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 25- Pet Talk/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;" /spanI touched down in the Doodle Sphere. Immediately, I noticed Ink nearby. He was focusing so hard he was quivering. His eyes, fists, and teeth were clenched tightly shut while he frowned hilariously, concentrating like he was trying to lay an egg. /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 nearly chuckled, momentarily forgetting the anxiety I'd felt mere seconds before. The Artist evidently heard me land, for his eyes snapped open. Heaving a sigh of relief, he dashed over to 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;" /span"Hot crayons," he murmured. "It worked." He summoned a portal. "Come on, hurry!" With no explanation, he grabbed my hand and hauled me through the swirling gateway./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 landed in a desolate Snowdin town. I gaped at my surroundings, unnerved by this dismal reflection of home. The houses were merely heaps of broken, burnt bricks. The sky was a hazy, lonely grey. Trees had been snapped in half and thrown about, and the ground was gashed with deep crevices and cracks. Ink dragged me along as he rushed to Dream, who peered nervously at the buildings from behind a boulder./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 new?" Ink whispered 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"Nothing," Dream replied, frowning at one of the surviving structures. "He's still raiding Muffet's bakery. It's bizarre."/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 whispered. "and where are we?"/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"UnderSwap," Dream answered solemnly. "Error's here."/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 balked. "but, he already destroyed this world. why would he 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;" /span"He just can't leave it be," Ink spat, evidently frustrated. Uncharacteristically so. I stared at him, recalling his words from months prior, em"I should have been there," /emand, em"It shoulda been me,"/em and wondered exactly what he'd meant./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;" /spanGlancing around the famous AU, I felt a sharp twinge of sadness. It was once a wonderful, welcoming universe, and it was destroyed on a whim, for no good reason. I never thought I'd see it. And certainly not like this! A faint twinkle suddenly drew my gaze aside. Both Protectors turned as I pointed and whispered—/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"look. there are lights on in that building." Ink and Dream stared at the house./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 teleported," Ink growled in a low hiss. "He hasn't been raiding Muffet's. He's been ransacking the Swap brothers' home!" Without warning, Ink disappeared in a burst of photons. Murmuring about Ink's impulsiveness, distraught, Dream grabbed my arm and teleported 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;" /spanWe ended up beside the Artist, standing inside Carrot's—UnderSwap Papyrus—and Blueberry's home. A mere second later, the door to the first room upstairs squealed open. Out stepped Error, with a bag slung across his back and a half-eaten chocolate bar held casually between his teeth./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 a tense pause as his gaze landed on us. Then, he heaved an exasperated huff, though seemingly unalarmed. Taking a bite from the bar and sticking the rest in his pocket, he tightened the sack on his shoulders and frowned./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"CaN wE nOt Do thiS tODay?" Error murmured distractedly, looking almost bored. "I'm a biT bUsY."/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"'A bit busy'?" Ink challenged. "A bit busy with emwhat? /emRansacking this world, this world you already ruined?" Ink whipped out his paintbrush, seething. "You must have popped a circuit if you think I'm just gonna let you get away with this. Drop your loot and leave, or I'll emso/em make you regret coming back, and—!"/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 air suddenly clouded with black bone attacks. But foresight had been a second faster. By the time they fell, I'd already covered us in a shield. The deadly splinters pelted the bubble like bullets. There was nowhere to run./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!" Dream exclaimed. "We have to get outside. We're at a disadvantage, indoors!" Ink grabbed our shoulders and teleported even as Dream spoke, Error close on our heels./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;" /spanLanding unsteadily on the street, I quickly took battle stance and summoned three Gaster Blasters. Error hardly spared a glance as he flicked his wrist, sending spikes of strings shattering through the dragon maws before they could even fire. Dream's magic was deflected. All of Ink's projectiles were met midair by mirroring attacks./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;" /spanDespite the impressive defense, Error seemed distracted. Hints of weariness shadowed the Destroyer's dimmed eyes. A neutral frown took the place of his typical psychotic smile. He merely blocked our attacks, rarely bothering to launch his own. Only when one of Ink's shots grazed the mysterious loot sack did Error get peeved enough to fight back… and I'd bet my feathers Ink regretted his aim./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 was the first one down, knocked to the ground and snatched up by strings. They pulled my limbs painfully tight, earning a smothered cry. Dream faltered upon seeing my fate, and it was over for him just as fast. Finally ensnaring Ink, the Destroyer wrenched his enemy face to face and frowned./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"WhY are yOu so inTEnt, toDaY?" he murmured, annoyed, scowling at the Artist. "It'S vEry InConvEnieNt." Ink thrashed furiously./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've got nerve, coming here!" he exclaimed. "Taking Blueberry wasn't enough; now you're ransacking his world and stealing his stuff? Why!? Why did you even attack UnderSwap in the first place!?" Error hesitated, puzzled. Then he chuckled darkly./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 gEt it. You'Re begiNNinG to dESpAir of FiNDing him, areN't yoU?" Ink stopped struggling. "You kNOw I'm tHe onLy one wHo KNows wHeRE hE is, and tHe onLy one whO wiLL neVeR TeLL YOu."