The transcript for this episode covers 15 minutes, and is just over 5k words.
I felt the need to share that.
Also the overall chapter is just over 10k. New record, woo.
A lots happened on my end, I won't go into the details, but I can confidently call 2023 my worst year.
Let's hope next years better.
With everyone back in their seats, and the floor trio becoming civilised enough to sit on a sofa of their own, the screen lit up for the end of an era.
In Outertale, Classic brought a comb to his skull, hand moving languidly as Blue and Fell conversed quietly.
"Right back to it." Core sat up straight, breathing steadily.
Their conversation just now proved more than anything that they could work as a group, that there was hope. No matter how meagre it was, Core would grasp hold with both hands.
"Hey... It's not so bad. Your brother did it to protect you."
Stretch found himself oddly surprised, hearing the two talk about him. "Oh Sans."
It was ridiculous to assume the next time he'd see his brother, that he'd have simply moved on from him.
But after so many times where Stretch himself had been faced with the same emotions, he'd always hoped his brother would never have to feel the same way
Blue's tears continued to fall, unrestrained as he hunched further in on himself. "Are you sure you wouldn't feel like this, if the same thing happened to you?"
Chara resisted lowering his eyes at the thoughts that crossed his mind. If they'd swapped places.
"Well I..." Blinking, Red turned his disgruntled gaze away from the other. "It's not like my brothers too nice but-"
Dreams vision blurred. The bond of brothers was something truly special.
"Papyrus had never done anything like that." Blue cut him off, thinking back on Papyrus, stood behind XChara, his resigned figure shrouded in darkness. "I had never seen him so resigned... Was that really him?" Clenching his hands, Blue's tears slowed to a steady trickle. "Or were they the ones who made him become that?"
Stretch wondered that himself.
He'd been resigned to the nature of the resets for a long time, then it had been the multiverse itself dragging them around, and after all that, it was back to more resets.
Who wouldn't be resigned to fate at that point?
All Chara and Cross had done was bring it all back. Revealing their false peace for just what it was.
Was that really their fault?
"That guy in white did that to you too, right?" Red grit his teeth, bringing a hand to his chest and drawing Blue away from his thoughts. "I felt... Very sick and mad under their control."
Classics hand stilled and slumped as he opened his sockets to look at Red.
Error shifted in his seat, sour.
Overwrite was disgustingly unique.
His own strings could wrap around a soul to give him control, and yeah, pretty much the whole Multiverse didn't like that, but Error was 100% sure that given the choice, they'd all take his way of control over Overwrites way.
"It was like I could feel the same as them."
The memory flickered to the forefront, Cross guarded by a controlled skeleton, aggression projected in his movements.
"Those feelings became stronger when I saw a very strange guy smiling..."
The melted remains of XGaster replaced the memory.
"... though he didn't seem happy at all."
"He never was." Chara thought back to XTale, the very first timelines happiness that was unmatched. Was he… happy, back then?
In the present, Classics eyelights extinguished, hand frozen midair.
"I saw him too!" Blue' voice carried through the area. "He actually helped me fight that evil human."
"During our battle, that kid was persuading me-"
Classic dropped his hand to his side.
Outer frowned at Classics expression. How much had he figured out?
"Saying that one of us doesn't really have good intentions..." Blue trailed off, eyelights flickering upwards. "But this is about the same person, about us, Sans, Isn't it?" Beside Blue, Classic reached up his right hand to grip at his locket, smile wobbling. "W-We would never do something bad!"
"Whatever." Classic tried to lighten his expression as the two turned to him, however his smile kept its tense edge. "What do we do now. Any ideas?"
Fresh blinked, glasses flashing as he wondered about Classics interruption. Was it because of Dream interrupting him the last time he'd tried to bring up a similar topic, or, with the way he was clenching that locket, perhaps it was something to do with things back in the Original Timeline.
The two only gave him uncertain looks, bringing him to sigh and turn to look back at where Dreams' getaway portal had been. "Ink is gone. Again."
Stretch struggled to reconcile this version of Ink, the one who gave up his world for a game, with the one who's wounds he'd bandage, distracting him with puns to prevent the other from complaining about the uselessness of the act.
It wasn't useless to Stretch, it never was.
"I'm telling you. That guys too weird." Fell narrowed his sockets, eyelights apprehensively scanning the area. "Staying with him only brought us trouble. Forget it." He turned away from the two, peeved. "We don't wanna be part of this crap anymore."
Stretch had firmly believed Ink would one day come to understand what it meant, what they all meant to one another, in that tiny house built for two, yet meant for four.
He never had. It truly was useless.
"I'll go look for him." Classic stood, causing Blue to reluctantly turn from where the portal had been. "If you guys ain't gonna move from here that's fine..." He paused briefly, a hint of reluctance entering his voice. "Just make sure no one sees you."
Using a shortcut, Classic vanished, shortly reappearing in the city, where he peeked out from over a wall to look down at the citizens milling about.
Outer felt a trickle of nervousness, seeing the people from home going about their days. Would they all still be there by the time the trio left?
Once certain he was alone, Classic turned, slumping down against the wall with a heavy sigh, his fingers scraping against the locket as he brought it before his eyelights.
'... Just one world with the best of the others. Just one Universe...'
"I don't care...! I already have enough tension at home..."
Peering at Classics expression, Core felt… wrong. There was something missing here. It tingled along their senses, the whispers within their unknowing mind that there was something they'd missed once again.
"Look!" Classic drew away from the locket at the overly cheery voice. "A meteor shower!"
Turning, Classic peered back over the wall, eyelights casting a cautiously curious look to the skies.
In that moment, he looked like anyone else from Outertale, all movement stilled as heads craned upwards to take in the sight of the beauty that was this Universe.
Chara leaned forwards with cautious curiosity, eyes dancing between the showering skies.
It was beautiful.
How much beauty was out there, in the vast multiverse of possibilities?
Bringing a hand to his chest, Chara's eyes stung. He wanted to know, he really did.
Eyelights shaking ever so slightly, Classic took in the sight of the meteor shower, a grin slowly making its way onto his face as his eyelights settled and his features softened.
Outer smiled at the sight, insides warming. The stars were something they all appreciated back home, a sign that no matter what, there was still beauty in the world, there was still hope. Seeing this effect reach Classic, Outer wondered what it'd be like if he could share this feeling with even more people.
"Well, well..." A voice suddenly called out from behind Classic, startling him to into a cold sweat as his smile grew crooked and tense, eyelights vanishing.
"Is this an imposter?" The voice hummed, pitching their voice higher with an air of mystique. "Or a visitor from outer space?"
Dream looked suspiciously between the screen and Outer. Once, twice, thrice.
