AN: Hi

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Chapter 46: Everything is Red

Third POV

"Let him go!" Ink demands, his usually cheery tone now marred with cold venom and his bright mismatched eyes now darkened to a deep red hue that forecasts an upcoming bloodshed.

It had been so long since Error had seen Ink this mad. The rage brewing in those eyes, the snarl on his lips, and tight grip of his hands on his weapon; it was the same look when Error had first destroyed a universe. Ink was furious.

Yet Error was unfazed -he no longer does- even with the seething god of death standing behind his eternal rival. Error has no reason to be scared of them. Not when he knows he's stronger than them. Even more so when he finally has someone on his side.

But Error, sadistic and overly confident, mockingly complies and backed off of 'Geno' with a smug grin plastered on his face followed by a welcoming hand motion that invites them to try. "Why don't you ask him if he wants to go with you?" Oh, how Error loved the infuriated look on their faces.

Ink's gaze shifted to Geno and his eyes softened considerably. "Geno?" Ink called, with the smallest hint of hesitation. Although he couldn't help the apprehension clawing up his spine, his instinct screaming at him every time he met those wide heterochromatic eyes and the creepy smile that certainly doesn't belong to the Geno he knew.

'Geno' gave no indication that he heard him.

"Geno," Ink tried again, stricter and firmer. "Geno, come on. We're going home." Ink lowered his brush and held out his hand expectantly. No matter the distance, the meaning behind the act still stands.

'Geno', like a baby who understands nothing of what had been said to him, chuckled as if he's been told a joke.

Ink frowned. "Geno, I know you're in there somewhere!" Ink insisted, loud and hopeful that it actually starts to annoy Error.

"You know his name is Fatal_Error," the dark-boned destroyer said, earning him once more the deadly glare from the artist.

"What did you do to him?" Reaper, who had been silent till now and watching from the sideline, demands. His tone icy cold, hollow eyes glowering with such intense hatred that magnifies the glow of his scythe; eager to slice through someone.

Error's red eyes unimpressively turned to the grim reaper before replying in a plain, monotonous tone "What should've been done."

Reaper bristled as a growl escapes his throat, his face visibly darkens and the grip on his scythe tightens.

"This is what he should've been without your meddling!"

It was the last straw. The god of death lunge with blinding speed and reappeared before Error with his scythe already pulled back. He swung, blue light trailing behind the blade and narrowly missed the target as the destroyer stepped aside.

In their close proximity, their eyes met. Mad red on menacing black.

Readjusting the position of his scythe, Reaper readied for another swipe. From below, this time.

"Reaper, no!"

He heard Ink called somewhere from behind him before he noticed the red strings swirling around him and Error grinning wide before him.

There was a sharp gust of wind and the red strings swayed before gently falling onto the floor. Error grimaced and leaped back, gaining some distance.

Reaper was about to chase after him but a tight grip on his arm prevents him. He whipped his head around to find Ink, a trail of paint, and severed red strings before his feet. "You can't fight him! He'll kill you!" Ink said and this time, Reaper grabbed onto the artist and threw him aside before jumping back; dodging a batch of sharpened bones that descends on them and struck the ground where the two had been standing.

Ink rolled, pushed his one palm against the floor, and do a side flip. He twisted in the air, craning his neck to keep an eye on the enemy in case they attacked before landing gracefully on his feet. Error was on him in an instant. Appearing right before him, too close for comfort, with his fist already pulled back.

Less space, limited movement, and even lesser time. Without choice, Ink blocked the punch with the handle of his paintbrush, hoping that it stays intact and the impact sent him a few feet back, separating him from his ally.

Exactly what Ink wanted.

With a flick of his brush, paint swished in the air like a whip and attaching itself to Error's wrist.

Error was caught off guard as the paint slithers around his arm before hardening into a heavy shackle and the trail of paint transformed into chains; clinking noisily against each link.