/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"We don't give up easy, Error. Fight back, Ink!" Dream called defiantly, then stifled down a yelp as the strings jerked tighter around his stretched limbs. Error calmly returned his attention to his prisoner./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"a name="_Hlk131623825"/aspan style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I AttAckEd UndErSwaP beCause I emCouLD/em," Error explained simply, condescendingly. "I Don'T nEEd a rEAsoN."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk131623825;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"But why take Blueberry?" Ink pressed. "Why emhim?/em" The Destroyer narrowed his eyes./span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk131623825;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"BLuEBerrY aMusEs mE," he explained, threateningly low and slow. "He'S faScinatIng, poLitE, fuNny—a pErfeCt cOmPanion. I rEScuEd hIm frOm thiS aBoMinaBLe worLd, aNd he'S nOt coMinG bAcK. He beLonGs tO emmE, /emnOw." Ink gave a kick of resistance, squirming furiously once more./span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk131623825;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"He's more than that, and you know it! You can't treat people like empossessions. /emIf you cared about Blue at all, you'd set him free. Don't pretend to be his friend. You've emimprisoned /emhim," the Artist spat accusingly. "He's nothing more than a pet to you!"/span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk131623825;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/span/spanspan style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""A emPeT?!"/em Error snapped defensively. "Oh, YOu WaNt tO arGUe abOut emPeTs? /emWHat'vE yOu goT tO SaY aBoUt SeRif, tHEn, HmM?"/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;" /spanAt this taunt, I tensed sharply. Error must have sensed my flinch, for he smirked from me to the stunned Artist./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 toLD mE YoU'd seNd hiM BAcK to hIS woRLd aGes aGO, InK. WhaT's taKiNG sO lONg?" Ink stopped wiggling. Error laughed a cheerless laugh. "Ha! I'm RigHT, areN't I? You'Re ProCraStiNaTing beCAuse yOu wAnt tO KeEP 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"he's messing with you, ink," I called, weaker than I meant to, as I forced the tremor out of my voice. "i know you're not doing that," I lied. I span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"didn't/span know, not for sure./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;" /spanInk was still frozen. Struggling with new strength, I snapped out my wings in attempt to escape the tangle. To my mind-numbing horror, I felt Error's strings tighten about my shaking joints… and wrap around my wings. I didn't dare move, or even breathe. The cords were mercilessly tight, digging into the soft feathers. They pulled harder, threatening to rip them to shreds. Smirking at how shaken Ink was, Error jeered—/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 may taKe hiM foR wALKs, but yOu keeP him oN a LEash. YoU kEep hiM traPPeD. BeCaUSe you don'T wAnt To loSe YoUr littLE AnGel. YOur em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"PeT/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;" /spanInk flinched rigid and barfed a torrent of black paint, deeply distressed. Dream and I grit our teeth as the strings tightened dangerously. This encounter might just prove to be fatal. Error drew Ink closer as the artworks stopped./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 so teMPtiNg tO jUst cRuSh you noW." Ink gave a strangled cry as his bonds tightened; a sharp emcrack /emrattled through the thin air. "YoU'd proBabLY suRviVe—bUt it'd stiLL huRt LIKe dEatH." Error's psychotically eager smile widened. Then it faltered, and he murmured— "… BuT, I fEaR span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"he/span wouLd sEnSe 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;" /spanSuddenly, the world emstuttered/em. The color flickered, the light blinked, and the images blurred. It was incredibly disorienting, and briefly distracted all of us. Error, visibly distressed, suddenly vanished. /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 strings went limp and disintegrated. The three of us fell to the ground, aching and disquieted. My mind was swimming. My thoughts replayed the conversation over and over, obsessing over the discussion that had struck at my deepest fear. Despite this, I smothered my worries down, struggled up, and hurried to 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;" /span"you okay?" I breathed wearily. Dream stumbled over as well. Ink was rattled before, but now he looked positively petrified. He stared straight ahead, wearing an expression of sinking horror. He wasn't even breathing./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… Error—" The colors in his eyelights paled as the world flickered again, and he concluded in a shaken whisper— "Blueberry."