamed in Blueberry's head, pounding through his skull. Yet he had no answer. Not even an inkling. Nothing. The questions screamed louder, demanding that answer as hot tears and DT stained his clothes. Demanded an answer Blueberry just could not give...
That was because there was no answer.
There was no reason for this. No good motive. The only motive here was personal amusement. Error killed his friends, killed his brother, erased his while universe, hurt Ink just for amusement. And now here he was...having mortally wounded Sans. For what?! Personal amusement?!
SNAP!
Blueberry broke free of the cables, the blue wires flying as a blaster materialized above him, right eye sparkling an intense blue.
"I always try to find the good inside people...I swore to myself I would spare you...be merciful..." Blueberry started. "But I now know...killkng you would be merciful!"
Closing his fist, Blueberry let his blaster fire. He thought that would be Error's last stand but when the blast cleared, he saw Error was still there, unscathed.
*HeHeHeH...hOw cUtE. DoN't yOu kNoW yOu cAn'T hIt a gLiTcH?
With a crazed grin, Error dashed at Blueberry, holding a red colored bone, eyes flashing with that same heartless yellow and red glow.
Blueberry's own eye glowed more intensely to a point that it lit the area around him blue. Gone was the loving and nieve child he had been before. Now something new was alight in his SOUL, something burning brightly, urging him to fight on.
Was this DETERMINATION?
Bones flew from the ground as Error dashed at Blueberry. He easily jumps over them as more bones get tossed into the air. Those just glitch on through Error, said glitch giggling as they did.
Sharp red bones flew at Blueberry. Shaking, Blueberry closed his eyes as he pictured himself avoiding the bones. Like magic, he teleported, reappearing when the bones had finished their onslaught on the ground below, miraculously missing Sans.
"Blue..." Sans's eyes widened on seeing the scene before him. "He...really is a Sans..."
However, what Blueberry didn't plan on was for Error to follow up his attack with his own black colored blaster attack. Blueberry struggled to teleport once more. However this time his attempt failed...
Right. He was too drained. He was not only still recovering from starvation, but being wrapped in those cables has fizzled Blueberry's HP to a fraction. Determined or not, without the HP Blueberry was useless...
Blueberry's eyes widened as his world went white. The last thing he heard was Sans calling out his name...