Hmm.
Outer shot him an amused look when the owl-like twisting of his skull became inreasingly obvious.
Hmmmmm.
Blinking, Classic turned bright eyelights to the stranger, attempting to see them from his peripheral, he was able to make out a singular eyelight watching him from the shadows.
HMMM.
"Er, Ey Dreamy Brah, You Wanna-" Fresh leaned over Chara, who yelped, to hold Dreams skull still, sweating when the other struggled against the hold in an attempt to mindlessly keep swivelling his head back and forth. And hum, real loud and weird.
Not that Fresh could judge. But he could, so he would.
"Hey, don't you know how to greet a new pal?" Looking closer, he realised the stranger had extended an arm in greeting, that same eyelight now glowing with mirth as he dropped his voice a dramatic octave. "Turn around... and shake my hand..."
Coming up with an idea, Classic's tense smile widened. "Ok."
"Oh-!" Core reached a hand out, flooded with memories of the numerous times this had happened before.
Turning, he reached for the stranger's hand with his own, the shadows surrounding them dispersing as two whoopie cushions coalesced.
"AGH!" Error slammed his hands into his skull at the loud sound, glaring hatefully through glitches at anyone that looked his way. Damn anomalies.
The loud, deafening sound brought forth from this combination of power echoed around all of Outertale, stopping people in their tracks.
Outertales Undyne pulled a face, fingers twitching, while this universe's Mettaton stood in silence on stage, simply staring out at his disturbed audience, and poor King Asgore froze mid-watering his flowers, likely drowning their roots.
Outer winced. He might have to apologise to Asgore, because he was definitely going to do that again.
Classic stared tensely at the skeleton and observed his reaction. The new skeleton, who without the shadows hiding his features, was revealed to be Outer, looked down at their joint hands curiously before turning his own eyelights up to meet Classics.
"Hmph!" Dream raised his skull high, an odd gleam to his eyes. He was right, hah! But of course, he was right, Dream always knew he could be great at these things!
…
He should really recharge soon.
"Well, that was unexpected, heh."
Outer released his hand from Classic's own loose grip, eyelights flickering over him.
"Uh... Do we know each other?" Outer's expression turned somewhat nervous the more he looked over the other. "The name's Sans, just in case."
Chara let out a low chuckle, finding it almost curious how relaxed Outer looked on screen. Was it because he was… home? Chara could get that, it was even more beautiful than he imagined.
He wanted to share this with Frisk.
Tension steadily falling away from his shoulders, Classic shrugged, placing his hands into his pockets. "It would take me a while to explain and I'm actually kinda in a hurry..." Shifting his eyelights away, Classic considered the conversation for a moment before turning back to the other with a rueful look. "Have you seen someone like us both wearing a different outfit?"
Error rolled his eyelights. Greaaat job Classic. Of course, Inks totally wandering about the streets of Outertale, here for the meteor shower. Even if he was there, the stupid squid would probably get lost. With or without his paints, that weirdo could never appreciate or understand Outertale like Error.
Just one of the many ways Error was superior.
Bringing a hand to his chin, Outer spun the words over in his mind with a low hum, looking upwards absently before snapping his gaze back to Classic. "Nope, sorry friend. I could take a look around though." Cheerily, Outer placed a hand on Classic's shoulder, bringing a light thankfulness to the others' eyelights. "It's my lunch break, let's go!"
Stretch grimaced, eyelights darting Outer's way.
The mood was nice. They'd all had their meeting, a small shard of trust between them, and now Classic was getting to see the good in the multiverse.
It was good, really good. So much so that Stretch had somehow managed to relax enough that his mind wasn't constantly flipping back to home.
That felt too convenient, too good .
Soon, the two were strolling away from the city at a relaxed pace, walking through the empty streets of what resembled the ruins, Outer spoke quietly to match the atmosphere, words trickling like a steady river.
Classic, meanwhile, watched the other attentively as he listened, soothed by the confidence of the other as he walked with his sockets shut, and spoke with clear fondness for a dear brother.
Outer's expression softened. It was certainly odd, seeing his own expression light up when talking about his brother. His brother really was the greatest, and he felt secure in the knowledge that seemed to be a common belief around the multiverse.
He wouldn't have it any other way.
"My brother, Papyrus, has been insisting a lot on how a human will soon get here. He wants to capture one and I must help him." Opening a singular socket, Outer peered at Classic with an odd, almost knowing glint in his eyelights. "But honestly? I'm not interested in that..."
The more Outer spoke, the lighter Classic looked, expression open with a soft look in his eyelights.
Eyes flickering over Classics expression, Core hummed and leaned back into the sofa.
Out of all the alternates Classic had met, Outer was the one most like him. With his reaction to Dream and the others, that was perhaps a welcome comfort.
"He wants to become a royal guard, looks pretty motivated. That's why I'm helping. I like to see Papyrus happy."
Error pulled a face at those words, head filling with static the more he turned the words round in his mind.
Blinking, Classic was drawn out of the moment as he turned his gaze downward and his smile flattened into something simpler.
"Even Undyne has been training him and-"
Fresh ruefully shook his skull. He'd never get this brother stuff, but it was always fun to watch.
"Lucky." Classic murmured, the light tempo of their combined footsteps faltering as he stopped in place.
"Who, me?" Outer, two steps ahead of him, looked back over his shoulder to listen.
"The stars. You can see them all the time."
Dreams' smile dimmed, his hands twisting between the fabric of his cape.
'Brother, brother, look! That one's so bright!'
'We'll do this every night, won't we?'
'I don't want this to ever end'
In the early days of being out in the Multiverse, Dream recalled how shameful he'd feel whenever stars were brought up, how so many worlds couldn't see them like he had, how precious many viewed them as.
For some reason, the memory left him wanting.
"Really?" Eyelights darting upwards, Outer rocked back on the balls of his feet. "I mean, it would be sad that anyone had to conform with, dunno... artificial ones or something like that."
Error put his head in his hands. "That's exactly what most worlds have, Outer."
"I- sorry?" Outer flushed in embarrassment. "How was I supposed to know?!"
"Trust me. Not everyone out there has the chance to have something like this." Classic paused, shoulders sagging. "They would dare to take your place to steal your happiness."
Chara squinted at the screen.
"Psst, Chara, Brah." Fresh leaned over, giving him a cheeky grin. "Think That Means Yo-"
"YES, I KNOW"
"Well, the sky is big enough for everyone." Outer released a sigh of contentment. "After all, I'm not the owner of this world."
Error exhaled, something untangling inside him. He didn't doubt those words.
Even in the past, if he'd ever approached Outer directly, he wouldn't have been chased away.
It was one of the reasons he'd kept others away from that world.