Ink pulled at the chain hard and Error stumbled before he found himself flying through the air. Ink flung him as hard as he could across the Anti Void, the chains breaking off and bursting back into paint again.

Ink stole a quick glance at the god of death to see him holding himself fine against 'Geno' before leaping after Error. He didn't need to tell Reaper what to do.

Reaper wielded his scythe with impressive expertise, weaving through wave after wave of red razor-sharp strings and 'Geno' laughed as though he was merely playing a game.

Although Reaper noticed that the delay in between each attack was gradually increasing, his moves were getting sloppier and his laughter would break every time he pants for breath.

Reaper's soul twists in fear for the other as he was forced to back off.

'Geno' stops attacking him almost immediately as soon as he was out of range but he didn't go after him. He stood still on his spot, his laughter now reduced to mere chuckles even as he struggled for air. 'Geno' looked like he was about to collapse right there and then. Trembling and bleeding.

It's a painful sight and Reaper had to physically restrain himself as not to rush forward and aid the smaller. He had to remember that this... being is not Geno. But this is Geno's body and this unknown being is pushing it beyond Geno's limit.

Geno is horribly injured, Reaper can see that, and he shouldn't even be standing but this twisted entity is forcing him to. It's controlling him, moving him like a puppet according to its own sick accord. Reaper growled, his protective instinct taking over. He will take Geno back no matter what.

"Geno," Reaper called, firm and serious, and Geno perked up. That small action alone causes hope to swell in Reaper's chest as it was the first acknowledgment he got from the other but he crushed it as soon as it had come. This wasn't Geno. Right now, at least. This was Fatal_Error.

Geno is in there somewhere, trapped within himself, and Reaper has to reach him somehow.

"I know you're in there and I know you can hear me," Reaper continued upon not receiving a verbal response.

Geno glitched for a second and Reaper was afraid he made it worse. A sharpened bone came flying straight for his head. His instinct took over and he teleported. Reappearing a couple of meters off to the side.

Wide-eyed in disbelief that he could've been seriously injured, Reaper gaped at Ge-... Fatal_Error. Bones as sharp as spikes floating idly around him, all pointed at the god of death and ready to impale him if he makes a wrong move.

Reaper had never thought things would go this way. He'd never imagined that after all they'd been through, they'd be battling against each other like they were enemies.

He thought he'd never have to raise his scythe on Geno.

They're not enemies. It wasn't like Geno was willing to fight for the other side. It wasn't like that at all. He was forcefully taken and tortured to submit and turned into... this... mindless killing machine.

With a burst of determination, Reaper steeled himself and casts his worries and fury aside. He focused more on reaching Geno. Reaper knows he's in there.

"Don't you remember me?" Reaper's voice was soft and caring, the tone he always used to Geno and Geno alone. Although it wavers under the intense emotion and Reaper had to breathe for a moment to hold back his tears. "It's me, Reaper." Reaper somehow knew his name would at least have an effect on the other. It had to.

And he was right.

Fatal_Error's twisted smile slowly, almost hesitantly, faded. His wide eyes staring intensely at Reaper's; scanning, searching for something he himself didn't even know.

Reaper's soul was pounding in his ears. That's it! He was making progress!

Cautiously, he took a step forward and slowly lowered his weapon, afraid that any sudden movement would set Fatal_Error off.

"Do you remember 'us'?" Reaper said, placing a hand over his chest, not missing how the other's brow ever so slightly furrowed. "Remember how we love each other?"

Fatal_Error glitched violently and he screamed. The sharpened bones on stand by moved with blinding speed and aimed for the god of death.

Reaper jumped back, dodging the first wave of attack then deflected the rest with his scythe.

The bones clattered onto the floor before disintegrating back to magic that evaporates into the air.

Reaper panted with the sudden rush of adrenaline, then stood straighter as he composed himself. Watching as the glitches around Geno's entire form sizzled and flickers unstably, the anger brewing in those wide eyes and Reaper realized that he might've gone too fast.

