p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"uspan style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Chapter 30- The Smallest Sans/span/u/em/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSilence./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThere was silence, broken only by my hoarse gasps. They rattled in the thin air and faintly shuddered through the threads strangling my limbs. It took a while to catch my breath after such an impressive scream. The pain had faded, merely leaving my shoulders throbbing numbly. It was over, now. The silence stretched on for a minute more, until—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"h… hah."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanMy own chuckle startled me. It was shockingly loud in the silence. But even as I thought about the irony of it all, I couldn't help it. I grinned. A giggle slipped free. I smiled wider, chuckling. It soon morphed into laughter. I laughed, hard, cackling breathlessly until the welling tears slipped down my face. I couldn't help it!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"haha, emyes! /emhe em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"fell /emfor it!" And I burst into hearty laughter once more./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe scream hadn't been entirely fake. The experience had been surprisingly painful. The strings' destruction was complete and instantaneous—but it didn't matter. The wings emweren't mine/em. With my real ones tucked safely away, I'd had Ink create decoy copies. Once he'd attached them directly to the sides of my shoulder blades, I'd gained temporary magical control over them, just enough to sell the illusion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI hadn't been expecting to be able to emfeel/em the imitations, but the discomfort just added to my convincing act. All it took was one scream and some crocodile tears, and Error didn't give it a second thought. And now, here I was. In his base. Alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"oh goodness, it worked! /emspan style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"I shook my grin away to focus on escaping. /spanem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"ink snapped his fingers with perfect timing. those things popped out right on cue. /emI wiggled, trying to loosen the strangling strings. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"and, the copies lasted for five minutes; just enough time to pull the stunt./em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/span/emspan style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"Tugging/spanspan style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';" hard at the arm restraints, I managed to get a finger under the cord around my neck. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"but, watching me get caught musta been really harsh,/emspan style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;" I realized./spanem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" glad ink stayed hidden. and that he couldn't follow me in here./em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/span/emspan style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"I stopped pushing the threads down to ponder this conclusion. Ink had insisted on copying the original wings exactly, down to the very last detail. The replicas were nearly indistinguishable from the real ones… as were the scraps. Ink probably didn't know whether I was alive or not. I sighed. It wasn't over, yet. Not for any of us./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanFinally assured I'd been untangled from most of the dangerous bonds, I shut my eyes and focused. A second later, I felt my body go from physical to photon and back again. I phased through the strings. emThud. /emHuffing, I stood, straightened my bunched jacket, then reached for the hidden cord around my neck./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanDangling just inside my ribs, the portal pendant had remained undamaged. Pulling it free, I heaved a sigh of relief. Having something physical breaking the magical field around my ribcage had been more annoying than Error's cruelty. I grinned to imagine how peeved Error would be to learn such a fact./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanCarefully, slowly, I unfurled my wings—my real wings—and tentatively stretched them out. I frowned, cringing as twinges of discomfort sparked across my back. My shoulders ached terribly. Hopefully, I wouldn't have to fly for long. After testing my strength with a few flaps, I took to the sky./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanTime was slipping away. Ink had insisted that, if I didn't find Blueberry within fifteen minutes, I'd come back without him. But I'd do no such thing. If he was here, I span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"would/span find him. There was never any other choice for me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanCoasting between the draping navy cords, I scanned the dim white expanse. There was just dust and blood, and scattered clothes and bones. I flew in widening circles, covering more ground. Still, no sign of life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAfter about six and a half minutes, my confidence began to falter. I didn't know how vast Error's domain in the Anti-Void was. Blueberry could be anywhere! em"Higher," /emforesight whispered. Tilting my wings, I soared higher, hoping to get a better vantage point. It was only then, as I glanced up, did I notice something out of place./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe ceiling looked somehow… emwrong/em. The swaying of the strings suggested they were longer than the ceiling could allow. The surface appeared reflective, but simultaneously, slightly transparent? As if it were composed of layers of shimmery glass. What emwas/em it? Curious, I flew straight up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanJust as I reached out to touch the weird barrier—gravity flipped. Suddenly, I was falling. I was too surprised to react. Then my mind clicked back on. empull up, pull up! /emSnapping out my wings, I managed to veer skywards. The silver charm on my jacket sang as it clipped the floor./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanFluttering to a stop, I landed unsteadily. Flinging my wings out at such high speeds strained them terribly. I felt foolish for being so mindless. Folding the sore wings against my back, I looked up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanBeyond the ceiling, I could see the cluttered, upside-down string zone; simultaneously, my own dim reflection gaped back at me. It was like a trick mirror, or the surface of a calm