Classic stared at the other, before shamefully darting his gaze away. 'Not until you become it by accident.'
Core pulled a face.
That phrasing from Outer was odd, and Classic simply… went along with it.
…Were they referring to…
"You have a kind view, Outer."
"Hey, I think we found him!" Classic startled, turning to look past Outer. "It's that guy over there, right?
Ahead of them and in the next corridor, another skeleton in a hoodie reminiscent of Classics stood, back to them.
Stretch sat up, eyes widening.
That wasn't Ink, and the only other outworlders there were Nightmares group.
"Killer."
Humming a low tune, the skeleton, Killer, slanted his sockets as he watched the monster he'd cornered cower. Behind him, XChara stood beside a disgruntled Nightmare.
"Oh no." Dream held a hand to his mouth. Would sending them to a different universe stop this, or would Nightmare trail after Blues' group eternally?
With no warning, Killer vanished, and the cowering monster was pierced by a blade, Killer skidding to a stop beside its remains, tense limbs loosening back up.
Once the monster shattered into dust that fluttered away, leaving nothing but its Soul, he looked over his shoulder, piercing grin edging into smugness.
"Of All Da Skellies Ta Run Into." Fresh tsked, shaking his skull.
"Does luck not exist in the multiverse?" Chara muttered, drawing his knees up to his chest.
"WOAH" Outer drew back a step, only to take two steps forwards as he raised an arm, one eyelight flaring with colour as he drew on his magic. "WHAT THE-"
"Shh!" Classic closed the distance between them, placing a hand on Outer's shoulder and snapping his attention away from Killer. "Don't move!"
Core kept their mouth clamped shut despite their urge to screech at the two to whisper.
"Don't tell me they are the ones you're looking for!" Outer snapped at him, turning as he took a half-step in Classic's direction.
"Hell no!" Classic drew back now, looking more concerned. "Just don't interfere like that."
Classic and Outer turned back to the scene, watching with trepidation
Stretch silently thanked Classic here.
If the two approached, they'd die, wouldn't they?
"Stretch."
He turned to Core, their wide and knowing eyes looking at him with sadness as they offered their outstretched hand.
This wasn't over.
Ahead of them, Nightmare carefully grabbed the dead monsters' soul with a tendril, presenting it before XChara, who he'd trapped in another tendril.
"I TOLD YOU I NEED THE VIAL," XChara struggled against the tendril, craning his head as far back from the soul as he could. "NOT AN ORDINARY SOUL!"
Dream winced. For all the cruelty that Nightmare gave out, this was tame.
He couldn't help but wonder why he was bothering with this veneer of civility.
"If you refuse to take it, I'll kill you." Nightmare grunted. "I'm sick of your tantrums."
"Not a tantrum." Chara glared at the screen, knees pressing harshly against his chest.
Chances were, a monster soul would somehow trigger Cross to come back to the surface, and no matter their differences, Chara wouldn't leave him to deal with these maniacs alone.
Never again.
"Yuck, if I were you I wouldn't touch those things." Error called out from atop a wall, drawing all eyes to him and XCharas' dangling soul he lightly swung. "I can see you miss your original soul so much."
Core pressed their lips into a thin line.
The only one they were missing now was Ink.
"YOU…!" XChara grit his teeth
Nightmare tilted his skull up towards Error. "Are you seeking for attention again?"
Error huffed, eyelights rolling derisively. What a bitch.
"How funny, Nightmare…" Error smiled down at them happily, letting go of the soul and allowing it to shoot away through a portal. "Actually, I've been very busy but I'll ask you something. WHERE IS INK TELL ME NOW DAMN IT!"
"Since he stopped taking his vials to have feelings, I can't detect his presence…" Looking away from Error, Nightmare smirked. "… but you can ask those two over there who won't mind their own business."
Outer's breath hitched, a sliver of fear crawling its way through his bones.
He wasn't afraid of Error. He wasn't. He just… he couldn't…
Frightened, Outer backed up, knocking into Classic. "They saw us."
"WE HAVE TO LEAVE NOW."
Stretch tightened his grip on Core's hand, who squeezed back.
Hands entangled with string, Error raised his hands, shooting them at the two.
Error tensed, sockets widening. He wouldn't- No. He was just going to capture them, of course. More people to fight Ink…
Eyelights shrinking, Classic took another step back and froze, staring at the approaching attack.
"move move move-!" Chara wanted to leap through the screen and shove Classic, anything to get him to MOVE.
The strings drew impossibly close, capture and death seeming inevitable, only for him to get shoved.
Back and out of the way, Classic looked to Outer, whose arm remained outstretched.
Outer let out a quiet gasp, sockets widening. Oh.
"Hey, other me…" Outer's expression melted into a strained smile. "You will never disappoint your people, Okay?"
Stretch spun the drawstring of his hoodie.
'-'
Unwittingly, he compared his attempt to protect his Chara, with Outer's protection of Classic.
He'd known Chara for years, while Outer and Classic had hardly spent any time together, yet they already seemed like… friends.
He wasn't upset that Outer had succeeded, he was… Papyrus was upset with himself.
Shortcutting, Outer reappeared atop the Ruin walls, the strings changing trajectory to target him alone.
Destroying the strings with three blasters, Outer's left eyelight ignited with magic and he turned towards his opponents. "We never asked to be in this position."
Insides twisting, Outer held a hand to his ribcage. "I don't feel so good."
"YOU…" Appearing before a disgruntled Nightmare, Killer readied his knife and leapt into the air. "… DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME."
The knife slashed through the air, and Outer fell silent.
Outer stared at the screen. He stared and stared, processing the moment.
He could feel the others' eyes on him, and he should reassure them, but he couldn't bring himself to focus on them. The effort of opening his mouth to speak suddenly seemed impossible, a heavy weight settling over his fragile soul.
This weight pressed upon his bones, sinking ever deeper.
The light of the screen dimmed. Was his future paused? No, it had already happened.
They were still looking at him.
What does one say when faced with their death. A death so sudden, so underwhelming, it seemed inevitable. What would Sans say? Did it even matter? Could he call himself Sans?
"WHAT ARE YOU ALL LOOKING FOR, A REACTION?!" Eyes turned from Outer, to Error. "Keep the darn thing going and leave him be!"
Error glared at them all, glitching with odd steadiness. When the screen lit up once more, he kept his glare on them, as one by one, they reluctantly turned back around. Only then, did he turn back to Outer.
Back with Fell and Blue, the two were quiet, and snapped to attention at the sound of a shortcut.
"Other me!" Blue immediately spoke as he turned, noticing Classics collapsed, horrified form. "What's going on?"
