*FreeVerse (Like their paths aren't determined by a higher power)*

Error looks at the kiddo, Nova, and sighs, sneaking away from the cave, covering his head with a hood. He walks into a store, and places some gold on the counter, purchasing food, and some 'decent' clothing for the youngster, Nova.

"We don' see many skeletons around 'ere."

"Oh?"

"Yea...The only one I knew o' was Gaster."

"Gaster?"

"Yeah, he's the Royal Scientist. Anyway, not my place to ask, and ye don' 'ave to answer...but who is ye buying the clothing fer?" Error freezes.

"Just...a younger sibling..." The shopkeeper nods, giving Error his groceries.

"'Ave a good day, skeleton." Error nods, quickly walking to the door of the store, walking out and taking the long way around the store to enter the woods, heading right for the cave, where Nova is waiting, crying and sobbing.

"I-i thought y-you left mwe!" Error sits down.

"Didn't leave ya. Was just getting some food, and clothing for you." Error gives the baby bone the clothing, the baby bone changing, allowing Error to see some terrible scars, whip marks by the looks of things, covering the baby bone's back. Error looks away until Nova is done changing and then pulls out the two cinnabuns he bought.

"Let's eat. Then we may have to move."

"Why?"

"Because some...people are after me...and the blood I've noticeably left here won't just vanish." Nova nods, and the two skeletons start eating the CinnaBuns. After the skeletons finish, Error stands up, leading Nova out of the cave, heading around the forest, looking for another cave. They eventually find one, and Error practically collapses, the CinnaBun only healing a portion of his wounds, and not by much. He continues to bleed, and Nova curiously studies the blood.

"How are you bleeding? Mwonsters have very little physical mwatter..." Error shrugs.

"I'm just a very determined Skeleton." Nova nods, touching the pool of blood.

"I wanna be like you Error." Error's pupils widen, and he looks away from Nova.

"No, you don't. You want to be better." Nova tilts his head, confused.

"Look, just go to sleep, kiddo. I'm not going anywhere, despite how bad all my wounds seem, I'll be fine. This isn't the first time I've been on death's door." Nova nods, falling asleep. Error hugs his knees to his chest.

The kid doesn't want to be like me. Nobody should want to be like me. I'm the destroyer, even if it was forced, I didn't think to try anything really...and I couldn't even die right. Ink will definitely follow me, find me...and try to finish the job...What will I tell the kid? That Ink is bad? I can't lie like that...I'm more evil than Ink is...I don't want Nova to be hurt by Ink...what can I do now?

Error lays down, cuddling the baby bone close to him, closing his eyes and falling asleep.

Gaster sends the guard away, looking for the tracker.

That brat got away, but he can't stay hidden forever. Once Gaster finds the tracker, the kid will be right back where he belongs.

The shopkeeper cleans up, remembering the awkward skeleton who spoke only when spoken to. A newcomer is easy to spot in this little town, but...he seemed...off from how normal monsters behaved. It felt like he was on edge constantly, waiting for something...anything bad to happen. The shopkeeper frowns.

Why did that skeleton seem so broken?

??? sits with his two wonderful boyfriends, watching some movie. ??? smiles, until he feels a ripple through the worlds. He shoots up, looking around, his magic reacting.

"???, what's wrong?"

"I don't know...but that...felt different...We'll need to track down the source of the ripple. That wasn't normal."

Error opens his eyes in the dreamscape but sees nobody appear. He smacks himself, sitting upright, and leaning against the cave wall, rocking back and forth slowly to keep himself awake the entire night. Tears stream down his face the entire night, fear eating him up inside.