/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;" /spanAt this simple comment, I understood his alarm. If the UnderSwap universe was destabilizing, that meant Blueberry was beginning to falter. If he was dangerously sick, or gravely injured, or if his sanity was slipping, his influential universe would perish with him, along with thousands of alternations. We were running out of time 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;" /spanI touched down in the Doodle Sphere. Immediately, I noticed Ink nearby. He was focusing so hard he was quivering. His eyes, fists, and teeth were clenched tightly shut while he frowned hilariously, concentrating like he was trying to lay an egg. /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 nearly chuckled, momentarily forgetting the anxiety I'd felt mere seconds before. The Artist evidently heard me land, for his eyes snapped open. Heaving a sigh of relief, he dashed over to 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;" /span"Hot crayons," he murmured. "It worked." He summoned a portal. "Come on, hurry!" With no explanation, he grabbed my hand and hauled me through the swirling gateway./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 landed in a desolate Snowdin town. I gaped at my surroundings, unnerved by this dismal reflection of home. The houses were merely heaps of broken, burnt bricks. The sky was a hazy, lonely grey. Trees had been snapped in half and thrown about, and the ground was gashed with deep crevices and cracks. Ink dragged me along as he rushed to Dream, who peered nervously at the buildings from behind a boulder./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 new?" Ink whispered 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"Nothing," Dream replied, frowning at one of the surviving structures. "He's still raiding Muffet's bakery. It's bizarre."/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 whispered. "and where are we?"/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"UnderSwap," Dream answered solemnly. "Error's here."/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 balked. "but, he already destroyed this world. why would he 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;" /span"He just can't leave it be," Ink spat, evidently frustrated. Uncharacteristically so. I stared at him, recalling his words from months prior, em"I should have been there," /emand, em"It shoulda been me,"/em and wondered exactly what he'd meant./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;" /spanGlancing around the famous AU, I felt a sharp twinge of sadness. It was once a wonderful, welcoming universe, and it was destroyed on a whim, for no good reason. I never thought I'd see it. And certainly not like this! A faint twinkle suddenly drew my gaze aside. Both Protectors turned as I pointed and whispered—/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"look. there are lights on in that building." Ink and Dream stared at the house./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 teleported," Ink growled in a low hiss. "He hasn't been raiding Muffet's. He's been ransacking the Swap brothers' home!" Without warning, Ink disappeared in a burst of photons. Murmuring about Ink's impulsiveness, distraught, Dream grabbed my arm and teleported 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;" /spanWe ended up beside the Artist, standing inside Carrot's—UnderSwap Papyrus—and Blueberry's home. A mere second later, the door to the first room upstairs squealed open. Out stepped Error, with a bag slung across his back and a half-eaten chocolate bar held casually between his teeth./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 a tense pause as his gaze landed on us. Then, he heaved an exasperated huff, though seemingly unalarmed. Taking a bite from the bar and sticking the rest in his pocket, he tightened the sack on his shoulders and frowned./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"CaN wE nOt Do thiS tODay?" Error murmured distractedly, looking almost bored. "I'm a biT bUsY."/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"'A bit busy'?" Ink challenged. "A bit busy with emwhat? /emRansacking this world, this world you already ruined?" Ink whipped out his paintbrush, seething. "You must have popped a circuit if you think I'm just gonna let you get away with this. Drop your loot and leave, or I'll emso/em make you regret coming back, and—!"/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 air suddenly clouded with black bone attacks. But foresight had been a second faster. By the time they fell, I'd already covered us in a shield. The deadly splinters pelted the bubble like bullets. There was nowhere to run./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!" Dream exclaimed. "We have to get outside. We're at a disadvantage, indoors!" Ink grabbed our shoulders and teleported even as Dream spoke, Error close on our heels./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;" /spanLanding unsteadily on the street, I quickly took battle stance and summoned three Gaster Blasters. Error hardly spared a glance as he flicked his wrist, sending spikes of strings shattering through the dragon maws before they could even fire. Dream's magic was deflected. All of Ink's projectiles were met midair by mirroring attacks./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;" /spanDespite the impressive defense, Error seemed distracted. Hints of weariness shadowed the Destroyer's dimmed eyes. A neutral frown took the place of his typical psychotic smile. He merely blocked our attacks, rarely bothering to launch his own. Only when one of Ink's shots grazed the mysterious loot sack did Error get peeved enough to fight back… and I'd bet my feathers Ink regretted his aim./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 was the first one down, knocked to the ground and snatched up by strings. They pulled my limbs painfully tight, earning a smothered cry. Dream faltered upon seeing my fate, and it was over for him just as fast. Finally ensnaring Ink, the Destroyer wrenched his enemy face to face and frowned./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"WhY are yOu so inTEnt, toDaY?" he murmured, annoyed, scowling at the Artist. "It'S vEry InConvEnieNt." Ink thrashed furiously./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've got nerve, coming here!" he exclaimed. "Taking Blueberry wasn't enough; now you're ransacking his world and stealing his stuff? Why!? Why did you even attack UnderSwap in the first place!?" Error hesitated, puzzled. Then he chuckled darkly./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 gEt it. You'Re begiNNinG to dESpAir of FiNDing him, areN't yoU?" Ink stopped struggling. "You kNOw I'm tHe onLy one wHo KNows wHeRE hE is, and tHe onLy one whO wiLL neVeR TeLL YOu."