"You here?" Error's glitched voice lost its natural ferocity in this moment. He wasn't expecting a response, and he didn't get one. Outer's expression changed slightly, as though he'd tried, yet his eye sockets remained dark and empty.
Error wanted to say the words swirling in his mind, but now wasn't the time. Outer… didn't deserve that.
"We must get outta here."
"What did you do this time, you idiot!" Fell looked over at Classic too, allowing room for a new presence to silently appear.
The light had returned, the softer colours of his world lighting up in a way that seemed damning.
They weren't watching him now. Had he said something to them? He couldn't recall speaking, but his cheeks hurt now, bile rising.
Was he already dead? Was it blood bubbling to the surface?
"THAT'S NOT YOUR BUSINESS, ANOMALY #13."
Fell's eyelights shrunk at the glitched voice, and the world went dark.
Stretch automatically turned to glare at Error, but faltered when catching sight of Outer once more.
Stars dammit all.
The skies of Outertale, once showered in dazzling meteorites, was now filled with souls dangling in uniform lines down Errors blue strings.
At the outskirts of Outertales City, XChara and Killer stood beside Nightmare silently, watchful of the spectacle soon to come.
Up ahead, in a massive clearing, stood Classic, Fell and Blue, their souls summoned into the open and tangled in string.
Error shifted uncomfortably, finding this all… distasteful? He didn't understand how he could do this to the AU that for so long had been his one comfort.
Error's memory was spotty at best, he always struggled with the days blurring together, the unfortunate fate of many immortals. For him, it was worse, though he supposed that came with his nature.
Despite that, there was one day Error had locked within himself to find peace, a memory he hoped to never let go, and had even laughed at the thought of it vanishing.
The day he'd officially considered his retirement.
In Outertale. With the stars surrounding him, a slice of chocolate cake in his lap, and Undernovela playing through a portal, Error knitted new clothes in peace.
He made a wish upon a star, to light a candle upon next year's cake, and for this moment to be the same each year.
He supposed he wouldn't be lighting any more candles.
With the whoosh of a shortcut, Ink stepped into the clearing, scarf swishing behind him as he came to a stop a fair distance away from the three captured skeletons. "What are you doing."
"Ink, friend!" Blue shifted forwards with a worried look, sweat dripping down his skull. "Thank goodness, please get us outta here!"
"Ink showed up." Stretch's expression crumbled in his dismay. "Where was he when they first got attacked? Where was he wh-when Outer- Why… why didn't he stay."
Core watched on sadly as Stretch lost steam and dropped his skull into his hands, reaching up and wrapping their small hands around his shoulders carefully, the quiet rattles of his bones bringing a tear to one of their eyes.
Blinking, Blue searched Inks expression, his own growing frightened as he shifted back now, further from his friend. "…Ink?"
Ink stared, his small white eyelights eerily still.
No response came.
Outers' eyelights came in and out of sight. His hands felt like they were on fire.
He was dead, gone, just like that. His home was gone too, wasn't it?
why.
Standing in front of the three captured skeletons, Error narrowed his sockets and pointed a finger at Ink, both hands entwined with the strings keeping the others captive. "DO YOU REALLY THINK I WON'T TURN THE ENTIRE MULTIVERSE INTO GARBAGE BECAUSE EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING IS JUST A SIMPLE GAME?"
"It's called the X-Event, Error."
"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT WHATEVER IT'S CALLED!" Raising his fists, Error grinned. "I'M GOING TO DESTROY EVERYTHING, INCLUDING YOUR STIPID ANOMALY FRIENDS!"
Ink blinked. "They are not my friends."
With a strangled sound, Dream wrapped his arms around his shoulders in the imitation of a hug.
If Blue wasn't Inks friends, were they not friends either?
They hadn't fully trusted each other in a while, but he always thought… Dream always thought the care was still mutual.
"That son of a-" Fell bared his teeth. "HE BETRAYED US!"
"No," Classic spoke resentfully. "This has always been his idea."
"He pretended to be a hero just to gain time and stop having emotions. Having feelings will only affect his plan." XChara grit out, voice carrying across the silent world. "Those vials Ink carries in his sash allow him to feel. But, that purple vial… it doesn't belong to him."
Raising the purple vial into view, Ink stared at it for a moment. "The creation and existence of an Alternate Universe grants me what I need to be able to feel… as if I had a real soul." His stare returned to Error and his captives. "The soul of my friend can create anything, so I can feel new things from now on."
Fresh frowned, glasses flashing a few times.
Everyone in one place. With Error and Nightmare on a quasi-truce, this was going to go bad with the way Ink was aggravating Error.
Fresh himself was likely still hanging around XTale, so he was good.
Did he want to do that again? Stretch and Outer were going to die, Chara and Cross were practically dead, and even now, Dream was withering away beside him with all the negativity.
Did he want to help?
… not really, no. He didn't want to risk his life.
But he couldn't live without the multiverse's body pool.
But at the same time this was way more dangerous than before.
"It's time for him to come back," Raising the vial in all its cracked glory higher, it glowed a light violet, "and that's why I don't need any more distractions."
"STOP IGNORING ME!"
Errors glitched violently, his voice coming out mangled and rage filled, he swung a singular string and red bone straight at Ink.
The bone slashed Inks cheek and knocked the vial from his hand, allowing the string to drag the vial back to Error.
"THIS THING IS MAKING YOU EVEN MORE STUPID." Glancing down at the vial, Error released it once more, his strings dragging it up into the sky, far away from them all.
Reaching a hand out to grasp hold of Dreams cape, Chara glared balefully at the screen.
When he was sure they had the bastard trapped, Chara was going to throw that stupid vial into the fires of their world with a smile.
Inky blood dripping down his check, Ink looked down at his empty hand before turning his attention to Error, hand clenching into a fist.
Silence permeated the air for a moment, Classic's eyelights flickering between the two stood at a standstill before turning to his fellow captives. "WATCH OUT!"
Behind Error, the three frightened skeletons leapt aside just in time.
Ink flashed forwards, fist colliding with Error and knocking the other back.
Stretch jolted forwards, desperately hoping to catch a glimpse of his brother.
"Reckless." Fresh shook his head, grimacing.
Flying back, Error tumbled before landing into a crouched position, enraged expression shifting into a grin.
With Error's hands raised, strings wrapped around them still, the trapped souls of Classic, Blue and Fell flashed with a command.
Helplessly, the three surrounded Ink, blue bones slamming up around him, a ring of Gaster Blasters all began to charge up.
The following blast engulfed the space and lit up the sky.
Error leaned forwards in his seat, eyelights ablaze. "Come on, come on."
Much higher, Ink leapt, blank stare locked onto the three minor opponents, he readied Broomie and swung, three attacks shooting out and tearing apart the strings that held onto the three's souls.
