Chapter Text
Possibly the worst thing to happen, that could happen, did happen, and you were all sorts of discombobulated and distressed.
At least you would be if you were awake.
You were asleep right now, somewhere in between the light and the dark, where they intermingled and created grey; where purple and yellow danced in patterns that were quick to be seen and forgotten. It was the kind of sleep where you could feel, but didn't pay much attention. An energy sapping sleep, where you were just awake enough but teetering on the edge.
You had done a lot of sleeping in the past day (had it only been a day?) in one way or another.
(If you counted passed out as a form of sleep. It was unconsciousness, so it could possibly be the same.)
You were on a small wedge of cushion, big enough for your body and then some, but not something that you could sprawl out on. Flinging your limbs over the side was out of the question, so you mostly tossed and turned fitfully, rubbing your face into the squishy pillow and pulling the scrunchy blanket over your shoulder and ear.
There wasn't much noise at all. It was quiet, more of the “peaceful” type than the “empty” type, though you heard the murmuring of some persons a room away. You made a few noises akin to words and sighed, clumsily pulling a strand of hair out of your face as it was disturbed by said sigh.
You were at a comfortable temperature, a much better change from last time. Last time what? You didn't know.
Your eyebrows scrunched, mouth pouting into a frown. There was a last time? When and what-
Oh stars.
You shot up, eyes wide open. You toppled to the floor, the white floor, and heard screaming. You realized it was yours when your arms came to your face as your body curled in.
Pounding footsteps raced towards you, and your eyes darted to a door you hadn’t noticed before as it burst open.
Ink was there, eyes sharp and wielding his paintbrush, running in, scanning the room for danger.
Dream was behind him, staff in hand, and Blue held two medium glowing blue bones in his hands. Dream was the first to lower his weapon and sweep towards you, his staff disappearing as his face softened into concern.
“Human, human! It's alright, it's alright!” He kneeled over you and put his hands on your body gently. Ink lowered his paintbrush, and Blue’s bones disappeared as well. Your screams stopped, heavy, jerking breathing replacing it.
“HUMAN, WHY WERE YOU SCREAMING?” Blue said, curiosity on his face.
You took another breath, gulping.
“I-I, I don't-” your breathing sped up, more memories seeming to be dredged up with the sole purpose to steal the air from your lungs. You gasped, trying to pull oxygen in.
“Oh stars.” Ink said, hands clutching his skull in panic.
Dream said your name.
“Listen to my voice. Anchor yourself to it. It's alright, it is okay. You are safe, you are safe.”
He continued to murmur to you, telling you to breath deeply. You took shuddering breaths, slowly being brought back to the present by your golden saviour. He smiled comfortingly as your eyes became clearer, focusing better.
“There, you’re good, you’re alright.” He took your hands and helped you up, back to your resting place. It turned out to be a couch, uncannily like the one in-
Yeah.
You sat down heavily, suddenly aware of how stupid you must've looked. You felt your face and neck get hot, and you averted your eyes to the side, away from the trio of skeletons that were in front of you.
Several minutes passed in this silence as you caught your jumbled panic and tied it into a package of embarrassment.
“Ugh I'm sorry.” You buried your face in your hands, eyes burning.
“Hey, no, it's okay.” Ink pulled your hands from your face and forced you to tilt your head upwards. His eyes were full of relief, a small smile on his face.
“You've been through a lot in a short amount of time. No reaction would have been worse.”
“THAT IS TRUE, THERE IS NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR HUMAN!” Blue was grinning full force.
You groaned and scrunched your face in, still feeling gross.
“You all are too nice.”
“Probably.” Dream chuckled.
“Yeah.” Ink agreed.
“OF COURSE! BEING NICE IS THE LEAST THAT ANYONE CAN DO!” Blue said.
You leaned back and pulled the blanket to you, balling it up and squeezing it. Another silence, more awkward this time, permeated the atmosphere.
After a while, you noticed something, breaking the silence.
“Wait, where am I? Where are we?”
~
“The Anti Void?” You said, confused.
You and Ink sat on the furniture, you on a chair, and Ink on the couch that had housed your slumbering body. You had your legs to your chest, arms wrapped around them, face open and conveying your confusion.
Dream had gone off somewhere, while Blueberry had taken off to his AU. That had left you and Ink to awkwardly stare at each other.
“Yes, the Anti Void. It is the opposite of the Void, and the headquarters for most of the other Sans’.” Ink said, his hands tapping on his legs.
“Error was born of the Void, and as his counterpart, I was born of the Anti Void. It is a moldable liminal space, as you can see from the furnishing.” Ink gestured to the couches and beanbags and coffee tables laying around in the finite space, “finite” being dictated by the opaque walls.
“If the Void is the end of all things, then the Anti Void is the beginning. The realm of possibility.” He said.
“I am the creator, and Error is the destroyer.”
You nodded slowly, looking around at the things.
“So, like the Yin-Yang deal?”
Ink shrugged.
“Yeah, if you want think of it like that.”
“Ah.” You made a noncommittal sound, now focusing on your feet instead.
You were still wearing Fell's clothing, bringing about not pleasant recent memories. You had a strange conflicting feeling of wanting to cry, scream, and cease to exist. You were tired emotionally and mentally. Ink could probably sense it.
You wanted to say something. You couldn't not say it, but something held you back. You continued to let him talk, feeling very weird.
“It's a gathering place for all the AUs, a place where Sans’ can meet and chat peacefully, without threats. Since this place is where creativity can flourish, and since it is ‘my place’, I provide it as a neutral zone where we can simply hang out.” Ink explained.