"Geno," Reaper called again insistently. "Remember..." he trailed off, debating to himself which first thing should he mention without hitting too close to the sore spot. The last thing he need was for Fatal_Error to go berserk on him.

"Remember Frisk? You know, the kid?" Reaper asks, slowly and carefully, and watched with mild pride as Fatal_Error narrowed his eyes. He takes that as a yes and proceeds. "Remember Undyne? The Captain of the Royal Guards? Alphys?" Reaper tried, hope welling inside.

Fatal_Error's brow furrowed to a more confused look as his eyes wander off to the side; lost in deep thoughts and searching through his broken and muddled mind.

But his thoughts were scattered everywhere, slipping from his fingers like fine sand and once again forever lost in the sea of thoughts. It was hard to grasp for anything, harder to make sense, and impossible to piece things together.

But it was there. Somewhere. He can feel it.

"Remember Grillby?" Reaper took a cautious step forward. "The fire guy in the bar?" And another. And another. Each more careful than the other.

Fatal_Error looked down on his hands, a few red strings tangled on his fingers and a huge splatter of red across his palms.

Red... Cloth? A piece of fabric?

Lost more than ever, Fatal_Error placed a hand on the side of his head, pressing the heel of his palm against his temple as the world spins around him. Red... fabric. Worn, tattered, and rough. The smell of freshly fallen snow and pine trees invaded his senses, making him dizzy and lost and...

What was it about the red fabric that made him feel... something? Indescribable thing. No, it was too many to identify. The feeling was unknown, both foreign and familiar at the same time. Fatal_Error was helplessly confused.

And Reaper's hope was skyrocketing. "Remember-" he gulped. "Remember Sans?" He literally had to force himself to say that. "Your... best friend?"

Blue. Snow. Cold. Dead. Black. Empty. Alone. Red. Red. Red.

"How about Papyrus?" Closer than before, Fatal_Error heard the other spoke and something clicked inside his head so hard and painful he thought he had cracked his skull. His hands flew to his head and he screamed in pain.

There was a splitting headache threatening to shatter his skull. It hurts. It hurts! Thoughts and memories pulled and tearing itself apart like a necklace snapping and scattering the beads everywhere and rearranging themselves into something else entirely. It hurts!

Reaper was startled and he hastily backed off. Worry flooding back into him as he watched with apprehension in his wide eyes as the glitches went haywire, flickering like a broken phone screen and for a split second, 'Geno's' color inverted.

His white clothes including his bones flicked to black and the red splatters of blood flashed blue. In that split moment, Reaper saw Error in place of 'Geno' and it terrifies him to his core. It only lasted for less than a second yet the terror and scar were permanent in Reaper's heart and mind.

The only thing that stays was the black scarf that Reaper gave him inverted to white, revealing all the hidden stains of blood that it had soaked, making the scarf mostly red. It was as though Geno had reverted to his original look minus the large wound.

Sobs. That's what Reaper heard after the screams and he perked up.

Tears, blue and brightly glowing, pouring out of Fatal_Error's heterochromatic eyes as he lowered his hands to look at them. Stained with blood, fingers tangled in red strings and marred with cuts and bruises. What had he done?

He looked up, he hiccups and sniffles as he openly cries his heart's out. " Į̷̡̩̠͇̮͖̎ͅ ̴̡̬̟̘̠̯̻͂͐͆̏̃̏͜͜ḑ̶̡͈̼̭̘͓̭̀̐͐́͑͛̋͌͋̑i̷͎̦̙̪͖̠̪͋̿́̀͆́́̿͜͠ͅͅd̸̖̜̘͋̓ṉ̸̣͓̍̓͘͠'̸̭̠͙̽͗͑́̚ͅt̴̜͙̳̯̼̻̦̮͒͂̏̅̏̒̍̾̑͝ͅ ̸̭̜̖̣͎̹̣͗̽̾͂̓̌̇̍̉͋͜w̵̮̟̩̮̓͗͐̀̃̿̒͘͝á̸̟͔̦̬̭̲̼́͒̓̈͘̕ǹ̷̦͍̅͌͊̋t̸̺̿́̋̉̾̒̅͂̔͠ ̴̮̽͆i̵̩̮̘̥͌̚t̵̰̖̬̬̮̫̪̮̳̀́ ." It was the first coherent words that came out of Fatal_Error's mouth and Reaper was a hundred percent sure that that was Geno speaking.