Stretch let out a sigh of relief. No matter his current opinions on Ink, or his reasons for the act, Stretch was grateful he'd given his brother a chance to escape the battle.
Disconnected strings dropping to the ground, Error glared before vanishing and shortly reappearing slightly higher than Ink.
"high ground, high ground, high ground." Error grinned widely as he chanted, excitement growing with each hit.
As the two fell, Error shot out a bone attack that bashed right into Inks chest, forcing him to drop Broomie and speeding up his fall.
Glancing behind himself and uncaring of the bones jammed into his clothing, Ink watched as four blasters appeared and powered up below him.
"Ink!" Dream tensed as the word escaped him, shame brewing at his callout.
He shouldn't be worrying for Ink here, but he was his friend. His dear friend showed him so much of the multiverse, and while his friend had now lost his way, Dream hadn't.
Despite there being less blasters used compared to the combined efforts of the other three skeletons, this blast created a shockwave, bashing into all of the observers and clearing the skies.
While Killer and Nightmare remained lax, XChara tensely watched, eyes soon turning to the vial hanging in clear view.
"The vial." Chara stiffened, uncertain. Should he grab it? Would Nightmare or the others stop him? What does he do with it?
He didn't know. He just… didn't know anymore.
Flying through the air, Inks leg got caught in Errors strings as the other swung his arm in a wide arc, slamming Ink into the ground, Broomie snapping in two.
Core winced, quietly wondering how long this battle would be.
Sometimes, the two could fight for hours, and while it was clear this battle was more brutal in both participants want for victory, they were still causing enough destruction that the onlookers were in danger.
Shortcutting down to the ground, Error looked at the crater with his narrowed gaze that startled as his arm was pierced by an inky bone, which was soon followed by many more.
From the rubble Ink leapt forward, blank expression replaced by a massive, splitting grin, his expression truly monstrous once more.
Fresh gave a mock shiver, face scrunching up. "Brutal Brah, Brutal."
That expression of Inks was well weird. Sometimes, Fresh wondered if Ink was something unnatural like Dream and Nightmare, or even himself. The way he expressed himself could be… real un-skeleton like.
Ink leapt into the air once more, summoning a blaster to knock Error back and keep him at bay.
Blast hitting into him, Error growled lowly, shooting up into the sky with a flourish, strings dancing around his body.
Inks goal became clear as he neared the vial, outstretched hand mere inches away from it-
A second hand reached out and snatched up the vial, XChara raising it with a vicious grin, his prize secured.
"Of course, you took it." Stretch shook his skull, oddly dismayed.
The victory faded from sight when strings shot down between the two.
Clear from the attack's range, Error yanked on the strings, a barrage of sharp bones that were attached to the end of them piercing through the skies and knocking his two opponents from the skies.
"That didn't go well." Chara's hands twitched, itching to do something, anything really.
Amidst the graveyard of bones, the vial sailed closer to the ground, once more unclaimed.
"huh."
Error startled out of his excitement at the whisper, turning to Outer, who gazed at the screen listlessly.
"It's kinda funny." Outer couldn't help but associate all the bones to a representation of all his now dead friends. "this sucks."
Shortcutting to the ground, Inks outstretched hand grasped ahold of the vial, distracting him long enough for Error to attempt another attack.
Dreams' eyes darted back and forth as the two clashed, eyelights inevitably stopping on the vial.
Stars , he was starting to really dislike that thing.
"I hope Nightmare knocks you both out."
Not that he would. Happily standing by as per usual. Honestly, Nightmare couldn't do anything for Dream.
Whenever Ink dodged and leapt back, Error followed, strings lashing out to steal away the vial.
"Shut it, Dream."
Throwing his hands up, Dream rolled his eyelights out of Error's view.
Shifting his stance, Ink halted his next dodge, allowing Error to draw near and lashing out with his other hand. Grabbing hold of Errors strings, he drew the vial further back when Errors other hand reached for it, mindful of their closeness.
Unexpectedly, the twos single minded focus shattered when the ground cracked and a red glow filled it.
The cracks spread around the two and stopped when they reached Fell, who stood not too far away, arm raised to the skies and eyelight charged with powerful magic.
Behind him, Classic and Blue stood, firm in their support and intent to intervene.
Stretch chuckled at the sight of the trio, briefly closing his tired sockets.
He should've known his brother wouldn't run. That none of them would.
Oh Sans.
Ink and Error turned to the source of the blast, leaping back when it erupted before fully shortcutting away.
Much of Outertale was in ruins, forcing everyone to shortcut onto separate chunks of land left floating in the space.
Core's face scrunched up. And that makes three.
Outertale, Underswap, and Underfell, one in ruins and the others blank. With Error threatening the rest of the Multiverse… would there be anything left?
The Omega Timeline would survive, so would the Original and its Timelines, but that wasn't enough.
So much death, all for the purpose of building up this game, Core won't stand by this time.
They'll drag the whole Multiverse into the Omega Timeline and lock out the outcodes like Nightmare and Ink if they have to.
"You're not supposed to ever intervene like this." Blue clenched his hands into fists, staring up at Ink, who'd found the highest piece of land to stand upon. "You're supposed to wish to protect the AUs!"
"That's what I'm doing." Inks' scarf swayed behind him. "You're the ones who can't see beyond what the multiverse is. After all, there are thousands of alternate versions."
"But we're still alive." Outer's hands trembled and burned, his hazy eyelights dimming out of sight once more. "Does that not matter?"
"For him? No." Error scoffed, eyeing the shredded puppet in Outer's hands, he sighed and used his strings to replace it with a new one.
Behind Ink, the world vanished, replaced by endless lines of text counting the various Pacifist, Neutral, and Genocide Timelines.
"Thousands of timelines inside their own universes. Why even worry over only a small fraction that has been affected?
With HIM, I can see more, new possibilities than a simple alteration in a Timeline or Universe."
"Dats Not Ominous At All."
"It's like he's forgetting where the bastard's 'inspiration' came from in the first place." Chara grumbled, sinking further into his seat and leaving only his eyes peeking out above his knees to glare at the screen.
Nightmare sat on his own piece of land with Killer behind him, listening with a dissatisfied frown.
Nearby them, but separate, XChara glared up at Ink, gripping at one of Errors bones which he'd pulled from his chest, purple blood splattered across his front.
"Everything will come back to normal once I feel satisfied. When I feel bored, I'll start this game all over again.
This will be the perfect alternative to keep the balance between CREATION and DESTRUCTION of the Multiverse."
Dream wanted to shake Ink with all his strength.
What do you mean keep the balance, Ink? What about the balance between positivity and negativity, or even life and death? What stupidity are you spouting, Ink?