“There are a few exceptions to this rule though. Error being one, of course. He cannot travel here, nor does he know how. A few AUs are also not allowed, since they are very unstable and are in cahoots with Error.”
“Um, sorry, I just need to ask this.” You butted in. Ink nodded, allowing you to continue.
“This is great and all, and I know that I'm sounding obnoxiously like a jerk, but why am I here? Why was I picked, why aren't I back in my universe? Why has all of this-” you gestured around in the air with your hands- “happened?” There it was. The question bugging you, out in the open. Everything was cobbling together, unraveling at the seams.
Ink paused after your questions, regarding you thoughtfully.
“Your universe,” he began slowly “was a new one, so to speak. It was a newly formed thought, out in the edges of the Multiverse, well made but without connections. Hence why I hadn't visited sooner.” Ink took a breath, looking excited but troubled, a strange combination. He leaned forward slightly.
“The first thing that happens when a universe is created is that the Sans within that universe emits a strong SOUL wavelength to draw me to it, to herd it into the connections and help it grow. Unfortunately, Error can sense it as well, and it seems that I wasn't fast enough.” Ink sighed.
“You see, Error has the ability to break apart the “code” of a universe, so to speak. He separates the Sans from it, sealing the lines. From there he destroys it, tearing it apart until it freezes. He then takes the now destroyed universe and “spheres” it, making a trophy of both the universe and the Sans.
“If a universe’s thought fades, then it fades too. I've seen my fair share of great AUs pass away from discouragement and self doubt. The ones Error has taken apart have been few, thankfully.”
“Wait, universes are thoughts? Thoughts from who?” You asked. Ink gave you an indecipherable look.
“They are from those out there, past the edges of even my sight. They are beings of incredible magic and power, able to conceive and give life to things, even if they themselves do not know it.”
“They sound pretty cryptic.” You commented.
“Cryptic? Possibly. Wonderful? Yes.” Ink replied, a faraway look in his multicoloured eyes.
“Anyways, back to what I was saying. Your universe-” Ink’s eyes darted from yours quickly.
“Your universe has been taken by Error.”
All of the air in the room disappeared. Your chest felt like it had been hit by a car (again). Gone. Taken. Your life, gone. Your friends, family, gone.
“The Sans.” You said, rasping.
“They're taken too, aren't they? Error has them, I'm the only survivor.”
“No, they're safe.” Ink said, shifting around.
“What?” You suddenly sat bolt upright in your chair, hands clenching at the fabric of your pants.
“Where are they then! Do I know them? Are they here?” You weren't the only survivor? Maybe there was hope?
“...” Ink looked at you, really looked at you, and you shivered. (music)
“... You don't get it, do you?” Ink’s voice was soft, sympathetic.
“Error is drawn to universes by the SOUL wavelength of the patron Sans. He ended up in your bedroom, attacking you.”
You stared in shock.
“Only Sans’ can pass through the Multiverse and enter other AUs alone.”
Emotion welled up in your throat.
“Only Sans’ have peculiar SOULs.” Ink smiled.
“Human, you are the Sans.”
You began to cry, choking up from happiness and helplessness.
Just then, a skeleton walked in. He had a white coat on with a red slash stain on it, and a long red-orange scarf wrapped around his neck. He had a weird fuzziness to his right eye and places on his body.
“Ink! There you are, I've been meaning to talk to…” He trailed off and noticed you.
“Hey, is that a new Sans?” He asked.
Cue more tears.
~
“Geno.” The skeleton introduced himself as after you were cried out and sitting at an island table, a cup of something called “Goldenflower tea” in front of you, and an overall worn out feeling.
“Of Aftertale.” He added as an afterthought. You nodded and told him your name, leaving it at that as you hadn't a clue what your universe was called, if it even had a name besides “your universe”.
This sans was different from the few you had met already. He was conversational and friendly, and pretty laid back. But he had an edge to him that you couldn't quite pin down. Well, besides the weird fuzziness around certain parts of his features and the red stuff smeared at the corner of his mouth. He was guarded underneath the layers of casualness.
You didn't probe, partially out of respect, but also because you didn't have a reason to. It didn't seem like a tale he'd tell you about if you did gather the courage to ask anyways.
Geno wasn't overly talkative, which you were appreciative of. He simply sat beside you, giving you space but providing the presence of at least someone.
You felt as if you had gone through a war.
The tea was warming your fingers, and you were blowing on it, to cool it down some. You decided that now was a good time to drink it, and you took a tentative sip of the warm beverage.
Your palate was overtaken with a warm rush, like you had just walked into a patch of sunlight. It lit you up from the inside, bringing heat to every part of your body. You jumped from the feeling, staring at the tea, wide eyed and amazed.
“Whoa wow, what was that?” You said.
“Goldenflower tea. It's imbued with magic, giving the drinker the feeling of warmth. It's a common drink in Monster society.” Geno said, appearing faintly amused by your reaction. You gave the tea a smile and took another sip, this time enjoying the feeling.
“There we go bud, there's a smile.” Geno’s own smile widened.
You laughed (laughed!) and sighed.
“Been through a lot.” You said.
“I can relate.” He replied.
And that was all there was said on the matter. You finished your tea and took another nap, aware of the presence of Geno and your new rank in the way of things.
It felt like a step from a sturdy bridge into the uneven marsh, but it was a step nonetheless. And it felt right as well.