"I̵̕ͅ ̵̭͝d̵̼̐ì̴̼d̶̥́n̷͔̿'̶̩͠ț̵̇ ̶̭̀w̷̝̅ą̸͋n̷̜̓ț̵͋ ̸̪͋i̸̫̅t̵̢͗ ," he repeated before his blue eye's glow faded and shrunk back to its normal white state. Although Reaper could only gaze at it for a second before the other's eyes fell shut and his body pitched backward.

All the mental strain and physical torture he went through finally caught up to him and his body gave in.

Reaper broke out of his paralyzed state and rushed forward. Dropping his scythe on the way and nearly dived with his arms out to catch the smaller before he hit the floor.

Reaper was already in tears before he even noticed it as he held Geno's limp body in his arms tenderly, brushing away the bloodstain on his cheek with thumbs. He was utterly surprised when Geno opens his eye again, albeit exhausted and unfocused but it's back to normal!

Reaper couldn't breathe. He almost didn't believe it. He got Geno back. He got him back.

More hot tears welled in his eyes, choking him and blurring his vision. "Thank the stars you came back," he muttered again and again as he dipped his head and nuzzles against the smaller's neck. He breathes in a lungful of his scent that he misses so much, even when it is tainted with the smell of blood.

"I didn't want it," came Geno's soft voice, tender and fragile just as Reaper remembers it and Reaper wanted to melt as his hold around the smaller tightened. "I know," Reaper soothes. "I know you didn't. I know." as much comfort as Geno wanted, Reaper will give it to him.

There was a heavy thud in the near distance and Reaper felt a tremor shook the floor underneath him. The god of death looked up with tears still streaming down his face to see a fuming Error standing a few feet away before them.

"G̵̼̦̟̀́̆͆͗̿̃̌͠I̴̻̥͉̝̺̤͙̪̭̲͑̆̀̉̋̉̃̏͆͑V̸̡̩̺̤͂̔̐̉͑͠Ę̵͇̟̭͈̝̰͚͍̟̙̪̗̊.̷̢̝̯̖̮̦̥̪͎̈́͆͒͝ ̷̛̻̪̍͋͋̔̇͐̂͌̉́̕͝H̸̡̼͍͖̲͖̱̟͕̮̺̀͑̽̀͋̍̃̉͘͜͝Î̸̧̨͔̥̂͑́̐́̐̆̈́͂̾͘͝Ḿ̸̰͚̤͇̼̹̈́́́̊̈̐͋̓͊̑.̴̨̢͕̩̹̟͚̤͓̊̆͗̾̈́̿͜͜ͅ ̷̨͙̯͖̬̮͎̣͈̟̇͒̑̐̀̈́̑̔̋̓͘͠͝B̸͔͈̦͙̱̞͔̜͑͑̏̀͜͠Á̸͕̗̳̻̗̰̯͕͕͒̃̎͂͂͊͝Ç̶̤̮̦̳͆̒̿̌͂̿̽͘͘͜͜͝͝K̶̡̛͎̘̹̺̄̈̉͗̂!̸̺̰̆̇̉͒̊̽̄!̵̫̟͓̥̈́ "

To be continued...

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AN: Oh you sweet innocent child, Fatal_Error is like a newborn baby to me!

He so innocent he doesn't even know what he's doing.

Yep, definitely, something's wrong with me.