lake. Disoriented by this bizarre view, I turned my attention to my surroundings and fervently glanced around./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThere was nothing to see but blinding white. This place was empty. Slowly, I turned a full circle, searching the blazing horizon. There was nothing, nothing, nothing. Just as the loop was complete—emthere/em. There was a fuzzy dot in the distance. I started running./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI soon glimpsed a speck of indigo as it blurred past beneath my racing feet. I couldn't be sure, but it looked like a scrap of yarn. I ran harder. The closer I got, the more clutter I found. Tiny bits of colorful string—not Error's—littered the floor, along with pages, both blank and decorated. I even glimpsed a few candy wrappers and small toys./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThen, the dot began to grow. The smudgy colors of their clothes came into focus. Grey, light and dark, and blue, sky and azure. Hope swelled in my soul as I managed to make out the form. It was a Sans. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"blueberry. it's got to be blueberry!/em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanApproaching, I slowed, careful to step around the artworks and paper airplanes. Just as I was about to call out a greeting, I noticed Blue wasn't moving. He wasn't even breathing. He sat amidst a pile of papers. Many were ripped to shreds, scribbled with a chaotic mess of senseless lines. Abandoning my caution, I rushed over./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanMy soul dropped when I saw his face. Bright, azure tears streamed down his ashen cheeks. His wide, unblinking eyes were lifeless black voids. A blank expression painted his features as he stared down at his baby-blue boots. His hands, gloved in similar color, were clenched stiffly at his sides, barely supporting his rigid frame./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHis dark grey jeans were bunched from his boots to his blue belt, which was clasped with a white star buckle. Beneath this was tucked the hem of his light grey shirt. Most notable, though, was his big, bright blue scarf. Due to how it was tied, when viewed head-on, it looked a bit like a bow. I had found him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanBut was I too late?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"blueberry?" I breathed. No response. "blueberry, can you hear me?" Nothing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI called louder, waved my hand in front of his face, and even shook him. Nothing. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"he's just a shell/em. At this horrifying realization, I lost my calm. No, he couldn't slip over the edge! I had to save him!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHolding my hand out, I pinged Blue's limping soul forward. Changing the magic from teal to healing-gold, I watched the pale soul mirror the colors. It turned pure gold, faded though it was. It was so dim, emitting mere flecks of spluttering light. Its sluggish pulses were weak, and dangerously slow. It was obvious that it wouldn't beat for much longer. Blueberry was falling down. He was emdying/em./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"no," I whispered, fighting down a welling sob. "no, you can't die." The golden magic encasing me seeped into Blue as I wrapped my arms around him, willing him to live. "please," I beseeched, "people need you. everywhere i've gone, in almost every universe, you're known and loved. cherry misses you. cantaloupe, raven, and jazzy are worried sick. dream, and ink… emcarrot/em. they all need you. please, blueberry. please, come back."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI hugged tighter, sensing his soul wavering even now. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"come on, blue. don't give up. please. /emI knelt there for what felt like forever, fighting tears over someone I'd never even met, yet felt nearly tethered to. His frail soul teetered between life and death. It trembled threateningly, then settled. Then trembled. Then settled. One of these times, it might shatter. My mind fell into the same tempo. Fear, and hope. Fear, and hope. Until—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI sensed the slightest change. His soul missed a beat. Then, Blueberry went completely limp in my arms. My magic stuttered as tears pounded my eyes. But before I could despair—emThump. /emI held my breath. There it was, again. emThump. /emBlueberry's soul was still pulsing. Then, his chest rose. I barely dared to hope as a quiet whisper rattled free. And again. He was embreathing. /emHis chest rose and fell a few more times, then—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Oh…?" a soft voice greeted. "Hello." I jerked back, gaping. Sky-blue, starry eyes gazed at me inquisitively. "Who are you?" he asked, confused./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"blueberry!" I exclaimed joyfully. Blue appeared surprised. Evidently, he was deeply dazed, for he distantly concluded—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"How cool. We're name twins," with a happy, senseless exclamation of "em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Mweh!" /emI gawked at him. It sounded akin to Papyrus's frequent interjection "em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Nyeh!" /emA grin twitched at my face. I was immediately endeared to this friendly, cheerful Sans./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"no, wait," I insisted, remembering his comment. "my name's serif. i'm friends with ink and dream. i'm here to rescue you!" Suddenly, I realized I'd lost track of time. Horrified, I gasped— "and we gotta get out of here, now!" Grabbing his hand, I hauled him to his feet and began to drag him off. His hand tensed around mine./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Wait, y-you're real?!" he balked, stunned./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"very much so," I assured./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Then—oh stars, that means…! No, wait!" Blue exclaimed, suddenly digging his heels into the ground. I turned back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"what's wrong?" I asked skittishly. Error could return any minute./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"He will worry!" Blueberry confessed, deeply distressed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"what? who!?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Error!" I gaped. "I don't want to scare him," Blue explained. "He's been so worried about me. He might fear I dusted. I will… I shall… mweh! I shall leave him a letter!