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 31- "Revenge"/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;" /spanBlueberry and I were chucked from the turbulent portal into the Doodle Sphere. We were away from Error, but the young Protector wasn't in the clear, just yet. Gathering Blue close and folding my wings around us, I pinged his soul and wrapped him in an embrace./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;" /spanThick, shimmering clouds of healing magic enveloped us. Both Blue's soul and bones absorbed the gold haze, setting them softly aglow. Assured his HP was no longer plummeting, I peeked out of the feathered cocoon and called—/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"dream! i'm alright. please come back. i need you and ink!"/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 other two Star Sanses might still be battling Error. When Dream heard my call, he'd have to evade the Destroyer long enough to open a portal. Plus, he wouldn't likely leave Ink without ensuring his escape, too. I'd just have to wait it out./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;" /spanHoping my message got through, I returned to the pocket of golden light, shut my eyes, and focused on saving Blueberry. I had to keep him alive until they arrived./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;" /spanA few peaceful minutes passed. It was soothing to just sit quietly. I had a new appreciation for the faint twinkling that always graced the Sphere. It was a welcome change from the unnerving, deathly silence of the Anti-Void. Wigglers clouded around my wings, burrowing against them, anxious to reach Blueberry. But I couldn't mind them, now./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;" /spanBlue was still unresponsive. His soul, though rhythmic, was beginning to slow. His slipping HP had already hit the yellow range. At this rate, he'd reach critical condition in ten mere minutes. I concentrated harder, tapping into every last energy reserve—/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 focus was broken by a distant warbling sound. I poked my head up through the feathered haven. A stone's throw away, Dream came diving through a portal. He leapt up and glanced around desperately. His gaze landed on me before I could call out a greeting./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"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Serif!" /emhe cried out, voice breaking in both woe and relief as he sprinted towards me. "Don't ever scare me like that again; I thought you were dead!" he scolded tearfully, sliding to the floor and hugging me fiercely. "We didn't know where you'd gone. Ink couldn't track you down, then Error had those awful shreds—! Oh, where have you been?" I shifted my wings, prompting Dream to release me, and then unfurled them to reveal the sleeping Sans beneath./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"looking for him," I answered simply, smiling warmly. The glistening tears fell from Dream's widening eyes./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?" he whispered. His hands trembled as he reached to cup his young friend's face. "Is it really…?" I moved Blue from my arms to Dream's. He held him close, arms shaking as he softly sobbed in relief./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 hasn't fallen down," I assured. "he said something about not needing to eat or sleep in the anti-void. i think it mighta all caught up with him. he should be alright."/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, Ink landed in the Sphere. Despite the distance, I could see shining tears well up in his eyes. Pulling an arm across his face, he walked over, dropped to the ground, and wrapped the three of us in an embrace./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"Safe," he whispered, his tone brimming with overwhelming gratitude. "You're both safe."/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"'course we are," I insisted, grinning. "i told ya everything'd be alright."/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"Yes," Ink agreed, his smile evident even in his voice. "You did. And you've saved us all."/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;" /spanFor the longest, most blessed time, there was peace. Ink's and Dream's magic joined mine, and Blue stabilized. Once he woke, we'd take him to Carrot—just as soon as he had a proper meal and a nap. Magic couldn't sustain him indefinitely. But he was safe, and that was all that mattered./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;" /spanWe'd done it. We'd won. It worked out, and everyone I loved was safe. Inexplicably, I recalled my long-past request: em"just convince me you even care." /emAnd in my soul, I heard a gentle whisper—/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"Do you trust Me, now?"/em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"emspan style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/span/emspan style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Hopeful, indebted tears welled in my eyes. Was emthat/em the answer? Had the emMaker/em been guiding me? It was the same voice, the one that comforted me when I mourned Papyrus. It was the voice that guided my perilous journey, the voice that showed me how to save Blue. I couldn't absorb it. Surely, it couldn't be the Maker! Why would emHe/em bother with fixing my miserable situation? And, yet…/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;" /spanWho else could have turned this dark disaster around for the better? Who else could have guarded my every move? I hadn't walked a single step alone. I had never truly been alone, had I? After an overwhelmed pause—emyes, /emI thought, smiling as the teal tears spilled over. A soft, loving peace soothed through my soul. emi do trust you./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;" /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy path had a purpose all along. I had been brought here to save Blue. Despite all the bad things that had happened, despite everything I had lost—nothing was wasted. The pain of grief had taught me how to empathize. The impossible trials showed me how to persevere. Being all alone made me want to reach out to help others—and I'd done 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;" /spanThe weight of worlds was lifted from Ink's shoulders. I'd never seen Dream smile so warmly, so joyously. I found even myself contented and serene. For the first time in a long time, there was peace. But it wasn't to last./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;" /spanA grimace flashed across Blueberry's sleeping face. I fidgeted, oddly unsettled. I was beginning to pick up on a distant sense of danger. It wasn't foresight, and it wasn't my own feelings. I realized I must be hearing emBlue's/em thoughts. /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;" /spanApparently, the gold magic worked even on unconscious minds. I frowned, focusing. All I could decipher was a sense of dark malice, and the word em"R/emem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"evenge." /emspan style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"I blinked. The thought wasn't in Blue's voice. /spanem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"revenge? but, who would want—?/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;" /spanem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Boom./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;"I flinched, startled. /spanspan style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"Ink lifted his head, wearing an expression of alarm. I sent him a nervous glance. Had he felt it, too? Dream noticed our reactions and frowned inquisitively, disconcerted./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;"Boom./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;" /spanIt was getting louder, but it wasn't an audible sound. It was in my mind. And it emhurt. /emBut there was no doubt Ink could sense it. His eyelights shrank. His hand closed around his scarf and pressed it to his chest. He glanced around, deeply distressed. Tense, Dream's hold on Blue tightened, as if to protect him from the unseen threat./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?" Ink whispered. "But, if emI/em can see it again…"/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;"Boom./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"How did he find it?!" Ink gasped, horrified. "He—! No, if he read your code…!"/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 going on?" I asked, frightened, as my soul began to race with overwhelming dread as another impact thrummed through my head./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," Ink breathed, eyelights flashing between bright red and orange warning symbols. "He's trying to break—"/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;"Crack./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;" /spanDream's own eyelights went dark in dismay as Ink leapt up and exclaimed—/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's breaking into your world!" I sprang to my feet./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"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"what?!"/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;" /spanem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Crack./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"ink, take me there," I begged. "take me there, now!" Ink froze up, hesitating. "please!" I beseeched. "he'll kill everyone!"/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"If the walls are down," Ink murmured, thinking hard, "we might make it. But, I don't know if—"/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;"Shatter./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"please!" I cried. To my amazement, miraculously, a portal swirled open a few yards away. Ink bolted for 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"Come on, Serif!" he exclaimed. Soul tightening in both hope and terror, I ran after 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;" /span"What about me?" Dream called after 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;" /span"Stay with Blue until he wakes up," the Artist ordered. "Keep him safe!" Just as Ink and I leapt through the portal, he anxiously glanced my way and murmured— "Don't you dare dust on me," and the colors folded in on us./span/p