Chapter Text
It was another day in Error’s string house, he watched some AUs while knitting and talking to the voices. Error had not destroyed any AUs in awhile, Nightmare and Ink had taken a break from fighting, so things were quite peaceful in the multiverse.
This pasifist AU is boring. Switch to something else.
This timeline was interesting at first, but now things are dull.
Instead of watching this garbage you should be destroying AUs!
Maybe a neutral timeline will be more exciting?
“Ok, oK, i’lL SwiTcH aUs. gEeZ, yOu tHinK a GuY cAN kNiT iN peACe.” That did not mean the voices were going to be less annoying though. So he switched AUs for them, ending up with an Undertale copy, number 56 if he was not mistaken.
Oooh, the kid started a genocide. Nice.
I can’t tell if it's Frisk in control or Chara.
The amount of dust emanating off their body indicates that they wiped out all residents in the Ruins.
Why are you still being lazy? There are worlds to destroy!
That's more like it!
A genocide so soon? Normally those did not start before a complete pacifist or mostly sparing neutral. And this was a newer AU, was the code messing up? Error checked the code on another portal. Normal, nothing out of place. But there was an off feeling about this one’s coding. Normally codes would feel precise, on point, correct, no different. This coding felt, accepting? Like if he messed with it a bit, it would adapt to the change rather than deny it.
If you don’t like the AU, destroy it.
Destroying this AU seems non-beneficial. The location has room to spare and no AUs are dangerously close to each other.
Finally, get off your lazy non-existing butt and work!
Actually, this world is only surrounded by other copies. There's not an original AU close to this one. Weird.
After checking, Error found that the last voice was right. This copy was the farthest from its original. And so were all the other copies around it. He checked the other AU copies coding. They all had that feeling. What was going on? Did Ink make them like this on purpose? Or was there something else going on?
Uh-oh. Welp, so long Papy.
The cinnamon bun too?
That's genocide for you. No mercy.
Error turned back to the portal with Undertale copy 56 showing. The kid was starting their attack on Papyrus. The one that would kill him. Error had watched child after child kill a Papyrus. He was used to it, but this time, something shook him. Error could not, he would not let it happen to THIS one. Then, it happened. A dangerous choice.
What did you do?
Stop, you're not supposed to interfere!
That's a stupid move. You should know your place.
Are you helping him? Your suppose to either watch or destroy, not help!
Once Error regained himself, he saw his strings were holding the kid in place. Stopping them just before the blow hit. The AU’s Sans had come out from hiding, standing next to his brother protectively and also confused.
“BROTHER, WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT ARE THOSE STRINGS?”
“i dunno, bro. they’re new to me.”
Why? Why did he stop them? Why did the thought of this world’s Papyrus dying hurt so much? Questions, ones that he could not find answers for. Maybe he never will.
Um, stop? They are getting suspicious.
This is not your job! Know your place! Destroy the AU before things get worse!
What are you thinking? Messing with worlds is not what you are to do. This role is not yours.
Or maybe, we could have fun with this.
The voices kept talking, but Error did not listen. He focused only on the scene before him. Papyrus, confused and uncertain, staring at the strings holding the human. Sans, calculating and on guard, eyeing the human for any trickery. The kid, paralyzed and surprised, internally struggling to get out, but unable to move. No one can escape Error’s strings once they are caught. Error, confused more than anyone else, decided to play around a bit rather than ask more questions.
“wElP, mAy aS WeLl mAKe tHe bEsT oF THis.” Then he made the kid twirl, jump, dance, and other things. He saw the skeleton brothers look confused at first, but laughed when Error made the human shake their behind and make funny faces. Error made the human bow to the brothers after the little show. Making them clap in applause. Then, Error pulled out the child’s soul. Sans and Papyrus were silent, watching what was happening. The strings brought the red soul to Sans. Offering it without words.
“SANS, WHAT IS IT DOING?”
“i’d say it’s giving us the human’s soul.”
Error made the strings bring the soul up and down gently, to simulate a nod of confirmation.
“that answers that.”
“BUT BROTHER! THE HUMAN CAN CHANGE! I KNOW IT!”
“sorry, bro. but i don’t want to see you die.”
“I KNOW BUT-”
Their arguing ended at the sound of cracking. Error was tightening the strings on the soul, causing cracks to form. They stopped once the skeletons stopped arguing. The strings brought the soul to Sans once again, with more firm movements.
“its got to go, bro.”
Papyrus said nothing more as his brother made a sharp bone attack. Sans locked the bone on target of the human soul. Then shattered it. The strings on the soul left, but the ones on the human’s body gently let go and placed the human down. The blue threads lingered for a moment, then vanished.
“BROTHER? WHAT WERE THOSE?”
“i don’t know bro. i really don’t know.”
Error watched as the brothers stood in silence before the world reset once more.
What were you thinking? Are you trying to be stupid?!
Did you want them knowing you were watching?
This could be bad.
The world reset. So as long as he doesn't do it again, things should be ok.
Again? That's right. The kid reset, so they would likely try again. They would try to kill Papyrus again. And Sans, and the KIDS. They would kill all of the monsters.
“I cAn’t Let tHAt hAPpEn.”
Is he thinking...oh I think he is.
Error, be logical. This is not your role to play.
That's how the AU is supposed to be! And you are supposed to be destroying it!
I know it's unfair. But so is life. You have your job, they have theirs.
“nO.”
What?
“I sAId NO! i’M gOiNG tO pRoTEcT THeM!”
Are you crazy? That’s not your choice to make.
“iT Is NOw. aNd nO oNe iS GOinG tO STop Me.” He was DETERMINED.
Little did Error know, this was the first step of a big plan. And someone was watching it all play out with a smile on their face.