"You freaking psycho." Breathing heavily, sweat dripped down Errors skull. "I shouldn't have negotiated anything with you."
Error scowled. The stupid squid never meant to keep their deal. Why did he ever bother?
"You won't enjoy those new possibilities if you can't feel anything!" Classic cried out, desperation growing.
Core's expression twitched.
'So, if you're worried about being alone…'
'He wanted to feel something new.'
'You'll have to erase my memories too.''
"I won't be like this forever." Ink haltingly responded, arm outstretched with the vial tightly clasped between his fingers. "It's just that…"
He thought back on his time with Cross, the pure joy on both their faces back in the past when they spent their time together, as friends.
"I don't want to regret it now."
Stretch wondered what part Ink would regret. The deaths of him, his brother, and the world that had welcomed him. Maybe it would be betraying Cross and their friendship, or even the fact he'd genuinely cared for Cross.
There was a lot Ink could come to regret in this.
Stretch firmly believed in facing the consequences of your actions. He wouldn't shy away from the responsibility of making Ink see this.
Ink looked straight ahead, and let the vial fall.
"No!" Chara lurched forwards in his seat, trembling hands harshly digging into his knees.
XChara watched helplessly, eyes now red and purple, desperately clutching at their chest.
The vial shattered.
"DUCK!" Chara made a frustrated sound, throwing himself back against the sofa, knees drawn back up to his chest, he focused on breathing.
And as the soul was freed, the sound echoed across the Multiverse for the observers to hear.
Core shook their head, exchanging a dismayed look with Stretch.
With the way they were dragged here, this end did seem inevitable. They'd had some hope it wasn't, but logically, there was no other ending.
XMettaton and XAlphys turned around, pleased with the development, while Core stared up at the sky with an agitated look.
Dream carefully wrapped his cape around Charas shoulders, firmly tugging on the others hands to unlatch them from their own clothes, he tucked the ends of his cape into their hands.
"Do you need-"
In the Doodlesphere, XGasters melting figure shot to attention, eyelights glowing and grin splitting his features at the victory.
"Don't." Chara muttered, cutting him off. Hesitantly drawing his eyes from the screen, he looked between the cape and Dream. "… thanks, but… don't talk… please."
"alright." Dreams whispered, eyelights roved over him once more before turning away.
In Outertale, the soul floated up before Ink, magic flowing and rippling through the world.
Outer sighed, eyelights managing to remain stable, he looked away and tugged on the strings of his hoodie.
Was it selfish that he wanted to forget this ever happened?
As the soul flashed, XGaster appeared in the space, raising his skull to the new world, united with his soul once more.
"The bell is that face." Error glared apprehensively, summoning sting that wound tightly between his fingers.
"You entrusted your own soul to Ink, trying to survive somewhere in the multiverse with just a fragment of DETERMINATION…?" Errors enraged expression vanished, eyes gleaming as a grin spread across his features and he raised his arms, outstretching them in the imitation of a magnanimous welcome. "I'm glad to know how scared you are of me."
Outertale vanished completely this time, and the few pieces of land people stood upon were dragged into the Doodlesphere.
Fresh's glasses went blank for a moment.
Error was going to do it. That was always a possibility, they wouldn't have been shown it if it hadn't mattered.
It was still unexpected.
Each and every single AU was entangled by Errors strings, and every string connected to the singular string dangling beside Errors head.
"If you're expecting me to join you in that GAME you were talking about in my dreams… Lemme tell you something."
Blue and Fell took in the sight of the tangled AUs with frightened looks, out of their depth.
Stretch gripped his knees, helpless from beyond the screen.
His brother was strong, Stretch wholeheartedly believed that. He'd be okay, he'd press on.
Let that be the truth.
Nightmares dissatisfied look had turned into a full-on glare as he grit his teeth, body wound and impossibly tense.
"I DON'T WANNA PLAY WITH YOU." Holding the string between two fingers, Error gave a light tug.
"Err." Error awkwardly looked away, all too aware of the looks being sent his way.
Well, that wasn't great. Yeah, he wanted to screw up Inks stupid plans, and making the balance absolutely obsolete would do that with time, though, he hadn't really done that either. What to do, what to do…
"Oops."
He still looked cool though.
Stretch facepalmed.
And that was it. That small action was all it took for the strings to strain against the fragile papers that represented the AUs and tear them to pieces, the remains flowing down from their place in the Doodlesphere.
Core hid their hands in their puffy sleeves. "Pau-"
"Don't you dare pause this, or I swear." Chara whipped his head their way, giving his most venomous glare. "I refuse to process any of this, and I will fight you to keep this thing going."
"Whoa, We Get It Chara Broski." Fresh held his hands up, waving them about.
As the AUs fell, Ink gave no visible reaction, emotionless gaze slowly turning away from the AUs to look towards Error.
"Such a pity." XGasters grin remained, though his tone was uncaring as he addressed Error. "In that case, We will continue on our own."
"How can they not care?" Outer felt out of his depth.
There were so many people back home that he'd met over the years, and there were many more worlds out there. While they were variants, they were all people that felt as real as he did.
Turning to Error, he couldn't help but ask. "Why don't you care?"
No response came.
XGaster raised his hand, purple flashing as he recreated Broomie, he then flung it into the air, its purpose clear.
Leaping up from behind him, Ink grasped ahold of Broomie and swung it in a wide arc, paint shooting off from it and at Error, who covered his eyes with one hand.
"HEY!" Error lowered his arm, except suddenly the paint strained against his bones, snapping into a solid form not so dissimilar to string, locking his arms and legs together. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU"RE DOING!?"
"None of your business."
Appearing beside Error with his brush readied, Ink hit Error with enough strength to shoot him into the air, shortcutting once more to create a splatter of paint in Errors way, he flew straight through it, and on the other side, found himself once more in the Anti-Void.
"I'll kill him." Error crossed his arms, internally lamenting over how uncool he looked now. Yes, destroying the Multiverse was probably a bad thing, but he looked so good doing it. And now they ruined it! How selfish could Ink be to torment him so.
Collapsed and restrained by Inks painted strings, Error could do nothing as XGasters hand emerged from a separate paint spill, right below Cross and XCharas soul.
"DON'T TOUCH MY STUFF YOU PIECE OF-"
Hand closing around the soul, it snapped off the string as XGaster dragged it back through the paint, leaving Error alone.
"Can't say you didn't deserve that." Stretch muttered under his breath, smirking as his comment drew snorting laughter from Core.
Looking down at the dual toned soul, XGaster smiled as the purple part vanished, returning to him and rejoining with the piece returned to him by Ink, creating a whole soul.