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanBlueberry scrambled to find a blank piece of paper. I stared at him, completely dumbfounded. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"is he serious? /emFinding a page and grabbing a nearby crayon, he sat and started writing. …em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"he's serious,/em I realized. Glancing over his shoulder as he scribbled away, I read the note./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanDear/span/emspan style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';" em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Error,/em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanWhen you find this, please don't be frightened. I am fine. I have been rescued. But, don't be upset! When everything calms down, I could visit you sometime, so long as I can return home in the end. Please have a nice day, and don't worry about me. I will be alright. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span~Blueberry/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI couldn't believe it. After being held prisoner, exposed to untold horrors and estranged from his friends and family, Blueberry was worried that his captor would miss him? He didn't emseem /emto be deluded, but perhaps I was mistaken. Then, right as Blue began to fold the page up, he hesitated and added—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanPS: about the whole holding me captive thing, I forgive you. Isolation can drive anyone to desperation. Despite everything, I'll always be here if you need a friend./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAnd with that, I felt shamed by the boundless kindness of a Papyrus-spirited Sans. Blueberry cleared a wide space in the paper shreds. Standing, he scanned his letter, then gazed out over the white expanse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I don't think I'll miss this place. It's too quiet…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanExhausted, I briefly zoned out. Blue was murmuring something about how things like food and sleep had become bizarrely nonessential when I frowned to myself. Standing up straight, I secretly traced my hand from the top of my head to his. My fingers passed right over. I was taller than him! A smile washed across my face. emink was right. /emem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"blue really is the smallest sans./em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"… finally going home," Blue concluded wistfully. I promptly hid my grin as he put the note in the clearing and turned to me. "I am very ready to go home." Nodding, I reached for the portal pendant—and noticed it wasn't glowing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"what?!" I gasped, horrified./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What's that?" Blueberry asked, oblivious to the plan-wrecking problem. "It looks like something Ink made."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"it's supposed to be our ticket home," I murmured, desperately shaking it like a glowstick./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Oh, well, you can't teleport or make gateways in here, if that's what you're trying to do," Blue explained nervously. "It's a portal dead zone." I nodded tensely./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"would it work if we go to the other side?" Blueberry appeared oddly confused by this question./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What do you mean, 'other side'?" he asked, frowning concernedly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"ah, on the other side of the ceiling," I explained. "the mirror overhead." Blue looked up, then back at me. He stiffened./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"… You mean the illusion?" he tried, unconfident. My eyes narrowed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"error told you that's an illusion?" Blueberry nodded. "and, you've never left this area?" Blueberry shook his head. I glanced up, then back at him. "well, it's not an illusion. and it's not a nice place." The cyan in his flickering eyelights paled./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Oh, stars," he breathed shakily. "I mean, I—I should have known, but… I couldn't bring myself to consider where all the horrid noises come from…" I gulped. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"my scream musta scared him half to death. and seeing all that blood and dust might push him over the edge./em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"thought i should warn you," I said, pouring a warm calm into my tone. "shut your eyes when we get up there, okay? and keep em' shut till i say otherwise." Blue considered this, then nodded, evidently determined to be brave. Assured he'd be alright, I nodded, too. "good. hold on tight."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanWith that, I scooped Blue up, unfurled my wings—which earned a delighted gasp from him—and shot into the air. I'd not pushed the importance of time, afraid it'd stress Blue out. I couldn't risk weakening his fragile soul. But now, I realized that the precious time was almost gone. We couldn't afford any more holdups. If Error caught us, it'd be certain death./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanReaching the barrier, I tightened my grip on Blue and took the plunge. This time, I was prepared. Gravity flipped. I tucked my wings in and summersaulted mid-air. Righting myself, I spread my wings and slowed our fall. I caught glimpse of Blue's face. His eyes were shut. Dodging the last of the draping strings, I landed. Slipping my arm from beneath Blue's knees, I set him on his feet and reached for the glowing pendant—/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Serif?" he murmured./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"don't open your eyes yet," I answered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"No, I… I don't f-feel good…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSuddenly, he collapsed. I sprang to catch him. The young Protector was completely limp, like a lifeless puppet cut of its strings. My eyes widened in horror as his HP started to decay. Something was damaging him. We had to get out of here,span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;" now!/span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanStumbling to lower /spanspan style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Blue to the ground, I gathered him into my arms. Wrapping my wings around us, I formed the golden bubble and shattered the portal pendant. Stealing one last glimpse at the Anti-Void between my feathers, I watched from behind golden walls as my vision was tinted teal, and with a flash of light—the emptiness faded away./span/p