Learning the Truth
Error frowned in confusion. About 3 weeks ago, Ink had just... stopped creating. Error had instantly gone on a destruction spree, finally bringing the Multiverse back into balance for the first time in a long time. Ink didn't show up to try and stop him, nor did he try to remake the AUs that Error had destroyed, which was... concerning to say the least. After all, the longest break that Ink had ever taken from creating was a week, and he had showed up to stop Error when he had tried to take advantage of the lull in creating. Even Nightmare showed concern after week 2, simply due to the fact that the Creator normally helped Dream fight his brother, but when Dream tracked down Nightmare, he only had Blue with him.
Error decided to visit Blue, to see if he knew what was going on with Ink. Opening a portal to Underswap, he poked his head through to see if Stretch was around, then walked through when he saw that the taller skeleton was not around. Walking quickly, he knocked on Blue's door and waited for the blue-clad skeleton to answer. "Oh, hello Error! Good timing, Stretch just went to Muffet's." Blue told his friend with a grin. He furrowed his 'brows' together in confusion. "Is something the matter?" he asked, seeing Error's serious expression.
"Do you know what happened to Ink?" Error asked, not bothering to beat around the bush. Blue frowned and rubbed the back of his skull. "No, I thought that maybe you injured him or something, so he had to stay low to heal." he replied. "No, last I saw him was about 3 weeks ago. We fought, yeah, but he wasn't really hurt. Nothing that a quick visit with Medic couldn't fix." Error stated, his unease growing.
Blue's frown deepened and he looked off to the side. "Well, I could try going to the Doodlesphere to check on him." he said, going to open a portal to do exactly that. But the portal he opened only showed blackness swirling within. Error stared at the odd looking portal and said in shock, "He's locked it down." Blue looked up at Error, confusion swirling in his eyes. "What do you mean?" he asked his glitchy friend, confused. "Ink has locked down the Doodlesphere. Nothing can portal in or out until he unlocks it... normally." Error told Blue as he gathered his magic. "I can force my way in, but it would have to be only me since I'm an Outcode, and immortal to boot. I'll contact you once I know what's going on." he promised the shorter skeleton as he started to use his magic to force himself through the portal.
Error landed on the other side with a grunt; Ink really didn't want visitors it seemed. Looking around, he saw that the floor was littered with torn papers. Looking closely, he saw that the torn papers were all paintings and sketches, that from the looks of it, had once lined the walls. Walking through the Doodlesphere, he could see that the torn paintings littered the hall as well. Error kept walking forwards, now very concerned. It was well known that Ink loved all his art, often giving his finished pieces to other Sans' throughout the Multiverse, or simply putting it up in his home. For all of his work to be destroyed like this... Error could only hope that the Creator was alright. As he walked, he came across a door that was ajar, showing a black room. Pushing open the door, the light from the hall fell across a figure on the bed, who flinched and curled up tighter when he realized he wasn't alone.
"Ink? Are you... OK?" Error asked softly. It disturbed him to see Ink looking so... broken. There was no other way to describe it. He could hear Ink start to sob. "W-why? Why are y-you here? Y-you must h-hate me!" Ink cried softly. Error frowned and walked closer to the bed, sitting down on it once he reached his destination. "Why would I hate you?" he asked softly, trying to look at Ink's face. Ink's breath hitched and fresh tears rolled down his face. "B-because it's my f-fault. I-it's my fault t-that you had to d-destroy so many AUs!" he said, trying to stifle his tears. Error frowned and looked at Ink again, reaching over to turn on the bedside lamp as he did so. Now that there was more light, it was obvious that Ink was in bad shape. His bones looked brittle, and his magic felt weak, for lack of a better term. His eyes were tightly shut, and he turned away from the light, as if it pained him, which if he had been in this dark room for 3 weeks, it probably did.
"Ink... What's wrong?" Error asked the smaller skeleton, trying to figure out what happened. Ink ignored him, curling up tighter and trying to hide under his blanket, anything to get away from the guilt and shame that showed back up when Error came in. Error sighed and pulled the blanket away, causing Ink to look at him in shock. Error stared at Ink with the blanket next to him.
Ink's eyelights had always been one of the most unique things about him, changing with his emotions, although the most common shapes they took were a golden star in one and a blue dot in the other. But now... they looked more like Blue's eyelights, but in a very pretty shade of green, with other colors appearing to swirl through before disappearing again. "What happened to your eyelights, Ink?" he asked gently, grabbing Ink's wrist before he could pull away. Ink gulped and stared downwards, saying nothing. "Ink..." "CHECK me." Ink said softly. Error raised a brow. You needed a Soul for the CHECK to work after all. Ink looked back up at Error and repeated himself. "CHECK me. You'll see then." Ink looked away again in shame. Error shrugged and initiated a CHECK, eyes widening in surprise when a Soul appeared.
Ink/(Harry Potter)
Creator/Protector of the Multiverse/(Chosen One)
LV: 1
HP: 999999999
ATK: 50
DF: 100
Has regained his Soul and now feels immense guilt for almost causing the Multiverse to collapse. (For not saving his godfather) Wishes to forget everything (Wishes that he had been faster) Wants to be left alone to die (Maybe he'll see his parents again...)
Error stared at the CHECK box, then took a look at Ink's Soul. It was obviously young, barely adolescent. It was white, with many colors swirling through and around it, making it a work of art; fitting, since it was the Soul of an artist. Looking at the codes, he could see that the Soul was only 13 years of age. Looking back at Ink, he could see that the smaller skeleton was hugging his knees, obviously thinking that Error was going to attack him. Error released the Soul and dismissed the CHECK box.
Moving closer to Ink, he put his arms around him and hugged him tightly. Ink turned his face into Error's chest and started to sob, his shoulders shaking as his tears soaked through Error's jacket. "Sorry" and "I didn't know" could be heard, over and over again, as he sobbed. Error rubbed Ink's back soothingly and shushed him. "It'll be ok, Inky. I promise, I'll help you." he told Ink gently, causing the little skeleton to sob harder. Eventually, the sobbing tapered off and Inky slowly went limp; he had cried himself to sleep. Error gently picked him up and settled him on the bed, making certain that he was comfortable before going out to the hall. Opening his phone, he sent out a mass text, so he wouldn't have to type the same thing over and over.
"I found out what happened. Ink has a Soul, it was returned to him. He's... just a kid. One who didn't know better, he had no clue about the Balance until it was returned to him. I'm with him right now, the Doodlesphere is in lockdown until he unlocks it. I'm staying with him until he stabilizes, if I don't...
I think he would try to kill himself."