Chara froze, fingers curling around Dreams cape.
The Doodlesphere vanished in exchange for a dark abyss.
"All my efforts…" Shaking, the shard of a soul XChara held turned to dust, and his tears fell. "were for nothing…"
Glitches appearing around his body, his tears mingled with his blood. "I'm supposed to never lose... IT'S NOT FAIR…!"
Chara flinched, jerking his head away from the screen and staring at the golden glow of Dreams cape.
No matter what happened, he and Frisk could find some shard of good.
Their world was entering a new timeline? They still had each other.
His brother was gone? That's alright, he can take his place.
They'll still have each other.
He's left with no one but Cross? … it's going to be okay, they'll fix things…
In this moment with these people? they'll all get another chance… things can get better…
… the moment… on the screen… they failed.
they'd never been free.
XGaster merely grinned at him, purple eyes glowing ominously.
"IT'S NOT FAIR!" XChara screeched, heart wrenching voice fading out into an echo as the tears fell earnestly, the glitches increasing sporadically, engulfing his body until he vanished.
The heart locket fell, a sad clink sounding out as it hit the ground, the only sign XChara had ever been there.
Dream felt an overwhelming sense of grief. It surrounded the room, coating it in dull colours.
How tragic were all of their fates, how dour was the future.
From the corner of his eye, a dark tendril draped itself over the sofa beside his shoulder, and his amused laughter echoed within his skull.
Is the little guardian feeling sad?
Dream tilted his skull away, and focused on comforting Chara. Drawing them closer against his side, he gave out a small pulse of his aura, letting out a near-silent sigh when the tendril slipped away with a hiss.
"Are you crying? Oh, Chara…" XGaster eyed the half-determined soul in his grasp, a small huff escaping him. "We knew this would happen. You have a lot of potential, but you still have so much to learn."
Core drew their eyes away from the screen, gaze resting on Chara, and his silent tears.
It hurt and twisted something inside Core, to see those tears on someone so combative.
They couldn't understand why.
With shaking eyelights, Classic looked down at the lonely locket from beside his two counterparts, all three of them far from home, dragged into something much bigger than they were ever prepared for.
Stretch came to the sudden realisation that they never had a chance. If he and Outer had survived, they'd be standing there with his brother, helpless. It hurt, like thousands of needles pricking at his soul, the full realisation of what Ink had doomed them to.
Is this even the worst of it?
The locket vanished, appearing in XGasters hand.
"That's why I need you to rest and watch, since you are not going to apologise for everything you did."
Chara's fingers dug into his hands, mind drawn back to a body amidst flowers.
He set his eyelights on the three onlookers. Hands with spikes in the centre of them forming around him.
Without warning, they slashed forwards, and pierced Blue and Fell in their chests, directly through their fragile souls.
Core jolted, a trembling hand clenching at their chest.
They couldn't- They hadn't-
They didn't see it.
They hadn't seen it coming, and that terrified them.
Petrified, Blues hands grasped at his chest and he collapsed, shaky eyelights opening to the mirage of home, where everyone from Underswap greeted him with smiles.
Dream shuddered, focusing on the dwindling positivity within his body.
It was inevitable that one day Blue would leave him and Ink, that was something he'd acknowledged long ago.
That didn't stop it from hurting.
Yet all Sans could do when faced with the end was stare back in terror, not ready to go.
Stretch closed his eye sockets, a shuddering breath escaping him. This wasn't the first time he'd seen his brother die, he'd seen it hundreds, if not thousands of times.
Yet despite that,
It hurt just as much as the first time.
Don't be scared, brother. Please don't be scared.
Fell faced his own mirage, monsters surrounding him in a circle.
When faced with the end, Fell turned from them, only for his disconcerted expression to melt away when the hand reaching for him does not strike, but rests firmly upon his skull.
Error looked down at the puppets in his hands, a Fell, Classic, and Blue.
The deaths of Blue and Fell meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. Not really, when monsters died permanently all the time during the constant clashing of groups like Nightmares, Inks, and, well, him alone.
Sighing, he brought the puppets closer to his chest with a hint of melancholy.
In some way, It was always a shame when monsters that had been around so long died.
Something was fundamentally… different, when those aged anomalies passed.
The Underfell monsters surround him with solemn frowns as their King rests his hand upon Sans skull, and the end of their world complete.
Outer felt pitiful joy at the reunion.
The nature of his world wouldn't allow such a thing, but it was a nice wish.
Comfort, acceptance, and respect sounded beautiful at the end.
… He felt like weeping.
The two souls shattered, and the mirage came to an end, leaving only Classic standing, bones rattling and eyelights reflecting his terror.
"They have seen too much, after all."
Without warning, Classic reappeared back home, in his own world, facing his friends and family.
Fresh grimaced. "That's Kinda Cruel."
This whole mess was cruel, really.
Classic seeing two others he'd likely grown to care for on some level just die and then be forced back into the punny role of someone who knows nothing. That's not even touching on most of that guy's mess or the Multiverse as a whole. What happens now?
And then there were the folks he was with now. Stretch and Outer watched themselves die, Core couldn't see, Dream and Chara were unstable messes, and Error was Error.
And he was… well, Fresh was himself. An epic broski determined to live more than anything.
Was this viewing really worth it? This cruel entertainment didn't feel right. Was this really the only way to move forward…
"… All those worlds that helped me to come all this way don't deserve confusion and suffering."
"How was the destruction of our homes helpful." Stretch bit out, his brothers fearful face ingrained in memory.
"None of it mattered." Chara didn't know who to blame. The bastard, or himself.
He stared straight ahead, unseeing, the locket loosely held between fingers and his jacket torn.
His friends stared back at him in mild surprise, dressed for a nice day out, a picnic.
Core took in the scenic picnic, recalling the first time they'd seen Classics' world.
Has it really only been an afternoon?
Frisk sat up, worried as they took in Sans' appearance.
"… They deserve a last chance to be perfect like I wished."
The locket slipped between Classic's fingers, fall softened by the grass, its slight clink echoed three times.
The stinging sense of betrayal beat against Stretch's soul.
Damn you, Ink. Damn you.
"Just one universe, made of the best of the others." XGaster raised a hand, summoning `Overwrite. "And I know how to do it."
The button was pressed, and XCharas soul was whole once more.
"I will forgive you this time. At least I hope you use your Determination wisely when I ask you to."
'When I ask you to'
Was that it?
Chara grit his teeth, a silent tear trickling down his cheek.
They were back to being a puppet for his experiments. Their whole journey through the Multiverse was an experiment, none of it was… real.
"As for you…"
He clicked the button once more, and a new soul appeared ahead of XGaster, shortly followed by Cross as he glitched into existence, sockets shut and expression strained.