/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"We don't give up easy, Error. Fight back, Ink!" Dream called defiantly, then stifled down a yelp as the strings jerked tighter around his stretched limbs. Error calmly returned his attention to his prisoner./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"a name="_Hlk131623825"/aspan style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I AttAckEd UndErSwaP beCause I emCouLD/em," Error explained simply, condescendingly. "I Don'T nEEd a rEAsoN."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk131623825;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"But why take Blueberry?" Ink pressed. "Why emhim?/em" The Destroyer narrowed his eyes./span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk131623825;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"BLuEBerrY aMusEs mE," he explained, threateningly low and slow. "He'S faScinatIng, poLitE, fuNny—a pErfeCt cOmPanion. I rEScuEd hIm frOm thiS aBoMinaBLe worLd, aNd he'S nOt coMinG bAcK. He beLonGs tO emmE, /emnOw." Ink gave a kick of resistance, squirming furiously once more./span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk131623825;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"He's more than that, and you know it! You can't treat people like empossessions. /emIf you cared about Blue at all, you'd set him free. Don't pretend to be his friend. You've emimprisoned /emhim," the Artist spat accusingly. "He's nothing more than a pet to you!"/span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 182.05pt;"span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk131623825;"span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/span/spanspan style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';""A emPeT?!"/em Error snapped defensively. "Oh, YOu WaNt tO arGUe abOut emPeTs? /emWHat'vE yOu goT tO SaY aBoUt SeRif, tHEn, HmM?"/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;" /spanAt this taunt, I tensed sharply. Error must have sensed my flinch, for he smirked from me to the stunned Artist./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 toLD mE YoU'd seNd hiM BAcK to hIS woRLd aGes aGO, InK. WhaT's taKiNG sO lONg?" Ink stopped wiggling. Error laughed a cheerless laugh. "Ha! I'm RigHT, areN't I? You'Re ProCraStiNaTing beCAuse yOu wAnt tO KeEP 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"he's messing with you, ink," I called, weaker than I meant to, as I forced the tremor out of my voice. "i know you're not doing that," I lied. I span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"didn't/span know, not for sure./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;" /spanInk was still frozen. Struggling with new strength, I snapped out my wings in attempt to escape the tangle. To my mind-numbing horror, I felt Error's strings tighten about my shaking joints… and wrap around my wings. I didn't dare move, or even breathe. The cords were mercilessly tight, digging into the soft feathers. They pulled harder, threatening to rip them to shreds. Smirking at how shaken Ink was, Error jeered—/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 may taKe hiM foR wALKs, but yOu keeP him oN a LEash. YoU kEep hiM traPPeD. BeCaUSe you don'T wAnt To loSe YoUr littLE AnGel. YOur em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"PeT/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;" /spanInk flinched rigid and barfed a torrent of black paint, deeply distressed. Dream and I grit our teeth as the strings tightened dangerously. This encounter might just prove to be fatal. Error drew Ink closer as the artworks stopped./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 so teMPtiNg tO jUst cRuSh you noW." Ink gave a strangled cry as his bonds tightened; a sharp emcrack /emrattled through the thin air. "YoU'd proBabLY suRviVe—bUt it'd stiLL huRt LIKe dEatH." Error's psychotically eager smile widened. Then it faltered, and he murmured— "… BuT, I fEaR span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"he/span wouLd sEnSe 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;" /spanSuddenly, the world emstuttered/em. The color flickered, the light blinked, and the images blurred. It was incredibly disorienting, and briefly distracted all of us. Error, visibly distressed, suddenly vanished. /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 strings went limp and disintegrated. The three of us fell to the ground, aching and disquieted. My mind was swimming. My thoughts replayed the conversation over and over, obsessing over the discussion that had struck at my deepest fear. Despite this, I smothered my worries down, struggled up, and hurried to 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;" /span"you okay?" I breathed wearily. Dream stumbled over as well. Ink was rattled before, but now he looked positively petrified. He stared straight ahead, wearing an expression of sinking horror. He wasn't even breathing./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… Error—" The colors in his eyelights paled as the world flickered again, and he concluded in a shaken whisper— "Blueberry."/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;" /spanAt this simple comment, I understood his alarm. If the UnderSwap universe was destabilizing, that meant Blueberry was beginning to falter. If he was dangerously sick, or gravely injured, or if his sanity was slipping, his influential universe would perish with him, along with thousands of alternations. We were running out of time to save him./span/p