Ink's POV, 1st person

Error dropped me off at Nightmare's castle again. 

He said something about a job...?

I wonder what he does. It must be important.

Right now, I'm drawing on the floor in Nightmare's living room.

The one with a red circle in front of him, I think Killer, is keeping an eye on me.

I don't mind though. He's weird, but he's been really nice.

"Whatcha drawing, kiddo?" He asked suddenly.

I grin and show him my picture. It's a drawing of Error and his friends here.

Killer looks it over. "Huh. Nice."

He likes it!

"Who's that yellow guy?" He asked, pointing to the yellow skeleton in the corner.

I frown. 

"I dunno. He came into the Anti-Void a few days ago, and Error and I hid in the strings over his head. He didn't see us. He looked familiar though...? I think I knew him, but I can't remember."

Killer nodded. "That's fine. Your memory will come back eventually."

I smile again. "Okay!"

I put the drawing back on the floor so I can finish coloring it. I wanna give it to Error; I hope he likes it.

Killer's POV, 3rd person

So. Dream came into the Anti-Void looking for him?

He wasn't surprised. It was only a matter of time. But why did Ink-er, Paint, choose to draw him in the group picture? Killer did understand why Paint drew the picture in the first place; they were nice to him and they were the only people he knew.

He sighed, turning his attention to the little artist. It didn't seem to bother him that his skill level was way above what a kid his current age should be able to do. 

It didn't seem to bother him that Horror had just entered the room covered in blood and carrying several dead squirrels, either.

...Wait a second.

"Uh-"

Horror blinked at him, then spotted the oblivious Paint. He quickly made his way through the room, not wanting to traumatize the child.

A few minutes later, Horror returned, without the squirrels and with slightly less blood on him.

"Hey," Horror said, coming around to sit on the couch.

This time, Paint did look up. He grinned at Horror.

"Hi, Horror!" He said happily. 

Horror, who had zero experience with kids, said an awkward, "H-hi?"

Paint didn't seem to mind though.

"Look what I drew!" Paint proudly showed Horror the picture.

"Uh, looks great, kid."

Paint beamed at him. "Do you think Error will like it?"

Killer blinked. He made it for Error? He glanced at Horror, who seemed to be just as surprised.

"Sure," Killer said. "But, why'd you make it for him?"

Paint's smile faded. He looked down at his picture sadly.

"He seems really sad," he said. "I want to cheer him up somehow, but I don't know how." He brightened. "So I thought, maybe if I drew him and his friends, you guys, he might like that!"

"Good idea," Horror grunted. "But, uh...where's he going to put it?"

Paint blinked.

Fatal planning error.

...That was a bad pun.

Killer mentally smacked himself.

"Um...I dunno," Paint admitted. "Maybe he could hang it from one of his strings?"

"That's not a bad idea," Killer said. "Why don't you tell him that when you give it to him?"

Paint grinned again. "Okay!"

Paint carefully folded the paper and put it in his pocket. Then he got out another and started drawing again.

Killer stretched. "Welp," he said, standing, "I gotta go. Boss wants me to go-" he glanced at Paint, then re-worded his sentence. "Uh...He needs me to do something."

"Aww," Paint said. "Bye, Killer!"

"Later, kid."

Killer left to go see who Nightmare needed him to murder.

Cross's POV, 3rd person

Cross quietly snickered from just outside the room.

This was the perfect time to prank Killer.

All he had to do was keep Horror and Paint from saying anything.

Horror was easy; Cross just had to offer him food.

But what would convince Paint...?

When Cross had first known Ink, there was very little he could do to convince him to do...anything. Ink did what he wanted, when he felt like it.

The only time it had ever worked was when Cross held Broomie hostage and demanded tacos in exchange for its safe return.

By the way, Ink never, ever let him get anywhere near his giant-ass paint brush outside of a fight after that.

Ignoring that thought, Cross tried to think of things kids usually like, and what kinds of things Ink usually likes.

Hmm.

Kids....candy.

Ink....colors.

Colorful candy.

Aha.