"None of this was your fault."
Dream frowned faintly.
'It wasn't your fault he turned out that way!'
Cross squinted his eye sockets open, only to jolt back with apprehension as soon as he spotted the scene before him, eyelights darting back and forth.
"I know it's hard to persuade you, so I will let you choose if you will join me or not."
Dream doubted that, he truly did.
There would be no choice in being allies or enemies, his fate was already predetermined.
It didn't matter what he wanted, the choice had been made for him before he was…
…
oh.
Cross expression loosened with visible concern.
They were no longer alone.
Surrounding XGaster were the people Cross cared for, friends and family alike, most of whom looked back at him with glares. And stood before XGaster was XAlphys, circled by the pages signifying each timeline.
Cursing, Chara used his sleeves to wipe away his tears.
Their eyes, they looked like themselves, but their expressions, none of them were real! They weren't themselves, they couldn't be.
Where's Frisk, his eyes desperately drank in the sight of each person, where's my brother?
"Take your time. We will prepare the essentials in the meantime. We will be waiting for you," XGasters smile thinned as he gave his final parting word. "Cross."
Core tugged harshly on their sweater, the slight pain an unwelcome surprise.
Core was vehement in allowing people to choose their own nickname while in the multiverse, but also for them to use their real names when circumstances allowed for it.
People could be so presumptuous in giving others nicknames that sometimes the choice was taken out of their hands and Core could do nothing, but a name was something that held great importance.
For this… fool, to keep Cross in his role that the name was associated with even now when he should be given the chance for change… oh it riled them up!
They vanished, leaving Cross behind in the dark abyss, seemingly alone.
He was given no time to process this new reality, as Nightmare approached from the darkness, snarling at Cross and tentacles curling before shooting forwards.
The approaching would-be-attack was stopped as a glowing arrow pierced through one of the tentacles.
'Valiant Heart…'
Stretch jolted at the quiet, almost whispered words. "Is that.. Singing?"
It sounded like it, but it also didn't.
It was like the melodies of one's soul, on display for all to hear their truth.
Dream threw himself to stand in front of Cross, bow at the ready with another arrow prepared to be shot.
'…defeated again.'
Nightmare screeched, holding back when Killer engaged.
"It sounds like Dream." Chara absentmindedly spoke, eyes trained on Cross.
Come on Cross.
With a single attack, Killer tore through the string of Dream's bow and his clothing.
'… Your Hopes and Dreams now are fading away."
Pulling his knife back, Killer readied himself to slash at Dream again.
"Could Be Representin' Dreamy Brahs Thoughts." Fresh shrugged, listening carefully.
It was well weird though. Why now, of all times, would they show someone's thoughts.
The only time they'd done so before had been with Classic, but he'd assumed it was because he was the original. Could the one that brought them here access any of their thoughts?
Cross stared at the fight, conflicted as Dream continued to defend him.
'Have you really found solace in the dark?'
Errors' gaze narrowed, an unknown emotion bubbling to the surface. "That anomaly better fight back."
When tears began to fall from Dreams eye sockets, Cross stepped between the two.
'I know your soul cries for another chance.'
'Keep going.' Chara silently urged them both on. 'Keep fighting.'
Gritting his teeth, Dreams' shocked look went unseen, as Cross punched Killer and used bones to pierce his back, surprising him enough to drop his knife.
'To stop fighting is a way to perish.'
Fresh pulled out another sheet of paper from his bottomless pockets, the words running on loop in his mind as he wrote.
With the aid, Dream reaffirmed himself in his decision, a hand reaching out for the pulsing positivity of a safe haven, a radiant portal bloomed into existence.
'Your Hopes and Dreams I can help to redeem.'
Dreams conflicted eyelights analysed the portal.
Portals with that much strength to them meant either an incredibly positive AU, or a place with many, many people.
With the Multiverse in ruins, there were few places that could be.
Grasping ahold of Cross' cape, the glow engulfed them both.
'Valiant Heart,'
Chara took each action and word to heart.
Valiant… Would Dream ever call them that too?
What would he call them now?
Nightmare watched on with a frown as they vanished.
'My soul will fight away…'
Left alone in the darkness, Killer collapsed beside Nightmare, and the two stared at the fading particles of positivity.
'… To make you see,'
Error's mouth quirked up into a mockery of a smile.
Did Nightmare still have a world to retreat to, or was that also gone?
That almost makes this worth it. Can't miss if you hit every target and some.
Cross stood now with Dream behind him, uncertainly staring at the child that greeted them before a crowd of many.
'This world clearly again.'
"The Omega Timeline." Dream wondered if his future self saw Cross the way he saw him now.
"It Over?" Fresh tiled his skull at the screen as it dimmed and new words appeared. "Ah."
'Part 1 of 3 Complete'
"HAHAHA!" Error laughed uproariously, holding his stomach and kicking his legs back and forth. "That's hilarious! Yeah right, that's not- Not Happening!"
"Error." Core pushed themselves to their feet, unfamiliar tension to their body. "I kindly request for you to remain quiet."
"The hell." Chara's nose wrinkled. "That's not how you tell someone to screw off."
"I wasn't trying to." Crossing their arms, Core turned back to the screen, frustration welling. "There's no 'continue' option."
"We can't leave either." Outer quietly called out, trembling hands hidden deep within his pockets. "What do we do?"
The dimly lit screen offered no response, neither did anyone else.
What could they do now, when they'd witnessed the destruction of their reality? Helplessly locked away in this house, no one would come for them.
At some point, the screen would likely light up again, and they'd be forced to continue, endlessly watching a future they didn't want.
"I'm tired." Dream stood, and with a sway to his steps, left the room.
Stretch's eyelights followed him as he left, his own heavy sockets more apparent than ever.
"Scram this." With a slight shuffle to his steps, he too left.
One by one, they dispersed, leaving only the dimmed screen, its glow a mockery.
This chapter was an odd one for me.
The chapter length was split equally between transcript and story, but I also took many breaks while working on it.
This is the first time I've done a pure transcript first, without including notes on where (and from whom) I'd like dialogue or thoughts.
So when working on dialogue, I started counting the amount of times each character had a line to attempt a more balanced focus. Not that it worked well.
I always struggled with having Outer hold relevance in past chapters, and the one time I've managed a solid route with him, I screwed up others.
With 7 characters, there's always one that slips from my grasp.
On another note, I've completed the transcripts for all of the XTale episodes apart from Timeline IX and X, which I'll start writing up sometime next month.
I've also gone back and made separate documents for the transcripts of past chapters, removing all the dialogue and tweaking the episode transcripts in preparation for the second group.
Hope you enjoy the chapter, happy holidays all.