"Dust...? Are you okay?"

Dust snapped to attention, looking up to see Nightmare standing side by side with Abyss. Tears covered his face. Eyes widening, Dust raised his arm and rubbed his tears dry.

"F-Fine, I'm fine. I'm okay. I'm fine." He stood up, not looking at Nightmare.

"Are you sure...? You don't look fine." Nightmare took a step forward. "Do you need something?"

Dust lowered his arm and looked at Nightmare. He cared so much. But why?

Well, Dust never really did anything to Nightmare that would cause a grudge to be held. They've always technically been on the same side as each other.

But Nightmare didn't treat Dust the way he used to. Back then, he wouldn't care whether Dust was okay or not. He wouldn't care no matter who it was. Now... Nightmare was being kind. It looked like he was being kind to everyone. Wow. Nightmare really had changed. Dust looked down and nodded.

"...I'm okay, boss."

Nightmare exchanged a glance with Abyss then looked back at Dust.

"...Dust, just so you know, you don't have to... Call me that anymore," Nightmare said quietly, "You really don't."

Dust shook his head. "After all those years of just calling you by boss, it feels... Uncomfortable calling you by your actual name. I'll just... Keep calling you boss."

Nightmare folded his arms behind his back slowly. "..Okay, I suppose. Are you ready to go back? Where did Killer go?"

"Back to Error..." Dust said quietly, "I healed his soul and he talked to me for a bit. Then he left."

Nightmare nodded a bit. "...Sorry. I shouldn't have done that to him... It just caused you to waste power on him."

Dust shook his head, whispering, "It wasn't a waste. When you heal someone... You kind of get to see inside their head. You hear their thoughts."

And then, for the first time in a long time, Dust smiled. It wasn't big, it was just a little grin. But it was enough to show that he wasn't completely emotionless. There was so much packed into that small, barely noticeable smile.

"...I'm guessing you saw something you liked in his thoughts?" Nightmare assumed, smiling a little as well. Dust gave a small nod.

"I'll tell you later," Dust promised.

"Alright. Well, we should probably get back to the void now. Are you ready?" Nightmare opened a portal to his void, looking at Dust, who nodded and went through. Then Nightmare looked at Abyss. "It might be best for you to come back with us just a little longer. Killer holds grudges against victims that escape... I think it'll just be safer for you back in the castle."

Abyss hesitated, looking at his home. "...Okay, I guess," he said, nodding in agreement. "I'll come back with you."

"Alright. Before you," Nightmare insisted kindly, motioning to the portal with one hand, his other arm still behind his back. Abyss felt his face flush a little. Nightmare even acted like a prince.

Abyss fumbled for words for a moment then just settled for, "Th-Thank you.." He walked through the portal.

Nightmare smiled and replied with, "You're welcome," before following Abyss back into the castle.

* * *

Killer watched from a distance as Ink talked delightedly to Error, who looked unenthused but potentially amused. Killer clenched his fists, watching with a shadowed face. He'd spied on over half of Error's conversation with that Aftertale glitch and he'd seen Error fumble for words in his visit with Ink. Killer's mind reeled with thoughts of Error going soft, of leaving Killer just like Nightmare did.

Just like Dust did.

After his talk with Dust, Killer at least knew Dust didn't completely think sourly of him. Usually that was the number one thing on Killer's mind.

But now, he had no one. He didn't have Nightmare. He didn't have Dust. He didn't have his brother. Now he was losing Error, too. Everyone was just distancing themselves away from him.

"I said stop!" Error was shouting at Ink, throwing Killer out of his thoughts.

"E-Error I'm just trying to h-"

"I don't want your help!!" The glitch hissed. Ink didn't back out of whatever he had been saying a moment before.

"I'm just saying that maybe if you-"

"I d-d-don't want your advice!!" Error's voice was low-pitched and distorted with anger as he summoned a quick blaster and fired it straight at Creation. "I don't n-need your m-m-morals!!"

Ink cried out with pain, falling to the ground on his side. His still-healing eye started bleeding again. He couldn't see. He couldn't speak. He couldn't breathe. That blaster strike wasn't normal. Something was definitely wrong, Ink realized.

Help. Help. Help. Help. Please. Just help.

But, of course, as the old well known phrase goes...

Nobody came.

Error put a hand on his face, fingers maneuvered away from his wide eyes. He started glitching in waves, laughing like a lunatic and backing away.

"I see what you're doing..." Error said quietly, his voice getting louder with every word out of anger, "I can't believe I just now figured it out."

Ink looked up though his eyesight was still black. He tried to sit up but his arms failed him; he fell back to the ground with a painful thud and a whimper of agony.

"You're trying to get me to go soft like you did Nightmare. I'm no pussy. You're not going to ruin me the way you ruined him." Error stepped forward, towering over the weakened Ink. "Look at you... You're pathetic. You think you're so persuasive, huh?" Error gave a cynical sneer. "Think again."

Ink coughed up a little blood, unable to respond. He tried to choke out a few words but all that came out was, "I... W-Wi....sh..." And then he stopped.

Error kicked him a little in the forearm. "Wish what, you sack of garbage? What do you want? I want to make sure it never happens."

Ink managed a glance back up at Error. He offered a crooked, weak smile. "You d...on't... und..er...stand...." He whispered.

Error shook his head hatefully. "Right. Okay. What don't I understand."

"It... can't ha..ppen... Anyway..." Ink curled into a ball, giving what looked like a very concerned glance down at his chest but he didn't say anything.

Error rolled his eyes and turned away. "Then I have nothing to worry about." He met Killer's eyes, who had no clear expression on his face. Killer looked away. Error kept his eyes on him for another moment then ordered, "Keep him in check. I need to go do some business."

Killer glanced back at Error. "What business?"

"Last I recalled, it's none of your business. You wanted to work for me, right? Well here you go. Watch the prisoner. Do whatever. Just don't kill him. You got all that?"

Killer looked away and grumbled, "Yeah."

"Good." Error turned away and sliced the code of his void, opening a portal to a random AU that Killer had never seen before. Then, as it was closing, Error teleported somewhere else. Killer tilted his head in confusion but he let it go. He walked over to Ink and looked down at him still writhing slightly in pain.

"...You really are pathetic, aren't you?"

Ink didn't respond.

"Heh. Closing your big mouth for once, huh? Y'know, you're lucky Boss made that last little thing about not killing you. Because if he hadn't, I probably would have ended up doing so," Killer said. He was lying.

Though still no reply from Ink. Creation was curled into the fetal position, gasping for breath. Killer's brow furrowed.

"Dude, what is your problem, like seriously, it was just a Gaster blaster. You should have long recovered by now."

Finally, Ink replied.

"S-S....ou...l..." He choked out, tears of every color falling down his face from lack of air, "M..y... soul.."

Killer was confused. He snapped his fingers, making Ink's soul pop out from his chest. Killer immediately looked concerned.

Ink's soul was glitching furiously, and bleeding.

---END OF CHAPTER 14---

A/N:
Um I also forgot to mention yes, Ink does have a soul in this story because WhY nOt?

No but maybe I'll make a chapter dedicated to some weird form of logic about his soul being made for the convenience of others who are against Ink having a soul since its not canon 😂👏🏻 But we'll get to that later.