Next to him, Chara cackled evil and rubbed his hands together.

"This is going to be great."

"Hey guys," Cross said, walking in, one hand casually in his pocket.

"Yo," Horror grunted. He was chilling on the couch, happily doing nothing. Horror was a simple lunatic.

Paint looked up from his latest drawing-a storybook rainbow, because why not-and waved. "Hi, Cross!"

Then, the little hellion spotted the edge of the candy wrapper in his pocket.

His colorful eye lights turned into greedy green question marks. "What's that?"

Chara muttered something rude. 

Cross pretended to look innocent. "What, this?" He pulled out the other thing in there, a package of beef jerky. "This is for Horror."

Horror snapped to attention.

"Food?" He asked excitedly. 

Cross grinned.

"Promise not to say a word?" he said.

Horror's single red eye light shone with mischief. This was no unusual occurrence, and Horror was familiar with Cross and Killer's unending prank war.

"'Course," He said. "Food?"

Cross handed it over.

Paint frowned. "Say a word about what?" he asked, rather annoyed that he didn't know what the adults were talking about.

Cross grinned. "See, Killer and I love to prank each other. But, if someone tells Killer while I'm trying to set up a prank, that ruins the fun of it."

Paint scratched his skull. "Prank? Aren't those mean?"

"Not always," Cross assured him. 

Paint still looked skeptical. 

Cross sighed. Chara laughed loudly next to him, imagining the expression on Paint's face when he sees what Cross is going to bribe him with.

It was a good thing only Cross could hear him.

"Listen, Paint. If I give you something real good, will you promise not to tell Killer?"

Paint folded his arms. "Maybe. What are you gonna give me?"

Cross pretended to think.

"Well...how about..." He pulled out the bag of Skittles he'd bought. "...These?"

Paint gasped in delight, his eye lights turning into two happy stars. "YES! Can I have them Cross? Please? Pretty please? With a cherry on top?"

Cross laughed. "Slow down, bud. You gotta promise me, first."

"I pinkie promise I won't tell," Paint said seriously, but his eye lights never left the bag. "Please-"

Cross got up and gave him the bag. Paint squealed with delight, tore the bag open, and fished one out. He happily munched on it. Then he sat back down on the floor, thanked Cross, and continued drawing.

"That went well," Cross snickered. "I'm going to go...do the thing."

"Do what thing, Cross?"

Killer stood in the doorway, having just returned from whatever mission Nightmare had given him.

"ABORT! ABORT!" Chara shrieked. "LIVE TO PRANK ANOTHER DAY!"

"Nothing-" Cross said, quickly running out of the room.

No one's POV (Because it can't be Cross anymore; he's gone)

Killer spotted the Skittle bag next to Paint, noticed Horror eating something, and grinned.

"Another day, another prank battle," He chuckled.

Horror shrugged. Hey; he didn't tell Killer. Neither did Paint.

They'd held up their end of the deal.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, WE CAN'T TURN HIM BACK INTO AN ADULT!??!"

"Calm down-"

"DON'T FUCKING TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!!! I NEED HIM TO GET BACK TO CREATING, AND I NEED IT TO HAPPEN SOON!"

"We can't do anything! Whatever that shit was, it's in his system. We can't just revert him back into adult; it might cause permanent damage!"

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Well, let's see. His body structure is like a kid's, meaning not very strong. His bones might crack if we try anything, most likely crippling him. Even if they don't, he won't be in any shape to do his job for a while; at least a few months. Oh, and if his bones do break while we're 'fixing' him, if the wrong thing breaks he could die."

"So you're saying we should just let it wear off on its own?!?"

"Yes."

"Right, right. And what if it never wears off?!"

"He won't be a kid forever. He'll grow up, then you can get him back to creating."

"But-"

"Look, if it really bothers you that he'll grow up to be friends with Error and the 'Bad' Sanses and knowing about the balance, you can just take him and wipe his memory, like you did with Error."

"....Fine."

"Aren't you supposed to be the patient one, Fate?"

"Shut up!"